I know I forgot to bring up the idea of an adamantite grinder, but I’m sure that embedding a roller with teeth, and pairing that with another one where the teeth and grooves are offset to match each other, in a sturdy frame, doesn’t take a whole hell of a lot of inventive genius. The fabrication and metalwork with a legendary metal might be tough for me to do on my own, but it’s not my highest priority anyway.
Before I can really dig in and satisfy my curiosities about the various projects on the table before me, Nala comments, “We can get a grinder set up with no need for elaborate designs or research, so please focus, friend Reggie, and bring your mind to bear on the problems with breaching the space between realms. You’ve a suite of powers unlike any other, I’m certain that several you already possess, or likely could master, are the key to manifesting or manipulating realmways, portals.”
Nodding along, I surmise, “Based on your primary concern, what you want is a magnetic field, an EMF, itself stable enough to stabilize distortions that occur seemingly at random, trapping or entangling particles in various ways. I can probably generate that for you, if you even need me, after designing a device capable of holding that field in place.”
Gnawing my lip, I grouse, “You really might not need me at all, at least for that part. We do have electricity from other sources, with Sun, and our solar chargers. Also, as I’ve mentioned, the lightning spiritswarm left me sometime during my last excursion, so my control over electrokinesis is back down to my own usual levels.”
Disturbingly, Nala jabs me in the neck with a device, and shoves another one at my mouth forcing it inside as I gasp from surprise and a bit of pain. She mutters, “Hm, mhm, yes, yes of course. It all makes sense. I’m beginning to ascertain that there’s more to you than even you yet know friend Reggie. More and more indeed. I’ve half a mind to—well, no, I’ve a full mind, likely more full than any other Solace resident save perhaps Our Lady—bring out vivisection tools to get a good look under the hood so to speak, as it were.”
As my eyes widen in shock, dismay, and honestly a little bit of terror, Nala catches herself and corrects, “Not that I’d do such a thing of course. At least not without consent.”
My glare at Nala remains dubious, slightly distrusting, since she did just jab, prod me, and shove something in one of my orifices without asking consent prior to doing so. I’m not actually upset at her or anything, but I’m at least a tad incredulous as to her likelihood of consent-seeking. I’m fairly certain she at least wouldn’t perform any operations that would likely endanger my life, or risk it at any high percentage likelihood. I think. I hope. Littlebit titters nervously in response to my train of thought, uncertain herself of Nala’s self-imposed limitations.
Abashed, at least as much as someone like her ever gets, Nala attempts an apology, “Ah, right, friend Reggie. I did not intend to make you doubt my sincerity and ability to determine right from wrong. I’ll have you know I’m very aware that injuring someone without prior consent is quite frowned upon.”
Stifling laughter, Littlebit comments, “That’s putting it lightly, Sugar.”
Yeah, lightly indeed Littlebit, lightly indeed. It’s a fairly potent reminder of Nala’s abrasiveness and unusual social graces, or lack thereof. Most people wouldn’t take kindly to, much less remain friends with, someone who offhandedly commented about their desire to vivisect them. That, and her apology was pretty close to a non-apology. I take a moment to center myself, passing a breath through puffed cheeks and pursed lips. Phooph.
Right, so let’s get down to it. I stand near Littlebit to help her stem the tide of loneliness, since she only just reunited with Tiktik, and then had to part with her again immediately, for all our sakes. Resting a hand on her shoulder, I nod along with her technobabble explanations that fly mostly over my head. Despite that, I flash her warm, genuine smiles, glad of her intellect being brought to bear on our mutual desires.
As Littlebit is working out mathematical attributes of ‘Twixt portals, and the likelihood of being able to achieve opening one, I’m working on enchanting several more pairs of mirrors. I realize I can give a message to Tiktik, that she might be able to take a mirror to the Hidden Heart, and get me in touch with Jarrah Bettergrove. That would give us a leg up on beginning a secondary backup plan for evacuations, if things go south here, and in Jeegoobotstan. Or, if the worst comes to pass, it gives Jarrah time to prep to get everyone ready to evacuate Rayileklia entirely, if I can somehow get all peace-loving people on the planet into the ‘Twixt, or to some other realm through the ‘Twixt.
Shivering at the thought of needing to evacuate all remaining free peoples alive on Rayileklia, I realize there’s at least one other group unaccounted for, the Derbrightmine Dwarves. Franny Derbrightmine is an utter sweetheart, whom I hope has recovered from her bullet-wound. I couldn’t in good conscience abandon Rayileklia without at least trying to make contact, and offering the same opportunity to the Derbrightmine Dwarves that I’m offering to everyone else. Plus, maybe, just maybe, if they can get Don and Paulette’s bodies down safely from their perch, we might be able to thaw them out with dragon’s fire. If they were alive when frozen, and if they had…
My face droops wearily, realizing how much of a leg up on a chance at survival that Teuila had. She’s digital critterkin, so doesn’t actually need to breathe, not the normal way. If she’s on pause or in stasis, if she had enough oxygen to be alive in the moment of that pause, it’s as good as putting her in sci-fantasy perfect cryo. She also had elemental resistances, and a sentient artifact armor specifically designed to absorb and lessen the harmful effects of elemental things like fire and frost and lightning. Don and Paulette’s odds are pretty grim at this point, taking all that into account.
Still, I’m sure most of the Onyx Dawn, or even some civilians in Solace would agree that it’s worth at least trying, or at least offering the attempt to Franny, for her to make the decision. That is, if she’s healed, and in charge. Who knows what the political climate is like in the dwarven dominion right now? By all accounts, Don Derbrightmine stopped the families’ constant in-fighting by bringing them all under one banner, his. With him out of the picture, would the survivors have just devolved into reckless in-fighting? Or would they have worked together to rebuild in the wake of the calamity that was Olashax and Astridus?
Odds are about seventy thirty that they stuck together and tried to make things work, according to my genre senses. Not the worst odds. I’ve played worse with my own life. Similar odds that Franny survived and is leading the survivors, based on her popularity. I know Hellga is traumatized, but I almost wish I could help bring those two together. I know Hellga is repentant, and would beg Franny’s forgiveness. I don’t know if any of her family survived the dragons’ attack, so I’m not sure if it’d be better or worse for her healing process to learn of and reconnect with the other dwarves.
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Phooph, I’m going to have to table everything related to the dwarves for now. As horrible as it sounds, I have to focus my efforts, energies, and resources on the immediate needs at hand, and the most likely necessary fallbacks. I hate myself just a little bit for even being able to prioritize, and choose. I’ve grown colder in some ways. I—.
Interrupting my thoughts, Lil offers up, “I can warm ya up buddy, just say the word Rej pal.”
Trying not to laugh or roll my eyes, I glance across our telepathic space to see if Lil is actually misinterpreting what I say, or if he’s trying to keep me from getting down on myself. It seems to be the latter. Plus, he’s returning with Ixeyla and Xayla in tow. Drawing a shuddering breath, I try to right my mind. Is there someone we can spare, and trust, to guide those two to Jeegoobotstan? Wait. What if I’m the right person for that job?
I know I just defied Kinzul, about me being away from Solace during its more dire hours, but I might need to be *in* the ‘Twixt in order for us to safely open a portal to it. Or rather, having an anchor here might let me locate Solace from the ‘Twixt, in order to tear a hole between the realms with my powers over Nothing. I have some semblance of an effect on the ‘Twixt, almost a bit of control. I can at least threaten it. I can’t do that from out here, unless we miraculously open a portal directly to it anyway, in which case I wasn’t needed for the attempt, and I could just waltz back here from Jeegoobotstan in an instant.
Littlebit pouts my way at my train of thought, and I feel bad for entertaining the idea of abandoning her for even a short period. If only my mind were sharper, able to grasp these realmways concepts better. I might know what is or isn’t worth devoting my attention to, or trying. I’m no genius. I’m just one hellaciously lucky changeling-fae. Somehow still alive, despite everything, hell, despite dying a couple of times. Rattling my skull, I put it to the group to determine my best course.
Immediately, Nala offers up, “It would seem that the most potent application of your particular powers would apply directly within the realm of this ‘Twixt. Were it any other realm, or any other individual, I might say your best course would be to sit tight here, while we decipher the realmways. You make poignant observations about the available applications your talents have proffered. Therefore, I do believe that your wisest course is returning to the ‘Twixt post-haste, and, as you said, searching for our attempts from this end, as an anchor point from which to re-enter our realm.”
Hemming and hawing, Lil retorts, “Maybe Rej could, maybe they couldn’t, and sure, I’d defo feel safer about Ixey and Zayzi traveling to Jeestan with my pal protecting them, but there’s a *ton* to do around here. Most of that stuff, only Rej can do. Even a few hours away is a few hours Rej isn’t fighting in the vee vee valley pass or whatever it’s called, or making big magics, or, or, or whatever. Tee-zin is bad news, and getting close. I get wanting to be able to get everyone to safety, but if you can’t find out how, from here, and don’t find out how, from there, our chances at keeping everyone safe drop to almost zero, less than zero, because Rej might be trapped in Jeestan, or, or, or something. My pal is our only hope, I guarantee it.”
My lower jaw quivers and my eyes wet, with Lil’s expression of faith in me. My eyes water more when Ixey agrees, “Yeah, as much as the lanky nerd has grown on me, and as safe as I’d feel with them at my back to travel with, my prince is right. Schism needs to be here, or on the battlefield at the valley, every last minute until the final showdown. Maybe you guys aren’t comprehending the numbers. Each member of the OD is gonna be responsible for taking on thousands of dragonkind under Rage’s banner, in less than a week.”
Agitated, Nala responds, “Now see here young miss, I am well aware of the numerical quantities involved in our situation. But if we are to succeed in evacuating—.”
Startlingly, Ixeyla interrupts Nala, not backing down, “You don’t get it. With Schism here, you either won’t need to evacuate, because you’ll be winning, or you’ll have lost, and if you lose even with Schism here, no evacuation will matter. The whole world’s doomed at that point. Schism being here’s the best bet on taking home the W.”
Drawing back my lips in a neutral gesture, I cast a glance towards Ixeyla as she’s entering the tinkering space behind Lil. Her trust, her faith in me, and grasp of the situation might surprise me, if I hadn’t just had her rescue me from forty-thousand plus dragonkind a few hours ago. I trust Ixey’s judgement as well, because Lil loves her so much, that I believe with all my heart, that she’s an amazing person who has Lil and Zayzi’s best interests at heart.
Plus, she’s right, numerically—in all likelihood—each of the Onyx Dawn members, plus or minus considering the Spellknights as a group equal to a single member, will be responsible for over a thousand enemies, likely several thousand if Terrorzin brings in any of the rest of his forces that are still in reserve.
And all that’s if our intelligence estimates are finally accurate for once. I’m not holding my breath on that. No offense to Errissa, whom I adore and trust beyond measure, but somehow our intelligence has continued to come up lacking, this entire time. How is that even possible, with someone as effective as her in the field personally handling most of it? Oh, wait. The ‘Twixt, and similar. She doesn’t have access. She can’t account for what Terrorzin’s doing between, or in other realms. What was it Nala said about interdimensional wombs or something or other?
Nala stiffens at my vague reminder of what she’d shared with me the day we met. I flash her an apologetic glance, sorry that my mind brought it up within, um, earshot, of others. I squeeze Littlebit’s shoulder reassuringly as she glances back and forth between all the conversants, seemingly either confused, or nervous.
Surprising me, Littlebit contributes, “As much as I really, really want Tiger to bridge this area to the ‘Twixt, and get us able to reunite with my Tikki—which I do think would be best served by Tiger flying to Jeestan with the twin Reds—I think Tiger should stay. Not just because I like their company, but because the three Reds are right, Sun and his, um, girlfriends.”
Suddenly Xayla wilts, having already been awkwardly perched against a wall in that unusual manner of theirs, leaning at odd angles. Xayla vibrates uncomfortably and tries to stifle any distaste. I’m uncertain whether it’s the implication of dating someone, anyone at all, dating Lil at the same time as their sibling, or being gendered as femme, with the trauma they’re dealing with specifically. Littlebit looks mortified after hearing my thoughts about misgendering Zayzi, and immediately starts begging forgiveness in a hoarse-whisper directed towards Zayzi.
After a tense silence, everyone works to overcome their own discomforts mentally. None of us wishes to hurt the others' feelings, but this topic is pretty swingy. What’s the term? A bit heated? Sort of. Controversial? I guess, maybe. Sighing, I rattle my skull.
Deciding to try to get back on task in a manner, I ask, “Well, what it really comes down to then is the safety of our ambassadors, Ixeyla and Xayla. Do you two feel like you need, or want an escort to Jeegoobotstan?”
Looking worriedly at her sibling, Ixeyla draws her lips back in a sad frown, and meekly casts a glance my way. I know Ixey worries for Zayzi’s safety more than anything. I start, “If not me, and if we’re not prioritizing trying to get me to the ‘Twixt to work on the evacuation capabilities of Solace, then who can we spare?”
Surprising me, a voice comes from around the corner, a voice belonging to our quartermaster, Leezahna, “I think… I think I might be able to get them an escort. If, if Ixey still trusts me.”