Arson felt an odd buzzing in his chest, a soft cooling sensation accompanying the vibration that left him oddly comforted.
He gathered as many people together for the next phase of his plans and wanted to know how the people involved would feel if he allowed them to step down from what he would be requesting of them.
He paced in the living room, waiting for the few people who'd accepted the invitation to enter the room. Auto, Autumn, Moriarty, Xani, Aura, Khalif, Rob, and a still shocked Ash were there already in various locations all throughout the room.
Come on Micro, what are you—
The thought was cut off as Micro, Jasmine, and Lane, all three swooped in from what felt like complete thin air. All three of their forms slammed into the wall of glass that was a part of the villa’s exterior. The sounds of their impacts suppressed by the flight suits, which was also what allowed them to land at incredible speeds.
“Hmm, looks like I need to work on them more,” said Xani glancing over toward the three using suction based grips in the fingertips of the flight suits they wore to climb down the window to an opening Jill had floated over and given them entry.
The suits on their bodies all seemed to have nearly invisible runes, as the musou black material, had been inscribed with mana infused musou black thread. The runes connecting them to the glass pulsed with black light barely noticeable unless the eyes focused directly on the contact points. Something Arson enjoyed.
“Why do you say you need to work on them? They seem rather regal, if you ask me. I like the sleek design. Reminds me of one of those movies I saw as a kid where that one guy built his own power suit, only instead of gear craft, its runes, rather cool to look at,” said Auto, looking between Xani and the girls climbing through the window.
“Why do I feel like you're only saying that because your best friend helped us make it,” asked Axis as she walked in the room with a serious-faced Aura at her back. His sisters' relationship far stronger now than it had been previously, now that Aura had been hired as Axis' permanent bodyguard. Aura was often actively put into situations in recent days where she guarded Lane and Jasmine alongside her sister, during dealings of their own, or combined operations.
It wasn’t until they all entered that Arson once more felt a growing vibration not only in his chest as he had before, but now in his mind as well.
I haven’t felt this since we left RaidCorp, it felt stronger with Troy here, but its undeniable, the power flowing through me is either heightened or refined somehow by the presence of my family and friends. Arson continued to pace, his mind split to focus on many things at one time.
None of those focuses were the room abroad. Or his soul space. Just the demons that plagued his mind, let alone the ones that ran rampant through the streets of the Under-City.
If they make it to the surface, our real problems will begin…
The groups chatter washed over him, calming him unexpectedly. He lost himself in Micro talking with Jasmine and Xani excitedly about new designs for flight suits.
Rob and Jasmine were locked in a conversation about his becoming a Cultivator, and the party that Brianna had planned for him. Arson even laughed lightly at Rob’s description of Brianna forcing herself to wear a water rebreather, and help Rob take care of a pack of Vulpis-Ibis, the fox owls apparently quickly becoming dedicated helpers to Rob in everything he did.
Many of the resources found growing naturally in the Under-City were thought to be extinct were now being delicately sniffed out by fox owls accompanied by Propeller Palm Drones. The creatures' sensitive noses were quick to find plants and natural springs of mana used to support the growth of vegetation, while the drones collected enough of what was offered not to disturb the natural ecosystems.
I wonder…
Arson’s mind drifted toward new ideas, but wondered if Rob would be protective of the creatures he’d formed a bond with. Or if the challenge of an entirely beast-comprised division of gatherers for the BHC was in their futures.
Moriarty spoke with Ash about his loss to Arson, and how he’d managed to do things he felt were feats worthy of only an HonorBorn over the past couple of days, and was excited to do more. While Ash was admittedly confused as to why she was being offered a chance to work with the group, as well as detailing her own loss to Micro, and how the Augustines had stopped associating with her. Something Arson couldn’t help but feel guilt about, as Seneschal had tormented the clan of Cultivators under his direction for a little over a season by now.
I can see how if I’m not careful, my own family associations may become messy…
Lane spoke with enthusiasm to Aura about the series being made about the capture of the eight legged wolf demon that had gotten them almost 10 billion views on the realm net and the chatter app, but Aura looked as if she wanted to approach Arson. Shy glances in his direction once upon a time would have annoyed him, but he knew this side of his sister was innocent, and she would approach him when ready.
After a while the discussions slowed and Arson knew his time to collect himself had been used, and the time for execution was here.
“Well don’t leave us in suspense, runt, spit it out,” said Ash as Arson stopped pacing and turned to face his guests.
“I need help from all of you, but I understand if what I am asking for too much, whether you already know the majority of my plans, or not. What I have planned will probably step on a lot of people's pride, and even make us enemies of many powerful people in our realm layer,” said Arson. Ash nodded, but there were many confused faces around the room, so Arson continued.
“Maelstrom needs help, and not paid help, or favors from foreign nations in exchange for help, our CityNation needs a real resource of individuals who care. To achieve that kind of help, I’ll need you all. Not just to fight for your own honor, but all of our honor, for our culture and society, and more,” explained Arson.
“You sound like a politician all of a sudden, little brother. What’s gotten into you? Already bored with the wealth that seems to just drop itself in your lap,” said Axis with a chuckle. Arson rolled his eyes.
“Aren’t you using my main manager to film a holo-casted show that has made you even more money than the clothing line you own that sponsors the show?” Axis blushed and nodded, before she looked away and let Arson continue.
“All random wealth aside, I don’t have the money to fix the damage that was done to Maelstrom, nor do the Oligarchs who aren’t effected by the devastation caused by the Mana Monarch kingdom, but what I do have is the ability to change a bad situation into a good one,” said Arson.
“So, what’s the plan then, boss,” asked Aura, a visible excitement growing on her face. As Aura knew whatever Arson had planned wouldn’t be normal.
Arson looked around, looking into the eyes of each person there, seeing none apprehensive, filled with animosity or malice, only an interest that made Arson know he was doing the right thing by trusting those gathered.
Just ask and if they say no, do your best to figure it out anyway.
“Our group has four objectives, two of which I won’t force on any who aren’t a part of the Builders of Godhood, or the BHC,” started Arson, beginning to pace once more.
“Those tasks include capturing the demon we have surveillance on in the Under-city, and bringing down the giant robot rampaging through the exterior of the dump, although I would love to have all hands on deck for these two primary tasks, I’m worried we need to take a more balanced approach for what is to come,” explained Arson, still uneasy about the inclusion of his siblings and cousin in the meeting, but a nod from Khalif made Arson’s stomach settle slightly after Arson took another pause to collect himself.
“The other tasks are all oriented around the fixing or supporting of Maelstrom, which is building more accessible bridges to once more link the detached sectors of the CityNation, as well as rebuilding the raided relief shelter I just got the reports on, as well as building more, for the BHC this should be easy to pull off, but the further protection of these shelters won’t be easy as we have learned quickly,” stated Arson with a wave of his hand. A burning building shown life sized on a nearby wall, as if a gateway to the location had been opened; the holograms lifelike enough to make Lane flinch away when they spun into existence in a flash.
“Looks like the Augustines aren’t the only ones getting their compounds burned down,” said Ash with a chuckle, purple flames tinged with gold rippling through her fingertips as she absently played with a ball of flames like a stress ball.
“You're funny, but all of the things we have been doing to support the city have been attacked, or are being attacked even as we speak.” Another wave of Arson’s hand, a bridge built to last millennia, was caved in on the wall in the next instant, and Moriarty rose to his feet.
“Who did this? I remember that area, a woman and her children thanked me for giving them a safe way to and from school,” said Moriarty. His eyes shot over to Arson, and he sighed.
“I believe it is a disgruntled old man named Mr Kim. Many of the buildings I originally planned to use as relief shelters I bought from underneath him after I found out he has many unpaid deals with credit lenders within the Silver Sector of Maelstrom, properties he is now destroying before we can even utilize them.” Moriarty, cursed and grabbed his jacket from the couch he’d been on, headed to the door.
“Where are you going?” asked Autumn and Arson at the same time. Moriarty answering them both without stopping.
“To make sure a kind woman and her children can get home safely. Just make sure this Mr Kim or whoever can’t continue to disrupt the little good we are accomplishing,” said Moriarty as he vanished through the open portal left from Arson’s return from the Under-City’s edge. Arson unable to keep the smile off his face at the words and the realization that he may enjoy his cousin more than he’d originally assumed he would.
Don’t know what I could have done to have changed your perspective of me, Mori, but I’ll take it…
“So what do you have planned for the rest of us,” asked Autumn, but Arson was unable to answer. The vibration in his chest growing to a level that consumed his senses, his vision now black as he was pulled into the center of his mind.
His cerebral realm, was a beautiful place, that Arson had come to feel more comfort from than even the strongest forms of practiced meditations he’d learned.
Shocked to find himself standing at the edge of the blackhole that spat energy into his mind from his soul. Arson took in the tree centered above darkness, underneath a powerful storm and halo of light even further up, and gasped when he saw a gateway forming within the perimeter of the large halo above.
The other side of the gateway couldn’t be seen, but what came out of the gateway was familiar to Arson, even though the construct had evolved as its sisters had.
“Jack?” Arson asked the question, only to be zapped by Bloom, whom he hadn’t seen standing nearby.
“Ow, what was that for?” said Arson glancing away from the Construct floating down toward him. The Construct once a simple hand, that matched the masculine features of Arson’s own hand, growing from his adolescence to his current adult features. Yet the new hand was regal in its femininity.
Also a gauntlet. The white gold armored hand, sported a black tiara that was filled with FrostLightning, that floated just above the backside of the hand. The armored segments of the hand even more intricate than Jill or Jane, that rested upon his shoulders.
“Her name is Jacqueline, and she is a queen, reborn from the soul and power of an empress, you will honor and respect her or I doubt she will respond to your needs as your other constructs do,” said Bloom, zapping Arson once more. Arson felt the lightning course through him, but the words struck him with a new weight he knew would stretch the growing bond between him and his siblings thinner than it had ever been before.
“What?”
“You heard me ,Arson, and heed those words. This bond is still your first Construct and from what I can feel is the most pivotal part of our current growth as a whole,” said Bloom. The hand came to float just before his eyes, an unexpected stroke of tenderness gracing Arson’s cheek so surprising a gesture that when he was immediately slapped, Arson didn’t know whether to laugh or curse the gods for pushing him toward whatever resulted in this.
“I will dissolve you back into my so—“
“Arson!” roared Bloom, mouthing, respect, slowly in his direction continuously after the outburst. Arson turning back toward his construct with a pointed finger, until Bloom yelled his name again and he sighed, looking up at the red sky above him, the stars above calling to him as they calmed his mind.
He laughed to himself, closed his mouth as he made his decision and smiled.
“Respect given, respect gained, my lady Jacqueline. May your majesty aid my family and all who bless us in your name,” said Arson looking away from the stars. He felt the soul used was that of his siblings' mother, and if he was correct, the only way he would continue to be supported by his longest friend in this life, would be as a part of their foundation.
“If you will grant me aid, none who know the names of those that share our blood shall shame us, and live to gain a second offense. I pledge myself to this and to you, as you always have in the past, Jack, even if you are a queen now, my friend,” said Arson as he bowed his head. He wanted his vow to be honest, as he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself otherwise, as keeping the secret of what he believed this hand's creation came from, would be harder than keeping the pledge he’d just made to the Construct he hoped was still as much Jack, as it was now Jacqueline.
Arson felt another soft caress touch the opposing side of his face this time, closing his eyes in expectation to a slap that didn’t come.
He opened his eyes to another slapping sound to see three constructs giving one another intricate handshakes and couldn’t help but let his smile grow.
“Welcome back my friend…”
I hope you will still be the protective shield at my back that you have always been…
…
Alexander roamed the empty halls of the palace, lost in his thoughts. He missed his mother dearly, in a way he felt his siblings didn’t feel. And though they all grieved, he still felt alone in the fear that their mother may be gone forever.
“She loved us all, and yet they act as if she never existed, distracted by our shiny new toy of a brother, woohoo…” Alexander wasn’t going to let his mother’s disappearance fade into the background of the voraciously moving entity that was the Cultivation society. His mother was an important individual for many reasons.
Being the Armor of any realm was so grand that he didn’t know her birth name, and was a huge part of the reason why many foreign nations from adjacent realms didn’t invade lands or planetary chains that housed citizens of the Archon Kingdom.
“Don’t worry, Mother, I will grow strong enough to be what the realm may need me to be in your absence,” said Alexander to himself, until he found himself distracted by the familiar sound of wings.
Alexander started to run through the palace. He had one chance to catch his father before the man left again, and he wouldn’t allow it to slip through his fingers.
“Father, I have found something I need you to see,” yelled Alexander once he saw his father flanked by dozens of attendants.
“Father, I know you are busy but this is more important than some childish city affair, this is about Mother!” Draphen stopped, and looked his son in the eyes. A single gesture of his hand and the many attendants walked out of ear shot from the king and Alexander.
“Tell me, my son, what have you found?” true concern on his face for his son’s appearance.
None of Draphen’s children seemed especially hurt over their mother’s disappearance, and Draphen himself had allowed the violent storm his wife had created in his lands to be seen as a lover’s tryst. Yet the hurt he now saw, diminished the excitement that had been rekindled in his life enough to let the reality of what he saw truly enter his mind.
“I have found her energy signal, it is currently within the villa of the heiress of crime, Elizabeth Carter, the Jade of CloudLake City!”
Alexander’s father in that moment knew that what was to come wouldn’t be easy for either one of them to live through unscathed. Or without any further damage. The pain he saw in his own son’s eyes familiar to his own longing for his parents during his own childhood a countless number of seasons ago. The vivid memory from a time where he could see the reflection of his own sadness within the many mirrors of the world.
“Show me, my child, and make sure this is an irrefutable claim, as you know when I wear this crown all matters brought to me will be handled with the seriousness that come with a king’s time.” His son smiled and bowed, which only showed how serious his son Alexander was, this child bowed to no one, never had, and if Draphen could bet on it, he never would again if it were up to the young boy.
“Thank you father, I believe that with what I have discovered. Whoever has my mother won’t be able to escape us for long…”