Chapter 33: Parent to Parent

Perhaps it was a mistake on Ellena’s part not to pre-warn the two women that lived with her that a massive Wolf corpse was about to be dropped straight in front of their door. In hindsight she definitely would have liked a warning in the same situation.

As soon as the dirt mound carrying the Wolf dissipated, the beast's body hit the floor with an earth shaking thud. Thus Ellephwen and Samora burst from the house with hands raised ready to fight whatever came their way.

First the two looked at the Wolf, whose face had been mushed beyond recognition. Then at the small robed Tugglit who tapped its leg and began climbing. Finally their vision landed on the Mushman who stood with a nervous smile, who stood with slowly healing gaping wounds and blood soaking her body.

“Ellie!? Are you alright? What’s going on?”

Ellena turned around to the battered corpse behind her. Rugtug sat on top smoking a pipe. She turned back to the other two and shrugged.

“Hunt successful?"

Samora crossed her arms and looked at Rugtug. “The wounds on your body say otherwise.” She looked up at Ellena’s companion. “I take it you’re Rugtug?”

“Aye! The lassie spoke of me I take it?”

The two women looked at each other. Samora's eyes rolled and began muttering under her breath, walking back into the house. Ellephwen turned back and smiled.

“Master Rugtug, would you be willing to join us for dinner?”

The Tugglits eyes grew a little wider and he began coughing on his pipe. “M-masta’? Oh ma’am I’m not deservin’ o’ a title like master.”

Ellephwen seemed a little taken aback. “Apologies. Ellena said you were the leader of your people and I know not what that title would be.”

Rugtug fell into contemplation for a moment. “Never met another Tugglit with smarts enough to natter. Don’t think we have a title. Most the other Tuglits refer to me as Papa Tug though.”

“But they can’t talk.”

“Aye, but they say it with their eyes.”

Ellena looked at the smiling elder with dead eyes. Why do old men always feel the need to make poor jokes? Was that even a joke? It did make Ellephwen crack a smile though.

“Well, Papa Tug,” the Dryad said with a wry smile. “Would you care to join us for tea?”

With a hop, the aged Tugglit landed his small clawed feet upon the grassy floor. He tapped Ellena's side as he walked past. “Well I certainly can’t say no to a nice cuppa. Want me ta’ move the body a tad?”

“Don’t worry. Ellena can do so later,” she replied shooting a glance at the Mushman.

Ellena felt a chill run down her back. On the surface Ellephwen was smiling, but there was a sinister feeling behind it. She knew why. Because she came back injured again. Quite badly injured at that. Ellena chuckled to herself, a little nervous and followed the others into the house.

***

“That’s when I saw her smash that pesky Mollit noggin in! Honestly, been pure entertainment for us since the lassie entered the dungeon.”

Rugtug sat on one of the guest chairs around the dining table. Samora had begun cooking dinner whilst Ellephwen and Ellena sat with Rugtug. Ellena now covered in thick bandages. Her wounds were recovering, but she was certainly going to leave the dungeon for a few days.

“And you didn’t help?” Samora asked.

“Help?” Rugtug snorted in response. “Young lady, would you help someone you’ve just been watchin’ rip an entire dungeon floor ta’ shreds? I’ve got a duty to keep ma’ people safe.”

A complicated expression grew on Samora’s face. It was likely that she did not hate being called young lady, but it was also likely that she wasn’t sure how to feel about it coming from a far younger person. Also that person was basically a Moleman.

Ellephwen cleared her throat, her eyes closed. She placed her cup of tea upon the table. “That is related to something we wish to discuss with you, Mister Tug.”

Ellena did not like that name.

“Oh? Aye? Lay it on me,” Mister Tug replied.

The Dryad sighed. “Ellena has already informed us that you have refused to fight King Levias. Understandable, I will not ask again. However, it seems as though she trusts you and I hope the feeling is returned. I would like to request that you travel with our Ellena when she leaves this forest.”

A certain tension filled the air. Ellena had figured it might have been something like this. They truly did not want her to travel alone. Well, they didn’t want her travelling full stop, but even worse if it was alone. Rugtug would refuse of course.

The Tugglits expression turned uncharacteristically serious. “A request from a parent to another parent is far harder to dismiss.”

“I understand well that you have your people to look after and that you don’t consider yourself much of a combatant. But your mastery of Earth magic alone tells me that you have potential. Besides, if you want to keep protecting your family you’ll need to evolve. It may be rude to say, but you’re getting old. Your evolution is not unaging.”

Rugtug sighed. “True. My bones ‘ave been creaking in recent years. Some greying fur here an’ there. But I’m still not sure. I’m a simple man, I ain’t cut out to be a hero or anythin’.”

“The greatest heroes are always simple men, for their choice to stand against evil outweighs one born for the purpose.” Ellephwen replied.

A long thoughtful sigh escaped the Tugglits lips. Although Ellena was not overly fond of the way Ellephwen had worded what she said, she could not deny that she was a little moved.

“And neither of you can go with the lass?” he asked.

“We are both bound by the Council of Ents. If it were not for that, then of course she would never leave our side.”

Smoke circled towards the roof of the tree-house. Little whispers escaping the nearby window. The only sound now being food cooking on the stove. Rugtug took a deep breath and sat back in his chair. “I’ve lived a long time, but I’ve stayed mostly ignorant of da’ world around me. Perhaps it's time I changed that,” he looked at Ellena and smiled. “Would you take a sheltered old man with you as company, lass?”

It was strange. They had known each other just a month, but Ellena found herself quite elated. She nodded. A warmth in her chest. Though that may have been the gaping wounds.

Rugtug cleared his throat. “Den, I have a few conditions. First, my family receives the protection of ya’ council or what have ya. Second, if I change my mind better be no retribution, I still don’t technically know any of ya’s all dat well. Finally, I can visit here any time to drink ya’ delicious tea and rectify ma’ ignorance somewhat,” he thrust his arm out for a handshake. Though quickly noticed that it was in fact the incorrect arm to throw at a one armed woman, so changed. “D-do we have a deal?”

Ellephwen chuckled, covering her mouth with said remaining arm. She then reached out and met the Tugglits, shaking it firmly. “You are a delightful house guest Mister Tug. Feel free to pop in whenever you wish.”

“Well don’t go anywhere yet, dinner is served,” Samora walked over sporting a grin. She placed a feast of vegetables upon the table and a little meat for herself.

“I forgot to ask if you eat meat young Tug. I made a little extra just in case. These two are vegetarians.”

Ellena wished that the two women she lived with would stop shortening Rugtug's name.

“Hah! Had ta’ get whatever food I could for a while. I’ll eat it on occasion. Surprised the lass doesn’t eat it though, given how many beasties she’s slaughtered over the months.”

It was not as though Ellena was against eating meat, it was just that after being reborn a Mushman she had no desire to. Besides, she was plenty happy just munching on moss. This feast before her was a glorious one.

“Still. This may be the finest meal I’ve had in me life. If I weren’t tempted before, I sure am now,” he laughed before digging into the food before him. With surprisingly good table manners for one who grew up in isolation.

The meal and chatter carried on into the sunset. A few of Rugtug's sentries that had followed joined them. They handled cups quite well given their lower evolutions, but it was Rugtug that raised them.

By the time the Tugglits left, Rugtug had made fast friends with Ellena’s two guardians. At the door, Rugtug, who was looking at the monster corpse outside, hesitated for a moment. Turning back to look back at the Mushman.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Lass. You almost perished today against that big beastie out there. I take it ya’ going afta’ the Cission Rex next?”

She knotted her brow. “Yeah?”

“If I’m ta’ join ya’ on this journey of yours, I’m gonna needta’ level a bit too.”

He turned fully around.

“You can’t fight this Rex by yaself. You will lose.”

Ellena was quite taken aback. “What?” she asked, swallowing the anger that had sprang up into the back of her throat.

“I’ve been watchin’ ya for a while. You get lucky sometimes, othertimes’ ya’ just get brutal enough ta’ win. But, I’ve seen what that Rex can do. Nothing on the second floor would stand a chance.”

“Then what am I supposed to do? Wipe out the west of the second floor to evolve?”

“No Lass. Let me and my sentries help ya.”

The other two had walked over to listen in at this point. All three of them were stunned. “You’we gonna fight?”

Rugtug chuckled. “In a manna’ of speakin’. My sentries are quick, as am I. We can distract the Rex when needs be. I can throw some rocks otherwise, but you’ll still do most the work.”

A firm hand found its way onto the Mushmans shoulder. “Not every battle has to be fought alone, Ellena. Even if you think you can win this by yourself, would it hurt to learn how to fight with others?”

“Yes! Well, no. I don’t know,” Ellena looked down, her voice fell quieter. What was wrong with her? The answer should have been simple. Why did it make her uncomfortable.

The sound of rumbling broke the Mushman out of her stupor. A crude chair made of rock and dirt had appeared below Rugtug. He smiled, pulling a match from his coat. One of the few inventions brought over from other worlds that managed to work in this one. The chair began to move backwards as Rugtug lit his pipe once again. “Think on it lass. Come speak to me when ya’ next in the dungeon. Though best to rest up for now, yeah?”

Ellena turned to the other two. She felt guilty and she didn’t know why. Ellephwen, knelt down grabbing Ellenas gently cheek and pulling her into her vision.

“I don’t need to read your mind to see your conflict, Ellena. You force yourself to fight alone when you do not have to. I was perhaps too passive, I am partly to blame.”

The Mushman shook her head. “N-no. I don’t think that’s it. I don’t know. Something in the back of my head. Wefuses to come to the surface.”

“Well Ellie, you did die alone in your past life. Probably left a scar.”

Ellena thought hard. Trying to claw at that back corner of her mind, but she couldn’t reach an answer. Not yet anyway. She turned to look at the dust trail disappearing between the trees. “Yeah… That’s probably it,” she answered.