《Tales of Huli & the White Wave》 Prologue: Rise of the Everblossom
In her waters, deep and true Lie the answers and a path for you Dive down deep into her sound But not too far or you''ll be drowned -¡°All is Found,¡± Frozen 2
The young kitsune kit stood on a flat plane of pure white light that seemed to rise up out of the ground like heat radiating off the scorched sands in an eternal desert. Above, the sky was a swirl of brilliant white and soft blues, no less eerie than the land below her feet. Up ahead, shimmering in the heat waves, a crystal city rose up from the flat expanse. Tall towers speared into the dark sky above, their crystalline walls reflecting the light - and the heat - away from the city. When she squinted her eyes, the kitsune could barely make out figures moving among the structures ahead. Huli rolled her shoulders and picked up her feet from the scorching ground. She could already feel the heat burning her skin, so she picked up her pace, aiming for the distant city. By the time she reached it, her entire body was flushed from the scorching heat and her lungs felt scorched. The moment she entered between two of the towers, she immediately felt relieved. The temperature dropped to war, but not unbearable levels, and she could breathe again without feeling the air searing her lungs. Pausing to regroup, she glanced around for the figures she had spotted earlier. Nearby, just inside the ring of towers, Huli found an orchard of trees that looked like large, glowing jellyfish, their tentacles dangling with blue orbs. Among the jellyfish-trees walked humanoids covered in brilliant orange and red feathers, like phoenix feathers. They moved between the trees and plucked the blue orbs from them before carrying them behind buildings and out of sight. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Huli asked as she approached, but the phoenix creatures shied away from her, refusing to make eye contact. Disconcerted, Huli decided to leave them be and she pushed further into the city, looking for answers. As the newest of its heroes, it had fallen to Huli and her friends to find a way to save their world against the coming catastrophe. An ancient prophecy foretold of the time when the old gods would awaken and cause the end of the world. These old gods weren¡¯t the same as the deities her people worshiped, but ancient, unknowable, eldritch beings, and it was imperative that they continue to sleep, undisturbed, else they would destroy reality itself. Now, all the signs suggested that the old gods were waking. The end was coming, and time was running out. And so, in desperation, Huli had come here, to the elemental plane of positive energy. The source of the lightwell, where gods were born, and heroes came when they died. As Huli walked through the city, she found herself drawn to the center of town where she stepped into an open courtyard, the very ground made of glass paving stones. In the center was a deep circular hole, a pillar that dove down into the earth, and all around the edge of the open area were more of the jelly-fish trees. At the edge of the hole from which the light bloomed, a man sat. He was blue skinned with four arms and a long white robe, and he sat cross legged at the edge, both pairs of his arms crossed over his wide chest. His back was to her, so Huli couldn¡¯t see his face, and she moved closer, cautiously and reverently. As she approached the edge, Huli¡¯s gaze was drawn from the man to the hole before him. Inside the column, in stark contrast to the world where she was standing, Huli stared at the deep void of space. The light circled down in a spiral through the darkness. Periodically, the light was spin off into blue orbs and Huli could see more figures similar to the phoenix people collecting them. Some of the larger orbs were carried away to become new gods, their energy and light enough to reach the levels of immortality. Others would be mortals newly born into the world. For a long moment, Huli stared down into the hole, fascinated by the process and the ramifications that it had for her own understanding of the world. Then, she turned to face the mysterious four-armed being. She was trying to decide what to say when he spoke first. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°I was wondering when you would return. Sit. Meditate with me.¡± Return? Huli pulled back, confused. She had never been here before, and she had never met this creature. But rather than question him, she simply did as he bid her, sitting down on the ground next to him and closing her eyes. She let her breathing even out, the way Kali had trained her, and fell into a calm, meditative state. For several moments, she sat there, taking in the light with every inhale, releasing it with each exhale. Each of her nine tails shone with the pure energy that imbued the entire realm, and she took the time to place herself back into balance with the light around her. Inhale. Exhale. ¡°Indeed,¡± the being mused, as if hearing her own confusion. ¡°You were always my favorite student, but that time has not yet come to pass for you. One day you will understand, my pupil. I remember when Duathar brought your soul to me. It was so small it fit in the palm of my hand.¡± His words only served to deepen Hui¡¯s confusion and she furrowed her brows, but did not open her eyes. Finally, she replied, ¡°I would be honored to learn from you, my teacher.¡± The being nodded, though he did not look at her, his own eyes closed in meditation. ¡°What,¡± he asked finally, ¡°is a soul?¡± ¡°I¡­ I am not sure?¡± Huli stumbled, frowning. ¡°I used to think that they were the part of each being that is eternal, indestructible, though malleable in certain circumstances. Lately, though¡­ I¡¯ve come to wonder.¡± ¡°Look around you,¡± replied the four-skinned being with his deep rumbling voice, ¡°this is the essence of the soul. The soul is life incarnate, pure energy.¡± As he spoke, Huli¡¯s vision zoomed in, giving her a vision of the process below her at a microscopic level. Within each blue orb that was collected, she now saw a matrix of interlocking strands of white light. ¡°The new souls grown here are pure,¡± her teacher continued. ¡°They are highly ordered and harmonically resonant. Over time, they may become disordered and chaotic, or unharmonious and evil. The substance, however, is the same regardless of the structure. Gods may have more soul but the structure remains largely the same.¡± Huli¡¯s mind raced at the revelation, the implications. ¡°So¡­ the longer people live, the more time there is for their souls to become disordered, unharmonious, and evil?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± came the answer. ¡°The greater the soul, the longer the journey, but disorder and darkness - the dark gods and the negative plane - are the natural state of the universe. Life is the blessed aberration.¡± ¡°And the gods?¡± Huli found herself asking next, ¡°If they are immortal, how do they keep their souls from falling into disorder and darkness?¡± ¡°They do not.¡± At that Huli¡¯s eyes opened in surprise and she looked up at her teacher. He kept his eyes closed, but continued, ¡°All gods will eventually go mad after eons have passed and even the flame of life itself will eventually fade.¡± Huli felt her heart twist. ¡°Then all of this¡­ is just to buy time?¡± It almost hurt to say it. "Do not misunderstand my child, this is not the only flame, and this flame will itself last for time beyond reckoning." The being fell silent for a long time and Huli thought he would say no more but eventually, his words came again. "Still, the flame is not the natural state, it requires energy and fuel to maintain. Even in the recycling of souls this cannot hold forever. Each time something of every soul is lost before the greater part returns." Slowly Huli nodded. "I see. It is not a limitless resource. I think I understand." Now her teacher opened his eyes and studied Huli. Finally, he said, ¡°Speak, child.¡± The kitsune took a deep breath and let it out. ¡°What are the old gods? Why do they hate us so?¡± In response, the being gave an indulgent smile. ¡°You attribute an emotion where there is none. The old goes are the essence of creation. Their dreams allow us to diffuse light into the darkness, making sense of the chaos. When they wake, the darkness returns.¡± ¡°So¡­ there is no way to stop them from destroying everything?¡± The blue-skinned being did not answer immediately. He sat, staring into the void, contemplating. ¡°You asked that in the before, and I answered. Now, you are not ready. First, you must meditate. When the time comes, you will hear her.¡± ¡°She?¡± Huli leaned forward, ¡°Who?¡± But the creature was gone, as if he had never been there. Huli was left sitting alone, staring down through the pillar of creation into the cosmos below. Adriel: The Dragon & the Sparrow ¡°And when you''re gone, who remembers your name? Who keeps your flame? Who tells your story?¡± -¡±Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story,¡± Hamilton A scarlet adversary of heat and light, like a flower blooming with petals of fire, hovered inches off the ground, frozen in the fraction of a second before the force of it would disintegrate the mountains below. In the next moment, the fire would have propelled outward, powered by the energy inherent in the pure chaos that fueled its core. It would vaporize the Azure Seas, then the deep old growth of the Thundering Woods, then the distant cities of the Cornelian Empire. The residents there wouldn''t even know their lives had ended as the intense impact caused the planet¡¯s core to implode. Its shockwave would surge outward, past the three moons, and slam into the sun, then continue on. There was enough chaos in the bomb¡¯s core that it would most certainly destroy the solar system, the galaxy, the universe. In that frozen moment before all of reality was obliterated, two figures stood on a rocky ledge, staring at the blossoming fire. Between them and the explosion stood a domed barrier, translucent but with a faint silver glow. The ancient wizards of the ivory tower had created the barrier through a complicated ritual, as a last ditch effort to stave off the end, by using the power of law to contain the destructive properties of chaos. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t enough to oppose the blast entirely. It could only pause it, freezing it in an instant in time, but even that could not last for long. ¡°I can counter it,¡± the taller figure said. His long golden hair hung in a loose braid down his back and his ears, gently pointed, hinted at an elvish or other more exotic ancestry. He did not take his eyes - burnished gold - off the explosion even as the smaller figure turned towards him. Unlike the man, his companion was petite, with short white hair and intense blue eyes. From her head grew a pair of ivory horns which curled like a ram¡¯s. She stared up at her companion - her husband, the father of her children, the keeper of her heart - and frowned. In his long robes, her beloved looked like a simple monk, but she knew that was far from the truth. Kalrotoss did indeed have the power to counter the chaos bomb, but it would not come without cost. ¡°It will take everything you have,¡± Adriel replied. You will die, she did not say. She couldn¡¯t say. They had lived long, fulfilling lives. He was the Lord of Dragons, the God of Protection. She was Sparrow, an immortal agent of the Cosmic Owl. They had lived. Loved. Raised a family. Watched their descendents thrive. Eventually, they had left their world, choosing to travel the cosmos together. By this point, they had ascended beyond the level of most gods, becoming two of the most powerful beings in any universe. But it would end, today, if they chose to save this world. Kalrotoss would pour all that he was into the chaos nova and hope that it was enough. Adriel turned away, and looked at the barrier. Her husband had the authority of law, but he wasn¡¯t law incarnate - this wall of pure order would surely bar his path. Only she, a woman of freedom and choice, wielding the whip of the goddess Ysemon - a being who thrived on magical chaos - had a chance of countering the barrier. And it would take all the power that Adriel had, the entirety of what she was, to accomplish it. They would both die. This would be the end of their story. It was a good story. Neither had any regrets. They met eyes one last time, but nothing more needed to be said. Adriel turned to the barrier and placed one hand against it, her other hand grasping Ysemon¡¯s whip with white knuckles. The barrier crackled red where it touched her skin and Adriel winced, but didn¡¯t pull away. Instead, she called up her power, the Cosmic Owl¡¯s power, Ysemon¡¯s power, and channeled it all through herself, through her fingers, into the wall. The pure order in the force field tried to repel her energies, but she only pushed more into it. She began to glow and Kalrotoss had to force himself not to turn away. Even when the glow became almost as bright as the explosion beyond, he watched. Then the glow faded and Adriel was gone. In her place was a hole in the barrier, several meters across. Not even Adriel could destroy the dome entirely, and the hole was already beginning to repair itself. He would have to act fast. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Kalrotoss stepped through, into the space at the peak of the mountain where the explosion was beginning to expand again, the strength of the barrier to contain the calamity weakening with the rupture that Adriel had created. He took several steps forward, purposeful, determined. Then he straightened his shoulders, and roared. In a blink, a golden dragon the size of a king¡¯s fortress stood where the man had been. The dragon spread his wings and they brushed the opposite sides of the barrier dome, a mile across. Then he swung his wings down and wrapped them around the explosion. He released all of his authority and his whole essence to contain the blast. The mountains exploded. Generations later, the Dragon''s Embrace would be regarded as the world¡¯s greatest natural phenomenon. Where once had stood the planet¡¯s tallest mountain, there was now the world¡¯s deepest lake, a crater miles across and leagues deep, nestled within the Cascade Mountain Range. Shortly after the creation of the lake, a small village cropped up on the shores, calling itself Sparrow¡¯s Rest. The village elder, an old kitsune woman with bright red fur and several tails, was credited with naming both the village and the lake, and she would swear that the names had come to her in a dream. If she knew what they meant, she never told, but shortly before she died, the old woman had a monument commissioned and placed at the shore of the lake, just on the outskirts of the village. Carved in marbled stone, it depicted a woman, wielding a whip, standing beside a majestic dragon. Both stared with determination out towards the center of the lake, where the Sparrow and the Dragon had once given their lives to save the world. *** Adriel awoke with a gasp, jerking up and then doubling over with a groan, her entire body wracked in pain. For a moment she felt like her heart might give out, it was pounding so hard. Then a pair of strong arms were around her, holding her tightly. ¡°Easy there. I¡¯ve got you.¡± Kal. Squeezing her eyes shut, Adriel took comfort in that one word, that name, while she forced herself to breathe, urging her heart to slow. Eventually, the pain subsided, but a certain amount of discomfort remained. Everything was¡­ different. Adriel opened her eyes and looked down at her hands. They were her hands, alright, but they looked, felt¡­ smaller. In fact, her entire body felt¡­ less¡­ as if she was once more a teenage version of herself. Her clothes, when Adriel took stock, were a simple tunic and trousers, and all of her magical gear was gone with one exception. A simple golden wedding band still sat snuggly on her left ring finger. Turning, Adriel took a moment to study the man behind her. Her husband. He, too, was different. Smaller. Not less, but maybe¡­ simpler. His pointed ears hinted at an elven ancestry, though Adriel knew full-well that it came from his draconic blood. His eyes were the same burnished gold but they didn¡¯t glow with divine power. His clothes, like Adriel¡¯s, were simple garb, and the only additional item he still wore was his wedding ring, a band that matched hers, on his left hand. ¡°What¡­ happened?¡± Adriel whispered. She remembered the mountain, the barrier. It was as clear as if it had just happened. We should be dead¡­ shouldn¡¯t we? Kal frowned and glanced around, then sighed. ¡°It would seem the fates aren¡¯t quite finished with us.¡±
Huli stood on the beach, staring out over the water of the great crater lake. The afternoon sun beat down and glinted off the glassy surface. Behind her loomed the carving of the woman and the dragon, as if they, too, stared out over the water, ready to rise up in defense of the people if they were ever again needed. ¡°You couldn¡¯t let them go.¡± Huli murmured, her soft voice barely rising over the lapping waves. Not that there was anyone close enough to hear. I tried. A whisper on the wind, which only Huli could hear. But the story must continue. ¡°There are others.¡± Yes. And we will find them. Are you ready? Huli was silent for a long time, then she nodded. ¡°We will find them. The story continues.¡± The story continues. Come. The old kitsune woman stepped out into the lake. Further up the shore, a shout rose up and people rushed to the edge of the village. Men, women, and a few children gathered to watch their matron as she dropped below the surface and vanished beneath the waves, never to be heard from again. Slider: Time Crime
¡°Everywhere I turn, I hurt someone But there''s nothing I can say to change the things I''ve done Of all the things I hid from you I cannot hide the shame And I pray someone, something will come to take away the pain¡± -¡°No Way Out,¡± Brother Bear
She had failed. No, it was worse than that. She had made everything a hundred times worse. Slider had hoped that she could go back in time, to stop the alien AI from taking over the alternate dimension where she had first encountered it. In the end, she had been the catalyst that had caused the AI, named Fortune, from taking root. What was worse, when she and her team, the Outsiders, had returned to their world to regroup, they had discovered that there was no way to go back - that Fortune had locked off her dimension from outside access. There were people inside, people that Slider knew. People that Slider had promised to help. She had failed them. Worse, she had been the one to doom them. Three days after their return, Slider sat on the front steps of the Outsider¡¯s compound. Normally, she liked to sit there, staring out at the city below, but on this day, not even her favorite view could cheer her up. She stared blankly at the glittering lights, and she brooded. Slider sensed Wraith rather than heard him as he sat down next to her. When he placed a hand on Slider¡¯s shoulder she tensed, then dropped her head, forcing her shoulders to relax. It had been decades since she had been able to feel someone¡¯s physical touch, ever since the experiment that she had participated in had gone horribly wrong. She had been thrown out of phase with reality, allowing her to easily travel through time and dimensions, but making her insubstantial, so that she could not touch or be touched. The experiment had also ejected her from her own timeline, making it impossible for her to get back. Now, thanks to the experiments of Slider¡¯s friend, Dr. Alto Thurman, Slider could at least regain her physical form. She could touch. A few feet away, the air in front of Slider and Wraith glitched out, opening a portal, from which stepped an unfamiliar figure. The man wore a full suit of metallic armor and a helmet with a closed visor, concealing his face. The man approached, then pulled out a small tablet. ¡°I am Oculus, agent 9338 of the Chrono Knights. Seraphine Rowe, codename: Slider. You are under arrest for crimes against the timeline, according to section 519.2b of TCI.¡± Slider frowned and Wraith stood, while the rest of the Outsiders filed out to stand between the man and their ally. They would defend her, fight this Oculus, Slider knew. If she let them. But her actions had already caused enough pain and suffering. She stood and pushed past. ¡°If I go quietly, do you swear that none of my allies will be punished for my actions?¡± When the Oculus agreed, Slider motioned for the others to stand down. And she went quietly. Thus began Slider¡¯s life in prison, under the authority of the Chrono Knights. She didn¡¯t resist, at least at first, because her guilt led her to believe that the sentence was just. But time can heal as easily as it can hurt, and Slider came to terms with her own loss. And then she began to question. And, questioning, she began to plot. It was 127 years, 5 months and 2 days after her arrival in Time Prison that Slider staged the breakout, along with three new friends: Cleo, the fortune telling cat; Tesseract, a time traveler whose only crime was that she had accidentally teleported into the Time Prison; and the paradox witch, whose very existence supposedly disrupted the natural timeline. Everything was going smoothly and would have succeeded, but fate doesn¡¯t often allow for perfectly hatched plans. *** Slider didn¡¯t struggle as she was shackled and manhandled through the corridors before being shoved into an interrogation chair. She had managed to stall long enough for her friends to get free, but now the Chrono Knights knew that she had been the ringleader of the breakout. There would be consequences. Slider didn¡¯t care. Her friends were free. That was all that mattered. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Oculus stood before her, studying the tablet in his hands. He¡¯d been her handler for the entire 127 years that she¡¯d been in prison. The 127 years that he¡¯d been trying to convince her to throw in her lot with the Chrono Knights, to become one of them in return for her freedom. It was a pyramid scheme if she¡¯d ever seen one. Now, Oculus sighed. ¡°Slider. 127 years of good behavior.. And now this?¡± Slider didn¡¯t answer. ¡°If you would just-¡± he broke off as the light on the side of his helmet lit up and he turned his head, as if listening to something. ¡°Yes, sir. Understood.¡± Then he turned back to Slider. ¡°Word from the top. You¡¯re no longer my responsibility.¡± Slider could have sworn he almost looked regretful. ¡°I could have helped you, Slider. I hope it was worth it.¡± Tapping on his tablet, Oculus vanished and then¡­ Slider was in another room. She sat in a simple guest chair in front of a wide desk. On the other side of the desk, sitting in a wide office chair was¡­ Slider gaped. ¡°What the¡­ Dr. Thurman?¡± It was like staring at a ghost. The man who had trained her, then sent her on that last mission, the one that had glitched out, throwing her out of phase with reality and giving her the ability to slide through space and time¡­ the man who she hadn¡¯t heard from in decades, even before her time in Time Prison, even as she had fought to return home¡­ he was here. Aiden Thurman, Alto¡¯s grandson but from Slider¡¯s timeline, gave her a sad smile. ¡°Seraphina. I¡¯m sorry. This¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What¡­ what are you doing here? I don¡¯t understand, what-¡± Slider broke off as Thurman raised a hand. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll explain what I can. First¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Everything that happened to you, it was my fault. Please forgive me.¡± Slider shook her head, slowly. She was silent for a long moment, not sure what to say. Finally, she sighed. ¡°Why are you here? Why are you¡­ with them?¡± Thurman grimaced. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a complicated question. Let¡¯s just say that after we lost you, I began to understand the dangers of messing with time.¡± ¡°So you¡­ you joined the Chrono Knights?¡± Slider¡¯s distaste was obvious. When Thurman winced again, Slider leaned forward. ¡°Why am I here?¡± She asked in a low town. ¡°I was too overwhelmed with my own guilt and grief when I was arrested. I wasn¡¯t in my right mind, so I didn¡¯t ask, but¡­ what exactly is my crime? I have the right to know.¡± ¡°You do,¡± Thurman agreed, and he reached for his tablet. ¡°And, the truth is¡­ your charges aren¡¯t clear. I think we can work with that. The true problem isn¡¯t with you, but Fortune. The AI needs to be dealt with. If you are willing to help us, I think I can get you sprung.¡± When Slider didn¡¯t respond immediately, her eyes narrowing, Thurman continued. ¡°Think it through. You want to fix things. Work with us. Help us fix it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Slider asked, defensive. ¡°Not to become a Chrono Knight? Not to help you arrest other people who don¡¯t deserve it?¡± Thurman pursed his lips. He studied Slider for a long moment and she recognized the struggle in his gaze. Finally, he sighed. ¡°Being a Chrono Knight is a constant battle between the protection of an entire timeline and the rights of a single person-¡± ¡°Cleo was arrested for something she hadn¡¯t even done yet. You couldn¡¯t have gone to her and said, ¡®Hey, please don¡¯t give this prophecy¡¯?¡± With another wince, Thurman raised his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not saying your wrong. And I¡¯m not saying the Chrono Knights are perfect. I am saying they are necessary. But-¡± he added when Slider opened her mouth to protest again, ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to join us. Only help us deal with Fortune.¡± He reached out and tapped a button on his tablet and a holographic image appeared, hovering above his desk. It was of a bubble the size of a city, as if the entire territory was covered in an enormous shield that blocked any attempt to see inside. As Slider watched, the shield was lowered, revealing a futuristic city of towering skyscrapers and flying cars. ¡°When Fortune blocked off her dimension, upon your leaving, she also sealed up their city. Then she did something with the timestream. While only a few days have passed across the rest of the world, the time inside Fortune¡¯s city was sped up.¡± He paused dramatically, then added, ¡°Hundreds of years have passed.¡± Slider frowned, studying the scene. ¡°Why? What does she want?¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t sure. But we need to find out.¡± And that was how Slider became a contracted agent with the Chrono Knights, to stop the AI Fortune from taking over the multiverse¡­ maybe.
Huli sat with her mistress, two souls granting comfort to one another. ¡°Raylan made that difficult for you.¡± Yes. A sigh. But we both learned a lot, I think. And she¡¯ll live. Her story won¡¯t end here. ¡°Still¡­¡± Huli reached out with her mind, a sympathetic hug. ¡°You are wrung out.¡± A nod. Slider needs time to heal. We¡¯ll let her travel, to settle. And in the meantime¡­ I have a mission for you. A story that is ready to be reborn. The minstrel. Huli straightened, surprised. ¡°The minstrel? But that story is finished¡­ isn¡¯t it?¡± That story was ended, yes. But ideas are like matter, always conserved. She¡¯s out there, our minstrel. You must find her. Huli felt a shiver of excitement run through her. ¡°I will,¡± she promised. ¡°We will.¡± And so the goddess split her soul into a multitude of slivers and sent them out in search of an old story ready to be retold. In search of a minstrel whose musical talent could change the very laws of nature. Zoha: Shadows of Haven
Red and yellow, black and white They are precious in the Father''s eyes Like the Father may we see That they have a destiny -¡°Children of the World,¡± Amy Grant
Zoha rose before the sun, as was her habit. She¡¯d had a late night, as was also her habit, and her first destination was the kitchen to claim her first cup of coffee. With mug in hand, she wandered to the office, where George was already seated at his desk, sipping his own coffee while he read through a few of the local papers. The old man glanced up and nodded to Zoha, then slid a paper across to her. With a not-quite-caffeinated-enough-to-talk grunt, Zoha took the paper and sat down on the nearby sofa to read. George may have been three times Zoha¡¯s age, but he was her closest friend, the one person who she trusted with all of her secrets. More, he had been the only parent she had ever known, ever since he found her, a baby abandoned on the side of the road. Now, he acted as her right hand and closest advisor, as she embarked on the mission that she had chosen for herself. She swore that she would give to others what George had given to her. ¡°There was a disturbance out by the docks last night,¡± George said without looking up. ¡°It¡¯s on the third page. Anything to be concerned about?¡± Zoha grunted and downed the rest of her coffee, shaking her head and managing a short, ¡°No.¡± But she flipped through to the third page anyway. HEROES NEED HELP FROM SHADOWHEART TO DEFEAT GIANT CARNIVOROUS MONKEY-BABY. The photo showed a massive dragon with glittering dark purple scales grappling with an equally large primate with neon orange fur. Zoha groaned. ¡°Where do they come up with this stuff? It wasn¡¯t a ¡®giant carnivorous monkey-baby¡¯, for crying out loud.¡± She frowned and lowered her voice, ¡°It was an ape from outer space. That was eating people.¡± When George looked up and arched an eyebrow, Zoha¡¯s frown cracked and she smirked, then rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s fine. No one saw me.¡± ¡°I figured. You¡¯re careful. But it¡¯s my job to worry.¡± George pushed some more papers aside and picked up another one, holding it out. It was a copy of a foreign news article that Zoha figured he must have printed from his computer. Standing, curious, she accepted the page. METEOR CRASHES TO EARTH NEAR TEL-AVIV. LIGHT CHILD KILLS SOLDIERS. Zoha scanned through the article, her frown deepening. ¡°Is this authentic?¡±¡°It¡¯s a reputable source,¡± George replied. ¡°And there are other sources saying pretty much the same thing. There are even videos¡­¡± He turned his monitor and pulled up a video which showed a crater in the middle of the desert, surrounded by army vehicles. It looked to Zoha that the video had been taken by a local tourist or news reporter. As the camera panned, Zoha saw that at the bottom of the crater lay a small figure made entirely of¡­ ¡°That¡¯s not light,¡± she said softly, leaning forward. ¡°That¡¯s fire. White hot fire.¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. As she continued to watch, the figure, the size of a child and seemingly made entirely of fire, pushed to their feet and began approaching the tanks and military trucks. When the being was only a few hundred yards away, it threw its head and arms back and¡­ exploded. The video went blank. When George flipped over to another tab, a different video showed helicopters circling the remains of the military entourage. Everything within a quarter mile radius of the fiery figure was burnt to a crisp. Even the sand seemed to have turned to glass. The figure was gone. Zoha went back and re-watched both videos, then any others that George could pull up. Finally, she sighed and straightened. ¡°Well, damn. Egypt?¡± ¡°So it seems. You¡¯re going?¡± ¡°I have to.¡± Zoha frowned and moved to the windows staring out. ¡°That figure may have been anything. Alien, elemental, mutant¡­ but¡­¡± ¡°It looked like a child.¡± George¡¯s voice was soft. He understood Zoha¡¯s concern. She rarely ventured far from Haven. It was dangerous for her to be away - both for herself and the charges in her care. At the same time, if there was a child with dangerous powers on the loose, that was Haven¡¯s entire purpose. Zoha had to go and investigate and, if it was a minor, hopefully bring them back to Haven where they could be kept safe. ¡°Go get packed,¡± George said, finally. ¡°I¡¯ll make flight arrangements. Just¡­ Zoha?¡± The matron of Haven, an orphanage for children with dangerous powers, turned to look at her most trusted companion. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Be careful,¡± George said, meeting her gaze with a frown. ¡°This may not be a job for Shadowheart. If this child is that dangerous, she¡¯ll need Zoha. And that¡­¡± That was worrying. It was one thing to have a secret identity that she could pull out and then put away. But if her real powers became public, then Zoha, and all of her children, would suddenly be in the world¡¯s spotlight. Zoha nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be discreet. Let me know if I¡¯m needed. Shadowheart can get back quickly if something goes wrong.¡± George waved that off, ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. I raised you, didn¡¯t I? Compared to that, handling a few dozen children with various erratic abilities that they mostly can¡¯t control should be cake.¡± With a laugh, Zoha hugged the man who was her father, and left the room. Two hours later, she was on her way to Egypt to find a child-sized creature made entirely of fire, who could create a bomb capable of killing hundreds of people in mere moments.
¡°I¡¯m glad Raylan and the others convinced you to seek this story out. You do enjoy your dragons.¡± Huli sat on the roof of Haven, looking down at the children playing. A chuckle. I do. And motherly types. And tragic backstories. I do have a type, don¡¯t I? ¡°Is there anything wrong with that?¡± I suppose not. But we should not confine ourselves to our comfort zones, even in stories. There¡¯s always something to be learned. ¡°I think¡­ the most powerful part of stories is that we can see ourselves in them. And when we can see ourselves, we can become our best selves.¡± There was a long silence. Finally, a nod. I suppose that¡¯s true. I guess it¡¯s a balance, isn¡¯t it? Comfort and exploration. Kind of like¡­ Huli could smell it. Revelation. She loved it when the White Wave had a revelation. Nose twitching, she asked. ¡°Like what?¡± Windows and mirrors. Every child should have access to windows and mirrors. ¡°Those are two key parts of any house, yes.¡± A laugh. No. It¡¯s metaphorical. Someone once said that every child should have access to stories that provided them mirrors in which they could see others like themselves, and also windows through which they could see people who were different. ¡°Windows and mirrors. Yes.¡± Huli smiled. ¡°Yes, that is good. Windows and mirrors. I like that. So, if Zoha was a mirror, shall we try to find a window? Something different?¡± Perhaps. Yes, let¡¯s. See what your slivers can find. Eric: The Fox and the King
I''ll be there when the world stops turning I''ll be there when the storm is through In the end I wanna be standing At the beginning with you -¡°At the Beginning,¡± Anastasia
Anand found the king in his study, scowling over a stack of maps sprawled across his desk. Something about the distracted look in Eric¡¯s eyes told the fox angel that the king was not thinking about the war to come, but worrying about Anand¡¯s mistress instead. Sighing inwardly, Anand slipped into the office and nudged the door closed behind him. ¡°Your majesty.¡± He spoke with a smooth, rich voice, in the polite tones of a perfect nobleman, and his eyes shone with intelligence and compassion. ¡°It is late, and you have a meeting with your advisors first thing in the morning.¡± Eric frowned and glanced up, then turned back to his maps. ¡°There is still a great deal of work to be done.¡± ¡°And you will accomplish none of it while you are worrying yourself sick about Huli.¡± At that, Eric stopped flipping through a book and looked up. He started to protest, then just sighed and lowered herself into the chair behind his desk. ¡°She¡¯s fine. I would be able to tell if she was hurt.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, but Anand nodded anyway. ¡°She is fine. And she will be fine. You have to trust in her abilities.¡± ¡°I do! I just...¡± Eric sighed again and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to handle it. It¡¯s weird enough to fall for a goddess, but someone who puts herself in danger repeatedly¡­ how am I supposed to not worry?¡± Anand tilted his head and sat down on his haunches, studying the king. ¡°She wasn¡¯t always a goddess, your majesty.¡± Eric¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°I know that.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Anand inclined his head. ¡°But do you know what she was before? Who she was?¡± ¡°She was ¨C is ¨C a powerful sorceress. She¡­¡± he trailed off, frowning slightly as he considered. He didn¡¯t, he realized, know much about Huli¡¯s past. ¡°Does it really matter?¡± He asked. ¡°Whoever she was, she is the Everblossom now.¡± ¡°Our past always matters,¡± Anand replied smoothly. ¡°They define that which makes us. The Everblossom is just a title, one which comes with great power, and great responsibility. But her personality, her character, her priorities. They come from her roots.¡± The fox paused a moment, then asked, ¡°Has it ever occurred to you to wonder, your majesty, who Huli¡¯s parents were? She is the only woman of her kind in Highcrest.¡± Eric stared. He had not considered it. Huli was special, of course. But to question where she had come from, how she could be the only of her kind¡­ ¡°No one ever has. Not in my hearing. Everyone just accepts her¡­ unique nature.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Anand nodded. ¡°And yet, she is unique. Why? How?¡± He gave a small smile. ¡°You are the scholar king, your majesty. You may not have wondered before, but you will now.¡± As Eric remained silent, brows furrowed in thought, Anand dipped his head once more, then turned towards the door. ¡°Anand.¡± Eric¡¯s voice stopped him and caused him to look back. ¡°You say our past defines us. What about yours?¡± Anand gave a small smile of amusement. ¡°I am, perhaps, the exception to the rule, your majesty. My identity IS my purpose ¨C to serve my goddess.¡± Eric frowned slightly, then shook his head. ¡°I doubt that,¡± he mused, but he turned away, thoughtful as he moved to the wide bookshelf that lined the far wall. Anand¡¯s smile turned to a soft chuckle, then he turned away once more. He slipped out of the study and nudged the door quietly shut behind him, leaving the king alone with his thoughts. *** That night, Eric dreamed. Actually, it was Huli¡¯s dream, but as she slept, her mind opened and Eric found himself immersed in the goddess¡¯ vision. In the morning, she would not remember it. But the king would remember. Through Huli¡¯s eyes, Eric stared around at a wide, flat landscape of light so bright that it hurt the eyes. In the far distance, small buildings and jellyfish-like-trees rose up in what appeared to be a small settlement, though it was too far away to pick out any details. The rest of the world was barren, save the brilliant light and an older woman who knelt a few feet away, meditating. With every breath she exhaled, a tiny dragon made entirely of fire and light spiraled into existence then darted off into the sky. Huli watched the woman for a time, then turned and walked away. Not towards the settlement in the distance, but in the opposite direction. As she walked, she monitored her own breathing, exhaling the light with each breath rather than let it overwhelm her senses. Whatever this place was, Eric could assume that most people would find it instantly deadly. The power that emanated from everywhere wasn¡¯t just light, but energy. Pure, positive energy. Somehow, Huli had learned how to protect herself from the energy, or rather, how to channel it. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°I think I know why you can do this.¡± The woman had fallen into step beside Huli. Through his connection to the goddess, Eric was able to place a name to the woman. Kali. The Serpentcaller. Huli shot Kali a glance, eyebrows arched. ¡°Channel the light?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kali nodded. ¡°When I was dead,¡± she continued, ¡°they took my blood. They used it to plant into a small group of people, people who could not defend themselves. Over generations, they slowly built up my own blood inside these people¡­ these kitsune.¡± Huli stopped suddenly and turned to face Kali, her eyes narrowed. ¡°You are telling me that the legacy of the nine-tailed scions ¨C kitsune heroes who only appear every 9 generations¡­ is just a product of your blood and an ongoing experiment?¡± Kali simply nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Huli looked away, brows furrowing. ¡°So, the kitsune¡­ all of us are¡­¡± Kali nodded again. ¡°My children.¡± Huli turned and slowly started to walk away, but she didn¡¯t get two steps before turning back, her eyes flashing with temper. ¡°Wait. Khem. This is his doing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kali chuckled. ¡°You are to be his weapon against Necros, and possibly the old gods as well. He would create you and hold your leash.¡± ¡°Over my dead body,¡± Huli growled before growing thoughtful again. ¡°There¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand. If he can see the future with perfect clarity¡­ why didn¡¯t he see Anand?¡± Kali¡¯s smile was both gentle and wry. ¡°Anand was impossible. You should have suffered loss. Instead you came away with a great blessing.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just a child, though,¡± Huli shook her head, ¡°Why is he important?¡± Reaching out to pull Huli into an embrace, Kali sighed. ¡°Because he proves that you are the master of your own fate. Don¡¯t ever forget that¡­ my daughter.¡± *** The view of the palace gardens filled Huli with a great sense of relief as she stepped through the shadow between trees, out of the underground troglodyte city and into the heart of Highcrest. It had been a worrisome fight, and the danger was not yet passed, but she had made it back home, along with most of her team and their prize ¨C Thufkuler, the Demonslayer. At the moment, however, the spear was not the most important thing on Huli¡¯s mind as she turned to face King Eric, as he and his men gathered to welcome the returning adventurers. Eric met Huli¡¯s gaze and in his eyes, she saw what she had been looking for ¨C a spark that matched the immense relief she knew shone in her own eyes. As she stepped forward, he opened his arms and drew her to him in a warm and passionate embrace. The public show of intimacy caused several guards to shift uncomfortably, but Huli no longer cared. All that mattered just then was that she was back in the arms of the man she loved. It took time to get everyone settled, of course, but eventually, Huli found herself alone with Eric, curled up on the couch in his study with a book on her lap and a glass of wine in her hand. ¡°I sent Anand to meet with Akkenje. We¡¯ll eventually need to help her reclaim her temple, but for now Anand should be able to maintain a positive relationship with her. I¡¯d like to ensure that there will be peace between her people and ours.¡± Seated in an armchair nearby, Eric nodded, though mention of Anand had him growing quiet for a time. Finally, he took a deep breath and spoke up. ¡°Huli¡­ would you tell me about your past?¡± Surprised, Huli turned to blink up at Eric. ¡°My past?¡± Mildly uncomfortable, Eric shrugged. ¡°I really don¡¯t know much about you. About who you were before we met. And I¡¯ve never seen another fox child.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Huli grew quiet for a time, then shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s really not much to say. My father was Master Genario.¡± ¡°Genario?¡± Eric perked up. ¡°I know the name. He was a powerful wizard during my father¡¯s rein. But¡­ he was a human. So, who was your mother?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡± When Eric frowned, Huli chuckled. ¡°Master Genario wanted a child, and a student who could follow in his footsteps. He created a spell, similar to the one I use to summon my angels. And he created me.¡± Eric hesitated. He tried to fit this information into the framework of the dream he still remembered, though he knew Huli had no recollection of the vision. ¡°Then¡­ your people¡­ fox people¡­¡± Huli smiled and shook her head. ¡°I am one of a kind. A creation by a powerful mage who desperately wanted a family.¡± Again, Eric paused. ¡°Who¡­ who is Kali?¡± Now it was Huli¡¯s turn to be confused, and she blinked. ¡°Who? I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know that name.¡± Eric opened his mouth to reply, then thought better of it. He studied Huli¡¯s face, then finally shook his head. ¡°No one. It¡¯s nothing.¡± He managed a smile and leaned forward, reaching for the bottle of wine to refill both of their glasses. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I never got a chance to meet Master Genario. I¡¯ve heard tell of his research.¡± Huli¡¯s smile was warm and reminiscent. ¡°He was a good man. He expected me to study hard, to excel in both the arcane and divine arts, but at the core, he loved me and always put my safety and well-being first.¡± She paused, studying Eric, then gave a small, timid smile. ¡°You know, I had a crush on you as a child.¡± Eric jerked in surprise and he almost spilled the wine from the glass that he had just refilled. ¡°You¡­ what?¡± Huli laughed, her eyes dancing. ¡°Oh, come on, your majesty. I doubt there was a girl in the whole city who didn¡¯t fantasize about catching the eye of our cute prince. But most of us grow out of such fantasies when we grow up.¡± Leaning forward, Eric arched an eyebrow. ¡°Did you?¡± ¡°I thought I did.¡± Huli was still smiling, amused. ¡°But I guess a girl¡¯s first crush is never completely forgotten.¡± Now it was Eric¡¯s turn to chuckle. ¡°Lucky me.¡±
Huli laughed softly, replacing the magical crystal on the cushioned shelf. ¡°I had forgotten about that. One of the few times that you sent me out without our bond. I didn¡¯t know who I was. I couldn¡¯t hear you. And yet, some part of me still remembered.¡± Do you miss them? Eric and Anand? Sobering, Huli sighed. ¡°A little. I¡¯m glad you returned this story to me. A memory that I had misplaced. Perhaps we could¡­¡± Find them again? Yes, we probably could. Smiling, Huli nodded. That was a story she wouldn¡¯t regret seeing continued. Interlude: Rise of the Everblossom, Part 2
Two months is too little They let him go, they had no sudden healing To think that providence would Take a child from his mother while she prays is appalling -¡°Held,¡± Natalie Grant
Huli came to the elemental plane of positive energy for answers, but also for the ability to save her friends, her world. She had become one of the most powerful mortal heroes of her generation. Now, she needed to be more. She needed to ascend mortality. Ages ago, a man named Eternus had sought his power here at the light well. By taking on the pure soul energy of the well, he became a god, the most powerful of the pantheon. It had started a golden age of cooperation between gods and men. Those days were long over. With Eternus gone, vanished or sleeping, the lesser deities had begun squabbling like children, and taking their problems out on the mortals below. Huli had come seeking a way to reunite the worlds of gods and men. What she found was the path that Eternus had walked. With the words of the mysterious four-armed tutor still whispering in her mind, Huli settled down to meditate. She entered into her immersive mindscape, sinking into her own memories, the core of her being. She watched her life unfold before her, a road of memories. Winding, moving, bleeding in some places. The memory of her mother¡¯s dead body. Her first encounter with Theravauld, the man she would fall in love with. There was the time the baby named Hope had been lost in the fire, and another when the sacred blade was corrupted. Bloodied wounds in the roadmap of her life. For a time, Huli studied the road of her life, paying special attention to the points where her soul bled in pain, grief or fear. Like blades against the skin, they were sharp reminders of loss and injury. But as she continued to follow the path of her memories, Huli noticed other places where her journey seemed to stumble. Instead of blood, she noticed them as shadows, far more subtle, like comparing deep bruises to the slice of a blade. The first trip to Nordos via ship. The days spent in Astaria. Discovering the protection mindscape. Easily dismissed to a casual observer, they are no less powerful in shaping Huli into who she had become. These were times of fear, worry, anxiety and, in the case of finding the protection mindscape empty, its original occupant destroyed, momentary despair. Times when the shadows inched closer, whispering for Huli to give up, give in. They were the bruises that sapped her strength, and made her question whether it was worth continuing on. One by one, Huli accepted each of these moments in her life - the bleeds and the bruises. With each one, her soul seemed to glow brighter, purer, as if to say, ¡°This is who I am.¡± Eventually, the visions faded, and Huli found herself at the border between the road behind and the road she had yet to walk. There, looming high overhead, was a giant statue. Carved of pure white marble, it showed a matron bleeding from the eyes, holding a lifeless infant. Puzzled, Huli studied the statue. What could it mean? Was she the woman or the infant? Neither? Both? At first, the woman¡¯s face looked to Huli to be that of her own mother, but after a closer inspection, Huli pulled back, startled. It wasn¡¯t her mother¡¯s face - it was hers. Older, heavier, it was the face of a Huli who had seen much and sacrificed more. With a gasp, Huli bent over, clutching her stomach. She could feel it, then, what she had missed before. The tiny flicker of life that was growing inside her womb. Suddenly, with a horrifying sinking feeling, Huli understood. She looked up and met the statue¡¯s gaze, tears running down her own cheeks to match that of the statue¡¯s. Huli was with child, and now she faced a horrible choice. If she continued on her current path, if she stepped into the light, then she might survive, but her child would surely die. "Sweet child," she whispered over a choking sob, and felt her heart break in her chest for the baby she had never had the chance to meet. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. For a long time, Huli lay there, crumpled on the ground, at the foot of the statue. She had been willing to give up anything to protect her people - all mortals - but she hadn''t expected this. Couldn''t have planned for this. Could she sacrifice an innocent life, her own child, for the power to protect the world? She could almost hear her heart shattering, but even as the pieces cut her up inside, she could not deny the answering question that rang in her mind. Is one innocent child - her own child - to be valued more than a million other souls? Can I lie to myself and others, say that I am willing to sacrifice anything for the greater good, if I am not willing to give up this? If I am not willing to make this sacrifice? Squeezing her eyes shut, Huli pressed her hand against her abdomen. "I love you," she whispered. "Even as you join the flame, always know that you are loved." As she spoke, something inside her soul crystallized. There was the fundamental truth that lay at her very core. It had always been there, a gift from her mother, nurtured and cherished. It was her overwhelming capacity for love, the driving force that had brought her this far, given her the perseverance to continue despite all hardship, because otherwise, all would be lost. Huli¡¯s soul became as diamond, anchored in her truth. She was strong. She was ready. Still, Huli took several more deep breaths before letting the mindscape fade away and opening her eyes. Then she pushed to her feet, and stepped into the column of light. In an instant, Huli was no longer. Her entire being erupted into holy flame and every atom was ripped apart. Where she had been was now simply¡­ light. Her soul ascended towards the center of the pillar, her core almost fully merging with the positive energy. Then, the soul that had been Huli descended into eternity, into the very nova from which all life originated. Through the fall, her soul clung desperately onto the one thing that could hold her together, even as the rest of her identity was torn to glittering shreds. Love. In time, the soul found herself jettisoned away from the core of light at incredible speeds, falling back through the hole beneath the column. She shot out of a nearby star, departing from the great ball of fire into the darkness of space. As she flew, Huli regained some of her mind, her personality, her sentience, though her physical form was still just a ball of light, now many times brighter than her soul had been previously. In fact, as she fell through the dark void between stars, her light revealed the dark, shifting masses of the old gods, causing them to stir from their slumber. They reached out with their giant claws and warping tendrils, but pulled back in pain from the searing light of Huli¡¯s soul, and she was quickly past their reach. When Huli eventually crashed onto a nearby planet, sparks from her eternal essence spilled out around her in a crater the size of a small city. Each spark that fell sprouted into a new form of life and began to grow. All around, a grassy and flowering field emerged from the barren soil of the uninhabited planet. In the center, a giant flower shot up as if reaching toward the stars. The petals of the bud unfolded and in the center lay Huli, reborn. The old gods raged. They swim through the empty space to consume this new world of life, desperate to extinguish Huli¡¯s pure essence. They clawed for her, attempting to destroy her before her power could rise and light up the world. But, they were too late. Rising from the petals of the Everblossom, Huli reached her hand toward the nearby star. At her bidding, the star began to crack. The old gods paused in their advance Huli was giving birth. The star erupted, spewing forth holy fire which quickly began to burn the nearest old gods, causing them to recoil in pain. In the next instant, the star exploded, destroying several planets from a nearby solar system. Anand, The Solar Dragon was born. His great wings moved through the void burning away the shadows of the old gods until they were reduced to ash. Then, the power of his birth finally depleted, he transformed into an infant and slowly lowered into his mother¡¯s arms, even as the ashes of the old gods rained down upon the newly flourishing planet, feeding the life that would continue to grow there. And thus, Huli¡¯s infant child became the second being to ever slay an old god. Holding her son lovingly to her breast, Huli extended her hand over the world she had created and opened it up to the divine, turning it into a star in which she created her new domain. The world watched in awe as Huli, the Everblossom, goddess of life, love and family, rose to take her place in the heavens. Adriel: Welcome to Egandia
¡°One more day, one more time One more sunset, maybe I¡¯d be satisfied But then again, I know what it would do Leave me wishing still for one more day with you.¡± ¡°One More Day,¡± Diamond Rio
The grass was blue. Of all the things that had happened in the past hour, this was the part that Adriel was having the most trouble with. The grass. Was blue. It swayed in the breeze, the stalks making ripples and waves that looked so much like an actual body of water that it made her brain hurt. One minute Adriel would swear she was staring at an enormous lake, and the next¡­ no. That was grass. Blue. Grass. Shaking her head, Adriel forced herself to turn away and glanced over at her husband. Kalrotoss, too, was staring at the grasslands that stretched out below them. They stood at the top of a hill, under one of the tallest trees that Adriel had ever seen. It wasn¡¯t ¡°world tree¡± tall, but it had to have been almost a mile in height, and its branches stretched out in all directions before dropping low, creating a canopy that blocked out much of the sun, so that the rays filtered in through the leaves and scattered across the ground like light through broken glass. ¡°Well¡­¡± Adriel said slowly, and Kalrotoss glanced back at her. ¡°I guess we should take stock. Any idea where we are?¡± Kalrotoss shook his head and frowned. ¡°We could be anywhere. But no, I don¡¯t recognize it. It¡¯s certainly not the Cascades.¡± Adriel studied the series of hills that continued to the east before merging into a mountain range that stretched far to the north and south. The mountains were impressive from the foothills where they stood, looking up, but they were still miniature compared to the Cascade Mountains where she and Kalrotoss had given their lives to stop the chaos nova. Or¡­ they had thought they were giving our lives. Yet, here they were. Somewhere else. Alive. Adriel glanced down at her clothes, her¡­ well, that was it. She didn¡¯t have any other items, no weapons, no armor. She could be grateful that she wasn¡¯t naked or barefoot, but beyond that, she was bereft of all but one possession. The tiefling held up her hand, studying the gold band that sat comfortably there. It certainly looked like the ring that Kalrotoss had slipped onto her finger on their wedding day, those thousands of years ago. But, was it¡­? Curious, Adriel tried to mentally activate the item. :Hello?: Kalrotoss started, then turned to look at her with an arched eyebrow. Adriel shrugged, giving a wry smile. ¡°Just taking stock,¡± She said aloud. ¡°Looks like the rings work.¡± Kalrotoss nodded slowly, and she heard his response in my head. :So they do. That¡­ is a relief.: Adriel had to agree. ¡°What else do you think we might have kept? Any natural abilities?¡± She gave Kalrotoss a pointed look and he tilted his head, considering. ¡°It¡¯s worth finding out,¡± he agreed. He took several steps back, moving down from the hilltop and out from under the great tree before seeming to pause and concentrate. Adriel waited. Then she waited some more. She was beginning to get worried when suddenly¡­ he was there. The enormous golden dragon that Adriel knew and loved. She let out a breath that she hadn¡¯t realized she was holding. So much of Kalrotoss¡¯s identity was wrapped up in what he was, that Adriel wasn¡¯t sure what he would have done if he had lost that. Plus, she couldn¡¯t deny that she was feeling a little defenseless, here in this foreign world with no weapons or items and no friendly civilization in sight. Having a golden dragon on her side made her feel a lot better, even if he was a fair bit smaller than I remembered, only reaching 20 feet from head to tail. :Your turn.: Kalrotoss urged through our mental bond, and Adriel hesitated. For Kalrotoss, being a dragon was more than second nature. For hundreds of years before she had ever met him, his dragon form was his default. But for Adriel¡­ her identity was a bit more complicated. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± The tiefling replied, hesitantly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can.¡± Kalrotos lowered his draconic head to her level and stared at her with a large golden reptilian eye. :Stop making excuses.: Adriel rolled her eyes. Okay, fine. I deserved that. She nodded grudgingly and followed Kalrotoss down the hill a ways, not wanting to hit anything if - when - she grew. Then Adriel took a breath and closed her eyes and¡­ concentrated. She remembered the first time she had changed into a dragon, discovering her true identity. The tiefling hadn¡¯t become a majestic creature of gold scales and great, powerful wings, but a different kind of dragon, one that was more akin to the children of Kalrotoss¡¯ aunt, the goddess of conquest. Known as blood dragons, these creatures had long, snake-like bodies with no wings, though they were still fully capable of flight. Most of them had scales in shades of dark reds and violets, which was partly where they got their name. They were feared and hated by many and were the mortal enemies of Kalrotoss¡¯ kin. It had taken Adriel a long time to come to terms with that, to accept that what she was would not define who she was, and even longer to stop questioning Kalrotoss¡¯ love for her in the face of her true bloodline. Even then, she had never felt truly comfortable as a dragon, and once she learned to take other forms, she tended to prefer those. Now, here she was, trying to become a blood dragon again. For a long moment, nothing happened. And for a longer moment¡­ nothing still happened. Adriel was letting out a sigh of frustration, reading to give up, when something¡­ shifted. She let out a squawk and fell back, landing hard on a particularly sharp rock that dug into her back. :Ow!: Rolling over, she shook herself and kept her eyes closed as she internally took stock. Four legs? Check. Scales? Check. Elongated snout with sharp teeth? Oh, yeah. Adriel was just taking a breath of relief when she noticed that the ground below her had started to rumble. Startled, she snapped her eyes open and then her mouth dropped open in shock. The entire world had magnified in size! The tree was now several miles tall and the rocks around her had become boulders. Even Kalrotoss had grown, and he was at least as big as she had ever seen him, towering over her. Adriel was left disoriented by the sudden shift of her perception of the world, and the rumbling in the ground continued as she tried to process the change. It wasn¡¯t until she heard the chortle in her mind that it clicked what was causing the rumbling - Kalrotos was laughing. His great rolls of laughter shook the ground below her and caused the rocks to shake and rattle. Glaring up at the massive dragon, Adriel struggled to her feet, but when she looked down, she froze. Her feet weren¡¯t the strong, sharp claws of dark red scales that she had been expecting. These feet were dainty and covered in opalescent scales that shimmered with flashes of blue and violet. Frowning, she turned her head to take in the rest of her form. Instead of a long, snake-like body, she had the shape of a golden dragon, like Kalrotoss, but her scales were the same pearlescent shades of mostly blues and violets. And her wings¡­ she had wings. When had she gotten wings? The greatest shock, however, wasn¡¯t that she had wings. It was that the wings weren¡¯t like Kalrotoss¡¯ - great stretches of golden scales. Adriel¡¯s wings were multicolored and iridescent filament, akin to that of a butterfly. Adriel suddenly flashed back to the first friend she had made when she started adventuring as a young orphan teenager, all those years ago. A wise owl had become her familiar, then later transformed into a small faerie dragon when she began her studies as a summoner. Eventually, it was revealed that this companion who had been by her side for years was actually a piece of her own soul, cut free and given form. When Adriel discovered her true heritage as a blood dragon, the transformation required that her soul be made whole, and she¡¯d had to say goodbye to her loyal friend. In truth, that loss had been even harder than the transformation itself. It didn¡¯t matter that her familiar would always be a part of her. Adriel still missed her dearly. Comprehension dawning, Adriel turned back to stare up at Kalrotoss¡¯ laughing form. With understanding came the ability to process her new perspective of the world around her. The world hadn¡¯t gotten big: Adriel had shrunk. She was a faerie dragon. Still chuckling, Kalrotoss lowered his head to the ground before his wife and his voice was warm when it spoke in her mind. :Hello, Tyglia. It¡¯s good to see you again.:
On the branches of the enormous gillaburrow tree perched a small bird, about the size of a canary but with feathers of glowing red and orange, like embers of a fire. Cocking her head, Reylei stared down at the two dragons on the ground far below her. They had only just arrived in Egandia, but already their powers were returning. There was a story to be told here, and Reylei would relish the chance to watch, to observe, and to report back to her goddess. As the mated pair that were the golden dragon and the faerie dragon took humanoid form once again and made their way to the east through the Blue Grass Sea, Reylei launched into the air and followed them towards the city that sat on the eastern coast. Three days later, when Adriel and Kalrotoss boarded the Deep Runner on the way to the larger western continent of Egandia, they were welcomed by the captain¡¯s cabin boy, a young kitsune kit who introduced himself as Rey.