Forbidden Beasts

The hundreds of alchemists gathered around the large circle drawn in the dirt. It wasn’t a transmutation circle, just a regular circle, a bit more than a thousand yards in diameter. It had to be big; there were thousands of unconscious chimeras within it. The alchemists had made them, but they didn’t know why. Making chimeras was a taboo, a forbidden act. They all stared blankly at the part-human part-beast creatures in the circle. Slight whispers started among the people, mostly about what they were to do with them, and gradually evolved to outspoken worries. “What if the head alchemist finds out? What will she do to us?” The talk got louder and louder, until it was silenced by a loud, resounding roar. The crowd parted quickly as a cloaked figure, with hood up, rode in on a magnificent lion-creature. The beast’s fur was pure white, its toes and tail tipped grey, and its white mane, with a bit of red and gold, bristled out as it growled. People’s heads only reached its shoulder. Hushed whispers started again. “Solgaleo?” “Is that Diamond?” ”Where are her horns?” The voices rose again as the figure on the lion rode into the chimera-filled circle, and upon reaching the center, the figure removed the hood, revealing shoulder-length blue hair. The hair glowed for a moment, and a pair of large deer-like horns appeared. The horns were an off-whitish tan, and crystals of all the rainbow’s colors weaved through each prong. A red gem gleamed in the center of the figure’s forehead, and white ribbon-like appendages with light blue and pink stripes at the ends floated around them. The figure also had a fluffy light orange scruff around their neck. It was Diamond Lazuli, the head alchemist in the Order of Alchemy.

“Silence!” she yelled. The order was promptly obeyed. Her mount, which was in fact Solgaleo, turned in a full circle so Diamond could look at everyone. “So,” she seemed to growl, “You all had a part in this, did you? ” No one rejected that fact, because the words were pure and true. She nodded. “You here are around 60 percent of the Order of Alchemy. 60 percent. You know what that says about my leadership? Huh? It says I let my followers break age-old laws and perform forbidden - forbidden - acts. Yes, I myself don’t follow all the rules, like those of lab safety, but I don’t perform taboos unless mine or a good friend’s life was on the line, but I know that wasn’t the case here. You will pay for this action. So, Solgaleo, what will their punishment be?” She looked to her ride, and he looked up and said, “I dunno, Diamond. I think we should ask Zapticuno.” A man spoke out, “But she’s not part of the Order of Al-” his words were prematurely ended as a black-and-yellow blur rammed into him. He gave out a surprised yell, and the blur lifted him up, now a limp form.

The blur landed next to Diamond, with the now dead man in her talons. It was Zapticuno. The large bird looked around, and said in a voice tinted with a vocal venom that gave the impression that one should either listen or face death, “Just because I’m no alchemist doesn’t mean I don’t have authority. Diamond is indeed the leader of the Order of Alchemy, but I am her leader in the Randoms, making me higher than her, and therefore higher than all of you. That also means I can decide your punishment. I will be easy on you. You all must bring every single chimera into the land known as Empetiles, putting them into the area that they will live best in. Spread them out, and give them all a small note explaining what has happened, since they will have no memory. Do this swift and right, and no more negative consequence will occur. I will be checking. Now, move!” Everyone hurried into action. Zapticuno leapt into flight, taking the dead man’s carcass with her. “Come on, my co-leader,” she said, “Let’s get back to the headquarters. I’m getting hungry, and I’d prefer not to eat my kill when there’s this many people moving around.” Diamond shook her head, kicking Solgaleo in the sides like a horse. Once they left the crowd, Solgaleo said, “Now can you get off of me, fatass?”