It wasn’t too often that Chae found a sentient creature smaller than she, at least not a humanoid one. She would be caught staring when she first laid eyes on one, her expression a mixture of confusion and awe. They were tiny and beautiful, built even daintier than the fey from which they derived—or was it the other way around? Chae knew the answer as soon as she thought the question. They were ancient, their magic pristine. No doubt, they were attracted to this place by its divine power. Unless they were simply shadows of a true race reconstructed by living-giving magic. Whatever their history, these enchanted little sprites sure did know how to waste their time.

Chae sighed, but what might have been a disgruntled huff turned into the short hum of an idea. The answer to that question was not written anywhere, which meant that she would have the pleasure of divining it. Certainly she could have asked the island’s Mother, but this little lich preferred field work. Her plan was to capture one to learn about it, to test and examine it. She would kill it first, of course, discover its inner workings through a thorough dissection, and then find out if such a creature could be raised again through necromantic ritual. Very few beings couldn’t be, anyway.

It was easy enough for her to hide behind the bright green stem of a giant flower. Surely her pale, corpse-like frame would stick out nonetheless, but Chae was happy to take her chances. From behind her makeshift shelter, the witch reached out a pointed finger. A ripple of energy pulsed in the air around its tip, then flew like an arrow toward the nearest dancing fairy. If Chae’s aim was true, it would strike it right through the heart.

It took some time before she finally pulled herself from the first couple bridges and traveled further into a world of trees. The trees took shape of beautiful, curvaceous woman. In a way, the way they reached out for her with flirty smiles reminded her much of herself. The dryads seem to understand who exactly they were as they all tried to beckon her attention. It was not every day you got a Goddess such as herself in their mites. It made her curious if they gave the other deity the same attention or was her position that made her unique to them.  The growth around them grew large and beautiful like most the other areas and small fairies danced among the flowers.
 
”What beauty…” Rhea thought softly. She loved the strange creatures of this area. Jack-o-lanterns rested over the bridges bring light over the place. It appeared the fairies did more than frolicked around the ponds. It was then she took notice of one of the brethren. There was a feeling that came with the other ascended that was always enough to make her turn her head. It was a feeling in your gut that made you know that they were there. They were all connected.
 
”Come to me, my dear fairy.” Rhea voice came out almost musical this time. The words sounded more like a song to one’s ear. There was no denying the siren voice of love. Her power over the heart was strongest which only helped the intoxicating siren voice. The fairies drew to her like bugs towards the light. Her eyes drifted through the growth with a devilish grin on her lips. She had sensed the magic in the air and the newest goddess. She could only easily put to and to together. The fairy moved never knowing there was a spell striking through the air to her.
 

”Now, my sister. That is not a kind thing to do the animals here. I am not sure if Angela would be kind to you killing the creatures she protect.” There was a calm chill to her voice but her smile never left. Hazel eyes focused to where she could feel her brethren. She could not see her through all the growth but she knew who was there. Her hands softly reached out and let one of the fairies rest upon her palm. They were lovely creatures. They all remained around her pulling at her tunic and pants. 

The little thing moved out of the way just in time, turning what might have been a violent impact into a blur of undissipated energy. Chae groaned audibly in the same moment that Rhea’s voice reached her, immediately understanding the flaw in her experimental design. The magic arrow was life-seeking, readily colliding with even the most dexterous of targets, unless of course it was thwarted by divine power. While that power might just as easily be blamed on Angela herself, Chae chose to scrunch up her nose at the goddess who was actually in her proximity. Her whole face was furrowed thusly as she emerged from the flowery forest, tripping toward Rhea in a flurry of diappointment.

“It wouldn’t have died,” she replied indignantly, and even that was only half a lie. The magic arrow would have only stunned it, if that. Chae opted not to admit that she would have killed it later either way. “Anyway, it was only one. There are at least hundred around the whole island.”

She approached with caution, eyeing each fairy in turn to make sure that there would be no retaliation for her admittedly disruptive actions. But all were entranced by Love Whisperer, their hummingbird hearts beating in rapid tune with her lilting song. When one did approach the halfling goddess, it was only to perch idly on her low shoulder. Chae turned toward the sighing creature, observing its dainty aesthetic with equal parts evaluation and envy. Soon enough she reached up a rotted hand, brushing the fairy away as she would a pesky fly. It did not seem to mind the imposition, happy to keep its attention wholly on Rhea.

She would have one eventually. Chae always got what she wanted, one way or another. Whether that meant waiting until her so-called sister was gone or not, Chae was determined to get a fairy specimen for the Library’s collection.

“Is it no worse to enchant them?” Chae pointed out. Her disdain for mental manipulation was no secret, but even this recognition was more than she might have offered a mortal. In truth Chae was flattered to be spoken to as an equal, with neither the gross admiration she had come to expect from mortals nor the presumption of power which was displayed by most of her divine peers. She would engage the dreamweaver for as long as it amused her. “These are surely not animals, they who stink of fey blood and manipulate such magic with ease.”

It never took long for the rumors to circulate when a new deity was chosen. This time was no different than any of the others. The smaller Goddess came tripping from the growth and Rhea could not help but grin in fascination at the creature. It would appear that a lot of the rumors were right. The new Goddess was a halfling but most of all undead. The curiosity only continued to spread as she spoke out to her in mild annoyance. Her head tilted as she felt that in a way the other woman was scolding her for her own behavior. Obviously, it only brought more excitement to the younger woman.
 
“I cannot help my birth right. Just like you are short, I have the voice of toxic angels!” Rhea remarked back to her with her normal ghostly smile. Her eyes shifted towards the little creatures that rested in her palm and softly pushed it back into the air. She swatted the rest before focusing back on the other creature of interest. The Goddess was more interesting that anything else in this forest. The fish had been beautiful and the little creatures interesting, but an undead halfing was pure magnificence.
 
” If the rumors are right, I do not think it would be long before these little guys were lying dead for you to study. They may not be made of wood or petals, but my Aunt would most likely say differently. She is life itself, after all. It is no fun to kill them. You do not get to fully study them if you keep them locked up. It is out in the world they live you will see what makes them tick! Or, you should at least let it be a real battle if you wish to get one. Give them a chance to know it is coming and see what they will do!”
 
There was always a strange sense of justice when it came to the world around her. The idea of the lich killing the creature did not seem to bother her but the fact she was doing it from secret was just too boring for her to bare. There was no real thrill of the hunt if they did not know it was coming.  The thought finally drifted from her mind before she noticed her own rudeness.
 

”We have yet to be formally introduced, I do believe.” Rhea grinned happily and she gave the polite bow her mother always taught her. ” Rhea LeSilve, the one who whispers love and dangles strength.” She could not help but brim with excitement and curiosity as she watched the woman.

Chae frowned. It peeved her to be told the reality of her height, to be reminded of how little and unassuming she was. It was no better that she was jealous by nature, and in this moment could only be compared to the sensual beauty of a divine siren. The static tingle of magic danced around her fingertips as she considered how she might retaliate, but ultimately she convinced herself to close it away in a pair of tight fists. Rhea had already begun to speak again, and it was clear that she meant no offense.

“Chae,” she replied. The goddess had other names, as all of them did, but she did not say them. Her surname was meaningless in this world, nothing but a cruel memory of what once was. The rest, well, the rest preceded her. She did not bow or offer a hand, instead preferring to look at the fairies.

She was reminded of the other deity’s chastisement, that little could be said of studying a creature without its natural environment. Even if she were to keep her victims alive, this would be no truer an example of their natural behavior. They were attracted to Rhea like moths to a flame, burned not by fire but by the intoxicating pleasure of being close to Love. Chae kept her distance for precisely that reason. There was nothing worse than being out of one’s mind. 

“What is the difference between a person and a petal?” She wondered aloud, finally looking Rhea in the eye. “Why is it any better or worse to kill a fairy than to kill a plant? Both are living, and both may be animated again in undeath. At least the dead can’t lie.”

The necromancer narrowed her eyes as she saw the nearer fairies shrink behind the kinder goddess, realizing that they did indeed understand her language and her intention. They were not hostile yet, but Rhea’s curiosity was contagious. What really would happen, if she attacked one in plain sight? Would it hide, as they all seemed to be doing now, or did it have some way to retaliate? Chae had never witnessed the brunt of fey magic, at least not in this, its purest form.

So she raised a finger toward one of the fairies that had just poked its head up from behind the siren woman, harnessing a ripple of arcane energy without any pretense for amity. The magic arrow fired again, targeted for the tiny creature’s tiny head.