"Narso!" Bodya screamed as tears streaked down his eyes.
The water hit the ground with a hiss due to its reaction with the acid that still permeated the area.
Tista put her personal feelings aside and turned into her full size to be able to embrace the Nidhogg and console him.
"He was my best friend." Bodya managed to say as the shock settled. "I was supposed to introduce him to you right here. We grew up together since we were the only two human hybrids of the tribe."
"I remember." Tista kept caressing his giant head.
"He had over 2900 years left to live. How could he die like that? This must be some sort of sick joke. A punishment for disappointing the patriarch."
'It indeed is a punishment.' Lith thought. 'But this is no trick, this is reality. Now I understand why the Jiera Council didn't oppose our colonization plans and Fenagar even helped with the first expedition. Things must be even worse than we expected.'
