“And that’s about as close as we can approximate. Even the written forms are a bit off, and I can barely remember a syllable of the names.”
In front of Guiying, four truncated names were written: Wyn, Rawn, Eto, and Nima. The Goddess of Life, the Stillborn God, the Wyrm of the Golden Path, and the Primal Goddess. Not one of the names was the true one, but each held enough of the truth to give them the weight of Invocation when used by a Speaker.
“It wasn’t worth the risk of your life, ‘Ying.”
Zuk leaned against a tree outside the circle the Speakers of the tribes were sitting in, looking cross. He might understand that a nascent prophet might want to see their god in person, but that didn’t make him happy about the state she’d been in when she’d staggered back to the dungeon. Without her mother.
“Wish you could’ve seen her, Zuk. Majestic, beautiful, intimidating, radiating heat, life, and raw power. And that was in her humanoid form! As a dragon, I thought I’d burn away even as I wanted to cuddle with her!”
Guiying’s eyes were still a bit distant with the memory, it seemed. And considering how out of it she usually seemed… Zuk’s head suddenly took a lump, as the rock he’d subconsciously thrown at her had been carelessly caught and thrown back at three times the force without Guiying even seeming to move.
One of these days, I need to get an edge on her physical abilities. Preferably before she ends up walking over a cliff into a volcano.
Zuk rubbed the slight gash over his eye, applying a light healing spell to disinfect the spot and seal the wound.
“Interesting as this conversation is… and I do mean that, it’s truly fascinating… you’ll want to head down to your room, Guiying. The egg is hatching.”
Now, Guiying couldn’t teleport. Zuk and Rhys both knew this, even though they’d seen her mother do so with her in tow so often they just got used to the vanishing act. But seeing how fast Guiying moved… you had to wonder. She was into the core chamber of the dungeon and sitting in front of the incubator she’d had Rhys set up in the same amount of time it had taken Rhys to notify her.
Zuk, exasperated, at least appreciated her waiting for him to reach the elevator to follow. Last time, she’d just dropped through the shaft’s usual area, using her own energy to shift the earth around herself instead of letting Rhys do it.
Rhys, for his part, had figured out the trick and reinforced himself against it. Couldn’t have earth mages redecorating through structural walls and fortified spaces at will, after all.
Autumn had arrived, and the harvest was in full swing in the Ruby Scale Valley. Plants they’d barely managed to cultivate in time for planting were now being collected and processed, hunters were bringing in the best game of the season, heavy with winter fat and thick fur. And some of those animals… well, they’d kept the rabbit hutches well away from where Guiying usually roamed, and were careful not to include that meat in her food. Rhys still provided a lot of exotic “isekai food” for her, but he really would prefer if their little civilization were self-sustainable with what their own world provided. Maybe in a few more years.
“C’mon out, little one! I promise mommy will only eat you if you’re tasty.”
“That’s not a good incentive, you know.”
“Oh hush. And now that my mom’s gone, don’t worry about those rabbits you’ve been trying to hide. It’s only half-cannibalism for me, so it doesn’t count.”
“I’m so very reassured, but still taking precautions.”
“You’re way too overprotective.”
“I-” Rhys suddenly got shushed as the mystery egg in front of them cracked open, revealing…
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“SQEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!”
Another healing spell, this time to repair his ears from being a mere thirty centimeters from a squealing rabbit girl with volume ranges just below mortal standard. Guiying had glomped whatever had come out of the now shattered eggshell before his eyes had fixed on it, and was cuddling whatever had come out with a frenzy.
“You’re going to smother your new pet if you keep that up, Guiying. Give her some air, dry her off.”
Guiying pouted (why was that so adorable on her?) and listened to Rhys, letting the creature onto the floor before pulling off the tunic she’d been wearing and rubbing… her… dry.
Once dried, it was a little more obvious what it looked like… but still confusing.
“It’s… a winged snake?”
“One moment… ah. Interesting. Apparently, it’s a dwarf species of Queztacoatl. They’re a specific type of feather-winged serpent, though not seen on this world before. The Goddess of Chaos has been known to take the form of one, and they’re sometimes seen as a sign of Her favor. That said…”
“Don’t need to go further, Rhys. I know some turn to the sacrifice of their own in lean times, but our people would sooner sacrifice themselves to hunger.”
“I’m honestly glad for it. I get sacrificing the heart of your finest trophies, even doing so in ways that ruin the carcass for dressing. But extending that to sentient, sapient life is a touch far.”
The serpent tasted the air, seeming to nod as she rose her forward half upward. Downy wings flapped to dry themselves, but it was clear said wings were unable to support their own weight as yet, let alone provide the lift needed for flight. Guiying just stared in awe and wonder, all sparkle-eyed from Zuk’s perspective.
“Any ideas on a name, rabbit-brain?”
Zuk didn’t think the rock hit him any harder this time. But it was hard to tell, because she’d nailed the exact spot she’d hit earlier, and it was still a bit tender.
“Well, since you asked… how does Lin sound?”
“Jade/Forest? How could it mean both?”
“Context, mostly. Though there was a forest I liked to visit that had a beautiful jade color to the foliage in the summer. Especially the really big tree in the middle. Mom hated the place for some reason. Something about bad memories.”
“Well, back on topic, I think Lin is a nice name… if a little uninspired. A green snake and you’re naming it for its color?”
“Actually, there is a slight distinction between feathered serpents and snakes. Technically, Lin’s more closely related to a kobold than a common field constrictor. Just a different species of dragon.”
Zuk still didn’t think much of the thing, but decided to hold his tongue. He got the feeling the third rock would leave an exit wound out the back of his skull.
--
“And you dare to return with your lives?”
The elven rangers, a half dozen of the most well-trained and well-equipped people of their civilization, sat before the king in his palace grove. He seemed sagely and regal with his refined features and shoulder-length hair… but this belied a man who unified their society by ruthlessly slaughtering any who had sought to contest him. His will among the elves was Law… and only the fact that an envoy of the gods had intervened had stopped the rangers from exterminating the monsters they’d found.
And now that they’d passed the ultimatum said envoy had given them… their lives were forefeit.
Three new skulls adorned the back wall of the grove palace, where a world tree drew deeply from the remains of all who’d faced the elven king, a living testament to his power… and his wrath.
He would prepare the army this coming spring, and face this new threat personally.
--
The human king, while no less a ruthless tyrant, was more measured in how he treated his explorer teams and their news. Killing a messenger was a good way to make sure warnings didn’t arrive in time to take action, after all.
“Yes… yes. Have the disposables sent out. We can have them kill each other over scraps this winter, and take the starving remains come spring. Have word sent to our cousin among the elves, he’ll no doubt want to participate as well and we would do better to cooperate over this endeavor.”
The explorers bowed, and travelled off to carry out their king’s will. One to the subhuman pens where those who collected and ate the city’s refuse were kept, another three to the elven king to inform him that their own wished to make a joint effort of clearing this valley of monsters.
The remaining two travelled to the Guild of Ventures, where young Fighters and Slingsmen trained for the summer war campaign. There would be a slaughter come springtime.