After a series of very scientific tests, we came to a conclusion on how the chimera operated.
First, it was remotely controlled. Because the moment it's eyes became hollowed, the thing stopped moving all together.
Secondly, it had enchanted flesh. Because no matter how much we cut it up, we didnt find any magical trinkets or crystals or voodoo dolls.
As for the beast flesh, well, it tasted OK, a bit bland and stringy but still OK for meat.
Well, we did try cutting it and seeing how far we can take it's regeneration, to see if we can get a mobile farm of magical meat, but without the witch or wizard who controlled it, it's regeneration became a limited time offer.
That was all I got from it, but Artalis found an interesting side project herself.
The grooves and patterns on the chimera's skin were apperently magical.
Things happened, we spoke and in the end, I ended up carrying a freshly skinned leather and skull of a chimera rolled up and tied to my waist with my shirt despite the multiple types of pure organic, hundred percent disgusting, fly attracting liquids that made my pants damp.
With that extra piece of uncured fresh leather hanging at my waist, me and my brain mate continued out exploration.
Obviously ..the place was a supernatural place. With the amount of bones lying around, the glyphs carved and drawn and different types of mana arrangements that could have easily put some nasty curses on us, me and Artalis were actuality looking forward to see what type of a being it might be.
I say witch, but Artalis was adamant that this was the work of a warlock.
"Lady, I keep telling you, this is the work of a witch." I began telling her the reasons for my conclusion while I jumped over a skull. "Have you ever watched Tangled? Or Brave? Or ever hear about Rumplestilskin? "
'No, but I do know about Hannibal Lector.'
"That's different. That man was a psycho. We are talking about warlocks here."
She shot back.
'There's no difference from what I can see. All warlocks are psycho's. I personally knew a guy who had a lair just like this one. With human bones and everything.'
"Really?" My eyebrow rose. "You are saying that you knew a warlock, who had his house in the middle of a hollowed mountain?"
'Yeah, and the prick made it in the highest spot in the mountain too.' She replied. 'Its classic monkey behaviour of the man, my friend. I'm telling you, if this place isn't run by a warlock, then I'm going to eat my tail.'
Sometimes I wonder if I'm mad. Or was a Artalis mad. Because as a dragon who ruled a world with power, there were things I never expected to hear from her. And then I wonder, if her madness was effecting me too, for me to just ignore the strangeness of our conversations.
"Artalis, I'm telling you, this is classic old cat lady mixed Karen behaviour. If the first words out of her words when we meet her isn't something about us killing her favourite pet and how she's going to kill us horrifically for it, then you can call me a liar."
'You are a liar.'
"Really, when have I ever lied?"
'You lied to the cops a dozen times.'
"Who doesn't lie to the cops. Cops don't count."
While we talked, we came to the end of out path. A dead end with a granite wall that was carved with hundreds of symbols and circles and typical magical algebra.
"Alright then, Artalis?"
'Yeah, I'm gonna get to it,'
Two blood colored tentacles moved from my back to the wall. And the symbols that it touched began to glow red.
Hmm!?
Something was happening to to Rue. Was it good? Was it bad?
When I tried to peek, for some reason, I couldn't. Which was strange because I had gained access to everything when she became my right hand. By natural law, I, as the employer had the right to every action my employee.
'That's not how employment work, dumbass."
"Yeah, well, I'm not a normal boss. I'm your corrupt perverted control freak boss whose running a black company. Let's get cracking this wall before I decide to kool aid man this thing."
Artalis got the stone wall open in about three minutes. But what happened after that ....what I saw, or more accurately WHO I saw made my entire body freeze.
"Artalis, don't move. I don't think either of us are ready to deal with this at the moment."
I wasn't moving. Even when Rue was hung in the air and something was being extracted from her by the thing there.
It was not a witch. Nor was it a warlock. I couldn't think of a title for what it was, but words escaped my mouth before i could even think what i was about to call.
"Sister?"
'Sister ?'
The thing turned, and my face soured further . Despite the older appearance, despite the wrinkles and the grey hair, that face....it was a complete copy of my sister.
That was the same face of the person who made me read the stupid book series in the first place.
"Now that is remarkable. " Artalis manifested at my shoulder in a dragon head form. "Miss, tell me do you go by the name Krista by any chance?"
"What?" She looked confused. Then her gaze moved from the bloody dragon head on my shoulder to me and her face morphed into a very familiar expression. The same expression my sister had when ever she found me in her room rifling through her stuff. It was familiar. Way too familiar for it to be just a coincidence .
"You!...you are that insolent wretch who destroyed my creation! How dare-"
Bang
"What was that for? Why did you kill her?"
"She isn't dead." I felt something standing between me slapping her brains out and her being alive the moment I hit her. " But don't worry. " I reassured her while bringing out a long arm blade. " I got the cure for that right here with me."