The red and gold basilisk slithered around the crushed bodies.
"Such a mess, such a waste.""Maybe not such a waste," said the basilisk, answering her other self. Picking a up piece of flesh torn from it's owner when it was tossed by the fling of a scaled tail.
"No, you wouldn't..." Before her other self could finish, Errdi took a bite from the flesh.
"Why do you do that?" her other self asked with disgust.
"Human or animal, meat is meat. And it annoys you." Drawn by the heat of the dragon's fire, Errdii wound her way through the destruction and towards the park.
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Errdii slithered through the destruction, sliding past the dead bodies. The warmth of the freshly dead was inviting to her. Pausing by the ones still warm, her beautiful tail caressed their flesh in a sensual way. The warmth left the dead quickly and Errdii never lingered by any for very long.
"Stop that!" her other self whispered harshly.
"Stop what?" she asked innocently.
"Stop touching them.""Why? I like touching them." "It's not right. Just leave them in peace.""But I like their warmth. It's not like they need it anymore." "Why don't you stop thinking of yourself. Look, there are new ghostlings, lead them away from this destruction. If they linger here, they may never move on."Errdii sighed. She knew her other self would not stop nagging in this subject. The basilisk reluctantly slithered past still warm dead bodies and approached several new ghostlings, beckoning them to follow her.
Errdii didn't bother to hide her amusement at the Spectral trying to gather cold lifeless things. Another ghsotling, a pretty poltergeist seemed lost and had many questions that Errdii couldn't answer. The lantern lore seemed to follow, then got distracted and hesitated. Errdii didn't bother to wait and see who followed.
The basilisk noticed that many were gathering in the park. Some of the animals lingered, but most had left once the safety of the dragon had moved on. Errdii wondered if those milling around around the park would noticed if she touched them as she passed by.
"Stop that.""What? I haven't done anything!.""I know what you're thinking."xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Errdii slowly snaked her way through the crowd milling around the park. The animals that lingered avoided the basilisk's hypnotic gaze. They knew in another place and time, they might be the serpent's next meal. Despite the safety they felt in the park, they weren't taking chances. The animals moved out of the path of the basilisk when they saw her coming.
Errdii was aware of the animals avoiding her. It amused her since she wasn't hungry at the moment. She'd sampled enough human flesh to be satisfied for the time being. And despite her nonchalant attitude, she was very observant. Errdii had seen the shape changing of the dragon and had noted the attraction of the animals to the creature. She knew it might not be healthy for her to dine on any of the animals in the immediate area.
Errdii wound her way to a close group of survivors that seemed to be having an animated conversation. Just want she needed, warm bodies huddled together, having a heated discussion. They would be wrapped up their conversation, generating heat and not paying any attention to the ghostling sliding around them, barely touching them.
"You're enjoying this way too much." whispered her other self.
"Yessssss. And nothing you can say will stop me," she whispered back.
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The pale Spectral had given up on the sailor quite a while ago. She spent her time helping the newly freed souls understand what had happened to them. Some were angry at having their lives taken away, most were just sad and lost.
Dreamer saw a purple lantern lore that seem to be following the same circular path around the clock tower. Perhaps the poor thing was trying to find its way inside. Dreamer hovered in its path hoping to distract it.
"Hello there," said Dreamer. The lantern lore walked past her, seeming to search for something or someone.
"I can help you if you're looking for something." xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Gold underbelly scales slithered over the stone steps up to the church doorway. The red and gold basilisk lingered in the shadows by the open doors watching the chaotic fighting inside.
"Too much fighting. We should never have come to this," whispered her other self.
"To birth new life, you must have death." said Errdii.
"You're sounding rather philosophical. That's not like you.""Then I must be more like myself." The basilisk watched a guard crumple to the floor.
"And that should do nicely." It was inevitable with the dragon clawing over everything in his path on the upper level, including the archers, that an arrow meant for him would not find it's mark. Instead the deadly missile flew past him, sailed over the railing and buried itself into the flesh of a guard on the lower level.
"Is it too much to hope that you've changed your ways and you plan to help the poor soul pass to the afterlife?." "Come, come now. Of what benefit would that be to me?" said Errdii.
"This man isn't mortally wounded though." "Yesssss. Isn't it delightful." Errdii slithered up against the side of the unconscious guard.
"He's so warm and he'll stay warm as long as he lives.""Nooo, you mustn't! her other self hissed back."
"You know the living don't like your cold touch!" "This one isn't of a mind to object at the moment," replied Errdii, amusement in her voice.
"And you know where the warmest part of the human body is?" Her other self gasped. There were no words to express her horror at what she knew her self was going to do.
The basilisk slithered her scaly body over the belly of the prone guard and slipped quietly between his legs. With a smile on her face, she curled her serpentine body over his codpiece. Her dainty hands idly played with strings.
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