Chapter 16: Sanctuary.
1291 Words
"This is incredible!" Jamie said as she looked around. There was a waterfall, a deep pound, surrounded by trees. It was almost peaceful, and it reminded Jamie of the elemental forest.
"This is just the gateway, but some of my people are here to meet us. Do not worry about your friend's Tracker and the annoying black furball, they have gone on ahead! So, can I introduce you to the head of security? " Barbarous asked, motioning for the being to approach.
Jamie tried not to stare, but it was hard not to, even as a goddess. The being had the head of a bull but the bottom half of a humanoid. His skin was a dark green, whilst the fur on his head was a dark brown. The being stood up straight and had golden armour on. Jamie could also tell he was a male, even with his modesty covered. He held a spear in his hand and bowed. "Welcome. My name is Enoch, and it is a pleasure to meet any friend of the Master."
"Hello, Enoch," Jamie said, unsure of how to greet such a creature.
Enoch chuckled and said, "I am a Minotaur, Miss. I know my appearance can be quite distressing at first, but I assure you, I mean you no harm. "
Jamie blushed deeply, as she felt she had been beyond rude by being shocked and staring. As a goddess, she should have known better. "Please forgive me, I have been rude. I have just never met a Minotaur before, and I was under the impression that demon hybrids were rare in the chaos realm. "
"Human demon hybrids are rare, Miss. The only examples I can think of would be the four generals. However, demon- non-human hybrids are more common. Even if the Empress does not wish it so! " Enoch said. Some of the other beings growled or snorted in anger. Jamie looked around and realised that the creatures were all demon hybrids of some sort. There was one creature with the bottom half of a goat and the top half of a demon and another with the bottom of a horse. There was even one with the body of a demon and the head of a Doberman dog.
"But, we can talk later. Please follow me!" Enoch said as he guided Jamie and Barbaous towards the waterfall. The creatures followed up behind them.
"I don't understand!" Jamie mind linked Vanth.
"Understand, what?" Vanth said, with a touch of amusement in her voice.
"How... how do these beings come about? Did Mother Universe and Father Light create them from a dream? " Jamie asked. She felt Vanth scoff at the suggestion.
"No, nothing quite so grand, I am afraid! Demons have a very high s*x drive and will mate with anything with a pulse. Sometimes the mating results in younglings, like these! " Vanth explained.
Jamie thought for a minute and mentally gasped before saying, "So, you mean Enoch’s parents are a demon and a cow?"
"Or a bull and a demoness." Vanth simply said
"I see," Jamie said as she watched Enoch make a sign. The waterfall parted and revealed a pathway.
"Please come this way, it is the quickest way to the headquarters. There is a way through the forest, but the forest tends to get hungry and eat guests. It is very good protection, but can be a little inconvenient. " Enoch explained as Jamie walked down the tunnel.
"I can see how it would be very inconvenient, but useful at keeping out unwanted guests," Jamie said.
"Indeed!" Barbaous said with a small smile.
At first, the tunnel was perfectly normal, but then the water began to hover in mid-air in spheres. Her water element hummed with excitement as Jamie pushed a sphere of water. The sphere bounced off the side of the tunnel and joined another one.
"Having fun?" Barbaous asked.
"Yes, but I don't understand how this could happen without strong magic, and I don't feel any," Jamie said.
"It is the rocks in this tunnel, they affect the gravity of this area," Barbaous explained.
"Gravity?" Jamie asked.
"The force that keeps your feet on the ground. When you use magic or a bird flaps its wings, it overcomes it. Didn't they teach you that at primary school? " Barbaous asked
"Nope, never went," Jamie said
"That explains a lot!" Barbaous remarked.
"Watch your tongue!" Vanth hissed, not pleased at her friend being insulted. Jamie was about to reply when they arrived at a dead end. Enoch whispered a few words, and a large stone rolled away, revealing the headquarters.
The headquarters was not what Jamie expected. It had a large wooden wall that surrounded a group of large buildings made out of logs. Jaime could see smoke coming from the chimneys, and the delicious smell of bread was in the wind. There were several cooking fires with large pots over them, cooking some sort of stew. There was a river that was running past the outside wall, offering extra protection from attack. There were also many stones with glowing symbols on them. Jamie instantly knew they were very powerful warding stones.
"Well, what do you think?" Barbaous said as they walked over the wooden bridge. Jamie smiled as she saw the sign over the gate.
"You call this place Sanctuary?" Jamie said with a smile.
"Yes, and it is too many! Hello, Iya, my beautiful mate! " Enoch said as he walked over to a demoness. The demoness was a hybrid as well, and as far as Jamie could tell, the other part was a cherry tree. This was because the demoness had light pink skin and light pink hair, and instead of horns, she had two branches growing out of her head. The beaches had leaves and cherry blossoms. The demoness was dressed in a white flowing dress, which highlighted her beautiful skin.
"You are such a charmer, Enoch!" Iya giggled.
"It was the main reason you married me, isn't it?"
"Well, that and something else,” Iya said, moving her eyes downward.
"You are incorrigible, Iya!" Enoch said with a snort, obviously feeling embarrassed about the remark about the size of his manhood. Iya chuckled and walked over to Jamie and Barbaous.
"Welcome back, Master. Everything is in order and you have just missed the practice drills! " Iya said with a bow of her head.
"I know the resistance is in good hands with you, Iya! May I introduce my friend, Xic? She is here to ask a favour of the resistance. ’ Barbaous said with a smile. Jamie suppressed a smirk as she felt Vanth bristle at her mate smiling at another female.
"Welcome Xic, I am Iya the lead healer and drill sergeant. When required!" Iya said with a smile.
"More like a silly dryad, that has wood between her ears!" Vanth growled in Jamie’s mind.
"Someone isn't jealous, are they? Besides, what is a dryad? " Jamie replied.
"What she is, a demon tree hybrid!" Vanth bristled.
"So, a demon mated with a... tree?" Jamie said, trying not to sound shocked.
"Yep!"
"How does one mate with a tree? I mean, I am not shaming, just strangely curious. "
"I told you, very high s*x drive. Demons mate with pretty much everything. The Hybrid generals are considered very unusual and unhealthy in the demon world! " Vanth explained as Iya linked arms with Jamie.
"Come, let us break bread and discuss this favour you seek," Iya said, just as a strange-looking bird landed on one of her branches.
"Of course, it would be my pleasure!" Jamie said, whilst still thinking about how dryads came to be.
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