Pivoting to fly north is something I need to prepare for in the future as the western wind catches my wings and almost makes me lose control. Flying along with the wind has been plenty easy, and the difference is quite noticeable today. It's also a good reminder to pay attention when I'm flying. I'd rather not have to explain why there's a giant Kira-sized crater from me getting knocked out of the air.

But I didn't leave a crater! I didn't even crash into the ground, and there isn't anyone around to laugh at my flailing. I'm gonna count that as good luck. I guess it's possible that Raya and Lauren might have been more occupied trying to hold on if they were here, so it might be a good thing they aren't. I wouldn't want them falling.

I'm back on course, though. And I have a vague idea of where I'm going, which is a great start. Oh crap! I need to make sure I haven't dropped anything. Coming to a halt, I do just that. Opening my pack proves to be quite easy since all I have to do is pull the leather straps free.

An oversight does become apparent as I hover here in the wind. I'm struggling to hold the flap open while looking into the pack, leaving the contents somewhat of a mystery. At least the sound of metal clashing is good news, so if I've dropped anything, I haven't dropped it all. I need to make sure. I can't just drop a small fortune and leave it behind. Again.

It's getting darker and smelling my way to any lost loot might be troublesome, given that the stuff I still have is giving off a strong smell already. Hold on, I haven't even searched my pack yet and I'm already assuming that I've lost things? Come on, Kira, you don't drop things THAT often.

I'll land and make sure. And once I know for sure that I have everything secured, I'll continue onward to Faran's place.

Letting the wind buffet my wings, I soar downward and settle on a lovely patch of gravel. The soft soil, along with the loose rocks, does not make for a great landing patch. And the rain hasn't helped at all, but I'm not falling. I am scooting a little, leaving claw marks across my landing pad.

But I didn't fall!

It's time to return my attention to my pack. Pulling the straps away from the latches comes easy with my fantastically dexterous tongue. I hope my saliva doesn't end up ruining the leather, but that might already be happening, given the rainy weather. Something to worry about later.

Holding the cover open with my chin doesn't do much to let me see inside, and I'd rather not spill everything onto the ground, leaving me in quite the predicament. I also can't use my tongue on account of the sharp implements. We might have a design flaw on our hands.

I have to try positioning my head so my eye aligns with the opening. By sliding my jaw along the cover, I seem to manage to keep the cover open until I can twist my head enough to see inside. After a few tries. But having a long, flexible neck is amazing! And there are wooden beams in the bag to add structural integrity! I hadn't even thought about that, but I like it. And from a quick glance, all the tools are accounted for, even the bucket. Foreman seems to have tied the tools to the wooden beams, and he did a good job of it, so I don't have anything to worry about.

With my cargo accounted for, I can continue with peace of mind! I'm gonna go ahead and make sure to close up my bag again before taking off, though. I'm not sure I can expect it to put up with the drag from flying. It doesn't take much effort, and I think I'm getting more used to manipulating things like that. And without breaking anything! Which means point to Kira! Heck yeah!

And with my bag latched, I can take off and head toward the land of bones and eldritch horrors! As I ascend, holding my pack tight with a claw, the view of the land becomes quite lovely. It looks peaceful without any significant light pollution. There are flickering lights dotted throughout the landscape, some more persistent than others, but none have the intensity I once knew. If I had to guess, most of the small lights are camps or farmhouses, and larger clusters of lights must be villages.

Regardless of who owns those lights, I'm enjoying some time for myself and not having a care in the world as I fly up here. It does bring up the question of just how big this world is and what weirdness waits out there. I hope it isn't something I can't handle, but even if it is, I'm confident that my friends and I can overcome it together. Especially after I incinerate the hell out of it. Dang unknown obstacle.

There's no reason to worry about that, though. The sight of the wall of bones is coming into view and the rain is softening and becoming little more than a drizzle. And I wanna hurry, so, with some more magic flowing into my wings, I speed up as the wind howls in my ears.

Faran's place is approaching fast, but I need to get to the other side of it and reach the balcony. Which I can do by flying in a wide circle. I can't even imagine how many people have had to die to build a freakin' wall and desert of bones, but it's a lot. I might have to ask about it. I'm kinda curious how all of those bones are sourced.

Back to my flight! As I fly over the wall, the balcony comes into sight and, aiming for it, I soar in for a landing. Being more prepared, I feel the shrinking magic take hold as flying becomes harder. It takes more and more magic to keep my course during my approach, but, with a little concentration, I manage to... get flung into the ceiling. How the heck did I lose control like that?! That didn't happen last time. At least nobody's here to see it.

Except for that tiny green dragon. And that large bowl of soup. And Faran. And the Shae. And a snake person. She looks incredible. A long, serpentine body coiled into a pyramid as she rests her upper body on her coils next to the green dragon. Her torso has an uncanny sense to it, as if something is missing, but I can't tell what. Her long, flowing hair reminds me of my own back when I was human, red and beautiful, but hers is longer. And her scales match it, red with darker rings, close to black. On top of that, she looks happy... she's definitely laughing at me...

I think I might be interrupting something. The gathering of unusual people is sitting around a table, each with a seat fitting them. Even the soup has a bowl perfect for its amount. And there's an empty seat suited for me, and I'll just go ahead and take a seat, so I don't cause any more disruptions. I don't remember seeing this seat here last time, but it's a wide bed with a cushion, perfect for a tiny dragon like me. The green dragon has one as well, but mine is red, and that's a better color than his brown cushion.

Looking back at the balcony, it becomes clear that I was sabotaged by my own pack of goods. The dang thing didn't shrink with me and screwed with my flying, and now it's lying in the entrance, and I don't think I can move it without ruining it. My tiny size would probably focus too much force on too small an area. I'm sure it's fine if I leave it there for now.

The green dragon's head is adorned with horns like mine, but he has an extra set. And his scales are almost shiny in the torchlight as it flickers around us. He almost looks like me, except for the coloration, and he doesn't have spines along his spine like I do. And his tail has spikes instead of a blade. That must be miserable. I can't even imagine how many pillows he must have ruined before he got that under control.

"This clumsy wyrmling is the one who killed Marfeenaron? Preposterous. He was far too great a hunter to succumb to a barely-hatched whelp."

The green dragon's eyes focus on me as he talks about someone I've never heard of before. I think that might be the Dean guy Merciferus mentioned. And I know just how to establish common ground!

"Hi! I'm Kira. And I'm susceptible to treats as well. I think it might be a dragon weakness, so I get what it's like to be tricked by the fine print when someone starts handing out delicious snacks."

"I WAS NOT TRICKED! My great kindness allowed a dying man the freedom of the skies! Taking payment for such a generous act does not defile the act itself!"

So that didn't work, but the snake lady found it funny and the soup is bubbling, which might be a win. Shifting a little, she approaches Dean and reaches out a hand to scratch the base of his horns. He seems conflicted between growling and purring, but I get it, I'd also be annoyed at having been tricked. The scritches look fantastic, though.

"Do not mind our Wyrm King, young Kira. He does not like his pride prodded, but he is not upset with you."

"Do mind me! I will not suffer such demeaning talk! I am named Deannon'Tathir, not Dean. This name was given to me by the greatest human to have ever lived, and you will not tarnish it!"

I really didn't mean to offend him, so an apology is definitely in order, and- Oh! I know! I can give him a gift! I have some right there in my pack!

Jumping down from my perch, I land on the floor and rush toward my pack. With my much smaller size, climbing inside isn't a problem at all. And neither is finding one of the handheld scythes. Or is it a sickle? Reaping hook? The name doesn't matter, it smells valuable, and I can offer it as a gift to soothe his hurt feelings. Foreman tightened them onto the wooden beam pretty well, though. They're tied down with ropes, but a little gnawing is quick to break through those.

With the sickle free, I can bite onto the handle and take it with me as I leave my pack. Spreading my wings and jumping takes me onto the table, and as I approach, his eyes flicker between the sickle and me. He seems interested, so that's good. Now I just need to actually apologize.

"I'm sorry for offending you. I didn't mean to be rude, and I hope you'll accept this as a token of my regret."

My impression is that he seems conflicted, but he isn't accepting my gift. The snake lady seems to take my side as she pokes the top of his head several times in rapid succession.

"Accept her apology or my nails will return to my side."

Ooh, that's harsh. A threat of fewer scritches is dire.

"I will not be manipulated into-"

Her hand disappears from his head, and she leans away from him, resulting in a momentary panic.

"I accept your gift and your apology, whelp. Do not let this transgression repeat itself! Now return your hand, Gabriella!"

With the return of the scritches, his purring continues, and he settles down and snuggles into his cushion.

"He may appear harsh, but he is not so quick to anger that you are in danger, young one. Had he been, he would have died long ago."

"I would not."

That sounds like he would, though. And it might be a good idea to temper my own anger at times. Which I'm already doing by trying to entice the common folk with my goblins' fantastic forged goods! I'm already ahead of schedule. Point to Kira! Heck yeah!

And now I have names for most people here, but that leaves the soup. It has a transparent green mass with bones and rocks floating throughout it. That's a whole skeleton of some animal in there. I wonder what that's about.

Nevertheless, the soup is the last person to be named here, so I can either wait until someone mentions it, or I can ask. But if I ask, I risk looking silly if it turns out not to be a person. But then why would it have a seat? It has to be a person.

I'll wait and return to my cushion instead. I'm sure a name will come up if I wait. Coiling up, I settle in and wait for their meeting to continue. I think I've interrupted them enough.

"Oh, you coil as the sun sets as well. A trait we share, young Kira."

Looking at Gabriella, she does indeed coil counterclockwise. And she has a wonderfully friendly smile. Once we finish rebuilding Tuiran, I might have to invite her for treats, she seems quite nice, and I wouldn't mind being friends with her at all.

"As interruptions settle, might we continue? Knowledge of divine movement must be shared so that we may track the Gods."

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Okay, immediate headache, geez. The sensation of something vast, far beyond anything I can imagine, pokes me in the brain and overwhelms me. How the heck does anyone put up with that?

Regardless of how uncomfortable I am with that voice projected into my mind, the meeting continues as Deannon'Tathir speaks up.

"Terragaraem remains dormant, yet Merciferus and Mairleark do not. Mairleark continues her fight against the Corruption, using whatever means she sees fit. She does not care for the accord, but does not seek to break it. Merciferus does not seem to share the restraint of her sister, having broken the accord numerous times. I cannot say what her goals are, as my brood has lost track of her."

"Oh! I have something to bring up! What's the deal with this accord business, and is it true that you want to destroy the pantheon, Faran?"

All I get is a nod, but that's confirmation that he does want to destroy the pantheon. It sounds clear-cut, but I'm not sure it is, which means more questions!

"So, hypothetically, if I convinced Merciferus to leave the Pantheon, would she still count as part of it, or would she be safe from the destruction?"

"Such a preposterous notion! Gods are far too prideful to admit to their wrongdoings and stand down. It binds them as much as their nature does."

Screw that. I know Merciferus better than that, and I'm sure she would consider ditching the pantheon, doubly so if we can convince some other gods to do the same. And extra so with all the lives on the line because of her blessing.

"I fear I must agree. For many ages, the pantheon has shown neither growth nor willingness to abandon its wicked ways."

"She is Fatebreaker."

I do not like this silence. Or that I'm the center of attention. Even the soup has risen out of its bowl to gloop at me. And since my first defense is retreating, I'm gonna retreat from this topic and turn back to Merciferus.

"I believe they can change. At least Merciferus can. She's hanging out in my town and having a good time. And she healed my wing after I got hurt even though she's not supposed to. She can be a bit mean with the punishments when I tell her off, but she's stopped doing that as well. So screw you people for calling her prideful! She's trying to do better!"

Crap... I may have gone too far... Much to the annoyance of Deannon'Tathir, Gabriella takes her hand back and rests her head on it as she stares at me with a sly smile and a raised eyebrow. But she isn't the first to speak up.

"You are fortunate to carry the blessing of the Abomination! Otherwise, I would consume you this very instant for your unruly behavior!"

Okay, yeah, I'd rather not be eaten. But I don't think I'm wrong. Merciferus deserves a chance to do better, and I got the impression from her story that Faran wouldn't struggle to kill the gods if he really wanted to. So something else is going on. Merciferus did mention that the gods were pillars to keep out the bad crap, but that doesn't feel like all it is. Faran doesn't say anything this time, but I get the distinct impression that I'm right about leaving the pantheon. So we just need to disband that thing. Easy peasy.

"Kaer Unra Tarikin, please do bring out our food. I find myself feeling quite peckish at the mention of eating."

A door along the wall opposite the balcony swings open and a bunch of scalefolk funnel out, carrying trays of food. They are quick to place plates and the like by each person attending the meeting. Even I get a few plates! A quarter of a dang boar, smelling delightfully spiced. There's also a delicious-smelling red orb on a smaller plate with an indent to stabilize it. It looks very tasty, so I'll start with that.

And I was right! This thing is very magical and has a fantastic flavor. I can't quite pinpoint what it tastes like, but I like it. I might have to ask for more so I can bring some home. Or at least pretend to, since I'm not delusional enough to believe I wouldn't eat them on the way. It was too dang tasty!

I hope the boar compares. Digging in proves that it doesn't, but it's still pretty dang good. Looking around, it looks like telling them to screw themselves has been forgotten in favor of deliciousness. Deannon'Tathir seems to be just as into munching as I am as he digs into his larger boar. The soup's dinner is dropped onto it and starts dissolving, but both the Shae and Gabriella are far more dignified than the rest of us. An arrangement of plates is presented to them along with utensils.

Looking at Gabriella, it becomes clearer what's so odd about her. Her torso doesn't breathe. And she only chews a couple of times before swallowing, which is nowhere near the amount of chewing an actual human is supposed to do. I think she has noticed my staring and now she's smiling at me. I don't know what she's up to, but she reaches over and grabs hold of one of the legs on Deannon'Tathir's boar before casting a spell of some sort, separating it from the carcass.

Holding up the leg, she opens her mouth. A lot. And swallows the dang thing. Okay, more snake than human, I think. Watching the boar's leg travel through her human torso to settle in her snake half is weird, and her ribs should get in the way. My guess is that either she has elastic cartilage or her ribs don't connect.

"Do not steal my food!"

The grumpy dragon did not like that, but I understand how he feels. Having food stolen is the worst. And in retaliation, he jumps onto the table and steals a few vegetables from her plate before returning to his cushion with a satisfied burp.

"I do prefer to hold onto my lost humanity, but a demonstration for the amusement of others is in order on a rare occasion. I do find myself quite curious why you're here, Kira. Not that I would disallow your presence."

It's a fair thing to be curious about, and while I'm thinking about it, she picks up a small beet and holds it over Deannon'Tathir's head. He's quick to notice and grabs it, chewing a few times before swallowing. He seems to quite like beets, too. Perhaps he isn't so bad. Back to the curiosity, though!

"I came to ask Faran about this shrinking magic. I would like to have the ability to shrink down back in Tuiran, my town. It's all well and good being a protector, but being so big makes me feel distant from people. I can't visit them in their houses, or walk through the streets on foodstall day. But if I were smaller, I could participate in so many more things."

"You do not have the capacity to maintain the spell."

Oh, well, that's a disappointment.

"Does she have the capacity to maintain it at a lower intensity?"

That's a good question! Point to Gabriella! Heck yeah!

"Yes. But it must be earned. She will have the spell, and she will bring me the Champion of Terragaraem."

That sounds risky as hell. Lauren's magic can knock me into buildings, so what can this other champion do? And I don't have the benefit of them liking me. Yeah, definitely risky. Time to be smart.

"How dangerous is the champion for me, and what are you gonna do with them? I don't want to kidnap someone if they're gonna be tortured or something like that. Either kill 'em or leave 'em alone. And if I do it, how long do I have to wait for the spell to be prepared?"

"The Champion of Terragaraem is brutal and quick to anger, but she is not unreasonable. You may have to prove yourself to her to earn her grace, but I trust that shan't be a problem for you, Kira. You will find her defending the Gates of Life in the deserts of the south. I believe she has attained the rank of Commander of the Fort."

That's a lot more faith in me than I think it warrants. I have not had the best track record with strange people, and this one sounds very strange. Not much has been said to make her sound strange, but that's the vibe I'm getting. And commander? That makes it worse! How notorious am I gonna be for kidnapping someone in a leadership role?

Pull yourself together, Kira. I can't worry about all the things that might be problematic. I want that shrinking magic, and now I have a clear path to get it. That's clear progress! I do have one more question that could make this whole thing easier.

"Does anyone have a map? I have no idea where the desert of the south is."

"It barriers the vast waters surrounding our lands, you may simply follow the western coasts, and you will happen upon the desert. Within, you may find the tainted dead, and should you so choose, I would offer my gratitude if you would end the suffering of those you see."

"You don't like undead folks?"

"I do not mind undead if they chose such a fate by their own hand. Those of the desert were soldiers raised against their will. They fought for life and have become bound in death. I cannot hide that I am disgusted by the fates twisted by the monster residing within the desert. Yet, you have the power to unleash them. Both the light of the Gods and Dragonflame shatter the chains that bind their souls to this world. Many things are capable of such a feat, but few are as capable of widespread destruction as Dragons."

"Watch yourself, Gabriella! We are not things, we are majestic creatures, incarnations of magic itself. Do not test our patience!"

"Does this majestic creature wish for me to wipe his face?"

His face is covered in blood and chunks of meat, so it's a generous offer and he should take it. With a growl from him, she does just that and wipes away most of the gore. I find myself quite surprised as the freakin' soup attacks my own face! What the heck?! The dang thing covers my entire head and most of my neck and starts bubbling. It doesn't hurt, but it feels very odd and no matter how much I struggle, the dang thing has a vice grip on me and won't let me go.

Moments later, it retreats back to its bowl, leaving me quite flabbergasted. What the hell was that?! I didn't feel any hostility, but it definitely gets a puff of smoke, that's for sure.

"How did you do that? Tell me, whelp!"

"Like this."

Instead of explaining, I just do it again. This time aiming at Gabriella, earning me a chuckle as she swipes at the plume of smoke. With an expression of deep concentration, Deannon'Tathir releases a soft bellow of flame, but it doesn't have much smoke. His second attempt shifts the balance, having mostly smoke, and by the third time, he's managed to pull it off. That's some dang fast learning, geez.

"I have mastered your trickery!"

"But can you do this?"

Focusing my flames into mostly heat, I create a small but intense fire spewing from my lips. A classic flame for cutting! I can't do it for long, so I lean down and aim it at the table to show how it reacts to hitting something. Looking over, Dean looks enraptured by my shenanigans.

The room soon begins to smell like burnt flesh as he releases his flame on the last remains of his boar. But he seems to be struggling more with this trick. He's on the right path, but I don't think he knows what he's trying to do specifically. I have the benefit of knowing about flame cutting and oxygen's interaction in the process.

"You have to breathe through your nose and use concentrated magic as the fuel while exhaling through your mouth. It's a little difficult, but I believe in you. And be careful, it can get quite hot for your lips. I certainly needed help to keep cool."

This time, I don't get a glare. The little green dragon just keeps concentrating and getting better at it. His bright white flames become more and more concentrated until they become nearly invisible when I'm focusing on my non-magical sight.

He's a very quick learner, geez. I don't think I could see it once or twice and then just learn something like that. Although I think I did. It didn't take long for me to learn how to make a cutting flame, and the smoke plume came naturally.

While he tries to figure it out, I'm gonna have some... Where the heck did my boar go?!

"Did you steal my boar, Soup?!"

I swear the bubbling I get as a response is mocking... Can't even trust a soup nowadays, geez. I'll eat all the soups in Tuiran in retaliation for this tragedy. That'll show soupkind not to mess with me. In fact, I'll declare chowders and bisques my enemies as well. We need to get some shellfish to make bisques first, but then I'll eat them all!

The dang rascal is holding up a femur and waving it at me. The insult is obvious, and Soup is definitely getting another plume of smoke. And a third one, but not from me. Deannon'Tathir has joined my assault against the vicious soup as we join forces to bombard the evil monster.

Our relentless assault soon meets its end as the monster surrenders. Well, that and Gabriella is telling us to stop because the room is filling with smoke and it's becoming a bit much for her. I like her, so complying with her request makes sense.

"I so often forget that, though you are ancient, you retain your childlike behavior should the opportunity arise."

"I do not! I simply lent my assistance to a fellow dragon in need! Stolen food is a serious offense that must not be ignored! And it is the duty of elders to stand by the young whelps, unruly as they may be, and watch them grow and bring new thoughts into this world."

Now that I can agree with. The food part, not me being unruly. I'm very well-behaved. I'm also doing a fantastic job of growing. Thinking of growing, I wonder how big the little green dragon actually is. We're about the same size with the shrinking magic, but that doesn't mean we will be without shrinkage. Who knows, maybe shrinkage affects him more than it does me.

"Of course. How could I have been so foolish as to think otherwise, oh great and powerful Karthemar?"

Dean lets out a small growl in reply and returns to the scorched bits left of his boar.

I do have things to worry about, such as potential deadlines and kidnapping champions.

"So this kidnapping you want me to do, Faran, does it have a deadline? Or can I do it whenever? And where's the shadow man? I haven't seen him around."

"Depart from here and complete your task."

Yep, still getting a headache from him talking. On the other claw, the Shae has been weirdly quiet, but has chosen to chip in now. And with good news!

"Vidar has been recovering. Returning to life has been unsettling, but he is doing well. I believe he is helping our town prepare for our Festival of Salvation."

That sounds fun. I know that once a year, scalefolk in my old world would watch a play and have good food together, but it was a private affair. So I didn't have much opportunity to learn about it, unfortunately. And they did not like writing books about it, so I couldn't even study in my own time. But now I have scales, so maybe they'll overlook me not being scalefolk and then I can attend their festivities!

"Can I come to see the festival? It sounds fun. Does it have a play?"

"It does, yes. I'm told the performance this cycle will honor the true events of our salvation and the confrontation leading to our freedom. I believe you would find it quite enjoyable to witness, though should you wish to attend, you must share seating with Deannon'Tathir. It should not become a problem, but we do not have the land around the theater to create two roosts without displacing many others."

That seems fair, and it does allow me to find out just how big he is. I will need some more information first, though.

"Do I have time to go grab this champion, visit Arrenfret to convince the locals that I'm not a threat, and then return here before the festival starts?"

"I believe so. We do not rush our affairs, though you may have to if your intent is to travel such a distance."

So I can make it, but having a date to follow would be nice. Nevertheless, I wanna see this festival, so I have to get going! Jumping from my perch, I run to my pack and realize that I don't have a plan for how to put it on or drag it outside without ruining it.

"Allow me."

Freakin' sneaky snake lady! I didn't even notice she'd snuck up on me. But she appears to be quite strong as she grabs the shoulder straps and pulls my pack to the edge of the balcony. Holding up the leather, she uses her tail to grab me and place me on top of the pack, so my arms align with the hoops. Not sure where we go from here. Okay, she threw me off the balcony. That's a little rude and freakin' warn me first!

With the ground coming at me in a quite intimidating manner, the shrinking magic wears off and the pack settles onto me. Not quite comfortably, but I can land and correct that. My wings catch the air and I begin to soar before slowing down to rest on the ground.

A little shake and an adjustment, and I'm ready to go! Next stop: some desert in the south with a fort and a bunch of undead!

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