Chapter 20: CHAPTER IX – Progeny of Conflict: Prelude

R208 and his fellow Reptilia Series had much difficulty trying to herd the mother iron hoof and her two calves back to their gates. They only brought two great shields, leaving their other two behind to have spikes mounted on them, but they really needed one for each animal. 

It took them awhile, and strategy is not their strong point. After much trial and error, they found if they spread out and made a line, they could slowly herd the animals where they wanted them. It was effective, and they had just broken the tree line to demihome, and F120 was waiting for their arrival.

As soon as F120 saw the scale squad herding the iron hooves through the trees towards her, she scooped up her shadow garm pup and hurried inside to let everyone know that R208 and company had returned.

Having drawn a crowd at the prospect of capturing iron hooves, the containment pen went up faster than he had suspected, and many were excited to help as they learned of R208’s return. The gates were open wide, and all the onlookers were hidden as the iron hooves were pushed to Demihome, where numerous reinforcements awaited to help herd them into the recently built pen.

R208 raised his shield up triumphantly as they made their way through the gates and cheered victoriously. He turned to the turtle next to him and asked, “You’re a rather formidable hunter, R248, yet you are modest. Our guests remind me of you. Have you spoken to them much? You must get along like sisters!” He insisted.

“Why would I be their sister? It’s you and the Eminent that are so taken with them!” R248 answered with a snort. “Besides, they’re even scrawnier than the Aves, how can I expect them to watch my shell?”

“Hey!” F120 shouted from down low. “They’re good people! You’re just mad that R208 gives them so much attention!”

R248 gasped in surprise, and turned her embarrassment into anger as she quickly charged at the young cat girl, “Why you! I dare you to get closer and say that!”

R020 had jumped back when the angry turtle rushed her, responding, “Gladly!” As she ran circles around the turtle, teasing her for being jealous.

 

Rhystea quickly handed her drink to Sphaere, who accepted it without thinking “You must be the little brother!” Rhystea gushed as she marched over to him and scooped him up, much to both his and Sphaere’s surprise.

“What in the, put me down!” Devose demanded.

Both girls gasped. “You can talk!” Rhystea noted in surprise.

“And I say again, put me down!” Devose doubled down on his demands.

“No!” Rhystea argued as she hugged him tightly.

Devose was taken by surprise. He could feel his guard starting to melt, and started pushing against her. “Put me down this instant!” He demanded.

“If I do that, do you promise not to fight your brother?” Rhystea tried reasoning with him.

Sphaere stood there, holding both drinks and Cekell, who didn’t seem to notice what the big deal was, while Sphaere gawked at Rhystea’s boldness.

“It won’t be much of a fight.” Devose said as he stopped resisting.

“What’s your name?” Rhystea asked as she coddled him.

There was a pause before he answered, “Devose.”

“Do you need to fight him?” Rhystea inquired.

“I have a duty to fight him.” Devose answered, his resolve wavering.

“And why is that?” Rhystea continued grilling him.

There was a pause before Devose recalled. Prying her arms away, he slipped out of her grasp and landed with a thump.

“Ouch!” Rhystea cried out.

Before Devose could respond, Cekell leapt from Sphaere’s shoulder to the ground, and directed a malevolent hiss towards Devose. “He killed my mother!” Devose exclaimed as he materialized and brandished his weapon.

Nothing had threatened Cekell before, and for a moment he was at a loss. He turned back and looked at Sphaere before turning back and focusing on Rhystea. He leapt up and hung in the air. Lifting one hand up, a barrier was erected around Rhystea. He held up his other hand and another barrier formed around Sphaere. He slowly held his arms straight out from his sides, then seemed to strain as he started to force his hands towards each other. The ground underneath each girl's feet was slowly pushed together until the barriers merged and they were contained in the same spot.

Cekell gently floated to the ground and confidently strutted up next to Devose. Neither of them directly looked at the other as they glared at each other through their peripherals. Cekell barked out an angry chirp.

“They’re not the ones that murdered mother.” Devose stated with an almost placid fury, he was all but restraining himself from lunging.

“Ya don’ hafta do this!” Sphaere yelled at them from within Cekell’s barrier.

“But they do.” Verakry stated as the shadow robed figure materialized between the girls inside of Cekell’s barrier. “Either he pulls Deacon from the Umbral Point, or one shall devour the other. Maybe both. We shall know soon enough.”

“Jus’ what’re these Astral an’ Umbral Points?” Sphaere asked angrily.

“Ancient relics utilized in a failed attempt to end a war that cost us the best of both sides.” Verakry responded.

“They’re what?” Rhystea inquired.

“Are you familiar with chemistry?” Verakry replied after a short mental debate. “I must admit, it’s a new concept to me, but I have received sufficient explanation since meeting your kind.”

“Yea, not my strongest subject, but I’m familiar with the fundamentals.” Rhystea answered.

“My kind, Umbrals, are made of nothing but protons, antielectrons and neutrons. The Astrals are composed solely of electrons, antiprotons and neutrons. When our kind are exposed to each other, a violent chemical reaction takes place. Because of this, there has long been a war between our kinds. There have been a few of us that tried to find a way to bridge the gap, and in doing so we lost too much. Far too much.” Verakry divulged.

“Wait, my understanding of chemistry is that you can’t have a stable, charged molecule, how is that possible?” Rhystea asked the first in a long line of questions.

“There’s more to it than that. We are a super dense substance, not unlike dark matter. Our gravity stabilizes our positive charge; and likewise, our positive charge keeps our gravity from turning us into black holes. Astrals achieve a similar effect with magnetic forces, conductivity and their innate negative charge. They’re like a condensed lightning storm is the best way I can describe it.” Verakry elaborated.

“So you’re essentially trying to broker a peace between light and dark…?” Rhystea asked her next question.

“Ah! Yes, I like that analogy! It’s not that either side truly wants to fight, it’s just that we simply cannot come into contact without disastrous consequences. A few visionaries from both sides finally managed to build up a form of communication in an attempt to find a way that we could meet each other without destroying one another. They attempted to manipulate a particle’s charge… and failed. At great cost.” Verakry continued.

“So wait, your kind attempted literal alchemy?” Rhystea inquired further.

“That was just the first step. That’s where we produced the substance you know as mana, but simply converting the charge was insufficient when it came to living beings. You have to convert the body without altering the soul, which can only be done by disconnecting the two. We could separate a soul from a body easily enough, but reconnecting the two? We paid a steep price for our hubris.” Verakry ridiculed.

“Wait so alchemy was the easy part, and you blundered at what essentially boils down to reviving the dead? All to broker a peace between light and dark? What does that make us to you?” Rhystea kept asking.

“Talkative. Look, it’s starting to get interesting, and your shield could only draw Legatus from the void for an instant, I can’t afford to miss Deacon. Let us watch now and talk later.” Verakry insisted.

Sphaere had been silently listening to their conversation, only slightly comprehending something about the forces of good and evil trying to make nice. She turned her focus to the warborn outside the barrier who were currently clashing. Her eyes went wide.

 

“Hear that, brother? We don’t have to fight. I guess you do have the option of surrendering, but know that you will not be spared. Either way, it’s not them I’m after. If you think you can take me on while focusing your defenses elsewhere…” Devose held his weapon straight out in front of him before finishing, “You might regret it later.”

Cekell argued with a confident chirp.

“You’ll eat those words!” Devose spat out as he slashed hard at his side where Cekell was without turning to look.

Cekell placed up a small barrier between them and didn’t look as Devose’s weapon tore through the small barrier as though it were wet tissue paper. Devose caught him in the neck and sent him flying through the trees.

Devose turned and faced the direction he had launched Cekell. Holding his weapon out behind him with both hands, he prepared another great swing. “Going to take me seriously now?” Cekell charged him with a defiant chirp. Devose swung and this time Cekell layered three barriers, and again Devose tore through them like they weren’t even there, and bat Cekell back into the trees. “And how, pray tell, can I give you a reason to take me seriously?” Devose countered, adopting the same stance he had a moment ago.

Cekell again charged him, this time with a sharp, bantering chatter. Again, Devose swung. This time Cekell layered five barriers, and each one had a slight arch to it. Again Devose shattered each of them, but this time when the weapon reached Cekell, it only had enough force to knock him to a knee.

“We’ll see if I can’t!” Devose bellowed, lifting his weapon above his head, he brought it down with all his might.

Cekell layered five barriers again, this time instead of an arch, they came to a point. Devose shattered several of them, but his blow was deflected and did not reach Cekell, who let out another defiant chirp.

“Don’t get cocky yet, we’re just getting started!” Devose leapt into the air and brought his weapon down, but it’s shape had been altered to something resembling an axe.

Cekell layered six pointed barriers this time, but Devose smashed right through them. His weapon sunk deep into Cekell’s shoulder, who just glared back at him as he received the blow, liquid silver spurting out and spraying the ground around him.

“Is that all you’ve got?” Devose asked with a hellish grin.

Cekell answered by holding an arm out, and a small barrier formed in a way that made it appear as though Devose’s weapon had stabbed through Cekell’s barrier. He let out a confident chirp.

Devose pulled to recall his weapon, but couldn’t dislodge it. Trying harder got him no further. He growled before dispersing his weapon, and in that instant, Cekell sprang forward to attack and Devose’s eyes went wide as he received the blow, a clean hit to his jaw. Devose was knocked to the ground and it was Cekell’s turn to chirp haughtily. 

Devose roared and hopped to his feet as his armor materialized around him. He charged forward, but with his lack of speed, his blows would not find purchase. Cekell chirped confidently and closed his eyes. Devose got clever and mid swing on his next attack, where Cekell would have narrowly avoided it, a spike burst out of the armor on his arm and swiped Cekell across the chest. “Thought you could see me coming with your eyes closed?” Devose antagonized. Cekell chirped back haughtily.

“This will leave more than just a scratch!” Devoses reared back, altering his dark matter into something akin to a spear and lunged forward with a stab that pierced straight through Cekell’s chest, who chirped confidently having received the blow. More liquid silver spattered to the ground.

“Then show me!” Devose yelled back at him. Cekell began emitting a high pitch ringing sound as he used molecular vibration to heat up the weapon that skewered his chest. Adopting a glow, it ceased to be dark matter.

His hand sizzled before Devose relinquished his weapon. He attempted to disperse it, but a confused look spread across his face. Converting the dark matter into Purelight, Cekell compressed it into a bead that floated out at the end of his hand, slowly crawled up to his shoulder along his arm, held in place by magnetic forces. He let out a confident chirp.

“Then show me how to properly use it!” Devose roared as he started to lunge. He was stopped mid step as Cekell raised his arm and launched the Purelight round by using his arm like a rail gun. There was a sonic boom followed by a gust of wind as the round screamed through the atmosphere at a speed several times that of sound.

There was a loud, dull humming as the barrier covering the area gave way to the attack that reverberated throughout its entirety. It took a moment to stabilize, repair and return to normal capacity. A silent moment passed by before Cekell let out a taunting chirp as he made it rain. Devose grit his teeth before producing another dark bead and expanding it to a weapon. “No more words!” He yelled as he initiated his assault.

Cekell chirped defiantly and stopped Devose cold in his tracks as a barrier materialized that engulfed a cross section of his weapon, pinning it in place. Having waited for this moment, He drove an attack hard into Devose’s shoulder that sent him smashing into the barrier containing the girls and Verakry.

“Well, I guess this was just a futile act of feeding the Umbral Point to the Astral Point after all.” Verakry stated, who found it to be very, “Disappointing.”

Devose glared up at him with furious eyes, but otherwise lay in defeat. Cekell slowly approached him.

“What? No! Cekell, that’s enough!” Rhystea cried out.

“Ya don’ hafta keep hurtin’ ‘im!” Sphaere added.

Devose looked up at them, face twisted between disgust and anguish. Cekell kneeled down beside him, chirped arrogantly, and slammed his fist into Devose’s chest. He wrapped his hand around the Umbral Point that lay where Devose’s heart would be, were he human. Devose’s eyes went wide, offering no further resistance, he resigned himself to his fate.

Rhystea and Sphaere pleaded for Cekell to stop. Cekell let out a piercing hawk scream before ripping his hand out of Devose’s chest… leaving the Umbral Point within him. Standing and flicking the liquid mana off his hands and at Devose, Cekell let out a chirp as if to gloat over his victory, and dropping his barrier, leapt up onto Rhystea’s shoulder. Snatching him off of her shoulder, Rhystea tied him up in an embrace. “You didn’t take his life away from him! You’re not a murderer, and you’re not a weapon! You’re MY little shield!”

“Way to show ‘im who’s boss, Ceke!” Sphaere added.

Verakry intently watched in silence.

“This isn’t over!” Devose cried out, climbing slowly to his feet. 

“You can barely stand, why are you doing this?” Rhystea tried pleading to his wounds as Cekell wrestled himself from her grip and climbed back up on her shoulder, he glowered down at Devose. 

“And in a moment I’ll be whole and back into the fray.” Devose declared, taking a moment to summon a black bead and formed it into a slender and narrow weapon that he grabbed the ends of with each hand. The weapon disconnected in the middle, and gave him a short instrument for each hand.

“There’s nothin’ ta be gained from doin’ this!” Sphaere appealed to his sense of reason. 

“Are you going to make me point my weapon at them? You’ve taken half of my family, maybe I’ll take half of yours.” Devose threatened, paying heed to naught but his own sense of retribution.

Rhystea opened her mouth to respond, but fell silent as her shoulder went numb. Static lifted her hair as lightning crawled down her back. Her knees went weak and she started feeling heavy. She couldn’t move the arm Cekell had been perched on. Something different about the warborn as he casually leapt off her shoulder as she buckled and crumpled to the ground.

Sphaere was close enough that she too could feel the wave of energy expand from Cekell’s tiny body. She wanted to say something to stop him, but her words were not heard. At the moment she cried them out, Cekell raised his hand into the air and called a bolt of lightning down to it. Then a second, followed by a third. He cloaked himself in raw lightninig.

Cekell, wreathed in wrath, held a hand out towards Devose, who responded by holding his weapons out and to the ready, as if preparing to receive an attack. Cekell curled his hand back slightly, as if beckoning for something; and as if to answer an invisible call, one of Devose’s weapons was torn from his hand as it flew to Cekell.

Cekell caught it, but not with his hands. Holding both his arms out at about 45 angles. Leaning forward, his tendril reached over the top of the weapon; which levitated just in front of him as if it were standing on an invisible surface.

The weapon did not stay still for long, and started rotating. Slowly at first, but picking up momentum it rotated faster and faster. It wasn’t long before a distinct droning could be heard as it whipped through the air. The foliage and brush in the area started to stir, and began dancing in the wind, before slowly bending back and away from it’s fury.

Rhystea slowly rose back to her feet, and tried to swallow down a growing knot that had lodged itself in her throat. “Ya better ‘pologize, ‘r ‘e’s gonna serve up some o’ that regret, ya was yellin’ ‘bout earlier.” Sphaere advised, sharply.

Electricity was arcing between Cekell’s arms and tendril, occasionally leaping to and from the swiftly revolving attack he had prepared. Devose stood vigilantly as he formed another short weapon so that he once again held a pair.

Rhystea still hadn’t found her words when Sphaere cried out from behind him, “Oi! Cekell! That’s enough! Yer scarin’ poor Rhystea; an’ if that actually hits anything ‘round ‘ere, ya really might change the scenery.”

Not getting the reaction she wanted, she lobbed one of the cups of tea she had been holding onto at him. It was sucked into the rotating weapon as though it were a jet engine, and promptly sprayed out towards Devose. Cekell turned and looked at her as if to confirm whether or not she was indeed for real.

“Don’chu change the scenery!” Sphaere was cross. “That’s a bad Cekell! Bad!” She scolded. Cekell was staring at Sphaere, baffled, and away from Devose, who took the opportunity to rush the distracted warborn. Sphaere’s eyes went wide as she cried out to Cekell, who curiously cocked his head to the side. 

Cekell, reacting as though he had an eye in his outstretched tendril, sent the rotating weapon forward aiming to pulverize Devose’s; who jumped and only had his waist and below shredded. The weapon’s inertia carried it forward and shortly into the trees, where it blasted a rather large crater into the ground. 

Having braced himself for the blow, the upper part of Devose’s body continued a bit further, just far enough for him to throw one of his weapons and catch Cekell in the chest. Devose’s body hit the ground and he lay prone a short distance in front of Cekell. He quickly reached a closed fist out towards Cekell and abruptly opened his palm.

Cekell was already pulling the weapon from his chest as spines jet out from it in all directions, but even with the wound it initially left, the hewn, silvery flesh quickly weaved back together. There wasn’t a trace of where it had been in the middle of his chest, not far from the scar their father had left. Cekell stepped forward and plunged it into Devose’s chest, pinning him to the ground. Devose took a swipe at him with his remaining weapon, and Cekell lifted a leg and stomped down hard on Devose’s shoulder.

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Cekell reached down as he pressed his weight into Devose’s shoulder and pried the weapon from Devose’s hand. Cekell stood over him silently, giving Devose’s defeat a chance to set in. “Pulling myself back together is what father personally taught me. Finish this, or it won’t be over.” Devose spat up at Cekell as the liquid silver splattered across the area had already begun to pool.

Cekell made no sound as he fell hard to his knees, letting gravity pull him down. Leaning forward, he shifted his weight so he would land on his fist as he slammed it back into Devose’s chest. Again latching onto the Umbral Point, and again he ripped his hand out of grievous wound; but this time his hand emerged to reveal not mercy, but instead a small white cube. 

Devose was stunned, but… not dead. This only urged him to pool himself together with a focus on haste. Cekell slowly squeezed his fist down on the Umbral Point he was angrily clenching.  Removing his foot from over Devose’s shoulder, Cekell stepped back and peered coldly down at him with what’s-next? Written in his eyes.

Keeping one weapon at the ready, Devose lashed out with the other, aiming for Cekell’s ankle. Cekell rotated at his waist, as if held in place by an invisible force. His feet shot back and upwards, narrowly missing the attack; simultaneously, Cekell’s upper half shot down.

Cekell had welled energy up in the hand not containing the Umbral Point and was reaching out to attack. Devose was waiting for this moment, and he thrust his other hand he had kept at the ready - that he had been focusing his dark matter into. Not only was his stab swift, but his weapon expanded rapidly as it cut through the air towards Cekell’s face.

Cekell was not prepared for a thrust of this speed, and had to block with both hands. A snap emanating from the Umbral point in his hand rang out from the ensuing impact. Both of them froze, and Cekell’s eyes went wide as he was slowly drawn in to the object clenched within his fist.

Both girls looked on in horror, even Devose recoiled in surprise. Cekell snapped to focus and started to resist. There was a short moment before a curious look overtook Cekell. Relaxing, he turned to Sphaere and Rhystea then nodded with a chirp before relinquishing himself to the Umbral Point.

A small black pyramid fell to the ground as the small white cube hung in the air a moment before expelling a pitch black, shadow enshrouded substance, not unlike that which Verakry was composed of. Expanding into a standing being that was holding onto the Umbral Point, which gave a slight bow. “Greetings. I am-” the being started only to be cut off. 

“Deacon!!” Verakry exclaimed in exaltation. “Deacon!” Verakry cried out again, rushing forward and falling to the ground at Deacon’s feet. “It’s been so long! I never believed it was possible, but I never gave up trying!” Without lifting it’s head, Verakry picked up the Astral Point that lay on the ground and offered it up.

Deacon reached down and accepted the black pyramid object. “Verakry…” Deacon said softly, before turning it’s focus to the Astral Point and sharply inquiring, “Legatus?”

“He’s still inside the Astral Point. I’ve met with the Astral, but only for the briefest of moments. I don’t know if you have long, but I want you to know this isn’t the end. I’ll find a way to bring you back if it’s the last thing I do, I swear it!” Verakry stated, still groveling at Deacon’s feet.

“Why are you still on the ground my friend? And what is this marvelous little creature? It was like mana, but with a will of its own!” Deacon stated as it leaned forward and placed a hand on Verakry’s shoulder.

“It is a being composed of mana, but modeled after them.” Verakry stated as he raised his head and looked at Sphaere and Rhystea. There was a pause before it rose to it’s feet. 

“Ahh, you must be the little sparks he asked me to watch over in agreement for letting me borrow his presence. Worry not, for I will return your owner after speaking with my friend.” Deacon turned away from them, ignoring their questions of ownership; and faced Devose, who had mostly pooled himself together and was wobbly as he rose to his feet. 

“This one appears injured, and the other remarked that it might try and harm one of his sparks. Can it behave, or does it need to be restrained?” Deacon posed his question to Devose. Without a word, the injured warborn turned and started slowly limping away, as one of his legs hadn’t completely reformed.

Turning it’s focus back to Verakry, Deacon continued with, “Then we’ve some time, my friend. We did indeed fail in our attempts, but do you realize what we have created?”

“Judging by the way it pulled you in upon its creation, and taking into account what it takes to be inverted, my best guess is a pocket of anti-space… but how is that possible?” Verakry deduced.

“We didn’t find a way to reconnect the soul, merely a way to contain it. Where better to store a soul than, quite literally, nowhere!” Deacon stated with something resembling amusement.

“There by pulling it out of existence without damaging it, in such a way that it can be returned as though it never left… I admit, it was a theory we had. But, reproducing it is impossible, and it’s not like we can study anti-space… how do we fix this?” Verakry posed it’s question, concerned.

“Well, the anti-space that was created in conjunction with containing our soul won’t be easily undone. They will be heavily intertwined.” Deacon stated. Verakry paused, lost in thought. “And yet, here I am.” Deacon continued.

Verakry froze. “Which proves it’s possible, but doesn’t offer much in the way of achieving any more than a temporary solution.”

“I think that’s something you can leave up to your little one. When I asked him to hold the anti-space for me, I could tell he was excited to get the chance to explore it… He says it’s making him cold though, we don’t have much longer I’m afraid.” Deacon looked sad as it uttered the words. “I don’t want to be a burden on him, and he was kind enough to grant me my request. You know right where I’ll be, Verakry. I do not doubt you, my friend.”

Verakry winced as if having been wounded. “Finding the shortcomings of either yourself or Legatus is one thing… overcoming them, though…” 

“Is that the attitude that got you this far?” Deacon retorted as the Umbral Point started to draw it in. It held a hand out to Verakry, who took it as well as the Astral Point it held.

“This moment was but a tease. My goal taunts me. One way or another, I’ll tear down your anti-space prison!” Verakry declared.

“What more than anti-space could come between us?” Deacon answered, disappearing into the Umbral Point. Cekell slowly reformed, materializing around the Umbral Point as it bled out the mana that composed his body. Regaining his bearings, he shuddered and charged Rhystea. Panic stricken at his urgency, Rhystea held her arms wide to receive him. She let out a gasp as Cekell wrapped himself around her neck. He wasn’t choking her, but he was freezing cold and she was not expecting that. “Ohmygoodness!” She exhaled all at once, eyes wide.

“What’s wrong?” Sphaere was worried.

“He’s freezing cold!” Rhystea enlightened her.

“Oof, yea, had ‘nough o’ that. Gonna hafta get ‘im a jacket ‘r somethin’, ain’t we?” Sphaere suggested.

“I don’t think that will help.” Rhystea expressed her exacerbation. 

“Well I’d offer ya back yer cup o’ tea fer ‘im ta stick ‘is hands in… but I might have thrown it earlier.” Sphaere admitted as she took an excruciatingly blatant sip from her own cup.

Verakry approached Rhystea, holding it’s hand out to offer her the Astral Point. “Looks like you’ve proven me wrong yet again. Indeed I do hope we can continue this streak. I leave him, and this, in your charge.”

“Why can that one talk, but our’s cain’t? Is ‘e… ya know…” Sphaere blurted out without thinking before fumbling with her words.

“Interesting. Devose scanned the memories of his caretaker and managed to speak hours after he was born. That Cekell hasn’t learned to talk from you would suggest there is still significant distrust towards others.” Verakry explained.

“He can… No. You know what? I’m just not surprised anymore.” Rhystea stated as she unwrapped Cekell from around her neck. “He really does warm up quickly, but wow, at first that was just awful cold.”  Cekell peered up at Rhystea intently as she cradled him in her arms. “You’ll talk when you’re ready to talk, won’t you little one? Yes you will!” Rhystea assured him. 

“Well ‘e ain’t NOT been inpulsive with everythin’ else ‘e does, why wouldn’ ‘e jus’ randomly decide ta start talkin’?” Sphaere said with a shrug.

“Impulsive.” Rhystea corrected as she adjusted her glasses.

Ignoring Rhystea, Sphaere turned her gaze on Verakry, and admitted, “I ain’t gonna pertend I understood anythin’ ya’ve been sayin’, but, I gotta ask. Are ya an alien ‘r somethin’?”

If Verakry had eyes, they would have blinked in the face of the girl’s brash thoughtlessness. “That’s not an incorrect assessment, I might even prefer it over being compared to a demon, as the majority of your kind have summed mine up as. Calling my kind foreign to your’s would be an understatement. I’m not a biological lifeform, in fact, by the standards of humanity, I’m not really even alive, but more of a sentient metal.”

Sphaere didn’t know what to make of his answer. Pretending she understood it, she turned her focus to Cekell and announced, “That means yer a half alien! That explains… purdy much everything!”

“I have much to ponder, It won’t be long before I come to ascertain his growth. Until then.” Verakry said as the shadow shrouded figure vanished from their field of view.

“Gah!” Rhystea exclaimed.

“What now?!” Sphaere said, startled.

“I had like a million more questions for him.” Rhystea confessed with a sigh.

“Ya already asked ‘im a million questions!” Sphaere insisted with a laugh.

“Well, at least now we can give the good news to the good doctor!” Rhystea announced with a smile.

“E’ jus’ got started on fixin’ up ‘is daughter. Let’s give ‘im a day.” Sphaere insisted. “‘Sides, I’m bettin’ ‘e was observin’ most o’ it on one o’ them monitors ‘e’s got.”

“Well, back to Demihome for now, then?” Rhystea inquired.

“Yea.” Sphaere said as she started back in that direction. “Let’s check the bug sitchy-ation on the way back, an’ maybe go see the barrier later.” Sphaere suggested.

“As many as we’ve gotten rid of today, I hope we never see them again!” Rhystea stated.

“Tellamar aside, I wonder how many other people are here. All that science equipment should have scientists ta go with it. An’ they had livin’ quarters an’ food stocked fer lots o’ people.” Sphaere recalled.

“Oh yea, I still haven’t gotten to talk to you about what I learned from A212. I think Scientists make monthly checks on them, but I need to talk to some of their elders to confirm.” Rhystea explained.

“With all yer fancy scribblin’s, ya thank ya could make a bed ‘r somethin’ fer us ta sleep on?” Sphaere requested with disinterest. 

“Definitely something to look into if we’re going to be spending another night here. Wow, for that to be the most pressing issue, we’ve really come a long way!” Rhystea said, thinking back to the few day's journey they had behind them.

“We have some stuff worth pickin’ up from the transport, too.” Sphaere stated, and a devious smile came across her face, “I wanna innerduce coffee ta the scaleheads.”

Rhystea just scoffed at her, both for what she was saying as well as how she said it. They had a nice long walk ahead of them that came with a long talk. They were in this for the long haul, and they had no idea how long that would be. They agreed they wouldn’t abandon Cekell, not that he would have allowed it.

It wasn’t too long before they came across A212, who got to share his experience with the talking warborn. He was so excited to tell them that they waited until he was finished to announce that Cekell had already knocked some sense into Devose.

With A212, they had even more to talk about as Rhystea got him to confirm everything he had told her as she conveyed what she knew about the Observers to Sphaere. Sphaere was only too excited to nod her head up and down as she ignored the lesson. 

Cekell fell asleep in Rhystea’s arms. He had quite the workout today, but now that he had the Umbral Point inside him in place of the Astral Point, and he had a lot to learn about it. He needed to figure out how to use dark matter before he could apply it to his barriers, but that would have to wait until he could find a moment when he wasn’t busy being held.

Together, they made their way back to Demihome. They were curious how R208 fared with his hunt and wondered if R010 could put together a suitable pen for whatever they might have managed to capture. 

Upon their return to Demihome, they surveyed the newly acquired livestock as well as the containment that had been cobbled together. Knowing a thing or two about caring for and tending to animals, Sphaere took it upon herself to pass on such knowledge. She was excited to find that the two youngling iron hooves were still nursing, and that meant the momma was producing milk. She found her place in Demihome, and all it lacked was the rest of her family.

Having watched her take charge of the animals, Rhystea decided that she’d leave ‘tomorrow’ in Sphaere’s hands while she focused on ‘today.’ Taking it upon herself to make a better ‘today,’ she worked with numerous forager models to find materials she could use for amenities, such as something to use for a bed to sleep on for their remaining nights there. 

It was later in the evening before the girls would meet back up at the gate to watch the sun set. Cekell had fallen into a deep sleep, and while he barely stirred, he never let go of Rhystea. They had decided to go check out the barrier tomorrow, and Rhystea wanted to prepare the gate defenses just in case Demihome was swarmed with insects while they were gone.

Rhystea was at the upper level of the gate, which had recently received a work table at her request. She was scratching away at some smaller, hand sized rocks. She had decided they were effective enough and safer to leave activated, but wanted a stock of them so she could have some gate guards practice with her homemade ordinance. Upon announcing these plans, every scalekin that didn’t have a carapace backpack volunteered for guard duty, along with numerous other demis who knew what Rhystea’s rocks could do - included a few of the Aves!

The sun had just met the horizon when Sphaere ascended the stairs to the upper level of the gate and approached Rhystea and R010. “Wow, ‘e still sleepin’? It’s almost been concernin’ not hearin’ ‘im squawking an’ blastin’ thangs!”

“Yea, I don’t think he’s made a sound since we got back, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t even wake up when he projected his barrier for at the last shower. I don’t think it’s anything to worry about, at least I have no doubt that he’ll be back to his normal rambunctious self in no time and we’ll be missing this calm!” Rhystea announced with a laugh as she set the rock she had been working on down and picked up another. 

Rhystea was nearly finished with her quota of four dozen small etched rocks when she spotted F120 out and about as she tended to her garm pup, Lucky. She called out to the young cat girl, who came running to answer that call. 

“Did you need something?” F120 called up from the ground.

“Could you go get A212 for me? Tell him it won’t take long, but I had something for him and his scouts.” Rhystea responded.

“Okay~” F120 chimed as she turned and darted off back into Demihome.

“With as many as you’ve made, extending a hand to the Aves might not be a bad idea!” R010 commended her.

“Well, they don’t go out there in groups. These make for nice weapons, but they can do more, too. They’re plenty loud enough to use as a signal from a distance, or a distraction to give the Aves a moment to escape some of the craziness out there…” Rhystea paused before she looked up at the Reptilia Eminent. “And yea, a… not so small part of me would like to make reparations for that business with their previous Eminent.”

“Ahh, don’t be too hard on yourself. Even the Aves can’t deny that their last Eminent picked that fight with you, and it’s not like you broke any rules.” R010 assured her.

“You’re right, I didn’t break any of your rules.” Rhystea replied with a sigh. “But I have my own rules, too, and I don’t think killing should ever be an acceptable answer. No it wasn’t completely my fault he’s gone, but I did have a hand in it.”

R010 smiled softly at her, “If only everyone could burden themselves with such compassion. Your rocks would be mere toys, purposed with nothing more than giving us a reason to smile and cheer louder!” He folded his arms when he finished speaking, closing his eyes as he nodded for good measure.

Rhytea had finished her last etching, set it down and took a moment to ponder his words. Even Sphaere was taken aback by them. Noticing their silence, R010 opened his eyes to find them staring back at him with gentle smiles. “Ahem!” he coughed into his closed fist in an attempt to recompose himself.

“Yea, that’s the attitude we’re tryin’ ta instill in ‘im.” Sphaere insisted as she turned her focus to Cekell. Turning her attention to Rhystea, she asked, “May I hold ‘im fer a li’l while?”

“Sure!” Rhystea said as she started to slowly unwrap Cekell from around herself, trying to be careful not to rouse him, but Cekell didn’t much like being peeled away, and groggily chirped his discontent.

“Oi! Ya’ve been glued ta ‘er arm fer hours now, give ‘er a break!” Sphaere snapped back at him, “‘Sides, it’s my turn!”

A212 had left the cave and was ascending the stairs to find out what Rhystea wanted. Cekell stretched and let out something of a yawn, but otherwise offered no resistance as he was passed to Sphaere. “There’s my li’l guy!” Sphaere gushed as she tied him up in her arms.

“You needed me for something?” A212 asked as he approached.

“Ahh, yes, you mentioned you used one of these in your encounter with Devose, right?” Rhystea asked as she turned and held her hands out over half of the rocks she had been etching sigils into and activated them with the command, “Boom.” She smiled as she said the word halfheartedly, almost sarcastically.

“That is correct. It didn’t do much to Devose, but I believe that they would proven rather effective against anything else, those insects included.” A212 gave his opinion.

Cekell was still stretching, even as he lay in Sphaere’s grip. She found it amusing, the way a curl would crawl down his tendril as he stretched even that. “Aww!” She gushed as she squeezed down tightly on him while he continued stretching.

“I’d like your scouts to have some whenever they venture beyond the gate. Can you please, please, please,” Rhystea could not stress this enough, “make sure they don’t blow their own feet off?” She handed him a container to transport the rocksplosives with, and started filling it up, one rock at a time. A212 stare at her as his beak fell open.

“Well we cain’t afford ta lose even one o’ yer awesome scouts! ‘Sides, scribblin’ on rocks is ‘er specialty!” Sphaere stated with a laugh. Cekell had mostly woken up in her arms. He was feeling pretty good as, for some reason, expanding his chest with a yawn and clenching his body every so often was a very relaxing destresser, especially after having just awoken. 

Curious as to what she was doing, Cekell aimed his probe at Rhystea, and stretched his tendril to investigate. The container A212 was holding was nearly filled as Rhystea was loading it with the last few rocksplosives she had etched and activated for him. She was reaching up to place one there, when Cekell looked directly at her, and called out, “Ritsy.”

Rhystea stopped on a dime, turned and gawked at him as she dropped her jaw. Cekell reeled his tendril in and aiming all of his attention at Sphaere, called out, “Ray.” Her jaw fell too, and there was a moment of silence as everyone peered curiously at Cekell.

This moment was shattered when Ritsy did the unthinkable, and dropped her armed rocksplosive. Time seemed to slow down, and even Cekell watched it drop with an outstretched tendril. Rhystea’s heart sank like an iron bomb. 

Everyone gasped, but no one would hear them. As the rock crashed into the crude flooring at their feet, it anticlimactically shattered and sprayed gravel and pebbles back up, almost reaching Rhystea’s waist as it fizzled into a disappointing dud. Cekell sang out his new favorite words, “Ritsy, Ray; Ray, Ritsy; Ritsy, Ritsy; Ray, Ray~” as he felt the urge to slam his hands together.

Everyone focused their attention on a stunned Rhystea, who was attempting to dislodge her heart from her throat. “Apparently, if the impact is weak, it’s not threatening…” She expertly deduced. “That’s good info, and now I don’t need worry nearly as much!” With a relieved look and a red face, she quickly placed the last few rocks in the container A212 held onto with an iron grip.

Everything was right with the world as everyone laughed and Cekell sang. No one noticed the darkness swirling within him, not from the Umbral Point or otherwise.

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