He stared out the window, watching the snow falling yet again, covering over the tracks from the day before. He grabbed his crossbow from its rack and began to oil it, waiting for the water to come to a boil. Checking the total of his bolts again, he inspected them for faults before putting them back into their quiver and strapping it to his lower back. Making sure his knife was secure inside his plate mail boot, he adjusted his cloak. He left before first light, setting up in the blind he had built the night before. Watching through the holes in the eye shield of his helmet, he waited quietly for his quarry. As the sun began to inch above the horizon, he watched the beasts meander into the field. He patiently waited for the beasts to grow comfortable, digging through the snow to the well preserved vegetation beneath. He waited for one of them to expose their soft flesh free from their thick furred hide and without a moment’s hesitation, he fired his crossbow. The bolt struck true and as his herd began scanning for the threat, he waited in his blind. He thanked nature for providing him this meal as the snow began to cover and preserve his kill. Unable to locate the threat for half an hour, the pack moved to another feeding area. He left his blind, gathering herbs and spices along his way towards his kill. Retrieving his bolt with practiced caution, he allowed the kill to properly bleed before lifting it to his shoulder, hoping that the pool of blood was monument enough to the memory of the beast before any predators came looking for the corpse.
Gathering more herbs as he returned to his home and the roaring fire that would help him to prepare this meat for his sustenance for the following day, he continued to thank nature for this reward to his cunning. Just outside his home, he pulled the knife free from his boot, skinning the beast as well as portioning its meat. He placed the skin out in the snow as his mother had taught him. Bringing the meat in, he hung it properly over the fire so it would be cooked by dinner.
Looking out his window at the tree his mother was buried under, he saw an odd discoloration to the snow. He left his house to investigate and found what could have passed as either man or beast with the sheer stature and mass. Moving it experimentally with his foot, he was surprised to see the snow had buried another figure underneath. He began checking their bodies for signs of life.
—————-
Tak explained firmly, “The captain and I working on a special form of physical therapy to deal with her headaches. You all have to go without her.”
Gavin growled, “You used to be fun before you had a job. I would never have invited you if I had realized this was gonna happen.”
Tak handed each of them a device and explained, “I know that I stored the gem in these woods but between local wildlife and the odd hunter I don’t know if it has been moved. Each of you will go down and try to trace its location. Preliminary scans from orbit have shown it is still in the area.”
Katsi, Dean, and Gavin each checked their devices to make sure they were properly calibrated. Katsi hugged the doctor and said with mild concern, “Take care of Nisa. She tends to be a bit hard on herself.”
Tak returned the hug quietly for a moment before releasing it and nodding, “That’s why doctor’s orders are keeping her shipside today. You guys are going to a basically empty wood on a backwater pre-space flight planet. There shouldn’t be anything that Dean can’t handle in a pinch.”
With her reassurance and Gavin’s occasional quip, they left in good spirits. Once they did, Tak turned to Anisa. “This is going to be intense but I will be here to turn it off if things get out of hand. For now, allow the Phoenixian Crystal to resonate with your own once we are in the chamber and we should be able to start this.”
Anisa nodded, hearing the voice in her head.
‘I look forward to this little chat you have planned. A nice heart to heart will help clear the air.’
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Examining the hulking mass of muscles, he recognized the problem immediately. Despite the scarring and damage this being had all over their form, the true suffering was from the plague. Grabbing and deboning one of the sections of his morning kill, he tossed the bones into a pot with some water, grabbing the corresponding herbs and putting the pot on the rack above the fire. Turning to face the second figure who was now seated in his mother’s old rocking chair, he offered them one of the blankets he had patched up with the furs of the beasts he had slain in previous hunts. They were clearly trying to communicate and some of the words they were saying sounded familiar, but after so long without company they had lost meaning.
Instead he went to a nearby shelf and retrieved a book. Bringing it to the figure, he turned to one of the pages and pointed to the word Greetings. The figure made more sounds and seemed to be asking a question. Through his ragged and patchwork plate mail armor, he feared he would give a false impression, so he remained stoic. Eventually they searched through the book and found the word friend. He nodded. They flipped through the book and found the word help. And pointed towards what he now assumed was their friend. He nodded. Pointing towards the pot he made a drinking motion with his hands. The still seemed uncertain but more at ease. He was thankful. He had not had company in years.
——————
Anisa walked into the barren chamber, the door sealed behind her. Tak said on the overhead, “Activating the actualization system. Let’s see this Proktota pretender.”
Anisa felt her headache grow sharper for a moment before Sculptura appeared before her, the barren quarry where she once died forming around them as well. Was it formed, she felt the pain subside a little. The villainess laughed a little, “Hello again, prey. How have you been?”
Anisa could hardly restrain her anger and the taunting smirk from her former captor just made it harder. Tak said on the overhead, “Remember, you are not bound to the parasite anymore. This is just a memory given flesh.”
“Oh, you truly are a dear. Trying to convince her for me. I appreciate it.” The villainess approached Anisa and spoke soft and low, “I may be a dream to her, but we both know who has the power here.” Anisa couldn’t help herself, grabbing the double by her throat and again, having her own grabbed in kind. Sculptura gave a gagging laugh, “That’s right! Let’s waste our time yet again.”
Tak shouted. “Anisa! Let go! This isn’t healthy!” But she couldn’t. Every time she saw this face all she could think of was the powerless years screaming for it to stop. As she tightened her grip and felt her own air getting cut off in kind, she heard Tak faintly say, “Fugue layers fluctuating!” Just before she was about to black out, a bright wall of light came down, forcing the two apart. Tak growled through the announcement system. “Auto-asphyxiation is not the road to recovery, Captain.”
Sculptura blew a kiss before rolling her eyes in disgust. Anisa hissed, “She is pure evil. Killing her is a mercy.”
“Captain, let me be clear. This is not the parasite that held you. This is your emotional baggage being manifested on this world by your will.”
Sculptura laughed, “Sure. Try to convince her. That’s going to work so well. I preferred the choking.” Anisa tried to punch the barrier only to pull her hand back in pain. “You say you aren’t me but here you are, dominated by your need to destroy.”
Anisa shouted, “Destroy you! Destroy the evil you represent!”
“No. You tell yourself that, but this anger isn’t for justice and even you can see how thin that excuse runs.” Scultura slinked up to the barrier and with a stern look told her, “You were angry long before I showed up. Fed up and destructive. I just fed on it.”
Anisa could only glare silently in response.
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As they arrived on the planet, the freezing winds nearly locked them in place. Gavin, realizing that this was not as hospitable as Tak’Nasi had made it seem, removed two thermoregulation patches from his sleeve and quickly slapped one onto Katsi’s wrist before doing his own. He went to look at Dean but the beast of a man seemed hardly hindered at all. The veteran stated, “We stick together. I know she sent us each with one, but let’s just use it for confirmation right now. The last thing we want is for us to get separated on a foreign world.” They nodded and proceeded to follow him into the snow.
As they entered into the woods, the Phoenix Emperor asked Lady Unicorn, “You sure you’ve got the plan this time?”
She laughed like any proper villainess should before assuring him, “Theatricality, sinister implications, method matches your location. I don’t think I could have done much better myself. Are you certain of your role?”
He nodded, “Of course. This is my plan.” He handed her the glass bauble and walked off into the snow, hoping she did her job.