My Life As A Salamander

The crowd that had hid in the buildings slowly began to file out of their respective hiding places.

Some coming from behind trees and out from under roots. Others came from within the houses, shelters, and alleys. Making it seem like termites coming out of the woodwork.

But the procession was slow as they approached. Nervous and cautious of the God before them. It's power flowing into the world making the waters calm in areas and roiling in others. Grass grew in thick patches around his feet. While other patches seemingly withered on the spot turning black and limp against the ground. My surroundings had become a complex mix of life and death, rot and health, calm and wild.

The first person to reach me though was a small child. No older than 2. Her small hand touching my clawed big toe. Using it to lift herself from the ground to stare up at me. Eyes full of curiosity and innocence. I looked down at her and felt my heart warm. People noticed the light in my eyes soften a bit as my gaze turned kind.

I gently reached down. But before I could touch the girl her mother threw herself over her protectively. "I'm sorry! She didn't know what she was doing! Please have mercy! She is but a child!" My hand paused for only a moment before lightly touching the child's nose. "Hmhm" I grunted.

The little one giggled loudly in her terrified mother's arms. Her mother glancing briefly at my retreating hand in relief. Her worry took over as she inspected her child everywhere to make sure she was alright. Only to notice the tiniest freckle had formed where I had poked. Hardly even noticeable to most.

I smiled down at them as I looked at the crowd.

"Come. There is a ways to go. The dead work to rebuild what is left of their beloved home. And once they are done I have agreed to help send them back into the cycle. So fear not. They merely seek the chance to rest." I said as my form began to slowly shrink.

My godly items shrinking and shifting with me till I was my normal 8 foot form. My other form for hiding in the crowd had become useless as people already knew what I looked like. That and the cat was already out of the bag.

And so my form was decided. My godly items slowly turning into bracelets around each of my wrists. Close and humming with power noticeable to most if you looked close enough.

My gold horns curved over my head once more as my rainbow colored eyes scanned the crowd before me. My scales reflecting the light rays that shined through the branches above with the rubies, diamond, sapphires, and other precious gems embedded within.

The crowd had slowly come to gather around me as some roots grew to form a stool for me to sit upon.

Some looked at me with great fear. Others looked at me with hope and reverence. But the rest seemed reserved and otherwise cautious. Which in my mind was good. Because it showed that they were wiser than others who already had other images of me made up in their heads.

"Righteous God of Judgement, Or Evil Tyrant that curses all who oppose him." I faintly heard Aed whisper to me.

I couldn't help but nod in thought at this. I knew the people's fears and doubts. I already understood where they were coming from. After all myths are there as warnings and teachings.

(So what myth and teaching will come from my existence?) I thought.

As the crowd gathered a grotesque figure began to stir. His malformed body rolled oddly along the ground with a mixed scraping sound. His eyes flying open as he realized where he was.

He reached forward to push himself up from the dirty ground. But only to find his twisted, scaled, and fur covered fingers. Splaying out across the ground. He looked at them with horror in his eyes. One serpentine. The other goat like with its horizontal pupil.

He reached up as he felt one side of his head was heavier than the other. Finding a horn he cried out in a guttural roar like bleat. His throat was sore and he rubbed it as tears began to pour down across his face. His fangs bȧrėd on one half as he bowed to the ground slamming his hands against the earth. The ground cracking heavily in response to his body's new immense power.

His tail flailed behind him with its spikes flinging dirt and dust into the air. His wings were upside down and held little to no meaning for flight. Just presentation for horrors sake as they twitched strangely on his back.

He looked up to find my golden figure amid the crowd that had parted away from his crouching form. .

He saw no pity or spite in my eyes when he looked at my face. Just indifference and a look of patience. Like a parent waiting for a child to ask something. Relaxed and calmly waiting.

He and I both knew he could do nothing against me. So he meekly bowed as his rage and sorrow found no place to go as he cried there on the ground. The people watching with saddened faces.

I nodded as I understood before looking at the thing before me. "You have one way to fix this curse." I said loudly.

The man stopped shaking for a moment to look up at me. Tears pouring form his face. His eyes pleading for my next words. A way out of his hell.

"You must learn to be kind. Without expecting kindness or trinkets in turn. Without judging any by their appearance, skill, background, or otherwise. Pity the poor and mistreated. Be the thing you should have been before. A good man." I said without blinking.

"This includes that you care not for the curse ending. For that only serves your family. That is your way out." I said as I stood up. He bowed low once more as the crowd seemed to gather back to the ship and away from the undead.

The armor I had been talking to before came forward and knelt.

/We have a good place for you to rest if you wish lord./ I heard his voice whisper through the air.

Oddly enough noone else could hear it. But the voice belonged to a veteran. His voice firm, strong, and deep. Much like Kyle's in some regards.

I smiled a little as I turned to him. "You need not kneel before me. If my place is ready I would rather give it to the family most in need. Those people there would be best." I whispered quietly as I pointed over my shoulder.

A couple dressed in rags with three children stood by a distant tree. The children were all below 10 and clung to their parents in fear of what was happening. The husband seemed malnourished and tired. His worry for his family was obvious as he continued to ask if they were alright. But despite his worries for his family. He was one of the only people who didn't join the mob.

He had stayed with his family to protect them and had even invited Kyle over to hide with them before the mobbing started. Of course Kyle had refused. Hector bowed again, but before he could leave I grabbed his shoulder. "You'll scare them without anything to speak through."

One of the unused bodies from nearby found itself being dragged to where we were. It's already dried corpse was weathered like a Reed and it's skin was like leather.

I held a hand up as a chant began to emanate from my lips. "Ockier nom Cassar the vie den..."

(May my voice find its home...) In ghoul. Yes the necromancers have their own language for things like this. And much like dwarves can craft metals and things. Necromancers can craft bodies into whatever we want. I just never did it cause I thought it was wierd and creepy. But this poor soul was gonna be my right hand for a while.

Legion was back in Belmac keeping the house clean of "insects" with Sam. So I had limited options as I didn't want Amanda doing anything besides dealing with her ship. Val and Kyle were out of the question as Val's identity needed to stay secret and Kyle was royalty. So they weren't really fit for duty. But the undead were already in an agreement with me so I went with them instead.

The body twisted and shrunk into a rectangular block. I grabbed it quickly before shoving it into Hector's open helmet. Where he flailed in a startled manner. The block suddenly grew fleshy roots that latched to the helmet and branched out into the armor forming a lower face, jaws and teeth. The lips clean and well done. Lungs and vocal cords formed better than originally as I tried to mold them around Hector's soul.

I looked at my handiwork before retracting my hand and waited for him to try speaking.

A rough cough followed by a puff of dust escaped the helmet. Before a deep voice echoed from within the metal.

"I... will do... your bidding..."

I nodded before waving him off. "Off with you now. We have people to tend to." I said as I began walking over to Amanda and her captive.

He noticed my approach as his eyes filled with fear. His body trembling in terror as he knew what had happened to the man I cursed. He obviously feared the same.

"L-lord have mercy. Please? I merely feared for my life." He said through trembling lips.

I nodded as I looked at Val. "Did he cause you any harm?"

Val just shook her head. "No. But he did mention something about good prices with the man who started the mob. That was before he targetted me." Val said as I turned to Amanda who nodded

"Indeed. He said something about selling off his cargo. Maybe adding a couple things to it while we were here." She said and the man clammed up.

His lips pursed together angrily as he glared at the two of them who were now standing side by side. His intentions were obvious and his lies were unfolded for all to hear.

I couldn't help but sigh as I looked at them with boredom on my face. "What do you want done with him? I already cursed one person for the shinanigans that took place. I can't do that twice in one day or it sets a bad example."

Val and Amanda looked at each other before a smile went across their faces. "We're going to look through his cargo and see what we find before getting back to you." Amanda said before taking Val into the ship. The two of them seemed to be giggling a little as they went.

I couldn't help but shake my head as I turned back to the man. His face had become red and his eyes full of anger. "You've only yourself to blame. And just so you know. If he hadn't been cursed..." I said pointing at my abomination. "You would have." I tapped the man's ċhėst with a red hot talon. His shirt smoked a little as a hole was scorched through it slightly burning his ċhėst.

I suddenly heard quick footsteps on wood and turned to the ship. "Ignis! You need to see this quick! We need your help!" Val shouted over the rail at me.

I raised an eyebrow and snapped my fingers at the man before leaving. An earth mound rose around him leaving only his head exposed as a vine forced its way between his jaws to keep him from biting his tongue off. "You wait here." I said as I flapped my wings landing on the ship gracefully before following Val below deck.

There were crates everywhere. Large and Small. Wood and metal. All bearing painted marks and insignias.

Val led me to the back. Where a wooden crate with iron bars sat. Its contents were shocking.

It wasn't materials, food, clothes, or otherwise.

It was a man. And not just any man by the smell of it. It was a werewolf. "Been a while Abernathy.." I said to the Former Weremar Commander.