The Great Core's Paradox - Chapter 272: The Grateful One’s Return

“Popular today, aren’t we?” the-female-who-was-not-Needle muttered, scratching at my head-scales. It hadn’t been all that long since the last of the Great Core’s supplicants had arrived; little more than enough time for the newest Coreless to tremble in [joy] as they basked in the Great Core’s light.

A few of those same Coreless had ventured back out again, to the place where not-Needle, Needle, and I were waiting, in order to make their noises at the disciples and throw me [curious] glances. I occasionally spotted colored tongues as they talked, proof that they had already devoured a few fruits of the forest, though the [Little Guardian’s Totem]s hanging from their necks were already working to remove any of [Spore Puppeteer]’s potentially harmful effects.

As part of my mind focused on [Verdure Parasite], continuing to grow the forest of plant-flesh that surrounded us – and replacing the fruits that had been plucked by the new arrivals – the two disciples spoke with the Great Core’s newest supplicants. Based on the way that they occasionally threw even glances filled with even greater [surprise] and [wonder] in my direction, they must have been revealing to them more of the Great Core’s wonders.

I hissed my approval.

“…really saved a lost city?” one asked.

In answer, Needle raised a hand to scratch the back of her head, replying: “Well, we did what we could for the survivors. That’s where all of this,” she motioned to the plant-flesh forest that surrounded us, “came from. It was just the healing before. If things keep going the way they have been, someday there will be even more.” She shrugged. “That’s the hope, anyway.”

They continued talking for a while after that, though I quickly lost interest. I could only imagine what the inane sounds they created might mean for so long before I grew bored. Instead, I turned my attention back towards the outer edges of the cavern again, and – in particular – towards the links to the many [Little Guardian’s Totem]s that stretched into its darkness. Though, compared to the many connections that I possessed, so numerous and packed together that they sometimes felt like an unending tangle in my mind, the [Little Guardian’s Totem]s of the tower-nests before me were few. After noticing that one of the Great Core’s newest followers had done his duty in bringing new Coreless under the Great Core’s light, I’d started paying more attention to them, realizing that there were one or two connections spread out within many of the tower-nests of the cavern.

And with some surprise, I noticed that one of those connections – far more familiar than the others, even with the way that having so many around dulled my ability to differentiate between them – was moving my way.

I dove into the connection, slithering into my disciple’s perspective.

“That’s…a lot bigger than I imagined it being, if I can already start to make it out from here,” a male Coreless said, raising a hand above his brow and squinting in what I realized was my direction. I didn’t recognize him, though that didn’t mean anything. Most Coreless looked the same. Still, he wasn’t wearing a [Little Guardian’s Totem], so he must have been someone new. “I mean, I know that you said your Little Guardian was already growing a forest out there, but isn’t that…”

He trailed off before starting again. “Too fast? One of those trees is almost tall enough to look like it’s trying to be another tower.”

The Grateful One turned away, following the other Coreless’ view, and I saw a small glimpse of the forest of plant-flesh that I’d created. From such a distance, it looked a lot smaller than I knew it was. Even so, the great power invested in the trio of [Little Guardian’s Focus]es that I’d placed in the plant-flesh forest’s heart meant that the area was still just barely visible, despite the darkness and the distance.

“…it’s actually a little slow, compared to some of what I’ve seen,” she said.

“That’s slow?”

A brief flash of [amusement] radiated from The Grateful One’s [Little Guardian’s Totem], before it guttered out like a dying spark. A wave of [urgency] replaced it.

“Yes,” she said. “But let’s not get distracted. It’s time to pick up the pace.”

Suddenly, the two Coreless started moving faster than before, eyes focused on where I knew my real body waited. Seeing that they were on their way, and with no real reason to continue riding along within her perspective, I released my hold on our connection, retreating back to the comfort of my own form.

“…absolutely ridiculous,” I heard the strange Coreless say. He had craned his neck up, his eyes caught on the giant form of one of the Darkwood Guardian’s offspring, where it soared high above all others – though not quite so high as to challenge the supremacy of the tower that it guarded. Though it could have grown large enough, I hadn’t had the time to make it so. [Verdure Parasite] allowed me to increase the growth of plant-flesh by stealing that growth from others, and it had been more important to allow the formation of the rest of the forest than it had to allow the massive darkwood to stretch itself to such overwhelming heights.

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“Elara!” the-female-who-was-not-Needle shouted in a mixture of [relief] and [joy] as she caught sight of the smaller Coreless, rushing forward with a speed that – had I not been able to hold on tighter with an activation of [Clinging Grasp] – would have sent me flying from her shoulder.

In little more than an instant, she had wrapped herself around The Grateful One’s ore-flesh-clad form, squeezing tight. I took the opportunity to transfer positions, stretching my length across the miniscule gap that separated the two Coreless, and finding a new position on the returning disciple’s shoulder.

The male Coreless that had come with her stared at me with wide eyes, mouthing something to himself that I didn’t catch. I gave him a hiss, flicking out my tongue in greeting, and then ignored him.

“Who’s this?” the-female-who-was-not-Needle asked, finally releasing the other Coreless and allowing her to breathe.

The question seemed to send the disciples into the start of what became a very long and confusing series of sounds that I came nowhere near to understanding. Even their [Little Guardian’s Totem]s were of little help, with the way that the-female-who-was-not-Needle’s emotions seemed to constantly shift in the telling.

The Grateful One, meanwhile, simply gave off that same [urgency] as before.

Unable to follow the conversation, I focused instead on the male Coreless that she had brought alongside her. While the disciples spoke, he had approached the edge of the forest of plant-flesh, tracing his fingers along their many colors. I’d noticed that the Coreless all seemed mesmerized by them; the golds and blues and greens and golds seemed to capture their attention in a way that little else did, and this newest Coreless was a little different.

I followed, descending to the ground and slithering into the foliage, before commanding a few nearby vines to assist me in returning to the branches above.

Eventually, he pulled himself away from his examination of plant-flesh and looked elsewhere, immediately flinching upon sighting my giant, motionless Coreless-self. He craned his neck upwards yet again, peering with interest at the far-larger example of a Coreless.

“…Horik?” he mumbled to himself, so quietly that I only caught it due to resting on a branch above his head. He started to creep closer – and then a tiny Coreless’ face peered over the giant’s shoulder with an [excited] shout, waving enthusiastically at the investigating Coreless before clambering down the unmoving giant’s front in a flurry of motion.

It only seemed to make the male Coreless more confused; he shook his head, muttering to himself again. “No, can’t be him. Too much of an ornery bastard to ever let a kid climb him like that. Still…” he said, craning his head to look up at the giant Coreless’ masked face again. “Can’t believe there’s more than one person that big.”

He held out a hand in the giant’s direction for some reason, making a few more noises. Having seen this sort of thing before, I had the reanimated body shake the offered hand before falling still again. The male Coreless shivered for some reason, and then backed away. Soon enough, he found his way to a few of the Great Core’s newest supplicants, who had remained in the area even after the-female-who-was-not-Needle left to greet her fellow disciple.

The wandering Coreless greeted the group, all of whom remained transfixed by their newly acquired [Little Guardian’s Totem]s, and many of whom still feasted upon fruits of plant-flesh. I wondered if it was healthy for them to eat so much. One or two of them were looking rather bloated.

Though, I supposed if it were bad, then the healing effects of the [Little Guardian’s Focus]es would fix the issue. And with three sources to draw from, they might not even really notice it at all.

It took a little while, but the Coreless eventually managed to convince one of the others to part with their [Little Guardian’s Totem] – at least for a moment. I could tell by the [reluctance] within their connection that they didn’t want to, but I could also sense a sort of [pride]. As if, though the supplicant did not wish to lose access to the connection to the Great Core that his [Little Guardian’s Totem] provided for even a moment, he was also proud to be the one that reveals it to another.

From my branch above, I gave a hiss of approval.

As the new Coreless’ hand touched the offered [Little Guardian’s Totem], I finally began to gain a hint of his thoughts. A deep [curiosity]. A hint of [surprise]. A budding sense of [wonder]. And beneath it all, an undercurrent of [bitter disappointment] – but one that had already existed before he even made contact with the [Little Guardian’s Totem], as if it was directed towards something else, though I didn’t know what.

While I watched, the Coreless reached over to a small fang of ore-flesh at his side, bringing it to hand and slicing at his own flesh. He hissed in pain, and a line of red slithered its way down his arm. Then, with great [eagerness], he wiped it away and held the newly undamaged flesh up to his face, examining it with the same interest with which he had been examining the flesh of the forest.

After that, the male Coreless simply spoke animatedly with the supplicants for a while, though I once again knew not what it was about.

“…it’s all true, then,” he said, looking around another time, and then [reluctantly] returning the [Little Guardian’s Totem] that he’d borrowed. I could tell that, just like the Coreless from which he’d borrowed it, he didn’t want to part with it. He still did, though, making to return to the others, who had finished their conversation and were already approaching from behind. They walked with heavy steps, all but stomping on the floor in their hurried passage.

Startled, I realized that I’d missed something happening during my observation of the new Coreless.

The-female-who-was-not-Needle was [angry].

Very.