A Quiet Dawn
It was quiet. That was the first thing I felt when I opened my eyes. The trembling of the World Tree that had been tickling the underside of my back for days was gone. Even straining my ears, there were no growls from the magic beasts—not even the uneasy pulsing that had climbed the branches. Only the sound of the wind remained.
'This is it.'
I stretched languidly and rose from the Turaka hide. Opening my subspace, I pulled out some Ignar meat, laid it on a stone slab, and lit a fire.
Sizzle—!
The oil crackled on the hot stone, sending up thick, savory smoke. I ground rock salt over it with a crunch and sprinkled on some pepper. The salty, nutty aroma spread through the morning air. When the edges turned golden brown, I flipped it and took a bite. Ignar's signature heavy flavor wrapped hotly around the tip of my tongue.
'Breakfast is always meat.'
I flipped the meat leisurely, sprinkled salt on the next piece, when a sound came from above.
Flap— flap flap—
Large, noisy, inefficient wingbeats. Only one creature around me could make that racket.
I looked up. Red scales glittered in the morning sun as the massive body circled lazily over the nest. It completed a loop and settled on the nest's edge, folding its wings.
"Master, I'm back."
Kar stepped into the nest and glanced around. After days away, the nest seemed novel to him; his eyes swept over the jewel-encrusted branches before locking onto the sizzling meat on the stone slab. His nostrils flared.
"Eaten yet?"
"...Not yet, sir."
I sliced off a chunk and tossed it in front of Kar. He caught it with a forepaw and shoved it into his mouth. As he chewed with eyes half-closed, it was clear he'd been starving.
I cut another piece and threw it. Kar snatched it midair and devoured it.
"But, Master."
Kar swallowed and opened his mouth cautiously.
"Did you declare your territory? Even near my kin, I felt your mana spreading across the entire World Tree."
"Yeah."
"...May I ask what happened?"
"Michael asked me to."
"Ah, I see..."
Kar paused mid-chew, then spoke up again.
"After you took down the Four Kings and did nothing else, I figured you weren't interested in territory... Were you just unaware?"
"Pretty much."
Kar's chewing stopped dead. His massive eyes fixed on me, brimming with some emotion I had no interest in deciphering.
"Why the stare?"
Kar immediately averted his gaze.
"A-anyway, I confirmed the tremors had stopped and all the magic beasts gone quiet before returning."
"Good job. Finish up—we've got somewhere to be."
"...I just got back, though."
"You'll like it."
Kar's tail twitched. His scales bristled visibly.
"...Where?"
Instead of answering, I tossed him another slice.
After Kar stuffed himself, I released my polymorph. My wings caught the morning breeze and spread wide.
"Caw."
(Let's go together.)
"Pardon? Uh, where to?"
I beat my wings once hard and launched from the nest. Heading south. Kar unfurled his wings and followed.
"Master, where are we headed?"
Instead of replying, I eased my speed. When Kar drew alongside, we flew in tandem.
We burst through the clouds into open sky. Wind sliced between my feathers, light particles sparkling across my wings. Beside me, Kar's flapping was obnoxiously loud.
The dense forest below thinned into scattered patches. The air at my beak tips shifted—dry, warm gusts blew in from afar. Not the explosive, skin-scorching heat from when Ignar lived here. Just pleasantly warm.
Kar's wingbeats slowed noticeably.
"Master. This is the direction of Ignar's Domain..."
I kept flying.
"Didn't you finish declaring territory yesterday? What's left to do...?"
'You'll see when we get there.'
Kar fell silent, but his scales bristled again.
Grasslands emerged beyond the horizon. Everything had changed.
On my first recon, it was an endless black wasteland dotted with unquenchable embers crackling away. When I came to hunt, the heat haze warped my vision.
Now, no embers. No heat. The scorched scars lingered, but green sprouts thrust up through the black soil in between.
The wind carried a new scent to my beak: damp earth and fresh grass, not ash.
I descended toward the center, glancing at Kar. He stared down too, his bristled scales easing.
We landed near the spot where I'd planted my mana yesterday. Warmth rose from the black soil beneath my talons. I felt my mana pulsing faintly—and right in the middle stood a single jet-black feather stabbed into the ground. My marker from yesterday.
Sprouts grew thickest around the feather.
Kar landed behind me and surveyed the area. His eyes slowly took in the sprouts on the black soil, the feather swaying in the breeze, the endless grassland.
"Master... this is..."
I cast polymorph as I replied.
"Mana's thickest here. Bring your kin and move 'em in."
Kar stared at me.
"Too much hassle to manage alone—you take charge. The feather's your marker."
Kar's jaws worked soundlessly: open, shut. Open again, then closed.
His head lowered slowly until his horned brow touched the sprouting black soil. His massive bulk froze in full prostration.
It was a familiar pose.
'Where've I seen this? Boss dumping crap work on underlings... Oh, right—the gods foisting it on Michael.'
I chuckled.
'Michael got forced into it, though. Kar's got his forehead in the dirt and loves it. Handing it to someone eager makes it a gift, not slacking.'
"Let's look around."
Kar raised his head. His eyes glistened, but I was already walking, so he scrambled up and trailed after.
We strolled the grassland. Grass grew where Ignar had roared, on the crater floor he'd gouged.
A gust swept through, and the young blades on black soil bowed in unison before springing back up.
The feather marker gleamed softly in the wind.
Kar spoke cautiously.
"Master, how should I tell my kin?"
"Later. I'll give you vacation time then—go fetch 'em yourself."
"Va-vacation?"
"I'll infuse mana into the territory then. For now, just sightseeing."
Kar nodded, but his neck started swiveling. He eyed one side of the plain, then the other, picking up speed.
"Uh, nest the flocks on that tall rock over there, use this breezy spot for hunting..."
His voice grew more animated. Even after trailing off, he kept scanning. Mouth shut, eyes darting nonstop.
After circling the grassland, the sun began to slant.
"...The wind here's perfect."
Kar said, facing into it.
I just nodded.
"Head back. Hop on."
I climbed onto Kar's back. A big gust from the grassland tousled my hair as he spread his wings.
Flap—!
The sky looked vast from Kar's back.
On the return, his wingbeats felt steadier than outbound. Less racket too.
Kar stayed quiet the whole way. The silence from him felt weird.
Back at the nest, he slunk to a corner, curled up, folded his wings, and rested his chin on the floor.
Dusk winds swept the nest, making the jewels in the branches sparkle red.
I perched on the edge. After the stroll to the grassland, I craved something sweet.
Subspace: fruit.
Crunch—!
Cool, sweet juice flooded my mouth.
Then magi wafted up from below. Familiar aura.
Haven't gone back to the demon world yet?
He climbed the branches and appeared at the nest's edge: Berat, sauntering slowly.
He spotted me and spread his arms—then his gaze nailed the fruit in my hand.
"That's Astraea."
"It has a name?"
"Obviously."
Berat stepped inside laughing.
"Michael sent it? That angel's sly."
"Why?"
"Infuses divine energy when you eat it. Probably makes passing barriers easier."
'So that's why Michael sent it.'
Whatever—tasty enough.
Berat plopped beside me, stretched his legs, and eyed the nest.
He tapped the jewels in the branches, smirking.
"Unique taste in home decor."
"Sparkly's nice."
"Can't argue."
His gaze shifted to Kar.
"...Big lizard. Pet?"
Kar lifted his head. As his jaws parted, Berat half-lidded his eyes at him. Magi flickered faintly in them.
Kar's mouth snapped shut silently. He huddled tight in the corner, coiling his tail around himself.
Berat snickered and looked away.
"Heard you declared territory—knocked out all three in a day?"
"Yeah, no big deal."
"The safety runes below have nearly stopped pulsing. Should be fine for a while."
I took another bite of Astraea. Berat's eyes lingered on the fruit.
'Wants some.'
I pulled another from subspace and offered.
"Want?"
Berat waved it off.
"Nah. Demons eating that? Divine energy clashes with magi inside. Hurts like hell."
"Demon world got fruit like this?"
"Yep. Tarsia. Way better."
"Bring some."
"Next visit."
"How go demon world?"
"Down the World Tree roots. Wanna try?"
'Down to demon world.'
My head tilted up on instinct. So up...?
"Can you reach the Divine Realm through the World Tree too?"
Berat eyed my Astraea.
"Eaten that much? Might work."
He stood, then paused.
"Oh, save some Astraea before finishing. Pair it with Tarsia—fun combo."
His arms shot out, hugging me tight. No time to dodge.
Berat's chin settled atop my head, his magi-laced warmth enveloping my shoulders.
"Call this a down payment for the Tarsia."
"...Kinda pricey."
"Cheap."
Berat laughed, released me, and waved from the edge.
"Catch you later."
He leaped off and vanished.
Magi lingered, swept away by the wind.
Nest held just me and Kar now.
Kar's snoring started up already.
Snurrrr... snurrrr...
The sound after days away. That dumb, noisy, inefficient reptile snore.
I finally appreciated how quiet the nest had been without him.
Another bite of Astraea, and I looked up. The World Tree's peak gleamed through the clouds.
Divine Realm. The place blocked by the barrier, where I'd given up after beak-smashing into it.
'...Maybe give it a shot.'
World Tree leaves rustled in the wind, layered under Kar's snores.
The sun dipped behind branches, jewels slowly dimming.
'Tomorrow.'
My eyes drifted shut.