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Wed, 07 Feb 2024 04:00:26 GMT

📖 A Feeling Yet Unknown 📖

Peoni felt cool air blowing from the cavern's depths, and shuddered as the biting breeze impacted her scales. The cold-blooded biped pulled her shawl closer to her body. She was a kobold. A large, humanoid lizard, descendants of the dragons of long ago, the oldest of which being Leviaten, the First of The Dragons, The Ancient One, The God of Kobold. Yet unlike her ancestors, she could not breathe fire to keep herself warm, and often suffered from exhaustion after exploring deep within the earth. Usually the trek to a dungeon or cave would sun her enough to energize her for the adventure ahead, but today she had to make it through a lush forest, where scarcely a beam of sunlight made it through the cover of the trees. She just had to hope the warmth of her torch, and cover of her shawl, would keep her warm enough through her journey. She had asked people at the tavern about this place. It had never been explored to the knowledge of the locals, seen as too dangerous for anyone to go inside. If, no, when she succeeded in conquering this dungeon, she would have the recognition she so desperately needed. She took a deep breath.

“Failure isn’t an option. Not now.”

Peoni had made a habit of talking to herself. A symptom of her constant avoidance of relationships with others. If she never got attached, she couldn’t be taken advantage of, after all, so she talked to herself. Whenever she felt she needed convincing, needed guidance, needed companionship, she found it in herself rather than in others. The green-eyed kobold scratched her name into caverns gaping maw. Partially for pride and partially to tell other would-be adventurers not to waste their time.

This dungeon has been conquered by Peoni, daughter of Leviaten.

Peoni smirked, knowing she would succeed. She had to. There was nobody to save her if she failed, so she wouldn’t. A deep breath, and then another, preparing herself to plunge into the depths of the unknown, a torch in one hand, a shortsword in the other.

It felt like an eternity of walking through the cold, dank depths of the cave. So far, there was little danger to be had. Nothing stronger than a wild boar, or maybe a wolf, was in sight. Of course, that sight wasn’t very far. The cave was so dark this far from the entrance that only a small circle around Peoni was visible. It was surprisingly dull considering how terrified the locals were. She began to worry. Perhaps this quest wouldn’t bring her the recognition that she wanted, but then she saw something. A distant orange glow, the light of a torch. There was someone else here. She quickly snuffed out her torch so she wouldn’t be spotted, and instantly shuddered at the cold she had brought upon herself. There were only a few things that torch could mean; another adventurer, or a cave dweller. She had heard of them at the tavern, but never encountered one herself. They were members of intelligent species that had been overtaken by insanity with a single goal; to protect their treasures. Or at least that’s how they’d been described to her. Peoni silently prayed it was the former. She wasn’t planning on harming anything besides monsters and animals today, and she wasn’t ready for that to change. She slunk closer to the unknown party, trying to make out their details. They were covered by a hooded cloak, and seemed to be left-handed, as they held their torch in their right. Peoni inched closer still, and caught a glimpse of their weapon: a staff. That was a good sign. Cave dwellers weren’t known to use magic. The hooded figure stopped their steady walk, and turned Peoni’s blood ice cold with their speech.

“Is someone there?”

She had to identify herself, otherwise they might mistake her for a monster and attack, so she spoke. “I am, yes. I’m Peoni, daughter of Leviaten.”

The figure's head fell and their tone of voice changed, “I suppose that you’re here to conquer this dungeon.”

“Uh, yeah why else would I be in a musty, cold, dark cave like this? It’s not like I live here.” Peoni laughed a bit at the thought, a cold blooded creature living without access to the sun. The figure, however, did not. They simply spoke again.

“Lilith must be against me.”

Peoni composed herself, and stepped towards the figure, her ashy gray scales barely visible by the light of the torch.

“A child of Lilith? You know the townspeople have been telling everyone this cave is like, super dangerous, right? You must be a daredevil considering how soft and fleshy you lilin are.” Peoni teased, and she got closer, hoping to come off as friendly rather than a brutish monster. As she approached the figure Peoni noticed she was taller than them, although not by much. The figure pulled their hood down, revealing a boy with large, round glasses which reflected the light of his torch so strongly that Peoni was unable to even make out his eyes.

“No, not at all really. It’s not dangerous here at all. It’s actually my fault that they think that. I… I wanted to make sure nobody would loot this place before I was able to psych myself up to do it myself, so I spread rumors about giant beasts and monsters living here so that I would have it to myself, but I guess that failed.” The boy’s cheeks flushed, “Sorry I should’ve introduced myself. I’m Ath, child of Lilith.”

“That…” Peoni paused, taking in what Ath had confessed. “That’s quite the plan.” She let out a smile, making Ath sweat. “But if you want the glory to yourself,” Peoni’s voice was teasing once again, “you’ll have to make it there before me.” She took the opportunity to use Ath’s torch to relight her own.

Ath staggered, noises that weren’t quite words escaping his mouth.

“Glad you agree. Readysetgo!” Peoni took off running, Ath still processing her words for a few moments before running after her. She could hear his footsteps behind her and smiled. It had been a while since she’d actually had genuine fun while on a quest, and the spirit of friendly competition in the air made her heart pound with excitement. Monster after monster fell in her wake, defeated in only a few well placed strikes. She felt unstoppable, a high of adrenaline and joy filled her, and in a short while she found it. A single treasure chest left behind by some ancient creature who wanted to hide away their stash. Ath came up behind her, panting and huffing.

“I guess you win then. Winner take all and all that.” He turned back to leave the cavern.

“Wait, you didn’t think I was being serious about that, did you? You’re getting your cut. If it weren’t for you lying to everyone I would’ve never decided to check this place out. You deserve the loot as much as I do.” Peoni smirked, “Besides, I need someone to help me lug this thing out of here.”

Ath perked up at this, almost like a dog hearing the word “treat” or “walk.” On a dime he spun around. “You really mean it?” A glisten in his eyes, finally visible without the sheen of his glasses obscuring them. They were beautiful, and Peoni realized it. She was glad kobold were cold blooded, otherwise she’d have blushed.

“Well, yeah of course.” She stuttered a little, heart beating faster than usual. She was used to the feeling of adrenaline, but not whatever this was. It was foreign to her, making her feel warm despite being miles below the surface. She liked it. She wanted to feel more of it, and an idea crossed her mind. “On one condition.”

Ath seemed puzzled at best, afraid at worst. “What condition?”

“You have to come to the tavern in my hometown with me.” Her voice nearly cracked and she felt lucky sweating wasn’t something kobold were capable of. Ath, however, wasn’t so lucky.

He blushed, not realizing at first, then putting his hood back up to masquerade his face. His voice was shaky, wavering like a willow in the wind. “Well, I suppose if that’s what it’ll take, I’ll do it.”

They carried the ornate overstuffed wooden chest out of the dungeon together, buying a wagon with their newfound riches once they made it to town, and took off on the road to Peoni’s home. The journey had days where all they could do was share stories and secrets with one another as they took turns dragging the wooden carriage along uneven dirt and stone paths that made up their new expedition. Peoni shared more with Ath in those few days than she had with anyone else in her entire life. He brought her such a feeling of comfort and genuineness that she’d never felt before, her fear of others being chipped away at by the day. They learned about each other and how different their worlds were. Ath’s father had been a toymaker and his mother a tavernkeep, whereas Peoni scarcely knew of her family. Kobold were much more solitary creatures by nature than lilin, after all. The warmth within Peoni grew, and she felt truly recognized for the first time in her life. Sometimes she’d catch Ath sneaking glances at her and pretend not to notice. She was doing the same to him anyways, so fair is as fair does. It was nearly two weeks before the duo found themselves at the door to the tavern, exhasperated yet exhilarated as they ever could be, not even affording themselves a nights rest in Peoni’s undersized, underutilized home.

“Hey, Peoni?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I tell you something?”

“Shoot.”

“I’m glad you did this. Finding me and making me come along and all that.”

“Can I tell you something Ath?”

“Of course.”

“I am too.”

Before Ath could respond, Peoni took his hand and opened the door to the tavern, the smell of fried food and cheap booze filling her nostrils. One of her only friends before meeting Ath was Jarl, son of Lilith, and her favorite tavernkeep. He greeted the two of them with a hearty grin and even heartier voice.

“Well well Peoni, I was beginning to think you’d been felled, and who’s this you’ve got with you? A boyfriend?” Jarl’s laugh was a loud guffaw, almost like a Scottish Santa Claus, and he was more than happy to let it out. The old Peoni, the Peoni he knew in his mind, would never have a boyfriend, so he laughed at his own idea, thinking it absurd.

Peoni looked at Ath, who quickly averted his eyes and blushed, then looked back at Jarl and uttered a single word.

“Yes.”