The ancient beast's gaze didn't waver as it stared transfixed at the tablet in SJ's trembling grasp. The surrounding air thrummed with an ancient power unfelt for millennia by anyone. The glyphs cast shifting patterns of light onto the vibrant foliage of the cavern, its intensity almost blinding. Kibble, still perched on SJ's shoulder, let out a soft, inquisitive chirp; his aggressive defence had now been replaced by curiosity.
"The tablet you hold is of a time long lost. The old tongue. A chronicle of my master, who walked the world before the chains of the system bound it to its current state. Few mortals or even gods could ever perceive its script, let alone ever awaken its truth," the beast rumbled.
SJ swallowed; her throat was dry, and she licked her lips. "I didn't know. We found it, as I say, in the ruins, in a tomb. It was pure luck that we stumbled upon it while seeking shelter from a sandstorm." The tablet thrummed in her hands, in time with her racing heartbeat, which was a mix of excitement and fear. Dave remained silent as he and the adjudicators watched history unfold.
The beast shifted its head, its eyes reflecting the light of the tablet and SJ's ashen face, the colour drained completely. "Your intent must be pure. The artefact is responding to your resonance. It recognises you and your potential. The moment is now." The beast shifted its gaze to Kibble. "Your companions also recognise this in you. Whether you believe in yourself or not, others do and will do so. Your history is just being written, and only time will tell its true path."
Kibble took that moment to hop from her shoulder down onto her forearm. He stared intently at the scriptures pulsing on the tablet before him, again meeting the giant beast's gaze. He then let out a series of clicks and chirps, none of which SJ had ever heard from him before. It wasn't a request or a warning, but a statement.
"He is talking about your journey," Dave said.
'My journey?' SJ thought.
"Yes. Of your defiance and the stance you have taken. Your time fighting evil, defending the town and the ones you love. He speaks of your anger at the injustice and loss of those you hold dear. Ballentine and his brave last stand. He speaks of your path, of those around you... and your yearning for peace, as you fight against the evil of the world. Not just for you or others, but for Amathera and what it represents. He calls it the Seeker."
SJ felt a flush rise to her cheeks. She had no ambitions beyond protecting her friends and those she cared for; she still did; she didn't know what games the gods were playing or what part she might play in the future. If there was one thing she did wish for, though, it was indeed peace. Protecting Killic was their aim, finding a solution against those that threatened the town, but Kibble had struck a chord deep in her chest. It resonated, filling her with a warmth beyond description. Her small, young companion had spoken more in those moments than she had ever perceived. It was a truth she hadn't acknowledged, something that she couldn't grasp, nor understand at this time.
"You are a peacemaker." The Gila Beast's tone wasn't mocking but instead conveyed a profound depth of contemplation. "This age has been defined by strife, by a system whose nature is still in its infancy. Striving to learn and grasp its position. Yet, this age defined by levels and violence is a dangerous path to pursue. Beneath all the antics of the world, chaos is bound. It grasps at everything, pulling and forcing the hand of those it deems worthy, or not, in some cases." Its tongue again flicked out as it paused. "Yet... the artefact has reacted and chosen a worthy contender. Someone to challenge the status quo. Your companions vouch for you. I also see you are unbound, and so does my sister..."
The world suddenly appeared to shift, and SJ felt a wave pulse from the centre of the chamber. The beast turned its giant head towards the pearlescent egg that rested, cradled carefully at the pinnacle of the rise. Its shell hummed in the surrounding air, shifting as it pulsed. It wasn't random but a deep, meaningful pulse, steady and golden. The light washed over the surrounding area, bathing everything it touched in its hue. It felt warm as though touched by the sun on a summer's day. Not hot or oppressive, just gentle and soothing. This didn't feel like any light SJ had ever felt before, but more like an embrace by something beyond her years and ability to ever fathom.
"She stirs," the beast said, not taking its gaze from the egg. A tremor of time long since past washed out from it, and the air smelled of age and memories long since forgotten. "She senses your resonance, your being, your truth... "
SJ couldn't move, her whole body frozen, rooted to the very spot. The light appeared to caress and seep into her, warming her from the inside out, like a freshly rendered blade plunged into water. A calmness she hadn't felt since arriving on Amathera filled her, a sense of belonging and purpose. But whose purpose? She didn't know. Could this be destiny? Could this be history? It overwhelmed her, and as she stood there, a tear fell from her eye. Her breath caught in her chest as emotions rolled over her.
"You are not merely strong or wise," the beast intoned, its voice now a whisper as it gained weight at what was occurring. The ground beneath them vibrated, and Kibble squeaked in alarm. Fas steadied himself, yet SJ didn't move. "You seek balance? You seek peace? Not through domination but through friendship and reputation. Your heart is as pure as I have ever known. Scared, fearful, uncertain, yet stoic. Your fate is untold; your history is still unwritten. Kibble, your companion, saw your true self before you, before I, before any other, even those that claim to be gods of this world."
SJ couldn't; she had no words, the prophetic nature of the beast's speech too much for her to comprehend.
"The artefact confirms it, and so does my sister. I... I have stood guard long enough now." A sense of sadness swept through SJ, and now tears fell unrestrained. Kibble nuzzled her arm where he still sat purring.
The beast's gaze met hers, blinking through the misty haze of her tears, a profound and untimely look in its eyes, mingled with relief. "My time has come to pass. I wish you well."
Before either SJ or Fas could react, the giant beast turned and walked back to the hillock, resuming its position with its body wrapping around its base. Its tail curled to meet its head, and then it glowed. A soft, pale luminescence spread across its body, emanating from deep within. The crystalline salt formations that had bound themselves to it over the millennia cracked and fell away. Underneath were the brilliant golden scales of a beast long since forgotten and unseen for millennia by any being's eyes. The glow intensified rapidly, growing brighter. Then, a path of light as fine as a spider's web crept forward from its head, weaving through the air until it touched the eggshell that continued to thrum and pulsate.
The beast turned its head in one final gesture towards them, where they stood open-mouthed in awe of the spectacle before them, and then it vanished.
It didn't explode; it just stopped existing, and in its place were a million motes of light of every colour of the rainbow. They formed into a line as they spun away high into the cavern before turning and, with a flash, flying towards the pearlescent shell. The golden light intensified as the motes streamed against it, not bouncing, but being absorbed. The intensity of the shell became so bright that they had to look away; it was a blinding, pure white, unlike anything they had ever seen.
Then it happened...
Crack.
The sound was so loud, SJ flinched where she stood, as though thunder had just clapped above her head. A fissure, jagged and unruly, appeared across the surface of the shell. Watching Kibble hatch had been an experience SJ would never forget, but this... this was in a world of its own. Brilliant blue light poured from the fissure as it cracked again.
This time, SJ didn't flinch, expecting the sound, and she watched in awe as more cracks appeared across its surface. The spiderweb of fissures formed, and then with a sound like shattering crystal, it exploded. More motes of light erupted from where the shell once stood.
Replacing the shell was a creature, its broad eyes blinking against the residual light.
SJ's breath caught, and Fas took an involuntary step backwards, his eyes wide in disbelief. Kibble hopped from SJ's forearm, landing on the ground.
The creature that had appeared from within the shell's confines was beautiful beyond words. It was undeniably a form similar to the Gila Beast. Its limbs were thick and strong, powerful for its size, with a thick tail and the same distinct head shape. Its scales, though, were of a different nature. The true Gila Beast's colour had only fleetingly appeared before it had vanished into the motes of light, since absorbed by the shell; the colour of this creature that had replaced it shone with the brilliance of crisp white cotton. It had an almost mirror-like surface, reflecting the various colours of the chamber.
It was the size of a small pony, perhaps only six feet from snout to tail. It lacked the terrifying bulk of its forebearer, instead replaced by an athleticism and a sleek, almost graceful appearance. Whereas strength and power had been at the forefront of its brother, it instead shone with a subtle and elegant quality. It uncurled from where it lay, stretching until it was fully risen. Its tail pointed perfectly behind it as it shuddered, stretching like a newly woken being from a deep sleep.
It was its eyes that really told its story; they were a vibrant green, the reptilian slits shimmering in the cavern's luminescence, and they blinked slowly. It wasn't the brightness alone, though; it was the untold depth of its gaze. An age not even considered. It radiated an aura that SJ couldn't explain; it wasn't power, but potential and serenity from an ancient time.
Although the magnificent level 116 beast had vanished, it had been replaced by something which held even greater potential, its sister, protected and guarded for millennia, until now, this very moment when the stars had aligned and the fates decided it was time to hatch.
The silence was not just from SJ and Fas, but the whole cavern was unfounded. A pin could have been heard dropping amongst the trees. Kibble broke the silence, letting out a low chirp, and hopped forward. The new beast turned its gaze, looking at the miniature wyvern, its eyes quizzical and questioning. It watched as Kibble approached. With no caution in the wyvern's progress, his lack of fear was evident.
The beast opened its jaws for the first time, revealing rows of perfectly formed teeth. Pointed and sharp like those of a shark. It didn't make a sound, though, as its tongue flicked from its jaws as it tasted the air.
SJ couldn't help but stare at the beautiful creature, then at the space left by the behemoth before it. Her mind reeled, her thoughts jumbled and tangled in a mass of confusion and awe. The blinding light and dissolution of power transferred to this new beast now standing at the top of the hillock.
A bird suddenly cried from the jungle behind them. Startling SJ and Fas alike. The silence was broken further as more sounds filtered in around them again. SJ looked at Fas. His expression mirrored her dawning disbelief and confusion. He found his voice before SJ could.
"Six feet long?" Fas breathed hoarsely. "How is this going to be the saviour of Killic? How does this stop a draconian siege?"
Kibble, on hearing Fas speak, turned and growled before continuing towards the beast. It watched calmly, not moving as Kibble approached, and as he had done with the behemoth, he again prostrated himself at its feet.
It blinked slowly again as Kibble chirped and squeaked.
'Dave, what's he saying?' SJ thought.
"Erm... " Dave sounded distant. "Hang on a minute, please."
The beast's head turned from Kibble, and its gaze fell on SJ. Its eyes pierced her to her soul. They held her rooted again to the spot, reading her, judging her, measuring her. She wasn't sure which. It then let out a low chiming sound like a bell tinkling in a shop doorway, preternatural and otherworldly, yet strangely calming. Then it took a step forward. Wobbly and uncertain at first. Then another as it moved toward her. There was no threat from it. SJ reported no threat, only an eerie, profound calmness; if she was being honest, her feelings and emotions were almost non-existent.
The tablet thrummed violently as SJ's heart hammered in her chest, the words of Fas ringing in her ears. This beast, whatever it was, whatever it held, was not what she had expected, and she couldn't see a manner in which it could help them defend Killic.
The lizard mounts were ten times the size, violent and vicious and ridden by a powerful race of desert-dwelling draconians, way beyond her abilities.
SJ had forgotten in the moment that she still held the tablet, which continued to pulse in her hands, a silent, stubborn reminder bringing her back to this new, strange reality. The beast continued to approach her until it stopped only a foot away. It lifted its head, and its tongue flicked out towards the tablet, tasting the air, as though checking its identity. It then, with its ancient reverence, bowed its head forward towards SJ.
The next feeling that struck SJ was something she could never have imagined in her entire life. A pain worse than any other flew through her body, every muscle and fibre suddenly screaming as a message flashed in broken text on her display...
Unk own entity - system err r
Unab e t extract i format ion
Err r
rror
Er or
'Dave?' SJ thought, gritting her teeth as the pain washed through her. She fell forward onto her knees, her face now level with the beast as she grimaced from the pain.
Silence.
The beast cocked its head to one side and looked at her before its tongue flicked out and touched her cheek. SJ would have recoiled from it if she could have. However, there was no way her body would allow it. She glanced sideways and saw Fas had also fallen to his knees, staring at the beast, his face a mirror of her agony, teeth grinding against the inexplicable pain.
Then, as fast as the feeling had washed over her, it dissipated, replaced by a warmth and softness. Her muscles relaxed, and her body suddenly felt like jelly as she slumped forward, this time hitting the lush grass that surrounded the mound. She lay panting, trying to catch her breath, sweating profusely.
Kibble, seemingly untouched by the wave of agony, hopped forward and chirped as he pushed his snout against SJ's cheek. She slowly regained control of her body, her strength returning to her muscles as she pushed herself onto all fours before slowly rising to her feet. The beast just stood there mere inches away, watching her, waiting, but waiting for what? SJ did not know.
'Dave?' she thought again, but still only silence.
