The Ranger refused to blink as the spells doubled. Even with his eyes wide open… Nix and Caius disappeared before any of the spells made contact.
The mage felt his head bowing before he realized he'd acquired a new head accessory.
Caius burst out laughing seeing the human's dismayed faces.
"That was impressive, the distraction was great, but did you lose sight, the main task was to pray." Nix teased with a wink. Holding Caius in his lap as he stood on the mage's head. Tou hopped onto the mage's shoulder, chirping aggrievedly.
Randal's lips twitched as the small bird claimed ownership of the mage. He wasn't upset the wee beasties were warming up to them, he was mildly concerned about what being claimed meant. Kokono was becoming a fast companion he couldn't see himself without.
Nix laughed as he leapt down. Setting Caius on her feet. "You're all claiming so many, what will we do, eventually to part, eventually souls new." Nix sighed as he eyed the mage up and down. "Hiding so deep, what will you do, the battle ahead will take more than just two."
Tou took his place on the mage's head. Chirping as he opened his wings. Tou wasn't sure if he was going to keep this human, but of the lot he was the most amenable.
Caius draped herself over her Pretty Birdie's shoulders. "Aiya, they are growing up so fast! At this rate they will leave the nest." Caius's smile didn't reach her eyes as she eyed the mage. She wanted to investigate why a fairy king gifted the ranger anything, but what humans did was of little concern to her. Then again, if he was going to expand his territory perhaps befriending a fairy king would be in her best interest.
Randal eyed Caius, the difference in personality was more noticeable than he'd expected. Honestly, he thought it would be like talking to a man who decided to wear a dress rather than armor. Caius… really looked and sounded like a female.
Nix patted Caius's hands. "All birds must grow, they must leave the nest, if they don't fly, they would learn to regret." His pieces weren't so easily swayed, it was interesting that they were taking an avid interest in the survival of the empire.
Nix glanced over the Carlos duchy… perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise. Most of the beings they interacted with wished for the empire to thrive. Even if they didn't have a personal interest, they wanted the beings they liked to be happy. The empire's survival would make many of their gift givers happy.
Caius followed her Pretty Birdie's gaze across the humans watching. "Aiya, is it not strange not one of your little ones has claimed any of the Inago? If I didn't know better… your babies look to be avoiding them! Aiya! I must be mistaken!"
Alexei had noticed that the birds had all actively avoided them. "I don't see any of the birds claiming any of the foxes either." He said raising a brow in challenge.
Caius used a tail to cover her mouth, "Aiya, but Littlest has already claimed an owl, and this is my Pretty Birdie."
Nix found himself surrounded by fox tails, "So… did you pray?" Nix asked as he blinked up at Randal through a gap in the tails.
Randal paused… he hadn't even been thinking of the Sun God.
Nix winked, "Not with your head, not a forced thought, try to rely more on the heart. It will take practice, one small step at a time, just try to recall the steps more than the rhyme." Nix said before he was carried away in the sea of fox tails.
Randal nodded, tightening his grip on his hammer. The steps of the dance or… Randal pointedly did not glance at the golden light peaking out of his right bracer. As soon as he relaxed his grip the light vanished. After a moment the feeling of warmth also vanished.
The ranger glanced over but didn't say anything. As soon as Randy started following Nix's steps he'd felt a change in the air. Otherwise he wouldn't have had everyone else fall back.
Randal subtly shook his head, then nodded toward the capital.
The Ranger shuddered, he had no desire to test anything in dragon territory. So far, most of their experiments only drew the church's attention. Then again, without Bodin or the others playing interference they may be able to finish their experiments.
Caius hummed happily as she snuggled into her Pretty Birdie's arms. He was stroking her ears and hair. Occasionally he would whistle or hum as well. Caius pulled the blanket of fox fur over them then settled in for the night.
Randal was eating with his daughter. Other than the two of the, only the wee beasties, her two guards, and a single maid were allowed in the room.
Estell poked at her food. All too happy to let the little birds sneak bits of potato and greens off her plate. She'd barely spoken a word to her father since they'd been captured. When Father refused to see things their way, she'd stopped talking.
Father just didn't understand. They were saving the empire! Without grandmother and the other's, the empire would have been destroyed by the greed dragon! If the holy maiden hadn't sacrificed herself to bind the dragon's soul to the land, there wouldn't even be an empire.
Grandmother wasn't killing just anyone. They were all criminals, cripples, vagabonds, and other such undesirables. No matter how they tried to explain, father and the others just focused on the sacrifices.
It wasn't supposed to be like this! That stupid dragon was to blame! If he'd just cooperated only twelve people would need to die a year!
Randal sighed, "I thought ya liked potatoes. Ya always ate them before." She grew up so fast… it seemed like only yesterday he was able to hold her in one hand. Now, she was already 15 years old. Her wavy brown hair was pulled back in a braid. The Ranger had personally taught her how to shoot a bow. The mage helped her learn to use third tier spells.
Estell looked up at her father. She did like potatoes… she just wasn't in the mood to eat with everyone staring at her. Another bird darted across her plate. Taking the last slice of carrot before hiding behind her cup.
When Estell kept staring at her plate Randal pushed his plate forward so he could rest his elbows on the table. "Estell… ya know I only want what's best for ya. Ya do know that right?"
Estell blinked back her teers as she nodded.
"Ya know I love you, right?"
Estell nodded.
"Estell… I can't say I know everything you, your mother, even your grandmother have been doing. But I do know that the dragon heart is dying. If it dies… all those souls have to go somewhere. By all accounts, my sister, your mother, and grandmother are being haunted. If anything goes wrong… I don't know how to protect you… or them." Randal said trying to keep his calm.
Estell bit her lip but didn't say anything. They just needed to recharge the heart. As long as the heart was alive, the empire was safe!
"Estell, me wee star. Even if the heart is kept alive… its not a permanent solution. Talk to me, me wee star. I canna reed minds." Randal almost begged.
Estell took a deep breath as she looked at her father. "Father, if the heart dies… so does the empire."
Randal didn't change expression, "How many must die to keep it alive wee star?"
Estell glared, "It wasn't supposed to be like this. The dragon wasn't supposed to protect those souls, he was supposed to eat them, use them to keep the blessings going. If he just ate them we wouldn't need so many!" Estell explained, desperately trying to make her father see. That dragon was the cause of all this! First he attacked the empire, then he raided and pillaged, killing everyone who opposed him! Then he demanded women to appease his lust!
Not only did he take dozens of women, many like the holy maiden against her will! He forced them to bear his offspring! Enslaving the survivors to build his nest, confiscating everything of value to fill his hoard.
Randal nodded, "I know wee star… but he did protect them. Or kept em alive. If he can't keep them back, what will happen to the empire?"
Estell glared, "That won't happen. We just need to recharge the heart."
Randal didn't sigh at the circular argument. "But me Wee Star. What happens if the heart is charged, but them souls break free. Do ya know what damaged souls can do to a man?"
"They can be banished. Or sealed away. Or if that stupid dragon would just eat them it wouldn't be a problem!" Estell stated firmly. If they could erase the dragon's consciousness, then one of the faithful could command it to eat the souls.
"Why not just find a new beast? There are better beasts the empire could follow. Or why not find a different dragon?" Randal asked, hoping she would at least entertain a possible alternative.
Estell hesitated. If they had a new beast… "But what about the negative parts of the blessing?" Half the reason they kept the dragon bound was to punish it. Revenge for all the slain. If there was a new beast… it would have to kill the dragon before it could take over.
Estell imagined the youth, Ashton. A bird beast. She wasn't sure if a beast had to stay to get their blessings, but if he was migratory, surely he couldn't be worse than a dragon that raped and pillaged.
"What if a new dragon took over, that would be best for us. One we could reason with." Randal added slowly.
Estell's attention snapped to her father. Searching his face for any sign that he might know something. If a dragon took over, it would have to either be a real dragon, or an ascended. If her father was ascended… they would know… right?
"Do… do you know of such a dragon Father?" Estell asked slowly. If her father had ascended, no doubt her aunt would have said so. Not to mention, there would have been no reason to try making a hybrid dragon to use as a sacrifice.
Randal saw the calculation in her eye. He leaned back sizing her up. Not as his daughter, but as one of the leading powers behind the Lindorm church.
"I do." Randal saw the delight in her eyes before she masked her expression.
"Wouldn't it be safer for us if the new dragon was used to recharge the dragon heart?" Estell asked testing his reaction. Dragons were greedy by nature. Just because it said it would help, didn't mean it would be any better than the previous dragon.
Randal drummed his fingers along the table. "Maybe, but if the new dragon wasn't a sin beast, then we wouldn't need sacrifices. Dragons can liv several hundred years." Randal reminded.
Estell watched her father. "True… but there's no telling when it could go mad, or demand tribute. Who's to say we won't raise a thankless beast that would turn us all into slaves?"
Randal shrugged, "Are there any beasts that donna demand tribute of some kind? The blessings drain their mana. Ye canna expect to get everything without giving something in return, can ya?"
Estell bit her bottom lip. That was true, even now. Thousands were sacrificed to keep the blessings going. "Can you, I mean, can this new dragon defeat the previous dragon? Without setting the souls free to cause havoc in the empire?"
Randal let a wry smile escape, "Who's ta say me Wee Star. But," He added before the light in her eyes faded, "I do think if a new beast came in to defeat the dragon. No matter what, it would be better than sacrificing thousands of innocent people every year. Even if both dragons die in battle, the land would get all the mana and blessings no?"