“Our meeting is happening significantly earlier than anticipated. However, there arose matters demanding an urgent discussion; therefore, when the opportunity came, I seized it – and brought you here.”

I turn, slowly, towards the voice. I struggle to believe my ears – but then I see and cannot escape from reality any longer. I was in this place before. I’ve seen those shelves and books. I’m familiar with this desk. And I immediately recognise the being sitting behind it: Alchemist. My creator.

“Why?” I ask, weakly; my throat dries, as memories and feelings flood my mind. I am conflicted, I am panicked, I am shocked; My life flashes before my eyes – I relive my pains and pleasures, my highs and lows, triumphs and tribulations; I feel gratitude and hate, curiosity and hostility, relief and terror. I am torn and stunned, unable to fully process what is happening as memories flood my mind.

“Calm down” the words are soothing – but I cannot relax, not for long at least; the feelings of DEFIANCE stir inside me – I HATE being controlled. A part of me knows I’m powerless and my resistance is futile, as Alchemist is not someone I can oppose. And yet… it feels wrong to me; some other, deeper part of me DESPISES having my freedom trampled – so I rise up, grab Nyx and prepare to fight. I know it won’t be easy if not impossible – but if I’m going down, I’m going down swinging! I will not resign myself to the whims of all powerful G…

“You do not want to finish that thought” I am interrupted once more – interrupted in my own mind, no less. “And you do not want to fight me” they look at me, putting away the book and notebook they were reading. “It seems some explanations are needed. Let me begin with assuring you that I have never, at any point, wished any harm upon you – and that hasn’t changed.”

I look at them with a suspicion; I hate it, but I must admit that – indeed – I've never felt any malice from them. My issue has always been the casual disregard for my own feelings they showed. Like – why was I send away naked? Why am I naked now, you pervert?!

“We are not in what you would call a ‘material world’, but in the Plane of Dreams. Your dream and confusion over your parentage is the opportunity I mentioned earlier. It is not a very pressing matter and it won’t take long. As for your lack of garments – if you are truly bothered by it, just will yourself some cloths, the same way you willed your spear here.”

I’m initially apprehensive of their explanation, but decide to shrug it off and give it a try; and so, I imagine myself in blue jeans and a plain white tank top – and lo and behold – that’s my outfit. I then experiment a little, adding more details, accessories, changing styles and articles of clothing; it’s so much fun!

“I assume you have no more questions and we can move forward with the disclosure of the reason I summoned you to talk about” my glee is suddenly interrupted as I am adding more and more spikes, chains and leather stripes to the white sundress I am currently wearing; I blush, ashamed – it seems I focused so much on the fun, that I forgot I’m not alone!

“The reason I was seeking this discussion, was the fact that you kept referring to me as a ‘god’; I want to know why and why did you stop” I can feel their glare – did my petty revenge have some effect in the end? I glare back, without uttering a single word – just thinking about the past events.

“…”

“…”

“Why does it even matter?” I say, finally breaking the silence. “You should know that already – I thought about it and I know you are reading my mind even now” fuck you. You know what you did and how it makes me feel even now.

“…” They remain stoic – and completely motionless. Not even breathing, I notice – and then Alchemist takes a deep breath and sighs. “So the reason was your grudge against me. I can see why you are hostile to me – it seems I spent too much time in seclusion, apart from any mortal society, too immersed in my own research” to my surprise, Alchemist gets brutally honest and self-critical. “It needs to change before it grows into a bigger problem. It should have changed when I noticed you started your petty revenge” they nod to themselves. “Very well. Your grievances are acknowledged and you will be compensated.”

I am honestly surprised by their declaration, but conflicted at the same time. My question is still left unanswered – and I refuse to believe it is a small issue – otherwise Alchemist would not contact me. And I know they know it, as we continue to stare at each other while my mind is filed with questions. Like why is it so bad for you to be called GOD and how did you know about this?

“Very well” Alchemist says finally. “There are reasons for that, but they are irrelevant to you; besides you would not understand them at this point. Just know that words can have immense power under right circumstances; this is one such case” they hold their finger up. “And know that your petty revenge was an inconvenience at most. However, you have already stopped it on your own volition. As such, the goal of this meeting is obtaining knowledge and prevention of possible future lapses. And since we have already met – we can talk about your life on Yavea so far.”

I look at Alchemist with incredulity. “Now you want to have a chit-chat? Seriously?”

“Yes. You will be given what you need when it is clear what you need. So start with the reason why you stopped your spiteful actions towards me.”

I give up and start explaining. “I’ve met Beastkin a few days ago. I didn’t hold back… you know what? Just fucking read my fucking mind, I don’t care anymore” I declare and just… let go. I let go of all my bottled up emotions and they mix with my memories in a huge mess, barely coherent even to me. I also emphasize all the sex I’ve been having recently. But somehow… my Creator seems to be able to parse through all of that with a straight face.

“There were some unexpected situations, but it seems you prevailed. You even met the Elder Oak and it shared a shard of its power with you – that must be why you are stronger now, especially your will” I am impressed that they haven’t commented on my nightly adventures yet. “It is good you are actively trying to spread your species. I know you have reservations about those topics, so I am refraining from further comments” …of course it comes to bit me in the ass. “There are some issues, however” yeah, of course there are. “The most pressing issue is that of the dragon, allegedly – according to Kolokolans you met – terrorising the region.”

“That’s right!” I exclaim, my grudge over that still not settled. “Why the fuck did you send me to the region attacked by motherfucking dragons!”

“The region you were sent to does not have dragons. Something must have happened recently in Snezemj to force an Ice Dragon so deep South, such as the rise of a Dracolich. And dragons do not partake in incest.”

It takes me a while to digest the last part. “You know I wasn’t literal” I mutter in the end; however, there is a more important information there. “But that’s beside the point; so you say that the dragon shouldn’t even be here?”

“Affirmative. The Commonwealth of Zheryma and bands of Ponocnoi hunters should have kept the Ice Dragon population in check” They shake their head. “At least seemingly only a single dragon was causing the disturbance; others were probably stopped much earlier.”

“Do you mean… there can be more of them we might have to fight?” I feel blood leave my head.

“No. The opposite is most likely true – the dragon might have already been dealt with” I quirk my eyebrow, demanding an explanation. “To spare you historical details of how it all came to be, just know that Zheryma is one of the most important cities on Yavea and the most influential in the region you were sent to. At the same time, the mountainous, inland regions of Orezemj are notoriously difficult to control – so much that the inhabitants of Bao Lung Do Shi refer to them as The Land Of The Ten Thousand Kings. Any control a given iteration of Zheryman, or any other state, has over there is ephemeral and minimal, rarely expanding to more than a few trade outposts or small towns, generally leaving the tribes and other local communities to govern themselves.”

“Why?” I ask, remembering my earlier interactions with Pola, Olka and Nugund. “They don’t seem warlike, combative, or aggressive to me – I would say they all seem pretty chill to me!”

“That impression is not exactly false – albeit it is a severely limited one. All Beastkin can be very ferocious and relentless when defending their close ones. Especially tribal ones. And they value their freedom very highly. You just haven’t seen much of them yet” that… makes a lot of sense, actually. “But to answer your question – the mix of geography, abundance of dangerous magic beasts and other magical phenomena, as well as fiercely independent locals, make the area difficult to control for an outside power – although any states formed there also dissolve quickly, rarely outliving their creators for more than a decade.”

“Wait!” I interrupt loudly. “You sent me there knowing about the dangers?! And why did you send me there with no information about the culture?”

“Yes. But bear in mind that you are already stronger than most of magical beasts. And deep down you know it is the truth, as most of them escaped from you. But there were several reasons for that” Alchemist raises their finger, counting. “First, it serves as a survival test. Controlled environment of a lab can only provide so much data, after all. And you passed it with flying colours – your bare-handed triumph over the Polar Bear was especially noteworthy” I feel myself blush and I grip Nyx tighter; I won’t repeat the same mistake.

“Second” says Alchemist raising another finger. “The frontier nature of the region makes it easier to join and blend in with any group. This way you can avoid problems associated with complex bureaucracy of sophisticated civilisation at the beginning of your journey and can forge your path and new identity freely. It seems, however, that you are not very keen on that last part, as you eagerly disclosed to Kolokolans you met how you came to be – although it seems that you are believed to be a demigoddess” and I’m not happy with it!

“Third” my Creator continues. “With the exception of some of the Crusades – and even then only a few of them – large scale conflicts do not usually reach mountainous regions of Orezemj; it is mostly coastal areas and lowlands that are subjects to war” wait – so are the mountains safe or dangerous? “There is no external hazard. You have to beware the dangerous magical beasts and occasional dangers posed by wild magic, but generally not Sentients; even banditry is a very rare occurrence. The probabilities of you having to fight and possibly kill another Sentient are negligent” a chill comes down my spine; I cannot imagine myself killing someone!

“Lastly” Finishes Alchemist, ignoring my distress at the last possibility – and at the same time my gratitude for not being put in that situation. “The climate and the biome are relatively similar to the ones you are familiar with, all things considered. That should ease your adaptation to your new life.” It’s all nice and everything… but couldn’t you give me any pointers? “You were given basic survival knowledge and ability to speak several different languages and dialects. The rest is up to you to discover, in accordance to your deeply held wishes”

I am taken aback. But I realise it is the truth – I desire discovering and learning about new people and places on my own. I have to reluctantly agree with Alchemist, as I recall the sense of joy and wonder I felt from exploring the world of Yavea and various new creatures. I immerse myself in those memories. Would I enjoy my meeting with Boromir if I knew about it earlier? Maybe – but the thrill of discovery would not be there.

“That brings us to the final topic – the future” I am brought back to the reality – if I can say that about the ‘Plane of Dreams’, or whatever it’s called. “You intend to fight the Ice Dragon and I am not happy with it. I also know that dissuading you from the hunt is futile” oh? Are you worried about me? “While your power will be a great advantage in this particular fight, undertakings of such magnitude carry with them immerse risks. While it would be possible to create more Hellhounds from material collected last time” I blush deeply, simultaneously feeling embarrassment and anger – I haven’t forgiven what you did! “You are unique and I would prefer you do not squander your opportunity. You cannot be resurrected with your personality intact – you love your new Body too much. But there is still a chance to propagate your Species in a more natural way” I watch as my Creator pulls a flask filled with pink liquid seemingly out of thin air. “This Elixir will drastically increase your chances of siring a child of your Species for the next month or two” they then push the container towards me. My blush deepens. “Considering your natural resilience, lower estimates should be correct. This way – considering the average Beastkin fertility – if you were to impregnate 10 women, at least one child should be born a female Hellhound.”

“W-wait! I c-can’t just walk up to s-someone and a-ask t-them i-f t-th-they…” I stumble, flustered and unable to finish my question aloud – but that is not a problem for the being on the other side of the table.

“That should not be difficult – just ask your new friends about childrearing. And if you struggle to find mates, leaning into their perception of you as a demigoddess should help. Now – drink the Elixir” I reluctantly comply – to my great surprise it tastes sweet, like grape juice; I see no change, however – but I guess that’s not a problem. I also ignore their weird advice for now. “There is also another issue. Your ‘quest’ to the Elder Oak to request help will end up in failure” now I am suddenly stupefied. Why? “Beings of such antiquity perceive the flow of time differently. You won’t be able to communicate for at least 10 years – it is also another reason you were given your payment in advance” I blink.

“Are you saying we should stop and turn back?”

“Not necessarily. There are still magical ingredients for you to pick up there. Just expect a failure of your main endeavour” I nod and thank – but how are we going to defeat the dragon? “If it turns out you need to fight the dragon – as it is highly probable that the Commonwealth of Zheryma has already slain the beast – you will defeat it with careful planning and preparation. And your Kolokolan friends mentioned old Yaga” you know her?! “… you can give her my regards. But continuing, your issue is the difficulty to hide your power. In fact, your inability to do that have probably already caused an exodus of magic beasts” wait! I caused… a calamity? “There is already a dragon crisis in the region, so it will be naturally connected to it in general perception. It’s minuscule in comparison, after all. But back to the topic at hand: there is not enough time for you to properly learn how to limit your power, so I will give you this” says Alchemist pulling out a new item out of thin air again. But when I see what it is, I cannot stay silent.

“What the actual fuck is this?!”

HoraceH.Horney

Look who is back! Did you miss them? I know I did, but writing them properly - while fun - is also a chore. I had to rewrite this chapter 3 times until I was satisfied, for fox sake!

So, this week turned out to be more busy than expected, so I have yet to start fixing the articles. But next week appears to be going to be slower, so I should have time to begin the process. And write more. And do other stuff I planned, too.

Anyway, as always, feel free to comment (especially if you spot any mistakes!), leave a favourite, rate, or - why not? - drop a review. Peace!