To be honest I wasn't expecting that to happen, any of that.
I really thought I had them good there, but I suppose it's never going to be that easy. The question now iswhat now?
The people, whether or not beguiled by the short, grumpy Mayor have spoken, and while this may not be a democracy, I'll still need a bit of consent before bulldozing into the village, especially with my entourage of fifty ard and armoured n.
I knew I should have just co with Anselm.
It's too late to lant the mistakes now, the Mayor is glaring up at all while his people still chant out with their strange gestures to the 'Benefactor'
"What now, child?" He rumbles, an obvious challenge.
I reply with a tense smile, the continued chants of the warriors behind him are beginning to grate on my nerves.
"This is just the word of the few, you must have at least a thousand other denizens in there, it's a big village after all."
"The Benefactor has given us the grace to expand even these tough tis." He says, raising a hand and silencing the crowd. "But you will not be bearing witness to any of the Benefactor's generosity today nor any day. Begone."
He shoos, waving his hand at like I'm so sort of dog with rabies.
"It's night ti, surely a Mayor of your standard wouldn't leave visitors out in the cold, give us so shelter, a barracks perhaps? Or even your Mansion will do."
I resist the urge to chuckle while he sneers at , "You will be fortunate to be alive long enough to feel the ant bit your buttock tonight, child. Thank my rcies I have not taken your impudence as is but simply as the resounding lack of knowledge and proper teachings ant to be bestowed unto a person of your age."
Is heis he trying to say I have no ho training? I think he is!
I take the slight to my upbringing with stride, clenching my fists rather than bash it into his skull
"And what of the two I ca all the way for? The man and woman that are within your walls as we speak?" I huff, and look past him to the Warriors behind, "Your Mayor, Alric intends to leave and my n out here, in the night with no shelter and no protection from the monsters."
Alric is quick to retort, "You! You co here with a force and dare claim helplessness?" He strains, nearly popping a vein on his old wrinkly head.
"Why, I am by no ans unprotectedfrom humans, but my n have never once faced monsters before, these are new, novice warriors from Aste, their opponents have only ever been humans."
I shake my head dramatically as I summon a lie, "In fact, even now they tremble at the sounds coming from within the forest!"
"Followers of our Benefactor!" Alric yells, "Do not be deceived by this man, if he is truly a Mage, if he truly dares boast a way to stop the Monsters, then surely he alone will have no problem facing the Werebears, the Spiders, the angry forest spirits!"
Unfortunately for , it seems I've been outmatched. The Mayor has obviously had more ti to practice his lies than I have, and on the sa set of people over and over againit becos more of truth.
"What now genius?" Anselm grits out in a whisper, "Juri and the others are thinking about just razing these guys down just for insulting you, and I'm not sure how many tis I can say that's a bad idea."
While I'm touched by their loyalty, that would be a bad idea, "Relax, I've got this."
Anselm gives a doubtful look; I ignore it and face the Mayor and his Warriors once again.
Letting a defeated, sheepish smile crawl over my face, I resign to Alric on this front, but in his victory, he's given the ans to my ultimate win.
"Very well then!" I clap my hands, excited at what the Mayor has gifted , "As your Mayor has said, I will survive the night out here, with not a single one of your fine Warriors aids."
Alric turns back to look at , horrified. I'm not sure what this man has against taking over his village but he's really passionate about stopping .
"And to prove that I can indeed protect you, that you only need and no 'benefactor' I will be keeping the scouts I captured this night!"
"What!" Piol screams, "No, no, no!" He shuffles, pulling his comrades forward with him, all of them frantic and scared.
"No! Don't let him take us!"
"Bwahahah!" I laugh out loudly and with exaggeration, "Piol, do you doubt so much?"
He glares at , "I don't doubt that you think you know what you're up against, but you can't imagine what we face each night!"
Alric, the snake, uses Piol's hysterics to cut down even more, "Of course he wouldn't, he's an outsider! He can never understand the true suffering we, Dem, have gone through, and he cannot truly appreciate the Benefactor."
Piol noticeably deflates at the ntion of the Benefactor. More suspicious behaviour.
"Be that as it may. Your people need food, Alric, so you can either have and Piol here prove that Aste is the help you and the people of Dem sourly need or you can turn back, and have the seeds of doubt forever planted in their heads."
The look on Alric's face tells all I need to know. He's trapped.
All this ti talking about an alternative to this 'benefactor' sothing the people do not appreciate, only to shut it down the mont that alternative may just prove itself
He'd have trouble within days. It may not be effective trouble since they still rely on his powers and his obvious connection to the Benefactor, but it'd be enough to rattle and destroy whatever plans he has in place for Dem.
He has no choice, but to resign.
"Very well, if you wish to throw your life away, do the favour and do so at my doorstep. The Hunters need the break anyway, and you are plenty in number, your corpses will surely feed the Monsters for days."
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