Madman’s Retirement

So they begun the journey home.

A problem did rear its ugly head.

Nothing about the cockatrice, thank goodness, no that was a very finished issue.

No, it would be the progenitors who were having an "edgy" phase.

The hatchlings wanted to get out before they were ready.

"I want to leave, I need to leave! This place is too small for me!" Complained the korvold progenitor. The lizard shroom progenitor, who was nearby reading a book rolled his eyes as the statement, and Grant was very much inclined to agree.

"You don't need anything. And this place is too small? This realm is the size of a large city! Most beings your age would be content with a small mountain, let alone a small city!"

Canuck snorted; oh yes, he'd named her after one particularly troublesome crow he'd heard of; clearly that has come back around to bite him in the ass.

"I have people out there, and I'm stuck here! I'm a progenitor! I can't just sit around here and wait for my power to grow thanks to the efforts of others! I have to grow, to expand! This place is too small for me; there's no space for me to establish anything!"

No, absolutely not. Perhaps when he was a strong, near deity like being, sure. But right now, he was; well, a deity like being but not nearly as strong as he once was. He couldn't guarantee Canuck's safety if he left for the outside world.

And he told her as much, while Canuck kept throwing a fuss.

"If you're so bored, go do something! You're only on your 1st evolution as a greater korvold; go fight something or go study. Go look at Fanfare!" he indicated at the progenitor of the lizardshrooms, who had chosen to name himself Fanfare as reference to Fafnir, though more attention grabbing, or a weird subversion. Who knows. He'd actually elected to name himself.

Fanfare was currently reading the history of his Earth, from the wars between dinosaurs and dragons, to the secret wars that occurred behind all great wars. In particular he seemed more invested in the secret wars.

"He's doing something constructive!"

"Constructive? Pah! You told me all this history is from a different world! What use is this information to me?"

"If you're going to ask stupid questions like that, then you've proved why you're not prepared for the outside world." He swatted the korvold's head.

"History is always relevant, even from another world. It is through history one is able to understand the motives of others. The fact that I can provide you the history of a whole planet from start to finish is one of the greatest blessings I could grant you! If you don't understand that, then you're clearly not ready to go outside; dismissed!"

The korvold grumbled as she wandered over next to Fanfare sitting down next to the lizardshroom.

Grant sighed. The first korvold he made back in his world was so much more cooperative.

Then again, Cornelius had the benefit of Grant being at his peak of power, and thus more willing to let the korvold roam free.

Canuck had no such luck.

Thankfully the new axoboldl progenitor was much more cooperative, having begun building his base as he assembled his tribes within the divine realm, though Grant already knew the axoboldl would be more peaceful, given it was coded into the bloodline to ensure they didn't use their full potential the wrong way.

A'Tan, as he had chosen to define himself, had already begun evolving, at his 4th evolution already. An Avis'Tar, a greater form of the Axobodl that could be seen as a position of authority of axobodls. Despite the peaceful nature of the race in question, A'Tan was aware of his responsibility as their leader, and so had been hunting in the Divine Realm.

He felt unpressured since he had managed to convince Grant to add a resurrection function to the divine realm much like a dungeon has for its monsters under the argument that the immortal shroom races clearly had an unfair advantage since they didn't have the fear of death, and if they constantly were being hunted, than their progress to true progenitor hood would be stunted.

Obviously, Grant was aware that A'Tan was just concerned for his people, and thus made this argument, but he found the argument compelling enough. Besides, his divine realm was already feeding off the mental energy of the inhabitants, so to essentially copy and paste the dungeon's revival system was an easy and cheap task.

Anyway, he didn't come here for them, but that hadn't stopped Canuck from coming over to squawk their complaints.

He was here to make use of the skin of the cockatrice and to utilize the stuff he'd gotten from the tarantula monster.

It was best to do it here, where he could make a time distortion array, to give himself more time to pursue his hobby.

Sure, he could do it in a matter of moments, but sometimes passion takes time. Effort.

He really wanted to get it right, so he had the dilation made so a minute would be a day, and within an hour he should be done.

Grabbing a few knitting and painting relics amongst other things Grant walked into the time dilation array, eager to craft new additions to the costume.

A'Tan opened his eyes, using his weapon made of bones to heave himself up before lumbering over to sit next to Canuck and Fanfare.

"You were too pushy." He said simply, earning himself a glare from Canuck.

"I can't help myself! I feel so cramped!" she complained, crossing his wings in frustration.

Fanfare sighed, pulling out a pair of ear plugs, placing them in his ears before returning to reading.

A'Tan rubbed Canuck's shoulder as if to comfort the crow.

"You must be patient Canuck. As progenitor's, we represent our people's best interest. I understand you wish to leave here to aid your people in the outside world, but by doing so, you risk not only your own well being, but theirs as well."

Canuck's shoulder's sag, as the frustration left them, replaced with an anxious expression on her face. "Just... I just feel so helpless in here. So useless. I have a whole race out there, needing me, and yet I'm stuck in this small bubble, unable to help them."

A'Tan paused, as he mulled something over. "You can help them." he said slowly and hesitantly.

"Really?" the korvold said skeptically.

"The creator... did not wish to share this for fear that you would overuse it and avoid your duties, but as a progenitor, we are able to venture into the minds of our children and guide as well as bless them."

"Really!? Show me!" she demanded excitedly, as she proved Grant's point exactly.

"Did you miss the point I just brought up?" he patiently asked.

She paused, and then sagged. "Oh..."

A'Tan chuckled as he rubbed her head fondly. "I will show you in due time, I merely ask you follow the creator's prerogative. You can only help so much if you are not experienced; if you build your clan appropriately while we are in here, when the time comes and we are freed you will emerge strong enough to appropriately help your people.

You have been given a shell; not a prison. When we hatch and are allowed to leave, we will leave reborn; do not waste the yolk while you are here."

The korvold nodded excitedly giving A'Tan a quick peck on the cheek before flying away, clearly more invigorated than before.

And when Grant left his array to witness the sight of Canuck appropriately fighting and growing, he chuckled, thanking A'Tan.

He was sure this was A'Tan's work, for only A'Tan would be patient enough amongst his progenitors to handle such an excitable child, him included.

"Tada!" Announced Grant as he revealed the upgrades to his costume the very next morning.

The exoskeleton of the Land Raker had been reformatted, turned into a pair of gauntlets as well greaves, with the hair of the tarantula merely accentuating the shape of his legs, properly groomed.

The cockatrice's pelt had been dyed completely black, being mildly imbued with the attribute of chaos, made to cause enemies slight fear and paranoia. Just a little bit, of course.

The pelt now replaced his old hood and cape, accentuating his dark and broody nature, giving an almost beast like feeling, though now there was a giant red x in the middle of his armor.

He was finally a really big bird incarnate!

The minotaur grunted. "Good." he said as he drank something out of a mug. "What's with the giant red x?" he asked, causing Grant to grin.

"To make for a big fat giant target for my enemies to aim for!" he announced proudly.

Grant would promptly get to see it in effect when he would be blasted with mind magic straight on the red mark later that day.