Lana drew her sword, turned the key which was still attached, and pressed the button powering the sword with her blood.
Just as the beast was responding, Dobin did the same thing with his. Both swords now glowed bright green.
"What'sssssss thissssss? The Plantwell?" the snake said with surprise, "Ohhhh. You are her kidsssssss. Lana and Dobin."
The beast seemed to acknowledge the existence of those with them but focused on the elder twins. "The Plantwell's twinsssss had twinssssss. Tell me Lana, do you like killing beastssssss?"
"Actually, no. I think there should be some other way."
"I ssssssee. The Plantwell had a no-kill policccccy. Assss ssssuch, sssssssso did we. We ssssserved her. Sssssshe proved hersssssself worthy. Tell me. What isssssss the sssstate of the war?"
"Well, if you're talking about the dalki war, it paused but is resuming again. There are some on this planet right now protecting the other shelter. We don't know why but I have my suspicions. If you are talking about the Walker War my mother's records speak of, I don't know."
The beast nodded its head once. "I will give you the ssssssame tesssssst I gave your mother. Battle me. Not to the death, but an exxxhibition. No otherssssss jussssst ussssss."
Lana nodded, "My friends will not interfere but we need a bigger space to do so."
The beast nodded once again. "Come." The beast turned around and exited through a hole that wasn't in the wall when they came down. The group followed with Lana in the lead.
"Lana," Dobin hissed, "how do you know it's not a trick?"
"Because The Plantwell is a title meaning master of the beasts and plants of this planet."
Dobin looked at her sharply, "excuse me?"
She smirked. "I have no idea how this works. We'll see what happens."
After about 30 minutes of walking, the group found themselves in a area so large that they couldn't even see the walls with their light crystals. They could hear hissing and slithering as if other beasts were entering the cavern to witness what was happening or worse… Lana wasn't worried, though. She knew what her sword was capable of and learning what Dobin's sword could do wouldn't hurt.
"Here will do. Pleasssssse. Attack."
"I warn you, I have never used this sword at full strength." Lana said.
"Then let thisssss be your tessssst."
Lana flew up hoping to use the sword to attack the beast's head but the tail came whipping toward her. Even though she was fast and the tail missed, it moved the air to such a degree, it made a large crack sound. She flew off course. The beast was constantly moving its head up and down and side to side. Both participants proved effective at dodging while neither one could hit. Lana was getting frustrated and the beast had a glint in its eyes.
Suddenly, Lana saw an opening and went for it. She stopped just as the sword touched the beasts' flesh but it still hurt the beast, drawing blood. It cried out in pain and she backed off.
"That ssssssword… I know it well. It hurtsssssss. You are The Plantwell. In exchange for our sssssssssssssssupport, I asssssssk one thing."
"What is that?"
"Humanssssss mussssst ssssstop hunting our kind."
"That means having them hunt elsewhere."
"Yesssssss. In exxxchanage, there will be peassssssse."
Understanding spread across Lana's face. "I'll make it happen. However, there is a settlement that I'm not in control of. Currently the enemy of humanity is protecting them. I'm trying to decide what to do about it. Right now, I feel I must do nothing. They are looking for targets and I'm not ready to become a bigger target."
"Undersssstood."
"I will make arrangements for my own people to hunt off planet, though."
"Thankssssssss."
"I have something I need. My mother landed on the other side of the desert when she came here. I need safe passage there and back. Also, do you mind if the beasts hunt? We have many in our shelter to include my friends who are here with me today."
"They mussssst eat. Of coursssse they may hunt. You, Plantwell, may travel where you wish with a small amount of people as well as your beasts."
Lana nodded, "thank you. Can you tell me anything about my mother?"
The beast bowed her head, "ssssssome other time. Your arrival meansssss ssshe isssss dead. We mussssst mourn."
"For how long?"
"Three monthssssss."
Lana nodded, "thank you for your consideration and for your affection for our mother. We'll see you soon."
Lana turned the key on her sword to reduce the energy coming off it, but it was still fueled with her blood.
"Dobin, we need to bleed the blood energy off our swords. Let's do that on the way back."
They decided on the way back to attack the Bree buildings rather than any beasts or plants. It didn't take long for the blood energy to dissipate. However, they were gone for quite a bit of time. They checked into the command post and told Kattie to end all missions except protecting her and the recon mission against the other shelter. Lana scheduled an All-Shelter meeting in the morning after breakfast so she could let everyone know what's going on.
Everyone went back to Lana's house, including Kattie after making the announcement. She needed to understand what was going on and was quickly bought up to speed.
"So, the question now is, do we disband the faction and have our travelers go elsewhere? That will be a security risk. Hilston is still out there. We can also ask the Cursed if we can hunt their lands."
"What are your thoughts?"
"I say we ask for hunting rights. It may cost us more but their families are here and everyone is happy here," Kattie replied.
Lana nodded, "I'm not worried about the money. The family has money and we can give them new jobs if they want. That other shelter is coming along. It's costing a fortune but still less than what I spent on this shelter because the one below is all earth materials."
Fiza chimed in, "I like Kattie's idea. Everyone here is family and even if we have to pay an additional 5% or 10%, it may be worth it. The dalki are still on this planet though. It could cause a problem."
Lana explained, "the point of the meeting with the demon-tier is we now have an alliance. This is what The Plantwell means. If the dalki fight, so do the beasts against them. Yes, we take up arms but the beasts on this planet are far stronger than anyone knows. It's why all attempts to cross the desert have failed. This planet is special and it's important the rest of the human race doesn't find out about it or it will be stripped of all resources, beasts, plants, and crystals. The planet will be killed."
The following morning, Lana told everyone in the shelter the news that hunting on the planet would henceforth cease. Beasts were still allowed to go out hunting for food only. Those who didn't want to abide by it could move. Contracts for hunting grounds would be found. Lana left her people to have time to think about it while she went to visit some friends.
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