“How did I get tricked into this?” I wonder aloud. “No, seriously. How did I ever think this was a good idea?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXM2ZNd8Izj
Klef shushes me. “You’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvttoPdhuY
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?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnbB3n2PCX
“Yes. But this isn’t in public,” Klef reasons.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzQWpDD5wZ
“I’m with Klef on this one, Reese, have some self confidence!” Geo adds.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjbXKYImPt
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?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjC8W8pg1s
“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.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJhpI05wZS
Flo smiles, bashful. “I really wasn’t that good at finding anything to help you, but you’re welcome regardless.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxQem1kfbo
The other werewolf clears their throat. “Am I invisible, or something?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRWE00JLat
“Oh! Sorry, Rythe! Everyone, this is Rythe, my mate,” Flo says with a blush.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZfVTd9Uez
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!”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOQudStZpz
I nod. “I’m Rides. Nice to meet you.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2C8ReWOu1H
Rythe bows. “It’s an honor, my lady.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAJpXE3vIn
I blush and Flo whacks Rythe upside the head. “Stop, you, you’re embarrassing her!”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5i5Nq2cdRC
Rythe grins. “But that’s what you love about me! And clearly she doesn’t see herself as some sort of royalty!”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNCJ0upmBs
Flo mutters in a low voice, “She’s the Alpha’s daughter.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAHhJKh4KC
Rythe straightens. “You mean the Alpha of a rival pack or The Alpha?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTr5wqG0YY6
“Try the second one,” Flo mutters, embarrassed on his behalf.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4SZCPoOKh
“Oh.” Rythe salutes me. “Terribly sorry, ma’am.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCnBXipIBAj
“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.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOFgR9xV9k
Rythe nods stiffly, setting the flower crown close to the brink of desruction, and leads us inside.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJN5chAw74
“Guy or girl?” Klef whispers to Geo.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmpXkoTgcS4
“I...don’t know? Guy, I think?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudzTWSZKw0
“No, I’d say girl,” Klef muses.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uzNJgV1ne
“What are you guys talking about?” I mutter.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsVnRGV7ly
“Rythe. Guy or girl, do you think?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTd5rzqlK1Y
“Um…” I have to think about my answer. “Maybe they’re neither…”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTcgmeEpgX
“Neither? Is that possible?” Klef asks.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0V50655KM4
“It would make sense,” Geo reasons.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEA0h0Kx7vx
“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.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuT5Nrb81m
“Right, because the natural neutral pronouns are it/its, but that can be seen as degrading nowadays,” Geo says.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQK2v9FRTW
“It is grammatically correct, though,” Klef points out.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPv53fnSIM5
“I guess you have a point, but would you be okay with being called an ‘it’?” I counter.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrec30vN2b
“What are you guys talking about?” Flo asks.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81JXxVnJDZ
“Nothing much,” Geo says. “Just things back at our branch, you know?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspBUszLoZC
Rythe coughs and mutters, “They/them,” and I grin at Klef and Geo.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnT709eUfo0
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.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwt41ALpMG4
Rythe clears their throat. “Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone else, allow me to present Rides, the Oracle who will be informing us on her dreams!”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwQH11dIbt
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.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZGqjmFoL5
“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’.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNYzcX7VjM
Everyone shifts around, suddenly on edge. “And?!” a wizard with pitch black hair shouts.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqukNdzAb4C
“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.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyXzvF0iZR
“That we know of!” a gorgon yells. “We could be on a wild goose chase, lass!”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jFGIqsUvz
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.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpqizHqBal
The wizard who yelled out comes up to me. “Yeah, but we were expecting…”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡliBOJfgDdZ
“More?” I supply. “Yeah, a lot of people do. Be glad I have that much, though. This is coming from 5 years of dreams.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3EBpjBZdA
“Okay. I’m Ama. A necromancer,” she introduces. “I’m going to be guarding you three for your stay.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbWeZfigHY
“Make that the two of them,” Geo corrects. “I’m no one.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcBJiS0Zxj
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.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpO5XnV0Igh
The room is still silent, everyone anticipating my reply. “Excuse me,” I gasp, making a beeline for the room’s exit.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGvORKzOJm
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.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCK1ldpBPpl
Footsteps come up to my back. Two pairs. “Ride?” Klef asks. “You okay?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEIMrzSYU3i
I shake my head and close my eyes, resting my side against the wall. “Sick,” I mutter.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkm9q4OdZR
“I’m sorry if I upset you, but you need to get it into your head that you’re special,” Ama states.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNvtzi8Voc
“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.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHrWsusa6Q
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?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNusszjE7w
“S-sure.” I stumble on the word, because what is the correct response to someone volunteering to reanimate a corpse for you?1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJqGk0DnHx
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.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHkPt9WQr0
“Definitely not someone I’d call a necromancer,” Klef mutters.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmZ6J1xQbe
I still don’t turn enough to see him properly. Ama shifts so she can face me fully. “Pet the bun,” she instructs.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmz20F7QwRp
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.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7SKnF07lD
I put a hand on her shoulder. “But you’re great at it.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4klG60ZudI
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.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EySJW1sZT
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.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuSJMkBqNP
“I’m fine,” I mutter as I lean against his shoulder.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEiGeONYstR
“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.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLA3jS6xqI
I scoff. “Shut up, bird brain.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnmp5iYOiZ
“Make me, pointy ears!” Klef challenged.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3XYeBetFC
Ama looked between us. “You two are so dating.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5C9FAvAvo
“No we’re not!” we deny at the same time.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8leYUUnwtB
Ama laughs. “So dating.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hBIAF5WFq
“Well don’t say anything. We want to keep it on the DL, if it’s possible,” Klef requested.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKC3W9bMS5C
“Seriously? I’m willing to bet half the people here have started a pool on your relationship status!”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5nZ7xLOnA
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.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHDoRXxn27
Klef raises an eyebrow at me. “Is that how you see yourself?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgWhrivIDS
I shrug. “Well, people mix up you and I a lot.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡibUfItOLUM
Klef lightly punches me. “There’s the Ride I know and love.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfi24y7J5uJ
Ama sighs. “I ship it,” she murmurs.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiI3gmZ8P8E
“There’s that word again!” I exclaim. “Why would people ‘ship’ us?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWftm9MAqX
“It’s cute!” Ama defends.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXD1fqsLiSZ
“It’s weird!”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8f8onwEaP2
“It’s true!”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgwqWRW1Z8
“It’s really really funny,” Klef interjects.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wcdftfF88
I elbow him. “It is not,” I sigh.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVL0exI9ONw
Klef grins.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QfEUyQk7J
“It’s not funny!” I exclaim.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVy9KfnMJY
“Whatever you say, Ride. Whatever you say,” Klef laughs.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqb5FG7KT3
Rythe and Flo come into view outside the conference room. “You okay?” Rythe asks.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsjam17Ec3
I nod. Klef lets go of me and I nearly topple over. “Do you mind?” I growl.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4b8g1ngbY
He grins. “We’ll get you something to sit on until you feel better,” he assures.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmYGbE1YFC
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.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcBZDP1rY4
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.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QEUifz5AJ
“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.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡraoI5x2woD
I nod. “Are we sending people to check out the most probable places?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeoD5JWWv3
“Yeah, and we’re sending you and Klef to some of the less likely ones, to deal with the messages somewhere safe.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4xOWwrzec
“Okay, I guess…I’d rather be out looking, though.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZmTmYy4bJ
“It’s for the best you don’t,” a pale human with freckles says. “Hibiscus A, they/them. Has a mild obsession with dragons.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTERnWYFEI
I smile. “Rides. My dad wants me to go by Iri. I’m old fashioned, I don’t like using my full name.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EfHxcAyLX
Hibiscus A nodded. “I got you. Completely got you. Nice to make your acquaintance, Rides.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm52sbbCafy
“Likewise.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiV3EdAym2X
Klef walks in, followed by my dad. “Still hanging around this scum, Iri?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QbLZy3b82
I laugh. “Hi, dad.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6iIdu9SG6
Klef looks offended. “What am I?”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMF5ZwEYFS1
“Chopped liver,” I respond.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09829eD8Gu
Dad laughs. “Nice one!”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGoWtZYAhY
Klef holds a hand to his heart. “You wound me, Ride. You wound me.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5g71luKYm3
“Good. I was trying to.”1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPMbqMFFmH
Hibiscus A coughed. “Ship it,” they mutter.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYclhcI6ws
I throw my hands up. “I’m done with this!” I sigh.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAo9qWM7Bj
Everyone laughs. “You think I’m joking?” I ask, standing up shakily. “I’ll see you all tomorrow,” I exclaim, waving.1330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGXyW8GpAr
1234 copyright protection1326ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAZ1YgFWgM 尼

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