The valley spread below them like a painting.
Null sat comfortably on the Twin's back—massive dragon form, scales gleaming silver-white under moonlight. Flying like this was pleasant. Peaceful. The wind, the height, the perspective.
She'd always liked it.
The valley itself was beautiful. Scattered houses dotting the mountainsides. Pink trees—everywhere. Covering the slopes in distinctive coloring that looked almost luminous in the darkness. Central area at the valley bottom where larger buildings clustered.
And festival preparations. Obvious even from this height.
Massive piles of wood arranged for bonfires. Tables set up in organized rows. Open fields marked with flags and boundaries—competition areas probably. Large tents. And merchant wagons—she counted at least a dozen. Professional setups, not temporary visitors.
[Something significant is happening tomorrow.]
Her life sense swept the valley. Reading. Analyzing. Cataloguing what lived below.
The diversity was unprecedented.
Humans. Multiple beastkin varieties—she detected at least seven distinct species. Dwarves. Lizardmen. Even a few elf families.
[I've never seen this much mixing before.]
In her years of traveling—hunting across Church State and Kingdom territories—she'd seen cities with diverse populations. But those always had clear segregation. Districts. Neighborhoods. Invisible but absolute boundaries.
This valley? No separation. Life signatures scattered randomly. Intermixed. Living together without apparent structure or division.
[Interesting.]
Most of the valley slept. But a few remained awake—she counted perhaps two dozen scattered across the settlement. Their emotions readable even at this distance. Happiness. Anticipation. Excitement radiating clearly.
They were waiting for something. Looking forward to it.
Spy floated nearby. Visible. Present. His usual manifestation when things interested him.
[He follows the interesting trips. Skips boring bandit hunts. This must qualify.]
"Pretty place," Null observed. Matter-of-fact. "Very mixed population. Unusual."
The Twins banked slightly, circling. Their voice came as emotional projection—single consciousness radiating thought rather than speaking. The massive dragon body couldn't form words easily.
"What's the celebration? Looks fun!"
"I don't know," Null admitted. "Some kind of festival. Large scale."
Spy drifted closer. ?The merchant presence is significant. Professional setups. This isn't spontaneous—it's organized. Annual event, probably.?
"Can we find out?" Null asked. Curiosity genuine. "This world is still new. Unique celebrations are... educational."
?I can check,? Spy sent. His tone was casual. Helpful. ?I'll transfer my consciousness back to base. Ask the maids what they know. Maybe check the records. Easier than trying to communicate long-distance through the bond.?
"How long?"
?Thirty minutes. Maybe less.? He paused. ?You'll wait??
"Yes." Null settled more comfortably. "The Twins can land somewhere. Rest. We have time."
The dragon descended. Finding a ridge on the valley's edge. High enough for good vantage. Hidden enough to avoid attention. Perfect observation point.
Spy vanished. Not dramatically—just stopped being visible. His consciousness transferring instantly through the seed network. Jumping from here to some maid back at base.
[Convenient ability. Instant information gathering.]
The Twins transformed. Dragon form splitting into two fox-girl maids. They settled on either side of Null. Close. Comfortable. Family grouping.
"It's really pretty," they said together, looking at the valley. Perfect unison. "The pink trees especially. Never seen those before."
Null nodded agreement. The trees were distinctive. Beautiful in their way. Covering the valley slopes like painted decoration. Whatever species they were, they created striking visual effect.
Below, the few awake people continued their activities. Moving between buildings. Checking preparations. Radiating that same happy anticipation.
[They're excited. Looking forward to tomorrow. Whatever this festival is, it matters to them.]
She waited. Patient. Observing. Learning the valley's layout. The population distribution. The terrain.
Tactical assessment was automatic. Instinctive. Even when just watching something pretty.
[Scattered housing makes containment difficult. But the festival concentration helps. Central gathering. Efficient.]
[The mountains provide natural barriers. Limited escape routes. Valley floor is trap if properly sealed.]
[Monster horde in adjacent valley according to the map. Good cover story. Natural disaster angle works.]
She filed it away. Useful information. Not urgent—the plan was set. But details mattered.
Time passed. The valley slept. The pink trees swayed gently in night breeze.
Then Spy returned. Present again. Floating. Ready to report.
"Well?" Null asked.
?Very interesting story,? Spy sent. His tone carried genuine fascination. ?This is Sweetwater. Named after their primary export—drink made from those pink tree bark. And they're not just a village. They're a sect.?
Null's attention focused. "Sect?"
?Religious community. Founded on specific beliefs about life extension.? He paused for emphasis. ?They reject it completely. All of it. Elixirs, blood magic, divine blessings, ritual enhancement—everything. They consider life extension fundamentally evil.?
The Twins tilted their heads in perfect synchronization. "Evil? Why?" they asked together.
Stolen story; please report.
?They believe in rebirth. Reincarnation. That souls return in new forms. Extending life artificially interferes with the natural cycle. Prevents proper rebirth. Corrupts the soul.? Spy's tone was academic. Explaining without judging. ?So they isolate themselves. Minimal contact with the outside world. Only merchants who trade for their Sweetwater drink are regular visitors.?
"But they're not completely natural," Null observed. "The festival preparations. The anticipation. Something is happening tomorrow."
?The Life Festival,? Spy confirmed. ?Annual event. Their most sacred celebration. And here's where it gets interesting—they do use something. A drug. Poison, actually. Made from the same pink tree bark they export.?
"Poison?" Null asked.
?Multi-purpose substance. When consumed annually at the festival, it keeps their bodies young—within their natural lifespan limits. Slows aging. Maintains health. But—? He paused. ?—if someone is too weak, too sick, too old beyond saving, the drug kills them instead. Painlessly, supposedly. Prevents them from becoming burdens on the community.?
Null processed this. "So they do extend life. Just... differently."
?Exactly,? Spy agreed. ?And there's one more effect. The drug alters their biochemistry. Makes most standard elixirs poisonous to them. If someone drinks an elixir after taking the festival drug, it's fatal. Reinforces their isolation—they literally can't use what the rest of the world depends on.?
"That's kind of cheating," Null said. Clinical observation. "The drug is life extension. Just framed differently."
?Forcing the outcome,? Spy agreed. ?The weak die, the strong stay young. Natural selection accelerated through chemical means. But they call it faith and purity.?
Null considered the sect's beliefs. The contradictions. The desperate logic.
[People in this world do extreme things for beliefs. Life-for-elixir contracts. Blood magic slavery. Divine pact corruption. All justified through faith or necessity or desperation.]
[This is just another version. Different framework. Same fear of death underneath.]
The Twins had been listening attentively. Processing. Then both perked up simultaneously. Joy radiating.
"Let's see the festival!" they said together, bouncing excitedly. "Looks fun! We can watch everything!"
Spy spoke before Null could respond. ?I'm interested too. Unique cultural practice. They're not hostile to strangers—merchants attend regularly. Professional setups everywhere. We could blend in easily.?
"See the festival," Null repeated. Testing the idea.
?Rich traveler heard about interesting celebration,? Spy continued. Warming to it. ?Brought gold to pay respects and purchase local specialty. Story works. Merchants do exactly this.?
Null considered. The valley. The preparations. The unique celebration of a sect that rejected what most of the world desperately pursued.
[I want to see it. This world is still new. Five years isn't enough to understand everything. Unique cultures. Different beliefs. Educational.]
And underneath, more practical thoughts.
[Festival means concentration. Central gathering. Efficient feeding. The preparations suggest hundreds will attend. Maybe more.]
"I have my black dress," Null said slowly. Planning forming. "The one I arrived in. For non-maid outings."
"We can play mistress and servants!" the Twins said together. Excited. "We're good at that game! Done it before!"
The plan solidified. Natural. Reasonable.
[Attend the festival. Observe. Participate. Experience something new. Then—]
Then harvest. Feed.
[Efficient. Educational. Entertaining.]
But the Twins' enthusiasm was building. Radiating through their emotional broadcast. Ideas forming. Fragmentary. Incomplete.
"We should do something special!" they said. Giggling. "Something fun! Something memorable!"
"What kind of special?" Null asked.
"Their drink! The sacred thing!" The Twins bounced excitedly. "We could mess with it! Make it funny!"
They started listing ideas. Both bodies bouncing. Speaking in perfect unison. Brainstorming together.
"We could make it sparkly! Add glitter!"
"Pointless," Null said flatly.
"Change the color! Make it green! Or purple!"
"Pointless."
"Make it taste like cookies!"
"Pointless."
"Add bubbles! Make it fizzy!"
"Pointless."
The Twins deflated slightly. Both bodies drooping. "Big sis doesn't like any ideas..."
"They're all pointless," Null explained. Matter-of-fact. "Doesn't serve purpose. Doesn't make feeding better. Not even funny—they'd notice instantly. Sparkles? Color changes? Obviously wrong. Just... silly changes that accomplish nothing."
The Twins thought harder. Both faces scrunched in concentration.
"Something they hate!" they tried. "Put in something they really really hate!"
"Like what?"
"Um..." They looked at each other. Lost. "What do they hate?"
Spy watched this. The Twins struggling. Trying so hard to make their idea work. Getting nowhere.
He stayed quiet. Patient. Letting them work through it.
Minutes passed. The Twins kept brainstorming. Each suggestion more random than the last. Null dismissing each one. Pointless. Pointless. Pointless.
Finally—Spy gave up. Resignation settling. ?You have elixirs. From 22's supplies. Very powerful ones.?
The Twins perked up immediately. "Elixirs?"
Null accessed her item box mentally. Inventory scanning.
Yes. Multiple bottles. Powerful elixirs. Life extension substances worth fortunes. 22 had brought substantial supplies when she'd left her tower. Travel insurance. Emergency resources.
Most remained unused. Unnecessary for someone who'd received a seed.
"I have several," Null confirmed. "Very potent ones."
?They think elixirs are fundamentally evil,? Spy sent. Clinical. Explaining. ?Their entire sect is built on rejecting them. The festival drug makes elixirs poisonous to them. If you mixed powerful elixirs into their sacred substance...?
Understanding dawned. The Twins gasped—both bodies simultaneously. Pure delight flooding their emotional broadcast.
"They'll drink the thing they call evil!" Perfect unison. Joy radiating. "Without knowing! So silly! So funny!"
Null looked at Spy. Observing. "That's unusual. You suggesting this."
?Felt bad for them,? Spy sent. Simple. Direct. ?They were trying so hard. Getting nowhere. And you're killing everyone anyway. Poisoning versus direct violence—same end result. No difference in the end. Just... helped them succeed with their idea.?
Null nodded. Accepting the logic. "Makes sense."
The Twins bounced excitedly. "YES! They'll drink the bad thing! They hate it but they'll drink it! That's SO silly!"
"Spy is the BEST!" they added together. Pure admiration. Hugging him (or trying to—he was incorporeal). "Always so smart! Helps us with everything!"
Null observed Spy for a moment. "But really, you just want to observe the festival. Historical documentation. Watching a unique culture."
?I find it interesting,? Spy admitted. ?Unique cultural practice. Final day of a sect that's maintained isolation for generations. Historical documentation.?
[He's recording their last celebration. Watching a culture die. Just... academic interest.]
[Not that different from 22 who worships him. Except 22 would probably take samples. Physical specimens. Do something properly inhuman to make it more worthwhile.]
Null turned back to the Twins. "We don't know where they keep the drug. How they prepare it. When they mix it for the festival."
"We'll find it!" The Twins' confidence was absolute. "During the festival! People moving around! Preparations happening! We watch! We wait! We find opportunity!"
"Hope for luck," Null agreed. "No guaranteed plan. Just... possibility."
"Adventure!" the Twins cheered in unison.
The plan settled. Solidified. Natural progression from observation to attendance to execution.
[Arrive in the morning. Blend in as travelers. Rich woman with servant maids. Pay gold to purchase Sweetwater drink. Request permission to attend festival. Should work—merchants do this regularly.]
[Participate. Observe. Experience the celebration. Meet locals. Take part in activities. Whatever the festival entails.]
[Find opportunity to poison the sacred drug. Mix 22's powerful elixirs into their preparation. Luck-dependent, but possible.]
[Then they drink. Consume what they call evil. Die or don't. Twins play with survivors if any remain. Otherwise just feed and leave.]
[Efficient. Educational. Entertaining.]
She saw no issue. No problem. No reason to hesitate.
"We wait for morning," Null said. Decision made. "Dawn. Then we go down. Join them. Experience their festival."
"Then play!" the Twins added together. Joy radiating.
"Then play," Null agreed. Matter-of-fact. "If there's anyone left to play with. Not sure how efficient this elixir plan will be."
The Twins paused. Considered. "Oh. Right. If everyone goes to sleep from the drink... no one left to play with."
"We'll see," Null said. "Might work perfectly. Might not work at all. Depends."
They settled on the ridge. Waiting. Patient. Comfortable.
Below, Sweetwater slept. Pink trees swaying gently. Festival preparations complete. Community resting before their most sacred day.
Tomorrow would be celebration. Life affirmed. Beliefs demonstrated. Community bonding.
Tomorrow would be their last day.
And the three monsters watching from above saw only: interesting cultural experience, efficient feeding opportunity, entertaining game.
Dawn approached slowly. Inevitable. Bringing light and warmth and the beginning of a festival that would end in massacre.
The Twins dozed lightly. Both bodies pressed against Null from either side. Hugging tight. The kind of pressure that would crush normal people. Squeeze them to death without meaning to.
But Null was not normal people.
She found she liked this. The closeness. The trust. The strength they didn't hold back because they knew she could take it.
[Family. Mine. Safe. Can be themselves completely with me. No restraint needed. No fear of breaking me.]
Spy observed in silence. Recording details. Documenting the calm before.
Null watched the valley. Studying. Planning. Appreciating the beauty of pink trees in moonlight.
[Pretty place. Unique community. Should be educational.]
[Then food. Lots of food. Better quality from enhanced fear.]
[Perfect day ahead.]
Dawn came.
?? Schedule Change - Starting Monday
Starting Monday (Jan 20), switching to 3 chapters/week:
Why the change:
Book 4 will focus on the grand opening and catching up with interlude threads (Imperial, Sara, etc).
Regular uploads continue through the weekend, new schedule starts Monday! ??