I Was The Only Omega In The Beast World-Chapter 104: CP: Making Plan For The Obstacle
Day Four: First Contact:
The eagles found them at midday.
Not found, exactly—more like they’d been watching the entire time and finally decided to make their presence known.
Six massive shapes descended from the clouds above, wings spanning easily twenty feet each, talons the size of Alex’s forearm gleaming in the sunlight.
Harpy Eagles in their full aerial form—brown and white plumage marked with distinctive crests, eyes that were simultaneously beautiful and absolutely merciless.
They landed on outcroppings above the narrow path, boxing in the traveling party from all sides.
The babies immediately reacted:
Jade reared up, hood flaring in the tiny approximation of threat display.
Ripple pressed tighter against Alex, trembling slightly.
Sterling froze mid-climb, assessing the new arrivals.
Onyx woke up and immediately tried to hide in Leo’s shirt.
Siddy strained toward the nearest eagle with clear intent to investigate/attack/befriend—it was impossible to tell which.
River remained calm, though his tongue flicked rapidly, tasting the air for danger.
The a female on a largest eagles back with a magnificent crest and scars across her chest—spoke first.
"Ground-walkers," she said, her voice sharp and carrying despite the wind. "You trespass in Eagle territory. State your purpose or leave."
"We seek audience with chief Vega," Alex said, keeping his voice steady and respectful. "We come with no hostile intent. We wish only to speak with her about—"
"Everyone wishes to speak with chief Vega," the scarred eagle interrupted. "She does not grant audience to every wanderer who climbs our mountains. Especially not—" Her eyes swept over the group, landing on the six snakelings with obvious disdain. "—ground-crawlers traveling with squirming hatchlings."
[Oh she did NOT just insult the babies.]
Alex felt all three of his mates tense simultaneously.
Naga’s scales rippled with suppressed rage.
Leo’s hand went to his sharpened saber knife.
Even Zale’s usual diplomatic calm cracked slightly, his scales flushing darker.
But Alex placed a restraining hand on Naga’s arm.
"These ’squirming hatchlings,’" he said clearly, "are my children. Six healthy snakelings, three months old, already showing exceptional intelligence and coordination. They are not a weakness—they are proof of strength. Proof that I can protect, nurture, and travel with vulnerable dependents through dangerous territory."
The scarred eagle’s eyes narrowed.
"Bold words from a ground-crawler."
"Honest words from a bearer who’s collected five of the seven Divine Artifacts," Alex countered. "Who has negotiated with wolves, bears, and mer-people. Who has earned the respect of every territory I’ve passed through."
He pulled out the five stones—letting them rest in his palm, their combined radiance unmistakable.
The eagles went very still.
"You..." the scarred one said slowly. "You’re the Stone Collector. The one from the prophecies."
"I don’t know about prophecies," Alex said. "But I’m collecting the stones, yes. I have five. I need the remaining two—Air and Fire. I believe Elder Vega guards the Air Stone."
The eagles exchanged glances—some form of silent communication passing between them.
"The Elder will want to see this," one of them said finally. "But the path to the aerie is treacherous. Designed for fliers. Your... party... will struggle."
"We’ll manage," Leo said firmly.
"Will you?" Another eagle asked, looking pointedly at the six babies. "The path includes sheer cliff faces, rope bridges over thousand-foot drops, and sections that require actual climbing. How do infant snakes navigate such terrain?"
It was a fair question.
A terrible, fair question that Alex didn’t have a good answer to.
"We adapt," Naga said. "We’ve done it before."
"And if you fail?" the scarred eagle pressed. "If one of your hatchlings falls? We will not catch them. We owe you no such courtesy."
"Then we don’t fail," Alex said with more confidence than he felt.
The scarred female studied him for a long moment.
"Three days," she said finally. "You have three days to reach the aerie. If you arrive, chief Vega will grant audience. If you fail—if you give up, turn back, or lose any of your party—you forfeit the right to ask anything of us."
"Agreed," Alex said before anyone could argue.
The eagles took flight simultaneously—a thunder of wings that sent dust and small stones cascading down.
And then they were gone, leaving the party alone on the narrow mountain path with a three-day deadline and absolutely no idea how to get six non-flying babies up a mountain designed to kill ground-dwellers.
"Well," Zale said into the silence. "That went better than expected."
"How is this better?" Leo demanded.
"They didn’t immediately throw us off the cliff," Zale pointed out. "I’m counting that as a win."
[QUEST UPDATED: "Reach the Eagle Aerie"
Time limit: 3 days
Difficulty: ★★★★★ (EXTREME)
Challenge: Navigate aerial-designed terrain with six infant snakes
Failure condition: Any party member lost or turns back
Reward: Audience with Elder Talon + potential access to Air Stone
Current success probability: 31%]
"Thirty-one percent," Alex said aloud. "That’s... not encouraging."
[ You should be happy it’s not actually zero.] system pointed out.
" So much for my spirit guide. " Alex backfired.
[ I’m neither SPIRIT NOR GUIDE. I’m a INTERDIMENSIONAL BEING OF IMMENSE POWER, I contain MULTITUDES! I have DEPTHS!]
The system’s tail lashed in disagreement.
*****
Planning Session:
They made camp early—finding a small cave that provided shelter and enough space for everyone—and gathered for what Granite diplomatically called "tactical assessment" and what Alex privately thought of as "how do we not die."
The six babies were fed, settled, and distracted with a game Leo had invented involving catching pebbles. This occupied exactly three of them (Jade, Sterling, and Siddy) while the other three (Ripple, Onyx, and River) napped.
"Options," Naga said, his tactical mind already working. "We need to assess what we’re actually dealing with."
"Sheer cliff faces," Granite said, ticking off on his massive fingers. "Rope bridges. Narrow ledges. Sections requiring climbing with handholds. Possibly wind-based obstacles—eagles love testing ground-dwellers with updrafts and cross-winds."
"And we have to do all of this," Leo added, "while keeping six three-month-old snakelings safe. Who can’t climb like we can, can’t hold onto ropes, and definitely can’t fly if they fall."
"So we carry them," Alex said. "Secure them somehow. Make sure they’re attached to us at all times."
"That limits our mobility," Naga pointed out. "If we’re all carrying babies, we can’t help each other through difficult sections."
"Then we rotate," Zale suggested. "Some of us carry babies through easy sections, hand them off during difficult sections, take them back after."
[TACTICAL ASSESSMENT:
Party capabilities:
Naga: Serpentine form = excellent climber, can scale vertical surfaces
Leo: Lion strength + agility = good climber, excellent balance
Zale: Mer-person = TERRIBLE climber (but very strong when in contact with water/ice)
Granite: Bear = powerful but heavy, struggles with narrow ledges
Alex: Human + recovering bearer = most vulnerable, limited climbing ability
Six snakelings: Can grip with coils but no independent climbing ability yet]
[Recommendation: This is a TERRIBLE idea and you should absolutely turn around right now.]
"Not helpful," Alex muttered.
[ Don’t come to me crying if your plan fails.]
[ Actual recommendation: Use Naga as primary climber/scout, Leo as safety anchor, Granite as heavy support for stable sections, Zale for any water-based obstacles, and keep Alex in the middle where everyone can protect him.]
"What about the babies?" Alex asked.
[Secure them in specialized carriers—one baby per adult, rotated based on terrain difficulty. Use backup tethers. Accept that Siddy will try to escape at least six times and plan accordingly.]
"That might work," Alex admitted.
They spent the rest of the evening constructing carriers:
Leo used tough leather (purchased from the mer-tribe) to create six small pouches—each designed to hold a snakeling securely against an adult’s chest or back, with straps that wouldn’t chafe scales.
Naga wove backup tethers from plant fiber and leather strips—strong enough to hold a snakeling’s weight but thin enough not to restrict movement.
Zale contributed waterproof wrapping for protection against rain or river crossings.
Granite carved small wooden toggles that could quick-release if necessary but wouldn’t come loose accidentally.
And Alex tested each carrier with its designated baby:
Jade in the first carrier—the leader needed to be able to see, so his pouch had an open top.
Ripple in the second—the cautious one needed to feel enclosed and safe, so his had a partial hood.
Siddy in the third—the escape artist got extra security straps and a tether that attached to two different points because OF COURSE.
Sterling in the fourth—the climber got reinforced sides because he’d definitely try to scale whoever was carrying him.
Onyx in the fifth—the sleepy one got extra padding because he’d probably nap through the whole ordeal.
River in the sixth—the gentle one got the lightest carrier because he’d never fight or struggle, just trust that his mother knew what was best.
