Fartha, one of the three old land gods I had encountered just after I locked Mittens into his grumpy cat body, was a large white bird with mottled brown and grey feathers mixed in, as well as a pair of extremely striking orange eyes. I could remember her quite well, though I had to admit that I had not thought of her too often since the last time we had met.

I could always sense her, of course, on the edges of my awareness, just as I could Citrine the large white stag with the golden gem in his forehead, and Gouldar the swampy giant. Their powers as land gods may have been lost to the machinations of Aeros as well as the ravages of time, but they were still old powers in their own rights.

But, had I really put much thought into what she or the others had been up to since that fateful day in the Dark? Not really. I had simply assumed that they had returned to the homes they once held, as they had requested. I knew that Fartha resided here, in this mountain range, but I had not realized that she lived so close to Talon's Pass, much less that she was on speaking terms with none other than one of the elders of the harpies.

Much like everything else that I managed in my territory, I had been sending Fartha and the others their fair share of my energies as well. I had tasked them as being my eyes and ears in these farther reaches of my domain, and figured they could use all the juice they could get now that they would not be getting much- if any at all- from their former charges.

But, if truth be told, i had not expected much. Maybe my view of other gods had been skewed due to my interactions with Aeros, but I had mostly just figured they would go where ever they wanted and so long as they didn't cause any issues, I'd let them be.

Still, according to Yevette- as she guided Lagdon, Brillum, and I toward the massive bird's roost- Fatha had returned to Talon's pass almost immediately after my encounter with her in the Dark. Once here she had immediately made her presence known to the harpies, and confirmed rumors the feathered monsters had already been hearing, that a new land god had arrived.

"We had been ecstatic to see Fartha once again." The older woman explained as she led us through the city streets, taking back roads to avoid the majority of the festivities.

Kishi had stayed behind when Yevette explained that we would be taking measures to scale the sides of spires and the like, seeing as how Fartha made her roost far above everything. My guardian had not been pleased, but understood all the same, and begrudgingly stayed behind to keep an eye on Brixie with Draxly and the others.

Yevette had also given Lagdon the once over and stated that he might not be able to take the lifts up to the top either, given his muscle density. To that, my hobgoblin growled that he would free hand his way up before he allowed me to venture off to meet with a powerful entity with out him there. The older harpy has simply laughed and stated that she would enjoy watching that.

"Our old god had vanished when Aeros claimed all these lands for himself." She continued. "And we had thought her dead. To think that she was in the Dark this whole time." She shook her head sadly. "I may have foolishly entered those swamps in my youth a time or two, but I am sure many others would have as well had we of known she was there."

"I suppose I never really considered how much of an influence the old land gods still had." I stated, accepting Lagdon's help as we ascended some stone stairs in need of heavy repairs. It seemed that the harpies might have tidied up the city for the summit, but they did not bother to keep the ancient human made city in good repair. Its not like they lived in the place, after all.

"It was all long before even my time, Lady Enna." Yevette laughed, employing her wings to get from one floor to another. :"But, yes. We harpies were the only truly intelligent race that Fartha had under her rule when she first became the Land god here. Later, humans and the ogres came along, bringing with them their waring and disharmony..." She sighed, looking upward where I could see a rather rickety looking platform being lowered. "When Aeros arrived he drove off the humans- or killed them- and then the ogres mainly kept to themselves."

"This was one of those ancient human cities?" I asked as we waited for the platform to make it to the ground. I, too, wondered if it would hold poor Lagdon. I flashed an amused glance his way, and he shot me a very unamused glare back.

"The only major one the humans had built in the lands you now call your own, I should think. There may have been a few minor settlements, but even before Aeros arrived, this place was always over run with many monsters. They must have been a brave sort of human, to want to live amongst so many creatures that viewed them as food."

I nodded. Wasn't that the truth? Still, I was willing to be that this city would have been magnificent during it's hay-day. Perhaps, in the future, the harpies and ogres would not mind if this place was revitalized. It was at a prime location for trade and the like amongst my lands. Pretty much dead center of the territory, and in the only location where the east and the west met and no mountain stood in the way.

"I think we should, perhaps, go up in two different groups." Said Yevette, her eyes dancing with amusement as the platform- which looked to be a manually operated elevator of sorts- touched the cracked stone we all stood on. "I and the scarlet fox will head up first, shall we?" She stated, eyebrow raised at Brillum.

The red furred foxie chuckled and stepped forward. "That may be for the best."

He and Yevette stepped into the wooden contraption, seemingly held together with vines and prayers, and then I watched as they were jerkily lifted up and away. It was not a speedy process, and I was glad that I was not the person at the top of this particular stone face that had to operated the contraption. especially not when it was Lagdon and I's turn.

"Its fine." I told him as we both watched the elevator make its slow progress upward. "Your muscles come in handy in many other situations."

Lagdon sighed. "I do not see why the bird does not come down to us." He grumbled, glaring upward. "You are the land god, not she. You should not be made to come to her for an audience."

I chuckled. Logically speaking, I could see where he was coming from. And, had there been a need for some kind of power play here, I may have insisted that Fartha come to us. But there wasn't, and I had wanted to get a look around the city in any case. Besides, Fartha was a very large avian... Having her show up amidst the party goers would have just caused even more ruckus than necessary.

Lagdon and I waited in companionable silence till it was our turn to load into the elevator. Had I still of been your run of the mill human, I may have been a lot more hesitant, but I had a feeling that, even if i fell out oof the thing, I would make it out just fine. Lagdon, I was not so sure of.

In fact, as we made our slow and jerky progress upward, and I was happily taking in the sight of the city growing smaller beneath us, I realized that Lagdon was not as comfortable as I was. Green was a skin tone that goblins had, but Lagdon was typically of the grey variety. But I could see a distinct mossy hue to his skin as he had a white knuckled grip on the railing.

The elevator jerked, and Lagdon's other hand shot out, landing on my shoulder and gripping tightly. At this point I wasn't sure if he was trying to prevent me from falling out, or himself.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Lagdon?" I said, astounded. "Are you afraid of heights?"

He glared down on me briefly, hand still held tightly to my shoulder, before his eyes flicked back straight ahead. he was glaring at the mountain face opposite of us, across the canyon valley now. Like if he held the rock and jungle there in sight, than he would not have to look down.

"I am not." He insisted through clenched teeth, his four fingered hand flexing on my shoulder. If I had still been a regular human, he may very well have broken my shoulder. "I simply see no reason to go to high places. I am not a bird."

I couldn't help but laugh a little, reaching up and holding the hand that had a death grip on me. "We will be at the top soo, then you can pretend that we are down on the ground."

Luckily, poor Lagdon did not have to wait overly long before we reached the top. He hurried off the elevator before me, acting as if he were checking for potential threats and not like he was fleeing for his life. I exited at a much more sedated pace, with a slight, amused, grin on my face.

We were a top one of the many stone spires that lined the sides of Talon's pass just before it formed back into the nameless mountain range. It was a wide flat surface with sparse vegetation and rocks.

As bleak and dull as the flat surface was, it still held notes of intrigue. Mainly would be the clear, ceremonial alter that sat at the far end. It was a simple stone table on a slightly raised platform, around which were more than a few animal skeletons.

"Is this really safe?" Asked Brillum, eyeing the bones.

Yevette looked at him like he was a little slow. "Of course not, this is a feeding station for a god. Fartha has always been wise and forgiving, however. And surly not dull witted enough to think she would mistake you for a literal fox?"

Brillum scrunched up his nose, eyes briefly flicking my way. And at this Yevette broke into incredulous laughter. "You are not worried over Lady Enna?" She coughed out, her wings rustling on her back. "My dear boy... She is a Land God herself! I dare say, as innocent as her form is, that she could smite us all without too much effort if she put her mind to it. And, as diminished as Lady Fartha is, I doubt she would fare much better. Indeed, I am sure that falling off this spire would hardly be more than a minor inconvenience for her, in the end."

"I have tried telling them all this... Often." I said, amused at how entertaining the old harpy found my people's over-protectiveness. "I've just gotten used to it. Besides, I haven't tested the whole, if I die I just come back, theory. And I just got finished being a pre-teen, and would rather not experience that again any time soon."

"It sounds like I am not the only one with intriguing stories." Laughed Yevette.

Any further talk was halted when the lot of us looked towards the sky. We had all heard the thrumming of wing beats swiftly approaching, making the air almost shiver.

I was quite confused at first. Not about the source, which would obviously be Fartha coming in for a landing, but by the fact that I couldn't see her at all. Not only was she massive, and there fore hard to miss, but it was also a very clear and sunny day. What clouds there were, were bright and fluffy and high up in the sky, even accounting for the hundreds of feet we, ourselves, were above the ground.

That was explained in less time than it took me to scan side to side. Whether she had been looking to make a big entrance, or if this was the way Fartha always came in for a landing, I wasn't sure; but it made quite the impression all the same.

Rather than descending from above, Fartha swooped up from below, the air causing our hair to dance about and Yevette to laugh gleefully. She hovered before us, her white ant molted feathers glittering in the light and her startling orange eyes flashing. I felt no malice coming from her, but it was still an awe inspiring and almost threatening display all the same. I saw that Lagdon had a hand resting on the hilt of his sword, just incase.

Reihekiu was in the process of making him a new club to replace the one that shattered during our fight with Mittens some months prior. The half elf, half dwarf had a lot on her plate, but I was told that Lagdon did have top priority. I half expected her to make delays just to spite the hobgoblin. After all, those two loved to hate one another, just on principle in my opinion.

"Lady Enna." She said, in a soft and feminine voice that I remembered, even though the last time I heard it I had barely been conscious. "Thank you for coming to meet with me."

I smiled up at her. she was several feet taller than me, but she no longer felt threatening. Her eyes were bright and curious, and I noted that she looked healthier than I remembered her being. I suppose getting out of that swamp was doing wonders for her. "I am glad that you seem to be doing well." i said.

She chuckled, the sound coming through both over her thought projections, as well as a soft cooing like noise bubbling up from her feathery breast. "All thanks to you, I am sure. Though, clear skies and calm winds are also much appreciated."

"I hadn't even considered that you would be hanging out with the harpies, to be honest."

"Yes, they have long since been a good conduit between myself and the workings of these mountains. I no longer have the abilities as I once did, but I thought that they would be of help all the same."

"Lady Fartha has already explained to us that she now serves you, Lady Enna." Said Yevette, her usual jovialness diminishing slightly as her voice took on a more serious note. "I and the other elders already discussed things amongst our selves, and have agreed that you will have the full backing of the harpy clan. Not that you require it at all, but you have it all the same."

I assumed that meant that they would not have any push back on changes I planed to make around here. I, in no way, wished to upset peoples ways of life, but I was the new manager around here and some changes would have to be tolerated. Yevette was right in that this was not a democracy, and I held all the say. But I still appreciated cooperation over antagonism as a whole.

The last thing I needed was a war breaking out and many people needlessly dying just because of me. I would eventually have my way, but with the harpies not putting up a stink, it meant much less aggravation on my end.

"Thank you, I appreciate that."

"If only we could expect the same from the others." Sighed the elder harpy, shaking her head.

"The ogres?" Lagdon asked.

Yevette nodded and Fartha spoke. "Of all the monsters here in the mountains they are the newest, and by far the most aggressive. They value strength over most anything else, and have never taken direction from any god very well, from what I understand."

"They do not. Aeros' outstanding power forced them to submit or he would have eaten them, but they did not do it quietly, and have never gotten along well with any of the other greater races in his- now yours, lady Enna- lands. Even now, they insult us, and even more horrible, Lady Enna, by purposefully showing up late."

"Do you think they just won't come at all?" I asked.

"Oh, they will come. There is no way that they will miss a chance to belittle or demean others, and prove how it is that they are superior. It's not their way. Now, when they show up... well, that is another matter."

"They have no right to complain where it comes to Lady Enna, from what I have seen." Stated Yevette, now looking annoyed. "I had some trepidations before we met; It seemed incompatible, a human woman presiding over a land of monsters. We would have no say in the matter, of course, but I had almost thought that the harpies might have to up and leave our ancestral homes. But, now that I have spoken to Lady Enna, I have put those concerns aside. I see that she is not opposed to a monster's way of life, but rather willing to work with it. And that is more than Aeros ever accomplished."

"Unfortunately, I can see the ogres being opposed to the unity you look to foster in this nation." Fartha said to me.

"I really hope that is not the case..." I said. It would be the worst case scenario, really.

"My advice to you, in this, is to not be soft with them, Lady Enna." Fartha said, turning those orange eyes my way. "They will fight you, no matter your stance. But, I think if you show them spine, you may be able to at least win their respect, if not their reluctant cooperation."

"I am not sure the ogre language has a word for 'cooperation', come to think of it..." Stated Yevette, breaking the tension that the serious talk had built, and causing Brillum to chuckle lightly.

I smiled. "Alright, thank you Fartha, I will take your advice to heart."

The giant bird bowed, and though she did not have the facial muscles for it, I rather think she smiled too. "I will continue the task that you have set for me, My Lady, and hope that these beloved mountains continue to thrive under your care."

I bowed back, happy that I could meet her once again. That done, we all stepped back and watched as the former god spread her massive wings, ready to take back to her domain: The skies of these beloved lands. As she took to the air and we watched her fly back our over the mountains, I thought about the ogres, and the problems that may arise.

The goblins had been a bit of a handful, but I was able to take advantage of the situation, and Margund already being set to take over for his father, to bend their opinions my way without too much added effort. I had a feeling that the ogres were going to be far more trouble.