Chapter 263: A Burning Descent (2/2)
”How cunning. Very well, I shall play along.” He muttered before straightening to his full height and speaking again in a deep resounding voice. ”Michael Rasmussen, for the aid you have given and will give to me, I shall grant you three boons. By the ancient laws of dragonkind, these shall be gifts of knowledge, power, and wealth in a measure equal to your task. Is this acceptable to you?”
[That's kind of vague. Oh well, its not like this bargain is actually costing me anything besides some mana and a little bit of time. I'll just go along with it for the time being.]
”It is.”
”Very well, then the contract is formed.” Murthinax intoned solemnly, causing a visible shudder to pass through the air around them as a powerful wave of mana surged from his body.
[Contract?]
”...Wait, what are you-”
”Now, human, I will begin repaying my debt by imparting knowledge upon your companion here. I shall take him back to Stonebirth with me, teach him what it means to be a dragon, and train him in the ancient arts of our kind. With the evident strength of his spirit, I do not believe it will take long for him to rise from his status as a Lesser Flame Dragon.” The colossal creature interrupted.
”Now hold on a minute-” Mike started to argue. However, Red stopped him.
”I want to go.” The dragon said, speaking to him in discernible words for the first time. His voice was deep and rumbling, although to a much lesser extent than the other one, but still carried a naive tone which belied his youth.
”I need to become stronger so that you won't leave me behind.”
Mike shook his head, finding the idea silly. ”Come on now, I wouldn't do that.”
Red tilted his head in a strangely cat-like fashion. ”Why not? You've already done it with the little one.”
It took Mike a moment to realize that he was talking about Audra, and felt a pang of guilt.
[I suppose I can't blame him for thinking that way.]
After a few moments of consideration, he nodded. ”Alright, you can go, but I expect you to come back eventually. I can hardly pretend to be a Dragonknight without my dragon mount, now can I?”
Red bent down until his head was level with Mike, then nuzzled against him. Although fairly unpleasant, due to the dragon's rough scales and hide, the sentiment wasn't lost on him.
Murthinax rumbled, ”If your goodbyes are done, child, then let us leave. The flight to Stonebirth can be taxing for one of your size.” He began to flap his building-sized wings, lifting into the air in a manner that defied all of Mike's knowledge of aerodynamics.
Roaring over the sound of the wind his passage was creating, the Greater Flame Dragon added, ”I will seek you out in time, human. To both deliver more of your reward and to check your progress. For now though, fare thee well.”
The dragons took off into the evening sky, quickly dwindling to specks that vanished completely in due time.
After a few moments of silence, Selene coughed and loosened her grip on his shirt. ”Ahem, well that was strange. Does this sort of thing happen to you often?”
”Not...” Mike started to deny it, but realized he really couldn't. ”Haa...actually, this is something of a common problem for me.”
”Right...remind me to keep my distance when we get back to the city. Speaking of which, how are you planning on getting there now?”
Mike frowned, ”I don't suppose you can turn into a bat or anything, right?”
Selene just stared at him, not bothering to answer.
”Figured as much. Alright, come here, I'll carry you. Thankfully, its not that far away.”
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Biographies Part 4
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Teun
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Also known as the Mistress of the Earthen Realm, Ruler of All That Grows, Giver of Life, Mother of Instinct, and a host of regional names and titles, Teun is one of the Five Creator Gods of Ea.
Like all of the greater gods, she has no definite form, but usually appears as a statuesque women with skin the color of rich earth and tangled, vine-like growth in place of hair. As the goddess most frequently associated with physical passion and lust, she is known to have an enchanting and seductive air. Few among the Ascended can resist her charms, and even her fellow Creators are known to fall prey to her persuasion when she's seeking a favor.
Teun is commonly associated with plants and mammals, and her sacred creature is the Treant.
Personality
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Vivacious and mercurial, Teun is a goddess of passion who embraces emotion and embodies the principle of living in the moment. She is the most direct of the Creators, often boldly stating her opinion with no thought to how it might derail the conversation, something that irritates Aminatrea greatly.
Detractors often call her reckless and impulsive, prone to sudden mood swings. To her adherents, however, she is bold and adventurous, unwilling to waste time on overly complex plans when action is required. This is not to say she doesn't exercise some degree of forethought, merely that long-term consequences rarely factor into her decision making process.
Teun, thanks to her role as the goddess of life is easily the most popular deity amongst mortals. Rural communities are nearly universal in their devotion to her. This is especially true in the case of farmers, miners, and those who work with the soil. As such, her church is by far the largest and most diverse, spanning nearly every race and region.
She is quite popular among her fellow gods, but rarely has the wherewithal to maintain a strong faction. As such, she tends to ally with one of the other Creator Gods when making major decisions, lending what support she can muster to their causes. Teun is in an unstable romantic relationship with Lysande, which is often leads to intense drama between the two celestial entities. However, this has not stopped her from taking on a number of lovers among the Ascended, and even the occasional mortal.
Spheres of Influence
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Teun governs the Aspects of Earth, Life, Plants, Animals, Passion, and Instinct. She is often associated with Fertility, and to a lesser degree, Marriage. As such, most wedding ceremonies in the Inland Sea Region are partially dedicated to her.
Because of her involvement with nature and natural processes, virtually every person who makes their livelihood off the land pays her some degree of homage. From the hunter offering a silent prayer before his fires his arrow, to the farmer planting seeds blessed by a Teundan priest. From the miners requesting safe passage through her domain, to the expectant mother pleading for a safe delivery. When combined with her role as the supposed source of carnal pleasure, she is understandably the most popular goddess in the pantheon. A fact that continues to irritate Aminatrea to no end.
With few exceptions, the various races of Ea routinely worship her, with her most fervent supporters being the many tribes of beastmen. Most of their rituals and traditions stem from the worship of one of her Aspects. Teun is also the patron of the dwarves, who focus primarily on her role as the goddess of Earth, and by extension, all the lies within the ground.
Not all of her followers are benign, however, and several primitive monster tribes worship her as the Mistress of the Hunt and Goddess of Hunger. They pay homage through ritual sacrifices and feasts, which is all too often composed of their sentient victims.
Similarly, vampires, ghouls, and those types of undead that must feed to survive are also frequent worshipers of hers. However, she is often superseded in their hearts by certain members of the Ascended that more closely align with their worldview.