The soft humming that Alice had begun to use to sing with brought a soft light filtering through the jungle leaves. It was not necessarily a song but a way to bring attention to the group. The party was completely illuminated within this light.
While some would see this as intimidating, the tune and the emotion behind the song that Alice hummed was peaceful. It was calm and soft. Enough to make anyone relax when they came in to earshot. But that wasn't all, the light was gradually purifying any rot or damages to the forest around.
This would have been something that many priests or nuns would need to use their skills on carefully. But for Alice, she was able to do so because of her unique systems and skills. The songs she sang came with many bandits that would buff, attack, and defend. Compared to many healers, she was the most advantageous.
For the record, she would choose peace over everything. She was raised properly within the cathedral and valued life. However, through her own eyes, she had seen some evil. She had learned many things from the party besides the fact that there is greater ways to become stronger.
The things she wanted to stand against along with the things she wanted to protect. Adding the bonds she had forged between the party and the new city of Genesis, she had changed who she was. Become more confident and become able to speak without watching heer mana fade away. Alice found pride in this and always attributed it to the things she learned from her family beside her.
Watching her, Walker felt that he couldn't have met anyone better. Alice might lack a hero title, but she was a healer of light., she was a singstress that had shown everyone that she did not have a curse but a blessing. Her ability to make her songs and light in to one was amazing.
The small amount of angel bloodline within her had also been discovered. It had given some of the angels that heard this proof that their ancient ancestors had still remained upon another continent in some ways. That they had other connections. Even now, while the party was further away, this rumor had spread.
Stopping people from speaking about something new was impossible. Both the Fel and Rize empires were speaking about Genesis and the party that showed up at the embassy. They had their own ideas about Genesis and the higher ups were hard at work deciding what to do about them. However, the people had already begun to speak in their own ways.
The fact that someone with angel blood, the dragons thought to be extinct, and someone that used natural mana with hero titles was here put them all in their own mind sets. To the people forming villages and striving to become more than what they were, Genesis forces were spectacular.
The undermining of values had also begun to happen after seeing the way that Genesis brought together so much. All of this was going on without the party even realizing it. However, the only things that they focused on right now were the newly darting shadows around them. The ever increasing shadows that made them know that more echidna's were around.
These shapes were just watching and trying to remain hidden. A normal response for anything isolated that was curious but fearful. However, the fact that they had been witnessed going near a palace that nothing traveled was why the echidna did not approach. They did not understand how it was possible since they had been unable to go to such places.
"There's a larger one coming." Gil managed to spot more of the leaves moving. The speed was also slower, but this was to be expected. The smaller echidna were definitely not any types of fighters and definitely scouts watching the group's every move. That was what any race would do to remain safe.
"There are more than you see ahead, in the trees too." Mordant calmly spoke as he looked up and pointed to the shadowy branches. Right above them, where the light flowed through the trees due to Alice's song, there were many shadows. Shadows of serpent like tails and human like bodies.
"Well, they should just come to see us already. I think they would catch on by now that we aren't here to attack them." The annoyed comments from Remey were slightly loud but no one shook her head at them. She was casually explaining that they were not going to attack anyone. It was a sneaky way to say that they didn't want to fight but they wanted attention to speak.
The worry that Onyx would need to speak for the group proved to be nothing as the figure moved a little in reaction. The figure that was becoming more apparent ahead of them was what Walker's eyes had to focus on. Not to mention that the figure was holding a large wooden staff carved with unfamiliar runes.
The echidna that was there was somewhat unlike what Walker had imagined. The half serpent tail and lower half was longer and thicker than any snake that Walker had faced. While it seemed similar to Onyx in ways, the scales were smoother and the patterns were green and brown. The upper half was still scaly but had smoother portions that were reminiscent of a human in a way.
The sharp ears and features that matched more with elves or demons were surprising. But the slitted serpent like eyes were even more focused. Not to mention the sharer teeth that stood out as the snake like forked tongue moved in and out sensei the area for dangers.
As the echidna approached, it suddenly stopped while looking at the party. With a harsh drawn out voice it spoke to them. "This is not your home." The slightly slurred words made it appear that this was not a race that often spoke out loud. But if they lived in a jungle and remained close to nature, it made sense that they would communicate through actions more than anything.
"No, it is not our home, but we are here nonetheless. We came we looking for you and your race though. To see a race that survived the test of time and fate." Walker's words were calm and soft. Especially with the addition of Alice's song in the background.
However, the echidna did not flinch. It maintained its focus on the party while some of the other echidna in the trees moved from place to place. "I understand that your fellow echidna may not know of what is happening in the world. But I can promise that I will gladly share anything you wish to know. I also want to learn from you too. I know that you and your people are very close to nature and some can do this."
The sudden burst of natural mana around caused every single echidna present to shift and move around. The larger echidna facing them reacted a little and prepared the staff in front of it. The runes glowed with a variety of hues. Some fire elemental mana and some earth elemental manas before a blue water elemental mana hue appeared. It was a clear shift in the manas being sensed because of the natural mana usage.
"You are in tune with life.'' The single sentence proved that the echidna race truly believed in nature and how life grows. As if to prove this, the staff was touched to the ground and the jungle vines moved to form a better path through the jungle ahead.
"You may come with us. You will not harm the home we have raised." While some would see this as a threat from the echidna, the party knew it was a welcoming sign. They were not saying that they would attack the group before them, but that they were giving them a chance. It was because of the goodwill shown and the fact that the party was not threatening anything at all.
As the party moved, more echidnas in multiple forms allowed themselves to be seen. Some with purple scales, others with unique mixed patterns. Some were in a serpent form moving through the trees while one or two were in the human like form seemingly prepared to attack if needed. Many more were in the mixed form that seemed to be the more comfortable form for all of them.
This looks like we are heading toward a village. I wasn't sure if they would have one to just live somewhere as part of the forest. But it makes sense that they have treetop pathways made." Walker appreciated the things he was seeing. He liked the way that they lived within the jungle. But that wasn't all he saw. There was a lot more.
….
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