Chapter Eighty
Once again, his dream was interrupted by a request, a rather unusual one, but one that also startled him and began to rouse him from his dreams. The first request was simple, if very ambitious, and he quickly returned the request with ease, returning a map of the geopolitical landscape of the galactic cycle. It was likely out of date, by quite some time, and a request for an up to date one was requested from his friend. He doubted his friend would have even noticed or cared, its thoughts on the fleeting lives of mortals on its planes often relegated to simple knowledge of their existence. What mortals thought and found important was often alien or dismissed.
When the second odd request came through, this intrigued him, and he knew it would intrigue his friend. He smiled, and sent it on through. He could see no possibility of understanding or knowing this information, but to know the Absence and one’s place in it was something quite interesting. He grinned. Who… To know how the stars are in relation to one another… such a thing… How? He considered, his thoughts roiling, the solace of his dreams a siren call to return, but the small flickering hope this simple request offered a soft spark that he found difficult to ignore. Slowly, his thoughts spun, ponderous and sluggish. He took a long time to think. Finally, he chose, and slowly, ever so slowly, began to rise from the world of dreams.
* * *
It received a request from its friend for a map of the Cradles of the local Great Cycle, and the connections that the stores had made to each of the Cradles which allowed the stores to travel between the Cradles. It cared little for such, but as it was a friend, it quickly glanced over the ‘map,’ as his friend called it, and saw it appeared similar to what it had seen the last time it checked. It hummed in thought, even finding humor in being able to have the freedom to hum, and even took the time to check the time before frowning. For it, a Great Cycle of time was barely a blink of time, but stores flickered into existence and out across even the short time of a Greater Cycle. Hmm… this is likely… quite old… Hmmm… I shall… request…
It sent out its thoughts into the congregation, seeking a moment of connection, but when he revealed his request, he was immediately rebuffed. His kind cared little of the lives of stores and he was rather odd to care for such as these. Still, he had tried and felt comfortable to return no change.
In its moments of seeking out this request, a second came from its friend, and this one proved much more intriguing. His thoughts turned from ponderous to rapid pondering, quickly speeding up as it turned away from its task of forming the matrix. Hmm… interesting… INTERESTING! A … map… relating the Great Cycle in position… the stars in relation to one another… and thus the Cradles! INTERESTING… Truly INTERESTING… but… how… hmm… how… Its interest piqued, it turned its focus, but not its Presence, to the requestee and found it to be the same interesting figure it’d investigated previously. It pondered. It saw the store staring at the Great Cycle map it had requested, exploring it. Hmm… in space… relation in space… It struggled to perceive such a thing, even turning its thoughts to the Absence but found nothing that could offer a possible answer, although it did try to offer a poor answer to the store. It ultimately proved ineffective.
Its thoughts roiled in true curiosity, then turned back to the congregation for an answer, requesting a second connection, a true oddity for two connections in such a short time. Few connections occurred even within years, as its stores called it, yet two in this single moment of awareness and it found the experience invigorating.
It seemed the others did as well, as many came to awareness and began questioning the intriguing idea of placing themselves in a relation to one another in physical space. It would be a truly… invigorating concept, although many of the more practical questioned the usefulness of such a question. Others acknowledged ‘place’ within their own cycles and planes, but wondered if such a thing as ‘place’ existed in the Absence. This was countered by those who respected store scholars, arguing that there was evidence of ‘placement’ within Absence as stores regularly spoke of planes existing in Absence. Even the stars they cycled were ‘placed’ in Absence and attested to by store scholars. Discussion erupted, considering both the practical question of placement and on the theoretical existence of ‘place’ within Absence. There were many, like it, who found the intellectual concept intriguing. And this created many interesting conversations for some time, if no meaningful answer.
* * *
Kilniara watched Joe head out, frowning slightly in concern. She turned to Gwenvair.
“He goes to bed… quite early. I am a bit concerned.”
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Gwenvair sighed, “I have noticed, but… he claims to be healthy.”
“Hmm. It is something…”
Garnedell, who had been chatting with Zilnek at the other side of the enormous room created just to chat, interjected quickly, “Don’t worry. He’s always slept early. He simply has a different sleep schedule, as he explained it.”
“He did this before?”
“Ever since I’ve known him.”
Kilniara fell silent at that, thoughtful for a time and Gwenvair joined her, lost in her own thoughts. Garnedell awaited them politely but then turned away when they fell into their thoughts but Kilniara didn’t notice Garnedell’s return to his conversation with Zilnek. They sat beside each other in thought for quite some time until the Matriarch came into the room, stopping beside Gwenvair.
“I have a request of Joe’s Queen,” the Matriarch spoke with some formality as she faced Gwenvair.
The formal request grabbed everyone’s attention in the room and brought them all to silence as all turned to face her. Gwenvair responded well.
“I will listen, Matriarch.”
“May we study the core of the slime taken by the eccentric today?”
“I will have to demand that it is returned.”
“Of course, Queen. It will be returned immediately after.”
“Then, I believe Joe would be willing to allow you to inspect it.”
The Matriarch bowed her head only slightly, the perfect amount as a Matriarch to an eccentric. When her head raised, the Matriarch had retreated and Gwenvair’s mother smiled down upon her.
“You… are doing well, daughter.”
Gwenvair’s grin slipped from polite authority to gleeful joy at seeing her mother, “Thank you, mother. It’s… exhilarating.”
Her mother’s smile grew and nodded, “I’m glad for you, Gwenvair.”
Kilniara watched this and smiled while she turned to the two boys. Garnedell understood almost immediately and slipped from the room and sought out the backpack Joe stored all their belongings in. It was in the boys’ room as Garnedell had taken to carrying it for Joe pretty much all the time now, especially when Joe allowed him to or Garnedell got to it first. Joe tended to take it in the mornings as he always woke before them. Garnedell was now often the one to carry it out of the dungeon, and now from the wall.
Garnedell returned a few moments later and slipped the slime core into Gwenvair’s hand who glanced down then smiled brilliantly when she noticed what it was. She smiled back up at her mother.
“The core, Matriarch.”
Her mother faded, the Matriarch hardening on her face where she bowed quickly then retreated again quickly. The two smiled at one another, enjoying the moment before Gwenvair’s smile shifted to a grin and her mother chuckled softly before turning to leave.
“Have a good evening. Do not stay up too late.”
All four of them echoed some form of agreement as she left and when she did so, the two boys quickly began chatting with one another again and Kilniara turned back to Gwenvair. Gwenvair turned to look at Kilniara with some excitement.
“You Heard me?”
Kilniara’s joy fell a bit at that, “No. I’m sorry. I did not Hear you.”
Gwenvair sighed deeply at that, “Ah… I was hoping.”
Kilniara shifted forward, “But… you have not completed your transformation yet, have you?”
Gwenvair’s saddened smile slid away, replaced by a soft hint of glee, “No, but my metamorphosis is almost complete.”
Kilniara’s eyebrows rose, “Really? That… seems fast.”
Gwenvair nodded, “Very, but he has been… very clear. I am even able to Hear him now. It is… so easy with my Hearing.”
“You can Hear him already?” Kilnaira asked with some breathless jealousy.
Gwenvair nodded, “And you will soon as well. I simply must form the metamorphosis first to bring you and him into the change.”
“You have imprinted?”
She quickly shook her head, “Imprinting must be the last. I must be cautious that the form is well shaped.”
Kilniara nodded, sitting back, “Clarity on some final issues, then.”
Gwenvair’s smile grew a bit, “Are you sure you cannot Hear?”
Kilniara frowned at that, “I… think?”
Gwenvair shook her head, “You… seem to be Hearing me quite well.”
Kilniara’s eyebrows rose at that even as her smile grew, “Really?”
“Yes.”
Kilniara bounced in place and Gwenvair leaned forward, “Want to try?”
Kilniara’s smile quickly shifted to a grin, “May I?”
Gwenvair nodded back, “Please!”
The two quickly shifted in their seats in excitement, both leaning towards one another for a time before Gwenvair continued.
“OK. Maybe close your eyes and focus. I will speak and you try to Hear, OK?”
Kilniara nodded quickly and then closed her eyes, bowing her head slightly to focus inward as much as she could. Gwenvair fell silent as well, both remaining in this way for a time and Kilniara diligently remained in her attempt to Hear. She ignored Gwenvair’s shifting and movement but despite her efforts, she Heard nothing, not even a whisper.
Her focus was interrupted slightly when she felt Gwenvair’s forehead press against her for a time. It took her a bit to turn her thoughts back inward to Hear but the effort seemed to be useless as she still was unable to Hear Gwenvair. After staying this way for some time, Kilniara grew restless, a soft hunger rising softly within her and she finally pulled back with a sigh, the hunger fading with her retreat.
“I did not Hear you at all Gwenvair. I’m sorry.”
Gwenvair’s soft smile did not fade but she did cock her head and spoke softly, “Did you feel hungry?”
Kilniara frowned slightly, “Uh… I… maybe? At the end?”
Gwenvair’s grin grew and she shifted forward to grasp Kilniara’s hands in her own, “Truly?”
“I… I’m not sure now, but maybe?’
Gwenvair laughed softly at that and sat up, “That … you Heard me.”
Kilniara’s frown twisted into disbelief, “Really? I didn’t think it could… this seems very fast.”
Gwenvair’s grin fell to a smile as she nodded, “It is about normal, if my study of my clan’s history is true. Emotions and physical feelings are the strongest. Physical hunger or cold, pain; these are easiest to be Heard, then emotions. After, we will be able to truly Hear one another.”
Kilniara grinned, “I can Hear.”
Gwenvair nodded, “You are only beginning, but yes.”
“It still seems… fast from the stories I know.”
Gwenvair nodded, then waffled a bit, “It is faster than most. Well defined forms increase the speed and formation of mingling and allow Hearing and imprinting faster. Joe has been quite clear.”
Kilniara nodded with glee, “Clear and fair.”
Gwenvair’s smile softened at that, “Yes. Clear and fair. It… makes it much easier.”