Private Tales A Dream Come True

[Nathaira]

Nathaira had collapsed. A strange and powerful scent had taken hold of her mind and body, and wherever she was in the real word suddenly became irrelevant.

Words... images... fog... they flashed through her mind.

In her dream she walked cautiously through the mist. She heard hisses, snarls, and slowly shapes came into view. She appeared as a flickering in the mist to the great serpents, finally coalescing into view.

She stood on two legs. Green hair tumbled from her head. She was only partially scaled, and she looked at the creatures with a mix of wonder and terror. She knew this was a dream... but it felt so real.

"What... where..." she whispered. Her eyes found Ixcuiname, the red snake from her dream on the beach just earlier that day. "You..."

Words failed her.

 

[Ixcuiname]

The meeting was near concluding, strategies had been raised and dissent had been quelled. Things had been going according to plan... Of course, that was until their intruder had stumbled into the gathering.

Ixcuiname's eyes widened. She felt a disturbance before she saw Nathaira, she could feel the half-breed making her way towards the group and curiosity had gotten the best of her - she needed to know.

The markers she'd left were intended for specific people, to stumble upon the trail required impressive mental agility and willpower. She had no idea who this Naga was, but Ixcuiname could sense she would be useful.

"My King, hitching onto the trails I left has taxed her. I sense great strength from this one... An..." She shuddered as she traced Nathaira's location back to an infamous skinned city.

"She's an Anirian... How curious. Perhaps fate has bound her to us?" She smiled, her tongue flickering excitedly. She would await Tir'Coatl's verdict, but she was fascinated.


Sauvan Ageratina Altissima Xhivyas Tir'Coatl An'azesh

 

[Tir'Coatl]

Tir'Coatl's head dipped into a small nod at Ageratina's quick shift in disposition. In the face of the Naga's admittedly impressive height, the Scaled King made no sign of reciprocated ferocity or indignation. All the attempted display of power earned from the warlord was a calculating glance, one that was quickly dismissed as soon as the wild-born learned his place.

A ghastly mist seemed to overtake the temple's borders in a mere instant, a muffled chorus of hisses and growls rumbling from within. Another of his Chosen had heard Ixcuiname's call, it would seem. As the newcomer slowly departed from the dense sea of fog, it dispersed as quickly as it had arrived. "An'azesh, excellent."

If a smile could have emerged on the Scaled King's serpentine visage, it would have. More and more of the Naga tribes seemed to kneel before Samksaya each and every day, coming with pacts offering service to the ever-expanding empire. "The gifts we possess are true, and we are willing to bestow any and all of them to those that serve Samksaya and the Scaled King well."

As the predatory pheromones released by An'azesh drifted towards him, Tir'Coatl responded in kind; a quiet, festering scent of defiance, that of a steadfast beast awaiting a foolish hunter. "If the spilling of blood is what you seek, then your tribe is welcome to find it in the veins of our enemies. Continue to do so, and you will continue to be rewarded." At the mention of ships, he nodded. "The ships will indeed prove useful to us. Continue to gather them, our departure for the city of Minaris will come soon."

His words were undercut by the abrupt arrival of Nathaira. This thing was not of his Chosen. In fact, he was utterly unaware of the mutt that stood startled before them. "It seems we have an unexpected guest." His gaze set towards Ixcuiname as he spoke, saying, "A half-breed Anirian is an odd thing, and one able to follow the signals in dreams is even stranger. If Quetsaal has indeed bound her to us, then we are not ones to disobey."

He circled the intruder, a calculating gaze searching her form. A half-breed, the forgotten products of a union between a Naga and a Skinned One. Her lower half led to feet, not the towering tails of her ancestors. "Ixcuiname, keep an eye on this one. If she truly does possess great strength, then it is time for her to join her people."

 

[An'azesh]

An'azesh would be listening to Tir'Coatl carefully, as he would mention gifts so would his reptilian eyes widen. An'azesh would smell Tir'Coatl's defiant intent, he would drift a little back and lower his body, slightly hissing. There was no misunderstanding with this Warlord, he was blessed by a purpose and is willing to slaughter all those who would stand in the way of Quetsaal. To a Landwalker this would sound horrible, but to An'azesh...

His blood would start rushing through his veins as he would straighten and turn his head towards the ceiling, letting out a bloodthirsty growl while his muscles would contract like a wave through his body and release pheromones which would indicate a mix of excitement and hunger. "Then so be it!", he would hiss while lowering his body slowly down again offering a shady gaze. "I will call the hunters... And gather the Landwalkers ships. We shall paint their landscapes red."

Just as he would finish his sentence a disturbance would be felt, Nathaira would come out of a mist not visually perceived but mentally. As Tir'Coatl would mention the new guest An'azesh would shake while his pupils would focus. He would perceive Nathaira with frozen, deadly eyes, not moving an inch.

"Half-breed... Disgusting.", he would growl. It was no wonder he would stay frozen, he would be battling his instincts not to start attacking immediately, with his eyes wide open. All that nature made him see in Landwalkers was food, and all that nature would give him upon seeing them is hunger and rage. Still, noticing that she is related gave him the nudge needed to calm down.

Tir'Coatl would remind the group that it was Quetsaal that made them meet in the end, and Ixcuiname would claim that it was time to join her people. An'azesh would add;

"Join her people...", a hiss would be heard, he would look at Tir'Coatl, "She must have been brought as a bridge between us and them. And thus we shall not disobey Quetsaal. She joins us now in mind, and once we have their heads, she will join us in the body too." He would slightly relax after this statement.

 

[Nathaira]

Nathaira could not understand the strange hissing speech that these creatures used, but she knew what they were. Naga. True naga. Their size, their ferocious appearance, it dwarfed her own by leagues. Had her father truly been one of these serpents? Had her mother managed to love one of them? Or... had her actions been forced?

She tried to push these thoughts aside, and it was not difficult. The towering reptiles slithering around her made it difficult to focus on anything. She could not understand their words but the air was filled with strange and confusing smells. Scents that seemed to carry emotions with them, thoughts, concepts.

Anger... pride... shock... disgust...

She mustered her courage, crushing fear to the back of her mind as she had done so, so many times. "I am Nathaira," she began, her amber snake eyes meeting each true naga's in turn. Finally, she lingered on Ixcuiname. This one was smaller and looked female, as far as she could tell. As the only that she had seen before, she took a thin shred of comfort from the familiarity.

"What... iss you name?" she asked. Could they understand her?

 

[Ageratina Altissima]

Two newcomers... But one that interested him. The one with two legs. Evidently she wasn't invited judging by everyone's reactions, but it seems she's a half-breed Naga. This implied that she was most likely an outcast from both races. He could relate to this in some way. She spoke the common tongue, so she was most likely raised around human society and this theory was supported by the garb she appeared in.

He slid over to get a better look at her, she was obviously as surprised as they were so he put on a comforting smile, his pheromones spoke of his curiosity and interest.
He spoke to her in the common tongue as well, even though she wasn't speaking to him specifically.
"I am Ageratina. You're a ssurprisse appearanss, and I can't ssay I've sseen anyone quite like you. But don't let uss frighten you, I think everyone agreess that you are welcome at thiss meeting."

 

[Ixcuiname]

It was tricky. Ixcuiname could not understand the common tongue, yet in a realm of impossibility and imagination such is the dream plane - she didn't need to. Regardless, she had Ageratina there to translate where possible and flashed him a brief yet dazzling smile. She nodded towards Tir'Coatl and Ana'azesh as they furthered the discussion of plans, but her attention was focused on the half-breed the whole time.

"Natharia..." She spoke as if she was sampling an exotic wine. She inhaled the name, swirled it around her mouth and the response she replied with was harsh and mangled. The name was tricky for her, unfamiliar with the sounds of the skinned ones. It mattered little, she did not need to know the heathen's language.

"Ageratina, will you do me the honours of helping to unearth the secrets behind this wanderer?" She smiled, her eyes never leaving the half-breed that had appeared before them.

"I am Ixcuiname, leader of the Cuicatl. You stand witness to the birth of a new empire. A golden age for all Naga... but tell me child - who are you?" She spoke in Naga, but through her magic, she weaved an elaborate display that transcended linguistic limitations.

 

[Nathaira]

Nathaira was surprised by Ageratina's sudden approach, and even more taken aback when he spoke to her in words she could understand. His words were not unkind, but her heart did sink a little. She had never seen anyone else like her, either, but part of her hoped that maybe she wasn't alone. If not even the Naga themselves knew of any other hybrids, this seemed unlikely.

The red woman spoke, and though Nathaira could not understand the words she could - somehow - understand their intent. An empire of Naga, greater than any before. A curiosity about herself.

Who are you?

It was not a question she was well equipped to answer. Who was she?

Monster. Mongrel. Sinful.

The words echoed in her head, branded into her as brightly as the rune that plagued the back of her neck. Somehow, amidst this new company, those titles didn't seem to apply so much. Even by the standards of her masters, who despised her very existence, she was the least monstrous among the serpents here.

"I am... an assassin." She said. "I am... a slave." The word hit heavy every time she admitted it.

The room flickered once more, the fog growing thicker. Her connection to this place was weakening.

 

[Tir'Coatl]

To An'azesh's words, a silent nod came from the Naga warlord. He listened to the words of his advisors as they addressed the half-blood directly. Nathaira, as she was called. The magics of Ixcuiname were a valued asset in unexpected times like these; what would have once been a tiresome task of translation was turned away in favor of seamless conversation. "I am the Scaled King, Tir'Coatl, unifier of Nagai."

The Scaled King remained quiet, a calculating gaze lingering on the Anirian and not once faltering. When the word slave was uttered, however, a sharp laugh pierced his silence. The towering Naga circled Nathaira, his form soon coming directly in front of her. "You're not a slave. Naga are not to be slaves, bound by chains to a master that has no power of their own. Our blood still rushes through your veins, and so your shackles must be broken." If her connection is truly strong enough to give her entrance into their dreams, then she should be a slave no longer. "Child of Qetsaal, your freedom awaits you in the walls of Samksaya. Do not squander this opportunity."

 

[Ageratina Altissima]

This was the second time Ixcuiname spoke to him directly, his pheromones spoke of his pleasure at this. AT her request he nodded, speaking to her in their own language.
"I would be honored to help you invesstigate our new ally. Whatever you assk of me, I am at your disspossal."
The king moved forward and spoke with Nathaira. He was also disturbed when she called herself a slave. Even when he was away from the tribe he had never witnessed a single Naga as a slave, the soft skins were the only slaves he had ever seen.

It seemed decided. He was brought here to serve the Naga empire, and now he had a purpose. He had to come to the city and see the empire for himself... And meet Ixcuiname in person...
He moved himself beside the red skinned beauty and spoke to her again.
"My body is a long wayss from Ssamkssaya, but if I travel through the night I can be among you in three dayss time. I look forward to taking part in thiss empire... But I am not familiar with your dream magic, how do I leave thiss dream?"

 

[Nathaira]

She felt the Scaled King's words more than heard them. She had been pointedly forbidden from learning almost anything about the Naga, but she had never known them to be unified.

His laugh startled her, and she started into his eyes. They matched her own. These concepts, power, unity, freedom. Nathaira could feel her pulse quicken. Samksaya... he promised freedom at Samksaya.

The rune in the back of her neck seared with heat, the purple glow breaking through her thick cords of green hair. She clapped a hand to it, wincing and stumbling forwards. Its tendrils of control shocked through her, squeezing her organs, tearing at her nerves. Freedom was forbidden.

The room flickered again, and this time it faded into fog so thick she could not see her own hands. The electric pain in her neck throbbed, and she returned to blackness.

She disappeared from the dream, her connection broken.

 

[Ixcuiname]

Fury. An emotion rarely toyed or explored by the scarlet naga. Yet today, she found herself succumbing to her raw base instincts. Ixcuiname was old, experienced, she had been tempered by the world. Today was different.

The skinned ones had enslaved a child. A Naga child. Regardless of her half-breed status and Ix's otherwise disdain for children, this was a slight against her people.

She bristled as she spoke, her scales rippling and turning an almost sanguine red. Pheromones revealing pure spite, hatred and disdain seeped from the Naga.

"She has been enslaved with what the humans refer to as 'runes'. Strange characters that allow even the non-magical to utilise magic. Tir'Coatl, I request we spend some time thinking about how to break these chains. Even a half-breed does not deserve such shame as to be bound by... the skinned." She spat the last word out, yet her disposition did not change. If fury had a face at that moment, it would be hers.

Without glancing at Ageratina, she waved her hand in the rough direction of the entrance, opening a strange shimmering portal that looked almost mirror-like in appearance.

"I have much to consider tonight, rest assured the Scaled King and I will be in contact if you do not find us first that is. Please, return to your minds and enjoy your slumber."

 

[An'azesh]

As Nathaira would disappear from the room An'azesh would start growing tired of the discussion and start growling, a confusing mix of pheromones leaving his body while his tail would curl up. Ixcuiname would mention the runish magic chains binding this half-breed which would lead An'azesh to several conclusions of his own. A short ominous speech of hisses and growls paced like an instrument being played arrhythmically would follow right after Ixcuiname would open her portal and tell the others they may leave:

"Not before I clear this mist! Is it not clear what Quetsaal intended?!", he'd growl at Ixcuiname releasing pheromones of rage and start moving around the room, "The half-breed is a bridge... She, it, it is worthless and weak! But its body holds warnings and secrets alike.", he'd continue hissing and slithering around everyone, his eyes would seem as if they are possessed, "I hypothesize that the magic that binds its body may bind Landwalkers too, for they are weaker than a half-breed. But who is to say that it cannot bind us too? If this was no trick then he must have called upon us to give us an opportunity...". His heart would start beating faster and more of his teeth would show, his movements would resemble that of a cobra preparing to attack,

"He must have called upon us to see this thing for what it really is, the prize that we shall capture. For if we find the half-breeds masters, we can defeat their weakly armies and mutilate half of them, forcing the rest to bind themselves to our will, then use the magic against the strongest of their own kind and enslave them. None shall stand in our way!", he would turn around and a horrible visage would be seen,

"The half-breed is the face of the abnormality that is to be cleansed through blood and sacrificed to the deep, that is why the Gods have called upon us! Through its sacrifice shall we signal the end-times of their races! This shall be the ultimate offering...", he would take a moment to take a deep breath, rotate his head in multiple directions, finally looking at Ixcuiname and breathing out with the same frozen look he gave Nathaira earlier, "I suppose we can agree?", he would hiss and finally relax his body and mind.

 

[Tir'Coatl]

The Scaled King was a cold, stagnant figure. One who rarely let his emotions become visible unless he saw purpose behind it. Yet now, one could feel the simmering fury pulsing off of him in his pheromones. It was not directed at Nathaira, no; it was concentrated upon the Skinned Ones that thought they could enslave one of his people without facing swift justice from his blade.

As Nathaira disappeared, Tir'Coatl's gaze seared itself into her. His eyes did not leave the sight for many moments, as if calculating his move. "Runes. A mockery of true magic, one they think can bind us to their will like cattle." At last, he spoke. As the words left his mouth, his eyes glimmered with a crimson glow for a split second.

His gaze only moved as An'azesh burst, growling out his own thoughts on the matter. "The runes could indeed prove useful, despite their archaic nature. They could be twisted, corrupted to bind their own creators to our will." His gaze followed the Naga, unfazed by his predatory gait. "The half-blood will remain unharmed. Regardless of your opinion, she contains our blood within her veins. She knows of the Skinned One's weaknesses, knows of their inner-workings, and will allow us to dismantle them from within. To slay such a valuable resource would be foolish." The Scaled King's tone was clear and precise, a cold certainty behind it. If they were to sacrifice one of their own, someone with the strength to break through the veil of dreams to speak with them as if chosen by Quetsaal, then they will have returned to their fractured past.

No, the Skinned are their targets. They will know soon enough.