Consequences

Zigzax sat up.

“Easy there, Ziggy,” Sirene said, “How are you feeling?”

To the entire party’s surprise, Zigzax suddenly curled up into a fetal position and clasped his hands over his head. He started whimpering while rocking back and forth on his butt.

“Ziggy? What’s wrong?!” Roland asked.

“Mistake… Ziggy made mistake!” Zigzax whimpered. “Big mistake. Coming… Coming….”

“What?! Who’s coming?” Roland asked, “Snap out of it, Ziggy.”

“Coming… Coming…” Zigzax continued crying.

“Something’s wrong!” Jasabera muttered. She clasped her axe tightly in her hands.

Allisa gasped. “Amaya… Are you alright?”

Amaya the catgirl glanced at the elf. “Huh?” She said.

Allisa pointed at Amaya’s tail. The catgirl’s normally sleek and even tail was now bristling aggressively, making it look more like a raccoon's tail.

Amaya suddenly wrapped her hands around her abdomen and shivered. “N-nyaa… Amaya…. Amaya’s scared…” she said.

“We need to get out of here!” Sirene declared.

Suddenly an oppressive silence dominated the hall and a single otherworldly melody consisting of a sound never before heard by mortal ears could be heard by everyone in the party, almost as if it was coming from within their own heads.

Zigzax suddenly snapped his neck upwards towards the ceiling. His mouth gaping in terror. “She’s coming…” the Goblin King sobbed.

Roland drew his sword. “W-who?” He asked.

Zigzax choked out a single word, “M-mommy…”

Suddenly a sinister light poured down from above, disintegrating the walls and floors of the hall all around the party. Eventually, the party was left standing on a single piece of intact black stone floor suspended over an endless void.

Every party member instinctively looked up to behold the impossibly great being of the void who gazed down upon them with as much impunity as amusement.

“Mommy…. Zigzax is sowrrrhy!” the goblin sobbed while actual tears flowed from his terror-stupefied eyes.

“What the hell!?” Roland screamed, “Prepare for battle, guys!”

The party didn’t answer. A quick glance towards his comrades told Roland why.

Allisa and Sirene had collapsed on the floor, weak-kneed and shaking with pure terror as they gazed upon the great being in shock.

Jasabera was prostrating herself on the ground and pressing her face against the stone floor while shaking like a leaf. She was covering her ears and clamping her eyes shut. “Not happening… not happening…. This is a dream… Hahaha… Just a dream,” the dwarf repeated over and over.

The catgirl Amaya lay passed out on the ground, foaming in her mouth.

The great being towering over the party finally spoke. “Araaaaaaa?” She said in a sickly-sweet tone of voice. “What do we have here?”

The great being raised a hand and lowered a terrifying giant finger to prod the lifeless remains of the Demon Lord on the ground near the debilitated hero party. “Jeeeeezzzz, this isn’t supposed to happen…” the great being said with an amused sigh, “What a bummer. Which one of you mortals did this?”

Zigzax let out a wail of remorse. “BUHUHUHUHUUUUUUUU! I’M SOWRRY MOMMY! ZIGZAX IS WRONG! ZIGZAX WAS MISLEAD BY THE HEROOOOOO!”

“Hero?” The great being asked, casting her gaze upon Roland.

Roland felt every cell in his body rip away from each other and his entire body was instantly reduced into goop before turning into a puddle on the ground. Then the moment passed and Roland realized that it was just a vision. However, his weak knees and hands had given way and Roland had dropped his sword and collapsed to the ground. The next thing he distinctly felt was his britches grow warm with his own piss.

“AH…” The great being said, “One of Jano’s little champions. How quaint.”

The great being then shifted its gaze to Zigzax who was heaving and choking on his own snot and sobs. “How curious,” the great being said, “My own champion was done in by the lowliest of low of my creations. You do realize, child, that I made you and your ilk to be disposable fodder for your higher cousins? Your purpose is to slave away for the convenience of your betters. To forage, toil, fight, and die for the strong while subsisting on their waste and refuse. And when required, to provide your flesh and bones to them for sustenance. Your kind are the ultimate slave-cattle.”

The great being propped up her face lazily on one hand and reached for Zigzax with the other, proceeding to gently caress the goblin’s green head with her fingernail. Zigzax’s sorrowful face immediately transformed into an expression of orgasmic rapture.

The great being smiled. “Maybe I’ve been asleep for too long, but you’re actually pretty cute for a bottom-dwelling slave-piggy, up close.”

Zigzax started panting happily like an excited dog.

The great being sighed as she continued to playfully caress the goblin’s head with the tip of her finger. “I suppose I might have been a tad bit overly harsh with your kind. Yet it seems that you and your kind have managed to rise above your lot in life. Sly, opportunistic, and treacherous, yet exceptionally hardy and prone to survive against all odds. Your numbers have only kept increasing even as your cousins have thinned out through the ages.”

The great being smiled again. “Well done. I approve,” she said.

Zigzax happily started lapping lovingly at the great one’s giant finger with his long tongue, seemingly to have fully transformed into a lovesick puppy.

The great being giggled and spoke again, “Since you have slain my chosen, you are more than worthy of taking his place. Speak your name child, and accept my covenant.”

“ZIGZAX!!!” Zigzax yelled triumphantly, “Zigzax accepts Mommy’s covenant!”

“Zigzax…” The great being said with an amused smile. “Hear me, child. I am your mother and your goddess, Nggdrasil. From this day forth, Zigzax, you are my chosen and my champion. Go forth and walk the realm with my authority and sovereignty.”

“Thank you Mommy!” Zigzax squealed. “Praise Mommy! Praise Nggdrasil!”

The elf, Allisa, finally found her voice. “No it cannot be…”

The great one, Nggdrasil, took notice of Allisa. “AHH, a child of Yggdrasil. The Tree of Life. The World Tree. What’s the matter, child? You look unwell. Has my sister ever spoken of me? Tell me, what do they call me among your kind?”

“T-the Black Tree…” Allisa stammered.

Nggdrasil frowned with disapproval. “That’s it? The Black Tree?” She said and sighed, “I like the old name better. I used to be called the Tree of Profanity.”

“You should not exist,” Allisa said, looking to be on the verge of tears.

Nggdrasil produced a sinister grin. “Silly child. Ygg should have educated you better. I am literally the embodiment of all things that should not. And I will exist so long as there are things that should.”