I let out an exaggerated cough, pulling everyone back to the moment. Were my eyes playing tricks or was the stone girl blushing?

“Um, please give me some time to decide over this,” she said to Bono.

“Of course!” Bono said. “I-I will just go for now.”

“I am sorry for hitting you,” the stone girl apologised.

“No, you don’t need to be sorry,” Bono said, “I would have been annoyed if I was in your place!”

Bono took a reluctant stride towards us.

“Um, so bye,” he said awkwardly to the stone girl.

“What is your name?” the girl asked him.

“It’s Bono… and yours?”

“Bui,” the stone girl answered.

“Bui… ah, that’s a beautiful name.”

“Thank you,” the girl replied.

Clumsily, Bono came away from Bui. I was a little doubtful if it was a good idea to abandon Bui in the darkness of the night. But then, let's not forget, she had cost me one of the precious health vials. Bui could take adequate care of herself. Few things could harm her. Even elite players would have a very hard time bringing her down.

“You should have asked her when you can meet her again,” I said to Bono as we made our way to the original camp.

“I should have?” Bono said. “I guess, I will just go to her tomorrow, maybe in the evening before the sun sets.”

Bono came to a sudden halt.

“You stuck to your word that you will help me,” Bono said, “without you, I would never have the courage to approach Bui. My stomach still aches from her kick, but at least my fears are dissipated. Now speak, what is it that you want me to do?”

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I explained the reason behind us seeking the stone giants.

“You are far stronger than any other monster,” I said to Bono, “if there is anybody that can assist us, it is you.”

Bono nodded thoughtfully, after he had heard about my intention to have a discussion with players.

“I do not know if I really support you,” Bono said as we reached the clearing. The warriors reignited the old fire and we sat down in a circle around it. “I like to kill players. I like to ground their skulls between my palms.

“But at the same time I do understand your perspective. You want peace. The evilese from those crops can get you peace. I cherish peace too, but I do not despise the old method of procuring evilese. We stone giants are no easy kill, and most of the time it’s the players that die when they come for us. But I recall seeing a stone giant being brought down by players. There were quite a few of them and they had teamed up to kill him. They outsmarted him with their cunning. It was a very sad sight. That memory still brings me chills. So yes, I will help you.

“I will go with you to the discussion if it indeed materializes. If the players cheat and try to kill you, then I will give my best to protect you. I will spare no pains in wrecking as much havoc on them as possible. You have my word for that. This is the word of a stone giant!”

He spat on his finger and offered it to me. I was squeamish but I shook it. I had Bono’s alliance now.

The following morning we trekked back to the palace. Bono was to reside in the palace’s premises from now on at least till the discussion had ended. If the players refused to have the discussion at all, then Bono was free to go and live wherever he wanted.

Giving Bono a room was out of the question because of his sheer size. However he was fine using the courtyard as his bed.

That evening, Bono went to Bui. He returned late at night. I asked him how things had gone. Squirming, he replied in between drunken giggles that the prospects were quite bright.

“And that’s not it,” he added. “I have good news for you.”

“For me?” I said, confused.

“Yup. Bui said she would like to accompany you to the discussion as well. Two stone giants protecting you would be nice, right?”

Well, that was seriously good news. I just hoped that the players would not be intimidated and launch an attack.

“But, did you tell her that it can be dangerous?” I said.

“I did,” Bono replied. “She says it’s been time since she killed any players. She is low on evilese. If things turned sour at the discussion, then she would whack some players and get her evilese. If things went as planned, then she would ask you to give her some of the reserve evilsese as payment. I hope that’s fine with you?”

It was as fine as fine could be.