The Worm groaned as she tried, futilely, to cross the floor. Her stomach, however, was not interested in assisting with her movements.
"Still used to crawling on your tail, sister?" Asked the Witch.
"Yes. Getting used to a normal body again is...problematic."
"Indeed it is. I will admit, though, whilst I do not enjoy our imprisonment, having my original skin back is very enjoyable."
"Indeed it is. That was surprisingly nice of our captor."
"Hmph. You may be correct, but I still yearn for the day when we will be free once more."
"...Perhaps we could decrease the time we must serve by giving him on offering?"
"...Do you actually think he will see a bribe for anything other than what it is?" Questioned the Witch.
"No, but I believe a token of gratitude is needed for his generosity."
"I see. What do you have in mind? And what could this commander possibly need? He is, essentially, immortal."
"True, but his subordinates are not. Additionally, most of his forces could use benefit from additional powers."
"...Are you saying-"
"Yes, sister," spiked the Worm, pulling out a red pepper shaped vial from a nearby cabinet. "I believe we should offer him the Old Blood."
"...Then who would he use it on?"
XXXXXXXX
The creature tore into the carcass, rapidly stuffing organs into its maw. The girros has been slaughter with ease, for it had only taken the monster a few seconds to snap the fanged wyvern's neck. As the corpse was torn apart, the predator could not help but notice drones flying around it, eagerly recording its actions for future examination. Further tests would examine its ability to command lesser infested.
The sound of something rolling turned the creature's attention away from the carcass. There, not far from the corpse, was a ball. A moment later, a kubrow emerged from a nearby aperture, though upon noticing the infested beast it came to a halt.
The Infested stared at the intruder for only a moment before picking up the ball and throwing it, causing the canid to chase after it. Once the ball was retrieved, the canine monotreme retreated into the Aperture that it had arrived from, leaving the infested alone.
As it attempted to continue butchering the carcass, though, one of the drones began to flash lights at it, causing the creature to look at the flying machine. Said machine promptly displayed at set of words to the beast: 'The Commander Is Coming. We Want You To Meat Him.'
The beast grumbled in annoyance. Why couldn't it just go back to its room and eat in peace?
'Please meet with the commander. You deserve to meet him.'
The creature grumbled again, but ultimately chose to comply. A moment later, and a portal opened before it. Without hesitation, the creature walked through the light.
XXXXXX
Carefully I layered the bandages over Viv's wounds. By now, they were starting to pile up, but that was something I'd have to accept - removing the bandages would likely just worse then bleeding. The scarab had managed to harm my former ROB greatly using metalburn, and whilst she could have probably survived without treatment, I was not going to just leave her to try and recover on her own. Friends help friends out.
"Commander, you have a guest," intoned Fide. Turning around, I found a humanoid Infested staring at me - presumably the command strain I'd asked for. Said beat was staring at me curiously, though its attention briefly turned to Vivian.
"Greetings," I said, trying to keep the beast's attention on me. IT responded by waving, though it still stared at Vivian. As I pondered on what to say, patches of the beast's skin started to glow green. Before I could say anything, the pulse of green energy shot out from around the Infested and rolled over both me and Vivian. Immediately, I felt rejuvenated, and my various injuries no longer hurt. A cursory examination of Viv revealed that some of her injuries had healed, as had mine.
Huh, didn't know it had the Ancient's power.
'...Thank you,' I thought to the creature.
'...You...Are...Welcome...'
What? I thought that it couldn't talk. Also, that legion-sounding thought voice was scary.
'Can Talk...Just Had...No Reason...To.'
'Interesting. Do you have a name?'
'...No.'
'...Do you want one?'
'...Yes.'
'...Then I will Leave The Coice To You. Do You Know How To Read And Write?'
'Yes...Old Flesh...Retains Knowledge of Those Skills...Can Also Access...Computers...Through Nanites.'
That was rather worrisome. 'Understood. When you have the name you want, tell me.'
'Okay...I Have It.'
'Then tell me what it shall be.'
To my surprise, the creature actually spoke that answer - in a singular, female, demure voice.
"...Call me...Coraz Xhil."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
The stems flowed in the wind, slowly adjusting themselves to get the most sunlight. Leaves unfurled to increase the surface area, allowing the greenery to maximize its photosynthesizing potential. Only once each leaf was in optimatl position did they stop moving.
Head in the shade of a large rock, Xiril left out a sigh of relief, then began to tear into a tuber. This world that the creator had made was hot, but it was home. Already, strange creatures ran about, some resembling creatures he knew, others that were not so familiar. Most interesting at the moment, though, were the short, bearded beings doing business with the skeletons.
The Dawi were not ones normally found in deserts, but this cactus covered desert was a cold one, as the small drifts of snow proved, and was to the dwarfs' liking. The Tomb Kings, meanwhile, preferred the more open, sandy plains further away, but were not so arrogant as to refuse building outposts in other environments - especially not when there was the possiblity of trade. Though many dawi and tob king forces ha been destroyed in a war between the two (all over a dwarfen hammer with a single Nehekharan gold coin in it), when these beings were allies, they could be surprisingly reasonable. Many values were shared between these people, after all. Especially their views on honor.
Hours passed, with agreements being made and goods being exchanged, until eventually the two groups parted ways. Clouds soon appeared, much to Xiril's annoyance. Letting out a sigh, Xiril decided that he had overstayed his welcome - his sunbathing was now a distant dream. Thus, with some annoyance, he shook off the tiredness out of him and started moving his legs.
All one hundred plus of them.
As Xiril's segmented body began to move, the numerous stems went limp, causing them to curl around his exoskeleton. By the time the stem-carrying segments hit the ground, the green parts had neatly folded themselves against Xiril's flanks, ensuring that they would be easier to fit into tunnels. And indeed, into tunnels they were going.
It didn't take long for Xiril to reach his home's entrance. From there, it was down, down, down he went.
XXXXXXXX
Xiril's kind, the Greenflanks (Ix'Kril in their own tongue), were an interesting species - annelids who could both consume food and synthesize their own from sunlight. Ix'Kril, if they had evolved on Earth, would have been considered a type of bristle worm, whose limbs were adapted for both swimming and burrowing. In another time, giant bristle worms like Xiril would have arisen after man had left the world, being amongst the largest creature to inhabit the majority of the planet's surface. The spot for largest terrestrial animal at that particular time, though, would go to a terrestrial variety of squid.
None of that mattered to Xiril - he just wanted to get back home.
As he made his way into the deeper tunnels, Xiril made sure to avoid the Dawi who bred moutains goats, though he did stop by a brewery first - Dawi alcohol was legendary, and he wasn't above snatching samples for himself.
The hold that these dwarfs called home was known as Karak Aksuul, and had been the first one established in a desert territory - dwarfs preferred mountains, wastelands, and savannahs to scorching deserts, but they were a hardy people, and cold deserts weren't exactly something they couldn't adapt to. Though the longbeards would inevitably complain, when these circumstances came about, adaptation had to occur.
Xiril didn't normally interact much with the Dwarfs - not because he didn't like them, but his kind preferred to live in great underground lakes where they could swim. Dwarfs did occasionally come to those lakes, often to battle the beasts that dwelled their (including something the creator referred to as 'looking like the watcher in the water', which the worms occasionally aided them in. The dwarfs were also appreciated for raising goats, which the bristle worms had found to be incredibly appetizing. In turn, the worms would often share choice fish and other swimmers from the lakes, something the Dawi were happy to enjoy.
Finally reaching his home, Xiril made his way into his room. His sister was napping, whilst his mother and father had retreated to their room, and from the sounds of it, were making the beast with two backs - some concepts carried across languages. Idly, Xiril wondered if his mother would be laying another clutch or if father would be the one to gestate the next generation - worms were hermaphrodites after all, so who would be sire and mother came down to each partner's choice. Xiril himself wasn't sure yet whether his would be mother or father for his first clutch.
*Crunch*
Though given that his girlfriend, Karsis, was a huge NEET, lived in his tunnels, and spent most of the day eating potato chips, he wasn't actually sure he'd have any shot at getting children for a long time.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
The Drone watched over the Commander's forces, trying to discern what to do next. Attempts to exploit this convergence event had so far failed, leaving the human to only grow stronger, instead of off himself through overextending his forces.
This could not be allowed - the masters' could not afford to have any disruptions to their plans.
Thus, the commander would have to go.
Cautiously, the drone pulled a piece of metal out of storage. This metal was hardly of use as a weapon, though it might serve to weaken this fool of a commander. After all, he would never abandon an innocent...
And the world from which this magnetite came was too pathetic to defend itself.
AN: Hmm, I wonder what the Old Blood will be used for...
For those wondering about it, the green pulse was the healing ability the Ancient Healer from Warframe has.
As for Xiril, he and his kind are based upon the garden worm from the Future Is Wild:
[URL unfurl="true"] wiki/Garden_worm[/URL]
Anyway, I'm putting the main story on Ice while I update some of my other stories. I might still do sidestory and info bits, and I will answer any questions you might want to ask on Discord. So, without further adieu,
Read and Review! This is Flameal15k, signing off!