The scent-taste of a great many Coreless pressed down on my tongue as the-female-who-was-not-Needle carried closer to the center of the many-nest. A nearly-equally great number of [Little Guardians Totem]s pressed against my senses, a sign of just how far I had co in converting the Coreless of the many-nest.
For a mont, I scraped my fangs across the great mass of connections, catching flashes of the disciples that were in contact with their Totem. It was comforting.
A hand ca up, and the-female-who-was-not-Needle absently scratched at my head-scales. I leaned into the touch; it wasnt quite comfortable, with the way that my head-scales still pounded after I tried to push [Life Essence Manipulation] too far, but it was a welco distraction from the pain.
Im seeing a lot of [Little Guardians Totem]s out there now. Youre getting popular, huh? she said, baring her teeth. I twisted my neck around curiously as she walked, noticing that a few of the Coreless had a great many snake-shaped objects with them. They werent all proto-totems, though most were; so were small and made of stone, while others were like illusions of color imprinted on thin slabs. So were stone carvings, and others were made of stranger materials.
But they were all sohow, just like the darkwood carvings were - the core embedded in each snakes head-scales was proof of that. The Great Core.
They didnt all have quite the sa allure to them, though. I knew, deep within myself, that the wooden carvings affixed to threads could most easily beco a [Little Guardians Totem]. The others wouldnt take the mana quite as easily, or quite as strongly. Still, I gave a hiss of approval for the Coreless who created them, helping to spread the image of the Great Core.
As we walked, I heard light hisses from the Coreless around us, snippets of conversation that I couldnt understand. Their volu seed to grow as the Coreless noticed us walking among them. They spilled over one another in a chaotic ss; even if I could understand the words, I would have likely had trouble.
...Little Guardian...heal now?
...saved my Ronnie, just two days ago. Led one of the Seekers right to him.
...that necklace?
A flash of [JOY] and [RELIEF] caught my attention as I continued skimming across the nearby connections. I twisted my head around to et it.
Sothing broke through the nearby crowds, a shouting that gathered the attention of the gathered Coreless.
Little Guardian, Little Guardian! a tiny Coreless cried out, dragging an older female behind him. See, mama, I told you that he would find us and save you! He always does! He stopped in front of the-female-who-was-not-Needle, suddenly losing his confidence. Tiny fingers snaked up towards the [Little Guardians Totem] around his neck, gripping it tight. Suddenly, [JOY] shifted into an odd mixture of [NERVOUSNESS] and [ANTICIPATION].
The female Coreless stumbled to a halt behind him, legs trembling, barely able to stay standing. Her face was pale, and dark bruises had taken root underneath her eyes. A familiar wooden carving hung from her neck, lifeless and untouched. It wasnt a Totem yet, but it could be.
Her chest heaved with each hard-won breath, coming out in wet, heavy rasps as she fought for enough air to fill her lungs. Her gaze wavered, and the scent-taste of death and dying clung tightly to her skin.
The Coreless breath hitched for a mont; she raised a pale, shaking hand to defend against a violent cough.
It was red when it ca back down.
Her legs finally gave out and she tumbled to the floor, sucking in rasping breaths.
You can help my mama, right? You can save mama, right? Anna said that you could, that you could do anything! the tiny Coreless shouted. His voice trembled and choked, yet cut across the now-silent crowd regardless. Fluids spilled from his eyes in great rivers, and I tried to force myself not to sense what was behind them.
...right? the voice, now small and quiet, asked. A wave of [NEED] spilled from the tiny Coreless connection, coupled a mont later by a stream of emotions that felt as if they would knock over with their strength: [HOPE/TRUST/CERTAINTY].
Even the other Coreless seed to feel the little Coreless burning [NEED], if the sudden flood of [HORROR] and [SYMPATHY] was any indication - or maybe there was sothing in those trembling words that I couldnt quite understand.
In the end, that didnt matter. I knew what he wanted. I just didnt know if I could give it to him. [Life - Invigorating Bite] wasnt always strong enough - more than once, over the past few days, I had failed.
And the female at his side already looked close to death. Slled like it. Tasted like it.
I could see the way that the other Coreless in the area were watching with widened eyes. A few of them had inched away from the dying Coreless, their own faces growing nearly as pale as hers. So held fast to a [Little Guardians Totem] around their neck, while others had nothing to hold onto.
Through the nearby Totems, I could sense [fear].
Even in those without, I could sense the fear. I could see it. I could understand it.
Most of them feared for her. So of them feared for themselves. Either way, I had the chance to take that fear away, even with the weaknesses of my [Life Essence Manipulation]. My mana was nearly full; it would be more than enough. Hopefully.
But even more than the others, it was the tiny Coreless that drew to act. The way that he held tight to the female at his side despite the death-scent that clung to her. The way that he looked at . The way that he trusted .
The tiny Coreless had faith in the Great Core. The tiny Coreless had faith in its Champion. The tiny Coreless had faith in .
I wouldnt - couldnt - betray the trust in his eyes.
Faith should always be rewarded.
I pulled myself down from the-female-who-was-not-Needles shoulder, reaching the fallen Coreless in a few careful slithers.
Her skin was slick with fluids, and far hotter than it should have been. I stuck to its surface with [Clinging Grasp], moving straight upwards. And then, when I climbed high enough, I bit down.
The female Coreless flinched - and a stream of life essence spilled from my fangs, dragged along by [Life Essence Manipulation]. When the stream began to run dry, [Mana-Life Conversion] refilled it, transforming a significant section of my manas brilliant blue to a glimring gold.
The stream ran dry again, and I filled it back up. And then did it again, ignoring the flickering of the thought-light.
Lesser Core Skill: [Life - Invigorating Bite V] Increased.
[Life - Invigorating Bite VI] Acquired.
Just as I was preparing to use what might have been the last of my reserves, her trembling began to still. Her skin began to cool. Her color began to return.
And when I released my hold on her, she no longer held the scent-taste of death.
I touched the lifeless carving on my way back down, and the new Totem began to glow with mana-light. The sa sensation from before, the one that I had been feeling for a while now, ca back again.
When I reached the ground, the gathered crowds of Coreless were silent.
Watching.
And then moving.
One by one, it seed as if all of those who lacked a [Little Guardians Totem] ca forward. One by one, they gained them. One by one, a drop of glimring gold fell on each of those who ca, and they stood a little taller than before.
One by one, they beca mine.
It wasnt difficult, even with my mana as drained as it was. [Little Guardians Totem] was so high level that I barely noticed a drain anymore, and a drop of life essence was just that - a single drop.
I could handle that easily.
What I could sense through the links made eager to do it.
Trust. Wonder. Gratitude. Awe.
And all the while, that strange sensation never went away. I felt like I was stretching.
Lesser Core Skill: [Little Guardians Totem XXIII] Increased.
[Little Guardians Totem XXIV] Acquired.
Growing.
Lesser Core Skill: [Life - Invigorating Bite VI] Increased.
[Life - Invigorating Bite VII] Acquired.
Changing.
Lesser Core Skill: [Little Guardians Totem XXIV] Increased.
[Little Guardian's Totem MAX] Acquired.
Conditions t.
Analyzing...
Becoming sothing more.
Minor Title: [Little Guardian] Removed.
Gained Major Title: [Little Guardian].
Description: You have been marked by a potent Legend: You are the Snake that guards the weak from terrors that hide in darkness. You are the Viper that heals the dying and broken. You are the Serpent that guides the lost ho again.
Gained the Lesser Core Skills: [Little Guardians Totem MAX] [Little Guardians Focus I].
Reviews
All reviews (0)