Chapter 7: Druid

We reviewed our maps and compared them with the Duke's updated ones. From the information that we've gathered, there is only one path available to us.

It is a hidden path deep in the forest, which will bring us just in front of the southern border wall.

We were traversing the forest for our safety, but there are also creatures living here in the woods, so we can’t just walk around carelessly.

Some of the strongest heroes and monsters too went missing when they tried to traverse this path.

This situation is because of one entity, a Druid. We should avoid angering is a Druid. Dread knights, even a Skeleton General, went missing here some decades ago.

Even though we have a Skeleton Duke on our side, we can’t underestimate a Druid. He might be a strong ally, but we can't rely on him alone.

They, the Druid, are the ones who use nature magic that can bend nature to their wills.

If a fight happens between the Duke and a Druid, devastating damage will occur, and all of us low-level undead would probably turn to ash.

They also command the Ancient race of treants. Living trees that are huge in both size and power. Though we have skeleton mages from the Duke's group, their specialty is Ice spells, not Fire spells.

The druids are the watchers of the forest, and it felt like that for a while now. We were being watched.

Suddenly the trees covered all the paths. We have no way of getting away from this. We don’t have any flight skills and blink skills except for Skeleton Duke.

Vines came up from the ground and started restraining us. Their grasp was not too tight to damage us, but it was enough to render us immobile.

Druid: "Hold it right there, bones." A deep voice came from what looked like a tree.

Have we violated an ancient rule? What have we done to get his attention?

Duke: "A druid?"

The tree became a person, and this person held up his hand to stop the vines.

As far as I know, these druids don’t have any affiliations aside from the forest. They don’t even ally with the elves.

A druid came down from a high tree. He seems to need something from us before we could pass.

Duke: "Druid, please let us pass. We have no intention of harming the forest. We only want to get through safely."

Druid: "That may be the truth, but I still have the final say whether you get to pass or not."

Duke: "What do we need to do to get your blessing of safe passage?"

Druid: "The forest is under attack by bandits conducting extensive logging. One could even consider it illegal if viewed from human standards."

Skeleton Duke spoke up in response.

Duke: "Why don’t you do it, druid? You are more than capable of handling this."

Druid: "Nononono, I don’t want to anger the humans. They are like, you know? Use any reason to attack anyone. If they can exploit the fact that we attacked their race, they would have a reason to make war on us."

Duke: "And if we refuse?"

Something in the air change immediately after the Skeleton Duke spoke those words.

The druid suddenly appeared in front of the Duke. They stared at each other. No one backed down or flinched.

The forest seemed to look bigger and denser each second. It was getting harder to breathe if I had lungs. But the feeling can also be considered as being extremely nervous.

At first, I thought it was a blink skill, but the druid went inside a tree and popped up on another tree that appeared in front of Duke.

Leaves were starting to gather, and groans came from the surrounding trees. It felt like the trees are getting angry.

Could they sense the Druid's irritation?

The Druid walk a few more steps so that they could be face to face.

Druid: "Then, I believe we would have to face off, Mister Duke."

Duke: "That would be even more troublesome. We would do this for you."

Druid: "Good, good. It's a good trade anyways. You get to cross my forest, and I get to clear my home of pests."

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We had a little meeting about who would take care of the bandits. We don’t want humans to know of our positions, so we should make the group as small as possible.

Duke: "Use this event to test your new skills and improve your strategies. You and your group should go."

The Skeleton Duke ordered my group to take this operation and kill the bandits.

I had second thoughts about this. What if they had paladins ready to back them up, or maybe the humans cutting down the lumber are over-powered themselves?

Duke decided that we are the ones that should go, and I believe we don't have a choice.

Idmon: "If this is for us to better ourselves, then we would take this opportunity."

When I evolved into a Skeleton Officer, I moved up from being a tier 1 undead to a tier 2. Tier 2 and above can use for the purpose of communication.

I had my men prepare their equipment, and I also drew a plan for us.

We should use a surprise attack when the night comes, and they are sleeping.

We got the target location from the druid, and we started to move silently under cover of darkness.

It seems like they already established a camp just outside the forest.

This operation would get messy. None of my soldiers are fit for the sneaky roles.

I looked back at the Druid before we go. He wore a robe that has branches on it. He didn't look powerful, but we all know that's not the case.

I wonder why the Druids refuse to participate in this war? Do they love sleeping and resting that much?

I won't believe him if he says that his reason is he's weaker than the Humans.

They taught Rangers to use nature magic and was one of the reasons the Beast Lord lost to them. The powers that the Druids can rival that of the humans.

This arrogance might become their downfall. If the druids continue to sleep, it won't be long when the Humans get strong enough to take them down without effort.

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(Druid POV)

What an unusual situation. A group of skeletons entering the forest and just when I needed someone to take care of other intruders.

It must be destiny. Or just plain coincidence.

Druid: "Skeleton Duke."

He already sent a group to finish my request. So I decided to talk to him for a bit.

The animals of the forest told me about this particular skeleton. This Duke must be the most dangerous undead among them.

If it comes to a fight, I know I can win. The only problem is the damage that the forest will take.

Duke: "Yes?"

Druid: "What is your aim?"

Duke: "Hmm?"

Druid: "I know you aren't helping that small group of skeletons to get out of this region without a goal."

I lived for thousands of years. I can already sense that this guy is very cunning. The fact that he considered his options and not start a fight right away was unique about him, unlike other monsters.

Duke: "Who knows. Idmon's group might survive there. Raise an army. Destroy the humans and take over the continent. Or they might be content to live in peace there even though living isn't really for us. If you can even call it living."

He stifled a short laugh.

Druid: "So, you plan to place all your hope and dreams on him?"

Duke: "Hope? Dreams? I have none of those. Since my king died, I have no reason to stay in this world other than bringing more humans with me to the grave."

Druid: "So, you're doing this as a good deed?"

Duke: "Good deed? Hah! Hahahaha!"

Druid: "You may act like it's not, but you are doing this to help them."

Or it might be an elaborate long-term plan of revenge like training elites in secret for a decisive war.

Duke "Yeah... Maybe it is a good deed. Well, you seem to like to have a lot of time. You should stop sleeping and see the world more."

Druid: "I have all the time in the world since all I do is sleep."

I left him alone with his soldiers went back to my tree to get a short nap.

Druid: "That might be a good change of pace for me... Stop sleeping, huh?"