Chapter 12 - The Matriarch of the Unioptile
''What's that?'' I asked myself, looking at the strange jewel that appeared in my hand just after I killed the leader of the monster? I inspected it, the jewel was shaped like an orb, it was of the colour of a very deep red and it was smaller than my little finger. But that the only thing that I could remark from it.
Do I need to eat it? I do feel the same hunger as when I see ashes, just a little less.
I suppose I have nothing to lose.
I thought to myself before connecting my mana the jewel, making the precious stone being absorbed in my body and I fell…nothing. Well, not like it change anything. Maybe I look different?
I inspected myself, trying to see any difference, and I found one, some of my ashes are now a little tiny bit more red.
I try to manipulate one of these ashes, and when I did, a little spark was emitted, illumining my eye…
YEAH!!! FIRE!!!
Oh I so missed you my dear fire, I'm so happy to produce you once again, does that mean your accepting me again?!
I rapidly asked question to my ash, but no response, like usual. Well, not a problem, what truly important is that I can now produce a little fire, but not nearly enough, I need more of these stone so that I can produce fire from everywhere!
But now that I think about it, this stone come from a ugly little lizard, who produce even uglier fire! I sure I can find better stone from another monster! And if I can find better fire from other, then I can find the best one on top of this volcano!
So let finally take these sweets volcanos ashes!
Wait a minute, I remember there were another monster that I didn't kill.
I looked around and found nothing, well, he must have run like a coward, it not like he will can cause me any problems.
***
''Urgent! Urgent!''
A carbonized one-eyed lizard was quickly running at the top of a volcano. A lot of is kin were surrounding him, and the majority were looking at them with concern, but he didn't care about, he got an urgent message to his queen!
''STOP!'' A teenager lizard was blocking the way from the entry of the volcanic cave, it was looking at is younger kin with a serious gaze.
''Urgent!'' The young rapidly explain the reason for is presence in front of the cave.
''Urgent?'' The teenager questioned him.
''Yes! Urgent!''
''Why urgent?
''Ash! Monster!''
''And?''
''Kill! Oldest!''
''Oldest been kill?''
''Yes!''
''Enter!''
The lizard quickly moves out of the entrance, letting is younger kin enter the room. The youngster didn't wait a second and directly enter the room, where resided the matriarch of is race.
The matriarch was an enormous lizard, it only eye was colored with a deep red with a black pupil. Her entire body was composed of red scale englobing every single part of her body. Multiple teethes the shape of a drill was inside her gigantic jaw that could swallow a minotaur in one single bite! Inside her mouth, there were a scorching hot saliva, that could even compare itself to the magma from low level volcano.
Her name was Ghalha, matriarch of the unioptile.
*Blerg*
Ghalha suddenly vomited ten oval rocks. Ten unioptiles suddenly appear from a hole of the cave and headed toward the rock that the matriarch just crashed on the ground, then they delicately picked the rock from the ground, before putting them on their back and taking them back with them.
The young lizard couldn't help but look at the process with admiration, He once dreamed of being par of it, well, technically he was. But not as the one that carried the rock, be as one that was carried. After all, they weren't just rock, but egg of unioptile.
Seeing such a event is a wonder that he never taught seeing in is life.
But he calmed himself when he saw that the matriarch was looking at him with her only eye.
''What is it?''
''Urgent! Oldest! Death! Monster! Ash! Strong!''
''…is that all?''
''Yes!''
''Very well, you may die now.''
''Yes!''
The unioptile started to tremble, not out of pain or fear, but out of anticipation.
Ghalha simply looked at the shivering body of her child before raising one of her immense paws and grabbing him. She then raised her hand toward her mouth and dropped him toward her jaw and eat him.
''Joy!''
*crush* *crash* *gulp*
''I'm still hungry, Whokho, bring me more of my spawn.''
An unioptile appear behind the body of the matriarch, this one was way bigger than a teenager unioptiles, is scale were a bright red and he possessed a spiked tail. But his most prominent feature was his magnificent tusk who was tempered of is saliva, which made it look like it was made of lava. It was Whokho, the oldest among is tribe, beside the matriarch of course.
He was of the old age of one month.
He approached Ghalha without any concern of is wellbeing despite seeing his own mother eating one of is brother, it not like he lack any after all.
''I shall. But what about the ash monster, mother?''
''There is no need to waste our energy going after him, just send some teenager and a lot of children against him, it should be plenty enough. And if there lucky enough, they might be able to eat is jewel, and we will have a new powerhouse in this tribe.''
''Very well.''
Whokho proceed to leave the cave, reading to sacrifice more of is family.
''The matriarch is hungry, who want to be…
'''ME!'''
A lot of unioptile started running toward the cave entrance, all pushing each other for having the change to being fed on by their glorious leader.
…don't all run together, the matriarch as also given you a quest.''
'''Quest!?'''
''Yes, a monster made of ashes as just kill one of us, so that must mean that he is pretty strong. So if anyone is able to kill him, they could eat is heart to gain enough power to stand beside mother like I do.''
…
The monster stopped in their track, clearly interested by the prospect of directly serving their mother but are also conflicted by being eaten by her.
Some of them simply decided to continue running toward the cave, but the majority decided to leave the tribe to try to find and kill this ash monster!
''Bunch of fool'' Whokho couldn't help but comment before re-entering is mom nest.