Luin was awake when we returned to Kiszo’s house. She immediately ran over, buried her face into my leg, and wrapped her arms around the leg in an iron-like embrace. I tried to bend down to hug her, but she refused to let go. “She hasn’t said a word since she woke up,” said Kiszo.

“Hey, Luin. You can let go now. I’m back for a bit.”

Luin shook her head and held on. I shuffled over to the cot we had slept on and fell backward onto it, the movement breaking Luin’s hold on me. She immediately climbed up on the cot and lay with her back to everyone else, and kept her head on my lap. Her arms were trying to hold onto my waist.

“Kiszo, do you know what at age Kobolds can give birth? I’m angry about the things she went through down there. I overheard there was a set of twin priestesses born down there. Is it possible they’re Luin’s?”

Kiszo looked horrified at the question, but Lastaf coughed once before speaking. “If I may, they are not hers. The recordings I’ve read about the Priestess of Gna’zanth say they are born infertile. The mutation that allows the markings of Gna’zanth to come forth also prevents the mutation from being spread. As for the age Kobold’s reach adult hood and can reproduce is around the age of two.”

“That’s good. Can you make sure the twins are looked after, Kiszo? Let Horrow know about them as well. Make sure they are given to decent Kobold parents.”

“Ah, Zeal. Kobolds give birth in what they call litters. All new pups are brought together and raised in a group or clutch. Kobolds don’t raise young in families like the Beastkin, and I assume your race does.”

“I see. I just don’t want them abused as Luin had. I had no idea Kobolds could be so cruel to their own kind, but I guess every race has their dark parts of history.” I looked down to Luin, with her eyes closed as I stroked her head.

“Kiszo, Lastaf, and I will be traveling to the remains of the hive to take care of the queen. Something called the Darkness has been controlling her for the past few years. The mutated Gnits are a part of this Darkness, and the new larger Gnits seen in the forest are as well. If we don’t take out the queen, it’s very well possible. This new threat can overrun the town. Nothing short of my blue fireball left a mark on the one I had killed.”

“Our hunters have reported the same. Only a few of us have managed to force them to retreat. I’m not sure what we would have done if they assaulted the town. Even with the new Kobold mages on the walls, we may have had a hard time handling a single one of them.”

“Then I need to give the queen the release she requests. This town must be protected if we are to leave. Lastaf knows more about my situation and will accompany me for his own curiosity.

“I’d like to ask a massive favor of you, Kiszo. As you’ve become my sole friend since I’ve arrived, If I don’t return in the next few days, could you please look after Luin? When I return, she’ll know, can you bring her to the port city to the southwest when that time comes? I don’t want to take a chance of returning here if the hunters catch onto the rumors of my existence.”

“Of course, Zeal. You’ve done much for my village. It’s the least I can do.”

“Here’s your backpack back. I have my magic bags now, more than enough for my needs. Tomorrow after some rest, we’ll be heading out.” Kiszo nodded and left the room, Lastaf following behind the panther. His bright pink ferns on his head danced to a hidden beat.

I picked up Luin and lay on the cot, moving her to my side. I pulled the blanket over both of us and found myself quickly asleep.

Thought out the night, I dreamt of flickering shadows on the walls of a cave. The shadows seem to be marching deeper and deeper into the earth. After hours of following the shadows, an impossibly large cavern opened up. Looking over the edge, my mind reeled at the sight below.

An incredibly massive creature with large chains and tubes coming from it, going in almost every direction. The creature seemed to have massive tentacles coming from its face, and when it moved, it shifted as it dissolved and reformed an instant later. The sight of these movements broke my mind, and I found myself awake and screaming, Luin trying to lick my face.

I looked down at the worried Luin and inside her open mouth. Her tongue was gone. That fucker had cut out her tongue, no wonder she hadn’t said a word. If Go’gie wasn’t already dead, Id skin the fucker alive. I felt my rage begin to boil, and Lastaf came crashing into my room, a bucket in hand.

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I found the bucket had contained water as it left and splashed across my face and Luin’s. Luin immediately jumped to the floor and began to growl before shaking her head, throwing water in every direction. “Calm yourself, Zeal, do not let the rage boil over. What in Bast’s name are you getting so angry over in the middle of the night?!” Lastaf shouted at me.

“A bad dream and wanting to kill Go’gie. The bastard cut Luin’s tongue out.”

“A dream caused you that much stress? What did you dream of? I know. I’m sorry I did not inform you. Kobold’s magic is different from ours. They must speak words to bring their magic forth. Go’gie did it, so she could no longer use her magic against him or the clan.”

“Luin…” I said as I stared at the wet blue and yellow furball still on all fours growling towards the Axoli. I looked back to Lastaf and shook my head. “I can’t remember the dream now. I remember seeing something that made my mind real with fear and something. I can’t recall any of the details.”

“Possibly your mind trying to cope with everything that has happened to you. You’ve been on this planet for many years now yet only lived a handful of weeks, correct? Your mind may be trying to comprehend things in its way. Sleep may become hard for you until you come to terms with your new life. Or you possibly just had a night terror. Who knows, I’m not an expert in such things.”

“Thanks… I think?”

“Mention it, never. Dry off and get some sleep. The sun shows its face once more in a few hours’ time.”

I pulled my shirt off and ringed it out before placing it on the back of the chair. I dried the cot off and lay upon it, Luin jumping back up and nuzzling her nose under my hand. I raised my arm, and she lay with her head on my shoulder. I lay my arm back down, my hand stroking her back. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you, Luin. I’m sorry what you went through down there. I’ll try and find a way to heal you once we return. If I don’t return soon, wait for me, Kiszo will take care of you till I return.”

Luin began to make a sad whimper or chuff as she tried to force her head deeper into my shoulder. I raised my hand and patted her head, calming her down. “Lastaf and I will be leaving in the morning. It will be perilous and not somewhere I can bring you. If I have to worry about you, I cant defend myself. I will do everything within my abilities to return to you soon.”

I lay there for a while, stroking her back till she fell asleep. Closing my eyes, I prayed I wouldn’t have the same dream from earlier. I couldn’t remember any of it now, except the feeling of fear and dread, I think it was. I drifted off and was met with the comforting darkness.

“Zeal, wake up. I’ve allowed you to sleep well past sunrise. We got an exciting day ahead of us with new discoveries to find!” said the way to chipper Axoli. I wondered if they had something like coffee on this planet.

“Alright, give me a moment.” I looked down to see Luin missing from the cot. Scanning the room, she wasn’t anywhere nearby. I grabbed my shirt from the chair and threw it over my head as we left the room and entered the central part of Kiszo’s house.

At the table was Kiszo and Luin eating. Lastaf returned to his chair and meal, and Kiszo showed me to a chair with a plate of meat and what looked to be fried orange eggs with blue yolks. That was interesting. I looked over to see Luin trying very hard to lick the remains of her plate’s offerings. I chuckled to myself and dug into my food. The eggs tasted terrific despite the odd coloring, and the salted meat was divine. I hadn’t had cooked meat since I came to this world.

Kiszo removed our plates, giving anyone leftovers a toss onto the grateful Luin’s plate. She left the room and returned a moment later with a backpack. Sitting down, she began to remove bundles of items, setting them on the table. “Here are the basic supplies of food, waterskins, and rope. A few of the town’s guards have requested they join you, but I’ve denied them. Please don’t allow any to follow you on your way out of the town.”

“I agree. I think Lastaf can defend himself and flee if things come down to me, wiping out the rest of the hive. I can’t look after the safety of anyone besides myself.” We talked about plans in case I wasn’t to return, Kiszo always having more meat to put on Luin’s plate to distract her from our conversation. I started wondering if Luin had a bottomless bag as a stomach.

When we got up to move to the door, Luin finally looked up and began to follow. Stopping at the door, I picked her up and held her before giving her a hug and kiss on the head. When I placed her on the floor, her tail began to thump the floor before she began to whine. “Sorry, Luin, but you can’t come. I told you this last night. Stay with Kiszo. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Kiszo bent down and picked Luin up, needing two arms to keep her from getting loose. Kisxo’s third hand patted her head to try and calm her. We closed the door behind us and began walking back towards the field. The feeling of sadness came from behind us. “Lastaf, what do you know of bond magic?”

“Little is known about that particular school of magic. It doesn’t seem to use normal mana or constructs or even words of power. The magic seems to come from the very need for survival. Almost all bond magic recorded has happened between an intelligent class user and that of a beast or creature of the wild. What has happened between you and Luin is something I suspect may be a different class of bonding entirely.”

“What can you tell me about an emotional connection between those bonded?”

“I have a Sniper Class friend who has a bond with a flying creature. He told me after some time; he could pick up on the thoughts of his companion and vice versa. He was unable to put it into words, but the feeling or sense of their location and current mindset could always be felt, even over vast distances.”

“I have the same sense of her feelings as well. Right now, she is equal parts pissed and sad. She’s going to give Kiszo some trouble for a while.”

Lastaf chuckled at the comment. We made our way to the gate to find a group of young guards looking ready to go to war. “No, go back to your homes!” I shouted at them.

“We want to help defend our home!” shouted a small Beastkin.

“You will only be in the way. None of you can defend yourself like Zeal or I. Go home, the village can’t afford to lose any more of its people,” said Lastaf as he did something with his hand, before I rose above the ground as he began to rise as well, and then the whistling wind streamed by as we rocketed over the wall and flew towards my stone platform.