"Don't worry. I'll help twist the pup around and you'll be just fine. I've done this many times." Mother Asena crooned just before she stood up and removed the heavy cloak around her shoulders. With her top half covered in just a shorter leather vest, the older woman didn't have to roll up her sleeves before she got to work. Instead, she knelt at the foot of the bed in front of Lizzy and began working her hand into the birth canal.
Pain caused Lizzy to black out for a few moments as she felt her insides twist. She collapsed as one last contraction ripped through her and the baby was gently pulled from her.
"Wake up, dear. You can't sleep all day." A soft whisper filled her ears, rousing Lizzy from the blackness that had taken her. For a moment, the woman wondered if she was dead before the shock of a cold cloth bathing her skin brought her around. Mother Asena leaned over her, gently washing her face and arms with a motherly affection. "There you are. You did an amazing job and worked hard. Now, your children need you and I have some questions."
Lizzy grumbled, her arms moving to her waist where she felt a heavy fur draped across her body. She attempted to speak, but found her voice too hoarse to form words. Asena held a waterskin up to her lips, assisting her in drinking. "Where are they?"
Asena smiled gently, offering another sip to Lizzy from the waterskin. "Don't worry. I've shown Phantom how to take care of them while we waited for you to recover and come to. You haven't been out too long, but your babies are hungry."
Flashing blue squares lit up the corner of Lizzy's vision and she was tempted to open them and read what the system had to say before Mother Asena once again interrupted her train of thought. "Now, we need to discuss how you had pups so quickly. I've seen the Heavenly Space but I think there might be more to the story."
Lizzy bit her bottom lip, wondering just how much to trust the older woman with. She finally decided on something halfway between the truth and a carefully crafted set of lies. "Well, this first union was blessed. I have been given an ability that allows me to...uhm...increase the population quickly? I can't tell you much more without breaking the trust placed in me."
Mother Asena sat on the edge of the bed, peering at Lizzy with eyes tinged with wisdom. "You are telling me that you have been blessed by the gods?" At Lizzy's nod, she relaxed her shoulders. "That explains so much. The gods have given me a gift that allows me to see the potential of a child and yours have higher potential than I have seen in the tribe in many years. I won't question what tasks the gods have given you since that is not my place. But perhaps next time you give birth you will make sure someone is with you? If I'd been any later than I had been, you would not be here my dear."
There had been a desperation during those last few contractions that echoed what Asena was trying to tell her. She had no doubt that she was closer to dying in that moment than she had wanted to be. To her, it seemed that the older woman was also being oddly dismissive of what Lizzy had told her. Maybe gifts from the gods weren't as rare as she had anticipated in this world.
"Now, let's get those children fed!" Mother Asena rose to her feet, moving out into the main cavern.
While the elder was fetching her children, Lizzy took a peek at the shining blue boxes at the edge of her vision.
{Ding}
{Quest Complete: Build a Base}
{Reward: Basic Baby Package x number of offspring}
{2x Basic Baby Package have been deposited in your inventory}
{Ding}
{Congratulations, Contestant!}
{Not only have you survived giving birth, but you have taken the first step to having your own army in the upcoming Games.}
It was the next box that really shocked Lizzy the most.
{Achievement Unlocked}
{Multi-Birth Survived}
{Even though it was painful, you have survived your first multiple birth. This achievement is permanent and provides the following buff: "Survivor". This buff boosts healing speed.}
Lizzy smiled, closing her eyes. She could use a boost to her healing speed. Everything was hurting an exhaustion kept pulling her under. Soon, however, she heard Asena coming back with two crying babes. They were soon settled in her arms and she inhaled softly. Both babes looked like normal human babies, one with bright blue eyes and the other with golden ones. "A boy and a girl." Mother Asena mumbled, running fingers gently across the forehead of each. "Both with extreme potential for their elements. I would suggest starting to train them when they're old enough to maximize that potential."
"How can you tell?" Lizzy asked, a small frown crossing her face. Her identify skill didn't work on other people. She felt lost as she gazed down at the babies in her arms. You'd think that the system would have given her something better so she could have an easier time.
"One of the gifts that the gods have given me as matriarch of the village. I assess and assist with all births and then I can evaluate the babies to give the parents an idea of what to expect." Mother Asena pointed to the baby with golden eyes. "Your daughter has great potential for earth and light magic. You'll have to foster that one carefully. Light magic is exceptionally rare. Your son," she pointed to the babe with the glacier blue eyes, "has water magic. Not uncommon for a parent with earth magic to produce a magic with an element complementary to their own." The older woman picked up her cloak, settling it back across her shoulders. "Now, I must get back to the village before dark so I will leave you four to bond. Phantom was scared that he would lose you this soon after finally getting his mate. Be gentle with him."
Lizzy blinked slowly, nodding. She waited until Mother Asena left before opening her inventory to assess what was included in a basic baby package from the system.
What she saw shocked her into silence.