26 The Phix is In (1/2)
SmithGuild took a deep breath.”My good sister has gone to have a word with the harpies.They may be able to illuminate the actions of the mermaids.Mermaids are curious people.Every band has a distinct cult.Their religious practices are very diverse, and they constantly war with each other over them.”
[Bestiary #9: Harpies: insert-shrug-here.]
[Bestiary entry #8 redux: Mermaids.They sound like right assholes.]
Leaning forward, Nelda winced.”And yet you place some weight on their prophecies?”
”Curiously, when different bands and even lone mermaids have made pronouncements of a declared prophecy.” We looked slightly reluctant to admit it. ”These cases have, even by an objective accounting, often proved to be accurate.Gryphon ScribeGuild has performed a careful analysis.”
[I am dying to ask how many gryphons there are and where they come from. The cat-birds and the bees, so to speak.But we've had enough embarrassment for one day. Fingers crossed.]
”But then, what is this one, exactly.I would hate to think I am… bad.”
”Of course not.” SmithGuild put one yellow clawed hand on her forearm.She had not expected it to be so warm.
[Of course: I'm not bad, or of course: I'm in denial about it?]
SmithGuild squeezed her arm in what was probably mean to be a reassuring gesture, but the inch ling talons reduced the effect somewhat. ”The prophecy is in the nature of an engraved picture on a stone.I have not seen it but heard it described as showing two persons of a description similar to you.Then there are scenes of war and finally, a large fire over a globe, taken by most to mean some kind of all-encompassing calamity.”
”That's all rather… ambiguous.”
”I do… there is another prophecy I would ask you about.”
”Another one?”
”Yes, a different more distant band of mermaids proclaimed a prophecy that Echnida Drakiana would have a terrible daughter.”
[Just like my Mom.]
”Okay, I assume you mean terrible as in 'does terrible things'?”
SmithGuild nodded.”This daughter will be a new creature known as a sphynx, and her daughter will be called Phix.”
[Holy mother of cat.]