“How did I get tricked into this?” I wonder aloud. “No, seriously. How did I ever think this was a good idea?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFWXGQ7JtW
Klef shushes me. “You’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXsqu9bA1d
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?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2R8scijtv8
“Yes. But this isn’t in public,” Klef reasons.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvB9tYhlNk
“I’m with Klef on this one, Reese, have some self confidence!” Geo adds.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uiFgTC0wG
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?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAwFS32Irp
“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.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBemWM6pD04
Flo smiles, bashful. “I really wasn’t that good at finding anything to help you, but you’re welcome regardless.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIosJLLV6a
The other werewolf clears their throat. “Am I invisible, or something?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdeCTkh71A
“Oh! Sorry, Rythe! Everyone, this is Rythe, my mate,” Flo says with a blush.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtblSRw0NqV
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!”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvBFPXEWqz
I nod. “I’m Rides. Nice to meet you.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZCo1zgQ5F
Rythe bows. “It’s an honor, my lady.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDKnyUeyDP
I blush and Flo whacks Rythe upside the head. “Stop, you, you’re embarrassing her!”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUODVFPhuq
Rythe grins. “But that’s what you love about me! And clearly she doesn’t see herself as some sort of royalty!”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjNi9rrxr3
Flo mutters in a low voice, “She’s the Alpha’s daughter.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsVywAd4b7
Rythe straightens. “You mean the Alpha of a rival pack or The Alpha?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAB2VobHLY
“Try the second one,” Flo mutters, embarrassed on his behalf.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlZdCyylGy
“Oh.” Rythe salutes me. “Terribly sorry, ma’am.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yEkiPx3BT
“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.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3gvUisV7E
Rythe nods stiffly, setting the flower crown close to the brink of desruction, and leads us inside.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMxk820rmF
“Guy or girl?” Klef whispers to Geo.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfckgyeO0bu
“I...don’t know? Guy, I think?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8XMABynQM
“No, I’d say girl,” Klef muses.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7GulSvvWl
“What are you guys talking about?” I mutter.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoHqaptEhm
“Rythe. Guy or girl, do you think?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEra70AFsKQ
“Um…” I have to think about my answer. “Maybe they’re neither…”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2dD7ujgmc
“Neither? Is that possible?” Klef asks.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVMheegIsl
“It would make sense,” Geo reasons.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuv2gI9s8X5
“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.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU05ybUvo07
“Right, because the natural neutral pronouns are it/its, but that can be seen as degrading nowadays,” Geo says.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJni1QmMkY1
“It is grammatically correct, though,” Klef points out.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqt0cFka0EM
“I guess you have a point, but would you be okay with being called an ‘it’?” I counter.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPZ5ljJZPf
“What are you guys talking about?” Flo asks.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAGivfM3vI
“Nothing much,” Geo says. “Just things back at our branch, you know?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcr2oaETYg7
Rythe coughs and mutters, “They/them,” and I grin at Klef and Geo.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGl01XOxDH
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.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05RRQAAbHf
Rythe clears their throat. “Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone else, allow me to present Rides, the Oracle who will be informing us on her dreams!”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LzYfwWD3X
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.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JZFqY9PFp
“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’.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLReJ6XG6Dc
Everyone shifts around, suddenly on edge. “And?!” a wizard with pitch black hair shouts.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKU6IaPnM40
“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.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4gwPqcRPn
“That we know of!” a gorgon yells. “We could be on a wild goose chase, lass!”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfOZsgNWpa
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.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMn0ZNYXzQB
The wizard who yelled out comes up to me. “Yeah, but we were expecting…”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0JOzrakmE
“More?” I supply. “Yeah, a lot of people do. Be glad I have that much, though. This is coming from 5 years of dreams.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3mpLFftwc
“Okay. I’m Ama. A necromancer,” she introduces. “I’m going to be guarding you three for your stay.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfx3Wjveoja
“Make that the two of them,” Geo corrects. “I’m no one.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYiPynYA22
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.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEe2lAllmZt
The room is still silent, everyone anticipating my reply. “Excuse me,” I gasp, making a beeline for the room’s exit.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbOKUpjkAE
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.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZONt4O30yz
Footsteps come up to my back. Two pairs. “Ride?” Klef asks. “You okay?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjX7qqTclQ7
I shake my head and close my eyes, resting my side against the wall. “Sick,” I mutter.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTowR7xWNy
“I’m sorry if I upset you, but you need to get it into your head that you’re special,” Ama states.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpmhmCP0Qi
“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.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ921x0QmDz
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?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHCjhi4ak7
“S-sure.” I stumble on the word, because what is the correct response to someone volunteering to reanimate a corpse for you?1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03dGb27B2F
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.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQqDiMb1cVJ
“Definitely not someone I’d call a necromancer,” Klef mutters.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBdmRmpxjK
I still don’t turn enough to see him properly. Ama shifts so she can face me fully. “Pet the bun,” she instructs.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWptBemrcbB
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.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8QWVa4XlC
I put a hand on her shoulder. “But you’re great at it.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLDuHVGglM
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.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsCZf43PBL
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.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYVoFsuY90
“I’m fine,” I mutter as I lean against his shoulder.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jwpPN8kgg
“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.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5I6XMf9Gg
I scoff. “Shut up, bird brain.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9Zgks5UcC
“Make me, pointy ears!” Klef challenged.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodasYwWjWc
Ama looked between us. “You two are so dating.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpoVWmWjOM
“No we’re not!” we deny at the same time.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEAWmaDYCJ
Ama laughs. “So dating.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7o0fRazUv
“Well don’t say anything. We want to keep it on the DL, if it’s possible,” Klef requested.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFgtRFDzcl
“Seriously? I’m willing to bet half the people here have started a pool on your relationship status!”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxxCsMtvKc
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.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAplv3UAQg7
Klef raises an eyebrow at me. “Is that how you see yourself?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4v5rhC4isx
I shrug. “Well, people mix up you and I a lot.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnc29lPcZsd
Klef lightly punches me. “There’s the Ride I know and love.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHuTpqUnp1
Ama sighs. “I ship it,” she murmurs.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFhiJhuLMt
“There’s that word again!” I exclaim. “Why would people ‘ship’ us?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXGeFe6oeY
“It’s cute!” Ama defends.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTvCgOrRmb
“It’s weird!”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMGj3AffGM
“It’s true!”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkKEDjVnjK
“It’s really really funny,” Klef interjects.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQQXOBVin9
I elbow him. “It is not,” I sigh.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbZGx4Wixd
Klef grins.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡob2Qy7noYj
“It’s not funny!” I exclaim.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSlOhPgRSQh
“Whatever you say, Ride. Whatever you say,” Klef laughs.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqP10hltbF
Rythe and Flo come into view outside the conference room. “You okay?” Rythe asks.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGwSZEYjR6
I nod. Klef lets go of me and I nearly topple over. “Do you mind?” I growl.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KkSGLPH5x
He grins. “We’ll get you something to sit on until you feel better,” he assures.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtad4Nrrit
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.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIw6KhHEbR
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.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXQb1uT7dB
“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.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2N7lLCmah3
I nod. “Are we sending people to check out the most probable places?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUDRtYWUa7
“Yeah, and we’re sending you and Klef to some of the less likely ones, to deal with the messages somewhere safe.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQ5EP9piNJ
“Okay, I guess…I’d rather be out looking, though.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cWn7l75lW
“It’s for the best you don’t,” a pale human with freckles says. “Hibiscus A, they/them. Has a mild obsession with dragons.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsbRvaOGxj
I smile. “Rides. My dad wants me to go by Iri. I’m old fashioned, I don’t like using my full name.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwyZ5k0g1I
Hibiscus A nodded. “I got you. Completely got you. Nice to make your acquaintance, Rides.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6tfcq4xeG
“Likewise.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtq2jXGdLd
Klef walks in, followed by my dad. “Still hanging around this scum, Iri?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehhVsAGNps
I laugh. “Hi, dad.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdNHNtD1Q9
Klef looks offended. “What am I?”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWJyiIafb9
“Chopped liver,” I respond.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ImL9rkvwl
Dad laughs. “Nice one!”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBGwxhCxDW
Klef holds a hand to his heart. “You wound me, Ride. You wound me.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JHNZaRcPn
“Good. I was trying to.”1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhxZuY0PPy
Hibiscus A coughed. “Ship it,” they mutter.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEehwcQe74a
I throw my hands up. “I’m done with this!” I sigh.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZaoqzV97Cs
Everyone laughs. “You think I’m joking?” I ask, standing up shakily. “I’ll see you all tomorrow,” I exclaim, waving.1332Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ781dfvSMlz
1234 copyright protection1328ＰＥＮＡＮＡm79mT6rK2k 尼

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