Everyone snapped to attention at the declaration. All eyes falling on the wind God.
Sebastian's heart lurched, hope blooming faster than conscious thought. He tried to stamp it down, there had to be a catch…
Lucian stared as Ashton looked up at the snake god, almost confused.
Beloved clapped her hands drawing everyone's attention, "Oh! You kill the dragon, I cleanse the dead, Nix sorts them out, then we purify the taint!" Beloved glanced around, "We could then stay, take over the land, our eggs would then be safe." She added nodding.
Haven smiled as Beloved started making plans. A few decades… was worth such delight.
Nix clasped Beloved's hands in his own, looking her in the eye with a soft, but resolute smile. "No."
It was as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over the entire clearing. Everyone stared frozenly at the trio.
Haven hadn't expected Nix to refuse… he'd never actually refused Beloved before… only coaxed her into changing her mind.
Beloved's face crumpled, biting her lip to try and keep her composure…
Nix brought her hands to his lips, laying a gentle kiss as he kept eye contact. "For you I will live, for you I will die, for you I will kill, but this one thing… I insist you abide."
Sebastian clenched his fist. Hope… the greatest and worst way to motivate. Having hope was more than just a goal. Hope was their last lifeline. Their only reason to keep searching. Hope was their reason to keep fighting. Having it suddenly denied…
Sebastian's knees buckled under the weight of his disappointment. Not in Ashton, not because Nix refused. Disappointment that his own lack of ability. Disappointment in his Majesty for failing to see the light. Disappointment in knowing… that there had to be answer and he was too blind to see it.
Beloved's protest died in her throat, bowing her head to hide her watering eyes. After a moment, Beloved gave a firm nod.
"Why?" Leonard demanded, his desperation carrying over the clearing. "Why? We… it's the best option! We could honor the snake god as our new patron beast, the sacrifices could end… the taint removed… why?"
Nix laid one more kiss on Beloved's clenched fingers, "There is much I will do, much I will sacrifice… but Beloved is not one, no matter how slight."
Jaxon clenched his jaw, "It was… so easy to cleanse the area at the lake. Surely, a god killing a mere beast of greed would be just as easy. If the cleansing is the problem, we can move slowly, in small areas."
Nix glanced over the dragonkin. "You know not what you ask, how much we would give, my answer is no, Beloved I won't risk."
Lucian met Ashton's red silver eyes… no, not Ashton. They were speaking to Nix. "What are the risks?"
"They do not matter, because the answer is no. Should you persist, fire the empire I'll engulf." Nix let his gaze pass over all of them, "I would slay all, remove all the taint, I would ensure, only ashes remain."
Beloved jumped into Haven's arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Big snake… we will be happy, of this place I've no use. But for your offer… thank you."
Haven felt the warm tears disappear into his robe. He did, and didn't understand Nix's reaction. Regardless, he would respect the decision. "Then, we will leave after the noon meal."
Nix blinked. "Then we still have some time. Some time for us three, it will be a great while, until again we do meet." Ashton remarked almost absentmindedly.
Haven nodded, if Nix remained to clean the taint… it could take well over a century.
Beloved wiped her tears away before falling into Nix's lap. "Our time is short, it will go by fast, these last minute moments, stolen from time."
Ashton hugged her close, "No matter the distance, no matter the time, I am still yours, from now, until I die."
Beloved hugged Nix a bit tighter, then broke away with a beaming smile. Nix liked her smile… happy. All Nix ever wanted… was for her to be happy.
"A parting of bodies, a parting of song, but I know never gone, never your love… never your song." Beloved said, then fell into Nix's lap to continue making the instrument.
Haven curled his tail around the pair, bringing them close. He'd felt it again, that… moment of threat. While not directed at himself… it was not something to take lightly. Only now that he'd heard Nix's heart song did he understand.
The hole in Nix's heart had let in more than just taint. Far more insidious, of far more concern… was the humanity. No wonder Nix was so determined to have Beloved leave… even if the hole was closed… Haven met Nix's solemn gaze.
Ashton gave a small shrug. It would be rather arduous to remove the taint. The humanity was another matter. The taint only magnified the worst of what was already there. The only way to truly remove the humanity… was to remove Ashton. For now, removing the taint would have to suffice.
Haven raised a brow as Nix blinked innocently at him. What was this sneaky bird up to now? The slight shift of solemnity to mischief was only noticeable because he'd been paying attention. Understanding the world through song was interesting. Each nuanced instrument, every subtle shift… it was still a bit overwhelming when he didn't focus.
Randal watched the trio… the offer had been a surprise. It was clear his majesty didn't understand the ramifications though. A snake would not stand for dragonkin in his own territory. Let alone a dragon. Either the entire imperial bloodline would be killed off, or removed from the land.
Even if they were allowed to remain, he doubted they understood just how deep the dragon's blessing had seeped into the empire. Killing the dragon was, hypothetically, the easiest part. No, it was better for the empire for a new dragon to rise up. So far, all the past ascended had been merely used as sacrifices… which meant they may fight at the greed dragon's side.
Randal leaned back with a sigh. Kokono chirping as she landed on his chest, nestling into his crossed arms. "Ah, lil one, I donna see how to help. Perhaps ye have some clues to spare?"
Kokono tilted her head, then cuddled close to her favored human's heart. The one who would pick the path, was the kin. So for now, she could just rest.
Haven played with the tiny white flame as the birds continued their ministrations. First it was the size of a candle flame, then a torch. He couldn't yet separate the flame into many, fire wasn't like wind after all. Like wind, fire needed mana to grow, condense, take shape. Fire also needed mana to burn…
Haven sighed as once again his second flame died. Too much mana and the flame popped like an over inflated balloon, not enough and it went out like an unprotected candle.
Haven tried to recreate when Nix took his wind, turning it from a raging gale to a breeze. There had to be an in between he wasn't seeing or feeling. Control.
After several more attempts Haven let the fires die out, flicking his tail in frustration. How easily both birds, all the birds really, used the winds. Even if they could not control them, all the birds easily used them to their advantage. Yet he could not make two separate flames.
Haven blinked as two of the smaller birds landed on his arms. They chirped in encouragement but Haven would rather watch his Beloved finish the last touches on her instrument.
Haste would not help. It had been thousands of years since he'd been so vexed. Time… time and a teacher. Haven turned his attention to his Beloved as a smile crept onto his lips. Surely, he could… entice such a pretty birdie into giving him some lessons.
Beloved blushed, tilting her head up at her big snake. Dropping everything she leapt up, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Big snake you are wanting, wanting something from me?"
Haven lifted her up onto his forearm. Nuzzling her forehead as he listened to her inquiring song. Curiosity, encouragement, the desire to be helpful. "The white flames, how do you separate them?"
Beloved nuzzled her big snake back. "The fires like wind, need a goal to transcend. Rather than fire, think of warmth and of light, those to then blend."
Warmth… the warmth of a home. Haven closed his eyes as Beloved shared her warmth, fire slowly rising from her flesh, licking at his own. The fire wasn't meant to burn… the warmer the fire, the brighter the light.
Haven focused, tiny white flames of his own rising up. Dying almost as quickly. Haven felt Nix perch on his shoulder, directing his mana away from the center of his flames. Instead toward the base.
"Fires will rise, the smoke, the haze. Look a bit down, slow, then the truth you have found." Ashton reminded.
Haven redirected his mana, unlike wind where the center held the element together… the fire's center was the bottom. How… interesting. Such a slight, almost negligible difference, yet it made such a difference.
"The best way to test, to use in practice. Your blessings I've shared, from god to monarch's faire. Perhaps you would try? There are four off to the side." Ashton said with a glance over the tigers.
Beloved gasped, turning a glare on the tigers. "A blessing for stealing? What punishment is this??? Nix just because you like them doesn't mean you should be so biased!"
Ashton blinked, then used a hand to half cover his mouth, "A blessing its true, but… just imagine, tigers who flew."
Beloved paused… tigers… flying… she'd seen a tiger with wings. It had barely been able to do more than glide with its heavy body. "Hmm… I guess it would be interesting, but… it's not meant to punish…"
Haven snapped up the four tigers in his tail before they could so much as blink. "How would… blessing them help me with the white flames?"
Ashton hopped down the coils to peer at the alarmed tigers. "Your blessing is strong, your blessing is fierce, but instead of a bonfire, just need the spark. Your blessings suppress, when we coax from deepest wells."
Haven didn't protest when Nix picked up the small male. Beloved huffed her discontent, but hopped to pick the largest female.
Lamont couldn't move, and he'd been trying. Seeing Rowena just as helpless caused a pit in his gut. Tania was struggling the hardest, her eyes frantically following them, silently apologizing.
Rowena couldn't care less about an apology, they were about to be used for an experiment! One that was dangerous under the best of circumstances. A blessing from Alaina required months, sometimes years of conditioning. Forcing a blessing… Rowena shuddered.
Beloved eyed her tiger unhappily, "She doesn't want it, she dares to resist! Big snake give her a scare! Daring to look down on my gift!"
Haven rose up, changing to his full snake. Staring into the female's soul. Before the human could mount up any resistance he forced his mana into her.
Rowena felt like she'd been crushed under a mountain… again. Only this time there was no blinding silver light to whisk her away. Clenching her teeth, she tried to relax. Let the mana flow through her instead of rip her apart. Just as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone.
Ashton tilted his head, "Yes we could scare them, force them to comply, but the more resistant, the lower they'll fly."
Haven shook out his feathers as he awaited instruction. Beloved was huffing at her disobedient tiger. How… misleading her appearance. She appeared so dainty. So small, so harmless. Yet, she had the power of two gods at her fingertips.
Haven glanced over Nix. Their misleading appearance made many bold. Bolder as both were fairly docile. Haven wasn't sure how much of Beloved's docility was an act. She did enjoy… teasing her toys.
Ashton clapped, drawing attention to the two laid out tigers. "The male is less sturdy, so on him I will show. Pay close attention, let no detail go."
Lamont lay paralyzed as the whites of Lord Reece's eyes turned red. A moment later the irises glowed silver. Watching in horror as Lord Reece rested one hand on the giant snake's body. Lamont could see the mana fluctuate, the rainbow flowing over Lord Reece's hands, into a sphere of wind.
Haven watched with rapt attention. Knowing Nix could pull on his mana, and seeing it happen were two very different experiences. Haven moved until his nose was almost touching his mana.
Confirming Haven could see how Ashton was manipulating the mana, Ashton reached into Lamont's mana reservoir. Usually he wouldn't bother, but he was giving a demonstration. Ashton wanted Haven to see what to look for. It was rare for humans or beasts to reach their full potential without a little nudge.
The problem, most beings of power tended to shove their power. Even knowing a being of power meant no harm, it was like trying not to flinch when someone blows on your eye.
The more the recipient flinches, the easier it is to miss any affinity. That's why most blessings were given to infants or only those who actively sought such blessings.
Blessings were hardly one sided. Creating a pathway directly into the giver's source of mana. Of course, once a being was able to give a blessing, they would usually set up their own safeguards.
Haven looked into the human's mana reservoir. The slightest tinge of beast mana was still present.
Ashton slowly pulled the beast mana to the forefront. With a light hum, the mana fluctuated. "The talent for fire, the talent for earth, both rather impressive, for what it is worth. But we want the wind, we want to fly, for that snake god, we must reach past the tiger's eye."
Lamont was mesmerized. His mana was so… he didn't have the words. There was a slight orange yellowish tint, but it was a mere stream compared to the blue that made up the rest of his reservoir. It was almost an out of body experience.
Haven watched, his tail flicking in agitation. He didn't know what he was looking for. The humans of his covenant were saturated in his mana. Most were born with an obvious affinity for wind. He would just pour mana into them… Haven didn't have any kind of bond with this human child. Nothing for his mana to latch onto. This human didn't even have an affinity for wind.