Chapter LX Unplanned Event
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Okay where to start. Sorry about not posting any chapter recently. Around Christmas, I got rather distracted helping playtest the alpha five version of Remnants of the Precursors. I wasn't really planning to write that week as I needed a break, but you were meant to have one last chapter before New Years. Anyway, my youngest brother brought something home, and I got sick. Its rather hard to write anything when you can't focus, but I am getting back on track now. Still not at a hundred, but I am glad to give you this chapter, and I hope you enjoy it

Umeko stared at the pair in the forest below her. She had thought this was going to be a hunting trip, but that is not what they were doing. Instead, the two of them were sitting in a tree watching a pair of female lovebirds. From up here, she could hear their chatter, and she already knew because of it that they were waiting for an equally young boy who was running late. Umeko actually enjoyed the better senses that came with her new race, even if those came with new instincts and urges.

Curious as to why they were being voyeuristic, and watching the two girls below comfort each other as they waited for their third friend. She turned to Arlie sitting on the branch next to her, “Why exactly are we watching these two?”

Arlie giggled and looked over, “Well these two worship me. So when I spotted them here, I delayed our practice hunt to make sure nothing happens to them.”

Umeko looked around, and replied, “This part of the forest seems peaceful enough. I don’t think they are in any danger.”

Arlie pointed at a nearby tree with a trio of large birds with scaly looking feathers colored silver and black. “Those birds are watching the pair below. They haven’t noticed us, because I am cloaking our presence, but those birds are Rylarks.”

Confused Umeko observed the birds for a moment or two, and noted that they were indeed paying a lot of attention to the girls below. “I see they are watching the girls below, but what exactly is a Rylark anyway?”

Arlie shifted a bit, and answered, “Rylarks are a rather nasty species of monster bird that are quite common around these parts. Their tail stinger contains a rather potent venom that renders the victim quite susceptible to mind magic. They use that venom and their natural mind magic to lure victims back to the nest where they implant them with their young or eat them. Most people would rather be eaten then implanted.”

She shuddered when she heard that. Umeko had actually fought a few different monsters that liked to implant their young in others. Nasty was typically an understatement for those. “Why haven’t we killed them yet?”

“I have my reasons,” replied Arlie.


Misaki flipped the page of her book and shifted slightly in her chair. The topic of the book was rather fascinating to her. It was a book that a mage had dropped during a rather disastrous run in her dungeon a couple days ago. It was a comprehensive monster guide with sections for different kinds of monsters. It covered everything from common monsters found in the local area to exotic species not often found in the area. The current section covered parasitic monsters. The last page had covered a plant species, that deposits a seed in its victim through its pollen. The seed migrates to the brain, and sprouts later as a flower on the head. As the roots spread further through the victim’s nervous system the more the monster controls its victim’s body.

A rather nasty parasite, but at least the guide listed a cure. The cure was a rather simple set of ingredients that could be easily procured. An elemental mana stone of the fire affinity, purified water, and a Dryad’s sap were the key ingredients for curing the affliction. The parasite itself wasn’t natural either but the result of a mad mage making crazy unauthorized experiments. That seemed to be how half the weirder monsters in the book came about. The other half were naturally born in dungeons and then propagated throughout the land. Those explanations only covered those that people were certain about, some species such as goblins were so old that their origins were uncertain. Regardless it was a very interesting read, and it gave her a few ideas as well. She wasn’t much of a fan of the parasites the current section was covering. Maybe because these parasites effectively killed and overtook their host. Still, the idea of messing with a plant was a good one. For her, a parasite was a little too aggressive, but infusing a plant with a consciousness, and arming it with an aphrodisiac would give her a lovely monster that would fit well in her dungeon. Sure there were a few plant monsters in the store, but none were exactly what she wanted. At least none that she had seen, but the catalog was rather extensive.

Suddenly her thoughts and her relaxation were interrupted by a strong, and sudden feeling. She needed to find Phyllis. So she dropped her book on a nearby table, letting it close without bookmarking the page. The young dungeon didn’t feel she had the time to spare for that, and so let it close as she rushed out of the room. Her link with her monsters, and her dungeon sight telling her that Phyllis was at the guild. Her instincts were screaming at her to hurry, so she moved as quickly as her body would let her down the corridors. Turning several corridors, she reached the passage to Phyllis’s house in town and hurried down the passage. The traps disarming and rearming as she passed. It took her only minutes to reach the house, and she passed Jesse and Lyla in the front room dusting the furniture. Jesse seemed somewhat happier than the last time she saw her, but Misaki didn’t have time to dwell on the change. Instead she hurried out the door, and headed for the guild.

Luckily no one bothered her on the way to the guild building, and she made it through the front door without being stopped. Sarah was at the front desk giving the young Airi a petting session that Airi seemed to be greatly enjoying when she entered the building. Sarah looked up and noted her entrance. Seeing that she seemed in a hurry, Sarah quickly showed her towards Phyllis’s office. Phyllis was busy with paperwork and Melisa was standing over her shoulder making sure it got done. Misaki wasn’t all that surprised given that Melisa had been treating her mate as a child ever since she came back from her little trip to White Rock. Melisa hadn’t exactly regained much trust in Phyllis even after the headaches she had suffered from a certain document. In fact that little request had led to the behavior being amplified.

Misaki barely focused on the situation, and instead declared, “It’s time!” Much to the confusion of the other two women in the room, at least for a couple of seconds until Phyllis groaned. A moment after that Melisa understood what she meant. As a dungeon, she didn’t feel the pain normally associated with birth, but she could feel her body getting ready now. Technically her womb was located near her core, but thanks to the mystical connections she had with her avatar she was going to give birth through her avatar. Her instincts had even alerted her that Phyllis was about to start experiencing the first contractions. Melisa, on the other hand, lacked those instincts, and it took her a moment longer to realize that both of them were about to give birth. Even if it was earlier than expected, she was quick to catch on and rushed out of the room.

As for being early, such things weren’t unheard of with interspecies pregnancies, but the reverse was also true in such cases. While Melisa was running out of the room, Phyllis seemed to panic.  As Misaki approached the desk, she blurted, “It’s too soon! I’m not ready!”

That struck a chord with Misaki as well. She didn’t feel entirely ready either, and she had her dungeon instincts to help her. Not knowing what to say, she helped Phyllis out of the chair, and over to some nearby cushions. Phyllis groaned a bit as she settled into the cushions, but they didn’t have any more time before Melisa returned. A smaller woman followed her into the room, both of which were carrying towels.


Jesse was just about finished cleaning a table when a knock came from the front door. While curious she chose to ignore it, and instead finished the table before turning to put the cleaning supplies away. By now the maids should be finished cleaning the laundry, and she expected that they would have her put it away. They often had her do the simpler tasks like put things away when she was helping with the chores.

Contrary to expectations Lyla intercepted her just as she finished putting the cleaning supplies away, and next thing she knew she was being rushed out the front door. There was such urgency to her caretaker’s actions that she didn’t even have time to ask questions. She was still confused a few minutes later when they arrived at the guild to find that her sisters were waiting for her. Of the three of them, only Airi didn’t seem to be confused. Instead she seemed impatient, while the other two were looking around. Clearly they didn’t have any idea why they were here either. Fortunately they didn’t have to wait long before someone explained what was happening.

Jesse was quite surprised when she learned that they had been gathered because their owner was giving birth now and that she had left instructions that they are to be brought here if she went into labor. She hadn’t even thought that Phyllis was that far along, but apparently, appearances could be deceiving. The young girl was still processing the news when Lyla took her aside and brought her to a small side room for a private conversation.

Lyla settled into a chair in the small meeting room, and patted on a spot next to her. Jesse took the hint, and sat down, but before she could say anything Lyla spoke. “I think it best that I tell you now, but with our masters giving birth our responsibilities will increase.”

Jesse nodded, and replied, “That much is rather obvious. They will be too busy with the newborns to get anything done for a while.”

Lyla gave her an odd look, and Jesse felt a shudder go down her spine. She had a bad feeling about what Lyla was about to say. Then when she said it, it felt like her heart dropped into her stomach. “I’m afraid there is a little more to it than that. You are going to be helping out with the newborns and that includes feeding. Between the two of them they have five children coming, so they will need a wetnurse. Given that you are lactating naturally that job will fall on you.”

Jesse stared at her feet, not sure what to say. All of the conflicting feelings welling up inside her were painful and made her want to curse at someone. Just a few weeks ago, she had been a knight in the service of the church with a decent rank, status, and respect. Now she was a slavegirl curtesy of a debt that wasn’t even hers, but rather her mother’s. Even worse new things kept popping up at every turn that made it hard to forget her new status, and gender. All of these feelings naturally found a target. It wasn’t the goddess, she was a force of nature and with nature, the only thing you can do is get out of its way, nor was it the dungeon or her master. No the target of her feelings was the only person she felt responsible for the new lows of her life, Darious. If she ever saw him again she was going to kill him... no wait, that was too lenient for him. No, maybe the best thing to do with him is to toss him into the path of a goddess and see what happens. She had a feeling the gods could come up with something more creative than her. Something that would be more fitting than mere death.


At that moment, Darious was in his tent trying to figure out how to complete his quest without his best card. When a shudder went down his spine.


Lyla waited until Jesse had processed the first bit before elaborating, “Now I know this may be a bit much for you, but the newborns are part demon. Meaning they will need to nurse longer than if they were human.”

At that moment Jesse suddenly understood her fourth boon and curse. That goddess must have known she would be needed as a wetnurse and used one of the curses to make her one. The boon was given to make being one more tolerable. The worst part was that she hadn’t even gotten used to the idea that she would need to be milked regularly and now she was facing the prospect of being a wetnurse. Staring at her breasts, she meekly asked, “How much longer?”

Lyla’s answer made her wish she hadn’t asked, “Years.” That was not something she wanted to hear. She took a few moments to compose herself, and reply. A few moments later they rejoined the others. Where she soon found herself helping with the tasks revolving around giving birth. Most of it, being providing warm water, and towels.

 

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