I woke up feeling a little groggier than usual but was overall happy that yet again I dodged death. I was ready to start on what needed to be done around here in terms of long term goals.
*Sondar and Sylvania are outside waiting for you. I think we should try and figure out this whole Wrath issue first. She said we could use her power but at a price.... We need to know that price.* Vexsus 2 said as he brought up a very good point.
"We will figure it out later. I just remembered something from the old days that I want to discuss with everyone."
.... Crickets.
I sighed and walked outside the tent only to find 2 of my loyal friends pacing back and forth while arguing.
"What the hell are we going to do, we don't have enough problems as it is? Now this bullshit? I say we pack up and get the hell out." Sondar said while waving his arms in the air while facing away from me and and Sylvania.
"We can't do that unless Vexsus has a say. He is our leader remember? He's done so much for us that we owe him everything. We should wait until he wakes up and discuss this with everybody present."
I walked up as silently as possible and spoke. "What should we discuss?"
They both jumped in fright before turning with a look of anger on their faces.
"Not funny asshole, We are in some deep shit."
"Yea, I'm not gonna lie Vexsus, This needs to be dealt with pronto."
I looked with confusion and just shrugged and walked off. I would just go get some food and wait for everyone to gather up.
"Just go ahead with gathering up the people, I'm really hungry and I need to eat." I said while waving a hand in the air.
The 2 of them only sighed as they watched me walk away.
"He seems a bit different don't you think?"
"Yea.... I can feel a change coming soon. We should go get Kitsoma and the others."
They both walked off in different directions, each towards their respective teams first. Me on the otherhand was heading towards the smell of meat cooking and eventually I came upon a huge fire with what looked like slabs of meat skewered and roasting next to the fire. I saw another dragonoid tending to the fire but this one had more of a blackish scaled body but once he turned around the lower half of his face was actually more draconic and had no indicators of being part ant. his lower face also had white colored scales almost like a mask.
"Oh, hey dad, nice to see your awake. I've been tasked with preparing food and other essentials by big sis Harper."
I was a bit taken aback since none of the other kids spoke like this but hey it was a pleasant change of pace. "Great, and I gotta say the food smells awesome. I know this sounds bad but your one of the ones that I haven't named right?"
He looked a little sad but otherwise kept a happy smile on his face. "Yes, unfortunately I was one of the hundreds that did not receive a name... Until that is....." He looked down as the memories of watching his siblings be butchered by their own mother flashed before his eyes.
I walked up to him and gave him a hug. "I know buddy, I know. But hey this is the start of our new life. No more need for living in that tortured past ok? So what do ya say we have a bite to eat and chat for a few minutes before the big meeting starts?"
He perked up and nodded happily. "That sounds awesome. I was preparing a few pieces of meat with some spices that the locals had and was actually saving them for you. Want to try one? I can't promise it'll be good but atleast it's something new."
"Hey fantastic I'm always up for something new to eat. Hey hold on real quick I want to check something out." I said as I used Analyze on him.
-----------------------
[Dragonoid] (Unnamed)
Health : 400
Mana: 800
Skills
[Chef] Level 1 6/10- Able to cook food with a greater outcome than others, At higher ranks can even cook food with buffs.
[I'm a lover, not a fighter] Title given to one who will absolutely not fight, Proficiency in production type classes increased while combat classes are disabled.
----------------------
I was a bit amazed that he had gained a title, but at the same time I couldn't blame the poor guy for not wanting to witness something like that again. But thanks to that title I had a perfect name picked out for him.
"Thanks to what I just saw I thought of the perfect name for you."
He looked up at me with eyes filled with confusion. "Do you really? I was worried that since I couldn't bring myself to be a fighter that maybe you were going to ignore me."
I looked at him for a bit before shaking my head. "You poor boy.... I know how you feel. I am traumatized by what I saw that day aswell, But we cannot let those past horrors keep us from being the best that we can be. We have to use them as fuel to push ourselves forward up the mountain that is life. We have to pave the way so that others can have an easier time following in our footsteps."
As I was talking I could see his eyes start filling up with hope and happiness.
"So thanks to your actions and you being who you are I now name you.... Romeo."
I added a little mana to my voice so that it boomed out and over the camp. I wanted everyone to know that another Dragonoid had earned his name.
Soon a loud roar of happiness erupted from Romeo and was quickly followed by everybody rushing towards us as they were smiling and clapping in celebration.
My 4 strongest children hugged and congratulated Romeo. Each one of them was genuinely happy to have another named sibling. While at the same time as hearing this I felt a bit bad.... But what do you expect I have a hundred kids, and I'm a bird brain when it comes to well everything. I'm trying ok....
Anyways after the short celebration where everone ate and made Romeo the center of attention, we got down to business as the 4 sub leaders of our group stood before the crowd as they called the meeting to order.
Sondar stepped forward and started speaking.
"Everyone, we called this meeting so we can discuss a situation that happened this morning. We were visisted by some of the locals who were tasked with trading between nearby villages. They told us that the frontline of the war with the Shadow Eaters has been pushed back and has destroyed many towns. There is a call to arms for any able bodies that can join the fight. The war is rapidly approaching and if we do not act soon, we could be dragged into the war against our wills."
There was an audible gasp and quiet muttering from our group as the news settled among them. I was shocked aswell but I knew we weren't ready to fight just yet. I alone could probably handle some of the lower caste of Shadow Eaters, but for the rest of my family I was worried they wouldn't be able to survive.
"Also our scouting teams came back and discovered a ruin that is being used as a bandit hideout. They say atleast 3 of them are Sub leader level if not a little stronger, I know this isn't good news compared to the bad, but if we plan on living in this area we will need to clean it up." Then he stepped back and sat down just as the ground rose up and it morphed into a chair.
Next up was Sylvania and Shorunt. The 2 Co-Leaders of the Healing team.
"As you all know me and Shorunt are the leaders of the healers. We are here today to ask for help in gathering any medicinal herbs you come across. Either on patrols around camp or on scouting missions. We need supplies to help create healing potions and poultice for the minor injuries that occur daily. We also need some of the antidotal herbs to combat what appears to be poisonous vine attacks that have been occuring lately. We are still trying to discover what is causing these attacks from the forest but as of right now we are thinking that there is a druid nearby."
She and Shorunt step back as a ice chair forms under her and Shorunt starts to levitate with a green mist under him. By now I figured that this was a display of power towards the others to keep them hopeful and faithful that their leaders can protect them.
Kitsoma stepped up next. "As the leader of the Mercantile team it's up to me to inventory and catologue all the items and money that we receive.... Well to be blunt, we have no money... But we do have however and assortment of amazing items that could sell for alot, I'm here today to ask for an a a group to go on a mission to the capital and see if they can be sold.... The capital from what we have gathered is atleast a weeks journey. Now that's without including if something happens, and that's also one way..... I know we aren't in any financial trouble now, but we need to secure some supplies like farming tools and maybe some helpers that can come out and advise us and start us off on the right track."
She then steps back... But then she sits down on my lap and swings her legs over me like a I'm holding her princess style. I look at her with amazement and confusion as I start getting embarassed.
She only looks at me with a smile before kissing my cheek and nodding for me to get up and talk.
I sigh before I lift her up and fling her over my shoulder as I smirk as she hits my back and yelps. I then put her down onto a soft comfy chair that I materialized with mana. She only huffed and pouted but that was betrayed by the smile that was very clear in her eyes.
I turned back and addressed the group. "Everyone here has heard the team leaders. First I think we should send out scouts to find out about this so called shadow monster. If it is a Shadow Eater that has dodged the war and has set up shop near here, then it will be up to me to go and deal with it. I know you all think you can survive and kill one of these things but I will only be taking a few people along with me just incase it is a Eater. I don't want to risk more lives than necessary, I have the power to fight these things but to be honest I'm still scared to face one. I'm terrified to discover that all this power I have is nothing compared to them."
"However.... We need to do this since We have decided on living in this area. I love the views around here and for the most part our days are filled with happiness. I want to see that continue, I want us to be happy. Ugh anyways besides all the cheesiness I think 2 scouting parties need to be made. 1. needs to consist of both scout leaders and then 5 scouts in order to thoroughly scout out the bandits and as a side mission, this party will be in charge of searching for our potential druid and see if the claims are real. The last scouting party will consist of me and then a few others, I will draw from other teams aswell to make sure the bases are covered in case of a fight. Does anybody have any thing to add to todays discussion?"
I looked out across the crowd and my eyes landed on a hand that was raised in the back as I saw a meek little scaled hand fighting against another to stay raised. I increased my hearing as I heard a couple voices silently arguing.
"He does not need to hear about your problem Missy. He has enough to do as our leader and Father."
"But Jazzy... I swear there is a monster behind our tent... I hear it everynight."
I added mana to my voice as I spoke. "Missy, and.... Jazzy? I can hear you. Why don't you two come up here so I can get a good look at you."
Instantly they both stood up and then shyly walked from the back of the crowd towards me. As they got closer I could see the little one called Missy was actually a smaller Dragonoid with pinkish purple scales and a pair of small wings on her back that were able to fold in on themselves. Jazzy, I guess as the 'Older' of the 2 had more of a muscular build. I could sense that Missy was female and Jazzy was Male. Jazzy had Greenish scales but still had part Ant as he had a set of mandibles that came out and formed a small mask around his mouth.
"First let me ask.... Did you name yourselves?"
They both looked at eachother before shyly turning back to me and nodding.
I stepped towards them but soon stopped as I could smell the fear leaking from them and also another scent that accompanied a liquid splashing down Missy's leg.
I felt horrible and squatted down away from them as to not scare them anymore. "I'm sorry I scared you little one. I didn't mean to, I'm not upset that you named yourself, I'm actually quite happy. I was jsut surprised. So please just talk to me... You say that you have a monster outside your tent? Tell me about it."
She looked up at her brother and as he nodded she looked at me and started to stutter. "I-I-I hear it every night. It comes up to the tent and sniffs around before it goes back into the woods. I hear it walking around but it sounds scary...."
I was a bit wary about this seeing as how something can just walk into my camp without us knowing about it.... I think I should have a private discussion with the leaders after this.
ραпdα nᴏνɐ| сom "I understand, I will do everything in my power to make sure this scary monster will leave you alone. Jazzy... I need you to stay awake tonight and keep watch. I will post 2 guards nearby incase of emergency." I slowly stood up and walked over to them. I took their hands in mine and smiled.
"I promise to protect you with everything I have. You are my children, please don't every worry about bothering me. If you need help I will not hesitate in the slightest to drop everything for you."
I looked at them in the eyes to make sure they could see the sincerity in mine. I was completely honest when I said that. I looked out to the crowd and spoke loudly.
"This goes for all of my other children aswell. You are mine, I will drop everything in a heartbeat if you need my help. But please try and solve it yourself first. I want to help but I want you all to become strong and independent people. I know I'm not the most attentive father but please know that you all mean alot to me and I would be devestated to lose even 1 more of you."
I looked out over the crowd and couldn't help but feel a flutter in my heart as a rush of calm and serenity came over me. I knew this was where I belonged and was needed the most.
"We will end the meeting for today. Me and my friends are going to have a private meeting about some things and then afterwards we will divide into the teams and set off on our respective missions. Until then I want you all to take a look around camp and your tents or shacks to make sure there hasn't been anything disturbing the surrounding area."
I left while being followed by my friends and they could tell I was a bit pissed off at the gap in security. I believed that they had it covered but nobody is perfect.. So I need them to help me come up with a way to add some extra layers.
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