Chapter 91

Chapter 91

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The Scorpan Village, The Ninth Floor, The Dungeon

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Skitters-Across-The-Sand watched the column of Scorpans streaming from the village with a conflicted heart. There were so few of them, to begin with, and the size of their village reflected that. With their first clutches grown and a second well on the way, the King declared that most of the youth would emigrate to the Eleventh. There just wasn't enough space in the village for them all. They weren't like the Drake-kin. They couldn't squeeze dozens of Scorpans into a single house.

And so, Skitters had to say goodbye to most of her Scorplings. Sprints-Into-Danger had grown into the woman Skitters had expected. Firey and loath to sit still. She was the first to declare that she was leaving. Sprints thirsted for exploration, and Skitters wouldn't even think of trying to keep her in the village. Beyond the fact her little scorplings were fully grown and perfectly capable... Staying in the village had already started wearing on her. This was for the best.

Right behind her was her two brothers. Looms-Over-Others had grown large, more than matching his sire in height and certainly out-massing him. Beats-His-Chest declared his intent to leave a second later. Skitters had hoped Looms would stay. Perhaps to become a guard, to protect the village as he protected his siblings. Ultimately, He felt called to defend his siblings more than the rest of the village. She didn't blame him for that.

Finally, Climbs-Tall-Things approached her, a determined look in her eyes. She said nothing. Climbs had become far quieter as the weeks passed. Not in a bad way, but she was more measured and considering.

Sunset-Carapace was staying. She didn't possess the drive for adventure and exploration that her siblings did. Skitters also knew she'd been sneaking out at night recently and patiently waited for the day her daughter introduced her to whatever Scorpan had caught her eye.

While her scorplings leaving tore at her heart... the thing that ripped it in two was that Fires was going too.

Plays-With-Fires had become increasingly distant since the Fire Court's procession. Spending less time with their scorplings. Less time with her. Lays-In-Puddles and Preens-In-The-Light were preparing for their second clutches, but Fires hadn't even looked at her.

And so, there she stood. Sunset beside her, Puddles and Preens consoling her, as her mate and scorplings joined the column of Scorpans.Follow current novels at novelhall.com)

They soon passed beyond a turn in the canyon and disappeared from sight.

Skitters felt... nothing.

She felt empty.

"It'll be okay, Skitters. You'll find another mate," Preens consoled. Skitters scoffed and turned her head.

"If I did, it'd be a Scorpan half my age, at least," she replied. Preens stepped back, obviously shocked. "All the males my age are taken. No. I'm done with males." Skitters turned, walking back into the village.

She already knew what she wanted.

Minutes later, she was in her house. No longer her Home. It felt cold. Empty. Like her. She knelt before the altar to The Creator in the main room and bowed her head, her hands clasped together while her pincers were spread wide. 'Oh Holy Creator. This lowly servant of your will humbly prostrates herself before your will. My Mate has deserted me. I am without purpose. Forge me into an instrument of your will. I Beg of you.' Skitters did not repeat her prayer ad infinitum. She knew The Creator would hear her. Moments later, she felt His presence bloom in her mind.

Skitters, you have never been lowly. He claimed. Skitters didn't reply. She remained quiet, with her head bowed. She heard Him sigh. Is this what you truly desire?... I see it is. Very well. I require a talented Scorpan to guard the one who will be my Voice on the island's surface. She will be ascending to the surface in a few days. I know you are no warrior. I know you are no Shaman. But that can be changed.

'Oh Holy Creator. I am your instrument.'

I suppose that counts as your consent. He sounded... disgruntled. Then prepare yourself. For the next few hours, I will be altering your body. You will become stronger. More agile. More magically powerful. At the same time, you will receive the muscle memory and knowledge to use every weapon your species has learned to fight with. You will gain the magical understanding to take advantage of the Life mana affinity I will grant you. You are henceforth... my Paladin.

I followed their progress upward. Huea was left behind at the Drake-Kin Village, and they picked up the Drake-Kin I'd hand-picked for Kata's Honor Guard. They bypassed the receding Lava Tide, picking up the lone Capriccio waiting beneath their village. I guided them through the Castle's shortcuts and all the floor bypass tunnels. It was sunrise of the next day when they emerged, standing tall, staring out at the crowded Obsidian Beach.

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Obsidian Beach, Medea Island, The Kalenic Sea

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Haytham and every other Guilder on the island stared in shock as five creatures emerged from the dungeon's entrance. There was a moment of silence as the Gold and Platinum guilders on the beach processed what they were seeing. They were preparing to enter the dungeon for the day when the entrance dilated, expanding rapidly to admit the largest of the group.

Two of the monsters were easily identified, to Haytham at least. A lean Capriccio wielding a spear made of a black metal that seemed to absorb the light around it. Haytham wasn't sure, but he somewhat recognized one of the goat people his raid group had met on their first encounter. It was the shape of the horns, he thought. The males were the ones with large horns, right?

The second was a male Drake-kin. He bore a sword that held a rainbow shimmer, contrasting his dark brown scales. He was armored the other drake-kin had been, with bright orange Pheonix feathers and striped orange fur as accents.

The third was the most familiar and the most utterly terrifying thing he'd ever seen. Outmassing the first two combined, the monster looked like someone had painted the most menacing and hooked knight's armor ever made pitch black. It held two longswords, casually resting on the monster's shoulders. And that was just the top half! The armor's legs had been replaced with the entire body of a gods-damned Scorpion. And not just any scorpion. This one's shell reminded Haytham strongly of the crabs. It was the armored legs expertly covering what would be a weak spot on any ordinary scorpion. Its pincers were hooked nightmares, and the looming stinger dripped a vibrant green liquid. Haytham was in no hurry to investigate that.

The fourth was just as large as the third but in a different way. Where the scorpion was long and wide, the cow-man was tall. It had to be at least eight feet tall and was obviously a cow. A Bull, actually. Intimidating horns, broad chest, and shoulders hefting an enormous hammer. It huffed, its intelligent eyes scanning the crowd.

The fifth was the most disturbing and awe-inspiring of the group.

It looked like the dungeon had tried to turn a drake-kin into a human. What parts of it were exposed showed pale white skin interspersed with patches of scales of every color of the rainbow. Its eyes were the same, shifting through the color spectrum. Its ears were pointed and almost entirely scaled. It- her chest was large, but not obscenely so. Now that Haytham was looking, it was definitely female. The shape of the jaw and the curve of the hips gave it away. But by far, her most eye-catching feature was the glimmering, transparent wings. Like her eyes, they slowly cycled through the colors of the rainbow.

When it seemed like the pause had gone on forever, the winged human-lizard coughed and then spoke.

"Surface Dwellers. I am here to represent The Creator as His Voice. We will be participating in the defense of our island and in it's governing after we've succeeded. We will defend ourselves if attacked but will not initiate a fight. Guildmistress Losat will gladly take any questions you have, as this was her idea."

At once, the head of every Guilder on the beach turned toward the Guild Hall, where said Guildmistress was powerwalking closer and very obviously slowed as she noticed their attention.

The five monsters moved, and the Guilders parted, leaving ample room for them to pass by. The winged monster briefly spoke with the Guildmistress, and then they were led back to the Guild Hall.

The mood of the crowd was... incredibly varied and confused. All at once, the crowd erupted into conversation. Theories and opinions flowed like water as everyone tried to figure out just what the five hells was going on. When it all finally calmed down, there were two main camps.

One, The Guildmistress had sold them out to the monsters, and this was all a way to lull them into a false sense of security. They'd be taking over after fighting off the invasion, and the humans would all be enslaved by the dungeon. This was the most pessimistic opinion, shared by almost a third of the guilders.

Two, The Guildmistress had enlisted the dungeon's help, and the woman was speaking truthfully. A voice, to be the dungeon's input on the island's running. It was here long before the humans had ever stepped foot on these sand beaches. This was the majority opinion. Most everyone had acknowledged that at least the Kobolds were honorable, thinking beings. They hardly needed to kill anything on the third anymore besides avoiding the giant fucking bugs.

There were some other people with truly insane theories they insisted had to be true, but that wasn't important. What was important was that everything would change, as evidenced by the alarm that went up a few hours into the discussion. A scout ship had returned. The Bahrain fleet was a day away.

The invasion had arrived.

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