Leonard… wasn't even tired anymore. Not after they almost started a war with the fae, fought another god, saw thousands of spiders, a talking frog, a forest of crystal trees. Especially not now that they were digging out a crater, planting a giant tree made out of crystal. Had it only been 30 minutes?
Sebastian's hand was trembling as he sipped on some calming tea. The potted tree's branches cast shadows over the entire clearing. This was easily the largest tree he'd ever seen. It would take… at least twenty five men to encircle the trunk. If he had to eye ball the circumference of the branches… at least two and half miles.
Calix was staring into his cup, the crystalline tree should have been a sight to behold… The way the moonlight reflected between the branches and leaves had been awe inspiring. If one didn't notice them, the colors reflected on the ground were indescribably beautiful. The problem was the if.
Seeing the giant, feathered snake body silently weave itself in the tree was a testament to how deadly he was. With each breeze the leaves tinkled like bells… but not once had there been a sound when Haven slithered through the branches.
Jaxon's eyes twitched as Lady Beloved was tucked between the giant snake's feathers. She was like a child up well past her bedtime. Insistent she wasn't tired as her parent tried to put her to sleep. If a giant snake had been chasing him through a tree… he may have had a heart attack.
Lucian stood beside Jaxon as the spectacle came to an end. "Those fruit… are they mana fruit?"
Devlin glanced at the almost see through fruits. They looked like… fist sized cherries, without the flowers. Then again, he didn't know much about trees… or flowers… or the fruiting process. "Honestly your majesty? I haven't the slightest clue. Perhaps when the foxes figure it out, we will too."
Lucian glanced at the foxes circling under the tree, chasing the shimmering colors reflected through the branches. "If one falls unnoticed… acquire it."
Devlin laughed in disbelief. "Your majesty… everyone will notice."
Lucian frowned. "See if we can barter for one. Also, I want to know more about that earth goddess. What language where they speaking?"
Devlin sighed, "It was ancient… I recognized a few words. A name actually… Haris. The pioneer of fortification enchantments. Of course, none of my teachers mentioned he was actually a frog."
"Are you sure it's the same Haris." Jaxon asked watching the smallest fox and owl circle closer to the crystal branches. If they were going to try… nesting in the same tree as that snake… they were braver than him.
Devlin eyed the fox owl pair… "Uh, well, images of the staff are recorded. So, pretty sure."
Leonard was pacing erratically, "We could have died, ten times in the last hour. Am I the only one worried? Surely not, of course, only the empire is exempt from Lord Nix's protection. Oh, and Seibel. Why should we worry about anything? We'll likely not even wake. Perhaps the fae will come visit, as they pass through, they'll probably-"
"Silence!" Lucian barked. It did not have his intended effect.
Leonard whirled on his majesty, "Silence? Silent is what I should have been when I learned of Ashton Black. Your majesty… do… you not understand our current predicament?"
Lucian just stared.
"Majesty… a beast god is… nesting, sleeping, whatever you want to call it, right there. We all say beast gods above… but… they were… just sayings. Who's ever heard of a beast greater than that of sin, or virtue?" Leonard said in disbelief.
Jaxon wanted to sigh… it hadn't even been a day… "Leonard, panic isn't going to help us. In fact… perhaps having a patron beast god… is the answer the empire needs right now."
"Ha… ha, Duke Darnings, do you think that's possible? Did you not hear him? This is no place to raise young. If he stays, he would most likely wipe us all out. How is that an answer?" Leonard demanded.
"If he stays, then like earlier at the lake, they might cleanse the damned souls. That was something we all saw." Devlin snapped. After he calmed down, "His arrival… is hope. It's… something," Devlin said almost pleadingly.
Jaxon watched the snake, unsettling as the beast was… it fit all the requirements Ashton said they needed to save the empire.
Rommel wasn't even sure how to word his report back to the Adar. Good evening your majesties, just wanted you to know, a beast god showed up in the Empire. Oh! It's also courting Lord Nix's sister. Did I forget to mention, we saw the legendary Haris? Turns out! He's actually a beast. Not only that! Haris is apparently mated to the beast goddess of earth, who happens to be a giant spider.
This may not be important, but the earth goddess's eggs hatched. How many? Oh, a few… thousand cat sized spiders? Not to worry! We couldn't understand almost anything they said, so surely nothing important!
So much has happened today, did I mention, Lord Nix, his sister, and the beast god serpent helped cleanse some of the damned souls? Surely this is cause for celebration.
As always, your loyal retainer,
Rommel Grisvold.
Rommel was sure that was exactly what they wanted to reed.
Zane was staring at his own empty report… he'd started it half a dozen times already.
Noelle ignored the anxious Adarians. Not just the Adarians, Princess Lucera and Jantje looked equally upset.
Lamont found the soft colors dancing on the ground… enchanting. The tinkling of the leaves was oddly soothing.
Tania was staring at the fruit, "So… just hear me out."
"No." Noelle stated firmly.
"Not a chance." Lamont refuted.
"I will break both your legs… and your wrists." Rowena growled.
Tania slumped into her sleeping bag. "I was just-" they cut her off again. Rowena even sitting up to glare at her.
"I will dislocate every joint in your body if you finish that thought." Rowena promised flexing her claws.
Tania rolled over. "Okay, okay! Yeash, what kill joys."
Rowena stared at her cousin… she was tempted to just dislocate her joints now. The beast gods gave more sense to a rock. How often did she cause trouble…
Noelle pursed her lips, but shook her head. She nodded to her personal guard, signaling a watch on princess Tania, then she fell asleep.
"TANIA I WILL RIP YOUR ARMS OFF AND BEAT YOU WITH THEM!!!!!!" Rowena roared as she leapt out of her sleeping bag! She'd torn right through it, running faster than if her life depended on it!
Noelle jolted awake. It took her less than a second to realize what was happening. Tania was in the crystal tree! Her body precariously shimmying along a branch as the snake god was slowly slithering after her!
Lamont froze seeing the snake's forked togue taste the air as he slithered up the branch Tania was on.
"Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!" Tania whispered as she glanced over her shoulder. She shimmied her body farther along the branch! It was so freaking sturdy! Even with the snake gliding along the thinner branches they barely swayed let alone bent! Damn her intrusive thoughts!
Haven wasn't moving fast, but he didn't need to. After ensuring his precious treasures remained asleep, he'd seen fit to… remove the competition.
"Sorry! I! I didn't touch them!" Tania called as she passed the fruit entirely. She couldn't go any further…
Ashton blearily sat up. He saw Beloved wiping her eyes as she looked around. They… were moving? He glanced around to realize Haven was gliding along the branches, and he'd brought the entire nest.
Beloved pouted seeing the human in her tree. "Nix… is it just me? Am I crazy? No way there would be… a thief in my tree."
Haven's eyes constricted hearing the birds had awakened. He glared at the human female running toward the tree trunk. With little more than a thought, a gust of wind sent her flying. If the first human wasn't clinging to the branch he'd have sent her flying, but he didn't want to damage Beloved's new tree.
Rowena tucked her body the second she was air born.
Noelle leapt up to catch her cousin. The force pushed them back, but they were unharmed. She stared into the tree, Tania was clinging to a branch thinner than her arm.
Ashton sighed as he stepped into a rift.
Tania screamed seeing the shadow, then she realized lord Nix was squatting on… a leaf as he looked at her. "I… I… I'm sorry." She couldn't remember the last time she cried, but now she was full on bawling. Barely able to catch her breath from the relief. At least Nix wouldn't eat her.
Haven stopped seeing Nix's arrival. Haven circled back to check on the other birds now chirping indignantly. He could always remove the competition later.
Ashton took a deep breath as he used his pinky to clean his ears. "A rather rude awakening, the wrong side of our nest, if you wanted a fruit… why not just ask?"
Tania was hiccupping as she clung to the branch, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, please don't let him eat me. Sob sob," what had she been thinking?!
Ashton lifted her by her night shirt with a sigh. "This was rather unpleasant, I hope that you learned, sometimes forgiveness, is not better than permission when life is concerned."
Tania just nodded as she tried to even out her breathing, tears soaking her shirt. She screamed when she started to fall! "Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Rowena caught Tania on pure reflex, then it was like she became a twenty tentacled octopus, clinging to her. "Oh! Eww! Don't rub your snot on me!" Rowena berated.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I won't do it again, I'm sorry! Sob sob, hic, sob," Tania had never been so scared in her life. She'd fought a bear, was almost killed by an army of orcs, even fell off a cliff, she'd never been so scared as seeing that snake slither after her!
Rowena took a deep breath, closed her eyes, then started to comfort Tania. "You're okay, look, you're safe. He's not going to eat you." She said awkwardly.
Noelle wasn't so sure… the snake god… had cast a pitiless glance their way after Lord Nix had returned to Lady Beloved's side. A burst of white fire had Noelle's heart tightening as she stood between her cousins, and a visibly upset Lady Beloved.
"That was not nice! I did not like it! That is my tree! I can be spiteful!" Beloved announced stomping her feet! She should have woken up surrounded by her big snake! Not from a tiger's roar! She. Was. Not. Happy!
Haven slowly slithered through the rift, circling around the trio before others could arrive. "Explain yourself." He ordered rising up behind his upset Beloved. Tears were gathering in her eyes. They had made his mate cry.
Ashton plopped onto Haven's body just behind the tigers with an audible sigh. "They should not be eaten, at least not for this, this is actually better, for them we have use."
Beloved crossed her arms as she raised her chin, "I am angry!"
Noelle crumpled under the forced, she didn't know if it was from Lady Beloved, or the snake god, but it didn't matter. She was on her knees.
Tania had fallen to the ground, Rowena on her knees beside her. She couldn't breathe!
"They don't take me seriously! Don't see me a threat! I am far scarier, than any they've met!" Beloved announced as white flames surrounded the entire clearing.
Ashton nodded, "None scarier than you."
"I am fierce!"
"None fiercer than thy."
"I am vengeful!"
"Nightmares till they die."
"I am intimidating!"
"Who dares challenge, not I."
"I am strong!"
"Crushing mountains like rye."
"I. Don't. Suffer. Grievances!"
"Better to rip out wandering eyes."
"Who dares covet what's mine?!"
"Even gods daren't defy." Haven said as he tightened this coil until the three humans were forced together. Only… Beloved seemed to have lost all her ire.
Beloved turned to face her big snake, she tried to stay mad, but… oh, who cares about tigers! She leapt up, plastering herself to his big snaky face. "Big snake that was so good! You were so fast! I like your voice, strong! A tempest!" She peppered him with kisses.
Haven saw all the fire go out, not even an ember remained. Fine, let them off with a mere warning. Haven flicked the trio with a dismissive glance as he slowly slithered back to the tree.
Ashton leapt down from Haven's body to squat in front of the trio. "Well, that ended better than one would have thought, next time you blunder, remember to pray to the gods."
Noelle was covered in sweat, her hair plastered around her face, clothes sticking to her body. Tania was covered in dust, Rowena's entire body was trembling as sweat dripped onto the ground.
Ashton raised Noelle's chin with a finger, "Be glad she was distracted, glad her moods so quick to lighten, steal from a beast, countries are flattened."
Noelle nodded, her mouth was so dry she couldn't make a sound.
Ashton scratched his head with a sigh, "You would not have died, my promise I'll keep, protection until home you do reach, just remember, careful what is sown, must eventually be reaped."
Tania nodded, trembling. She flinched when a silver flame drifted toward her face. Then… it was like her emotions were muted. She pushed herself up as the other two recovered. The silver flames burning out.
"Next time you covet, next time just ask, being willful is fine, but only when strong is your back." Ashton called as he fell through a rift.
Lamont stumbled forward, falling to his knees beside his cousins. Checking them over for any injuries.
Tania forced a grin, "Well, that was scary. Let's not do that again."
Lamont started to laugh. They looked like drowned rats. "Yeah, wonder who came up with that idea."
Noelle started to box Tania's ears, "You young lady, are going to write a ten thousand word apology before you get breakfast. Leroy, is going box your ears for every hour it takes you!"
Tania's face crumbled, "Elly!!!!!!!"
Noelle flicked her forehead, "Not one word less!" Noelle stood up, brushing her hair back. "I'd like some hot water. I believe I require a bath."
Rowena and Lamont burst out laughing as they followed Noelle. "A bath sounds like fabulous idea Elly."