Chapter 21 — Human Experimentation

Arienos surveyed what used to be a lizardman village. The path of… ‘destruction’ wasn’t quite right, since Xogg`Shriloth left an explosion of indiscriminate growth in its passage. Though no matter what word was used, the lizardmen that lived there were gone to a man and the houses had been overgrown with vines and voracious tangleweeds.

According to the Elven legend that Yillian’s newest companion had researched, the original Xogg was a creation of lizardmen shamans who fed sacrifices into a bottomless bog, hoping to create an all-consuming being that would allow them to gain immortality as part of a greater existence. Between the power of their worship, their shamanic magic, and the nascent primordial that embodied the nature of the swamp, they succeeded in their efforts.

Considering this tribe likely still worshiped the Xogg as their land god, most of them may have even met their end willingly. Arienos didn’t know the truth of their claims of communal immortality and had no interest in finding out. Regardless, whether possessing a collective consciousness or not, the Xogg was certainly intelligent even if it was ruled by its singular desire.

“Telryn, let’s set up camp here,” Arienos decided. “I’m going to make a teleport circle so we can bring in supplies more easily.”

The ranger nodded. “I’ll inform the others.”

They had already sent Syrlieh out to hunt twice, and it was getting harder to find untainted animals. Consuming too much of the taint came with health risks—strange lumps inside the body that would grow uncontrollably, changes to the functions of important organs, and all kinds of undesirable changes to one’s appearance or body structure. Elves were more resistant than most, but with their long lifespans, such a change was even more devastating. Healing changes caused by the taint was difficult because the change became the natural state of the body.

Arienos?

Wondering whether this call would be good news or if Kaylie was just looking to torment him for her amusement, he sat down and cast a protective barrier before projecting his soul-body into the communication gemstone.

Across from him sat an apparently forever-young Kaylie sipping on an imaginary porcelain teacup while looking wistfully into the distance, and his feeble hope of getting her to help in Xogg`Shriloth’s defeat and sealing evaporated. This was clearly a social call.

“Ah, thanks for coming, and thanks for taking on my adorable disciple. How’s he doing? Giving you any trouble?”

Arienos shrugged. “I sent him with my apprentice to investigate the cultist activities. He’s joined the Society, and from what Yillian tells me, he is doing well.”

“Oh? That’s good to hear,” the troublesome half-Kyrren turned toward him with a mischievous grin. “Say, since my boy is doing investigative work someplace, maybe I should drop by unannounced and cause some trouble for him behind the scenes. Where are they at now?”

His hopes to get her involved rekindled some. Once he got her in the field, the chances of roping her into the final operation would be much improved. “Last Yillian updated me, they were in Ravenhill. He and Xyn teamed up with one of the Ravenhill daughters to further investigate the cult-related death of one of the branch family members.”

“Oooh. That sounds perfect,” Kaylie practically purred as her eyes squinted in amusement. “Has your apprentice indicated Xyn’s interest level in this Ravenhill daughter?”

Baited and hooked, now to reel her in.

“Off the charts,” Arienos reported, his own grin showing.

“Splendid!” Kaylie clapped happily. “Well, guess I’d better be going. Was fun.”

With burst of fragrant flowers, she was gone.

Ayla stepped forward, keeping her hands away from her weapon. “I’m Ayla. Fenton’s cousin from the main house. Don’t be afraid.”

The woman stepped back into the hallway so she wasn’t obstructing the door and sank to a knee bowing her head. “W-welcome to my home, Lady Ayla. …D-did something happen to Sir Fenton? Is he in trouble?”

“Should he be?” Ayla raised eyebrow and, at the woman’s panicked expression, adjusted her approach, gently asking, “How should I address you?”

“Jainna, milady.”

The human kit, not happy about the current situation, slapped at his mother and twisted and squirmed until he could see the strangers in the house.

“Voiden, you need to behave!” the mother fiercely whispered at the determined kit.

When the kit’s eyes came into view, Xyn’s attention was immediately drawn to the twin black pupils that resembled the dark of the Shadow Raven’s chest when he was shown the boundary of the world—a void so black that it contained the mists of creation. This! Had the Shadow Raven already known about the human kit and foreseen this encounter?!

But that was not all. The taint of Mirewood was also strong. And in the mother as well.

“-I would be happy if you could prepare some tea,” Ayla was saying when Xyn’s focus returned to the current situation. “The others can wait here while we talk.”

“Ah, forgive me, milady. Is it really okay not to prepare refreshments and seating for the others?” Jainna asked worriedly. “There aren’t enough chairs in this room.”

Ayla made a reassuring gesture with her hand. “Yes, it’s fine. Fenton has tasked us with collecting his research.”

“Ayla, the kit… er, child… I can sense your land god’s power within him. As well as that of Xogg`Shriloth.”

The mother’s eyes darted his way, her brows furrowing again.

Ayla’s eyes narrowed at him. “And how would you know that?”

After the spectacular failure of his last endeavor to gain Ayla’s trust, Xyn couldn’t help bracing as he answered, “The Raven of Shadows told me that a member of your blood was seeking to obtain the gifted power for his descendants without payment. I didn’t want your land god to be angry at your family, so when asked, I agreed to bring such a descendent before him.”

Yillian groaned and muttered under his breath, “You’re such an idiot, Xyn.”

Ayla’s opinion didn’t seem much better if her puffing cheeks and annoyed eyes were any indication. “Not only did you think it a great idea to intervene with my father about Fredrick, but the land god as well? What gives you the right to meddle in my family’s affairs?”

Xyn was confused. His own motivations aside, wasn’t helping his future mate and her family an obvious thing to do?

“No, wait. I’m sure I know the answer already.” Ayla sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose then resorted to rubbing the sides of her head.

“Excuse me, Lady Ayla, but are you going to take my son away?”

Ayla shot Xyn a look he recognized as ‘now see what you’ve done?’ before turning to address the very worried mother, helping her to her feet and ushering her along, “How about that tea? I’m sure we have much to discuss.”

When the females had left the room, Alennil whispered, “Wow, Xyn. I have to admit, you have the bold courage of a lion…”

“And the single-minded commonsense of a stag beetle,” Yillian snorted.

Were they mocking him or praising him?

Xyn meditated while Yillian and Alennil went through Fenton’s research. From what the pair were saying, Fenton had hidden the information about Jainna in the encrypted section of the journal left for Ayla. The experiment was testing the use of Chaos essence from Mirewood to promote change in the body while restraining the change through the simultaneous use of Void essence from Ravenhill. That matched with Ayla and Jainna’s conversation which could be heard coming from the house’s kitchen and, apparently, took the form of powdered herbs that Jainna had been told to add to her meals and tea.

Jainna hadn’t been too distraught upon learning of Fenton’s death, but was instead worried for herself and her son. Fenton had left her with a fair amount of coin, but once the locals suspected that she had lost the favor of her noble lover, the money and the house might be taken from her or she might be forced into an undesirable marriage.

As it was, Fenton had effectively purchased Jainna from her parents for his experiments. She had agreed because the money would mean a lot for her family, and bearing a noble’s bastard could improve her future if the child was later recognized by the family.

Voiden wasn’t the first child from the experiment. Jainna didn’t want to talk about her first. And though she didn’t give any more information other than saying the ratio of herb powders was changed, visions of half-tangleweed kits with raven heads made Xyn shiver even while meditating.

As he worried about what Fenton’s research meant for his own situation with having internalized both Void and Chaos energies, Xyn had a startling thought: Might the Human Ring’s changes have been rendered permanent?! Might his kits be more human than even Grandma Kaylie?! Xyn was aghast at the thought.

He would have to find somewhere discreet to take off the ring to make sure he could still return to his Kyrren body. Though… if he stayed in this form even after removing the ring, would putting it back on make him fully human? Ugh. It might make his mission easier and help him with progressing his cultivation, but… he’d lose his claws and superior ears. And balancing without a tail…

Distracted by such thoughts he almost missed when Ayla convinced Jainna to come back to Ravenhill with them. Jainna asked if she could go let her parents know first, a request which Ayla whole-heartedly supported, saying that she’d wait for her.

After Jainna left, Ayla took over the bloodline research, and Yillian started working on the changes to the teleportation circle. Xyn cracked his eyes open just enough to catch Ayla throw an annoyed huff his way. Ugh, she was still upset; the trust-building effort was definitely a disaster, and Xyn was at a loss about what he should have done differently.

Yillian and Alennil seemed to know. He would have to ask them about it later.

Setting such thoughts aside, Xyn breathed in the local air. He was getting better at ignoring the scents of human habitation and instead focused on how the Mist energy in the air was different from that found inland. It was a blend of stagnant and fresh, brackish coastal swamps evaporating in the late afternoon sun and frothy ocean swells whipped up by the constant wind. Neither concept was a particularly good fit for the Path of the Dancing Petals or his own path of mist-based illusions, mental attacks, and space manipulation. The contrast was interesting, though, and perhaps giving his mist more realistic properties might be useful when he wanted to evoke different emotions in his targets.

When Jainna returned, an animated Voiden was bundled up for travel and making incomprehensible noises. The child seemed to be excited by the activity and disgruntled about the lack of freedom for his arms.

“Um, Lady Ayla, is there still time for me to pack a few things?”

“Of course,” Ayla promptly reassured her. “Let me help.”

Jainna tried to object, but Ayla insisted.

The teleport back was uneventful, but as the group let go of an exhausted Yillian, the half-elf promptly informed them that two long-distant teleports in a single day was the extent of his ability and that he would need to rest before attempting the last two beacons.

Arriving in an underground room with blood splattered tapestries, strange equipment, and a raven altar, apparently wasn’t what Fenton’s mistress had expected as she hugged Voiden to her chest and was once again making worried expressions. Voiden, for his part, must have found the teleportation amusing because the human child was babbling and vigorously working his arms under the bundle of fabric.

Xyn idly wondered if having a Void-attuned human child experience teleportation would affect the future development of the child’s abilities.

“This way, Jainna,” Ayla prompted. “I’m sure Sir Nerel and Lady Elaine will be eager to meet their grandson.”