Chp 20: The Bonds That Form
The three chicks had just been born, their tiny bodies still warm from the safety of their eggs. The mother falcon, filled with overwhelming emotion, stepped forward, eager to embrace her newborns. However, to her dismay, the two smaller ones immediately rejected her.
Instead, they clung to the piglet, nuzzling into its fur as if it were their real mother. The piglet squealed in confusion, but it didn't resist. The third chick, the one that had hatched first, hopped toward the mushroom again, chirping with innocent joy.
The scene was both adorable and tragic. The powerful falcon, a majestic predator of the skies, stood frozen as her own children chose others over her. She watched in quiet despair, her heart aching as they played, oblivious to her suffering.
The mushroom observed this, tilting its small cap in thought. This wasn't right. The mother had risked her life for them. It had an idea.
Turning toward the piglet, it motioned with its stubby arms. "Follow me."
The piglet, still confused but obedient, trotted after it, the three chicks bouncing along in excitement. As they approached the falcon, the mushroom suddenly stopped. The piglet, caught off guard, skidded to a halt, causing the chicks to tumble into each other in a comical pile.
The falcon raised her head, her golden eyes narrowing. Her sharp gaze locked onto the mushroom, piercing through it like a blade. It was a silent warning.
But before she could act, one of the chicks rushed forward. It chirped happily and pecked at her.
The falcon flinched.
A simple peck from her own child hurt more than any wound she had ever received.
The other two joined in, as if to defend their new "parents." But before they could attack, the mushroom stepped between them and the falcon, raising its tiny arms in protest.
"No," it said firmly.
The chicks froze. Their small eyes blinked in confusion.
The mushroom took advantage of their uncertainty by starting its dance. The mushroom inhaled deeply before performing a dance that resembled a goblin under the influence of alcohol.
The movement was… horrifying.
Limbs flailed. Its cap wobbled. The mushroom lifted a rock above its head with maximum effort before dropping it which resulted in the rock breaking into pieces.
The chicks stared, wide-eyed.
The mushroom indicated the falcon while saying "She is your true mother." Your mother struggled to give birth to you so she could welcome you into this world.
A deep breath escaped the falcon's body as she trembled from head to toe.
The chicks looked at each other while they absorbed the information.
The mushroom issued its final order to them before they departed. Hug her."
A short period of quietness enveloped the scene. The chicks approached with great caution.
The falcon took a deep breath when the chicks drew near.
The chicks approached the falcon and buried their bodies into her enormous wings.
The falcon released a deep relieved sound from her throat while she wrapped her entire body around them with all her strength.
The mushroom observed the emotional family reunion which caused a deep emotion to rise within itself. The falcon's actions must indicate she would assist them because of this moment. The falcon's ability to unite them would surely earn her repayment of the favor.
The mushroom spoke with careful optimism. "Take us to the Mushroom Kingdom."
The falcon raised her head to observe the small creature with her piercing eyes.
She ignored the question by facing away from the mushroom.
She extended her wings as the wind rushed past her before flying into the sky with her chicks hidden beneath her body.
The mushroom's heart sank.
Did she truly leave her children behind?
The chicks watched the mushroom from their distant position. The falcon briefly looked down before her golden eyes became impossible to read.
Then, she finally spoke.
"You are bold," she said. "A low-level monster dares to give me orders?"
The mushroom froze.
It hadn't expected her to speak. And more than that… her voice, deep and powerful, was clearly male.
A cold sweat ran down the mushroom's tiny body.
The falcon began descending again, stepping toward the mushroom. "Tell me, little one… What qualifications do you have to make demands of me?"
The ground trembled beneath his heavy steps. The mushroom's body stiffened, unsure of what to do.
But then.
The falcon coughed.
A deep, hacking sound, rough and painful. Then, blood splattered onto the ground.
His wounds… they hadn't healed completely.
His body trembled violently before his legs gave out beneath him. With a heavy thud, the powerful creature collapsed.
The ground shook as the massive falcon collapsed, his enormous body kicking up dust. His sharp talons dug into the earth as he struggled to keep his head up, his breath ragged and uneven.
The chicks chirped in alarm, rushing to his side. Their tiny wings flapped desperately, nudging at his massive frame, but there was nothing they could do. Their father, this proud, powerful creature, was barely conscious.
The mushroom stood frozen. It had never seen a creature so mighty fall like this before.
It wasn't just exhaustion. His wounds ran deep, but something else was wrong. The falcon shouldn't be this weak. He had leveled up. His health should have been restored.
Yet his body trembled violently, and fresh blood trickled from his beak.
The mushroom's small eyes darted over him, searching for answers. Then it noticed it, subtle, but there. A dark vein pulsing beneath his feathers, an unnatural stiffness in his limbs.
It wasn't just physical injury.
It was poison.
A synthetic toxin.
The realization hit like a hammer. This wasn't something natural. Someone had done this to him.
The piglet snorted anxiously, nudging the mushroom for guidance. But even as it tried to process the situation, the falcon's golden eyes, half-lidded and clouded, locked onto them.
Even in this state, his presence was terrifying.
"You…" His voice was barely a whisper, yet it carried power. "What… did you do to me…?"
The accusation made the mushroom take a step back.
"What?" It shook its tiny hands. "I didn't"
The falcon let out a strained breath, his sharp gaze not leaving them. His body was betraying him, but his instincts screamed that he was surrounded by enemies.