Somehow, standing next to Te, invincible endbringer beasts and apocalypses seem far more manageable. Just being at her side warms my heart. Now more than ever, thanks to the effect of her manifested Honoris Causa. I’m not even certain what this feeling is. All I can think to call it is pure goodness. It’s comfort, warmth, love, strength, safety, compassion, passion, and so much more. I guess that makes sense. It’s Teuila. It’s all the best parts of her, literally on display.
My eyes water slightly as I smile lovingly her way, while Teuila gazes about at her own Honoris Causa. The way she drinks in its form, like it’s the first time that her gaze travels along its supple neck, and smooth-scaled luminescent body, or its rippling muscles that send waves shimmering across her body as its scales shift, it’s a childlike wonder, and a warrior’s curiosity rolled into one. I can tell that she’s assessing its limits, and I bet she’s planning to break even those. My heart is tugged elsewhere, my mind reels, and I know I’d be having a vision, but I remain firmly planted in the moment.
Speaking of breaking things, I tease Teuila, “Now that you’re leveling up in a gestalt class, or epic levels, or whatever the hell is going on with you, you’re gonna need to be more careful opening doors and stuff. Not that we have many around here to worry about, heh.”
Sticking her tongue out at me, Teuila partially blows a playful raspberry. She then bobs her head side to side, wearing her mile-wide closed-eyed smile. Staring at her face, and down those tunnels ringed in emerald as her eyes open, I feel a million miles away from all the dangers we face. I see into Teuila’s soul, and see only hope, love, passion, warmth. Much like her Honoris Causa, Teuila’s depths are virtually on display for anyone willing to look. One need not plumb the depths of her ocean of emotions in her mindscape to realize just how vast, and deep Te really is. Our gazes locked, she lays her arms over my shoulders, and we rest our foreheads together.
A polite cough rouses me from my enchanted stupor fawning over Teuila. Blushing, but still grinning helplessly, I raise an eyebrow as I turn towards the pair of Draconiac strategists. As much as I would like to, it’s probably not the best time to get caught up idolizing or ogling Teuila in any fashion. Likewise, Te grumbles and pouts, but rescinds her Honoris Causa, knowing our situation at Solace is still serious. We’ll still steal moments to express our love, but now isn’t one of them.
Sighing for a moment, I return to the topics at hand, “Alright, so we’ve got ominous prophecies and foreboding clues aplenty, or maybe the reverse of that, I’m not sure. Point is, we have to deal with the tangible threat first, because it’s breathing down our necks. I’ve bottlenecked the advance of Terrorzin’s forces, but I’m sure he’s got the magical might to blow through my little blockade in nearly no time at all. I’m hoping I bought us some small bit of time, and dented his horde, and perhaps his reserves of magic in at least some slight fashion, but I’m not holding my breath.”
The three around me solemnly nod along with my statement, so I continue, “Boetah offered something I’m loathe to take him up on, but we might need to capitalize on in some fashion or other. We actually *want* Terrorzin to keep his focus on the straightforward path, to think that he’s got us cornered, so that we can defend the bottleneck, and surgically strike bits of his leadership core. The Dormir has its work cut out for it, especially if it’s still down a member or two. Any news on Induul?”
Burshis informs me, “Our The Green seems to have his erratic behavior somewhat under control. He isn’t displaying symptoms of withdrawal anymore, but he does sneak off frequently. I worry what his actions might mean in the long run, but as it stands, I think he’s fit for battle at least. I’m no physician however, so please take my assessment with a grain of salt.”
Nodding and gnawing the inside of my cheek, I mull over Burshis’s statement. Teuila fumes slightly about Induul’s behavior, and I don’t blame her. She’s extra upset at him for imbibing Dragonforces that might have meant I could reach my cure for my mana residue corruption sickness. I worry that she might try to leave Dragonforces for me from foes she slays, only to have them stolen by Terrorzin’s forces. Thankfully, based on her Honoris Causa’s growth today alone, I know she isn’t passing up Dragonforces yet, when she can help it.
I’ll get my cure, at some point, but I don’t need to worry for a little while yet. Where am I at? About twelve-hundred days of Dragonforce. That’s not great, but it’s plenty of energy to finish off this war, since it seems like we’re down to a week from its culminating battle, or so. In the ruins of the final battle, I’ll probably earn enough Dragonforces, or if not there, when wiping out the rest of Terrorzin’s dug-in elite forces. Or perhaps when we finally take out the Damnations.
I’m not that surprised that they aren’t marching with Terrorzin’s primary force. In fact, I assume they’ll be licking their wounds as the CE reasserts his control over them. Does Terrorzin realize that I’ve driven them off, time and time again, and that two of them are slain? Would that change anything? I’m fairly certain he’s not relying on them making an appearance, regardless.
Remembering she had something to give me, Nietru digs about on the floor where she’d dropped all the parchment earlier. Blushing, she hands me what I’m hoping are just more sexts from Spymaster. Erm, not that I want them to be—shut up Reggie. Doofus. I just mean, I don’t think I could handle it if it was more bad news that Errissa sent my way.
Let’s see. What’s this? I guess that icon is a canyon, which would mean Schism in Errissa’s pictography. Then one figure apart from a group of figures, which I take it to mean alone, or solo mission. Yeah, I’m getting the gist. This is what Kinzul wanted me to undertake. I don’t think I need to even finish reading the rest of the note. I just need to apologize to Kinzul as soon as possible. My heart aches at feeling like I’ve failed or spurned her.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
My eyes drift over the rest of the message, but I don’t catch anything that hints that it might contain more information than what Kinzul already confided in me. The fact that she had to spell out Crim and Snoutrot in the note probably hints at how important she felt this information was to deliver. She couldn’t take the time to come up with a clever way to encrypt the names, that we might be able to figure out.
Glancing around the room, no one seems to have anything else to add, so I shrug and announce, “I suppose I’ll be taking my leave then. I want to catch up with the others that were out on missions, Nala, Littlebit, Prinny, and obviously Kinzul when I get a chance. I’m tempted to ask for our members to write out semi-official sitreps of their outings, in order to share intel and any findings that might offer advantages in our war effort. The security center basically accomplishes that though. I trust that the Strategists Eight would apprise Order members if any tactical advantages were spotted, yeah?”
Nietru and Burshis both nod affirmatively. With that, I offer a polite bow to the two, and thank Nietru for passing on Errissa’s communique. I’ll try to remember to speak to her or send her some form of communique myself at some point. I guess I sort of miss her. Our friendship built rapidly, and included romantic entanglement, but… My eyes mist with tears and I rattle my skull, shaking free any saturnine, dispirited thoughts.
Trading a look with Teuila, she nods, and hops into my arms. I smirk and roll my eyes, not having meant exactly that, but definitely not complaining as she wraps her limbs around me. That’s the third time in less than an hour that that’s happened today. I can’t help chuckling a bit, thinking about the vastly different circumstances that several of such embraces were under.
Wearing a rueful smile, I rub the back of my head, blushing, not wanting to clarify for Teuila, since I promised I wouldn’t bring up the one. She pouts, but swiftly returns to smiling gleefully as she snuggles me while I telekinetically surf us away down towards the Verdimenn project space. That reminds me, Pawn said she spoke to Leezahna today, I wonder how Leeza took it. She could probably use some more friends beyond Ixey, and ostensibly me. Teuila waggles her eyebrows in response to my thought train, but I just roll my eyes at her, shaking my head incredulously.
Commenting on Te’s expressive brows, I offer up, “Be my guest Te, props to you if you can convince her to smooch or whatever you’re thinking of. I’m serious though. Leezahna is trying to change some pretty deeply ingrained things, and I’m proud of her, but I’m sure she feels lonely. She was abandoned by two cronies that she thought of as friends, twice in as many days, if I recall correctly. She wants to connect with her mother as an equal, because she disagrees with her mother’s point of view, so she doesn’t even have that relationship as tightly as she’s used to.”
Wearing a half frown, Te admits, “Yeah, okay, sounds like she really could use a pal more than a puckered pair of lips. But, but but but, my lips are pretty darn sweet! If I do say so myself. And I do.”
Pft. I snort with laughter as Teuila begins a Shellcracker Family Squee. The vanity and bravado Teuila puts on as a mask sometimes is pretty hilarious, and mostly harmless. I know the insecurities that it masks, and honestly she isn’t dishonest with any of her bragging. Her lips are pretty darn sweet. Erm, ahem, heh, anyway. Yes Te, I can feel your smirk and waggling eyebrows.
Recognizing this hallway, among the many nearly-identical tunnels in Mount Solace, I slip into an alcove with Teuila. I haven’t been there for My Wings as much as I want to, or as much as she desires, ever since arriving at Solace. She asks so little from me, and I certainly want to meet her demands, or requests. Tilting her chin with my fingertip, My lips drift to hers, and tears roll down my cheeks.
The kiss Teuila returns is passionate, hungry for more, always hungry for more, yearning, always yearning. Our bodies collide in this alcove, and only the laws of physics prevent us from getting any closer, or occupying the same space. I want a world where Teuila doesn’t need to keep growing stronger, where she doesn’t have to face down apocalyptic forces, and soak up injuries. I want her to get a chance to share her lips with anyone she’s interested in, who’s interested in her in return. I want her to be able to pursue things other than brief bursts of passion, and ever-increasing feats of strength.
In this moment though? This brief, sliver of a moment? I just want to be with her, truly with her. I carve out this slice of time for us, this brief encounter, to try to stem the tide of Teuila’s yearning, her longing. I’m terribly tempted to find some way to stop time with the two of us together here. How does it go? I’d freeze this brief moment, to stretch it into eternity for her.
I wish I could do more, be more for her, and be with her more, and longer, but we’re fast approaching the climax of a war. Our lips part, and her head droops as she nods sadly, knowing how brief our passion is allowed to be. Wishing equally that we could share more time together.
Mumbling as she rests her face against my chest, Teuila laments, “My Air, the very Air that I breathe, it’s not fair. When will it ever end? When do we get to just be us again? What about our fam back home? I hate Terrorzin for making this situation, this war, making Aunty Zool feel bad, hurting her and so many others for so long. I’m so going to kick his ass in the final fight.”
Oh, oh Te. My muscles sag wearily and my face droops as I respond, “Te, I don’t think you’ll be able to approach him at all. His Dragonforce is so powerful, so ancient, that only someone whose Dragonforce is older stands a chance at resisting its effect. It literally freezes anything it pulses out against, stronger than even my Flash Freeze Storms.”
Her jaw hanging low, Teuila fumbles, “But, but, but but but, that’s not fair! How’m I going to introduce him to a knuckle sandwich? Lefty and Righty? Kapow right in the kisser? Ooo I want to break his stupid face in. Are you telling me Aunty Zool has to one vee one the butthead?”
Trying not to laugh at Te’s analogies for punching Terrorzin, I nod, answering, “Sadly, yeah. Te, I couldn’t go through it, not again, seeing you frozen. I’d die, or cry my eyes out, or tear my eyes out in disbelief, or something. Eugh, gruesome, sorry, I just mean, please stay far from him.”
Pouting, Teuila grumbles, “Yeah yeah, alright. No bareknuckle boxing the big icebox. Grr. Phooey. Stupid jerk and his stupid cheating dragonwhatsit.”
Trying not to upset her, by finding her outburst humorous, I clamp my lips shut and half roll my eyes, trying not to laugh at Teuila. I really want to say, “You’re one to talk, Te,” in reference to her own massively powerful Dragonforce and Honoris Causa’s rapid growth, but I feel like that’s a bit mean when she seems so dejected. She lightly pounds on my chest, bops the top of my head, and plaps my cheek softly. We both sigh as we resume our embrace, briefly kissing once more before setting back off towards the Verdimenn project space.