16 Practicing Magic (2/2)

”You attacked me!” It roared. Which was only technically accurate and not at all the whole story. And I proceeded to tell the thing as much.

”That argument would carry more weight if you weren't a predator who devours all sorts of creatures to survive. It's true that I attacked you first, I'll readily admit that, but how many creatures have you attacked and killed? In equally cold blood no less. Not to mention... I haven't killed you and I even healed you from the wounds I inflicted on you.” I told the thing. Its eyes narrowed as it considered my counterpoint. However I wasn't done.

”I also didn't attack first. You saw me and lunged. I only attacked after you began to make a show of intimidating me, snapping at the air between us. If you're gonna judge me, do so from a position of accuracy.” I told the monster, annoyed at its revisionism. The creature fell silent and continued to look at me in heated hostility.

I smiled at it, enjoying the heated hatred I felt coming from it. It made sense for the creature to not like someone who inflicted pain on it so I could easily accept its anger.

”So now that you're powerless I must once again ask myself... what to do with you?” I muttered, grinning at the creature before me.

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”You are quite a strong creature. I'd like to recruit you, but I know that as you are... that'd be difficult.” I muttered, as the creature silently glared at me. After thinking for a second I asked the system a question.

”Can I manipulate the ”Tangle” spell without it coming undone?” I asked the system, as I considered a way to at least lessen the threat of the monster I had contained. I already knew what I wanted to do, it wasn't difficult for me to figure out too. I wanted to feed the monster a fruit I had created, but without exposing myself to its razor-sharp teeth.

[Sure! You can manipulate the vines easily with your force of will. This is even easier for you since you're a deity of nature.] The system explained to me, its voice easily entering my mind. I nodded, which was surely confusing to the monster I had defeated.

I refocused on the black caiman and the vines that bound its defeated form. I imagined the things tightening around the monster and binding it more fiercely. I heard a soft, pained sound escape the thing's mouth.

”Now... You and I should have a conversation.” I said, speaking more loudly than my previous mutterings. My eyes locked onto the beast's.

”What do you want, you bastard?” The crocodile-like creature said, angrily. I chuckled as a response to it.

”Do you want your freedom?” I asked it, looking at the powerful creature. It nodded at me or did as much of a nod as it could. I tossed the apple I had just created close to its head.

”I'm gonna loosen the vines that are binding you in a second. When I do, eat that apple.” I told the creature. It continued to glare at me. I waited a second, before doing as I said, loosening the vines to allow the monster the freedom to twist its head and scarf down the apple. It didn't, at least not right away.

When it didn't I rose a hand in its direction. I didn't cast any spells, I just opened my mouth to speak. All I had to do was speak to it.

”Listen... You've lost this fight. How this goes from here is up to you. You're already tied up and bound, would you just do things the easy way? If you do it'll be so much more pleasant for you.” I said to it, speaking completely sincerely this time. The monster was emotionally disarmed by this and was still for a second.

”This fruit, right here? It'll empower you. It'll make you stronger. Consider it... a peace offering.” I whispered, suggesting that I was offering the creature a gift. I wanted the creature to know that this was my way of ending the battle and that all it had to do was eat the ”peace offering” I had prepared for it.

”And by not eating it... you're hinting that you'd like for me to continue our battle.” I said, adding a touch of menace and steel to my voice at the end of my statement.

The beast was quiet for a second before it moved just enough to bite down on the fruit. And then its eyes opened wide in relief as the taste of it filled its mouth.

The creature began to speedily munch down on the fruit. And as it was doing so I received a notification.

[Influence over black caiman: 5%... 10%... 15% The black caiman is no longer considered hostile and is now considered charmed by you. Its intelligence is also very low, so it is naturally easy to persuade anyway.]

I grinned as I read the notification and with a flick of my wrists unbound the creature. Even as I did so I quietly asked the system what it meant for a creature to be charmed.

[If a creature is considered ”charmed” it means that that being is incapable of being hostile towards you until the charmed condition is over. Your words are also more persuasive than they would be otherwise if a creature listening to you is charmed.] My companion and mental encyclopedia told me. Hearing that only widened my smile.

”Nice.” I said to myself, as the caiman stood up and began to approach me.

[I suppose now we can begin to unlock more of your godly powers. Now's as good a time as any, anyway.] The system said, sighing into my mind as it began a process that made me smile.

The caiman came over to me, and didn't attack me, so I ran my hands over the same spot between its two eyes where acid had fallen earlier. A spot that was now healed and back to how it had been right before I struck the creature and began our short fight. The skin I felt under my fingers was tough and wet. It felt strange to touch.