Leon and his retinue had been home a month, and he knew that it was time to head east and return Lapis and its fellows to their people. His heart madly raced and his face burned with shame for bringing them home in such a state, but he could no longer ignore his responsibility. Those giants deserved to rest with their people, not to languish in his soul realm for the rest of time.

It wasn’t an easy thing to do, but he had to do it.

Elise wasn’t too happy with his sudden decision, but after a month back home, Leon thought that a week or two to take care of this one last bit of business was all right. She agreed, but couldn’t hide her worry for him since he decided to go alone, accompanied by no one else save for Anzu. Maia was even less thrilled about that, but Leon convinced her to stay behind—this was something he needed to do himself, to take as much responsibility for the deaths of the giants as he could. He could take comfort in the arms of his lovers when he returned, but for now, he didn’t think he ought to be so comforted when he was bearing the corpses of those who’d followed him to the Bull Kingdom back to their homeland.

The one person he was surprised had nothing to say about the matter, though, was Nestor. The dead man steadfastly maintained that the stone giants weren’t alive, and that Leon’s decision was foolish, but other than that, he almost refused to speak of the matter. Leon wasn’t sure, but he was rather suspicious that Nestor dreaded the journey to the stone giants. Leon was adamant that they were alive, and for all that Nestor had professed that it had been his goal to create new life through his golem research, Nestor seemed terrified that his goal had been achieved in the beings he’d so disparaged.

And so, with little warning to anyone save for his family and retinue, Leon stored some travel rations in his soul realm just in case, then hopped on Anzu and took off on an eastward course. From the air, and with Anzu’s wind magic, they made exceptional time. It even seemed to Leon that they were making better time than he’d initially expected, and after they landed to rest for the night, he spent some time playing with his griffin and examining Anzu’s aura in detail.

As with Maia, Anzu hadn’t achieved his fifth-tier equivalent power through training, but rather had gained his power through the natural growth of his body. For years now, though, his power had stagnated at that level, with little indication that he was going to move up anytime soon.

But on this flight, Leon started to see signs that his griffin was still growing stronger. He was fully grown in most ways, but Anzu was only about four years old, and his body was still filling out with muscle. Leon wondered how much longer it would take Anzu to get stronger, and what the griffin’s power cap might be. Once he reached it, then his only real hope of continuing to gain in power was through becoming an Ascended Beast—by achieving proper sapience and gaining the power to transform into a human. If he did that, then not only would he gain the intelligence and awareness of a human, but the limits his beastly nature placed on him would be largely lifted, and he would be able to grow in power just as much as anyone else.

Leon dearly hoped that Anzu would be able to achieve this. He loved his griffin as much as he would a baby brother, and having the griffin stagnate and eventually be left behind would be heart-breaking.

They didn’t stop at any towns or any other human settlements. Leon, and even Anzu to an extent, preferred to rest out in the wilderness when they needed a break. In this way, they further increased the speed with which they hurtled across the Kingdom, passing into the Eastern Territories on the second day, and reaching the edges of the Border Mountains by the morning of the fourth day.

Here, Leon had Anzu slow down a bit. With his power, he was fairly confident that he could handle any threats that may arise out in the wild mountains, but he didn’t take it for granted. The giants had often warned him of the many monsters within the mountains that they had to deal with, including other griffins and creatures like manticores that wandered in from places farther away.

Fortunately, they didn’t have much further to go to reach the Crater Tribe, so Leon kept his aura threateningly projected to ward off anything that might’ve otherwise considered them food, and kept his eyes peeled for any other threats.

He saw many creatures out in the mountains, from dozens of other griffins flying about to other birds and mountain cats of all shapes and sizes. He only ever saw one thing that was particularly unusual, though it was also fairly familiar.

It was a quadrupedal creature twice the size of a full-grown bull, with an incredibly muscular frame emphasized with tight black hide that looked tougher than enchanted leather. It had a ridge of brown fur running along its spine, four beady black eyes, and pitch black tusks jutting out of its long, vicious jaw. It radiated an aura of the seventh-tier, but Leon could tell from its size and obvious muscles alone that it was likely stronger than just about any human of equivalent power.

He’d seen one of these creatures before on his expedition to Nestor’s lab. The one he’d seen back then he’d watched kill an ice wraith and two banshees with seeming ease, and this one looked just as strong. He almost passed by it without a word despite its power, but on a whim, he asked Xaphan and Nestor if they knew what it was, not expecting much of an answer.

Nestor had responded that it was of a species that the Thunderbird Clan had used as war beasts—it was faster and stronger than most horses, save for those from the most well-regarded breeders in the Nexus, and quite strong for their level of magic power. They had terrible temperaments, though, and could only be kept in line by the Clan’s beastmasters through the use of bracelets similar to what Leon had looted from the transformation cave.

At that, Leon was immediately tempted to break out that bracelet and test it out on this creature, but after having Anzu circle above it several times, Leon decided not to. The way Nestor had made it sound, these things were common enough—and rather pedestrian, not fit for anyone past the tenth-tier—in the Nexus that Leon didn’t want to waste one of his limited bracelet slots on it. He’d rather wait for something a little stronger, or maybe something more useful. He couldn’t imagine what those creatures could be, and he felt no small amount of doubt and regret as he and Anzu flew away, but he stuck to his decision and continued on towards the stone giants’ crater.

He arrived in the afternoon, and out of courtesy for the giants, he landed outside of the crater and slowly approached on the ground. Anzu was a little nervous when several stone giants appeared out of the black hexagonal trap rock, but Leon kept him calm. The stone giants bowed slightly upon recognizing Leon and escorted him into the crater and towards Rakos’ palace.

Leon’s heart rate accelerated with every step he and Anzu took. His face burned brighter and brighter with shame now that it was time to take responsibility for his failure to protect his stone giant subordinates. He deeply regretted their loss, and mourned Lapis, wishing that he’d been more sociable with the giant instead of just leaving it at the Royal Palace for so long. He insisted to Nestor that the stone giants were people, just as sapient as humans were, but he’d hardly treated them in a way that reflected that belief. If he were honest with himself, he’d even taken their support for granted and treated them more like keeps pieces than living things.

It was with rapidly deepening shame and regret that he and Anzu were shown into Rakos’ throne room, where the stone giant itself sat upon its throne surrounded by about twenty other fifth-tier equivalent stone giants.

“LEON!” the stone giant rumbled as Leon walked in. “A JOY TO SEE YOU! HAVE YOU FURTHER NEED OF US?”

Leon was silent for a long moment. He’d been mulling over what to say in this moment for months, but now that the moment had arrived, nothing seemed appropriate.

“I… that’s not why I’ve come,” he slowly said. He then took a deep breath and decided to just come right out with it. He turned his gaze toward the boulder that acted as Rakos’ ‘head’, and said, “I am here to beg for your forgiveness. Due to my terrible leadership, all of the giants that you entrusted to me fell in battle. I have come today to return their remains to your people, to honor their sacrifice in any way I can, and to ask for the forgiveness of your people, even though I don’t believe I deserve it.”

With a wave of his hand, Leon emptied the mausoleum within his soul realm where the stone giants had been interred. A hundred large piles of stone appeared within the great hall, and Leon quickly scanned them, doing his best to acknowledge each and every one. They’d all volunteered to head west with him, and for their efforts, they were now returning in pieces. The one that hurt most of all was the pile of stone closest to him, streaked with blue stone.

The giants watching him hardly reacted to a hundred corpses of their fellows appearing amongst them, and Leon grew tenser and tenser as no response was made. He couldn’t even sense any magic senses being used to inspect the stone giant corpses. The giants watching him from the throne dais were silent and still as statues.

And then, after many long, painful seconds of silence, Rakos asked as quietly as its rocky voice would allow, “Is that all you’ve come for?”

Leon understood the language of the stone giants, but the sheer alien nature of their speech made distinguishing their tone a difficult thing to do. Rakos sounded matter-of-fact, with a fairly flat tone. Leon couldn’t tell if the stone giant was angry, sad, or not. It sounded almost like it was just asking a simple question…

“That… is all, yes,” Leon replied. “I’ve led so many of your people to their deaths that even if I were in a situation where I might need your aid, I don’t think I could suppress my shame enough to ask for it.”

From within his soul realm, Leon could sense Nestor’s attention, though the dead man remained silent.

“We exist to serve those of your blood,” Rakos stated. “Such is our purpose. To fulfill our purpose is the greatest joy we can ever hope for. To lose so many of our people is a blow, but they returned to our creators—to your Ancestors—with glad hearts, of that, I’m sure. Worry not, Leon, we are honored by your concern, but it is unnecessary.”

Leon lowered his head. “I don’t believe it is. Lapis was… a friend. And the others put their trust in me, and I can hardly say that their sacrifice was worth it. It didn’t need to happen, and only did because of my own failings.”

Rakos interrupted him with a wave of its giant hand. “They chose to go with you, whatever the outcome! But your concern is well-received. It will bring my people great joy to know that the Divine One values them so.” Rakos waved its hand again, and several of the attending giants began to make their way through all the piles of stone that Leon had brought back, seeming to examine each in turn.

Leon didn’t say anything, and merely watched as they made their examinations.

It took them some time, but once they were done, they returned to the dais and rumbled a few things to Rakos that Leon couldn’t quite make out. Rakos then said, “Most of these shells are not damaged beyond usability. New giants shall inhabit these shells, and they shall carry the legacy of those who came before. The previous inhabitants of these shells were warriors who served the divine and met a glorious end in battle killing the enemies of our creators. We can only hope that the new lives these shells will hold will be able to live up to that legacy.”

There wasn’t much left to say. Leon still felt ashamed, and the fact that Rakos never once blamed him for the deaths of the giants he’d taken only drove the dagger in deeper. But at least he now had closure, and soon, he and Anzu were shown to the giants’ guest room, where they rested for the night.

The following morning, Rakos offered to continue hosting them for as long as they wished, but Leon needed to get home, and so he declined. Rakos, visibly saddened to see them unable to stay for a while, reiterated it and the rest of its tribe’s commitment to the Thunderbird Clan, though not in those exact words. Regardless, when Leon left its cave, it was with the promise that should he ever need them again, the giants would be there to render him assistance.

He dearly hoped their aid would never be needed again, but he filed the information away, just in case.

As he left, instead of immediately taking to the skies with Anzu, he led his griffin into the rocky maze in the center of the crater and slowly meandered his way towards the ruins of the Cradle. He grew nostalgic when he passed by the area where he’d first found Anzu, and Anzu seemed to recognize it as well, for he nuzzled up close to Leon once they’d passed it.

Leon smiled and ran his fingers through the albino griffin’s feathers, but he remained quiet. He could still feel Nestor’s attention on his surroundings. The dead man still didn’t speak, and Leon didn’t press him for his words.

When they arrived at the Cradle, Leon took a few moments to take in the ruins, then sat down on a huge fallen brick right next to a broken statue of the Thunderbird. The statue had one wing snapped off, and the other had been chipped almost into a similar state, but the Thunderbird’s imperious visage had largely survived intact, though time had worn the stone down until the arrogant glare had softened into what seemed a more contemplative expression.

“So, dead man,” Leon said out loud, “now that you’re here and can see what they’ve built, what do you make of the descendants of your creations?”

Nestor didn’t immediately respond, but Leon could feel the man’s attention waver slightly, showing that he’d definitely heard him.

After almost fifteen seconds of painful silence, Nestor murmured, [I’m… still not convinced…]

“You don’t sound particularly convincing claiming that you’re not convinced,” Leon pointed out. “Why are you so resistant to acknowledging that the stone giants achieved what you wanted for them? Is it just because if you did, then you might have to take some measure of responsibility for them as your creations?”

[They haven’t at all achieved what I wanted for them!] Nestor shouted back. [They were built to be the slaves of the Clan, and slaves they remain! You only have to march back into that leader’s palace and demand their entire species come to an end, and they would all kill themselves without question!]

Leon frowned in displeasure. “It’s clear enough that they’re still influenced by the instructions you instilled into their Ancestors, but hating them for that doesn’t disprove their sentience. They speak, feel, think for themselves. Their decisions may be aligned with the purpose you built their Ancestors to fulfill, but I find it hard to believe that you can look at all they’ve built here and still deny that they are people.”

Nestor fell silent again for several seconds. [Ugly,] he finally spat. [Uncouth. Inelegant. Flawed. When I sought to build new life, I aimed for beings that were greater than mankind, with a beauty and elegance that couldn’t be denied by anyone. I aimed for perfection. These things are not perfect. Let’s entertain the idea that I’m wrong and you’re right—an absurd assumption to make, but let’s make it anyway. If these glorified slaves that I built to construct and maintain this lab that now lies in pieces, and that have continued to fulfill that function by continuing to construct shelters around it and refusing to move on, are alive, then I can only assume that the universe is insulting me. I’ve built so many golems over my lifetime that the idea of such imperfect beings surviving among them all is… I would destroy them if I had the means.]

Leon sighed and leaned back on the brick he sat upon. “We all find meaning wherever we can,” he quietly stated. “They just found it in the purpose you built them for.” Nestor didn’t respond. And then, an idea occurred to Leon, one that had him bolting back upright, his eyes wide.

“Nestor,” he said, “golems are automatons animated by a wisp created by one who has achieved Apotheosis, are they not?”

[That’s an insultingly dumbed-down way to phrase it, but I can’t say you’re wrong,] Nestor admitted.

“Are there other kinds of life forms that might be able to use a golem’s shell to move around and interact with its environment?”

[I’ve never seen one, but I wouldn’t rule it out,] Nestor replied. [Some experiments were done with using magic bodies to animate a golem’s shell, but it was found that a magic body doesn’t have enough magic power within it to properly drive a golem, not to mention a magic body is so fragile that allowing its power to be siphoned away to animate a shell is dangerous. A golem shell would probably require a source of magic power to be properly animated and prevent the hypothetical being made of magic power from killing itself by using up all of its power.]

“You say that, but the stone giants seemed to have found a way around that,” Leon pointed out. “The last time I came here, they were even in the midst of reproducing. Surely that means that even a being that exists only as magic power can exist within it without burning itself out, no?”

Again, Nestor fell silent, but Leon thought he could feel hints of dread coming from the dead man, as if what had occurred to Leon had also just occurred to him.

[No…] he whispered.

Leon smiled viciously, but before he could continue with his line of questioning, the Thunderbird suddenly thundered into his mind with such ferocious excitement that he almost lost consciousness.

[IT’S DONE, BOY! THE ENCHANTMENT HAS BEEN COMPLETED!]