《The Player or the Piece?》 Prologue Soft music plucked on a string instrument permeated the courtyard from an open passage. A soft breeze carried a pleasantlavender fragrancethroughout the area. A musician lost in their art would not have heard the soft scratching of quill to paper nor the soft breathing of the many people that silently watched. Yet this was neither a typical musician nor a typical place. This was a place of confluence. An amphitheaterwherethere are many roads thatlead to only this destination. One is of nature where a game path trailed through a lush green forest. One of architectureboth ancient and new wherea paved road was beset by magnificent buildings of metal and glass, or simple structures of wood, straw and thatch. There were paths of fire, water, wind and earth. Paths of blood, of war, of conquest. For every concept that people could conceive, it was representedby a path that led to this place. Chapter 1 "To find an answer we must have the courage to ask a question and then find the motivation to try to understand. This is why we study and why we continue to improve upon our understanding. We will endeavor to understand how things change and we will create predictive models to that end. We will learn to control the material world together. Welcome once again to Calculus!" The professor ended her lesson with excitement but Alanna just wasn''t feeling all that excited. It had been a relatively calm day to any that may observe her. Yet her mind was being a bit to active for her particular liking. She wasn''t wholly convinced it was her mind any more. She had spent most if this last class just trying to ignore the memories of the last kiss he shared with her before leaving to fight in someone else''s war. Her soft lips pressed frantically against his own seeking comfort and assurance. Her warmth against his skin fading quickly as they separated yet the moment was so deeply ingrained into his being that Alanna could almost still feel her as the memory faded. Alanna''s cheeks were flushed and her heart was racing. Her emotions were all over the place. She felt a deep sorrow and regret for having to leave behind his love. She felt a duty to a cause that she had never been a part of. She felt a love so deep it almost hurt. However, she mostly felt confusion at the deep feelings she had of someone else''s life. It was not the first time she had an episode like this. It certainly wouldn''t be the last. She wished more than anything that her mind would be her own but these ghosts of the past demanded she give them their due. Alana inhaled deeply and released a shaky breath. Then collected her notepad and textbook, tossed them into her bag, then left the building. She rushed to the residence hall and and closed herself into her dormitory room. Alanna breathed deeply and sat on her bed. It was too much. It was all just too much. She had a solid 3.2 GPA but this was a failure if you asked her ojiisan. She had preferred her daideo if she were being honest. He tended to dote on her and not demand nearly as much. She rarely got to see her grandparents as the paternal set lived in the small village of Corrandulla in county Galway of Ireland and the maternal set lived in Nikko, Japan. Alanna lived with her mother, who was an executive for a Japanese car manufacture, in a small Ohioan town in the United States. Her father had died when she was young but her paternal grandparents demanded to be involved in her life. Family was everything to the Kirwans and even if she held only half their blood she was one of the tribe. She spent nearly every summer in county Galway where her daideo and maimeo would take her through her history. "Your blood is of this land Alanna." Her maimeo would say. "Our gods may be dead but the land remembers our pact and our blood is always drawn back to the land." It was weirdly true. Alanna was drawn their far more so than she was to Japan. Her fiery red hair and emerald green eyes may have had something to do with it. After a few more deep breaths she calmed down and picked up the phone. She had to let her mother know of the episode she did not want to fall further behind in her studies and perhaps the campus environment was not helping. Her latest batch of meds certainly weren''t. She prepared to dial when another memory overtook her. The fog was thick across the land and the ground was damp. A hound was baying in the distance and whirls of fog pushed into her visual spectrum like the ghosts of the land seeking her warmth. The hoof beat of the horses was slow and the metallic clamoring of the barding added to the eerie ambiance. "Were almost to the lough." A masculine voice sounded next to her. "Please let us be on time." Alanna heard herself whisper. Except it wasn''t quite her voice. It was huskier and she could feel an ache across her body that could only come from age. The red hair she could see in her peripheral was fading into grey and was far more curly then Alanna''s own. The fog thinned as the elevation increased slightly and Alanna could hear the cries of despair. Her group crested the ridge and froze as they beheld the horror. The great tree lie broken and a fat priest with his golden crucifix held above his head screamed about the inevitability of his God''s defeat of the pagan gods. A cohort of the legion surrounded the coven. Alanna could feel her heart breaking and tears flowed freely from her eyes. "No." She cried. She could see the other druids corpses and while that was sad it was nothing compared to the pain she felt seeing the tree cut down. The sorrow turned to anger and she let it out in an anguished and terrible cry. "Maraigh iad go l¨¦ir!" She screamed and her retinue charged down the hill.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. The hobelars crashed into the metal clad legion and began hacking with axes and swords creating chaos in the ranks. It took several minutes for the legion''s cohort to regain order but when it did it had there were fewer than a hundred remaining. Unfortunately for the Tuatha they had only fifty fighters still alive. The tribe did not care. "Our blood for our land!" They cried and charged the now prepared cohort. The blood flowed into the land but they were overwhelmed by numbers. Alanna lay dying on the ground her sickle covered in blood. She breathed slowly and held her hand over her abdomen trying to keep her insides where they belonged. She stared at the fallen tree and tears once again fell. She could not save her lands and these converts kept invading and bringing with it new ideas and a new belief. The old places of power were drying up and the land gods were retreating with the rest of the Tuatha De Danann to the realm beyond. She heard foot steps approach her and the fat priest stood above her his zealous gaze piercing her. "It appears my God is stronger than yours pagan." He spat in vitriol. "This land will become the kingdom of heaven and your filth will be purged with the other demons." The blood flowing from her wound seeped into the land and Alanna felt her hands fall away. The blood pooled into her open palm on the ground and in it a thorn was formed by the land. She looked up at the priest and smiled. Her teeth was stained in her own blood but she had a look of peace. "The old ways may be gone but you will not live to see this kingdom of your god." She thrust the thorn into his inner thigh and fell back to the ground. She laughed as the man screamed the thorn turning back into blood and flowing into his wound. Within moments it turned black and pushed through the man''s circulatory system. Black blood flowed from his mouth as he screamed then he fell to the ground and burst into vines of ivy that spread around Alanna and lifted her into the sky. The few remaining of the cohort fled from the coven and into the fog. Alanna stared out over the hill and stared into the dark waters of Lough Corrib. Tears still fell as did her blood but the ivy held her firmly. Her breathing became shallow and her heart beats slowed. "My blood for my land." She whispered then slumped in death. The ivy gently laid her to rest and then consumed her and every other corpse left behind. Alanna stared blankly at the phone screen in her hand. Tears fell freely from her eyes. She took a deep shaky breath and reached toward her night stand where a bottle of pills sat opened and waiting. "Why does this keep happening?" She cried as she clasped the bottle. Before she could take a pill her phone rang. She looked at the screen to see who was calling "Daideo" was written on the screen. Alanna paused and took a deep breath before answering. "Hi grandpa." She said. "My little one, my Alanna. Mam¨® told me to call you. She said it is time to come home." Chapter 2 Alanna stared at her phone in confusion. "Daideo what did you say?" She asked. "I said that Mam¨® wants you to come home. The land calls you back little one." He replied. "Grandfather I am in university right now. I cannot leave." There was a brief pause and she heard her grandmother saying something in the background. "Ostara is coming up. You can come then we will have your ticket waiting for you." He paused expectantly. "I, I will be there grandpa. Alanna said. "Yes we will see you very soon. Sl¨¢n abhaile" He replied and disconnected the call. "Sl¨¢n." Alanna managed just before the disconnect. She stared blankly at her phone. That memory or vision or whatever it was seemed to be far more visceral than most. She lay back on her bed and stared at the ceiling her mind 1600 years away. She found herself brushing her hand against her abdomen and thinking about that woman''s last moments. Who was she? Was she real or part of her delusions. Alanna rarely had delusions. Sure her schizophrenia displayed itself as memories but she never experienced magical blood ivy before. She thought back to some of the more recent memories in which she had been the same man. In fact, she had seen the same man for most of her life and looking the memories he seemed like he would be her somewhere around her mother''s age. His soldier uniform looked like ones from movies her friend''s parents watched. She looked down at her hands and clenched her fists. She saw him die too. A piece of metal shrapnel from an explosion pierced his armor at the abdomen. He died just like that woman. It was slow and painful but neither wept from their own pain. The soldier wept for a love he would never see again and the woman wept for the land without its god. "Am I doomed to die in a similar way?" Alanna asked quietly. ______ The next few weeks seemed to go by rather uneventfully. Her mind had a bit of clarity that she had never felt before. She had a sense of purpose and was actually quite excited to travel back to Ireland. She missed her grandparents and found the land to be one of the most beautiful places she''s been, even with all the rain. She found herself smiling more as spring break drew nearer. Her classes, discussions, and essays all went smoothly and she hoped that her mind would hold out. The 15 hour flight into Knock was a bit nerve-wracking as they hit turbulence several times over the Atlantic and Alanna was grateful to have solid ground beneath her feet. It was a cool yet comfortable 10 degrees and the still wet tarmac gave proof that one of the few March showers had recently blown through. It brought a happy smile to her face and she walked to her ride share with a bit more pep in her step. The drive south was just under an hour but it really was the perfect drive through the country. The Emerald Isle lived up to its name with the green hills and sparkling in the occasional beam of sunlight that made its way through the slightly overcast sky. The petrichor scent was hanging in the air and everything felt right and true and just like home. Alanna laughed at the though. It had never felt so true before. She had always loved this place but for the first time ever she felt home. She arrived at a small cottage where an elderly couple awaited her with smiles on their face. They were both in relatively great shape for being in their sixties. Her grandfather had a large reddish silver beard that reminded her of the pictures she saw of her father. He had a relatively large frame that dwarfed both her and her grandmother. Her grandmother had Curly brown hair and the most beautiful clear emerald eyes she ever saw. She was thin and clearly still quite active but had an inner strength that seemed to permeate her being. The cottage was fairly traditional except it had a more modern wood shake shingles and dormers with large windows to allow the sunlight through. The family greeted each other with a hug and kiss on the cheek and Alanna couldn''t help but scent them deeply. She missed this. It had been far to long. "Come A leanbh. We have toast and tea from breakfast. I am sure you are hungry and tired from your trip."Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Her grandmother said and led her inside to a warm and cosey room with an open hearth and a burning log at its center. A small tray with tea and black toast sat on a round table that had three small chairs placed around it. Alanna removed her sweater and started to remove her shoes when she realized her grandparents had not. She was so used to doing it at home it had become habitual especially with her Japanese mother requiring it. Her fathers family did not seem to share that particular custom. They sat at the table where she was served tea and toast and she both sipped and nibbled while her grandparents stared lovingly at her. "She looks so much like him." Her grandmother said to her grandfather. His smile was genuine when he looked at her and nodded. "You are a beautiful flower blooming on your own." He said. "Tell me. How have you been?" Her Mam¨® asked with concern etched upon her face. "Oh I am ok grandma." School is just a lot right now and I am a bit more stressed out. I will be ok though." Alanna said smiling. Her grandmother frowned slightly then looked at her husband and gave him a subtle nod. He rose from the table and moved toward the still open door. "I will just get another log for fire Anna." He said then walked outside. Her grandmother smiled knowingly and reached out to caress her hands. The overly physical affection was not something she received very often and it made her happy. Yet, she was curious about the look her grandmother was giving her. "I wish we could have raised you here. Shane and I would have loved to have had you and to explain so much about our family." Alanna looked confused but smiled anyway. "Well I would have loved to live here. I don''t really have complaints about Ohio. There is not a whole lot to do in Marysville but Columbus has been a lot of fun. We moved there when I was so young I don''t really remember Japan but mom says I would have hated it given my wilder nature." "It is good to explore all of your roots but yes you did inherit quite a bit from your father." Her grandmother said with a knowing smile. "That is actually why you are here. I know about the issues you have been having." Alanna frowned. "I have had a few more episodes than normal the past few years but I am managing. I won''t let this disability ruin my future. "Oh child." Anna said and moved to wrap Alanna into an embrace. "You are not crazy these are not delusions. This is not something medication can take away. It is just you. A part of you that is trying to make itself known." She paused when the frown took over Alanna''s face. "I know it is hard to believe but you are part of this land and this land is a part of you. The ancient druids were many things throughout these lands but here they were the ones that delved into the sciences and taught us the ways to better society. They were also the keepers of the oldest lore and the last true heroes." She paused to make sure she had Alanna''s full attention then continued. "They taught us all the importance of the soul and its journey through all its different lives. The bodies we inhabit are just shells for the spirit and each spirit lives and dies thousands of times. Only those deeply tied to these lands can pull from this pool of memories. This was one of the requirements to be a druid. They taught us because they carried with them several lifetimes of knowledge. Whatever you think you are seeing isn''t a delusion my child. It is your past and it is time for you to accept and understand that past. Alanna stared in disbelief at what she was hearing. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she clamped her lips shut. What could she say to any of this. It was madness. Yet a part of her believed even if it was crazy. Her grandmother seemed to genuinely believe what she was saying. She also kind of wanted to believe it so that she wouldn''t be crazy anymore. She would just be remembering things and that was quite normal after all. She was staring at her grandmother but her mind was a thousand miles and 20 years away. "I am not asking you to believe me without offering any sort of proof. Tomorrow you will come with us and we will show you a place that few know exists and of those that do none would enter. It will help you understand both our ways and yourself. For now rest until tomorrow. We will have some stew and potato farls for dinner. and your room is the same as always." She stood up and kissed Alanna''s cheek then walked out to find her husband. Chapter 3 Alanna lay in bed considering what her mam¨® had discussed. She still couldn''t wrap her head around the idea that she was not crazy. Oh, she had thought that her memories were real and belonged to someone else. However, she was the only only who thought that. Even her mother believed she was suffering from a mental disorder. This was technically true in that her mind did not operate conventionally. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep and wondered what great revelation awaited her tomorrow. A loud rooster call broke Alanna from the dream she had been having. She stretched and looked about the simple room she had. She had a dresser, a night stand with a lamp, the bed she lay on wrapped in a large quilted blanket and a window with thick curtains. It was fairly spartan yet it held a strange comfort in its simplicity. It was quite different from living with her mother. As one of the very few Japanese women that held an executive position she had to live up to a very strange expectation where she both epitomized the ideal of what a woman should be while also showcasing what a strong executive should be. So, there was a beauty and elegance along with a display of wealth and power in the Hotaru household. To Alanna, it was comfortable but it came with so many leashes of expectation that the comfort was eroded by responsibility. This small cottage on the emerald isle was free of expectation. It was free of the shackles of expectation that she had felt growing up. Perhaps that is why the minimalistic style did not bother her. Oh, she would eventually pull out her laptop and phone to check back in to the real world. For now though, she was content. After the morning ablutions were taken care of, Alanna found her way to table where daideo was sitting with with a sheaf of the the Independent open and perusing an article while sipping his tea. She smiled offered a hug and kiss then made her way to the kitchen where mam¨® was just finishing breakfast. "Plate the toast and tea A-leanbh and bring them to the table for me." Her grandmother asked. Alanna complied and followed mam¨® to the table. She set the plate with toast, marmalade, butter and tea down then sat down in anticipation. For any in the know surely understand the blessing that is the full Irish breakfast. She stared intently at the sliced sausage, fried egg with a pristinely held yolk waiting for the bread, the fried tomatoes and beans, and the black pudding. Don''t misunderstand. Alanna also enjoyed umami, rice, natto, and tamagoyaki it was a staple of her diet and she liked it all. There was just something more fulfilling with her current breakfast and she couldn''t really place why. They consumed their breakfast in a comfortable silence that good food seemed to demand. Their thoughts each on the mysteries of the world and solutions for all its troubles. They were on the brink of discovery when inevitably the food was consumed and their inspired minds fell back to the reality of their day and the next steps they would take. " We will take a car out toward the lough this morning." Her grandfather said. "It''s a bit of a drive from here but it is quite scenic." Alanna smiled. "It will be good to see the land and the lake again. When will we leave?" She asked. Her grandfather rose and headed toward the door. "I''ll grab the car while you two clear the table." He said and exited with a smile. The drive was not really all that long compared to the drives Alanna was used to given the state she lived in was larger that this country. However, for a local it was likely a bit of a hike. They talked through many topics during the ride. Some having to do with things her father had done when he was a lad. Other''s about Alanna''s future and what she wanted from life. It was rather peaceful even with bringing up the memory of her da. She had not known him all that long but she still remembered him being kind even if he seemed huge compared to her. She was just a child then so perspective being what it was she imagined him a giant. Given how her grandfather was at least a head taller than she was now, she imagined her father was still rather large. She didn''t remember all that much and she missed the life they could of had more than she missed him. They drove through Annaghdown and came and parked nearby the cemetery. The exited the vehicle and the air turned a bit more somber as they took in the view. There were ruins of a cathedral and many tombstones marking the graves of the long departed. "This way." Her mam¨® stated and headed toward a hill that seemed all to familiar. Alanna looked around in wonder. Time had changed this area as it is wont to do but there was still an air of familiarity. They headed to the top of the hill where the ruins of an abbey lay. The stone surrounded in vines of ivy. The land was slowly taking back what mankind had dominated for so long. Tears came unexpectedly to Alanna''s eyes and she felt conflicted feelings bubbling to the surface. Conflicted because they were both hers and not hers. She brushed away the tears and moved mechanically along side her grandparents as they crested the hill and looked out over Lough Corrib. "It is beautiful is it not?" Her grandma asked and laid a comforting hand on Alanna''s shoulder. "I''ve seen this before in the memories." Alanna said dully. Her mam¨® smiled and gently led her toward the abbey. They walked into the ruins which were not much more than a few still standing walls. Toward the back wall there was what appeared to be a collapsed staircase covered in ivy and brambles. As they approached the ivy seemed to retract and a clear path down was exposed . Alanna stared in awe and disbelief as they retracted. She felt a slight sting in her palm and yelped. She looked down and saw a bramble retracting with a bit of her blood on the plant but it left behind a small berry. She stared blankly at the tiny drop of blood next to the berry in her palm. Her grandmother smiled. "The land gives and takes." She said mysteriously. "Go on eat it, it is a gift from the land." Alanna stared dubiously at the berry. "A gift?" She asked. "Technically I paid for it in blood." She shrugged and going against all of her better judgement popped the berry in her mouth. The taste was a bit tart but was still quite good. The seeds added a strange texture but it didn''t detract from the experience. She continued following her grandparents down the stairs but her mind started to fade into another lifetime. She was now a young boy wearing some sort of wooden armor on his body. The grounds were frozen and covered in snow and ice but he continued trekking onward. The great bandorai, his maternal grandmother, had claimed the age of ice was at its end and they could once again walk the world above as their ancestors had once. So, they trekked through the thawing ice and made their way toward the land of the open sky. The journey took days and they found little to eat but they continued on the words of the old bandorai.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. They found many strange creatures in this land above. Great cats that took ten men to take down. There were larger beasts that most stayed away from as they could not understand or comprehend them. Great furred beasts with massive bones protruding from their mouth tossed warriors aside as if they were pixies. At one point they had come across a herd of such giant beings and several warriors fell to their mad charge. Then his siblings arrived and with their power they brought death to the creatures. The boy felt pride in his family and listened happily to the cheers. They flew on wings of light over the tuath and eventually landed next to the child who was grinning up at them. "Did you enjoy the show little Nuada?" His sister asked knowingly. Alanna gasped and shivered as the memory began to fade. It only lasted a few moments but it felt like she had been there. The cold bite of winter against her skin, the feeling of adrenaline pushing through her body triggering her desire to fight, the promise of the bandorai that they would find their home, was all so very real. It caused her to feel deep emotions and it confused her. She shivered again as the sub zero temperature she remembered feeling warmed up to a comfortably cool 10 degrees. She found herself at the end of the staircase which opened up to a large cellar where in the center sat a massive stump with twelve offshoots of new growth coming out of the sides to perfectly encircle it. The trio stared at the scene for a long moment before her grandfather turned back to the stairs and knelt in front of them. He placed his hands to the ground and whispered softly. "Cosain m¨¦ mar a chosna¨ªm t¨²." The brambles and ivy quickly wove back into the stairwell and blocked off the light from above. The cellar was momentarily thrown into complete darkness but a soft glow emanated from each of the 12 saplings that grew from the old stump. Alanna saw her grandmother turn to face her so she reluctantly pulled her eyes from the ring and turned to face her mam¨®. There was a soft smile on her gran''s face as she inspected every facet of Alanna looking for the micro-cues that would give her insight into Alanna''s thoughts. Alanna''s eyes flickered all over the place. She wasn''t really sure what to think. The revelations just kept coming. There was real magic at work here. The plants were certainly not supposed to grow and move the way they did. The berry she ate shouldn''t have triggered a memory but then again weirder things had triggered memories so she was not as surprised by that. The revelation in the memory was surprising. That name was ¡ª no it couldn''t have been. It was just a coincidence. Yet the time frame was too early wasn''t it. The ice age end and the tuath migration were far separated by time. At least they should be based on what is commonly known. She couldn''t believe and couldn''t comprehend what she was seeing both physically and mentally. So she shut it down. Her grandmother frowned when she saw this and clasped Alanna around her cheeks. "No child." She said more firmly then Alanna had ever heard. "You will understand. It is time. I have heard the call of the land and so have you." Alanna stared dumbly and soft squeak spilled from her partially open lips. Her grandmother smooshed her cheeks then pinched them lightly before backing up. "As I mentioned yesterday A-leanbh, the memories are not delusions as those doctors would claim. They are part of who you are or more precisely who you were. The druids have long held the belief that the soul is eternal and that it moves from body to body throughout time. The experiences of one life are etched forever into the soul even if the next life cannot remember or know their is a subtle undercurrent of influence directing us." She turned back and smiled warmly. "However, the druid were tied to the land and it gifted them the memories stored within the land. It is why we were the doctors, and scientist and even brought forth a civil authority. We remembered the past and learned from our mistakes and we brought peace to our tribes and for a while we were truly one." She frowned slightly. "Then they came with their new ways and new God. They converted our own and we became both something more and something less. Our tie to the land was stretched and nearly broken. Only a few of us still hold the frayed string together." She looked at Alanna who was intently listening. "Our family has always had the deepest tie to the land. We are all druids whether we care to be or not. We see into the past and understand the old ways. We claimed yesterday we wished we could have had you here to raise you and this is the reason. You spent your life believing there was something wrong with you and we could not force your mother to bring you here to understand that you are not handicapped. You are blessed." Alanna felt warm tears falling from her eyes. She had been brought to tears quite a few times recently and she was a bit embarrassed by this but the emotional weight of her disability felt lighter and lighter since she landed on this isle. She felt loved and part of something. She was slowly feeling the disbelief she had falling away. In this place with where she witnessed the fall of the druidess, where she witnessed the first steps of Nuada, she felt the wall of what was known crumble before what was real. As she did her emerald eyes took on a soft glow and she began to see the land. Small hand sized beings flitted about the area on translucent wings and played various games and pranks on one another as they spun about the ring of saplings. Ghostly balls of energy shit tiny sparks of energy at passing fairies who retaliated by flinging small blackberries at them then sticking out their tongues and darting away. The most amazing site of all was the massive ghostly tree that extended up from the physical stump and phased through the stone floor above. Alanna could see through the floor and into the bough of the tree where sat a massive spectral corvid, its head cocked so that its large black eye stared directly at her. They eye seemed to be a void that sucked in the light but after a moment Alanna saw a galaxy take shape. She stared in awe and was entranced by the spinning galaxy before she felt a strong yet gentle hand grasp her shoulder. She looked down at her grandmother who had a gentle smile. She saw her hand pointing toward the stump in the center of the ring with her open palm. "It is time A-leanbh. It is time to know yourself." Her grandmother gently pushed her into the ring and the world went white. Chapter 4 The white void slowly started to to shift and whirls of displaced air could be seen through it. As her vision returned to a semblance of normalcy Alanna realized that the she was enshrouded in fog. She could see the outline of trees and some smaller shrubbery. So, she had to assume she was in a forest. Her ears picked up the sounds of a child like laughter echoing around the fog. As disconcerting as the atmosphere surrounding her should have been, Alanna felt an odd sensation of peace. The fog around her cleared slightly and Alanna could see that she was standing on a game trail. She could see about 10 meters in all directions within 180 degrees of her position. Behind her the the fog roiled thick and as she reached out to it she felt a solid barrier. She turned around and began walking forward and after ten meters she could see out ten meters in all directions. It was quite an odd discovery. She called out a few times to her grandparents but she intuitively knew they were not around. This was not county Galway any longer. She felt something calling her onward and didn''t see a way back home. So, she decided to head down the game trail. It took several minutes of travel before she finally found herself in a sunlit clearing with no signs of fog. The grass was the most perfect soft and green and several different colored Will-o''-the-wisp darted around. In the center of the field of grass sat a massive boulder that stood nearly as tall as she but was quite a bit bigger around. Surrounding the boulder were several large white mushrooms with red spots on their cap. She moved closer to the mushroom ring to inspect it but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She hesitantly crossed the ring knowing that most common wisdom said not to every cross into the ring, but she felt no harm would come to her. As she stepped through the boulder disappeared and in its place a wooden step grew up from the ground until it was at chest height. Then a giant rose bloomed and in the center it emitted a strange rectangle of fog. As she stared the fog shifted and she could see there were words forming.
Name: Alanna Hotaru Race: Human? Class: None
Age: 18 Gender: Female Anthropometrics: 176.8CM / 7 Stone
STR: 8 DEX: 10 AGI: 12
CON: 10 INT: 14 WIS: 12
CHA: (20 - 5) - 15 *Debuffed *social conditioning* Health: 100% Mana:100%
Stamina: 100% Level: 0 Experience: 0/100
Alanna stared at the fog like computer screen with pursed lips. "So, this seems familiar." She said. "It is like a role playing game character statistic." She looked around but the clearing she was in seemed unchanged. She shrugged I am guessing this is pretty average. Except what is with the question mark behind human and my charisma is debuffed? She frowned but had to agree. Her mental disability would certainly affect both how she saw herself and how the world viewed her. It would be difficult to overcome that. As far as being human well if she were somehow related to that Nuada then perhaps there was a part of her that was more? Her physical body was definitely human at least. She wasn''t overly strong nor was she all that fast. She felt she was a bit more intelligent than the average person, but really who did not believe that to be the case. She just had to shrug and accept the numerical representation of who she was. She tried to touch the fog screen to see if she could get more information about the individual categories but the screen momentarily dissipated wherever she touched. She frowned but saw no indication of what to do next so after failing to find a way to change the fog screen she simply left the mushroom ring. When she turned back around the flower pedestal was replaced by the massive boulder. Alanna shook her head in bewildered amusement but the same feeling calling her onward caused her to turn back toward the forest and the path she could make out on the other side of the clearing. Without much additional thought she continued onward. The moment she stepped into the forest the fog closed in around her once again. She turned around but the clearing was gone. With nothing holding her back she walked the game trail until she came upon a frameless door in the center of the path. She tried to look behind the door but there was an invisible barrier preventing her from going around. So with no other choice she opened the door and stepped through. As she passed through the entire scene changed and she found herself staring into a mirror. She reached up and touched her face in surprise as the person in the mirror was one she only saw in her memories. She was in the body of a little boy with light skin, a smattering of freckles across his face, auburn hair and bright blue eyes. She stared for but a moment at the boy in the mirror but noticed that he was all she could see in the reflection. There was just roiling fog surrounding him. Alanna turned around and found herself on a path in the forest but lining the path were hundreds of mirrors. She walked up to the next closest mirror and stared inside it. As she stared a memory of the person she had become flashed inside her mind. The poor child was being bullied at recess as he had one of his episodes during his last class. His mind had conjured up a memory of someone protesting the in a civil rights movement in a city that looked similar to what Alanna knew was Belfast. Alanna felt empathy for the child. She knew all to well what he was going through. Alanna took her time moving down the path and staring into every mirror. She had seen a few of these moments before and new all to well how this boy grew up and how he died in a battle far from the republic. She looked at every memory and after she had once again seen his death at the end of the path she knew she had found a piece of herself. As she turned around for one last look the mirrors all dissipated and the ground turned into a grassy and sunlight clearing. She turned to find a familiar boulder and mushroom ring. She entered the ring as the little boy and watched with anticipation as the fog screen formed.
Name: Branden Kirwan Race: Human? Class: Soldier
Age: 24 Gender: Male Anthropometrics: 182.9CM / 14.2 Stone
STR: 16 DEX: 12 AGI: 12
CON: 10 INT: 10 WIS: 14A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
CHA: (20 -5) 25 *Debuffed *Social Conditioning* Health: 0% Mana: 0%
Stamina: 0% Level: 5 Experience: 1600/3200
Alanna stared blankly at the screen. There was a lot to unpack here. The most obvious of which was the fact that the death of this person left health, mana, and stamina pools depleted. She found this to be a bit dark. The human race was also in question as this person but if they were in fact the same soul it did make sense. The same debuffed charisma plagued poor Branden as well. She felt quite close to this incarnation for obvious reasons. He however seemed to have a class. She wondered why that would be the case. She supposed having determined a career may make it so but as there was no helpful information tabs she could only guess. His physical attributes were all higher than her own which she was both annoyed with, and found to be unsurprising based on his height, weight, and gender. "He was kind of dumb though." As soon as she had the thought she felt guilty. That was not really a fair statement. Firstly, if
Name: Aoibheann Ciardhubh¨¢in Race: Druid Class: Bandorai
Age: 52 Gender: Female Anthropometrics: 190 CM / 14.25 Stone
STR: 18 DEX: 20 AGI: 20
CON: 14 INT: 14 WIS: 20
CHA: 20 Health: 0% Mana: 0%
Stamina 0% Level: 10 51200/102400
Chapter 5 The fields before her were in a constant chaotic flux. At the very center sat a tree quite similar to the ghost tree she saw in Annaghdown, but it looked to be made of muscle and beat rhythmically like a heart. Each pulse sent a wave of red mist out over the field but instead of covering it in a sea of blood as Alanna expected, the fields and shrubs bloomed and thrived as though they were infused with the concept of life itself. Small animals darted around in a peacefully idyllic existence and there was a profound sense of belonging for all living beings. This was home and it provided for all within the land. The second pulse would then resound and the mist would be pulled back into the heart tree leaving a field that seemed drained of life. The grasses were brown and wilted. The shrubs turned to tangles of vacant branches. The animals all lay down and the land was consumed by small ghostly tendrils that extended from the roots of the great tree. The tree then grew ever so slightly and on the next pulse the land bloomed with just a bit more life than before. Alanna stared in awe and confusion at the spectacle before her. There was something profound here, and while she caught the obvious cycle of life concept on display, she knew there was more to this. It was more personal somehow. She watched as the life generated and consumed became far more advanced and larger more complex creatures joined the cycle. The flora and fauna soon became massive in scale and large feathered bird like creatures stalked the lands fighting and consuming large scaled reptiles. The inverse was also seen as the scaled creatures just as often snacked on the mega birds. Then the land changed and darkness seemed to be ever present. The temperatures plummeted and frost began to cover everything. The great heart tree drew what it could from its surroundings but there was nothing left and its pulses struggled to allow life to blossom. It still happened because life always seems to find a way but the life was changed and the old flora and fauna could no longer survive. The tree had to consume part of itself to help the land and it withered away until it was a sapling once more. Then the sky brightened slightly once again allowing the life giving light of the sun to caress the corded muscle of the heart tree. Its slowed beats sped up ever so slightly and with it the land changed once more. Alanna watched as the long winter faded. She watched the new more rugged life slowly die out as a variation of the old once again took their place. She watched the tree once again start to grow and thrive. She watched as humans returned to these lands and fought over its bounty. She watched as a dark mist spread across the land and out of it came the Tuatha De Danann who defeated the Fir Bolg and made this place their promised home. She watched them fight against the Fomorians and eventually they too were removed but they did not leave conventionally. Pushed back by the Milesians they sued for peace and made a deal with the land but this deal was without foresight. The dark mist once again consumed them and they became one with the land and were pushed into the underworld leaving the lands above to the Milesians. Through it all the heart tree stood. It grew and with it so too did the people tied to it. Alanna saw when the kingdom of the new God came and she saw the overzealous try to destroy all the places of power misunderstanding what the land gods actually were. After all they too were its creation. Alanna saw the land once again become diminished. It had been frozen, cut, bled but it persevered. It changed its face many times but regardless of what it looked like it was still life and it always found a way to survive. A peace spread through Alanna as she had this epiphany. She too had changed faces many times yet her spirit still lingered to this day. It lingered here because she was part of this land. Unlike many humans she was something a bit more. Something tied to this world. She moved from her perch atop the hill and walked toward the heart tree. She walked under its bough and stared up at it in reverence. It was life. She was life. She closed her eyes, reached out her hand and pressed it against the tree. She felt something shift both in her body and her soul. She opened her eyes and found herself looking out over a great sea of green grass and rolling hills. She could see simultaneously in 360 degrees and she knew that this was her land. Her sense of hearing was strange in that everything sounded a bit dull. It was as if sound had to travel through a thick wall to make it to her. She still hear the sounds of nature but they seemed a bit further away. Alanna found that to be rather sad. She did not realize how much that sound brought comfort to her. She tried to move but found she could not do so in the same manner she once had. She changed her perspective to focus down her body and found to her surprise she was looking at the trunk of a tree. If she had lips she would have pursed them. She thought about it for a moment then had to agree this was probably an obvious outcome. The question was what to do now and how to go back to the other her. She moved her focus around and realized that her sense of touch was also strange. She could feel everything from an ant walking along the ground, to the cars diving down the roads. Nothing really hurt her. She could tell the land was not quite as healthy as it could be but in time that would change. She did feel some minor irritants in the land. They were not exactly wounds but they were places where the land was not quite whole. She mentally frowned. These places were rather well known and she couldn''t quite remember why. There were several of them scattered across the isle and she felt a call to do something with them. She just wasn''t sure what. After fixating on one spot Alanna had a realization. "They are fairy forts!" She thought. Why do they irritate the land and why am I drawn to them?Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Alanna was not quite sure and she couldn''t figure out how to stop inhabiting the land so she just watched and waited. After staring for what felt like days but was probably hours, she found several areas that were struggling a bit. She saw a farmers crops appearing malnourished and a close inspection of the ground revealed where there was an invading root system pulling from the nutrients in the soil and it caused Alanna to smile. This little guy was a bit of a glutton but it was a survivor. She wished she could move it to a better area and after that thought she felt a bit drained of energy then the plant root system and all were gently lifted then deposited much farther away from the small farm. Alana felt a bit more energy leave her as the farm received a trickle of life and the plants took on a healthier appearance. Alanna was happy that she could help, confused by how she did, and concerned by the weariness that overtook her. She almost missed it when she subconsciously found dead plants and animals with her ghostlike roots and consumed them. The trickle of energy she received was enough to draw her attention to the act. She did not receive much from it and she still felt rather sleepy. She understood that the balance of the land was not something to be altered on a whim. With her mind exhausted she closed her eyes briefly but when the sounds changed once again they shot open and she found herself looking down on her mam¨®. "What?" Alanna asked in confusion. "What!" Her grandmother said in awe as she looked up at the taller woman. Her grandfather turned from the stairwell and looked back at the pair then furrowed his brow and pursed his lips. "Huh." He grunted. He walked over to Alanna and she felt a sense of cognitive dissonance because she was staring at him eye to eye. Her body felt great. It was better than she ever felt. She felt more herself. Yet, her mind was telling her she should be looking up at hims as that was correct. Alanna looked down at her body and found she was much larger than she had been. She still held a feminine frame but she was no longer quite as soft as she used to be. She ran her hand down her stomach and found defined abdominal muscles. "Oh." She said. "Well that''s a first for me." Her daideo said. "Yes I have not seen the blessing of the land make such a physical change before." Her grandmother replied. "I feel great if that helps at all." Alanna said sheepishly. "I am a bit concerned about clothes though." She admitted as she ran her hand over her now exposed stomach. Thankfully her pants stretched. Although she was not looking forward to removing them. "Right well I cannot even begin to know how to approach this." Her grandmother exclaimed with a bit of exasperation. She motioned toward the stairs with her hand. "Well tell us what happened on the way back to the car. "How long was I gone?" Alanna asked. "It felt like years but it obviously wasn''t." "Oh a little over an hour." Her grandfather replied. "It feels longer because we have to integrate the past into ourselves at one of the places of power." Her grandmother explained. "Our family is descended from an ancient line so we tend to see rather far back." The trio left the cellar and made their way up the stairs and out of the abbey. As they left the ivy and brambles wove their way through the debris and once again hid the stairwell down. It was a bit of an uncomfortable walk back to the car as there were a few tourists taking pictures of the old cathedral ruins. Alanna tried to hid behind her grandfather but it was slightly less effective that it would have been earlier that day. She was pretty sure one of those guys took a picture of them as well. She couldn''t help but imagine what he was taking a picture of. She wanted to groan but with her grandfather looking big an mean and knowing his personality there was a non zero chance he would beat them bloody if she even hinted at what they may or may not have done. Plus she would be exposed for longer. "Yeah just going to get in the car." She thought and did just that. The ride back to Corrandulla went by rather quickly for Alanna. She shared her experiences with her grandparents who were both stunned to near silence for much of the ride. Her experiences and who she had been in her past lives defied belief. When she explained the part of the treen her grandparents just shared dumbfounded looks with one another and shook their heads in confusion. They were silent for a long while until her daideo finally broke the silence. "Did you get a quest at least?" He asked. "We feel a call from the land from time to time and step into the places of power where we will preform a task of some sort to help the land" It happened more in the early 1900''s from what I recall. It was a rough time then we lost a lot people." Alanna looked and a strange expression stole over her face. "I obviously wasn''t there!" Her grandfather exclaimed. "I just remember the stories my parents and grandparents told." Alanna grinned and shook away the many irreverent things her mind provided to say. Instead she thought about his question. "I feel drawn to do something at the fairy forts. Not sure which one or if it is all of them though." Her grandparents shared a worried look but didn''t say anything after that. They drove a while then pulled into Clarke''s for a pint. There was a lot to process about what Alanna had explained and their was no better way to put that off than by having a pint. Interlude 1 Carthus looked down on his starting continent of Veltus. There were so many possibilities open to him right now. What time of people should he have installed in this realm? What sort of religion would be best? Should he have a single deity or a pantheon? How type of society would be beneficial? What type of economic system should they focus on? It was all just so very exciting. He looked over the list of creatures and beings available and found himself with to many to choose from. He looked over some of his past choices and grimaced. There was no right or wrong decision. When he couldn''t decide after an entire year passed him by he decided that the best choice was a variety of races and the strongest of them would be his chosen people. Feeling rather proud of himself he deposited several different races throughout his continent. "Now they can choose the boring stuff like economy and religion." He paused then pursed his lips. They had a set power pool for summoning but what about for deities? He had planned on the strongest peoples being his chosen but what if they all had different gods? How many would be left after the battles? Would any be incorporated? He didn''t recall that being decided upon. So, he sent out a call for another meeting and moved to the amphitheater. "Calling my victory already?" The gruff voice of Barnabus called out as soon as Carthus appeared. He rolled his eyes and petulantly flung his shoulder length hair back with a hand. He turned to see the child scribe seated at his desk dutifully writing. The stern woman was there as well seated on the edge of the desk with her arms crossed in what appeared to be irritation. Yet Carthus knew this was just who she was. The eagle flew down and landed near the boy while the kitten popped its head up from the child''s lap. "What is it Carthus?" The child asked in a neutral tone. "Clarification or amendment to the rules regarding the power for the deities." Carthus said. "Standard power rules apply I thought that was obvious. They can only be planetoid gods and not any greater." The stern woman said. Carthus nodded and clarified. "What I mean is, lets say there are multiple unified races each with their own belief systems and pantheon. It would be rather unfair to have the standard powered system if they had 32 separate deities compared to the other side having only a standard pantheon. "What are you planning? Barnabus questioned as he shifted his large frame to loom. "Nothing untoward. That is why we are having this discussion so that it remains fair. When I win it will be from my skill not from an overlooked data point." The eagle released a deafening screech that quieted the amphitheater. Everyone looked at it and it bobbed its head in a way that made it look like a shrug. The kitten let out an adorable mew that had the child pause in its writing. "That is interesting." The child said and offered the kitten a few scritches. The stern woman nodded in agreement. "Very well." She said. "There will also be a pool of divine power to form a pantheon. The larger the pantheon the more power is shared. Much like the hero summoning we do not care how you divide that power." She looked pointedly at Carthus. "Anything else? I am missing my stories." Carthus paled a little and shook his head then vanished back down the paths that led to his new office overlooking Gulva II. With that question answered Carthus felt like his idea was even better. At first the power levels of the deities would be low but after a few thousand years the deities and the races would be culled a bit. Even if they did reach some sort of accord their combined power would still be equal to the other side and with more diversity in abilities perhaps it would be better. He decided to spend his build points on enriching the land with natural resources and letting each race figure it all out. He ensured there were tons of minerals, plants, animals, mana wells etc. Then he congratulated himself and sat back to watch his brilliance unfold. *_______* Carthus was bored. He was so incredibly bored. This twenty thousand year wait was ridiculous. He didn''t have anything to do. Not if he stuck to his plan anyway. Which he absolutely would it was a brilliant plan that he painstakingly thought of over the course of an entire year. It had been just over a thousand years and the primitive races had not really interacted a whole lot. They had begun to build their own individual societies and they had some rather interesting beliefs they were developing. The proto deities were starting to form from the additional power being funneled from that allotment. There were some interesting parts. When the elves discovered magic after that one guy caught himself on fire. That was a pretty good laugh. They couldn''t figure out why natural water wasn''t putting it out. He bet one of the elemental fire concepts had done that on purpose. He didn''t blame them it was a good one. The problem was that while there was some entertainment it just wasn''t constant enough to keep him occupied. He wished that his favorite concept Lust hadn''t chosen Barnabus''s team this time. They were always a good distraction for a few thousand years. He thought for a moment then his face lit up in a delighted smile. "Maybe we can trade!" He thought joyously. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Barnabus did not want to trade. Carthus should have known better. "He get''s really serious when it is his turn as a player in these games." He thought bitterly. He had just about resigned himself to his fate of being eternally bored when he had another grand idea. He would check on the other universe to see what was happening there. They probably had their own concepts and caretakers but most universes didn''t mind a little voyeurism. He rushed back to the amphitheater where the child was busy scribing whatever he scribed. Carthus managed to annoy him into using his strange abilities to see through the void gate. They stared in awe at the spiraling galaxies arrayed before them. Massive supernova''s lighting up the otherwise empty void in one moment only for the light to be pulled into a black hole the next. The gravity well pulling matter from unimaginable distances to create what appeared as a semblance of stability. It was beautiful and terrifying but Cartus couldn''t help but smile. Until it blinked at them. A cold sweat overtook Carthus and he laughed uncomfortably. "Wow that was great thanks so much!" Carthus said nervously as he patted the child''s shoulder and rushed back to his office swearing to himself that he would do all the work. The child looked on confused at the reaction as he did not see anything unusual in the gateway. "How annoying." He thought then shrugged and went back to work. Afterall this universe wouldn''t write itself. ________________ It had been just over 10,000 years and things were finally getting very interesting for Carthus. Years of aggression from the orc tribes finally caused the declining beastfolk tribes to unite and nearly obliterate the race. There were only a few of the more peaceful tribes remaining, and whatever was left of those that fled when the great warband was destroyed. Tribes of trolls and goblins had united up for a massive push against the dwarven strongholds. Yet the dwarves prevailed in the end and hunted them to extinction yet it was at great cost to their numbers. The elves being rather far removed from most of the other races decided to destroy themselves with infighting. They split themselves into several sub species and generated different religions until their was not enough power to fuel their divinity. Then the gods and elves killed each other until fought until only a few of the tribes remained. Carthus did not expect that from the elves. In several of the past worlds they were a unified people. He rather favored them as they were more pleasing to look at then most of the races he enjoyed. However, he couldn''t help them out of the situation as he had allowed them to decide their own destiny and for now, it looked like they might have messed this one up. ________________ Carthus looked excitedly at the world below. It was nearly time for the game to truly begin. He was rather proud of his people. The dwarves had come out ahead of everyone else and expanded into a larger empire throughout the continent. The few elves that remained struggled to survive but managed to by denying their old gods and finding a new path that allowed them to live more closely with the land. They are still around in some places but their groves are shrouded in deep magics that are all but impenetrable to the current peoples of the continent. The remaining orcs found a home as part of the dwarven empire. The ones with more aggressive natures found a home with the dwarven legions who always required fresh bodies to help claim land from the savage predators that called this continent home. The beastfolk were nominally part of the empire but the dwarves didn''t have a need for their grasslands and the beastfolk were not really interested in the mountainous areas. They agreed to share the forested lands and had kept to that agreement for a few thousand years. The inflated growth rate of resources on this side of the world probably helped ensure less competition over the last 10,000 years as well. Overall there were 12 deities remaining which was more than manageable for a single pantheon. With an excited smile Carthus sent each deity an oracle. ________________ The throne room doors slammed open causing all in audience with the emperor to flinch. Emperor Bradme Silverbeard stared hard at the woman in priestess regalia running frantically toward the throne. The woman came to a stop, knelt, and bowed her head. The emperor narrowed his eyes and spoke. "Raise your head high priestess. What do the gods request of the crown this time?" The emperor saw that the priestess was pale and covered in a sheen of sweat. He unconsciously leaned closer to the woman and noticed as the rest of the court did as well. An orc man in manacles stood forgotten off to the side and started to slink away unnoticed. He along with everyone else froze when he heard the voice of the priestess. For it was the voice of Voin the god of battle. "A new enemy comes to these lands to pillage and despoil it for their evil gods. Prepare yourselves for on the day of the equinox 20 years hence they will come with the falling of the stars." Interlude 2 The world was brand new and the continent of Altus was his to forge into something wonderous. Barnabus smiled happily as his mind had already conjured up images of his glorious victory. He could not recall who had started these games but he knew why they continued. The concepts had completed their role in creating and maintaining this universe and had no directives to do anything else. They were bored and had power. The games were a natural consequence to this fact. Barnabus and Carthus were two of the youngest fully realized concepts and had not yet had the chance to play many games. So, while winning the competition only gave them bragging rights, it was still worth it for the younger of the greater gods. He did not know who the oldest was but he had a felling it was the old crone. She seemed to take charge of everything but her greater concept had to pull from order and leadership at the very least. His own concept pulled heavily from conflict related concepts. He enjoyed this challenge because it called to a deeper part of his persona. He never even considered a method other than conflict to resolve this challenge. If he had known the approach his counterpart took, he would have greatly approved. However, he had an idea that he wanted to try based on the lessons learned in the last game he played. He had yet to win a competition against the older deities except once against the kitten. However, he did not feel as though that should count as the kitten got bored after a few millennia and just swatted everything on the board. When the board was a planet ¡ª that just meant everything was wiped out. So, while technically a win. It was not a victory. Barnabus considered the land first. It was a vast continent with many different biomes that made up the biosphere of this hemisphere of the world. He did not want to change the biosphere to suit a species because he wanted a species that would be able to live, and more importantly battle, in every type of environment. So, he had to rule out most ectotherm species that he really liked. The tended to go dormant if temperatures dropped to low. He was not opposed to endotherms but they just didn''t look as intimidating in his opinion. He looked through the many species available and decided to use some build points to create a new species. He wanted to somehow merge the benefits of his favorite insectoid species with a characteristic of other endothermic species. The ability to convert energy to regulate temperature would be beneficial. They could remain ectothermic and utilize the free energy of the world to regulate their body heat. This would give the species access to their typical traits and the ability to use mana would also somewhat empower them. However, the use of the world''s mana in their bodies meant that there would be very few spell casters in their ranks. The few there would be would not reach the power of other species in pure spellcasting. It was a trade off but one that Barnabus found acceptable. He understood the benefit of capable mages on the battlefield, but with the insectoid breeding tendencies and their generally powerful bodies he didn''t see the issue being overly dire. A vast amount of his build points were used to generate the creatures to his liking. He had to create several variations as he wanted a bit of diversity amongst them. Then he placed his insectoid races into the world. He was happy for a bit then realized he did not create enough biodiversity for them to survive. He wanted to save a large enough amount of points to advance their society but with creating the races from scratch he did not have enough to do that and create a better environment. With a sad sigh he built up the biodiversity to allow for a complex food web. With the remaining few points he created the only 3 world deities these creatures would need. The Mother, The Warrior, and The Worker were instilled into the minds of every Insectoid and soon enough the proto-deities were formed. The next few millennia were rather quiet. The Insectoids were just trying to build up their nests and hives and were content within their societal roles. The workers worked. The warriors protected and fought. The queens generated the next generations and ruled the. Everyone had direction and there was no discontent in the ranks. It was one of the reasons Barnabus liked these races. They knew their purpose and they lived up to it. When a hive or nest birthed another queen, she was given a few handmaidens, workers, and warriors then sent out to create her own place. Most hives or nests also kept several queen prospects in hiding for if anything happened to the queen, the colony would live on. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Everything seemed to be going well for Barnabus. Nearly 12,000 years of evolution and the insectoids had expanded throughout the continent. Their were species in every biome and thanks to the energy bodies they even started to evolve to better fit the area in which they took up residence. It was also around this time that Barnabus noticed a problem. The oldest hives had expanded to the point where they encroached on some of the newer hives lands and it caused confrontations at these areas. The workers would fight over the resources they were sent to gather which causes soldiers to get involved and escalations like that could only be stopped by the queens. Unfortunately the queens would often stop the conflicts too late which ended up created massive casualties. This was devastating to the smaller colonies usually, as they needed the numbers they lost. Furthermore, opportunistic nearby queens would try to take their land and resources for themselves when they were weakened. Barnabus did not like the conflicts he was seeing throughout the insectoid lands. He knew the queens would eventually come into conflict but without an outside enemy the creatures fought amongst themselves. The flyers were based off a type of predatory wasp and tended to be aggressive toward the ground bound species. Many times a group of flyers would attack the land bound only for a massive army to follow them back to their hive. If the hive was not large enough it would be decimated. Many would survive if the queen managed to escape but they usually failed to leave before they were swarmed. The largest of the hives held a few thousand before the structure became to large to support itself. However, the smallest of the land bound colonies had nearly double that amount of workers and soldiers. This eventually led to the largest hive''s queen deciding that the next few queens she spawned would be subordinate queens and they set up a hive empire that spanned a few thousand square miles. With their larger sizes and flight abilities they were able to successfully hold onto their lands. The insectoids found themselves at a tentative truce when the time frame was nearly completed. They managed to build city like structures both above and below the ground that while minimalistic served their purposes well. They had clearly defined lands and culled each other when the need arose. Barnabus was happy with their numbers but he understood their nature. They needed to expand and there just so happened to be a continent that was ripe for the taking. It was time to summon forth the heroes and let the game truly begin. ______________ Empress Kalrixa Phlorispectra sat upon her great throne looking over her empire through a large glass sphere that her priestess held aloft. The colony was thriving but she had birthed another queen this cycle and there was no more room for them. The area''s were well established and war within this area was inadvisable. The casualties would be catastrophic for all parties. She was just resigning herself to kill the new queen for the good of the tribe when a soft glow overtook the priestess next to her. A loud droning buzz came from her as the majestic voice of the Mother spoke out over it. "A new land with vast resources has been found to the east. Grow the hive and colony take this land for the three. We leave with you our champion. Unite the Insectoid as one and inhabit the whole if this realm." The droning sound stopped with the voice and the soft glow faded from the priestess who slumped as though she were exhausted. A whistling sound filled the air along with the faint sound of someone screaming. A moment later a burning figure burst through the hive walls and slammed into the audience chamber floor. The Empress jumped to her feet in alarm but calmed her self and stared down regally from her dais as the being rose. Her guards quickly surrounded her and the intruder but the Empress held them back with a wave of her upper arm. The creature was quite a bit larger than those of her kin but had a similar four armed two legged frame. Its exoskeleton was green and it had two large scythe like weapons sheathed at its hips. Its abdomen was long and she could see that large wings sprouted from its thorax and laid over the abdomen. Its face was a bit angular but not unpleasant to look at. It was quite similar to the rest with large segmented eyes on a rounded face. Long antenna protrude from its forehead. It has a long thin nose that slopes upward away from its mouth. Large mandibles protrude from just under its ear at joint of the upper and lower jaw. It was a strange Insectoid. One she had never seen before. The words of the Mother made their way back to the forefront of her thoughts and she realized this must be their new champion. She started to speak but was interrupted by the newcomer who groaned and stood up shaking its head. It looked around in a mix of wonder and confusion. It took in the creatures surrounding it and titled its head in apparent confusion. It grunted a laugh. "Looks like that goddess was right. New world cool. It looked down and inspected its limbs. "I guess I just didn''t expect to have been Beesekaied." Chapter 6 The crowing of the rooster woke Alanna at the crack of dawn. She groaned as she sat up and stretched. Unfortunately, she was not yet used to her larger frame and she managed to hit the lamp on the nightstand. She yelped and lunged for the lamp catching it just before it fell. "I will never get used to being a giant." Alanna said and frowned. She both loved and hated her current size. She was worried about the social ramification more than any sense of body dysmorphia. Logically, she thought she should be feeling worse but something about it felt right. Ever since she left the place of power yesterday she felt ¡ª she wasn''t sure of the world. Complete worked yet it wasn''t quite right. She was certainly complete. One with her selves even. She accepted her lives by reliving every one of them. She was no longer worried about a memory triggering a vision at an inopportune time. She cold simply recall most of that. She wondered at the logistics of it. Could her mind store that much information. It was somewhere around 800 generations worth of memories she relived. She decided not to question that too deeply. It was probably not possible, just as a place of power still existing was not possible. Alanna never really thought about it before but magic had to have been real at some point right? There were stories and myths of it being prevalent throughout nearly every civilization. She understood that when the old deities were killed or fled that the magic of this world slowly faded away. So, was magic intrinsic to the planet or was it tied to belief and mythology? She had to believe at least this land was magical. She had been to the place of power. She had seen and felt the magic of the land. No, she was the land it was the magic of her people. She opened the curtain and stared out at the rising sun. She took a deep cleansing breath and let go of the pointless thoughts. She heard her grandmother in the kitchen and got a bit excited for breakfast. She then moved to the jacks to complete her morning ritual. Anna hummed to herself while she prepared the breakfast. She was not really sure what to think about Alanna''s transformation. That was far outside of the expectation she had. She knew the place of power would reunite her with the land and stabilize her memories of the past as it did for all of the Kirwans before her. Yet this response had not been recorded as far as she knew. She was a bit worried for her grandchild. If she was transformed like this what did the land have in store for her. All of their kin had a bit of power to help the land. They would feel called to preform various tasks and the did so happily. This was their land and they would always care for it. The quest the land called them on was not thought of as a burden. It was simply a responsibility. However, to be drawn to the forts. That was a terrifying thought. They were similar to the places of power in that they had an otherworldly feel about them. The issue was at certain times of the year they were gateways to elsewhere and if one were particularly brave, foolish, or unlucky at those times the denizens of those places would pull them into the place beyond. If one was lucky it would just be a playful spirit playing a prank and they would eventually wander out of the portal and remember a drunken good time. If one was unlucky ¡ª well they wouldn''t worry about much after a while. Shane eventually wandered in from outside and dropped a log into the hearth. He moved in behind Anna and gave her the morning kiss she required. "Thinking of her?" He asked and took the tea to the table. "I fear for what she is charged to do." Anna admitted. "It seems a bit much doesn''t it?" Shane blew out a long breath which Anna knew meant he agreed. "Nothing for it though." He eventually said. "We will have to give her what training we can and let the land guide her." Anna looked lost and on the verge of tears. "What if she has to go to the lands beyond?" She whispered. Shane blew out a longer and deeper breath. Which she translated as "I have no idea." They embraced for a few moments until they heard the door to Alanna''s room open then close. They separated and Anna took a moment to dry her eyes and set the table as Shane pulled out a new paper and sat down at the table. Alanna noted the atmosphere was a bit more tense then usual but didn''t speak up about it. She noted the table had been set and the food was being plated so she sat down. "I apologize for running a bit behind this morning and not helping mam¨®." Anna huffed a laugh. "Think nothing of it child. I was up a bit earlier today." Alanna accepted that and began to eat her breakfast voraciously. Her grandfather cleared his throat and spoke up. "So Alanna you believe your quest has to do with one or more of the fairy forts yes?" He asked. Alanna finished the bite she had taken of her bacon and nodded. "They seemed to be calling out to me to do something. I couldn''t really tell what. They kind of felt somehow connected though." Anna and Shane shared a look and a frown. "We are worried about what that could mean." Her grandmother said. Her grandfather shifted uncomfortably. "Alanna," he started. "What do you want to do now?" Alanna considered for a moment. She wanted to say eat breakfast but the atmosphere in the room was not one conducive to glibness. "I suppose I feel the need to visit one of these places." Her grandfather nodded in understanding. "I understand and while we expected you would have some sort of quest to do for the land this" ¡ª he paused and looked up as if he would see the words he needed on the ceiling. "This quest might lead you to elsewhere." He said. Alanna looked confused so Anna picked up the explanation. "The fair rings or forts have been known to lead to another place. Some believe they are all connected to the underworld, others to the lands where the mad queen reigns." I do not know for certain what the truth is as our covens and groves have long been abandoned so that we could integrate into the new world. Much of what we knew to be truth was lost." Her grandfather spoke up in the ensuing silence. "We ask because this task you have taken on may not be fast or easy. It may take you elsewhere or it may not. You have been preparing for a life already. You have school and your mother and whatever plans she has for you. You now have a responsibility to yourself and your land." He stared at her pointedly causing her to put down her fork. She opened her mouth a few times but all that eventually came out was a soft "oh." After breakfast Alanna walked out back and made her way through the grassland behind the house. She walked for a good mile before she found a tall lonely willow on top of a hill. She made her way to it and sat against its trunk. Alanna hated to admit it but she had not once thought about school or her future the past few days. She did not find that odd as she was on vacation and it was early enough that she wouldn''t have considered her responsibilities yet. Her initial thought at what her daideo said was to disregard and disbelieve. Yet that was just a reflexive reaction to the fantasy that was now her life. It was very likely that those places were some sort of portal or gateway. She looked back into some of the old druid memories and found that they did interact with spirits and fae of all sorts. However, none had ever willingly traversed the rings. It was the spirits that crossed over to advise, make mischief, or plead for aid of sorts. There were also horrors that crossed over and the land demanded they be expunged. She did not know if she would have to cross into elsewhere or the underworld but now that it was a possibility she was uncertain.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. There was much to consider. She knew her mother or her Oj¨©chan would be trying to play matchmaker as soon as she finished university. They wanted to find her a husband that would benefit the family as a whole. She would, of course, have nothing to do with that. If they wanted a perfectly filial child they should probably not have had her raised in the United States. While family was still respected there, personal freedom and choice was of even greater value. Some of those ideals may have influenced her personality and beliefs. While she held great respect and love for her parents and grandparents she would be her own woman. She thought about that assertion. Was she being her own woman? She was enrolled in university because it was expected. If she didn''t go she would be worth less than others that did. She frowned at that. She did not really know what she wanted to do with her life. She sighed and looked up into the boughs of the tree. There she saw a rather large corvid on one of the branches. It poked around the branch a bit with its beak but then cocked its head so an eye was looking at her. "What do you think the right answer is?" She asked it. It cocked its head the other way. Alanna smiled but continued. "Should I plunge into the portal and see what happens or should I deny this new part of me and go back to the states, finish school, get married, and have a bunch of kids? The corvid opened a wing which made it look like it was pointing at something. Alanna looked questioningly at the bird then slowly turned its head in the direction it was pointing. There was nothing there. When Alanna looked back the crow was grooming itself under that wing. "Pfftt hahaha." Alanna laughed at her self. "Oh, man you had me there." The corvid cocked its head and looked at the noisy person. It hopped toward the edge of the branch and opened its beak. "Fly." a sibilant voice hissed out of its mouth. Then it beat its wings and flew away. Alanna stared dumbfounded at the branch that had just been vacated. "I am fairly certain that bird just spoke." She decided. "Fly huh? Fly to where? Oh, is it metaphorical? Like I should spread my wings a soar?" She laughed at how utterly over sentimental that sounded. Alanna picked herself up and walked back toward the cottage. She wasn''t sure what she wanted to do with her life. She did know what she did not want to do though. She did not want to go back to the states and live the life someone else chose for her. She did kind of want to finish school but she was not sure if that was residual societal expectation or an actual desire. Still, she would put that in the want to do side of the check list. She also decided she liked how she felt and she loved this land. If she had to take a short trip to the underworld or wherever to protect it then she would. Just as soon as she understood how to defend herself. She was a bit absentminded at times but she was not completely foolhardy. The door to the cottage opened and she saw her grandparents seated on a sofa. Her grandmother was stitching something she could not tell what. Her grandfather was reading his paper as usual. She smiled brightly at them. "Have a good walk dear?" Her grandmother asked. Her grandfather pulled a corner of the paper away from his face and stared at her in anticipation of her answer. Alanna''s smile widened a bit at the site and nodded. "I did. I still have no idea what I want for my future. I do know that I want to live my own life and I want to stay here. I probably want to finish school but I am sure that I can do that here or perhaps with a distance learning program." She shrugged. I feel tied to this place and well if I have to take a little trip to the underworld then I guess I will as terrifying as that sounds." She paused and shrugged. "I do not really feel all that afraid when I think about that though." Her daideo put the paper down shared a look with her mam¨®. "There are some things we may be able to teach you about the land and the bit of magic that remains on this side." He said then stood and walked over to a small bookshelf. He pulled out a hand written leatherbound journal that looked ancient. He handled it reverently and gently placed it into Alanna''s hands. "We do not have much from the old world. What we can recall from the memories of our past selves and ancestors is not always clear. When we do have a clear memory we have all written down what we can in journal like this. Much of it will not makes sense as it is incomplete but there are a few full rituals we can use to call upon the power in the land. As soon as her hands touched the journal a fog screen appeared in her mind''s eye.
Congratulations you have learned a spell.
"Huh." She thought. "So that is still a thing. Can I see my status?" As soon as she had that thought the fog screen changed to a more familiar display.
Name: Alanna Hotaru Race: Druid Class: Mystical Warden (Unique)
Age: 18 Gender: Female Anthropometrics: 183 CM / 11 Stone
STR: 18 DEX: 20 AGI: 20
CON: 16 INT: 14 WIS: 20
CHA: 22 Health: 100% Mana: 100%
Stamina: 100% Level: 1 100/200
Spells Abilities
Wild Growth: Use mana to call upon the land to trip up your enemies Shapeshift - Lesser
Regenerate: Use mana to call upon the land to heal damage to you or your allies. Nature''s Charm
Bark Armor: Use mana to call upon the land to cover your body in Ironbark ????
Land''s Bounty: Use Mana to call upon the land to satiate your hunger and thirst. ????
"Oh." Was all that Alanna could manage. Chapter 7 She had known she was stronger. Her increase in mass and the overall feel of her body was just more. Her race had changed to match that of Aoibheann and her attributes had similarly increased. She wondered if this was an evolution based on her family line or if it was personal to her and her past lives. Given the discussions she had with her grandparents it seemed somewhat likely that it was her natural race and the family of grandchildren of Danu were the start of the Kirwan line so they were more than human but less than the gods. This was all speculation but it felt like a reasonable explanation. She just couldn''t understand why there were no other druid races in her own previous lives after Aoibheann. Perhaps the place of power weakened to much. Perhaps the training of the druid and bandorai were lost after the conversion. She could only guess. There were no definitive memories to show her the truth. "Even if there were it is only idle curiosity." She thought as she continued over her status. The class was there yeah but what was it? What did it mean. She would have to check some online forums to see if anyone had any clues. There were always brilliant minds, myth chasers, and fantasy buffs that would have thoughts and opinions. The spells and abilities seemed to be druid like at least. That was also interesting. Someone with a good imagination or with great research abilities must have spent a lot of time coming up with druid classes in games and books. She felt intrinsically tied to the land here and it bolstered her mentally and probably physically too. She thought a warden was someone charged with protecting an area. Or was it protecting others from what was in an area? She wasn''t too sure. A mystic had something to do with magic she guessed. She didn''t spend to much time worrying over it. There was no information tabs so she either guessed, had other people guess, or just figured them out. The spells were strange she could just kind of feel how to cast them. There were no external catalysts or components required for the most part. She could feel the energy inside of her would act as the catalyst and the land was the component. The downside was that, she could feel that she had to be outside or at least a place where plants could grow for most of the spells to work. She had no idea how to use the abilities she received. She couldn''t tell if the charm was active or passive. The shapeshifting would have to be active she assumed. Passively changing shape would be problematic. It was a concerning talent in her opinion. It may help explain her current physique somewhat. Or, perhaps the Druid race was simply larger. "Yet another topic with insufficient information to make a determination." She thought. Alanna was not sure how long her mental landscape was captured by the status revealed in the fog screen but she snapped out of it when she heard her grandfather call her name loudly and from a meter away. Her eyes refocused on the room and she cold see her grandparents looking worriedly at her. "Apologies." She mutter as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "What happened?" Her mam¨® asked. "When I touched the journal I just sort of inherited some spells." Alanna explained. "I know something called wild growth, regeneration, Bark armor, and Land''s Bounty." She explained their descriptions from her status. Her grandparents looked at each other in apparent confusion. "That seems to be happening a lot." Alanna thought. "Well the rituals are not exactly spells. Her You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Chapter 8 The morning air was crisp as the car rolled down the highway north and and east of Corrandulla. It was a relatively short drive but just long enough for Alanna to review every word spoken by her and her mother in their conversation the night before. Her mother was not thrilled that Alanna wanted to stay and they had argued the point for quite a while. The fact that Alanna intended to complete her higher education did somewhat mollify her mother. However, she was disappointed. She words "I didn''t raise you to act this way," Had been said multiple times. Alanna had mixed feelings about that. On one hand she deeply loved and respected her mother as she had done her best in raising a daughter pretty much alone. That is to say if, one does not count the tutors, nannies, chefs, and other household caretakers. Still, she was loving in her own way. Alanna knew she wanted the best for her but there was a large part of her that rebelled against the idea of being controlled. And, she knew that while it was with her best interest at heart, it was still control. She had spent her whole life stuck under the control of a disorder that prevented her from healthy social engagements. She removed herself from most normal activities as a child, for she could not control when a memory would invade her mind. The teasing and humiliation made it difficult to develop interpersonal relationships of any kind. She felt alone even in a big house with a lot of caretakers around. Her mother''s idea of aid was to provide her with the best specialists to try to subdue the memories of a different life. Her mother''s actions were not incorrect they just weren''t what Alanna thought she needed. She needed companionship and love. She saw her classmates with their families and friends and she knew something was missing. When Alanna''s memories were finally ordered and organized when she merged with the land, the fragmented pieces of her self, of her soul were finally put back together. She finally felt whole in a way she did not know she could. So, she may be making seemingly rash decisions to suddenly stay here, but to her and her memories she kind of belonged here. She was drawn to the land. She was drawn to the quests and she wanted to go into the rings. She was fearful of course, but not paralyzingly so. She looked out the window and at where the pull was the strongest and pointed it out to her grandparents. "That is¡ª huh?" Her grandfather started. "No, that actually makes sense." Her grandmother interjected. Alanna looked between the two with an eyebrow raised. "It is Knockma Hill, also called Fairy hill and it has a history with our family." Her grandfather said. "One of our ancestors a Lady Eithne was spirited away and held by one of the fairy kings here. Well not here exactly but in the world below." He corrected. They parked the car and made their way to the cairns. They climbed the moss covered steps to the top of the verdant green where Alanna closed her eyes. She moved toward where she felt the land guiding her and stopped abruptly. What seemed to be a moss and vine covered cairn faded away and an a circle of stones nearly knee height appeared in front of her. She turned around and looked toward her grandparents. They both seemed worried at the implication but they had all discussed this possibility. Her grandfather pulled a large pack from his back which had a long blackthorn staff attached to one side. He handed it over to Alanna and gave her a stiff nod before clasping her on the shoulder and heading back down the hill. Her . Be safe a leanbh." She snuck in a quick hug then followed her husband back down toward the road and waiting car. Alanna took in a long and cleansing breath then turned and walked into the stone ring. There was a high pitch squealing sound that pressed against Alanna''s mind as the world went white. She felt like she were pushing through a thick membrane of silicone as she pushed her hands forward. There was a tearing feeling at the membrane and Alanna pushed her self through it. The white faded to a nearly pitch black that took several seconds for Alanna''s eyes to adjust to. She could tell she was in some sort of forest based on the dark shapes she could make out but it was still very difficult to see. She turned around expecting to see the stone circle but there was only more darkness with tree and plant like shapes hiding therein. Alanna was alert and listening carefully as her eyes were not overly helpful at the moment. She crouched down and pulled her pack off her back rummaging through it. She hoped she had a torch and soon felt a long metallic object that felt like a light. She pulled it out and turned it on lighting up the darkness around her. The forest looked like every dark forest ever described in fairy tails. The atmosphere was smothering. There was a lingering domineering presence that just sort of sat heavily in the air. She was starting to think she had made a bad decision when a familiar fog screen coalesced out of the darkness in front of her.
You have entered the Forest of Beginning''s End. You have received a quest.
Quest: Survival I. Description: Survive the night and make your way through the forest and visit the mad queen''s castle.
Quest: Uncover the past. I Description: There are many truths out there to find. Learn the first truth.
"So, the screen is back." Alanna stated the obvious as she stared at the information. "So quests are a thing and survival is one of them. That sounds terrible." She thought. She moved her hand to the string that secured her staff and started to undo it. She scanned the area around her with the light while she attempted to get the weapon off her pack. A sharp pain in her arm caused her to drop the light and she yelped in surprise. The light rolled to the side and Alanna caught a shadow jump into the trees a few feet away. She could make out a bit of blood welling up on her arm but it was minor and would scab quickly. She finally managed to free her blackthorn staff and cursed herself for not having it out already. Not that she could have known to expect being assaulted moments after arriving. She felt for her internal power and called forth the bark armor spell covering her body in a thick Ironwood armor that resembled something a knight might wear complete with a helm, except it was made of wood. She pulled the staff around and slowly turned in the dark. She heard and saw nothing and after a few minutes she reached down and picked up the light once more. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! The moment she picked up the light she felt an impact on her arm again and while it surprised another yelp out of her she did not feel pain this time. She also managed to hold on to the light. She spun around quickly in 360 degrees and caught a slender shadowed arm dart behind the nearest tree. "Get out here you bastard!" Alanna shouted and swung her staff into the tree trying to draw it out. She did not want to go around the tree. It gave her a bad feeling. Nothing ventured out and so she gingerly made her way around to the other side with her staff raised. She yelled out and swung when she reached where the creature should have been but there was nothing there. A heavy impact hit her in the back of her helmeted head and she found herself flung forward and dazed. She cried out in alarm and frustration and swung out her staff blindly in wild unpredictable ways. To her relief it actually hit something and the large thorns dug deep into it. She quickly pulled the staff down like a saw blade and whatever she had hit backed off and let out a low groaning wail. Alanna still felt a bit dazed and knew that impact had done a bit of damage even if it did not break her armor. She felt a heavier drain on her mana that she was used to from her practice but it was still manageable. She also could feel it replenishing quite quickly which was unusual for her. It usually took all night to replenish. She could feel that the bit from the spell had already been recouped. The upkeep and strengthening of the armor did cost a bit so she was not full and would not be while it was maintained but she could tell she would be able to use her few spells a lot more. Not that they would help overmuch. A heavy impact across her back had her reeling forward once again. Alanna yelled in frustration. She could not hear or see whatever was attacking her. She rolled to her feet picked up the flashlight and began swinging wildly in every direction once again. It seemed to work before but after a full minute she had not hit anything. She ran forward several steps and then quickly turned and swung her staff hoping to get lucky once again. To her utter shock she not only hit something but saw what she had hit. A large leafless tree branch had just been swung at her back again. Her much thinner staff slammed into it and both were stopped a half meter from her face. She was so dumbfounded by this because there was no monster holding the branch it was still connected to the closest tree. "What?" Alanna asked as she stared in confusion. The tree had frozen the moment she was staring at it but Alanna saw the faint outline of a snarling mouth and narrowed angry eyes glaring at her on the trunk. She could not fathom what sort of creature she was seeing but after looking at the massive branch and her tiny staff she did not know what she could do to it. She jumped backward a few steps and cast a wild growth spell to try and hold the creature while she fled. The spell seemed to work and large choking vines wrapped around the branches of the tree and held it fast. She turned around to run only to be struck once again by a new tree monster. It had hit her hard enough that she stumbled sever steps back and into the trunk of another tree. A large mouth opened and clamped down on her should cracking her armor and sinking bark teeth into her body. Alanna screamed in pain once again and stabbed her shillelagh into the outline of its eye. Much to her surprise and horror it sunk deeply into the creature''s eye bursting it causing a blood like sap to spill out over her. The monster let her go and a piercing cry was emitted from its bark maw. Alanna was furious and pushed and pulled the staff through the creature then ripped it out viciously. Her right shoulder and arm were bleeding and crushed and she was in an extreme amount of pain. Yet her rage and frustration had not yet ebbed. So, she smashed her staff into the tree over and over. She stabbed through the other eye with a frantic fervor. After a moment a spectral light bloomed then faded around the tree and a pile of dust fell to the ground leaving only a normal tree behind. Alanna collapsed to the ground and laid her back against the tree. She was in a lot of pain and hoped that her thus far unused regeneration spell would finally be of use. She called forth the power within herself and for once it answered. A warmth suffused her and a numbing feeling traveled up her arm and into her shoulder. It felt like she just received local anesthesia. She sighed in relief as the arm visibly healed in front of her. She looked down at the staff in her left hand and found it covered in a red sap. It looked quite grim and gruesome almost as if that had been a person. The dust at her feet though, that had been some sort of spirit. She was certain now though. The blackthorn had a mystic quality to it to be able to do that kind of damage as a glorified stick. After her shoulder had fully healed, Alanna stood and looked over the trees near her. She pushed a bit of mana into her bark armor spell to fix the damage as she looked around. She had to find her flashlight as it had fallen from her grip when she was stuck. However, the impact with the ground either broke it or managed to hit the switch. She eyed the trees carefully and found that the two in front of her had small outlines of a face. They seemed to only want to strike her when her back was turned and with the spirit behind her slain she felt a bit of confidence in battling these creatures now. She moved closer to her left so the right most tree would not have an easy shot at hitting her without hitting its ally. Then in a quick leap forward she stabbed forward with her blackthorn staff and it easily pierced through the creature''s eye. Once again she rampaged against the tree spirit. She pushed and pulled and sawed the tree with the thorns of her staff. She felt the tree that was to the right, now behind her, lash her across the back a few times, but her armor held. After a few moments the tree glowed brightly then another pile of dust fell around the trunk. Alanna felt exhaustion creeping in from the adrenaline increase and the constant movement. She was breathing heavily but refused to stop for a break until she made a small safe space here. With that in mind she raged against the other tree. Alanna sat slumped against the final tree and took a few moments to catch her breath. It had been the first time she ever truly fought with anything outside of a spar. This was nothing at all like fighting a person. The entire experience was both horrifying and exhilarating. She had not expected to have to spirit trees on her first quest and she knew that from the descriptions it was a long way from over. She decided to give herself a few minutes of rest before she moved forward again. When the glow from the dust at her feet faded a familiar foggy screen appeared in front of her.
You have slain Spirit of the wood *Dark aligned* x3. 300 Experience gained.
Congratulations You have leveled up. You are now level 2.
1 Ability and 1 Attribute point gained.
Chapter 9 The screen dissipated as Alanna chose to ignore it since she was not in the safest of locations. After a few minutes she had caught her breath and the fatigue from the fluctuating adrenaline began to fade. She moved toward where she thought her flashlight should be and found it on the ground near the base of a tree. She stared at the trees around her looking for any changes and found herself jumping at the rustling of branches. She was wary of the trees now and being unable to tell at a quick glance which were housing spirits, her nerves were beginning to fray. Her night vision had become much better after several minutes and she was able to see a few more meters further than before. Alanna noticed a narrow path just beyond the trees and moved toward it. She took a few steps on the path when she felt another branch impact her. It hit her left elbow knocking the blackthorn staff from her grip. Alanna spun around with the blow and smashed the flashlight base into the tree''s where the outline of the eye was. She brought the flashlight into it repeatedly but a branch swiped at her from the side make her jump back. There did not appear to be any damage. She looked around frantically and found the staff but as she lunged for it a branch swept down and knocked it further away. Alanna yelled in frustration. She cast a wild growth spell which grew rapidly and lashed out at the branches of the tree and managed to hold it in place long enough for her to collect her staff. "So you are afraid of this then." She stated then wove her way under the tied up branch and thrust the newly reclaimed staff into the eye. Unlike the flashlight the shillelagh pierced through the tree with ease and after a few strikes the now familiar glow appeared and dust fell to the ground. "So, there is something rather mystical about this wood after all." Alanna mused. She refreshed her bark armor, gripped her staff even tighter and moved down the path. She dodged away from several trees swiping at her and managed to kill a few more but new this was unsustainable. Even with her newfound strength and stamina she would not last 4 more hours. After a few close calls she found that if she walked the very center she was just out of range of the swinging branches.. She sighed in relief as she carefully strode down the center of the path. The creatures inhabiting the wood groaned and screamed in outrage as Alanna simply passed them by. The Druid made her way in the only direction available, that was also relatively safe, carefully scanning the area for combative trees and other creatures that may stalk the wood. The path ahead seemed to continue on indefinitely and Alanna began to become a bit worried as the scenery seemed to be the same few trees and plants over and over again. She frowned and turned around noticing that the trees were different shapes than the one''s she had been seeing to her front. She looked back to the front and to her confusion the same trees she had been seeing were present there. She took a few steps forward and while the scene moved forward what was displayed was the same few items. She turned back around but the scene was the same as what she saw the last time she turned around. "What is this nonsense?" She asked. She walked backward for a few steps and noticed that the trees and plants were not the same as the ones that she was seeing. "Uggghhh." Alanna groaned and very carefully walked backwards. She continued on this way for several steps when she noticed small stones with strange glyphs set up along the side of the path. They were placed on both sides about a meter apart and a series of 4 glyphs were repeated on each stone. When Alanna turned around to check her positioning along the path she continued to see the same trees she had before. After she had passed 40 stones the scene in front finally changed to something different. "I know I walked more than 40 meters before I noticed the loop." Alanna said to herself. "Was I somehow going nowhere, or were the stone''s moving?" She glared at everything around her in frustration. The spirits of this place were getting on her nerves. She wanted nothing more than to burn this forest down but of course she would not. That would likely not end well for her. Alanna took the final step off the glyph lined path when the view of the forest changed. She spun around scanning for any possible threats and took in the new location she found herself in. It appeared to be some sort of cavern with a high ceiling filled with stalactites. She glanced around warily and cursed under her breath. "What is this?" A soft male voice called out of the darkness. Alanna spun to face the area she thought the voice came from only for an echoing laugh to bounce around the cavern. She spun again toward where she thought it originated but found nothing. "A present for me?" The voice said. Looking around there was nothing obvious to be seen and Alanna''s mind was trying to suggest she was just hearing things due to the stress. Yet she pushed the intrusive thought away and continued to be on guard for a sudden attack. She strained her ears listening for any sounds that would indicate another person or creature but there was nothing. The moment her position started to relax a cacophony of screeching and wing beats had Alanna rolling forward as a colony of bats flew over and around her. She felt a few soft impacts as the occasional bat did not move in time to avoid her completely but she was unharmed. After a moment the cloud of bats continued toward a wall of the cavern and escaped through a tunnel that sat a few meters above the ground. Alanna once again peered around quickly and tried to control her breathing to slow her quickened heart rate. "Was that terrifying?" The soft voice called. The druidess''s eyes narrowed in irritation as she scanned the cavern. There was nothing else there. Something could be hiding behind the various stalactites and stalagmites but standing around in the center of this cavern was not going to be helpful to the completion of her quest. So, she clutched her staff tightly and began moving counter clockwise in an expanding ring toward the outer wall. "You are not as noisy as most of the humans that manage to find their way into my territory." The voice said. Its tone sounded a bit irritated by this which made Alanna want to smile. She knew how tricky fae spirits could be and she was determined not to let down her guard. She wouldn''t speak to it at all if she could help it. She made her way past a few stalagmites getting closer to the cavern wall when something in her senses picked up the faintest flicker she cast out a wild growth in that area and heard an loud yowl. She rushed toward the sound and rounded a stalagmite where she found what looked to be a black cat with red eyes wrapped in vines of ivy staring up at her. She quickly brought the blackthorn staff up over her head and prepared to swing down hard. The cat let out a child like scream and its form quickly shifted into that of a teen girl with curly black hair and red eyes. The girl looked terrified and frantic with ivy holding onto her arms at the wrist and legs at the ankles. Alanna froze momentarily as she took in the younger girls features and noticed that on the girls head was a pair of cat like ears and a long tail protruded from where the tail bone should be. The girl was straining against the bonds and the creaking of the ivy brought Alanna back to her senses and she drove the staff down hard. The girl looked shocked and terrified and tried to dive out of the way while transforming back into a cat. The shillelagh slammed down on the back leg of the creature and the thorns sunk in deeply causing a pained yowl to be ripped from the it.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. It flopped to the side and tried to get to its feet a few times but the strike to its back leg had also impacted the spine. Its hind legs would not cooperate and it let out a pitiful human like wail. Alanna strode forward her staff in hand and determination in her eyes. The creature tried to transform again and a large black horse lay where the cat once had. Only its legs were still unmoving. "Please don''t kill me." It called out. "I wasn''t going to hurt you I promise." It tried as the druid came ever closer. "You would have loved it here. I was going to make you my mate." It said in terror. As the druid''s face turned into one of disgusted rage the p¨²ca knew it may have said the wrong thing. Yet it didn''t get a chance to to make amends as the shillelagh was swung down with inhuman force. Alanna stared it horror and disgust as the fae spirit dissipated into a black dust. "That thing wanted to mate with me?" She said "Uggg, what is with this place?" She said in frustration. Alanna shook her head in disgust. She was felling like she may have jumped into this quest with a little too much enthusiasm. Now she was in a cavern that somehow appeared on a path in the dark woods. She was filthy with sap like blood down half her body and covering her hands and weapon. Sweat coated her and she wanted nothing more than a hot shower and bath. With deliberate effort Alanna continued her way around the cavern. She found a tunnel that led out of the room she was in. Since there was no other entrance or exit that she could easily reach she moved into it and followed it as it seemed to wind up and around the room she had just vacated. She came to where she imagined was opposite of the tunnel she was in and found the larger tunnel that was higher up in the cavern where the bats had flown through. She looked down into the cavern from her vantage and noticed the dust remains of the cat where blowing away in a non existent breeze. "What is causing that?" Alanna asked as the remains dissipated completely into nothingness. She had seen several creatures turn to dust and her memories also showed such things happening when one of the fae were deemed dangerous to the land and were culled. However, in none of the memories did anyone understand why their physical forms turned to dust only to disperse into the wind. "Well staring at nothing isn''t helping. Maybe this mad queen will know something more. If only I can find her. It has to have been a couple hours at least." She told herself. She turned back toward the path she was on and continued the upward spiral. The path eventually led to another large cavern room which if she had to guess sat directly atop the one she was just in. She peeked into the room but found her vision was obstructed by a 3 massive stalactites that ran from the ceiling of the cavern all the way into stalagmites on the ground. With no obvious visual danger the druidess moved forward slowly and made her way toward the central stalagmite. As she got close she heard what almost sounded like whispering and a ripping sound soon followed it. She froze in place behind the cover and listened intently. The sounds were barely audible but she knew something was there. She once again found her grip tightening on the wooden staff in her hand as she slowly moved her head around the cover. Three small and gangly looking yet incredibly short old men were hunched over what appeared to be a small deer. They were running what looked to be daggers over the deer and ripping open its flesh only to shove their caps into the bloody flesh. Alanna''s eyes widened a bit and she released a barely audible gasp at the horrific sight. Yet it seemed loud enough that all three snapped their gaze up and directly at her. They all grinned simultaneously showing of rows of sharp needle like teeth. They plopped the bloody caps on their heads and wielded their daggers menacingly and took a few threatening steps forward. Alanna took an involuntary step back as a wave of intimidation hit her. The red caps seemed to take this as a signal and they sprinted toward her. The druidess gasped in surprise at the astonishing speed the short old men looking creatures showed. In but a moment they had surrounded her and were leaping in thrusting their small daggers into her over and over. Her bark armor spell held for several blows but their accuracy was uncanny and after several rapid strikes in the same spot one of the creatures daggers got through and lodged itself into Alanna''s upper thigh. She screamed in pain and swung her staff wildly to make a bit of room which did seem to work as the backed of out of range. The red cap that stabbed her pulled its dagger free and a small spray of blood and flesh were ripped away with it. Alanna cried out again while the red caps went into a frenzy at the sight of the blood one rushed to the spot on the floor and rushed to wipe its cap on it while the one that stabbed her screamed in outrage and tried to get at the blood it rightfully earned. The third went straight for the wound in Alanna''s leg with its cap leading the way followed closely by the dagger seeking a new soft target. Alanna reflexively swatted the red cap in front of her away with her staff and stumbled backward. She looked down at the damage in her leg and saw blood quirting out of the hole in her bark armor every time her heart beat. She felt nausea start to overtake her at the sight of her blood pumping out. She knew this was due to blood loss and that the dagger had likely nicked her femoral artery. She quickly cast a regeneration on herself then tried to cast a wild growth to catch the pair of redcaps that had been fighting over the spot on the floor. Unfortunately, they had stopped fighting and turned toward the source of the liquid they craved and before she could catch them both one moved outside the range of the snare. The dizziness started to fade as the regeneration went to work mending her body. She decided to try to even the odds a bit and rushed forward swinging hard at the head of the trapped red cap. She took a dozen fast blows to her armored legs from the one she missed and noted the one she knocked away darting in with its dagger leading this time. She ignored them both and swung down with all her strength slamming the large knob of the shillelagh into it. The result was horrific as the creatures head exploded in a shower of blood and gore. The redcap she ignored forced another opening in her armor and the dagger pierced deeply into her calf. The redcap she had knocked away leapt up and drove the dagger into her chest with all the strength backed by the momentum of its extreme speed. The dagger managed to break through the armor and sink into her chest above her left breast. Alanna gasped and stumbled backward from the strike tripping over the red cap behind her. Her comparatively massive frame fell atop it and crushed it like a grape. A sea of red flowed out from under her and she could no longer feel a body beneath her. She had managed to kill two but a blade had managed to pierce her lung and she was starting to feel an incredible pressure on the right side of her chest and breathing was becoming difficult. Worst of all there was still one more dagger wielding evil old man stalking toward her. Alanna''s vison started to darken at the edges. Chapter 10 The pressure in her chest and the difficulty breathing was causing a lack of oxygen in her body. Alanna recognized that she was in some trouble. She pulled on her willpower and forced herself to think clearly even. She had one enemy in front of her grinning evilly as it stalked closer. It had a bit of an injury to its right hand where her staff had taken out a small section of flesh. It was slowed by its attraction to the pooling blood on the floor. Its black beady eyes glancing from her to its former companions and the beautiful crimson pool close by. It turned its head toward it and Alanna felt she could cast her regeneration spell once again. Doing so immediately brought the attention of the redcap fully back on her and it snarled in anger and sped toward her once again. Alanna rolled backward kicking out hard to both give her some momentum and hoping to hit the little monster. The lady of luck seemed to smile on her as the pool of blood was just enough to cause a slight stumble from they typically fleet-footed redcap. It easily corrected the slip with the next step but its direction was now fixed and the left foot of the druidess was headed straight up toward the underside of its chin. In desperation it leaned back and raised its arm to deflect a likely killing blow given their size difference. Alanna rolled up onto her feet and brought her shillelagh to guard diagonally in front of her chest in time to see the small creature flipping backwards. It landed roughly on its front side and let out a groan of pain. Alanna wasted no time and rushed forward lifting the staff over her head and bringing it down hard on the redcap. Like the first two, this creature also exploded into a pool of gore. Her lung had healed quickly at first allowing her to reinvigorate her body with oxygen but she was still in quite a bit of pain. The skin and muscle on her chest was still trying to stitch itself together and the roll then subsequent strike on the creature caused it to rip anew. No other creature had made itself known during the few minutes she was fighting but Alanna did not want to take down her guard. She had only been in the otherworld for a short time and already she felt exhausted. She knew most of it was mental exhaustion as she, while having the memories and knowledge of her past selves, was still pretty new to the stress of combat and violence. She understood conceptually what she needed to do. She recalled scenes and moral justifications for fighting and killing. Still, knowing something and experiencing it are quite a bit different. She also had started getting a strange feeling about the creatures she was battling. She could not quite place it but there was some sort of connection with them. It felt like they were tied somehow to the land but also not. They were repulsive to her. She had a passing thought that they were invasive. She couldn''t understand why but that felt right. The druidess made her way through the room refreshing her armor and ensuring her body was fully healed from this ordeal. She found the layout pretty much the same as the floor below and now completely empty. She also found that the pools of blood and gore had faded away into piles of crimson dust. Even the backside of her clothes was no longer saturated in the remains of the redcap she flattened. There was a bit of dust she wiped off but that sticky warm and wet feeling had thankfully passed. With the room clear she made her way up the tunnel toward the next floor. When she was certain there was no other enemies around she moved back down into the cavern and cast the Land''s bounty spell creating a pool of water that bubbled up from the ground. She used it to drink to her fill and then rinsed herself as thoroughly as she could. She took a few moments to rest her mind and regain her calm. She also thought about the quests she had to remind herself why she was going through any of this. She took a deep cleansing breath in then released all the negative thoughts and her stress upon her exhale. Alanna pulled her phone from her pack but the device would not turn on at all. She sighed and shoved it back into the pack. She did not believe it would work but didn''t carry another method of telling time. If she were to venture a guess it had to be close to three hours she spent on this trek. Without knowing for sure she decided the best thing to do would be to continue onward. The trek to the next floor was quiet and uneventful. As with the path below it spiraled up and around the outside of the open cavern until a replica of the previous two appeared. She silently entered the room and took in everything she could of the layout. Unlike the previous rooms this one looked like an underground forest. It was lightly lit as the other areas had been and she could hear the sounds of a babbling brook on the right side of the room. She bent down into a crouch to lower her profile crept forward anxiously. She focused on her hearing and vision trying to find whatever horror lay in wait before it found her. After a few minutes of sneaking and searching she found the creature of this floor. Unlike the other floors this one had a strange alcove dug into the outer wall where in a large creature lay. Alanna saw what appeared to be an iron cage with what appeared to be human bones inside behind the creature. On the left of the alcove there appeared to be some sort of table with various items strewn across it. Alanna could not tell what they were from her position but something about the room resonated with her. This was the first time she felt a positive feeling from something and while she didn''t know exactly what it was, she knew it wasn''t from the creature.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The being gave off a feeling of wrongness that made her shiver. It was worse than the redcaps and her spirit was filled with revulsion. A part of her demanded the ending of this being and before she could stop herself, she crept forward. The creature looked to be asleep and unaware of her presence. It was at least 2 and a quarter meters in height and badly deformed. It was roughly humanoid in shape but had a reddish purple skin color. It was naked but for a loin cloth that was well and truly soiled. Alanna looked at the staff in her hand and at the giant creature. She knew it would do some damage to it but it would take quite a while to beat it to death even if there was some mystical properties to the wood. She carefully and quietly moved the pack from her back and rummaged through it until she found the sheathed iron scian her grandfather had packed. The druidess unsheathed the blade and held it in her dominant hand swapping the staff to her non dominant side. She crept toward the giant figure careful to make as little sound as she could. She pulled from memories of her past self where she had been a hunter and her body weight shifted back a bit allowing her calf muscles and core to support the wait while she stepped toe to heal. She felt the burn in her muscles as she stalked silently forward She moved toward the creatures head and prepared to strike with the dagger but paused. The deformities of the creature were so prevelant that she was unsure where the best place to strike would be. It was laying on its left side which held a massive arm. The right, however, was short and thin almost as if it had belonged to another creature. Its back was malformed and there was a severe curvature in its spine near its head which caused a hump like appearance. Its legs were long and looked somewhat normal when compared to a human but on its larger upper frame they looked oddly to thin. She could not quite make out the head from this angle and given that she was unsure as to its anatomy she was concerned about where she should strike first. Alanna called upon her memories hoping that something would trigger and eventually it did and from Nuada. The creature was one of the fomorians and in this form could be dispatched like any other humans. It was a bit smaller than the fomorians they fought from the past and it made Alanna feel as though it were a runt or perhaps a younger creature. The part of her that was Nuada burned with rage and this creature and she did not hold back her strike. She carefully thrust the dagger into the creatures hump severing its spinal cord in a quick decisive strike. Unfortunately, given the shape of the spine in that location, the creature retained use of its arms witch it flailed back at her. Fortune had not fully fled for Alanna as the creatures smaller weak arm did relatively little as hit struck her. The creature rolled over and screamed in rage as its legs failed to move it held itself up with its massive arm and tried to pull the dagger from the hump with its smaller arm. A part of Alanna felt terrible for the pain she had caused and the lack of a clean kill. However, there was another part that reveled in the carnage. She was afraid of the two disparate parts of her psyche and did her best to walk a middle ground. Still, she had a quest to complete and this thing was in the way. Something was in the alcove and she needed to know why it called to her. She raised her trusty staff above her head and proceeded to beat the crippled fomorian until it could no longer move under its own power. It seemed like she had done pretty severe damage but it was still breathing. Alanna felt sick but she rushed behind it and removed her scian and pierced the creature repeatedly until it dissipated into a reddish purple dust. Alanna felt the exhaustion of the day pressing upon her. She was not at all used to these actions. She rationalized it and even somewhat excepted her actions, but she was still exceptionally mentally fatigued. She looked down at where the fomorian''s blood had been before it turned to dust. "What have I become?" she asked. She wasn''t exactly upset but more confused by her rapid acceptance of the need and even, if she were honest with herself, the desire to satiate a deeply rooted bloodlust. The exhausted young woman inhaled deeply seeking the cleansing good of the world. When her lungs filled to capacity she held it in and reflected on her life and her recent actions. She accepted who she was in the past. She was timid and afraid. She was afraid of committing to any goals because she was afraid her mother and maternal grandparents were going to force a life she did not want upon her. She was afraid to make connections with people because she was afraid of their judgment when she would be lost in an episode. She even left for Ireland because she was afraid to disappoint a father she didn''t remember. Sure she loved the land and did not want to leave it now but when she felt the call she just wanted to finish school and be left to her own devices. Alanna accepted that this was her past and accepted that is who she was. Then she exhaled and let that all go. It was no longer who she is. She took another deep cleansing breath and thought about her actions the past few weeks. She thought about her reuniting with her selves. It was an incredible journey through her 800 lives. She got to learn about who she had been. She was a fighter. She was a lover. She was a sibling. She was a mother. She was also a father at times. She was a hunter. She was a tribe leader. She was a doctor. She was a druid, and she was a king. She was all of these things and more. She accepted her past lives. Then she exhaled and let that all go. Alanna took in a last deep cleansing breath. She thought about who she wanted to be. She wanted to be a warrior. She wanted to be a healer. She wanted to create a home for her future. She wanted to be educated. She wanted to help the land thrive. She had a half remembered memory from a time when the Tuatha De Danann lived in the other place. A promise was made a pact was formed. She wanted to fulfill an oath and to do that she must become stronger. She would become whatever was required to fulfill her goals. Blood would be on her hands. Some would be from the violence she would cause. Some would be from the allies she would heal. Yet blood there would be. This was her life now. This was the choice. There was an ancient promise tied to her soul and she would see her people to their final home. Alanna exhaled and let that all go. It was time to continue on. Interlude 3 The battles were not going as well as Carthus had hoped they would. His people were holding their lands but the sheer number his counterpart had been throwing at them for the past few hundred years was mind boggling. He looked into the insectoid species after their first battle and found that they were somewhat altered. This of course was only capable of being done with the build points so, it was unsurprising that they were far more potent they they could have been otherwise. They had a higher intelligence than they would have but still retained their hive and colony structures. This meant that they had clearly defined roles and accepted them without question. Worse, they completed their tasks with an almost religious fervor. The world gods had also revealed themselves and even though there were multiple insectoid species they had only 3 deities. So, they were individually more powerful than those of his side. Still, the numbers of his side''s deities combined still matched the strength of his counterparts. They had been fighting large scale battles and smaller skirmishes and while it seemed to be a stalemate as far as the amount of ground covered, Carthus had already lost 3 of his heroes to the other side. He decided to summon three the first time around as he figured one for each of the major races would be sufficient to bring more stability for his people. He was not wrong in doing so and for a century they battled hard on the front lines keeping the insectoids out of their continent. Yet they were overwhelmed by a massive swarm that attempted to breakthrough the lines. The insectoids managed to break through and only through a concerted effort of the empire they were pushed back and eventually wiped out. Yet they had devastated the moral of the empire''s people. They priests and priestesses of the different faiths collectively called upon the gods to send them a champion and this time Carthus was determined to funnel the power allotted into one. He had scoured the other universe for compatible beings and there were thousands upon thousands of planets with interesting intelligent life but he wanted someone that would mesh well with the people he had. He searched for nearly 50 years while funneling the power he was allowed into the spell matrix then he found a planet filled with dwarves, gnomes, elves, orcs, beastkin and another race that looked to be a mix of elves and dwarves. It was a species he had never seen before and not one recorded within the concepts. All the people in this realm were all far more advanced in their technologies and magics than anyone in this infantile world could be and any of them would make a great champion. He chose a large male version of the species he couldn''t recognize but the spell would not latch on him. He was confused by the failure and tried again with another of the species this time it being female. Yet, the matrix did not consider them viable targets of the spell. Even more strangely when he would try to grab them they would somehow know that something was wrong and they would become anxious and some even angered and aggressive by the invisible threat. He tried several times to get one of these people but they just did not work with the magic of the spell. So, he turned toward one of the dwarven peoples that had caught his eye. She was a magnificent specimen of their race and while he was disappointed he had not been able to retrieve the other species. She would do well especially with the power he was going to pump into her. He watched her leave a bar where she and some friends entertained themselves and made her way toward her home. She stumbled along the road alone and he locked onto her with his spell. ________________ A deep dull ache woke Ruligret from her slumber. She groaned in pain and moved her hands up to her temples and massaged them with her thumbs. "How much did I drink?" She groaned aloud. She looked down and found she was wearing some sort of cloth gown that felt to be spun from some sort of silk. She groaned again and looked around at the room she was in. It was rather bare with a nicely made wooden set of furniture with delicate bronze work inlayed into them. The dresser, night stand, and small table with a chair that she assumed was a desk seemed to be a matching set. She looked down at the bed she was in and found it was fairly comfortable with a large pillowed comforter atop silken sheets. She didn''t really care for silk sheets at home as they made her overheat at night but for some reason they were comfortable here. Wherever here was. She looked at the heavy stone blocks that made up her wall and that more than anything else confused her. "Oh Ruli, who''d you get off to with last night." She complained to her past drunken self. Ruligret rolled out of bed and found a cheval mirror where she took in her appearance. She stood right at 161cm and had a fairly strong wide physique that had her weighing in around 68kg. Her hair was strawberry blond and fell down around her shoulders in a wave of messy curls. She had brown eyes that had a natural mischievous twinkle that had gotten her into trouble more than once. Her thick muscular arms that filled out the night gown she wore were a testament to her vast strength. She grunted in approval that she did not look nearly as bad as she felt and turned around to search for her clothes. She looked around the large framed bed that she just realized had a canopy that was tied up at the corner posts. She whistled at the expensive looking frame and the beautifully crafted timber. "Where in the 9 hells am I?" She thought aloud. She could not find the uniform jumpsuit that she knew she was wearing last night but did manage to find some well tailored dresses in an ancient almost medieval style which were not really going to fit her. She looked at the nightgown which was stretched as far as it could without ripping at the seams. She was fairly large for her species and did have some trouble finding clothes in the normal woman''s departments but she always made due with what she found. She looked at the dress in her hand. Then she stared at the furniture, and the walls. She looked at the mirror and then at the open balcony where the light was coming in from. She looked at the high arched ceiling and ancient architecture. She looked at what appeared to be an oil lantern at the bedside table. She looked back at the dress in her hand and grimaced. "Did I go home with one of them medieval knight reenactors?" I mean its kind of cute in passing but to live like this?" She shuddered at the thought and the very awkward conversation she was going to have to have. She was not going to play dress up for whoever this guy was. Ruligret straightened up and moved toward an Iron banded oak door but it opened as she approached. A smaller dwarven woman with a light dusting of hair across her face entered. She had her brown hair in a twin braid that dangled over her cheeks and was tied together beneath her chin. She was pretty enough if you could get past the facial hair but Ruligret was not usually interested in the girls that went au-naturale. She liked her men big and strong and her women lithe and well groomed. This woman was smaller then Ruligret but still looked a bit to masculine for her to be attracted to. She knew her feminist friends would hate that she made these judgements but she couldn''t help what she was attracted to. "Sorry love I am sure you were great its just that your not usually my type and I do not want to get to far along into a situation that was caused by my inability to control my drinking. Nice place by the way its very¡ªyes well its"¡ª Ruligret winced at her rambling and the befuddled look on the woman''s face and sighed. "Where is the front door I''ll just see myself out." She said as she walked past the woman and into a long stone hall.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. "Me lady please the Emperor be wantin t'' see ye." The smaller woman yelled rushing out the door to follow. "Wow you are really leaning in to the whole archaic stereotypical dwarf there aren''t you?" Ruligret asked. "I''m impressed to your dedication to the character but really I''m just not interested. It''s a me thing. Well I mean its kind of a you thing too as your just not my type. However, that isn''t your fault that''s on me for living with to many humans. So see? Where back to it being a me thing and we can go our separate ways knowing we shared a wonderful night and that¡ª" She paused as the dwarven woman''s red face started to turn into a concerning purple. She opened her mouth to say something about blood pressure but she paused as she noticed two armored dwarves round the corner. She looked back at the woman then at the medieval armored dwarves. "That is well crafted and an alloy I cannot identify." Ruligret said and ran toward the two dwarves. She stared poking and prodding at their armor and even picked one of them up to look at the underside of the cuirass. "Oy put me down." The dwarf said kicking its legs and shaking in an attempt to break free. "Oh my apologies Ruligret offered sheepishly setting the dwarven man down. I get a bit excited over new alloys. What is this? Where was it manufactured? Can I get a bit to test? I have a small budget for new materials I am sure I could get approval for a sample? What planet was it found on?" The dwarves looked at her in bewilderment and stared at the dwarven woman behind her for help. Ruligret noticing their looks turned around and looked expectantly at the woman. The woman''s face began to slowly return to normal and she held her head high. "Me lady I am priestess Udatred Rubybraid and Ive been charged t'' be yer caretaker until ye meet the emperor." Ruligret raised her eyebrow and looked back at the armored dwarves. "Will this emperor of yours be able to get me some of this metal?" Ruligret asked. Udatred sighed and her shoulders slumped. "O course he can he''s only the bleedin Emperor." She thought to herself instead she said. "I can take ye t'' meet him me lady. We had been hoping ye''d awaken soon. Things are getting dangerous at the front." Ruligret nodded as if she understood. "Right, right, the front terrible thing that. So, do you think we can meet this Emperor of yours then?" She asked. Udatred sighed and nodded then took a position next to Ruligret. "Right this way me lady." ______________ Barnabus was confused. He did not enjoy the feeling. He was staring down at his champion with disappointment. The man was what could only be described as hedonistic. This was the source of Barnabus''s confusion and disappointment. This creature was born for battle. It had a thin agile body and deadly quick reflexes. He had seen the man cut down many enemies with the sickles he kept at his waist. He was a monster on the field of battle and when he had clashed with the apposing heroes he had run them off two out of their three encounters. Unfortunately, the last encounter saw him injured and since he refused to head back to the front to do battle. He would only drink the sweetest nectar and lay with his harem of lesser queens. Which also confused Barnabus. These creatures all reproduced asexually. The guy was just laying around with the queens who would try to coax him to their chambers in the colony or hive to bless their eggs with his divine gift which helped them grow faster and stronger. The only reason they managed to kill the other champions was because two of the queens went mad at seeing his injury and sent nearly their entire colonies into the battle. Now two of his major forces needed to be replenished and the conquest was at a standstill. He just stared down despondently at this champion hoping that he either got over his issues or died off so he could summon someone else. He had enough stored energy to summon another powerful hero and yet could do nothing with it while this pathetic creature endured. _______________ Mika''hal was miserable. That goddess promised him the isekai life he always wanted. She promised great power to kill his enemies and bring his people to a new age. She promised him a harem of beautiful women to choose from. All he had to do was leave his old craptastic life behind. He did not expect to become an insectoid but thought he was quite a bit better looking now then he had been. He was an outcast on his home planet as he was born to two races that were universally despised. When he got the summon offer and met the goddess he was thrilled. She was the most beautiful ant woman he had ever seen. She remind him of the animated stories he enjoyed so much and he thought his meaningless life would finally be worth something. He was right in his thinking at first. All of the insectoids queens were gorgeous and they all seemed to show him some interest. His body was fast and powerful and he was a terror when hunting and on the battlefield. The asshole dwarves were fun to slaughter and he felt a bit vindicated for how the species had treated him in the old world. Even the other beast races were cruel to him but the insectoids here treated him as though he were a gift from the gods. When he thought about that he actually kind of was. Still, battle was fun until he felt that damn lionkin''s blade cut deep into his abdomen. The pain was incredible and it showed him how real the danger he was in actually was. This was not the game he pretended to play and he was terrified. To make matters worse his harem of beautiful women was a sick joke. He had his old desires for sex and yet it was all an just an expectation in his mind. All of his queens just wanted him to spray down some eggs with this weird ability the goddess gave him. There was no pleasure in the actions at all, and the only other thing that he found satisfying in this world now terrified him. He looked over toward the one queen with whom he had thus far refused and she stared at him hungrily. He shivered in fear and revulsion. Unlike the others this one was not an insectoid or perhaps they were still labeled as such but he wondered if that was in oversight. The arachne queen was just as beautiful as all of the others but the red hourglass spot on her abdomen made him want to steer clear of her web. Still her species did reproduce sexually and he would be lying if he didn''t harbor some socially awkward fantasies. He sighed and stared at the tray of what he guessed was mosquito legs and picked one up to eat. Even if it was never very fulfilling. he looked back over to the arachne and shuddered. No he wasn''t quite ready for that yet. Chapter 11 The alcove sat a few meters back into the outside of the cavern to the left of the cavern exit. It seemed to have been burrowed out long ago and given that it was somewhat furnished with a wooden table and chair, a bookshelf and two cages, Alanna was certain the fomorian just came across it and started using it. It was possible it created them but given its arm deformity building was unlikely. Alanna entered the room and was first drawn to the skeleton seated in the larger iron cage. She moved up to it and inspected the skeleton and based on the head and hips she thought it was likely a woman. However, she knew this was a guess based on the very little information she remembered from general studies classes on anatomy. There were a few scraps of decaying leather that belonged to an intact satchel at the side of the skeleton. Alana picked it up carefully and moved it over to the table where she gingerly opened it. Inside she found a book with a well preserved leather cover holding in a series of loose sheets that were only slightly yellowed with age. Whatever agent had been used to bind the pages had long since eroded away. Alanna carefully opened the book and looked at the pages. On the pages was a language that she had only really ever heard spoken and had not read in this lifetime. She had to sink into the memories of one of the ancient druids before she found she could read the pages. There was not many pages with writing on it and as she read she understood why. It was a journal of the one of the druid of a Lord Kirwan. The book described the kidnapping of the lord''s daughter by a trickster spirit who then fled into the otherworld. The lord sent his druid into the into the otherworld to track down the spirit and rescue his daughter. The druid followed the lords request and entered T¨ªr N-ail and tracked the spirit to the a place of colors that were indescribable. The druid got lost in the myriad colors. He made a bargain with the Nymph Cadhla who led him through the land of color and into a land of shadow. He found his lord''s daughter bound and the trickster spirit trying to force a handfasting ceremony. The druid managed to use his connection to the land to rescue the lords daughter and helped her to escape back to her home. Yet he had bound himself in debt to the nymph and was forced to remain in the land of color. This new bond severed the connection that the druid had with his grove and the land''s gifts would slowly leave him. However, his duty had been completed. So, he spend the remaining years of his life bound to Cadhla and he learned to love her in his own way. He did not seem to believe she loved in the same way of the humans yet she cared for him even as she used him. When she had taken his seed and the remainder of his power their pact had been completed and he was permitted to return. Yet he knew he could not make the journey as he was so he searched for a way to reconnect to the land. He found his way to Tir Tairngire where he met with a man calling himself Cormac. This Cormac knew the way to a fountain that could grant knowledge and thought perhaps it held the answers the druid was seeking. The pair traveled together for a year and a day before they found the fountain of knowledge. The druid took a single sip from the fountain and the only knowledge he gained was that of his death. He felt a deep regret that he would not be able to pass on his knowledge because what he had discovered both here in the otherworld and his gift from the land were unique. So, he made a difficult choice. He broke with tradition and wrote down both his tale and the way he unlocked his greatest ability. He found a peddler near the fountain who offered him a book, quill, and ink. He did not find it odd that these were the exact items he had desired the most in that moment. In his haste he agreed and pulled out a pouch with the few items of value he owned. A bit of bullion, a small uncut gemstone, and a sprig of holly were dumped out before the peddler. It laughed at the trinkets and shook its head then grabbed the druid by the hand. It claimed that a bargain had been struck and then darkness covered the land. When it cleared the druid found himself in a cage naked except for his satchel in which was a book, quill, and ink. The druid felt a bit of sorrow. For he had seen his death in this place. Still, he had accepted this was his destiny and wrote his tale then his secrets down. Alanna did not know how the druid had spent his last few days. The tale was only a few pages long but she understood the decision must have weighed heavily on the man. Druidic traditions were verbally passed down for the most part. Yet with the fall of the covens and groves what little remained was annotated and hidden within the clans, tribes, and families. He did not want his knowledge to be lost and she was understanding and grateful. She read over the druid''s greatest ability and felt something inside herself resonate with the words. She closed her eyes and tried to understand the feeling when a familiar fog screen opened in her mind''s eye.
Congratulations you have found insight into the shapeshift ability. A new wild shape has been unlocked.
Alanna could feel how the ability worked and wanted desperately to try it out but her common sense advised against it. She had no idea if there was a downside to the shift and finding out alone and in a dangerous location was the height of stupidity. She carefully put the sheets of paper back into the leather cover and set it aside on the table. She looked around the room and noticed that there was something in the smaller iron bird cage. She moved toward it curiously and found a tiny winged woman staring ahead blankly. She recognized the sidhe for what it was and knew it was highly unlikely to be harmful. So she bent closer to inspect it. She was quite beautiful as was natural for its kind. She had dark green hair that looked almost black, given the limited lighting of the area, and emerald green eyes in an almond shape. Additionally, she had quite delicate features including a small button nose and slightly pointed ears. The creature seemed to be alive but was completely unresponsive to external stimuli. The cold iron cage was not locked and the small door was easily opened when Alanna pulled on it. Still, the fairy did not move. Alanna refreshed her bark armor just in case and reached in gently to lift the tiny Leanan s¨ªdhe from the cage. She let it lay down on her forearm like she would a human baby except it was likely around half the size at 25cm. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. When the fairy still had not moved Alanna pushed a bit of her regeneration into the creature. The tiny thing let out an inappropriate sound and its eyes started to regained their focus. The fairy blinked rapidly and stared up at the Alanna without moving overmuch. She very slowly turned its head and looked around. When she saw Alanna just staring at it with a bit of wonder it put on an innocent smile and waved. Alanna raised an eyebrow and then gently set the fairy down on the table and took a few steps back toward the entrance of the alcove. The Leanan Sidhe stretched and started flapping her wings until she was flying out over the table. Then her form enlarged until she stood around the size of a normal adult woman then her wings vanished. The woman sighed in relief and stretched in a way that many would likely find alluring but had Alanna snort in amusement. The fairy pouted at Alanna''s amusement and started speaking in an ancient dialect. It took Alanna a minute to recall this dialect from her memories but her mouth was unused to forming the words. It took a few minutes of trying to speak before she finally got the muscle memory of her tongue and mouth to form the correct sounds. "Start over. I did not understand everything you said and I am trying to remember this dialect." Alanna demanded. The Leanan s¨ªdhe frowned and nodded then began again. "I said I would have likely gotten out in a few more years but that now is as good of a time as any to leave. So, I will let you tag along with me while I go back to the palace." Alanna showed both surprise and growing amusement at the woman. "Are you afraid to thank me?" She asked the fairy. "Hey I could have gotten out just fine. I certainly refuse to owe a debt to a druid for something that I was perfectly capable of extracting myself from." The woman held her nose in the air which caused another snort of amusement from Alanna. "Right well I am heading toward the top of this place I cannot have to much farther to go." Alanna said as she walked back to collect her pack. "Come with me or stay here. It is all the same to me." She collected her belongings and the druid''s book as well and after placing it in the pack she put it back on her back and started trudging toward the top. "Very well I shall allow you to accompany me out." The fairy insisted then it shrunk itself down and flitted over to the pack and crawled atop. "So, where did you come from?" The fairy asked. Alanna turned her head to the side to see the creature from her peripheral. She looked back toward the front and explained a bit about her travels thus far as she headed up to the next floor. The journey to the next floor seemed to be similar to that of each previous so when Alanna came to the entrance to another cavern she silenced her hitchhiker and crept into the room. This room seemed slightly darker than the others but still a hair brighter than the tunnel she moved out of. Alanna could make out another forest biome on this floor but as with the previous it lacked the common sounds one would expect to hear. It took her a bit of time to find out what would be on this floor but after carefully moving around she found several creatures stalking the grounds. They were small like the redcaps had been but were far thicker and while they had a sort of goblin look to them they shared the kyphosis trait the fomorian had. Alanna could feel a general sense of malevolence from the creatures and the wrongness of them required her to act. They were an affront to the land and she found herself creeping forward toward the closest creature. She heard a tiny squeak from her pack but paid the fairy no mind. She snuck close to creature and hid up close to the trunk of a tree. As it walked past she swung out hard with her staff and with an ease she had yet to experience in her combat thus far she dispatched the creature. It turned into a pile of black dust before the corpse even hit the ground. The druidess was surprised with the ease in which the creature was killed but she remembered how difficult the redcap fight was even though they did not take much damage to actually kill them. Likely catching this one off guard was what caused the easy dispatch and so she resolved herself to sneaking about the best she could. She began to move forward when she felt her pack moving and a soft whisper called out. "What are you doing?" The fairy demanded. Alanna turned back toward her pack then frowned and shook her head indicating the fairy should remain silent. The fairy crossed her arms in anger and turned her head away in a pout. This did not bother Alanna at all and she went about her dark business. She snuck on toward the next creature and attempted the same stealthy takedown but it seemed to notice her and screamed out in rage before charging at her. Fortunately, its speed was not anywhere near that of the redcap. However, when the creature swung at her she felt the strength of the blow in the displaced air. Alanna eyed the creature carefully and kept it at bay with the longer reach of her tall frame and the staff she held. It took several seconds to get the creature to overextend but when it did the druidess was unforgiving with her overhead strike into the creature. It died as easily as the first but Alanna had missed the entrance of another of the creatures into the melee. As she dispatched one, another came charging toward her and clipped her from the side. The impact was so hard it sent her flipping head over heels and landing on her back side. She felt like something might be dislocated from the impact as a sharp pain was shooting up and down her left leg. She quickly cast a regeneration spell and managed to get back up to her feet. She saw the creature had injured itself in the collision and was staggered. This was fortunate as it allowed the regeneration spell to take affect and after a sharp pain and a pop resounded from her hip the pain receded completely. Alanna breathed a sigh of relief then charged back into combat. It didn''t take more than 2 strikes of the staff to kill this creature. Alanna was frustrated by the outcome of the battle. She was glad she was alive and had defeated her enemies but she should have focused on the battlefield as well as the enemy. It was a rookie mistake and while she was technically a rookie, the experiences she had over her lifetimes made her feel like she should be doing better. She determined to be better in the future and took this lesson to heart. With resolve in her heart she crept through the cavern doing her best not to be noticed. Chapter 12 The remainder of the floor went by without issue. Alanna stalked the forest as though she were a predator and managed to cleanly kill off the remaining creatures. She was still rather irritated by her mistakes over the past few hours. While she did not know exactly what to expect from this quest, she never imagined it would be overly dangerous. She had the advantage of her soul becoming whole and one with the land so she was not overly concerned at first. Yet she had made many mistakes each of which caused her severe harm. Were it not for the healing ability she would be long dead. She understood there was a bit of a learning curve and that it took time to re-develop the muscle memory for combat arts. When she started this journey into the otherworld she felt a bit of nervousness sure but looking back she recognized she had a sort of overinflated sense of self. As she considered her time in the otherworld she decided that she may have been overly influenced by her more powerful past selves. She simply did not retain the skill of some of her past bodies. She would have to learn once again. She was determined to find some help once she got out of this place. The last of the creatures on this floor were found guarding a large burrow dug beneath a massive blackthorn tree. There were a few scattered fruits from tree that had fallen during short fight with one rolling into the hidden burrow. Alanna was just curious enough to check it out but not quite foolish enough to stick her head in. She thrust her staff into the burrow and found it was only a bit under a meter in depth and width. It was approximately 2 feet or around 60cm if she had to guess. After carefully moving the staff along the perimeter she peeked inside. She found an iron bound chest that was nearly a meter in length. She pulled it out and found it was not locked or even latched. The lid just sat loosely closed. She was mildly paranoid so she backed up a bit and flipped the top with her staff. Inside the chest was filled with gems and some small golden bars. They looked like the quintessential treasure from every fantasy ever made. Alanna pursed her lips and stared at the chest''s contents. "It is too fantastical to be real." She said as she poked the contents with her staff. Nothing seemed to happen. No rabid box disguised creature tried to eat her. The gems and gold just shifted around the staff. Alanna prodded at it for a minute until she felt her staff impact a smaller box buried in the treasure. She carefully uncovered it and pulled out what looked to be a rather well made jewelry box. She carefully looked it over but could not see anything obviously wrong with the box. She was getting a feeling of contentment from with in herself. When she felt this way in the past she usually attributed these feelings as being from the land. Whatever this box contained a part of her wanted. So, she opened the box. Inside there were 4 large seeds. Alanna had no idea what they were seeds of, but she had a really good feeling about these plants. So, she decided to hold onto them. She started to stuff the case into her pack when the fairy flew out and expanded to her full size. She had her arms crossed and an irritated pout decorated her visage. Alanna looked up at her as she shoveled a handful of coins and gems into the pouch after pushing in the jewelry box. She did not know what, if any, type of coin was used in this land so it would not hurt to take a bit. She just hoped it wasn''t somehow cursed. "Can I help you leanan s¨ªdhe?" Alanna asked the cross spirit. "I have a name druid." The fairy responded. Alanna thought for a moment then looked questioningly at the fairy. "I do not recall you properly introducing yourself." She said. "I recall you saying something and me taking a bit to understand you. Then I told you my name and story. I do not recall you giving a name though." The fairy thought for a moment. "You may refer to me as Grainne." She decided with a nod. Alanna hummed in an affirmative and nodded likewise. "Very well Grainne my question stands. Can I help you with something? You are acting quite affronted." The fairy stomped her foot and shouted. "Why are you releasing them. They have turned and are imprisoned here for a reason!" She spat. "My mother very likely condemned these fae and you return them to the cycle. Why?" Alanna stared in confusion at the fae. "You don''t even know what your doing!" The fairy screamed angrily. "This was there punishment. To be banished to this place. Forever denied rebirth yet you come in here and free them from their just reward. They were tainted and fallen." The woman seemed to have built up quite a bit of anger over the course of the past hour she slammed a fist into her hand and glared at Alanna. Alanna just raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Are you going to explain or rant like and rave like a mad woman?" She asked. The fairy grit her teeth and explained. "When we die our essence is returned to the land and we are remade. We never truly die merely spend some time lost until we are reconstituted. This place is a dungeon. It is there punishment for what they have become. These boggarts were once hobgoblins. They aided the land and nourished it like a caretaker. Then they fell to darkness and became these twisted things. These twisted things cannot be allowed to return to the cycle. That is why mother placed them here" Alanna was shaking her head in disagreement It did not feel right to her. She knew that some of what the woman was saying was accurate but as a whole it didn''t ring true. She wasn''t sure exactly why but she struggled to express her thoughts "They are a blight on the land in this form. Their very presence is a taint. I can feel the revulsion the land feels for them. All should be returned to the land to be reborn. This darkness may have a cause and a purpose. Perhaps they will live to taint us once again. Yet they can be washed clean in the cycle." She paused and looked up and to the west where she had entered the forest above. She felt it there. The ring that led to the overworld. She felt the weak connection there with the land. It was weak but stable. She looked back at the dust piles of the boggarts she had slain. "Perhaps it is the fault of the overworld. The connection to the land is weak and the gods of the world have all either fled or have been destroyed. The otherworld still has a deep connection to them and the creatures on this side have a deep desire for their home. Perhaps it drives them to hate the decedents above. She looked at the leanan s¨ªdhe and shrugged. I do not know for sure but the land required their death and purification." Grainne stared at the druid with a frown. She moved her hands to her sides and clenched her fists then grit her teeth. "You druids and your connections." The fairy snorted. "You always think to speak for the land hmm, well where were you when it was taken? When we were driven from it?" The fair turned and shrunk back down and sat back on the pack. She was clearly done speaking but that was alright with Alanna. She couldn''t really answer that question. She had fought and died a few times for her beliefs. Yet, many others gave in to the new way. The covens and groves were all nearly gone. Only a few remained steadfast in their ways from what she cold tell of the past few centuries of memories.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Yet as she considered what she read of the druids final days and compared it to the bit of information her grandparents were able to get based on their own past memories. The traditions did seem to hold them back when there were few left to pass on the centuries of knowledge the orders had. It was a common theme in history. Even if they could have written down their history there was no guarantee it would have lasted. There many great purges of information which helped ensure the future peoples would be left unaware of their past. It was sad but it was still quite common even in the modern era. Media black outs and government subdual of free speech happened in places all over the world. There was nothing that Alanna could do about the situation and she understood Grainne''s frustration to some degree. Still she knew she was right to release the creatures she found. She would admit she had not consciously done that. She had a weird desire to fight and kill and a lot of her actions were because of that. However, the land did not see things so darkly. It merely wanted the darkness purged and the cycle to continue. With her pouch filled with a few trinkets and the seeds she donned it and made her way toward the exit tunnel for this room. She had found quite a bit to ponder upon in this place and while she was anxious to leave. She felt like she was truly beginning to find herself. The tunnel up toward the next floor was exactly the same as every other one she had wandered. It led up and around to a floor that was seemed to share the dimensions of the previous. This one was a snowy taiga biome complete with spruce trees and a single cottage in the center covered in snow. Alanna was certainly not prepared for snow like this. While not unheard of in March in Ohio or Ireland she was used to temperatures between 0 to 10 or 32 to 50 degrees for this time of year. She could get away with a light coat or sweater so long as the wind chill was moderate. This was all below 0 in temperature. She saw that there was some smoke coming from the chimney in the cottage so she made her way over toward it. This area in the cavern did not seem to have any other creatures in it or if it did they were huddled up somewhere and not in the spruce forest. Alanna made her way to the front door and knocked on it then strained her ears listening for a response. It took a few minutes before the door opened revealing an older woman with a somewhat thin face and a large hooked nose, in old but comfortable looking clothes. She looked Alanna up and down then nodded for her to come in. "I''m just about to make some tea dear." The woman said "Come have a spot with me." The cottage was a single large room with a large hearth complete with a cooking rack for a pot or roast. Next to the hearth there lay a cot with a large fur blanket and hand sewn pillow. To the left of the entrance there was a dining table and chair and to the right a long table with dried herbs and recently caught game animals. The woman moved over to a table with a mortar and pestle and dropped a dried plant that was a white 5 petal flowered plant with umbrella shaped clusters at the end into the mortar. She proceeded to crush the plant repeatedly until it became a fine powder. The air took on a slight musty scent and it made Alanna want to back out. The woman then placed the dried and crushed plant into a cone filter that looked to be made of wood then set both over a ceramic cup and poured boiling water over it. Then offered the cup to Alanna who stared at it dubiously. "Something wrong deary?" The woman asked with a saccharine smile. Alanna pushed the cup back toward the woman and offered a smile that did not meet her eyes. "I would hate to deprive you of the first cup." Alanna said. "I seem to remember that hemlock tea just doesn''t relax me the way a good Bewley''s does." The woman cackled in amusement then drained the tea in one fast gulp. This surprised Alanna to such a degree that she stared open mouthed at the woman. "Why did you do that?" Alanna asked then closed her mouth to hid her momentary surprise. The woman just snorted in amusement at the question and pointed at the door indicating Alanna should leave. "I have completed my task and it is time to return." The woman said as she stood up and made another cup of the tea. She looked up at the ceiling but was staring somewhere far away and some time far removed. " I was the caretaker of this place for so very long." She said and grunted as a cramp overtook her body. "You asked why. Your coming here is a sign. I can feel those connected to me are removed from this place. So, I am no longer bound here. Your coming heralds my rebirth." The woman''s smile was no longer so saccharine sweet but had a hint of genuine warmth to it yet if fell as she continued to reminisce. "I let their death and my loss consume me and I fell into the darkness willingly. I cursed their crops and their people until they died in the thousands. Still I was not satisfied. They took my kin and crushed my coven while I was tied to a stake to be burned. Yet in my hour of desperation my blood called to blood and the line of Cethlenn answered my call." The woman downed the other cup of tea and sat down at a nearby stool. Her face became pale and sweat beaded upon her brow. She looked pained and grimaced as she spoke. "I gladly accepted their aid and my would be killers were struck down by the devil they feared." She had a gleam of vindication in her eyes before it fell away to pain. "I cursed myself when I cursed them and was rejected by the land I once served. It opened a path on that hill and we were all dragged down. We fled through the otherworld and came to rest in a forest of shadows. It seemed like it was the perfect place yet it was the mad queen''s domain and while it was shadow we were tainted. We were dark aligned and separated from the land. She sealed us in this tomb for our sin and promised one day salvation would come to all the broken by the hand of the reclaimer. You released some of the taint from the line of Cethlenn and they will rejoin the cycle free to live and try again. I am all that remains in this place and the mad queens curse no longer binds my spirit. So, I go to where I can reunite with the ones I lost so long ago. With that she closed her eyes and her breathing slowed. Grainne popped up next to Alanna and stared at the dying old woman. "This was a mercy undeserved." She said. The woman smiled and hissed out, "yes," then slowly began to fade. "The land may want them Alanna but they defiled it and weakened it. It just isn''t right." Alanna clasped the fairy by the hand and held her firmly and turned Grainne toward her. "I understand what you are telling me. I understand that your connection to the home is weak." She paused and thought back through her memories and felt the conviction of Nuada. "The pact has changed you all. Some lean toward the light and some toward the dark but it is all part of the cycle. The taint is a change of nature not a measure of good or evil. It is a blight on the land because you all are the land just as I am. When you change your nature, your connection is weakened or even severed. Yet the taint, the blight it lingers. I saw the places leading to the otherworld. Each is like a small wound in the land. It is an irritant and it must be cleansed in some way. The fairy stared at Alanna with a frown but did not speak. She looked to be considering the words spoken and considering all she knew of her place in the otherworld. As they stood their lost in their thoughts the land shifted around them and the cavern fell away leaving them standing in a stone ring at the end of a long path. Behind them lay a shadowed forest and in front a vast grassland with a large motte-and bailey castle standing atop a similarly large hill. They looked at each other then at the castle in the distance and for the first time in a while they both smiled. Chapter 13 The land of shadow was an odd description for this otherworld as it was not a land of night or pure darkness. It did not have any obvious curses or malevolence that one could say was the reason for its name. Alanna could not see why this place would be called the land of shadows. She took a step forward out of the ring of stone and the moment she did a familiar fog screen formed in her minds eye.
You have slain Spirit of the wood *Dark Aligned x5. 500 Experience gained.
You have slain the Puca, Ronan *Tainted.* 250 Experience gained.
You have slain Redcap *Tainted* x3. 450 Experience gained.
You have slain the Fomorian Tadhg. 500 Experience gained.
You have slain Boggart *Tainted* x7 875 Experience gained.
Congratulations you have leveled up. You are now level 5.
3 Ability and 3 Attribute points gained.
Congratulations you have completed the quest, Uncover the past I.
Congratulations you have cleansed a tainted land. Find other areas of tainted land to learn more about yourself and the past.
Alanna winced at the kill notifications. She hadn''t realized how many creatures she cleansed already today and she had no idea how much more she would meet before her quest''s end. It was one thing to understand one''s resolve but to have it written out numerically was hard to witness. A large part of who she was disliked what she saw even as she understood and accepted the necessity. The completion of the quest was no surprise either. She had gained a large amount of understanding about the history of the druid and even the story of the hag. Furthermore, the understanding that the tainted were blocked from the cycle and the recognition that all beings tied to the land lived within the cycle, was paramount to her for a reason she did not fully understand. Yet she accepted it as the truth. Alanna focused on her sheet to see where these ability and attribute points were going.
Name Alanna Hotaru Race: Druid Class: Mystical Warden (Unique)
Age: 18 Gender: Female Anthropometrics: 183 CM / 11 Stone
STR: 20 DEX: 20 AGI: 20
CON: 16 INT: 16 WIS: 20
CHA: 22 Health: 100% Mana: 88%
Stamina: 80% Level: 5 Experience: 2875/3600
It appeared the attribute points went into strength and intelligence. Alanna was not sure she felt stronger or smarter so the overall increase was not obvious to her. She also never really tested what her max strength or speed was and she wondered if that may have been a mistake now that she had a way to quantify it. She looked over her spells and abilities but could not find any place where points could or would be added to them. It looked the same as it had before except under her shapeshift lesser it showed a new shape.
Spells Abilities
Wild Growth: Use mana to call upon the land to trip up your enemies. Shapeshift - Lesser. Wild-shape 1: Smilodon.
Regenerate: Use mana to call upon the land to heal damage to you or your allies. Nature''s Charm
Bark Armor: Use mana to call upon the land to cover your body in Ironbark. ????
Land''s Bounty: Call upon the land to satiate your hunger and thirst. ????
She reviewed it a second time and still found nothing related to ability points. She wasn''t exactly sure what this fog based screen even was. It was not really an interface as she did not interact with it in any way. It was a character sheet she could look at. She wondered if it was part of her awakening and if she had to go through another awakening or something similar to unlock a function to interact with it. She had no idea and staring at it wasn''t helping. She shook her head to clear the fog and continued walking toward the castle in the distance. Grainne stared ahead and clenched her hands tightly. She had been away from this place for at least a century which was not all that long given she was practically immortal. Sure she could be killed and enter back into the cycle of rebirth but aside from being killed, she would not die. Still she was very young for her kind. She was born long after the Tuatha had been relegated to the underworld. She was one of the few new born of the fae and it was because her mother had been a human before the otherworld changed her nature. The other worlds were fragments of a divine realm that was tangentially tied to the land. The land was a nebulous concept that seemed to change with the perception and ideals of the speaker. Grainne could feel a connection to the concept but it was weak and seemed to be tied to a singular set of abilities that allowed her to be a muse. She had the ability to give a boon of inspiration to one she took as a lover yet that boon had a price that the lover would have to pay. It was a fair trade for many because their object of desire, be it art, music, or battle, was an obsession which they would willing give a portion of their life for. This was necessary to be worthy of the leanan S¨ªdhe''s kiss. There was a certain madness that they would be drawn to. This was the curse they lived with and it was one that caused Grainne to despair. She was doomed to have a love like those in all the epics, short and with likely bloodshed. She would like to find her own Diarmuid and not watch them die so soon yet with her touch their comes a cost. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. She would not admit it but the reason she was in that cage was because she heard a story about a human druid that came to this land. She had followed his path hoping to meet one but was a few centuries to late. She found his remains in cage then that fomorian moved in and trapped her. It was humiliating then she was finally awakened by an actual druid who was even better than a human when it came to lovers but she had to be a woman who was uninterested. Even though she was large and strong like that brute Sc¨¢thach, Grainne was still largely attracted to men. So, she traveled with a stunningly beautiful woman with powers that rivaled what she knew from the legends and even though her power found the druidess to be alluring, Grainne did not think Alanna would feel any way romantically toward her and it made her grumpy. "So, when are you going to tell me your story?" The larger woman asked right on cue. It caused Grainne to grimace and shake her head. She just shrunk down to her smaller form and flew over to the pack to rest. She wouldn''t be able to speak in this form so it was easier to ignore conversation. She knew it was rude but did not really care. Her story was embarrassing and she was worried it would sound pathetic so, she would not tell this woman. Alanna just grunted a sound that meant something Grainne was certain of that. She had no idea what that could be so she decided it was tacit approval of her continued silence. Alanna walked toward the castle in the distance and her long strides seemed to quickly shorten the distance. The pair came to a stop at the top of a hill and Alanna could finally understand why this was the land of shadows. The large castle sat atop a hill when viewed from a distance but from this close she could see that it was more like it was built on an overhang that covered the town below in its shadow. Next to the hill, on the left side as Alanna was facing it, was a vast body of water, likely an ocean, that had eroded that side of the hill making it a steep cliff that was around 10 meters in height. The cliff side and overhang immediately drew the eye but the hill was also visually enthralling. It curved back around to the right side and then down toward the town below it. There was a a road that ran down the hill and abutted against a postern gate that appeared to be open and large enough to fit a cart, or carriage, or perhaps three horses abreast. It was strange that the curtain wall that encircled the town did not also protect the right flank of the castle. Instead it was almost as if it were separate from the town. The town looked to be a rather traditional 8th century town. There was a market square or town square directly in the center that was a large open area where vendors could set up stalls to peddle their wares. In the direct center was a huge tree that had been planted and was decorated with cloth streamers and various colorful objects. Around the square there were a series of larger buildings making up the town leadership and the wealthier citizens homes. This ring pattern continued outward until there were fields where farmers plied their trades. Then finally came a huge wall that encircled the land protecting them from any raiders that may come. Alanna was unsure if there were any such raiders and wondered if their were what they would be. She could see from where she stood atop the next hill over that the people were all some semblance of shapeshifter or perhaps something else. She knew quite a bit of lore from her father''s family but she also knew that the otherworld was tied to many people in the isles. There was very likely some cross-over or creatures being mislabeled because everything from Irish mythology was pretty much a shapeshifter of some sort. She looked back at her passenger and wanted to laugh at the little fairy who had crossed her arms and was expressing her displeasure with a grumpy countenance. She was rather adorable in her smaller form. So, it was difficult to take her seriously. Plus she was a leanan S¨ªdhe which Alanna was practically immune to. The creature did not have any real combat abilities as they were lovers not fighters. Alanna was sure Grainne could fight if she had to but she could not recall any stories where these creatures were great warriors. Still they were shapeshifters and could take on different humanoid forms. She had only ever seen the two from this one but she was fairly certain Grainne could change her features to better suit a potential match. Alanna took off down the hill with her long strides and made her way toward the gate in the outer wall. It was guarded by a creature that if it were in Greece would be a satyr. She thought about the roman influence on the isle and decided that it would likely be called a faun instead. Since in this place it could be anything, Alanna just decided to call it a satyr to save her sanity. The otherworld was already just a vast mesh of mythos from the Celts adding another myth wasn''t going to hurt it. She stopped at the open gate where the very bored satyr just stared at her in confusion without saying a word. It didn''t speak for so long that Alanna was becoming uncomfortable. She pursed her lips and put her hands on the top her staff as it rested on the ground in front of her. "So, can I go in?" Alanna asked after a full minute of the impromptu staring competition. The satyr blinked slowly then turned around to look behind him. After seeing no one else it looked back at Alanna and rubbed its eyes. "Are you real?" the satyr asked in a deep booming voice that sounded like it belonged to a much larger creature. Alanna was taken aback by the power in the voice but she nodded and said yes. Although it came out more of a question. "Are you sure?" The satyr asked. "No body ever comes here anymore so you had better be real or else." Alanna nodded very seriously. So the guard motioned her onward. Alanna started to walk forward but her curiosity got the better of her. So, before she stepped to far past the guard she turned back. "What would the or else part be if I wasn''t real?" She asked in genuine curiosity. The guard stared at her in confusion and just shrugged. "Dunno never saw something that wasn''t real." It said. "Right..." Alanna said and turned around and walked down the cobbled path through the fields toward the center of town. "That conversation was interesting." She thought as she resumed her journey onward. Chapter 14 As Alanna and Grainne walked toward the center of the town from the entrance gate. They saw many different beings working in the various fields. Some were fenced in with stone walls that held sheep or cattle. Others had some form of crop growing and its tenders were busy plucking weeds and removing harmful critters. Aside from what the people looked like the act of farming seemed altogether mundane. That is until the pair came to a untilled plot of land where a massive white bovine wandered about. There were two people that looked quite human in this field and they were sparring with a great intensity. One was a rather large man with shoulder length auburn locks. The other was an equally large woman with black hair and pale freckled skin. They fought with spear and shield and wielded the weapons like masters would. The man thrust his spear forward and let it slide through his grasp until it impacted the shield while the woman rolled her shoulder to deflect it off to the side and counter thrust her own spear toward his abdomen. The male warrior used the momentum shift of his deflected strike to spin 360 degrees and positioned his shield over the abdomen and turned toward his right to deflect the blow in the same direction he was turning. This caused the woman''s spear to be out of line to parry the sweeping strike he was swinging down at her and with the right of her body extended the shield in her left hand would be in a terrible position to accurately deflect the strike. The woman rolled forward and to her left over her spear while holding her shield up and to the left side as she positioned herself to lunge up under his shield as he moved back to base position. The male warrior tried to jump back and redirect his spear momentum to strike back at the woman but it had little power behind the blow as the momentum had been bled off. The strike was deflected by the shield already in position and his yelp of pain indicated that the woman''s strike was true. Alanna stopped walking and stood in awe of the display of skill. The whole exchange lasted seconds but it was brilliant. She felt like a child with a stick in comparison to these two warriors. Grainne watched with a complicated expression on her face. It was almost as if she were upset that she was impressed. She settled on a bad taste expression but wiped it away when she noticed Alanna''s penetrating gaze. "Who are they?" Alanna asked which caused Grainne to sigh in defeat. Her shoulder''s slumped but she answered after a moment. "That is Sc¨¢thach and her student C¨² Chulainn. She is well was the owner of that castle once upon a time and in the overworld." She pointed at the large castle on the overhang. "That is D¨²n Sc¨¢ith or a reflection of it maybe? The otherworlds are reflections of an ideal or a place. This is Queen Medb''s realm now and as you can see by Donn Cuailnge there the queen gets what she wants. Alanna stared at the ox the fairy was pointing at and just kept staring with a blank look on her face. She had no idea what the deal with the bull was but it seemed to be significant. They heard a loud roar of anger and it brought their attention to the fighting man and woman. C¨² Chulainn went into a battle frenzy at the pain and he kicked Sc¨¢thach who was resetting her position. She moved the shield in front and the kick knocked her back several feet. C¨² Chulainn dropped his shield and charged the warrior woman with great speed. He leapt at her position and brought the spear down from over his head and tried to stab her. Sc¨¢thach frowned and the display and shortened her grip on her own spear as she easily sidestepped the obvious strike. However, she did not retaliate. She stayed on the defensive and made minimalistic movements wasting no energy in dodging or deflecting the wild strikes. This wild flailing continued for several minutes and had Alanna clutching her staff nervously as this no longer seemed to be a spar. The rage the young looking man exhibited was startling and more than a bit terrifying. He was lost to it completely. Sc¨¢thach calmly moved and when the fury seemed to be ending, as C¨² Chulainn''s strikes were becoming slowed and far more sloppy, she made her move. C¨² Chulainn swung slow and the woman from his left to his right in a sweep that had him overextend and stumble. Sc¨¢thach struck down with her spear locking his in place and delivered a shield bash right into his face. The shield boss struck the warrior in the temple and he crumpled to the ground in a heap. Sc¨¢thach sighed and shook her head in clear disappointment then looked up to see there were people watching from the road. Alanna stood in awe at the woman in the field. She stood like a goddess of war over a defeated foe. It was inspiring to the druidess who wanted nothing more than to be taught by this woman. Of course, she would probably need to learn some basics before she could think of learning from a master like this woman. She wasn''t sure who Sc¨¢thach was yet the display she had witnessed was one that excited her. She almost started walking toward the woman but a small hand on her arm started to lead her back down the path. "Come on druid." Grainne said. "You will have to present yourself to the queen before you do anything else." Alanna was a bit disappointed but she had a quest to see this queen so, Grainne was probably correct. They walked through town and bypassed the market square which was another disappointment to the druidess, but she did not complain. They walked to the postern gate then made their way up the to the castle. The castle looked a bit different from the backside of the hill as there was a large portcullis that was down in front of the gate that led toward the bailey. There were a few towers visible and the corners of the curtain wall but from here the keep was not visible. As they approached the barbican the portcullis was drawn up and the massive doors opened to reveal the bailey and keep inside. Alanna was terribly excited to see an intact castle and keep. The stonework in the curtain wall was already quite incredible. The stone was not uniform by any means yet each stone was placed in the perfect spot to make up the wall. It was so much different than the construction she was used to. The outer bailey had a stable positioned to the left of the gate and to the right there was a small smithy. Further in there was a small stone fence that held cattle, sheep, and even a small coop with chickens. There were caretakers of every mythical species Alanna could imagine running about and completing various tasks. The pair moved through the outer bailey there was a few other structures that held servants for the keep and one building that looked to be a granary of sorts. It was quite surreal to see these buildings straight out of the middle ages standing here and being occupied by its actual inhabitants. Alanna was in awe of it all. Stolen story; please report. Meanwhile, Grainne seemed to be thoroughly unimpressed with the scenery and appeared somewhat nervous as she made her way along side the druidess. The pair made their way to the inner gate of the outer ward and it was opened as they approached. There were two anthropomorphic dogs wearing scarlet and gold patterns on their clothes. They bowed and indicated the pair should enter then closed the doors once the woman past through. The inner bailey was vastly different than the outer. There were no buildings other than the main keep and a small garden gazebo toward the left side of the keep. There were several species of flower growing in the area and a small fountain that depicted lovers in various acts while surrounded by various plants and animals. There was an honor guard of anthropomorphic animals that lined the path from the inner wall to the keep entrance. They all bowed the moment Grainne and Alanna reached their position and this continued until the pair entered the main keep. The stonework of the keep was quite similar to that of the curtain walls and Alanna found it fascinating. She looked up at the keep and found it extended several meters high. It was quite large and she understood why it seemed so imposing when she viewed it from the town. It seemed to dwarf the other structures in the castle and given its position on the hill it dwarfed everything in the valley. Upon entering the keep there appeared to be a dedicated entrance area that was walled off with doors directly in front and to either side. A pair of beautiful women wearing long red dresses with a gold apron covering it at their front, walked up to them and curtsied. "My lady we will take you to fresh up so that you can speak with the queen." The woman on the left said to Alanna. The other just stood with her hands clasped in front as though she were waiting for orders. Grainne sighed and nodded at Alanna. "You should go with her. She will take you to a guest chamber where you can rest until the queen will see you." Alanna smiled at Grainne and nodded. "Alright," she agreed. "I guess I will see you later Grainne." With a nod Grainne turned and walked through the door to the right. Alanna watched her go with a soft smile. That woman had a lot to work out if Alanna was an accurate judge. She was looking forward to a hot bath and changing out of her filthy clothes. She was exceedingly grateful to not have to meet the queen looking and smelling like she did. The room Alanna was led to was quite large and well furnished with a massive canopy bed and matching furniture. There were several mirrors and a rather nice changing area. The stone floors were covered in large fur carpets except where there was a massive wooden tub with steaming water off to the right side. Alanna did not even think about modesty when she tossed her pack near the tub and disrobed. There was a 3 step stool placed in front of the tub and she gingerly climbed in and sunk down in the soapy bath. She groaned in pleasure as the hot water sunk into her body and after a few minutes she closed her eyes and just relaxed in the moment. She heard the maidservant going about and picking things up. Alanna thought it was probably her pack and staff but she was to exhausted by her trek to think about anything at the moment. A part of her remained somewhat aware of her surroundings, but she was not getting any negative feelings from anyone here. So, she submersed herself completely allowing the water to soak her head and hair. When she broke the surface a few moments later she took in a deep cleansing breath and moved back toward the edge. "Milady I have oils for your hair if you please." The maidservant said and Alanna gave her a brief look and when seeing the soaps and oils she nodded her approval. The woman smiled and walked forward then knelt on a stool outside the tub. Alanna was not sure if she should take the soaps and oils or if she were expected to let the woman bathe her so she just kind of waiting for any indication from the servant. After a moment the maidservant set down some of the items and rolled up her sleeves which indicated to Alanna that the servant would likely be applying the items. After a moment strong hands started to massage her scalp and a chill of pleasure ran through her body. She closed her eyes and leaned back enjoying the pampering. It took a few minutes for the soap to be applied and for a good lather to build up and Alanna was loving every moment. The maidservant washed out her hair then applied a few oils to it and brought a cloth to hold it up and dry it. She then applied a soap to a cloth and proceeded to wipe down Alanna''s body. After being cleaned thoroughly the maid helped Alanna out of the tub and down the stool then covered her in a large cloth. She was then led to the bed where the servant brought out a set of clothes and set them off to the side then proceeded to dry her down. The clothing was a green linen l¨¦ine with a white brat that had black ravens embroidered into it. A silver brooch with a small emerald inset into it and matching torc were brought as well. The servant helped Alanna put them all on then clipped the brooch with brat across her left breast. Alanna felt a bit odd in the outfit but it was fairly comfortable. There were no socks or shoes though and that was a bit off putting. Alanna decided she would wear the hiking shoes she had worn previously Her feet were certainly not tough enough to go around bare. The maidservant did not see overly thrilled based on her grimace but she never said a thing about it. She merely sat Alanna at a chair and began to comb out her hair. "Your hair is quite beautiful." The maidservant said as she brushed it out. "Would you like anything else done with it? I have a matching headwrap or perhaps you would like a braid?" The maidservant continued. Alanna felt gratitude at the compliment and couldn''t hold back a smile. After a moment of thought she decided to just leave her hair be. She loved how it lay naturally and while she never really focused on her physical presence growing up, because of her seeming mental issues, she did always love how pretty her hair was. Her hair was naturally red which while not popular amongst some of the circles she grew up in. Her one clear memory of her father was him praising her beautiful hair. That somehow stuck with her and with even her mother praising the color and texture it was one thing that she held on to growing up. She smiled at the reflection she saw in front of her and took a deep breath. She was ready to see the queen. Chapter 15 Alanna thought she was as presentable as she was going to get and so prepared herself for her royal visit. However, the maidservant had different ideas or perhaps it would be better to say the queen did. She was not yet prepared for a visit. That left Alanna rather bored so she thought to interroga¡ªget to know the maidservant. The woman was apparently, and to absolutely no one''s surprise, a shapeshifter who went with the name Eadan. She had lived for as long as she can remember in the land of shadows. She served under Queen Medb for several centuries but she seems to only vaguely recall a time before when this land was linked to the overworld. It was there she born but when this land was given to the sovereignty goddess she and all other of her kind were pulled elsewhere. Even though everything about this place was a mirror of the place above it was not quite the same. There was a piece of everyone that was missing. Alanna felt she could understand that piece as even though she had a strong connection to the land here, no one else really seemed to. They had the smallest of connections and it somehow sustained them or at least a portion of their power. Yet, Alanna felt a void in them where something should be. She could not understand why it was within them. She had thought to ask but had no idea who would be open to speaking about it. She was unsure if it was a taboo subject so she thought she would just wait and listen, and hope that perhaps it would be answered that way. Eadan had explained that the queen was engaged with an important task which could be anything from actual matters of state, if they had that here, to a powerplay. The maidservant understood how bored the druidess seemed to be so she brought in a board and sat it at a table. She explained that this was to play fidchell which was actually quite fun to play. She had thought it was going to be easy but late into the games it became rather convoluted with several of her pawns in her line becoming captured. She lost the first few games but after nearly an hour she finally achieved victory. She then in true American fashion declared herself the ultimate victor and quit playing. She had one and now would always be the champion of whatever game that was called. A bit over 2 hours passed before she was finally called before the Queen. She had been somewhat nervous but after her bath the familiar fog screen had appeared to show she completed a quest and gained a new one. It reminded her that she had a purpose and that helped strengthen her resolve.
Congratulations you have completed the quest Survival I.
You have entered Dun Scaich. You have received a quest
Quest: Uncover the past II. Description: There are many truths out there learn the second truth.
She was unsure what the point of these quests were. She hadn''t seen any experience or any obvious upgrades. Much like her ability points it seemed to be just some arbitrary messages from the land or her power. She was almost convinced it was attempting to display her quests in a way she would better understand them, like she were part of a role playing game. Yet unlike a game her power ups, although measured with numbers on a fog display, was not really quantitative. She did not feel or otherwise intuit any change from stats, and although she could feel the change in her shapeshifting thanks to a acquiring a shape, she felt no change in her spells, mana, health, etc. So, for all she knew it was just trying to relate to her understanding of power in a rather haphazard way. The quests were interesting. Well, at least the uncover the past quests were. The survival ones were garbage and she would like to do without them. Except life was about survival and perhaps the reminder alone was worth a quest. She was feeling rather overconfident when she came into the otherworlds. She did not really want to think to deeply into that. The first truth was that all life was part of the cycle and that the faery lives did not have souls that went to an afterlife but were reincorporated back into the cycle as their former selves. That was interesting and likely very important information for her real quest for the land. The next truth would likely be very interesting and she started to get the barest hint of the bigger picture. So, she followed Eadan who took her back to the entrance hall and through the central doors. The main hall in the keep was very interesting as it blended aspects of a throne room and a mead hall. There was a large hearth that had an stone chimney''s that traveled up through the ceiling and hopefully the roof as well placed on either side of the hall. Alanna could not tell from here but she figured it was a good bet it did. There was a long table set up on the left side complete with at least twenty seats. The fireplace on that side had various racks for using the place as a cooking platform. The floor was covered in the fur of different slain beasts. She imagined some had to be several pelts combined as even the brown bears that once inhabited this place were not as big as the carpeted areas would suggest. There were linen tapestries that held the colors of the queen''s house decorating much of the room''s walls and even a few banners with the symbol of the house. It had not quite dawned on Alanna but she looked down at her outfit to find it was in the colors of her father''s house and the raven was one of their symbols. She had not recognized it while putting it on because she had not grown up with the Kirwan name. These thoughts were fleeting when she saw the large throne and the undeniably beautiful woman who perched upon it. The throne looked to be made of wood and perhaps bronze and while it may have been nice Alanna would not know. She was to entranced by the blonde woman who sat with one arm resting on an armrest and holding up her chin while the other had a chalice. Her left leg was draped over the other arm and she looked both regal and relaxed. She had the brightest blue eyes that were enhanced by a golden tiara and torc inset with what was likely sapphires. Her body was covered in a long leine that was dyed in a vibrant red. The brat was unlike the single shoulder covering Alanna wore but instead crossed over both shoulders and had a half cape that was draped over her lap. It was dyed a dark black and had patterns of gold embroidered into it. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The contrast between the red, black, and gold of her outfits and the light color of her skin and hair created a unique and powerful presence. It was quite well done. The woman had full red lips with delicate nose in near perfect symmetry with her other features within the oval shape of her face. Her eyes had a slight slant that was reminiscent of Alanna''s own. She offered a smile as Alanna entered and stood from her throne setting her chalice on a stand next to the throne. She walked forward and the maid kneeled immediately which caused Alanna to stumble slightly with not knowing the correct etiquette. She decided to curtsey as a formal bow was unlikely to be correct and kneeling was only meant for those subservient to the monarch. Which she was most assuredly not. The queen seemed to ignore the display either way and clasped Alanna''s hands then brought them to her own chest near her heart. Her eyes scanned over every facet of Alanna''s face and her gentle smile grew even warmer when she saw whatever it was she was looking for. "Come," she said and dropped one of Alanna''s hands and with the other led the druidess toward the throne where there was now a second seat that had not been there before. It was of equal size to the queens and both Alanna''s seat and the throne were angled toward one another. "Thank you Eadan that will be all." The queen said and waived her hand toward the maidservant. The woman stood and backed out of the room with her head lowered then shut the door to the main hall. The queen sat down and indicated Alana should do the same and when they were positioned the queen moved extremely close to Alanna while never releasing her hand. In fact she had at some point reclaimed the other hand and Alanna was a bit to gob smacked to really know when that had happened. The proximity was a bit unnerving for the druidess as the queen''s face was so close Alanna could smell the wine on her breath. She pulled her head back a bit and smiled uncomfortably to which the queen realized her closeness and backed up a bit with a touch of red coloring her cheeks. "My apologies." The queen offered. "I can just scarcely believe that you are here. I mean I knew you would be coming but it has been centuries and well its just that it is so hard to believe." The queen said in a tone that started out soft due to the embarrassment but ended up being a bit frantic by the end. Alanna was not really sure what to say but offered a smile and understanding. "Oh no, I apologize for the reaction. I just have never really been that close to another person that wasn''t direct family." She considered everything that was said for a brief moment. "What did you mean you knew I would be coming?" She asked having parsed the words after her moment. The queen stared into Alanna''s eyes and smiled softly. "You can feel it can''t you?" She asked. "The call of the land it drives you forward. It asks you to help it fulfill the promise." Alanna paused in thought for a long moment. It was true there was something within her memories especially with Nuada that resonated with the land. She recalled their was an ancient promise for a home. However, she was unsure as to whom the promise was made. Nuada was following the promise when he and his kin pushed into these lands, but the promise was not made to him. He merely followed the path to where the land was supposed to have been and no matter how hard Alanna focused on the memories of Nuada, she could not remember to whom that promise was made. The only thing she felt was the certainty with which she believed in that promise. "I do feel a calling from the land." Alanna finally admitted. "I know it has to do with the otherworld and its many lands. I recall their was a promise of a home and the vehemence with which we fought for it. Yet, I cannot recall the promise itself and neither the one that made the promise, nor to whom the promise was made is clear." The queen seemed to consider this for a moment then nodded in acceptance. "None alive in this world or the one above can recall who made the promise. Yet we all know that a promise was given to the children of Danu that they and their descendants would find their home. The wording has been lost to the passage of time but we know that the land is supposed to be on the emerald isle and any that have lived within this land know that it was the place the promise led us to." That made sense because from what Alanna could tell the land was a living entity of some kind. It had a will and it imparted that will through the various quests that the druids received. It was no different for any of the past iterations that were druids or held the class. Although, even the ones that were not druids, had a undeniable tie to the land. There was a connection that was beyond physical or emotional. It was a transcendent connection that even others in her family felt. Perhaps it was related to the soul as her grandparents both had been tied to the land in their current and past lives. The druidess was deep in thought and Medb let her consider everything while she studied this young woman. The queen found her to be attractive in a way that defied reason. The long flowing red hair was undeniably beautiful but it wasn''t what caught the queen''s eye. The combination of features was enough to drive lesser beings mad. Her pale skin had the barest hint of freckles that were so light only the correct lighting would show them as they danced across her zygomatic arch. The exterior of her eyes were slightly higher than the interior which gave them an exotic shape, but the deep emerald pools that were her iris were the most fetching of all her features. Medb found herself lost in those emerald pools more than once and pitied the poor lads that would try to court this goddess in human form. She was a centuries old queen and a minor goddess in her own right and still had to fight the magnetic pull she felt from this creature in front of her. Alanna frowned and a eventually offered a shrug to the queen. "I cannot yet say exactly why I am here but I know I will find out soon enough. The land keeps pointing me toward various places as it pointed me here. I learn more about the past in these places and I expect that the more I learn the more I will understand the will of the land." The queen smiled in acknowledgement and nodded in acceptance. "Then what do you need from me? Why did the land send you here?" Alanna''s brow furrowed as she considered the questions. Yet the clash she was witness to between Sc¨¢thach and C¨² Chulainn was the first thing to pop into her head. The beauty and fighting prowess of Sc¨¢thach was something she would never forget. It was the most magnificent sight she had yet beheld and that included the unworldly beauty of this being in front of her. "I believe the answer to the first question is training. I need to learn to fight and also how to use the magic of the land. I recall the memories but the powers of each individual seem different and I do not know if I am using them in the best ways. The answer to the second I am not wholly sure of. I need additional information before I can continue." The queen''s eyes lost focus on Alanna as she stared at something either within her mind or elsewhere. After a moment she nodded once again and stood leading Alanna toward the door. "Then we shall begin your training on the morrow. For now you will rest here with us tonight. I will have the greatest warrior trainer I know of become available to you." She said as her smile returned to her face. Chapter 16 The night was surprisingly restful for Alanna. The bed offered more comfort than she thought it would given that most of the household objects seemed straight from the middle ages. The rest of her evening had been spent with Grainne as Queen Medb apparently decided to begin preparations to assist Alanna. They did have an evening meal together but their interaction with the queen was brief. Grainne seemed to be somewhat more reserved and Alanna was not sure if she would ever get the full story from the leann¨¢n s¨ªdhe. They were not exactly friends and barely acquaintances yet the druidess hoped the woman would find whatever it was she looked for. When Alanna awoke she did so of her own accord and from the single window she had in her room it appeared to be just pre-dawn. Even with the extreme activities of the prior day her body seemed well rested. She had none of the muscular aches she expected from her battles. There was also had no indication of wounds on her body from the many she took during said battles. In all she felt quite good which created a bit of cognitive dissonance within herself. She got up and found a set of durable clothes waiting for her at a chest at the end of the bed. It was a knee length white l¨¦ine, a hooded brat in her colors, a pair of trousers spackled in county Galway tartan, and finally a pair of calf high brown leather boots. Alanna was not a fan of the color scheme blend of the county and house colors. She was also unfamiliar with the feel of the outfit and while it was interesting. She decided wearing the more formal version once was enough. Instead she rifled through her pack and pulled out a pair of activewear leggings and top, a comfortable sweater and some running shoes with socks. Once dressed she she moved out of her room and wandered the halls a bit trying to find out where she could acquire a bit of breakfast before she should go to start her training. It did not take long in her wandering to realize that this side of the keep was all guest rooms. It was on the lowest floor and while there was a stairwell at the back end of the guest wing, she did not believe the kitchens would be on the upper floors. So, she moved back toward the entrance and crossed to the opposite hall. As soon as she opened the doors and entered this wing she heard people up and about. It sounded as though they were preforming their morning tasks. She wandered down the hall and found a room with an open door and there was quite a bit more heat entering the hall from this room. She peered inside and found that it held several anthropomorphic creatures working in what appeared to be a sort of kitchen. There was a large oven on the back wall and that had a baker pulling out a loaf of bread with a large peel. The scent of fresh bread was quite pleasant but it caused her stomach to rumble. There was a fireplace next to the stove where a massive cauldron sat on a tripod over the fire. Another of the kitchen staff was stirring the contents occasionally. There was also some fruit being selected and placed into separate bowls. The ones with the best color and shape were placed in one bowl while everything else was in the other. It was fairly clear to the druidess that the better looking and tasting items were going to the queen, Grainne, and possibly to herself. She decided it would not be polite to interrupt them and ducked back out into the hall. The staff was busy and she was not one to interrupt their clearly full and busy schedule. So, she decided to run around the inner bailey to warm her body up for the day. She moved back into the entrance hall where she found a pair of door guards standing watch over the doors to the exit. The were a rather large anthropomorphic doglike people with outfits similar to what she had discarded earlier except they wore the colors of The Kingdom of Connacht. They allowed her passage with only strange looks on their faces. The pre dawn temp was a bit chilly but Alanna knew it would quickly warm up so she removed her sweater and laid it on a nearby barrel. After stretching her various body parts she took off in a run using the inner wall of the bailey as a guide. There was no indication as to the distance so she ran until she felt a decent burn then did several body weight exercises. After nearly 40 minutes she decided it was a decent warm up for the days events and moved back to collect her sweater. She was aware she had started to sweat a bit and that showers and the ease of access for hot baths was not really viable without the appropriate systems. Having this realization she frowned and moved toward a well she saw on the right side of the bailey. She did not have a way to really clean herself but she did use the water to cool her body and wash away a bit of the sweat. She had to admit this was not very pleasant. It was the first time she actually regretted coming here as she missed plumbing and heated water. That was something she would never take for granted again. Upon re-entering her room she found a nervous Eadan was pacing back and forth in front of her door. Upon seeing Alanna the woman nearly collapsed in visible relief. "My lady where did you go? Why did you leave?" She asked with panic still clear in her intonation. "I woke up and thought I would get a little warm up for my body before I begin training today. I am sure it will be quite strenuous. So, I figured it would be better to be limber." Alanna said with an apologetic smile for the maidservant. Eadan nodded and offered a barely audible sigh. "Did you leave in your underclothes milady? I left out some clothes for you." Alanna looked down at the active ware she had on and then shrugged. "I guess it would look like that to a culture that is straight out of the 8th century." She decided. "However, Eadan this is pretty normal as an outfit where I come from. I usually only wear something like this for training but quite a few people wear this out and about. Society is a bit different than it was 700 years ago. Also, I have another pair of leggings in my pack feel how comfortable they are and you will understand why I chose the clothes I have." The maidservant did not look as though she approved but nodded her assent. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "I did take what you wore here yesterday to be laundered. They were quite amazing pieces of fabric. We did wonder how they were made. Most of us are not allowed or cannot get into the overworld. So, we sort of just live as we always have. I guess there would be some changes over the course of 7 centuries." Alanna laughed a bit and nodded. "Oh my dear Eadan you could say that. I wish I could show you the wonders of indoor plumbing and hot water tanks." The maidservant just nodded as she had no idea what to say to that. "Ah well, yes milady would you like to have breakfast before I take you to your trainer?" She asked. With a nod Alanna agreed and the servant excused herself to get the prepared food. Breakfast was filling if nothing else. There was a surprising lack of flavor to the porridge and even the berries could not overcome the lack of sugar or honey to add. Still, it checked enough boxes that Alanna consumed it all. The goats milk however was quite good as it had a dash of something in it that Alanna found delicious. It had been consumed all to quickly though and Eadan had rushed her to the outer bailey where she would meet her new trainer. Alanna was a bit surprised to find a familiar young man waiting at the doors to the inner bailey. His intense eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open when he saw what she was wearing. His face immediately turned a deep shade of crimson that was more intense than his auburn locks. Alanna wanted to sigh and say something but she understood there was a bit of a cultural divide and she was the odd one out here. Still she wanted to set expectations and create a solid understanding. So, she smiled sweetly and gave a nod of understanding. "Good morning. I am Alanna. I understand this outfit is a bit revealing for this place but the world above has changed and this is what we use as training clothing. Are you my new trainer? What is your name?" The young man looked Alanna up and down then shook his head as though he needed to clear it. "I am S¨¦tanta he said after a moment. I will train you to fight with spear, staff and sword. When you display an adequate amount of skill, my trainer will asses you to see if you are worthy of her training. Alanna nodded her understanding. "Lead the way S¨¦tanta she said and the young man nodded and walked toward a fenced in circular area that was only a few meters wide and positioned near the stables. There two long staves, with wooden spear heads carved into one side, were leaning against the fence and the man collected them and tossed one to Alanna once she made her way into the ring. He once again looked her up and down but this time he was not looking at her body in the same way. "You look quite strong." He said with a hint of approval. "I suppose I should know what you do to figure out where to start. So hit me." Alanna raised an eyebrow at the man and shook her head to indicate the negative. "I need to know how to do this from the beginning." She said. The staff I have been using is quite a bit shorter than this 2 meter pole." S¨¦tanta frowned in irritation but nodded in agreement. Ok, he said. Then we will start with the guard postions. There were three primary guard positions that S¨¦tanta showed to Alanna. The first was called the high guard and it was where the point of the spear was angled down and slightly toward the enemy while the butt of the pole is held above the head. The feet were spread a bit more than shoulders width apart with one foot being forward and the other back. The distance for the feet positioning varied on the next move in the series but for stationary drills he lined the left foot and hand as forward in each drill. The first guard could hang left or right as well as directly above the head S¨¦tanta had explained. Yet, he encouraged that base guard position be neutral stances. The second guard position would be a low guard where the position is nearly opposite. The spear point is facing upward and slightly toward the enemy while the butt of the pole hangs lower and toward the left or right side. Foot and hand positioning is similar in this guard to the high guard stance. The final basic guard position is called a vertical guard where the butt of the pole is planted into the ground. The hand and foot position for this guard can be similar to the others depending on whether there is another weapon or shield in hand along with the spear. He showed her how to deflect and parry from each guard position before practicing thrusting from high and low guard. Given the bit of staff training she had from her Chapter 17 Training continued the next day in much the same way with S¨¦tanta ensuring she had the basic movements of the spear down before moving on to the variations. S¨¦tanta yelled out various positions and transitions and watched Alanna''s formed as she moved through what was basically just a kata incorporating both with forward and backward movement. When she went through the basic routine forward and backward S¨¦tanta threw in side to side movements. It took a few days but Alanna showed a remarkable proficiency with the spear or staff. It had impressed S¨¦tanta and he was excited to be able to teach intermediate movements and techniques. Allana enjoyed the routine and after having her stance adjusted and grip fixed several times she started to feel the movements agreeing with her body. She was even able to slightly shift her hands and feet to her body size, her strength and her speed, which cleaned up the movements even further than her instructor''s guidance. It felt like a bit of her old self was offering hints. Her success was intoxicating. She was having less of an enjoyable time trying to train her druidic abilities. There was a nymph trying to help while the Queen attempted to get the dryad that lived as a part of the great tree in the town center to train her abilities. At her teachers insistence she finally tried her wild shape in her lesser shapeshifting ability and it was one of the most terrifying and mind altering experiences she had ever felt. She had no idea what a Smilodon was but thought it would be some sort of dinosaur given the name. So, when she transformed herself and managed to transform herself into a midnight black 450kg saber tooth cat with 200cm length and a 40cm tail, she was not prepared. Her instincts that were naturally repressed by common sense, societal expectation, and general intelligence were suddenly far less restricted. She felt the urge to hunt and toy with prey of which she saw pretty much everything as. She was proud of being superior and could not imagine why another creature would not serve her whim. After nearly eating the nymph who managed to escape into the garden plants an irritated giant cat decided the entrance doors to the keep was a good spot to nap and slept there for a few hours much to the chagrin of, well, everyone. The only reason she found it in herself to change back to her other form was because a large part of her psyche wanted to continue staff and spear training the next day. So, after several hours of napping and generally terrorizing the keep staff she transformed back into her natural self. Once she was herself once again she was not only mortified by her actions, but she was also concerned by how much the shape affected her mentally. She genuinely did not care about anything other than herself. It was quite alarming. Toward the end of the transformation though she could feel herself starting to break through the instincts. However, this shape was not something she wanted to use when around friends, family, or allies. It would certainly require more training to ensure she stays in control. Although, what her senses were telling her while she was in that form was nearly overwhelming. Due to that she did not want to completely subvert the instinct as it was both a part of her and better at discerning what it sensed. From her intelligence mind''s passenger seat, Alanna experienced the incredible sense of smell and the variety of odors that the big cat could sense. Each being gave off different odors depending on their moods. They also gave off various pheromones that triggered some of Alanna''s haughtiness as for many it was a scent of fear and their fear was delicious and right to the big cat. Her hearing was also quite good and several of the sounds she heard were out of a human''s and apparently a druid''s range. However the level of her hearing perception depended on where she focused her ears. Her eyes were interesting because she was certain they would be better in lower light and her field of view seemed higher but things just didn''t look right. Movement was easy to catch but everything was just a bit more dull. Not that the cat had any issues with it yet the intelligent mind preferred her human vision. What suprised Alanna the most was the sense of touch. She did not realize how easily it was for a feline to determine footsteps based on the subtle vibrations in the ground when she was laying down. When the wind shifted she could immediately tell even if the breeze was so minimal her human body wouldn''t have noticed. It was fascinating how much more she could feel. While there were quite a few amazing things about the transformation the loss of herself to the instinct was still too much for her to accept changing unless she had no real choice. She could tell her ability to move silently would be far greater but until she could be certain it was safe for others around her she would use the form sparingly. When she found her instructor the next day, the nymph was also insistent she not use that form again. Alanna didn''t blame the poor creature. She was no longer a cat but she still could smell the terror that radiated of the nymph. The nymph was actually quite good at describing nature and nature related magics which included quite a bit on alchemy and herbalism which was clearly the occult magics that this creature showed her proficiencies in. However, using natural magics such as the growth spells was a bit outside of the woman''s focus. She had several collegues that were involved in other aspects of natural magics like chemistry and astronomy. However, Alanna was not interested in these fields as these were now scientific studies and no longer considered natural magics. Although, she rather liked that the nymph thought of them as magic. It was nearly a week after she had begun her training when the dryad finally agreed to see Alanna. The druidess was a bit concerned with the time she spent here but remembered that time did not pass at the same rate here. It could be longer or shorter than the overworld and she honestly was not sure how to leave. She did not know if she could retrace her steps since she stepped through a few circles and how or where they transported those that stepped into them, Alanna could not tell. Neither could anyone else for that matter. The Queen explained during dinner on the second night that the circles were set up long ago by the greater deities in the Tuatha. While many considered Medb a goddess, and she technically was, she was only a minor goddess barely above a demigod which many considered her current spear instructor to be.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The Queen explained that the dryad was considered a type of land goddess and would also be a minor deity, but she rarely ever left her tree. Alanna was, of course, quite curious about the dryad as they were a staple in many of the fantasy stories she loved. This land goddess went by the name Lulura and was worshipped by many of the faery that were more closely tied to natural forces such as water, plants, etc. It was quite similar to the nymphs except it tied its life force to a single tree and once so tied it rarely, if ever, left the area. It was also not part of the Tuatha or their children. It came from other lands when the Milesians came to the world above and it too chose to be cast down with those most similar to its kind. Queen Medb was able to get the meeting with Lulura but warned that the dryad would ask a boon or require a trade that would, in all likelihood, make Alanna uncomfortable or unwilling. Alanna decided it would not hurt to at least have the meeting and then she could decide her next step. When Medb offered to join her, Alanna felt a great sense of relief. She had come to trust the queen over the past week; and though the queen had a profound sense of selfishness about her, she was also kind and compassionate to those she found worthy of such. The morning of the meeting with the dryad Lulura came and Alanna felt a good bit of anxiety as she made her way from the castle back toward the town. The queen brought out a pair of horses for the short journey and Alanna found herself becoming excited once more. The druidess loved the majestic animals and had been part of an equestrian society during her junior high and high school days. It had been years since she was able to ride but she could tell that these beautiful creatures were pretty docile and were a bit older. She hoped they were able to run but she did not really pay attention to how the stables handled their charges. In this moment it would not matter as she would let her mare run for a short while at least. They made it into town after a short run down the hill and along the outer city wall. Alanna asked to go the long way instead of the postern gate to let the horses run a bit. She was also curious to see if her gate guard friend would be there but was disappointed when there was a different person on duty. The stopped at the massive tree and tied off the horses nearby. When the walked up to it Alanna could not help but marvel at its massive size from her position at the base of the trunk. As she was looking up she felt the tree shifting; then from around the trunk a spiral staircase of wood, vines, and leaves formed and sped toward the ground. She looked toward the queen who had a polite smile etched on her face as she staired up the stairs while her hands were clasped at her waste. Alanna looked back up the stairs in time to see what looked like a rather stunning woman with bark like skin and green hair descending the stairs as though she were a queen. If Alanna had seen this creature prior to the queen she would have been stunned by her otherworldly beauty. However, with all the beautiful creatures in the otherworlds, she was starting to become a bit numb to it. What she did find attractive though, was the poise and grace the creature showed as it descended from the boughs of the tree. Lulura smiled serenely as she viewed the women in front of here. "Be welcome in my home." She offered and extended a hand toward the bough indicating they should ascend. Alanna was a bit concerned with the stairs but followed the queen who did not hesitate. She found that even though the stairs were made primarily of vines and leaves, they were pretty sturdy. The trip up was surprisingly short as the stairs only went around the backside of the trunk where the dryad touched the bark and a large entrance opened up into a small cottage like home. After questioning the dryad about the home she had shared that this was a temporary construct to make it easier for guests to feel comfortable. The dryad existed as one with the tree and so this room was constructed specifically for her guest''s comfort. When pressed on the construct by Alanna the dryad explained she created it just before the got to the end of the stairwell. The only reason the stairs were created was for a dramatic entrance. Alanna was suitably impressed by the control in the dryad''s magic. It was very well controlled and quite powerful. What was even more impressive was the deep connection to the land. Given what Alanna had been told about the dryad''s origins she was a bit confused by the connection to the land. She tried to focus on the feeling of the land around her and in her. There was a faint feeling of connection to the dryad like she was one point on a vast web of connections but it was difficult to see what it connected to. It was difficult for Alanna to understand. A prod to her shoulder brought her back to the present and she noticed the queen and the dryad looking at her carefully. She was certain she missed something and smiled sheepishly. "I''m sorry. What did you ask or say?" Alanna said. The dryad smirked as she sat in a chair made of wood and gestured for her guests to sit across from her at a couch made from branches and leaves. The queen sat with poise that matched the dryad while Alanna did her best to not look to out of place between the pair of goddesses. The dryad looked from to the queen. "Her soul is ancient." The dryad said. "It is older than both of ours combined." The queen nodded "You were a part of the land before I was born Lulura. Yet our kin were here long before yours and she is likely to be one of the first." The dryad looked at Alanna with predatory hunger that would have put her smilodon to shame. "You have told her of the pact?" The queen shook her head in the negative. "I told her you would require a boon or a trade." Medb said. The dryad looked back toward Alanna and offered a salacious grin. "I will agree teach you the magic of nature and you will likely find no one else as capable as this type of magic is an innate ability for the few of my kind that exists." Alanna looked at the woman carefully. "What is the price?" She asked. The dryad''s salacious grin became more predatory and her sharp canines showed in her toothy grin. "The price dear druid is in either blood, saliva, or¡ª" she looked Alanna up and down and shivered in anticipation. "Or other bodily fluids." Alanna grimaced and looked at the queen who was wincing as well. The queen offered an apologetic shrug and smile which did not make Alanna feel comforted. Alanna looked back at the dryad. "Well the last one is straight out for me. I am uncomfortable being that vulnerable with anyone. Explain to me the other options." Chapter 18 There was an air of disappointment radiating from the dryad at Alanna''s refusal. It was concerning enough that the druidess was considering just leaving. She had no idea what the fluids would be needed for and it sound quite unsanitary. However, watching the dryad across from her manipulate nature to grow and create objects from living wood, it was difficult to pass on the opportunity. She stared hard at the dryad who had yet to answer her question. "Well what about the other options? Why do you want my fluids in the first place?" Alanna queried. Lulura looked to the Queen then back toward Alanna. My kind, much like all of nature requires nourishment to grow. I am comfortably living withing this worlds natural cycle but with a bit of your essence I can grow even more. My preference is to receive it during coitus as it is the most potent. However, blood in enough volume is just as good. Saliva is the least I am willing to accept as it will have the least essence but from a Druid with such an ancient soul, even that will be a boon to me." Alanna looked toward Queen Medb who just nodded. That was not really the reaction she was hoping for as it could mean that the dryad is being truthful or she should accept. "To vague," she thought. "So you want my blood or saliva to grow. I can understand that but what will it do to me? I do not plan to be drained like a succubi snack." The amusement of the dryad was palpable and even the queen seemed to be affected. You may have heard tales of my kind and that is not an unreasonable fear if you were just an average human. They are full of essence as all life is. Yet theirs is very weak. A sip of your blood is equal to draining a human. Two sips and I will have enough energy to grow my tree a few meters. When my tree grows, I grow." If the deal would not harm her other than a bit of blood, Alanna could agree to that. She was hesitant to give saliva as she was afraid as to how the dryad would wish to retrieve it. She was not certain spitting on her would be viable. She looked to the queen who nodded that this was truth which Alanna found comforting. "I see." Alanna said and took a deep breath to center herself. "I agree that you can have a bit of my blood for the training. However, it will not exceed more than two sips." The dryad''s eyes narrowed. "Seven," she countered. Alanna shook her head. "You have already explained how much growth you will receive from my essence. I will allow you one sip every other day and depending how I feel after a week of training we can renegotiate." She said firmly. Lulura''s eyes widened and she thought about the request then nodded her acceptance of the deal. She reached out a hand to which Alanna accepted. A thin sharp vine snaked out and bit into Alanna''s wrist. The druid grimaced but did not remove her hand from the clasp. The vine went from a brown to a vibrant green when Alanna felt a bit of energy drain from her. She felt a touch of mental and physical fatigue but it was not overwhelming her. The dryad let out a rather improper sound that was somewhere between a purr and moan then released Alanna''s hand. The two staggered for opposite reasons as Alanna experienced fatigue while Lulura experienced ecstasy. They stumbled back into their seats where Alanna shook off the feeling. The dryad was not faring quite so well and she waved her hand so that the doorway appeared back into the tree with the stairway headed down. "Come back tomorrow after midday and we can begin. I need to process this and you need to recuperate." The dryad said. The morning training the following day saw a few more additions into the spear and staff kata that S¨¦tanta threw into the routines. Alanna''s grasp of this weapon was quickly approaching a higher proficiency than S¨¦tanta was able to instruct. He had been awed at her ability with the spear and began to think she was Lugh reborn rather than the myths that said he was. That would make it rather awkward as Lugh was supposedly his father according to what his mother told him. That was probably also untrue but many chose to believe it and S¨¦tanta honestly did not know or care. He was sure he would find out when his time stuck in the shadow lands was over. It was irritating to be here and under this queen''s thumb. Yet when the person you oppose turns out to be a minor deity the afterlife gets a bit questionable. After a century things seemed to relax but the first century was difficult as she still had some rage at her being thrown into the otherworld by a hard piece of cheese. "Turning it into a necklace was an odd choice though." He thought to himself as he admired the exquisite form his student was showcasing. Allana groaned in frustration as she tried to exert control over the wild growth spell she just cast. She could barely feel a tether from herself to the plant that looked like a bramble with ivy vines growing from beneath it and extending to either sides like some sort of plant monster. She knew there was a connection but she could not even understand where it was attached to her. It felt like it was somewhere near her heart or perhaps a bit lower in her abdomen. Yet, she could not see it even when dryad gave her the approximate location for where she should feel it in her core. Alanna had been feeling extremely positive after her morning training. She had learned additional moves and even though S¨¦tanta was overly adulatory at her comprehension, which would usually annoy her, she had been quite happy. Now though, now she was getting a migraine while trying to find a core that was somewhere in her upper body, to manipulate the growth she created at the cost of mana. She had cast the spell somewhere in the range of 8-13 times and was running low on mana yet she still had no idea where the tether connected to. It was supposed to be something she instinctually could feel according to Lulura. However, those instincts were clearly missing from the druidess who had a total of no teachers in this field as their had not been any available for nearly a millennium in the overworld. She was a bit offput by the loss of knowledge that the world used to have nut given the history of one of her countries she couldn''t be surprised, sad sure, but not surprised. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Lulura walked up behind Alanna and once again put her hands on the druid''s body. Alanna closed her eyes and prayed to all the gods she knew of to give her patience with this creature. The dryad continued to touch and hold and rub against her which was not only unwelcomed but extremely counterproductive to the concentration she was trying to commit to. The faery were some seriously overly sexual beings and it was getting a bit old. She grit her teeth as the dryad''s hands grasped her shoulders and squeezed them in a massage then ran her hands down her arms. Alanna was just about to snap out in anger when the dryad clasped her hand and let a trickle of power invade Alanna''s body. The warm feeling entering her palm startled Alanna but Lulura shushed her before she could make a sound. "Follow the mana as it moves naturally through you." The dryad said as she ran her fingers back up Alanna''s arm. Alanna closed her eyes to visualize the foreign sensation she was feeling. It traveled up her arms and then into her chest where it then descended down below her sternum but just above her stomach then disappeared. For a brief moment she felt something there. It was so very faint but there was a spark of warmth she could almost see. She focused all her senses toward that spot and after a brief moment there was a sound like the shattering of glass and the world seemed to fade away as her mindscape opened to a new world. Greenery as far as the eye could see covered Alanna''s vision. Rolling hills and large wooded forests with oak, birch, blackthorn, and willow trees were spread about the landscape. A warm and comforting sun shone down on this world providing the fuel for the plants around to grow. This was a place deeply saturated in life and she felt that life pouring into every last part of her. There were countless creatures darting or flying around living in perfect harmony within this living system. Alanna laid herself upon a hill and basked in the rays of the sun feeling it empower her. She felt that the day cycle was coming to an end and with that feeling the bright light that had been shining on her for countless hours faded. The world was plunged into darkness and Alanna stood and looked out over the landscape once more. The land had changed dramatically as life gave way to death. Where once there was a vibrant landscape now there was only corpses of the flora and fauna she had previously witnessed. She felt a profound sense of loss and sadness as the trees, animals, grass, and insects turned into husks and then were broken down further into the dirt of the ground. There was sadness and desolation surrounding her but there was still a semblance of peace here. It was a feeling of finality and inevitability and there was comfort to know that endings are as natural as beginnings. She breathed in the emptiness and looked out at the barren landscape and smiled as she felt it. The life that broke down and was reduced to atoms charged the soil with all that it was and new life was ready to be produced when the next day dawned. Nature was not just life but death as well. She knew that from her previous visions in the place of power but once again her power, her soul, or the land itself showed her what she kept forgetting. She saw the sun rise once again and the tiny shoots of plants shot through the soil and became fully grown in moments. Alanna''s mindscape fell away and the real world came rushing back. She opened her eyes and felt the hands groping her from behind and the small biting feeling on her shoulder. "Oh my god you undersexed creature enough is enough." Alanna snapped. "Why do you keep doing this?" "So, training is going well?" Queen Medb asked a few days later at dinner. Alanna smiled then it dropped and she groaned. "Weapon training is going extremely well. I have been focusing on the spear mostly but we started sword training as well. I do not like that weapon much but I appreciate the lessons regardless of that." She paused and grimaced. "Training with my druidic spells is actually going well now that I can feel the link but that damn dryad is¡ª hard to deal with." Alanna decided diplomatically. Medb grinned and shook her head. "Do not be to hard on her Alanna. We are all extremely attracted to people from the overworld. We do not get to see many and for many in the otherworlds the humans are a source of nourishment. Now imagine a being filled to the brim with potential and power that comes from there. An evolutionary step above a human with beauty of a goddess and power besides." She smiled in understanding but also with a hint of something more behind her eyes. "Now how do we resist that? She asked. Alanna could not really understand the perception of the fae. She did not share their specific requirements and given her life up until recently she had no confidence in herself. So, while she recognized and appreciated the beauty of all the creatures around her she was not really interested further than that. She thought that she would be ready some day but her mind was on the quests and understanding her power. She also wanted to know more about the past. Questline aside, she was interested in what she was learning. The fact that she loved the sparing and weapon training was unexpected. She thought she would love the magic training more but perhaps that was the difference in her teachers. Lulura made it difficult to concentrate with her overzelous flirtation, while S¨¦tanta was not really flirtatious at all. In fact he had been cold and indifferent when they started which was a reaction that Alanna had grown to expect from people. She understood his sentiment and was able to work with that. "Oh," Alanna said after having that thought. "Oh, oh boy I''m a mess." She said aloud. "I don''t know how to react to being liked." She thought. She was certain that the over infatuation of Lulura was a bit more than anyone should be comfortable accepting but lately S¨¦tanta had been complimenting her and she pretended like it was not happening. It even irritated her to an extent because she did not know how to respond to that. Her mother loved her but was demanding and had expectations. She was kind and tried to provide genuine warmth but she was also an executive in a huge company. She had little time for her daughter. "Alanna!" Grainne''s voice snapped the druidess out of her thoughts. "Hmm?" Alanna asked as she looked up from her dinner plate at the queen and her daughter the Leanan S¨ªdhe. "I said a missive came in regarding you today. A request from Emain Ablach and Chapter 19 The message from seemed to be an invitation of sorts. It was rather short and to the point and said simply, "Its about time. Come see me at Emain Ablach." Alanna stared at the letter for several minutes with an unamused expressions. "Well that is certainly one way to request someone''s presence." Alanna said after a while. She saw the faint grimace on the queen''s face. "They," she started then paused. "We have waited for a long time for your return. They longer than most." The queen explained her face expressing pain. There was a brief pause as Medb took a moment to consider her words. "We knew you would come but not what form you would wear. We did not know what realm you would visit first. We," she paused and looked almost pleadingly to Alanna for understanding. "I wanted to ease you into this Alanna. I did not want your quest to be pushed on you this quickly. I¡ª" She paused and looked toward Grainne who''s head stared down into her food but looked up at the pause. "We wanted to ensure you were ready before we revealed the way to the next path." Alanna was felling rather confused by this. She was unsure why they were feeling guilty. She knew that there was something to be learned here. She had a quest from the land that explained as much. She was extending the quest because she had an opportunity to learn about her abilities and to learn an ancient combat forms from an equally ancient master or perhaps masters. She had not given up hope that she would also learn from S¨¦tanta''s teacher Sc¨¢thach. It sounded like that may not be the case as she was likely to get some additional information for her quest. Which she would readily admit was disappointing even though a part of her wanted to get back home. She had so much to tell her grandparents after all. This trip was one straight out of a fantasy and she touched, even if only the basics, on a bit of the lost abilities for the druids. Still this response was confusing to say the least. The queen and her daughter were looking at each other with expressions of guild. "Just what do you have to tell me that weighs upon you this much?" Alanna asked the pair. The queen sighed. "I suppose I will share a bit of truth with you. Even if most is what I have gathered over the last several hundred years. We were arrogant when we walked above." She frowned. "I was a child of a child with just enough of the old blood to have power over many and that power was enough that plenty would call me a tyrant for some of the things I did and what I demanded of my lovers and people. The old ones with the blood of Danu and those that claim the blood of Dagna were far worse. They felt this was their birthright and the humans that came along after, without their blood and from lands far away, were not worthy of it nor worthy of existing in their presence. Yet the human were clever and allowed themselves to be taken by the old ones as servants and lovers. They integrated into the land diluting the old blood further and giving their champions the power to combat the old ones. Then with their numbers and the power they acquired they pushed the old ones until they accepted a deal. This as you may know led them to the underworld. However, the deal had consequences the humans could not be aware of. The children of the gods were powerful and their blood lines were powerful. The first king refused to leave his lands without ensuring there would be a way back for his people. There was a promise of a home that was given even before his time and he would ensure a way to allow the fulfillment of said promise. Through a loophole in the deal they found each one of the old gods could influence the land in certain places of power. So, they sent their descendants to guard and protect these places. The half blood beings were not truly human nor children of the tribe of Danu. They were something else. Something the humans enjoy calling a demigod or in some cases like my own a lesser god. The blood eventually diluted and those that were not bound to the old ones died away as their power waned. Yet the ones that were bound to the Tuatha were empowered in these special places of power." Still, there was concern that something could one day happen to these places of power so the first king made a choice to trust his essence to the land. He made a pact with the land to create a soul like that of the human out of his essence and that the land could use what remained as nourishment. The land would allow his soul to reincarnate upon the land continually until the time for the promise to be fulfilled. His line, and those of the other''s children were never allowed to lead but could protect the land and advise. For if they led it would negate the foolish deal which caused them to leave their home. So, he reincarnated died and then did so again. One day his fears and the reason for the added measure''s came to pass and a new god came to these lands. He was simultaneously kind and cruel. Those that believed in him pushed through the land and tried to bury the places of power that linked the land to the other realms." Alanna nodded in agreement with the last part as it was something she remembered and that was retold to her. She was still fascinated by the different perspective though and listed intently to the Queen. "This did lessen the power the land was able to pull from and all the lands of power were pushed elsewhere in a plain that could maintain them without much effort. For if they remained the land itself would become lessened and it refused. So, all the mystical places were layered around and sometimes in the underworld in a collection of places we call the otherworld. This also meant that those with any of the powerful races would be pulled into these otherworlds or the underworld when their physical bodies were killed. It is why the mystical races are largely forgotten in the lands above. They come here to be reincorporated as we do not have souls like that of the humans. We can not reincarnate or go to the new god''s afterlife for his servants. Hence why I am here after the cheese incident. Similarly Sc¨¢thach is here. She is a deity in her own right yet she does not care to be. She has a sacred mission that was passed down to her from her line and while she is tangentially tied to our history, she is of another tribe or clan as they prefer. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Regardless the beings of power slowly left and all that remained were the offspring of a few families tied to the Emerald Isle where our greatest claim was. They did their best to keep something of the old ways alive and used what scraps of power they had to ensure the smaller passages would remain open. They crated new lore about the fairy forts and even pushed power into them to thin the veil so that the new children of these otherworlds could walk the overworld for a time. They integrated their traditions into the new religions to help find some additional power to ensure there would always be a gateway open. However, this also caused problems with the people of the otherworld. Their purpose could be tainted and while killing them would free their physical form they would be more likely to hold onto some residual resentment when they reincorporated into the cycle. So, most of us that rule an otherworld created dungeons to hold these beings so that they will stop causing chaos here and if they get through the veil the overworld." She paused and looked at Alanna pointedly. "This is where you come in. Nuada told the others that he would hold the way open and would only return when the original promise was ready to be fulfilled. There are many believes that suggest he received an oracle or he could divine himself. I don''t know the truth of this. What I do know is that when I was given this land as it incorporated here when the power transferred from the Isle of Sky, the old ones told me that one day a being will come with power that was tied to the land and its people. They explained they did not know which land you would enter so they warned all that would hold lands in the otherworld. The old ones told me that you would come and I would know you regardless of the form you wear. I would be drawn to you like a moth to the candle flame." She looked a bit embarrassed as did Grainne. "We are all drawn to you and we do not understand why." She explained. Regardless, we held these dungeons until such a time as you would return to fulfill both the land''s promise to us and your promise to us. The otherworld dungeons must all be cleansed so that the original promise can be fulfilled. Then you will have to find the craftsmen in the underworld as you left something with them which you will require for the next step. I have no idea what that is." Alanna felt overwhelmed and a bit of anger bubbling up. "Wait, wait you people want me to travel to every otherworld and cleanse them for this quest?" She asked in not quite a shout. The queen quickly waved her hands placatingly and shook her head indicating the negative. "No of course not many of the powers that be will do so once it is confirmed you are here." Alanna felt the panic and anger subside. "Oh thank the stars." She said in obvious relief. "I have so many questions." The queen nodded in acceptance. "Ok, so first of all I remember my first death to Balor which would have been long before all of this happened. So, how could some of that story be true? Specifically, the part about me trying to save the land somehow?" The queen shrugged and shook her head. "I do not know what happened after you were slain by Balor. However, you would have been reincorporated somewhere. I am not a child of Danu I do not know the powers you and your tribe hold. However, when I died I reincorporated here." The druidess shrugged in acceptance of that answer. It made a sort of sense given what she heard thus far. "Ok you also said that those of the blood of the old ones could not lead or it would negate the deal made with the humans. So, how were you queen? Medb winced at this and looked down in something akin to shame. "That was my curse in the land above." She said in a voice so soft it was nearly whispered. "I am called the goddess of sovereignty because I can make one a ruler by laying with them. This is not exactly true. I took many husbands to make them kings because I was not allowed to rule even if I was actually ruling." Alanna pursed her lips and then offered an apologetic smile. "That cannot have been easy Medb I wish it was different for you." The queen nodded in acceptance of her words and looked expectantly at Alanna. "Ok," the druid said. "So, I am supposed to do what then go visit this Manann¨¢n guy and do what exactly?" "I imagine he will have something to point you to the next step." The Queen suggested. "How did he even know I was here?" Alanna asked. "We had to tell him when you got here." Grainne interjected. "I sent out a missive the same day." "Ah," Alanna said. She was not sure how she felt about that but was leaning toward not great. It was not a big deal and she had a quest from the land that was quite clearly not normal. Instead of clean up the litter on the side of the road she gets an epic quest for the once and future god queen or some such drivel. It was mildly irritating to Alanna because she did not want to leave yet. "So, why were you so nervous about telling me all that?" Alanna eventually asked. The queen and her daughter shared a look. "Well," Grainne began after a long moment of silence. "We wanted you to stay a while and be with us your presence is alluring but also comforting. It is hard to explain. However, we also were not sure how you would feel about us telling the old ones of your arrival. Not that we had a choice mind you." That statement was irritating to the druid because not having a choice was one of the arguments that genuinely pissed her off. Everyone has a choice saying there is no choice is just making a choice to comply. She took a deep breath and calmed down . So many people use that to deflect responsibility and after hearing it for most of her life she found it was a trigger statement for her. Still, that was her issue and she should not take it out on them as they did what they thought they should. She was also being a bit hypocritical. She had probably used that reasoning as well in the past and would likely do so again. It was an easy deflection of responsibility after all. "So when will I have to leave?" Alanna asked. "I was enjoying the training. My soul may be ancient but this body is under 20 years old." She looked down at herself then frowned. "Actually this body is like a few weeks old." The queen smiled sadly. "If it takes to long he may come here and crossing the land of mists is not something he would enjoy having to do without the guide. I imagine you have a few more days to train if you would like but you should plan to leave soon." Alanna wanted to sigh but a fog screen slowly opened up in her mind''s eye showing the completion of a quest and the marking of a new journey into the lands of legend. Chapter 20
Congratulations, you have completed the quest Uncover the past II.
You have received a new quest.
Quest: Uncover the past III Description: There are many truths out there learn the third. (Emain Ablach)
Alanna considered the fog momentarily before ignoring it. So, in all of the revelations there was another truth. What was it? There was no description of what she should be learning. It was irritating. She was grateful for more information but how arbitrary were these quests? Were they even necessary. Was the land or her mind or whatever was conjuring the fog screen actually trying to impart something important? She would have to focus on everything she learned and try to understand. Yet now was not the time. She had hosts still staring at her from the dinner table. At least this time there was a location in the description. That was something at least. Grainne walked with Alanna back toward the guest bedroom of the keep. "Are you well Alanna? The leann¨¢n s¨ªdhe asked. Alanna smiled at the woman and nodded. "I am well Grainne, I just feel like I am being pulled around by some greater destiny. I thought this was supposed to be something different something fun and exciting and it is, but I was only trying to take control of my life by jumping into this whole quest thing. I did not want to be led about by others yet I feel compelled by a promise and quest a former me made more than a millennia ago." She sighed and stared up at the stone ceiling. "It''s a life forced on me still. This time I forced it on myself. Now instead of doing what I really want to do and master myself further, I am called forward toward destiny." She snorted in derision. Grainne did not reply but led Alanna out past the guest hall and out of the keep altogether. She led them to the gazebo where she sat with the druidess and they looked out at the setting sun. "I am not upset at you or Medb." Alanna said after a moment. "I am a bit concerned that one of the old gods knows I am around but that is because while I have the memories of Nuada and accept I was Nuada. I am no longer exactly Nuada. Does that make sense?" Grainne looked sympathetic and shrugged. "I have never been mortal. I do not understand anything about what you did to yourself. How you created a soul doesn''t make sense to me." She explained. "I am faery, we simply are. when this form is destroyed I''ll come back again." Alanna frowned. and looked up at the sky enjoying the pink and orange on the horizon. She did not know what to say and neither did Grainne. So they sat and watched the sun set. The next few days were fairly standard training days. With her impending journey to wherever Emain Ablach was, Alanna decided to spend as much time as she could learning from the teachers she had. S¨¦tanta had shown her the best of the spear forms he knew and even worked on the basic sword forms. There were quite a few more forms for the sword as it was smaller and had a different shape. It had far more angles to both defend and attack from along with the difference in reach. She found that she preferred the spear and with time running slowly out before her departure. She focused on that weapon. The Dryad Lulura had been focused on her growth spell primarily and with her newfound ability to track the thread of power back into herself she found it easier to change her growth from simple bramble and ivy to almost predatory pitcher plants with thick ropelike stems used to trip and grapple. If the target was light enough they would even try to digest them. It was quite different from what it had started as. She could feel there was a long way to go with it though. Her other spells had not seen much advancement in the short time the dryad had been instructing her. However, she was forced to use her wild shape and after a few days she found her instincts were beginning to be repressed by her intelligent mind. This was a relief and it took the dryad completely restraining her and forcing the intelligent mind to find a way out of the predicaments. The final day of training she was able to utilize her nature magic to weaken the dryad''s grasp on the plants enough that she escaped. It was quite surprising when her instincts did not immediately take over when she was finally freed. Alanna was grateful to the dryad even if the creature never stopped trying to feel her up. The talk with the queen had mellowed out Alanna''s reactions to the creature and the druidess''s own self reflection also helped her become a bit more comfortable with the attention. She was by no means ready or willing to entertain other activities but she was no longer so quick to anger about it. Some people just liked to touch and while she found it weird she knew that some humans acted similarly. Alanna packed away her few belongings in the pack her grandfather had gifted her. She smiled at the memory of her family. She knew she would see them again soon. She just hoped it was not more than a few days that had passed. She had asked just about everyone about the time difference but time to immortal creatures was not really a concept they could perceive in the same way as a normal human. That was fairly clear by the seeming lack of technological advancement from the 7th or 8th century. She knew several of the denizens of the otherworld had been above yet while they were confused by the advancements it was so alien to them they could not conceptualize how to develop similarly. Further, they were usually reconstituted in the underworld when they inevitably were killed by organizations that likely existed to ensure the "demons were returned to hell." She knew there were a few organizations in the church that investigated certain supernatural events and was fairly certain most governments had top secret groups as well. It was pure speculation but given what she now knew as truth, others would have to know. She finished packing the last few belongings when she came upon a small box that held 4 large seeds. She had forgotten all bout the seeds and the few trinkets she salvaged from the boggarts. She could feel the life inside the seeds but it felt distant almost as if they were dormant. She would have to ask Lulura if she could sense anything about them before she left. So, she set the box aside and scooped up the few trinkets she had then tossed them into the pack. Stolen story; please report. Grainne stopped by shortly after she finished packing and held out a leather satchel. "I had this made for you." She said with a slight blush. Alanna took it with a grateful nod and smile then opened it. The satchel was nicely made and had a bronze fastener attached to the leather to seal it shut. There was room for a book or journal but also room for other items including a small inner pouch that was hidden to store a few of her precious items if she wished. "Thank you Grainne!" Alanna exclaimed. She pulled out one of the trinkets she had just put away and handed a small piece of jet to the woman. "Something to remember our little adventure. When I come back through here you can tell me about why you were there in the first place." The leann¨¢n s¨ªdhe snorted at that and shook her head then yelped in surprise as Alanna embraced her. "Sorry I did not get to know you better. I appreciate you being available for me to speak with the past few days. It meant a lot to me." Grainne sighed and clasped her arms around the taller woman''s back. "Yeah," she muttered as they backed away from one another. They shared a few more pleasantries before Alanna placed the seed box into her new satchel, picked up her blackthorn staff, and walked out toward the keep entrance, Grainne in tow. Lulura stared at the seeds, wonder clear in her expression. "Where did you get these?" The dryad asked as she gently stroked the seeds. Alanna explained they were the treasure guarded by the boggarts and the dryad could only laugh in exasperation. "Do you know what they are?" Alanna asked. "I can feel they have power and life inside of them but I do not know what type of plant they are." The dryad shook her head in the negative as she stroked them lovingly. "I do not know exactly but they feel familiar to me like a memory that has faded." She smiled softly and looked up at Alanna. "You should plant them in a protected place." "You do not want them?" Alanna asked but the dryad was shaking her head even as Alanna started speaking. " No this is not the place. They do not exactly speak to me as most plants do but I still get strong feelings about them. For instance, I know they are something special and I get the feeling they should not be planted to close together either. Perhaps you will find a place for them in your journey." Alanna nodded in understanding then slipped the box back into her satchel. Then moved back a few steps from the dryad. "Thank you for teaching me to control both my growth spell and my shapeshifting. I am grateful." The dryad smiled sweetly and nodded then stepped forward and wrapped Alanna in a deep embrace. Alanna sighed as she felt strong hands grasping her behind and rolled her eyes when the dryad inhaled her scent with a shudder before letting her go and stepping back. The unamused druidess just shook her head and walked away with a wave over her shoulder. She did not see the smirk on the dryad''s face nor the twinkle in the creature''s eyes. The walk toward the gate leading out of the town was a bit difficult for Alanna. She did not really know the people here but she enjoyed the company of Medb, Grainne, and even S¨¦tanta had grown on her a bit. She was unsure if her weapon trainer liked her all that much but she enjoyed his company when he stopped being so monosyllabic and grunty. Still, they had formed a semblance of connection which made a part of her, that she had long ago buried, happy. She would miss them even if she just started to know them. She was disappointed she did not get to meet and train under Sc¨¢thach but as she approached the gate and saw the warrior woman standing with crossed arms next to Queen Medb she was cautiously happy to at least get to meet her. Cautious because the woman had a scowl that deepened as she approached. Queen Medb did not wait for Alanna to close the distance. She walked forward, embraced the druidess, and led her by the hand toward the warrior woman. She handed Alanna a large sack which held some dry rations of meat, bread and cheese. Alanna smiled and nodded at the queen. She was grateful she would not have to rely completely on her spell. "Alanna this is Sc¨¢thach she will guide you through the mists and perhaps beyond." Alanna stared in awe at the woman for a moment before she bowed her head. "A pleasure to meet you warrior." She said. "I had wondered how to go from here to there. I only saw but one path to travel when I entered this place." The queen looked confused by the statement for a moment then her expression changed with understanding. "Their is one path but it always leads to where you need to go even if not always where you want to go." Sc¨¢thach said then clasped Alanna by the arm and nodded to her. The woman stood eye to eye with Alanna and the druidess found herself slightly intimidated. "I will preform my duties as laid down by my pact. We can leave when you are ready." The woman then walked over to a large pack and shouldered it. Alanna nodded in understanding and acceptance and looked around then her expression changed to disappointment when she did not see S¨¦tanta. She sighed then nodded at the warrior then started walking out of the town. She made it past the guard she met on the first day and giggled to herself remembering their brief interaction. She heard a distant shout and turned to see S¨¦tanta rushing toward the gate with a spear in hand. He reached her breathing heavily from the sprint and thrust the spear into her hands while taking the blackthorn staff and attaching it to her pack. "Take this and continue practicing. This spear was once important to me but now ¡ª" he paused and looked out into the distance. "It just reminds me of a past I would rather forget. Take it and keep up the practice." Alanna looked at the spear in her hand with awe then toward S¨¦tanta with gratitude. "I will take care of it and continue training." She promised. The man nodded clapped her on the shoulder then turned and ran away. Sc¨¢thach looked at the retreating man''s back with a raised eyebrow then back toward the tall and powerfully built druid. She considered her for a few moments before turning and walking down the only visible path. Alanna smiled sadly as she looked back at the town. It was a short visit but she grew quite a bit here and not just in combat skills. A piece of her old self was healed in this place. She had a long way to go but this was good for her. They traveled for what seemed several miles before the rolling hills disappeared and a new landscape started taking form. Grass started to become sparse and a rocky desert landscape took shape ahead. The came to a stop as the elevation decreased significantly and the dirt path they had been walking turned into a rock strewn wasteland. The sun hung high into the sky as morning began to give way to afternoon and Alanna could feel a change from its normal warm embrace to an oppressive heat. She removed her pack and took off her sweater and packed it away. "This is going to be unpleasant." She muttered as the pair looked out over the sun baked land. Sc¨¢thach grunted in agreement and started her decent carefully. With a sigh Alanna followed after her. Chapter 21 The swishing sound of something passing close by was a relief as Alanna correctly sidestepped the scorpion like creature''s envenomed barbed tail. She lunged forward with a piercing strike from low guard and the thrust found its way into the humanoid chest as the upper body reared back up from the attack. Her spear entered the chest and pushed through the fourth rib just to the left of the sternum. Alanna darted back and into a high guard while the creature screamed. The scream was almost a sonic attack of its own given the pitch and frequency. Alanna winced and took another step back but the creature did not advance. Yellow fluid poured from the humanoid chest in extreme volumes which caused the creature to fall to the side with its legs and tail curling in around it. Alanna whipped her head around to see Sc¨¢thach''s spear piercing another of the massive humanoid scorpion creatures through the head in a brutal but incredibly quick thrust. The spear came back completely clean as the momentum flung anything that would have stuck off the bladed tip. There were corpses of 3 other creatures curled up around the fourth but the woman looked as though she had exerted herself overmuch. Her hair was slightly disheveled from her movement but otherwise she looked like a warrior queen. Fierce and beautiful of course, but also with a poise and presence that demanded respect. Having learned her lesson previously about inattention on the battlefield, Alanna only briefly took in the warrior''s condition to ensure no aid was required then she scanned the rocky battlefield for any other creatures. Which is why she caught another of the creatures rushing forward from behind the one she just killed, before it could enter striking range. She fixed her position to create a more stable base by pushing some of the loose stones. She could see that there were more loose stones kicked up in this area from the battle and did not like the ideal of turning an ankle due to the ground. She took a deep breath and focused on her magical core and called on the growth spell. She shaped its growth into something she thought would help as the creature came into striking range with its tail. The front humanoid body leaned down as the rear end rose up and the tail shot forward. Alanna slid to the side as the tail shot by her. She was able to maintain her balance with ease and her vine trap pitcher plant shot out thick rope like stems that wrapped the creature''s tail and one of its large claw like pincher arms. Alanna rushed forward and thrust the spear toward the creatures humanoid chest but the other claw swung up in time to knock the strike back. It continued its strike and clamped down on the rope like stem that held the other claw which it shred with ease. The pitcher plant recoiled what was left of the stem and then flung it out again like a whip that cracked against the carapace. The creature''s tail was held fast but the plant was being pulled forward due to the strength of the being it was holding. Alanna rushed back in as the creature tried to focus on the binding. She thrust her spear fast and accurately and managed to push through the carapace and into the soft tissue holding the left claw. The spear lodged deep into the joint between the claw and exoskeleton but the enraged scream and subsequent retaliatory strike from the creature forced Alanna to jump back without the weapon. She clicked her tongue in irritation as she backed a few feet further. She scanned the battlefield again to ensure she wasn''t backing into danger and found that Sc¨¢thach was standing with arms crossed and watching her with a frown painted on her face. "That is just great." Alanna muttered sarcastically. "Lose my weapon in front of a weapon master. I can only imagine what she is thinking now." With a self deprecating laugh Alanna shifted into her smilodon form and rushed back into the fight. Her size was now nearly that of the massive creature but she was far more agile. She sent a mental order to the pitcher plant to relax its grip on the tail then to immediately pull back hard. The result was the scorpion trying to naturally position its tail to strike but the quick yank from the plant caused it to skitter a step sideways. It was not much as the plant did not have enough strength to overwhelm the creature. However, as Alanna was already moving toward the wounded claw she was able to bypass its attempt to swat her down. She quickly leapt up atop the carapace and wrapped herself around the human torso allowing her hind legs to rake down its back and into the carapace of the scorpion. Her front claws sunk into the chest as her massive maw enveloped the back of its human head and neck and with a powerful bite ripped it away. Alanna went into a frenzy and ripped into the creature tearing at it until long after it stilled. She roared so loudly in triumph that it echoed throughout the land scape. She hopped down from her kill and began to rip into the meat devouring the flesh as was her right. "Alanna!" A sharp call came which caused the massive cat''s ears to lie flat against her head. She turned to see Sc¨¢thach stalking forward with a scowl on her face. Alanna''s mind came back into focus from the frenzy and she shook her massive head to clear it. She sat back on her haunches and looked at the warrior with a tilted head. Sc¨¢thach stopped and stared at the massive cat sitting before her. It was far larger than any animal she had ever seen in the isles and would even give the massive Formorians pause. She sighed as she saw the big thing just looking at her in confusion. "Don''t eat them they will make you ill." She said with a sigh. She was quite impressed with the transformation and power the druid showed. Even if less so by her ability with the spear. Oh, the woman was not bad. In fact if she had really only been training for a few weeks then she was likely near prodigy levels with the weapon. Of course, if she truly was one of the old ones reborn then less a prodigy. Still, Sc¨¢thach would not fault the woman for losing her weapon this way. She was not well enough trained to understand that she should have pushed forward instead of jumping back. That would have severed the arm at that joint and the residual impact from the strike would have been minor. Instead her weapon became stuck and she was forced to result on her magical power. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. There was nothing inherently wrong with that either but as a weapon master the old warrior would have preferred a different outcome. She sighed as she looked at the cat who would be even taller than she was if it stood on its hind legs. "You did well enough but you could have done better. I think I will pick up your spear training in the morning." She turned to walk away but the big cant stepped forward and nuzzled her with its massive head. Out of reflex Sc¨¢thach scratched the big cats ears which caused a deep rumbling purr. "Alight, alright change back before you embarrass yourself." The warrior said and shoved the big cat away. It took a moment but Alanna transformed back into her humanoid body and shook her head to clear the disorientation it always caused. She looked down and saw blood stains on her face and clothes and sighed in irritation. She was glad that her clothes were transformed with her instead of shredding through them but this outfit was still probably ruined. They did not have laundry detergent that was quite as robust as she would like. The trip had been going well but the day had passed and while they were looking for a decent spot to set up for the night they found a large rocky cave built into the side of the landscape. It seemed promising enough at the time and they both assumed there would be some sort of occupants but for the scorpion like Formorians to be present was a surprise to both. To be fair everything on this trip was a surprise to Alanna, but she had assumed that it was unusual because Sc¨¢thach seemed surprised to see them. She saw the warrior walk over to where she had flung off her pack then pick it up and shoulder it. Alanna looked back over her shoulder to see she still had her own pack on. She had completely forgot about that in the heat of combat. "That was probably not a great choice." She muttered to herself. She thought back to the combat and realized how it had hindered her movements on several occasions and her subconscious wanted rid of it but her mind was to busy trying to calculate the correct actions. "That is going to be a problem in the future. I need to be able to both plan and act nearly instantaneously." She thought. She looked up at the warrior that had accompanied her. Sc¨¢thach was quiet to the point that Alanna assumed she was antisocial. She did not believe that Sc¨¢thach held anything specific against her as they did not know one another. Yet a part of her did feel a bit of self doubt after nearly a full day with only grunts and single world answers to the many questions Alanna tossed her way. Now though, she felt a surge of hope fill her. The weapon master herself was going to teach her. That was worthy of celebration. Of course, they would have to clear out anything else left in the cave and get through the night. The warrior stalked back toward the cave with her spear strapped to her pack and a short ring sword that emitted a faint golden light was pulled from the scabbard at her side. She hefted it in her right hand and in her other was her shield. She turned to see Alanna removing the spear from the last creature and paused to look over the woman. "Use the smaller staff, a sword, or dagger. The spear is to long to use effectively in a cave." Alanna looked up at the opening in the rock face and frowned. "I assumed a piercing weapon would be good in tighter spaces." Sc¨¢thach''s baleful glare caused Alanna to wince and a faint heat spread up her neck and over her face. "Spear would be fine for thrusting and piercing but how would you defend yourself in tight spaces? We do not know what the interior looks like. It could be open enough for spears and if so great use it. However, we may end up having to crawl in some areas its pretty much useless except to feel around with in that case." Alanna nodded her understanding and looked away. She did not really know better. Even with her old memories cave combat was not something she did much of. She thought it was fairly reasonable to use a long pointed stick to lead the way into the dark. However, she accepted she was not in anyway an expert. She would have preferred staying in her saber-tooth tiger form for the cavern but it was a bit late for that. "Bet you didn''t think of that did you." She muttered under her breath childishly. She regretted it almost immediately. "That was unbecoming of me." She thought and pushed away any semblance of hurt pride her embarrassment caused. Sc¨¢thach could have been kinder but that was her problem not Alanna''s. "The only thing we can control in life is our reactions." Alanna said to herself as she inhaled deeply then dropped her pack, pulled the dagger out and shouldered it once more. She followed the warrior as her short sword lit up the cavern. Sc¨¢thach held the blade out in front of her shield which was brandished out before her protectively. It allowed the light to shine forth so that the darkened area was now visible and the shield protected the glare from blinding them. It was not something Alanna would have considered had she not seen Sc¨¢thach doing it. She was grateful to have such an experienced travel partner. In that moment she had forgotten all about her previous irritations. The cave opening was large enough for both of them to walk easily into and side by side if they preferred. The ceiling of the tunnel they found themselves in was a bit more than 2 meters in height. The scorpion formorians likely had to duck a bit but the two women found the height comfortable. The tunnel was not overly long but turned sharply left after about 20 meters and opened to a large cavern. The cavern looked as though something dug it out as it was to cleanly done to be natural. There were no other obvious tunnels in the room so the pair split up and inspected the walls carefully so as not to be surprised when they bunked down. The pair crossed at the rear and then inspected each other''s side to ensure no one missed anything. When neither found an issue they dropped their packs around a pit that had been used previously for a cooking fire and prepared camp for the evening. "I''ll take first watch." Sc¨¢thach suggested after unrolling her sleeping mat and tossing what looked like a sleeping bag over it. Alanna looked toward the entrance and frowned. "I could block off the entrance and part of the tunnel with thorned vines. Anything trying to get in would wake us up long before they made it to us." She offered. Sc¨¢thach''s frown almost made Alanna rescind the offer but after a moment of thought the warrior nodded. "Ok, that will work." She said then went to her bedroll and crawled in. Alanna sighed and moved toward the tunnel. She could not get a good read on the woman and she did not appreciate the way it made her feel. It was going to be a long trip. Chapter 22 The majority of the night was uneventful and although the need for sleep was lessened due to her bodily changes, the days trek on the rocky terrain was a bit more physically and mentally draining than she would have thought it could be. Sc¨¢thach seemed content to rest through the night and Alanna wondered, not for the first time, at the extent of her changes. Pre-dawn something decided to test the vine growth that led into their cavern. Alanna snatched up the spear beside her bedroll and moved toward the tunnel entrance but thought better of it given the room for maneuvering she had in the cavern. She took up a high guard with her spear angled toward the entrance. A quick look back showed her Sc¨¢thach had heard the noises and was pulling her shield and sword from he belongings. She could hear grunting and hissing sounds as something hacked away at the vines. Sc¨¢thach moved up beside her with the short sword still sheathed but now on her hip instead of her pack. The warrior listened a moment then pointed Alanna toward the right side of the tunnel while she took up position on the left. It took a few more minutes but the vines were finally cut through and a creature stumbled into the cavern. She could make out the form of a creature that stood just under a meter in height but given the lack of light that was all she could see. After a strange hissing yip several more of the creatures tumbled into the cavern knocking the first creature down. It righted itself and was facing the direction of Alanna who was fairly certain it was looking at her. A strange hiss sounded and moments later an unfortunate smell hit Alanna''s scent receptors. A flash of light illuminated the cavern and the creatures who all jumped and turned in fright then immediately covered their eyes and screamed. They were some kind of upright lizard people given their strange almost iguana looking heads and faces. There were terrified and only one had a weapon drawn but it was currently clutching at its eyes whole managing to not gouge itself with the large dagger that seemed like a short sword in its tiny clawed hands. A lough sigh sounded from Sc¨¢thach who angled the light emitting sword away easing the pain it was causing the creatures. "They are no threat to us." The warrior said as she walked over toward her bedroll. She bent down and started packing her items which caused Alanna to warily move to her own belongings to do likewise. "What are they?" Alanna asked as she stared at the quivering creatures who managed to shuffle away from them to huddle up against the cavern wall. "No idea." Sc¨¢thach replied. "They can be found all over the blasted lands. They are not native to the otherworlds just as this region isn''t It appeared with them in the past century. In fact, several new areas appeared within the last century. Everyone I have spoken to is unsure why or how but they are somehow connected to the greater realms. The old ones may know but they are not talking about it." Alanna packed up quicky and stared at the cowering figures. They were kind of cute but whatever scent they released when terrified was horrific. She had to focus on taking slow shallow breaths through a tiny crack she allowed in her lips or she feared she would vomit. Sc¨¢thach did not seem at all affected and Alanna had to ask. "How can you handle the smell?" She asked the ancient warrior. Sc¨¢thach''s laugh surprised Alanna but it sounded false to her ears. "Battlefields smell worse than that and the smell never truly leaves you." The warrior explained. Alanna was not sure she had smelled anything like that in her skirmishes but nearly every creature she slew faded into dust, Perhaps that was a blessing that she had, up until this point, taken for granted. She frowned at the realization and quickly packed her bedroll and shouldered her pack. The pair walked out of the now cleared cavern and Alanna called whatever remained of her magic from the vines back into herself. The remaining growth withdrew along with the residual power that had fueled it. Sc¨¢thach walked out into the still darkened morning without even looking back at the creatures. Alanna was not so certain about leaving them at her back and cast continuous glances behind her but after nearly half of an hour nothing approached them. The sky on the horizon started to lighten up and with the new day dawning behind them Alanna was able to make out a strange grey haze on the horizon. She moved up beside Sc¨¢thach who was looking ahead with more of a frown on her face than usual. After around ten more minutes of walking the warrior stopped and unslung her pack bidding Alanna to do the same. Once the packs were grounded Sc¨¢thach picked up her spear and nodded her head toward Alanna''s "Show me." The warrior said which Alanna assumed correctly that she wanted her to go through her forms. The warrior watched intently as Alanna worked through her forms from basic all the way to the advanced forms S¨¦tanta had showed her. Sc¨¢thach did not said neither a word nor did her expression give away any thoughts. She simply watched the druidess go through the dance she was taught. After going through them fully three separate times Sc¨¢thach stopped her with a raised hand. "Watch," the warrior said then proceeded to only move through the basic stances. Alanna frowned at this. She knew the basic stances already why was this woman showing them to her. She thought she must be missing something so she resolved herself to watch carefully. To Alanna''s shame it wasn''t until the second time through that she caught on and it made her breath catch. Sc¨¢thach was absolutely perfect in the routines. Her body weight distribution, angle of strikes, and precision of movement. Was so perfect that even at this slow pace the strikes were deadly. Then the warrior picked up the pace after each repetition. Faster and faster the routine flew yet the warrior was never less then perfect in every way. Alanna felt a chill spread through her body. S¨¦tanta had been fun to watch demonstrate the forms. He was a capable teacher even if he was overly standoffish at first. He was probably quite adept with weapons but what Alanna was witnessing now was true mastery. After nearly ten minutes Sc¨¢thach stopped and moved to a position at rest which allowed Alanna to take in a much needed breath. "You have to master yourself before you can try to master any weapons." The warrior said. "Understand that every weapon you use is like your magic. They are just extensions of yourself. If you can not move into the correct positions with the correct fluidity then you are crippling your ability. Surefootedness and properly distributing your weight are just as essential as being able to expand and contract the correct muscle groups in a strike. Everything your body does in each step should be perfect if you want to master anything." You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. She paused and looked out to the haze at the edge of their vision then continued. "You have some talent with the spear. It is neither greater nor lesser than any other talented individuals it is simply lacking in bodily discipline. That is something we can fix." She pointed in the direction they were traveling. It will take several hours until we get to the land of mist which we will have to cross on foot. That does not take very long but the land of mist is strange. To cross it means to combat the 7 guardians and only by slaying them will we reach the land under the waves where the old one will likely have sent his chariot to wait for our arrival." She fixed her stern gaze on Alanna. "You will master yourself before we reach the mist for inside you must face the guardians and the rules of the place are strange." She saw Alanna''s confused look and clarified with an unconcerned shrug. "Your magics may not work correctly for a powerful hag is mistress of the land and she has blanketed her magics across the land. I have seen others enter who rely on divine gifts rather than their weapons and none have exited to meet me on the other side." Alanna felt a lump in her throat form. She swallowed it down but she felt a bit sick inside. She thought she would be ok facing everything here but Sc¨¢thach''s warning seemed quite serious. "Can you not aid me in the mists?" Alanna asked hesitantly. Sc¨¢thach shrugged and also shook her head to indicate a negative. "The land of mist is a test and holds vast and strange treasures. If our goals are aligned and all we want is to make it to the other side then we should be fine together. However, the moment we cross into the mist what we truly want is revealed, even if sometimes to ourselves, and then we face the trials alone. I have never heard of anyone other than myself and one other making it across successfully with others." The warrior looked at Alanna and the corner''s of her lips turned up slightly. "You should be fine so long as you learn to master yourself before we get there. Alanna moved through the basic forms of the spear slowly and carefully. The few hours to reach the land of the mist had turned into several hours of her moving forward and then backward through the basic forms until she could do both nearly flawlessly. Then Sc¨¢thach would force her to move side to side through the same forms. The sun had passed mid day and was on its decent yet there was still more than a kilometer of travel to get to the haze that Alanna cold now see was a mist like fog that billowed out from an unknown source beyond her ability to perceive at present. The side to side movements were taking longer to master and fatigue was beginning to make her a bit sloppy in the execution of the movements. She paused and stretched tightening muscles after the kata completed then cast the Land''s Bounty spell to quench her thirst. After a deep and cleansing inhalation she began again. She could feel her body tuning itself to the land she was on so that when she stepped down on a spot that gave way to her weight, she naturally shifted balance enough so that her strike would still fall perfectly. A slight shift of her feet was required to properly shift back into balance when she moved back into guard. Everything mattered when it came to mastering the body. The slight increase of wind caused resistance and even if it was minute the pressure exerted on her body required her to adjust. What Sc¨¢thach was forcing her to do was to rely on her body''s instincts to know naturally how to adjust itself to generate that perfect thrusting strike or deflecting parry. A perfect strike was something that S¨¦tanta had drilled into her early on. She knew exactly what it felt like when the weapon was in the correct positions. Yet she only ever felt that from a stationary position. Moving through the forms always had her slightly off. It was minor but the vision of Sc¨¢thach''s perfect piercing strike into the formorian''s head indicated that did not have to be the case and Alanna was finding herself perfectly positioned more and more as she trained. When they reached the border of the area''s they paused and set up a camp site. Sc¨¢thach set down both her own and Alanna''s pack as she watched the druidess continue through the motions of the forms. She was getting better which was a welcomed surprise for the old warrior. Still, she was not yet ready to defeat the more difficult guardians yet. Perhaps if she had use of her powers she could but Sc¨¢thach wanted another full day with her before she would risk it. She was not fully sold on the identity of this youngling even if she did recognize an older soul within her. There was still doubt because she was just to inexperienced at everything to be some great old god. Sc¨¢thach would be the first to admit she did not understand the old ones or the means by which Nuada defied his nature to become something else entirely. She may have been considered a deity of sorts but Sc¨¢thach never felt like one. She was tied to a clan of old ones to be sure but her blood was not fully of them. What she was and always would be was a warrior and teacher and even with her doubts she had chosen a new student. She just hoped this one would not be as disappointing as her last. She looked up at the druidess once again and watched her slowly perfect the mastery over her own body. "A few more days at the edge should be enough time." She thought as she gathered up bits of dried wood and long dead branches from the surroundings. "Perhaps less if we can test her magics inside the mists." She considered and nodded to herself. They could test that tomorrow after the youngling had time to rest and recharge. She looked out over the rocky blasted lands they had crossed then focused back on the mists and their destination. "There really is never enough time when destiny starts to pluck its strings." She said with a sigh then struck her flint against a stone striker. It was going to be a long night for the old warrior as she would let the girl sleep tonight. Tomorrow was going to be rough on her but it was for her own good. Chapter 23 Sc¨¢thach held Alanna from entering the fog until she was certain the young druid would have her best chance to survive the challenges she would face within. The young woman came a long way in a very short period of time which impressed the older warrior. Her body was sensitive and was finding its balance throughout each movement even when Sc¨¢thach would try to unbalance her. She was as ready as she could be in the time frame they had to work with and that would have to do. The trials were meant to be challenging but not impossible for the average person. For beings at her strength they were laughable. Especially since she had completed them several times before. Alanna was a bit different though. If she was who the Queen and the old ones believed then how the test reacted to her was anyone''s guess. She was an unknown variable so all Sc¨¢thach could do was to train her up to the best of the old warrior''s ability then send her off to her success or failure. The pitcher plant flailed about searching for a target yet finding nothing. Alanna nodded in acceptance. The spell was cast without much issue and the strength of it seemed normal. However, she could feel the mists were blocking her ability to regenerate her energies even only a step inside the haze of fog. She had great stamina from her training and being in great physical shape so she was not concerned with the physical side of things. However, if she could not regenerate her magical energy then she really would rely on her weapon for the challenge. She walked back out of the mists and shared her findings with Sc¨¢thach. The old warrior woman nodded in acceptance. "Then it is as I feared. You will be reliant on your sword and spear." "You have not taught me more of the sword and I do not own one." Alanna pointed out. Her instructor nodded along with the statement. "You know the basic movements of the sword from what S¨¦tanta has explained of his instructions but body movement is more important than the weapon itself. You prefer the spear or staff and that is the weapon your body is more used to. The sword has a different weight and is applied to combat differently. If a sword is required then the tests will provide an opportunity to collect one. If you use the sword then focus on the basics and your balance. There is not enough time to master multiple weapons nor should you attempt to do so until one is truly mastered. They spoke a bit longer before they rested and centered themselves. How long the journey through the mists would take was unknown as it was dependent on the individuals. Unless they somehow remained together then it would go fairly quickly but Sc¨¢thach did not hold out much hope for that. The pair collected their belongings and walked together into the mist. "I want to stay with Sc¨¢thach. I want to stay with Sc¨¢thach. It is my utmost desire to travel through this area with Sc¨¢thach." Alanna said over and over in her mind. She tried desperately to believe that as she entered further into the mists. She clasped Sc¨¢thach''s hand which startled the older woman but they said nothing as the mist swallowed them. Alanna was not sure when nor how it happened but one moment she was with the older woman the next she was not. "So much for what I wanted." Alanna thought. "Perhaps what I want in this moment is irrelevant. If so then to what extent is it reading my desire? That seems pretty fickle." The land before her was not overly difficult to see through at least compared to moving through fog. The sun shone from on high but the light scattered strangely as it passed through the mist. She could see several meters in every direction and even though it was darker than she would prefer there was an almost ethereal light that allowed her to see anything she would have seen with normal visibility. The land did not look healthy and while there was a tentative link to the greater concept of the land it was a flimsy thing. The grass was dead or dying in the sparse patches where it could be seen. The land was broken with scattered stumps and stacked yet blackened stones scattered throughout due to the moisture that saturated everything. The remnants of buildings long abandoned sat in uniform rows on either side of what used to be a road which stretched out into the distant horizon where the shadowed shape of a large castle hung like a painting in the sky. The druidess could not see the details of the large structure from where she started but it was clearly in better shape than anything else around. She started walking toward the structure and with each step could see that the castle, which seemed to float upon the clouds, was actually perched atop a hill where the mists did not reach. From her position she saw the main keep''s barbican had an open portcullis and its massive iron banded oak doors were rotted and split in several places. She could see several curtain walls complete with their own gates that ran around the hill and disappeared into the mists along its side. She could not be sure how many there were as the fourth she saw was nearly concealed in the mists. She started to move forward automatically toward the great structure but her her subconscious mind screamed out a warning that she was acting foolishly. She shook off the impulse and glanced around with more clarity then she had before and she was glad that her subconscious mind had been able to pull her out of the stupor she found herself in. There were shapes just on the edges of her vision that seemingly darted through the structures. She could only see them on the periphery of her vison but she was certain that she saw shadowed things that were undefinable as they contorted and elongated from shadow to shadow. Alanna gripped her spear tightly and found her muscles tensing up as her adrenaline spiked and her instinctual fear triggered her fight response. She took a slow breath and relaxed most of her body so that she could properly engage a potential foe. She walked forward slowly and opened her senses to land around her straining to hear, see, or smell anything. Yet nothing appeared directly. In irritation she moved toward the last place she saw the movement which was inside the husk of a stone building. The doorframe was no longer whole but the perfectly stacked stones on either side gave clear indication as to what it had been. The stone remains on the exterior of this building were covered in the black growth that was prevalent in this overly wet environment. However, upon entering the doorway what she saw inside defied understanding. The inside was that of a warm and cozy cottage compete with a weaved straw covered dirt floor. Upon entering there was a worn but sturdy wooden table clear but for a large clay bowl filled with water. Three wooden chairs were tucked neatly into the table indicating the number of occupants that stayed in this abode. To her left a large hearth with an active fireplace spread warmth throughout the small home. Three bed frames with straw mattress sat against the walls near the hearth. The roof was straw thatched and wooden framed that was held together by a massive wooden beam that ran across the length of the cottage and was embedded into the stone and mortar of the exterior wall.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. There was a large cauldron with an equally large ladle sitting on a stand over the fire. The scent of simmering stew mixed with the cooking fire permeated the area. The impossibility of the home was not what gave the druidess pause but the translucent figures moving about the place certainly did. She stared in dumbfounded awe as a woman in rather plain homespun moved about the home competing various tasks. A small boy of perhaps 6 years old sat on one of the beds and stared directly at the intruder in fear and confusion. It took a few moments before the woman noticed Alanna but when she did she rushed over to the child and hid him behind her back. The look of fear on the woman''s face had Alanna raising her hands and backing slowly out of the opened front door. The whole scenario was wonderous and odd but there was something that had been bother Alanna subconsciously. It was not until she found herself outside and once again staring at the ruins of the building that she recognized the issue. The sounds coming from the fireplace, the bustling woman and the playing child had been wrong. They were disconnected from the actions taking place like an echo through time. Alanna shuddered at the encounter. She looked around but the dark ruined landscape was all she could see. Alanna moved from building to building and peeked into the remnants of the past. This only seemed to work on the structures that had an intact door frame. When she walked over the crumbling wall of one abode she found the interior matched the exterior in death. Most of the buildings were homes and shared a similar layout. A few, however, were also businesses of sorts. She found herself in what appeared to be a smithy attached to a house. The echoes of a hammer impacting metal sounded out across time and through the structure. Alanna wandered through the home and out into the smithy where a large man with a thick leather apron tapped on a piece of heated metal with a hammer. She stared in wonder as the man used the edge of the hammer and anvil to change the shape of the metal in minutes. She had known the concept of blacksmithing of course she even had some vague memories of doing it but coming from a modern world and viewing everything through that perspective seeing the man at work was enlightening. She stared for several moments before the the man looked up and noticed her. He looked her up and down before nodding in what appeared to be approval. "I am almost done." The man''s voice called out in an ancient version of Gaeilge that sounded a bit off from any of the versions she remembered. Alanna just nodded as she watched the man finish the area of the metal he was working on then stick a part of it into the coals of the forge. Once he was finished he pulled a water bladder from a shelf and took a long pull from it. Then he turned and looked her over once more. He saw the spear she held in her hands which he inspected with interest. The shaft was just at 2 meters in length and made from a single piece of carved bone that had intricate patterns and grooves carved throughout. The spear head was an unknown metal Alanna assumed was steel but never really considered and so did not know to inquire on. It was nearly 50cm in length and held a pear shape with a long rib running down the center that was also engraved with intricate patterns of Celtic braids. It was a beautiful piece that felt like it belonged in Alanna''s hands. The blacksmith nodded in approval but frowned after a few moments more of looking her over. He cocked his head and looked at her pack then turned toward a barrel with several handles, of what she assumed were swords, sticking out. The smith pulled the handle from the barrel and a short ring sword around 35cm. It was a well made iron blade but the blacksmith set it off to the side and pulled out another. He continued pulling out blades until he found one that was quite a bit lighter in color and held an almost silver sheen to it. He grunted in satisfaction then moved it over to his anvil where he pulled out what appeared to be some sort of vice and set it on top. He then placed a large piece of wood down and set the flat of the silvery blade atop it. He found a smaller peen hammer and a small chisel then started to scratch out a pattern into the flat of the sword. It took more than an hour for the finer engraving and when it was finished the blacksmith moved toward the forge where he dropped an iron mold then pulled a bag of gold shavings and dumped it into the mold. The gold melted fairly quickly and the smith dumped it into the carved channels in the flat of the blade. After another long period of time the man called her over and nodded toward the blade where the word Solas was engraved in gold and in the center of what appeared to be the sun on either side of the blade. He handed the silvery blade to Alanna who took it up and stared in fascination at the ringed sword. After a moment the blade pulsed and Alanna felt a pull on her energy reserves. The silver blade took on a golden hue that radiated over the edge of the blade. "It is beautiful." Alanna said and handed the blade to the translucent man. He nodded and smiled then sheathed the sword into a leather scabbard then set it on the anvil and looked expectantly at the girl in front of him. "Well what do you have to barter?" The old man asked with a predatory grin overtaking his visage. Alanna was about to shake her head when she recalled some of the trinkets she found in the boggarts cave. She removed her pack and pulled out some jet, a silver cuff, and a pouch of bullion and then shrugged at the old man. "I have these items that you may find a use for." She offered. He looked over the items then nodded in acceptance and picked up the bracelet and the pouch then handed Alanna the sword. She grinned happily and attached it to the side of her pack opposite the blackthorn staff. The blacksmith sighed wearily but moved back toward the forge where he pulled the hunk of metal he had been working on out. It glowed brightly but the orange at the edges showed how rapidly it was cooling. The man wasted no time and picked up the bigger hammer and started pounding out the shape he desired. Alanna smiled and said goodbye then made her way out of the building. This was a strange place with strange ghostlike people that seemed out of place and out of time. She found the experience fascinating but there was a trial to complete and a teacher to reunite with. She carefully made her way toward the castle on the hill watching the shadows flitting about on the periphery. Chapter 24 A powerful screech like that of a massive bird shattered the otherwise quiet atmosphere. Alanna gripped her spear tightly as she approached what appeared to be a massive closed portcullis with a demonic looking prehistoric ostrich. That was the only way Alanna could describe the thing she was seeing. It stood at least 220 centimeters and weighed 226kg and had a mottled appearance on grey feathers that covered its body. The eyes were uniform in the color of blood red and its beak jutted out 46cm from its head before curving downward in a sharp tip. Its legs were digitigrade ending in 3 toed taloned claws that looked like large hawksbill daggers. She stared in wonder and a bit of terror at the massive beast before it broke into a sprint and moved at her with incredible speed. Alanna jumped to the side but her movements were slowed by her inability to process what she was seeing. The creature had lowered its head to ram the druidess and was partially successful. Alanna''s leap to the side saved her from a crushing impact but the glancing blow was enough to spin her around and fling her off to the side. She hit the ground hard but rolled a bit to bleed off the excess momentum. She used what remained of it to spin back to her feet and acting instinctually thrust out hard with her spear. The bladed edge sunk into flesh and a terrible scream sounded even as the impact send vibrations down through the shaft and down her arms. She retracted the spear and jumped to the side as her mind and vision caught up to the action. Her spear had sunk deep into the right side of the bird but given its enraged state she was not sure it did a while lot. She also felt pain in her body as well as a strain in her back where she had rolled over the pack she had been wearing. It was too late to take it off and prepare herself for combat so she left it on and tried to adjust her balance appropriately. The bird screeched out its rage and kicked its massive dagger like feet at Alanna who deflected it with the spear from a high guard then circled the spear head back in place and thrust it forward again. This time the bird jumped back and tried to take a bite out of the spear when it grazed its chest. It managed to turn its head and catch the spearhead as Alanna attempted to retract the strike and return to guard. It was an impressive feat of spinal agility but it realized it made a mistake when the spine of the spear head tore a groove it its tongue and caused it yet another injury. Still, the move pulled the spear out of guard causing Alanna to be slightly off balance when the creatures taloned foot came up with a kick. The druidess ripped the spear back as she rolled back over her shoulder to come back to her feet. She had been fast enough to avoid most of the damage from the kick but a taloned claw managed to scratch her stomach and rip one of her few remaining shirts. She groaned at the loss of another of her comfortable items and let the irritation fuel her desire to kill the overgrown chicken. The terror bird was bleeding fairly badly from a deep puncture in its chest yet the rage it held kept it from fleeing. It charged forward once more with as much speed as its exhausted and wounded body could manage but compared to its first charge it seemed slow. Alanna easily stepped to the side and thrust with precision and power into the meat of the chest. She felt the spear impact and crack bone then she hit something vital because the bird staggered a few steps after she quickly removed the spear. It let out a weak squawk then collapsed in death. Alanna began to breathe deeply to flood her body with oxygen and slow her heart rate. The fight was not overly difficult from a perspective based on skill, but the danger was real and the beast, while predictable, was also stronger and faster then she would have expected. She had some minor internal bleeding from the initial impact and a slight pain in her back but the scratch along her abdomen was the worst. She did not bother healing it though as she was afraid to use her mana without dire need given it would not recover in this mist. She finally dropped the pack and removed a cloth that she used to wrap the injury on her abdomen. She managed to get it wrapped around her waist when the massive terror bird dissipated into mist and the large portcullis it stood before slowly raised. The opening of this gate was punctuated by a loud resonant echoing sound like that of a gong. Alanna checked her bandage then picked up her pack and spear and started toward the gate. When she passed the gate the entire thing dissipated into nothingness and what was left behind was a thicker fog that slowly moved away toward the town. She looked forward toward the keep on the hill and saw another curtain wall with a gate and 4 somewhat spectral looking guardians with swords planted into the ground in front of it. "So, are these guardians my trial?" Alanna muttered. She tried to recall what Sc¨¢thach had mentioned about what she would face but there seemed to be a slight discrepancy. That giant dino-ostrich was not a plover. She worried at what the differences would mean even as she closed the distance with the 4 sword wielders. "So, how do I fight 4 people at once?" Alanna asked herself. She dropped her pack but and carefully crossed the last few meters by shuffling forward in guard. The swordsmen reacted to her by raising their weapons and moving to surround her in a staggered V shape with the two trailing to the left side and one to the right of the swordsman that had been second from her right. She knew that would be a terrible position to be in so she rushed to the left causing them to turn slightly then rounded their formation with a quick juking step to the right. She brought up her spear from low guard and circled the head to deflect any attacks of opportunity as she skirted past them and backed closer toward the wall but kept backing down the right side so that she kept an escape path open. It was difficult to maneuver this way but she did not want to put her back to close to the wall given the length of her weapon and how she would have to wield it if any closed with her. After a few exchanges with the four who were coming in from multiple angles, Alanna relaxed slightly. They were trained with their weapons and their teamwork was very good but they were far slower and physically weaker than she was. Their attacks barely moved her weapon out of place and their slower speed with both attacks and footwork allowed her to keep a distance. She was happy to note that their forms were still physical based on the impacts she felt. She struck out several times but they were always there to take advantage of their numbers by baiting attacks and collapsing their perimeter. She had not had a clear opportunity to make decisive strikes and had been probing at their defenses. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. There was a pattern to their actions that Alanna was able to recognize after a few minutes. The swordsman at the center was the anchor and the way he attacked and from what guard position he attacked indicated where the other''s would follow up. Overhead strikes from a hanging guard would have the left pair trying to pierce her with thrusts while the right would commit to an underhaw strike. The center warrior''s sword would defend the vulnerable side when they attempted the stabbing motion so long as Alanna did not push it out of position. Which she started doing when she understood their tactics. Instead of parrying the next attack she moved slightly to the left She feinted a thrust forward toward the second from the left causing the warrior to step back and pull his weapon. Alanna quickly pulled back and pushed the center warrior''s return strike back down with the shaft of the spear then kicked out with her foot into the side of the man''s knee. The impact was solid even thought the swordsman was somewhat spectral and her superior strength showed itself when the joint hyperextended and broke. The man''s face took on an agonized silent scream and he fell to the side putting the furthest to the right out of position from the others. Alanna punished the slip with several quick thrusts into the left pair. Most were parried, deflected, or outright blocked by the two frantically working together yet her speed and precision could not be denied and they took several shallow stabs to their extremities. This slowed them significantly, but she was unable to remove them from the melee before the non injured third rejoined the combat. However, the damage to their coordination and the accumulated injuries proved to be their undoing. Yet, even so they did not go easily and had one more trick to play. The uninjured one moving more quickly than the others moved out of position allowing Alanna to circle to the right while deflecting an overhand slash started from left high guard. She nudged the slash back tow the left then slashed bringing the leaf side of the spear head back to the right across its now open neck. The semi-transparent being dropped its weapon and collapsed along side it while its head rolled away. However, the being collapsed into mist that separated into three parts and entered the other combatants. Even though all three were injured their speed and strength seemed to increase. After several more seconds she managed to kill them but she took a small scratch to her arm when the swordsman with the broken leg managed to hop back into the fight. Fortunately, his strike had little power or precision and after a step back she pierced his chest causing his essence to be divided into the other two which became faster and stronger. Still their injuries prevented them from putting up much of a fight and she managed to kill both quickly. Alanna caught her breath and walked slowly back to where she dropped her pack. She had traveled quite a ways down the wall during the fight which surprised her when it took a few minutes to get back to her belongings. She pulled a small canteen from the pack and sipped at it before cleansing and wrapping the scratch on her arm. She was in a bit more pain but her concerns over mana held her back from casting her regeneration spell. She was also concerned about the additional trials. This had been much more difficult compared to the overgrown chicken and there were at least 5 more trials from what she understood. She stretched out then picked up her pack and walked through the now open gate. The gate, like the previous, disappeared upon her passing through the threshold and Alanna''s shoulders slumped when she saw the 5 figures holding spears in front of the next gate some 50 meters away. She knew she would have to use some of her magic this time as she was no where near proficient enough to defeat them all given that she no longer held a reach advantage. She wished, and not for the first time, she had brought a ranged weapon of some sort. Of course she had no idea how to use one but that mattered little to her in the midst of complaining. Alanna wasted little time and summoned forth her pitcher plant wild growth as she sprinted toward the spearmen who to her relief moved forward to meet her allowing the wild growth spell to grow behind them. She threw her spear into the center most opponent and shifted into her wild shape as it sped across the remaining few meters and blasted through the man''s chest and coming out the other side. Her speed increased as she fell forward on all fours and darted around the spears being thrust toward her. She leapt onto another spearman as the pitcher plant grappled the two trailing men hindering their strikes. Her teeth and claws savaged the man she leapt upon even as the impaled man dissipated and his essence flowed into the others strengthening them. The one she was clawing and biting succumb soon after and she fell from his standing corpse as it too dissipated. As Alanna fell she felt an impact into her flank and a sharp pain in her rear leg. She let out a yowl of pain and swiped a massive paw into the spear embedded into her snapping the shaft and causing her to cry out in pain as the spear head ripped its way out. She ignored the pain and ran at the now weaponless man and ended him with brutal savagery until another sting impacted her thick hide. She jumped back as the man she killed dissipated and found herself facing another spear wielder. She scanned the battle field and saw that her plant had managed to completely entangle a spearman leaving her with a one on one battle. She roared out her pain and anger and swatted at the spear that was sending probing strikes to test her mobility. Alanna feinted a stagger as she swiped at the spear causing her to seemingly stumble out of a protected position causing the spearman to leap forward and thrust. The saber tooth tiger leapt to the side and swiped her razor sharp claws down the exposed arm ripping it and the spear from the man''s body. She took the opportunity presented and leapt upon the man driving him to the ground. One bite later and another head rolled then dissipated into the last man who was wrapped completely in the rope like stems of the plant that was trying unsuccessfully to eat him. Alanna limped toward the man''s head and swung her massive claws down. She wined in pain and cast her regeneration spell and lay down next to the plant to allow it time to heal her battered body. Chapter 25 Alanna groaned internally as the damages on her body faded into a dull ache then vanished completely within a few moments of her spell taking hold. She was grateful, and not for the first time, for the healing spells. They had been quite the boon on this little excursion to the otherworlds. She was also grateful that the spell was intuitive with regards to when and what to heal. She had tried it without taking damage but nothing happened. Yet when she needed it in her first true combat of this life it answered her call. Since that first time she came to rely on it for serious issues. Fortunately for her she was not a masochist and preferred to avoid any and all damage. So, learning how to fight better was a priority rather then purely relying on her ability to heal herself. The smilodon felt her mana reserves tic down once again as the upkeep for the growth spell took its due. She picked her body up slowly letting the last bit of pain and fatigue fall away along with the regeneration that mended her. She dismissed the large pitcher plant and walked over to where she dropped her pack and picked it up gently with her large teeth and carried it over to where her spear had dropped with the dispersion of the mist spearman. It took some work bust she finally lifted the spear and straps with her large maw. She did not know what the next challenge would be but she thought it would be better to face it in this stronger form if there were several combatants. Their was also a large concern about using her mana to freely. She had already used at least a third of her reserves based on the energy she fed the growth plant to create the greater version of it and the healing her body required. She knew she had at least 4 more trials and was unsure as to what they would be. Thus far they had been similar to what she was told but not exact. The numbers and creatures were more intense than what she was told. She was afraid that this place had increased its danger based on who she had been in the past. Yet she could be wrong and just be far weaker than she thought. Either scenario bothered her. She knew she was no where near the best warrior to have ever set foot here. Yet she also knew a few had been actual humans passing through the ancient trials. She feared what it would mean if normal humans were more powerful than she given the awakening of herself to her ancient blood and the blessing of the land. She knew several were far better with weapons and warfare than she and perhaps that is why this mist prevents the magical energies from regenerating from those who are not pure warriors. They have spells to shore up their weaknesses yet cannot rely on them for everything. When she considered that the fallen mist warriors infused their essence into their comrades upon death to make them stronger, it seemed rather obvious that this was a challenge meant for the martial paths. She had to figure out if she could use her iron bark skin in cat form if she practiced more, but thus far it had not held. She hoped that if she gained another form it would work better. However, it slowed her and she had trained extensively without it. It sure was helpful when she knew little about fighting, but she was not sure about its usefulness now. She definitely needed more training. The gate and its curtain wall disappeared into the mists as the large cat padded through it. Alanna could see the gate ahead but there was only one spectral being in front of the next closed gate. It was far larger than the other spectral warriors she faced and on its head there was a diadem which stood out as it was made from a thin copper colored metal and had the engravings of two wrens facing one another holding a small wreath at the center. The being sat upon a throne of carved wood and looked down upon a massive sliding puzzle with a confused expression upon his face. Alanna approached warily but the man never moved from the throne and paid the newcomer no heed. She took a look at the puzzle which was laid out in a 3x3 grid and 8 unique marble slabs inset into a well carved wooden frame. Alanna could see that this picture had the face and body of a man that was drinking out of a large goblet. She dropped her bag and spear and moved cautiously around to flank the man who did not bother moving or even looking at her. She assumed that she would have to solve the rather simple puzzle which would trigger something else likely that this ancient king would attack her given that everything else was a combat test. So, she decided that she would just kill the creature first. It never even considered her presence and just stared at the puzzle in confusion. With silent steps Alanna moved into position then pounced upon the spectral king and bit down upon his unprotected head. Alanna felt the body support her somewhat and her teeth and claws tore into the being much like it had with the other beings. However, the damage did not seem to bother the man and after a few moments anything she did was immediately undone. She felt disappointment and confusion as the being never even paid attention to her. He stared at the puzzle as though it were the most confounding thing ever seen. This made things more confusing for the druidess as the puzzle was so basic she could already see how to shift the tiles to complete it. She wondered if there was a limited amount of movements or something else that prevented this ancient king from completing it. Still her claws did not seem to work on the being. She looked to her pack where the spear was sitting wondering if she should switch to her natural form or try to complete this trial in her wild shape. She could switch between the forms but if she did it more than once in a twelve hour period she felt something inside her become fatigued. It felt like a muscle that became overworked except it was in the center of her head and caused migraines when overused. So, she had taken to just shifting once a day and assuming that was her limit. She came to this conclusion as no one else really knew about her personal version of shifting as every one of the many shapeshifting species she spoke with had strange variations to it and the rules about how and when they could shift were different. So, she felt the best way to approach her shifting was with a once day rule. When she found a safe place to stay for a while or was back home again she would revisit the idea of training it up or perhaps she would find some additional books and unlock upgrades to the skill from her mysterious benefactor that updated the fog screens. That was something else that bothered the druidess as she had killed the scorpion formorians but had not seen any sort of experience notifications through that. Not as thought she thought it did much. "It was probably still in alpha testing." She thought with amusement as she inspected the still bored and confused monarch and looked back at the spear. She did not like this choice at all. She had no idea what the next trial would be but she could force herself to deal with the consequences of having to shift again. So, she grumbled about stupid quests even as her form shifted to her natural state complete with a hole in her leggings where the spear would have hit on her hip had she been in this form. "Awwww come on, really?" Alanna groaned before walking over and picking up her spear.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The king did not seem to care when the transformed druidess turned into a beautiful woman and started cursing and complaining then picked up a rather deadly looking bone spear handled spear. It just started down at the conundrum this test that had been created this time. Usually it would just appear at the fourth gate and kill the warrior that challenged the trials of the mists, or it would be killed only to respawn in mist after they passed. It was not a bad life for a forgotten ruler. He could not remember who he was previously but the unlimited drink, food, and companions was lovely when he wasn''t being forced to skewer the mortals that wandered in. Still the rewards for winning his battles was a night with the mistress and that was dangerous yet still fun and usually worth while. He had only been killed by her a few hundred times over the however long he had been here. Still this test was odd. Would he get to drink more if he solved it? He was unable to move the marble tiles though. He had tried several times to no avail. He glanced briefly at the cursing woman how was now aiming that spear at him and he wanted to roll his eyes. Like that would work on him. The heroes were getting worse over the past few centuries. Had they all forgotten the old ways? He sighed as the melancholy of the good old days when he was whoever he was and did whatever the things he did. He couldn''t remember but he was positive it was great. Then he felt the spear enter his forehead and it actually hurt a little although it was very little. Perhaps like that of a biting gnat. Alanna thrust her spear forward into the king with a perfectly balanced powerful strike. She felt the slight resistance she was used to feeling with these creatures and as she retracted she noticed the eyes of the creature staring at her in annoyance. Still, it had not moved from the throne and after glaring at her as she stood there awkwardly and looked at him, he finally looked away and back down at the puzzle. The druidess was at a loss as to what to do and bit her lip and looked at the king then the puzzle and back again. "Maybe I should have tried to speak to him first?" Alanna thought to herself. She was only saying this out of hindsight. Given what she knew about the tests thus far, speaking was never a consideration. So, she would not naturally consider it. Yet now she was thinking that may have been the best choice. "Oh well to late now." She thought. "I don''t think i could reconcile with anyone that tried to bite my head off then stab me." She decided the best thing to do would be to solve the puzzle so she reached out to the first piece she should move and slid it into the open spot. This caused a long groan to come from the king whose eyes rolled back into his head and a brief bout of pain flashed across his face. As suddenly as it started, it had stopped. The king''s expression changed from one of pain to one of pure outrage. He stared hatefully at the druidess and grasped the side of his throne and attempted to rise. Yet it was like something constrained him. He roared in anger at this fact yet while Alanna watched he was making progress in standing. Alanna looked at the puzzle then at the boss and had a spark of realization travel through her. This was a timed puzzle and she just started it. She quickly looked over it once again and started sliding the pieces around so that the portrait would match all the while the king strained against invisible bonds and rose inch by inch until he was nearly standing. Alanna managed to slide the last piece into place, to form the picture of the very same king drinking from his cups, before the physical version could stand. A scream of pure agony came from the man as he disappeared into mist along with the sliding puzzle. The portcullis opened the way toward the next gate as Alanna stared at the spot where the king and puzzle had been. "That scream was haunting." Alanna thought. "It held some real pain unlike anything I have ever heard." She considered the memories of her past life but they were dull. She had heard the pained screams of the dying before and had even screamed in pain of her own previous deaths but this had been something more. It was soul rending in its intensity. She shivered at the intensity and moved over to her pack and shouldered it. She fought the chill that tried to take hold of her and walked through the fourth trial gate toward the fifth. As the gate and wall turned to mist she saw the exact same king and throne with a new sliding puzzle at its feet. The challenge appeared as soon as she stepped through the gate which startled Alanna and she slowed a bit as she looked at the similarly startled king. The king looked down at the puzzle then up at the druidess and rage immediately flashed across his face. "NOOOOO!" The man screamed in denial and immediately started to rise. "Shit!" Alanna said as she sprinted toward the puzzle. Her eyes darted over the 4x4 puzzle which she could see was a picture of the same king but this time there was a feast spread around him. It was a bit more complicated given the amount of tiles but the complication was the time limit and not the picture matching. Alanna moved the marble as fast she could while trying not to pay attention to the fact that the king had already started to stand. His back was angled forward at 45 degrees and his backside had been lifted from the seat. He was still slowly moving to straighten his posture and he was growling in effort and anger. She moved piece after piece and was nearly complete when the man stood fully and took a single step forward. "Shit shit shit," Alanna said as she tried to pick up the pace only to move the wrong piece in her haste. "ARGH!" She cried as she moved the piece back before trying to get to the one she needed yet she was too late. A large sword swung down causing Alanna to jump back as it slammed into the marble slab. To Alanna''s relief the slab was unscathed but to her rising horror the 3 meter tall man was moving fast toward her with his sword raising again. It swung its sword in a horizontal slash that had so much power behind it that Alanna did not even consider blocking or deflecting it. She ducked under the blow and tried to step back away from the puzzle when a foot the size of two of her own hit her in the chest and knocked her nearly three meters away causing her to bounce and roll over her pack. Alanna groaned as she felt the straining in her muscles as she experienced a near identical impact from the first one in this trial. Luckily the man was not quite as fast as the terror bird but he was still coming fast and Alanna had not been able to injure him before. "Shit." Was all she could thing to say as she braced herself and tried to come up with a plan. Interlude 4 Ruligret wiped the sweat from her brow with a cloth she kept close to her workbench then carefully set it aside to continue to carefully etch runes into the energy control module she held. Time had, at first, passed slowly for her on the new planet she found herself on. It was in many ways a backwater with technology that was prehistoric compared to what she had been used to. She struggled with the lack of everything modern that she took for granted when living with the technologies of the Multiple System Alliance (MSA). The Trialum galaxy had become largely united and most races within were part of the MSA. Their was nearly a hundred different intelligent species that were part of the Alliance with the largest populations belonging to the Formorian Insectoids followed closely by the humans. Three separate solar systems in the galaxy were filled with humans that naturally evolved on their home planets. This including her own home planet of Neasau Prime of which humans were one of the dominant species along with Dwarves and Orcs. Still, the Trialum galaxy had been in the space age for thousands of years with magictec that allowed them to colonize and terraform nearly every solar system within it. Which brought Ruligret''s thoughts back to the control module she was working on now. It was a minor piece of magical technology but one that had paved the way to many advancements in her own world. Now, after nearly 50 years of working on somewhat modernizing the planet she found herself stranded on, she had begun pushing toward the stars once more. The large strawberry blonde dwarf woman had not been thrilled when she was informed of her divine purpose. It was not something she was typically willing to entertain except she stranded on a technologically deficient world that did not even have basic plumbing. Early on she had been shoved off to the front lines of this global war that had been apparently a divinely inspired conflict which she was not at all interested in. She was technically a part of the MSA military as she had enlisted as an engineer when she was just over 30 years old but she had not even finished her advanced training program to officially earn her occupational skill. Still, she was a brilliant engineer as her adopted father had trained her since she was a tot. She was not really great with magic but runecrafting and smithing were in her blood, well her adopted blood. Her human father had been one of the great lead scientist in the Dalit Foundation that was on the cutting edge of magical technology in the area of militarized astronautics. Which in hind sight is likely why the gods of this miserable place ripped her out of her galaxy. So, she understood why she might be targeted by the gods since this backwater planet was in desperate need of a technological revolution. Why they decided it would be a good idea to throw her into combat though, that she will never understand. She was an engineer not a combat engineer. They learned fairly quickly when she ran from the front that she was not the experienced warrior the gods had promised. It took quite some time for them to understand her true worth as she slowly started to advance the dwarven empire''s technologies. The engineer sighed as she placed the control module into a mithrite sleeve then lined up the runes with the ones on the energy matrix and toggled the switch to the on position. The hum of energy release sounded then attenuated as a louder ticking of a motor engaging took its place. Ruligret sighed in relief as the cool air was pushed throughout the room. She had finally created air conditioning which pushed her comfort levels up another level. She had started out her journey by creating basic plans for plumbing and water runes because the once a week baths were not going to work for her. She understood that their would be strong smelling dwarves after a long day of work but the fact that they only bathed once a week was, in her admittedly biased opinion, not acceptable. With the help of castings from smiths and earth manipulation magics she was able to design and implement plumbing systems throughout the empire. This project had taken a few years to become widespread but she had only to design the initial plans and and teach a select few artisans the rune sequences for the water systems and they took care of the labor. She had only overseen the initial project for her personal abode which was within the palace grounds. Seeing that her blessings were tied to her knowledge the emperor and his council tasked their hero with creating new items of war to defend their holy lands. The dwarven engineer was not really sure about the holiness of their cause but she was certainly not opposed to their efforts after having visited the front lines and seen the insectoids. She had seen several insectoid species before as they were one of her galaxies boogeymen. While they had a tentative peace it would only last until one of the hive queens required expansion then they would be at war once again. So, she was fairly certain this conflict would see the extinction of one of the sides and since she was stuck here and also a dwarf it made sense to develop better warfare based technologies. She started with incremental advancements based on what the people of this time frame were using. The dwarves were the embodiment of the three S''s. They were short, stout, and strong. Not in that order if you were to ask them yet their mentality and frames usually had them with heavy armor with shields and hammers or war picks as their battle gear. Their were some squads that had axes and swords as well but they were smaller detachments with specified roles. They had throwing axes as their main mid ranged weapons but they had special units of ballistae and smaller heavy hand held bolt throwers. There were also several orc tribes that had begun to repopulate the empire and these people were large and strong and favored light armors and large weapons. They had higher agility and were of approximate strength to their shorter dwarven counterparts but lacked the natural resilience of the stout dwarves. The beast tribes were not so easily categorized by their military prowess as they were so varied with many separate species that fell under the category of beastfolk. The larger cat types tended to be warrior like while the smaller ones were stealthy hunters and scouts. The majority of the bird kin were heavily focused on the mystic arts except for the few raptor kin who were focused on longbows and other long range weapons. They each hade their own sub-communities and had societal roles that were filled based on the need. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. So, Ruligret had quite a bit to think about when she started. The dwarves were easy enough as she was able to start by upgrading their bolt throwers into a crossbow that still required their exceptional strength to use but also could auto load bolts. She found the abundant of mithrite on this continent to be a blessing in creating just about anything she wanted. The locals called it mithril but it did not have the same properties as the mithril she used back home so she changed the name. In many ways it was a better material as it had a higher density and allowed for better mana conductivity. However, the density required special smelting and treating methods to maintain its usefulness. Once she was able to understand how to use it she could start creating the tools that would create the tools to create the better items. This took nearly a decade of trial and error before she finally was able to generate the basic tools of her craft. She did not yet have all of the materials needed to make computing devices but when she did she was certain she would bring this world to the stars. However, she first had to bring this world to the industrial age. It took nearly 50 years of her life to do just that and while the majority of the technologies she worked on were not military in nature, as she required the infrastructure to create advancements, they did help advance the dwarven empire and its allies. The average soldier had thinner armor plates that covered their vitals while the fabrics they wore below it were heavily resistant to piercing, slashing, and crushing damage. The insectoids used their workers and soldier castes which were not overly strong combatants compared to the allied species but they were individually powerful creatures with colossal strength. They were easy enough to kill but their ridiculous numbers combined with fast maturation made for dangerous foes. Fortunately, their natural weapons and exoskeleton armor made them forego warfare advancements in technologies. They had been using numbers and speed tactics to try and overrun their foes since the divine war started. While it had initially worked the sacrifices of the dwarven empire and their first heroes had put them into a centuries long stalemate that was just starting to favor the dwarven empire as their new technologies were making an impact. Runic weapons that had elemental enchantments imbued into them cleaved through the weaker caste fodder. Mages with enchantments to renew and refresh their magical energies allowed them to stay on the battlefield longer. The dwarven empire had already held a technological advantage over the insectoids and with better tactical understanding and the years they had tested their tactics they had managed to hold the line against a physically and numerically superior foe. Now with additional advancements it was only a matter of time before they pushed these creatures out of their holy land and back to their demonic homes. At least that is what the dwarven empire expected. ________________ Meanwhile the insectoid species were struggling with internal issues. None had it so bad as Mika''hal at least that is what he believed. He had struggled for decades with trying to find his courage again and even managed a few trips back to the front, but the dwarven empire had their flying archers that had it out for him any time he started making a difference. He had been shot through several times to the point where he had spots in his exoskeleton where it had grown back in unevenly causing a scarring effect. His glorious body had gone through hell and his more cowardly disposition had the queens and hive mothers holding him back to breed stronger and better drones. He had even finally succumbed to the Arachne Queen which is why he found himself hanging in a web and waiting for her to come and claim him once more. He was glad to find out that the black widow like arachne did not in fact bite his head off when they had finished their first round. However, her nature was difficult for her to deny and many times she had taken a large bite out of him leading to many tears and screams of pain which seemed to excite the queen further. It also added to the many scars he had upon his body. He had been stuck in this web for so long he could only guess at the time but it had been at least 3 decades before succumbed to his lusts and became desperate enough to test his fate against the arachne''s biological instincts. Still the insectoid queen was strange and while she was extremely loving toward him she was also mad in her possessiveness. She had stolen him away after their first coupling and ensnared him in her web where he had been ever since. The many arachne and spider handmaidens would bring him food and water but he there was no doubt that he was a prisoner in this place. The queen''s actions also caused issues with the other hive and colony queens who wanted his seed to be spread amongst their eggs as well. However, the Arachne queen cared little for what they desired and egg sac after egg sac hatched with his arachne children. Their quick growth and increased strengths were obvious to all but the queen did not send them to the front and just kept fortifying her position and increasing her numbers of her empowered children. Mika''hal did not want to complain since now he was sexually satisfied and was almost starting to look forward to the love bites, but he now longed for the freedom to wander the hives and colonies of the other mothers. It was just after the last hatching that he heard word that the other queens had sent their armies to forcefully take him from the Arachne queen. His lover assured him of their safety and the wicked grin on her face left Mika''hal feeling a bit of fear for what was to come. Sure enough the sounds of battle were close enough that Mika''hal could hear it but the volume of arachne had become so overwhelming that it did not last long. While the other colonies drones were attacking the arachne queen sent her vast swarm out to invade her once allies. It was time for the Arachne to become the dominent force on this continent. Chapter 26 The mist was thinned out around the pair of combatants. This was relevant as Alanna had tried to cast a simple wild growth spell to trip up the spectral king but this opponent was far superior to any she had faced in actual combat. The man just ripped through the plant without even seeming to notice it latching onto him. The druidess circled around the man trying to figure out her next move. She could not harm the creature with her spear or her claws and she highly doubted punching the guy would yield results. So she had to complete the puzzle but to do that she had to get around this rather angry fellow. She was fairly certain this king was a bit more angry than it should be for a trial. It was almost vengeful in its reaction to her. It seemed to her as though her completion of the first puzzle that he stared at for so long broke something in him. Alanna backed away and tried to circle the man so she could sprint toward the puzzle and finish it. However, the king was rather intent on keeping her away from the puzzle he stepped forward and in the same direction she tried to circle which cut the distance down. In frustration at her in ability to do much Alanna decided on a desperate ploy. She loosened the straps on her shoulders and swung her pack into the kings face while simultaneously casting an empowered wild growth trying to wrap him up for long enough to get by the man. The king screamed in rage and pain when the pack hit him in the face. Alanna was sprinting by and in her periphrial vision she saw the side of the pack hit him and not go through his body. She turned as she sprinted and saw the pommel attached sword that the blacksmith had given her giving off a light and actually hurting the king. "What?" She started then groaned in irritation with her self. "Oh, why did I forget about the sword. That seems pretty obvious in hindsight. Magic trial blacksmith happens to make the sword to defeat the king. Yeah I should have seen that coming. It is time frame relevant after all." Alanna thought to herself as she rushed past the reeling and thanks to her plants the now partially immobilized, king. She made it to the puzzle and managed to quickly finish it before the king freed himself. He lay there glaring in rage which turned to another scream of pain as the last slab slid into place and the puzzle disappeared into the mists along with the raving king. Alanna''s sigh held a mix of frustration and relief. Frustration with herself in that she forgot about the obvious plot item that the trial created for her simply because she was more comfortable with a staff or spear and her animal form. This also very likely caused the waste of quite a bit of mana trying to hold the king down. It was a lesson learned and she would not dwell on it now. Instead she marched herself back to her pack and pulled the short sword from the pack. It glowed in a soft golden hue that seemed to repel the mists around it. Alanna sighed in irritation at herself when she witnessed this. Then she shouldered her pack, picked up her spear in her left hand and placed the sword in her right then walked toward the next open gate even as she dismissed her plant. Alanna knew she was likely to meet the king for the 6th challenge as well and given how the last one went she was going to try to rush him and put an end to him with the sword before he could get off his throne. So, she rearranged the weapons to her right hand then slid the pack off her back. Then started running as she closed in on the portcullis. Once she cleared the gate and it started to dissipate she tossed her pack forward and rushed along behind it trying to see what this puzzle would be. However, their was no puzzle only an irate king standing in an arena with an angry glare upon his face. The druidess looked around as her pack hit the ground to her side and was able to tell this was some sort of training arena given it was roped off and the ground was filled with loose dirt and grass shoots. There was no puzzle to be found for this trial and given the glare and drawn sword from the king it would appear this was a pure combat test. She was uncertain how she would stack up in combat against this king with the sword she now held. With a sigh she crossed the ropes and into the arena area. The king wasted no time in rushing forward and swinging down at her with an over head chop. However, in either his eagerness or his inexperience he waited until he was closer to raise the weapon above head which created a fraction of a second where his vision was blocked. In that second Alanna thrust her spear shaft up horizontally as though she were attempting to block the heavy swing and started to spin clockwise and to her left beneath it. With her form partially out of the king''s view she swung out in a reversed grip as her body came back around to the side of the king. Her sword bit deep into the king''s side but the lack of power in the movement was evident when the man roared and pulled back even as his weapon struck the spear which gave easily as it was just there to distract and deflect. Alanna completed her spin and jumped toward the man with a thrust of the spear in her left hand. Perhaps because he had experienced actual pain from the sword, the king did not just allow the weapon to hit as he had so many times before. Instead he defended by moving back and bringing his own weapon to guard and deflect. This gave Alanna the opportunity to dart in with the sword and strike a blow into his shoulder. Alanna ducked back away from the incoming back swing and set herself back into a modified spear guard stance. The king had had enough with being cut by the blade of light and moved more cautiously. When Alanna struck forward with her spear he simply moved back out of the way and probed at her guard as she reset. They went back and forth for several more minutes and Alanna found that she was becoming comfortable with the rhythm in the movements. She understood immediately that she needed to change the momentum or be swept up by it. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The druid feinted another thrust forward then quickly retracted and jumped forward with her spear leading before she reset her guard. This halted the incoming repost that the king had been lulled by the momentum to attempt. Once again her weapon bit into the king except this time it was the spear. The king, in his alarm, pushed his larger sword up under the spearhead and tried to fling it out when Alanna''s second blade darted in and struck deeply into the spectral warrior king''s chest. With a roar of pain and rage the king pulled back and the movement caused her to be pulled slightly forward as the blade was clenched between the muscles before it was released. This allowed the king to shoot his massive foot toward her which forced Alanna to lift her leg and spin to deflect and bleed off the majority of the blow. However, given his massive size and strength it was enough to knock her back over a meter. The king tried to move back into his guard but the damage done to his left lung was severe as was the fractured ribs that were digging into his flesh. Knowing that he was probably going to die the king tried to rush the woman in a desperate bid to kill his killer. However, Alanna was unsure how much damage she had done so she carefully and methodically deflected, dodged, dip, dived, and ducked away from the larger man. All the while she punished him by taking slices from him with her sword of light. Step in, thrust, pivot, pull back, slash with one hand, deflect with the other then repeat. She found herself setting the pace and sitting comfortably within it. After another few minutes the king sagged and fell to the ground leaving Alanna victorious. She wanted to be elated but she was frowning at the whole battle. It had been far to easy. She was not at all pushed compared to some of the fights. She could admit a few of the fights caught her off guard and that she was not fighting him well previously due to not having a way to hurt him but the sword seemed a bit like cheating. "Perhaps I am looking at this incorrectly." Alanna thought as she watched the mists dissipate and the new gate opening. She was always meant to use the sword and it was not her best form of combat. "Perhaps if it was he would have been a better sword master?" The druidess asked herself. She would not get an answer because these trials gave none. They were supposed to be just a series of pre set challenges. Yet, Sc¨¢thach''s tale of what she would face indicated that this king was to be faced thrice but in combat. Perhaps he would have improved in watching her which would have developed her own swordsmanship but then why the change? She would not know and that really frustrated her. This did not feel like the great challenge was overcome. It was still thrilling and exciting. She was happy with her victory but there was still a bit of her that was dissatisfied. With nothing better to do she moved back to her pack and repositioned the sword to be more easily drawn from it then shouldered the burden and walked toward the last gate. When the mists dispersed behind her a general darkness crept in and a billowing fog flowed in all directions from the center of the grotto she found herself in. She could make out a ring of willows and a hunched form in the center. She could not quite make out the creature but she knew from the stories that this was the witch of the fog and she was the true master of this place. Even as she watched a large cloud billowed forth from the hag. It took only moments for the fog to reach her position and she felt something was wrong immediately. A sense of lethargy hit her and it nearly made her stumble as she took a step forward. She planted her spear into the ground and leaned heavily on it for a moment while she tried to breath slowly and clear her mind. It was not working. She felt exhaustion creeping in and her mind wanted desperately to shut down for a while. Her eyes blinked rapidly then slowed more and more until it became nodding off rather than blinking. Another wave of fog rolled over her and she sank down to her knees and rested her head against the shaft of her spear. She started to close her eyes and sink into the darkness of sleep when something within her screamed out in rejection of this. She gripped the short sword on her pack and pulled it free then without thinking to much about it she ran the tip an inch into her thigh. The druidess bit back a scream of pain but sound managed to escape in a hiss. Yet it worked well enough as adrenaline was pushed through her bloodstream. She roared out in an effort to push the lethargy away with her rage and denial and it seemingly started to work. Alanna pushed a bit of mana into the sword which allowed it to burn a bit more brightly and eat at the fog around her. She could not keep this up for long given that half of her reserves had been used in this land of mists but it would have to due. With her mind semi clear she rushed forward toward the crone in the center of the grotto. The crown laughed in a mad cackle at the approaching druid and let loose another wave of fog even as she hopped from one leg to another in an odd bird like dance. Unlike the other blasts this one did not hold the curse of lethargy but one of pain. Alanna blocked what she could with the glowing sword but the mists still struck her lower body and the edges of her arms. Alanna''s vison went momentarily white when a searing agony hit her. Her skin where the mist had touched burned as though she were on fire. She screamed out in pain and cried even as she lost the ability to stand and sunk to her knees again. It hurt. She hurt so bad. Everything was pain and Alanna wept. She tried to get up, to move forward but the agony felt like it was coming from the essence of what she was and for a moment she could not deny it. Her rage was impotent in the face of the pain. After a minute she felt the pain receding and she looked up in time for another burst of both mad cackling laughter and fog to roll off the old hag. The druidess'' eyes widened at the what was approaching. She was already in exceptional pain and even though it was receding she knew that when that wave hit her she was going to be done. She looked into the the hag who had gotten closer or perhaps Alanna stumbled closer as the trees seemed somehow closer as well. The old witch knew that Alanna was nearly done and threw her head back in victorious laughter. Alanna grit her teeth then jumped to her feet and launched her spear like a javelin at the gloating creature before the wave hit her once more and all she knew was pain. Chapter 27 Agony like she had never been able to conceptualize wracked Alanna as she fell limply to the ground following her throw. Her muscles spasmed and constantly contracting then expanding. Her back arched as she screamed and tore at the ground. This time the pain was more intense then the last and seemed to be in no hurry to fade. She felt fire burning her from the inside out and the pain was intense enough that she felt her spine begin to crack under the pressure of her hyperextensions. She lost herself in the pain for a moment but deep in her subconscious she had a realization. Her mind was not being affected by this pain. Oh, her head certainly felt the pain as did everything else but her mind was in tact. The druidess pulled into herself and focused on the internal world she would build during her brief meditative experiences. This part of her self remained detached from her physical body and was a tiny subconscious part of her being that housed her will. In this place she found the tiniest bit of clarity. She saw herself from outside of her body. She could see that the rest of herself was experiencing the pain and that it had begun to cause her physical harm and so she pushed herself to activate her healing spell. It did nothing for the pain but the damage to her body was being addressed. She could not understand what was causing the pain as there was no clear damage actually being done so she had to look not at the physical but at something deeper. She started at her core and and followed the mana pathways that it created and spread throughout her body and when she reached her spine she found the culprit. Tendrils of dark malicious fog clung to her central nervous system and were trying to burrow into her nerves causing them to flair in pain. She did not really now what to do with this information so she tried what came first. Pulling from her core she flooded her central nervous system with mana and it seemed to work in pushing out the malicious energy. However, the oversaturation of mana was causing her pain as well but this time it was effecting her mind. She grunted at the discomfort and tried to pull the mana back to her core and while she was able to salvage most of it some dissipated. Yet once her mana was removed the malicious energy rushed back in to attack her. Because she had no idea what she was doing she had been watching very carefully and noticed that her mana pathways had natural channels that it wanted to flow into. She hypothesized that the pain she felt was because she flooded the channels simultaneously and unidirectionally. She tried pushing mana once again but this time she spread it only into the pathways that wanted to accept outbound flow and what she found was both interesting and confusing. Some of the pathways led to an indeterminable place outside her body while others seemed to terminate in her major organs. However, the ones that terminated in her organs had pathways that out yet nothing was flowing out of them. She pushed her mana into the organs and felt no issues like she had previously. It took nearly the rest of the mana she had within herself but her major organs filled to the brim then the mana excess moved into the unused pathways which then flowed back into her core creating a circuit. Her subconscious mind recognized a message in the form of a fog screen appear but ignored it in that moment and it dissipated. Immediately after the mana hit her core her body pulsed and the foreign energy invading her system was broken down and destroyed. The pain wracking her body ceased and her will retreated back into her subconscious mind. Alanna groaned as the healing she used pushed through her body a final time before its energy was dispersed. She tried to stand but felt a bit off so she glanced at her body to see what felt wrong then she noticed the smell. A filth that she could not comprehend covered her body and clothes she tried to wipe it away but it was so prevalent that she just ended up smearing it around. She gagged at the scent and then rolled to the side to spew forth the contents of her stomach which turned out to be more filth. Alanna cried. This experience had been perhaps the single worst experience of her life and she did not know what to make of it. This was not how the trials were supposed to be. How could a normal human swordsman have dealt with this? It seemed impossible to her. This whole experience from the day she decided to accept the quest till now was not what she thought she was signing up for. So, she cried. She cried out her confusion, her pain, and her fear. She cried because she missed her mam¨® and daideo. Hells she even missed her mothers side of the family in this moment. Sure she had felt a sense of accomplishment for overcoming her trials but this had been a lot. Sure a deep part of her being accepted this as a rite of passage and was expected if not desired. Yet, while she was many things right now she was an 18 year old girl who wanted to wallow in self pity. She would have likely continued in her weeping but she heard whimpering coming from the grotto and she knew she was not finished with this trial yet. She tried to breath slowly through her mouth as the smell assaulting her was too much. She wiped her hands off on the ground as best as she could then picked up her sword and carefully held it at guard as she shook here head in an effort to shake the tears from her eyes. She was not about to touch them with her hands as she was unsure what that would do to her. So, she cleared the teary vision in the best way she could as she stalked forward to finish the evil hag. She turned her sorrow into rage at this being that had caused her so much pain. The druidess''s normal beautiful face was anything but in this moment. Her rage filled countenance was amplified by the black filth that seemed to cling to her skin. She looked positively demonic and when her rage filled glare found its target a chilling grin crept on her face. The old hag had not been so lucky and Alanna''s desperate throw had found its mark and had skewered the old monster directly under the sternum and had pinned it to one of the willows. The hag was trying to pull herself off the spear but was weakened from the severing of its spinal cord and massive blood loss. She was clearly dying and Alanna''s rage filled mind had channeled the darkest parts of her psyche that lacked her normal humanity. She just watched the hag as it struggled and cried and weakened by the minute. The hag tried to draw upon her mists but they did not fully answer her call. The druidess''s smile at this was cold and she was content to let the hag suffer until she passed. Alanna looked around the grotto which had a comfortable feel without the hag''s mist constantly spewing forth. There was a large fire pit near to the center most point that was 4 meters by 4 meters and a meter deep dug into the ground that had been covered by some sort of iron grate. On the left side of the pit there was a large roasting spit that had three hooks attached with the center occupied by an iron pot. The right side of the pit had a large iron tub that was steaming but as the fire below was only coals it was not boiling. It was a massive cauldron that looked to have been made for serving an army given its size but Alanna wanted to use it as a bath. She inspected the water inside which looked pure enough and gingerly placed a finger inside. It was hot but not quite scalding so she decided she would wash the gunk from herself when the old hag died.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. She continued her inspection of the area and found a table set up with several tool like items spread out that Alanna could not immediately identify. She had to delve into her memories and found that they were embalming and skinning tools which she decided to ignore. She did not want to consider the implications of such because it would lead her mind to rather uncomfortable places. Hag''s were already bad enough in most myths so she would not consider this further. Alanna did find an iron wrapped oak chest which had some personal effects which she took out one at a time. There was not really anything of interest except a bar of soap and some oils which she immediately set aside for use. There was also a leather wrapped tome she found that had a strange type of paper inside it. Written on the paper was the ancient language that she had seen previously and she called on her past memories once again to process it. This one had a different cadence and some of the words were a bit off so she was unsure where the dialect would have come from. Still, she was able to figure it out and began to read. For the most part this was a journal that annotated the results of experimentation that the hag had been committed to prior to ending up in the land of mists. There were quite a few tests involving diseases that she was trying to mutate into a curse type spell. Alanna shivered at the extent of her testing and the results some of which she was intimately aware of. She shuddered again at the memory of the pain and lethargy she had felt. It was certainly not a pleasant memory and she wanted to burn the book accept the last two pages showed that she had perfected a magical disease curse and also a spell that would act as a cure for said disease. Alanna was not interested in the magical curses and nothing about them spoke to her in a way that indicated she would be able to cast them with anything approaching proficiency. However, when she read the last page with the results of the curing spell she felt something click and received confirmation by the fog screen.
Congratulations you have learned a new spell.
"Oh," she thought with a bit of surprise. She was glad to know something good came from the horrific testing the hag had been a part of. The screen reminded her that she had missed a notification previously so she thought about it and it appeared.
Congratulations you have unlocked a new ability.
She thought back to what she had been going through at that time and realized it had to be whatever she did to reject the curse. As was typical with the fog systems she had no idea what the spell and ability was even if she was fairly certain the spell was a cure spell. So, after a quick glance to see the hag was no longer moving and had slumped over. If she wasn''t dead she would be soon so Alanna decided to take a peek at her character sheet.
Name: Alanna Hotaru Race: Druid? Class: Mystical Warden (Unique)
Age: 18 Gender: Female Anthropometrics: 183CM / 11 Stone
STR: 18 (+5 Mana Body) 23 DEX: 20 (+5 Mana Body) 25 AGI: 20 (+5 Mana Body) 25
CON 16 (+5 Mana Body) 21 INT: 14 (+5 Mana Body) 19 WIS: 20 (+5 Mana Body) 25
CHA: 22 (+5 Mana Body) 27 Health: 100% Mana: 8%
Stamina 30% Level: 5 Experience: 2875/3600
Spells Abilities
Wild Growth: Use mana to call upon the land to trip up your enemies. Shapeshift Lesser. Wild Shape 1: Smilodon
Regenerate: Use mana to call upon the land to heal damage to you or your allies. Nature''s Charm.
Bark Armor: Use mana to call upon the land to cover your body in Ironbark, Mana Body 1.
Land''s Bounty: Use mana to call upon the land to satiate your hunger and thirst. ????
Cure: Use mana to call upon the land to cure detrimental status effects. ????
"Well, Ok." Alanna thought. "I did something to my body and it strengthened it apparently. That actually makes me nervous. I am just glad it was intuitive or I could have killed myself." She felt positively about the change as it was beneficial but she feared making a mistake. She would admit that learning the spell and the ability felt good but her entire mood was poisoned by this experience and her excitement had been dulled by this. She noticed that her race had once again changed but she decided she would not give it much thought for now. She was going to learn more about the past and herself in this journey so what was the point in stressing over that small detail. The fog hag coughed up blood which caught Alanna''s attention and had her moving away from the chest and the leather tome and back toward the tree where she was pinned. The hag''s bloodshot eyes blinked slowly and it took most of her strength to look up at the whelp that managed to kill her. She wanted to rage against her fate but she could no longer muster the strength to care. She had been so certain when her curses took root that she would easily win this fight. She had been watching this woman from the moment she had stepped foot in the mists and while the druidess was powerful she was severely weakened in this domain. The hag thought she would have an easy victory when the trials shifted their difficulties to better fit one of the old bloodlines and then became sure of it when the druidess struggled through and had to use her precious energies to even get to her. She had not realized how strong the woman would be nor had she accounted for her desperation and the fact that the spear was well balanced for throwing. That was not exactly true she had considered it but the girl''s willpower was unforeseen. To be able to fight through the pain that she had seen melt some people''s mind was praiseworthy. Oh she wished it didn''t come at the cost her own life but praise where it was due. The fact that the woman was now walking toward her spoke volumes as well. She had found a way to dilute or destroy the curse and given that she had clearly been through some form of cleansing ritual it was likely destroyed. That act alone was worthy of respect. To go through that pain and come out stronger. The fog hag hated her for it but respected her all the same. She hung limply as she watched the dangerous woman approach. She did not have much time left as her vitality had been sapped by this damnable spear. However, she would go out by offering a last surprise. She was pretty sure it wouldn''t matter given that the druid seemed to have developed an ability to destroy the curse. Still, she would not die without trying to take down this welp. As Alanna made her way closer the old hag pulled the remaining life force and mana into her best curse and exploded into mist. Chapter 28 Alanna soaked in a large tub like cauldron and let everything sink in. Quite a bit had happened over the past several hours or days and her mind was unwilling to focus enough to calculate how long it had been. She looked over to the only thing that remained of the hag still hanging from the spear in the tree. Her last ditch attack had been a surprise to the druid and had actually managed to ensnare her in a curse. Yet, it did not accomplish much as she had achieved the means to nullify the curse. However, the curse was fast acting and once it took hold a variety of diseases was pumped into Alanna. Given the expertise of the fog witch it should not have been a surprise. Yet, Alanna found her lack of personal experience with magical entities was still a blind spot in her combat awareness. She had thought the hag already deceased and with the power of hindsight it was obvious she had been mistaken. There were subtle hints and even if her memories were helpful in aiding understanding, her experiences in her current life were somewhat lacking. The attack, while affecting the druid, was easily countered by her new spell. However, the low mana left in the druidess''s body was too low to fully remove the sickness that she felt. So, after ensuring the hag''s death she removed her disgusting clothes and tossed them into the fire pit then pulled water from the cauldron and with the soaps and oils thoroughly washed her hair and body with the cloth she requisitioned from the hag''s belongings. Then she climbed into the tub and soaked in an effort to just relax for a few moments. Everything was overwhelming her yet she had resolved herself to her path. These tests were difficult and she had made errors in judgement that could have led to her demise. Yet she was also lucky and she knew that. She almost felt as if some unseen hand was directing her in subtle and not so subtle ways. She was being forged into a better version of herself but to what end she did not know. How had she come to develop what was being called her mana body? It was intuitive once she understood what she was looking at. However, she had not had the same understanding when training with the dryad. Was it the stress of the situation and the pain that threatened her sanity that caused her to see things she could not see previously? Was it an unseen outside power directing her? Was it her own innate power directing her? She had no answers only more questions. Whether it was her own power or an outside influence directing her, one thing was clear, her answers were not going to be found through introspection alone and certainly not in an oversized cooking pot. With a deep cleansing sigh she carefully made her way out of the pot and began drying her hair with the last of the cloth she requisitioned. The fire managed to take care of drying her body and she made her way to her pack to clothe herself. She had few in tact outfits left, with the exception of undergarments, so she decided on her more traditional outfits. After donning a l¨¦ine and brat she took out a thicker pair of socks and fastened her leather boots to her feet. She was somewhat ready to go. She did not enjoy the longer l¨¦ine so she had hers cut above the knee for comfort and mobility. It was not as comfortable to her as her leggings and pants but it was not uncomfortable either. The brat was hooded and folded several times which she found it quite comfortable. Whatever material it was made from was not any type of wool Alanna was familiar with. Although, that could have more to do with production methods then materials. After all, she knew modern wool was quite soft. Once dressed the druidess picked up her pack and sword then moved to the hag and removed her spear from the tree. She felt a strange sense of completion when she pulled on the bone shaft. The spear just felt right to her for some reason that she assumed was her former life instinct''s kicking in. The hag had mostly dispersed into mist to help fuel her spell but her clothing had remained pinned to the tree. Once the spear was retrieved the remains fell to the ground and whatever spec of the hag that existed finally fully dissipated. The world of mists seemed to lighten by a noticeable degree and the overbearing aura receded completely. The mists were now somehow rejuvenating and Alanna felt her mana regenerating at a remarkable pace. She wasted no time in casting the cure spell every time she had the mana available. The multiple diseases that had taken root inside her after the curse took hold were slowly annihilated by the cleansing life energy of nature. Alanna stood straighter and more vigor filled her weakened and tired body. She had not realized how badly the curse had affected her vitality. She was still functioning with the disease spreading through her but now that it was gone, she understood how badly it affected her attributes. Her mind was now much more clear and she understood how the curse had even affected her mentally. That curse was insidious and while a part of her wished she could utilize that power, the vast majority of her persona was glad she was unable to learn something so cruel. Thinking about the hag and her twisted and hideous body, Alanna innately understood that there was a cost for using some magics. The more twisted the power the more twisted the practitioner seemed to become. She thought that it was likely the twist also affected personality but this was conjecture and colored by her single experience. It stood to her reasoning, and while perhaps not wholly correct, it was enough for Alanna to develop a hatred for the creatures. The mist cleared completely and a swirling portal appeared at the entrance of the grove. This at least was something that Alanna had expected as Sc¨¢thach had explained the portal appearance when the trial was concluded. Alanna looked over the grotto to see if there was anything else worth her time but with her belongings secured there was not much that she desired from this place. No, she wanted nothing more than to put this hell behind her. She was grateful for the increased in her strength. Her understanding had increased significantly and her overall experience with different types of combat was enlightening. She was a better warrior and also understood the limits of the magic within her. After another deep breath she stepped through the swirling fog.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. The scene on the other side of the portal was similar to the rock blasted landscape she had been in prior to the land of mists. However, she found herself on a small cliff side that overlooked a rocky beach. It was dark now, and she could see a few hundred meters away on the beach Sc¨¢thach sat on a driftwood log and tended a fire. Alanna looked around and found a trail that led to the beach below and carefully made her way toward the warrior woman. She called out to her early so as not to startle the warrior but from the nod she received and the large woman''s unchanged demeanor it was likely unnecessary. When Alanna finally made it to the campfire she set down her pack and sat next to Sc¨¢thach on the log. The warrior looked Alanna up and down with a raised eyebrow before looking back into the fire. "You have changed." The warrior observed. Alanna let out a long sigh and shook her head. She was thankfully out of tears and despair and had begun to move past her traumas. "Yes I suppose I have." She agreed as she took in the warrior from the corner of her eye. There was no change to the strong woman even her clothing seemed to be the same. So, it was clear she did not have much of a struggle with her tests. Sc¨¢thach had been speaking of the clothing but given the druidess'' comment the older woman understood that her observation meant something more to her student. "You took quite a bit longer than I thought you would." The warrior said. "Tell me what happened." Alanna did not really want to rehash it now but she understood that she should reflect on every experience while it was still quite fresh. So, she began to speak and explain the events from the time they parted until they reunited. Time past slowly as Alanna shared her tale. She paused several times to consider her actions and what she could have done differently throughout her many fights. All the while Sc¨¢thach just listened and nodded along with the druid''s self reflection. It was quite the tale and the old warrior queen did not really know what to think about it. She had been through these trials several times and they were always the same. She had led several warriors to the land of mists and those that survived also shared that the trials were the same. She could not understand why they would be so different now. Even if the young druid was the reincarnation of the old one Nuada, the trial should not have changed. Some of the old ones had traveled the land of mists. The trials remained the same. She wondered, and not for the first time, what this young woman truly was. The warrior stood and picked up her own shield and sword. "Come Alanna," she said. "Show me what you have learned." Alanna paused for a few moments before sighing in resignation and picking up her own spear. She did not want to spar after all she had been through the past¡ªwell she did not know how long it had truly been. "Hours maybe a day at the very least," she thought. However, she respected the warrior woman and would demonstrate the result of her trials and the impact they had on her spear fighting. When they stepped a few meters away from the fire and indicated they were ready, Alanna did not hesitate. She swung her spear up from low guard and around from her right side swinging for Sc¨¢thach''s head. The warrior frowned and brought her round shield up to absorb the impact while thrusting forward toward the opening Alanna''s aggressive swing created. However, the druidess had extended the butt of the spear in front of her body and turned it toward the left while letting the head fall downward as it skittered off the banded iron shield. The ferrule on the butt of her spear hit Sc¨¢thach''s spear head and knocked it upward and over the left side of Alanna''s shoulder. The druid kept pushing forward and kicked her leg toward Sc¨¢thach. Sc¨¢thach narrowed her eyes and turned her body toward the left while trying to bring her spear head around Alanna''s back. She simultaneously brought her shield closer to her front blocking a slash from the spear should the druid go for her side, and covering her front to absorb the kick. Alanna leaned back allowing the spear to pass over her head and not allowing it to interrupt her thrusting kick which impacted hard into the large warrior''s shield. Since Sc¨¢thach had to angle the shield slightly the impact was not fully absorbed and she had to back peddle to bleed off the impact of the surprisingly powerful thrust kick. The warrior raised her eyebrows and allowed the corners of her lips to curl upward in the slightest of smiles. The movements were not anything special but the combat awareness and nearly perfect precision in the movements was exactly what the old warrior was looking for in her students. Technical perfection in a weapon art was not necessarily easy to achieve but it was also not overly difficult. What it did not do was teach the wielder to be an effective combatant. Only true life and death combat could teach this and no matter how realistic a spar was it was still just a spar. It lacked the conditions to bring about greatness. This is why Sc¨¢thach liked the lands of mist and their trials. They were truly dangerous to the participants. Death was a very real possibility and she had refused to take several young warriors who were supposed prodigies of the blade, bow, or spear. Simply because they were only technical fighters. She was happy to see that the young druidess before her had developed a sense for combat. Fighting 4 or 5 people at once required more than just technique. Although technique is important, understanding the battlefield as a whole is equally important. Alanna moving out of the way of her strike and pushing her out of position was the correct follow up to her absurd opening strike. It also showed Sc¨¢thach that the young druid was starting to develop a tactical mindset. The old warrior smiled as the druid pulled her spear back up into a low guard while straightening her posture and flexing her leg muscles to pounce in once again. This young kitten had grown sharp claws and the old tigress felt something welling up inside of her that she had not felt in several generations. She was becoming excited for battle. Chapter 29 The sound of wood and steel clashing echoed out over the night darkened shoreline. The figures of two large women could be seen dancing in and out of range for strikes and slashes with their spears, or sword, and shield. Alanna had gone with a shorter grip with her spear and held her short sword in her off hand while Sc¨¢thach wielded her spear and shield combo. The druid was quick and strong but the style she was trying to implement was not working well for her. The weapons were just two different to be used with a standard sword or spear style. However, she was learning an important lesson and also understanding her current limitations. So, she continued to adjust her stance and strikes with her superhuman agility strength to develop something different if not altogether new. Sc¨¢thach''s smile had somehow made it back on her face after nearly an hour of sparring. She was not being pushed to a great extent but she was being pushed to increase her speed and techniques. This little demigod in front of her was not the greatest warrior she had faced but she was learning or perhaps relearning at an extreme pace. Her martial skills were in an adepts range with room for significant growth but she was learning from every single thrust, parry, and slash. Her footwork was becoming refined as the druidess could somehow feel the slight imperfections in her movements and would make corrections in the next. Sc¨¢thach was in awe of her young charge and for the first time in centuries she felt excitement. Would she truly be able to train someone to surpass her? Her eyes held within them a light newly reinvigorated. The warrior and druid continued training for a while before Sc¨¢thach stepped back and lowered her weapon while relaxing her stance. "Good work." The warrior said with an approving nod. "You have come a long way and I can see the trials were good for you." Alanna frowned at the statement as she recalled the pain. Yet she could not refute the claim. Her combat prowess had increased and even though she had her druidic abilities and magic to supplement her, her fighting skill did increase as did her overall awareness in combat. She could almost feel the weapons piercing her flesh again. She would avoid getting stabbed in the future. She looked at Sc¨¢thach and smiled with a nod. "It was the hardest thing I have experienced thus far and while a part of me wants to deny your words," she paused and took a deep breath and closed her eyes pushing the memory of the pain she felt from the weapons and the curse of pain aside. "It was good for me." Sc¨¢thach watched the young woman carefully and nodded in satisfaction. The girl was young but she had a warriors heart. She would be fine. "Mastery of a weapon is mastery of yourself." The old warrior queen said as she put her weapons away and sat down on the large driftwood log. Alanna followed suit and cast a spell that had a large plant growing next to her with large green bulbous fruits that fell into her hands. She handed one to the warrior and broke open the other revealing a starchy fruit. The warrior nodded her thanks and broke open her own fruit and stared into the fire while nibbling at the slightly sweet treat. "You are starting to show the signs that you are mastering yourself." Sc¨¢thach continued. "I can see it in your every movement. Minute corrections. It is good to see." Alanna smiled and nodded her own head in acceptance and gratitude while she snacked on her own fruit. The warrior smiled slightly. "I do not want to pretend that I understand the world you live in. Yet I imagine what was true then is still true. The world has its violent times and we have to fight to keep what is ours. My sword and spear were the tools I used to showcase my strength and I used them to carve out a piece of land to call my own." She stared into the fire but her eyes saw only the scenes of the past. "I had to kill thousands to keep that plot of land and eventually I became something more. Perhaps I was a queen. Perhaps I was a warrior. Yet, I became a teacher or trainer if you prefer. Then I became a legend and even though it was minor I became a god. Not because I wanted to but because the people believed it to be true and in those times, that was all it took. Alanna paused in her breadfruit mastication and stared at the woman with a raised brow. "You became a god because people believed you were a god?" She asked. The older woman snorted and laughed. "Yep." She said as she popped the p. Alanna shook her head. "I know that quite a lot of people have lost their faith in God or any gods really." Alanna said thoughtfully. "I think it would be nigh impossible to become a god in modern times." Sc¨¢thach nodded in understanding. "It is not wholly relevant to what I was trying to convey." The warrior queen said with a smile. "I was trying to get to the point that I do not know what it is you fight for and I do not know what the battlefields of the modern world you live in are like. However, the reasons we fight will never change." Sc¨¢thach paused and looked expectantly at the druidess. Alanna took the bait and looked questioningly at the older woman. "What is that?" She asked. Sc¨¢thach smiled and looked back toward the fire and into her past. "To take what we want or to keep what we have." Alanna frowned and considered the warriors words. There were thousands of justifications made but like fractions they could be reduced to the lowest common denominator and every scenario she thought of ended with taking or keeping. "Huh," she grunted. "I never actually considered it overmuch." Sc¨¢thach nodded knowingly. "I did not either until I took a place for myself then spent years holding it. They made up many reasons to come after my land but in the end they just wanted what I had. I was called a witch a warmonger and a danger to the sovereignty of the land. This gave cause to the people. It was a justification they could be comfortable with yet it was still just a matter of them wanting to take and me wanting to keep." The older warrior woman smiled sadly. "The result was they came against me and were slaughtered. However, this just created additional enemies from families that had been broken. I had taken from them even as they tried to take from me. The justifications did not matter it is what we use to make ourselves feel as though we walk the correct path. It is easy to fight for a cause and to generate support for said cause when it is built on a foundation of passion. Yet hiding at its core lives an ugly concept be it pride, wrath, greed, or envy."This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. The women were silent as they stared into the fire in reflection. Alanna smirked and looked at the women next to her. "Didn''t you take the land for your own?" She asked with a bit of snark. The older woman laughed and nodded in agreement. "That I did. I wanted my own place and I took my own place." Her mirth died slowly as her past memories began to replay in her mind''s eye. Alanna''s smile faded as well as she thought about her own life and the world she was a part of. "We all think we own the land but it was here before we were and it will be after we are gone." She said aloud. "We are just squatters. The latest animals that mark their territory. Yet unlike the animals we do not know how or when to stop when we have what we need." Sc¨¢thach shrugged. "Perhaps or perhaps we fight because nature demands balance. We are the apex of this world so we must fight ourselves to maintain that balance." Alanna frowned and stared into the fire deep in though. Was this true? It felt somewhat true. If the world was united under one banner would we break it apart by our need for conflict? She did not know but had a feeling it would not last without a greater external threat. Yet life was conflict. The evolutionary imperative demanded it to determine who could sit at the apex. However, human life was not the only life out there. Bacteria could and did kill off humans and the correct series could wipe out the current apex species on earth. It was interesting and terrifying and she did not know why her mind went off on a tangent about it. She could appreciate that her world and Sc¨¢thach''s world, while being the same physical land, was not even close to similar in a socioeconomic and religious context. Combat while at its base may have not changed overmuch the battlefields and weapons sure did. For most, in all the countries she had lived in, war was a foreign concept. It happened over there and never here. So, while it was certainly a "thing," it was never "real" to her or any of her friends and family. It was safe for Sc¨¢thach to assume that Alanna was wholly battle hardened. She was far more hardened than any of her generation, at least those that came from a similar local, but this was due to the memories of her past lives. They offered insight and helped subtly lead her in a direction her former self would not have conceived of. Yet, she was still largely herself. She was influenced by her past lives but she was also influenced by modern society and how she was raised. She could fight and had already made the decision to kill if necessary but that did not change her desire for self actualization or personal freedom. Additionally, it did not change how she wanted the world to be based on her own ideals. With their minds full of contemplation and concern the pair eventually decided to rest until the next morning. Alanna cast a growth spell around the small camp which caused several vines to grow up around them. It was not much of a defense but it would act as an early warning system for anything that got too close. With that out of the way the pair set up their sleeping mats and entered the realm of dreams. They woke up with the dawn and Alanna summoned water to wash up and for the refreshing drink. She brushed her teeth with her quickly diminishing tooth paste and brush and freshened herself for the day to come. Her traditional clothes were actually rather comfortable to sleep in even if they could over heat her if she were not careful. She had to remove the brat halfway through the night but otherwise it was comfortable. After a quick breakfast of breadfruit and a piece of smoked meat the two began to pack up the camp when they heard splashing sounds coming from the large body of water nearby. The pair looked up to see a pair of winged serpents pulling a chariot across the water and moving toward the women. Alanna titled her head in confusion and looked to Sc¨¢thach. The older woman seemed to be relaxed and just stared as the white serpents made their way onto the beach. The serpents were a bit odd considering they looked like large winged snakes yet everything about them and the chariot was just a bit off. For one thing were not at all wet even though they were traveling over the ocean or massive lough whatever this body of water was. Secondly, they were not leaving prints on the sand as they made it to shore. Perhaps the greatest oddity was the man standing in the back of the massive golden chariot. At first Alanna could not understand what was wrong even though she could see what was wrong. It was so bizarre that her mind simply refused to process what she was seeing. By most metrics the man in the chariot was gorgeous. His long curly blond hair flowed backward in the wind as his vehicle moved forward. He stood at nearly 2.5 meters and wore a magnificent cloaked brat over a chiseled nearly bare chest and abdomen. The brat extended down and around his legs like a kilt of sorts. It hung together with a golden clasp in the shape of a barrel at his left shoulder where the cloak billowed out in the wind. The whole outfit was made of a deep royal crimson color that perfectly meshed with his sea weathered and sun kissed skin tone. The man wore a confident smile as his massive arms were on display as his hands sat comfortably on both hips. He had one leg perched on the side of the chariot even as his other two were planted firmly against vehicle floor to secure his balance. Alanna just stared dumbfoundedly at the display it took her a full 10 seconds of staring before she realized what she had seen. She scanned the mans lower body again and frowned in utter confusion. He had one leg propped up against the top of the side of the chariot and two legs keeping his balance on the vehicle. It was too much for the druid who managed to peel her gaze away from the impossibility in front of her and look over at Sc¨¢thach who did not look overly amused or concerned. She just looked tired. The chariot whirled around in the sand and the flying serpents changed their directions back out toward the sea leaving the back opening facing the two women. However, somehow the three legged man in the back had turned around completely and in the exact same position without actually moving. "What is going on?" Alanna asked herself quietly. However, it was apparently loud enough for the man to hear as he laughed boisterously and took his hands off his hips and extended them out toward the women in a gesture of welcome. He seemed nice enough even though his face was a little too perfect which for some reason irritated Alanna. She couldn''t understand exactly why right away but something about this guy, other then his impossible and just wrong third leg, was just off and when he took a step forward Alanna.exe stopped working. A humanoid body was not meant to move like that. Chapter 30 "Gross," was all Alanna could think when she saw the being moving off the chariot and onto the sandy beach. This man moved like an old wind up toy with his center leg moving forward then maintaining balance as the side pair moved forward; and it was freaky in a way that made the druidess shiver in revulsion. His face was just a bit too perfect and it she had an instinctual dislike for the man that she couldn''t begin to understand. He also did not take his hands off his hips and was pose walking which also seemed to press her disgust button. It must have shown on her face because Sc¨¢thach''s throaty chuckle broke her out of her staring. She looked to the older woman who shook her head and clapped Alanna''s shoulder. "I am surprised he came himself." The warrior said. "He can act a bit childish and has a temper if you insult him or his beliefs. He may look unusual but he is quite powerful. Alanna nodded in understanding and relaxed her expression as the man came to a stop in front of them. "Interesting look you have chosen Nuada." The man said with a laugh. Alanna started dumbfoundedly and couldn''t stop herself from replying. "Wow, pot meet kettle." Sc¨¢thach chuckled again and pointed toward the man''s central leg. "Really went all out there didn''t you?" She asked the man who laughed in reply. After a moment he looked at the both of them and nodded in satisfaction. Then his central leg shrank slowly until it disappeared beneath his clothes. Alanna couldn''t hide the shudder of revulsion and stared blankly at the spot the man''s leg had been. "Why?" She mumbled and looked up at the strange man thing in front of her. He just looked confused and shrugged then motioned the pair toward the chariot. "Come along then." The man said and started walking normally back toward the open back of the chariot. "Today Emain Ablach welcomes you." Alanna turned toward Sc¨¢thach as the pair secured their belongings before falling in step behind the man. "Is he¡ª" Alanna started but Sc¨¢thach nodded and interrupted her. "Yeah that''s Manann¨¢n mac Lir. I am surprised he came and didn''t just send the boat as he usually does. I guess you really are special." She ended with a thoughtful expression. The pair moved forward and followed in Manann¨¢n mac Lir''s footsteps. The large man entered the chariot and moved to stand at its front and picked up a set of reigns. Sc¨¢thach stepped aboard the chariot and moved toward the right side of the sea god leaving the left open to Alanna. The druidess sighed and took a step onto the chariot only to stumble as an influx of energy hit her and a fog screen formed in her mind''s eye.
Congratulations you have completed your trial. Rewards Pending.
You have slain Scorpio-Formorian x2. 2000 XP
You have slain Terror Bird 1000XP
You have slain Mist Swordmasters x4 2000XP
You have slain Mist Spearmasters x5 2500XP
You have defeated The King of the MIsts Puzzle x2 2000XP
You have slain The King of the MIsts 2000XP
You have slain The Fog Hag 2500XP
Congratulations you have leveled up.
Alanna looked over the notifications and internally sighed. "So, I did get some credit for killing the formorians. I guess they counted toward the trial? Who knows? The quest and level system is so arbitrary. It feels somehow incomplete like this is an alpha test with no place for feedback suggestions and the developers are only half paying attention. What rewards are pending and what are they waiting for? What does that even mean?" Alanna sighed and brought her attention back to the chariot where the sea god was starting to move them back out toward the sea. Once they started moving Alanna found that the sea they were on had changed to a vast prairie filled with what appeared to be red coneflowers and the chariot was pulled by winged white Connemara ponies. She stared in awe at the change in scenery and took in the beautiful landscape. The sky was lightening into a perfect blue but had vivid red and orange hues near where the sun was peaking up over the horizon. The red coneflowers popped up everywhere through a vibrant green grassland that appeared as though it belonged in a painting. It was quite the contrast to the blue grey water and overcast morning she had seen but a moment prior. It was quite the sight and Alanna appreciated that she did not have to cross the sea in a boat given her current view. She smiled as she started out over the endless grasslands. It was a moment of peace and calm that was appreciated given the past few days. After her brief moment of peace, Alanna turned her attention back to her personal status as she wanted to find out if there were any significant changes. She did not really feel much different. Unlike her initial transformation, her subsequent levels did not have a large impact on what she could detect. The exception was she did feel slightly more after her mana body experience, but the individual levels did not really appear to do anything. She could rationalize that she was in fact stronger and faster and could tell that she was a bit more durable after having been skewered a few times. However, there was no real way to understand and test her increases. Yet, there was still a compulsion to visualize her increases so she withdrew into her mind''s eye once again.
Name: Alanna Hotaru Race: Druid? Class: Mystical Warden (Unique)
Age:18 Gender: Female Anthropometrics: 183cm / 11 Stone
STR:18 (+5 Mana Body) 23 DEX: 20 (+5 Mana Body) 25 AGI: 20 (+5 Mana Body) 25
CON: 17 (+5 Mana Body) 22 INT: 16 (+5 Mana Body) 21 WIS 20 (+5 Mana Body) 25
CHA: 22 (+5 Mana Body) 27 Health 100% Mana 100%
Stamina: 100% Level: 8 Experience: 16,875/18,225
"So, some constitution and intelligence increases this time." Alanna thought to herself. She wished she could control where to spend her points. It was all just so strange. However, a part of her understood that she already had a predetermined perfect form and this whole system was just a means to understand what she was becoming. It was not a game nor did it feel like one. She didn''t have control because she could not perfectly control those aspects. She could reasonably expect that if she worked her body physically she would see some increases to her strength and endurance. Some stretching would likely help increase her fine motor skills. Speed would be tied into strength but practicing quick movements could help adjust her body somewhat. Studying could help her mind and her overall life experience would or should affect her wisdom. Products were available to make her more physically appealing but studying human interactions and how to speak to people could also make her more appealing.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. This was a natural way that humans bettered themselves and she was no different even if she was not completely human any longer. So, she had to assume that her overall increases in her status numbers were not large jumps in capability. She just had to shrug and walk the path she had chosen. She would find out more just by continuing that was certain. She even had the quest to drive that home when she forgot or started to doubt. Not that doubt was much of a concern. She felt drawn to do something more and if she were honest with herself, the land was guiding her long before the fog screen came into existence. Even if she were not aware of the call at the time. She pulled her mind back into the mythical world her physical body occupied and continued to look out over the vast landscape. The three rode in silence each content with the view or their own thoughts and when the sun had started rising fully they crested a small hill and the landscape started to change. There were several small bodies of water where various swans played and rested and where the occasional fish would jump up out of the water after an insect. Large fruit tree groves were scattered around the area where their different colored fruit stood in contrast the vast green and blues that made up the majority of the landscape. Alanna turned around and saw that behind her was a vast sea and the overcast blue grey sky she had seen from the other side. She shook her head in wonder then turned her view back in their direction of travel in time to see a massive floating island with an equally massive palace in the distance. It was awe inspiring and that inspiration created a sense of wonder, along with the excitement of exploration that a child would have, within the young druid. Sc¨¢thach couldn''t help but smile ever so slightly at her young student''s reactions. Meanwhile, Manann¨¢n felt proud of the lands that were his domain. Nuada never did get to see this land and while he did not feel overly close to the old king, he still held a semblance of respect for him or rather her. So, seeing her reactions his pride flared and he stood taller on his now two legs. The remaining trip toward the palace went quickly and when they closed in on it the Connemara ponies began to utilize their wings to push the group off the ground and into the sky. Defying Alanna''s expectation, along with physics, the chariot flew behind the Pegasi as though it were merely traveling on an invisible road and neither dipped below them nor dragged them down. The group made their way toward the gravity defying land mass and lined up with an arched gateway that stood over a long golden paved road that lead toward the walled compound that housed the massive palace complex. The grounds leading toward the palace were perfectly manicured as were the hedges and other bushes and trees that made up the exterior lawn. Someone had taken the time to trim and grow the bushes into various shapes which included serpents, birds, and one that appeared to be a large bear. The far exterior of the floating land mass was covered in a pine forest that seemed out of place amongst the other type of vegetation. The palace was was massive and had a Renaissance style architecture with large columns with domed turrets and rooves. The whole building was painted ivory with golden trim and while it was stunning architecturally speaking, the color scheme seemed a bit contrived. The palace had multiple attached structures with the main entry building housing the a massive ball room. The complex had outbuildings that included the stables where the chariot made its first stop forcing the trio to dismount and walk toward the main entrance. The strange thing about the area was that there were no other people around. The horses shed their tethers as though they had never been there and walked into the stables without being led. Alanna watched in surprise as the chariot moved itself into a garage that was attached to the stables. She wondered momentarily if the horses were feeding and grooming themselves a well but assumed there was some magic to them as they had been serpents. Of course, that could have been an illusion she was not really sure. The water in the sea was definitely water until it wasn''t. So maybe some kind of transmutation or transfiguration. She didn''t know the difference and while it was a passing curiosity she was more interested in what was going to happen next. Alanna had just gone with the flow thus far. She understood that she was to meet with this man and that there would be some sort of revelations to progress her along her path. However, it would be a lie to say she wasn''t the least bit nervous. This man was weird even compared to everything she had beheld in the otherworlds to this point. He did not feel overly dangerous or even malicious to her senses. He was just odd. Perhaps odd wasn''t the correct word and eccentric would be more apt. His outward appearance showed that he liked the finer things and had an air of arrogance about him. He was also not exactly demanding but it was obvious he expected to be heeded. Alanna did not like him but she knew this was mostly due to his third leg. That thing creeped her out on a level that was borderline irrational. Combine it with his natural arrogance and it was highly unlikely they would become fast friends. Still, Alanna was not one to judge solely on her initial impression. Plus she didn''t see where it was written that one had to befriend everyone. So, she followed behind the man who was chatting amicably with her teacher as they entered into the palace proper and into the next step in her quest.