Zeldritzon [Cycle 4] - Nightfall
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Current Location:
[Ungroot Zone]
[UvoSath Forest of the UvoSath Realm]
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Once they'd gathered everything, KiAera motioned for the group to head back. One glance at the shadows slithering across the forest floor quickened her pace. Who knows what else lurked in the abundance of Nightfall.
None of the creatures in her crew made a sound. They tightened up in a cluster behind her, except for the beast above. Otherwise, all was well after a strained trek. Once reaching a familiar area dangling with moss and vines, KiAera flicked her gaze to the ratite beside her.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
Zeozon: Amber the LeapLeap
APeX: [63 Units]
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
Amber, her LeapLeap companion, bounced along with a lightness that made KiAera smile, despite the large bags of fibers draped over her back. The Osseods scampered beside them, and the Kobolbos followed close behind, sacks full of materials slung over their shoulders. Overhead, KiAera's wyvern, the Skyrawltal, flew in lazy circles, keeping an eye on things.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
Zeozon: Skyrawltal
APeX: [225 Units]
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
"Appreciate the help, Amber," KiAera said, throwing a glance at the LeapLeap, whose amber-colored eyes sparkled back.
Amber beamed, practically radiating joy. "LeeLee! LeeLee!" she chirped, echoing the sentiments of the Osseods who squeaked in unison, "Osseods help! Osseods happy!"
KiAera chuckled, her hand reaching out to give Amber a gentle pat on the head. "You sure are a good girl, Amber." The creature leaned into her touch, letting out a little purr of satisfaction. It was one of those rare moments of peace that felt, almost, like life before everything went to hell. Fusion? Deathmatches? And almost dying thrice over? Heh, all those darn things are of the past. She had all her crew with her, and they escaped Ungroot's hellscape. Perfectly fine.
"LeeLee!" Amber squealed as she nuzzled closer to KiAera.
"You’re practically a big puppy," KiAera said with a grin. "A very large, winged puppy."
Amber chirped again, clearly loving every second of the attention.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
Trust: [Amber the LeapLeap]
Trust increased!
★ [Comrade] [Tier C (58%)] > [Tier C (65%)]
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
By the time they reached the Crystal Shelter, the moon winked its luster on the igloo's twinkling surface. KiAera cast a quick glance around—everything seemed to be just as they'd left it, which was always a relief. She sighed, shoulders relaxing just a bit. "All right, let's get to work."
"All right, team, let’s unload this haul and call it a day," she called out, setting down her own bags. The others followed suit, even the Skyrawltal landed nearby, settling in with a huff.
They began unloading the sacks of [Light-Blue Crystals] and fibers. Meanwhile Amber sat on the ground, her wings flaring out with a tired groan, and KiAera chuckled. "I know, I know. Long day. But you handled it like a champ."
Amber puffed out her chest with pride. "LeeLee!"
The Osseods were already darting around, squeaking in excitement as they unloaded their share. "Crystal! Crystal for home!" they chanted, bouncing off the walls with their usual boundless energy.
Watching them zip around like that always made KiAera's ears droop with exhaustion. How do they not ever get tired? She shook her head with a smirk. "Yeah, yeah, I hear you," she muttered.
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Just then, a familiar figure appeared from the Crystal Shelter—Big Osseod, flanked by its crew. What a relief, especially for herself. "Big Osseod back!" squeaked Beta, Pi, and Delta as they rushed to greet their larger counterpart, who was dragging a massive sack of crystals.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
Zeozon: Big Osseod
APeX: [94 Units]
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
"Big Osseod, you made it," KiAera greeted, waving them over. "Glad you're safe."
Big Osseod chirped, nuzzling KiAera's cheek in a way that had her grinning. These little critters were strange, but they had a charm. "KiAera back! Osseod miss KiAera!"
"Yeah, I see that." She raised a brow when Big Osseod looked her up and down.
"What you wear? Cover?" it asked, head tilting.
KiAera laughed. "Not much, huh?" She tugged at the small bit of cloth she'd fashioned earlier. "This is what happens when you don't have a closet full of clothes anymore."
Big Osseod blinked slowly, processing the information. "Cloth? Close it? Make more?"
"Yeah, I plan to," she replied. "Clothes, a spear—first things first." KiAera ran a hand through her fur, realizing she'd need more than just fibers for a decent outfit. But she'd manage. She always did. So far she foraged [Yithrean Root] and the ribbon-like vegetation dubbed [Geilbund Tangles].
She glanced around at the little crew she'd gathered—Amber, the Osseods, the Kobolbos, even her wyvern. It wasn't much, but it was starting to feel like a family. For the first time in a long while, she felt like she had a real shot at more than just surviving. Maybe... maybe this place could be a home someday.
"LeeLee!" Amber's cheerful call echoed around the camp, and KiAera grinned.
"Yeah, we'll figure it out," she said to herself, her tail flicking contentedly. "One step at a time."
"Osseods help!" Big Osseod chirped again. Her attention returned to the big one.
She shook her head with a soft laugh. "No, no. You guys go... do Osseod things. I've got this."
"Speaking of which," KiAera said, "let me get this stuff sorted and craft the spear. After that, we'll all have dinner."
Big Osseod's face lit up at the mention of food. "Osseods eat!" it squeaked before scampering off with the others to greet the Kobolbos. The big guy was trailed by the rest of the Osseod clan—Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa, and Lambda—all chirping in delight.
KiAera laughed softly as she watched them go, shaking her head. They had such big hearts for creatures so small. But, as much as she appreciated their enthusiasm, she needed some time to herself to get things done. Crafting the spear and putting together some proper clothes required her full focus.
She gazed upward—to a potential troublemaker.
The Skyrawltal circled overhead, casting a massive shadow across the clearing before settling down on a large perch made of twisted roots near the edge of the shelter. "Hey, big guy, appreciate the aerial watch," she called up to the wyvern. It let out a low rumble in response, its sleek, scaled body curling up as its glowing eyes kept a vigilant watch on the horizon. Good. It seemed placated.
With everything in place, she took a breath, letting the stillness settle over her for a moment. The quiet didn't last long, though. She glanced toward the shelter. "Right... GamaGen." The ancient book had been left to watch over the Liorex egg, and if she didn't check in soon, there was no telling what kind of mischief that living relic might have gotten into.
"Better not have tried to teach that egg how to speak," she muttered to herself, heading into the Crystal Shelter.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
The moment KiAera stepped into the Crystal Shelter, the cool shimmer of the crystal walls greeted her like an glistened aquarium. The place felt warm, safe—at least compared to the bedlam outside. But she couldn't shake the feeling that GamaGen was waiting for her, probably with some sharp observation or cryptic riddle. That book never stayed silent for long.
Her eyes landed on the bundle where the Liorex egg rested, undisturbed, still cradled in the same fibers and moss she'd placed it in. Good, at least GamaGen hadn't started any "life lessons" yet.
She spotted Mu and Nu Osseods napping before acknowledging GamaGen’s presence.
⎾"You're back, Miss KiAera," ⏌ GamaGen's voice echoed softly in her mind. The old tome sat propped up on a shelf nearby, its black cover faintly glowing. ⎾"I must admit, your recruits are quite... diverse."⏌
KiAera snorted, plopping down beside the egg. "That's a nice way of saying they're a bunch of weirdos, right?"
A soft chuckle hummed through the telepathic connection. ⎾"Not at all. I meant that sincerely. You've chosen well. Each has potential in their own right, though some... may require more guidance than others."⏌
KiAera stretched her arms behind her head, staring up at the shelter's ceiling. "Yeah, well, we'll see how it goes. I mean, I'm not exactly running a monster academy here. Just trying to keep us all alive long enough to make this place... home, I guess."
There was a brief pause, and KiAera felt GamaGen’s gaze, or rather its presence, studying her. ⎾"This refuge you speak of—it's more than survival for you, isn't it?"⏌GamaGen’s tone was calm, though there was something deeper behind the words, something curious.
KiAera frowned slightly, rolling onto her side as she faced the egg. "I dunno. Maybe. It's just... it's different when you've lost everything. You try to find something to hold onto, right? Even if it's just a bunch of hyperactive Osseods and a wyvern that barely listens to you." She smirked at the thought of the crew.
⎾"You speak like someone who's led a pack before, and in a sense, you have. But there is something more here—something deeper stirring within you,"⏌ GamaGen's voice lowered. ⎾"The Chimera's Mark... it lingers."⏌
KiAera's ears perked up, and she shot GamaGen a sharp look. "You haven't mentioned that before—the mark. But what is it? And what exactly did I turn into? 'Cause I sure as hell wasn't always this... bunny-cat thing."
The energy in the shelter seemed to have shifted. For a long moment, GamaGen was silent, and KiAera could almost feel the weight of its hesitation. The tome's glow dimmed slightly, as though gathering its thoughts.
⎾"The Chimera's Mark is... complicated,"⏌ GamaGen finally replied.
⎾"It is a mark of transformation, yes. But it is not just any ordinary metamorphosis. It signifies a deeper tie—to both power and purpose. You are not solely a Zeozon, KiAera, not entirely of this world. The Mark connects you to something beyond... to the Wanderans."⏌