Chapter 3908: Glorious! IV The goat moved with the casual superiority of a sovereign among lesser beings. Its gaze flicked over the figures gathered along the Shore. It scoffed at the Emperor Penguin. Snorted at the crouched forms of other Existences here! It passed Moiraine, and for a moment, its proud expression eased into something approaching approval. It gave a tiny nod, as if saying, "You, at least, know your worth." It reached Ruination and the Infiniverse- two pillars of burgeoning power- and for them, the goat’s eyes gleamed as it gave a regal nod of respect. But that arrogance remained. It was not a creature interested in flattery! Its attention fixed forward, to the tower. The goat came to a halt before the Sacred Totem of Infinity, its crystalline eyes lifting to meet Noah’s. It said nothing. Yet its expression said everything- the bell had been acceptable! More than acceptable! HUUM! With something bordering on bliss, it nudged the blue-gleaming tower walls, letting out a soft, self-satisfied grunt. |The Eminent Early Living Land Lifeform, Heidrun, has answered the call and arrived at the Early Veiled Shore.| |Land Lifeforms are categorized by rarity: Basic, Refined, Eminent, and Kleos.| Noah’s eyebrows lifted. Eminent. He leapt from the peak of the tower, descending like a star trailing darkness and starlight. He landed gently before the goat, who tilted its head upward, meeting his gaze with that same imperious expression. He smiled as waves of information bloomed! |Name: Heidrun Designation: Eminent Early Living Land Lifeform Rarity: Eminent Lineage: Ancestral Echoes of Yrdifrost Lore: In the lost and earliest Chapters of the Folds, Heidrun was revered by Early Creatures as a terrifying conduit of nourishment. Her kind were rare beyond measure, said to dwell near the Loom where Totems gathered in reverent silence. The appearance of even one Heidrun would send shockwaves through Early Creatures. Entire Domains would offer up Marine Lifeforms, Early Sacred Herbs, and other Land Lifeforms to trade for one. The Reason was for....The Sacred Mead of Existence. Sacred Mead of Existence: Heidrun can produce a golden-white mead imbued with the distilled essences of Complexity and Purity. One sip fortifies the soul, purifies the body, elevates existence, and enhances the forging of any weavings related to Early Creatures by an unquantifiable amount for the next day. Its effect on those lesser than Early Creature is so profound that having more than a drop can be deadly... Existential Infusion: When near Early Creatures, Heidrun’s aura causes their internal Hearts or Existence to experience accelerated refinement. Passive Boon – Glorious Stubbornness: Immune to all forms of compulsion and influence. Will only respond to those it deems "sufficiently majestic." Disposition: Arrogant. Discerning. Prideful. Loyal only to those it deems worthy.| Noah slowly exhaled. His gaze lingered on the words "sufficiently majestic" for longer than necessary. The goat... Heidrun, huffed. Her nostrils flared in response, the arrogance in her expression somehow intensifying. He chuckled. "Welcome to the Early Veiled Shore," he said, voice smooth and resonant, his tone carrying the full gravity of someone who bore the burden of dominion. The goat said nothing. Merely lowered her head. And with unspoken grace... stayed. The first Sacred Totem had been tolled. The first Land Lifeform had answered! The Early Veiled Shore... was no longer merely budding. It was beginning to blossom! The bell’s toll still echoed softly, diffused across the sands and mist of the Early Veiled Shore like a hymn from another time. And in that fading chime, Noah and the goat stood face to face. Neither moved. The goat, resplendent in its arrogance, gleamed under the blue light of the Sacred Totem. Its pure white coat shimmered with a terrifying luster, and its head was held high, nose tilted upward, eyes half-lidded with the judgment of a creature that had seen kingdoms rise and fall and found them all wanting. It looked at him as if he were some passing curiosity. Noah... merely smiled. Calculated, amused, and infinitely patient. He glanced at the glowing panel that hovered before him, filled with glorious script and glorious revelations. The Sacred Mead of Existence, a liquid sought after even in the Earliest Folds. That was what he desired right now! "Produce some Sacred Mead for me," he said simply. And...! There was a pause. The goat blinked. Its pupils were as clear as quartz, cold and unbothered. Then, almost comically, it turned its head toward the tower behind it with a look that could only be interpreted as baffled offense. Can you believe this guy? Then came the haughty huff. And another prompt. |To obtain Sacred Mead of Existence from the Early Living Land Lifeform: Heidrun, one must hand milk it directly from its glorious udders.| Noah blinked. The goat shifted proudly, displaying its side. It was offering access, yes- but it made its expectations clear. If he wanted the Sacred Mead of Existence, he’d have to put in the work! Noah chuckled at this surreal reality! He turned, voice slightly louder. "Someone get me a bucket!" There was a moment of stunned silence, the sound of shuffling feet, and then the elegant form of Moiraine approached. She held a crystal-clear Glass Bucket delicately in both hands, her voice composed, tone resolute. "Sir," she said with practiced calm, "this is beneath your station. Let me handle it." Her poise was the kind of thing that made existence listen. But Heidrun’s eyes narrowed. The moment Moiraine stepped near, the goat snorted. A violent gust erupted from its nose, a blast of concentrated complexity that caught Moiraine full in the chest and sent her flying backward, her body tumbling across the sand and into the lapping edges of the shore. BOOM! Gasps rang out, but Moiraine merely rose from the shallows with wet hair and narrowed eyes. She looked back toward Heidrun with startled respect. She wasn’t angry, only intrigued and shocked! |The Early Living Land Lifeform: Heidrun possesses the Quality of Glorious Stubbornness. It is Immune to all forms of compulsion or influence and will only respond to those it deems sufficiently majestic.| ....! Moiraine...was not deemed sufficiently majestic! She jumped up and appeared beside Noah again, wiping the dampness from her brow. She offered him the bucket solemnly and seriously. "Sir, please. "..." He took it. He set it gently beneath the goat, who now seemed positively glowing with satisfaction. With a sigh, Noah knelt upon the rising golden sand. The mound beneath him shaped itself softly to his weight. His bare chest reflected the tower’s glow, a crystalline sheen rippling across his form as his hand reached forward and grasped. The udder was firm, warm. And the moment he squeezed... HUUM! Golden liquid of unfathomable clarity gushed out in radiant arcs. It filled the glass bucket with glowing swirls that looked less like milk and more like liquefied starlight. The scent of it struck immediately- a rich, honeyed aroma filled the air, thick with something more profound than sweetness. The atmosphere of the Early Veiled Shore changed. The weight of the air grew denser. The Towers of Origin within every being present began to hum. Complexity surged. Purity twined in elegant spirals. The very weavings of existence thickened with each drop that fell! The concentration was so terrifying that in the next moment... PAH! PAH! Kazuhiko, the Emperor Penguin, Liora, and many others lost consciousness as their bodies fell down onto the sand, their existences unable to handle the terrifying concentration of the Sacred Mead of Existence!