“No, no, no! How did I get caught up in this?!” Margalit screamed, running in terror from the colossal beasts locked in combat many kilometers away.
Despite being at such a distance from the battle, it was still only relatively far. To the great beings fighting, her distance from them didn’t account for anything, as could be seen from how Margalit had trouble standing due to how ferociously the earth quaked. Even trees were not immune to the destabilization, as she had to dodge a few falling ones.
Then, another shockwave struck her, this one more powerful than all the last ones. Margalit fell to the shaking dirt, her grip giving out and her spear falling somewhere to her left.
“My ears are going to bleed at this rate!” She shrieked, her head in terrible agony from the concussive blast.
Yet, her will stayed firm and she lifted her spear, continuing her escape from the vicinity. She knew that if her legs kept marching, she would make it to safety.
For hours she struggled against the effects of the godly melee, her body broken and torn in various places by the end of it.
But she was alive.
Margalit celebrated with a tired “Wooo…” at the end of the battle between supreme spirit beasts, thankful to the Heavens that she wasn’t unfortunate enough to be blasted to dust by a stray attack.
“An occasion worthy of champag-” Her words were cut off by the sudden descent of an overwhelming, bestial, and bloodthirsty aura.
“HUMAN!” Margalit heard from the direction of the battle.
She turned in horror, being met with the sight of one of the beasts, the Titan Kiwi, flying at her. It arrived in the airspace above her in an instant, crossing dozens of kilometers with ease and blocking out the sun. Then, it transformed.
Margalit watched as the Titan Kiwi shrunk to the size of a normal kiwi, one that could fit in her hand, and stood before in the air.
“Human, you are the only intelligent lifeform close enough, and so I will entrust you with my heir. However, SWEAR TO ME IN THE NEXT SECOND THAT YOU WILL TAKE CARE OF HER AS YOU WOULD YOUR OWN CHILD OR DIE!”
The aura crushing Margalit increased in intensity as the bird roared, but left her with enough strength to utter the divine promise that sealed her soul.
“Good, human. That wretched snake I fought managed to bite me, so I will soon pass from this world.”
Two items appeared in the air around Margalit: an egg and a gray feather the size of her spear.
“My battle will have attracted the attention of countless experts from across the lands as they search for the corpse of the loser. Leave this continent as quickly as you can and SPARE NO EXPENSE TO DO SO! I cannot give you much, as that will bring suspicion on to you and risk my heir’s wellbeing. But take this.”
While the kiwi egg floated into the coziest of Margalit’s pockets, the giant feather was stripped of its vane by invisible hands, leaving a pile of nigh-indestructible plume and the stiff “bone” of the feather: the rachis.
“Since you use a spear, the rachis of one of my feathers will perform well as your weapon. As for the vane I stripped off, it can pad your armor, increasing your defense to beyond what creatures of your stage and beyond can damage.”
Margalit shook as it finally dawned on her as to what magnitude her responsibilities just grew. The Titan Kiwi trusting her to raise its heir, a creature comparable in power to the rulers of the continent she stood on, was almost myth to someone so weak as her. Raising its child was equivalent to becoming the parents of a future god.
“I-I will do my best, Lord Titan Kiwi.”
“If you don’t, your soul will shatter into nonexistence as according to the oath you took.” The monster seemed to laugh before its tone softened. “Now, before I go, I want you to name her…Zingen.”
The bird turned to fly away, heading back to the site of the battle to die, which Margalit was thankful for. It was told in legends that the true bodies of creatures at that kiwi’s stage were monumental in size, as Margalit personally saw when it fought with the snake. After it died, its body would return to its normal size.
Margalit also turned and began walking away, when suddenly, she stopped, thinking of something important.
“WAIT!” She yelled, attracting the kiwi’s attention.
She mentally cringed at the thought that she just gave an order to an immortal being.
“What is your name? What should I say her…parent, was called?”
An instant passed as Margalit wondered if she’d said something wrong, but then the aura of the bird changed. It was no longer desolate and cold, but slightly warmer.
“I’m glad you thought to ask. It gives me peace of mind for Zingen’s future.” Margalit seemed to hear a sigh before the kiwi continued with, “I’m the father, and don’t go carelessly saying my name, even if there are countless others with it. Names have power. Especially those of immortals. When saying it and thinking of me, someone might pick it up.”
Margalit shuddered at the information, unable to comprehend how immortals could be THAT powerful.
“Mercurus. Her father is, and soon was, Mercurus.”
The immortal Titan Kiwi flew away faster than Margalit could perceive, and seconds later, the ground shook one final time as a huge mass of mangled, toxic flesh appeared in the distance.
