u/Whiskey_Skeleton

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<< Chapter 61 | From The Beginning

“I think we’re being tested, Vidal.” Isak thought aloud to the rock man as they slowly walked across campus. “The holiday for introspection and making amends coming up? And then this happens? I let my guard down. Got too comfortable.”

“The practice of deeper friendships is a new concept to you, Master Isak. You are doing well despite your inexperience.”

One of Isak’s eyebrows jumped up while he side eyed the rock man. “I appreciate that but…how would you know what good friends are?”

“You are wholly unlike Citlali’s past friends which I have assessed as a notably poor example of friendship.”

“That bar is a tripping hazard in Mu.” Below Mu, really. Somewhere down in that Lost Land far underneath Mu there was probably some Nightspawn stumbling over it at this very moment. “I can do much, much better than that. My friends need better than that. Xoco needs better than that before I go asking her out.”

Isak’s stride faltered and rock hands immediately caught him just before his breaths grew shallow and ragged.

Oh Lord and Lady that had actually happened. 

It had actually happened and his mind had finally stopped racing fast enough for reality to catch up with him. 

How?

“What even happened with Xoco, Vidal?!?” The human’s head was spinning. If it weren’t for the rock man holding him up he would either collide with the ground or the sky. “That shouldn’t have worked!”

“To echo your own words to Xoco, ‘You are better than you think’.”

“Curse you, Me of ten minutes ago! Saying encouraging things that can be weaponized against the Me of now!” Petty indignation had Isak finding his balance again. Vidal let him go and with the newfound freedom, the human shook his fist at the sky where apparently his past self resided. “And curse you Tonauac for being right!”

The fist of petty indignation fell to his side and unfolded. As it descended, so did Isak’s eyes and lips to coalesce into a much worsened mood. 

“If he were here, he would get that that was a joke…right?”

“Tonauac seems unusually troubled, Master Isak. Confounding factors seem to be affecting his typical responses.”

Isak slowly returned to walking so that he could feel like he was doing something. “He was hiding it. I keep thinking back over the past few days or even longer. A few things stick out but…I didn’t know what to do with them at the time. Didn’t know they were that serious either. Ugh, I should be sharing these thoughts with the others…or maybe I should refine them now?”

He managed to overthink his way to the library, stopping to turn Vidal into his glass form, before entering. This was, thus far, Vidal’s least hazardous form if one didn’t count possible momentary blindness if a sunbeam caught the glass rock man just right. In his water form, Vidal could control his waters well enough that there was no mist to pose a risk to any books and yet the librarians glared at him all the same. 

A smirk crossed the human’s lips as he had a thought. “You still don’t know what I’m thinking, buddy?”

“Unfortunately not, Master Isak.”

“That’s actually a good thing this time. I’ve got a few things I think you’re going to like.”

“Your thoughtfulness is appreciated.”

Was that…odd? 

Standard familiars could be appreciative like any other beast. But Vidal was…a man, in theory. A very strange man, and a man for whom every ‘normal’ mental aspect was a revelation.

See there you go again, Isak, being surprised at things that shouldn’t be surprising.

At least he didn’t act so shock out loud this time. Minor progress was still progress.

Isak chewed at his lip as he led them through the library entrance and down the stairs into the subterranean structure. The same familiar library cavern eventually greeted the pair. Weekends were only moderately less busy in here than class days. Even on a tropical island there were plenty who wanted to spend some time in a cozy library cave reading or doing homework. At least prior weekend plans had caused Isak to finish up all of his homework by the end of Fiveday.

All the nefarious plots, stalker related or otherwise, were…no, ‘draining’ wasn’t actually the right word.

‘Occupying’ was perhaps better. 

It kept Isak and his friends occupied to the point that moments like these where he was retrieving some books felt surreally mundane. Like being in a dream but nothing is amiss, which in turn made things feel amiss. He looked around and found everything exactly as normal as he could expect.

“Isak?”

The human almost recognized that voice, and continuing to look around he saw a not-so-familiar yet recognizable face in the form of another human. Isak blinked as the dark skinned girl in a yellow dress waved to him and approached with her red jackal in tow.

“Zoya?” Isak sucked in air over his teeth as soon as the name left his lips. It was a minor miracle that he remembered her after only meeting her once. The problem was, he had only met her once. “I am so, so sorry we all never met up later.”

“It sounds like you were all busy getting into fights.”

Isak cleared his throat into his hand and looked away. “A few– wait is that really our reputation?”

Her red jackal yipped. “Aren’t you now registered as an official warband?”

“Hey I haven’t submitted the paperwork yet!” He folded his arms. “Should be this week. Might select something other than ‘Warband’ as the group type.”

“Oooh before or after the New Year?”

It took a moment for Isak to register the implications of someone talking about ‘New Year’ at this time of the year. His eyes went wide as the realization hit him. “Wait you’re Lavi too?”

“I think half of the humans here are.” She shrugged. “At least it seems that way when you see the Lavi meetups.”

Isak’s face went blank and he slowly blinked. “There’s a what now?”

“I told them we need to advertise more…” Zoya rolled her eyes. “We’re organizing some New Year’s observances and you are of course welcome. Gods’ March, too.”

The human girl spent a short few minutes telling Isak more about this group, when they met, and where. To his credit, Isak only apologized at an average of once per minute for both not having found this Lavi club earlier, nor reconnected with Zoya’s group of friends.

“I’ll tell Cuan you haven’t been rejecting his gift of sugar kelp candy and were just busy.”

“Good because it’s the truth.” Isak chewed on his lip for a moment. “Just been…busy with a lot of things.”

“I imagine two girls does keep one busy.”

“No not that it’s– No it’s really not that.” Isak dragged his hands down his face. Why did everyone think that?!? “It’s uh…I don’t wanna bother you with it right now.”

The human boy was too worn down to try and dress up his language as something more innocuous. Apparently it was pathetic enough to work as Zoya didn’t press further. “Then I will wish you luck with that, I will insist that we all meet up again sometime, and ask that you join your fellow Lavi sometime.”

Isak sighed and rubbed at his temples. “Those are all on the list. It’s a growing list.”

Whoops, too vulnerable. Now Zoya was looking at Isak with concern creasing her brows. “Would it help or hurt to tell you about your reputation with the rest of the humans here?”

Blink.

Blink blink, went the Isak.

The Isak had a reputation.

“It’s…” Zoya hesitated after seeing her fellow human’s reaction. Her eyes lingered on Vidal for a moment. “It’s not important.”

“Thank you for lying.”

“It’s true for now. In a way.” She offered before he thanked her a final time and they parted with promises to actually meet up some time later.

Hopefully that later included a full team…

“Well let’s go see about fixing that part.” Isak announced to Vidal who wordlessly followed after him to a check out desk. 

First order of business was to see what requested books had come in. After a brief wait in line, the drow librarian smiled and greeted him. “Mister Moreno! Good to see you spending your free day reading.”

Was Isak getting that well known? Or had he just encountered this librarian enough to be known. “Um, right yeah just seeing if any of my requests came in?”

“I believe some have. One moment please.” The drow man excused himself before vanishing into a back room for a few brief minutes. When he returned, he bore an arm full of books and a sly grin. His voice lowered. “Seems you’re doing a wide range of learning at our esteemed establishment, Mister Moreno.”

“I came here to learn and so I’ll learn.” Isak said with a smile.

The librarian started to check out the pile of books while raising an impressed brow at the human. “That confidence is going to get you far. It worked for me with my wife.”

Why was everyone speaking in cryptic accusations today?

“Uh?” Isak’s eyes shot open as he saw the covers of the books being checked out. Right after ‘The Tragedy of Lost Languages’ was ‘Love Mage’s Guide to Women: Jungle Trolls’, thankfully checked out quickly and placed underneath a copy of ‘From the First Familiar: A History of Magical Innovation’ by the librarian who gave him a knowing wink. “Th-that’s not mine–”

“All checked out, Mister Moreno! Will there be anything else?”

“ThatsnotmineIdidntrequestthat.”

The librarian slid the stack of books his way and contained his reaction to a barely visible smirk.

‘Why will no one believe me today?’ Isak screamed inside of his head before grabbing the stack of books and rushing off. His eyes were ahead, the books hugged tight against his body, and his legs stretched the limits of ‘walking’ as much as possible just before entering ‘sprinting’ territory until finally he found a quiet nook in-between plenty of book shelves. 

Eyes that were trying to escape his skull darted this way and that to make sure no one was around. “V-vidal could you uh…g-go make sure no one sneaks up on me?”

“It shall be done, Master Isak.” The Glass form rock man produced a large shield and sword of glass as he marched off to the end of the pathway into this nook. A passing bizhi boy set a single foot down the aisle before coming face to face with Vidal, causing his fur to puff out before racing off with his snow hare chasing after him. The rock man continued undaunted, standing guard against all others who dared to access these specific books. “Area secured.” 

“That reputation with the other humans is not a good one…” Isak accepted his fate with a sigh, then peeked at the offending book once more. He found that it was in fact still there, and a further peek at the back cover promised all that a worldly man could want to know about wooing jungle troll women. “Well, obviously this is a mistake.”

The librarians obviously got things mixed up. Of course Isak hadn’t requested this. He didn’t even know such a book existed. Much less that there was an entire series! And if it was a series how good could it possibly be rather than…wait, no that was backwards. If it was a series then each book could theoretically focus on a different type of lady. And given that even within one species there could be a vast amount of variance in cultures and more, a book series that could be more focused would make more sense. Even the likely inaccuracies would be of value so that Isak could–

He was really that eager to learn more about Xoco, wasn’t he?

Isak groaned and scolded himself. “Probably someone’s idea of a joke. Just trying to get me all worked up. Well joke’s on them I’ll have to properly assess it.”

With that, he stored the book in his satchel before handing the leather book bag and stack of books to Vidal while exiting the nook. “Come on, Vidal, we’ve still got a few things to pick up while we’re here.”

The rock man’s sword and shield vanished into nothingness as he marched alongside his human, now leading them on a hunt for the right books on…well there were some options here. Linguistics and history were easy for Xoco and Zyn, respectively. All that had come in for Citlali was a book on literary analysis but these requests were all done back when Isak was just going to be handing out tasks rather than trying to cheer everyone up through distractions.

So, a few more books on linguistics and history for Xoco and Zyn and…hmm.

“Folktales.” Isak clicked his tongue as the idea came to him. “Everyone would like that. Informative and fun! I mean I’d be having fun…”

A quick query from a different librarian, he might never be able to face the drow man ever again, set him on the path to a rather extensive section on myths, folktales, and fables from around the Empire. None of the others were here at the moment which let Isak mosey along with wide eyes searching the shelves. If he wasn’t technically in a hurry to get back he could have spent a lot of time here, and in the future with less pressing concerns that’s just what he would do.

“Well I did promise we would include folktales in the ‘book club’.” Isak said to the rock man at his side. “I don’t remember anything from the Wasteland that would be about you, Buddy. So…” He came to a stop in front of one tall shelf that seemed to be about the myths of the kamo, nymphs, and merrow and pulled a random book from the shelf. “Looks like as good a place as any to just try a stab in the dark–”

Slam!

Isak jolted and spun around, hand at the ready to cast a spell while Vidal already had a glass shield up to protect him. Neither of them saw any apparent danger in the aisle despite the nearness of the sudden sound. Through the shield, Isak saw something laying on the ground and couldn’t help but laugh as he stepped out from around the glass barrier.

“I guess we’re jumping at falling books now, huh Vidal?” He laughed off the rest of his nerves as he walked to pick up the book. 

“Vigilance is rarely the incorrect outlook for me to have, Master Isak.”

“And I appreciate you for that.” The human said as he knelt down, picked up the book, and flipped it over, reading the title aloud. “‘The One They Lean On: Leadership, Conflict Resolution, and Forging Bonds.’...”

…

…

‘That’s…on the nose…’ Isak thought to himself as he stared at the book. 

“I feel like someone’s trying to send me a message, buddy.” And what a time for that message it was, given the upcoming holiday. Like a sign from The Lord and The Lady themselves to make amends and be better.

Heh, maybe the last book that accidentally came his way was a message too…

Isak’s pupils grew small, then his eyes went to the shelf that this book had fallen from.

All folklore, myths, and fables from this low vantage point on the ground. He suspected that if he were to stand up and search the whole wall of books he would find no other books like this. Certainly it could have been placed here by mistake.

But this was the second book that found its way to Isak by mistake today.

“I think we’ve got all we need, Vidal.” Isak announced as he stood and tried to keep his composure. He looked at the book he had intentionally taken from a shelf just as the other ‘fell’. “Got a book on ‘Flotilla Folktales’ and a book on how to be a better leader. Let’s get back to the dorm before we’re missed too much.” 

The human forced himself to walk at a reasonable pace, and even snuck some glances down at the second mysteriously appearing book of the day while he made his way to a check-out counter. What little he could see from his brief inspection made the tome seem completely normal and a flip through failed to reveal any hidden notes. 

Someone just wanted him to find this and the…other book now hiding in his satchel. 

And at a time when there were no lizardfriends around to detect the scent of any invisible stalkers.

A hundred other questions were shoved aside until he could get back to the safety of his friends.

<< Chapter 61 | From The Beginning

(Must've been the wind.

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<< Chapter 60 | From The Beginning

‘Good going’, Isak thought to himself over and over again through a long walk back to the dorm rooms. Xoco was helping him walk a silent and teary eyed citlali back to their dorm room. Each had a hand on her back to gently guide her along as she could only stare at the ground. Zyn was caught in a loop between wringing his hands and nervously glancing around. One of their number was still gone. The human quietly simmered while he kept a gentle hand on the lizardlass’ shoulder. ‘Excellent leadership material.’

Total failure to assess a situation, one friend stormed off, one left completely broken, another about to break, and probably more misfortune on the way. No solutions, just limping back to their dorms to lick their wounds in private.

Most of the student populace had already left their dorms for the day, leaving a mercifully empty building standing before them. Occasionally, Zyn looked like he was going to say something only for him to silence himself and glance away from the remaining group. What may as well have been a funeral procession eventually took them up to Isak and Zyn’s dorm where they all finally came to a halt.

“We’ll just…” Citlali’s words were shaking as she started to lead Xoco away towards their dorm. “I’ll just go back to our room…lay down there, I want to lay down…be less trouble that way–”

“I’m not letting this get worse.” Isak took several long strides to catch them, and grabbed Citlali by the hand as he started dragging her along as Coztic raced after them. The jungle troll, drow, and rock man followed after him as he flung the dorm room door open and led them all inside. Vidal closed the door behind them as Isak swept the lizardlass off her feet before setting her down on his bed. Coztic was similarly scooped up and sat next to her. Tear filled eyes went wide though the girl didn’t have time to respond before he addressed his less broken friends. “You can lay down here. We already had one of us storm off to be alone and that’s too many.”

Zyn was wringing his hands while Ozzy wrapped his tentacles around his shoulders. Finally, the dam broke and the drow let loose. “That was all my fault.”

“Zyn.” Isak rubbed his temple but the pacing drow ignored him.

“Citlali that was all my fault, I–”

“Zyn!” The human’s voice boomed and he was thankful that their dorm neighbors were likely out for the day. All eyes were on him but it broke the drow out of his mania. “Take a seat, and breathe.”

To encourage this, Isak sat against his currently occupied bed where Xoco immediately joined him. Zyn’s eyes darted to Citlali, then the seated pair, then to the floor. Finally, after a deep sigh he sat on his bed and let himself lean back against the wall. One deep breath. Two. Then several more. Only Vidal remained standing in his glass form, morning sun glinting off of him towards where Isak and the girls were.

The human spoke a storm spell and produced a miniature rain cloud which he sent over towards the rock man and produced an equally small rainstorm to switch him to his water form. 

“That one’s a new spell I’ve been working on.” The human announced while he propped up one leg and rested his arm on his knee. “I can add a little bit of lightning to it as well. It’s supposed to be more electrifying than if I just use my Storm magic to produce some lightning on its own. Moisture amplifies the lightning, and to move the mini-storm around I use a bit of Wind in the Storm. All that to put Vidal in ambient noise mode.”

“It’s peaceful.” Xoco brought her knees up to her chest as she stared at the rock man.

“I uh…” Zyn’s voice was no longer racing. “The first time Vidal got his new Glass form, I thought we could have quieter nights here. Because the Lightning form is always crackling and also bright and Fire…yeah. Anyway I couldn’t sleep because I had gotten used to the gently running stream that is Vidal’s water form. I had to ask Isak to swap him over.”

The human dispelled the miniature storm cloud. “Same for me, honestly.”

“So my gift of Glass caused you trouble…” Citlali’s voice hit Isak in the back of the head, causing him to list forward and slowly close his eyes in mental pain.

He turned where he sat, peering over the edge of his bed at the lizardlass currently occupying it. “Every element has its uses. And yours seems to be a fantastic anti-raptor element.”

Coztic chittered at this implication.

“Fine. Anti large-raptor.”

“A raptor that you could have avoided if I had remained at my post.” Citlali had already started to curl up on herself.

Isak sighed. The lizardlass was finally meeting two of Isak’s oldest friends: Self-doubt and loathing. If it was possible for Vidal to chop them in half with a glass sword he would have told the rock man to stand down so that he could do it himself. 

“I took the bait on that one even harder than you did.” The human said aloud as he waved his hand in frustration. “There were a dozen different things I could have done to handle that better. Now I get to think it over and figure out what I could have done differently.”

“The more I think about it–” The drow was back at it. “The more I realize it’s my fault. I’ve been pushing him on the dad situation. I was just trying to get him to, you know…come to terms with the fact that his dad the spy is in fact spying on us.”

Isak rubbed his face. “And what would you have done differently now?”

Zyn opened his mouth to speak, pointer finger raised as though he was about to confidently state something. 

All confidence vanished as his red eyes went hollow and looked to be a continent away. His hand fell limply to the bed. “Whatever I would have done, it would have been wrong.”

The human glanced over to the jungle troll, who returned his worried look. 

“I keep saying the worst things…”

“I keep saying and doing the worst things.” Citlali was his moping echo.

Isak groaned. “Both of you quit it. You’re making me seem confident and wise in comparison!”

Xoco tapped at his side and offered him a smile once she had gotten his attention. “Sounds like you’re just rising to the occasion.”

He should have risen to the occasion as everything was happening. He should have said something sooner to not have Tonauac storm off. Do something to prevent all of this.

And was this really rising to the occasion? He was just…fumbling around here, trying to sound authoritative while not sounding like a jerk while trying to keep his friends from unravelling. 

Maybe he was doing that to keep himself from–

No.

Don’t think about that.

Don’t manifest it into existence.

Isak seemed to have his friends fooled once more into believing that he was much better than he really was. Now they actually needed him to be that. Hopefully he could keep up the charade for long enough to properly help them.

He had been able to play off the silence as sagely contemplation for this long, but he really should say something again before the quiet drew on for too long.

Or…was this a comfortable silence that everyone needed right now?

The human cleared his throat, putting all eyes on him though some were sluggish in getting there. “I…am just kinda guessing my way through all of this. But I do have a plan. And I hope that telling you the plan doesn’t ruin the plan. How about I give us something else to focus on so that we can get our mind off of…this for a while. Then we can come back to it with a bit more clarity. That always worked for me.”

“I accept whatever punishment you command of me, Sir.”

Xoco whipped her head around as her eyes shot open. “Citlali!”

Isak’s own eye twitched.

He followed after Xoco and spun around in his seat, then grabbed Citlali’s shoulders from his kneeling position. “Citlali, if I commanded you to do something like that then I wouldn’t be worthy of having you follow my orders.”

Citlali’s eyes had been a continent away, and now they were so very close as she angled her snout towards the human. Where that spark in her eyes had been dulled to nothing, her eyes now lit up like dual green stars. “So…by following your just and righteous orders I help prove your worth to yourself?”

The human inhaled as much as his lungs could take. Each organ slowly taking in enough air so that he was good and puffed up. Then, he slowly sighed an exhale. It kept going and he kept slouching forward like a wilting plant until he lay face down on his bed before the lizardlass. 

She needed this, he thought to himself while waiting to take even one more breath.

Gold-capped clawed hands patted his back and he momentarily questioned how exactly he was already able to tell that these belonged to Xoco rather than Citlali.

Finally, regular breathing returned to him as he gave in and mumbled into the bedding.

“Sure.”

“Th–”

“Hold on.” He raised his head and propped it up on a hand while his elbow rested on his bed. “If there is ever some terrible misunderstanding or hurt feelings, I need you to know that I know it was accidental because otherwise if I got mad at you like Tonauac did, I would be worried for your safety.”

Citlali curled up a bit at that. Her eyes now avoided his as she insisted. “I wouldn’t! …I would try to make amends by any means necessary.”

“Okay, now keep that mentality for figuring out how to make amends with Tonauac.” Isak rubbed her shoulder. “But just rest for now. Emotions are still raw. Think on it later. For now…”

Isak turned around from his kneeling position to return to his cross legged sitting. “Zyn–”

Zyn was currently blankly staring at the floor while Ozzy massaged his temples. 

None of the human’s progress with Citlali would be cross-applicable because that would have been too easy.

Turning his attention towards Xoco at least revealed a sympathetic face smiling back at him.

“Alright.” He said, standing up and dusting himself off. “I need to go pick some things up from the library. Things that will be a good distraction…I hope. Everyone wait here and I’ll be back soon enough. Oh, but Xoco could you help me with something in the hall real quick?”

The jungle troll managed to spring from her seated position and cross the room to slip past Vidal and wait at the door before Isak could finish standing up. 

Only forward now, Isak.

“Alright, Citlali make yourself comfortable.” He instructed the lizardlass who shuffled around on his bed and settled in with her head on his pillow. That’s fine. A girl was laying on his pillow. In his bed.

Hang on.

Wait.

No it was fine, he had used her lap as a pillow before so this was like returning the favor.

Hang on.

Wait.

No, later Isak.

He turned to his drow friend.

“Zyn–”

Nope, still staring at the floor while Ozzy massaged his scalp. The cave octopus made eye contact with Isak and the human learned that subterranean cephalopods could also give a pitiful, pleading look like so many other animals.

“Okay. I have just the thing to get your mind off of this once I get back. Multiple things! Just hang in there?”

The floor still called out to the drow, demanding inspection.

“I’ll be back. Promise.” He said to both of the sadfriends before leading Xoco and Vidal out of the room. 

In the dorm hallway, Isak glanced down at either end. No one was out here and at this time of day there were probably very few still within their dorms at all.

He turned to the rock man. “Vidal, go check the end of the hall that way and wait for me there.”

“Understood, Master Isak.” He affirmed before marching off.

Just the two mages now…and one Nelli.

Isak let out a rough groan. His hands tried to rub some of the mental exhaustion out of his face. “I’m sorry. I just…this is a lot and you’re the only other one who’s not freaking out or falling apart here…wait I’m falling apart right now…”

Xoco took a step closer. “For someone falling apart you’re still taking charge very well.”

“And how are you handling all of this so well?” He looked up into her eyes.

“I’m not!” Her declaration clashed with her smile. Not with her eyes though. As wide open as they were there was…a very similar hollowness that he remembered from Citlali’s eyes. “I just learned to hide the pain very well over the years.”

“Whoever you were ‘hiding’ it from never paid enough attention.” The human shook his head. He stared at his own dorm room door and hoped that the other two were only being catatonically silent. “I should have noticed earlier…”

Another step closer.

“If they did notice, they never said anything.” She leaned down to meet him at eye level. “I believe that’s worse.”

Isak returned her gaze and frowned. “Well, whoever they are they suck.” 

“They’re my family.”

There were no windows in these hallways otherwise Isak would have picked one and leapt out.

Instead, he had to stand his ground.

“W-well…if they…can’t…can’t or won’t see when you’re hurting…”

From the end of the hallway he swore he could see Vidal offer a singular nod.

Isak cleared his throat.

“Th-then I stand by what I said.”

He felt her hands on his shoulders as she stared into his eyes…but the hollow look in her own eyes was gone, replaced with manic joy. Then she pulled him into a tight hug. “Then we’ll figure this out together.”

It took a few moments for Isak to register what was happening and return the hug. “Are you talking about the Tonauac situation or…your family?”

“I trust you for both.”

“That’s a lot of pressure.”

“Hush.” She patted him on the back and broke from the hug. “You’re doing better than I am. You even gave me a clear enough head to not accidentally suffocate you with a hug.”

Isak’s brain may have skipped a few seconds while recalling those moments. 

When it fired back up again, he remembered Tonauac’s advice on ‘letting a girl know you are into that’.

…

Dare he?

The human gulped and looked up at the jungle troll girl, wreathed by a rainbow feathered serpent. 

“I…” Isak had to fight the words out of himself. “I n-never minded…the alternative. N-not specifically the suffocation but the…the material conditions–”

“You…enjoy when I forget the height difference and…acccidentallyiswear…shove your face in–”

The human’s head managed to eek out one nod up and down like rusted hinge that had but one more opening and closing left in it before it became an inert relic. 

Xoco’s face went forest green in an instant and Nelli puffed up to cover her face as she turned away. When her voice emerged from the feather barrier, it was inversely small to how tall she was. “If…we were closer, you could request that all you want…”

…

Actually, the circumstances kept his brain from shutting down entirely upon hearing that. Those circumstances also prevented his heart from exploding or his eyes from trying to escape his skull. Isak had things that needed doing right now.

Worse, he would have to go and make amends with the friend who had helped get him this far…after aiding the two friends who were taking this the worst…wait no it was all three of them. He had to get through this and reunite the team and then he could ask out Xoco.

Yes, that was a good goal. He just couldn’t do it until then. The vibe was all off. More importantly, his friends needed him.

But…until then…

Don’t leave her hanging, Isak.

“Once this is all dealt with.” No need to put on a smile, this earnest one came naturally.

“All the more reason for me to aid you in your quest.” She winked at him and he felt his heart skip a beat.

“I’ll be counting on that help. And…you’re doing better than you think.” Isak reached out…then stopped. He had been going for her hand. Just a comfort thing. Too much? What was he even supposed to do with his hands right now? 

Xoco solved that problem by snatching Isak’s wrist. “If there were more revelations presented to the group…do you think they would be handled better? I did not mean to insult Tonauac–”

“Me either!” Isak shook his head and let his disgust with himself show on his face. “It was an impressed kind of shock! Lesson learned though. I for one won’t be an idiot about my friends’ revelations that aren’t even that big of a deal anymore.”

“And if they were a big deal?” Her grip on his wrist tightened.

“My big deal turned out to not be a big deal and it apparently makes me cool to all of you–”

“Because you are.” The jungle troll girl stated as though Isak was doubting the accuracy of ‘the sun and sky are blue’. Her grip on his wrist lessened, and a curious Nelli adjusted herself on Xoco’s shoulders to investigate the still captive hand. Quick flicks of her tongue seemed to satisfy her curiosity, causing her to settle back in while keeping her eyes on the human. Happy little eyes, though. Much like the now happy, much larger, eyes of her mage. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet.” 

“Consider it an investment thanks.”

“The pressure rises, haha...” Isak’s chuckle tried to release some of that pressure. “Look after the others until I get back?”

“They are safe with me.” She smiled, then her eyes went to where she was still clutching his wrist, and finally let go.

The human nodded to her and departed down the hallway before he lost his nerve, calling out “I’ll be back.”

<< Chapter 60 | From The Beginning

(This arc really demands more of me. Hopefully that's leading to good things.

Please let me know what you thought of the chapter and leave a comment!

Discord server is HERE for this and my other works of fiction.)

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<< Chapter 58 | From The Beginning

Citlali crouched in her hiding spot in the bushes where land met sand, thinking of how Zyn’s training was already coming in handy. Not that she needed too much of it as her size was already conducive to going unnoticed. A fact which conjured extremely mixed feelings.

On the one hand she could go completely unnoticed when trying to be stealthy in confined places or against much larger targets. And today’s targets were very large!

But there was also the undeniable fact that it meant she was that much easier to ignore…

Perhaps that was better than being targeted for the wrong kind of attention but…well at least her friends never seemed to ignore her. 

At least–

Oh, Xoco was fleeing the scene.

That was Citlali’s cue to make her own egress back to her dorm room as fast as her legs could carry her. She wasn’t technically supposed to be watching this ‘not a date’. But good friends look out for other friends. Good friends observed and offered critiques! Even if that critique would have to be veiled in pretending to not know the truth. And anyway this was a plan that both of them had come up with.

She waited in the bushes until enough time had passed for the jungle troll to properly flee, then emerged from her hiding spot to start cutting across campus. Xoco always went for a shower after her morning exercises which would be when Citlali would have to make it back to their dorm for a happenstantial yet private meeting that doubled as a debriefing. Normally Xoco would be heading back to their dorm for her own shower supplies. The dark green she had turned before sprinting off hopefully meant that she would just head directly for the showers with additional time spent composing herself.

Technically, all the complimentary shower supplies the campus provided were made by the Yalkab Family anyway. They just weren’t the premium supplies that they sent along with their possible heiress. 

Citlali knocked on her dorm room door, then quickly slipped in after hearing no response. She had just enough time to set Coztic down on her bed and flop down onto her own bed and pretend that she had been waiting there for her friend’s victorious return the entire time.

She laid there on her bed with her head propped up by her hands as she kicked her feet and flicked her tail behind her, only having just ceased panting from the exertion. Xoco burst through the door as expected, with a much greater blush than was expected.

“Soooo how did it g–”

“I may have skipped ahead a few steps.”

The lizardlass stopped kicking her feet. 

“Should I…notify a wedding planner or…?”

“I don’t even really know what step it is…or why I’m stepping there…”  Despite having just showered the jungle troll wiped some sweat from her forehead while Nelli provided a cooling breeze. Citlali’s flicking tongue told her that this was panic sweat more than exertion sweat.

“Tell me what happened.” The lizardlass said as she sat up on her bed while Coztic looked on curiously.

Xoco took a deep breath before pulling up a chair in front of Citlali’s bed and taking a seat. She regained most of her composure quickly enough as she clasped her hands together in her lap. “So, we had an impromptu rematch to our impromptu duel.”

“That’s good!”

“And Isak easily beat me.”

“That’s bad.”

“No it was good! Really good!” Pink eyes went wide as she leaned forward. “Maybe…maybe too good?”

“How might it have been too good?” Citlali tilted her head and stared back with curious green eyes.

Gold capped claws tapped against one another as Xoco fidgeted in her seat. “So you would think I should be able to beat him easily, right?”

“Well Lord Isak is very capable but he hides it behind a great deal of humility and doubt.” A front row seat to the human’s capabilities also made it hard for Citlali to be an effective judge here. “But you are also incredibly powerful and have demonstrated that to all of campus now. Not to mention all the competitions you won before even awakening as a mage.”

“Exactly!” Xoco exclaimed while clinging to an unsteady smile with all the hazards that brought. “He’s very crafty. I should be able to beat him, I want to be able to beat him but every time I try he just beats me and makes it look easy. But also I…think I really like that he can beat me that easily?”

Citlali flicked her tongue and blinked with her third eyelid. “How metaphorically are we speaking here?”

The jungle troll’s unsteady smile was kicked out from beneath her and she collapsed into a pit of realization. The light in her eyes was suddenly a dimly flickering candle at the end of a tunnel as she began to slump over, that smile now turned into pursed lips, and her capped claws dug into the unfortunate chair beneath her. 

Her voice was a hollow rasp when she managed to eek out some words. “If…perchance there were some layers of…metaphors here…you wouldn’t judge me, would you?”

“I’d be a hypocrite if I did.”

Their unblinking eyes met for a moment as Xoco processed the lizardlass’ words. “You volunteered that information very freely.”

“Because you are my best friend, I am not ashamed of who I am, and you needed some reassurance.” She plainly stated.

“I’m not ashamed!...okay maybe a little…like it’s a little bit weird right? I should be able to overpower him easily. I mean I can pick him up easily and I do…and yet he’s just allowing it while hiding his true power?” Xoco avoided Citlali’s eyes. “I have a shelf full of dueling trophies saying that this shouldn’t be possible!”

“Sounds like Lord Impossible would be the perfect one to help you with your impossible quest to deal with your family.”

Xoco mulled over that thought, tilting her head from side to side to let the idea roll around in her mind. “Well, that makes sense.”

“And it sounds like you are excited by the idea of being a walking metaphor of something extremely powerful being overcome by an avatar of ingenuity and cleverness who can also make you laugh.”

“Well, you don’t have to spell it out like that.” Xoco said as Nelli puffed out her feathers to hide her mage’s blushing face.

Coztic chittered at her feathered friend to not let the mage hide behind her feathers but it was in vain. Citlali just smiled and reached out a hand to rest on Xoco’s. “I promised I wouldn’t be a hypocrite and I’m sticking to that. No judgment here.” She hopped off the bed and kept a hold of Xoco’s hand, dragging her onto her feet and over to one of her vanity dressers that had been shipped in for her. “Just some books to help you explore these new feelings.”

“...there’s…books on this?”

Citlali’s tongue flicked out as her eyes narrowed into the look of a knowing older sister who could finally impart her forbidden knowledge onto a bright eyed younger sibling. “Plenty! And most of them are terrible. Just awful. But I have the good ones. In fact, I have the best one for you.”

The lizardlass opened a drawer, pushed past some clothes, and tapped at something. A panel opened with a click to reveal a hidden book shelf and the red scaled lizardfolk let go of the jungle troll’s hand to run her claw over a few books, thinking for a moment before plucking one out and placing it in her friend’s hand.

Xoco read the title aloud. “Her Steel, His Scales“, then looked up at Citlali who knowingly nodded at her.

“This one–” Citlali tapped a claw against the spine of the book. “Is about an artificial person, or rather an artificial lady and her growing romance with a lizardman. I initially got it because I thought the whole ‘artificial being’ might have some relation to Vidal, but the relationship is a very tender and loving one despite the subject matter of a man taking the lead over a lady who thought herself literally built for battle yet finds someone who can best her in combat as they face epic plots.”

The jungle troll held the book like it was some ancient artifact, daring not to even peek inside initially before finally, gently, nudging open the tome. “Well…that sounds…relatable…and really it would be for research purposes…”

“By the way.” Citlali probed. “Does Lord Isak know about this side of you?”

Xoco clenched her jaw tight and one eye twitched. “I…let it slip that…well he was joking about how–...so he was sarcastically quipping that him besting me, in combat, was ‘so much fun’. Which he was joking about and not stating seriously. And I…without thinking it just came out–...told him that…’It is.’...as in it would be fun to keep doing that?”

Citlali’s pupils were the size of saucers. “And how did he react to hearing this admission?”

“Right as he froze up I sprinted away before I could keep saying worse things.”

The lizardlass thought it over for a moment while nodding. “We can work this into the plan. Said plan has been somewhat inverted but we can still have your big romantic moment…yes…yes this could work even better…” 

“It…could?”

“Lord Isak slayed a big pack of Nightspawn and now has his eyes on the most fearsome fighter of her year and tallest person on campus?” Citlali’s tongue flicked out. “He does not run from challenges, he tackles them to the ground.”

Perhaps that wording was too much. Did Citlali give away her lite espionage? 

Xoco flinched, eyes twitching wider before her brows pressed together. A claw went up to her chin as she thought it over. “Perhaps…and perhaps we may find something out about Vidal from this research?”

“If both of us manage to find something from this research then we can present our findings together and it won’t sound so strange!” Citlali’s smile cracked. “N-not that such interests are strange but it is admittedly an odd source of research.”

“If it works then it’s not odd.” The jungle troll mused while flipping the book open. “But breakfast is going to be awkward…”

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Across campus were a number of sitting areas surrounded on several sides with planted tropical shrubs and trees that left just enough isolation from the outside world to find some peace for students to study or quietly reflect. Vibrants flowers currently adorned the ‘walls’ of one such small area where a most unexpected lesson was taking place.

One that had veered off course.

“So…you and Lyva…” Zyn was obviously leading up to a question but was still figuring it out while he looked Tonauac up and down. “How do you two…you know…”

The lizardlad stared at him with as blank an expression as he could muster. Just yellow eyes boring into his soul to spook away the worst ways he could finish that thought. 

This impromptu ‘lesson’ was far from what Tonauac had planned for his own contribution to teaching the group what he knew. In fact, it didn’t count. The girls weren’t here so it wasn’t the whole group…even though they probably needed their own equivalent lesson. Tonauac considered contacting Lyva to have her write the girls a lesson in letter form.

“Kiss.” The drow finally came up with a moderately acceptable conclusion to his curiosity, and Isak was now directing his piqued attention as well. “How do you two kiss like how does that work?”

“Sloppy and passionately.” Tonauac couldn’t help the grin that crept onto his face as they both recoiled at that non-answer. It was short lived, however, as actually thinking about the mechanics of it brought him face to face with the extreme changes brought on by losing his green. He was now greatly taller than Lyva and that was certain to provide some challenges. The uncertainty had him staring at the ground as he paced around while trying not to get completely lost in thought. He mostly succeeded. “I used to just lean down to kiss her but now I guess I might need to pick her up…”

“Personally–” Isak started. “I don’t think she would mind that. I don’t know what the dynamic is with you two but if I had a girl who was much taller than me I wouldn’t say no to being picked up for–”

“First lesson.” The lizardlad cut him off before he could keep up this nonsense. “Be honest about your intentions with a girl. Especially if they match up with what she wants. Like if you were interested in a girl who is constantly picking you up, you should let her know that you are also into that.”

This was information that Isak had to carefully consider, and he seemed to mull it over appropriately with a hand on his chin and a serious look in his eyes. A question finally popped into his head as his eyes shot open. “So the teeth thing…how…what do I even do about that? For sharp teeth, I mean. Not specifically liz–...yeah the sharp teeth.”

Hmm, that was potentially troubling but not something Tonauac wanted to address just yet.

“Go slow at first if you’re going to be kissing someone with sharp teeth.” The lizardlad pretended to buy Isak’s misdirection. “The moment you upgrade those kisses to ‘with tongue’ is the moment you court danger. Or rather further danger if you’re trying to go for a giantess.”

Now that Tonauac mentioned it…did he qualify as a giant compared to Lyva, now?

“Don’t worry, Isak.” Zyn smirked. “We’ll get you your giantess who can crush yo–”

“Zyn.” The human’s hand was on the drow’s shoulder in a flash. His free hand gestured through a gap in the walls of the flower courtyard. “See that mountain there off in the distance? You don’t look at it and think ‘I want that mountain to crush me’. You look at it and think ‘I want to–’”

“You want to climb the mountain. Yeah. I got a question for you.” The drow glared at him. “Did you and my brother get that line from somewhere because you are the second person I’ve heard it from. Same exact line.”

Isak’s free hand fell to his side while his eyes glazed over. The hand regained feeling enough to cover his mouth while clearing his throat. “W-well clearly your brother is a fellow man of culture. And culture can cross valleys and climb mountains…but no I don’t remember getting it from anywhere?”

Zyn shrugged off Isak’s hand and scratched the back of his head. “The mentality apparently works. He married his own ‘mountain’, also a troll but frost instead of jungle, and now has a kid on the way.”

“Perhaps you can impart our dear friend with your own advice.” Tonauac let every tooth in his snout show through his smile. “I only know how to date drow girls but you’ve got even more relevant information for Isak.”

The drow’s hands were on his hips as he looked ready to scold back but the idea made him pause and start thinking hard enough that Ozzy put a tentacle to his chin to help him with this train of thought. “You know Jyvan is on permanent ‘low shelf’ duty for Aglakti. Not that she can’t get to the low shelves but it’s further. Like how she’s on ‘top shelf’ duty.

“Hang on, I need to write this down.” Isak patted the pockets of his training uniform, then looked to the rock man with a worried frown. “Vidal! Where did I put my ‘Girl Advice’ notebook?!? These are important things!”

“I will remember Zyn’s exact words as I do for all things I overhear, Master Isak.”

“Okay I need my actual notebook now.”

“I got it.” The drow already had a Vidal notebook in hand thanks to Ozzy quickly retrieving it from his bookbag. “Also adding a little note here about how you don’t want troll lady advice.”

Isak sighed. “No no, hit me with it. Sorry.”

“They really love it if you can somehow manage to lift them up.” Zyn didn’t skip a beat. “Actually, even the efforts can go a long way. Joking efforts work too. Like Jyvan will do the whole…Ozzy help me out here.”

The cave octopus leapt into Zyn’s hands while the drow cast a Shadow spell to form a kind of umbral mannequin body in the shape of a tall woman in a dress. Ozzy, tentacles hanging out behind him in what looked to be an approximation of a ponytail, formed the head and turned a cold blue in imitation of a frost troll. Zyn then did a kind of dancer’s ‘dip’ with the shadow mannequin. 

“Like this.” The drow said. Ozzy ‘blushed’ a darker blue for effect before the mannequin was dispelled and he scampered back onto his shoulder perch.

Isak hummed and rocked back and forth on his feet for a moment. “Okay I did that once so I think I’m on the right track…that was…that was not just an ‘embarrassed at the situation’ blush was it?”

Tonauac’s head tilted all the way to the side as his tongue rapidly flicked in and out. Zyn put his hands back on his hips as his eyebrow raised up into the sky where it threatened to vanish forever.

“–”

“No, he’s learning and that’s good.” The lizardlad cut off Zyn who could only nod his relenting agreement. Patli’s watchful eyes overhead told him that students were already starting to assemble for breakfast. Not much time was left but Tonauac did have enough time for a quick plan. “Next lesson: Getting a girl flustered can be good but know when to let off. Press the attack just enough so that a girl feels seen and appreciated but not so much that she’s feeling embarrassed or like you’re making fun of her.”

“How do I know when that point is?” Isak asked.

“Different for every girl.” Tonauac could only shrug. “You’ll learn it in time but when in doubt, go with caution. Like…’Your hair is shining like the stars tonight’ and then she’s doing the thing where she’s trying to hold back a smile but can’t help herself and says you’re being ridiculous, follow it up with ‘even when you’re trying to hide it, that smile is my guiding light in darkest nights’.”

Zyn clutched at his abdomen and fell to his knees. “I’m gonna die. That much cheese and corn is lethal. This is worse than any of Isak’s puns.”

“Hey!”

“As much as his puns cause me pain, they seem to work.” The lizardlad turned his snout up and set the hook. “That’s what matters. Even if innocent lives are caught in the crossfire.”

Isak threw his hands in the air. “You two just can’t appreciate clever wordplay! Well I’m gonna increase the clever wordplay and it’s gonna work so well!”

“There’s the confidence you need!” Tonauac cheered while Isak stood as still as the rock man behind him. Stunned eyes stared at the ecstatic lizardlad who had bamboozled yet another friend into self-improvement. “Not much time before we meet the girls for breakfast but let’s keep up that progress.”

<< Chapter 58 | From The Beginning

(Okay but how do Tonauac and Lyva kiss?

Please let me know what you thought of the chapter and leave a comment!

Discord server is HERE for this and my other works of fiction.)

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<< Chapter 57 | From The Beginning

“Okay, Sky Jaguar and Pale Lion are getting up.” Tonauac said in a low voice while looking through his Lens spell. There was no way that the targets could hear them from this range on top of a building that they had found with both roof access and a good view of the beach but it was instinctual. “Just talking now. Looks like we’re past…wait, take a look.”

A crouched down Zyn took the lizardlad’s spell version of a spyglass and put one of his claws just beneath his eye. “...don’t tell me he froze up just from holding hands….no, no she’s looking frantic.”

“Fearful or ‘Sky Jaguar’ frantic?”

“There’s a reason I said frantic…oh my gods she just sprinted off.”

Tonauac pulled his hand away and put it back to his own eye as he re-sighted the fleeing jungle troll to keep track of her. “Sky Jaguar’s face is deep green and it’s not from exertion…Rainbow Serpent just rejoined her, we’re clear but the two of them also just vanished behind a building.”

“Eyes on Pale Lion, now!”

The lizardlad found the human in his Lens spell once more after a quick readjustment. “He’s just frozen there. Stone Guard is keeping him standing. Also, Stone Guard is less imaginative than his actual name.”

“This isn’t the time for that, Tonauac.”

“Pale Lion, which is a cool codename, is still just frozen there.” Tonauac’s tongue flicked out. “And it doesn’t take much time to bring up how the codenames I came up with are much cooler.”

Both beaked familiars huddled behind a wall of the roof chattered their agreement.

“You too, Ozzy?” Zyn slunk down behind the wall and folded his arms over his chest. “Well excuse me for not having more training as an actual spy.”

Tonauac groaned. “I don’t think any of my dad’s training counts as spy stuff.”

“You came up with the idea for codenames, and allegedly yours are cooler.”

“That’s just creativity.” The lizardlad dismissed. So he came up with inventive names based upon his friends’ names or cultural associations, what of it? Better than naming the familiars after what the familiars actually were. “Also Pale Lion looks to be regaining lucidity.”

“Time to move in?”

“I think we should be fine just ‘bumping into’ him instead of a direct intervention.” He could still see that the human in question was blushing heavily. “He doesn’t look like he’s doom or gloom or anything so it probably went well.”

“So our lite spying on someone we care for has gone well?”

“Ye–” Tonauac dropped the Lens spell to glare at Zyn who only stared back with pursed lips. “Is this why you suggested this in the first place? Make some kind of ‘point’?”

“No, of course not.” Zyn glanced away. “We have to support our friend and also maybe remember these hilarious moments to tell generations of his descendents.” 

The lizardlad’s tail twitched behind him while he unclenched his jaw. “You don’t know my dad, Zyn. Drop it.”

“Alright alright. Sorry.” The drow appeared to surrender but Tonauac knew that neeldess suspicion still lingered around his dad. “Let’s go debrief Is–, uh, Pale Lion.”

“Phase 1 complete, we can switch back.” Tonauac waved it off and the two boys quickly exited the rooftop.

Once they were back on ground level of campus, Patli took to the air to help intercept Isak. Sixday mornings always made for a mostly empty campus. There were no classes to be had and few wanted to be out so early on the first day of the weekend. That was all a benefit to the boys’ plan.

It wasn’t long before they encountered the human, notably free of sand despite his earlier endeavors.

Zyn waved to him. “There he is! The hero returns victorious!”

Isak returned the wave with the addition of a confused smile. “...victorious?”

“Victorious!” Zyn repeated as Ozzy leaned forward on his shoulder.

“As in, successful in your efforts?” Tonauac prodded. 

Isak nervously laughed, smile turning into a pleased one. “It was ah…it was a good training session…”

The drow leaned closer. “...aaaaaand?”

“And what?” Isak glanced at Vidal.

“Aaaaand you agreed to another date, right?”

“I-it wasn’t a date!”

Zyn and Tonauac groaned. The drow started fishing something out of his pocket while asking Isak a final question. “You at least asked her out, right? Confessed feelings? Just didn’t get a chance to set up a proper date?”

“N-no to all of that!”

Ozzy aided the drow in expressing his disappointment by putting a few tentacles to the boy’s head in place of a facepalm. Zyn finally retrieved a coin from his pocket and flipped it towards Tonauac who caught it mid-air.

“WERE YOU TWO BETTING ON THIS?!?”

“Since Zyn told me that you two were having a ‘date’, yes.” The lizardlad mournfully pocketed the coin. 

“Well you at least know me well enough to know that it wasn’t a date!” Isak threw his hands in the air. “It was just two friends getting in some early morning training!”

“One on one.” Zyn pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Yes!”

“Wrestling in the sand one on one?” Tonauac tilted his head.

Isak flinched. “N-no just…showing one another some techniques. Talking. Planning. As friends do.”

Zyn put an arm around Isak’s shoulder and started to drag him onward to the planned destination. “Isak…come on.”

“You guys are misreading this. Xoco just wanted to train to better herself and hang out.”

Tonauac’s tail dragged along the walkway. “And this ‘training’, this is something you would do with Zyn and I as well?”

Isak started to respond but choked on whatever dumb excuse he first thought to say. “Well we could train, yeah. Wouldn’t be the same training because there’s different magic involved–”

“Right, right. Magic.” Zyn nodded, head pointing towards their destination. A medium sized building stuck out in front of them, bearing the architectural designs of Mu. Notably, it was unlike any specific style of the citizen species of Mu and instead looked like something out of a Shadow District found in cities across the world filled with people from Mu seeking a more familiar environment. Tonauac recognized the look from all the time he spent in the Shadow District of Al Ey.

The lizardlad looked over his shoulder at Vidal following them. “Was it the kind of magic you could use to gain a new form for Vidal?”

“Well no–” Isak was sweating as they entered through the double doors of the building, not even questioning where they were going. Outside, It bore that ‘Mixed Mu’ style of columns with sharp lines, sloping roofs accents, and domes. Inside, they immediately took some stairs down past signs warning them to keep all light sources ‘Mu safe’. “Like there was some Illusions, some Wind, some Divination. Vidal can’t take any of those forms, can you?”

“Our attempts at several of those have all failed, Master Isak.”

“See?”

Somewhere above, Patli confirmed that no one was following them. At least not visibly. Most importantly, not the girls. Down a flight of stairs, they went through a kind of ‘light lock’ intermediary room that curved around and was illuminated only in dim, pale lights. Tonauac took the opportunity to undo a button on his shirt while thinking that he really needed to swap this uniform for one that would better fit the advanced size he found himself growing into with each passing day.

Past a final set of double doors, an atrium awaited them that was built to mimic an environment not unlike Mu itself. Mushrooms as large as trees that bore glowing blue nodules under their caps were the main source of illumination. Smaller yet still large fungal forms in different shapes comprised a kind of underbrush. A pond sat under one large mushroom and contained several small deep cephalopods all swimming about.

“My brother told me about this place.” Zyn said as he released Isak to walk around and make sure they had the atrium to themselves. After confirming that they were in fact alone he let Ozzy grab onto a large mushroom and start scampering around the recreation of Mu. “Good place for those who are homesick or just like how it looks in here. It’s peaceful. Dark. Private for now.”

“Uh…” Isak looked around, relaxing a bit. “Yeah it’s nice.”

Tonauac stood next to the human as they both looked around the change of pace from tropical island. “You know Xoco is into you, right–”

“There’s just no way of knowing.” His response was too automatic. “And we’re friends. So maybe she’s just being friendly? And there’s cultural differences. You just can’t assume these things.”

“But you like her.” Zyn said as he turned back to the other two, framed in the light of a towering mushroom with his hands clasped behind his back. “Don’t you?”

“W–”

Zyn held up a hand to cut him off. “This is Man Council now, Isak. There’s only men here and as such what is said here will stay between men. Xoco is probably off somewhere holding Girl Council with Citlali as we speak.”

“Those aren’t things.”

“Yes they are.” Tonauac corrected him. “Girls talk about girl things with other girls all the time. You’re just unused to having female friends so you don’t know.”

“I’m unused to having any friends…” Isak avoided their eyes though his words still hit them like arrows from a war bow. 

“Seriously?” The drow dropped his serious pose and took a step towards the human. “Alright we have catching up to do: Some would tell you that men do not get to hold Man Council with their friends. They are cowards, and you are no coward.”

Isak blinked, looking back at Vidal. “So…what exactly does Man Council…what is the purpose?”

“Theoretically anything.” Tonauac shrugged. “In this case, it’s you having a hard time confessing your feelings to Xoco.”

The human clenched and unclenched his fist before relenting with a sigh. “Okay so I have feelings for Xoco…”

Both of the other boys finally let out a sigh of relief. This was progress!

“Was it…it was that obvious, wasn’t it?”

“Isak.” Tonauac flicked out his tongue for effect. “You know how my sense of smell and taste are many times greater than yours?”

“Y-yeah?”

“Those senses were unnecessary in this case because I have eyes.”

The human recoiled as though he had been stabbed in the side. “Noted…wait does that mean you can tell if Xoco–”

“We just said it’s obvious that Xoco is into you.” Zyn shook his head. “All you gotta do is just tell her your feelings.”

“It’s not that easy!”

“It literally is.” Tonauac stated. “I just told my female friend at the time how I felt and she’s been my girlfriend ever since.”

“That’s diff–” The human stopped mid-sentence, face frozen as he was clearly trying to puzzle something out. He looked to the drow who bore the same expression of bafflement. Their mouths hung open as Tonauac swore he could hear gears grinding. They were as still as the water form rock man behind them and even more quiet without the coursing water. Both of them exchanged confused looks as though they were pooling their brain power to piece together the answer to some great enigma.

Both of them finally blinked as they asked the same question. “Your WHAT?”

Tonauac tilted his head. “My girlfriend?”

“....your WHAT?”

“This cannot be that surprising.”

“Yes it is!” Zyn shot back.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Isak was next.

“Where is she?”

“What’s her name?”

The lizardlad cleared his throat. “One at a time, and in order: It shouldn’t be? No one asked. Back home in Al Ey. And–”

“My gods.” Zyn held his head in his hands. “He had us beat the whole time.”

“It’s not a competition, Zyn.” Tonauac shook his head.

“And you say she’s in Al Ey?” Isak was still in shock as well. “So she’s not a mage?”

“She’s a little over a year younger than me but I can hope she awakens as a mage!”

The drow looked him over with raised eyebrows. “You and your secrets. What’s this secret girl’s name?”

“It just never came up!” The lizardlad defended. “And her name is Lyva.”

Isak smiled. “Oh that’s pretty–”

“YOU WERE DATING A DROW THIS ENTIRE TIME AND DIDN’T TELL ME?!?”

“I…didn’t know I had to?”

Zyn stumbled back, clutching his head again as though up was now down and Mu was now some land of the sky instead. “This is…so much to take in. Prove it. Prove you’re dating a drow girl.”

Tonauac rolled his eyes, reached into his shirt, and withdrew a necklace bearing a number of teeth on it. Most importantly, it bore four drow cuspids. The eyes of the drow in front of him shot open, then all the red of his eyes was crowded out by his pupils going wide when Tonauac switched to Drowic. “Is this sufficient evidence?”

“You knew Drowic this entire time too?” Zyn responded in the same language while a confused Isak sat on the sidelines. “How did that not come up?!? We coulda been spying using a language that plenty wouldn’t know! Especially Isak and the girls!”

The lizardlad scratched the back of his head. “I am not very confident with my proficiency in Drowic…and you can never be sure who else speaks the language! I am one such example. There are many students from the Province of Mu on campus as well.”

“Dude, you sound like a language professor.”

“Precisely!” Tonauac hung his head. “How can I claim even a meager proficiency with the language when I still have yet to adopt a more naturalistic accent and cadence? 

Zyn stared at him as though he had sprouted a third eye. “I dunno if I need to work on this with you or preserve this or if you need to be teaching me…”

“Uh, what is going on?” Isak asked.

The drow switched back to Clear Speech to mumble out “I have no idea anymore…”

Tonauac switched back as well. “I was just telling you both how it is in fact that simple to tell a girl your feelings.”

“But Xoco is my frien– nevermind I forgot you said this uh…’Lyva’ was your friend at the time too.” Isak squinted. “Okay, story time. How long did you know her before she became your girlfriend? When did this happen?”

The lizardlad tapped a claw to his jaw, thinking it all over and being unable to hold back a smile as he reminisced. “I was eight when I met her–”

“Oh gods you two are childhood friends?!?” Zyn found a large mushroom to lean against, then slumped down. “You actually pulled off the childhood friend romance thing?!?”

“I suppose so…” Tonauac hummed to himself then continued. “Anyway I think I always liked her more than any other friends, though at the start we were each other’s only friend. I guess I never really went through that phase where girls are gross because I told her how I felt at 10–”

Isak’s eyes tried to jump out of his skull as he cut in. “You asked a girl out at 10?!?”

“And succeeded!”

The human stumbled back into the arms of one Vidal who helped him find a seat on a wooden bench. “Alright. Okay. Listen.”

“Listening.”

“That’s totally different.”

“How?”

“Xoco is a teen! It’s totally different than a girl who’s nine! Especially one you’re childhood friends with and have known for years! It’s more complicated!”

"Are you really going to admit that a ten year old could do this but you can't?"

Zyn had to look away, recoiling in horror as Isak was roasted with the intensity of four hundred thousand suns. This darkness, this little slice of Mu made to imitate a place that never knew sunlight was vaporized in a flash along with the human who dared to go against the Light mage who had mastered the apparently mystical art of talking to girls.

Isak, however, endured.

Such was the unshakeable power of his uncertainty.

“I…Yes.” He croaked out. “Ten year old you really can beat me at this. Ten year old you doesn’t second guess himself so much. Ten year old you isn’t still new to the idea of not living your life as nothing. I do not want to mess this up. And what if I do mess it up? Then I lose a friend! And I’m still new to having friends, it could throw off the whole group dynamic–”

“That is why you are going to have the assistance of the Man Council.” Zyn was back on his feet and nodded towards Tonauac. “Plus we have an expert.”

Tonauac ran his hands down the side of his snout until they rested on his neck and he let out a long sigh. “I have clearly underestimated your sense of self-worth and confidence, and as your doctor I promise I’ll treat that as well.”

Isak clenched and unclenched his jaw, then nodded. “Thank you…what exactly is that going to look like?”

The double doors opened as if on cue and a small group of drow and a dwerrow entered, already in the midst of a conversation.

“Well, first we find somewhere else where we won’t be bothering people.” Tonauac crossed his arms and started thinking. “And then I’ll teach you what I know.”

<< Chapter 57 | From The Beginning

(Would you believe that this revelation has been hiding in the background for a long, long time?

Please let me know what you think and leave a comment!)

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<< Chapter 56 | From The Beginning

Zyn had assured Xoco that her notable height could actually be an advantage in stealth. 

When the average height was significantly below her, so was the eyeline. A casual scan with the eyes, as the drow had explained, would be likely to miss her entirely because they wouldn’t be expecting a person so far outside of the average. Citlali actually had a similar advantage in that respect. 

This unexpected advantage expectedly did not help Xoco.

“Xoco.”

“Yes Zyn?” The jungle troll stopped in the middle of her attempted sneaky tracks. 

“You’re still doing the…the ’power walk’ while trying to sneak..” The drow gestured with his hands to her feet as Ozzy did the same with his tentacles. “It’s the opposite of being stealthy.”

“Oh.” Oh. “...when you say ‘power walk’ do you mean–”

“The walk you’re doing all the time.”

She nervously laughed. “...it’s not all the time, is it?”

Xoco looked around at her assembled friends on the club building’s rooftop at night. Aside from a currently Lightning form Vidal, the only other illumination came from two far away magelights at the entrance to the stairs. These light sources were perfect for a night of learning to be sneaky and softening the looks on her friends’ faces as they softened the blow they were to deliver unto her.

“You…walk with purpose!” Isak offered. His smile was unsteady yet genuine in trying to put her at ease and he looked to Nelli, temporarily relocated to his shoulders during her turn at training, for assurance. “It’s hard to unlearn being cool!”

“And powerful.” Citlali nodded. “Though sometimes one must use less than total power.”

“Why do I have to deal the killing blow? I hand out enough bad news…” Tonauac sighed. “Yes, you do it all the time. It’s just never a bad thing outside of this.”

“Oh.” Right. That walk. Sure she walked with confidence and purpose, but that was just part of being a confident person!...is what her family would say. Of course. This was all normal for them. So normal that they had Xoco learning this walk since she could even stand. Another way for them to project power. “I will try to be more conscious of that.”

Zyn swatted away her concerns as Ozzy flailed his tentacles. “Literally only an issue here. You and Tonauac are at a disadvantage by being giants but I’m going to teach you anyway because I’m just that awesome.”

“The recent growth spurt has thrown off my balance–”

The drow hushed the lizardlad. “We are here to learn and grow. Stop apologizing for doing both of those things.”

Xoco gave a quick pat to Tonauac’s Patli-free-shoulder. She had actually been growing a little more since the start of the semester but Tonauac’s own growth spurt seemed to have made hers less notable by comparison. “Our talents lay in other places, Tonauac.”

“Your talents can still lay in recognizing stealth.” Zyn stared out over the rooftop onto a darkened campus. “And everyone is getting the hang of that pretty well. Even with our less than ideal training conditions.” He yawned and allowed Ozzy to tap his face with a few tentacles. “Mm, that’s enough lessons for the night. I’ve kept you from your weekends for long enough.”

The mood turned casual yet again as they all slowly made their way down onto those lamp lit campus walkways, chattering about anything and everything on their way back to the dorms. Tiredness caught up with them the closer they got to their dorms as rest seemed ever more inviting with each step. 

It made it harder for Xoco to keep wearing a smile.

This entire plan of hers required subtlety and she couldn’t even walk without standing out. Worse, she didn’t even realize she was standing out like that. What else didn’t she realize? Just how obvious was she being? 

Tonauac’s own…’revelations’ had gone well enough even if he himself was still having a hard time accepting it. Xoco, at least, already accepted who her family was…and yet she still kept calling herself by a nickname even in her head.

But that was temporary. All of this was. Ephemeral inconveniences on the way to something better. Just keep smiling until then.

Eventually they all split into three groups heading for three separate dorms and bid each other goodnight.

Minus one complication. 

“Xoco, you have a moment?” Isak’s voice called after one such girl after they made it down half a hallway.

“Always!” Was her response. Two sets of eyes drifted over to Citlali, blithely smiling at them.

“So, first I really need to stop cornering girls like this–”

“Don’t.” Came two responses who shared a curious glance between themselves.

“...um, right.” The human raised an eyebrow. “Second, and related to that, Citlali if I tell you to give us a moment will you actually do that or are you just going to hide behind that corner?”

The lizardlass glanced over her shoulder at the corner and swung her head back around with a smile filled with little guilty daggers. “So…I could practice being stealthy and you could pretend I’m not there so you have an easier time saying whatever it is you’re going to say?”

Isak let out a heavy sigh. “You get points for honesty.”

“There’s points?!?” She blurted out.

Xoco could thank her for the outburst later as she barely managed to hold her own tongue.

“There might be if you keep quiet around the corner.” The human said as he spun her around, aimed her at said corner, and let her scurry off with her raptor in tow.

He cleared his throat, looked down the hallway to ensure that only Vidal was there, and then returned his gaze to Xoco after steadying his breath.”Hey are you…I mean…what are–...do you remember how I promised that we should train one on one sometime?”

Pink eyes went as wide as dinner plates. “I do remember that!”

“Hooooooow about we do that this weekend?” He asked, bead of sweat running down the side of his head. “I mean if you’re not busy or anything–”

“With the constant threats we face we should probably train one on one a lot.” 

Isak was having a hard time forming words but remembered how to nod. Luckily he looked cute when he was dumbstruck like that.

The sound of disgust that someone made meant not all agreed.

Xoco’s eyes shot up from her human.

That sound…it came from in front of her not behind. Not that Citlali would ever react like that. She was probably holding her snout shut to prevent her from cheering on how bold Xoco was being! And in front of her there was only Vidal, who not only would never do that but didn’t sound like him either.

No this was…feminine.

Feminine from a very empty hallway.

“W– y-yeah we should do tha–”

She grabbed her human by the upper arms and lifted him up to meet him at eye level. The smile she wore was, she imagined, determined. Enthusiastic. The kind of smile that said no one was going to stop her, least of all her family. “Let’s do great things together, alright Isak?”

He dangled there in her grip, wide eyed and dumbstruck for a moment before he got one of his silly smiles. “We’ll take the world by storm.” 

Xoco giggled and dug her, thankfully capped, claws into his arms. “A Storm needs favorable Winds.”

“Good thing I can handle strong winds.” The corners of his mouth twitched with mischief. “In fact I was asked to train them…tomorrow morning?”

That got a larger laugh out of her. “As if I could say no. What time?”

He stared into her eyes, blinking a few times and still dazed before some visible realization hit and his pupils focused. “....s-seven?”

The jungle troll girl felt her smile grow warmer as she set her human down. “Then I’ll see you at seven. Vidal, make sure he gets home safely.”

“Your concern has been registered and appreciated, Xoco.” The rock man stated.

The human was still wobbling on his feet by the time he spoke.

“See you then! Have a good night!” Isak himself was still scarlet, putting on a good smile while shaking some feeling back into his arms before calling out to a particular corner. “And goodnight to you too, Citlali.”

“Goodnight, Sir!” The Corner cheerily responded.
___________________________________

“I think someone was listening in on us last night.” Xoco immediately stated to Isak as he approached her on the beach. Both of them being in their training uniforms would make the spectacle appear perfectly normal to any observers who wouldn’t have the benefit of hearing them this far out on the sand. “Also good morning!”

“No need for a splash of cold water to the face with that revelation…” The human was mid-wave hello, bathed in the early morning light as his arm curled down from the news. “You don’t mean Citlali, do you?”

“She heard it too.” The jungle troll said as she removed Nelli from her neck and tossed her into the air. “Just barely though. Someone was making a sound of disapproval.” 

“Aaaand I missed that…”

“It’s my fault for distracting you.” Xoco grinned.

“You? Distracting? Of course not!” The human cleared his throat and backtracked as Xoco’s smile started to invert. “You’re…uhhm, not distracting…you’re very distracting?”

Her smile sprung back to full force. “So I’ll have a chance to beat you this morning!”

“I won’t make it easy.” He shrugged and let his own smile slip through. “But any idea why our mysterious stalkers would be making their disgust known?”

Xoco paced around the empty beach. This was a delicate matter. It took a long conversation with Citlali last night to even come to the conclusion that she should tell Isak and the others about this most recent incident. The jungle troll looked up to where Nelli was circling above. “Perhaps they don’t appreciate our sense of humor.” 

Isak laughed, then put a hand to his chin as his brows knit together. “No, no that might make sense.”

“It might?”

“Zyn doesn’t appreciate our jokes, and he’s sneaky. Tonauac? Doesn’t appreciate it and he probably inherited that from his spy dad.”

This might make sense if she didn’t know her family and the real reason they would let their disapproval slip through in such a clandestine operation. Her own hand found its way to her chin to entertain Isak’s thought. “So you’re saying we should make more jokes.”

“Tactically placed jokes.” Isak corrected. “Like we could probably just have Vidal hose down an entire area at any time and have him tackle whoever is revealed but then the other stalkers would be out there and way more cautious. Not to mention we need to know more about them before we act. Like what they even want. So no Vidal tackling for now”

“I would be able to disable them at a distance with a well placed burst of Water, Master Isak.” The currently Water form rock man affirmed. 

“When you say ‘disable’...”

“A high pressure shot to the kneecaps would prevent their escape while remaining thoroughly non-lethal, Master Isak.” 

“Brutal yet effective.” Isak tilted his head back towards the jungle troll. “Like someone else I know.”

Said jungle troll blushed forest green, giggled, and made a motion to bat away the flattery. “Well I didn’t mean to kick that hard.”

“I've gotta see one of your full power kicks, then.”

Xoco blinked and wavered between serious and a giddy smile trying to overtake her. The smile won out as she started scanning the beach for ideas. Something to kick. Something to go all out on. But something that could actually show off what she was capable of…

Her eyes landed on a driftwood log. One that looked good and dry, faded enough to start taking on grey hues. She dashed over and started inspecting it. The log was worn down from waves and sand to be smooth, and it was dry enough for a good display. Yet still robust enough that it would make for a good show.

“This one.” She said aloud while nodding to herself.

“Oh do you need some help with–”

Xoco lifted the log up from one end then worked a jagged end into the ground so that it would be a solid target. When she looked back at Isak his eyes were already wide.

“You want to see a kick, right?”

“Y-yeah.”

“Then I’ll show you a kick.”

“Wait.” 

She tilted her head.

“This is all training, right? Well I can learn from you too. Especially Wind spells.” Isak explained. “Add some Wind to that kick. Show me your full potential, body and mind, and explain it to me.”

It was Xoco’s turn to be dumbstruck, and her face was going to get stuck in a silly grin from all this smiling. This request was a welcome one and she gladly took the opportunity to explain at him. “I’ll be using a spinning back kick. The drop kick I used for my duel was flashy and…I admit I got too eager in using that. Once you jump, that’s it. You only have your body weight and the initial force of the jump. But a spinning back kick? You get the wind up momentum–”

She performed a basic standing kick before switching to a simple spin on one leg to demonstrate the increased power.

“And you can also keep one leg firmly on the ground to put more force into the kick.”

Next she took up a solid stance, more for effect than anything else.

“You wanted to see some Wind put into it too…luckily for you I’ve been thinking on how to do that. How much do you know about Wind spells?”

“Not enough…” The human admitted. “My professors say to focus on thinking of different aspects of a Storm spell as a whole to start, and then learning the parts. It seems kinda backwards but I guess it has something to do with ‘controlling the whole of it before emphasizing individual parts’.”

“Understand the self before understanding others.” It came out automatically. How long had it been since she heard those words? It didn’t matter. Blue Uncle’s visits and words of advice were some of her clearest memories no matter their age. “S-someone very wise once told me that.”

Isak was already mulling over the words, raising an eyebrow and looking between the jungle troll and the rock man as his thoughts raced. He sighed and returned to facing Xoco. “Well they don’t have to make it so obvious like that…”

“I know right?”

He let loose a guffaw, and she broke her serious stance with a hearty laugh of her own. After a final laugh he tried to get back on track. “So then tell me, how do you get your head right for Wind magic?”

Xoco hummed to herself for a moment before snapping her fingers. “First, a bit of Divination magic.”

Her eyes found their way back to the large log she had set up as a target. 

“You have to open your mind for these spells and think of possibilities. Think of things as they are now and as they might be. And right now I’ll be using a spell to find the weak spot of that log.” She narrated before thinking the thoughts necessary for the spell. That log was an enemy that had to be defeated. More importantly, she had an audience who she needed to impress. The words and hand motions came naturally afterwards. “And there I can see the perfect place to strike. Right there.”

The jungle troll extended a claw towards where a crack was barely visible.

“It highlights a spot for me right there, telling me that’s where I need to strike.”

Isak was listening intently with his eyes focusing on every little move that Xoco made. She didn’t bother to hide the smile that brought her.

“Next, Wind. This one is more physical.” She regained a more serious and solid stance, planting her feet as firmly as the sandy beach would allow. “Pay attention to your breathing. Feel the air enter your lungs, fill you with life, then feel the exhale as you feel that power reach down to your fingers and toes.”

She took a few slow and deep breaths for emphasis, motioning with her hands to show the flow of air and vitality through her body. 

“Think airy thoughts. Think freedom. Think of the wind carrying you not to where you need, but where you want. The spells you cast shall take you there if only you can wield the Winds.” She assumed a ready stance and steadied her breathing. Here she was on the beach with her human, finally getting to show off, so close to Gods’ March. If she was to embody the Lunar Huntress then she would have to impress this hunter. Together…anything was possible. “We are mages, Isak! And we shall make our own possibilities!”

Xoco shouted the words to Air Cloak and felt the winds wrap themselves around her body, crossing this way and that. Sand was sent flying and Isak squinted but kept his eyes glued to the display.

Good.

Nelli above aided her by adding some perfectly timed dramatic wind, blowing her long braid in the gust and also keeping the sand blown away from Isak so that he could see it all clearly.

The jungle troll started her reverse spin kick with as much power as she could put into it, then tweaked the air currents around her body to have the winds themselves put more spin force into the kick and propel her foot even harder as it kicked out and struck the weak spot from earlier. Her sole connected with the weak spot and a low CRACK  shot out from the log along with large shards of wood dried by salt and sun.

A larger half fell to the sand just before the lower half was knocked out of its unstable foundations to join its new twin in laying in defeat on the beach.

She bounced on the balls of her feet, thoroughly happy with herself. Even more so when she looked over and saw Isak blushing with an awestruck smile on his face while he mumbled something.

“Hmm?”

Isak shook himself aware, appeared to chew on his lip, then cleared his throat. “I said, those legs are deadly weapons.”

“I bet you could still beat me.” …where was that coming from?

The human didn’t seem to know either but raised an eyebrow anyway. “Well I did say that I was going to teach you today. So how about I teach you how to deal with illusions and we can test your theory as well?”

Her own brow raised. “You’re teaching me your own tricks before trying to beat me?”

“I have to give myself an excuse for when you kick me into the ocean.”

“Xoco, though I do not doubt your self-control in regards to Master Isak’s safety I must still make clear my insistence that any sparring you engage in with him remain well below hazardous levels.”

She gave a quick bow to the concerned rock man. “You have my assurance that I would never do such a thing.”

Isak looked over the remains of the log now looking like it had been hit with an explosion as he approached the jungle troll. “First, I’ve got a theory to test out.”

He made a motion with his hands and whispered an Illusion spell to produce a copy of himself standing in front of Xoco.

“Now, try seeing the weak points on Illusory Isak here.”

She complied and instantly her eyes shot open. No spots on the illusion were being highlighted. “Nothing…that’s a good way to check for illusions.”

“I read about it just yesterday.” He said. “Once I can make even more powerful illusions then I’ll be able to start uh…’contesting’ your power of Divination. Then it becomes a kind of arms race. But until then you’ll be able to check illusions pretty easily.”

“And in the time it takes for me to check you would have already struck?”

The human smiled and wagged a finger. “You got me. But do you trust being able to tell what’s real or not in the moment?”

Her eyes went down to the sand. Not too far away the waves lapped at the shore and provided gentle ambience to the scene. “I could look for footprints…unless you do another trick like last time, or I’m somewhere where there aren’t easily available footprints.”

“And I would take advantage of you looking for footprints.”

“Aww.”

“There’s an easier way. And I don’t mean use Nelli. We’re starting you with the basics so all situations are covered.” He said as he dispelled Illusory Isak and cast another illusion. “So, last time I managed to baffle you into staying in one place which made things easy for me. I get to just make something of an illusion painting and not have to worry about keeping it moving. Now, try walking forward.”

Xoco followed his instructions, then she found herself blinking in confusion as the ‘beach’ and ‘Isak’ in front of her…shifted at the corners. Like she was first somehow too close and part of her sight didn’t…fit? And then it would shift again and be normal for a step or two before things would look wrong again.

“See I’m actually walking with you so that this is harder for me.” Even Isak’s voice didn’t seem to be coming from the Isak she saw, and his thin lips weren’t really matching what he was saying. Like there was a delay. “It’s like trying to rub your belly and pat your head at the same time. Supposedly that gets easier but, again, keep on the move and you’ll make things difficult for poor Illusion mages like me. Especially if it’s a really complicated illusion like this!”

…of course!

She snuck a quick peak down at the sand and found that…the footprints only went so far before vanishing? Like more of them were being blocked by something…

Xoco wasn’t about to let him use the same trick on her twice and immediately cast a wide gust in front of her, just enough to knock him down wherever he was or get some sand in his eyes.

“Nice try.” The voice behind her wasn’t as shocking as him tapping a finger against her spine.

Pink eyes shot open in surprise as she yelped and swung around in an attempt to catch him in a grapple.

The panicked strike went wide and her footing was off from how much she flinched from his touch. Her hand caught his shoulder just as he hooked an ankle around one of her unsteady legs and threw his weight into sending the both of them toppling down into the sand. Xoco let go of him as she tried to catch herself to slow their fall and only got a slightly softer landing for her efforts.

It did, however, leave Isak propping himself up just above her as he stared down into her eyes while his face went scarlet again.

“I– thatwasmymistakeIshouldn’thave–”

Xoco burst out laughing while laying there spread eagle. “You told me how you were going to defeat me and still managed to do it!”

“That was more ‘accidental combat’ than–”

“I made another rash decision and you threw me to the ground for it…” She was supposed to be better than this. She was making too many mistakes and it was going to cost her, if it hadn’t already. 

Isak’s eyes darted away from her as he wobbled on unsteady arms above her. “W-Well you are here to learn…”

He started to climb to his feet while leaning down to offer her a hand up.

She stared at his pale olive flesh, reached out to grab his hand, and lightly tugged to give him a warning. “Join me down here for a while?”

“…okay?”

Xoco pulled him down to lay beside her in the sand where they could both stare up at the morning sky. She enjoyed the silence broken only by the waves for a few moments before pointing up at the pale daytime moon. “My people have a legend about our moon goddess. They say that she’s the one who slew whatever beast it was that’s skull is up there now.”

No one ever really could tell what the gargantuan skull in the sky was supposed to be. It resembled nothing known to anyone through the ages and yet it was very clearly in the shape of some as of yet unknown skull to inspire countless myths.

“After she slew it, she made a home in the moon and every night she would hunt the stars until it turned into day.” She relaxed even though she was laying in sand and getting filthy, placing her hands in her lap. “We have a holiday devoted to her and hunters in general. I always liked it…and I always wanted to embody her for Gods’ March. I’m doing that this year. Every night she knows what it is she seeks and then hunts it down relentlessly until a new day is achieved. Now I’ve got a certain hunter to help me get in that mindset, if he would be so kind as to help me.”

Another quiet moment. More waves lapping at the shore. Both of them could see Nelli doing loops and circles above.

“It is…was survival for me.” Isak finally said, having fully calmed down now. “It’s what my dad taught me from a young age and what I’ve been helping him with. And that’s what I thought I was going to be doing for the rest of my life before I awakened as a mage.”

…she had perhaps been insensitive? “I didn’t mean–”

“You said that Wind magic was about taking yourself somewhere that you want to go, right?” He said while gently cutting off her unneeded concern. “Illusion magic isn’t so different. It’s a vision of the world as you want it to be. So I’ve already been ‘hunting’ for better times for a while now. Actually I already found them but I can keep the hunt going for even better times. Hunting for stars is probably beyond me though.”

“You already caught one.” The jungle troll giggled.

Isak snorted. “Did you get that line from Citlali?”

“No but I’ll be very disappointed in her if she didn’t independently come up with it on her own.”

“Huh…” Isak clicked his tongue. “You’re right…”

Both laughed before Xoco got back to the topic at hand. “So…oh Lord of Storms and Hunter of Fortune and Stars, shall you teach me your ways?”

“Well if you really want to keep meeting up like this…”

As if she was going to turn down that opportunity. She propped herself up on one elbow to face him with a grin. “You keep beating me and making it look easy so I’ve still got a lot to learn. Also, it’s fun.”

Isak climbed to his feet and shot back a playful smile of his own as he offered her a hand once more. “Yeah I’m sure me ‘beating’ you is tons of fun.”

“It is.” She said as she took his hand as she climbed to her feet with his assistance. Not that she strictly needed the aid, nor was he able to provide much given the notable size difference but that just made it all the more impressive that–

Wait what did she just say?

Xoco had been wearing her golden claw caps ever since she accidentally clawed Isak, and that came in handy now as her capped claws were attempting to dig themselves into the human’s wrist while her eyes went wide over realizing what she said. She gulped and felt a bead of sweat running down her temple, picking up tiny bits of sand as it made its way down her face.

Isak, meanwhile, seemed to be locked into a dumbfounded smile. He didn’t blink and he didn’t seem to register that she had been squeezing his hand too hard before she finally remembered how to let go.

“Well we’re both filthy after some intense training!” No, try again. “We– I should go take a shower! And you…I will see later!”

Vidal’s timing was as perfect as always, walking up to take hold of a possibly still unconscious Isak to keep him from tipping over as Xoco released him from her grip and fled back to the dorms.

<< Chapter 56 | From The Beginning

(A lot of things happening in this chapter. What was your favorite? 

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<< Chapter 55 | From The Beginning

“So…how are you interpreting ‘practical’?” Citlali asked as she stared at her trunk of clothes that was larger than her. Coztic objected to being up early by defiantly remaining curled up on the lizardlass’ bed.

“Clothes as normal until I change into a training uniform before Zyn’s practice, but also putting my hair into a braid so I don’t have to worry about that later.” Xoco said as she was busy attending to said braid-in-progress.

Then, hypothetically speaking, Citlali could just wear her usual platform boots until practice and then swap them out for flats. That was totally possible, the lizardlass thought to herself…but her friends would see her at breakfast and afterwards, the change in height would be more obvious…worse, that would probably be a violation of the oath that she swore to Isak last night in her head.

But that gave her an idea.

“Xoco if you wanted to make some kind of appearance change but wanted to distract from it by making another appearance change, what would you do?”

A shorter skirt would be the most obvious answer but school uniform regulations would get in the way of that.

“A new hairstyle usually does–...oh. You meant for you.” Citlali next heard her friend’s voice at the edge of the room divider that gave them some dressing space. “Knock knock?”

“You may enter.” Nothing to see. The lizardlass was still in her nightgown as indecision gripped her. 

Her friend made her way over and then stood beside her in the mirror which only managed to reflect up to her chest. “What are you going for today?”

“Something that…distracts from no longer trying to hide that I seem to have missed a final growth spurt.”

Xoco leaned down to poke her hip. “When you lost your green you grew where it counts.”

“The gods could have given me at least a little vertical instead of horizontal.”

The jungle troll stared at the lizardlass in the mirror, deep in thought. “Do you know why I wear heels?”

“Because they’re cute and emphasize your figure?”

“Aside from that, also thank you.”

Citlali frowned and thought for a moment. “Is it…a power thing?”

“Yes. Conventional fashion advice is for tall women to wear flats because they’re already tall enough.” She rested her hands on Citlali’s shoulders. “That is fashion advice for cowards. And you were brave enough to perform the whole ritual to join us. So I know just what to recommend for you! Show me your belts.”

The lizardlass was confused but acquiesced as she opened a panel in the wardrobe full of hanging belts. Xoco immediately went for the thickest and flashiest one: gold with three large turquoise set in it. 

“There’s only so much we can do with uniforms but a big belt draws attention to the hips because you are not a coward and you’re going to make other girls jealous.” She handed her the belt before selecting a black skirt and blue blouse. “Brighter up top to draw just enough attention there to balance out your figure, and a flashy belt to draw attention to your hips that will have other girls making rude comments borne out of jealousy.”

“...and boys–”

“This isn’t about them.” Xoco withdrew a few other pieces of jewelry from Citlali’s collection and set them out for her. “This is about you being proud of what you’ve got. And men will be the opposite of scared off by that confidence. That’s why when I have to wear long sleeves I make sure they’re form fitting enough to show off my arms rather than hide them.”

She flexed in the mirror as she knelt down next to Citlali, pairing it with a cocky smile. “Join me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Strike a pose. Show the world what Citlali’s got.”

“My stewardess says that my hips are too powerful–”

“That was before you lost your green. Your power has grown even greater now and you must learn to wield it.” Xoco struck an even more powerful pose that still showed off her arms. “Uncle Blue taught me the power of posing and now I must pass the art onto you.”

Sometimes Citlali forgot that Xoco was the emperor’s niece. 

This bold and confident side of Xoco was rare but as welcomed as it was infectious. That was real confidence, not whatever scaffolding Citlali had been putting up in preparation for planned confidence at some later date. Now it was time to actually start building some confidence. Being bold next to her friend who was almost twice her height was a first step as small as she was.

That barb aimed at herself summoned the disappointed face of Isak in her head who had just last night very clearly and metaphorically told her ‘You can’t boost my tragically low self-esteem if you aren’t confident in yourself.’

The lizardlass affixed the belt around her waist to give a test run of this new sartorial tactic. Sure enough, the larger belt did demand the attention of the eyes and insist they stay around her waist. 

And once they were there? It was time to strike with her own forbidden technique. 

She put her hands on her hips and struck a bold pose that probably had 3wind ruffling her feathers several continents away at this very moment. 

“A powerful fire burns beside me in the mirror.” Xoco said with an approving nod.

“A strong wind gave strength to that fire.” Citlali held her pose for a moment more before laughing and pulling a giggling Xoco into a hug. 

The rest of their morning routine was a firestorm of sparked joy and enthusiastic plans for Gods’ March before breakfast. Stepping outside of their dorm was…more of a challenge than it should have been. Xoco insisted that she walk with pride and at her urging they managed to make it to the main hall. No one even said anything!

Wait, was that good or bad? 

Was it good that no one noticed her height or bad that no one noticed the effort that went into what she was wearing today?

She kept her head held high all through the breakfast line but…

“By the way, excellent mix of blue, black, and gold today.” Zyn said as he sat down with a plate of food.

Citlali stared up from her own plate. “Oh…thank you for noticing!”

Despite being halfway through devouring a coconut, Tonauac gave an approving thumbs up as Patli squawked his own approval from the lizardlad’s shoulder.

“Hmm, you’re only about one shed away from losing your green entirely aren’t you?” She asked the other lizardfolk who was already a pale, greenish white mixed with black bands. He was certainly shooting up vertically but…no, she had it where it counted.

“Should be sometime within a week..” No one at the table missed the hint of melancholy in his voice but none wanted to press it. It was a barrier dropping that none of them had even been aware of in the first place. Nor did they miss Patli shuffling closer to Tonauac’s head from his shoulder perch. The lizardlad had been happily devouring a coconut just moments before for an even harder contrast.

Xoco was the first to regain her composure and slip on a reassuring smile. “I’ll miss having someone else green on the team but I know you’ll look great!”

“Yeah…” He briskly shook his head then tried to loosen the collar of his shirt with a finger. That the uniforms here were intentionally relaxed in fit could only help him so much as he grew. “It will be interesting.”

Where was this coming from? Citlali couldn’t wait to lose her green! It meant that she finally looked like a proper lady.

Wait, did Tonauac’s sudden mysterious sadness just trick her into admitting she did indeed have the look of a proper lady regardless of height? 

‘His tricks are innumerable!’ She thought to herself as she slammed a fist down on the table, startling her raptor at her feet.

Actually, it startled everyone at the table into staring at her. She very casually played it off as a much less ridiculous form of indignation. “These two can’t see them but I can see those huitziltics already showing.” She pointed to the patches of color that her mammalian friends were incapable of perceiving. “It’s a powerful look. And your jaw muscles? Even more powerful.”

“Thank you.” While his words were sincere, they were still hiding something. 

Zyn made quick eye contact and silently asked a thousand questions. Citlali could only sneak in a small shrug once Tonauac returned to devouring his large meal. 

“Sorry I’m late they just put out bagels and I had to…uh…”

The table awaiting Isak had to be a very confusing one for him to finally join, being filled with long, downcast faces. He was just enough in range for Citlali to sneak her tail over to him and tap him on the shin. She wasn’t even sure what message she was trying to get across but this small warning seemed to be enough to give the human something to work with.

“Soooo you guys hear about how we’ll be able to see a passing sky city in a couple weeks?” 

That managed to completely turn the mood around until the end of breakfast as the friends looked forward to being able to see one of those massive floating enigmas. Even Tonauac was in high spirits once more by the time all were parting ways for their classes.

Isak stopped the lizardlass with a hand on her arm once all others had already left.

“I don’t mean to keep cornering you on your own like this, but–”

“Perhaps I should always remain by your side instead, Sir?”

He got flustered and looked away while waving a hand at her. “Well at least the new look brought plenty of confidence with it.”

“So you noticed?”

“It’s astronomy lab day so of course I’d notice a star shining even brighter today.” He kept his eyes off of her, using an uncommon word for star rather than her own name. “No telescope needed.”

Her tongue rapidly flicked in and out.

…the new further lack of height posed a logistical problem.

She very much wanted to hug Isak right now but an around the shoulders hug was likely impossible. A failed attempt would wound her ego, leaving it bleeding out before Tonauac could be called back to revive it. 

“So I might be too short to hug you–”

He pulled her into his chest as his arms wrapped around her, giving her a snout full of his scent. Before she could return the hug, Isak patted her on the back and released her from his embrace to deny the lizardlass of this experience.

“See? Still possible. Now we better get to class.” 

Her tongue flicked out after him as he waved to her and left for his classes.

There were, perhaps, some advantages to embracing her actual height.

But it did take Coztic headbutting her knee to pull her from her daze.

______________________________________________________________________________

“See I know I use these stairs for endurance training but I could probably have Vidal just jump with you up to the top. In the future, I mean.” Isak explained at the two lizardfriends.

Tonauac waved it off though Citlali still kept an eye on him after this morning. “I mostly do swimming but I could try stair exercises more.”

“This is fine training for me as well.” Citlali insisted. Back home she had an entire tower to herself that was even taller than this. “I have to keep up with all of you so this is nothing.”

The water form rock man thudding up the stairs behind all of them spoke. “It would be a trivial matter for me to transport you to the top of these arduous stairs, Citlali.”

It was tempting to do as the small yellow raptor held gently in Vidal’s hands was doing and accept a ride from someone much larger. But Coztic’s size made ascending stairs too much of a hassle, so she had a valid excuse. “Our enemies are many, and I must always be ready.”

At least most of those enemies wouldn't be here tonight. 

Tonight was just stargazing.

Stargazing with schoolwork attached but this was Citlali's best subject. Her tower at home had also served as an observatory in honor of one of her favorite hobbies. 

The stairs let out onto a landing where Zyn and Ozzy waved to the trio. “Good timing! I just got down here a few minutes ago and Xoco’s got our spot saved.”

Such had become their routine for Astronomy labs.

Zyn and Xoco would arrive first and save a spot, then Citlali would show up as their guide through the stars not unlike Isak in their Wilderness Survival classes. And just like in those classes, she pointedly ignored her former ‘friends’. They at least had the courtesy to be in one of the later groups to head out onto the tower’s rooftop for work with the telescopes. 

The rooftop itself was, during most times, just an open space with some metal railings. Nothing of interest aside from the admittedly wonderful views of campus, the rest of the island, and the sea itself. On nights like these it held a collection of telescopes and a few dim red magelights on posts fixed to the floor to light the way. Xoco, still visibly taller than anyone on campus even in low light, made it even easier to find their way to their preferred spot overlooking a sea reflecting all the light from the night sky above.

“Run into any trouble?” The jungle troll said as they all met up and started to get set up by withdrawing papers and textbooks from their bags while Citlali immediately took to the telescope after setting down Coztic and letting her scamper over to a resting spot directly beneath the astrological device.

“Nah, they’re all kicking back in the classroom.” Isak updated her. “Just a few dirty looks so they’re probably trying to keep a low profile again.”

If they had bothered to look they probably would have sent some insults over into Citlali’s head via Illusion magic. She wasn’t sure which one of them was capable of it but it had been what had distracted her away from Isak prior to his ‘duel’. All the better that that individual not see her recent fashion choices to ruin her good mood.

Zyn eyed the edge of the octagonal tower. “Hey Tonauac, what wou–”

“A fall from this height would likely be lethal, Zyn.” 

The drow and his octopus crossed their arms or tentacles. “Well I wasn’t going to suggest we actually do it…”

Citlali put her eye up to the telescope’s lens. “Just dangle them over the edge. Don’t worry I’ve thought about doing that to them myself. Well, not me doing the dangling because I wouldn’t be strong enough to do that. But perhaps Vidal–”

“Master Isak prefers tacit intimidation over active threats, and only when absolutely necessary.”

“Thank you Vidal.” Isak said with a frustrated sigh. “And Tonauac.”

Xoco knelt down to whisper in Citlali’s ear while Nelli snuck in a glance through the telescope. “I could do it for you.”

The lizardlass hoped her quick smile was visible to Xoco in the low light. She returned to her duties for a few moments more before announcing her success with the telescope. “There we go! The fire drill! Or The Three Hearthstones, or The First Torch, or many other names depending on which corner of the world you’re from.”

This one was probably the easiest constellation to find in the night sky though Professor Itza had made it clear that this was not a factor in their assessment. It was instead about the history of the constellation itself, meanings across cultures, and what rituals it would enable at certain times of the year depending on location. 

“Take a look!” Citlali said before letting her friends take their turn at beholding their celestial target. 

None held back in their wonder and amazement of getting to see the constellation greatly magnified. Zyn went last as he always took the longest and usually got a bit emotional. The drow had only heard of stars and seen them in books until very recently.

“Gods…” He muttered, not so quietly, while hunched over at the telescope. “How could I have ever known?”

Citlali patted him on the back as he stood back up and immediately went for his notebook to write in. She made no comment as she wiped away the tears from the telescope’s eyepiece. “When you all inevitably visit my house I have my own astronomy tower that you are more than welcome to use.”

This was a lie. They would be required to let Citlali show it all off.

“We’re going to need to get a calendar going for all these house visits.” Isak mused while staring up at the sky.

Tonauac cleared his throat. “May I take this as confirmation that you all want to spend Winter Break at my place?”

All eyes were on Isak who for his part only winced as he kept his eyes on the skies. 

“In the interest of maintaining a good night, how about a ‘provisional’ yes?”

“I will be provisionally happy until I hear the terms and conditions.”

That was fine enough for all gathered, and Citlali especially wasn’t going to interrupt her good day.

Professor Itza made her way over to them shortly after that exchange. “How goes your assignment?”

“I lead my companions through the endless sea of the night with due diligence, Professor.” Citlali said with a bow.

“You shall perhaps have my job some day if you stay the course!” She returned the gesture with a warm smile made warmer by the red lights. “And don’t forget to add some of what you all would do with your chosen constellation’s properties given the chance!”

Professor Itza was back on her way to making her rounds between students on the rooftop.

The group returned to a lite mood, talking and joking as they worked on their observations and made their notes. A gentle, tropical night breeze made the gathering even more comfortable. Nothing like the cool nights of Citlali’s home city but it…was all amazingly close to what she had often dreamt of. To what her Awakening Dream had been like, or at least the vision that The Man With The Obsidian Mirror showed her.

At the top of her tower, stargazing while surrounded by friends and…possibly more.

She raised her face away from the eyepiece to glance at Isak, currently pointing out constellations to Vidal, then returned her eyes to the constellation. 

Her own people mostly knew it as The Fire Drill but Xoco’s people knew it as The Three Hearthstones. She preferred that one. A fire at the center of a home to base things around. A gathering place, and a place where meals were cooked that would give those of the house strength to fight on.

It was a romantic idea, really. 

…perhaps she should learn to cook. Especially if she was going to be embodying The Lady of The House this year and the hearth fires that she oversaw. 

Now cooking would be a romantic thing just like in all the stories she read. The lizardlass just hadn’t had the opportunity yet, and for so long that dream seemed so far off. Now? Surrounded by friends who were all joyously learning from her and metaphorically benefitting from the fire that burned inside her. This was as clear a message from The Lady of The House as she could hope for that she was on the right path and that she must be the best she could be for those she cared for.

<< Chapter 55 | From The Beginning

(A lot of things happening this chapter but it's no problem for the Secretary-Maid herself.

Please let me know what you think and leave a comment!)

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<< Chapter 54 | From The Beginning

“This stuff is awesome! What did you say this one was, Isak?” Zyn asked in between forkfuls of chicken in sauce. 

Isak reached for the slip of paper that had come with the insulated containers that now sat in a corner of his and Zyn’s dorm where some study desks once sat. Said desks were now repurposed into a dinner table for the group of friends in the center of the room around which they sat for a meal provided by Professor Manoka’s wife. The human read down the list of included dishes and found the one matching the description of what Zyn was eating. “That one is…’Moambe Chicken’. It’s got peanuts in it.” 

“Oooh I’ll take some.” Tonauac held out his plate as Isak ladled out a portion for him. “I loved all the stuff my grandma made with peanuts.”

“What was it that you had to do for all of this, Isak?” Xoco asked in-between bites of a kind of bread she was unfamiliar with.

The human avoided all eyes at his table and let his own drift over to Vidal standing in the corner, currently amusing the group’s familiars with his water form. “It was uh…Vidal research. Professor Manoka has been helping me figure him out. Or at least my connection to him, I mean.” 

“And what did your scientific endeavors reveal, Sir?” Citlali asked with metaphorical and nominally appropriate stars in her eyes. 

Isak cleared his throat. 

Right, these were people he trusted and cared for.

And he was coming up on a Lavi holiday involving introspection and making amends. So, no more secrets right?

…

Okay, no more big secrets. 

But really what even was a ‘big’ secret? That was going to require just as much reflection!

‘Come on Isak it had only been a few days since you last got lost in thought like this.’ He thought at himself.

Right. Of course. He could tell them things now. He always could.

“Well we tested if uh…so you see Vidal is a very unusual familiar, right?”

“Unusually awesome, yes.” Zyn said before turning in his seat to the familiars corner. “And before any of you complain, you’re all unusual in cool ways too!”

Ozzy was in the middle of floating through Vidal’s waterways as he eeked an understanding. All the feathered familiars enjoyed a light drizzle from either one of the rock man’s hands that harmlessly vanished into nothing shortly after hitting them. None of them were paying enough attention to Zyn’s words to care.

“Right, yeah.” Isak pressed on while poking at his food with a fork. “So uh…probably because Vidal is such a special case, and I’m not blaming him, but because of that, and possibly because of unknown circumstances, not that I’m entirely blaming those circumstances either but…well my connection to him is actually really…really weak.”

“And yet you easily beat me without any help from Vidal.” The jungle troll at his side dabbed at her mouth with a napkin while gazing at the ceiling. “And that was after you had Vidal slice a large raptor in half while beating up a mage for insulting the honor of Citlali and me. I must train even harder in preparation for your inevitable truest potential being unlocked.”

“...you make it sound much cooler than it is. The professor did a test to see if emotions were even getting through the familiar bond in the first place that involved testing out embarrassment.” Why did he say that? Isak’s jaw clenched shut and he frowned before he could muster up the will to continue. He spoke through gritted teeth. “And that is how I earned this dinner.”

“What uh…” The drow grimaced. “What exactly did that involv– You know what I realized my mistake as I was saying it. Thank you for the food, Isak.”

“You’re all very welcome.” Isak winced, then sighed away some tension. “I’d do it again. I need to learn as much as I can about Vidal and I have to find some way to provide for you.”

“Shut up I’m not sending my friend back into the torment zone just for some delicious chicken.” Zyn pointed at the human with his fork. “Did you know the kitchens always set aside some ingredients for students to make their own meals? Simple stuff but I’m sure some of us have our own simple meals from home that we could cook for dinner nights like this.”

Xoco and the lizardfriends all stopped mid bite and immediately avoided all eyes in the room. 

“Oh come on what did I say wrong there?” The drow rolled his eyes. 

Tonauac looked at the even more dread filled girls and went first. “As far back as family records go, the men of my family have been good at making nutritious things but not things that you would cook for guests that you like.”

“My family history is well documented. Perhaps too well.” Xoco sank down in her seat. “And we have employed chefs for a long, long time…We…er…well I could probably have some of our kitchen staff make something for us!”

Isak chuckled to lessen the tension. “I think we’re a bit far for that–”

“A small team could be flown out. Just the essentials for a proper meal. I think about 20 should do it, right Citlali?”

“Hmm there’s only five of us so you might be able to get away with only 12…oh! I have a better idea! I could have some of my family’s own kitchen staff join! That way none of them are lacking in support!”

“That’s a great idea!” The giant troll girl bounced in her seat before gripping the table in sudden realization. “Wait! Oh I’m so foolish, there would be no place for them to stay!”

“Perhaps they could be docked on a boat?” The lizardlass offered with a bright smile.

It died as she and the other girl looked at the boys, either staring in bewilderment or with head in hand in the case of Zyn.

Citlali sunk down deep into her seat and her stature threatened to make her vanish from sight. Isak was perhaps imagining things but her red scales seemed even brighter as though a blush was trying to fight through her anatomy. Xoco had meanwhile turned forest green in embarrassment and was back to twiddling her thumbs together.

“My family also employs professional chefs so I have not learned to cook anything…” Citlali admitted. 

“Don’t apologize, you both seemed to be having a good time.” Isak put on a smile while trying not to think of how casually they were discussing sending a kitchen ship out here the likes of which would have made pre-imperial kings blush. “I could probably throw something together. Something a lot more…subtle…I mean operationally subtle. A chef boat would be too easy a target. Plus at some point we could probably just go to your houses and not bother your chefs with all the travel.”

The girls made eye contact and then communicated in some kind of non-verbal language that involved a lot of small expressions. After a brief and silent debate, they seemed to reach an agreement.

“We find these terms agreeable.” They said as one. 

“Speaking of operational subtlety.” Zyn cut in after looking thoroughly amused at the situation. “This is your reminder that you all have stealth training with Professor Zyn, tomorrow. Wear practical clothes. Footwear included.”

Red eyes lingered on a red lizardlass who blankly blinked back.

Isak looked down to where the girl sat on a few books, made eye contact with Zyn, and shook his head. The drow let it go and returned to his food.

Isak would deal with this later so she wasn’t being ganged up on. She was a…spirited lady for all the good and bad that brought. Luckily she was in the habit of following his orders though he was going to have to figure out how to be supportive rather than just order her to feel more confident about her height.

“Speaking of training.” Isak shoved the conversation in another direction. “Citlali, what training do you have planned for us?”

She hummed in thought. “There's two that would be most useful: pickpocketing, both how to do it and how to defend against it, and target practice! Which do you prefer?”

“Target practice?” Tonauac asked.

“Every mage needs good aim and mine is the best.”

“Hey at least I still hit him!”

“I'm sorry, I lied.” Citlali frowned in shame. “Lord Isak's aim is unbeatable.”

Xoco nodded solemnly. “His warrior heart did the aiming and found a better target.”

“We should test that but…” Zyn pointed his fork at the flustered human. “His Warrior Heart technique only activates in moments of true need. We couldn't fake that.”

“And even if we could, we can't take the risk.” Tonauac tossed a scrap of chicken over to Patli, who caught it in his beak, before holding a determined gaze. “Even with my own Blood Sun technique…”

“Hearts, blood, if we keep up the theme for special techniques then we'll have our official name for our group.” Isak put a hand to his chin to cover up a wry smile. “We can be ‘The Student Body’.”

Two laughs, two groans. An even split was still a success!

“Speaking of official names.” Zyn pinched the bridge of his nose as he failed to appreciate Isak’s humor. “We still need to come up with an actual one, don’t we?”

Isak scratched the back of his head. “Our paperwork for being an official warband is uh, still pending yeah…and we need that to do even more paperwork for having a club room. How about we take the weekend, come up with some ideas, and make a decision on Oneday?”

“Agreed.” Rang out the chorus of friends. 

“Oh!” Xoco spoke up while reaching for her book bag thrown onto Isak’s bed, barely having to strain with her long arms. “And since we’re handling news…we’re handling news now, right?”  Again, everyone quickly agreed as they ate. “I got the list of stolen potion ingredients! I have no idea what to make of it but I have it!”

She waved around a paper, then handed it to Tonauac who had held out an open hand. “Let’s see…” He scanned the page and seemed to be piecing something together in his head. “If I can brag about my grades a little bit, it’s nothing that someone in our year should recognize.”

Isak drummed his fingers on the makeshift dinner table before snapping his fingers. “Remember Lin?”

Blank looks were his clear answer.

“We met him back before the jungle incident, he’s in Zyn and my Wilderness Survival class…yeah anyway, his family owns a potion shop and I help everyone in that class with studying.”

“But can he be trusted, Sir?” Citlali asked.

“I just won’t make a big deal about it. Play it all casual. I’ll just finally accept that invite to meet up with him and some of his friends for tea.”

“You’ll need someone to go with you.” Xoco stated. “You’ll need someone who knows proper tea etiquette. And while I prefer coffee, either Citlali or I would be perfect.”

“I do not have an oni uncle.” The lizardlass put a hand to her chest. “It must be you, Xoco.”

Isak’s brain finally finished processing what was happening. “Y-Yeah! Yes yeah that would be good. Perfect idea Xoco!”

Was this…was this like the library…thing?

Date not a date? 

Figure it out later, Isak.

Distraction for now.

“With that settled, how’s everyone' s preparations for Gods’ March going?”

Far more casual plans overtook the discussion while Isak again eased into the idea of being more open about being a complete stranger to various cultural practices. Any time he would ask, someone would just inform him without raising any issues. They were just as curious in return about Lavi practices during that cross-tradition holiday. 

By the end of the night, bellies and minds alike were full by the time all were saying their goodbyes. 

Though there was still one thing to take care of.

Isak excused himself from Zyn and Vidal and hurried out the door just after the girls had left. He called after the lizardlass.

“Citlali, wait up.”

She looked over her shoulder with a question on her face.

“Give us a moment, Xoco?”

Her sharp smile came quick. “I’ll go on ahead.” was her response before long strides had her vanish around a corner in a few seconds.

“Right.” Isak sighed, mentally prepping himself for this. The lizardlass and her small yellow raptor waited patiently on him. “Citlali.”

“Yes Sir?”

“You understood what Zyn meant about wearing something practical tomorrow for training, right?”

Her tail thrashed behind her as Coztic scampered out of the way. “...no short skirts?”

Isak frowned at her and she looked away.

“Must we speak of this now? Dinner was nice, and I've shown that I can be nimble in any kind of footwear.”

“This is something that really bothers you and I'm not delaying in trying to make you feel better about it.”

She went silent for a moment before her head hung low. “Others who are not our friends are more judgmental…”

“And Jearx wants me feeling bad about being poor and from the middle of nowhere. I’ve still got some hangups over that.”

“But you’re a hero of humble–”

“Yeah yeah, so I’ve been told.” Isak still didn’t entirely know how to feel about being told that. “I won’t tell you to not worry about it but I will tell you that if anyone does make you worry about it, I’ll use my new kinda evil reputation to scare them off…maybe some lite electrocution again if needed.”

Her tail quickly coiled into a spiral behind her and her tongue rapidly flicked out. Whatever it was she whispered was inaudible.

“Hmm?”

“Um, thank you Sir.”

“Everyone else in our little group would do the same.” He shrugged and weakly smiled. “I have to remind myself that things are…better now.”

“I’ll remind you if you remind me, Sir.”

“Sure.” He patted her on the shoulder. “Call it one of your secretarial duties.”

Her eyes lit up like emeralds in the sun. “And…my maidly duties?”

He rolled his eyes and marched her down the hall towards the corner that would take her to the stairs. “Clean out that mind of yours. Xoco I know you’re there and you’re the one who gave her that idea. Take her back to your dorm before she tries to clean mine.”

A pause, then a troll girl with a guilty smile as big as she was stepped out from behind the corner at the end of the hallway. “I…am just looking out for a dear friend!”

“See? In good hands.” Isak squeezed the lizardlass’ shoulder a final time before entrusting her to Xoco. 

“Thank you for looking out for her, too.” All guilt was replaced with genuine appreciation. Her eyes were such a bright, vibrant pink but something about them let them show so much warmth when she wanted. “It’s all worth fighting for, isn’t it?”

“What’s a few more monsters?” He grinned and shrugged. “Metaphorically and literally speaking.”

“Our hunter shall lead us then.” Citlali snuck in a bow. 

“It will be a nice view, then.”

Isak blithely stared at Xoco whose smile was followed by a bead of sweat.

“W–”

“We should really be getting back to our dorm! Goodnight Isak!” Somehow the lizardlass that was nearly half her size pulled the jungle troll along while Nelli adjusted her coils to cover the taller girl’s mouth. 

“Y-Yes goodnight!”

What.

Words weren’t working right now, so a wave goodbye had to suffice. 

<< Chapter 54 | From The Beginning

(What do you think Citlali was whispering?

Please let me know what you think and leave a comment!)

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<< Chapter 52 | From The Beginning

10rain’s office was still a work in progress.

Like everyone else she was having to get moved in and set up while also still undertaking her usual duties. It was actually a stroke of luck that Huemac managed to catch her in her office as she was keeping herself very busy in getting everyone situated. Despite all of that she still had one of the neater rooms in this command center at the moment. 

Not that that was a high bar but she still soared over it.

“You wouldn’t have any excuses for me to sleep in my office tonight, would you?” Huemac plainly asked as he found her completing some paperwork. 

“That depends.” She set down her pen next to her rat on her desk before standing to address the Lieutenant Colonel. “What are you avoiding at home?”

“Nothing.”

“That’s a spiritually literal ‘nothing’, isn’t it?”

Huemac's snort morphed into a chuckle. “Thank you, Major, for showing me that someone around here will be able to keep me on my toes.”

“All the more reason to let me do my job and manage the minutiae while you go get a proper night’s rest.” She made a shooing motion with her hand.

The Lieutenant Colonel didn’t hide his flinch. “Is it really that apparent?”

“Even if I wasn’t aware that you haven’t been home in over a week, I can see it in your eyes.”

Huemac withdrew a mage’s mirror from his pocket and gazed into it. The reds staring back did indeed show the hollowness of a man who had been worrying and barely sleeping for over a week now. “I will go home at the standard time and if anything comes up that needs my attention I am to be retrieved at once.”

“I learned that Vito has a griffin as a familiar.” 10rain looked upwards to the direction of where the larger familiars of Shadowguards often found themselves waiting for their mages on the ground level. “Both of them will be in front of your house in minutes if something needs your attention.”

It was only through immense force of will that Huemac didn’t point out that he could handle such an issue in seconds if only he just slept here. No, he wasn’t so far gone that he couldn’t recognize the error in that. “Let it not be said that I’m unwilling to trust the expertise and competence of those I lead. But have some hot cocoa ready when I get here.”

It would keep him from being too grumpy but the amount of people who knew how to make a true cup of hot cocoa was tiny.

“Alllllready have a list going of everyone’s energizing drink of choice.” She clicked her beak. “With all they’re expecting of us we can expect the higher ups to let us have our small joys.”

“Just the small ones, Major.” Huemac said stone faced. “If the Shadowguard or Nahuallachiantin start looking too happy then the public starts getting nervous.”

10rain shrugged. “That’s why we just tell them we only work in ‘document processing’ or some other boring sounding role.” 

“Or ‘Trade Company Security Contractor’?” 

“Exactly, no one gets nervous if they don’t know who we are in the first place.” 

The Lieutenant Colonel slowly inhaled and exhaled just as slowly while he rolled his shoulders. “Too much truth in that, Major.” 

They parted ways and returned to their work for several more hours without incident until Huemac finally departed for home after trying to make the most of those hours.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The island districts were covered in an extensive rail network unlike anywhere else in the empire. All seats of power for government, military, temples, business, and more were here and all of them wanted the most convenient ways to get around. A Shadowguard Lieutenant Colonel wouldn’t draw much attention even if he was in full uniform, though it was their tradition to be in uniform as little as possible. It made the appearance of a uniformed Shadowguard all the more impactful. Instead Huemac found himself in a shirt and slacks that were just slightly north of fully casual, staring off into space as the train crossed a bridge back onto the mainland. 

Ever since his son had left for school, he had only been out of uniform while sleeping. Now he may as well be asleep for how…surreal things felt.

There were a few imperial officials in this train compartment, at least in uniform, and even they were idly passing the time along with everyone else. Given the hour they were all likely headed home as well.

Normal things.

Of course he remembered what that was like. It hadn’t been that long had it? A little past a week? Just enough time to try convincing himself that he could keep busy enough to not be alone with his thoughts. More importantly, to not be alone. 

He just had to keep busy until Tonauac returned for winter break, then repeat until summer, then keep repeating until he was done with magic school and a medical program and he made a decision to start his own family at home or move out or–

Tepetl flopped down onto Huemac's lap with a grunt, which forced one out of the liarddad as only a large jaguar ‘subtly’ demanding attention could.

Huemac relented and scratched the jungle cat behind an ear. “If you would have let me continue I could have over-planned my way through all of this.”

The large cat side-eyed the Lieutenant Colonel while still demanding scritches.

“Fine. A night back home, first.” Said the man to the jungle cat with only minimal onlookers. Not because he was having a seemingly one sided conversation with his familiar. That much was normal. Having an actual jaguar as a familiar still got him the occasional curious or cautious stare.

That worked just fine for Huemac as a test of character…though perhaps growing up with a deadly apex predator as a beloved caretaker had given Tonauac a warped sense of danger enough to fearlessly and literally dive into the life of the teenager with a most mysterious familiar.

‘See, this is your fault.’ He thought at Tepetl, who flexed his claws in response. Huemac flexed his own claws on the large cat’s shoulder. A ridiculous exchange that they would often engage in since he first got him. ‘Fine, we both taught him too well.’

Neither of them had been responsible for how effortlessly he made friends, though. Not that Huemac didn’t have friends. Most of them were through work, though, and the ones who weren’t wouldn’t find it odd that he had been away from home for so long.

Truly not much to go home to.

…

Perhaps he should do something about that.

At some point.

At some time.

Not tonight of course. No going out to do anything that could be mistaken for relaxing or socializing. He would work up to that. Later. 

The train pulled into the station, and from there it was only a short connecting ride to another station and an even briefer walk home to the Zipactonal house. More people recognized the Lieutenant Colonel around here and would greet him as he passed. They all asked how Tonauac was doing at school.

‘Making a lot of friends!’ he would respond. 

Postal service between the capital and Black Reef Institute was fast enough for him to plausibly know that information in a normal way. They had even exchanged letters already. But by the end of the first day of all this the mail was already being redirected to his now former posting and handled with some of the highest priority in the empire.

Huemac looked around as he stood on the sidewalk outside his house. Tepetl slunk along ahead of him to scout things out as he always did. Before the jaguar made it around the side of the house, the lizardman had already picked out the likely spots that his fellow Shadowguard were monitoring his home.

The corner market at the end of the street had some customers eating outside at a table and while he was too far away to identify anyone there was a good chance that at least one of them was a Shadowguard. Several trees around the neighborhood were the right height to be vantage points for the invisible. Even some random pedestrians passing through were possible candidates.

“Just not the same without Tonauac…” He said aloud for the benefit of any possible hostile parties watching. It wasn’t even a lie, he thought as he walked up to the door and shook his head. 

“I’m back.” He announced as Tepetl sat waiting for him inside after confirming nothing was amiss. They made eye contact for a moment before the big cat went ahead of him to the living room while Huemac kicked his boots off. “You wouldn’t believe how wild work has been.”

His leather satchel of snacks, medicine, and random other supplies was carefully hung on a hook. He didn’t really need it at ‘work’ but carrying it added to an image of normalcy for all who saw him in public.

Stone and wood walls greeted him in the entry way as tiled floors echoed his voice into the empty home. Two floors that were more than enough for its two main inhabitants now stood as too much for just the one. This was a starter home meant for an up and coming military star’s inevitably growing family. Have a few kids before upgrading to something more grand. 

“Our son is doing well. Very well.” Huemac let out a long exhale to force some relaxation upon himself before slowly ambling towards the living room lit only by sparse amber mage lights. “He’s made a lot of new friends. Great new friends. You know he gets that from you.”

He paused in front of a liquor cabinet in the living room, considering the contents for a moment before deciding against it and making a break for the couch. No need for anything to help him relax when he could already feel his energy fleeing from him the longer he was in here. Was that all it took to unwind? Being fully away from work in a home he was fully confident in the safety of? Or was it something else?

“One of his new friends has a very unusual familiar.” He sank down onto the couch and accepted that he probably wouldn’t make it to his own bed. “I’ve never seen anything like it. No one has, as best we can tell…right, we…”

Huemac had been dreading explaining this part to her. The house was clear, though. Tepetl had already verified that. And enchantments that were already in place meant that no one outside the house could hear anything said within it. “I sent someone to check up on our son at school. Don’t worry, it’s someone I trust completely…I only meant to see how he was doing for a week or so. His first time away from home for so long in some place new, and I had trainees who needed to log some hours.”

Tepetl headbutted his free hanging hand and he received some ear scritches for his efforts. Only Huemac could continue to explain his actions, though.

“You know I don't like to be like this, I've trusted him with only you here at home plenty of times. And if he did get up to any trouble then he covered it up well enough to make me proud.” Honestly a part of him wished that just such a thing had actually happened. “But our only son…all that I have left of you…I just had to make sure he was going to be okay…”

His eyes hovered at an empty fireplace just below the mantle, then he grit his teeth.

“Someone else is spying on him and all of his friends now and I think it’s that odd familiar I mentioned. The empire isn't the only interested party…but I swear to you that we're going to protect them. They won't like it once they figure out what we're doing but they can come around to the necessity of it while still being safe.”

Huemac's eyes finally landed on the golden urn on the mantle. 

“I promised you I would keep him happy. Now I have a lot more help in keeping to that promise, though I do need to make sure they don’t overstep.” His tongue hadn’t been flicking for several minutes now. One flick was enough confirmation of how empty the house was of anyone else. Just one man and one jaguar. “It’s only the highest powers in the empire.”

The lizarddad reclined on the couch and Tepetl followed suit by curling up on the floor beside him. He shook his head, buried his snout in his hands for a moment, then stood up to march off to his own room with a jaguar in tow. It would have been too easy to sleep in here where it felt less lonely, and where he wouldn’t have had to walk any more today.

Tonauac didn’t need a father who took the easy route.

He also probably didn’t need a father who could manage to overthink the mere act of going to bed and make it into an allegorical affair but unfortunately that change would take a while to grow out of.

<< Chapter 52 | From The Beginning

(Good news: Next week's chapter is also done.

Bad news: It will be the last Huemac chapter for a while. Or is that good news? How have you enjoyed this interlude with Tonauac's dad?

Please let me know what you think and leave a comment!

Discord server is HERE for this and my other works of fiction.)

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<< Chapter 51 | From The Beginning

“Mom is a tailor and fashion designer.” Tlalli told the Lieutenant Colonel while handing him a folder. “Initial reports indicate she’s got some wealthy clients.”

“See if we can get a client list.”

“Already on it, though we don’t think there will be anything interesting there.” The lizardlady’s red and black hands were a blur as she flipped between several pages. “We’re much more interested in the rest of Zyn’s immediate family.”

Huemac tilted his head. “That so?”

“Dad is a museum curator and his brother and sister-in-law are archaeologists.” One of the drow team members, Nyth, laid out some folders. Official administrative records. Boring on their own but fascinating under the right circumstances and she knew just how to look at the right records to make that happen. “The timeline wouldn't add up…but they may be useful to the group’s own little investigation.”

The drow woman’s line of  thinking got a smile out of Huemac before he continued with his assessment. He narrowed his eyes looking over the papers. “Start putting together a no contact visit to the museum, have someone else try to commission a new dress from mom, and see what we can discover about the archaeologists’ latest ventures.”

“I've got the answer to that last one, Sir.” Of course Arjc did. The dwerrow had previously stated that he had some possible contacts who might be able to get him some fast information on this couple. He wouldn’t even have mentioned the ‘possibilities’ unless he felt confident that they might come through. “Seems it's ‘having a baby’ and as a result not planning any big new projects for a while. As for current projects, it's a dig site in Yulaya. Details are being investigated as we speak.”

Huemac’s tongue flicked out as he thought to himself for a moment. A room full of Shadowguard and their familiars looked on as the Lieutenant Colonel assessed the proper direction to take with their findings.

“This yet to be named group has thus far stated a preference for doing all of their research and discoveries as ‘internally’ as possible. Start assessing how we might subtly steer them in the direction of consulting Zyn’s family. They’re a unique blend of benign and known elements…so far. Other families are unlikely to be as helpful. Present company excluded of course.” The lizarddad gestured towards his chest as some chuckles and chortles rang out from the assembled team. “Excellent work all of you, keep it up and formalize any requests for additional ground activities by the end of the day. Don’t be stingy with the requests. We’re dealing with a high priority operation.”

“Exactly how high, Sir?” Tlalli asked on behalf of the group whose curious looks all begged the same question.

The Lieutenant Colonel rolled his shoulders and pointedly looked over at the top of the line instantaneous communication equipment sitting in the center of the room that came with its own trained operator currently tuning the chimes. Just as the poor bizhi looked up, his ears went back and his fur puffed out as he realized all other eyes in the room were looking at him and having their own realizations of how the answer to the question was rather obviously sitting in front of them.

Not that they couldn’t add it all up in their heads. 

They were just still processing being thrust into something bigger than any of them realized.

“I asked what exactly our budget was for this whole operation.” Huemac said, drawing attention away from the thankful operator. “I was told ‘Don’t worry about it.’ Which is all the more reason to not abuse that. I’ll have a more formal briefing for you all later but the speed at which all of this is moving should give you all some more indication of how seriously this is being taken.”  

“Sounds like you deserve a promotion or two, Sir.” Tlalli offered.

“Don’t give the Dart House any ideas.” His wry grin preceded a return to laughter from the group. “Just give them the idea to bump up all our paygrades ahead of schedule instead.”

That earned a round of laughs and cheers that allowed him to make a hero’s exit.

At least that team would remain in high spirits for a while.

The last team he had to check in with was going to be worse. He knew it, they knew it. That’s why he saved it for last to give them as much time as possible. Each of the rooms here were enchanted to be soundproof for maximum operational security. Currently that fact was serving the additional benefit of not having one cheering team demoralizing a different one.

Zyn’s team was having the ‘best’ time with many interesting leads that would give even other teams a lot to work with. 

Tonauac’s team was mostly devoted to ensuring Huemac didn’t overlook anything due to relational proximity in this operation while also checking to see if anyone was trying to spy on the Lieutenant Colonel himself. 

Citlali’s team was the newest and so far the ones having the most ‘average’ time…so far. While they had been quick to discover that Citlali’s family itself would likely prove to be non-notable in regards to this operation, her now former friends threatened to make them one of the busier teams.

The Yalkab girl’s team certainly had a lot of ground to cover. A First Family and a Great Corporation? And one of the more prominent of each? This wasn’t a confirmed counter-espionage operation yet but unofficially it was an exceptionally safe bet. It being a family with a long and proud military history as well meant that this entire operation had to be kicked up several notches in secrecy and security. They were likely the second most anxiety filled team.

Huemac mentally braced himself for the check in with the clear winners for most anxiety ridden team.

Ivyd had been personally helping this team get set up and was already present when the Lieutenant Colonel finally checked in.

Other teams had pinboards that connected known immediate family and friends, notable events, conspicuous allies and enemies, family histories, and notable events.

The Isak team had maps of the Wastes and several life sized sketches of Vidal’s known elemental forms looming tall at the center of the room, bearing those mysterious markings on his stones. Huemac actually felt bad for the human whose sketch had to endure existence as a completely normal human standing next to several intimidating depictions of a mysterious walking anomaly. 

“Ah, Sir.” Vito exchanged a quick salute with Huemac as soon as he saw him enter. The brown minotaur had the absolute misfortune of having a name too linguistically close to that of the rock man but thus far managed to take it in stride. “I was just outlining the difficulties we’ll be facing in getting proper quick communications set up to monitor Inicios…not that our initial reports have revealed that there’s much of interest in Inicios to begin with outside of Kazimir.”

The ranking 3rd Eye didn’t actually look up from the maps and documents laid out on the table. “When did you say that your operative should be reporting back?”

“We should be hearing from him next Fiveday. That’s also when we’ll hear if the team we assigned to Inicios made it there and got set up without any incident.” The minotaur groaned and massaged just below one of his horns. “Fastest we can make all this happen that far out on the frontier.”

“Especially if we want to keep it a secret.” Huemac started to rattle off complications while counting on his fingers. “Had to find someone who would know the local culture, had to get a flight that wouldn’t raise any alarms if it was witnessed, had to drop them far from Inicios to lower suspicions even further, had to have them complete the rest of the trek on foot and while invisible, and then after initial observations he’ll need to make it back to the rendezvous point likely on foot again. Finally, he can then be flown to the nearest chime repeater station for debriefing. And that’s all assuming no complications.”

“Do we believe there will be any hostile forces awaiting the operative once he arrives?” Ivyd rubbed at his chin, now staring at the map even harder.

“We do.” Huemac confirmed while crossing his arms. “There were enough unknowns to assume as much when we initially sent him off. That was before we discovered we were far from the only party watching the group.”

The drow tapped at a spot on the map well away from Inicios. “You’ll need a series of chime repeater stations starting around here. It will be the hardest to set up as it will require the utmost secrecy despite proximity to Isak’s village. Much further out it may be possible to set them up in existing buildings though I understand that would pose its own set of problems.”

Both the eyes of Vito and the entire team had gone wide as they did the math in their heads over the logistics of what was being proposed. Understanding was the next look to cross their faces. They had their orders right from the very top on how to handle this and hearing the 3rd Eye propose all of these measures without any hesitation confirmed just how far they would be going to meet those goals. 

“...well as long as budget isn’t an issue–”

“Don’t worry about it.” 

There it was again.

A few in the assembled team flinched at the implications of the dismissal but Huemac’s lack of reaction assuaged any worries. 

“In that case, we have some potential locations for those chime repeater stations picked out.” Vito and the rest of the team started to place down some markers on the map while cross referencing all the files available. “There wasn’t much else to do until we heard back from our ground operatives so we had to keep busy.”

Huemac made his exit after that high note.

He knew full well that this team was trying to research a kid and his immediate family who until last year would have been so un-notable that a report on all of them would fill one page. The Nightspawn event last year had caused the admittedly wild speculation that this rock man was some kind of product of that. Which meant that so far their best lead was ‘Krazy Kazimir’: the most obvious lead who was still largely an unknown pending deeper investigations.

The Lieutenant Colonel’s idle musings in the hall meant that one of his archivists from the old team making a coffee run found him standing and staring at a wall. The orange hobgoblin with coffee in hand came to a stop in front of him and cleared his throat. 

“Permission to speak freely?” Wu asked, leaving his sharp fangs exposed as he awaited a response. 

Huemac knew that signal well: Perhaps overly candid insight with a warning label attached.

“Permission granted.”

“You look like you need this more than I do.” The hobgoblin held up the coffee long enough for the Lieutenant Colonel to give a small shake of his head. “I know hot cocoa is more your thing, Sir, but you need something stronger.”

“I’ll have some hot cocoa later.” Huemac put on a thankful smile. “I don’t need to be so energized right before I catch some sleep.” 

“Sleeping at work only counts for half!” Wu rolled his eyes. “I know you haven’t even been home in over a week and I know even when you do field work you don’t stay ‘on’ this much.”

Huemac sighed and rubbed his snout. “Things are still being set up here and need my attention.”

“You just got a shiny new Major who can help with that and a team of your most beloved subordinates who you know you can trust to keep things running while you go unwind.”

…the lizardman internally admitted that sleeping in his own bed as opposed to a cot in his own office would be far more restful.

“I will take it into consideration.”

“And can I make an additional recommendation?”

“I of course welcome all good faith suggestions.”

“Go out and spend some time with some people. And I don’t mean work people.” The archivist explained. “Watch some shows, get some food, have some drinks, meet some nice ladies and find Tonauac a…a uh…a new…new mo–”

There was no magic involved in Huemac’s eyes going from reassuring red to castigating crimson. Only sixteen and some years of being a father to carefully hone a stern look that could get misbehaving children to shape up in an instant.

“There’s probably a fresh new box of documents that I should go sort, Sir.”

“There’s probably several.”

“Several more opportunities to think before I speak, Sir?”

“Perhaps there are only a few boxes, then.”

“On it, Sir.” He said with a salute and then escaped before he could get himself into more trouble.

Huemac shook his head at the tail end of his own salute. Perfect timing as this was an idea that had occurred to him before. The lizarddad had the better part of four centuries ahead of him, as did his son. A thought that popped up every now and again told him that Tonauac did indeed need a mother in his life. Huemac’s own grief had prevented that from happening during his more formative years and a worse part of him tried to say that there was no rush now that he would be spending so much time off at school and subsequently starting his own family afterwards. 

A more sensible part of him would then respond that Huemac had his own mother and father still in his life, and why should he deny that to Tonauac? 

Then, much further down, the tiniest of voices said that it didn’t want to spend the centuries alone. 

He was good at ignoring that voice most days. And these most recent days there were plenty of opportunities to focus on much more important things. 

Tepetl reappeared from his wanderings just in time to headbutt the lizarddad’s hand. 

Huemac figured that if he was mentally drained enough to keep lapsing into hallway musings and letting his own familiar surprise him then it really was time for a break. For operational security, of course. Along the way he could even check to see if the so far unknown rival spies were watching him yet. 

‘Amazing.’ He shook his head as he thought to himself, marching off to busy himself with his jaguar following after him. Even if he was warming up to the idea there was still work that needed to be done today. ‘I managed to turn the very act of going home and getting a decent night’s rest into work.’ 

<< Chapter 51 | From The Beginning

(The good news is that the next chapter is just pending some polish and won't face any delays.

There is no bad news. 

Please let me know what you think and leave a comment!

Discord server is HERE for this and my other works of fiction.)