The Timberlings' bows were made of wood from their own bodies—tough, density-reinforced bark that could easily match the strength of a tier three human's bones. It took all their power to draw the weapons, and once released, created rippling shockwaves that knocked leaves from both themselves and the nearby trees. The arrows flew so fast that there was no arc to their trajectories. The grass was flattened in their wake. Seen from the air, it would have looked like fifty lines were drawn across the empty land, all leading toward a single point: The cage.

Jiran crouched and the mana suffusing his body flowed with the ease of drawing a breath. He punched, his fist aimed just to the side of the Forkara's prison. Intricately controlled energies exploded outward and were converted by Elemental Castigation into a frozen wall that expanded across the short distance in the single beat of a heart. The arrows shattered against the wall with powerful thuds.

Jiran leaped into the air, the ground cracking beneath his feet from the force of his mana-imbued jump. The Timberling hunters saw him coming. Fear was written across their faces as he swooped into the center of their formation. Their bows were wrapped in his aura and torn from their grasp to fall at his feet. Several refused to let go of their weapons and ended up being ripped through the air to fall into the pile with them, only to be instantly flattened into the ground.

A dozen were so shocked by the sudden appearance of the massive wall of ice they couldn't tear their eyes from it. Several more stared at their hands blankly, trying to understand why their weapons were no longer there. The rest charged him. Five stopped well short of him, humming in unison as skills activated. Before the breath could leave their lungs, Jiran ripped the mana from them with Enthralling Touch. They collapsed on the ground, convulsions wracking their bodies.

Mayalyn appeared at his side in a flash, a trail of arcing currents stretched behind her. The final ten converged on him, only for Mayalyn to dash between them at blinding speeds. Each one she touched, lit up with a powerful charge before falling to the ground. Jiran watched her every move, his perception high enough to easily keep track of her. She was already putting what she learned from her recent loss into action. Her steps were less chaotic and instinctive, more measured and precise. The strength of her blows perfectly regulated not to kill, merely incapacitate.

Screaming nearby caused him to look over his shoulder at the Matron of Belief who was running toward them with tears streaming down her face. She drew a deep breath, prepared to scream and he nearly ripped the mana from her before he realized she wasn’t looking at him, but at the women around him.

“Stop!” Her scream rippled through the air, shaking the trees and kicking dust and fallen leaves from the ground. “How dare you strike at the Great Spirit, your actions incoherent! The next of you who so much as twitches, I will see you dig your own ditches! Paraalieaan, have you lost your senses? Come here this instant and face the punishment for your offenses.”

Having had enough of the rhyming, Jiran’s mana snaked into her heartwood and wrapped around her skill. He did the same for the other woman who begrudgingly turned away from staring blankly at his wall of ice. Both paused, a shudder working its way through them before they reached him.

The Matron of Belief fell to the ground, her forehead touching the dirt as she cupped her hands above her head, “Great Spirit! I beg your forgiveness! Please only punish this foolish stump who led them here.”

“Why should I be punished?!" The other woman, Paraalieaan, fumed. Her hand chopped to the side while the other was pressed to her chest, “The hivers are before us, why do they yet live? And who are you calling a stump, you ancient, gnarled twig!”

Jiran nearly lost his composure and burst into laughter. Instead, he took a menacing step toward the indignant woman, “Don’t you think you should have asked that question before you attacked?” He let his mana imbue his voice, rather than holding it back as he usually did since becoming a Remalon. The woman jerked away from him, her eyes shooting open in sudden terror while the Matron at his feet trembled so fiercely that her leaves fell in droves.

Charisma: + 1

Jiran desperately wanted to roll his eyes but gazed unerringly at Paraalieaan instead, “You put your entire group in danger by attacking without thinking. What if I had chosen to kill you all for the insult? There are people in this world who would kill you all without a moment's hesitation. Anything to say for yourself? Or should I let her make an example of you by transcending you after she makes you dig your own ditch?”

Knowing Jiran wasn’t even the slightest bit angry and only trying to help them, Mayalyn released a barked laugh that Paraalieaan mistook as another threat, “I-I-I was only doing what I thought was best. I-I am sorry, Great Spirit, I did not know you were protecting them.” She took a step away from him, casting about to both sides in search of something that could save her.

Hearing the sincerity in her tone, Jiran let his supposed anger wash away, “Apology accepted. Since no one was actually hurt, we can let this slide. But you need to be aware that there are beings of incredible power out there who must never be crossed, and you won’t always know them when you see them. You are weak, so be more cautious. Now, I take it you’re not the Matron of your sect?”

“Uhm, no, Great Spirit. I am merely a huntstress in command of these few. We are tasked with protecting the cleansers. D-do you truly forgive me?” She cringed, dreading his response.

“Yup, you’re fine. Next time you see something that doesn’t make sense, consider asking why before you shoot it, hmm?”

“Yes! Of course. Thank you for your wisdom and leniency!” She bowed, her back straight and her hands on her knees.

Knife arrived as the woman was standing up, her chest heaving from the sprint. Jiran's mana coiled around her skill as soon as she was within range. She didn't so much as blink at the intrusion, instead racing right up to grab Mayalyn’s hands and locked eyes with her, “Would you spar with me, too?! You learned so quickly, your steps were amazing! I want to see them again, please?”

Feeling the exuberant woman’s emotions, Mayalyn blushed while shooting Jiran a pleading look. He translated Knife’s words and Mayalyn nodded excitedly, “Certainly, I am eager to learn. Jiran’s style is not suited for my shorter legs, I realize that now.”

After Jiran told Knife what Mayalyn said, the diminutive woman jumped in a circle while her fist pumped the air, "Yah!” When she landed, she held out her hand to Jiran while turning a menacing grin on Paraalieaan, “First, this snag must learn. Great Spirit! My knife, if you would return it, I will carve this lesson into her bark so she may never forget her place again."

Jiran looked down at the short blade still clutched in his hand, the bark hilt so smooth and comfortable in his grip that he had forgotten it was there. He ignored Knife's request, directing another question at Paraalieaan, “You’re from the Sect of Hunting?” Jiran guessed.

“Yes, Great Spirit,” She nodded while looking warily between Knife and the weapon in his hand. Unsurprisingly, the Matron of Belief had yet to rise from her knelt position. Jiran put her from his thoughts, not wanting anything to do with the woman if he could help it.

"Great. Knife, can you take these hunters and have them join the scouts? Make sure to explain what's happening and how dangerous some of the beasts might be. I don’t want you fighting anything you’re not familiar with. Mayalyn and I can deal with them easily, so come get one of us. I better not hear about anyone dying because they tried to fight an unknown beast, understood?" His voice hardened at the end, his eyes blazing green as he dialed up Mana Omnis to full power, carefully watching the mana swirl inside of them.

"Yes, Great Spirit!" Knife complied instantly, her mana showing no indication of falsehood, “Pretty blue flower, we will have to postpone our bout until I return,” She waved at Mayalyn and then grabbed Paraalieaan by the arm, dragging her away.

“Dangerous… beasts? I do not understand. Why would they come for us?” The huntstress gasped and jumped to the wrong conclusion. “Are they seeking the Great Spirit’s death?!” Knife nodded gravely and covered a laugh with her hand when the huntstress wasn’t looking. When she noticed Jiran narrowing his eyes at her, she shot him a wink.

Why is Knife misleading her?

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

“Knife!” Jiran called and she stopped in her tracks, her back stiffening as she woodenly turned back toward him with a nervous smile. Jiran shook his head with a sigh and tossed her weapon to her. Knife nimbly snatched it from the air and placed it back into its sheath in a single smooth motion. When he didn’t say anything that might ruin her prank, she flashed him a brilliant smile before pulling on the woman’s arm once more.

“Off your knickers, you lazy leaf lickers! Be overjoyed that the Great Spirit has spared your worthless bark, now we must embark on a most honorable mission that will earn us great recognition!” Jiran tuned her out when she got far enough away that his mana could no longer block her rhyming.

He reached out and took Mayalyn’s hand, guiding her back toward the wall of ice. The hunters scrambled behind them, retrieving their bows and following Knife deeper into the woods. Mayalyn squeezed his hand, meeting his eyes as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, “You did not translate her last words, what did she say?”

“She called you a pretty blue flower and said she would train with you when she got back,” Jiran smirked.

“Oh,” Mayalyn’s earlier blush came back full force as she shot a quick glance over her shoulder.

“Must be nice knowing their emotions, I don’t understand these Timberlings at all. They seem all over the place,” Jiran remarked.

“You are doing great. If you could feel how overjoyed your presence makes them, you would not be so bothered. I can feel your dislike for the way they call you Great Spirit, but it is merely their belief based on many years of indoctrination. Eventually, they will come to see you as Jiran and not a mythical figure.”

“I hope so. Olive and Cameron said that the higher tier I get, the more responsibilities will come my way. Somehow, I don’t think this is what they had in mind. I kind of understand where the Timberlings are coming from. They’re a people stuck at the third tier with no access to the system or knowledge of anything beyond their valley. Anyone with an aura would seem like a deity. Just like we can’t help but think of the emperors as deities. Maybe I’ll help a few of them ascend, that might snap them out of it.”

“That is a marvelous idea!” Mayalyn clapped her hands excitedly, “They will need to learn to defend themselves or they will lose more to beasts than they did from the Forkara.”

“And they would make for better sparring partners?” Jiran questioned suggestively.

Mayalyn looked to the side innocently, “Perhaps…”

Jiran laughed, squeezing her hand affectionately, “The more the better. The stronger you get, the easier I’ll sleep.”

After seeing her ‘wrestle,’ with her sister, I shouldn’t be surprised she’s been itching for something a bit more intense when it comes to training.

They arrived at the wall and Jiran flew into the air. Elemental Castigation converted his mana into more ice that he used to create a complete dome fifty meters tall around the Forkara. When he was done ensuring there wouldn’t be any more attempts on their lives, he landed next to Mayalyn.

image [https://i.imgur.com/v9Pef0P.png]

“I saw how you incorporated some of that Matron’s moves already, want to show me?”

“Yes! Her footwork is far better than yours and fits my frame and size much better than the steps you showed me,” She hopped up and settled into a stance similar to the Matron’s, ”This one went like this and then like this,” She explained excitedly while dancing through a complex series of lunges. Jiran laughed with a huge smile, so happy to see her enjoying herself that the feelings bubbled out without thought. She stopped and grinned at him, overjoyed to feel that she brought him such happiness.

“You know, I could probably work something out with my aura or mana so we could…”

Mayalyn narrowed her eyes and planted her hands on her hips, “Can you guarantee that in the heat of the moment, when I am begging you to release it, that you would be able to maintain your focus? No? I did not think so. It is only a single moon, we will be fine.”

For the next two hours, Jiran’s aura blocked out the world around them. He watched her every move and gave his opinion on anything he thought she could improve on. It was a constant struggle to keep his emotions unaffected by the thoughts of how attractive she was. When he considered it as merely another form of mental training, he managed to apply himself and succeed, barely.

Niya tapped on his aura with her own, making him realize how quickly time had passed. He let her in and she landed with Lulu at her side. The Timberling's eyes dropped to the ground and stayed there as she demurely followed behind Niya. A group of four matrons were pushed out of Niya’s aura and left standing on the grass, after looking at him, pointing, and whispering, they turned to join the rest of their kind at the forest’s edge.

“How did it go?” Jiran stood up and walked toward the several hundred Timberlings who had gathered, making sure to politely move at a speed Lulu could match.

Niya matched his pace, waving her arms animatedly. “It was awesome! You should have seen our little Lulu. She was so timid at the first Matron that I had to use my aura to convince them to play nice. Then, something changed and she got right in their faces after that. Yelling and singing, not letting them get a word in as she bossed them around. They’re such interesting people, you should see some of the tools they use. Oh, and there are no men! Not one! Can you believe that? Lots of boys though,” Niya wore a carefree smile, appearing happier than Jiran had seen her since they were kids, “What about you, did you find any tier sevens?”

“Yeah, there’s a bunch in a forest not too far from here. Interesting enemies too. They’re a good match for your fighting style so we’ll definitely have to come back here when you’re ready for them.”

“Oh? That sounds fun,” Niya's eyes lit up as she smashed her fists together, creating a gust of wind that sent everyone’s hair blowing wildly.

Jiran chuckled at her exuberance and turned to Lulu, “Anything I should know before I talk to the Matrons? And how are you adjusting? You just recovered and immediately flew all over the forest. I didn’t even think how challenging that would be when I asked you to go. Do you need any food, water, rest?” Jiran stopped walking as the girl's steps faltered, her body suddenly jittery with nervous energy.

“N-No, please! I am great-fine-wonderful. Niya protected and helped me at each sect. Really, she did all the hard work, I-I merely showed her the direction to go!” Lulu shook her head frantically, causing leaves to fall from her shoulders.

“Really? Because Niya just said you yelled at the Matrons,” Jiran squinted while leaning a little closer to her. Lulu blanched, her silvery skin somehow turning a shade whiter as her mouth worked to form a response. Jiran’s strict facade faltered with a chuckle as his hand landed on top of her head, gently patting her hair. He couldn’t help his curiosity and ran one of her leaves between his thumb and index finger, feeling its coarse, dry texture before it changed to an autumn golden brown and crumbled to dust. “You did great. Thank you for helping me after what you were put through. Seriously, if you need anything, just ask. Or I’ll have to think up my own way to reward you.”

“Jiran, she is not pet,” Mayalyn rolled her eyes, speaking in imperial.

“She can be a pet if she wants to!” Niya stuck out her tongue, causing both girls to giggle while Lulu just looked Jiran's hand with a dazed, dreamy expression.

Mayalyn’s right. Why did I say I would reward her? And why am I still petting her? That’s—

Charisma: + 5

Are you freaking kidding me?! Is that why it slipped out so naturally? So, when I don’t focus on what I'm saying, and let myself react naturally, charisma takes over and gives a more optimal response based on who I'm talking to? I’ll have to test that.

Lulu snapped out of her reverie, realizing she had yet to respond to his statement, “You're welcome, G-Jiran,” She sucked her lips in and clamped them between her teeth. A trembling shiver ran through her and she continued in a soft whisper so quiet it would have been impossible to hear without their boosted attributes, “Please, reward me however you wish, I would like that very much.”

Niya’s jaw dropped as she stared at Lulu before spinning toward Jiran so quickly she blurred, “What did she say?! She’s so freaking cute I’m going to die! You have to tell me what she said!” She grabbed his shoulders and shook him with an intense fire burning in her eyes.

Jiran burst into laughter and a wicked gleam crossed his eyes as his hand gently landed on Niya’s head. He patted her hair, causing her to stop shaking him as she froze in shock, “You did such a good job, too, Niya. Do you want a reward as well? Should I translate for you? Would that be reward enough?” He cooed like he was talking to a baby.

Expecting the lunge, Jiran was already spinning out of Niya's grip before she could tackle him. She snarled when she missed and then turned with a screech and swiped again, only for him to dance out of reach at the last second. He zipped through the air, leaving Mayalyn and Lulu behind to arrive before the gathered Timberlings, no longer laughing or smiling. Niya landed beside him, stepping hard on his foot before her expression shifted to match his deadly serious countenance.

This is something that would usually give me points in charisma. I prepared this speech ahead of time. I'll fight off the inclination to say whatever comes to mind naturally and see if I gain any.

Jiran’s mana reached out and coiled inside of each of the twelve matrons who stood before hundreds of their kin. He cleared his throat and spoke with mana infusing his voice, sending rumbling waves of power through the air and ground, “I’ve captured the hive hunters that have been murdering your people. As I’m sure you’ve each heard by now, they are like you, and me: Sapient creatures, capable of thought and choice. They come from a society much larger and stronger than yours. The ones I captured are very important to them. Their deaths could very well lead to a reprisal that would leave your entire people wiped from the face of Madra. You can release them and go back to the way things were, or kill them, or negotiate, or anything else you can think of. How you deal with them and where you go from here is up to you. Don’t expect me to save you, or make this choice for you.”

Their reactions to his short speech were a mix of awe, horror, and fury, though most of it was directed at the Forkara and not him. Jiran recognized the Matron of Conflict, her bared-teeth snarl promised death to the captives. Jiran met her eyes briefly, seeing only pain and deep-seated hatred looking back at him. He sighed, turned around, and walked away, leaving them to decide the fates of two hundred murderers.