AN: Last chapter before the MC and company heads off towards the city, then comes a bit of an info dump (of which you can simply skip if you so choose), followed by a short annoyance, and finally the city.
As always folks, thank you for reading thus far. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to voice them.
No, but seriously, y'all are far too quiet and I do not understand why.
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"But My Lord," spoke San'yuu, of whom appeared nervous as his body shook somewhat, "Our kind are hated and enslaved. If I were to step through such gates, they would surely do their best to abduct me."
"Why would they do that, when I shall be travelling with you?" I simply chuckled at their reactions upon my words. "What? Did you simply believe I would send off one of my own on such a dangerous expedition with little hope of completion?"
"But, you're a Draconian, Lord," complained the other, whose body was sat down onto a seat of stone in order to not fall over.
"Am I now?" Setting a confused Siuun down and off to the side, I willed the shadows to condense around my person, as my body contorted into various directions. This was so in order for it to be remolded into my kobold self. For you see, after such a transformation my illusions became tangible to a point. Which meant that I needed to no longer enact a spell, but simply think of what I desired to be and become it.
Yes. It was a strange ability in which I had gathered, and it was entirely possible due to the "Gift of All Knowledge" I had obtained from the body of the golem. Without such a gift, I would be forced to continue in my usage of illusions. With such spells, I ran the risk of another being able to destroy such a thing in order to divine my true form. Yes. Such a thing has happened many times before, but we are not speaking of such things.
In any case, my kobold self was of dark fur with many strands of silver scattered about my body. This was so in order to mimic the night's sky above our word of Terra, and many of my servants have begged my person in order to view such a thing. For they are each susceptible to that which is called "Home Sickness". Of which is simply a desire to return home, and even I and Brutus have been afflicted by such a disease many a time throughout our perceived exile.
With this, the whole of my servants from Terra had been summoned once Sia noticed the body I had chosen to wear. Yes, and they did rush forward in order to gaze upon the nightly heavens which was etched into my fur. Whereas my eyes held a constellation of stars which represented "Family" and "Home". The "Family" constellation held a small collection of lights which appeared to be in the shape of two large figures with a smaller in between them. Whereas "Home" had its own collection in the shape of a house drawn up by a child.
As to my reasons for using such symbols? Well, it is a simple answer of which can be found within the annuls of our history. For though I am a god of evil, as many others profess, I am still a god of families. Yes. Many of you look upon me with such confusion, it is true. My chosen path of godhood is of Families and Children, and though it will never be written down as the truth for the next generation to come, know that what I say is.
Yes. I am a Lord of Chaos, and my subcategory is of Chaotic Mana, but this is simply for the fact that my alignment is of Neutral Evil. Having my person down as something reserved for those under the "Good" category would be rather vexing, not to mention contradictory. So, to combat such a thing, my wife and your Lady Goddess has become such a symbol.
Ah, but I digress once more.
Once the shadows receded from my person, my draconic apprentices gasped, whilst my servants form our world of Terra sighed with joy. Whereby I did descend from my position in order to walk amongst their number. This was simply so that they may glimpse once more upon the nightly heavens of our world, and gaze upon the symbols of constellations I had chosen for us all. For within my right eye was the constellation of "Family", whilst the left held "Home".
"Why did you choose such thing?" Many of you are wondering, and I shall tell you. These were chosen as I view my servants as my "Family", whilst "Home" is there as our desire to return to such a place. Yes. It was also there as a promise to each of them, of which says, "As long as I am here, we shall return home. For you are my family, and I take care of my family."
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Ah, but as I walked amongst their number, they were allotted the ability to touch my furred body for however long they desire it. Though many of them could not shed tears, they looked on as those who could did so. "We will return home," I whispered amongst their number, "We have a way, and simply need to conquer these last five worlds in order to do so."
"Truly?" Asked one of my more skeletal Undying, of whom was of the rare four-armed, humans.
"Yes," I replied with a nod, "Azazel has promised my person to give us a way home. However, such a thing will beget war."
"Everything does, My Lord God," chuckled Brutus, of whom had been uncomfortably fawning over my backside and was now stroking my tail as though it was his small pet, "Everywhere we go, conflict arises around us. Most of the time it was from simply our presence or intervention."
"Yes, or when a male fell in love with Sia or her sisters." Laughter erupted around my person, as I smirked whilst the one who spoke crashed into the nearby wall from a punch to the skull. This did not cause it harm, but was enough to allow everyone to relieve some stress.
"Lord?" Called out San'yuu, of whom held a shaking Siuun who was searching about our group for my person.
"Yes, San'yuu?" I asked, tearing my person away from my servants, of whom expressed their displeasure about the lack of presence of my body. Yes. They desired to reminisce some more, but there was work to be done, and I had a journey to prepare for. Of which caused many of them to stress over, and desire to accompany my person.
"No," I shook my head after the shadows condensed around my body in order to create a vest and trousers to shield my body. Afterwards, I lifted and carried the girl-child who stared with curious eyes upon the sparkling fur which coated my body. This seemed to calm her mind somewhat, as the slits of her pupils had returned to normal, vertical egg shapes. However, they reverted back whenever her attention was directed towards others, of which caused my person to grow increasingly more curious about such a thing.
"You cannot all join my person in such a venture."
"Why not, My Lord God?" Asked Brutus, of whom seemed the most prepared to leave. As he had a "Magic Bag" containing various armaments for nearly every occasion he had perceived.
"You especially cannot join us in this, Brutus." Upon my words, did his bag drop to the ground, but before he could release his pent up outburst, I held up a clawed hand to quell such words. "Peace. The reason why you cannot come is merely from the fact that beyond my person, only you are the most trustworthy amongst all others. You were the first to be chosen to stand by my side once our world of Terra was taken from us. From this alone, I shall be needing you to stand here and be in charge of the rest whilst we are away.
"You are my second," I spoke as I approached his person in order to lay my right, clawed hand upon his left shoulder, "I need you here in case there is an emergency."
"You are such a hypocrite, My Lord God," whispered the other, whose eyes flared brilliantly.
"I know, but I have the means to protect myself from those of whom would seek dominion over others. Whereas-"
"Whereas we do not have such absolution," one of the Lich's clawed hands rubbed the back of his skull slowly in irritation, "We simply desire your safety, My Lord God, as without you, we would not have a way home. Or perhaps, we would be forced to endure whatever it was these "Tribunal" members are forcing upon our world of Terra."
"Not to mention the one who stands above them," I growled, to which Siuun echoed, "It held the reigns of Nox, and sent him after my person, if you can recall?" The others nod at my words, to which I echo and turn towards San'yuu with a grin upon my features.
"Shall we depart, then?"