At least I wasn't the only flabbergasted person here as Lily too stared open-mouthed at Ursa's sudden demand and shift in demeanor. Though the same could not be said about Mia who had adopted a wicked grin, and Bob who as always simply didn't seem to get what was going on.

 

It was a complete change from Ursa's naturally social awkwardness and timidity around other people. "Has her finally accepting her place in the basin alongside me, shed the shell she had been carrying for so long?" I thought to myself. It definitely did seem like it. But as to what had prompted her to go straight for cubs, I wasn't entirely sure. Not that I minded the idea of doing so... to be truthful.

 

Still, there wasn't much I could say here being caught so off-guard.

 

"Well, we will see about that," I coughed.

 

"Ursa will wait for cubs," She said resolutely with a firm nod that seemed about just as much for herself as it was for me.

 

Before I could get out another word, she had turned on her heels and was storming away.

 

"Okay, maybe she hadn't exactly broken her shell of timidness..."

 

Feeling a light tug on my shirt from my side, bringing me out of my tumultuous thoughts, I was met with the pouting expression of Lily.

 

"You cad ∼ going around promising children to women who are not even your wives," She said. "Leaving the first to be last..."

 

Lily, not so subtly hinting that she thought it was unfair that my wives weren't getting priority and that she also wanted to become pregnant, had me stunned a second time today. Granted, her wanting to wasn't too surprising since she had long proclaimed her love and devotion for me. But just the idea of bringing another life, one that would matter as much to me as it did those of my beloved women, was enough to give me pause.

 

I took in stride as much as I could though. "Going by order, huh? I would like that,"

 

She smiled victoriously at me, her pout vanishing in a puff of smoke - as if it had never been.

 

I could only chuckle at Lily's games and antics, yet there was still a little uncertainty in me.

 

"Are you really okay with this?" I asked with a little worry. "Other women, babies, and all?"

 

The hand clutched to the sleeve of my arm faltered slightly. "I... I am." She said, not looking all that confident as she said it.

 

"It doesn't seem like it,"

 

"It's just that... with Mia - it took me some time to get used to it. Back in Mordria, I had never thought I'd be sharing the one I would come to love with another. It's still not something I've entirely come over - but it has definitely become a lot easier with time. I care for Mia. I would almost say that I already love like a sister. I would fight and die for her. But it still gives me small pangs of envy and sadness to see you with someone else. To know I don't have your devotion all to myself."

 

Drawing her into my embrace, I kissed the top of her head. She hugged my body close, face buried in my chest. For a few moments, we just stood there.

 

"I can't complain, however," She said suddenly, drawing back to meet my gaze. "Even though your devotion is shared and split, I get more from you than what I could've ever gotten from any other man. I love you Xavier - and no matter how much it will hurt my heart to be with you, it will never be enough to stop me from doing so."

 

I stared into those blue eyes of hers, the sincerity of her words as pure as the driven snow.

 

"What exactly had I done to deserve such women in my life?" I couldn't help but wonder. Mia, Lily, Ursa, hell - probably even Luna from how she had spoken. They all seemingly wanted a bun in the oven, and all were accepting of it, that they wouldn't be the only woman in my life.

 

"I love you too,"

 

***

 

Deeply entrenched within the jungle of the basin, a couple of days later, I sat on the island that had seemingly established itself a clearing in the untamed wilds. For on it, there was a single source of power, strong enough to ward off any opportunistic monsters and beasts looking for dens to call home. The magical flower, of which I now know to be an arcane flower by the name of [Flame Lily].

 

Even in its dormant state, it pulsed with red hot energy, leaving the fire-resistant vegetation of the island intact, but scorching everything else that dared come to close.

 

While I was now at the stage where I could easily handle its dormant energy, even with no distance in between, I still did not wish to brave one of its outbursts if it lashed out. Despite all the growth in power I've experienced since I was last here, the power of the flower was still incredible. Something that should be handled by someone not just capable of withstanding its fiery energy with their body alone. Rather, it needed a fire mage or an elementalist cut of the same cloth to properly nurture, quell, and harvest it.

 

Unfortunately, the last three flame users I've come upon have all fallen by my hands.

 

I've consulted with some of the more knowledgeable individuals back at the settlement; scribes, scholars, and magicians - anyone who might know something about this magical flower. It was through them and their old records that they had brought from Ebongrave that I now knew of the flower's name and true purpose.

 

It was an incredibly rare naturally occurring treasure that could appear practically anywhere, regardless of environment. Although they did tend to appear in areas that are more or less attributed to whatever the arcane flower may be attuned to. For example, you would likely stand a higher chance to find a [Flame Lily] in a place with high concentrations of heat and fire-attributed mana or energy.

 

I had checked to see if anything fire-related was in the surroundings of this small island, but I found nothing. And the fiery nature of the island itself was a product of the flower saturating the earth and plants nearby, not the cause of the flower itself. It really had just happened to sprout roots here, so it was quite a find. Then again, the jungle and the basin were obviously a huge concentration of power, life, and energy as the soil, plants, and even creatures were clear results of the land they resided within. It would definitely be possible for any type of arcane flower to be able to take root here.

 

Further study back at the settlement I found out that it could be used to massively empower others, especially if they specialized or had abilities relating to fire. Anywhere from kickstarting and clearing most evolution requirements of a monster, to granting an individual immense power and control over the element. The flower was desired by all. It was then no wonder why the pyromancer orc had wanted this flower so badly, that he'd even brave Ursa's wrath to stay and nurture this flower for the tiny chance of it bearing fruit.

 

Unfortunately for me, I've so far found no way to make use of it. Records of it were scarce at best, and the knowledge of others were mostly speculations and theories. Sure, I had one or two mages back at the settlement who wielded the power of fire, but they were weak and unimportant. Even if I managed to find some way to neuter the flower's powerful outbursts and harvest it, the ambient heat it gives off is enough to kill most on its own. Also, if I really managed to find some way around that, the raw energy within that [Flame Lily] would instantly kill anyone who was too weak to bear the massive amounts that it contained. Even I wasn't sure I'd be able to handle that.

 

And that was why I needed someone with both the skills, abilities, and power to wrangle the damn thing. Someone close to that of my own level of power.

 

Having meditated on the flower, trying to connect to it to maybe find out if I myself could do something about it, and failing spectacularly, I gave up. It was good timing though, for the other matter for which I had traveled into the jungle had just now come to me.

 

With the crackling and rustle of the vegetation, causing all other wildlife to flee and hide in the presence of what was approaching, I looked across the water that separated the rest of the clearing from the island in the middle. There, an absolutely gargantuan, snow-white serpent came out into the open, stopping at the bank of the lake.

 

The Matriarch Basilisk, Sovereign of the Jungle, had come to pay me a visit.

 

-Codex!-

 

As big and mean as I remembered it to be.