The next few days were peaceful, in one way or another.

  When we reached the West Clan, the wolves were doubtful on how good the inclusion of so many new members could go.

  Luna was the one who gave the news to her wolves, explaining the situation.

  We reached the top of the biggest building. Aspen stood by my side, which helped me stay calm.

  “Silence!” Luna screamed, making a cloud of dark purple magic explode from herself, calling everyone’s attention.

  “You clearly are one for presentation…” I commented to Luna.

  “She always was.” Fir confirmed.

  “Can you two keep quiet? We are about to deliver a speech.”

  The wolves came in to hear our speech.

  I was nervous as hell.

  “It has come to our attention that many of you are not sure about this choice.” Luna began, “but here we are going to be clear. This is our only chance at survival in case the King decides to attack!”

  “Therefore, we have decided to join our clans!” She continued. “West Clan and North clan will now become only one! And now we will go by a name! Ella’s Alliance! Given to us by Alice the Human Soul!”

  Thanks to [Soul Sense] I could hear the wolves in the crowd.

  “Is she really a Human?”

  “You saw how that sword fought!”

  “Miss Alice is incredible! I'll tell you!”

  That would have made me blush.

  Then Luna looked at me.

  Ah! I had to speak! Ugh! Why did I agree with that! When I had to present in front of my class I always froze when I didn’t have a script! I almost failed a couple of classes because of that!

  [Then my score of 2 points of Charisma was correct]

  You know… shut up!

  I took a long breath, in my mind, and then I moved forward.

  Everyone was looking at me expectantly. That was the first time I was going to talk to everyone since I got the power of speech, so I was going to feel too self conscious about it.

  “E-everyone!” My voice, as far as I knew, was the same I had when I had a body. “Yes, my name is Alice… I am a Human, one that got stuck in this sword. I don’t know what led me to this situation… but that is what brought me here to all of you!”

  Still silent. Everyone was listening. I was still feeling like I was shaking, but I needed to steel myself. If I wanted to prove to myself that I was capable of doing that, that was the best chance.

  “I have been here for just about a week, and I have come to learn a lot about your c-culture and… customs. And the more I hear about the King, the more I am worried what he will do to those of you who are around us! He killed the family of my closest friend, Aspen, and now he seems keen on conquering… conquering every wolf or kill them if they… they decide not to join him!”

  “Yeah! He has been killing us!”

  “He killed my brothers!”

  “And killed my friend and her family!”

  Luna filled me in on his crimes.

  He has been torturing, killing, and extorting everyone he could to join him. The majority of the wolves who worked for him and were part of his clan were part of the other clans who were scared of him.

  From what Luna understood, he came upon something similar to what happened with Forehead, and slowly began to lose his mind, turning into a murderer and tyrant.

  I haven’t really met him, but all I heard was bloodied after bloodied testimony.

  “Alice… we all have suffered because of him. We used to be more wolves.” Fir commented, “we have lost so much…”

  “I will never forgive him,” Aspen said. “He killed my family… I want him to die a thousand deaths!”

  “And he killed our son and daughter.” Luna added. A single tear ran down her eye.

  I was wondering… why I never saw or heard about any son or daughter of theirs. The King killed them.

  “Therefore!” Fir continued the speech, “I have a favor to ask, in the name of every wolf from the North, and from Alice herself!” He stood up, “please, accept us! We promise we will help and turn this Alliance bigger than we could imagine!”

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  I moved forward. “And as the mushrooms in the ceiling shine true in these caves! We are going to find that exit, even if the King gets in the way!”

  “But how?!” a wolf asked.

  “Everyone who has defied him like this ended up dead!”

  “He is powerful! They said he joined forces with a demon!”

  Chaos slowly began to erupt in the crowd. Even with my next attempt, they were still in despair. The fear for the King was real and alive.

  I was not one for words, anyway. Even when I studied literature, that skill was good when I prepared beforehand. I tried to put up a bit of an umpf at the end there, but it was not enough.

  No, I had to show them that I meant business.

  So I made the Carcasses appear out of my inventory, and made them drop in front of the building, where no wolf was standing.

  The two scale decorated skeletons dropped with heaviness in the floor, cracking it and making it shake. Gasps and screams ran through the crowd as the two big carcasses hit the ground.

  “I know you are afraid and with fear! But can that King claim he has defeated one of these things?!”

  Everyone kept their stares in the bodies, as they slowly recognized them. They were the real threat, the big enemies they always feared, after all. I saw how Aspen and the rest reacted when I managed to land the killing blow.

  “Those are the lizards?! H-how!”

  “We saw it!” A wolf from the North exclaimed, “I was there. Master Alice says the truth! She can kill them in one cut!”

  “B-but they are impossible to kill!”

  “They are not, and she can!”

  “Wolves!” Fir interjected, making the crowd go silent, “What Master Alice here says is true! We cannot kill them, the king cannot kill them! But she can! Therefore, if we want to be free from tyranny… we must follow Alice!”

  “Eh?”

  “I agree!” Luna said, “and as such, I will be a subordinate of Alice from now on, giving her support on her endeavors as the new leader of Ella’s Alliance!”

  “Ah?! Wait, you didn’t…”

  “Alice! Alice! Alice!”

  They chanted my name, many times over! Aspen was even wagging her tail!

  “Hey! Hold on!” I lowered my voice so only Fir and Luna could hear me, “When was this decided?”

  “I spoke with Adela, and I saw how you were willing to put yourself in the line to protect others,” Luna smiled at me, “and after that display, I believe the wolves will feel more safe following you, someone capable of killing their biggest enemy so far.”

  “B-but…”

  Why was I constantly thrown into these situations I did not ask for?! “I am not cut to be a leader!”

  “Then time to train for it,” Adela commented, “a lot is expected from you, Alice. We will begin with your speech skill.”

  “Uuuuuuuhhhhh…”

  [Warning… high levels of anxiety impossible to reach without a human body detected]

  Erika, why wouldn’t you help me?

  [I will be helping you. Once you don’t have a concrete answer, ask me and I shall provide you with information]

  “Don’t worry, young Alice. We know it is risky to give this job to someone inexperienced,” Fir explained, “we will be there to fix your mistakes.”

  “You know… you could help me avoid making mistakes!”

  “Hahahaha! I guess I could!”

  “Ugh… okay… I am the leader now…” then I remembered something, and I turned towards the wolves, “Then, as my first order, everyone chose a name! You can tell me which one you chose! That is my only absolute order! If Luna can, all of you can!”

  There was confusion in the crowd, but I was not going to discuss it. I did not want to be the one naming everyone like I was giving them powers. From that day on, everyone had to get a name in Ella’s Alliance!

  “Luna, I need to ask you about something.”

  “Yes, Master Alice?”

  “That cape you are wearing… who made it?”

  [Luna added as a close follower!]

  After the crowd dispersed, Luna brought me to meet one wolf that lived in her clan before it was Ella’s Alliance.

  “This is this wolf I was talking to you about,” Luna said, “he is quite… odd… but he is talented. He figured out a way to use magic to create things he can use.”

  Someone in the North Clan mentioned there was a wolf capable of making stuff, and that there was a second mage besides Luna. He lived inside one of the houses, and it was covered in different threads. They were very makeshift in their design, and some had irregular cuts, but it was someone who began to work with fiber and leather.

  “Impressive…”

  It was, considering they did not have thumbs to hold tools. But magic was the answer. If it was possible to speak with air magic, then many other things were possible, right?

  [Analysing… it is possible to alter the state of different elements or how their properties work. With enough control, it is possible to lift objects with air magic, and even do precise work with it]

  Then he might be the person… wolf I needed for my plan.

  When we went inside… we did not find him. There was a ton of fabrics and other items made of twigs, wood and stone… like a hammer, a pair of scissors. Very rudimentary, though, which seemed to be ready to break at any point.

  “I can smell you, come out!” Luna said.

  “Huh?! L-lady Luna?!” Someone spoke from within the room.

  A pile of fabrics moved, raised, and from within the pieces of cloth came the head of a dark wolf.

  “Oh! Elder Luna and the sword!” He said, “what a surprise, what can I help you with?”

  He stepped out, but tripped on a cloth and fell on his shin. He stood there to look up at us.

  [He reminds me of you]

  And hopefully, gives more precise information than you without the need to ask him directly.

  “Did you miss the speech?” Luna asked.

  “I-I fell asleep… sorry, Lady Luna.”

  Luna sighed and we gave him a small rundown of what happened.

  And then I explained to him about my small plan.

  “I have been told you can craft items. Pieces of cloth, tools.”

  “Yes! But they suck and I can barely make them work as needed.”

  “I can see that…”

  “Ah!” He froze, “the new leader is harsh!”

  “You need to find a better knott… maybe I can teach you some, but first I need you to come with us! I have a special request from you, and is very important.”

  “Important? I don’t know, I have a lot of…”

  “It could be the way to defeat the King!” I added.

  “Ah! If it is that important! I guess I should go! But I really wanted to try something with the new plants I just brought…”

  “You can later! Come! I bet this new job will be to your liking!”

  Although hesitant, he followed us to where I dropped the two carcasses. He saw them in awe. Before I could say anything, he ran in close to sniff it, and then jumped right inside!

  “He didn’t even listen to me first…”

  “I told you he was like this…”

  “This is impressive!” He said, popping only his head out, “you were telling the truth about killing these! So, why did you bring me here?”

  “I want you to help me make something wolves can wear as protection. If there is a way to work these scales then… we need you… to…”

  And before I could finish my sentence, his eyes were already shining bright. I believe he got the idea of what I wanted. Without saying a word, he went inside the carcass once more.

  “Well… I think he is convinced!” Luna said.

  “Is he?!”

  “He did the same when I asked him for a cape… since then he cannot stop making threads, it seems to be his hobby.”

  “I just hope this works…”

  We left him there to his own devices.

  Not much more important happened that day. I did not get a report into his progress until the next one.

  The next day I would get a surprise that made a bit of swirls around town.