The slit gray pupils focused on Walker's every word. It was the elder echidna ensuring that he was speaking the truth. However, Walker also felt that there was more to it. As if the elder was looking through him and at his abilities further.
"You may share what you know of the world. I wish to hear how you understand the past. How you managed to see the remnants of evil that once threatened the entirety of nature." The elder appeared to want more knowledge under this.
"The story of that is shorter compared to the stories of how we got all the way here. But we can share anything you want to know. I didn't come here for anything other than to learn and offer a hand." Walker was still honest. The quest might still be there but that was secondary. There was also the fact that the quest was still not been completed. It meant that there was so much more to discovering the race than they thought.
"Then you may follow me to the altar and offer your greetings." the large gray serpent form started to shift and condense. By the time that the elder moved again, the party was looking at an older man in a more humanoid form.
The gray scales still covered his body and there were sharper features that matched the other echidna. Yet, the look of his body betrayed the strength that he actually had. Many would assume he was weak and frail, yet, the party had seen the larger serpent form that could dwarf Onyx and even risk a small challenge to a dragon if necessary. Strength was not something easily seen in the echidna species.
"While the ancestors feld the lands of death, they held our great goddess of life and growth in esteem. We did not allow that to leave us. Even though we may not see her, she is all around us." Something seemed to click in Walker's mind as he listened to the elder.
The introduction to their goddess was what the echidna had believed for many generations. But he was clearly telling them this as a counter to the stories that the party would share about the false death god. A show of goodwill.
However, this goodwill made Walker think about their goddess. The connections between nature and natural mana. "This goddess of harvest, nature, and life. Is it the same as the world? Is it an avatar of sorts?" Walker's sudden question made the elder echidna show the first expression they had seen yet. One that appeared to be slightly impressed.
"The goddess is many and one. Natural mana and the world are one. You wear the mark of the world and hold close one of its hands. Do you not?" Walker had not imagined that the elder echidna had seen right through him. That whose blind gray eyes had seen the spirit mark and Fleur residing within it.
"I do." Walker thought for a moment. "We have many titles between us but I am the only one with a sage title and the ability to use natural mana at will. Only one other of us can use natural mana and it is more of a skill effect." Walker didn't spill all of Gil's secrets. Neither did he mention that Midnight and the others would definitely gain some ability to use natural mana by being around him.
" A unique group of unique individuals. One that sings the soothing melody of life. One that mixes their blood and pledges to defend the very world. One that walks the line between brutality and healing. One that accepts a nature unlike their own. One that strives to balance two sides of a moon. And one that wishes to live beyond any of its kind."
Each phrase said clearly identified one of the party. Walker could guess who was who. "And you, the one that appears to lack an end goal. But is able to stretch beyond the ordinary. The goddess may speak about this. I did not know." This was wisdom from one that could see more than anything the party could imagine.
While the words were not hard to grasp, the abilities were. There seemed to be a gray mist that expanded around the elder echidna. The forest seemed much more peaceful. Even Alice ceased her singing as the light no longer penetrated the mist as it grew. This was a skill of sorts, one that was based on illusions and not necessarily based on anything else.
"This is a sacred place. One of the altars we have created to thank our goddess for bringing more life to us. For sparking the light of our souls. To repress the evil that could have followed us here."
"Generations of my people have been blessed. We lived and perished here in the nature we grow. You are outsiders. If there is a single sign that you are here to harm the life we grew here, I will act. For the moment, please greet the goddess."
A large stone altar appeared. However, this was vastly different from the layers of broken monster and body parts that the mummified pharaoh had created. There was not a single bit of gold or embellishments that would have made the altar seem larger or overly fancy.
The simple stone shape was one that represented elemental manas. The figure of a single hooded woman stood among them with open arms. Moss grew here and there while some small vines with yellow flowers bloomed around the base.
The altar was simple, yet everyone felt that there was more to it. "It feels like this is a better place than that entire city." Remey's bluntness came loud enough to make them all sense the manas around.
Calm mana that was nothing like the brutal and oppressive manas they had sensed as of late in their battles. This was a place kept safe and sound for everyone to come as long as they respected it. There weren't any outer forces, just calm here.
As the party stood and looked at the altar, multiple elemental spirits moved around. Those of certain elemental affinities moved around the party finding those that dwelled with their fellow grand elemental spirit. It was natural that the water and the darkness spirits didn't show themselves as much, but they were still there. They cloud sense the balance that came with Walker.
'The world smiles.'
A simple response that came was enough to make the entire party shiver. It was odd to get messages from the world, yet it apparently smiled. The very existence that created all the systems, created life for all they knew. It had reacted many times, creating quests and such for the party. However, it rarely made notifications like this.
Before anything else could happen, all the elemental spirits that had shown themselves darted away. A single pulse of natural mana left the altar before the mist strengthened and the party found itself back next to the elder echidna.
"Ah, how sweet the world is. I feel the love for all that flows in life, can you as well?" The elder looked at Walker who was in an understanding daze. "You might learn more here from us than you imagined. We trust the flow of nature and you are welcome here." It appeared that any district was washed away as the altar had shown natural mana. But Walker believed that it was something more mysterious than that.
"Come this way and tell me your stories. I will bring the children to listen. They may act up at first, but I am sure they will listen carefully." hearing that they would be meeting children of this echidna village, Midnight and Onyx felt more comfortable. They had long helped the children around the cathedral. They saw themselves as experts in the matter now.
"Can I learn how you manipulate the plants to make those bows? I know an elf that can manipulate plants and I would like to bring some good things back for her to learn from." Gil's somewhat shy question made the elder echidna chuckle. It was a dry sort of hissing chuckle but was easily understandable.
"You may learn from them. I can tell you will respect the craft more than others would. And you, the one that walks a line. You may walk toward that hollow tree. I believe your medicines will be welcomed there as well." Remey's attention was instantly drawn.
"I feel like you know us better than most people do. You are very insightful." Su was very impressed but the elder just chuckled again. He did not reveal his entire hand. He kept some cards to himself. Not that any of the party felt uncomfortable. They realized that this was a race of beings that had greatly grown differently from what the party could ever understand. But they were not vicious nor evil.
….
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