"That is correct." The few words kept the newly found attention that the ink lizards had. They had not expected that Walker would know of this so soon and wanted to take the time to see what the party was like. If they would have the strength to protect the twelve eggs they wished to grow up in a new land and grow the ancestral memories.
"We are born of one skill no matter the class, abilities, and strength of affinity to the dark mana. It is called ancestral memories carved in blood. A passive skill that allows us to remember our past. It also allows us to learn our natural skills faster."
"We know that some dragons have similar skills that allow them to learn more about their past. The dragons of the water called it the roaring waves' memories. Those of fire call it the song of wildfires past. We hope that those memories of our own race can still learn and grow in a new territory. One that will hold a connection to the future of all the planes."
It was very clear that to the ink lizard race, the world and the dark elemental plane were going to unite more closely. They wanted to be part of it and stand with it rather than being separated and isolated.
There was something else though. A small spark of curiosity and desire that also came with things. They wanted to be able to see the future themselves. They wanted to be able to encourage and grow the memories passed down to the next generation and beyond it.
They knew the might of the dark dragons and were willing to send their young to the territory of one if that meant a better generation. This didn't mean that they were losing these children forever, they were just extending thor family further away. Encouraging moe journeys outside of their home. They would see more than others before them.
"Our children will lay dormant, like dark rocks on the border of our territory and the earth. They do not hatch because they have the right place or the right mana. They hatch because it is time for them to hatch. They feel when the time comes and they will claim the mana needed around them. You have met the truest of darkness and were accepted by them."
Since the ink lizards were such a small race it made a lot of sense that their eggs had developed the ability to be dormant and hatch when needed. It wasn't mana based like a monster, it was an innate skill for them. Proving that their survival had been hard through the years yet, that survival had forged their race to be potent and powerful. Forged their race to be lasting.
"We accept the challenge to carry your young. I may have a light affinity, but I will encase them in protection so that none will harm them." Alice spoke out showing a soft hum while doing so. Small bubbles of light formed, not seemingly dangerous, but very tough. Harder to touch. Harder to break. Just enough to show the ink lizards that with her by Walker's side that the eggs could not and would not crack unless they were safe.
There was something about the idea of carrying the first generation of another race to be born within the world that Alice had resonated with. Whether it was her saintess title or simply the fact that they deserved to be protected. That they were a future that could shape the world and the elemental planes for generations to come.
Whatever the real reason, they would be given the utmost care from her and the others, none of them had to say it, she had already spoken their intentions.
"Just so we can be sure, there's no threat to your race here that is forcing you to do this, right?" As much as Gil wanted to trust this was a pure desire to expand their race and build new ties, he was skeptical. Then again, they'd met races who needed to leave their homes due to danger and possible extinction.
They had even helped bring an entire city with a race living within to the world!
"We are not under any great threat. We are blessed with knowledge and opportunity and we shall take it as it comes. There will always be risks and the risk with your alliance is small. You have the respect of the great dark sage and the even greater dark king. We will respect you as they have asked, we do have reason to respect you otherwise as well." Google seaʀᴄh 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵⟡𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⟡𝓷𝓮𝓽
The ink lizards had given them a chance. They had liked what they learned and saw though. The party wasn't looking for fights. They weren't looking to harvest every herb and food they saw. They respected their territory and even the safety of the ink lizards who were within their own territory. Why would they doubt and fear this party coming here when those facts had already been seen clearly?
"Then we thank you for your trust." Walker stepped forward, the small eggs were brought from a smaller dark golem that had been carrying them in a hidden fashion. As soon as Walker opened up the high dimensional storage that he had focused dark elemental materials and mana in, the ink lizards showed a glint of excitement in their pitch black eyes. They could sense the safety and beneficial mana within. They knew they had chosen properly.
This moment held for just a few breaths where no words needed to be spoken. For the smallest intelligent race that the party had seen and met, the ink lizards seemed to be very outgoing once they were comfortable. They had been shy at first but that was from their natural instincts trying to keep themselves safe.
"We will finish escorting you. We will pass by an area where a few others train, you may be able to see some of the larger dark golems made permanent by those with the strength." The ink lizards here had strength but they seemed to have only brought dark golems they could make easily. With that easy creation with dark golems which were only temporary, Walker did wonder what the strength of the dark golems they had elsewhere which were permanent.
As if on cue, on the horizon some larger dark golems came in to shape. "That one you can see now is based on the berserk war bear, they are popular in a few areas due to their size and ferocity. The other is called a giant millipede, they are good forms to build a dark golem in to for transportation. Then there's…"
As the party grew closer the ink lizards shared more and more. It seemed that making dark golems permanently and shaping them after other monsters is a favorite of theirs. Their race had the skills for it and were always pushing themselves to make more complicated and powerful dark golems with their skills. If they could find a new monster to copy and create their very own dark golem from, they might be able to use that as their strength. A show of what they could do to both attract a partner and raise their standing within their fellow ink lizards.
It wasn't too long that they had the benefit of this tour through an area of many dark golems and many more hiding ink lizards who were not that accepting of the party. A few made themselves seen but very few spoke out or said anything. Their shy nature was fair enough.
It was the sense of earth mana that truly distracted everyone though. The border of dark and earth manas was small, more like a small road if compared to the city's roads. However, it was clear cut and held a very clear line. The dark golems nearby did not approach it and the few monster tracks that Gil and Midnight could spot on the other side of the border all halted quite a few feet from the border. It was an unspoken rule not to cross in to it.
Otherwise, the strip of dark and earth mixed together was just deep black souls. It seemed more like fertilized soil from a farm. It was enough for Walker to gather a little for experimenting later. Regardless, he tried to say goodbye to the ink lizards, but found they were already wandering off on their own. They seemed to not be big on goodbyes.
"I will allow you to meet the true earth sage. Thank you for your visit. That troublesome merchant will be allowed back when you give permission and punishment has ended." The true dark sage spoke through the dark mana around them, their own farewell enough to ensure that there would be new things to come with the emissaries sent here in the future.
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