The boys immediately began their chase after Marina, trailing meters behind.
"Get back here bitch!" One of the boys with a rock shouted as he tried his best to throw it at her. The rock fell through the dust she left behind as she continued running, missing just barely.
Marina was trying her hardest to run fast while also thinking of a way to escape the situation. These dumbass kids spend more time throwing rocks than going to school! Don't they want to do something with their life? They aren't a slave and attending school is free. I doubt explaining that to them would let me off, though...
I can't enter the creek without proper swimming skills. So what way out is there? Apologizing again? Would that lessen the punishment? No. No more backing up. If these kids plan on attacking me, I'd rather make them feel pain, too.
Then Marina ran to the side and bent down to pick up a large rock. If you plan on hurting me, we're going down together!
She raised her arm and threw the stone with all her might. The boys seemed shaken with the sudden change in her strategy and backed out slightly. However, it wasn't enough as one of the boys got hit straight in the eye. Blood began to stream out as he yelped in pain.
"Efrain! Are you ok?"
A boy spoke out, worried about his friend. He began to kneel down and help with his eye, taking a small rag out of his pocket.
"Damn you! This little hag is trying to kill us all off like her mother!" Another one of the boys spoke out in anger. He ran forward, closing the gap between him and Marina.
Marina tried to fight back, but the boy threw a quick punch, forcing her to the ground. Two of the others then closed in and began to kick her body sprawling on the ground. Marina winced in pain as her body began to feel thuds in all different directions. As her consciousness started fading, she noticed something: in her hand was a large crystal. It was translucent with a green tinge and it's diameter covered her whole palm.
"Wait, what's that?" One of the boys noticed it, as if it appeared out of thin air. However, it was too late; the crystal projected an image of a sunflower on the front, and the ground started to shake.
Immediately after, a giant stem erupted from the ground.
***
Cecilus walked past the creek on his way to the village. He had wanted to find some of the kids who mess around all day and don't go to class. While approaching the village, he saw the slave girl he had helped weeks earlier. Didn't I tell her to wait a few weeks before going out? Oh, wait, it's already been three! Time does fly fast...
He then looked down and saw a wolf appear out of thin air. Oh puppy! Did you find any amazing subjects for me to hang out with?
The wolf rose his head slightly and barked a few times. I found some kids hiding in a bush. Follow the path towards the direction of the duke's manor, and you should spot them easily. Also, I think it's time you give me a na-.
The wolf was dismissed before Cecilus could understand the end of his thoughts. Hmm, hiding in a bush, are they going to jump scare someone? Might be my kind of people.
He continued down the path until he reached a fork in the road. The children were hiding in a bush with not much noise being made, but Cecilus could easily feel where they were due to their souls emitting a faint presence.
Well, they aren't jump scaring me. I probably just look like an intimidating target. So what do I do? Approach them? But then I would feel bad making them think their hiding spot is awful. They're doing an amazing job staying silent. That effort needs to be rewarded and not shut down.
Cecilus walked past the bush with the boys and found his own place to sit and wait. Damn, I'm tense. I wonder what they're going to do? Might have to give them professional advice afterwards when they undoubtedly make mistakes.
He waited there for a couple of minutes, twiddling his thumbs, bored, until he saw Marina approaching, carrying two buckets of water. Maybe this is it? No, they wouldn't give the enjoyment of a good scare to the daughter of the woman who burnt their village. She will probably be let go like I was. Wait... Shit! There are only a select few people who would be going this direction to the duke's manor! And these boys are sitting in a bush on the way! They're here to jump the slave girl!
Although able to grasp the situation, Cecilus stayed put as he watched the boys leave the bushes after throwing a rock at the girl's head.
Wait, is this my fault? I did tell her it would die down after a few weeks... Well, I didn't give any absolutes. Man, and I thought these people would be fun, throwing rocks and hurting the person you're scaring is nothing like how it's supposed to go. Helping her now wouldn't do much either; I'd have to keep coming back and commit to protecting her if I really wanted to solve the problem.
Hmmm... Yeah, I guess she can take a few punches first while I think of a way around this. While Cecilus was mid-thought, his wolf appeared again, standing right outside the bush he was in. In the animal's mouth was a clear white crystal.
Puppy, I might just have to give you treats, that's exactly what I needed! With a verification crystal, I can give that girl some means to fight them off, and it will be a giant gamble on how she does it. So much fun! I wonder what will happen?
Cecilus reached forward to grab the crystal, but was utterly surprised by the wolf in front of him backing off. The wolf then began to bark viciously.
Here's the deal, master. You give me a proper name that I agree with, and I give you the crystal. I'm quite sorry, but puppy is not going to cut it from now on.
Cecilus stared at the wolf in shock. Huh, that's it? I guess I can only say this because I know your thoughts, but those barks didn't sound like the equivalent meaning to your statement. Also, how did you get so smart and eloquent? Does being in touch with my soul rub off on you somehow?
Ok, a name. Got to be short and easy to say. Uhhh... How about... Aldo?
The wolf's eyes widened. That fast? How did you even come up with it on the spot? And it isn't even bad. Yes, Aldo is a fine name.
Despite having full awareness of Aldo's remarks, Cecilus paid no mind to them and instead gestured for the wolf to give him the crystal. Obediently, he dropped it in Cecilus' hand.
Cecilus then took off, running in the direction of the boys and Marina.
When he finally caught up, he saw the girl being brutally harassed and kicked on the ground by three of the boys. One of the kids who was chasing her seemed injured and was sitting to the side. Wow, so she worked up the courage to fight back. Maybe there is promise in her resolve. I wonder how strong she could be if I put a sword in her hand and threw her at the nearest mythical creature. I believe some ancient researcher once said that testing your resolve was as easy as you make it be. It sounds like he's spouting nonsense, but I heard he was quite the strong mage.
In terms of fighting, this girl doesn't have a choice, I'm afraid, as she's a vital component in my next game. This game, in particular, is seeing what random magic power is going to be used against a bunch of clueless children when I give an angry girl a verification crystal. Just what I needed to lighten up my day. I'm on standby, of course, for the prevention of any unwanted casualties, so it should be fine...
Cecilus then put the crystal on the ground as a stone hand erupted from the earth and grabbed the crystal, dragging it downward. The golem, which had taken the crystal, had then dug a quick tunnel and made a small hole, which was quickly covered, beneath Marina as she was rolling in pain. The crystal then popped up and landed in the palm of her hand while everyone remained oblivious.
The crystal then portrayed the image of a sunflower, which was quickly identified by Cecilus. That's the creation magic type, if I recall. I believe it's one of the few magic types that can interact with the life forces of living things. Specifically, it's the one with direct governance over life force.
The ground beneath Marina then started to crack open, and a giant stem came out. It picked up two of the boys attacking her as it grew almost thirty feet high. Bright yellow petals also began to form on the flower, while the kids who were brought up began to panic.
"What the hell? What happened? Why did a giant flower grow out of nowhere?"
Cecilus turned his gaze upwards to the sunflower; he couldn't help but smirk. Ha, these uneducated folk aren't even capable of understanding what is and isn't magic. I was slightly annoyed that everyone was going to class earlier, but now I know the consequences of not abiding by such behavior.
That's a lot of mana that was used to make that spell. I guess her anger channeled it somehow, resulting in a very satisfying conclusion.
Marina then got up with no hesitation and launched a punch at the last boy beside her, who was still bewildered by what had happened. Almost instantly, he was knocked out. Marina then began to reflect on what had occurred.
Did I do that? What the heck was that crystal? I don't know what that was, but it felt satisfying. There are two left, but they don't seem to want to attack me right now, and the other two are unable to reach me from the top of the plant.
"Shit, we're screwed! How do we get down from this?" One of the boys atop the plant asked the other in panic.
"Stay calm, our friends down there will get help." The response from the opposite boy was spouted with a twinge of annoyance.
Cecilus, who at that point had been hiding behind a tree several meters away, began to reveal himself to everyone there. While walking out into the open, he brought out both of his rock golems to make his presence more apparent.
Time for my role to come in. And I decided to completely wing it and hope that I have a semblance of mediating skills. Improvisation builds character is something I think the researcher, whom I quoted before, said as well...