A shadowy figure appears in the small but cozy hut belonging to Harumi and gazes upon the two people still asleep in the bed. Taking a step forward alerts the red haired male who jerks awake pulling the smaller girl to him and holding a small ball of black fire in his palm before he recognizes the man and extinguishes it.
"Souei, what are you doing here?" Benimaru asks quietly, looking away from the blue haired man to Harumi who still slumbers peacefully on his bare chest completely oblivious to her surroundings.
"Rimuru-sama wanted me to check up on you two. It's past noon and no one has seen you leave the hut" Souei says.
"Ah well I tried to leave earlier but Rimuru-sama did not warn me about her iron grip. I have been unable to escape her since she fell asleep. It's amazing how strong her grasp is even in her sleep" Benimaru comments and gently pokes her head trailing his finger down the part in her hair.
"Yes Rimuru-sama did mention that. He also showed me a way to get her to release whoever stayed with her. Here. He said to stroke along her spine adding more pressure near her wings. Apparently it relaxes her muscles and makes her go limp" Souei says and does as he had described trailing his fingers along her exposed spine adding additional pressure along the wings.
Harumi lets out a soft moan like noise followed by a whine making Souei hesitant in his ministrations as Benimaru tenses. "Rimuru-sama failed to mention that side effect," Souei says, narrowing his eyes.
"Seems like our master likes to play games and we seem to be the main pieces at the moment. How unfortunate" Benimaru sighs, finally untangling himself from Harumi's iron grasp and shakes out his stiff limbs.
"Yes. Well Rimuru-sama had a message for me to pass along as well. We have agreed to defeat the Orc Lord that is terrorizing Harumi's forests and all the monsters within it. I was sent out to make an alliance with the lizardmen which was also a success and you are now named samurai general for Rimurus armies. Rimuru-sama has decided to leave tonight to officially sigh the treaty with the lizardmen. So do what you can to prepare. I have my own orders so you will be with Harumi today again" Souei says as Benimaru puts on his normal clothing.
"Very well. I shall get Harumi up and report to Rimuru. Thank you Souei."
Harumi looks down over the group of goblins and kijin who ride alongside Rimuru from Kage's back as they fly overhead. The trees surrounding them whisper of war and danger causing Harumi to get a tight feeling in her chest as she thinks about how things don't seem to be playing out the way they had hoped.
'Rimuru-sama, Harumi-Hime, may I have a moment of your time' Souei asks through their shared mind link.
'Of course, Souei. Is everything alright?' Harumi asks the tight feeling coming back tenfold.
'Up ahead there is a group fighting each other. It seems the chief lizardmans main guard is in the middle of combat with the orcs. What would you like me to do?' he asks and Harumi looks down towards Rimuru who gazes back at her with a thoughtful expression on his face.
'Well we should help them. It would do us no good to want to enter a treaty with the Lizardman and let one of their people die while we watch' Rimuru muses.
'Can you defeat them?' Harumi asks concerned for the blue haired Kijin.
'It would be simple, Harumi-Hime' he tells her confidently and Rimuru blushes.
'He didn't even hesitate. So being a hottie makes him skilled too? Man my imouto is so lucky' Rimuru thinks and squeaks when he feels a mental zap. His head snaps up to see Harumi glaring at him with a red face and a pout.
'What? It's true!'
'Harumi-Hime, it seems that the lizardwoman is injured. Would you be able to heal her?' Souei comes back into the mental picture breaking her out of her glare.
'Of course Souei-kun. I'll head over right now!' She chirps and Kage veers to the right following Souei's mental signature to a clearing where almost a dozen dead orcs lay dead surrounding Souei who holds onto a barely conscious lizardwoman. Kage lands on the ground before them and Harumi jumps off his back rushing over to her.
"She's gravely injured" Souei tells her and watches as Harumi summons her slime bunnies that encase the woman in a slime cocoon to heal her wounds. As she finishes up her healing Rimuru who has just arrived with the rest of the party steps next to Harumi watches as her slime bunnies detach themselves from the woman and bounce around Harumi's feet.
The lizardwoman's eyes slowly open and widen when she sees the people surrounding her "I..... I thought my wound was fatal" she murmurs, patting her side where the gash was just a few moments earlier.
"It was but I healed you" Harumi speaks up patting the woman on the head, smiling at her.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Harumi Tempest and that's my brother Rimuru Tempest"
The lizardwoman's eyes widen and she bows on the ground in front of the both of them trying not to sob. "I must ask a favor of you! Help save the lizard Chieftain and my brother Gabiru"
Rimuru's eyes widen before he speaks "you're Gabiru's sister?"
"I am. My brother led a rebellion and imprisoned the Chieftain. I believe he intends to repel the Orcs but he has no idea what he is up against. He underestimates his enemy and if something isn't done then the lizardmen will be exterminated" the woman pleads her eyes welling up with tears "I know we broke our promise to wait for you before we attacked but I beg of you. Show us mercy and let us have another chance"
As she cries Shion goes to her and consoles her before proclaiming that Rimuru will indeed still help and go save her brother and the Chieftain. "What?! Shion!" Rimuru sputters blanching at her volunteering on his behalf.
"Aniki, Kage is faster than the forces on the ground. I could make it to Gabiru and help on the battlefield before you or anyone else could get there" Harumi states looking over at Rimuru.
Rimuru looks back at his sister thinking about her proposition. "Very well. Can you take Gobta? I would feel much better if you went with someone"
"I could. Gobta, have your wolf go into your shadow and you can ride behind me" Harumi says and Gobta nods briskly.
"Souei you are tasked with helping this woman get the chieftain out" Rimuru orders and Souei bows "Understood"
"Look ahead Mistress Harumi! It's Gabiru and an orc!" Gobta shouts pointing over her shoulder and towards who is indeed Gabiru fighting against a very large orc.
"That's not just any orc. That is an Orc General" Harumi responds with worry. "Kage I need you to drop me just overhead of them then take Gobta to the ground nearby" Harumi commands and Kage nods diving towards the two. Harumi holds her breath as she watches the Orc General go to finish the attack on Gabiru before she slides off Kage's back, dropping in between the two.
She holds out her hand and a ball of light appears in the center of her palm slamming into the orcs chest sending him flying away on his back. "My prize! You came to save me!" Gabiru shouts hearts in his eyes as he stares at Harumi.
Harumi gives him a dark look before looking back at the orc general who had stood back up heaving in rage. "You have been making a mess of my forest and have no regard for life. Because of these things I, Harumi Tempest the queen for the forest will defend it" Harumi says and slams her spear on the ground and in a circular movement cracks appear in the ground where light glows and shoots up and slices the surrounding orcs.
The orc General growls rushing forward, his axe raised and Harumi meets him halfway. As the two fight Benimaru, Shion and fight the main army Benimaru's black firebombs wiping most of the soldiers out instantaneously.
"I do not care about your forest. You will just be another casualty of this war and we will consume you and use your abilities to destroy your precious forest you so dutifully try to protect" the general growls, slamming his axe down on the staff of the spear.
Rage overcomes Harumi leaving a bitter taste in her mouth at the new intense feeling. "I do not like harming the living. But you have given me no choice. Suffer the wrath of the spirit of the forest" Harumi growls and her aura starts to intensify becominging a tangible white light that rages like an uncontrollable fire illuminating the battlefield drawing the attention of everyone.
The light builds up and Harumi jumps back holding her hand that holds the spear and points it to the sky. The dark sky lights up a brilliant white and parts like a tear in the veil and a giant dark dragon like phoenix appears hovering over Harumi and the Orc General. With the other hand she twists her wrist to bring a faint white light over her allies that acts like a shield.
"I Harumi Tempest condemn you to death for your transgressions to the forest of this world and all the harm you will commit if left to your devices. May your soul join those which keep the peace and balance of this land. Now perish" She says coldly and slams her hand down.
The phoenix lets out a loud screech sending white light from its beak hitting the Orc General. Everyone shields their eyes as waves of pressure spread throughout the battlefield. As the light dissipates they see a giant crater in place of where the Orc General used to be having been completely disintegrating on contact with the white light.
'Never threaten the forest when Harumi is there, got it' everyone thinks in awe and fear as they finally see the immense power the usually bubbly childlike nymph has and the damage it can cause especially when she is upset.
'Harumi, I think you may have overdone it' Rimuru tells her deadpanning. 'If this is how bad it can get when the forest is threatened with just words I can't help but wonder what would happen if someone actually tried to destroy it in front of her'
'I don't think so, Akini. He threatened to use my power to hurt the forest. He needed to be taught a lesson and what better way to do that than destroying him with the very power he wanted to use to do so?' Harumi says, confident in her choice to destroy the orc general without a second thought. Rimuru sweatdrops sighing at her
'You sure can be scary Imouto. Go make sure everyone is alright whilst I deal with the Orc Lord'
'Okay!' Harumi chirps and skips towards the front lines past the main group only to be stopped as a figure in a plague doctor mask lands in front of her.
"How dare you! How dare you interfere with Lord Geirmund's plans! A new demon lord under my command was about to be born and you ruined it!" The figure shrieks with rage and Harumi narrows her eyes at him.
"So you are the one who is behind this entire thing?" she growls her eyes taking on a faint glow making them look almost red. The man laughs at her and goes to explain his plan and how he had named so many monsters to be used as pawns to create the Demon Lord he so desperately wanted at his command.
The Kijin tense in rage as they realize that's why the orcs had attacked their village.
'Rimuru, this seems so much worse than we first had anticipated. Will you be able to do this by yourself?' Harumi asks, worried about the turn of events.
Before Rimuru can respond the orc lord swings his weapon towards the majin and Harumi and she watches with wide eyes as Souei appears in front of her shoving her back into the awaiting arms of Benimaru who clutches her to his chest growling. The maijin's head rolls on the ground stopping in front of Harumi, the glass covered eyes staring up at her as blood pools around it. Harumi slowly looks up to see the orc lord walk over to the majin and start to devour him, evolving as he absorbs his powers.
Harumi sweatdrops as the situation she already thought was bad promptly gets worse and worse with every passing second 'So about that earlier question Aniki.'
'I've got it, Harumi. You just make sure everyone else on the ground is protected,' Rimuru responds but as soon as he says this Shion and Hakurou dash forward and proceed to attack the now evolved Orc Disaster.
"Let us handle this Rimuru-Sama, Harumi-Hime" Benimaru says and pushes Harumi gently to her brother as he walks past her to join the others releasing a giant orb of fire around the wire bound orc. As the fire dissipates everyone watches in shock as Geld shakily stands having survived the assault from the Kijin prince with minor burns.
He grabs one of his men and bites his head off using him to heal his wounds and further boost his powers. "Not enough! I need more! Give me more!" Geld shouts and releases a red ball of light that multiplies above the group before raining down on them.
Rimuru collects them in his hand, consuming them with his body. "Very well. Looks like I am going to have to take care of this one myself" Rimuru murmurs and walks towards the orc disaster.
"Rimuru-Sama?" Benimaru says worried.
"Don't worry I got this. Just stay with my imouto for now"
Harumi watches from in between Benimaru and Souei as her brother fights the Orc Disaster landing blow after blow and deflecting or absorbing the orcs attack. Rimuru attacks him with a powerful fire attack only for him to come out sunscathed.
'Aniki, what is going on?' Harumi asks, her voice heavy with concern for her older brother.
'It seems he is immune to fire. I will have to result in using predator. Prepare yourself for what may happen when I absorb his power Imouto' he tells her and she nods, catching the attention of the men surrounding him.
"Mistress Harumi, may I ask why you are not worried for Rimuru-Sama even though he seems to have been captured?" Hakurou asks, curious about the girl's reaction to her brother's predicament when she leveled the battlefield over a vocal threat to the forest she protects.
"My aniki and I share a consciousness. This means we hear everything the other thinks unless we separate our thoughts from the other and we also share powers unless they are specifically tied to our species. I know what he is thinking and what he is capable of. I know what his next move is and that means I know the outcome of this battle. Because of this I have no real reason to worry for he will not be captured for much longer" just as Harumi finishes her explanation Rimuru activates his Predator ability and starts to consume the orc even as the orc feutaly tries to fight back.
"It's useless for the Orc Disaster to fight this. Rimuru has the upper hand now. All that is left for him to do is to wait for the inevitable" Harumi speaks as the last bit of exposed Orc Disaster is fully consumed by her brother's slime form.
As this happens Harumi's vision goes white and she is sucked into their shared consciousness and a scene forms in front of her. A vast desolate desert expands as far as the eye can see and in front of her three little orcs sit crying as hunger fills them. She watches next to Rimuru as the orc leader feeds them his arm before vowing to leave and find an oasis for his people so they can survive.
They watch as he travels far only to collapse as fatigue and hunger take him over and the majin finds him.
"He told me that anyone that I ate as an Orc Lord wouldn't die. It seems he lied and was only using me as a pawn for his own power scheme. I had to take the risk. I had to do that to protect my people. That is why I eat. I cannot lose to you slime. My brethren are starving and if I perish my sins will fall upon them. It matters little if I am sinful. To ensure they don't starve I must take all the world's hunger upon myself and bear it as the ultimate burden" Geld tells him and Harumi looks at the Orc with watery eyes as she feels some of his pain.
"You will still die. But do not worry. I will devour you and your sins so they will not fall upon your brethren. I will swallow their sins as well so they shall be free of this and be able to live a life without the burden of sin. Because you are right. I am greedy" Rimuru says, watching him.
Harumi steps towards the orc and touches him smiling softly "do not worry Geld chieftain of the orcs. Your people will be safe and cared for. You may rest easy knowing they will be taken care of and will never know the pain of hunger again" she tells him and with a soft white light that sweeps over the dry landscape grows lush grass, flowers and trees bringing what was once a arid wasteland back to its former glory bringing tears to the orcs eyes.
Harumi blinks as she comes back to reality and her eyes land on Rimuru who floats over Where Geld once stood. 'Greedy one, queen of the forest, thank you' Geld's voice sounds one last time as he truly fades away.
Rimuru walks towards Harumi who stands smiling between Benimaru and Souei, eyes settling on Benimaru "I promised that you would be free once the Orc Lord was defeated. Thank you for all of your help" Rimuru says, smiling at them.
Harumi looks at the two kijin with wide eyes as a deep sadness fills her heart at the thought of them leaving forever. Benimaru and Souei who feel her piercing gaze look down at her "Rimuru-Sama, I have a favor to ask"
"What is it, Benimaru-kun?" Benimaru looks up from Harumi to focus on Rimuru.
"Please accept our allegiance. we wish to continue serving you and Harumi-Hime"
"you're sure? This is what you truly want?" Rimurnu asks, eyes wide as he looks from each kijin seeking confirmation.
"I have no objections," Hakuro says, smiling.
"We are truly fortunate to have met the both of you. It would be an absolute honor to serve the two of you for the remainder of our lives" Souei chimes in giving a smile of his own to Harumi who stares up at him with sparkling eyes.
Shion jumps on Rimuru proclaiming how she wouldn't be a good bodyguard or secretary if she just up and left him. Harumi squeals happily and throws herself at Benimaru and Souei wrapping an arm around the two's necks pulling them down to her height as she hugs them.
"I'm so glad you decided to stay! I would have missed you dearly if you had left" she says and squeezes them tighter making the two choke. Rimuru looks at the group smiling as his sister and the two men that will become closer to her as time goes by.
(Posted: 10-07-2021)
(Pages: 7 | Words: 3339 | Lightly Edited)
Fun Facts:
Harumi is not quick to anger but there are certain triggers that will make her upset such as threatnening the people close to her and the forest she is supposed to protect.
Harumi believes everyone deserves a chance to change for the better. Even if they were originally her enemy.
Harumi is an empath. She can connect on a deeper level emotionally to those whose feelings are presenting strongly.
Harumi likes to give Rimuru mental zaps when she is annoyed with him. Even though he doesnt feel the pain of it he feels the sensation which pleases Harumi greatly.
Harumi's back and wings are very sensitive to touch. This amused Rimuru who knew beforehand that he was suggesting an action that would shock both Souei and Benimaru.