We're sitting in Rangi's home, shortly after the slave troops surrendered and laid down their arms. Outside, the newly armed villagers are keeping watch over the soldiers as they tend to their wounded and clear away their dead. For having lost their comrades, they seem strangely composed - or maybe saying that their sense of loss is dulled from years of witnessing the cruelties of slavery would be more appropriate.
"[So, tell me what this prophecy is about... umm.]" I finally ask when everybody settles down.
"[Mereana. I used to have a family name, but it was taken from me when I was little, and I have forgotten it since.]" Her accent sounds different from that of the envoy who came before. She must be from another part of the kingdom, where people are light-skinned, rather than from the capital. It's quite melodic and I feel like I could listen to it all day.
Uh-oh, Awhina is looking at me disapprovingly.
"[The Great Oracle, in the capital city Kairaki, foretold a long time ago that one day a foreign god would appear to free the slaves of this land.]" Mereana says and speaks in a mysterious tone. Foreign, huh? Well, I look nothing like the people in this village, but she's red-haired and blue-eyed herself, and she's from somewhere on this continent.
"[And what makes you think that I'm the one?]" I have an inherent distrust of prophecies; it would mean that the future is set in stone and that all my actions are meaningless, as I would be moving on invisible rails. That can't be true, so I refuse to believe it.
"[The prophecy has it that the foreign god has a complete disregard of social standings and abhors slavery.]" That sounds quite vague and a lot of people could have that trait. I'm certainly one of those, and I do abhor slavery. I saved my beloved Kamii from it, and wherever I see it, I punish it. "[She would appear in the form of a pale-skinned girl and come down on black wings, to save our kind from the oppression we endured for centuries.]"
Hm, pale white skin and black wings, huh? I know someone else who has that.
"Uten, Saten, transform into Hestia." I say without turning around to the two, who are sitting behind me.
"Understood." With a word of confirmation, without asking the reason, they do as they're told and stand up, their bodies changing shape and turning into two loli versions of Hestia. They learned how to shape clothes out of their bodies from me, so they don't need to wear anything, which in turn allowed them to change into a school uniform with a short skirt, much like how I looked when I first came here.
Unfortunately, there are more important matters right now, or I would have dragged them off for some fun time.
"[Huh? Wha-? H-huh?]" Mereana is shocked at the revelation and alternates her gaze between the twins and me.
"[What do you think of social hierarchies and slavery?]" I ask them.
"[Everybody is born free, so why should anyone stand above someone else?]" And I didn't even teach them that. It's the philosophy of these village people here, who revere Rangi as a god, but are more friends with him than subjects. He himself treats everyone like family, too. That obviously goes both ways to a certain extent, and these two didn't learn it any other way.
"[And that's why prophecies are bogus.]" I cross my arms and rest my case.
"[B-but you saved us from our overseer!]" Mereana is grasping at straws.
"[I killed him because he was the commander of the forces attacking this village.]" Reproducing a backrest from my own body, I lean back casually. "[And I was about to kill you, too, if you hadn't surrendered.]"
I think that hammered the last nail into the coffin. The woman's entire world view seems to collapse on the spot. Well, nothing as dramatic as that, since I'm sure there's more to her than just believing in a prophecy.
"[... then what will we do?]" She sounds crestfallen, and her expression shows that she doesn't know what to do next. "[If we return without our overseer and without having subjugated this village, there will only be death.]"
"[Then just don't return. Stay here.]" I state without asking Rangi for his opinion on this matter. He looks at me in resignation, knowing my selfish ways all too well. Tahiri laughs at the silent exchange between us and drinks a bowl of Oripiaw, the traditional alcohol of Ototawa village, brewed from a type of root.
"[But if we never return, they will send an even bigger force. You fought well against slaves, but the regular army is far more powerful than we are and there are many gods commanding it.]" Mereana speaks in desperation, from the point of view of somebody who has witnessed their might first hand. But she hasn't even seen the beginning of my powers, and Tahiri didn't join the fight this time around, either. I'm sure we could wipe out any human army with just the two of us, no matter the numbers.
And when it comes to gods, I'll just have to deal with it when the time comes. After all they can be as different as Tahiri is to the one I killed earlier.
"[Then how about this: We go to Kairaki and kill the God King.]" I put out this suggestion to everyone in the room, and I see Rangi looking at me funny.
"[You're the best, you know that?]" Tahiri pats my shoulder and laughs heartily.
"[W-what? You cannot be serious!]" Going pale at my suggestion, Mereana stares at me with wide open eyes. "[Nobody can stand against the God King!]"
"[And here you were, telling me that I'm the savior from your prophecy or something.]" Shrugging at her, I turn to Rangi. "[They will come again and again, unless we do something about their source. And what better way is there than to cut off the snake's head?]"
"[... I see. But I cannot leave this village.]" He says with a thoughtful expression. I assume it's because he's a local land god, who either loses his powers when he leaves the sphere of his influence, or because it would leave the village undefended. In either case, I never intended to ask him to come along, and would have just left on my own or with my two children.
"[Then I will go in your stead, papa.]" Awhina cuts in and grabs my arm in a pointed gesture. She doesn't want to leave my side, I suppose. Even though she has gained some insight into what I really am, she still feels the same way about me. That's commendable, but we'll see whether that lasts or not. In either case, I think Rangi and Tahiri are more than enough to defend this place.
"[Count me in on the fun.]" The woman in question subverts my expectations and expresses her wish to join us. Well, rather than wish, she just decided on it and I doubt anything will change her mind. "[Will you be fine alone, Rangi?]"
Oh, so she did put some thought into it. I was thinking that she just completely disregarded the safety of this village for her own enjoyment. Then again, she is the God of Storm, as fickle as the winds and as unpredictable as the weather.
"[Who do you think I am?]" With a wide grin, the land god beats his chest with one hand and leans forward, towering above the much smaller Tahiri.
"[We're coming as well, mama!]" Uten and Saten's responses were as expected. I mean, I would have dragged them along even if they actually didn't want to leave this place at all. I'm their mother, and a good mother keeps her children by her side until they're grown up. Hm, what does that make my mother, who sent her newborn children out into the wide world on their own, and let them face all kinds of perils alone?
"[I guess it's decided.]" I turn my attention to Mereana once again, who looks at a loss for words. All these people who must seem like they're going to throw away their lives on a whim have left her speechless. "[We'll need a guide, so if you would please.]"
"[... then at least let our troops come along. We may not be as strong as the regular army, but it is better than nothing.]" It seems she has accepted the fact that we're recklessly aiming for the capital.
"[No, they should remain here and help defend the village. They'll only get in the way with the way we fight.]" Mostly with how I fight, that is. Denying her suggestion without any hint of hesitation, I state the truth. If things turn into a melee, I won't have the coordination to differentiate between friend and foe, when I expand and swallow everything around me. And even if I don't do that, large-scale magic would cause a lot of collateral damage, too. When I only have to worry about a few people who can handle themselves in a fight, I can go all out. "[We need only one who can show us the way.]"
"[B-but-]"
"[You alone are enough.]" That's my final word on the matter and I turn away from her to speak to Ruiha, who has been silent all this time. "[Are you sure about letting your daughter come along?]" It's not like I want her to convince Awhina to remain, but her opinion should be respected in this matter. After all, it's not a pleasure trip - we're kinda going to war here.
"[It is her decision. She is old enough to decide the path she wants to take in life.]" Rangi responds in her stead. I knew he would approve of her daughter proving herself with strength, since he's quite the muscle-head himself. But I specifically asked Ruiha, who is just a normal human.
"[And what do you think, Ruiha?]"
"[... if that is her decision, as a mother, I can only wish her the best.]" She states after a pause and then shows a radiant smile. I can detect a hint of loneliness and fear in it, but it's such a strong expression that I can't say anymore. She's really a good mother, and I can feel a twinge in my figurative heart when it reminds me of the fact that my own is no longer...
"[Thank you, mama, papa.]" Bowing her head and putting her palm on her chest, she performs the traditional gesture of gratitude.
But of course, we couldn't just depart this quickly. The decision was announced to the villagers, who began to collect food to prepare a feast with which they would send us off. A messenger brought the news to the people of Ototawa, who expressed their wish to contribute. Therefore, our departure was delayed for a while.
In the meantime, the corpses had been cleared away and thrown into a mass grave in the forest to be burned later; there is no tradition of burying the dead among these people, and least of all among slaves. Even though they were serving together, they do not mourn for their dead, as they have witnessed too many people close to them dying to the point where it has become a chore. It's actually sad to see them like that...
The surviving troops number in the three hundred, which can't be housed in the village. They were tasked with building a temporary camp nearby, until more houses could be constructed for them - with their help, of course. This means that Aoranam's population will suddenly rise by three hundred percent of its previous number, and I'm sure there'll be difficulties involved. Good thing Rangi is staying behind to watch over everything.
The former slaves also have to help defend this place in case another army passes us by while we're on our way to the capital, and attacks here again. But I think they're happier with that prospect than serving as slaves in the kingdom and having to fight on battlefields they can't choose. The sentiment "die free rather than live in servitude" is growing strong among them, now that they get to taste freedom. Well, I share that sentiment, although I'd rather fight for freedom than die for it.
Really, I don't mind leaving straight away, but for Awhina and my children, this is the first time that they're seeing more of the world than what they can reach within half an hour's walk of their respective villages. It's certainly an event, especially for the former, to leave her parents behind to go on an uncertain quest - and to war.
"[Take care of yourself out there, you understand?]" I sit and drink with Tahiri as I overhear Ruiha talk to Awhina in the next room over. Rangi is with us right now, but I wonder if he shouldn't just join them. Seeing his expression, I understand that he has already resolved himself that his daughter is going to be leaving the nest and live her own life, so I keep quiet.
"[Don't you worry, Rangi. Your daughter is in good hands.]" Tahiri lifts her wooden bowl of Oripiaw in a toast. Why do I have a feeling she isn't referring to me with that?
"[I'm worried about you, Tahiri. What is the wind doing, being pulled along in the affairs of man?]" But he's not one to talk, being a god and fighting for humans. Then again, his case is different, since he did have his personal beef with them for destroying the statue dedicated to him. And he is the local patron god, so letting his people die would mean he'd lose their faith in his existence. I don't know if the gods in this place are like Japanese kami, who become powerless and disappear if they receive no faith.
"[The wind goes wherever it pleases. And this time, it is going with man.]" Responding casually, the God of Storm smiles in reassurance.
"[Is it really going with man? There is only one human among us.]" I bring this valid point to the conversation. We are six people, and among them, only Mereana is a human. "[One and a half, I guess.]" Since Awhina is a half-human.
"[You're right, haha.]" Lifting the bowl to my words, she takes a sip. "[And with someone calling himself the God King, it's a matter of the gods as much as it is of man.]"
"[I guess you're right.]" Downing the contents of his own bowl, Rangi responds with a resigned smile and sighs. "[May Pakangaroa bless your endeavors.]"
A few days later, we set off on our journey to Kairaki, to topple the God King and bring peace for the village. The former slave cavalry has given us seven horses, one for each and one more for carrying our luggage and rations. Awhina and Mereana are the only ones who have changes of clothes, since neither my children nor I wear actual clothes, and Tahiri just creates her own out of clouds - yes, the pure white version of Awhina's outfit she was wearing on our first encounter was also actually made from clouds.
This is my first time on a horse, though. I'm actually not looking forward to it, because I know animals generally don't like me because of what I am. They can instinctively feel that I'm not a being that should exist in this world, and they fear me. At least my first encounter with a Vularen on the Dark Continent showed that they won't eat me because they can tell that I'm most likely poisonous.
I could just transform into a dragon and fly all the way there while carrying the others on my back. And if I knew the way, I could just fly there with my two children and Tahiri in Chaos Warhead Mode. But Awhina and Mereana wouldn't be able to come along, especially since traveling inside me is not an option for humans, or even a demigoddess. At least I don't want to risk breaking their minds.
Thus, we're going the slow way, on horseback. I don't really mind either way, since I get to see more of the scenery of this foreign land. I'm sure Awhina, Uten and Saten can also appreciate that, as they've never left the vicinity of their villages. They jump on their horses fearlessly, despite the fact that it's also only their first time riding one. Of course, the twins immediately get thrown off theirs, as they buck under them and try to run away. Awhina's isn't showing any such ideas and behaves well.
I look at mine, who returns the gaze with a hint of fear and most likely disgust. Approaching it from the front, I keep eye contact and take hold of its reins. Horses are supposedly quite intelligent and can understand human words to a certain extent. So I speak to my ride in a whispering tone.
"[If you throw me off, I'll eat you.]" The horse freezes stiff and begins to shiver; apparently it understood, or at least noticed my threatening undertone. I put a hand on its head to calm it down, but it has the opposite effect, as the shivering becomes stronger. "[But carry me well and I'll give you a lot of treats.]"
With this, I swing myself into the saddle. And lo and behold, it doesn't buck. Good boy... or girl - I didn't pay much attention to that part.
"You need to assert your dominance, Uten, Saten." I call out to the twins who are fighting with their horses while trying not to hurt them. "Threaten to eat them, if you have to." They do hunt for themselves from time to time, but the idea of eating a horse never crossed their minds before.
"We can eat these beings?" It seems their mouths are actually watering at the prospect of tasting something they have never eaten before.
"Not yet. First they'll have to carry us to the capital. Afterwards, you can do what you want with them." I'm sure Mereana won't mind if they ate the horses, after we overthrow this so-called God King and free all slaves.
Following my advice, they whisper to their horses the same way I did, and apparently despite their small sizes, the animals show them just as much respect as mine did to me. Finally, everyone is sitting on their rides and we can depart.
"[I'll bring some souvenirs from this place called Kairaki, mama, papa!]" Awhina waves to her parents energetically, who are seeing us off alongside all the other villagers and former slaves. Somehow this feels like the start of a real adventure, unlike all the things I've had so far.
"[I promise to bring Awhina back safely.]" With these words directed at Rangi and Ruiha, I set off followed by Uten and Saten, who are waving triumphantly, as if our quest has already been achieved.
"[Keep the village save, Rangi. You know I like the brew here.]" Tahiri's casual farewells are met with laughter by the gathered people. She has her ways of lifting the mood in all situations, that's for sure.
Our small procession moves out and leaves the village behind.
??? Side
"[What an unsightly appearance, Felgar.]" Standing atop the yet to be closed mass grave of the fallen soldiers, a cloaked figure speaks with a female voice. She is clearly directing these words at the flamboyantly dressed man, who lies with a hole in his throat among the former slaves he commanded, half buried and no longer looking as colorful as he did before.
Pointing her staff at the corpse, she mutters some words in an arcane language. For a second, only silence reigns supreme in the surroundings, as seemingly all animal life has fled and is lying low. Then the pit spontaneously bursts out in flames as the bodies are burned to ashes in an instant.
Moments later, a rustling sound emerges from the pile of crumbling bodies. A hand with orange fingernails covered in ash stretches upwards and seems to grasp at the sky. The flamboyant god called Felgar comes back to life and gasps for air. Sitting up from the ashes, he looks around and spots the cloaked woman before him.
"[How long was I out?]" Asking her in an annoyed tone, he touches the place where the fatal wound used to be, knowing that no hints of it could possibly remain.
"[Two days.]" Stating curtly and in a matter of fact tone, the woman turns away from him. "[They have left the village and are on their way to Kairaki.]"
"[What are they trying to do?]" Surprised, Felgar asks as he stands up and the ashes clinging onto him are blown away in the breeze, leaving his naked body perfectly pristine, as if he had just stepped out of a bath.
"[Apparently they want to bring down His Majesty.]" Without looking at Felgar, she explains the situation. "[We cannot let that happen.]"
"[I know. I'll go back to Uarapo and meet them there.]" With these words, he bursts out into flames once again, and from within the fireball emerges a giant bird with a flaming comb and orange plumage. Its yellow wings and long tail feathers draw a trail of fire behind them as it takes off into the air. Truly, a phoenix rising from the ashes.
We're sitting in Rangi's home, shortly after the slave troops surrendered and laid down their arms. Outside, the newly armed villagers are keeping watch over the soldiers as they tend to their wounded and clear away their dead. For having lost their comrades, they seem strangely composed - or maybe saying that their sense of loss is dulled from years of witnessing the cruelties of slavery would be more appropriate.
"[So, tell me what this prophecy is about... umm.]" I finally ask when everybody settles down.
"[Mereana. I used to have a family name, but it was taken from me when I was little, and I have forgotten it since.]" Her accent sounds different from that of the envoy who came before. She must be from another part of the kingdom, where people are light-skinned, rather than from the capital. It's quite melodic and I feel like I could listen to it all day.
Uh-oh, Awhina is looking at me disapprovingly.
"[The Great Oracle, in the capital city Kairaki, foretold a long time ago that one day a foreign god would appear to free the slaves of this land.]" Mereana says and speaks in a mysterious tone. Foreign, huh? Well, I look nothing like the people in this village, but she's red-haired and blue-eyed herself, and she's from somewhere on this continent.
"[And what makes you think that I'm the one?]" I have an inherent distrust of prophecies; it would mean that the future is set in stone and that all my actions are meaningless, as I would be moving on invisible rails. That can't be true, so I refuse to believe it.
"[The prophecy has it that the foreign god has a complete disregard of social standings and abhors slavery.]" That sounds quite vague and a lot of people could have that trait. I'm certainly one of those, and I do abhor slavery. I saved my beloved Kamii from it, and wherever I see it, I punish it. "[She would appear in the form of a pale-skinned girl and come down on black wings, to save our kind from the oppression we endured for centuries.]"
Hm, pale white skin and black wings, huh? I know someone else who has that.
"Uten, Saten, transform into Hestia." I say without turning around to the two, who are sitting behind me.
"Understood." With a word of confirmation, without asking the reason, they do as they're told and stand up, their bodies changing shape and turning into two loli versions of Hestia. They learned how to shape clothes out of their bodies from me, so they don't need to wear anything, which in turn allowed them to change into a school uniform with a short skirt, much like how I looked when I first came here.
Unfortunately, there are more important matters right now, or I would have dragged them off for some fun time.
"[Huh? Wha-? H-huh?]" Mereana is shocked at the revelation and alternates her gaze between the twins and me.
"[What do you think of social hierarchies and slavery?]" I ask them.
"[Everybody is born free, so why should anyone stand above someone else?]" And I didn't even teach them that. It's the philosophy of these village people here, who revere Rangi as a god, but are more friends with him than subjects. He himself treats everyone like family, too. That obviously goes both ways to a certain extent, and these two didn't learn it any other way.
"[And that's why prophecies are bogus.]" I cross my arms and rest my case.
"[B-but you saved us from our overseer!]" Mereana is grasping at straws.
"[I killed him because he was the commander of the forces attacking this village.]" Reproducing a backrest from my own body, I lean back casually. "[And I was about to kill you, too, if you hadn't surrendered.]"
I think that hammered the last nail into the coffin. The woman's entire world view seems to collapse on the spot. Well, nothing as dramatic as that, since I'm sure there's more to her than just believing in a prophecy.
"[... then what will we do?]" She sounds crestfallen, and her expression shows that she doesn't know what to do next. "[If we return without our overseer and without having subjugated this village, there will only be death.]"
"[Then just don't return. Stay here.]" I state without asking Rangi for his opinion on this matter. He looks at me in resignation, knowing my selfish ways all too well. Tahiri laughs at the silent exchange between us and drinks a bowl of Oripiaw, the traditional alcohol of Ototawa village, brewed from a type of root.
"[But if we never return, they will send an even bigger force. You fought well against slaves, but the regular army is far more powerful than we are and there are many gods commanding it.]" Mereana speaks in desperation, from the point of view of somebody who has witnessed their might first hand. But she hasn't even seen the beginning of my powers, and Tahiri didn't join the fight this time around, either. I'm sure we could wipe out any human army with just the two of us, no matter the numbers.
And when it comes to gods, I'll just have to deal with it when the time comes. After all they can be as different as Tahiri is to the one I killed earlier.
"[Then how about this: We go to Kairaki and kill the God King.]" I put out this suggestion to everyone in the room, and I see Rangi looking at me funny.
"[You're the best, you know that?]" Tahiri pats my shoulder and laughs heartily.
"[W-what? You cannot be serious!]" Going pale at my suggestion, Mereana stares at me with wide open eyes. "[Nobody can stand against the God King!]"
"[And here you were, telling me that I'm the savior from your prophecy or something.]" Shrugging at her, I turn to Rangi. "[They will come again and again, unless we do something about their source. And what better way is there than to cut off the snake's head?]"
"[... I see. But I cannot leave this village.]" He says with a thoughtful expression. I assume it's because he's a local land god, who either loses his powers when he leaves the sphere of his influence, or because it would leave the village undefended. In either case, I never intended to ask him to come along, and would have just left on my own or with my two children.
"[Then I will go in your stead, papa.]" Awhina cuts in and grabs my arm in a pointed gesture. She doesn't want to leave my side, I suppose. Even though she has gained some insight into what I really am, she still feels the same way about me. That's commendable, but we'll see whether that lasts or not. In either case, I think Rangi and Tahiri are more than enough to defend this place.
"[Count me in on the fun.]" The woman in question subverts my expectations and expresses her wish to join us. Well, rather than wish, she just decided on it and I doubt anything will change her mind. "[Will you be fine alone, Rangi?]"
Oh, so she did put some thought into it. I was thinking that she just completely disregarded the safety of this village for her own enjoyment. Then again, she is the God of Storm, as fickle as the winds and as unpredictable as the weather.
"[Who do you think I am?]" With a wide grin, the land god beats his chest with one hand and leans forward, towering above the much smaller Tahiri.
"[We're coming as well, mama!]" Uten and Saten's responses were as expected. I mean, I would have dragged them along even if they actually didn't want to leave this place at all. I'm their mother, and a good mother keeps her children by her side until they're grown up. Hm, what does that make my mother, who sent her newborn children out into the wide world on their own, and let them face all kinds of perils alone?
"[I guess it's decided.]" I turn my attention to Mereana once again, who looks at a loss for words. All these people who must seem like they're going to throw away their lives on a whim have left her speechless. "[We'll need a guide, so if you would please.]"
"[... then at least let our troops come along. We may not be as strong as the regular army, but it is better than nothing.]" It seems she has accepted the fact that we're recklessly aiming for the capital.
"[No, they should remain here and help defend the village. They'll only get in the way with the way we fight.]" Mostly with how I fight, that is. Denying her suggestion without any hint of hesitation, I state the truth. If things turn into a melee, I won't have the coordination to differentiate between friend and foe, when I expand and swallow everything around me. And even if I don't do that, large-scale magic would cause a lot of collateral damage, too. When I only have to worry about a few people who can handle themselves in a fight, I can go all out. "[We need only one who can show us the way.]"
"[B-but-]"
"[You alone are enough.]" That's my final word on the matter and I turn away from her to speak to Ruiha, who has been silent all this time. "[Are you sure about letting your daughter come along?]" It's not like I want her to convince Awhina to remain, but her opinion should be respected in this matter. After all, it's not a pleasure trip - we're kinda going to war here.
"[It is her decision. She is old enough to decide the path she wants to take in life.]" Rangi responds in her stead. I knew he would approve of her daughter proving herself with strength, since he's quite the muscle-head himself. But I specifically asked Ruiha, who is just a normal human.
"[And what do you think, Ruiha?]"
"[... if that is her decision, as a mother, I can only wish her the best.]" She states after a pause and then shows a radiant smile. I can detect a hint of loneliness and fear in it, but it's such a strong expression that I can't say anymore. She's really a good mother, and I can feel a twinge in my figurative heart when it reminds me of the fact that my own is no longer...
"[Thank you, mama, papa.]" Bowing her head and putting her palm on her chest, she performs the traditional gesture of gratitude.
But of course, we couldn't just depart this quickly. The decision was announced to the villagers, who began to collect food to prepare a feast with which they would send us off. A messenger brought the news to the people of Ototawa, who expressed their wish to contribute. Therefore, our departure was delayed for a while.
In the meantime, the corpses had been cleared away and thrown into a mass grave in the forest to be burned later; there is no tradition of burying the dead among these people, and least of all among slaves. Even though they were serving together, they do not mourn for their dead, as they have witnessed too many people close to them dying to the point where it has become a chore. It's actually sad to see them like that...
The surviving troops number in the three hundred, which can't be housed in the village. They were tasked with building a temporary camp nearby, until more houses could be constructed for them - with their help, of course. This means that Aoranam's population will suddenly rise by three hundred percent of its previous number, and I'm sure there'll be difficulties involved. Good thing Rangi is staying behind to watch over everything.
The former slaves also have to help defend this place in case another army passes us by while we're on our way to the capital, and attacks here again. But I think they're happier with that prospect than serving as slaves in the kingdom and having to fight on battlefields they can't choose. The sentiment "die free rather than live in servitude" is growing strong among them, now that they get to taste freedom. Well, I share that sentiment, although I'd rather fight for freedom than die for it.
Really, I don't mind leaving straight away, but for Awhina and my children, this is the first time that they're seeing more of the world than what they can reach within half an hour's walk of their respective villages. It's certainly an event, especially for the former, to leave her parents behind to go on an uncertain quest - and to war.
"[Take care of yourself out there, you understand?]" I sit and drink with Tahiri as I overhear Ruiha talk to Awhina in the next room over. Rangi is with us right now, but I wonder if he shouldn't just join them. Seeing his expression, I understand that he has already resolved himself that his daughter is going to be leaving the nest and live her own life, so I keep quiet.
"[Don't you worry, Rangi. Your daughter is in good hands.]" Tahiri lifts her wooden bowl of Oripiaw in a toast. Why do I have a feeling she isn't referring to me with that?
"[I'm worried about you, Tahiri. What is the wind doing, being pulled along in the affairs of man?]" But he's not one to talk, being a god and fighting for humans. Then again, his case is different, since he did have his personal beef with them for destroying the statue dedicated to him. And he is the local patron god, so letting his people die would mean he'd lose their faith in his existence. I don't know if the gods in this place are like Japanese kami, who become powerless and disappear if they receive no faith.
"[The wind goes wherever it pleases. And this time, it is going with man.]" Responding casually, the God of Storm smiles in reassurance.
"[Is it really going with man? There is only one human among us.]" I bring this valid point to the conversation. We are six people, and among them, only Mereana is a human. "[One and a half, I guess.]" Since Awhina is a half-human.
"[You're right, haha.]" Lifting the bowl to my words, she takes a sip. "[And with someone calling himself the God King, it's a matter of the gods as much as it is of man.]"
"[I guess you're right.]" Downing the contents of his own bowl, Rangi responds with a resigned smile and sighs. "[May Pakangaroa bless your endeavors.]"
A few days later, we set off on our journey to Kairaki, to topple the God King and bring peace for the village. The former slave cavalry has given us seven horses, one for each and one more for carrying our luggage and rations. Awhina and Mereana are the only ones who have changes of clothes, since neither my children nor I wear actual clothes, and Tahiri just creates her own out of clouds - yes, the pure white version of Awhina's outfit she was wearing on our first encounter was also actually made from clouds.
This is my first time on a horse, though. I'm actually not looking forward to it, because I know animals generally don't like me because of what I am. They can instinctively feel that I'm not a being that should exist in this world, and they fear me. At least my first encounter with a Vularen on the Dark Continent showed that they won't eat me because they can tell that I'm most likely poisonous.
I could just transform into a dragon and fly all the way there while carrying the others on my back. And if I knew the way, I could just fly there with my two children and Tahiri in Chaos Warhead Mode. But Awhina and Mereana wouldn't be able to come along, especially since traveling inside me is not an option for humans, or even a demigoddess. At least I don't want to risk breaking their minds.
Thus, we're going the slow way, on horseback. I don't really mind either way, since I get to see more of the scenery of this foreign land. I'm sure Awhina, Uten and Saten can also appreciate that, as they've never left the vicinity of their villages. They jump on their horses fearlessly, despite the fact that it's also only their first time riding one. Of course, the twins immediately get thrown off theirs, as they buck under them and try to run away. Awhina's isn't showing any such ideas and behaves well.
I look at mine, who returns the gaze with a hint of fear and most likely disgust. Approaching it from the front, I keep eye contact and take hold of its reins. Horses are supposedly quite intelligent and can understand human words to a certain extent. So I speak to my ride in a whispering tone.
"[If you throw me off, I'll eat you.]" The horse freezes stiff and begins to shiver; apparently it understood, or at least noticed my threatening undertone. I put a hand on its head to calm it down, but it has the opposite effect, as the shivering becomes stronger. "[But carry me well and I'll give you a lot of treats.]"
With this, I swing myself into the saddle. And lo and behold, it doesn't buck. Good boy... or girl - I didn't pay much attention to that part.
"You need to assert your dominance, Uten, Saten." I call out to the twins who are fighting with their horses while trying not to hurt them. "Threaten to eat them, if you have to." They do hunt for themselves from time to time, but the idea of eating a horse never crossed their minds before.
"We can eat these beings?" It seems their mouths are actually watering at the prospect of tasting something they have never eaten before.
"Not yet. First they'll have to carry us to the capital. Afterwards, you can do what you want with them." I'm sure Mereana won't mind if they ate the horses, after we overthrow this so-called God King and free all slaves.
Following my advice, they whisper to their horses the same way I did, and apparently despite their small sizes, the animals show them just as much respect as mine did to me. Finally, everyone is sitting on their rides and we can depart.
"[I'll bring some souvenirs from this place called Kairaki, mama, papa!]" Awhina waves to her parents energetically, who are seeing us off alongside all the other villagers and former slaves. Somehow this feels like the start of a real adventure, unlike all the things I've had so far.
"[I promise to bring Awhina back safely.]" With these words directed at Rangi and Ruiha, I set off followed by Uten and Saten, who are waving triumphantly, as if our quest has already been achieved.
"[Keep the village save, Rangi. You know I like the brew here.]" Tahiri's casual farewells are met with laughter by the gathered people. She has her ways of lifting the mood in all situations, that's for sure.
Our small procession moves out and leaves the village behind.
??? Side
"[What an unsightly appearance, Felgar.]" Standing atop the yet to be closed mass grave of the fallen soldiers, a cloaked figure speaks with a female voice. She is clearly directing these words at the flamboyantly dressed man, who lies with a hole in his throat among the former slaves he commanded, half buried and no longer looking as colorful as he did before.
Pointing her staff at the corpse, she mutters some words in an arcane language. For a second, only silence reigns supreme in the surroundings, as seemingly all animal life has fled and is lying low. Then the pit spontaneously bursts out in flames as the bodies are burned to ashes in an instant.
Moments later, a rustling sound emerges from the pile of crumbling bodies. A hand with orange fingernails covered in ash stretches upwards and seems to grasp at the sky. The flamboyant god called Felgar comes back to life and gasps for air. Sitting up from the ashes, he looks around and spots the cloaked woman before him.
"[How long was I out?]" Asking her in an annoyed tone, he touches the place where the fatal wound used to be, knowing that no hints of it could possibly remain.
"[Two days.]" Stating curtly and in a matter of fact tone, the woman turns away from him. "[They have left the village and are on their way to Kairaki.]"
"[What are they trying to do?]" Surprised, Felgar asks as he stands up and the ashes clinging onto him are blown away in the breeze, leaving his naked body perfectly pristine, as if he had just stepped out of a bath.
"[Apparently they want to bring down His Majesty.]" Without looking at Felgar, she explains the situation. "[We cannot let that happen.]"
"[I know. I'll go back to Uarapo and meet them there.]" With these words, he bursts out into flames once again, and from within the fireball emerges a giant bird with a flaming comb and orange plumage. Its yellow wings and long tail feathers draw a trail of fire behind them as it takes off into the air. Truly, a phoenix rising from the ashes.
