Five Little Sacrifices

Chapter 49

"It is... Very colourful", Freed said as they all stared at the small house. There was no chance that they all could stay here, it was a good thing they had tents.

"A little touch of colours will make any place look nicer", Baluhu chuckled as he stepped on the small patio and sat down on the only chair there was. "I know it doesn't look like some mansion, but it's my home and I like it. I'm completely satisfied with my life here", he said and put his flute to lean against the wall. "So let's talk, you kids go play with the sand."

"Can we go?" Felix asked from Freed.

"Sure, if you won't go far", the green haired man said. "And stay away from the water."

"Yeah!" Felix shouted as they ran towards the beach with Chester. Finally they had some time to just play around! The 'babies' giggled as they followed right after them.

Freed and others sat down where they could on the patio, moving around some stuff.

"So where should I start?" Baluhu wondered and scratched his cheek.

"Do you perhaps use Netherworld Magic yourself?" Freed asked.

"Yes. I have mastered Spiritual Netherworld Magic, thus I can call all kinds of spirits as you saw in the festival."

"That was really amazing", Bickslow grinned. "Do you really do that every month?"

"Every month", Baluhu nodded. "I've held that festival every single month for over thirty years already."

"That is really impressive", Roscoe said. "Why do you do it?"

"Do I really need a reason?" Baluhu chuckled. "It's fun and people enjoy it. It also helps to make sure people won't come into this forest. If they believe in spirits, they stay away."

"So what there is that you want to protect so much?" Laxus asked confused.

"The forest", Baluhu said. "Everything inside it. All those creatures big and small. They need this forest so they can survive."

He frowned now.

"But it's not only so that the forest stays the way it is, there are also actual dangers for humans and that is another reason I want people to stay away from there. Since you came to me and need answers from me, I would want you to do a favor for me too. I want some samples from that forest and I need you to collect it for me."

"So we're going to that forest", Evergreen sighed.

"What kind of samples?" Freed asked, not caring about the brunette's mutterings.

"Poison", Baluhu said. "There lives certain creatures called kalma-mounds. Without poison, I can't make the antidote for those who are misfortunate enough to happen to encounter one of them. Sometimes some youngsters want to prove how courageous they are and sometimes there is a kalma-mound that is wandering too close to the town."

"You want us to go in there and fetch some poison?" Laxus huffed. "From those... Whatever they were. Why don't you just do it yourself?"

"I'm starting to get too old for doing that. Collecting that poison can be a little bit tricky, as you need to get it but without killing the kalma-mound."

"How nasty creatures are we talking about here?" Roscoe asked. "How hard is it to catch them?"

"Finding one might take some time as noticing them in that forest is challenging, but catching them? That's easy", Baluhu chuckled. "After all, they move as slow as snails."

They were all surprised.

"Sounds too easy, what's the catch?" Laxus asked narrowing his eyes.

"Well, they won't produce the poison if they don't feel themselves being threatened. Once they do, there will be lots of that poison and getting it is dangerous. I'm sure you will come up with something."