The Myriad: Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Growing up

The old man carried on striding until he reached yet another illusion barrier, this one much more intricate then before. It was a High Class Barrier that could isolate everything on the inside including the space itself. It was amongst the defense of this clan, as well as only one of few passages to the small kingdom they reside within. After a minute of chanting, his hands blurring before him, an opening in the defense appeared.

He causally motioned for the carbon copies to follow as they were under his complete control since his own energy and will was imbued into them. Strangely though they took on their own little personalities such as being naive and rambunctious! Little bastards.

He strolled in at a slower pace this time before 4 men strode up on wooden tamed beasts called Delin Darkwood horses. They were a strange beast of this forest, like many beasts of organic carbon energy too can coalesce in time into beings such as wood, iron, or any energy itself that integrates in the material plane.

Humans were made up of many elements in perfect unity. These horses were birthed from the pure wood energy of dark Delin trees and countless resources. Dark Delin trees grew with what they were supplied with just like any plant, but in this regard towards sentient life. These even more specifically were given proper nutrition and energy, even small amounts of light magic were used to illuminate them while they slept.

"Elder Asher" The 4 men called in unison after dismounting and bowing.

"You know I don't like when people are so curious and courtly hahaha" He laughed and the 4 men slowly got up with smiles on their faces.

"We know elder but we had to give you face since Elder Rosin is accompanying us." The leader of the four turned slightly towards a line of trees, causing Asher to cast his gaze beyond the man.

They turned to bow once more to an old woman who stepped from a tree that warped behind her before closing in again. This was an ability of some in the clan to integrate with nature. Due to the fact that some had a spirit of specific trees they weren't able to step through other trees. 5 different trees were erected for the 5 of 6 elders of this clan at each entrance, each with a spirit relating to that tree for teleporting use.

Elder Asher however had an exo mind vessel with earth, fire and wood. After many decades of training, he reached the pinnacle of the use of Ash and was thus conferred the name Asher, he didn't have a tree spirit though and thus only 5 of the 6 elders were given transportation land lines.

"Elder Rosin, what grants me the eternal happiness of you meeting me here today?'' He slyly smiled.

Waving his hand smoke appeared in the air and coalesced into a carbon pipe before whisking his other hand to carry a leaf into fibers to fill the tubes end. A small ember fell from his finger to light it in one smooth motion.

Elder Rosin gave a cheeky grin, waving to the four guards to disperse before she strode forward after they left to hug Asher. She felt the presence of his carbon copies behind him and sensed the 3 little lifeforms that they were holding.

"Is…that them?" She slowly looked under his armpit sleeve like a maiden looking through a prince's gown to see if the emperor was coming.

Asher laughed at this before turning as well. "Yes….Asumaz just departed a while ago, leaving them to me…" She felt above all other people the deep feelings of the man she loved. She knew not to ask beyond their arrival as she too wished to not think of other things.

"Good then we haven't much to say about the matter. We are God –parents now! Except these were born less then days ago, and yet their energy is impossibly stable for newborn children. It really is true of the blood line those clans have…"

"Haha I know, I was surprised as you were. These little skamps kept moving around trying to explore with their eyes the scenery of the land. They seem quite the curious type… Reminds me of our sons who never stopped leaving the house grounds to climb trees..." She looked over as one of the largest babies was currently crawling up to the head of the carbon copy; the carbon copy was trying its fiercest to hold up this baby.

She started laughing and pointing at the carbon copy, it turned its head and cocked it at a weird angle not understanding why she was delighted. The fact it couldn't understand made her only laugh more at being a no brain. This made her laugh at Asher because she called him a no brain too often.

Asher shrugged his lax shoulders, "Well, they'll need mothers to feed them. They are still growing boys you know. Try and see if some of the maids of the lower sects of the clan can take care of them for now."

"You don't wish to place them in the echelon of the clan?" She already knew his reasoning if 3 babies were to appear there. In case of any bad scenario they were found out after appearing suddenly that would be disastrous for their lives as well as the clan that harbored them.

"Alright… Alright. This old granny will find someone. Matter of fact, a young bruiting maid I just happen to know just had 2 boys herself. You know Helga?"

"AHAHAHAH…No nooo, that's perfect by all means, put them in that bear woman's breast. With her milk she could probably kill any and all people it succumbs to." He laughed at his wives choice.

Then he looked down and saw she was serious even with that grin plastered on your face.

''Oh that's just being malicious…''

A 'Heh…heh...heh heh' could be heard without one facial feature of the woman's facing moving. Oh boys I'm sorry I brought you from the lion's den to the bears den…Asher couldn't help but steel himself.

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Rosin brought the 3 young babies wrapped in 3 bright petal like leaves. They were a full 8 inches wide and 2 feet long, such big petals weren't all that strange in a land plentiful in vibrant plant and nature life. As the boys laid in them they sniffed at the sweet silky scent that pervaded their noses from the petals and fell to sleep like kings on a bed of satin.

"Heh, just you wait. I'm gonna make you into 3 tough little lads!''

She floated them on the petals for about an hour before reaching a small village on the western side of the massive forest surrounding the hidden kingdom. A father could be seen holding two young baby boys as a towering woman was washing cloth at a basin almost as big as her mountainous chest.

"Oh! Clan Elder Rosin!...bow you fool…." The husband hurriedly looked over and as best he could with his two sons bent down to bow and almost dropped them.

"Please please no curiousness…I'm actually here to ask a favor from you Helga."

"Oh?" She had a confused look before she saw 3 floating large petals behind the old woman in front of her. "Are those…Babies??"

"Huh? Oh these?..... Why yes! They are indeed babies. I would like to have you take care of these boys, ill supply you monthly with gold to do so. 100 gold pieces..." She chose a very low number, but to her surprise…

"Yes! I'll do it, have any more young rascals? I have more than enough milk for a small legion"

Fuck me sideways, Asher was right! "No sadly just these young lads. Be diligent with them… you are in the smithing district of the outer city right? When they turn 6, send this one" She pointed over at Spectre in the front "…Over to a smithing job…" She pointed over to Yuki "…This one over to work with plants at the botany house, and lastly..." She pointed to the bigger of the three babies Apollo "…Send this one to work with the field marshal. He's a good man, and would train him well. Should be the right age for it…"

She turned around to leave as the petals floated forward to Helga. "wa….wait! Are you sure? So young? What are their names anyhow?"

"This is Spectre, that one is Yuki, and the big one is Apollo. Be a good mom, you got a big…uh…heart."

She waved her sleeve as she glided through the air back into the forest line.

When she was finally out of sight she went up onto a branch where Asher was waiting.

"Why were you so nonchalant saying 'Oh these?' hahahaha"

"Well I didn't want them to seem like princes now do i? Hahaha" ...

''Oh…were gonna burn in oblivion I just know it…."