Awakening to a voice I haven’t heard much from during the course of the war, I overhear Induul commenting, “Huh, force distribution on Orichalcum only? I’ve heard legends that it could do something like that, didn’t know how though. Still, handy that, with the piles and piles of it we’ve got adding up around here.”
Grinning brightly, Nala responds, “Indeed, a rather ingenious little application of resonant frequencies within the subharmonics of the molecular patterning within Orichalcum and its dual nature. I’ll be crafting as many as I can in order to provide barriers of a sufficient size with which to block off Vieriss Valley and temporarily halt the advance of our foes’ forces. Essentially I’ll be creating fields of force-distribution, forcefields if you will, that redistribute any force directed across a large area to base plates of Orichalcum, which is quite near indestructible. Ahem, indestructible against normal feats of strength for near anyone alive, other than for perhaps our Tenith.”
My snort of laughter at the backhanded praise Teuila receives from Nala clues the others in to the fact that I’m awake. Apparently it’s also whatever cue Littlebit needed to wake up as well. Once more there’s a clatter and clang in a raucous din as a slope of mechanical parts falls to the floor. Of course this is a pile of metal from which Littlebit stumbles out, yawning, stretching, and rubbing sleep from her eyes. I can’t help smiling and shaking my head incredulously.
I wonder if being of Fae-Goblin descent predisposes someone to compulsive behaviors? Tiktik and Littlebit both have quirks that they apparently always do, without failure, unless they struggle greatly against their nature. It might be rude to ask though, so I’ll file that away under idle curiosities that don’t need sating. A curiosity that does need sating however is standing a few feet away from me, eyeing me warily.
Deciding to address the elephant in the room, or rather, The Green in the room, I query, “Induul, has anyone gotten your sitrep for the times you’ve been away during the war?”
Scoffing and rolling his eyes, Indy retorts, “No, and no one’s going to. It’s nobody’s business how far I have to range. I don’t need to be judged for poor luck hunting.”
Frowning and furrowing my brow, I follow up with, “So what you’re saying is, your excuse for being gone, and seemingly not even knowing we were under siege, is that you were having bad luck finding any prey to eat?”
Scowling and gritting his teeth, Indy nods and answers, “Yeah, so, what of it? Our mighty Schism might be able to produce food from his or her ass, but not all of us can. At least, nothing any of us would be willing to eat, eugh.”
My face contorts as I try not to picture what Induul just implied, and fail miserably. Eugh indeed. While I’m trying to refrain from retching, Induul takes his leave without another word. Crap in a handbasket. Eugh, wrong turn of phrase for this particular moment, bluh. Induul’s story is flimsy, and a rotten excuse to be gone from Solace during the war in the first place, when we’ve got systems in place to feed everyone.
There’s a legendary artifact cauldron that continually sees use throughout the day, whenever someone hauls a barrel of water to it, or whenever I’ve got a free moment to cast water into it. There’s the shop system that can produce virtually any kind of food, even some kinds that shouldn’t exist at all. Then there’s the fact that dragons eat their dead, especially the dead of their enemies, and we’re freakin’ surrounded by enemies. Hell, his own mother stole some of the largest corpses that exist, risking her own neck and painting a target on her back to do so.
Something’s fishy here, and I doubt it’s Induul ranging far enough to go swoop and scoop marlins from the ocean. It doesn’t seem like I’ll be getting anything else from him on the topic though, at least not right now. Rattling my skull, I try to orient on more important matters. Well, that sounds dismissive and hurtful. Induul is plenty important, and I know he’s been suffering with his withdrawal symptoms and such. Sighing, I resolve to try to make it up to him karmically somehow for thinking so lowly of him, even if only for a moment.
Still, I glance towards Nala before asking, “What even brought Induul down here in the first place?”
Rolling her own eyes and scoffing, much as Induul had only moments ago, Nala responds, “I didn’t hazard to ask, Schism, friend Reggie. I assume our The Green felt like courting your Quartermaster, as she herself is a fetching Green. Barring the ability to follow through on that, he spied me working with Orichalcum, and approached me for a delightfully intelligent conversation. He’s far more knowledgeable about the topic than I’d have assumed, given his proclivities, and seeming lack of scholarly interests elsewhere.”
Huh. Is he now? My brow furrows further, but before I can start to put anything together, I’m interrupted by said Quartermaster, “Schism, Mother and the Reds should be arriving relatively shortly. I thought you’d like to know. I, I couldn’t sleep. I’ll rest after taking inventory for the morning, plotting distribution, and, and, and the other tasks th-that you, w-wanted.” Suddenly shaking her head, Leezahna corrects herself, “No. That are important for everyone’s safety.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
It takes me a moment to realize Leezahna is mostly convincing herself that she’s doing things for the good of everyone, and not just to mollify my wrath, or appease me. I flash her a warm smile and nod her way, expressing my gratitude, “Thanks Leeza. Does that mean you’re staying, since it seems we’ve put the evacuation project on hold? Also, that you’re fine down here, not wanting to be on the scrying call as soon as your mother touches down in Jeegoobotstan?”
Taking a deep breath, Leezahna closes her eyes for a moment before nodding resolutely. When her eyes open, her gaze is leveled at mine, with a fierceness that rivals her old haughtiness. She’s driven, and determined to do her part towards making our war a success. My eyes mist with tears of pride momentarily. With no further words to beg leave or bid adieu, Leezahna spins quickly on her heel in order to head to her chamber to fetch her ledger once more.
We’ll never be friends, huh Lu? I guess I can see that, though our relationship is less and less antagonistic, and more familial over time. No matter the outcome, I’m proud of who Leezahna is trying to be, and what she’s accomplished already. Phew, I didn’t even notice I’ve been quaking with tension. Flexing, stretching, cracking my neck and jaw, I try to relax my muscles, though I still remain shaking for a while yet.
Littlebit claws at my hip, a silent plea as she rubs her eyes with her free wrist and knuckles. Bending towards our voluptuous verdant inventor, I receive and return a good-morning kiss that has me steaming with blush, despite its relatively innocuous nature. I fluster quite easily I suppose. Shortly after sharing our kiss, I’m suddenly being shoved by Littlebit, with both of her hands, towards the exit of the crafting area.
Feigning a pout towards Littlebit earns me an exasperated, or faux-disgusted expression, followed by her commenting, “Come on Tiger, the sooner you get done with whatever wild adventures you’ve got to do today, the sooner you can come back to keep me company. Shoo shoo, get it done and get back fast. Say hello to Miss Fluffypillows for me on the way out.”
We smile genuinely at each other, and I wave towards Littlebit and Nala while leaving the crafting-space. She’s right, on several levels. There’s a lot to be done, and rest time is a part of that, but it’s meant to happen in shifts, between events. Rounding the corner, towards our temporary infirmary, I spy Vylon nursing his shoulder, relaxing on a stretcher. Not far from him, I notice an unusual sight. Three cots are jammed up against each other in a slightly darkened alcove. In the middle of those cots? Teuila. On either side of her? One of the Spellknight twins.
Shaking my head, I don’t even want to conjecture about that little scenario. I can’t help grinning though. That’s my Te, working in smooching time or whatever the hell, during a war. I’m happy for her. Hopefully it helps Ahliyui and Ahliyuri mend and perhaps double down their drive to remain loyal to Solace, and the Onyx Dawn. Cranking up my aura vision, I do spy Teuila’s Latent tendrils coaxing injuries from Yuri towards herself. Injuries that lessen in severity in short order, due to Teuila’s monstrously growing Honoris Causa capabilities.
Sweeping my vision across the rest of the infirmary, I notice something odd. Alanea Whifflewillow is virtually a radiant flame as she attends to injured Draconiacs. No, that’s not quite the correct descriptor. She’s bright, but softer, more like a warming candle in a chilly room. I try not to get caught up making note of why several of our friends parody her last name as a comment on certain features she possesses.
Noticing my mind noticing her, Alanea calls out telepathically, “Well, well hello and good morning dearling. Or, well, perhaps afternoon. I’m not quite sure of the time down here. Are you feeling well, well?”
Checking myself over, my body seems to be in relatively good condition, and my mental state isn’t in crisis mode at the moment, so I smile warmly as I affirm, “Aye dearling, aye. Littlebit sends you a good-morning as well, through me. Are you handling everything alright? Do you need anything?”
Despite her usual mousey nature, Alanea firmly answers, “I’ve my duties handled dearling. I’m working with several residents to train up, and properly equip nursing volunteers, medical aids, and the like. I do so wish we could spend more time together, but, well, as I’ve said, I’m not unused to operating apart from those I care about during dire times.”
Nodding to Alanea, we drift together for only a mere moment in passing in order to share the briefest of kisses, a peck on the lips. As if somehow roused and summoned by thoughts of kissing, I’m suddenly catching a Teuila-rocket to the chest. She steals a quick kiss from Alanea, before wrapping herself around me and kissing me in a near-feral manner.
Before I can even react more than returning the kiss, Teuila rattles off, “So, gonna go hit up all of Solace’s exits babe, and take down any baddies, natch. Gimme a holler on our goggle headsets when it’s time for a major push in the valley. Kay? Muah. You’re the best.”
And like that, Teuila takes off like a rocket, leaving me no time to respond. My heart aches and yearns for her, as I know hers does for me. Still, if there were ever anyone alive who’d heroically put the needs of others ahead of any longing, it’d be Teuila. She’s a warrior, and really a true hero. I just hope we’re far enough past certain things from her past so that she never doubts herself, or hesitates, ever again.
My body shudders as I inhale raggedly, recalling our last trip through The Gap canyon. Te’s alive Reggie, just remind yourself of that. She’s here, she’s alive, and she’s more powerful than she’s ever been. If anyone’s going to make it through this mess, it’s Teuila. To be fair, my own odds of survival seem pretty high lately too, with my body renewing itself nearly as well as it used to on Can’Z’aas. Huh, I wonder if resting in proximity to the shops allows me to access my old digitally regenerative nature. If they weren’t so fragile, I’d consider deploying one on a mobile platform in the field.
Speaking about Can’z’aasians… Glancing about, I don’t see Lil, Lucky, Trixxie, or Pidge. Nor do I see Shiz or Zelshiz for that matter. Checking the view of the security center from my goggles, it seems like all of them are somewhere in a stony interior that Lucky’s excavating. Good, he’s already enacting his first portion of our plans. I nod curtly towards Leezahna as I continue to make my way out of Verdimenn towards Solace.