Anton and the Pakdel forces entered the ruined Kamran outpost. The dead Kamran Lamias made for a gruesome sight. His thoughts were only of how much meat each held. Or did. Fires smoldered and crackled in the few pieces of tents not showered in Mezot’s second Icicle barrage. In the melting pools small lizards and insects had gathered to lap at the water. And get a tasty snack of Lamia flesh and blood.
“So now what?” Rasha asked. She remained close, her halberd lowered ready to strike a downed Kamran Lamia. Every so often she would tap her side for her stone sling. A gun for her size had yet to be created, so a stone propelled by arms the size of tree trunks would have to suffice. “We, we won. Right?”
“I don’t think it could be described as anything less.”
Rasha merely threw up a brow as she stepped in cold blood, grunting in frustration as her hooves crushed what remained of a Kamran Lamia hand. Their armored scales had done little to stop Mezot’s Icicles.
“Do you want us to retrieve the bullets?” Cetina asked. “The casings at the very least. I’m sure the Dwarves will just smelt them back down, but there is a chance they’ll try and recover one. Not that they’ll-”
“Survivor!”
The shout caused a flurry of movement. As Anton was surrounded the Pakdel Lamias attacked a downed Kamran. Before he could do anything more than raise a hand five long wooden spears were thrown into the Lamia’s body, one straight through his chest. He dropped like a lead weight, his tail body tried to coil around itself as the death rattles overtook its body.
“What are you doing?!” Anton yelled. “We can’t question the dead!”
Simin and Sattar raced to reprimand the five but there was nothing they could do. Judging by the look of the Pakdel Levies this was not unusual.
“I didn’t think I’d have to reiterate that!”
“I…” Sattar nervously threw up his hands as he slithered towards the five, his attention on the Battle Rifles. His body rode over the bumps and loose stones without even looking. “I’ll be sure to…”
He trailed off and began to yell at the five. Their attempts to act innocent reminded him of a sad puppy trying to avoid a scolding.
“It will take a considerable time before they are ready to act as a cohesive force.” Zuhura scratched a few quick notes. “I will try and incorporate this into future endeavors.”
Anton gave a curt nod. Mezot and Axia were close behind, a little tired from their magical exertion, but mentally ready for more.
“Perhaps we should have watched them fight first?”
Longinious scoffed. She floated some paces away, both sets of arms folded in a defiant pose. “You would only have suffered. All of you.”
She floated towards them. “I do not believe you would have wanted to watch hundreds of Feral Beast-kin tear each other apart, one with sticks and rocks, the other metal tipped spears and armor, while listening to the Pakdel Lamia’s cheering on the whole spectacle. To watch these people play at war like a game. No. It was the right choice.”
“Never a serious thought. But sending untrained levies and undisciplined warriors was always going to be a terrible idea. At least only half died this time."
"So are we done then?" Rasha asked. She had relaxed slightly, leaning down while resting her weight on her halberd.
"If we knew this was the only Kamran force nearby, then yes. But we can't now that that just happened."
Anton gestured towards Sattar, almost apprehensive as he approached. It did not seem appropriate for someone so large and strong to be so nervous. And yet here they were.
"I didn't think they would do that." Sattar pursed his lips. "Normally we’re just so exhausted after a battle that we just leave them. Or have some of the Levies help patch them up."
How would a Kamran handle a Beast-kin touching them? How would a Pakdel?
"Not much we can do now. But you moved quickly and disciplined them as best you can. I take it that actually striking another Lamia… Well, you’d get into a fight. Right?”
Sattar softly sighed and nodded. “Probably. And I don’t think I can fight five Lamia at the same time. But there might still be something in there.”
Sattar pointed to one of the ruined buildings. Building was too generous a word, even before the magical attack. Little more than a series of wooden logs and sheets of roughly spun cloth placed over a shallow fissure, it had survived relatively intact, with only a few small fires dancing around the edge. Not the most impressive structure but more than adequate for creatures that would struggle to regulate their temperature under the blazing sun. It was the only area in the camp that went below the ground, perfect for a commander or anyone important.
“Everything else is storage or sleeping spots.” Sattar clicked his tongue as he nodded towards the ragged remains of the tents, formerly strung between stacked rocks. Most had already burned down but Anton didn’t see anything like packs or valuables. “Not that they’re much of… Well, you know. Not much. We don’t take much with us, you see.”
“How fast can you move?” Rasha asked.
“Very.” Sattar rose up, stacking his torso against his tail but he couldn’t match Rasha’s height. “But it does hurt my scales. Going over those big bumps, you see. Just like if you were to stub you toes… Well, that’s not quite right. But you understand what I’m saying.”
“We’ll investigate.” Anton waved Eider towards the Command Tent. “If you find any more survivors, try and keep them alive for questioning.”
“And when they’re done?” Cetina raised a brow. “We’ve only managed to keep a few of their Levies alive. Sort of.”
“Sattar?”
“Um. Normally we’d ransom them back. Even if we don’t get much more than food we’ll trade them back.” Sattar laughed. “We Lamia’s eat a whole lot more than the Feral Beast-kin, sorry, the Beast-kin.”
That you do.
Anton gave a curt nod and followed Eider's soldiers. They walked in a very casual manner, requiring Eider to remind them they were still in a battleground. They split either side of the entrance and peered inside. Anton created the brightest Fire Bomb he could and pushed it inside. The sparse interior thankfully held rough wooden shelves and smooth, flat rocks acting as tables, thankfully a few covered in papers. Anton took only a step before being stopped by Cetina, Rasha and Longinious.
Right. Don’t have to do everything myself anymore.
Despite their lack of practical experience the soldiers performed well, slowly advancing while keeping a gun pointed at every potential hiding place. They returned, happy that no-one was hiding. It would be nearly impossible to hide something as large as a Lamia.
“Something has been bothering me.” Longinious floated before them as the Atros soldiers exited the Command Chasm. “The number of Kamran Lamia’s and Levies present is not a serious threat to the Pakdels city. Even if they attacked with complete surprise.”
“Something that we’ll hopefully discover. Could you make sure you get a glance at everything? Just in case.”
“Of course.” Longinious bowed.
Eider ordered the soldiers out and to form a perimeter around and on top of the Command Tent. As Longinious, Mezot and Zuhura studied the papers Anton was stopped by a certain smell. It was faint, very faint, but unmistakable.
“I didn’t think I’d see a Comfort House in the middle of the desert.”
“I thought so...” Axia murmured. She froze, waiting for her mother to reprimand her but she was too focused on the papers. “I mean…”
“I won’t even ask how.” Anton coughed harshly. “But I don’t see anything like a bed in here. Maybe a few blankets? Can’t imagine it would be comfortable for them.”
“Doesn’t need to be comfortable for them.” Cetina quietly added.
“True.”
Rasha stepped past the three studying the papers and picked up something from the far end. She held it aloft, frowning at the thin soft tube in her fingers. “What is this?”
Anton wanted to shield Axia’s eyes but could not reach in time.
“That’s a condom.” Anton saw Longinious snap her head towards Rasha with near impossible speed. “Haven’t seen one in this world. Well, normally they’re made from plastic and not whatever that is.”
“And what is it for?” Rasha brought it back to Anton.
“To stop pregnancy. For a man.”
“Oh.” Rasha gently placed it onto a table, wiping her hand on the wood. “I wish I had known that.”
Longinious floated over and frowned. “A faint green hue. Not plastic. Not plant matter either. Lots of pale white veins running parallel across it. No blood either so it has been manufactured to be in this state. Perhaps some sort of intestinal tract? Frindal has many large creatures, even Lamia’s could suffice.”
“That’s disgusting.”
Longinious shrugged. “Intestinal tracts are an extremely versatile material. What do you think encases sausages?”
“I just don’t like to think too much about it. And I don’t eat meat anyway.”
Cetina placed a hand on her hip. “Isn’t it odd they’re so worried about pregnancy? There’s a lot of ways to get around-”
“Get out of here!” A voice yelled from the far side. Immediately weapons were drawn and Longinious placed herself at the front.
A Kamran Lamia slithered out from a hole, the hole covered with wood painted to look like rock in the dim light. Thick dust covered his deep yellow scales along with blood trickling down his face. His bloodshot eyes swiveled until it landed on Longinious.
“The fuck happened to you?”
“Surrender!” Cetina pointed her sword at him. “Your forces are defeated…”
Cetina’s sword wavered for a moment. The Kamran Lamia was terribly wounded, beyond the blood trailing down his face. His right arm was broken in multiple places and a huge portion of his left side was missing, filled with some sort of compacted mud. It cracked with his movement and fresh blood seeped through.
“We can get you help.” Cetina continued, readying her sword once more. “We can heal you, if you surrender.”
The Kamran Lamia was still disoriented by something. His gaze barely shifted from Longinious, something she was in no hurry to change.
“Why are Humans working with the Pakdels?” He raised a broken metal harpoon, barely held in his trembling left hand. “Why are any Humans here? And why are you trying to give me orders?”
We need to subdue him. But that darn tail could be lethal to any of us. A weakened Lightning Bolt could do it, but I can’t bring back the dead. So what about someone that can’t die?
“Longinious? Can you try and subdue him? We don’t have any tranquilizers-”
“Absolutely.” Longinious cracked both sets of hands. “Doesn’t look like he has much vigor left in him. In your state, do you think it’s a good idea to be rutting?” She asked as she slowly floated forward. “The last thing you want is an increased-”
An orange tail wrapped around the Kamran’s neck, bright against his dusty yellow scales and pulled back hard. Anton winced at the high pitched crack as he fell back towards the hole. Everyone watched in silence as his body coiled itself back towards the hole as the orange tail wrapped itself around his humanoid torso and quickly constricted, crushing bones and organs. With every breath he grew weaker and weaker, until a final crack and his body fell completely limp. The orange tail gave a final twist and squeeze before sliding free.
“Come out!” Cetina shouted, a faint tiredness in her voice. “Doesn’t matter who you are, what color your scales are, we need you to surrender until we can sort this situation out!”
This time an Orange Lamia emerged. She was slightly smaller than Simin, pale braided hair covered in blood, dust and some unknown liquid. She held her shoulder tight as blood seeped through her fingers, the significant muscles tensed tight against her skin from the pressure she was exerting.
“Humans?” Her raspy voice was almost drowned out by the sound of the Atros soldiers gathering behind Anton. “You’re too pale to be Frindals.”
She moved over the dead Kamran and flexed her free hand. She was slightly less well-built that Simin, which was still extremely impressive, with a bust to match.
“We…” Cetina took a deep breath. “We need you to come with us. We can help heal you, and get you somewhere safe.”
The Orange Lamia grunted and moved forward. “Fine. Humans have got to be better than the Ka-”
A metal spear tip erupted through her throat. She barely raised a hand before it ripped through her neck, decapitating her and spraying blood everywhere. The Kamran Lamia reared up, his neck twisted at an odd angle and bleeding profusely, threw her to one side and tried to charge. An icicle punctured his chest, followed up by a few bullet shots and he fell down limp.
“Fuck.” Anton spat through gritted teeth. “Did anyone get hit?”
A quick glance revealed no one had been hit. He threw Eider a look; some of them were quite close to the line of fire.
“D-Do not fire unless you are sure you have a clear shot.” Eider gave one of the soldiers that had fired a slap over the back of their helmet. “You could hit someone friendly.”
The soldier glumly nodded and lowered his Battle Rifle.
Longinious held out her hand to stop them approaching. She floated over, poked the two and confirmed they were dead.
“What the fuck was any of that?” Rasha asked. She grunted and shook her head. “I don’t normally swear…”
“What happens when you don’t double check someone’s dead.” Anton said. “Even if it means having to remove their head. Not you, of course. Haven’t heard of Lamia’s with such an orange color. I’m sure the Pakdels will know where this one came from.”
Mezot pointed to where the Kamran had emerged from. “Two Lamia’s were able to come out from that. Should… Should we check to see if there’s any more?”
“An excellent suggestion. But I don’t want anyone going in there just yet.” He pointed to the dead Lamia’s. “Imagine meeting that much meat in a tiny hole. Perhaps some of your summons?”
Longinious reluctantly agreed. She would fit, but she didn’t have to do everything. Mezot summoned a Water Sprite and an Ice Snowflake and sent them in. They revealed that the hole was clear and led to a large cavern.
Again Anton wanted to go first but held back. Eider sent some soldiers after Longinious.
“You need to see this.” A soldier shouted out.
“Of course I do.” Anton grumbled. His eyes caught the strange condom.
The hole opened up into a cavern of some size, enough for twenty odd Lamias if they didn’t mind snuggling tight. Here he found the Lamia beds, like Simin and Sattar had in their hideout near the Frindal border, along with more papers and bags of food and weapons. He ordered the papers sent out, a soldier presented a sheet of the same material the condom was made from. Longinious gasped as Cetina entered, Rasha crouched near the entrance and peered inside.
“By….” Longinious shook her head. “I know what they made it from.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s a wing.” Longinious held the sheet with tremendous hesitancy. “They took this from some poor creature to use for that.”
The sheet did have a slight resemblance to a wing, a butterfly wing at best, but the edges were cut to make it more square.
Cetina folded her arms. “And yet you were so uncaring that it may have been animal guts.”
“At least the creature is dead. But a butterfly can survive without its wings. Even if it’s nothing more than a wriggling worm wracked in pain.”
“Frindal doesn’t seem like the place to have giant butterflies.” Anton said dryly. “But it has dead Dragons, giant insects that carry entire caravans of Nomads and scorpions. Eider? Could you get Simin or Sattar here please? We need them here. Now.”
The soldiers continued to search, finding very little. They began to take everything they could, the Pakdels would undoubtedly appreciate the supplies they had no use for, until one soldier screamed. He held his Battle Rifle at the largest crate in the room. It had fallen apart at another soldiers touch and several pale humanoid children rolled out. Naked, bruised, completely hairless and covered in leavings, they were a terrible sight. A soldier, keeping his gun pointed at the children, gave them a nudge. Their pale limbs were very stiff. The blood still in their veins had turned blue. Rigor Mortis had set it.
“Are we sure we want to work with these Lamia’s?” Longinious asked.
“So long as it’s not the Kamran’s or the Akram’s.” Anton knelt before the children. “Guess they bought them from that… What was his name? The one that wanted Zuhura and Axia?”
“Please don’t remind me of that.” Zuhura said. When she had entered he did not know.
“Have these bodies burned. It’s the least we can do for them.”
The soldiers took to the grim task with much grumbling. They took a limb each and began to take the children outside. Anton had one brought to him. While it was an otherwise unremarkable young boy, recently shaved head with the tiniest of weak stubble growing back and now glassy brown eyes, his back was odd. Tiny cuts, now festering and weeping a thin, weak liquid, lay surrounding a protrusive line along his shoulder blades.
“Torture? No. It’s too odd for that. Surgery?” Anton touched the line. “Gods, don’t tell me they’re making the Stitch Soldiers here.”
The Atros soldiers merely threw one another a confused glance. Anton touched it again, realizing it wasn’t surgery but something natural. He picked at something just sticking out and pulled a thin piece of material free. Identical to the sheet they had recovered in the cavern and what Rasha had discovered. Little white filaments like nerve endings dangled lifelessly from the bottom, smeared in thin blood.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
The soldiers understood and looked on with revulsion.
“Shit. One’s alive!” A soldier yelled. He dropped the arm of the last of the children as he backed away in shock.
Anton ushered them away. He was very weak, beaten black and blue, but alive. He did not hesitate and tried to heal him. To his shock it did not take. Tethra’s magic simply washed away, but it was not like Cetina’s Ghlyirl. This time it felt like something was pushing back. And it was beyond just a wall. There was no way to interfere with him.
“He can’t be healed.” Anton said. “It’s just won’t let me. And I don’t understand.”
He looked back. “I feel that I should explain it in simply, rather than leave people guessing.”
“He doesn’t have time for healing herbs.” Cetina looked at Longinious. “You had something, right?”
“My Revitalization Aura utilizes the principles of Ancient Magic. Whatever is preventing Tethra’s admittedly powerful magic from working will not stop me.” Longinious ran her long dark purple fingers along the child’s wounded arm. “It will not restore everything to its pristine state, but it’ll keep him from dying.”
“Take whatever you need.”
The Revitalization Aura descended upon them. Underneath the green light Anton felt himself breathing a little easier, as did everyone else. The child’s wounds and discoloration slowly faded, the weeping wounds closed and took on a healthier, albeit extremely pale, colour. His head twitched and he started to cough. His eyes slowly fluttered open. One was ruined, Cetina’s looked positively healthy in comparison, the other dull green with a deep scar running across just above the iris. He groaned as he pulled himself upright. Strangely, the protrusions from his shoulder blades had also not healed nor closed.
“I…”
“Just take it easy.” Anton spoke softly. “You’re safe now. Longinious? Could you please withdraw the Aura for now?”
“You don’t wish for me to continue?” Longinious did as she was bid. Her tattoos returned to normal and the unnatural light faded away.
“We wish to talk. And I don’t want them trying to run away.”
It was a little nicer than saying he still wanted to use her healing as a bargaining chip. The child had not listened too closely. Instead his head twitched as he furiously scanned the room. Anton waited patiently until his attention returned to him.
“You’re safe now.” Anton said again. He wanted to ask why Tethra’s magic hadn’t worked, but at least he was alive. "What's your name?"
He did not respond. He stared silently into his eyes, unblinking.
"I just need your name."
"I…" He blinked hard and lips began to tremble. "I can't feel my legs."
His legs looked normal, as normal as could be expected. He slapped one, it sounded normal, but grew hysterical as they refused to move. When he began to claw at his skin Anton grabbed his hands.
"Stop. You're going to hurt yourself even more. The way you're bouncing around the other one could fall out. Your wing, or whatever it is."
"What do you…"
His eyes fell on the piece Anton had pulled from his back. Great rivers of sweat ran down his pale face as his body shook uncontrollably. He slipped an arm free and touched his back before he could be stopped. The lightest touch knocked the remaining wing out, this one with nerve endings too. Seconds passed in total silence as he looked at what had fallen out of him.
“N…No…”
He screamed at the top of his lungs. It stopped just as fast, his eyes rolled back into his skull and he fell completely limp.
“What?” Cetina caught and gently laid him down. “What, what the hell was any of that?”
“He just realized that his wings have fallen out.” Anton shook his head. “Or were ripped out. Get him out of here. Find something to carry him on. And make sure the others are prepared for a pyre.”
The soldiers continued the grim task as Anton left the cavern. Outside some of the Pakdel Lamia’s hard gathered, with Simin at the front. She had many more iron Harpoons on her back, many bearing fire damage, along with new wrist ornaments and an extra sash she wrapped across her front to accentuate her breasts along with some feather ornamentation. Anton ignored the blood spatters.
“Are you alright?” Simin slithered forward, waving the others to hang back. “We heard shouting and more of those strange weapons making that cracking noise. Were there more Kamran’s?”
“Yes. One was alive, but there was also an Orange Lamia. Any idea what Clan?”
Simin moved past as Zuhura, Mezot and Axia exited with the gathered papers. She barely gave them a glance before her eyes fell on the Orange Lamia female.
“Why is an Ikerikal here?”
“They weren’t one of the big five.” Anton mused. Cetina and Rasha stayed close and watched Simin, Longinious waited by the hidden cavern entrance.
“No.” Simin lazily scratched her taut stomach. "They don't come this far south, they're near the northern coast. Well, the cliffs at least. I don't think you can get down to the sea there…"
She shook her head as she lowered herself to the dead Ikerikal.
"Shame. This one looks quite good." Simin nodded appreciatively. "Good bust, hips and stomach. Nice scales too. A good breeding mate. She would have made a fine prize for you."
Her head’s been ripped off, blood everywhere and you can still say those sorts of things? Different cultures I suppose.
"Well, if you could heal her."
"Can't bring back the dead." Anton softly mused.
Anton stood beside Simin. Just being in their presence reminded him how powerful they were. No wonder the Feral Beast-kin were so terrified, and enslaved.
"Seemed like she may have been some sort of prostitute, willing or otherwise."
"An Ikerikal?" Simin scoffed, folding her arms. Longinious moved towards the table as the soldiers began to bring out the survivor. "Not happening. They're hunters and an adventurous lot. And musicians too. No. They're… Didn't think the Kamran’s had a thing for Human…"
Simin trailed off as the young boy was brought past them. She saw the soldier behind, carrying the large sheet of green material.
"What is that?"
Anton called for the soldiers to stop. Longinious picked up the smaller pieces of wing and floated closer.
"We found these sheets." Anton bade the soldier carrying the sheet to raise it higher. "Along with these growing out their backs. Obviously they're related but we have no idea who or what they are. Likely some sort of wing, like a big dragonfly."
Simin was not breathing. Her scaled skin had drained of color. Even if that was impossible she had found a way.
Anton gently grabbed her wrist. “How much trouble are we in?"
Simin tried to back away. Rasha stood behind her, straddling her snake body and holding her shoulders. Simin did not try to push past the Blue Minotaur.
"They're not supposed to do that." Simin swallowed a dry throat. "They, we all promised to leave them alone. We all did."
Anton waved her hand back and forth until she looked at him. "Breathe. Slowly. What are they?"
Simin slowly exhaled, the tip of her tail twitched and gently struck the ground three times. "Werkel Fairies."
"Fairies?" Cetina nodded towards the boy, still weakly breathing. "A little big for the stories, no?"
"I don't know about that." Simin waited until Anton removed his hold. Rasha too, but she remained where she stood. "But yes, there are Fairies here. All over the world, at least that's what we were told growing up."
"Fairies. Creatures of the forest." Anton let out a faint sigh. "Should I ask if these belong to Nithroel?"
Simin nodded. "They have a big marking on their chests. Um… Two horns with leaves circling around it."
Longinious raised the sheet giving the girl some modesty. "Not markings or tattoos. Maybe his clothes?"
"I don't know. I've never seen one before. Just what I’ve been told."
Sattar and a number of the Pakdel Lamia's joined them.
The tail thumping was a distress call. I'll remember that.
"Are you alright?" Sattar asked. He had not drawn a weapon but Anton saw the worry in his eyes.
"No." Simin pointed at the boy, the Werkel Fairy. "No we are not."
Sattar and the others began to mutter amongst themselves.
"And you're worried about retribution from Nithroel?"
Simin nodded. Tiny tears began to welt in her eyes. "The last time someone hunted them, nearly every Lamia was slaughtered. So they made us promise never to harm another."
"And now we have a half dozen dead Fairies. And they didn't die well, it appears. They used their wings… Simin?"
"The place you came from." Her voice had become frantic and panicked. “How much room is there? Food? We can work. We’re very large, strong and quick.”
“I-”
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“And we can serve you and anyone else. I know quite a few Pakdels that are interested in coiling with a Human like you. I-"
Anton smiled bitterly. "You are in quite the predicament if you're going that far."
Simin nervously held her hands together. "We were nearly all wiped out for a few. And there's this many in a tiny outpost. There’s no way this is new, so they’ve been doing it for a long time. How many do they have in their capital? There’s… We have to get out of here before they realize what’s happened."
"No Pakdel hunts them?" Anton received a furious no. "Then we only need to convince Nithroel that it wasn't you."
He held her elbow, running a gloved thumb over her scaled skin. "They can tell the difference between blue and orange."
Longinious ushered the soldiers to keep moving. "Nithroel is currently focused on containing the Demon threat. If the situation is explained simply and truthfully, we should be to contain this at the very least to the Kamran.”
Cetina held up the condom made from a wing. "They hunt these Fairies for this? Is it to humiliate them? Seems like something very expensive for something so mundane."
Longinious nodded. “There are many ways to prevent pregnancy without barbarism.”
Simin whimpered, her presence tiny. "She'll never forgive us…"
Anton silently clicked his tongue as he had Sattar take Simin and walked away from the Command Chasm. The two touched foreheads and began to hold one another tight. It almost looked like they were preparing for their end.
Of course we'll try and stop Nithroel. Not much forest here, but who knows what she’s hiding up that ridiculously thin dress. Mezot and Zuhura might need to investigate what they know about these Werkel Fairies.
Anton watched in silence as the pyres were built, the Werkel Fairy lay in the shade. Just as they were nearing to light the fire the surviving Werkel Fairy began to awaken. This time he did not rise. He merely turned his head and looked at the dead Werkel Fairies on the un-lit pyres, his eye still blank and unfocused. Anton knelt by his side, Mezot and Zuhura prepared to take notes.
"We don't know what the proper funeral for your kind is." Anton spoke as softly as possible. "If they would rather be buried or whatever is appropriate, please let us know."
"It doesn't matter." He turned his head away. "Nothing matters."
Anton remained silent. He didn’t know what to do. Normally Tethra’s magic always worked, but not this time. Was it that he was Nithroel’s? He’d never tried to restore anything that belong to a God, let alone something like a Summon. Was it something as simple as that?
“We can’t just leave them here.” Axia said. She held her staff tight. “It’s not right to leave them in that cave.”
The Werkel Fairy stared daggers at Axia. Axia held her ground.
“Do whatever you want, Human. I am done." He looked straight upwards towards the empty sky. "With everything."
"Well, before we send you on your way." Anton sat properly on the dusty ground, he was surprised to see Axia kneel beside him. "I'd at least like to know your name."
He glared at him.
"At the very least we know what to put down in our records."
"... Asrar." Tears welled in his eyes.
"Asrar. I wish we could have met under better circumstances."
"I don't need your pity."
"No. No."
Asrar glanced at Anton.
"Could you at least tell me what happened? I thought this land would be filled with Lamia and Beastkin. Not Fairies."
Asrar sighed, flexing his small, thin hands. He knew what he was doing, making him talk to stave off his desired end, but he answered all the same.
"It was the same as it always was." Asrar closed his eyes. "We tended our Tree. Our World Tree. Like we have for thousands of cycles."
"Hidden in this place?" Anton placed his hand to his brow. "Nothing but rocks, half dead shrubs and scraggly little fruit vines as far as I can see."
Asrar smirked, barring a few chipped teeth. "We keep it hidden. Clearly not well enough."
"The Kamran’s?" Zuhura asked. "They found what no one else could?"
Asrar nodded. "Just a normal day, then three of the portals opened and they poured in. Them and…" Asrar looked at Longinious, floating behind Anton. "Not like you, but Bestial. What are you?"
"It's a little bit complicated."
"Portals?" Cetina crouched beside Anton. "Like you could move vast distances in the blink of an eye?"
Asrar blinked. "Didn't think you Humans could do that."
"Just how old are you?" Anton asked. "You're clearly older than what you appear."
"I don't, didn't, keep track of time while we tended the World Tree. Maybe a few thousand cycles? It's hard to tell, when you're doing the same thing over and over. But it was good. It was mine…"
"I can guess they used nets to capture you." Anton pointed to the sheets of wing. "So how did they get in? You wouldn't have just left a portal open for anyone."
Asrar looked at the sky. He starred unblinking for some time. "Someone must have worked out how to break in. Maybe capturing one of us when we left the World Tree. Occasionally we have to leave and then we could be vulnerable. That has to be it. There can’t be another other possibility.”
“Could it have been one of them?” Cetina pointed to the pyres.
“We understand it, in our very being, that keeping the World Tree safe is of the utmost importance.” Asrar pulled himself up. He slammed his fist into his leg, still no response. “It had to be those damned Lamia. There’s no other way. They must have worked out a way to open the portals and forced their way in. That has to be it. There’s no other possibility.”
Asrar gripped his fists tight. “When I find them I’ll rip out their hearts through their arsehole! Even if I have to gut their entire bodies to find out the one that did."
Nothing like anger to keep you going.
"Well, since you're going to be with us for a little bit longer, we might as well get you up." Anton motioned for Rasha to help. "I don't know why, but Tethra’s magic should have fixed you."
"Her?" Asrar scoffed. "A God cannot modify a being belonging to another. Not without approval from Nithroel. And there is no way she would let her magic touch me."
Asrar’s confidence and bluster faded. Why wouldn't Nithroel let him be healed, just this once? Instead he was now stuck as a cripple. And he knew it.
Anton scratched his beard. "That would explain a bit. I've never tried healing a Summoned creature. Always easier to make another. And they never seemed to mind."
Asrar grunted again as Rasha lifted him up and held him in the crook of her arm, he kept the cloth close to his chest as his legs dangled limp over Rasha’s forearm.
"Not even the Seocurian’s would do this." Rasha murmured. "Too cruel…"
Asrar did not hear or care. His eyes drifted towards the north.
"And the others?" Axia asked again. "We shouldn't leave them for wild animals."
"Burn them." Asrar looked away. "Nithroel can explain why she abandoned us."
Axia cast Fire Balls onto the pyres. Flames engulfed the Werkel Fairies in seconds, like their bodies themselves were flammable. A few Feral Beastkin drew closer to watch but dared not ask or interfere.
Anton led them back to Simin and Sattar. The pair had mentally readied themselves for impending retribution, Anton hoped Asrar could at the very least direct it elsewhere.
"H-Hello." Sattar stuttered. He gripped his hands tight. "I can only apologize for our species attacking you-"
"It was not you." Asrar shook his head. "We aren't color-blind."
Asrar looked little more than a baby nestled in Rasha's arm. Anton would be little more than a young teenager.
"Thank you."
“Ridiculous…” Asrar shook his head.
"So… We are not going to be here much longer." Anton said. Asrar looked confused. "We need to return home ourselves."
"Home…"
"I have some issues with Nithroel, an agreement not to interfere in her lands and vice versa. So I don't know if it's a good idea to come back with us.”
“...”
“So you are more than welcome to stay here. Either with the Lamia’s.”
Simin and Sattar looked very nervous.
“Or perhaps with us. We will be constructing a fortress on that large hill over there.” Anton pointed to where the Dwarves were already beginning their preliminary work. “Food, water and shelter, we can provide it. If that’s what you want.”
“I don’t know what I want.” Asrar rested against Rasha’s arm. “I can’t even fly. If I could, I could fly to the World Tree to the north. At least I’d be safe there…”
“Anton.” Longinious tugged his sleeve. “A moment, if you please.”
She pulled him to one side, away from everyone else.
“This may be a good opportunity for you.”
Anton folded his arms. “More than just making Nithroel less hostile?”
“Our, your, experiments with Ancient Magic are not bearing fruit quickly. It’s different to Principle and Glyph Magic. It’s about creation and destruction. And you’ve got the second quite well.” Longinious nodded towards a soldier carrying a Werkel Fairy wing. “But creation requires experiments as there are no books or teachers to guide you. I know that you wish to restore Cetina’s eye. But to use Ancient Magic with your current expertise is extremely dangerous.”
“Practice on Asrar?”
Longinious smiled warmly. “Exactly. If you can restore his ability to fly with new wings, and his legs, if it’s his spine… Though he appears to be aware where he’s sitting on Rasha’s arm, then you could try many, many other things. Not least of all Cetina’s eye.”
“And why couldn’t I test on you? I don’t mean that in a bad way.”
Longinious pulled a worried expression. “You wish to experiment on your Avatar? I do not doubt your skill and expertise, but my body isn’t exactly normal. You remember when I was injured?”
Anton had yet to forget how her body restored itself after being injured after the Training Charm exploded. Her body was clearly not the same as theirs.
“I see. It would just heal itself the moment I made any changes. Thanks for that. I’d have kept asking myself otherwise.”
“I am happy to help, Anton.”
“Now, how to approach this?”
Anton returned to the group. Asrar had become more animated, and starring towards the hill their fortress was being built on.
“Asrar says he wants to return home.” Rasha said. “That we can do it from that hill with the Dwarves?”
“I would say there isn’t a tree…” Cetina trailed off.
“Foolish Humans.” Asrar shook his head. “It took me some time to sense it, but one of the portals lies at the top of that hill. I know it. Could you please take me there? If anyone else has survived they should return back to the World Tree. I need… I need to know. I need to see it.”
Despite his frail body he was very determined. His thin hands gripped tight into a fist while his eyes burned with hatred.
“Certainly. I just wish to discuss something on the way.”
---[]---
Predictably, Asrar was not keen on the idea of him interfering with his body. The thought of flying and walking once again intrigued him, but when Longinious detailed what they offered his interest evaporated. He continued to hold hope that Nithroel would still. The Lamia’s and Beast-kin levies joined them, scouring the surroundings for any Kamran stragglers. Thankfully they found none.
The Dwarves were surprised to see them. Upon hearing there was potentially a portal on the hill they immediately abandoned the idea of building a fortress. They thought, correctly, that a fortress with a portal to a potentially hostile force was a very, very bad idea. Anton left them with deciding the new location and design. That kept the Dwarves very happy and animated.
Asrar, still nestled in Rasha’s arm, directed them to a formation of three large rocks at the very top of the hill. They were unremarkable, other than they formed a very rough archway when observed from a very specific position.
“I’ve played here when I was a child.” Sattar said. “There’s no way this leads to a World Tree.”
"And be grateful you didn’t." Asrar smiled. "We would have killed you, so no one would ever find us again…"
Unlike the last time.
"Umm, Rasha, was it?" Rasha nodded to Asrar's question. "Could you please move me closer? I do not wish to crawl."
Rasha waited for approval first. Asrar held out his hand and directed Rasha where to maneuver him. A faint yellow mist trailed from her hand. As it blew away on the wind Anton realized it was actually pollen. After touching six seemingly random points thin brown vines grew around the base to form an arch, tiny red flowers bloomed and an unnatural amount of pollen flowed out. The pollen shimmered and showed a tunnel, albeit tinged a bright yellow.
"Are you sure about heading through that?" Zuhura asked. She and Mezot were finishing their notes. Well, Zuhura had. "From what you have told me about Nithroel it sounds like a potential trap."
"I'll go." Longinious said. "Remember, if Anton is still alive I can be restored."
"Kind of a weird thing to say." Axia murmured.
"It still works!" Asrar cried out triumphantly. "Oh, I thought the World Tree was dead. They didn't destroy it."
"So will you be alright now?" Rasha asked.
Asrar ground his teeth. "I still cannot fly or walk. I… Request you continued help."
Longinious floated up to Rasha and held out her four arms. Asrar did not particularly like being held like a toddler but Longinious was clearly enjoying herself. She whispered something to the Fairy. Asrar’s face reddened and tried to swat her away. Longinious simply patted his head before giving a wave and passed through the pollen portal. It was not instantaneous like their current portals but their first iteration, a doorway rather than a teleporter. He wondered if it would sever someone in half if the portal collapsed.
"So…" Axia stretched her back, pushing her chest out. "Do we just wait or…"
Longinious returned, without Asrar. Her normally calm demeanor was gone.
"Please hurry! You need to see this!" She disappeared back through the portal.
Anton softly sighed and followed. Cetina did not allow him to go first, emerging and pulling Anton through. He breathed a little of the pollen. It smelt of a dry, warm summer. Thankfully his sinuses didn't act up.
The tunnel beyond was narrow but he could stand upright. He did not feel as if his magic was now being impeded in any way but held off testing. This was allegedly Nithroel's territory and they were already intruding.
At the end of the tunnel Longinious waited, clasping her hands together while Asrar wailed into the sky above. The sky had been clear, now it was on the verge of raining.
The World Tree was aptly named. Soaring easily eighty meters into the air, with a trunk to match it cast a truly imposing sight. While it had only ten branches from the main trunk they ended in large clusters of dense branches of leaves forming a flat top with many small weeping branches hanging below. The lowest was still too high to see properly but Anton could see structures on top. Beneath the canopies and amongst the exposed roots digging their way through the brown stone lay giant pools of blue water ringed by sulfurous rocks. The Hot Springs emanated columns of a faint steam, rising to the canopies and falling back down as gentle rain.
Despite the beauty Asrar was stricken with grief. Tears ran down his face as he stared at the pools, then Anton understood his grief.
"By the Old Gods…" Cetina held a hand to her mouth as Asrar continued to wail. Everyone else had a similar reaction.
Bodies floated in the corners of the largest pools. Some had tattered wings, most had been ripped or cut away. And all were Werkel Fairies. He quickly counted two hundred dead, some were very small, fairy children.
Cetina grabbed his shoulder and pointed to the hanging willowy branches. Lying flat to the branches were dozens of ruptured soft egg sacs, each large enough to hold a young child. Beneath those lay the bodies, slowly drifting in the steaming pools.
Anton removed his helmet. To respect the dead.
Asrar’s wails began to wane. "They… They broke everything! Why?" He held his eyes shut, rubbing his arms across his face to fight back the tears. "They were so young! They couldn't defend themselves."
Anton refastened his helmet. "Everyone. Get down there and see if there's anyone still alive. A pulse is enough for us. But be careful. We don't know if there's anything nasty still lurking around."
Cetina ordered their soldiers forward and the Feral Beast-kin Levies to assist. Mezot, Axia and Zuhura followed, to document what they could. Anton remained with Asrar. His crying ebbed to whimpers as the bodies were brought forward and placed at the base of the World Tree. None survived. The older Werkel Fairies had been cut or struck, the younger suffered injuries to their head, likely from when they fell from the egg sacks and struck the shallow water. They found no dead Feral Beast-kin or Lamia’s. Odd that they retrieved their bodies but left the dead Fairies' wings behind.
"This is a terrible nightmare.” Anton softly spoke. He wasn’t saying it for Asrar’s sake. He had made it clear he didn’t want pity, but he felt he had to say it.
Asrar’s sadness quickly transformed into anger. Anger that this had been allowed to happen in the first place.
“Could you take me to the Tree? I will talk to Nithroel and ask her why this happened.” He shook his head. “We should have had Wood Elves come to help us. Just a dozen could slaughter hundreds of them.”
“When did this happen?” Anton had Longinious take him. “You were clearly in their custody for at least a little while.”
“Late Summer.” Asrar said flatly. “We were passed around through the Lamia tribes a lot since then, but I remember it has only been getting cooler since then.”
“About the same time that we dealt with Qaiviel.” Anton said softly. “How much do you know of Nithroel’s actions beyond this tree?”
“She clearly didn’t do enough here.” Asrar said bitterly.
Anton knew the timing was quite the coincidence. Just after her failed attempt at crushing Atros through King Harold and the Church of The Holy Father. But for someone that could have easily annihilated Atros with an army of Wood Elves and creatures of the Forest, to allow something so terrible? Either everything was a tremendous bluff or she was distracted by something so consuming that she couldn’t assist them. One was fantastic, the other deeply troubling.
He had no answer as they reached the trunk of the tree. It was truly massive and seemed to almost thrum with energy. Mezot and Axia had noticed it and were alert and ready, holding their staves tight. Asrar pointed to a slightly large knot near the base. Longinious placed him near it and backed away. Asrar placed his hand onto the knot, closed his eyes and his head dropped.
“Have you ever tried to commune with a tree?” Cetina asked.
“Never met one that looks like… Well, there is that Karak Tree behind the Main Hall. That’s certainly unique.”
Anton looked back, to the steaming pools. He wanted to take a hot bath with the women that he could call his own. To see their bodies flush with heat and dripping with water. Though the Public Bath in Atros was very good, it was still a public bath and he couldn’t justify taking it for themselves for a couple hours. One was being built in the Sovereign Palace, but it wouldn’t compare to the natural beauty of this place. A place where he could truly enjoy it with others.
“Shame we can’t take the pools with us.” Anton mused.
“We’ll take a bath when we get back.” Cetina said calmly. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a good one. Perhaps we could visit Qaiviel or Graterious again? They have some good baths, especially Graterious.”
“Rasha couldn’t go there. Did you want me for yourself?”
Cetina rolled her eyes, Rasha shrugged while Zuhura, who had approached silently, narrowed her eyes and slowly shook her head.
“Is this appropriate conversation in a time like this?”
“It’s always been like this.” Longinious smiled at Zuhura. “Helps keep things from becoming overwhelming, so not everything is high strung and correct and informed decisions can be made.” She floated closer to the Frindal woman. “Unless you wish to join them, of course.”
Zuhura continued to wield narrow eyes but her ears reddened.
“Leave her be, Longinious. You’re just teasing her at this point.”
Longinious relented and Zuhura gave him a silent thanks.
Anton’s attention turned back to the World Tree, specifically the buildings on the flat sections. He wished he could get higher, to see what they really were. Fairy houses? Fairy storage? Or perhaps where the Werkel Fairies were raised once they were born. Now they were close enough he could see the veins, for lack of a better term, trailing down the vines hanging above the pools. They had collapsed but would have once provided life giving blood, or perhaps sap, to the egg sacks. But none of that mattered now. Now they were all dead.
Zuhura cleared her throat. “Is he-”
Asrar recoiled from the tree, still holding a hand to the bark while the other gripped his chest.
“W-What do you mean?” Asrar could barely speak through his shock. “We served your for thousands of generations. What the fuck do you mean?”
“What is happening?” Anton readied to use his Magic, both types.
“She…” Asrar shook his head. “I don’t believe it…”
His hand was violently thrown away with a flash of green light. He struggled to back away with just his hand as vines and flowers grew out of cracks in the bark. Longinious darted forward and scooped him to safety. The vines formed a large arch two meters above the ground, the flowers bloomed and emitted a massive wave of pollen. Out of the pollen a figure coalesced. A woman, an extremely buxom one, with long ears and a very revealing dress. Colour began to filter through the pollen image; pale skin, blonde hair and a green dress, albeit all with the faint yellow tint of pollen.
“Nithroel.” Anton gently ushered everyone back. “I didn’t think that you could manifest in this world easily.”
Nithroel’s eyes fell upon him. “I thought you and your wretched little group were not supposed to go past your old infested capital?” She did not look particularly dangerous, but the sheer confidence she oozed was.
“On that continent, yes. That is what we arranged. But this isn’t that land. I can hardly expect to know where that line is in the sea.”
Anton glanced back. Longinious kept a watchful eye to their surroundings, almost ignoring the presence of the Goddess. The others were shocked into stupefaction. Cetina and Rasha had their weapons ready, Mezot and Axia were stunned by the amount of magic that must have been radiating from Nithroel’s body and Zuhura’s pen had stopped moving, her jaw open in an incredibly rare sight of befuddlement. Zuhura had probably thought he was exaggerating their involvement with Nithroel at best. Certainly not having an almost snippy conversation with the most powerful Goddess. As for everyone else they watched on in silence.
Nithroel shook her head. She leant back, a vine seat coalesced in the pollen and she crossed her legs and folded her arms beneath her exceedingly large bosom. Despite being quite a pain, she was unbelievably attractive.
“I already tire of your attempts at banter.” Nithroel idly inspected her nails. “If this is what intrigues them… So? Why are you at one of my World Trees?”
I’m sure you already know.
“Merely helping one of your followers. As it’s the right thing to do. We wanted to make sure he made it safe…” Anton trailed off as Nithroel continued to check her nails. “Unless that’s an issue for you? Some Lamia and Beast-kin broke in here and killed nearly everyone. Enslaved and abused the rest. Surely that’s an issue?”
“Not as much as you’d think.” Nithroel sounded tired and utterly bored. “The tree is fine. It is a tree, after all. A half cycle isn’t going to make it wilt.”
“But why didn’t you help us?” Asrar was on the verge of whimpering. “We needed your help. We begged you for help. For anything…”
Nithroel finally looked away from her nails. “Because you are completely unable to defend yourself from a few overgrown snakes and rats.” Nithroel shook her head. “Especially since you lot let them in. Again.”
“Someone let them in.” Asrar glanced back at Anton. “And you knew… And didn’t warn us?!”
Nithroel sighed and rolled her eyes. “If you haven’t noticed, there is an ongoing invasion by Demons that are already spilling out across the world.” She shook her head. “Not to mention all the trouble I’m having with the New Heroes. Useless, most of them. Some I’m having to send away for training. Such an absolute waste of time…”
“So they’re still alive?” Anton asked. “It’s been quite a while since the accident. Are they doing alright?”
Though Anton did not care for a number of those that were killed on the bus, most were innocent. There was also the old lady that sat beside him. Would she even still be alive in this world with no advanced pharmaceuticals? Magic rendered that concern moot.
“As well as can be.” Nithroel folded her arms once again. “Now, we’ve said enough pleasantries. Get out. And if you come back I will destroy you. I don’t care what that Fire whore and Tethra have to say. It would be foolish to think I have been idle since our last meeting.”
Dripping with arrogance. But we’re trying to change that.
“We merely wanted to return Asrar here. But I cannot believe that-”
“Get out!” Nithroel lunged upright. “Get out of my realm, all of you! Right now!”
“Please.” Asrar shuffled forward, lying prostrate, his body trembling. “Please, Nithroel, Goddess of the Forest. Please… Help me.”
Nithroel’s anger subsided. Not out of pity, but out of complete indifference.
“I would not help a bunch of pathetic drug addicts that can be lured to open a portal to this World Tree for the prospect of another hit.” Nithroel took her seat folding her arms and legs. “Why would I help someone like that?”
“But… I didn’t open the portal.”
“No. Of course not, dear.” Nithroel shook her head and threw Anton a pitiable look. “Perhaps a disadvantage of such long lived creatures. Takes them so long to grow up. They’re able to live like undisciplined children for so long, while your kind has no choice but to grow up.”
Anton had the distinct feeling that if Nithroel could strike Asrar, she would. Asrar remained silent, utterly stunned.
“W-What do you mean? Someone let them in? Another Werkel Fairy?”
Nithroel sighed, annoyed and frustrated. “The portals cannot be opened by anyone other than myself or my servants. Lamia’s, with barely more than tribal mumbling, could not work it out. Not even the immortal Vampires could do it. It’s just not compatible.”
“There are Vampires?” Anton asked, equal measures of surprise and banal acceptance. This was a world of magic, after all.
Nithroel ignored him. “So of course it was one of you. Some stupid idiot that ruined everything…” She dismissively waved her hand. “I suppose you should give them a piece of your mind for what happened to you. If you can muster the strength to leave here.” She almost chuckled. “Though it appears you’ll have to get that to carry you out.”
She glanced up at Anton. “Don’t ever think of trying to use her magic to help one of my servants again.”
“I had no idea he was.” Anton placed a hand over his heart. “And I would have helped him regardless, even if you had discarded them.”
Nithroel said nothing.
“I… Why?” Asrar still refused to accept she had been discarded.
Nithroel sighed. “This is getting quite pathetic. Anton, you and your friends.” She looked directly at Longinious. “Even that thing, take her and get out. The Werkel Fairies are no longer my concern."
Anton glanced at Asrar. He didn’t know if it was right for him, or any survivors, to return to someone that was borderline abusive, but this was the only chance they had to try and extract any sort of information out of Nithroel. She would get annoyed very, very quickly, and he doubted he could ask anything she had already mentioned but there had to be something.
“Are you sure kicking them out is such a good idea? You’ll have no one left to defend this World Tree. Surely granting the Werkel Fairies some weapons and armor is well within your abilities? A good spear or magical bow would have slaughtered the invaders.” Anton pointed to the gathered bodies below. The work had stopped, too focused on what he was doing. “It’s not like the Lamia or their Beast-kin levies wear much armor.”
Nithroel pondered his words, perhaps finding some amusement in educating someone she clearly deemed lesser.
“I could have, certainly.” Nithroel’s words provoked a budding anger in Asrar. “But it would have only been a stop-gap measure at best. Can you imagine them flying around in golden armor and spears?"
She found it quite funny. Anton felt bows and bombs would be a good fit for flying creatures. It was something they were planning too.
"And they would have performed even worse against those Demons. You've met them, haven't you?" Nithroel nodded towards Cetina. "What chance do they have against such massive beasts of lava and stone?”
“Probably about as well as we did.” Anton murmured.
“True.” Nithroel almost smiled. “How true. Our… Doesn’t matter. You have gathered a little menagerie around yourself. Take her and the rest of them with you. You seem to be rather good at collecting and caring for all sorts of broken things.”
And this would be something you’ve broken yourself. Only one real question I can ask now.
“Say that I do,” Anton saw Asrar’s shoulders slump, his eyes cast down. “What will become of this World Tree?”
Anton raised a hand to his brow. “I see some sort of structures on the branches. And all the eggs are gone too. So who do you have to replace them? Some of those Kobolds I imagine. Not the best climbers…”
Nithroel smirked. “No. They’re not. Especially small stone walls. But I did say I was busy. Not on just this of course, but I am rather proud of what I created. Quite impressed.”
She motioned towards the surrounding rough stone wall. Several pollen laden portals glowed bright and creatures emerged through. Anton whistled at Eider. She ordered everyone to gather at the base of the World Tree, close to the portal back to Frindal.
Asrar gasped as the creatures revealed themselves to be Fairies, but they were nothing like Asrar. Their red wings were small, less than their outstretched arm, dropping tiny particles of glowing stars of light as they moved. Beneath long pale green hair, braided to fall along their back and between their wings, they wore a wooden war mask, no holes for eyes but they could clearly see without issue. Wooden armor covered the chest, firearms and legs.
“Wh-What are they?” Asrar breathed heavily. He looked at Nithroel in shock and disbelief.
“An upgrade, as you Humans so love to call everything. But I have been tinkering with these for some time.” She smiled at Anton. “Nothing like a catastrophic failure for motivation, no?”
The Red Fairies launched themselves into the air. Anton could not believe how fast they could move, faster than any bird and with just as much grace and control. Seven swooped over their head, giggling and cackling as they almost brushed against his helmet. Anton tried his best to remain calm, everyone else was beginning to panic. Especially Rasha, who could look down upon the Red Fairies darting about her face. Some of the Red Fairies floated up to each branch and disappeared. The veins leading to the broken egg sacks began to take on a reddish hue.
“Impressive.” Anton said loudly. Nithroel raised her hand and the Red Fairies gathered around her. “Is it just a burst of speed or is that how they fly normally?”
“All the time. Their wings are so much better than the normal Werkel’s. And they can fight like actual soldiers. Would you like a demonstration?”
Mezot and Axia gripped their staves tight, everyone else readied to fight. Anton, his heart racing, raised his hand and created several Essence Bombs.
“Only if I can show off mine.” The Red Fairies backed away slightly. “I learned, perhaps gifted by this-”
“You dare use that in front of me?!” Nithroel recoiled, pulling her body deeper into her chair. “That vile, chaotic magic? Where could you possibly find something to channel it without destroying yourself?”
“It certainly is dangerous, isn’t it? But it has its uses. Especially against things that are supposedly immune to magic. Like the World Tree, I imagine. I doubt normal fire would work…”
Anton created several more Essence Bombs. “So what do we call them?”
Nithroel composed herself. She was not acting like normal before her new servants.
“I too have allies amongst the other Gods. Sedna, the God of Water, thought they should be called something that will inspire fear and submission amongst my foes. The Dominator Fairies will do just that, when they are unleashed upon the Demons.”
Anton was less concerned about the childish name than the fact that Sedna, wanting and demanding a spot in their new Temple, was still speaking with Nithroel. Hopefully he was just playing both sides rather than feeding news to Nithroel. A pertinent question for another time.
“I wish you the utmost luck in your ventures.” Anton noticed the other portals had yet to close and continued to release a steady stream of the Dominator Fairies. If they stayed longer they would be hopelessly outnumbered. “We will accept your offer and withdraw immediately.”
Anton took a step back. Asrar remained silent, staring at the Dominator Fairies, completely unmoving.
“And we shall take Asrar as well.” Anton ushered Longinious to scoop her up. “Since you don’t want her.”
And I bet she’s going to be used as target practice once we leave.
“Fine.” Nithroel raised her hand and the Dominator Fairies took a step back. “Go. And be quick about it. The next time we meet it will not be pleasant.”
Anton gave a simple nod and began to follow their soldiers’ rapid retreat. Longinious took Asrar, who stared at the Dominator Fairies even as they entered the rocky tunnel. The pollen portal remained open as Anton, Longinious and Asrar were the last to pass through.
“We’ll sort this out, don’t you worry.” Anton said.
Asrar continued to look towards the World Tree. His body crumpled one final time into Longinious’s chest. She wrapped her four arms around him tight and waited by the portal.
“Even I don’t need to search through your memories to know there’s nothing more we can do here. It’s time to leave.”
There was nothing more to say. Anton waited until they passed through before withdrawing the Essence Bombs and hurrying through the portal.
---[]---
Asrar was essentially dead as they returned to the hot, dry winds of Frindal. If he wasn't crippled they would have had to carry him out regardless. His eyes barely registered anything, only reacting when brought out into the bright Frindal sun by closing them tight. Wishing that reality would just disappear. Anton did not blame him. No one did.
Instead of returning to the Pakdel city they ventured towards the new fortress location. Already the Dwarves had constructed a series of tents and begun work on an open shelter. Some were even digging to clear foundations for the wall. The Atros soldiers formed a loose perimeter to keep the Pakdel and their Feral Beast-kin levies back. They did not leave, curious as to what they were building. Everyone bar Anton and Longinious went to drink some water and rest in the shade.
Asrar did not attract much attention from the Dwarves. To them he was a Human child. Without his wings she really was. He slumped against the pole Longinious placed him against.
"What's wrong with the wee lass?" The leader of the Dwarves asked. "Looks like he could use a good drink."
"It's oblivion he surely desires." Longinious said. Asrar remained slumped forward.
Anton sat next to Asrar, groaning a little louder than necessary.
"You can stay here for as-"
"Kill me."
"... Why?"
Asrar looked at him with dead eyes. "Take one good guess."
"I could. But you didn't want that before."
"I didn't think I had been replaced."
"No. What about the others?"
"What others?" Asrar frowned as the Dwarf passed him a large wooden mug of a thick brown liquor. Anton could smell the ethanol. Asrar sipped, scrunching him face in pain but drank again. "What do you mean?”
"You survived. Just. But there's every chance there are more Werkel’s out there."
"We are barred from our World Tree. We have no home or purpose.” He drunk of the brown liquid again. “And there is no way to make any more of us…"
"Couldn’t you grow another? What about a seed? Surely there must be one. It is just a tree after all."
"Just a…" Asrar grumbled. "You're keeping me talking."
"I'd like to think I'm doing a good job of it too."
Asrar drank nearly half the mug in one go. The Dwarf was suitably impressed. "You said you could get my wings back."
"Not can, but I will try."
Asrar scratched his legs. There was still no reaction.
“Do whatever you need.” Asrar stared into his eyes and downed the last of the drink. This time he did not shudder or twitch. “Just get me flying again, and I’ll do whatever you want.”
“Just experimenting with Ancient Magic will be enough.” Anton stood up. “But I hope that you will be able to walk again, at the very least.”
“Walking is for primitives. Flying would be better.”
Anton looked at her back. One of the wing parts remained, and they still had the one that had fallen out.
“We’ll try that first then. So, Longinious?”
“Yes, Anton?” She picked Asrar up.
“I will need your help for this next part. I don’t have much experience in this.”
“Now you tell me.” Asrar said dryly. He did not try to escape from Longinious.
A large table was prepared for Asrar. They laid Asrar on his front, like he was ready for a massage and removed his shirt to expose where his wings once lay. He also had the wings they had collected nearby. For reference only. He would definitely want them burned. He had a real passion for fire.
Cetina tapped next to Asrar. She gave him a long cylinder of thick cloth. “You may need this. No idea how painful it’ll be.”
“I’ll scream.”
“They don’t want you to bite your tongue off.”
Asrar stopped complaining and bit onto the cloth. Zuhura and Mezot had joined to detail what was happening, Axia wanted to stay far away from this surgery and joined the equally disinterested Dwarves.
“So…” Anton looked at Longinious. “Do you think it would be best to create a wing first, then attach it? Or build it out?”
“Unless Asrar is unconscious, it would be incredibly painful. Like my recovery would be if I acknowledge pain.”
Asrar watched him with an unblinking eye. He turned away and muttered something.
“Let us start with one wing at a time.” Longinious floated to a nearby table. “Excuse me, could you place the wings here?"
The soldiers were glad to be rid of them, especially after what happened at the World Tree. Under closer inspection they were relatively simple, except for the nerve endings. Those would be very difficult to recreate. If it was possible at all. But Asrar was willing to give them a chance. It was either that or he killed himself.
"Mezot, Zuhura. I'll do my best to describe what I'm doing, but it'll probably be gibberish."
Mezot and Zuhura nodded, but he doubted Mezot was paying too much attention.
"One wing…" Longinious floated back to Anton's side. “Let us begin then. First, we need to create some Formed Essence. It is the base of everything we will do.”
Anton followed Longinious’s instructions and created the sphere. Asrar was watching, silent and judging. Everyone not involved was gently ushered away, like the Dwarf who had somehow summoned a half dozen mugs and given them to some of the curious onlookers.
Anton used one of the recovered Werkel wings as a rough guide. Manipulating the Formed Essence was still very difficult, like kneading a thick dough through his mental movements, but he had been practicing and it was much, much easier than before. Longinious held his shoulder and assisted him. When he stood back the white material was now in a large disk only a few millimeters thick. Next was to adjust the shape. However, Anton did not want to recreate them exactly like the wings he had, since this was a chance to experiment. And it would be easier for Asrar if there were no reminders to what he had lost.
Instead he slowly shaped it to look like a moth wing, with a broad top and a pointed trailing bottom. He knew moths had four wings but these would be magical, there was no way any of the Fairies could fly without magic, so one big one would do. With the shape finished color was next. The Formed Essence’s perfect marble white just didn’t look right. Not for a Fairy soaring through the air. So, with Longinious’s help and artistic input, he changed it to a majority purple, with two blue and one gold thick lines running along its length and a soft golden orb near the top edge. It was certainly eye catching. While creating he kept the mental image of how the wings worked; glowing with a red hue and trailing small particles of light. This would be purple, seemingly his color since his transformation.
Asrar continued to remain silent. Perhaps he truly meant he didn't care.
"Did you get any of that?" Anton asked. He tapped the wing, it did not have the faint hue of any color let alone dropping bright particles. Perhaps when it was attached it would work. That made sense.
"Mostly." Zuhura tapped the paper. "But I don't think anyone would be able to follow this."
"There is another one to go, so ask me some questions then. Now, let's see about getting this attached and working."
Now Asrar tensed. If it was going to hurt, it was now. The base of the wing was the same size as her old one but lacked any nerves or linking tissue. Anton had Longinious lift the new wing and rest it in position. Cetina and Rasha held his arms down, just in case.
"Let's…"
Anton let his voice fade away as he took a knife and delicately reopened where Asrar’s wing was attached. He groaned, bit hard into the cloth, but did not move.
Is it just going to slide out when we're done?
There was only one way to find out. Together they gently forced the wing into Asrar's back. He groaned even louder, fingers gripping so tight his knuckles turned white. Longinious nodded when it was in position. Anton gave it the tiniest push and it threatened to slip out.
"A bit more then. I'm starting to run a bit low on Essence. How much do I have left, Longinious?"
She held up a wrist, shaking it back and forth. Even under the shade the gemstone shone brightly.
"More than enough for two. But if we need more, we'll get more."
Anton held the join between him skin and the wing. It felt normal, for lack of a better term, but it was not connected.
“Well, most things are connected through nerves to the spine. So… Please bear with it, Asrar. I’ll be as quick as I can.”
Asrar nodded. Anton knew he could modify the wing more but it would still need to connect to him. With a slight hint from Longinious he created a band of material that surrounded his wing, across his spine to the other with small filaments connecting with his spine. It was… Painful, to say the least. The new piece of Formed Essence needed to dig its way into his skin and flesh, with a line of tiny white cubes bubbling along the exterior that Longinious picked away. Asrar screamed and shuddered, kicking and nearly biting through the cloth in his mouth. Nearly everyone was too shocked to speak but all silently wanted him to stop. But he knew he could not. He didn’t want to know what it would do if it was left incomplete.
When he removed his hands Asrar shuddered. Tears streamed down his face, Cetina and Rasha threw him worried looks, but he did not try and leave. The wing took on a faint purple hue and moved slightly, throwing out tiny purple particles of light. Asrar grunted and freed his hand from Rasha to touch his wing. He almost cried as it moved back and forth.
“You could have warned me.” Asrar said through tears. “It feels so strange, yet it’s mine... I know I can fly now.”
“Just one more to go.”
Asrar was now less happy, biting the cloth again. The second wing was less difficult though just as painful. When both were attached and fastened his wings glowed bright and his body lifted up. His legs hanged limp and useless, but he could float.
“I… I can’t believe it!” Asrar wanted to fly higher but Anton gently pushed him back down. He rested on her front, happy and bobbing his head back and forth. As if he had not been screaming his heart out but a few moments ago. “I can fly. This is incredible. I can’t believe a Human could do this for me.”
He raised herself onto his elbows. “Whatever you need, I’ll do it.”
“Your legs.”
“Cut them off.” Asrar shrugged. “I can’t use them. But I can fly now. So…”
“Another test, if possible.” Anton said. “To see if we can restore whatever happened to them.”
“Sure. As long as they don’t damage my new wings.”
Zuhura cleared her throat. “These new wings of his. Are… They to be a feature of more people, for lack of a better word? I can see flight being an advantage, but I can’t imagine enduring that much pain. And for each wing?”
Asrar shrugged but watched on with a happy curiosity.
“Possibly. But I don’t know if it’s ever going to stop, so you’ll just fall out of the sky. Not to mention when I die, in combat or old age, hopefully old age-”
“A bit premature, perhaps.” Mezot quietly muttered.
“It could all just stop. And I don’t want people to be falling out of the sky. Or whatever I’ve magiced up to just stop. Besides, it might only work for someone like Asrar. Since he could use it before. Or that he’s a magical being. Probably the latter as it felt like it was trying to heal as I worked. And I don’t want to test on anyone here.”
“But I’m fine?” Asrar almost sounded playful.
Anton flicked his forehead hard. “You said you’d do what I asked. Now, let’s see about those legs.”
The long time as the Kamran’s guest had not done wonders. But there was no sign of physical damage, which in a way made things more difficult as it was likely nerve damage, hidden from sight. Anton created something similar to the band between her winds, placing it just above his rear and connecting thin lines to the sides of his upper thighs. This was, predictably, very painful. And it did nothing. It should have been easier than wings but apparently it was not. Either that or he had not located the source of the problem. Asrar shrugged, after wiping away the tears, and reiterated his desire to have them removed. No one took it seriously for even a single moment.
Instead Anton returned to another sphere of Formed Essence, this time turning it into a very long strip of purple material a hand span wide. He wrapped it around his leg tight, from his upper thigh to his foot and around the arch, then reconnecting it to the lines from his lower back. Longinious poked the material and Asrar twitched away. It took him a moment to realize what she had just done.
“The other leg… Please.” He buried his head in his arms. “I can handle a little more pain.”
The other legs was wrapped tight with yet another piece of Formed Essence. Anton was glad he did not need to do much more as he was almost out of Essence and Longinious had nothing stored. The gemstones on her forearms were dulled. Asrar moved his legs but his toes were still limp.
Compared to what he had, this is almost miraculous. Everyone I healed with Tethra’s power must have felt the same thing.
“I believe I have everything.” Zuhura nodded. “I’m certain that with time you will be able to restore Cetina’s eye. And safely.”
“So long as it’s not purple.” Cetina weakly chuckled. “Why did you pick that color?”
Anton patted his tail wrapped around his waist. “I guess it’s what I’ve been assigned. Not really a big believer in fate, and yet here we are.”
“Allow me to administer some aftercare.” Longinious activated her Revitalization Aura. Asrar breathed easier and relaxed. He tried to flex his toes but still could not. The inflamed areas around his new wings slowly returned to a normal colour.
“So you’ve marked the wee lass as one of your own.” The Dwarf, sitting opposite, playfully jeered. A dozen Dwarves had abandoned their work to watch the strange happenings. Strange happenings and seemingly a young boy screaming his life away. “Guess Umikgruid wasn’t wrong.”
“I wonder what he's been telling his fellow Dwarves about me.” Anton motioned for Rasha to let go of Asrar. “But are you ready to move? If you want to just rest for a moment that’s fine. I’ve learned quite a lot today. Doesn’t appear to be using any Essence just being there, but that could change the moment you try and move.”
Asrar almost fell from the table. He staggered forward, holding onto the table for dear life. The purple material around his legs folded and wrinkled like a second skin to not impede his movement. Like it was supposed to.
Longinious held him up. "Remember. It's not your actual legs that are fixed. It's just a sleeve that you move with your mind. So. Be careful."
After a weak smile his wings glowed bright and he hovered a few centimeters off the ground. He flexed his arms and his wings spread out.
“Nithroel…” Asrar barely held back the urge to spit. “Said that I wasn’t the only Werkel Fairy left. Normally I would be able to feel them but they’re too far away. If there are others, if I can find them, and if they’re injured can you fix them like me?” He rotated his shoulders. “Wings, legs, arms. Our bodies?”
“Of course.” Anton nodded. “But I may need some time to get more Essence…”
Asrar pushed past the others to the open air. His wings glowed bright, the purple hue was so thick it distorted light.
“You said this was your new base. So there’ll always be someone here?”
“Yes. Some Dwarves at least, but-”
“Take care of them for me.” Asrar rose into the air. “I’ll be back.”
Before anyone could respond Asrar shot into the air, throwing back a small plume of dirt. He hovered for a moment before flying towards the north. Purple particles of light flowed behind him. Everyone watched in silence as he disappeared from sight. Unlike the White Ghlotsm, still roaming through the snowy wilderness, he could not tell where he was. Nor did he have any control over his new wings or legs. He was gone. Longinious sighed and the Revitalization Aura dissipated.
“Huh.” Axia held a hand to her brow. “Like a bird freed from a cage. Do you think he’ll come back?”
Rasha shrugged. “I don’t know how he’s supposed to fight a Lamia. Even a small one’s so, so much larger than he is.” She leant on her halberd. “And we didn’t exactly see how those red ones fight either, apparently much stronger than him.”
Anton glanced at Mezot, still writing notes. If she was right they would have been in serious trouble against creatures with so much magic. Together they probably would have been able to safely retreat but not without casualties. So if she was smart and avoided trouble she should be fine.
“I’ll be sure to chain the next Werkel in need of rescue to the ground. But it doesn’t appear to be using any Essence. Maybe it's a charge like my tail? Guess we'll find out if he comes back.” He loudly clapped his hands together. “Maybe a new force to keep Nithroel at bay? A wishful thought. But for now, consider this a victory. Now is the time to finalize our agreement. Perhaps our second real alliance. And our first without having to get rid of the Elders, or hold them out a window.”
Rasha smiled weakly as they began to depart back to the Pakdel city. Anton looked to the north, Asrar was far beyond sight now, wondering if they would see the Fairy again. He hoped they would. And if he did return she’d need a good lesson in not being foolish. What a wonderful sight an apologetic Fairy would be. Anton smiled at the thought and began the journey south.