Zeldritzon [Cycle 10] - Dusking Skies

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Current Location:

[UvoSath Forest of the UvoSath Region]

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KiAera exited the Kobolbos' Den and hurried back to the Crystal Shelter as snow fell. Her thoughts were knotted, tangled with the lingering image of Boggorc and the hauntingly humanlike Minokaurbo.

She came to a halt when her ears registered the slightest bit of noise. Raising her head, she glanced at the bat-like creature who had leapt off the shelter's rooftop.

Her tail lashed. A scrumptious fee, huh?

"What exactly do you want, Nex? If you've got something useful to say, skip the theatrics and get to it."

"Feisty," Nex folded his wings and pacing in a slow circle around her. "Fine. Here's the deal: Like I said before, I know where you can get enough crystals to shut those two up for good. But…"

KiAera frowned. "And what exactly would I be paying for, Nex of the Nexperbax? You want a quarter of twelve thousand crystals, correct? That's three thousand. Why don't I just cut my losses and pay Mina instead?"

Nex chuckled, his blue eyes gleaming. "Because you're smart enough to know that's not how this works. Mina and Boggorc aren't the kind to leave loose ends. You think they'll take your crystals and walk away? No, they'll come back, bigger and badder, demanding more. You need leverage. And I…" He tapped his head with a claw. "…know where you can get it. And, if you're feeling generous, maybe a little favor for me down the line."

KiAera studied him carefully, her mind racing. He's right about one thing—paying them off won't guarantee safety. But trusting a creature like Nex came with its own risks. The way he moved, the confidence in his tone—this was someone who thrived on exploiting desperation. Still, he might be her best shot at saving Scarbol and the others.

"What kind of favor?" she asked cautiously.

Nex's grin widened. "Oh, nothing that would put you in too much danger. I'll let you know when the time comes. Consider it an investment in our partnership."

KiAera's tail flicked again. "And if I refuse?"

Nex shrugged, spreading his wings. "Then you're on your own. Good luck scrounging up twelve thousand crystals in three days. I'm sure Mina and Boggorc will be very understanding when you fail."

Her ears flattened. This is a gamble, she thought. But what choice did she have? With a reluctant sigh, she nodded. "Fine. You've got a deal on the payment."

Nex clapped his claws together, his grin almost splitting his face. "Wonderful! You won’t regret this—probably. We've got a lot of ground to cover if you want to make those crystals in time."

With that, the Nexperbax turned and disappeared back into the Crystal Shelter. KiAera caught a smirk lingering on the batboy's face. She hesitated for a moment, glancing back toward the Kobolbo Den, before steeling herself and following him inside. This better be worth it.

꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱

KiAera's ears twitched as she moved through the shelter, doing her best to maintain an air of calm. She saw Nexsis sprawled across a cushioned moss rug, her pink-streaked fur blending oddly well with the colorful interior. She hummed a jaunty tune, flicking bits of crystal into the air, letting them spin like tops with bursts of her sonic energy. Nexbro, meanwhile, lingered beside her, his yellow-striped frame tense but slowly unwinding as Amber nudged him into lighthearted conversation.

Nex was perched high on the rafters of the Crystal Shelter, his wings folded and his sharp blue gaze fixed on the group below, particularly on the Osseods that darted here and there, chirping as they inspected every corner of the shelter.

KiAera decided to curl next to Amber, her gaze moving toward Nexsis. "Dying of boredom? What are your thoughts on the matter?"

Nexsis chuckled as she sat between KiAera and Amber. "Nah, sis, we're all about thriving here. You've got the crew, the guts, and the nerve to take on Minokaurbos. I'd say you're already a natural." Her sharp grin widened as she flicked her tail toward Nex. "Didn't think this one had it in him to find someone worth teaming with."

Nex rolled his eyes. "Oh, please, Nexsis. I'd say you barely qualify as worth teaming with most days."

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"Love you too, bro," Nexsis shot back.

The yellow-streaked Nexperbax, Nexbro, peeked out from behind Nexsis, his ears twitching nervously. "Uh, yeah, hi… KiAera," he mumbled. "Nex says you're in some trouble, and, um, well… we're good at fixing trouble. Sort of."

KiAera studied him for a moment, taking note of his jittery movements and flushed face. She noticed the many times he averted his gaze. He seemed harmless, but she'd learned long ago not to underestimate anyone based on appearances.

Amber the LeapLeap let out a low trill, stepping protectively closer to KiAera. "LeeLee no trust bats. Amber-LeapLeap stomps if funny business."

"Whoa, chill, big bird!" Nexsis said, holding her paws up in mock surrender. "No funny business here. We're just the guides to get you through Dareloop Dungeon in one piece. And hey, if you've got twelve thousand crystals lying around, maybe we'll even be your best friends."

KiAera stiffened at the mention of the crystals.

Nexsis eyes gleamed mischievously. "Don't worry, Meresisc we're not after your stash. We just know the Dareloop better than anyone, and if you're gonna find what you need in less than three days, you'll want us around."

"Assuming we can trust you," KiAera smiled.

Nex grinned with an irate gleam in his eyes. "Why would we? Your success means we get paid. Simple as that."

Nexbro shifted uncomfortably, glancing between KiAera and his siblings. "A-and, uh, Nex wouldn't, you know… he wouldn't put us in danger either, right?"

"Relax, Nexbro," Nexsis said, patting his head with an exasperated sigh. "She's got nothing to worry about. We're legit. Mostly." She winked at KiAera, earning a groan from Nex.

KiAera exchanged a glance with Amber, then Big Osseod, then to the snoring Plelepun. Their stances were tense, but neither seemed immediately opposed to moving forward. She turned back to the trio. "Fine. We'll give this a shot. But one wrong move, and you’ll regret it."

Nexsis perked up, her grin widening. "Really? Sweet deal, Meresi—I mean, KiAera."

Nex narrowed his glowing blue eyes but gave a nonchalant shrug. The disdain in his expression hadn't faded. If anything, it had deepened.

What's his deal? KiAera wondered. She didn't know what game Nex was playing, but one thing was certain—she'd have to keep her guard up.

His body language screamed frustration, his claws scraping faintly against the rafter as if he were physically restraining himself from leaping into another argument.

Big Osseod interrupted her thoughts, waddling over with a low hum. "Big Osseod wonders… new bat-friend seems tense. Should Big Osseod talk to him?"

KiAera suppressed a smirk. The image of the hulking Osseod attempting to mediate between her and Nex was almost too amusing to dismiss. "Not yet," she placed a reassuring paw on its crystalline shoulder. "Let him brood a bit longer. I think he needs it."

Her gaze drifted back to the rafters, where Nex's posture had grown even more rigid. She sighed. If he's going to stay here, we need to find some common ground. But how?

She turned her attention to the triplets. "Make yourselves comfortable for tonight, but tomorrow, we're setting ground rules. Understood?"

Nexsis gave a mock salute from her spot on the rug. "Aye aye, Captain Meresis!"

Nexbro gave a meek nod. "Um… yeah, sure. Thank you… for letting us stay."

KiAera hummed as she thought about Boggorc's unique name. "I appreciate the name you've given me but I think it's time I returned the favor. How about I give you some names of my own? If we're going to work together. Nexsis, Nexbro, and Nex… well… it's..."

Nexsis cocked her head and grinned. "Confusing? Nah, it's just part of our charm. We're Nexsis, Nexbro, and Nex! It's perfect branding, if you ask me. But I'm curious—whatcha got in mind, Meresis?"

KiAera smirked at the nickname and pointed at her. "Perfect branding aside, for you, Nexsis, I'm thinking Rox. It suits your energy."

Rox's grin widened as she clapped her wings together. "Rox, huh? Oh, I like it. Rox it is!"

KiAera smiled faintly before turning to Nexbro. The timid bat flinched as her gaze settled on him.

Nexbro shuffled nervously, glancing at his siblings. "Uh… I don't know if we need new names. Nex gave us ours already…"

"You mean Nex gave himself a name and roped you two into the same theme," KiAera teased. "Besides, you're part of this group now, whether you like it or not."

Nex rolled his eyes. "We're not part of anything. We're just tagging along until you clear the dungeon."

Ignoring him, KiAera turned to Nexbro. "And for you… how about 'Viz'? It's sharp and quick, just like you. I think it suits you. Well… only if you're okay with it."

Nexbro blinked, his ears twitching slightly. "V-Viz? T-thanks? Uh… I mean, it's okay, I guess…" He glanced at Rox, who gave him an encouraging thumbs-up with her wing. He expressed a shaky smile. "Yeah. Viz. That's… fine."

Satisfied, KiAera turned to Nex, who was watching the exchange with an expression that hovered between boredom and irritation.

"And you," she said, crossing her arms, "I was thinking—"

"No."

KiAera blinked. "What? You don't even want to hear it?"

"No," he said, crossing his wings in front of his chest. "I already have a name, and it's Nex. I don't need you—or anyone else—changing it."

Rox looked toward him, smirking. "Aw, come on, Nex. Lighten up. What's the harm in a new name?"

"Yeah," Viz mumbled, surprising everyone. "I mean… KiAera's names are kinda nice."

Nex shot them both a glare. "You two can do whatever you want, but I’m not playing along with this little bonding exercise. Nex works just fine for me."

"Don't mind him," Rox said cheerfully. "He's always grumpy when he's not in control." She flashed KiAera a toothy smile. "But he'll come around."

KiAera arched a brow, but remained silent.

Amber bobbed her head eagerly, fluffing her feathers. "LeeLee says bad bat should go cool his wings."

"I swear, LeapLeap…" Nex growled.

Amber puffed up her feathers, clearly enjoying the reaction. "Chicken-bat! Big, tough, scaredy-chicken-bat!"

Before Nex could respond, KiAera held up a paw. "That's enough, Amber. We're all tired, and the last thing we need is more squabbling."

Amber muttered under her breath but settled down, shooting Nex a smug look.

Rox snickered. "You two are gonna kill each other one day, aren't you?"

Viz chuckled nervously. "Uh... I hope not..."

She glanced at Viz, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Speaking of which, maybe it's time for us to introduce our spectacular songstress!"

"Who?" KiAera asked.

The Nexperbax girl pawed KiAera's shoulder with a light slap. "Perlachirp, ya here that?" Rox turned away, vocalizing loud enough to be heard across the shelter. Her shouting became delightfully singsong. "You should come inside! Come out and meet the others!"