Chapter 0249 - Sporting

Among Garden Dimensions, one had been set aside specifically to house the herbs from Ultinia. After the blue lightning grass incident, Kink and Honey had both learned their lessons on the potential for invasive species and their affect on the space around them.

The Lightning Grass dimension was originally a place where elemental water gathered and condensed, absorbing whatever was placed into it. With the addition of the Lightning Grass, the Elemental water had become something else. The concentrated elemental water contained electric properties, the grasses in the dimensional plane had actually created a dual type of essence. In addition to the lightning energy in the atmosphere, the plane had a constant sea of lightning crashing down in the distance.

The Sparkler Grasses would be given the same treatment, they were added to a dimension that had a vast desert, the fire energy there was not significant in any way but there was always a starting point. Several types of fire lizards and other creatures had been left in the dimensional space for safe keeping but none of them were a threat to the new additions.

Most of the species that were left in the dimensional planes were small, only a few were used to house large beasts or creatures that deserved some sort of sanctuary.

Honey finished up all the work on the patch but it had taken her about an hour to do the work. Wu Hai had told her about the time difference between dimensional jumps into the heavenly realms but time didn't matter to Honey, she would come back when the work was done.

Honey didn't care about time or power but she was very interested in keeping up with her duties, all of them. There were some innovations and practices she had picked up that she really wanted to try.

The Red Rock was giving off Kink's Aura almost exactly, the bush had latched on tightly, it wove its roots around the bushes in the Volcanic plane.

The Bush didn't seem to dislike the change in its environment, new leaves quickly unfurled.

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When worshiping, names are a big deal. Kuzunoha was exploring one of the town churches, the people were nice enough but it was a little strange to be in a Satyr Village but the villagers had an interesting belief system that warranted further study.

Wu Hai and Vector were at the Bar.

Mursayade was busy training Misozi to use puppets in battle. She kept the fights short and their prey limited to wildlife in the area but it was a learning process. She would only help when Misozi encountered problems. The encounters were scattered and the puppets had a function to repair so long as they weren't completely obliterated and wildlife, at least the benign kind, wouldn't entirely destroy the puppets even in their best of times.

The Satyr Village Chief had told Vira about their ancestors which grew in power and rank among the gods. Their names were somewhat redundant but it came to a shock when she learned out why, The concept, the idea of the prayer or to reach out with ones soul to another gave. It gave energy, benefit and even the occasional miracle. Their ancestors would grow stronger the more they were praised and remembered, aiding them along their path in the higher reaches of the Ultinian Heavens.

"The Ancestors of are all called Katsau, we send out our wishes and if we are deemed worthy they come at our behest." The Chief chewed on some sort of root by the fire. "Katsau will show up and protect us in times of great danger, but only to the true believer and those closest to them. To build the relationship with our ancestors its the first step to joining the Katsau on the Path of Power."

Speaking with the occasional emphasis on his words, the Chief paced around the fire and bore the details. "Names are important, yes. They tell our wish, a living thing, where to go. All the power seeks its intended target, the stronger the prayer, the stronger the calling. Great benefit goes to those who carry the name or visage of the worshiped, it gives the Katsau, our Ancestors, their power. Faith is important.. too important, if they did not answer us even when all hope is lost, then they would lose their power. Without us, they have no carried spiritual energies, no offerings, no prayers and they will be forgotten to the sands of time."

"What about prayers concerning internal conflicts between your people?" Vira kicked a stick and the fire roared a bit between the timbers. "Multiple Prayers from multiple groups of your people, would they not someday overlap if conflict exists?"

"Conflict among my people? It is unlikely, but to defy the Ancestors is even more unthinkable. The Ancestors would never hear a plea to harm one of their own. It is a sacrilegious thing." the Chief bit down on the root and tore a great chunk out of it, somewhat annoyed but thinking something over.

He paced more and drank from his cup. Vira could smell it from her seat, it was a putrid smell, like a corpse or a melody of poisonous herbs. In all likeliness it was some sort of hallucinogen and from the looks of the Tribal Chief, it was a powerful one.

"I would like to discuss some theoreticals with you. First, .." Vira went into a deep conversation about the Gods, she wanted to understand the differences between those who were revered and those that were worshiped freely.

Vira was right about one thing, the prayer of one people might directly conflict with the prayers of others.

Battle among a species or people, internal conflict among fellow believers, would result in even more prayer but they would be praying to harm or kill each other off. A God cannot answer all the prayers of its people, if they did, they would betray their followers and most devout of believers. A plea to bring harm to one of their own was something that all parents or elders typically refused to listen to.

"The Katsau would never answer a prayer to harm their own tribe." The Chief defended his beliefs but stood firm. "In the past, few of our kind have become devils and savages of their own making. When that happens, they are no longer your people and you must do what you must do to save the herd."

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The Red Rock was pulsing in the fire plane, Honey couldn't get the root to release the rock but she was able to leave the entire thing sitting above the soil. She was unwilling to bury the rock, wanting access to it in the future.

It was all a bit strange but honey managed to stay close to the bush and sparkler grasses, it was hot but the temperature wasn't what was making it hot. The entire area surrounding the Red Rock seemed to have its energy excited, the air buzzed with a dry heat.

Honey felt her body changing, her skin was pliable and sticky, it was undergoing a change. Her blood was golden and blue, when she became nearly transparent under the heat, only the blood vessels in her body were visible. She was reaching a state of enlightenment, the searing sensations from the rock soon turned to strikes of bliss.

Her body was absorbing the energy quickly, as she reached out to touch the rock with her bare hands, she slipped slightly on her knees and slapped her hand against the rocks surface. Honey's pupils widened, her body shook and she lost consciousness.

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The Descendants of the Katsau were a strange group of people, peaceful people at that. The biggest issues for their villages and towns were the repeated attacks from outsiders.

Vira was still busy with the chief, Vector and Wu Hai were at the bar and Kuzunoha was in the church studying their texts and scrolls.

"What's wrong?" Kuzunoha was busy reading, any noise that loud would have drawn her attention.

One of the clerics in the church had kicked the door closed, then bolted it shut. He had a panicked look on his face.

"There is a pile of corpses out back, fighters have arrived. We must hide or they will come to slaughter anyone they see." He kept his voice down and kicked a panel along the back wall.

"What is happening outside?" Kuzunoha wanted to know but the Satyr man put his finger to his lips and shushed her.

He signaled for her to follow and led the Empress into the basement. The stairwell entrance closed behind them both and when it sealed, he sighed. "Hunters and Fighters have come.."

"Why aren't you fighting back?" Kuzunoha didn't understand. "Why hide?"

"We are not a strong people, our continued survival matters more than saving anyone stupid enough to get caught. If we fight back and a single one of the hunters survive, they return and burn us out. This is why we move so often. This place is one of hundreds scattered across the Valleys." He stood by the torches below and began to walk down the escape tunnel.

"Coward." Kuzunoha slammed her fist against the wall, crushing it. "I won't watch people being slaughtered for the crime of existing." She felt a rage in her chest that would make anyone want to explode. Such a callous look upon things, the Satyrs were a tribe but their concerns for each other were basically non-existent over the herd.

She walked out of the hidden tunnel and struck the wall above it, sealing the entrance. "You can hide if you want, I'm not afraid." A Bow materialized in Kuzunoha's hand.

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"Who cares if they can talk.. all things exist to serve me!" A voice outside of the Bar caught Wu Hai's attention.

Then, the door was kicked in.

"Oh look, they even have guests... Kill them all." The one who had kicked the door down kept speaking, his eyes burned with a yellow light.

"!HUNTERS! RUN!" The Drunken Satyrs scrambled toward the back of the room, they were stuck in the building, the only exit was behind the hunters who had just come.

"Hunters?" Wu Hai turned his head, a sword was coming toward his eye. He flicked his finger and a shield formation plate landed on the bar, covering most of it and the Satyrs.

Vector finished his beer and looked at the hunters with contempt. "We're drinking here and you dare raise a sword at Zao?"

"Who is Zao?" One of the hunters had his bow drawn and his aim steadied, he let go and his arrow slammed into the Shield.

Wu Hai slammed his cup onto the bar. The swill was sub-standard but it gave him a buzz and its didn't make him want to vomit. When he finally had time to wind down, he really disliked being interrupted.

A bright flash appeared outside and then a faint rumbling. The hunters became uneasy at the level of screaming, none of it sounded like the Satyrs dying. Instead, it sounded like armor being torn apart and panicked screams.

"Oh no.. you interrupted our time off, you're not going anywhere." Vector stood up and unfurled his wings. "You piss off the Dragon King and Zao, kill innocents around us and you think you are allowed to leave? No." Vector pulled out a bottle of some good alcohol. "I'm going to drink this whole thing when I'm done with you." He left the bottle on the counter and stepped out of the shield.

An Arrow slammed into his shoulder at the exact moment that he left the shield's confines. It pinged and deflected away. "What are you!"

Vector's fist flew into the single eye of the fuzzy red man's face. He flew across the bar and into the wall with just a light jab. 'Tsk..' Clicking his tongue, he frowned. "This isn't even worth our involvement, look.. I basically just shoved the guy with my fist slightly." Vector was disappointed, he opened and closed his wings. "No challenge, at all."

"You're the one that stood up. I just put up a shield to keep my drink from spilling." Wu Hai was a little drunk. He plucked Vector's bottle from the counter and poured himself a glass. "You have this covered." Leaning back against the bar, Wu Hai sipped then stared at Vector. "Well, what are you waiting for.."

"I wonder what happens if I freeze them entirely and store the corpse." Vector rubbed at his chin and the red furred men that surrounded him began to shiver.

The space around the bar began to cover in a layer of frost and the door slowly began to seal shut. Layer after layer of frost began to accumulate, it gathered around Vector's arms.