The Mother of Monsters

The pair made their way back over to the fire pit before Teyva handed over the writ. Azrael took a seat on her stump and took the weathered piece of parchment. She opened it and read it over, her expression darkening as her eyes moved down the sheet. She seemed to read over it a couple of times, looking for details. She handed it back over to Teyva after a few moments, sighing with disgust and turning to the fire. She crossed her arms over her chest and remained staring while Teyva read it herself.

The document was straightforward enough, and not something that the hunters were supposed to be carrying on them. The Count of Basat had made it clear that they did not want the messenger from the Azar arriving in human lands and found the idea of any sort of peace with the Azar people to be disturbing. He offered each of the men a plot of land and a small title in exchange for the death of the messenger sent by their hated enemy. Teyva folded the paper and glanced at her new companion as she sat in silence for a long time.

“It would seem I don’t have a choice but to return home, do I?” Azrael said, not taking her eyes off of the dancing flames.

“I don’t know a lot about the humans around here,” Teyva said, “But I don’t think you’re going to have much luck if they’re willing to go this far.”

Azrael snorted, shaking her head; “There isn’t much to know about the Katali humans, they are all horrid,”

Teyva frowned, “Maybe I was a human before I became,” she gestured to herself, “This. I’m not so bad am I?”

Azrael glanced her way and cocked an eyebrow; “I haven’t made a final decision on you yet, Labyrinthian.”

Teyva made a face but kept her mouth shut. The reputation prompt she’d seen earlier told another story. She wondered if this was just how Azrael was around other people. Gruff and stoic but quick to react to danger. It was like she’d spent her entire life looking over her shoulder. If she had to guess, that was probably accurate. Teyva rested her elbows on her knees and pulled out her [Old Satchel] again. This time she selected the [Aspect Stone of the Labyrinthian].

“Wanted to show you this too,” Teyva said, drawing her companion’s attention as the stone appeared in her hand. While the others had some sort of strange nature to them, this stone was a simple gemstone that gave off a faint gray-white shine. She held it out to Azrael who accepted the item gingerly in her hands. “It is an Aspect Stone of the Labyrinthian.”

Azrael closed her eyes and let out a centering breath; “One thing after another with you, isn’t it?”

Teyva shrugged; “What can I say? I’m full of excitement.”

Azrael rolled her eyes and looked back down at the item, rolling it over in her hands.

“Do you know how valuable this is? You say it is named for your race.” Azrael asked, handing it back to Teyva.

Teyva took the stone and mulled it over as well; running her thumb over the smooth surface. It sparkled in the sunlight beating down from above. She flipped it from one palm to another before looking back up at Azrael; “No idea, I assume pretty valuable by the way you talk about it. Frankly, I don’t even know where these things come from,” She admitted, holding up the item.

Azrael nodded; “I’m not surprised, it’s like you have never known this world at all,” She said, scratching her chin before letting out a sigh; “Fine, I’ll explain.”

“The Aspects are the domain of the Gods, or rather, the Divine Aspects. We Azar know them for what they truly are, forces of nature that embody a part of our world; an Aspect. They exist solely as a source of that thing and are magic in its purest state. They do not think as we do but instead simply exist. Their offspring, on the other hand, often find their way to the world; some peoples of this world worship these beings. The humans in particular,” Azrael shook her head; “Foolish, the children of the Aspects care nothing for us.”

“So they’re demi-gods?”

Azrael shrugged; “That would be an apt way to describe them. They are living things, they bleed and they die just like any other creature.”

“So what does this have to do with where Aspect Stones come from?” Teyva asked.

“I’m getting to that,” Azrael said, holding up a hand; “These offspring are not just born overnight. They do not simply appear out of nowhere. They form in places with strong concentrations of mana that resonate with the core aspects of their parent. Over time the forming offspring take on the flavor of their surroundings; changing in small ways and reflecting very specific aspects. At this point, they are a chrysalis of the being they will one day become; incomplete and inert.”

She gave Teyva a meaningful look and glanced down at the stone in Teyva’s hand. Teyva followed her gaze and looked at the stone, then back up at her, then back at the stone.

“You’re shitting me,” Teyva forced out a laugh; “This is a god-baby?”

Azrael shrugged; “Crude way of putting it, but yes,” Teyva stared at the stone, a mixture of horror and revulsion churning up in her belly. So did that mean she had effectively consumed two babies? She looked up at Azrael who gave her a sympathetic look and shook her head; “You’re overthinking it,” Azrael said. “They take centuries to grow into something resembling a person and even then only gain any semblance of life when they change. That there is a rock with the potential to become a ‘demi-god’ as you call it. Even then it may not even become something friendly or capable of rational thought.”

Azrael’s face became stony; “Sometimes they become terrible monsters.”

Teyva swallowed; “How do you know all of this?”

“We are taught the nature of Aspect Stones before our ritual to bond with one. It is important to understand the details about what you are putting in your body, isn’t it?” She said as if the answer was obvious.

Teyva let out a breath and looked at the stone again, a sheepish expression crossing her face. “Well, when you put it that way it makes what I did with the first two stones I found seem kind of reckless.”

Azrael scowled; “Kind of? You knew nothing about them except for their names! Who knows what they could have done to you!” She pointed at the stone in Teyva’s hand; “An Aspect Stone changes your very nature! They imprint upon your soul!”

“They affect your personality?” Teyva asked, startled.

Azrael’s expression slipped a bit, “It’s a bit more complicated than that, all of it is. I wish I could explain better but I don’t have all the answers.”

“But you do know what’s so special about this one? And where to get more answers,” Teyva pressed.

Azrael crossed her arms; “Yes, I do. The Aspect Stone of a given race is only compatible with a member of that race, moreover, they make that person an exemplar of that race’s heritage. It gives them powers in relation to the culture and history of the race. Their legacy. Such stones are reserved to be gifted to the family of royals and kings,” She nodded toward the Aspect Stone; “That is the legacy of your people, if you found it in that tomb it would mean that the tomb itself was something made by your kin.”

Teyva glanced toward the entrance to the cave, that much she already knew. Teyva Rani had been the Queen of the Labyrinthians in her time; though it was hard to believe that so little was left of them. Only a bleak tomb in the middle of a sea of trees. Teyva looked down again at the stone; “And what about answers? What will this do to me? Is my mind already changed by these things?”

“The King of the Azar, my liege, and his advisors are knowledgeable of such things. The King himself performed my ritual,” Azrael said, puffing out her chest a little.

“You must be close, then,” Teyva said.

Azrael smiled a wide smile that reached her eyes. It was strange to see an expression like that on her face, “He has looked after me for a long time. I lived in his demesne since I was a girl; he was my mentor. It was why he chose me for this mission, he put his faith in me,” Azrael deflated, turning back to the fire.

“I failed him.”

Teyva watched her new companion’s face for a long time, the frown that creased her features and the way her shoulders sank toward the ground. She tried to look stalwart, it was obvious she was putting on a good show, but the ache was there. Teyva pulled out the Writ from the Count of Basat again, opening it and reading the cruel words scrawled on it. She looked back over to Azrael and spat at the ground, bearing her needle-like teeth in Azrael’s direction.

“Bullshit.”

Azrael jumped, looking up at her, “What?”

“I said that’s bullshit. You didn’t fail anyone. This letter proves it. Someone gave the Count of Basat a heads up you were coming and was ready for you when you got here. You were set up to fail, dunno by who, but you had to be. Only way it makes sense. This isn’t your fault, Az,” Teyva ground out, holding the document up and waving it in Azrael’s direction. “And if I have to march back there with you to tell your King myself that it isn’t your fault, I will!”

Azrael’s eyes widened.

As fired up as she was, Teyva didn’t even give it a second thought. She accepted the quest.

“Thank you, Teyva,” Azrael said, a real smile on her face.

“Thank me when we get you home,” Teyva said and then paused, nodding to the cave. She’d figured that Azrael had shared so much, that it was worth sharing a little herself. “That was her name, by the way.”

“Whose?” Azrael asked following her gaze.

“The Queen of the Labyrinthians, Teyva Rani,” Teyva said, gesturing with the stone in her hand.

Azrael looked at the cave with surprise; “How do you know?

“I- That might take a little while to explain, how about I talk you through what happened after I woke up while we’re traveling?” Teyva suggested.

Azrael let out a small laugh; “Alright, fine, while we travel then,” She glanced up at the sky; “But first, how about we get some sleep? It will be a long trip through dangerous lands. We should take turns on watch as well.”

Teyva looked at the sky, to her surprise she saw the daylight was already fading. It had seemed so bright not long ago; “Works for me, I’ve already been unconscious way more than I’d like today. I’ll take first watch,” Teyva said. Azrael nodded, not arguing the point, and made herself comfortable on the grass near the fire.

“Tomorrow then?”

“Tomorrow.