“How did I get tricked into this?” I wonder aloud. “No, seriously. How did I ever think this was a good idea?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwzzVEMtP4
Klef shushes me. “You’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjB0dGtdCf
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?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKv5LRsQkmS
“Yes. But this isn’t in public,” Klef reasons.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBfuuhnt1n
“I’m with Klef on this one, Reese, have some self confidence!” Geo adds.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6UuhzdUi3E
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?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yN3oLR7Uv
“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.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaJ8lCmSbU
Flo smiles, bashful. “I really wasn’t that good at finding anything to help you, but you’re welcome regardless.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgT4fR0ehk
The other werewolf clears their throat. “Am I invisible, or something?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Ow2CXUCHW
“Oh! Sorry, Rythe! Everyone, this is Rythe, my mate,” Flo says with a blush.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKpVRfQ9HJ
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!”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqn3xFy1eVW
I nod. “I’m Rides. Nice to meet you.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBWDT9Rxnw
Rythe bows. “It’s an honor, my lady.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtbIi4T6Jb
I blush and Flo whacks Rythe upside the head. “Stop, you, you’re embarrassing her!”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yEZtYQr50
Rythe grins. “But that’s what you love about me! And clearly she doesn’t see herself as some sort of royalty!”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fRlbXSv9S
Flo mutters in a low voice, “She’s the Alpha’s daughter.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dCNu7cQGD
Rythe straightens. “You mean the Alpha of a rival pack or The Alpha?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKdGTB0s3Z
“Try the second one,” Flo mutters, embarrassed on his behalf.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvbo0yOn6M7
“Oh.” Rythe salutes me. “Terribly sorry, ma’am.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFKftRUxBE
“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.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzf8J8QAXA4
Rythe nods stiffly, setting the flower crown close to the brink of desruction, and leads us inside.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ePmYYgBLh
“Guy or girl?” Klef whispers to Geo.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXATG8q33Nt
“I...don’t know? Guy, I think?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaejXS7Jtn1
“No, I’d say girl,” Klef muses.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCPzjJFeeh
“What are you guys talking about?” I mutter.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZnF4SETvs
“Rythe. Guy or girl, do you think?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1E0YPqDGN
“Um…” I have to think about my answer. “Maybe they’re neither…”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUw7DsHo3i9
“Neither? Is that possible?” Klef asks.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDHd7LFpak
“It would make sense,” Geo reasons.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkquLoNaNz
“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.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnPsCWN5Ge
“Right, because the natural neutral pronouns are it/its, but that can be seen as degrading nowadays,” Geo says.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0ojCmRgPe
“It is grammatically correct, though,” Klef points out.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaS3cyL3gSf
“I guess you have a point, but would you be okay with being called an ‘it’?” I counter.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2YN44zPOB
“What are you guys talking about?” Flo asks.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBTUGzh7WA
“Nothing much,” Geo says. “Just things back at our branch, you know?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7pcVJvQJk
Rythe coughs and mutters, “They/them,” and I grin at Klef and Geo.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYxKrG0yyI
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.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgg6XQh3QK
Rythe clears their throat. “Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone else, allow me to present Rides, the Oracle who will be informing us on her dreams!”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltBQd5mKXA
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.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfmbFfXSva
“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’.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSckWc8Ts7r
Everyone shifts around, suddenly on edge. “And?!” a wizard with pitch black hair shouts.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIF5Oc7we37
“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.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NwyYCowmV
“That we know of!” a gorgon yells. “We could be on a wild goose chase, lass!”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TIu47V8Rc
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.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZvs3s9L2o
The wizard who yelled out comes up to me. “Yeah, but we were expecting…”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXXnWM77Mq
“More?” I supply. “Yeah, a lot of people do. Be glad I have that much, though. This is coming from 5 years of dreams.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OvfiAtTFM
“Okay. I’m Ama. A necromancer,” she introduces. “I’m going to be guarding you three for your stay.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnwPJeKyef
“Make that the two of them,” Geo corrects. “I’m no one.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yHtkr6LgT
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.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvKvsoCVgC
The room is still silent, everyone anticipating my reply. “Excuse me,” I gasp, making a beeline for the room’s exit.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRk8awkcsq8
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.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBcIuqPsL0
Footsteps come up to my back. Two pairs. “Ride?” Klef asks. “You okay?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktre5Bobza
I shake my head and close my eyes, resting my side against the wall. “Sick,” I mutter.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF705tc8cB0
“I’m sorry if I upset you, but you need to get it into your head that you’re special,” Ama states.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTbBNjFxjg
“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.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0x5ugiC9un
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?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5npdmI1rz
“S-sure.” I stumble on the word, because what is the correct response to someone volunteering to reanimate a corpse for you?925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcnQj2fE6a
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.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU28uyjJUuZ
“Definitely not someone I’d call a necromancer,” Klef mutters.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSxHCplHwS
I still don’t turn enough to see him properly. Ama shifts so she can face me fully. “Pet the bun,” she instructs.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rvM1k8SAH
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.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTlSuvRecJ
I put a hand on her shoulder. “But you’re great at it.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeN4ymR6Cks
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.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOciazRWTPo
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.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡib9DRNxh9G
“I’m fine,” I mutter as I lean against his shoulder.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpKAWyQshf
“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.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOmQQ1MujK
I scoff. “Shut up, bird brain.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLKPbegmC4
“Make me, pointy ears!” Klef challenged.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujzehiUYlw
Ama looked between us. “You two are so dating.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLyO28DCYn
“No we’re not!” we deny at the same time.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVSmNBv0vW
Ama laughs. “So dating.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIGjsO4V1z
“Well don’t say anything. We want to keep it on the DL, if it’s possible,” Klef requested.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIBF8yv0h9
“Seriously? I’m willing to bet half the people here have started a pool on your relationship status!”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSglveHj08h
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.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35HwUiWjvG
Klef raises an eyebrow at me. “Is that how you see yourself?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKjR4rprVN
I shrug. “Well, people mix up you and I a lot.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUdQGeTU3L
Klef lightly punches me. “There’s the Ride I know and love.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6h5P3mc1Q
Ama sighs. “I ship it,” she murmurs.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffxVwvbFp1
“There’s that word again!” I exclaim. “Why would people ‘ship’ us?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZO7c93Brx
“It’s cute!” Ama defends.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7F3Dzpm75
“It’s weird!”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGygpVhiUK
“It’s true!”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkmHGK9H90
“It’s really really funny,” Klef interjects.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKj4czFmkO
I elbow him. “It is not,” I sigh.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppvZ6J12Mx
Klef grins.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2usBgXBFF
“It’s not funny!” I exclaim.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNpyGsBIUi
“Whatever you say, Ride. Whatever you say,” Klef laughs.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClT4bYHS2B
Rythe and Flo come into view outside the conference room. “You okay?” Rythe asks.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqDrmcNUTm
I nod. Klef lets go of me and I nearly topple over. “Do you mind?” I growl.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpI6Y8uwc1
He grins. “We’ll get you something to sit on until you feel better,” he assures.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRLcv4ImcO
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.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsj58v0gKxQ
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.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyeZvr6Zcn
“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.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lI0JfOUi8
I nod. “Are we sending people to check out the most probable places?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUd9HpkBeFl
“Yeah, and we’re sending you and Klef to some of the less likely ones, to deal with the messages somewhere safe.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBG8DfHXyTC
“Okay, I guess…I’d rather be out looking, though.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNixu7sJTz
“It’s for the best you don’t,” a pale human with freckles says. “Hibiscus A, they/them. Has a mild obsession with dragons.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBcSpDEzMS
I smile. “Rides. My dad wants me to go by Iri. I’m old fashioned, I don’t like using my full name.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fziZmCdTP
Hibiscus A nodded. “I got you. Completely got you. Nice to make your acquaintance, Rides.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9kYPnU3Mf
“Likewise.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9rJSMJwli
Klef walks in, followed by my dad. “Still hanging around this scum, Iri?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNwntdpSb6
I laugh. “Hi, dad.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ207xU5TVyB
Klef looks offended. “What am I?”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHKEzOxcbb
“Chopped liver,” I respond.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Kdqpc2Bcb
Dad laughs. “Nice one!”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEh0jRjoR4
Klef holds a hand to his heart. “You wound me, Ride. You wound me.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLu0zLGwH1x
“Good. I was trying to.”925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡri6cVMdzzF
Hibiscus A coughed. “Ship it,” they mutter.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzth59W0J9S
I throw my hands up. “I’m done with this!” I sigh.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEk8K176EU
Everyone laughs. “You think I’m joking?” I ask, standing up shakily. “I’ll see you all tomorrow,” I exclaim, waving.925Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbiv0Lx0L7
Penana
search
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
