[i][/i][h2][center][b][color=ed1c24]Novak[/color][/b][/center][/h2]
The smell of burning was a cause for worry.  If the hunters could fill the place with smoke, they might be able to kill the trio without ever having to swing a weapon.  And the tar in the pit...was it flammable?  Could that entire room ignite?  Narkissa was right, they needed to get out of here.

[color=ed1c24]"Piece of meat?  I don't think so, unless there's something in their kitchen, or...wait,"[/color] Novak paused, remembering a crucial detail.  [color=ed1c24]"The Illuminator's mannequin might be err...fleshy enough, but he might not be too pleased with it getting damaged, and he still hasn't released Leannah."[/color]

Leannah's disappearance was still a problem.  Ironically, as far as they knew she might actually be better off in whatever corner of the temple she had stumbled into than out here instead of out here, desperately trying to avoid getting murdered by a pack of hunters.  Come to think of it, what would they do if they found a way out?  Surely the hunters would be able to track and overtake them before they reached the village, and even if they did make it, Novak hardly considered that a guarantee of safety.

[color=ed1c24][i]If only we could turn these...slimes to our advantage.[/i][/color]

Recalling Lazhira's words, Novak knelt down, out of range of the larger slime's tendrils, and looked where the smaller slime had retreated.

[color=ed1c24]"You don't need to be afraid of us,"[/color] he gently assured it, gesturing for it to come closer.  [color=ed1c24]"You remember me, right?  I didn't bother you when you were following me."[/color]  Even if it didn't understand his words, he still might be able to coax it out if he was non-threatening enough.

[color=ed1c24]"I don't know if you understand us, but we just want to release your big friend so we can leave,"[/color] he explained, gesturing to the larger slime, [color=ed1c24]"But as long as it's trying to kill us, we can't help."[/color]  Novak still felt really silly about trying to communicate with a slime, and hoped for the remote possibility that it had the ability to understand them.  If all else failed, they might have to kill the big slime, something that Narkissa and Lazhira would know how to do.  Truth be told, Novak would rather avoid killing it.  They needed every possible advantage they could get, befriending one of these slime creatures, if such a thing were possible, could be useful.

[@Click This][@Rune_Alchemist]