Jeb's Home.

Ruby handed over the newly hatched kobold over to its mother. With that there were only some eight eggs left, she thought as she stared at what was left of her duty.

At least until hers come, she thought as she rubbed her belly that was now obvious with eggs. She sighed though. As much as she was excited that things had returned to normal(ish) with Jeb, she was still more than a little worried as to what will become of her eggs.

Will they turn out to be normal kobold eggs? Salamanders? Spawns of the void? She had no way of knowing at this point, and wouldn't until both the eggs are laid and they hatch to reveal what lays within.

She sighed as she leaned back against the warm stove. The warmth soothing her scales as she relaxed. She's spent so much time worrying lately, it was nice to get back to happier feelings between her and Jeb without worrying about some big secret.

She still had much to worry about, but alot of it could be pushed to the back of her mind for a moment as she closed her eyes and rested her claws on her rounding belly.

Unfortunately for her, however, two egg-maids didn't seem content to let her rest at that moment as they both took up positions beside her and seemed to glare at her for some unknown reason.

"What?"

"Enjoying yourself Den Mother?" One asked.

"Trying to. But I can never seem to relax when YOU TWO are near."

"Oh? Is it perhaps you feel guilt?"

"For what?!" Ruby asked incredulously as her eyes snapped open.

"We help you get with Jeb, then we help you get over your depression, THEN we aid in getting him out of HIS! And what do we get?" One of them decried dramatically.

"Nothing. We got nothing. Not even a thanks!" The other did so as well, even offering a faux sniffle.

Ruby rolled her eyes in exasperation. But they did have a point. Just one though. The last thing they need to think is that they are some great problem solvers, then they'd never leave her alone!

"Fine! What is it you want?"

"Oh nothing too much, a bit of thanks, a little appreciation. Jeb's seed." One listed nonchalant.

There it is, Ruby thought with annoyance.

"While it's obvious now that Jeb can give us eggs. It isn't obvious if they are even kobolds or something else! We don't-"

"-Care! You've had your time with him and have a belly full of eggs to show for it! We want it too!" One declared with the other nodding in agreeance.

Ruby was about to retort when she noticed more than a few of the tribe nearby were paying particular attention now. She sighed, she couldn't be selfish, she thought. She's made the tribe wait long enough as is and it has only put them more at risk.

"I will... talk with Jeb. But that is all I can promise!"

"Good! That is all we, and the rest of the tribe, ask for! Even if it turns out the eggs are devil spawn, we deserve the right to at least hope and try for ourselves!" One of the egg-maids stated with the other, once more, agreeing and even some of the others nearby nodding and chirping in agreement.

Ruby sighed and rose from her position.

"If that is all you came to chide me about. Then I will take my leave! Perhaps somewhere else that I can get a moment of relaxation!"

The two egg-maids snickered as she left. Dirty pests, she thought as she climbed the stairs to the main floor of the cabin. Even when they're tending to the eggs they consistently pester her! Like she's trying to keep Jeb and his seed all to her self! Don't they know it's for their own protection?!

At least that is what she wanted to believe. While fear of the unknown was a good excuse. More than likely the eggs would be fine and healthy, maybe a little influenced by Jeb. Or they'll be salamanders and they will all have worried for nothing, and hoped for as well.

She sighed as her claws clicked against the wood floor. She wished the eggs would come and everything would be confirmed. Then she could stop worrying and focus on better things. Like being a mother, a mate, a leader for the tribe again. Anything was better then this constant worrying!

She rounded the wall that separated the short hall from the basement to the kitchen. She saw several kobolds continuously exploring the home, despite being here for some time, they still found many of Jeb's things fascinating and would still on occasion attempt to make off with them. To little success. Jeb hadn't skimped when it came to keeping his things where they should be since they arrived. At least the expensive things. Many of the little knick-knacks had since been hauled away and either taken apart, tinkered with, or just bartered away for perhaps a roasted squirrel or a smoked snake.

She saw Jeb, the Trap Master, and the Chief talking around the island in the kitchen. Well, the Chief and the Trap Master were talking while Jeb was looking at his phone for something. He hurriedly put it away when he noticed her walking over though.

"Hey Ruby."

The two others stopped speaking and turned and nodded in acknowledgement before returning to their talk.

"The mushrooms and mosses are fine for now, but we require meat and fur before it gets colder."

The Chief nodded.

"I fear we will have to resort to raiding once more if we are to survive."

"What about ranchin'?" Jeb suggested.

"What?" The three kobolds asked.

"Ranchin'? You know, keeping animals around and carin' for them and either sellin' them off or eatin' them when the time comes?"

"What like the salamanders?" The Trap Master asked.

"While it would be obvious that they would fit that role. They aren't suited for such a place in our tribe. Only the most desperate of tribes resort to what many kobolds consider cannibalism." The Chief clarified for Jeb.

"I wasn't really referring to them, but about something else. Like rabbits or squirrels."

The Trap Master shook his head.

"We can't, our traps kill them quickly. Even if they didn't, the salamanders are quick to snatch up anything small enough. If we tried to keep anything like a rabbit for such a role in the tribe, they wouldn't last long enough before those fat lizards manage to eat them."

"Well, maybe I can talk to some of the ranchers about gettin' some sheep or chickens?" Jeb asked.

"The chickens would suffer the same fate. Too small and too tempting a target for the salamanders. And sheep don't care for our kind and are more likely to bolt and kill themselves in a panic before we could properly domesticate them." The Chief stated.

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"Pigs? Cows?"

"Too aggressive. And too big."

"I'd suggest crawfish, but I doubt there's enough in the stream to feed you all." Jeb said.

The three leaders, and even some of the tribe nearby smiled, reminisce of times since gone.

"They do remind us of the lobsters and crabs near our home."

"What about fish? You guys can handle fish can't you?" Jeb asked again as he pulled his phone out and looked at something for a moment.

"Of course we can! While it was a little hazardous to scale the mountain down to the ocean or even contend with the beasts in the jungle over the rivers. We could still catch fish quite easy!" The Chief cheered.

"And if we could bag something that tried to eat us, then that was more meat for the tribe!" The Trap Master stated.

"What are you looking at Jeb?" Ruby asked as she came around to his side to see what was on his phone.

But he quickly put it away before she could get anything more than half a name. -Landing. But that was all.

"Nothin'. Just, thinkin' is all."

"What about the snakes and lizards around here?" He asked to avoid being questioned more.

"They face the same problem as we are. Too cold. On top of that, the salamanders aren't picky when it comes to what they'll eat. Only that its small enough TO eat." The Trap Master stated.

"We already have a problem keeping what we catch out of reach." The Chief said.

"Even some of the tinned food you have isn't deterring them much as their acidic venom eats right through." Ruby said as she was lifted by Jeb as he held her.

"Sounds like you're in quite a bit of trouble." The voice of Casius more than startled the assembled group.

"Hey! Casius! Good to see you!" Jeb asked in a clipped and not at all annoyed tone.

"Afternoon Jebadiah. It would seem that you are having issues." The High Priest stated.

"How would you know that? How did you even get in here without us knowing?!" The Trap Master asked suspiciously.

"Because She knows and She wills it." Casius stated and pointed up to the mountain.

"Do I even want to know what the implication of that is?" Jeb asked.

"Probably not. I will just say that what is going on here and in town is not a secret to Her."

"Not exactly hard to miss." Jeb uttered under his breath.

"I'm afraid not. I imagine you don't care for it same as The Mother." It wasn't a question.

"It's fine. Things had to change eventually. Just didn't think it'd be so soon and so fast."

"Did they though, Jebadiah? I believe that is what many thought as their homes and lands were invaded, unaware that death would come for them not long after."

"It's Somewhere! They wont stay long and they'll be gone just like all the rest that come and try to "modernize" the town!"

Casius frowned.

"It would not do for you to focus too much inward, Jebadiah. Even we can see that Somewhere as we've known it, is dead. If the people were going to leave they would've already wouldn't they? Yet they remain still! Why haven't they left? Why hasn't the government shipped them off to other parts of the country where they might be better taken care of?"

Jeb snorted.

"Are you sayin' that they're here on purpose?"

"Why not? They are vermin! Invaders that seek to claim what is not theirs!" Casius proclaimed with a bit more fire and brimstone than Jeb's seen from the old man.

Casius fixed himself a little, smoothing his dark robes and his hair as he calmed himself.

"My point is, Jebadiah. That the little things that you once held close in town will not be there for long if they haven't already gone. Skeeter for example?"

"What's wrong with the human Skeeter?" The Trap Master asked Jeb.

"Nothin' is wrong with Skeeter! He's just doin' a bit of work for someone else is all!"

"Fashioning guns for the dwarves. While they take over his shop while he's busy doing that." Casius stated.

Jeb looked at the kobolds as they looked more uneasy.

"I take it you don't have a good history with dwarves?"

"While our tribe never had conflict with any of the dwarven kingdoms. It's no secret that whenever our two races meet that it always results in blood spilt." The Chief said.

"And do you think that your relationship with Skeeter will be enough for them to continue to aid you?" Casius asked.

The kobolds looked less than sure. Even Jeb wasn't confident. If it was someone Jeb knew he could say otherwise. But he didn't know the dwarves. He knew that someday someone would replace Skeeter and take over the shop. Jeb recalled his dad mentioning Skeeter had a cousin or nephew oversees that might take over.

But now that wasn't a sure thing, even if it wasn't before, it just got a lot less likely. But that was another problem for another time, Jeb thought.

"Besides bringin' doom and gloom. What is it you want Casius?"

"Why I am here you provide aid of course!" Casius stated with a smile.

"And what aid do you provide pray tell?"

"The advice kind."

"So nothing actually useful." Jeb bemoaned.

"Don't set aside my advice so easy, Jebadiah. Even a sliver of your power would be enough to feed your little friends here for decades if not millennia."

"And how do I do that, huh?"

"By getting out of your own way, that's how. You already know what to do if you would only stop fighting it!" Casius ordered.

"Oh sure! I'll just snap my fuckin' fingers and spring forth a bunch of food! Sounds so easy! Why didn't I think of that Casius?!" Jeb snapped back.

"While at your current state you won't be able to manifest a cornucopia. You can still provide the barest of foods."

"So no vast orchard or vineyard? Damn, ain't that a shame?" Jeb replied glibly.

Casius sighed and walked over and plucked an apple from the counter.

"A apple."

"I'm not fuckin' blind Casius!"

Casius rolled his eyes and placed the apple in front of Jeb.

"Imagine that there is an apple next to this one."

"Why?"

"Just humor me."

"Ok. There is an apple next to it. Now what?"

"Now grab the apple."

Jeb grabbed the shiny red apple.

"No not that one! The one in your imagination!" Casius snapped as he took the apple and placed it back in front of Jeb.

"It's not fuckin' real Casius!"

"Like the door handle at your mother's cabin?"

"That was different! It was SUPPOSED to be there!"

"And now so is the apple!"

"Fine! You want the fuckin' apple?! Here! Have the Goddamn ap-"

Thump!

Jeb had reached out and was going to grab the air next to the red apple. Only to instead grab something else, the object caused the red apple to be knocked aside and onto the ground, where a certain hungry salamander waited with an open jaw to catch the sweet fruit.

In Jeb's hand, however, was another apple. But this one was a deep blue color that bordered on black. Or maybe it was so black it was blue. Jeb wasn't sure. What he WAS sure about was that there wasn't an apple that color there a moment before.

Before Jeb could stammer out a response, or even the startled and shocked kobolds, Casius simply walked over, plucked the dark fruit out of Jeb's hand, polished it on his robe, and took a crisp bite.

"AH!" He cried out, forcing the others to come out of their shock.

"What?! Is it poison?!" Ruby asked.

"No. It's just really bitter. I wasn't expecting that is all." Casius stated as he chewed the fruit more. The flesh inside was baby blue compared to the dark skin.

The kobolds and Jeb watched in shock as Casius took another crisp bite of the dark fruit, pale blue juice dripping down his chin.

"You know? Despite the surprising bitterness. I actually quite enjoy it!"

"H-h-how?" The kobolds stuttered as Jeb just stared dumbfounded.

"Easy. Because Jebadiah here willed it so." Casius stated between a mouthful of apple.

"What do you mean I willed it? It wasn't there before. Unlike the door handle."

"It wasn't. Yet here I am eating something that moments before. Never existed." Casius stated as he tossed the apple core to the awaiting salamander.

"But how?" The Chief asked reverently.

"Because for beings such as The Mother, and by extension Jebadiah, things like reality and space are suggestions. For particularly old and powerful beings, even death is temporary."

"So, what? If I wanted up to be down then it would?"

"Not right now it wouldn't. And not until your Awakening. And even then there are certain limits that even beings such as you and Her are to follow."

"Such as?"

"Right now you are what mortals would foolishly call a "demi-god". You have a portion of Her power and thus are stronger and will live longer. But unlike the ones from stories. Your current status is temporary and you will ascend to proper godhood when the time arrives."

"So no 12 Labors?"

"No. Merely wait until the ritual is ready and then take your place among a handful of beings that even to be called gods would be a vast understatement."

"What exactly is this ritual?" The Chief asked, which Ruby was still more than curious about herself.

"Despite the name. It's actually quite a simple ordeal. You, Jebadiah, will arrive at the ritual site. We will form a circle and some chanting. Maybe some animal sacrifice. Yada yada. By the end of it you will then undergo the transformation to your proper true form."

"Whoa whoa whoa! What was that yada yada?!"

"To be honest the ritual itself is rather simple and not at all grand. In fact we could do it in a few minutes. But She wants a grand ceremony so that is what we will do."

"Ok fine. But what was that about my 'true form'?"

"Do you honestly think that this flesh and blood body is what you truly are?"

"Yes! Yes I do! I've been kinda stuck with it for almost 30 years!"

"Well you won't be for long. Once your transformation is complete then you will assume your rightful form. Though I suppose you will still insist on being seen as human. Like your Mother does on occasion. So before you begin to worry, yes, you will be able to take a human form at will. Though I don't know why you would, but then it is not my place to question things."

Jeb rubbed his face.

"Thanks for just droppin' all that on us Casius."

"You're welcome Jebadiah. While your Mother would be more than happy to discus the more intricate details, She is busy overseeing Her realm and other duties at the moment."

"What? Did Cole get stuck in a beehive again?" Jeb asked.

"No, not the encampment. Though it is technically in Her realm, She is playing in Her realm proper."

"Care to elaborate?"

"No."

"No?"

"Even if I wanted to I fear my explanation would be insufficient." Casius explained.

"Great. So what now? You gonna tell me to 'Wax on, wax off'?"

"No. While this has been fulfilling, I too, have my own duties to see to. So I will be taking my leave." Casius stated but was stopped by the Chief before he could make to leave.

"Wait!? How would one go about tapping into Master Jeb's power?"

"Oh? You mean like I and others within Her inner circle do?"

"Yes!"

"You can't." Casius said simply.

"What? Why not?" The Chief asked.

"Because you simply can't. The same reason Jeb cannot turn the sky red or conjure vast fields of wheat. You cannot access power that is not yet there. In his current state even he can only channel so much of it before it overwhelms him and his mortal body shuts down."

Like in the basement when the dragon showed up, Ruby thought as she recalled Jeb passing out after summoning the fog and monsters. The Chief continued to speak.

"But once he undergoes this transformation?"

"Then you will be able to freely channel his power as he allows. Not only you though."

"What?" Jeb asked.

"Mortals like myself and others are particularly attuned to powers such as yours and The Mother's and will seek you out when it awakens. Some will, as I assume the lizardfolk here does, seek to offer their devotion to you in exchange for a sliver of power. Others will come in a vain and naïve attempt to seal or even kill you. Beasts and creatures as well will come as they too will sense a new being and seek to exploit their way onto the now shifted food chain."

"What mortals? And what kind of beasts and creatures?" Jeb asked more than a little wary.

"All types really. Some will be scholars seeking to gleam a bit of knowledge of the other side. Some will be zealots that seek to kill and decimate in your dark name. Some will see you as a monster to be slain like the classic tales of the knights and dragons from long ago. Beasts and creatures will be known to you or completely new. Formed from your own power."

"Like the Wicker Men?" Ruby asked.

"Yes! Like the Wicker Men he is so fond of making each year!" Casius said cheerfully.

"Wait... they're real!?"

"What? Did you think we came all the way down here and cleaned them all up every year?"

"YES! YES I DID! So where did they go instead?!"

"Into your realm."

"I thought I didn't have one yet?"

"You do. It just isn't manifested yet. You can call to it, and the creatures within at times. But the realm itself will be less accessible until your Awakening."

"But how-"

"Another time Jebadiah. As I said, I have my own things to see to. Before I go though. Another apple?"

Jeb sighed and rolled his eyes. He turned and looked at the spot where the bitter apple was and concentrated. He reached out and closed his hand onto a newly formed apple that wasn't there before.

"Hey! That wasn't tha-"

But as they all turned, Casius was gone.