The smoke grew cloying and Jigano narrowed his eyes against it, holding his breath against the importuning tendrils of crimson gas as he tensed, preparing to shift back to his dragon form. Just before scales could do more than ripple over his skin the smoke suddenly cleared, and from it arose—
A genie.
A Genie?!?!
He studied it in surprise, trying to identify it on old instinct. Djinni or Efreet? Or perhaps a Shaitan of the Peerless Empire? The crimson smoke could make it a Janni, but the snow argued for a Marid.
And the fact that it was Caido made all of those old assumptions utterly moot.
One thing was certain though: it was strong enough to cause them problems if it wished, and he didn’t trust that word: delicious. Jigano reached for the shimmering strings of his magic, holding it ready as he considered the powerful being’s words. Boons were dangerous things between strangers. What price, if he took one? What cost, if he gave one?
But others were already speaking up. He wasn’t surprised when Deimos gave his away, though Oliver’s sudden selflessness did catch him off-guard. Sunjata and Melita asked for wishes, too trusting – or perhaps simply optimistic. He got along well enough with the new bartender, but Melita was a friend, and he didn’t wish to see any harm come to either of them. Still, perhaps he could turn things around if he made his own boon a question of negating the price of theirs…
Or maybe it would backfire on him spectacularly. Safrin’s sneering words still echoed in his thoughts, searing a warning into his heart. No hero, she had said, too proud by far, she had implied, and she wasn’t wrong… or at least, his rebuttals were empty without the actions to back his words up.
”I would ask a boon,” he said firmly, chin tilted up to meet the red-eyed gaze squarely.
Jigano asks a boon!
A genie.
A Genie?!?!
He studied it in surprise, trying to identify it on old instinct. Djinni or Efreet? Or perhaps a Shaitan of the Peerless Empire? The crimson smoke could make it a Janni, but the snow argued for a Marid.
And the fact that it was Caido made all of those old assumptions utterly moot.
One thing was certain though: it was strong enough to cause them problems if it wished, and he didn’t trust that word: delicious. Jigano reached for the shimmering strings of his magic, holding it ready as he considered the powerful being’s words. Boons were dangerous things between strangers. What price, if he took one? What cost, if he gave one?
But others were already speaking up. He wasn’t surprised when Deimos gave his away, though Oliver’s sudden selflessness did catch him off-guard. Sunjata and Melita asked for wishes, too trusting – or perhaps simply optimistic. He got along well enough with the new bartender, but Melita was a friend, and he didn’t wish to see any harm come to either of them. Still, perhaps he could turn things around if he made his own boon a question of negating the price of theirs…
Or maybe it would backfire on him spectacularly. Safrin’s sneering words still echoed in his thoughts, searing a warning into his heart. No hero, she had said, too proud by far, she had implied, and she wasn’t wrong… or at least, his rebuttals were empty without the actions to back his words up.
”I would ask a boon,” he said firmly, chin tilted up to meet the red-eyed gaze squarely.
Jigano asks a boon!
