"So Chief and bigs all leaving?" Chiel asked again.

  "Yes, we're sorry but the people who helped us are super strong, they're gonna make sure you get to the city safe and they have something important they need so..." Toni replied once more.

  Chiel frowned. "But how I keep control? Kith and other calots not want go, have fight, need Chief say!"

  "I know, but Temate is..." Toni looked back over her shoulder.

  Chiel sighed as he pressed down to the smallest size he could manage. He knew what she was saying, he'd been in rough shape after fighting the 'Lich' monster. It wasn't likely he would-

  "Toni." A gravelly, coughed grunt sounded.

  Chiel sprang up to full height in excitement, throwing himself through the air. He loved being able to spring about like this, so freeing! He nded with a rumble next to Chief who stood supported by the strange knight with the wriggly head.

  "Chief! You wake! Okay?" Chiel asked, pressing a hand to his shoulder. Temate put his free hand on Chiels and smiled.

  "I'm fine Chiel, thank you." Temate grunted out. Chiel knew he was lying, he still looked broken and battered. Chiel accepted the answer though, because he knew Chief wouldn't lie without reason.

  "D-daddy you're... You're awake." Toni took one step closer but stopped as she examined him. "You should rest more, you don't look so-"

  "Ledle says we're ready to go except for the goblins, and they need me to say something." Temate grunted. Toni chewed her lip for a second.

  "Yes! It Kith, and calots. They not listen me, they Bigs too and more of them!" Chiel spoke into the pause.

  "Ah. Makes sense I guess... I'll talk to them, gather everyone Chiel." Temate commanded. Chiel bowed and hopped away.

  He approached the center of the camp and shouted for everyone to gather. Directing others towards where Temate was waiting. It wasn't long before Kith arrived and crossed his thick, furred arms. The bck green striped fur of a fernfox rippled in the wind slightly.

  "Why does the Chief need us?" Kith asked as the other calot gathered behind him.

  "Not matter, Chief say come, we come. Or you not obey Chief?" Chiel said, extending himself up to stand over Kith. He wouldn't be intimidated by a calot, not as he was now. They were practically lesser forms of his own evolution, both taking traits from animals but only he took Power from his Chief.

  "I think you are calling a meeting, not the Chief." Kith glowered as he spoke.

  "Then come and see, if not Chief you mock. If Chief, you listen. Right?" Chiel emphasized the final word. A challenge as much as an accusation, one which Kith couldn't ignore.

  The calot grunted and continued on, following the others as they moved to the meeting. With that everyone gathered before Chief, who now sat on a fallen branch. The wiggly headed knight was still there, standing behind Chief. Joining them was the kobold woman, and the Bigs.

  Chiel prowled forward to join his Chiefs side but Chief Temate held up a hand. Chiel froze, confused before Chief pointed over toward a secondary group. Sioh and Hema stood off to the side with Big Surrender. Chiel nodded and began moving to join the three.

  "I still don't like Ren staying behind. I-" Toni was whispering to Chief.

  "Enough Toni, she wants to stay. She's right, one of us should and this Lord Are seems keen on all of us except her. Kezziks injured anyway, so taking him back is only proper." Chief replied quietly.

  Chiel looked to the calot Bigs who stood opposite his small group and gred. The four stood proudly separate from the rest of the tribe. Chiel didn't like them.

  'Attention!'

  The order came not through voice, but through [Dominion]. Chief's new [Power]. Every eye in the tribe turned to look directly at their Chief. Every voice stopped muttering or speaking about what was happening.

  Chief stood. He looked across the assembled tribe, his face firm, emotionless.

  "I will be leaving you for awhile." He said. The hushed whispers were immediately cut off by a sharp 'Silence' throughout their minds. "In my stead you will follow your Bigs, and they will follow Ledle and her group."

  That order rang through Chiel. He could see the calots shiver from it as well. Kith frowned.

  "Chief. It is a bad idea to separate from us so soon, we've only just joined your tribe, and there is distrust and..."

  Kith fell silent as Chief's eyes turned to him.

  "I am aware, and you will yield to the Bigs of my original tribe which-" Kith's face scrunched as he tried to speak over whatever Chief had done. "-I realize is not your favorite idea, seeing as you outnumber them."

  Chief stood and walked over toward Chiel's group. He stood over them and looked across the gathered figures. Then he stepped to Sioh who stood straight. Chiel remembered she'd been on the front lines of that st fight against the marchers. You couldn't tell, she was so... Perfect.

  "Sioh. By my right as Chief and through valor earned in leading this tribe to battle again and again, I mark you as one of my Bigs." Chief spoke in a slow, intentional tone. Sioh's eyes beamed as she stood even prouder. Her tail began to sh behind her as she smmed her hand to her metal pted chest and wiggled her ears.

  "I honored Chief! I be best Big!" Sioh said, aiming a gre across to Kith.

  "Hema. First goblin I named." Chief said as he stepped before her. "Who saved the life of a guest, Kea, from a deadly creature." Chief smiled down and put a hand on her head. "I also name you one of my bigs."

  Hema's eyes moved from shifting confusion, to wide shock. She shakily put one hand to her chest and wiggled her ears rapidly in salute. Her whole body shook as her tail shed even more fiercely then Sioh's.

  "T-thank you Chief! I honored!" Hema replied. She turned to look at Chiel and Sioh, still in utter shock.

  "With that, there are now 4 Bigs from my tribe who will travel with you. I am certain you are wise and knowledgeable-" Chief looked across the line of calot. Each grimacing to various degrees. "-but this is my tribe. Stop trying to use your numbers and authority to take control. If you want it, challenge me now, while I'm weak."

  Chief limped over to stand before Kith, looking him eye to eye. Chief lifted his bony hand and grasped Kith's chin.

  "Because you and I both know, when I'm recovered you stand no chance." Chief growled at Kith.

  For a minute they simply stared into each others eyes. Eventually, Kith's arms uncrossed and he knelt down and pressed his head to the floor. Proper submission, which shouldn't have been necessary, but was still proper. With that Chief grunted and turned back to the assembled tribe.

  "As I was saying, we are heading to a city called Occiden. Far to the north and east of here. Due to my injuries, and our benefactors interests, Toni, Pipuck and myself will go with them." Temate gestured towards them. "Big Surrender will remain as my representative, in matters of disagreement, she has final say. Is that understood?"

  "It is understood! We see soon Chief!" Chiel shouted loudly.

  Chief issued a few more orders, and introduced the kobold, wiggly head man, and tall moth dy. Then they were off, the tribe to prepare to follow these strangers, and the Chief to fly off. The great white bird was manifested in a flurry of feathers by Voel, and then they were gone.

  Chiel could only hope everything would be alright, and trust in their Chief.

  It took far too long to get Toni to leave. Temate had to repeatedly remind her the goblins would be fine as she kept checking in on them, again and again. Which wasn't easy when everything hurt so much, despite Pipuck's poultices and Ledle's [Power]s.

  Though Temate knew he deserved that pain. He'd been powerless against the Lich. Again. He hated feeling weak, but even worse was being shown how weak he actually was. Kezzik had managed to fight and destroy the Lich alone! Yet Temate?

  It was all he could do with a small army just to hold it back.

  Pathetic.

  Thankfully, he had a bit of a distraction from his own worthlessness for the moment. Having grown up 'on the isles' as he told people, he'd flown on pnes many times. There was something different about flying on the back of a giant magical bird though.

  Surprisingly, the least different thing was the ck of wind. Temate assumed it was a [Power] Voel had, or part of the [Power] which made the massive white Roc they rode away on. So no freezing winds chilling him to the bone. Which was nice for him, but vital for Toni who still only wore what amounted to a summer dress.

  The first, obvious difference was the comfort. It was much less comfortable than a proper airpne flight. Sure there was plenty of leg room, but being in the air with no safety features, and no proper chair to rest in... Well it wasn't the most calming of rides. Nor the most comfortable, feathers and hot sweaty bird flesh didn't make great seating surprisingly.

  The second difference was the view. Instead of just a small porthole, Temate could see all around him for miles. And boy what a view. Towering evergreens stretched off in every direction as far as the eye could see. Here and there Temate saw breaks where bodies of water could be found.

  To the east a huge line of space stretched, as if someone had taken a massive pencil eraser and just dragged it through the ndscape. He knew the reason before they arrived, but was still stunned to see it as they reached the river. Though river was, once again, not an apt description.

  Temate looked moved over to Toni, sitting quietly near the back of the bird.

  "The river looks crazy from above huh firebug?" Temate asked wrapping his arms around her gently.

  "Don't- Don't call me that please." She whispered, squeezing her legs tight. Temate blinked in surprise.

  "If that's what you want little T." He whispered back, slipping around to sit beside her as he held her. Toni pced her head on his shoulder as Temate examined the haunted look in her eye once more. He wished he knew what exactly was eating at her but she'd been so... quiet.

  "Did I do good." Toni asked after several minutes of silence.

  "Yes. Yes you did little T." Temate replied, pressing his lips to the top of her head in a kiss. "You did very good, and I'm very proud of you sweetheart."

  "Even though I killed good people." She whispered.

  Ah. That's where it's coming from. Temate reached a hand down to her chin and gently forced her to look into his eyes. She turned her eyes down into his arm.

  "Toni, look at me." He commanded. With an effort he could see, Toni forced her eyes up to meet his. "Why did you take the actions you're thinking about."

  She frowned. "I- I thought it was the right thing, but then Craobh told me that there were people who agreed with us there, and-"

  "So why did you follow through?" Temate asked again. She thought a bit longer about that, her frown deepening.

  "Because I thought it's what you would want..." She admitted finally.

  That made Temate grimace internally. "Yes, and you were right. It is what I wanted, and I think you made the right choice." He wasn't 100% certain on that, but that's what she needed to hear. It needed to be his fault not hers.

  "But I-"

  He kissed her and then looked at her. "You were doing what you thought was right, for someone you love and trust and who loves and trusts you." He said firmly. Toni nodded back to him. "Then you did nothing wrong, good people die all the time, and there's no way you could have known about the Lich." He continued.

  "Yeah. I guess." She smiled softly at him, a smile he knew too well.

  He knew she wasn't wholly convinced but he also knew there was never really an instant bandage. If only he hadn't been so indecisive, she wouldn't be questioning herself right now at all. It was his responsibility to make that choice, and while he knew it had come up suddenly he still felt guilty.

  He'd get over it.

  They stayed there together for hours, pointing to things by the river as they just enjoyed the trip. Pipuck joined them with lunch, and then shortly ter...

  "Hey Voel!" Toni shouted up toward the owl man sitting on their rides neck.

  "A-What?" He replied.

  "Can we nd? I need to pee!" Toni asked

  "A-Just go off the side." Voel replied with a wave of his hand.

  What? Temate thought, and as he looked at Pipuck he could tell they felt the same. Then they both looked to Toni and immediately scooted back. Her hair was lifting off her shoulder as she began to steam, her dress growing red like autumn leaves.

  "Excuse me?" She hissed with both steam and fury.

  "A-What's the-" Voel turned to address her but stopped as he saw her.

  "Maybe just nd, Voel. Wouldn't wanna have roast fowl for dinner would we?" Kezzik commented.

  Moments ter, they were on the ground.

  The river was bothering Temate. It wound it's way northward almost perfectly straight. Strangely so, Temate noted as they flew. Here and there he saw small hills and inclines where the river simply smashed through, instead of snaking around them as rivers were prone to do.

  On their third day during a bathroom break nding, Temate approached Kezzik about it.

  "Why ask me? Voel knows that kinda weird factoid shit, I punch people." Kezzik shrugged in response.

  "Don't like him." Temate replied, "so I was hoping you would know."

  "Mmmm, you too huh? Voel's definitely an acquired taste, but there's nobody who knows more than that bird brain... Except maybe the Power-Full." Kezzik growled.

  "What does having lots of power have to do with-" Temate stopped and shook his head. "-actually stupid question, don't answer that."

  Kezzik ughed, it was a hiccuping, barking ugh that Temate quite liked.

  "It's alright, I meant a group anyway, bunch of nutters who are obsessed with gathering power. I guess people with a lot of power would know things too huh?" Kezzik grinned to Temate.

  "Huh, is it nuts to want power though?" Temate asked.

  Kezzik looked him up and down for a second. "No." Kezzik crossed his arms. "Wanting power without consideration at the cost or for your own selfish needs is nutter butter... Why?"

  Temate frowned and looked to the rge lupine man. His bck, thick fur barely hiding the thick muscles under them. Temate put a hand on his bde and looked to Toni.

  "I couldn't do anything back there. I was useless. Worse then, the Lich battered me around like a cat toy." Temate answered.

  "Hmm... Is that what you think?" Kezzik asked, one cwed hand grabbing his chin thoughtfully.

  "It's obvious."

  "Hah! Is it now? Here I thought obvious was howling loudly at the moon that you need a good fuck, not standing your ground for nearly half an hour against an endless tide of marchers led by a lich with nothing but an untrained tribe of goblins!" Kezzik howled with ughter. Then his hand cpped against Temate's shoulder.

  "Listen kid." Kezzik barked. "You're not weak, hell if everything Voel's told me, ya'll are growin too fast. Surprised you haven't suffered an overpower or somethin yet."

  "A what?" Temate looked up to Kezzik confused. Still a strange sensation to look up at someone.

  "Don't worry about it, listen if you think you're weak I'll train you..." Kezzik looked down at the hand on the machete. "Or uh... Maybe Sir Hware can candle that I'm not very good with weapons." Kezzik scratched his cheek and grinned sheepishly.

  "How does that help with having low rank [Power]s?" Temate asked.

  "Easy, stronger your body, the more you can use what you got duuuh. How else you think I can lift an entire dead bear carcass over my shoulders and backflip with it into a pit to sm it into the ground huh?" Kezzik lifted his arms to flex. "These fuckin' puppies gettin all muscled!"

  "I-I'm sorry?" Temate was confused.

  "The fight with the Lich? You held him off so I could get there to fight him in the first pce! And when I did-"

  And suddenly Temate regretted asking Kezzik about the river. Not only had he not gotten an answer, but Kezzik clearly loved to brag. For the rest of his bathroom break Temate wasn't able to get away to actually use the bathroom. Not while Kezzik continued to describe, in blow by blow detail, how he defeated the Lich by supplexing it into the Pit and pummeling it.

  For Toni the flight to Occiden quite literally flew by. The only notable events had been talking with Temate at the beginning, and the arrival to Occiden at the end. She spent most of the flight in her own head. Occasionally people stop to talk to her, or Temate would hold her, but it was all a blur.

  Unimportant.

  She didn't know why everything felt so pointless right now. Depression maybe? She vaguely remembered reading something about that. Really it all felt pointless just because she wasn't really sure who she was right now. At least that's how it felt, what stuck in her mind.

  She kept asking herself who she was. She'd just killed so many, and proactively. Not just spider monsters either, but real people who trusted her. The Lich wasn't her fault, she knew that too, but she couldn't help feeling somewhat responsible. When had she become so okay with killing?

  The dream really. Fme. Even now Toni felt more guilty that she didn't feel more guilty for what she'd done then for what she'd actually done. Which was betray and kill dozens of bears who... Were svers. That's what it came down to, they kept the Nameless as little more than sves.

  So why did she feel guilty for betraying them? Because they were nice to her? Because some of them were coming around? She didn't really know. Then there was the question of if she'd made the right choice. Her fathers rules bred in her head but in the end what mattered were the people she cared about right?

  It was questions like these running through her head when she heard Temate shout in surprise. The rarity of that drew her out of her own thoughts for a moment to examine what they saw coming. After a week of near endless flight they were arriving at Occiden.

  "A-There she is! Occiden's Southern Quarter!" Voel announced.

  Ahead of them Toni saw a mountain range which towered over the ftnds surrounding it. It even towered over the forest just a few miles away from its base. The forest which had towered over the forests of her home. Damn, why was it so big? Also w-

  "Why is it so ft? Don't mountains usually have like foothills?" Temate asked Voel.

  "A-The mountains here are magical in formation. A-likely caused by some great conflict of mages in some long lost passed. A-We're still not quite certain if I'm honest." Voel replied.

  "Oh? Somethin the great wise Voel El-Weal doesn't know?! I'll be colored!" Kezzik barked with ughter.

  "A-Shoosh, the mountains not the important part anyway. A-look!" Voel pointed downward toward the southern most mountains base.

  There Toni saw a great sheet of white rock in a near perfect semicircle. From this distance it appeared small, but just with a quick comparison of the trees to it, the wall had to be miles long. Even more surprisingly, miles high.

  Inside the wall, for it was a wall, was a clean collection of structures tightly packed together. Here and there small parks and grounds of richer homes could be made out. A few rge, spread towers housed a number of creatures flying to and from them. On two separate points of the wall was a great open gate through which traffic seemed to flow near endlessly.

  Carts and figures moved about like ants around a rge sweet mint. It was quite the sight for Toni, who'd assumed popution density in this world would be significantly less then hers. Though really, it probably was considering it wasn't a four ne highway with back to back cars honking at each other for hundreds of miles. Just a few hundred carts and people coming and going.

  It was an open wn, not one of the huge towers, that they made their way to. As they approached the city a rge batlike creature, ridden by a figure in gleaming brass armor, approached. They flew in alongside Voel and, with no exchanged words, simply followed them into the grounds.

  As they nded Toni was immediately beset on all sides by people. Human, goblin, some furred, pig like humanoids and even a cat boy. Like, video game pretty effeminate cat boy that made her want to do terrible things. She blushed as the man waved everyone off to gather their gear and transport it.

  "Haaaa, apologies about them ma'am, sir." The boy bowed toward Toni and then Temate. "Rumours have spread like wildfire since Voel came back and we're all very excited to meet you. Ah! But don't worry, the secret of your origins remains within the estate. No one would betray Lord Are here."

  "Lord? A-Still? Isn't that-"

  "Not now Voel." Kezzik barked.

  Toni ignored the exchange though as the boy beamed at her comfortingly and all her worries seemed to just vanish. He pressed his hands to the sky blue sleeveless tunic he wore and bowed again.

  "I am Mims, head footman of the Are Estate. If you'll follow me the steward has requested your attendance on arrival." Mims smiled as he stood and motioned towards the main entrance of the massive, ornate manor dominating the center of the space. A huge, almost photo realistic star, seemed to hang in the air above the entrance lighting the area.

  Mims lead them through the main entrance, across sleek marble floors and beneath a grand staircase. This brought them directly into a rge hall with rge tables and decorations half put up. Toni couldn't help but stare at everything, it was all so much, and then she saw the minotaur.

  There with a small crystalline ste in his hand the minotaur stood. Muscle rippled beneath short, bck spotted brown fur. His outfit was bright blue, like many in the manor, but seemed to sparkle like jewels. It appeared to be a dress from the back, a long plunging v slipping down to just above the minotaurs ass.

  He spoke in a low rumble to a small pair of flying kobold women as they hung decorations. When he turned, Toni took in a deep breath, which she heard echoed by Temate beside her. It indeed was a long dress, extending down to his hoofed feet. Adorned with decoration but no shoes. Only really seen because of the way the dress perfectly spun with his motion.

  The front dipped even further down his broad chest and the minotaur smiled broadly as he saw them. He waved the two women off and approached, the dress hanging heavily around his body. At every edge of the dress short tassels fluttered with each heavy step and for the first time Toni saw someone tower over Temate.

  "My gods you're-" Temate began.

  "Huge, yes." The minotaur chuckled. "I am Mua Nuay Hware, Steward and Marshal of the Are Estate in service to Lord Are." Mua bowed down low and Toni's eyes were drawn a pce they really shouldn't have.

  She turned to look at Temate instead of Mua's crotch, only to find him staring directly at it himself. So she turned back, catching only the barest glimpse of thick flesh, that was certainly not a leg, as Mua straightened back up. His outfit was so...

  "I was gonna say hot." Temate replied. Toni started and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

  "Really? I didn't think you were into-" Toni muttered.

  "Ah ha haaaaa!" Mua bellowed with ughter. "I appreciate that, the intention is to be provocative after all." Mua flicked his hips back and forth to cause the dress to fre a bit. "It is hard to find clothes of my culture here, especially like this. Lord Are is very generous. But that is for ter."

  "Well, I'll leave them to you eh boss?" Kezzik said.

  "Yes, go get your wounds looked at, what remains of them." Mua replied. "You three, follow me."

  Mua took them away into a side corridor. A short was down they entered an office space, thick with warm cquered wooden adornments. There he sat at a desk across from them and smiled as he drew out a small chest. He set the chest down on the desk.

  "As I was saying, as steward I am responsible for the Are Estate when his lordship is absent, as he is currently. He apologizes for that." Mua began.

  "'Ere I though' the whole reason for rushin' us was they'd be 'ere." Pipuck pointed out.

  "It was, but an emergency arose and they were needed elsewhere. They will return at weeks end, and we pn on holding a feast then, both for your arrival and their return." Mua expined.

  "Thus the decorating." Temate recognized.

  "Precisely, now I've been told to give you these 500 pieces. They should get you through the week and let you prepare yourself for the party. Though miss Toni you are already very finely dressed, if I may say so." Mua smiled and Toni blushed slightly.

  "Ah- thank you. I kinda burnt my st outfit so..." She trailed off.

  "Hahahaha, well we'll get you a few changes of clothes, and a few other things. I've got a few other things to talk with you about but for today, you must be tired." Mua told them.

  "Very." Toni admitted heavily.

  "Yes, I could use a nap in a proper bed." Temate added.

  "Eh, I coul' take i' or leave i'." Pip said, grinning at the two as they gred at him.

  "Well" Mua started with a chuckle. "We have a residence near the grounds for you to use temporarily, Mims will take you there and is set to be your personal aide while you reside in the city. Welcome to Occiden!"

  Force2reckon