D’Bran slammed his wooden tankard onto the sticky table. His announcement caused a roar of laughter behind him, but Renevin (Who sat opposite of him with a tankard of his own) simply stared. Bringing a hand to his face, he pinched the bridge of his nose, “You’re not-- no.”
D’Bran sulked in his chair, contrasting the grinning, laughing and otherwise elated faces of the other tavern dwellers. The red cheeked man tapped his finger on the metal band of his cup, any sound being drowned out by the now overly intoxicated lute player in the corner and his very round vocalist. Finally the man let out a long sigh, “Nope, I am. I’m gonna cut his balls off.”
“Whose balls are we cutting off?” The bright haired Swedren slid in next to Renevin, two tankards in her hands. She slid one to D’Bran who barely acknowledge the new drink.
“Your step fathers,” D’Bran announced.
“What?” Swedren looked to Renevin.
“No one’s balls are getting cut off” Renevin hid his face in his hands.
“Why are we cutting off my father’s balls?” Swedren turned back to D’Bran.
“No one’s balls are-- the balls are safe!” Renevin unniciated loudly, inciting a snorting laugh from Swedren. The woman took a gulp from her cup, and turned back to Renevin while D’Bran sulked in his new one.
“What’s the problem?” Swedren sipped at her beer, gently swishing the liquid in her cheek before swallowing. D’Bran furrowed his brow.
“What was that? Why’d you do tha-”
Renevin swatted D’Bran’s slurred inquiry away with a waving hand, “Your father said no.”
Swedren pursed her lips, her eyes hardening. She turned her head away from the pair, a habit she was fond of when attempting to hide her anger. Renevin sighed and scooted a little further away to give her space, “He said I have no prospects, and you were better off-”
“Well, what does that fat pig know?” Swedren turned back to Renevin, her face a maddened red, “The man isn’t even my real father. We can go to a different town.”
“They’ll want the permissions too,” Renevin cooly answered, “I thought it all out. With Nopoitis’ reputation, we are out of options unless we want to travel to Hephakia.” “We shouldn’t have to,” Swedren growled.
“I know,” Renevin put his hand on the table, palm up. D’Bran stared drunkenly at it, while Swedren glared with fury. Finally she gently slapped her own hand on his, her face clearing ever so slightly.
“So what now then,” The woman huffed.
Renevin shook his head, “I haven’t gotten that far, but we will think of something.”
“We will,” Swedren was all but calm now, her wave of anger ending as quickly as it started, “It just really irks me that he has a say in it at all.”
“I never understood it myself,” Renevin blunk, raising his cup to his lips. D’Bran shrugged.
“Because you’re orphans,” D’Bran slurred.
“What?” Renevin looked over at the man.
“I don’t agree with the system, but I think I understand it a little more. Hearing about it since I was a boy.” D’Bran let a hand fall to the table, pointing at Swedren, “You were, what, fourteen before Nopoitis married your mother? Rule didn’t apply to you until four -- five years ago, why know it, why care?”
“Still a really stupid rule,” Swedren answered, “Mother was better off.”
Cocking his head, Renevin’s eyes blurred in memory, “I mean,” he looked back at Swedren, “You can’t say it didn’t do us any good.” D’Brans eyes widened as Swedren slanted her brow.
“My life for some bread isn’t exactly my idea of an amazing bargain,” She stared the man down, taking her hand off his.
“You know that’s not what I meant,” Renevin pleaded.
“Say what you mean.”
Renevin looked at D’Bran who gave him a pitiless face. Renevin made a face back and turned to Swedren, “I just mean, things weren’t looking to good before he came along. Remember the winter before?”
“It was hard,” Swedren stood her ground.
“I ate a bug,” Renevin pushed, “A lot of bugs! Until…” He trailed.
“Nopoitis invited my mother over for dinner and I stole away with his desserts for you,” Swedren finished his story, “I get it. I just don’t like it.”
“Well balls, I hate it,” Renevin raised his brows and gulped at his drink.
“I thought you said no balls-”
“D’Bran!”
The sandy haired man sulked once more, “Still unfair.”
“We know,” Swedren and Renevin said at the same time.
“Renevin, D’Bran,” Hondros suddenly slid in next to the drunk, his cheeks a bright reed and his breath in a huff, “Swedren,” he gave a nod to the lady. Renevin jutted his chin, as if gesturing him to continue. “You remember the dragon the king managed to round up for the drake stables last spring?”
The entire table nodded. Hondros continued, “He escaped, just as I said would happen. Guess what?”
“What?” Renevin sipped at his cup.
“Big reward, enough to stock the fort for a long time. Just need proof of it’s death or capture,” The Praxian rattled his sword, “Lyghtur gave us the go ahead.”
“But a dragon,” Renevin put his cup down, “Dragon’s are-- well have you ever seen a dragon?”
“No,” Hondros shook his head, “Have you?”
“No,” The table agreed.
“I can’t force you, it isn’t an official quest, but” Hondros peered around the table.
“Let’s do it,” D’Bran slammed his now empty (again) tankard down onto the table, “For glory and the Brother’s Harmony; let’s bag a dragon. Renevin?”
After a long while Renevin nodded, “A dragon it is.”
Swedren looked over her partner with a raised brow, “With jobs like these you’re gonna turn me into a priest with all the times I visit in prayer for your safety.”
“It’s an honorable profession,” D’Bran nodded, causing Renevin to nod in agreement.
“The moron has a point.”
Swedren punched her fist into the man’s shoulder, “Simpleton.”
Renevin and D'bran are getting hammered when Swedren comes by
The trio discuss the recent events of Nopoitis turning down the marriage
Hondros pops in with a quest to hunt down a dragon and they al agree to go
This embrace felt almost common nowadays, yet it still made her watery heart race just a little faster than usual. There was no heat quite like the one that pressed against Xiaoli’s coarse skin when she flew with Hermes - it was soft, gentle and kind, much like Hermes herself. Her grip around Hermes tightened a little more as they broke through the sound barrier once more, inciting a terrible boom that sent some local birds below into the air, screaming and singing their song of panic. Even as they flew faster than sound, the scents of the jungle below tickled at Xiaoli’s nostrils. She looked down and saw the endless swathes of green than poured outwards from the sea-like Nanhe like jam from a pastry. Then, in the distance, there was a speck of gold that rivaled Heliopolis in its radiance - or at least the background in its reflectivity.
“There!” she called and pointed to the speck that was rapidly growing.
The flight shifted ever so slightly, the great speeds at which they were going causing the turn to bend wide. Slowly Hermes managed to adjust their flight and in a moment, they approached at such a speed it was more like the world rushed towards them. Xiaoli felt Hermes’ grip tighten around her, one she had grown to know the meaning of and then all at once, there was a sudden stop.
Xiaoli raised an eyebrow, finding herself rather dumbfounded. Everything around the ship seemed rather normal: The river drifted lazily underneath and around the hull; the forests danced in the gentle breeze; the clouds snailed their way across the sky.
Everything aboard the ship was anything but normal: Where there was usually an empty deck now stood and knelt and laid close to ten thousand humanoids, all dressed in practical, yet beautiful clothing, all busily repairing what seemed to be a hole in the deck. There was a familiar sheen and shine about their forms and Xiaoli gasped, placing her hand to her mouth.
“A-are those the servants? And is that a hole in His Lordship’s ship?!” she whispered loudly and looked to Hermes. “Please! Take us a little closer!”
A bewildered Hermes quickly did as Xiaoli asked, zipping the trio to the deck itself, her sandals touching down. Poppler emerged from her braid, crackling with recognition. Hermes pursed her lips, almost forgetting to let go of Xiaoli, “They are dressed like you.”
Almost in unison, all the servants turned to the trio. There was a short pause. Then one of them said, “t-the First of the Court has returned…”
“THE FIRST OF THE COURT HAS RETURNED!” they all thundered in unison and cast themselves on the ground before the trio. Xiaoli recoiled, momentarily readjusting to the role of superior again. She had absolutely -not- expected Shengshi to make such a sophisticated staff for his ship - not yet, at least. Regardless, this might make their entrance a little smoother.
“G-good day, everyone,” she said loudly.
“These servants hail the First of the Court!” all of them shouted simultaneously into the deck planks, causing Hermes to flinch and cover an ear. Xiaoli recoiled again.
“Very good, very good,” Xiaoli said. “Please, send a message to His Lordship of my return and tell His Lordship that my companions and I will be arriving at his chambres momentarily.”
“We already sent a messenger when we saw Your Ladyship,” one of the closest servants said softly. “She will no doubt return post-haste with His Lordship’s answe-”
“My Lady! His Lordship summons Your Ladyship and companions to His chambres!” came a voice from the palace gates, where a girl dressed in simple white robes, no doubt one of the bathhouse servants, stood and waved her hand.
Xiaoli blinked and turned to Hermes with a gentle shrug. “Speak of the rain and it will pour.”
Hermes nodded, her voice light on a joke, “I’ll have to remember that one for Li’Kalla.” Xiaoli giggled and nodded back.
“You do that, my dear. Now…” she took a deep breath. “Let us go see Shengshi…” The servants parted like clouds before the sun as the trio walked towards the gates, all of them at a constant forty-five degree angle bow. Xiaoli took a moment to observe the forms she passed. They were all almost frighteningly similar to her - she suspected Shengshi had followed his formula from when she formed her and just removed the divine imprint.
“I prefer the original,” Hermes muttered after a long stare at one of the servants, commanding an agreeing pop from the cloudling.
“Shh! You’re going to hurt their feelings! They’ve been mindless blobs of water for an age, now. They deserve some proper sentience after so long,” Xiaoli whispered a little aggressively.
Hermes looked down, chastised, “Sorry.” Poppler crackled defiantly as he floated alongside them duo.
“Poppler!” Xiaoli snapped. “None of that language, okay?”
A grumpy ”Zzt!” sounded as Hermes plucked the cloudling from the air and cupped her hand by her braid, the cloudling soaking through.
Upon entering the castle, two male servants dressed in white, button-up silk shirts with long, open sleeves and baggy black pants came over to the trio with bowed shaven heads and a plate of fruits and appetisers each.
“Is Her Ladyship or Her Ladyship’s companions a little peckish, perhaps?” one of them asked in a soft voice. Xiaoli giggled a little and took a small pastry and a piece of pineapple.
“Thank you so much, sir,” she said with a smile. The servant dared look up at her, blushed and looked back down.
“Anything for Her beautiful Ladyship,” he said and offered the plate to Hermes.
Hermes seemed to hesitate, but ultimately plucked a piece of the pineapple from the plate, she gave a weak, slightly stressed smile, “Thank you.”
The servant tipped a little deeper. “Anything for Her Ladyship’s friends.” They both walked a distance backwards away from the trio before turning and continuing normally down the hallway. Xiaoli put the pastry in her mouth and giggled.
“See? This is what life could be like in your mansion! Whatever you may want, they serve it to you before you even say it.” She let out a satisfied sigh and skipped down the hallway. “It is paradise!”
Hermes licked the sticky fruit juices from her fingers, the yellow fruit already gone. Her face relaxed, and she gave a wide smile, quickening her pace to match Xiaoli’s, “I have to admit, that was the second to least stressful eating has been, so I’m all for it.”
Xiaoli chuckled enthusiastically and beckoned Hermes over. “Come on! The stairs are this way!” Then she kept skipping down the hallway like a giddy doe. Eventually Hermes seemed to relax even more, breaking into a matching skip.
Soon, the trio arrived at the stairwell. Xiaoli let out a sigh that turned into a groan. “Hermes, would you mind flying us up? I cannot handle these inconvenient steps right now, I feel.”
Wrapping her arms around Xiaoli, Hermes nodded, “Sure.” The group gently lifted off the ground, and then buzzed upwards. The flight up five floors was rather quick compared to other distances Hermes had flown. After merely ten seconds, they had already ascended to the top floor, greeted by the colossal mural in the ceiling of the masses worshiping the snake and the long hallway with the glorious gates of the snake’s chambres, flanked by the two menacing dragons of gold. Xiaoli gently let go of Hermes and strolled down the hallway, leaving Hermes in a state of curiosity and wonder for a moment or two. Xiaoli looked over her shoulder with a raised brow.
“Is something the matter, dear?” she asked curiously.
“-Oh!” Hermes flinched from her thoughts, quickly rejoining Xiaoli “I was just looking.”
Xiaoli giggled and turned back to the door, though after a few steps, she froze and turned, her face suddenly riddled with concern and fear.
“I just thought of something… What if he think you kidnapped me?” she said, nearly biting her nails in a fit of stress. No, no, no! That would be so like him! He would see me, then her, then promptly pop her into nonexistence for a crime she didn’t commit! What if I hide her? No, no, he can sense her presence. Her eyes widened. He can probably sense her already.
“Hermes, stay calm, okay?” Xiaoli said desperately. “Maybe he won’t recognise you because of your new colours!”
Hermes laid a hand on Xiaoli’s shoulder, “I think I’m too close for it to matter which way or that, but maybe if he sees you first?”
Xiaoli calmed down a little. That could work… Have her wait in the hallway and let me explain the whole situation. Yes, yes, that was a plan. She tossed her arms around Hermes and gave her a tight hug. “You’re so smart, Hermes!” she said happily.
Giving Xiaoli a tiny squeeze, Hermes smiled, her eyes warm, “I’ll be right here.”
Xiaoli let go of Hermes and moved over to the door. She looked back at Hermes for reassurance before pushing the gates open and stepping inside.
The room was uncharacteristically empty and light - there were no heaps of broken clay cups in the corners; no mess of ink and paper around the calligraphy desk; Shengshi’s basket was upright. Was she really in her master’s lair?
She walked over to the birdcage with the keas and the cockatoos. They were singing happily as always; one was munching on some seeds from a fancy porcelain bowl. Xiaoli giggled and reached a finger inside the cage to tickle one of the birds. They squeaked and squawked happily at the attention.
There was a roll of harp strings outside, followed by some gentle, hopping notes. Xiaoli swallowed. Her master knew she was near. She dusted off her dress waved goodbye to the little birds and walked outside on the veranda.
Facing the front of the ship, the snake sat plucking at the strings of his guzheng. The melody was joyous, yet sorrowful - conveying a sensation of separation and reunion, with many notes of different octaves that joined together in harmony.
Xiaoli stepped up behind the snake. She looked down, then away. She twiddled her thumbs sheepishly, and just as she was about to open her mouth, the snake spoke:
“How was your journey, my dear?”
Xiaoli froze. No, right, cordial start. The scolding is right around the corner. Steele yourself and be ready for anything. She got in a seiza-position, then into a kowtow.
“Milord, this servant’s acts have been truly unacceptable. Know that she is deeply ashamed of her transgressions and-”
The snake plucked particularly hard at a string, inciting a quieting note that interrupted Xiaoli mid-sentence.
“I did not ask you to apologise, dear,” he said gently. “I asked how your journey has been.”
Xiaoli sat back up. Is he… Not mad? No, that cannot be. He should be absolutely furious with me! Maybe if I humour him, he will get to it.
“It-... It was very enriching, my lord. I have learned and seen much, met so many, both gods and mortals. I have explored the world and improved my ability to advise you, my lord.”
The snake nodded, plucking at a few more strings.
“And what of your companion? Did she leave already?”
Xiaoli froze. Could he really not-..? No, of course, he could sense her! It was just the usual play - nothing to do but humour him.
“Hermes is waiting outside, my lord. She thought it appropriate to allow us a proper reunion before introducing herself again.” The snake hummed in agreement, a shadowy bird flying by.
“Indeed,” the snake said. “Have her come in and have tea with us. I have some, uhm, questions I would like to ask her.” The snake’s voice grew oily towards the end of the sentence, inciting a concerned smile from Xiaoli. He was definitely furious with her, she thought, but he would be considerably more furious if they refused to cooperate. Xiaoli got to her feet, bowed and walked backwards in a bow until she turned the corner.
Xiaoli swung the doors open and ran over to Hermes with many small steps. “Hermes! His Lordship wants to talk to us - together! What do we do?!”
Hermes, who was right where Xiaoli last saw her nearly jumped at the sudden explosion from the doors. Taking a second to recompose herself Hermes furrowed her brow in thought, her hair changing many different colors before landing on a almost purple mahogany, “I think it would be best if we did as he said,” Hermes voice betrayed her own concern, “Running would only make him think I was guilty.”
Xiaoli nodded slowly and took Hermes’ hands in her own. “Alright. Let’s… Let’s just be careful, okay?”
“Of course,” Hermes laced her fingers with Xiaoli’s, her eyes darting upwards as if in an attempt to see the back of her own head, “And you keep quiet!”
”Zzt!”
Xiaoli giggled, her concern vanishing ever so slightly. She then pulled Hermes along inside the chambres.
Out on the veranda, the snake still sat playing his guzheng. Xiaoli dragged Hermes excitedly by the hands and presented her to the snake who slowly turned around and inclined his head.
“Here she is, my lord: The beautiful young Hermes. As you can see, she has had a colour pallet change since you two last met.” Xiaoli placed her sleeve in front of her mouth and let out a quiet giggle. “Come on, Hermes, tell him a little about our adventures.” The snake nodded invitingly, though still faced away from them.
Stealing a confident glance at Xiaoli, Hermes sucked in a breath, “Well,” Hermes began, thoughts rushing to her tongue, “We visited the Lustrous Gardens and met Liana, then we went to Tendlepog.” Hermes held up a finger, “Where K’nell met Xiaoli, and even gave her a gift for her kindness.”
“After that,” Hermes continued, “We both,” there was a fidgeting in her braid, “We all,” she corrected, “met Ashalla, who blessed me with colour after an evening of dancing and tea. After that we went to go see the Goddess Arae, but instead met Abanoc, who gifted me with a special book as well as the information of your own whereabouts. We then decided to come back, knowing where you were.”
“I see,” the snake said curtly. The harp strings quieted down. “Hermes, dear, answer me this: Did you take Xiaoli away with the intent of kidnapping her?”
“My lord, she di-!” Xiaoli yelled, but the snake raised a hand.
“I am asking Hermes, Xiaoli. Do not interrupt.”
“I didn’t,” Hermes answered, “We both left on our own accord.”
“I see,” the snake repeated. “Another question, if you would not mind. Did you try to teach Xiaoli anything that would make her stray from the path of the Flow?”
Xiaoli looked like a boiling kettle, furious steam shooting out from underneath her hair. Hermes on the other hand narrowed her eyes, yet remained calm, at least outwardly, “I don’t know what that is, how can I answer such a question?”
“Understood,” the snake said. “One final question remains: Did you hurt Xiaoli in any way?”
“No! Shut u-!” Xiaoli started, but Shengshi snapped his fingers. A group of servants came out from the snake’s chambres onto the veranda and proceeded to surround Xiaoli before bowing to her.
“Your Ladyship, we ask on His Lordship’s behalf for you to please cease your interruptions. Thank you very much.” Xiaoli looked dumbfounded, inciting the servants to leave, their jobs successfully completed.
“No,” Hermes answered, her voice now betraying her own agitation, coupled by an accidental orange flair in her hair. The snake hummed one final time.
“Very well, then.”
The snake finally turned to face the two. The black rings around his eyes poured down over his cheeks along with several litres of tears; his nose overflowed with wet snot; his lip was curled in a grimace that could release a bawl at any second.
And bawl, he did.
“XIAOLIH, IMISSDYOOOO-HU-HUUUU!” the snake bawled, slithering over to a very confused and concerned Xiaoli, grabbing Hermes on the way and embracing both in a big, wet hug. Xiaoli wiggled like a caught fish, though she felt her eyes, too, were filling with fluids. Confused popping filled the air while Hermes struggled, completely in shock.
“I-... I’ve missed you too, my lord…” she said warmly and hugged the giant snake back.
Hermes continued to struggle for a moment longer, Poppler zipping from her braid in a confused huff. Finally the Dreamer managed to relax -- in a stiff sort of way -- and accepted her fate. Reaching out with her hand she managed to pat Shengshi’s back a couple times, a muffled “There, there” sounding from his armpit. The snake held them for a little while longer, squeezing a tad harder towards the end before letting them go with a loud sniff.
“R-right,” he huffed. “Forget you ever saw that, is that clear?” He snapped his fingers and a servant came over with a damp towel. “That was a momentary breach of etiquette, nothing more.” He cleared his throat sheepishly and wiped his face. Xiaoli giggled happily and flicked away some of her own tears. Hermes wiggled her nose, thankful for Shengshi’s liberal use of perfume.
“Yes, mylord,” Xiaoli said, beaming joyously. The snake wiped the last of his despair off his face and turned back to the trio.
“Well, I am glad your trip has been enriching in terms of both knowledge and experience. Now, however, comes a key part of your return.” He snapped his fingers again and ten servants came out onto the veranda carrying bathrobes, towels, soap bars and wine cups.
“A bath! Trust me, you need one.”
Shengshi’s words caused Hermes to do a not so discrete sniff of her shirt, reeling slightly. Xiaoli raised an eyebrow. “Even me, mylord?”
“Even you,” the snake said “You would be surprised how many impurities you have collected on your journey. You smell a little like, like… How to put this delicately…”
“An old lake, mylord?” Xiaoli said unenthusiastically.
“I was going to suggest a bog, but yes, a really, really old lake could produce a similar smell, I suppose.”
Xiaoli gaped and, like Hermes, sniffed her dress with a little less discretion than what was expected of her. Poppler floated away from the pair, crackling in what could have been agreement, Hermes’ face turned a shade of red.
The snake noticed the cloud and smirked. “There’s that clump of air with the unquenchable thirst. How has the journey been, little, uhm…” The snake plucked at his beard. “Poppy, was it?” Poppler crackled, then began a small series of pops as it floated around the god, before finally resting on a harp string with a ”Zzt!”
“Not very elegantly put, but a rather fun retelling of your adventures.” The snake leaned in a little, his face turning somewhat more menacing. “Though I would use slightly less crass adjectives when describing my beautiful Xiaoli next time, is that clear?”
There was a low crackle as Poppler zipped from the harp and to a nearby flower, as if suddenly disinterested. A shadowy bird flew overhead and Hermes shot the cloudling a look, “He means well, just a little simple.”
The snake hummed understandingly. “Well, I have dealt with a few of his type lately, so I will forgive him. Now, it is about time you girls got yourselves a bath. The servants will show you the way. When you are done, we will have our welcome feast!” The snake grinned from horn to horn and clapped his hands excitedly.
Xiaoli joined in the clapping. “Very good, mylord! Would… Would you mind if we got some extra servings of cold noodles? I have missed those so much!”
The snake nodded. “That should not be an issue, my dear. I will have the cooks make as much as we can eat and more.” Xiaoli grinned and beckoned Hermes to follow before skipping inside.
Hermes gave the cloudling (who was halfway delved into a flower) another look before smiling at Shengshi, “I’ll come back for him.” With little else, she quickly followed Xiaoli, only stopping just as she reached the doorway. Turning she pursed her lips and slowly made her way back to the god, “May I show you something?”
The god raised an eyebrow and nodded. “Please.” He beckoned her over. Hermes walked up to the god, until they were in arms reach. Slowly she reached forward and poked his cheek, her eyes ever serious, “Thank you.”
The snake first raised his other eyebrow in surprise, but then let out a soft chuckle. “You mortals are such odd creatures - especially you.” He gave her a wink.
“We learned it from the gods,” Hermes gave a playful wink of her own.
“I apologise for asking you all those questions, by the way. I know you did not kidnap Xiaoli. It was my own fault she felt the incentive to leave.” His voice turned somber. “I cannot describe how happy I am that she has returned, and I am glad you were the one to do it, too. You have a good heart, Hermes, and a pure soul. Thank you for taking care of my dearest Xiaoli.” The snake bowed deeply before Hermes.
Hermes dipped her head, “so do you, nothing less could have made Xiaoli.” The snake nearly recoiled. His lips quivered somewhat and he placed a palm over his heart. “R-run along now, you… You little rascal…” he said in a voice that sounded like a scream of joy and a wail of happiness.
With a final cheshire grin, Hermes quickly made her way inside.
The bathhouse was full of steam, almost to the point where it became difficult to see. There was one colossal iron pot on each side of the room filled with boiling water. Along the walls were cloudy mirrors and seats where there sat one or two servants who were washing one another while conversing. In the centre of the room was a large pool with steaming, green, fragrant water. Xiaoli was already splashing happily in the pool, or was she the bathwater? It was unclear where the border went. Some of the servants had hopped into the bath, as well, and they were all playing together enthusiastically.
Another thing that was particularly odd about Xiaoli was that something was missing - specifically, her sandy skin. As such, only the watery shape of Xiaoli with her long black hair sat in the bath, complemented with two bright grey orbs in her eye-sockets. She looked out towards the door and water at Hermes.
“Hermes, come in! The water is amazing!”
Her skin fluttering to the color of the steam, Hermes looked around with a sudden, uncharacteristic embarrassment. She slowly let her bag slink off her shoulders, the entire ordeal landing on the floor with a soft clunk of iron. Making her way, albeit very slowly, to the water, Hermes’ color shifted with the steam, keeping her on the verge of camouflage. Giving one strange look at Xiaoli, the Dreamer suddenly hopped into the water, sandals, clothes and all.
Xiaoli returned the strange look and then broke out into a loud cackle. “Hermes! You’re supposed to take off your clothes, silly! You bathe your body naked, then the servants will wash your clothes for you - like they are doing with mine.” The servants joined her with some giggling.
“Can’t I do it all at the same time?” Hermes pleaded her case, shrinking slightly at the giggling.
Xiaoli shook her head. “No, that’s not how it’s done. You bathe nake-...” She stopped mid-sentence and suddenly cracked a wry smile. “Are you embarrassed, dear?”
Fidgeting Hermes shrunk into the water, bubbles escaping from her shirt, “No, I just-- God-- K’nell gave me these clothes, I think I should wear them.”
“Well, His Lordship gave me my clothes, and I let the servants wash them. You certain you wouldn’t like to know what wearing freshly washed and pressed clothing feels like? I’m telling you, bathing with your clothes on will leave them wrinkly and wet for a while.” She poked playfully at the shirt.
Hermes hesitated, “When I was created,” she began ,”One of the few bits of knowledge that was embedded in my mind was that of keeping myself covered in front of other people.”
Her face flushed, “Yes, I’m embarrassed.”
Xiaoli’s face began to steam. “That’s adora-I mean, that’s understandable.” She looked away. “I-... I won’t pressure you anymore, then. You can k-keep your clothes on.” There was a pause. “Could I wash you hair, though?” The servants began to prepare soaps and ointments for hair and left them on the poolside.
Hermes nodded with a small relieved smile, turning her back to Xiaoli. Xiaoli hummed softly as she put some soap in her hands and began to rub it into her hair. Hermes closed her eyes and slowly slipped away at the soothing sensation.
Xiaoli found herself steaming again. How could she have been so rash and stupid! It was clear Hermes hadn’t been comfortable in there, and yet she insisted that-...! The river girl took a deep breath. She stood in front of a mirror in her private chambres, still in her watery form with a basket of steaming hot sand by her side. The servants had been kind to offer to wash her skin completely - she could not believe she had begun to sprout moss in some places. How terrible, she thought.
Xiaoli stuck her hand into the basket and absorbed the sand into her form. Quickly, it coursed through her and laid itself on the very top layer of her body. She dared glance back into the mirror for a second before shaking her head and heading for her wardrobes. She rummaged through her dresses and robes for a while before finding the perfect outfit for the evening: A blue dress with a beautiful, white silk coat, adorned with embroidered blooms. She quickly dressed up and stepped out of the room.
She stood on one of the balconies overlooking the banquet hall below, where the feast was being prepared by a countless number of servants: The tables were stacked to the brim with food; the pitchers were overflowing with drinks of all kind; the servants even had a small band playing gentle background tunes on harps, erhus and flutes. Oh, this would be so great! Now, where was Hermes? She strolled towards the private rooms towards the stern of the ship.
One of the doors creaked open, Hermes’ head popping out. Her long alabaster hair for once was straight, if only with a slight wave to it. Seeing Xiaoli she suddenly sprouted a warm smile and stepped out all the way. Her old clothes were long gone, the Dreamer having come to her senses after the bath and opted for a private change. In their place was a blue silk jacket that covered a white silk shirt on the inside; the shirt reached down to Hermes’ hips, from which sprouted a white, silky skirt. The sandals on her feet had given way (after much debate) to small, white shoes.
Xiaoli stood dumbstruck at the sight. She clapped her hands excitedly, grinning from ear to ear. “Oh, my dear Hermes, you are so beautiful in that outfit!” He even skipped up and down like an energetic rabbit.
Matching her glee, Hermes smiled wide, “I like it.” She paused, “you were right, it feels so much better.”
Xiaoli nodded enthusiastically. “See? I told you! It is always nice to get out of your clothes after a long time. The servants will wash your shirt and sandals so they are ready for when-...” She hesitated. “Well, nevermind that for now. Let us go eat!”
Hermes smiled with approval, her fingers threading through her freshly cleaned hair with continuous wonder. With a bounce in her step, Hermes walked beside Xiaoli, both of their noses content with the fresh scents that lingered from their bath. In little time, they made their way downstairs to the banquet hall.
The banquet hall froze when Hermes and Xiaoli entered. All the servants figuratively dropped what they were doing and lined up in equal lines along the staircase down, all of them bowing inwards towards the new arrivals. Hermes quickly looked to Xiaoli, as if asking what to do.
“These servants all hail Her Ladyship Xiaoli and Her companion Hermes - please be welcome at our table,” the servants all thundered in unison. Xiaoli grinned and bowed back.
“You honour us both, dearest servants. We hope you can allow us to rely on your for amazing service throughout the banquet. We are eternally grateful for your hard work.”
The servants hummed curtly in unison and straightened back up, returning to their duties. However, two servants for Hermes and Xiaoli each accompanied them over to the circular banquet table, where they pulled out their chairs, put down cutlery and plates and poured drinks.
“Isn’t this nice, Hermes? They prepared all of this for us! Oh, I am so hungry right now!” Xiaoli seemed ecstatic, bouncing up and down in her chair. Hermes slowly sat in her chair, as if there were eggshells she was afraid to break. Her eyes were wide and tinted rose, “This is all so-”
“Majestic,” The word came to her with a happy grin, “You have a very beautiful home,” Hermes looked over to Xiaoli, “I like it all, really.”
“I’m happy you do, my dear,” she returned, grinning. Then, the music stopped. Every servant, even the cooks and the musicians, all lined up along the staircase again. At the very top stood Shengshi, his eyes repainted with black lines and his mouth split open in a wide grin. He slowly slithered down the red carpeted steps. As he moved, he opened his mouth and recited a poem.
”Blesséd is the one Who can invite friends from far; Blessed am I today.”
“I have dreamed for a long time of this glorious moment, my friends…” The snake opened his arms invitingly. The red lanterns around began to glow brighter, their warm rays reflecting off the golden edifices of the surrounding ornaments.
”Wealthy is the one Who can celebrate with friends; I have wealth today.”
The snake reached the bottom of the stairwell and the servants kowtowed in unison. The warm rays that danced across the room began to grow even brighter. The snake slithered over to his seat and sat down.
”Fortune blesses one Who gives one’s heart to a friend; I am fortunate.”
There was a pause. The snake first eyed Xiaoli, then winked at Hermes. “Let the feast begin.”
The servants immediately got back to their posts and the food was promptly served. Shengshi, Hermes and Xiaoli were all given a bowl of cold noodles in a sauce of vinegar and soy sauce, as well as a bowl of boiled rice. Then, at the centre of the table, there was placed a large wooden disk that could be spun around in circles - then, the disk was filled with all kinds of dishes. The snake pondered for a bit before snatching a piece of fish off the disk and placing it in his mouth. As soon as the snake had eaten, Xiaoli grabbed her own chopsticks and pinched them around a piece of meat.
With curious eyes, Hermes scanned the smorgasbord before her. Eventually she picked up a single chopstick and stabbed cubes of sauce covered fowl onto her rice, followed by a mish mash of vegetables. Content with the colors in her bowl, she did the best of her ability to eat it all, chopsticks and fingers alike being used. Despite her novice attitude towards the silverware, she tried her hardest to keep her finger usage to a minimum, attempting to mimic Xiaoli and Shengshi’s motions. Much to her surprise, she eventually got the hang of the sticks, pinching them in her fingers properly if not a little close to the bottom of the sticks. Xiaoli observed Hermes’ attempts at using the chopsticks and giggled warmly. The snake looked very appreciative as he studied Hermes slowly picking up the technique, like a parent would watch a child attempting to walk for the first time. He drank some from his cup and a servant came over to refill it.
“The truly is abloom with wonder today,” he said. Xiaoli turned to him and grinned. “Hermes,” the snake continued. “Even with all my words and phrases, I cannot describe my gratitude towards you for being such a good friend to my dearest Xiaoli, and for allowing her to experience the world around - something I, in my weakness, would not.” He raised his cup.
“Request any gift and, with the Architect and the world as my witness, I shall bestow it upon you with great enthusiasm.” Xiaoli clapped her hands excitedly.
Hermes smiled and looked away with a sudden bashfulness, “I don’t think I could take a gift for being Xiaoli’s friend. It’s almost like being rewarded for breathing.”
The snake grinned. “My, I completely misjudged you the first time we met. It is almost as if you have grown since then. I must insist, however - your kindness and friendship cannot go unrewarded. Say your wish, and it shall come true.”
Thinking hard, Hermes’ smile faded. Her hand fell over her abdomen, rubbing against the foreign silks and pressing inward, “There is one thing.” She eventually said, “I’m incomplete.”
Xiaoli’s grin faded as well, her eyes looking down. The snake leaned forward, placed his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his knuckles. “I see. You are infertile, like a magnificent desert. You wish to mother children of your own, without the need of divine aid to fashion you offspring. Am I correct in my estimate?”
“You are,” Hermes nodded solemnly, “But I want to change that, as you said.”
The snake nodded. “So be it. Your wish shall be granted.”
Hermes face lit up with a certain awe that couldn’t be quite called joy or excitement, “Really?” she all but blurted in wonder. Xiaoli looked about ready to explode with joy.
The snake chuckled. “Indeed. We will finish our meal and head up on deck. There, the waters will grant you the fertility to mother a thousand families.”
Hermes nodded vigorously, “Yes!” she all but shouted at the snake. Turning to Xiaoli she gave her a wide K’nell-like smile, which Xiaoli returned with a smile from fictional horn to fictional horn - Shengshi style. Unable to form any words through her joy, Hermes took to her food in a rushed manner, her appetite quickly closing due to the excitement. The snake let out a happy sigh and ate a few more bites.
“I see the excitement in the air is bubbling. Eat your fills and we will proceed. I will go on ahead and prepare.” The snake bowed his head and rose up from his chair. As he slithered upstairs, the servants all figuratively dropped whatever they were holding and sprinted over to the staircase to bow before their lord.
Xiaoli looked up from her plate at Hermes. She almost looked happier than she had even seen her, her cheshire grin almost mimicking that of her creator. The colours in her hair seemed to blink and dance with excitement, a sight Xiaoli felt herself particularly drawn to. She felt her mind flutter at the heart-warming sight of Hermes finishing her meal in all haste.
Today, she would tell her.
“I am so happy for you, Hermes! You’re finally going to be blessed with fertility! You will finally be complete!”
Hermes swallowed a gulp of her food, letting her chopsticks rest along her bowl, “I know!” She managed as she caught her breath, “I can’t wait. It’s happening, I’ll be finished, completely, done.”
Grinning, Hermes pushed her bowl away, “Thank you for showing me your home, if we hadn’t- I don’t even want to know.”
Xiaoli’s cheeks reddened. “Oh… I-It was nothing. I’m happy you got to see it a little closer than last time. I still have to show you Fengshui Fuyou at some point.” Come to think of it, Xiaoli had actually never seen her lord’s home - she could picture it from the information planted in her head upon her creation, but she could not synthesise the smells or the sounds in her mind; the pictures were just pictures with no memories attached. That would be a fine place to take Hermes one day, she mused internally.
“Anyway, have you finished your meal?” she asked with a bubbly voice.
“I don’t think I could eat anymore even if I wanted to,” Hermes nodded. She paused, a giddy look washing over her face, “To the deck?”
“To the deck,” Xiaoli echoed and stood up. The servants lined up to bid the duo farewell as they skipped happily up the steps.
Out on the deck awaited the snake. He stood in front of the neck of the dragon’s head with a gorgeous red mattress in front of him. The mattress was covered in silk pillows on the far end from the snake and was flanked on each side by two female servants dressed in white robes, who were all bowing to the two girls.
“Ah, you have arrived,” the snake said. “It is recommended that you lie down for the procedure, dear Hermes. There may be some pain in your abdomen both during and afterwards. Do not worry, however - it is only temporary.” He gestured to the mattress and bowed. Xiaoli looked a little suspiciously at the mattress, but squeezed Hermes’ shoulder affectionately.
Hermes turned to give Xiaoli a smile, taking her hand briefly before walking off to the mattress. Crows cawed madly in the distance, but Hermes’ mind was focused as she slid on top of the mattress, her joints popping from the sudden comfort.
One of the servants offered her a glass of clear liquid. “Please, drink this,” she said. “It will ease the pain.”
Meanwhile, the snake slowly lifted his arms as the waters below the ship began to rumble and rock. Two boots suddenly clicked as they stepped on the deck. Phantasmal crows crowded the figure’s shoulders, and a long black jacket snapped in the sudden motion of the boat. K’nell looked upon the scene with silvery eyes. Without a word he walked over to the bewildered Hermes, put a hand on her shoulder and looked over to the snake with a nod, as if beckoning for him to continue. The snake raised an eyebrow, but a simple sniff seemingly made it clear to him who the figure was. Two small snakes of water rose up from the river below - they were glistening in the heliopolis, like diamond. Xiaoli gasped in awe.
“The gift of fertility is a beautiful request - a right of all living things.” The snakes slithered closer to Hermes and began to wrap themselves around her stomach, sliding under her easily as if she was floating in mid-air. Xiaoli walked over and grabbed Hermes’ hand. She knew what was coming next. Hermes’ eyes bounced between all the figures, but rested on Xiaoli. The wordless K’nell’s hand suddenly began to crackle, a soft glow emitting between him and Hermes, the spiral on her forehead spinning across her skin.
“And so, I, Shengshi, lord of the thousand streams, bless you, Hermes the Dreamer, by honouring that request.” The snakes tightened their grip around her abdomen and then, slowly, began to dissolve through her clothes and into her skin and organs. Hermes began to squirm, a strange and painful sensation springing from her abdomen. K’nell watched on, a glowing purple dot appearing center her spiral. Hermes looked up at him, and she felt some of the pain disappear, the God granting her a small grin.
Xiaoli squeezed her hand with both of her own. “You’re doing well, my dear,” she said. The snake raised his hand and first pointed at Hermes, then shaped his hand into a fist. There was a hollowing sensation in Hermes’ abdomen, as if space was being made for an entirely new organ. The snake then pulled the fist to himself. The pain subsided, the part of Hermes’ skirt that covered her hips becoming darker. Hermes breathed heavily, her body shifting uneasily, the new sensations causing her to move. K’nells hand suddenly clamped down harder on her shoulder, causing her to freeze. A clap sounded and in a window of only a second, a great flash pulsed from K’nell and straight into Hermes, the spiral on her forehead finally coming to rest as it was before, except now it held a purple dot at its center.
K’nells hand fell from the exhausted mortal and he looked at Shengshi, then back at Hermes, “Hewn from challenge, you are complete.”
She stared up at him, her mind opening to a realization. K’nell continued, his grainy voice swirling from his new form, “At birth, you were given nothing but a purpose, with very little means to achieve it. You not only filled you purpose, but learned quicker than some gods themselves how to look past purpose and create something that cannot be willed into reality, that of heart and mind. I now believe you are worthy of being complete, but I believe being complete is not worthy of you. Stand, and never stop, Hermes.”
The Dreamer’s eyes began to glisten, and then all at once tears of joy began to stream down. Her hand suddenly squeezed Xiaoli’s back as she cried. Xiaoli cast her free arm around Hermes’ neck and squeezed tightly. The surrounding servants were all clapping and whooping. The snake slithered over to K’nell and bowed.
“I likely do not need to tell you this, dear brother, but you have a good reason to be proud. Hermes has accomplished much and shown herself to be a creation of the purest and most valiant kind.” He looked down at Hermes. “It would honour me if you allowed me to immortalise you in my poetry, my dear.”
“Of course,” Hermes said weakly, her tears gone but the stains remained.
K’nell inclined his head in respect towards Shengshi, then looked to the tired Hermes, “Perhaps sleep is in order?” Hermes nodded slowly before K’nell turned back to Shengshi.
“An excellent idea, dear brother. I shall have her room prepared haste-post-haste.” The snake snapped his fingers and the servants all rushed back into the palace. Xiaoli finally let go of Hermes and eyed her up and down.
“Your Holiness, Your Lordship… This servant wishes to make a humble request,” Xiaoli said. The snake nodded with a hum.
“This-... This servant would like to escort Hermes to her room. Without any servants, please.” The snake raised an eyebrow and looked to K’nell, who turned to Xiaoli, his eyes flickering onto Hermes.
“I’d like that,” Hermes answered and K’nell looked up at Xiaoli. “Me too,” He mused with a tiny smile. With little else K’nell turned to Shengshi and held out a beckoning hand, “Walk with me.” The snake nodded and followed along. Xiaoli looked down at Hermes and put a finger on her cheek.
“I just realised I hadn’t done that yet.” She giggled happily.
With a bit of a stagger, Hermes sat up in the mattress, a glowing smile on her face, “I had totally forgotten, myself,” she sighed happily, placing a finger on Xiaoli’s cheek, who grabbed onto the finger and rubbed her cheek affectionately against it.
“Come on, I’ll help you up.” Xiaoli then carefully placed herself under Hermes’ arm and pushed them both to their feet, who promptly latched on to her as tight as she could manage. Xiaoli then helped her weakened friend down into the palace.
Hermes’ room was perhaps humble compared to the other rooms in the ship, but it still had wealthy itinerary: The bed was king-sized and could probably fit three Hermeses on a mattress stuffed with goose feathers and cotton; the wardrobe reached from the floor to the ceiling, likely filled with enough outfits to dress a person for a year; the walls were covered in beautiful paintings and calligraphic scriptures; the floor, with a large, soft carpet.
Xiaoli helped Hermes over to the bed. She gently put her down on the mattress and tucked her in properly, making sure only to remove her shoes. Wouldn’t want to embarrass her now, Xiaoli thought to herself.
Almost immediately Hermes sunk into the bed, her body groaning. The sensation caused her eyes to close for a few seconds, only fluttering open to look back at Xiaoli, “Thank you.”
“No problem,” Xiaoli said softly. There was a pause. Slowly, she raised her hand and lifted it over to Hermes’ cheek, caressing it as softly as she could with her coarse skin.
“Hey, Hermes? There’s… There’s something that’s been on my mind lately… C-... Can I share it with you?”
Laying her hand over Xiaoli’s, Hermes nodded slowly, her voice the epitome of relaxed, “Of course, Xiaoli.”
Xiaoli hesitated for a moment. “Y-... You remember that time you asked me what my dream was?”
Hermes scooted up in the bed, propping her back up against the mound pillows. She cocked her head for a moment, “Yes.”
“I-...” Her head began to steam. “My dream is-...” She shook her head and took a deep breath. “Mydreamistobewithyou!” she blurted out in a sudden hurry.
There was a long pause, Hermes smile fading. Slowly she reached out to Xiaoli, her arms snaking around the river-girl. Pulling her close -- and nearly toppling her onto the bed -- Hermes grinned, “Then do that.”
Xiaoli’s eyes welled up and for a moment, she did not know how to react. “R-really? You-... You would have me, after all?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Hermes closed her eyes, a content smile stretching across her face. She squeezed Xiaoli gently, prompting Xiaoli to squeeze back.
“It’s just… I didn’t think you liked me in that way… As more than-... You know…” She rubbed her head against Hermes’, squeezing her a little tighter. Hermes sucked in a large breath of air, their proximity showering the atmosphere of the room with the aroma of gentle flowers and oils from earlier. She rested her head tiredly against Xiaoli, her eyes closing as she slowly drifted away.
“I do.”
The trio finds their way to Shengshi, where they are greeted by the new servants of the River God. After a quick exchange, they are brought to Shengshi’s chambers. Xiaoli decides after consulting advice from Hermes, to go in first. Shengshi questions her and eventually has her bring in Hermes who he questions even more. After a rigorous barrage of questions, Shengshi reveals that he was crying the whole time and gives everyone a group hug.
After this, Poppler and Shengshi catch up while Hermes and Xiaoli are sent to the bathhouse. Xiaoli sheds her sand and takes to the water like a fucking champ, while Hermes refrains from taking her clothes off, citing a deep set embarrassment. Despite Hermes reluctance to disrobe, she goes into the bath anyways, where Xiaoli washes her hair.
Later Xiaoli puts on her freshly steamed sand and new clothes and bounces off to meet up with Hermes, who after the bath decided to go to a private room to change into fresh clothes. Hermes pops out of her room to surprise Xiaoli with her new outfit and the two head off to eat.
At the banquet hall, Hermes learns to use chopsticks and Shenshi declares some sick ass poetry that was something between Robert frost and Tupac Shakur. The group eats, Poppler absent. Shengshi eventually askes Hermes what she wants as a wish for being so cool to his Avatar. Hermes declines, thinking it too much to reward her for loving Xiaoli, but Shengshi insists. The Snake god reads Hermes’ mind after she brings up her incompleteness and determines he can help with her infertility.
The group goes to the deck, where a mattress is laid out for Hermes and as Shengshi begins his ritual, K’nell shows up like a stone cold gangster. Without a word, he aids in the ritual, doing his own thing on the side. The two gods slam some divine power on the scene and Hermes is made fertile and a hero in one crack.
Tired, Hermes is lead back to her room by Xiaoli, K’nell and Shengshi walking off to talk God stuff. There Xiaoli finally confronts Hermes and explains her feelings, which to her surprise end up being reciprocated by the Dreamer, who then falls asleep.
Where the fuck did Poppler go? How will this new relationship work? What the hell did K’nell and Shengshi do on their walk? Will Xiaoli ever try sugar in her tea? Find out next season.
1 MP from K’nell and 1 MP from Shengshi to make Hermes a hero, complete with fertility and all the other fun little things Heros get.
Sheng after: 0MP/8FP. K’nell after: 5MP/1FP
1 Prestige point for being in a post, 1 Prestige point for starring in a post and 1 Prestige point for doing it with friends
Hermes total prestige: 3
THWACK
The baton smashed into Poppler’s ribs, the agent spitting out a blotch of crude blood. His chains danged as he fought against the sewer wall, grime running down his back.
“Tell us vhere ze plans zar,” A russian accent goaded. “Fuck,” Poppler groaned in pain, “You.”
THWACK
“Boris, get zee battervee,” The russian glared at the screaming spy. A large man in an adidas track suit appearing with a rusty car battery and sinister cables, “You vill tell us.”
The russian leaned in, spreading chapped lips into a smile, “You vill.”
The land fell quiet once more. K’nell stood atop his stony platform, arms raised in command, bizarre eyes twisting all about. A thought, one of millions, tickled his mind and his grin stretched. The divine energy that crackled in his soul warmed his corporeal body, and slowly he felt the changes. A great many flashes suddenly erupted from his form, blanketing the forest valley in splotches of light. All at once, there was a final bang, and there K’nell stood, newly formed.
What was once a face dominated by an uncomfortable smile was now that of a man. A gentleman’s grin formed on a clean shaven face, well kept alabaster hair flowing down from the top of his head and brushing his shoulders. A regal nose sat center, and instead of eyes of spiraling madness, now stood two wizened eyes of silvery grey, creases of age stretching from their sides. As Heliopolis reflected from them, however, light seemed to gleam and collect into the shape of a cheshire grin.
A hearty laugh bounced from K’nell, his clothes having kept their dark gentlemanly style, but all the same amused him. His silver buttoned jacket stretched down past his knees in a noble sweep, his pants were sturdy but stylish, hemmed by sleek boots. He pinched his cuffs, straightening the arms of his coat and gave a smiling look across Tendlepog with his new eyes.
“Hmm,” His grainy voice hummed, now ripe with the baritone of silvery experience. Suddenly his divine spark cracked and rumbled, his eyes sparking into a godly light, the great power wrapping his body in it’s glow, only to disappear a moment later. He blunk and moved his arms with a new found speed and control, the limitation of his reflexes fading as his perception also grew. The world opened up to his new senses, and he could feel himself in total control of himself like never before.
“Perfect,” He charmed as he cracked his new knuckles before placing in the air as if holding a large string instrumentt, “A duet of the brass and guitar,” he announced to nobody in particular, “with guests.”
Suddenly a phantom guitar appeared in his hands, rippling like the shadow of a flame. His new smile cracked a toothy smirk and suddenly his fingers scattered across the neck of the guitar with beyond divine precision and control, his other fingers moving as deliberate over the cords. His fingers were but a blur as his phantom music began.
Drums joined in, brass bellowed, and every so often, his hand would come down hard on his instrument, a lick of the phantom flame spitting away from the guitar and taking flight as the shadowy form of a crow with eyes of glowing coal. Each avian beast made this way would fly off without question, K’nell’s music filling the valley with intense vibrations, his new face aglow with joy.
Flocks of thousands and then tens of thousands ripped from his instrument, and each one he managed to watch as they made their maiden flight. Minutes passed, and so did miles, and he could still spot them in the distance, his fingers never missing a beat no matter the speed of the tune and then finally, with one last great shredding strum, his guitar exploded into an immense flock of shadowy crows, all taking to the air in different directions.
Silvery eyes followed the new breed as they flew from the god. Slowly, and gradually, images flooded the gods mind as well as distant sounds even beyond his improved reception. A wicked grin covered his face and he knew the shadow crows had done their job. He could see what they saw as they crossed oceans, hear what they heard as they flew over rippling waves, all safely tucked away into his divine mind. With a thought the connection was severed, with another, reopened. K’nell smiled a cheshire smile, one fit to match his eyes.
K’nell decides it’s time for a change and makes himself a dashing new (dreamer) form. He then decides it’s time for an upgrade and gifts himself greatly improved reflexes and perception He THEN decides it’s time to put his new form and abilities to the test with a new song. From his song the Shadow Crows are born, who now fly across Galbar as his eyes and ears. He smiles at the end.
1 MP spent on his new Dreamer form 2 MP spent on Greatly improved reflexes and perception 2 FP spent on the shadow crows, beasts that safely relay information to K’nell telepathically, and punish interlopers by revisiting them in their sleep to sow nightmares. As a safety measure, images or sounds that would otherwise cause harm to a God are prevented from being relayed telepathically, and instead the entirety of the affliction rests on the poor crow.
The drums cracked like thunder, the brass boomed like an earthquake, and the orchestra ripped open the struggle of life and death, only to spread its philosophical body and emotion across an intense melody of notes. K’nell stood from his throne, the weavers parting before him. Looking ahead, the doors out of his ballroom were cleaved open by an unseen force, and all at once, K’nell blasted forward.
The music followed as K’nell cut across the dreamscape at impossible speeds, suddenly shifting from one reality to another, and another, until he flew amidst the wrinkles of what was and what wasn’t. Of course, any mortal eye would not be able to perceive such madness, but K’nell knew the many sensations of such a place well. What may have felt as an eternity passed as K’nell cut through emotion, memory, dreams and reality, until at last, it all came together in a mighty explosion of white light.
Limbo trembled as the God reemerged, crackling with divine will. The skies over Swahhiteh-Tendlepog turned a deep maroon, and Heliopolis seemed to turn into a dark black as the Lord of Dreams returned to Galbar. The clear skies of madness were covered as rolling clouds of thunder blanketed in. K’nell raised his arms, and the continent turned a deadly quiet, awaiting its conductor.
All at once, K’nell dropped his hands and the drums of orchestra blasted across the landscape, the clouds roaring in cheer. A finger twitched and the wind whistled the wail of a melancholy violin, eyes snapped, and the ground shook with the power of the trumpet. Slowly the God brought his hands up, his loyal musicians of sky and earth following his lead. His hands reached the full extent, and with a dip and a woosh to the sides, a great branch of black lightning struck the ground in applause.
The hands moved down, the music boomed, the hands moved up, the world wailed, the hands turned to the sides, and screams without bodies sounded. A twist, and another pillar of lightning slammed into Galbar.
Soon his hands danced with command, and the scene in front of him came to fruition. Music displayed an array of emotions dark and hidden, toned with thoughts best left alone. Great crashes sounded, and amazing bolts of energy descended from the heavens, until the concert had turned into one of blasting columns of lightning and curdling screams from the clouds. A single hand rose to the sky, and as it dashed down, all the instruments sounded in salute in one ear breaking conglomeration, only to then leave the world in silence once more.
Slowly, the natural sounds of Tendlepog returned, and the sky faded back to it’s evening orange. K’nells body shimmered with a dark power that soaked in the light, his body still crackling with godly will. Content eyes stared forward at what was born from his latest song.
An army of strange beasts of shadow stood snarling, their figures not quite physical, but wholly of the land of dreams. Their edges blurred with reality, leaving one to wonder where their shimmering bodies really stood. In front of this awaiting mob was a single rider.
Atop a mare the color of the night was a knight armored in black thorns, deep red eyes staring from an enclosed helmet. K’nell’s smile grew.
“Scatter, offspring of dreams, and ensure the balance and safety of your new home,” A grainy voice commanded, “Challenge the weak minded, and ensure the quality of the inhabitants of this paradise. Show them what they fear most, and see to it they either overcome or withdraw. Push the greedy, the proud, the selfish, and protect those who hold my virtues, as well as this great land.”
A pale finger pointed at the mounted rider, “Warden of this Kingdom,” The voice returned, “See to it that my will is maintained.”
“As you command,” A hollow voice vibrated from the helmet, thorned hands pulling the reins of the mare underneath.
K’nell leaves the Palace and travels through Limbo
Upon his return to Galbar, he begins to orchestrate a new song
From the power of his music, a race of nightmares are born, and tasked with protecting Swahhitteh-Tendlepog. As their leader, a great Warden is also born, tasked with overseeing the will of K’nell be carried out.
The Guardian Nightmares - 3 FP Extraordinary but unintelligent species The Warden - 2 FP Single Beast of Phenomenal power
There wasn’t much talking on the way home. The boat creaked under the pressure of the calm waves, and the sailors heaved and groaned with the planks as they rowed, but there wasn’t any words. Once blue waves turned dark purple under the evening sky, and the sea breeze turned chilly. Renevin had taken turns with one of the sailors at the oars, hoping the labor would occupy his mind, but the repetition just made him focus. A phantom weight laid on his arms, as if the woman was still there rasping her final breath. In the end he plopped himself down on a barrel and stewed in his own thoughts.
Hondros’ gloved hand gripped his shoulder and squeezed, causing Renevin’s voice to leak out, raspy and sad, “She was probably someone’s mother, someone’s wife. Definitely someone’s daughter. I didn’t see any of that -- what I saw was broken.”
“She had died long before we arrived, there was nothing we could do,” Hondros’ accented whipped into the salty air.
“I know,” Renevin looked at his partner, “She was on her final breaths, but-”
“No, I get it,” Hondros waved a hand, “the mind doesn’t easily comprehend it. We are so used to seeing each other in a certain way, it’s scary when your eyes don’t register what it’s used to.”
“Even scarier when it dies in your arms,” Renevin sighed, and stood up, “I’ll beat it out of my mind in a few days.”
“Now that,” Hondros folded his arms, “now that would be scary.”
“Can only move forward,” Renevin looked out over the horizon, his arm leaning on the railing.
“Just never forget what gets you there,” Hondros joined him, folding his arms around the wooden guard, “you’ll be seeing a lot as a Praxian, don’t forget what it was like before it started to numb you, and above all never forget our code. We have it for a reason.”
“Yeah,” Renevin gazed across the rippling sea, a dark line forming on the horizon, “you ever wonder how much longer we have left?”
Hondros squinted his eyes, “you’re too new to be thinking about quitting.”
“No,” Renevin turned to Hondros, “that’s not what I’m saying.”
He paused, “nevermind.”
Hondros looked out over at the forming landmass, “I know.” From that point on the rest of the trip was spent in relative silence. The two Guards stood staring forwards as the rowers rowed. Gulls became more and more dense as the black strip of land in the distance became a supple mass of green, speckled with white stone buildings embedded in the hilly coast. The water turned a light rippling blue, and the clarity gave view to the shadows of fish swimming underneath.
Slowly the coastal sound of gull calls and wave breaks turned into a small cheer as the villagers of Ylldyn became dots on the docks, the sailors returning their calls with cheers of their own. Despite the storm of thoughts in Renevin’s mind, he and Hondros cracked smiles, the happy calls curling their lips without command.
At last the shapes in the distance turned into a fully detailed crowd. Women in white dresses, and men in equally bright tunics and baggy breeches waved their fisherman hats and tanned arms in welcome. Children slipped between the legs of the adults, eager to watch the return of the galley ship. Renevin’s own eyes scanned the scene, his icy blues looking for something with the same vigor as the overeager children.
Hondros watched his usually cool headed friend with interest, taking note when Renevin’s eyes relaxed, suddenly fixated. Renevin’s gaze laid heavily on a single woman, her head of hair a honey blonde, in stark contrast the the brown and black haired villagers surrounding her. She wore light eyes, of a greenish hazel, which fluttered behind thick eyelashes, giving her visage a sort of outline that was a pleasure to trace. Despite her differences, she had a gentle aquiline nose, same as the others.
Renevin’s fingers gripped the rail tight at the sight of Swedren.
“Easy,” Hondros looked ahead, “She’ll be there when we dock.”
“I know,” Renevin said cooly, and yet the longing in his eyes betrayed his voice.
In the half an hour it took to get the galley next to and tied to the dock, the cheers had turned into loud conversation and curious eyes. Some of the children had lost interest and began rushing around in impromptu games of youth, and generally getting in the sailor’s way as they began to go about their business. The crowd paid little mind to the everyday sea salt, but kept their attention on the two Guards as they finally hopped down from the galley and onto the water washed planks below.
The crowd split to allow the men passage. Hondros took the lead, Renevin hesitating briefly when his eyes finally met Swedren’s causing both their faces to break out in wide toothy smiles, their cheeks suddenly gaining a deeper color. It took a second, but eventually the nigh tangible link of their gaze was broken as Renevin realized how far Hondros had walked ahead of him.
Shoulder to shoulder now, the pair made their way past the plaster houses, their boots kicking up dust on the dirt roads of the village. Only when the pair made their way onto a small stone dias that sat in the center of the village did the duo stop, taking their final steps onto the raised platform. Ceremoniously they turned to the crowd, Swedren having made her way to the front with wide admiring eyes.
The pair looked ahead, as if seeing into the distant future, and as they did they took their sword arms and extended them, then bent them, snatching the hilts of their blades. Together they ripped their swords from their scabbards with a inspiring rasp. The lowest runes along the ancient looking weapons suddenly began to glow and hum, and then all at once, as the soldiers held their swords pointing high above their heads, a great vision appeared.
It was the fight. A sparkling image of Hondros and Renevin swirled above the real pair, the troll in the center. The crowd murmured in awe as they watched the troll’s final moments, the image ending as it fell under the combined might of the two Praxian Storm Guards.
As the sparkling image dissipated the crowd turned into cheers, and with disciplined coordination, the pair of guards returned their blades to their scabbard in synchrony before stepping down from the dias. Renevin looked at Hondros, his face hiding a question behind bold eyes. Hondros gave him a satisfied smile and nodded. The crowd rushed the pair with praise, and children reached out to touch their battered armor. Men and women alike attempted to touch, hold and shake their hands, but with a little help of Hondros, who suddenly spread his arms in welcome, accompanied with a booming laugh and wide smile, Renevin snuck away.
Slipping through the crowd Renevin’s brow furrowed, his face resting in an unfortunate scowl as his eyes searched. Suddenly a couple of fingers slipped under the pauldron on his shoulder and tugged. Renevin spun to meet the culprit, swinging in close to offset the pull. He blunk, and Swedren blunk back. The two stood face to face, their lips curling into content smiles. Reaching down Renevin took her hand in his and she lead him out of the crowd.
Slipping between two white crosshatch fences tangled in flowering grape vines, the two escaped the clamor of the town center, a soft laugh stuck in their throats. They made a sharp turn, escaping view of both the crowd and the evening sun.
Huddling under an old olive tree the two embraced. Swedren suddenly making a scowl, “The armor really takes away from the-”
“Oh!” Renevin gave an embarrassed smile. There was a soft pause and then they both blurted out, “How are you?”
The recoiled, Swedren lunging back into the conversation first, “I was worried.”
“You didn’t need to be,” Renevin curled a smile, “Hondros is a great leader.”
"Humble,” Swedren teased, “You’re no slack from what I’ve seen -- but that doesn’t mean I don’t worry. Anything can happen.”
“It’s the life I chose,” Renevin nodded, hiding a blush from the praise.
“I know,” Swedren gave him a smile that melted his heart,somehow catching a glimmer of the sun in her eye under the shade, “I’m proud of you for that.”
Renevin looked down, his eyes in heaven as a soft smile remained on his face. Swedren’s radiant smile grew as she gazed over him, his features, ignoring the grime on his attire and cheeks. Gently she pressed her forehead on his and closed her eyes, Renevin doing the same. They stayed like that for what felt like forever, before finally an anxious ball formed in the pit of Renevin’s stomach, “Did you ask your father?”
Immediately Swedren raised her head and looked back up at Renevin, her eyes suddenly mirroring his own anxiety, “He told me that he wanted to hear it from you.”
“That doesn’t mean anything,” Renevin kept a positive attitude, “Formality is all.”
Swedren gave a worried smile, “I know.”
“Where is he?” Renevin stretched eagerly.
“Now?” Swedren crossed her brow, “So soon?”
“I need to get this stone off my stomach,” Renevin looked down at Swedren, “It’ll eat me alive if I stay in suspense.”
Swedren sighed, “You’re right. He should be retiring to his study soon, doing the days end count.”
Renevin kissed the top of Swedren’s forehead and squeezed her hands, “Then I’ll seek you out as soon as I get my answer.”
The young woman’s cheeks fought between a pale anxiety and a blushing pink, “I’ll be here as late as I can.”
Renevin stole one last look at Swedren before turning and running off, his tired legs taking him as fast as he can. As he cut across one of the dirt roads of the village a broad arm stretched out to intercept him, causing him to skid to a halt.
A sandy cheeked man with long hair and sharp green eyes stared down at him, he wore the armor of the Praxians, and a mischievous smile, “Renevin! Just the man I wanted to see. I heard about the fight with the troll.”
“I’m in a hurry D’Bran,” Renevin gave a polite nod.
D’Bran rolled his eyes, “running off to Swedren?”
“Nopoitis,” Renevin quickly said, starting his way around D’Bran.
“See?” D’Bran shook his head, putting himself back in front of Renevin, “This is what I was saying last week. Far too much trouble. That cheap ass is going to give you a run around and put you in the suitor void where they shove all lost hopes. Just snag a regular beauty, an easier time.”
“D’Bran.” Renevin spoke between his teeth.
“Hey, I’m just looking out for a friend,” D’Bran cocked a brow, “You’re basically a local legend, you can have anyone you want.”
“Swedren,” Renevin stopped and stared at D’Bran, “Can I go now?”
The sandy cheeked guard shrugged and stepped aside, “It’s your wish, not mine. See you at the dance.”
Renevin sighed, nodding hastily at D’Bran before cutting off into a jog once more. Sucking in his breath he managed to force his anxiety to the lowest pits of his stomach, but with every step he felt it twist back up. He shook his head, letting the cool coastal air take over his senses.
With a skid and a scuff Renevin came to a stop. A great entrance way stood in front of him, a portly janitor tending the doorway. To the left and the right were large fields, dotted with what workers remained this late, most leading the beasts of burden back to their pens. Renevin paid them little mind as he approached the janitor.
“I’m here by request of Nopoitis,” Renevin explained.
The janitor stood back and examined the taller, younger man in front of him, “Renevin?”
“Yes,” Renevin answered quickly, eager to pass. The janitor waited a second longer, until Renevin’s brow settled into a downward slant, causing a small smile to form on the janitor’s face, “Good luck.”
“Thanks,” Renevin said, unsure what to make of the man as he moved past.
The doorway lead to a hall, which then spilled into a sunny atrium. It was well kept, but plain, with little decoration. Renevin knew why, and if he hadn’t found himself at such odds with Swedren’s father, maybe he could even admire his frugal nature. Hooking a sharp left, Renevin left the white room and suddenly was face to face with a large door of some hardwood or another. Straightening upright, Renevin wrapped his gauntlet off the door, suddenly wishing he had changed.
“Come in,” the hard voice of Nopoitis called out. Renevin obeyed, opening the door and walking into the study, his eyes set in confidence. The room in synchrony with the atrium was just as neat, and just as plain, with only expensive papers and binded books to decorate the massive desk and many shelves. The only object that stood out was a finely painted portrait of a childhood Swedren standing by an older boy, a young Garthilian man and a young Grynyn maiden. Nopoitis himself sat in all his white-crowned glory, behind the desk, hand on a quill, his swarthy arm threateningly close to undried ink.
Before Renevin could even open his mouth, Nopoitis sunk his quill into it’s ink bottle and folded his thick fingers together, “Renevin. Renevin, oh Renevin. Excuse the irony in what I’m about to say, Renevin, but I think you’re wasting both our times.”
“I’m sorry?” Renevin took a step forward.
“You should be,” Nopoitis ignored the tone of Renevin’s response, “You have nothing to offer Swedren, nothing to offer the estate, nothing to offer me. You have nothing.”
Nopoitis shook his hands as if pleading, “Nothing.”
“I can-” Renevin began.
“Oh, I know. You can protect her, defend her honor. I hear a lot about you, all the time, don’t you worry. Your exploits as a youth to your days as a Praxian. You have a fairy tale life, and the town loves you for it, but the town’s daughter isn’t interested in you, mine is, and as far as I’m concerned, there is no stability in your life and line of work.” Nopoitis stood up, “The Praxians have been dying for the past few centuries and in my mind they don’t have the decade left before they are forced to disband. Government, Kings, Queens, they do all the protecting we need, and they can actually pay their soldiers good money for it.”
“Castle Oswald-”
“Is a tripe fort in the mountains, the last foothold of your cursed order,” Nopoitis answered, “Is that where you would move my daughter? A fort? Here she has land, here she has my business. If it wasn’t for the death of my son, I bet I wouldn’t be plagued with offers like this, I have half a mind to suspect you of swiping my fortune from me along with my daughter. No, she needs stability, and I can offer that, not you.”
“Nopoitis,” Renevin finally got a word in, “I care for your daughter,” Nopoitis heckled a grunt but Renevin continued, “I may not have much now, but the future can hold anything, and she is willing to take that path with me. She wants to marry me, and I want to marry her.”
“About eighteen years ago now,” Nopoitis narrowed his eyes, “a young baby tied to the back of a bull wandered into town. The old coots said the bull walked upright and talked, and that the baby was a sign of greater things. I saw people reading into something shallow, something they wanted. No, I kept my head out of the clouds and realized that this baby was tied to a regular-day-old-ass of an ox by a no good desperate tramp in an attempt to relieve herself of the burden of a child and this town had the misfortune of being the first town to notice the bull on its useless journey and take in the baby to which --” He held up a hand to keep Renevin from speaking, “-- to which this bastard grew up as troubled orphan, uneducated and penniless. By a miracle of the Brother’s Harmony themselves the child could fend for itself and found friendship in an outdated order, and ever since then this bastard believed itself to be special and deserving, so much so as to bother a real man who has a real livelihood about his real daughter.” Nopoitis slammed his palm on the desk, “This is not a fairy tale, boy.”
Renevin stared at Nopoitis, his brow slanted into a scowl and his knuckles a bright white under his gloves. He stared in silence, the burn of anger swelling his throat closed with insults best left unsaid. His chest pumped heated breaths and his mind swirled with ideas.
“A town as big as ours, a woman as beautiful as my daughter, and she picks the poorest man to ever grace these roads,” Nopoitis put the nail in the coffin, “Get out.”
A cool wash overtook Renevin’s face, but his scowl remained. The combination of such a calm demeanor paired with such a look made Nopoitis shiver. Turning on his heel, Renevin slammed the door behind him.
K’nell’s eyes scanned every feature of the dream, as if looking for something. The ballroom all around him was afloat with phantom instruments, a calming melody being played. K’nell slowly dropped the orb into its pedestal and tucked a hand under his chin.
“Where is it,” a disembodied hum questioned.
Renevin and Hondros return to Ylldyn
They show off their kill to the townspeople
Renevin runs off to be with Swedren, only to find out that his marriage proposal is being denied by her father.
Renevin bumps into D’Bran on his way to Swedren’s father’s and has a brief conversation.
Renevin is denied face to face by Swedren’s Father, pissing everyone off.
Hermes’ eyes fluttered open. Ten long hours had passed in the land of the awake, but what felt like days passed in the land of dreams. She pushed the leaves that covered her and her makeshift bed away with two stretching arms, a happy curl taking her lips. Her gaze twinkled with ease, her body fully relaxed and rejuvenated. In all, she never felt better. Happy little remnants of her dreams danced in her head as the world focused past her sleepy gaze, and the first thing she saw was Xiaoli’s own stare, inciting a just waking smile from Hermes.
“Good awakening,” Hermes rasped, her throat just returning to use.
Xiaoli hummed happily and cracked a pebbly smile, causing Hermes’ gaze to catch the many colored pebbles in her sight, somehow she had not noticed them before. “Good awakening, dear Hermes,” Xiaoli chuckled. “Did you rest well?”
Hermes rolled onto her belly, her devious club tumbling from the sticks of her bed, “Mhm, sometimes I wish I could stay forever.” Xiaoli hummed softly in agreement.
“You know, I don’t think I’ve actually slept before.” She winced momentarily. “I have lost consciousness, yes, but never slept. What is it like?”
“Sleep?” Hermes slowly sat up, running her hands through her long knotted hair, fighting against the biggest of the tangles, “It’s wonderful. I get to be with God. We talk, we dance, we explore.”
She shrugged her shoulders, her mind conjuring images of last night’s dreams into her head, “We can do anything we want, and I get to be with him. He makes me feel safe.”
Xiaoli nodded softly, her eyes peering at Hermes’ long, white, messy hair. Seeing as she was sitting, she crawled over on all fours and sat down right next to Hermes. “Do you ever braid it? Your hair?”
Hermes blunk, and as much as she started to hate saying this, she sighed, “I don’t know what that is.”
Xiaoli blunk back. She raised her hand and patted the little knot on the top of her head. “It’s a little like tying your hair up like this, but you braid it into beautiful patterns instead. May I?” She gestured to Hermes’ hair.
“Okay,” Hermes gave a smirk and turned her back to Xiaoli, presenting the long cascade of alabaster that was her hair, the tangled tips leading all the way down to just above her waist. She made a face as she felt the first gentle tug, and then the second, but by time the seventh or eighth passed she closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation.
The braid took long, since more than half of the task was spent undoing days of knots formed from endless blasts of wind and rolling around in her sleep. Xiaoli eventually turned a nearby rock into a comb to aid her in removing all the knots. In the beginning, she dragged the comb through the hair like finger through a pile of cream - until she encountered a knot, at which point she grabbed the hair around the root with one hand and pulled out the knot with the comb in her other and despite the extra care, the sudden forced caused Hermes’ teeth to clench.
In the end, it was all worth it. A certain lightness took over Hermes’ head, her hand reaching back to feel what had been done. Her hair had been left short over her temples, but most had been braided into a criss-crossing pattern that ended with a short, round knot on the top, a little like Xiaoli’s own hair. Xiaoli leaned forward, nearly placing her head on Hermes’ right shoulder and giggled.
“What do you think?”
“I like it,” Hermes went to turn her head but misjudged how close Xiaoli was, resulting in a soft thump as her forehead bounced off the Avatar’s, she recoiled, embarrassment swelling her stomach, “Sorry.”
Xiaoli recoiled too, cheeks flushing, but her eyes not pulling away. “D-don’t worry about it,” she said softly and looked down at the ground. She sat back up on her ankles, looking slightly to the side. “I don’t mind a little contact… Every now and then,” she mused with a giggle.
“Oh,” Hermes pondered out loud, “it’s definitely an experience.”
The Dreamer stood up and held out her hand to Xiaoli, “Speaking of, where do you want to go next?”
Xiaoli put her palm in the Dreamer’s and squeezed affectionately before rising to her feet. She dusted off her dress with her free hand and winked at Hermes. “How about I show you my home, since you were so kind as to show my yours?” She flashed her a playful grin.
A cheshire grin played over Hermes’ cheerful face, “Of course!”
She spun on her heels, her sandals starting to flap, “Which direction?”
Xiaoli looked around for the location of heliopolis on the sky. Upon finding it, she turned her head slightly to the left and squinted. After a moment, she lifted her hand and pointed. “About that way, I believe. Have you been to the Dragon’s Foot before?”
“Uh,” Hermes pursed her lips in thought, “Probably, but I don’t know the names. Hold on.”
The Dreamer suddenly extended both her arms as if making a “T” and then pointed one at the sky and slowly moved the other one, her eyes darting all around. She dropped her arm skyward arm, it suddenly pointing north, bringing her other arm to pointed in the same direction as Xiaoli, “Yes! I’ve been there. I met Narzhak there.”
“The Iron Giant?” Xiaoli exclaimed and grabbed Hermes’ closest hand with both of her own, “he didn’t hurt you, did he?!”
Hermes let out a funny little laugh, “No! Narzhak is my be-” She stared at Xiaoli, who almost appeared ready to pout, “One of my best friends. He gave me my club and taught me the ways of the world, well some of them at least.”
She all but whispered, “And I taught him a thing or two as well, I think.”
Xiaoli blunk a few times and cocked her head to the side. She then burst out into an uncharacteristically loud guffaw. “So -that’s- why you showed up at the Jiangzhou with-.. With a club-ahaha...!” She let go of her hand and staggered back a few steps, seemingly unable to stop laughing.
Hermes carefully laughed along with Xiaoli, her mind desperately hoping the joke wasn’t her, “Of course!” The Dreamer picked the club up off the forest floor and held it out for Xiaoli, “Want to hold it?”
“Oh! No, no. I am not fit to bear weaponry - my role is that of advisor,” she said, shaking her head, “and the hour does not call for warfare nor training. However, should such a time arise, then I’d love to!” She knelt down and picked up the flute box, promptly pocketing it in the wide band around her waist. “It is a nice weapon, though. What exactly did you teach the Iron Giant, if I may ask?”
“Well,” Hermes went for her hair and then remembered it was now braided, suddenly her eyes widened in horror, “Xiaoli!?”
Xiaoli’s eyes widened at the tonal shift and she stormed over to her, voice permeated with worry. “What? What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“Xiaoli,” Hermes’ own voice was laced with concern, “Where is Poppler?”
Suddenly there was a very angry crackle that muffled out from the tight braids causing Hermes to jump. ”Pop pop pop pop!
With a loud Zzt! the cloudling oozed out from between the fibers of Hermes’ hair, it’s fluffy body a dark storm. It whizzed around the two for a brief moment before calming down, Hermes apologized profusely to the tiny cloud. Xiaoli also came over, her eyes pooling with guilty tears. She reached out to pat the cloud, but received nothing but a surly zap. She collapsed to her knees. “I’m sorry, little Poppler! I didn’t see you in the white hair and-and-and… I just-!” She choked a sob. “I’m sorry!”
The cloudling continued it’s crackling march of anger, eventually calming down enough to seep back into Hermes’ braid, leaving a tiny wet spot. Hermes stared at Xiaoli, her chin beginning to wobble as she stifled a laugh, “Oops.”
Xiaoli wiped a tear away and let out a few more sobs, which gradually turned into chortles and then into a loud laughter. She bonked her temple playfully and stuck her flower petal tongue out. “Silly me,” she whispered playfully.
Hermes’ laugh stopped as she stared at Xiaoli’s strange tongue. She didn’t know if it was weird or not to comment on someone’s tongue being ‘pretty’ and so she decided to keep it to herself. Xiaoli, however, seemingly noticed the target of the stare, her laughter abruptly ending halfway through a chuckle. She immediately raised her sleeve and held it in front of her mouth, casting her look to the side.
“I’m sorry - it’s unsettling, isn’t it? My mouth? All these rocks and plants… It looks like a riverbed...”
Hermes idly tried to move Xiaoli’s sleeve, her curious eyes static, “No, I like it.” At the beginning, Xiaoli resisted, but then promptly stopped upon hearing Hermes’ comment. She raised her look and stared into the Dreamer’s eyes.
“Y-... You mean it?”
“Yes, you shouldn’t hide what makes you unique, either,” Hermes nodded, “K’nell once told me that uniqueness hidden is uniqueness kept from the world, and that the world could always use more beauty.” Hermes paused, “I agree.”
Xiaoli’s pupils shrank. She looked to the side again, though her expression persisted. “Not even my lord has said something so beautiful to me. I-...” Her eyes, already red with previous tears, welled up once more. “Hermes, I-...” She looked back at the Dreamer’s face, and for a moment, her eyes flicked to Hermes’ lips. Hesitantly, she moved her face forward a little, towards Hermes’ face, then a little more, until their face were a mere inch apart. Her breathing was ragged; her cheeks, flushed. The river girl’s fingers on her right hand reached out to slowly knit together with those of Hermes’ left hand.
Hermes felt her breath splash over her face, her own chalk-white skin turning a soft rose, but then suddenly her brow-knitted, “Xiaoli.”
The breathing stopped. The dilated pupils in Xiaoli’s just empty eyes focused into small dots. Her fingers froze as if turned to ice.
“Y-yes?” she whimpered softly.
Hermes bit her own lip, “Are you thinking about Shengshi?”
There was a long, uncomfortable pause. After a spell, Xiaoli pulled away and sat back on her heels, grabbing her left and with her right in a sheepish manner.
“N-not until you mentioned him, no,” she pouted in a tone that conveyed a mixture of disappointment and embarrassment. “I was thinking about-... About…”
“Ugh,” Hermes almost growled, “Why am I stupid, Xiaoli?” Xiaoli blinked and bent back forward, reaching out to grab whichever of Hermes’ hands was closer.
“You’re not stupid, Hermes! It’s fine! Really!” She calmed down a little and looked away. “I-... I got ahead of myself, really. I had no right to-... To assume.” She sniffed as discreetly as she could, failing immensely.
“I can’t seem to read, things,” Hermes threw her hands to her sides, “I thought you were upset about Shengshi, since you brought him up. But it’s not just that.”
“Forks, tea, alcohol, vines,” Hermes’ usual cheery voice was gone, “I get needing to experience, but I’m getting real tired of everyone knowing so much more than me. I didn’t even know what this was!” She gripped her new braids, inciting a pop, “and now it’s on my head!”
Xiaoli seemed taken aback. She put her hands on her thigh and let out a sigh. “Well, I would gladly teach you, if you would like - though I am uncertain of what a fork is. Is it a weapon?”
“YES,” Hermes nearly screeched, “See! You don’t even know what it is and you already know what it is.”
Xiaoli looked stunned at the outburst, but her expression became a wry smile and she cocked her head slightly to the right. “You were made to learn, my dearest Hermes - I was made to advise. Our purposes are different, so our masters allocated the appropriate knowledge for us to fulfill our tasks. Struggling on one’s way to fulfilling one’s task is nothing to be upset about - it is part of the task.” She let out a weak chuckle. “I get frustrated too, you know…”
By this time Hermes was sunken, her cheery expression was long gone as she fondled her club, placing her fingers between its spikes. As she sat, her eyes were scanning the length of it, but her ears were listening to Xiaoli, “It’s just hard, and it never stops. You just keep learning, and as far as I have learned, you never stop learning.”
She looked up, “I just want to be right, I want to do the teaching for once. I want to help my own Dreamers, like how K’nell helps me. I want Tendlepog to have crowds and crowds of Dreamers, all learning, all teaching.”
Hermes huffed a breath, “I’m sorry, it’s all just been a pressure in my head, and when I misjudged your emotions, it was just the final wrong.”
The Dreamer let the head of the club fall to the ground, her hand on the haft, a simple joy vibrating up as the head smashed into the ground, “Thank you, for being my friend.”
Xiaoli wiped away yet more tears from her pink-circled eyes. “I-I’m sorry... I cry a lot, don’t I…” She sniffed, a chuckle breaking through the sobs. “Again, it’s nothing to be sorry about. Misunderstandings happen, my dearest, and-... Well…” She shuffled a little closer, sitting herself on the ground opposite of Hermes to the club. She adjusted her position a little, then slowly lowered her head and placed it on Hermes’ shoulder. “Thank you, for letting me.”
A moment passed. The wind danced gently past the two and the small, colourful orbs of the forest were floating gently around the area. Xiaoli suddenly began to hum quietly, ponderously. The gentle humming caused Hermes to visibly relax, her body slouching as she threatened to fall back asleep, her apparent outburst sapping her energy.
“By more Dreamers, do you mean children?” she inquired.
Hermes’ eyes blinked open, “I guess, yes.” She watched one of the dreamweavers do a loopdeeloop and made a thoughtful face, “Just more of… Dreamers, like me. A lot of them.”
Xiaoli hummed softly. “Have you tried asking His Holiness K’nell about making you some?” She tugged playfully at some of the hair hanging over Hermes’ temple.
“No,” Hermes quietly answered, “He does so much, I didn’t want to seem spoiled.” Hermes paused and sunk into her own thoughts, remembering the words of Kalmar, “You know, I hear tell that some beings can make more of themselves naturally. I don’t know, I’ll figure it out someday… be it divine or mundane, call it a dream.” Hermes gave a soft smile.
Xiaoli looked upwards at Hermes, which actually turned out to be sideways, considering the angle of her head. She carefully moved her hand and placed it on Hermes’ stomach, causing the Dreamer to squirm a little, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After a moment, she removed the hand and let out a sigh.
“Has your master told you?” she asked, her voice conveying deep sympathy.
“Told me what?” Hermes looked down at where Xiaoli’s hand had been.
Xiaoli gasped quietly, not saying anything for a long time. She then took a deep breath and pulled herself back into an upright position, her eyes downcast.
“That you’re… You’re…” She stuttered, then took another deep breath, looking sideways at Hermes.
“You’re infertile,” she said somberly.
A loud silence broke between the two, Hermes’ body tensing back up. It seemed as if the silence was never going to end, and then finally Hermes squirmed away from Xiaoli, her arms crossed defensively across her chest, her eyes downcast, “I think we should go on our journey, now.”
Xiaoli looked broken, her pale face ever paler and her mouth gaping in shock. She reached out to Hermes with a shaky arm and a quivering voice. “Hermes, I-...”
Light began to shiver on Hermes’ eyes as water pooled, but before a tear could form, she suddenly blurred, leaving a sonic boom in her wake as she retreated, a surprised Poppler tumbling out of her hair. The cloudling whirled in confusion with gentle crackles.
Tendlepog blurred past Hermes’ and not just because of her speed. She felt a cold grasp in her stomach, which swelled and choked her throat. She never experienced this before, but it hurt more than the boar, and in places she never expected. Her heart was palpitating under the stress, and her teeth clattered. Wherever her cheery complexion went, it was a forever hole she couldn’t find.
She finally stopped, her sandals touching down on a flat stone in the middle of the flat lands. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground with little care of what happened to her. The rock scraped her knees causing a stark contrasting crimson to grow out of her chalk-white skin. She felt alone, she felt incomplete.
Then, as if she had said an unspoken prayer, a great flash erupted in the distance, where she had left Poppler and Xiaoli. Only a few seconds passed and that flash suddenly shot out of the mountains, over the fields and onto her flat rock, leaving nothing but a sweet smelling breeze in its wake.
There the flash stood, its blurry form turned into that of K’nell. Without missing a beat, Hermes lunged at the figure and clung to him, the God of Sleep unmoving.
“I don’t like it,” Hermes cried over and over as tears flowed down K’nells clothing.
A great hum eclipsed across the two forms as K’nell thought, “You say you are incomplete, but I would know, as I am your creator.”
“So?” Hermes looked up at the God with tear stained eyes.
The hum sounded again, “There are a great many things in store for you. Do not despair over what you currently see as your plight, for it is with a reason.”
“But my dream,” Hermes sniffled.
Suddenly two long arms awkwardly squeezed the Dreamer, her scraped knees suddenly healing shut, “I am the Lord of all Dreams.”
Hermes looked up at K’nell with comforted eyes, which widened when a white faced, silver eye’d gentleman smiled down at her. K’nell had taken the image of a Dreamer, older and kind, but just as gentlemanly as ever. Hermes squeezed him tight and they stood there while she finished her cry, her sniffles and choking sobs slowing down in the comfort of K’nell. Finally Hermes spoke up, her voice clearing and hinting at her usual joyish tone, “Will there ever be more of me?”
“Yes,” The voice answered.
“How?” Hermes looked up at K’nell.
“Wait and see,” The God let go of Hermes, “But do not forget your first purpose, while you have certainly outgrown only one, do not forget it.”
Hermes rubbed her arms across her eyes, “Okay.”
With a reassuring nod from K’nell, Hermes took off in a blur, Tendlepog once again stretching to pins. In moments Hermes blasted her way over the mountains and through the woods. When suddenly she came to a drastic halt, reappearing in the grove, eyes and nose stained as red as her freshly healed knees. Poppler and Xiaoli were both missing, but something glistening had been left in the grass. It appeared to be the flute box, and on its top a sentence had been written, written in elegantly, if a little hastily drawn characters.
Picking up the note gingerly, Hermes’ heart pounded, “I can’t read-”
Suddenly that bright light zipped by once again, but before it disappeared into limbo a single wisp of light lunged out and disappeared into Hermes’ ear. Almost instantly the note made sense, she blunk and read the note:
Dearest Hermes
If you are reading this, know that we are currently looking for you. The thought if you being alone with those horrible thoughts I planted in your head - it is tormenting. I will apologise properly when we find you; for now, I can only express myself in writing. I am so sorry, my dearest.
Your friend, Xiaoli.
As Hermes finished the letter, there came a distant echo from the west.
“...-mes!”
With new resolve, and all the items Hermes and Xiaoli had left behind, Hermes erupted into a westward sprint, quickly following the sound of the voice. Her search took her deep into the mushroom forest, and as the calling grew stronger and stronger, she exited the forest and entered the endless, red plains with stampeding trees - there, by a waterhole, jogged Xiaoli, followed closely by Poppler.
“Hermes!” Xiaoli yelled away from Hermes, evidently not having noticed her.
Hermes zoomed towards Xiaoli, slowing down just in time to collide into Xiaoli safely, wrapping her arms tight around the woman. Poppler managed to instinctively dash into Hermes’ hair as she did. As fast as she collided, Hermes suddenly took to the skies, Xiaoli in arms, Poppler in hair. Xiaoli instinctively struggled to begin with, but quickly realised who it was, and wrapped her arms around Hermes, squeezing her tightly.
“I-... I am sorry… I am so sorry.” She rubbed her face against Hermes’ chest. “I’m so sorry, my dearest, sweetest Hermes.”
“No,” Hermes looked forward, suddenly changing direction to Southeast, “It’s okay.”
Hermes felt her breath splash over her face, her own chalk-white skin turning a soft rose, but then suddenly her brow-knitted, “Xiaoli.”
The breathing stopped. The dilated pupils in Xiaoli’s just empty eyes focused into small dots. Her fingers froze as if turned to ice.
“Y-yes?” she whimpered softly.
“Easy,” Hondros looked ahead, “She’ll be there when we dock.”
“Told me what?” Hermes looked down at where Xiaoli’s hand had been.
Xiaoli gasped quietly, not saying anything for a long time. She then took a deep breath and pulled herself back into an upright position, her eyes downcast.
“That you’re… You’re…” She stuttered, then took another deep breath, looking sideways at Hermes.
“You’re adopted.”
With a reassuring nod from K’nell, Hermes took off in a blur, Tendlepog once again stretching to pins. In moments Hermes blasted her way over the mountains and through the woods, to grandmother’s house we go
K’nell used the power of Dreams to appear as a dreamer for a time, 0MP K’nell helped Hermes read a letter, 0MP
Hermes awakens from her dream and reconvenes with Xiaoli.
The two share a moment, but it is soon soured by Hermes' own insecurities and she goes off on a tangent of how she is sick of being wrong.
Eventually it all comes to a dream Hermes has of wanting to fill the world with Dreamers and to be a teacher, to which Xiaoli points out that she is infertile.
In shock, Hermes leaves, only to be found by K'nell, who comforts her.
I regretfully will have to withdraw from this rp. IRL has really disabled my time and desire to rp. My apologies for any time I have wasted but sadly, it is how it is.
Thank you for the invite and enjoy the story, from the outside its been a fun read.
The golden flash dissipated as Hermes and her new traveling companion zipped through. Very quickly the sight of a crystal floor popped into her vision and if not for her sandals, she might have seen it even closer. With a whiplash halt, Hermes now hovered gently above the colourful yellow swirl of crystal that was the floor, her arms tight around Xiaoli. The girl’s sandy cheeks blushed in a pinkish hue as she hugged tightly back.
“Wha-” The mortal began to say as her eyes darted every which way, taking in all the details of her sudden occupancy. Where there had only been sky she now found herself smack in the center of a massive circular chamber seemingly hewn from a single crystal. The walls were a translucent blue which contrasted with pale yellow supports that extended from the similarly coloured floor. The supports rose along the edges of the room to support a vast vaulted dome overhead. High above them, at the peak of the dome, a golden portal shimmered.
Hermes gently floated to the floor, her sandals making the tiniest clapping sound as she landed. Freeing her arms from Xiaoli, she brandished her iron club, heaving it over her shoulder as she looked around, “it’s very pretty.”
However, it seemed Xiaoli clasped on for a few seconds before she realised she had been let go of. She instinctively pulled back and hid her gradually blushing face behind her long sleeve and looked away.
“S-... Sorry…” she said warily and took the opportunity to look around the room. She shuffled quietly over to the chamber wall and gently ran her sandy palm across the surface, leaving some barely visible skidmarks. She recoiled a little and looked at her hand, letting out a soft sigh.
“It is beautiful, yes, but… Is this perhaps her home?” she said absent-mindedly. She strolled around a little longer, examining the blue walls and yellow pillars. “Can this be Her Holiness Asceal’s realm, I wonder…”
“Who, now?” Hermes and Poppler trailed Xiaoli with the attention of a puppy, poking and prodding everything in sight with both finger, cloud and -- albeit gently -- Hermes’ club.
“Her Holiness Asceal, goddess of light. She told me the waygate to her home was not far from the Jiangzhou-...” She paused and suddenly appeared anxious, peering at the portal. “Oh, my lord, what have I done?” She squatted down and put her face in her hands. “I left without asking my master! How could I be so-...!” Her ramblings trailed off into a quiet self-scolding.
Hermes looked down at her new friend and frowned,” It’s okay, I go traveling all the time.”
Poppler gently landed on top of Xiaoli’s head, as if to comfort the girl. “Besides,” Hermes continued, “Shengshi was asleep, you were awake, and he was being all weird. If you never experience things yourself then what good is it all?”
“... But… My purpose to…” She wiped away a tear and looked up to see the underbelly (if one could call it that) of the little cloudling. She gave it a soft pat and forced a smile through her otherwise somber demeanour. “No, no, you are right, my friend. I-... I cannot let my work get in the way of my life… Even if my work -is- my life… Oh, what am I going to dooo!” As a new wave of despair made its way through the girl’s body, she suddenly froze and poked a finger in the direction towards the other side of the room, where there was a darker part to the floor.
“A way down…” she sniffed.
A worried face broke across Hermes’ face, only to be quickly replaced with a curious one. Turning from her sad friend she squinted in the direction of her finger, “Do… do you wanna go check it out?”
“Because we can go home,” Hermes muttered, trying to hide her excitement at the discovery, “if you really wanted to.”
Xiaoli immediately snapped to, sped over to Hermes and grabbed her free hand, squeezing it tightly with both of her own. “No! No, we are -not- going home yet! Like you said, I have to…” She took a deep breath. “I have to experience things.”
A wide smile broke across Hermes’ face, “okay!” Her excitement was no longer barred as she jogged towards the stairwell, being mindful of her speed and the clinging Xiaoli, Poppler zipping along with them.
With an adventurous energy the group made their way down the spiral staircase. Stairs seemed to hug the outside of the tower and though the world beyond was obscured by the translucent crystal of the walls enough light bled through that the group never encountered so much as a shadow during their descent. Each step was longer than it was tall in a way that made the walk long and leisurely, but before long they’d reached the bottom. A simple arched doorway greeted them there.
Beyond it was a place unlike any on Galbar. A walkway of transparent crystal extended from the tower and into a seemingly endless forest of glowing porcelain vines. Massive trunks made from tens of thousands of interwoven vines erupted from a great pool of water below and rose up to grasp not just the tower they had emerged from, but every structure they could see. Countless walkways, platforms, and staircases stretched out in all directions. All were supported by the vines.
And in the distance, just near enough as to not be obscured by the forest of vines, was a vast palace of crystal. Glassy spires, some a deep red and others a pale blue like the tower, rose high above a massive and intricate edifice that sat atop dozens of the massive trunks of vines.
Amidst the maze like network of walkways there was no clear way to the palace, not even from so close. Thankfully though, they didn’t have to walk. Knowingly, Poppler suddenly zipped into Hermes’ knotted hair and without any more warning, the mortal snagged Xiaoli and suddenly they rocketed forward, weaving through the vines with little issue.
In less than a handful of seconds, the tiny group of adventurers hovered gently to the ground once again, but this time with a massive crystal palace right in front of their faces. The amazing light it gave off left Hermes in a state of gaped mouth awe, her eyes like saucers. Xiaoli first adjusted her dress and brushed off some pollen and vines and then followed Hermes’ example, taking in the sights with wide eyes and slack jaw.
“It’s very pretty,” She managed, “I like it a lot.”
“A very concise and precise evaluation,” Xiaoli agreed quietly. “It is indeed beautiful beyond measure… Almost more beautiful than…” She shot some suspicious glances left and right and quietly whispered, “... Jiangzhou.” She giggled at first, but then cast her sight at her feet and mumbled something resembling regret and a fear of harsh punishment if her master ever heard her say that.
Poppler crackled as he flew circles around Xiaoli, Hermes giving her a worried look before walking closer to the palace. As she approached the entrance the forest around her began to shiver. Great masses of shifting vines produced a rustling that slowly grew from a whisper to a deafening roar. With that roar, or perhaps in it, was the speech of a disembodied voice, “Who are you?” It questioned the group, “Why are you here?”
Instantly Poppler went on the defensive, crackling lowly as it circled his group. Xiaoli cowered behind Hermes, and Hermes gripped her club tightly, her eyes darting in every which direction. Her jaw relaxed and she spoke, her voice as cheerful as ever, in spite of her intense look, “I am Hermes, this is Poppler, and this is Xiaoli, and we are here…”
She thought for a moment, her eyes squinting “By accident?”
Xiaoli popped her head out from behind her companion and straightened herself up. She bowed deeply in the direction that seemed to make the most sense, considering the voice was omnipresent. “In a way, yes, since Hermes did not know about the gateway to this place; however, Her Holiness Asceal did tell me how to find it, so perhaps we came here by guided hand after all,” Xiaoli said and shrugged a little.
Almost instantly the forest's roar faded to nothing and from the opposite direction of Xiaoli’s bow, behind the group, a feminine voice sounded, “So you were invited, but you came by accident?” The speaker paused before asking skeptically, “You’re sure that’s what you want to go with?”
Xiaoli jumped and turned around. “Well,” she said and giggled nervously, “it is the truth!” Her eyes fixed upon the form behind them and widened. Before her was a woman who seemed to have been born from the same vines which made up the forest that stretched in every direction around them. Her features resembled Hermes and Xiaoli’s, save for the fact that her face looked like a sculpture made from thin white vines. In truth, her whole body appeared to be made from the foliage. All that distinguished her from a pretty shrub was that she was moving. That and her eyes. Set below two raised ‘eyebrows’ were the vine woman’s glowing eyes, a pair of blue orbs that shone with intelligence. Xiaoli felt her cheeks redden at the sight and looked away.
”Zzt!”
Poppler dashed over to the new addition to the scene, the cloud form gently bumping into her vines as if in search of something, leaving little dew droplets wherever it tapped her. Hermes gave a wide cheshire smile, now seeing who she was talking with, “Yep! Xiaoli was invited, but we showed up by accident.”
”Pop!”
“Poppler!” Hermes hissed at the cloudling. Xiaoli giggled behind her sleeve, letting her eyes once again glance at the vine woman’s every shape and form.
“You must be Liana, then. It is an honour to meet you.” She bowed again, this time towards the considerably more tangible target in front of her. “We hope we are not intruding,” she said softly, straightening back up to wink at the vine woman.
Liana’s eyes flicked between the little cloud prodding her, the pale woman with the spiral on her forehead, and the oddly formal girl. Her lips twitched and she burst into laughter, “And just when I was getting bored!” She shook with humor and gestured to the palace, “Well come on in! I’d love to hear the story of how you managed to blunder into the gateway, honoured guests.”
“Well I was just moving and then I was here!” Hermes said between matching laughs, making her way to the palace. Xiaoli followed suit, clapping her hands excitedly.
“That is the thing about moving,” Liana chuckled knowingly as she followed Hermes, “You always seem to end up somewhere else, don’t you?”
“Well that’s the only thing with moving,” Hermes gave Liana a quizzical look, as Poppler continued his inspection. The Dreamer paused and smiled wide, “so what do you like to do?”
“What do I like to do?” Liana pursed her lips in thought and stopped before she stepped inside the palace. She looked back and pointed to one of the closer trunks of twisted vines. As if in response the trunk sprouted a number of smaller vines that moved with a life of their own, weaving themselves into a peculiar shape. Before long the vines stilled and staring back at the the group of women was a statue of Hermes.
Liana grinned, “I like that. What about you?”
Hermes stared in appreciation of the statue, taking note of its intricate yet botanic detail, “ I like it too,” she said before thinking in silence. Turning to Liana she shrugged, “well, eating is kinda stressful, and flying is really fun, but my favorite thing to do is dream.”
“Oh!” She pointed a finger, suddenly remembering, “and making friends.”
Hermes nodded as she followed Liana into the palace, Poppler now on her head, “can't forget that.” Xiaoli chuckled behind her sleeve.
“She is quite good at it too, in my opinion,” she added with a nod and a pointed in Hermes’ direction with a folded arm. She took in the sights along the palace halls. Before her was a long hallway sporting walls adorned with abstract mosaics of coloured crystal. The mosaics covered every inch of the walls, save for the arched doorways to other rooms, and all took the form of complicated geometric patterns. Above was a barrel roof from which hung floating planters of glowing vines. “This really is a beautiful home, lady Liana. Did you adorn it yourself?” Xiaoli asked.
“Oh yes,” Liana said wryly, “I just waved my hands and did all this myself.”
Both Hermes’ and Xiaoli’s eyes shone with inspiration. “My, how extraordinarily talented you are! The statue you made was a wonderful demonstration, too! Your master must be so proud of you!” Xiaoli proclaimed warmly.
Liana stared at Xiaoli and stifled a laugh, “That was a joke, Xiaoli.” She gestured to the enormous and intricate mosaics around her, and asked, “How would I even be able to make something like this? I’m not a god, you know.”
Xiaoli froze in her excitement and stood slack-jawed for a moment. She then closed her eyes and took a deep breath through the nose and then nodded, perhaps a little somberly. At the sight, Hermes gave a quizzical look, augmented by a curious Poppler crackling.
“Indeed, you are not. Your essence is different, now that I think about it,” Xiaoli said and sighed quietly. However, promptly thereafter, she flashed a smile once again. “No matter,” she said, “for godhood is not a requirement for good company. Speaking of, would you mind showing us around for a bit?”
“My what?” Liana eyed Xiaoli questioningly, but continued with a shrug, “And of course. I should warn you there’s not much to see beyond the palace though. Or even in it, really. I was getting pretty bored before you two arrived.”
“Is that so,” Xiaoli inquired. “Well, we brought ourselves, if you would have us. I also brought some tea, I think. Pardon me for a spell…” She rummaged through her dress and belt. After half a minute had passed, she extracted a small leather pouch from her sleeve and showed it to the others.
“This is all that I brought - it will make about two pots, I reckon, so we have drink for when we get thirsty or just want something to savour.” She winked playfully at the two.
Hermes suddenly looked stressed, Poppler landing on her head, “as long as there aren’t any more rules.”
“I’m really starting to understand Narzhak’s view of things,” She whispered to Poppler.
”Pop!”
“Tea?” Liana turned from Xiaoli to Hermes, her confusion apparent, “And rules? There are rules for drinking tea? Why would drinking come with rules?”
Xiaoli prodded her cheek ponderously. “Well, there are scores of rules, actually! A proper tea ceremony is indeed founded upon the very concept of strict rules to make for the most refined experience. Of course, that mainly applies to the tea master - the guests are considerably freer.”
Hermes put a stiff hand on Xiaoli’s shoulder and gave a disarming smile, “Why don’t we all be free?”
Xiaoli chuckled hesitantly and put squeezed the hand on her shoulder softly. “W-well… Freedom is nice, sure, but…” She took a deep breath. “... Rules can be nice, too, no? It makes everything a little more orderly, after all.”
“But it’s just drinking,” Hermes furrowed her brow, “what could go wrong?”
“It’s not just-!” Xiaoli burst out, but promptly recomposed herself. “Pardon me - what I meant to say was, naturally, it is-...” She paused and frowned, “-just drinking, but the ceremony allows for a much more intricate experience, no? One has time to chat and savour the flavours of the tea. Yes, the ceremony has no intrinsic value, but… It’s just nice, alright?” Her eyes grew wide and pleading and her lower lip stuck out slightly.
Hermes narrowed her eyes and then looked at Liana and then back at Xiaoli, Poppler crackling between them all, “Okay, for the experience.”
“Um,” Liana’s befuddled expression shifted to one of concern, “Sure? I’m still not sure what tea is, but sure. If it’s supposed to be enjoyed I think there’s a better place for that than the hallway, though.” She looked around and pointed out a small door through which a staircase was visible, “There’s a balcony on the second level. Would that work?”
“Oh, anywhere would work! All we need is a low table, somewhere to heat water and a nice atmosphere,” Xiaoli chortled. “Lead the way, my lady.” She queued up behind her, inciting Hermes and Poppler to do the same as they awaited the vine-woman’s guidance.
“Will do,” Liana smiled and made her way to doorway. She gestured for the two to follow her before stepping through. Inside was a spiral staircase not unlike that which had greeted Hermes and Xiaoli in the tower, but this one was far shorter. At the top was a hallway identical to the one they’d come from. The only thing that distinguished the second floor from the first was the fact that every door on the side opposite of them seemed to lead to a small balcony overlooking the Lustrous Garden.
Liana led them through one of those. The semicircular balcony jutted out of palace and, due to its clear crystal floor and railing, gave the group the impression they were floating. Liana stepped up to the railing and leaned against it. She looked out at the endless forest of vines and the walkways they supported before turning to face Xiaoli, “You said you needed water, right?”
Xiaoli nodded. “A heat source and a kettle would be very nice, too, if you could.”
“Hm,” Liana scratched her head in thought. The thin vines that made up her hair parting as her fingers worked. From her position at the edge of the balcony she looked down at the watery surface far below. In the distance a long branch of vines twisted its end into the shape of a bowl. It scooped up the water and then rose. It took a while, moving carefully so as to not spill its burden, but before more than a minute had passed a large bowl full of water had been deposited at the center of the balcony. The bowl detached from the end of the vine and the long limb then went about shaping itself into three chairs before detaching each. Liana carried them to her new friends and grinned, “Water, and chairs!”
”Zzt!” Poppler quickly submerged himself in the bowl of water, forcing a chuckle out of Hermes.
Liana sat on the chair she’d made for herself and froze as a look of realization dawned on her face. Sheepishly, she looked to Xiaoli, “What’s a kettle, again?”
“Oh, a kettle is like a teapot - only larger and made of something slightly more fire-resistant! Here, let me show you.” Xiaoli picked up a nearby rock from a flower bed. She pulled and stretched it as if it was putty and fashioned it into a makeshift kettle, which she promptly filled with water from the bowl.
“Fantastic! Now a heat source!”
Liana looked at Xiaoli’s demonstration slack-jawed. She glanced at Hermes (who was busy poking Poppler) and back to Xiaoli before asking, “Uh, are you a god?”
Xiaoli stared for a moment, then burst out into a loud cackle, which she swiftly bottled up into a giggle. “No, no, not a god, dear. I am… Well, I am divine, but I am a mere fragment of my master’s holiness. He blessed me with the power to act in his stead, should the need arise. As such, I have been blessed with certain powers.” To demonstrate, she opened her palm. Some water from the bowl skipped out much to Poppler's dismay and begun to dance around in her hand before first turning into ice, then into steam, then back into water - all in the span of a few seconds.
“They can do that? And she didn’t?” Liana pouted for a moment before breaking out into her own laugh. She pointed at Xiaoli’s hand, “So you can do that, but you’re asking me for a heat source?”
The vine woman raised her eyebrows and chuckled, “That’s not fair!”
“Well, I do not know what I’m allowed to light on fire around here, so…” She grumbled. “Hermes, do you have anything we can burn?”
Hermes tapped her chin in thought, “all I have are clothes and gifts, but I don't want to burn any of those.”
The Dreamer took a seat next to Liana and swiped Poppler from the now empty bowl, “we could burn some of the-” she stopped and stared at Liana before cautiously reaching out and poking the vine-lady's cheek with an extended finger, “uh, if that's okay.”
Liana’s eyes widened and she stared at Hermes, “You’re not suggesting you burn me, right?”
“No!” Hermes huffed, embarrassed, “just the stuff that-”
“This!” She poked the vines.
“Oh,” Liana looked relieved. She glanced at the empty bowl of vines, “Yeah, I guess we could burn it. As long as it’s not connected to the forest. I’m not really keen to experience being burned alive, even in an roundabout sense.” Her eyes flicked back to Hermes and she playfully poked the Dreamers cheek before apologizing, “Sorry Hermes.”
Hermes smiled and poked Liana's cheek back, “it's okay.”
“Yes!” Hermes seemed a little more energetic, “let's burn the things and drink the tea.”
”CRACKLE!”
Xiaoli chuckled, though a little uncertain in tone. Regardless, with a simple snap of her fingers, the bowl caught fire and the kettle was placed neatly on top.
“Now, we calmly wait a little,” she said softly and begun fashioning a tea pot and some cups from nearby rocks. “The water will take some time to boil, so why don’t you tell us a little more about yourself, Liana.” She planted herself comfortably in one of the chairs around the table and gave the vine girl a wink. Hermes turned attentively to her new friend, Poppler on her nose.
“Me?” Liana scooched her chair away from the fire, “I’m not sure there’s much to say. Apparently, not that I remember, Asceal found my soul floating in the debris of her first home. After it exploded, I guess. She saved me from Katharsos massacre, made me a body, and gave me a name.” Liana shrugged, “From there we went to Heliopolis and met Aelius and Azura before returning to rebuild the Garden. I’ve been lounging around here ever since.”
She glanced around before adding, “I was getting pretty bored, honestly. I’m grateful Asceal saved me, more grateful than I can express, but she really could have told me she was leaving.” Liana smiled softly, “It was pretty lonely before you two arrived.”
“Wow… That is certainly a way to be created. I am glad Her Holiness Asceal saved you, dear. Still, though, I must inquire - Katharsos’ massacre?” Xiaoli raised an eyebrow. She put down the final cup and cocked her head to the side. “What has His Holiness done, if I may ask?”
“You don't know?” Liana looked surprised, “He gathered all the souls that came to this universe with the gods. Then he burned them. I don’t know how many original souls are even left at this point. Aside from us of course. Asceal said just saving me was difficult, so it can't be many.”
Xiaoli innocently tweedled her thumbs. “No, I knew… It’s just-...” She looked away hesitantly. She then snapped her finger quietly. Hermes’ crossed her brow but before she could ask her question the kettle suddenly let out a loud squeal.
“Oh, look! The water is ready!” Xiaoli reached for the kettle and first poured some hot water into the teapot, then into each of the three cups.
“This is the first step - heating the claywares. It helps retain the flavour of the tea. To really warm the cups, though, the water has to sit there for a little while.”
Liana glanced at the kettle and narrowed her eyes, but said nothing. Hesitantly she reached to poke one of the cups before recoiling, “Ow. That is hot. We’re supposed to drink that?”
“Oh, no. That water is just for warming the cups!” She grabbed each cup as well as the teapot and discarded the water off the side of the balcony. “Now we make the water we drink!” She took out the pouch of tea leaves, measured the correct number to use in the available teapot and put them in. She then submerged them in hot water and waited.
Zzt! Poppler suddenly whizzed off of Hermes’ nose and slipped into the teapot. Hermes’ eyes widened and she looked at Xiaoli with a sense of worry.
“Poppler,” Hermes hissed and a defiant crackle echoed from the pot. She poked the pot, but quickly snatched her finger back as it burned, “ow!”
The little cloudling suddenly slipped from the spout of the teapot and hovered over Hermes’ reddened finger, his little cloud body leaving bits of warmed moisture. Hermes looked back at Xiaoli sheepishly, “sorry Xiaoli.”
Xiaoli immediately snatched Hermes’ sore finger and stuck it in her mouth. Hermes’ eyes widened in shock and Poppler zipped around Xiaoli’s head crackling angrily. The Dreamer quickly pulled away, “what are you doing!?”
The girl recoiled as well, beads of water forming on her forehead. “I-... I just-... My body is full of cool water, so I thought I could-...” She looked around desperately, but found that Poppler was making concentrating on anything a serious task. “Poppl-! Poppler, please, you’re not being very-..!” She wafted her hand gently at the cloud. “I’m sorry, this is a smidge awkward.”
Poppler let out one final crackle before floating back to Hermes who still sat in shock, “Oh,” Hermes continued to stare, “I get it. I- I think my finger is fine now.”
“O-oh. Of course! Of course…” Xiaoli suddenly shot open her eyes. “The tea!! I left it in too long!” She swiftly picked up the pot and poured each cup half-full. The smell was strong - too strong. She let out a disappointed sigh. “I’m sorry, I didn’t really show my best right now…”
“It’s okay,” Hermes quietly reassured as she took her cup and held it to her lips, the radiating heat causing her to wait, “I’m sure it tastes great.”
Liana held a hand over her mouth, shaking ever so slightly. It took a moment before she managed to suppress her laughter entirely and even then she had to take a few deep breaths before speaking, “Yes, I’m- I’m sure it will be delicious Xiaoli.”
Hermes cast her eyes down into the cup and slowly took a sip. She swished the liquid around in her mouth, and then gulped it down. She shivered at the sensation of the heat and then smiled, “I like it.” She clicked her tongue a few times, shaking the bitterness from her palate.
Xiaoli’s downcast eyes immediately swung back up, fixing on Hermes with starry sparkles within. “R-really?! You do?!” She pushed up her cheeks with her fists and grinned so sweetly she could have dulled the bitterness of the tea.
Hermes nodded enthusiastically and held her cup out to Xiaoli, “I’m going to go with: yes.”
Liana’s eyes flicked between the two and she carefully sipped her own cup. “Hermes is right,” She concluded after a moment, “This is good, much tastier than normal water!”
Xiaoli’s pale cheeks took on a much pinker hue and she looked down again. “N’aaaw, girls… You are just saying thaaat…” She looked to the side, giggling.
“No, I do like it,” Hermes put her empty cup on the table which Poppler dipped into briefly before making a grumpy popping sound and leaving the tea droplets alone. Hermes eyed the cloudling briefly before her gaze bounced back to Xiaoli. Hermes flashed a cheshire smile.
“Definitely good!” Liana drank the rest of her cup.
Xiaoli clapped her hands excitedly. “Well, then you must have more!” She promptly emptied her own cup and refilled all three. “Please, drink up!”
Hermes happily reclaimed her cup and sipped greedily at her drink, having to stop now and again due to increasing pain. Liana eyed the dreamer with a worried look before grasping her own cup and sipping the steaming liquid more slowly. Xiaoli chuckled softly and had a sip herself.
Hermes and Xiaoli blunder into a gateway. Liana says hi. They drink tea.
“ARE YOU CALLING ME A LIAR?” Guns suddenly whipped out of their holsters.
---
Hermes cast her eyes down into the cup and slowly took a sip, “YOOOO bitch this fuckin terrible. The fuck taught you to brew? The janitor? Aye I’ve seen this stuff before right after my mornin shat you dumb fuck face.”
“Huh?” Liana sipped her own cup, and immediately tossed its contents into Xiaoli’s face, “Steamingly filth you hag! I thought this was tea, not a fucking witches brew!”
---
“Wow,” Liana harrumphed, “You’ll suckle her finger? I see how it is.”
---
“TEA, MOTHERFUCKER; DO YOU DRINK IT?”
“W-what?” Hermes was taken aback by the outburst.
“Say what again, I dare you, I double dare you!”
---
“Nah I fucking called up Martha Stewart, you tripe hog.”
Xiaoli nodded in understanding, “I would have done the same, blud.” She proceeded to pull out a cigarette and stick it in between her lips, which immediately made it too soggy to light. She cursed a ‘fuck me’ and threw it away. “Got any booze around, weed lady?” she asked in a harsh tone.
“Booze? I’m a plant you dim trollop, are you trying to kill me?” Liana flipped off Xiaoli and put an arm around Poppler before whispering to the cloud, “Hows about we blow this joint and you water me real good baby.”
I'm not really a bird.
[center]-0-
Where did I play,
A land of twisted branches,
A kingdom of clay,
A swamp of memories,
A never-ending day,
Where did I run,
Across the dawn,
Through the sun,
Across the sky,
Through laughs and fun,
Where did I walk,
Pristine grass green,
White cliffs of chalk,
Pools of sky so blue,
Orchard stones that talk,
Where did I sit,
By the gates of silver,
Near endless pit,
By forever horizon,
You may remember it.[/center]
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">I'm not really a bird.<br><br><div class="bb-center">-0-<br><br>Where did I play,<br>A land of twisted branches,<br>A kingdom of clay,<br>A swamp of memories,<br>A never-ending day,<br><br>Where did I run,<br>Across the dawn,<br>Through the sun,<br>Across the sky,<br>Through laughs and fun,<br><br>Where did I walk,<br>Pristine grass green,<br>White cliffs of chalk,<br>Pools of sky so blue,<br>Orchard stones that talk,<br><br>Where did I sit,<br>By the gates of silver,<br>Near endless pit,<br>By forever horizon,<br>You may remember it.</div></div>
Unlucky0013
Lord Zee
DracoLunaris
Frettzo
Vec
Eviledd1984
Kalmar
POOPHEAD189