Standing before the trio were six Spiris younglings of varying sizes. After the increase in their height, Atlas had thought they'd feel smaller, but this wasn't the case, some were just about their size, looking like moving spider tanks, while two were a bit smaller, maybe the size of mid-sized wolves.
"Alright, how about we start off with our names followed by our preferred fighting styles? If you don't think you know your preferred fighting style, just try to think of what you're particularly good at and mention that instead. We've got all the time we need to get to know each other along the journey, but before we head off I want to make sure we've got a better idea how we'll all work together if things get dicey." Atlas said, his arms crossed over his chest like an instructor or drill sergeant.
As much as he wanted to get to know these siblings of his, he wanted to get moving even more. Thus, he opted for this approach to their greetings.
[Hello, my name is Sierra. I prefer a more ranged role in combat if that's possible. While I'm not quite sure yet what exactly I'm best at, I think I have a pretty good accuracy with my acid shots and it seems my toxins are more potent than some of my other clutch mates. Oh, I also learned a few things about first-aid from Elder Theo over the last few days. It isn't much but I might be able to help a bit with any herbs we find out there, depending on what we manage,] Sierra said.
Hearing her mental transmission, Atlas looked towards the Spiris that reached just about up to his chest and had an intricately patterned purple and yellow coloring, nodding once he heard her thoughts.
"That's fine. To tell you the truth, Blanc and Shine have better ideas how they prefer to fight than I do, so I understand if not all of you have perfect ideas for where you'd prefer to fight, or how, but knowing what you're good at will help us figure that out. Besides, not all of us have to fight, there are plenty of roles a group tends to need, but if you lot want to level up with us, fighting will probably be the fastest way to do that." Atlas said, nodding towards the next Spiris to continue, this one being far larger, like a moving six-legged tank.
[Name's Felix. I'm pretty big for our stage but I'm still not sure how I like to fight just yet. Sometimes I feel like being a vanguard and being the first to tick the enemies off, other times I feel like staying at range and pissing them off even more, it's a seriously difficult dilemma. Oh, as for what I'm good at, I like to trick people and make traps, seeing people fume makes me happy. I'm good with my webs and legs, so I tend to make movement difficult when facing me.] Felix said, his massive body swaying side to side amid his speech.
"Piss... Pissing people off? What's that got to do with... no, never mind. It's good that you know what you like I guess." Atlas just muttered, moving to the next Spiris, just barely shorter than Felix.
[You can ignore this bastard with a bad personality. Felix is a walking disaster waiting to happen and the only madman anyone with senses will be able to focus on crushing to death in a fight, if he's given the chance to speak that is... As for my name. This great me is named Fama Odin Ben, the most handsome genius Spiris to ever bless the Cradle. I like to fight honorably, bearing the blows for my comrades as long as they aren't to the face. If they are, I'll run away so Velathra doesn't suffer the loss of my beauty. As for what I'm good at... I'm very handsome and also beautiful. I also make really good webs and my legs are sharper than most of our clutch.]
"..."
[...]
"Are you being serious?" Atlas just asked, unable to comprehend what the fuck was wrong with this new family of his. He understood the word quirky and figured that applied to many families just fine... but this lot? The word wasn't enough.
[Of course, how could I jest about such a matter, brother Atlas? This is for the sake of Velathra, we must keep it safe at all costs...] Fama Odin [Mindwove] solemnly.
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"... Velathra, or your face?"
[Both, of course.]
"Uhuh. Ok, how about you, what's your name?" Atlas asked, moving to the next Spiris, one far smaller than the previous three, likely the size of a large dog.
[H-Hello brother Atlas, my name is Syx. I'm not the best at fighting yet, or rather I'm not sure what I'm best at when fighting, but I like to make plans and watch reflect on our ancestors many supreme tactics, so I hope to help at least in this way. I'm quite good at web weaving, but more so at using our thread creatively, at least I think so. I'm also the furthest along in our magic training. I can manipulate [Space] to a novice degree.] The smaller Spiris said, his body also swaying as he spoke, like a dancing spider.
"Syx, huh? I think Blanc and you will get along great. He's also got a strategic mind, or at least more strategic than me, welcome to the team." Atlas just said, leaning over and patting Syx's head, before looking towards the final two Spiris that looked far more similar than all the rest.
[[Our names are Maris and Karis, we like to fight together using tricks and hopefully some day illusions. We're both pretty fast thanks to our size and our legs are very sharp. We're not very good with webs yet but we're working on it. Our toxins have developed to stage two.]] they both said at the same time.
Both of these Spiris were just a tiny bit bigger than Syx, about the size of adult wolves. They were patterned in silver and blue and the only difference that Atlas could tell between them was that one's eyes glowed red, while the other's glowed turquoise.
"That's great, we've all got stuff we'll be working on as we go, so no worries on the web weaving. Welcome to the team, all of you." Atlas said finally, backing up a step to let Blanc say his piece. This was something he'd requested the day before.
"Now that the introductions are out of the way, I'm going to make a few things clear. I have nothing against any of you, and I'm very happy to be reunited with my people," Blanc paused, already sounding fluent in English, "That said, I'm not planning to end up in the state I saw the cave in when I left my pod this morning. If you lot aren't able to listen to the three of us, follow our orders to the Tee, just stay here. We're only a stage above you, a mere five levels, but I'd trust my back to Atlas and Shine without question, and I hope to one day trust you guys too. That won't happen if at every chance I have to wonder whether you're even there in the first place." he said, a heavy silence suffusing the group.
His words were blunt, to the point, and extremely important. Atlas didn't see a single thing wrong with what he'd said, even choosing to add to it before anyone could make a fuss.
"We're entering a Nexus Zone. Regardless of its level, the only welcome we can expect is a dangerous one. And yet, we're still going. This is an important mission, one of what I'm sure are many to come," Atlas paused, gauging the responses of the Spiris before him. None seemed to react the way he'd expected, all just listening patiently.
"This time, our task is to bring back as much Essenceflow Water as we can. If there are additional resources within reasonable reach, we can grab those too, I'm sure we can find use for them, but the primary objective will remain Essenceflow Water and leveling up while learning to better coordinate as a group. I have no illusions that Shine, Blanc and I are somehow more knowledgeable than you. If you have opinions regarding our plans, make sure to voice them, we're a team after all. But once the plan is set, our positions decided and the orders are given, we expect them to be followed. I want to make sure I keep my promise to my mo-- Err, the Great Mother. All of us need to come back alive."
Hearing his words, all of the Spiris momentarily remained frozen, each seeming to ponder their own thoughts, before Sierra spoke up, [Understood, we'll make sure to follow your lead. The Elders already told us you three have already fought and we should follow your orders, but putting it this way, I guess it makes even more sense. Hopefully we won't be burdens for long,] she finished, eliciting vibrant reactions from Felix and Odin.
[[BURDENS?! US?! SIERRA ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!]] both practically roared, puffing their "chests" up as if to disagree with this seeming disgrace.
"Oh yeah... that's like the biggest insult to the Spiris, I forgot for a sec." Atlas mumbled before stepping in, "Felix, Odin, chill out. I get that you don't want to be burdens and I won't say that you are, but if you can't follow our orders, you very well might be. Thus, to avoid being scum of Spiris, let's all get along and work together to complete our mission. Ok? Great. Now, are all of you ready to set off?"
[[[[[[Yes!]]]]]]
"Sweet. Wait, Blanc, where are the Elders? I thought they were going to show us the way to the zone."
"They gave me a map, they're taking care of the... others."
"... I see. Lead the way then, I'll be in the rear, the other six can be in the middle with Shine, Felix and Odin spread out to either the front or the back, both of you taking one spot." Atlas ordered as the group slowly began moving from the gates of the Cradle. Their first adventure was just beginning.