Flora proceeded to answer Damecus’ questions. He had many… initially interesting questions that I wanted to know… but then he veered off into asking her about the various plants and flowers in the forest… their uses, etc.
As to the initial question of what the hell she actually was. She says that she is the last of the florachnids. Which, from what I can tell, is some kind of weird spider-plant hybrid thing. She says that this forest has been her home for hundreds of years. She protects the plant life here and helps it to grow.
That weird blue glow that these tunnels have is something that her spiders secrete on the walls. It effectively acts like the sun to plants allowing them to grow in places far from daylight. She allows animals to pass through the forest, take cuttings, even take the occasional tree from the outskirts… but if she considers them to be causing damage to her plants then her spiders devour them. Which explains why people say that those who don’t respect the forest don’t return.
As Damecus was asking questions, Flora suggested that we get moving as Svampe was now able to move and she did not want a whole army traipsing through her forest looking for him.
Damecus picked up Alastaire while Flora aided the prince back through the tunnels. For such a disturbing and terrifying creature, she seems to actually care about Svampe. I wonder how much time they have spent together in the past.
When we got back to the hole, Damecus climbed up first in order to prepare everybody for what was about to arrive. Let’s face it… that thing suddenly emerging from the hole carrying the prince probably would have resulted in panic… and probably Nomius attacking her. And that is a confrontation that I am not sure Nomius could win.
Once Damecus had had time to explain, Flora grabbed the prince with two of her arms and grabbed me with the other two and used her tendrils to climb up the wall. Hang on… her spikey arm has cut me…
Dwynfel: “Ow…”
Once we reached the top, she placed the prince in the cart next to Alastaire and me on the ground. She bent over and looked at the blood that was seeping from my side.
Flora: “Apologies… no gloves.”
She waved her spiked hands in my face. Fucking seriously… I appreciate she was trying to help me up… but fuck… how sharp are those spikes… it pierced my leather armour… fuck… that stings.
Dwynfel: “I’m not going to end up paralysed am I?”
Flora: “Not unless… I want you to.”
Fucking hell… she’s terrifying. Even Tadwick is quiet around her… and he isn’t normally bothered by monsters. He didn’t even flinch at the lizardmen. Then again… he clearly didn’t have any preconceived notions about them like I did.
You know… maybe that’s a valid point. I was wrong about the lizardmen… I thought they were all psychotic and evil because of the small few that I had met previously and these two have gone out of their way to help us. Maybe I need to try to stop jumping immediately to the ‘they are going to kill us’ stand point. Flora might look like a weird combination of a garden plant and the most terrifying spider that I have ever seen… and the creepy mask really isn’t helping… but she doesn’t seem intent on causing us harm.
As we travelled back to the city, Svampe was trying to keep conversation going… asking lots of questions about us, where we were from… what we had seen on our travels, etc. He is clearly interested in exploration. I suppose if you are a prince and expected to stay in your castle with a load of crushing responsibilities, the idea of escaping all that to explore must be quite a big draw.
He did very nicely promise us that, in exchange for us aiding him to get home, he would pay for our trip across the Uddin Sea. So, thank fuck for that… that’s one thing we don’t have to worry about.
Flora: “End of forest… approaches. Leg healed enough… Flora leave now.”
Svampe: “Please escort me a bit longer, Flora.”
Flora: “For what… purpose?”
Svampe: “So that my father will believe you exist… then maybe he’ll stop people harming your forest.”
Flora: “Doubtful… humans… rarely concerned… for flora.”
Svampe: “We can try.”
Sweet though this exchange is… there is something wrong… I can smell oil… I shouldn’t be smelling oil this strongly… why can I smell so much oil? The only reason anybody would put that much oil anywhere is to… oh shit.
Dwynfel: “Umm… I think we should get out of this forest now!”
We emerged from the woods into the clearing between the forest and the city gate. Stood in front of us was a very large group of knights. One could easily class it as a small army. There was also a tall man, who looks fairly similar to Svampe, stood next to them. He is wearing a crown so I assume it to be the king. There are several tipped over barrels next to the forest… and I’m guessing multiple ones within the forest. There is a large person wearing a white robe next to the king… he’s taller than Damecus… which is unsettling. Several of the knights are holding torches.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Flora helped Svampe and Tadwick out of the cart… she accidentally cut Tadwick’s arm… not as badly as when she cut me… she clearly isn’t used to dealing with people with thin skin.
Flora: “Apologies… no gloves.”
Dwynfel: “They intend to burn the forest!”
Flora: “What?”
Svampe instantly shouted to his father.
Svampe: “Father… what are you doing? You can’t seriously be thinking of burning the forest!”
He went to run to his father, but Flora stopped him. Suddenly Alastaire woke up. He jumped out of the cart and ran towards the king.
Alastaire: “Sire… sire… the forest… it is full of heinous beasts! Giant spiders! One bit me and I was paralysed for hours. Sire, something must be done!”
Svampe: “Father, you can’t! He struck first. These creatures are perfectly safe. They have lived here for years. They are the reason the forest flourishes.”
King: “They are the reason so many of our kingdom have disappeared. I am pleased that you have returned, my son. I had assumed you dead, but you will not sway me from this course of action. I will not risk the people of my kingdom anymore!”
Flora clutched Svampe’s shoulders with her hands. She does not seem panicked… I assumed she would be raging right now… but she seems calm.
Flora: “Alas… reason… runs not in your family.”
King: “Who are those people with you? I heard some unsavouries were assisting in the search for you… be these they?”
Flora gripped tighter.
Flora: “Pretend… me one of these travellers…”
Alastaire: “I did not enlist the help of the tall one behind the prince.”
Flora: “Should they know me… they attack me… they will not… fare well… if they do.”
Damecus: “She arrived later. She was gathering healing supplies in the forest for us.”
Svampe: “Please, father. Do not burn the forest. This is insane!”
King: “It would be insane to allow it’s evil to prevail any longer. Set it aflame Kristoff!”
Kristoff threw his torch at a puddle of oil near the trees at the edge of the forest. The flames spread thick and fast. The entire edge of the forest was up in flames within seconds. Phoenix stepped forward and began attempting to cast a spell.
Svampe: “My lady, what are you doing?”
Phoenix: “Trying to put this fire out. Why isn’t it working? Why can’t I cast any spells?”
Nomius: (Signing) “Who… in… robe?”
Svampe: “One of my father’s guards, I think.”
Damecus began to walk over to the king.
Damecus: “I would know who that is with you, my lord.”
Alastaire: “I advise you cease your advance, lizardman. Come close to the king at your own peril!”
Damecus: “I helped you find your prince. You will tell me who that is, and you will tell me now!”
King: “Show yourself. He has clearly worked it out.”
The giant figure removed the hood of his robe to reveal a white lizardman’s face… Nomius drew his battle axe… and went to advance forwards. Flora stopped him with one of her tendrils.
Flora: “Advise caution… humans… weak… but they are… many.”
I thought Nomius was going to push past her and attack anyway… but he glanced down at Tadwick for a second. Then he took a step back. He didn’t lower his axe though. He still looks furious… I’ve never seen him look so angry. His eyes appear clouded with rage… his breathing has accelerated significantly. What the hell is going on?
Damecus: “Alterius, you son of a bitch! You survived… how?”
Alterius: “I am more adaptable than you and the rest of your stupid clan think. That pathetic little head wound barely even slowed me down. I was nothing short of a prisoner in that village.”
Damecus: “We were trying to protect you. Althea, Asrael and Argonus are all safe in sawtooth village. You do not need to serve these people, and you sure as fuck did not need to do what you did!”
Bloody hell. There is clearly history here.
Alterius: “You think I want to spend my life hiding in your village? I occasionally nullify magic for these people… for which I gain position… I gain freedom… I have a whole kingdom in which I can roam, without fear of being murdered by one moronic clan or another.”
Damecus: “After everything… you have the gall to talk to us of murder!”
Alterius: “I did what I needed to do.”
Damecus: “Is that what you are doing now? What you need to do? You are helping them to destroy an entire forest… an entire ecosystem. How can you do this?”
Alterius: “It is just a forest, Damecus. You always were far too interested in plants.”
King: “Now that you have had your little reunion, perhaps now my son and I can return to the castle. Alterius, stay here until the fire is too big for even the rains to put out.”
Svampe turned to Flora with tears in his eyes.
Svampe: “Flora, I am so sorry. I had no idea he would do something this crazy. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t got injured and trapped in the woods, he would never have done this.”
King: “Svampe! Come along now!”
Flora: “Your father… plan this… would happen… regardless… not give time… for Svampe to be found… fire set… with haste.”
She placed her hands on Svampe’s shoulders. Accidentally drawing blood with her spikes again.
Flora: “Sorry… no gloves. Father call you… go.”
