Cheep!?
Chapter 145
Niko luxuriated in the feeling of suds against his feathers while he sat next to a rinsing station. Given that it would be rude to everyone else for him to put soap directly in the normal bathing water, he planned on rinsing off beneath the pouring waterfall next to him.
‘Waterfalls in place of showers,’ Mentally, Niko counted up the six such locations set around the large pool, two of which were big enough for beasts as large as Thokk. Idly, he glanced over to Dachna, who was now finishing up bathing himself. A note of satisfaction drifted through his mind at the fact that he’d been properly cleaned, in spite of how much Dachna had complained about being voluntold to help him with his feathers.
In the scrubbing station next to them, Mithel and Skye were fussing over Charlotte’s fur, with the spider’s four fuzzy antennae dancing through the air. Given the chittering and the relaxed way in which the spider was currently splaying out, Niko guessed she was having the time of her life.
“So, about those mushrooms you guys have,” Ronald called from the larger soaking pool that he sat in, with Stella nestled in beside him comfortably, “Did you have any plans for them?”
Skye snorted, “You can try using them.” She then paused, glancing over to Camille, “Right?”
While Crowe had declined to join them, Camille had come with them, and she looked up at Skye’s question with a smile. “Ronald should be able to handle essence cooking, but I’d recommend you not eat them all at once. There’s a limit to how much your bodies will be able to take at one time.”
She nodded at that, and Niko reminded himself that normal people couldn’t endlessly consume food like he could. Essence poisoning was a thing that other people had to be wary of, but Niko could thank his blessings for giving him the ability to ignore that limitation. What it actually did to allow that, he had no idea, but he would certainly take advantage of it if he could.
“So, I’ve been thinking,” Stella spoke up then, looking to Camille nervously, “Is there a way to join a pilgrimage that’s already in progress?”
Niko perked up at that, and from the corner of his eye he noticed Skye do the same. That was a very important question, considering that Niko was wondering if they were skirting some very fine lines in terms of receiving too much aid. Thokk and Sasha had been traveling with them for some time and had been helping them; how much was the pilgrimage hindering them in return for something like that? There were too many variables to track, and they’d been cautioned that whatever drove the powers of the pilgrimage were fickle and abstract.
“Well, it’s not very difficult,” Camille answered carefully, “But, you have to be sure that you’re willing to go the long haul. And of course everyone has to be willing to allow it, especially since it does make some things harder.”
The group followed along with that, and Ronald asked, “Could someone leave the pilgrimage in the future?”
At that, Camille grimaced, “Well, yes, but the pilgrimage won’t readjust difficulty. It’s meant to be a big deal if you allow someone to come with.”
“That seems fair,” Niko chirped as he slipped under the waterfall, “Were you thinking of joining us, Stella?”
Niko preened through his feathers, making sure no more soap was on them, while taking in the expressions of his companions. Frankly, he didn’t think any of them would have a problem with Stella joining them. She wasn’t strictly what Niko could call a primary combatant, but she was already helping them to the extent that he would have been shocked if she wasn’t being counted against them at this point. From a less pragmatic viewpoint, she and Ronald seemed to be considering their relationship seriously. He wouldn’t leave the pilgrimage just for himself, and Niko also didn’t think that Stella would ask him to do that for her, given that it would also affect Skye.
“Yes,” Stella answered after a few seconds of hesitation, before taking hold of Ronald’s hand, “I’m already helping you guys out a lot with gear, but aside from that, I know that eventually you guys are going to need to travel farther away. But I don’t have a store to hold down anymore, so it’s not like I’m tied up anywhere, either.”
“And you get to follow Ronald,” Skye pitched in, partly teasing her cousin.
Unfazed, Stella smiled brightly in her direction, “Exactly.”
Niko heard Skye grumbling under her breath about her cousin being no fun to tease when Dachna spoke up, “If you’re willing to learn how to fight, I’m okay with this. We’ve got a pretty well rounded group, but so long as you can keep up, there’s no problem.”
“Well, I’d put it less harshly, but I agree,” Mithel hopped into the water proper, giving a little sigh of pleasure, “Ohhhh, yeah. I missed baths.”
“That’s fair,” Stella smiled, “Then, I would love to join you all on your pilgrimage.”
As she finished her words, an invisible force seemed to press down on Niko, freezing him under the weight of the world’s focus. It passed just as quickly, leaving the Wyldwalkers in its wake as though nothing had happened.
“Well, looks like it’s begun,” Camille laughed, “Welcome to the initiation.”
“That’s it?” Skye barked out, “No ritual, no magic spell, just that?”
“Oh, there’ll be more.,” No less amused, Camille continued, “Like I said, the pilgrimage is abstract. But, what you just did is effectively ask permission to join. You’ll all have to pay attention to your instincts for a bit, and follow through.” The statement was cryptic, but Niko could tell that Camille had no intent on explaining further.
Niko nodded at that but was thinking about the inverse. ‘Does someone need everyone’s permission to leave? That would make sense, all things considered.’
Just then, Charlotte jumped into the bath, splashing out around her while chittering happily. Niko chuckled at the display, especially seeing Skye splash back at the spider indignantly. The Phorus slid into the bath with easy grace, letting out a shiver of appreciation for the warm water against sore muscles.
“Friends!” The voice called out, and for the second time that night, Niko felt the presence of the world settle on his shoulders. It passed, too, and Dachna nearly fell into the bath from the edge he’d been standing on.
“Wait, wait, what!? Did the spider just—”
“Her name is Charlotte.” Skye corrected Dachna.
“—Yeah, uh, okay. Did Charlotte just…?” The dirty-blond haired man gesticulated with difficulty as he tried to find a way to phrase what he wanted to ask.
Camille uttered, “Huh. Well, I guess no one had any issues with the giant spider, either.”
“No, but, wait, aren’t we supposed to talk it out, first?” Dachna spluttered questioningly.
“We just did, though?” Skye blinked innocently, “It’s not like I’d ask differently of her than I would Stella. And she’s already helped us a lot.”
“Friends!” Charlotte gushed, before scooping Skye into a hug, her fuzzy legs tickling Skye and setting her on a giggling fit.
Niko noted that Dachna paled at the display of his friend being picked up by a giant spider, but did his best not to show it. Considering that even Mithel swallowed a little hard at the sight, Niko didn’t blame him.
“Well, if they’re going too, then we wi—” Sasha began, before Thokk put a large paw on her head.
“You’re sure?” Thokk gazed down at her, “Your mother won’t be thrilled. You’re a princess, and this is a time of crisis.”
Sasha grumbled, “I’m barely needed here, Thokk. Even without me here, everything will keep going. And, besides,” She turned her attention to the rest of the group, “I’m guessing that you’re all going to be here to help with the invasion, so that isn’t a problem, either.”
Niko grimaced inwardly, wondering if there’d be political repercussions for this. He turned his attention to Camille, who, in spite of trying to seem neutral, couldn’t hide the slight grin and mischievous glint in her eyes.
‘Should you be enjoying this so much?’ Niko groused, but turned his attention back to the pair that had been traveling with them since the Massacre Hornets. Honestly, he didn’t think they’d want to travel with them, but he wasn’t against it in the slightest. Thokk was powerful and durable, while Sasha was incredibly stealthy and deadly in her own right.
“I’ve no problem with it.” Skye offered after extricating herself from Charlotte’s grasp, “We’ll need all the help we can get, I’m sure.”
“We’ve already trained together,” Ronald nodded, “And we’re already familiar with each other’s fighting styles, so it’s not like we’ll be starting from scratch.”
Dachna and Mithel exchanged glances, the former with a shrug and the latter with something resembling glee. Mithel excitedly piped in, “Oh, I have so many ideas! Yes, yes, I’m okay with this.”
The group looked to Niko then, who fluffed up his feathers in response, “Does it seem like I’d say no?”
Skye grinned at him for that, and he clucked at her for being cheeky.
“Then,” Sasha sat up as straight and regally as she could in the water, a look that, somehow, she actually managed to pull off with some dignity, “I, Sasha of the Blue-Claw Clan, formally request to join the Wyldwalkers on their pilgrimage, through good and ill, in fellowship and against enmity in whatever forms it might take.”
“Same.” Thokk added ingloriously, just in time for Sasha to glare at him in a mixture of shock and annoyance.
Then the group was frozen in place with her expression locked into place for double the amount of time. Needless to say, Niko was cawing with laughter after they could move again.
Sasha huffed with embarrassment, even while growling at Thokk, “After asking me all that, you just jump on board like that?”
Thokk shrugged unapologetically, “I didn’t say you were wrong on any points. I just wanted to be sure you thought things through.”
“Well, your group is a bit larger than the average pilgrimage,” Camille noted, “But I think you’ll be fine. Probably.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Dachna snorted, “Do you have any advice for us?”
“Yeah, keep training.” She stretched, “Alright, I’ve got to get to work now, too. Remember what I said about following your instincts. Just go with the flow. Trust in the process.”
“That’s still cryptic,” Mithel murmured, before calling out to her a little louder as she prepared to leave, “Will we know?”
Camille paused and turned, and Niko thought that her smile was a bit stiffer than it normally was. “Oh, trust me, you’ll know. But…” She paused, before shaking her head, “Well, just keep in mind what I said. You guys’ll be fine.
Niko followed her with his gaze before turning his attention back to the others. He couldn’t help but feel wary of whatever that might mean. Still, whatever happened, Niko would have to put his trust in what Camille said. So far, bringing other people in on the pilgrimage hadn’t been all that big of a deal at all!
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Niko woke sharply, feeling as if every fiber of his body was suddenly energized, possessed sidelong with a deep seated need to get up. In the room with him, he heard Skye startle awake with a quiet yelp, her own eyes wide and wild, matching his own.
“Sk–” Niko started to say, before he realized he was on his feet, almost feverish with energy. His mind swam with pressure, no less than what he’d felt when he stood before the Great Eye. Skye was dressed in seconds, though he could tell through their mental connection that she was working through a fugue state as well.
In spite of the sensations, he didn’t feel afraid, and somehow the words that Camille uttered earlier rang in his ears.
‘Trust in the process,’ Niko mentally said to himself, taking a deep breath and affecting calm through the mental connection he shared with Skye. After a few seconds of wariness, Skye too began to calm down, sharing in their bond in order to feel less unmoored.
They left their room and walked down the hall, joined silently by Ronald and Stella first. Dachna and Mithel joined them around the corner, and then Sasha, Thokk, and Charlotte joined them apace. Niko didn’t know how late it was, but as they neared the manor’s windows, he knew that it was firmly in the throes of night. Yet, not a single soul stopped them as they moved. With his awareness, Niko found Ottowan in the reception hall, speaking with a few individuals whom might have been servants.
It would have been expected if they stopped them, or at least registered them. But Niko saw Ottowan’s gaze slide up to them, before just as quickly sliding away, as though he hadn’t seen them at all. Each of the servants did the same, before uncannily resuming their conversations and whatever they were doing without any delay.
“He–” Niko tried to speak, but realized his words failed to form. None looked up at the sound, and as they moved through the double doors, the guards there seemed to slump slightly. Almost as if asleep, they closed the doors behind the Wyldwalkers, before straightening back up as if nothing had ever happened.
This repeated at the gates, and Niko was doing his best not to feel unnerved. Even though his instincts told him everything was fine, his rational, thinking mind was screaming that they were experiencing some serious Twilight Zone shenanigans right then. And that worsened through the city, where the scant few groups of citizens and guards didn’t register the presence of their silent procession, even when close knitted cliques parted like the water around a large river stone as they passed.
‘Ah, peck it.’ Niko huffed internally, ‘Whatever happens, happens.’ He’d struggled to see what he might be able to do in this state, and had a feeling that he could seize control. But, he also felt that it would take something from him, a line that led deep into his core. Even without ever having been told about it, he somehow knew that it led to his connection to the world, through the pilgrimage. If he broke it, he’d be free instantly, but he’d doubted that he would be able to return to the path.
They reached the edge of the city before he realized it, and for the first time in their short journey someone looked at them. It was a familiar creature, a stag with reaching, beautiful horns and a starlit coat of fur. The Glade Guardian, the Envoy of the Forest, and to Niko, once just a beautiful stag he’d once seen in his life in the Evergreen when he was not so much younger.
“Be at ease. This is benign, and is being done for you.” The words echoed through Niko’s head, and he was surprised to find that he did feel markedly calmer. Yet, all the hallmarks of mental influence that he tried to be aware of were missing. It was more as if he could feel the truth in the stag's words, even without knowing him.
They followed silently after the Envoy, fur rippling like an ocean of stars. Niko felt a strangeness as they did so, and realized that for every step they took, it was as though they’d crossed the distance of two. And then three, and four thereafter, the distance increasing as though they were stepping through space. It didn’t feel as if they were traveling faster, yet the world subtly blurred around them with every moment they advanced.
Niko lost any hope of finding where they were when the world around them blurred and sharpened again in short order. However, he realized that he could see massive lumbering shapes in the dark, with bright lights flaring along their sides. They kept apace with them, somehow, or perhaps that there were simply that many of them. Niko only caught snippets of them, but realized that they were being escorted by scores of Moxxa. More of them by the second, it seemed, leaving Niko in awe at their combined movement.
Finally, they stopped, a wide branch simply ending as though it had been cut clean off. A space no smaller than Riizen lay before them, with a single, massive tree trunk occupying it. The city could have easily fit within the confines of it, and Niko was sure that if the trunk hadn’t been clearly shattered near the base, the titan that would have stood here would have scraped the sky.
Then, the Grove Guardian drew a deep breath, and let out a long, echoing call that Niko thought resembled his own Clarion Call. Only, the power behind it was an order of magnitude greater than anything he could accomplish, with the air rippling away from the buck as though it were a fabric in the wind.
From the outskirts of the trees surrounding the expanse, hundreds of lumbering Moxxa emerged from the branches and from around the trunks of the titanwoods. Light spilled forth from them, as they each let out a low, base humming sound that gently vibrated both himself and the trees around. In answer to this, another, brighter tone joined them, and Niko saw light begin to grow from the shattered trunk far below them.
Ivory wood spiraled upwards in great branches, points of light leading the way as the air whipped about from the sheer amount of massive bodies in motion. More magic must have been involved, because Niko felt only a breeze where he should have been blown off of his feet. It was alarming nonetheless, to see a massive tree spiral and grow from nothing. A warmth filled his chest as he looked at it, seeing it branch out as it reached an area just slightly higher than their own.
The branches grew together, delicate and detailed imagery and work became apparent as a huge staircase met with the end of the tree branch they sat upon. Pillars of off-white wood glowed with an internal light, guiding their way along either side of the stairs up to an immense platform, shaped like an open-aired temple.
“I will wait for you here. May you be blessed,” The Guardian spoke, giving them a respectful, almost reverent bow, its antlers shining even greater in the light.
Niko and the others walked forwards, under their own power, but no one spoke. The scene before them made Niko feel as though words were… hollow, here. Wasted. There was a kind of sanctity that he didn’t want to interfere with. As one they rose to the platform, wide enough that they were barely a spec upon its surface even.
From above them and atop each pillar, Niko saw a Great Eye, each one emanating the power that he’d felt from the one he’d seen before. He struggled not to let his mind focus on that, feeling as though he might break out into hysterics if he thought of how many creatures like this might exist in the world.
One step he was with everyone, and then the next he was in a vast white space, hovering in mid air. It was familiar to the first time that they’d entered this space; the beginning of their pilgrimage. Niko looked upon his form, sharper than it was before, but different now. Much of his body still bore elements that shifted before his eyes, chaos manifest, but his overall body was more bird-like. Albeit, he had another set of legs, and his body was elongated, leaving him picturing something akin to a Griffon. But, it changed in the next moment, leaving him larger, bulkier, and bearing more monstrous characteristics, but no longer a lumbering form as before. It was as if the most lethal configuration of monstrous things he’d eaten had been seamlessly merged.
‘Still not my thing,’ He frowned, flexing his will and reverting the changes. It almost felt like one of his blessings vibrated in celebration at that, with the other sulking. He hoped that Venris wouldn’t take it too hard–he just really liked his feathers.
Then he looked up, finally allowing his senses to settle upon the other being that was there with him. The Great Eye was much more than that, a towering growth that wasn’t quite tree, but also wasn’t quite earth. It looked down upon him, but didn’t feel like it was looking down at him. Feelings and thoughts raced between them, faster than he thought he could ever possibly think, and he tried to form words and meaning from what it was feeding him.
It was a Titan, one unlike Vol, not so interested in being a part of the goings-on of the world, and more interested in keeping things functioning. It was a brother to him, at least as far as it was concerned, and was glad to officially meet him as a collective.
The sheer feeling and sincerity behind it choked Niko up. It was happy to bring his friends into the pilgrimage, but it had certain conditions…
Conditions which Niko was happy to fulfill. The first was, of course, directly related to their survival, and the second at least tangentially related.
Another blinding flash of intent and meaning weighed on Niko, but he knew much more quickly what it was saying. True to its word, one by one, his companions emerged from nothing around him.
Skye, embraced in branches and brambles, an elegant and vicious looking dryad form with two trees that held many secrets flanking her emerged.
Ronald stood strong, his body appearing to be made of metal with pure force emanating from his veins, but with an ever growing, gentler aspect to him.
Mithel, whose twin-soul expression that Niko now knew well to be from her duality between worlds, seemed more like twin sisters joined over a cauldron of half crystal, and half metal.
It was Dachna that was the most different, gone were the halves of himself, replaced with something in between, a mask that was laughing in a way that was neither cruel nor overly friendly. Clad in black and purple finery, somewhere between a suit and combat robe, with gemstones studding his cape and clothes. Gold, silver, and more seemed to flicker into reality around him, drawing the eye from the many blades upon his person that glinted with a cold light. Niko thought that the look suited the man better.
Then came Sasha, fur rippling with shadow and vibrant tiger stripes of deep purple that pulsed with anti-light. Muscles flexed beneath her hide, and Niko felt a deadliness to her that he had only felt from the most dangerous predators he’d seen. Her massive incisors pulsed with power, glyphs carved into them, their lines glowing like they were lit by an ultraviolet light.
Before he could focus on her more, he felt Thokk move, like a mountain shifting its weight. His fur somehow felt like stone, even though Niko knew he shouldn’t be able to feel anything at all from him. More than that, was a sense of timelessness that emanated from him, echoing outwards.
Charlotte, on the other hand, gleamed with gemstone colors, and stood atop strands of a web that seemingly flexed with her will, each one colored similarly to her fur. With grace and effortlessness, the spider moved around, somehow making her manic, restlessness seem anything but. An untamed thirst for knowledge resounded from her, and when Niko examined her, she met his eyes. He could feel an emotional tremble of gratitude from her, as if to thank him for the opportunity to glimpse into a version of herself that the Pilgrimage might provide.
Niko smiled, before finally settling his gaze upon Stella. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but seeing the woman with an ever shifting anvil, tools, weapons, and armor all around her, somehow surprised him. He’d expected something more mani–
No sooner than the thought occurred to him did sigils, glyphs, and runic formations burst into existence on every centimeter of her body and on each of the tools she had, with a not insignificant few floating in mid air. She smiled at her tools, caressing them with a tenderness that Niko would expect from a professional of her craft. Of which there were, apparently, many.
An image bore down upon them all, somehow solidifying their forms amidst the strange space they floated within. The Great Eye focused meaning to them, bearing witness to their path, and, as Niko felt, filling their vessels with power. He startled at the sensation, rapidly feeling his rise to the edge of Tier Two.
He felt it then, that this was payment rendered in advance for the tasks set upon them.
The Wyldwalkers joined their minds, calling out once more who they were as they’d done in the past, with meaning and intent, rather than words. Niko felt an image of what he wanted to be, something substantial, form within his soul, and knew that he would have no trouble ascending even to tier four with this image in his body.
Before he could focus any further on his companions, he felt the space slip away, as though it were a dream. Exhaustion sapped his attention, only putting one foot in front of the other as he followed the back of the Guardian. Before he knew it, he was back within his room, with Skye not even making it to her bed, instead flopping against him.
Both were snoring in moments, the magic of the pilgrimage spent, and restful sleep left in its wake.
Cheep!?
Chapter 145
Niko luxuriated in the feeling of suds against his feathers while he sat next to a rinsing station. Given that it would be rude to everyone else for him to put soap directly in the normal bathing water, he planned on rinsing off beneath the pouring waterfall next to him.
‘Waterfalls in place of showers,’ Mentally, Niko counted up the six such locations set around the large pool, two of which were big enough for beasts as large as Thokk. Idly, he glanced over to Dachna, who was now finishing up bathing himself. A note of satisfaction drifted through his mind at the fact that he’d been properly cleaned, in spite of how much Dachna had complained about being voluntold to help him with his feathers.
In the scrubbing station next to them, Mithel and Skye were fussing over Charlotte’s fur, with the spider’s four fuzzy antennae dancing through the air. Given the chittering and the relaxed way in which the spider was currently splaying out, Niko guessed she was having the time of her life.
“So, about those mushrooms you guys have,” Ronald called from the larger soaking pool that he sat in, with Stella nestled in beside him comfortably, “Did you have any plans for them?”
Skye snorted, “You can try using them.” She then paused, glancing over to Camille, “Right?”
While Crowe had declined to join them, Camille had come with them, and she looked up at Skye’s question with a smile. “Ronald should be able to handle essence cooking, but I’d recommend you not eat them all at once. There’s a limit to how much your bodies will be able to take at one time.”
She nodded at that, and Niko reminded himself that normal people couldn’t endlessly consume food like he could. Essence poisoning was a thing that other people had to be wary of, but Niko could thank his blessings for giving him the ability to ignore that limitation. What it actually did to allow that, he had no idea, but he would certainly take advantage of it if he could.
“So, I’ve been thinking,” Stella spoke up then, looking to Camille nervously, “Is there a way to join a pilgrimage that’s already in progress?”
Niko perked up at that, and from the corner of his eye he noticed Skye do the same. That was a very important question, considering that Niko was wondering if they were skirting some very fine lines in terms of receiving too much aid. Thokk and Sasha had been traveling with them for some time and had been helping them; how much was the pilgrimage hindering them in return for something like that? There were too many variables to track, and they’d been cautioned that whatever drove the powers of the pilgrimage were fickle and abstract.
“Well, it’s not very difficult,” Camille answered carefully, “But, you have to be sure that you’re willing to go the long haul. And of course everyone has to be willing to allow it, especially since it does make some things harder.”
The group followed along with that, and Ronald asked, “Could someone leave the pilgrimage in the future?”
At that, Camille grimaced, “Well, yes, but the pilgrimage won’t readjust difficulty. It’s meant to be a big deal if you allow someone to come with.”
“That seems fair,” Niko chirped as he slipped under the waterfall, “Were you thinking of joining us, Stella?”
Niko preened through his feathers, making sure no more soap was on them, while taking in the expressions of his companions. Frankly, he didn’t think any of them would have a problem with Stella joining them. She wasn’t strictly what Niko could call a primary combatant, but she was already helping them to the extent that he would have been shocked if she wasn’t being counted against them at this point. From a less pragmatic viewpoint, she and Ronald seemed to be considering their relationship seriously. He wouldn’t leave the pilgrimage just for himself, and Niko also didn’t think that Stella would ask him to do that for her, given that it would also affect Skye.
“Yes,” Stella answered after a few seconds of hesitation, before taking hold of Ronald’s hand, “I’m already helping you guys out a lot with gear, but aside from that, I know that eventually you guys are going to need to travel farther away. But I don’t have a store to hold down anymore, so it’s not like I’m tied up anywhere, either.”
“And you get to follow Ronald,” Skye pitched in, partly teasing her cousin.
Unfazed, Stella smiled brightly in her direction, “Exactly.”
Niko heard Skye grumbling under her breath about her cousin being no fun to tease when Dachna spoke up, “If you’re willing to learn how to fight, I’m okay with this. We’ve got a pretty well rounded group, but so long as you can keep up, there’s no problem.”
“Well, I’d put it less harshly, but I agree,” Mithel hopped into the water proper, giving a little sigh of pleasure, “Ohhhh, yeah. I missed baths.”
“That’s fair,” Stella smiled, “Then, I would love to join you all on your pilgrimage.”
As she finished her words, an invisible force seemed to press down on Niko, freezing him under the weight of the world’s focus. It passed just as quickly, leaving the Wyldwalkers in its wake as though nothing had happened.
“Well, looks like it’s begun,” Camille laughed, “Welcome to the initiation.”
“That’s it?” Skye barked out, “No ritual, no magic spell, just that?”
“Oh, there’ll be more.,” No less amused, Camille continued, “Like I said, the pilgrimage is abstract. But, what you just did is effectively ask permission to join. You’ll all have to pay attention to your instincts for a bit, and follow through.” The statement was cryptic, but Niko could tell that Camille had no intent on explaining further.
Niko nodded at that but was thinking about the inverse. ‘Does someone need everyone’s permission to leave? That would make sense, all things considered.’
Just then, Charlotte jumped into the bath, splashing out around her while chittering happily. Niko chuckled at the display, especially seeing Skye splash back at the spider indignantly. The Phorus slid into the bath with easy grace, letting out a shiver of appreciation for the warm water against sore muscles.
“Friends!” The voice called out, and for the second time that night, Niko felt the presence of the world settle on his shoulders. It passed, too, and Dachna nearly fell into the bath from the edge he’d been standing on.
“Wait, wait, what!? Did the spider just—”
“Her name is Charlotte.” Skye corrected Dachna.
“—Yeah, uh, okay. Did Charlotte just…?” The dirty-blond haired man gesticulated with difficulty as he tried to find a way to phrase what he wanted to ask.
Camille uttered, “Huh. Well, I guess no one had any issues with the giant spider, either.”
“No, but, wait, aren’t we supposed to talk it out, first?” Dachna spluttered questioningly.
“We just did, though?” Skye blinked innocently, “It’s not like I’d ask differently of her than I would Stella. And she’s already helped us a lot.”
“Friends!” Charlotte gushed, before scooping Skye into a hug, her fuzzy legs tickling Skye and setting her on a giggling fit.
Niko noted that Dachna paled at the display of his friend being picked up by a giant spider, but did his best not to show it. Considering that even Mithel swallowed a little hard at the sight, Niko didn’t blame him.
“Well, if they’re going too, then we wi—” Sasha began, before Thokk put a large paw on her head.
“You’re sure?” Thokk gazed down at her, “Your mother won’t be thrilled. You’re a princess, and this is a time of crisis.”
Sasha grumbled, “I’m barely needed here, Thokk. Even without me here, everything will keep going. And, besides,” She turned her attention to the rest of the group, “I’m guessing that you’re all going to be here to help with the invasion, so that isn’t a problem, either.”
Niko grimaced inwardly, wondering if there’d be political repercussions for this. He turned his attention to Camille, who, in spite of trying to seem neutral, couldn’t hide the slight grin and mischievous glint in her eyes.
‘Should you be enjoying this so much?’ Niko groused, but turned his attention back to the pair that had been traveling with them since the Massacre Hornets. Honestly, he didn’t think they’d want to travel with them, but he wasn’t against it in the slightest. Thokk was powerful and durable, while Sasha was incredibly stealthy and deadly in her own right.
“I’ve no problem with it.” Skye offered after extricating herself from Charlotte’s grasp, “We’ll need all the help we can get, I’m sure.”
“We’ve already trained together,” Ronald nodded, “And we’re already familiar with each other’s fighting styles, so it’s not like we’ll be starting from scratch.”
Dachna and Mithel exchanged glances, the former with a shrug and the latter with something resembling glee. Mithel excitedly piped in, “Oh, I have so many ideas! Yes, yes, I’m okay with this.”
The group looked to Niko then, who fluffed up his feathers in response, “Does it seem like I’d say no?”
Skye grinned at him for that, and he clucked at her for being cheeky.
“Then,” Sasha sat up as straight and regally as she could in the water, a look that, somehow, she actually managed to pull off with some dignity, “I, Sasha of the Blue-Claw Clan, formally request to join the Wyldwalkers on their pilgrimage, through good and ill, in fellowship and against enmity in whatever forms it might take.”
“Same.” Thokk added ingloriously, just in time for Sasha to glare at him in a mixture of shock and annoyance.
Then the group was frozen in place with her expression locked into place for double the amount of time. Needless to say, Niko was cawing with laughter after they could move again.
Sasha huffed with embarrassment, even while growling at Thokk, “After asking me all that, you just jump on board like that?”
Thokk shrugged unapologetically, “I didn’t say you were wrong on any points. I just wanted to be sure you thought things through.”
“Well, your group is a bit larger than the average pilgrimage,” Camille noted, “But I think you’ll be fine. Probably.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Dachna snorted, “Do you have any advice for us?”
“Yeah, keep training.” She stretched, “Alright, I’ve got to get to work now, too. Remember what I said about following your instincts. Just go with the flow. Trust in the process.”
“That’s still cryptic,” Mithel murmured, before calling out to her a little louder as she prepared to leave, “Will we know?”
Camille paused and turned, and Niko thought that her smile was a bit stiffer than it normally was. “Oh, trust me, you’ll know. But…” She paused, before shaking her head, “Well, just keep in mind what I said. You guys’ll be fine.
Niko followed her with his gaze before turning his attention back to the others. He couldn’t help but feel wary of whatever that might mean. Still, whatever happened, Niko would have to put his trust in what Camille said. So far, bringing other people in on the pilgrimage hadn’t been all that big of a deal at all!
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Niko woke sharply, feeling as if every fiber of his body was suddenly energized, possessed sidelong with a deep seated need to get up. In the room with him, he heard Skye startle awake with a quiet yelp, her own eyes wide and wild, matching his own.
“Sk–” Niko started to say, before he realized he was on his feet, almost feverish with energy. His mind swam with pressure, no less than what he’d felt when he stood before the Great Eye. Skye was dressed in seconds, though he could tell through their mental connection that she was working through a fugue state as well.
In spite of the sensations, he didn’t feel afraid, and somehow the words that Camille uttered earlier rang in his ears.
‘Trust in the process,’ Niko mentally said to himself, taking a deep breath and affecting calm through the mental connection he shared with Skye. After a few seconds of wariness, Skye too began to calm down, sharing in their bond in order to feel less unmoored.
They left their room and walked down the hall, joined silently by Ronald and Stella first. Dachna and Mithel joined them around the corner, and then Sasha, Thokk, and Charlotte joined them apace. Niko didn’t know how late it was, but as they neared the manor’s windows, he knew that it was firmly in the throes of night. Yet, not a single soul stopped them as they moved. With his awareness, Niko found Ottowan in the reception hall, speaking with a few individuals whom might have been servants.
It would have been expected if they stopped them, or at least registered them. But Niko saw Ottowan’s gaze slide up to them, before just as quickly sliding away, as though he hadn’t seen them at all. Each of the servants did the same, before uncannily resuming their conversations and whatever they were doing without any delay.
“He–” Niko tried to speak, but realized his words failed to form. None looked up at the sound, and as they moved through the double doors, the guards there seemed to slump slightly. Almost as if asleep, they closed the doors behind the Wyldwalkers, before straightening back up as if nothing had ever happened.
This repeated at the gates, and Niko was doing his best not to feel unnerved. Even though his instincts told him everything was fine, his rational, thinking mind was screaming that they were experiencing some serious Twilight Zone shenanigans right then. And that worsened through the city, where the scant few groups of citizens and guards didn’t register the presence of their silent procession, even when close knitted cliques parted like the water around a large river stone as they passed.
‘Ah, peck it.’ Niko huffed internally, ‘Whatever happens, happens.’ He’d struggled to see what he might be able to do in this state, and had a feeling that he could seize control. But, he also felt that it would take something from him, a line that led deep into his core. Even without ever having been told about it, he somehow knew that it led to his connection to the world, through the pilgrimage. If he broke it, he’d be free instantly, but he’d doubted that he would be able to return to the path.
They reached the edge of the city before he realized it, and for the first time in their short journey someone looked at them. It was a familiar creature, a stag with reaching, beautiful horns and a starlit coat of fur. The Glade Guardian, the Envoy of the Forest, and to Niko, once just a beautiful stag he’d once seen in his life in the Evergreen when he was not so much younger.
“Be at ease. This is benign, and is being done for you.” The words echoed through Niko’s head, and he was surprised to find that he did feel markedly calmer. Yet, all the hallmarks of mental influence that he tried to be aware of were missing. It was more as if he could feel the truth in the stag's words, even without knowing him.
They followed silently after the Envoy, fur rippling like an ocean of stars. Niko felt a strangeness as they did so, and realized that for every step they took, it was as though they’d crossed the distance of two. And then three, and four thereafter, the distance increasing as though they were stepping through space. It didn’t feel as if they were traveling faster, yet the world subtly blurred around them with every moment they advanced.
Niko lost any hope of finding where they were when the world around them blurred and sharpened again in short order. However, he realized that he could see massive lumbering shapes in the dark, with bright lights flaring along their sides. They kept apace with them, somehow, or perhaps that there were simply that many of them. Niko only caught snippets of them, but realized that they were being escorted by scores of Moxxa. More of them by the second, it seemed, leaving Niko in awe at their combined movement.
Finally, they stopped, a wide branch simply ending as though it had been cut clean off. A space no smaller than Riizen lay before them, with a single, massive tree trunk occupying it. The city could have easily fit within the confines of it, and Niko was sure that if the trunk hadn’t been clearly shattered near the base, the titan that would have stood here would have scraped the sky.
Then, the Grove Guardian drew a deep breath, and let out a long, echoing call that Niko thought resembled his own Clarion Call. Only, the power behind it was an order of magnitude greater than anything he could accomplish, with the air rippling away from the buck as though it were a fabric in the wind.
From the outskirts of the trees surrounding the expanse, hundreds of lumbering Moxxa emerged from the branches and from around the trunks of the titanwoods. Light spilled forth from them, as they each let out a low, base humming sound that gently vibrated both himself and the trees around. In answer to this, another, brighter tone joined them, and Niko saw light begin to grow from the shattered trunk far below them.
Ivory wood spiraled upwards in great branches, points of light leading the way as the air whipped about from the sheer amount of massive bodies in motion. More magic must have been involved, because Niko felt only a breeze where he should have been blown off of his feet. It was alarming nonetheless, to see a massive tree spiral and grow from nothing. A warmth filled his chest as he looked at it, seeing it branch out as it reached an area just slightly higher than their own.
The branches grew together, delicate and detailed imagery and work became apparent as a huge staircase met with the end of the tree branch they sat upon. Pillars of off-white wood glowed with an internal light, guiding their way along either side of the stairs up to an immense platform, shaped like an open-aired temple.
“I will wait for you here. May you be blessed,” The Guardian spoke, giving them a respectful, almost reverent bow, its antlers shining even greater in the light.
Niko and the others walked forwards, under their own power, but no one spoke. The scene before them made Niko feel as though words were… hollow, here. Wasted. There was a kind of sanctity that he didn’t want to interfere with. As one they rose to the platform, wide enough that they were barely a spec upon its surface even.
From above them and atop each pillar, Niko saw a Great Eye, each one emanating the power that he’d felt from the one he’d seen before. He struggled not to let his mind focus on that, feeling as though he might break out into hysterics if he thought of how many creatures like this might exist in the world.
One step he was with everyone, and then the next he was in a vast white space, hovering in mid air. It was familiar to the first time that they’d entered this space; the beginning of their pilgrimage. Niko looked upon his form, sharper than it was before, but different now. Much of his body still bore elements that shifted before his eyes, chaos manifest, but his overall body was more bird-like. Albeit, he had another set of legs, and his body was elongated, leaving him picturing something akin to a Griffon. But, it changed in the next moment, leaving him larger, bulkier, and bearing more monstrous characteristics, but no longer a lumbering form as before. It was as if the most lethal configuration of monstrous things he’d eaten had been seamlessly merged.
‘Still not my thing,’ He frowned, flexing his will and reverting the changes. It almost felt like one of his blessings vibrated in celebration at that, with the other sulking. He hoped that Venris wouldn’t take it too hard–he just really liked his feathers.
Then he looked up, finally allowing his senses to settle upon the other being that was there with him. The Great Eye was much more than that, a towering growth that wasn’t quite tree, but also wasn’t quite earth. It looked down upon him, but didn’t feel like it was looking down at him. Feelings and thoughts raced between them, faster than he thought he could ever possibly think, and he tried to form words and meaning from what it was feeding him.
It was a Titan, one unlike Vol, not so interested in being a part of the goings-on of the world, and more interested in keeping things functioning. It was a brother to him, at least as far as it was concerned, and was glad to officially meet him as a collective.
The sheer feeling and sincerity behind it choked Niko up. It was happy to bring his friends into the pilgrimage, but it had certain conditions…
Conditions which Niko was happy to fulfill. The first was, of course, directly related to their survival, and the second at least tangentially related.
Another blinding flash of intent and meaning weighed on Niko, but he knew much more quickly what it was saying. True to its word, one by one, his companions emerged from nothing around him.
Skye, embraced in branches and brambles, an elegant and vicious looking dryad form with two trees that held many secrets flanking her emerged.
Ronald stood strong, his body appearing to be made of metal with pure force emanating from his veins, but with an ever growing, gentler aspect to him.
Mithel, whose twin-soul expression that Niko now knew well to be from her duality between worlds, seemed more like twin sisters joined over a cauldron of half crystal, and half metal.
It was Dachna that was the most different, gone were the halves of himself, replaced with something in between, a mask that was laughing in a way that was neither cruel nor overly friendly. Clad in black and purple finery, somewhere between a suit and combat robe, with gemstones studding his cape and clothes. Gold, silver, and more seemed to flicker into reality around him, drawing the eye from the many blades upon his person that glinted with a cold light. Niko thought that the look suited the man better.
Then came Sasha, fur rippling with shadow and vibrant tiger stripes of deep purple that pulsed with anti-light. Muscles flexed beneath her hide, and Niko felt a deadliness to her that he had only felt from the most dangerous predators he’d seen. Her massive incisors pulsed with power, glyphs carved into them, their lines glowing like they were lit by an ultraviolet light.
Before he could focus on her more, he felt Thokk move, like a mountain shifting its weight. His fur somehow felt like stone, even though Niko knew he shouldn’t be able to feel anything at all from him. More than that, was a sense of timelessness that emanated from him, echoing outwards.
Charlotte, on the other hand, gleamed with gemstone colors, and stood atop strands of a web that seemingly flexed with her will, each one colored similarly to her fur. With grace and effortlessness, the spider moved around, somehow making her manic, restlessness seem anything but. An untamed thirst for knowledge resounded from her, and when Niko examined her, she met his eyes. He could feel an emotional tremble of gratitude from her, as if to thank him for the opportunity to glimpse into a version of herself that the Pilgrimage might provide.
Niko smiled, before finally settling his gaze upon Stella. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but seeing the woman with an ever shifting anvil, tools, weapons, and armor all around her, somehow surprised him. He’d expected something more mani–
No sooner than the thought occurred to him did sigils, glyphs, and runic formations burst into existence on every centimeter of her body and on each of the tools she had, with a not insignificant few floating in mid air. She smiled at her tools, caressing them with a tenderness that Niko would expect from a professional of her craft. Of which there were, apparently, many.
An image bore down upon them all, somehow solidifying their forms amidst the strange space they floated within. The Great Eye focused meaning to them, bearing witness to their path, and, as Niko felt, filling their vessels with power. He startled at the sensation, rapidly feeling his rise to the edge of Tier Two.
He felt it then, that this was payment rendered in advance for the tasks set upon them.
The Wyldwalkers joined their minds, calling out once more who they were as they’d done in the past, with meaning and intent, rather than words. Niko felt an image of what he wanted to be, something substantial, form within his soul, and knew that he would have no trouble ascending even to tier four with this image in his body.
Before he could focus any further on his companions, he felt the space slip away, as though it were a dream. Exhaustion sapped his attention, only putting one foot in front of the other as he followed the back of the Guardian. Before he knew it, he was back within his room, with Skye not even making it to her bed, instead flopping against him.
Both were snoring in moments, the magic of the pilgrimage spent, and restful sleep left in its wake.
