Missed this last week due to moving, so have it now!
She wasn’t one hundred percent certain, but it felt as though her body was growing. It wasn’t enough to make a difference to her stats, but there were definitely the familiar feelings of growing pains.
It had been over a month now since she had woken up, so it only made sense if her body had started to change. She wasn’t sure what would happen if she somehow evolved before she grew up, but her strength would naturally increase if she just waited. It was whether she had the patience to just wait.
Even so, she hadn’t killed another creature since that Horned rabbit, yes she now knew her parents would forgive her, but she didn’t fancy making them cry… Again. It did not fill her with joy to see them grieving.
From the few glimpses she had caught of the sky, they were travelling generally east, but it seemed as though it was just towards whatever caught her parents interest. A big tree. Another group of Mushmen. A few days ago they even ran into a camp, long abandoned and half ruined, but the first sign of humanity she had seen. Her father just ended up trying to eat the bedding they had left behind for some reason.
At last though, it seemed that after another few weeks of travel they came across people. Or at the very least, she could see a smoke stack sticking out through the canopy. Which both of her parents had spotted as well.
Given the sheer size of this forest, there could have been every chance that her parents had never met an intelligent species, not even a human, who number the highest.
She had a simple plan, the Mushling wanted to evolve. To grow arms, to grow the ability to talk and to return something of the normalcy she once had. The best way to do that would be to get her and her family found by a monster tamer. It would give her a boost to her growth and an excuse to fight, just a little bit.
The Mushling had to pause to think for a moment. Am I really that violent? Looking for an excuse to kill other monsters? But, that’s just what most monsters do right? Monster hunters too. Never even thought about hurting a thing in my past life. Being in a little mushroom body has apparently changed my priorities quite a bit.
Whilst completely and utterly distracted, they arrived at the smoke stack. It billowed out of a small crevice. In front of them stood a hill that had been cracked in half with a half dead tree sat in its middle. The smoke plumed billowed out of a hole in the tree.
She heard talking, mumbled but it was there. They were actually going to meet a human, or something similar at least. It had been so long. Both her parents seemed curious now too, her father leading them to the edge of the mounds crack and looking down. He made a loud squeak.
‘Well hello there lil fella!’
Her father, perhaps with knowledge that he would be fine, happily squeaked and jumped down into the hole. Instead of just going around. The Mushling jumped in surprise and ran over herself, only to see her mother also jump down.
‘There’s two of ya are there?’
She looked at the man talking. A tall man in green cloth. A bow on his back and a few knives on his waist. He had pouches hanging from his belt too. Her heart rate began to quicken. He did not look like a tamer.
Why did she just assume that they would run into a tamer? ‘Dad? What’s that?’ Another voice came from beyond the camp, a girl by the sounds of it.
The man turned around. ‘Just a couple of Mushmen sweetie’
The girl showed up, not much older than the Mushling was in her last life. She looked past her father at the two Mushmen. ‘They just wandered into our camp? Those two will feed the village for a few days at least.’
If alarm bells weren’t ringing they were now. She didn’t know what to do. She had hunter friends in her past life, it was a perfectly normal job. Monsters kill each other all the time and people need to eat too, but they were going to eat her parents.
Both her parents were now letting themselves be petted by the hunter. He turned to his daughter and nodded his head. She drew a knife. ‘Sorry little guys, we need to eat too.’
She didn’t know what to do. Was she just going to sit here and do nothing? They weren’t doing anything wrong, not really, but if she saves the two Mushmen by hurting a human? Is that wrong?
The woman got closer with her knife, pulling it out from behind her back. The Mushling could no longer debate morality, she had to do something. With her a million thoughts shooting off, she jumped off the edge of the hill, headfirst onto the girl.
There was a sickening thud and her own head flamed up in terrible pain. Her mind grew blurry.
“[Overall level has increased from [Level 6] to [Level 29]]”
“[Skill [{Mushroom Helmet lvl 2}] has increased to [{Mushroom Helmet lvl 3}]”
“[Skill [Pain Resistance lvl 2] has increased to [Pain Resistance lvl 3]”
“[Skill [Unarmed Combat Novice lvl 1] Gained]”
‘What in the hells?!’
There were level ups, the Mushlings thoughts grew as her mind faded. That means. If I leveled up, does that mean… I killed her? I’ve never killed anyone before. Her eyes opened, to see the rocks drenched in a red liquid, it was blood, against the rock and pooling from the woman's head. She must have been knocked into the rocks when the Mushling fell on her.
She turned to see the hunter standing over her, tears in his eyes and his own knife in his right hand, it had yellowly liquid coating it. Behind him, her parents lay still. She wanted to move, she wanted to fight back or do something, but her body was far too heavy and her vision started turning black.
‘I’ll kill you. I’ll god’s damn kill you!’
The knife was thrust towards her, but before it connected, something darted in the way. It was her father, already covered in wounds with the knife now poking out his mouth. He smiled as he coughed up more of the yellow blood.
With a wet slice, the blade was drawn from her fathers mouth, who collapsed before her, now completely still. The little Mushling wept, her body not listening to her. Why, why did you do that? You were supposed to be too stupid to know what was going on, but you sacrificed yourself for me? Why!?
The hunter readied the knife again, but before he could swing he grimaced in pain.
‘Squeak!!’ Behind him, the Mushlings mother wrapped her mouth around the man's free hand, biting down as hard as her little strength would let her.
‘The fuck?’ He tried to wrench her off of him, but even in her damaged state, she clung hard, her body swinging around. The Mushling looked in her eyes and immediately understood. There was determination there, she wanted to hold back the human long enough for her daughter to run.
The Mushling forced her body to move, she forced some energy in. She had to run, cowardly or not, for the sake of her parents she had to run. So she did. With heavy legs and blurry eyes, she ran.
Between trees, past monsters, she kept on running. For minutes, maybe more, she could not tell any more, she was pushing through with nothing left in her. Was her mother alive? Was she going to live? She had no idea.
Inevitably, the poor monster's body failed her, collapsing in the middle of nowhere. Perhaps she would die there, perhaps she would live. The only way she would know, is if her consciousness returns to her later.
As the last of her mind wavered, there was the sound of approaching feet, but her body lay stiff. Of course the hunter could catch her, she was just a Mushling, small legs and no stamina. It looked like this was the end.
‘I.. I found you,’ the Hunter's voice, breathless, called out of the darkness.
All the Mushling could do now was wait to die, but instead there was suddenly a loud thud, and a scream that grew distant. The Mushling felt her half dead body lifted gently from the ground. She tried to open her eyes once more, but all she saw was the outline of a person, taller than a human, but slim.
‘Shh. Stay still, little one. I’ll take you somewhere safe,’ a soft and gentle voice escaped the figure.
My… My parents.
‘I’m afraid I did not arrive in time, I am sorry. For now, just rest.’
Her body obeyed the woman's request before she could, falling completely limp in her gentle arms. As she drifted off, she caught one last glimpse of the camp. Regret filled her heart. She had lost another set of parents.
***
Consciousness returned, albeit slowly. Her mind recovered one blink at a time. The Mushlings body was heavy, her thoughts, heavier still. Her parents were gone. It was odd, she had only been with them a month, but she still felt the sting, the pain.
The Mushling opened her hazy eyes, the blurred coming to focus to take in her surroundings. She lay in a large bed, covers made of soft perfectly woven silk and a frame of Moonwood, which was from a tree that elves have cultivated for millenia. Stronger than steel and only elves knew how to carve it, likely with some sort of ancient magic.
The room around her seemed rounded and was very likely a hollowed out tree. She narrowed her eyes. A tree? I know some of the trees in this forest were big, but this is a little ridiculous. How do you fit an entire house in a tree?
She continued to scan the room, there was a contained fire in one corner, the only area with stone around it. A table, a few chairs and all the general furniture you would expect which all seemed to also be made of Moonwood. Under the table, which sat in the center of the tree, lay a charming rug with an intrinsic ivy pattern.
Then she noticed the front door, it was coloured red and about double the size of a normal door for some reason. Though all of this was trumped when her scan of the room brought her to the side of her bed, which she had somehow missed so far.
A tall and beautiful woman sat in a chair on her bedside. Though, perhaps woman was the wrong word. Her skin was fleshy looking, almost human, but as it reached her joints the flesh gave way into bark. Bark for elbows, knees and around the back of her neck. Instead of hair there were many branches that were tightly woven around each other and spread out from her head like flames bursting outwards. Her eyes were curved and pitch black. She had a small demure nose and held a gentle smile. The woman also wore an elegant dress which appeared to be woven out of magically strengthened leaves judging by the fact they were holding together.
So… She’s a Dryad? That’s crazy. The books always said they were beautiful, but this is crazy.
“You flatter me child,” She smiled. Her voice seemed as gentle as her appearance. The Mushling recognised it.
She sounds like the voice that saved me. So a Dryad saved me? Why? The Mushling paused. Wait, did she… Understand me?
The Dryad nodded. “Yes. I can understand you. I’m afraid to say that due to my own curiosity I looked through your memories. You behaved strangely for a Mushman.”
So, you know what I am, who I am?
“To an extent, it is muddied, but I did catch glimpses of your past life.”
This was not something the Mushling was used to. Then again she had not been around a very long time in this particular life. She was still a little confused about something. That doesn’t explain how you can hear me though?
“Ah,” the Dryad raised a finger. “My apologies. It’s nothing interesting, I’ve just lived a long time, discovered a lot of strange magic. For example, telepathy magic. When I saw that you were intelligent enough to communicate, I thought this would be the easiest way.”
The little ex farmer nodded, not fully understanding what she had just heard. Well, thank you for saving me.
“Do not thank me, child, I’m afraid to say you live on a whim.” The woman's smile vanished, turning to a look of regret.
A whim?
She nodded. “As I said, I am very old. In a life as long as mine you must learn to let nature be, let it take its course, that includes humans as they are as much a part of nature as we are. If I see a human hunting in my area, or a great monster, I would usually let them be, it is the circle of life, the very nature of the world.”
Then why save me?
She stared at the Mushling, her eyes shining with a curious gleam. “I’m not sure. Something compelled me to.”
You, what. Sense I was a reincarnated human or something?
“At first it seemed that way, but honestly? I’m not so sure.”
The young ex-human didn’t understand, but maybe she wasn’t meant to. It seemed as though the Dryad didn’t entirely either. If… If you saved me did you also save…
“Your parents?” She finished the Mushlings sentence for her with an apologetic shake. “As I said, generally I would just let it happen. By the time I interfered it was too late for either of them.”
That should have made her angry. That should have got her blood boiling, but all she could feel was sadness. A hollow pit formed inside her, threatening to overflow with tears.
“I will understand if you blame me.” She patted the pillow the Mushling lay on, a look of regret on her perfect features.
With what strength she could muster, the Mushling rolled to look away at her. Whatever anger she had growing would disappear if she looked at that face too long. I just… Why me again? Why do I have to lose my parents again?
“Again?”
The Mushling turned back to the Dryad, eyes narrowed. You looked at my previous life didn’t you?
Her body shifted in the chair. “As I said, just a glimpse. Muddled and foggy. Mostly the very end of your life.”
Ah. Well, yeah. I lost my parents in my last life too. My mother… My human mother was the village healer, not magic, just herbs. She was kind, beloved by all. Not a great beauty, I suppose, but she was admired in the village. Then, when I was about six, an island wide plague began to spread. It never reached us, but she couldn’t help herself, she left to try and help… The Mushling took a deep breath despite not saying a single thing.
“Your mother was a good woman, it must have been difficult to lose her.”
She nodded softly, as much as a giant mushroom could nod.
“And your father?”
A nostalgic yet complex smile spread across the Mushlings large face. Father died to save me… I did whatever job he needed me too and I was always happy to help. Stronger than most men double my age even at thirteen, but still just as stupid as any other kid. Knocked over an oil lamp in the barn, something I didn’t even need in there. I just froze whilst the barn blazed around me. Father ran in, picked me up and threw me out of the door just as a massive beam fell on his leg. He smiled at me, more content than I’d seen him in years. Told me he was going to see mother again, bragging about how strong and beautiful I had grown up. Then, he told me they both loved me, just as the rest of the barn began to collapse around him…
“Oh my dear. That is not an easy childhood to have. I am so sorry I made you suffer twice.”
Her feelings were complicated, her brow knotted, unable to decide how she felt. She had always hoped there was an afterlife. With reincarnation, they have to exist right?
The Dryad stroked her head, she could feel her warmth even through the hardened mushroom crown that she wore. “I have no answer for you, the afterlife is a mystery even to me, but, I imagine that neither set of your parents would want you to let their memories drown you.”
The little Mushling looked away, then instantly switched back, tears swelling up in her eyes. Thank you, Dryad.
“Ellephwen. Call me Ellephwen.”
Then. Thank you Ellephwen.
Her smile grew more elegant, as she lent forward and kissed the Mushlings head. “You should sleep for now. It will be a few more days of rest for you. We can discuss more when you awaken again.”
Though she did indeed feel ready for rest again, the little ex-farm girl had one last thing she needed to get off her chest. Ellephwen. I took a human life.
“Yes, you did. As did I. It gave me no joy.”
She nodded. I didn’t enjoy it either, but…
“But?”
I didn’t feel guilty. Is that bad? Is it because I’m no longer human?
The kindly monster smiled and pulled the small mushroom’s covers up a little higher. “I cannot speak for you little one, but you killed a member of your original species and felt nothing. I can understand your hesitance. Do you believe yourself to be a cruel being now? Perhaps evil?”
The Mushling looked down. I don’t know, but there must be something wrong with me right?
“An evil being would not care to think about it, child. So at the very least, that is not you. No. I believe it is something else. Think back to how you died, that is what I saw of your life. You managed to take several of those bandits with you, despite having never held a weapon before in your life. Perhaps you were born for battle? A natural born warrior.”
A squeaky laugh erupted from the bedridden Mushman, followed by a few cute coughs. A warrior? Me? I was a farmer my whole life, never even thought about adventuring.
Ellephwen tilted her head. “Well,” she started standing to her great height. “Perhaps it's time you considered giving it a go. Especially if you want those arms you keep dreaming of.”
She froze in her bed, tilting her head slightly. You… You could see my dreams?
The Dryad nodded.
Even those dreams?
Her conversation partner cleared her throat and wandered over to the front door. “I will go and fetch some water for you. Rest now. We’ll talk more when you’re healthier.”
The door creaked lightly as she opened it, the small Mushling watching her run away from that particular conversation. Not that she minded, if there was never a confirmation, she could pretend the answer was no.
Though, as soon as she was alone again, sleep caught up with her. All the weight of the last few days and even just this day caught up with her. With a small body like hers it was a miracle she had survived, but she had and now, with no parents again, she had to decide what it was she would do next.