Risha: Chapter 59

Risha kicked the doors open, the warriors with her spreading out around the building she walked through.

Healers looked up from their patients, and an old goblin in the back stood up to look at Risha.

“She’s not waking up.” Risha laid the vinegirl down in one of the beds as Elder Tya walked over to her with a speed that belied her age. 

Risha stepped back, letting the old healer work. Her gaze found Talo, who’d joined them on their way back to the city. He only had eyes for the vinegirl. His shadow, cast by the candles of the room, shifted before Risha’s eyes, expanding and falling into itself.

Tya looked up, “She’ll be alright, she’s just been put to sleep with herbs.”

Risha let out a tense breath, then turned to the kobold closest to her, “Increase the guards on the walls, and have another pack stay in sight of the girl at all times.”

The Kobold saluted, then ran off. 

Talo stepped forward, his hand reaching out towards the girl before falling.

Risha stepped forward, and placed her hands on the distressed Shade, “She’s fine, just sleeping.”

The shade met her gaze with a fear that Risha knew well. The fear that he’d failed. “Who?”

“I don’t know. They looked like plants and trees.” 

Silver light gathered around Talo’s hands, drawing Risha’s gaze.

“Don’t leave her now, Talo. She needs you to protect her.” 

The words had the effect she hoped, and the silver light disappeared as he stepped closer to the girl.

He sat by her, and held her hand with a loving gaze.

The door opened, bringing Risha’s gaze to the front of the building. Elder Kulos stepped inside, then waited by the doors. Something in his eyes worried her.

Risha motioned for another kobold to step over, “Have Leaf-Watcher see me. I’ll need to speak with her.”

The kobold nodded, then left. 

Risha took a deep breath, then walked over to Elder Kulos. “Elder?” 

“We captured one of their people, near the forests.”

Risha straightened, then paused, “There’s something else.”

Elder Kulos nodded, “I received a message from the swamplands.” he glanced around at the nearby kobolds, then stepped closer, his voice lowering to where even Risha’s ears could barely catch it, “the lizards moved forward, and we met them in battle. The human’s drakes bought us time, but they were still forced to retreat.”

Risha’s eyes hardened. Why were all of these creatures making enemies of her? Her lips pulled back in a slight growl before she caught herself. “Let Glo know, and have him send reinforcements. We’ll call the council, but I trust him to make the decisions that need to be made.”

“Yes Grand Mother,” Kulos paused, then continued in a fatherly tone, “Appearing in the council like that might not be the best.”

Risha looked down at herself, and realized that she was still covered in blood from her fights. She nodded, “Gather them, make sure an Undergoblin is present. But before that, I’d like to meet the creature you have.” 

Elder Kulos bowed low, then walked towards the exit of the healing house.

Risha looked back, meeting Talo’s gaze. He nodded at her, sending a silent message that he’d watch over the girl.

Risha turned to follow the Elder.

Elder Kulos led her to an unremarkable house, then knocked three sets of three. The door opened, revealing a goblin wearing a cloak that Risha recognized. 

The goblin bowed to them as he let them in, then walked over to a fur rug. He moved the fur rug aside, and opened it to reveal an underground passage.

Risha jumped in without hesitation, then asked one of the spirits to light the space for her. A bright fairy of light answered her call, illuminating the walls. 

Kulos landed next to her, looking around at the strange light with an unreadable gaze. He led Risha deeper into the underground caves, taking turns that Risha did her best to memorize. 

They arrived at the entrance to a room where two orcs wearing the same gray cloaks and masks stood ready.

They bowed to Risha, and one of them opened the door for her. She stepped through, to see a plant creature struggling against spider-silk bonds. In the corner of the room, a Trap Weaver Spider watched the kobold. 

Elder Kulos stayed outside the room as the door was closed, leaving Risha alone with the creature and the spider.

Risha didn’t say anything as the creature looked at her. 

A thin brown bark covered the creature's skin, its hair looked like hanging lichen, and its eyes were glowing stones. It was smaller than most of the others of its kind she’d seen, shorter than Risha by a decent margin, but not as small as an unevolved goblin.

“Do you have a name?” Risha asked.

The creature stayed silent. 

Risha walked forward, then sat close enough that she could reach out and touch the creature if she wanted to. 

It shuffled back in fear, then relaxed when Risha didn’t make any aggressive motions. 

“I am Risha, the Mother Of Monsters. Can you speak?”

The silence stretched out, until finally, the plant-creature nodded, “I can’t feel her here. Please, take me back.”

“Back? Where?” 

“To the forest. To the Tree.” 

Risha shook her head, “I can’t do that yet. Your people tried to take my daughter. I need to know why.”

“The Lin child belongs with the forest, where the Tree can protect her.” 

“She has chosen to stay here, with me.” 

That seemed to shock the creature, and it stayed quiet as it wrestled with the idea.

“What is your name?”

The question brought the creature’s attention back to Risha, “I need to be brought back to the roots.”

“I’ll take you back, but I can’t have your people going after my daughter.” 

“Only the Tree can protect her.”

Risha stood up, flowing spirit through her body. Her body glowed with the power, and the little tree-creature stared up in awe. “Do you know what a Grand Mother is?”

“N-no.”

“I can and will protect her, and I have the power to do so.” Risha bared her teeth at the creature. “If your people keep trying to take her, you’ll find out just how true my words are.”

The creature shuffled back, then slowly nodded its head.

“I’ll let you go, but I want you to deliver my message to your people. If they try this again, I will do everything in my power to destroy you and your Tree.” 

Risha walked to the door, and opened it to reveal the Elder Kulos and the two masked guards, “Take her back to the forest.”

Elder Kulos nodded, then motioned for the orcs to grab the creature. Risha watched as she was dragged out of the room, still bound.

“Grand Mother, would you like to return?” Elder Kulos brought her gaze away from the limp tree-creature. “Leaf-Watcher is waiting for you in your room.” 

Risha motioned for him to lead, and followed him out of the tunnels. They climbed up a ladder, arriving at a different building than the one they’d entered. This time a kobold wearing a mask let them out into the city.

It took Risha a moment to adjust to the light, then she followed Kulos to the stone mansion that was her home. 

He led her to her room, where two guards waited, then bowed, “The council is being gathered, but they will wait until you’re done.”

Risha thanked the Goblin Elder, then stepped into her room.

Leaf-Watcher stood next to Risha’s desk, looking at the partially carved arrows. She turned around. 

Scars marred her body, and the missing arm was noticeable. Leaf-Watched kneeled on the floor, exposing her neck, “I have failed you, Grand Mother.”

Risha stared at the wolf for a long moment, “No, you haven’t. In every battle, and for every step, you’ve fought for me and by my side.” Risha walked forward, then gently helped the large wolf stand. “She is alright, safe with Talo. It was a mistake, but not an unforgivable one. I blame myself, Leaf-Watcher.”

Leaf-Watcher shifted, “No-”

Risha held up her hand, “I knew what dangers you would face while protecting Aliya. Even stronger monsters will want her once she enters the light. I should’ve given you the power you’d need to be her guardian.” She placed her hand on the large white wolf’s chest. 

“What are you-”

[Blessing Of Mother’s Spirit]

With Risha’s understanding of spirit, what had once been a show of purple mist, changed.

Risha’s own spirit expanded, a monstrous beast that was larger than the room they stood in. It was Risha, her power unleashed in all of its magnificence. It held the canines of the wolves, the bat ears of the goblins, the wings of the drakes, the chitinous legs of the spiders, and the red eyes of the orcs. It was monstrous and beautiful. It held the power of the Grand Mothers, and it held the power of Risha’s soul, and despite how large it was, Risha knew that it could be more. 

Reality shattered as it turned its gaze upon them, watching the white wolf in front of Risha. It judged, then it bowed its head, and a piece of it flowed into the Kobold. 

The mist surged into the kobold, and she howled at the ceiling as she changed. The bandages around her stump of an arm unraveled, and it regrew, purple lines of fur mixing with her white fur in beautiful patterns. 

The streaks of purple continued through her fur, creating arcane patterns similar to the runes Risha had on the panther bones.

The mist slowed, then stopped as Risha stumbled into the kobold. 

Leaf-Watcher held the goblin, her eyes glowing with Risha’s spirit.

Spirit Evolutions Granted: 5/5 (38/38)

“I’m not worthy of this, Grand Mother.” Leaf-Watcher said as she easily picked up the smaller goblin and took her to her bed.

“Call me Risha,” Risha answered, “And I decided you are. No arguing allowed.” 

The kobold laughed, then held up the arm that had been returned to it.

“I can’t stay here,” Risha pushed herself up, her body aching from the magic she’d cast, “The council has been called.”

“Let me help you.”

Risha leaned on the sturdy wolf, some of her strength returning to her as she hobbled towards the door, “Risha feels as old as Tya.”

Leaf-Watcher laughed, then quickly tried to hold it back as she looked around worriedly, almost as if the old goblin would appear.

Risha smiled as the kobold opened the door for her, then helped her out. “What did my magic change, Leaf-Watcher? Tell me as we walk.”

Name: Leaf-Watcher

Race: Ivory Spirit Lupus Kobold

Lvl: 35

Skills: 

[Pack Leader: Ivory] A pillar of Brutality and Elegance, the spirit of battle flows through you, guiding your every move in the deadly dance with death.

[Spiritual Empowerment] Infuse your spirit into your physical body, granting yourself strength and ferocity.

[Spiritual Healing] The power of your spirit heals your body, closing wounds and restoring limbs in an instant.

[Call: Spirit Of The Alpha]  Call upon the greatest Alphas of the past.

[Grand Mother’s Spirit Magic] allows you to commune with the spirits, and control the spirit that resides within you.