153 Chapter 8. Hermit, Goblins and Demons (1/2)
A week had passed, Adrianos, Vasso, Fanis, and Ioanna had gotten more comfortable around Demos. They even go on hunts with Alanis and Alexia. All except Ioanna who stays with Demos the rest of the day and helps with making meals for when they all come back.
They have taken in Demos rituals of praying to this shrine.
Demos was picking was ripe berries with Ioanna. When he saw little men with green skin appear.
”It's a human”
”what's a human doing here?”
”Why's a human this far in the dark forest.”
He heard them say. Ioanna latched onto Demos clothes. He stood there and watched the green men; the little people hadn't told him that they were a threat, so Demos didn't make a move.
”You…. You human, what are you doing all the way out here” a goblin with a red cap asked nervously.
”I live here” Demos said bluntly.
”You live here?” he responded back ”Why?”
”Why? can I not?” Demos frowned
”This forest is dangourus for humans.”
”….?” Demos looked confused
”Moreover, the guardian of this forest is enormously powerful. If he finds you, he'll kill you.”
”….?” Demos still didn't understand 'is this forest really that dangourus'
”I have been living in this forest for fifteen years, And I haven't
encountered this guardian,” Demos said
”...Fifteen years?” the red capped goblin stood petrified 'a human hasn't been here that long.'
”Who is this forest Guardian?” Demos asked.
”His is a vicious beat, who let the monsters of this forest without a body, not even bones. Any monster who has come across him has never been seen again. So, I'm not sure what he looks like. However, recently there is an uprising” the red-capped goblin became serious as he continued. Without realizing the goblin and his group sat closer to the old man along with the little girl.
”Uprising?”
”Yeah, it was the largest I have ever seen.... There was more than a thousand of them.”
”Thousand….?” Demos said in surprise ”What happened to them?”
”They where wiped out, of course.”
”Oh” Demos was surprised 'a thousand monster wiped out by a single beast. I should tell the kids to be careful.'
”By the way human? You have never met the guardian nor the thousand monsters.”
”I have to meet merely a hundred or so.”
”Yes, but, those hundred where after me. It seems they were upset about me eating their brethren” Demos said dejectedly.
”....”
”...”
”....”
”Human, you said you met a group of monsters by the hundreds?”
”Yes”
”And they yelled at you for eating them.”
”Yes”
”….” The red-capped goblin thought for a moment ”Human, and you may have miscounted….”
”Miscounted? No, I am sure it was a hundred” Demos was insistent
”...” the red-capped goblin didn't say anything again. ”Well, Human we will be on our way,” said nervously
”Ah! Best of luck to you fellow.”
Demos and Ioanna watched them set off.
After that, the small green-skinned people would visit and trade with them whenever they visited.
{Artamo POV}
Former General of the Demon army, Artamo Tuccius. Sighs at the fire's embers. The King is gone, and the Heroes have won. The humans celebrate their victory over the demons. His people are slave's ad; his lands are stolen.
Ambrosius Forest also known as 'dark' forest. They were forced here, forced into hiding by the humans. As a faithful general to the demon king he had to do everything he can to protect the young women who sleeps no too far off.