Chapter 6: Colors of Battle
In the outskirts of the grassy fields, a band of goblins slithered through the shadows, their guttural voices spewing unintelligible chatter. Clumsy and cunning, they scanned the area, their beady eyes gleaming with mischief and hunger. It was the perfect place to cause mayhem.
Unbeknownst to the goblins, their eyes fell upon an unfamiliar sight—a lone human figure crouched amidst a vibrant patch of wildflowers. The person's back was turned to them, seemingly oblivious to their presence. The goblins exchanged wicked grins, believing they had stumbled upon an easy prey.
Goblin One: (chortling) Look at this fool, lost in a field of flowers. Easy pickings, I say!
Goblin Two: (snickering) Yes, let's sneak up on them. They won't know what hit 'em!
Goblin Three: Yeah! Let's teach 'em a lesson!
With their crude weapons in hand, the goblins slinked closer, their steps masked by the rustling grass. Just as they prepared to strike, a sudden movement caught their attention. The human figure stood up, turning to face them, revealing a face painted in colorful, yet menacing designs.
Oliver, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, held a horned rabbit over his head. The rabbit, its own face adorned with the same striking patterns, let out a series of terrifying, yet cute, growls and shrieks.
Oliver, also contributed to the shouting and startling noises, “Raaaah! Boo!”
The combined spectacle of the painted human and horned rabbit sent the goblins into a frenzied panic.
Goblin One: (shrieking) Run! It's a monster!
Goblin Two: (screaming) I didn't sign up for this! Retreat!
Startled and caught off guard, the goblins let out high-pitched squeals of fear, their plans of attack crumbling like a house of cards. The goblins stumbled over one another, their hasty escape a chaotic flurry of limbs and terrified screeches. In a frenzy, they scrambled away, leaving behind a trail of dust as they retreated to the safety of the shadows.
Oliver couldn't help but burst into laughter, his playful victory echoing through the air. He was laughing so hard he even ignored the message that appeared before him, indicating a level up.
Notification: Level Up! Oliver has reached Level 4! Congratulations!
Stolen novel; please report.
Oliver paid little attention to the level up message that appeared before him. His focus was on the horned rabbit. He extended his gratitude to the creature for its unwitting cooperation, recognizing the value of this unexpected partnership, then setting the horned rabbit down gently, Oliver patted it’s head ushering the small creature off before turning his attention to the brightly colored wildflowers that surrounded him. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he recognized their potential as materials for face paint. Some of the flowers he had discovered included Marigold, Purple Coneflower, Indigo, and Henna, which could be used to create an array of natural dyes and pigments.
Having discovered new types of flowers that were perfect for creating vibrant face paint, Oliver had embraced a unique way of battling. He realized that by utilizing the power of colors and theatrics, he had another way he could defend himself without resorting to violence. But even better than that, he had another way to have fun in game.
Excited by the prospect of creating his own paints, Oliver collected the flowers, handling them with care. He knew that the process of making paint would require patience and precision, but he was determined to master this new skill.
Returning to the safety of the town, Oliver set up a makeshift workshop in a secluded corner of the town plaza. He carefully cleaned and prepared the gathered flowers, separating the petals and discarding any imperfections. With a small mortar and pestle, he began the process of extracting their pigments.
“Let's see... I'll start with the marigold. Its bright orange petals should make a perfect base color.”
He gently ground the marigold petals in the mortar, releasing their vibrant hue. Once the petals were finely crushed, he transferred the resulting pigment to a small container.
“Now, for the hibiscus. Its deep red petals will add intensity to the palette.”
Methodically, he repeated the process, grinding the hibiscus petals until their rich red pigment was ready to be incorporated into the paint collection.
The rose petals, Their soft pink tones will lend a delicate touch, the Purple Coneflower provided a beautiful purple pigment, while the Indigo yielded a deep blue hue. Lastly, the Henna leaves offered a rich brown color, perfect for adding earthy tones to his creations.
With each petal he ground and each pigment he collected, Oliver marveled at the spectrum of colors taking shape before his eyes.
Once he had prepared all the pigments, Oliver proceeded to mix them with a base medium—a combination of water, natural binders like sap, and a touch of honey to give the paint a smooth consistency and longevity.
“A few drops of water here, a pinch of honey there... Ah, the perfect consistency!”
Carefully, he added each pigment to separate small pots, blending them with the base medium until the colors reached their desired vibrancy.
“Marigold, hibiscus, rose, and cornflower... The colors of battle, ready to be unleashed!”
Satisfied with his collection of paints, Oliver cleaned his tools and admired the result of his efforts. The vibrant hues beckoned to him, inviting him to engage in battle where colors would be his weapons and imagination his shield. And that first battle would, painting a picture.
With his paint pots in hand, Oliver ran off with a purpose. Buying a small canvas and paint brush from the trader, the player left to find some inspiration for his new art project.