Godly

Godly
Chapter 26: Hornhiem: Arrival

After practising some more with King Arthur in my sleep, I yawn as I slowly wake up. I scratch my chin as I look to my left, and what greets me is snow white fur and my face in Whisper's cleavage.

I halt mid scratch and gulp slightly, as the bosom I'm using as a bed right now is jiggling gently like a water bed. Whisper is just humming a tune while she continues to walk across the plains with me in her arms.

After a mental reboot, I cough lightly and get her attention.

"Oh, you're finally awake! You must've been tired, you've been asleep for six hours, or was it seven..." she says with a smile.

"I see, how far are we to Hornhiem?" I ask her and notice she's not letting me down. If anything, it feels like she's holding me tighter.

"Not much longer, another day or two," she replies and goes back to humming her tune.

I glance back at her cleavage and debate whether or not to go back to sleep, but I shake my head and look at her face.

"You can put me down now, nature is calling," I tell her getting a confused look from her before she looks around us. I sigh and facepalm. "I need to take a piss," I then tell her.

"What's a... piss?" she asks with a frown.

"Errrr..." I mumble out and sigh again. "Nevermind, I need to relieve myself. So please put me down," I ask her and she does so.

I run off to the closest bush I can find and after a few seconds to empty my bladder, I sigh and then pull out a water bottle from my bag and use it to rinse my hands off. Once cleaned up, I pack the bottle away and make my way back to Whisper.

"Right then if you need to go, I'll wait here for you," I tell her and sit down on the grass.

"Oh, okay," she replies and runs off to another bush. I yawn again as I look around the plains. The mountains are closer and with my sharp vision, I can barely see a settlement far into the distance, just can't make out any details.

After a few minutes, Whisper comes back flicking her hands off from the water on them.

"Ready to go?" I ask her getting a smile and a nod.

"Can I hold you again? You're so cute and soft," she asks me with a bigger smile.

I stare at her chest again and shake my head. "Sorry, but I need to get the blood pumping again," I tell her and change to Bacchus and take a bite out of the pork joint making Whisper look surprised. I then wash it down with a tiny bit of wine before changing into Chiron.

"Right then, let us continue," I say and start walking.

Whisper jogs to catch up to me. "What are the changelings really like? From all the stories told by our grandparents, they're like leeches who suck the love right out of you till you're nothing but a dried up husk..." she asks me warily.

"That's a complete lie for one. They can't suck out a person's love, but feed off the love they emit. Love is radiated from people and the Changelings fed on it. They're also very quick learners and are masters at imitation. While their magic is not as diverse as the ponies, they're still strong and powerful spell casters, and now that we have a unicorn spell teacher with us, I'm hoping he can teach the changelings new spells," I reply with a smile.

"They're also the kindest people I've met so far, due to the fact they can sense others emotions and react accordingly. Though that kindness has regressed mostly to their own hives as the world was turned against them... But I'm doing my best to help them," I finish with a sigh.

"I see... so, Celestia really made up that a changeling killed a pony by draining them?" she asks sadly.

"Who really knows? There's no records about it, no other witnesses, the changeling wasn't given a chance to explain. As far as I know, Celestia is either covering something up, or just hates changelings that much to frame them," I reply with a frown.

"Well... I would like to meet the changelings," she tells me with a smile on her face.

"Well if you still want to once I'm done here, I can take you to our city so you can see for yourself," I tell her and draw an arrow from my quiver.

"What is that?" she asks pointing at my bow.

"This? It is a weapon called a bow, it launches these arrows great distances for either hunting or attacking enemies," I reply and notch the arrow before aiming ahead of us and drawing the string back. The bow creaks a little under the strain before I release the arrow.

Whisper watches the arrow soar through the air for a good few seconds before it lodges itself into the dirt.

"And with a group of these you could rain down arrows on an area, very intimidating watching them come towards you on the receiving end," I tell her as I draw another arrow and continue walking.

"Amazing, it's so simple yet effective," she says and walks beside me to get a closer look.

I smirk as I stop walking before holding the bow and arrow out to her. "Here, have a try for yourself," I tell her and she looks at it wide eyed.

"Really?" she asks with a smile while taking off her basket backpack.

"Sure, just be careful and don't point it at me," I reply and walk around her as I hold the bow up in front of her. "Now hold it where my hand is," I tell her and she does so.

I place my hand on top of hers making her tense up a bit. "N-Now what?" she asks trying not to look at me.

I wrap my right arm around her and hold the arrow up. "Take this arrow and place the small groove on the bottom against the string with the shaft resting on your left hand," I instruct her, making her carefully take the arrow and placing it where I told her to.

"Now, slowly pull the string back to get used to the tension of the bow. Once you feel comfortable enough, pull back and then let go of the string," I tell her and let go of her hand and step back.

She frowns as she tests the string before pulling it back and aiming up. She looks adorable with her tongue poking out and narrowed eyes.

After a few seconds, she lets go and frowns as the string twangs and the arrow fumbles off the string to flail in the air three metres away from her.

She glares at the arrow and goes to pick it up. Once retrieved, she notches it again and aims up again. With a huff she releases only for the same to happen again.

"Why isn't it working!?" she asks in frustration.

I chuckle and walk back over to her. "Here, like this," I say and draw another arrow.

She tenses up again as I wrap my right arm around her and place my left hand on hers holding the grip. I help her notch it and aim the bow up. "Okay now you need to pull both fingers away when you release or the arrow will come loose again," I tell her and she does as I tell her.

The string springs back into place as the arrow flies away from us.

"There we go!" I tell her and smile as she watches the arrow with wide eyes. "Want to try again on your own?" I ask her getting nod in reply.

I hand her another arrow where she notches it and aims. After a few seconds she lets go and the arrow soars off.

"Nice," I say making her giggle. "Maybe when we go to Khepria, I'll make you a bow and some arrows for you," I tell her making her look at me.

"Really!?" she asks happily.

"Sure, but first we need to meet your Magai and see if we can be allies as well as if they'll help with subduing Celestia. Though now that I'm really thinking about it, I doubt they will. Why risk your peoples lives on something that doesn't involve you? And I've been thinking of ways to restrain Celestia with who and what we already have. Might be best to act sooner while she's possibly not at full strength," I say and sigh as she hands me back my bow.

"Well... I don't know if the Magai are strong enough to fight either of the alicorns... I mean they moved the sun and moon... and you took that from them and have so many spells, skills, weapons, and forms that make our best warriors look like calves..." she replies nervously.

"When you say it like that, it does make it sound like I would be stronger... But Celestia is now possessed by a nightmare, I don't know how much stronger that will make Celestia and I have no idea what new spells or abilities it can do with an alicorn host..." I tell her and sigh with a frown. "I also don't know how many of her guards she has enthralled, does she have a limit to how often and far she can teleport, or even if I can force her through one of my portals to isolate her. There's many factors to take in and I'm not sure what I should be focusing on first," I finish with a groan.

She looks to the ground for a few seconds and then back up to me. "Well... H-Have you thought of a way to change her back?" she asks me quietly.

"Possibly. But that includes surprising her by dropping her into a portal over a pool of liquid love that will hopefully poison or force the nightmare to flee her body," I reply.

"I see... Maybe those magical stones they used on Discord could work?" she suggests with a hopeful tone.

"Maybe, but then they could also turn her into stone as well. And I can't slap her in the face if she's stone now can I?" I reply with a chuckle.

"I suppose not," she says as I pick up the arrows we fired along the way.

For the next few hours, she asks me about the Hive and what life is like with the changelings. I smile as I tell her about our baths, the lake and its giant glowing flower, as well as the many other games and crafts we got.

She soaks it all in and tells me of the few games they have like the classic tag, hide and seek, and the hard wolf-skin balls they throw and kick about.

It takes us hours of talking and walking, along with a few bouts of jogging to get closer to the City. We're now a good twenty or so miles from the city and it's now dark out and Whisper is tired.

"We'll set up camp here tonight. I'll go find some firewood after I've set up your tent," I tell her and change to Geb.

"Okay, will you be gone long?" she replies and asks as I make her stone tent.

"Not even ten seconds," I reply and change to Mercury.

Before she can say a thing, I dash off to the nearest woodland not too far away and gather a bunch of branches and dry grass. Satisfied with the amount gathered, I run off back to Whisper making her yelp at my sudden appearance and the gust of wind I trailed behind me blows into her.

"Told you, not even ten seconds!" I boast and smirk as I change back into Geb and sit in front of her tent as she calms down from her mild panic attack.

"That wasn't funny!" she yells at me angrily as she places her bedding and huffs before laying down with her back to me.

I chuckle slowly as I use my body to plug up the tent's entrance. "Goodnight," I say and yawn as I get comfortable.

"Goodnight," she replies a bit tersely.

After another night of god practice, this time with Merlin, which I've discovered is a master of fire, ice, and arcane magic. He can also infuse his basic attacks with electricity as well but I've found out he's not limited to what the game's skills are. He can also use full on lightning attacks that aren't in the game and I'm pretty sure he could learn other spells.

His mana control and magical potential is insane, his only flaw is he's not very physically strong and hasn't got much in terms of protection, a true squishy glass cannon character.

I awaken to see a white wolf silently sitting in front of me, head down submissively.

I stare at it for a few seconds making it whine and flinch back. I get up and change to Fenrir, making the wolf lay down on its belly.

"What do you want," I ask it, I think I recognise it as one from the pack that attacked us.

"You defeated alpha... So I wish to follow you," it replies in a male tone.

"Oh? And what insurances do I have that you'll stay loyal to me?" I ask and walk up to him, two inches away from my nose to his.

"W-When alpha is defeated, pack must follow new alpha," he replies and stays perfectly still.

I glare at him for a few seconds and then grin. "So no matter what form I'm in, you'll do as I say?" I ask him.

"Y-Yes, Alpha," he replies.

I lean back from him, letting him sit up again. "Alright, but any attempt to harm either of us and I'll tear you apart just like your old alpha. I'll also feed you daily, when was the last time you ate?" I tell and ask him.

"Two moons ago, Alpha," he replies and by some comedic timing, a quiet gurgle rumbles from his stomach.

"Do you understand the common language?" I ask him making him shake his head.

"Alright then, I'll change into another form and give you some meat. After that we'll be heading towards the minotaur city over there," I tell him and point to said city in the distance. "You are not to attack anyone unless I tell you to, understood?" I tell him firmly.

"Yes, Alpha," he replies and his tail starts wagging back and forth.

"Now before I feed you, why did only you wish to follow me?" I ask him.

"Old alpha's son took place as alpha of pack, but you are stronger and more agile, you are a better alpha than him. The others did not share my view so I left alone," he replies.

"Alright then, I'll train you to respond to certain words in common later. But for now, just follow and stay passive, no one will harm you while you're with us," I tell him and change to Bacchus.

He looks at the pork joint and pants at it. I toss it to him and he eagerly tears into it.

With that done, I pick a few grapes off the vines on my toga and snack on them. I hear a shuffling from behind me followed by a yelp as Whisper looks at the wolf eating the pork ravenously.

"Morning, Whisper. Looks like we have a new travelling companion. Apparently I'm his new alpha, so he's going to follow us. Here, have some of these," I tell her and pull off a whole bunch of grapes and gently toss them to her.

She catches them and looks at them oddly. "What are these?" she asks and sniffs them.

"Grapes, they're a fruit. They're great on their own but can be used to make a lot of different food and drinks, wine like the one in this jug. Just be careful of the seeds in the middle of them," I reply and gently slosh the wine around in said jug in my left hand.

She picks a grape off and puts it in her mouth. She then carefully chews and her eyes widen as she tastes the flavour.

"This is good," she replies and swallows it before eating another.

This continues until we're all fed and ready to go.

"Okay, now to see if I can start training him... Err, I didn't ask if he had a name," I say and change to Fenrir again. "What's your name?" I ask the wolf.

"Name?" he asks back in confusion.

"Yes, what did your pack call you? My name is Pantheon," I ask and tell him.

"We do not have names, only the alpha of the pack has one," he replies with a tilt of his head.

"I see, would you like a name?" I ask him.

"If you wish for me to have a name, Alpha, then I shall accept," he says with a wagging tail.

"Alright... Let's see... Silverfang? No, overused... Orion? Yeah sounds good. Alright, would you like the name Orion?" I ask him.

He bows his head at me. "I shall accept this name, Alpha," he replies and his tail wags faster.

"Alright then, remember no attacking anyone unless I say so," I tell him and change back.

"What did you say? All I heard was growling and barking," Whisper asks me.

Really? I sound like that when talking to wolves? "His name is Orion, and I just reminded him what to do for now. So let's get going!" I reply and change into Chiron.

For the next four hours we walk and finally we reach our destination. The City is quite large, three or four times bigger than our city, at least in width, we probably would be the same if we count the underground sections as well.

A long wooden log palisade surrounds the city, held together by plant fibre twine. The main gate is a giant wooden sliding style door with big crude wheels on the bottom. I can see four minotaurs exert themselves pushing the gate open to allow a group of hunters carrying something about five metres long with black scales that resembles an anaconda, but has dark grey fur running down the middle of its back and has slanted eyes instead of round ones.

It also appears to be dead if the crushed neck is anything to go by.

Patchwork looking farmland is around the walls with what looks like wheat and corn growing mostly, but I can see some carrots and I think cabbage patches.

From what I can see inside the gate, the buildings look similar to Whisper's village. Large pelt covered tents with a hexagon shape, and further in mud brick houses with thatch roofing is all I can see.

Some of the farming minotaurs see us and start mumbling amongst themselves while we walk up to the gate.

A group of ten minotaurs gathers by the gate, warriors by the looks of their stone hammers and bone armour.

"Announce yourselves!" one of them demands as they all look at me.

I smile as I stop a good ten feet away, time to make a better first impression.