The Tintilinić known as Ljubljana

It wasn’t until Peter returned to the town square that he fully understood what he had released upon the world. Where the cathedral once sat was reduced to nothing but a crater, with 6 dragon heads looming from out of it. They were like a hydra, with long outstretched necks and held the reptilian faces and snouts of a creature so grand in scale that Peter knew it to be simply futile to try and handle as a krsnik. Each of its long necks were made of different colored scales, forming its own makeshift rainbow and heaved as if each one’s breath was infused with different elements of fire, ice, electricity. The green one in the center bit and barked at the others, who all lashed at each other, as if they had a mind of their own.

Sir Sir Bošnjak and his men cowered in the town square, unsure what to do as they came face to face with the horrendous being in front of them. The green head in the center opened its mouth not to breath flames but speak. “I wish to see the krsnik.”

Another one of heads croaked, “To kill.”

“To thank.”

“To dominate.”

“To save.”

The hydra's green head nipped at the other talking heads, which bellowed out that same piercing laughter that Peter had become all too familiar with. It appeared whatever Tinnie once seemed to be was no more. His own curse was broken, revealing his true form. Peter felt his blood freeze as the giant green head picked him out from the courtyard and leaned in, dwarfing him in the process as the other heads closed ground, each one looking either ready to roast or eat him where he stood.

“Your family spared me, giving an oath to save Zemliharos in its greatest hour of need after fending off the striga from Ragusiic. The debt is repaid, but what am I to do after.”

“Control it.”

“Burn it.”

“Enslave it.”

“Free it.”

Peter felt himself growing pale as the multiheaded beast looked to him for an answer. The crazed eyes of Tinnie shooting in every direction as they circled around him.

“You’re the idiot savant, I assume you already know.”

The heads stared at him blankly, before bursting into that uniformed, maniacal laughter he knew all too well. “That we do. Do not interfere or in our affairs again, krsnik, or we will not find our next meeting so amusing.”

The hydra lifted its body through the rubble and spread its wings, smashing several of the surrounding buildings. Several of the foot soldiers darted away in a panic as piles of rubble rained down from above them. Its oversized wings consumed the sky, almost giving an illusion of night once more, before the oversized dragon took off, heading towards the sea. Peter watched his former companion squinting up towards the sky until the creature was nothing more than a spec, enveloped over the sea’s horizon. While he knew the creature would be appeased for now, he knew it wouldn't be the last time he’d encounter what he once knew as Tinnie again. He hoped it wouldn't be for awhile, but the creature of chaos always found its way back to him.

Peter didn’t get long to consider what he had just unleashed upon the world, for Jakov was soon leading the survivors of Zemliharos out of the tower’s dungeons, and back into the light. Peter felt a disgusted horror upon seeing their malnourished and gaunt faces wincing at the light as it hit their eyes for the first time in weeks, their skin a ghastly pale with signs of infection all across their face, arms and legs. Many of them struggled to hold themselves upright and gripped onto each other to stay balanced. He recognized his Bailiff Stjepan, his once pudgy and rounded face completely oblong.

Jakov helped lead the discombobulated and stricken to their Lord, who then kneeled in front of Peter. “May Lord Petar Zrinski, Vojvoda of Zemliharos, Preveyor of Silver, savior of his people forever reign.”

His subjects soon followed suit, kneeling before him. While Sir Bošnjak and his men did not share in his feudal declaration, he stepped forward bowing in respect to the Vojvoda. Peter felt an overwhelming sense of relief and dread simultaneously overtake him. While he had fought so hard to keep his people alive and well, he never stopped to think what he’d do once they were free. Looking at the emaciated subjects and crumbling buildings around him. He figured it was a long way to go. But he was sure of one thing, this was his home now.