Chapter 3: Short legs? Your lie has no legs, Sylvan!

I was sweating bullets. The slight rustle of my old girl's dried up branches calmed me down, but not by much.

Theanore always tried to give comfort to others. Marinus's sea horn, safely tucked in Theanore's roots, was glowing. I could sense it.

"Mael," I said, as I began to pile up his plate with baked apples. Hoping that it would be enough to keep his two-handed axe on the grass. "You owe me a story."

If there was one thing people loved, it was talking about themselves. And I, just as it happens, was a good listener.

"I owe you a story?" The orc asked, as he took the plate with the treats. He took one apple, plopped it in his mouth and closed his eyes.

The little whimper he gave out proved that there were just three things stronger than sugar when it came to calming people.

But all three came with hard work, as my old girl taught me.

"Yes!" I took the last candied apple and took a bite. My eyes did not close.

 I have eaten many apples in my life. But those sun-kissed red ones, the ones which Theanore had grown with love each summer, and had given to the forest animals, for she loved giving gifts, were the best.

I leaned into the tree, noticing that Marinus had calmed down.

Good. Getting a campfire started required kindling. I did not want to go collecting some in the dark.

"Well… it all started when I was just a boy," Mael said, as he swallowed the apple. "Good stuff. Nara won't want to leave this place. The kids will extort you for sweets, be warned."

I chuckled. Oh, it would be good to have children running around my old girl. She loved them to bits.

I looked Mael in the eyes, he smiled.

"Does the dungeon produce mobs?" He asked, as he touched his axe.

I froze.

"What dungeon?" But I still decided to lie. In a straight fight, Mael was going to trash me. Might even kill me.

I felt as the sea horn began to gather mana. My bottom lip began to bleed, my teeth sinking in it.

"Does the dungeon produce mobs?" Mael asked once more, setting the plate with the apples down.

"No! This is the Apple Grotto Nymph! She has never…" I began, my breathing coming out rugged. Oh, how could I think that food could distract an orc?

My hand went to my dagger, but before I could take it out, Mael took another apple and ate it.

I blinked.

What was the meaning of this?

"Her grandson is causing trouble," Mael said, a third apple going the way of the dodo after he said that. "He thinks his grandparents are dead. Talk with him, or I am chopping down the tree."

He looked past me.

The sea horn gave out a roar.

"And then chopping that Lich in training's head off as well!"

I could feel how Marinus prepared for his attack. How Theanore used her mana to put him to sleep.

I wondered, then, if they were together in every universe. Those two had shared their childhoods together. Had lived good, long lives.

Had fought against a king.

And failed.

"I have no idea where he is," and if he really was a Lich, then I did not want him near my old girl.

Or in my forest!

"Sylvan," Mael said, polishing off the last apple. "Orcs do not kill for sport. Orcs kill for honor."

My fingers relaxed. My dagger forgotten.

"And if I fail?" The question was the only honest one I could think of. Mael patted his axe and then handed me the empty plate.

"Then only the Lich dies," the orc said, as he laid down on the grass. "Before he becomes immortal. Like the king."

"Don't say his name!" I said, looking around. The king had a taboo on his name. Only a couple of people were allowed to say it.

I was not one of them. The tourists were bad enough. I did not want the king to send his arsonists to this forest.

It was the only home I had.

"Sylvan, I will give you two weeks," Mael said, as he closed his eyes. "Talk the Lich into finding another way. A better way. And…"

Mael opened his eyes, looking at my old girl. "Would you like some Ogre Demise? My backyard is overgrown with it. There was this mage who got lost and got conned by my daughter to plant it and make it grow."

Mael chuckled, closing his eyes again.

"One can sell so much tea before his tribe gets fed up with it," Mael yawned.

He did not say anything else. Just lulled himself to sleep. So, as if I was no danger to him.

I turned around, touching the tree's bark.

"I will find Pan," I promised the two. Felt as Theanore gave me some mana, as Marinus gave me a barrier. "And set him right."

I could hear her giggle. She was not worrying. Some said that the little nymph had never outgrown her golden heart.

But I knew the truth.

Theanore had been planted by someone whose wish was to bring good to the world. To prevent others from going hungry.

Someone who was born out of love for the world could never grow dark.

I smiled.

It had been so long since I heard them. So long since I thought that their tree was long dead.

There was hope.

Mael's mana had woken them up. The mana of someone who they wanted to give a contract to.

"Old girl, Grumpy Pants," I said, knowing that Marinus would roll his eyes if he were not asleep. "I think it is time you became a dungeon for true."

I got the contract seconds later.

"Sylvan! The Dungeon of the Forest of Forget-Me-Nots would like to offer you the position of the boss monster of the forest grounds! Accept? Yes/No?"

"Yes," I said, luxuriating in the voice of my old girl.

The nymph who saved me after I lost my Bristlecone Pine Tree.