Zeldritzon [Cycle 3] - Morning
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Current Location:
[UvoSath Forest of the UvoSath Realm]
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The next morning, KiAera awoke to the delicate trickle of sunlight filtering through the trees. Her first instinct was to reach for something—perhaps a blade or a map—but the familiar weight of her weapons was absent. Instead, her small, fur-covered Merecritt body lay cocooned in the cool grass of the clearing, her long ears twitching at the faint sounds of the forest. She blinked sleepily, taking in the world around her. The Osseods were still in deep slumber, their little chests rising and falling, while GamaGen hovered nearby.
| 'Good morning, Miss KiAera,' | GamaGen chimed softly.
"Ah, morning, GamaGen," she replied, stretching her arms and legs. Despite the harsh ground, she felt oddly refreshed. She had slept in worse places, after all. Maybe it was the stillness of this strange world. Or perhaps, it was because this realm didn't demand the constant vigilance her old life did.
She looked up at the sky, her eyes scanning the two suns just starting to brighten the horizon. "What time is it?" she asked. It was a question more out of habit than necessity. Time, in her old life, had been everything—a class to get to, a resistance mission to plan. But here? Here it was something else altogether.
But then again, adjusting was second nature by now. She'd been doing it for years—ever since those mechanical monsters tore through her old world. She had gone from middle school student, dreaming of building bridges and cities, to a leader of the N.E.O. Resistance. She thought back to those days with her sister, Aria, who always teased her about being too serious, but still looked at her like she could fix anything.
| 'It's early, Miss KiAera,' | GamaGen replied. | 'To elaborate, time in Zeldritzon flows at a different pace than on Earth. One day here is roughly seventy-two Earth hours, but in this region, time moves slower still.' |
Her brow furrowed at the numbers. It wasn't just time; everything here felt heavier. "So, I've been here for at least six days? But it only feels like two..."
| 'Indeed,' | GamaGen said gently. | 'That is the nature of the UvoSath Realm.' |
KiAera rubbed her eyes, suppressing a sigh. Six days. She hadn't been one to dwell on time since the invasion, since her father taught her to live in the moment—move fast, think faster. Still, six days felt like a lifetime when you didn't know if the people you'd left behind were even alive. Aria's face flickered briefly in her memory—a wide, mischievous grin that transitioned into a scowl.
KiAera took a breath, pushing the thought aside. "I guess that explains why I don't feel jet-lagged," she said with a small, humorless laugh, glancing around at the stillness of the forest. "Well, anyway, I feel rested, so we should get started making this place more habitable."
| 'Agreed,' | GamaGen chimed. | 'We'll be more efficient with a proper camp in place.' |
Behind them, the Osseods began to stir, Big Osseod waking first. "Osseod wake," it declared, its voice shaking the air slightly as the smaller Osseods followed suit, chirping excitedly as they rose.
"Morning, guys," KiAera greeted, a smile tugging at her lips as she knelt to their height. "Ready to start building our new home?"
"Osseod build! Osseod build!" the smaller ones squeaked, bouncing in place. They bounded forth, circling KiAera.
KiAera chuckled lightly, their joy infectious despite the magnitude of the task ahead. For a moment, they reminded her of Derek when he'd first joined the N.E.O. Resistance—eager, full of hope. She shook the thought away. Now wasn't the time for nostalgia.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
The clearing spread out before them, a vast expanse dotted with crystalline boulders scattered across the blue grass. Two suns beamed above, casting light over the glade. KiAera set the Liorex egg on the ground, watching as it pulsed softly with light. The first step to building is always clearing space.
She took a moment to take it all in, allowing herself to enjoy the beauty of the land for just a second. It reminded her of the open fields she used to dream about—places she and her father would scope out for DIY projects or stargazing. She placed her hand on the Liorex egg, which pulsed warmly beneath her touch.
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"First things first—those boulders," she said, pointing at the nearest cluster of boulders. "We need to move those rocks. I'll carve them out with my ears, and you all can help move them into position."
"Osseod help!" the smaller creatures chirped enthusiastically, their round eyes gleaming with excitement. Big Osseod nodded in agreement.
KiAera padded over to one of the larger boulders, her mind half on the task, half in the past. This was nothing compared to what she had once built back on Earth—the structures she'd designed in secret during the war, the makeshift homes for survivors... and the ruins left behind. But here, she could start fresh. Maybe even get it right this time.
The boulder loomed above her, at least fifty times her Merecritt height. She placed her paws on its cold, smooth surface, her ears twitching as she prepared to lift it. "Alright," she muttered to herself, "let's see if these ears are worth all the trouble."
Her long, retractable ears extended, their tips curling around the massive rock like hands. She could feel the strain, the muscles in her small body tensing as she pulled. In her mind, she could hear her father's voice, telling her to breathe through the weight. He'd been her first teacher, after all, in more ways than one.
She gritted her teeth, focusing on the task. "E-up," she whispered, pulling with all her might. Slowly, the boulder lifted from the ground. Her rabbit-like feet dug into the earth as she hefted the enormous stone over her head, muscles burning with the effort.
"KiAera strong! KiAera strong!" the Osseods cheered, causing a smile to be fought. How… memorable. The pride in their voices reminded her of the way Aria used to cheer when she'd win a soccer game, the way her sister's eyes would light up, unburdened by the war that had crushed their world.
She stepped back and—
FUCK!
She slipped, tripping on what must've been a soft, furred body. The boulder fell with a thud, and the critter she tripped on vanished in a blur, away into the forest.
| 'Ah, an Erminip.' | GamaGen peered upon her gasping form, the Osseods gathering around her. | 'You do not seem fine, Miss KiAera.' |
KiAera huffed, "Fine is the least of it, you'd have witness splattered rabbit if that fell on me."
GamaGem hummed, and a green flash radiated from his cover. | 'On the contrary, it would have been a flattened Erminip…' | the book tilted. | 'A horrible image to perceive, if it had startled you.' |
Her ears flicked, and she pursed her lips. "Wait… you."
The book floated off. | 'Continue with your task, Miss KiAera, I will continue vigil.' |
Damn book. She glared, only to chuckle. Fair.
KiAera managed a small smile. Returning to her feet, she grasped the boulder again, firmly, surveying her surroundings. Stay focused, she told herself, the boulder trembling slightly in her grip. She carefully carried it to the center of the clearing, setting it down with a thud. The Osseods clapped their ears together, celebrating the achievement, but she didn't bask in the glory. Her ears flipped over her face.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
As the Osseods moved toward the trees, KiAera turned her attention to the next boulder. This time, her thoughts drifted to the base collapse—the moment everything had changed. The weight of responsibility had fallen on her shoulders that day, much heavier than the stones she was moving now. Yet here, in this world, the weight felt... different. Easier, perhaps. Or maybe she was just used to it by now.
[STR Boost: +1]
Huh. She gave that thought consideration. How and why did that occur? Excessive use? Exercise, maybe?
She squinted,
[STR applies to all MELEE Skills]
Suddenly, a loud crack echoed behind her.
KiAera turned to see Big Osseod headbutting one of the towering trees, the trunk snapping under the force of the blow. Leaves fluttered down like confetti as the tree groaned and toppled over, hitting the ground with a thunderous boom.
She stifled a laugh. The smaller Osseods were already trying to move the massive tree, their little feet pattering around it as they pushed with all their might. They were earnest, just like her once-young recruits had been—back when she still believed they could win.
"You guys are trying so hard," she stepped forward to help. But before she could, GamaGen floated in front of her.
| 'Allow me, Miss KiAera,' | GamaGen floated over to the fallen log. Its pages began to glow softly, a symbol appearing in the air.
She raised an eyebrow. "What, you're going to move the tree? A book doing manual labor—now that I've got to see."
But then again, hadn't GamaGen once been more? She understood the weight of transformation better than most.
| 'Not quite,' | GamaGen chimed. | 'I've studied this species of tree.' |
GamaGen floated over to the Osseods.
| 'I can assist the Osseods,' | GamaGen explained. | 'The structure of this tree species has weak points. I will instruct them to split it into manageable segments.' |
"Of course you will," KiAera murmured with a fond grin, impressed once again by the book's endless knowledge. Everyone changes, she thought, watching GamaGen instruct the eager Osseods. Some of us just take longer to find our place.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
[STR Boost: +1]
As she moved another boulder into place, the sun climbed higher in the sky. By the time they were done, the clearing had been transformed—a crude sketch of what would become their shelter. The crystalline boulders formed a rough circle, and the trench they dug added a sense of security. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.
KiAera paused, taking a breath as she surveyed their progress. She flicked a strand of her hair. Back then, she'd built cities in her mind. Now, she was shaping a new world from the ground up.
She wasn't building for herself anymore. Not for Aria, not for Derek, not for anyone she had lost.
She flicked her ear, smiling. "We're making progress, Emma," she whispered, feeling her mentor's presence in the breeze. "One step at a time."
Her gaze trailed to GamaGen and the Osseods. "Let's see what else we can create."