He had watched the alligator for some time. The large, reptilian beast would torch the sickly rats with bursts of flames from his jagged maw. He would lose him in the mist, only to be chanced upon again. Septiezal had not thought much of it, he would destroy the occasional diseased rat too, but the frequency of which they showed themselves unnerved him. They're sickness was already oozing into the cave deer population, tainting his main food supply. He wanted to speak to someone about it, to see if anyone else noticed, but when he racked his brain for allies, Septiezal found that everyone he used to know had disappeared.

Perhaps the alligator knows something.

Septiezal weaved his long body through the marsh and water, eventually tracking the swamp-dwelling Gembound all the way to the Heart. As his scent grew fresh, the serpent opted to slither up a gnarled tree for a better view. There, he noticed the unmistakable stench of rotting carcasses rolled with somewhat fresh ones. They were gathered in a heap, all unappetizingly cold. Septiezal flicked his tongue, puzzled. He wondered why the alligator left a pile of food to rot. That seemed like such a waste. His head snapped in the direction of heavy rustling. It was the alligator heaving his armored mass towards the carcass pile. Serpent twisted his coils around a few sturdy branches as he observed him for a bit. Slowly, he lowered his head into view like a creeping, chestnut vine, flicking his forked tongue.

"Pardon me," he said. "But what'ssss with the carcasssesssss?"

The serpent's face was speckled with scars, done to him by something claws for teeth. His left eye was glazed over in a thin, milky white, though the other, unobstructed, shone like glowing embers. Septiezal turned his head a bit to the side to get a better look at the alligator. It was clear that he couldn't see much out of his scarred spectacle.

Septiezal eyed Dragon suspiciously then his pile of flesh for his "father". He had to slither carefully with this one, he could be a crazy zealot, like Mosi. The possibily did not seem to far fetched, after all, he was claiming to be "Aquarian's child" whatever that was. "Ssseptiezal." The serpent simply replied. "Sso, your father, Aquarian likesss, cold, stale carcassesss?" Suddenly, his eyes grew wide, realizing how that might have come off. Dragon sounded like he spent too much time in the swamp, his temper may be short, like Mosi's, and he'd prefer not to have fire blown in his face. "Oh, I did not mean for that to sound like an insult!

Smooth save Septiezal.

"Jussst genuinely curioussss-- wait." Septiezal cut himself off and inched closer to the alligator. He thought he saw this lizard somewhere. The serpent flicked his tongue inquisitively. "Sssssmell familiar... you were the lizard who defended Astraea."


"speak"

As Septiezal listened, he felt himself lean forward. At first, he thought Dragon nothing more than a raving lunatic, but the more he listened, the more he understood. The bones in Canis.. my birthplace.. He knew there was evidence of mass culling, he was born from the bones, but he'd never thought it happen again, hopefully, not in his cycles. Perhaps, Dragon was on to something. If so, then this Aquarian must have valuable insight.

"Dragon," He said, flicking his tongue. "Ssssay, you're the lizard that sssmelled of Cetus. He turned his good eye towards him. Yesss, I remember you, you were the one who defended the stag and called the so-called Kings to Skahan's gem." Septiezal nodded respectfully, and allowed his coils to spill onto the ground. "You wield your fire well." He rarely complimented anyone, but Dragon's display of fire magick had impressed him. Perhaps, he can teach me how to breath fire like that.

Septiezal coiled his thick body around himself and answered the alligator's question. I sseek the past, He said. "I sssseek the forgotten history that the cave is obviousssly rich with. Dragon, you say Aquarian tells the truth, tell me, how can I speak with him?" Septiezal flicked his gaze over to the pile of meat behind Dragon. "Should I collect killssss for him too?"

"speak"
@Dragon

The serpent flicked his tongue, considering Dragon's words. There was a glint in his good eye, like a hunter spying its prey. It shone with interest at the opportunity lying before him. Dragon had given him something valuable, a clue, and warning, but most importantly, a path.

"Dragon," Septiezal finally said. "Do you ever consssider reviving the Children of Rot?"

The Children of Rot, Septiezal had heard remarkably little about them. Then again, he was but a cowering gemling at the time. They were a passing whisper, rumors of a cult deep in Cetus, but he knew nothing more, not until now. It seems he had met on of its former members, perhaps its leader. Dragon spoke of them as if they were his. He claimed they were about survival, a through that, they gained knowledge.

I suppose that makes sense, Astraea and Tenzin are ancient, and they know much.

Septiezal wondered if he would live long enough to be considered and Elder. If he did, he would share his knowledge with all, not selfishly hide it away like a hoarding cave rat.

If many gembounds worked together to collect our past... Dragon is on to something.

Septiezal lifted his head. "I would join you." If he could get the alligator to rekindle the Children of Rot, then he could meet Aquarian. He could learn without the risk of stirring up the Elders and whatever powers that bound them, and Dragon could be his ally. Hermit life had been fruitless, perhaps it was time for a change of scenery.

"I have been on my own for far too long," Septiezal confessed, shaking his head. "Perhapsss being in the company of other, like-minded gembounds would be beneficial. I here it does wonderssss for longevity." The serpent smirked at the last part. "I know, should I learn the truth, I would not want hoard it from otherssss."

"speak"