She cleared her throat gently. “I serve my lord and my lord only, if that is what you mean.”
Ahnbe made a thoughtful sound in her throat. “Yes… so you have said. I serve no one.”
“You are lying to yourself,” Mia replied a tad too quickly.
Ahnbe’s flashing eyes were her only warning. An instant later, the Shepherdess’ snarling face was close enough to feel the heat of her breath and her hand had curled about her throat. Just short of actually touching it.
Mia indifferently glanced up from the goddess’ trembling arm, though she could not quite suppress the smirk from growing on her lips. Very gently, she cupped the hand into her own and placed it upon her cheek.
“As you wish. No need for hostilities.”
Ahnbe jerked back and cast a nervous look around, but nothing had changed.
“I told you we were within his fabric…” she muttered, working her fingers. Then more quietly, she added, “Balls.”
Mia’s smile grew, though she just managed to suppress the urge to gloat… and to cast about for the presence she now suspected to be watching them. She did not want to scare… it away again.
This was an opportunity. But taking advantage of it like she wanted to would be tricky. Especially with their uninvited guest.
“To what do I owe this visit, Child of our Father?”
Ahnbe recoiled slightly. As she had expected.
“Don’t call me that,” she replied automatically. The goddess hesitated for just a moment before continuing, “We both know that one abandoned us long ago.”
“Do we, now?” came the cool response.
The Shepherdess’ eyes jerked up. “And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”
Mia hummed. “I wonder. Surely, one of your stature could not care less about the idle fancies of a lowly… servant?”
Ahnbe drew herself up, fur and scales sprouting in patches along her skin. “Do you think to extort me? I may lack the power to harm you here, but there are other planes where I am not so powerless! Provoke me enough, and I may just…” She swallowed. “I may just revoke the gifts I have bestowed upon your lord.”
Mia stared at her flatly for a moment. Now who was playing who for fools?
“What do you want, Ahnbe?”
The goddess’ mouth worked for a moment, and she began to deflate slightly. Frustrated, she glanced back at the notably out-of-place monument.
“What is that?” she asked.
Mia grit her teeth, practically choking on the automatic response. Bitch!
“It’s a monolith,” she managed evenly.
“I can see it’s a monolith,” Ahnbe snapped. “What is it doing here?”
Mia relaxed slightly. That, at least, was a more reasonable question. For a moment, she considered dragging their little game out anyway, but as it happened, she would very much like to know the answer herself. It was possible her kin might have some insights. Even by asking it, she had narrowed the field.
Turning, the dark-haired Faen guided her uninvited guest towards it. In many ways, the column resembled her own former home. It was tall and utterly black against the midday sky, though this one bore only the three sides.
And now that they were closer, it was evident that someone had been digging into the soil at its base to reveal a few short strings of Words. Everything above the ground layer had been smoothed to a near mirror finish.
Mia folded her dirt-stained hands neatly behind her back to wait.
Ahnbe knelt into the loose soil without a care for her dress and began examining what Words were there. “These… these aren’t supposed to be skills are they?” she asked.
Mia lifted a delicate eyebrow. The question had not been directed at her precisely, so she pretended to ignore it. However, it had been one she had asked herself not long past.
In actual fact, she could not recall having ever worked on Jax prior to a few hours ago, but there were an awful lot of holes in her memory. It was possible she had merely forgotten.
Even so, there was something decidedly off about these skills. They did not feel right. But they clearly worked. That much was undeniable.
She kept her thoughts to herself.
“I don’t understand why you would bother putting them here. Not when you could inscribe them directly into the Core,” Ahnbe pressed.
“Normally, I would have,” Mia admitted slowly. She was never keen on divulging the secrets of her own domain, but that much was fairly common knowledge. “As you can see, however, the monolith sinks with each new addition of Words.”
Ahnbe gave a thoughtful nod as she puzzled over the symbolism. This was not at all the Shepherdess’ specialty.
To Mia’s eyes, though, its design could not have been more clear. The more buried the Words became, the more the skill would be imbued into its host—to the point where it simply became a part of them. Using it would be as natural as breathing, well before the Words themselves ever made it to the Core.
It was also completely antithetical to the Purpose. Not that she cared over much about that anymore.
After a moment, Ahnbe began reading a few of the labels aloud.
“My Claws Hunt for Master. My Body for Master Alone. Thirst for Master’s Touch?” She cast a knowing glance up at Mia. “These are not my Chosen’s skills. Surely.”
“I’ve told you that much,” she replied evasively.
“So you did.”
For a moment, the goddess stared into the middle distance before running a hand through the hair between her horns. Sighing, she stood and dusted the soil from her knees, then turned to face the Faen fully.
“Do you retain your birthright?”
“Cunt! How dare you—!” Mia’s hand clapped over her mouth a second too late.
But Ahnbe ignored the outburst in favor of a simple nod. “In that case… you might be interested to know that whenever I need a creature to mimic something like a skill, I usually just Engrave it directly into their skin.”
There was a heavy beat of silence.
Mia slowly lowered her hand, then cast a quick glance back to the liquid smoothness of the monolith. Ahnbe was right. This was not the work of someone concerned with the nurturing of the kinds. It was quick. Dirty. Meant more for creating a weapon than a person capable of the Fulfillment.
Bline would be apoplectic when she found out… not that Mia had any intention of telling her. Still, there remained the question: how could She not know?
Mia frowned. No… how could She have been prevented from knowing? That was the real mystery. And she suspected she knew the answer—if not the why of it. There were still too many pieces missing to this puzzle.
She took a breath. “That is… most interesting, I’m sure. So what do you want, Ahnbe?”
“You know what I want.”
“Do I? You have asked a great many questions today.”
Ahnbe’s fist smashed into the monolith. “Balls! I have wasted enough of my time bandying words with you, impudent servant! I want my Chosen. Now, where is he?!”
The corner of Mia’s mouth twitched. Ha. Deny yourself all you like, my former sister. You are far too gone to sever it from you, now. From the very moment you—
She quashed the thought immediately. There was no need for jealousy. She would catch up and more, one day. And she would make certain he remembered it when she did!
Besides, she was much more interested in the slight fluctuation she had felt in the air with that blow. The sudden violence had startled… it.
Found you… Mia felt an onrush of pure joy at the discovery, and butterflies rippled up her abdomen. Mustn’t let on. Pretend you didn’t notice.
Instead, she made a show of concern for the monolith’s condition. She knew before she looked but, much like herself, it had remained completely unharmed by Ahnbe’s rather forceful punctuation. Satisfied, Mia placed an outwardly relieved hand over her heart and graced their guest with a fearful expression.
She could pretend to be cowed, if it made her feel better. And she did still owe an answer.
“Mentally or physically?”
Ahnbe hesitated. Again, her eyes scanned the area, but as before, they seemed to be alone.
Mia struggled not to let the laughter show in her eyes.
“Physically,” the goddess eventually clarified. “I cannot think but that he is in the Dungeon, yet I have searched my children’s eyes a dozen times over. I… cannot find him.”
The Faen shrugged. She could not see what good could come of that knowledge. What was she hoping to do? Rescue him?
Ha… you really are a mess, aren’t you.
But if that was what she wanted…
Seleroan
Hey folks!
I've got merch! That's right, about a month ago, I hired an artist to do some character portraits, and I figured, 'What better way to use them, than letting you guys buy your favorite girl. As a mug!'
Yeah... what can I say? I like coffee.
Anyway, here's the store:
https://the-quest-of-words-merch.printify.me/products
Currently, it only ships to the US. Can't seem to figure out why. Nothing on the webpage mentions that. But that's how it is. If I can figure out a way around it, I'll let you know.
For those of you outside the US, I also still have the Patreon available. And you gain access to the most up-to-date chapters.
Come on down! We'd love to see you.
She cleared her throat gently. “I serve my lord and my lord only, if that is what you mean.”
Ahnbe made a thoughtful sound in her throat. “Yes… so you have said. I serve no one.”
“You are lying to yourself,” Mia replied a tad too quickly.
Ahnbe’s flashing eyes were her only warning. An instant later, the Shepherdess’ snarling face was close enough to feel the heat of her breath and her hand had curled about her throat. Just short of actually touching it.
Mia indifferently glanced up from the goddess’ trembling arm, though she could not quite suppress the smirk from growing on her lips. Very gently, she cupped the hand into her own and placed it upon her cheek.
“As you wish. No need for hostilities.”
Ahnbe jerked back and cast a nervous look around, but nothing had changed.
“I told you we were within his fabric…” she muttered, working her fingers. Then more quietly, she added, “Balls.”
Mia’s smile grew, though she just managed to suppress the urge to gloat… and to cast about for the presence she now suspected to be watching them. She did not want to scare… it away again.
This was an opportunity. But taking advantage of it like she wanted to would be tricky. Especially with their uninvited guest.
“To what do I owe this visit, Child of our Father?”
Ahnbe recoiled slightly. As she had expected.
“Don’t call me that,” she replied automatically. The goddess hesitated for just a moment before continuing, “We both know that one abandoned us long ago.”
“Do we, now?” came the cool response.
The Shepherdess’ eyes jerked up. “And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”
Mia hummed. “I wonder. Surely, one of your stature could not care less about the idle fancies of a lowly… servant?”
Ahnbe drew herself up, fur and scales sprouting in patches along her skin. “Do you think to extort me? I may lack the power to harm you here, but there are other planes where I am not so powerless! Provoke me enough, and I may just…” She swallowed. “I may just revoke the gifts I have bestowed upon your lord.”
Mia stared at her flatly for a moment. Now who was playing who for fools?
“What do you want, Ahnbe?”
The goddess’ mouth worked for a moment, and she began to deflate slightly. Frustrated, she glanced back at the notably out-of-place monument.
“What is that?” she asked.
Mia grit her teeth, practically choking on the automatic response. Bitch!
“It’s a monolith,” she managed evenly.
“I can see it’s a monolith,” Ahnbe snapped. “What is it doing here?”
Mia relaxed slightly. That, at least, was a more reasonable question. For a moment, she considered dragging their little game out anyway, but as it happened, she would very much like to know the answer herself. It was possible her kin might have some insights. Even by asking it, she had narrowed the field.
Turning, the dark-haired Faen guided her uninvited guest towards it. In many ways, the column resembled her own former home. It was tall and utterly black against the midday sky, though this one bore only the three sides.
And now that they were closer, it was evident that someone had been digging into the soil at its base to reveal a few short strings of Words. Everything above the ground layer had been smoothed to a near mirror finish.
Mia folded her dirt-stained hands neatly behind her back to wait.
Ahnbe knelt into the loose soil without a care for her dress and began examining what Words were there. “These… these aren’t supposed to be skills are they?” she asked.
Mia lifted a delicate eyebrow. The question had not been directed at her precisely, so she pretended to ignore it. However, it had been one she had asked herself not long past.
In actual fact, she could not recall having ever worked on Jax prior to a few hours ago, but there were an awful lot of holes in her memory. It was possible she had merely forgotten.
Even so, there was something decidedly off about these skills. They did not feel right. But they clearly worked. That much was undeniable.
She kept her thoughts to herself.
“I don’t understand why you would bother putting them here. Not when you could inscribe them directly into the Core,” Ahnbe pressed.
“Normally, I would have,” Mia admitted slowly. She was never keen on divulging the secrets of her own domain, but that much was fairly common knowledge. “As you can see, however, the monolith sinks with each new addition of Words.”
Ahnbe gave a thoughtful nod as she puzzled over the symbolism. This was not at all the Shepherdess’ specialty.
To Mia’s eyes, though, its design could not have been more clear. The more buried the Words became, the more the skill would be imbued into its host—to the point where it simply became a part of them. Using it would be as natural as breathing, well before the Words themselves ever made it to the Core.
It was also completely antithetical to the Purpose. Not that she cared over much about that anymore.
After a moment, Ahnbe began reading a few of the labels aloud.
“My Claws Hunt for Master. My Body for Master Alone. Thirst for Master’s Touch?” She cast a knowing glance up at Mia. “These are not my Chosen’s skills. Surely.”
“I’ve told you that much,” she replied evasively.
“So you did.”
For a moment, the goddess stared into the middle distance before running a hand through the hair between her horns. Sighing, she stood and dusted the soil from her knees, then turned to face the Faen fully.
“Do you retain your birthright?”
“Cunt! How dare you—!” Mia’s hand clapped over her mouth a second too late.
But Ahnbe ignored the outburst in favor of a simple nod. “In that case… you might be interested to know that whenever I need a creature to mimic something like a skill, I usually just Engrave it directly into their skin.”
There was a heavy beat of silence.
Mia slowly lowered her hand, then cast a quick glance back to the liquid smoothness of the monolith. Ahnbe was right. This was not the work of someone concerned with the nurturing of the kinds. It was quick. Dirty. Meant more for creating a weapon than a person capable of the Fulfillment.
Bline would be apoplectic when she found out… not that Mia had any intention of telling her. Still, there remained the question: how could She not know?
Mia frowned. No… how could She have been prevented from knowing? That was the real mystery. And she suspected she knew the answer—if not the why of it. There were still too many pieces missing to this puzzle.
She took a breath. “That is… most interesting, I’m sure. So what do you want, Ahnbe?”
“You know what I want.”
“Do I? You have asked a great many questions today.”
Ahnbe’s fist smashed into the monolith. “Balls! I have wasted enough of my time bandying words with you, impudent servant! I want my Chosen. Now, where is he?!”
The corner of Mia’s mouth twitched. Ha. Deny yourself all you like, my former sister. You are far too gone to sever it from you, now. From the very moment you—
She quashed the thought immediately. There was no need for jealousy. She would catch up and more, one day. And she would make certain he remembered it when she did!
Besides, she was much more interested in the slight fluctuation she had felt in the air with that blow. The sudden violence had startled… it.
Found you… Mia felt an onrush of pure joy at the discovery, and butterflies rippled up her abdomen. Mustn’t let on. Pretend you didn’t notice.
Instead, she made a show of concern for the monolith’s condition. She knew before she looked but, much like herself, it had remained completely unharmed by Ahnbe’s rather forceful punctuation. Satisfied, Mia placed an outwardly relieved hand over her heart and graced their guest with a fearful expression.
She could pretend to be cowed, if it made her feel better. And she did still owe an answer.
“Mentally or physically?”
Ahnbe hesitated. Again, her eyes scanned the area, but as before, they seemed to be alone.
Mia struggled not to let the laughter show in her eyes.
“Physically,” the goddess eventually clarified. “I cannot think but that he is in the Dungeon, yet I have searched my children’s eyes a dozen times over. I… cannot find him.”
The Faen shrugged. She could not see what good could come of that knowledge. What was she hoping to do? Rescue him?
Ha… you really are a mess, aren’t you.
But if that was what she wanted…
Seleroan
Hey folks!
I've got merch! That's right, about a month ago, I hired an artist to do some character portraits, and I figured, 'What better way to use them, than letting you guys buy your favorite girl. As a mug!'
Yeah... what can I say? I like coffee.
Anyway, here's the store:
https://the-quest-of-words-merch.printify.me/products
Currently, it only ships to the US. Can't seem to figure out why. Nothing on the webpage mentions that. But that's how it is. If I can figure out a way around it, I'll let you know.
For those of you outside the US, I also still have the Patreon available. And you gain access to the most up-to-date chapters.
Come on down! We'd love to see you.
