The goat moved with the casual superiority of a sovereign among lesser beings. Its gaze flicked over the figures gathered along the Shore.
It scoffed at the Emperor Penguin.
Snorted at the crouched forms of other Existences here!
It passed Moiraine, and for a moment, its proud expression eased into something approaching approval. It gave a tiny nod, as if saying, "You, at least, know your worth."
It reached Ruination and the Infiniverse- two pillars of burgeoning power- and for them, the goat’s eyes gleamed as it gave a regal nod of respect. But that arrogance remained. It was not a creature interested in flattery!
Its attention fixed forward, to the tower.
The goat came to a halt before the Sacred Totem of Infinity, its crystalline eyes lifting to meet Noah’s. It said nothing. Yet its expression said everything- the bell had been acceptable!
More than acceptable!
HUUM!
With something bordering on bliss, it nudged the blue-gleaming tower walls, letting out a soft, self-satisfied grunt.
|The Eminent Early Living Land Lifeform, Heidrun, has answered the call and arrived at the Early Veiled Shore.|
|Land Lifeforms are categorized by rarity: Basic, Refined, Eminent, and Kleos.|
Noah’s eyebrows lifted. Eminent.
He leapt from the peak of the tower, descending like a star trailing darkness and starlight. He landed gently before the goat, who tilted its head upward, meeting his gaze with that same imperious expression.
He smiled as waves of information bloomed!
|Name: Heidrun
Designation: Eminent Early Living Land Lifeform
Rarity: Eminent
Lineage: Ancestral Echoes of Yrdifrost Lore: In the lost and earliest Chapters of the Folds, Heidrun was revered by Early Creatures as a terrifying conduit of nourishment. Her kind were rare beyond measure, said to dwell near the Loom where Totems gathered in reverent silence. The appearance of even one Heidrun would send shockwaves through Early Creatures. Entire Domains would offer up Marine Lifeforms, Early Sacred Herbs, and other Land Lifeforms to trade for one. The Reason was for....The Sacred Mead of Existence.
Sacred Mead of Existence: Heidrun can produce a golden-white mead imbued with the distilled essences of Complexity and Purity. One sip fortifies the soul, purifies the body, elevates existence, and enhances the forging of any weavings related to Early Creatures by an unquantifiable amount for the next day. Its effect on those lesser than Early Creature is so profound that having more than a drop can be deadly...
Existential Infusion: When near Early Creatures, Heidrun’s aura causes their internal Hearts or Existence to experience accelerated refinement.
Passive Boon – Glorious Stubbornness: Immune to all forms of compulsion and influence. Will only respond to those it deems "sufficiently majestic."
Disposition: Arrogant. Discerning. Prideful. Loyal only to those it deems worthy.|
Noah slowly exhaled. His gaze lingered on the words "sufficiently majestic" for longer than necessary.
The goat... Heidrun, huffed. Her nostrils flared in response, the arrogance in her expression somehow intensifying.
He chuckled.
"Welcome to the Early Veiled Shore," he said, voice smooth and resonant, his tone carrying the full gravity of someone who bore the burden of dominion.
The goat said nothing. Merely lowered her head. And with unspoken grace... stayed.
The first Sacred Totem had been tolled. The first Land Lifeform had answered!
The Early Veiled Shore... was no longer merely budding. It was beginning to blossom!
The bell’s toll still echoed softly, diffused across the sands and mist of the Early Veiled Shore like a hymn from another time.
And in that fading chime, Noah and the goat stood face to face.
Neither moved.
The goat, resplendent in its arrogance, gleamed under the blue light of the Sacred Totem. Its pure white coat shimmered with a terrifying luster, and its head was held high, nose tilted upward, eyes half-lidded with the judgment of a creature that had seen kingdoms rise and fall and found them all wanting. It looked at him as if he were some passing curiosity.
Noah... merely smiled. Calculated, amused, and infinitely patient.
He glanced at the glowing panel that hovered before him, filled with glorious script and glorious revelations. The Sacred Mead of Existence, a liquid sought after even in the Earliest Folds. That was what he desired right now!
|To obtain Sacred Mead of Existence from the Early Living Land Lifeform: Heidrun, one must hand milk it directly from its glorious udders.|
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Infinite Mana In The Apocalypse