Scheduled Report of Mura Unra Turgai.
The meeting had been spontaneous and unpredictable, though certain things were very much within the expected results, such as the True Blessed displaying her tremendous and fearsome powers.
As the Great Dragon, known by the misnomer of Black Dragon of Death, soared across the sky, alarms were sounded as streets became soaked in panic. Though Ayra had warned of this eventuality, few had listened, yet he stood prepared, demanding that we stay at the ready to ride out when she showed. His resolve was adamant as he refused to consider it an eventuality rather than the reality it was.
This scaled one is proud to say that I acted swiftly in service of my group’s leader, wrangling the council members demanding to join any peace talks. The council group had been created as six members, three elected and three inherited. The ideas and notions of the faction grow quick among the inherited, as their positions remain secure, but stagnant, temptations of power bloom into sacrilegious weeds.
Our meeting with the Great Dragon had been, in large part, uneventful, though to say it was wholly so would be a blasphemous lie. The powers of the True Blessed were shown, though the term appears to be lacking, as she stands above her predecessors, being both the Champion of a God as well as one of the Dragonforged. My scales itch to know what lies in her future.
This scaled one has yet to determine how she succeeded in undergoing the Dragonforging process, as the divine magics should not allow for such mutations. The little one, Raya, is far more understandable, as she, being a goblin, does not have the magical fortitude to withstand the cruel and twisting powers of a Dragon’s unleashed force.
Raya the Dragonforged, or Dragonbringer, as she calls herself, has taken to the Dragonforging with tremendous excitement, allowing the process to overwhelm her biology rather than fighting it or standing in its way. This scaled one has doubts about whether victory would be possible in a confrontation. By Lord Faran’s generosity, no such confrontation will be necessary.
To avoid delving too far into subjects immaterial to the current topic, my pen returns to that of the True Blessed. As Raya the Dragonbringer does, the True Blessed calls on the Great Dragon’s might with no more difficulty than I would experience drawing water from a river. This scaled one has never heard of such a thing, as even the Dragonforged of old described the struggles of wresting power from the Great Dragons that they served.
Our initial meeting remained uneventful, though to demonstrate the tainted nature of the poisonous potions, I brought my brightsteel rod, having retrieved it from our meeting prior. As per my last message, the brightsteel had been purged of the taint by some yet-unknown mechanism.
With it, I prepared the demonstration with the assistance of the Great Dragon. As expected, when the potion’s content connected with the enriched brightsteel, the Affront emerged with enthusiasm, grasping for the skies as it found freedom. Most of the council present were enraptured by the display, though one remained unconcerned, drawing my suspicion.
Though such suspicions were shelved for a more opportune time as the Great Dragon put forth a suggestion of tremendous intrigue. To have the True Blessed cast her Divine healing twisted by the primordial Dragon magic unto the branch of the Affront.
This scaled one had never conceived of such an idea, as it is common knowledge among the followers of Lord Faran that the Divine cannot truly banish the Affront, as it is anathema to their very existence. Conjured as it is from the Nothing beyond the in-between, it consumes and destroys, leaving only the empty in its wake.
With quick preparations, the True Blessed called upon the Great Dragon’s magic and was soon waylaid by the expected properties of Dragonscale resisting the formation and impact of magic. Though such an obstacle will not deter her companion, Raya the Dragonbringer. The Dragonforged goblin showed her mettle, uncovering and explaining the difficulties experienced by the True Blessed.
Not one to be deterred, the True Blessed worked her divine magic, twisting it with that of the Great Dragon. This scaled one is not so proud as to refuse to admit that my tail could not be contained as excitement overwhelmed my senses. It worked. The spell combining the divine and the primordial managed to undo the Affront, though it was a slow process, channeling magic on a scale that would burn the core veins of even a skilled magic practitioner.
A secondary discovery was revealed prior to the revelation of a weapon against the Affront, as the True Blessed struggled to channel her magic. It would seem, as per Raya’s observations, that their new Dragonscale armor, which bears a familiar signature, has the capacity to consume magic to strengthen itself. Any who would dare oppose the Dragonforged of Kira the Great Dragon’s court would have to be cursed with minds so feeble the very Hells beneath would pity them.
It has not been known to this scaled one that a Great Dragon might have such a strong affinity for gluttony that her very being becomes infused with it, though this appears to be the case as even the parted scales exhibit this trait. There’s no doubt in my mind that the alchemists of the Lands Beyond Death would trade their fortunes to work with such a unique specimen.
Returning to the topic of the Affront, the brightsteel I recovered warrants mention as it was without the branch of the Affront when we left it. It remains unknown what occurred to disentangle the two materials. It would be unlikely that the magic of the True Blessed was at work, given how inexperienced she is with the reality of her mixed nature.
In her experimentation, Raya the Dragonbringer wrought a bolt of fire, letting it loose on the branch of the Affront, yielding little results aside from knocking over the rod of brightsteel. Though that result should not be discounted, as it shows tangible force exerted on the Affront.
As these events unfolded, this scaled one remained unsure of how to proceed, peaceful negotiations hadn’t even come up as the Great Dragon and her allies were quick to disregard any attempts by the council to draw her attention. Their efforts were repaid with turned heads and disrespect as their status has no more meaning to a Great Dragon than the color of a prey’s fur might have to a Terrasaurid’s hunger.
This scaled one cannot deny the satisfaction in watching the politically inclined stumble over which course of action to take in order to draw the attention of a clearly disinterested Great Dragon. The fear of offense was palpable as they were caught between waiting their turn or risking the ire of a creature capable of bringing down everything they hold dear.
It was this fear I suspected was masking the scent of the corruption, as the faction remained alive at the time. It would be unlikely that even one as well-versed in scenting others as Kira the Great Dragon seemed to be.
In a moment of clarity, Raya the Dragonbringer addresses the council, though they appeared to puff out their chests as the northern Sokofoan frog might, they were soon deflated as Raya proved to be a forceful and threatening negotiator. Rather than letting it be a true negotiation, she levied the might of not one, but multiple Dragons in an obvious ruse to browbeat the prideful buffoons.
Raya the Dragonbringer managing to yield a fifteen percent payment for use of the forest was a surprise liable to cause my premature molting, though that endurance was tested in short order as it was revealed that she had no notion of that which they were negotiating.
As the gathering began to disperse, curiosity nodded its ferocious head, and I could not stop myself from weaving calming spells onto the council members, dissipating their fear and allowing the Great Dragon to scent them properly.
As expected, she was quick to separate the two prominent faction members from the rest of the council, though the involvement of shadow magic caught us by surprise. It should not have been in the realm of possibilities for a common mage such as he, and yet he managed to bind a Dragon. Although shadow magic of that calibre should be capable of binding a Dragon, Kira managed to push through it by sheer force of will, such is her calm fury when faced with an offending party.
As the short-lived exchange ended, it was not the Great Dragon delivering the killing blow, but the True Blessed. With a simple touch and her spell, she purged the revealed-to-be cultist, reducing him to no more than a pile of smoldering ash.
During the distraction, Raya the Dragonbringer slipped away on quiet feet to pursue the second cultist as he attempted to make his escape. The events of their engagement leave little to the imagination as Raya returned with only his head, commenting on the inconvenience of bringing more than that. A grim task left for us remains, as the corpse needs to be inoculated against the corruption.
Grim as it may be, it affords me an excellent opportunity to study the variations brought on by the Affront, and it is my hope that we may uncover their power source and strike at their heart.
I have taken the opportunity to recreate the head of the second cultist in your image to guide them to you, so that they may seek your guidance. It is my opinion that Kira the Great Dragon and you have plenty in common, as you both share a deep bond with those you let in, while holding a callous disregard for life outside of your mind fortress.
As per usual, I leave this as the final note of my letter, and my request is that you greet them as one would greet a long-lost friend.
This concludes the report of Mura Unra Turgai, High Necrophage of Lord Faran. 319th year of Salvation, first cycle of the fourth quarter, day seven.
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“What are you writing? I can’t read it, it’s so small and in a language I don’t know.”
“Though it has been difficult to do so, I am writing my report, which will be sent to my home, so that they may know what I have been doing, Great Dragon.”
Drawing on the lingering power of the dead around us, it takes little effort for one such as I to cast a transference spell to deliver my letter. It isn’t enough to divert attention from my being, though, and gazing up at the large draconic head above me, a mild sense of worry worms its way into my mind.
The Great Dragon appears to be observing me with an ever-so-slight tint of orange in her eyes, one of the colors we were warned about. With a gentle but forceful push against my body, the Great Dragon makes it known that I have made a mistake, although it is a gesture I find myself growing increasingly fond of.
“My name is Kira, not… My name is not Great Dragon, it’s Kira.”
“Very well, Kira. I apologize for my lack of consideration.”
As I bow to her during my apology, it becomes clear that she is quite pleased with my acceptance of her declaration. Although it isn’t unusual for powerful creatures to demand the usage of a certain name or moniker, it tends to be to demand more than they are or to emphasize an aspect of their power.
“How did you make an umbrella for the rain? Can you teach Raya? She’s great at spells, so she won’t take long to learn it.”
Admittedly, I have my reservations when it comes to Kira’s descriptions of her allies. While Raya most certainly succeeded in her negotiations, I suspect the looming threat of the Dragon glaring at the council members from above bore the brunt of responsibility. A fascinating notion is that her tendencies to reinforce her allies are downplayed within her own perception of reality.
That hypothesis won’t stand in my way as I beckon over Raya, and with no regard for the summons of a Dragon, the goblin takes short steps and makes no effort to show that what we want has any impact on her day.
“What’s going on?”
“Turgai is gonna teach you to create a bubble of windy air to push away the rain!”
To think she deciphered the spell’s workings with such speed. Most novices struggle to realize that it is far easier to create a circling wind that redirects all but the most determined raindrops. Yet she correctly surmised the nature of the spell in moments.
“Sure, when can I learn it?”
“I fear it is a spell that requires some knowledge of aeromancy, though I find myself curious about how well you take to learning spells. We will simply begin with a basic mage wind.”
As our interaction evolves from mere acquaintances to student-teacher, I find myself longing for the days of teaching the young back home. This promises to be an experience for me to cherish in the future.
As we begin, my instructions focus on the basics of weaving magic, as those are not necessary for creating fire bolts, for which she has an affinity.
“I already know how to do that. Kanen taught me how to use mage sight, so I can see the magic in everything. And Jarna taught me how to strengthen myself with magic.”
“By ‘seeing magic in everything,’ do you refer to the magic in people?”
“No, everything, dummy. Trees, grass, wind, whatever.”
What she is describing is not mage sight, but the similarities between it and what Deannon’Tathir, Emerald Dragon of Haven, described as what he saw. The absurdities of this group continue as Raya reveals that she possesses Dragon Sight, and I cannot wait to see which ways the world will be left changed by their travels.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
“Very well, what you describe is not the sight of mages, but that of Dragons. It seems your progression into the realms of Dragons is further along than your bodily changes belie. That is not a concern for today, though I suspect you have felt certain changes to your disposition. For those, I can promise you that they will become subdued as your new form matures.”
Heightened aggression comes as an early experience for those undergoing the Dragonforging process, though more severe symptoms will be experienced. A secondary attribute one might acquire is a change in what one might consider consumable.
There will be additional effects of the metamorphosis to come, among them superior infusion magics to empower weaponry. Though that necessitates equipment powerful enough to handle it. There is no doubt in this scaled one’s mind that Raya will become a truly fearsome watcher of the world, though how prepared for such a life can a short-lived race be?
We must pray that she does not succumb to the immortality madness that has driven the Undead King to become what he now is.
There is growing disapproval of this scaled one being locked in thought as the push of Kira’s muzzle is felt. It is time to teach Raya more magic. As she has already learned the basics of weaving to a sufficient degree, the next mark to cover is shaping the magic into the desired form and asking it to perform as we wish.
“Raya, drawing on your weave and stretching the strings, your next mark to scratch is to create an elongated weave. The strings must remain tight, but loose enough to move. As the wind does, it must stretch, bob, and weave. It must be firm and malleable. It has to make way for obstacles to reach its goal, yet be unyielding to that which attempts to stand in its way.”
With my slitted eyes locked onto the weave she creates, it becomes most obvious that she is not doing as I instructed. It is unclear what she is weaving, though it looks stable and should hold. She is weaving far faster than a goblin should be capable of doing, bringing a spike of envy to my heart as I have never worked with Primordial Magic. The Dragonbringer radiates power as she continues her work.
“Done!”
With a declaration of success, she unleashes the weave in a wave of flame, guiding it by her hand as she creates an encirclement surrounding herself, forcing others to step back. It is unlike any spell this scaled one has observed before. It is not a firewall; it is not a fire shield; and it is not a flame infusion, yet it appears to bear the functionality of all three.
Such fearsome power rests in the realm of ignorance and talent. If she were to dedicate her life to magecraft, there is no doubt in my mind that we would see a new golden age of spellcrafting.
“Good job, Raya! But that isn’t really wind, so are you sure you did it properly?”
“Fire is better, and it keeps the rain away, so it works. Don’t question it, Kira.”
As she says, the rain is kept away as it becomes steam the moment it impacts the fiery barrier. It is likely that her arms will be hit by fatigue before the journey’s end as the barrier moves in relation to her hands.
Though pointing out such absurdity does little to shake the Dragonforged goblin’s confidence as she declares the matter as simple as rearranging the points of binding, so that she may keep the barrier while resting her arms. Should she manage that, she will have done something no mage before her has done: create a true defensive barrier without using support magic.
She attempts to do so as the goading of Kira antagonizes her through prodding and taunting questions.
“So when are you gonna do it, Raya? It’s easy, right? Just change the position of your flame shield and have it be in front of you, easy peasy. I believe in you, and I’m sure you’ll master it by next year.”
With a deft hand, Raya reveals yet another property of her barrier as she readies the reanimated guidance skull, throwing it at Kira. The skull itself becomes infused with flame as it passes through the barrier, though the potency remains unknown.
“Ouch! Dang it, Raya, that was right in the sensitive spot! Stop having such good aim!”
“Raya, it would be prudent not to throw away the beings necessary for your group to complete their goals. Though I would recommend trying to create a wall of wind as I instructed, fire could become detrimental under certain conditions.”
“I didn’t mean to make it fire… It just came out like that.”
How curious indeed. The elemental attribute of a spell should not be able to go against the caster’s wishes, except in the case of wild magic. I cannot instruct her in the ways of that chaotic mess. Instead, I will merely let her know that she may let the Shae know of the spell and let slip my name, so that the Shae may find an instructor for the gifted little being.
What fascinating things may be uncovered about the wild magics if that is indeed Raya’s true affinity.
“Is my magic broken?”
“No. Magic cannot truly be broken, it is a foundational part of our Reality. It either is there or it is not. Your affinity is simply undetermined as of yet, a matter which will be resolved in the days to come.”
“Yeah, Raya! You just need to find what you’re extra good at, since you’re good at so many things! Just like Joras is extra good at raising his eyebrow, Lily is extra good at cooking, I’m extra good at being awesome, and Lauren is extra good at yelling at dragons! Everyone is extra good at something, it can just be hard to find out what sometimes.”
There is clear indignation in the eyes of the True Blessed. I suspect she finds herself in a conflicting circumstance of wanting to make her feelings clear and not wanting to prove Kira’s depiction of her talents correct.
Though the notion that one might be ‘extra good’ at yelling at Dragons is a fascinating one. This scaled one is overcome by an itching curiosity to learn more about what brought that descriptor to the forefront of Kira’s mind.
“I will smack you if you ask, Turgai.”
“It was not my intention to pry, Blessed One. The past of another is to be shared with friends and the trusted, not with strangers met on a field of diplomacy.”
It is not a lie to say that my scales grow a little paler in the presence of a Dragonforged True Blessed, and I fear the power she might come to wield. Though the lack of instructions from Lord Faran to capture or subdue her implies that he and the Pantheon hold an agreement regarding her coming growth.
Night approaches, and we must be going soon. Signaling for Ayra, he makes quick work of readying our people for the trek back to the Fortress City of Margwen.
“Do keep that skull close, Raya. It has the potential to guide you to where you need to be.”
“Oh! Like the Shadow Man! That’s so cool, Raya. You got your very own handheld Shadow Man!”
What a tumultuous world it must be to live in the presence of Kira, who so casually throws out unstable magic spheres to shake up the conversation…
“I am unfamiliar with anyone by that moniker, though the nature of shadow manipulation would fall well within the gifts bestowed by Lord Faran. Might I have a description of this ‘Shadow Man''?"
“He’s shadowy, big, and has this bony skull as a face. I think it’s an elk, but I’m not sure. I’ve seen a few creatures I’m not familiar with, so maybe it’s something else, but I couldn’t tell you. In fact, it probably is something else, we should go find something that matches so we can figure out what it is. I’m sure it will be a delicious way to spend the day, so maybe that’s what we should do. No wait, we should head to the Lands Beyond Death first, I wanna see what’s going on there. I’ve never been there, you know.”
Sifting through the torrent of information unleashed by Kira tests my sensibilities. It appears the comfort of familiarity has grown, allowing a more casual demeanor between us. With it, the difficulty of deciphering her peculiarities grows ever more cumbersome.
To buy a moment for my mind to catch up, a thrown piece of smoked meat will suffice. The importance of angle and height when throwing food to the Great Dragon remains fresh in my mind, as deviation and distraction could conceivably result in bodily harm for any who may be standing in her path.
The mention of a Shadow Man does spark interest, as suspicions rise about who it may be. The disembodied souls of vengeful warriors could appear as a shadow creature in their unlife, should their soul become unable to move on to the next world.
That is a topic for which I must ask Lord Faran for guidance. But it is not a situation for which I am without tools.
“It is possible that I may summon this Shadow Man, although I require materials of great power to perform the ritual. If it is a thing to which you consent, I may shed some light on who this being is.”
“Will it hurt him? I don’t want to do it if it hurts him, he hasn’t done anything other than being nice to me and helping me out.”
“It will cause no harm, though it may result in some confusion as he adjusts to being corporeal once more.”
“Oh! That means we can talk to him, right? And maybe touch him, he deserves nudges for having been so kind. The first time I met him, I was lost and he gave me directions. If it wasn’t for him, I’m not sure where I’d be, but I would be lost for sure.”
As approval has been given, the preparations must be completed. As the first objective, a circle of power must be drawn in the blood of the caller and marked by the essence of the summoner. With a simple gesture of my hand, Kira the Great Dragon holds out her arm for me to draw from. With a quick reminder, she lowers it so that I may reach it.
Conjuring an open container for the powerful material that is Dragon’s Blood, it fills with ease as our preparations progress. The drawing of a circle comes without much difficulty as a Dragon of her size has an abundance of blood, though considering the state of the terrain, some preparations are necessary. A simple groove in the soaked surface will suffice.
It takes but a moment of pouring to have the casting circle completed, the rain is liable to cause mild disturbances within the ritual, though that can be overcome through casting. Another moment is to be spent pondering how little difficulty it proved to be to gain access to her blood, which warrants warnings.
“Kira, it is important that you heed my warning going forward. Do not so casually give access to your blood. There is power in consent, and blood taken holds less power than blood given.”
“Are you gonna abuse it?”
“To abuse such a gesture would be to forsake the teachings of Lord Faran, a thing that I could never do.”
As my words leave my mouth, she responds with a gesture of her own making, as her muzzle impacts my chest, accompanied by a gentle purr. It is not a gesture with which I am familiar, but there is kindness to it, as such, that is the way it will be interpreted until proven incorrect. I had initially assumed it was a misjudging of distance, but the continued use of the gesture makes the intentional nature clear.
With a warning given, the task at hand calls for attention once more. The time has come to add to it the essence of the summoner. A simple matter of carving the flesh of my arm and adding it to the ritual. A wound will be left, but flesh stitching solves that issue with ease.
With a thin slice of my scaled flesh and a drawn dagger, etchings must be added to give the essence purpose. To that end, it calls for the sigil of location, a simple rounded square with a corner directed toward a place of home. With a location settled, a call to the summoned comes next, an animal depicting the hunt will suffice, no doubt enticing the Shadow Man by appealing to his soul’s wants.
As a final touch, a binding mark to keep him from dissipating. For this, a depiction of loose manacles will do the job. It wouldn’t do to bind him with firm shackles, as he will be using this scaled one’s body as his vessel for the ritual.
With the essence completed and placed in the ritual circle, the final step is to bind the two together, for which we must use the power of the land.
“Lady Raya, First of the Great Dragon’s Court, I believe you carry a plethora of local plants, might you have a Golden Touch and a Tiara of the Heavens?”
As the questioning gaze of the goblin runt turned powerful warrior meets my eyes, doubts about my terminology enter my mind. Suspicions of lacking familiarity with the plant names strike me, as explanations of their appearances come forth.
“The Golden Touch appears in bloom as a bright yellow flower, spreading pollen far and wide, coating the surrounding area in a delightful golden gleam. As for the Tiara of the Heavens, it grows alone as it needs a significant amount of space. The bloom of the flower appears as a large, blue crown that, as it withers and yields to the seasons, a ring of bark-like substance remains of the original flower. I require but a petal of each.”
“I think I know those. I might have some.”
Though she wears her exquisite armor of Dragonscale, she carries pouches of herbs and ointments around and underneath the protective equipment, which will no doubt come as a surprise to any would-be attacker. Attacking her and finding oneself with a face coated in Gothry’s Fate would be a fate akin to its namesake. The plant’s milk is capable of damaging weapons of metal and has been the downfall of many inexperienced alchemists.
She does indeed have some. Bending down, I hold out my hand for her to hand over the surprising quantity of the requested herbs. She must be a skilled tracker to know the forest well enough to have herbs to give away, knowing the forest as well as the Mura clan knows our own bones.
One cannot stand still in thought too long, as the next step must be taken. With the herbs acquired, they must be crushed into a paste and for that, we scaled ones are particularly adept. The rough hide of our hands lends itself as an excellent substitute for a mortar, with our tough nails working as a pestle, allowing the crushing of herbs in our hands with ease.
It takes but a moment for the herbs to be prepared and in that time, the ritual ground has grown accustomed to itself. Adding the paste as a binding agent, the circle hums with power, ready for the final part.
As I step into the circle, I ask that all who have met the Shadow Man think of him and the emotions they felt when they met him. As they do, a clear image forms within my mind, and what I see is a wayward soul, lost on its path to the next life.
Stretching my spirit to take hold of the being, I pull him to us, unifying our beings as I relinquish control of my flesh to allow his communion with those who seek him.
There’s a weird freygarn flash of light and I haven’t a clue what the shit is going on… Opening my eyes, the first thing I see is a giant freygarn dragon... Yeah, I’m gonna run away from the giant freygarn dragon!
“Wait! Turgai, where are you going?! Shadow Man, is that you?”
Those words sound so familiar, and they make me want to cry. Why the freygarn does ‘Shadow Man’ make me cry?!
The time I’ve spent slowing down has been enough for the giant dragon to catch up as the squelching of mud behind me stops. It doesn’t look like she intends to eat me, so that seems like a good thing.
“Are you really the Shadow Man?”
I know that I am, but I have no idea what a shadow man is, and my acknowledgment of the name seems to bring some joy to the dragon as she pushes her face against my body. I’m not sure how to respond to her, but I don’t feel like I’m in danger anymore.
As I clear a tear from my face, it becomes clear that this is not my face or my hand. Looking down, what I see is the clawed hand of a lizardman, and with awareness comes the realization that I have an elongated face as well. What the freygarn is going on?!
“Turgai said you might be a little confused, but you’re okay, this is only temporary, Shadow Man. I just wanted to meet you for real and thank you for helping me out so much, it really means a lot to me. I’m pretty sure you saved me from becoming something very dangerous.”
Disorientation strikes as memories flood my mind, reminding me of what has happened... since I died…
I died the moment I stepped into that guild hall, and before my body hit the ground, time itself froze, and a being of absolute power pulled my soul out of my body, offering me a deal. It would allow me to complete my grim task, in exchange, I had to become a hunter of the worldshifters… I was supposed to kill her.
“Don’t thank me, dragon. I was meant to be your murderer, not your guide…”
“Pfft, so what? Anyone here who hasn’t tried to kill someone else here, raise your hand.”
Of the five people around the dragon, only one raises his hand. A beastkin of questionable disposition.
“Don’t fucking lie, Banyai. You’ve tried to kill me several times for ‘underpaying’ you.”
“Nah, boss. Eternal slumber ain’t killin’.”
“You could just find employment somewhere else!”
“Ain’t no such thing, boss. Them other groups got worse pay and benefits, y’know?”
“And you don’t think that might indicate that your pay is fine?!”
“Could be more.”
Their exchange doesn’t appear to be ending until the dragon blows a plume of smoke in their direction, covering the arguing pair and reducing the discussion to a variety of coughs. How could any group function like this…
“So why were you supposed to kill me? No judgment, I’m just curious.”
How does a being such as her not take offense to a deed of such severity?...
“It is what I was remade for. I hunt and kill worldshifters, such as you, Dragon. Beings from other worlds coming here and disrupting the reality of our world.”
“And you saw how well-behaved I was and couldn’t do it? I knew you were nice!”
I’m not sure why I didn’t go through with it, but that isn’t it. I stalked her for so long before I revealed myself, an act I should never have committed. But I did, and I changed the course of history for it. I''m remembering what would have happened and what was to come, but the simple act of showing her the way back changed things so much.