Under Pulia's gaze, several timid kobolds emerged from the nearby thicket.
The small humanoids were all dressed in rags, wearing tattered clothes stripped from who knew which unlucky adventurers, or skirts of grass and leaves. Trembling, they knelt on the ground.
"Great Queen, your subjects have come at your summons."
Trina chanted an incantation and cast Arcane Eye with the Delay metamagic feat. A strand of magical power became an invisible eye floating above their heads.
"This queen's 'guest' will be arriving soon. Go and bring him here!"
Meanwhile, Roland had left Rune City according to the instructions in the email.
He appeared to be following the kidnapper's instructions to the letter, venturing into danger alone. Soon, he passed through the southern outskirts and entered the forest.
Long vines and broad leaves were everywhere. Sunlight filtered through gaps in the branches, scattering patches of light and shadow. The crowns of the trees formed a dense canopy, leaving the forest beneath somewhat dim.
Towering trees intertwined with lush shrubs, creating a world of green.
Roland was not particularly comfortable in this environment. Fortunately, before he left the city, people from the Mages' Guild had cast Endure Environment and Expeditious Retreat on him. Even with a mage's frail physique, he could race through the woods like a native of the forest without tiring.
Before long, he crossed several small hills and reached the agreed meeting place.
To his surprise, a group of kobolds was already waiting there.
"Wah! Roar, roar!"
They howled in broken Draconic, making strange, incomprehensible noises.
A relatively burly kobold warlock stepped forward, though to human eyes he was only about the size of an adolescent boy. "Human, come with us!"
Roland knew that the Dragon Race could often easily command these ordinary little monsters. Across the Multiverse's