Ribbontail: Enter Emalia
Chapter 7: The Scroll

Author's Note: Please read my artist's comments before continuing. :3
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A pride-filled Ribbontail, followed shortly by a less-cheerful Why-Yeh and Fidei, returned to the main circular chamber that linked every gods' rooms.

En Fuego and Pola still lay there chatting with Natas, the black-cloaked goat god. This time accompanied them were two entirely new gods.

One of them was what appeared to be a hybrid of white-furred swine and a long, lithe-bodied ferret. It was a beast who stood small compared to all others- about Ribbontail's height- with a porkine's face and a rather comical pink fringe of flower petals wreathed her head. Ribbontail almost laughed out loud at seeing such a fierce, two-fanged pig's face surrounded by pink flower petals: that was, until she took notice in her long, spiked, axe-tipped tail.

The second new creature stood about as tall as En Fuego, easily eight feet tall at its head. It was a large whitish-gray bat, with large crazed eyes of a yellow color. She too had an axe-tipped tail, but the beast in general had a mechanical look: wires, cogs, plates of steel armor, and tubes adorned the creature's body. She looked like an escaped bioweapon, and Ribbontail shuddered as the massive bat's gaze fell upon her.

The bat whispered something to the first, smaller pig-like companion then gestured with a wing-digit.

"'ey Ribbontail!" grunted the pig creature. "Aye, lookit thur ain't shuh loverly?"
Ribbontail was immediately taken aback by the pig's slurred, unintelligent speech.

Pola rose to her hooves and approached Ribbontail, nuzzling the wolf affectionately with her snout. "Ribbontail, I'd like you to meet the last two of us gods, Ai the Fierce and WarriorFang the Quiet," respectively Pola gestured at the pig, then at the bat. "Ai is the goddess of Nature, and WarriorFang is the goddess of Machines."

Greeting the two new gods with a polite nod, Ribbontail kept quiet.

"Pola, tell the other gods to have Riddle meet Fidei, Ribbontail and I in the main hall," requested Why-Yeh, his aged and wise eye turning to focus on Pola. The much younger ice-goddess nodded and turned to speak with the other gods softly. As she spoke to the others in her kind, loving voice, Why-Yeh pushed subtly by Ribbontail and led her and Fidei back up the ascending stairs. These stairs, as Ribbontail recalled, led to the large steely-cold hallway with the great stone wall-carving of the two dragons.  

When they arrived in the large, dark, and blue-gray room Why-Yeh turned and sat before the massive stone wall-carving. He watched, as if in contemplation, as Fidei approached and did the same. Then Ribbontail did, finding it hard to sit down in her new canine body. Resting back on her haunches was harder and less comfortable than merely sitting cross-legged on the ground as a human would, but she quickly found herself acquainted with the new position.

Why-Yeh turned his attention to Ribbontail, noting to her, "We shall begin as soon as your mother has arrived, Ribbontail."

Silently Ribbontail nodded, then the room fell into a dreary hush for several minutes. It was a long silence that hung in the air, calm and comforting, but it was broken suddenly as Riddle barged into the room. She was followed hastily by the small PuppetRibbontail and by a thundering, pride-filled WereRibbontail.

"Fine fine, I'll do your stupid little prayer thing" Riddle barked with abrupt insolence as she prowled over to them, "I'll have Ribbontail off but I want the sweet deary to STAY gone, got that Why-yeh?"

Why-Yeh sighed at Riddle, watching as she sat down in their circle. The wolf goddesses' cohorts, WereRibbontail and PuppetRibbontail, simply dropped down in crouch positions behind her.

"What was that all about?" asked Ribbontail, lowering her ears and turning to Why-Yeh.

The angelic lion simply took a deep, thoughtful breath and explained, "As I said before, Ribbontail, your mother and I will be the ones assigning you and Fidei your missions on Emalia. We will focus our senses on the prayers being spoken at the moment, and choose the one we find suitable for each of you."

Ribbontail nodded, gulping nervously. She watched as Why-Yeh offered a large, fur-fringed talon to Riddle, who- with much hesitation- placed her paw in his. Connected by paw, the two closed their eyes and took deep breaths.

Then there was more silence, more waiting, and more tinges of curiosity in Ribbontail's mind.

"What are they doing?" whispered Ribbontail to Fidei, her eyes fixed on the perfectly-still gods before them.

Fidei rolled his eyes at Ribbontail, a mocking smile curling across his face. "Heh, listening to the stupid little mortals…praying and crap. God stuff like that."

"Oh…"

With a sarcastic grin, Fidei opened his mouth as though to spit a tease at Ribbontail, but just as he did Riddle mumbled to them, "Okay fine. Kids, we have your stupid missions…"

"Ribbontail and Fidei, please join paws," finished Why-Yeh, watching as the two Godchildren reluctantly touched one anothers' paws, "now please close your eyes."

Doing as she was told, Ribbontail sat back and took a deep breath. It was not long before she was fully relaxed, a feeling of weightlessness overtaking her body. Then, from the far corners of the room, she felt a luxurious heat creep over her. It was a wonderful feeling, far-contrasted to the cold chills that previous wracked her bones, like the warm morning sun first felt after a bitter and chilly nightmare. And though her eyes were closed, Ribbontail was forced to squint her eyes shut harder, as a harsh light beat down on her from above.

Shocked at this awareness of sudden light, Ribbontail's eyes shot open, but no more than a half second did she shut them again, as the sight before her shook her mind to the core.  

Gone was the dark and cold god's hall, and in its place stretched a skyscape Ribbontail would have expected to see on a spaceship of some sort. She was floating with legs splayed uneasily as though she was falling, yet she remained motionless. To her left and right were the much more mellow Riddle, Why-Yeh, and Fidei. They seemed at ease and stared confused at her awestruck reaction.

Before Ribbontail stretched a great planet, glowing and rotating in the deep glow of space. Its shining face glared brilliantly against a bleak, shadowy blackness behind it, and Ribbontail couldn't help but feel estranged. They were floating in space: high up above an Earth-like planet, as though they were treading in a pool of water.

On the planet, facing them, Ribbontail saw a great mass of land- what appeared to be a continent about the size of Earth's Eurasia. A mountain faced nearest them, its high snowy peaks stretching high into the planet's atmosphere below them, and behind it hid great fields. From there the continent peeled off in many environments: the dull gray-yellow of a vast savannah gave way to a massive desert. Off across the crest of the planet Ribbontail noticed the dark green that might have been a jungle or marshland, and even farther was a city: noticeable even from space.

"Woooow…", Ribbontail couldn't help but utter, "Are we in space? Is that your planet or something?" Filled with sudden excitement, Ribbontail laughed and spun in her half-suspension, stopping as soon as she noticed the harsh look Riddle shot her.

"Yes, Ribbontail," replied Why-Yeh, turning and gesturing to the vast planet that reared before them, "this is Kuutamo, and that land you see there is Emalia. The mortals live there… we Gods rest down below in that arctic peak there."

Ribbontail tipped her head down and stared between her awkward forelegs, seeing a thin strip of white land. The Domain of the Gods was what they called it.

"Cool!" Ribbontail cheered. She noticed Fidei; he was once again rolling his eyes at her lively optimism.

"NOT cool," Riddle snapped at her daughter, her eyes dark with scorn, "Emalia isn't a fluffy cuddly world of happy bunnies, ya know. Ever since those bloody Eclipsians came along it's like Hell on Kuutamo. Blah!"

Still maintaining his calm face, Why-Yeh nodded. "That's correct, I fear. Ribbontail, you and Fidei will have to enter the mortal's world, and it will not be easy. Emalia is a truly dangerous land now; it is no place for young ones like you, but you must learn to face danger like a God."

Ribbontail nodded, intent as always.

"Riddle and I have both received two prayers we've found worthy of you two," continued Why-Yeh, "ones both challenging yet achievable."

There was a slight pause as Why-Yeh looked over his world, his remaining eye trained on Emalia.

"Well?" snapped Fidei.

This time it was Riddle who responded: "Shut up, twerp." Then she turned, a blatantly false smile planted across her face. "Ribbontail dear, we've decided that you're gonna take this here scroll-"
Riddle rolled over in her floating state and flourished a paw, upon which a scroll materialized.
"-and deliver it to some old bastard wizard guy in that far desert off on the horizon. His name's Ra'Kiroo and he lost this very scroll years ago. He…needs it now, I suppose. Simple, right?"

Ribbontail nodded. She was half-focused on Fidei, who spoke with his father not far away; her ears were trained on Riddle, but her eyes had remained locked on Fidei for some time now. "Sure! How hard can that be?"

"I'm not done…" Riddle flicked her wrist and the scroll evanesced. "Like I said before there's gonna be lots of crap… I'm gonna have you start right there in that one forest near us. Then you're gonna have to travel ON PAW to your destination. Crappy I know, but… that's how the other Gods want it done."

"Yeah yeah," Ribbontail sighed, "I know…"

Riddle continued, yawning lazily as she spoke, "Along with the scroll I'm gonna give you a star which you can follow. It's really neat. The star like…moves in the sky and stuff and if you follow it then you'll be heading in the right direction. Oh how wonderful it is being a God, huh?"

Nodding and forcing a smile, Ribbontail gazed one last time before Riddle continued her explanations.

"So!" the wolf God woofed, "Here's the deal… we Gods won't be there for you so you're gonna have to rough it on your own. I guess Fidei over there is gonna do his own thing too, so he won't be there to get his cooties on ya. Heh. Lucky you. Periodically… like once an Emalian week or something… we'll send Pola or somebody just to check on you-"

"Wait!" Ribbontail suddenly cried, "Once a week?! Just how long am I supposed to be traveling and stuff? And do I have to go alone? I don't even know the names of these countries and stuff!"

Riddle's lips opened in a wide wolf grin. "Hahaha! Ditz. Sure you're gonna be alone, and who KNOWS how long you'll be down there. Maybe a month. Maybe even half a year or something. You just have to see how it goes, kay kid?"

"Mm…okay…" Ribbontail's ears drooped and her eyes fell on Emalia, tracing along the continent. She would have to travel a distance equal to that of…Eurasia! Impossible…that's lame… she thought, But…better than Earth.
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Ribbontail felt the distressing cold of the God's Temple wash over her body as she reentered her body. She shuddered with the sudden chill and opened her eyes to see Fidei, Riddle, PuppetRibbontail and WereRibbontail creep out of the chamber hurriedly. Why-Yeh still sat before Ribbontail, as though waiting for her to return. As he noticed Ribbontail's consciousness, his gaze fell to Ribbontail's feet, where the scroll laid.

Ribbontail stared down at the scroll.

"The scroll…" Why-Yeh explained quietly, "Is to be delivered to a man named Ra'Kiroo on the far side of Emalia. You did understand that bit of information, correct, young Ribbontail? You will have nothing but your instincts and Riddle's star to guide your way. Are you ready to go speak with the other Gods before you must leave?"

"Aww…do I hafta go now? I kinda like Pola and you and Fidei. You guys are cool."

Why-Yeh's face bore its usual expressionless frown, but his eyes bore into her. "Ribbontail, after your quest you will be able to spend a whole half year relaxing in our luxurious land. But for now you must go."

"Whoa so I've gotta…go to Emalia or something NOW? Alone?" Ribbontail whispered to the great lion god.

Nodding, Why-Yeh responded with a calm, "That is correct. You and Fidei will both go to Emalia, and we are having PuppetRibbontail and WereRibbontail accompany you-"

"Wait what?" gasped Ribbontail, her ears shooting up. Those two servants of Riddle were repulsive: PuppetRibbontail with her rotting bones and wicked grin and WereRibbontail with her uncanny muscles and snide personality. Traveling alone on Emalia was perfectly fine compared to an expedition with those two beasts. "Why do I have to go with them? Can't I go with like…Fidei or something? I'm sure I can do it on my own you know: I am Riddle's daughter."

Sighing, Why-Yeh rasped, "It is true that you bear the fierce spirit of a God, but at the moment you are too young and too untrained to simply venture about Emalia on your own. It is a dangerous world out there, so PuppetRibbontail and WereRibbontail will follow and protect you."

"Awww…crap…"

At first Ribbontail was unsure of what the wise old God would do, but he merely assured her with another nod before getting up and prowling out of the room. She quickly picked up Ra'Kiroo's Scroll and followed after him.

"Ribbontail," Why-Yeh continued, "I want you to remember that though you are a God you are not immortal. You are still young and thus you are still in danger…until you are given the rank of a full God I want you to be as cautious on this mission as possible. Do you understand?"

Ribbontail snorted with disgust at the thought. The daughter of a goddess and she wasn't even immortal.

The wolf girl opened her mouth to object to the fact, but before she could do so Why-Yeh added, "I know that it seems unfair at the moment, but you and Fidei must get used to your powers. We Gods must learn to harness and control our divine powers, and you are to young and inexperienced to do so."

Plodding alongside Why-Yeh, Ribbontail's ears perked up. "Powers?" she ruffed, "What kind of powers do we have?"

"Our powers vary greatly, Ribbontail, and they all fit with our element. Your mother Riddle, for example, is the goddess of Death, so she can mainly control the dead. She can summon spirits, ghosts, and demons of all kinds to do her bidding, and someday you will have the powers that come with them. But during this mission you will have no powers; it is only you, your wit, and the land of Emalia at your pawtips-"

"Cool! So can I use them like…in a year or something?" Ribbontail pranced merrily at the side of Why-Yeh. The thought of being able to control the dead, though morbid and frightening, rushed through her head and brought her great happiness. Having to take a trip across a continent was nothing compared to being a God. "It's so worth it" she thought to herself, as Why-Yeh turned and invited her back into the Gods' lounge.

"Come now, we must get you and Fidei prepared to enter the mortal world."

Flicking her ears nervously, Ribbontail followed Why-Yeh back to the other Gods. It was almost time to finally start her adventure.