Mother Mimic

The burning hasn't stopped since I ate that woman. Every night we drank the blood of the horses, but that woman found out. She had to be eaten, and now everything burned. The others did not seem to understand what was going on. Still we continued further and further away from our home. Eventually we arrived at the first dark place, that reminded me of my tunnels, the burning sensation never going away. I could hear the words of the doppelgangers, as they spoke. We were safe here?

They carried us through the tunnels, some of the doppelgangers being attacked. We hid, eating the bodies, while others had children. I needed to make my own child, but I was not like the others either. After the eggs were laid, I called the others to me, to try and regain the glory of our kingdom.

Something was wrong, joining with the others caused them to burn and wither. We barely managed to dig enough into the wall before it was clear I was not a queen. The others dead, or dying while the doppelgangers carried the eggs away. They would not let our race die out, not like this. There was so much more we had to do, we were created by our god to make the world beautiful. For the first time, I knew despair, the pain of extinction and it's meaning. The weight of my race bearing down on me, and crushing me. My own body finally starting to wither, as I was a failure.

I felt the egg inside of me throb, as I realized I hadn't even managed to lay it properly. I could hear the dwarves just outside the crevice we dug. They were burning the other saddles and mimics. The eggs left here were destroyed, and so I couldn't lay my offspring. I will never know if any of the other eggs survived, or if they suffered the same fate. I wrapped my flesh around my egg, to keep it warm, wishing for the first time that someone might save us, that someone might save our race.

Our god was silent, our creator abandoning us to likely start again after he woke up from his slumber. I did not know language, or even these feelings. I was not able to handle them all, but soon I would die. I turned my attention to my egg once more, the life pulsing inside me. The loneliness of being the only one left, the future I did not want for this child. I could only apologize to it, giving the thing that burned me so much. The egg took such a cursed thing, as my thoughts became slower. My only hope being that such a curse might make it stronger. My body withered inside the crevice, ample flesh for the little one to eat and continue our race.

Father Ivern, Moss Beard

The spirits were howling through the tunnels, as they softly cried in pain. I had been through these tunnels many times before, walking them with the others. The moss on my beard glowing dimly and casting a gentle light as I continued for the source. We had stopped to drop off supplies for the different tribes, and now everyone was handling the resupply. Which meant I had time to myself, to explore as I saw fit. I gently stroked my beard, the tangled vines lightly hugging my thick fingers while the flora spirits giggled.

As a spirit caller, I could see all the wonderful little nymphs and spirits that made up our world. The tiny little things that moved the air, the ground, the fire, and everything else. It was because of them, that I could generally guide the caravan to safety. If the spirits were fleeing, then death was near. If they were singing, then people were happy. If they were crying, then someone was hurting. Still, as I continued down the tunnels, I saw no signs of anyone or anything that was alive.

I stumbled upon some horse bones, and a few elf bones from the looks of it. A death spirit hiding under its skull. What was truly out of place was the fact that elf bones were even here to begin with. The pure white things turned black after a few weeks, and judging by the dust these bones had been here for probably a month or two. Something ate the flesh away, but there were plenty of scavengers more than happy to eat anything dead.

I piled the bones, taking a moment to rest on my knees and prayed for the lost soul. While the elf had already moved on, it was proper to pay respects to them. I spoke the elf tongue and recited the verse of mourning for a stranger. If their soul had cursed those that killed them, hopefully this would be enough to appease them. Thankfully it did not seem the elf in question wanted to spite their killers, and after an hour I finally drank some refreshing water from my flask. The water nymphs inside happily singing and keeping it cool and clean for me. I gave them my thanks, before resting beside the forgotten bones.

This elf may have been a spirit caller themselves, which would explain why they were currently crying. Though it had been a month at least, and the spirits were terrible at remembering things unless they had an elder guiding them. I closed my eyes to rest, hoping that the spirits could calm down soon enough or at least lead me to their elder. I felt something move to my side, and opening my eyes I saw a tiny fleshy hand reaching for my shoulder.

The hand had sharp rocks clinging to it, making a sort of tiny little claw about the size of my finger. It was attached to a fleshy arm, that connected to some kind of mix between a slime that took on human form, and a tiny ball of flesh. The thing looked incredibly weak on its own, falling short from actually reaching my shoulder pad. It didn't seem to have the strength to fight. I looked at the creature's soul, frowning deeply while I looked her over.

It froze, as I reached a hand towards it, but quickly retreated back into a crack that I barely saw. Now that I knew it was there, I could feel its fear, and pain. The longing and loneliness, as it tried to call out for others. The spirits started to cry again, confirming my suspicions. This little one was making the spirits cry, because her soul was calling for help. These were good spirits, so they wouldn't cry if the creature here wasn't innocent.

I moved towards the crevice, trying to peer inside, only to find the creature hiding further behind the rock. The poor thing was shaking, but clearly malnourished. I could see that it was on its last legs, and I could just leave it here to finish withering. I felt my flask, taking another sip of the water. The little bugger watching me, its eyes going wide while I swallowed my drink. I could sense curiosity coming from its soul, the wonder of watching something bigger than it moving.

I let out a small sigh, she clearly had a curious mind. Like that of a child, it would be wrong just to let her die. I poured some water into my hand, holding a small bit on my palm. I knelt before the crevice, smiling at her gently. She took a few moments looking between my hand, and myself. The little thing that could comfortably fit in my palm. She was so afraid of me, and far too weak to resist if I harmed her in any way. She understood it, and kept her distance.

There was one last thing to try, and if she couldn't accept my help, then it wasn't meant to be. I took a small breath, feeling the pulse of my own soul. The things I've endured in this life, the wonder of the world, as both good and bad memories swirled inside me. I smiled at the little one, before softly singing:

"I'll show you mountains, and the clear blue skies.

I'll show you rivers, and how the birdies fly.

So won't you come with me?

This world is a-mazing, with all its sights and sounds~"

A pure song, displaying my intentions. One born from the truth I felt, that I sang to the young ones that traveled with us. The spirits around us slowly stopping their tears, as I continued:

"I love the whole world, it's such a lovely place~

From all the small worms, to the giant drakes~

I'll show them all to you.

So please just dry your tears~

Say you'll come along with me~"

The spirits started to sing their own little chorus, their soft hums making the tunnel feel just a little less dark. The little one watched me with wide eyes, inching closer as I softly lowered my voice.

"There's just so much, I need some company~

Someone to lean on, and to love and trust

I'll take you in~, to join our family~

You have no-thing to fear

So won't you join us? To see the sights and sounds?"

My voice carried along the walls, the echoes lingering longer as the spirits hummed and sang happily. The worry of the little one slowly fading, as she softly grabbed my thumb, about to climb onto my palm. She was so thirsty, as she drank all the water she could, even licking my palm for just a few more droplets. I poured a little more for her, not wanting her to become sick.

"So here we both are, about to leave and then~

We'll go on a jour-ney, and some more~

From the salty sea, to the sandy shores~

So won't you join us? To see the sights and sounds?

We'll walk this whole world, we'll even laugh and cry

This world is so big~ and oh so beautiful~"

She was starting to fill out a bit, the water helping her a lot. The folds of her flesh slowly puffing out to make her a little bigger. The poor thing must had been dying of thirst. It curled on my palm, softly falling asleep before I could finish the song. The spirits no longer crying, while I carried the little one away from the crevice and bones. There was no way she was responsible for the death of the elf, if anything she was probably protected by it, one of the magical creatures brought from the forest.

I resolved to keep her safe, and return her back to the woods from which she came. Surely one of the elf tribes knew just what she was. It was just a shame it was going to take a few years before we made it back to the forest. We couldn't exactly take a special trip to return her. I made a small hole in my beard, asking the spirits inside the plants to keep her comfortable as I gently placed her inside the small nest. I left the tunnels to tell the others about the new friend we made.

On my way out, I found a tag that was used to mark slaves. Picking up the ruined thing I could barely read any of the letters on it. A thought floated across my mind, from how silly the name was. If this little one was a new species, they would be called Piklin.

My First Year

My memory is quite hazy for those first months I lived. Even until today, all I can remember was crying for help, drinking the blood from my mother, and eating her flesh. I don't know if I killed her or not, but I was saved by the Moss Beards. Father Ivern always sang such wonderful songs, and through these songs, I started to learn his language. Slowly we traveled along the borders of the black sand kingdom. No matter how much like home it felt, something kept me from every wanting to go there. At the time I was certain I would die.

The weeks I do remember, were spent with the tribe of fifty walking back and forth between the sands, and the forests. They would gather seeds, nuts, berries, and even hunt for pelts. They did what they could to ease the creatures they caught into death. At the time it scared me, because I always wondered when I would be next. I clung to my father, and the safety of his beard.

To me the people that I was surrounded by were untouchable. Father Ivern always charged head first against the monsters, which scared me while I hid inside his beard. The monsters would lash out against him, but even their mightiest blows could not harm him. The force seemed to dissipate just before he was struck. Even rocks and other debris thrown at him would lose their momentum once they reached a certain point. He was an untouchable fortress of safety and comfort.

Those monsters or beasts that saw his displays were always terrified and fled deeper into their grounds. Those that weren't, were touched by Vile Plume. A young dwarf that could touch others and kill them. He was always a sad one, having killed those he loved before being saved by our Father himself. Many of our members were saved by our father, to the point that our tribe wasn't only dwarves, but a couple dark elves, around five humans, a few wood elves, and even a fiendling named Adam. Still the majority belonged wholly to the dwarves.

That first year, I learned basic words and concepts. While I couldn't walk, I could crawl and move my flesh to somewhat slither. I took to using stones and pebbles with bits of splinters to try and make legs, so I could be like those around me. I wanted to be stronger, and Father Ivern let me hide my favorite stones in his beard. We still continued to travel South, even while the seasons changed.

My Second Year

From the full cycle of seasons that moved, it was declared that I was a year old. I was learning numbers, and how they worked. Games of cards were played, during star filled nights. Shimmer would show me the stars above us, when she caught me gazing at them one night. She showed me all the constellations, teaching me how to find my way if I got lost. The stars were always the same, and they would be there to guide us. She explained the concept of gods and goddesses, and how we gave them their own stars.

I would sneak out from Father's beard on clear nights to listen to Shimmer talk. Looking back, I think Father Ivern always knew when I left his beard. Though I feel he was just happy to see me becoming a little more independent. We were still traveling South, moving along the border of black sand and the woods and forest the surrounded us. Walking along the path were few trees grew. I noticed the subtle changes, which prompted Shimmer to explain the maps she made.

To my disbelief, the forest was made up of many different forests, with trees growing more sparse in some places to mark the borders of any given forest or woods. The woods and forest along the borders of Dark Fall had strange properties. From the forest of whispers, where birds seemed to sing your thoughts, and doubts. To even the forest of cinder, where instead of leaves the trees sprouted thick branches that emitted fire.

The forests were dangerous, but a skilled hunter or traveler was able to navigate the edges and secure food for their tribe. I learned this was the reason why we walked the boundaries of Dark Fall. The occasional monster was far better than the king or queen of a respective forest. The wonderous beasts that held talents, and repelled monsters on their own. We met crying wolves (what would later become whispering wolves), manticore, and even a couple of the kings who allowed us to continue on our journey after a small offering was made.

This was the year I learned that my family wasn't invincible. It was a dark night, and a couple humans had gone outside of camp to relieve themselves. One of them died to a Snore (A boar with three snake tails, and typically the size of an adult). The other was impaled and dragged towards the campfire, while the beast used it's crystal tusks to split the poor human in half while throwing a tent like it was paper. Adam was the first to react, as he slammed into the side of the creature with the strength of a fiend.

The two were about the same size, and circled each other, while every woke up preparing to counter the Snore in question. The fight was over the minute the Snore decided to charge Adam. With incredible reflexes he grabbed the tusks, the sharp things slicing into his hands. He tossed the screaming thing into the air, and it fell breaking bones and ribs alike. Vile Plume touched the creature, and it died a few seconds after, while Adam beat his chest.

After it was all over, the two humans were buried and the tribe grieved their loss. Seeds and flowers were planted with the two, and we had meat that tasted terrible that night. I was left with so many questions, and since Father Ivern could see souls, I asked them what happened. Despite the tears in his eyes, and the way his voice cracked, he held me close, telling me that the spirits of death gently helped the souls out of their bodies. From there figures serving death ushered the two away, to be judged and placed where they would rest eternally.

I was afraid, because I didn't want to die. I finally understood that what happened that night could happen to anyone. That at any moment everything and everyone we cared about could just be taken by something. I cried with my family, not wanting any of them to be hurt. After that, I tried to follow others whenever they got away from the group, hoping I could help them somehow, if anything happened. In the end, I was attacked, and for the first time I bled. My blood was black like Adam's, and I couldn't remember what attacked me, but one of the wood elves saved me.

I didn't understand how bad black blood could be at the time. Everyone panicked while the wood elf complained of how my blood burned their sap. We saw veins growing on their hand, and everyone feared the worse, while Adam tended to my wounds. He explained why our blood was cursed, and how it could hurt those we cared about. That I was lucky it only hurt a wood elf, since their blood was sap. It took Red a couple days to recover, but they were never upset with me. Everyone was just happy that he did recover.

Adam took to whittling, because those veins on Red didn't go away for months. We had to test just what my blood could do. How it could hurt those I cared about. Those tests revealed what my race was capable of. Our blood burned organic matter in a kind of antiseptic way. Great for cleaning wounds, with no risk of infection through black blood. The issue was that wood, rock, and metal would develop veins similar to what I gave Red. Those veins would link to my flesh, and I could channel my thoughts through such.

The tests took months, happening at their own slow pace. The tribe didn't feel any fear towards me, instead they loved me as if nothing changed. I was scared, but Adam himself took me aside explaining why he was far scarier than some little ball of flesh like me. With a smile, he gave me a hollowed out wooden fiend. When I entered it, everything made sense. While the toy only came up to Father Ivern's ankles, I was so excited. For the first time, I could climb, and move, and not have to be carried everywhere.

The veins allowed me to feel through the wood itself. My body would weep out a little blood here and there to keep everything going just right, as joints developed naturally. I could finally play with the other children, and I was able to bring their toys to life. While I couldn't protect anyone, I no longer had to be hauled to safety if something scary came along.

My Third Year

Things seemed to continue to get better as we continued our journey South, still following the natural borders. I became more aware of what was going on around me, my mind becoming sharper. Simply playing with the others was starting to lose it's joy. I was treated as just another of the five children we had with us. I wanted more, to help the adults somehow. My body was getting bigger, and I was no longer able to use Father's beard. Outside of the little wood golems I came up to the waists of the dwarves. I was still the size of a small child, but I could move and control something twice my size.

We found out that wood was extremely useful for me to use, since my blood could soak through it just fine, making the veins creep further. To that end, I finally got a large log with ball joints from Adam. I was a walking, talking wood golem, much to the amusement of those around me. I couldn't lift more than a dwarf, but my wooden body never got tired. I worked for hours without rest, slowly becoming more accepted by the adults.

Finally we reached the land bridge of the West. It was there that I came upon the first town I ever saw. The town was called Tol'sun, and it belonged to the fire kingdom. An outpost town, mostly run by the military types, and designed to be a sort of choke point if the monsters of Dark Fall tried to run into the kingdom of Fire. Its walls stretched from the ocean to the sea itself, even if the town was far too small to follow those walls.

We were allowed to trade with the humans there, but evidently dwarves were looked down upon. It was new to all of us, and the captain of the town explained that their lord of fire had decreed that the kingdom of the North was not being a proper ally to them. Many of the goods we brought were sold for cheaper than expected, despite the guard captain thanking us for them. He seemed to understand that such a decree was madness, but only spoke about such in private.

It was there that I learned about politics and policies. The taxes that others had to pay in kingdoms, and just how unfair everything could be if someone with power was allowed to use it based upon their own whims. Thankfully the old captain felt the same way, and while it was not a good idea to go to Cal'Sol, he promised that we could spend a few months along the borders and get us a few ships to sail along the harbor towns that were cropping up. Father Ivern agreed, since the sea was safer than following its shores through the woods.

The months we spent outside of Tol'sun were a bit pleasant. We harvested lumber, selling such to the captain. We were able to keep ourselves fed, even harvesting berries and hunting while we waited. Winter came before we got those ships, but it was noticeably much more mild compared to how cold it could get further North. The few months turned into an entire season and a half, starting my next year. Please give me a moment to rest, since that fourth year was a difficult one. I promise to tell you more when I am ready.