After putting away her tools my mother reached out and picked me up, placing me back on the work table. She pulled the goblin-sized mannequin out and resumed her work, the only difference from the identical scene before being that, this time, I was clean. I assumed she had decided to give me my 'bath' because she didn't want to fit my new, and very expensive-looking, clothes on a dirty child.

I watched her as she picked up and switched between bolts of fabric in different hues, sorted through a wealth of intricate accessories, and would hold various buttons or scraps of cloth up to my eyes. I had a feeling this would take some time and decided to look over my milestones and statistics to occupy myself.

Milestones

Corporeal Soul: Overpower all your direct siblings in a physical activity. [Compleated]

Corporeal Soul: Make your mother favor you over your siblings. Have her focus on your growth and potential. [Completed]

Corporeal Soul: Touch a weapon. [Incomplete]

Vaettir Soul: Witness Inscription and runic magic coinciding together. [Completed]

Vaettir Soul: Gain the ability to speak. [Compleated]

Vaettir Soul: [hidden]

Vaettir Soul: [hidden]

Player Soul: You now understand Prana, Qi, and Energy. [Compleated]

Player Soul: [hidden]

Player Soul: [hidden]

The completion of Milestones one and nine was a large improvement, doubling my total number of completed Milestones and triggering my growth to 'child'. But while reviewing them something else caught my eye.

Milestone 3 had changed, previously it simply required me to touch a weapon, and now I needed to use a weapon. I mentally reached out and inquired about the change. While it seemed a little ridiculous to do so, I noticed that the system that provided me with the red windows appeared to react to my thoughts. So I figured it was worth a try.

Inquiry Granted

Query denial was waived by the local conductor: Rank 2.

Message received from Sinai

I will be watching you. I have edited your milestones to reflect your growth and your sense of self. Such a fiery goblin.

What the fuck? I felt my fists clench at my side and wanted to scream in utter frustration. My face must have expressed my displeasure, as my mother seemed to take note, before commenting in a perturbed tone of voice.

“Well, I guess you do not have any interest or desire for jewels. As you have scowled at each and every gem I have placed near you. Very well, you shall be my plain little goblin princess. Pity,” I watched as she put all the beautifully decorated bangles, bracelets, and necklaces back into their respective drawers.

As I watched I thought there were even some blood-jade brooches. I felt my heart sink. My mother laid so many breathtaking pieces of jewelry out on the table, I had been really looking forward to wearing something so exquisite and well-made. There was a pang in my chest, as another memory stirred, I hadn't been able to afford anything extravagant in my former life. Everything I had owned was cheap imitations, even my wedding ring. . .

I let out a deep and forlorn sigh, loud enough that it caught my mother's attention. As everything seemed to.

“Oh! I see you still are a girl deep down. I was worried I had an Ograsi on my hands!” She looked at me smirking, then reached up to a nearby shelf and took down a small, well-worn jewelry box.

From the box she produced a large circular pendant, it was made of a glistening silver metal with intricate carvings; the largest of which was a six-pointed star, which had a jewel embedded at each of its outside points. It hung on a long thin chain that easily measured five feet, she wrapped it around my waist, checking the length and marking it in several places and taking out some tools to begin adjusting it.

“I originally made this for the eldest daughter that was a Hoblin or Orcus. I will need to make it considerably shorter to fit you,” Mother spoke, not meeting my eyes as she made the adjustments.

“Mother, what are we? Why would you make this for a child that was something other than a goblin?” I asked the question hesitantly, I knew there were other races but I didn't understand how they all fit together. But given how upset Deetra was at my brothers and me being Goblins, enough for her to end her friendship with my mother, I already understood that this may have been a hard question for her to answer. My suspicions were confirmed by the pained expression on her face and she was quiet for a moment.

“You're too young and naïve to fully understand,” was her eventual reply. I wanted to rebuke this, but before I could utter a word she continued.

“Remember my explanation of the godless? How we are different because we bound ourselves to Ignis?” she looked up from her work and stared into my eyes.

I nodded, not wanting to speak in case my words caused her to decide against explaining further. She studied me for a moment, then continued her work on the chain.

“There are six races bound to Ignis: Goblins, Hoblins, Orcus, Ograsi, and Shahara. Outside our home, you will come across all of them, except the Shahara who keep themselves hidden. Be careful of calling upon them, if they hear you and come to you, they will expect a payment,” she looked at me from the corner of her eye, driving the point home.

“That's only five races. You said there were six bound to Ignis,” I blurted, immediately regretting my actions, as my mother turned to look at me arching one of her brows. The silence that followed felt like an eternity and I was afraid she wouldn't speak again.

“We no longer know of the sixth race,” she finally replied, shattering the quiet that had set in.

“The history, relationships, and roles we are meant to play and how they affect the other races is . . . complex.” I realized that she had stopped working on the chain altogether and she fell silent, looking me in the eye once again. I could see the pain in her eyes, so deep it seemed to come from her soul, so raw and powerful I could feel it resonate in my chest.

Tears fell from my eyes unprompted and my heart ached. I couldn't move, my eyes stayed locked with hers and I couldn't look away, not even to read the notification that flashed in the corner of my vision. I felt as though I was witnessing a thousand deaths, sitting helplessly beside a hundred lovers. Holding the hands of countless offspring as they took their final breaths.

I watched as my mentor and friend was slaughtered, and everything we worked together to achieve, fell apart because of love and the greed of their children. I felt myself being drawn deeper, more than feelings I could almost see the memories tied to them If I just looked a little deeper. Then it cut off, the emotions dissipated and I felt myself collapse.

The next thing I knew I awoke, covered in furs with a cool towel draped over my forehead. Urana sat beside me, gently stroking my cheek. Her eyes filled with sadness, maybe even pity, but also confidence and deep love.

“I gift this to you, my eldest daughter of what I believe to be my last brood. You shall forget this experience until I am gone. The feelings though, the emotions, will shape you and in turn, you shall one day take your place amongst the strongest. Now sleep, in the morning your personal furs and day attire will be ready for you,”

Then my mother's eyes began to blaze, flaming like torches and brighter than anything I had ever seen before. I felt myself start to panic, confused as to what had just happened to me and what was going on. I glanced at the notifications, trying to grasp at some form of understanding.

Notification

You have been enveloped in: Silver Ranked of your race's Third Aura Expansion. You are being enveloped in their Emotions Aura - Activated Power: Kinship.

Warning: Your aura is being imprinted. Your aura will have scarring. Your soul is unable to endure you will soon faint.

Notification

You have fainted due to Soul Rending.

Notification

Your Player Soul has been melded with the Vaettir Soul.

Percent Melded: 6%

New Soul Tip: Error

Countess Notified

Notification

You are being hypnotized by: Memory Lock and Memory Manipulation spells. You have no resistance. Any actions the caster takes will not be impeded.

I felt everything go dark once again.

When I woke the second time I found myself on top of a mound of furs. They were smaller than the ones I had seen before and much softer, looking to be made of white rabbit fur. Their softness was a small consolation to the horrible headache that made my whole upper body throb.

Looking over I saw a mannequin, like the one that was in my mother's workshop, standing near my makeshift bed along with a full-length mirror. I also saw there was a large wall screen that separated my small space from the rest of the yurt.

“Finally, some privacy,” I whispered to myself and stood to inspect the mannequin. The morning light filtered through the yurts door and the opening at the top, helping me to see it in full detail.

It was beautiful, a deep red deel with orange trim and white fur lining. Hanging at the top of the mannequin was a beaded headdress, it was a simple chain that wrapped around the head and had two silver pendant tassels dangling on either side of the wearer's face. Closer inspection showed the tassels were engraved with an intricate series of droplet shapes, circling a larger droplet in the center.

Hanging around the neck were two strings of shimmering red beads, joined at the center by an oval-shaped pendant. It was clearly carved from bone and was inscribed with runes and I could feel a slight hum of power radiating from it. At the waist was an orange sash, decorated with intricate patterns of stitchwork and small black stone beads were sewn into it, creating flower-like shapes.

Sitting on the floor in front of the mannequin was a pair of red cloth slippers, the toes were pointed and curled inward, and the collar of the shoes was decorated with more flowing stitchwork and black stone beads. The familiar silver chain and the jewel-encrusted pendant were wrapped around the waist, hanging just above the knee.

I immediately went to put it on. Though admittedly it did take me some time and I struggled quite a bit, it had many more clasps and facets than I first realized. But I finally prevailed and stood before the mirror. I realized this was the first time I had ever been able to really look at myself.

I noticed that my hair, a deep crimson-red color, had been combed and the left side of my scale was covered in intricate braids. My skin was clear and a warm yellow-green color, at either corner of my bow-shaped mouth were small pointed tusks, no more than half an inch in length. Peaking out from beneath my hair were short pointed ears, they swooped out and backward at a 90-degree angle. But what stood out the most to me was my eyes, large orbs with slit pupils that looked almost catlike, and glowed with a brilliant golden color. Just like my mothers.