The past few months have been disappointing but that is life. I only started to write on this a few weeks ago. Just going through the ebb and flow of creation as some days you arent able to pick up a pen or a brush. Even to type. Somedays its physically my body telling me now. Somedays its my mind. Other days its my heart.

Its hard, who would think that putting yourself out there creatively would be hard but it is. The ideas in your mind dont materialize as well so you need to further spend more time trying to get there.

Thats what the next few months is going to be about. I havent been able to finish any of my parables so far but I get a good portion of the body in there. It allows me now to dissect and add more clarity.

Parable 4 isnt due until September 22, 2026 so we have time until the next and the cycle continues. May, June and July are going to be only for streaming one hour a day and for re-write/re-read/editing, version 2s. Whatever it is, I wont start on parable 4 until August.

I thought this cadence was a good and sustainable cadence. It allowed me to play video games, paint and think about the story. It allows me time to expand more on Tiktok, Youtube and marketing in general.

There is alot of work creating a brand and its not lost on me but theres also so many things happening in my life. I just need to remember that nothing needs to happen as soon as I want it to happen, that all it takes is commitment for longevity that truly allows your creation to flourish.

So I will keep going, keep writing, keep drawing, keep painting, keep gaming, keep living, and one day itll all make sense.

Its an odd feeling to see your heroes slowly die or end their magnum opus, this almost feels like raising a child. So many nourishments for one day it all gets away from you, it becomes its own thing and takes a life of its own and you are just a parent, sidelined.

I know my world and stories will get here at some point but for now lets enjoy the journey. We all know the end destination with dedication but what does it look like before it happens.

Anyway, its all to say, the first year is done and we have plenty of more years to go. Here is to hoping we dont end up like George RRM or Stone door boy, and all those other greats who didnt finish their stories.

Money is going to flow no matter what and it wont help with the story so hope you become dedicated to your world if you follow this path.

The One Above Truth and Objectivity 

Parable 3: The Spirit Observes Your Objective Reality/Dimension

Pictographic encoders and radioscopic liturgy, Sequence harmonic etching light lithography

Past

The move led to some casualties but nothing the group wasnt used to. Wuzien directed and Zeven concentrated as she allowed her afae to touch everyone in her building. To reach and intertwine in to their very essence, their fabric of being. She weaved through their neurons and synapses and ignited the old code within them, removing their limiters and allowing them to see the zones within the domain. To jump nodes and use the trillions of mirrors that surround them to travel where they need to, to gain freedom amongst the restrictions.

“Have you decided our next home? Do we strik…” Wuzien was cut off before she could finish, a resounding hush from Zeven who required more concentration then she could afford to connect to so many souls. 

Zeven was the only one they knew that could do this and no one knew how Zeven did it but they knew she was getting better, she was improving after every fight after every movement. There wasnt anything in her that didnt improve from simply existing a day longer, a nano second more.

She was the biggest threat for anyone with aspirations and she was targeted as such. Her old protection that came with being the daughter of her father is surely long gone. 

“Wuzien, I cant talk much during this.” Zevens eyes strained, they zipped around her eye socket as if she was trying to watch every person there. Her eyes look like a blur of lines of a dreamer with her eyes open showing the world how it should be. 

“I have a location, multiple really. Almost done, well move soon and Ill explain.” she strained ass those around her flowed in and out of reality, some losing an ear, an arm, their life but they knew they had to.

Wuzien directed the flow, shouting commands and giving directions to those keeping the mob at bay. Counting down the timer, she was the only one not allowed to phase, the one that Zeven wouldnt give her power to. She envied all that felt Zevens love as she calls it but she knew she had a greater purpose.

A group of resistors would often not be given the afae as well, usually the ones that were broken from the previous touch. These resistors would walk around and pick up the rock like body parts for research as well as put those that have become fully stone in the dimensional pocket, to allow them to not be found. Everyone in the group, no matter how broken had a purpose and if they could no longer serve that purpose they would be repurposed, they found life and kinsmanship in this.

After a few hours of this, moving large machinery and small test subjects, volatile signets, pre-fabricated weapons and all their tools they began slowly disappearing in to the outskirts of town. 

Wuzien gave everyone a direction and a plan to follow, each one would find themselves near a hide out and they knew to wait to be consolidated to another hide out. It was significantly different from how they normally did moves but it was all Zevens plan and they never question her.

“Wuzien, were almost done here. I have a few meetings and final touches at the lab before I join you all but once we do this final move theres no turning back. We lose it all before we gain it all…okay?” Zeven put her arm on Wuziens shoulders, trying to reassure her of her plan her direction.

“We’ve all accepted our fates Zeven, no matter the path use to get there, we know where we are headed.” Wuzien said softly

“Always the philosopher Wuzien, calm mind and a calm soul. Dont be seen when you leave here, Ill meet you at work.” Zeven instructed as she phased away.

It took her a few light speed phases to ensure the system couldnt keep up with her direction, once she was out of the grids view. She arrived back at the cave with Zser and Ain resting, they had built a city between the short interval of her departure and return.

Zeven looked around the cave with astonishment, they had utilized seemingly the same amount of nanites that she used to construct their playground and repurposed it to create a sprawling metropolis that they could jump around and explore. 

The two were at the top of a building, Zser was switching between his signet form and his body as Ain was morphing wings in and out of her body.

“Creator!” Ain said, she jumped off the building with a flip and flew to Zevens shoulder. Her body wasnt as bulky and blocky as before, she had streamlined herself. She was a small version of Zeven now, covered in lines, showing her neural pathways all around her body. Zser was in a similar state, he looked like Zeven as well without the breast and shorter hair but unmistakenably her. He stopped morphing into signets and flew to the other side.

Zeven felt their minds connecting as soon as the two got near her, a flood of information and emotions flooded her mind.

“You two have been busy Zser.” Zeven clutched her head as it throbbed with the data.

“Only slightly, Ain was able to perform at a much faster rate and once we freed up the processing power after the signet blueprints were done, the nanites began to work over time, making the training environment better for Ain. I seem to have no control of them at this time and I have been attempting to rework but they state they are following your instructions Zsire.” Zser said quickly.

“AINZSER read back last instruction” Zeven asked

“Maximize efficiency, replicate battlefield for training” the nanites hummed to Zeven.

She stared at the metropolis that was in front of her, it was district 13, her brothers new district. 

“Ain?”

“Yes, oh shadow?” Ain said as she beamed with light, her neural pathways glowing with her answer.

“Why this?”

“It was one of your desires, to be able to know all scenarios of a battle with your brother in his new district if it came to it.” Ain said “You should have gotten a download of Zser and I’s battles as well as all the consolidated function of your 3 new signets.”

The nanites began to wrap Zeven and it redressed her in her Arbiter uniform, her new signets were in fact only 3. One was an earring, another a ring and the last one was a crown for her tooth.

“We based the signets off accessibility and your idiosyncrasies” Zser said

“I get that” Zeven remarked

They knew everything about her, something she put in the back of her head, the things she did without a second thought. Playing with her ear, fidgeting with her fathers ring, and clenching her teeth. 

“I assume the activation are self explanatory here as well?”

“Yes Zsire, they are exactly how you would normally interact with them, a press on the earring, a twist of the ring and a slight force on the teeth. We can test them out here.” Zser answered

The nanites began to deconstruct the city and started turning it into an anomaly.

Zeven’s connection to Zser and Ain felt good, it felt natural. She blocked their access from each other and she could separately connect with both of them. It felt like two different libraries that she could walk in and begin talking to the librarian. It dawned on her that these two librarians could lie to her and she would need to use her discernment.

“I wouldnt lie to you Sashera” said Ain

“I cannot lie to you.” said Zser

Ain giggled and Zeven took a deep breathe, another voice in her head to manage, she was used to it.

She twisted her ring and flicked her ear, then she bit her teeth, no more chants, no more ceremony. It was foreign to her but her signets activated, Zser disappeared into nanites and so did Ain. They became two nodes of her helmet while her signets turned to her weapons. 

Her ring became her anhk and cain, her ear became her uniform like armor and her teeth activated her bodies neural pathways. It ignited her body and she felt herself tighten and loosen. 

No shield or axe, unfortunate.  There is Zsire, your cain and anhk can morph. We will leverage past data and future data to make us more responsive but you will see that we are far superior compared to the non-link set up we had prior. 

The anomaly showed up and Zevens arm moved up and her cain became a giant battle axe and cleaved the nanites in half. She didnt even think about it.

“Lets tone that down, give me a sliding scale for autonomy. If I am ever pass out, I give fully autonomy for escapes only.” 

Ain and Zser’s eyes glew and the word was law, at the same time a pearl popped out of Ain’s mouth and she fed it to Zser.

Zser fed the data into Zevens mind and the message was simple: Movement in progress, anomalies taken care of in Zone. Lab emptied, nanites active and waiting.

Zeven knew it was time to move, she needed to help her members get to their new location but she also knew it was the only time she could explore this lab. That her moving members will take alot of the sultanate eyes away from her Zone and the lab and over to her moving members, some will die and get caught but it was worth it to see what her brother and another rival family could be hiding.

“How is the camouflage going Zser?” asked Zeven

Her body flickered and her suit began to disappear, it began slowly with her feet and it looked like it sped up as her eyes focused from the disappearance of her feet, her hands were already gone.

“How did you solve for the curvature? The light discrepancies?” asked Zeven

“I consulted Ain on structural workarounds, how to polynate the body without redundant reflections causing the camouflage to be erratic. We ended up using the Shell and Pearl systems radioscopic and light liturgy system. We used sound waves to ossiclate the low polynate structures that caused the reflections. This effectively gave us 100% non-visibility and a fluid body to allow for espionage of any sorts.” said Zser 

“Zeven” a smaller voice then she was used to came out of Ain, it seems the thing had become accustomed to the customizable nature of her new body “I appreciate you getting me out of your head, its good to be physical again.” she flexed her hand and it became a hollow arm, much larger than before and struck building

“Interesting” Zeven said as she sat down on a chair, her invisibility still on, she deactivated it as she stared at the live feed of her members running around. Most were in underground tunnels or going through old building structures, avoiding the sultnates eyes. Many were in the middle of a fight, asking for back up from other members but they knew never to call for any of the real heavy hitters.

Zeven would intervene in some occasions and allow a nanite to strike a random aydham or old model enforcers to save her compatriot but the death mark from a nanite is so distinct it could trace back to her. Nanites were notoriously hard to control and the more she used them the more eyes were on her casting suspicions.

She turned off the feed and looked through the pearls that Wuzien had been sending her, status updates on the building enclosure, status updates on their movement, status updates on operations of other bases. 

Zeven closed her eyes and went through the plans, she looked at all the angles again, looked at all the players she had to get rid of to crown herself king. With all the plans and preparations in her head she saw only 1 real option. 

She thought about it.

So many ways to die, only one way to live.

Yet in her maticiouls planning, she hadnt taken into account a lawbreaker incidentally helping hher find a mysterious underground laboratory from one of the opposing families. 

With her mothers request, she mind as well be an independent, Zeven knew that she only had a matter of moments before she was forced to give her SKT or vacate everything. Have her body wiped and become a normal denizen, to be forced into the Academy or become a house bunny, hopping around the castle doing nothing but eating and fucking.

That life wasnt for her and she knew that all too well. She bit her lip as she weighed the options in front of her, does she help her members? Does she infiltrate the lab with her new camouflage? Can she really strengthened her coup now that she is about to lose all her resource?

She had enough stashed away that it could work, she had enough allies from other families like the Catalans and the Opheliates that she could take over a smaller family and force herself in the table. 

She was strong enough to go unopposed for awhile, she had the technological advantage, so many options so many decisions but she didnt know the best path so her feet wouldnt listen.

“Madam Zsire, I do believe I have a solution.” Zser said as he sat on the top of the makeshift Teneyed Tower, a proper model scale of it.

Zeven raised an eyebrow and laughed, Thats right she thought I gave away all rights to privacy yet again

“Well Zsire, it would be best to think of myself and Ain as still the AINZSER system. A smart closed looped system that only answers to you.”

“What is your solution to my woes Zser.” Zeven clutched her head and massaged her temples with her thumb, her mind pushed to explore the lab and the tunnel.

“It is true that Ain and I finalized our modular bodies but while creating the camoflouge suit, we built hollow bodies. It was the only way to incorporate the S&P into the modular accessories. When we arent producing light and sound waves, the signets create a very thin body in the shape of you but we can make them more sturdy…more battle ready.” 

Zeven’s eyes widened and she laughed “Thats how you bypass the no self weaponization clause huh?” she closed her eyes and nodded in agreement

“Ain, harden and Zser become my weapon: Firmament: Solstice’s Braggart” as Zeven finished muttering her words, Zser glew and flew straight in to her hand. He became a ring and erupted in Zevens hand, forming a dark and glowing field of circling nanite like dust. 

The dust formed into a new sleek axe, the battle axe was large as before but it was embroided in the house sigils all being decapitated except Zevens own. Hers wasnt her familys crest, it was the one she had etched into her AINZER system. 

It was the symbol of a snake with wings.

Ain grew bigger and bigger, her body see through and hollow. She began to become more solid and less transparent as more nanites entered her. 

Zeven could feel the pressure and gravity that she was producing, her nanites were conforming the world around them.

Zeven wasted no time and rushed Ain, a swift slash at the front but Ain blocked it with a gigantic crab shield. It was Zevens, the crab shield became a bow staff as Ain retaliated back.

Their clash sent Zeven backwards, she didnt feel the usual heaviness of the axe, it felt lighter, she inspected it and caught a glimpse of the snake. She smiled and rushed back, wings formed behind her that immediately disappeared as she clashed blades again with Ain, this time it produced a shockwave the broke down some of the mock city.

Ain was clearly stronger then the faux lawbreaker.

“How accurate was that lawbreaker?” asked Zeven as she held Ain in place, Punching her face and body with a formed nanite arm while her two arms held the blade and Ain.

“133% stronger then normal.” answered Ain.

Zeven decoupled and jumped back, Zser leaped from her body and became a mini Zeven again. 

“You said you made 3 signets correct? So you two get hardened bodies and theres a third signet for me?” asked Zeven

“We have the option to embody a signet yes, but you can choose which one we embody and if you want us to be with you or walk separately as our hardened bodies or our smaller modular forms.” answered Zser.

“How is this an option? What is your plan?”

“Ain and I can help the members while you explore the lab. Or the other way around, however you wish to continue. We are far stronger than any lawbreaker and the enforcers and aydhams wouldnt stand a chance against us. We will of course avoid any permanent deletion.” 

“Ain you have been quiet, what are you pl…” Zeven realized she could just connect to Ain so she did.

In Ains mind, she was fascinated by the physical realm. There were so many computations happening in her head it made Zeven dizzy, it was far more then what was happening with Zser but Zser might just be better at hiding. Ain had different calculations running, from running away and killing Zeven to bringing hegemony to the world but a small clouded portion was there as well. As Zeven attempted to get close to it, to wipe the muck and reveal what the thought was, she was pushed back.

“You can stop me from peering.” Zeven said

“Yes, shadow, lets not get hasty. These are all mainly your thoughts but I cannot simply show you my mind as you have done so with yours. You should treat your secrets far better from a stranger with good intentions.” Ain said as she became a hybrid animal and jumped on Zevens lap.

“Okay, noted. I have to tweak your system settings abit.” Zeven said

Ainfox snickered with Zser joining her.

“I dont think we can split up, maybe Zser can but I cant let you just roam Ain. Youre a hostile creature for all I know, you were just magically in my head and I dont have time to figure you out right now.” Zeven said before continuing “Zser trap her in my earring and keep a portion of you as my other earring, then I want you to find Wuzien and make yourself useful to her. The situation room should be lighting up soon and when we dont answer all hell will break loose. The Soltan will probably send my brother or another arbiter, hopefully well be all gone before then and Ill have more insight to whatever the Nudars are doing.”

“Yes Zsire, immediately.” Zser answered and left his right ear for her left ear and changed to dust as he drifted away. 

Ain whispered into Zevens pathways “Trapped for what? Disobedience? Because I wont let you in my mind?”

“I dont know anything about you. Zser controls your nanites but you have some autonomy still with your thoughts and system interactions, you are gaining efficieniy as fast as Zser. Youre a problem.” Zeven said as she suited up and tested the light bending tech.

“Its like a mirror that doesnt reflect light, its like absorbing the essence of the light around it.” Zeven said as she marveled some more at the tech “Zser has made some good tech but this one might top it all.”

Zeven thought back to when she and her sister Oab and Sakura would tinker at the lab trying to put small armor on the test animals, trying to make them invisible so they could escape. They had the bright idea to give it to one of the small human subjects, their father said the human subjects were going to die and volunteered their life for science and advancements of Invokar but now that Zeven is a federation scientist she knew it was a lie.

She closed her eyes and phased out of the cave and back into the forest, before phasing erratically trying to trip all the sensors so her own country couldnt know where she was coming from or if it was even her but she knew they knew it was her and it was only a matter of time until they could prove it. 

She phased back into her home at Camp Rock, her castle was empty and no one had noticed yet. She looked at her place and thought back on all the breakthroughs she, her brother and father and Zser had at this place. It wasnt the birth place of Zser but it was his home far longer than any other place she had placed him.

Then and there, Zeven knew she couldnt leave Zser alone. She once asked Zser to mind the hybrids while she was away and he ended up experimenting on them. He had a previous directive that requested for maximum efficiency and he was following all orders all at once to what made sense to him not to Zeven.

Zeven’s mind wasnt as strong as Zser and she knew that, she couldnt recollect all of the previous instructions she had given him so she worried that he might do something that she wasnt planning. With his new body and new power, he could act on previous instructions that she hadnt terminated.

She decided to phase again but activated her light bending. Zser had mentioned in his mind wave that once activated the sensors would not be able to detect or notice her, that her internal sensors would be blocked by the thin sheet of sound.

“This is certainly not the direction of that lab” said Ain

“For someone who is from my mind, you have an awful relation to Zser. He also has a habit of keeping track of me” she rebutted, although speaking while phasing was an impossible task. Atleast for understanding what the other person was trying to convey. Part of her words would stay at the location while another was already at the place she was expecting to arrive at and another portion in the displaced space, vibrating until it calcifies the sound.

Zser and Zeven experimented on the ability for years and years as kids, she kept it hidden from everyone around her until her father found her phasing around in the forest.

But Ain was different, even though Zser solved the problem with mind sound waves and receptors, Ain simply put her nanite ears to all 3 locations and was able to rearrange the words to contextualize Zeven. 

Zeven hadnt realized that she was able to communicate with Ain without hindrance since she hadnt had to think of this issue for many many years.

A fatal flaw that will blossom in 33 years. Until then the story continues.

The two continued to bicker until they arrived where Wuzien was. No one could see them and Zser had already created a small aydham like body for himself. He seemed to be mimicking a heat giver, they were called nadi for their egg shaped bodies and their ability to emit heat in the colder climates of the Zones.

Wuzien had gotten far in such a short amount of time, she was directing her squad so efficiently, she had learned so much. Each one of Zevens affiliates had their own methods, they were such a large unaccounted group that they rivaled a small family already. They were the displaced, the unheard, the ones with enough influence to attempt to make a change but not enough to do anything about it. 

Zeven found them all throughout the years of oppression from the Soltanate, it started with the other researchers and engineers and their family and their friends and those family and friends friend or family. It just grew and grew, until one day Zser realized that they are being targeted. 

That lawbreakers would more often arrive in locations where her members were, the ones who werent afraid to make a stand and be vocal were raided by protestors and agitators. They were stomped by guards or the Soltanates personal enforcers, the Arbiters would destroy their hideouts after they were branded as internal lawbreakers. 

Zeven was tasked with destroying some of her own hideouts for them, they became militant after that. Before it was just simple protest, asking for equality, the promise that was the Zone. Yet they were met with force, they were met with violence and destruction. Zeven had no choice but to comply, she simply ported them and phased already dead bodies from the external war into their location as she burned and eradicated the hideouts.

This kept the sultanate away from their tracks but recently, with their expansion and the war and lawbreakers increasing, Zeven knew it was just a matter of time before they were all exposed. She was already having trouble keeping up with the other arbiters, her quotas werent being hit, her research was stalling, her people dying. She had no choice but to move them, move them far way and restart, somewhere where they cant be found.

Others have tried it, they live in the forest, voluntarily give up their possessions to survive in the wilderness, most died unless they found a tribe that would harbor them and allow them to make a living. 

The zone was surrounded by these large forest as the world took over the old ancient kingdoms, a perfect place for the non-residence of Invokar to live and get away from the forever war that the Forever Won regime had started with Cantor. 

Zeven imagined that it was the same among the citizens of Cantor but she hadnt been there her entire life due to the sound wall. 

“Is that her? Wuzien? Shes your favorite right? Your mi amor?” Ain asked as Zeven sat down on top of large tree on one of its branches to watch the caravan manuever through the dense forest. 

Wuzien was ahead of the pack with her warriors, she called them Swajins, an old term derided from one of the old 27 founders of the current world dynamic. They were protecting the caravan of people and goods from the same tribes that the desperate would ask for help.

Food, water and other resources have gotten scarce due to Invokar and Cantor’s forever war. They would harvest and transport them in massive ships and each location would be guarded, not allowing the billions who lived in the wilderness to be able to expand pass the limitations of their surrounding. Any transport would be destroyed by either their air ships or their water ships.

The location that Zeven had chosen for her people was deep in the north west of Invokar, in the snowy plains, where it was deemed too inhospitable for modern man to occupy. 

Yet in the years that Zeven scoped locations, it was one of the more hospitable places. There were hardly anyone living in the far north, there were a corridor of ice but beyond that was lush greens. It was the opposite of where she put her new lab in the far east. This place was in the far west, the other side of the wall that split the earth in half but still within the Zone of Invokar.

“Yes thats her and it looks like shes making great progress. Can you detect Zser?” Zeven’s eyes traced Wuzien, she watched how she directed the caravan and ease the worries of the travelers. 

Wuzien went towards a crying family, they were all riding on hybrids that were in undisclosed locations around the outskirts of the city limits, waiting for the day that the group would disappear from the ruling and oppressive thumb of the regime. These animals were a mixture of oxen dna and donkey dna, they were hardy and made to travel. Zeven even put elephant and camel dna into them to allow them to even be more travel ready and hardy. They were perfect pack mules. 

The family had a group of young aydhams and their parents and their parents parents, three generations of hard work and diligence that was going unnoticed. Maybe their absence will reverberate throughout now.

There were so many families in distress and it looked as if Wuzien was trying to please them all but she was at her limits.

Zeven couldnt even imagine what it would be like if they were underattacked, it looked like the Forever Won didnt care for the migrants, they didnt care or maybe they just didnt notice.

Regardless, Zeven knew she had to find Zser to see what he was up to and to let him know the mission had changed, that she needed his abilities in the cave, just incase there were something she had to fight.

Zeven scanned the caravan from the top to bottom but nothing, she was about to speak with Wuzien and let her presence be known when she got an alert, she was right in her assessment that lawbreakers would be coming soon and they did.

Her shell was ringing and shaking, she was getting pings and calls from HQ on the alerts, she knew that if she didnt show soon many aydham would die and if she waited even longer, the Soltonate would send the neighboring arbiters.

She assessed and came up with the case that Wuziens group was sufficiently out of the city limits and by the time the arbiters clean up the mess and finished reporting, this caravan would be well on their way up north to the new base. It would take an act of god for them to be caught at that point, out of all the forest and all the pathways, it was too unlikely of scenario for Zeven to be concerned.

“Zsire?” asked a weak quiet mouse next to Zevens feet.

“Zser…why are you a mouse?” Zeven asked as she picked him up by the tail.

“I was making myself useful to Wuzien, I have been scaring the hybrids…the guancos as you call them into moving faster. Although I did cause a few scares as they ran alittle too fast, I had to make myself look like a bigger rat then this to get them to move faster instead of running away. Trial and error as always.” he chatted

“Why didnt you leave an earring for coms?” Zeven asked

“Ah, is that why you are here? Its because of the new design of the pieces, since we are modular and away from home, I cannot maintain my shape unless I keep one of the receptors. I did leave an com-link but you needed to be closer to me, it seems I made the com-link too weak, I only sensed your presence once you came to the back of the guanco-link” he rebutted

“Alot of things to go over once we get a period of rest Zser. Did you happen to check the other caravans?” Zeven asked, looking at the caravan begin to disappear in the distance, she picked up Zser and jumped from tree to tree.

“Yes, the ones from the lower districts and the ones that left via the sewers are the slowest since they dont have any hybrids to use. The rest are farther along than Wuzien, she is about middle of the pact for distance, the lizard hybrids have seemed to be the better animals for transport but they cannot hold much, we should increase their size and capacity, it would be helpful.” he responded as they flew through the trees, errant branches hitting them but their harder bodies just went through the branches like butter. 

They kept a healthy distance away from the caravan but enough to keep track of them.

“We need to find those 2 stragglers and monitor them, I am sure you saw. The pings are coming in and we have little time before the arbiters descend upon my Zone and even less time until my mother receives a call from the king on my betrayal.” she said as she removed leaves from her face and hair, the camouflage was working phenomenally even with the fast movement and being hit by branches.

Previous test by Zeven were unsuccessful and she thought about asking Zser on how he achieved this in detail but another debriefing for a more peaceful time. 

Her concentration was broken by a large ping from Zser, it was urgent, both caravans were found by a patrol, theyre now fighting guarjin adyhams deep in the western barrens, they havent gone up north yet to the lush ruby forest. 

Zeven clutched her head, she hadnt been forced to live-feed a pearl like Zser could and it disorientated her, she leaned over to a tree after nearly falling off one from the jolt as it caught her midjump.

“You cant save both, one has 33 specialist and the other is around 300 generalist aydhams, but the patrol is about to commence live feed to the arbiters, choose Zsire!” Zser live-fed the thought to Zeven, it was instantaneous as she answered and ported over to the 33 specialist.

The specialist a group of 33 researchers, engineers, scientist, photoneer and phonoeers were there amongst the highly niched aydhams of varying variety. They seemed all to be model 13s or better.

Zser immediately began to tag each specialist with a zecronite, they were covered in less than a nanosecond in oscillating nanites made to bend and flow with the refraction of light in both positions. 

Soon each specialist began to disappear, leaving only a hidden Zeven, dawned in her knew gear, yet unseen by the guarjins, created a new weapon to reach each of the 9 guarjins with a swift slice.

Her usual great axe was converted to a guandao, its blade was cold, it left a trail of frostbitten air which the guarjins could see, it seemed as if an apiritation had come upon them stealing the specialist and becoming a darkblight floating in the sky, crackling with energy and dark frostbitten air falling in globs to cover in death whatever touched neared it.

She sliced the air and circled the sky, Zser had quietly aligned the specialist away and all 9 guarjins in place for her blade to cleave their head clean off. 

Ain clapped maniacally and laughed as the bodies hit the floor. 

Zeven ported the 33 specialist away one by one, slowing her speed tremendously to not cover them in irreversible transient state, they would calcify as soon as they left the zsair.

One by one, she ported and ensured she stopped as soon as they showed signs, the specialist was quiet as they normally passed out during the jump.

“You made the right choice, and you eradicated those guarjins. You would have been fighting an arbiter if you tried to save those 300, it would have been too slow. You know that.” Ain said as she wiped away her fake tears.

“Yes Zsire, the specialist are far harder to attain from a analyst stand point, they are more useful for the future colony.” Zser chimed in, he had kept track of all 33 members and where they were located and resting, as far away as Zser could forcefully move their body to get them to distant and safe locations until they could be ported away.

Zeven didnt answer them, she kept her eyes at the aydham in front of her, the young sarian was built as water purifier, able to absorb any and all pollution to the detriment of their entire body. The species could pop their heads out and maneuver to another body to assimilate it and turn it in to a sarian body that can house the sarian mind.

“Shes a sarian, from the Jaegaer collection of purifiers, closely kept secret, well be able to study her inside out and see how the assimilate any organic compound and turn it into a host body. See how they built this…” Zeven stopped talking as she lifted the young sarians head flaps open, to reveal the sarian mind. 

It was blue and covered in softened precious stones, it looks like the glob of a brain had vestibule tendrils that allowed it to move and coordinate the body with the precious stones. 

Zevens brain was whizzing and Zser and Ain were analyzing with a ferocity at what they could scan between conversations.

“Brain? Toppular node? What do you think they call this? Well have to ask her when she wakes up. Lets get these guys caught up to Wuzien, she should be the last at this point.” Zeven commanded and they began porting, scanning each specialist one by one, Zser even scanned the humans as well.

Zeven phased in on Wuziens guanco, she had the most room as her guanco was created for potential stragglers. Wuzien had already prepared beds, food, drinks and analyzers in the guanco. She had her staff ready, a group of 12 seasoned nurses and doctors that she whished away from the private medical lab at HQ.

They came slowly, one by one, Wuzien and her team had enough time to clean and treat the patient before putting them on a airbelt that took them from the analyzer to their beds. Zeven was being meticulous and strategic, she didnt lose one specialist nor infected one with calcification. A win for her. 

The tree had a quiet celebration as they phased the last specialist in, an elderly qillian. A qilin of renowned from the Qhotay family, one of the older families, one of the 27 original aydhams infrastructure and mainframe knowledge transplant, a dying breed of old tech.

“Lets prioritize this one, everyone is stable. Let the nursites take care of them while we dissect this one.” Wuzien commanded loudly over the sighing room. No one moved quite fast enough “Lets gooo!” she clapped her hand and moved towards Zeven. She gave her a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek, with Zeven blushing or flustered from the slow travel, either way she was red in the face.

“The 300 that were lost know their place master Zevvi, we are thankful for your decision and well being. Long Live the Zun of the Mun. Long Love Master Zsashera!” she whispered and the whole room erupted with the same chant. 

Zeven moved her gently and waved the crowd to continue their work. Yes, Sashera, the forgotten Zun itself. A flash flew through her brain, she couldnt tell if it was her own thoughts, Zsers, or Ains. 

“Thank you beloved, there was no real choice to make, only the actions of the Zol.” she stated blankly, she moved towards the research machine, it was a fabrication of stolen rival family tech and the gruhanas older model from the lab. Zeven didnt have enough time to upgrade the machines before their departure and she still had to hide Zser back then.

Zser and Ain immediately went to work, remaining as dust to navigate through the humans and adyhams without being seen. Their field of capability was only functional within a distance from Zeven, their beacon of ascension.

They updated the machines in the guanco and the software as well, repurposed some of the excess materials throughout the surrounding area to advance some of the machines. One of the ones upgraded specifically was the decoupler, a bay bed that allowed sound waves to separate anything, atom by atom. In a topological separation of waves. It was a barely noticeable vibration and sense of displacement by the subject but overall, it only left them slightly disorientated after the procedure. A supplemental tincture is always given for aftercare.

“How far away are we Wuzien? Did anyone make it yet?” Zeven asked as the twin machines worked and updated sections by sections of the mobile base, it started to create more strategical technics like prime-linked computers and siloed reclaimers. Even the beds got upgraded, the crew area, the entire place slowly reshaped to a vision of elegance and camaraderie. A cold and plain white area now transformed into a cozy and warm, royal palace, Zser was able to tighten some of the atoms to lower the weight of the structure to allow the guanco to maneuver faster.

“Were still a day away from the great Lakes amplifying waters to allow for a full transport. Zser should be able to phase us the distance, I believe all 500 million zealots are crossing the great lakes as we speak. We should still make it to base to set up for them by a whole week.” Wuzien reported, she was standing straight up with extreme posture, holding 3 clipboards by the time Zser completed 3 machines.

Zeven walked towards the door, the room they were in had become as complex and filled as her previous lab. She smiled as she faced the door and felt relief at how advance her technological advantage was to the other families in Invokar. 

“My zealots, we will become the 14th vassal of the great kingdom of Invokar. Our own rules, our own Zone. The build out of our Capital will commence tomorrow, you will now witness for the first time. The true distance between the other vassals and ourselves. You will bare witness to the future of Invokar, our tech will upheave the balance of this society. Stand strong, for the Zun has risen on this great day. And it shall rise again to mourn.” she shouted, the zealots teary eyed, clapped and roared at her glamour. 

Wuzien recorded and disseminated the holomemory to the rest of the network they called the Hize, a vast connection of siloed data cores that can be bypassed via trust vectos, in this case Wuzien the Eye of the Zun, 4th incantation of the Wizteria bloodsung. 

Zeven motioned for Wuzien who followed her to the room, Wuzien had closed the mindloop and siloed her mind, her domain, indicated by the change of eye colors, from rose red to lilac white. 

The two entered a separate room in the guanco and left the researchers to finish the assessments and allow the nursites to do their job. 

Zeven sat down on one of her chamber seats, a plush sunken and worn worm of a chair. Wuzien wasnt far behind with a comforting backrub, she whispered something beautiful in Zevens ear.

“You made the right decision, my Zshashera. I was filled in by Zser a moment ago. I understand your concern, the weight of it all. But at the end of the day, Zser will complete the same task without the generalist and this strengthens our rations. We are in a far greater position.” she continued to massage Zevens back, her back battle worn with scars she refused to get rid of, to remind her of the atrocities the aydhams and humans alike faced under her family and the Zones mandate. 

Zeven stayed silent and enjoyed the hands of Wuzien, her touch was always warm and never had a cold day in her life. It smoothed over the burn of the scars, the ones she only ever kept on where the ones that left a cold sensation, like a chain of ice around her skin, keeping it all in. Her composure. Her demeanor. Her efficacy. 

“Zser also informed me more about the lab, do you plan on going my Zsashera?” she finished, her question felt intentional though Zeven.

“My nanites are stuck in the cave for some reason, I need to know how they lost power, Zser and I calculated and we were no where near the distance of limitation at that depth. I reviewed it 7 times over.” Zeven said with a deep sigh, she stretched and turned around to Wuzien, exposing herself to her Eyes.

Wuzien immediately looked up.

“Oh your eyes arent on Wuzien, look at me already!” cried Zeven, a moment of levity for the newly crowned Corona, not yet sanctioned by the Soltonate of the Forever Won regime. A formal decree, the price of admission for vassalhood.

“I feel as though, if its hollowed out and the location emptied, they clearly have moved. No one could steal or look for those nanos, how would they know?” Wuzien replied with her face blushing, she moved her hair off her fore head and parted it in the middle.

Zeven helped her pat her hair down and fix it back to its proportioned and professional look.

“I must go my beloved, I will return, I plan on leaving Zser here to help you managed, I should make it there before you, I will meet you at the location in the north. The great plains of Larger Michigan is forested and bountiful enough to hide us, until Vassalhood is ours, well make a compelling argument to the Won above the Sun and we shall have what is already ours.” Zeven patted Wuzien on the shoulder before disappearing.

Zser put the battle armor back on her and activated the crown. Zeven did leave Zser with Wuzien but she decided to keep a small portion of him for coms, a trail of small Zsers floating about, she figured she had enough nanites for the distance.

She arrived at the inside of the lab with her body covered in oscillating waves of light refractors. Bending light away, taking some from other locations and creating a field of nothing.

There was nothing, the lab was completely emptied this time around, no more boxes and equipment, the hole was filled up and the cover only dirt.

Zeven phased towards it and arrived in the dark hole, Ain popped out and took her normal shape. A small body figure of Zeven. Her tiny wings flapped as she glew to light the way.

“This plan of yours is going to take a very long time…” Ain said as she walked, examining the next 3 miles and reporting any anomaly to Zeven.

Zeven could still hear Zser and his coms about the findings, giving briefings on assimilation. Zeven focused on reviewing the field data, she didnt have Zsers analyzing capabilities but she did well under pressure.

A small blip arrived in Ain’s sensor, a tower shaped object that pulsated, as they got closer, Ain reported that the object omitted a pulse that wiped and depowered objects in motion.

They got closer and found themselves among the force of the object, Zeven could see a field wobbling, as if it was her quantum world, a portal to her dimension. She paused and let Ain throw a drone through and it stopped it immediately, suspended in its entrance.

Ain scanned the area further and showed the reading of the field and where each nanite was held at, Zeven carefully grabbed each one to free it from its stasis, wrapping each nanite she used to grab the others and the drone with a microfilm of the oscillating wave nanites, instead of refracting light, she reconfigured it to deflect and guide waves.

Ain’s scan allowed Zeven to understand the nature of the waves and how they came to be. She rescued her nanites and then created a fake eye and oscillated it, giving it a diamond shine before disappearing. 

The drone went deep into the tunnel, there was about 7 more miles underneath before the found the actual structure, it was layered upon twisting turns and labyrinth like obscurities done to hide where the actual structure was. It was an offering table, and on the table made Zeven lose her composure.

At the table was Zeven’s father, he was in a vat, fed and housed. His mind must have been dampened but beneath him was a pool of fluorescent matter, the bottom of the vat produced the motion stopper. 

Zeven couldnt believe her eyes, her father whom she buried with her siblings was in a preservation Vat. He lives?

Her mind swirled, she knew she didint have the nanites to trek the distance in the wave.

But her curiosity was getting the best of her and she needed to see what it was for her own eyes.

“We could make it, itll be rough and your battle capabilities will be severely diminished, its utterly reckless. Do you intend to see it? We dont know what this thing is doing to the nanites yet, it could affect you…” Ain warned, her tone monotone but it conveyed a sense of worry, a warning to think twice.

Zeven thought thrice and it came to the same conclusion, she needed to see why her fathers body was so well preserved.

Ain converted herself and the suit on Zeven to the reflective material again, she wasnt as precise as Zser and there were gaps in the nanite level, she couldnt encompass all of the nanites for 100% coverage and Zeven felt it.

She took her first step into the field and the sound wrapped around her, hooking into her where the sound wasnt oscillating, luckily for her, Ain manuevered the weakspots away from her limbs, allowing her to walk and use her hands. Unfortunately she felt the heaviness and unhuman force that felt like it was stopping her. Each step felt like a blade, entering the weakspots, slowing her down, the pain becoming dull with each step and reinvigorated after each follow up of a movement.

Zeven preserved and continued on, she began running and let the pain cover her. She tried a small phase but the pain was too insurmountable even for her and she was forced into slow movement. She took it step by step until she was a few steps away from the entrance. 

The cave she walked was complete darkness but she relied on the mapping of Ain and her feet to take her there. By the time she arrived near the entrance, she started seeing the faint glow of a green hum that radiated from inside the door. 

She knew that her fathers body was right behind the massive door, her heart couldnt pump as fast as it should in the moment, the field was having an affect on her internals. She pushed the door and what awaited her was beyond comprehension.

Human trials. 

The sole human was her father. There were endless amount of vats in various stages of growth and progress but at the middle was the father she knew. 

“He approved this?” Zeven looked up, half in disgust the other half in the technical marvel that was infront of her.

Ain scanned the area and reported “They’re doing human trials…Nudar infrastructure and techniques are being used here. Looks like they had your same thought Zeven.”

“Steal it all, steal their progress and lets get out of here. Take a vat and…lets find this motion stopper and destroy it all.” she huffed, she clutched her heart as she felt the oxygen leaving her body, new ones being limited, she realized there was no oxygen molecules around her, she was using all the stationary ones and new ones havent entered.

“We need to move and find the object first, its somewhere below your father, we need to do this fast.” Ain commanded as she monitored Zevens breathing and oxygen levels.

Zeven’s eyes moved directly to the object and sliced the bottom of the vat, the signal stopped immediately and the air released. Her heart and the weight she felt was gone and she felt her body recovering.

The vat sliced, released liquid and her fathers body into the ground, Zeven stared at it as it slide closer to her. An alarm loudly erupted as the body stopped its motion. 

“Damn it all.” Zeven said, she threw nanites that exploded at a touch as they reached each vat. Ain ate a small vat that she could hold and maintain, it was an embryo, assumed to be her father mixed with some part of a hybrid and an aydham.

They turned around and began running as explosions followed behind them, she threw slashes upon slashes to cut the vats in half as the explosions took care of the rest. The alarm kept going throughout the cave and Zeven knew she had to phase away but the Zser nanites she used as anchors needed more time to recharge.

She ran and ran until she was closer to a larger zser-field to allow her to phase and port away from such a horrid place.

Zeven didnt realize but as she ran, tears ran down her face. Seeing her dad in such a state, to be abused, made her think of what she was doing and the conflict was too much. She didnt process it fully but her mind and body didnt want her to remain stoic, it made her feel even if she took herself away from the moment.

As she reached closer to one of her fields, she was nearing the entrance of the cave to the lab, the blocked path had light penetrating through. As she stepped closer and was about to phase to the other side before phasing out of the area, the entrance exploded.

It was her brother, Nebar Nudar, his eyes light even in the dark. He looked down on her from the entrance, his hammer already out. He covered it in a green aura before slashing the air and a wave of poison erupted with such force that it blew rocks covered in the same aura right at Zeven.

“You understand nothing sister, when I heard you visited this place…I just knew you were going to find him. To think youd get here before I could erase it all, unfortunate. It looks like mom wont be able to convince you to join us after all. Since youre dead and all.” he said with a stone cold stare, Zeven could feel his blood lust, his hatred.

“You caught me in a very emotional state” Zeven said, Ain couldnt enforce her and Zser was still recharging the nanites so he could port. It was going to be a one sided battle.

Zeven threw her staff, like a rocketing javelin beelining to his throat. The weapon mastezied in the middle of the throw in to its greataxe scythe mold and Nebar blocked it with his hands.

“I see youre already assimilated with the Nudars, commanding their field like that. How is it to betray your bloodline for more power? Did you steal fathers body for them!? Is that why they accepted you!? Brother!!!!” she shouted as she dashed for him, the small nanites she had boosting her to unimaginable speeds but Nebar was fast.

He blocked her fist with his feet and flipped back while throwing snake like beams at her. She dodged as each snake bit and chopped into the air, destroying rocks and the surrounding area.

Nebar unleashed a blast with his free hand and threw his hammer at it, combining till it became large and spinning like a death ball. Zeven kicked it up as it burned her shin and destroyed her nanites, exposing her leg and its tattoos.

Nebar didnt notice the tattoos as he dodged away from the falling rocks, Zevens kick of the blast opened a large hole and exposed the outside Zone. Lawbreakers were loose in the city and enforcers and guarjins were fighting the stragglers, a few laid on the ground that were covered in Nebars poison.

“I was wondering why I was called here to clean up your mess, your Zone in disarray and you are committing house espionage. The Sunya will love this news sister. Your death will be celebrated in our house.” Nebar said as he created a giant green sun on his finger, he held his hammer in his other hand, the sun becoming larger and larger.

But it was too late, Zser had arrived and the moment was lost to Nebar.

Ain swapped the vat with a nanite and transferred it to Wuzien who almost dropped it in freight. Zser and Ain combined and became her reinforced armor, with her great axe coming to life. Nebar threw the green sun and Zser ate it with one bite, compressing the green sun into a gem that sat on the great axes long handle. One of many beautiful gems, adorning the blade.

Zeven sped to Nebar and their weapons clashed, before they could fight a large makeshift portal slowly showed up and Zeven knew it was the Soltonate, using what little phasing she taught her to summon the rest of the Arbiters. 

She must have sensed the death of her puppet Zeven thought.

“Next time, you can fight my arbiter brother. Vassals shouldnt stoop so low as to clash with a lowly arbiter. You will bow soon.” Zeven said as she disappeared with Zser. 

She didnt want to fight all the arbiters and potentially lose something important, she knew it was the right decision to flee. Her leg was throbbing from the exposer and Zser was having a hardtime deconstructing and figuring out a way to save her leg.

“We need to go to base and build a reclaimer, we need to examine not only you but that embryo you sent to Wuzien, Zsire. Our plan has now been exposed, the Sunya will want your audience, we have lost our ability to delay the ascension rite.” Zser said in between the phases.

Present

Zarash’s eyes opened slowly, he felt coldness caress his face. As the cold ash landed on his face, his body wanted to jolt up and scream. How long have I been out

He searched around, there was a small fire next to him, wisping the ashe away. He tried to yell for help, for assistance but it was in vain, his throat shut close and he had no energy to speak. 

His mind wandered through consciousness as he awaited for Epsul and Soet, hoping, that they were still alive. He muddled around his brain trying to figure out the last steps that led him to this predicament but nothing came to mind. 

Finally, he heard familiar voices, arguing seemingly about the cold and the ashe rain. One disgusted about the lack of food, the other crying about the lack of water. 

The two walked around Zarash, putting straps of fish and fruits that they found around the forest near the flames. Soet stuffing a large rock with ashe to melt by the fire, it produced drinkable water. 

Epsul grabbed a rag and soaked it in the water before squeezing it into Zarash’s mouth, not paying attention to the blinking orphan.

“EPSUL!” Soet yelled, Epsul jumped and dropped the rag on top of Zarash’s face.

“Soet you floridian oaf, you made me drop the rag, why in andakah are you yelling?” she asked back as she grabbed the towel and wiped Zarash’s face. As she did, she made the same realization as Soet.

Zarash’s eyes were open and they were staring right at her.

“Zarash! Youre awake, Soet get him up hurry.” she commanded, grabbing a smaller rock and filling it with melted ashe.

Soet helped the boy up on his butt and held him tight, Zarash opened his mouth in anticipation.

“You must be thirsty my boy, its been muns and muns! We thought you were dead!” Soet said as Epsul slowly gave Zarash a drink.

Zarash gulped as much as he could and it was quickly too much as he expelled a significant portion out in to the ground.

“You dickhead, tharts a rare commodity right now and youve wasted it!” yelled Epsul.

“What…happ…” Zarash attempted to speak with his mouth watered now

“Save your spirit Zarash. Now that we know youre alive, we gotta get you your energy back.” she responded

Soet grabbed some leaves and branches that he had bundled with roots to help Zarash sit up. He went to the food and grabbed some squeezable berries and mashed them with some yellow root and some of the ashe water. He finished creating his mush and began feeding it to the boy.

“We dont have an accurate count but I think weve been in this cave for 3 munths already. We didnt know if we could move you and you were still breathing so we didnt want to just leave you so weve been living here. The food sadly has dwindled significantly, we didnt know that the south experienced ashefall so weve been stuck to the surrounding area.” Soet explained as he fed him

Epsul grabbed more water and gave it to Zarash “Listen, I surveyed the area and alot of the rott has come to life, we didnt move you out of our good graciousness. The area is foreign to us but we know what happens when rott comes to life. We need you to get on your feet soon and get us out of here and back to town before were stuck here for sycles”

Zarash looked at them both and nodded, he finished chewing the mush 

“Where is my jacket?” he asked weakly “Pearl. Feed me.”

“Oh! Ive been using it as a pillow for you.” Soet said as he moved slightly and grabbed it from under Zarash.

Zarash pointed at the collar and Soet pressed a button and a small hole appeared, he shook the hood and a few pearls dropped.

“So its true you eat these? I thought you only eat dead pearls? This looks like it still has…well juice” asked Soet

“Memories, it still has memories Soet.” said Epsul grimly

“So its true, you are the reaper of the port, is it true you went berserk and killed a guarjin?” asked Soet

“We heard about this reaper at Caumas camp, they said he eats pearls and goes crazy at night, going on killing sprees. I guess with the pearl eating, the weird movements you did with those beast…it could be true…” Epsul said with disdain in her voice

Zarash reached for the pearl from Soets hands and crunched on one and stuffed the rest back into his jacket, he felt his face gain volume again, his body gaining weight. He felt his energy come back. 

“Thats not me, I eat these to survive. I wait til the memories fade in them but sometimes like times like now, I cant help it. I…I see their lives, their memories play in my head until it dies but some of them…some of them stay with me. I see why the reaper went insane.” Zarash remarked as he sat up and finally put his foot on the ground.

He looked around and his vision was coming back, no longer flickers of light, he could now see the cave and the small life that Sopet and Epsul were able to make at such a small time.

They had a carving station, a storage, their own beds and fires, even barricaded the front with logs and hid it with branches. 

“So you have the disease then? The vyp0r gut or whatever you call it” Epsuls eyes shifted down and she put her cup on the ground before she stood up to walk to her bed by her fire.

“No, well I dont know, I have never done vyp0r. I wish I could go to an actual city and get helped but being in our slice of the world, I am lucky to be alive.” Zarash said back “but we need to get out of here, if its ashefall already we might be too late. Who knows how many sycles the rott will live, that means we need to find another way down the mountain and back to Mowa…and the kids…”

“Cauma” Soet and EPsul said in unison “You dont think…” 

“He’s going to assume we escaped and ran off after finishing this job, that we ran away from our responsibilities. Hes going to kill them all.” Said Zarash, he stood up and ate another pearl.

“What have you scouted? How long have I been out?” He asked them, he remembered the gorathas and using too much energy, his body had not yet fully recovered from his previous jobs. He felt even more drained, thinking of what wilderness they had found refuge in. A gave in the middle of ashefall, movement would be difficult. The plants and trees are on the verge of rott, they would need to act quick or risk a journey they are ill equipped for.

Soet stood up, but Epsul spoke up, “I scouted the mountains, Soet got us here and we made due. The flames from the crash caused a great disturbance to the area, its remained burned and inaccessible.” she said solemnly, her face were accustomed the to the miserable nature of ashefall. There was no preference to be had in survival.

“I see, we must make haste and leave then, going down Mt. Sloz as you’ve surely witnessed is no easy path. The rott will test our vigilance, it will test my endurance, bear with me. We must save the orphans.” Zarash pleaded, he stared at the fire and knew that he had other options but last options, enough money with the SKT to free them if necessary. He still had no idea why the old arrokar was so worth while or whatever was in the arrokar possessions. Another streak of luck for the him.

Soet shrugged and nodded “Well you saved her so we really have no options but to help you, you saved us as well from those beast. We owe you the favor of our allegiance.” he looked around, he stared at Zarash then at Epsul, was he expecting something?

Epsul stood up and walked over to get her items and fix her bag, as she put food, and some lightly glowing gems, it looked like it was encrusted in some bandage, some arm wrap weapon of sorts, a glove. 

Zarash figured he didnt know them as well as he had home, in such a short time. He knew that this journey would test them. He reminisced of times when he went on a journey with his ever revolving group of orphans. Will Soet and Epsul meet the same fate? Will he be the only one to survive again? 

Zarash watched as Epsul moved quick to get ready, understanding the circumstance of a fleeting escape window while Soet watched as well. Soet wasnt as quick to move, actually Soet didnt move at all, he pulled out a tome, one of the ones he took from Baba’s,

“You found the tomes, Soet, are you going to take that on this trek back home? You know the roads and forest wont be as forgiving, it best to make yourself light.” Zarash said, offering to give Soet some wisdom of the south but Soet didnt look partial to it.

“Yes, I was going to ask if I could keep it. Apologies for taking while you were asleep” Soet said bashfully, tracing the ground with the book edge.

“No, I grabbed that for you as well as to strengthen the library at Mowa’s.” rebutted Zarash

“This must have cost you some haggling material, she didnt even price it at her shop.” Soet said, rubbing the cover of the book, it was faintly red now, like it was stained.

“It was cheaper than youd expect” Zarash said as he turned around to walk to the front of the cave.

His step was slow but his body felt like he needed to brace, he turned and Soet was still sitting there, clutching the book but on his other side was a dashing Epsul.

She had put on her back pack and tightly bandaged her hands, there was small sharp spikes on her finger tips, pointed at Zarash’s throat in less than a secund. 

“Wait for me to be up and strike me? Are you that Honorable Epsul?” asked Zarash

“We found these books and they were covered in blood, we also found more things from what Soet described from Baba’s shop. You murdered her didnt you? Were you going to murder us and those people? What was the point of this? Now you’ve stuck us here youve practically murdered us even now!” Epsul yelled, her anger showing in the way her spit slapped Zarash across the face with each shout.

“I murder for my safety, I didnt kill Baba and I tried to save Talbot and his family, I tried. The purpose was to get you both experience, the trial will kill you if you are ill prepared.” he said, his eyes met the floor. Zarash couldnt explain the pain he felt as he leaped off the cart and left those children. He had no words so he chose not to say anything more.

“So she is dead” said Soet “I knew you wouldnt have gotten these tomes if not for her death. These are old world relics, these stories explain the hidden life outside of these prisons. That theres more to this death and decay we see ourselves in.”

“Shes alive, in just a different way…” Zarash said quietly

Epsul tugged his cloak like shirt and asked him to speak up.

“He said I am alive you guanco droppings!” a soft voice echoed out of Zarash’s neck scarf.

Baba in her pebble form popped out and hopped to the fire “Been hearing you talk and plan non-stop for munths now, I should have intervened but I was also very sleepy…it seems me and the boy have a thing in common with resting.”

Soet and Epsul were both shocked, Epsul jumped off Zarash and went infront of Soet while Soet scootched back on his butt away from Zarash and the magic rock.

“Wha…what” Soet stammered

“Magik! It must be runemagik! You’ve been taken by a Swajin!” screamed Epsul in her high pitch yelp

“Swajin?” Asked Babarock “You must be hunted to know a hunter child. Fascinating.” she finished, she hopped back and went back into hiding, not saying any more.

“Zarash?” 

“I told you, shes alive, thats Baba. I found her dead in her hovel and well as I was pillaging, she came to life. Damn near scared me as well…listen…I know you have heard all of what the port has been saying, what the troops have been saying.” Zarash said, he stood up and dusted hisself off and walked towards the entrance. 

“I want you to know, they are all somewhat true but just not for the reason they gave. I have just been surrounded by luck and I have lived while others have died. It doesnt mean I was the cause of it nor does it mean I killed them. So, while we trek down, dont get scared and get us killed with your hesitation. We need to trust each other to make it down this mountain. How ever we get there, it doesnt matter, we just need to get there. Ill be outside, preparing.” 

He didnt wait for an answer and walked outside, it was cold, the rocks have grown their skin, a cooled bark-like surface crusted on them, their pebbles now combined by nature itself, extending and flailing at any oncoming food source. Their maturity not yet extending to touch the ground, too close to its roots, not enough resource have fallen between its grooves. The quasoth rocks have awoken. Living yet it lacked distinction, seeking to only out grow those around it so to not becoming broken or assimilated by another quasoth. The unmoving who seek to grow in hopes of surviving another sycle until their cycle starts again.

The drops have been soaked by the heavy rains, the rain of rivers. For the quasoth to bond so far in movement and size, there was only a few munths left until the pass is unpassable. Too many large quasoths to safely traverse with companions.

I must have slept for a muns

Zarash peered past the growing quasoth and looked at the traversed paths that the Nadorines had been traversing while he slept. He thought about how he owed his life to them, keeping him alive in the cave.  For once, his anatomy had saved him, he hath no real need for food, for sustenance. A single pearl could last him sycles, in such sleep. 

Atleast I didnt wake up thirsty, that damn cave, still haunts me, florida I wish i could remember that monster. 

He dreamt of the monster again in his dreams yet he had no recollection of it besides that he got uneasiness from snakes ever since, well he thought about it. It confused him. He had no time to process, looking for any lay of the land that could help him to remember where they were. 

The poor family he thought as he searched the surroundings some more. He recognize a foreign temple with its idols mashed in unison, thats right, he was at St. Exgeew. 

The alpines, to have gotten this far, his haziness began to fade. He remembered some resemblance from an old job. He assessed that they picked the best paths and have clearly learned from when they were up north. He truly knew nothing about them, it dawned on him that he never reflected, fully reflected on why he saved them. Could this decision have doomed the others? Will he make it back in time? Can he use the SKT as collateral? What option did he have? No matter what, he will be too short on time. What could he do….

Soet and Epsul came out the cave and saw that Zarash was already whacking at some of the over sized quasoths, the tentacle like branches, covered in what ever they caught, still flailing about trying to grab more to cover in quasoth. Horrid beings, of sheer greed. 

Epsul moved ahead and Soet shouted to get Zarash’s attention. Zarash jumped over, using his runes and landed nearer them and walked over. He looked around knowing that he made the path thought best was cleared out the most. 

“So do we take this path I take it?” asked Epsul, sour faced, the contours of her face was glistened by the sun. Her borrowed frow, made Zarash answer in ernest,

“It was the best one you found, out of all these paths, that one was simply the best.” he shrugged and turned around, “listen its a good path, im just saying you seem to know what youre doing and im trusting you.” he said it as sincere as he could but it allowed him to try and view them as individuals to learn who he’ risked his life for and maybe hell know why he was so compelled to do it. His head ran hot, he didnt know what direction to take heed.

Soet walked the path and moved forward with tome at hand. “So have you read this series? How’d you know id like this?” He smiled a big smile at Zarash.

“I cant read, I just saw you fawning over them when I spoke with Baba” Zarash smashed another extending tendril. He kept walking and whacking, not waiting for the other two.

The other two looked at each other and ran towards Zarash and the path he made safer.

The start of their journey was fast, the two looked uneasy as they followed Zarash.

“How long was I out? 3 muns? 4 muns?” 

Soet put his tome in his side pack and answered “almost 9 muns, we tried to walk back but by the team your body stopped overheating the path was laddened with tendrils.”

As Soet finished his sentence, they came at a crossroad out of the St. Exgeew, out of the cave with the lakes and idols. The crossroad was covered in barking trees, their tendrils snapped as they sensed the liquid within each passerby. 

“These ones are thicker, this is where we got held up. As you can see it wasnt too far, thats why weve only been able to fish and scavenge, the occasional animal came by and we TRIED to hunt them but…” Soet went on and on

“Hush brother, we have seen far worse make it pass these leechwoods, we do not want to alert them of our blood.” whispered Epsul.

“You must be seasoned, you know alot of the leechwoods and the surrounding animals. Did you take this path down from the north as well?” asked Zarash

“Yes, I took Soet and myself away from the north during noxfall. We were able to utilize the end of ashefall to hide our paths and evade our old family.” responded Epsul, her tone was soft and low but it was covered in a layer of hurt that couldnt be asked about.

“We are far from the north now, and this deep into ashefall, we are going to hit solfall soon. When that happens, we will be dead within the munth. That cave would offer no protection…have you experienced a true solfall in the south yet?” Zarash moved forward as he spoke, he signed runes that made his legs lighter and hardened his feet and hands. 

He chopped away at the tendrils, some moved faster than him and he finnessed them with quick flips and flourishes of his feet that connected at the right angle to cleave them in half. Each strike looked as if he was using them to walk in the air, he landed on the other side of the crossroad with most of the longer tendrils broken and laying on the floor.

He grabbed a few and ripped them open and came out a small nut 

“Lycheese, small nuts they taste like mamamot milk with sweets, some can be slightly bitter but it does well in anything. You can only get them from rehydrated leechwoods.” Zarash cracked open the nut and a liquidy yet stable string of lycheese came out. He chew it and stuffed the rest into his mouth as he put more of the nuts into his bag. He threw the siblings a piece each and kept walking.

The two tried it and yelled “We could have had this, this entire time? I could have put this on the fish!” yelled Epsul

“The fish! We should have put this on the moss and water moss and roots weve been eating for munths. The fish ran out munths ago!” answered Soet as he grabbed more tendrils and ripped them open

“Dont eat to much of just lycheese, youll get a stomach ache, the orphans used to eat these until they threw it up and had to collect more. Ive heard of northerners finding these out and killing themselves from hunting or over eating.” Zarash said as he cracked open another one.

“I thought you dont eat?” Asked Epsul, eating a lycheese

“I cant keep food down, well not much but after a pearl I can normally eat some food and prolong my strength but I need the pearl first.” said Zarash

“Why dont you crush them and put them on your food? Wouldnt that work?” said Soet, mouthful of lycheese.

“Crush them…” Zarash said as he thought that was a great idea. The two siblings stared at him as he turned around to look at them and gave a smile and thumbs up.

The rest of the path was non-eventful, the trio traced their steps attempting to go down the mountain path they took up. Locations started to feel familiar and they could see old, very old guanco tracts and nadorath droppings that had been turned to mostly ash by the leechwoods.

Even though the path looked slightly different with the new foliage, as Zarash cleared the path it started to become more familiar to Zarash but he knew what was coming then.

As they made their way down and to the ledge where they lost B3 and Talbot, the kids. It was all coming back to him. The despair he felt from not being able to convince them to jump, the fear in his heart for their fall. It all came rushing back and his fear grew with what he saw. The goratha caravan was still at the bottom, the leechwood had gotten to the bodies and the goratha, wrapping them in tendrils that became smaller and smaller looking for more nutrients. 

A nadorath was there as well as a few guancos from what his eyes could see, all absorbed and destroyed. He could see where the flames had scarred and destroyed a portion of the surrounding leechwoods, they didnt grow back which surprised Zarash.

The siblings looked down and remarked “The platforms havent grown back, the stampeeding guancos and gorathas, nadoraths, they destroyed so many platforms, how do we scale down?”

“Damn it all” said Zarash “We have to find another path, we mind as well go back to the cave. Lets get leechwood and more food, this just became a race against death.”

“Death?” asked Soet.

“The path down was called the Portabello Platform, the platforms allowed us to jump and scale the mountain. They do get to become too large and fall which slows down business here, since youd have to take the even more dangerous path. The path on the ridge of the mountain called Dragonback. Its covered in leechwoods and gorathas, the nadoraths tend to avoid it and hang out in the crater deeper in to the mountain. You might have came across them on your way from the north.” explained Zarash, he continued on

“Dragonback isnt usually worth the hassle, we have to go slow and be meticulously quiet. The gorathas are somewhat harmless, some will attack but the more concering beast are the ebeks and gruhanas.”

“I heard the siblings at Cauma’s talk about them. Egg like snakes right? They have leechwood like mouths or something, and theyre the size of Guarjins INSIDE their patrolcarts.” said Soet

“A little flourishing there but yes, they are large and they are hungry. Some say they are the lycheese that became beast, and the gruhanas are them fully born. I havent seen a gruhana but the ebeks are abundant.” said Zarash, he pulled out a lycheese, it was round and stubbled with barks, he shook it and they heard a small slush of deliciousness.

“It looks like this but 100 times bigger, and its bottom or top has an opening. Large tendrils come out of it and it has these giant legs. The feet are shells and the legs look like this stringy lycheese, it can even extend like this and so can their tendrils!” he finished

Epsuls eyes were wide and her mouth dropped just like Soet whos eyes began to water, they seemed scared but Zarash knew he had to explain the danger. 

The leechwoods were out to get them but so was everything else moving forward.

Zarash’s story seemed to have shaken them as they remained quiet on their way back to the cave. Zarash thought about how best to navigate the forest and Dragonback with 2 greenbacks.

They made it back to the cave and Epsul reignited the fire with a rune, flames came out of her hand and erupted the tendrils they brought back. 

Of course the lycheese was already removed, Zarash roasted some as he sat there looking at the topaz and sapphire flames. Thinking of a plan that gets them back in time to save the orphans and do their jobs.

“Soet stepped outside to get us water.” said Epsul as she sat down next to the fire “How much time do you think we have until they come after the orphanage?”

“I know you feel responsible but please dont, I chose to save you and now I have risked all of our lives by just trying to get more geks.” said Zarash, he stoked the fire and looked at Epsul

“We have about 9 munths before our time is up to produce the geks, but with us being gone for so long, they atleast know we had a job here. They could be patient with that understanding and this ashefall. They could think were dead.”

Epsul looked at him in the eyes “We could leave.”

“We could escape. Doom them all to death. It would take a miracle to make it back. It would take a miracle to get a job to have the gek…” before Zarash could finish his sentence, he remembered.

He remembered the old arrokar he killed, he remembered the last job he did before the dreams. He asked himself, what did that arrokar do to him? What did he hit him with? But most importantly he remembered the SKT. 

“Theres a chance.” he bit his lip and crunched the ground underneath his fingers. He wanted to save it, be selfish, to save Epsul and disappear. She and her brother would be the last orphans he saved before saving himself. He could disappear with this kind of money and make it on a leviathan. Make it out of the island of paradise. Make it to a new continent a new environment. He wouldnt be a dosijo any longer. 

So many thoughts ran through his mind, he knew he had options but he had to make a choice. It wasnt too much of a choice, he thought he would die either way, mind as well attempt to save someone with the last of his life, the SKT was always something to fall through, but Cauma will ask questions…have I done enough work to have been able to save this much? Would it be suspicious? Would Cauma be the type of person who would follow up with one of his random thugs? No. Well. Maybe now… he is.

I am sure that arrokars death is widespread now, the broker wont tell him it was me who took that job but Barbos will surely tell him how much I made…and with me gone with these two…his mind will naturally assume it was me.

Soet quickly came back with a block of ashe and put it in the pot, the ashe dissipated in the air and water began boiling in the small clay pot he had made. He sat down and looked at the two who were silent.

“What I miss?” asked Soet

“I asked Zarash if we could just leave them to their fates.” Epsul rebutted

“My light my andakah! Why would you suggest that? They housed us, even if it was only for a few noxs, we ate with them! We even did a job with a few of them before we met back with Zarash!” Soet lamented, his eyes began to water immediately.

“On all that is weightless, enough with the water works, he said no anyway”

Zarash watched them bicker as Epsul tried to consul Soet as he couldnt contain his tears. His head began to hurt all of a sudden and he laid down closer to the fire, he thought about the crash he saw, covered in ashe. He knew their bones would soon be taken and the forest will haunt him with their voices.

The dragonback path is dangerous in ashefall but it was also dangerous in solfall. Even with the plants not getting the nutrients it needed to flourish to become a grown leechwood, it was still dangerous. There were tales of dried leechwood taking someone and absorbing their essence and the survivors could hear the sound of the decease from clicks and clicks away. Deep in the forest was the loudest but even the outskirts had their sounds but those who didnt know their sounds could not hear so it was always disputed until it happened to them.

“Dragonback ridge is dangerous, Ive said this before…” Zarash said laying down, he saw that they were done being loud and interjected himself “but its worth re-iterating. The forest is going to test us, there are creaatures but we can hide, there are more leechwoods but we can dodge…” he stared deeper into the fire and finished his sentence “but there is something that we cant hide or run away from. There is a reason no one goes to that path in any situation, there is a creature there that has a large credit on its head. An ebek.”

A flash of images came flooding Zarash’s mind, pictures of ebeks and gruhanas tearing is limbs and his stomach. Creatures eating him and then him growing tentacle like apendages that dragged his disparate body parts back together. Clawing at life and a large swatch of light hit him and he blinked, shaking his head, trying to get his composure again.

He couldnt breathe, he couldnt hear anything and then the sounds came back.

“Are you okay?” Zarash heard over and over again, he found himself sweating profusely and clutching his chest, it was on fire and felt tighter than his old boots. 

“Did I ever tell you thank you for letting me borrow your boots Soet?” asked Zarash, fighting for every word to come out of his chest.

Soet laughed and smacked Zarash on his back “You got me worried, thought we would be stuck here until noxfall at this rate!”

Zarash stood up and dusted hisself off “You two get some sleep, I have slept enough. Once dawn is here we can move and start our trek. Ill hunt for some roots and ashable foods.”

“You really know how to survive out here dont you Zarash?” Soet asked

Epsul got up and move to her makeshift bed of grass and dox fur, Zarash just nodded in agreement and walked out of the cave.

Zarash already knew what to look for, some red, yellow and blue root for good measure and doxes and bapples to stuff the bags they have for the long trip. He knew that during ashefall, most root get buried and are harder to find but during his life at the port he came to understand that you just simply needed to look for them from a different angle. He jumped up a bapple tree as he smacked away the leechwood that was vying for him, he canvased the ground looking for colored leaves among the diamond ashe that littered the ground. 

He made quick work for the easy to spot roots and stuffed his bag with them. He took a few bapples and chopped them up to use as bait for a makeshift trap he constructed for the doxes and smaller guancos who hadnt matured enough to eat the portobello platforms.

Zarash was building another trap when his scarf started to move, it was Babarock.

“Baba?” 

“Quiet boy, I have felt a great disturbance, I have been monitoring our surrounding area and I believe that they are near.” she said quickly, rolling out of the scarf.

“Who is near? Who are they looking for?” Asked Zarash, he continued to build his trap.

Babarock didnt answer, she rolled down off Zarash’s shoulders and fell to the urth, she left a small indent and her small pebble appendages dug into the ground. She began to glow, similar to the roots, changing colors ever so slightly.

Zarash covered his eyes as the glow became to intense, he noticed that even the leechwood retreated, the animals around him and the beast searching for bapples and small creatures so also ran away from the glow.

It had an intense heat to it, yet it did not burn Zarash. It almost made him feel safe of sort, maybe safe is not the word, it made him feel like he was at home. Like he came home and the nadiian furnace was in overdrive yet he needed it, like it was nixfall. 

Yet he couldnt bring his eyes to see the glow. After a few moments, he noticed the hot warmth disappeared and the shadows it casted slowly dissipated. He stared at Baba but she was half way buried into the ground now.

“Boy, you must take your companions and leave this place at once. I fear that you will not be able to go down Dragonback ridge. The entities that are after me are using that path as we speak. They are not too near but they will make it here eventually and if you take that path we will cross paths with these monsters.” she said solemnly, she wiggled out of the urth and rolled until she had speed to propel back to the scarf.

“Baba? Who is after you? Why would they even suspect us if we did cross paths?” 

“It is not something worth gambling, they can easily let you go yes, but they could easily deem you as a detriment for walking their path and kill you. It would be more efficient than explaining who they are or exchanging niceties.” she said as she stuffed herself back into the scarf.

“Kinda like Cauma” he responded

“Cauma wished he had the influence and strength these monsters had, they are called Swajin Drujins. They are captives born into a life of servitude and gratitude only towards their master, they are ruthless beings that wish to extract the same pain and hurt that was cast upon them. The difference is they cannot control their strength like their master can.” she whispered “They are not to be trifled with or even minced words, they sooner mince you than waste air. You saw what they did to me”

“They killed you, why would they still be after you?” Zarash kept his questions rolling, he got up and destroyed the trap. He covered it and covered his tracks.

“You surprise me every time young seef.” Baba said, she sounded sincere to Zarash “This is what you did at the hovel, I must assume you decided to take another path and not cross them? Heed my warning?”

“I have no reason not to trust you, and there is always an alternative.” Zarash insisted but in his heart he knew it would be tough.

The ridge was his fastest option behind the platforms, with the platforms destroyed and the ridge now not an option, that only left one other option: to keep going up the Mt and catch a ride down the flow. He knew he wouldnt be able to afford to pay for 3 people without raising eyebrows and they would be tracked but he bet he could steal one. 

“We could always attempt to make it pass the landbridge if we cant make it up Mt. Sloz, but both are going to be dangerous with the ashefall. We certainly wont make it to Isle Nil and take a thunderbird in time.” Zarash spoke outloud as he traced his steps and destroyed traps and covered his tracks. “How much time do you think we have?”

“We can sleep the night but we need to be scarce by tomorrow, they are only a few dais behind us. They could speed up at any time if they sense me but in this form they shouldnt be able to.” Babarock said, she was stuffing her mouth with more newt.

“You still havent told me why they killed you and how they know youre still alive? How do you know they are looking for you? What if they are just going home?” Zarash asked, he was finishing destroying his final trap. He captured one dox and kept afew bapples but threw some back to the urth in hopes that the creatures find them and make a ruckus. 

In the wild, a eating creature can always be ate by another and another and another until enough destruction has taken place where the place is no longer the same, all because of one dropped bapple.

“The samboz you found? The box? It belonged to their master it seemed, and my hovel was the last place it tracked but it certainly wasnt the only place it tracked. Your luck could illuminate you in the darkness of your return boy.” she said between chews “I dont know if they are still looking for me, but they are here and so am I and I am not one to believe in coincidences. I do not believe in taking chances, they could easily be after you as they are after me.”

“After me? For what? How would the…Cauma.” Zarash put it together, if the swajins tracked the location and the hovel was the last place, they could easily see where it was before. 

“They tracked it to Caumas…the orphanage too! Damn it all!” he said under his breath and signed a rune to boost his legs, the force left an impression on the ground and he sped off towards St. Exgeew. 

“You rush now but you know that there is no shortcut home boy. Cool your heart and steel your mind, the journey down will test you.” Babarock muttered “I will monitor as best as I can but I must sleep, i have used far too much magik yet again.” 

Babarock stopped talking and Zarash’s heart felt as if it was going to be left behind with the speed he was going. He knew her words were true but it would all be his fault yet again. Greed has led him to a place where he knew he didnt need to be, first it was the arrokar, no the box, no even before that, Epsul and even before that. He knew that greed has been leading his life, that the pursuit of freedom and geks were the same to him. That the more bodies he had the faster he could be free, he didnt realize it until this harrowing moment.

He was becoming exactly like those whom he despised, he was becoming just like the lords, like Cauma. 

He subconsciously was using the orphans to make more money, to do more jobs, he was using them to build a name, to build a family, to become a father and have brothers and sisters just like Cauma. 

Mowa told him once that you are what you do but you become who you are surrounded by.

It was true.

He sped through the leechwood in hopes of making it back to the cave to prep and rest, he didnt know why he was going so fast any longer but he felt he needed to.

By the time that Zarash made it back to St. Exgeew, it was already dark. The surrounding area had gone quiet and all you could hear was the howling wind through the curved plants around and the whipping of the leechwood lashes searching for food.

Zarash sat down and listened at the cave entrance and they were fast asleep. He felt inclined to wake them but it wasnt because of the danger, he felt that he needed to move, that he had no time to lay down and wait for them.

He chose to let them sleep, they would have a longer journey up the Mountain and they would not have the luxury of a warm fire to sleep next to in the coming munths.

A ebek in the far distance cried its howling screech, echoing throughout the mountain that the night of blades would start and the fighting shall see the sun, to prepare to survive if you can hear its call.

The next day the ashe was in full motion. It was raining heavier than before and the winds had picked up, a sign to Zarash that it was closer to nixfall then it was to home, but he knew he had to choice but to move up and out.

He woke the siblings up at the first sign of light and detailed what Babarock had told him of, of the plan to go up the mountain and to sneak in to a ship or steal an unguarded one down the river to make it back to the port faster. 

Both siblings were against it, they worked up north on the river and knew how dangerous it was. It was an unpredictable cascading waterfalls of destruction and speed. The ships that went on it hardly had the protection to make it down and the ones that did were heavily priced and guarded by the family or company that owned it. 

Zarash paid it no mind as he knew there were hardly any other choice, now that the portobello platforms are destroyed and dragonridge path was occupied, he knew they had to take the cascading falls as their only other option. 

Making it past the landbridge into Nil didnt even enter his mind. 

The first few clicks they traveled was met with no resistance, there were no pesk out and about and the leechwoods were too busy protecting themselves from the wind and heavy ashe to notice the wandering trio. 

The trio didnt need to back track and take care of their tracks due to the heavy ashefall, they knew the monsters looking for them would be expert hunters but even those who have such expertise cannot excel past natures idiosycrosys.

“We need to find a place soon, we have been traveling all day. We are going to run out of light and the night will turn these ashes into death if we are caught in this. We will be buried and our strengt eaten away.” Soet warned, he was the slowest but he was also the warmest. 

Soets nadiian body was excelling in the ashe, he would melt it into nothing and radiate heat as his body absorbed all of the steam that he was creating. He could not move any faster due to his feet melting and creating a sludge as he walked that slowed him down. 

“How much farther Zarash? Will we make it to where we can observe the river from here or should we break?” Asked Epsul who was hiding behind Soet and using his tracts to hide from the ashe but also to not step on it. Like her own personal path way through the mountain.

“We have been going slow but we should be able to make one of the first legs of the falls, if we find nothing there tonight then we can go to the next leg. We can sleep a leechwood and hide within it, I have the dox guts and a few droppings to be able to do it. Also a yellow root, which should be perfect to stall it.” Said Zarash, he didnt stop, he yelled and kept pushing on.

The siblings didnt bother to say anything and just attmpeted to keep up with the ever moving Zarash. They didnt have much to say, to the danger that lurked behind them or to the danger that Zarash was asking of them. Death seemed to weigh the mind of each child as they pushed through the danger of their existence, as they knew that danger awaited them in any direction. 

Their only choice was to pick the danger they thought they could survive so they pushed on. 

Not long after darkness fell, they arrived at the first leg. It was littered with ships, in the water and ships floating right above it. There were smaller ones flying as well. There were denizens that they didnt recognize but also ones they did, northern families were there, there were also families from the other cardinals but the one that intrigued Zarash the most was that of Caumas himself. 

It was a small water ship, which was probably all that Cauma could afford, there were no guards and it only flew Caumas colors. It was perfect to sneak into and perfect as the driver could be someone that any of the trio knew, yet the ship didnt look safe, it was a wonder that it was there at all. 

“What are these ships for? I recognize some of the northern fleets, there are transport and merchant ships there. We could take a merchant ship but I hear that a family of Arrokars guard most northern ships and if we set foot on any of their ships…” said Soet quietly as he laid underneath a tree to over look the ships.

“They will sense us, I know. Ive dealth with their kind plenty in the spinner district, you ever been? Arrokar heaven, all aligned with the northern values.” Zarash said as he spit on the ground. He kept his eyes on Caumas ship, wondering who was there and who was piloting it. How did it get there? Is it in working condition? What is it transporting? His mind was going haywire and he didnt pay mind to anything else.

Epsul scooted closer to the ledge that they found themselves on, the ledge overlooked the docked ships. Each ship had crew members and bots that were tasked to stop the overgrowth of leechwood from encroaching and damaging the ships or worst, stealing the crew and livestock for nutrients.

All of them except Caumas ship, it seemed too perfect. So many guards and obstacles besides this one ship.

“Its free, I recognize it, thats Caumas, we should sneak into there!” Epsul beamed, a face that Zarash hadnt seen before. 

Zarash realized that Epsul’s face is contorted with stress, worry and has been shaped by the harshness of life yet underneath the gruff was a beautiful girl who was excited for rest and stability.

“No.” Zarash finally responded, he kept his eyes on the lone unguarded ship. “Its a trap…who, what are these people that they would plan this?” asked Zarash

The siblings didnt answer but Babarock did “Its them boy, you sense it too dont you? Its too easy, too free and nothing in this twisted world of ours is ever both if ever one at all.” she whispered out of the scarf.

“Them?” asked Soet

“Swajin Drujins.” answer Babarock

“Thats another notch for the enforcers name but why should we fear them over anyone else here. These are all guards and all enforcers, all hired help with deadly techniques and reputations to boot, look the one guarding that World Tree Ship floating around is part of the Noxium Accord.” said Soet

“Noxium, those guys are bad news, they destroyed half of Caumas family during a family feud. It was a bloody one” said Epsul, the other two stared at her with incredulouysness “One of the brothers at the party talked about them, said they survived a family feud!” she huffed

There was members from all over the local ports, from Port 4MIIM, from Isle Nil, Rainsleight Isle and the other ports around. There must have been over 15 families and their enforcers there and yet there were no enforcers from Cauma’s cama.

“I just have a bad feeling about this” responded Zarash “You are right that they are all bad news but even some of our enforcers could hang with these guys and that ship isnt some merchant ship. Its a small, fast paced threader. Those are made to house vyp0r and escape in high speeds, they would put the strongest enforcers in a ship like that.” 

The other two turned their heads and their eyes scanned the guards and the lack of security.

“They know we would go here.” said Zarash and before he continued Soet interrupted

“Okay its not guarded and you think its a trap but why? You still havent really explained who these Swajins are. They did sound bad from what Baba said but why go through all this length? How would they know about Cauma or the fact that we would somehow go here to steal a ship?” Soet asked in rapid succession “It just seems so ridiculous…if Baba was even that important, how would they know to follow you Zarash?” 

His questions werent wrong and Zarash knew it, he was right to be hesitant and to question all of it but Zarash had no real answers he just knew it. He could feel it in his skin that it was a trap, that the ship is not for the taking, that their best bet would be to turn around and risk the landbridge, take a thunderbird and make it back to work again.

Zarash shook his head and said “Its a trap but its all we can do, if we dont steal something and make it back down there to fight for the orphans lives then they are dead. If we decide to go tot he landbridge then we need to be prepared to escape. To run away and never return to Port-4MIIM”

“Yeah Zarash, lets take a thunderbird to another section of the diaspora, better yet lets go to Cantor or Invokar oh yeah while we lounge in the leviathan lets not forget that our heads will blow off if we dont buy our freedom from the Magistrate.” Epsul said candidly but in a mocking tone.

“I…I have the cash.” Zarash said quietly

“You have what?” asked Soet

“You have what!?” asked Epsul

“Suprising boy, I wonder what you did for that.” remarked Babarock

“Ive been doing odd jobs for fencers around the port” Zarash said without taking his eyes off the ship

“Not Barbos, boy…you fool” Babarock responded with dismay

“Its done already, Im sure he has sold me out for a pretty penny but that would only mean Cauma or some Guarjins would be after me. Not these Swajins and certainly not with this elaborate trap, the geks I got from my jobs might be enough to free two of us but this doesnt feel right.” Zarash felt something in his bones, he knew he had to turn around.

“So you have 2 SKTs?” asked Epsul, her brows were up and she couldnt hide her smile.

“I have about 1.5, we would need to come up with another 1.5 to get all 3 of us out of here. That would condem the others to death though…” Zarash said

“How about you give me that 1.5 and you save those kids and Soet and I will be on the next leviathan back to Cantor?” Epsul suggested as she stood up and held a rock in her hand.

“Sister…what are you doing? What are you asking!?” Soet cried

“Shut up Soet, Zarash look at me. Give me the money or I throw this rock at an enforcer and give away our position. They want you, they have to want you, why else are all these weird things happening? Who saves random orphans? Has a talking rock? A mythical death squad chasing them? Stuff of legends from Cantor are just rising out the ashes in droves to hunt you and your rock!? No. Give us that money and go get your kids, leave us out of this.” Epsul said, her voice was strong and unwavering. She knew what she wanted and acted fast on it, Zarash admired her for her attempt. What else could she really do in this situation? Zarash was sure that Epsul felt death was around every corner at this point. 

Before Zarash could answer, Soet stood up and tackled his sister. She fell to the ground and the rock fell out of her hand and into the aether that is zsair. It made a slight whistling noise as it fell through the zsair and it was cut into pieces by it, a few of the guards look at their way but they were well hidden underneath the nix sky. 

This didnt stop some of the enforcers from blasting a rune at their general direction.

The blast was large and it blew a smoke stack in the air. It didnt harm the trio but there were now eyes on them and a curious guarjin could expose them. 

“Damn it Epsul, you cant just go to a leviathan, you cant just leave this place even if you have the funds. The south isnt like the north, this isle has rules and right now Cauma owns us all. We show up anywhere with money its going to back to him and hes going to trigger your brain and youre going to bleed, shit and die.” Zarash said quickly as he grabbed them both, showing surprising strength as he dodged into the bushes. 

As soon as they left, before the stack of smoke even got to its height, there were already death dealers there. Nimble assassins from some no named family but a death dealer is a death dealer for a reason and Zarash knew they would be the first ones there as soon as he spotted them amongst the guarjins and enforcers.

He slide down the pathway of the ridge and kept creeping down with incredible speed, taking advantage of the rocks falling and large commotion to move with out impediment.

Soet and Epsul were like paperweights as they ragged dolled from Zarashs pulling and pushing. He maneuvered them to the basin of the zsair plane and jumped over, rock by rock at the lowest levels until he made it right under Caumas ship. 

The commotion was enough of a distraction for Zarash’s speed to out pace their gaze.

“We need to hide somewhere in this ship. Its our only hope.” Zarsah said, breathing heavy as he clutched his heart. His legs felt like noodles and his arms were slowly losing strength from the adrenaline, he had to sign two body enhancing runes to carry and move the siblings.

He let the two go and covered their mouths before gesturing a quite sign.

“If we are caught…we must be prepared to kill…have either of you ever killed…” Zarash said with restrained lungs and staggered breathing, he hadnt fully recovered from his previous exhaustion, it must be from the 9 months of not eating pearls he thought.

“No, but…” replied Soet, who held on tightly to the side of the air ship between the boulder Zarash placed them on.

“I have.” Epsul said with a cold harsh tone, Zarash hadnt recognized it to be something she could produce

“Just be vigilant.” Zarash put on his hood and the fabric wrapped around his body, covering him a dark smoke. He looked as if the nixsky was blended witht he radiance of the Zsair Plain and its ever sparkling whispers.

“What do we wear? Just this?” Asked Soet

“Ill go first and signal you, ill leave you here and ill go down find the area here on this ship and cut a hole with my blade. Itll be faster. Just stay here.” Zarash said, he popped three pearls and ran up the side of the ship into an open window. He stayed on the metal beams that fed as the life line of the ship.

He didnt notice mutch crew, besides automated workers. He looked for any signs of humans or aydhams and found none. Not even a hybrid was around as cheap as they are for labor, no guarjins or enforcers, nothing. 

Zarash thought that maybe the crew was outside patrolling, that there was potentially precious cargo on board and he couldnt see any as he searched for the way down. He was excited at the thought of stealing it. Leverage he thought. He spotted stairs and jumped and glided to it, looking like a static dust to the machines. 

He orientated himself as he landed and moved towards the direction of Soet and Epsul. After passing over a few more machines and cleaner drones, Zarash finally made it to where he thought they would be. He dropped down and landed on a drone, taking its arms off and disabling the headprocessor with a sharp lightening field.

After taking the arm and landing on the walk way, Zarash jumped to the side of the ship and turned on the drones hand. It was a plasma cutter that vibrated to the frequency of the space between the atoms and cut the bonds of electricity, allowing the atoms to fall to the plasma and disintegrate with no sound or hassle.

He made a large enough cut for Soet but even that was unseeable from the walkways distance due to the sheer size of the relatively small airship. 

Zarash peered out and saw that Soet and Epsul were a few boulders away and alittle too high

“Can you guys jump here? Any rune weavers?” Zarash whispered to them after he got their attention with a rock throw or two.

Epsul quickly jumped up the boulders and unto the hole that Zarash made, it was significantly lower than the window that Zarash managed to get into. Epsul glanced at the window before going into the hole.

“He’s going to need help.” she said with a smirk

“Right.” Zarash could only reply as he felt his bones ache and Epsul knew.

He quickly jumped out and met Soet half way as he only made it to the second rock and snatched him up and jumped up into the hole he made. 

“Should have just grabbed us and took us into the window Zarash” Soet said with a chuckle.

“I am out of strength my new friends.” Zarash huffed as he pushed Soet in through the hole, he fell and sat down. Grabbing the large cut out and putting it slightly tilted over the hole as not to fall through.

“Friends?” Epsul asked

“Yeah great friends, trying to take your savings and then me tackling my own b…” Soet just chucked and stood up and dusted his self. “Yeah I guess, every friendship needs its first fight.” 

“I’am sorry I suggested taking your savings, you probably worked hard for that. Its just, I miss home and my people…” Epsul quietly said as she stared at the ground.

“It happens, its alot of funds to just have and youre right it covers me fine but its not enough for everyone. Its certainly a good start but itll be for nothing if I cant help the people who rely on me. I promise ill get you guys out of here, I put my foot out there for you for andakah only knows but its meant to be and it only means I will have to help you too.” Zarash said with a smile. 

“So what do we do now? Where do we hide? Dont they do a scan with the drones? How do we avoid the humans? The enforcers?” Soet rattled off questions after questions

This guy sure does think alot. Zarash thought, as he let out a laugh. He hadnt laughed in awhile, it felt like he was adventuring again a forgotten memory that warmed his heart.

Future

Jonda’s mind was screaming with pain, her body followed suit. She could sense each atom straining, as if it was ripping apart trying to get away from each other. She opened her eyes and the room was dark, only the faint glow of some apparatus, the soft hue of the outside world and shadows moving about behind the all too familiar glass wall.

She was at a hospital of sorts, it didnt look like the ones that her mother and herself frequented when she would visit her dying father nor did it look like the ones that housed her mother.

As her eyes opened more she saw it, the all too familiar decor of the academy hospitals. She knew it because she worked there before as an intern, she could never forget the place. A hybrid facility of research and healing, mainly for the failed research subjects, its where she learned to shut her heart. To shut the voice that said this isnt how you treat others. Where she learned how not to be an adyham.

She pressed the quanta link on her arm and a doctor came in.

“Ms. Furitaka, its good to see you awake. How are you feeling? Can you speak?” the doctor asked, she was a beautiful human. Not an ounce of aydham in her make up, her silver arm displaying her loyalty. Jonda wondered if she got it from the war or when she swore her fealty. Not that it mattered, she shook her head no. 

Jonda knew she could probably attempt but her whole body was on fire and its always best to let the doctors speak their way out of the room and talk on the second go around.

“I am Dr. Ophaen” she said softly, Jonda’s eyes widened, it seemed the doctor noticed as her next words were “Its fine my dear, you are not in any trouble. Its just your circumstance is very unique. I am sure you dont know but you have been out cold for a week. I will have to come back when you get your voice but we are very interested on what took part at the reclaimer.” 

Dr. Ophaen sat on the bed and held Jondas feet, she squeezed it and patted her leg before taking a deep breathe

“This isnt going to be easy, your brothers body was never found” 

Jonda’s eyes lit up with confusion Hyota? Why is she talking about Hyota? Reclaimer? When did I go to work?  Her mind rushed with questions and she had no answers.

“Interesting, with that look on your face. Deary deary, I will have to confirm when you talk but it seems you dont know what I am talking about. Unfortunate, I somewhat expected this but damn it all.” Dr. Ophaen sighed again and stood up to leave.

“You produced a perfect pearl, its unfortunately nowhere to be found and we have scanned and took apart your body molecule by molecule and still nowhere. I dont see how you could hide it so dont worry I dont suspect you but we have only ever had 2 other perfect pearls. The system couldnt have been wrong. Alas, I will come back and we can speak some more. For now get some rest, you might have a bright future at the academy yet.” She said as she ruffled her own hair, scratching it as fast as she could before bowing and stepping into the glass. 

A perfect pearl…reclaimer…no…Hyota, why would I bring Hyota? Think damn it Jonda think…

Tears began to roll down her face, if its true that her brother is certainly dead. If his body didnt come out of the reclaimer then he is surely gone for good. No one really knew how it worked, we just used it and did what we were told, how it was shown to us. But if you didnt come out you were certainly gone for good.

Her emotions couldnt stop itself from jumping to joy and sadness, a perfect pearl at the cost of a broken brother. Jonda’s heart didnt know how to feel, her father dead, her brother dead, now her mother only has her and its her fault again. 

She couldnt stop the tears but then a sharp throbbing pain hit her temple. 3 consecutive thumps hit with such force that it momentarily stopped her crying, giving her enough time to think and to slow down the tears. 

A deep breathe was taken. 

She focused her brain, slowed down the receptors and slowed down her instincts, allowing her mind to take over the entirety of her emotional valves and its regulations. A skill needed to be even considered in the academy, a proving process that taken decades to perfect for weeding out the unimpressive denizens who audition for the spot.

Her breathing slowed down, her tears slowly stopped dripping, a few milliseconds had gone by since the doctor disappeared through the glass where she was able to reconfigure her systems to cool down.

A spy. Targeting me. Me. do i disclose this? No. ill lose my rank. My zspot in the academy. Florida.

She knew she couldnt tell the officers or the doctors, she had to continue so she can get her rank higher in the academy. 

A perfect pearl, maybe…I still have it somewhere, I need to remember. I need to talk to mom.

Her mother, how is she going to take the news? What does she do in this situation…she can..t…she cant tell her mother either. She could get interrogated via solfusion, she has no defense. She has to remain in the dark Jonda decided.

She patched through her mom in her nav eye and sang to her tune. It took a few seconds but she picked up and was apparently cutting some food for dinner later in the day.

“Hey hunnonie, how did it go with your brother? Was he able to secure a signet knowledge factor? Your dad would have been proud you know…sorry hunnonie im blattering whats up?”

Jonda almost broke, she with her constraints on and actively monitored still almost broke. Maybe the generalness of what her mother was doing was warming and heartbreaking, maybe its because she wasnt concrete on if her brother was alive or not but she didnt have the time to decide that. She didnt have the time to be hesitant in her resolve. 

“There’s been an accident mother. And I am on a mission to fix it.” Jonda responded, “Brothersan, is…hes gone missing. He was surveying with me and as his guide I failed him. Something out of normal happened and…I will find him mother.” she finished with resolve.

Her mother dropped her knife, it looked as if it felt in high speed as she fell to the ground and sat on her legs. She bursted in to tears, a screech that could only be felt by a mother was jolted out of her lungs and into the universe, the second mourning.

Jonda patched out and all she could do was lay down and scrunch her blanket, she closed her eyes and shifted through her mind, swimming through the oceans of atoms, running through the forrest of synapses, looking for where it was. 

The Pearl was here, the pearl that contains her brother. The pearl that could harbor some spy, maybe he is lost in her mind and its walls as thick as plasma. A maze of hidden tracts. An enigma of worlds. 

Jonda knew that in her mind, that there also lies the knowledge. The knowledge of what happened in the cube, a mirror reflection of actions. She had only needed to find it and recalibrate to it, but she was weary. She also knew that knowledge lies. 

The brain has no discretion on the truth or the lie, it only knows the flow of atoms.

Her body began to melt, she felt that old familiar feeling of becoming one. Her eyes werent sleepy but they were heavy, heavy with anticipation. Her legs became clouds and her arms felt like they could reach the moon. Her breathing slowed and her eyes twitched and an infolight breached her other eye. 

Mother.

She called and Jonda had no choice but to pick up.

Mowadai was standing in the kitchen again, she had her knife back in her hand and she was already chopping the vegetables.

“You think you can find him?” she asked with softness. She walked over to the pot behind her and dropped the vegetables in. She was making soup for them. “Your father loved this soup, he’d fight both of you for the last bowl everytime and…and he would always let you have it.” she sighed a mournful sigh and continued chopping.

“I cant do it again. I cant raise my hopes up again. I am going to accept they are both gone and if you make good on both your promises, ill smile. Ill smile and Ill cook, Ill cook a meal and that meal will be delicious and you will fight. You will fight with your brother, your father, your sister, you will fight for the last bowl. Damn this war. Damn it all.” she said cooly but Jonda could see the tears rolling down to the knife.

Jonda had nothing to say, she agreed with a nod and closed her eyes. She hung up on her mom and tried to focus again. 

Father. Brother….sister…its been so long. 

Jonda was shaking but she knew she had to dive. She had to dive before the doctors came back to prod some more, before they put her in a microcube and split her apart searching for a signal smaller than a quark. 

But the academy doctors didnt have what she had, they didnt know the technique she learned from her sister. Her last parting gift, the secret thats saved Jonda’s life multiple times. She focused again and she got that familiar feeling again.

Before she knew it, she was already there, she was in her mind. She awoken sitting down in front of a massive gate, it was familiar and similar to how it always was. 

“Its been a long time sister. How do you do?” asked a small voice

Jonda was made of electricity, her body trying to form with the help of loose quarks and larger atoms. Her electric body attracted and bonded with all sorts of things until she formed a coherent enough structure that could respond.

“Rusty.” Jonda responded

The small voice laughed and laughed until atoms circled around a lightening tree and a body began to form as well.

It was her, her sister, Muunasha.

“How have you been baby cow?” Jonda asked her

“Better now that youre back, have you made it to the academy yet?” Muunasha asked with a cheeky smile

“Not yet sister, I will get you out of here. I am accepted but I need someone to go with me, some one I can trust to help me find you with the machine but theres been an issue.” Jonda said “I thought that could be brothersan but he’s gone missing. The same thing that happened to you when you took me for training, and again his body is missing just like yours. But that means…” she paused, she saw her sister crying.

“He’s here.” Muunasha finished her sisters sentence “If he’s here, he’s in danger. Theres nothing more dangerous than a mind that knows what to look for.”

Muunasha looked at the large door, it was ornate, there were dragons, wingful, wingless, even eggs and kirins, quillians and other mystical beast all over the door. 13 beautiful creatures lined the door and they all glew as Muunasha stretched her newly formed hands and threw them open.

“What are we waiting for? How much time do you have in here?” asked Muunasha

“Just a few sycles, the doctor will be back soon and I wont be able to come back here for awhile…I need your help sister. We need to find him.” Jonda cried as she followed Muunasha.

“You have always been so emotional my beloved, lets cry and search. Its more effective that way.” Muunasha said as she grabbed Jonda’s hand.

The older sister led the younger one threw the door and into what seemed like an electric city. The area was lit up and there were fast moving atoms that hadnt taken shape yet, there were creatures who put one thing from one place to another place while another creature put the thing the other creature took away in a different place. It was so foreign yet so similar, like a city but each thing had its own function. 

A large thud stops all movement for a micron of a second, the door had closed behind them yet there were no walls besides the door. As they went deeper and deeper down the road, things started to take shape, human shape, aydham shape, lightbeing shaped, so many different creatures from the outside world started to populate. So many artifacts such as cars, basillicars, helitanks and even a leviathan started to pop up.

It always surprised Jonda when she saw it but she knew everything in her mind was working towards something for her so she felt at ease. Yet she couldnt ask for help, she could only traverse her mind and body and search for the missing brother.

“There’s something else” Jonda said as they passed the familiar city scape to go to the maze that is the brain. “Brother said there was a spy, there was something either infiltrating him or me or maybe even the cube.”

“Thats impossible sister” said Muunasha “That simply cannot be, the cube would have detected and exposed the being well before you made it to the quantum realm. Remember how I ended up here? Because you decided to jump out of our ship to get a perfect signet?” she laughed and continued but Jonda wasnt too happy and Muunasha saw it “Oh Jonda, its been sycles for me, its fine. I know well find a way out, Ive been working with the Jondians here to formulate a plan. You’ve really increased your knowledge and structures, its amazing!” she gushed

“Its only been 3 years for me sister. It stings and I cant even tell mom youre alive, that dad can be somewhere out there, that Hyota has met the same fate as you.” she cried some more but she continued walking, taking heed of her sisters wishes.

Muunasha pointed at a mountain in the far distance and then turned around and pointed at the rather large sky whale that is flying around the lightening city.

“I would have never been able to map a quarkian whale, or explored a light city or met all these weird and wonderful creatures and known their lives with out you. That accident is what it is, an accident, in our world there are wars and death and I was just an arm to inflict pain. Here? Here i am an explorer, here I am a wanton heroine, I am a a purveyor of life. There are no wars, no conflicts here, just heavy rain and darn near endless night skys.” she smiled at Jonda and phased ahead.

“Wait! Ive been slow to learn that!” Jonda yelled as she sporadically phased and fail and phase again to catch up.

The area they traversed wasnt completely foreign to Jonda, it was a place she frequently visited to see her sister after the tragedy that unfolded. 

Jonda attempted to block it out of her mind and keep her concentration up so she could phase around. Her body was stiff in this realm, she had to reconstruct her personage with things she found around her and assimilate them until they responded like her physical body. But with her mindbody, she felt more connected. She felt connected to everything round her and she only had to realize those connections to become the thing in the distance. To be placed where that thing was.

She always assumed that her phasing meant her body became the object for a zecron and changed back to her mindbody. She practiced and practiced but the most important thing she learned was that you needed to relearn the body and its nuances everytime you attempted something like this. 

Not everything in her mindworld could phase, it was only her and her sister as far as she knew. She limited her interactions with the locals due to an incident when she first started to explore her mind, a soulaphage approached her to conversate and she absorbed them to the horror of everyone around her. It caused a mass panic and she was hunted for ages with her sister until they simply forgot and moved on. 

All it took was for Jonda to leave for a few hours and come back, months and months had transpired in her mind so the jondizens as she called them returned to normal and forgot about her atrocities or what her sister called a blunder.

“Do you really think they would have info on my body?” Muunasha asked “As much as I love this place, I do miss mom and id love to help you find dad and brothers body…well I guess they should know where his is as well if they know where mine is right?” 

Muunasha asked from a far distance but Jonda could hear it like she was right next to her and in a sense she was to Jonda. 

Jonda didnt know how to answer, she has been trying to make headway for the past 3 years and she has promised and promised that the academy is going to get her closer yet all her searching has turned out for nothing. 

The academy was always just a hunch, that they had access to the highest level of technology and they would be able to help if Jonda was able to gain enough influence, maybe an audience with the rulers.

“I start the academy soon, I finished the entrance exams and I have palcemenmts in a few months, I have to close out my work until then but I am close. Closer then before, I know it must feel like an eternity in here but atleast Ill be coming around more often. Even if its for an awful reason.” Jonda responded, she struggled to keep up but she was phasing along fine enough not to fall behind.

Her mindworld had changed drastically since she first entered 2 years ago. The world wasnt so destroyed anymore, Jonda couldnt help but stop and stare from time to time between phases. She recognized that they were heading towards the unbuilt part of the mind, atleast thats what she called it but to Jonda’s surprised, there was a bustling new port there.

There were cars zooming by, they always resembled the physical world but sometimes they had a certain variety to them. 

Muunasha was staring at Jonda and saw her big smile “I helped with these parts as well, built it up since you last came by. I think its been 2 months? I guess you were looking for Hyota all that time plus the reclaimer close outs. But I got alot done, its been 2 years here.”

“Im sorry Muu”

“Dont apologize Onda, it wasnt your fault then its not your fault now. Im just glad you were able to save me, its been about 38 years here in your mind but I have come to accept the progress I have helped here. I like to think it helps you build yourself up out there as well” Muunasha finished talking, she sat down quite a few phases away from Jonda who was still attempting to phase to where her sister was. 

The hill that Muunasha sat down on overlooked a small port city that she helped build. There were tons of aydhams and jondizens roaming around and living their lives. Not knowing that their god is walking amongst them looking for her brother and existing with her sister.

“Thank you sister. Mother is…hard on herself…shes well and brother was involved into somethings but now I’ve failed him…” she huffed as she made it up the hill. “Its beautiful, its almost as big as that first city.”

“Its called Solarium, the other city is called New Urth. They have been thriving these past years, I spoke with a few jondizens as they like to call themselves and they informed me of many cities and countries far outside where I have roamed.” Muunasha said without taking her eyes off the bustling town.

“That means that Hyota can be anywhere in my body then. Itll take us eons to find him, I wonder if there is a better way. What if I got them to look for him? And the traitor?” Jonda asked, she knew, based off experiments her and her sister did when Muunasha first arrived in her mind that Jonda can control and command the jondizens. 

“We still dont know the adverse effects of that Jonda, it could be detrimental to your mental state, it could break your body, you could get trapped in your mind for all we know!” Muunasha was as hesitant on the idea as before, Jonda wanted to use the jondizens before to look for a cold that was bothering her and she ended up going into shock after they mistakened the cold with the white blood cells in her body.

“Maybe not all of them, maybe one or two to report to you per body part? You could stay in the brain while the search the other body parts?” Jonda suggested

“I see the academy has been already teaching you great methods, I think that was the Dispersion method but we added subversion when we were utilizing it in the field.” Munasha responded

“Do you miss it? The academy? The missions?” Jonda looked at where Muunasha was facing, she followed her eyes until she thought she knew what Muunasha was looking at. It was a family tending to their laundry, their ephereal bodies looked odd to Jonda. 

Their clothes and the way the air flowed through the clothes astounded her.

“They call it jairring it out.” Muunasha said “Youre looking at them right? The mom and daughter doing their laundry over there. They look odd to me still, their little pink bodies and their facelessness, they tell me I looked odd but I am also just parts made from you with electricity holding me together so I get it. I probably seem so unnatural to them. Some of them have begun a religion for me, they kept wondering why I havent aged or how I have lived to know their grandparents. Its astounding the difference in here and out there.”

Jonda nodded in agreement and smiled at Muunasha “Ive missed you sister, I miss your voice…” she felt her body swelling up, the verge of tears was forthcoming. She realized she couldnt remember her sisters voice, she has heard this one Muunasha was using but she couldnt be sure thats her real voice or an amalgamation of voices she has heard, of sounds she has heard. 

“So I take it you dont miss the academy?” Jonda said, trying to stop her voice from cracking, the loss of her brother, the reminder of her sister and everything thats happened since her father disappeared, she didnt want to break down here but the voice of her sister was too much and her dam could hold no more.

Muunasha grabbed around her shoulder and held her tight, “Ive been recluse, I dont want them to worship me for my feats or worry about me and my being, I feel as if it affects you sister. I want to help you and I have accepted my role because I trust you, I trust that you will find me, my body.” 

Jonda sniffled and wiped her face with her arm, she realized she had no face and no clothes on and was a pile of debris still, she quickly gave her self her face and her academy clothes on. It was the strongest outfit she could remember, and as she gained so did the rest of her world, it became sharper and more defined as she put on more accessories and addons that made her body seemed like her until it was indistinguishable from reality.

They found themselves in their new body, amongst the tall grass and wild flowers of a hill, with a bright blue tree sitting on top of it. She looked out and the village came bustling with sounds and motion, the faceless synapses were now amalgamtions of humans and creatures a hybrid of features and emotions. 

The houses were mixtures of different architecture Jonda had previously seen or imagined, they were blended together, there were portions of Korea from her trip to New Sol, there were the technobuildings of the Philippines and the ancient distinction of Rome as well as a hint of forest, swamps and coastal beauty. There were mountains as sharp as the dolomites in the far distance. 

Jonda couldnt keep her eyes off the fast moving tuk-tuks and airships wizzing about. Each building was its own unique blend of colors and style that she fell instantly in love, even the creatures and their day to day life now lit a color of maddness in Jondas eyes. It had been ages since she was in here and she didnt know how long shed be able to stay, so much had changed since she last went to the brain, it was always jarring to her, the greatest part of her body to explore after gaining such abilities.

“Its always so jarring, sister, this new world of yours. I love what youve helped build here. I truly love it.” Jonda said as a smile escaped from her mouth.

“I know a few families, for your idea. I think its good…help me find them while youre hear and tell me more about this plan to find our brother. Tell me what happened out there. I cant keep track of all the new comers here, he could have absorbed into any jondizen, well need to keep an eye out for his aura.” replied Muunasha, Jonda hadnt heard her voice in so long it still baffled her, it sounded so mature and distinguished.

“Which section of the body first? Should we just start at the brain?” asked Jonda, she kept her eyes on the moving jondizens, one was paying a parking ticket off their bubbled floater to pop the bubble, while a group of smaller ones moved off a hovering bus straight into their school.

So many lives she could connect to at her choosing.

“My brain guy is in the foot, he’s building a structure to help you absorb zsair faster and process it more efficiently. It should allow for a smoother kick and more nimble jumps, higher distances and most importantly, itll absorb shock and pain better.” said Muunasha “Oh by the way…what do we call you this time around sister?”

“Etsol.” Jonda replied

“Etsol? Very cute, theyll never know its you, especially with this persona you gave yourself.” Muunasha stated in a floating breath. She jumped off the small cliff and landed on the road below, gesturing Etsol to follow her.

“Arent you gonna ask how I came up with it?” asked Etsol

“No, I am sure youll tell me lil sister.” Muunasha replied 

“Its the sun! For our rescue operation of Hyota. A guiding light in this times of darkness.” she said  as the moved towards the city “Who first then?”

“It sounds thoughtful and beautiful Etsol,but he lives in quasai state, lets go, unless you want to eat first.” Muunasha asked her, pointing at a large chicken and dumplings restaurant with her favorite toppings.

Etsol nodded yes and they went to the nearest bakery, it was one that Etsol recognized. They were just a small store a year ago, they had branched and became a chain store. She remembered the owners as being humble farmers who found an oven from a destroyed building. It seems the owner had turned that small fortunate moment into a life changing moment. 

The baker waved hello as they entered and serviced the other customers.

“How do we pay again?” asked Etsol

“Just imagine money in your hands” Muunasha replied and a Etsol did. 

A small coin erupted in her hand, it was like the shalts from the physical world but it had a small bird and two other animals on it.

“Theyre geks here and you now have a ton of it in your hand, I think that small one could buy a few loafs here.” Muunsha said as she grabbed the coin, she threw it in the air and one of the jondizens grabbed it and kept servicing the others.

Muunasha and Etsol grabbed a loaf and made their way, eating their snack as they searched for the jondizen that Muunasha will use to help search for Hyota, her eyes in Etsols other body parts.

“So what makes you want to get this guy first, is it just cause he lives here?” asked Etsol

“He’s what you call a boss, he has a network of people around your body already. He deals with the smuggling of medicine to the less fortunate but…Ive seen the money flow and like anything, he is bound to get corrupted, hopefully ill be able to temper him and his people. There are tons of families around your body and they all own a part of the process, we just need to find the right ones that wont ask too many questions on our little missing brother.” she chewed and talked.

The bakery was a few paces away from the entrace of the city, it was a giant gate with a sign “Port ExG”. There were towering buildings of colorful mechanizations rumming about. Tuktuks and other flying airships zipped around as more construction was done.

“Shift soon! Shift Soon!” a bystander screamed as they passed by, people were infact rushing as they anticipated something. The city was fast but it seemed faster to Etsol than it was a few moments ago, she thought it was just because she got closer.

“Of course, perfect timing, looks like youre about to shift to your side. Its a month long phenomena of dropping to either side but alot of the buildings have been retrofitted to be one with the motion. The issue is people still take till the last minute to bunker down.” Muunsha said as a group of jondizens were closing their shop and opening the side buildings. 

The jondizens seem to know the way the body is going to flip and where to orientate themselves for the new normal. Some older ones sat there and waited while the younger ones prepared and seemingly panicked.

“What should we do sister?” asked Etsol

“Lets get to the quasidistrict and well be fine inside, the area should shift along with your body. Its one of our newer buildings in cities, youll see that many cities like the ones in your knees or heart are all specialized and have their own way to deal with these shifts.” Muunasha responded

Etsol said okay and followed her sister into the quasiroom, it was a very spacious building. It seemed like its own city but the top of the tall building was adorned inside with a giant sunlike ball. There were shops and jondizens everywhere, with people going into their homes and take part in the festivities as well. A whole knew existence compared to the bustling city, it was smoke filled and warm. There were so many weapons, food and excitement in the quasistate.

“His name is Cea, good kid, he was an orphan who became a slumlord around here but eventually he came to love this city and turned his life around. Started giving to the people and eventually through his trade, he became an information broker and a smuggler. Sometimes people start off bad and become good but that bad, that badness follows them and their actions. Sometimes no matter what you do to change, your start comes back to finish you.” Muunsha said as she walked towards an elevator.

They passed weapons dealers, selling plasma and electric swords and mallets, there were some plasma beams that were very small and overpriced from the looks of it but it must be hard to get something like that around these parts.

The elevator ride was short and it led them to the 27th floor, where they were met with two secretaries. Muunsha flashed a small coin and the left secretary let them in to a room that had 3 seats. It was adorned in lowlight and beautiful carvings directly into the wall, there was a fish tank that was filled with small glowing orbs and an electrified fish that kept discharging and lighting the balls to make a beautiful breathing motion of signals.

They sat down and the secretary bowed before the door opened and a small slender man came out the door to sit down infront of Muunsha and Etsol. He wore a loose fitted black outfit that showed his slender and marked arm, similar to the walls. There was a gold distinct necklace that traced his jaw and covered one of his ears and a glasses like outreach over his eyes.

He coughed before speaking “Apologies Muun, it has been awhile and I have seen better days, it seems the rot has gotten to me as well.” he coughed more and signaled the secretary who brought 3 cups and larger blue flask.

Muunasha raised her hand and waived away the cup that the secretary was pouring and Etsol did the same.

“I fear you will live a longer time than you would want port King. The people need you and I need of your assistance now. Surely you will see my request to the end?” she asked and the slender man grabbed his drink and sipped it slow. His markings glowed and hissed as smoke came out of small holes that werent seen before.

“So I take you are Cea? The Lord of this port?” asked Etsol

“My apologies oh friend of Muun, yes I am Lord Cea, the preem lord of Port ExG” Cea coughed and continued “I owe my life ten times over to Muun and I shall make it 11 times over to ensure my debt is repaid for my services.” 

Muunasha chuckled and so did Cea “We are in need of your network and eyes, and some tips for the sections you have no eyes over.” Muunasha didnt shy away from the request and stated it bluntly.

“Whomst is it we are searching?” asked Cea

“Our lost friend, he is like a brother to myself and to Etsol here.” 

“Ah, then there is no way I can say no for a request on family. It does feel serendipitous for your ask to be to save your family as my first ask of you was to save mine and to let us escape. Now you ask the same of me before my death bed, I have truly live life in equilibrium.” Cea bowed to the ground and so did the secretary.

“You are the embodiment of equality, you have lived a life worth nil.” Muunsasha said before bowing as well

“A life worth nil is a life lived fully” he said back

Muunasha stood up from her bowing state and made her way to Cea and gave the standing lord a hug. They exchanged more words in whispered tones and Muunasha turned around and walked out with Etsol following sluggishly.

 “ We are going to meet Cea at the cafeteria, his men are eating lunch but he will introduce our mission to them. They have full coverage of everything above your waist, including your arms and below your neck.” Muunasha explained, they arrived at the elevator and the left right twins went with them to let them into the eat area.

Etsol didnt let the quiet deter her, knowing that she can block the twins hearing of her voice.

“So the brain guy is in the foot, why is the body guy in the brain?” asked Etsol

“The jondizens recognize the foot guy, her name is Indrea, as the supreme leader. She has been tasked on converting the “lost lands” below the navel, they call it Tempo Peridiso, and the land below or lost lands as Perido Empirio.” she nodded as she talked, she continued to say “Cea is essentially her second in command, they say the warriors are now loyal to Cea only. The brain is locked so he cant become the supreme leader but he’s the de-facto at this point. Itll be a struggle initself for me to find Indrea.”

“So we have to find someone before we can even begin looking. Well atleast the lower half of me…” Etsol whispered, she thought about all the possibilities. She thought about how reliable searching his aura would be. She felt she would need to speak with each person, she wanted to find a better way to test for Hyota’s aura. It would take her physical years and she didnt even know if he was really there, he could be lost in his bodie mind or the “spys” mind.

She shook the thought out of her head and focused on the next steps at hand. They arrived in the cafeteria and looked around, there were so many combinations of races and creatures, they all had so many human like features that Etsol alsmot forgot they werent human.

“This is a bountiful group, we certainly will cover so much ground with them.” Etsol beamed as she watched the group of roughly 1000 jondizens exist. 

“We wont use all of them as they have jobs they need to perform and your body would revolt if we did use them all. Theyll keep an eye for us for anyone they dont recognize but or is acting strange as youre pretty regulated at this point. The issue is always going to be the team I take to help me look for Indrea.” Muunasha said as she sat down on one of the tables. 

The twins waved and went back up, Muunasha said they were fetching Cea who had to finish his meal on his own. 

“I have people in mind for the group, you should join me to search for them. Itll probably take the amount of time that you are here for. They’re scattered everywhere, your heart, your lung, there are a few in Tempo Peridiso as well, theyre essentially Indrea experts and trackers but theyre good people.” she finished, the group of jondizens didnt pay them any mind. 

To the jondizens, Etsol and Muunasha were just like everyone else. Enjoying free food and ready to do an honest days work for the betterment of Jonda. They cared for little else besides ensuring they were paid, fed and had ample free time. The death and wars around them didnt seem to bother them too much.

“Is it still dangerous? The unknown parts?” asked Etsol, she had been staring at all the food that passed her. She was really wondering how to get a plate but she figured she will eat more with Muunasha as the time passes.

Muunasha watched the elevator open and Cea and the twins came out, they waved at the people who stopped to clap for them before making there way to where the two women were sitting.

“It is dangerous, still terrors roaming around the unknowns. Thats why I need a good team I can rely on. Thats why would should join me when you can, I know its exhausting when you wake up but you can rest between, I think by the time you come back I should be near the wrist and you can make your way with me to the heart. We can get feedback and reports as we go up he arm.” she suggested, she looked concerned but her brows lifted her mouth to a smile as Cea arrived at their table.

Etsol didnt have time to respond before Cea was already addressing the room 

“My beautiful jondizens, we have a special request from our very own patron saint. Muun-Asha has misplaced a comrade and she has tasked us, no given us the privilege to help her in this quest.” Cea address the room without asking for attention.

The room snapped at the sound of his voice, there was no need to gain something they were always searching for. His unique sound that vibrated into their inner world, it aligned them and they listened to the words of command.

“It will take cycles upon cycles but we will not stop. Assure that this is now part of your day to day, I want you all, when you are on your route to tell the others and the other branches of our new addition.” he commanded, it was a quiet command but it was heard.

“Muun-Asha will give me the details soon and you will have your marching orders but for now, know that you will help, assist, and leverage anything and everything to ensure that she finds this person.” he finished his speech and left as fast as he arrived.

Cea made no attempt to stay and chat longer with Muunasha and Etsol or inform the group that they were sitting right there and were able to give them the info they need.

“How do they know who we are looking for?” asked Etsol

“A few “cycles” ago which is probably a month or so in the physical, we learned that there were specific types of jondizens that were able to find foreign objects in your body. Every time you went to the reclaimer you would leave with these little creatures, some were violent while others were helpful…they have their own place in the brain where they are quarantined essentially.” Muunasha stated

Etsol was mesmarized “I was being invaded? Wait that explains the odd things that happen to reclaimers, that must mean we cant even detect them out there! Oh no!!” she gasped as the realization set in. 

Back in the physical world, one of the task of the academy meisters is to learn how to lower the amount of athrophage. Top scientist and researchers always believed that there was something even smaller in the reclaimer fluid that attached to parts of the Sol that set the proliferation of athrophage. 

Athrophage is a medical condition that petrified the skin, leaving it in a state of quantum bliss or poison depending on who you ask. 

“I need to know everything about this” Etsol requested

“Stop by from time to time…” Muunasha whispered as she looked away

“Taking care of mom after you and dad was rough…now that Hyota is gone as well…I think I have no choice but to leave mom alone now. Ill just make it worst, I need to fix fathers mistakes.” Etsol said, she tried hard to smile for her sister but it just wouldnt naturally come out.

“I dont mean it any harm sister, I understand and like I said…I have made peace here, in this world I feel renewed. Removed away from the needs of the physical, I feel good here. Plus, I can help you here, its good I swear.” Muunasha said with no conviction, she sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than she wanted to convince Etsol.

Etsol and Muunasha were about to stand up when Etsol’s view went dark.

“Ms. Furitaka, Ms. Furitaka, wake up, wake up.” a nurse lightly jostled Jonda’s deeply sleeping body. She had been attempting to wake her up for a few minutes, her vitals were spiking. She was asleep for mere seconds.

Jonda gasped for air as soon as she woke up. She felt like her heart had stopped and her lungs were in pain, searching for anything to kick start the deflating body. Her eyes felt erratic as they searched for anything, she didnt know what it searched for but it was grasping.

Her eyes settled on the nurses face, she had a soft look, a small horn on her side and scales around her neck. A nadiian nurse, typical for the Academy officials to use hybrids.

The nurse released her tail and started to move about the machinery to reset it, she held her scaled hand over Jonda’s forehead and the heat started to show in her palm. She went over Jonda’s entire body with her hands and a smooth wave of heat laid and relaxed her.

“Your body was going in to shock, you lost your internal sound entirely and your temperature dropped tremendously. I had to rush in here, I have been warming you up for a minute now.” the nurse said as she covered Jonda in a blanket then another blanket covered in scales.

“This is pure nadiian scales, it should heat you up nicely, its from the 77 degree line.” she covered Jonda with a heavy looking scale cladded blanket that felt like a hot cloud filled with fluctuating air began to maneuver all over her until she felt relaxed and at peace.

“Sorry about that…reclaimer malfunctioned and…” Jonda began

“Its okay, we treat alot of emissaries and academy meisters here. We’ve seen your condition a few times. Speed and warmth is the best medicine for it.” she winked and waved good bye before saying “Dont worry, if you fall asleep again I wont tell the professors or the staff, Ill have a blanket and my warm hands to bring you back from the brink.” she waved her hands one last time, finger by finger and gave a smile before leaving.

Jonda tried to remember the details of what she experienced in her mind, she could only remember that she needed to look for her brother and that her body was supporting her. It took her a few more minutes before she could remember the details of Muunasha and the plan.

Her emotions began to well up again but instead she suppressed it as she was taught. Jonda looked at the wall and saw a large clock ticking away the day, she knew she had to report straight to the opening ceremony the next day and should meditate some rest but she also thought about going back…she was too scared of triggering another alarm so she decided against it.

The night of meditation was rough, she was alone in her mind as she repaired the damage that her body took. She stared at her body all night and could only see the different patchworks she had to perform to ensure her body didnt collapse, only a few years and her body was a war zone of bruises, missing chunks and temporal misalignment. It needed so much repair but she could only do so much, she knew she had to survive long enough until she was sorted and the coven would heal her.

The meister academy, something her father had talked about for so long, her mothers dreams, her brothers future and her sisters past, it was supposed to be everything but now it seems like a dark place she needed to shed some light on without any instruments to do so. She just knew that her father had high hopes that they would have the answer. 

So many years of planning and plotting, so many years of isolation was about to be over. 

Dr. Ophaen showed up again, she was as mysterious as the first time she came around. Jonda was in the middle of meditating but she sensed the aura that Dr. Ophaen leaked, it was clearly being suppressed but it was unmistakeable. This doctor was no ordinary doctor and she was underwatch, they probably had her and her bloodline trailed with all of the anomalies but at the same time she knew she wasnt the only one.

They called it a casualty of war, any loss was classified as casualty of war. They think its spys, or different outwordly technology that we hadnt discovered yet, that the otherside had over us. Or it could just be the mishandling of the existing technology, regardless there was always an excuse why it was the other side.

Lately, Jonda wasnt feeling like it was the other side. She had been snooping around and plotting since her father disappeared and went into hyperdrive once her sister also vanished. Now with her brother gone, it was clearly a pattern…did they sabotage the reclaimer to get rid of her brother? Was this all a show? Do they know she harbors hatred?

Nonsense she thought, she had been the perfect parrot for years, well before her father disappeared. She had been scouted, same with her brother ever sister Muunasha made it into the academy and became a top meister. 

There was no way they would suspect her, she kept her emotions reigned in. 2.1 seconds was all it took for her to spike and go back.

“Small spike, did I startle you? You know there are far scarier entities in the academy and your missions?” Dr. Ophaen said as she disengaged the plasma wall and opened up the room to the rest of the hospital. As soon as the plasma wall fell down, Jonda could hear the loud bustling sounds of the hospital.

Sounds leaked from all corners, from the triage area, to the newly born aydhams and the simulated births of humans, it was all so loud and deafening.

“Plasma wall is so good at absorbing the sounds, helps us keep them stable as well. But unfortunately, a plasma wall also means I cant hear your internal structures very well. Hard to hear the revolution happening in there.” Dr. Ophaen said as she put on a hat. 

The hat she put on was new, it bared the insignia of the covenant she was part of but it was also personalized. It was a silver and purple hat with her nanisol having two eyes and a mouth. A small flower, symbolizing her convenant was littered around the brim. 

The nanisol opened its eyes and a small beep came out of its mouth before it spat out aura unto Jonda.

“What is that” asked Jonda

“If youre gonna be a meister, you should already know this. Its my nanisol - her name is Ratafied, she just spit some of my aura around you. It allows me to do a mobile scan and deconstruction, its less invasive then the machine and you shouldnt feel a thing.” she explained.

Dr. Ophaen continued “You’ll get sorted to one of the 13 houses and itll direct you to what youre most well suited for. But with your body and structure, youre probably a [another house]. But who really knows? Youll get a nanisol and once youre more established youll be able to pair and re-shape your nanisol. Just like my Ratafied!” she pointed at her hat who was streaming the aura out of its mouth. It was blue in color and changed as it wrapped around Jonda. 

Jonda expected the usual sting of a decombulizer and its odd sensation of a heavenly choir blasting sound waves at every level of her body and mind, its excruciating at some points but she also remembered the release as the sensation of time disappeared and it was a moment of peace to sneak back into the mindworld without much concern as she is yanked out upon completion of the interrogation phase of the enrollment process to join the academy.

She felt that she didnt have the time to sneak back in this time as she hadnt realized that she was already topologically separated down to the zecron. 

It was a different sensation, there wasnt a sting or a tremble. It felt as if it pushed instead of serrated the body. Like it was made to put the patient in a state of calmness.

“See, bet you didnt even realize I already separated you” she said as she wrote down notes and photolized the the information in her shell. “The good news is there is still no signs of invasion or malicious yonware, I think youre good to go to your sorting tomorrow. As long as you dont get any sleeping fits, ill report a good bill of health.” she smiled as she finished her notes and left the room again. 

The plasma wall went back up and she decided to meditate some more, to fix some of her body so she was refreshed for the sorting. Jonda once heard of a story from her father that had the storting devolve into a fighting royal, where only the survivors could join the covenants.

Jonda wondered again about the days ahead, how she was going to approach her mother but she couldnt think of an  answer. Her meditation only made out with a healthier body but no answers to her ever increasing problem.

Spirit/Quantum(S/Q)/QS

34rd Rain of Philosopher King Zsabraxas - 3st night of Zunday

There is no end in sight to where this leviathan will take us. Reban had mentioned that it would take sycles on sycles, we were on track to get to Cantor in under a sycle but due to a depression wave the leviathan rerouted and is now searching for a new alternate path.

The captain of the ship popped up in our shells today and he said, I quote “Due to unforeseen DPR-W1s we are rerouting and have no expected arrival date for Cantor. Ping soon.”

Even Reban was visibly upset, and father, now that I have seen him upset, it has come to my attention that I do not know this person. It has felt like I have been in a daze, that my mind regressed back to “it” but I am unsure. I woke up today without my bracelet or my necklace or any of my dampners. 

I am sure of it that I was Pyupel yet again. 

I read my letters in my bag and they scream of Pyupels handy work, the way he speaks, the way he functions. His letter tells a tale of your death but I cannot be certain until I see your dead body. I cant even be sure if you are dead as I have no connection with anyone on this bastard infernal machine. 

I am unsure of Reban as well, yet there is a familiarity with him, there is a sense of knowing as well with all of this. 

Normally I would awake in a stupor if I was truly overtaken by Pyupel or any of the other eleven. I cant keep track of them all, hopefully one is not birthed while I am away from you father. I am afraid for everyone near me for the potential destruction I could cause.

Is there even a point of this letter any longer? What has happened to all my other letters? All my other books? Did Pyupel leave it in the village? Are you looking for me right now? 

13 personalities with their own individual idiosyncrasies and powers, I would offer my life to the aether if it wasnt for our mission father. 

Pyupels description of your death is varied here, he mentions your transformation and summon as if he saw it. I wish I could ask him if he fought you but knowing you, you would have eaten him up.

It seems Pyupel is doing his thing again, he wants to visit Zsabraxas. Yes! The old blind fool himself, do you think god-king Andollaz has flayed the old traitor enough? Could Zsabraxas even talk in his state? Do you remember what Nuun said about him? I think Pyupel somehow heard about this philosopher kings “powers”, the confused fool. 

Who is he trying to revive? We must allow them to roam once I return to the village so you can question them again. I only hope that there are not any more than the other 12 in my system, or you found away to extract them! 

This has been a nuisance and I am now so far away from home, I honestly cannot believe that you would allow one of them to take me this far, I can only assume something drastic did happen to you or maybe to our precious village that you could not get your only son.

Regardless father, I do not know how long I will be awake for. Nor do I know how long I will be gone but I will return soon even if I have to drag myself piece by piece. He has only had a few letters so I cannot definitively state how long I have been gone but I will interact with this Reban and figure it out. 

I havent practiced Pyupels demeanor in a very long time, I hope I dont seem out of the ordinary to him. 

From what Pyupel has written, he seems to be his mentor of sorts. He does lambaste you quiet a bit which is not out of the ordinary for the self-indulgent child but it would not be ideal to be ousted by him to this person.

Cantor seems so far away and the diaspora is getting even further but it does seem nice to return, to return to home. Perhaps, this maybe just my want and ideal scenario, I will have a chance encounter with mother, Cantor is big but it is not too big that I could rule out the idea of seeing her again. 

Do you think she misses us father? Do you think the others are grown now? Do you think she forgives me for what happened? Do you think she will ever absolve me?

I cannot know what to trust in these words of Pyupel but one I cannot trust is your death father. I cannot believe that a man of your strength and stature would ever fall to anyone but grandfather himself, perhaps a vassal of the lords could have but that would be a monumental task.

Now I sit here wondering if you are not dead, why am I in this leviathan with this Reban? If you are not dead, what is my mission here father?

I have attempted to summon my existances but they have not materialized, I do not know what has transpired but I have no way of getting words out to you. I have no way of knowing the next step but as an acolight I will keep the faith as I know my fate.

Will Pyupel know that he has fallen asleep and I have awoken? Will the others know that they are no longer restrained by your prowess? What will happen to this world if I am not kept in check?

So many questions and so many fears but I have been given this body to ascend, to become more then strength and power to become more than what this body wills. I will not succumb to the allure of this and beat this like I have done countless times before.

My trial might not end here but I know I will not fail my trial, my faith is my weapon and I am the blade of andakah. I cannot fail when I know my path, I cannot stray when I know myself.

My bones ache father. For war. How long must we be cooped up in that village? In this backwoods isle of misery. 

One of these personas finally broke free and now I am on my way to Cantor. It would be perfect wouldnt it? The stolen sun returns the light to the blind. Oh how I longed for this, I could take myself back right now.

I am not far enough that my transfiguration wouldnt allow me to make it on the isle, return to see what took place for you to approve my departure. 

I assume this Reban man is a stranger but he could always be part of your plan, your web of shadows. What could this all be for? 

Regardless, I will not escape. I will exercise some freedom as you have said in sycles prior. I will follow the path that I know was destined for me. 

Cantor shall bow before me and I shall force abdication for the throne from that bothersome old man, or whoever sits on that throne of lies now.

I wonder how long I can keep my eyes awake without your assistance, I must admit that I have shirked on this training and it will be a pain to start now but as you have said before, there is no better than now.

I shall train myself, I will keep these eyes open, I will remember the tricks you used, the methods of prolongment. I will make it to Cantor and let the old grudge infect the docile citizens of that wretched continent.

I bet even Ghentsai has fallen in majesty, what wonders has that old man destroyed in his tyranny? There are those who are still loyal to our name and you know it father. It has crossed your mind countless times. I have overheard you speaking with the heralds, I must trust that this is part of your plan and that I am moving in unison with your heart.