The Last Cycle: Genesis

Chapter 12

Quietly, Kali herself did her own research and learned that Scholar Magnus of Vantium the Seventh and Scholar Nikolaos of Vantium were some of the most knowledgeable experts when it came to humans, and more importantly they were known not to gossip. She indeed hoped this reconnoitering will go largely unremarked.

Scholar Nikolaos is acknowledged to be reclusive, living somewhere southward. Beyond the Xanadu mountain range.

This left her with Scholar Magnus. A preferable choice, perhaps.

Scholar Magnus is somewhat of an artificer, known for making custom-made tools and ingenious devices to measure time. Both for himself and other kindred.

Kali could have easily summoned the scholar to her imposing chateau, at any time of her choosing. However, this might not have produced the desired outcome. He might have felt intimidated, becoming less verbose. By coming to him, to his study, Kali did Kindred Magnus a great honor; and, one may feel more talkative if surrounded by a known setting.

''I understand I have the basic shape of a human female but there are some...major differences?'' Kali asks tentatively.

Sometimes, like now, her clear purple eyes had an intimidating edge to them.

Once, Kali overheard one of the kindred describe how the mere act of conversing with Kali made them feel small, as if regarded by the eyes of a bird of prey. She had the respect of all, veneration of most, admiration of some, but never love. Not truly. Not the way Maker had. He was beloved by all. Possessor of that quasi-filial love burning in the eyes of millions; beast and man-shaped, sentient and not.

Kali knew all this and tried to relax her sitting posture, and even smile a little.

''Yes, human females had protrusions at the end of their breasts, while yours have smooth skin. Even males of the species had these,'' Scholar Magnus says.

Bipedal crystalborn with large tails, and Scholar Magnus of Vantium certainly included himself in such a group, would with annoying regularity find themselves being bothered by little discomforts while sitting in a chair.

As he sits, his tail hangs down just below the backrest. It dangles behind the scholar. Often unnoticed and found within the numerous of Vantium Core's superb structures, there are many chairs whose backrests have a gap, an opening well-suited for tails of each and every variety.

Scholar Magnus is a green-scaled lizard-like creature. He has thick black tapering horns, a fat tail, four clever, slender fingers on each hand, and three fat feet fingers. All fingers end in little pointy black claws. His bottom teeth are sticking out the bottom sides of his lizard-like mouth.

''And among others,'' Scholar Magnus goes on, ''the major difference between us and humans is we of course lack the ability to have young. Since with us having smooth skin between our legs, we lack the necessary tools to make progeny.'' He notices Kali slightly narrowing her eyes and interprets it as displeasure. ''Obviously, not all is bleak. We show no signs of aging. For example, a human female having your age would look a gray and shriveled thing, like a prune if you will, while your face stays smoother than that aurichalcum armor,'' he says while pointing at her chest—the wraithskin leathery straps of her cuirass looking nearly new.

''We are,'' he continues, ''created by Maker himself and therefore far superior to what humans were. While you could easily reach four hundred years or more, the average human would consider itself fortunate to live roughly a quarter of that. Ha-Ha! I could imagine them giving many chests of hex just to live a mere decade or two longer.''

''Hex?'' Kali asks.

''Yes. It's what they called six-sided crystal chips used as money. The chips were about several times smaller than your palm—just red crystals cut into hexagonal shapes.''