We were about to move out as I saw something lying on the ground under the tree. A small box. No! Not this again! I touched it, as soon as I did the upper lid jumped in the air revealing a hat. A fancy one, white, with two pointy horns ended with a round bell. It looked a bit like deprived of colors jester hat. As soon as I touched it a song start playing. Something like choir plea from churches.
Tiara of the PopeThis Hat orginally belonged to BasicBörje - so called pope of Anuel's Church.
Why Pope? No one knows. Just imagine the scenery - Anuel is sitting on his throne discussing an important matter with his apostles...
... and then some dude just roll in waving his hands and yapping "Praise Anuel! I am the pope! Praise Anuel!"
First they try ignoring him, then laughing, then they tried stopping him...
And in the end, they took him in. Why? Cuz he was clearly fucked up - thus he was the same as they.
Effects- This hat can be worn only by BasicBörje
- Ability to praise Anuel [Just right] +25%
- Change user's Class to [Priest] and job to... [Priest], srsl, what did ya expect?
- Spontaneous gibberish mumbling may occur
- Chance of choking while [Praising Just Right] with own saliva reduced by 10% [Why so low? Cuz is the end Anuel was amused by that]
The question remains: who the fuck is Anuel?
Pope’s hat from angel? What did I even expected? No, but seriously? The hell is happening here?
* “Are we there yet?” Marika started asking again.
* “Five.”
* “Five what? Minutes? Kilometers?”
* “Four, three, two, one… and, voila!”
Mist disappeared revealing the clearing with one lone tree with a hut. Daralon whistled
* “Nice hut. It doesn’t look like a natural formation, you build that yourself?”
* “It’s a gift.”
* “Gift? From who? A lamias from the neighborhood?”
* “Pray to whoever you wish to not meet her.”
* “Her?” Gisele raised her brow “You were living here with some woman?” there clearly was an irritation in her voice.
… that was bit sweet of her.
I woke up with every part of by body screaming in pain. I looked around. I was being carried by man that visited Mister Angel at factory.
* “Maybe I would tell you later, but you won’t believe me. Anyway – be my guest.”I heard Mister Zariel speak “Jason, drop the body on the table, on left you have kitchen, on right guest room… not that I was expecting guest back then…”
* “So, that’s the place where you lived before? Quite cozy… But, that’s not something I wanted to talk about – you have already finished all your urgent businesses?” tall woman partly covered in scales asked.
She must be partly a lizard-kin, or something similar
* “Yeah, and I have to say – I am exhausted. I just want to lay down.”
* “I won’t let you! Not just yet! You still have to… greet me properly.”
Woman smiled gently, squinted her eyes and started purring quietly. Mister Zariel answered her grin with his own, stepped closer and put his hands over her waist
* “I think you are right… I am back, love.” He looked her deep in the eyes and gently kissed her
The woman was purring all this time as she slowly started answering his kiss. She embraced him trapping her in her strong arms. They looked so happy, exactly as someone who have found their place in the world.
Whatever happened to me, I was cured. I knew that. I felt that. I should be ok… so why my chest hurts so much? Why am I not happy knowing that I all right? Why can’t I find joy in seeing the one who saved me happy? That wasn’t supposed to be like that… it was supposed to be different!
HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY ANGEL! So why… so why… so why was SHE the one blessed with his love?! I know that we have just meet, I know that he may find me too young… but if he would give me some time I am sure that… that he could… that we…
… on ship he told me that as long as we try, as we struggle we can achieve everything, right? Could that possibly mean, that it is still possible for me to… Very well. So be it. I shall accept my fate. For now. If what he finds attractive is strength, I will become strong. If what he needs is a companion, then I shall always be by his side, till he would look at me as he looks at her!... I will become better than that woman, even better than sister if that would be needed. I will have many opportunities as long as I would stay with him. And I would stay in the end I have a debt to pay.
He cured me, he took me in, he gave me confidence… he gave me my life back. And I won’t leave him until I would pay with the same… and a little more.
Our lips parted. Gis was looking at me with those beautiful jade green eyes of her.
* “Is that enough as greetings?” I asked
* “Hmph. Will do. For now.”
* “Everyone, I think I can say it already. Great job! Before we would move back and celebrate everything with booze…” Jason started clapping “… let’s take some rest. Or at least I need one. Just find yourself some place on the floor. There should be plenty of leather scraps lying around, you can use them however you please…”
Twins started pulling me by sleeves
* “Big brother, big brother…”
* “Mister, mister…”
* “What’s going on, loves?”
* “… we want fluffy.”
Oh my… no, sorry loves, not this time. Today I will be using certain dragon as body pillow.
* “I am afraid that…”
* “We want fluffy!” they puffed their cheeks.
* “What are they talking about?” Gis titled her head to the side
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* “They had troubles sleeping after escaping the castle of inquisitors, we also didn’t have any pillows so I used to morph a little and let them sleep on me…” Gisele gave me weird look “What?”
* “That was surprisingly sweet of you!” she smiled “You really can be cute if you want to!”
* “I am not cute! I am a man! Manly man! I ate my meat covered in blood!” she literally picked me from the ground “… what are you doing?”
* “Less talking. You need to rest now. I will need you in best form for… later. Where is your bedroom?”
* “I can walk there…”
* “I already picked you. Too late.”
* “Hey, Gisele is a dragon…” Daralon started “… and Zari actually is royal blood… Does it mean that right now we see infamous event of dragon kidnapping a princess?”
… Daralon, shut up!
* “I like the idea!” Gis laughed “… ok, I think it’s this way, right?”
She started moving in direction of bedroom while she dropped me over her shoulder
* “PUT ME DOWN, DAMN IT! I AM A MAN! I HAVE MY PRIDE! I AM A MAAAAN!”
Yet my screams where to no avail. I was dragged to the room at the end of the hall, Gisele opened the door and moved inside.
* “… Zari… who is this?”
* “I would love to answer, unfortunately, I can’t see pretty well things on which you are looking, cuz you are carrying me with my legs to the front, you know what I can see? Your butt… Actually, I don’t want to change tha..”
But she changed the way she was holding me.
* “Really? Princess carrying-grip? I will have to punch a puppy to feel manly again after…” I froze in the middle of my speech, for my eyes laid on same [thing] on which Gisele was looking a moment before.
Someone was sleeping on my bed. She was small, had small pointy, bit elvish looking ear and short green hair. Her cheeks were bit blushed and she was holding a pillow… that pillow was made of my old clothes filled with feathers.
* “Gisele... Don’t you dare to make a sound.”
* “But who she…”
* “Shhh… moving as quiet as you can… you will slowly leave this room and tell everyone that we are leaving. Now.”
* “But…”
* “Gis. Now.”
Tone of my voice must have worked for dragoness indeed took a step back, and another, and ano…
Wood creaked loudly under her feet. Aira opened her eyes like a predator woken up by pray. She didn’t see us just yet. She raised her head bit higher in the air and started sniffing
* “Smells like Zari…” She looked at pillow, at us [we didn’t made any move], at window, at shelf…
Her eyes widened and in next moment her gaze returned back at me… being carried by Gisele. She pinched her cheek.
* “Zari… is that you?”
* “Um… how to tell you that… You are sleeping! Yes, that’s a very realistic dream. Pay no attention to us and…”
* “It’s you!” She grinned widely “You came to visit me!”
* “Y..yeah, but you were sleeping, so maybe we would return lat…”
* “Don’t be silly!... and why is she holding you? Something happened to your legs?”
* “Leg cramps! Hahaha! Yeah, nasty one.”
* “… You could just heal that…”
* “That’s EXACTLY what I said! But she said [Zari, don’t be silly! I will just carry you to bed. You will get better after a little of sleep], that’s what you said, right? RIGHT?”
* “E…Excuse me…” Gisele said bit confused “.. but who are you?”
DAMN IT, WOMAN! ARE YOU CRAZY!
* “Hey, you are bit loud! You were supposed to rest! I know that you were part for some time but…” Daralon put his head through the door. Rest was with them “… oh, someone was here? The friend you mentioned?”
RUN, YOU FOOLS!
* “Aww, that’s so sweet of you Zari! You brought your friends to meet me! I am more than glad to personally meet you! Zari, mind introducing us?”
* “Um.. I mean… that’s… Ai…” yeah, call her like that “…Those are… Daralon, Jason, Darik, Darian, Elana, Pyrox, Marika…”
* “She smells so nice…” Marika was already marching her way “… even better than Zari… I have never meet anyone with aura better that Zari’s…” fairy got on the bed and laid her head on Aira’s lap “… everyone, I have found my place in the world. I am never going to leave it.”
* “And that is…” I tried introducing Gisele, but in that moment Aira’s gaze became sharp
* “Gisele Redwing…” she said like a machine “… 182 centimeter tall, daughter of Dragtho Redwing. Three sizes 88-56-78, class – berserk, average pulse in state of rest 88, favorite dish – medium rare steak, hobby –trainings, shopping in local equipment store, trying new swords and collecting trophies from strong beasts. Hates swimming – she really is terrible. Favorite color – red. Skips eating vegetables…” she snapped back “… am I right?”
* “Y…yeah…” dragoness answered in awe “… Zari, who is she? She creeps me out?” she whispered to me
* “Nice to meet you!” Goddess jumped from the bed drawing moan of protest from fairy that lost her leg-pillow “My name is Aira, I am happy to meet Zari’s…” she made a small pause while looking at Gisele “… friends.” She performed a polite curtsey raising bit ends of her white, gauzy dress
* “Aira? Someone called such a lovely kid after a goddess?” Gis raised her brow
* “T…technically… she wasn’t named after anyone…” I said “…She is Aira. THAT Aira. In flesh…”
* “Actually, not in flesh. That’s just a projection that… Yes. In flesh.” She gave up on describing her state
* “Like… Aira-Aira.”
* “Aha!” goddess nodded smiling
* “G…goddess-goddess?”
Another nod…
* “Aw! That’s so sweet! You surly are cute on truly divine level but…”
The whole forest trembled as if the giant sleeping under the ground decided to break free. A powerful wind started slamming window’s shutter, a thunder could be heard pretty close to the house. I jumped off Gis’s arms and run toward loli-goddess
* “It’s ok, no angry! No angry, I tell you! Calm down and I would cook something tasty for you, ok? OK?”
* “Ya promise?!” in a moment a wind calmed down.
I just looked back at rest of the team and threatened them with finger. [Stay quiet you fools!] I said with my body
* “But, Zari, why did you come here? I know that you are the kind that would try killing few birds with one stone…” she jumped back on the bed raising and lowering her legs like a hyper-active kid
* “We were helping… curing… exorcising…” I was looking for right word “… that’s complicated. An angel nested in Elana and…”
* “You mean possessed?”
* “Not exactly, more like… nest. Literally. We pulled it off and killed it.”
* “… You meant, that it had body?”
* “Yes. It’s laying on the table in the dining room, so…”
* “I will call Luxia. She will have to explain few things to me… But till then… Zari! There are so many interesting things to be shown around to your friends, maybe you would walk them around?”
* “Great idea! Everyone! Let’s go and…”
* “May Gisele stay?” goddess asked in sweet voice. Shiver run down my spine
She knows! SHE KNOWS!
* “Um.. I really wanted to show her around so…”
* “Oh, I will do it later personally later on!… go on, Zari. Let the girls talk…”
* “But…”
* “Zari… would you mind brining me the flower that grows near the entrance of lamia’s den? I would love putting it into vase… the problem is that it has very short lives very shortly…. It would die if you won’t move out now…”
* “But…”
* “And I would be very, very sad if I wouldn’t get one… and as soon as I would stop being sad, I would start being angry…”
It’s no good.
* “Gis… I will be back in five minutes… if there would be something that would terrify you -scream, ok? Scream as loud as you can!”
She gave me terrified look. Forgive me my love! I just get quickly to the bed, picked Marika and left the room.
* “So… what are we doing?” Jason asked “… it really was a goddess… a real goddess…”
* “Yeah. Also the one that gave me life and this house. OF COURSE THAT SHE WOULD BE HERE! Why didn’t I think about it!? DAMN IT!”
Aira was looking at Gisele that right now was shivering. Goddess just sit there, supporting her chin on her palms. Her cold gaze was piercing dragoness till very soul.
* “Sooo…” she started “… How your life with Zari is going on?”
* “Life what? What life? Whose life? Mine? Nooo! I mean…”
* “You two are a couple.” It wasn’t a question
* “It m..m..m..may be bit complicated, technically… but on the other hand… I mean, we barely know each other s..s…so…”
* “Yet it didn’t stop you from copulating, right?”
* “W..w..w..what do you mean by that? I am pretty sure t..t..that…”
* “Actually I was watching you. In your room. On the seconds floor of guild, third doors from stairs on left.”
* “AH! That what you meant by… Hahaha! I..i…if you put this like that… then indeed I think, that maybe, probably, perhaps… there could be some odds that someone, somewhere could address us as couple... hahaha!” she put one of her palms behind her head as she laughed awkwardly
* “I made him.” She said
* “D..d..didn’t you make all of us? I mean, you are the life giver…”
* “I couldn’t care less about you. I only set up a process that gave birth to you. But Zari, Zari is different. I molded him, shaped him. I was the one who personally forced air to his lungs… I was the one that lit the sparkle of life in his chest! I watched him grow!... and right now some vixen just to seduced my… pure… little Zari a..a..and…”
* “A..actually he was the one that confessed to me, not the other way aro…” dragoness meet goddess cold gaze
God damn it! Think Gisele! THINK! I know it’s hard, but right now your life depends on it! Use those only three grey cells that are working in your head! THINK! THINK!
* “I…I..It is all your fault!” Gisele finally yelled. Aira’s eyes widened in surprise “.. You said it yourself! You were the one that made him! He is perfect! T..then how was it possible for me to not fall for him! No one with undamaged sanity could resist him!”
* “W..wait!” now the goddess was in defense
* “You just made me walking divinity, yet you wish that someone like me could not love him?! His kind glare! His wonderful jokes! His stubbornness and..and…”
* “… his perseverance! I know! I KNOW!” Aira hid her face behind her palms “… the way he ate his first woooolf!” goddess cried aloud
* “I saw him eating a whole hydra!”
* “He started making people worship me again!”
* “He treated me as a woman when everybody else saw in me only a warrior!”
* “My altar in the capital was damaged and forgotten! He planted flowers all around it making it beautiful again!”
* “He took me on my first ball! It was first time I was actually dancing!”
Aira jumped from the bed and rushed at Gisele trapping her in loving embrace
* “Oh my little, sweet child!” she was brushing dragoness’s hair with her palm “…exactly! Exactly! Oh, foolish me! I was so angry at you, but how can I punish someone that simply stopped in awe to admire that wonderful gem, that Zari is! Oh, too great was temptation that I put on your path!”
… Go on Gisele! You are almost there! Just a little more, and who knows? Maybe you would live long enough to see Zari returning.