Chapter 3
The trees are alive with the sound of plotting.
As the skytorch begins its descent from the sky, the group pulls up short in front of a very large poplar tree, the largest they have encountered. Swaggle glances around with a pensive look on his face.
“So, which way do we go now?” Swaggle asks while looking around.
“How would I know which way is which?” Delphi responds with a shrug of their boney shoulders.
“Maybe we should ask for directions.” Bobbi quips.
“Ask who? This bush or maybe that tree over there? Hooknose replies sarcastically.
“Maybe, have you tried?” Bobbie says derisively.
“Why would we ask a tree? Have you heard a talking tree?” Delphi ponders with sincere belief.
Swaggle wanders up to the nearest tree and asks, “Ummm… Hello, mister tree. Which way should we go to kill adventurers?
“Are you talking to me by any chance?” A mysterious feminine voice asks.
“Who said that?” Hooknose shouts while putting his hand on his blade.
“Why I did.”
“I must be going crazy because I’m hearing voices,” Delphi says.
“No, you aren’t going crazy. I am right here. Your wise female goblin suggested speaking to me to obtain directions.”
“It worked!? Asking directions from a tree worked?” Bobbie says.
A young woman with bark-like skin, green eyes and bright green leaves for hair emerges from the tall poplar in front of Swaggle. “I am not just a tree; I am a dryad, daughter of the great mother, one of the keepers of this forest, for your information.
“I see, so what’s your name?” Swaggle asks while the others look dumbfounded at the situation they are now in.
“Oh, saying my name in any of your tongues will take so long you would undoubtedly forget who you were speaking to halfway through. as a force of nature, we take our time, and our language reflects that. But if you wish to hear it, I would be happy to introduce myself.”
“Nope, Netherrealms, no! We don’t have the time for that. I know we will just name you something we will remember.” Swaggle declares with hurry.
“Oh, very well, the simple beings always name the forest as such I have been given many names over the years, and accordingly, I have incorporated...”
Interrupting, Swaggle says. “Uh, okay then. So any ideas, guys?”
“Huh? Oh, right, a name for the tree. I’m going to be honest. I have no idea and am at a loss for what’s going on. Is there a lady in that bush or that tree or even any of these trees? Are we being watched by naked tree ladies,” Delphi rambles in confusion.
“Calm down and get a grip on your bones. Yeah, it’s weird but aren’t you a boss monster? Or am I finally going to replace you?” Bobbie barks.
“That’s right. I’m the boss. Just breathe in and out, find my evil place… wait, I don’t need to breathe. Thanks, Bobbi, I needed that. I’m better now,” Delphi asserts.
“Any time, I guess,” Bobbie replies half-heartedly.
” I got an idea for a name,” Hooknose comments dryly.
As the party turns towards him in wonder, he continues. “Well, she’s a poplar tree, right?
The other three appear confused and begin to question, but Hooknose cuts them off.
“Yes, we are in a poplar forest, and she just came out of a poplar tree. You would know as much if you paid attention to some of the creators’ lectures on architecture and wood styles. Anyways I digress since we are in a poplar forest, and she came out of a poplar tree. Let’s call her poplar,”
“That’s genius!” Swaggle yells.
“...Very well, if you must call me anything, you may call me that,” Poplar says dramatically.
“Alrighty then. So about those directions?” Swaggle inquires.
“Well, once again, I don’t know about any adventurers, but if you are looking for more of the flesh-bags that you killed yesterday, I will gladly aid you in finding more of them. As it happens, you will be aiding me in disposing of them.”
“Hang on, you’re a monster too, aren’t you? Why can’t you kill them?” Bobbi asks with suspicion. Because the great mother long ago forbade us from harming any living creature. We may absorb the corpse for nutrients, but we must respect the laws of nature, including leaving those who come to chop us down.” Poplar says with sadness.
“So you just have to stand there and get murdered and be okay with it?” Delphi clacks with sadness.
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“Yes, we must, but she never said we couldn’t get others to do the dirty work for us, just that our powers were not to be used to kill,” Poplar says with mischief.
“I see, that answers that,” Bobbie says.
“Now those flesh-bags are in what they call a logging camp, a filthy thing that is a corpse-laden place filled with my children. It is there you will find more of them, and if you take some alive for information, then I’m sure you can find the rest of them. And if you rid our forest of them, I will bestow a boon upon all of you. Do you accept my terms? Poplar primly proposes as if she is not talking about wholesale murder.
“Yeah, we do!” Swaggle yells without any hesitation.
Q̶u̴e̵s̵t̴ ̸G̶a̷i̴n̴e̶d̵ E̶R̴R̷O̸R̷
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2̸3̸w̵4̷2̴d̴:̶ ̶8̸0̷0̴n̸ ̷f̴2̸0̸m̵ ̸"̴p̶0̵p̷1̵4̸2̵"̸
“Error Huh, did anyone just see that? Swaggle asks.
“Yeah, I did. What was that?” Delphi wonders with nervous curiosity.
“It can’t be that important, weird yes, important no,” Hooknose states dryly.
“Yeah, tell us how we get there or take us there,” Bobbie demands.
“I’m afraid I can’t. I myself am bound to this particular tree in this area. But fear, not I have a guide for you.” Poplar begins swaying with no wind, and a light melodic singing begins. From a nearby flower, a small pink orb of light with delicate wings begins to fly around the group. This is a navigation assistance vapourous Instructor fairy. They used to be quite popular with heroes and druids.”
“That’s way too long. We’ll never remember that.” Bobbie says, turning to the fairy. She continues
“Hey, listen, we’ll call you N.A.V.I., okay?
“Oh, I get it.” Delphi remarks.
“Quite ingenious, Bobbie.” Hooknose nods approvingly.
Swaggle just chuckles at the look on the dryad’s face.
“If you must ruin a perfectly good name for it to work in your tongue, I can’t stop you, but she will be your guide. Now I will return to inside my tree.” Poplar says with chagrin as she fades into her tree.
“Can you speak?” Delphi inquires.
In a small girlish voice, the fairy responds. “Of course, silly, what use would I be if I couldn’t?”
“Can you fight?” Hooknose asks.
“Or use magic.” Bobbie presses.
“No, and kind of, here let me show you.” N.A.V.I. begins to fly around and stops above them, changing colour and brightening up slightly, blinding them. “That’s what I can do. Besides that, I have a wealth of knowledge of this forest.” N.A.V.I. states proudly.
“Well, that could be useful. Lead on to our prey if you please.” Delphi clacks while taking a gentlemanly bow.
“It will be my pleasure,” N.A.V.I. says with a strangely large amount of bloodlust from a glowing ball of light.