BXBX NOVEL Chapter 98: Structures for Animals
The girls stood in stunned silence, their hands exploring their new forms, running through the soft fur, tracing the contours of their strong limbs.
Their eyes, now gleaming with a newfound clarity, reflected a blend of awe, disbelief, and excitement.
Cornelia was the first to speak, her voice carrying a note of wonder. "I… I feel so different. So… alive." She looked at Lyerin, her eyes wide. "Is this what it feels like to be… one of them?"
Lyerin nodded, a proud smile playing on his lips. "Yes. You are now part of the Stonehooves Clan, just like Corora."
Maria, her fingers running through her own wool, added, "I never imagined something like this could be real. It's like… I'm in a dream." She turned to Sophia, who was admiring her new reflection in the smooth stone surface beneath her feet. "We really are different now, aren't we?"
Sophia nodded, her voice filled with amazement. "This is incredible. I feel like I've become something more—like I've tapped into a part of myself I never knew existed."
Emily, always one to dive into the details, examined her new hooves, lifting one foot and marveling at the strength she felt coursing through her body. "These… these hooves. I can feel the power in them. It's like I could run for miles without stopping."
Fiona, her voice tinged with excitement, added, "And look at these legs! We're so strong now! I feel like I could leap over a mountain!"
Lydia, her eyes wide with wonder, was still running her hands through her wool. "It's so soft," she murmured. "And yet, I feel like I could fend off anything that tried to hurt us."
Elena, who had been quietly observing the others, finally spoke, her voice filled with a mix of awe and gratitude. "Lyerin… this is beyond anything we could have ever asked for. You've given us a new life—a new purpose."
Natalie, her voice trembling with emotion, echoed Elena's sentiments. "Thank you, Lyerin. We'll make sure we live up to what you've given us."
Lyerin nodded, satisfaction and pride swelling in his chest. He had brought them into a new world, given them new forms, and now they were ready to step into their roles as members of the Stonehooves Clan. But there was still more to be done.
He reached into his ring once more, this time retrieving a scroll of ancient, magical parchment. The girls watched in curiosity as he unfurled the scroll, its surface covered in strange, glowing runes.
"What's that?" Fiona asked, her eyes fixed on the scroll.
"This," Lyerin began, "is a magical scroll that will create a foundation for our new home—a starting point for the Stonehooves Clan." He held the scroll aloft, and with a flourish, he cast it down onto the stone platform beneath them.
The scroll fell slowly, as if suspended in midair.
When it touched the stone, it unfurled further, its runes lighting up with a blinding brilliance.
A deep hum resonated through the ground—Hmmmmmm—and then, with a sudden burst of energy, the runes exploded into a massive magic circle that spread across the entire platform, its intricate patterns glowing with a radiant blue light.
The air crackled with magic, the energy palpable as it surged through the ground, sending vibrations up through their feet.
The girls looked around in awe, the sheer power of the magic overwhelming their senses.
The circle expanded, growing larger and more complex, its edges reaching the boundaries of the platform.
Then, as the circle completed its formation, the ground beneath them began to shift.
Stone slabs rose from the platform, forming walls and arches, shaping themselves into the beginnings of a grand structure.
The air filled with the sound of stone grinding against stone—Grrrrrr—as the magic worked its way through the circle, carving out rooms, corridors, and chambers.
Within moments, what had once been a barren platform was now the skeletal framework of a fortress—a new home for the Stonehooves Clan.
The girls stood in awe, their eyes wide as they took in the towering walls, the grand archways, and the expansive courtyard that had formed at the center of the platform.
"This… this is incredible," Cornelia breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.
"It's like a castle," Maria added, her eyes shining with excitement.
Lyerin smiled, watching as the structure continued to take shape. "This is only the beginning," he said, his voice filled with a quiet determination. "There's still much to do, but with this, we've taken the first step toward building something great—something that will last for generations."
The girls nodded, their faces alight with determination and pride. They could feel the potential in this place, the promise of what they could build together.
Lyerin looked at each of them, his expression serious. 'Now, we prepare. Tonight, we will complete the final steps of our transformation, and tomorrow, we begin the real work. The Stonehooves Clan will rise, and nothing will stand in my way.' he mumbled.
Lyerin's gaze lingered on the horizon, lost in thoughts of the future and the endless possibilities that lay ahead for the Stonehooves Clan.
The newly formed structures around them, with their towering walls and intricate archways, were only the beginning. His mind raced with plans, strategies, and the countless battles that would need to be fought. But before he could lose himself entirely in the vision of what was to come, the voices of the girls brought him back to the present.
"Lyerin," Cornelia's voice broke through his thoughts, "why do these structures look like a cage?"
Lyerin blinked, snapping out of his daydream. He turned to face the girls, a knowing smile curling on his lips. "Why, indeed?" he mused, his tone almost teasing.
He didn't answer immediately, allowing the question to hang in the air, the mystery of his designs fueling their curiosity.
The girls exchanged puzzled glances, clearly intrigued by his cryptic response. But before they could press him further, something in the sky caught Lyerin's attention.
His eyes narrowed as he spotted a shadow darting across the sky, swiftly followed by three more flying figures.
Simultaneously, he noticed movement on the ground—three small, dark shapes burrowing and digging with impressive speed.
Lyerin's smile deepened, this time with a hint of pride. He raised his hand, and with a subtle gesture, summoned a gust of invisible wind.
The air hummed with energy as the wind obeyed his command, catching the creatures in mid-flight and mid-burrow, gently lifting them from their respective terrains.
The girls watched in awe as the mysterious figures were brought into the light, revealing themselves to be four woodpeckers and three earth moles.
Their feathers and fur gleamed under the dimming light of the day, their eyes reflecting a surprising intelligence.
Without a word, Lyerin guided the creatures toward one of the newly constructed structures.
The woodpeckers fluttered their wings, adjusting to the invisible force that carried them, while the moles wriggled in the air, seemingly bewildered by their sudden displacement.
Lyerin set them down carefully inside the structure, and as soon as he did, the invisible wind dissipated, allowing the creatures to settle into their new environment.
The girls, still processing what they had just witnessed, couldn't contain their curiosity any longer.
Maria, always one to speak her mind, finally asked, "What are those for?"