Chereads / Heaven Swallowing Beast / Chapter 3 - Grotto

Chapter 3 - Grotto

After devouring earthworms for a bit the young Taotie noticed that it's running speed on the ground has received a small increment of increase, this was an exemplary presentation of this beast to devour and grow. His rather small legs hidden within the fur were reinforced from the contact with the earth granting him this increase.

Taking in its slight boost the young beast started to wander around to discover what exactly is around this grotto, with the most direct method being to simply walk towards the rocky walls and look for an exit and take a peek at the outside world. Along the way it took in the nature around it, the primal feeling the ancient grotto gave off was similar to a prickling sensation as if one was always being watched, as if every blade of grass had eyes that would follow.

Time progressed slowly within the grotto and as it flowed the feeling of being watched didn't vanish, but rather increased. Hostility couldn't be felt from the hidden eyes, a feeling along the lines of curiosity, amusement, and a slight touch hint of excitement.

But, regardless no one would be keen on being watched, because there was no killing intent a sense of danger wasn't brought to fruition. A sense of urgency did arise to get out of sight of whatever is watching it, taking a brief moment to dash into the undergrowth of a trees roots and conceal it's presence (an ability almost all beast have), to lure out whatever is out there. The patience of whatever was watching must've been extremely short, as only 30 minutes have passed since the young beast has went into hiding.

The whole grotto has begun shaking, the cavern walls begin vibrating as rocks start to fall off, water in the pond begins to seethe to a white foam, and the wind began to whistle through the trees screeching off the iron leaves. At the focus of all this chaos being created was a flat area in the grotto where the earth began to rupture and two hands made of stone began to claw there way out followed by the peeking of a head made of stone similar to the shape of a juggernauts helmet covered in runic markings that flickered with blue light, after the emergence of the head a torso followed, solid as a city wall with two pillar like legs, bringing this strange creature to have a massive stature reaching almost 8 meters (25 Feet) in height.

With the appearance of this humanoid stone creature a voice boomed out.

"You are rather skilled for noticing my presence little one, making the great being, I, myself, come out. I know you aren't capable of speech yet but please be at ease I have been waiting a millennia for your emergence ever since I found this egg, hoping it would be the on to give birth to the next Taotie, this is my life purpose."

Even though the young taotie was incapable of speech, with the inherited memories it was able to understand and convey what the stone giant was speaking, in return it came out of hiding and approached the stone giant with a puzzled look in it's eyes as if asking for an explanation.

"I understand what you're trying to say little one, I am Kcor, a stone deity, not to be confused with a god, I have no divinity, the only of my kind since the primal era, to now in this era. I was granted life on the whim of a wild god and went from there, with only one order find the egg, and protect what hatches to an extent."

"With that order in mind I searched across many dimensions to find you, and made this grotto as a nursery to nurture and also block outside influences from finding you, as this all known sentient life is out to kill, and destroy you. In this grotto everything has been imbued with Metal and Earth elements to the highest degree for you to devour and digest at your own whim, until you are able to handle my clone that is set to match the current eras geniuses you can not leave"

"For the remainder of the time you are here you'll come to call this grotto home...."