Chapter 5: CHAPTER VI – Misericorde

Rhystea had just set down to her task at a work table covered in numerous blades and mettle armaments at a crude smithy she was surprised to find. They were only too happy to supply her with a range of equipement in their excitement to see just what she did. She started etching, somehow every Reptilia there was silent, and the tension culminated when Sphaere came screaming in at Mach speed. Rhystea squealed out in surprise, and she wasn’t the only one.

Sphaere saw every scale head in the room snap to attention in surprise when she blew in like an actual whirlwind. “I jus’ saw ‘bout a dozen o’ them takin’ down a bison not too far from here, I’m gonna go check it out, jus’ thoughtcha should know!” She then shot out like a bolt of lightning to make good on her words.

Rhystea was still trying to come to terms with what she had just witnessed, both with Sphaere’s explosive speed, and the information she had imparted. “What’s a dozen?” Asked a lizardman, followed by another with, “What’s a bison?” 

Having already confirmed they were familiar with numbers, Rhystea still wasn’t surprised that they weren’t familiar with terms like ‘dozen.’ They had a rudimentary smithy, and they were rather well spoken for what they were. She answered their questions with, “A dozen is a term to denote twelve of something. I’m assuming that in this case, ‘them’ is referencing the insects. A buffalo is a great big hairy beast that walks on hooves that could turn any one of us into paste.”

An uncomfortable silence overcame them, that was broken with one of the scalekin asking, “You can make our weapons glow, can you set them on fire?”

Annoyed, Rhystea scoffed, “Yes, but how would you hold them?” There was a pause before she stated, “I don’t think a flaming sword for each of your hands is going to do you a lot of good if that many swarm us at once. What if there’s more still?”

“Flaming swords are better than nothing, we’ll take what we can get, please.” R010 insisted.

“Look, I’m not asking for you to just lie down. There are ways this can be done that don’t put your lives at risk.” Rhystea asserted herself.

With a pause, R010 asked, “What did you have in mind?”

“That depends on a few things, like how many entrances do you have that aren’t fortified with walls? I don’t suppose any of your men can use ranged weaponry - beyond simply throwing your weapon I mean.” Rhystea dug in.

“All entrances can be sealed aside from our Reptilian basking chamber, not counting those, the front is where we’re most vulnerable. That being said, how we would seal off the basking chamber is beyond me, that opening is just too big.” R010 answered with a frown, there was a short pause before he finished with, “The only Series that fights at a distance is the Aves, and I don’t know that you want to go to them to find out about their weaponry; as they are liable to show you just what they use, and exactly how they use it.”

“Ok then, I’ll need to keep projectiles simple. Making something I can pass off for someone else to use complicates things, I’ll need to be there to activate it for safety reasons, and that means I’ll set up at the gate.” Rhystea lost herself in thought for a moment before adding, “I think we can leave the cave’s interior to Sphaere and Cekell. You had just better be sure about the other entrances being sealed.”

“I’ll make sure everyone knows what’s out there. Most other entrances are for water and light, they’re not very big. There are a few larger ones, but having one of those is seen as a sign of strength, as the Series guarding them are it’s front line of defense. That’s why we have the biggest entrance to cover!” R208 chimed in with a confident and toothy smile.

“Ok, that means it's time to focus on simple ballistic weaponry. It would be a waste to use your mettle; you don’t exactly have a lot, so let's go with rocks. Get me as many as you can, preferably about the size of your head.” Rhystea’s worry had eased as she had formulated a plan. She couldn’t relax unless she had some plans prepared, even more so when a situation demanded much action.

“Rocks?” One of the scaleheads blurted out. 

“If you think a glowing sword is cool…” Rhystea paused to reposition her glasses for dramatic effect. “Oh you’re going to love what I can do with rocks.” An almost devious smile spread across her face, and she would not be questioned again until her orders had been fulfilled. Before she headed out, she finished with, “When you get them, take them to the gate. Speaking of- we need to fortify that as well as build an upper area where we can stand and throw these rocks down at them.” 

 

Sphaere all but flew along the ground, kicking hard to propel her feather lite body and gliding a short distance before again kicking off and launching herself onward, occasionally jumping up and over the trees to get her bearings. She felt herself getting close to her targeted destination and slowed down a bit to keep her volume down. She didn’t want to lose the element of surprise, and she didn’t want to confront them if she could avoid it. She was out solely for reconnaissance.

Making her way to a taller tree to use as a perch to pinpoint her target, she was quick to spot the insects leaving the animal they had just felled, they weren’t even eating it. The bigger insect was surrounded by the smaller ones as it slowly made off in the direction opposite of Demihome. 

Sphaere waited a few minutes, until they had made it a comfortable distance from the bison before she closed in to investigate. She arrived to find that the bison wasn’t dead, but wasn’t long for this world. The whole area was covered in it’s blood as the poor creature was covered in a plethora of gashes.

Quickly approaching it, she looked down into its defeated eyes. It was too weak to do anything but gasp for breath. “I’m sorry, all I have to offer is an end to your suffering.” The beast choked up blood as if trying to thank her. It lay its head at her feet and seemed to relax as it drew a long, deep, final breath. After one, last, exhale - more of a sigh of relief in truth - she took a mercy stroke with the blade she picked up shortly after she woke up in this place. The miserable creature’s suffering - and life - were at an end.

A single tear rolled down her cheek. “Damn them for making me do that!” Sphaere trembled and grit her teeth as she went to wipe the tear away, but Cekell stopped her. After examining her cheek with his probe, he let out a low, dull chirp. 

“Don’ worry, I know exactly how ya feel. We’ll make ’em pay.” Sphaere clenched her teeth as she wiped the tear away with her shoulder, and took off at full speed to catch up to the insects. She wanted to see where they were going.

 

Walking up to the gate, Rhystea was mapping out a sigil array in her head. She had decided on a less complex alignment that would take the energy from impact, from both sides of ‘for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction,’ and amplify them before directing them internally and slamming them together in order to turn rocks into fragmentation grenades. (Going to need to emphasize that they can’t drop one of these.) She thought to herself. (Going to need to heavily emphasize that they can’t drop one of these!)

Pointing to the top of the gate, Rhystea let R010 know that, “We need to build something at the top we can stand on. Doesn’t have to be real wide, but I’d like to be able to stack a pile of rocks up in a few places, then I can activate several of these at once.” She thought about one carelessly being carelessly knocked off the pile. It wouldn’t be as big of a bang as if it were thrown with force, but she hoped she wouldn’t have to find out.

“And we will stand up there and throw rocks at them… Intriguing.” R010 said, trying not to sound doubtful.

Rhystea leaned forward and picked up a hand sized rock off the ground, and started etching. She was going to test her array and blow away any doubt. Two birds with one rock. “If we can line them up in front of the gate, where they can’t reach us, and attack them from up there, where they can’t get to us, we win.” She stated matter-of-factly.

“And we won’t need rocks bigger than my head?” R010 inquired.

“Are you saying you have a small head?” Rhystea countered.

“I’m saying we have big enemies.” R010 retorted.

“Would you prefer glowing or flaming swords?” Rhystea shot back.

R010 didn’t respond immediately, instead he took a moment to think as he watched Rhystea work on her rock. After a couple minutes of watching and thinking, he finally answered, “I prefer understanding the plan that concerns the lives of more than just my Series.”

There was a short pause as Rhystea checked her work. With a smile, she handed it to him, instructing, “Throw it at something you don’t like.” Without hesitation, he hauled off to throw it at a passing Aves when Rhystea jumped up in alarm.

Noticing the spectacle, the Aves paused, looked them over and backed away slowly before turning and walking away muttering in irritation. “It was a joke!” R010 insisted. “Don’t you have to ‘activate’ it anyway?”

“Let’s test it outside the gates.” Rhystea answered sheepishly.

R010 silently led her through the gates and over to a nearby tree. Eyeing it from top to bottom, Rhystea spoke up, “I don’t like this one either. Let’s get rid of it!” She said with a confident smile.

R010 changed his gaze from the tree to Rhystea and back to the tree. He then looked down at the small rock in his large, scaly hand before offering it to the girl.

Taking it in one hand and placing the other over the top of it, Rhystea closed her eyes and commanded, “Boom!” and started to hand it back to R010 but paused partway. “I get that you think this is silly. Seeing is believing, after all. I just want you to see this, and then think about what’s going to happen if one of your men drops one of these.” With that she gingerly handed the etched rock over, and took a few steps back. 

R010 looked down at the rock in his hand. It was no ordinary rock, for this one had some strange symbols scratched into it. He took a deep breath and thought about the moment he saw the blade Rhystea had been scratching on light up. “Here we go!” He announced before launching the rock with all his might at the tree.

There was a sound not unlike a thunderclap as the rock met the tree, and a cloud of dust and shrapnel exploded forth. There was no pause before the tree buckled, cracked, and gave way to it’s on weight as it could no longer support itself. As it fell over with a thud and a few limbs crunching under the force of the fall, Rhystea turned to R010, who shouted so hard he inadvertently stood up on his tail as he made a guttural howl that would have made his son both proud and jealous.

Quickly snapping back to composure with an, “Ahem.” R010 calmly walked over to Rhystea’s side, placed his large scaly hand on her small shoulder and praised her with, “That was beyond impressive.” 

“So raining larger versions of that down upon the heads of your enemies doesn’t sound so bad after all?” She inquired with a smile and slight pause after which becoming very cross and demanding, “Don’t you dare let your men drop one of those!”

R010’s smile slowly faded as he took a deep breath. “Let’s see what we can do about fortifying that gate.” He quickly redirected.

 

Sphaere trailed a good distance behind the insects, there were a bunch of them and they weren’t moving very fast, but it wouldn’t be too much longer before it started getting dark and she wanted to see where they were going. With Cekell pushing her top speed, it wouldn’t take her long to get back to Demihome. There was a loud humming sound, and a barrier shot up around her. She smiled as she wondered how Rhystea was fairing as a heavy downpour crashed down around her.

Following them intently for a while longer, Sphaere witnessed them enter a peculiar hole in a great, out of place rock. There was little vegetation growing in it’s immediate area. After they had entered and given no sign of coming back out, she sighed, wondering how long she should wait to go investigate.

Tired of being cautious, she charged in and was surprised to find that the hole they entered was actually torn from the inside out; and that what she thought was a huge rock was in fact a cleverly disguised building. She didn’t need to go inside to tell it was man made, the torn wires and strewn insulation material as well as the metal made it obvious it wasn’t a natural structure. Seeing this made a knot rise up in her chest and the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Her body moved on it’s on, springing into action, she fled.

Sphaere didn’t have that far to go, not with Cekell clinging to her. She had found where the insects were coming from; and though it raised more questions than answers, she could at least be at peace with having done her part. 

Making her way to a tall tree and jumping hard for maximum height, she focused on Cekell. Brushing her hair out of the way, she him up on her shoulders and grabbed a hold of his feet, she held on to him tightly. Jumping from treetop to treetop in this manner, Cekell threw up his hands as they soared, and with excited chirping banter, embodied exactly how Sphaere felt as she pushed the worries from her mind and shot through the sky like an arrow.

Sphaere made it back to Demihome in less time than she had though, though she did try to make part of it a joy ride. Her heart grew heavy as she recalled ending the bison’s suffering, and her run dropped to a walk. It was brutalized and beaten to the brink of death, and left to suffer. It was a cruel act, and she clutched at her heart when she thought about what a dozen of them could do to Demihome.

Cekell wrapped his arms around her head and hugged her gently with a soft chirp and met her gaze with his probe. Cocking to one side, it looked at her almost questioningly. Sphaere realized this and sighed. “Okay, okay, no more mopin’ around!” She clapped her hands on her cheeks as if to wake herself from a daze. With a sense of urgency, she kicked hard and leapt clean over the front gate as Cekell threw his hands back into the air and chirped excitedly.

Flying over the top of the gate, she saw the lizardmen had been busy, they had been working on the gate and there was now an upper level from which one can see over the wall. The scalekin working up there dropped what they were doing and their jaws in surprise as Sphaere soared over their heads. She landed gently, and found herself not far from a stunned Rhystea, who appeared to have been busy scratching at a large rock at a table with many more rocks, all of a similar size.

Squeezing Cekell’s foot, she looked up and asked him to switch off the weightlessness before approaching Rhystea and informing her of the events she had witnessed.

Rhystea listened intently, and after taking it all in, took a deep breath as she began to sort things out. Setting aside the man made building part, she started with, “I think we need to burn the body of that bison. I don’t think those insects just viciously attacked it for sport. If not for food, and if there was a bigger one there that the rest appeared to be escorting… what if it laid eggs and intended the beast to be a food source for more…”

Sphaere’s eyes went wide. “The hell am I supposed to burn it with?” She asked sharply.

“He’s already given you wings, but he doesn’t have any matches, you say?” Rhystea threw her frustration back at her.

“Good point.” Sphaere responded, reaching up and squeezed Cekell’s foot, to which he reacted by chirping excitedly and restoring her weightlessness. “This’s gonna piss ’em off though, should prepare fer that.” And with that, she left in the same manner she came.

“It’ll be-” Rhystea started to yell but stopped and sighed. “Dark before too long.” She softly said to herself as she returned to her work.

Sphaere sped off and not for a joy ride. The sun was starting to hang low, and she was certain that she didn’t want to be out here in the dark. It didn’t take her long to get back at her speed, and she arrived at a grotesque sight. Landing right next to the corpse, she was immediately surprised to find that it was being ravaged by numerous insects the size of small animals. She stumbled and fell backwards from the horrifying sight. 

Recoiling in panic from what was in front of her set Cekell off. He hadn’t made a sound, but when Sphaere had fallen, he stayed hanging in the air. Turning to the nightmarish display, Cekell scoured it from existence. There was a bright flash, and then nothing but an empty crater. Sphaere was still too terrified to notice the dark sphere, no bigger than a marble, fall to the center of it.

Cekell dropped to the ground, landing on his face but quickly bouncing back up and turned to approach Sphaere, but she was already on her feet. She quickly scooped Cekell up and took off running. She didn’t even confirm what direction she was going as she was so overtaken with a panic stricken need to flee. Her skin still crawled, she tried not to think about it. She tried not to think about anything and just ran as hard as she could while squeezing Cekell tightly. 

Sphaere had barely turned her back to the crater before Verakry appeared at its edge and, the shadow shrouded figure made it’s way to the center of the bottom, leaned forward and lifted up a dark marble. “Light into Darkness… I wouldn’t believe it, were I not holding the evidence!” escaped it’s wild smile before Verakry vanished.

 

Rhystea sat the rock she had been working on down on the table with the rest and stood up to stretch. That made three dozen, and that was just the big ones. There were another dozen smaller ones that she went ahead and activated, that way if something happened before she had a chance to make it to the gate, they weren’t completely defenseless. 

The Reptilia Series took care of fortifying the gate, but she had also added a few sigils for good measure. Nothing to fancy, mostly making them sturdier so they could withstand numerous rocksplosions. 

The sun had started to set not long ago, and Rhystea was becoming increasingly worried as Sphaere and Cekell had yet to return. The building that the insects were occupying kept worming its way into her thoughts, and she kept trying to push it out. Afterall, there just wasn’t enough information to reach any acceptable conclusion.

The scalekin working on building a platform at the top of the gate for them to stand on, keep watch, and if need be, fight from, had accomplished their task. Making sure Rhystea didn’t need anything else, they departed.

Pacing back and forth in front of the gate, she’d stop every so often and fidget with her glasses, constantly expecting to see Sphaere soaring straight at her every time she looked up. Every time she didn’t, she got a little more worried. She wasn’t good at waiting and doing nothing, but there wasn’t much she could do in this situation.

Watching the sun slip behind the horizon, she sighed and headed back in through the gate. She hadn’t been to the top level yet, and she suspected that about the time she got up there, Sphaere would come storming in. 

Walking through the gate Rhystea spied R010 and a few of his fellow Scalekin. They were setting up a schedule for guard rotations. “I should make some lights that we can hang high over the gates, maybe set a few along the path leading up to the gate. Would make it easier to see, but I’d need something denser than a rock.” She stated as she approached them.

“That would be a great help!” R010 turned to her with a smile, “But you have been working nonstop for a while now, perhaps you should rest?”

“I need something to occupy myself with, otherwise I’ll just worry until they get back.” Rhystea grumbled.

“Reminds me of when I was a youngling that couldn’t go hunting with my father! I wouldn’t budge from this very gate until he returned!” R010 bellowed with a laugh.

“The sun’s going down, it’ll be dark soon. They should be back any moment.” Rhystea insisted before clapping her hands on her cheeks. “Now how about those lights?”

“Actually, we had brought a few weapons to leave here. With your planning, they shouldn’t be necessary though, so feel free to take what you need.” R010 said pointing at some supplies he had brought with him.

“Perfect!” Rhystea insisted as she walked over and started rummaging through what R010 had brought. Sorting through the weapons – from larger axes and hammers to smaller swords, she found several daggers and grabbed several of them. Setting down on the makeshift stairs leading to the top of the gate, she pulled out her handy dandy etching fork-tool and set to work on the blades. “It probably wouldn’t hurt to stick a few of these at the opening in your basking chamber. Can’t have them rushing the back door in the dark.”

“You’ve put a lot of thought into this. Is that your meaning of using your mind as a weapon?” R010 asked, impressed. “I’m the opposite, I run in swinging, and do my thinking after.”

“Preparation is half the battle.” Rhystea droned out. “Swinging first and thinking later has worked rather well for you. My thoughts leave me second guessing myself often. That hesitation, it scares me to think it might cost something.”

“Well of course, if it didn’t work, we wouldn’t keep doing it now would we?” R010 bellowed with a laugh.

“That confidence of yours is something I envy. You never doubt yourself, and I never stop doubting myself. What if I had done this or noticed that? There’s always something I can find to improve on, what if I had found it earlier? Those kinds of thoughts always stop me and give me reason to reevaluate.” Rhystea responded. Finishing a dagger, she activated it, set it down and started working on another.

“That’s why you think after! Improve on your last works after they are complete so that you're even more ready for next time!” R010 boasted confidently.

“Would you believe I used to be like that?” Rhystea said with a chuckle.

“I would like to have known you without the burden of doubt. It doesn’t suit you.” R010 insisted.

There was a silence as Rhystea finished her next illuminating dagger, set it down and sighed. “I had every reason to be confident. I was a prodigy born to true geniuses. I didn’t know how to doubt myself, always and only forging ahead. Then I hurt my best friend, and now he’ll never walk again. Never have children of his own.” She fell silent, picked up another dagger and started etching.

“I was younger, and my parents had only taught me a little about Sigils. One day, mom left her ID at home, which had her experimental mana which was used to activate sigils.” Rhystea paused thoughtfully before continuing on, “My friend didn’t believe me when I tried explaining sigils. With my parents mana, I could show him. I did show him. I even tried to be careful.”

Rhystea paused for a long moment as she recalled the details leading to her friend’s hospitalization. “He asked me to make his bike faster. It was a simple machine used for transportation, and I had any number of ways to improve it’s speed. Wanting to impress my friend, I weakened the effects of gravity by a rather large margin.”

Rhystea saw confusion spreading across R010’s face and could tell he wasn’t following. Trying to keep it simple, she continued, “This made it much lighter, which made it easier to propel, and thus increased it’s speed… but that wasn’t all it did. He immediately loved it, and was quick to take it down the steepest hill he could find. Going downhill with my sigil caused him to accelerate much faster than normal, and with weakened gravity, there was less traction, and they weren’t able to properly stop. Even with mana, I couldn’t help him. Maybe now, but…”

“Hmmm…” R010 pondered for a moment before giving advice that had been given to him. “A mistake is only a mistake if you didn’t learn anything from it. If you did learn something, it was simply an experience. Knowledge is the culmination of experience, and with knowledge, we can fix our mistakes!” Nodding his head in agreement with what he said, he finished with, “A good way to live!” 

Stunned, Rhystea covered her mouth with her hand. She was caught off guard and was on the verge of tears. She clapped her hands on her cheeks again to compose herself, and smiled as she went back to work. “A fine outlook, indeed!” Was all she said.

Picking up two of the daggers Rhystea had finished, R010 walked up the stairs Rhystea was sitting on to the upper level, and attempted to stab one into the gate. Much to his surprise, he left little more than a scratch. “I must be getting old.” He admitted.

“I increased the gate’s durability, if you're wanting to stab that into the wood, you’re going to have to mean it.” Rhystea said without looking up from her work.

Taking it as a challenge, R010 set one dagger down and grabbed the other with both of his hands. He leapt into the air and brought the dagger down hard, putting all his weight into the blow. Remaining after he took his hands from it, the dagger stood on it’s own. It penetrated the wood, but only barely. Pleased that he got it to stay, he laughed triumphantly.

Finishing the last of her daggers and setting it down with the others, Rhystea ascended the stairs to inspect his work. She had to use both hands and put her weight into it, but she shook the gate and the dagger fell over but was quickly caught by a flustered R010. “Pfffffft!” She sputtered.

Without uttering a word, R010 glared daggers at the small weapon.

Rhystea turned to him and noticed he was focusing on something down below. Turning her gaze downward, she saw Sphaere leaned back against the gate clutching Cekell. Without pause, she turned and darted down the stairs, through the gate and to their side. “Hey, is everything ok?” Concern filled her voice.

“The little ones were jus’… devourin’ it…” Sphaere stated slowly, before turning to lock eyes with Rhystea. “There were so many o’ them… so many…” She shuddered at the thought and clamped down on Cekell, who let out a happy coo.

“They’d… already hatched?” Rhystea inquired, perplexed.

“They were already big as Cekell! Voracious little buggers.” Sphaere started shaking her head and added, “So many of them.”

“Did you dispose of them?” Rhystea inquired.

“Somethin’ like that.” Sphaere answered.

“What do you mean?” Rhystea pressed her.

“I dunno what ‘e did, erased ’em an’ the ground they stood on I guess.” Sphaere said coldly. “Not even a trace o’ them was left, not after Ceke was finished.”

“Are you ok?” Rhystea asked, concerned.

“Yea, jus’… got too close. I didn’ notice them until I had almost landed on top o’ them. It kind o’ freaked me out, an’ Ceke jus’… erased them.” Sphaere answered, staring off blankly into the distance.

Grabbing her by the hand, Rhystea tugged Sphaere towards the gate. “C’mon, it’s late, let’s get something to eat and-” She was cut off.

“I don’ ever want ta eat again.” Sphaere insisted, yanking her hand away and collapsed, curling up into a ball wrapped around Cekell - who didn’t make a sound, just clung back to Sphaere.

Rhystea squatted down next to her in silence for a few moments. “It’s almost dark…” She trailed off.

“Good, they’ll be here soon.” Sphaere stated sharply.

“Sounds like we should go to the other side of this big, sturdy gate.” Rhystea replied softly.

“It’ll just be in the way. I’ll have Cekell erase them on sight.” Sphaere replied coldly.

“Yea but…” Rhystea trailed off, “Weren’t we going for…” She talked slowly, wanting to deliver the next part gently, “A shield instead of a sword?”

There was a pause before Sphaere drew in a deep breath and sighed dejectedly. Standing, she slowly walked through the gates with a pleased Rhystea trailing a short distance behind. Upon entering Demihome, she saw R010 silently leaning against the inside of the gate with his arms crossed and eyes closed.

“Would you place those lights out for me?” Rhystea asked as they walked by.

R010 nodded in agreement with a snort. “Thank you, for all of your help. Both of you.” 

After a bit of walking in silence, Rhystea sighed and blurted out, “What I’d give for a cup of tea right about now.”

Sphaere stopped. “Teaaaaaa…” She repeated wantingly. 

“Aha! Are you a fan of the finer things in life as well?” Rhystea half exclaimed in surprise as she stepped up next to Sphaere.

Sphaere turned and looked at her doubtfully out of the corner of her eye, hesitant to meet her gaze. “Green tea.” She said insistently.

“Black.” Rhystea said with a frown at their different tastes. “Two sugars, dairy creamer only. Ooh~ or fruit tea!”

“Green tea with fruit in it.” Sphaere replied, looking away from her.
“Strawberry?” Rhystea asked, tantalizing.

“Peach...” Sphaere answered.

“When we get back home, I know the perfect place! Best tea you’ve ever had!” Rhystea blurted out in excitement.

“Bet I know a better place.” Sphaere responded stoically. 

Rhystea grabbed Sphaere’s hand and yanked it up and down. “Now it’s official, no backing out!”

There was a pause, Sphaere didn’t pull away, but thought intently. Finally she broke her silence with, “Teaaaaa…”

“Teaaaaa…” Rhystea responded in kind.

“Quit it.” Sphaere insisted before continuing onward.

“Okay~” Rhystea responded with a tone.

Sphaere sighed, to which Rhystea giggled in response. 

“Thought yer kind drank coffee. We got plen’y o’ that.” Sphaere stated with a laugh.

“Plenty.” Rhystea articulated as she adjusted her glasses. “And what do you mean, my kind?”

“Annoying people.” Sphaere replied, trying not to, but cracking a smile.

Rhystea gave her the stink eye for a moment before sighing and changing the subject. “So, what was up with that speed you displayed earlier?” Rhystea asked

“Oh yea! I totally forgot ‘bout that!” Sphaere replied in excitement. “I was gonna climb a tree, but Cek here wouldn’ let me put ‘em down! Before I could do much, ‘e just made me weightless so I wouldn’ set ‘im down!”

“Yea, he’s more than a little clingy.” Rhystea pointed out with a laugh.

Sphaere stopped, and with a notable drop in tone, responded with, “Yea but… ‘e lost ‘is parents right after ‘e was born… we were probably the first people ta show ‘im kindness…”

“I wouldn’t let go either.” Rhystea tried to recover. “Especially if he made me weightless, that sounds awesome! I bet you could jump… ten feet, easy!”

“I could do more than twice that off a flat jump! Springing outta the treetops was the best though! It was like flying! Freedom! Nothin’ but me, Ceke, an’ the wind!” Sphaere perked back up.

“It sounds awesome! I better get a turn!” Rhystea insisted with a hint of envy.

“It really was… fer a few minutes, it was so easy ta ferget about the rest.” Sphaere said with a smile as she clamped down on Cekell, who gave his chirp of approval.

They walked into the feedlot, this time it was full of Reptilia who were wolfing down their food as loudly as they could. They had worked hard today, searching for and hauling rocks and other materials. Getting the right size rock was a chore for them. They fortified the gate as well as built the upper platform. They worked hard and they were eating hard, for… “Tomorrow, we HUNT!!!” R208 kept letting everyone know. Before he’d ever have the chance to forget, one of his fellow scaleheads would remind him, just as loudly.

“Grab me a couple pieces of fruit if you wouldn’t mind. I’ll… Bleh…” Sphaere motioned as though she were going to retch, “Eat later.” She finished.

“No kebab?” Rhystea asked.

“No meat!” Sphaere responded sharply. “No meat.”

“Tasty fruit, coming right up!” Rhystea insisted before heading off to claim their hard earned meals. Before she could grab much, R208 stopped her.

“Rhystea! You must try some! This is some of the strongest prey we’ve ever killed! It will make us louder than ever! Have some!” R208 bellowed with spirit before attempting to hand her a couple cooked insect legs - a choice cut as the scaleheads had decided.

Rhystea quickly set what she had down, held a hand out towards R208 as if to erect a wall, and exclaimed with equal spirit, “Hard pass!” before grabbing what she had, another piece of fruit and turning around - away from R208 - and marching quickly to Sphaere, who was in hysterics.

Almost hurt, R208 returned to his group, and didn’t yell again for almost a full minute. 

“I am soooo hungry! I think today was the most labor I’ve put in a whole week, let alone a single day!” Rhystea said before taking a big bite of her kebab.

“Not hungry ‘nough ta eat the strongest prey ever, though, eh?” Sphaere asked with a laugh, “An’ really princess, ya could use a bit more exercise. It’s not good ta get worn out so easily, what happens when you need ta run?”

Queue explosion from a distance.

Both of their eyes went wide. Rhystea grumbled before taking another large bite, dropping everything, and hauling off quick as she could to the gate. She didn’t get far when Sphaere shot around her, full sprint with weightless strides.

(Please, God, don’t let them have dropped one on their feet!) Rhystea prayed silently, thinking about what reason they would have to throw one. “Please let them have dropped it over the side of the gate, no one got hurt, and there's not a bunch of giant spider monsters laying siege to our temporary home!” Rhystea pleaded out loud. 

Sphaere was the first to arrive, before any other Demihuman even. R010 was alone atop the gate. It had just gotten dark, and the insects were already storming the gates. R010 used another of the already activated small rocks, and jumped in glee with a spirited howl. “Ha ha, Yea! Everyone who walks through this gate is going to have to scrape some of you off their feet!”

“How many?!” Sphaere shouted a moment before she leapt up to join him.

“Only seen two so far-” R010 had turned to her and started yelling, but as she was there so quick and he didn’t want to yell in her face, he recomposed himself with an “Ahem. I think they’re just probing our defenses. At least for now. The first one I got a good hit on it’s side, but it scrambled off. That one still down here I blasted right in it’s ugly face!” He finished with a laugh before spitting on the thing.

“They ‘generate like ya wouldn’ believe!” Sphaere informed him.

“Eh?” R010 responded, baffled.

“If ya don’ deal a clean, killin’ blow, it’ll come back even angrier. I hope that was enough, but they’re persistent bastards, I’ll give‘em that.” Sphaere answered, eyes locked onto the downed insect.

“Shall I throw another?” R010 asked with an almost childlike grin.

“No, not unless he gets back up an’ gives ya a reason ta. Figurin’ out what they can an’ cain’t take will be invaluable.” Sphaere answered coldly.

By now, others had gathered by the gates. Mostly Reptilia Series, but others had come to find out what was going on. Rhystea came dragging out, with the turtle further behind bringing up the rear. “Yay, stairs!” Rhystea exclaimed between gasping for breaths as she made her way up.

Without warning, the other insect made its presence known by charging in hard and, with all its weight behind the blow, drove it’s scythe deep into the wood of the gate… but was unable to retract it’s claw. In fact it shook the gate fiercely in a futile attempt to free itself when R010 turned excitedly, held up one of the previously activated rocks and requested, “Eh?” While pleading with his eyes.

“Get ‘em.” Was all Sphaere said, and Rhystea was still trying to catch her breath but nodded in agreement.

Turning and holding the rock high, R010 let out a roar as a blast of lighting that persisted for more than a brief moment as it sundered the night. The insect was banished in light that scorched the earth it had previously stood on. All that remained was a still smoking scythe with a bit of bug-arm dangling from it embedded into the gate, and the glow of superheated earth.

R010 held his stance, not making a sound, he looked like an old man that had thrown out his back mid pose and couldn’t move. Rhystea had covered her eyes and was just now daring to take a peek. Sphaere clicked her tongue and, looking down at Cekell, articulated, “I didn’ mean you!”

Cekell argued back with a chirp. “Well we already knew a giant lightnin’ bolt would kill ‘em, what’d we learn from that?” Sphaere retorted sarcastically. Cekell let out a dejected chirp. “That’s right!” Sphaere insisted.

By now, R010 had recomposed himself with an, “Ahem.”

After a silent moment passed, Rhystea meekly asked, “Think there are any more of them.”

“It scares me to think how many of them there are.” Sphaere answered bluntly. “I saw ‘em. Lots o’ them. I saw what a group o’ them could do.” She stopped and turned to Rhystea and looked her almost angrily in the eye, “And I saw Cekell step on them.” Her tone softened as she spoke all proper like, just for Rhystea.

Rhystea chuckled thinking about how it was Sphaere’s turn to console her. Before she could say anything, and without a word, Sphaere had weightlessly hopped up on top of the gate, held her arms straight out, and fell backwards over the side. Curling into a backflip, she stuck a clean landing.

“An’ don’ ferget there’s what you can do, Rhystea.” Sphaere reminded her as she walked over to the seemingly dead insect and kicked it, almost playfully. “Sure, these things are big an’ ugly. But they’re jus’ not very loud, are they?” She shifted her gaze to R010, whose scaly lips curled into a smile. The scale squad howled from the other side of the gate.

“Well they probed our defenses. They didn’ find a soft spot in our armor. The next time we see ‘em, they’ll be lookin’ to do more than test us. More importantly, we need ta rest up well. Fer… tomorrow…” Sphaere smiled as she was cut off by the scale squad.

“WE HUNT!!!!!!!” Every scalekin cheered in unison.

Sphaere smiled as she effortlessly hopped back up and over the gate. “I’m impressed, but I must ask, what was that about?” Rhystea asked with a smile.

“Oh, I just wanted them creepy crawlies to hear us celebrating after their loss.” Sphaere gloated wryly. 

“There a reason for that?” Rhystea asked curiously.

“I don’ like ‘em!” Sphaere insisted, brimming with conviction. “An’ if them bugs have a morale, I’d like ta crap on it.”

“Well said!” R010 boomed as he erupted into laughter, along with the rest of his kind. Suddenly snapping to, he barked out, “Alright you lot, you heard the big tiny, rest up and rest well! Tomorrow’s going to be a day, and we shall greet it LOUDLY!” He let out a final guttural howl before composing himself, clearing his throat, and casually gliding down the stairs to follow his own advice.

“Ooh! Big Tiny! Me likey!” Sphaere admitted with a laugh.

“It takes more than size to be big!” Rhystea claimed as she puffed up to immediately burst out in laughter. Starting to get excited himself, Cekell unlatched from Sphaere and quickly hopped up on the gate in a single motion, and let out a banter of excited chirps. The girls both started to freeze, but were also starting to become accustomed to Cekell’s antics. Even if he did fall, as they were starting to realize, it wouldn’t not hurt him.

“Of all this insanity, you are still, by far and large, the craziest I’ve ever encountered.” Rhystea summed him up.

Cekell agreed with a vehement chirp.

“I gotta confess, I was NOT expectin’ that lightnin’ bolt. By the time I realized I was scared, it was all over though. That was so flippin’ close, dontcha EVER pull that crap again!” Sphaere demanded as she stabbed her finger in his direction.

Cekell cocked his head to one side and chirped questioningly at her.

“When they’re that close, ya do that thing where ya make’em disappear, if ya fry ‘em with lighntin’ an’ fer some reason they ‘splode, an’, heaven ferbid, get any o’ their ~nasty~” Sphaere really laid into that word, “insides on me, I swear ya’ll regret it.” She retracted her finger and softened up. “Other’n that, good job.” 

You are reading story Candle in the Rain, Inferno in the Wind at novel35.com

“Ahh, but that was impressive wasn’t it? He shouldn’t be able to compress matter like that, not the Astral. I’m starting to wonder if there isn’t something to this shield nonsense you were prattling on about. His brother has shown no exceptional ability, no matter how they might try and… pry it out of him.” Verakry was suddenly at their sides, sending a cold shiver down their spines.

“Oi! The hell ya come from?!” Sphaere spat out, startled. Rhystea just spazzed out and covered her mouth as if to hold in a scream.

“At first I had mixed feelings about you coming here, I didn’t want it to hinder his growth, but the rate he has been developing, you have already exceeded any expectation I had dared hope for! I must express my gratitude!” Verakry explained with excitement.

“Screw you, shadow guy!” Sphaere cursed him.

“Come now, don’t be like that!” Verakry insisted.

“You do something completely unreasonable to us, then expect us to act reasonably?” Rhystea asked, curtly. 

“You’re correct, and that’s why I am here. I think his growth will continue even without your continued presence, and you’ve already surpassed all my expectations anyway. Asking for more would be simply rude, and I’d like to offer my sincerest thanks by sending you home.” Verakry stated matter-of-factly.

Rhystea and Sphaere locked eyes as they fell silent. Slowly, they turned to Cekell, and paused. He chirped curiously, but otherwise didn’t seem to realize the implications. “What will happen to him?” Rhystea said, breaking the silence.

“I’ve no reason to doubt that leaving him here would hurt his growth, either way, you’ve already shown me that Legatus still exists within the Point. You’ve even had him exhibit abilities that shouldn’t be possible for him, not unless he could convert energy to mass, and potentially unlock the Point itself!” Verakry explained.

“This is probably a stupid question, but we wouldn’t be able to come back, would we?” Rhystea inquired as she removed and polished her glasses.

“Well I wouldn't stop you, but I don’t think your kind would much like you returning to this environment. We can agree that this is no place for a young lass, I had to make use of another’s foolishness to obtain you.” Verakry answered.

There was a moment of silence before Rhystea turned and called out to, “Sphaere?”

“Ya do whatcha need ta do.” Sphaere replied slowly before meeting her gaze and finishing, “I cain’t leave ‘im behind.”

Rhystea smiled earnestly before closing her eyes and with a slight bow, meant it when she said, “Thank you.” Before turning back to Verakry and, with less gratitude, went on with, “Thanks, but no thanks. Who knows what he’d turn into if we let you shape him.”

Verakry clenched up, held it’s palpable tension for a moment before jumping high into the air, “Too interesting! I must admit, I did hope you would stay, but I didn’t think for a moment that you actually would! Oh how I must pass this gratitude on to Tellamar! Oh thank you, truly, more than your words can express. Thank. You.” There was a familiar hum, prompting a barrier around them before water came pouring down around them. They blinked and Verakry was gone, just as quickly as it had appeared.

“I don’ think I’m ever gonna get used ta that. Ya’d think I’d’ve learned by now, but that’s simply overestimatin’ me.” Sphaere admitted, glad she was still dry.

“Right?” Rhystea scoffed. “Why did we stay here again?” Cekell chirped sharply, as if to claim responsibility.

“We can’t abandon someone who wouldn’t abandon us.” Sphaere insisted softly.

“You know, I was just thinking, what I wouldn’t give for a shower. This is not what I had in mind.” Rhystea said, earnestly wanting to bathe.

“Wanna take a dip in that hot spring?” Sphaere asked, clearly not joking.

Rhystea opened her mouth to speak, paused, took a deep breath and asked, “How would we get there?”

Sphaere grabbed her, pulled her close, and extended her other hand to Cekell, who leapt into her expectant arm with a chirp before jumping rapidly back and forth between them. “Hey!” Sphaere said loudly as she acquired his attention. “Do the thang!” Cekell chirped at attention, and quickly climbed onto her shoulders before offering his tendril to Rhystea.

Hesitating, Rhystea reached out and took hold of his tendril, which he wrapped around her wrist. She took a deep breath and exhaled sharply, just as Sphaere jumped with enough force that Rhystea’s breath was left behind; which was a good thing, otherwise she would have gone literally screaming across the night sky.

Careful not to drag a hapless Rhystea through foliage and tree limbs, Sphaere soared to the base of the nearest plume of steam. Much to Rhystea’s amazement, it was surprisingly easy to adjust too, and she did so quickly. It’s as if there was no resistance to Rhystea being tugged along. No inertial changes, even as they landed for Sphaere to spring back up into the air. In truth, Rhystea never even touched the ground until they made it to their destination.

“Oh, wow! That-” Rhystea started with excitement before misstepping and tripped on nothing more than her own feet. She winced and threw her hands out to catch herself and- waited? She opened her eyes to see herself floating slowly to the ground.

“Took ‘im awhile ta work out the landin’ part, but ‘e didn’ letcha fall!” Sphaere announced with a laugh.

“If only it was the landing that made me fall.” Rhystea said, climbing back to her feet. “I trip over my own feet more than anything else.”

“I wouldn’ doubt it!” Sphaere said with another laugh. Kicking off her shoes, she headed to the edge of the water. She peeled Cekell off, and he hit the ground with a chirp. To their surprise, he covered his eyes, and was the first one into the water.

Surprisingly, Cekell didn’t enter with much splashing. He went under and never came back up, with the exception of his probe, which protruded from the water’s surface like a snorkel… or perhaps a periscope.

Rhystea was mumbling something about her clothes getting worn and dirty as she started to remove them. Sphaere stopped her and when she inquired as to why, Sphaere pointed at his tendril sticking out of the water like the fin of a shark as he swam back and forth. 

“You don’ suppose... ‘e can see with that thing… do ya?” Sphaere asked, pointing to his probe.

Rhystea froze and turned red, but didn’t make a peep.

“Oi! Ceke!” Sphaere called out to him.

The probe stopped and pointed at her. There was no accompanying chirp, but bubbles rose up around the base of the probe.

Sphaere sighed and Rhystea turned a darker shade of red. “Can you see me?” Sphaere asked, half sharply, half curiously.

The probe didn’t move, and there were no accompanying bubbles. Not sure he needed breath or entered with more than the one, Sphaere added, “If you can see me… come’ere.”

Silently, the probe started to approach. Rhystea started to turn purple, and upon realizing she hadn’t taken a breath since Sphaere stopped her, gasped for air.

Turning to Rhystea, Sphaere posed this question, “So it bein’ dark an’ all, how much ya think ‘e can really see? There’s jus’ a sliver o’ moon.”

The Cekell in question had come into shallow enough water that his hands could be seen still covering his eyes.

Seeing a chance to shield her embarrassment, Rhystea seized it with, “Surely not much. I can barely see more than the reflection off the water and the stars in the sky.” Calming herself down, she started shimmying out of her clothes.

“Woulda thoughtcha had more modesty than that.” Sphaere insisted, feigning surprise. “What if ‘e can see in the dark?”

“What if he has x-ray vision?” Rhystea retorted after a pause. Continuing on, she added, “You’re the one that called him over here, send him back!”

“Git, you!” Sphaere shooed him away with a laugh. With a curious chirp, Cekell’s probe cocked to the side. “I don’ think ‘e wants ta leave! I said git, you!” Sphaere articulated as she stepped into and kicked water at him playfully.

With another curious chirp, Cekell cocked his tendril to the other side, and peered at them intently. “Now you’re making it awkward!” Rhystea nagged.

As if understanding what they wanted, Cekell’s tendril perked up as he puffed up, strutted right past them, walked a short distance away and climbed up on a tall stone jutting out of the ground. With a serious chirp, he stamped his foot and never turned back towards them.

“They grow up so fast!” Sphaere stated mockingly with a laugh.

“It’s almost scary how quickly and fluidly we’ve managed to… interface with him.” Rhystea stated matter-of-factly.

They started removing their clothing piece by piece as they folded each layer up and set it cleanly out of the reach of the water. 

“Inner face with ‘im? Ya make it sound like ‘e’s a computer!” Sphaere argued sharply.

“I meant it in a manner…” Rhystea paused to think. “Less like communicating, and more like him just reading the situation. I mean just now, we didn’t even tell him to go over there.” She added.

Cekell stamped his foot again and gave a commanding chirp for good measure.

“I think ‘e jus’ knows how ta get what ‘e wants. I toldja that when ‘e first made me all floaty, I was tryin’ ta put ‘im down. ‘E solved the issue in a way that ‘e got what ‘e wanted. Now ‘e wants two nekked girls in a hot spring!” Sphaere explained with a laugh.

“I’m not sure it’s that simple. Sometimes it seems like he just… sees something that we don’t. Like he’s reading from between the lines and not the actual lines themselves.” Rhystea theorized out loud.

Cekell let out a sharp chirp.

“Hold yer horses!” Sphaere retorted as she stepped into the water. “Ya shouldn’ rush a lady!” She added for good measure.

Rhystea followed her in and out towards the middle where it was deeper. They found the rocks they were sitting on the last time they were here and utilized them in the same manner. Submerging completely before resurfacing and wiping the water out of their face, they made themselves comfortable, they turned to call for Cekell - who was nowhere to be seen.

“Cekell..? Cekell, I know you can hear me…” Rhystea called out to him.

There was no response. A silent moment went by, and as another was about to pass, Rhystea again called out, “Cekell?”

There was a pause and a half before Cekell chirped back, sharply, as though annoyed.

“Oi! You watch yer tone when ya talk ta ‘er!” Sphaere demanded.

Silence.

“Cekell?” Rhystea called out to him again.

She was answered when a large bolt of lightning sundered the night, followed with a shrill banter of chirping.

“She-It!” Sphaere exlaimed loudly in surprise. “Whatever it was, ‘e sorted it out!” 

Angry chirp, followed by a barrage of lightning bolts.

“Shit, we gotta go”! Sphaere declared as she sprung into action, dragging Rhystea along with her.

They tore out of the water and threw on their clothes. Charging to the rock Cekell had been standing on, they frantically searched the darkness. “I cain’t see a damn thang!” Sphaere admitted.

“Me nei-” Rhystea was cut off by an angry bolt of light that split the night and answered most of their questions. Cekell was there, in the middle of it all. There was a problem. There were several problems. Several of them were already solved and still glowing.

“So many…” Rhystea half whispered, full of concern.

“I counted six, not counting the four ‘e-” She was cut off as one was cut down by an angry bolt. “5 ‘e’s already wasted.”

“Think he can handle it?” Rhystea asked, turning to Sphaere, her face was full of worry.

“Looked like ‘e was... havin’ fun.” Sphaere answered.

“You discerned all that in a split second?” Rhystea questioned.

“Well ‘e wasn’ only usin’ lightnin’, there were three o’ them right on top of ‘im, an’ ya can be shore ‘e was givin’ ‘em what fer!” Sphaere insisted, almost proudly as she lifted her hand to her chest and clenched it into a fist with a growing smile. She cheered out to him, “Ya show ‘em who’s boss, Ceke!”

There was a short pause before, “Really?” Was all Rhystea could get out. She was answered by an angry bolt of lightning solving another of their problems.

There was a short pause before Sphaere said, “Shoot, ‘e’s almost done.” She turned back to the water and started throwing her clothes off, not bothering to fold them this time. “I’m gettin’ back in.”

“Really?” Rhystea said again, this time sharper.

“Yea, quit yer worryin’, ‘e’ll be back in a minute.” Sphaere insisted. Rhystea sighed dejectedly before following suit and making herself comfortable next to Sphaere. “What? Was ya gonna go help ‘im?” Sphaere scoffed. “It’ll be good fer ‘im! ‘Sides, ‘e could afford ta burn off some energy.” She added confidently.

“I just don’t feel right leaving him on his own like that…” Rhystea admitted.

“Ya think ‘e ain’t gonna come back? Ta us an’ the warmest place around?” Sphaere asked with a laugh. Rhystea sighed, and - as if on queue - Cekell came diving over the rocks with his hands over his face. With an excited chirp, he charged into the water. “See?” Sphaere asked teasingly. Making a bee line to Sphaere, Cekell approached - hands still on his face - and attempted to climb into her lap awkwardly with his elbows. “Oi!” Was all Sphaere said as she peered at him. There was a short pause before she added, “Whatcha think yer doin’?” She asked, sternly.

“Oh, give him here.” Rhystea insisted. “I couldn’t bear to push him away.”

“I’m not pushin’ ‘im away!” Sphaere nagged, “I’m jus’ not shore I want ‘im in my lap at this pur-cise moment!” She added almost inquisitively, as she passed Cekell over to Rhystea. “‘E’s been with me all day, it’s yer turn anyway.”

“Precise.” Rhystea corrected as she received Cekell. “Hey, when we find his brother, there will be one for each of us!” She finished with a laugh.

“Yea cuz one’s notta ‘nuff!” Sphaere laughed back.

Ignoring her, Rhystea turned her attention to Cekell, whom she had set up on her shoulders. “You want to see your brother, don’t you Cekell?” Rhystea was answered with a curious chirp, before continuing with, “I always wanted a little brother or sister. I would have loved the chance to help teach and look out for them.” 

As Rhystea was losing herself in the thought of a larger family, Sphaere let out a dejected sigh. There was a pause before she quietly responded with, “We should probably go back soon, I bet they’re already lookin’ fer us after that light show Cek put on.”

“Interesting! Would have thought you’d prefer to reap your reward here before going back and telling them how you went hunting for the ‘strongest prey!’” Rhystea said that last part mockingly towards R208 and his scale crew.

“Well…” Sphaere said, thoughtfully, “ya had me thinkin’ ‘bout my li’l brother. I jus’ don’ want ‘im – ‘r anyone - needlessly worryin’ ‘bout me, ya know?”

Rhystea was taken aback. “Yea, let's go back and tell them how we cleaned up some of the jungle for them.” She said with a big smile.

Rhystea kept her shoulders below water while she kept Cekell turned away from Sphaere to give her time to get out and dressed. Upon completing this task, Sphaere called for Cekell to give Rhystea a similar privacy.

Walking over to Sphaere, a clothed Rhystea took back Cekell. Setting him up on her shoulders, she demanded, “You better not have x-ray vision!” 

To which Cekell replied with an excited chirp.

“Can we walk back this time?” Rhystea asked after a pause.

“I could use a stretch!” Sphaere agreed as they started back towards Demihome.

Levitating high in the night sky, a shadow clad Verakry watched them for a moment as they walked back to Demihome. “I better check on the other one.” The dark figure decided.

“So where do you think Cekell’s brother could be?” Rhystea pondered out loud.

“Bed if I’s ta guess, it’s gettin’ late! ‘R bein’ chased ‘round by ‘is poor, frantic caretakers... ‘R smashin’ giant bugs.” Sphaere listed off her theories.

Rhystea laughed, and there was a lull in the conversation. They walked slowly at first, and after feeling around awkwardly for her glasses after she almost tripped over her own feet, Cekell’s probe lit up with a soft glow. 

“So… ya seem ta come from good people… what’re yer parents like?” Sphaere broke the silence.

“Oh, my parents are pretty much my whole world. My mom’s the smartest person I know, it’s one of the reasons she was privy to learning about sigils, as well as who taught me. My dad is smart, but not ‘brilliant,’ as my mom likes to tease him. He really just has a passion for learning, and while my mom has the more complicated degrees, my dad has almost three times as many, as well as speaks several different languages.” Rhystea recalled fondly.

“So they’re the innerlectual type.” Sphaere asked.

“Intellectual.” Rhystea corrected. She removed, wiped her glasses, and returned them before continuing on with, “But yes, very much so. They were of the social elite just for their intelligence. I wanted to be just like them. It was they who got me this mana, claiming it was to be for an experiment into its medicinal uses, when actually...”

Rhystea trailed off and paused a moment before continuing with, “I wanted to be a doctor when I was little. I remember being so afraid to tell them that I secretly wanted to be a teacher, but they were just happy for me. They just encouraged me to learn to teach people how to be a doctor, laughed, and said that knowledge will always show me the way.” 

“I was actually homeschooled by them. This allowed them to keep me close, and while I grew up rather sheltered, I received a truly advanced education. I was accepted on merit to the university a few years ago. My freshman year I actually started a fire on campus trying to prove a theory of my parents’ study into sigils.” Rhystea admitted, embarrassed, but proud.

“I was on a full ride scholarship, and the bulk of my allowances were already being spent on resources to study and experiment with, more often than not providing valuable research data to the University. They barely grumbled at me and instead urged me to exercise caution. Even my parents weren’t too mad at me, my dad just laughed!” Rhystea explained.

“Wait, what? Jus’ like that? Not grounded ‘r nothin’?” Sphaere pressed her.

“Well I spent most of my time reading anyway, who grounds their kid from books? Actually, even when I was younger, when I did get in trouble, my mom would pick out a subject for me to study. I didn’t get in trouble very often, but, I always thought it was funny.” Rhystea continued with a smile.

“Sounds like y’all got along like a happy family.” Sphaere commented.

“Yea, we did, and I miss them. I live at home, but I spend the majority of my time at the university. Mom and dad are always out taking classes… giving lectures… experimenting on this and that. Since Sigilism was discovered, they’ve both been super busy and we haven’t seen each other much.” Rhystea responded.

“Oh, that’s sad. So close, yet so far away. Hard ta lose‘em that way, though, an’ it sounds like they’re not that far if ya need ‘em!” Sphaere noted cheerfully.

“Actually I don’t know where they even are right now. Something with the application of sigilism to some human genome adaptation project nonsense, it sounds crazy to me. It was a strange subject too, dad didn’t seem to like it much but mom would always remind him of its necessity.” Rhystea clarified.

“Well ya seem ta really care ‘bout each other, that’s the important part!” Sphaere insisted.

“Yea, they really are the best parents I could ask for. Actually obtaining mana was awful, would you believe it was implanted into each of the larger bones in my body? They actually had to develop a special drill bit that acted as a needle injector for some of even the smaller bones, like my vertebrae. It needed to be implanted into as much bone marrow as possible.” Rhystea revealed.

“Woah, that sounds painful! I don’ know that I could go through with that!” Sphaere acknowledged.

“Yea, it was a full year’s regimen of small bone surgeries and recovery. I couldn’t even do anything with it until I met that Verakry, anything but frustrate and wear myself out at least. If I use it too much, it makes me anemic though, so I do have to be careful.” Rhystea droned on.

“Still, very handy ability. Rather selfless of ya ta boot. Not many would’ve gone through with that.” Sphaere encouraged.

“I don’t think I’ll ever regret it.” Rhystea changed the subject with, “So what’s your family like?”

“Well… my li’l brother is every bit as ornery as that li’l shit!” Sphaere said with a laugh as she stabbed her finger in Cekell’s direction. “Almost as dependable too, though, so hard ta fault ‘im fer it.” It was her turn to recall with a smile.

“Just almost?” Rhystea said quizzically. 

“Well, ‘e ain’t got no lightnin’!” Sphaere stated, with a laugh, “‘E’d always do what ‘e could, though. An’ ‘e wouldn’ let nothin’ stop ‘im, neither. Stubborn as they come, but ‘e’s got a good heart.”

“You two sound close.” Rhystea replied.

“Yea, we are. We know what it’s like to only have each other, so we’re both always lookin’ out fer the other. My Papa’s the military type. His Papa taught him martial arts, an’ ‘e passed that on ta us – an’ I got ta help train my li’l bro.” Sphaere’s hands started hurting just thinking about it.

“You know martial arts? That’s awesome! I bet it was great getting to pass that on to your little brother. I really did always want a younger sibling.” Rhystea responded.

“Oh yea, my pap studied a few different styles. I ain’t the best at it, but my li’l bro, ‘e’s somethin’ special. Very athletic, reflexes an’ reaction speeds ya wouldn’ believe! ‘E’s only two years younger’n me, but ‘e was only ten the first time he beat me!” Sphaere recalled, excitement building.

“It’s good that you can help train someone to be even better than yourself, it speaks to your ability to pass on that knowledge!” Rhystea was getting excited with her, even Cekell let out a chirp.

“I held my own until he hit his first growth spurt an’ shot up like a weed! ‘E’s tall an’ lanky, with a reach like a gorilla! ‘E’s double jointed, so it’s hard ta apply a joint lock on ‘im, while they just happen to be his favorites. ‘E doesn’ really look all that tough, but man is he fast.” Sphaere doted on her little brother.

“Uh-oh, does he like to fight?” Rhystea questioned.

“No actually, that’s the main reason he likes joint locks. ‘E’ll jump in someone else's fight without hesitatin’, but ‘e’s rarely ever the aggressor. Dad taught ‘im that true strength isn’t somethin’ ta wield carelessly. ‘E learned that lesson well.” Sphaere explained.

“He sounds like a good kid!” Rhystea exclaimed.

“‘E is, but dammit if ‘e ain’t still a kid!” Sphaere shot back with a laugh.

Rhystea noticed that Sphaere had elected to not talk about her parents much, but refrained from asking. Lifting Cekell up, she changed the subject. “I’m going to be counting on you, then, to pass that on to this one!” She eyed Sphaere confidently.

“Shoot, ‘e already seems ta read our minds, what’s ta teach?” Sphaere retorted.

“Yea but… what do you think would happen if he ever got angry?” Rhystea asked.

There was a pause before Sphaere took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. “I shore wouldn’ wanna be whatever pissed ‘im off.” She noted.

“Eventually he’ll be exposed to more and more people. We’ll need to prepare him.” Rhystea thought out loud. “But I have no doubt that you are a good person!” She said, hugging him tight, much to his excitement.

“Yea, we cain’t letcha grow up ta be a li’l monster, now, can we? Ya’ve already got the hard part down! Only the strong can be kind. While kindness ain’t a weakness, it can be a target, an’ the weak cain’t protect nothin’.” Sphaere concluded.

“Words to live by! I like that! That’s good wisdom, I’ll have to remember it!” Rhystea’s eyes lit up when she heard those words.

“That was my papa’s guidin’ principle. ‘E was always drilling them inta us. My bro has only started two fights in his life. The first one, ‘e did beat up another kid pretty badly. The kid had gotten mouthy with my bro, but that’s no excuse. My dad curled up on the ground an’ wept at the boy’s feet, beggin’ fergiveness fer my bro.” Sphaere winced at the thought of her father, prostrating himself on her brother’s behalf.

Rhystea was silent, and there was a short pause before Sphaere continued, “When my bro saw that, it changed ‘im. Calmed him on some level. Yea ‘e’s still the rambunctious sort, but ‘e’s never aggressive. It actually takes a good bit ta get ‘im angry, in all honesty.”

“Your dad sounds like an exceptional person.” Rhystea said thoughtfully.

“Heh, that’d be in no small part thanks ta mama. ‘E weren’ a bad person, but ‘e was rather wild. An adrenalin junkie, that’s what mama called ‘im. Whenever ‘e needed the cash, ‘e’d fight competitively. ‘E was rather crazy when ‘e was younger, ‘r so I hear, but mama cleaned ‘im up, good!” Sphaere said with a laugh.

“What was she like?” Rhystea thought about her own mother.

“She was an angel!” Sphaere exclaimed confidently. “Mama came from a family o’ people who farmed the land. Crops, livestock, eggs, milk, ya name it, mom could raise it. She was efficient, an’ she didn’ let a single thing go ta waste!”

“Sounds like you have a tightly knit family!” Rhystea said warmly.

“We never had much, but we never wanted fer anythin’ more than each other. We were a happy family.” Sphaere’s words soured at the end of her statement.

Unsure of how to respond, yet hung up on her choice of words, ‘were;’ Rhystea elected to remain quiet. They were approaching Demihome where R010 and A212 were awaiting them.

“Everything alright?” R010 called down to them as they approached the gate.

“Jus’ wanted ta make sure y’all‘re gonna be safe fer tomorrow’s hunt.” Sphaere answered back with a grin.

“Did you leave us any?” R010 asked curiously, also grinning.

“I’m sure there’s at least a few more out there.” Rhystea answered.

“So…” A212 paused as he eyed the girls walking up to the gate. “It’s true then. One of you really did tail them back to their nest.”

“Well someone needed ta figure out where they’re holed up!” Sphaere shot back.

“Interesting that they didn’t show up…” A212’s eyes were locked onto Sphaere, “Until about the same time you did.”

Both girls stopped mid step. “You think we brought them here?” Rhystea asked.

“I think you know more than you’re letting on.” A212 answered shrewdly.

R010 remained quiet, observing both sides of the discussion.

“Want us ta leave?” Sphaere retorted, with a kind of cross smile.

There was hesitation before A212 sighed and replied, “The two of you have done more than the rest of us in defending this place. Your actions speak for themselves, however, I can’t help but wonder about your motivations… as well as the things you’re not telling us.”

“We just wanted to find somewhere we could be safe.” Rhystea responded.

“You put on that display and claim it’s here that you feel safe?” A212 countered.

“Well they attacked us out here, but in there’s where we’ve fortified our defenses.” Rhystea argued back.

“Did they attack you? Or…” A212 paused as he shifted his gaze from one girl to the other. “Did you attack them?” He finished.

“Why would we attack them?” Sphaere asked, puzzled.

“Why would you go out there in the dark?” A212 asked curiously.

“We wanted to take a walk and clear our heads.” Rhystea answered, confidant that she didn’t want them to find out they were bathing.

“A walk out there, where it’s not safe?” A212 wasn’t letting up.

“It’s safer now.” Sphaere scoffed.

A212 already had his next question locked and loaded, but before he could pull the trigger, R010 placed a large hand on his shoulder and stopped him. “I get that you have plenty of questions. Now that you have voiced them, how about you give our friends time to answer. I’m sure that in the meantime, you’ll only find their continued support.” He asserted confidently.

Surprisingly, A212 kept the rest of his questions to himself, and with a nod to R010, silently headed down from the gate and into the caves; leaving them in peace, he excused himself with a simple, “Good night.”

Rhystea headed in first, followed by Sphaere. They were heading up the stairs when R010 insisted, “Don’t hold it against the boy. The Aves were never any good at accepting an extended hand, much to their own detriment. He has a lot on his shoulders now, but he means well.”

“I…” Rhystea started, took a deep breath and exhaled sharply before finishing with, “Can understand that. The first time I saw you all, I didn’t know what to think either.” She looked up at R010 with an earnest smile and insisted, “But I do not harbor any doubts.”

R010 smiled back and replied with, “Then all is well, for no good can come when friends doubt each other.” There was a pause before, with a lower tone he asked, “So… how many did you come across?”

As if waiting for this, Sphaere pounced on her place in the conversation, “Was hard ta count ‘em in the dark, but at least ten o’ them tried ta sneak up on us.”

R010 tried not to cringe at hearing this grim news. He looked down at his feet before coming up with an answer. “I don’t know that we would be able to hold off half that many by ourselves.” He admitted, almost sheepishly.

“Good thang yer not alone.” Sphaere insisted as though she were trying to calm his concerns.

“You can be certain that we’ll do our part.” Rhystea added as she pulled down her glasses to remove any smudging. 

As if to both emphasize what they were saying as well as highlight the bits about ‘not being alone’ and ‘doing their part,’ Cekell added a confident chirp for good measure.

R010 was taken by surprise. He looked up before thumping his fist against his chest. “When you put it like that, how can we not rise to the occasion?”

“There ain’t no problems we cain’t fix by puttin’ ol’ four eyes on the case!” Sphaere said with a laugh. Rhystea replaced her glasses before glaring through them at Sphaere. Deciding to ignore her, she turned her focus to Cekell. 

“I’ll take first watch here, could I request that you two make yourselves comfortable in the basking chamber? After their inability to penetrate our defenses, to which you went out and hunted down their advance party, I can’t imagine we’ll be getting any ‘guests’ tonight… but just in case, I’d like you to be there to greet them!” R010 concluded.

“That wouldn’ be a bad idea…” Sphaere paused before finishing with, “But tomorrow I want more than a rock ta sleep on!” 

Sphere headed down from the upper level of the gate to start making her way inside when Rhystea replied softly, “Bed…”

“Not gettin’ my hopes up that high.” Sphaere confessed, “But there’s gotta be somethin’ here more comfortable than rocks.”

Making their way to the basking chamber, they entered to find that most of the Reptilia Series were already sprawled out asleep, most of which were all but using a weapon as a pillow. The only one that seemed to notice them entering was a large turtle who looked them over before turning their gaze back to the opening in the ceiling.

Finding a comfortable enough looking nook, Sphaere and Rhystea sat down side by side as Cekell sprawled out across both of their laps. They shut their eyes, and as if turning out a light, they were asleep almost instantaneously. 

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