“How did I get tricked into this?” I wonder aloud. “No, seriously. How did I ever think this was a good idea?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8q9BhsZo6R
Klef shushes me. “You’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwtEdyzzV8
The Crusader’s base is in sight, and I’m having more than a few second thoughts about this whole experience. “Have you ever seen me try to speak in public?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivS9rZ3Elf
“Yes. But this isn’t in public,” Klef reasons.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73nrW3rNnX
“I’m with Klef on this one, Reese, have some self confidence!” Geo adds.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNeJuLgtQtn
As we’re walking toward the Crusader’s base, Flo walks out with a werewolf who I’m assuming is her mate. They have flowers in their short cropped hair but despite the typically “feminine” accessory has a somewhat-masculine build. Both of them walk out to greet us. “Oh, so nice to see you three! Geo, Iri, and...sorry, was it Klept?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTET1Ag2rd7
“Klef, nice to meet you,” Klef says, shaking Flo’s hand. “I understand you’re the one who helped me when I had food poisoning 5 years ago. Thank you for that.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWSh0UaC3u
Flo smiles, bashful. “I really wasn’t that good at finding anything to help you, but you’re welcome regardless.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJ1mF7VU9M
The other werewolf clears their throat. “Am I invisible, or something?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLE35AUVJb
“Oh! Sorry, Rythe! Everyone, this is Rythe, my mate,” Flo says with a blush.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TZMuUTSCG
Rythe shakes Klef and Geo’s hands, and then comes to me, examining my eyes. “And you must be the Oracle I’m hearing so much about!”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWjyxXkL6J
I nod. “I’m Rides. Nice to meet you.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcpuuMfuwo
Rythe bows. “It’s an honor, my lady.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVoeLvoyee
I blush and Flo whacks Rythe upside the head. “Stop, you, you’re embarrassing her!”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8o0EI0Scd
Rythe grins. “But that’s what you love about me! And clearly she doesn’t see herself as some sort of royalty!”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4bbqIoU1ug
Flo mutters in a low voice, “She’s the Alpha’s daughter.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazrzYs4vu1
Rythe straightens. “You mean the Alpha of a rival pack or The Alpha?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡni30cxTtXm
“Try the second one,” Flo mutters, embarrassed on his behalf.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjmQZAMNlM
“Oh.” Rythe salutes me. “Terribly sorry, ma’am.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTM92ghWsxJ
“That’s not necessary, Rythe,” I laugh. “I’m perfectly fine with being called Rides, or even Iri, if my dad insists on calling me that all the time.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eQ4QLKTUd
Rythe nods stiffly, setting the flower crown close to the brink of desruction, and leads us inside.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotFJIrX6oG
“Guy or girl?” Klef whispers to Geo.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQAXdSpJVD
“I...don’t know? Guy, I think?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcWDHbzZH1
“No, I’d say girl,” Klef muses.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWlWhjMqu5
“What are you guys talking about?” I mutter.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAzOzkbH3e
“Rythe. Guy or girl, do you think?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8AEnBLmAuy
“Um…” I have to think about my answer. “Maybe they’re neither…”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMo79idEXf
“Neither? Is that possible?” Klef asks.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgmJdnMkhk
“It would make sense,” Geo reasons.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4l3qv2iPXX
“I’m going to stick to using first names around those two,” I say, holding to the werewolf couple holding hands. “Just to stay in the clear.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPQ7w231i3
“Right, because the natural neutral pronouns are it/its, but that can be seen as degrading nowadays,” Geo says.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwP4Koi4pq
“It is grammatically correct, though,” Klef points out.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyvJecywUc
“I guess you have a point, but would you be okay with being called an ‘it’?” I counter.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbK65hAOZUT
“What are you guys talking about?” Flo asks.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqup6uCq0D
“Nothing much,” Geo says. “Just things back at our branch, you know?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuIOZHIwoJ
Rythe coughs and mutters, “They/them,” and I grin at Klef and Geo.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VGDsdKkDj
Flo ushers us into a giant room filled with desks where people are talking on phones, documenting things with pictures and surrounding a map, adjusting plastic pieces and discussing strategy. There are many species I recognize and some I don’t. This speech is not going to be easy.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xxH00yNmU
Rythe clears their throat. “Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone else, allow me to present Rides, the Oracle who will be informing us on her dreams!”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6RhrsFdlB
The room goes silent and every eye is on me as I take a deep breath. “Well...first of all, thanks for paying attention, I know a large room full of people who wouldn’t be willing to do that. Second of all,” I look around the room. “Why are you guys paying attention?! I have no clue what I’m doing, and I’m willing to bet every other person in this room has a better idea about how to handle this problem than I do. I am young, inexperienced, and I have recurring nightmares, so I don’t get a lot of sleep to think clearly.” Everyone looks at one another, shifting and murmuring. “My point being,” I yell over the murmuring, and everything goes dead silent again, “That no matter what you think of me, I’m like anyone else. I have my strengths and my weaknesses, just as everyone else in this room has to deal with. I’m not some super-impressive goddess who can do anything I want. I’m weak at almost everything here. I’m just Rides, the girl who dunked her boyfriend in ice cold water to try and help speed up his molting. But you need information, and fortunately, that’s one of my strengths.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkiuVlrsJIo
“All of my dreams are pretty much the same. I’m being led to some machine of mass destruction by someone--I don’t know who. I’m on some island, or place surrounded by water, at least. There’s mermaids, fairies, zombies, ghosts, you name a species, it’s probably there, except there are never any humans. When I’m strapped to it something happens and it takes my Sight. It revs up and Klef is asking whoever the leader is why they’re doing this. To summarize, they say it’s to ‘destroy all humans’.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrjmUh3uz8
Everyone shifts around, suddenly on edge. “And?!” a wizard with pitch black hair shouts.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHQcLhfa9r
“And that’s it. I can say it’s more likely that we’re on an island than a continent, and there aren’t as many islands in this world to check out…” I say.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIDTPvQ539
“That we know of!” a gorgon yells. “We could be on a wild goose chase, lass!”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUQZhDhVow
Klef bristles next to me and I hold him back with a hand. “You called me here,” I explain, “You wanted to know what I knew. There you have it.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0pnqhdBKZ
The wizard who yelled out comes up to me. “Yeah, but we were expecting…”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQusK5IgJZ
“More?” I supply. “Yeah, a lot of people do. Be glad I have that much, though. This is coming from 5 years of dreams.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKRL84FbVX
“Okay. I’m Ama. A necromancer,” she introduces. “I’m going to be guarding you three for your stay.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡse8OIQEeuK
“Make that the two of them,” Geo corrects. “I’m no one.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7S6PKFwmi
I start to protest but Ama cuts me off. “He has a good point, Oracle. You and your partner are the highest priority here. The less people to protect, the safer you’ll be.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOXk63BX4K
The room is still silent, everyone anticipating my reply. “Excuse me,” I gasp, making a beeline for the room’s exit.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNIMzG4Xbm
I wander the halls, looking for a restroom. I know I’m about to be sick. I heave in the middle of the hallway and shudder as nothing comes up but a little bile. I was too nervous to eat lunch earlier, but now I’m glad I insisted that I wasn’t hungry. After a few more dry heaves, I slide down the colorless wall to the right of me to the ground. Now that I’ve stopped puking, all I really want to do is cry. I’m really not important. They just need my gift, and anyone could get that. To say others’ lives, their family and friends, my family and friends, are nothing next to me...it has to be utterly ridiculous. There’s no way. I no more important than anyone else. No one should die on my behalf.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TXQziBi3d
Footsteps come up to my back. Two pairs. “Ride?” Klef asks. “You okay?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhQeRoPapI
I shake my head and close my eyes, resting my side against the wall. “Sick,” I mutter.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdhmfQ2mj8
“I’m sorry if I upset you, but you need to get it into your head that you’re special,” Ama states.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8HRyyhgg3
“You don’t seem to be the type to be a necromancer,” I say. “Since you seem to care about people and their health so much.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5YnXzQAHG
Ama laughs. “You haven’t seen me mad.” I turn to get a good look at her. She does have a black air about her, but it’s small and watery at the moment. She has black ringlets that go below her shoulders and clear, milky skin. She also has one green and one blue eye. She notices me looking at her eyes and grins. “Yeah, I have the Sight too. It makes my magic strong enough to animate corpses. Wanna see?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiAGe2JEsl
“S-sure.” I stumble on the word, because what is the correct response to someone volunteering to reanimate a corpse for you?1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzyCrXTeQ7A
Ama mutters something and a tiny skeleton of a rabbit forms out of bones in a pocket Ama has on her clothes. “I like bunnies,” Ama explains. “Once I made an entire fluffle of skeleton bunnies follow me.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK23I3RLrrY
“Definitely not someone I’d call a necromancer,” Klef mutters.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrh3TCqOXY
I still don’t turn enough to see him properly. Ama shifts so she can face me fully. “Pet the bun,” she instructs.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEw74pX02nX
My hand reaches for the bunny with hesitation and it lifts its head up to meet my fingers, relishing every single stroke. I smile, and Ama smiles at me. The bunny falls into a pile of bones and Ama shakily returns the bones to her pockets. “Always drains me,” she admits.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3RJdIvrzr
I put a hand on her shoulder. “But you’re great at it.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2JuIQc11o
Ama grins, a blush creeping over her from ear to ear as she stands up. “Come on. Everyone is waiting for you, to make sure you’re all right.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PUITppDOI
I stand up, my muscles screaming at me every inch. My legs shake and my head is spinning as I finally look at Klef. His face is etched in concern and he takes the few slow steps to me as if he’s walking across a minefield. He wraps an arm around my shoulder and says, “You look like you’re about to keel over. Let me help.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8BzUGxqZq
“I’m fine,” I mutter as I lean against his shoulder.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmeNeXrokDl
“Of course you are, you’re great,” he snarks as he leads me back the way we came. “That’s why you puked and collapsed.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltvtegdASq
I scoff. “Shut up, bird brain.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9Ngw9Qgbm
“Make me, pointy ears!” Klef challenged.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbFUAVkWj1
Ama looked between us. “You two are so dating.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75YPAdU99x
“No we’re not!” we deny at the same time.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wg8mOeio9
Ama laughs. “So dating.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOfZFZShZZ
“Well don’t say anything. We want to keep it on the DL, if it’s possible,” Klef requested.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymNHNpFFxC
“Seriously? I’m willing to bet half the people here have started a pool on your relationship status!”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI31DSYUwlh
I groan. “Great. Just what I need. First I’m more important than others, and now I’m going to be seen as a desperate lovestruck teenager.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGIFSUM8CO
Klef raises an eyebrow at me. “Is that how you see yourself?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwx9kVkYSQm
I shrug. “Well, people mix up you and I a lot.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYSYkFehAg
Klef lightly punches me. “There’s the Ride I know and love.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxM93b6lyMH
Ama sighs. “I ship it,” she murmurs.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0dO3bTq0H
“There’s that word again!” I exclaim. “Why would people ‘ship’ us?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJCfdyeRIK
“It’s cute!” Ama defends.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtSmh7VkXP
“It’s weird!”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡni9P0M2qQN
“It’s true!”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE79vNvyDWM
“It’s really really funny,” Klef interjects.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcIdoTieaH
I elbow him. “It is not,” I sigh.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UiT5yy372
Klef grins.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpjMIhOo0U
“It’s not funny!” I exclaim.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7SSbMVEGP
“Whatever you say, Ride. Whatever you say,” Klef laughs.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiA10fQrvp5
Rythe and Flo come into view outside the conference room. “You okay?” Rythe asks.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ui7W5BM1Z
I nod. Klef lets go of me and I nearly topple over. “Do you mind?” I growl.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOR3PGVEKl
He grins. “We’ll get you something to sit on until you feel better,” he assures.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm84gChXePP
I mimic him. He punches me, nearly sending me careening into a wall. Rythe picks me up. “I can take you to a wheelchair, don’t worry,” they say.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSH8RnKMBw3
I’m carried to a wheelchair next to a table with a globe on it. Little red flags litter the globe. “What are those flags for?” I ask.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYl5xJijYB
“Those are possible places your dreams could have taken place. Now, the list has decreased significantly with your information,” Rythe pulled out land-based flags. “Because you said you were on a peninsula or an island. Now, in addition to the Islands of the Mermaids, there are a bunch of unmapped islands all around the globe. And there’s on in the middle of a lake in the Untamed Lands that’s suspicious.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0PdF7BXn6
I nod. “Are we sending people to check out the most probable places?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡus2Q8TG1FL
“Yeah, and we’re sending you and Klef to some of the less likely ones, to deal with the messages somewhere safe.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbeblU8e4Pt
“Okay, I guess…I’d rather be out looking, though.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNg02BP2RU
“It’s for the best you don’t,” a pale human with freckles says. “Hibiscus A, they/them. Has a mild obsession with dragons.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlliYXJj1c
I smile. “Rides. My dad wants me to go by Iri. I’m old fashioned, I don’t like using my full name.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwUWRUzrgh
Hibiscus A nodded. “I got you. Completely got you. Nice to make your acquaintance, Rides.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacDJ2q5mqL
“Likewise.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlZJvAQYMh
Klef walks in, followed by my dad. “Still hanging around this scum, Iri?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tPyZMQ0Og
I laugh. “Hi, dad.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFNlinKYvp
Klef looks offended. “What am I?”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgiBu68Qvz
“Chopped liver,” I respond.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxgTMQxo1L
Dad laughs. “Nice one!”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPYR88v5XB
Klef holds a hand to his heart. “You wound me, Ride. You wound me.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35uBPFSv59
“Good. I was trying to.”1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0oySZd7hI
Hibiscus A coughed. “Ship it,” they mutter.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPS5cINCp5
I throw my hands up. “I’m done with this!” I sigh.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqdpLpgusI
Everyone laughs. “You think I’m joking?” I ask, standing up shakily. “I’ll see you all tomorrow,” I exclaim, waving.1038Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhUVHvJfnl
Penana
search
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
