A roar echoed through the Colosseum and all eyes turned to the sky. A lick of flame scattered orange light and and dark shadows skittering unnaturally across the grey columns. The Fighting Drake dove, spinning elegantly, before his wings unfurled catching the air in just enough time to slow it descent to the upper dais.
Gi studied the creature in awe and compared it to the one he'd fought in the Child Stage. That one had been half dead and without its skills and had nearly killed him. This one was bigger than Samba three times over, its red scales glittered in the light seeming impervious to any damage that another might cause. This wasn't even Siht, but one of her retinue here in her stead.
As though it was a catalyst for the other Sky Clans, they all started to appear. A Spiked Eagle landed beside the Fighting Drake, resting on its thick claws that gripped the raised log. Other than being larger, it looked nearly identical to the jobbie that Gi had faced. If he had to place the difference, its stone skin looked harder and perhaps... more detailed?
Another flapping of wings showed one of the Toucans that had brought him swoop down and an Angelic Mouse hopped off. The Angelic Mouse Progenitor was barely bigger than its clan, but rivers of gold flowed along his body like strange moving tattoos. They thrummed with Aether that was almost visible even to Gi with his limited Soul senses. To the twins, he'd probably light up like the sky at noon.
A burst of fire announced the Fire Elemental clan's Progenitor. The Progenitor looked like someone had sketched a hyper-realistic male human out of flames, running the full spectrum of color from deep orange, rich red, and even blue for highlights. He was a baffling monster to look at.
The next Sky Clan Progenitor nearly broke Gi's brain. Whispers started to echo through the Colosseum seemingly everywhere and yet still right in his ear. His heart slammed in his chest as Gi was taken back to the Eldritch Forest before he'd accepted Danna into his heart.
An impossible creature of interlocking squares made of golden and black picture frames appeared across from the Fighting Drake. Within its strange body, a ball of wings unfurled to reveal one enormous eyeball that gazed down upon the gathered crowd. Gi might have stayed locked up in fear forever if it wasn't for the Faithful stepping through a dense shadow in front of the last remaining chair.
With it, her Domain washed over the gathered monsters. Some of those in the stands that had fainted when the Divine Horror Progenitor had arrived scrambled to their feet, even more healthy than they'd been before. That Domain pushed away the lock that formed on Gi's heart and he realized that the whispers had been external.
The Eldritch hadn't gained control of him again.
The Faithful Progenitor wore dark red robes very similar to the rest of her clan, but hers were stretched tight over broad shoulders and a wide back. Her mask had black claw marks that crossed over the red ones, the only true visual difference between herself and Kukgi's attire. No monster would have mistaken the two though.
The Faithful Progenitor's voice rang out. "The sky-ocean grows pregnant with the weight of the season. We shall not hinder its passing much longer. With both the clans of Sky and Ground present, Igna's leadership is here. Let us begin."
Before the regal words had left her throat, a booming voice and burning aura took over. "This pathetic state of our war with Myshk makes us weak. Let us do as the First One commands and conquer the shadows once and for all." The Fire Elemental Progenitor had never even sat down on the provided chair.
A roar cut him off from the Fighting Drake representative before its voice blossomed in their mind. My Queen demands we prevent an aggressive war until she gives word.
The Angelic Progenitor added his words as well, each of them flowing as smoothly as the rivers of gold across his body. "It is to our tactical advantage to let them throw their jobbies at us. The more Soul Orbs our clan can gather; the stronger we shall be."
"Pah. It's weakness!" The Fire Elemental rebutted. "The First One calls us to war, not whatever this pathetic excuse for battle is."
Gi's head swiveled as he watched these powerful clan heads discuss the war. Gi had felt something was off about the battle he'd been in. It had seem so... staged. Whatever the stance on the war, it was clear they were divided. Was that something he could use?
A shrieking scream in Gi's mind interrupted his thoughts as the Divine Horror went to add its thought. Let the sacrifices come to us. Let them hear our call and die for our power to grow.
The Faithful Progenitor's domain pulsed and the Sky Clan gathered turned to her again. "The arguments for an offensive war have been made every season. Let us cast our votes and be done with this topic. Those in favor of an offensive war. Speak."
The Fire Elemental Progenitor immediately let his Domain loose and shouted a resounding. "Aye."
The Faithful calmed his Domain and gave her own firm "Aye."
None of the other Sky Clan Progenitors were for an aggressive war. The Faithful turned to the Fire Elemental. "Dorgam, would you like force your demands on the others?"
Dorgam, the Fire Elemental Progenitor, looked over the gathered Sky Clans arrayed against him, but however he was supposed to "force his demands', the powers arrayed against him seemed too much for him. "No," he said before sitting down into the chair.
"Nor do I," she agreed. "Then let us move onto other matters."
She started to list the current state of Igna from general Spawn Rates to availability of food. His ears perked up when he heard mention of himself taking over as Ground Clan for the Ferrous Clan, but none of the Sky Clans had anything to add and Gi zoned back out as she moved into the current state of the Barrens.
Other than the first conversation, the Assembly seemed little more than theater like monsters playing at being human. The Fire Elemental was clearly of the same mind, but why had the Faithful also wanted to push an aggressive war? For that matter, were the other Sky Clans worried about Myshk's might? They'd repelled their previous attack so easily.
"That concludes the topics for this Assembly. Does any other Sky Clan have other topics to broach?"
For the first time, the Spiked Eagle Progenitor spoke, but her words were directed for the Fighting Drake. How much longer will the Queen continue her seclusion?
The Fighting Drake's lip curled. As long as she desires it.
That isn't an answer.
If you have a problem with her leadership, try pitting your clan against ours and see how you fare.
The Faithful cut in. "Our Queen fights when required. Do any Sky Clans want to make a bid for leadership of Igna?"
The Spiked Eagle looked around, but none of the other Sky Clans seemed particularly interested, not even the belligerent Fire Elemental. There was a strange balance of power in Igna and Gi would need more time to figure it out. He'd need to disrupt it and find allies if he wanted to push for the top.
When none of the Sky Clan Progenitors spoke up, the Faithful continued. "That concludes the Assembly. Let the new season begin."
With her words, Gi thought that they'd simply file back out of the Colosseum. Instead, each of the Sky Clan Progenitors turned their gaze to the heavens and completely let loose their Domains. Each of the overlapping Domains started to push out the wild Aether in the air, but that seemed to form a vacuum where the wild Aether rushed in to fight those controlled by the Sky Clan.
Watching it was beyond Gi's Soul senses at this point, but his fur stood on end like lightning would crash down from the heavens and the air shimmered like a heat wave burst out from the center of the Colosseum where the Sky Clan was.
Gi glanced toward Yultir and the goblin seemed to be struggling as much or more than he was, but his rival didn't seem alarmed so Gi remained.
The sky-ocean above them started to rumble like an earthquake in the sky. Its dark surface roiled and bubbled and the pressure that the Sky Clans were pushing out continued to build until Gi's ears popped.
A moment later, everything paused. The pressure remained. The sky-ocean stopped moving and Gi's breath caught in his throat.
In that all encompassing pressure, the Faithful leader yelled, "RELEASE!"
Each of the Sky Clans dropped their Domains and Gi almost sagged from the sudden weightlessness that he felt. A roar echoed out louder than even the battle with Myshk. Gi looked up and a wall of water rushed towards him.
Gi's heart beat wildly against his chest and his fears of the sky-ocean falling on him that had been prevalent in the Child Stage came roaring back. There was no escaping it.
The water hit him, but... it was rain. A torrent of rain that wet his fur, yes, but he wasn't swept away or drowned. The monsoon season had begun.
With the rain now falling, the Sky Clan progenitors teleported or flew away, leaving the rest of them to make their own way out. The entourages of the clans started rushing out of the Colosseum not looking to get soaked. The Ground Clan Progenitors started to leave as well and Yultir didn't even have any snark for him as he left to get out of the rain.
For Gi, the rain didn't bother him. He swam in the lake every day and it was simply refreshing compared to the normal heat of Igna. He didn't need to rush away. What he needed... was to talk to Kukdi.
He followed the retreating monsters when he noticed that Kukdi simply stood over the group, watching them leave. He seemed unaffected by the rain, but perhaps, that was just his mask.
His gaze turned to Gi as he approached. "Underbridge."
"Kukdi," Gi responded, their words almost lost in the roar from the rain. "What is the Faithful's stance on war between the Ground Clans?"
Since his mask sat on top of his snout, Gi could see a long set of sharp teeth as Kukdi smiled. "You've only just become a Ground Clan and you're already looking to expand. The First One favors boldness."
"So it's okay?"
"If you can take it, it's yours. That's the greatest truth in Igna even at the highest levels. Now if you knew someone intended to harm one of the clans that swear fealty to you, would you stop them?"
"Of course." Not only would Gi do that, he'd already done that before he'd even truly gotten his clan. Sure, Jalx had done the dirty work, but why wouldn't you stop someone from hedging on your business?
"Then you have your answer. The Sky Clans protect their own just as the Ground Clans do. Just as all monsters do."
"And if you knew that we might be attacked by a Sky Clan, would you back the Underbridge Clan?"
Kukdi's smile only grew wider and he looked out over the Colosseum where only the last dregs of the crowd still remained. "That depends on how successful we think you might be."
"And how would you determine that?"
The kobold raised a single claw as he started to list. "The power of the Progenitor, the power of your Elites, and the size of your clan." With three claws now held up, he dropped them and continued explaining. "Most Ground Clans have hundreds if not thousands of monsters in their clans. There is no way the Underbridge is anywhere close to that."
Frankly, they didn't even have fifty and that was counting the Coastal Goblins. Could a clan like the Illusor really have thousands of monsters? He supposed with the way the Spawn Rate worked all it took was time.
"And when it comes to power... you weren't the one that ended Ferra's life. Yes, I'm sure you had the coin to hire someone or maybe even a plan that made it feasible, but that kind of power only takes you so far. Impress me, Underbridge. Then we can talk."
Since the last of the monsters had left, Kukdi stepped down from where he stood and took the stairs out of the Colosseum. Gi watched him leave and considered his options.
He had plans already on how to get more gold, on how to increase Danna's followers, and even how to get stronger. He just needed time to execute them. Once he did, he knew exactly how to impress the Faithful.
He'd wipe out the Brain Goblins before the Angelic Mice could even think to send reinforcements.