"There's plenty of room for everyone at the bottom of the sea." ~Pyke, The Bloodharbor Ripper
This chapter is late because of an assignment that costs 70% of my grade... Check the comments for more details. Sorry and thanks for waiting.
I have run into an issue which is making it a little difficult. The number of children. Having that many different personalities in close proximity causes a lot of issues. If you note my writing of "the kids" or "the group" you'll notice that I address them as a package and I try to include all of them. I have to figure out how to both involve all of them while not involving all of them..
Chapter 100!
For this occasion you get 3k+ words!
Yeah.... that's about it. So enjoy!
Also the new slay the spire / balatro type client game is really fun.
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"WHO IS THAT??" Annie screamed as she saw the Yordle following her father, her finger pointing forward.
Poppy tilted her head at the display and gave a big smile and a wave. "Hi! I'm Poppy!"
"Firefly." Annie turned her head. "It is rude to point."
"Ah." She turned to Poppy and gave a little bow, "Sorry."
Poppy waved her off, "Don't mention it."
She was about to say something, when Rell spoke up, "What is that?"
"What is what?" Poppy asked back.
Rell squinted at the question and pointed, "That..."
Poppy turned around to look for the offending object.
"No not behind you.... the weapon!" Rell emphasized.
"Hammer?" Poppy asked confusedly.
Rell nodded.
"It is a weapon." Poppy replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Rell shivered at the answer, "Why does it hurt so much?"
Gregori stepped in, "Poppy would you mind leaving the hammer a little farther back. My children are highly sensitive to magic and this Petriciteis harmful to them."
Poppy looked at him, then at a now struggling Rell and nodded. She used her little feet to run a little farther back and dropped her hammer on the ground.
THUD
It fell with a muddy thud.
Sydell had his mouth open, "How much does that weigh?"
Poppy turned to look at the hammer. "It doesn't way that much. Pretty light really."
Gregori turned to the kids ignoring the ongoing conversation. "The weapon is made of Petricite. The same thing as the stone Daisy carries."
Eyes shifted to Daisy. They saw the item many times. A white stone that Ashe had fashioned into a pendant. Iceborn weren't affected by the item, so they did not understand its value. But Daisy kept it close as it was a gift from her father for her safety.
"Petriciteis a special material, it absorbs magic from its surroundings. And everyone other than Daisy can use magic, you will feel weak when you touch it." His turned his attention to the hammer. "But if all weapons are now like this hammer..... I would regret bringing you along to Demacia...."
The emotions of the group dropped to a low.
"You do not need to worry about that." Poppy interrupted. "This hammer is special. It is for the greatest hero." She placed her hands on her hips and gave a heroic pose. "The Hero of Demacia!"
Gregori's eyes were still on the weapon. A one of a kind weapon that can affect any mage from a distance? It would be the bane of their existence.
"Are you the hero?" Daani couldn't help but have stars in his eyes at those words.
Poppy's ears drooped. "No. Not me." Then she perked up. "My friend gave me the hammer and told me to find the hero to wield it." She spoke her mission with such great conviction that the children were entranced.
"Hero...." Daisy absentmindedly whispered. Her eyes flitted to the weapon. A second later, resolution filled her mind. Turning to Poppy,, she asked, "Can I give it a try?"
Poppy looked surprised. "You don't have magic?"
Daisy shook her head.
Poppy turned to Gregori in askance. He nodded.
She shrugged, "Give it a try."
Daisy walked to the hammer and placed her hand on the hilt. The imagery was comical, considering the size difference between her and the weapon.
She adjusted her grip on the weapon before lifting it up into the air.
Or she thought.
The hammer did not budge.
Daisy pulled and pushed at the hammer with all her strength. But it stayed in the same position as if it had grown roots.
Daisy turned toward Poppy. "I can't lift it..." Her voice was shaky and she was almost in tears.
"Well then.... you are not the hero." Poppy said with finality, her sharp voice cutting through her earlier happy demeanor.
Daisy was crying at this point. Gregori placed his hand on her shoulder, ignoring the momentary weakness as he stepped closer to the hammer.
"Just because you cannot be the Hero of Demacia does not mean that you cannot be a hero flower. The weapon is waiting for a specific someone. It might not be you. But do you really need a better weapon?" He pointed to her True Ice short sword. "That sword is just as strong as this weapon and stronger in your hands." He got onto his knees as he looked into her eyes, "Do you understand?" He asked softly.
Daisy nodded through the tears. After those words, her crying reduced to just occasional sniffles.
The rest of the group looked at them from a distance, they wanted to go give Daisy a hug but the presence of the hammer stopped them.
He stood back up and faced everyone else, "Now, how about we finish our meal and get some sleep. Uwendale is just two days away!"
And they did just that.
The kids adored Poppy. Her stories of travel around Demacia and vivid descriptions of the creatures she had met and fought were all the children wanted to hear when they were eating and before sleep.
Gregori did not mind this. It felt a little relaxing to just sit around and listen to stories instead of being the one retelling them. And Poppy's enthusiasm was refreshing. Her stories were more fantastical, playing up the story elements instead of the more serious factual style Gregori used. The kids loved it.
He spotted Rell try to listen in nonchalantly before slowly leaning forward as the story went on, her face in rapt attention.
She was behaving like the rest of them. Like a child. Her distrust and anger were not completely gone but the change was night and day. The constant frown on her face was now gone, replaced by an expressionless face that displayed emotions occasionally. Though it was only with her siblings and him.
"Alright!" Gregori cut in. "Its getting late and we need to get sleep."
Groans.
"We have a lot of travel to do tomorrow." Gregori spoke. "Go to sleep."
A few words were exchanged until he had managed to convince them to go to sleep.
As they were going to sleep, Poppy asked him, "What are those?" Her little hand pointed outward.
Gregori followed in the direction and smiled, "Those are our family. Oompa and Loompa. Avalance beasts. I got them from this group of dangerous people in the Freljord."
"Can I get one?" She asked her eyes not leaving the beasts.
"No."
"Oh....." Poppy turned and smiled at him, "Well good night!" Without waiting for a reply, she hopped to her weapon and leaned against it. Within moments he could hear soft snoring from her side.
"That.... was surprisingly quick..." He spoke out loud. If it was a human who did that, Gregori would have been sure that they were faking it but Yordles? Peculiar creatures. Poppy was most definitely asleep.
But still... just to be safe.... he couldn't sleep in the tent with his children. There was an outsider in the vicinity and even with the Avalance beasts it would be an issue to take care of a Yordle. Creatures which were basically formed from magic? Undying? They ticked all the boxes off. If it weren't for their eccentricity, Valoran would have fallen to them. But rather they mostly acted like children with a little bit of maturity sprinkled in.
And that hammer was an issue.
He would sleep outside to keep a watch on her. A light sleep. Just enough to get rid of his mental fatigue while keeping an eye on Poppy and his children.
Rell understood why he was doing it and together they managed to convince the rest of the children to let him sleep outside for the night.
Leaning back against Oompa, his shield to his side, Gregori looked toward the starry night sky. It was nostalgic.
The subtle blue coloring of the night sky that stood out despite the darkness.
Night skies were different in different part of the continent. Noxus had night skies which had a tint of gray while Freljord had the light blue that gently shone down on them. Of course, they could still be pitch black on some days but on others? They were beautiful.
Gregori reminisced the nights he had spent looking at the starry skies.... back when he was Titan. It filled him with this indescribable feeling. Like a subtle understanding of how much time had passed while a little sad about how much he had been through.
And just like that, as he stared into the night sky... Gregori drifted off to sleep.
--x--
"HEY I WANT TO RIDE LOOMPA!"
Gregori frowned at fight that was brewing.
"BUT I GOT ON HIM FIRST!"
Daisy and Sydell were arguing. For some reason they had fallen in love with Loompa and wanted to ride him all the time. This argument was not because they didn't have enough space but because of who got to sit in front.
"Take turns." Gregori told them. "Who was ahead last time?"
"HIM!"
"HER!"
Gregori's frown deepened. One of them had chosen to lie.
He turned to Briar. "Who was it?"
"Flower." She answered.
Daisy's face dropped instantly.
"Daisy." Gregori called sternly. "What have I told you about lying?"
"That it is bad and you shouldn't do it to family."
"You remember." Gregori crossed his arms. "So why did you do it?"
"I.... I just wanted to sit on Loompa." Daisy mumbled.
"Well you will sit on Loompa but only after Sydell."
Sydell beamed.
"And this will continue till we reach Demacia."
Daisy's eyes widened at the words.
"This is so that you do not lie again." Gregori reiterated. He was being heavy handed but it was better to do this earlier than later. He was being too lax in raising them and he could not afford for them to develop some behavioral issues.
And punishing Daisy once would also let the other kids know that it was unacceptable to do the same.
Daisy nodded sadly and got on Loompa without a word.
The group was almost there. A few more hours and they would arrive at Uwendale.
"WHOO!" Poppy spun her hammer above her head as she rode Oompa. Oompa seemed least bothered by the weight of the hammer...... almost as if it weighed nothing.
Weighed nothing?
His eyes drifted to the hammer and then to Poppy.
Her words replayed in his head, "... find the hero to wield it."
"Poppy?" Gregori asked.
"Yes?" She stopped twirling the hammer.
"How long have you been trying to find the hero?" A simple question but it would explain everything.
"For a few hundred years." Poppy answered immediately.
Gregori deadpanned.
Of course. It was obvious.
"Poppy?" He asked once more.
"Yes?"
He raised his arms and shrugged as he spoke, "Have you considered the option that you might be the hero?"
Poppy looked surprised. "Me? The hero? Nah, that's ridiculous." The reply was so straightforward that Gregori felt stupid for considering it. Only for a moment.
He sighed as he brough his hand to his face. An idiot. And idiot with an incredibly powerful weapon.
Being the only person to lift it and wield it.
It also solved his most important question. As a being of pure magic, how was Poppy able to wield an anti-magic item.
That was why.
She was the so called "Hero of Demacia". The weapon simply did not affect her.
WHOOOOSH
Gregori looked up as an eagle whizzed past.
"Daddy! What is that?!" Briar asked pointing at the eagle and jumping.
The eagle was large. It stood amongst the largest birds Gregori had ever seen. Its dark blue feathers and their gold tips. Its golden beak and claws.
He remembered this bird, having seen it sold off in one of Demacia's auctions.
"Azurite Eagle." He answered. "An almost legendary bird. It is really fast and strong and can even carry a person over long distances. The blue and gold colors make them have a royal look."
But this eagle was not normal.
It had armor.
Bird armor.
He hadn't ever heard of someone use a bird in battle but the Azurite eagle seemed like the best option, if one was to do so.
"Wow!" Faye's eyes glowed at the sight. "Can we get one?" She turned to him.
"They are really hard to find." Gregori managed. It was better than saying no. Giving them a reason that they could accept easily worked better than outright denying them.
"Oh I know that bird!" Poppy exclaimed. She waved excitedly at it. "Valor! Here!"
The bird circled around them a few times before slowly dropping downwards into Poppy's outstretched hand.
Gregori snorted. The imagery was something else. A bird bigger than a Yordle sitting on its outstretched arm on top of an Avalance beast. Just something he would never expect to see.
RUSTLE RUSTLE
His head shot to the sounds from the bushes and trees.
A woman walked out, armored but lightly so.
A scout.
She had a helm that covered most of her head but revealed her face. She was young. Around her mid twenties.
Her other pieces of metal armor were leg plates and forearm guards. The rest were just leather armor.
Light and effective.
In her left hand was a crossbow with the Demacian standard imprinted on it.
"Halt!" She called. "State your name and purpose."
Ashe she asked the question, the eagle, Valor, flew to her side and perched itself on a nearby tree. It's eyes surveying the group.
Poppy hopped off Oompa and saluted. "Poppy! and I am travelling to search for the hero!"
The woman blinked for a moment and replied, "I know you Poppy. Everyone knows you and what you are doing as well. You do not need to introduce yourself."
"Oh...."
Gregori stepped forward. "I am Gregori. I am travelling to Targon but I have brought a message and information from the Warmother Ashe of Avarosa." He waved to the kids beside him. "These are my children."
"What message do you bring?" She asked.
"One of an invasion." Gregori answered.
Her eyebrows rose up. "How sure are you?"
Gregori answered, "Extremely. It involves the mages that had left your kingdom after the fall of the king."
Her face hardened. "This is serious."
"Yes." He nodded.
"You would be going to Demacia?" She asked.
"Yes."
"I will lead you there and grant you an audience with my direct superior." She informed, adding herself as a traveler of the group.
Gregori nodded. "Thank you."
There was nothing to thank. But he did so anyway. The scout wasn't there to help them but rather keep an eye on them.
She would maintain distance while observing them.
"Would you be willing to share your name?" Gregori asked her.
She looked at him, assessing him for a moment. "Quinn. Quinn of Uwendale."
Gregori nodded.
"I'm Briar." Briar introduced.
Gregori turned to her confused at the sudden introduction but Quinn smiled and replied, "Hello Briar."
A wave of introductions from the children followed and Quinn replied to each one.
"Would you lead us to Uwendale for the night?" Gregori asked.
Quinn looked at him confused, "You have already crossed Uwendale."
Gregori closed his eyes in frustration. He opened the map and stared at it. It was handmade by some Freljordian. He had been a fool to trust it blindly.
"Then how far to the next settlement." He asked her.
"Well.... you could go to Meltridge... or you could just cross the forests into Demacia. You do not have to worry about supplies. There are multiple army barracks where you can trade for food and clothing." Quinn answered.
"Children do you want to go to Demacia directly?" He asked.
"Yes." Only Rell answered.
The rest were too busy staring at Valor.
Gregori nodded. "Point out the way my friend."
Quinn then pointed out the route on the map occasionally making comments about the map's inaccuracy.
Gregori grunted as she pointed those inconsistencies out.
"Then lets head on." He spoke.
The group continued forward.
"How did you meet Valor?" Daani asked Quinn.
"He saved me when I was in danger and has been with me ever since. He is quite famous in the Demacian army."
"Daddy?" Annie asked.
"Yes firefly?" Gregori responded.
"Are the Demacian army like the Noxian army?" She asked in anxiousness.
Quinn's eyes sharpened at those words.
"No Annie. They are different." He placed a hand on Annie's head. "Don't worry. They won't harm you. They won't harm us."
Annie nodded.
"And if they do..... well daddy is there. So you don't need to be afraid." He reassured.
Quinn was listening and saying this was a little questionable but he was sure she would think of it as a father supporting his daughter than actually meaning his words.
"Noxian army?" Quinn asked him.
Gregori nodded. "A warband attacked my home and killed my wife when my children and I were away." His teeth were grit as he said it.
Quinn replied immediately, "My condolences."
Gregori waved her off, "It has been well over a year since then Quinn. It is fine."
"I have another question." She asked.
"Yes?"
"Are they all your children?"
"Yes." Gregori answered without hesitation.
"Different mothers?" She asked.
Gregori turned to her. "They don't need to be of my blood to be my children." His eyes were ice cold as he spoke those words.
Quinn dropped her eyes in shame. "I apologize."
Gregori chose not to reply.
They group continued into the forest until Annie stopped walking.
"Daddy?" Annie called from behind them.
Gregori turned around and walked back. The group followed him. "What happened firefly?"
"Tibbers says we shouldn't go into that part of the forest." Annie spoke as she clutched Tibbers.
Gregori looked toward Tibbers before turning around to face the seemingly normal looking portion of the forest.
"Can you ask him why?" He asked her.
"Why Tibbers?" Anni asked the bear.
Quinn and Poppy looked at the interaction in confusion. "Are you listening to her over the scout here?" Quinn asked.
"Wait." Gregori shut her off without turning.
Quinn looked like she was about to say something but Annie spoke up, "Tibbers says he can feel the eldest there. The First."
Gregori stood stunned for a second and then his eyes widened. "BACK!" He growled. His voice was urgent and didn't leave any space for words.
The group put an amount of distance between them and that part of the forest. Though Poppy and Quinn followed in both confusion and suspicion.
Gregori faced Quinn. "We go around."
"Around?" Quinn asked disbelievingly. "Are you seriously listening to a chi-"
"Tibbers is magical and he speaks to Annie." Gregori cut her off. "If we go in there now... we will not make it out."
"I don't believe it." Quinn shot back.
"The first of the Ten is there." Gregori told her.
Poppy looked at him. "Really?" Her voice didn't carry her normal happiness but it had a hint of fear.
"Tibbers doesn't lie."
Poppy took a few steps back and positioned her hammer facing that side of the forest.
"The first?" Quinn asked.
Gregori faced her. "The demon above all demons. The eldest." His voice dropped as he spoke the last word and the atmosphere darkened around them.
"Fear."