“Nice…” I said in satisfaction as I looked at my little display section.
I had started keeping this nagerie of the various creatures, call it a hobby I guess. It’s been a month since Tralis fell and I was getting quite bored so I started this whole thing. So far I have Spriggans, Stalker Chaleons, Horned Bears, Trolls, Feathered Wyverns and Humans. My collection of trolls had both genders as well as particularly young one. For the humans I lacked your typical human fair skinned female but I had a male one, as well as the two exoticly dark ones which were male and female. I’m a little upset by the lack of the normal females though, I guess as much as won get the short end of the stick most of the ti in human nations they at least don’t get the death penalty that often. It made sense to an extent why the females get treated the way they do. This world was way too violent and dangerous. If you couldn’t fight or do dumb labour well then you were less useful. Magic was a great equaliser in a way, if a woman was powerful in terms of magic she could find herself high in the social hierarchy. Or even without magic, raw talent would still be able to propel one forward. Cecilia’s magic ability is a good example, but she had a royal bloodline to be fair. I suppose a better example would be Beatrice and Sarana with their extre talent in their specific fields.
But anyway, the dynamics of human society did not interest unless there was sothing to be gained or lost so… whatever. If it’s not a problem for then it’s not a problem.
I looked up at the special vats I grew that held my prized collection. They were filled with this fluid that kept them alive and unconscious. The front had this transparent carapace that acted like a sheet of glass so I could admire my little collection. Yes I could eat them but I don’t need to yet so I might as well collect them. I like looking at them, they looked really nice, all arranged neatly like that.
Then I sensed movent from upstairs. Looks like Cecilia was finally here, I guess it was ti for sothing I am very excited about. Sure enough I heard her graceful steps down the stairs. I turned to see her look around the large room, her eyes wide not with fear but curiosity. To the average human this room would look like absolute nightmare fuel. Why that was the case was quite simple. Like any self respecting scheming individual who had many strange and profane hobbies I needed a lot of apparatus and special tools to do it. But the aforentioned apparatus were not built, they were grown.
The entire room was covered in flesh like growths. They weren't overtly disgusting, Cecilia ca down once in a while so I made sure to make them not too revolting. For instance they don’t leak any fluids or have so horrible stench. In fact most of them give off the sll of freshly picked flowers. The visual aspect didn’t seem to bother Cecilia at all so I just left it as is. Although most humans find it absolutely horrifying. The fleshy growths had eyes built into them because I needed the growths to know which direction to grow in. They didn’t have ears since I just commanded them in the hive mind. There were also these pulsating vessels that pumped nutrients and other materials from the various digestion vats to the gestation chambers.
The flowery scent that perated the room also had an unintended benefit. Everyti I woke up one of my new mandatory volunteers for any testing I wanted to do, the sll often terrified them even more. I suppose it was the extre juxtaposition of the senses that heightened the terror. Many of them covered their faces with their hands, afraid to inhale anything, for fear of poison. It wasn’t poisoned but it was funny to look at.
Well most of the mandatory volunteers were really freaked out the mont they saw anyway. So the visual appearance of the Living Room was only an added thing. But they were dead soon anyway so I didn’t exactly torture them unecesarily. I have standards afterall… actually no not really I just honestly found their screaming annoying so I just gag them and carry on as per normal. There was nothing in it for to knock them out, waste of resources frankly. So they get to be awake for the whole thing.
“This place has changed a little.” Cecilia mused as she looked around the room.
“Yeah, I started calling it the Living Room.” I replied with a grin and Cecilia cracked a small smile at that comnt.
“Very funny friend.” Cecilia said with a roll of her eyes as her gaze shifted to the display pods that held my collection.
“A new hobby.” I said before she could ask.
“Well everyone needs a hobby, although… a nagerie isn't that bad of an idea…” Cecilia said as she cupped her chin,
“Huh?” I asked, I knew she had another sche brewing in her head.
“You know how we wanted to advance the field of Beastiary to help educate the masses on your hive. People fear what they do not understand.” Cecilia said as she calmly approached the pod that held a Wyvern.
“Imagine what kind of an institute we could make with sothing like this… the learning opportunities. The beastiarians across the world will flock to the empire to work at the institute.” Cecilia said as she brought her face right up to the pod and peered intently at the sleeping wyvern.
“It’s a beautiful creature isn’t it? I’ve never seen one with my own eyes. The feathers are gorgeous. They must fly really well with those feathers.” Cecilia said her eyes darted around the contents of the pod.
“Not well enough to out fly but pretty well compared to so of the other things.” I said and Cecilia turned and gave a wry look.
“Saying that sothing loses to a Firstborn after their geno is assimilated is like saying sothing lives under the sky.” Cecilia replied dryly.
“True, anyway should we get going? I’m really excited for what cos next.” I said eagerly as I turned towards the stairs.
“Yes I think we have kept Mahaila waiting long enough.” Cecilia said as she turned as well.
When we exited the Black Box I saw Mahaila leaning against a tree. She was back in her pink scaled Lizardkin form. I know that isn’t what she usually looks like, Draconians looked quite different from Lizardkin. They were bulkier, taller and had wings. I an the Draconians were nad after the word Draco which is based on the Dragons. While the Lizardkin are well… nad after Lizards…
“Should we go?” I asked Mahaila and she silently nodded as her gaze shifted to the entrance of the Black Box. She couldn’t see it obviously thanks to manifestation shrouding the entrance.
“I can fly myself there. I’ll lead the way..” Mahaila said as a pair of draconic wings shimred into existence on her back. The wings were way too large for her thin fra, revealing once again that this was not her original form.
“Is that a manifestation? I was wondering why I couldn't see any trace of the magic around your little disguises.” I said as I peered down at her wings.
“It’s a special spell I learned from my master. He developed it with my uncle. It was explicitly designed to be able to fool the Firstborn. Most Firstborn are so confident in their detection abilities they never bother to double check. It works well because manifestations are essentially lies made real, so once in place there is no magic involved. A lie to trick the world.” Mahaila replied as she looked back at the entrance of the Black Box.
“I’m guessing your master didn’t teach you how to see past manifestations.” I said and Mahaila nodded.
“It’s far easier to make one than it is to break one. That is perhaps the strongest aspect of manifestations. Once one is employed, it is extrely difficult to be undone by a third party.” Mahaila said.
“Good to know, can you keep up? I can out fly Azatherine.” I asked and Mahaila cracked a small smile as her forked tongue darted out for a mont. I noticed she does that when soone says sothing particularly amusing.
“So can I.” Mahaila replied with a chuckle.
“Nice. I know where the vaults are so which one should we hit first. I don’t think we can go to the one under the capital. Unless of course you have an idea on how to get in undetected?” I asked as my mind wandered to her map.
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