“How did I get tricked into this?” I wonder aloud. “No, seriously. How did I ever think this was a good idea?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hi5trTBbD
Klef shushes me. “You’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1NpR52TPv
The Crusader’s base is in sight, and I’m having more than a few second thoughts about this whole experience. “Have you ever seen me try to speak in public?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdW8PjvlRm
“Yes. But this isn’t in public,” Klef reasons.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtI6vQbHQHQ
“I’m with Klef on this one, Reese, have some self confidence!” Geo adds.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMIkSlLb6Nm
As we’re walking toward the Crusader’s base, Flo walks out with a werewolf who I’m assuming is her mate. They have flowers in their short cropped hair but despite the typically “feminine” accessory has a somewhat-masculine build. Both of them walk out to greet us. “Oh, so nice to see you three! Geo, Iri, and...sorry, was it Klept?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7VKGi9b5u
“Klef, nice to meet you,” Klef says, shaking Flo’s hand. “I understand you’re the one who helped me when I had food poisoning 5 years ago. Thank you for that.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTgu4Fw8xb
Flo smiles, bashful. “I really wasn’t that good at finding anything to help you, but you’re welcome regardless.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFBHdMKJIc
The other werewolf clears their throat. “Am I invisible, or something?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPzF3u5aIG
“Oh! Sorry, Rythe! Everyone, this is Rythe, my mate,” Flo says with a blush.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKx4NHcNK7H
Rythe shakes Klef and Geo’s hands, and then comes to me, examining my eyes. “And you must be the Oracle I’m hearing so much about!”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTsT5RgWLo
I nod. “I’m Rides. Nice to meet you.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhCPMStMra
Rythe bows. “It’s an honor, my lady.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLdt1Zovbr
I blush and Flo whacks Rythe upside the head. “Stop, you, you’re embarrassing her!”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20WYONOXbw
Rythe grins. “But that’s what you love about me! And clearly she doesn’t see herself as some sort of royalty!”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77mBKdHWZ5
Flo mutters in a low voice, “She’s the Alpha’s daughter.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6xs8xHtwc
Rythe straightens. “You mean the Alpha of a rival pack or The Alpha?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCMyLIEBwO
“Try the second one,” Flo mutters, embarrassed on his behalf.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjunQgMKzZU
“Oh.” Rythe salutes me. “Terribly sorry, ma’am.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhxEYe11sW
“That’s not necessary, Rythe,” I laugh. “I’m perfectly fine with being called Rides, or even Iri, if my dad insists on calling me that all the time.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5EfvfBCiUv
Rythe nods stiffly, setting the flower crown close to the brink of desruction, and leads us inside.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtk60QT5ob
“Guy or girl?” Klef whispers to Geo.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIi2tANDkg2
“I...don’t know? Guy, I think?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtw03TUTdKy
“No, I’d say girl,” Klef muses.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5m8mi7KRTP
“What are you guys talking about?” I mutter.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYxtSWT2TA
“Rythe. Guy or girl, do you think?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tEu0MQqE6
“Um…” I have to think about my answer. “Maybe they’re neither…”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKUkindOAS
“Neither? Is that possible?” Klef asks.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Se01c26Hi
“It would make sense,” Geo reasons.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACVe7KPX65
“I’m going to stick to using first names around those two,” I say, holding to the werewolf couple holding hands. “Just to stay in the clear.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNyFuycG99B
“Right, because the natural neutral pronouns are it/its, but that can be seen as degrading nowadays,” Geo says.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiY7jDHMaq
“It is grammatically correct, though,” Klef points out.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZxYvouQQJ
“I guess you have a point, but would you be okay with being called an ‘it’?” I counter.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0B88EE3Vb
“What are you guys talking about?” Flo asks.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhMK8NKTgM
“Nothing much,” Geo says. “Just things back at our branch, you know?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gV1igHZCG
Rythe coughs and mutters, “They/them,” and I grin at Klef and Geo.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQg6GFGN9o
Flo ushers us into a giant room filled with desks where people are talking on phones, documenting things with pictures and surrounding a map, adjusting plastic pieces and discussing strategy. There are many species I recognize and some I don’t. This speech is not going to be easy.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLIPSeZ0pN
Rythe clears their throat. “Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone else, allow me to present Rides, the Oracle who will be informing us on her dreams!”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcCAwqVWdXF
The room goes silent and every eye is on me as I take a deep breath. “Well...first of all, thanks for paying attention, I know a large room full of people who wouldn’t be willing to do that. Second of all,” I look around the room. “Why are you guys paying attention?! I have no clue what I’m doing, and I’m willing to bet every other person in this room has a better idea about how to handle this problem than I do. I am young, inexperienced, and I have recurring nightmares, so I don’t get a lot of sleep to think clearly.” Everyone looks at one another, shifting and murmuring. “My point being,” I yell over the murmuring, and everything goes dead silent again, “That no matter what you think of me, I’m like anyone else. I have my strengths and my weaknesses, just as everyone else in this room has to deal with. I’m not some super-impressive goddess who can do anything I want. I’m weak at almost everything here. I’m just Rides, the girl who dunked her boyfriend in ice cold water to try and help speed up his molting. But you need information, and fortunately, that’s one of my strengths.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqXh70eI9y
“All of my dreams are pretty much the same. I’m being led to some machine of mass destruction by someone--I don’t know who. I’m on some island, or place surrounded by water, at least. There’s mermaids, fairies, zombies, ghosts, you name a species, it’s probably there, except there are never any humans. When I’m strapped to it something happens and it takes my Sight. It revs up and Klef is asking whoever the leader is why they’re doing this. To summarize, they say it’s to ‘destroy all humans’.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmAbNDzjCC
Everyone shifts around, suddenly on edge. “And?!” a wizard with pitch black hair shouts.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XtyOON18k
“And that’s it. I can say it’s more likely that we’re on an island than a continent, and there aren’t as many islands in this world to check out…” I say.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxnFQzriS6
“That we know of!” a gorgon yells. “We could be on a wild goose chase, lass!”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnQATYCsVe
Klef bristles next to me and I hold him back with a hand. “You called me here,” I explain, “You wanted to know what I knew. There you have it.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CNGp4qnqP
The wizard who yelled out comes up to me. “Yeah, but we were expecting…”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFw9qyUzcXF
“More?” I supply. “Yeah, a lot of people do. Be glad I have that much, though. This is coming from 5 years of dreams.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rIfZLmEX2
“Okay. I’m Ama. A necromancer,” she introduces. “I’m going to be guarding you three for your stay.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfXvNtoaKf
“Make that the two of them,” Geo corrects. “I’m no one.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWK3OfJ3VZ
I start to protest but Ama cuts me off. “He has a good point, Oracle. You and your partner are the highest priority here. The less people to protect, the safer you’ll be.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBL3WZmARz1
The room is still silent, everyone anticipating my reply. “Excuse me,” I gasp, making a beeline for the room’s exit.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFQvJnqmIj
I wander the halls, looking for a restroom. I know I’m about to be sick. I heave in the middle of the hallway and shudder as nothing comes up but a little bile. I was too nervous to eat lunch earlier, but now I’m glad I insisted that I wasn’t hungry. After a few more dry heaves, I slide down the colorless wall to the right of me to the ground. Now that I’ve stopped puking, all I really want to do is cry. I’m really not important. They just need my gift, and anyone could get that. To say others’ lives, their family and friends, my family and friends, are nothing next to me...it has to be utterly ridiculous. There’s no way. I no more important than anyone else. No one should die on my behalf.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5vRa6mWNJ
Footsteps come up to my back. Two pairs. “Ride?” Klef asks. “You okay?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKn3cqI3tAK
I shake my head and close my eyes, resting my side against the wall. “Sick,” I mutter.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30NCmx2PWt
“I’m sorry if I upset you, but you need to get it into your head that you’re special,” Ama states.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFb7SLgyFa
“You don’t seem to be the type to be a necromancer,” I say. “Since you seem to care about people and their health so much.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeu2V96O9QM
Ama laughs. “You haven’t seen me mad.” I turn to get a good look at her. She does have a black air about her, but it’s small and watery at the moment. She has black ringlets that go below her shoulders and clear, milky skin. She also has one green and one blue eye. She notices me looking at her eyes and grins. “Yeah, I have the Sight too. It makes my magic strong enough to animate corpses. Wanna see?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoG013Q3BAR
“S-sure.” I stumble on the word, because what is the correct response to someone volunteering to reanimate a corpse for you?947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoJLfWXy02
Ama mutters something and a tiny skeleton of a rabbit forms out of bones in a pocket Ama has on her clothes. “I like bunnies,” Ama explains. “Once I made an entire fluffle of skeleton bunnies follow me.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1gesIl4RM
“Definitely not someone I’d call a necromancer,” Klef mutters.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3iu8lbn5u
I still don’t turn enough to see him properly. Ama shifts so she can face me fully. “Pet the bun,” she instructs.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYR2tIOj0R0
My hand reaches for the bunny with hesitation and it lifts its head up to meet my fingers, relishing every single stroke. I smile, and Ama smiles at me. The bunny falls into a pile of bones and Ama shakily returns the bones to her pockets. “Always drains me,” she admits.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGY30q2BL5
I put a hand on her shoulder. “But you’re great at it.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjDlMjOeob
Ama grins, a blush creeping over her from ear to ear as she stands up. “Come on. Everyone is waiting for you, to make sure you’re all right.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzq6Gk3hbC
I stand up, my muscles screaming at me every inch. My legs shake and my head is spinning as I finally look at Klef. His face is etched in concern and he takes the few slow steps to me as if he’s walking across a minefield. He wraps an arm around my shoulder and says, “You look like you’re about to keel over. Let me help.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7v2smHfqQJ
“I’m fine,” I mutter as I lean against his shoulder.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TuA7qAPnj
“Of course you are, you’re great,” he snarks as he leads me back the way we came. “That’s why you puked and collapsed.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlDH3Ccdlq
I scoff. “Shut up, bird brain.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTydovrzzQ
“Make me, pointy ears!” Klef challenged.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZfHbXrFpu
Ama looked between us. “You two are so dating.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWiYLuJ4puf
“No we’re not!” we deny at the same time.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNNhe8aZFp
Ama laughs. “So dating.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGJYWxLk77
“Well don’t say anything. We want to keep it on the DL, if it’s possible,” Klef requested.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIqziNQYGj
“Seriously? I’m willing to bet half the people here have started a pool on your relationship status!”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZLx7GJvZi
I groan. “Great. Just what I need. First I’m more important than others, and now I’m going to be seen as a desperate lovestruck teenager.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pAOneOinT
Klef raises an eyebrow at me. “Is that how you see yourself?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycgb0a0Z3E
I shrug. “Well, people mix up you and I a lot.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUgztJtrii
Klef lightly punches me. “There’s the Ride I know and love.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71ar2oo5qY
Ama sighs. “I ship it,” she murmurs.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzOAjGQLq0
“There’s that word again!” I exclaim. “Why would people ‘ship’ us?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlC3Vzev7i
“It’s cute!” Ama defends.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ExhfdutKw
“It’s weird!”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkS5IIpC1W
“It’s true!”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbwzb6odnO
“It’s really really funny,” Klef interjects.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURLk6O1UXF
I elbow him. “It is not,” I sigh.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS70F39I0x4
Klef grins.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzFoytbxKv
“It’s not funny!” I exclaim.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGaDphbhMZE
“Whatever you say, Ride. Whatever you say,” Klef laughs.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t5beubhrr
Rythe and Flo come into view outside the conference room. “You okay?” Rythe asks.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCikKZmQGr2
I nod. Klef lets go of me and I nearly topple over. “Do you mind?” I growl.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6g5R9lwtLd
He grins. “We’ll get you something to sit on until you feel better,” he assures.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jDTMH4Bwe
I mimic him. He punches me, nearly sending me careening into a wall. Rythe picks me up. “I can take you to a wheelchair, don’t worry,” they say.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3T9sKXVlPD
I’m carried to a wheelchair next to a table with a globe on it. Little red flags litter the globe. “What are those flags for?” I ask.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5IjXwlT42
“Those are possible places your dreams could have taken place. Now, the list has decreased significantly with your information,” Rythe pulled out land-based flags. “Because you said you were on a peninsula or an island. Now, in addition to the Islands of the Mermaids, there are a bunch of unmapped islands all around the globe. And there’s on in the middle of a lake in the Untamed Lands that’s suspicious.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtPxir7ie1
I nod. “Are we sending people to check out the most probable places?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWO6VwAYEoH
“Yeah, and we’re sending you and Klef to some of the less likely ones, to deal with the messages somewhere safe.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98MsbieOV6
“Okay, I guess…I’d rather be out looking, though.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamCS4Mu8Q0
“It’s for the best you don’t,” a pale human with freckles says. “Hibiscus A, they/them. Has a mild obsession with dragons.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7SPFTBmDv
I smile. “Rides. My dad wants me to go by Iri. I’m old fashioned, I don’t like using my full name.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UGGP5MGdx
Hibiscus A nodded. “I got you. Completely got you. Nice to make your acquaintance, Rides.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnkUFr3KOC
“Likewise.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WxhYBQeOd
Klef walks in, followed by my dad. “Still hanging around this scum, Iri?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncqibecvZq
I laugh. “Hi, dad.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoN9sTrcZp
Klef looks offended. “What am I?”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwOrp2l0iA
“Chopped liver,” I respond.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO67A0TPFyZ
Dad laughs. “Nice one!”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0pE7dWAzJ
Klef holds a hand to his heart. “You wound me, Ride. You wound me.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJgQjmiANl
“Good. I was trying to.”947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Tj2jd8jKZ
Hibiscus A coughed. “Ship it,” they mutter.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rNDGLe1jW
I throw my hands up. “I’m done with this!” I sigh.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTiD0VRNpO8
Everyone laughs. “You think I’m joking?” I ask, standing up shakily. “I’ll see you all tomorrow,” I exclaim, waving.947Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbQtiZ88SV
8964 copyright protection943ＰＥＮＡＮＡzimdc9hRRC 維尼

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