Pyra is a little overwhelmed in the moment they crossed through the walls and into the town proper. So many people were moving around in the close spaces that it reminded her of the guardian ants of the labyrinth. Yet, these were bigger, louder, and didn't seem to have any patterns to their movements. It had been the one thing that she missed the most about her Mother. The patterns of everything were comforting and soothing. This town seemed to be a bad copy of what a dungeon was, at least in Pyra's mind. She was seeing some odd things about the person who told her to follow him.
Along the trip with Marshall she had come to understand that the mana of the world flowed around humans differently than beastkin. They had managed to avoid the hunters and soldiers that Marshall had been so afraid of, even though she was sure that a couple spells would have removed the issue. Yet, watching them with her own eyes allowed her to get glimpses of what the mana picked up from them. Humans had a shape around them, that her Mother called an Aura, and it would express their surface emotions or motives. Beastkin had more of a colored stream behind them as mana would pass straight through them. And, while she was far from an expert on the Aura, she had enough practice and lots of people to compare to here. That she was getting some vague sense of threat from the man. A threat that mostly made her consider what color of flame to roast his body with. Marshall hadn't wanted to eat people, but she was curious.
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Marshall was in a bit of a state and also panicking. As soon as Pyra was out of sight through the over large gate, by going through the smaller door set into it. He was roughly taken into the holding cells under the wall for "interrogation". Several months ago he would have cracked like an egg, and been willing to rename his mother if it meant less whippings. Not that he was some hardened man of action and pillar of strength, but he didn't want to give the guard the satisfaction of a reaction. Also, it was the worry for the town, Pyra was a very thorough person, and while common sense and understanding wasn't her strong suit. Turning something solid into a puddle of slag was. Every time the guard asked for her family name, and the real reason they were traveling he answered with total honesty.
"Her Mother wanted her to have a traveling companion as a guide so she could see the world. I don't know her family name, but I do know that angering her in any way transforms curiosity to ash." Which apparently sounded sarcastic to the guard, it made Marshall feel great to be able to anger someone with the truth. Freeing actually considering how his life was going recently. What worried him, as he hung from the series of iron loops in the wall, naked. Was the fact that he was anxious for Pyra. He really really shouldn't be considering the 3-Star monster she turned into a puddle, but there was a pinging worry when the guard left the room. A 3-Star monster was something that a team of 4 Adventurer's would be taking on as a high level threat. Since Stars were tagged on monsters due to the number of magical properties and mutations they had from their base creature. 3-Star could crush a town of Lolacal's size with a struggle or bad match up, and a single white flame removed the threat.
Marshall knew enough of Adventurer's and Monsters to avoid them like the rest of the free beastkin villages around the south. He didn't know what rank an Adventurer could reach that would let them melt such a creature of if it was even possible. Which would make her a walking death machine should she want to. Now that he had a few hours of peace and quiet, well now that he wasn't screaming, he decided to consider how likely she really was a dungeon monster.
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Pyra is enjoying the bathhouse; the bubbles floating around, the hot water, and the smells make her feel comfortable in a way she hadn't since she began her adventure. Wiggling her toes her thoughts drift to the unpleasant man leading her to this place and telling her he would 'Await her return' and 'Escort the Lady to her lodgings'. Marshall had tried to explain how royalty and nobles worked, and while she honestly didn't care. She had stopped arguing with him about her princess title, even if it was true and proper according to the rules and who her Mother was. A twist of will and Intent causing a flicker of rainbow fire to dance in the steaming air. A sharp intake of breath causing Pyra to tilt her head and narrow her eyes.
A small pair of eyes looked back through the mists, their brown color focused on the twisting tongues of fire, so Pyra twirls her fingers making it look like a snake slithering in between them. The eyes come closer to reveal a small person with brown-blonde hair and a face full of wonder. Pyra recognizes, within herself, an expression of her own name in the gaze of this small person. Mother named her Pyra, a flame of Joy and Light, and it seemed like this small person named her it too. A small spark of light drifts from the hand reaching for the dancing flames, and flows into Pyra causing a small tremble. She smiles at the child, keeping her hand away from the young, grasping fingers. Their aura weak but filled with simple colors, sounds, and shapes. Unlike the man waiting outside, the man that Pyra now realized would have to be dealt with sooner rather than later.
"After he gets me lodgings like he promised." She whispers to herself, a true smile playing on her lips.
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I come back to myself with a jolt from the long absence of body, and pulse a bolt of will and intent into the ground. Crushing several layers of rock into glass and slag, but moving me ever closer to the next floor. Those humans should give up their lives to eternal torture for what they planned to do to my daughter. A life without every moment an agony too good for such creatures, and my mind goes blank. When I return to myself no further destruction has been wrought, but I feel a bit calmer. It seems like the protective instincts really kick in when she is so far away from me, but so do the murderous ones too. Perhaps I would stay away from watching over her shoulder for a while to focus on centering my mind. Something about the instincts and/or myself feel external every time it gets so extreme. For now I will also have to think about how much I should project towards my little Pyra in the future. As it seems I can work limited magic through her as a conduit as the event with the child showed. A knowledge copying spell wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but it was able to give her more of the common sense and knowledge that Marshall was unable to give.
Thinking of that man I was uncertain how to feel. Clearly he didn't believe the truth and was actively denying the obvious, but he did stick to his promise to her so far. I liked that loyalty and drive for honor he had, but didn't like the rest of him. My next child I would hope to have that loyalty and drive though, as well as a mind more open to quick understanding. My mind glancing over into the experimental room again and the intricate lattice of mana threads I had been making. Until I was brought to the surface as loud shouts reached my domain, people were coming again.