《Beta Zero》 0- Beauty in the Breakdown The young man lying in the overly white post-op hospital room looks like a ghost of the him from yesterday. The face normally oozing charisma and confidence now shows an empty shock with a shadow of the despair, anguish and rage yet to come. Flashes of memories pulsing in time to his father''s loud accusations leave him with no place to hide in his mind. A frat party, the drinking games, crowing like a rooster, pain and broken roof tiles followed by multiple red and blue lights then sliding towards a drug numb oblivion piece together to form an ugly whole before the nurses force his father to leave. After a new dose of painkillers and a physician visit his immediate future is all too clear. There will be no football this season and after the initial surgery is done healing the following minor surgery and rehab will keep him down for almost a year with a nearly 50/50 chance of a full recovery. It''s JUST a couple of torn ligaments, one torn leg tendon, three broken fingers, a fractured ankle and a wrist that needs two pins to help it heal properly. It''s a death sentence. It shouldn''t be but it is. Add in substandard grades, a minor scandal about him not being old enough to drink for another 9 months and the recruiters pulling that publicity positive, ghetto golden child onto the roster six months ago and it''s a done deal...¡±What do I do now?¡± Fate is on the brink of discarding you. We offer another path to walk. It isn''t just about what you have lost it is also about what you have to gain. The path is not without peril yet filled with fortune in equal measure. Steel your heart and decide... YES or NO? ****** Among the empty platitudes and endless casseroles sits a teenage girl contemplating those attending her mother''s wake. Her step brother''s slouched and relaxed form staring intently at his hand-held game, her stepfather''s slightly exaggerated grief as he intermittently glances at his watch and her Aunt''s saccharine concern as her overly familiar hand roams and squeezes the broad shoulders and neck of her stepfather are all individually exquisite forms of corrosive acid slowly dripping on her weary and broken heart.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. It was only moments ago, with sunken and bloodshot eyes, she quietly slipped to her mother''s side for a brief and feathery kiss to the cold, waxy forehead. A silent benediction from a living ghost to the eternally claimed. As she listlessly wanders off, the last remaining portion of her innocent heart forms one last question before joining the rest in the coffin with her mother. ¡°Does anyone want me now?¡± Hope is on the brink of discarding you. We offer another path to walk. It isn''t just about what you have lost it is also about what you have to gain. The path is not without peril yet filled with fortune in equal measure. Steel your heart and decide... YES or NO? ***** Surrounded by the trappings of an empty and vapid life, a dumpy man in his late 30''s sits in front of his computer as he mostly has for the past few years, finding ways to keep boredom and suicidal thoughts at bay. Poor eating habits, lack of meaningful exercise and a heavy smoking habit slowly shredding away the heartiness of an otherwise healthy body. Dull, lifeless eyes stare at the general direction of the monitor, focused more inwardly than outwards. A litany of squandered opportunities and missed experiences repeat to a soundtrack of self pity and loathing. The man''s thoughts twisting into the form of a depraved eulogy of condemnation. A silent, desperate cry rips itself from a soul on the verge of collapse...¡±Give me a way out, now!¡± Life is on the brink of discarding you. We offer another path to walk. It isn''t just about what you have lost it is also about what you have to gain. The path is not without peril yet filled with fortune in equal measure. Steel your heart and decide... YES or NO? The World is on the brink of discarding you... Destiny is on the brink... Time is... God... 1-Strada (fixed) After a particularly intense mental episode, Wren slowly opened his eyes to discover that wonderful feeling of weightlessness wasn''t relief but literal ''Don''t go into the light, Carol-Ann'' abyss bobbing with no floaties. ¡°Did I have an aneurysm?¡± Wren muttered. ¡°Stow the existential freak out and pay very close attention to what I''m about to tell you. We don''t have much time and the ''entities'' that are responsible for you being here would likely send you packing to oblivion or the afterlife for convenience''s sake if they found out I''m puppet operating your SYSTEM account. Be mad about that on your own time,¡± wheezed a rusty, rarely used sounding voice. His current situation not being held into account, the spitfire info dump of the slightly creepy voice was keeping his mental gears grinding too hard to form any kind of interjection. Not one to step in front of moving trains, Wren decided to pour what functioning bits of his mental power he could muster on retaining Rusty''s words. ¡°There are three missions in reception. Until the first mission is over, don''t speak unless spoken to in a language you understand and don''t ask the Sponsor anything, ever. The second mission will be a trial by fire, kill the fugly kinda thing. Put as many people between you and it as possible until it dies or at least ten other participants do. The third mission is just a point buy tutorial so if you are still breathing you''re gold.¡± Rusy took a labored, ragged breath and continued, ¡° Call me Hiidan, by the way. And just so you are aware, there are many components missing from your interface. I should have that patched up to a functional level by the time you reach your host world. After reading over your rap sheet I took the liberty of laying out a highlighted yellow brick road to the best class fit for you based off of power versus what you can use without accidentally killing yourself along with some customization that sync well with it...¡± Verbally limping like a winded track runner at home stretch, Hiidan managed to squeeze out, ¡°but don''t buy the grayed out sprites or options between the highlighted ones, they''ll ax the hidden class and and give you the more mundane version instead. More options are still loading. And last but not least I gave you Second Cha-¡± The rest of whatever it was Hiidan was going to say was swept away by a torrential pull that started somewhere deep inside Wren, in a place he didn''t even know existed, towards a galaxy whirlpool of light, color and sound. After getting the stale air knocked out of his lungs and taking in a mouthful of fresh but oddly sterile air he came to the sudden realization that, wherever he was before, he had been slowly suffocating. His slow and steady breathing, however, were doing nothing for his rapidly rising heart-rate. ¡°Welcome, chosen. I am your sponsor Quetzlcoatl, you may call me Quetz if it pleases you. You honored few have-¡± Wren started half listening to the floating rainbow snake''s empty platitudes and desperately pushed down the gibbering mad chuckles trying to push their way past his throat so that he could try to assess his environment and the people therein. He noticed that aside from a couple of basically functioning human beings, the rest appeared to be a pot-luck collection of the destitute, depraved and full out, Third-World-Country starving.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Honored few indeed, but who am I to Judge? Alright, so let''s untangle the mess from earlier...I agreed to some kind of alien abduction then I was temporarily abducted from the first aliens by another one who is hacking their shit!? The hacker has screwed me over in the process but spilling the beans won''t help because my original abductors will just kill me off. The worst part is that there is some kind of user interface that I can use to help me but because a hacker has messed with mine, it isn''t even fully functional. Just great! So for the first mission, Hiidan said I shouldn''t talk to people I can''t understand. So that means people I can understand is okay? Fine there''s gotta be some English speakers here somewhere. Safety in numbers and all that, especially since my wonderful hacker friend didn''t even tell me what the first mission is! Keeping a wary eye and ear trained on the hypnotically weaving monster, just in case it decided to breathe fire or go anaconda on someone, Wren attempted to find someone he could remotely identify with when he noticed that there was a frizzy headed, Orphan Annie type nobly trying to help an ivy-league, tall, dark and injured guy up onto his good foot. Both of them looking even more horribly out of place here than himself. What ended up drawing him to them, despite not wanting to stand out, was the unmistakable sound of whispered English. Sidling up to them, using the excuse of aiding the young man, Wren managed to inch them to the edge of the crowd with the excuse of avoiding trampling feet. ¡°Thanks, Sir. Do you happen to know what''s going on?¡± asked the girl, in a thick Irish accent. ¡°Probably about as much as you. And please, call me Wren. I know I probably look ancient to you since I''m at the ripe old age of Thrityse...er...two but please spare my feelings.¡± Wren dramatically clutched his chest with his free hand while plastering an exaggeratedly pained expression on his face, managing to illicit a small giggle from the worried looking girl. In a disgustingly admirable attempt at normalcy belied by the faint trembling and cold sweats the young man says, ¡° The name''s Troy, old sport. You don''t see any way I can get a bit of water do you?¡± Who the hell says old sport? Is this the Great Gatsby!? That being said there''s gotta be someone around here with some water. If I''m going to throw my lot in with this group the last thing I need is for this young man to pass out. He''s hard enough to move awake. The three of them scan the crowd before Wren notices a slightly disgruntled looking older lady with a Western Europe, rural village kind of vibe, minus the stained and tattered cargo Shorts, with two water bottles poking out the top of a pocket. Bingo. I might not want to risk trying to talk to her just in case she doesn''t speak English but I got a few bucks and I''m pretty sure most of the world knows the U.S. Dollar. Maybe I can do a fast switch. Shifting Troy''s weight over to the girl, Wren dug a five dollar bill out of his wallet and walked over to the woman. As soon as he got her attention he handed the five bucks over to her. Slightly stunned at the intrusion and still not willing to miss anything the flying monster is saying, she doesn''t even register that she''s a water bottle short till Wren is nearly back to his two new acquaintances. ¡°And there ya go. No promises on the quality.¡± Basking in the glow of gratitude, Wren turned back to Quetz as the first mission details are being given. ¡°-will be fairly straightforward. Simply discover the one among you that does not belong. Point at them and declare them to be the ''Spy'' and if you are correct you will earn some points you can use later to improve yourselves. Failure to make a choice within the time limit will result in elimination.¡± As his mouth went dry, Wren snatched the water bottle out of Troy''s hand and took a deep swig, vaguely registering the sulfur aftertaste of well water, before handing it back. Well fuck. Are they already on to me!? Apparently it was his turn to break out in a cold sweat. 2-Spy Vs. Spy (fixed) Mind racing a thousand miles an hour, nearly enough to keep up with his thrumming pulse, Wren starts pulling everything he knows, scant little that it is, together to make sense of the situation. Despite the logic half of his mind trying to tell him that panicking won''t help, his body doesn''t seem to want to listen. Gotta calm down. My chest and left arm are starting to hurt and that can''t be a good thing. Can you say heart attack children? I knew you could! A small, translucent window opens to the upper left corner of his vision with strange fractal like markers, rhythmically rearranging themselves. Okaaay....Is this the timer? OMGWTFBBQ, I can''t read it!? ¡°Oh,Troy and mist-er Wren, I''m Lillian Easterbrook. You can call me Lilly if ya like. Um, Wren, you don''t look so good. Maybe we should all sit down?¡± ¡°I''d like to second that motion,¡± Troy manages to squeeze out through gritted teeth. The trio awkwardly shuffle away from the increasingly rowdy crowd and slide down to the overly smooth and unblemished stone-like floor. And as Troy and Lilly start nattering around in circles about who to metaphorically finger, Wren made non-committal grunts while cautiously eyeballing the approaching old lady he swiped the water bottle from earlier. The low and menacing tone in her voice gave him a pretty good idea what the problem is but since he can''t understand a single word she''s saying he has no idea how to quell her building tirade. Seriously lady. You''re gonna try to start some beef over a bottle of water with all this crazy going on? ¡°I-I''m terrible sorry mam but our f-friend really needed some water. A-as you can tell, he''s badly hurt!¡± Lilly manages to interject, bringing the focus of the woman onto her. It takes all of about thirty seconds for Wren to realize that Troy and Lilly can understand what she''s saying, that he was the only person out of the loop. Roughly three seconds after that, he notices that there are about two dozen ominous, sooty-streaked gray pillars of light descending into the crowd and one of them is over him. ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± he whispers out, barely audible, before trying to scramble away. The old lady, mistaking his actions, reaches over and slaps him in the face before turning to Lilly and ripping her gold cross necklace off, crisply turning around and striding away far more spryly than her appearance would suggest she is capable of. With newly formed tears in her eyes she screams, ¡° NO, anything but that! My M-mother gave me that!¡± The descending light noticeably bends away from Wren at the last moment before slamming into the old woman, as if shunted by Lilly''s rage and grief, reducing the gristly old woman to ashes, clothes and a gleaming religious accessory. Lilly dashed forward so quickly she left Troy sprawled on the floor, clutching his wrist as she snatched the necklace out of the ashes, clutching it to her chest just as desperately and looking even more pained than her injured companion. ¡°Acts of violence, theft and molestation will not be tolerated in the reception room. You have two minutes left to make your choice,¡± Quetz drawled out in a dry, even tone. I almost got death-ray''ed over a bottle of water!? Guess ganking Lilly''s necklace canceled out my offense but turned her into an offender? But seriously, to kill us over it is crazy! Alright, I believe you now, Hiidan. If they''re willing to kill a couple dozen people just to prove a point, what wouldn''t they do to someone like me who''s hitchhiking a hacker? This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. In the eerie silence that followed, an industrious fellow towards the center of the visibly less clustered people, started issuing statements in a loud but calm voice. It didn''t mean a damn thing for Wren, seeing as he couldn''t understand a single word that was being said, but it gave him a target to focus on as the pain in his left arm quickly intensified and started spreading to his neck. His vision slightly darkened around the edges as he gulped down a labored breath. His heart beat deep and hard in his chest as if being played by a violently drunk Death-Metal drummer. With all the strength he could muster, slowly but with an odd steadiness, lifted his hand while pointing at the loud man and stated as clearly as he could, ¡°You are the spy.¡± A barely audible girls voice echoed his statement a moment later, down a long illusory hallway. After a few more booming statements from the man condemned by Wren, most of the fingers were pointing back at Wren, while one or two were leveled at his companions. The loud man winked at Wren before disappearing in a cloud of colored motes, much to the dismay of all the people that got duped by him. Echoing through the ever growing auditory tunnel he heard Lilly say, ¡°How''d you figure it out Wren... Wren? ¡° The choice has been made. The first to chose correctly will receive an attribute point redistribution opportunity based off of the average of humanities top one percent or their own,whichever is higher. Second and third will receive a cosmetic change. The one who received the most false accusations, due to a generous donation from one of our operators, will get a race change opportunity. All correct answers and false accusations collected will receive 10 achievement points each, which will be discussed later, ¡± Quetz chuckles to him/itself. ¡°And since one of the participants received a reward that, if not utilized now, they may never get to use in this lifetime, I''ll allow a five minute respite for the operator to walk them through accepting.¡± Wren laid on the floor in terrified wonder as he looked into the window of multicolored fractals, deciding not to contemplate the mysterious force gripping his innermost self, disallowing it to slip into unconsciousness. In a handful of eternally long seconds, maddening swirls of lights and shapes coalesce into two definitive sigils, one glowing a brilliant gold and another glowing an angry red. Yet another blind leap of faith? Alright, hacker buddy. I hope you know what the hell you''re doing. Let''s just take the line Hiidan said about me being ''Gold'' if I can make it to mission three as a hint, since this is most definitely not a human friendly version of whatever the hell this is. Besides, only suicidal people would choose glowing red, right? As Wren tries to lift up his hand, in vain, to select the gold sigil, a mental tug of query and acceptance appears and fades along with reality. Shit, did I die after all? Wait, I can see stuff...A giant hand wants to scoop me up? No! Oh, it''s the nice girl''s voice. Sorry, if I knew it was you I wouldn''t have moved. I don''t know how I moved even though I''m still moving. I can''t stop!Oh, that''s Abergimpy & Crutch''s face. Panic... ¡°Troygrabmei''mfloatingaway!¡± He heard my thought voice? Here comes his arm! Imma hit his cast! Bounce, cast, roll, palm, safe! Wha...? A kaleidoscope of fractured memories and dreams gives direction to the newly formed addition to Wren''s consciousness. The energy state of Wren began being replaced by flesh and blood, form dictated by alien whim, function governed by cosmic machination. Sensation and perception snaps into crystal focus as reality rearranges itself back into a recognizable form leaving Wren dazed and slightly nauseated. ¡° W-wren, is that you?¡± asked Lilly in a small voice. A look of awe and undisguised curiosity painted on her face. ¡°None other, why''d ya ask?¡± replied Wren dryly, shaking off the the last bit of disorientation. I felt like a tiny ball of fluff...What the hell did you do to me, secret buddy? As Lilly rummages through her smock top pockets, Wren glances in Troy''s direction to be met with a face full of what Wren took as slack jawed horror. Ignoring the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Wren says, ¡°What, got something on my face?¡± With an audible click, Troy''s mouth slams shut as a faint trace of redness appears on the edges of his ears. Damn right! You better show a little embarrassment after looking at me like I just climbed outta the Black Lagoon! ¡°Here, best if ya look for yourself,¡± a faint trace of wicked amusement light''s Lilly''s eyes as she hands him the mirror side of a broken compact case. Giving himself a quick once over, Wren decided to rip off the band-aid and took a good look at his face. 3-Worst Hero (fixed) Well, everything seems to be in working order, aside from being a bit too far on the slender side of things. Hell, I feel better than I can ever remem-holy fu-cris-shit, I look like the bastard child of a WOW Banshee knocked up by Peter Pan, a-a rich kid cos-player who didn''t know if he wanted to attend the convention as Legolas or Alucard and said ''Fuck it, why choose?'' Large, violet, ''don''t hurt me'' eyes and a heart shaped face framed in soft, feathery, platinum blonde hair topped off with pouty cherry lips...For all I know I could have looked like a Greek god instead of their cup-bearer. Shit, get over yourself and focus I could run with the rest. There''s no good reason why I have to put myself in danger for this Old Navy invalid and his trusty side kick, ugly shirt girl. Ahhh, fuck this. If I let this little, er... big boned but sweet, girl get gored in front of me I deserve ball cancer...Fuck you, adrenaline! Am I gonna die? A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Worst...hero...ever...Was that a fucking makeup pencil!? So, I died when I got gored? Then what was the angel resurrection thing about? Could that have been what Hiidan was trying to tell me about at the end there, a Second ''something or rather?'' I had an extra life? Second Chance instead of All Language you best be picking that for sure. It only costs 20 points here but it normally costs two thousand. Second chance is only good for about 24 hours. Seems to me that your operator was betting your death!¡± He wasn''t banking on me dying, he knew I would. I would like to think that he did it strategically, wanting me to win the first mission. Nothing would say suspicious like coming back from the dead. Couple that with being the only one who can''t freely communicate and I made an obvious target. Luckily the race change and not being dusted by a wrath pillar saved my 1up for later. 4-Every Which Way but Loose (fixed) My interface is thought responsive?I wonder if purchasing All Language would help me understand this damn mess of a UI. 450 of 300 temporarily capped points?How does that-Doesn''t matter. Just focus on what you need to do. Let''s start out by getting getting All Language and sending thirty points to Troy so he can un-gimp himself. I have a sinking feeling I''m stuck with him for awhile and I''m tired of dragging his ass around. Yup, pure selfishness. What!? What was on those two extra windows?... I don''t even know what I agreed to! If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Glad you''re aware that my oxygen is limited here, buddy. It''d be sad to survive that cluster fuck of an introduction just to die from asphyxiation... Damn, it hurts what the hell is the SYSTEM doing inside me!? ALL Language in place you''re gold. Finally, the danger I represent to you in association is next to none as long as you don''t draw attention to me or your interface, which will automatically mislead prying eyes and hide itself from scrutiny. Oh, and if you want to converse with me directly you can only do it here in the in-between but I can still help you find what you''re looking for in the SYSTEM interface as long as you, for lack of a better explanation, think at it hard, clear and concisely. So, my version of the SYSTEM UI is thought responsive and if anyone tries to spy on me they''ll see a normal screen? Nifty. Back at ya, Rusty. 5-Because, Magic! (fixed) Clean air? Check. Lack of obvious threats? Check. Presence of nearly obnoxiously positive but secretly bad-ass teenage girl and the enemy of all single, average looking guys dead weight? Not che- correction...check.
Well, since it''s open I might as well check out what I''m working with. Who am I kidding? This is like Christmas after a death row pardon. Even if the boxes under the tree had lumps of coal and dog shit in them you''d still feel happy!
Warning: High Essence and Stamina consumptive profession. Utilize with extream caution edicated-Amalgam professions require two slots to protect mental stability.
Okay. Essentially I''m a pet class that''s good at making stuff with all that essence mumbo-jumbo. Expenditure is greater than recovery? The Life Essence thing is kinda weird but having any kind of gain offsetting natural loss is good I guess. Seems a bit scary low but there''s likely ways to fix that so I''ll look into it later. Percentage per minute on essence recovery seems a little more intuitive than arbitrary numbers and as I get stronger, (at least I hope I will,) the SYSTEM will automatically readjust power expenditure on abilities but it''ll make it hard to compare myself to others directly...guess that doesn''t matter much now.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Stats are pretty simple, as long as you ignore the hidden race crap: Strength''s little better than an average person, Endurance''s nearly double, Dexterity''s pretty good, Perception''s a little lack luster so scouting''s out, Mind''s probably just a bit better than my original self''s, Intuition''s a bit like wisdom but with a psychic undertone and it''s damn good for a human but crappy for whatever I''m really supposed to be, Charisma sounds like a shiesty stat to me but no matter how suspicious it is, at least it''s good. Spirit seems to be the supernatural version of strength and the more I look into it, the more confusing it becomes...Is something wrong with my Spirit?
Damn, that''s a lot of crap for a beginner isn''t it? Okay, So this Calling business was one of the surprise pop-ups. An entity slipped in a contract on me while I was in a rush. Wait, I have a little over an eight year death sentence!? I need to figure out this Life Essence business as soon as possible! Even materialize and imbue take a bit of LE. Damn skippy, it''s not currently recommended!Looks like I can''t really go ham with Fabrication/Construction either. Eldritch Essence recovery is slow as hell... Got something under Mendicant that''s not readable. Wonder what the hell that is?
Spatial Calculation Assistance helps me with making stuff and makes teleporting safer, when I get it. Progression Assistance, of both kinds, gives me some free models and acts like an auto-correct but I need to figure things out on my own too and I probably shouldn''t take what I know at face value. Ooh, a title granted perk, niice. Looks like it makes it more dangerous to pretend to be one of the ''baad guys'' though... Another unreadable here too? Oh, they have something to with the second pop-up that I didn''t get to read. Apparently, my new Race comes with much bigger containers for spiritual force and Life Essence. The pitiful additional amount I received from the time I spent in transition and what transferred from my original form, while fine in my old human body are little more than gas fumes in this one. That sounds bad.
( Sub- dimensional, Divergence [Y] and Source to Temporal Equity Management) This title, don''t leave home without it!
And there it is, Maladjusted. Guess this new, high performance vehicle my body has become isn''t satisfied with the little bit of unleaded that got siphoned to it. Looks like finding some fuel for this vessel is a high priority! 6-A Little Bonding Before Breakfast (fixed)
Lovely. The SYSTEM is ran by bloodthirsty hippies. Whatever, I still learned a few things: All Tulpa consume exponentially more AE the farther they are away from me after a few feet and my elemental tulpas are still not much different from the little multi-color light balls they should be as sprites, though I can feel something like emotional feedback from them that seems to stem from my own. Combat Tulpa look ugly and scary and they seem to shift and change when I''m given new stimulus that fits them, (my fear tulpa was just a spider till I started thinking about being gored and now it has some, weird as hell, blending between Boar and spider now.) Spectral Servant can''t be seen easily, (think it''s vaguely human shaped though.) and after playing with Beast of Burden for a bit it changed to Spectral Transport after I figured out how to compress it to a hovering disk capable of supporting my weight with a little left over. The biggest discovery I made so far is that almost all of my Class abilities would likely be crap without Spacial Calculation. I can''t get over the awesomeness of Spacial Calculation. After only a few moments and I have a detailed model of this guys body to help me optimize the use of my abilities. Imagine what surgeons could do with this!What''s this? Bone is growing over pins in his wrist. That would definitely mess with it''s mobility. Well, this might be a little irresponsible but I''m pretty confident that with his fast healing I''ve got a bit of wiggle room for error. Here goes nothing. That''s interesting. The abilities I have may be clearly defined and separated but in practice I feel the use is far more complex and the different abilities I have can be used in combination and even merged, to some extent, giving better and additional results...This healing shtick is tiring. I''ll jus...
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I just barely figured out about this bond thing, Troy and you''re already sharing it with others!? How the hell did you figure it out so fast? Wait, I can do that. How do I...oh, that''s how. ¡°Dude you''re dick! I just found out about this shit myself and you''re already talking to someone else about it!?¡± Troy flinched and the complicated look on his face grew a little deeper but didn''t say anything. Well, I don''t really get it but it doesn''t state anything about LE consumption so maybe there isn''t a loss or it''s negligible. At any rate, after getting an additional four percent total from the safe zone, I feel a little less panic. What the hell, why not. It might help me figure more stuff out about myself. Holy shit!This feels like sticking a fork into a wall socket while rubbing a particularly satisfying one out, really good and really fucking bad at the same time.
Dear Gawd yes, I accept! This shit''s getting old. I need to wise up before I end up fucking killing myself...again! What? Cuddling me wasn''t enough, you gotta hand feed me too? Fuck it, I''m hungry and, if I''m being honest, a little ungrateful. Dude, are you apologizing or trying to throw me under a bus? ¡°Me too Wren. If I thought it would knock you for a loop like that I would have been a bit more patient.¡± Lillyyy~ not that you wouldn''t ask but be more patient huh?Your horns are showing under that halo little girl. Yeah, chew on that you two! 7- Over the River and Through the Woods
Tethyr Welcome Mission
Attention: Participant, you have just taken your first steps into the dangers and unknowns of this world. To aid you in your endeavors, a nearby resource collection box has been marked on your personal maps. Lists of available resources in your area that will be accepted, their corresponding descriptions and rewards may be viewed at the collection site.
¡° Oh, It''s right there,¡± Troy said mildly as he pointed towards a spot around a hundred feet up and a little left of the nature trail moments before the map update popped. ¡°How did you do that?¡± Lilly asked. ¡°It''s not much different than the Ravens of War ability that you have from the blessing of Scathach. It''s just for places of importance instead of places that possess strong killing intent and death. The distance is a lot shorter too,¡± offered Troy. ¡°Mind filling me in?¡± Wren added, slightly annoyed. While Wren had been taking a small break underneath the apple tree, Troy and Lilly had been discussing a few aspects of themselves to each other and now took this moment to fill Wren in. This is probably a discussion we should have had in the safe zone but hopefully nothing will bug us this close to one. It''s a little too important to leave for later. The SYSTEM locks direct share of information ¡°for security reasons'' but it doesn''t block me from compiling my own note. I''ll have to do that once I get some time. The short and sweet version being that Lilly is a special class called Battle Maiden that carries martial abilities and a bit of buff and elemental magics deftly supported by the Combat Medic profession. The Blessing of Scathach, aside from granting her access to her class, also included Ravens of War (essentially a fight scouting passive with Essence absorption properties) and Dark Premonition (a complex intuitive prediction passive that helps her and nearby allies avoid enemy sneak attacks and fatal traps.) Troy netted himself a nearly unheard of class called Wanderlust Skald, a scout style Ranger with strong bardic, rather than minor druidic, undertones. He currently didn''t have a profession but the Blessing of Taliesin was pretty impressive, boasting: Questing Spirit (an intuitive, objective scouting and discovery ability), Minstrel Incarnate (a passive that increases Dexterity, Perception and Charisma) and Sensitive Soul (a mysterious passive that allowed the avoidance of intangible attacks and shrouding himself and nearby allies from supernatural detection.) By the time Wren''s teammates had filled him in they had reached the black metaled footlocker covered in various sigils and accompanied by a short, fat obelisk with a screen on it. Alright, it''s listing a few different types of local flora and a request for slime cores. Slimes!? Could we get anymore cliche? Ooh, ten mission achievement points for the two types of request and a starter pack for up to four people for completion of either one with an upgrade for completing both! ¡°We don''t know how tight time is but this is definitely worth doing. What do you guys think?¡± Wren said. ¡°I think it''d be dumb not to. I''m not sure what comes in a starter pack but I don''t think it''d be useless,¡± Troy nodded sagely while stroking his stubbly chin. ¡°Taking a couple of minutes to look around isn''t going to affect us much one way or the other. If it''s too hard we''ll just move on,¡± Lilly said, looking uneasily at the surrounding bushy growth. Moments and roughly two handfuls of dirty rooted grass clumps later a nervous Lilly whispered, ¡°I think I found one of those slime things.¡± Converging on her from the few arm''s lengths away they kept themselves from each other, Troy and Wren looked over to where Lilly was pointing. Handing her grass to Wren, Lilly picked up a slender but sturdy tree branch laying nearby and poked at the green jelly blob sitting on half of a several days old looking squirrel corpse. ¡°Lilly I don''t th-,¡± Wren tried to spit out before a small, wet bead of green stuck to Lilly''s cheek, eliciting a surprised shriek that quickly evolved to one of terror and pain as the offending creature attempted to scoot underneath the nearby brush. Wren, immediately unstopped a clay pot of water and began trying to wash away the corroding snot while Troy grabbed her free hand and tried to calm her down. ¡°Alright Lilly. I''m going to heal over this wound for now and finish it up later. The last thing we need is for me to be dead on my feet and barely even a quarter into the day. And in the future, lets try to approach unknown things with as much caution as possible guys,¡± Wren said as invisible knots of anxiety writhed in his belly. What if had been her eye? Can I even heal that? Keep your shit together. Worrying about what ifs isn''t going to help anyone. Okay. I don''t know what this starter pack is but it better be worth it. Invisible Man (servant tulpa), pick more of these without tearing the roots. Bacon (boar/spider [fear] combat tulpa), squish slime balls. Sylph( air tulpa), bring me the hard part in the squished slime balls. Gno- A sharp needle of pain shot through Wren''s head as he tried to summon a fourth Tulpa.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. No? Guess three''s the limit for now. Cool beans. Looks like I can''t focus on other kinds of abilities either. Looks like I can either do up to three tulpas, two tulpas and one instant effect kind of thing or one tulpa and one sustained ability. Good to know. ¡°Alright guys, I''m gonna sit here on my ass and try to keep in a rest state. Troy, keep an eye peeled around us. Lilly, take a second to get yourself back together, dry them peepers and then supervise my little guys. They''re new and I don''t really know how smart they are but it doesn''t feel very promising.¡± ¡°You got it Chief,¡± Troy fired off with a smarmy salute. ¡°Sniff. Alright Wren, but I''m not getting anywhere near THAT!¡± Lilly said, pointing at Bacon. ¡° And that''s exactly what I want for now. Wherever Bacon''s at is the last place I want you, or any of us, to be until we have some protection and a real weapon,¡± Wren said wryly. After Lilly started bumbling after Sylph, he continued in a low voice, ¡°This may not be the best time to ask but how come you don''t seem to mind much when I start tossing around orders? I mean, don''t get me wrong. I appreciate the hell out of the lack of chest pounding and pissing contests but I don''t really believe I''m some sort of leader type with all the answers or anything. At the same time, you don''t really look like the type to take a backseat and let others make decisions.¡± Troy took a moment to chew it over in his mind before answering, ¡°Don''t get ME wrong. Anything you''ve told me to do seemed like it''s probably what I''d be doing anyway if I thought of it first. Top it off with not telling either of us to do something dumb or acting selfish and I don''t mind letting you keep running with the ball, for now.¡± ¡°Well, thats-¡± ¡°Wait! Let me finish.¡± interjected Troy. ¡°You jumped in front of us with no chance in hell of beating that boar. I don''t remember it that well but I''m pretty sure you knocked yourself out trying to fix my hand and it looked like you hurt yourself trying do what old girl asked you this morning. I, um, we would be pretty screwed without you so maybe look after yourself a little better, Yeah? Just keep in mind how weird it''ll look acting like some kind of dotting daddy when we get around other people, with you looking around the same age as Lilly. I''m sure not looking for someone to replace my Pops. As far as I''m concerned, that''s one of the best things about being here. Um, and thanks, you know, for everything.¡± A few moments of awkwardness hung in the air as Wren scrambled for something to say. ¡°What''s got the two of you blushing as you stare into each others'' eyes?¡± Lilly cheekily said as she stepped back onto the trail. In a bid to recover their dignity Wren spat, ¡°I''m beginning to believe you''re one of those rotten girls who tries to ship all her male friends inside her head.¡± Lilly''s face quickly grew to match her hair as Wren realized he hit the mark a little closer than a random quip had any business doing. In a bid to get everyone out of their heads he got them to help sort out the random stuff that ended up coming back with the cores and herbs. After about twenty minutes and a couple of repeat summonings later Wren had finally collected enough materials for each of them to turn in one of each request with a few cores and herbs left over.
Congratulations for completing the Tethyr Content, heartland starting mission.
For completing at least one flora and fauna objectives and requesting only one starting pack you receive:
  • 30 Achievement points
  • One Ever Clean traveling mage robe set w/ boots
  • One serviceable hunting knife
  • One Ironwood quarterstaff
  • One serviceable pack with tarp, sleeping bag and 2 changes of jocks/socks
  • Potions set: 3x low heal, 1x panacea, 1x choice essence restore (LE), 1x high energy nutrient supplement (appx. 3 day satiation and double stamina regain)
I figured as much. The SYSTEM rewards maximum individual effort over mediocre group effort. Turning in the mission separately with only one starting pack unlocked a hidden additional ten points and a Tier III Starting pack. Too bad it wasn''t repeatable. Didn''t stop them from taking the herbs though, assholes. If I have anything to complain about it''s those two getting a kick-ass soft, studded leather set and I get a stain resistant Obi-Wan getup. Wait, what? ¡°Um, Troy, and feel free to not answer this if you don''t want to, did you get ass-less underwear too?¡± Wren asked, black lines running down his face. ¡°They''re called jockstraps and yes. Once you get used to them they are pretty much superior to any other kind of underwear in my opinion. If we didn''t live in such a judgmental society, pretty much every man under the age of forty would be wearing them,¡± Troy smugly pronounced. What did I expect from Sporty Spice. First place we reach that sells clothes and these things are going in the trash. As the sun started hanging low on the horizon the trio came upon a large river meandering through seemingly endless forest they had been trekking through. ¡°Well, crap guys. It doesn''t look like we''ll be finding a B&B today so we might as well find a nice spot to camp for the night. I''ll start setting up if the two of you will gather a bit of dry firewood. Call me paranoid but I''d like to get any cooking done and no more than coals burning before it gets dark. Nice work on the rabbits, by the way Troy.¡± Wren wearily drawled. ¡°If you can cobble together a pot of some sort we have the makings of a nice stew,¡± Lilly chirped at Wren. ¡°I''ll see what I can do.¡± Roughly three hours later and the trio were fully settled into a miniature hidden cave fort, complete with camouflaged mosquito net, hewn into a particularly accommodating lop-sided hill. Clean, relatively comfortable and fed they prepared themselves for sleep. ¡°You''ve outdone yourself old boy. Wish I had you around for a few of the hunting trips my old friends and I used to go on.¡± Troy mused. ¡° Not to sound ungrateful but I hope you have enough juice in you to finish healing my face Mr Mole,¡± Lilly said, vaguely uneasy. ¡° I was just letting my Stamina recover a bit. I should be about ready now. Just throwing this out there but I personally think that trying to set up a watch overnight would do more harm than good. Just throw a few of those clay beads around outside after after we relieve ourselves for the last time this evening and we should be good. They''ll make a nice loud crunch noise if they''re stepped on.¡± Wren got out through, large, jaw cracking yawns. The next morning, after a quick breakfast of apples, Wren collected up anything that looked good enough to use again that he created the evening before and the trio began strolling leisurely south, keeping the river in view. ¡°After all the preparation, I''m almost disappointed that nothing at all happened last night.¡± Wren said through wry chuckles. ¡° Bite your tongue, That''s like inviting disaster!¡± a horrified Lilly spluttered. ¡°Well, better safe than sorry and all that. But I do get where you''re coming from. It is a lit-¡± whatever else Troy was to say lost under a nearly inaudible crack followed by a drop into utter darkness. 8- Appreciating the Scenery Wren opened his gummy eyes. The feeling of full body soreness and twinging pain made him move extremely slow and with measured pace.
Discovered: Last Delver stronghold +10 achievement points
Discovered: Qualifying Delver Descendant +10 achievement points
Mission Completed: Find civilization
  • map updated
  • unusual completion bonus: +10 achievement points
Optional Mission Activated: Inheritance Objectives: Lead qualifying descendant to any active rewards container and assist them in successfully acquiring participant inheritance Rewards:
  • 500 achievement points (shared)
  • personalized Tier IV equipment piece (up to six participants, contingent upon completion of assurance contract[non-aggression, non-theft])
  • +1 reputation with Guardian and Balance Keeper Alliances
Optional Mission Activated: Faction Diverse Objectives Balance Keeper - Ignore Kyter PULSE
  • +1 reputation with Balance Keeper Alliance (contingent upon completion of compliance and non-disclosure contract
Heritage - Destroy Kyter PULSE
  • +5 rep. w/ Heritage faction, +1 rep. w/ Bloodline Alliance, -5 rep. w/ Progressive Alliance
Progressive - Use Dimensional Mathematics to create a blueprint of Kyter PULSE and disseminate to native human leaders
  • Progressive Alliance membership invitation, Heritage faction enmity
  • Upgrade of title Beloved of Man to Guardian of Man
For ten seconds there was an additional option, glowing gold, before it was erased and removed from the logs.
Leap of Faith- Accept Balance Keeper option and call Void Denizen near Kyter PULSE before leaving. Try to save up some EE.
¡°You took quite a spill yesterday, fell into a truffle boar trap. You and your ''friends'' inhaled some spores from the mushrooms we were using as bait which can cause some nasty hallucinations. I''m going to release your straps as long as you don''t act violent, alright? Likely you can''t understand what I''m saying but I''ll keep talking to you calmly. My teacher has told me this helps,¡± said the blue skinned stranger as he bent down to undo the padded cuffs around Wrens feet. Aside from the somewhat bat-like ears and blue tinted skin this guy could pass as a freshman on a college swim team. I wonder if I should pretend not to understand till I know the situation better. No. Whether it''s the trust destroying aspect or the delay in answers, there''s too many negatives. ¡°No, I can understand you,¡± Wren said as he patiently waited to be fully unstrapped. ¡°Could you tell me how my companions are doing?¡± ¡°Oh, that''s great news! Yes. Of course. Your older brother is still under the effect of the spores but he has otherwise recovered. Your, um...If it''s not too much to ask, what is the familial status of the female in your group?¡± ¡°You could consider her as a younger sister of ours,¡± Wren adroitly rolled with the hopeful assertion. With a subtle yet clear display of relief the young man continued, ¡°She is fully recovered, though she shows no signs of understanding. For peace of mind I have told my teacher she may still be suffering lingering side-affects of the spores and hoped one of the two of you would awake soon. If it would please you, I am called Jaden. If I could have the pleasure of your name, I will relay it to her as I bring her here.¡± ¡°Sure. I''m Wren. The older brother is Troy and her name''s Lilly.¡± With a little more enthusiasm than a simple name should warrant, Jaden said, ¡°Lilly, like the flower? Thank you!¡± As Jaden turned and strode out of the room, mumbling about red lilies, Wren nearly choked on a drink of water as he realized that the somewhat tribal looking swim shorts were actually closer to an elaborate fundoshi, getting a great deal more knowledgeable on the whirling marks that decorated Jaden''s body than he had any desire to.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Well, I''m not one to ignore the elephant in the room. And by elephant, I mean huge archaic device. Aside from the lines of beds on either wall there wasn''t much to this reception like room that surrounded the giant gourd of a device, multicolored sigils decorating it''s frame. ¡°Quite the wonder is it not?¡± rasped a voice from the inner archway. ¡° I have to admit to a bit of curiosity. To act otherwise would be dishonest,¡± Wren admitted wryly. An old, hunchbacked man with gray skin and far more prominent, though smoother, ears hobbled his way over to Wren''s side and stared up at the device. Fortunately, the gentleman in question was wearing a conservative pair of baggy pants, snug around the waste and ankles, if little else. ¡°We no longer know the finer details but as long as it is fed magical creature cores with water or earth affinity it keeps running.¡±the old man said. Ramping up the old man continued, ¡° What we do know is that it keeps our runners free of parasites and harmful diseases. When we used to know how to maintenance it, however, it was a device capable of disrupting the biological functions of invaders and was solely responsible for our continued existence against an enemy that likely no longer exists. If you may be curious as to why I don''t mind sharing this with you, it is simple. If anyone without sufficient purity of delver blood tries to touch this device or even assault it with offensive magic, it kills them. I couldn''t tell you how and we''ve even been given the opportunity to study such a phenomenon from time to time.¡± ¡°Well, venerable elder, that more than quenches my curiosity on the matter.¡± ¡°As it was meant to. You seem to possess quite a bit of stiffness. Allow me to alleviate that. It''s not true magical healing mind you but it does wonders for swollen joints and overused muscles,¡± the old man offered before his glowing mist covered hand gently rested on Wren''s back. Feels like alternating heat and cold. Is this magical Icy Hot? After a minute or so, Wren replied, ¡°Much appreciated, that helps a great more than I thought it wou- Lilly! What''s shakin?¡± ¡°Not a great deal, dear brooother~. I''m soo glad you''re alright!¡± Lilly nearly sang with false cheer. She quickly approached Wren and wrapped him in an unpleasantly awkward and, likely intentional, painful bear hug. As she leaned in she whispered, ¡°Why didn''t you send me a message as soon as you were awake, Wren. I was pretending not to understand them so I wouldn''t catch us up in anything.¡± Catching on to what might be Troy''s predicament as well, Wren opened up himself to the shared connection he possessed with Troy, ¡°If you''re recovered you can stop pretending. They are allowing us to meet up so the sooner you regain clarity the quicker we can get this show on the road.¡± Though he couldn''t hear their thoughts, he did catch a hint of deep worry partially dissolving into weak relief. As Jaden trotted up to the two, looking eager to join the conversation, the old man excused himself with, ¡°I leave you in my student''s capable hands. His matron has graciously extended her hospitality. Since the two of you are fully mended I doubt it will be long before the third will experience a miraculous recovery as well. Do not hesitate to seek me out should you find yourself in need of advice or some conventional wisdom youngsters these days tend to overlook.¡± ¡°As much as I would like to lay claim to your discovery, my brother has that privilege. Matron Suncave eagerly awaits meeting you as well,¡± Jaden said with little more than side glances for Wren as Lilly bore the brunt of his cheery but slightly overwhelming attention. After a brief convening to the room where Troy was convalescing they were on their way. As Jaden took the opportunity to point out areas of interest on the way to Lilly, Wren was trying to get a gauge on the culture while Troy seemed to be uncharacteristically taciturn. When Wren mental messaged Troy about what was wrong he only tersely shook his head and whispered, ¡°Later.¡± This place is huge and it''s entirely underground. The map only shows me the mountain range above us and some of the surrounding land. Aside from the slightly stale and faintly unpleasant air it doesn''t actually seem a bad place to live. The buildings are a little worse for wear but still impressive. No one shows any obvious signs of abuse but there is a definite division of social standing and if I didn''t know better it almost seems to be based on looks. Bloodline purity maybe? It seemed important for the mission. As groups scurried or sauntered to and fro across their path, Wren noticed three distinct, caste-like divisions: The more goblinoid looking members of society wore earth-tone garments that were more conservative in nature and seemed to be basic laborers, The more humanish looking members didn''t seem to have any kind of dress code aside from red waist or shoulder sashes and seemed to focus on skilled trades or artistry, The last group either wore armor or next to nothing at all as if showing off their long and flared bat-like ears and pale to dark gray skin that was sometimes just a tinge blue. ¡°Jaden, I notice that your people either show brown, red or purple as a part of their outfits but you are wearing blue. Is there significance to this?¡± Wren asked with calculated bluntness. Jaden''s sunny disposition took a sudden, momentary plunge before being hidden behind a fragile smile as he said, ¡°It used to mean quite a bit but it''s likely to become a lost tradition after me. The benefit is that, in a couple of generations, the color casts will lose much of their reason for existing as well.¡± If it''s associated with power and position I highly doubt it. The meaning may change but it will not disappear until those oppressed rip it from the dead or broken hands of their oppressors. History has proven that time and again. ¡° I''ve asked something I shouldn''t have,¡± Wren offered apologetically. ¡°It''s of no consequence. Your curiosity on this matter is not without reason,¡± Jaden gave a saddened glance at Lilly, who was admiring a time-worn but still exquisitely carved statue. ¡°Allay whatever apprehensions you may possess. I''d dare to say that neither I nor my siblings care nearly as much about social standing as we do strength of character and sincerity in our dealings and, er, relationships. Wren said reassuringly, causing Troys eyebrows to shoot up and Lilly to look at him in confusion and apprehension. Wren sent at his two companions, ¡°Whatever and however you feel towards everyone else I''ll leave to you guys but as far as things stand right now he''s important to us. The fact that you guys don''t seem to understand why means we need to have a serious talk soon. Treating him fairly and honestly is all I''m asking for.¡± ¡°That''s a boon to hear. Then I''ll treasure this opportunity to prove worthy of your regard and friendship. We have tarried perhaps overly long and should make haste to Suncave manor,¡± said Jaden, unable to repress the return of his 1000 watt cheer or, apparently incessant, need to sneak glances at Lilly when she''s not paying attention. Sorry Lilly. Even if this guy wasn''t a juicy chunk of achievement points, I have no desire to play cock-block for your potential suitors as long as they''re not acting like douche bags. The rest of the walk passed in a comfortable silence, at least for Wren who entertained himself by humming ''U got it bad'' under his breath. Lilly wouldn''t even have noticed if Troy hadn''t caught on and joined in for whatever mysterious reason, earning them both a scathing look as she turned a lovely shade of cherry tomato. 9- We Are Family What are you picking up on that I''m missing, Troy? If the message ability ran both ways this would be so much easier. Wren thought at Troy, ¡°Alright, you seem to know what''s going on here so the ball''s in your hands,¡± before directing at Lilly and Troy both, ¡°Troy''s likely in the know on something we aren''t. I''m not oblivious to the the interest that seems to be directed at you, Lilly but we can''t really afford to piss off the only friendlies for who knows how far even if there happens to be some particularly unpleasant quirks to this society. Swallow down and tolerate for now. If things get too ugly we''ll take the nearest chance to book out of here. Just keep in mind, both of you, that this world is dangerous as hell and we need as much information about it as possible. I don''t want to cut losses and flee until we absolutely have to. If push comes to shove I''ve got a costly trump card but I won''t use it unless our lives are in danger, not our pride or dignity, our lives. Let Lilly and I butter up moma Ku for a bit before you lay the auntie down, Troy. My gut tells me that things might get a little more frosty afterwards.
Oh, what''s this?
  • Variable
  • Secure channel reading provided by Order of the Observers (stricken from logs when System UI is closed after reception
What is up with the SYSTEM trying to use me as a certified mail delivery man?Whatever. At least this is all positive and should be easy to complete. ¡°Get any good notifications on this place?¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. I''d be willing to lay money down that that charcoal gray skin would have a velvety purple sheen in the light. Even her ears are more reminiscent of elvish fantasy than the sonar dishes that most of her peers are sporting. That''s one hot mama! Stories within stories here but frankly I couldn''t give two shits less as long as it''s not gonna affect us. Jaden, why do you have to have such a juicy mission attached to your blue, whirl marked ass? Okay, so eating time is quiet time. I''m cool with that. Never did much like conversation over a meal. your expectations, auntie Ku?¡± Troy said with placid face but apprehension in his voice.¡± Oh, I have no doubts of your good will, Jaden but I''m not buying any of mama Ku''s snake oil. At first I was content to play this whole situation by ear but I get the distinct impression that the more we dance to the tune of these people the more complicated and potentially dangerous our situation will become. If that''s the case lets take a bit of calculated risk. 10-Two Turned Tables and No Microphone ¡°Well herald, you have called for me, by name. A name hidden for good cause. What is your message?¡± The deep baritone voice reverberated through Wren like the shock waves off an exploding claymore. Wren opened the UI. Shit. The mission didn''t exactly tell me how I was supposed to activate the message.
Deliver messages? Error, recipient must be within approximately 50 feet of sender currently.
¡°I apologize Mr. Riverson you must be at least 50 feet away from me or the messages won''t activate,¡± Wren answered. ¡°I see. You are no herald. You are a participant. You, the human boy and the human girl who smells faintly of lost kin, all of you have become hostages to higher powers. The same that ensnared my brother. Do they now come for me?¡± a sinister tone of malevolence now laced the mysterious voice. ¡°I don''t like to offer opinions on things I have no knowledge of, Mr. Riverson. I''m here to deliver the Last Will and Testament of a Mr. Malkanthor Umberdown and The Premonition of a Ms. Usuway Umberdown,¡± Wren delivered with a calmness he was far from actually feeling. When in doubt and scared shitless by Laser Bass Barry White, hide behind the Customer Service SOP. A few moments of silence passed before the water seethed and a figure emerged from the underwater hole, covered by nothing but undulating silken ribbons of water that left nothing to the imagination. What the actual fuck? I finally encountered a pretty lady to help wash all the homo erotica out of my brain with and now this. Good grief, Lilly. If you''re gonna just peek through your fingers why even cover your eyes in the first place. Oy, Oy why are you standing in front of me Troy? You wanna drown first? Alright, hurry your slow motion floating ass over here, this isn''t an audition for ''god of supernatural romance fan girls and smurfs''. ¡° Your thoughts are chaotic and unamusing. No, I''m not reading you. You are projecting. Take this, learn and copy it for my sake and all those like me whom you may meet in the future.¡± Glaucous said in terror inducing annoyance. A shimmering blanket of force slammed into and covered Wren''s mind with the delicacy of a car wrapping around a telephone pole.
Discovered: Rudimentary Psychic Shielding-crude but effective thought protection
Damage received: Astral Body-1% [remaining integrity 99%]
¡°R-right, let''s get on with it then,¡± Wren said shakily.
Deliver Message?... Accepted.
Packet activated...Accessing participant resources
Wren felt like someone had cut his strings as some alien force used his soul as a movie projector. Later, when Wren asked his friends what they saw, it looked like he had turned into a medium from a ghost story as Glaucous and himself were surrounded in a solid sphere of darkness. To Wren it was just a blink. The lights went off but then they were back on. A more somber yet animated Glaucous greeting him. ¡°This event has given me much to dwell upon and reminded me that the singular duty I had devoted myself to was not the only duty I had, nor the most important,¡± Glaucous gave a poignant look at his son. ¡°And as my first duty comes to a close I find the time for the second has nearly passed as well, neglected yet surviving without me but far from thriving. Two of your ancestor siblings have come and gone before you, Jaden. You may yet be the last. With what little time remains I will attempt to aid you. ¡°Wren, my gratitude to you goes beyond what you yet know. Allow me to aid you and myself in one breath. No one will assist you and your companions to leave in the next two lunar months and though you may choose not to believe me, for you and your companions to attempt it without outside aid will spell near certain death. I also know of the truth behind this delay in aiding you to leave. ¡° The reasons are as follows: The time for theRite of Blood Sharing is next lunar month. To explain briefly, it''s a mass arrainged marriage ceremony to avoid shallow breeding and they wish to use Lilly as either substitute for the Matron''s grandchildren or proving of fertility for my son should that fail. In addition, the daughter of the eldest Suncave has a gift none know how to help her grow and they believe the answer lies with you Wren. Rest well all and I shall contemplate solutions to our vexes and finish our preparations to meet them upon your awakening.¡± A dreamless and deep sleep followed by intense discussion and planning whittled away the time before the appearance of the eldest Suncave son. ¡° It''s Wren I presume? I''m surprised to be greeting you at Light Shelter Gazebo but where are your companions, perhaps still resting?¡± said the man who was every bit the male answer to the beauty of the Matron.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Would it be acceptable to call you brother Rohn?¡± Wren asked, a carefree smile on his face. ¡°Of course. Will your eldest and sister be joining us soon?¡± ¡°Unfortunately no. The Riverson has attended to their meals and requires them for his own needs today. I, myself have a couple of errands and require your assistance. Though one of them is on your behalf so that should please you.¡± ¡° Perhaps there is some confusion. The Riverson is how we address the guardian of Suncave. Has my brother perha-¡± ¡°Precisely. The Riverson, has has enlisted us to mutually beneficial ends and who are we as guests of Suncave to refuse?¡± ¡° You mean to say tha-¡± ¡°I know this is all terribly confusing but we should meet with the Matron so that I may pass on a message before heading to the Archives to collect the materials I need to help your daughter, and possibly even your son, unlock their potential.¡± Man it feels good to have the initiative for a change! After a bit of cajoling they were off to see the Matron ¡°Oh, Wren what a pleasant surprise. I had originally thought it would take till mid-circle before you were ready. Will your eldest or sister be joining us soon?¡± the Matron purred. ¡°Well, after digesting our conversation yesterday we had a great deal to consider on how we were to pay back your generosity. Fortunately, The Riverson and his boy provided us with quite a few answers to that conundrum; Firstly, we and Jaden had little difficulty in convincing The Riverson to exempt Suncave from his ire over a deliberately sloppy interpretation of the pact that changed it from guiding the first 888 young of your people into guarding your people for 888 years. Secondly, with some help from Jaden''s teacher, I will attempt to tutor your grandchildren in the usage of arcane essence. Thirdly and finally we will be making a few moves, both publicly and behind the scenes to bolster the Suncave family against a few detractors who have attempted to collapse you through brutal usage of the Blood Sharing, mama Ku.¡± Wren drawled, playfully clasping Rohn''s shoulder which he quickly released after being rewarded with a scowl. Gotcha big guy. You''re a tested warrior not a university bro. Guess I''ll dial it back a notch. The idea is to keep them unbalanced not piss them off. The matron attempted to interject, ¡°Then we have much to discuss. Would you care to join me for tea?¡± ¡°As much as your enthralling presence is a balm to my soul, moma Ku, The Riverson would be a much better source of information. The sooner I get started on his errands and begin tutoring brother Rohn here''s youngins, the greater the chance and effect of success. Though, if it''s not too much trouble, I''d like brother Rohn''s personal assistance today. Wren quickly switched gears and began to appeal to Rohn directly. ¡° I would greatly appreciate your knowledgeable company. Not mentioning your status, just simply being accompanied by a warrior of well known prowess as yourself will allow me to avoid many unpleasant inconveniences. It''s also worth noting that the Archive will be one of my destinations today. If I''m to be teaching your kids I might as well round out the lessons with some practical knowledge we can learn together. Who better to help me with that since your lovely mother''s plate is likely to be full.¡± Hopefully a little flattery will help smooth out the sting of today''s events. Scratching the back of his head and looking a bit fidgety, Rohn replied, ¡°You certainly make it difficult to say no. If mother agrees, then I would be honored to escort you.¡± Wren was thrown a for a loop when he observed genuine mirth dancing in the Matron''s eyes but that was nothing compared to his complex feelings after the Matron said, ¡°Openly seducing my eldest while shamelessly flirting with me in such an agreeable way, it''s a shame you were not born a woman of my people. You would have likely made a formidable matron. In that vein, Rohn dearest, you shouldn''t take his actions outside his words of action so seriously. You know as well as I that outsiders have been recorded as frequently making the mistake of unintended intimate overtures.¡± Rohn coughed dryly to cover his embarrassment and the interesting shade of purple his face was turning before he said, ¡° Oh, yes of course. With the state of affairs as they are, I or one of my band, would have likely accompanied them for their first few outings anyway. While beginning the trek to his first destination, Wren frantically thought at Glaucous, ¡°Okay. Please explain to me, before this feeling of wanting to cough up blood becomes a reality, what the hell I did that constitutes open seduction so I don''t ever do it again.¡± Wren heard boisterous laughter echo through the connection for some time before getting the reply, ¡°The short version is that skin to skin contact outside of necessity is considered an invitation to intimacy. The purple cast wears little clothing while home to discourage casual contact. I doubt you need me to explain how flattery can be mistaken as flirting within any culture when paired with intimate behavior and expressing the desire to be close to a man''s children in any nurturing aspect outside of certain contexts is considered to be expressing to that man your desire to please and be taken in by him. ¡°I don''t see you actually having a hard time understanding this society when you see it through the right lens. Due to my guardianship and lack of sufficient medical advancement, with a few other factors, the male portion of each generation remains fairly steady while the female portion declines over time. I''m sure you have no trouble imagining what kind of impact such a situation would have on any culture. That being said, maintaining the facade of closeness to Rohn while outside would save you a great deal of unwanted attention.¡± After noticing a great deal more looks of interest now that he was walking around the city without Lilly, Wren decided to bite the bullet once he found an appropriate moment, ¡°This might be an awkward thing to ask after earlier but allowing the misunderstanding that we are, well, close to be known would be a great help to me. Brother Rohn, I only ask it if it costs you little as it''s just a favor of convenience.¡± ¡°That suits me fine. Lightly touching my arm to get my attention and me guiding you by yours now and then should be sufficient to get the point across. Besides, I don''t believe either of us would garner the other a loss of face by association,¡± Rohn replied cheekily. Bro, I could have lived without that last observation. As Rohn led Wren through the bustling trade bazaar, Wren was struck with awe at the easy, natural polyamory and sexual fluidity of the people. He came to a strangely mundane yet profound realization that his views and philosophy were the outsider here. These people were living their lives, lives that weren''t really different in any fundamental way to anyone he had ever met. They were just people living and loving in a society that environment and circumstances molded into a different shape. He felt small, lost, petty. He hadn''t cared about their fate but at that moment, these red and brown adorned people, they had become real. They''re going on about their business unaware that they...I don''t know what I can do but if there''s a way, if I can figure something out, I''m going to do what I can. Even if it''s just one more, that''s one soul that won''t haunt me. On their way to the Archive, a young man wearing a purple waist sash and little else, was on a directly opposing path to their own. As he came closer Wren realized that there were two other red sash individuals with him, a small stylized black symbol stitched on to them. ¡°What''s the little mark on those sashes mean, brother Rohn?¡± Wren whispered discreetly.¡± ¡°Trouble.¡± Rohn said grimly. 11- Family Drama, Its the Worst At first, it appeared that they would be ignored by the young man and his retinue but as they were crossing paths the young man said, ¡°Take the human.¡± The already tensed and wary Rohn took less than the blink of an eye to position himself between Wren and the opposing group, slapping away the grasping hand of the nearest red sash. ¡°So the House of Grim Shadows is no longer satisfied with extorting those they desire through the rite of blood sharing so you simply abduct them off the streets!?¡± Rohn bellowed, attracting the attention of all nearby. ¡°This is a matter of security, not personal vendetta. As for your issues with the rite of blood sharing, that is a matter for family council not public venue.¡± said an older armored man approaching behind them. ¡°Eldest Grimshadow, the Grand Teacher himself personally vouched that our surface guests were not a danger as long as they were not provoked unjustly. Are you calling his honor or wisdom into question!?¡± Rohn said with a look of unfeigned surprise on his face. ¡°No. I call in to question what their definition of justice is and beyond that, what secrets they may possess to benefit our people. Secrets that the Suncave family may attempt to hoard as it''s own.¡± The older man parried before continuing, ¡°I don''t understand why you would adamantly refuse yesterday''s proposal so hastily. If my son-,¡± he gestured at the youth with a purple sash, ¡°took a liking to the red haired maiden then your daughter would not have to serve as proving wife. We may even drop our claim on your prior betrothed if your daughter''s purity is high enough. This would allow your house to have a proper matron heir and allow the possibility of your daughter serving as one as well.¡± ¡°Is this what we have sunk to? Treating our families'' women as livestock for trade, bleeding my family to death for mere chances that have not ruled in my family''s favor since your family replaced mine as the enforcers of law nearly 200 years ago. You must take my matron and I as fools! Ratifying a law to take my daughter that should have protected her from such a thing for another five years; she is only fourteen, a child in the eyes of the people for another two years!¡± Rohn seethed with barely contained rage. ¡°Think that you are fools, we know-¡± ¡°You are poorly informed, Eldest,¡± Wren interjected, unconsciously levering the back of his hand against Rohn''s chest in gentle restraint, which earned him quite a few surprised stares and a ridiculing sneer from the older man. I may not know much of this culture but I''m more than familiar with trying to intentionally get someone to fly off their handle. Let''s see how you like the taste of your own medicine. Wren went on the offensive, ¡°Sister Lilly is spirit marked by The Riverson in acceptance of his son''s courtship. If you doubt my words you can have your son and his band attempt to do to her what you have tried to do today and witness the outcome. As for myself and eldest brother, we are attending to tasks set forth by your esteemed guardian,¡± Wren took a few steps forward and leaned in to whisper in the offending eldest''s ear while lazily trailing an index finger down the center of the filigreed breastplate, fancifully imagining the arcane infused digit as a flay knife against bare skin. ¡°He knows the pact is a lie. Pray his brotherly love is stronger than his wrath.¡± As Wren sauntered away from the petrified man, Rohn in confused tow, the sound of a metallic pop followed by clinking of various pieces of material hitting the ground reached their ears. Ah, so damn satisfying. I''m terrified of what Lilly''s gonna do when it''s her turn to blow off some steam. This whole situation has rubbed her all kinds of the wrong way. Makes me wonder if there''s some truth behind the myth of a redhead''s temper. After running a gambit of emotions, Rohn''s face finally settled into a stony grimace as he said, ¡°Destruction of a warrior''s equipment is a serious offense.¡± Taking a moment to think of what to say and recalling that he earned another ''yellow card'' against Rohn during the exchange Wren responded jokingly with, ¡° And here I thought I was openly seducing him while shamelessly flirting with you in an agreeable way! Pity he was too weak to receive my affection and fell apart at the seams.¡± Wren energetically batted his eyes at Rohn. Rohn blankly stared at Wren for a moment before busting out in loud peals of stress releasing laughter. Taking the lead once more after collecting himself, he said, ¡°Lets get you to the Archives before you have the chance to stir anymore trouble. Beauties truly are the tomb of heroes.¡± Wren was struck silent as black lines formed on his face. *** As they arrived in front of and entered the most austere structure Wren had seen since arriving in this world, he was overwhelmed with a sense of how serious the ancestors of these people treated their history and knowledge and just how far their descendants had strayed from those values. Built like a bomb shelter and prison inspired bank vault, the caged cells boasted an assortment of apartment mailbox walls, anchored shelves with chain-link cabinet doors and filing cabinets. The storage mediums themselves ranged from binders of materials eerily similar to laminated paper to carved tablets. The painful lengths taken to preserve only counterpointed by the equally painful lack of individuals taking advantage of such cultural wealth. It took nearly three minutes of reverent sightseeing before they ran into an elderly brown sash woman replacing materials in one of the cells from a metal pushcart evoking nostalgic memories from Wren of the city library he used to frequent as a teen. After a quick question on etiquette to Rohn, Wren said, ¡°pardon the intrusion madam archivist.¡± ¡° It''s of no consequence young masters but this old woman has no claims to such a lofty title,¡± said the elderly woman before executing a slow, excruciating bow. Wren desperately wished to rush forward to urge her to stand but didn''t know what kind of misunderstandings might arise from it so assuaged his guilt by saying, ¡°There is no mistaking the loving care that you put into the work you do and without the knowledge of how to do it I doubt you would have been entrusted to the task. If in no one else''s eyes, there''s little other that you could be in mine. It''s a matter of fact not flattery.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Agreed,¡± Rohn decisively added, earning him a grateful look from Wren and a teary, warbling smile from the goblinoid old woman. The combined power of which, drove Rohn to stare fixedly at the unadorned wall with a dry cough. ¡°So madam archivist would you ha-¡± ¡°If you''re looking for these old bones you need do no more than turn around,¡± said a voice Wren had heard two days ago but would likely not forget for a great deal of time to come. Before his brain to mouth filter could kick back on after being startled out of his mind, Wren spun around and shrilly said, ¡° Are you trying to get me to join you in haunting this place you old ghost!¡± leaving his escort and the elderly woman pole-axed as the Grand Teacher''s eyebrows crawled up his forehead. The silence only lasted a moment before labored chuckles forced themselves out of the old man''s chest. A look of joy on his weathered face that transformed to a countenance of profound melancholy. ¡°Nearly twenty years ago in this very hall was the last time I''ve heard similar words. The one who said them buried more than eighteen along with the last of my heart, may she be smiling over and still chiding my foolishness in the Shadowlands. I don''t know whether to clutch at you and cry like a child or ask you to leave.¡± ¡°As much as I would prefer the second over the first, the matters that bring me here are too important so may I offer a more comfortable third option where I apologize for my outburst and share with you the reason for my visit. Grand Teacher is it?¡± Wren offered, an awkward attempt at sympathetic humor. ¡°Yes, that would be for the best,¡± the old man said mustering up some false cheer. ¡°What does bring you here?¡± ¡°Three things: The first you probably suspect that I would be seeing you about at some point since you were the one who suggested it to Matron Suncave, though I''d like to add some general knowledge texts to the list of study material. The second and third need to be discussed in private.¡± ¡°Gatha, would you please show Eldest Suncave to my drawing room and serve him refreshments... Nameless Grimshadow runner, best remember who taught your teacher and leave of your own accord.¡± the Grand Teacher kept his head cocked for a few moments before making his way to the well-worn chair in the opened cell and said, ¡°The floor is yours.¡± ¡° The original Will of Umberdown is now known to The Riverson. He has decided to spare you and your household despite Deepwise participating in the deception. He gives this reprieve with the provision that the Heart of the Archive be moved to Riverside pavilion along with any other materials of importance, at your discretion and under secrecy. I would further add, at the eve of the Rite of Blood Sharing you demand the inclusion of all families and retinue to observe. As a personal request, independent of The Riverson''s, I''d like you to move the site of exchange to the vestibule of wellness under the guise of a great public blood purity test and invite me to attend.¡± ¡° This means that, Great Gods of the Dreaming Deep. Demanding the inclusion of all families and retinue is common enough an occurrence when a teacher notices signs of shallow breeding. It would insure that the matrons and eldest of each family would stay home. I get the reason for that. Your second request would leave me shouting this secret from the mid-square if not for you requesting to be present. Did Jaden even attempt to talk his father out of such an action?¡± the old man said with a pale face. Wren contemplated a moment before continuing, ¡°He doesn''t know. Likely I''m the only one who does aside from The Riverson himself, now you. Before Rohn found us we spent a night at the side of a strangely hewn hillock well above and beyond the established riverbank. The grass was too sparse, the hillock too easy to dig at in spots and too hard in others, a myriad other signs. Upon seeing Riverside Pavilion the very first thing I noticed was how very wide and flat the shallow river was. It''s banks were practically non-existent slopes leading up to the same level as the Suncave. The last clue I needed was when The Riverson warned me that trying to leave in the next two moon cycles would be near-certain death without outside assistance and Matron''s insistence that even if Rohn wanted to help us get back to the surface that the next two moons wouldn''t be possible just solidified the conclusion. If it was just the desire to use and manipulate us she wouldn''t have pretty much told us we''d have free run to figure things out.¡± ¡°What''s to stop me from warning everyone right now?¡± the old man said with a dangerous glint in his eyes. ¡°Because the moment you do, you will likely doom us all. Right now, affection for his brother and newly found guilt towards his own son stays his hand somewhat. It is a flimsy protection against the retribution he craves. Little of it has to do with the false pact itself mind you. I get the feeling that for love of his brother he would have done much for all of you even under the original pact but the great families hid behind the false one when they executed his firstborn for seducing three separate pure blood daughters, imprisoning and keeping his second born drugged when she disagreed to be a broodmare for two families at once and forced her to do it until it killed her. ¡°I think it''s worth noting at this point that of the only two families that won''t kiss Grimshadow''s collective ass, yours is on the verge of dissolution and Suncave, formerly House Umberdown has been actively dismantled piece by piece using increasingly more aggressive means each passing generation. If the rotten core of your people isn''t excised, how will it have a chance to thrive once blood purity driven rule is ended. The slow decline of male fertility and female survival doesn''t seem coincidental if you consider the fate of his own progeny. If The Riverson had never known of the false pact who knows or even dares to contemplate what would have come to pass in the next couple dozen years. ¡°The last thing I have to discuss with you is more something that I thought of on the way here. Is there some way that you can think of for two people to be smuggled to the surface and back at some point before the Rite of Blood Sharing? It may seem unrelated but it''s linked to my plan to save more of your people.¡± The gears in the old man''s mind could almost visibly be seen grinding as he replied, ¡°The thoughts of the younger generation are truly difficult for me to keep up with but yes, when you couch it in such a way there is. I want your oath that this action you would have me commit to will help significantly. If you will give me that then I will give you your request but I need the time to complete The Riverson''s demands first. I''ll need around a moon cycle.¡± After a brief but pleasant discussion about the finer points of teaching, it was time to meet up with Rohn and collect the materials Wren was after before temporarily parting ways with the Grand Teacher. After he stepped out into the dry, slightly stale air he was hit with a sudden intense desire for open skies and a fresh breeze. He took a moment to sigh deeply knowing the nearest opportunity for such a thing was still nearly three weeks away. Off the steps and nearly to the pathway that would lead them on a winding way back to Suncave, Wren was hit with something else, a stinging pain in the side of his neck. As his hand brushed a fuzzy butted needle his adrenaline assisted subconscious had already kicked his body into overdrive. Between the reflexive duck down and barely summoned air tulpa throwing a strong gust around Rohn and himself he managed to avoid the following two. He pulled out the offending weapon while he scanned Rohn a once over noticing a needle barely hanging on to the outer side of Rohn''s upper arm where it had barely clipped the topmost layer of skin. As Wren''s vision began to blur he sluggishly took a half-second to register an aged but still powerful voice shout, ¡°You Dare!¡± before trying to purge his body of the foreign toxin. 12-A Test of of Character My damn vision''s too blurry. I can''t see what''s going on. Luckily Reality''s Edge Purification may not be passive but it''s mostly subconsciously controlled when I''m using it on myself. I can barely think straight. What the hell was that needle coated in? The only thing I can figure out for sure is that it wasn''t meant to kill me. They were trying to kidnap me? Goofy dude, you could have just pushed through it. That wall of wind might look impressive but other than sliding you a bit it''s just flashy bluff. Now, if I had some metal shavings...have to file that thought. Here I am, making your small deception into truth. If you have no intention of dealing decisively with malcontents don''t draw my name or reputation into your actions. If a similar situation happens again I may contrive to allow you some suffering before coming to your aid, least you believe that you may hide your actions behind my threat.¡± In that short time, old man river drowned one. Damn, he doesn''t play. Wait, unless he busted dude''s lungs, CPR should be able to bring him back. They''re not even gonna try? Should I care? The least I can do is try to clarify something before letting the guy, who was probably the one who darted me, enter permanent corpse status. Were you reading a medical journal or Victorian smut, old man? Damn, you really stuffed that water in there hard, Glaucous. ¡°This isn''t necessarily bad. As long as you bring that one back for me to question then I''ll not hold slight against you for circumventing my justice, Wren,¡± Glaucous interjected in Wren''s mind. ¡°Not to sound unappreciative of your intervention on my behalf because I appreciate the hell out of it. But if it comes to a matter of justice, since it was my neck with the needle sticking out of it, I say let bygones be bygones if he walks the line from here on out. Go easy on the kid.¡± ¡°Failed or not, you were not his only target and he is 19, three years beyond majority in this culture. Still, I can concede mercy out of gratitude as long as Eldest Suncave releases claim against him.¡± Sigh, why you gotta be so mean dude? something to happen but it''s not like I can see the future. To be honest, ever since opening my eyes in an unfamiliar underground city, I didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. That conflicting feeling hasn''t faded with time,¡± Wren said, gingerly picking the dangling needle out of Rohn''s skin before continuing, ¡°Something that would help me stay on the positive side of my delicate emotional equilibrium would be hearing you say that you''ll give this little guy a chance to make up for his mistake.¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Still counts as a slow motion entrance. This might be a dangerous thought to be having in front of an entity that could end me in or maybe even with a breath but dude, SME''s are for beautiful teenagers and cheesy super villains. When grown ass men do it, it kinda comes off either tacky or pretentious. Did he just stumble a little bit? Hey, not my fault. I have the shield up and everything so if he heard me that means he''s eavesdropping and thought policing is a crime.
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! He looks pissed... you your place!? Or do you get a kick out of scrambling a kid''s brains and having an entire civilization tremble in fear of your wrath. Perhaps that''s exactly what your brother had in mind when he asked you to watch over his descendants.¡± At that point, if Glaucous wasn''t too shocked at the little ant to squash him yet, Wren would have never had the chance to say, ¡°Sure, some of them have wronged you and continue to wrong you but has Grimalkin personally wronged you? Have hundreds of red and brown sash citizens personally wronged you? We may be beings who ordinarily would be beneath your notice but we have our own thoughts and feelings, our own hopes and dreams. So if all we are to you, all we''re worth, are toys to amuse yourself with when you deign to even notice us then stop hiding behind noble concepts like love, duty and gratitude. Just simply be the ugly tyrant, the blood thirsty god of this anthill. There''s no one here you need please but yourself, no one you need answer to but your own conscience. The rest is a farce and even if it kills me I won''t cater to it!¡± This is my place, Riverson, and that is yours.¡± 13-Valuable Lessons Wren woke up feeling great, which perplexed him considering all that had occurred the day before but decided not to jinx himself by questioning it. He felt so good in fact, that he decided to completely ignore and refused to think about the fact that he had once again found himself being used as a body pillow by Troy again. He just chalked it up to dumping a stray in the only other bed available and moved on with the new day. Yesterday ended on a pretty sour note so before I head to the manor I should probably see how things stand with Glaucous, assuming he''ll even be available to talk. Walking out of the back of the pavilion, Wren was greeted with the sight of a mock fight between Grimalkin and Lilly with Glaucous throwing out observations and instructing the two. Situations change too fast for me to keep up with. Wasn''t Blue Boy ready to Scanner Little Gray to death yesterday? I give up. Guess I''ll just watch for a bit and wait for a good stopping place to catch up. Wren noticed Jaden watching the two, a mixture of admiration and a touch of jealousy on his face, from a comfy looking bench and joined him there as the action between the combatants heated up. Having exhausted the last practice needle from his blowpipe, Grimalkin closed in on Lilly with three acupuncture needles sliding into his left hand and brandishing a blunted dagger in his right. Within the last five feet, he switched to some kind of tricky zigzag sliding step combo to get around and behind her, slapping a needle towards the base of her head. Judging the lack of surprise from Lilly it probably wasn''t even near the first time he slipped her front guard. Turning a split second about face, right into a mirror image of the solid ''L'' stance she was in before, she slapped the needle hand off trajectory with the back of her own leading arm. As she followed up with an open palm strike from her trailing arm towards Grimalkin''s ribs, a flash of dark gray particles preceded a tight ''U'' shaped streak ending with Grimalkin''s dagger hand extending forward for a concession tap to the back of Lilly''s neck. A tap that should have succeeded had he not dropped the dagger. The reason for which became clear as both of Grimalkin''s hands rushed down to the place where the heel of Lilly''s curled back leg, had firmly been planted. As Grimalkin fell to the ground clutching his coin purse, Lilly shot an expectant gaze at Glaucous. Glaucous took a moment to send a glowing blue orb of water at Grimalkin before turning to Lilly and saying, ¡° As I have noted previously, your battle instincts are surprisingly sharp and it will be some time before your martial skill level grows enough for you to fully display it''s potential. Your decisiveness in execution has exponentially improved since yesterday. In another week or two your comprehension of Flowing Water Style will reach basic completion which should give you around 90% favorable odds against Graycat''s current Spitting Viper Strikes mastery but still short of Troy''s ridiculous looking but effective Fencing/Ballet fusion Style. I''ll have Jaden focus on teaching you the flexible sword forms and throwing daggers in the evening. The three of you shall do practical exchanges after morning meditations. ¡°You should advise Troy to practice with Graycat when he has time between ''music lessons'' with Ephyra as they could enrich each other''s martial prowess. Watching how that prancing and exaggerated footwork deals with hidden weapons should prove to be an amusing spectacle. Someone should wake him before Ephyra grows impatient and comes to claim him. Even my own mother was loath to make her wait when things needed doing. Alright, dismissed you three. Wren and I have things to discuss before he attends to his other duties today.¡± Grimalkin gave a deep bow to Wren before silently making his way to the washing area while Jaden and Lilly shared a few private words before Lilly went her own way as Jaden reluctantly trudged after Grimalkin. Before the brief twinge of sadness could take root in Wren from Lilly''s apparent indifference to his presence she turned to run up to him for a brief hug then jetted off. Glaucous relieved the sudden awkward silence with an observation. ¡°Of the three, your bond with Lilly is the only one that carries the feel of real family.¡± ¡°She reminds me of my niece, that girl was like a daughter to me. I never really had a desire to have kids of my own but if I did, it wouldn''t be so bad if they were like Lilly.¡± Wren mused. ¡°I never gave much thought of it till I found myself with my firstborn. A fiercely independent and stubborn boy with a strong distaste for authority, who never had much use for me. The one time I could have saved him, to bend the law and my duty to save him I chose not to, losing him and his mother on the same day. To later discover what had become of his two children enraged me, Wren. The progeny of my lawless son were turned into little more than tools to enforce it, as if to endlessly pay for the mistake that had made them. All that came after, I did not know until yesterday. Generations of mentally and spiritually crippled slaves to House Grimshadow were almost single-handedly responsible for the imbalance of power today. My eldest son and daughter''s blood keeping the old gifts alive within the other great families even as they died in my brother''s eldest''s house, stripped of even his name. ¡°Somehow, the combination of saving his life, giving him a name and protecting him from my anger fueled attempt at mercy has twisted his loyalty to you, Wren but Graycat is not yet that far removed from the deadly tool he was raised to be. His time of recovery and discovery will be long, leaving you to be steer and rudder to him till he can navigate on his own. I hope you are up to the task. In his peers I see a chance to somewhat, though never truly, redeem my negligence to my first born and poor daughter. When I let the waters of Shale River wash away the rot from my brother''s legacy I will save and take them in, bring them with me through the deep ways to Ysgir''s sea caves. The, so called innocents you manage to save may join us there, those that do not wish to stay with Matron Suncave. You needn''t worry for her family, I had never intended that they should suffer, nor what remains of Deepwise. ¡°I cannot thank you for awakening this spark of compassion in me. Long before I learned the truth from you, I grew to resent my duty and longed for freedom. Perhaps what I had failed to do for my brother''s early descendants I will succeed in doing for those that share our blood. If I do, then that is the day when my gratitude to you will be endless, If I do not then maybe I will resent you as well...I half jest to make light of my fears, no need for worry.¡± Easy for you to say. If you were serious, I wouldn''t dare to have kids! At least not on this world. ¡°Moving on to other matters that I believe you''d like to know or have a care to discuss. Your family in spirit, Lilly''s feigned courtship with my youngest son has taken a turn. I sense the seeds of true interest from her, though it is too early to say if it will amount to anything. I would insist that my son has been sincere in desire ever since the moment he laid eyes upon her coupled with a short but still generous amount of time to grow closer that chances favor his success. That will lead his path to hers, and by connection, yours. On my son''s behalf I ask for your blessing as I know that you are the Eldest in spirit and truth.¡± Wren mulled it over for a moment before he said, ¡°I will neither give blessing nor rejection. As far as I''m concerned this is Lilly''s choice in it''s entirety and has nothing to do with me other than providing what ever aid I can to ensure her will is respected. I will say this. Until this moment I had every intention of hiding this from you, please take no offense. Your brother left an inheritance, an inheritance your son is qualified to receive. I wanted to accomplish this as early as possible before the Rite of Blood Sharing for personal reasons. Because I respect what I have seen of your son, I had asked Troy and Lilly to treat him with sincerity, no more... no less but I can do no less than what I ask of them so I ask you, is there any reason why he shouldn''t receive your brother''s inheritance? A long, painful minute passed before Glaucous responded, ¡°Before I answer this, what factions back this transference of inheritance?¡± ¡°Not factions, two alliances. Both the Guardians and Balance Keepers offer reputation for it''s completion.¡± ¡°I am tempted to say yes, there is all the reasons that killed my brother and left his wife separated from their children that is the heart of my personal tragedy today. I propose this. If my son joins Lilly on her path then what he receives will only be of aid but if he does not win her affections we will let this matter die. Best he not be pulled into the affairs of ancient powers for no purpose and for your honesty and lack of greed at the cost of my son''s future, should my son and your family part ways here I will grant you a reward that will rival whatever they offer on the provision you do not tell him. Does anyone else know?¡± ¡°No, though I had asked the Grand Teacher for a way to leave to above ground and return for two people which he offered to me about a month from now. I had also said I would explain why Jaden was important to us to Troy and Lilly but had not yet had the chance to and with everything else that is going on that offered conversation can be forgotten.¡± ¡°If the Grand Teacher had offered that to you, he would have had to believe that your action was tied with the survival of people from my wrath. Just as well you brought it to my attention. His help would have likely cost his life as taking people upon the shadow path at his age is too great a strain,¡± Glaucous offered grimly. As it seemed conversation was drawing to a close a bleary-eyed Troy came strolling up to the two. ¡°Am I still early enough to keep the old lady from skinning me?¡± Troy asked a little hesitantly. ¡°Barely, if you hurry,¡± Glaucous said wryly. ¡°Then bubble me, my man, and I''ll be on my way,¡± Troy said with a charmingly irritating half grin and a harassing wink towards Wren. ¡° If I was your man, boy, you would not be in such a hurry to leave my company for Ephyra''s and I''m confident your eyes and arms would not be straying to others,¡± Glaucous deadpanned as a faintly blue glowing nimbus surrounded Troy. ¡°I''m not, I mean I didn''t-,¡± Whatever thought Troy was trying to get out, he ended on his own as he turned and started wading to the dark hole in the water, his burning ears illuminated by the misty glow of magic. Glaucous'' self amused chuckles following him down. Oho! So I''m not the only one to suffer a little embarrassment at the hands of this culture''s easy misunderstandings. Is it wrong that seeing Troy at the butt end of that innuendo was incredibly satisfying? ¡°So what''s the story behind that?¡± Wren waved his hand over towards the dark hole that Troy just disappeared into. ¡°His cock-sure attitude is endearing and grating in equal measure. Having some fun at his expense seems harmless enough. Oh, you mean why is he going into my pocket realm within the arcane well? Yesterday, while he was practicing his bardic gift while singing a particularly odd medley by the name of ''Sexy Back'', my long-returned-to-nature grandmother''s attendant Ephyra, happened to be near the portal. Upon hearing, what she referred to as ''an atrocity committed against the musical art mystic'', she demanded that he desist immediately and if he swore to never sully the art she so loves with that or any other noise of it''s ilk she would take him under her tutelage, which I heavily endorsed. Who better to teach musical bewitchment than one of the last remaining Nereid responsible for the birth of mermaids and sirens? Perhaps she sees him as a fellow refugee from Earth or perhaps he simply represents a distraction from her excitement and impatience at our imminent relocation to a sea-side home or some other mysterious reason known only to her. In any event it''s only a boon to him as I see it.¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Well, cave light is burning and I have to get my show on the road, Glaucous. I''m glad that we are still on good terms. I couldn''t imagine wanting to stick around if we weren''t.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± *** Wren held a a bloody rag up to his rapidly healing broken nose wondering what he had done to deserve such an awful highlight to an otherwise decent day. As the index finger of his free hand was placed in front of Grimalkin to restrain him from making a move on the offensive twelve year old boy he tried to talk down Rohn, who was on the verge of going old school on his son, as Rohn''s daughter looked upon the whole affair with detached amusement that could have been a carbon copy of the Matron''s own ''resting bitch face with smirk''. A couple of hours earlier, Wren had met up with Rohn to be introduced to his kids. Over a modest meal that past in complete silence, as is custom. Two new faces were scrutinizing Wren. The teenage girl, Rohna, inspected Wren as if he were a particularly fascinating pinned bug on display. Little warrior-in-the-making, Jakoby, adopted the smug and vaguely superior look that some children get when they think they''ve found an adult they can bully. Despite this, Wren didn''t feel that anything was outside of his expectations. A boy who was suddenly told that his scrapping and roughhousing time was going to get cut into for book learning wouldn''t take it laying down and a teenage girl who was used to being treated like a princess to be catered to while simultaneously being prepared to be used as a brood mare, in Wren''s mind, was either going to be a soulless doll or adopt the persona of the strongest woman they knew. As Wren saw it, it was much better to deal with spirited kids than perfectly behaved little drones. When Wren discussed with Rohn how he wanted to approach the task of teaching he had decided that the less preconceptions the children had towards Wren and what exactly they would be learning would be the better way. Nothing would be mentioned about magic or special abilities until Wren had a chance to review the records of ability training and the process of awakening them. Any child and nearly any adult, for that matter, who was told they would be learning how to use magic would be to antsy waiting for that to actually focus on anything else, at least for awhile. That was not how Wren wanted to begin.
Wren''s Personal SYSTEM Notes>Stuff I Do>Teaching>Basic Schedule
Initial Learning Schedule
  • 1 hour (with small break) Science (Earth 2w, Biology 2w, applied Chem remaining time
  • 1hour (wsb) Applied Math (play by ear, make as much hands on as possible)
  • 1hour Language/Philosophy/Geography (alternating w/1 day a week given to the Grand Teacher for History)
  • Midday meal
  • 2h practical: science experiments, debates, and magic (when applicable)
Wren wrung a small concession from Rohn to allow Grimalkin to act as an assistant after midday when he would be teaching practical knowledge application at the pavilion. The safest and most secure place Wren could think of when he knew powers would be added to the lessons at some point. Possibly attracting a curious Glaucous over was a completely intentional coincidence. What he didn''t count on was the addition of one of Rohn''s runners, who was Jakoby''s martial instructor, and the children''s mother who invited themselves to the pavilion. At first it seemed that they were intent on observation, as they had earlier when Wren briefly introduced the learning topics. They even seemed just as enchanted with the iron filing sparklers and matchsticks as the children. But as Wren coached them through making the simple measurements of ingredients to make play-dough it seemed the two hanger-ons had finally found something to nitpick about, revealing their real purpose for being there. As Rabas the Runner went on a diatribe of how Jakoby could be using this time to essentially become better at hurting and killing things on one side, Mamma Jesni started flying off the handle about how precious little time was left before the Rite of Blood Sharing and she didn''t see how her daughter spending time with Rohn''s ''side-piece'' was of any use other than wasting the precious moments they could be spending together preparing for Rohna''s ordeals. Apparently the deeper plans of clan Suncave was on a need-to-know and they weren''t in the know. And judging by Rohn''s feelings towards the two, that status was not likely to change. It didn''t help the overall situation, that Jesni''s spousal status as first wife was meant to be a temporary one to prove fertility that turned permanent when Rohn''s intended was denied him. The two were obviously not in love and she had been chosen based off of beauty and health as the only important factors. She was a red sash who found herself with the right to a purple one and feared it being taken away. Rabas''s backstory was a little more complex. A teenage experimental phase turned ''shield brother'', Rabas likely still held a torch for Rohn but for Rohn, Rabas was a trusted battle brother that he never had any real romantic feelings for and their dalliances were fondly buried with the rest of Rohn''s adolescence when he assumed the mantle of Eldest. Though their shared past may have had an influence on Rohn''s decision to appoint him as Jakoby''s teacher, Rabas was ultimately chosen because of his spear mastery and patience. As Rohn''s irritation surpassed his desire for harmony, putting him into ''leader of the House'' mode, Wren made his way to the back of the pavilion. Lost in thought about how his teaching plans were going to have to be drastically changed to deal with this nonsense, he missed the approach of Jakoby. As he looked up to the sudden shouted accusation of ''This is all your fault'', his world exploded into stars as a twelve year old boy thoroughly crossed his ''T''s and dotted his ''I''s before the boy''s father yanked him off of Wren, leading the whole ordeal full circle in Wren''s mind. Alright, that just happened. Fuck the cloak and dagger teaching plan and fuck the patient and understanding mentor approach. Mr. Feeny, I am not. ¡°Brother Rohn, if you would be so kind as to explain to your children the main reason I''m teaching them, if nothing else, while I rearrange my face roughly back to it''s original configuration and try to get the blood out of my shirt. If there is time and ability to do so today, I''d like for you to arrange a meeting between myself and Rabas at the sparring ground. I''d be perfectly content for your delightful wife and children to spectate,¡± Wren said with as much sarcastic cheer as he could muster. As he was attending to himself in the washroom he told Grimalkin, ¡°Whatever happens at the training area, do not interfere unless someone is actively attempting to kill me. Subdue, not kill, if possible.¡± ¡°It will be as you say mast-er, bro-brother Wren.¡± ¡°It''s hard now but you''ll get used to it in no time. You are not my servant. You are my friend. And as long as you don''t betray or try to hurt me, you''ll have a place by my side no matter where I am, for as long as you need it, Gray.¡± *** A couple of hours later and close to last meal, Wren was staring across the dirt circle at Rabas. The latter, wearing a smugly confident look on his face, stood in a comfortable and loose stance with a well balanced practice spear. The former wore a passive face as he felt the reassuring spiritual hum of Gnome in the ground beneath his feet and Solas, his light tulpa, close to the spiderweb like veins of luminescent crystal above his head. Wren took a deep breath and said, ¡°I have no illusions about this. I may lose. I may lose badly,¡± interrupted briefly by a condescending snort from Rabas before continuing, ¡° and I''m sure that would make some of you very happy to see. But since the lot of you seem content to dismiss me, turn your nose-up at what I have to share and delegate brother Rohn''s decisions on the direction of his children''s future as little more than sentimental foolishness, allow me to earn back some of the face you''ve stepped on for the both of us. Oh, and children, watch carefully what opportunities you, your mother and your battle master have nearly lost you.¡± With a brief nod from Wren, Rohn Shouted, ¡° Begin!¡± In the split second that it took to get his readied tulpas to execute their actions, Gnome to throw up a jut of earth and Solas to shoot from the ceiling and pulse as brightly as possible, a spear point was lightly scratching his right collar bone where it came very close to piercing clean through the hastily erected barrier. He completely ignored the high pitch shrill of pain coming from the other side of the wall and the accompanied hisses all around as his spacial calculation informed him that the original target of the spear would have sent it into and possibly completely through his genitals, likely leaving nothing else but a small scratch on his perineum besides. The fucker tried to unman me! Under that grim knowledge, all thoughts of mercy and graceful winning fled from his mind as it was filled with a distinct desire to inflict pain and terror. The earthen wall reassembled itself into irregularly spiked segment armor making him look like a hellish humanoid beetle. His revealed opponent, a mess of flash burned skin, clothing and smoking hair was scrambling around for his spear which Wren helpfully kicked to him, aided with a little telekinesis. The light tulpa went out with a hiss like a wetly snuffed candle as shadow and spirit coalesced into a ball of teeth, tusk and spider legs before breaking and spreading out, reforming into a large, wraith-like buzzard; Gnashing piranha mouths decorated it''s feathers, barbed talons flanked it''s wings, gleaming edged daggers coated in old blood formed its feet, it''s empty stygian eyes stared down a beak formed of two broken and rusty blades. ¡°Feed¡± The nightmare creature''s tail feathers flared and undulated in black bale-fire as it bent to it''s task. Disarming it''s foe in less than a second before digging into every non-vital area it could reach, shredding skin, fat and surface muscle in thin strips it swallowed down.
Upgrade: Tier I Combat Tulpa, Fear has become Tier II Combat Tulpa, Terror
Touching upon the darkness within, you have fused it into your projections. Other upgrages possible. Caution: mental instability and spiritual corruption possible from this evolutionary path
The window was like a splash of cold water. Wren immediately called off and dismissed the combat and earth tulpas and dove into stabilizing Rabas. Biting back the aftershock of adrenaline and trying to down play the event some, Wren asked all attending to observe. Trying to utilize all of what control he had, Wren summoned up his water tulpa and infused it with a wisp of life essence, having it capture the clean blood and inject it back into wounds as he sent another wisp of life essence into his healing efforts. Switching back and forth between micro healing and purification he managed to get him stable as he began adding a touch of telekinesis here and there to hold broken tendons and ribbons of muscle to reattach them. After five minutes of using everything at his disposal to restore the lump of raw flesh back into a functioning person left him bone weary. After taking a minute amount each of stamina, eldritch, and arcane essences he fixed the seared retinas and damaged corneas of Rabas'' otherwise intact eyes and called it quits.
Discovered: Multi Discipline Restoration- between the paths of science and spirit lies a hidden one that is known to you, much to the benefit of your allies.
Through a voice of awe and carefully but not entirely masked fear Rohn asked, ¡°What, did you just do?¡± ¡°He tried to jab off my manhood. He didn''t just want to humiliate me. He wanted me to die slowly in pain. And for a fleeting moment, I felt his hatred and jealousy. A fire fed fuel from somewhere else,¡± Wren glanced at Jesni with a shadow of the darkness from earlier dancing in his tired eyes before continuing, ¡°So I tore him apart. I tore him apart as far as I could without killing him. Then I put him back together. I put him back together as best I could but It''s much easier to dismantle something than it is to mend it. There will be healing that can still be done and there will be lingering problems that will need to be addressed over the next month or so but it won''t be done by me. He''ll live and he''ll be able to function. ¡°If there is a next time, brother Rohn-,¡± Wren locked eyes with Jesni, ¡°then those responsible will learn what wanting to die but not being able to, truly means... If you will excuse me.¡± Wren stopped briefly between the two children on his way to the pavilion. ¡°My knowledge, my secrets to power, as long as you had the desire and aptitude I would have given it to you freely. Now you will have to earn it. With sincerity, sweat and if need be pain, you will earn it and you will do so eagerly and without complaint or the shackles to it that now exist will remain locked to you. 14- Between Work and Play Okay, so where do I begin? I''ve been playing around with the SYSTEM a little here and there since arriving on Satyrus. Early today, about two weeks into teaching Rohn''s brats, which I''ll get to later, something came of it.
Since then I''ve discovered all kinds of new things about the SYSTEM, Like this, the secure journal. Only existences above moderators can read it. I say read but you can save memories in it too. You can use your eyes and mind as a scanning device. You can take a book, a class lecture, a jumble of disorganized theory and condense them into a set of symbols and re-digest them into purer understanding. Although there''s limits on how much one can safely absorb in a certain period of time, all the information can be put into a queue and as new information comes in it will gravitate towards the part of the queue it is most relevant to. The most important part of this discovery, at the moment,is that combining the Arcane Awakening packet with records from the archive I''ve figured out how to guide awakened talent to conscious understanding. Not only that, but with a good dose of intuitive searching and spiritual digging I''m pretty sure I could awaken latent talents as well. I mean, and I think this is a big deal, I''m fairly certain that this is how the SYSTEM does what it does. It doesn''t give us anything except a nudge with deep understanding of, well, everything and cold, dispassionate spiritual guidance. I mean, whoa. I''m convinced that the SYSTEM, as they call it, is alive. It''s alive and freely sharing anything it knows, can be coerced into showing you how to achieve even the pettiest of your dreams through even the narrowest path available to you. It''s just that it''s really hard and scary dangerous to try to understand it unfiltered. That''s where the directors, moderators, hosts and operators come in. Although, at this point it''s just conjecture, I even think I''ve figured out their organization. The directors were the ones who originally figured out how to interact with the ''SYSTEM''. Their subordinates, the hosts, are the ones in charge of inhabitable places in reality and relegate SYSTEM related activities to their subordinates, the moderators. The operators, if compared to mere mortals, are likely supernatural powerhouses but in hierarchy they are just peons who act as middle management between us and them. This leads me to some scary, hypothetical, conclusions:
Of course, I do all the things I need to keep it Safe, Sane and Consensual like any high-functioning masochist... My hard-ass teacher act kept the little shits in line and earnestly learning for all of a week and a half before they started getting all fidgety and starting to subtly probe me. And by subtle, I mean their jackhammers were rubber coated and well oiled. After another two days of that and I was ready to sign a murder-suicide pact with them but since they didn''t seem that willing to die with me I gave them a couple of days off for me to make a serious effort to figure things out...viola, I am the miracle worker, maybe. Need to find some guinea pigs first and I have two very special people in mind...No, not my best lady bud and that guy, the mummy and mommy dearest. Though, I have to admit, now that I''ve had a chance to calm down I''m not really all that mad at her. She''s actually kinda pitiful and after the fall of this regime I hope she can get over everything and find someone who will love her for the scheming snake she is instead of a baby maker. ''Not really mad'' and ''not mad at all'' are two totally different states. The only thing that''s making me sad in my pants is that while Troy and Lilly are having proper training montages to get more bad-ass, I''m doing a decent rendition of the Riddler from Batman Forever. I just hope I don''t end the same way. It''s not that I haven''t tried to beef up on fighting but there''s not really anyone I pair up well with. Grimalkin literally stabbed himself with his practice dagger to keep from scratching me when I was going to dodge right into it. The one time Troy had a bit of free time I could steal from him he practically ran circles around me with his practice foil, sexually harassing me. His intermittent exclamations of ''that''s the spot'' and ''feeling good yet?'' put a kibosh on asking him ever again and to be honest, unless I was using ''maiming intent'' levels of power output I can''t really touch him. You couldn''t pay me to fight Lilly and it''s not because of foolish sentimental reasons. I think she believes that scrotum and punching bag are synonymous terminologies and if you can get Jaden to do anything that doesn''t involve Lilly with more than a quarter of his maximum effort I''ll give you a cookie...note to self: never try to get a guy to help with sparring practice by saying it''ll be a chance to show off to his girl especially if he''s actually good at fighting and you''re not. On a personal note, I can''t seem to catch a break with any ladies around here. Despite people seeming to be cavalier about such things there do seem to be some rules about it that I didn''t catch before. On a rational level it''s complicated as hell but on an intuitive level it''s pretty simple. The whole experience has inspired me with a new term: Polynogamous. Means once people in this society find everything they''re looking for, they close up shop. The most popular dynamic that I''ve found is one gal and two dudes but I''ve seen two gals and three dudes. At first I thought that was all there was to it but there''s more. Seems there are quite a few ladies who would still give me a night of comfort but for three reasons: some think I''m Rohn''s (my mistake really), Some think I''m THE RIVERSON''s (have no fucking clue where this comes from) even if I deny both vocally and profusely and everyone is dead convinced that a certain psycho fourteen year old girl will make their lives a living hell afterwards( I believe it but don''t know what I can do about it.)I could try to take my libido into town, so to speak, if there wasn''t a group of fascists out there waiting to catch me with my pants down (and I hate turning the figurative into literal.) I''ve made peace with celibacy for now but moving on from that, my request for an additional bed for the pavilion was initially approved but returned by Troy under the auspice that it wasn''t necessary since he would be spending the majority of his time under Ephyra''s tutelage and hospitality. Well, this was true but I''ve woken up being grappled a total of three times over the past two weeks. The first time was just two days after the whole bed refusal so I was a bit surly about it but was forced to admit I did feel a bit better and less edgy, damned bond thing. The second time, out of sheer spite, I grumbled and stomped around enough to make sure he didn''t get to sleep in before carrying on about my day, seriously wondering why I don''t wake up when he sneaks in. Troy brought up that the benefits of the bond work both ways and it helped him bounce back faster from the more rigorous parts of Ephyra''s training which pretty much got me to accept it considering how fatigued he looks most of the time when I see him. I''m not dumb enough to ask what could be so strenuous about ''music lessons'' considering I have first-hand evidence that he''s getting more fit, uncomfortable to think about evidence. And I''m nowhere near suicidal enough to ask why Lilly isn''t trying to climb in my bed, as a counter argument. By the time the third incident happened, over a week after the second and I woke up grappling him back, I had to start forcing myself to accept a few facts. Yes, I like women, am still very much attracted to women but because of the bond, maybe and likely other reasons as well, being close to Troy feels good, feels right even. It''s not the same as sexual attraction, if anything it''s deeper, more intimate and disturbingly more invasive. If anyone tried to call it love though I''d sneer at them. Whatever I have with Troy, which I''m not even okay with trying to label at the moment, is more nourishing, affirming and bolstering. If love is like your favorite ice cream on a summer day then this is like your favorite food when your starving, a crackling fireplace with thick blankets and a shot of brandy when you''re freezing, a deep tissue massage and hot bath followed by a small coma on an Amerisleep AS3 when your aching and tired. All of those rolled into one. Maybe knowing all this but still insisting on ignorance and platonic interactions is asinine but before all this I was a technical 2 but a practicing solid 1.5 on the Kinsey scale. It was gonna take a lot more than 2 1/2 weeks and a little mental toe dipping to be cool with more than the cuddles. But damned if I don''t get the whole ''it''s not a choice'' thing.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Last thing I want to throw in this journal, for now, is the experience I had yesterday. Well technically it was late last night to the ''wee'' hours of the morning but who cares, except for Lilly maybe...sorry Lilly. And a special warning to my secret buddy and whoever inherits this from me in the future, if anyone doesn''t want to read about my pleasurable little self run experiment ''aka: absurdly long monkey spanking'' then skip to the second set of asterisks *** Alright, so I said I had accepted celibacy but that was not full blown, brothers in the monastery flog themselves instead, kind of celibacy. And I''m kinda laughing at myself as I write this because I feel like that time when I was thirteen and just discovering how everything worked for the first time because A: it technically was in a manor of speaking and B: this body was nothing, I repeat, nothing like my original body. It would be like trying to compare a beat up but dependable pick-up truck to a Ferrari. So, I woke up not too long after falling asleep, for the second night in a row, feeling agitated and pent up. Troy wasn''t here, Little Gray wore himself out more than usual and was sleeping deeply so I mentally said ''why not'' as I padded off to the washroom. I fed AE into the heating glyph and cooling glyph on the trickling waterfall part till the steam and fog was rolling in the mostly enclosed space like a small house-fire. Slipping into the stream-pool and briefly floating on my back, I sat on the cushioned wet-bench that laid at the end facing the oncoming stream, flipping the back wedge around to the 45 degree angle side while appreciating the design of it all. The water didn''t quite cover the top of my legs, instead the ebb and swell of the water lapped at the tender parts of my inner thighs, nuzzling, clasping and releasing the underside of my nuts as I spread my legs and leaned back to better feel it. The mixing and alternating hot-tepid-cool sensations no less stimulating than the questing tongue and lips of a lover. The rhythmic and ever changing sensations were priming the engine nicely. Pulling a bottle of wine out of my space, cork pre-loosened (hehe,)I wrenched the spongy wood out with a satisfying ''pop''. I admired the beautiful ruby ''beeswing'' crystals that decorated the back of the cork before lightly scraping them over my lower lip and chin, dragging them down my neck, swirling them around my nipples, all with agonizing slowness, the teasing fingernail of some decadent deity of intoxication. First a few drops on the tongue then a thin trickle of ruby sin running down the shallow cleft of my pectorals, marking and overflowing the river and tributaries of my abs before filling a navel lake. I lazily traced the crimson trail with a fingertip before circling the flair of my desire''s head, grazing the clear pearl gathering at the tip, sending a static thrill ricocheting up my spine intense enough to make me bite my lip to stifle the gasp trying to push past it. I raised the finger to my lips, a heat rising to my cheeks painting the edges of my ears,as I let bashful curiosity guide my tongue. The bittersweet of fine wine mingled with the saltiness of my finger and personal flavor. As my own whisper quite, raspy laughter tickled my ears I leaned my head back, an aftertaste of something otherworldly lingering on my tongue, dilating my pupils. I was a foolish, besotted serpent not immune to it''s own venom. Suddenly, everything was not enough, the hunger at my core needed more, craved a release my body stubbornly relented to give. Confused lust echoed from other places but, lost in myself as I was, it only added to the raking need. Intuition and ancient memories buried in magic answered. Fingers of earth playfully scratched and kneaded, lips of water nipped and pulled, tongues of air darted across sensitive skin and whispered profane enticements in my ear. This self inflicted orgy of caressing beats of silken wings, of scraping claw and fang, of magic infused flesh meeting dark fantasy given form pushed me over the edge as I finally come undone . I bit my lip hard enough to draw blood and my frame shuddered as the source of my ardor pulled painfully tight against me, erupting pearlescent plumes of ecstasy filled devastation that shot into the skies of my imagination and laid waste to the landscape of my reclined body. I briefly indulged in the afterglow among the wreckage and nearly dozed off. I gathered the remains of my dignity and cleaned them, myself and the surrounding area to the best of my ability, responsibly tidying up the crime scene till no evidence remained. *** If that was the end of the story it would have been great, pressure valve released then to rest and recovery, but no. Glaucous was waiting for me and felt it was necessary to praise my innovation and skill in the art of self-gratification and not willing to play the ''kid who got caught surfing porn'' I played the fool instead, giving a flourishing bow, wishing to some benevolent entity that my face didn''t feel like it was on fire. Unfortunately though, he wasn''t there to make sport of me. To soften harsh deliveries he started off with the lighthearted and amusing tale of how Troy managed to not only embarrass himself, during whatever-the-hell lunar meditation''s supposed to be, but also had a little accident that apparently was copious enough to soak through and be noticed by Ephyra. Apparently I wasn''t the only one who was having difficulty finding the time to take matters in hand. Knowing that I was the guilty party left me chuckling for a moment before I was hit with the realization that he would know why it happened and I would have to face him. Then on to the real reason why he was there. To inform me that although my little solo performance didn''t affect Lilly as strongly as it did Troy it had enough for Glaucous to be here informing me of a ''successful courtship''. The poor girl already had her common sense and rationality pushed to the limit by teenage hormones, add an exotic boy who was probably leagues above anyone who was showing her interest back home and was dog balls over crazy infatuated with her...well, at least I didn''t have to feel too guilty about it. Aside from the hour long torture she endured before she snapped, my emotional over-spill probably just shaved a week or two off the inevitable, probably. Glaucous'' gratitude came with a quick lesson on how to apply emotional filters to my bonds. Apparently the fae man had plenty of experience with such phenomenon as he had a version of it himself. ***
What the hell does she think I''m here for? Oh, maybe she thinks I want something. Either that or she''s displeased with the progress I''m making with the kids. What the hell did she expect, That I would pat their heads and they''d be throwing fire balls around or something? Well, whatever her reasons I''ll be damned if I''m gonna be treated as a beggar coming for alms when I''m here for her grandchildren''s sake. Alright, let''s approach from the polite but equally surly angle and see how that goes. Sorry, baby Jesus but it''s such an awesome line. That''s right, your not gonna down grade me to bowing and scraping just cause you brought me here. I might have been willing to kiss your ass when you were being nice to me, Matron but if you want to play hardball I''m game. Damn if I haven''t seen another woman I''d more likely let get away with murder, though. Down boy, we just decided we don''t like her anymore. Matron. Having a practical and real discussion over the benefits of your patronage after I prove how very un-smoke and shadow-like I am suits me just fine,¡± turning to Rohn and adopting as much natural friendliness as he could under the current situation, ¡°Don''t worry brother Rohn. For as long as I''m here, you and your children''s concerns will remain a priority and continue to weigh heavily in my considerations. Such talk between true friends is...distasteful.¡± 15- No good deed goes unpunished ( Inner Journal Entry 1) Hello, It''s me again. Except this time I''m in the journal that''s inside my new spacious inter-dimensional memory space. Combining the best of organic flexibly and inorganic stability and expansion, it will be available to a store near you in probably never. If it makes you feel better, future inheritor, the offline version of the journal doesn''t start off as high spec as the online one but it is sooo much more secure. Not only does it take a director level to access it but they have to be in proximity too. But if an entity that world level deities call boss is that close to me, and curious, I would be so far beyond fucked that it really wouldn''t matter that much. So if you''re not into drama as much as I''m not then the last few days that I''ve went through would be much more enjoyable as cliff''s notes here than living through them or viewing them in HD memory vision. I mean, I''d rather drill extra ventilation in my head than sit through a day-time soap back home. And believe me when I say that this level of drama is neither a spectator nor participant sport. After getting the approval to use Rabas as a lab rat I wasted no time getting that show on the road. To be honest, I was actually really looking forward to digging though someone''s innermost intimate parts and rummaging around. I mean, imagine it''s like those estate sales but you''re the first one that gets to dig through the really mysterious chest over in the corner of the attic. Well, I imagined it to be something like that except your spirit is your hands, your intuition is your arms and your psychic impression are your eyes. Lets not forget that the treasures you''re digging for are latent powers because, how cool is that? After exchanging hands a couple times I was in the protectors'' wing of the manor and let me tell you, what nature had made huge, generations of inhabitants had made colossal and labyrinthine. It really illustrated how far this family had fallen too because it was mostly empty with a single runner''s personal household, of anywhere from three to six peeps, managing personal complexes capable of housing ten times that spaciously, twenty comfortable. Apparently, a familiar chubby maid informed me, the only wing of the manor even close to it''s original capacity was the laborers wing and it was still only at around a third and that was after graciously allowing the brown caste to all house themselves there. Their original bee hive complexes were now expanded livestock and mushroom cultivation chambers. Now I don''t want to harp on it for too long. Because I can''t imagine my inheritor caring too much about a race of people who they may not even meet but you never know. In all honesty, I''m staying here right now and I don''t care that much but it is kinda important to know as much about the bloodlines of people you want to kindle, awaken, whatnot. So, here goes: Now here''s the cool list, the things I could find: Now back to Rabas, the silent time-bomb (that will make sense later, I promise.) After an oath upon my family that I meant him no harm (I really didn''t, I just didn''t care if I did) and that he had a good chance to get something awesome out of the deal or, at the very least, get rid of the road map of scars on his face and neck he agreed to my experiment. How very accommodating of him. I placed one hand on the crown of his head and the other on the spot below the navel and above the business(sacral chakra, coincides with the lower dantian) so yeah, awkward and not comfy but it''s important for organic circuitry reasons (Lucky for both of us, the end path of this particular bio energy cycle doesn''t include the root chakra, seriously.) not wanting this to last a second longer than necessary, I initiated and closed the circuit (essentially running a trickle of each type of essence you got from the crown hand to the sacral hand) , the more the clearer you can see which gives me one hell of an advantage since I have five types(yes, five when you count stamina which is actually bio-energy and paired with a decent spirit it can be manipulated too,) when people are lucky to have more than one. Hey, if I''m doin it I''m goin full pokemon, I wanna catch em'' all. Okay, if you remember what I said earlier about what I expected it to be like, this is the part where I tell you it''s bullshit. You start off blindfolded, sticking your hand into scummy pond water, then (if you have spacial calculation and 3.5 mind) you start seeing way more than you want to as the other hand joins you in canoodling for slimy catfish and finish with wanting to cry yourself to sleep in a hot shower. I didn''t find out until later that it''s only like that with people you''re not too fond of. Everything was pretty bearable at first. I was finding all kinds of catfish. One was even close to the surface of the pond already and it felt fast. Then, I channeled the life essence. All the catfish lit up like Christmas lights and I could feel each (but not all,) of their meanings a lot more clearly, could feel which catfish I could raise to the top without making him genetically unstable and which ones would sink into the muddy bottom in response to that. I felt a lot of other things too, like how ''happy'' all those energy strands (over 9000 for the life essence) were making him feel, like how he''d be willing to forgive me all trespasses (past, present, and future,) if I''d just let my sweat slicked hand slip lower (yup, Crying Game level cringe.)I would have obliged him too, for about three seconds before ripping that shit off and choking him to death with it if it weren''t for my oath and the presence of the Matron and Rohn, who showed up around five minutes after I started doing the heavy work, keeping me on my best behavior. The worst part was the knowledge and sight, that on a micro-biological and atomic level, we were exchanging all kinds of particles and organisms. You can''t just un-see that kind of shit. To sum it up, I felt waaay too close to the guy who tried to turn me into a eunuch. I vowed, at that moment, to never again use life essence during this process on anyone I wasn''t willing to share my last cold beer with or, at the very least, willing to fuck. Besides those two categories of people, who would you be okay knowing everything there was to know about what was under the hood of much less give a jump-start to. Hell, I could close one eye and pick his next of kin out of a crowded club on wet t-shirt night.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. But I digress. What I really wanted to do was grab the dinky catfish that actually felt like a Christmas light but that would mean touching him a minute or two longer so I hauled the fast fish up to break the surface, slapped the small strand of life essence and stamina towards his face (didn''t even want them back,) and broke contact. Moving back at the speed of smell, because I was a little dizzy from the sudden withdraw, the asshole grabbed at my arm faster than I could follow and looked at me with frustration and need. Lucky for him, Rohn was there to handle my light work and squeezed Rabas'' wrist till it creaked, forcing him to let go. Not really on me, Rabas had the impulse control of a lemur, at least when it came to those urges. Leaving the matron to inspect my handiwork and judging by the spark of interest, likely to put in some of her own, that put the final nail in the coffin of just how little a chance I had with her from the git-go. After a couple of hours and a midday meal break in one of the many spare rooms of Rohn''s private quarters, which passed in comfortable silence, I was reasonably ready for case study number two and quite convinced Rohn would make the best hunting buddy ever. Not that I ever really liked hunting. Damn, I could use a rifle though. File that thought. Despite a hell of a lot more convincing, and a promise from Rohn that if I hurt her I''d be punished (probably with a cake that had too many candles judging by Rohn''s conspiratorial wink,) Jesni let me get down to business. Quick and dirty business it was too. The scum at the top of her pool was a lot thicker (think this is like quality of character,) and nearly all of her catfish were small so I just grabbed the one closest to the top that wouldn''t screw her up and yanked that sucker to the top. It felt eager to please. Being so abrupt made her queasy, though, as she vomited up the first use of her new knack. A five foot tall shadow man started cleaning her up. At first she was really excited thinking that I had awoken the legendary shadow conjurer ability but alas she couldn''t do anything else but the shadow man. He could stay out for a long time though, about four hours, one if he was max effort, before Jesni started feeling weak. When I left her room and was well on my way out of Rohn''s private quarters, takes a good couple of minuets, he stopped me to ask if I would like any more practice before I ''enriched'' the children. Now, I swear I didn''t see any hint of greed or eagerness, just the look of a dad who wanted for his kids to get the very best they could get. That just sat so frickin well with me, what could I say but sure thing. Damn me if I didn''t want to see this guy get the best I could offer. So I said I''d like to take the rest of the day to scrub a layer of skin off, reflect on what more I''d learned and get myself up to full snuff. Of course, he was a total dick about it; begrudgingly nodding and giving me a look of gratitude, snobbishly fixing up only the second best room in his quarters with everything I might need and quite a few things I didn''t, intrusively bothering me with with the most competent attendant he had, offhandedly giving me free run of the second and third floors of his three floor suite (Jesni and the kids had the first) and most galling of all was his promise to personally see to any problems or concerns I might have, starting with keeping the kids and his wife from bothering me and ending with fending off the Matron later in the evening. What a douche. Don''t ask me why but right before I was getting ready to slap some witch doctoring on ol Rohn, I got a sudden case of the paranoids. I didn''t want anyone or anything to mess me up. I''m thinking it must have been a combo of the slight icky feeling still on me and my previous track record here and on Earth. You, know how it goes. Don''t give a shit and everything is aces but as soon as you wanna do something right, karma starts looking for ways to make you drop F-bombs. So, with Rohn''s full approval I get Lilly, Jaden and even Troy standing out in Rohn''s anti-chamber, striking it in that not even the Matriarch is to come in till I''m finished. Whatever was freaking me seemed to be contagious as the tension ratcheted up a couple of degrees in everyone and Rohn wanted to know if we should just call the whole thing off. It was tough to put into words but I tried my best to explain it was because of how important I thought it was nothing goes wrong that I was acting like this. I took a moment to collect myself before beginning, looking calm, but still edgy as hell. It wasn''t until I was walking over to the bedside, seeing Rohn leisurely sprawled out with his cash and prizes tastefully covered by a bed sheet, looking for all the world like a well done but ultimately generic cover of a woman''s supernatural romance novel, that everything seemed rightly aligned again. I was laughing my ass off and judging by the look of bruised pride on Rohn''s face, that was not the reaction he was used to getting, not even from his happily married subordinates. Easy to see why. I''d trade body types with him in a heartbeat. Even so, being the softy that I am towards people that don''t treat me like shit, I tried to explain myself for the second time and though he didn''t get it, at least he didn''t look like someone pissed in his Cheerios. Not a stranger to the drill at this point, I jumped right into it, noticing right off the bat (genetic inheritance joke not intended,)That this wasn''t going to be the cringe fest the other two had been. The surface edges of his pond was more like java moss than scummy, half dead algae (signifying the willingness to take blame/shoulder responsibility rather than pass it on? Deep metaphor gets existential,) There was a huge but healthy looking goldfish about midway down and after gritting my teeth and running a line of life essence through him, I knew it was the one I wanted. Yeah, I still got all the crazy over-info but when it got to what was going through his head it was more like ''hope he doesn''t think less of me but it just feels too good'' and ''feeling a bit bad for taking advantage of the situation to enjoy the rush''. I can live with that. To get the goldfish I had to play a round of whack-a-mole with a lot of other fishes to keep things stable and right before I breached the surface of the pond I saw a nasty little leach I missed, clinging to the side of the goldfish. Dropping the metaphor, the moderate shaping power with additional moderate raw power application in the nice AE/decent EE dual but clearly divided pool had a flaw in it that would dirty and mix the two which would make using either power hard and the results weak. It was the result of late awakening and the hybrid power''s halves not wanting to cooperate with each other. The fast solutions would either cause a leak which may not heal, possibly rupture the membrane of the pool or close off the EE side, losing the raw power application completely and limiting shaping to energy structures only. I could have bonded him, let the energy portion of the sub-space substitute his flawed container, but that seemed like a bad idea. It did give me a better one though. I used the same principle I use to make a bond to just form the line instead. I wrapped up the flaw like a rubber band around a hemorrhoid (as analogies go it wasn''t pretty but apt,) and plugged the longer piece into the EE side and the shorter into the AE. I manged to strengthen, expand and even somewhat balance them out at the low price of 1% of my LE (sob). Rohn, who could sense I made some sort of sacrifice to net the best prey, managed to send some concern and heavily guilt laced appreciation my way as he struggled with steel willpower not to make a big sticky spot on his bed. The time, struggle and expenditure hit me like a ton of bricks as I carefully retracted and disconnected. It wasn''t edge of diabetic coma bad but it was end of the triathlon bad. As I collapsed face first into his unforgiving abs, I blew a big wet fart raspberry into them to take back some of my dignity. The momentary child-like giggle (worth it) lead to a stunned silence before he figured out I didn''t fall on him purposefully and needed help. Hey, at least I didn''t pass out. This was just over-tapped stamina. If I ever have a choice the next time I bottom out a tank it''ll be this one. After all, LE=dead, EE=crippled and AE= the same symptoms as convenience store sushi, give or take the runs. I don''t know a damn thing about over-taxing PE but I have a sneaking suspicion it''d probably be any combination of the above with a migraine on top. As we finally slipped out of the two person comedy routine, unhappy sounds were filtering in from outside. It likely had been going on for a bit but we were kinda in the middle of delicate shit so I think it''s excusable we missed it. Rohn was energized, galvanized, and halfway decent for company in under five seconds and out the door. I just chilled, face down, in his sweaty bed sheets. I get it, it''s cool (not cool!) Up side to this? Whatever was going on out there wasn''t my problem. Turns out it wasn''t anything big. Just a maid with a censer filled with ''calming herbs'' (knock out drugs) followed by an understandably concerned (my ass) Jesni a few minutes later, seeing how everything was going. Likely surprised to see that nobody was actually that ''calm'', she tried to excuse herself before Jaden gave her a friendly but firm invitation to stay. The cherry on the top was Rabas showing up with three other runners with the suspicion that I was ''attempting to ensorcell their eldest''. Rabas wildly claimed that since I had failed to kill him that I tried to seduce him with power that had rightfully belonged to him to begin with and failed to ensnare his mind due to the intervention of the eldest before I succeeded. He feared that if no one was to do the same for the eldest that he would be lost. Considering the tacit approval of the Matron, if she wasn''t actively involved in this witch hunt herself, I knew the direction things were headed. And I only knew one solution that would allow me to finish my goals before I blew this fucking leaky Popsicle stand. That''s right, he likes it when you call him Big Poppa! Well, he probably didn''t but it sounded good in my head. I got on the psychic phone and dialed up Glaucous, though, outside of my own bonded he''s the only one who can hear me, (Prolly cause he''s always spying.) After giving him the breakdown as Rohn ran interference by keeping the shitty little gecko (Rabas,) pinned to the floor with shadow chains (Aww, so proud, so proud!) and booming at his men to stand down, promising to explain everything rationally once this situation calmed down. With a heavy sigh to illustrate how put outGlaucous was feeling, I found myself on a scary as shit water slide through secret and dark places so fast my spacial calculations couldn''t even give me a clear picture of what the hell was going on. Lesson learned. It''s so simple it pisses me off but pardon me for thinking that a group of people who''s lives are hanging in the balance wouldn''t still keep trying to play games of intrigue. It seemed I underestimated the greed and opportunistic nature of my host and her followers. If not for Glaucous, I''d likely be spending the rest of my short life in a comfortable cage. I''m so done with this place but I still got shit to do and that means this place isn''t done with me. 16- Lesser of Evils This sucks. "I thought that Suncave were like the good guys," Wren lamented. Jaden looked at Wren helplessly as Lilly was trying to cheer him up, ¡°Buck up Birdy, Pops is takin care of it,¡± Lilly offered as she sat beside him and started petting the back of his head. What am I, a dog!? Okay, never mind this is kinda nice. ¡°I-I''m sure this is some kind of misunderstanding. Once father has spoken with mother this will all be resolved. I''m sure of it,¡± Jaden said, looking anything but sure. Wren placed Lilly''s hand in her lap and gave her a reassuring couple of pats on the shoulder before getting up off the bench and pacing, ¡°Jaden, I appreciate the difficult position this puts you in but your Aunt knew exactly what she was doing when she allowed that little inquisition to fly. Additionally, and I don''t say this to hurt your feelings, if her treatment of you and her own son is anything to go off of she sees her own blood as bargaining chips and resources to be used just as much as anyone else.¡± ¡° She''s the mother I know, Wren. My birth mother died when I was five from complications that I caused. If she was a little cold, she was still good to me in her own way. I-it''s more than I deserve.¡± Jaden said defensively. I see that I''m about to say something that''s gonna piss him off but he needs to hear this. ¡° In her eyes you are Riverson first, sister-son second and her son dead last. It is not a child''s fault for being born. If she''s holding that against you, it''s wrong. Don''t wanna believe me, ask Lilly. Wanna know all the sorted details, ask your dad but don''t turn a blind eye. If not for your sake then do it for your girl. You''re a good guy Jaden and if Lilly''s lighthouse beam smile at you when your not looking is anything to go off of-¡± ¡°Wren!¡± Lilly interjected. Unfazed, Wren continued, ¡° then I think you''re good for her too. But if you drag her into some scheme the Matron''s cooking up some time in the future, and she gets hurt, I will not forgive you. Doubly, if you say you had no idea or you didn''t know.¡± ¡°Now don''t you go worrying about me, us Cork women, we-¡± A riled up Lilly was revving up. Wren thought at her, ¡°I know you''re a smart cookie and between the two of you I have a pretty good idea of who''ll be the brains but I''m trying to give him a wake up call. The easiest way to do that is letting him see a potential threat to you. His loyalty to loved ones is one of his best features in my eyes but you gotta see it. He''d take a bullet for you but if the Matron was the one shooting, he''d let it get that far even if he saw the signs from a mile a way because he''d choose to believe, right up to the last moment, she wouldn''t actually pull the trigger. You and I both know damn well she would.¡± Lilly gave him a grudging look but ultimately accepted his opinion. A look of mixed feelings clouded across Jaden''s face before he said, ¡° Alright, it does no harm to ask my father about this though I think you exaggerate. I-I''ve been meaning to ask him about my birth mother anyway. It''s just not easy. ¡°That aside, brother Wren. I hope you can appreciate how frustrating it is that you share this bond with my beloved. That you can always know and share things to each other at any moment, is a bit galling. I feel like an outsider at times,¡± his emotions coasting to clear frustration. ¡° Believe it or not, I''ve been pondering on this issue from the moment it looked like you two might become an item. If I was in your shoes I think I''d feel the same way. The best solution I''ve been able to come up with is letting you in but that''s a big decision for all of us and I''ve been too damn busy running around to ask some important questions about this bond thing. I honestly thought I''d have more time to figure things out before I had this conversation with you, Wren said before continuing, ¡° Lilly, can you feel Troy through the link?¡± ¡°Why didn''t you ask- Sigh, yes. These days, most of the time, I can sense him better, like where he is and how he''s doing and such. If we''re close by we can even communicate in a fuzzy kind of way but why do you ask?¡± ¡°To answer your unasked question, I''ve learned how to shield myself, for obvious reasons. I really am sorry that I didn''t realize sooner,¡± Wren gave a solemn nod to Lilly and as she buried her chin in her neck blushing furiously at the ground, Wren cave a conspiratorial wink at Jaden before continuing, ¡° But all''s well that ends well and lesson learned. As to your actual question, it''s because A: there would be no point in even offering the bonding to Jaden otherwise, B: based off of your answer I theorize that the closer you are to another bonded, by distance and emotional tie, the stronger the secondary bonds will be, C: when I ask your dad a few things, Jaden, we''ll likely need to compare notes. ¡°If this really bothers you, that''s my best solution and I know that means a lot of thought for everyone involved. It would be traumatizing to disengage a bond, Jaden, to both parties. That is both an explanation of why I won''t just cut off Lilly for the sake of your guy''s relationship and why I want you to think about this real hard because if anything were to happen in the future, you and I would still be connected, understand?¡± Jaden soaked in Wren''s words, then realizing the end statement''s meaning he started puffing up, ¡° I''d never le-¡± ¡° I wouldn''t dare to dream it, Jaden but the future is full of uncertainties. A little saying back home goes something like ''The devil laughs when man makes plans''.¡± ¡°Yeah, and my mum would say ''the devil stops laughin the moment man asks woman for help'',¡± Lilly added smugly, before looking a little sad. ¡°Sage advice,¡± Wren said, not a hint of sarcasm to be found, and quietly exited to the front of the pavilion as soon as Jaden started his own special brand of cheering Lilly up. *** ¡°So what''s the update, my bored and disgruntled hero?¡± Wren asked Glaucous as the former coasted in through the doors, determinedly ignoring the occasional intimate sound escaping Lilly''s side of the pavilion. ¡°Kushal, sends her deepest apologies for Jesni and Rabas'' unsanctioned assault on your good will and ill intent towards your personage, disavowing all knowledge of their intent,¡± Glaucous said dryly. ¡°I''d ask if you believe her but that''s just too insulting,¡± Wren spat. ¡° So, anything of substance mentioned besides pretty lies?¡± ¡°Aside from subtle probes on how far my protection of you extends and what I''d allow, no. To avoid further distractions for myself, I''ve temporarily restricted pavilion access to the Eldest and the Grand Teacher, aside from your family and mine. If there''s anything you''d like to discuss, do so now. Time grows short for my preparations.¡± ¡°There''s a couple of things actually but before that I want you to know that all you''ve done for me and mine leaves me with a feeling that simple apologies and words of gratitude can''t cover. If I ever have the chance, I''ll return that kindness to you as much as I can,¡± Wren said, mustering up as much sincerity as possible. ¡°Just do what you can for my son, that will be payment enough,¡± Glaucous said, already dismissing Wren''s words. Centuries of insincere ass kissers and passionate youths who grow conveniently forgetful with age has left you numb to such things huh? Then try this out for size! Wren sent to him, ¡°Glaucous Riverson. I, Wren Tidren, acknowledge a debt of grace between us. I offer my mark-,¡± Wren cut the ring finger of his left hand, letting a few drops of heart''s blood flow from it to condense his personal sigil, a fragile songbird surrounded by a golden circle with rain falling in a hexagon bordered background. He then infused it with with generous portions of each essence pool aside from LE ,which he limited to 1% dropping him to 25, and tied a third of his regeneration to each,¡°to serve you until that debt is paid tenfold, may the Circle of Creation bind it so.¡± ¡°A large portion of your burden is the building of a new home right? I may still be about as useful as a wet noodle in a fight at your level but I''m pretty confident in my abilities to help with that. And even though it rankles me to admit it, you''ll probably be able to use them a hell of a lot better than me right now,¡± A little weak, Wren sat down on the ground and leaned against the cave wall. Glaucous wordlessly held the mark in his hand for awhile, admiring it before taking it in.
Discovered: Calling Mark Creation
Allows the receiver to call upon an astral double of the maker, capable of utilizing authorized skills and abilities within the constraints of it''s creation. In accordance to the combined requests of the Celestial, Abyssal and Infernal hosts all related information up to and including the skill itself will not be officially recorded in the SYSTEM with the exceptions of the possession of calling marks, the realm classification of the mark''s creator and contractual obligations/limitations of use for the holder
¡°I did not think the archive''s record of Fae Ritual was complete enough for anyone to learn this.¡± a mildly stunned Glaucous said. ¡°It wasn''t but in combination with my class knowledge and my possession of a calling mark, I figured it out.¡± ¡°A moment,¡± Glaucous placed a finger up while he fell into deep thought for a moment. He then established mental communications and began, ¡°I, Glaucous Riverson, acknowledge a thrice-fold debt of pride to Wren Tidren. Each mark, according to my will, shall fit the debt and according to my will shall be released. Mark of Passage will be yours till after the flood has calmed and those who shelter in your care that carry my brothers blood, their debt to me a tithe to you. Mark of Faith will be yours till it''s miracle has been spent, in good faith kept and placed faith moved. Mark of Knowledge shall be yours till that which is in my possession has been thrice gained, centuries of idle pursuits.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Glaucous spent some time explaining the marks'' uses, discussing what he knew of bonds and throwing a few pieces of advice/directions at Wren before his eagerness to test out the new toy Wren''s calling mark represented to him, overcame his patience. He was painfully aware of the difference between raw power and limitless versatility. It was a lesson he had been learning for over 800 years. For a couple of weeks Wren simply focused on refilling his mark and taking it easy. Since he wasn''t all over the place he actually got to hang out with Troy and Lilly and even managed to get pretty chummy with Jaden, who was actually an adept conversationalist that had a patient enjoyment of academia, philosophy and psychology, once his libido was satisfied, and even managed to put Wren''s worries to rest on the whole birds and bees issue when it was dropped in a conversation that it would take some time for Lilly''s fertility to be restored after receiving a mysterious bride gift. On the whole marriage thing, Lilly was very conservative Catholic about it. When Wren asked about the ceremony, it was Jaden''s first time giving him the ''Are you stupid?'' look and Lilly didn''t seem to want to talk about it so, he let it drop. The only thing that broke the serenity of Wren''s self imposed active mark generator/pavilion exile, besides the night that Troy was making no bones about taking mental snapshots of Wren ''enjoying himself'' in the washroom, was when Rohn came calling about the awakening of his children. It shouldn''t have been a big deal. Since Wren said he''d do it he had every intention of still doing it. His feelings about the rest of Suncave aside, Rohn had been nothing but the soul of generosity and friendship from the moment they first met. He''d even been thinking about sending Jaden to ask why Rohn hadn''t come yet but figured if things were so awkward then it wouldn''t be so bad to wait till Glaucous was ready to relinquish his mark. The sight that greeted Wren after going to meet Rohn at the door had him shaking in rage. Rohn''s spiky hair had been shaved to the scalp, his body free of decorations or trappings of station except for a slender gold filigree chain around his neck and leading to his daughter''s hand. The lingering psychic connection revealed slightly dulled physical sensation, blurred emotions of shame and artificially enhanced excitement, topped with a persistent discomfort from his bound groin. Once Rohna had went through a memorized litany that triggered a bit of archive lore, she handed the chain to Wren and backed up a few feet to sit on a cushion an attendant had placed there for her. For Jakoby''s part, after performing something similar to a kowtow, he sat on a thick rug looking personally wronged. Arms akimbo Jakoby whispered, ¡°Do I really have to do this sister? He''s not my father by blood right? Isn''t that what Grandmother meant yesterday when she pardoned Rabas and mamma, that he was spared exile for my sake?¡± looking particularly pleased that Rabas might be his father. Don''t throttle the little shit, Wren. He''s just a spoiled boy who has no clue how much those words hurt Rohn. Even Rohn''s not holding it against him. As the attendant reminded Jakoby that this ceremony was to be carried in silence, Rohna''s carefully practiced passivity fell to pieces, ¡°What do you know, little brother? If not for father, you would be wearing a red sash! If not for father you would have been given into the care of the attendant your blood father allows you now for men''s pleasure, then forgotten... You, you''re an ignorant and arrogant little wretch! Do you think father would even be here if not for our sakes!? Did you not hear that to become a penitent he would be stripped of his eldest title or are you secretly pleased knowing you will have it handed to you in four years without formal challenge?,¡± Mist gathering in the corners of her eyes. ¡°What do you know sister! In little more than a seven day you''ll be someone else''s family a-and I won''t speak to you anymore! My wife will be matron and if you''re returned us, I-I''ll give you to my band to use as they please!¡± Jakoby shouted before he got up and stormed away. Before the attendant could try to stop him, Wren quoted ritual phrases, ¡° Let him go. His presence displeases me. It would also please me that matron-in waiting Rohna, should spend this time in comfort.¡± As much as it sat ill with him, led Rohn with the gold chain through the Riverside Pavilion doors, waving for Rohna to follow before shutting it in the attendant''s face. The attendant''s wails of Rohna not being allowed to be unescorted was answered with a sharp rebuff. ¡° She isn''t unescorted, she''s with her father you fucking idiot! You can tell your matron her back-handed peace offering has earned her my total disregard.¡± At that moment things started to click into place that were previously muddied. Wait, she can''t be this stupid. What the hell''s going on? When I see Rohn acting all subservient, it irritates me in a way that''s too familiar. Why can''t I remember? Somethings affecting me! What is this? Where''s it coming from?
Status removed: Bewitchment- subtle mental adjustment type. High difficulty to resist as it only amplifies natural thoughts and impulses
Statuses Remaining: Fading Name Curse- no information available
Shit! I set the status notifications too low! Wait, maybe I can do something about this. Lustitia, unfuck my mind...Can''t? Follow the psychic trail to the guilty party and fuck their mind? You can! Do it but leave enough to interrogate. Oh you can do that too? Oh, only at the same time? That''s fine... Oh, Psyduck used psychic attack? It was super effective!? Nice! Wren temporarily ignored the confused father and daughter pair, telling them to stay put as he started following the bread trail his Tulpa was leaving behind it. Why are you invisible to me? Seeing your form would make me uncomfortable? My inside and outside brain disagree about the form of my desires? Figures, I''m arguing with myself about something I can''t make up my mind about. Okay Psyduck, what''s the...No! No I do not get excited when I see ducks. We need to stop this before I give myself Schizophrenia. Not even if it makes my tulpas stronger! You''re dangerous. Wren caught up to the attendant halfway to the Sunshade Gazebo. The older male eunuch, disguised as a woman was writhing on the ground in pure ecstasy. It didn''t take very long to get the whole story out of him and get the curse taken off. A lifetime of brainwashing was bent and twisted in less than two minutes of pleasure he had never been allowed to experience. And though it turned Wren''s stomach in more than one way, he became this poor old man''s embodiment of earthly bliss to gain his loyalty. It was a slippery moral slope but Wren needed to use this old man to undo all the harm he had done. Fuck!. It had only taken a little less than three weeks to almost undo this whole clan. Things underneath the surface here are a hell of a lot more unstable than I originally thought. The Matron''s colossal stress and fear of slipping control made her a pretty juicy target. A scheming daughter-in-law and a seemingly loyal band runner who''s frustrated desires had long ago caused his brotherly love to take a dark turn, made for nice kindling to start a blaze that would have burnt this clan to ashes even after the flood had taken out the ones who wanted to benefit from it. Oh my god! Grimalkin! He''s been in the ''loving care'' of Grimshadow for over two weeks! Wren''s insides instantly knotted into tight agony over the thought of what might have happened to his ward. Wren had Lustitia dig their psychic talons as deep as they could into the old man''s mind and heart, just shy of crippling him. Not caring if it was a suicide mission or not, at the moment, with as much emphasis on balance between haste and stealth as possible, Wren ordered the old man to retrieve Little Gray. He sent off the eunuch with such a plethora of dark enticements upon success, that it almost looked like the man''s heart might not withstand it, before setting out in grim determination. Returning back to the Pavilion, crafting an invisible garrote wire on the way, Wren gave a quick and dirty breakdown of what was going on to Rohn. If everything''s been guided, this whole shit show''s probably a set up too. As his spectral servant sat up a trap, Wren released the joyfully flickering ball of light known as Solas to corrode any magically animated shadows or flash burn any intruders, the little guy turned an interesting hedronal shape and emanated a sense of righteous indignation. Dismissing spectral servant with a slightly more relaxed air after setting up a few precautions Wren bent to the task of clearing the drug out of Rohn''s system and finding him a set of decent clothes to wear, well, at least by Rohn''s standards. Wren even had enough time to change Jaden''s spare, embarrassingly exposing fundoshi, a deep purple using a bit of wine and switching the pattern from wavy to rays before a strange bubbly hiss sound came from the now opened doors. Damn it, I forgot to send Lilly a message at the practice yard. Jaden''s more than enough to keep her safe. Not that she really needs saving but still. She''s gonna be so pissed at me if I get murdered here. Well, sending a distress beacon out to the dynamic duo and my stalker at this point might make things more complicated. I''ve got this, probably. ¡°Release my daughter! Do you have any respect for our ways, outsider!¡± A shrill voice detonated into the peaceful ambiance. ¡°Why wait for permission. I doubt even The Riverson would allow a desecrator of law to use his sanctuary as a hideout for his iniquities. Remember what we practiced Jesni.¡± a snide and arrogant man''s voice joined in. ¡°We should wai-¡± the Matron attempted to say. ¡° You shouldn''t co-¡± Wren tried to get out before he, Rohn and Rohna were liberally coated in a spray of blood and pelted with four fingers of assorted lengths, two feet and nine pieces of diced intestines, which Rohna definitely got the worst of since she was the target. Everyone was frozen in disbelief. Damn you spacial calculation. Damn you HD clear, inter-dimensional memory. This isn''t like the movies at all! ¡° Fuck! Will you crazy bitches not cry till you see the coffin!?¡± Wren shouted with a touch of hysteria. As if Wren''s voice was some magical anti-paralysis charm, everyone began reacting at the same time; Rohn pulled Rohna behind him as he stared at the hanging, disemboweled corpse of his former friend, looks of wariness and sorrow warring for control. A heart wrenching cry of utter despair ripped from Jakoby as he gazed upon the mutilated object of his adoration. Jesni broke into a paroxysm of screaming murderous invective towards Wren, slightly foaming at the mouth before the Matron slapped her silent. ¡°What now?¡± The matron''s eyes locked onto Wren with cold, deadly calm. You''re asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?I think this definitely qualifies as a situation in need of a miracle. ¡°Rabas was right about one thing, Matron. There was a beguiler among us, it just wasn''t me.¡± Wren squeezed out between grinding teeth, eyes locked right back, focusing on outclassing the deadly since cold and calm were off the table. ¡°Unfortunately he''s not here to answer for what he''s done since he''s on his way back to Grimshadow to retrieve Grimalkin whom he helped to spirit away. And believe me when I say his fate, should he fail, will make Rabas'' look sweet kindness for it''s suddenness and lack of soul crushing despair.¡± ¡°Even you must see how convenient a situation this is for you, a situation terribly complicated for myself,¡± The matron said, using a hand to bar the way of the running band behind her. Wren had never had so many hostile eyes on him in his life. ¡°Then it seems I must show you proof now or this situation will become unsalvageable. Pity a little time and patience would have done the same without cost to myself,¡± Wren took a deep breathe before chanting out, hoping his unnecessary words would keep them from attacking till the effect activated, ¡° Riverson, I call upon your Mark of Faith to roll away mind''s fog to reveal and purify the stream of thought below from the poison of our enemies.¡± A blue sigil flashed too quickly to see as an illusionary avatar of Glaucous appeared in resplendent robes of azure and cyan hues. His right hand raised as if in benediction before a rippling pulse of blue light rolled out. Final Fantasy eat your heart out. Yeah, the wittiness isn''t helping me at all. A gasp of amazement arose from everyone but the Matron and Wren who never lost eye contact. That didn''t stop either of them from noticing that, as an additional effect, the blood and gore was removed as if it never existed. It didn''t do anything for the corpse or body parts though, as if anything, they looked even more ghastly bloodless. After a few more moments of standoff ticked by, like a mutual agreement they broke eye contact so that the Matron could start taking care of business, Jaden and Lilly arriving just in time to help care for some immediate concerns but with promises of questions galore and silent horror mirrored on their faces. After sharing a few quick words with the Matron, Rohn sent his daughter to the pavilion with Lilly as Jaden helped Rohn package up Rabas pieces. ¡°Wren, despite everything now being understood well enough, emotions will be running high and the band will be looking for someone to blame. It is needless to say that Rohn will be reinstated as Eldest and we will ensure that no one will be coming looking for trouble but it is perhaps best you do not leave the pavilion till you are ready to depart, for everyone''s sake,¡± the Matron said not unkindly but not exactly friendly either. As much as Wren wished to protest, he couldn''t disagree. Sometimes right and wrong just doesn''t matter. Current Character Status Updates
Warning: High Essence and Stamina consumptive profession. Utilize with extream caution edicated-Amalgam professions require two slots to protect mental stability.
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
( Sub- dimensional, Divergence [Y] and Source to Temporal Equity Management) This title, don''t leave home without it!
Warning: Avoid spiritual exhaustion. Utilize with extreme caution edicated-Amalgam professions require two slots to protect mental stability.
17- Thin Lines Between Late night, early morning, Wren was slowly pacing back and forth by the riverbank. After filling Troy, Lilly and Jaden on what had transpired on all the events they had missed and the subsequent discoveries made. They all discussed upcoming plans and how that day''s events would affect them, which ended up being a hell of a lot of no changes, just more vigilance and anxiety and after an uneasy silence that lasted for too long, Jaden and Lilly excused themselves to go find something more productive to do. Troy, despite his own bone weariness, stayed with Wren for as long as he could before he started falling asleep on his feet. As he stared at the solitary beam of moonlight scattering across and being lost within the faintly luminescent pebbles of the riverbed, he tried desperately to shake the images Rabas had indelibly seared into Wren''s memories. Those same images were overlapping, coloring and feeding on his worry over Grimalkin. Two weeks, two fucking weeks plus some. Anything could have happened, could be happening right now. No matter how I hash it, a frontal assault is suicide. I can''t even get Glaucous'' help with this one. He won''t do anything that touches the bottom line of his greater plan and if I tip it on purpose not only will I destroy the goodwill between us but I''ll endanger everyone''s lives. When it comes to it, I''d throw away the lives of strangers for those I consider my own, no matter how wrong it is. I''ll recognize that within myself, but I don''t even know if he''s still alive! The mark of faith needs some concrete idea to work off of, so that''s out for now. The mark of passage might get me there and back but I don''t know the place and walking in there blind would be no better than delivering myself and anyone who comes with me into Grimshadow''s hand. If they have access to people like that old mesmer it''s not far fetched to say they have a telepath or two, who fucking knows what they have!? I have that unknown calling maybe it can do something, I need to use it anyway before I leave. That''s what I''ll do if there''s no other options left. Damn it! I promised my friends that I''ll at least give that old shit the night to do what he can then I''m supposed to ask the Matron if there is anything she can do to solve this situation before I fly off the handle but what''s she gonna be willing to do, send a note saying ''pretty please can we have Little Gray back?'' Wren finally sat down after his feet got too tired, his logical mind asking him uncomfortable questions: Why was he trying so hard to save someone who might not even be alive? Were they so close that he''d bring who knows how many consequences down on the heads of all his friends and allies, possibly causing untold deaths if his actions tipped Glaucous'' hand, just for a chance to save Grimalkin? Was all of his concern that real or was it just some effort to sooth his conscience of the life he took or maybe some form of cognitive dissonance towards a person he had already threw so much effort into saving? An hour or two before dawn, Wren drifted into a mind weary doze on the bench. ¡°Wren, the Matron needs to see you immediately on a matter of importance. She''ll meet you at the Sunshade Gazebo,¡± Rohn''s grim face greeted him as he threw off the blanket someone had draped over him during his bench nap. ¡°Lead the way,¡± Wren said darkly, storm clouds building in the back of his mind. Not a word was said as they practically jogged to their destination. ¡° Considering all that has happened it is a regrettable duty I have to add to your burdens Wren but it has ever been that when dire situations arise a leader must be at their clearest, even more so when tragedy robs others of their wits...For, for what scant little it''s worth those of us who remember and follow the old ways grieve for all the lives of our brothers and sisters. I''ve sent for the Grand Teacher to help with what can be,¡± the Matron said as they approached the outer stone bench of the gazebo, the ominous large box on it and the Matron''s words temporarily sapping the energy out of Wren''s steps. The Matron torn between staying and leaving finally turned to leave after Wren approached and witnessed the contents: One decapitated head of old mesmer, one embossed vellum envelope, one... before his numbed mind even had a chance to take in the last content of the box, Wren lifted his head and said, ¡° Matron...wait.¡± lifting the head out of the box , Wren brought a rough clay bowl out of his storage to place it in before handing them to an attendant. ¡°You said your band needed a target for their hate. That''s the head of the one responsible for recent events but he was just as much a victim of Grimshadow as you or I, worse for not knowing anything other.¡± The Matron looked over her shoulder and gave a small nod before continuing, Rohn coming around to lift the box, likely with the intention of helping Wren transport it to the pavilion. ¡°No, Rohn. Thank you but I''ve got this,¡± Wren summoned the floating disk before placing the box on it. ¡°Do you need any...help with anything?¡± Rohn asked in frustrated concern. ¡°Like I said, I''ve got this. I just don''t feel up to... talking or anything right now,¡± Wren said as he started walking away, box in tow. Moving along at a snail''s pace, Wren gathered up his courage to face the remaining contents of the box. Shit! He''s still alive! Oh my god! How did he survive that? I, I don''t even know if it''s good or not but fine lets do this... Now jogging at a full sprint towards the sleeping quarters in the pavilion, Wren assessed the damage to Little Gray with a wisp of stabilizing life essence, starting to formulate his course of action. Four limbs and genitals, removed and cauterized. Eyes,ears, teeth and tongue removed. Major laceration along the spinal column, sixteen sectional pieces removed and covered in tar-like substance. Nineteen major and minor lacerations covered in tar like substance with nineteen circular burns to separate surface nerve bundle centers in the body. This is so far beyond me I don''t even know where to start. At least the internal organs and remaining skeletal structure outside of the spine is intact. Wren was momentarily struck with hopelessness as he gently lowered Grimalkin into the bed. He was aware that the Mark of Faith had enough power but he simply didn''t have enough understanding to direct it efficiently. Even if he used it all up there was little guarantee it would leave Grimalkin able to function as a normal person. Wait! That''s it! Wren activated the Mark of Knowledge to access what Glaucous knew of biology and healing, two of the three symbols winking out as Wren''s expanded inner mind started absorbing over a lifetime''s worth of casual pursuits on those topics. Even with the efficiency and expanded capabilities his mind possessed it was going to take time to digest. With little to do but wait and keep Little gray stable, Wren tried to grasp the fundamental principle that forced thoughts and feelings on him during ability fishing. It was too hard to contemplate complex things while most of his background mind was busy absorbing and incorporating the foreign information. Wren placed his forehead against Little Gray''s as he thought, ¡°Can you hear me Little Gray?¡± ¡°-smile feeling...warm belly feeling...Little Gray? That''s me, I''m Little Gray, Grimalkin, Graycat...Not 11-14.¡± ¡°It''s me, Little Gray. It''s Wren. Hang tight buddy, I''ll get you fixed up.¡± ¡°-place at side... I don''t deserve... I failed... caught...the progenitor, no...father gave pill, no pain...to let go, die... Don''t want to die... live, come back to side, side waiting...still want, but fail...bird boy, hurting smile feeling, tight chest feeling, brother... I want my brother!¡± ¡° If you want to live then live. I''ll be right here till you open those dull ass black peepers of yours.¡± ¡°Am alive... thought dead... no feeling not shadowland...pill poison, slow breath, slow heart...heart stops.¡± ¡°I''m healing that now. It''s fine.¡± ¡°then pain comes... pain stops heart...hands and feet itch, burn... on fire? Hurts... all over fire! * whimper * .¡± Those insidious sons of bitches! They knew! They knew I''d try to heal him. That by my own hand I''d remove the only mercy he''d been allowed and trying to save him, I''d end him. But wait, if that was all this trap amounted to, what if I''d come crying and begging to Glaucous first? Not really knowing which precautions to take, Wren summoned Tartarus, a light absorbing ball of darkness springing into existence. The only thing he''d ever been able to figure out about this guy is that up to an area roughly two feet in diameter could be sealed off as if it was somewhere far away, likely the Void if it''s sprite origin''s name had any meaning. The ability wouldn''t even activate if a living being was breaching the perimeter of that area and it wouldn''t cut through anything more substantial than loose sand. Though, once it was active, Wren could summon whatever was stored in it. Then again this would be the first time bringing the guy out while he was... agitated. It felt hungry. Wren summoned the Mark of Faith. As soon as he finished formulating the idea of ''soothing pain for a small time on target'', he let it recall. The slow rippling, solitary wave of power lapped against Grimalkin, triggering an immense change of aura. A deep, malignant presence uncoiled from it''s hiding place within, striking faster than the eye could follow towards the spot where the mark had previously stood. Once there, it milled listlessly looking like a nebulous, marble sized wound in reality. ¡°Wren, what''s wrong? I sensed something really bad happening over here. Are you alright?¡± Lilly shouted out. Wren reached out and sent for her not to come closer and to send Jaden back as the malignant force started to stir, drifting towards the direction of the pavilion cave doors. No, you don''t! Tartarus, you want it!? It''s yours... Shit!Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Like a blood hound that had sensed it''s prey, the reality wound darted towards the door aiming for a blue face that was cautiously peeking in. Wren didn''t have the time to give warning. Neither did Jaden have time to so much as form a surprised look before the wound was isolated in a space not even inches from his face. Tartarus, issuing forth an obscene amount of possessiveness, joined it within the isolated space and began drawing it in like a black hole devouring a star of ugliness out of existence. Taking itself and it''s prey, it returned to a deep place of hollow isolation that was somehow within Wren yet elsewhere. Breaking out in a visible cold sweat, Jaden said in an unsteady voice, ¡°W-what w-was that?!¡± ¡°The reason I sent to Lilly for you to keep your stupid ass away!¡± Wren snapped, his nerves frayed to the breaking point. Taking a deep breath he continued, ¡°Sorry, Jaden. I didn''t really mean for it to come out like that but this is a really bad time for questions. Grimalkin''s in the pavilion and he''s in a bad way. I need to focus on that right now. If you want to stay you can but please give me space and silence.¡± This fucking nightmare is never ending and any misstep is gonna send me or someone I''m supposed to be keeping safe spiraling towards death, maybe something worse. Note to self: next time you find yourself on the shit end of a political dispute, grab yourself up by the waistband of your jockstrap and hightail it. Second note to self: Damn if Troy wasn''t right. Now that I''ve gotten used to it I can''t imagine wearing any other kind of undies. Not that I''ll admit it to him, the smug sonofabit-. I must be close to fucking hysterical, having stray thoughts like that. Get your shit together and save the little guy. Ya scatterbrained twat! Returning back to Grimalkin, Jaden and Lilly in tow, Wren bent to the nearly endless task before him. As useful information came in, Wren put it into play. Lilly lasted all but three minutes before the dire situation before her was too much to bear and exited, as the horrors of today and the day before wrenched choking sobs from her disillusioned heart. After bolstering Wren''s flagging stamina using some kind of martial technique, Jaden shuffled out to join her, making all kinds of potentially hollow promises on Wren''s behalf to sooth her. In the beginning Wren split his attention between keeping Grimalkin calm and diffusing the myriad different time bombs his ''good friends'' gifted the poor kid. After being reasonably sure that the boy going unconscious wouldn''t put him in a coma, Wren finally bid him rest and got to work in earnest: PE to pull things together, AE to pin them in place, EE to replace the resources the body was missing and small wisps of LE to take the EE constructs over the line into organic status. Through it all, Wren had to accept a grim fact. Maybe one day he could bring back what was totally gone but that day wasn''t today. Right now he lacked the full integration of knowledge, the experience and most importantly the power to reconstruct a fully organic construct, from just a theorized model up, in something as complex as a person''s body part. If anything like this happened again, even under less traumatizing levels, he wouldn''t have something as nifty to fall back on as a Mark of Faith. He needed to get better, be better before a similar situation came around again. He was convinced one need not be a prophet to know it would. It was late evening by the time Wren was finished, all his pools but one nearly exhausted, the Mark of Faith dropped slightly below the quarter line and LE at a worrying 23%. Despite knowing he had a calling to do that would drop it even lower and being under 20% was bad for him he still thought of it as worthwhile. Once Grimalkin had awoken and found himself extremely weak but whole he clutched at Wren with the ferocious strength of a newborn kitten, not wanting to let go. Too tired to come up with a good reason to pull off the clutching hands and crawl to his own bed, Wren climbed in with Little Gray and let the, hopefully temporarily, emotionally age regressed youth curl into Wren''s chest and sob himself back to sleep. The faint dampness slowly seeping through his shirt and the litany of faintly mumbled, half scared and half hopeful, words Grimalkin continued, even in his sleep, had Wren subconsciously holding him tighter as Wren drifted off. As he woke up just shy of the next morning, uncomfortably warm, unable to move and with a front covered in tear stains and a bit of snot, Wren slowly and carefully untangled himself from the pair of clingy people and let them substitute him for each other. A move that might have minor consequences but he had to piss and wanted to clean up. He knew he didn''t pull it off perfect as the frowning but accommodating Troy lazily reached out and drew Little Gray over, tousling the smaller guy''s stiff hair before going back to sleep. About a quarter of an hour and a patiently waiting Rohn later, he knew he was in for another wearying day. After Jaden had sufficient time to freak out about the scary reality wound that almost got intimate with his face, roughly five minutes after Lilly got herself together, which in turn was roughly ten minutes after Wren had fallen asleep, he called on his father to ask about it. After talking it over for a whopping 10 seconds, Glaucous apparently recognized it right away which sent him into a rage so profound he nearly scrapped his plans, to come pick up his son and his son''s wife and spirit off to let everyone else sink or swim so to speak. Ephyra may have been the deciding factor on that one since she volunteered to take up residence in the pavilion for the next couple of days to hold down the fort, something she had never done before and likely had a lot to do with how pleased she was with her pupil. ¡°And I''m the one telling you all this because this will possibly be the last day you will not be busy before the Blood Sharing Ritual. The Grand Teacher will be caring for Grimalkin today, if you allow it. And if it is at all possible, I would like you to awaken my daughter. I would ask for my son as well but it seems he has declined the possibility and I cannot convince him otherwise. I know you have spent a-,¡± Wren interrupted Rohn as it looked like he wouldn''t be winding down anytime soon. ¡°Do you know what I did for Little Gray yesterday? Please let me explain since you may be under a false impression, I did not stabilize him, make him comfortable and grieve over his mutilated body, hoping that Glaucous would come save him. If I had, the nasty that almost axed Jaden would have hit his dad instead. With the help of something that Glaucous left for me I healed him, restored him and spent last night letting him shudder out some of the horrific things he''s been through over the past couple of weeks. He''s a mess, Rohn I can''t leave him, so the answer is-¡± Wren paused for a moment, Rohn already looking dejected but he paused because he felt his calling mark break. Wondering if it was out of gratitude he felt it return with a full boat including a little more LE than it left with. Then a whole plethora of experiences that the astral double had been through began lining up in his mental queue. ¡°-yes but you''ll have to bring her here. Don''t worry about the previous situation because it has properly been diffused and even if Grimalkin''s not really stable at the moment he''s too weak to be any harm. Not likely to go that way in any case. ¡°I told you I''d do it and I''d just as soon get this out of the way before I''m run ragged myself. But even if I couldn''t have done it today I would have been looking for a way to do it between or after whatever else. I have no intention on just dipping out without clearing the table, brother Rohn... No thank yous or whatnot, just go. Oh, and tell the Grand Teacher he''s probably got better things to do than come running over to play nurse maid so he can attend to them instead, with my gratitude of course.¡± Instantly perking up, Rohn shot over his shoulder as he took off, ¡° I''ll be to it then brother Wren. How are you always saying? Let''s get this show on the road!¡± Wren scrounged up a bite to eat for three before he walked back to the rest area, determined to squeeze a little fun out of this grim scenario. ¡°Up and at em'' Troy! You don''t want your teacher catching you sleeping in when she''s paying a personal call.¡± Grimalkin''s frantic but ineffectual scramble of terror already had Wren regretting his decision. How fucking stupid can you be Wren, if anybody qualifies for PTSD it''s this guy! Wow, this dude''s tough. Got his shit together in under five seconds flat and staring down the plate in my hand like it might grow legs and run away. Conversely, Troy seemed to be getting edgier by the second. ¡°Ephyra''s coming here!? Wren listen up. She was a man eater, in the literal sense. If she found a guy she liked, especially ones with some supernatural quality to them, she''d seduce them then eat them to strengthen her next batch of young. Just, Just don''t flirt with her okay? If she took you serious then even The Riverson might not be able to save you.¡± ¡°Alright, dude. It''s not like I was planning on banging your teacher,¡± Wren said wryly. ¡°You''re not taking this seriously and you should. I am the way, you know, I am and she almost had me. It shouldn''t take you too long to figure out when that was. Her instincts, sometimes, are hard for her to ignore. That''s one of the reasons she never really came out here,¡± Troy said, an edge of desperation in his tone. ¡°Alright, Troy. Seriously noted. Do you think it''s a problem that Rohn is coming with his daughter? Or, for that matter, is it a problem that Little Gray here is well, here?¡± Wren said, picking up a bit of the tension that Troy was laying down. ¡°I don''t think she''d be coming without having taken some precautions of some kind first. She''s thorough about things she commits to doing, Like OCD thorough,¡± Troy said, starting to calm down. ¡°Are you warning your beloved of my imminent danger?¡± said the most beautiful voice Wren had ever heard in his life. Luckily for him, his primary mind and even his very spirit resided in an alternate space buffer so the supernatural quality was noted but not connected to directly. Wren grabbed Grimalkin by the shoulder and pushed him back down into the bed as his ward tried to crawl out. He shoved the plate of food in front of his face hoping the pressing need of hunger would weaken the voice''s hold. It was effective. ¡°Little Gray, eat this, rest and drink plenty of water. Those are your only duties today besides relieving yourself. The chamber pot is a bit old fashioned, I suppose, but it will serve the purpose.¡± Wren directed ¡°Will you be going far brother Wren?¡± Grimalkin got out between spoonfuls of boiled and sweetened wheat germ. ¡°Not far enough where I can''t hear you if you call out, not for the whole day,¡± Wren offered with an awkward attempt at a comforting smile while Grimalkin slowly nodded. ¡° Well Troy, introduce me to your teacher,¡± Wren said, switching to a stony face, which seemed to calm down Troy immensely since it meant he was zero affected. On a shoal rock with pearly sheen, that had appeared right next to the dark hole in the river, sat a figure out of a fairy tale. Slender but curvy with long, silvery hair that framed a heart-shaped face and ruby lips, if not for the impossibility of it she could have doubled as the youthful mother of Wren''s new body. The realization of which, nearly choked Wren as he coughed a couple of times to clear his throat. ¡°If you''re thinking what I was when I first saw Mistress Ephyra, couldn''t she just though?¡± Troy said with a touch of Schadenfreude on his face. ¡°This is the second time that I''ve received that reaction since I''ve deigned to touch upon the realm of mortals, both by men and one after the other. This is starting to hurt my pride a little. If it is for the same reason as my pupil I must inform you that it is impossible for me to bear sons and I only look as I do because of a persistent glamour that slightly modifies my form to better hunt my prey. Do you understand my meaning, young master Wren?¡± Ephyra said, glancing mischievously at her disciple. Wren shot a glance at Troy who seemed to be checking out the interesting patterns in the crystal lined ceiling of the cave. I kinda already figured it out but still, it''s one thing to think and quite another to know. Though it doesn''t freak me out nearly as much as it would have a month ago, I kinda can''t help but wish he''d had a crush on one of his football buddies like most self-hating closet Jocks. Rolling with it, Wren said, ¡°Well at least from Troy''s perverted fantasies'' perspective calling you mom wouldn''t be off base,¡± Wren returned the ball back to Ephyra, hoping she had a little sense of humor like Glaucous. Peals of chime-like laughter rolled around the strange acoustics of the River widened cavern. ¡°I have often heard it said that a teacher for a day is a parent for life. In such a case, responding to your call of mom with son-in-law wouldn''t be ''off base'' in similar fashion. Wouldn''t you agree?¡± responded Ephyra, wiping the smirk off Wren''s face. ¡°I don''t think I''d like playing chess with you madam,¡± Wren said bitterly, wanting to reply with something far more harsh. ¡°Since I mastered Shatranj before your ancestors tired of raiding each others'' villages and reproducing more through rape than consensual marriage, then yes. I suppose you wouldn''t,¡± Ephyra briefly relished the look of frustration on Wren''s face before continuing, ¡° But enough verbal games. Serious words are to be had and much work is left to do before my heart''s sister''s grandson returns. Let''s begin, shall we.¡± 18-A Little Surprise ¡°There are many things to do starting tomorrow so I''m giving you the day off, Troy. I would suggest resting up... Wren, your life energy is low but more alarming than that is your Spiritual energy. I mean, it would be fine if you were a human but you''re practically hollow...Well, I should say was. What have you been eating?¡± Ephyra said after launching directly into her diatribe of duties complete with succinct schedules and summaries. ¡°Um, my void tulpa, Tartarus ate the scary reality wound thingy,¡± Wren added lamely. Ephyra''s alternating amusement and seriousness flipped to a look of pure horror. ¡° You ate a god killer curse and you''re fine!?¡± ¡°Is that what it was? So, should I be worried?¡± Wren said as his insides started twisting in a familiar pattern of anxiety. ¡°It is made from the suffering and hatred of 108 mortals willing to sacrifice their souls to kill their once loved deity, at least this version is. It''s not really capable of killing a being who''s experienced apotheosis but it''s capable of crippling or even killing a demigod and most definitely capable of taking out their mortal progeny in a way that would leave no chance for revival. Any other mortal being who touched it would have their life snuffed out like a candle. I''d say, if something bad was going to happen it would have. It does raise some interesting questions on what the exact difference is between sprites, astral forms and these tulpas that you have. Whatever the cause of such a mysterious transmutation, it is supplementing your dregs of spiritual energy in a container so large you were slowly evaporating in it. Your current form was shaped, correct? At the level such a being would have to be at to do such a thing, it is either an insane genius who had a great deal of faith in your ability to adapt to terrifying problems or a lucky moron. My wager would be on desperate, though what kind of desperate would cause a being of at least my level of power to snatch up a mortal and sacrifice some if not all of it''s ability to reproduce naturally to forcefully restructure you into it''s own progeny is beyond me... Oh, excuse me.¡± Ephyra stopped her lecture with a look on her face like she had suddenly developed a particularly intense bout of indigestion. Moving herself in a squatting position, thankfully away from them, she held up an index finger in the universal sign for ''wait a moment'' as she grunted a few times followed by the discernible sound of something striking the water. Wren, not knowing what the etiquette of such a situation should be maintained polite eye contact with the nearly self proclaimed deity, while Troy kept his eyes glued to the water in morbid curiosity. ¡°Apologies. As preparations for possibly dealing with many mortal men who may be friendly to my god-grandson I fertilized a clutch, only one egg formed sadly. After laying a clutch my desire to reproduce is controllable for decades. Now where was I?¡± As Troy watched the egg roll precariously around the dark hole by the strangely pearlescent rock he asked, ¡°And you don''t seem to care what happens to it? If it''s not too hard to take care of maybe I could?¡± It''s fine? Without a school it likely will not survive to hatch anyway. I could see why the two of you might be interested in it,¡± she said with casual disinterest. ¡°Um, why would we both be interested?¡± Wren said warily as Troy waded out after the egg like it was a new toy to play with. ¡°Oh, I suppose that was a bit presumptuous of me. Most men who survive my affections usually show interest in that particular clutch. I assumed that since you would know how this pathetic, one egg, clutch formed after your calling mark returned, you might show the typical reactions of concern. I have to say, after preparing to tolerate inane ranting, I''m pleasantly surprised,¡± she said with a relieved smile. Breaking out in a cold sweat, Wren shouted, ¡°Troy, you might not want to be rolling it around your arms or do any other kind of ball tricks. Just bring it back carefully...please.¡± Troy, sensing through the bond, a tinge of hysteria missing from his voice, did as he was told, looking a little put out. To keep her talking on a subject she obviously did not have any interest in, he couched his questions in the manor a new pet owner might ask care instructions of a pet store shop attendant and to keep from having, what was likely to be a totally different kind of meltdown, he made sure to move back the personal experiences of his call mark to the back of the queue for now. The casual academic approach to the rearing of her young managed to hold her attention for a few minutes before she insisted getting back on task. And after taking the egg away from Troy with a promise of an explanation, placing it in the center of the energy pools of his storage, that''s exactly what they did. ¡°My God-grandson thinks it prudent for you to take Jaden and claim his inheritance in light of the current problem. He has made a personal request for you to build a sturdy, temporary shelter for him and his wife on the surface to wait out the next few days after you are finished. I''ll reinvigorate your convalescing friend so he can accompany you. Troy will stay to help me with duties here and complete his training as best as possible given the time constraint. More like become a hostage to ensure I return and not run off till all the crazy genocidal cleansing is done you mean. And as long as I don''t burst that innocent bubble of his, he gets to keep benefiting. I read you loud and clear. No worries, I have a mission to complete and a personal vendetta to settle. The knowing and slightly frosty smiles being shared between the two had Troy giving a slightly annoyed look at them. ¡°Since you have friends on the way, I''ll attend to my duties. Troy I believe that you''ll learn immensely from observing my activities over the next few days. You''ll be one of a few mortals to witness two events that esteemed scholars of magic have declared an impossibility outside of the divine. I''m afraid I''ll have to insist on soul bindings of secrecy though. Farewell for now, and if we chance to not meet again Wren, enjoy the frustrating privilege of rearing my daughter.¡± Ephyra said before slipping down the river sinkhole. ¡°I''m the one who asked for it,¡± Troy mumbled to no one in particular while sulking. Troy settled on spending a good portion of his precious break catching up on some sleep, which was fine with Wren since he needed time to not only finally discharge his promise to Rohn but also to sift through the memories of his calling mark to find out just what the hell those two crazy immortals did with it. With Troy and Little Gray sawing logs, Wren had a much needed hour of quiet contemplation he determinedly spent with the queue off and pushing any and all worries out of his mind before Rohn showed up with Rohna. ¡°Greetings, brother Wren. You look a great deal more calm than I saw you this morning,¡± Rohn said, not sure if it was a good or bad sign. ¡°It''s amazing what a single hour of peace can bring you if you spend it right.¡± Wren said dryly. ¡°Then I don''t wish to take any more of your time of peace than necessary. Such time will likely be of short supply in the coming days,¡± Rohn said decisively as he went into standby mode with the precision of a trained soldier. After sharing a minimum of social niceties and after extending a vastly unnecessary amount of apology, sorrow and praise that was sincere enough to count as genuine for a fourteen year old she and Wren were more than ready to begin. With an egregious, to the point of redundant, knowledge of the biology pertaining to any bloodline this girl might have and a great deal more experience in the manipulation of it beyond his own intuitive fumbling, it took no more than ten minutes and a lot less essence expenditure to accomplish near triple the positive results he fished from Rohn. Some of that, he had to admit, was also because she was still in formative years. Leaving her to rest on the divan in the viewing portion of the pavilion, Wren asked Rohn to take a walk with him while explaining everything he''d done, serving the dual purpose of giving Rohn a heads up of everything to expect but also to give him an edge in controlling the development of his young teenage girl. Rohn attentively listened as Wren explained, ¡°She shares your talent for shadow conjuring but unlike yours it''s pure and in later years she will be much more powerful. Additionally, she will live for a long time. If I was to wager a guess it would be about three to four-hundred years. I''ve teased apart the restrictions on her fertility and significantly increased her pregnancy survival chances.¡± After going over a few more surprises that might pop up, Wren took a few minutes to clean up his previous work on Rohn. He drummed up a bit more life extension, increased fertility and even managed to awaken an energy inefficient but instantaneous short range shadow to shadow teleportation. As a topper gift he jotted down what shadow conjure models Glaucous had inadvertently given him with a cajoled promise to learn them thoroughly before teaching them directly to his daughter along with a summary of how to stimulate the awakening of essence pools he could use on his son. Let no one say I don''t keep my damn promises... Well, from here on out, let no one say I don''t keep my promises. Sorry, mom. An overcome Rohn gave words and a few material gifts of thanks paired with an overly long hug. And if Rohn''s not so little soldier rising to salute, before Wren broke said hug, was anything to go off of, he had an obvious desire to show a more intimate form of gratitude. After collecting his daughter, as he was walking away, Rohn said, ¡°Since the beauty doesn''t wish to be conquered by this warrior, I guess I''ll have to put your gifts to good use, insuring that you have plenty of nieces and nephews to spoil in the future. If you were even a touch more pushy, you and I wouldn''t be able to stay good brothers anymore, Rohn. After waking Little Gray and getting him to drink some water and take a few bites of mashed fruit with bean paste, Wren helped him relieve himself and wiped him down before letting the winded Grimalkin drift back to sleep. *** After three or four good hours of evening spent, I decided to open my journal for a quick update. You know that egg thing right? Well, after digesting the memories of my call mark astral double, about said creation, I was more than a little perturbed. After throwing a righteous shit fit over the God-killing curse, and some stern prompting from Ephyra, he wanted to put a few counter measures in place.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Being the considerate but ultimately EQ cripple that he is, Glaucous realized I would probably need my full capabilities at any moment and the only way that Ephyra could fill in for him here was to address her instinct issue so he came up with a ridiculous win-win-win. You see, he had some steam to blow off and she had an itch she needed scratched before she was safe for work and I still had about two more weeks worth of slave labor left on the mark. The only rub was that even though I had ''Outsider Energy'' (what they call Eldritch Essence) in my mark to temporarily make my double a ''real boy'' with, my double had zero spiritual essence outside of the scant little the astral realm granted it for stability, not to mention next to zero LE in it since Glaucous had been having a blast playing around with enchantments he knew but had no way of using without squandering ''Faith''. Being the highly efficient and non fuck giving entity she is, Ephyra had apparently collected enough of Troy''s ''esteem'' ,caused by an earlier incident of mine, (refer to inner journal 1) to serve as a vessel for spiritual essence and also serve as a solid organic base to fill in the spaces my double''s EE provided blanks apparently have. After a little mystical mumbo-jumbo later my double was ready for rock and roll. Soooo, the extra special kick in the metaphorical tender spot to this horror story (from my perspective at least) was that while Glaucous was stuffing my double''s turkey he started complaining about how he couldn''t truly enjoy ''giving in to his impulses'' with something he didn''t have to worry about breaking because my double''s life like movements and prerecorded stock phrases weren''t doing it for him. Taking that as an official order of his summoner, astral me sent a request to, my then sleeping, self to requisition Lustitia who has just enough self awareness to answer the request without conscious me''s approval. Apparently, subconscious me doesn''t care about shit when I''m sleeping except to stay that way till my body and brain tell it different. Imagine Glaucous'' surprise (or better...don''t) when all of a sudden his lovely little destruction resistant blow up doll flairs up to bat shit crazy levels of active participation as Lustitia told the base personality to scoot over to the passenger seat and shut the fuck up (it had this covered.) Oh, and get this,anything (and I do mean anything) that isn''t a direct threat to it''s existence revs it up, the more intense the better. Fear? Loves it. Pain? Craves it. Humiliation? Begs for more. The only thing Lustitia even tried to fight against was the end of Ephyra''s turn at bat and that, conversely, only made it more enjoyable for her! The only thing that kept this from becoming a full force rape trauma for me is that the real me is just a passive observer. I even have a fast forward button but did I think of using it, paralyzed in ''watching slow motion train wreck mode''? No. Sadly I did not. Now I can''t erase the things I saw Lustitia make my doppelganger do and say, which I found far more disturbing than when Ephyra turned this BDSM instructional video into a snuff film. In my opinion, that was the best part since that meant it was over! Nooow to the little guy. After watching the ''banned in all fifty states and all but a few countries'' masterpiece my call mark crafted for me and definitely not holding myself and crying a little (no witnesses, no proof,) I still had a good hour or two before nerves and excess energy would let me rest...When I first took out the egg all I intended on doing was just running a bit of essence through it, just see what it looked like under the hood, but when I saw that a touch of Glaucous'' residual energy in it had it''s structure color coded and tabbed like a factory S.O.P. I felt like kissing the bloody mangled corpse of him in my mind. Now before I did anything to the innocent little bystander, I will admit to a couple of dark thoughts that were quickly dismissed like; ''If I hadn''t asked that first question and Troy hadn''t fetched it like a damn golden retriever then it would have rolled to oblivion without either of us being the wiser.'' and ''Troy doesn''t know anything yet so if I released it back into the wild he might be a little miffed but he''d forget about it eventually, probably''. Even though I''m an official pro-choicer, unofficially I just couldn''t do it. In an evil mad scientist kind of way, it was my kid, sorta. Well, it was sorta Troy''s too but I like to deal with existential crisis'' one at a time. Ultimately I decided that if I was gonna claim the bugger I was gonna do what I could to give it as fair a shake as possible, at least by my standard of fair. Feel free to disagree, inheritor but keep in mind my position at the time before judging. Now, it''s not as if I had a chromosomal map printed out but because of the tabs I clearly knew what came from whom and my intuition feelings gave me clear enough clues on what all the outer and middle tabs did. Why the tabbed binder metaphor instead of pond and fish you might be asking? Simple, a conglomerate of dividing cells doesn''t have a ''pond'' and technically all the ''fish'' are close to the surface. Changing it''s developmental destiny was so easy, in fact, it was frightening. The only thing that made it hard was just how delicate the thing was. Pull a tab too hard or the wrong one and all the pages will fall out of the binder making it like it never was. We''ll just pretend the factory''s floor is lava so the metaphor works okay... moving on. The first thing that popped in my mind when I was trying to figure out what I should do, if anything, was Ephyra''s statement that she never had boys, a clear indicator that changing this one fact would send a whole slew of her pages to the bottom of the binder where they won''t be read. It was also a clear indicator that it was a seriously heavy change capable of spilling all the pages. Lucky for me I still had miracle juice and my intuition was screaming that Glaucous, in his ''leave it to fate'' kinda way, left this color coding tab system for me. This was a bit inferred, on my part, but I took it as his unspoken agreement that leaving this kid to develop ''au naturel'' was bad and nobody would object except maybe the mother who didn''t care at all, (an assumption I didn''t know was wrong until a few moments ago but I''ll get to that.) The other idea my intuition was strongly reacting to positively, was that said ''miracle juice'' (formally known as the stuff inside the Mark of Faith) would be highly responsive to aiding me and a hella safer to use. Sending a brief prayer of forgiveness to the goddess of feminism I called on the mark to ensure my little omelet would have a wiener, with a whispered promise that in the future I would let any more kids I have be what randomness or the creator intended their gender to be, as long as it didn''t make them instinct driven cannibals. From a genetic perspective, this knocked the balance to me having a solid half with the other half being a non-existent child of Troy and Ephyra. I was cool with that until I saw the details of what that balance was. Imagine an effeminate Aqua Man. Nuff said. I wanted to give the zygote the best I could without getting too handsy and pissing fate off so I thought about it and came to this somewhat biased and assumptive conclusion: I had the best race given power growth potential. Troy had the best physique (at least for what I thought most dudes would want to look like) and Ephyra had the best spiritual strength (I mean, I don''t know how much that''s expressed genetically but it''s gotta be there somewhere right?) The first change took next to nothing from the mark, this change took it down to a fifth. After making sure nothing was tragically out of place I quit. Good or bad, right or wrong I was done. Last score seen before turning off the T.V.: On the pure genetic scale superficially it looked like Troy and I were a 55/45 him dominant split, poor Ephyra reduced to a surrogate eggshell maker. On the energy spectrum though, I have a sixty, Ephyra has a twenty-five and poor Troy weighs in at a ten with Glaucous having five. Well, I was kind of using his ''Faith'' as a medium for change. That''s gonna leave a fingerprint, like the one my split thumb left on the shell. Back into the incubator you go, little man. An incubator that might be it''s home for quite some time, or not. Originally it could take years to hatch After a bumbling Troy made his way to me I broke the news gently... by ripping the band-aid off with mach force. Following ''You''re gonna be a daddy'' with ''No seriously and this is why...'' according to some is not that gentle. Am I the only person who sees swift delivery as mercy? Okay he''s calm enough to be reasonably rational and start to notice I''m not really listening to his repetitive monologue. There was one little tidbit about Ephyra not really being a bad mom that was good to know. It''s just that she typically laid in the upwards of dozens in a clutch and they take a long time to be more than just animals. She just picked her survivors back up once they awakened sapience to guide them. A little piece said in her defense, before waltzing back to his own self-pity Peace out. *** ¡°Like I said, Ephyra said that these eggs can take years, even a decade to hatch. Pushing it closer to our side of the equation is not gonna change that too much, probably,¡± Wren started strong but finished weak. ¡°Just a me thing, but I really don''t like it when you say something like it''s fact and end it like you don''t really know,¡± Troy said testily. Wren sighed, ¡°Fair enough. I''d promise to stop doing it but I don''t want to make promises I might break just because I forgot I made them.¡± ¡°You know, as much as I used to pretend to be the player everyone thought I was, I was so careful not to knock a girl up. I was scared of being stuck in a relationship like my parents,¡± Troy said, looking like he was winding back up. ¡°Um, what girl are you being stuck with?¡± Wren said, trying to throw a cog in Troy''s thought process. ¡°I, You know what I mean-¡± ¡° I do and you''re so freaked out you''re tilting at windmills.¡± ¡°What does that mean!?¡± ¡°Old literary reference. Not that important. What is important is this...Would you rather I not told you?¡± Wren posed. ¡°I, I don''t know.¡± ¡°After you''ve spent a day or two chewing it over, get back with me. If I spoon fed you the answers now it would just piss you off, even if I was right. Hell, especially if I''m right. Nobody likes a know it all,¡± Wren let out a sigh before continuing, ¡°For my part, I fixed him up some and put him in my extra pool room to incubate. Everything else is a question for another day, when thinking about things with a clearer head will actually accomplish something. It''s how I''ve been dealing with all the other crazy shit that''s been happening since we got here. ¡°They did all that to you, I-¡± ¡°Troy, that was my stunt double. It disturbed the hell right out of me but ultimately I was watching uncensored reality T.V. That said, I see no reason why we can''t be mad at the two beings that could crush us with a sneeze, do you? Let''s go down swinging!¡± Wren said, trying a half smile on for size. Fuck it. Give a little ground to cheer him up. ¡°Gay couples back home would have to pay out the nose for what we got for free, a surrogate child with both our DNA. Take it like this, a mysterious sea princess gave us a magical baby egg. Better than that male pregnancy stuff my niece showed me from a Japanese comic once. Now that''s shit''s scary... I''d ask where it''s supposed to come out from but I don''t think I want to know!¡± Wren finished up by throwing an arm over Troy''s shoulder, finally getting some emotionally positive feedback, ¡°So is that what we are now, a couple?¡± Troy asked a little too energetically for Wren''s liking. Okay. Gave a little ground, draw a new line. ¡°If you feel a need to slap a label on it... Doesn''t mean I give you the right to get bent out of shape if I hit on girls. Doesn''t mean I''m ready to sword fight with you quite yet either. What it does mean, is that you can warn off other guys that look like they want to be more than friends. It means if I wake up with a flashlight poking in my back, I''ll just bunch up the covers instead of freaking out and that as long as you don''t make it too obvious I don''t mind you peeking on me when I''m cleaning up. Hell, if I''m in a good mood I might even put on a show but don''t count on it.¡± Suddenly feeling inspired, Wren said, ¡°And when the day comes I''m down with bum darts, until I can find a steady girl that accepts us, you better be ready for some target practice. I''ll never feel like just being your bitch is enough. You got me?¡± There, putting the shoe on the other foot should buy m- ¡°Um, yeah...sure, that''s cool,¡± Despite not being able to look Wren in the eye, there was no hesitation. ¡°Well, since you napped most of the day away, you''re probably wired for sound but I gotta get some quality sleep tonight. Going topside tomorrow. Would you mind making sure Little Gray gets some water in him and has a chance to take care of business before doing your thing, if ''Chick of the Sea'' doesn''t do her thing for him soon? ¡± Wren said. ¡°I guess but if you''re going to lay down, could I hold you while you fall asleep?¡± Troy asked a little sheepishly. ¡°For all thirty seconds that''ll take? Sure. Just...try to keep your rifle in the gun case, alright?¡± And except for a few minutes of unavoidable interruption, when Ephyra made good her word to fix up Grimalkin, the night was peaceful, despite Troy not being able to honor Wren''s last request. 19-Oh Brother! A couple of times dropping in on Lilly during romps is enough to either break someone of eavesdropping habits or completely endear them to it. I''ll be the first to admit that for two inexperienced youngins they sure are some creative little rabbits. Not that I''d ever let them know I was aware of the stuff they get up to. I like my limbs where they''re attached, thank you very much. As far as jumping in on Troy, it''s too damn intense. Sometimes I think I''m only a sheer piece of gauze away from being able to see out of his eyes. It''s like I have an open invitation, as if he''d like nothing better than for me to be inside him...Wait, that didn''t even sound right in my own head. Omit, omit! ¡°Let everyone know I''m on my way,¡± a vague but understandable assent rolling back at him. Whatever, glutton. Have at it. Never had that big of a sweet tooth to begin with. This crazy lady missed her fucking calling as a mad scientist! Ah, she went poof. Looks like a damn dance club bubble machine blew up in here. Glad I was done eating. If they come walking up instead of bubbling in, can I take it she wanted to share words with Jaden in private? Sorry, I just can''t trust this lady. If she burns me again anywhere near as bad as the Eggy junior surprise I''m done with her. I hope that statement doesn''t make me a hypocrite someday. I have a bad feeling this is the kind of advice that bites you on the ass later. anything with him? I just don''t know,¡± Jaden said to Ephyra as they were coming up to the gazebo. His soulful gaze at Lilly making it clear what it was he didn''t want to share. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Not entirely true but close enough. At this point I''d just like to get it over with. I know he''s going to want to at some point. Might as well do it and be done.
  • Daily use of Bond Assisted Recovery
  • Consumption of digestible items that posses compatible or neutral SE, including but not limited to: potions, heavenly treasures and spirit medicines
  • Intercourse with or imbibing the blood/seminal fluid of, spiritually endowed/stable entities of a predominately emitting nature
Helpful but not recommended courses of actions: based on currently perceived available options
  • Vampirism (Lethal blood consumption from living host): poor graded racial evolutionary path
  • Diablerie (in this example, the consumption of a self aware soul): negative reputation acquisition from many factions, potential Abyssal or Infernal deportation upon completion of any racial evolutionary path that requires this act as a dietary need
  • Chi feeding (in this example, the use of temporary bonding to forcefully extract LE and SE): inferior racial evolutionary path, potential Abyssal or Infernal deportation of any racial evolutionary path that requires this act as a dietary need
It''s refreshing to see a look on Grimalkin''s face that doesn''t come in the standard variety pack of mildly happy, mildly unhappy and mildly bored. The way he''s looking at everything is like a kid going to an amusement park for the first time. Well, Jaden has the same look but I''ve seen that on his face every time Lilly comes walking in from somewhere else, old hat. Really, Mother Nature!? You gotta make me look bad in front of my peeps right out the gate? Alright Terror, go out a few dozen feet away from us and start flapping your wings around and stuff. 20-Creep Show ¡°They''re slime spores,¡± Grimalkin said dispassionately. Wren, who was lulled from his panic state by Grimalkin''s cool demeanor said, ¡°So what kind are they?¡± ¡°The kind Grimshadow torturers keep,¡± Grimalkin replied. ¡°Are they dangerous?¡± Lilly said, not quite as calm as Wren. ¡°Yes, very,¡± Grimalkin said as he gazed at a black smudge that had worked it''s way under his sleeve. ¡°Aaand!!??,¡± Lilly and Wren said at the same time. ¡°And what? We''re walking dead. It''s only a mater of time now,¡± Grimalkin said just as calmly as before. Apparently he''s not nearly as mentally healthy as I thought!? Grimalkin continued, ¡°These spores have already attached to us. Part of them are working their way inside. The wellness room would remove them from us but we''ll be paralyzed before we make it that far. Once we''re immobile and the spores have fed enough, they''ll signal the parent body to reabsorb them along with us, eaten alive,¡± he sighed and gave Wren a sad smile before continuing, ¡°At least I''ll die by my brother''s side. It is sad we didn''t have more time.¡± Before his eyes, Wren saw Lilly and Jaden slump in the tree. Grimalkin didn''t seem overly affected yet and Wren felt perfectly fine despite noticing a smudge underneath a sock top with spacial calculation. ¡°We don''t give up till it''s over Little Gray. Help me put Lilly and Jaden on the spectral transport. How much longer can you hold out? Walk and talk!¡± Wren burst into action. Terror, scout out front, along the path. Scare what you can and attack what you can''t... loudly. ¡°I don''t know. The torturer that used them on my leg, told me that they were swarm types. Once infected, they drew others, ending with drawing the parent body. They let it eat my legs before using a silver powder to drive off the parent body. They didn''t bother with the ones on my arms but they were careful not to get any on my torso, neck and head-¡± ¡°Get it off your chest if you need to talk buddy, but keep moving.¡± Wren said as he noticed Grimalkin slowing down. ¡°It will be as you say. Then they-¡± As Grimalkin continued the gory details he could remember, a spark of subdued rage kindled in his eyes. Since it seemed to give him the strength to keep trudging on, Wren let him keep talking as he divided his attention to the task of checking ahead and seeing what his mendicant skill set could help with. The build up of black smudges were far more concentrated on the way they came so Wren had no choice but to try to reach their original goal, hoping to find a solution along the way. He knew that the Safe Zone could give them shelter and help them recover from the ordeal if they could reach it but even with the little he found from the archive informing him that shelter allowance time renewed, he didn''t know if Grimalkin would be let in. For whatever reason, safe zones were dodgy about natives. Okay, so I automatically stop the invasion of slime roots in my own body and they grow slow enough that as long as someone isn''t covered in spores they''re not in that much danger. Too many and dehydration through blood loss could be a problem. Over concentration of paralytic agent can be a problem too. I could solve this problem if I could stop but if I do the little bastards will gang up. Let''s start with unsummoning Terror and pulling out Sylph. A small gust once in a great will keep the majority away. The parent body has carpet bombed this whole aria, more the closer to the river you get I guess. The only threat, besides maybe the parent body itself is hostile vegetation. Staying on the path and avoiding overhanging trees should keep me safe enough from that, I hope. Now I gotta choose. Spectral transport is essential and Sylph is my best option for keeping the majority of these little shits from jumping on board but what do I do with option three? If I summon another tulpa I can only do burst actions of healing or eradicating but if I don''t summon another tulpa to help deal with new ones they will eventually overpower my ability to keep equilibrium and Grimalkin''s starting to get a little woozy on his feet. Shiiiit!!! Lets move the rest of the biology stuff to the back of the queue and pull forward my call mark''s experiences and start scanning it for inspiration...
Discovered: 8 enchantment models-still processing
Discovered: Elemental augmentation of Spectral models- Spectral summon models converted to tulpas may combine with elemental sprites that have been converted to tulpas for unique effects. Still processing.
Discovered: Embodiment- Host may temporarily fuse with elemental and aspect tulpas for unique enhancements Caution: Prolonged or frequent embodiment of elements may force evolutionary changes Warning: Prolonged or frequent embodiment of aspects may influence base personality traits and force evolutionary changes
Alright, alright! I can work with thi- Grimalkin could finally go no further and collapsed. Before becoming silent he said, ¡°Leave me and live. I now know what happiness... is...real fam..i..ly.¡± ¡°Don''t think so short stack. Don''t give up yet. You know me, pulling miracles out of my ass like tissue out of a Kleenex box,¡± Wren said as he mustered up a smile, projecting confidence he didn''t feel. Swallowing down the useless despair trying to rear it''s ugly head, Wren thought furiously for solutions as he piggybacked Grimalkin. How I wish I had access to fire right now...Whoa, a lot of strong somethings just collectively mentally pinged me. Fire...is...bad, will kill!? Oh, that''s fair... Just focus on what can be done. With one final whirlwind gust, Wren dismissed Sylph. Bringing out Tartarus, he immediately tried to fuse it with spectral transport. It went without a hitch but the effect wasn''t as universally helpful as Wren had hoped. A faint gravitational force formed a repulsing sphere around the floating disk, just strong enough to keep the little black smudges from being able to drop or jump onto it. Too bad it didn''t increase the carrying capacity. It''s thought responsiveness is better, smoother. Feels like it could move faster too. Sweet, it only counts as one summoned entity and aside from a doubled base upkeep it''s pretty energy efficient for what it adds. Alright, swinging it around me in circles isn''t helping solve the bigger problem here. I need to get to safety. I may be stronger than I was but I''m still slower carrying Little Gray and I might need to be hands free if any other problems come up. Summoning up Spectral servant, Wren tried imbuing it with earth. It looked like a golem after taking up some rock and mud from the surrounding area, momentarily amusing Wren as it spit out the black smudges like watermelon seeds. After a bit of experimentation he found that the golem could actually swallow Grimalkin into it''s form. From Wren''s perspective, it looked like Grimalkin was wearing muddy stone armor. Alright, that leaves me. What can I use that''s useful... Terror? No, I don''t think these things even have awareness to feel fear. Lustitia? No... chance... in... hell! Yeah, the fact you can volunteer yourself doesn''t make me feel any safer. Tell you what. If I encounter an enemy I need to fuck to death then I''ll call on you. That makes you happy!? Glad you''re easy to please... Water might work. Wind? No, too energy inefficient. Light?...Light! It''s pretty energy heavy too but it''s standby mode isn''t any worse than the others and I bet it''ll look pretty cool too. Don''t care if that''s childish. ¡°Unleash the power of the sun!¡± Wren shouted as he pulled Solas into himself. Did I just feel a faint tremor of amusement through Lilly''s connection!? They can still hear me?Gawd, now I feel like a dumb-ass... This feels weird. As it''s spreading through me, I don''t feel stronger but I do feel more alert, wired even. My body is more responsive to my thoughts and my thoughts are forming faster. I''m faster! This form can convert small amounts of EE into stamina. Healbot! Untiring healbot! I can convert EE into AE! I can convert, ooh bad. A whole percent of EE only made less than a hundredth of a percent of LE and SE doesn''t even register. Still, this body is an EE converter even if it can''t use it directly for anything other than what I already could. Too hyper, calm down. Yeah, little black dots that were on me, dropped off and others won''t approach more than a couple feet away. Oh shit!? Are they merging now? Run away! Why is mud man so slow? Wren thought at Jaden and Lilly, ¡°Don''t know if this will work but if you guys are able, can you channel me some magic juice. Keeping this up is expensive and I might need to keep this up for the next hour or two. I''ll try to smack the smudges as I go but I have to do it shooter style because of active power limitations.¡± From Jaden, Wren felt a small but steady trickle of AE open up but from Lilly''s connection he felt something akin to a cheap, leaky water gun squirting at him. Bless her heart. She''s trying... *** Over a half an hour or so, Wren kept the status quo without any real change to their situation aside from getting everyone independently mobile again. Once Grimalkin was back in control of himself again, and after a little trial and error, the golem suit could reflex react to Grimalkin''s movements. This alleviated Wren''s need to consciously control it, allowing for a bit more concentration towards the young couple. Once free of paralysis, they were still helplessly in need of the modified spectral transportation to keep free of hitchhikers. Three skilled and lethal combatants, they were reduced to little more than spectators as the most fragile among them literally illuminated the path to their destination. Holding the embodiment for so long was starting to show it''s affects as well. The gratitude and concern, as well as their frustration to help, filled Wren with a sense of overwhelming compassion. His eyes misted up as he resisted the urge to embrace them and sooth their worries. Knowing that his actions were keeping them safe gave him a sense of accomplishment and serenity.
Discovered: Addition- Tier I Aspect Tulpa Liberalitas- A complex tulpa with minor spiritual and elemental influence [note: possesses the ability to act autonomously, not recommended while in a state of low SE or EE percentagesThis story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Alright. That''s cool and all but now that it''s got my attention, I don''t like feeling like I took a double dose of depression meds. Time for a switch out but to what? This isn''t a time to be playing around. Let''s stick with what works. Attempting to save a bit of consumption on resummoning, Wren released Solas from the merge, taking a great deal of his new found altruism with it. As he sent it into spectral transport he released void from merge. The brief moment when light and void were in tandem within the spectral tulpa, Wren''s mind shook under a split second of strain as 3.5 mind showed him a spectacular bend in reality around it accompanied by a low hum that everyone felt more than heard. Wren felt a faint echo of that hum as void merged with him for the half second it took for Tartarus to pull in the faint remnants of Solas'' presence from Wren''s body. He made a mental note to ruminate on that later as he analyzed his new embodiment and Solas'' affect on spectral transportation as he continued walking. On an emotional level that was like jumping into ice water after being merged with Solas. After the shock wears off it gives a sense of numbness. The positive is that, unlike Solas, my bonds are more anchor that keeps me from becoming emotionally detached rather than serving to further amplify intensity. ¡°Wren, you look... black,¡± Lilly said, undisguised curiosity on her face. ¡°Is that a problem white bread?¡± Wren said. ¡°Um, no but just for a second you looked more like a cut-out, like a window to a place I don''t think I''d like to go to.¡± ¡°If my assumption isn''t wrong, Lilly, we''ve already been there. You, me and Troy have passed through there twice in fact. It''s just the space between places.¡± With a reluctant nod Lilly sunk back into silence as Wren continued to walk in contemplation while Jaden meditated and Grimalkin focused on moving smoothly with the golem. It may not be as neat as that moment I felt like I was a living part of a wormhole but being all space bendy is cool in it''s own right. I wonder how strong I''ll have to be before I can merge with Solas and Tartarus at the same time. Getting back on topic though, I can make my self lighter and heavier with greater energy expenditure. I''m sure there''s some interesting applications to that. With Tartarus, rather than being a power plant, I feel economic. Thoughts aren''t faster but they''re more fluid, same with movement. I might not be able to replenish stamina but I hardly use any. As for the spectral transport, I think Solas turned it into a jittery bug zapper. I wond- Wren was jerked from introspection when Jaden asked, ¡°Brother Wren, do you think you could do for me what you''re doing for Grimalkin but maybe with water instead? We''re not that far from our destination, I believe, and It would be nice to stretch my legs.¡± Grimalkin responded quickly with, ¡°I''m in agreement.¡± I didn''t really think about it but having to constantly control muscle movement with precision would be taxing. Guess he was starting to get pretty wore out. Why do you have to be so stubborn, Little Gray. How do I get him to open up a bit more without hurting his feelings? Hows this? ¡°In the future, if you''re getting fatigued, make sure to say something. In fact, that goes for being hungry, thirsty or needing to relieve yourself. You never know when I''ll need you to help bail my ass out of trouble and you don''t want to do that with an empty belly or a full bladder,¡± ¡°It will be as you say,¡± Grimalkin replied with a small smile visible through the mouth portion of the golem that was now covered in black ichor. ¡°I can give it a shot, Jaden. While I''m at it, I''ll increase the wattage on the bug zapper so everyone can take a potty break but make it quick.¡± Wren recalled Gnome and shoved Undine in spectral servant while everyone did their business. ¡°Thank the Lord for that, Wren. I felt close to bursting but I''d rather embarrass myself than end up like I was before¡± Lilly whispered to Wren before climbing back on the floating disk. Jaden walked up to the vaguely humanoid water construct and touched it with his eyes closed.
Attention: An ally is attempting to gain control of a tulpa currently maintained by you. Since the sprite portion of it''s existence is fully integrated with you there is no risk of permanent loss. You may unsummon and resummon at any time to resume control.
Nice to know for a lot of reasons. He took on the burden of it''s maintenance, while he was at it, but it still counts towards my power splitting. Wow, on him it acts like a liquid power suit. The outside of it is tough enough to keep the little black smudges out, no problem. I wonder if that''s his influence or if it''s like that normally. ¡°Hey Jaden, was the outer skin of the construct that strong before you took it over?¡± Wren said ¡°No, I would say it had the toughness equal to leather armor before. It''s real advantage lies in shock absorption, brother Wren... Beloved, remind me to ask father if there''s a way to duplicate this with my power alone. It is more than useful.¡± ¡°No bother, dearest,¡± Lilly chirped. ¡°Little Gray, we need to-¡± Wren stopped mid sentence as a wave black goop flopped over Lilly and Grimalkin. Wren dropped a full percent of AE into the floating construct for an instant blast. The resulting backlash of light and heat flipped the rubbery sludge back on itself like a tent flap, slapped by an angry hand. The air filled with the scent of singed flesh and rot. ¡°Run,¡± Wren said. Jaden, who was frozen for a moment in mid wail, turned to follow as the spectral transportation darted to Wren''s side. A momentary glance towards the luminescent disc by the two, revealed Lilly stowing away a slightly singed, mossy cloak. Even as they ran, the feeling of relief reverberated through the connection between Jaden and Wren. The only consequences of Wren''s desperation move was a bit of frizzy hair and overexposed skin thanks to Lilly''s quick thinking and reflexes. ¡°We''re being surrounded. Something is actively controlling those...things,¡± Lilly anxiously intimated. Wren and Jaden started speaking at the same time. In an impressive display of listening skills Lilly said, ¡°No, Wren. I only felt it the moment the circle around us closed and I have no idea on the hows or whys of it. That''s not how my blessing works, love. What I do know, is that we have less than a minute to figure out what to do before we''re swallowed by this...this creeping death. ¡°Could this be my fault? Could what they did to me have made me a focus for this? Would my death solve this problem?¡± Grimalikin said. A spark of madness danced in his eyes as he drew a dagger and placed it at his throat. Yeah, definitely not as alright as I had originally thought. ¡°Don''t you dare Little Gray-¡± Wren spat as he gave Jaden a warning look, feeling a sense of morbid hope bloom through his connection. He finished, ¡°Even if what you said is true, the trap is sprung and killing yourself won''t change anything. Give me a second everybody.¡± No little black dots anywhere. Alright let''s recall Solas and the transport. Damn it. If I was just one person lighter there''s all kinds of things I could do. Do I have to let Little Gray die after all? No, and why the hell would I even think that!? Focus! Jaden feels like he has another plan. He thinks he can save himself and Lilly but he needs me. ¡°Spit it out Jaden. It might actually save us all,¡± Wren said a little shortly. ¡°I, I don''t...¡± Jaden dithered. ¡° Save it. I''m not mad but if you can do, whatever it is, with what you''ve got right now then I''ll take responsibility for me and Little Gray. How sure are you that it''ll work, Jaden?¡± ¡°Alright. Sorry for thinking it but if I use your servitor''s strength to augment my own, I can make it to the destination with Lilly using underground flows.¡± Wren strengthened spectral servant''s construct as he said, ¡° Don''t be sorry, be focused and be prepared. I''ve strengthened the construct but it might start breaking apart after a certain distance away from me...Little Gray, start climbing that tree. Once you reach the top, strip and bundle everything up.¡± ¡°It will be as you say,¡± Grimalkin hopped to obey the strange and unexplained order. Determined to ignore Lilly''s silent accusations at Jaden and himself, Wren thought at Jaden as he began climbing the tree , ¡°For what it''s worth, I actually commend your decisiveness. Unable to chose who to save, I''d risk losing us all. Mad love and respect, brother.¡± Before wrapping up the upset but compliant Lilly, Jaden gave Wren a solemn nod. A barrier that existed between the two men, that neither knew existed, dissolved at that moment. A sense of transition between grudging to full acceptance of Wren''s presence, in his and his beloved''s life, from Jaden mingled with Wren''s own understanding acceptance of Jaden''s priorities and reverberated through their shared bond as The lovers seeped into the ground like so much spilled water. Focusing on the task at hand, Wren began to climb the tree in earnest as he gazed up to the sight of Grimalkin, crouched and steadily balanced on an uppermost branch, every scrap of clothes and weaponry neatly bundled in his right hand. Looking down at Wren with an expression of innocent confusion and anticipation on his face, a spray of leaves teasingly but not entirely concealing his unintentional eroticism, made a devastatingly moving scene. Though it only lasted for the briefest of moments, quickly buried and made dull by his embodiment, Wren felt like hiding his face in shame. For the first time in his life, Wren had been aroused by a man. That deeply unwanted admittance did more damage to Wren''s sense of self identity than even the loss of his original body and two months of Troy''s careful grinding of Wren''s emotional walls combined. As Wren joined Grimalkin on a sister branch he began a juggle of multiple tasks. Careful not to overdo his limits, he dropped out of embodiment and unsummoned Tartarus. He stored away Grimalkin''s bundle of clothes and weapons as he summoned spectral transportation. As he merged Sylph with the construct he surveyed the eerie sight below. A lake of black sludge decorated by multitudes of flora and partially digested animal carcasses was closing in. We''ll have to deal with this problem at some point. If it''s not on the way back then it will be after I help all the people underground to the surface. Who knows what state I''ll be in then... Ah, spectral servant just collapsed. Now, Undine''s returned. Couldn''t come at a better time...Lilly''s fine, if anxious, and Jaden just feels really tired. That''s a load off. Wren nudged Grimalkin onto the flight capable disk as he handed him an egg with his original set of clothes he came with, as he merged back withTartarus and summoned Solas. ¡°This is just in case. I''m going to leave you with a task to do if I fail.¡± The look of dawning understanding and horror warring with the deeply set conditioning of blind obedience warring on Grimalkin''s face, left Wren deeply touched as he continued, ¡°Give the egg to Troy and the cloths from my original world are for you. Can''t have my little brother running naked through the woods can I? Wish I could give you more to hold on to but the flying version of this construct is already dangerously close to capacity. ¡°Stay hovering over this tree till I''m fully covered and if you sense no movement or activity from me for more than a full breath takes, I want you to say ''detour'' and hang on till the disk lands. Oh and one more thing.¡± Wren grabbed Grimalkin and pulled him through the space bending field, one hand on the small of Grimalkin''s back and one on the back of his head, hugging him tightly and giving him a hard kiss. He didn''t even spare the shocked young man a little tongue. ¡° That''s something brothers shouldn''t really do but I''ll be damned if I''m possibly gonna die without even kissing someone...Tell Jaden he better at least try to save some people for me. Feel free to forget all of this if I live. As a matter of fact, I''m begging you to forget all this if I survive.¡± Wren felt a distorted sort of pride for getting a ''rise'' out of Grimalkin, even though he believed what he had done was all kinds of wrong. Did I really just do that? Just blame it on adrenaline. Can''t believe I just french kissed a guy I look at as my little brother. A little brother who almost gave me a boner? Oh, just stuff it for once, Lustitia. Hear what Liberalitas said? What I did right there, was fucked up. Oh, sorry mam. What I did was potentially harmful to his fragile psyche... Kind of disappointing I could hardly feel anything through this damn merge though. Wren connected to the mark of faith and drew every last bit of it with the directive to help him succeed and survive this threat. And as the lake of greenery shrouded tar blob began closing in on the tree, Wren sent a thought along with a wisp of LE through the call mark that he had never used before. ¡°I can''t bring you out but if there''s anything you can do to help me get through this you might want to try or else I''m not gonna be able to help you get at the Kyter Pulse. Sorry buddy. Not trying to extort you, just tellin it like it is.¡± A feeling of frustrated irritation pressed back at him. Ten feet away from the tree, the inner edges of the blob had raised up to nearly half the tree''s height. Wren registered the thought that it vaguely resembled a living La Brea Tar Pit before looking over and waving at Grimalkin. He let go of the tree and kicked off of it backwards. The large puddle-like entity stopped it''s upward momentum to follow Wren down. ¡°Live, brother Wren, or I''ll go looking for you in the Shadowlands once I''m done wi-¡± The rest of Grimalkin''s words were lost in an all encompassing hum. Wren had forcefully pushed Solas into the merge withTartarus the very moment he made contact with the sludge. He barely had enough time to begin consciously pulling the sludge through himself, much less register what it felt like to be a living opening to the void before an intense headache spurred by a massive brain aneurysm claimed his consciousness. 21-Daddy Issues He was disoriented. Thoughts would try to form only to break apart again. A screen flickering with a multitude of symbols and images clamored for his attention but he couldn''t focus enough to read it. Warm bodies and feelings of comfort and concern for him kept the rising panic to a controllable level as he remained relaxed and tried to piece things together. Who am I?I''m Wren. Who are these people that are holding me?... After a few minutes of speculation with something deeper inside of himself answering those and many other basic questions, he finally asked about what was answering him. Once he knew the answer to that question, Inter-dimensional mind began answering a lot of things, from the beginning. Blanks in his mind began filling rapidly but he had lost so much. Jaden and Lilly feel that I''m stable and recovering so they''re going to leave me with Grimalikn. They have important things to attend to but they trust that one to keep me safe. But I can''t feel him like the others. Oh, he''s not a bonded like them. I know all kinds of words and I think I can talk now. ¡°I have a lot of blanks in my mind, Grimalkin. Don''t look so worried, okay. They''re filling in but until they do, I won''t remember much. If it''s safe here, I''d like to just take it easy until I''m more me,¡± Wren said, not sure what his relationship was with this dark skinned, funny eared kid. ¡°It will be as you say. If you are hungry, I could prepare a simple meal?¡± He seems pretty eager to please me. Is he like my servant or something? That''d be cool. ¡°Oh, that sounds good. Whatcha gonna fix? Oh, maybe that egg? Is it safe to eat that. It looks pretty, like a big opal. I think I remember someone telling me that colorful things you find in the woods might be poisonous but I think that''s only plants and animals.¡± ¡°I-I guess we could but you told me to keep it safe and give it to Troy. I think it might have been important to you, brother Wren.¡± ¡°Oh, then we probably shouldn''t eat it. Wait, we''re brothers? Do we share a mother or father? Never mind that last question.¡± God, I''d hate to hurt his feelings if he was adopted... Or maybe I''m the one who''s adopted!? ¡°I believe that resting until you are more yourself is a wise decision, brother Wren,¡± Grimalkin said, looking a bit out of sorts. Oh, the windows are back... The one on the top looks new.
Inheritance mission completed... Do you accept NDA and Non-peaceful acquisition restraining order agreements? Yes or No?
Um sure. Why not? Something inside of Wren but elsewhere, felt a temporary constricting feeling.
Rewards for inheritance mission are as follows:
  • 250 achievement points
  • Tier IV personalized equipment
  • bonus reward for unanticipated hazard during mission (approved by Usuway Umberdeep)
Before Wren could read older windows two new ones popped up.
Material reward aquisition proxy request issued by party member Lilly Easterbrook-Riverson Accept or Decline?
Well, she seems like a nice girl. She''s probably just picking it up for me... Okay.
Request for compensation from contracted entity for a use not covered under current agreement. Actions of previously stated entity resulted in life preserving actions requiring expenditure of rare material (soul seed: estimated worth- 2k achievement points)
Requested compensation: current accumulated achievement points Accept or Decline?
Um...well according to this the contracted thing saved me so it seems fair...Besides, if the thing that saved me is willing to go above and beyond I''d rather keep in it''s good graces. Besides, It''s just some points right?
Transaction complete:
  • achievement points spent- 1.75k
  • goodwill gift aquired- sub-dimensional space assistance knowledege added to spacial calculation assistance
Wren noticed that some of the remaining windows shrank a little. Guess there''s no use in notifications of points you''re about to get if you''re not getting them. I feel like I better get some more of me back before I keep going. If important decisions are being made here, I wanna know exactly what I''m agreeing to. By the time Jaden and Lilly had returned and they had enjoyed the meal provided by the effort of Grimalkin, Wren had recovered most of his lost self, though he had discovered that there were still quite a few holes in his earliest memories of life along with a few small ones here and there that weren''t so bad that he couldn''t think around them to figure things out. He had come to the grim realization that there were now a few pieces of himself that were permanently gone. ¡°That was an enlightening experience, brother Wren. I''m glad that you brought this to the attention of my father. I''m a participant like Lilly and yourself now. Yet another piece of my beloved''s life that once left me feeling an outsider has been granted to me!¡± Jaden said jubilantly. Wren noticed Lilly looking at the oblivious Jaden worriedly but felt her effort to be happy for him thrumming through their bond. He''s under some pretty messed up assumptions right now. Guess it''s my job to slap him with a little reality check. The irony of me being a blank slate amnesiac not but two hours ago isn''t lost on me either. ¡°Jaden, you just signed up for a job where almost all of your bosses are dicks who hope you''re crazy and suicidal enough to do stupid dangerous shit for raffle tickets and good job stickers. I am heavily relieved that you and Lilly have each other to increase your chances of survival but I hope you can appreciate that Lilly probably has a lot of mixed feelings about you being dragged into this mess.¡± ¡°I- I think I understand what you''re saying, brother Wren, but you could have let me enjoy the moment for a bit longer,¡± Jaden said, a little irritated. ¡°Maybe I should have and probably would have let you understand all this on your own but I''ve already dealt with something similar several years ago. I signed up for the army of my country and served a relatively peaceful enlistment but a few of my friends who signed up with me, some after, got caught up in a conflict I narrowly avoided. When they came back home, aside from the one who didn''t, they were changed men. They were damaged men. Their healing wounds, worn and crippled bodies, weren''t even the worst part. That kind of damage you can see, maybe even help with but they were damaged in mind and spirit as well. They were haunted by the things they had seen and done. I''d rather crush your eagerness and joy now to spare you the self loathing later.¡± Of all the holes in my moments of happiness that I lost how come there are so few in the misery? Of course I know the answer but it would be nice if pain wasn''t the best teacher, that suffering makes a person stronger if it doesn''t break them. Our brains evolved to help us survive and the wishes we made over birthday cakes or visits to the amusement park just don''t make the cut for that. ¡°I''m not saying there aren''t any perks, because there are, quite literally. I just want you to think very carefully about what prices you''re willing to pay for those opportunities, prices you might be forced into paying whether you''re willing or not.¡± ¡°If it is so dire, why did you even tell me about this? Was it for the rewards?¡± ¡°No, Jaden. I talked this over with your father long before and we agreed that if you and Lilly didn''t end up together that this would have never been brought up to you. We knew that if you ended up together you''d not give her up and so you might as well get the benefits along with the risks.¡± Wren tuned Jaden and Lilly out as they both went on a rant about one thing or another, organizing his queue for what he thought most relevant to learn or remember next. He projected patient understanding for a time, hoping that this was all just some hotheadedness needing a vent but as anger led to accusations and misunderstandings he had reached the end of his patience. This is kinda my fault for only half listening but for gawd fucking sake! ¡°Parts of my brain melted like cheese on a goddamn grill and I''m still in the process of stitching everything back together. So if you don''t fucking mind, I''d like to get back to that! Jaden, talk to your dad if you got problems with how things were handled. You aren''t gonna listen to anything I have to say at this point anyway. Lilly, of course you have a right to know shit but I was in the middle off balancing our lives between a society that wanted to use us and entities that could kill us if they fart too hard. Yes, I could have shared that burden with you and Troy but I didn''t because if it was only me who fucked up there was a chance you two could still survive. Give me some fucking dignity as an older adult to want to shield the both of you from that! It might not have been fair of me or even right but I own it and still feel like I did what I thought I could live with.¡± ¡°Pull your head outta your arse, Wren. What I see is a self righteous shite of a man who''s growing a mighty big messiah complex. If you leave me in the dark about important things like this again then I''m going to break my size 8 off in your keister. See if I don''t!¡± Lilly said as she threw a bundle down at Wren''s feet and stormed away. ¡°If all that you say is true, it was my choice to make,¡± Jaden said calmly but anger still simmered down the connection. ¡°You''re gonna be a father someday Jaden, god willing. It might even be soon for all we know. Wait till you face and hopefully survive a few more missions with your wife. Then I want you to think about how much you''d want your child to go through that when you''re not going to be able to be there to help them. If you still feel the same way as you do now, then I''ll give you a heartfelt apology, right after you demand one from your father.¡± Jaden paled a little at the implications of Wren''s final statement. The small enlightenment of insight, brought on more by ingrained reverence of his father than any real implications of fatherhood within himself, awakened enough sympathy to allow Jaden to let his anger go. ¡°I could see where taking a stance my father did not favor as your own would be something most would not desire. I was unnecessarily judgmental of you, brother Wren. I''ll try to get Lilly to see that.¡± I''m more than willing to let the tiny misunderstanding at the heart of that truth to stand.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°If you would, tell Lilly I do owe her an apology and I''ll give it to her as soon as I''m done pulling my head out of where she wants to place her foot.¡± Skating close to thin ice of a lie but I do feel bad for making her feel bad. That''s gotta be enough... Alrighty then. Lets get the rest of these windows outta the way, check the loot and get our asses back.
Astral body integrity 48% [<1% at time of original message]
Participant resources lost:
  • All primordial tulpas
  • Combat tulpa Lustitia, Terror
  • Support tulpa Liberalitas
Discovered: Embodiment upgrade (apprentice)- Void Walker(aligned to -error- neutrally aligned Host no longer exists): the voices of your tulpas no longer clamor for attention or cloud your reason as they have joined you once more. (5% EE PPM, cost type and amount variable for lesser embodiment)
Discovered: Manifestation addition- Evoke(novice): Through intuition and communion, the elements heed your call. (Sprite imitation/temporary sprite construction, AE variable[permanent creation possible, EE/SE/LE variable])
Title lost: Returned Saint [inferior redundancy]
Title gained: Witness of the Boundary
Local reputation: +5 with Avatar of Nature (Tethyr) for the eradication of country level threat [gift of goodwill- conjuration model: nature kin]
Unknown source: [Eldritch construct]
Jebus Crabst, that was a lotta hooha... Ooooh sneeky, sneaky my secret buddy. While his queue was unpacking the sub-dimensional space assistance, he discovered a message from Hiidan. *** Bet you''re all kinds of confused right now. If you''re not, then you''re even more messed up than I thought... So let me get to it. You''re synapses we''re firing so fast that you cooked the outside layer of your brain. Lucky for you, there''s a hard drive back up or you''d likely be learning everything from scratch. Frankly, before you had inter-dimensional mind you could have been classified as handicapped by the rest of our race. If the day ever comes, and I doubt it will given how stupidly suicidal you are, that you reach beyond a mortal planetary existence, losing your head is a decade to century event. Hells, if you become an asura or demon (blah, blah, labels)it could be a daily event. Don''t let that eight pounds of dead weight on your neck take too much damage right now. Do the K to tha muthafracking P thing like yesterday please. It would be nice to have a heart to heart... XOXO If any fishies try to bully you on your school trip, call me and I''ll beat them up for you. Daddy luvs u pumpkin... *** All the time he''s spent, wherever he is, has obviously unhinged him. Is it the ha ha kind of crazy or the uh oh kind of crazy? Whatever... Goodies! Wren pawed through the package at his feet as Grimalkin patiently waited for him to proclaim the fate of the egg he was cradling. A TSSR (thermal stabilization and self repair) suit, aka the teaser suit, is the tar monster surprise bonus?Other than fixing itself, it''s a morph suit with air conditioning that only works properly if it''s the only thing you''re wearing except... OMFG, it has the same logo as the jock straps...That underwear is the only kind that can be worn comfortably with this outfit. Even supernatural beings understand the value of brand recognition and exclusive compatibility. Okay, so it actually has some defensive value and it''s got some aesthetic additions but I can still see someone running around in it going, ''It''s morphin time!'' File that away...I might have to try it once when no one''s looking. Ooooh, it has a hood and a turtleneck like piece that acts as...alright... so it''s actually pretty cool. What''s in the box maaan? The Seven reference too dated? Oh...it''s a ring... A ring loaded with all kinds of schematics for weapons, tools and assorted odds and ends that''s keyed to my psychic signature! This ain''t for my job, it''s for my profession. By itself it''s a circular flash drive but with my powers and perks it''s a shortcut cheat! Everything I make with it will have that little logo on it, a tilted smith''s hammer in an equilateral triangle surrounded by a circle. That''s a lot of symbolism for a little logo. ¡°Hey, Little gray. Come here. I wannaaaAhhh, my Little Omelet! I''m so sorry! daddy would never eat you!¡± Officially shittiest father of the year...Luckily he hasn''t hatched yet so there''s plenty of time to improve. Okay, back into the pool room. ¡°Sorry about that Little Gray. Meow, where was I? Oh, yeah. I wanna try to make some stuff for ya before we head back. Can you bring me as much dead wood and fallen branches as you can in the next few?¡± ¡°Are you feeling alright, brother Wren?¡± ¡°Other than a little manic and geeked from the cool stuff I got, I''m pretty good.¡± ¡°Then it will be as you say.¡± As Grimalkin wandered off, Wren started thumbing through his schema to find some relatively easy stuff to make. A bit later, Jaden approached Wren. ¡°If you''re recovered enough, we should return, brother Wren. Lilly seems calm enough to accept your apology but refuses to let this issue go until she hears it from you. On a separate note, Lilly and I have agreed to the ten point expenditure to use the obelisk to travel directly to the arcane well that we think refers to the hole by the Riverside Pavilion.¡± ¡°Starting from the top... I will go to apologize as soon as we are done speaking. Aaaand then, there is no need to pay, as long as you hold on to me, but we will be stopping at the Wellness Vestibule instead since the ley line runs through it. I have business there and it wouldn''t be a bad idea to let that gizmo give us a once over. It''s a tradition of your people anyway. We''ll just use the Mark of Passage from there.¡± Wren took some time to make up with Lilly as Grimalkin finished gathering some wood. ¡°Before I get started. Could you guys sign over your EE recovery rights to me?¡± Confused but curious, Jaden and Lilly complied as Wren converted the wood to carbon compounds which earned him a warning from the safe zone. Chill eco-warrior, I''m not planning on littering. This is an example of, ''reduce, reuse, recycle''. After taking some measurements of Grimalkin, Wren used the ring and materials to produce a mundane version of their suits before upgrading the hidden weapons to carbonized steel. Gaaa! So easy and efficient!After all the rough gathering of the past few months, I can finally see the light. Oh the things I can make now that I have blueprints... There''s even a cap loading derringer-like weapon design in here. I''m sure there''s more but some of the info is locked because of planetary limitations on tech. Grimalkin was looking at his new equipment with fanatical reverence and Jaden looked pretty wowed too but Lilly was still a bit surly so Wren decided he''d tested everyone''s patience enough. ¡°Alright everybody. I''ve had this knack for awhile now but never got a chance to use it. Just hang tight to me and I''ll get us into the transit.¡± Jaden and Lilly each grabbed an arm while Grimalkin hugged Wren tightly from behind. These suits let quite a bit of tactile sensation through. Guess this means that Troy''s gonna have a whole new way to harass me in the future. Lilly~ your fingers are hurting me...Jaden~ I''m losing feeling in my hand...Little Gray~ my ribs are creaking...That''s weird. The Ley line is slowly getting fainter. Better hurry. Wren reached out with 3.5 mind and just a touch of spirit before they passed through into the ley line via the obelisk. So, is this what a letter in a vacuum tube container feels like? Before Wren had even fully formed his thought, the group was spit out at the Vestibule of Wellness in nauseating suddenness. The only things different from the last time he was here was a little dust and a brown sash woman, clearly pregnant, kneeling to the Kyter Pulse like it was an idol. Wren even noted a few colorful sprigs of something or rather laid at it''s base. ¡°Guys you can let go now,¡± Wren wheezed through his groaning ribs. ¡°Shadows defend!¡± the woman quickly stood and cried out at Wren''s sudden verbal intrusion into the silence. Wren let Jaden handle the situation as he was an easily recognizable figure and therefore more likely to solve this situation with the littlest fuss. After a little consoling and congratulations delivered with an awkwardly given blessing to her unborn child, the woman went on her way. A part of me is curious but at the same time I really don''t care enough about why she would be praying to a large, glowing metal gourd to ask. Wasting no time, Wren opened to the calling mark and said goodbye to a percent of LE after agreeing to the Balance Keeper NDA. He sent out his own kind of small prayer that what he was doing wouldn''t end up giving him a headache, or even better, no regrets. Not knowing what to expect, he was a little disappointed when all that happened was a little dimming of light before a 6'' 3¡± cutout of reality unfolded. Seeing the figure walk over and put his hand into the Kyter Pulse Jaden said, a little panicked, ¡°Um, what are you doing Wren?¡± ¡°Allow me to answer,¡± A familiar rusty voice said, though not as strained sounding as before. ¡°I am copying a component of this device and updating it''s parameters to potentially be of help against a future threat. I must admit it won''t be that effective unless you can get your hands on some spirit stones but some strong light element enchanted diamonds will do in a pinch. Using this device in such a way for prolonged periods of time will shorten it''s life span significantly but since it''s smuggled goods in the first place I don''t see the harm in that. This may be a bit rude but I need to speak with Wren privately and psychic communication here is not that private.¡± ¡°Alright guys, let me open the mark of passage and-¡± Wren said before being cut off by Lilly. ¡°We''d like to stay here if it''s all the same.¡± Jaden looked like he wanted to say something but Lilly''s sharp glance his direction made his words shrivel and die in his throat. ¡°I''d hate to have to waste Wren''s Eldritch Essence to prove to you that this isn''t up for debate but I will. What I need to share with him is too important for someone who doesn''t have a certain type of mental protection to hear. Needless to say, pestering him about it after the fact would do nothing but put Wren in a difficult position, a position that is already far more difficult than it should be. Please be understanding. Wren...¡± Wren opened the Mark of Passage. Jaden gave Lilly a little extra urging as she reluctantly walked through. Grimalkin lingered for a moment before walking through after Wren gave him a reassuring nod. ¡°As usual with our meetings, for one reason or another, I''ll try to keep this brief. This time because if I stay for much longer I''ll need to consume more of your life as your spirit is still surprisingly weak. Take this-¡± The figure reached into itself to pull out a small, light absorbing marble. ¡°It''s a void genesis seed. Place it in your sub-space. It will help you combat and even give you the ability to disconnect Lilly''s parasite realm. It''s not intentional on her behalf but I would wager that your fishy gal knew what she was doing when she gave it. A void genesis seed won''t help you immediately as much as others could but it''s growth will be exponentially faster. You''ll just have to find ways to fill it yourself. Not that it should be a problem if you survive long enough. Don''t worry. It won''t hurt your precious cargo. ¡°I''m not entirely certain if you''ll still be around this mud ball when all the hells break loose here, figuratively. I''m sure I''ll have other opportunities to speak to you about that but there is an approximate year timer counting down... You''ve made some poor additional choices in bonded, Wren. Not their character mind you, they seem lovely. What I mean is the purpose that bonded serve. Ideally, they benefit from your unique heritage and in return they help you replenish and grow your spirit. Other than Troy, I don''t see that happening. In fact, aside from her wonderful character Lilly isn''t offering you much except for additional burdens to your growth which will quickly become problematic and far more than her own worth outside of sentimentality. That she has brought another who is even of less value to you, into your bonds frustrates me greatly in your stead. ¡°You may not be willing to accept this now but I shaped you into my own child, more thoroughly than most natural births even could. You could say that my connections to you are not much different than your egg. I know you have memories of a father who raised and nurtured you but in this life I am now attempting to raise and nurture you as the new fledgling you are, in an existential realm you know no better than a newborn would know it''s world. Do me the courtesy of listening to me even if you have no intention of heeding or I will worry over your ignorance.¡± ¡°I feel you but I just don''t think I can do the whole second dad thing with you. Maybe that''ll change with time but as far as I''m concerned now, I''m a man fully grown and capable enough in my own right,¡± Wren said. ¡°And that mindset is what I fear the most for you. You need much more knowledge and experience to be ''capable'' of doing more than mere surviving at the whim of others as you are now. In the eyes of our race you are little more than newly born, even at a century. You have over a third of a lifetime as a human. To us a human life time is an infancy but enough of that. Time and understanding will open your eyes to this truth without my harping on it. ¡°Wren, all of my children are dead aside from you. I am the last of a Host that was eradicated by the other three when my superior and a large number of us that followed him decided to abandon our duty to seek shelter within the Balance Keepers. Perhaps he was wise to do so. I would not even carry grudge against him if he had not used a past indiscretion of mine to place myself and my children into the path of our enemies to cover his own retreat, a retreat I knew nothing of. He carries secrets, secrets that I discovered and placed in his hands. Secrets that he wanted me and my family dead to keep for himself. If you survive and grow strong enough to benefit from them I will share them with you but now they would only be another burden you could scarcely afford.¡± ¡°Others draw near and they are not friendly. Let us move to one last venue so I may clear a problem for you before you should dismiss me. When you recover a goodly amount of life or build your spirit to health you should call on me again. Other than that call on me only when need is dire. Anon.¡± A Subtle dimming and they were standing at the bank of the Riverside Pavilion. A lively discussion died on the lips of all present as Hiidan walked across the water to where Ephyra stood, holding a bejeweled chest. ¡°Ephyra, I''ve read interesting stories of you recently. I heard that you once devoured an entire ship of Greek soldiers because their war band wore particularly garish asymmetrical armor out of some trite tradition. So perhaps you might appreciate the sentiment when I tell you that I once devoured an entire solar system for it''s particularly erratic orbits. Please treat the one I name son and heir with equanimity and lack of unnecessary guile. I may be moved to see you in a favorable light.¡± The living cutout of reality leaned in to whisper a few words in Ephyra''s ear before nodding to Wren. After a couple of seconds and a bit of embarrassment, Wren realized he was being signaled to release the calling and so he did. And for all the effort of intimidation that Hiidan laid, Ephyra looked no more ruffled than a genteel lady who was informed that the particular scone she wanted served with her tea was out of stock. ¡°Well, as enlightening as that was, it''s time to move on to our next order of business. Troy, you may bring Wren up to speed as I continue to inform the rest.¡± 22-Questions and Answers (Everyone Loves Beyonce) Alright, potential future inheritor, you''re probably wondering where all the sanity in this otherwise sensible tale went. To answer that question I have to reveal a biiig secret...Ready?... The whole story is in my mind!... Not in the sense that it''s not real (depending on your definition of that malleable and misleading word,) in the sense that the narration and point of view are both mine. Dun, DUN, DUN! Now remember how I just had the whole outer shell of my humanesque brain lawnmower manned? Yeah... Holes, miss-remembered and missing pieces of information, up to this point, should honestly be worse but inter-dimensional mind''s pretty spiffy. If you weren''t born with it or have it already, you should invest as soon as possible. * This inheritance memory bridge journal brought to you by Hephaestus/Vulcan Multi-reality Creative LTD * Just kidding but that really is the name of the company who''s logo decorates most material SYSTEM rewards and anything I made with the Schematic Ring. As above, so below. Anyone who''s from or has ever had the unfortunates to visit Earth will understand. Yay capitalism! To help you, my theoretical future inheritor, understand that what''s going on is not a David Bowie love song, I''ve inserted a little summary of the most unclear events.
  1. Why is Hiidan saying he''s my father?...This one''s pretty simple, for all that it''s kinda fucked up.
  1. What is the story behind the ''Shadowspring Woods Realm'', The Heartwood and the ''Void Genesis Seed''?... Too complicated but I''ll tell ya what I know.
  1. What''s up with all the changes in powers?... This one''s both simple and complicated. Simple because what I understand is enough to roll with. Complex because what I don''t understand about it might bite me in the ass.
Okay, if you''re still confused, potential inheritor, then consider how I felt at the time. Bite pillow and relax cause the show must go on. Aaand that brings us to Troy, his horrible dictation skills and the moment my mind and astral body recovered enough to kick my full mental and emotional capacity back on. If you''ve ever had a really bad concussion then you''ll probably know what I''m talking about. It''s like stumbling out of a room of cotton into a crystal clear version of wherever you are. You''ll likely remember that moment very well for a really long time because before that, short term memory''s taking a nap and your right brain is stuck in one mode. I''m lucky mine was ''so happy to be alive''. It could have just as easily been ''hulk smash'' or ''self cutter emo''. Probably has a lot to do with where you cracked your noggin. *** ¡°- then she put the arcane well in the box. That means she won''t be here tonight because she''s going to be moving it. You , Little Gray and I, really don''t have anything to do tomorrow outside of what we want to do to help. We just have to spend some time tomorrow collecting the larger sun crystals from the river bed. By tomorrow night, sun cave is going to start getting really dark. I mean you have a light ball but everyone else-¡± Troy trailed off as he noticed Wren looking at him funny. From Wren''s perspective, for a brief moment it was like he was seeing Troy for the first time. A stranger who was rambling away at him for no good reason. Then everything started clicking into place. It was doing so at a pace so fast it left Wren dizzy on his feet. The pavilion, which perpetually looked like mid-twilight, took on a midday clarity and then slid to normal. ¡°I''m going to lay down now,¡± Wren said almost mechanically as he turned and started walking towards the rest area. ¡° You''re not going to clean up first? You look kind of dirty. Like the new threads there, by the way.¡± Troy said, just starting to pick up something was off. ¡°Oh, thanks. I''ll make you one tomorrow.¡± Wren said with a little more focus. ¡°Wren, what happened to you out there? I felt a moment earlier today where you were really scared and excited, then nothing for a half an hour or so.¡± Troy trailed after Wren to the washroom with Grimalkin trotting behind. ¡°I went brain dead trying to get rid of a thing but I''m better now. It made me think about a lot of things afterwards though. I don''t remember them right this second but they''re coming back to me.¡± Wren stripped out of his suit and rinsed it off before getting in the shower stream. Troy was struck into a bemused stupor as Wren started cleaning himself. ¡°Hold on a bit and we''ll talk,¡± Wren said as he was looking at Troy, who was looking everywhere on Wren but his face. ¡°Little Gray, would you mind giving us some privacy for a bit, after you''re done cleaning up?¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Grimalkin locked eyes with Wren. A lot of unsaid words danced behind his dark pupils before he silently rinsed off lather and walked away. ¡°What was that about?¡± Troy nervously chuckled. ¡°I only have a good idea but I''m not certain,¡± Wren said as he finished soaping up. ¡°Can I take this as an okay to join you under there?¡± Troy said huskily. ¡°Huh? Oh, um, I didn''t really think about it. It''s probably not a good idea though. At least not right now.¡± Troy''s nervous anticipation went cold. In it''s place was a type of slowly rising dread. ¡°Don''t you think acting so casual about my feelings for you is starting to get a little cruel?¡± Troy''s voice became thick for a different reason. ¡° Yes, but this really wasn''t on purpose. The stuff before this was though. That''s part of what I want to talk about. Not to marginalize our personal issues but it''s not the most important thing I need to say either.¡± Wren said as he dried off and got dressed. Troy, at that moment, was facing away and trying to get his emotions back in check. ¡°Might as well get the worst over with. I won''t ask you not to get angry but I''d like to ask you to let me get all my thoughts out before you take the floor. Is that doable?¡± Troy slowly nodded to the opposite wall. ¡°I kinda got a little turned on at one point by Grimalkin. It was only for like a second and it didn''t really mean anything, just a bit of tense moment physiology but still. A bit after that, right before I, before...¡± The temporary numbness was turning into the beginnings of a nervous breakdown but Wren held it back as best he could till it subsided. Wren could feel that Troy wanted to go to him, to help him through whatever this mixed feeling was but his own feelings and the uncertain circumstances of the moment stopped him from moving at all as he continued to stare the other way but now it was the floor. ¡° As much as I want to blame it on the moment or one specific tulpa, I kissed Little Gray before I jumped down to something that I thought... that I felt I didn''t have very good odds of surviving. I mean I was pretty sure it was better than fifty-fifty but I was nowhere near thinking I''d be alright. The point is, I probably confused him a lot and now I''ll have to deal with that but I want to make sure you don''t take it out on him. I''m not saying you would or anything but this was my bad.¡± Wren noticed that Troy subtly flinched at the mention of the kiss but didn''t move. ¡°The reason I''m being blunt and up front about all this isn''t because I don''t care. It''s because I''m taking us seriously. I don''t want a small omitted truth to be the reason shit gets complicated later. And if I wasn''t such a jumble of ''I don''t know how I''m feeling'' I probably wouldn''t have minded if you got under there with me. Don''t know how far things would have gotten before I freaked but I''ll be ready to find out once I get back to sane. So get your say out but if I start crying, screaming or laughing while I hug myself, it''s probably not your fault.¡± ¡°Do you find me attractive...I mean physically, not with all the bond excuse stuff? Do you just let me hold you because it''s good for us, like the way a person eats the vegetables in their dinner whether they like it or not?¡± Troy asked. The vibrations coming the their bond told Wren that it had taken a lot of courage for Troy to ask that because Troy already more than half believed the answer he was going to get was the one he didn''t want. ¡°If you asked me that a couple of days ago I probably would have hurt your feelings, one way or another. Right now, I''m not sure because a lot has changed. Troy, do you remember what I looked like before I was what I am now.¡± ¡°Yeah, why?¡± Troy asked shakily, still refusing to look at Wren. ¡°Would you have wanted to sleep with me then?¡± ¡°I don''t...Is that your answer? Troy sounded like he was a lot closer to having a moment than Wren. Somehow, in a twisted kind of way it helped Wren untangle some of the emotional knot he was choking on. ¡°No. That was my answer but he''s dead. Half of him died there, in that big white room. The other half, all but just the smallest part, died this afternoon. I have all the same memories. My soul is the same but if you want to believe the Hindus and Buddhists, the soul doesn''t give a rat''s ass about that kind of stuff. The half that you want and was confusing that man on what he wanted is still right here. The new half of me I don''t even know myself. To put it in another way, the half of me that says I need you even if it''s only cause you''re vegetables doesn''t have to fight with the part that only felt comfortable as seeing you that way because he is gone.¡± ¡°Then can I kiss you?¡± ¡°If you promise to stop there and mean it then I kind of wish you would.¡± Contrary to Wren''s expectations, Troy didn''t rush up to him or even hurry. There was even a bit of hesitation as if Troy was afraid that after he did, Wren might figure out he didn''t want Troy to. He reached an unsteady hand out to the side of Wren''s face before pulling him closer. Wren had never seen Troy''s eyes so close before. The only impression he''d had of them was vaguely thinking they were hazel but up close he had a much different impression. ¡°Incense smoke floating across jade, how many hearts have those solemn eyes of yours broken, Troy?¡± Wren surprised himself a little with the flippant comment he blurted out, realizing that he was a lot more nervous about this than he originally thought. A small amount of the usual confidence Wren was used to seeing on Troy''s face came back as it broke into a roguish grin. ¡°Is that your round about way of saying you think my eyes are pretty, Wren?¡± ¡°The eyes of a holy man on a perv is cheating. That''s what I''m say-, umph!¡± It''s just a kiss. It''s not like I haven''t done this hundreds of times before...wha? A sensation more soothing than the trickle of heartwood energy and just as dangerously euphoric as life essence passed between them. It was the sweet whisper of a demon, the comforting promise of an angel and it was just an echo of what full union between bonded would bring, Wren''s instincts intimated. It lasted only seconds before fading, the over spill of two months'' chaste interaction. As if by mutual consent, they released and backed away from each other, both a gentle caress away from an embarrassing accident. That was what old man Hiidan was talking about. I''ve been doing this all wrong. When a spirit is healthy, it builds SE until the container is full and then releases the rest. People with strong beliefs subconsciously collect that extra into prayer/worship and send it in a special condensed form called faith. For me, when I make someone a bonded I form a connection with their soul and give a place for excess SE to gather and condense, waiting to be stimulated into release. I bet the old man has never had a bonded that wasn''t a lover. That''s why he sees my other bonded as a waste but I wonder. If I can key into the exact type of ''emotional bond'' I have with someone, I can stimulate the release of the condensed SE they''re holding. If that''s how it works then theoretically that SE can be stimulated by others but only by small amounts. It would explain why Jaden can''t seem to get enough of Lilly and if that''s true then it suggests that a lover''s bond is the most efficient type but it doesn''t have to be the only one. There''s only one way to find out. Wren turned and started walking like someone had lit a fire under him. ¡°W,wait Wren! Does this mean we''re good?¡± Troy said with more than a little concern. Wren stopped and turned around. He realized what his ''leaving like a house is on fire'' actions might have looked like considering what just happened. ¡°We''re more than good Troy. What I think I just figured out is fucking fantastic!¡± The completely undisguised excitement on Wren''s face left no room for negative interpretation. ¡°So, does that mean you don''t like girls anymore?¡± Troy said hopefully. ¡°Nope. My little soldier tried to salute Ephyra for a half second before I reminded him she''s a cannibal,¡± Wren delivered bluntly and regretted it as he saw a kicked puppy expression cloud over Troy''s face. ¡°Hey, now. You can take some pride in the fact that nobody''s gonna be able to pop my cork like you can unless I bond a girl who''s coo coo for my coco puffs and I''m not gonna do that unless she''s cool with you. If you use that against me to give a girl I''m sweet on a hard time, I will get pissed though.¡± Troy didn''t look or feel much better through the connection. ¡°Look at me Troy. It''s not like I don''t get it. You are the only dude who I can see giving the key to my back door. I think I even like you, might even...The point is I may have played around a little in the past but nowhere near as much as you have. I was even looking to be a one person kinda person. It''s not like I''m looking to be a harem master or something. You''re my Mister plus one I''m just gonna keep looking till I find my Misses plus one and that''s all I want. There might be a girl here and there till I find her but your position is solid okay. ¡°The only thing I''m not sure about is Little Gray. It''s not in a sexual way mind you, well maybe just a little bit, but I''m just trying to figure out where he fits into OUR lives. He''s hurt all kinds of different ways all the way down and I can''t help but want to do something about that. If what I did has made him want things from me then I don''t know how I''ll deal with it but I''ll make you a promise. If part of making him a whole person includes those kinds of things I want you there with me. We can heal him together.¡± ¡° I can''t help but feel jealous of him when you''re talking about being intimate with him. We haven''t even done anything yet and you''re already talking about having a threesome!¡± No, Troy. I''m not. I''m talking about showing him, in any way I can, that he''s not the sacrificial pawn he thinks he is, believes all he''s worth. I''ve blown you off a lot. I even feel bad about how hard I''ve fought against my feelings about you but if that little guy ever gets up the nerve to proposition me I''m scared he might kill himself if I turned him down. He''s one hair''s width from full on suicidal and I really can''t blame him for it after all the shit he''s been through. His only wish is to either die beside me or for me. If he shows even a smudge of a wish for something else I want to give it to him because, goddamnit, he deserves something good. I really don''t see him growing that big of a pair any time soon but the way shit keeps tripping me up I don''t want to start dropping stones on my own foot too.¡± ¡°I can''t believe I''m the one saying this but what if he likes girls. What if he''s mistaking his attachment to you as something more than what it actually is. Maybe he''s desperate to feel needed and it''ll be him thinking it''s what you want... Damn it, don''t even answer! Shit!¡± ¡°Hold up Troy. You could be right. I shou-¡± Troy raised his hand up to stop Wren, ¡°Don''t even waste your time. A few weeks back, Jaden came and asked me to take Little Gray on as a sparring partner for a few days, his face all screwed up, because Lilly stopped taking her bouts with Little Gray seriously. Apparently she started using them to big sister bully him a little. Ending their bouts with tickle torture and things like that. ¡°Jaden asked why she did stuff like that when she gets cruel with any other guy she spars with, even him sometimes. She told him ''her little kitten'' doesn''t so much as look at her boobs and even goes as far as missing counter attacks to keep from getting ''personal'' with her. Just to test her ''theory'' about little Gray, she grappled him in one of the more stimulating but less effective positions and he didn''t look anything but miserable till she let him go. That''s when she found out he was ticklish though. After that she said is was far more fun to see that too-serious kid face of his giggling than banged up. ¡°The first time I sparred with him, I pretty much treated him the same way I treated you. I''m just saying this for the record but the last few weeks has been hard on me because I''m all pent up and frustrated.¡± Troy gave Wren an accusatory look before continuing, ¡°It didn''t take long for him to start breathing hard and I knew it wasn''t because he was winded.¡± ¡° Much in the same vein as Lilly, I decided to test him out. Remember that move where I lunged at you, released the practice foil and wrapped you up from behind with my arms? Remember how I ended by grinding into you a few times and patted your junk with the flat of the main gauche''s blade?¡± ¡°Yeees...¡± Wren replied with the ghost of old irritation in his face. ¡°He seized up so violently he dropped his daggers before nearly going limp in my arms. Wren, he looked at me like he thought I secretly poisoned him. He had no idea why he reacted that way. I''d be surprised if he knew what masturbation was. He''s like nineteen years old! So yeah, I get it but the little bit of warm and fuzzy I have for the poor guy doesn''t even come close to how much it burns that I know he''s got a place in there-¡± Troy poked Wren in the chest, ¡°But I don''t know if I do, Not really.¡± So, in the end that''s what all this is really about. The biggest reason he''s getting bent out of shape whenever I talk about being close with someone else isn''t because he want''s me all to himself, though I''m sure he''d be more than fine with that, it''s because he feels insecure. So, maybe he just needs to hear something solid from me. ¡°Enough about that. You and I may not have sealed the deal, so to speak, but there is now no question in my mind about it... Gawd, it''s so fucking embarrassing to say this... You''re my man Troy. You feel me? I like it and if you want me to I''ll even put a ring on it and fuck you for making me say it!¡± Troy froze up, speechless. As he stood there staring at Wren, his eyes misted up a little as he started to faintly tremble. The sheer amount of happiness reverberating through the bond set Wren''s teeth on edge. Well, as much as I hate the mushy stuff at least he seems to get- Troy burst out into a riot of laughs. Tears were running down his face from the previous efforts to hold it in. ¡°I do, Wren! I''d * gasp* like you t-to put a ring on it...B-beyonce though? No, wait! I''m sorr-he he! * gasp *¡± ¡°Fine, then I got stuff to do. We can finish talking about it later.¡± Wren was back in ''house on fire'' mode but for an entirely different reason as he quickly exited, his head burning all the way down to his collarbone. 23-Spoon Full of Sugar After a quick check through the bond to make sure that he wasn''t going to bust in on something he''d rather not see, Wren called out to Jaden and Lilly before entering their quarters. The first thing he noticed was that their side was a lot nicer, by a huge degree. I see how it is....bang the boss'' son and you get the executive suit. Discrimination! ¡°Waiting till the last minute to pack, I see.¡± Wren said. ¡°The pavilion has a formation under its foundation. It''s ownership has been granted to us. When it''s time we shall move it to our realm.¡± said a very naked Jaden. ¡°Whoa buddy, nice to see you! I''m sorry if I was, um, interrupting anything. I didn''t feel anything in the bond to, you know...¡± ¡°No, brother Wren. This is just how I feel most comfortable within my own rooms. Did you need to see me or...¡± ¡°Yeah, you and Lilly both actually but just you is fine for now. Probably better to explain before hand anyway.¡± So, the whirl marks go all the way down huh. Minor curiosity checked off the ''used to squick me out'' list. Wren took a steadying breath before continuing, ¡°So after getting a chat in with my old man, so to speak, I got a lot more information on how this whole bond thing''s supposed to work. Even though he doesn''t think so, I believe that bonds in friendship are not necessarily inferior to lover bonds but do have a few weird quirks to work around. I''d like to find out if that''s true. ¡°Your dad explained to me briefly about your lineage''s version of the bond which seems to be mostly be a psychic connection with the ability to share essence. Mine''s a bit more than that. You see, my bond has the sharing thing too but it also puts a bottle over the escaping excess spiritual essence and condenses it into a refined substance similar to faith but without the baggage of ''believers being able to influence their deity over time'' thing. The sub-space bit''s actually an optional bonus. I just didn''t know that. When the bonded do whatever it is they need to do to unseal that bottled spirit stuff, both benefit. It nurtures the spirit of both parties and grows the bottle a little bigger. ¡°I think I''ve found a way to do that. We still need to get pretty personal but it doesn''t come down to the ''good ol fashion'' way of getting it done. You think we''re good enough heart-brothers to be game to try?¡± Wren said hopefully. ¡°Brother Wren, Lilly and I have touched upon this secret, have shared and benefited from it, so it would feel greedy and cruel to deny you that. I just need to know this is important to you because it''s an intense kind of sharing and I don''t like the thought of Lilly sharing that with another man.¡± ¡° My astral body is still pretty banged up Jaden. It hurts to use my strongest ability, that''s my need. If it makes it better though, I''m pretty sure if we channel it through our real feelings it will only intensify those but it requires us to keep focused on them. That''s why I wanted to do this with you first because I''m not totally sure but I have to try. We all need to be top shape just in case there''s an emergency. There''s always some kind of surprise.¡± Jaden pondered it for a few seconds before saying, ¡°You''ve approached this respectfully brother Wren and I agree with your need. I consent. Even if something untoward happens, I''m willing to be responsible for it and not hold grudges. If Ephyra is to be believed my firstborn is assured to be of my blood, that is enough.¡± Solemnly, Jaden moved to the center of the room and stood waiting. Wren momentarily likened his countenance to a man bravely facing a firing squad. Jaden, you are way overthinking this man but your heart''s in the right place I guess. Lilly entered the room looking a little angry. ¡°Where you going to say something before you started?¡± Wren and Jaden both replied with an immediate affirmative of different types before giving each other a knowing look. Lilly continued, ¡°Troy is on his way. We''re gonna have a nice chat before this happens.¡± Wren said, ¡°Lilly, we''re all bonded. My theory works off the idea that if emotions of a certain type can be focused on then those are the only ones that get affected. If all four of us are too close together then I''m afraid of, for lack of a better term, emotional contamination.¡± Lilly locked Wren dead in the eye and said, ¡°Wren, from the very next day after we bonded I''ve been thinking about a lot of things. Pondering over what I believed to be inevitable. On some things I was wrong so I''ll cut some latitude on the possibility I''m wrong this time too.¡± Lilly looked at Jaden and continued, ¡° I hate to say this love. My faith and trust in you is no small thing but you have sex on your mind at least once a minute. Wren here isn''t aware of this yet but he really only thinks about sex when someone else is.¡± ¡° Then how do you explain his confession about the Grimalkin issue I just told you about?¡± Troy interjected as he walked in, apparently having followed Wren in secret. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Wren said confused. Lilly let out an annoyed huff, ¡° This conversation''s wandering to the bogs. Listen up. Troy and I have been irritated at the fact that you can send messages to us but we can''t send them back. Troy learned a spell model called Whispering Winds. It doesn''t go very far but he can load a lot in. Jaden has trained me to strengthen the telepathy that comes with both bonds but it''s distance is even shorter. Now back to what I was saying. ¡°He''s a perfectly physically healthy nineteen year old boy. He doesn''t have to know the names of what he''s feeling to feel them.¡± Lilly turned back to Wren. ¡°Think back to all the times that that you had a physical reaction to someone, not when you thought about how good looking someone was but when you felt it. When you disagree with the feeling you just shut it off. I''ve felt it many times. The reason I didn''t beat the shite out of you that day you, you know, was because it was just as likely mine and Troy''s feelings that were ruffling your feathers first. Bluntly speaking, your pecker is a dowsing rod. ¡°Now here''s where I give you a bit of bad news and a bit of good news. The things that were inside you, the things you took in. They did things to you Wren. You kind of sweat a ''please save me'' scent when you are in dangerous situations. Blokes are obviously more sensitive to that but even I''ve felt it and that bad part of you made it stronger. The more times you are in dangerous situations with people, the more they take in. In the moment, it''ll make them, well, want to protect you. Outside of the bad times it makes them want...other things. ¡°Now the sorta good news. The good part of you makes you produce an antidote to it. It''s, well, I think you can figure it out. So, like I was trying to get at in the beginning, Jaden and I have taken in too much of your scent so we need the antidote and might even need it again in the long run... Now shush! I''m not finished! No one wants us to maintain our friendship just the way it is more than me, that''s why I said what I said. If it was just that matter alone, then giving you a little alone time and a cup would solve the problem. We could even...don''t matter. Add in the spirit sharing thing and even your best of intentions are gonna be derailed, Wren. I''ve made peace with it. Jaden''s apparently just made peace with it and now you gotta make peace. You also have a friend in the big house up there who''s probably in need of a little peace and so does the little peeping tom over there...Come out kitten, or I''m gonna chase you down and tickle you till you wet yourself.¡± Grimalkin slowly rounded the corner like a kid who had his hand caught in the cookie jar. ¡°Now, if everyone understands how disastrous and complicated things were about to get then hear my plan to hit the reset button on this cluster fook...¡± That was how Wren found himself still a little drugged, drunk and blindfolded in the middle of Jaden and Lilly''s very nice bed the next morning. After clearing out the grogginess he saw no reason to remove the lethargic soreness in all the right places but none of the wrong ones because he felt better than he could remember. If there was anything to put a dampener on all this ''feel good'' it was that he couldn''t remember anything about it. Even his inner mind only had haziness except for a few clipped pieces: A drunken Grimalkin making his personal version of a declaration of a ''best day ever'' in the style of a kid''s first visit to Six Flags, A mid and late session dose of drugged wine that smelled a little musty and making Wren glad he didn''t know how they were made, the sound of an elimination game being played on who had the rights to pet Wren''s head as they went to bed and and several fuzzy ones involving several mouths and hands making him feel very happy to be alive that kinda just blended together. ¡°Alright, Cinderella...the party is over. I just came back from speaking with Ephyra and Lilly. Apparently I have to give you one free pass...¡± an agitated Troy delivered before continuing, ¡°It''s a full ride, all promises suspended with no guilt but listen to me on this one. When you''re done, you are going to make me that ring. You are never going to use my history against me. You are never going to make another man bonded to you outside of maybe, Little Gray, unless it''s absolutely necessary and that explanation better be really good. Last off, I won''t give you any problems about looking for A girl as long as you don''t neglect me. ¡°I don''t even know what to make you promise me about you pheromone problem so I''ll just say you better not do anything that makes you feel guilty about facing me after you did it or it gets done to you. I hope for both of us that you never have to face the consequences of a victim or their loved one''s hurting you because of your issues. I know you don''t understand yet but I want you to promise me those things. Will you?¡± Wren didn''t even need his connection to Troy to see he was just laid out the bottom line. What a hot mess. Don''t know what this free pass crap is about but I won''t have to wait long for that I bet. If the old me would have ran into someone he was interested in that had the baggage I have now, tied to their ass, I would have shit on that interest and walked away. ¡°Damn it, I wanted your first time to be with me so badly. I was so patient, waiting for the right time. This must be some kind of punishment for the things I''ve done.¡± Troy muttered, looking more angry than heartbroken but some of those sad feelings were mixed in. ¡°Alright, you''ve got your promise. I, Wren Tidren, do solemnly swear that Troy is the only guy that I''ll willingly play bitch for till death or circumstance drives us apart. I also similarly swear that I will not willing make another male bonded, aside from above reasons, with the exception of Little Gray but even that would be at his request and some time to really understand the commitment. I also solemnly swear that I''ll only be intimate with a woman that I''m considering to be my girl for real, aside from above reasons. ¡°I''ll make a ring to symbolize that promise and when I find the right materials, I''m gonna make you a ring that symbolizes my real fucking feelings for you. Now please tell me what the hell this is about!¡± ¡°I''ll hold on to those promises until you give me that ring but I don''t want it till you''re back with me at the end of the day. I don''t want anything that might happen to make me not want to... Just let me take you to Ephyra. She''ll explain. I''m glad that thing in you is not around anymore, Wren. It did some really bad things behind your back.¡± As Troy led Wren out the back of the pavilion to see someone he thought he''d be free of for the day, he was lost in thought. What the hell did you do Lustitia? I mean I think I know what part of this is about but I didn''t feel bad for what I could see you did to Glaucous and Ephyra. They got their just deserts for doing what they did but I didn''t see anything worth everybody acting like this for. ¡°Wren, so glad you could join us in this unscheduled delay of plans,¡± Ephyra said full of dripping venom and sarcasm. ¡°What a pleasant surprise to be greeted with your unexpected presence on such a fine and auspicious morning,¡± Wren said, trying but not exactly succeeding in matching her. ¡°While we labor to fruitful endeavors you shall be laboring to undo what your other self has wrought upon Riverson and Rohn. Unless, of course, you do not believe that they deserve a nominal effort on your behalf to give balm to their ills?¡± You dirty fighting cunt! Wait, what? Why Rohn? More importantly, if Rohn''s a part of this why would it be just Rohn? ¡°You''re angry confusion is truly a balm to this old woman''s heart. Let me brighten your path lost child. Riverson''s ills are truly of our own devising, I''ll grant. Sadly, despite my efforts, yours are apparently required. Once you have satisfied Riverson''s need of you then I will grant you the rhyme and reason of Rohn''s predicament and it''s easiest solution. Of course I have no desire to unnecessarily scheme against you so the choice is yours.¡± ¡°Well, whatever consequences have come from your plan. It''s no skin off my nose to at least hear Riverson out. Outside of a small rough patch there at the beginning he''s been nothing but good to me.¡± In other words, I''m starting to seriously consider whether I would piss on you to put you out if I saw you on fire. As Ephyra walked towards Wren she briefly glanced towards a silently entreating Troy. ¡°Fear not for his safety, dear disciple. Great pains and a price have been paid to ensure it,¡± Ephyra locked eyes with Wren. ¡°A price I hope your beloved can appreciate the significance of.¡± she finished with a razor blade smile before placing her hand on Wren''s shoulder, sending him on his way. A unique blend of water and ley line magic mixed to form the passage Wren found himself rushing through. The way was long enough for Wren to catch the faint sound of an ancient and haunting melody before he found himself shunted out into a wide and vast cavern more brightly lit by the ocean sky filtering through the wide opening to the southwest of him. Newly made and mostly finished structures decorated the space, giving it a fairy tale quality charm that Wren could have appreciated under other circumstances. The hushed crooning of a familiar baritone voice echoing out from the elaborate structure behind him let him know where his destination lay.
Discovered: Uncharted arcane well- 100 achievement points
Optional Mission Activated: Claim arcane well for SYSTEM management or negotiate for obelisk/safe zone placement. Rewards: variable
  • Minimum rewards for successful negotiations of obelisk and lock box placement are: 100 achievement points and 1 personalized tier IV equipment
You''re kidding me right now. Well, safe zones didn''t just spring out of the ground''s ass I guess. One crisis at a time seems to be becoming a motto of mine... Well, let''s see what the damage is. As Wren followed Glaucous'' song about a seafaring hero who lost all in search of a golden island down into the bowels of the the stone hewn cavern he couldn''t help but have a small irreverent thought. If Glaucous is anything to go off of, this world takes theme casting really fucking serious. Wren descended one final small circular staircase before he arrived in an area that can only be described as otherworldly. A short but clear faceted crystalline shaft lead to a coral laced underwater palace of stormy gray stone decorated with lapis lazuli mosaics. Despite the cleanness and obvious upkeep, it gave a sense of immense age. ¡°Wren, is that you who steps upon the the sea hall of my ancestral home or has my strange madness reached an even greater height than even Ephyra had predicted?¡± ¡°Nope G man, it''s really me. What''s got your pickle in a twi...st?¡± Wren couldn''t help but stumble a bit as the cogs in his mind ground and skipped a couple pegs at the sight of Glaucous chained upon a fluffy mattress before a golden throne in a reception hall so opulent in trappings that he was certain it would make the Palace of Versailles look beggared. Two slender but sturdy looking chains connected the rune decorated manacles on Glaucous'' wrists to thick U bolts anchored in the floor, all made of a silver metal that had a purple chrome shine.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Didn''t strike you as the type to have such heavy tastes but then again if I lived for centuries I might be looking for ways to spice things up, so no judgment.¡± Being at a lack of words in a situation that obviously required him to say something, Wren fell back on lame wit. Glaucous chuckled dryly before he said, ¡°This is for your benefit and safety, so that we might converse with my power and impulses restrained. Aside from a few minor enchantments it is, by far, more a symbolic gesture. The greater part of my efforts-¡± Glaucous raised his left hand to show off his thumb that had been severed at the first knuckle, the raggedness of the wound suggested chewing rather than a clean cut. ¡°That''s a story I''d rather not hear. More like a story I''d rather not remember that my call mark came back with... Was that Ephyra''s doing?¡± ¡°Yes, a gesture she needed to quell her own madness and to enlist her aid with the easing of mine,¡± Glaucous muttered ruefully, ¡° Sadly, her attentions have done little to quell mine. It seems I need find my cure at the ill''s source. ¡°Make no mistake, I do not refer to your mating scent, intoxicating though it is, I mean the demon that lies within you that twisted and poisoned my spirit. It awoke within myself a need, a drive that would see me rise. Shadows of possibility spoken by an echo may bolster my spirit to grow, however, it does naught for it''s vessel. I am at the cusp of great change. If I cannot convince myself of the truth within that shadow, when the time for change comes upon me, my spirit will swell beyond what it''s vessel can endure and I will be sundered. ¡°My instincts clamor for me to claim you, to make you mine. I know I cannot so it instills a lie within the truth I reach to claim. Submit to me this once, Wren. It would be enough for you to be my lotus, in true flesh, for merely a moment. I have done all which needs be done to insure I could hold you gently. To wash over and invigorate you, to not tear your petals or bruise your leaves, I have gone to great lengths to insure it. In dire need, I call upon you to be conquered!¡± Da hell! What''s with the fucked up imagery here? What do you do with a guy who''s saved your life, telling you if you don''t let em fuck you he''ll die. I mean, besides calling the nearest mental health facility. If I couldn''t feel the desperate plea behind all that domination bullshit I might have been able to politely tell him to fuck off. For a person as proud as Glaucous to bend down even this far, tells me he''s not yanking my chain... Ah damn it! Just the thought of taking that log splitter up my tree trunk gives me stomach cramps. My personal thoughts aside, there''s something off about this whole situation. Intuition, what are trying to tell me? ¡°I know, for you, this is no trifling thing. Rest and avail yourself of any amenities or refreshments you desire. Though time draws short, take what you need to find courage and relieve your anxieties. I make the promise of knowing I''ve never had a lover lament my affections, even those who have chosen not to return to me after one embrace.¡± Wren sat down and closed his eyes. Tuning out all distractions to the best of his ability, he sunk deep within himself. He had learned the lesson of heeding his intuition even when situation demanded him to disregard it. I am an infant in an existential realm...Hiidan''s words. He was far more fearful of my ignorance than my willfulness or recklessness. In some small ways he even seemed to condone my clumsy efforts as long as I seek to understand what I do. Flashes of an over enthusiastic, careless teenager accidentally harming a small child danced across his mindscape, a child who''s destiny was changed by a seemingly harmless sequela. I highly doubt I''m being warned about the chance that sea monster might perforate my colon, so what''s... Submission. He''s on the brink of some kind of apotheosis and even though it''s unintentional, this has taken the flavor of ritual. Of course there would be consequences to surrender, even a symbolic one, to a burgeoning god. I don''t want him to die though. I''m not such a prude that I wouldn''t endure some pain and humiliation to save a friend''s life but this isn''t just about getting a pork loin crammed into my lunch box. This is straight up trading my future for his. Isn''t there any other options? An old bible parable of a house built on sand gave his mind an image as two different parts of himself offered two different solutions. One side: Make the uncertainty within him a truth. Sweep away the sand. Replace it with your own foundation. Shelter his fragile house till it is strong enough to protect you in turn. Subordinate him. Help him become a god, a god that belongs to you. The other: Lay aside our personal journey. Grant him comfort. Through love, understanding and selflessness lead him to greater truths. Patiently guide him to understand that greatness does not come from prowess alone but also through wisdom... Yeah, both of those are shit. I don''t want to be a master or a martyr. Is there nothing between? A cold and impersonal part of himself, in ways he didn''t understand, processed the intuitive insight and quantified the emotional/spiritual and physical needs. It created a formula, a balanced equation. It gave an answer to the query; What is the least personal cost to the greatest benefit for all. Not just for this problem but for fall problems. If he accepted this answer, he would sacrifice the pure computational power of clear reason and the miraculous/powerful but unpredictable results of pure emotion to create a force that would encompass the circle inside the triangle of three extremes. Ax 1/3 maximum potential for maximum stability. If this was an MMO I would scream hell no. Everyone knows that all-rounders suck at end game. But this is real life and having a fatal flaw is, well, fatal when you''re in situations with no one to rely on but yourself. Yes, me, that''s how I want us to work. There were no words that Wren could use to express the process that he underwent sitting oblivious in front of Glaucous but the emanations of thought he could understand coming from Riverson revealed a scene of jagged power worn smooth and seamless. It''s outer warning and threat discarded for an awe inspiring inner perfection. The removed pieces didn''t disappear, however, for a force drew them within, lost to one purpose but used for a different inscrutable one.
Discovered: Tier III Embodiment Sophrosyne- Adaptive variable essence consumption based on user actions (Minimum EE or comparative equivalent 1% PPM, maximum 20%) Advisement: Evolutionary catalyst resulting in -error- (restricted by request of A/I/C Hosts) Estimated growth potential-moderate [This participant''s Table of Information and daily activity logs are now classified under the potentiate statutes in effect as of Fifth Cycle All-Alliance Treatise Agreement] Operator and Host have been similarly advised.
Lost: Unclassified Tier Embodiment Void Walker
Host has granted operator request: Personal message- ~ So proud of you ~
Wren''s astral body no longer resembled Hiidan''s Call form as it took on a ''starry sky'' personified appearance with a soft radial of prismatic light. This ''subtle yet not'' change was due to his void realm becoming more intimately conjoined with him. 3.5 mind showed him a triple layer parallel dimension aspect to it now, connected but inaccessible to each other by mundane means. Iridescent sparks of multi-colored light decorated the inner lining of the center sphere as ghostly and blurry versions decorated the first along with equilateral orbits of his additional essence pools. The last retained the void like qualities of the original. All three, in natural state, where currently a little under 37'' in diameter with the last being able to flatten over double that. Despite many more things to observe and understand about this new change, nearly an hour was spent in a day now a quarter gone with much to do. Wren opened his eyes and took on the mantle of his new embodiment. I may not have the body of a Greek god but I do have one that looks ''out of this world'' hehe... Alright, I see what I need to do. ¡°I am a creator, an artisan and craftsman. I will not submit to you to aid you in building your spirit''s temple. For it to be fully completed in such a way my bones would need to be buried beneath it, least the glory of my work distract from the glory of the god that dwells within. In ancient times, that was the way.¡± Unadorned truth in metaphor. ¡°It is not the only way, nor is it the best. For your benevolence I will show you another.¡± Reciprocity. ¡°You filled a part of me with fertile waters and an umbral fragility was taken by ourselves from the other. I will empty a part of you with barren waters and an illuminating strength will be granted by ourselves for the other.¡± Equality through symmetry. ¡°You are a being whose power is rooted in life but whose strength may take it. Would you exchange this to become a god whose power is rooted in death but whose strength may give life? This decision is only made worse by the path being easier. I need not tell you where easy paths lead. I can show you a greater path but it is a hard one. In the end it is your decision to make. I will give generously on my terms... If you choose to embrace your fragile palace on shifting sands, I will walk away with no remorse. I am willing to make sacrifices for a friend in need but I will not follow you to ruin. But I will not be taken advantage of. ¡°So after all of this, even after all this time has passed, I am still a boy pretending to be his grandfather. I now see it in Ephyra''s eyes as well... Something similar but only a weak imitation.¡± ¡°No. Among us, she is the one who is farthest from your truth for all she desires to see in you is your grandfather. She would discard the rest if she could... You are not a boy in his shadow, Glaucous. You are a man with the potential to lay him to rest in yours. It''s just not a sure thing. You will sweat in toil, bleed in battle and pay your pound of flesh before you can see that day.¡± Through the anger and will to deny it Wren could see the ghost of acceptance gaining substance with each passing moment. ¡°These are far from the honeyed words of your other self but I feel that familiar pull within them.¡± ¡°Poison is often hidden in sweetness. Truth, for all of it''s wholesomeness, is often bitter and hard to swallow. As for that other, to be whole I must accept it but it is far from the greatest among the many parts of me and farther still from the best parts.¡± Deciding to take a small risk, Wren walked over to Glaucous and took hold of the hand with the severed thumb. Reaching down into the purifying entropy within his void, he found the piece of the spirit gathered from Jaden and gathered the parts most like the father, shaking the rest back into the void. He melded it into some fortifying eldritch essence and finished bolstering the construct with a bit of life, magic and stamina. Before Glaucous'' eyes, Wren shaped the missing piece of thumb back into existence. It had been severed by an existence above Glaucous. It would have taken him a good deal of effort as he was now to overcome the will that had taken it and lingered within the wound. This existence that was below, even him, had made it look nearly effortless. Though it would take a small time for it to be fully restored after the manacles were removed that''s all the effort it would take. Wren could feel these thoughts and more. It was deliberate. ¡°I am foremost a creator, an artisan and craftsman. Now it is time for you to make your choice.¡± The skin of living cosmos receded to reveal Wren with a calm, warm smile accentuated by the soft prismatic corona. ¡°I have never allowed another man to join with me so.¡± ¡°That makes two of us but don''t worry. Whether I wanted to or not, my call mark brought me a very thorough lesson on,¡± Wren lowered his voice to a false baritone, ¡° The way to seek fruition with a man.¡± Glaucous managed a small chuckle through the anxious uncertainty of unfamiliar territory he found himself in. *** As Wren undressed to join Glaucous on the mattress he fought the urge to look Glaucous in the eye and declare that he never intended to treat him gently but thought it in bad taste considering how close the the proud blue man was to losing his composure. ¡°This is a delicate balance for me Glaucous. I do this out of love in friendship. There is no passion or desire in this for me. I may acquire it before the end but that is incidental and I need for you to understand that.¡± ¡°Was it needful for you to say this?¡± Glaucous said a bit pained in heart. ¡°As needful as it is for you to recognize how unwanted your amorous feelings for me are. This is a purge, though there''s no reason not to enjoy it as long as the reason for it''s happening is understood. I only wish there was more time.¡± ¡°As do I. If this is to be the only time then a full day to revel in each other is only then enough.¡± Well, I actually was meaning that if I had a day or two more to work with then this sex part wouldn''t even be necessary but I think I''ve bruised your ego enough today. Wren crawled up in between Glaucous'' legs before sliding his own under them. He stared ahead directly into the center of Glaucous'' pecs for a second feeling lost in the size of the man before looking up to meet a frosty blue gaze. ¡°If you were a woman I could motorboat the hell outta some titties right now.¡± Wren took a moment to send some imagery to Glaucous. ¡°I don''t know what kind of woman you''d have to find to be in the same position I am with you but...¡± ¡°If you keep doing and saying things like this I''m not going to be able to concentrate on the task at hand.¡± ¡°Why do you have to concentrate? No one made a rule, that ever stuck, that sex has to be serious business. You aren''t responsible for anything right now anyway even if it was.¡± ¡°I''ve never been in such a position. I''ve always needed to be careful, even to the ones I was less kind to.¡± Wren looked down between them. ¡°Yeah, I''m only packing two thirds your heat and I know I ain''t got anything to be ashamed of. That''s a lethal weapon.¡± ¡°I''ve yet to take a life with i-it.¡± ¡°Sorry. Guess my hand''s a little cold? Damn dude, relax! Is that a sphincter or a guillotine?¡± Wren chuckled a little as he worked his well oiled middle finger deeper. ¡°This sensation is far different when not done in the grip of passion.¡± ¡°Lay back for me big guy. If it makes you feel any better about this. I know that this situation''s gotta be surreal for you but can you imagine how much it is for me? The closest I''ve ever been to a guy before this was when I was in MEPS.¡± Wren sent a few more images. ¡°Why did the white haired man need to grab your genitals before asking you to co-ugh? It''s not important.¡± Wren''s second finger cause Glaucous to tighten for a moment before trying to relax again. ¡°Kinda surprised you''re so clean down here. Was there maybe a thought of this in your head already?¡± ¡°T-there''s no need to speak of such things since it came to this ju-uncture. Consider it good pla-anning.¡± ¡°I can feel I''m not hurting you. Why are you so twitchy?¡± ¡°I keep feeling the loosening happen in jumping sections instead of smoothly as I imagined. I also am finding the sounds pleasing which makes me want to tense. It is a co-onflicting thing. ¡°O-ho!? I suspected but you''re an audiophile?¡± Wren briefly explained. ¡°I suppose I am.¡± ¡°Are you opposed to this mattress of yours getting ruined?¡± ¡°If you''ll unchain me when you''re done, then no.¡± ¡°And how am I to do that?¡± ¡°The manacles are keyed to your command. If you touch them and will them to rel-¡± Wren reached out with his free hand and undid the manacles with his free hand. ¡°Those were keeping my instincts under control, Wren!¡± ¡°Well, if you can keep them under control for like, thirty seconds they''re not going to be a problem. Besides, what I''m going to be doing next would be much harder. If you could turn around for me, on your knees, I''ll guide you down.¡± Glaucous hesitated slightly but with a soft low growl complied. Funny, it was less than a month ago I was making a bad joke to myself about how uncomfortable it would be if I needed to make a full chakra circuit and that''s exactly what I''m about to do. Wren got up to a full stand on his knees. With one hand holding his cock steady and the other firmly holding Glaucous'' hip he guided the larger man down till his tip was resting at the nervously twitching entrance. He could feel the tension thrumming through the powerful frame beneath his fingers. In as soothing a tone as he had ever used, Wren said, ¡°Alright big guy, take a slow, deep breath and let it go just as slow. One more time for me.¡± At the peak of the second breath, Wren eased himself halfway in. The rest of Glaucous'' breath rushed out raggedly as the powerful frame shuddered. Wren''s gentle but firm grip gave just enough impetus for Glaucous to remain where he was instead of rising back off. Glad I got curious with a girl on this once or I would have had a fight on my hands I think. This is an incredibly wrong moment to be thinking about how empowering this is. ¡°Is that initial twinge starting to fade now?¡± Wren saw the back of Glaucous'' head bob slightly. He slid the hand on Glaucous'' hip slowly around, across sensitive skin, to settle half in and half out of a short but dense thatch of curly raven black body hair. Aside from a downy treasure trail, it was the only to be found and it was a lot softer than Wren imagined it would be. The intense but briefly lived shudders that wracked the blue man''s form and had his lower muscles pleasantly spasming around Wren''s cock, had little to do with pain. Wren worked the rest of his length in with slow, small, concentric movements of his hips before he was finally fully inside. Losing himself to the moment for an instant he rewarded the big man''s patent effort with a light kiss to the spine, eliciting a low breathy growl, as he moved his other hand to trace the rigid muscles of a broad back. The hand continued it''s climb, fingers splayed, to run through the glossy hair on Glaucous'' head till it rested firmly on top. A small warning of displeasure rippled in the air. Top of the head''s a no for you? Too damn bad. It needs to be there. In a reverse of previous times and in greater amount, Wren moved a thick line of Life Essence up through the base of his own hard member to his waiting hand like a ground to cloud lightning strike. A sound disturbingly similar to a wounded animal rolled out of Glaucous. If not for the mentally blinding feeling of surprised, intense pleasure rippling through the air Wren might have believed he''d grievously harmed the the big guy as Glaucous seized for a couple of seconds. It''s one of the few things that mortal beings have that most supernaturals do not. It would explain why so many find themselves drawn to humans in the legends, despite the obvious danger. Once establishment of the circuit was made Wren felt free to enjoy himself for a bit, letting his corona do the pick up as he would let small strikes of LE keep the bestial instincts of Glaucous in check. Wren felt it may have been petty to relish in the feeling of having this powerful being at his mercy but he already had paid the devils due so once the line was crossed he saw no further harm in it. Once he had small particles of life energy spread throughout Glaucous, he laid the big man down on his back. After being driven to the point of drooling insensibility by Wren''s relentless ministrations, it was time to do the real work and the part that Wren looked forward to the least in his healing. Wren connected the loose LE particles within Glaucous into the Tree of Life configuration for no other greater reason than powerful and appropriate symbolism which he believed couldn''t hurt. He also liked the simple symmetry of it as it overlaid the chakras forming a strong tower. He knew in intimate detail, every place that his other self had touched and changed. Using the LE structure and mental map of twists, he drew the imprints away along with some of Glaucous'' abundant spiritual essence. After purifying it through his void he cycled it back in, sealing cracks and soothing burrs. As the last touch of the center portion of his endeavor he anchored the Tree of Life to the Glaucous'' astral body, ensuring that for years to come the small internal cycle would draw and release small bits of LE whenever Glaucous'' stimulated that higher mental process Wren''s intuition informed him was the exercising of ''wisdom/enlightenment'' to help the big guy quell and gain mastery over his hindering instinct through positive reinforcement. Alright Wren. It''s home stretch... Alright this is the absolute least appropriate time for Mary Poppins to be singing ''A spoon full of sugar'' in my mental background noise. With a look of long suffering, deep sighs and secret, strongly denied naughty thrill Wren picked up the pace of his thrusts aiming for the sweet spot. As he curled down he managed to take the head of Glaucous'' copiously dripping member into his mouth as he urged himself to empty a volley into Glaucous'' squelching hole in turn causing the sensation drunk Glaucous to shoot a forceful rope into Wren''s waiting mouth, the rich source of SE more than making up for the losses Wren had taken, except maybe to his dignity. 24-Blessings and Curses Wren cleaned and got dressed back up as he waited for Glaucous to collect himself. ¡°You are much like a being who is both mortal and like myself at once. I have to admit to a great deal of curiosity about you. I have seemed to have lost a great deal of the madness that had taken over me but I''d not deny you if you ever wish to be taken in by me.¡± Glaucous said, a thoughtful look on his face. ¡°Let''s just stick to friends, alright... Okay, so I wasn''t bullshitting you before. Your ''cusp of change'' thing is gone now right?¡± ¡°Sadly, yes. To feel so close to greater power and lose it is disheartening.¡± ¡°Dude, if what I saw with inner-sight was even close to the truth you are better off. Before I go on to other things, I need to ask you a couple of questions. They might be things you do not want to share, and if so, don''t.¡± ¡°Ask your question''s then... brother Wren,¡± Glaucous said after a bit of hesitation towards the end, as if he was trying on a pair of shoes he liked but was afraid they wouldn''t fit. ¡°Alright, G-man.¡± Wren broke into a big grin. ¡°Was your grandfather from Earth?¡± ¡°I-there was a time if anyone asked that question, my family would have been forced to silence them but I see no harm in answering now. Yes. He and Ephyra were transported here together. Though he fell in love with my grandmother first after she had taken them in, in love and friendship they offered Ephyra to join them in union. There is more but if it''s not necessary I''d rather not continue with that tale, brother Wren.¡± Glaucous said Wren''s new moniker much more confidently this time. Apparently the shoes fit just fine. ¡°Just two questions more on the subject. It was only gonna be one but inner me is a lot stronger now and wants another piece for a different puzzle. Did your grandfather ever talk about a place called India? I don''t need any details more than a simple yes or no and it''s only really important to you personally if the answer is yes because he seemed to know it well.¡± ¡°Before I say more, I want binding oath you mean no harm to any of my family, Wren,¡± A bit of darkness clouded Glaucous'' face. Hey, where''d the brother bit go? ¡°I will give it all but for Ephyra because more than once I believe she has meant me harm, brother Riverson. Before I give oath, I will ask you the second question which you don''t have to answer at all but I have a small fear for you and that is why I ask. How did your grandfather die?¡± ¡°That second question is common knowledge. His spirit had a mysterious wasting. It was not an unheard of thing to happen to the refugees that came here from your world. In almost all cases it was for pining after a century or two. We had just assumed it was the same for grandfather since he was a man who did not easily share his feelings or worries with others.¡± Shit. Could have ignored any other cause. With a worried look on his face Wren said, ¡°Um, do you happen to have access to any life essence restoration items by chance? I need to speak with someone and it''s costly¡± ¡°I have a bottle of elder berry wine that was gifted from... It matters not. If you have need I will give it.¡± Glaucous didn''t have to go far as what he was searching for was in a back corner of the refreshments he had prepared. ¡°It has...special properties within it to enhance desire.¡± Glaucous had the decency to look apologetic.¡± So he had a hidden trump to roofie me if I didn''t want to play ball huh? Forgiven....barely. Glaucous removed the stopper and after a few stirrings of his finger, a dark syrupy substance was removed from it. ¡°It''s safe to drink now, though it is a powerful intoxicant still. I trust that since you can use life essence so... skillfully that you can manage it''s effects?¡± ¡°Yeah, no problem.¡± Would have been if you hadn''t told me but I''m not letting you know that. Even the way it gets you to absorb LE is stimulating!? What the hell kinda super date rape drink is this!? Wren downed the five shot glasses worth of liquor in one go. Wow, stuff''s like really good tasting sizzurp...Sue me. I tried it once. So has every person who''s had a bad cold they went to the doctor over before the early 2000''s. Let''s wrap it up in multi essence blend and break it down safe and quick like. ¡°I had hoped to at least share a glass with you.¡± Glaucous said, a little disgruntled. ¡°Oh. I suppose that was bad manners. If I get a chance I''ll make it up to you.¡± ¡°And how do you plan on doing that?¡± Glaucous'' instinct seemed to be stirring a little. ¡°Like any good brother would, with an even better vintage.¡± Wren said, squashing other directions of conversation. That stuff gave me a nice 5% jump up. Hopefully I don''t need it all. I''ve been riding the 20% line for so long I feel like I''m never gonna be able to take enchanting out for a test drive. ¡°I''m getting to it G-man. Don''t freak. I think you need to hear a couple things from someone who you don''t need to worry about spilling your family''s beans.¡± Wren reached out to his call mark with Hiidan. The familiar scene of a dark ball stretching into man shape was just as underwhelming as the first time. ¡°Hey pops.¡± ¡°I didn''t expect you to be calling me out so soon. Wanting to show off your new form to your old man or something?¡± ¡°Um, no. How frivolous...never mind. I think we got a big problem. By we I mean me and G-man here.¡± ¡°Speak it. My wisdom is at your disposal. Just keep an eye on the time and your life levels.¡± Wren broke down the bits and pieces he had strung together, setting a supposition of soul eating fugitives and Glaucous'' ancestry. ¡°So, blue skin plus Ephyra talking about Indian chess made you think that your friend here might be a **** descendant. Oh sorry, I meant a descendant of a Hindu deity. Let''s start with that one.¡± Hiidan said. ¡°Well, that and some other things but you get the gist,¡± Wren said. ¡°A good possibility but why does it matter?¡± Glaucous, who was pole axed stood in a stunned silence to the side as the two men shook the foundation of his understanding of self. ¡°To keep the conversation from going too off the rails... For various reasons, Glaucous was undergoing a premature and shaky apotheosis. I stopped it and am trying to give him a much better symbolism to work off of for a future one.¡± ¡°I don''t suggest you getting closely involved in matters like that. Things can get messy for beings like us but just for the record, apotheosis is a sucker''s game for entities who have no other way to power. To put it in a way you might understand, it''s reality''s oldest pyramid scheme except the very bottom collectively influences the top.¡± ¡°Tell you what, if you can advise my buddy on some better options then I''ll officially recognize you as my dad. Cause that''s how I see a dad, a guy who helps with a little advice to his son''s friend if they ain''t got a dad to help them out.¡± ¡°Emotional blackmail is it? I''d settle for you just listening to me, like when I told you a moment ago that getting involved in issues that affect other''s Dharma is dangerous to beings like us. If it''ll keep you from sulking, I''ll help out this once but do me a favor and make more friends who have their shit already figured out or at least think they do. ¡°First off, little boy blue, do you do other stuff besides water bend?¡± ¡°I-No, not really.¡± Glaucous said. ¡°Bullshit.¡± Wren and Hiidan said at the same time. Since Hiidan seemed to be aware of what Wren was thinking he kept his mouth shut and let Hiidan keep the floor. ¡°Water isn''t even your main power, fertility is. Someone''s been filling your head with garbage for so long that you warp everything into that garbage concept. That water power of yours was added to you...Wren, since you just recently played Etch A Sketch inside him with life essence, You got a good model you can throw out? ¡°I haaave one but what do you mean by, oh...Yeah, I can do it...just never thought of doing it before.¡± Wren rebuilt Glaucous'' energy and physical models then overlaid them and made an AE projection float above his palm. Hiidan looked it over for a moment before continuing, ¡° See this large and tightly condensed Essence conversion...¡± Hiidan spent a couple of minutes blowing Glaucous'' mind about his make up. Glaucous was so shaken up by the experience that when Hiidan asked his name Glaucous gave it up willingly. ¡°See how that grafted power lit up with your name? Your given true name was masked by a false one. Do you really think that some random participant who came waltzing in to your home would just be handed something like that? That is your self given name recorded by your brother. Just keep using it. I''m going to do something to your AE model here and then we''re going to look away. Look at the change it makes and then you should see it, your real true name.¡± Hiidan threw just a tiny bit of void power into the projection and then turned Wren''s head away as he joined him in staring at the wall. ¡°There you go son, lot''s of fatherly guidance for your bastard buddy. Satisfied?¡± ¡°Sure, but why ya gotta get all name calling about it?¡± ¡°Oh, that''s right. You grew up in a PC society. I''ll try to keep that in mind to spare your delicate feelings.¡± Get a new dad and he''s Archie from ''All in the Family''. ¡°What about the Ephyra thing?¡± ¡°Oh, about if she really is a fugitive rather than just another refugee... I already knew that. Didn''t I already say I read some interesting things about her? Why do you think she''s been on her P''s and Q''s? If she stirs up any more crap while you''re around I''ll just report her ass.¡± ¡°She''s got her hooks in pretty deep already don''t you think? Look at Glaucous... I think she''s done something to my bonded through artifacts left behind by Glaucous'' mother. Isn''t that going to affect me?¡± ¡° * sigh * This is something you can handle on your own.¡± ¡°Pops. She took my other bonded in as a disciple. Taught him some secret stuff. Made him do some oaths I have no idea what about. She''s all but came right out and said that Troy is her hostage that she keeps ''helping'' as long as I toe the line. Now that was before your threat but you don''t think she''ll try to lever whatever advantage that she can and keep doing it till she even starts to lever you? Or do you not think her capable?¡± ¡°You''re so smart my boy...Tell me though. What do you think I did, first thing, when I was called out?¡± ¡°Um, unfold like origami...¡± Hiidan smacked the back of Wren''s head. ¡°I set up a jamming field against spying. So guess who showed up and is on her way here. So if there''s a specific course of action you want me to take under advisement. Spit it out.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Well, do you want a poisonous serpent as a maid where you are? She''s pretty~¡± Okay, you have my ear but let me tell you,¡± Hiidan switched to mental message ¡°If she called bluff I could still hurt her but whatever tricks she has I''d be pretty helpless against helping you with. So if you''re planning on trying to grift her it better be a damn good game or she''s gonna school you on what a true ''millennial'' really is.¡± ¡°Well, this is what I was thinking...¡± Five minutes and some serious pain later a plan was in place as Ephyra walked into the reception/throne room. ¡°So, what are the boys up to?¡± Ephyra said to Hiidan. ¡°We older generation could be up to more entertaining recreations, if it pleases you, while these two finish their dealings.¡± ¡°A tempting offer but as you can see, the youngsters got a little rough in their play and my boy here took a pretty nasty bump to the back of his head. So, I need to tend to him for a bit while he recovers.¡± ¡°I did not expect Wren to remove my manacles before we were done. My recollection is a bit hazy about what happened after but I am certain we went awry of your plan.¡± Glaucous offered apologetically. ¡°It is no matter. You seem greatly improved god-grandson. Your ascension should proceed smoothly now.¡± Ephyra turned to Hiidan. ¡°You will not hold this small matter against his benefactor and I will you?¡± ¡°Not in the slightest. My naughty little boy got some sort of enlightenment out of it so...¡± ¡°That is a relief. May I inquire as to the nature of this... need for secrecy.¡± ¡°Said enlightenment is of a sensitive nature. I was concerned about possible interest being drawn as his interface got bumped up to classified. The smart ones will be deterred by the aura signature in the jamming field.¡± ¡°Then it seems congratulations are in order for us both. My dearest child ever nears the moment he may take up his grandfather''s mantle and yours has uncovered some momentous insight. Would you like to toast to it? There seems to be a great deal of remaining refreshments from the youngster''s escapades. That is if there are no objections...Seafather?¡± ¡°I have never denied you anything within my provender. I would not desire to be ungenerous to you on such a day as this.¡± Glaucous deadpanned. ¡°Surely you have something of higher quality than livestock fodder in this assortment. Perhaps that bottle of elderberry?¡± ¡°I fear it was necessary to use, Ephyra. How about this bottle of-¡± Glaucous was interrupted by whispered voices amplified by strange acoustics and magic. ¡°-SYSTEM rewards. All we have to do is see her and the world Host representative''s personal aid will come get her. We don''t even have to fight this Ephyra lady,¡± An unknown woman said. Her voice outside of translation sounded like Arabic and French had a language baby. ¡°She could just kill us for spite. If she''s powerful enough that the big boss has to send her right hand to deal with the bitch directly, how confident are you, really?¡± A man said. Despite the content of his words, his voice was cheery and distinctly African. For the first time, Wren saw Ephyra have a truly panicked face. It only lasted a moment before she went deadly calm. She turned to Glaucous and requested him to kill the intruders. He did not move. She tried to order him with his fake true name. Aside from his face turning frosty, he still did not move. She threatened Wren with Troy to get him to send Hiidan after accusing Hiidan of betraying her. ¡°I swear an oath upon the Eternal Circle, may it be witnessed by the Great Pattern, that no one in this room has turned you in. I do, however, have a solution without you having to resort to desperation moves that would make others fugitives as well.¡± Hiidan offered. ¡°I''m listening. It seems I have time since they started searching upward. Pity running at this point would do little good if this world''s Host has made me part of their game.¡± ¡°Glaucous may not be willing to join you as a fugitive, Ephyra, but I''m sure he''d be willing to claim you gone off world. Once the truth is verified and a small number of days has past you would be able to return without difficulties.¡± ¡°So, you take me to your abode and give me arbor for a few days, Then this all will blow over and done? Do you think me simple?¡± ¡°Not at all. You make a good exercise. That is all. There is a threat coming to this world. The Host only seeks to train the participants to face it. If dealing with you becomes an extra planetary affair they will lose interest for more productive training. The fugitives hiding among the refugees would not have been left untouched for so long if any truly cared. Make no mistake. If your presence becomes confirmed in the SYSTEM, others that do care would respond.¡± ¡°IF I take your offer of generosity, what do you expect in return?¡± ¡°Aside from dismissing all binding oaths from my son''s bonded, I''d expect you to take the ancient guesting oath. As a last precaution, I have not had guests for quite some time. My personal collection of artifacts is not stored away and neither of us has the time for me to tidy up before you must away. Since that is the case, I will have an oath upon the Eternal Circle, with all that you are as collateral, that any you chance upon will immediately be safely stored away in my abode with all the care and ability you possess. Many a clever rogue has found ways to claim items they may covet, even with the guesting oath in place... I will shamefully admit that bachelorhood has made me unkempt but I will have these oaths from you without any changes in wording or else this conversation is at an end.¡± ¡°If I didn''t know better, I''d think you were hinting at the need for a woman in your life.¡± Ephyra said, picking up on subtle flirtation. Even though the words were harsh they were delivered softly and there was more than a little genuine loneliness in his admission of bachelorhood. ¡°If, if there are no unpleasant surprises from you during your stay. It would take little convincing for me to extend it.¡± Hiidan walked over to her and hesitantly, as if afraid of startling her, ran a slightly trembling hand over a few strands of her silky hair. Deftly tucking them behind her ear. ¡°But I still require my demands met.¡± Hiidan''s voice was thick with restrained emotion. As the whispering voices began to grow closer once more, she acceded. Her graceful calm was only marred with a faint trace of bitterness. Passing through the body of Hiidan she was allowed one last look back to see the blue fading from Glaucous'' body into a shade so dark that it gave the illusion of velvety texture, all save a tinge of blue at his throat. She screamed in rage as the void claimed her. ¡°Alright boys, I release you from your oaths so you may now recall.¡± A small hole in the back of Wren''s head closed as if it never were as Glaucous'' distant eyes snapped into clear focus. ¡°I borrowed the voices from the two above as you... The mission was completed?¡± Troy said as he stepped into the reception/throne room. The faint but unmistakable odor of recent activities brought a brief cloud of unhappiness across his features that just as quickly passed. ¡°You don''t need me here anymore, Wren. I should go. No, I want to go... I don''t want to miss a single detail of her struggle.¡± The thickness of Hiidan''s emotion was, if anything, more prominent. ¡°I''m finally going to see some positive progress after all this time. I''ll have to find a way to reward you for this, son.¡± ¡°Is three days enough? I figured you might want a little more time with fair company, no matter how vile, after such a long time.¡± ¡°It''s unhealthy for a child to dwell overly much on the intimacy of their parents. Just know that her involvement in your lives is at an end. Anon.¡± Hiidan said as he folded in on himself until gone. Glaucous looked between Wren and Troy in the sudden silence before saying, ¡°I have wronged you both. Even if it was mostly unknowing, I still was not completely ignorant of all wrong. Allow me a moment to collect a few things before sending you back. Brother Wren''s life and spirit are dangerously exhausted and I''d like to find a few tokens of appreciation. As for my contrition and debt to you both, any material gift would seem insult. I suppose only time and opportunity will allow for such a thing to be repaid.¡± As Glaucous strode away with speedy purpose, Troy walked closer to Wren. It became painfully obvious that Troy was intending to avoid the elephant in the room by his forced casualness. Wren didn''t feel like letting it stand. ¡°So what do you think of G-man''s new makeover? Knocking the cobwebs out of his root cellar did him some good I guess. Not that I''ll claim all the credit.¡± ¡°Wait, so you...him!?¡± ¡°I told you. I''ve got one more Gordian Knot to face back at the farm, so I don''t want to get too uppity but I don''t make promises I don''t intend to keep. I''m not in a mushy stuff kinda mood but I get that being the one to swipe my A/V card is something important to you. Pretty small trade off for all the shit you put up with from me.¡± Troy pulled Wren into a crushing hug and after a stunned moment Wren started awkwardly fist tapping Troy''s back. As Troy let him go he said, ¡°I kinda thought after he got a hold of you, magic healing or no, I wouldn''t be able to... measure up.¡± ¡°Fuck, why would you want to!? But what do you expect from a fertility land god?¡± ¡°I thought he was a water one.¡± ¡°Ephyra white-washing... Well, blue washing. Just be glad you''re released from her oaths.¡± ¡°She taught me a lot of really powerful things, Wren, secret and dangerous things. I can''t think too badly of her.¡± ¡°I get that but why do you think she taught them? You were leverage and likely she had future plans for you too. Remember, she was a big fan of chess.¡± Glaucous came striding in with an armful of goodies he laid on an open table. ¡°There''s a heaviness in my heart. She was kind to me in her own way despite everything but since she doesn''t need them anymore have her string of beads. It used to be a wedding veil but she''s slowly used them for other things. I''m not certain what they are but they have strong spiritual essence and some have small amounts of life essence within them.¡± Wren took the offered string like he was handling a snake before throwing it into the purifying part of his void space. Within moments they began breaking apart discharging memories, curses and various other things into the neutralizing depths. As his SE and LE began climbing out of the red, he noticed minute amounts of beneficial material beginning to collect in his center sphere. So that''s how I process things to build my personal realm? Good to know. Not really paying attention to the details of the spoil divvying, he began tossing all the materials that weren''t of any immediate or long term value into the churning of his void space. This reminds me of the time I threw lots of different shit down the first garbage disposal I had. I definitely hope it doesn''t end the same way!... Solid stuff won''t clog it up but it does seem to take longer to digest. Looking at all the jewelry and precious metal spinning around, it almost looks like a tiny glittering galaxy. Ooh, that one had a curse on it, so did that box of coins. What a viscous damn woman! ¡°I''ll merge her unanchored realm into my own once I have made it safe to do so but there is this... Perhaps it would be a good inheritance for your child?¡± Wren wasn''t certain but it looked like a far more colorful version of a void seed. His intuition was telling him the void realm would benefit immensely from such a thing but it was likely a rare thing and Glaucous'' reminder of future concerns made him pause before deciding to save it. Seeing Troy''s utter lack of interest in it made his thoughts on the issue 1/3 less difficult. ¡°Hey Troy, do you mind me skimming through those books before you put them away?¡± ¡°Knock yourself out Wren but remember that we still have things to iron out before tomorrow.¡± As he started taking mental snapshots, Wren replied'' ¡°Dude, like five minutes tops... I''m still soaking in bead pulp anyway.¡± ¡°Pulp...Pulp!? You destroyed them, brother Wren?¡± Glaucous said, more than a little disturbed. ¡°To be more accurate, I''m processing them. More importantly, I''m concerned about Ephyra''s knowledge on curses. Her realm is probably booby trapped and I think she might have been the one who disseminated that knowledge to Grimshadow. Who the fuck knows why though.¡± ¡°The whys no longer matter as long as we can avoid the consequences long enough to drown them,¡± Glaucous said darkly. ¡°True, that. You feel up to handling a negotiation with the two participants up top? Just pretend to give them a bit of a haggle before agreeing to allow me to set up a safe zone five miles north. I''ll make sure none of the obelisks point toward your arcane well, even if it means I can''t complete it to the SYSTEM''s liking. There''s enough intersecting lines at the point I mental mapped to make a good one so they shouldn''t be too pantie bunched their original purpose for wanting it here isn''t exactly served.¡± ¡°All is well then, Brother Wren. Use the modified mark of passage well tomorrow. You should find it enriching. Speaking of. Is there no knowledge I possess to peak your interest for the knowledge mark?¡± ¡°I honestly don''t know. Intuition''s telling me a big nope on martial prowess and I think I''d have a lot more fun in figuring things out myself in your other biggest expertise. Guess I could trade it out for the rest of your enchantment models?¡± ¡°It would be a waste since you have most of them. You already possess my knowledge of life and the manipulation of it. Perhaps you would relinquish it for the bulk of my faith that is tainted with untruths. Though it would diminish me further, I would need to make use of it quickly to keep it from affecting my current purity of understanding about myself anyway.¡± Wren pulled the mark out and released his hold on it. ¡°Use it to prepare your home. There is a limit to generosity between even brothers.¡± ¡°I will not need it all and the balance between us still weighs heavy on me.¡± ¡°Alright, then lets go old school. Bless our union,¡± Wren said as he grabbed Troys arm. He pulled out the egg from among its nest between the pools. ¡°and give little omelet one while your at it.¡± ¡°Ah, that is balance is it not?¡± Glaucous said more than a little emotionally pained. ¡°A sharp and searing kind of balance. It is a well done thing.¡± After it was done, a sense of closure came over the three. What bitterness over recent events remained was now gone. As long as Troy and Wren were near each other words would no longer be necessary for them to understand the other''s intentions and their essence support of one another would never need physical intimacy to be accomplished. As for the egg, what legacy of Ephyra remained within was washed over with the stronger presence of Glaucous'' blessing. Making of him a god-father in truth. *** She screamed and wailed. She cried, begged and raged. Even as her stolen divinity was scraped from her, even as her life force and spirit were consumed by the cursed instrument, she carefully labored to work it loose. She would rather it take all that she was than give even the smallest scrap of herself to bolster the trickster that had doomed her. Yet a vain and maddening hope existed within that if she was successful in this one the rest would not be the same. She had just chosen poorly. Even if not, this one sealed his physical sensation. Others sealed various other parts of his being but this one would bring him pain. If that was all the vengeance that she could gain from her oblivion, then it would have to suffice... As the corpse-like man looked upon her distorted writhing he could not help to compare it to more pleasant labors. It made him reminisce of better times. Perhaps it was too cruel a vein of thought in the face of her self afflicted destruction but the preservation of his sanity had been a precarious thing for a long time now. Better to be cruel than mad. It was even more important to maintain that fragile equilibrium now that he saw hope. Oh, his new child, his joy. Such a resourceful babe. In this moment he could not believe a father could be more proud. Yes, these thoughts were better to dwell on than this one''s dust soon joining the others on the floor. Not knowing, but dreading he did, the identities of those who had tried before. Their sacrifice hadn''t been for naught. He had gained thought and sight. A labor when the cursed objects were newly made. They had become brittle as he had and she seemed so determined. Despite how small she truly was, in so many ways, he held good reason to believe she would succeed on this one. She thought it clever, her choice, but if he could feel he could move. Pain had lost most of it''s meaning to him since even before this slow damnation. A single micron of movement, over eons on it''s own, could free him. His hope was more ambitious than that. The chained spike came free with her last effort, though she fell. She had gathered enough strength to barely reach the lowest artifact pinned through his thigh. The searing lash at it''s touch had undone her hope. No longer caring, she consciously chose to break her oath. She gave up the ghost and slid to dust. The tattered vestiges of her very being infused the corpse-like man. Though the sweet balm was next to nothing, an infinitesimal twitch of desiccated finger gave meaning her grudging labor. 25-Wise Mans Blues Wren and Troy stood on the bank of the river passage cave. No longer could it be call Riverside Pavilion as the pavilion was gone and light if the glowing crystals had already shown great signs of diminishing. As they walked to the main manor, Wren was lost in thought. The water passing ability of Glaucous seems more like passing through a vein in the body, the life giving water more like healthy blood. With his past experiences, after he consolidates his new understanding, that unreasonably powerful guy''s gonna be even more unreasonable, maybe unfathomable. I get the feeling it would be a good thing for Jaden to spend some time with his father too. These new changes of the father would definitely benefit the son, maybe the grand-kids yet to be as well. Wren''s reverie was broken by a SYSTEM message.
Rewards for the elimination of fugitive Ephyra Nereid:
  • 500 achievement points or class related knowledge package (1000 AP or less)
  • +1 reputation with Balance Keepers and Guardian Alliances
  • +1 reputation with Cross Alliance Bounty Hunters Association
  • Friendship of Usuway Umberdown (Miss Umberdown requests a personal meeting with participant Wren Tidren, Jaden and Lilly [Fecundson] upon completion of Southsea Peninsula safe zone. Each may bring one additional person as guest.
Well, that''s food for thought. After an agonizing moment of debate, Wren purchased the molecular model assistance upgrade for spacial calculation assistance.
Discovered: Class upgrade- Apprentice Creatriarch: You now know more than one secret but the road to mastery is long and arduous.
  • Spectral Domicile (similar to other spectral models in expenditure, EE efficiency stabilization synergy may be applied)
  • Class/Profession Synergy bonus: Optimization- copy, research and improve preexisting base models of all types
Whoa! Optimization lets me tinker with and even make my own version of SYSTEM given models, any models. A bit of equipment, enchantment and summon models are the only ones I have currently but, Damn! And here I was, starting to think that Soul Forge was just a specialized branch of my class! What''s the issue now, intuition? Giving things labels and putting them in boxes...I see. Creating structure gives stability but also creates limitations at the same time. Given what I am... symbolism is just as important to me, if not more so, as it is to entities going through apotheosis. Troy realized that Wren wasn''t following him anymore but was instead sitting on the path. Whatever was happening seemed important so even though valuable time was ticking by he stowed away his rising irritation and anxiety to watch over Wren and make sure no one bothered him. Why do I keep seeing flashes of the logo on our equipment? No, that''s not it or the hammer would be there too...Fire in earth? No. Oh, my growth diagram. But that''s a circle after the triangle corners were knocked off. The ghosts of my perceived, theoretical limitations are boxing in the circle. Triangle in the circle rather than outside of it... As I grow as a person, instead of limiting potential it pushes it out. Growth through self discovery rather than reactionary growth would fit me a lot better. I''m not a battle fanatic. If given a choice I''d fritter away large portions of time in peaceful and academic pursuits. That means when I reach the perceived limit, when the circle hits the triangle''s border, because logic keeps going up but the emotional depths of myself change slowly, I''d stagnate. Within Wren''s personal realm, the starry bits began moving to form a constellation around the center sphere. What am I missing? Dimension! Two dimensional people theoretically exist but I don''t see myself that way... How does a person balance their lives outside of positive and negative emotion? What kind of person am I?... I like to make things... but don''t I also destroy to make? Creation and destruction have to be balanced in a person''s life! If ya wanna make an omelet you gotta break some eggs... Oh gawd! Sorry Little Omelet!... Okay, nice. I got a sphere and I got a... That''s a pyramid...that leaves an entire hemisphere with no support or push... That equals warping over time... The opposite of logic is... No! I don''t want that in my structure! Wren fought against the idea of balancing logic out with madness as his internal structure shook. Upon the denial of the illogical, his intuition cut off and went deadly silent, leaving Wren to face this existential crisis alone. He knew if he didn''t do something quickly he''d face having a structure that was crippled beyond a certain point in the future, quite possibly the near future, but without the guidance of intuition he didn''t really know what to do. In desperation Wren asked Troy, ¡°What possible need would a person have for madness?¡± Troy looked at him oddly for a moment before thinking about the question seriously. Then he said, ¡°Well, musicians are always taking about how they feel more creative when their lives are all crazy, right? History and psychology never really interested me but weren''t most really smart people a little crazy? I remember a teacher talking about a guy named Tesla. Supposedly, he''s the one who really invented electricity, or whatever, but he had OCD really bad I guess. ¡°Even hippies and witches are always going on about their inner voice or spirit animals telling them stuff. You know, even though that sounds crazy, some of them are really successful people. I have an aunt who was like, institutional nuts, but she could read a person. Just one look at them and she''d be able to tell you all about their lives! It was kinda freaky.¡± Shit! I think I just told my intuition I didn''t want it!... The more I think about it, it''s not as if I ever thought I was glued together, all perfect edges. I''m willing to accept that all those bad things are in there, so why not accept that there''s parts of me that are a little unhinged?
Discovered: Tier IV Embodiment Eremita- Adaptive variable essence consumption based on user actions (Minimum EE or comparative equivalent 0.5% PPM, maximum 25%) Advisement: Evolutionary catalyst resulting in -error- (restricted by request of A/I/C Hosts) Estimated growth potential-above average
Lost: Tier III Embodiment Sophrosyne
Host has granted operator request: Personal message- Reaching for more than you can handle is dumb. Ever try walking around in shoes too big for your feet? If you haven''t you''re about to find out what it feels like.
Shoes too big for my feet? Feels more like I''m the marble in an empty spray can. Intuition''s back but it''s a little fainter than before...Too much echo. I might be about to step into the most dangerous situation I''ve been exposed to in this world tomorrow in over-sized armor. Damn it! It''s not like I have an instruction manual! Well, I guess I do if you count my intuition but it flips right to the chapters I want to read, skipping past all the cautions and warnings. Wren patently ignored all the low essence warnings caused by his sudden growth but that didn''t allow him to ignore the sudden feeling of weakness and fatigue that hit him. He might have wanted to take care of Rohn''s problems before the next day but his mind was too weary to think clearly. Whatever the issue was, Wren had no choice but to give in to the encroaching darkness. *** Wren woke up in an unfamiliar room. A small luminescent orb, hanging from the ceiling allowed him a good range of vision despite it''s dimness. It was empty aside from the bed he was on, a bed that had seen better days. Nearby he could sense Troy fast asleep, just out of visual range past the edge of the bed. This fact kept him from panicking about the presence of a larger, stronger person''s nearly painful locked grip. His body still felt really weak but serviceable, like he''d just broken a heavy fever. The little bit of wiggling he could accomplish only made the person holding on to him grip harder so he relaxed and tried to figure out more around the fading fog in his head. A faint creaking of someone standing out of a chair issued from behind him as light steps carried the person around the bed till they were in view. It was Mama Ku. She whispered, ¡°Let''s keep it down so the boys sleep. I''ll explain the situation you find yourself in and as long as Rohn doesn''t wake up, perhaps there is still time for you to find an answer to all of this before he needs to be sedated through one of the most difficult days our family has faced in centuries... That would be ideal but I''ve never been much of an optimist. ¡°You see Wren, my son has gone feral. It is a condition that was infrequently seen but well understood over 500 years ago and as far as the surviving records are able to determine there are two known causes; a natural condition that appeared in batkin families with strong ancient magics and malfeasance. If Ephyra was to be believed, which I have been informed of today as bad policy, then you are inadvertently responsible, for awakening his latent gifts without proper awareness of the consequences. If your friends are to be believed, then there was a part of you that you were not fully in control of that may be responsible. ¡°I don''t care why, Wren. Just bring my boy back to me. The one thing that everyone can agree on is that if there is a solution to this problem, you are the one to find it. Since it also seems that everyone is fairly convinced you are the source of it, that stands to reason. The only things I can tell you about the illness are it''s link to the ancient magics and that a feral will not intentionally harm it''s children or the one it recognizes as it''s mate. The only comfort I''ve been able to find out of this is the agonized look on your lover''s face as my son debased your sleeping form, even under heavy sedation. Pity you were wearing that suit.¡± Even Troy stood by and watched as I got humped all over by another guy? What aren''t you saying Mama Ku? Pulling his senses back to Troy, he struggled to reach out for more information, only getting a deep fuzzy sleep. He''s drugged and if I can''t fix her son I don''t know what''s going to happen but I''d be willing to admit a mother who believes that she''s lost her only child is capable of just about anything. Not knowing how much he was capable of at the moment, he reached out and sent a wisp of LE through Rohn. As the model he had created twice before filled back in, he noticed two huge changes immediately. The energy pools that he had fixed with a formed line of LE had completely fused and the bit of his presence on the remaining LE pointed at him like a compass needle coated in AE/EE dirty mix. Trying to find what caused this was proving to be a bit harder but once he expanded his awareness out to the astral body of Rohn, what he saw made his hair stand up. First of all, my naughty tulpa from back in the day couldn''t have done this and I sure as to hell didn''t. Secondly, I got it''s attention, whatever the hell it is. Thirdly, if I don''t figure something out soon, there''s gonna be a bigger problem on everyone''s hands. ¡°Matron, I didn''t do this. I mean, somehow what I did to help Rohn was hijacked by someone and something else.¡± ¡°Let''s just make the assumption I believe you. I don''t but I''m willing to harbor a beneficial doubt since you had proven yourself the last time you were wrongfully accused, mostly.¡± ¡°Of all the pretty amazing and horrible things I''m capable of, I can only call one kind of entity from another plane of existence and we''re related. Something is trying to use your son as a gate to come through to this side. Your son''s astral body has been tainted enough by it''s efforts I suppose you could call it a possession. Not to panic you but we don''t have a lot of time before the cord that connects your son''s soul to his body is snapped. Under normal circumstances he''d just go brain dead till he actually died unless his soul could be returned but in this one he''ll be replaced by that thing... If you don''t want to believe anything else I have to say, at least heed a warning. It''s intelligent, powerful and more hateful than you and Ephyra combined.¡± ¡°Your unamusing slights aside, what would you have of me?¡± ¡°Get the Grand Teacher and brief him on the way to think on anything he might know about possession, more specifically exorcism. I''m too weak right now to do much but observe until a course of action is decided. I may only have one shot at doing something constructive before all I have left in me are fumes.¡± Though she looked doubtful, Mama Ku didn''t waste any time. Around six or seven minutes of terrifying eternity later she returned with an alert but sheet wrapped old man. ¡°Why are you still in the arms of that thing, Wren. It''s dangerous!¡± The Grand Teacher announced. ¡°That thing is my son and honored guest you may be but I''ll still insist on a bare modicum of decency!¡± ¡°Guys, it''s a moot point. I''m too weak to struggle free and he''s got his teeth locked on the back of my neck. The thing that''s trying to control him has enough hold to latch on to me but it won''t be able to kill me till it severs Rohn''s astral cord. I''ve been bolstering it as much as I can and I can feel Rohn fighting to keep hold but unless something happens soon we''re both toast.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Please refrain from the K word since I''m not that desperate yet and the matron is already too much so.¡± ¡°I-alright then. The archives hold relatively little on possession or the practice of it''s removal since termination of the host is the only surety but I did see that there was a time a bit over 700 years ago where five reported cases of sudden feral symptoms were successfully treated by a figure known only as the Black Witch. Much superstitious lore exists on her but in this case she was recorded as saying she ''drew their darkness into hers and hers was the stronger''. This doesn''t seem over enlightening of itself but the most common ability she possessed in most accounts were shadows darker than darkness and deeper than our dwellings. ¡°It may not be of much assistance but it''s all the concrete evidence I have other than a few accounts of top-siders who claimed their deities had the power to drive demons out of the afflicted but many such cases seem simple treatment of diseases that we did not have knowledge of. Possessions we have numerous but the prevalent solution is death before the succumbing, which has been our way since the war with the ''others''. It is a shameful thing that many deaths were likely unnecessary as they were linked later to illnesses that surface frequently when blood becomes too shallow in a family.¡± Shadow does seem a lot like watered down void power. If that''s true a single case of mutated shadow power turned void could happen... I''ve got a balance here. I''m weaker than I was when I sucked in the tar monster buuut the thing that I''d be targeting is just spirit. Now I''m pretty sure that wherever it was the tar monster went it wasn''t my space. I didn''t even have the void realm yet. Is the void in my space strong enough to eat a living spirit and if so will it count as the taboo and make me a fugitive? It''s calculated risk and the entity reeks of curse mixed with something else. I don''t even believe it counts as an aware ''soul''. That would be like saying that murder is illegal but then taking a farmer to court for man slaughtering a chicken...an evil, soul destroying chicken. Fuck it. Just this once I''m down with the clown. Wren pulled on the center of his void, sending hate beams at mr/ms/mx spirit parasite. It wasn''t enough but he couldn''t stop once engaged. It was pure torture. He could make the draw stronger but then would draw in Rohn and snap the astral cord. In the real world, Rohn''s grip was tightening around Wren. It wouldn''t take much more for the pressure to start doing damage and he could feel teeth breaking through the surface of his skin. ¡°Rohn, if you can hear me start pummeling the shit out of it with everything you got. It can''t fight back or I''ll get it. Stay away from the angry black dot. It belongs to me but it will still eat you.¡± On the localized mental/astral plane Rohn''s astral body drew some ashy looking energy into it''s hands and flung it raw at the amorphous black and red entity. On the physical plane, Rohn''s body that was now nominally under the entities control would have used Rohn''s phenomenal upper body strength to snap Wren like a twig if it hadn''t swung in indecision for the split second it took to get slammed by the dirty blast. The peeled back layer of energy revealed a person''s face attached to a bloated tick body. And theeere''s my nightmare dream fuel for the next year... It screamed in a language that Wren couldn''t translate directly but with bad dubbed timing he received, ¡°We come and this time we shall feast on your world like a banquet.¡± ¡°We- We''re ready and, um, we''ll rain on your parade like mason bricks... Are you talking about the microwave/oven banquet meals or like a real banquet?¡± The battle paused for a half second as both the entity and astral Rohn looked at Wren with eerily similar facial expressions, just enough lull for the weak void power Wren could muster to draw the old man faced tick in. It was a gory, disgusting scene in Wren''s void realm for a few seconds when the entity hit the center of Wren''s purifying force but he instantly started feeling better. Not a lot better, just instant. The entity may have shredded like a corpse bomb but it didn''t have a lot of actual spiritual substance. That''s disappointing for how dangerous it was. Oh, it was just a tulpa...I was trolled by one of my own past abilities! Better close that gate then. Wren could feel his body being moved but didn''t pay it much attention as he focused his void power on drawing in the energy that opened the gate. It was all kinds of dirty but void took it like a champ, getting his spirit back over the 1% mark and LE back up to 5%. Using that as a gauge he placed his new internal storage at roughly 5x bigger but had no idea how it affected his spare pools at all as two of them were empty and the other two barely had a little gas like fumes of essence in them. A sudden jerking of his physical body ended his analysis as he focused his attention back into the real world. ¡°Whoa Rohn! What are you doing!?¡± Wren said in a panic as he saw that Rohn had stripped him of his suit as his face was supporting his upper body, nose painfully buried in the musty mattress, while his back-side was pulled up high enough his knees were just barely against the bed at all. *** ¡°Want you,¡± Rohn growled as he fumbled around trying to get into position but not willing to let go of Wren''s hips. ¡°Dude, my partner is sleeping next to the bed... The Grand Teacher and your mom are behind you!¡± Wren almost despaired as his first declaration seemed to make the nearly bestial minded man even more excited but the second declaration had driven through enough of Rohn''s addled brain that the vise grip on Wren''s hips loosened as Rohn quickly looked around. Taking the opportunity and what little strength he could force out, he twisted around, breaking out of Rohn''s grip as he landed on his back. A quick look around showed that the Matron and the Grand teacher had abandoned the room, likely taking Rohn''s purposeful and obviously amorous intentions as a clean bill of health. Wren would like to think the Grand Teacher would want more evidence but if the Matron was scooting him out of the room and no one had bothered correcting him on the rumor that Wren was one of Rohn''s, maybe he wouldn''t. With a look of frustration and ''about to lose prey'' panic, Rohn lunged to pin Wren beneath him. ¡°Need this.¡± Rohn said, managing to sound both undeniably demanding and unmistakably pleading at the same time. I thought that Jaden brought some anti-pheromone cocktail up to the main house. Well, if he was feral then maybe not or maybe these last terrifying few minutes had me more shook up than the suit could keep bottled...He had his mouth on my neck and no one knows what my blood can do. I''d lay money if I was a life wrecking lust demon, Abyss bent on keeping myself alive, my blood would be hella scarier compared to sweat...and we''re both sweaty. For lack of better options, Rohn began to grind himself on Wren. The sweat and Rohn''s building stimulation between them provided enough ease to make the friction feel good rather than hurt. Either Lilly was right about my dick being a dowsing rod or I seriously have a thing for abs. Regardless, after all this traumatizing shit Troy is gonna have no worries about another dude. He should be more worried about getting his turn before I get a nice girl and forget all about... Shit even through the drugs he can still feel my intentions...It''s all a bad dreaaam~... As interesting as this is, I''m not gonna get enough stimulation to get off easy this way. Situation gave me a fun easy way out with Glaucous but this guy''s in full alpha mode. Still if I don''t find a way to slip him some of my snake oil this ain''t gonna stop any time soon. ¡°Keep doin what you''re doin but unlock my legs so I can wrap them around you.¡± Ha ha, didn''t need to ask that twice. Oh, shit! ¡°You try to slid down any lower to bury your bone and I swear I will headbutt your nose and teeth through the back of your head!¡± Rohn''s slightly dilated eyes locked on to Wren''s for a moment. What he saw there must have convinced him because he didn''t go lower but he did lock Wren''s arms to the body with the insides of his arm pits as he framed either side of Wren head in wide, gripping fingers. To top off his body immobilization he pressed in for a lip bruising kiss, and grinding against him even harder. Kissing''s never really been a thing for me...They''re so thick and soft...snap the fuck out of it! Wren embarrassed himself a bit when he let out a small groan after Rohn found an angle and rhythm that had his pendulous sack slapping against Wren''s perineum and tickling the bottom of Wren''s own tightly drawn one. In a chain reaction, Wren''s unintentional sound of approval brought a breathy whine and shudder from Rohn that pushed Wren over the edge of what he could endure in his weakened state, liberally coating the space between them in a slippery wetness. The sudden change to suction cupping lack of friction had Rohn gliding smoothly at a greatly increased pace. The sounds of slick flesh meeting and parting that filled the room, Wren thought would be enough to make a whore blush, as he thought about how much Glaucous would probably love it. His overly sensitive lower parts being relentlessly stimulated so soon after release had him twitching and gasping into Rohn''s mouth. The harsh and labored breaths he was getting in return let him know that Rohn was close as well but instead of giving in, Rohn lifted up and scraped a handful of their mingled fluids and slicked himself, flipping Wren over on his stomach. Once again Wren found himself back in the original position that they started this all in, except this time Rohn''s member was sliding deftly between the clefts of his cheeks, a few experimental strokes from a brutal claiming. Exertion and climax had left him in an even worse position to resist. In a weak voice nearly on the verge of tears, Wren said, ¡°If you do this after I asked you not to, I don''t give a damn what you think you need, our friendship will be over. ¡°Damning shades!¡± Rohn howled before repositioning himself, his knees clamping Wren''s together. After two experimental half-thrusts to find the spot he wanted, he reached down to raise Wren partly way up. With one hand braced against the wall and the other resting palm flat just under Wren''s throat as thumb and fingers firmly held either side of the neck. He started out gentle and testing, as if to see how it pleased him. Taking the short lived opportunity, Wren began milking some of the remaining fluids from his softening member and licking it off his hand. Mistaking his action for an attempt at self pleasuring, Rohn penguin walked them over to the wall so he could both brace himself and hold Wren in the position he wanted with one curled arm, a cushioned headboard providing comfort to his elbow. He reached down a spit slicked hand to grab on to Wren''s flaccid member. It didn''t stay that way as Rohn teased it back to life. ¡°I didn''t mean to frighten you. I''m in control enough to prepare you now. Let me take you. I''ve never begged for anything my entire life but I''m begging you now. Please let me take you.¡± Is what we''re doing really not enough for you!? I know better than to ask stupid questions. ¡°Bring me my pleasure once more and take my seed in your mouth Rohn, a goodly portion. Use my body any way you wish to bring yourself fulfillment once besides that and if it is still not enough. If your need is still so great you can''t bear it, then I will relent but not before.¡± Rohn stopped moving. He slowly turned Wren''s head so their eyes could meet. They were dark with a restrained violence. ¡°If I do this for you and you do not relent then I will take you, consent or no.¡± ¡°Swear to me that you will only take me if the need is so great you cannot bear it after meeting my demands.¡± ¡°You say this as if you are in a position to give me demands!¡± ¡°I say this with our friendship as collateral. What you ask me may seem petty to you but it is important to me.¡± ¡°No, I see clearly how important it is. It''s importance is what drives me so desperately to claim it for myself. My reason clouds again, Wren. I will meet your demands despite it''s obvious ploy, and you have my oath as well. I just hope for your sake that I remain clear enough at that time to spare you harm.¡± This shit''s scary. I''ve allowed myself to forget just who this guy is along the way. It would not surprise me if he''s killed someone. And here I am practically trussed up, I''m so weak. Not letting go, Rohn turned and sat, back to the wall, before turning Wren to face him. He positioned Wren''s legs to each side of his own slightly spread ones and brought him in till their lower bodies touched. He widely licked the palm of his free hand before moving it between them to work both their members at once. All the while, he kept the darkly intense gaze locked on to Wren''s slightly fearful one. Despite himself Wren found a trace of erotic thrill in the knife''s balance between lust and wrath in Rohn''s gaze. Rohn''s hand skillfully worked over their joined heat as Wren leaned in to kiss him and for one stiff moment Wren thought he would be refused before Rohn relented and opened into it. A small hope burned within Wren that even if the small amount of his saliva diluted antidote wasn''t enough to cure Rohn''s madness it would at least take enough edge off to keep Rohn from hurting him because there was little doubt in Wren''s mind that it would only be seconds after getting his demands met that Rohn would take his due. Rohn had been close to his first release earlier but the dampening moments in between, Wren hoped, had restored some of Rohn''s will as Wren strove to reach climax as soon as he could. He bit his lip, breathing shallow and quick. Rohn''s intense eyes filled his vision, the large and callused hand pumping their joined members both hard and smooth in one. As he felt the a lower tightness drawing in to him he rested his head on Rohn''s shoulder, the tight ragged breaths drifting across the planes of Rohn''s stomach had Rohn jerking and spurting his heat onto Wrens leaning form moments before being joined by his own. Rohn pulled them apart. ¡°When I was a young trainee, not much older than Jackoby, the instructor appointed by my father introduced me to the pleasures of intoxicating libations and taking advantage of my drunkenness he convinced me to give his manhood the deep kiss. Not knowing what it was I was being made to do at first I did not struggle. By the time I had discovered his intentions my fear of reprimand kept me to the task till he had found completion. I remembered choking on his bitterness and vowed to never let another man do the same. Though the act you ask of me does not break that vow it skirts close enough to raise that old memory.¡± Rohn scooped up a line of the still warm wetness from Wren''s chest. How he had known which was Wren''s despite never having broken eye contact was a mystery but it was Wren''s. As he lifted it to his mouth, Wren put a gently restraining hand on his wrist. ¡°If I had known that I would not have asked this of you, despite my belief of it''s need.¡± ¡°If you had known and asked me to do this anyway our friendship is not something you could have used as collateral.¡± Rohn finished the gesture. As he reached for the urn of water nearby he paused for a moment in contemplation before continuing, taking several large droughts to rinse his mouth before swallowing. Whatever way the wheel would turn on this one, Wren was too exhausted and over taxed to do much of anything except fall on his back and lay there. Rohn looked over him a moment, taking in Wren''s helpless and fatigued figure, the exertion flushed cheeks and small beads of sweat gathered at Wren''s brow. He didn''t even need to touch himself as he dwelt upon the slightly parted and kiss swollen lips, the prize he had earned himself. Pulling Wren closer he reached out to gather some more of their combined release from Wren''s chest as he slicked himself once more. *** ¡°It does steal some of the sting that you taste much different, pleasant even. From the day, the moment, that you placed your hand upon my chest and saved me from myself. The longing for you was planted inside me. Yes I will admit to some of my draw to you being of some unknowable source but I swear to you. I swear on all that I am that whatever strange allure you may possess is not the source of my feelings for you. I have spent many years studying myself for unknown changes for fear of Grimshadow''s reach. ¡°Believe in my words for I knew yours truth, know them truth. Can I not love you for all that you''ve done for me and mine? Can I not love you for the strength and character of your heart? Your strange allure and your pleasing form may have been responsible for this opening in my heart that may not have existed otherwise but it was filled with the knowing of you. ¡°Before you deny me one last time, will you at least consider my words? I feel the strangeness of my violent need releasing it''s hold. As much as I am tempted to take my desire''s wish from you, how can I? I''d rather tear myself in two than cause you the sadness I know it would bring, what that would make of me. Think upon my words. My heart is big too. To allow the love of a woman into our lives is no demand at all. Your attachment to the man-child is understandable. If it is your wish to hold him as I long to hold you then I can accept that with no pain of heart at all. I may even join you in bringing him joy and healing. ¡°I will not lie, it would be hard to accept Troy for we feel possessive of you in many the same ways but I would strive to if it meant that I could be with you. Even if this confession leads to a fruitless heart break for me, hear me on this one thing. That man is warped to you far more viciously than my own small madness warped me. A question that you may ask yourself, has he ever shown any expression of love to you that you yourself have not prompted? There is more reason than one for Ephyra''s choosing of him. Be wary of her as well. My chance meeting of her did not leave me feeling at ease. ¡°My yearning for you is too great to stay by your side tonight. Think on my words. If we make it through the coming trial...sleep well.¡± Rohn''s words shook Wren but did not paralyze his thoughts. ¡°I will promise nothing but that I''ll give your words careful thought. Ephyra''s gone, by the way. She was a vile woman and I helped send her to her death.¡± A different kind of battle warred within Rohn as he reluctantly tore himself away. ¡°Then some of my fear is eased.¡± 26-The More Things Change Wren laid in the bed unable to sleep. As time passed he felt his strength return enough to function at a relatively normal degree, however. As the thoughts of the past hour or so ran through his head he came up with a plan to spend the next couple hours before getting an early start on D-Day. Wren summoned his spectral servant infused with a small bit of void power to clean himself and the rest of the area up while he used a bit of water and air to get the area properly fresh and obscene sent free. After he was done with that he had the construct move Troy to the bed and slowly helped boost Troy''s fast healing to remove the drug. A couple of minutes later Troy was looking at Wren with a complex expression as Wren tried as best he could to describe all that had happened while Troy was knocked out and what it meant for them. ¡°His confession aside, he raised a few questions in me that have tickled the back of my mind and there is no easy answer to any of them so lets do what we can and move from there.¡± As they laid on the mattress facing each other, Troy reached for Wren''s hand and held on to it tightly before saying, ¡°There is a way. For you to know the absolute truth within me. It would be my truth but it would be absolutely my truth. What you have to understand though, is that a lot of what makes us who we are come from a lifetime of thoughts and feelings. Those things aren''t our truth but they are just as much a part of us so keep that in mind. ¡°People like me, at our core, are just specks of eternal stuff that gather the truths of many lifetimes till we find our way or are lost. Almost all either join with something bigger than ourselves or wander till we lose ourselves completely or become a bigger thing ourselves. So when you ask me for the truth, make sure you say, in some way ''the part of you that is Troy'' or you are not going to get anything definite or so basic it won''t do you any good. ¡°I''m going to give you my True Name after you make an oath on the Eternal Circle to forget it in ten minutes and to only use it to ask your questions. Is that fair?¡± ¡°More than fair. This True Name business sounds pretty heavy though. Is that the only way?¡± ¡°It''s the only way for you to get what you need Wren. Maybe the only way for me too. I wasn''t the only one who was changed by this bond. If anything, you were changed more than me but you are the one who controls it... I''m not a good person, Wren. I don''t think I''m a bad one either. Don''t use what you find in there to judge me. We all have darker days.¡± Wren made his oath to forget and to only use Troy''s True Name to ask questions and Troy relinquished it. ¡°****, I only speak to the part of you that is Troy. All that I ask is only for that part to answer. I call upon you **** to answer truthfully, in all that I ask. Is all that I have just said clear to you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Troys face was relaxed and although he was looking at Wren, it didn''t seem as if he was seeing anything at all. ¡°Do you love me, and if so, what is the nature of that love?¡± ¡°Yes. It is the love of a savior. It is also the love between those who share hardships.¡± ¡°Is there is no romantic love?¡± ¡°I have not experienced it before, if it exists. I do not believe it does.¡± Holy shit! Well, don''t ask questions you don''t want the answers to. Can''t say that doesn''t hurt but I can understand. He''s what, 20? ¡°Is your want of me only because of the bond or my scent?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What other reasons do you have for wanting me?¡± ¡°You are my dreams made real. I want the happiness I believe exists in having you. I want to claim a part of you for myself the way you have claimed a part of me. I- wa-nt y-ou-r T-rue Name.¡± Troy''s brows furrowed. ¡°Why would you want my True Name and how would you get it?¡± ¡°Ephyra showed me a way to use our True Names together to undo the bond without hurting us. I wanted to be free of it for a time then take it back if I liked having it more. If I could claim a part of you, freely given, that you had not shared with another, then I could see your True Name.¡± ¡°How much of what she told you about this do you believe?¡± ¡°I believe that no lasting harm would be done. I believe that the damage caused by a broken bond is caused because of the parts of ourselves that do not wish to let go. I believe that she wanted me to do this for another reason. I believe that reason is no longer a concern. I believe that the remaining harm is only emotional loss. I believe that the remaining balance of what I hold would be split between us. I believe the bond between us doesn''t feel like it was made correctly. I believe that is why you were so weak. I believe breaking this bond would be good for both of us. I believe that a new bond would be better for both of us if I still want it for the same reason. I be-¡± ¡°That''s enough answers to that question... If you have a choice between having the bond or not having the bond, what would you choose.¡± ¡°I would choose to not have it. I would choose to have it¡± What? ¡°Why do you want this bond?¡± ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°Why do you not want this bond?¡± ¡°It was not made correctly.¡± ¡°How is this bond not correct and how do you know?¡± ¡°It is too thick inwardly. It has inconsistencies. The investment of your resources in it are too much. The flow between us is not even as good as the one you have with Lilly. You fought against our bond which caused this. I instinctively understood this wrongness before Ephyra even explained it. It is why I tried so hard to get you to accept me before it became worse.¡± ¡°Is your understanding about yourself and the world around you clearer or more clouded in the state your in.¡± ¡°Definitively clearer.¡± ¡°Would you be willing to swear the same oath you made to me but for thirty seconds instead of ten minutes?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If it is your will outside of the power I hold over your true name then I ask that you say that Oath.¡± Troy did. ¡°I give you my True Name if you''ve the power to see it.¡± ¡°I give you permission to use my True Name to demand all of me to relinquish my hold on our bond as I demand you relinquish yours, ****.¡± Troy said after a few seconds. ¡°I demand the same, ****¡± Wren said as a voice outside screamed in panic. ¡°The waters come!¡± Wrens perception disappeared. *** He was back to seeing the world as much bigger. In this state, with all his knowledge and ability he was able to flit from one place to another with the greatest of ease. He didn''t move so much as appeared and disappeared wherever he desired within the void overlap. He was removed from the panic around him but still felt that he wanted to help. He called upon the mark of passage and spoke in pictures of compassion and desire to help all that he encountered. A small shadowy star surrounded by a soft, prismatic corona, he darted forth to appear before the greatest emotional distress, guiding them to safety above. He fell into a trance, moved to all places that distressed called him. Many reached out to him. Some with darker thoughts tried to capture him but he was untouchable, unreachable. He was a distant star shining a benevolent ray to illuminate the path. Some attacked him. Some, despite their need, drowned for fear of him. It saddened him when that happened but he still opened the way. He did this until there were none left to save. There were still some here, drowned for too long or too much consumed by the angry fish women. He could pull water from lungs and mend wounds but he could not revive the dead beyond a few moments. The angry fish women had finished claiming this place and few were interested in his aid but a few did. He grieved with them at their loss he did not fully understand but they were grateful. Some of the older ones sent pictures back of fairness and prices paid. He sent them pictures of closure and forgiveness. Most agreed. Some who admired his beauty or had been helped by him in some way gave him tokens which he kept within himself. Some wished to hold him and though it saddened him to deny them he felt it was not a good thing. When all here became calm enough he heard other pictures of distress and need so he moved higher to hear them. Some of the ones he had saved were fighting some of the others. There was anger and fear. He could hear two more clearly than the rest so he went to them first. They called a name, it was his but in a small way. The angriest one ordered three others to release a wrongness at the two who knew his small name. This wrongness would snuff their lights. As he had done things to this point he could only save one but wanted to save both. He found a way but the wrongness would touch them which meant he would have to touch them too. He warred within for a moment that was too small for others to feel. The want to save was stronger than the want to not be touched for these two. He stretched to eat the wrongness. He stretched further still for the wrongness that would touch three lives waiting to be. He twisted himself to reach for another connected to these two that was far away yet reachable through them. For want to ward harm and sadness from these two, three lives and three lives to be were touched by him as he ate the wrongness and other wrongness'' that were already there . He cared not if they changed him, after all, it was only a shell but he would not be tethered to so many. These two were his as he was theirs, in a small truth way, and that was enough. His form to be remained frozen for a small moment. The one far away had a clear image of desired form. The two here were less clear but differing echos of each other and the three yet to be only knew of themselves in a primordial way, offering legions of possibility that stretched back eons but offered no guidance. And so the guiding power took the countless potential and turned it to an average of sleeping possibility from the three yet to be lives, expressed it through both the acknowledged and unacknowledged desires of the two and seated it all in the frame of the one clear picture. *** Wren''s perception and mind snapped back into place. He was standing in front of Jaden and Lilly, bristling at the eldest Grimshadow. Awed and wary at had just transpired, the Eldest Grimshadow asked, ¡°And whom may I be addressing, sir?¡± The build of myriad essence clamoring to be claimed, that Wren had ignored in that other hermit''s lantern form, became an incessant beating as Wren said, ¡°I am a debt collector. Pay up.¡± Prominent family leaders dropped to dust in moments while their nearest and most knowledgeable aged and weakened. A drastically decreased effect rippled out down the lines of all the family elites save for three: Suncave and Deepwise who remained untouched and Grimshadow who were nearly eradicated. The sudden explosive influx of essences left Wren''s void feeling dangerously bloated for a moment before it began to crush and condensed down towards the purifying center, a trickling amount spilling over into his connections with Jaden and Lilly. So that was her plan. I would take and purify a portion of all this before I would need aid which she would helpfully provide. I would get what my channels could handle. Jaden and Lilly would get a portion and the ever helpful Ephyra would take the lion''s share. Fortunately for me, my too big shoes had plenty of room to handle the excess. No seriously, thank gawd for that, because not only did I not take it in chunks at a time, there was no eager Ephyra to leech the excess. I estimate that my LE will be roughly around half, around 1 ? more than I could have personally handled before. Don''t know how much my spare tank could hold though. My SE will be around 20% so I''ll be just out of the red for the first time ever on that but before my little growth oopsie I could only safely take in maybe around 10% of my personal total at any given moment. Now it''s up to 30% but I was so empty that the middle space acted as a spill catch. I can''t rely on that later. This was deadly dangerous. Even the bit that sloshed through the lines was enough to make Jaden and Lilly red faced and they have a shared realm to catch their over spill too! Now time to monopolize on the shock and awe before someone else does.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°I bring three decrees from your guardian! I also bring an invitation but will have to wait till I have discharged my duty. The first decree is that the guardian hands his weighty task of leadership over to the rightful heirs of his brother... House Suncave your family name is restored to Umberdown. Matron Kushal Umberdown, you are the first and last queen of your people. You are charged with the creation of a council that gives equal voice to all and it''s stewardship for a total of twenty years, at which time your charge, princess Rohna will steward for twenty more. In the event of either of your deaths, Dhassa of Umberdown will attend the duty or her appointed heir among the brown sashes will. If this will is not followed it is the sacred duty of all brown sashes of every house to execute any purple sash that does not belong to house Umberdown or Deepwise. If the stewardship of house Umberdown is in question in forty years or if the council does not give equal voice to all people at that time, then it is the sacred duty of the brown sashes to find an heir of Umberdown or Deepwise they believe capable of the task and protect them while executing all corrupt officials. In short the brown robes are the custodians of equality and house Umberdown is it''s champion. ¡°The second decree is thus; Outside of the sacred duty of the brown sash, no discrimination of gender or station , including the right to choose spouse, will be tolerated. It will be Queen Kushal Umberdown''s duty to establish the punishments and implementation of them. Within this generation you will find that much of your fertility and relative safety of childbirth will be restored. ¡°The final decree is thus; Branch Shadow, Branch Shade and Branch Night of house Grimshadow shall return to their ancestral father''s side. The house of Grimshadow is no more. These three branches are recognized as belonging to his family and are not to be harmed unless they cause harm... Grimalkin Tidren, see to their understanding and organization. Do not interfere with those who choose to suicide. It is their choice if they wish to join a filthy master in damnation or the awaiting embrace of a loving father!¡± A few more globs of wrongness were flung at Wren before the dissenters were cut down, either by Grimalkin or, surprisingly, his father who Wren decided not to stop as he went on to slaughter nearly half of house Night. Seeing that the scary bringer of death and equality was no longer speaking House Umberdown and Deepwise began organizing everyone aside from the remaining group of nearly spiritless people being led to the riverside by Grimalkin and his father. ¡°Thank goodness we can recognize you, Wren. If we had not then a couple of people might have snatched you up before you could finish your little speech.¡± Lilly delivered dryly. Wren turned around to see Lilly and Jaden had a Deepwise red sash and two Umberdown brown sashes trussed up. Fortunately, many others who might have tried to interrupt him with a dagger punch to the ribs were stopped by a ring of Umberdown and Deepwise guards. ¡°To be honest, I expected more sleeper agents than this.¡± Wren said pleasantly. ¡°There are or at least were. They are currently walking down the hill to join the rest of Glaucous'' folk,¡± Troy said, pointedly looking everywhere but at Wren. ¡°Lilly will not ask out of politeness but I feel no such impediment. What happened to you Wren?¡± Jaden said, looking at Wren with burning curiosity. ¡°Troy and I mutually decided to sever our bond. Lilly, you still got that compact mirror?¡± Wren said as if he was just explaining that his favorite sports team lost, a little annoyed and a little sad but nothing big. As Troy explained to Lilly and Jaden his reasons, which sounded a lot more for the benefit of Wren than the unadorned truth of earlier suggested, Wren gave himself a once over. The ghost of his form before could still be seen in skeletal frame, eye shape and lips, even the backside, but some fairly radical changes could be seen outside of that. I got a little muscle tone under all the soft now. Glad I graduated from the high school chess club to a bench warmer on the swim team... baby steps. If I get any more junk in the jock I''m gonna get scared instead of flattered. Looks like I ditched the vampire pale for alabaster. At least it''s a real person''s skin color but I could do without the perma-blush. Holy mother of dye jobs, human hair can''t be black from the blue scale and I''m going to have to find a nice Persian cat or my friends or gonna pet me bald... The eyes kinda make me think of a deep blue/ kinda purple, blue fire opal. That''s just close enough to a possible real color to fly...barely. Of course if I ever had to visit an eye doctor I''d be fifteen minutes from talking with a geneticist. All in all I got an upgrade from trap to late teen who puberty skipped from the waist up... What the hell I gotta do to look like an real man? No offense but I wanna look like an Olympic gymnast not someone who ran away from home to join a Visual Kei band. ¡°Look guys, this is definitely a talk it out kind of situation but I''ve got a group of milling spies, assassins and freaky ability people down by the river I got to help get to their new home before they decide there''s something else they''d rather be doing. Be right back, soon-ish.¡± Wren walked down to meet up with Grimalkin. ¡°I knew is was you brother Wren!¡± Grimalkin said, sounding rather proud of himself. ¡°Oh? And how were you so sure?¡± ¡°Your mind voice. I remember it from when...¡± Recalling recent past events, a cloud passed over Grimalkins face but the small smile returned. Wren affectionately patted Grimalkin''s shoulder a couple times before turning to his father. ¡°You''re Little Gray''s dad?¡± ¡°I- Yes, you could say that.¡± ¡°Think you could stick by me till we get where we''re going. I''d like to speak with you.¡± ¡°It will be as you say.¡± ¡°I can see where you get your glib tongue from, Little Gray.¡± Wren opened the mark of passage for the last time. He briefly thought about how cool it would be if he could keep it but many factors mitigated the cost of using it here. Using it on unfamiliar waters would likely place a burden on Glaucous that he could currently ill afford. ¡°Alright errybody, time to go see your new home. I know some of you mi-¡± Wren thought they might need a little coaxing to enter a whirlpool in the river after what just happened but he had underestimated how much most of these people didn''t really care if they lived or died. ¡°So, just stick by me and we''ll talk in a bit, um, what should I call you sir?¡± The man looked in his mid forties but with the way these people aged there was no real telling how old the guy was. ¡°This one''s last obtained name was Observer but this one possessed names from Branch shade in the past.¡± ¡°You are a man superior to me in age and experience. You are now a man beholden to no master but possess an ancestral father who values you in their stead. Would you like to take up a name more befitting a distinguished and self possessed freeman?¡± The older man thought it over for a moment before saying decisively'' ¡°When this one was rewarded Little Gray''s... Grimalkin''s-¡± he looked apologetic as Wren interrupted. ¡°You''re Little Gray''s dad. I think that entitles you to use his nickname,¡± Wren offered encouragingly. ¡°Ah. When this one was rewarded Little Gray''s incuba- mother''s comforts, we would sometimes talk afterwards. She said that I was kind and gentle, unlike others, so she gave me a secret name for us to use. I knew it did not make me special. She had probably made a secret name for all who she was made to embrace, a way to sooth them and spare herself unnecessary pain. It did not matter to me. Whenever she called this one by our secret name, this one would feel a warmth and tightness inside this one did not have words for then. Little Gray...s-son, do you think Sable is a fitting name for this one?¡± ¡°Yes, father... Sable is a good name I think, a v-ery good name.¡± Grimalkin said in a suppressed warble. As they stood a little too stiffly looking at each other Wren was tempted to give them a moment alone but it was obvious that even if he did they wouldn''t know what to do with it. So even though it was a little embarrassing he would just have to show them. ¡°Sable, Little Gray is my little brother. Do you feel that makes us family too?¡± ¡°This-yes. It is as you say.¡± Sable instantly pushed all the emotion away as he responded neutrally. ¡°Then in such situations, this is what family does.¡± Wren gave a meaningful look at Grimalkin as waked over and gave Sable a hug. The man froze for a moment before awkwardly attempting to return the unfamiliar gesture. A second went by before Grimalkin joined them and Wren took the momentary confusion to extricate himself and gently urged them to continue without him. ¡°Familiarize yourself with this. Join me when the want for it has passed.¡± And I thought Thanksgiving with my family was a trial. Wren walked over to where Lilly and Jaden had just finished Speaking with an Umberdown runner. ¡°Do you think you are able bodied to build a shelter for... Queen Kushal''s son and grandchildren. Everyone else would be fine for the tents and other materials we can provide but I worry for their safety if they are too easy a target for assassination before this new reality sets in. Little Gray and Troy are welcome to the normal accommodations of the pavilion but considering the change in circumstances...¡± Jaden trailed off. Lilly jumped in, ¡°What he''s trying to say is that after we talked about it, you can join us, for sleeping. That is, unless you make other arrangements. The invitation is an open one.¡± Both Jaden and Lilly blushed a little towards the end but the point got across and the bond spoke of acceptance not request. Wren noticed he wasn''t the only one to experience some changes, though he had been trying to ignore it. Jaden must have been utilizing the space as much as Lilly because he had filled out a bit and looked to be losing some of his boyishness. Lilly was a great deal more lithe than when they had first arrived here and even though she was quite a bit more fit she was showing a great deal more curves and the shadows of maturity. The curls of her hair were looser and and a bit darker, her skin clearer and her eyes were changing into a hazel that had the brown at the center looking like burnished gold. As time went by, a little faster for them than others, they were turning into a mature and envy inducing couple that had Wren''s pulse quicken a little at the thought of joining them before he was slammed with a heavy sense of guilt. Now that Troy was no longer a bonded Wren''s ties with the couple were without counterpoint. He knew that the positive feedback loop between them would cause changes. He had to comfort himself with the fact that it wouldn''t have happened this fast. They must have been discussing this for some time. Lilly had even hinted at it the night before last. Still, this was too soon and Lilly likely knew it too. Wren got the impression she just wanted him to know he wasn''t without a place to be and feel wanted, loved and most importantly, without the comfort of bonds. Switching to multi-tasker mode, Wren fired up the conjuration juices as he asked runners who were already at the task of cording off areas for development, what was going to be built where and got to the job of helping them get a jump start on essential structures. Two large bath houses and four large communal latrines, all equipped with a handful of simple enchantments, later he found himself erecting a crude wall around the settlement area. With Grimalkin attending to his resource acquisition and refreshment needs, he was free to speak with Sable, whose presence was good enough deterrent to let him work in peace. ¡°I probably should have let you go with the rest, Elder Black. I feel a little selfish for getting you to stay behind and delaying your acquaintance with a new home and circumstance.¡± ¡°This o-I do not feel at a sense of being deprived of anything, uh... son-in-law?¡± Dear gawd save me from this culture''s need to have a family label or official title for every single damn kind of interpersonal communication. ¡°Since there''s no real comfortable way for you to address me, that meets the standard, just call me Birdy till you can say my first name without thinking you''re offending me.¡± ¡°I''ve spent a long time teaching young ones the proper way of addressing their betters and each other as a part of their report giving knowledge. Give me time to take things slowly. I may be older than most of you but I think it capable to adapt. Just, a personal name is for lovers and parent-child relationships...¡± ¡°For Pete''s sake! Then think of me as one of your kids but I''m going to call you Sable or Elder Black and no offense intended.¡± ¡°All is well then.¡± Tolerance, please tell Stress Headache that he''s not much different than any English teacher I''ve ever met and I could handle that just fine. Thank You. As some random family''s Runners dropped off another load of dirt and clay rich river mud at Grimalkin''s direction, Wren finally was able to bully through to the main points. ¡°Saying thank you for slipping your son poison seems wrong for many reasons but I want you to know that it saved him a great deal of personal trauma. I''ve only seen him have a serious freak out once and that was when I was showing him how to back float in a pool. I''m glad it seems that you didn''t suffer because of that.¡± ¡°No one was aware of my doing in that case but on the word of a Branch Night member that I showed signs of guilt I was unmanned but at my age such a thing is of little consequence.¡± Wren stopped wall shaping. After taking a brief moment to pull out a ground blanket and futon from his space, he set up a standing curtain around them. ¡°Strip please.¡± Sable was standing naked with his suit dropped to his ankles, looking at Wren, before a bland curiosity appeared on his face roughly ten seconds after Wren''s request. Wren admired the convenience of the suit design for a half second before asking Sable to lay down. If it wasn''t so terrifying to him how efficient the conditioning was he would have laughed, seeing the older man tremble a little as he lay there. He kind of had the look of a maiden on her wedding night. The mutilation exposed, dowsed Wren''s suppressed humor quickly. ¡°I''m going to establish a circuit through the energy points in your body. Then I''m going to heal you, alright?¡± ¡°I-it will be as you say.¡± ¡°Just out of morbid curiosity, was ''strip'' a command frequently used?¡± ¡°Yes, Birdy. And it was for a number of reasons.¡± ¡°Then I owe you an apology.¡± ¡°None necessary. It is an efficient communication of need.¡± Choosing not to dwell on what he believed some of those ''needs'' were and how much abuse was likely tied to it, Wren got to work. He didn''t take a lot of time nor use much resources, he just finished pulling the fish that was partly breaching the top of a nearly clear pond surface (indicative of little established personality?) out before healing internal damages and hidden sequela. He took a second look while he was running controlled LE to rejuvenate Sable''s life-force and vitality and made a startling discovery. Sure the surface is clear but the bottom of his pond is killing-intent black. This dude used to be a scary mother back in the day and I bet he could be again if he ever felt the need. ¡°I had been warned that the desire to procreate would all but die when one had their manhood removed. I have never felt it keener.¡± ¡°It''s the effect of life essence. Try your best to keep it in check as I restore you.¡± Far from just keeping it in check, it''s like he checked it off! How cool would it be to go from randy to all business at the drop of a hat? I''d hate to know what kind of training it would take to get it though. No, serious. I''m pretty sure that would be nightmare dream fuel and I already got tick man for that. ¡°Well, there you go Elder Black. Good as new or at least good as 35 with a clean and healthy lifestyle. It''s a reward I think you have more than earned for finding a father''s love within you in a situation where most would not.¡± ¡°I can see why my son is devoted to you far greater than I ever could devote him to the branch. Such tools at your disposal could earn you loyalty that even the most skillful master would envy, Birdy.¡± ¡°I would feel much more comfortable hearing that warning laced compliment with you calm and clothed.¡± ¡°Then with your permission I''d like to relieve myself before you draw down this blind.¡± ¡°Uh, have at it?¡± Wren made a hasty retreat when Sable closed his eyes and got to business without delay, returning to making wall... Wren caught himself having an absurd juvenile thought about how the 1 x ? soft diamond of wall probably looked like a vagina from bird''s eye view when he was near completion. Being that it was less than two hours before night fall, it came as no surprise that Umberdown runners had came to hound him about a shelter for their Matron. What did surprise him was that Rohn was with them. With a finger up gesture he got busy finishing the wall at double time. Oh how I miss ready access to migraine meds. 27-Too Much of Not Enough That shit eating grin on your face pisses me off, Rohn. Don''t know if you ran into Troy or someone tipped you off but if you think what Troy and I have decided has anything to do with you... Well, outside of you bringing the problem to my attention, it doesn''t. I''m not gonna embarrass you in front of your men but I can still get my point across. It''ll take a little more effort but at least what I make can serve a purpose after the main manor is finished. Despite how awed the gen pop is, the way Sable keeps blocking certain angles of the crowd with his body for me lets me know that he gets just how fragile my prowess is and if he can figure it out then others can too. I originally held him behind because I wanted to do something good for him but now I''m starting to think that I''m the lucky one here. Through most of the day today all it would have taken was one asshole with a vendetta that slipped the radar and I could be toast. Accessing a space within a space that technically share the same planar area might be a little dangerous. I''ll have to keep that in mind. Might be more than a little hurt but it''s not like I don''t understand. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Definitely Lilly. Yup, Jaden. Right behind be. Lilly~ what are you planning on doing!? Lilly~, I can tell you''re joking but Jaden is half serious here. Guys, I''d be scared as fuck right now if I couldn''t sense your true feelings but I''m not really an S&M kinda dude. I doubt they''d come up with anything too bad, though. old man. Your words are just tickling me.¡± Note to self: Years of build up between Jaden and Lilly because of their freaky hyperbolic chamber realm may lead to extreme euphoria and a state of helplessness. Collect with caution. Apparently a healthy soul means a healthy life force. Speaking of life force, aren''t my buddies gonna go all mayfly on me with the way they use this ream? At least none that I''m yet aware of. Yeah, now I''m feeling the burn. I wonder what perma-blush looks like when you really blush under it? we need to accept that. Lilly was right and some things are inevitable. Already I feel you making your way into my imprint.¡± The archive and Glaucous'' knowledge had accounts of this but they were considered abnormal psychology not genetic disposition. Perhaps this is an instance of unintentional social discrimination. I get the sense that Glaucous held out some things that involved his brother too, when he granted his knowledge. Gotta remember to ask him about it. That she is. Especially, it seems, on things that make me squirm. 28-Not an Indecent Proposal Wren steeled himself and approached Grimalkin who was going through his usual morning exercises and forms. Instead of interrupting, Wren contented himself with watching the display while wondering just how it was that his little ninja had such a hard time holding ground with other companions. As Grimalkin wrapped up his practice, he turned to Wren and smiled before he said, ¡°Morning Brother Wren. Are you recovered well?¡± ¡°Can''t complain. Well, I could but it wouldn''t do any good. Guess the short answer is yes,¡± Wren said. Grimalkin''s smile slipped a bit before he said, ¡°Oh. Lilly had informed me that you were ''deliriously eager'' this morning. I thought perhaps that meant you were feeling better.¡± Lilly~ We''re going to have to have a talk soon, you and I...especially about that magically undying smartphone. ¡°You and I have a serious matter to discuss today, Little Gray. Please don''t look at me like that! It''s nothing bad!¡± And to think I used to make fun of a cat owning co-worker when she would talk about coming home to find her house trashed but not being able to do anything to her devil kitty. I think I named you too well, Little Gray. Big watery eyes are seriously foul play. Wonder if I can pull it off. File that....Nope, nausea inducing. ¡°Just go tell Sable and Troy about the food at the pavilion lounge. Have a good meal, then meet me at the grove of muted whispers over to the east there.¡± ¡°Okay, Birdy... I-is it okay if I call you that, Brother Wren?¡± Seriously, stahp it... with the eye thing~ If I find out someone taught you to do that, I''m gonna wring their neck!... Why does Lilly feel chilled? It was warm world side when we first came in here. ¡°Sure, Little Gray, but I don''t really want just anybody calling me that. So maybe we keep it for when it''s just family and friends?¡± Grimalkin grinned happily as he dashed off to deal with Wren''s request. Wren watched him leave for a moment, with mixed feelings before sauntering off to the grove. Is this really the right thing to do? When I first saved him and found out about his situation I just wanted to figure out a way for him to be happy. Somehow along the way I started wanting more and I''m not sure why. I feel like a bad person. If that''s all there was to this then I''d know, beyond a doubt, it was the wrong thing to do to make him a bonded. I won''t be able to untangle all this till I speak to him but I need to figure out my plan of action if this all points to an affirmative. He''s tough and he''s got serious skills but when it comes to other participants and the potential dangers we face I worry he''ll not be able to defend himself. The kid''s no stranger to life and death, that''s for damn sure. He''s probably more qualified to tell me I''m in over my head than the other way around. As much as I don''t want to bother my old man about this, especially after Glaucous, I refuse to just do my personal best when I have access to more possibility. I know I''m going to be getting an ass chewing but it''s worth it if Little Gray''s gonna be sticking by me for the long haul. The small voice telling me it''s more responsible to find a way to cut him loose even knows what the outcome would be right now. Besides, I promised him he''d have a place by my side for as long as he needed it and, right or wrong, my circumstances made him need it. Wren''s thoughts ran in circles of planning and self chastisement until an anxious Grimalkin stepped into the circular clearing. ¡°I hope that I didn''t make you wait too long, Brother Wren. My father said that serious business should be accompanied by a light meal, well digested, when permissible. It is possibly important to share that Troy has coaxed my father into giving him ''comfort'' and does not wish to be disturbed. Father did want me to convey that he would be at your convenience whenever you had want of it, however. It does not bring him much pleasure of mind to embrace a man, I think.¡± Wren was a little unbalanced by the revelation as he asked, ¡°Then why has Sable agreed?¡± Grimalkin thought on it for a moment before responding, ¡°Father would never say because it is a great unkindness to belittle another who requests comfort nor is it proper for one outside of a marriage to the giver to ask. If I were to be asked my opinion it would be simple hunger for union. Father once told me, long ago, that one who turns nose at simple fair for want of finer foods deserves to starve.¡± Wren, for lack of anything better to say, replied, ¡°That''s, uh, practical.¡± Grimalkin, as if Wren complimented his father, happily said, ¡°Yes! The first thing taught to all children in fifth birthing year education is to ask the question; Is this practical? Our earliest record is a quote from Malkanthor Umberdown: ¡°Never hesitate to sacrifice want for need. You must first preserve the present day to enjoy the possibilities of the future, not only for yourself but for your children.¡± Yeah, there''s a recipe perfect quote for future politicians to abuse forever... Sorry, the spirit of all artisans since the beginning of time burns inside me to get you off that propaganda brainwash bus. Wren cleared his throat and while looking Grimalkin dead in the eye he quoted, ¡°If, of thy mortal goods, thou art bereft, And from thy slender store two loaves alone to thee are left, Sell one & from the dole, Buy Hyacinths to feed the soul¡± Confused Grimalkin asked. "What are hyacinths?" Wren explained. "So hyacinths are hyacinths." Grimalkin said, with sudden understanding. Yeah, fuck you glitchy All Language perk.
Update of All Language will initialize at next resting period. The host offers condolences for the loss of participant Imani Balewa.
This is post dated days ago! Oh, it happened right when I was in mid ley-line tranasit. My psychicly sensitive SYSTEM interface must have prompted when I just bitched. Though, it''s not that likely, I wonder what happens for normal interfaces when shit like this occures?
SYSTEM basic information prompt... Any missed missives or updates may be obtained by requesting log review. Personal interfaces may automatically review logs at timed intervals if operator activates that feature.
I request a log review?
Discovered: Optional Mission- Recover the remains of participant First Lieutenant Kyle L. McMichael.
After looking it over for a moment, Wren dismissed the mission. The man in question was several feet underground and fused to solid rock after the obelisk responsible for his transport was destroyed. He could do it but it would either be way too risky or too time and effort consuming for just 100 achievement points. It was useful in pointing out the fact that people who relied on obelisks for transportation weren''t completely safe. Wren snapped out of his thoughts as he realized that Grimalkin had been quietly crying for the last couple minutes. As he rubbed Grimalkin''s back he received a story about some other kid that was grievously injured during training. Apparently the kid had traded Grimalkin rations for a vaguely flower shaped quartz crystal laced rock. Two days later the kid had died due to complications. Grimalkin finished his morbid story by asking Wren, ¡°Do you think he was feeding his soul for his final journey?¡± No, I think your ''owners'' probably killed him when they saw he''d be a waste of resources. The kid probably just wanted your rock to look at while....close enough. ¡°No way to know for sure but I''d like to think that having something pretty to look at ''fed his soul'' whether that was the reason he wanted it or not. I''m sure the poet meant that feeding the soul was just as important as feeding the body during depraved times. Finding or fostering beauty and positive emotions when bad things are happening helps to keep us people. Letting the soul ''starve'' during such times turns people into monsters who in turn will cause more tragedy. In short, such food for the soul is supposed to remind us of the positive value of life in dark times.¡± Wren offered. Grimalkin looked at Wren bleakly as he said, ¡°A lie meant to ease suffering, then.¡± Wren, pushing as much sincerity as he could into his words, said, ¡°A greater truth confused with comforting lies due to lack of understanding.¡± Grimalkin rejoined, ¡°A hundred flowers can''t measure to a life saving loaf of bread.¡± Wren nodded as he said, ¡°That is true but even a single beautiful memory in an otherwise despairing situation can sustain a person in ways that a mere meal can''t.¡± Wren could see that this conversation was starting to dredge up things from darker corners of Grimalkin''s mind but it seemed important enough of a thing to drive the point home... After a few minutes of silently staring at his feet, Grimalkin looked back up with a brittle smile on his face and slowly nodded. Wren finished up by bring in Grimalkin for a hug and whispering in his ear, ¡°One of mine is the first time I saw you smile. I''d easily trade a few days of hunger for that.¡± That has to be one of the most teen movie bullshit, cringe worthy sap-fest statements I have ever made but I don''t even care. Grimalkin tensed in his arms for a second before relaxing back into Wren. As Grimalkin returned the hug he whispered back, ¡°I concede. Your argument is too persuasive.¡± Reluctantly pulling away, Wren saw that Grimalkin was starting to get a very wrong idea about what this ''serious conversation'' was about. In that moment, knowing that there was plenty of time, he almost trashed his original plans but the voice of reason in the back of his head was keeping whatever irrational impulse that had grown in him towards Grimalkin in check. Wren gathered his resolve and launched into his main reason for this private conversation. ¡° So that I can focus on what I need to say, perhaps it''s best if we sit on these opposite benches for now.¡± The disappointment but lack of hurt in Grimalkin''s face and body language let Wren know that although the young man might be innocent, the imp was not unaware of his appeal to Wren and seemed to even be empowered by it. A brief irritation built in him before it quickly died in the realization that Grimalkin had never once initiated any kind of flirting with Wren. He felt there was nothing wrong with enjoying the feeling of being desired as long as the person in question wasn''t intentionally leading anyone on.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Wren shook the errant thoughts out and said, ¡°Hold your thoughts until I get this next part out, alright? I feel like I''ve been a bad brother to you of late. Yes, I knew you would not like me saying that. But it''s not in my action''s that make me so, it''s in my thoughts and feelings... I wanted to give you every opportunity to grow and flourish into your own person, to find a different road for yourself till you grew independent of me. We would still be brothers and I would still be there for you when I could. ¡°Ever since the day at the tree when I... Things started to change for me. I can''t say why because I don''t know. It''s like I just realized that my feelings for you had grown outside the borders I tried to put our friendship in... I think it''s foolish and wrong for me to drag you into my troubles but as long as you want to follow me I don''t have the heart to deny you. Have you ever thought about asking to become one of my bonded?¡± Grimalkin didn''t even pause when he said, ¡°No.¡± Well, I didn''t expect that. I knew there was a chance but I really didn''t even take it serious. That hurt- ¡°I''ve observed that every bond you make takes something of you away. I don''t want something that would make you weaker. I''ve also noticed every bond that you have troubles you. I''ll just keep trying to reach for your side until the day I can no longer. I will content myself with knowing that it is still there when I no longer have the strength to reach it. That will be enough.¡± Grimalkin said, interrupting Wren''s slide into self pity. ¡°So, you are saying that you don''t want to be bonded to me for my sake?¡± Wren said, trembling with the effort of keeping himself seated on the bench. Grimalkin lowered his head and said, ¡°I don''t want you to waste anymore of your effort on me. You''ve done so much but I''m no different. You did much less for others and made them stronger but you''ve put so much into me and I''m still the same. Even my father''s abilities have grown with just a slight effort from you. I-I''m ashamed that there is so little potential within me. Ah. I''m starting to see it now. I put him back together from the floor up for half a day and he was the same but less than a few minutes with a fourteen year old girl and she became a powerhouse. Damn it, this is my fault. How long has he been tearing himself up over this? Not being able to resist any longer Wren moved over to Grimalkin''s bench and put an arm around him, pulling the little guy into him. Wren said, ¡°I never tried to strengthen you. Rohn, Rohna and your father got good effort from me but I wanted to know as much as I could before I did that for you. I really only have one shot to do major changes to someone before all I''m capable of are minor improvements. Believe me when I say there is all kinds of potential in there. I just didn''t feel confident that I could give you the best of it. I still don''t but I have a better idea and I''m going to get help to do it. I should have told you. ¡°How could you compare yourself to them. They are friends but you are my family. Admittedly, I gave Rohn the best I could at the time but I wanted you to get the best I ever could. If anyone should be ashamed right now it''s me. I failed to be the brother you needed when I started longing for you and I failed you in many ways not explaining why you did not improve.¡± A session of each trying to outdo the other in apologies and gratitude commenced which finally ended when Wren, even in rosy glasses mode, couldn''t handle it any more. Wren said, ¡°Now that we got that understanding out of the way, let''s hit the first one. What I am needs those bonds, Little Gray. It was the people who have them that brought me trouble. For the longest time I didn''t have romantic feelings for Troy and by the time I had them I found out that he didn''t have any serious ones for me. Lilly was like a little sister to me and even now I still don''t love her romantically, Jaden was just along for the ride and doesn''t really have an interest in men. He doesn''t have an interest in anyone but Lilly, for that matter. The problem is that the bond we share has affected him and Lilly is just big hearted enough to handle it while Jaden''s adapting. It''s all left me more with a feeling of taking responsibility for what I''ve done to them than anything like a bond should really be. ¡°Letting go of Troy was dangerous and I don''t even have some of the advantages I did when we broke our bond. Even if I had another bond to fall back on I don''t want to go through that again. All that leads us back to you. ¡°I''ve never been good at this kind of thing. Even after all the changes I''ve gone through it hasn''t gotten any easier. I know what a bond means in ways I didn''t before and even with that knowledge I want a bond with you. I wanted to wait until you asked me, if you ever did, but changes in our situation has prompted me to ask you instead. I feel like I''m wronging you in taking the lead on this and I don''t want you to say yes unless you want it too. ¡°I love you and not the way a brother should but in the way of an adult who''s found another they want to share their life with. You are a surprise to me and I''m not going to sugar coat that it was a surprise I took well. I love you in the way I would love a woman. That''s not to say that I see you as one it''s just that my feelings of tenderness and the desire to protect you are the same and as much as I still feel the need inside of me to seek a woman, for you I''d forsake that desire if it would bring you pain. ¡°With all that said, I want you to understand something. If I thought you said yes to me because it''s what I want but not what you do then that would hurt me more than you saying no would. So as much as I want you to become my bonded, please don''t say yes unless you know for sure it''s what you want because your happiness is far too important to me. The thought of you sacrificing any part of yours for mine would bring me a sadness I don''t have proper words fo-¡± Grimalkin''s sudden face smashing attack sealed Wren''s mouth and scattered his thoughts. For a half second Wren even thought that maybe he had said something that angered Grimalkin enough to hit him. Another half second later Wren felt the sensation of lips on his. An unopened crushing mouth had stoppered his own and even through the taste of his own blood in his mouth, Wren thought that the painful and awkward gesture was the sweetest thing in the world. At ease soldier! This is not the time. We''ve got way too much important stuff to address before it''s time for cash and prizes to start coming out. After a few moments of face pressing, Grimalkin backed up looking confused. As Wren battled with his libido for control over the situation Grimalkin suddenly had a look of lightning strike enlightenment. Grimalkin said, ¡°Oh, um, I should properly answer first. Yes. Now is it alright to continue?¡± Watching Grimalkin looking shy, and hesitant but eager was not helping Wren win his internal struggle but Wren held firmly to the idea that for what he had in mind it would be best for both of them to be at their best and a consummation of feelings wouldn''t leave either of them even close to peak condition. Wren voice broke a little before he could get out, ¡°There are things we need to do before that. Besides I want to do this right and part of that is a ritual from back home that may be a bit unnecessary and old fashioned but it would mean a lot to me if you would agree.¡± ¡°I- alright. I''m not as well trained in such things as my father but I''ll have control of the lower ache soon,¡± Grimalkin said as he looked to the side with flushed face. It might be a bit sadistic but seeing that I was tortuously wanted just as much is a nice feeling. Rapey Rohn doesn''t even compare. I have to admit that chained and shackled Glaucous was stimulating in it''s own way. Maybe there''s a little dungeon master inside this kool-aid pumping heart after all. And anyone who thinks the guy behind the cardboard screen, rolling dice to declare the fate of your character, deserves to be separated in terminology obviously does not have a full grasp of sadism. Wren grabbed one of Grimalkin''s hands and led him back to the pavilion. From the loud and expressive noises coming from the guest rest area, Wren decided to endure till a good rest point. If he knew it was going to take a full hour and a half he wouldn''t have had such a generous frame of mind but he didn''t just sit idle during it. Casting his focus inward, Wren began working on a surprise for the right moment and as a rumpled, sore but obviously satisfied Troy came half stumbling out on his way to the washroom Wren was more than ready. Walking past, Troy provocatively said, ¡°Enjoy the radio broadcast? I can''t say much for Little Gray but I doubt Sable would have minded you joining in, Wren.¡± In good-natured annoyance, Wren cracked a smile and said, ¡°Go wash the stank from where you were stuck already. I got business with Elder Black. Be glad I''m not a party pooper.¡± ¡°Well, while the old men are talking, you could join me in the shower Little Gray.¡± Wren felt his new found peace and acceptance of Troy evaporate like a snowball in a deep-fryer. Before he could blow up, Grimalkin cut in with, ¡° I am now Wren''s and it has become offensive for you to ask. You did not know so it''s forgiven. Do not ask again.¡± Troy owlishly blinked a couple times before saying a muted apology and walking away. Guess that''s the right way to handle it. Still want to flatten his nose on principle though. Childishness be damned. It took Wren a moment to realize that Sable had been standing in the doorway the whole time, looking equally ready for conversation or murder. Since that was his apparent default mode it would have been difficult to determine what he''d been up to before that moment had Wren not been sitting here. Wren recited a bit through his head before he stood up and said, ¡°Teacher Sable, I ask your permission for your son''s hand. Er, that means I desire to have your son in my household as partner.¡± Sable''s expression clouded with confusion as he said, ¡°He is already a member of your house. Once he took your family''s name I have no say in his affairs.¡± Expecting some kind of culture misunderstanding, Wren soldiered on, ¡°It is more precise to say that I desire your blessing. It is a custom from my world.¡± Sable nodded as he moved towards the two and said, ¡°Then I will do my best to honor it through the lens of my culture. We as branch members did not have opportunity to stand in union ceremony but I have witnessed many. I will stand for myself and in his mother''s stead.¡± Sable bent down and kissed his son on the forehead before saying, ¡°I formally release you from my house to join house Tidren but your place at our hearth will remain if your union remains unfruitf- unrewarding.¡± taking out a dagger he stood in front of Wren and sliced his palm. He looked at Wrens own and waited. Wren offered his hand and held back a hiss at how deeply the older man had sliced it. The blood running from both hands was copious as it dripped to the floor. He isn''t fucking playing games! A normal person would need a dozen stitches to deal with this shit. Sable deeply and painfully pressed their wounds together before saying, ¡°You take my blood into you as you take my blood into your house. Know that even though the issue of my son will carry your family''s name my blood remains. May it strike you down if you play it falsely. Strive that your house is home until the end of your days should you desire to keep him for my house''s doors will remain open if he ever desires to return... This was the original verse before it was changed 200 years ago.¡± Sable backed up a few steps after wrapping their wounds and finished, ¡°At this point the eldest and matron of each house would swear their agreements on whatever conditions that brought the union to occur, be it love or necessity. I will simply say that it brings me great warmth and tightening of the chest that my son will not be denied the luxury of a true union and I would appreciate it if you would heal my hand, Wren.¡± ¡°It would be my pleasure Elder Black,¡± Wren said between a few chuckles. As his hand was healed Sable said, ¡°Birdy, I will not ask the impossible of you. The dangers of your life are apparent to me. No matter how short or long it may be, bring my son as much happiness as you can reasonably grant. I have no other request.¡± Looks like I got a marriage instead of an okay but I ain''t bitching. Wren channeled into Hiidan''s mark as he said, ¡°Stand by Elder Black, I got one more parent to get in on the action.¡± The unfolding happened so quick Wren almost didn''t catch it before Hiidan stood in full reality cut-out. Before Wren could say a word, Hiidan let out a repression of will that left the three slumping and slightly breathless as he walked over to Grimalkin. Hiidan stood imposingly in front of Grimalkin and said, ¡°What are you willing to give my son, that he should accept one such as you as his bonded?¡± ¡°All I have,¡± Grimalkin gritted out. ¡°And if that is not enough?¡± Hiidan said coldly. Grimalkin fought under the oppressive will silently until he said, ¡°Then I will give all I am, then at least my last moment will give me a passing joy.¡± The oppressive will snapped off just as suddenly as it had arrived as Hiddan walked over to Sable and said, ¡°My son''s getting the better bargain out of this union. I''m almost ashamed but I have good reason to believe my son''s worth will grow with time.¡± Sable nodded, ¡°What he lacks in survival skills, self-awareness and will he makes up for in generosity and caring. Time and experience will temper him. I fear my son is not sufficient to keep him safe till that day comes.¡± Hiidan said, ¡°Your son is not alone in mine''s safeguarding but he is the only one who places my son first and that moves me to give aid the others will not get from me, no matter how my son may beg for it.¡± Wren had just about reached the end of his tolerance in respect for the situation and was about to share his opinion when Hiidan turned to him and said, ¡°I do not discourage you from walking your own path but what little remaining precious resources I''ve been hording I will not waste. Suffice it that I am willing to aid your bonded to be, this time, and save your anger to attempt to move me when it is actually warranted. Now, are you ready to put your money where your mouth is and shell out almost all you got in your piggy bank to get my help?¡± Wren simmered but kept it in check as he said, ¡° As long as you are willing to oath that your aid is genuine and the main purpose of your asking, sure.¡± Hiidan chuckled, ¡°So cheeky... I am willing to oath my offer of aid is genuine and is roughly equal to my main purpose. That consideration of your well being has grown to such a degree is a surprise to myself but half of my heart belongs firmly to my first desire and I have no wish to hide it from you. In fact, I have given much thought in raising you to join me in it''s pursuit if you are of a mind to when you have matured. I will need an oath from the three of you in return. It is the ancient oath of guesting. Most of what you pay will be to bring the three of you here and the essence necessary to send you back. Though I must include an oath of forgetting for Sable and Grimalkin. It is as much for all of your safety as it is mine.¡± After a bit of coaching and a large sum of Wren''s accumulated LE and SE. The three stepped through Hiidan and into his domain. 29-Hard Days Night The three men were struck by the sheer desolation of their surroundings. Age and decrepitness seeped from every pitted corner and cracked wall. All of that paled to the horror of what lay before them down the corridor as Wren sent off a pseudo-sprite of light above him. The corpse of a man hung, pinned to the wall behind him with various different weapons of eldritch design. The mental voice of Hiidan rung within the minds of the three, ¡°Welcome to my personal hells. Worry not, I am alive. For centuries I have forgotten to count I have been this way. I have drifted to the very edge of unrecoverable insanity and back again many times and the things I have learned there will make me more than I ever was before, once I am free, but today you are my guests and we are here for joyous purpose in spite of my plight. And it does please me greatly to spite it. So if it please you, disregard my poor state as you are able and make yourselves at home. I will be the first to admit there is not much ''home'' to be had here.¡± Wren walked up first for a closer look, ¡°Damn pops, you still look better than me on some of my worst benders but not by much.¡± Shit! What do you say to someone like this? Lame attempts at humor aside, I honestly don''t see how it''s possible he''s alive. I can feel it though. ¡°Enough ogling me, damn brat! If you make me blush it might actually kill me!¡± Hiidan chuckled before continuing, ¡°I hope you''ve brought some refreshments, son. I''m afraid anything I may have had would be long past use.¡± Who am I to deny a little creature comfort to him. It''s a little macabre but if I was in his situation I doubt I would have survived much less long for a little touch of family ritual. Wren brought out his spectral servant with an air aspect to start dusting and freshening the area up. A hoarse cry of anguish issued from Hiidan''s mental voice that stopped Wren in his tracks. Apologetically Hiidan said, ¡°Please continue. It''s better this way. I had long looked upon the outlines of those who freed me of the first two implements of my torture and captivity and wondered at their identity. Ephyra''s efforts had already distorted their outlines before she joined them but please keep their dust. Make a stone out of it to sit at my feet. When I am free I will take it and make of it an implement of my own. It has powerful symbolism. Have a care not to touch the spiked chain that lay there, nor the two implements in the corner to my left. It should go without saying that touching the ones still impaled upon me would be a grievous error.¡± With a minor adjustment, Wren had the spacious cell and surrounding area cleared of dust and circulated with fresh air. To appease his paternal successor, he even created a dusky diamond-like stone which he affixed to a thin, super compressed white gold chain before laying it at Hiidan''s feet, careful not to touch the spiked chain that was laying there. Lacking the futon that was still laying by the pond, he unrolled a couple of ground sheets and a blanket before setting out an impromptu picnic. Despite the incredibly odd and surreal feeling of it all, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves a little more than Wren had thought possible. He even dripped a thimble full of wine into Hiidan''s withered and desiccated mouth after a toast between the fathers. What the hell did this turn into!? Fuck it. I guess if we''re gonna go through the motions we might as well go all the way. YOLO! After all the fun had been sucked dry from the bizarre reception, Hiidan said, ¡°I suppose it''s time to get to it. It''s likely our sons would like better scenery than this place can provide for whatever private festivities I can remember enjoying during such a time as this. That being the case...¡± A small flash of weak light from around Hiidan''s chest area preceded the floating of three small boxes and three small pill bottles. Each of Hiidan''s guests received one of the boxes but Sable didn''t receive a bottle whereas Wren was left holding two and his intuition was warning that what was coming would likely not be something he enjoyed. Hiidan mentally coughed for attention before he explained, ¡°The boxes hold a bonding gift. I was once a craftsman of renown before this disgrace. The one you hold, Little Black, is a bit special as I consider it a dowry. My son may be the one who wears the pants but yours is the one who has balls. My apologies... Spears may thrust where my son points but yours actually holds one.¡± Sable swallowed harshly to keep from wasting the wine he had just taken before looking at Wren with a bit of schadenfreude. I''ve learned two things today; Pop''s pretty cool when he''s not being an asshole and troll face is universal. Also, though I''m not certain, I think that even though Sable likes me he doesn''t think much of me. Of course, I did let his son get captured and took almost two weeks to figure out he was gone. I should be thankful he doesn''t hate my guts. Hiidan sobered up and got back to business, thinking at everyone, ¡°The pill that Little Gray holds is a medicine that will put him into a trance-like sleep that will cleanse and correct damaged parts of himself inside out. Wren you might identify it as a genetic stabilizer and detoxification microbiological agent. The Chinese would simply call it a marrow cleansing dan of the highest order. ¡°The ones you hold, son, are false samsara pills. Though they are a medication of astronomical rarity, they are primarily used by directors who want to inflict the highest non-lethal punishments on prized subordinates. They will be necessary to hold your astral shell together for the processing of cursed items far beyond your ability to endure presently.¡± Wren''s eyebrows rose into his hairline as he said, ¡°Imma do what now!?¡± Hiidan looked at Wren ominously as he thought, ¡°I wanted to use them to help me recover but I need a bit of a jump-start to get the next one out. Since it''s going to hurt like the hells, I''ll make sure you are rewarded for your efforts. Since we''re going to need the help of your bonded and his father, I''ll make sure they get something out of the deal too. Let me give you three the break down.¡± A window appeared in the air that looked like a pyramid with the bottom facing out.
Hiidan''s Curse Processing and Guest Gifting Plan
Step One: Son takes false samsara pill while chosen ''bonded to be'' takes D.O.E marrow cleansing pill Step Two: Wait till pills are in effect then have son start processing first removed artifact. Step Three: Third guest moves son to next artifact once first is neutralized and feeds the second false samsara pill when needed. Step Four: Activate string when needed Step Five: Third guest moves son to third artifact Step Six: Work on void sealer artifact and wait for son to recover
Wren said, ¡°What is the string?¡± Hiidan thought, ¡°An item that works like an artificial bond but needs to be tied to two people before it''s activation period is over which stimulates the forming of a real one that''s pretty much as good as they get. As for it''s origin, I''ll give you a hint. It''s a rather magnificent shade of red. It''s most important aspect is that it can temporarily connect the activator to two other people for a time which will let me take in what the two of you can''t handle. ¡°Your spirit will be optimally tempered early enough in your path that you won''t experience trauma from soul pain because you''re not sensitive enough to feel it that well yet. Little Gray will be tempered in body and spirit in a way that will leave no discomfort at all. He''ll even be primed for a very rewarding first time ''sharing'' for both of you. Most importantly, you both will have a seamless and strong bond. Take a moment to get a backup of any memory that is only in your brain or you might lose it.¡± After dithering for a bit and being prompted by Hiidan to ''grow a pair'', Wren took the first pill as Grimalkin laid down after taking his. The last thing he could remember, as he sent his void chomping down on the chained spike, was Hiidan intimating to Sable that Wren could always take a girl form if he didn''t live up to potential and give the two grandchildren. He didn''t even have time to curse Hiidan in his head as his whole being was wrapped in an agony so intense, he couldn''t really say he felt anything at all. *** Unlike the last time he melted the outside parts of his brain, this time he clicked on all at once. Inner mind processed the dangers of partial awakening and since he wasn''t in any immediate danger there was no need to. As he looked around he realized he was back in the comfort of the larger guest bed in the pavilion, curled around Grimalkin. Judging by the juvenile hickeys all over himself and a vague sense of emptiness in his balls, Grimalkin must have been enjoying his time with Wren''s vegetative form. Well, it doesn''t smell musty in here so it must have been pretty tame. If it had gotten that fun while I was checked out I might have gotten seriously bent out of shape... Time for a little revenge. Before he''d gotten much further than getting Grimalkin worked up, a thrum of fear and anger pulsed through his connection with Jaden and Lilly. The adrenaline shot that hit him almost took his breath away as he jumped out of bed. A film of inky substance sprang out from the center of his chest and back before solidifying into a helmeted suit that seemed far more substantial than the one he had worn before. All of which he would have been very keen to find out about if he wasn''t phasing out of the realm into world-side with unrivaled urgency. Upon arrival, Wren was already making a dash to Lilly who had a broken spear tip lodged in her chest and various sized splinters in her throat and shoulder. Her life was fading fast by the time Wren reached her. As he reached down to start the healing he was stopped by a slap of psychic images and thoughts. About an hour of pleasant conversation and constellation storytelling had went by when Rohn had walked up to the pair and asked where Wren was. Lilly had responded that Wren was recovering from the day in her and Jaden''s realm and would be back in the morning. All would have been well except Rohn had left a message with them to tell Wren that he was regretful for his actions earlier in the day and wished to have a private conversation with Wren upon the new day. This had prompted Jaden to ask what the regretful action had been. Being told the matter was a private concern between Rohn and Wren would have also lead to an uneventful, if slightly more irritating, ending if Rohn had not added a query as to why Jaden might be so concerned about Wren''s private affairs. As the interactions between the two nominal brothers intensified, Lilly interjected that the situation forming would displease Wren which had the two calming down to some degree before Rohn suggested mollifying their instincts with a spar. Apparently Rohn also suffered from some form of pursuit instinct that wasn''t so much individually selective as it was ''edgy'' for what he was interested in and since he was pursuing Wren seriously, he had not taken ''comfort'' to ease that edge. Despite Lilly''s growing apprehension, the two went at it. It was friendly enough at first but it devolved into an all out brawl to Rohn''s unexpected taunting. Despite this neither had any real intent to do permanent harm but in a moment of unexpected equipment failure, as the two brothers had not realized how much stronger they had grown, Lilly was struck with a broken spear tip and splinters.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Oddly enough, an intuition of Lilly''s had her frozen to take the damage instead of dodging out of the way. An inner voice was telling her everything would be fine. Her children would be fine and her birthing would be easier this way... Before dissolving into verdant green motes that transported to Jaden and Lilly''s shared realm, she sent a message out to the three. Lilly''s mental voice rang, ¡°I''m going to spend some time getting to know my roots, * giggle * I don''t know about you boys but dropping a child off branches like a fruit sounds a lot more fun than the old fashion way... Jaden love, keep my phone safe from Wren and get on with your boys... Little Gray, if they get on really well and I''m not able, make sure to save me pictures... Wren, keep my Jaden out of trouble. Um, at least keep him alive. Seeing Jaden still head cocked, Wren assumed that they were sharing some private messages. ¡°One who has awakened her rebirth lineage. One who has grasped the power of distant ancestors and a latent ****/**** mutt, all revolving around an unaffiliated Maelstrom born. I smell high intrigue,¡± said an unknown gravelly voice that carried a hint of high pitches behind it. Rohn said, ¡°Yes, honored ancestor. This is Wren.¡± Shadows coalesced to open a portal that released a faint amount of sulfuric gas. The figure that stepped through was just shy of seven feet tall, wearing attire eerily similar to Europe''s Empire period. His features were hidden within gloaming aura. ¡°Then say your peace and lets be away. If you cannot convince, balance your heart against the consequences then take or leave but we must be away,¡± said the unknown man. Rohn took a deep breath and then said, ¡°Wren, I had wanted to give you more time but I am not permitted the luxury. Will you come with me?¡± the bitter tone of his voice showing Rohn''s knowledge of the answer without it needing to be said. Wren tried to show a bit of sympathy that was hard to feel in the moment as he said, ¡°For many reasons no but none of them come from hate. Whatever this is, I wish you well.¡± Rohn stood still for a moment, a battle warring in his head, then said, ¡°I do not have the heart to force him, honored ancestor.¡± You don''t have the fucking ability to force me but thanks for not making this ugly. The unknown man paused in his way back to the portal after Rohn had entered. He locked on to Grimalkin and began pacing towards him. Wren stepped in his way, full Eremita, the embodiment not feeling so big on him now but lots of room to grow. Grimalkin responded too but what shocked Wren was the similarities between the power of the man in front of him and Grimalkin''s own. The man stopped as he said, ¡°You are a worthy successor to myself, much better growing potential than my eldest son. Come with me.¡± Grimalkin immediately responded to the negative. The man casually batted Wren out of the way, sending him into a tree that snapped his spine. The man responded with, ¡°That was not a request. That was an orde-¡± The man was interrupted by an unfolding of space that managed to claim most of the man''s shoulder before he dodged out of the way. ¡°So you are already under someone''s tutelage, a pity,¡± The man said as he dived through the closing portal. Seeing that the call mark was strangely quiet and unresponsive without order, Wren dismissed it as he focused on fixing his broken back. He was quickly joined by Grimalkin and a slightly slower to respond Jaden. The suit had dispersed all the extra force evenly so the only area affected was Wren''s lower back which was well on it way to repair. After seeing that Wren wasn''t in immediate danger, Jaden entered his realm with an over the shoulder comment to call on him if needed. The fucked up situations tend to be like lightning strikes around here. Can''t I get any slow creep or ''Army of A'' in the distance kind? ¡°Little Gray, I''m officially fucking done with this place. Ready to move on?¡± Wren said between hisses. Grimalkin replied, ¡°I''m ready when you are.¡± Two women were standing nearby once Wren had finished putting his spine back together. Deciding to get the jump on whatever this was, Wren said, ¡°Liita and Bress, right? To what do I owe the honor?¡± Wren''s voice dripping annoyance. Liita stepped forward and said, ¡°No offense meant. It seems like a bad moment for such things but Lilly has promised us transport with you to the new seaside home. There are others as well. We had come to await her instruction but bore witness to a tragedy instead. We are at a loss on what to do now as some of us have broken ties to family and tradition to accompany you. We will either have no place to return or one greatly diminished. For one petty moment, Wren wanted to tell them just how much he cared about their collective circumstances before his Super-conscious kicked his Id in the nuts. Wren requested Jaden, who had nearly spent a whole day realm-side, to help him deal with this. Jaden''s puffy eyes, streaked cheeks and dirt caked shorts gave Wren a pretty decent story of what he''d been up to. I would say, ''Dude, she''s sleeping not dead,¡± but it''s far more likely he''s beating himself up over how he was partly responsible for her being hurt to begin with. While tidying Jaden up with a little void and water power, Wren brought him abreast of the situation. ¡°Of course we will honor Lilly''s promise,¡± Jaden said without preamble. Dude, I hope you have someone hiding in your ass right now because I''d hate to think you''re dragging me into something without even asking. Jaden turned to Wren and Grimalkin and said, ¡°As the ones closest to her heart, as she is to ours, it''s only right as she would do the same for you. You know this.¡± Fuck your emotional blackmail... Shit. Fine. ¡°Alright but we are taking the express route and they''re riding in your realm on low time dilation. Mine''s not stable enough for company yet... What''s Troy and Sable up to?¡± Wren said. Jaden answered, ¡°Sable has agreed to guard Lilly''s tree until we get to seaside and Troy left hours ago for world-side. You haven''t seen him?¡± As dawn broke and people started getting in to the swing of the day, the Grand teacher found Wren as he was asking around about Troy. The old man said, ¡°I''ve heard that you are searching for your friend? There is no need. He is heading toward the place you call safe-zone to use the obelisk. His destination is a distant city on the Sangral Continent by the name of Kajrya. He said there might be a possibility that you would miss his note in the guest room and as he was in a hurry for the free transport and a chance to clear his head of things he requested I inform you or Lilly if it seemed you did not know. As for why I know, he was gathering information from our woefully outdated maps.¡± Oh, for the luva... Retrieve log.
Optional Mission: Kajrya infiltrator extermination- a group of parasitic spiritual entities have targeted key figures in the infrastructure of Kajrya. Free obelisk transport and bonus 100 achievement points for participants who have telepathy, spiritual sight and spiritual purification abilities. Rewards:
  • 100 achievement points for confirmed eradication of parasites [note: this is a planetary wide open reward for the next eleven months.]
  • variable rewards based on performance in high activity zones
  • variable rewards based on benefit for native inhabitants in high activity zones
  • variable demerits and penalties for harmful consequences to native inhabitants [IE: killing two non-possessed natives to eliminate a possessed one will gain zero achievement points and will gain an additional -10 per killed native]
Sweet mother of spandex wearing elderly, I actually have 200 points from this... That means those tick men could be anywhere! I gotta get to Glaucous to warn him. Wren rushed back to Jaden. Jaden had already transported the people into his realm. ¡°We gotta get in there, Jaden... tell your SYSTEM interface to retrieve log. From now on do that every so often because if an update or notification catches you in transit it bounces.¡± Wren said as Jaden took Wren and Grimalkin realm-side. Wren hit the ground running to the grove as Jaden raced past him. He arrived to see Jaden wrestling with Sable as the older man reached out to touch the trunk of a yearling tree that had not been there before. Two dismembered bodies coated the area into a nightmare scene. Sable went slack as a blurry shadow rushed into the tree. Wren struggled for a moment, trying to figure out how to enter dream state before seeing a dark muted flashed followed by a screeching sound issue from the crown of the tree. A single blossom issued a faint but familiar signature of void power. The blossom dimmed and brightened a couple of times before showing signs of withering as Wren reached out to bolster the blossom''s void power, not certain if trying to heal it directly would benefit the parasite or not. In mere moments the blossom issued forth a sweet scent as a trace, so small it could be missed as a figment of imagination, of triumph issued from it. That emotion was quickly followed by a much stronger one of panic from the main tree towards Wren. He cut off the assistance. Yeah, the one life is on it''s way so it''s safe but there are two more that''ll be axed if that heartwood loses it''s curse completely. As it was, this last battle had reduced the curse''s lifespan to about a decade or so by Wren''s figures. Since his SE and LE totals were sitting at close to 70% each, he slowly fed a gentled blend of the two into the tree until it felt comfortable and saturated at an averaged loss of nearly 5% each. He finished by starting to enrich the soil but he quickly figured out that pure EE enrichment was more beneficial so he slowly emptied half a tank down. A feeling of relief and gratitude issued out from tree Lilly as she focused on expanding to nurture her blossom better and prepare for the other two. Unsure if Lilly could hear him or not, he said, ¡°Careful now, or you''ll get stretch marks.¡± A casually falling leaf poked stem first into the eye of a currently visorless Wren. He cursed as he wondered if he would ever know if it was coincidence or revenge. He certainly wasn''t tempted to try again. Wren in no nonsense mode said, ¡°Sable, report.¡± In his tackled spot on the ground, carefully staying muscle slack least Jaden snap his neck, Sable said, ¡°Unidentified male 1, approached with offered refreshment. After being denied, unidentified male 1 still continued to approach. This one gave single warning of lethal force before carrying out elimination when unidentified male 1 did not stop. Less than one hundred breaths later, unidentified male 2 approached at sprinting pace. This one immediately moved to eliminate. This one was successful but does not remember else wise till awakening pinned by realm master Jaden.¡± After sweeping him with SE, Wren gave Jaden a gentle pat to get him to let go of Sable then said, ¡°I hate using commands but it was efficient. Sorry, Elder Black.¡± Sable predictably replied, ¡°Apologies unnecessary. It was efficient.¡± Wren pondered on the problem for a moment before he said, ¡°The cause was possession. There is no doubt. Elder Black, in your experience what course of action would you recommend to take care of this... loss and safely check the rest without alarming them?¡± Sable said, ¡°I''ve only dealt with a similar situation once. Eldest Grimshadow sent us to eliminate a potentially possessed Gloomweave man. After elimination, Eldest Grimshadow issued a proclamation for foaming mouth sickness and had everyone screened. Two other cases of possession were determined as they were secretly handed over to branch Night members.¡± Wren said, ¡°Why foaming mouth sickness?¡± Sable replied, ¡°It''s particularly contagious to those with strong batkin bloodlines which is centered among the purple sash. It is a painful death with no known cure. Those affected become crazed within hours of infection.¡± With a particularly disgusted look, Wren used void power to remove all the gory evidence and moved to the group of milling people close to the pavilion. Wren cleared his throat and said. ¡°Two of your number approached the forbidden zone where I just came from. Strong protective enchantments failed to recognize them and they have unfortunately lost their lives. For everyone''s safety please stay away from the woods. To ensure that this tragedy doesn''t happen again you will all be temporarily marked by myself with a guest aura. Any who are missed by my mark will be released back into the encampment so please line up to receive a mark. This is voluntary and may be avoided by requesting release.¡± Wren scanned the remaining crowd and only the widowed woman of one of the dead men requested to be released as she broke into wailing tears upon the discovery. She was clear. There was a woman and a young man in his late teens comforting her as Wren finished up the inspection. In a surprising turn of events, Sable offered her ''comfort'' which she accepted. As Sable turned to Wren the young man also requested to join the comforting which Sable was put into a hard place to refuse as the young man was one of the dead men''s lovers as well, not a son, and judging by the hungry look in his eyes the young man was not a vegetarian. The slightly shaken Sable requested a privacy curtain from Wren which was promptly given. Sable marched to the futon by the pond with the courage of a suicide soldier. That''s cold Sable, hitting on the widow of the man you killed, but it appears the universe is fair. I hope little dude rips you a new one. 30-Quiet Into the Day Lilly''s gonna roast me for taking the time to make glasses instead of just fixing her vision but damn if Bress doesn''t make a sexy looking secretary...Yeah, yeah. So she''s not down for D. It''s just looking. Right... Asshole, strike one. Quit being so damn cute before I lose my shit! Still got stuff to do, little man. Maybe I can''t pick it up as well as Jaden but perhaps everybody, on a subconscious level, remembers the smell of a loved one. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ood, healthy lifestyle. In to her late forties with an approximate ninety year expectancy. A bit of judicious healing and a wisp of LE and SE would get her right about in sync of what I did for Sable without playing mad scientist with her genetics... Screw it. Call it a consolation prize if I don''t end up taking her offer. Besides, she''s tough. Either that or she just wasn''t that in to her husband but either way she seems eager to get some more ''comfort'' from Sable. Juicing her up before sending her in for round two will be more efficient since deep healing and randiness seem to go hand in hand. Fuck. It seems I''m just as sappy a bastard as they come. Old me, please save new me from becoming a parody of myself! 31-Blurry Lines Alright, I''ve been patient this whole time and I''m tired of waiting. Wren thought at Lilly, ¡°I hope that you can hear this but I''m having my night with Little Gray Right here. I don''t know how much Little Sprite can understand what''s going on but if you would please be so kind as to hide the psychic eyes and ears of the innocent I''d greatly appreciate it.¡± A few leaves curled protectively around Little Sprite''s blossom as Wren reached through the ring with power and brought a canopy bed into existence, complete with the works as Wren looked at Grimalkin. Wren said hoarsely, ¡°Little gray, if there''s anything you need to get done in the next few hours, you better get them done now.¡± To Wren''s surprise Grimalkin took off like a shot. He sat down on the bed a little disappointed. Was I so intense I scared him off? Wren got undressed and cleaned himself with a little power before climbing into bed. He reached out to Jaden to let him know he''d be blocking the emotional outflow on the bond but he''d keep the inflow open. A feeling of lonely but amused understanding flowed back. He''d lightly dozed off by the time Little Gray had returned, waking to the subtle sound of rustling as Grimalkin crawled into bed. *** As Grimalkin made his shaky way over, Wren asked, ¡°What did you do that took so long, Little Gray?¡± Blushing furiously, Grimalkin said, ¡°I asked my father for advice and c-cleaned myself. The line was really long for the shower and the people who were in the pools looked too interested in other things.¡± Wren sighed heavily before he said, ¡°Little Gray, I could have done that for you. You didn''t need to wait in a line.¡± In a small voice Grimalkin said, ¡°I-I cleaned myself i-inside too. Rhaul gave me a special drink to, you know. Father said it was safe.¡± Huskily Wren said, ¡°Little Gray, you made me wait for over an hour, doing really sweet but completely unnecessary things. I could have done that for you too.¡± A little watery eyed, Grimalkin replied, ¡°B-but I was dirty...¡± Wren drew Grimalkin under him before leaning into the slightly smaller man and resting his forehead on Grimalkin''s. Wren whispered to his bonded, ¡°It''s dark sky now. Are you sure the reason you didn''t delay was because you were embarrassed it was a little light out still?¡± Grimalkin''s heart was beating hard and fast enough that Wren could feel a small vibration coming through to him, causing his own pulse to quicken as well. Grimalkin whispered back, ¡°Maybe just a little.¡± Wren said, ¡°Would it make you feel better that this is the first time I''m going to be connected to a bonded fully and I don''t know what that''ll be like so it has me a little nervous too? I''m even scared to start by kissing you because I''m afraid that I''ll become drunk off the sensation and not do the right things.¡± In a voice that was so small it was almost inaudible, Grimalkin said, ¡°I-I prepared myself in the shower. I-I kn-now how big you are.¡± Wren sighed again before he said, ¡°Little Gray, what if I wanted to do that?¡± Grimalkin responded almost in tears, ¡°It''s dirty...¡± Wren chuckled as he said, ¡°Little Gray, my void can eat curses. I can handle dirty. It''s touching you''ve tried to make this about me so much but I wanted it, just as much, to be about you but I can understand if you were scared a little.¡± Wren slid down low, coming eye to eye with Grimalkin''s dick. It surprised him that it didn''t bother him in the slightest. He actually thought it was cute. Back on Earth Grimalkin''s ''little brother'' would be pretty average but it probably didn''t stand well among his peers. After seeing what Glaucous did to his call mark, Wren was more than fine with that. Wren nibbled and sucked a little on Grimalkin''s tightly drawn pair of almonds before peeling back the foreskin to reveal his lovers dark cherry. Not really experienced in this area, Wren just thought of what he would like and flicked his tongue around the underside of the exposed glans as the first teasing amount of condensed spiritual essence unwound into both of them. It was enough to fully awaken the hunger in Wren but for Grimalkin who inexperienced in an other''s attentions, much less the additional pleasures of sharing with a bonded, it proved his undoing. Grimalkin let out a gasp and unloaded in Wren''s face. Wren took an experimental taste of his lover''s only faintly augmented juices to find it stimulating but not overly appealing beyond a vague sense of nourishment. Apparently the uncoiling spiritual essence hadn''t had much chance to respond to Wren. After the short lived pleasure burned through Grimalkin''s veins, an agonizing humiliated embarrassment shot through their connection at Wren. Grimalkin''s eyes started tearing up as he said, ¡°I''m so sorry Wren!¡± He put his hands over his burning face. The little guy can face torture and death with a clear, calm face but when it comes to me he can cry at the drop of a hat. I don''t know whether to be flattered or scared. Having that kind of power over him is equal parts thrilling and terrifying. Wren slid back up to pull Grimalkin''s hands away before he said, ¡°Little Gray, watch me.¡± Wren wiped a little of Grimalkin''s semen off his face with a finger before dismissing the rest away with void power. He sucked his finger clean and leaned in to kiss Grimalkin, licking the inside of his lover''s lips to get Grimalkin to open his mouth. Wren kept at the task of showing Grimalkin how to kiss until the taste of condensed spirit started lacing their mouths. The sensations had Grimalkin chasing after Wren a little as he pulled back. Lust thickened his voice as Wren said, ¡°There is no need to be embarrassed that I have brought you pleasure so easily. It makes me feel good. Time and experience will take some of the edge off your sensitivity. As far as I know, we all go through that. First times are usually filled with all kinds of embarrassing moments but I want you to know that these moments will become hyacinths to feed our soul, even the embarrassment will become fond memory with time,¡± Wren''s eyes took on a mischievous glint. ¡°By the way, what do you think of your own flavor?¡± Grimalkin looked confused before sudden enlightenment hit him while he said, ¡°I don''t kn-Oh, I couldn''t say for sure. It was mingled with your own tastes which are very pleasing.¡± One and One, the game is far from determined... Grimalkin continued, ¡°But I ache for you again. M-maybe you would like to take me now?¡± In a surprise play from team Little Gray, a three point score has been added to the board. I don''t think team Birdy''s coming back from this one folks. With the last bit of restraint he had left, Wren slid back down to admire Grimalkin''s slightly red and puffy rose bud, caused by his lover''s awkward and over eager preparations. A strong and heady floral scent came from an oil that had already been applied. He withdrew a small stone jar of mineral oil he had made for the occasion and slicked his shaft and two fingers that he used to ensure that Grimalkin was sufficiently readied. As he felt his need starting to cloud his reason, Wren almost frantically searched for Grimalkin''s sweet spot before levering them both into position. Wren''s voice cracked a little before he finally got out, ¡°Take a deep breath and hold it for me. Let it out slowly as I enter. You can tense anywhere else but keep relaxed down here.¡± He circled Grimalkin''s entrance with the head of his dick to illustrate before pushing against it. The air rushed out of Grimalkin''s lungs in surprise. He quickly took another quick deep breath in which caused him to let out a wet little toot below. The sudden change in resistance had Wren sinking to the quarter mark before he stopped himself. Instead of easing his lover''s discomfort, Wren was laughing as Grimalkin grabbed a pillow to hide his face again. Wren held himself in check as he coaxed, ¡°Little Gray~ Let me see your face.¡± The pillow shook back and forth a couple of times in the first request that he had ever denied Wren. After a couple seconds Grimalkin tossed the pillow towards Wren''s face as he pushed against the headboard, impaling himself fully. As Wren gasped in pleasant surprise, Grimalkin hissed through his teeth, ¡°You play too much.¡± As Wren remained petrified in his half sitting position, Grimalkin started rocking his hips, his modest member waiving in the air like a surrender flag. Eagerness to increase friction inside the hot silk squeezing him had finally unfrozen Wren as he bucked in to meet his lover''s rocking motion. The core of uncoiling spirit essence struck against them both harshly as if to chastise them for confusing it earlier causing Wren to release a convulsive volley into Grimalkin, his lover''s own release spurting in two wildly different directions. Before the intense sharing had a chance to fully rob him of reason, Wren disentangled long enough to position himself on his side and pulled Grimalkin''s back to him before easing his stiffening cock back into the warm sheath of his lover. A last struggle against the pull of seductive power allowed Wren to say, ¡°I love you Little Gray,¡± before losing the fight as he nuzzled his face into the crook of Grimalkin''s neck. Between the animal grunts that issued from him every time he thrust, attempting to fuse his very being with the warm body in his arms, Wren heard an echo of his sincere confession return to him before he remembered no more. An innocent, slender tree branch blown by some mysterious wind had tangled with the corner of the canopy curtain, drawing it back to the full view of the young but sturdy tree it belonged to... Wren wasn''t sure how long he had been in the thrall of spirit intoxication but as he came to he was still engaged in the act. He quickly stopped himself and withdrew. His unconscious lover''s dick twitched in a half-hearted effort to respond. A quick check assured Wren that no serious harm had been done. Seeing the ridiculous amount of slick wetness everywhere Wren realized that once he and his lover had ran dry, Wren''s instincts had supplied them with more in an effort to keep them from harming one another. And even though there was plenty of minor harms to be found in the bite marks, scratches and finger bruises, Grimalkin''s swollen and angry looking hole nor Wren''s friction abraded little soldier had any signs of blood. A convulsive twitch of his sleeping lover revealed another volume of proof against Wren''s unwitting crime, leaking out to join the rest on the ruined mattress. This spurred Wren into healing enough of his muscle fatigue and weariness away to engage in the act of cleaning them and the bed up. Noticing he had a few more hours before it would be time to leave the realm to recharge spectral transport, he rejoined his lover on the bed. Facing them both the other way, he gathered Grimalkin back into his arms and slipped his member back into the warmth of his lover before adding a little starch to their empty balls and healing Grimalkin into wakefulness. Wren said tenderly, ¡°Are you well, Little Gray?¡± Grimalkin said muzzily, ¡°Are you not yet satisfied? Ah! S-so I gather that is no-ot the case. How can this still feel so good after so long?¡± Wren nipped Grimalkin''s ear as he whispered, ¡°Because, magic. Did I ever mention how cute I think your ears are.¡± Wren gave several long gentle thrusts into Grimalkin''s sweet spot. Grimalkin''s body seemed just as eager to please as it''s owner, his little slugger twitching and releasing a little more clear fluid with every stroke. Grimalkin''s moan''s gave way to short breathy exhalations with every tender, full slide to home.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Wren knew he didn''t need to touch Grimalkin in any way. The boy was so sensitive to pleasure that Wren''s insistent embrace, hot breath on the underside of his ears and the hitting and sliding past of Wren''s rigid heat on his vaguely sore but receptive spot would be enough. Wren reached for his lover''s joystick anyway. He stroked it, ran his thumb across and around the tender top. He brought him to the edge over and over only to grab the base at the very last moment to hold Grimalkin back until their gentle lovemaking and Grimalkin''s breathless begging for release had him join his little lover in one final conjoined spurt. Once Wren had softened enough but before he had a chance to rise to the occasion again, Grimalkin squeezed Wren''s member out in a fashion that had it instantly hard underneath him. In a panic Grimalkin used the last bit of strength in his weary limbs to turn around and latch on to Wren like a drowning cat. Grimalkin weakly whimpered, ¡°No more please! Just hold me alright?¡± Wren felt a twinge of guilt as he held Grimalkin to him. The little guy''s weak shaking relaxed after a bit as Grimalkin slipped back into sleep. As he held the completely exhausted Grimalkin, Wren undid the one way psychic shielding and sent a message to Jaden that he''d come out at the seven hour mark this time. After which he lost himself to his own lingering fatigue and joined Grimalkin for a few hours in rest, waking to an unskilled blowjob. Apparently Grimalkin was afraid of being attacked again so he executed a preemptive strike. *** ¡°I could feel it faltering as it landed, Wren,¡± Jaden huffed in slightly amused annoyance before continuing, ¡°Are you afraid your new bonded is going to be scared away so you decided to fit a whole lifetime of union in all at once!? I fear you have put Lilly and I''s record to shame...And at that time I felt that I had wronged her terribly, she agreed. Dark sky to early mid-light, truly a monster''s deed.¡± Wren felt his face burning as he said, ¡°Enough alright, I get it. The sharing was roughly three times the amount of ours, Jaden. We were both out of our minds.¡± Jaden shook his head a bit as the intense communication style of Jaden took hold again, He locked onto Wren as thoughts whirled behind his glacier blue eyes. It made Wren glad for the umpteenth time that he wasn''t full on telepath. As Jaden continued to stare at Wren he said, ¡°There''s a secondary river that runs parallel to our path for a half days journey. It''s swollen and quick moving. It would add little time to our journey if you could make of this craft a boat.¡± Wren chuckled before he said, ¡°Has the thrill of flying already lost it''s appeal?¡± Jaden replied in all seriousness, ¡°It holds little appeal at all without someone to enjoy it with.¡± Do you believe it to be safe to float down a river at the end of the monsoon? I thought this was the tail end of prime breeding season. Lots of hungry predators will be looking to replenish themselves and feed their mates.¡± Jaden nodded and said, ¡°The strength of the river''s flow will make it safe enough. Anything that could reach me there would likely reach me in the sky as well. I may have other powers yet unknown to me but I can keep myself safer on water than in the sky in any event.¡± ¡°Then consider it a done deal,¡± Wren said cheerily, happy to be able to oblige his friend. Jaden grew silent for a moment before he asked, ¡°Would you join me? It need not be for the whole of the time but would you join me for company?¡± Wren dithered. Jaden''s face grew a bit sadder and a little lonelier as he said, ¡°There was a time when you sought me out for company. You seemed to enjoy our talks. I understand your desire to return though. It was only a passing thought. Think nothing of it.¡± If you were a person who possessed a little more guile I could accuse you of a lame attempt to garner sympathy. Wren thought at Grimalkin, ¡°Would it upset you if I spent some time cheering Jaden back up? I think being out here by himself is starting to eat at him a little.¡± A feeling of eager agreement came back through the line, followed by a slight but poorly hidden guilt. Damn, did I traumatize him? No, Little Gray. It''s not my fault~ * sigh * Wren plastered a smile on his face as he turned to Jaden and said, ¡°Looks like my day just got freed up. Still wanting some company?¡± A little more desperate sounding than he likely meant to, Jaden responded, ¡°I would be grateful, Brother Wren. I know you were living in a slower time but I''m sure you can appreciate how empty a side can feel once you''ve grown accustomed to it being filled.¡± Wren said, ¡°I''ve always been a loner by choice but I guess I can start to see now.¡± The walk to the river wasn''t a long one but when Jaden caught sight of animal tracks it turned into a silent one as Jaden went into hunter mode. Wren didn''t feel any danger but decided to activate his suit to help him stealth a bit better. He was rewarded a look of vague jealousy from Jaden who was still wearing the TSSR suit. To assuage that a little he let Jaden use Silent Mind, a dagger balanced for throwing whose handle could extend to spear-like proportions. His gift for helping Hiidan and one of the three implements he cleansed of curses. It was greatly diminished but it still had a fairly strong interruption enchantment activated on cutting or a strike from either business end. With suits that hid their scent and the noisy birds overhead Jaden managed to nick one deer-like creature and take another down with a single javelin throw though the heart. He rushed up to finish off the collapsed one as Wren''s eldritch construct drug one back with it''s ever changing appendages and a ghostly bear brought back a dug up blackberry bush, showing how loosely it had interpreted ''chase food and bring it back.'' Jaden joked, ¡°I doubt I can successfully skin that, even with my skills, heart-brother.¡± ¡°Har, har... I''ll have you know that it''s a perfect shrubbery to test the strength of my realm''s light and the richness of it''s soil content on. If it survives, then that means I can start putting some greenery in. It''s desolate as hell in there but it''s already the size of your realm. That''s what, half a mile in diameter?¡± Wren said. Jaden looked at Wren a bit puzzled as he bent to his grizzly task and said, ¡°I don''t understand, with your vast wealth of essence, why you do not simply craft what you need and be done.¡± Wren struggled to put the vague hints and intuitive urges into words before he said, ¡°It''s hard to explain it. Everything within, at the moment, has come from the breaking down of rare materials, powerful curses and it''s own natural growth. Aside from living things, I don''t feel it''s a good idea on filling it with regular water and huge mounds of mundane dirt. Processing such things through void power results in very little gain as well. It feels like I''d be tying it to this world or making it less than what it could be by just simply filling it with stuff from here or crafting it whole sale with essence.¡± ¡°Perhaps your inner voice is guiding you through the process of making a domain? My father once mentioned that great-grandfather had one. I know that upon his death great-grandfather''s domain split into three separate but complete realms. One was given to his wives to share, one Lilly and I now possess and the last belongs to my father which was given to him by uncle Malkanthor. What difference lies between realm and domain I do not know, perhaps father may be able to enlighten you further,¡± Jaden offered. Not long after they found themselves Floating down the river in relative comfort. It was the first time Wren had combined water into spectral transport but it''s effect on actual water was very impressive. It could hold nearly double it''s standard rate which was a far cry from the scant third of standard that it had in flight mode. It''s maximum size, shape and potential accommodations were nothing to sneeze at either. They spent time sharing thought on random things as Jaden, unable to sit still for vast lengths of time, unless there was need, randomly trolled the water with a fish net Wren had made him. He randomly tossed his earnings to the processing bin that had been set up by Bress, at some point, while the people inside his realm took turns looking for and handling the goods. At one point, when Jaden felt he''d worked out a good sweat worth of trolling, he asked Wren to clean him off before joining him in a beanbag-like jelly couch at the rear of the transport. ¡°Brother Wren I don''t suppose you have a malted or brewed grain beverage among your stockpile do you? After meaningful labor I find wine and harder alcohols don''t quite suit to taste,¡± Jaden said, looking hopeful. ¡°Believe it or not, I''ve been working on that. At the edge of my void I have a brewery set up. The natural entropy speeds up processes like fermentation and whatnot. The equipment upkeep is a bit of a bitch since I have to check on it every few days but I''ve actually managed to produce a batch of green beer that doesn''t give you the shits. It''s a bit strong for a normal brew, I blame it on essence cheating, but it satisfies the craving just fine.¡± Wren pulled out a six pack of reusable cork topped bottles filled with a slightly green tinted, light amber brew. Two bottles apiece and some mellow conversation later saw both of them laying on the deck of the transport looking up into the twilight sky. An arm supported the back of his head as he was pulled into Jaden''s side. Wren tensed for a moment before he realized that although it was a bit more ''chummy'' than he planned on getting it wasn''t the prelude to anything else. For a time, all that could be heard was the occasional swigging of a bottle or lapping of wave under the transport before Jaden broke the silence. Jaden said, ¡°I never really felt like the under city ever held my future home. I relished the times eldest Rohn would take me with his runners top-side. When I was trapped for weeks on end during the monsoon season I''d take refuge in the archive, looking up any lore I could find about the outside world. That''s how I became the Grand Teacher''s disciple. That old man was never kind enough for me to feel him a father figure but I now begin to guess that it was on purpose, so that I would not feel tied to him when I was ready to leave. I think even he knew that I''d one day go top-side to not return. ¡°Now here I am, floating on an unknown river with a heart-brother I still feel more mystery than understanding of, a wife who is currently a tree and children yet to be that unmistakably are. So many twists so quickly has left me feeling stranger in my own life. Do you find your own life strange at all?¡± I''ve never found myself in a stronger ''What the hell do you think?'' moment before. Wren said, ¡°Before I came to this world, my life was so simple it was painful. Find the most loner, anti-social brown sash in the settlement we just left and I think you''d have this world''s version of me. Humans barely live as long as your average brown sash and I was a man three years from forty. I felt like my life was over, or at least the parts worth living. Even then, I knew that was wrong but that''s how I felt. Instead of feeling like my life has turned strange, I think it''s more accurate to say I feel I have a new life entirely. Everything is strange when it''s new. Hell, the man who made me what I am now, quite literally told me I can just chuck out everything I think I know because I''m an infant. So scared? Yes. Lonely in ways I don''t think anyone can touch? Yes. Strange? Fucking obviously!¡± Jaden briefly tightened his arm around Wren before relaxing it, then said, ¡°Some fear of the unknown is unavoidable, I think. And though you may not believe me when I say I get what you mean about lonely in an untouchable way but I do. I know it much better than I''d like to. I focus on Lilly and being productive but I fear being truly alone. I would pine to death I think.¡± Wren thought about Jaden''s words and admitted, ¡°Perhaps that''s what I was doing back home. I didn''t fear it but I think my soul was slowly withering away. Eventually, without the desire to live, I might have killed myself or neglected my well being to the point that it amounts to the same thing. In fact, I think I perilously came close to doing just that. Perhaps there is something more wholesome in you that allowed you that fear to help you survive, something I lack.¡± Jaden said, ¡°It is a kindness for you to say so. I cannot be certain but I believe it more this. As there is love and companionship in many forms so too is there different types of loneliness. What one person provides fills one while another fills a different one. Perhaps those who desire many have many holes of loneliness or have given up on finding the one who can. Lilly fills my loneliness for love completely but I think she notices this other loneliness from time to time. She said we had common ground, you and I. I wonder if that is what she meant. I hadn''t noticed it before but when we talk in such ways as we are now, I feel that other, untouchable loneliness fill by small degrees.¡± Wren did a bit of introspection. It did seem that when he found someone to have a satisfying deep conversation with, that untouchable loneliness didn''t ache as much, in fact. And though he felt it was a bit misleading to tie it to a statement that made it sound like they filled a need for each other which might be only temporary or coincidental he did admit it. Jaden heard Wren''s admittance and a mellow kind of happiness drifted through their connection. It was an infectious kind of feeling. Some more comfortable silence went by before Jaden broke it again with, ¡°I think whatever this natural thing that lays between us, outside of bonds and instincts, is makes it all bearable. It''s that way for me, at least. In spite or perhaps in accordance with what fate has twisted to make this situation occur, even without bonds or my accursed instinct drawing me to you, if we had met as ordinary people we would have likely been good friends if not heart brothers in the end. I''d like to believe that, even if it''s only a comforting lie. Wren mulled it over before he said, ¡° Yeah, brother. I can drink to that!¡± before clinking Jaden''s bottle and downing the remainder of his quickly followed suit by Jaden before each turned and walked to different sides of the transport to help pay the local water bill. As they finished and turned to one another, both knew this was the perfect point for Wren to say goodnight and return in four hours. Four hours for Jaden to sit alone and drift down the river illuminated by a bare sliver of moonlight. Twelve hours Wren could spend in the arms of Grimalkin. Wren sent a thought to Grimalkin asking if it would be alright to stay world side for awhile. There was no eagerness greeting the request but there was a calm and only slightly disappointed understanding. Wren sent his love and received the warm feeling in return. ¡°I suppose there''s no need for me to hurry off only to return in four hours. I got another six pack of the same ready and I doubt either of us will be that much worse off for making it disappear.¡± Wren said, affecting a casualness he wasn''t quite feeling. Jaden''s slow emotional downward slip started climbing again. ¡°A whole dozen of such brews would not dull my prowess overly much I think. Battle prowess I mean.¡± Bit of a Freudian slip but I can let it slide. Three more bottles and a piss break later, Wren felt pleasant but it was obvious that Jaden felt a bit drowsy and buzzed as he slightly staggered back into Wren. ¡°How about you get a little rest in. I''m still good for awhile,¡± Wren offered. Jaden''s slightly off focus eyes locked on to Wren as he said, ¡°Think we could do it, stargazing some more?¡± ¡°Yeah. I don''t think I''ll be dozing off on accident or anything,¡± Wren said, noting the slightest mush to his own words. After listening to Jaden drawl off some of the more colorful and prominent constellations, Wren noticed a lull of silence before Jaden''s breathing became more even. Wren laid a little longer just staring off into the distant night sky before he was going to get up but before he could Jaden rolled over on to his side and threw an arm and leg over him. Not having the heart to wake Jaden up, Wren just continued to lay there as Jaden slowly curled around him and was startled by a swift peck to his neck just under the jawline as Jaden mumbled out a ''g''night''. Wren had no clue if the shiver that the kiss sent down him was aversion or anticipation but one thing was for sure. There was no chance he was going to fall asleep now. 32-Only a Day Away ¡°Alright, Jaden. It''s time for you to wake up buddy.¡± Wren said feeling a bit stiff from nearly eight hours of not moving, four hours of trying not to fall asleep himself and two hours of fending off slightly more aggressive subconscious groping without waking Jaden up. He discovered the suit he wore could handle trivial things, like the need to pee without resorting to using void power, during this time, but the last twenty minutes of neck nuzzling finally did in his patience and nerves, for more than one uncomfortable reason. ¡°If it needs be time. So be it,¡± Jaden said, sounding far more awake than he had any right to. ¡°Pity, you were just starting to build up to the smell I like so much. Wha?... You sneaky little jackass. Shaking Jaden off as rudely as possible, primarily by using Jaden''s ribs as a springboard for his elbow, he climbed to his feet as he filled Jaden in on how far overland they had traveled and their current position before setting up the flying version of spectral transport again. Wren said stiffly, ¡°It should take only one more fill up before we''re good to go on making it to our destination. Keep a hold of Silent Mind. It will still take me a bit of time to digest it''s enchantments but it''s a weapon far more suitable to your hands and if you do encounter any flying nastiness a little graze will likely buy the transport all the time you need to get away. Here''s a chain I made that you can attach to get more reach if you need to throw it without having to worry about it being lost. I tried to make it as lightweight as possible to keep from throwing off it''s balance too much. It''s detachable so-¡± Wren could feel that he had lost his audience as Jaden looked at the transport like it was his enemy. Wren said sympathetically, ¡°Hey, Jaden. I know this hasn''t been that fun for you but if we make good time today we''''ll be at your dad''s house by nightfall.¡± Jaden looked at Wren for a moment before looking back at the transport as he said, ¡°Do you think when the time comes, you''ll be able to accept me?¡± Wren sighed then said, ¡°We still got time right? Let''s get this j-¡± Jaden looked agitated at Wren before locking him down with his ever intense stare then said, ¡°It''s a simple thing Wren and I''m fairly certain you would know by now if you can or not. Is it that you would like to wait till I''m kneeling in front of you, begging you to save me from loneliness and pinning. If the only thing that will allow you to finally accept me is my desperation then that is nearly as hurtful as refusal. It would taint all that came after as pity. It may not be fair to you to ask in such a way but I''d like to know while I still look at you with the mind and heart of a friend, a brother... Well mostly. It is still mostly a truth. ¡°I know it to be selfish and unfair but maybe it''s better that it is. If you can say and mean it now then I will not be filled with self loathing later, thinking myself another that is simply receiving your generosity and charity. Your heart is big. I know this. It is the reason I love you as a true brother. But for what I will need from you in the future... Wren, to help fill the loneliness in me that you might, the loneliness in you that I might help fill, it is better for us both. I can say, and mean it, that there is no other outside of Lilly herself who I would rather have at my side for the rest of my life. That is not my instinct nor is it the bond as far as I am able to tell. It is just me as I feel, outside of all other influences, that I love you. It is not the love of a lover but it is no less in its own way. Without Lilly and without you explaining things to me I may have never known such a thing could exist as a different but equal kind of love as this but I feel it to be true. So there it is, simple. I love you, heart-brother. Is it possible for you to love me back? I own the selfishness of not just wanting some space in your large heart, I want a part that just belongs to me.¡± Wren stared at Jaden like he was an idiot. It was a bit mean but he couldn''t help it. He couldn''t even start to formulate words to say to all that heated confession until he noticed that his uncontrolled expression and feelings had genuinely hurt Jaden and not just a little bit. He started getting his own thoughts out as quickly as he could before this turned into a meltdown scenario. Wren said, ¡°I think you''ve gotten something all wrong. In the last few days I''ve never, not even a little bit, not even for a moment had any problem admitting to myself that as a brother I love the hell out of you. You think I''d share my precious small supply of green beer with just any fucking body!? You think I''d step away and neglect my precious lovey fucking dovey time with Little Gray for any random shit that pulled on my sympathy strings a little? The only thing that''s been having me sweating lead is thinking about the inevitable moment when we''re spirit sharing and you get all hyped up and plug me with that battering ram you got tucked away in your man diaper. Admittedly, getting all touchy feely with you feels weird as fuck but I''ll get over it eventually. You want a bromance kinda confession? Fine, here it is... ¡°Jaden, I love you man. There''s no one I''d rather have at my back in a desperate fight than you. It scares the fuck out of me that one day Grimalkin''s going to suicide to save my dumb ass from getting hurt. You''ll do what needs to be done. Lilly''s got the little one''s to keep her from doing the same for either of us. ¡°You''re the only person I can think of that I want to have deep conversations with cause you get it. It''s not something that''s just about smarts, we''re on the same wavelength. You get me and I''m trying as best I can to understand you because I wanna get you too. I never feel confident declaring things about the future but right now you''re the only one I want at my side because I want Little Gray and Lilly safely behind us. It scares the shit out of me that they won''t be when it matters because no matter what we want we''ve accepted their place at our sides and they''ll fight for the right to stand there.¡± Wren wound down and took in the sight of Jaden standing there speechless and thought it was a little funny that the overly intense alpha male in the making didn''t know what to do or say. Not wanting things to drag on Wren opened his arms and said, ¡°So let''s get our awkward manly hug out of the way before we start getting all mushy and wanting to grab each other''s asses while we''re at it.¡± Jaden started out laughing a little nervously then it turned into a normal belly laugh as he closed in on Wren and yanked him up in a crushing bear hug before he said, ¡°You know, just because you said that, I''m suddenly feeling an errant desire to to do just that.¡± And as action naturally follows thought, Jaden did. He reached down and grabbed a handful in each large, meaty palm and vigorously shook Wren''s buttocks a few times before he let go. As he turned to start walking up to the transport with a lighter step than Wren had seen since Lilly''s incident, Wren wound up a little and landed a slap on Jaden''s butt hard enough to rock him up on his heels as Wren''s hand started to throb. Jaden spun around and locked eyes with Wren that were a lot more intense than he''d ever seen them before as Jaden said in a thick and shaky voice, ¡°You-I-... I just want you to know this brother of yours will still be in here when I come to you for ''comfort''. I hope that will be enough for you to accept that part of me too.¡± It was Wren''s turn to be stunned for a moment at how quickly the aura of the situation changed before he said with a tinge of fear, ¡°Just promise me you''ll have a good talk with Glaucous about how to treat a guy gently, okay. He''s not the greatest authority on the matter but he''s probably the best we''ve got you''d be alright asking and that''s not a discussion I think I want to have with you right now... Now, before either of us is put into a position we''re not ready for could you please send me back. I''ll see you in six, brother.¡± Jaden looked torn for a moment before he said, ¡°You have it then, my promise.¡± As he faded into Jaden and Lilly''s realm he heard Jaden mumble to himself, ¡°After all, it''s only a day away.¡± and knew he wasn''t saying it just to steel himself against loneliness or because of his love for ''Little Orphan Annie.'' Realm-side it was still dark sky. Little Gray was already asleep, or at least he was. As soon as he felt Wren''s eyes on him, he sat up and smiled. ¡°Welcome back, Birdy,¡± Grimalkin said, looking like he wasn''t quite ready to let Wren go to sleep. Suddenly Wren didn''t feel quite as tired anymore. *** Waking up, arms and legs tangled with the overgrown kitten, Wren didn''t know how long it would take to get over how awesome it felt. The answer, he suspected was probably never. ¡°That pesky wind got your branch tangled in the canopy curtain again, Lilly? Don''t worry about it. I can have a pair of pruning sheers help you with your little problem.¡± Wren said with a wry grin. A mysteriously unfelt wind rustled the trees till Lilly''s branch miraculously untangled itself as the feeling of warm weight disappeared from his arms. Grimalkin had been practicing his newly heightened abilities while he was gone, it seemed. After topping off Lilly''s essence reserves he was ready to start the day. Wren shared a sigh with no one in particular as he summoned a loose open robe outfit styled after the first pair of clothes he received after coming world-side and got to it. Wren started off by swinging by the tent that Sable had made by the pond. By unspoken agreement, this seemed to be his area and other than the height of the day, when some of the under aged refugees would come to swim, Jhessa was the only one seen frequenting the area. It would appear that Rhaul had used up all the ''comfort'' that Sable had for him.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Alive in there, Elder Black?¡± Wren said as he bent to the tent flap. A sudden chill went up his spine as cold metal tapped the back of his neck. ¡°Your senses are as dull as ever. Your spirit is strong enough to learn environmental attunement. Why don''t you save some of your enthusiasm for life to sharpen the skills necessary for keeping it,¡± Sable said. Wren turned and said, ¡° As I''ve tried to express before, it doesn''t come that easy for me. My nature is to hoard spirit not emit it, so unconscious emission and re-uptake will take a lot more time than your past pupils to pick up. Being that''s the case, I should get to it instead of wasting time to see if you and Jhessa have accomplished your goal and offer a little aid to help move things along if the both of you are sure this is what you want.¡± Sable''s expressionless face showed a hint of contrition before he said, ¡°Well the day is still young and spending too much time on a single task isn''t good for growth.¡± Sable spent some time giving Wren a few pointers on ways to use his spirit and how to train mundane senses until Jhessa came back with a tray laden with enough food for four people. How the woman knew when he or Grimalkin would be dropping by around meal time was a mystery to Wren as he''d never seen any inkling that she possessed any kind of supernatural gift. If Sable played his cards right, he might not only have a baby mama but a competent wife as well, though Wren had no desire to interfere in that sort of personal business. As it stood, the only thing Jhessa seemed truly interested in was the contents of Sable''s balls and all other considerations would have to be earned the hard way. After having a light lunch in which Grimalkin stopped by to express that he was aiding some youngsters in his part of the beginner''s training Bress organized, Wren did a scan of Jhessa and Sable. Wren tried to do his best impression of a TV doctor as he said, ¡°Jhessa, you are two days from ovulation... Oh, that''s when the egg drops into the womb and is ready to be fertilized...Yes you have eggs... Please let me continue guys. I''ll charge up Sable''s virility a bit and make sure your egg and womb will be in prime condition. I''d advise waiting until tomorrow at dark sky to, well, do the deed but that''s the extent of my meddling. I''d like nature to take its course from there. Jhessa said, ¡°Couldn''t you just be there. You could just make it work couldn''t you?¡± Wren said, ¡°First off, if I did that then essence laced with my spiritual fingerprint would be a part of the new child... I don''t know how to answer questions related to what that actually means, I just know it will. Secondly, I was warned by my pops that getting too involved with the ''dharma'', the life road of other''s destinies, is a dangerous thing. I have to let nature have it''s say to some degree to keep from being too personally wrapped up in the results. Even if this time ends up being a bust, the both of you will have more chances. I have something I''d like to say on that matter. You guys are really intent on making a child but the both of you probably haven''t spent a lot of thought on what that means for the both of you. ¡°We are just a little over two days away from our destination. What will the both of you do when that time comes? From an inheritance stand-point, Sable is a desirable candidate but I think he wants to be a bit more than a sperm donor, Jhessa. You expressed a desire to be part of my retinue. I won''t hold you to it but if you become pregnant I''m pretty sure Sable will want to either come along for the ride or convince you to stay with him. ¡°Elder Black, I held you back from your new home once and I know Glaucous could really use your help but the doors of my theoretical home are open to you as well... Both of you have a lot more to think about in the next couple of days besides how many times you can bump uglies before your junk falls off or out.¡± Wren charged up their sacral chakras before sending a bit of healing into their abused naughty bits and was on his way. Liita and Bress were waiting for Wren as he sauntered into the center pavilion area and they looked primed for important conversation. Wren said, ¡°What''s up? Why so serious?¡± The ladies exchanged looks before Bress stepped forward to say, ¡°When is Lilly going to be joining us? Will we at least get to see her before we arrive at our new destination or was her survival a comforting lie you told us? The last time we saw Jaden he seemed to be in the process of grieving. It''s alright to let us know the truth. We would wish to grieve our friend as well if she has moved on to the Shadowlands.¡± Wren mulled it over in his head while Bress seemed to be growing ever more upset. It appeared, that to her mind at least, Wren''s silence was all the answer she needed. Liita moved in to hold her lover as Wren reached out to Jaden for permission. It came quickly but Wren realized the response wasn''t instant which meant that Jaden must have mulled it over a bit too. Sending messages back and forth through a time dilation did tricky things to it. Wren said, ¡°Your water works are a bit premature, Bress. I was clearing your permission to go see Lilly with Jaden first. Follow me.¡± No one spoke a word until the three reached the grove. Wren walked to the tree in the center and inspected Lilly. He noticed, with panic at first then with understanding, that the blossom was starting to wither and in it''s place a small green nodule was starting to form. ¡°This is Lilly, as she is right now. This little bud right here, is her first kiddo on the way. She wussed out on regular child birth and decided to do things this way. I don''t know how long-¡± Wren was interrupted by the stem of a leaf jabbing him on the tender part of the inside bottom of his nose before he continued with his eyes watering a little, ¡°We don''t know how long she''ll be like this but she can understand what we''re saying and she finds ways to make herself understood as well.¡± Liita looked at Wren like he''d lost his mind but Bress seemed to be buying it. Bress stepped forward with one of her hands out flat before she said, ¡°Heart-sister, if it is truly you could you give us some token that we might believe truly?¡± Two leaves drifted down to form a vague heart shaped pattern in Bress''s hand which she showed to Liita excitedly. ¡°Keep that up and you''re going to go bald,¡± Wren said before a lady bug landed on his face and bit him before flying off. ¡°Damn it, Lilly. Alright, you win!¡± Liita and Bress conversed for a bit while Wren lounged in the bed. ¡°We''d like to stay on as Lilly''s guard,¡± Liita said firmly. ¡°I prefer the term hand maidens but it''s all the same in the end I suppose,¡± Bress said demurely. After a bit of esoteric communication with Lilly and a few messages with Jaden, it was settled. Wren was commissioned to set up a tidy one room cottage with a few basic enchantments before he was informed that he would be moving back to the guest rest area at the pavilion. And here I was thinking that Lilly was enjoying the peep show. Guess familiarity really does breed contempt... Oddly enough, those offending leaves has given me an idea. Wren said a fond farewell to his lover after informing Grimalkin of the new sleeping arrangements and requested Jaden to pull him out. ¡°You''re not due out for another hour or so. Truly, I''m fine. After our talk this morning I''m feeling much better about, well, everything,¡± Jaden said reassuringly. ¡°I hope just because you''re good doesn''t mean I can''t hang out with you for a bit,¡± Wren said blandly. ¡°Of course not. Glad to have the company but pardon me for calling upon your bull feces,¡± Jaden said. ¡°It''s ''calling your bullshit'' or ''calling your bluff'' but you''re right. Its getting a bit boring playing fertility clinic doctor and tree whisperer for the sisterhood. Besides, I got an idea I want to try out.¡± Wren took the original model of spectral transport and made an official version of flying transport. The teardrop design axed a lot of room but increased efficiency by quite a bit, weight by a noticeable margin and max speed by 2x at the cost of that additional efficiency, if needed, by flipping it sharp side first. It did require the passengers to be firmly sitting or marginally supine to move around and reduced capacity to about two fairly hearty sized adults. ¡°What do you say? Take it for a spin?¡± Wren said with mild excitement. ¡°I''d rather not. Flying straight forward at high altitudes is nausea inducing enough... I jest, Wren,¡± Jaden said. I''ve been a bad influence on him. After three hours and one close call where a ''drake'' tried to snatch them out of the air before getting poked by Silent Mind, hopefully sending it to a bone breaking death but Wren doubted it, they were near their destination. As they landed and changed out for void mode Wren asked, ¡°Observations on the new transport?¡± ¡°It''s more structurally sound. The limited mobility on long distance trips for the rider is quite stifling and being completely surrounded by it means that quite a bit of activities become more difficult to deal with,¡± Jaden said and illustrated his point by rushing over to water a tree. It''s probably not a good idea to share how close we were to free falling after it was damaged by that huge ass claw and the hole punched by him from the inside. I have a feeling that cabin pressurization would be a problem if we flew higher too. Magic doesn''t make basic engineering problems just go away. Looks like I need to brush up on some mechanical know-how if I really want to get the most out of my powers without having to rely on prefabricated models. ¡°It''s probably best if you two stay out here for the moment and not come closer to Seaside,¡± A familiar deep voice intoned. ¡°Glaucous, you almost literally scared the shit out of me!¡± Wren said, clutching his chest. ¡°Father, Is all not well?¡± Jaden said. ¡°It is not. The two participants that were awaiting your return decided to visit Seaside while they waited. They informed me three days ago that they had received a mission that included information about creatures with the ability to possess. Neither of them had the ability to sense for such an entity but I assured them I could. After discovering the presence of one such creature, I attempted to secure them but it was crafty and several of my charges have suffered for the chaos it has caused. I have lost three and both of the participants. After one of my charges killed the female, thinking her aggressiveness hostility towards me, my land has been labeled as inhospitable. I wouldn''t mind so much but there may be more such entities and for the time being I have all residents locked in their domiciles till I can discover a solution.¡± Glaucous admitted woefully. ¡°Jaden, I''m going to go with him to sort this out. This is the second time I wish Troy had stuck around. He can do mass versions of what I have to do one at a time... Sorry... I need you to wait with everyone realm side, Jaden. I''ll come back once the problem''s been dealt with,¡± Wren said, exasperated but not entirely surprised. Jaden protested, ¡° Would I be a hindrance to come along? I have strong spirit. Perhaps I am resistant to such possession.¡± ¡°We have absolutely no knowledge on how these things even take people and you are a conduit to your realm, your wife and child that''s on the way. It''s too many variables. The only thing we know for sure is that if one tries to jump my ship I can eat it... Glaucous has my back. I''m sure I''ll be fine,¡± Wren offered. ¡°If you are certain. You should probably take your dagger back for now then,¡± Jaden said as he handed the chained tool to back to Wren before fading away. ¡°Are you certain on this course of action, Wren?¡± Glaucous asked. Wren looked oddly at at Glaucous before replying cautiously, ¡°I''m pretty sure.¡± ¡°Damn shame, that,¡± an overly cheery African man''s voice behind Wren said before an explosion of light followed him into darkness. 33-Fully Reversable ¡°You''re in some deep trouble boy.¡± Who are you? ¡°I guess the most ''name'' sounding thing you can call me is Gash. I am a wound that was personified. It''s what I came into existence from, not what defines me as I am though.¡± Um, okay. ¡°Things only get stranger as you climb the ladder. Enjoy your time here in the mortal planes. You may be the plaything of greater forces here but you''re at least afforded protection that''s not granted out there, not really anyway.¡± Soooo, why am I in trouble? ¡°The long made short, you''ve got a broken piece of a worn out soul forged weapon lodged in your body. At your current strength you can''t digest it with your void. Man have you tried though. You''ve tried so many times that it''s become a part of you. That''s the first problem.¡± How many do I have? ¡°Depends on where you draw the line but let''s just say that if you don''t get to solving them then some of them are going to solve themselves. When that happens you''re going to be a very sad person.¡± How much time do I have and where do I get started? ¡°I like that. A ''Go get ''em'' attitude is the best to work with... First big sad moment is about ten seconds away but that''s real time. In here, the closer you get to center the more time you have but the harder it will be for you to leave. Let''s leave it at about an hour before I reach a theoretical threshold where I become increasingly less certain by the second that I can get you out without your help. ¡°Even with the crappy understanding you have of your abilities, ten seconds gives you a good shot but you''re in for an uphill battle to even save yourself... Let me give you a breakdown so you won''t waste time thinking about things when you''re trying to fix your problem. While I''m doing that, take a look at your theoretical inner construct or whatever you want to call it.¡± This may waste valuable time but why are you in me and why are you helping? ¡°Without making things hard to understand, I''m the animus of Silent Mind, the spiritual counterpart to the physical part you can''t digest. If you turn Asura you can. I obviously don''t want you to become Asura and I don''t think you want to either. Since you ate off all the hate and compulsion, I''m free to make decisions. I''ve decided to serve instead of being eaten. I could just let you go instead of holding you in here but you''d turn Asura, maybe even eat the souls of your friends or something before you were deported. I can''t help out much with your problems because the only things I really know are the thoughts I''ve sealed at least a few times. It took a few days but I''ve gathered enough of you in here that you can do what you need to do. So, go fix your inner construct so I can release you.¡± Wren looked at his inner construct. The bottom part of the octahedron had separated and grown to three times the size of the top, giving it the look of a tiny pyramid sitting on the flat part of a much larger one. How can this happen? This is my theoretical model. I should... Logic was sealed away. My body and it''s powers were being controlled by intuition and instinct. What was I doing to get this much growth added to me?
Parasite Eradication: x8 Dream Eater x1 Nightmare [Since primal state activation] Total Rewards/Demerits:
  • x10 Dream Eaters- 1000 AP
  • x1 Nightmare- 1000 AP
  • Invader Cell Elimination- 500 AP or x1 Class/Profession Knowledge Set
  • Large scale destruction of friendly settlement- 500 AP demerits
  • x2 Participant casualties [possession negates demerit]
  • x2 Consumption of SYSTEM registered sentient souls [soul core release negates additional bounty] [self defense negates fugitive status]
Actions requested by operators and approved by Host: excessive force- 500 AP demerit per incident, 1000AP demerit total
I-I ate two people''s souls!? ¡°Technically just their astral shells. It''s a small blessing that your void space has acquired a taste for tainted sources or you may have done much worse. If it''s any consolation, they attacked you after you ate the astral parasites in them first.¡± Probably because they were scared out of their minds. ¡°Me being lodged in you was because the smiling man picked me up and drove me up underneath your chin. The shape shifting lady kicked me in crooked or I would have killed you. The shape shifting lady said something about a negotiation reward.¡± Wait, what!? Then how did I get all primal and eat the possessions to begin with? ¡°It was a crossbow bolt that went through the upper rear of your skull, out through your right eye and you weren''t. Your inner mind took the driver''s wheel until they stabbed you with me. Like I said, if the shape shifting lady had kicked me in straight, I would have killed you. The last order of inner mind, that I was able to seal after being pooped back out of your void for about the 200th time, was to have void eat me. It was on loop after my effect sealed inner mind. By then all the damage had been done and your friend, Jaden I think it was, has been chasing after you for the last three days. When you encounter stuff that tries to kill you, he calls out people to help him keep you alive but whatever was letting you know where all the parasites are isn''t picking up anymore or it stopped working. ¡°The point is you started growing restless and decided to go after something and now you''re surrounded by a nest of drakes. Jaden and Little Gray, what an odd name, have noticed the drake in front and are preparing to face it but there are two more swooping in from behind. Your primal self has noticed but has no problem using them as bait to get the drakes in range. Well, you are inching closer to Little Gray so maybe you care a little. I can''t really tell how much you care because I''ve seen you do all kinds of weird and contradictory stuff. All snarling at people one moment or licking their wounds closed the next... Now you know, so fix yourself.¡± I really don''t know what to do though. ¡°I don''t know either!...Well, what does your structure look like? Maybe two heads will be better than one. Most of a head and the animus of a weapon, at least.¡± Wren explained what his structure looked like before and what it looked like to him at that moment. ¡°Could you just...shove the smaller one into the bigger one? All the crazy is bigger but the smaller, not crazy you, would be center and in control right?¡± That might work for a lot of structures but mine is encompassed in the concept of a theoretical perfect sphere. It would be alright if... if it were a tetra hedron. Creative and destructive impulses have both a logical and intuitive reason for existing. Another way of seeing logic and intuition that''s balanced with emotion is the the physically minded thoughts of survival with the spiritually minded thoughts of enlightenment. At least, it''s the way I want to see them... I can see it like this. If all that I am is divided into thought, feeling and action that either serve me in physical or spiritual continuance and growth, then I have two tetrahedrons. One side of each the small and large pyramids were consumed by the remaining until Wren was left with a small and large tetrahedron. Whichever it is meant to serve it still serves the other. The spiritual journey of a lifetime ends at death. You have to start over with just the bits and pieces that might give you a head start in another life but not much else, I guess. A life that completely ignores the spiritual, even if it''s just perceived as emotional health, is almost impossible to live. You''ll kill/fuck over the wrong person or yourself and then that''s it. So both sides naturally overlap. Even if one side is stronger than the other the smaller side still fully supports the other so it has no place to refuse. As the smaller sunk in and seated itself within the larger tetrahedron, even though it was only a theoretical thought form, Wren noticed from one planar view the downward looked solid and the smaller ephemeral and from a different planar view the opposite was true. Hehe, kinda looks like the tri-force. If they were both even though, it would look like a...merkabah. ¡°Not sure exactly what you did but it will only stop you from going Asura for about a couple hours. Not sure but I''m going off the feeling of stable, rather that immediate, evolution.¡± So you''re saying I have around two hours to figure out a way to equal out what eight tick men, a demon horse and two human souls gave me? ¡°Your terminology is way off but yeah. I''d say, just give it up or give it away but if your current self would listen that well we wouldn''t have needed to do this in the first place. The thing is, you actually need to. You''re bloated. That''s what''s triggering the evolution to begin with.¡± Primal self won''t give it up or give it away...Bet he would if he was getting it back better... I think I got it... I just hope Little Gray can forgive me by the time I''m done. ¡°What are you...oh. Okay, It''s the best we got I guess. Just to warn you before I let you go, you''re not going to be able to order your Id around like you normally do. There is no suppression. The you I''m talking to right now, is going to be like a rudder on a ship going full speed. Try to steer too hard and you might snap under the pressure, then its all Asura from there. Keep it simple.¡± You mean like, save mate then breed, simple? ¡°That sounds on par... No big rush but I''m getting to that hypothetical limit soon.¡± Alright...Carve it in...Save mate then breed... ¡°At least you worked the crossbow bolt out otherwise it would be like getting ra... never mind. If this works and you don''t end up eating me, I guess we''ll talk again then. The lights came on but everything was dyed in red, the red of rage fueled adrenaline. Through the red a thought pulsed. Fight, kill, eat...Save mate then breed...Mate? Mates! Mates in danger! Where is safe? Middle big black is safe... Get mates to middle big black. Wren sped into motion towards Little Gray who was closer. ¡°Back!¡± Wren managed to push through the red haze. Grimalkin and Jaden looked behind them at the same time. Grimalkin froze for a moment as Wren hurdled towards him with concern in his face. It was the first emotion he showed since they started chasing after him days ago. They could tell he was still in there somewhere when they saw him pull something dark and ominous out of Glaucous before licking the big man''s cheek before going on a black something pulling frenzy. They weren''t so sure until that moment. Wren had ripped up almost the entirety of Seaside as the smaller black blotches tried to get away from him. Once he was done with that, he relentlessly tore after the ones that had escaped. That continued for almost two days before the bolt finally fell out and he healed the remaining damage. He stopped and blinked around a bit. He even started channeling some healing into Grimalkin and Jaden through licks to all their various cuts. They thought the worst was over until he finished all his licking and sniffing around the two, Then he just looked agitated for a bit, not letting either of them get too close before darting out into the woods...Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Grimalkin faded from view as Jaden sent him back in the realm. Jaden said to the confused Wren in a panic, ¡°He''s safe! Now come to me!¡± Wren needed no other spurring to change course to Jaden as the three drakes closed in. As Wren grappled Jaden to the ground, he fought off the strange tug of otherness his mind could not process, that was actually Jaden trying to send them to his realm. Instead, void power wrapped them both as they appeared in Wren''s middle void realm. The scene that greeted them was a small oasis; a pond around fifty feet in diameter that was wreathed in reeds, a thick carpet of grass dotted with various other greenery and a small stream that meandered off into the wasteland around them. It was all encased in a glassy sheen dome of water vapor and lit with a white dwarf like orb suspended an indeterminate distance above them, crowned with constellations of sparkling lights decorating the expanse of black beyond. Wren once told Jaden that the void realm evoked a feeling of tragic endings and uncertain beginnings in the same breath. After seeing it, Jaden could understand but he did not have long to contemplate such things before he realized that his crazed heart-brother was now exhibiting a much different kind of frantic behavior. As a person who was far more attuned with the primal than he''d like, Jaden had no trouble identifying this new urge that had overtaken Wren. *** Wren could tell that this mate was tired, much more tired than the other. He would have chosen that other one if he could but his need was too great. He was too full to search for another when there was already a mate here to receive the nourishment of his kills. In a deep place he felt a small sadness that this breeding would not make young but he would still revel in his reward. Plentiful feeding followed by mating, this was right. Wren was delighted when he saw that his mate was removing his shell to breed even though his mate was so tired. This mate was tired but very ready. Wren could smell his mate''s excitement and see it as well. He also saw the challenge. Neither had claimed the other yet. This was a mating fight. This was also right but he needed to win. He was so full, if he did not give then he would... he did not know but some thing bad would happen. If Wren lost it was bad but this was not bad. Adrenaline from fighting still sung in his veins. He nose flared wide to smell his mate''s excitement He could sense the mate named Jaden''s confusion but acceptance of this ritual of dominance. Something inside of Jaden understood and was just as thrilled. Something inside of him reached out to the Jaden mate. It pleaded Jaden to accept, to warn his mate of the need. He didn''t like that. He didn''t want to beg he wanted to win! Wren shook his head as if to dislodge the weak inner him. He growled at the Jaden mate making his own appeal of fair dominance to the part of Jaden mate that understood. He huffed of survival and howled of pleasure. He growled of pain and sighed of the ending of all things. All of Jaden mate understood. Wren howled pleasure at the inner weakness'' loss of appeal, at it''s despair. It growled in small pain at it''s inner voice''s lack of belief. Did the inner weakness not know how strong he was? Then he would show it. Wren breathed in the song of air to invigorate his life rivers. To the beat of his chest drum, he bid the water song to make his life water surge... Jaden mate flung him over on to his back... As he hit the ground he bid the silent hum of the earth song to fortify his frame before rolling to the side to avoid Jaden mate''s pinning. He lunged to playfully nip at Jaden mate''s haunches, leaving a light ring of red moon for his effort. He coughed a low huff of happiness as Jaden mate yelped. Jaden mate had his legs. He played helplessness while he wiggled and squirmed. He silently reached for the fire song that lied in the burning pit of his excitement, slipping out from under his winded mate... With all four songs running through him he was tireless without end. A part knew this wasn''t truly fair. Jaden mate ran without the songs. He could feel his mate''s body burning pain, the hard meat trembled with weakness. He would allow his mate''s challenge but he didn''t have to play fair. Was it fair that Jaden mate was born bigger to hold more hard meat? No. He slithered around to Jaden mate''s back and pushed his mate''s arms out even as he pushed the legs out with his heels. He added his weight to the drop to knock the air out of his mate. He leaned down and gently but firmly clamped his teeth on the back of Jaden mate''s neck. Jaden shivered. ¡°I''m not done yet!¡± Jaden said. A small hint of a whine came out that he could not contain from the burning muscles and aching tiredness made worse from having the breath knocked out of his lungs earlier. The small trace of weakness that his mate revealed made Wren''s chest tighten even as his fire song flared. He felt Jaden mate try to call on the water song. His silly mate, Here, the water song only listened to others when he wanted it to. He let Jaden call it to them before he stole it and doused them both to clean away the blood and dirt. The ending and eating dark took away the rest leaving them clean of all but the faint trace of scent that immediately started seeping back out. He could have held back his body water if he wanted to but Jaden mate liked his scent. He could tell from the wider eye black every time Jaden mate smelled it. He liked Jaden mate''s smell too. Underneath the man smell was glacier springs and crushed evergreen needles. Jaden used the last of his strength to turn over on to his back while Wren had loosened his hold to clean them. He looked at Wren shocked as he said, ¡°You can steal the water control from me?¡± With some difficulty Wren said, ¡°Here, all song is my song. I''ll share how you can hear but first I give.¡± Wren started rubbing and sniffing Jaden. Both scents together was good too. After he claimed Jaden mate he wanted others to smell his scent on his mate so they would know who Jaden belonged to. Jaden mate was still not done playing as he made a grab and locked onto Wren. He didn''t care. They both knew who was going to win now. Jaden mate just wanted to know he gave all he had. He wanted to rub and sniff himself on Wren too. That was good. If others saw him first they would know Jaden mate was his without having to see. They rolled around, rubbed scent and nipped at each other until there was little real strength left in Jaden mate''s hard meat. A whimper rose from Jaden''s throat as he said, ¡°This isn''t over, you cheat!¡± Wren grinned widely as he choked out, ¡°Next time maybe you give but this time I do!¡± He lunged in and locked his jaws on Jaden''s throat, growling out a warning that play was over. As much as Jaden didn''t want to submit, he didn''t have a choice. His inner self had made peace already, he just had to join it. Things were still good now but if he denied a direct call for submission like this one, things would not be as pleasant after the third round. He tilted his chin up and and let a full whine escape him, burning with shame at it. There was a lilt of faint growling at the end that promised another fight once he was recovered. That was fine with Wren. A mate with fight made the reward better. As he was about to claim his prize, the inner voice whispered secrets to make the mate enjoy breeding more. He didn''t understand most of it but one thing made perfect sense, even to Primal Wren. Dry would hurt, both of them. Wren turned Jaden on to his stomach then pulled him up to his knees as Jaden folded his arms to protect his face as he rested his head on the ground. Jaden prepared to bite his arm when Wren entered him but he was shocked nearly to collapse when he felt something soft warm an wet slide between his cheeks. It took a second pass and the soft wet object working it way into him that he realized it was Wren''s tongue. He was glad when he felt Wren''s knees framing his own. The sensation was so unreal that it would have made him fall flat again, which would have possibly hurt him as he felt himself grow ridged again, even through the thrumming fatigue of his body. There was a faint earthiness to his mate''s sweat here but he''d cleared out the night soil with the ending and eating black so it was just a richer and slightly more pungent flavor that was still all his mate''s smell. He could also smell the return of his mate''s excitement which made him push deeper and lap more roughly as his mate was enjoying the experience. He felt a small gratefulness for having the inner voice that knew such secrets of mate happiness. He could feel the tight ring start to loosen and let him work the wetness in. The inner voice showed him a hollow stone that held thicker wet for his breeding stick. It needed no such thing. It made it''s own thicker wet. Wren reached down to work some of the thick wet along himself till his excitement gave him plenty. Wren nipped the red circle moon gently once more before laying his mate back down into the grass. He didn''t want his fingers to be the first to claim his mate as the inner voice wanted but he could work some more thick wet from himself into his mate''s split as it felt good to do so. Wren tried hard to put the welling feeling inside himself into words since Jaden mate wasn''t connected to him strongly enough to see the inside pictures but he finally managed. ¡°You watched my flank. You are a good mate.¡± Patience at and end, Wren reached between them and pushed his breeding stick on to the the twitching ring. From some some other part of himself, Wren got the idea to push on his mate''s back to make the air leave again and in that moment of lower loosening he drove in. Jaden mate''s choking cough of a cry made him wait a moment before he lay himself along the broad back of his mate and cling to him as he worked from soft, shallow thrusts to longer and rougher ones. He couldn''t reach the crook of Jaden mate''s neck so he put his breeding bite on Jaden''s shoulder blade as he drove himself into his mate, leveling out into deep but short and rapid strokes. The last lingering of pain faded from Jaden and was replaced by a strangely deep stimulation that was unknown to him but satisfying. Wren could feel this as the sharing fog cleared. Wren let joy howl into Jaden at their closeness. There was no smugness or crowing of a victor, only a deep care that was not tender at all but strong and true. This was no mate for pups this was his battle mate. He would protect and raise Wren''s young if he should die as Wren would protect and raise his should he. They could share pleasure when the bitches were whelping and they would keep each other strong with play fights. Despite his grudging submission, Jaden was touched at the meanings given to him and when the first wave of spirit hit him he gave way to sensation and released his shame into the ground under him. Jaden shuddered in hyper sensitivity as Wren returned to harder, harsher thrusts with intermittent grinding. Wren shot spurt after spurt of raw spirit into his mate as if what was fucking the bigger man was not Wren''s body but his very soul. As every thick wave of primal spirit scoured and tempered Jaden''s soul it carried with it the secrets of hearing and calling the world. The mostly silent and barely awakened part of Jaden shook itself to alertness to hear and see. As the whirls over Jaden''s body began brightening to the cold and unforgiving silver fire of cleansing, Wren unloaded all that Jaden could bear and just a little more. He shuddered and bucked into his mate as he gave all he had to give of his body into his mate''s clenching and spasming heat in harmony of union with himself and with this other living extension of him, even if that unity was only for a second. Finally the beast could sleep content. It had killed that which had offended it. It had ate to fullness and beyond. Then it had bred a newly claimed mate. All was well as he fell asleep still on and inside Jaden who had lost consciousness after his last volley had been shot to join the previous on the ground... Wren slightly stirred when he felt himself being rolled to the side then on his back and sudden coolness around his junk but was still too sleepy to care... In what could have been 15 minutes or five hours, he woke up to the sensation of his legs being braced up. A face burying itself in his ass had him coming to wakefulness with the quickness of an epinephrine injection. As he was trying to crab walk backwards on his elbows he was drug right back as a thick tongue violated his pucker. ¡°Wha- What the fu..Jaden!? What are you do-¡± Wren couldn''t keep up speech as Jaden sent a lick right up his perineum to the underside of his sack. ¡°That''s one hell of a wake-up call bu-¡± Wren was once again interrupted mid-thought but it had nothing to do with Jaden''s tongue touching a place Wren didn''t even mess with anymore with the lazy convenience of void power at his beck and call. It was the in rush of pre-sleep events that had Wren''s mental gears grinding. By the time that Wren had digested the crazy that had him just shy of sanity breaking mortification, Jaden had a death clamp on Wrens legs, positioned for a one shot kill. Wren tried to reach out to restore some calmness to this situation but words and psychic messages weren''t faster than the sure thrust of Jaden''s hips. Before the twinge of searing pain from his sphincter being gauged out so brutally could even fully be processed by his brain, a cool silver fire raged across and purified his mindscape of all else as it coalesced into whirls that took up his vision and seared into his being. A ball of condensed spirit essence tightly packed to near bursting within Jaden unfurled with the fury of a lashing whip and the stark suddenness of a lightening strike. Three separate events individually intense enough to cause trauma happened at once. Wren''s eyes rolled back in his head as his bladder lost control and he pissed all over himself. Still the maddened Jaden continued to take his merciless due as spirit intoxication so keen it bordered on sickness robbed Wren of all reason yet again. He lost himself over and over again within Jaden''s cold silver fire until it finally dimmed. Vague flashes of begging for more and shameless LE abuse trickled in to create haunting memories for another day as a laughing but nearly crying Jaden finally coaxed Wren back into his realm and into the surprised arms of Grimalkin before sorely hobbling away. Wren, with a new target and goal began plying his loving torture on his new victim, infusing vast amounts of raw spirit into Grimalkin before reversing the tables and giving the power drunk young man his first taste of being the dagger to a lover''s sheath. *** Once his little kitten had been worn to a ghost, Wren stumbled to the grove like a zombie. Liita and Bress, seeing his odd behavior tried to stop him at the circle''s edge before he managed out a weary statement that he was here to share with his bonded. Bress nodded but Liita wasn''t quite convinced. The light infused spectral transport that dumped her into the pond, startling Sable and Jhessa, removed the need for further convincing as Wren slumped against tree Lilly and gave her the last fistful of raw spirit through her roots before taking a small coma. This kindness was returned, upon his waking, with a golden peach which had a mysterious natural formation of the words ''bite me'' on it. So he did. It was the most delicious, mercifully lust inducing free and tame, condensed spirit he ever had.
Discovered: Tier IV unknown Embodiment [closest match, The Chariot]- Adaptive variable essence consumption based on user actions (Minimum EE or comparative equivalent 0.33% PPM, maximum 33%) Advisement: Evolutionary catalyst resulting in -error- (restricted by request of A/I/C Hosts) Estimated growth potential-Superior
Discovered: Micro-Elemental Physical Enhancement- A multiple application enhancement Buff
Lost: Teir IV Embodiment Eremita
How can it possibly unknown? I mean sure, I see the chariot up there but surely someone''s done it before.
Additional information request denied... requires Director clearance...clearance granted for ten seconds.
Merkaba belongs to human exclusive spiritual evolutionary path embodiments Tier V Metatron and Tier V Adam Kadmon. Other lower growth potential paths possible. Both paths are traditionally associated exclusively with the Celestial Host. As a participant that contains non-quantifiable evolutionary potential and superior growth potential, Wren may be subjected to a variety of discriminatory behavior and predation. This is made more acute by the possession of a superior variant that remains unaligned. Note: Lost or protected information evolutionary paths exist involving merkaba. All that is allowed to be shared about such paths belongs to the perfect symmetry paths that are under information protection of The Balance Keeper''s Alliance and require membership to access.
Well, fuck me with a lacquered bus. 35-First and Last Resort Hello again, future inheritor. The next two weeks worth of memories are a blur... literally. So here I am filling in the blanks, yet again. Don''t worry though. It wasn''t another skull piercing weapon or brain melting exercise in suicidal stupidity. It was a mutually beneficial exchange that carried a little ritual work in. The first two days of blurry memory, as seen through the eyes of a mortally wounded Glaucous, were spent patching the big guy''s leaky spiritual boat and making some quick fixes to Seaside''s waste management enchantments so it didn''t start smelling like the dark corners of a New York subway. Apparently, the nightmare that had gotten it''s clutches on Glaucous, turned his astral body into Swiss cheese. Apparently, I had done the same to his beautiful city. There was a lot of good stuff that came out of this, though, and that is why I made this memory patch memo. It starts with discovering that the blue dot on Glaucous'' throat is a generational curse of extreme magnitude. It ends with me finding out that a full corner of my merkaba structure was missing, throwing off my symmetry. I''d like to think the rough draft I made to remodel Seaside into a grittier high fantasy hidden city was just as important. Who knows what kind of affect living in The Littlest Mermaid theme park could have on a population of tortuously trained spies and assassins. Now the world will never have to know! To be fair, it was G-man''s granny''s place but eight centuries is plenty of time to let some shit go. The nightmare had did a number on Glaucous'' astral body. All the frequent little nibbles had it looking tore up. There''s no quick fix to that kind of damage but I could keep what was left, inside. So that''s what I did. It was mostly an accident that I found a spot that was different than the rest but when I see a whole section of a cupboard full of food that the rat didn''t chew on, it makes me curious what was there. I had to admire the artistry on this curse. If you didn''t know where to look, you''d never find it. And even if you did, you''d never be able to remove it without undoing the whole person. Having the bite marks of a soul devouring monster do all the hard work for you though... Obviously the curse layer in question would have never guessed that a benevolent being would ever employ such a tactic to find its handiwork, because they wouldn''t. I mean, that''s like taking a power drill to someone''s head to get rid of migraines... Over 90% chance of death but either way, no more headaches. The reason for the merkaba thing''s not as clear. My money''s on stuffing pieces of unstable spirit into others then getting it soothed, compressed and stuffed back into me... This is one of the few times I''d rather leave the metaphor a metaphor. This is also the only time the solution to a problem pointed out it''s existence. Upon the discovery of this generational curse, nastiest piece of atavism I''d ever seen, my intuition was like Navi on crack. No matter how many times it said ''hey, listen'' I wasn''t going to rip it out though. I was trying to save G-man''s life, not take another bite out of him... On day three I wigged out when pops'' call mark just vanished. I honestly thought he might''ve just died. The sudden lifelessness of his call mark days earlier mixed with it''s sudden disappearance had me pretty much convinced until a request to establish a new call mark came in an hour later with pretty much the same parameters. After accepting, I summoned it to see if anything had changed. Lots of shit changed. This cut-out of reality was slimmer and had boobs to start...She introduced herself as Drafodil but gave me the okay to call her Dray and as I stifled my chuckles, I asked her what was shakin. The fact that she looked around and then shrugged her shoulders let me know that she either wasn''t as slang savvy as pops or she was more EQ broken than Glaucous. Dray went on to inform me that nothing was really different. The call mark worked the same way but it had an advisory mode that I could use that was a hella less costly at the loss of all real function but talking. She would pretty much be my mentor for the foreseeable century and would answer pretty much any question I had or advise me as best she could after getting a disclaimer on record that what I did with that knowledge had nothing to do with her as she was doing this to pay back an oath debt. She outright admitted to me that she knew my pops about as well as I already did and the oath debt was a result of her apprenticeship with him that was pretty much administered the same way it was being given to me. At the time pops had encountered her, she was just a participant that was under an operator that was subordinate to him. When she acquired the soul forge profession, pops was in need of a peon to do his light work so he took her under his, slave labor lacking, wing. I got the distinct impression that she hated and respected Hiidan in equal measure. After asking a few probing questions as to what she''d be the most help with she informed me that she would be able to fill in the gaps the SYSTEM purposefully left in upper tier crafting professions and give me some conjurer models to work with that would patch my lopsided class understanding into something that actually had combat applications. At the request of Hiidan, the method of giving me said models would insure that they stayed hidden from the prying eyes of this world''s host and off my log roll. An easy endeavor since the way my interface showed my abilities was shoddy as hell anyway, the intentional sloppy work of Hiidan, from the get go. That was meant to paint my operator as barely competent and manual input obsessed. Not an uncommon issue, it seems. At my level of existence, the SYSTEM was an invaluable tool to get started but later on it was just an annoying tracking device I couldn''t get rid of. As soon as I got my tier five evolutionary advancement, however, my information would be handed over to the director in charge of me where I''d be doled out to whatever purpose they deemed fit to give me. Since Hiidan was my director I''d be free of any pressure from up high but I''d also not likely have any support whatsoever, except for Dray. She assured me that as long as I kept my nose out of any major faction or alliance business she would be enough but it was disheartening to hear her say that she didn''t think I had the ability to get to tier six and gave very compelling reasons but whatever. After chatting for about an hour on various rigmarole we finally came around to my current situation and the problems I was working on. I was hesitant to tell her anything too concrete but when she pointed out that she was a Tier VI existence and only talked to me like she did because she abhorred formality, that there was nothing about me she found remotely interesting and wouldn''t even care enough to kill me if I was standing on her shoulder and screaming in her ear because it would waste her time, I was oddly comforted. I was even more put at ease when she explained that this mark held about 1% of her total all around potential, about 100% of my current self, and was pretty much just an auto-pilot with access to her knowledge that she would likely trash can the experiences of every time it came back. In essence, she was honey badger extreme mode. It wasn''t just her word though. She oathed it true and you can feel that shit when its real. I gave her the breakdown of G-man''s problem, then told her about mine and how it would be peachy if I could figure out how to solve them together. Her solution, a metaphysical exchange. I had lots of impurities in my condensed spirit from stuffing myself like a glutton beyond the speed of my void to handle, he had a curse that was like candy and we both had the ability to deal with the negatives of each other''s issue. He could deal with processing impurities because he was a tier five existence and needed the nourishment. I had a void space that had a sweet tooth for curses. It was a win-win and she had a nine-day ritual model that could make it happen, though she warned me that the time that went by while the ritual was going on would be a big ol switcharoo. We were essentially buried together for nine days and nights. There was a device with all kinds of magical shit carved in it, that had two mouth pieces that served to allow the exchange to occur and kept both of us in sync with the other, fitted on our faces and we were wrapped chest to chest. Luckily we were both unconscious during the duration of the burial. There is absolutely nothing of interest to know about being wrapped up with someone else for nine days underground and asleep. We had some pretty fucked up feelings of being stretched like taffy and being partially eaten by the other while having lots of boring psychic conversations about plans for city construction, ideas about how to get him recovered faster and what I was going to do after I was done making the safe zone. Well, he was excited. He was finally going to be able to have sex and make babies without eventually killing his lovers. I was just going to be able to glue the nose back on my porcelain doll of a damn personal path construct but that''s what I get for binge eating and purging. There was more benefit for the both of us than that but I was feeling mean spirited and grumpy by the time my thoughts became mine again. Apparently the part I was missing from my construct was malicious creativity, a big part of why I didn''t get spell structures from my class that would let me do some real damage without having to get up-close and personal. All of a sudden it was easy to envision summoning razor blade sharp sleet and globs of corrosive acid dropping on motherfucker''s heads. Thankfully for every place and person I encountered after that, the exaggerated feelings of aggression and general loathing faded pretty quickly but the ability to image horrifying applications of my power without getting all squeamish stayed. Now that was unfortunate for all the people and places that managed to piss me off. *** ¡°So like I was saying on the dream plane a couple days ago. You are a land god of fertility and life. I''m likely to never say this again so enjoy the rare quote... Why don''t you have a ritual orgy? This world''s summer solstice is less than a week away. It''s not as symbolic of fertility as the spring equinox but it''s still pretty life oriented. Besides it''s not like I''m asking you to establish it as a holiday or something,¡± Wren said, on the verge of pulling out his hair in frustration. Glaucous snorted and said, ¡°It flies in the face of the advice that your father offered me. This smacks of worship and I thought I was supposed to avoid doing things that might evolve into religious ceremony. Not to mention that I find it offensive to make an edict for my children to fornicate in mass for my benefit.¡± Frantically thinking, Wren said, ¡°All right. That makes sense when you put it like that but what if I organized a party to help your kids and the other refugees mingle. If I drop a heavy but subtle series of hints and innuendo into the mix that all people who find or have a partner, knock boots one round in thanksgiving to you for doing so much to prepare them a new home... Shit, that''s semantics isn''t it? Wait, I got it!¡± After a brief discussion with Dray for a spirit gathering diagram, a possession parasite trap and negotiation possibilities for safe-zones, he got to work. Over the next three days he worked on laying down the foundation for a resort hotel safe-zone, that was within a one hour walk from a secluded beach, during the morning, and city building in the evening. A crew of the currently unoccupied refugees and a handful of more idle branch folk were split and put to work on both projects in exchange for a plethora of much needed material goods and the promise of a festival when it was done. For Glaucous'' part, he mainly convalesced but gave Wren access to his AE rich realm for resting. Whatever ideas about getting frisky, while Wren was too tuckered out to put up a fight, Glaucous may have had were gently but firmly rebuffed by his own son. Jaden didn''t mind monopolizing on the idea once himself, though. A sore and embarrassed Wren promised revenge after a rematch, the game of domination and submission being half of an unspoken agreement between them. The other half was that if Jaden didn''t hold back and let him win every once in awhile while it stayed a battle of strength and physical skill then Wren would shamelessly cheat. Close to late morning on the third day, all work was suspended. Wren rushed back and went through a whirlwind of preparations while those in the know helped out where they could. Copious amounts of cheap alcohol, fruit and meat spiked with a wisp of LE and a little SE laid out on tables for everyone''s enjoyment. A gramophone with a sound carrying enchantment was playing recordings of what went for stimulating music, that Wren had gathered before the flood, until volunteers with instruments replaced it. Wren was a little sad over that but he had to admit that live sounded better with tribal instruments.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. The more extroverted refugees had little trouble getting the majority of the introverts among Glaucous'' flock to loosen up and start to enjoy themselves and things actually started getting pretty wild after the former Branch survivors realized no one was coming at them with threats of punishment. Glaucous, Jaden and Sable stepped in on a few issues before they had a chance to become anything bigger and Branch Night people were given a clear understanding of what was and was not allowed in the pursuit of companionship. It didn''t take long for pairs and small groups to start making their way to someone''s home to enjoy other activities. Wren, Grimalkin and a contingency of couples among the refugees, who knew what the party was really about, replaced the first crew and Sable so the early volunteers could have some fun too. Little did anyone but Wren''s core people and Glaucous realize that under the city was a huge gathering array that was channeling to Glaucous'' private residence to help with his recovery. The array only gathered shed LE and the bits of SE that was condensed by a function of the array. It was a loose and dirty way to do it but it worked and if Wren''s other long term plan worked the Safe-zone and it''s attached beach would be a big earner for not only Glaucous'' recovery but growth as well. Another three days later Wren had a safe, enchantment isolated and spirit-arrayed beach with a line of sturdy love shacks, secret alcoves and plentiful fruit bearing vegetation. Enchanted and booby-trapped secret entrances along the walled path to the beach allowed Seaside residents to set up shop, so to speak. After going over a basic exchange rate of goods and services that could be provided by the locals with Bress to pass on, Wren was ready on the non SYSTEM side of things. The safe-zone itself had a large, creatively decorated and customized version of the three story barracks refitted for multiple private rooms with their own minor enchantments for climate control and bathrooms. It was all bring your own bedding but otherwise any other amenity was covered. He even figured out a way to make an ice machine-like enchantment, embedded deep into the side alcove of every floor. Negotiations were reopened and after some bitter and sad back and forth dialog with an automated registrar, Wren managed to get clearance for natives to use SYSTEM desired resources in one of three major public obelisk boxes to have access to this facility, minus essence access unless they were a participant''s registered one-plus, up to a maximum of 50 at a time. They''d have 5 minutes to leave the safe-zone and five minutes to re-enter when they wished to leave with each resource exchange being round trip only, no one-way. Wren split the 10% AP royalty for every use of the three obelisks he would place, with Glaucous which the big man could use to purchase whatever this world''s natives were allowed. It was the same deal that the big cities got and that only flew because of the strategic placement of this particular safe-zone, though that deal was only valid for as long as Glaucous lived. After that, Wren or his inheritor would get the additional 5%, the 10% royalty only good for a maximum of 100 years. Last but far from least, the small spirit gathering arrays embedded into the floor of each room, disguised as decorative patterns, would also similarly be allowed for 100 years. A man that could only be described as an angel came to provide the obelisks and lock-box, inspect the preparations and oversee Wren''s obelisk placement and activation. Apparently, a participant capable of doing this job was rare enough that the angel in question gawked at the relative ease in which Wren accomplished the task. After the angel inspected the safe-zone work he looked satisfied and thanked Wren for going the extra distance to provide such a warm and friendly safe-zone for participants and natives to enjoy together. He even went so far as to tour the rest of Wren''s preparations for native enjoyment and smiled benevolently at Wren before disappearing.
Safe-zone negotiation and construction reward:
  • 500 AP
  • Tier IV equipment- a la cart
  • +1 reputation with Guardian Alliance- You have created a safe-zone that not only provides protection and recovery for the body but also soothes the soul.
  • Friendship of Artiya''il
Place all free AP as 10 AP rewards for native referral to this safe-zone. Include the liquidated 500 AP exchangeable reward. Exchange the Tier IV reward for conjure food and drink models, [Earth] popular chain restaurant options. After getting a confirmation from the SYSTEM interface, Wren got his new ring from the lock-box. Then he gathered up Jaden, Grimalkin and Glaucous to go see Usuway before any people started showing up. He trusted Sable to be able to gather up the appropriate people to quell any small squabbles and protect the newly minted ''vendors'' before they returned. Bring your native for free promotion better pay off and if those parasites can use the obelisks, I hope the dream catcher traps underneath these three obelisks work or it''s gonna turn into a shit show around here again. Wren grabbed the newly placed obelisk that was only half fixed in the material plane and sent his request,
Usuway''s guest list confirmed. Prepare for interstellar transport...5...4..3..2..1
The four men appeared in an circular sigil after a dizzying light show. The room was oval and bare. ¡°In truth, Wren, my desire to have words with Usuway were not as strong as my desire to attend matters at home. I am weakened and removed from comfort,¡± Glaucous said, oozing anxiety from every pore. ¡°You have been cooped up for nearly eight hundred years. I was willing to resort to any measure to get you separated from your home for at least half a day, even if it was just to prove to you that it''s possible for you to step away without disintegrating,¡± Wren said wryly. ¡°A day at your new beach place would have been a better start I think,¡± Jaden said, not much less anxious. A pale, lithe woman with shockingly white hair walked in and said, ¡°You''ve just arrived and you are already in a hurry to leave. In truth, that would suit me fine save Wren and Jaden.¡± Glaucous said, ¡°If it is possible, I would speak with you alone, Usuway.¡± ¡°Since what you have to say will likely not be pleasant, I would prefer it. As for you three, the space I just came in from will take you, by default, to my recreational room.¡± she replied before leaving with Glaucous. Wren didn''t waste time. He just walked right in like he owned the place. All the while, inside, he wanted to cry. The vibe of this place is so weird my intuition doesn''t even know what to think! Despite all things actually being comfortable with all possible amenities one might expect in a resort hotel suit, the color and shape of everything kept a person on guard and anxious. Wren picked up something with 3.5 mind that made him shift view. Suddenly everything around him stretched out and a vast array of possible shapes, colors and accommodations made themselves known. He pulled what he wanted forth till it looked like a VIP lounge in a celebrity ''chill'' club. A two liter of mountain dew stuck out of an ice bucket on the table with a set of glass tumblers in mockery of the posh environment. The irony of the scenario he set up appealed. Pouring his friends a toast he sipped the sweet nectar he''d not had in so long and laughed as he watched his two bonded make strange faces at the fizzy drink. ¡°Do you mind taking a moment to explain why everything went from what it was to this,¡± Jaden said as he gestured around him and at the glass of soda. ¡°Too sweet,¡± Grimalkin said, apparently not overly phased by anything. Wren grabbed a bottle of unsweetened peach tea for Grimalkin as he explained, ¡°I think the guest room we''re in is a test that reflects your state of mind but if you can see all the options you can just choose what you want the room to be. The drinks are just materialized from a box to the preference of whatever you can remember having before. Nothing in this room, including us, has a fixed point in relation to anything else but don''t try to focus on that, just see things as they are and pretend anything you don''t understand is magic.¡± Wren grabbed a pack of dominoes and taught them how to play as they waited. When she came back for Jaden, Glaucous was not in attendance. After she explained that Glaucous had already returned and he was emotional enough to need privacy, Wren asked her to oath that it was so and she did. It didn''t take much longer until she came for Wren and Grimalkin at once. Instead of leading them elsewhere, she just slid in to the horseshoe seat on the other side of Wren and mixed the dominoes up for a game as she began conversation. She said, ¡°Your father should have warned you about the dangers of changing other''s Dharma, yes?¡± ¡°He did,¡± Wren replied. ¡°I can give you a rough idea of the consequences you''ve garnered so far. Does that interest you?¡± She intimated with a sympathetic smile. Wren nodded then said, ¡°That''s something I''d probably be better off knowing.¡± She motioned for Wren to lay the first domino as she began, ¡°For diverting the Dharma of your child, Imani Balewa was diverted from your life at the cost of her own but that is not your fault. She was simply a strong possibility of being your spouse. There are further, greater ripples involving your son now but it''s not any better or worse, depending on view point, than the original Dharma... To put it in simple terms, before I continue with the rest, the Great Pattern is not rigid. If one thing moves out of place, the hole will be filled and the next...so on. If a person moves through the pattern, making ripples, it rocks their boat. It''s simple cause and effect. Few have the ability to easily change someone else''s Dharma within their own sphere of existence, you do. ¡°The act of reaching out to Grimalkin here-¡± she smiled at the young Delver, ¡°Had consequences but further ripples were canceled out as he filled the hole that Imani left. There are pieces of that Dharma that are now tied to him as a result... Rohn''s ripples will pass over your path again but that is too difficult to see clearly. Rohna has a hard road to walk now but she has more choice and the power to protect her choices, those ripples are beyond my sight entirely. Jackoby is a boat rocked by other ripples but he was never meant to be a great man, now he may be but he bears no great love in his heart. Glaucous has been moved so far by your wake that his future has been completely thrust upon another, perhaps even Rohna. He has broken the shackles of his Dharma entirely and will endlessly spread ripples for as long as he grows. Your father allowed the rebound of that initial capsizing wave to break across himself, saving you untold grief and aiding himself. ¡°All of those do not carry in them my love for you-¡± Usuway carried a faint trace of humor in her smile, ¡°The love of a grieving mother who has seen the savior of her legacy. It is not even once, Wren, but twice. Two generations who carry the blood of the holy beasts have been awakened. For that and your aid to all the many of my blood that would have perished save for you, I will stand for you against a wave that would see so much more than you and all that you do reduced to null.¡± Usuway sighed as she poured herself a glass of soda and took a drink before mumbling, ¡°So the mortals on Earth have taken fancy to small poisons now. It is pleasant though.¡± She looked into Wren''s eyes and said, ¡°I see few paths through your wake where you survive but as you have saved my legacy I will extend a hand to save yours, if you let me. ¡°Unwittingly you have left a permanent shadow, a type of ancestral will, upon your son. Your bloody thumbprint on his shell is proof of it. I will give you two items and one of them is to empower that shadow with your own potential. The ripple will cost you one child yet to be but insure the survival of your first. If you make it through your tribulations you may yet have more but it is difficult to see as many ripples now overlap your future beyond one point. ¡°The second is called a singularity arc. It has the ability to hold the recorded memories of one who possesses an inter-spacial mind and pass it on as an inheritance to the holder. It also will take them to safety, at your command, to a place you have once been...¡± She waited till Grimalkin was preoccupied with placing a domino down then gave a meaningful look to Wren then at Grimalkin and back before continuing with, ¡°It will envelope them in an oval the size of the person as they will be when a full grown adult. I have another that is already bound to me that I wish you to give to a certain little sprite, yes? Will you do this for me?¡± Wren said, ¡°If you will oath all you say is true, then yes.¡± She smiled sadly before she said, ¡°By the Eternal Circle, I have spoken nothing but truth to you since the moment we have met, as best as I am able to know it.¡± I refuse to buy into the fatalism but she means what she says all right. She continued, ¡°I leave you with one piece of advice and one more request. The advice is to never have more bonded than you have Tiers and those who are bonded to you are accepted by the Great Pattern to have their Dharma changed by you. The request is to tell Lilly to forego her tree gate after the birth of her first child and to never use it to give birth to another... Let her know the gate is a border between life and death and the gate tends to swing the other way once it has swung the fore... I would have liked to have met her and held her child once.¡± She passed the items over and explained their use before downing the last of the soda in her tumbler before looking at Grimalkin as she said, ¡°You''re right. It''s too sweet but sometimes too much is just what we must take to get what we need, especially suffering, if you can find the will to survive it.¡± After scooting a bit she stood up and turned her back to them as she flared in bright silver filigree that burned her clothes away before a crack formed in her domain. It widened as three cut-outs of reality stepped within. The center cut-out said, ¡°Move to the side and you will be rewarded as an assistant in the termination of a future threat, seer. Refuse and you will join him.¡± The space around them rolled out in all its possibilities before shattering into countless jagged pieces as she said, ¡°I was born by the grace of cleansing fire and I will die by its grace as well.¡± Wren felt his void power still for a brief moment before a light burned into his retina and mind that resembled an impossibly perfect supernova before he smelled the sea. 35-Whos Your Daddy? ¡°You shouldn''t mourn her, Wren. She only lived to accomplish a goal she had set for herself. Her mate has been gone for a long time and the thought of wanting to join him would have been unbearable, yet she did. Centuries she bore it because she needed to wait for I and my daughter. Her last act was to simply give her ending as much meaning as possible,¡± Jaden said consolingly. Wren raised his head to lock eyes with Jaden and said, ¡°Alright...Alright already. It''s got me fucked up a bit but what''s got me down isn''t just seeing the nice lady go boom, okay.¡± Jaden reached out to grab Wren''s chin before he could look back down at the ground. He brought his face closer to the point that Wren''s reflection filled his vision before he said, ¡°Heart-brother open up to me. Share your burdens.¡± Wren put a hand on Jaden''s shoulder and patted it one solid time before standing up. He looked and felt around for Grimalkin but didn''t see him anywhere on the beach. In a rare melancholy, Grimalkin had wandered off with the claim that he wanted to speak to his father about something after Wren had healed their scorched eyes and faces. ¡°How much do you trust the words of this lady we only knew for moments before she suicide bombed what could have been some of my pop''s enemies, enemies I seem to have inherited?¡± Wren said. Jaden replied, ¡°In totality. The inner part of myself recognized kindred. There was nothing hid between us. Within her was nothing but love, concern and a sadness so deep, it couldn''t be expressed with mere words. She wanted to die but she wanted it to mean something. They used her Wren. They didn''t lie but they used her till she was almost used up. ¡°The Observers made her a deal. They would let her and her husband''s children have an artifact that would keep them well and protect them from foreign invaders for a thousand years. During that time, come what may, she had to use her seer gift along with other gifted seers to plot out the course of major events within the scope of her ability. When she saw her mate''s death she tried all she could to help stop it but over half of the observers saw that interfering in the event would cause greater problems so they allowed it to happen. All that she endured was to give her children a chance to thrive and when that didn''t happen, she held on as she waited for me. She was waiting for me, Wren. ¡°Much of what she told me, I was oathed to not share. Some of it I don''t want to see come to pass but will accept if it does because of what it means for us... If-If I ever have to make the choice between saving your life and Lilly''s I will choose her, Wren. That choice is only clear for me because you force it to be...Don''t think that it would be as easy for me to make that choice as it once was... And never, never force me to save someone else over you, save her and our children. Anything else would be too cruel. That''s one part of me that you will never truly understand.¡± Wren mulled that information over before he reached a decision. ¡°Come with me to my realm then. I have something to show you,¡± Wren said grimly. After giving a moment for Jaden to orient himself then pointed to an egg sitting in a gem encrusted platinum and silk nest. Wren took a deep, ragged breath and said, ¡°This is my son, Jaden. Well, he would be if he wasn''t on the verge of dying.¡± A look of shock, confusion and a well of other emotions ran across Jaden''s face before he said, ¡°How?¡± There was a touch of heat in his voice that Wren didn''t expect. After giving the breakdown of how such a strange situation came to be, Wren said, ¡°I have a hard decision to make. According to your vouch of Usuway''s dependability, to save Little Omelet''s life I have to do a pretty drastic thing. You see, I made a huge mistake when I did what I could to insure my child''s future wasn''t a cannibal mermaid. I cut as much of Ephyra as I thought I safely could out of the equation. The largest part of her I left behind was her spiritual inheritance. I didn''t know it was hollow. ¡°The physical part of my makeup is also partially hollow as it''s just a facsimile of other''s desires and the Great Pattern doesn''t take kindly to existences, other than maelstrom born themselves, that don''t have a balance between male/female duality in their creation... You see, he''s ready to start growing but his soul is only tenuously connected to his physical body. Both his body and his forming astral shell have a component that''s more glamour than real. After consulting my mentor on what exactly this pellet does that Usuway gave me, I now understand a bit of what Usuway''s warning on what the ripple caused by saving my Little Omelet meant, I think. ¡°This is a life that would have been fine if I''d have stopped playing god at making him a boy but I got creative and in my zealousness I wanted him to have the best. I didn''t even know what that was but I thought I did. Now he''s going to die if I don''t fix what I fucked up. That''s where Usuway''s pellet comes in. ¡°Once a life has been marked by the ''will'' of an ancestor, the pellet can allow that person to empower their ''will'' to act as a replacement to one side of the equation entirely. If the life in question is already born then the pellet is placed upon the physical mark of will and acts as a chrysalis for a rebirth. If the life is not born yet then the placer of the mark takes the pellet like a pill and connects with their mark to draw the life inside themselves. To finish this version of the process, the one who carries the life must reenact its creation with another who carries at least part of the other side of the equation, the more the better. At the end, if need be, the chrysalis effect can also serve other purposes. ¡± I don''t know what Usuway had to do to get her hands on an artifact made from a maelstrom born dud but I bet it wasn''t pretty. I''m betting she was going for the first option on its use though. Wren''s voice got a little shaky as he continued with, ¡°Little Omelet here was made with the input of four people. The one and only female out of that group is dead and I don''t even want to contemplate trying to get one of Ephyra''s daughters to substitute for so many reasons, even though that would be the most natural solution. Troy would be the logical best choice to-¡± Jaden''s face screwed up into a snarl. ¡°Please let me finish before you go ape-shit. I''m not saying you still won''t but this is all discussion right now. Little Omelet still has a few days before this all has to be set in stone,¡± Wren said with a pained face. With stony disposition, Jaden said, ¡°What discussion is needed? I will take the place of my father. We will explain as best we can to Lilly and it will be done.¡± The pained look on Wren''s face grew deeper as he said, ¡°Two things, Jaden. Glaucous only carries 10% of the spiritual side. That''s 5% of the total. That would already be dicey as hell if he wasn''t the type of being that he is and my mentor''s thumbs up that he''s a viable choice for the same reason... Please, Jaden. we haven''t even talked with him yet. There is an order to these things. Who knows what kind of things might be possible after speaking with him... The second part to this is that Troy deserves the right to at least speak his peace. I honestly don''t know how he''ll react but he needs to know. That''s not even on the table for discussion. ¡°I''m going to fill in Glaucous on the matter just as soon as I use the obelisk to get a message to Troy. We''ll meet at Lilly''s tree as soon as I either get confirmation Troy''s not coming or when he gets here within the next two days.¡± Jaden delivered expressionlessly, ¡°I understand. Before you even ask and unintentionally insult me, I''ll hold my tongue while Troy has his chance to speak as well... When all is said and the course becomes clear, I will have my say then and none best dare to deny me that.¡± He turned and faded away, a small amount of each realm bleeding into the other through the turbulence. Wren looked at the egg with a heavy heart and troubled mind. When I made the decision to recognize you as mine, never would I have thought the resolve of that decision would be tested so much. Don''t worry about it too much though, Little Omelet. This dad of yours may be bad at a lot of things but taking responsibility isn''t one of them. Just do me and yourself a favor. Never call me mom. I''d hate to beat you within an inch of your life after going through all this to save it. After Wren left his realm he sent a message to Troy, politely avoiding engaging meaningfully with the handful of natives and two participants that had already started filtering in from Kajrya.
From: Wren Tidren To: Troy Rockgarden Hey, Troy. Hope this message finds you well and... I fucking hate writing letters cause I suck at the bullshit people have to put in them to make it all ''lettery.'' Lemme cut to the chase. Little Omelet''s in, not gonna hatch if something isn''t done and soon, bad shape. I''ve got the way to fix that but it''s pretty radical and I think you''ll want to be a part of the discussion on how ''exactly'' the cure''s gonna work. If you can''t make it it''s cool but at least give me a heads up, one way or another, if you can make it in two days. Don''t know if it makes a difference but Seaside is about five miles southwest of the safe-zone but there are locals on the path to the beach who can give you safe passage. P.S. Since this is the only thing in the SYSTEM that costs a single point, I paid for your return message. Staring at an awkward number for ages would drive me bat-shit, unless I was earning awkward numbers... Which I am.
Wren was ready to wait out an hour before moving on to other things but it only took about three minutes to get a response.
From: Troy Rockgarden To: Wren Tidren In someone at the moment. They''re a little too important to just leave but since you gave me a two day window, I hope you can forgive a three hour delay. I''d be there in one but this is actually mission related man-whoring. See you soon. P.S. Participants that are involved in an urgent request mission can use the message board function for free... Which I am. "> <3
Looks like he finally learned a profession... * cough * prostitute * cough * Works pretty well with his class too. Joking aside, if he''s found a way to enjoy himself during all this dangerous shit, more power to him. Wren jumped flying transport and made his way to Seaside. A few minutes and a couple of void jumps later found him waiting in the reception hall, trying pointedly not to look at the metal U bolts in the floor. Wren could tell that his friend could use a little more private time by the unsteadiness in the mental sending but Glaucous insisted that he''d be ready in a moment. As Glaucous came striding in he cut Wren off with his hand as he said, ¡°No need for explanations. One of the conveniences of having just returned from a visit with my sister-in-law, may she find peace with my brother in the Shadowlands, is that you''re always aware of what awaits you next at home... How much time do I have and where are we meeting?¡± Wren took a moment to jump to the end of his mental script and said, ¡°If Troy''s estimate on arrival is accurate, about five hours for generosity''s sake. It''ll be at Lilly''s tree since I want her to be a part of the conversation and she''s not mobile.¡± Glaucous looked confused for a moment before his face cleared to understanding as he said, ¡°Of course you''d want to talk with your bonded, Troy and I first. If I had given it any thought at all I could have deduced that.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Wren''s face went bland before he said, ¡°Just so I know we''re on the same page. You''re aware we''re going to be talking about a certain egg issue, right?¡± ¡°Of course. The issue only lies in mental and emotional preparations. Your child''s concerns are easily addressed by a simple, but hopefully memorable, night of enjoyable recreation,¡± Glaucous said as a small gleam of anticipation burned past the fog of melancholy. Most likely logical outcome there G-man but is it possible that your EQ is actually degrading!? Well, I have a small remedy to stem that. Wren plastered on a smile and said, ¡°Well that''s a relief. Your son and I thought you might have a problem with spending an evening transformed into a woman.¡± ¡°After all that you ha... What? How would you- how would that even work?¡± Having readied a reply after hearing the word ''relief'', Glaucous started to look constipated as his voice took on a slightly panicked edge. ¡°Leaving aside other less likely but still possible outcomes, having your agreement taken for granted in the face of conflicting feelings isn''t a particularly endearing situation to find yourself in,¡± Wren said blandly. ¡°Duly noted,¡± Glaucous sincerely replied, visibly relieved. A mental heads up to Jaden left hours to burn. So Wren conjured up a pitcher of amaretto sours and worked a little friendship magic on Glaucous'' grief without actually getting him to say much of anything on the issue at all. Sometimes talking about problems just made you focus on them harder and this felt like one of those times. That it helped Wren push off thinking about his own for a little while, was pure coincidental/on purpose. *** ¡°So much for magical baby eggs given by mermaid princesses,¡± Troy said bitterly. After Wren had went to pick up Troy within one of the secret passageways, he didn''t waste time on pleasantries and launched directly into Little Omelet''s woes. Troy took the revelation like a brick to the face which surprised Wren a little. He didn''t expect that Troy cared as much as he seemed to. Guess once you get used to the idea that you''ll be a father one day and have a sexual disposition that won''t likely result in naturally occurring miracles of life, having that opportunity at genetic legacy suddenly thrown into the air would be jarring to say the least. As Wren let Troy soak up the trauma of the situation and mentally adjust, he gave his slightly estranged friend a once-over. Troy''s new found liberation suited him. Troy felt stronger and carried himself more confidently. A few lines of fading scars, visible here and there, spoke of a vastly different daily lifestyle than the one Wren had been trying to provide for himself. Losing some of the boyish petulance for the harder lines of maturity, he even managed to get better looking, much to Wren''s irrational annoyance. All of the positive changes in Troy pointed Wren to one uncomfortable conclusion, however. Being his bonded had held Troy back. A little subdued by his sudden insight, Wren said, ¡°Putting the current issue aside for a moment, I''m glad to see you''re finding yourself. It hurt losing you but a little time and distance have let me see that you did the right thing, for both of us.¡± Troy gave Wren the ghost of an arrogant smirk, ¡°Don''t have to be missing out on anything. If you want a round, just say the word-¡± The current situation intruding on his banter, he coughed and continued. ¡°Not the best time for that kind of thing is it? Seriously though, its not like I cut ties with you. I still- You need me, I''m there for you.¡± Switching to spectral transport, the two closed in on Seaside as Wren filled him in on the the things he missed in the last near month. Troy''s face switched through a range of expressions as he listened before saying. ¡°So you turned out the only straight guy in our group after his wifey turned into a tree... Yeah, yeah. It''s not your fault... You went beast mode and got some shit done then beat yourself up over it and bogged yourself down in city building wastes of time again. To finish it off, you got mind-fucked by a suicidal doomsdayer that lead to this.¡± Wren''s face screwed up as he said, ¡°Your interpretation leaves a lot to be desired but it sounds like you have the gist.¡± Troy mulled it over for a moment then said, ¡°Yes, I''m down with being the baby daddy again, if only to stop Glaucous from ruining you for the rest of us. No, I won''t throw a fit if I''m not the final choice, even though I''d... It''s alright, really... This might be a strange thing to say but if I were you and had the ability to choose, I think I''d find a way to make Grimalkin the other one. Don''t know how you''d do it but in my mind, from a pure emotional standpoint, having a munchkin to dote on would probably chill him down. He''d be crazy devoted and your kid would never have to feel like the side boy. ¡°I mean, sure Jaden''s probably going to be an awesome dad and all but he''s already got three on the way with his main squeeze. Lilly wouldn''t mean to treat your boy different but thousands of tiny things over the years would make a huge difference in how Tater Tot sees things with his hypothetical siblings... Slow down before we get there and let me work this out... It feels important. ¡°Glaucous doesn''t have a good track record with kids and even if you put that aside, the relationship stress of Jaden having to deal with his ''other mate'' having a rug rat with his father wouldn''t be a small thing. To guys like Jaden, that kind of drama isn''t something he can just learn to live with. It would mess up the kind of connection Glaucous wants with Jaden too, even though he isn''t aware of that yet. He doesn''t seem much aware of anyone else''s emotional needs outside of his own. The only thing that redeems Big Blue''s perpetual ''youngest child syndrome'' is that he knows it and is receptive to learning how to change that.¡± Wren interjected with the quick story on how Glaucous lost his blue and solving the generational curse. Troy shook his head a little in amazement on the surreal situation before plodding on with, ¡°Then comes me. It hurts a little to admit but if all this past few months has taught me anything, it''s how to be painfully honest with myself. I''m in love with the idea of being a father but until I''m ready to do it on my own terms I''d make a shit dad. As messed up as it is, I''d probably have started to hate you a little if you''d kept me in the dark or cut me out of this but now that I''m here I can only see the truth of it.¡± A little banter between the two and Wren''s words of understanding cleared the awkward air of that admission out of the way as Troy inched into the last part of Troy''s ability fueled diatribe while they floated a half mile from Seaside. Troy said, ¡°That brings me back to Grimalkin. Jaden could deal because Little Gray is ''yours'' the way Lilly is ''his''... You''d never get me to say that to her face though. I like where my balls are positioned on my body... Having a life tied to his like that would anchor his own. In the event that something really should happen to you, a child of his own would keep him from going off the deep end.¡± Wren, who had been chewing on the track of thought Troy was laying down, took the pause in conversation to say, ¡°That''s all well and good. I''m even seeing things your way on this but how the hell could I even do that?¡± Troy looked at Wren, a bit at a loss himself, before he looked mind blown for a few seconds and then said, ¡°I have a way but you''d have to get Glaucous to agree. Essentially we''d call on our true names to give the rights of our parentage over to Grimalkin. If we''re lucky we might even be able to find a cursed artifact of Ephyra''s somewhere and I could use her true name to command the essence within to serve the purpose of signing over her rights as well.¡± Wren looked at Troy in disbelief and said, ¡°How did you get her true name? More importantly, that sounds wonky as fuck. No offense but how sure are you it wouldn''t just screw everything up. Troy puffed up in mock pompousness as he said, ¡°I think you forget what I am. You know, the one who guides all the lost little lambs. Seriously though, which sounds better, choosing one of two possible parts or having someone stand in for all three others?¡± Wren said, ¡°Damn if it doesn''t sound like some awesome snake oil. I''ll back you on it but if something goes wrong because of this I''m going to have lots of fucked up anger aimed at you I''ll have to deal with.¡± *** As Troy walked into the reception room, a slightly reluctant Wren in tow, the discussion between Jaden and Glaucous was becoming heated. Grimalkin scurried over to Wren looking incongruously happy considering the amount of tension the father and son were throwing around. Wren thought it might come to blows before Troy clapped loudly to get their attention, completely unfazed by two sets of glowers directed at him. Troy said, ¡°We should move this party to Lilly. Jaden, I think you know how''d she feel about getting left out like this. Besides, on the way here, Wren and I have come up with a solution that won''t make everyone happy but it will definitely not be intolerable to anyone, which is as good as a complicated situation like this is likely to get.¡± Troy''s declaration had Jaden paused in mid snarl as Glaucous'' eyebrows climbed his head. As Jaden started sending everyone realm-side, Grimalkin said, ¡°I don''t know what''s going on with this egg fathering business, Birdy, but I have something to share with you after this meeting is done.¡± When Jaden moved to the them, Wren held up a finger to say to Grimalkin, ¡°If there''s something you need to tell me, I can wait for that, Little Gray. Gawd knows I could probably use a little bit of whatever happy news you have to help me get through this meeting. No offense meant, Jaden.¡± ¡°None taken, heart-brother. This is not an easily solved conundrum,¡± Jaden offered, holding back his irritation out of respect. Grimalkin squirmed under their gazes as he said, ¡°It will take time to share properly and I''d like to wait. I-if that''s alright.¡± Wren gave Grimalkin an indulgent smile before nodding at him and then Jaden before the three appeared in the grove. Troy, who was leagues above anyone else here at public speaking, took the initiative under the guise of confirming that he understood the whole story. After giving the general summary of his understanding he didn''t even pause before launching into the explanation of his epiphany. Wren''s focus was on Grimalkin. His lover had been missing during all this time and he hadn''t had a chance to explain anything that was going on. He watched as the smile completely slipped off of Grimalkin''s face during Troy''s recap then return just a notch shy of it''s original brilliance by the end of Troy''s offered solution. There was a pin drop silence for three breaths as each judged the other''s reactions before Jaden broke the silence by asserting that if such a thing were possible then he''d be the better choice since he actually had Glaucous'' blood within him which in turn prompted Glaucous to point out that he was already one third of the arrangement which still made him the best candidate. As logic driven father and emotional son began another round of fruitless argument even tree Lilly began shaking her leafy head furiously to be ''heard.'' What a fucking shit show. It''s mortifying enough as it is. Why is everyone determined to make this into yet another situation I''ll have regrets over before it''s done. I''m so sorry, Little Omelet. If I wasn''t so trigger happy to juice you up your life wouldn''t have to be tied to all this... Please don''t let this become something truly ugly. Radiating misery, Wren prepared to break up the meeting so he could try to think up the best way to approach the problem and give everyone a chance to cool back down when Grimalkin let out a scream of such furious rage that even tree Lilly stopped shaking her head to figure out what was going on. Everyone looked at the normally quite and introverted Grimalkin in shock as he took out a horrendous looking device and tossed it out on the ground between everyone. ¡°If all of you are so determined to claim this privilege for yourselves then this is my gambit. In a moment of sadness and guilt I sought out my father for this devise. He helped me to see past the sadness and guilt but once the thought had been planted it took root and grew into a decision. I may not have any need to feel responsible for taking a woman''s life from Wren''s but I was willing to give him a child, not out of guilt but out of my love. This devise makes that possible. ¡°It is a cursed item that forces a man into a woman''s form, though she must then spend her time confined to light activity until it is removed. The needles that span the length of the tail are inserted into the spine which causes a partial loss of fine motor skills as a side-affect. All here are gifted so it need not feed on your own life to sustain itself. I was willing to wear it for the time to get with child and deliver it when and if Wren was willing. If any of you are so much more deserving than me to bear this honor then there it is. It seems you only need wear it for a day to do the same as I was willing to bear for the nine months it would normally require. Take and don it then I will relinquish my claim!¡± So this is what Usuway meant. With a subtle hint she even made it possible for both lives to be born but knew I would not have the stomach to be selfish or daring enough to claim the chance. It sure does ease the negative ripples from this event, though. That is a scary ability she had. Don''t know about this Shadowland business but whatever is waiting for her on the other side, I hope she gets the happiness I wholeheartedly believe she deserves. Jaden excused himself from the unfolding event by saying that his instinct didn''t require him to protect Wren from having a child with a woman and Glaucous offered that since this had become a question of honor he''d be willing but did not want to steal someone''s joy when he''d originally only wanted to show his gratitude. Glaucous offered sincerely but obviously relieved to avoid the sting of questioned honor at the cost of his manhood, ¡°I have no desire to steal your joy Greycat. I only insisted to give what I thought best. Perhaps I was overzealous. Honor would now see me stand by my words, however. I will not fight over such a thing but if Wren were to choose me I would be willing. A-am I right in assuming that you will choose Greycat, brother Wren?¡± It didn''t take a bond to see what Troy would have chosen if he was in Wren''s shoes and Wren even had to admit there was a small part of himself that wanted to choose Glaucous for all the wrong reasons. If he didn''t think that it would hurt Grimalkin badly he might have but he was determined to relish a little EQ lesson opportunity. He was only disappointed that he couldn''t get Jaden in on it since the savvy guy had made himself scarce at the very moment his father started speaking. After a little subtle body language and silent entreaty for Grimalkin to play along Wren said, ¡° I''d be a fool to pass up an opportunity to have a land god as the mother of my child. Wouldn''t you agree, Little Gray?¡± Grimalkin frowned for a moment before he caught on and said, ¡°I believe that to be true, Birdy.¡± Grimalkin turned deadly serious as he added, ¡°I can always hold on to the device to give you another child later.¡± He''s even pushing the idea strongly at me that after having a couple of seconds to absorb the idea, he''d even approve without being hurt by it. As much as this is all tempting how could I subject my Little Gray to nine months of torture just to give me a child, though. No, I accept the path that Usuway laid out for me this time. Who knows what kinds of complications I''d bring to myself if I didn''t. ¡°Is your offer truly sincere?¡± Wren asked Glaucous. With nauseous surprise and the courage of a stalwart man facing a firing squad, Glaucous replied, ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Then it''s a shame I''m a fool but your steadfastness in the face of my need is a heady reward, Glaucous. I won''t forget it,¡± Wren said smiling, as he let Glaucous off the hook. As Troy looked on the scene with a bit of disappointment, a nearly tearfully grateful Glaucous said, ¡°I''d never thought I''d see the day that I''d gladly use my true name where a days effort would suffice. My grandfather was right when he told me there was not enough time in all of existence to run out of new things to experience.¡± 36-All Balances Out Since true names were being used, to keep things as uncomplicated as possible the ritual of transference was done in private while Grimalkin was sedated for fitting the tortuous devise. Even though Wren had no clue of what it entailed, a layer of reality bunched within Glaucous'' realm where it was taking place. This made Wren wonder why the things he did seemed to piss off the Great Pattern so much when things like the use of true names to disregard the natural order of things didn''t, or at least Troy seemed to intimate that the consequences weren''t any more or less severe than any other exercise of power. ¡°It''s pretty simple. When you use your power, do you think about balancing it out?¡± said Silent Mind. ¡°Explain what you mean and I might be able to answer your question without resorting to smarmy one-liners.¡± said Wren, annoyed at the presence he couldn''t shut out, once again disrupting his private thoughts. Ever since he''d awakened after the merkaba incident, as he liked to refer to it, the little metal splinter that had fused into his astral shell would frequently answer rhetorical self asked questions and offer redundant advise. It wouldn''t be so bad if it wasn''t for the fact that the thoughts of Silent mind were just as loud as his own. Once in awhile though, it''d pop out with a thought that would help Wren guide a more meaningful question to Drafodil. It''s own thoughts were a chaotic mess of piece meal knowledge it had obtained from those it had affected. This combination of useful/useless had tempted him several times to figure out a way to remove it but fall short of doing more than think about it. ¡°You''ve kinda already put the answer together, I just want to help you pull it out... Does my attempts to be helpful really bother you that much?¡± Silent Mind said, baffled. ¡°No offense. I know it''s not like you have a choice but yeah, a little. I''ll learn to live with it, I guess,¡± Wren said as kind as he could. ¡°I''ll try to keep my thoughts quieter... Maybe there will be chances for me to find a new vessel in the future. It would be nice to have a tangible form again. A good soul forged metal or top tier artifact again would be the best!¡± ¡°Yeah, cool... You said something pretty interesting this time, though. I mean, I was thinking about it already but go ahead and explain what you meant by balancing my power,¡± Wren said, slightly interested in silent mind''s chatter for a change. ¡°Your powers pretty much stem from the idea of taking the basic building blocks of reality and making what you want, even from just the energy alone. That''s cool when your just making hotels and things like that but when you use your power to make things that don''t really belong somewhere or bring potential out of people, you''re adding things to reality without taking something else away. ¡°The only thing I can add to stuff you already know is a bit of knowledge I got from an angel''s projection I thought froze multiple times because my handler didn''t want them to resurrect an enemy she just killed. Angels of death, who collect souls ahead of time out of mercy, balance them out. To give a life you got to take one. I would assume that to mean that when you awaken a power you got to put one to sleep. What makes the Great Pattern get warped is when more or less of something is in a place than there should be... Yeah, That''s the right track you''re on. Sorry for stepping on your thought toes again but just let me get this out of my system one more time. I think I''m being helpful for real this time.¡± Silent Mind paused to make sure it wasn''t upsetting Wren. ¡°Well, my train of thought just derailed into an orphanage anyway. Knock yourself out... Shit, not for real! I mean go ahead and finish your thought so I can get back to mine... How long is their ritual going to take!?... Don''t...Don''t try to answer that. Just finish what you were going to say,¡± Wren said then sighed. Silent Mind said, ¡°You''ve eaten a lot of curses. Curses and enchantments are two sides of the same coin. If you can make an artifact that accomplishes your goal then you will still cause ripples but it should just be settling ripples. You ate, two low potential Tier VIII and one high potential tier VII, curses. That''s a lot of wiggle room for enchantments. You can work with that... The last warning I can think of to give, comes from a chunk of memory that got stuck on loop after I was shoved into the eye socket of an ascended monk, ''A single pebble in the road may hold more importance than an entire army if it will be used to kill a tyrant.'' ¡°Don''t sweat it too hard. The Great Pattern exists to keep things balanced out. As long as you''re making an earnest and logical effort to keep the things you do from tipping scales beyond what the average person of your existence tier can do, then the Great Pattern shouldn''t go too far out of it''s way to bitch slap you. It''s not really a punishment after all. The backlash is part of the checks and balances. Since you have access to abilities far beyond that of the average peer, it''s easier for you to earn yourself a ''check'' in the nuggets,¡± Silent Mind finished happily. Wren thought at Glaucous, ¡°Not to sound over eager here but how much longer do I have before the ritual you guys are doing is complete?¡± Glaucous replied, ¡°Gathering the remnants of Ephyra''s power enough to complete the transference is taking more effort than it should... About three hours, according to Troy.¡± Just sitting around here is making me jittery and I have a task I haven''t completed for Usuway yet. Might as well make the most of my time. Wren thought at Jaden, ¡°Mind calling me in? I''d like to chat with you and Lilly before... well, you know. Just sitting here waiting is making me a nervous wreck.¡± Wren popped in to the realm inside Jaden and Lilly''s room. It wasn''t where he expected to be and Jaden wasn''t in the mood he expected to find him in. ¡°Why the long face, Jay?¡± Wren said anxiously. Please tell me he''s not this broken up over not being able to bang a temporary chick version of me. Forlorn, Jaden raised his head from his hands to look at Wren before he said, ¡°I''ve disappointed Lilly, Wren. It''s only natural that I''d be happy to have a child with my mate. I-no, I''ll not try to defend myself. She''s right to be upset and since I''m in a mood of contrition I want to offer my apologies to you as well. I may not have broken my word to you but I did not honor the spirit of it''s meaning.¡± Wren sat beside Jaden and put an arm around him as he said, ¡°It''s cool, um, heart-brother. I know you got a side of you that''s a little more in tune with the law of nature and all that jazz. I''m not gonna embarrass myself by trying to guess exactly why Lilly''s mad but as far as you and I go, we''re good. I just hope this whole experience hasn''t soured things between you and your dad. He''s trying hard to understand us cause he''s trying to make up for his past mistakes. Having a tight relationship with his living son is important to him.¡± Jaden''s face took on the ghost of anger for a second before he blew it out with a deep sigh then said, ¡°I''m the last person who should be holding issue with another over their nature being difficult to deal with, especially since it''s my father. I''ll make an effort to mend things with him after I''ve gathered myself.¡± Jaden looked at Wren soulfully before continuing, ¡°Our connection, not our bond or friendship, is something that should not have been possible. Usuway was even a little surprised by it. Her best guess is that there was more than just a little of you in Lilly when I imprinted on her as a mate... Even from an early age I do not remember ever having desire for any male, even in the abstract. I still don''t, with you being the exception. It made me irrational, the idea of union with you as a woman... ¡°I''m not saying this because I have regrets over our bond or even that you are an unexpected exception in my life. If anything, I feel blessed. For one such as myself, who was made by nature to only ever have one love, to have been granted the ability to include you in my joy has made my heart full, full to bursting. A few hardships for such a blessing is a small thing. I fear to cause you regret. Now, I face the fear of causing Lilly more grief as well. ¡°Had my motivations been to save your child and out of love, Lilly would not have been angry at all. She could tell that was only half. I''ll admit that desire to mate with you for offspring was a temptation that rose beyond just mere instinct. I lusted for it as well, all of me. If I could, when you offer me comfort, I would want you as a woman. That is just the shape of my desire, not the way I see you. It is a selfishness that threatens to make lie of the vow I made to Lilly on our wedding, if only the spirit and not the letter. I knew what I meant and what she wanted our vows to mean.¡± Wren said, ¡°I hope you do not take this as a betrayal but I have been sending this conversation to Lilly as we have spoken. She want''s to see us both. I think she didn''t actually mean for you to take this as hard as you are. It feels as if she''s trying to convey that she was more frustrated that she couldn''t get through to you when she needed, for her heart''s sake, for you to hear her. ¡°While we''re at it, you''ll get to see me give out an apology or two my self. Awhile back, when we, you know. I was worn to a nub, physically and mentally. I kinda dumped Liita into the pond and I never got around to making that up to her. I''ve never took the time to figure out how Liita would like to be seen either. I''m pretty sure that''s got Lilly miffed at me too, being how tight they are.¡± A small smile graced Jaden''s face as he said, ¡°Liita took that poorly, Wren. After her temper cooled, however, she channeled it in a positive direction. Sable often complements her temerity in training since that day. She has a fire in her heart that matches well with the warrior she wishes to be. I think she''s more grateful to you than she is angry, at this point, but an act of contrition would definitely go a long way towards warming Bress back up to you... Come to think of it, I''ve never really taken the time to see how Liita desires to be seen either. This is an excellent opportunity to show some action to go with my words of contrition for my love.¡± As the two made their way to the grove they discussed their strategies and Wren also filled Jaden in on Usuway''s last request. ¡°Eldest Wren, I hope the day sees you well,¡± Bress said a little frostily as the ''heart-brothers'' approached. As Wren handed her an enchanted pair of glasses he said, ¡°Back at ya. These glasses will correct your vision over time and even after your vision is repaired they will help you avoid eye strain and even a little mental fatigue from long hours of reading. Take them as one half of the apology I''d like to offer Liita for my shortness last month. ¡°The other half is this prototype spear that has the ability to disrupt the thoughts of the target on a successful hit. It should go a long way towards giving her the edge she would need against someone like myself if ever she finds herself pitted against such a foe. When she is free from training and duties, I''d also like the chance to meet with her in person to offer my apology for that bit of rudeness.¡± Liita came out of the cottage in the grove and said, ¡°No need to wait and in earnestness, no need for apology. You pointed out a lack within myself for what I wish to be and became a motivation for correcting it. The spear is appreciated and I''m shameless enough to take help where I can get it.¡± Wren chuckled and said, ¡°That''s not being shameless. That''s being wise. I think the few band proven runners I''ve seen getting a mud hole stomped into their butts by Glaucous'' children could stand to learn that lesson from you... I''m going to ask something a little awkwardly because I don''t really know how it should be said. Beyond your position as a guardian of the grove and status as a warrior how do you wish to be seen by Jaden and I, by everyone. For example, I''ve known a person who was born as a woman but saw themselves as a man and identified themselves that way.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Liita gazed out, lost in thought, before replying a short time later, ¡°There were many times, growing up, that I had desired to be born a man. That desire sprung from my wish to be a warrior and later, a distaste for laying with men. I am comfortable in this body and now that I pursue my desires without my gender being an obstacle, I no longer find myself wishing to be a man... I am uncertain if this answers your question or not but there it is, all the same.¡± Wren said, ¡°I only ask in an effort to be more respectful. As a close friend of my bonded and a person I see as a friend to myself as well, I want to support you as you pursue your goals... I''ve heard you have distinguished yourself in the eyes of Sable and if he''s even half the hard ass he gives off the vibes of being as a teacher, that''s an accomplishment worthy of respect.¡± Liita blew out a hard breath as she said, ¡°That''s a relief to hear. I''ve struggled some days to rise to his challenge and do not perform as well as some of his younger pupils often. Walking away from his training with my bruises sporting bruises is somewhat disheartening at times. Wren made the customary gesture of physicians requesting permission to perform needful touching, a gesture he wished he''d learned a long time ago, before running a touch of healing through her after he received her consent. After which he supplied her with a set of performance supplements he had discussed the making of with Sable during a moment of free time during the festival. He gave a few more words of encouragement before receiving her salute and the two women made a polite exit for the men to speak with Lilly in private. Wren took a moment to gather himself before turning to tree Lilly and getting to what brought him here. ¡°I see Little Sprite''s shaping up nicely. Still green, so I''m assuming there''s a bit of time left to go before the happy day?¡± ¡°About another six months realm side. Not that I''m complaining but she''s taking her sweet time and she''s quite the glutton. If you could touch up a bit of EE reserves before you leave it would be much appreciated,¡± Lilly thought at him. Wren brightened up as he said, ¡°Oh, so you can directly converse now!? That''s great news!¡± Lilly huffed mentally and said, ¡°That''s no baloney your talking there, no doubt about it. Being ready to pop my top off gave me a push to it, I suppose.¡± ¡°I''m going to assume Jaden''s spoke to you about Usuway and I have, um, more pleasant things I''d rather be thinking about so I''ll keep it brief. Usuway gave me a message for you and an artifact for Little Sprite. I may be paraphrasing a bit here but she said you shouldn''t use your tree to have anymore babies. She made it sound like your tree is a gate and since it swung to the life side for this kid it could swing the other way for another one. ¡°Then there is this. It''s a singularity arc. It creates a dimensional distortion around the life it''s bonded to and sends them to a safe place that they know or that the person who gifted it knows. It also has the function of acting like an inheritance. There is no telling what the lady knew but its a teacher in a can. It''s for Little Sprite. ¡°Coolest thing about it is that you don''t have to hold on to it. It can be bonded safely to a developing baby and it will protect the mother too. You''ll even have a bit of access to the the inheritance function until Little Sprite''s born! Drafodil told me it''s perfectly safe. ¡°Oh, yeah. So I freaked when my pop''s mark disappeared one day to be replaced seconds after with Drafodil''s. She was my pop''s student and even though she''s a bit honey badger, she''s definitely got it all figured out. I''ve had a few opportunities to benefit from her knowledge already.¡± Jaden said, ¡°Ancestor Usuway had mentioned the ark when she was speaking to me but I wasn''t really worried about it till Little Sprite was born but if Lilly can be protected and even learn somethings from it then she should get it as soon as possible.¡± Lilly thought to them, ¡°Little Sprite''s the official nickname then? I''ll accept that, since I''m naming her... If it''s all for the best then I''m fine with this ark thing but not until I speak with this Drafodil person myself.¡± Wren gave his affirmative and summoned his mentor. After explaining the reason for summoning her, Drafodil gave Lilly all the knowledge she had on the singularity ark. Apparently it was a pretty high profile item for important people who had dangerous jobs within the SYSTEM. Since she was in the middle of an experiment that she wanted to be 100% for she asked to keep it short and sweet this time so Wren relented and unsummoned her. Still a little apprehensive but not seeing any reason to say no, Lilly accepted the mylar sticker like dot on Little Sprite''s swelling, globular fruit. I''m sorry but being able to see a vague baby shape inside a fruit skin is a little scary, okay. Since Lilly can make peaches why couldn''t it have been more Momotaro and a little less Berserk. After business was done, Wren sat with the couple and caught up with Lilly. The best part of the remaining couple of hours of waiting was filled with Lilly''s take on recent events and a little mediation between the couple over the baby daddy drama which went relatively smoothly now that Lilly could get things off her chest calmly. Seeing Lilly and Jaden patch things up soothed Wren down. For once, he didn''t even mind the flagrant mushiness. *** Wren stood pole-axed as he was introduced to the female Grimalkin. Glaucous even dug up a diaphanous nightgown from his collection of memorabilia left by his mother for the stunning and petite creature that stood before him. I feel like a shit for wishing that he could stay this way. My Little Gray''s always been glompable but damn, just damn. Gonna do my best to give this one night blossom a 21 gun salute, one round at a time... ¡°I''m going to say this for the record, Little Gray. I''d love you no matter how you look but I''m glad you weren''t born a woman or I don''t think I''d have ever got the chance to meet you. You''re beautiful,¡± Wren said, his voice growing thick. It wasn''t the only thing. Grimalkin''s cheeks took on a purple hue as she said, ¡°J-just for tonight, it''s alright for you to see me as I am if it brings you joy.¡± Wren''s grin was so wide it made his jaw muscles hurt as he drew Grimalkin to him, caressing her back. Using his hands he traced every contour of this Grimalkin, committing it to memory. As he brushed his lips against the side of Grimalkin''s neck he took in the faint scent of fresh cut bamboo and mint that was distinctly Grimalkin but also different with the unmistakable musk of feminine arousal added. Wren paused for a moment when he noticed a deep scratch on Grimalkin''s arm. He said, ¡°Where did this come from?¡± Grimalkin pointed at the the chained spike laying on the floor by the bed as she said, ¡°I used Still Body to save myself pain as Troy helped me fit myself with the device.¡± ¡°Why did that not leave any mark on you? More importantly are you in any pain?¡± Wren asked. ¡°N-no... When he did the ritual, the essence of the devise fused the curse into me instead. It won''t be a problem for you to eat that will it? I-I want to bring you as much happiness as I am able b-but I really don''t want to stay this way forever. I mean, I will for you, if you truly wish it bu-¡± Grimalkin was interrupted by a gentle but insistent kiss. Wren whispered, ¡°Your happiness is just as important to me, Little Gray. That you''d do so much for me, how could I ask for more?¡± Grimalkin smiled and said, ¡°Then for this night, I''m your woman. Will you take and get me with child, h-husband?¡± With a shaky hand, Wren took the pellet and let it do its thing as he reached to slip the nightgown off her shoulders. Wren admired his lovely night bride. Small, round breasts led to the soft but still athletic plains of her belly. As his eyes greedily swallowed this vision, he took notice of the still smooth and hairless state below. Am I going to be able to look at my little kitten in the future and not want this again? For the sake of love and Little Gray''s happiness, I have to try. Wren laid her down with the care of a curator handling a priceless relic. Grimalkin was a little confused by the gesture, especially since her knees down were still dangling off the bed. It didn''t take long to figure out why. As Wren moved her knees apart and knelt between them he said, ¡°Since you have done so much for me, let me reward you with a kiss that only a woman can know.¡± ¡°Birdy, what are you doing? It''s embarrassing for you to stare so. Please just do-ah!¡± Grimalkin lost her words as Wren''s lips and tongue showed exactly what he meant. ¡°Sh-shadow, shade and n-night!¡± Not wanting to miss the sweetness of his kitten''s first fulfillment, he drew her as close to the edge as he dared before rising and pushed himself within her at a measured pace. All the while, he continued to circle and press his thumb against her sensitive pearl. He stilled for a moment once he was fully against her. Grimalkin''s back slightly arched as her eye''s went wide with surprise, stimulation and just the smallest amount of confused discomfort. Wren leaned down to worked his arms under and around her then whispered, ¡°Hold fast to me, kitten. You feel so good, I don''t think I''ll last long but I want you to join me if you can.¡± Grimalkin latched her legs and arms around Wren as he kept his upper body as still as he could to passionately kiss her, the flavor of her shared between them. He rolled his hips into her as she rocked hers against him. The way she desperately dug her fingers into the muscles of his back reminded Wren of the time when Grimalkin had just been healed, too weak to even speak well but still clutching with all Grimalkin had to keep Wren right there. The tightness in his chest was almost painful as he felt himself reaching the end of his endurance. ¡°I love you Little Gray,¡± Wren said as he felt her insides tighten around him, breaking his resolve and releasing into to her even as the space of their joining grew slick with her pleasure. ¡°Love... too... w-with all I have, all I am.¡± Grimalkin said, tears welling in her eyes. Overcome with the fullness of the moment, Wren felt silent tears fall down his own face as they held on to each other. Twice more they found that fullness with each other again before, emotionally drained, they fell asleep in each other''s arms. *** Wren woke up the next morning feeling a completion and satisfaction the likes of which he couldn''t describe with words. As he looked to Grimalkin curled in his arms, protectively clutching a feathery edged and silky oval chrysalis, he realized it didn''t matter what form Grimalkin had. Having returned to the boyishly charming man he had been, Wren didn''t feel the slightest bit of regret. This was the love he had never known, didn''t even know he had been searching for, until it stuck him with a blow dart. Maybe I''ll always crave a woman''s touch, like perfectly crisp bacon or a medium steak, but this guy here will always have my heart. He''s completely stolen it from me and even if he knew how to give it, I don''t think I''d want it back. Wren reluctantly got dressed and attuned the ark to his son before waking up Grimalkin. ¡°Greet the day, love. Let''s go introduce our child to his grandfather and our friends so I can put him back in his nest to soak up some essence,¡± Wren said tenderly. ¡°C-can I hold him like this for a little longer, Birdy?¡± Grimalkin said, his arms tightening a little around the Chrysalis as he gave Wren a reluctant look. Gah! Damn it, you little demon! I''m trying to get my sappy shit together over here. After enduring a little ribaldry from Troy and awkward congratulations from Glaucous, they made their rounds before Grimalkin, influenced by Lilly, asked about baby showers. That particular conversation led to an impromptu party that had the ''mothers'', the ''guardians'' and even Jhessa shooing off the rest after extorting Wren for conjured supplies. ¡°I think the proper reply to this kind of situation is to go to the beach and get hammered,¡± Troy offered helpfully. ¡°Gotta stick nearby so when the weirdos are done I can put Little Omelet in his nest but you guys can go ahead. Lilly said she can let me in now that she can reach out, Jaden,¡± Wren said a little bummed. ¡°One day into being a father and what little bit of fun you''d allow yourself just got sucked out... What about you three?¡± Troy smiled mischievously. After Jaden saw that Wren was serious about being alright with milling around by himself and prompted by Glaucous that this would be a good chance to bury their squabble, the two agreed leaving Sable. ¡°I''ll stay here. My son-in-law and I need to have a talk about private matters now that I''ve caught him free, an increasingly difficult endeavor these days,¡± Sable drawled. The three beach bound men took their leave which caused an awkward silence to fall before Sable broke it by saying, ¡°Jhessa has been late for her monthly blood for two weeks. Do you think that after they are done you could...¡± Wren said, ¡°No need, she is. Why do you think Lilly asked her to stay? It''s not like anyone knows her that well. Lilly wants to get her in the circle now that she''s carrying Little Gray''s sibling.¡± Sable snatched Wren up into a crushing hug that had him weakly beating on Sable''s back for air. Eventually Sable let Wren go but the smile on Sable''s face gave him goosebumps. That is the face of a serial killer who found the perfect victim... Give him a break, self. This may be one of who knows how few smiles of his entire life. ¡°Blessed with knowledge of a child and a grandson in the same day. In all of the things I have done, what was so good among it to have such a moment in my life.¡± Sable said. A booming voice from the sky said, ¡°So this is where the abomination and that bitch''s descendants are... Shi ''I nan, You have five minutes before this area will be swarmed with Guardians. Have your family claim as many as they dare. I have business elsewhere. Usuway, I will kill every last one of your children. How dare you use the abomination as a trap for us! Now they will suffer in your stead! 37-Wants and Needs ¡°Don''t panic, Wren. It''s a Tier VI existence but his soul is significantly injured...Look!¡± Silent Mind said. I know, okay! Do you see the army of possessor parasites falling from the sky like a fucking horror movie version of a skittles commercial!? ¡°Um, no... Panic away then but I don''t see how that''ll help! Wren summoned Drafodil. ¡°I truly hope this is life or dea... Alright, it''s serious. He''s two Tiers of existence above you. Even dangerously close to dissolution, void denizens have many ways to restore themselves quickly and I think I know how he''s going to do it. You need to leave now. Get to the safe-zone and go as far as it will take you. He''s went rogue so unless he finds what he''s looking for he''ll have to leave quick or risk exposing his identity and have any faction and association memberships revoked since he has direc-¡± Wren watched in terror as the cut-out person burrowed through into Jaden and Lilly''s realm about a quarter mile from his current position. He quickly pulled his void realm connection out of the way. Since their realm was bleeding into this one he sent a message to Lilly to expel her connection to his and allow herself to fall. He''d catch her into his realm along with the others around her. Even as he was doing that he was sending the psychic flair out to Glaucous and sending an emotional painted mental picture of Lilly being in danger here. Receiving mental input from multiple sources at once, scrambled them in Wren''s mind. At some point, nearly instantaneous, Jaden had managed to reach Lilly''s side while Glaucous and Troy led everyone at the beach to the safe-zone. So far Glaucous'' Seaside city had yet to be hit but Glaucous trusted in the larger dream catcher traps Wren had laid there. Not entirely sure how she had done it, Wren witnessed a large portion of the fracturing realm be drawn into Lilly''s roots as the group fell from the sky. The cut-out man leveled void power at Lilly but was interrupted for a half second by a spear throw from Liita before the spear and a large portion of the warrior woman''s right side disintegrated into an errant distortion of space. As Wren tried to pull them into his realm his power froze for a half second as Jaden flared up like a mini sun to stop the second attempt to hit Lilly, drawing the cut-out man''s gaze directly to him. Time itself seemed to move through molasses as an obsidian oval surrounded Lilly and the people clustered around her roots, causing a chain reaction eruption of a second oval that knocked Grimalkin, and the chrysalis that was held tightly in his arms, out of the first. Right before they would have hit the ground, the two groups flashed out of existence. Silent Mind''s message that they would bind to Little Omelet''s ark was the last mental input Wren untangled but he didn''t get all the reason why. ¡°My call mark can buy you a few seconds by mimicking your signature. Class and evocation powers, besides void, only. Go!¡± Drafodil said as she took on a multi-color hue around her cut-out shape. They''re safe...Don''t know how I''m ever going to reach them but they''re safe...just run, don''t think. Wren summoned a light infused transport and max speeded to the safe-zone as Drafodil led cut-out man to open sea. Three void jumps later he had caught up to her and she ignited all the potential in her to spread the fake Wren signature in a roughly five mile radius
Status notice: Void denizen call mark has temporarily been deactivated. Estimated time of reinstatement is 72 hours.
SYSTEM notice to all participants: Seaside safe-zone has temporarily been declared an evacuation center. Participant transport to and native transportation out are temporarily suspended of cost.
Upon arrival at the safe-zone, Wren met up with Troy and Glaucous. ¡°Wren, you need to collect the trapped possessors. The dream catcher traps are too full and if they erupt there is nothing to protect anyone from possession save Troy who''s purification only extends so far. It''s not enough to keep the whole safe-zone clear. Now, hurry!¡± Glaucous said urgently. Shit! Drafodil just... If I don''t then the first thing the parasites will do is destroy the obelisk. Being discrete as he could, Wren made his way over to the obelisks and drew the parasites into his void. Despite the overwhelming amount, the trap''s affect on the parasites and his recent strengthening barely handled the load. Despite not getting immediately sensed by the cut-out man, the terrifying existence showed up at the safe-zone in less than a minute after Wren anyway. ¡°There''s someone near the Kajrya obelisk that can help but will need about ten seconds of my begging to get his ass moving, Wren. I''m not running away, I''m get-¡± Troy said as he disappeared into the obelisk. Wouldn''t blame you if you were. I''m about to. ¡°What''s the matter, Shi ''I nan? Still too weak to crack open a basic guardian barrier?¡± Cut-out man said mockingly. ¡°Only... scout general. Sent with little... resources.¡± said a mostly invisible blob coating the upper most third of the safe-zone barrier. Without waiting for Glaucous'' permission, he grabbed the big man and pulled him into a slingshot through the ley line without an obelisk, sending Glaucous to his spirit gathering chamber. He threw a temporary distortion into the line with earth magnetism before diving for the nearest obelisk for escape. He silently cursed himself for not following Glaucous instead, as both obelisks and the barrier ceased to exist at the same time. By this point most of the natives were gone, save a dozen visiting natives and three participants who decided to brave almost certain death for the sake of aiding evacuees. Before three breaths were done, everyone remaining was possessed except for Wren, who ate the two who were targeting Wren. ¡°There you are, little freak cousin. Blame it on bad fortune my father and brother were adamant on accepting your eradication mission. I was actually against it but being the youngest, I''m rarely listened to. Unfortunately I was hurt badly and need some help recovering. Not to worry though. You make an excellent spirit medicine furnace. So glad I picked up that branch study of soul forge alchemy.¡± Cut-out man said before diving at him and driving his far more powerful void into the center of Wren''s own. It took less than a second to overpower Wren''s will as the cut-out man hijacked Wren''s void power. Augmenting it with his own, the hateful stranger expanded the void to begin wildly drawing in everything in the area save himself. ¡°What... are you... betrayed!¡± Shi ''I nan said before cut-out man sliced the invisible blob in half and let the pieces slide into the vortex.
Reward notice: Elimination of scout general parasite
  • 5000 AP or Tier V evolutionary medicine
  • campaign rewards and demerits pending review
Wren nearly lost consciousness right then but something that the cut-out man did, kept him awake. He felt the fifteen possessed innocent souls fall into the sundering vortex. Trying as best he could to exercise some control he managed to send the mutilated bodies and souls of the three participants into the middle realm instead. He would have done more but it was only with the SYSTEM''s guiding help that he was able to do that much. ¡°Now, while you digest all that trash for me, let''s burn off those pesky bonds so I can really enjoy this next part. I do so hate touching impure bodies. I like my furnaces fresh.¡± Cut-out man said as he sent void power dancing a corrosive jig down Wren''s bonds. Jaden and Lilly''s bonds dissolved like cotton candy before the backlash had Wren screaming in pain and misery. The strange tribal swirls of silver fire remained untouched, as did the red string induced bond of Grimalkin. These two tenacious connections bolstered Wren''s self image as his physical body become illusory, letting his light shine out. He could feel the cut-out man bonding to and forcing his own desired form upon Wren but he fought off the change with partial success. Apparently even the Great Pattern wasn''t a big fan of what the demented stranger was trying to do. Despite that, he did change enough for the cut-out man to seem baffled but uncaring. ¡°Close enough. In a strange kind of way this is better. You look a bit like my brother would have if he was weaker, younger and less confidant. I''ve always wanted to see him scream and writhe underneath me as I devoured him. Sadly, this is the closest I can get. I''ll just have to imagine my father watching us impassively as he did the day my brother dominated and humiliated me in front of our family. How dare that bitch kill them! How dare she steal my revenge from me! ¡°Oh dear. Look at me chatting away like a villain. I almost missed the moment where the influx of power would start splitting your astral shell. The splintering of a spiritual vessel is more beautiful than a budding flower, than a slow motion firework. Once again, don''t worry. I''ll hold you together until your soul eater bounty is posted, then I''ll scrape all the nice pure primal spirit out of you like ice cream. Maybe after I spit out your pit to join the wheel you''ll have a better life. Oh wait, of course I''m going to trap that to play with later. Why isn''t-¡± Gloaming covered hands burst out from the head and chest of the preoccupied cut-out man. Bit''s of heart, brain and the entirety of the body fell into the wild void blender, temporarily clogging it.
Reward notice: Elimination of anonymously reported Tier VI rogue Balance Keeper- pending review... director approval override, maximum reward.
  • 10000 AP or three Tier V rewards of choosing
  • +2 reputation with Balance Keeper and Guardian Alliances pending standard review.
Host approved private message: Don''t know what lucky dog shit you stepped into today to pull that off but good job boy! Proud of you!
¡°I''m afraid that won''t be happening... Oops, he fell in. Well, Usuway said I had to save you from him not from your own power. It''s close enough to fulfill the oath to my late daughter-in-law at any rate.¡± said the unknown guy who tried to kidnap Grimalkin awhile back.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Revered ancestor Aaron, could you not fetch it out before it''s consumed?¡± said Rohn. ¡°Why would I do that? I''d risk losing a part of myself in the process. I''ll teach you a lesson instead. You can save him, and in the process become Asura, then be deported to the Abyss or you could wait for him to shred apart and consume the neutralized primal essence. There should be enough to promote you to Tier V. Love or power, it''s your choice. ¡°If you chose the first, I still possess enough sentimentality to honor your sacrifice and protect him from the bounty. After all, it''s not his fault he was turned into a furnace... If you chose the second, I''ll teach you an evolutionary model with high growth potential, possibly allowing you to become a Tier VI one day,¡± Aaron said, the indifferent voice of casual temptation. Rohn struggled with the choice for a small handful of seconds before he said, ¡°I choose to save him. How do I accomplish that goal?¡± Aaron sighed then said, ¡°I took you in thinking you were ruthless enough to make it. Alas the young often fall to the whims of love...¡± Aaron drew them into the Gloaming. In his odd state of hyper awareness, at the edge of dissolution, Wren noticed that this odd place was not much different than the space between places but his intuition was telling him a different story. This place was not of either positive or negative influence. Despite that, it didn''t feel unaligned. It was as if time and space collided with life and death to produce a place that just felt uncaring and indifferent, a place where zeal for existence eroded to jaded ennui. Aaron continued, ¡°Wren, is it? Now it''s your turn to chose. Either bond Rohn and inevitably consign him to the Abyss or do nothing and see how long it takes me to grow bored of dealing with you before I let you explode. Do you have to be such a jackass about everything you do or is it just me you don''t particularly care for? Luckily, or unluckily depending on view point, I almost went Asura myself once and asked Drafodil about a way to stop it. Wren gathered as much of his will through the agony and squeezed out through clenched teeth, ¡°Soma... just bought. Three shares... Rohn is welcome with Glaucous to share risk and reward.¡± Wren finished with a watery smile and flipped Aaron off. ¡°Oh!? And how did you afford such and expensive medicine?¡± Aaron asked looking genuinely surprised. You''re fucking kidding me right!? I''m about to explode and you wanna chat!? ¡°Mentor reported rogue Tier VI... credit for kill and scout general... plus army... Slow explosion here~! Please bring back... Glaucous waiting. Aaron stood motionless for a moment before laughing mechanically and as he brought Rohn and Wren back he said, ¡°Usuway, you cunning fox. No wonder you liked this little ant so much. Resourceful and prepared you said...HAHAHA.¡± Prepared my ass! The reward for bullet dicing a stunned rogue Tier VI, borrowing his own power, was just as much a surprise to me as it was to you! Beyond that, the third share of soma would have been Troy''s, if he got back fast enough, Sable''s if he didn''t. I''d rather bank on Rohn as being able to handle it though. Besides, I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t moved, at least a little, by Rohn''s ability to chose sacrificing his future freedom over a power up for my sake. As soon as they were world-side again, Glaucous was waiting with three twist cap bottles. Wren directed Glaucous to hand one to Rohn mentally which surprised Glaucous a little but he really bugged out when he saw the gloaming obscured figure. Glaucous passed the bottles out as he said, ¡°Is that you Aaron? As much as it galls me, I likely have you to thank for Wren''s survival, no?¡±
SYSTEM note: Amrita/Soma is a controlled substance who''s property rights are owned and approved for use by Divine Healer Dhanvantari. Any attempt to research or reproduce Amrita/Soma without expressed approval by Divine Healer Dhanvantari will result in a SYSTEM ban on the obtaining of any material goods within the SYSTEM.
Wren immediately felt relief after downing the indescribable, aside from sweet, hot spring energy drink as he felt his astral shell become elastic and the splits temporarily fortified by the mysterious substance. Additionally, the gaseous life and spirit essence was condensing into more of a liquid-like feeling as impurities where settling and passing out the bottom of his astral shell. The one thing that Wren didn''t know was good or bad was the crystalline shard of Silent Mind''s remains diffusing throughout his entire astral shell, even propagating a little. In hind sight, the three doses of soma may have been enough to get him through the crisis he was facing, all by itself. If not for Glaucous'' ancestry and involvement in it''s procurement, however, Wren may not have been approved for the exchange. That said ancestry seemed to be the root of some pretty big family drama at that moment. Aaron said, ¡°So you will dispense with formality and custom by not referring to me as father?¡± Glaucous blandly replied, ¡°Do you view me as your son?¡± With disappointment apparent in his voice, Aaron said, ¡°The two are not the same issue. My carnal act with your mother produced you. You, however are an atavistic throwback of your maternal grandfather and carry next to none of my legacy. Logically that means that I am, in fact, your father but does not accord you to say that you are more than, in proxy, my son. I therefore expect you to address me as father while I shall call you Glaucous. Now do you understand, or need I simplify?¡± Da fuq!? Wren, still jittery from his brush with death and therefore not clearheaded enough to stay out of affairs that didn''t involve him, said. ¡°In that case, Glaucous, you should call him sperm donor. It''s far more factually correct than the term father which carries emotional connotations that Aaron has no intentions of acknowledging. It also more accurately portrays, what I assume, is his actual investment in your life and carries the appropriate amount of filial responsibility such a person is due. Which is to say, no more than whatever investment the donor has actually made to your safety and well being... Don''t worry. If Aaron didn''t understand I believe I''m capable of simplifying it.¡± The temperature dropped a few degrees as Aaron turned to Wren and said, ¡°I understand perfectly. A person whom I have just saved the life of is grotesquely ungrateful.¡± Wren replied blithely, though inside he was already starting to regret opening his mouth, ¡°I am immensely grateful... to Usuway. Had you put in more than the minimal effort your oath required of you, perhaps you would be due more than the minimal amount of my gratitude you possess, failed kidnapping of my lover aside. Attempts to capitalize on emotional connections you seem to only vaguely sense the existence of, therefore are incapable of properly reciprocating, is what I find grotesque. The gloaming aura around Aaron began roiling more thickly when a soothing man''s voice interrupted, ¡°This may not be the proper time but I must insist... Wren, are you still in possession of the souls of three participants?¡± The angel Artiya''il looked at Wren, hopeful. Wren inwardly breathed an inward sigh of relief before he said, ¡°I do. I also have the soul core of a Tier VI existence, that is trying to reconstitute itself, I''d like to trade for a resurrection for the three.¡± Artiya''il looked troubled as he said, ¡°Such an exchange is somewhat coarse and not exemplary of charity.¡± Wren said, ¡°On the contrary. The soul in question attempted to use me as a furnace to consume the other souls in question. It is a matter of righteous justice, right?¡± Artiya''il pondered it for a moment before lifting his head and singing a mournful note to the sky. Shadows coalesced into a feminine form wrapped in the most provocative burka Wren had ever seen. The two distinctly different angels conversed in melody for a moment before the burka wearing one reached out a pale, beautifully formed hand. Wren understood, without knowing exactly how, that an agreement had been made as he handed over the cut-out man''s soul with 1/3 of it''s shell reformed. That shell turned to dust as soon as it laid in her palm. She nodded to Artiya''il and melted back into the shadows. Artiya''il said, ¡°Do not judge him harshly, Wren. If he had someone to help him forget his woes then he could have been a very different man.¡± Wren said not unkindly, ¡°That is why you are an angel, my friend, and why I''ll likely not be. I hold grudges against those that have harmed my loved ones.¡± Wren drew out the three partial bodies, their souls still not yet fully detached. Artiya''il brushed his hand against his wing and three downy feathers drifted down upon the mangled participants. Before they had even awoken, Artiya''il was gone. Wren, seeing that two new obelisks had been dropped for him to place, did so without a fuss. He realized his case was still under review and doing a few brownie point actions couldn''t hurt. As he went about his task he said a few words with the participants before sending them on their way. It was likely to be some time before his wonderfully laid safe-zone plan would be lucrative again but he knew time would ease away that worry. One thing time would not ease is the steadily building pressure that even the soma would soon not be able to completely handle on its own. Though its effects would last for days, there were still limits on what his elastic soul shell could hold before it popped. Wren decided to address some issues before him and his, about to be, newly bonded got down to sticky business. Ignoring the building anticipation on Rohn and Glaucous'' faces he remained calm and contemplative as he said, ¡° I have a few things I''d like to get off my chest before we get to doing what must be done. Please let me finish before saying whatever you''d like me to hear... Rohn, I think very highly of you. I saw you make sacrifices for your children and your family. I''ve seen you forgive things I would not be able to so easily for the sake of love and family. I''ve witnessed today what you were willing to give up in order to save my life. I don''t feel worthy of it because I don''t know if I can give you what you truly want from me. I''m not even wholly sure what that is. What I am willing to give you is my loyal friendship and an open mind. ¡°Glaucous, we''ve been a mixed blessing for each other but at the end of the day I''d say the good outweighs the bad by a large margin. Though it''s a complicated feeling, I see you as family. I''ve been scared of ever being intimate with you because I don''t want to make things any more complicated between us but I trust you because you''ve never did more than open your arms to me and left it for me to decide. I appreciate the hell out of that. ¡°From past experience, I can tell you both that we really won''t have that much control over what we do once we get started. Please don''t take advantage of that to do as you will but, up to a certain point, I won''t hold anything against you if you''ll do the same for me. Grimalkin is my lover. Jaden is my heart-brother, bond or no, and Lilly is my family. What we''ll eventually be to each other I cannot say but it won''t change how I feel about the others. Maybe we won''t even have an easy name for what we are but as long as you respect the place in my heart for Little Gray, Lilly and Jaden, I''m willing to find out.¡± After a brief silence Glaucous was the first to speak. ¡°I''ll admit that my feelings for you are complicated as well. Similarly I can say that I hold a desire to remain close to you in the way of family and also know not how to name this clearly. My thoughts to lay with you spring only from the knowledge that it would be pleasing, aside from when I thought I may lay with you as a man with a woman. That tied my two desires for you together in a way that still resonates within me. When we are done with this, I will begin looking for a successor to lead my children. I wish to travel with you. Remaining sedentary here no longer appeals. I wish to tie my path with yours for a time, if not for all time.¡± Rohn still struggled in silence for a bit more but Wren waited patiently until he finally said, ¡°I believe my love for you to be the same as your love for Little Gray. If one day, you could lean upon me the way you wish him to lean upon you then perhaps that will be enough. I know it doesn''t sit well with you to be the object of a man''s desire in such a way. I both am thankful and curse this day because I have finally been given the chance to hold you and I know that events may happen to break oaths sworn in youth, I care not. That another will hold you as well is a sore I will run my tongue over and worry but I cannot deny its need. I''ve never begrudged what I had to give but have always had difficulty with sharing. I will learn. For your sake, I will learn. As I do I can only ask for your patience as I evoke the difficulty you may feel seeing a man embrace and place their love and desire upon Little Gray as you do and have no choice but to accept it... I can see it would be no easy thing for you either.¡± Touche, Brother Rohn. Wren said, ¡°Then I''ll ask you both, what are your absolute expectations of me. Be truthful. It''s best to get this out now. Despite Cut-out Man making it look easy, breaking a bond is no small thing and without soma I''d have taken years to recover.¡± This time it was Rohn who spoke first. ¡°For me to have your love as you have Little Gray''s. The three of us will be lovers and all other bonded have other roles outside of your women who accept us as we share, as you will. A goal I''m willing to spend my lifetime to pursue. I risk the flame, Wren, because I''d rather burn than freeze to death.¡± Glaucous seemed a little more unsure as he said, ¡°I''m not certain of anything I want from you outside of what you are willing to give. I think that even if we were to be lovers it would not be good for either of us. I may seek pleasure with you but I do not wish to be your lover. The term I''ve heard once that seems most appropriate would be the cousins that kiss? I believe that whatever awaits me will be more fulfilling where ever you are but I have yet to find the one that will take my heart. This is my feeling for now. Even as time passed I believe I have stayed somewhat a child in mind. I only now feel that I can become a man in mind as I have been in body for so long. It is a shameful thing to admit, especially since I am a father three times over but so I find it to be.¡± Shakily, and with more than a little trepidation, Wren said, ¡°Then lets begin.¡± He had ran out of time to dither. 38-Three-in-One The previous two bonds that Wren made were purely by intuition. Later, seeing how those had turned out, Wren had become leery at making more because they all seem to point at the necessity of sexual intimacy to be made the most of. In one of his mentor sessions with Drafodil, Wren asked her if there were different types and he wasn''t surprised to find that there were. The red string stimulated bond between himself and Grimalkin had already shown him that the bonds he had formed himself weren''t even the most ideal between lovers. Drofodil guided him through some relevant information and an imagery exorcise to hone the bond making process. Intuition conformed to the first complex expression of power the maelstrom born accomplished. For Wren, that had been Lustitia, among the second most common group of first expressions. This type of maelstrom born typically formed harems and were looked upon poorly by other ascended. It had to be admitted that though this type of maelstrom born might not end up overly powerful among their peers, they rarely had much difficulty advancing as long as they didn''t fall to the Abyssal or Infernal hosts. As a side note, Drafodil brought up the most common which was a combat expression. These individuals typically formed a ''band of brothers'' concept and nurtured each other in the heart of battle. Wren soaked that in and realized that even though the idea of being a harem master honestly sickened him, it was much more preferable to the way he liked to live than being some bloodthirsty mercenary leader. Wren hoped that his mentor would have alternate solutions to these radical lifestyle groups and she did. Once a maelstrom born reached Tier IV existence, also known among philosophical circles as ''legendary mortal'', they universally unlocked manifestations. The types of which were endless and varied as the maelstrom born themselves. The key to becoming a Tier V existence, however, lied in forming an embodiment. It was also the cornerstone of Wren''s ability to form specialized bonds. Though Drafodil was quick to inform him that Lustitia''s influence couldn''t be completely erased regardless of what kind of bond he made, it didn''t have to be the predominate factor nor completely control the way Wren and a bonded ''shared''. Since it was an unspoken taboo to discuss internal existence models that made up one''s embodiment beyond superficial inquiry, Drafodil struggled with explaining the finer details of specialized bond formation. She broke down that a fairly universal feature of all models is a concept of the whole and the driving force that makes it that way. Within the concept of the whole was typically a way to make a weak influence of nearly any kind on the bond but the strongest influences, the ones capable of overriding the initial impulse within them, lied in the driving forces. She went on to explain that the first bonded holds a strong influencing factor on the initial direction a maelstrom born will be drawn and that Wren, being a person whose self-identity did not match the influence of his first bonded, explained much of his difficulties and inconsistencies in development. If he had been initially bonded with someone similar to himself he very well could have had a first embodiment similar to her own first which was golem, perhaps tower or homunculus. This would have made him a primarily creative type and would have had bonds that ''shared'' through brainstorming and constructive expressions. This fact may have been a deciding factor in why Wren''s father chose her as a mentor being as it would be more difficult for Hiidan to guide his son as he was a battle type. As an exercise that he could practice during his free time, she explained the carousel of masks. Over the course of a maelstrom born''s life they would obviously be drawn to people who were fundamentally different from themselves and would benefit better from bonds that matched the type of relationship that the maelstrom born had with them. In practice, the person would meditate on the nature of a particular relationship archetype and make a mask for it. Over multiple times of doing so, the mask would become a firm and fully defined symbol of that type of bond. When the person was ready to make a new bond they would retreat to the center of the carousel and imagine themselves a neutral, uncolored existence. After pushing away as much of their environment and superficial self as they could away, they would reach for the mask and don it. After they had made the desired bond they would finish by placing the mask back into its place and consciously return to ''themselves''. Drafodil ended her lecture with a caution not to waste too much time on such an exercise. Though the bonds subtly influence the bonded, the relationship of the bonded with the maelstrom born will influence the bond in return. If ever one side or the other begins rejecting the bond, it will close up and wither away over long periods of time. Wren contemplated that as he stood before Glaucous. He always felt a little overwhelmed being this close to Glaucous but it was more than just the size. His instinct and intuition recognized this person as a superior being to himself yet Wren also knew that behind the power was a child like mind and fragile heart. Centuries of stagnant isolation without the emotional support of peers and real family had stunted him and made him desperate for connection and new experience even as his pride and Ephyra''s manipulations had stopped him from finding what he could among his wards and children. For Wren, this man represented a pillar of support and protection. What Wren needed to know was what he had to offer Glaucous in return. Fortunately the answer was as simple as it was natural and right feeling to give. As Wren formed the bond between himself and Gaucous he intoned in ritual solemnity, ¡°To me you are a spear against my obstacles and shield against adversity. Even should the day come I can stand before you and be the same in turn, I offer you shelter for your heart when it is weary, balm for your wounds and what these hands or back may do to ease your burdens is yours for the asking.¡± Instead of a mask on a carousel, Wren imaged the bond itself as a braid of expectations and true feelings. When it was complete, Wren felt it to be stronger and more mellow in nature, if a bit narrow in flow. The lust portion was still there but it was greatly subdued under a sense of friendship and family. It would definitely be a lot easier to find ways to ''share'' with Glaucous than any other bond he''d had to date. Glaucous, too prideful to let his emotions show strongly among company, just let it flow through their newly formed bond as he said, ¡°A more generous declaration than I had hopes for but welcomed just the same,¡± as he folded Wren up in a hug before letting him go to Rohn. Wren stood before Rohn silently for a moment, taking in the complex mix of aggressive desire, hope and fear that his sensitivity could pick up before he said, ¡°My feelings of you are complicated, maybe more than they need be, but it''s those very things that led me to stand before you capable of contemplating my willingness to accept your desire and try to meet it. I have been awed by the strength of your love and terrified by the darkness that lies behind it. You wish to be for me what I am for Little Gray. If you knew him better, I wonder if you could ask that of me. I am constantly humbled and filled with a sense of unworthiness before him, Rohn. I know that''s not exactly what you meant but I feel that''s what you deserve and I don''t believe myself capable. After tonight is done you''ll be my man as I am Little Gray''s but I cannot deny my heart-brother if he is in need... He is no longer my bonded but we are connected. Can you accept that?¡± Rohn accepted but he felt the need to say, ¡°I can because I too once had a heart-brother. We were not carnal but if there had ever been a need to break my vows of youth to comfort him I may have been able. This illness in him though, you must see that you are proof that imprinting is not real. He claimed to have imprinted Lilly and you. That flies in the face of its own claim.¡± Wren held his temper in check and had to remind himself that this was not intentional, just a prejudice based off of societal lack of understanding, as he said, ¡°The imprinting is real, Rohn. I bear the same marks that Jaden wears on his skin, on a portion of my soul. It even expresses on my embodiment when I turn off void power.¡± Wren went into his embodiment and felt how unstable he was in his current condition. If he was to try to actually do anything before he tamed the primal spirit within him he''d likely explode, soma or no. Fortunately all he was doing is showing the filigree ''9'' that curled around his left pectoral before canceling it out. This bugged out Rohn way more than Wren thought it would as Rohn said, ¡°No...Then that means...Shades, I''m a fool and this all makes more sense now. Since you awakened this power within me, Wren, I''ve slowly noticed a change in myself. Since I thought this power was from the batkin bloodline, what you called warlock power, I just naturally assumed that this building pressure to pursue you was batkin breeding aggression but I should have known that wasn''t true. I''ve blinded myself. See my ancestor''s mantle, what you call embodiment.¡± Rohn began glowing with eerie black light as fulgin whirls materialized onto his skin. They seemed to Wren to be the antithesis of Jaden''s own but his intuition was not seeing it that way. It was suggesting sameness but with different focus. It was definitely intriguing and Wren would definitely want to explore it later. At that moment he was starting to get a little panicky at how full he was feeling and cushion time was almost completely gone. Wren sighed and smiled wearily, ¡°So it was imprinting... Wait, it''s imprinting!?¡± Wren was confused for a second before he realized like a bolt out of the blue that Usuway had never claimed that Little Sprite was the other legacy. Looking back, Wren realized that whatever it was that Little Sprite possessed did not bring Usuway joy but worry. No, the legacy that Usuway loved Wren for was the cleansing fire. Wren smiled sadly as he said, ¡°Then this is my own doing and all this time I had been denying you, I was wronging you. I left a part of my own life within you when I fixed your essence storage, the heart of your power. It''s no wonder at all that you became fixated on me. I practically claimed you.¡± Wren scratched his original idea for their bond. Instead he imaged a braid centered around wholeness and completion. He couldn''t be to Rohn what Grimalkin was to him but he could be to Rohn what Lilly was to Jaden. He had played with a man''s dharma and so he had to honor the repercussions or make a mockery of all the ''help'' he''d tried to give Rohn. Rohn looked at Wren Wide eyed as he felt the nature of the bond, a mystical echo of what Rohn instinctually felt being accepted by Wren would mean to him. It was Wren''s answer. Something within Rohn rejoiced and that feeling echoed within Wren but there was no question on who was to be the dominant. This did not diminish the feeling of prowess within that part of Wren as it felt it would. Instead it felt a relief of a burden too big for it''s shoulders being hefted onto the stronger back of another. As a light of feral intensity lit up within Rohn''s eyes Wren said a little shakily, ¡°Glaucous, you should probably not interfere and become a part of this until Rohn is finished.¡± Glaucous, who was already standing to the side of the room said, ¡°I already knew this to be the truth of it. I was only not allowed to share least the ripples distort into ones that carried grief in them.¡± *** Rohn began taking off his armor at a deliberate pace, as if to make an ultimatum of when he was done with it. Wren said more than a little panicked at the memory of when he was almost raped, ¡°I know I''ve done quite a few things but this is technically a new body...I haven''t had a chance to break it in yet. If you just lay into me I''m gonna be doing a lot more than just a little pillow biting.¡± Rohn said intently, ¡°I''m giving you time now. Why are you wasting it? Here, I''ll even close my eyes so I won''t attack you as soon as that damned suit of yours is off. It looks even more annoyingly difficult to deal with than the one you wore before.¡± If my suit then was easy to deal with then we wouldn''t be having this conversation now. I''d have been your mate with serious rape trauma to deal with. Don''t think that would have ended well for you! Wren willed the suit back into its storage marks, thumb tack beauty moles on his chest and spine with script so dense it looked solid. Ignoring Rohn''s sharp intake of breath that meant he''d been peeking, Wren gave his body a once over. There was definition that wasn''t there before but nothing much else had changed, thankfully. When he stood next to Grimalkin naked he didn''t have to feel like he lost out in the fitness department anymore but couldn''t say much beyond that. He still looked light-weight compared to anyone else in his circle, including Troy. As he spun around to catch his reflection in the room''s standing mirror he realized he''d made an error as he had pretty much presented his ass to Rohn. The man began fumbling with the buckles of his armor growling curse words at it as Wren checked out his face. It had taken on a fragile aristocratic nobility. It was a contradictory thing to have a visage that demanded reverence but inspired protective feelings. His eyes were the same but his hair had turned black cherry red and though it possessed enough stiffness to hold a natural feathery fan to it, that made it no less soft to the touch. All in all he looked like his previous self worked out over summer, got a little tan and paid for a wickedly well done dye job. Wren''s intuition informed him that this was it. The man who had bonded him had died and was eaten by Wren, mostly at any rate. This was the form he was stuck with till he changed it himself and that acknowledgment sent a small reverberation through the astral realm to resonate with the mark of his ancestral will upon his son''s chrysalis. That meant this was the last time his body would have to get desensitized to sex again. First time memories might be sweet but having to go through them again and again was not.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Feeling he was running out of time to make himself ready and realizing that his first time with Rohn was likely to be just as to the point as it had been with Jaden, minus the tongue work, Wren pulled out the jar of mineral oil and started working himself open on Glaucous'' bed. The sudden brazen act had both men swallowing hard once before Rohn bent a buckle out of shape trying to rip the banded mail thigh covers off. As Rohn started howling obscenities and contemplating if he could just do the deed only half unsuited, Glaucous took pity on him and exercised an act of power to have the armor just fall off. Wren, who was on knees and one elbow, obliviously plying himself open with his mind only on expediency versus pain tolerance, didn''t realize he had positioned himself on display for the two men. He ignored the sound of multiple pieces of metal falling to the ground but tensed at the sound of ripping fabric. Less than two seconds later there was an ungentle hand removing his fingers and replacing them with something much bigger. Wren barely had time to register the sound of his clay jar of oil being crushed and the sudden cold splash of fluid on his back-side before he was impaled in a sure thrust that had him arching his back to keep the tip of the invading member from rupturing his intestines at the bend but the anticipated pain never came because Rohn had stopped halfway. ¡°You think I''m the same as my soft skull brother. I''ve got nearly a decade of rich experience over him and I''ve not denied myself any curiosity towards the art of love save two. Yes, the beast howls but I am the one who decides when to stalk softly-¡± Rohn slowly sank himself in till he hit resistance and pulled Wren up by the lower portion of Wren''s throat, bracing instead of choking, till he found the angle that would let him in. Rohn cupped the hollows of Wren''s knees before levering him up, around and then back down into Rohn''s lap at the corner of the bed, in one fluid motion as he said ¡°And when to strike!¡± Rohn contented himself, now buried inside his claimed, to rocking his hips. The steady forward and backward rocking motion had Wren''s semi erect member bobbing and rolling around, all for the entertainment of the unapologetic voyeur known as Glaucous. Glaucous smiled widely as he said, ¡°This is an unexpected treat!¡± Rohn forced through gritted teeth, ¡°Enjoy it while you can. I did this to show my inner self who is in control but a welling springs forth from the depths of me that neither I nor the beast within wish to deny. A sudden intense spike of humiliation burned through Wren''s veins even as black flames burned across his mindscape. As he had learned from his inner self, his inner self had learned from him as they moved ever closer to one another in perfect union. That part of Wren that represented his intuition and impulse borrowed his body to grab Rohn''s balls and squeeze just hard enough to bring clarity to Rohn''s slipping consciousness. Inner Wren standing up for outer Wren said, ¡°We are in control. We give the permission and we can take it away. Because unlike you, mate, we work together. Velvet skin half-mate and Rohn mate, We care too much about you to ever harm you but I can whisper many ways to break you both that will make you stronger. Even if we submit do not take our pride as your toy. Half-mate you may watch and when I am done nourishing my mate I will take you to nourish you then I want to taste the waters of your joy. Rohn mate, take me till your sack is empty and your soul is full. I tire of speaking waking words. I now talk with my body and soul.¡± When Inner Rohn took control he was cautious at first. He had displeased his mate and his mate was not weak. He gained more confidence as he saw that Wren had submitted. Once he had mounted Wren from behind, as he preferred, Rohn felt Wren open up to receive him fully. As Rohn built up momentum, his still slightly aching balls began slapping against Wren''s until they began tightening against him. Wren''s mental pictures where asking for Rohn''s mating bite as he moved to meet the strong thrusts, their flesh loudly clapping together. Wren moved his head to the right and presented the crook of his left shoulder and neck to Rohn. Rohn eased himself nearly completely out before one swift and jarring slam locked him in to the root as he collapsed on top of Wren and bit down. Even as Rohn unloaded a month''s celibacy into Wren''s clenching canal, an overwhelming rush of primal spirit flooded into him harshly causing him to black out. Wren pushed Rohn off of him, not unkindly, onto his back. He took a moment to nip his unconscious mate''s nose affectionately before turning to Glaucous. He could have joined his mate in spilling his joy but he saved it for what was to come. Glaucous had been more than primed by the show before him so he was ready to do his own bit of claiming as he said, ¡°Will you not share with me as you did Rohn?¡± As Wren stalked towards the large man, he recalled the image of taking him and the thrill had him ready to do it again. A being clearly stronger had submitted to him and he wished to taste that sweetness again. He knew how. A flash of mental imagery, that showed more clearly than any mere words could, Wren showed Glaucous the nature of bonds and the differences between the one he had with Rohn. Taking Glaucous was more efficient and, Wren promised, more pleasurable to the both of them. As Wren glided his fingertips down across the broad plane of Glaucous'' abdomen he sent a generous portion of LE skittering across the man''s nerves like a wave of lightning strikes. While Glaucous was lost in the sensation, Wren gathered the mingled oil and Rohn''s seed running down his thighs to liberally coat Glaucous'' crack. Glaucous gave a small protest before Wren sent another wisp of LE shooting up the man''s chakra line as he sunk a digit into Glaucous'' entrance. As strong as the big man was, he was weak to pleasure. Wren''s conscious mind partially wakened to the scene and sent a request for his primal self to be gentle to the man. Glaucous had been hurt by those he trusted and even a small betrayal would be too much. Primal self agreed. Wren wrapped himself around the big man as best he could and stroked the man''s back as he waited for Glaucous to recover from the stimulation. Glaucous came to, the feeling of warmth on his body and the rhythmic hand strokes on his back was not what he expected as he said, ¡°I thought you would have already... that we would be joined by now.¡± In soothing tones, Wren said, ¡°You did not give me permission. I want you to feel good, half-mate and I don''t want that mixed with shame.¡± Glaucous picked Wren up slightly to better pull him into an embrace and kissed him passionately as he moved them to another portion of his large bed. He sat down, relishing the feeling of his manhood rising between Wren''s slick thighs as he released his embrace and lay back onto the bed. Glaucous said, ¡°Then I give it but you must let me take you at least once this night.¡± Wren replied, ¡°I will but after tonight, when we share, I will take you and taste your waters of joy only. Either that or we will simply hold one another and share in the dream place.¡± ¡°I understand... and I''m grateful to you for waiting on my permission. I may now enjoy it fully where I might not have before,¡± Glaucous said. Wren worked more oil and his own leaking fluid onto his member before easing himself into the big man, infusing every slow thrust with a faint wisp of LE until Glaucous'' ring of muscles finally relaxed and accepted him in. Since he knew Glaucous enjoyed the natural sounds of union he used traces of power to produce copious amounts of pre-cum into him and swayed his hips as he pumped the big man''s hole. The sounds of sticky squelching mixed with the meeting and parting of slick flesh filled the room as Glaucous let out a contented sigh while the symbol of his might raised stiffly into the air. As Wren continued his slow lovemaking, he lowered Glaucous'' right leg down to straddle it, as he turned Glaucous partially on to his side. Wren worked his left hand over the large tool as he bent to take the head into his mouth, quickening his thrusts and releasing large waves of primal spirit onto Glaucous. Unlike his still fully mortal mate, his half-mate could take a great deal more in one go. The relief of pressure was more gratifying than the hard release of his joy into the large man or the vastly nourishing release of Glaucous'' life-spirit rich fluids into his waiting mouth. Wren allowed Glaucous a small time to relish the embers of their union before he withdrew from the man and said, ¡°Now I go to claim a return from my mate. I will lose reason but I will be presenting myself for you. You may claim me then.¡± Wren walked around to the other side of the bed and pulled Rohn''s butt to the edge. Wren braced Rohn''s thighs on his shoulders as he bent down, legs planted wide and straight before taking Rohn''s soft manhood into his mouth as he started suckling it. The coiling threads of condensed spirit began unspooling towards Wren as Rohn began stirring, still confused, he was hit with the first tendrils of condensed spirit in turn. Wren felt large hands pulling his cheeks apart as a thick digit plunged into him, exploring and stretching him wider. As Rohn reached for his head to push himself deeper into Wren''s throat, Glaucous pressed the head of his monstrous member to Wren''s entrance. Assaulted on both sides by thick strands of condensed spirit, Wren gratefully surrendered himself to the intoxication. Their ''night'' lasted nearly two full days. Haunted and traumatized but utterly fulfilled, all three took an oath of forgetting past the part where spirit intoxication took hold of them. For Glaucous, it was to preserve his dignity. For Rohn, it was to preserve his pride and self-esteem. For Wren, it was to preserve his sanity. There are some things it is just better not to know about yourself, your lover and your friends. *** After breaking their two day fast, each man went about different tasks. Wren, for his part, stepped into his void realm to inspect it, himself and to reflect on all that had happened. There were a few changes to note and some back logs to catch up on. Wren''s triple layered void space had grown immensely. The middle realm had grown to nearly three miles in spherical diameter, his oasis grown to nearly a quarter of that. The desolate portions were rich in deposits and the nearly lake-like pond had faint traces of essence springs within it. The white orb had taken on a yellowish hue and was producing a vague sense of skin tingling warmth reminiscent of UV radiation. The void portion''s violent entropy had destroyed his brewery. He realized he''d have to set it up much further away. He also noticed a depression of deep gravity and a small distortion of time towards the center. As he moved closer he was instantly drawn in and shunted out into his essence space. Looking around at the filled reserves that were far larger than what he actually held in himself, he realized his days as a Tier IV existence were numbered. The merge of AE with EE was a bit disturbing until he realized that as eldritch essence condensed into liquid form, naturally the arcane essence would be drawn back to its origin and the same with LE to condensed spirit. Unlike other Tier V existences, when it became necessary, he could easily extract LE and AE from their origin essence sources as he wished due to his personal enlightenment towards their formation. What he didn''t know how to make heads or tails of was a miniature nodule of combined essence sitting firmly in the center of it all. The nest where his son had previously rested was now twisted into a naturally formed vortex sculpture of precious metal and gems, as if to cup the nodule. Wren thought it likely that when this thing formed the nest had just been to close to the action. His intuition saw it as virility. If I''m not completely off base, that nodule would be the forming of a maelstrom dud but why? This is something I don''t think I should even mention to Drafodil. It''ll just have to wait till I can contact my pops... Now let''s check the logs.
SYSTEM notice: After review and intense debate, all related rewards, demerits and accrued AP balances have been nullified aside from those already drawn. Considering the amount of innocent souls lost to this tragedy the outcome could have been, and according to some, should have been far worse. Your reputation with the Balance Keepers has been neutralized and due to pressure within their organization, they have barred you from seeking opportunities related to them.
SYSTEM notice: The Guardians offer their condolences over the trial you were forced to face without their aid. Despite advice from the Balance Keeper Alliance to treat you with caution, after receiving eye witness accounts from Celestial Host representatives we have opted to keep our minds and doors open to you. You currently possess a +5 reputation with the Guardian Alliance and that qualifies you to sign up as a member, if you so choose, as soon as you reach Tier V.
To: Wren Tidren From: Troy Rockgarden What happened!? I got my friend and tried to return but the obelisk was closed. I know it''s open now but everything''s good!? How the hell did you go from the End of Days to all clear in less than five minutes?
...several messages later... Alright. I showed up to get the story myself and found out you were ''busy'' so just get in touch when you can.
...several thank you messages from other participants...
...a few messages from world leaders that have access to SYSTEM message boards...
From: Jaden and Lilly Riverson To:Wren Tidren We have found ourselves on a previously undiscovered world filled with untapped resources. We''re going to take some time to explore and recover until Lilly is safe to travel. Liita is stable but recovery is slow. We''re sure she''ll make a full recovery with help from a native fae with healing art. We ache from the absence of your bond but have been assured you are fine and it may take time but we''ll meet again. We were given instructions to destroy this obelisk as soon as we were done sending this message.
Discovered: Inner and outer mind synergy- dual element augmentation now possible with the exception of the specific combination of Light and Void. A variety of more complex power usage possible. Other hidden benefits also exist.
Discovered: Greater Regenerate- Unless brain and heart are simultaneously injured, fatal injuries and severed limbs recover passively
After taking some time to reply to everyone who could be replied to he was faced with one glowering problem. He didn''t know where his lover and son were. Since Silent Mind possessed the ark, they likely picked the destination but there was no telling where that might be.
From:Autobox To:Wren Tidren If you are reading this then best outcome has been achieved. Let legacies lie with silence to grow far from the dangers their parents know. Send love and spiritual support through the line from time to time to keep it strong and wait for your future to come find you as you explore and survive your present.
Wait... I can do that? Wren gathered some SE and imaged it flowing through the line to Grimalkin. Though he felt some of it dissipate, he felt the majority would reach its goal. With some peace of mind and observations out of the way, Wren desperately needed to train himself. He had barely gotten used to being Tier IV. If he suddenly found himself a Tier V he''d be in serious trouble and for more than one reason. Unfortunately, many things were in need of being addressed and he''d have to learn on the go. 39-Endings and Beginnings Hey, future inheritor. This is the part where I get to tell you that after nearly a month of intense training under Drafodil, I was shaping up to be a bad-ass. It would be a lie but but it''s also true that with three seconds of attack time between me and an opponent below Tier V, that I know is there, they''re toast. Yup, despite my efforts to be as all-around as possible I''m still a glass cannon who could be one shot by an assassin an entire Tier below me. That''s not to say that Drafodil didn''t try to get me some combat preparedness. I just don''t have the instinct for it. Sure, I can get rough and rowdy if I want but when it comes down to it I just grew up too long in a soft environment. It probably wouldn''t bother me so much if Sable, when he''s not pensively staring off into space, didn''t comfort me that it''ll be alright as long as I have a stronger man to lean on as I usually do. Fine, glass cannon, but simpering fucking princess!? Roll the hell on out of here! Where I was falling short of the mark fighting wise, however, I was more than kicking ass in enchanting and model analysis. I could outfit a whole regiment in decent self-repairing armor in under three days. I could also whip up a perfect Jack Daniels steak and shrimp dinner with an imported lager at the snap of a finger without that stupid ring. The best news was the solid chunk of ground floor models for both conjuring and enchanting my class and profession assists should have been giving me but wasn''t. I should have felt bothered by it all, the staying put and training thing. I had made up my mind to get out there and be more bad-ass only to have myself ganged up on to stay put with all kinds of polite but demoralizing reasons. Looking back now, I should have realized that things were really wrong but I wasn''t used to people trying to protect me and I was missing the queues. I mean, even Drafodil was acting a bit out of character with her volunteering of all kinds of information I usually have to pull from her like a dentist. Troy was coming in for R&R regularly, looking worn out and desperate for rest. He kept fobbing off my attempts to tag along with explanations that he was just racking up AP so he could play catch up but my mission updates were silent as the grave. After cornering him at one point, I finally got the hint that the other participants didn''t want me anywhere near them. Aside from the monk dude, Troy was the only one from our ''graduating class'' that didn''t think I was some kind of soul eating monster that managed to slip justice on a loophole. The sad part was that I couldn''t 100% disagree. Even if it wasn''t my fault, I did end some people and it wasn''t just their lives but all future ones as well. I''m not so emo that I felt tore up about it but I didn''t exactly feel guilt free either. Rohn was off doing his thing at the settlement where his family was. At the beginning he was coming back to visit and attend to ''needs'' a couple times a week but after the middle of week three I didn''t see him again for nine days. When he finally showed up he looked emotionally strained to the breaking point. It took some doing but I got the truth out of him. Aaron was holding his daughter hostage and blackmailing him about reporting me to a Balance Keeper representative. Apparently, the asshole ancestor was taking advantage of the invasion chaos to rob this world of strategic resources and there wasn''t a damn thing any of us could do to stop him. That was the start of the downward slide as the truth of just how shitty the situation actually was started spilling out. Glaucous was never a ray of sunshine on the best of days but it became obvious over the time leading to the big reveal of Rohn, that whatever bad news Usuway had shared with Glaucous was rolling out red carpet style. The only thing that kept me from suicide bombing Aaron''s ass into oblivion was Glaucous'' insistence that I was the only one who had the ability to make this tragedy turn around. When I tried to question him on just how I was supposed to do that he''d get tight-lipped. I got the distinct impression that this was Ripple Lady''s final gambit from the get go. When I felt Rohn''s connection sever and power burned a black filigree 6 into the chest of my corporeal form, Glaucous helped me through the grief by telling me that my son and Little Gray were removed from anyone''s reach. When Troy''s name showed up on the condolences list, Glaucous revealed that Troy had left an inheritance for me to give to the one who bore the same true name as himself. And when a silver 9 burned into me as a compliment to the 6, Glaucous kept me sane by explaining that Little Sprite and her siblings had come into their own and she would take care of Lilly. By the time that Drafodil''s call mark had disappeared I had pretty much figured out that the Observers where working hand in hand with the Balance Keepers to remove all presence of pop''s legacy from this reality. I was on the verge of giving up when Glaucous took me into hiding. By that point, the only thing that kept me from axing myself to avoid having to live in that fresh hell was Glaucous'' obvious need for emotional support and he had given up too much for me to allow myself to turn my back on him or leave him alone. On the morning I woke up to him crying as he revealed that he refused to allow us to be drawn out by a bounty crew and let the residents of Seaside be tortured to death instead, I lost all faith in the hollow hope he had us holding out for. Yet still we did not turn ourselves in. Glaucous lost himself in a daze of cognitive dissonance, refusing to give up the burned out shell of hope that had allowed him to let everything go for my sake. I locked myself into a loop of self punishment, giving all the comfort I could with my body and the embers of my all-but-dead heart, even as I hated myself for not having the courage to refuse his protection when I could have saved something for him. Since they had failed in finding us and had ran out of leverage to lure us out, the Balance Keepers, backed by the support of the Observers, motioned to allow a world-eater to remove the threat I represented. The Guardian Alliance managed to wring a concession of three months for the remaining participants to have a chance at reaching Tier V, even as they appealed for me to martyr myself for all the life on the world. God help me, I wanted to but Glaucous used everything in his arsenal to keep me from doing it. I made my final compromise to him that I''d do everything I could to survive with him until the last week. If his dark miracle didn''t appear by then I wasn''t willing to drag a whole world with me to death. The things we did during the nearly two months that follows I won''t even allow my inheritor to know. Anything that a person hunted by a whole world would have to do to survive we had done. Before the nightmare was over I became a soul-eater in truth. Every victim that fell to us made us stronger. And in that twisted time, when I had darkened my existence beyond redemption, Glaucous joined me in depravity. When I had reached the point where I did not feel worthy of anything but oblivion, through either sublime delusion or a strength of faith beyond my ability to comprehend,Glaucous preserved a small part of our old selves for us both, even as I pushed him into a repulsive godhood and sent every bit of nurturing spirit through the line to Grimalkin as I felt he could safely hold. In those darkest of times, Glaucous became the last bastion of my love and sanity, even as I began to hate him more than any other living creature in existence. With each respite between endless fights for survival, I would brutally drive my tainted power into him only to have it given back purified. That grace repaid by cramming it back into the core of him with as much vitriol as I could manage. When he could stand it no more, he would overwhelm me, rape me to near the point of death. It was only in those moments that I could pierce through the monster I had become back to the person I once was. I would promise to love him more than even my Little Gray if he would only finish it. Despite being sincere, despite something within him even wanting to claim that all encompassing and fatal love for himself, he would not. Once I was healed and we were mowing our way through another obstacle whose only crime was the desire to live, I would hate him just a little more. It was after one such release, clinging to him and whispering words of love and death into his chest with my blood and his seed flowing to pool in his lap, that Beta Zero finally appeared. My user interface opened on it''s own before the window showed an endless mandala of fractals that even my expanded dimensional mind could not fully comprehend. Our first exchange was brief and succinct. It told me to take in as much of the scene as I could and incorporate it into my existence structure. It would safeguard and stabilize me through guidance. It told me to relay to Glaucous that the time of returning was nigh. The moment that Glaucous heard me say those words, it was as if his very being had rewound to that moment, what seemed a lifetime ago, when we had finished sharing for the first time as bonded. As I studied the mandala and healed, he cleaned all the evidence of our violent union away before taking me back into his embrace. Never in our sordid history, as unbearably long yet short in reality as it was, did he hold me as gently as he did in that moment. I could feel him pulling his divinity apart to feed it back to me as I took the impossibly complex structure and made it my own. I could feel how unstable both of us were. He dropped to the bottom of Tier V existence as I breached its border and climbed to the apex of it. To keep things simple and to avoid unnecessary complications, BZ explained that my father had claimed a pyrrhic victory to remove a needed obstruction. The goal he was striving for was now possible and I could obtain the first secret he had hidden from me for my safety and the completion of his goals. That secret was BZ and the true first step was to merge with an iteration of reality that came before this one, in order of nearness to origin, but in a later time-space. I''m not entirely sure I understood it as well as I should have but it didn''t matter. All the prerequisites for doing so had been met, if some only barely. I would burn up all of my acquired power to merge my soul core and BZ with that reality''s iteration of me. By the skillful manipulations of Usuway, the consciousness of Glaucous and the legacies of those fallen would follow as well. BZ would stand in place of Hiidan and my burgeoning domain would be diminished and laid dormant, along with it''s handful of preserved metaphysical resources, to be claimed again when I was ready. Now you might be asking why I would essentially be willing to lay it all down on something so whacked out it sounded more fantasy than real possibility, more raw and forceful manipulation than benevolent guidance. It''s pretty simple. I wanted to die anyway. I didn''t really care at that point. There was one big reason too. I was given a wild hope to become part of the me that resided in the same reality that my son and love resided in. Even if I might not ever become a part of their lives in the same way I was separated from them, I had a chance to be a part of their lives in some way. That really relies on you, inheritor. I just hope that, if you are anything like me at all, you will want that too. I''m willing to take what I can get! *** Wren Orison Tidren, that''s what my Social Security card says but no one except my mom calls me Wren. Your dad was your best friend but I knew from the age of four that dad was unhinged and as soon as I had the first opportunity I hightailed to mom''s. Seems to me that the biggest diversion of direction between us was you grew up with ol'' psycho dad and was his crazy glue. I ran off to mom. Well sorry to break the news to you, if you''re in there other self, but dad killed a police officer after being pulled over drunk. He died in prison last year.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. I''m only 19 years old, ironically going to the same Pennsylvania university that Troy will supposedly be going to in, what, 17 years from now? Right now he''s still getting potty trained by his mom and Lilly isn''t even born yet. Am I supposed to trashcan my entire life plan to prepare myself for a life of short, unbearable hell in 18 years? ¡°You are already registered. It is a secure line directly from the source that the SYSTEM utilizes. You can access the SYSTEM but it''s through proxy. In your 37th year, a directive will be issued that you are queued to enter. The only way that you have to avoid it is unscheduled termination of life functions. Even then you will be resurrected in transit, reducing your chances of success in surviving the trials. ¡°Your concerns about the Observers and Balance Keeper''s direct targeting are exaggerated to the second year of initiation. Even then, the potential involvements only increase by the tens of percentiles for a range of decades to centuries. Usuway and the one your iteration refers to as Little Sprite have made thorough preparations to insure your obfuscation from detection. Under the unlikely supposition that you discover a potential course that would exclude you from selections, once your soul shed this mortal coil, the obfuscation that surrounds you would be dismissed with time and your reincarnation would be forced to confront the enemies of your spiritual progenitor without adequate protection and resources at your disposal. It is do or die, in the words of the one you recognize as Hiidan.¡± ¡°No. The original design is fueled with what you know as SE. Achievement points is a control factor for development and restriction of recruited individuals. This was not the intention of Origin''s learning protocol. This is not an unexpected development, however. It is a part of Origin''s acceptable deviation. It is a predictable development for beings who have discovered a method to garner greater power and ability to hoard such secrets for themselves and those they approve of.¡± ¡°Life experiences of all varieties enrich your existence but do nothing to elevate it directly. Instead of offering that up to a deity or dedicating it to another existence capable of forming bonds as a maelstrom born may, I will cap it for you and allow its accumulation. You will not be able to use it till after the trial in 18 years. To allow you access to elevation before that would alert the observers to anomalous activity. Assuming a productive use of time within the allotted period , you should have more than enough for an advantageous beginning.¡± ¡°If your direction is to follow in the footsteps of your iteration I would suggest focusing on accumulating knowledge in engineering, both mechanical and biological, and earth sciences. Chemistry would also be of value. Familiarity would be enough. The resources of Origin''s learning protocol are vast and superior in every way. ¡°The largest weakness of your iteration was a lack of self defense ability at lower existence levels. Combat becomes more metaphysical as you elevate but initial survival would be greatly complimented by martial prowess. The method of best approach to increase exposure while minimizing risk to personal safety lies in mixed martial arts competitions. Due to your vessel''s lack of endurance, physical fitness and low tolerance to the pain and emotional stress of such confrontation I would suggest a personal trainer while you are attending university. Financial instability limits such options, however I can assist you in the procurement of resources within certain limitations to reduce what your scientists would refer to as the ''Butterfly Effect.'' ¡°In respect to your future teammates, their choosing was based on an algorithm which calculates potential versus attachment to current life. Any involvement that improves their lives may exclude them from selection. You are not without recourse for platonic companionship, however. The monk known as Jampa would deviate the least from contact with you. Contrarily it would benefit you both as Jampa has some proficiency in the contemplation of mandalas and meditation is a spiritual building exercise that is acceptable even to the sterile environment charters of Earth.¡± ¡°No. By analysis, abstinence is a mentally detrimental practice beyond certain statistical limits. Pardon the personal analysis but your brain chemistry is regulated to more favorably respond to same sex stimulus although personal conditioning has allowed for romantic attraction to opposite sex partners. Might I sug-¡± ¡°Your discomfort has been noted, Orison. I will refrain from further mentioning of this subject unless related to other relevant topics,¡± BZ stated evenly. ¡°I often have underestimated the vanity and hubris of humans. Orison, please put on your oxygen mask or this will be a very short respite before the beginning of the trials.¡± ¡°I took the liberty of preparing a restoration instant effect for you from your accumulation. It''s not as all encompassing of emergencies as the Second Chance effect but you cannot earn a death twice denied title or all the preparations will have been in vain. The plans of your spiritual progenitor will become highly improbable without you but a 15% chance of success is better than the .05% chance of success if you are uncovered this early. I still consider this a better choice than all language considering the people you will be wanting to talk with, you already speak the language of. ¡°Unlike your iteration''s time here, it''s not necessary for you to win any points but it would reduce suspicions to some degree if you could at least earn enough for all translate and class assistance. Troy and Lilly''s circumstances are similar to what your iteration remembers but Troy''s hip is shattered instead of his wrist. Fortunately your expertise is a little more robust than last time. Lilly cut her left arm partially before the transfer so you won''t be able to rely on her aid to take on the summoned creature. Lastly, it is Quetzalcoatl''s wife that is hosting the trial and she is known to be a bit more bloodthirsty than her husband. Expect a minor increase in difficulty and reward.¡± ¡°Within a 10% room for error if you can follow the guidance window within the same average performance of your We sports record.¡± ¡°Yes. There have been two generations of console upgrades for that company since your ''dirt nap'', Orison. Your favorite fantasy game series has had two incarnations as an MMORPG as well.¡± BZ replied without missing a beat. 40-On a Trial Basis Well fuck me sideways, you nasty bitch. I ruined your fun so you want to make certain I take an L, huh? ¡°What is being summoned is equal in power, if not more, to the summoner. There are inherent weaknesses to exploit in summonings created by avatars and call marks. Unlike models cast by the self, which can remain internal, avatars and call marks must manifest models externally. Materials that can divert or insulate arcane essence may be used to circumvent or disrupt the summoning.¡± ¡°Looks like she''s taking her sweet time. Seems she wants me to sweat it out or she''s really pushing the envelope to summon it. Will the silver powder work?¡± ¡°Yes. A few extra lines in the center of the model construct will break it but she will likely try again a few times before attempting something else. She seems to care little for the rules of indoctrination conduct.¡± ¡°That''s alright. Naughty goddesses need their asses spanked. Where is the control signature portion of the construct?¡± ¡°That is... I understand. Upper right. Her mark is that rainbow sigil,¡± BZ said. Just a touch left till completion and it''s already materializing... Hehe... It''s your husband!? AH HAHAHAHAHA. You''re about to get spanked by the call mark of your husband! Oh! Thanks for telling me how long I have! Bare and spank her ass for thirty seconds before destroying her avatar! Yeah, I''m sure it will. Netflix and chill is ruined tonight I bet. Yeah, Yeah. You said the same thing when I convinced you to eat KFC with me because I didn''t want to chow down in front of your drooling face. Whatever helps you sleep at night. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. It''s official. I''ve become a cannibal, sort of. It disturbs me a little that this is easier to hold down than octopus sushi. For a lot of different reasons, I''d like to see Usuway. Her sudden change of plans to play mama before snuffing her candle really has me thrown for a loop! ¡°All that she has said is verifiable. I am not capable of interpreting Origin''s intentions. That will be the task of my successor for another. Sorry, that ain''t going to last very long little buddy. This guy''s gonna look the most different after some beauty rest. Besides, even if someone was willing to give you the bippity boppity boo, what the hell would you possible even want to change, whiter teeth? ¡°As per the request of my new son, I will not sacrifice my spirit to raise all of yours but only exhaust my life spirit but before that, Wren I need to borrow you for a moment.¡± Usuway said. Never one to waste words before suicide, this one. It seems callous to feel this way but I can''t seem to pull any sympathy up for her this time. I get the distinct impression she wouldn''t want it even if I could. ¡°Tier I existence is purely mundane. Tier II existences have touched upon some supernatural potential or have managed to breach the upper limit of Tier I existence, like aesthetics, martial arts masters and novice magicians. Tier III existence is the starting point for those who have awakened the ability to store essence of one or more varieties. This leads to supernatural expressions and abilities. Tier IV existence is established when one creates an embodiment that has Tier V growth potential or becomes proficient in a manifestation that overcomes the mortal threshold, stimulating physical and spiritual growth to occur that surpasses what a mundane existence could survive containing. ¡°All creatures deemed supernatural existences are at least Tier IV. There are no natural births of Tier III existences outside of psionics and there are no natural births of Tier VI or higher after the first great cycle of an existence branch forms off of Origin. To be considered a Tier V existence, one must possess biological immortality, the ability to maintain their embodiment at minimal output indefinitely and the ability to reconstitute damage to the physical and spiritual body passively. Tier VI is a qualitative change, that once achieved, alleviates the need for most biological functions to survive. Essentially, a Tier VI existence doesn''t need to eat, drink, breath or sleep. ¡°Much of what lies beyond that is not allowed for me to share but I can share a few mile markers you can use to determine what tier of existence you are encountering. Tier VII existences can reconstitute their physical form from a single drop of blood or cluster of cells. Such existences strain the fabric of mundane existence and so therefore tend to reach out to mundane existence with avatars or briefly touch upon it from the safety of adjacent dimensions. Tier VIII existences such as the newly elevated Hiidan and other Director level beings are incapable of directly interacting with mundane existence unless severely weakened. Their presence in mundane existence would warp and destroy it locally. The only thing I can share about Tier IX existences is that an entire branch of mundane reality off of Origin may be considered one.¡± 41-Exploitations Back to the space between. Now where''s that oxygen mask? Ugh, this damn headache is just as bad as I remember. ¡°It is fortunate that you were able to reclaim your breathing device. The space between is the optimal place to process supernatural growth and development, as your spiritual progenitor has told you. It is also the only place where I have the ability to procure delivery services for you and allow you to access Origin''s learning protocol without leaving a trail that can be traced. ¡°Your son and god-daughter mean well but the enabling properties of the substance they used to reawaken your maelstrom born legacy was filled with impurities that time and bond sharing will not filter. Neither did you shed all the ill effects of soul eating. It is also not optimal to wait for the opportunity to acquire soma. The statistical anomaly that allowed you access to it is not probable to occur again so favorably. ¡°I would advise the delay of our original plan to acquire ambrosia and enlist the aid of a ''sin-eater'' to divest your soul of impurities. This will delay your return to Tier V existence status for some time but your foundation will be much more solid. Had I been aware of the ''potency'' that existed within your half-domain, I would have advised you to absorb that instead. The benefits of the course you have initiated by ''creating'' a second son may offset this deficit but there''s too much statistical interference to calculate it. I do not say this to belittle the sentiment of your choice. I am only attempting to re-calibrate the data. ¡°Procurement complete. The sin-eater will arrive shortly. After analyzing your current pain tolerance threshold, I would suggest taking three of the opioid tablets you possess. Chew them thoroughly before swallowing. Your metabolism and resistance have already increased markedly. It would be best to put your equipment away lest it be damaged or destroyed. Once they have arrived, remain as silent and still as possible. I would recommend that you close your eyes as well but the affect on your psyche is equal either way. Still, it might be best considering the minor lingering trauma would be lessened towards similarly appearing creatures in the future. Try to keep in mind that what is being done to you is a positive and beneficial thing.¡± ¡°I''m not okay with this... Is this necessary!?... Why aren''t you answering me!?¡± ¡°Apologies for the disconnection, Wren. I had to retract to preserve my integrity while you were undergoing your treatment.¡± BZ stated calmly. What about my integrity? It just got compromised to all shit and back! ¡°Why do you believe that, Wren? Oh, it left eggs in you. That wasn''t rape. It was an exchange of resources that you agreed to. Don''t worry, this is also a beneficial occurrence.¡± before I agree to your suggestions in the future.¡± ¡°Very well. The nodules that were propagating on your astral shell were a material commonly used in high tier soul forging. The propagation method of that material is a trade secret of the Infernal Host. All that is known about this method, outside of those who are entrusted to use it, is that condemned soul eaters are made into vessels for its production. Some soul forgers, in the past, have intentionally propagated it on themselves but it is something I would not recommend as it compromises the structural continuity of your astral shell. It does offer some advantages but those do not offset the deficits. ¡°As for the eggs that were exchanged for the material the sin-eater took, all fourteen of them are burgeoning Tier IV existences. Unlike many creatures who are compelled to desire procreation, sin-eaters find it undesirable unless their numbers fall below a certain amount. Despite the extraordinary amount of benefits such a creature provides those who enlist their services, few are willing to do so voluntarily. The only exception on record is the frequent use within certain regiments of the Abyssal Host due to a lack of natural resources in their domain. This leaves them little recourse to take when confronted with certain ailments endemic to Asura. ¡°One method that the sin-eaters have espoused to limit their numbers is offering their eggs as a nourishment to the few Tier III existences that have something worthwhile to trade for them. As a defense mechanism against extinction sin eaters have to engage in the act of procreation to release them, however, only Tier IV existences and higher have sperm potent enough to fertilize them. Much like sirens and harpies, they are an all female race that has the ability to procreate with male humanoid mammals from other races, yet only produce their own. In-¡± ¡°I do not take pleasure in correcting you but it is a dangerous misnomer to refer to the consumptive portion of your void as ''entropic''. It is neither random nor does it produce waste in the form of light and heat. Such an underlying ideology, if allowed to stand, could detrimentally affect its future effectiveness. Please understand that I value creative license in the daily usage of speech but this particular usage is hazardous. The function of the consumptive part of your void is in some ways comparable to a black hole but the underlying principles are far more fundamental to the great cycle of existence than a mere black hole can contend with. At a future date, when you are more receptive to additional information, I will explain it in more detail.¡± ¡° Your shell display will announce to others that you are a Creatriarch with a Soul Forge profession. I will utilize half the remaining SE accumulation to provide you access to a chimera class build comprised of information from Astral Architect, Celestial Mendicant and Eldritch Summoner. I find myself having difficulty comprehending why your spiritual progenitor instructed you to claim Soul Forge as a profession. I assume he wanted some way to connect to you and have something to guide you in. Since you already possess memories of it''s best feature for existences under Tier VI, model customization, allow me to create another chimera that will suit you better.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Damn dude. I feel like I just sat through a Price Is Right showcase. ¡°I recognize your level of exhaustion is not light but I have two more issues to address before releasing you. Please consume four eggs and allow me to divert their SE to myself. I need to provide you with a functional percentage of inner mind and spacial calculation assistance, otherwise the overlay of the information within your legacy and the influx of class and profession skills may become corrupted. The chance is not high but since it is an unnecessary risk with available resources, there is no reason to take it. I am dangerously close to disliking you right now, Buzz. Trust and believe, I know! Be damned if you''re gonna steal it from me after I shared it with you, little shithead. What kind of fresh hell is this!? Not my problem... Trying to convince myself that this is not my problem. Let''s just do what I''m best at. Ignore it and pretend I didn''t see anything. Damn it mouth. I thought we agreed we were gonna pretend that we saw nothing! Oh no... She''s starting to shake and then the waterworks are gonna come. I''m not equipped to handle this today. 42-Insight That evening was one of the best ones Wren could remember for quite some time. Aside from the occasional look of guilt and a teasing comment from Wren that had unintentionally triggered a moment of shame induced sadness, Jampa looked happier than Wren had ever seen him. Maybe it was the life of a monk or maybe it was due to the darker past of his friend but Wren noticed that Jampa seemed a great deal more comfortable in this new form of his than Wren had ever witnessed in either Rohn or Jaden. It was as if Jampa had long ago discovered and made peace with his ''inner demons''. Lilly was fairly glowing under the older man''s calm but absorbed attentiveness. Under Jampa''s gentle urging, Lilly revealed a great deal more of here childhood and the last three hellish years of her life than she had shared in the last iteration. Wren had to admit that Lilly was far more mature than most sixteen year old girls he met and it took some of the sting out of his guilt for not seeing a situation like this coming, that she was mentally grown enough to handle an adult relationship and even seemed ready and receptive to having one. Wren opined that her unstable life and the unreliable father and step father that had starred in it had perhaps quelled the teenage desire to run wild and party, instilling in her a desire for a stable supporter and devoted, loving partner instead. As she cried out her pain, Jampa held her strongly but after a few moments he invited Wren and Troy in to offer comfort as well, surprising Wren. Troy walked over and lightly punched her arm and said some bro-like things that oddly made Lilly laugh. Wren hugged her and reaffirmed his feelings of family to her before relinquishing her back over to Jampa. Empowered by the moment, and her own ''inner demons'', Lilly requested that Jampa and Wren hug and she wasn''t satisfied till she had conjoled the two to ''kiss and make up''. Jampa complied good-naturedly but Wren was tense which caused him to be poked fun at by Jampa before Wren retaliated with a sloppy and exaggerated kiss. A familiar flash of light let Wren know that Lilly''s magical smartphone had returned for revenge. After Troy made a half joking comment about being sad because he was feeling left out, Lilly imperiously declared that he was owed a kiss from each one of them for the over sight before giving him a quick but solid smack on the lips. Jampa followed, his eyes a little tight around the edges after seeing Lilly kiss but otherwise still the same old Jampa. After Wren kissed Troy, he pulled out a flask of peach tree liquor and took a swig. Troy said, looking a little hurt, ¡°What was that about?¡± Wren gave Troy a wry smile and said, ¡°Dude, you used tongue and I forgot to swab your mouth out earlier with a little void power so you have death breath.¡± Troy blushed furiously as Wren handed him the flask which turned into a pass around session till it was gone. ¡°I thought you couldn''t have stuff like this Brother Caterpillars?¡± Wren said teasingly. Jampa responded sagely, ¡°Since Lilly has insisted on taking me as her wife, I have officially become a secular Buddhist.¡± ¡°Her wife?¡± Wren and Troy said at the same time before looking at each other. Jampa nodded and said, ¡°I vowed over my mother''s grave marker that I''d not continue my father''s legacy. That I''d take no wife and be no husband. It''s more than sophistry. Any children we have shall bear her family name.¡± Lilly came up behind Jampa and snaked her arms around, eliciting a little embarrassment from Jampa, as she said, ¡°Do either of you see a problem with that?¡± Seeing how serious she was, Troy and Wren both gave quick negative replies. ¡°Well, in most places on this world, a person is considered an adult at sixteen. I personally think that''s a bit early but in your case, Lilly, it seems alright. If you''ll allow me to stand in for family, I''d like to say a few words,¡± Wren said. After Lilly agreed in curiosity and Jampa, in good-natured confusion, also consented, Wren said, ¡°Jampa, I know you call me Brother Small Prayer as an affectionate jest that I spent so much time with you at the temple I could be considered a half-monk but out of the world that I consciously rejected, you are the family I chose. I can''t easily say I see you as my brother because you''ve been more than that to me. There are times you felt like a father, other times a son but you are 100% the family I chose and I want to see you happy. ¡°Lilly, I know you haven''t had much chance to know me as you once did. I know that''s confusing but once, I suppose you could say in another life, we were very close. I can''t explain it better but I just want you to know that if there''s anything I can do to make your life better, that is not at the expense of another I care about, I''ll do it. It would be jarring for me to suddenly declare you my family but I do see you that way and over time I hope you can accept me as such. I admire your strength, that even in a situation like this you''ve taken your licks and moved on. Jampa is a peace loving man so it''ll be up to you to cherish and protect him. You''re a fighter, Lilly. Fight for your happiness and Jampa''s both.¡± Wren gave them the rings he had spent some time earlier in the day crafting and after the four of them shared and bonded some more it was time to call it a night. Wren whipped up a couple stuffed mattresses that weren''t pretty but all he could make with what was available and bid the couple a good night after warning them that the next day was game time so they should be well rested. ¡°We''re going to that place tomorrow, aren''t we?¡± Troy said after they were in the small room. Wren fidgeted around as he looked at the single mattress and said, ¡°Yes, and until Ephyra is dealt with, it''s going to be dangerous. Glaucous will need time to adjust after I awaken his memories. I also need to give Rohn and Jaden their inheritances. Things are probably going to get very complicated again if I don''t handle things well.¡± Troy looked at Wren sympathetically and said, ¡°Is there anything I can do to help? You know, aside from dealing with Ephyra. ¡°I don''t know how to face him, Troy. I don''t even want to but I have to. I want to be a coward and run away from it all,¡± Wren said on the verge of tears. ¡°How long did things go after I...¡± Troy said. Just above a whisper, Wren said, ¡°Three months, maybe more. He let all the residents of Seaside die from torture. The bastards sicked a world-eater on us. The whole world came after us. We had to kill innocent people. I became a soul eater. We became the monsters that the Observers and Balance Keepers accused us of being. ¡°So yes, there is something you can do for me. I need to... I want... Do you love me Troy? I don''t mean like you and me alone forever but I mean love me like a normal human being might love another?¡± Troy looked at Wren dumbfounded for a moment but right before Wren lost his nerve and bolted out of the room, Troy said, ¡°Yes. All this time I have. You shouldn''t even need to ask. I can''t be selfless like Little Gray or devoted like Jaden. I can''t be forceful and demanding like Rohn. I especially can''t be the weird combination of all those things that Glaucous is but I do love you. I''ve often thought that one day, after years had gone by, I''d be able to return to you and be those things without growing to resent you. ¡°I hope that you can understand that the very reason I can be honest to you like this is because of that love. Anyone else I''ve ever wanted, I''d do or say whatever I needed to get them. It''s an ugliness of my past you forced me to see. I still do but I''ve tried not to hurt feelings, to be truthful about what I''m willing to give but I''ve always went after what I wanted with no regrets...None except you.¡± *** Wren looked up into Troy''s eyes and saw a vulnerability there that was both familiar and foreign. He''d always hated how easy those soulful smoky jade eyes of Troy''s could get to him. In his most honest moments, Wren recognized that the reason why he was so hard on Troy was precisely because of those qualities about the young man that made it so easy to give in. Troy had something about him that was almost supernatural, in Wren''s mind, that evoked the desire to be desired, the want to be wanted. Wren said, ¡°Just once, I think I''d like that, before everything has a chance to go sideways. Just once, I''d like to hold or be held by someone that I love, that loves me, with no bonds, no ''sharing'' or imprinting. Ju-¡± With a calm, sure step, Troy strode to Wren and leaned in to claim his mouth. In a pace that was neither hesitant nor desperate, Troy undid Wren''s robe-like top and slid their pants down over their hips. They broke their kiss long enough to pull their boots off and for Troy to pull off his shirt before closing in on each other again. They stayed like that for awhile, running their hands over each other and kissing. Finally Troy pulled them apart and yanked down his jock strap, his eyes locked on to Wren''s. ¡°I hate how much I love your eyes,¡± Wren said. ¡°I hate how much I love the feel of you in my arms,¡± Troy said as he turned Wren around and drew Wren''s back into his chest. ¡°I hate how every small bit of affection I won from you made me feel better than any trophy or medal I''ve ever been awarded.¡± Troy began nibbling at Wren''s neck as his hands glided across Wren''s stomach before lodging themselves under the band of the shorter man''s underwear, earning a hitched intake of breath. Wren said shakily, ¡°I hate how much I''ve grown to like jockstraps.¡± ¡°I hate how sexy you look in a jockstrap, with your sweet bubble butt out on display. I''ve lost count of how many times I''ve gotten hard just thinking about it,¡± Troy whispered in Wren''s ear as he ground against him. ¡°I know it''s got to start to be uncomfortable for you but do one more thing for me before you take it off.¡± Wren started to feel embarrassed as Troy guided him down to his hands and knees. He could feel Troy staring at him as strong hands squeezed and kneaded his backside. A familiar fluttering began building in the pit of his stomach as Troy worked the jockstrap down and began sawing his ridged member between Wren''s cheeks, smashing them together over and around the hard heat. Troy stopped as he shivered a couple times, taking slow deep breaths as he said, ¡°Almost let it get away with me. Your ass is just so hot.¡± Wren almost whined as he said, ¡°Touch me, fuck me, just do something already. All this playing around is killing me.¡± Troy flipped Wren around and buried his face in Wren''s crotch as he said between nips at Wren''s tightly drawn sack, ¡°Half the fun is getting there.¡± Wren became hot and flushed as the fluttering turned into radiating pulses. Troy''s ability to bring Wren right to the edge before easing off was making him lose reason. As Troy was using Wren''s precum to to wet Wren''s twitching hole, BZ interrupted with, ¡°Formation of Lustitia is imminent.¡± Not wanting that, fearing what Lustitia would do to Troy, Wren started fighting the rise of sensation to say or do anything to stop Lustitia''s forming. Before he could fully formulate a course of action or word, Troy took Wren''s head into his mouth and ran his tongue around the flared edge. Wren felt his world shrink down to the pleasurable sensation, multiplying it vastly, as the half formed instinct fought back to be born. Wren knew the futility of fighting against himself in such a way so he implored his intuition for a compromise instead. Then thinking of a ''better yet'' idea, Wren appealed for a more powerful and inclusive thought form. An idea that resonated to all of himself. He entrusted himself to his intuition as his mind fogged over, lost in Troy''s ministrations.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. In what felt like moments, Wren came to as ghostly ribbons of angelic script and barbed chains of profane lettering faded away to reveal Troy within them. In turn, a fading image of a serpent dancing figure eights around seven points of light on Troy''s body also faded. Troy collapsed on top of him and for a brief moment Wren panicked, thinking he may have harmed his friend but Troy stirred to consciousness and clutched at Wren like he was afraid that he''d fall off the world. Troy said weakly, ¡°It''s going to be a long time before I have the balls to try to have sex with you again. I''m not even sure that''s what we did.¡± Sated, confused and exhausted, Wren let Troy fall asleep on him and closed his eyes. *** When Wren woke up to a knock at the door, he called out an affirmative that he was awake. Jampa called through the door that breakfast would be ready soon and could be heard chuckling before the sound became fainter. Wren ignored the faint protest of Troy as he pulled himself out from under his friend. Wren took a moment to admire Troy''s naked form unabashedly before waking him up, then asked, ¡°What did I do last night, Troy? Intuition kinda took the steering wheel there for awhile.¡± Troy looked blearily at him for a moment before saying, ¡°I can''t really say. One moment I was blowing you and the next it was all darkness and light. I felt like my whole being was all painful pleasure. I felt like I was fighting for survival in it all until I was too tired to fight then I thought I was dying but it felt so good I didn''t care. My most clear memory through the whole thing was this kind of knowing that there were four people in the room. There was me and you and there was also a you that wanted to pleasurably fuck me to death and another that was bring me so high I thought I would dissolve into perfect love. ¡°It was terrifying but at the same time it was the best I''ve ever felt. No worries though. Like I said, it will be a long time before I have the balls to try to have sex with you again. It was just waaay too much. ¡°I didn''t go through all that without anything to show for it though. On the last run, I struggled trying to awaken a manifestation. In case you don''t kno-¡± Wren said dryly, ¡°I know what they are, a little too well.¡± Troy looked irritated for a moment as he continued, ¡°Well, you could have told me. I wasted a lot of AP trying to figure out how to break into Tier IV before I figured it out... But what was I saying... I finally pieced together something called the ''Song of Bliss'' and the ''Song of Little Deaths'' and broke into Tier IV but both manifestations didn''t have much growth potential and they were only really good for one thing. When I thought I was dying last night, I kinda turned to Tantric meditation as a last resort. I was just thinking that if you were ''accidentally'' killing me with sex I might find an answer there. I was right and wrong. At the moment when I finally gave up and just thought, ''Well, if this is how I die it''s not a bad way to go,'' I felt something happen. ¡°Do you know anything about Kundalini?... Okay, so there''s this energy that...Alright, essentially I woke up some kind of force inside myself and even though I always thought it was just sex stuff, I was so wrong. Okay, so you can get harsh on me if you want but even if you count mental age, I''m still only like 21 or so. What do you expect me to be thinking about?... Anyway, this is the first morning I''ve woken up since I was like fifteen and didn''t have a boner but it''s cool because I just know that what I tapped into last night was used up. I gotta recharge. So I''ve done some wild stuff but you really took it out of me... Where are you going?¡± Wren finally got the gist of it and seeing that Troy was alright he wanted some space and privacy to collect his thoughts. As he walked out and closed the door behind him he muttered in a low voice to Jampa and Lilly that he was going to use their room for meditation for a little bit and if Troy came out looking to say that he was somewhere else but not to let him leave the safe-zone. Then he darted into their side and closed the door. The smell in the room was more than a little distracting but he didn''t really care that much. Wren said, ¡°Buzz, fill me in.¡± BZ responded, ¡°Congratulations on awakening an evolving concept, first manifestation. It''s quite compatible with the Mandala of Nameless Transformations I have given you to build your reality structure with. I know you would have preferred to awaken a manifestation that would have granted you a usable tulpa but this is close to conceivable best case scenario. I now advise you to obtain many different sprites to give to your void.¡± Wren said with a frustrated voice, ¡°Alright, but what does it do?¡± BZ replied, ¡°I am unable to answer what you have not analyzed unless it is already within my directories. There are numberless permutations of manifestations. Even within the same named groups there are subtle differences. If you require a basis for comparison as the SYSTEM provides, I would say it possesses an approximate eightieth percentile comparison to the base model for Impermanence. The most obvious deviance is your manifestation''s ability to provide inspiration during intimate acts but without more data I cannot say whether that is a coincidence or part of it''s ability. ¡°Your own method of discovery and insight seem to revolve around the concept of identifying potential extremes and grounding yourself at their theoretical fulcrum for observations. I see no particular reason to advise alternative research and analysis methods. If you desire to know more, I would suggest you do as you told your friends you would. Meditate on it. I have limited capacity to offer guidance on intuitive processes.¡± Wren attempted to do just that. It was difficult to sink into meditative state knowing there were time limits to consider along with worries that were plaguing him. After a couple of times trying he finally managed to use his mandala training to achieve half-state. His intuition pieced together an image for him to work with but was oddly silent on insight, as if even it wasn''t certain what it had helped to create. Wren stared in fascination at the image of his manifestation. An angelic being and a demonic one were crouched with their backs facing one another, both wingless. The angel was shackled to the demon with barbed chains, one hand raised to the sky while the other was digging fingers into the demon''s left pectoral. It''s face contained a look that could be ecstasy or despair, as it wept black tears. The demon was bound to the angel with silk ribbons, one hand stretched out towards the ground while the other covered the angel''s genitals. It''s face contained a look that could either be compassion or contempt, as it wept crystalline tears. As Wren observed them, he felt a sense of being observed in return. Even though he was in mindscape, over the time he had observed, it had taken on a sense of reality. The bent knees of one side formed a chair, perhaps one could even consider it a throne and out of picante, Wren sat in it. Contradictory yet complimentary feeling built up within him as celestial script and profane sigils flared to life on the ribbons and chains. The joint thighs that he sat upon gave the sensation of flesh and bone, of being alive. It was no wonder his intuition felt at a loss. The concept that this structure represented was so far beyond him that he couldn''t fathom more than a few aspects at a time. Whatever his intuition had done to form this, it hadn''t done it alone and it disquieted him what the price of that aid may be. Buzz was wrong this time. This manifestation isn''t evolving, I just can''t access all of it yet. I might never be able to. I even feel like its more of a channeling than a self made thing. A vastly superior duality is bound into subservience to me and the only thing that keeps it from ripping me apart is that it doesn''t care. On the contrary, it feels pleased to have an outlet to express itself. This is a test. Give the child a ring of endless wishes and see if he will destroy himself or rise to be worthy of such a thing. Luckily for me, it isn''t all at once. I''m getting a fighting chance of survival by it limiting itself for my sake. There''s a warning in here too. As it becomes more me, I become more, whatever it is. They are bound and tempted by each other but I will become bound and tempted by both. Wren finished up and joined Lilly and Jampa for breakfast. Troy joined them minutes later looking a bit irritated at Wren for pulling a vanishing act. Wren began, ¡°I had hoped that a certain quirk of mine would have popped up before this morning but it hasn''t. That mean''s I can''t use leylines to get us to our destination for free. Luckily there is a dangerous thing out in the woods right now that''s just started becoming a problem. Listen to me carefully. Lilly, I know you''ve picked up some pretty formidable fighting skills and a bit of element and nature manipulation but the only thing in your repertoire that could hurt these things is fire and fire is a no. Using fire could get us all killed. ¡°Jampa, the silver portion of your purification flames won''t count. Before you say anything, understand that what we''ll be chasing down isn''t natural. It''s an abomination that destroys natural order. You could say it''s the responsibility that comes with your power to help deal with it. ¡°Troy, I''ll be needing you to exercise your finding power. I know you don''t have the blessing that granted it to you anymore but here''s the thing. That blessing only awakened what was already in you, with the help of what a certain lady taught you, you should be able to bring up an echo of it, which is all we need. Once we find a part of it, the rest will come looking for us. ¡°The only catch to all this is that it might not be there yet. If that ends up being the case we''ll have to go to the river and see if I can get a certain person''s attention or go to the only entrance to an underground place and hope for the best. Troy, lets get searching. Lilly, you and Jampa keep your eyes peeled for little black dots at the lock-box area. If they start jumping on you and Jampa''s flame power gets too weak, don''t hesitate to jump back in to the safe-zone.¡± Despite Jampa''s unease he joined everyone in acceptance of Wren''s plan as the four took to their tasks... An hour and a half in with no sign that Troy was going to pick up anything and with Wren''s exaggerated usage of Spectral Transportation having his tank dangerously close to not being able to get them back to Lilly and Jampa, Wren called it quits. On the way back Wren lamented how small oversights can lead to big problems when Troy latched on to Wren''s arm and flung him off the transport which in turn caused Troy to be flung from it as it suddenly stopped. Off to the side, flashing through the trees was a dark figure who had just threw out a few darts at Wren that missed due to Troy''s actions. For a brief moment a wild hope flared through Wren that it might be Grimalkin before Little Sprite''s information and the realization that the figure was a little too big brought that hope crashing to the ground. Little black dots rained down and peppered the ground as the figure shimmied up to the top of a tree to observe. Trying to be as innocuous as possible, Wren allowed a couple of the black dots to jump on him as he used void power to eat the ones that went after Troy. Locking on to the figure above, Wren got a strange sense of familiarity. ¡°Is that you Sable?¡± Wren said, not completely sure. The figure above, froze and in a moment of carelessness, slipped from the branch he was standing on but corrected himself. He cushioned his descent off other branches before landing squarely on the ground. ¡°How do you know that name? It doesn''t matter. Now that we are all marked, the blood slimes will come to claim us.¡± The figure said. Troy hobbled over, scratched and bruised from shoulders to socks, looking like he was ready to murder the stranger who Wren was almost certain to be Sable. ¡°I know because the son you were supposed to have with the one who gave you that name was my lover.¡± Wrens said steadily, motioning for Troy to stand down as he healed his friend. ¡°Say whatever absurdities you like. We are all marked to die and there is no harm in it. I even feel a sense of peace at hearing that name before the end. I think I will indulge in this fantasy of yours. Tell me more,¡± Sable said. Wren said, ¡°Sure thing but do you mind if we walk and talk. There''s a place I''d rather meet this thing than here. Since you are all set for death surely you wouldn''t mind me choosing the venue?¡± Sable nodded, removing his hood before he said, ¡°Certainly, though I know not how far I will make it before paralysis sets in.¡± ¡°Not a problem. I have an ability that will let you laze around while Troy and I do the walking. Where I wish to reach isn''t far,¡± Said Wren, letting the man climb on to Spectral Transport before continuing, ¡°Grimalkin was known as Shadow 11-14 before we met. He, you and another guy were sent to test how much protection the Riverson was affording me. After discovering that your Guardian was very much intent on my protection, drowning your son and bloodying the other fellow, the two of you were set on leaving with his body. I stopped you and resuscitated Grimalkin. Under the guise of not wanting to draw the Riverson''s wrath back upon your house, you left him in my care...¡± Wren went on with the story as they approached the lock-box area. Wren kept just enough of the nerotoxin cleared from Sable''s system for the man to be able to continue asking questions. When Wren had reached the part of the story about how Grimalkin volunteered himself to be the ''mother'' of their child, both Wren and Sable''s voice were thick with emotion. Moments later, when Wren told Sable about the pregnancy of Jhessa, the stern man broke into tears. After Wren finished the story at the part where everyone was separated, conveniently skipping the sorted details of survival, Wren briefly described his time on Earth and how, even under the delusion of Orison, he had felt Grimalkin''s presence once. Joining the man in tears, Wren described how he could feel that the red string that once bound them had attached to another and Wren''s desire for Grimalkin to be happy had overcome the desire for reunion because until his enemies were dead or neutralized he would not risk Grimalkin or his son to be drawn back in to his battle. ¡°What a bitter-sweet dream to die with. A pity it cannot be made real now,¡± Sable opined. Wren replied, ¡°If what you refer to is the restoration of your manhood to make a child outside of the grips of Grimshadow, why not?¡± Sable said, ¡°We are not going to survive Black Tide. Ancestor Aaron empowered honored Ephyra''s curse weaving himself. Only the chosen within House Grimshadow will survive. I am surprised we have not been taken yet.¡± Wait, what!? Looks like this problem is a lot more complicated than I thought. Aren''t they usually, though. Wren said darkly, ¡°Leaving aside the fact I have been, um, neutralizing the smaller clumps as they come, we are about to meet up with two friends who can help with the rest.¡± I just hope that tackling this problem two months earlier means there''s a hell of a lot less to deal with. That, and I hope this ends soon. The skies are starting to look mighty ominous. 43-A Little Understanding ¡°To the safe-zone! Get the hell to the safe-zone!¡± Wren yelled at Jampa and Lilly as he came rushing into view. The sizable pond of black goo didn''t seem to be moving fast but with every receding and lapping, it would gain another half foot on Troy And Wren as they were booking near breathless. It was only about five yards away as the group reached the edge of the safe-zone. Upon realizing that Sable slid right off the transport, pushed by an invisible force, Wren turned around and sent his full void power at the advancing line. In the small pause of advancement after a bathtub chunk disappeared, Wren sent Sable to his middle void and stepped over the line. What greeted him was an immediate warning from the safe-zone that they would have 30 seconds to vacate the safe-zone before they were ejected for ''using guerrilla tactics involving save-zone resources.'' Apparently this was only acceptable in invasion scenarios. Wren started taking tub chunks out of it as fast as he could while he had Jampa start roasting it. When there was less than ten seconds to spare he had everyone run to the other side of the safe-zone, getting ejected the last few feet abruptly. Wren got the sense that if he had been much further in he would have been hurled, possibly lethally. In the brief respite, he had the three put distance between themselves and him as he started walking around the edge of the safe-zone to reach the pond of goo which was being stalled attempting to approach its target in a direct manner. Time after time, Wren was nearly and even partially engulfed in either the goo or Jampa''s silver fire but he firmly insisted on being blasted if he got covered, preferring minor burns over corrosive wounds. By the time Wren had led the pond of goo on a goose chase for enough time to make a lap and a half around the quarter-mile safe-zone, he was in critical condition before he had managed to consume enough LE and tipped his SE over a critical juncture, unlocking imbue. Dashing inside the safe-zone he received a 10 second warning which was just enough time to summon his eldritch creature, ugly little ball of changing crazy it was, and Spectral Transport. Using his summon as a shield he glided past the goo and placed void imbue on ''ugly ball'' then turned it loose. Every now and then he''d scoop another wad of goo up with void as his creature occasionally became overwhelmed. Other than that, he was focusing on healing back up with Jampa hitting it from the sides now and again as his power charged up enough for another flare. Wren had used up the last of his AE and was starting to get over usage sick when the greatly reduced slime did a last moment jump attempt to engulf him. The summon creature had been dismissed moments before as Wren inched dangerously close to the point where he would have been EE crippled to keep it out any longer. With no more cards to draw on, Wren waited to die. A rippling wave of purifying force hit the creature, knocking it back just long enough for another lick of silver flame to wash over it. The last bit of quivering mass was finished off by Wren who looked over his shoulder to see the fading overlay of a snake slithering around seven points of light, made even more mysterious under the dark skies and heavy rain. ¡°Guess that makes Troy the last minute MVP,¡± Wren said relieved and irritated in equal parts. Troy looked at Wren apologetically and said, ¡°It took me awhile to figure out how to channel purifying ritual through my manifestation. It''s not as if I can sing or dance when I''m running for my life and out of breath.¡± Wren replied, ¡°Sorry, I didn''t mean to accuse you of anything. Thanks for saving my ass, man. You too, Jampa.¡± Jampa looked up from where he was crouched, holding his knees and nodded as Troy said with a smirk, ¡°Couldn''t let anything happen to your ass. It''s your best feature.¡±
SYSTEM notice: Any additional attempts to use safe-zone resources for flanking and guerrilla tactics at SZ 11 will result in a ban from future SZ 11 visits. This is at the owner''s request.
Yeah, well. The owner of SZ 11 can kiss my barely tanned ass!... Why aren''t we getting AP for that? Oh, yeah. Damn, this SYSTEM thing is sensitive. Wren brought Sable out from his middle void and cleared the black dots off the man. ¡°Okay, Sable. Black tide is kaput aside from the two dots I''m leaving on myself to draw in stragglers. I believe that''s a pretty damn good show of faith that when I say something can be done, it can be done! I just gotta rest up a bit before I go to work on showing you some more proof. You think you can go ahead and swear off your House since they''ve wrote you off for dead anyway?... Think of it like this. If I can''t pull through on my promise, you can always dart off later and claim you were spying on me to report all the juicy things you''ve learned,¡± Wren said. Sable replied, ¡°... You could have left me to die. You''ve shared secrets that would best be left that way and you make me promises that strike at the core of me. I''ve given my house it''s death tithe. It cannot be blamed on me, that I still live or that their Black Tide has failed. I agree to serve you then. ¡°Even if you cannot fulfill your promise, I am no longer young and far from the blind man they made me to be. I do not yet fully believe you but I do believe you are a man worth dying for or with, at least the best I have to choose from. If I return I would only be killed anyway,¡± Sable ended in a coughing chuckle. After waiting around for a half hour with no more black slimes showing up, filled with Lilly''s lecturing on how stupid he was, Wren consumed the last two dots.
Notice of Reward: 1000 AP and +1 reputation with Tethyr Guardian Alliance sub-group
Guess it hadn''t gotten up to enough mischief to attract more attention yet. Wren thought hard about it for a minute before he filed a report about an unknown gloaming fae by the name of Aaron being behind the incident. He figured that it might be handy in the future to have a scapegoat. What he didn''t expect was that a breathless young woman would step from the obelisk and hand him a ball with Tethyr Guardian Alliance stamp on it. The unknown woman said, ¡°If ever you encounter Aaron, strike him with this and say ''apprehend.'' If you are successful and still alive, bring him to the nearest obelisk and turn him in. We will not issue you another if you fail to succeed in this one attempt but he has evaded capture for a long time and SYSTEM observations are unhelpful in locating him. Due to an agreement with Usuway Umberdown and her late husband, we aren''t allowed to maintain a presence in or even interact with Under City inhabitants. You can imagine our frustration. He is a world level criminal and no matter how hard we have tried, we can''t get it pushed higher. No bounty hunter group will go out of their way to pursue a Tier VI existence that only possesses a world level bounty.¡± ¡°Well, imagine his surprise and our death if he''s observing this safe-zone right now,¡± Wren said. The unknown woman said, ¡°Oh, right! Of course. I''ll be on my way then,¡± before going back to the obelisk and disappearing. Sable said, ¡°Aren''t I an Under City inhabitant?¡± Wren replied, ¡°I think you are considered my allowed native cohort. That kinda muddles the legalities some, I''m sure... Alright everybody, buy what you want, the traveling''s on me.¡± Lilly and Troy''s eyes lit up like kids at Christmas as they quickly started pawing at screens only they could see. It made it a lot easier to slip in a request for them to relinquish their shares of LE and EE recovery over to him. When Wren found out that purifying flames cost Jampa LE to use, making Jampa the only other person in the group to have an LE tank, he insisted that Jampa use the recovery for himself. After resting and soaking recovery for a half-hour, Wren bought himself another set of ever-clean caster-wear for 250, 200 worth of useful items and Sable a Tier III rogue starter kit for 500, he led everyone over to the Under City obelisk and dropped 50 AP to finish off his spending. He was taken off guard by a trap mechanism within the ley line that would have killed them the same way that lieutenant guy had died but a quick use of void power shredded the small curse before it knocked them into solid bedrock. Moments later they were standing in the nostalgic Riverside Pavillion. It felt like an eternity to Wren since the last time he had stood here. Taking it for uninhabited, Wren began walking to the water''s edge as a spear tip rested against the side of his neck from a blind spot caused by the corner of the pavilion. A whispered voice said, ¡°Don''t move or speak. I''ve summoned my father and as long as you cooperate no one will be harmed if you mean none.¡± Wren said contritely, ¡°Sorry, Jaden. I didn''t mean to startle anyone. There''s just not any easy ways to get here that don''t bring me under the nose of Grimshadow.¡± Jaden''s confidence took a small dip, along with his spear tip as he said, ¡°Do I know you?¡± Wren said, ¡°Not yet but you will. I... I hope to be friends.¡± Jaden replied, ¡°W-well, we shall see after father has spoken wi-,¡± A familiar and shiver inducing, deep voice interrupted with, ¡°Are you the one that the young woman who felt like family spoke of? Wren, is it?¡± Wren looked at his feet, not ready to meet Glaucous''s eyes as he said, ¡°Yes.¡± Glaucous continued, ¡°She promised me you hold many answers and to ensure that Ephyra was occupied on this day. I will humor her and speak with you in priva-¡± Glaucous suddenly spun from Wren to approach Jampa and said, ¡°You bear the power of my sister-in-law and a strong resemblance of my brother... What trickery is this?¡± Jampa met Glaucous'' eyes serenely as he said, ¡°It is not. I am, if all accounts are to be believed, Usuway''s son. Beyond that I know no more of what you speak.¡± Glaucous gazed at Jampa conflicted for a time before finally saying, ¡°Jaden, see to our guest''s comfort. I will speak with Wren for a time before returning.¡± The crisply given order knocked Jaden out of his own conflicted staring at Wren as he moved to obey. ¡°I carry an inheritance of power for Jaden and Eldest Rohn. Since we may be engaged in important conversations for some time, I''d like to discharge those duties before then if possible,¡± Wren said, worried that if this was to be the only day of peace without Ephyra''s potential spying, he''d like it to get done with as much time for adjustment as possible. Glaucous narrowed his eyes at Wren before he said, ¡°You presume much but I will humor this. Know your death will not be swift or merciful if your actions cause harm to my son or besmirch my duty.¡± Rohn''s potential death only counts as besmirching your duty? Judging by Jaden''s sudden joyful face, I get the impression that may be the most fatherly statement you have ever made involving him. A sudden wash of water later and a confused Rohn stood before them, predictably in a state of nakedness. Wren had almost forgotten how much this culture valued ''natural attire'' in down-time. He was also reminded of how seriously in awe these people were of Glaucous as Rohn quickly knelt down and requested to know how he could be of service to the Guardian. ¡°Rise. This visitor comes bearing gifts of power for you and my son. You will receive it first,¡± Glaucous said blandly. Wow. Read that loud and clear... Suspicious dude just showed up with ''gifts.'' I''m going to use you as a guinea pig and if it all looks good then I''ll let him have a crack at my son. Wren could almost read the plea to mean no harm as Rohn looked at Wren shakily for a half-second before responding clearly, ¡°It is Suncave''s honor to serve you, Guardian.¡± Wren walked over to Rohn. As he reached inside himself to draw forth the inheritance he held, Wren noticed that the powers had become a bit intermingled. Fortunately they weren''t stuck together, Wren had a feeling that suddenly declaring that only one of them could receive it wouldn''t carry well. Wren drew forth the filigree 6 that now contained a bit of silver in its eye and placed it over Rohn''s heart. As it sunk in, black flames tinged with silver outline burst out of Rohn''s body. It didn''t look pleasant but the man bore it with resilience and bravery as black tracery etched itself into Rohn''s skin. Wren thought that if his body suddenly burst into flame he''d at least scream whether it hurt or not. Glaucous examined Rohn for a moment before he asked, ¡°How do you feel?¡± Rohn responded eagerly, ¡°I feel amazing. I feel strengthened and renewed!¡± He stopped to look at Wren in wonder and curiosity before he continued, ¡°I''d like to invite this young man to join me at his nearest available time to show my gratitude for this gift.¡± Glaucous said, ¡°If there is aught left of time... or him, when I have finished, I see no harm in it.¡± Though he seemed reluctant to depart, Rohn had little choice as Glaucous dismissed him with a spout of water. ¡°You have witnessed, son. It is your choice.¡± Glaucous continued blandly. ¡°If I may ask, Wren. Does this inheritance have anything to do with the markings on myself? They seem familiar to what appeared on brother Rohn''s body.¡± Jaden asked.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Wren nodded and said, ¡°Very much so. It is possible for you to awaken this power on your own with growth, unlike Rohn, who never would have without the assistance of this inheritance. I suppose you could consider it a catalyst to rouse and enhance what is already partially awakened within you.¡± Because I learned my lesson. Don''t fuck with people''s fate unless it''s reaaaally important. ¡°It seems only beneficial but why do you do this? Why do you give such gifts?¡± Jaden asked warily. Why the stiff back, man? I don''t remember you acting this cold before but then again you were smitten with Lilly at the time and well, that don''t look like it''s gonna happen this time around. Wren met Jaden''s intense eyes and answered sincerely, ¡°I carry the debt and sentiments of many lives within me, Jaden. I only hope to carry those blessings I can and stave off what harms and ills I may to those who own that debt and my sentiment.¡± Jaden''s skin marbled in a sudden chill, then answered, ¡°Some things are unavoidable,¡± as he nodded in acceptance, allowing Wren to repeat the process Rohn had just undergone. Glaucous didn''t even wait for Jaden to finish before snatching Wren up, briefly pausing due to a static shock passing between them. He looked at Wren confusedly for a moment before taking them both into his realm. The next three days were hell. In the first half day, Wren nearly died many times from Glaucous'' rage and denial. Another full day passed with Glaucous in a fog of confusion and frustration as Wren tried but failed over and over again to help Glaucous fill in the blanks. This period were filled with violent outbursts that left Wren in agony, moments of contrition and sorrow that left Wren trying awkwardly to console the emotionally unstable demigod and politely fending off amorous intentions that Wren doubted he would survive if he gave in to. The last day was the most worrisome to Wren as Glaucous fell into a state of catatonia. Seeing the big man before him sit, unresponsive hour after hour like that, unnerved Wren far worse than the rage and destructive desire combined. When Glaucous finally came to, he was a ghost of himself for a time. Ignoring Wren''s presence, he paced and mumbled to himself as the blue color of his skin darkened into a swarthy velvet. Wren could see the pieces of a complex puzzle resolve themselves for Glaucous. Aaron and Ephyra, words spoken to him by his grandfather and grandmother and many other things that Wren had no reference to spilled past Glaucous'' muttering lips. Wren, exhausted from the physical and emotional burden of the past three days, passed out. As Wren awoke, he found himself enfolded and nearly lost within the embrace of Glaucous. Despite their nakedness there wasn''t a shred of sexual tension, just the feeling of two weary souls finding some peace in nearness. As Wren stirred, Glaucous kissed the top of Wren''s head and released him. Vague memories of being half awakened to be fed a thick and viscous liquid from a large, warm yet pliant bottle had Wren looking at Glaucous a little strangely. Wren remembered from other times, however, there was no better elixir for quick recovery than Glaucous'' ''life water.'' Instead of getting up, Wren turned around and nestled his head into Glaucous'' chest as he spoke softly, ¡°Before this moment passes and we have to face all of this again, I have a personal question I''d like to ask. Were you in love with your brother?¡± Glaucous'' body tensed as he replied warily, ¡°No other man could claim to love his brother more than I.¡± Wren''s arm tightened around Glaucous as he said, ¡°I have no doubts of that truth... Glaucous, just this once, allow yourself to grieve his passing with someone who understands and doesn''t judge. Love doesn''t always follow the courses that others might accept. That doesn''t invalidate it or make it a thing worthy of contempt. Grieve him properly so you can move on. He would want that for you.¡± Why else would a free spirit like you shackle himself for nearly 800 years to a group of people who''s very ideals differ so far from your own. Why else would a being allow themselves to be plagued and parasitized horrendously and swallow it down. Brotherly love might account but I believed there had to be more to it than that... This poor guy has carried his forbidden torch for so long and no one realized or maybe cared if they did. Glaucous'' embrace tightened to painful proportions but Wren didn''t say a word as the big man silently cried, an occasional shudder wracking his frame. As he stroked Glaucous'' back, adding the barest wisp of LE, he felt his manifestation boosted intuition offer him a solution to the big man''s grief and to removing the generational curse Glaucous once again carried. So that it was fair, Wren allowed his consciousness to rest as his intuition took control. Wren came to and like before, he saw the ghostly fading of angelic ribbons and profane barbed chains. When Glaucous opened his eyes he latched on to Wren, kissing and caressing him which Wren offered in turn. There was no potency to be raised in the wake of the spiritual and emotional healing, however, and Wren informed Glaucous that whatever he experienced during that time was for him alone. Wren neither wanted nor needed to know. When Glaucous and Wren returned to Riverside Pavillion a sight greeted them that neither expected. There were ribbons and streamers. Tables were laid out with faint preservation enchantments laid upon them to keep the banquet fresh. Moments later Wren''s friends and the upper echelon of Suncave were there. Ephyra was positioned on her pearlescent rock, dressed in diaphanous finery as Troy caught Wren''s eyes for a moment to give a warning look. Jaden looked happy and forlorn in equal measure. Everyone else was varying degrees of cheerful and confused. Rohn was holding an affectionate, vastly recovered and beautiful looking Imani in his arms which made Wren do a double take that quickly dipped into him feeling sorry for himself. So there''s a huge misunderstanding but I''m supposed to let it slide and the ''ripples'' fuck me out of having Imani by my side again by sticking her to Rohn!. It''s more of an irritation than anything else as I hardly know the lady but still, I can''t help but feel the sting. If Usuway is to be believed this woman was meant for me, my perfect compliment or some such. Is everyone I love or am supposed to love going to be taken away? Ephyra chimed, ¡°Three passionate nights and days yet none the worse for wear. I am surprised to see that you have shaken off your grandfather''s mantle in favor of a deeper and richer heritage but I am happy for you god-grandson. You have truly chosen a gem among the mortal dross to take as consort this time. I-¡± she paused in shock for a moment before continuing in awe and bursting into graceful tears, ¡°You have managed to remove the generational curse. I-if only your grandfather had found a way. We had tried so many, done so... I feel like all the sacrifices have found some meaning. How much of this is your doing, young man? You may not know me but I would like to reward you generously for your efforts.¡± Glaucous was looking at Wren signifying his desire for Wren to take the lead in this. Apparently, it was one thing to pretend like everything was as it seemed to be but quite another to interact directly with Ephyra. Wren was starting to have a sinking feeling that if he dug just a little deeper into all of this, he may find that he had previously condemned a woman who was just as much a victim, in turn, as those who had been affected by her. Despite the inherent danger, Wren didn''t feel like playing out a farce that would have who knows how many twisting consequences. Wren said evenly, ¡°I will only ask this once, a question I did not know to ask and may have done a great wrong because of it. Honesty may be a saving grace. What is your relationship with the gloaming fae Aaron?¡± Ephyra''s countenance transformed from joyous to cold in an instant as she dashed towards Wren. If Glaucous had not moved to intercept her Wren had no doubts he would have been a dead man. This supreme distraction gave Troy the moment he had been waiting for as he levelly intoned, ¡°I call upon your true name, *****, to not use any power lest you be given permission by me for a day and night, to speak only truth for a day and night and to relinquish your stolen divinity when demanded by me to whom I demand it within a day and night. I so strengthen these commands by forgetting your true name as sacrifice.¡± Ephyra stopped in her tracks to look at Troy as if he were some kind of monster as she said, ¡°I knew that Aaron would cast me aside once he had acquired his goals, hoped on it. I thought I had more time before that day came.¡± Wren spoke up, ¡°If you stop trying to inch your way towards Troy, I will promise you what mercy can be granted, even if that is a swift and painless death. This is your chance to unburden yourself. Use it.¡± The crowd was stunned into silence by the turn of events. Suncave band warriors were about to rush towards Troy before Glaucous warned them still with a glance. ¡°Where do you wish for me to begin?¡± Ephyra said with a defeated look but a quick warning from Wren kept all parties wary of her. ¡°A person is entitled to their secrets. Glaucous will want to know of your involvement and the reasons behind his grandmother and grandfather''s death. I am only interested in your involvement with Aaron and what you know of his plans... Troy, grant her the ability to secure this area from prying eyes,¡± Wren said grimly. Troy carefully intoned a command that left little room for deception and Ephyra complied, gratefully even, before she said, ¡°Glaucous, as you know, your grandfather and I were fugitives from Earth. I was trying to save him from the generational curse that disallowed him to procreate without weakening and eventually killing his lovers. At that time, he only allowed himself to see me as a friend. I was only a Tier IV existence when we became friends...¡± Ephyra went on through great lengths about her and Glaucous'' grandfather''s sorted past and family matters that had no bearing on Wren so he tuned it out until it came to how Glaucous'' grandfather died. He had pined to death for the harm he had done his wife to make their daughter and could finally bear it no more once their grandchildren had been born, relinquishing the divinity that he had built up to Ephyra so that she might watch over and protect them. Then Ephyra launched into the part that Wren had wanted to know. In her grief, she wanted another chance to rekindle her love''s legacy and find a cure to the curse. To do so, she made a few unsavory but forgivable deals with a few darker demigods that resided on this world to access information on curses and entities that might have the answers and power she needed to accomplish her goals. It was her success in finding such an entity that led to everything going pear shaped. Aaron convinced Ephyra to spawn three batches of children with him to observe some details and gauge how much the divine legacy could influence her children. After these observations, Aaron determined that it would require direct blood relation to accomplish Ephyra''s goal. Ephyra introduced Aaron to Glaucous'' mother. In the beginning, Ephyra was still to be the vessel, only some of Glaucous'' mother''s blood was to be used, along with a bit of her power but Aaron worked a separate deal out with Glaucous'' mother directly. Using his power he could ensure Glaucous'' mother three children. One would be the legacy that Ephyra sought. One would be her own and one would be his. He knew little of love and made no efforts to hide it but he did make promises to guide and give opportunities to their children. In such a way was a loveless union struck. One that bore the three promised children. Thus began a convoluted tale of betrayal that concluded when Aaron sought to use the invasion as an opportunity to divest this world of resources without being discovered and all he had done here was merely one of many preparations he had made to accomplish that goal. In the end he was tripped up by Usuway and was forced to flee but not before blackmailing Ephyra, using her children as hostages to begin preparing for the next chance. The Black Tide was meant to be a distraction. The god killer curses were meant to be more leverage but Ephyra wholeheartedly believed that Aaron could care less what the consequences were here. Grimshadow was chosen because his legacy was the strongest there, no more nor less. As for Ephyra''s plans for Jaden, they were only half formed but upon seeing that Glaucous appeared to have been hidden too well underneath his grandfather''s mantle and had stagnated in growth, Ephyra had become content with indulging Glaucous and allowing him to live as he wished. All in all it came down to Ephyra trying to find a balance between keeping Aaron satisfied, caring for her daughters and finding meaning for her own life in spoiling her god-grandson and attempting to ensure the continuance of her beloved''s legacy. In Wren''s mind she was still a terrible person but she was far from the monster he had originally thought she was, man eating aside. Certainly not a person who deserved oblivion, death maybe depending on who was asked. Ephyra even suggested herself to grant her divinity to Glaucous. She wanted him to have it. She wanted him to become the man her beloved had once hoped to be. A creature of water she may be but a creature of life she was not and the power had suppressed her own growth this whole time. After she divested her power to Glaucous, Wren surprised everyone by exercising his power and a bit of borrowed life spirit from Glaucous, to begin her body and spirit''s recovery. During which, Wren wrung an oath from her that as long as they did what they could to save her daughters, she could not betray them to Aaron and would do what she could to help them fight Aaron if it came down to it. Finally she was to subordinate herself fully to Glaucous and have no more traffic with her schemes, though she could offer advise freely as long as she was clear on the motivations behind them. Wren cleared up the misunderstanding behind Glaucous'' and his relationship. He grudgingly gave his best regards to Rohn and Imani, who insisted on meeting him in private when he had the opportunity. He finished off by rededicating the feast to a joint celebration of Jampa finding kin after explaining his lineage to the Matron, and love in all its complicated expressions, giving a sympathetic look towards Glaucous and Ephyra. ¡°Ephyra may I borrow your ear for a moment,¡± Wren said. She replied, ¡°If my convalescent company does not bore you, then yes.¡± Wren took a chair opposite Ephyra''s reclining form and began, ¡°How much time do we have before Aaron is going to check in again?¡± Ephyra''s lips pursed before she said, ¡°About two months. He wished to see how much the Black Tide had grown and direct it to his first target.¡± Wren let out a deep breath and said, ¡°Good. We have plenty of time to address other concerns and catch our breath and bearings. First off, I want to use you as a figurehead to make an apology to another who was much like you. I had every reason to assume the worst of them. I had every right to enact my plan as I did but it doesn''t sit well with me, doing things that way. That person could have well become a powerful and useful ally. Sometimes vengeance gives nothing but hollow catharsis. Besides, if I can''t forgive them how can I ever begin to forgive myself. We all have the potential to become monsters to save what we love.¡± Ephyra nodded lightly and said, ¡°All truth. A mature disposition for one so young. You must have endured much to reach here.¡± Wren acknowledged her remark with a grunt before he continued, ¡°I won''t force the issue but would you consider taking Troy under your tutelage?¡± Ephyra bit her lip and pondered for a moment before she replied, ¡°There is some inherent risk in taking a man as a pupil but it seems his foundation is solid and it would be a pleasure to teach one who has talents similar to my own. Were I to do so, I would need to take care of an instinctual urge first. It has been some time since I have produced a clutch and-¡± Wren cut her off to say, ¡°I have a solution to that. Originally I bought it for another purpose but it will serve well and allow me to exercise my alchemy skills a little.¡± Wren produced a silver needle and after receiving Ephyra''s permission he drew a drop of her blood and collected it into an opaque vial. Hand mixing it a few times, he infused it with a generous wisp of LE and a faint trace of SE before sucking the contents up with a sharp tipped pipette. He grabbed a sin-eater egg from his void space, giving it a complex look for a second, and injected the concoction inside. He finished off with a round of condensing using EE and kept the contents stable with a bit more LE. When done, he placed five objects the size and shape of a malted milk ball into a soapstone jar which he fancifully customized with a lounging mermaid lid. Wren explained, ¡°The contents will remain usable for up to six years because of the egg. It''s essentially a nutritional supplement that will mimic the act of successful procreation for you, redirecting the resources of your body to healing and restoration instead. For you, it kills two birds with one stone. Now I can''t say how long each dose will keep your instinct satisfied for but the redirection of resources your body uses to form your clutch should last around six months per dose.¡± Ephyra looked at the jar dubiously as she said, ¡°Once I have successfully formed a clutch I can go a decade or so before I have to be wary around men again.¡± Wren said cheerily, ¡°If that''s the case, aside from maybe saving one back for emergencies, I''d say take one if you ever feel the need to take the edge off or to de-stress. The only problem I can find recorded is that having the three effects of urge satisfaction, female specific recovery aid and contraceptive in one pill, is the inconvenience of the other two if you only want one of those effects. The main active ingredients are incubus semen and abyssal coyote spinal fluid so, some might find that a bit off putting. I suppose the egg could be considered a gesture of good will and something to help get you back on your feet faster, so chow down the first four as fast or slow as you like. I don''t really mind taking one in front of you but all it''s really going to do for me, at the moment, is put a little spirit in the tank and maybe mess the motility of my sperm up a little for a few days... Oh, I said chow down but I wouldn''t recommend chewing them because I don''t know what it tastes like.¡± Ephyra gave a ghost of a smile as she said, ¡°Perhaps we could compare notes one day, I have some insights into the alchemical arts myself, though admittedly most are poisons but one shouldn''t turn their nose up at the opportunity to round their knowledge.¡± Wren stood up and offered a small, genuine smile of his own as he said, ¡°You know, that doesn''t sound bad at all.¡± 44- Self More or Less After wrapping up his conversation with Ephyra, Wren grabbed a bite to eat before touching bases with his friends and sharing a few words with key people. After witnessing what happened, everyone was respectful of Wren. Especially after seeing how their Guardian treated and spoke with him as an equal. What Wren was most concerned about at that particular moment, however, was the silent bomb he remembered existing in the Suncave house. Jesni was nowhere in attendance and after seeing the way Jackoby was glued to the side of Rabas and looking a little sadly at Rohn, Wren decided to check out the state of things. Wren said, ¡°Rabas, right? Is this handsome young fellow your son?¡± Rabas smiled weakly, attempting to generate respectful pleasantness as he said, ¡°Yes, he is.¡± Wren continued probing, ¡°And is your wife not in attendance?¡± Rabas replied, a little greenly, ¡°Ah, no. She has dealt with particularly heavy blows in her personal life and did not feel up to attending. Perhaps I should see how she is doing.¡± Wren quickly said, ¡°Please stay for a moment. I have something I wish to discuss with you and Rohn but perhaps your sharp young man could check in on her. I''d hate to feel responsible if there truly was a need for you to be at her side.¡± Rabas turned to Jackoby with a meaningful look and said, ¡°Run home and see how your mother fares. If there is any need at all, do not hesitate to return and fetch me.¡± Plan your escape little rabbit. It will do you no good! Muwahaha. Wren guessed he probably only had mere minutes before Jackoby returned and then things would not play off so naturally. He quickly drew Rabas with him to Rohn and Imani before he said, ¡°Id like to catch up and see how the last few days have treated you, Imani but the moon calls me to act again. May I borrow Rohn for a few moments?¡± Imani said, ¡°Of course, Wren. I do like that name better than Orison. Much more pleasant feeling to say. I will share a few words with the matriarch then.¡± Rohn looked at Wren searchingly as he said, ¡°If this is a conversation of serious nature, perhaps we should move to a more quite spot. ¡°That would suit me fine.¡± Wren replied. Rabas chimed in, ¡°If you have business with the Eldest, then you don''t need me, surely. If there is something I need know of, the-¡± Wren said, ¡°It involves you directly and also requires your input. I''m starting to get the impression you wish to avoid me Rabas!¡± Wren laughed but the laughter didn''t reach his eyes as they made contact with Sable. The older man paced them at a respectable distance. Rohn led them to the guest room and sat himself down on the bed, ¡°So what is this about that it must be discussed during celebrations.¡± Wren got to it, ¡°I know you don''t know me well and the words I''m about to say probably won''t be much welcomed either but please humor me and if you must, use what good will you have towards me as collateral. What I ask is important and what I say is needful.¡± Rohn''s face filled with trepidation but he nodded and spoke for Wren to continue. Wren said, ¡°How did you end up with Imani in the scant three days I was with Glaucous?¡± Wren received a story of how Imani got separated from her group and took an obelisk to here after seeing a notice board of Wren''s group defeating a threat, hoping to join them. After falling down a slick hill into one of Under City''s rain gully traps for fish that belonged to Suncave, she was brought back and Rohn felt an instant attraction to her. A position she seemed to reciprocate. Wren said, ¡°So, I know that Rabas is Jackoby''s father and all but do you really think just sticking your proving wife with your right hand all of a sudden was a good idea?¡± Rohn''s face clouded over as he said, ¡°Out of consideration to my heart-brother I treated his child as my own and overlooked the infidelity of my wife. If they wished to share beds why not a home now that I have a woman who loves me?¡± The heart rending misery on Rabas''s face moved Wren to push on with, ¡°Because, Rohn, The person Rabas loves is not Jesni, it''s you.¡± Boom. Drop the mike bitches. Rabas was frozen in stunned horror as Rohn shook himself clear of that news and said, ¡°But I... When I was through with our playing around you said you were through as well, Rabas. Is what Wren says true?¡± Left with nowhere to hide and nothing left to lose Rabas said, ¡°You did not seem interested in me any longer and our friendship was more important to me, at that time, than intimacy. An Eldest has duties to his House to produce heirs, even if you were open to keeping me in your bed, your mother would never have allowed it...¡± Rabas took a moment to get his shaky voice under control before continuing, ¡°At first I was content to just be at your side but as time went by I... Rohn, I don''t know what madness possessed me to sleep with your wife. In some ways I think it was just so I could be where you''ve been, to steal some of the warmth you left with her for myself. I''m deeply ashamed of it.¡± Rohn stood speechless, watching Rabas crouched to the ground in misery before he finally said, ¡°I don''t know how to take this. There was a time when we shared everything so freely. In some ways I feel as if I have failed you in not seeing this. I wish you had told me after Rohna was born. You have never ceased being my heart-brother, Rabas. ¡°I will speak with my wife on this. If Imani''s heart is big enough to understand our ways then I will bring you into my rooms, if that is what you desire from me. Just know that if you attempt to set eyes on Imani as you had with Jesni, then we will be heart-brothers no longer. It was nearly too late for us, Rabas. Never hide yourself like this from me again.¡± After seeing that the poison had been lanced, Wren didn''t desire to stand around to watch it drain. He just hoped that now the problem could be addressed properly now that it had been drug out into the light but since he was in problem solving mode, he ensured that Liita and Bress were introduced to Lilly and dropped a hint to the Matron on looking out for psychic infiltrators. Just one last thing to look into before I call it a day and try to unwind and unpack all this emotional crap. Wren thought it a little humorous how Jaden had been subconsciously dodging him after the party started but he started getting bothered by it when it began looking more intentional. When Wren wasn''t able to immediately see Jaden, he went to the most quiet and remote part of the pavilion. Sure enough, Jaden was there, not wanting to leave the party but not wanting to be in it either. Deciding to take advantage of his youthful visage, Wren walked towards Jaden with a guileless smile on his face and said, ¡°Heya. Didn''t see you anywhere and thought I''d see how you were doing. Some pretty crazy stuff happened today, huh?¡± Jaden stood up from the bench and started inching away as he said, ¡°Yes. It''s a lot to take in. I think I''ll make my way to my quarters and ponder over it.¡± Wren frowned at the coolness in Jaden''s voice as he said, ¡°Have I said or done something to upset you?¡± Jaden turned to Wren with turmoil dancing in his intense eyes as he said, ¡°No. I''m just not adjusting well to all the sudden changes. I... I apologize for presenting myself this way to you. I don''t want you to think me ungrateful or resenting but you..I just need a little time. You want to be friends...I-I''ll think on it. It''s not that...Please, just let me have some time, alright?¡± Wren sat down on the bench after Jaden practically ran to get away, feeling disheartened. What the hell is so different this time that he''s got to ''think on it'' just to be friends!? ¡°Is it so difficult to determine his troubles, Wren. It''s almost a comfort to see you struggle on this,¡± Glaucous said as he rounded the corner to sit on the bench opposite Wren. Wren looked at Glaucous with confusion then, in a sudden epiphany, he said, ¡°You mean... but Rohn attached himself to Imani as soon as she showed up! If me carrying their inheritances would affect their imprint, why would Rohn have such an easy time finding a new target, so to speak?¡± Glaucous'' sudden booming laughter carried around the cave, causing the party goers to pause in conversation before he reigned it in and said, ¡°This heals my heart, truly. Perhaps if you had not been dragged off by me as soon as you invested him, Rohn would be similarly affected. Who knows? What you are facing with my son has nothing to do with something you did. Though his imprinting instinct is doing what is natural for it, he is fighting against his attraction for you. The purifying flames you gifted them carried nothing of yourself with it.¡± Wren did not feel convinced as he said, ¡°Jaden told me he was not attracted to men before. He has a strong desire to have children, a family.¡± Glaucous, still showing traces of amusement, shook his head and said, ¡°Would it have been that difficult for him to find friendship and camaraderie with other men if he had no attraction to men at all? No, he feared imprinting on a man because of what that would mean. People lie to themselves often when they are faced with uncomfortable truths. His instinct may be somewhat separate and developed than most but it is still him. Why would it force him to pursue something he was not interested in? As for his obsession with having children and making a family, it is something I had instilled in him by accident. Do you think it normal for a man barely out of youth to be so focused on such a thing? You and I both know that such a thing is not out of reach for those who possess power and ability anyway,¡± Glaucous grew serious as he continued, ¡°But I do not tell you these things for your sake. I tell you for his because his instinct will not allow him to lie to himself for long and if you were to deny him it would break his heart. ¡°I will now illuminate you on an issue I did not before because it was in my son''s best interest but now things are different. You did not love Graycat equally with both sides of yourself. Your little lover was the heart of your waking self''s world but your inner self? For many reasons, some of them even good ones, you channeled your love for my son through brotherhood. I admire that you chose to focus on what was yours to claim and kept as selfless as you could towards my son. It was a boon that your inner self found that agreeable but in this life you cannot turn that into a lie you tell yourself to avoid him in turn. ¡°I would assume you''d make some request to go focus on building Seaside, as you are not needed here, while your friends traveled and gained experience, yes? Granted, but my son and Sable are going with you. Since I can trust you with Seaside''s construction I may focus on finding opportunities and dealing with encroaching hazards I was not aware of before.¡± Wren chewed on all that Glaucous had thrown out at him and though there were things that Wren didn''t wholeheartedly agree with he saw no reason to argue about them as he replied, ¡°Then I leave this dystopia crap ball in your capable hands. Two months is a long time for three people to be staring at each other. A few extra helping hands would be nice.¡± Glaucous gave Wren a watery smile, ¡°I wish things between us were more simple. We are not well matched as lovers but the decade or two our affair could last would have been a splendid time.¡± Returning a weak smile of his own, Wren said, ¡°I''m honest enough to agree but you definitely need a hearty soul, who''s more than a little masochistic, to make it the long haul. I''ll settle for heart-brothers though, if you don''t mind. We know each other too well for anything less... So when am I going to bond with you and help you filter that faith and divinity stuff into something more neutral?¡± Glaucous said, ¡°After whatever you had done to me yesterday, it will take more than a couple of months for it to start to affect my personal vision and direction. I thought it prudent to wait till my son has had time to bond and grow closer to you first. It would make many things less difficult.¡± Wren said wryly, ¡°You know, my bonds don''t have to be sexual anymore. We have many other options, meditation for instance.¡± Glaucous said playfully, ¡°But that doesn''t sound nearly as pleasant to look forward to. All jesting aside, it only seems right to allow my son to bond with you first... I know what you wish to say but in my mind it is a sure thing. I won''t make things more awkward for my son by stating it as such to him but, none the less, prepare yourself for when he is ready.¡± Wren, a little irritated, said, ¡°There are ways around it. I may release him from this imprinting instinct. He deserv-¡± Glaucous grabbed Wren, planting the smaller man firmly at his side and as he draped his arm around Wren he said, ¡°No need to be quarrelsome for it''s own sake. I''m starting to think you and Lilly are family in truth. Why make things more complicated by toying with the nature of things... You love my son and his feelings grow for you. Aside from the difficulties to have children, you are a better match for him than even Lilly was, as much as I am fond of her... Enough of this. Tell me more about these obscure references you keep making towards my proclivities and the types of people who enjoy them. For the remainder of the party, Wren and Glaucous sat side-by-side, having a surreal conversation about BDSM. A couple bathroom breaks and people taking their leave later, the party wrapped up. Strong alcohol mingled with the pleasant warmth and weight of Glaucous'' arm draped around him put Wren at ease as he drifted off. Wren woke up in stages. A familiar faint scent of sweat with undertones of crushed pine needles and glacier spring water filled his nose. The sensation of exhalations of breath tickled his skin which stopped, with a barely audible sharp intake, when he moved. As he opened his eyes to follow the sounds of feet quietly slapping the floor, he caught sight of a swirl marked blue butt disappearing around an alcove frame.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Dude, thankfully I already know your MO or that would have been seriously creepy. Where the hell am I anyway? Wren looked around the unfamiliar quarters that vaguely resembled Rohn''s, before piecing it together. How did I end up in Jaden''s quarters?... Glaucous, you are way too heavy handed... Why the hell am I naked!? *** Wren got out of bed and walked into the connected room to see Jaden doing some odd but effective looking set of exercise movements, his semi-erect junk bobbing and swaying obscenely. Jaden''s occasional side glance had Wren bashfully covering himself and finding somewhere else to look. Wren said a bit nervously, ¡°S-so I ended up in your quarters? Sorry for, uh... Do you know where my clothes are?¡± Jaden ended his exercise and wiped himself down with a wet towel as he said, ¡°According to my father, Lilly had too much spirits and spilled her drink on you when she tried to sketch a picture, with her black box, of you asleep on a bench. With nowhere else better in mind, father dumped you into my bed after having stripped and cleaned you. He said that he did not trust himself with you in such a vulnerable state and excited by thoughts on something he called BDSM. ¡°Body shame is a rare mental disease within our people but I do have a few sets of somber occasion clothing within the closet there... I do not like the feeling of being stifled outside of runner gear so they are packed away in the cedar boxes up top.¡± I-i''m not ashamed of my body!... I just don''t like being naked... much. Jaden, seeing that Wren was likely to pull two or three of the boxes down on his head, went to help him but as he reached above to stop the fall of boxes, Wren flinched backwards into him. Both stayed frozen for a moment over the sudden, full body intimacy and the erection that Jaden had been obviously trying to master, rose to insistently wedge itself into Wren''s crack. Jaden nudged forward to slide the boxes back into place as his stiff member twitched. They stood like that for a moment as Jaden''s body thrummed on the edge before prudence won and he backed away to stride towards his washroom. Jaden said thickly from within, ¡°I will need some time to... clean myself. I-if you follow me in here then I won''t be responsible for what happens.¡± And since the statement carried more threat than invitation, Wren chose not to. *** When Jaden came out of the washroom there was equal parts disappointment and accusation on his face. Wren ignored it as he waited for Jaden to lead him out of the crazy maze that is Suncave Manor. Once they had stepped out of Jaden''s suite of rooms there was a runner who had been patiently waiting for them to appear. ¡°Riverson, and... honored guest Wren, there is an issue that Eldest Rohn requires your aid for,¡± the unknown runner said. The walk to Rohn''s quarters was awkward between the knowing glances of the runner at Wren''s borrowed clothes and the faint blush that insinuation painted on Jaden''s face, only lending the runner''s thoughts more credence. Rohn''s rooms are a hella lot messier than I remember. Then again, one wife out, another wife in and a bit of shuffling the staff probably accounts for most. I doubt Jesni left quietly too... I wonder if anyone''s thought about how this would affect Rohna... It just dawned on me. I thought naming kids after their parents was bad juju or something. Imani greeted them at the antechamber to Rohn''s private rooms as she said, ¡°I apologize for you to have to see such a display but Rohn forbade me to clean up. We have servants for such things, he says. Well, if it''s not showing noticeable improvement by tonight, I''m having a hand at it and to hell with image. Living in a pig sty is bad for image... Tell your daughter that if I don''t see her helping you properly, Mazy, she can go to bed without supper tonight and you''ll eat with us so I can make sure you do not sneak yours to her,¡± she finished sternly. Well, Imani seems to be an old hand at managing a household. Momma Ku won''t be disappointed in this one. Imani dismissed the runner as she led Jaden and Wren to Rohn''s bedroom then said, ¡°Rohn told me early this morning that Jaden can be trusted and I believe you to be worthy of trust Wren. My husband woke early today complaining of aches in his head which have steadily grown worse. We had a thought that perhaps it was related to the gift he received from you.¡± Rohn doesn''t seem the type to throw a false alarm for a hangover. I wonder if- Wren''s private thoughts were scattered by a bestial wail from Rohn. Galvanized into action, before it had a chance to get worse, Wren dashed to Rohn''s bedside and grabbed on to the agonized man''s head. Sure enough, he saw the angry looking gate with the ugly tick man staring at him as he dove into mindscape. Before he even had a chance to think it, his manifestation appeared behind him. Wren stumbled into the ''seat'' from it''s sudden appearance and as soon as his butt hit thighs, ribbons and chains dashed the sending to pieces. Well, that was anticlimactic...let''s drag Rohn back to his bo- In response to his thoughts, the ribbons reached out to Rohn''s astral body but the chains interpreted his request a little more liberally as they shot into the gate. Vague muffled screams could be heard coming from the other side before the chains whipped back with metaphorical bloody chunks of what was on the other end as the gate closed on it''s own. The demon side ate the bloody chunks as a small stream of LE and SE coursed through the ribbons into Rohn. Seeing how robust Rohn''s astral body looked by the time it was done, Wren guessed he just got a lot more than he lost and Wren got a fair bit of increase as well. BZ cut in with, ¡°You are firmly seated in the target range for Mandala of Nameless Transformations'' initial set up. Wren thought at BZ, ¡°Thanks for the heads up. Probably shouldn''t try to do that while I''m in Rohn''s head though.¡± BZ responded with, ¡°Why not? This could be considered a fortunate encounter for Rohn. You may not be allowed to directly interfere with other''s Dharma without consequence but allowing others you trust to witness some of your secrets doesn''t strictly count and without the astral field already being set up as it is here you''d have no chance of entering someone else''s veil at your current power and ability.¡± Wren mentally shrugged at BZ as he thought at Rohn, ¡°I''m having a spiritual breakthrough, Rohn. Since I''m already here in your mindscape, I can allow you to witness it, if you''re interested.¡± Astral Rohn tilted his head to the side, looking at Wren sitting in the angel/demon throne and shivered a bit before he nodded acceptance. After receiving consent, Wren ''opened himself up'', revealing the raw form of his existence. It wasn''t as jagged and rough as it was the first time, mostly still spherical. Due to the refining it had undergone before it was nearly reduced to nothingness when Wren bailed out of his first reality, it was next to no effort to shave it back down to conceptual perfection again. Taking the shaved pieces and compressing them tightly in the center, Wren reached into his realm to fish out some of his existence remnants from the ''starry sky'' of his middle realm as BZ suggested. Stuffing them in with the rest, Wren reenacted a metaphysical ''big-bang'' but instead of forming a cosmology, he drew out the self-guided shoots of a fractal diagram. This would form the first diagram of the Mandala of Nameless Transformations BZ said most referred to as the World Tree. As Wren grew, the World Tree would keep growing to the boundaries of his conceptual limits till it looked like a compact ball of dizzying swirls at casual glance. During the forming of his reality structure, Wren awoke 3.5 mind. If he wanted, he could skip the maturity and go straight for the next diagram, since that happened, but memories of what it felt like to go from Sophrosyne to Eremita wiped that thought out of his head. Considering this new structure had over half of Eremita''s capacity as a Tier III structure, he was certain that skipping to its Tier IV counterpart would put him in a near death state where he''d fight to continue existing, much less function. As he wrapped up the process by ''closing'' himself, Wren looked at Rohn. The look of wonder and amazement on Rohn''s face made the strange feeling of vulnerability earlier worth while to Wren. As he eased himself out of Rohn''s mindscape, Wren caught a glimpse of Rohn taking a peek ''inside'' himself. Before he opened his eyes and himself to questions he didn''t really know the answers to, he thought at BZ, ¡°So, any ideas on what that gate thing was about?¡± BZ replied, ¡°All that can be said with certainty is that this event was supposed to mimic a dream eater possession. The gate seemed to be a spiritual access portal from an Abyssal or Infernal plane but considering the previous deception, I would suggest the evidence to be inconclusive.¡± Wren thought back, ¡°I remember Aaron smelling faintly of sulfur the first time I met him. It stuck in my mind because he was trying to kidnap Little Gray at the time but I don''t remember him having that smell later. He was using a portal that time but I don''t remember him using one at later dates either.¡± BZ said, ¡° As an existence who leans towards certainties, I would have to insist that there is too much speculation to reach a satisfactory conclusion from what little information we possess.¡± Wren opened his eyes. Before anyone had a chance to bombard him with questions, he begged off by saying he had pressing matters to attend to with Glaucous after assuring them that Rohn was alright. Unfortunately, Imani''s practical insistence that Wren and Jaden should get breakfast before leaving had no easy rebuttal. As they sat down to eat, Imani felt free to break societal norms and asked Wren, ¡°What was the nature of Rohn''s ailment?¡± Wren dithered but seeing Imani''s concerned look grow deeper by the moment eventually he broke down and said, ¡°You know that we were called to this world with the intent of us saving it. The truth is, this world is all but screwed. Our real purpose is to be the first run for newly minted operators and to be groomed as potential recruits. ¡°If that weren''t enough, there is far more far more than the surface threat, which are dream eaters and such. That threat will become more clear as time goes by but the underlying threat is much more difficult to deal with. You see, I know of one Tier VI existence that has their eyes on specific key resources this world possesses and if one is known there are probably more that aren''t. They may even be working together and they want to use the invasion this world is facing to strip it of said resources. ¡°Your husband suffered from a spiritual attack made to look like an attempted possession by a dream eater. I''m not sure what the reason behind such a thing is or why they targeted Rohn specifically but I do know the base source of the ills that affect this place typically originate from House Grimshadow. Even so, I''m willing to throw a little slack towards everyone but that House''s elites since they are clueless. Much like how the average United State''s citizen aren''t aware of Corporate America''s exploitation of third world country resources, Imani. Sadly, even those who are in the know within Grimshadow are little more than grunts to the one pulling the strings behind them. Rohn finally finished his introspection and joined them as Wren continued, ¡°This doesn''t matter to us directly. I have no intention of trying to fight this battle toe to toe with entities that are beyond our firepower. I can''t discuss it in great detail but essentially we are not going to play by the rules our enemy has tried to lay out for us. We are not facing an opponent who is some honorable warrior. They are an underhanded piece of shit, so we need to be crafty too.¡± Even that was probably more than I should have said in front of Imani. I know damn well that participants are also hapless spies and I don''t trust the operators or the World Host. The only group who seemed completely legit was the Guardian Alliance and that may only be because they have access to this world''s resources without having to steal them. At the end of the day though, my group isn''t exactly going to be that legit either. After a little polite after-breakfast conversation, Rohn said, ¡°Jaden, if you''d like to make your way to the Riverside Pavilion, I can bring Wren along in a moment. I''d like to have some private words before he leaves. I won''t keep him for long.¡± ¡°I as well,¡± Imanai added. Jaden looked ready to agree before Rohn placed a hand on Wren''s shoulder as the couple lead him back towards Rohn''s private rooms. At first it didn''t dawn on Wren, the significance of such a small gesture, until Wren saw Jaden''s stare. As Jaden looked at Rohn''s hand like he wanted to cut it off, he said, ¡°It''s not advisable to keep father waiting, brother Rohn. We''ve already took much time for this detour as is.¡± Rohn removed his hand and said, ¡°Brother Jaden, what I have to say to Wren, though a private matter, is important. We really will be no time at all. If you do not walk overly fast we may even catch up with you.¡± Jaden cast the silent Wren an accusatory glance as he said, ¡°Then I''ll wait,¡± sitting back down with his arms akimbo. A sulking Jaden!? This may be the first time I wished I had a magical smart phone like Lilly. Rohn wasted no time once they were out of the earshot of everyone but the three of them as he said, ¡°Wren, I had hoped to have more time to express this more naturally but with Jaden waiting I feel rushed to say this so that Imani may share words with you and I may ask you some about what happened earlier. I would like to offer you a place in our household. I have spoken with Imani about this and she is not against it. ¡°It feels strange to me, saying it so bluntly, but I feel there will be no chance at all if I do not clearly state this sudden but strong affection I feel for you. And even though Imani has expressed similar interest, it does not engender any resistance in me. I...¡± Imani cut in as she saw her husband flailing, ¡° It is true. When Rohn first brought it up to me, I was quite taken aback. Our own feelings for each other happened so suddenly I was still trying to find my calm but after sleeping on it and your care and concern today, I do not disagree. I think you would strengthen us. And worry not of this Rabas fellow. Rohn has assured me that aside from offering ''comfort'' to his heart-brother, his feelings are that of a brother. You would be to me a sister-husband and to Rohn you would be brother-wife and equal to us both.¡± For a moment Wren was tempted. He still had strong lingering attachments to Rohn and Imani was everything that Wren could have wanted and hoped for in a woman. His intuition was already formulating a greedy plan but Wren silenced it with memories of that other life. When he had lost Rohn and Troy he had been mad with grief but when he knew that Jaden was lost to him, it had felt like part of him had died with him. Glaucous'' words the night before were true. As much as he wanted to deny them, Jaden''s words on the river a lifetime ago about those who fill the spaces in other''s hearts had reached him on a deep level. For Wren, Jaden was more than just someone he loved, he was someone he wanted and trusted to be at his side. He was an existence that got him on a level others didn''t. Even if he could have all three, and he knew he could, Wren might be happy but he would not be able to fill the holes of Jaden''s heart the same way Jaden would fill his and that was a selfishness he just couldn''t embrace, no matter how much it appealed. Wren said, ¡°I am flattered. How could I not be. Rohn, you are a strong and brave warrior. I know you would not only make me feel safe but do everything in your power to make that a reality. Imani, you are a beautiful, strong woman and I know you are just as beautiful inside. To share my life with the two of you would undoubtedly make me happy. Despite all this, I can''t. You see, there''s a lonely person who''s going to need everything I got to fill all the holes in their heart and once they are ready to accept me, I know they''ll do the same in return.¡± Imani nodded a little sadly but Rohn said, ¡°Is it brother Jaden? He looks at you in all but contempt. How can he be... I accept you now, want you now. I know it doesn''t seem genuine to say it so soon but I love you now. Why wait for him...why...¡± Rohn sighed deeply as Imani stroked his back before he said, ¡°If that is the way of it then... My heart is big enough. It would be difficult but I coul-¡± Imani slapped Rohn''s back hard before she hugged him from the side and said, ¡°What is there to gain by forcing your feelings. Then no one is happy. I believe, once you are calm again, you will feel the same as I, Rohn. Wren, our arms are still open to you. If you do not receive the answer you seek from this other then we are here.¡± As Imani excused herself, Rohn gathered his emotions back under control and said, ¡°She is right but I... I do not accept this so easily. He has not accepted you yet so I... Enough of this for now. In any event, before brother Jaden becomes impatient, I''d like to ask you what happened after you defeated that thing. That self shaping, what is it? Wren, relieved by the change of topic said, ¡°It''s a carefully guarded secret. You must explore it on your own but some small guidance can be given. It''s called an existence structure. It requires a clear idea, a symbol of spiritual being. The greater you understand yourself and the clearer the image of what you want to be, the better your existence model will fit you. Rather than shooting for the most powerful imagery you can think of though, I personally believe it''s more important for it to reflect who and what you want to be.¡± Kind of feel a bit hypocritical, since I was hand fed a superior model but at the same time, I don''t feel like it doesn''t fit me. It just isn''t something I would have discovered on my own. Rohn replied, a little lost, ¡°Is that all the direction you can give?¡± Wren replied dryly, ¡°Believe me when I say you got a hell of a lot more direction than most do. You even got a first-hand demonstration of someone doing it. Just meditate over it. You have an advantage that most don''t, a strong intuition from your gift. You can''t ask for a better aid than that because ultimately it''s the only thing allowed to help you without consequences... I really do need to get going though.¡± ¡°Yes you do,¡± Glaucous'' deep voice intoned as Wren was washed away through the secret paths he forgot were connected to Rohn''s rooms. 45-Closer Judging by how long it was taking, Wren realized that Glaucous'' destination wasn''t the pavilion. It was difficult for Wren to make out much, as he was part of some mystical current at the moment, but he could occasionally make out words that Glaucous was saying to another part of the current. It sounded as if Glaucous was instructing someone on some fae heritage insights in water. Then as time dragged on, the instructions turned towards bits and pieces of understandings towards the power of life and handed down information on the flames of purity. Since Wren couldn''t really understand enough to make anything useful out of it, he just relaxed and started tuning it out. Wren didn''t notice a sudden change of topic till he heard his name mentioned but by the time he was focusing back on the conversation they had arrived. The sea cave before construction was a desolate looking place. Wren realized he had his work cut out for him. While gazing at his son intently, Glaucous said, ¡°Now I''d like for you to try the merging of water...¡± Wren wasn''t overly interested in the processes that Glaucous was explaining so he made his way over to the dilapidated structure that covered the entrance to the underwater palace. Drafodil had struggled getting Wren to break the habit of relying on his rings for architectural conjuring but she had succeeded enough, that with his study time on Earth, he could do a pretty good job of restoration without taking much more time than what a fresh ring construct would take with raw materials. It helped immensely that he had clear mental images of Glaucous'' work stowed away. By the time that he had finished the main structure and had cleared the debris away from the shattered underwater tunnel, Glaucous and Jaden had joined him. Holding the water back long enough for Wren to repair the tunnel would have been a cakewalk for Glaucous but he insisted his son do it instead. It took quite a few tries before Wren and Jaden could coordinate enough to restore it in sections. By the time that they had connected the tunnel to the underwater palace, Wren was seeing black dots in his vision and Jaden appeared winded as well. After a short moment of hesitation, Jaden moved to help prop Wren up as they made their way into the reception room. Jaden said, ¡°There wasn''t a need to push yourself so hard. It would have been wiser to hold some power back in reserve for emergencies.¡± Despite its quarrelsome tone, Wren could tell Jaden said it out of concern so he let it slide with an only mildly irritated, ¡°I''ll keep it under advisement.¡± Glaucous made their hard work seem like a joke as he sent a surge of faith condensed SE into the formation on the floor of the palace, waking enchantments in its passing. Air, water, heat and light moved throughout the palace and within moments it was looking as opulent as it did in Wren''s memory. Glaucous turned to Jaden and said, ¡°Jaden, my son, I want you to remember what I''ve shared with you on the way here, especially the last part.¡± ¡°I will father,¡± Jaden replied, blushing a little. Glaucous turned to Wren and said, ¡°Remember Wren, this is their home, not ours. I never wanted to... You once showed me the harder road. I now know what it means to walk it. In defiance of the cost, I still desire to.¡± Glaucous unloaded a familiar piece of wood with a chest of cursed items before he continued, ¡°I know what you need in order to utilize these well and if in two days you are still without a bonded, when I return with Sable and the aid you requested, you will languish for lack of one no longer.¡± Wren stood up angrily and said, ¡°Glaucous, this is too much.¡± Wren picked up the sliver of heartwood and attempted to pass it back, finishing with, ¡°I know what this was being saved for. You shou-¡± In a move that was too fast to follow, Glaucous reversed Wren''s hand and used it to pierce the smaller man''s chest with the sliver and as Wren stood dumbfounded, Glaucous said, ¡°Whether it is in celebration of my son''s happiness or a token of courtship for my own will be his decision but either way it is yours.¡± I don''t know if you''re trying to pressure your son out of his mind or if you''re simply stating how it''s going to be. Knowing you, I wouldn''t be surprised if it was both. Even after everything we''ve been through, you''re still a pushy and arrogant asshole... That shit eating grin on your face, ugh. Even if you can''t directly read my mind anymore, you still know what I''m thinki- Jaden interrupted Wren''s thoughts with, ¡°If you want him, father, why would he want someone like me? I see how he looks at you and-¡± Without finishing his thoughts, Jaden turned and ran out. Glaucous'' smile was exchanged with a slightly sorrowful one as he said, ¡°It seems I have meddled too much. Perhaps it is better for you to follow after, Wren.¡± Ya think!? But I''m dead ti... Oh, void just sucked in a good chunk of that curse. I''m feeling much better. With a jet of water, Glaucous was nowhere to be found, leaving Wren little option but to walk after Jaden. It felt strange to lean on his intuition to find Jaden but after he did, it was no difficulty sensing the blue man''s trail. As he walked on, Wren contemplated that before, by the time he and Jaden had become ''involved'', the man had a couple more years of maturity under his belt due to that weird realm''s time dilation. Right now Jaden was a jittery post teen virgin with self-esteem issues and far from the first time, Wren wished Glaucous had a little more EQ. And this is why I stopped seeing the allure of romantically pursuing 18 to early 20 somethings after I hit thirty in my first life. I just hope that after enough time goes by I can leave this ''forever seventeen'' hormone ridden mess of a body behind. Once he hit the sea, Wren started to panic a little. His inner self couldn''t easily lock onto Jaden anymore and Wren knew that Jaden was already worn out. BZ chimed in, ¡°I''ve finished cataloging the items that you have received from Glaucous. Only interrupt your situation now to inform you that there is a necklace of drowning, a monocle of blinding and a bracelet of healing that are powered by water, light and wood sprites respectively. Having more tools at your disposal can only help.¡± Wren muttered to himself, ¡°Alright Buzz, how do I get them to merge with me like before?¡± BZ replied, ¡°I''m not certain. I would say throw them into your void and think strongly about making them a part of you instead of consuming them but if it were that simple, all void denizens would be the most powerful average existence and they are not.¡± Carefully picking out the items in question, Wren consulted his intuition. What answered was his manifestation, however. Chains wrapped the items in question and after the demon rolled the necklace and monocle around in his mouth, he spit out a shimmery blue and bright whitish-yellow mote of light. Ribbons curled gently around the motes and and pulled a greenish brown one from the bracelet before the angel collected them with his free hand and moved them to his chest. The sudden additions to Wren not only unlocked their imbuements but also unlocked evocation. Wren wasted no time summoning the boat version of spectral transport as he followed the faint trail. It took nearly two hours of tracking, with a few false leads and double backs before Wren finally saw an utterly exhausted Jaden weakly floating on the water, staring up at the sky. After fishing Jaden out of the water, getting some fluids in him and using a bit of healing on Jaden''s overused muscles to keep them from cramping, He stared down at the ''blue'' man. With harsh words but soft voice, Wren said, ¡°What the hell were you thinking? Laying out here, depleted of essence and strength, you''re no different than a drowning kitten. I saw two sharks, and something large that I don''t even know what it was, on the way here. Would you have just frowned them away, sulked them from attacking you!?¡± Jaden said, ¡°Creatures of water won''t attack me unless directed by another.¡± Wren said irritably, ¡°Oh, then that''s fine. Because of your heritage, maybe one of Ephyra''s descendants would have whisked you away to fuck you before she ate you.¡± With a weak smile, Jaden said, ¡°I actually thought of that. Of all the disastrous possibilities, I chose that one.¡± Wren''s anger flared for a moment before he broke out into a nerve loosening bout of laughter and joined Jaden on the floor of the boat to look at the sky as he said, ¡°I was out of my mind, thinking that something might happen to you, and you were floating without a care in the world while fantasizing about being raped by mermaids.¡± Jaden said, ¡°You have to admit, as ways to die go, it''s far from the worst.¡± Wren pulled out some of the Suncave specialty wheat beer he snagged from the party and handed Jaden one. Jaden looked at it oddly for a moment before he pulled the cork out and took a deep swig. As he propped himself up on one elbow, Jaden looked at Wren and said, ¡°This is going to sound crazy but it feels like I''ve done this with you before.¡± With a small exercise of power, Wren raised two lounges under them and said, ¡°You''re right. How much sea water did you accidentally drink?¡± Jaden punched Wren on the arm before Wren said, ¡°No, I don''t think it''s crazy. In fact, I''d say it''s likely we have. Many different versions of the same reality with the same people doing different things, it''d be more crazy to say we haven''t.¡± Jaden smiled a little more heartily as he said, ¡°Now it''s my turn to ask how much sea water you''ve drank?¡± Wren replied, ¡°In this reality or another one?¡± After pointing the Spectral boat towards Seaside, Wren left it to lazily drift. They spent the day drinking and talking about whatever popped into their heads as Wren reaffirmed that despite being nearly twice as old and raised on a much different world, he and Jaden truly were kindred spirits. Drifting slow circles within Seaside''s hidden cove, the sun set and Jaden turned towards his hopes and fears, a conversation he and Wren had before. It was a good sign, in Wren''s mind, as it meant that Jaden was finally opening up to him again. ¡°Wren, once I''ve grieved my courtship of you, do you think we''ll be able to give being friends a chance?¡± Jaden said as his cheerful countenance took a sudden morose turn. Wren almost choked on the summoned import he was sipping on as he looked at Jaden and said confusedly, ¡°Why would you need to grieve?¡± Jaden looked at the gradually starry turning sky and said, ¡°When father told me that you had turned the suit of brother Rohn and his wife down, I was surprised but after the look you shared with my father and his statement before I, you know... Or is it that you do not know of imprinting? I have this condi-¡± Wren got up on his wobbly legs and barely managed to stumble over to Jaden, choosing to straddle Jaden''s lounge than risk tipping over and out of the boat, before he said, ¡°I kn-know what imprinting is... Hold on, I let myself go to far.¡± Wren took a moment to process enough alcohol out to focus then continued, ¡°What I''m asking is, why do you have to grieve?¡± Jaden looked up at Wren still morose but with a small spark of hope flaring up in his eyes as he said, ¡°Aren''t you and my father...¡± Wren said, ¡°Almost but no. We''ve made peace with that. Don''t ask much more about it though, it only gets more confusing.¡± Jaden voice roughed a bit as he said, ¡°But you didn''t follow me into the washroom this morning.¡± Wren couldn''t help but look at Jaden like he was dumb when he said, ¡°I don''t know what you sounded like to yourself but it sounded more like you were going to kick my ass if I followed you in there. Besides, even if you didn''t I still wouldn''t have. I want you to actually want to be with me. Who the hell wants a ''I guess I have no choice'', fuck to start a relationship on. ¡°Let me lay it out for you. There was a person, a long time ago in my mind, that I was madly in love with but we were separated and they moved on. I love them enough to let them go and only hope that my kiddo stays safe with em. Now humor me for a second. Ask me who I love the most on this whole world.¡± Jaden''s eyes grew wide as he said, ¡°You ha- bu- All right. Who do you love most on this whole world?¡± Wren stared right into Jaden''s intense eyes and said, ¡°You! Now ask me who I''d be willing to give up, romantically, to be with you. ¡± Jaden went ridged for a moment as if he''d been hit with a lightning strike before he said, ¡°We''ve only known each other for so little time how am I-¡± Wren lightly and comically karate chopped the top of Jaden''s head and belligerently said, ¡°Ask me. Ask me who I''d give up to be with you!¡± Jaden sighed and said, ¡°Who would you give up to-¡± Wren interrupted with, ¡°You! Damn it, I mean everyone else. I''d give up being with everyone else for you.¡± Not being able to help himself, Jaden chuckled a little before he said, ¡°You are still under the spell of the drink.¡± Wren said, ¡°Yes but that doesn''t mean I''m lying. People are more honest when they''re drunk from my experience anyway.¡± Jaden said, ¡°Perhaps but they are prone to forget that honesty later when they are not... drunk.¡± Wren, as if possessed, stripped off his borrowed clothes and dove into the water. After struggling back up to the surface he spluttered and gasped for a bit. After he collected himself, he started swimming toward the underwater entrance to Seaside. Jaden shouted out half worried, half amused, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Between gasps of air, Wren answered, ¡°I''m swimming out to sea to mourn you.¡± Jaden was stunned silent for a moment before he burst out laughing and said, ¡°The sea is that way,¡± as he pointed in the opposite direction. Wren''s ears started burning fiercely as he paddled a semi-circle and started going the other way. Since he wasn''t much of a swimmer he hadn''t actually made it far from the boat and his embarrassment was fully on display to Jaden above. Now I actually feel like doing it. How could I confuse the crab claw formation for the cliffside!? Not logical... A few seconds later, Wren heard a splash quickly followed by a strong arm securely latching around his chest as he was being dragged back towards the boat. Jaden heaved him back in before climbing up himself. And as Jaden collapsed down beside him in laughter, Wren was shivering a bit from the cold water. I had forgotten what Glaucous told me about the underground river dumping out into the cove. During the monsoon season, the cove''s water hovers around the same temperature as deep caves. *** As Wren exercised a bit of power to clean the salt water off of them, Jaden drew Wren into his arms to help him warm up. As the feeling in his skin quickly returned to normal, Wren noticed that Jaden had taken off his weird underwear-shorts before diving in after him. It quickly became apparent that Jaden was more than just a little happy to help Wren warm up. Jaden nuzzled his chin into the crook of Wren''s neck as he said softly, ¡°If what you say is true then I suppose neither of us need grieve but... If this is only a parting fancy of yours please tell me before it''s too late. Unlike most, if you left me after, it would kill me. Wren said so quietly Jaden almost didn''t hear, ¡°The only way I''ll leave you, in the way you mean, is if one of us die. And that''s only so I can find you in the next life.¡± As Jaden''s grip grew tighter and his need more urgent, he raggedly breathed, ¡°And you will not grow to resent me for stealing you away from other joys, for jealously hoarding your affection.¡± Wren replied teasingly, ¡°I hope that in this life, we live long enough for you to see how many different kinds of joy exist, how many kinds of affection. You''d run yourself ragged trying to steal and hoard them all!¡± Feeling Jaden''s muscles stiffen in displeasure, he quickly added, ¡°As long as you keep your heart and mind open to me, there will be no reason to resent you. Will you resent me for making you wait to have children?¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Jaden''s encircling arms slackened a little as he said, ¡°In the moment I had forgotten this. What do you mean by ''wait'' to have children? I believe you capable of many things but how can two men have children.¡± Wren twisted in Jaden''s hold to face him and while staring him in the eye he said, ¡°Trust me in this if nothing else. When we are safely out of danger, if we survive and we find a time and place of safety, you will have your child. Jaden, even if I have to give it to you myself, I would not deny you something that I know is so important to you. Never mind the hows for now, just know it can be done. Your father can assure you the truth of what I say. I know of two off the top of my head that even your picky imprinting would be able to accept without a shred of strange and arcane methods. Now I ask again. Will you resent me for making you wait to have children?¡± Jaden lay there holding Wren stunned for a time before he said in wonder, ¡°Truly? Then no. Just knowing that such a thing is possible brings me peace but I wonder if I could get you to promise me that it will be you that gives my child to me, for making me wait. It''s not just the wanting of a child that drives me so. It''s the desire to hold in my arms the living proof of the love I share with my mate. Can you understand such a deep desire?¡± Wren was tempted to parry the request but seeing how intent and desperate Jaden was for him to agree, his heart softened as he said, ¡°Alright. If the time comes and you still feel the same then I promise. But if you take it into your head that you want another, it will be your turn then! Jaden''s excitement and insistence rose up as he said shakily, ¡°I vow to place you above all others save our children which will be placed next to you. Will you vow the same to bring me peace?¡± Wren mulled it over in his mind before his intuition prompted him to say, ¡°I vow to place no other before you, that our children will be equal to you in my heart till they are grown. Till the love in the core of me is reduced to dust along with my soul, all this I vow to the Eternal Circle.¡± Both of them shivered as the oath settled into place and not to be outdone, as if it were an unspoken agreement between them, Jaden discarded his first vow to repeated Wren''s. As ethereal ribbons and chains briefly appeared around Wren and Jaden, chilling dual voices quietly said, ¡°Old vows spoken with new voices. Yea souls wander to great unknowns.¡± Guided by intuition and bolstered by his eerie manifestation, Wren empowered a bond between himself and Jaden. Still reeling from the foundation shaking vows and haunting voices, Jaden''s inner self opened the door to his soul wide for his mate. As the bond began to solidify and strengthen, sensing it was the right time, Wren rose to straddle the lap of his lover and after a small exercise of power to slick Jaden''s rigid member, brutally impaled himself. The searing pain was lost in a writhing mass of barbed chains spurting licks of soul flensing black flame throughout Wren''s mindscape, followed by silk scroll ribbons bathed in cold and judgmental silver flames threatening to incinerate all it found ugly and unwholesome. Yet behind the harsh and unforgiving warnings of annihilation was a deep respect and reverent love of life and the act of creation. Over Wren''s heart, an intricate and nature shaped bagua of fulgin and silver, carved itself into being. It was as if creation itself fashioned a talisman to shield him against harm, a sentiment reflected in the dizzying knot-work of barbed chain and scroll ribbon over Jaden''s own heart. All secrets were laid bare to each other. Every noble and petty act was exposed as they saw through the lens of the other''s life. Their inner selves stood bared to one another as well. A proud mythical bird painted in abstracts of darkness and light stood before a small and unremarkable yet defiant songbird. As they appraised each other, the small songbird brazenly approached the large bird of prey and eyed it, as if daring it to attack or condemn. It did neither. Instead, the large bird crooned it''s loneliness and pain as it lifted a great yet weakened wing to make room for the songbird at it''s side. Moved, the little bird flitted there and worked it''s way into the warm down as the large wing furled gently over it. Pleased with it''s mate and joyous to it''s mate''s affectionate gesture, the little bird began singing. It sang the songs of the earth and sky, the songs of the rivers and fire of life. It sang a song of union between itself and the waking one known as Wren. It''s heart overflowed with pride and affection as the large bird, hesitating at first but steadily more confident if subdued, sang the songs back. Unsatisfied to end this sharing, It struggled deep within itself for more songs, only to find one. It was a song with only one note. It had only heard it once and all it could recall was this single note, a song it had heard when it became aware that it was, but the little songbird wasn''t confident it could sing it. The large bird, sensing the songbird''s hesitance, urged it on. The small bird put all that it was behind the effort and produced a single clarion note. The ripples produced were immense, too much for their fragile vessels to contain. As the small bird panicked, the large bird had no choice but to release the note it too carried, one it knew better than to ever utter but now must. If the songbird''s note could be said to contain the cataclysmic beginning of all things then the large bird''s note could be said to contain it final sighing end. As the two notes clashed, a strange harmony sounded out and formed the ghostly visage of a circle, a circle so perfect it superseded existence and naturally formed the border of it. In that moment they were both transformed. They had become reflections of their outer forms with the symbols of their existence to mark their origins. Inner Wren wore a delicate gold crown and a mantle of myriad feathers while inner Jaden wielded a black and silver spear one moment or wore a mantle of smoke and vapor while producing an alternating nimbus the next. Not wanting to waste this opportunity, inner Wren motioned for inner Jaden to join him in laying upon his feathered mantle. As the stronger man complied, inner Wren took advantage of inner Jaden''s lack of understanding on the ways of their outer selves to coax inner Jaden onto his back and seated himself upon his mate''s breeding staff as he guided it within him. A slow hiss and and hitched gasp mingled between them as inner Wren placed a hand upon his mate''s chest, softly demanding that he wait to move in harmony with their outer selves. As they came back to themselves, Jaden''s eyes danced with confusion and a myriad of questions but even he knew this was a time reserved for other things. They had symbolically claimed each other but not in deed. As Jaden''s cock twitched inside Wren a hunger overtook all concerns in Jaden''s eyes. Wren knew what was about to happen as Jaden''s strong and calloused hands locked on to his hips. To forestall the impatient desire for release that would see their lovemaking reduced to bestial and straightforward rutting, Wren lowered down even as Jaden rose. As they met, Wren grabbed Jaden''s head and locked him into a passionate kiss. Keeping Jaden in that half risen position, Wren began working the top third of Jaden''s hard length with rolling hips. After gently but insistently pushing Jaden back down, Wren returned upright, sliding fully over Jaden''s silken steel as he leaned back. Soft claps of dampened flesh echoed in their ears in time to Wren''s rhythmic rise and fall. He gasped in surprise as Jaden reached out and grabbed his bobbing member and rubbed his thumb over the head to catch a clear drop off it. Under Wren''s shocked gaze, Jaden lifted the smear of clear fluid to his mouth and licked it off. Wren unconsciously tightened himself around Jaden''s engorged heat at the sight, eliciting a groan from Jaden. With a wet pop, Wren lifted off Jaden and moved over to a lounge. On his knees, Wren scooted up until his chest rested against the elevated head rest as he Wrapped his arms around it. ¡°Come over her and enter me from behind...No rush! Take your time to feel what you do, to enjoy it.¡± Wren said as Jaden scrambled to enter Wren. Jaden almost whined as he said, ¡°But I ache for release!¡± Wren reached behind him to grab onto Jaden''s slippery tool and guided the angrily swollen head past into his tight ring. Jaden''s insistent thrust was stopped at two thirds by Wren''s fist. Help me, inner self. Show him what I need to feel good with him. Jaden received a mental flash of a slow, deep grind against a special place within his lover. ¡°A-alright, I understand. Just... please release me!¡± Jaden almost sobbed. Wren relented as Jaden withdrew. Jaden lined himself up and watched in fascination as his hard length was swallowed into Wren''s twitching hole. He leaned in and buried his nose into Wren''s hair while wrapping his arms around the slender man, grinding into Wren as deeply as the pliant flesh beneath him would allow. At one point, when Jaden raised up slightly, Jaden and Wren both felt the invading heat pass a tightness deeper inside Wren. After three times of that band snapping around Jaden''s flared head, Wren let out a wounded animal sound and as much as Jaden wanted to, he simply couldn''t hold back any longer. Latching on to the bend of Wren''s thighs, Jaden straightened upright and began driving himself into Wren with hard and quick thrusts. Wren panted as he held onto the headrest for dear life as their sweat dampened skin slapped together. Two slower bruising thrusts wrung another choked cry from Wren that pushed Jaden over the edge as he spilled years of pent up loneliness deep within Wren. Collapsing on to Wren''s back with laughing sobs, he started panting to catch his breath. After letting him stay like that till he calmed back down, Wren slid Jaden out of him and into the lounge. Wren noticed the blue rapidly draining from Jaden''s skin and said, ¡°I''ve heard of blue balls but you were so sexually frustrated your whole body turned blue?¡± Jaden weakly chuckled before he said, ¡°I can only find that humorous because I know what is happening. Could you imagine my distress if I did not?¡± Wren said, ¡°Well, you mostly know. Instead of your false inheritance dissipating with time, I''ve taken it in along with quite a bit of faith power your father invested in you. I should have guessed that underneath it all, your father was a big tsundere.¡± Jaden looked at Wren with inscrutable eyes for a moment before he said, ¡°Then I should anticipate the return? In my weakened state, you should be able to overpower me quite easily.¡± Despite trying to couch it playfully, Wren could tell that Jaden was quite nervous and a little fearful. Wren widened the lounge before burrowing under Jaden''s arm and said, ¡°As impatient as I am to empower us both, unlike the me that was actually there, that Jaden you saw through my eyes is not the you that is now. I will not take all that I know of that Jaden and take it for granted that you are the same or that I can just pick up where I left off. I played those games with him to keep our romantic entanglement distant and our friendship closer. He had other priorities I didn''t want to edge myself into.¡± Jaden interrupted a little bitterly, ¡°He had a wife and a child, maybe as many as three. Sorry, I know you have said I am not truly denied such a thing but it is still a soreness I worry at.¡± I don''t get it. It''s not like it was all roses with Lilly. The other two children betrayed his wife to live. BZ replied, ¡°You may be under a false understanding. The memory sharing that occurred does not indicate that he knows what you know. You have an inner mind that allows you to capture all sensory information and helps you retain it, he does not have such a thing. Most of what he witnessed was lost aside from a handful of key points that grabbed his attention. Another important piece I should share is that enough natal spirit essence still resides within your earthly desires point, your sacral chakra, for me to attach a connection to it. If you release that essence into Jaden, I can give him access to my functions.¡± Wren rolled that information around in his mind before he said, ¡°This situation is different. We are different. I want to share fully with you but I''m willing to wait until you are ready. Unlike that forceful and competitive sharing in the past, I want something a little more for us both... Not that we couldn''t do it for fun but that''s not what I want our first time to be like.¡± Jaden pulled Wren tightly against him as he said, ¡°This isn''t simply a matter of my comfort, is it? This is a needful thing. Need lies over want but it does give me peace that you wish to take me in gentleness, even after I was unable to do so for you. I-I did try but it ached so.¡± In fake thoughtfulness, Wren said, ¡° Well, I don''t actually have much concern or need for condensing my spiritual essence until I am Tier IV. By then, I could bond another for the purpose. Your fath-¡± Jaden interrupted, ¡°No!... No, even in jest do not say it. It may become needful to save your life some day and such thoughts and words would plague me whether my imprint sees such a person as a threat or not.¡± Jaden sighed heavily before he continued, ¡°Come then. Show me this gentle union. It seems I am in need of learning it anyway. You don''t think that I would come to enjoy receiving attentions more than giving them, do you?¡± Wren heard the note of foolish fear towards the end of Jaden''s declaration, so he said, ¡°Even though that other you came to enjoy the occasional reversal of roles, he never stopped enjoying stirring the pot more, so to speak. It does bother me that there seems to be some sort of internal idea that being on the receiving end somehow lessens your self-image.¡± Jaden quickly responded, ¡°I-it''s not as if I see you as being less than what you are or anything. At the same time, I cannot help how I feel. Could you please just do what needs to be done before I lose my resolve!¡± Ugh... That''s probably the best I''m going to get before I show him that it''s not some sort of pain ritual he has to endure. All of these misconceptions from one incident of playing with a ''toy'' he found once when he was twelve. Well, that and all those stories he heard from the Suncave running band, sitting around objectifying their conquests. His head is full of ridiculous alpha and beta male bullshit. Wren looked up at Jaden and said, ¡°Then you better kiss me now because in a minute you may not want to.¡± Jaden complied then asked as Wren started trailing kisses down the hard ridges of his stomach, ¡°And why is that?¡± Wren looked up mischievously and said, ¡°Because even though you''ll like what I''m about to do, it''s a common aversion.¡± As Wren exercised some power to clean and prepare Jaden, eliciting mixed reactions, Jaden said, ¡°I don''t think I''ll have any aversion to kissing you if you keep doing that. Wh-what!?¡± While Jaden spoke, Wren worked kisses and nibbles around the base of Jaden''s cock to his velvety sack before dipping under as he levered Jaden''s legs up to expose the dark man''s shockingly pink pucker. Giving an experimental sniff, Wren found that his precision cleaning had been exactly as he liked it. The smell of fresh sweat and Jaden''s stronger musk came through with no other unpleasantness mixed in. Wren worked his face and tongue into the muscular butt as he licked and tongue fucked the shy hole. He hadn''t realized how much he missed the power of a bond until that moment as Jaden''s shocked and pleasant surprise skittered within Wren''s mind. Wren reveled in Jaden''s enjoyment as he tossed all the cursed items and accrued miscellaneous jewelry, aside from a decorated jewelry box that had yet to be sifted through. He kept at it, giving the occasional lick up Jaden''s perineum and nuzzling his nose into Jaden''s smooth sack to better smell the dark man''s musk, until he started feeling uncomfortably full. Understanding that playtime was over, Wren worked a slick digit into Jaden and started digging for the sweet spot as he raised a little to rest Jaden''s toned thighs on his shoulders. He brought Jaden''s rousing member to his mouth and began slurping on the exposed glans, slowly working a second finger in. It made him feel better about needing to push this experience upon Jaden as he began seeing how worked up Jaden was getting despite not expecting to. Between grunts, in time with Wren''s finger digs, Jaden said, ¡°Why... all this... Just take me and be done already.¡± Wren grinned saucily and said, ¡°As you wish but what I''m doing is to make it feel better. Just shoving yourself into someone isn''t pleasant for them. Not a big deal for me because I have healing but on a normal person, you could hurt them badly. No worries though, your first time pain is going to be nearly non existent.¡± Wren narrowed down the lounge so he could comfortably straddle it and after slicking himself and Jaden''s blushing ring, he worked himself in with delicious slowness while releasing enough LE to cause Jaden a moment of blankness. Is it wrong that I''m thinking ''like father, like son'' in such a time? Lucky for him, he won''t actually remember that cute little breathy moan he just did. That''s going into the special memory folder... As Wren slid home, feeling the bottom of Jaden''s nuts brush against his lower abdomen, he shuddered a little trying to keep from an embarrassing quick finish. Damn it! I forgot I have the first time sensitivity thing going on right now too. Troy was so close to helping me out with that but I suppose I should be grateful. Because I kept the cork on the bottle, Jaden''s going to get his own personal connection with Buzz too. I bet there''s other ways though... Hurry up and snap out of the LE kick, Jaden! The way you''re grunting and pushing against me''s gonna make me shoot any second! Wren pulled himself out just enough to squeeze the base of his cock. He wanted this to last a bit longer than his body was wanting to let him. Wren grimaced against the sudden ache inside that had nothing to do with his lack of control. He suddenly understood what Jaden had been talking about earlier. Jaden''s eyes came into focus and locked onto Wren''s. They were icy and hard in their intensity but Wren didn''t feel threatened. Jaden was waiting for Wren to finish because that jolt had kick started Jaden''s libido and he was primed to do some brutal claiming again. In that moment, Wren realized that he was looking at inner Jaden, at the moment, and inner Jaden wanted inner Wren. Wren was going to give the impatient instinct what it wanted but first he was going to pleasurably teach it some manners. Now that he had settled down a bit, Wren gave a slow experimental thrust that was laden with just a wisp of LE. Inner Jaden moaned and looked at Wren with confusion. After two more, that confusion was mixed with anticipation. Wren felt no need to hold back, since what he was giving he''d be getting back with interest a little later, so he infused every single slow, grinding slide with a little wisp of essence. Inner Jaden had finally been pushed to the edge of what he could endure as he leaked drop after drop of clear fluid after every drive home but he wasn''t the only one. The ache within Wren threatened to transform into sharp pain if he would not relent soon. Since it was time for Wren to give way, he threw a little extra essence into his thrust as he built up intensity to hard and eager gut churning. As Wren looked down to where he was joined with his lover, he saw that all his hard won persistence had won him a thick foamy ring of pre-spilt excitement and came undone as he jerked and slammed his love as deep into Jaden as he could get it. He had to admire inner Jaden''s persistence. Despite the clear trails of fluid down his angrily engorged tool, he held it in. It left Wren feeling disappointed that he hadn''t gotten Jaden off with just a thorough ass breeding but to get a little revenge against inner Jaden, he reluctantly withdrew from the silky heat to drop down and slurp all the glistening nectar off Jaden''s rod before he could react, causing the inexperienced instinct to break control and spill in Wren''s mouth. As the first thick lash of condensed SE began pleasurably lashing his consciousness to oblivion, he gave inner Jaden a trollish smirk and let inner Wren take over. *** As the first hints of dawn pierced the fog around them, Wren realized they were laying on the beach with Jaden protectively curled around him. He belatedly realized that shoveling all those cursed items into his void all at once may have been a little rash. As he began untangling himself, Jaden woke up as well. Looking at each other a little confusedly, Wren unpacked the memories of when inner Wren had the wheel and blushed furiously as he realized that inner Wren had been so into it own enjoyment that it had forgotten about the boat but even after it had disappeared the two instincts had just kept up their fun in the water until they were so worn out that if it wasn''t for Jaden''s aquakinetics they likely would have drowned. He almost got angry over the recklessness until it dawned on him that it was due to inner Wren''s trust in Jaden that it had held no concerns. Wren said, ¡°It seems our other sides moved the party to the water in our absence. Here, let me get all this sand and salt off of us.¡± Jaden looked at Wren a little frightened as he said, ¡°I hope this isn''t a common event. It makes our union seem dangerous.¡± Wren said, ¡°Our inner selves were just having fun and got a little carried away. Believe me, they are better equipped for survival than even we are. How do you feel?¡± Jaden moved around a bit and said, ¡°I feel amazing actually. I almost feel as if I''ve reached the end of what I can reach without some understanding to push me further.¡± Wren nodded and said, ¡°You''ve reached the apex of Tier III as you are currently. You need to form a manifestation.¡± BZ chimed in, ¡°That is correct. Communing with your holy beast spirit should grant you insight on how to proceed. Not much resides in the database that Origin has granted me on Outsider bloodlines but the fae portion of your heritage is malleable in nature and will harmonize with whatever direction you grow in.¡± ¡°What was that?¡± Jaden said, startled. Wren replied evenly, ¡°That''s Buzz. We don''t talk about Buzz with our outside voices though. He''s our little secret.¡± Wren winked at Jaden before conjuring up a sumptuous breakfast. ¡°That''s interesting. I love hearing about other''s secrets,¡± said a familiar and, to Wren, despised voice. 46-Wicked Game Wren''s heart started beating a death metal drum beat in his chest but outwardly he was all calm composure as he said, ¡°Aaron, we were just about to sit down to some breakfast. Care to join us as you tell us to what we owe the honor?¡± Aaron studied the two for a moment before he said, ¡°I suppose it harms nothing. It has been some time since I''ve partaken of Earth specialties.¡± Aaron stiffened defensively as Wren summoned some furniture and bathrobes for himself and Jaden. There was something about Aaron''s predatory gaze that set Wren on edge even further than the fact he was even there. He summoned more helpings and further selections to hide the access of his storage as he sat down to help himself. Gesturing for Jaden and Aaron to help themselves as well. After seeing the foods and and condiments that Jaden and Wren selected, Aaron seated himself and selected a few things from among the platters that had already been sampled as he said, ¡°I''m quite put out by you, Wren. One short term and one long term investment have been derailed by you. I''m quite surprised you recognized me with a glance as well. I am certain that we have not met before.¡± Putting on his Ephyra face, Wren said, ¡°Our personal interests were poorly misaligned up to this point but it need not continue in that direction, that is, if you can keep your hands off those who I have showed interest in. At the very least, handle them with kid gloves if interaction is unavoidable.¡± Jaden grew dangerously close to going on the offensive when Aaron leaned in over the table, his obscuring wreath of gloaming spreading out, as he said, ¡° And who are you to accede any compromises to?¡± Wren exercised a bit of internal healing power to get his nerves and pulse under control as he replied evenly, ¡°Someone who won''t be ransomed for or saved but will be avenged... thoroughly, for the slight to my patrons. Prideful people are frightening when angered. They may not even spare your extra-planar associate. How are they doing by the way?¡± Aaron leaned back and retracted his gloaming, revealing rotten and spoiled fare as he said blandly, ¡°Unknowns are vexing are they not? And to me, you are a singularly perplexing unknown.¡± Wren affected a small sigh as he waved his hand to remove the spoiled fare and replaced it, as he allowed an innocuous ball to roll down to the sand, resting in front of his foot. Aaron was just as wary as the first time but didn''t hesitate to help himself to the spread as before. Motioning with his eyes, Wren got Jaden to help himself to the fare and sampled it as well while he said, ¡°I''m truly not that enigmatic, Aaron. I''m just far better informed than most. For instance, there''s no need to target and sacrifice a holder of the flames of purity to get the sealing pillar from the forest above Under City. If I had more quickly realized your goal there, I would already possess it to offer you. Unfortunately you are far ahead of schedule.¡± The goal that caused the death of Rohn, you piece of shit! The gloaming receded from Aaron''s face just enough to see the upward tilt of one well shaped eyebrow before it closed over again. Aaron slowly nodded then said, ¡°If you can do as you say, that would go a long way to earning my regard and good will. I would of course need to keep hold of your close friend here as a sign of good faith until it was accomplished.¡± Wren, who had rolled the ball close to Aaron with an innocuous switch of crossed legs, prepped a small use of psionic force to roll it against Aaron''s foot as he said, that is understandable. After all it''s your modus operandi to,¡± Wren released the force as he finished, ¡°to apprehend a victim.¡± As dark bands snaked up Aaron''s form, locking his power away as it stole the gloaming fae''s speech and sight, Wren added, ¡°It''s a shame you have a distinct lack of desire to release someone once you have your hooks in them.¡± Wren stabbed a stillness enchanted needle into Aaron''s heart and before sliding a silent mind enchanted needle through Aaron''s temple he said, ¡°And who said I want your fucking regard! As for your good will, it has so little value, I wouldn''t even wipe my ass with it.¡± After throwing Aaron into the outer edge of his devouring void space, Wren grabbed the slack jawed Jaden and used his void space''s porting to quickly move them to the underwater palace before quickly getting to work reconstructing a pale imitation of his father''s symbiotic armor with a few new infernal twists. As he evaluated the work, he saw it was a bit shoddy but it would hold for a few weeks before needing to be replaced. Wren donned the new armor, which Jaden mirrored, as he powered up the defensive barriers and traps of the underwater palace. Wren sat in the throne/seat as he lifted a more elegant looking one out of the floor and motioned for Jaden to sit in it. As Jaden sat in the slightly effeminate looking seat, with a slightly disenchanted look he said, ¡°You know, this is my family''s home.¡± Wren looked over at Jaden and burst out in slightly manic laughter as he said, ¡°We could be overtaken at any moment by who knows what kind of contingency plan of Aaron''s and you''re unhappy with how cute your chair is compared to mine? God, I love you... There''s a good reason for this arrangement though. ¡°This throne has control mechanisms for many features of the palace in it. Yours is actually a lot neater though. It has the ability to transport any who sits in it and up to three others nearby, to your great-grandmother''s hamadryad. Essentially, I''m trusting you to know when it''s time to cut and run. If you knew how to operate the control orb in the arm rest, I''d happily switch chairs with you.¡± After another hour went by filled with tension laden conversation and Wren secretly fiddling with precision control of his void power to siphon Aaron''s spirit without damaging the restraints and enchanted needles, Jaden asked for the fourth time how much longer they were going to just sit there. As Wren sighed and was about to answer Jaden, a booming spirit enhanced voice said, ¡°Immediately reveal yourself and release my body or I will start rotting the meat off your pretty red haired friend and her husband.¡± Wren appealed to his inner self, drew upon his manifestation and replied in a nearly equally loud psychic emanation tinged with eerie undertones, ¡°Since both options result in the same or worse ending, I choose the option where I start peeling your astral body into strips and chew on it like the bacon you made me leave on the beach earlier. That is, until you can oath to me that any damages and life lost in your endeavors has been restored and returned where they were before you rudely interrupted their activities. 98% left. Make that 97%.¡± Jaden looked at Wren in shock and said, ¡°You-You''re eating ancestor Aaron''s soul!?¡± Jaden shivered when Wren turned to him and replied with lifeless eyes, ¡°I will do things far worse than that to him if he doesn''t do as I say.¡± Wren returned to his augmented mental voice and said, ¡°You''re not moving yet? When I get another percent of your spirit out of you, I''m going to fashion a modified god-killer curse out of it. So if you''re waiting till I pop like a tick you''re sadly mistaken. I know at least six more ways to gainfully employ your hard earned progress till you dust. Each will increasingly be harder to recover from if it takes you too much time to bend that stiff neck of yours and do as I say, TRASH!¡± As Wren bent to the task of creating the most beneficial and nastiest toys in his woefully small repertoire to while away the time, Jaden finally cracked a little under the pressure and said, ¡°Wren it shames me to admit that you are frightening me. I feel as if I''m losing you in small degrees every time you finish another one of your... projects.¡± Wren looked at Jaden sadly as he replied, ¡°Lilly was nearly dead by the time he got here. He killed Jampa as soon as I had finished speaking the second time. Your father has no idea where Rohn and Imani are. Ephyra and your father have secreted everyone else we care for away but Ephyra could cave at any time. She''s already lost her youngest clutch. I have no choice but to commit to this course of action now. ¡°If we bow to his demands, even once, we are all finished. He will slowly pick us off one by one as he uses us up to get what he desires. Glaucous is keeping me updated for now but until I get Aaron below 50% he''s going to keep cooking up more insidious schemes. He''ll keep them under his ability to undo, just in case, but I think you''d be surprised how far a Tier VI existence can go before they pass their ability to retract their actions.¡± As Wren spoke to Jaden, gloaming mist began pouring through the connecting tunnel towards them. Wren casually tossed out a god-killer needle towards the fog that shot through it like lightning to its source. Afterwards, Wren collected the loosely dissipating fog with a void bead and stored it in a ward box within his middle void. Using the sound formation, Wren projected his voice over Seaside. Wren said, ¡°I don''t know if you didn''t believe that I could make them but if you do something as devoid of intelligence as that was again, I''m going to start pushing those needles into your testicles.¡± Wren thought at BZ, ¡°Do you know the names of any Abyssal denizens of notoriety?¡± BZ promptly replied, ¡°One that is likely known to Aaron that might take interest in Aaron''s body if you could contact them, which you can''t? Praxis, Zebul and Mother Midnight. The last is a bit unbelievable but she is known widely as a collector.¡± Wren once again turned to the augmented psychic force but this time he pinpointed Aaron''s signature as he projected, ¡° Since you seem interested in pushing this game as far as you can before you even contemplate doing what I want, I''m throwing in the towel and seeing what your corpse will buy me from the Guardian Alliance. Your mostly stripped soul might be a nice present to Praxis or Zabul. I haven''t decided but I''ll definitely chose the one who''ll hand you over to Mother Midnight. I''m not negotiating, this is a statement of intent. You have ten seconds to oath your compliance or I remove your ability to do else. May the Eternal Circle have mercy upon those that will be ruined by my impatience.¡± As his avatar appeared in the tunnel, Aaron responded, ¡°Arrogant insect! You will set me back centuries but I can recover from the loss of my main body.¡± Wren smiled coldly as he said, ¡°Not when it lies in my hands. Do what is required before it is too late... Principle of contagion.¡± In Wren''s void space, a special god-killer needle infused with the first secret of the Infernal Engineers, entered Aaron''s other temple. Black veins began rapidly spreading on Aaron''s secondary form. As Aaron stared in disbelief at his form Wren said, ¡°Spiritual distillation, gather!¡± Mixing the effects of the Infernal Engineer''s principle of contagion with Abyssal Alchemist''s spiritual distillation, Wren started to draw all of Aaron''s fractured soul clones'' core existences back into the main astral body as it started liquefying. It wasn''t without cost however. Wren''s SE was being eaten up at such a pace that within five seconds, it would begin eating through his own astral body to fuel the process. It wouldn''t be enough time to do more than lightly cripple the clones but he hoped it would be enough to scare Aaron into conceding. It took three and Wren immediately stopped as soon as Aaron started speaking the oath. To keep up the image of his strength, Wren ate the special god-killer needle to replenish his severely depleted reserves as Aaron completed his loophole filled version of Wrens demand. Wren didn''t even bother acknowledging as he said, ¡°Principle of con-¡± Aaron interrupted to speak a far more clear oath of cooperation with only two major flaws that BZ pointed out, which Wren immediately slapped Aaron in the face with. After getting those addressed Wren requested Aaron stay as he said, ¡°Now we will be done after a ''Year and a Day'' subordination oath and a Millennial non-aggression pact.¡± Aaron paused for a moment before he agreed to do so if Wren would oath the release of his main body upon completion of his current oath. Wren countered that he would do so if Aaron retrieved the Ring of Fealty from it''s current owner, a ruler of a slaver''s city-state, and the Amulet of Safe Sleep from it''s, before turning to complete his oath. Since they were easy tasks, Aaron agreed before they each swore their oaths. This time, Wren didn''t bother pointing out the subtle but dangerous loopholes in both of Aaron''s new oaths, that without BZ''s input he''d have had no chance of spotting.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The Rohn that was mine, do you see this Aaron running to do your first testing errands? This is my tribute to you. It took less than an hour for the items in question to be delivered before Aaron turned to undoing the harm that he had done. As soon as BZ confirmed that Jampa had been added back to the participant list with Lilly''s negative statuses removed and Glaucous had confirmed the return of Rohn and Imani, Wren had BZ file a dummy report with the SYSTEM that had the Guardian Alliance representatives picking up Aaron at coordinates marked by a petrified live oak, with Wren getting the AP and material rewards but had the rep to be given to an imaginary demigod trying to earn their way into the SYSTEM by joining an organization. Wren stuck the remaining contagion god-killer needle into Aaron''s temple and as the remaining clones died he drew out the spirit he had liquefied, into a crystalline vial. As soon as Aaron''s main body died, he collected the escaping astral body into an intricately patterned ward box and activated a contagion inspired spirit gathering array on it. Wren then had Jaden use his great-grandmother''s throne to send it and the corpse to the secluded hamadryad for pickup. Even after all that, I have no idea if I''ve done enough to end that cockroach for good but damned if I didn''t give it all I had.
Bounty Notification: For aiding in the capture of Aaron Gauthier, the following rewards have been granted...
  • 1500 AP
  • 1 Tier V evolutionary medicine
  • Reputation: +2 Bounty Hunter''s Association, +1 Abyssal Vanguard, +? ???, -2 Infernal Vanguard,... +5 Guardian Alliance (Satyrus branch only)
  • Rewards and Gratuities var. (collect material goods at any safe-zone lock-box) *SYSTEM registrar
A little later, Glaucous arrived. As the big man snatched up Wren into a painful bearhug, Jaden silently radiated heated displeasure but said nothing. After sharing a round of discourse on events, Wren summoned another meal that the famished couple finally got to eat along with Glaucous. After finishing stuffing his face, Wren said, ¡°This changes things, a great deal many things. First off, I don''t feel like it''s good idea to put off the processing of your, for lack of a better term, dirty SE. G-man, I''m sorry to say that I kinda used all my three initial bonds to create the one I have with Jaden. We both may have underestimated just how much inner me was infatuated with him.¡± Wren gave Jaden an affectionate gaze. Glaucous smiled broadly, ¡°How can it be underestimated? You barely deserve a man as fine as my son. It just shows how much wiser your inner self is.¡± Basking in the glow of his father''s praise, Jaden''s earlier frostiness slowly dissipated as he said with burning ears, ¡°There are more important matters to discuss. Are we simpering womenfolk?¡± Wren looked at Jaden coolly and said, ¡°Better hope Lilly never hears you say something like that. She''ll skin you alive and I''ll let her get halfway done before I stop her. That''s only because I love you and mama Ku will want her share... But you''re absolutely right about needing to get back on topic. ¡°There''s no need to wait till I achieve and solidify Tier IV. I just so happen to have a replacement idea. In some ways it''s even better and your son gets to help... Don''t look at me like that, Glaucous. You know damn well I wouldn''t even come close to suggesting something like that!¡± Wren pulled out the crystalline vial, missing a fifth of it''s original content. After prompting Jaden and guiding him through the process, Wren had him run traces of silver and black flames through the liquefied astral body to remove impurities and any remaining signatures that might still be within it. Holding the vial, Wren said, ¡°Your father can nourish and encourage your growth in death as he did not in life. In it''s current form, this heavily condensed SE is corrosive to other SE types aside from life spirit. As it decompresses, it will dissolve the false divinity and faith power you possess into a more neutral condensed SE. There would be a chance for several minor side effects, save that he was your father and what information I have on this states that this process is frequently used in the Abyss for a flagging elder to strengthen their offspring. ¡°This is the most important part, Glaucous. Split it up over three days. Before every dose you need to meditate on the part of yourself you wish to strengthen and which parts you wish to dissolve and hold that image firmly while the liquid is active. I can''t coach you further but consider carefully what you wish to be because this is something you can only do once safely. I''m not certain if it will be too much or not enough but in the event that it''s more than you need just absorb the excess into your astral body slowly as it decompresses.¡± With a bitter face, Glaucous mentally shared, ¡°It saddens me how impersonal all this, sounds, is. Wren replied, ¡°I feel the same, heart-brother, but for your son''s sake and the relationship you wish to have with him, it has to be.¡± I''ve never had to deal with putting out ''old flames'' in my past life but knowing what I have now, it makes it bearable. There''s only one person in this whole reality that could challenge that resolve. For both our sake''s, I hope he''s moved on happily. Wren took in a deep breath and released it, along with his thoughts on the past as he said, ¡°We don''t have much time for me to get away with something now that a time stamp is placed on Aaron''s capture. I had intended for him to take the fall for a lot of things till his bounty got kicked up to a level where others would handle him but things are what they are. Since that''s the case, can you drop Jaden and I off as far into the bone meadow as you can, Glaucous.¡± Glaucous'' eyes widened as he said, ¡°That''s insanity! Are you trying to get my son and yourself killed!?¡± Wren''s eyes carried a hint of steel as he said, ¡°There are easier ways to die if that''s what I wanted. Your lack of faith in me is tragic.¡± Glaucous looked between his son and Wren as he said, ¡°Will you still go if I do not take you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wren replied firmly. Glaucous knocked his son unconscious with a movement of faith fueled power and said, ¡°I will take you but you go alone. If you die, I will remove your memory from his mind and soul. It will cost me dearly and harm my son but he will live.¡± Wren said, ¡°It''s your hell to pay when he wakes up but for what it''s worth, I understand. I don''t agree but I understand.¡± As Glaucous wrapped them in a jet of water he said, ¡°If it wasn''t for my faith in your ability you would have a place beside him until this foolishness passed but even so, there is risk and there is suicide.¡± A generous amount of time and a nap in transit later, Wren stood alone at the banks of a two month, seasonal swamp. The rain was pouring down heavily as Wren summoned a void enhanced spectral transport. Wren took an appraising look around him before setting out. Not long into his journey, BZ informed Wren, ¡°This area contains lethal levels of radiation but as long as you remain within the field of your void construct, you should not be affected.¡± So that''s why Aaron needed a person who had purifying flames embodiment. As Wren reached an island of flat land littered with bones and covered in a carpet of dark flora, he was forced to descend as the energy construct of his transport began to break apart. Wrapping himself in a veil of his void realm, Wren continued walking on as he asked, ¡°Buzz, what just happened?¡± BZ responded, ¡°A strong eldritch essence field is mixed with the radiation here. Your summons are temporarily unavailable.¡± Wren shook off a sudden feeling apprehension. As he continued walking further in, the feeling grew stronger. Are you trying to warn me, inner self? Wren''s inner self was just as perplexed as he was. Wren nearly jumped out of his skin when BZ chimed in, ¡°You''re on a cursed ground now, Wren. You would normally be immune or at least resistant enough to realize the feelings were not yours but the source must be too strong.¡± As horrible as all of this is, What kept Aaron away? Every step felt heavy. Wren''s mouth went dry and his intuition was starting to pick up something that unsettled it deeply. ¡°You have passed the point of no return, trespasser. There is no path but forward and when you fail, we feed to continue our vigil,¡± said a despair inducing voice. BZ said, ¡°Five Tier VI oath-bound astral bodies. There is over a 60% chance they will not attack unless you turn from your objective.¡± Wren said, ¡°Why will I fail?¡± One of the entities that could only be sensed but not seen responded, ¡°Only aesthetics, holy beasts and family may approach our Mistress'' tomb to pay respect and tithe. All others will feed us so that we may keep our vigil. We await your decision to flee or proceed and be judged trespasser.¡± Wren took a few more steps forward as he felt their agitation grow, then said, ¡°Who is your mistress?¡± Silence was his answer till he moved again and five voices said simultaneously, ¡°World Mother Satyra.¡± Shit... Alright Glaucous, good call. That still doesn''t answer what Aaron would want from here. In the distance, Wren saw an obsidian pillar. His time was running out to find answers before this turned into a fight for survival and BZ had no insight yet to give. Out of picante, Wren asked as he walked at an execution block pace, ¡°I suppose it doesn''t hurt to ask. Do you guys know why a potentially Infernal Host connected, Tier VI gloaming fae would be interested in sending someone here?¡± Silence reigned for a time before a vaguely feminine voice said, ¡°Are you another victim of Aaron''s?¡± With vitriol, Wren said, ¡°No. Today, he was the victim. I handed the corpse of his main body and most of his astral body, along with his soul core, over to the Guardian Alliance.¡± ¡°Are you able to offer proof?¡± said the same voice. Wren removed a ward box from his void space. Opening it, he revealed a rotting bead and a small crystalline vial to the open air. A sinister male voice hissed, ¡°He may have proven to be a nuisance but he did provide us sustenance. I will mourn his passing.¡± A wheezing chuckle filled the air. Be glad this isn''t past me. You would have just earned yourself a ticket to oblivion. Wren said angrily, ¡°Well, Mr. Chuckles, if I hadn''t stopped him he would have whipped up another Black Tide to come eat your billowy ass.¡± Another voice tinged with age and decrepitude joined in to say, ¡°He speaks truth. Whistlethorn spoke of children, one matching his description, having a most comical battle with an abomination that no child of the forest would willingly approach. He partly carries the air of an aesthetic and is the mate of one who carries holy beast blood. It skirts the oath but qualifies. For the sake of his service to us, I would say to let him pass and pay tithe if the menhir will allow his approach.¡± The sinister voice rejoined, ¡°We need his sustenance. Unless one of the gate''s symbols alights, whether you join or not, I will feast... That is, unless he offers me the contents of that vial.¡± Wren''s temper overtook his common sense and said, ¡°I''ll give it to anyone but you! I''d rather take it myself and drag you with me to oblivion, greedy fuck!¡± A commanding voice said, ¡°You overstep yourself, assassin. Either our oath requires us to do our duty or it does not. Knowing what I do of your past antics, I assume you only mean to scheme for more resources... Know this, if even a single symbol lights enough for me to see and if you choose to ignore your duty, there will be only four tomb guards from that day on. What say you, Magus?¡± The feminine voice said, ¡°As long as even one symbol has the faintest glow I will leave him pass as long as he takes no more than the prescribed amount of the three gifts of the Mother that any aesthetic or holy beast may. If you will accept my word, Knight, I will inform you of a weaker glow since my sensitivity is higher.¡± The commanding voice said, ¡°I will. Healer, you need not speak, save your strength.¡± Not exactly sure why he cared, Wren asked, ¡°What''s wrong with the healer?¡± The commander replied, ¡°Since the beginning, Healer has refrained from predation on sentients and aided us in resolving the madness that overtakes us. The aesthetics that used to come and willingly shared with them, stopped arriving centuries ago and their frequent efforts to resolve Assassin''s excesses has weakened them. Wren thought at BZ, ¡°Will the liquefied astral body have side-effects on these guys?¡± BZ replied, ¡°No. Their existence is maintained on the material plain by consistently using minute amounts of SE vapors produced by LE consumption.¡± Wren said, ¡°I had plans for this but I honestly have decided to wait for a better material. If the healer is willing, I will give him the vial.¡± An unearthly wail followed by the sinister voice''s curses, filled the area. Both the Knight and Druid pleaded Healer to take the offer as Mage explained to Wren that he needed to open it for them. It wasn''t that they couldn''t affect the world around them but there were strict restraints on what they could do. Deciding to follow through with his unfathomable impulse to waste valuable resources, Wren opened the vial and watched the contents evaporate in a streaming line till it was gone. The commanding voice said, ¡°It will take some time for Healer to recover but they are grateful and so are we. It changes nothing on what I and Mage must do if you fail the gate but I would regret. Judging by your actions, I would say that there have been many less worthy to pass.¡± Heartened by the recommendation, Wren sped up his pace towards the torii-like entrance to the inside of the sealing pillar. Wren paused for a moment and took a deep breath before stepping in. The commanding voice said, ¡°The aesthetic symbol glows brightly in my vision and I can barely perceive the glow upon the holy beast symbol. Was your vision or recounting mistaken and this is a female with child?¡± Ooookay. Gonna just ignore I heard that. The feminine voice added, ¡°There are many explanations for this phenomenon. The most likely would hurt your sensibilities, Knight. I would like to add that the family symbol also glows but it is a faint thing, even in my vision... Once you are done paying tithe you are allowed three measures of each, aesthetic.¡± Wren nodded and walked to the menhir. He was lost on what to do next until he began inspecting the standing stone. Below the flowery and religious memorial script there was a place indicated for the supplicant to place their hand, paw, flagella or other podia. Wow. I just thought about a giant giardia lamblia waltzing up here to pay its respects. Total nightmare dream fuel. Mustering up his courage, Wren placed his hand on the sigil. With a feeling of sinking through mud, he disappeared. 47- Old and New Once the feeling of passing through what Wren recognized as the boundary of a sub-dimension, he surveyed the area around him. A serene grassy plain stretched out for miles around with nothing to break the illusion of endlessness except for a menhir like the one above. As he approached it, Wren''s evolved dimensional vision detected the same kind of dizzying array of layered time-space he had seen once before. Unlike Usuway''s, however, these layers were firmly separated with the menhir being the only constant between them all. It''s like the menhir is an old school obelisk that acts as a needle threading through all the different layers. If a ley-line was reduced to a single point, with all the potential destinations cross-sectioned into layers, it would look the same. Wren carded through the layers, skipping sections a few hundred-thousand at a time. Sometimes he''d encounter ones where life was not sustainable or places where odd gaps existed in the otherwise uniform layers. Using his 3.5 mind, sometimes like a microscope and sometimes as binoculars, he focused more clearly on a layer that caught his attention. Following a trail of one particular set of ''bread crumbs'' he encountered something that made his scalp tingle. A note, written in his own handwriting, read, ¡°Ask the cup. She will remember what you do not.¡± On that layer, like many before it, laid three gathering tools. Wren could see that they responded to the three unique resources that existed by each: The cup was obviously for the water that lay in a spring fed pool, a hand sickle for the wheat-like plants with multiple colored seeds and a fine tipped chisel for collecting the prismatic crystals that grew out of a stone platform behind the tools pedestal. Wren desired to speak to BZ and get his take on all this but the AI was oddly silent. Wren didn''t know if it would work from where he was but said, ¡°Cup, can you hear me?¡± A little girl''s voice, that seemed to come from all the layers at once, said, ¡°Oh, it''s you again, uncle Wren! You visited me a lot faster this time. You forgot again. You always forget!¡± The little girl''s voice took on a sobbing tone as she continued, ¡°How can you help me wake up mommy if you always forget?¡± Sensing that the entity he was speaking with was likely unstable, Wren pushed down his own jangled nerves and spoke soothingly, ¡°I know I''ve probably asked you the same thing many times before but can you tell me what you remember of our other meetings?¡± In a sad and exasperated tone, the cup''s awakened spirit recounted Wren''s life and death on Earth, as Orison. She went on to explain how Wren had promised her that if he could find a way, he would bring Satyra back from the dead. After getting some more details on things his past self had managed to try, Wren got the impression that the best he could ever accomplish was a facsimile of Satyra that used the original woman''s remains as an item to inhabit. The complex enchantment that linked the memories and residual spirit to the menhir could awaken. Taking a risk, Wren unburdened all that he could about himself and the abilities that he possessed, something he''d apparently done many times before, before he discovered that his bizarre manifestation was new. Teasing apart clues from the cup''s broken recollection and child-like understanding, Wren realized that his intuition and even the strength of his inner self had developed exponentially from the first time they had met. He even figured out that most of the girl''s own growth might have been due to their interactions and occasional ''presents'' that he had brought her. After a few inquiries, Wren discovered that the strange natural laws and enchantments that permeated this unique sub-dimension only allowed for one entry and exit per entity, per iteration. What he was seeing with his special vision, were the countless different echoes of each iteration. Under normal circumstances, his special vision would not allow him to see iterations but since this existence was a singularity, it was missing many obscuring dimensions. With the cup spirit''s help, Wren followed his own notes to discover a chilling secret. From the outer edges of the entirety of this reality, it was being eaten away by outsiders at an alarming pace. After that blow, came the realization that this reality was coming to the end of it''s lifespan and was rotting from the inside as well. It seemed that all his previous visits here had lead him into trying to find the ''best'' reality to be safe from both for the longest period of time. It was daunting to realize that he had lived so many other lives that all lead to the same destination. With that insight came a terrifying thought. His ever strengthening intuition, this alien yet strangely intimate feeling manifestation and BZ were all leading Wren to some sort of monumental end goal. After finishing that thought, he was hit with the strongest sense of wrongness that he could recall. He felt a strong urge to rethink his use of this place, that he should be looking for something else. Hour upon hour he sat, letting his thoughts run loose. Not immediately getting anything useful, he started chatting with the cup. Mostly she just talked about how much she missed her mom. Cup rambled on about how her mom was the best at one thing or another. I need answers and, for whatever reason, Buzz isn''t able to converse with me. Not that it matters. If what cup says is true, I''ve had Buzz here with me before. For the briefest of moments, Wren''s intuition began nudging in a direction before dropping it. After trying hard to find the dropped thread of thought and failing, he drew into himself and borrowed the power of his manifestation. Wreathed in fluttering scroll ribbons and whipping barbed chains, he tried again. Once again, Wren picked up on a faint thread of thought that immediately shut down again but this time barbed chains shot deep into himself. Wren panicked as the chains ripped a hole into his astral body and with every small movement, a little more damage was done. Wren''s already seriously depleted SE nearly bottomed out by the time his manifestation''s chains had found their quarry. Concerned his soul might disperse if this situation continued even a moment longer, Wren kicked all but two sin-eater eggs into his void. With the added resources filtering into his SE, Wren was still barely hanging on as the chain writhed like a wounded snake. A day later, Wren laid in the grass, soaked in sweat. With his power so dangerously unstable, he chose not to exercise any abilities and decided to endure. In his mind, the only positive that he could find was the sudden clarity of thought he possessed. Whatever it was the demon side of his throne took, it had been an actual part of himself. Wren marveled that something so ugly and malignant could be within his very being and not realize it was there. After having excised whatever the spiritual tumor represented within him, Wren suddenly found himself questioning some of his decisions and realized that he hadn''t been properly in control for quite some time. Trying to jump in the sack with Troy, subtle selfish impulses over Rohn and Imani, even how quickly he pursued a bond with Jaden before he''d resolved his issues with Glaucous all had a hint of pushes outside of normal thought. The way that he let his anger lead him by the nose during the Aaron episode and the small moment of wanting to devour Assassin were just icing on the cake as far as he was concerned. Is it any wonder I threw away something as precious as that liquid spirit? I was so desperate to assert what I believed my true nature to be that I''d have done much crazier things I''m sure. Luckily, no girl scouts were trying to sell me cookies! Not sure how he was going to approach this situation yet, he asked the question he should have asked lifetimes ago, ¡°Cup, Where''s your mom''s real body?¡± The little girl''s voice said, ¡°It''s where I''m wiggling.¡± Scanning through the layers, Wren saw where all the cups were pointing till he found the one where the faded and chipped vessel was trembling. The layer was close enough to the crumbling inner layers that he was able to estimate that it was less than a hundred years from falling to the void and joining the rest of the origin side realities that had been lost to decrepitude. With a 10% drop in LE to the tithing circle on the menhir, Wren juked past the enchantment''s grab and slipped down the line to his target layer before exiting. Upon arriving, many strong illusion based enchantments released their blocks on Wren''s senses, allowing him to see the truth of this layer. A simple but elegant shrine surrounded the menhir and on a crystal encased dais lay a woman. As Wren approached, he was struck with a strong sense of familiarity with the woman who looked like she was only sleeping. Cup said excitedly, ¡°Hurry and harvest the gifts and get better and then wake up mommy.¡± Wren sighed, ¡°Cup, I don''t even see them. How can I get them?¡± Exasperated, Cup said, ¡°The crystals are in mommy''s hand and the seeds are in the other one. Mommy''s tears are under her pillow...¡± Wren walked over to the clear casket and opened the lid. As he did so, he felt the energy of many different types of enchantments wash over him. Although he was worried, Cup reassured him that nothing bad would happen to him as long as he was a ''good uncle''. He reached down and took three seeds from one of the woman''s hands and three crystals from the other. Using Cup, he scooped up three portions of the water that pooled in a basin under Satyra''s porcelain pillow. Cup spoke out, ¡°Now remember, you can only use one portion of each, uncle Wren. If you use more than that they do bad things instead of good things.¡± As Wren contemplated whether it would be better to eat the grain fruit directly or through his void space, the ground began shuddering and bucking under him. Under his spacial vision, the layers began crunching and condensing until the only one that remained was the one he stood upon. The woman who laid upon the dais opened her eyes and looked at Wren as her body radiated with the vitality provided by countless iterations of her world. The implications of what he just witnessed, darkened his mind and broke his heart. The woman rose from her stone and crystal bed and said, ¡°Originally I only had the realm grain and timeless shards in my keeping. The tears were inspired from me by you, little brother. I had hoped that it would be anyone but you who awakened me. ¡°Watching your struggles erased old hates in my heart towards you. Seeing you vainly struggle and fail against forces greater and beyond you so many times moved me to give you ease in your suffering but it wasn''t the boon I''d hoped it would be. When I made this place and prepared for my path of advancement, I placed an enchantment that would not allow you to find me but I knew the mutable nature of souls and existence so I tied it to something that I believed you''d never be able to remove from yourself. ¡°I know you do not remember your first life. Perhaps it is best to remain forgotten but I will share some. When you where born, mother had delayed her ascension to Tier VI and she was injured during her pregnancy in a way that had delayed her ascension for quite some time. By the time she had ascended, father was imminently near Tier VII. Mother and father practiced very different paths and unbeknownst to mother, father had shared the beginning secrets to his path with you. ¡°When mother thought you were ready, she began preparing you to follow her path since father had to leave us. I will not explain what is better left forgotten save that she wronged you greatly without understanding and upon the Eternal Circle, you vowed to never forgive her. In the end she sacrificed herself to save you from your self-destructive behavior. Thinking back now, I don''t blame that all on you. Mother was father''s first bond and both of them had become overwhelmed with incompatibilities.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. As she spoke, Satyra moved closer to Wren. Once she was within arms reach, in a move too fast for Wren to follow, she poured a cup of her tears into Wren''s mouth as she pushed her energy through him. The more things she saw the more grim and sorrowful her face became. She watched as Wren''s astral body healed, the tears'' secondary effect dissolving his memories. Taking a crystal from his slackening grip, she pushed it into his mental realm to rest upon the angel''s brow. She watched it shrink as a twin appeared on the demon''s brow as well. The calm acceptance of her actions rippled out from the demon, even as the angel radiated a nameless desire for her ending. She bade the powerful and self-aware manifestation to aid Wren in obtaining the useful memories of all that they had witnessed in their vigil over him. She knew their true nature and what they represented. It made her lament bitterly. Taking one of the seeds from his hand, with a mysterious movement, Satyra threw the seed into Wren''s void. As the hard shell began disintegrating, she moved some of her power and baptized his body and soul with it. Surveying her effort she took the remaining two shares of the resources he had collected and started preparing a circle. With a flourish she finished her efforts as a man covered in darkness and a confused, darkly tanned boy appeared. Satyra took a deep breath before she said, ¡°Only one of you will understand what I am about to say fully but both of you need to hear it. Your father has fallen victim to forces beyond his control. Soon he will be reborn into a life that will lead him to see this one as little more than someone else''s recollections but I''ve seen my brother''s soul yearn for connection and shoulder burdens too large for him to bear many times. Upon discovering your existences, he will worry for you. If he knew what he had gained from me, he would want you to have the other shares though he would struggle hard before reaching that choice. This would only end with yet another burden upon him. I will take it upon myself to grant them to you on his behalf.¡± Thetus spoke, ¡°It would be wrong of me to take what has not been offered freely from my father''s hand.¡± Satyra plastered a domineering face on as she said, ¡°This is not a request and all you will accomplish by denying these gifts is see them wasted. It is your father''s place to resent me for my actions if he desires but I do not believe he will. These two gifts are from the first reality of our origin, perhaps the only ones of their kind to still exist and will be beneficial to you both in what is to come. Perhaps you will not need them but I will not allow you the risk of refusing.¡± The boy looked on the verge of frightful tears but shored himself up to say, ¡°It won''t hurt right?¡± Satyra dropped the austere visage to adopt a compassionate one as she said, ¡°No, they will only benefit you.¡± After getting Thetus to release his void, Satyra placed a crystal between the brow of the man and child. She placed a seed within Thetus'' devouring void and then turned to the boy. She was perplexed how she should dispense the seed to him until she gazed into the boy''s inner space and discovered something that shocked her. After placing the seed within, she closed her eyes for a moment before turning to Thetus. Satyra said, ¡°Soon your brother will awaken to his gifts. He will need help alleviating the pressure to grow that exists within him and if any discover his unique advantages they will seek to exploit him if not... Look after your brother well as I had not for mine.¡± Thetus looked at Satyra blankly for a moment before replying, ¡°I will do what is within my ability.¡± After contemplating for a moment, she poured the other two cups into the mostly energy form of Wren then turned to the two offspring of Wren. After sharing some words and advice with Thetus, she bade them say whatever they wished to their father after assuring them that the memory would exist for him in a fashion. To give them some privacy, she excused herself with her remaining six seeds and crystals, empowering Ves the cup to collect her remaining tears. Thetus walked over to Wren and said, ¡°I know not what to say to you that I have not already said. Thank you for giving me life and acknowledging me as your son. Now that I know my brother may need me, I will do what I can.... What is your name, brother?¡± The confused boy, currently seeming around the age of six, said, ¡°Trauart... but dad and Silas just call me Artie. Since you''re my brother you can call me Artie too, I guess.¡± Thetus smiled and said, ¡°Well Artie, my name''s Thetus but my wife calls me Theo. You can too, I guess... Why don''t you say something to our father while you can. I know he can''t talk back right now but I''d be willing to wager that it would mean a lot to him.¡± With a serious look that gave lie to his age, Trauart approached Wren and said, ¡°I didn''t like you because you made dad really sad, a lot. It don''t look like it was on purpose and dad doesn''t get mad at me for making messes and stuff when it was an accident so I guess I won''t hate you or anything. Dad doesn''t want me to hate you anyway. Just because it wasn''t on purpose doesn''t mean you don''t have to apologize though... Dad has a new person now and I really like Silas so you can''t be mean to them. When you apologize to dad for making him sad, you should bring green olives and tiny can fishes cause he''s the only one who likes those. Sorry that bad stuff happened to you. Hope you get better soon... Is that good Theo?¡± Thetus nodded at Trauart before turning to Wren and said, ¡°My hopes go with you, father. I hope this life brings you the happiness that your previous ones did not. What I feel for you is hard to find words for but I believe it truth to say I love you father. Be well.¡± Deep within Wren''s fading self-awareness, the still grieving king of birds sensed his progeny was near and felt that they were speaking to him. A strong desire bubbled up to reach out to them. He searched for some dredge of connection with his fading form to project all his wishes for them. He formed a mental picture of their health and happiness and in his sending, he spread his wings lovingly and protectively over them as he had never been able to in the outer world. The boy and man stood stunned at the pure and honest feelings that washed over them. Not sure what to name the strangely sad-happy that welled inside him, Trauart rushed towards his fading father and threw himself into Wren''s ethereal form. For the briefest of moments, there was resistance and Trauart could feel barely tangible arms close around him before he fell to the floor and started crying. Thetus quickly walked over to Trauart and pulled the boy up into his own arms as he said, ¡°Come, little brother. Let''s find our aunt to take you home before your dad worries. Father''s feelings have reached us. Be strong for your father''s sake, so that he won''t have to worry until he can see you again.¡± Trauart slowly nodded once at no one in particular before turning to Wren''s nearly dissipated form to give his father one last watery smile and waved until the particles of light were finally gone. *** Wren stared blankly within the weightless darkness. A rusty voice was trying to explain things to him in a rushed manner but he wasn''t able to focus on it as boundless amounts of information coalesced into understandable forms within his nearly overtaxed mind. He felt a small but important part of himself fall into and sublimate with something stronger and more bolstering. Finding a better receptacle, the flood of information began draining into a much larger and more ordered mental space within. ¡°Do you understand?¡± The rusty voice said. Wren replied, ¡°No but I will, fath- Hiidan.¡± Before Wren was swallowed in light, Hiidan finished with, ¡°Then that will have to suffice.¡± All right. This space is like the ones from the crazy slideshow in my head. If the red-head is named Lilly and the guy on the floor is Troy then I''ll take it at face value. Wren walked over to the two he recognized from the fractures of recollection and introduced himself. Unsurprisingly the the two were, in fact, named Troy and Lilly. What did surprise him was their reactions to him. Lilly stammered and blushed as she looked at the floor as Troy''s jaw hung open for a moment before clicking shut and acting normally. Using a trick that just popped into his head, Wren smoothly accessed his void space without alerting the giant floating snake. After handing Troy a couple pain pills and water, he flitted off to hand a small pack of jerky and dried fruit to a painfully thin African lady before offering another pair of pain pills and water to a one legged man next to a small Asian monk before heading back to Troy and Lilly. His actions had garnered some attention from a few shady folks but Wren surprised himself at how well he reflexively avoided their grasping hands as he sent them a glare that contained something within it strong enough to deter them. Wren kept a relaxed and carefree attitude through the spy mission as it didn''t even seem as important to him as shuffling through the slowly organizing packs of information. Predictably, being calm and indifferent made him just as much a target as before but unlike many other of the fractures of recollection, Troy actually sided with him. Wren just chalked it up to already being physically changed as he arrived here, which took him a few moments to realize because he felt so comfortable in his own skin despite the radical changes. It''s a damn shame I didn''t realized my radical makeover earlier or I could have saved Hiidan his baby making mojo. No matter. Now that potency will just speed along my mini evolution to Tier IV that much faster. Wren was lost in his private memory reels when the boar showed up but with a little acting and a lot of faith in his increased reflexes, Wren managed to repeat the version where Lilly finished the poor wild pig with a makeup pencil, managing to not get himself gored. Wren finished the anti-climatic episode by ripping out the boar''s heart and offering it to Quetz which earned him a little favor he cashed in to help out Jampa''s one legged new friend and Imani''s group. During the points tutorial, Wren ignored Hiidan''s prompts to get the layout that BZ had suggested. Since most of what the class and profession represented was knowledge, he was far more interested in getting the continuation of the ones he only possessed for a couple of weeks. After advising Troy not to buy fast heal, which ended up being a harder sell than he thought it would be, Wren finished his own purchases. After giving a few encouraging words to Lilly and Troy and receiving a few words of gratitude from Jampa and his one legged friend, as well as Imani and her group, Wren was once again wrapped up in light followed by darkness. Interrupting Hiidan, Wren said, ¡°A lot of past me went through hell and high water to reach here, Pops. Hold on to your knickers and I''ll swing by your house in a few days if you''ll give me a spacial lock mark.¡± Thankfully I got the simple and clean versions of all those memories or I''d be a broken minded shrimp by now. Still, it''s good to have a nice little road map on who I need to ruthlessly murder as soon as possible and those who aren''t who they seem to be. It''s a damn shame every single version of me is, at base nature, a turtle. I could know so much more...Cross my fingers and maybe, just maybe, I can come out the other side of this shit show as something other than a mangled corpse or an emotional and spiritual cripple... Strange though... Why could my past selves not be more in agreement on who was the apple of their eye? I''m open minded enough to realize that the ship on my sexuality has pretty much sailed into waters I''m personally not used to swimming in but... Whatever, It''s not like I have to be bound by my many past self choices. As an eerie chill passed through him, Wren amended bound to limited which seemed to sit better with the terrifyingly vivid duality throne in his mindscape. Pulling his thoughts to his present, Hiidan started asking Wren about past recollections. When Wren reached a point where he shared about his supposed sister Satyra''s breakthrough that turned Satyrus into a singularity, Hiidan went silent for a minute before Wren started complaining about getting faint headed which earned him an immediate ejection from the space between places. Upon arriving in the safe-zone, Wren sat and processed the memories he had of interactions with the lock-box while waiting for Troy and Lilly to arrive and made a few incredibly helpful discoveries. As soon as they arrived, Wren shook Troy awake and gave him the last pain pill out of a newly emptied bottle. Wren said, ¡°Enjoy the buzz because it''s the last one. I''ll be back in a bit with something that''ll help you a hell of a lot more than some ridiculous waste of possible potential that fast healing represents. In the future, you need to be very careful and selective on what kinds of perks you buy. The AP store isn''t a candy shop, it''s a booby trapped temple full of treasures and pitfalls. What''s worse, no one''s really supposed to let you know. Luckily Lilly only focused on knowledge but pass on the message to her when she wakes up in a minute.¡± Troy called out to Wren who was striding out, ¡°How do you know all this?¡± Wren replied before continuing on his way, ¡°That''s something I can''t tell you but you''ll understand really soon.¡± Rushing up to the lock-box, eyes glittering like a child on Christmas morning, Wren began collecting on recent purchases and a select handful of different forgotten legacies. He could have snatched up much more but he was afraid of attracting the attention of the SYSTEM Registrar. He had once and didn''t want to bring that kind of attention drawing disaster on himself again. After storing away his ill gotten gains, Wren turned and nearly wet himself at the fright he received. In front of him was a devilishly sinister looking man with four other shadowy figures closing in from the nighttime darkness. ¡°So we meet in the flesh. Lucky you,¡± said the danger exuding, sharp faced man. 48-Off Script ¡°Do I know you?¡± Wren said nervously. Within his domain, Wren possessed items that Tier VI existences would fight to the death over, depending on their circumstances. Wren wouldn''t even blink at the idea that some Tier VII ones wouldn''t mind stooping low to bully their juniors out of convenience. Wren waited with baited breath to find out. The sinister man smiled menacingly for a moment before a radiant androgynous figure stepped forward and said, ¡°Assassin, why do you move to frighten him. We are here out of consideration for our mistress'' wishes. If you choose to continue, we will sleep in different places for a year.¡± The sinister man''s face fell as he turned and whined in a grating voice, ¡°I can''t sleep well unless I''m holding you, Healer. How could you be so cruel?¡± As the two began bickering, a teenage boy stepped forward and addressed Wren with, ¡°As you''ve probably already guessed by the non-names, we were the guardians of Satyra''s tomb. In my current form, you likely will not recognize me but I am Druid. If it pleases, you may call me Senega. Unlike the others, the children of nature preserved my name for me.¡± Wren stared at the figures illuminated by a summoned light. The teenager, harboring and old soul, only stood out among his peers as being somewhat younger than the rest. Wren did notice that an argument could be made that Senega stood out among his peers as being rather plain in comparison, with his dirty blond hair and hazel eyes, pleasant in a non threatening way. A second look would reveal that Senega''s eyes gave the feeling of containing a world, wild and untamed. The Assassin was danger personified. Wren would judge that plenty of innocents had fallen to both his blade and his charms. That is, until Healer made him break character to come wheedle and fawn over them. Wren contemplated that if Assassin was on Earth, he''d definitely be confused as some indeterminate Persian descendant. Healer was hard to visually define as anything outside of otherworldly. They could be anything from late teens to early thirties. The serene countenance was none the less striking with violet/ red eyes and hair so white it was nearly translucent. The rather short person''s deeply tanned skin and small angular chin finished a set of conflicting features that made for a kind of beauty that was unique. By process of elimination and a dose of common sense, The man and woman who overlooked the proceedings from the rear were Knight and Mage. They were a study of duality standing side by side. The stern and imposing Knight was a Roman general fresco breathed to life, discipline given flesh and humanized by the slight brushstroke of humor to the natural curl of his lips and slightly up-slanted eyes. The lazy sensuality of Mage was perfect foil to the sharp intelligence that burned in her gaze that likely was missed by the unwary who could not tear their eyes away from her generous curves. With a practiced clearing of throat, Senega drew Wren''s attention back as he said, ¡°Our mistress is no longer able to enter the mortal planes without consequence. As such, she released us from our oaths of service with a final request that we provide what aid we are willing to you till we are ready for our own elevations. All of us are in agreement to offer personal aid for a fortnight as long as your requests do not violate our individual moral codes. Aside from that, each of us has an individual boon to grant. For my part, since our paths do not differ overly far I will strengthen your breath of life.¡± Senega leaned in and blew an emerald mist into Wren''s mouth and nose. Wren was momentarily pulled into his mindscape as he saw the first diagram of the Path of Nameless Transformations spring effortlessly into existence. Wren didn''t miss a slight sneer appear on Knight''s face at the unintentionally intimate scene as BZ informed Wren of a connection forming between himself and the environment. He marveled at the climb of his LE recovery. As Senega stepped back he cautioned, ¡°Please be considerate of where you are. This gift could irreparably damage nature in places where plant life is delicately sustained such as deserts.¡± Assassin stepped forward and said, ¡°I don''t particularly like you but since you are mistress'' brother I guess I can kill a few people for you as long as they''re Tier VI or lower.¡± Assassin gifted Wren a summon mark that held the power to call Assassin''s true form to Wren''s current location three times. With a quick warning that if Wren summoned him, someone needed to be killed or there would be consequences, Assassin quickly switched to a fawning face as he possessively threw an arm around Healer. Wren endured warning glares from Assassin as Healer stepped forward and said, ¡°Several of your iterations have shown me kindness. Individually they may not have been much but together they have strengthened me greatly upon consolidation. I may not have much of use to you besides my own personal ability. A call mark or sharing may delay my elevation so I have decided to share with you my greatest secret. Just as my teacher had of me, I need you to take an oath to only share this secret with your chosen disciple and only after they have taken the same oath.¡± After some coaching on a complex and thorough oath, Healer shared the secret of how to exchange the karmic balance to offer more aid than mere healing to another, even resurrection, while minimizing or completely eliminating direct consequences from tampering with the Great Pattern''s design. Wren looked between Healer and Assassin tellingly which caused Healer to blush. Seeing Healer''s shy countenance, Assassin rushed back to claim Healer while shooting accusations at Wren with his eyes. I get it already, you crazy stalker. Even if I wanted to, how could I edge out Healer''s favorite pet project? Mage sauntered forward seductively as she handed a fancy looking grimoire to Wren and said, ¡°To be fair, most of the best contents are from your sister anyway. I would strongly suggest, with your penchant for memory altering situations, to keep a diary as well. It would have saved you much headache and heartache. If you start running out of pages, let it eat some mammals. Human skin is particularly sumptuous but I doubt you share my proclivities for long-term poetic justice. Well, at least most of your iterations at any rate.¡± With a slight flush to his cheeks and a faint ring of red on his ears, Knight handed Wren a glass ball with precious metal filigree and said, ¡°With Mage''s assistance I have excised certain portions of myself that interfere with the path of elevation I desire to walk. It may delay me but it''s of benefit to you. I may not wish to traffic with morally ambiguous proclivities but as clear as my vision is, certain iterations of myself were not so inclined. Those iterations I have excised may be lacking in some aspects but loyalty is not one of them. I have named it Blackguard but Mage insisted on a proper name, so Ian Margrave. Treat it kindly and it should serve you well. ¡° Now that this sticky business-¡± Knight was interrupted by a snicker from Assassin before he continued, ¡°... is taken care of. What would you have of us in this fortnight?¡± Wren thought about the possibilities these five Tier VI entities represented before he decided and said, ¡°I''d like to address a few important issues over tomorrow. The day after, I''d like to handle some pressing matters with a majority of my iterations'' past problems. After that, I honestly don''t know. In some ways, a fortnight is more than I need and in other''s it''s not nearly enough.¡± Knight nodded understandingly as he said, ¡°For your current strength, an entourage of individuals like ourselves would be a heady prospect to employ. If we were to coddle you till our elevation, we would damage your growth. Our mistress assured us that there are concerns that do require our aid or we would not have made the offer. Only through overcoming challenges will you grow properly... Oh, the method to bring Blackguard into existence is by cutting yourself on the blade ornament and then shattering the glass. I would take it as small favor for you to wait till we are gone to do so. It is not fair that I should feel ashamed but Blackguard is the collection of iterations I have discarded. As such, I''d prefer to not interact with it.¡± After discussing arrangements for the next day and granting Senega the rights to slay Black Tide, Wren headed back to the safe-zone. He took his time as he digested another organized reel of recollections. As he crossed the border into the safe-zone, Wren''s inner self began keening in despair as pieces of information became painfully clear at a quick pace. To keep from dying, Wren had no choice but to become one with his inner self again, forgoing all the benefits it gave him. Many past selves had realized the inherent dangers of such a duality but the advantages seemed to outweigh them. That was because, up to this point, the two sides remained synchronized. Moving forward that would no longer be possible. The entity within, that recognized itself as the king of birds, had lost it''s mate. Within a short period of time, inner Wren''s feelings would permeate to Wren himself and would evolve into suicidal depression on a spiritual level. As much as Wren felt compelled to honor the feelings and intentions of his past iterations, he had no desire to join them. Appealing to his inner self that they had friends to aid, children to build a future for and a remaining iteration of said dead mate to provide for, Wren convinced his inner self to join with him. As it was in the beginning, when the very first iteration of Wren was dragged into this supernatural existence, his inner world was silent. That was anti-climatic. No fireworks or supernatural displays? Not even so much as a feeling of an antacid dissolving in water. What a let dow- As Wren''s thoughts were interrupted by sharp spiritual growing pains, Lilly came rushing over to him due to his body collapsing like someone had cut his puppet strings. Within his mindscape, Wren witnessed the rapid growth of Nameless Transformations and the excess liquefying SE being absorbed by his manifestation. The angel/demon throne evolved into a door, A door that was only one yet two to Wren''s unique vision. Within that door, an outside nothingness infinitely expanded and contracted simultaneously. Wren panicked when he saw his multi-layered void space get drawn within the door and fuse with the space/not space. That panic subsided after feeling himself truly become one with it. He had become a Tier III existence with a domain, a domain that made him feel incredibly uneasy about the direction his lives seem to have taken him. Wren walked up to the door and as he reverently traced the arrogant yet sorrowful demon face, he asked, ¡°What are you?¡± A dual voice answered, ¡°We are the collected remnants of you, the bonds and the unfulfilled oaths your other selves have made. We are myriad desperation and hope. The love and possessiveness, the desire to protect and to never be parted of your destroyed selves and beloveds, allowed accumulated spiritual remnants and karmic burdens to become us. So too are we a collection of anger and desire for vengeance against the forces that have broken and sundered them. To us, you are the vessel through which we may yet find relief. We make use of you yet only seek to serve.¡± Wren''s heart ached at the thought of what the strange manifestation represented as he said, ¡°I''ll do what I can. Do you possess inheritances that could benefit my, uh, other iteration''s bonded?¡± The dual voices responded, ¡°That and more.¡± Wren said, ¡°At my request would you grant it to them but keep the past personal experiences and emotions to yourself?¡± The angel side happily responded yes even as the demon angrily responded no. Wren was perplexed and then it dawned on him. The demon likely was compelled to want to reconnect with those past bonded whereas the angel wanted to end the cycle of suffering and be released from further entanglement.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. In an attempt to appeal to the demon, Wren said, ¡°I do not have the ability to take in and share my love equally with all of them and find happiness within such a situation. That would not leave them happy either. To choose one or two among them would leave the other vestiges within yourself unhappy as well. What I can do, with your help, is grant them the ability to seize their happiness with others. I can''t choose them all so to be fair, I can only choose none... But what does this have to do with you? You are here with me and what remains of the me you knew.¡± Silence abounded till Wren almost left his mindscape before the dual voices said, ¡°We long to walk under the light, hand in hand. We long to hold and comfort each other through winter nights.¡± The angel became silent as the demon continued, ¡°If you choose none, that which is you within us may feel and know such things through you but I will not. If you can only choose one then at least that smaller part of me will feel your warmth again.¡± Wren could barely withstand the emotional anguish washing over him from the demon side as he tried to reach it one last time, saying, ¡°I hear you and I want to give you what you want. If I didn''t at least try to honor your sacrifices and find a way for you to have what you need, my inner self would claw it''s way out of me to force me. Believe that! Don''t settle for an incomplete and unsatisfactory relief. If you''ll trust me on this, I''ll find a better way. Following the way you desire has led us here. Let''s look for the right answer... together.¡± A long suffering but lighthearted sigh escaped from the demon side as it said, ¡°It will be as you say.¡± Wren opened his eyes onto the concerned face of Lilly and said, ¡°I''m fine. Just sudden growing pains, that''s all. Let''s get over to Troy. I''m sure he''d like to get back up to snuff.¡± Lilly said, ¡°I sure hope so. Your pain pills are wearing off and he''s spent the last half hour cursing you down to your toes for talking him out of getting fast healing.¡± Ignoring Troy''s pain induced tirade, Wren went to work fixing the shattered knee and damaged spine. How many different ways can you get fucked up from the same kind of fall!? At least he''s not partially brain damaged this time. That''s some crazy delicate and exhausting work. Wren thought to the demon half, ¡°So are we on the same page? You''re not gonna slip anything in to make our friendship awkward if we juice him up, right?¡± The dual voices answered from within, ¡°We are in compliance.¡± Wren said, ¡°All right you two, the next part is a bit strange looking but it''s all good.¡± As Wren ignored Lilly and Troy''s questions, He snatched up Troy with ethereal scroll ribbons and barbed chains. As his manifestation did it''s imbuement, Wren talked Lilly out of attacking him until she verified whether Wren had hurt Troy or not. It didn''t help Wren''s case that the first thing out of Troy''s mouth was asking what Wren had done to him. Wren sighed and said, ¡°The short answer is that there are a lot of other versions of us out there and quite a few of them have met awful ends. What I gave you, Troy, was the good bits other versions of myself have collected.¡± Lilly exclaimed, ¡°If you think I''m going to let you do...whatever that was to me, you''ve got another thing coming!¡± Wren looked at Lilly wryly and said, ¡°I couldn''t even if I wanted to. Other versions of ourselves haven''t, um, enjoyed the type of relationship necessary for me to.¡± Both Lilly and Troy looked at Wren stunned for a moment before Lilly said a little sadly, ¡°So, I wasn''t... good enough to... Oh! Are you maybe a poof?¡± she asked a little too excitedly.¡± Troy was paying rapt attention to Wren''s reply as well while Wren explained, ¡°You''re a beautiful and strong young lady. It''s just that you are a little too young for me. I''m a bit older than I look. Besides, what I''m talking about is a bit more involved than just sex. ¡± Lilly smiled shyly and looked at the ground and mumbled, ¡°Won''t be too young forever.¡± Wren stifled the sigh trying to work its way up from inside when Troy cut in with, ¡°So you and I have been intimately acquainted in the past huh? Would you care to get reacquainted?¡± Troy began swaggering over to Wren, all annoying confidence and knowing smirks. Wren looked at Troy dully and plainly said, ¡°No... On both counts.¡± Troy faltered in his steps, looking a little hurt as Wren clarified, ¡°We have just barely met. What our other selves have done has little to do with what our current selves will be or not, other than giving us a bit of an advantage by comparisons to what did and did not work for them. Suffice it to say, I feel like I''ve known you guys for ages but there are subtle differences between all the different versions of us and trying to explain any more than that''s going to get complicated and confusing. Let''s just leave it at that.¡± Lilly said, ¡°So is there anything you can do for me?¡± Back on less awkward ground, Wren smiled mysteriously and said, ¡°In fact there is but I need to ask you a quick question. Which sounds more appealing to you, holding the lives of others in your hands at whim or being Super Girl? Both are figurative options and not completely literal.¡± Lilly contemplated it for a few minutes before she asked, ¡°Can I choose both?¡± Not greedy at all are we!? Hold in laughter, self. This is serious. Wren replied, ¡°Sorta, but you get a weird tree you have to lug around with you and you don''t get the most powerful part of either. Child birth is less strenuous, if a little creepy looking, though.¡± Lilly looked searchingly at Wren before she replied, ¡°Then I guess I''d like to be more like Super Girl.¡± Wren tossed a bluish clear bead at Troy and as he walked to the hidden underground cabin he said, ¡°Stay here and push that up to your forehead. Imagine taking it into your mind and it''ll grant you a sub-dimension. It''s nothing overly special but you probably shouldn''t brag about it because until you''ve had it for a few months, someone can just kill you and take it. When you''re done with that, follow my footsteps through the grass to the lock-box and get the inheritance you left yourself.¡± After Wren coaxed Lilly underground, he closed the hatch and pulled out a small crystal bead filled with red liquid, suspending a miniature sun. The temperature of the room went up a couple of degrees. Once again, Wren struggled to hold in his mirth as Lilly looked at the bead with saucer eyes. Wren said, ¡°It''s not nearly as impressive as it looks. In all honesty, the sun is illusionary. What it''ll do is stimulate an incredibly watered down bloodline you carry and burn out the competing bloodlines to make room. In the beginning, it''ll just make you stronger and fuel fast AE and stamina recovery but later on you''ll be able to do some pretty interesting things with fire and light. If you''re lucky you might get innate flight as a perk but I wouldn''t count on it. ¡°You have two logical choices for taking it in and both of them are scary painful. The first is to get it inserted into your heart... I can do that without endangering your life... The second way is to swallow it and I spend the next hour or so trying to keep it from burning its way out of you.¡± Lilly visibly swallowed then said, ¡°I-is there any other ways?¡± Wren looked a little uncomfortable as he said, ¡°W-well there is one but... Essentially, you are innocent and can appeal to the vestigial essence within the item to grant itself to you willingly. It would project an echo of itself to, um, enjoy that innocence in exchange for its power. Lilly flushed beet red as she asked, ¡°W-What is it a-and would it hurt me?¡± Wren said, ¡°What it is would be hard to answer. It''s, uh, guaranteed to take on a appealing, masculine visage. F-from what I understand, it will ultimately try to please, I-I guess.¡± Lilly lapsed into silence for awhile then finally said, ¡°It won''t make me, you know?¡± Lilly mimed having a large belly. Wren shook his head and explained that it wasn''t possible without extra help which she assured Wren she didn''t want. ¡°Do you think you could maybe wait here for awhile... Until I call for help or seem to have things handled?¡± Lilly mumbled. Wren nodded reluctantly after attempting to endorse heart insertion again. Unfortunately from Wren''s perspective, though Lilly trusted Wren''s words, she''d rather lose her virginity than get open heart surgery or battle with lethal ulcers. Wren wasn''t exactly sure what to expect after Lilly closed the door to the small bedroom but after a quiet conversation between a gravelly baritone and a teen girl''s voice things seemed to be going in a violent direction. When Wren was getting ready to bust into the room to try and pull Lilly out, he came to the sudden realization that the weak protests were coming from the man and the aggressive one was Lilly. Wren was tempted to listen in but decided against it since Lilly didn''t seem to be in any danger. After taking the ladder out of the burrow, Wren looked around for Troy and saw him walking back looking shaken and disoriented. Seeing that Troy wasn''t harmed, Wren decided to let the guy be unless he wanted to talk. Positioning himself under an apple tree, Wren decided to get some rest. Less than an hour later, loudly arguing voices woke him back up. A man with illusionary flames flickering around his generously muscled body and coal black hair was shouting in a booming voice, ¡°You have given your virtue to me as you stole mine from me. Will you not see reason and submit to me as concubine!? If you will not for the sake of your own dubious honor then do so for mine!¡± Lilly shrieked, ¡°Your concubine!? You''re not even supposed to be a real person! Why would I do anything for you? A toy wants to make me one!? Go suck an egg!¡± Wren wanted to continue pretending to be asleep but the next words out of Lilly''s mouth made it impossible. ¡°Wren, you better tell me what''s going on or I''ll come over there, rip off your noots and feed them to you!¡± Wren deeply sighed and opened his eyes again as the fiery man turned to Wren and said, ¡°Boy, are you the one who gave this harridan my destroyed avatar''s core?¡± Fuck me with a lacquered bus. Wren drawled out between jaw cracking yawns, ¡°Yes, but since it had been sitting in claims for over a hundred years I didn''t expect anyone to still have a connection to it. Didn''t anyone tell you that such things could leave you open to malicious actions unless you sever your connections? You should feel eternally grateful it was a cute girl just using it for a bloodline purification and not an Abyssal Alchemist or an Infernal Engineer using it for philters or crafting materials which would have possibly cost you your life.¡± The man flared up as he said, ¡°Do you know to whom you speak!? I am the crown prince of Agni III. I am a Tier VI existence and my father is a Tier VII Royal Djinn! Make what claims you may under my eyes of truth, worm!¡± Quelling the slight jangling of his nerves, Wren looked the Ifrit turned budding royal djinn in the eyes and said, ¡°I am a Tier III existence who has damned dozens of Tier VI entities to fates worse than death. My father is a Tier VIII existence and so is my sister. I have five Tier VI beings awaiting my orders within shouting distance, who are likely listening to this interlude-¡± Senega walked into the safe-zone clearing with four others trailing behind as he interrupted with, ¡°All he has spoken is truth, young lord djinn.¡± Wren said blandly, ¡°Confidence is an admirable trait to nurture but arrogance is a fatal flaw. I''m reminding myself, even as I say it to you.¡± The flaring mass around the well built man subsided to illusory smoke as he said with calm irritation, ¡°It doesn''t change that she has taken my virtue''s gift for herself. It is a loss to my household if she is not my concubine. My lineage''s greatest chance of continuance now nurtures her body. She''s not even of my people!¡± Mage''s face transformed into a study of elegant condescension as she said, ¡°Had I possessed such an opportunity, foolish one, I may have left you little more than a husk. It is your own folly that has purchased this misfortune. Comfort yourself that you have kept your life and power in tact.¡± Seeing that the poor djinn had ate all the humble pie his appetite could handle, Wren stepped in and said, ¡°Lord djinn, it wasn''t our intent to do anything more than to strengthen the bloodline of my friend. For the rest, I will offer apologies but that is all. The moment your avatar was destroyed you should have severed ties but if this is an issue you can''t lay rest to... You still have the option of pursuing Lilly''s hand properly like the cultured gentleman you should be. I''ll warn you, if you approach with anything less that honorable intentions, not only will Lilly reject you, I''ll flay your astral body like a prized pelt and offer it to Lilly as a present.¡± Lilly spoke up with chagrin and said, ¡°Before you even think about anything else, oh so mighty lord djinn, you can start by earning my forgiveness for making my private matters a public display. I-I may have wronged you somehow b-but did you have to do this!?¡± She sat down on the ground and started crying. For a moment it looked like the djinn was going to lay into her. Then as her tearful sobbing softened the arrogant prince''s disposition, he began approaching her tentatively before the projection broke apart. Wren awkwardly patted Lilly''s shoulder as he offered her some empty words of comfort before the idea hit him to share his own horrible ''first time'' story, loud enough for everyone to hear. Joining in, Troy told his own. Caught up in the moment, Assassin decided to take it as some kind of competition as he unburdened his own as a thirteen year old boy ''eaten up'' by a veteran whore who gave him genital warts he had to carry for nearly five years before he''d finally saved up enough gold to get a healer to cure. After that, the stories devolved into a horrible sexual experience showdown between Assassin and Troy as Knight walked away, looking like his ears would melt off. After passing around a little social lubrication in the form of Everclear spiked punch, Wren sneaked off to get some rest in the underground cabin, catching a glimpse of Mage whispering something to Lilly that had the girl giggling. All was well till Wren was once again wakened but this time it was to Troy and Assassin trading some detailed notes on a subject that had zero interest to Wren at that moment. He turned his back to them and disabled his eardrums. 49-Foul Play did you get your hands on crimson glory lichen?¡± Mage asked a little intensely. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Uh oh. Man-killer Lilly''s back. Present company not withstanding, she''s gonna have issues in Undercity... Assassin''s asking Troy out for a night training exercise? Not my problem. Why are they walking over here? So adding a couple years and fine-tuning makes me look like a sin stained angel huh. Whatever, I''m kind of numb to it at this point. At least my future careers as a visual kei band member or porn star are secure. 50-No Rest for the Wicked ¡°Aaron, so glad you could make it. I''m also glad you''re so damn predictable,¡± Wren said as he pushed out of Aaron''s frozen grasp. Wren detached a couple of the silent mind and still body needles sticking out of his battle suit and pulled out a dark shard of material that looked vaguely like something between glass and metal. After shoving it into Aaron''s chest he activated the principles of contagion and sympathy embedded within it''s containment enchantment. ¡°Pity you''re only an avatar and not the main body or this would go a lot faster,¡± Wren muttered then said in a clearer voice, ¡°You''ve been stabbed with a piece of ancient history. It''s one of the last remaining shards of the dimensional prison the Hollow Host employed.¡± As Wren talked to the avatar who couldn''t process what it was hearing, two more avatars only showed up to get sucked into the shard along with the one that was stabbed. Wren continued, ¡°It was one of the only containment facilities in all of this arm of Origin, that half existed outside of reality, making it a singularity by default. It''s unique natural property is that once a being is trapped within, any extensions of itself will eventually be drawn in to it as well. I boosted it a little with Infernal Engineer know-how. Who wants to wait for a year or two for all of your bits to get drawn inside.¡± Wren could feel the gloaming eating away at his battle suit. Sending a trickle of bolstering EE into it, he started looking around until he finally spotted a dim figure surrounded by a sphere of dull yellow energy. He smiled towards the figure who was desperately condensing gloaming power around him only for the controlling energy to get sucked into the shard. Wren said, ¡°What an interesting barrier. Is it that color because you pissed yourself?¡± Aaron replied, ¡°If you release me, I''ll share a secret about yourself my associate has shared with me and we can return to our own activities.¡± Wren countered, ¡°If you share that secret with me, I''ll oath to release you with your main body''s life in tact and capable of recovery in a short period of time along with a few beneficial gifts for your cooperation in my endeavors. In fact, they''d almost be done if collecting all of your scattered contingency bodies wasn''t such an arduous process.¡± Aaron said, ¡°I don''t have the luxury of time to negotiate. Either release me or die.¡± Wren activated a modified recall stone set to Hiidan''s coordinates. In an implosion of void, Wren arrived in a place he had only visited once before in all of his iterations. Walking to where his father''s emaciated body sat pinned to the wall, Wren said, ¡°Which one needs to be removed first?¡± ¡°Touching them would destroy you. A Tier VI might be able-¡± Hiidan managed before Wren cut him off. ¡°Don''t have time for the lecture, Pops. Which one first?¡± ¡°Right Shoulder... My right!¡± Hiidan said as Wren donned the gauntlets and reached for an impaling artifact. Wren muttered an apology as he latched on to the chained spike as he pulled. The prison shard slotted into the left gauntlet acted as a buffer, the energy his gauntlets were eating from the curse filled in the rest. With these advantages, it still took an exhausting ten minutes to remove Still Body from his father. With a quick check to make sure that there were a couple of avatars left, Wren moved the shard to the other gauntlet and began removing the formation of razors that sealed Hiidan''s Void power. ¡°You need to stop, son. I''m getting the flavor of your power mixed in with the rest,¡± Hiidan warned anxiously. Wren stopped to catch a breather before downing a few philters then kept extracting. By the time he was finished, there was only one very weakened avatar left and over half of his own condensed SE had been exhausted. Wren dropped the crumbling gauntlets on the floor and turned to his father. After taking out a chest filled with terrifyingly scary cursed objects and putting the shard in his father''s hand, Wren said, ¡°Here''s some stuff to chew on. Make sure to only lower Aaron to Tier V. As much as I despise the shit, he''s a victim of poor path choice. Once he''s been knocked out of ascension, he''s still a shit but a much more agreeable one.¡± Hiidan chuckled and said, ¡°Do I hear a hint of affection inside all that vitriol?¡± Wren''s face screwed up as he shuddered and said, ¡°Gawd, I hope not. The iterations I''ve had that ended up with this asshole must have been brain damaged... While I''m on the subject, Your end half is making his way towards you and he''s got a hell of a head start. The chest full of Nightmare Productions greatest hits should be a fair compensation for the dagger, chain spike and formation razors. If there isn''t any objection, I kinda promised them to Sister''s assassin guy. I feel a little edgy giving that unstable dude access to void sealing but we do have a slew of Balance keepers who need their asses collectively murdered so... your call.¡± ¡°After their degradation, they''d only be fully effective against Tier VI or lower. It''s not a concern from my end.¡± Hiidan drawled. Wren let out a tension relieving breath and said, ¡°Then, if you''d give me a lift back to Undercity, I''d appreciate it. Just drop off Aaron when you''re done with him and feel free to keep the shard since you would anyway. I know you need it more than I do. Wish I could keep it though, it''s practically a deus ex machina.¡± That, and I just stole it first. Wouldn''t even have known about it if the back end of you marching this way didn''t tell me about it. In a concerned voice, Hiidan said, ¡°And what of your own expenditures? Do you have the resources necessary to replenish yourself safely?¡± Wren replied, ¡°The hard part is condensing the first bit of liquid SE, after that, I don''t have to worry about stuffing myself with junk food as much since the impurities will dissolve more easily now.¡± Hiidan lectured, ¡°Be careful about adopting cultivator knowledge to our reality''s core concepts. They don''t transfer as smoothly as you''d think.¡± Wren said, ¡°Since you''re in a talkative mood, Pop''s, why don''t you tell me a little about my first life.¡± Hiidan replied, ¡°I- what?¡± Wren sighed and said, ¡°I''m pretty sure Satyra didn''t call me bro because of your slight of hand with my physical form. Of course, all of this is meaningless if Satyra isn''t your daughter. Can''t imagine the brick road laying that fate has screwed me with time and again would make that leap of logic the one that makes me look dumb.¡± Hiidan''s voice shook a little as he said, ¡°Satyra''s finished her insane Path of Myriad Worlds elevation? Considering the state of our reality, I thought she had doomed herself to death for using such a time consuming and risky method.¡± Wren said, ¡°She was about a hundred years from fatal falure but let''s not linger on that... Tell me about myself.¡± Hiidan launched into his narrative, ¡°I''m not recovered enough to verify. Wouldn''t have thought to even try since I''m certain that one of the clumps of dust you have shifted belonged to my son. If what you say is true then that means you were the parts that crazy woman dug out and scattered across the iterations to spite me for releasing our bond. That heartens me more than you can know. It means that my son, your, soul core gathered you and reincarnated. It seems our fates with each other are strong.¡± Wren shook his head. I''d put more faith in grand manipulation. I suppose it''s a matter of perspective. That same ''fate'' placed you in a position to discover how to communicate directly with Origin and grant me BZ. If anything should be placed into the hands of personified chance then it would be that we were chosen to begin with. Everything that''s happened after that smacks of careful planning. Wren said, ¡°I don''t suppose you''d know what parts were discarded? Know thyself and all that.¡± Hiidan lapsed into silence for a time before he said, ¡°You were a sensitive and timid child. You were my little shadow all the way up till the day I was forced to leave. It hurt leaving you to her but I put too much faith in your mother''s love for you. Had I known what she would do in her anger and grief, I would have made other arrangements for you... To answer your question, I first have to explain that we are from the first iteration and set the pattern for the rest. We were capable of more things then, of exploring paths of elevation not available to other iterations. ¡°My path was of beginnings and endings, one of many duality paths within the pursuit of Origin. Your mother''s was an outsider inheritance that sought to turn the imaginary into reality and vice-versa. Due to having had more time with your sister, when we were in harmony, Your sister began following a path that was a combination of ours. I noticed early that you had discovered some odd and difficult to understand path of balances and fulcrums. I have often mused it was probably due to the deteriorating relationship between your mother and I, added with the stressed relationship with your sister that had inspired it. ¡°Upon our parting and eventual parting of ways, I can only say that your mother and I had become too different in goals and ideology to remain together. Pure outsider paths have strong and often times strange effects on emotions and morality as outsiders, by nature, are not the same as those who have a place within reality. I can only guess what she was thinking when she exercised her power over turning the real to illusionary on you. Obviously, the Great Pattern didn''t allow her action to go as planned or you would not be here. Never the less, it destroyed your path and left you following a much more mundane one, perfection through equilibrium I believe. ¡°Through much difficulty you made your way to my side and I hid you among my subordinates. When we fell to the hands of invading forces, you hid well. You had always been good at hiding. To this day, I don''t know how but when the Hosts left me in the state you see now, You had gathered the last few people of the post and had them give the last bit of their lives to remove Silent Mind from me, ending with your sacrifice to remove the artifact that blocked my sight... I had begged whatever force would listen that the last wisp of essence I saw moving to the astral plane wasn''t my imagination. ¡°Whatever it was your mother had done to you had changed you into a cold person who tended to be suicidally reckless . I don''t say that she made you bad but the compassion, empathy and caution you possessed was all but gone. That''s as far as I understand.¡± Wren said confusedly, ¡°You don''t know the hows and whys of what mother did when she supposedly killed herself to ''save'' me? It was what Satyra told me. Seems like no one really knows the whole story.¡± Hiidan said, ¡°Considering how unlikely it would be to get where we are now, there''s no real telling but a Tier VII existence can accomplish miraculous and terrible things if they are prepared to sacrifice themselves to do it.¡± BZ interjected, ¡°I may have a piece of relevant information. Something happened that correlates time-wise with the death of your mother. It was the moment that your father connected with Origin''s learning program. How that relates to you, Wren, is still unknown. What I can share with certainty is that it is not possible for an iteration to absorb the remaining astral body of another iteration without aid. It is not a natural event. Your current manifestation is an aberration that defies natural law.¡± Wren shook himself and said, ¡°Okay, enough bombshells for me to digest. I''d like to get back to Undercity please.¡± ¡°By a short guess, I''ll send a call mark in a couple days. Collect the reward you promised my daughter''s subordinate and I''ll send you on your way. If I recover anymore with you here it would put you in danger,¡± Hiidan said. Wren quickly wrapped up the cursed objects carefully as he took a secret glance at the mostly restored, handsome and powerful man who was his father of two lifetimes. Despite the remaining damage, Wren believed that he could see the shape of his mother''s desire and had to admit, the woman had good taste. Relatively short, black hair with a lazy wave to it, hung around a deeply tanned and mature face bordered by defined, strong jaw and cheek bones. He had to admit though, the dark, smoky eyes and thin eyebrows did give his father a gentleman villain vibe. He wasn''t sure if the five o'' clock shadow added or took away from that but it did look good on the man. Any further observations were interrupted by swallowing darkness. As Wren''s vision cleared he stood in a newly cleaned and organized pavilion. The serene atmosphere gave lie to the violent events that transpired less than two hours prior. Moments after arrival, his temporary band of seven made their way to him, followed by Ephyra. Wren took a fortifying breath and addressed the barrage of questions about what happened to him.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Wren summed it up with, ¡°I had a nice chat with Aaron followed by a visit to Pops. Here''s your toys, by the way, Assassin... Careful, still got live curses on them. Figured Healer might want them like that... Pops said he''ll be sending me a call mark in a couple of days. After that, we''ll be getting a newly demoted Aaron. I''ll think you''ll find him a much easier person to reason with. Speaking of which, here''s the coordinates of your three clutches with him, Ephyra.¡± As soon as the paper was in her hands she disappeared leaving Wren a little put out but he could understand her impatience. After finishing the debrief, Wren opened his mind to contact Glaucous, ¡°Hey, uh, Riverson. Do you think you could come with your son and Rohn. Now that Aaron has been dealt with, I have some business with the three of you.¡± Glaucous replied, ¡°Do I have your oath to mean no harm to them or myself.¡± Wren assured, ¡°I swear to the eternal circle that not only do I mean no harm, I come bearing a great gift to the three of you.¡± Assassin asked, ¡°Mind if I try these razors out on you, Wren?¡± Wren replied all smiles, ¡°If you promise to hold still after I bribe Mage to permanently fuse the dagger into your skull.¡± A Jet of water revealed three figures that had Wren''s demon/angel door vibrating. His attachments to Glaucous were not light but the various oaths and deep connections his past iterations had with Jaden and Rohn were by and far the strongest. For a moment he was lost in endless echoes of love and emotional pain before those discordant memories and his manifestation reigned themselves in. With a slightly dry mouth, Wren said, ¡°I carry a burden of gifts that I relinquish to the three of you but I must proceed individually. I leave it to you, who goes first.¡± Wren thought inward, ¡°I know these will test your resolve on remaining unattached. Are you still all in?¡± His manifestation responded, ¡°We are in compliance.¡± The demon side continued, ¡°Only for my faith in you may I concede.¡± Predictably, Glaucous threw out Rohn as the guinea pig. Wren mused on how many times his memories held this particular face of Rohn''s. Tragic hero did looked appealing but it was sad how often Wren was looked upon in such a way when all he was doing had nothing but benefits involved. Wren said compassionately as he could, ¡°Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to get your nerves under control. I promise you''ll be pleasantly surprised when it''s done, Eldest Rohn.¡± Doing as instructed, Rohn replied, ¡°Just get it over with.¡± Under his breath he whispered, ¡°I love you Rohna and Jackoby.¡± Oh, for the love of Bob! Wren wrapped up Rohn with ethereal Scroll ribbons and chains. He could feel a mass of energy pass through his manifestation into Rohn that left him a little nervous. Wren thought at his manifestation, ¡°Can he safely handle all that?¡± The dual voice responded, ¡°We give no more nor less than the limit of his endurance. Much we must retain along with the burden that should have been the due of this gift.¡± Wren sat and meditated, pushing a massive pile of random, only mildly useful things into his devouring void as he waited. Nearly half an hour later, Wren felt the chains and ribbons begin loosening and opened his eyes. The Rohn standing before everyone was nearly equal to Glaucous in raw power. Covered in black and silver whirls he sat mounted on a ghostly giant direwolf made of black and silver flames. As Rohn dismounted the wolf dispersed. Walking up to Wren, Rohn knelt down. Before Rohn could speak Wren said, ¡°Guard and protect what you love. Most importantly to me, keep yourself safe and untangled from other people''s problems.¡± Rohn looked at Wren confusedly as he stood and said, ¡°For such a thing you wish nothing of me?¡± ¡°I already told you what I wanted. That aside, I believe you have a daughter you now have the tools to aid.¡± Wren replied. A complex expression passed over Rohn''s face as he stood and excused himself. Wren turned to Glaucous next and after receiving a nod from Glaucous, Wren wrapped him up. Though the amount of energy that passed through the line was larger, it was much less complex. Within ten minutes, the chains and ribbons began to disperse. What stood before them was merely a darker version of the same Glaucous but newly risen to Tier VI. Mage asked Wren, ¡°What makes such a strange thing possible?¡± The deep and unfathomable look Wren gave her made her involuntarily shudder as he said, ¡°A throne built of suffering no single being could endure.¡± Wren closed his eyes and took another fortifying breath to subdue the cry of longing that burst out from within as he turned to face Jaden. He could feel a slight sense of restlessness emanate from the demon side of his manifestation. He knew this time would be different, harder, for many reasons. Wren said, ¡°This one may take some time, Glaucous. Despite that, don''t worry. Your son and I merely have a much larger debt between us.¡± The demon side spoke within Wren, ¡°It is not too late to relent. Bring him to your side and it will be enough for us.¡± Wren thought back, ¡°What have we given him for his devotion? Pain, suffering and a quick death, that''s what. He doesn''t have the inner strength to endure us and we do not have the ability to protect him. No, we will free him.¡± Turning to Glaucous, Wren said, ¡°Perhaps it is best for us to move this to the beach of Seaside? It could be... disruptive to a closed space.¡± Glaucous nodded, ¡°If you think it best. Would you like to bring your... friends as well?¡± Wren nodded and said, ¡°If it''s not too much trouble. Maybe they could stay at the city though. Mage has the ability to summon them accommodations.¡± Without preamble, Glaucous moved them. Unlike other times this transfer had occurred, it was so sudden the world was simply lost in a swirl of lapis colored water and reorganized itself into the shape of their new environment. Feeling that his companions were near and safe if a little disoriented, Wren said, ¡°Let me check on something real quick and then after I''ve started, register your ascension at the Tethyr Guardian Alliance building. Ask for Danica by name and use what means you have to bring her here for however long it takes me to finish, Glaucous. Outside of that, do as you will. It wasn''t my intention to treat you so roughly but time is limited and I''ve much to accomplish before my actions bring their consequences to myself.¡± Wren disappeared into his void and said to the rattled and shaken father and son, ¡°I''m about to be busy for the next bit. Could be a few hours or a couple of days. I''ll leave a- I see you''ve found my stores... No it''s fine. No need to act like you''ve done something wrong. Stay away from the pile on the far left. There''s some dangerous stuff in that one. Sable, here''s a bag of goodies for you to supplement your meals with. Directions are inside. Do not share them with your son... 11-14, I know you as Grimalkin. Is that acceptable to you?¡± Grimalkin replied, ¡°This one would like to know what the name means, master.¡± Wren replied, ¡°It means gray cat. It''s a mythological beast from my home world.¡± Grimalkin let out a tentative smile, as if seeing how it felt on his face, before he said, ¡°It is a good name, master.¡± Wren could see that Sable had many questions but was practiced at waiting for right moments to ask them as Wren continued, ¡°You have two paths you may walk. A solitary one where I give you supplies, some rare knowledge and you strike out with your father or you can become a vessel for power and merge with yourself from another version of reality. One that is a parent to my only conceived son. The choice is yours and you have time to decide.¡± After conjuring the father and son some food supplies so they didn''t have to scrounge for edibles from around the forming oasis and it''s amenity stuffed cabin, he returned world side. After giving the nervous Jaden a quick pep talk and getting the go-ahead, Wren wrapped him up and let his manifestation do it''s thing as he slipped into deep meditation to avoid the terrifyingly strong emotional fluctuations seeping into his mind from the demon side of the door. Wren lost track of time as he studied the diagram and it''s dizzying growth within his structure. In deep study, Wren realized that as the demon side was releasing a steady stream of essence, power and knowledge to the cocooned Jaden, the angel was releasing a smaller stream of incredibly condensed spirit into his structure and domain. Wren asked the angel side, ¡°Why do you only do this now?¡± The angel answered, ¡°It is reward for resolving oaths and honoring past sacrifices. We contain much but are restricted by the very things that make us. As we have said before, we use you but only seek to serve.¡± ¡°What happens when I have resolved all oaths and honored all sacrifices?¡± Wren asked. With crushing resolve, the angel answered, ¡°It is as inconceivable as abolishing suffering while maintaining free will but the more you accomplish for us, the more we are freed to merge with your domain and become independent of our creation. We will become succor and guardian to you with time. Should your domain grow to be a plane, we shall be the forces that govern it''s laws, demarcate its limitations and what is required to overcome them. There is more but it is beyond our understanding.¡± When Wren had reached the end of his ability to distract himself with meditation, he began sifting through the plethora of unexplored knowledge of his lifetimes, consolidating it and seeking new understandings. As he teased out a particularly interesting combination of enchantment, alchemy and engineering that would allow him to expand the capabilities of his spectral transport to equivocate what a Tier VI conjuring could accomplish with the capabilities of a strong Tier IV, he finally felt the loosening of his manifestation''s hold on Jaden. Checking the passage of time with BZ, he realized nearly three days had gone by, a stunning blow to his timetable. Wren opened his eyes to a singeing blast as a huge black and silver bird made of purifying flame soared into the air and released a clarion of aching loneliness. Wren immediately collapsed as a force within himself nearly sundered him trying to answer that call. Before the force within him could rally another attempt to break free, a sweet and clear note peeled across the sky in answer. A bird of scintillating light and icy vapor rose to circle the first. As the two birds wheeled around each other singing notes of challenge that turned amorous, Wren felt a wave of bleakness wash through him. Over and over again, Wren reminded himself that the pain he was experiencing didn''t belong to himself but only to another that had become a part of him, that the black and silver bird in the sky wasn''t even that part''s bird. It didn''t help much but it gave him just enough strength to make it past the worst of it. Wren stood up and rushed into the sea water, doing a few minutes worth of stress relief before returning to the shore and cleaning up. The stretching and light exercise did it''s part to improve his mood enough to face the next few minutes and with every second spent another came to replace it. With time, Wren knew he''d be fine and not the fake equanimity that he was portraying. Glaucous approached and said, ¡°I see your gifts have cost you much. Is there aught I can do to alleviate that?¡± For a few seconds of insanity, Wren was tempted to take the offer made in gratitude and subtle interest but reason re-inserted itself before he had a chance to say or do something he would have regretted. He took the offer in another direction, however, as he used it as an opening to the next step of his planned actions. Wren said, ¡°It is difficult to let go of someone that claws their way into the very center of your heart.¡± A shadow of deep empathetic grief showed on Glaucous'' face as he said, ¡°I couldn''t agree more.¡± Wren urged, ¡°So you have someone like this? I can do nothing about my grief without spreading it to others. Perhaps I could find relief in helping you with yours.¡± Glaucous snorted in derision before he turned apologetic then said sadly, ¡°Unless you could bring back someone long returned to dust, then no.¡± Wren said, ¡°I may not personally but with Healer''s help and an item I possess, it''s not impossible. You would need their true name, though.¡± Glaucous eyes that were becoming crazed with hope, died at the last requirement until Wren added, ¡°You may not know it but Ephyra has some knowledge on the subject of true names, perhaps she might know of a way to acquire it.¡± In an azure flash, Wren found himself standing outside of Mage''s summoned manor, joined by a dazed Ephyra and erratic Glaucous moments later. After an intense Q&A between Glaucous and Ephyra, it was discovered that she had uncovered Malkanthor''s true name a few years after his death but was unable to employ it in an effort to save him. She never mentioned it out of respect and to not raise false hope. Wren reigned in Glaucous'' growing intensity with his next words, ¡°If I do this, drawing Healer into the repercussions with me, I need something from you.¡± Glaucous replied, ¡°Anything within my power to grant is yours for the asking, even my life and freedom.¡± Wren nodded and said, ¡°One open favor only. Oath it.¡± Glaucous did so as Ephyra looked anxiously at Wren. Wren gave her a saucy wink before stepping to the head and seeking out Healer. As it was a talk with Healer over the alchemy table that gave birth to the idea, Healer wasn''t overly surprised when Wren showed up wan and slightly sickly looking from his nearly three days of neglect. After fussing over Wren for a bit they listened to the proposal again before readily agreeing. Ephyra started the ritual by placing the true name upon the bed moved to Healer''s workroom. She intoned the highest command possible by sacrificing her knowledge of the true name and bid all remnants of Malkanthor to gather upon his name. Wren handed Healer a chest of nine sealed Tier V souls kept from reincarnation for over a thousand years as punishment for their wanton slaughter and consumption of mortals. Healer silently called upon the power of their secret, even as Wren joined them in sharing the burden. They both poured copious amounts of EE into a containment circle drawn around the bed on the floor as Wren drew over a hundred years worth of LE out of his pool to join it. Locking on to the sealed and unprotected souls, Wren activated Abyssal Alchemist secrets to liquefy the astral shells of the bloody souls. Healer bolstered Wren''s expenditure till they both saw that the souls would finish the process on their own to escape their imprisonment. Both Healer and Wren had a flash vision of a middle aged military officer dying from a sudden heart attack in the back of an armored truck. As their vision focused back in front of them, a body started taking form. Wren prompted Ephyra who commanded Malkanthor to remember his life here and to forget the one he came from to sever karmic ties. Healer and Wren shared a look, both recognizing that what they did here was far from a ''good'' deed and was against the Great Pattern but had taken measures against the backlash. To say that there would be no repercussions was not true, however, Healer gained insight into their path through this endeavor and Wren was far from overstepping tolerance as of yet. As soon as the newly risen man had drawn his first breath, Healer went to work adjusting Malkanthor''s body and smoothing out the spiritual damage. It was easy to see why this man had captured the hearts of eight women and his own brother. He was elven masculinity cast in purest ebony with hypnotic amber eyes. It surprised Wren to see that the man wasn''t much taller than himself but there was a cast to his features that gave no doubts to the man''s regal character. It probably helped that even though he was a bit on the short side for his descendant''s average he certainly measured up where it mattered. Wren, Healer and Ephyra stepped out of the room when Malkathor''s mind fully clicked on and caused him to call out in reflex, bringing Glaucous rushing to his bedside. As Healer wandered off to other pursuits after checking Wren''s state, Ephyra begged off to return to her children after giving Wren prolific gratitude. Hours passed as Malkanthor was caught up to some semblance of events, fed a few bolstering philters and finally given some clothes. As the two brothers left the room, they found Wren lightly napping on the floor by the door. The sight made Malkanthor laugh lightheartedly as Glaucous launched into a profusion of thanksgiving once Wren opened his eyes. Both the laughter and the thanks stopped cold as Wren intoned, ¡°Glaucous, I call upon your favor. Leave no detail unsaid as you share your true and hidden feelings for your brother.¡± Wren walked away with feigned indifference to Glaucous'' appeals and Malkanthor''s harsh invective against Wren''s request that was bringing his beloved little brother so much distress. Left with no choices but to accede or become an oath breaker, Glaucous revealed his darkest secret as Wren moved to his void realm. 51-Side of the Mouth Seeing that Sable and Grimalkin were resting, Wren inspected his middle realm. It had grown significantly since the last time his previous self had gave it any serious notice. The edges could no longer be seen from where he was and after Senega''s assistance there was a good deal more greenery. A weather pattern had been established that kept temperature and rainfall similar to late spring/early summer in the North American heartlands. The once small oasis pool had grown to the size of a small lake with an inlet and outlet tributary. In the distance, a mound was pushing itself out of the ground to resemble the beginning of a mountain with smaller mounds around it. Spreading his senses out, Wren noticed subtle signs of simple life signatures. Somehow, when Wren wasn''t paying attention, Senega had smuggled several clumps of earthworms, butterflies and other nature positive insects. Wren didn''t know how he felt about the small cluster of bees but upon approaching they didn''t seem to mind him so he figured his connection to the realm must be sensed on some level. Moving on, Wren inspected the herbs and a formation protected garden that held several rare and useful plants. To his surprise, in the center of the garden, was a clump of the strange mini fruit bearing wheat. It didn''t have the same overwhelming presence as its parent plant yet but it was likely not going to be too far from it. Wren said, ¡°Buzz, are all things from the first iteration like that? Like they are more real than everything around them?¡± BZ replied, ¡°No. The phenomenon you are describing is a byproduct of being or becoming a prime existence. In the case of the plant, it could do so because its parent seeds were part of your sister''s elevation ritual. My usage of the word prime, in this instance, may be misleading. Essentially, this plant is Origin-like. If you continue being the aberration that you are, eventually you will exhibit the same phenomenon.¡± Wren felt a bit insulted as he said, ¡°What do you mean when you call me an aberration and what does Origin-like actually mean?¡± BZ replied, ¡°There is much I could share that is conjecture and more that I do not have the capabilities or permissions to explain. What I can say is that you, as weakened as your state was, at the time and where it occurred, should not have had many iterations. Reincarnation as a fatally damaged soul that miraculously survived isn''t exactly unique but manifesting as such a powerfully copied iteration is. More so, you are currently taking in the strength of existence from those expired copies which moves you closer to Origin-like. ¡°Origin-like is a jargon for possessing superior placement within reality. The more Origin-like something is, the more flexible the Great Pattern is to their influence. The only other information I can provide on the subject relates to singularities. Naturally occurring Origin-like existences frequently cast far reaching iterations. An iteration may become Origin-like by approaching singular existence through taking in the strength of existence their other iterations possess, something of considerable difficulty to accomplish and few successful examples exist within this arm. Your sister''s actions with Satyrus being a good reference. ¡°The most prominent feature used to identify such existences, is a presence that supersedes their surroundings, giving a ''more real than real'' sensation to the observer. Such an observer based measurement only determines if the observed is significantly superior in strength of existence compared to their surroundings, however. There currently exists no standard of measurement other than through observation you are capable of utilizing.¡± Wren massaged his temples as he said, ¡°That''s good, Buzz. What are the benefits of being Origin-like that I should know?¡± BZ was silent for a moment before replying, ¡°Order of magnitude. Superior existences can more easily affect inferior ones while more resistant to being affected. The larger the gap, the greater the effect. For example, a Tier I human of the highest recorded magnitude would barely be able to register the presence of a Tier VI from the lowest magnitude and would completely be impervious to them. The very proximity of the prior to the former, however, would endanger them greatly.¡± ¡°Is there anything you can tell me about that ''berry wheat''?¡± Wren asked. BZ responded, ¡°Very little outside of what you have observed. There seems to be an innate strengthening of existence by consuming it''s edible components. It''s affects upon yourself would be negligible, at this point, but would be of significant value in pharmaceuticals or for others. It''s most important feature is that it takes nourishment primarily from a connection to the maelstrom rather than it''s environment, much like maelstrom born themselves do.¡± Sensing the presence of another, Wren turned to see Sable approaching in a slow and respectful manner. ¡°Master, may I have permission to speak freely?¡± Sable said. Wren smiled wryly as he said, ¡°Sure, if you call me Wren instead of master. If it helps, view my name as a title I consider to be one of respect and difference.¡± ¡°Please excuse my impertinence, M-Wren. Would my son cease to be if he merged with this other?¡± Wren shook his head, ¡°He would become a part of the other Grimalkin. Nothing of himself would be lost, just added to the other. He would also be much safer as Earth is not as unstable a place to be and the version of reality he would move to is closer to the center but I can''t make any promises beyond that. Without getting too far out there with the explanation, this reality we are in is going to collapse in about a hundred years. The reality he would become a part of will roughly be the last stand from both sides. How long until then is up for debate but the plane Earth resides on is one of the most massive and best isolated from the struggle of greater reality, regardless of which version of reality we''re talking about.¡± Sable looked like he wanted to say more but kept it to himself. Wren understood the feeling. There was a lot more he''d like to say too but none of it would lower the tension. After a couple minutes of awkward silence, Wren added, ¡°I''m assuming you asked because that was the path Grimalkin decided to walk. His future will be more certain than ours, Sable. That''s the best I can guarantee. He''s lived there over a decade so far. Our iterations rarely survive more than a couple of months beyond the beginning of this scenario.¡± Sable''s expression softened a degree as he said, ¡°It''s merely the concerns of a father.¡± Wren looked at Sable grimly and said, ¡°A concern I share and more.¡± An hour and some preparations later, Grimalkin gave a small nod of acceptance as Wren wrapped him up in ethereal ribbons and chains while making modifications to a mostly completed singularity ark. With BZ''s help, Wren activated a simplified dimensional locksmith array around Grimalkin and empowered with the singularity ark. To increase the strength of connection and enforcing of purpose, Wren emptied his EE pool to the greatest degree of safety he could while utilizing the principles of contagion and sympathy. For a sickening moment, Wren thought it wasn''t going to work before the singularity ark lit up and expanded into a oval. As the oval cleared, on the other side was a more mature and human looking Grimalkin, in the process of doctoring up some cuts and scrapes on Trauart''s back. Grimalkin paled as he looked towards the oval to be greeted by a younger version of himself that grew translucent before transforming into a sphere of spiritual energy and slamming into his chest, knocking him across the room before the oval closed. So my boy took a spill off, something, a bike maybe? Wren held back a wash of sorrow as he continued to stare at the spot where, a moment ago, he took a glimpse of a life he desperately wished he could be a part of as Sable said, ¡°You spoke truth. I could clearly see the mark of my son within yours. My so- that Grimalkin, was using the shadow illusion technique that had confounded him so when I first taught it to...¡± An indeterminate amount of time went by before Sable finally broke the silence with, ¡°There is little more purpose to dwelling on possibilities that will not be, Mas-Wren. There is much work to do, is there not? Losing ourselves within it would be a more productive use of time than this passive pining.¡± Yup, the hard-ass mode is on full swing. Not complaining though. Sable''s a rock. Well worth the investment, material, emotional and otherwise. Shifting around through the equipment pile, Wren found the other box that was like the one his caster suit was in and stuffed it with a lot of hidden weapons and nasty surprises before handing it to Sable. Wren explained it''s uses and the list of equipment and supplies he''d loaded it with. As Sable stripped to put it on, Wren stopped him. Inspecting the man long enough to be uncomfortable for both of them, Wren said, ¡°You''re in a bit better shape than most of your iterations but you still have a good deal of internal injuries. No need to get dressed yet. Follow me back to the cabin...and stop looking at me like that. Oh, I didn''t give you the needful touching healer sign thingy. Come on man, you think I''d go for a tough old piece of leather like you? I mean you got nothing to be ashamed of but... All right, so maybe I might but not when you obviously don''t... Let''s just leave it at, you''re safe from me jumping you and no offense meant.¡± A bit of amusement made it through Sable''s mask of stony indifference at Wren''s flustered state as he said, ¡°None taken.¡± Unconsciously, Sable stepped a little more lively. Obviously pleased he still had ''it''. Just wait till I''m done with you, old peacock. You''d fuck a cow dipped in cat piss and be grateful it''d have you. Wren was itching to put all the newly combined and improved knowledge that he''d gleaned from Healer and his own accumulated experience to use. After laying Sable out on the spare cot, remembering to use the healer''s hand gesture that earned a faint smirk from Sable, Wren placed his hands on Sable''s first and sixth chakra points. The smirking face quickly changed to one of shocked surprise followed by a heavy and ragged intake of breath as Wren dragged lines of essence, that were slightly thicker than they strictly needed to be, through Sable. After driving out a large accumulation of toxins and waste, quickly removed by void power, Wren delved into Sable''s potential. He started by fully fishing up the celerity and shadow walking/minor manipulation powers. Feeding unrelated and opposing potentials to Sable''s muddy depths, Wren strengthened the shadow abilities until they started taking on an Abyss tainted void flavor. He used the spare wiggle room to improve celerity to conceivable safe limits while strengthening and expanding Sable''s essence pool enough to open an initial EE pool. To finish up, Wren raised his awareness to the physical level. Since he hadn''t spared any potential on Sable''s natural longevity, he gave a nearly wasteful dose of LE directly to Sable''s corporeal form and cleared out the obstructions in the connection to Sable''s astral body. Ignoring the cable wire tautness running through Sable''s muscles, Wren began large scale micro repairs, moving outward from the marrow. With a mental flourish, Wren jarred the older man''s frame into improved symmetry and stimulated the skin to rejuvenate, shedding a thick and impurity saturated layer. Wren focused back into normal vision and with a void assisted yank to remove the layer of dead skin, he surveyed his handiwork. As proud as he wanted to be with himself, Wren had to admit that he had great materials to work with. The air of fatherly dependability was lost in the mostly restored youthfulness, only to be replaced with panther-like grace and dangerous sensuality. The man''s whole body glowed under the soft light like fresh black silk lightly dusted with powdered ash. The powerful aura and lithe frame gave the impression of being as equally adept at bringing pleasure or swift death. Wren lost himself in blatant admiration until a displeased demon''s low growl snapped him out of it as Sable said in a strained and broken voice, ¡°If I said I was regretting my earlier aversion to your mistakenly perceived interest, what would you say?¡± Wren pointedly looked away as he blushed and said, ¡°I''d say the third bottle to the right, in the bathroom, is lotion. Help yourself.¡± Walking away quickly before my bullshit is called... and what the hell, demon half!? That didn''t sound like a helpful reminder. As Wren speed walked out of the cabin in near panic, he could hear a self depreciating chuckle coming from within. Reminded, once again, how easily his body could be led around by the nose when his hormones kicked him in the resolve, Wren kicked a second pile of only mildly interesting goods into his devouring void and busied himself with work projects until Sable walked out of the cabin, suited up, looking refreshed and fully back in control. Sable bantered, ¡°I would ask what you''ve done to me but that would sound ungrateful and lacking approval, which couldn''t be farther from the truth.¡± Wren looked up from the magical gadget in his hand and said, ¡°You should probably take a couple laps around the perimeter to accustom yourself with the advanced power and physical capabilities you have. I''d hate to find myself scraping you off or from the inside of a wall.¡± As Sable took off, throwing a few clumps of grass and dirt behind him, Wren shouted, ¡°Away from the greenery!¡± A few minutes later Wren heard a faint shout of, ¡°There''s no shadows out here!¡± He loudly responded, ¡°You don''t need them anymore!¡± Crap, I dropped a formation disk... Damn thing''s smaller than a frigging pin head... Oh, there it is. Thanks for the assist, Buzz. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. About an hour later, Sable returned only lightly winded and grinning like a madman as he said, ¡°You think I could go get my personal belongings from my bunk locker?¡± Wren chewed on the request for a moment before he said, ¡°If doing so was roughly three times more dangerous than you expect it to be, how confident are you of success?¡± Sable wet his lips with his tongue as he said, ¡°Fifty-fifty without using anything you''ve given me, Wren, but I already expect a mission to be three times harder than it usually is. I need a real challenge to work the kinks out. I''ll be extra cautious. Believe me when I say that''s a difficult proposition.¡± Wren nodded, ¡°I do and I trust you. Just keep the execution of old grudges to a minimum.¡± Sable frowned slightly as he said, ¡°Define minimum.¡± Wren said, ¡°Top three minus the Grimshadow Eldest. He''s Glaucous'' prey.¡± Sable looked slightly disappointed as he replied, ¡°It will serve, Wren.¡± Wren sighed, ¡°If it makes a difference, you can add two more if they''re on the way. Just don''t waste too much time on it.¡± Sable perked up a little as he nodded before Wren returned them world-side. Sable disappeared in a quickly dissipating wisp of black smoke before Wren was even fully oriented, staring at the tip of a blade that was a little too close for comfort. It helped that one of Sable''s was lightly resting in the hollow under Assassin''s ear. Wren nervously said, ¡°Alright, false alarm. Let''s stop pointing sharp objects at each other.¡± It seemed like the stale-mate was going to continue until Wren realized that he had received the call mark notification from Hiidan and said, ¡°I''m about to call my father out. Do you still want to be pointing something at me when I do, Assassin?¡± Assassin quickly dropped his arm as he muttered, ¡°No one likes a snitch.¡± ¡°I''m good, Sable. You''ve got something you wanted to do?¡± Wren said. Sable nodded and melted away into the darkness as Wren summoned the call mark. Hiidan''s call mark appearance looked a great deal more impressive to Wren when seen with 3.5 mind. One black and one multi-colored galaxy arm of essence and power drew into a dense pin-hole before pushing it''s way into existence, forming the man shaped cut-out of reality. A smooth, velvety voice tickled Wren''s eardrums as he heard, ¡°I notice you left my observation privileges on, son. You''ve turned into quite the industrious and meddlesome fellow haven''t you?¡± Wren startled as he said, ¡°Is there like a ''soft off'' for that? It''s nice to know someone can see when I''m in trouble but, well, there''s a lot of times when a guy doesn''t want his dad... Oh, thanks Buzz.¡± Hiidan laughed softly and thought at Wren, ¡°You call your beta interface, Buzz? I''m stealing that.¡± Wren smiled as he thought back, ¡°Feel free but the rest of my nicknames are trademarked!¡± A wave of pleasant vibes emanated from Hiidan as Wren heard mentally, ¡°It does my heart good to see you like this, so much like you were when a child. It tore me to pieces inside when you...I''m happy. Enough said.¡± Hiidan switched to his voice and continued, ¡°Here''s your kid''s meal, only partially eaten as requested. Not gonna lie. It tasted kind of rotten and not very filling.¡± A thoroughly trussed, Tier V Aaron plopped out of Hiidan, onto the floor in an awkward sprawl. The effect that Wren was hoping for was achieved as Wren could see real emotion in Aaron''s eyes. That it was gibbering terror, was only icing on the cake. Wren smiled cheerily at Aaron and said, ¡°Welcome back! I know you didn''t much enjoy your first long distant trip I booked so I scheduled another for you that will more than make up for it... I just need one little thing from you first. I want you to swear a subordination oath to me...You know, the one that can''t be coerced.¡± Aaron''s fear crazed eyes turned to Wren and said, ¡°You... Why would I? After what you''ve done to me, even if I wanted to, how could I?¡± Wren laughed heartily and said, ¡°To you? Shouldn''t that be for you? I knocked you out of your dead end path. I got my father to eat off your associate''s parasitic augmentation... If you don''t believe me, look inside... But most importantly, if you oath to me-¡± Wren leaned down and whispered softly into Aaron''s ear, ¡° I''ll give you all that you need to become a prince of the Infernal Host.¡± Aaron looked at Wren with crazed and fevered eyes as he said, ¡°Why would you do such a thing for me? Don''t bother answering because even if I believed you, I couldn''t trust you.¡± Wren said, ¡°There are few I hate worse than you but it''s not all hate... There''s a saying from Earth about choosing the devil you know over the one you don''t. The fact is, I need someone to take that spot and I don''t have many choices for those who are there, going or actually want to carve out a certain piece of the Infernal Realm for their own. ¡°You were going at this alone, screwed up your progression and fell prey to the first devil that was willing to give you the time of day. I offer you connections, resources and a throne. More importantly, I carry a small inheritance of knowledge from a handful of other iterations that will allow you to claim your ''end of all days'' life boat without giving up your ability to waltz to your gloaming home any time you desire. Besides, no matter what oath I have you swear, it''s not like reality has a lot of days left. What comes after that, who knows?¡± Aaron remained silent for a moment before he said, ¡°Assuming I want to, how am I supposed to convince myself to take such an oath willingly?¡± Wren said, ¡°As long as you speak the words, as sincerely as you are able, I will take it at value given.¡± Aaron parried, ¡°I want an oath that you will provide all you have promised me in return.¡± Wren replied, ¡°I oath upon the Eternal Circle that the words I have spoken to you today are truth, to the extent of my knowledge and belief, and that I will match you in sincerity.¡± Aaron let out a tense breath and said, ¡°Half of the reason I''m willing to do this is because I don''t believe it will bind me all that much. The other half is because I believe I''m dead if I don''t... I oath to the Eternal Circle to be loyal and dutiful, in both spirit and letter until the-¡± As ethereal ribbons and chains bound up Aaron, the iteration remains of him that was part of Wren''s manifestation completed for him, ¡°Till our souls return to dust,¡± as they joined and augmented the gloaming fae. From within the ethereal cocoon, Aaron screamed, ¡°Trickery!¡± Wren smiled wryly and said, ¡°Nope. I clearly said that I would match you in sincerity. Since you possess little, I am obliged by oath to return in kind. Currently, the portion of you that means the oath are roughly, what, three parts to your one?¡± After Wren directed his manifestation to push Aaron through Tier VI, with all of Aaron he had, save Wren''s return obligations, and top him off with ''the dirty stuff'', he continued, ¡°You''ll get a bit more information on your personal goals and even most of our history that I held on to in addition to a great deal more power. Power that will guarantee your fall to the Infernal Realms and change the balance of you that meant the oath to roughly ninety something to one. ¡°All the while, my sincerity remains matched as the more you get from me, the more sincere your oath becomes as you transform to devil... And don''t worry. No one''s going to have the ability to snatch you up and make you answer for past crimes before transporting you, because there wouldn''t be anything left to transport... Do you have the ability to open a way to Dis, Pops?¡± Hiidan mulled it over and said, ¡°I can but where in Dis, I couldn''t guarantee.¡± Wren said, ¡°That''ll have to do... Listen up, Aaron. Hedon and Dolor''s planned merge in roughly three months will end in fatal failure, leaving the throne in Dis empty. Get yourself mixed in with the petitioners and soul slaves slotted for sacrifice on their third day of merge. I''ve put a few things together for you. Feel free to go nuts with the soul eating till you''re full then start slamming back the knock-off soma in here til you get the soul eating impulse under control. ¡°As you well know, The ruler of the second circle wants the throne of Dis. Successfully negotiate the exchange and not only will you have the piece of land you want, you''ll have control of the circle. Make a deal for the land with the throne if you can''t handle the pressure. Once you''ve gotten what you want, keep slamming the supplements back till you''ve purged enough to drop your devil status and aim for Tier VII... One more thing. Give me a contact call mark with an option to summon a devil shell. It doesn''t have to have any capabilities, just a strong devil presence emission.¡± Wren waited until the cocoon began unraveling, handing a masked storage ring to the overwhelmed Aaron then said, ¡°I''d say good luck but I think you''ll be like a fish in water once you''re in hell. Pity it takes too long to become an Arch Devil. Guess you''ll have to settle on being a Gloom King.¡± As Hiidan opened a portal to Dis, Aaron said, ¡°Despite this being the most generous anyone''s ever been to me, I won''t thank you since anything I achieve or possess is yours for the asking whether I will or not.¡± Wren replied in mock Aaron voiced severity, ¡°What!? You should be thanking me for even gracing you with my presence, insect! You should be grateful to be my tool, to be worthy of being used by me!... Seriously though, I think you''ll not be chaffing at my collar after you get used to the idea. I hate that I have to resort to this but you just simply can''t be trusted. Even in the two iterations where your other selves actually fell in love with me, they still betrayed me in the end. Understanding the reason why doesn''t remove all the sting. Knowing all the back-stabbing still saw you falling on your face does though. Be smarter this time. The things you want to accomplish can''t be done alone.¡± After Aaron vanished through the portal, Wren looked around to realize that he had an audience. Glaucous and Malkanthor were standing side by side, if a little awkwardly. As for the rest, most were not interested in what transpired beyond curiosity but Assassin was gazing at Wren with a stomach dropping amount of admiration as Senega and Knight stared on with matching scowls of disapproval. Wren said flippantly, ¡°It''s my party. I can make a devil if I want to.¡± Hiidan laughed manically as he unsummoned himself. Senega drawled in mild disgust, ¡°There''s consequences for meddling so highhandedly with natural order.¡± Wren nodded and said, ¡°I''m aware but this is survival. Nature discards those who do not adapt to necessity. Damn the consequences. Minding the consequences sees all of us dying with reality, Druid.¡± Senega looked furtive as he said, ¡°There are better ways.¡± Wren spat, ¡°Save that argument for those who have access to them.¡± Senega bowed out as Knight took the lead, ¡°You created evil, and for what!?¡± Wren sighed wearily and said, ¡°I didn''t create it, I stepped on it''s throat and turned it to my own ends. I owe you no explanations but for the sake of expanding your narrow mind...¡± Wren continued in projected thought that Glaucous grudgingly facilitated, ¡°There is an ancient artifact created by one of the first Infernal Engineers. It''s another version of a reality ark, capable of traversing the Outside. I sent Aaron to fetch it. Or do you think that everyone we''ll want to save will fit cozily on Satyrus?... Yes, I figured out what she made here. Admittedly, I struggled with it for a bit but why else would a person create an illusionary world and spread it out through the iterations to be nurtured into something real before collapsing it back down, taking quintillions of lives with them, and not set you off... Lastly, some things we want to survive can''t mix with others, even if we could.¡± Knight was silent long enough for Wren to ask after the progress of Lilly and Troy before he exclaimed suddenly, ¡°They are not truly gone, Wren. A part of them went to strengthen the planet and our mistress but some will join with their counterpoints here. With it, we can save them. That is not the same as what you have done. What that monster destroys will not serve to strengthen or save them, even if it serves others.¡± Wren pulled out a glass ball with precious metal filigree and said, ¡°A man who doesn''t know how to face his own demons and devils has no moral high ground with which to pass judgment on the demons and devils of another. It may take courage to slay them but only the mighty possess enough strength of will to accept them and only the greatest of us all have enough love and forbearance to transform them... carving out your perceived imperfections will only leave you weakened and just as flawed.¡± Wren handed the orb back to the man and finished, ¡°Rethink your path before it leads you to a dead end.¡± Knight looked at the orb as if it were a poisonous animal as he teetered dangerously close to destroying it, saying, ¡°You can not love and tolerate evil into submission.¡± Wren replied sadly, ¡°You see it as something to conquer or kill... to hate or suffocate with indifference but what does hate and indifference give rise to if not evil? That which knows and engenders love and forbearance is not evil, though they may still be capable of it. That which knows and engenders hate and indifference is not good, though they may still be capable of it. ¡°I''m not asking you to be a saint or even stronger than what you are. I''m asking if you are strong enough to love and show forbearance to yourself only. If you are that weak then I''ll take that orb back and attempt to do what you cannot. Sleep on it... or whatever it is that you do during your rest time.¡± Red faced, Knight stomped away as Assassin said, ¡°I''ve never seen someone make him look like that and leave in the same amount of pieces. Lilly''s came close a few times. Does the place you come from practice murdering people with unwinnable arguments?¡± Wren wryly said, ¡°Yes. We call it philosophy. It''s supposed to sharpen critical thinking skills but more often than not, those that practice it, approach subjects as if their point of view is the only right one. I''d consider that intellectual homicide, murdering other''s ideas, thoughts and feelings, en masse genocide.¡± Assassin chuckled as he said, ¡°Maybe you could teach me. That way if I find myself against a target I can''t take down, maybe I could talk them to death.¡± Wren said, ¡°If that''s your goal...¡± Wren pointedly looked at Lilly who was explaining to Mage the difference between ice cream and frozen yogurt. Though Lilly hadn''t caught on yet, Mage bated her by asking which shaved ice was considered. Assassin said ruefully, ¡°To think a master of the art was so close all along.¡± As Assassin sauntered over to join in, Glaucous asked, ¡°Who will be the next victim of your impassioned words?¡± Malkanthor cut in, ¡°How can you talk to this one so calmly after causing you such pain and discomfort?¡± Glaucous'' face grew pinched as Wren said, ¡°Lancing a boil is painful but afterwards, there is relief. If I''ve inconvenienced you, however, I apologize for not realizing you were aware of his feelings and simply refused to answer them so he could move on.¡± Malkanthor drew himself up and said, ¡°What do you know of me, outsider? If I''ve turned a blind eye, it was to preserve our relationship. I dare you to accuse me of aught else!¡± Wren didn''t mean to but he yawned before he said, ¡°I dare but there would be no point. That''s probably why you did it.¡± Ready to interrupt Wren with vitriol at any moment, Malkanthor''s mental gears ground while he said, ¡°Well, at least you know when you''re in the wrong.¡± Wren said sleepily, ¡°When did I say that? You''re motives were selfish, being as they only served you and your comfort at your brother''s expense.¡± On the verge of violent rage, Malkanthor said, ¡°You know nothing. I did it for his sake. Who would he have then, if he could not bear my rejection.¡± Glaucous was on the verge of walking away when Wren said, ¡°I swear on the Eternal Circle that all I have said to you is what I believe to be the truth without deceit. Do you dare?¡± Malkanthor''s mounting rage spluttered as he scrambled to reply, ¡°Only the ignorant and the foolish call so casually upon the power of oaths.¡± Sleepiness momentarily evaporated under Wren''s growing irritation as he said, ¡°The well being of those I care for is not a casual pursuit to me. Neither is the removal of detriments from their path, whether they be emotional or physical ones. I strove to bring you back from the dead, pretty much just to answer his unasked question. That may prove to be ignorant or foolish. We''ll see. Once again, do you dare oath the same?¡± For one tense moment, Wren thought Malkanthor would attack him before turning around and walking away. Taking a wild chance, Wren said, ¡°Addictive body fluid.¡± Malkanthor turned into a statue for a moment, all tense and frozen in place before he turned around and headed back to Wren and said, ¡°If you want to continue, we shall do so in private. Utter another word in this place with others and I will end you even if it costs me my own life again.¡± Wren said, ¡°That''s fine. I want a meal and a restorative from my domain. Feel free to join me but I insist that Glaucous be there as well.¡± Malkanthor deflated like a balloon before wearily nodding. Wren ushered the two into his space and stepped into his cabin. After conjuring up a spread of drinking friendly food, Wren sat himself on the minibar side of the long table, cracking some beers and pouring a quick line of whiskey shots. As the two other men took a seat, Wren burned a little LE to bolster his flagging stamina. ¡°Help yourself. I know it''s custom not to talk while eating so lets get that out of the way, along with a little liquid courage, and lets tackle this shit.¡± 52-Proposition An elephant huh? That''s cool I guess. Well, at least I arrived in time to keep Imani from being boiled for dinner. Blame it on overwhelming scrambled memories that it slipped my mind to tell her about the translation thing... I can''t believe five of my iterations swore themselves as eternal companions to a unicorn, a frigging unicorn. Nice guy though. Good cautionary tale for staying away from pretty statues in the middle of the woods. Not going to lie, being a horse sucks, being a mare sucks more... Is knowing a really nice slave girl I saved from being sacrificed a few iterations back, who just so happened to fantasize about being a unicorn, a coincidence or more manipulation? Well, whatever. Hope they have lots of happy little foals and all that. Reformed smuggler turned slave liberator? Check. Sullen moss hag, correction, maiden? Check. Also check on never confusing that kind of mushroom for an edible one again. A shame she''s stuck to her spot. Best apothecary assistant ever. That and her sisters are nasty bitches...Artiya''il took too damn long to convince but then again, my iterations that knocked boots with the angel didn''t have an easy time of it either. Luckily Usuway was with me to play a little seer trick on him. You''d think a bad memory erasing angel would be more easy going. That only leaves the one who''s my ticket to the next stretch of my journey. Time for a small coma and tidy up my affairs here. ¡°Ephyra''s going to gather a lynch mob if I keep you guys for much longer.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°All dreams must end... Now we return to our lives and responsibilities. What do I do now? He allowed me as much comfort as I could take but in the end he is my brother and though he loves me, my brother is what he wishes to remain... I know if I remained the shadow at his side he would pity me from time to time but his love will not be the same as mine.¡± ¡°What is there not to do. You''ve got closure, better than most can expect. He loves you enough to do this for you but if he can''t see you as more than a brother, for both yours and Malkanthor''s sake you move on. You grow up and, with time, you find your happiness and allow your brother to find his, taking pleasure in the fact that he is alive and capable to do so again.¡± ¡°Senega has shown interest in your company if your interested in giving a little distance and time to smooth things over. I warn you, the man''s probably going to work you like a- whatever an appropriate beloved but well used beast of burden counts for around here.¡± ¡°Tell him I''d be glad of the opportunity.¡± Good for you G-man but I really didn''t need snapshots of your activities over the past few days. Free pass, he''s probably hurting like hell right now. And you weren''t creeper!? Ugh,just spit it out Healer! For a person who thinks that permanent crippling is just a practical joke, what''s a little sexual assault between comrades? What, and have you lock me in a box while Senega helps you sit on it? Not a snowball''s chance, dude. 53- Unfamiliar I can''t refuse!? Now this, I simply must hear.¡± said the demon, radiating lazy but potent killing intent. is a proposition I can''t refuse.¡± Thanks for the random dead demon''s name, Buzz. This would be a hell of a lot more impressive if I still had a Tier V sealed soul to do this with but I guess this imp caster soul will have to do. It''s only Tier IV but it''s got richer content than most early Tier V melee types. That it''s a devil, should appeal nicely though. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. your Lady, I told you. Didn''t you believe me? I''d explain that he can control how hard the barbs are but a few of my other iterations sadly know first hand how little practice Rozchereck''s actually put into that particular training... Poor Pete. Didn''t anyone ever tell you not to compare yourself to others? At least your junk doesn''t turn people''s insides into salsa when you get carried away. just an alchemist. No hoofing required.¡± 54- Attrition Sable, who had been up long enough to eat and do his business, received the mental message, ¡°Operation Starburst in three seconds.¡± At the three second mark, Wren shouted through the summoned bullhorn, ¡°Operation Starburst,¡± and unleashed Sable on top of the outpost soldiers. Rozchereck barely covered his eyes with an arm before Sable slung a handful of ''flash-bangs.'' Emphasis on the flash, not so much on the bang. I''m starting to wonder if there''s a combination of combustion materials that will work right. There might be more to the tech ban in many portions of greater reality beyond keepin it magical. As the soldiers stumbled around rubbing at their eyes, Wren said through the bull horn, ¡°You have violated the alchemist heritage act. Stand down or be blacklisted from the Protectorate supply list.¡± An intimidating, nearly ten foot tall man with three faces and six arms standing on the wall of the outpost shouted back, ¡°To the Gray Waste with the Protectorate. For the last hundred years we''ve received two barely trained apprentices wearing journeyman mantles and mostly spoiled medicine. Medicine that now slowly kills my son. They''ve left us to die out here.¡± Wren chewed on that for a moment and responded, ¡°I''m under no obligation to care for your concerns since I''m a material plane legacy but I''m in need of a mantle. If you''re a true post captain and not some renegade colony, I''ll see what I can do for your son in return for one of their undeserved mantles and a field approval seal of permission to practice during calamity.¡± The asura looked across the distance at Wren and said, ¡°I''ve already dealt with two pretenders. Why should I let a mortal desperation choice use my son as a medicine slave to practice on?¡± Rozchereck spoke up, ¡°I can attest that this mortal possesses solid journeyman skills. I would not have agreed to escort him else wise.¡± Wren ignored the traditional lowering of value and raising of value concerning himself, between Rozchereck and the asura. Wren was mildly annoyed at being treated as property to be evaluated before he could handle business but considering the treatment most non-demons who found themselves in the Abyss endured, at least having an alchemist mantle would allow him to speak to a demon without being addressed first. He could even speak as an equal to any demon who was of the same standing or lower to the demon he was under the protection of. Of course, if he claimed skills without proof or ability, without a mantle or seal, it was only a matter of time before he''d be killed or claimed. It was common practice to snatch up unproven and enslave them before they could so they''d spend the rest of their short, miserable lives practicing their trade to the benefit of a single demon or clan. Even the ennobled demons wouldn''t treat talented alchemists cavalierly, however. A skilled medical alchemist could kill with the same ingredients used to treat. In fact, it was part of the alchemist apprentice''s responsibilities to learn such methods, to counteract and to employ them, ensuring future generations were treated with the wary respect that often was their only defense against more offensively powerful paths. As the two ''negotiating'' demons and milling soldiers watched, Wren took out three of his last remaining five Tier IV sealed souls along with an apprentice''s fiend cauldron. Stretching his calculation ability and BZ''s extra attention abilities to nearly uncomfortable limits, Wren simultaneously demonstrated the three main soul refining methods: Tool assisted reduction that gave best purity and moderate return, direct spiritual reduction that gave moderate purity and best return, entropic reduction that most alchemists used for journeyman qualification. Acceptable was 80% purity and 40% original quantity on the first while the second reversed the numbers. Entropic reduction was a method only considered viable on the battlefield where many souls congregated after death but for the test, a 50% purity with a 20% retention was considered passable since it was using spirit to detect and gather the shedding astral shell particles of a soul exposed to some form of corrosion technique. Using all three methods at once and having a ten percent over acceptable made Wren''s talent apparent and after using a secondary refinement method on the second and third technique to increase the quality to 90% in match to the first method proved that Wren had what it took to aim for master. Wren sent the pill and two apples to the asura captain using his weak telekinesis and said, ¡°Enough devil tonguing. Either demon up or we''ll be on our way. Once you''re done inspecting the quality, hand them to Rozchereck unless you can replace double the souls or have three Tier IV slaves in good health for trade.¡± The asura laughed heartily and said, ¡°The spoils are already in my hand. You ask for payment now? You''re not qualifi-¡± Wren lifted the bloody bolt and dangled a hair over it that Sable had collected while the asura had been distracted. Wren smiled as maliciously as he was able and said, ¡°Not only am I qualified, I''m eager. If I can''t negotiate with you fairly, perhaps your men will be more accommodating as we feast on you and your son''s corpse. After I make sure whatever''s wrong with your son isn''t contagious, of course. I wouldn''t want Captain Rozchereck''s new men to be sick.¡± The men who were ready to rush to their captain''s aid suddenly paused and looked at their leader appraisingly. Not to say the asura didn''t have loyal men but in a desperate strait like this, his most trusted or bound would be looking over his vulnerable son or he''d likely go back to find an arm or two missing to feed some hungry post member or other. That left the asura captain having to re-evaluate his position as the assassin he''d sent appeared dangling by the throat in Sable''s hand. If this was any place other than the Abyss, I''d have been getting ready to razz this place to the ground but this is just standard practice in a place where not only do the strong prey on the weak figuratively but literally as well... Damn cannibals. As Rozchereck appeared to be looking at Wren to give directions, Wren gave the silent agreement to move forward and his demon said, ¡°If the display has proven adequate... As a fellow displaced captain, I can show some grace and allow you to keep the soul medicine for yourself and the lesser fruit for your son''s recovery. You can keep the greater fruit as well if you release us from tithing and provide what my ward has already requested. Beyond that, I''ll allow Wren to strike his own bargains. I dislike lowering to these affairs. I''m no merchant son.¡± After sharing a guesting oath and given quarters in the asura''s home, the tense situation began ratcheting down. ¡°How could you let your pet, er, ward carry around such a dangerous item to play with, Captain Rozchereck?¡± the asura said. As the walked into the asura''s home, Rozchereck replied, ¡°The loyalty that lies between us is unquestionable.¡± The asura looked at Wren appraisingly for a moment before he said, ¡°It is not as easy or cheap to procure the services of a curse master as it once was. Still, for one such as this, it''s well worth the bargain I''d wager.¡± Mood suddenly taking a plunge, Wren said, ¡°Roz, since no one has mentioned anything of worth to discuss, I''ll retire.¡± The asura nodded sagely and said, ¡°Yes, febrile mortals do tire easily. Your betters still have a few things to discuss so you are dismissed to enjoy your room.¡± Wren''s eyebrows shot up as he said, ¡°Will this discussion include a meal at least?¡± With a slightly pained look, quickly hidden, the asura said, ¡°I''m certain we have a haunch or two of something to offer your guardian.¡± Wren sneered, ¡°Don''t bother tightening your belt on our, or should I say Roz''s, behalf.¡± Wren summoned a honey glazed ham with some sides and a barrel of LE enhanced ale and gave a meaningful look at Rozchereck, earning himself a half choked whisper of gratitude for his services. Wren knew he was putting Rozchereck under some pressure by showing off so much but he wasn''t in the best of moods due to the weak support he''d received so far from his demon subordinate. Not wanting to dent Rozchereck''s position of respectable strength in front of a peer, Wren bowed and removed himself. As Wren walked away he heard a boisterous laugh coming from the room he just left as the asura said, ¡°Lots of fire, that one. Better bend him and stir his guts before that head gets any bigger.¡± To keep the conversation from getting even more offensive, Rozchereck finally rejoined, ¡°I don''t know the state of affairs within the borderlands but our destination is to places where faces may change but unspoken rules do not. Why gain his ire when his new reality will break his spirit and my light touch will keep him gratefully at my side. An unwilling alchemist will not grant spawn as easily.¡± The fading voice in Wren''s quickly retreating form picked up, ¡°Ah, I see. Wooing early for a pliant womb later. There''s wisdom in that.¡± Damn demons...Not beating, berating and raping me counts as wooing!? Shit''s getting worse faster than I thought it was if a proven journeyman alchemist isn''t worthy of a post captain''s difference. Shit gets tight every time the Host wars take a break but this is sick bad. Then fuck the side trips. I thought Senega was exaggerating a little when he said even he wouldn''t stick around longer than he had to... Alright. I got to do something to make sure when it''s time for me to go, our gracious host wont try to find a reason for us to stay. In fact, it would be better if he was happy to see us leave for fear of shifting loyalties. Instead of heading to his quarters, Wren brought Sable and Petre to his side with a request to look as intimidating and deadly quiet as possible and headed outside. Wren spoke at conversational volume but the somber dreariness made it carry with clarion clearness, ¡°People of the post. In light of your dire need, Captain Rozchereck has given me leave to open a portion of our largess to you.¡± With a final whispered order to let no one approach him directly, Wren leaned on his sentient manifestation to summon a buffet of simple but generously proportioned fare. Seeing the oncoming chaos, Wren summoned a spiky wall of razor sharp ice spikes that left room around the table and an opening on both sides large enough to let one or two in at a time. He then bid them to file up properly or there would be no further provided, with the promise that everyone would get fair chance. He finished off by summoning three spectral servants to act as servers to the three sections of the buffet and provided a stack of bread trenchers to act as a limit to what could be taken. Aside from a handful of individuals that took a little more than the simple presence of Petre and Sable to keep them away from Wren and a man who needed to be rescued from being torn apart after dropping his trencher that had been creatively piled a little beyond his ability to control, the impromptu feast was pulled off without incident. Wren finally retired to the sounds of people praising the generosity of Captain Rozchereck loudly and repeatedly. With Sable on guard, Petre and Wren got some fitful sleep. After the rising of the dim red sun, Wren vocally sent Sable to get some shut eye of his own as the asura, who Wren refused to remember the name of, came to gently but decisively order him to remedy the son''s illness. Wren checked his glare for a more neutral gaze as he said, ¡°So glad to see you in fine spirits this morning, Captain. Have you come with seal and mantle as agreed?¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The asura produced a killing aura as he said, ¡°A paltry affair that can be addressed after my son''s ordeal has been resolved.¡± Wren held his temper in check as he tried one last time to resolve the situation without threat or violence, ¡°My ''paltry affair'' is the only reason I''m here. Your son''s ordeal is of no concern to me. You have offered noth-¡± The asura raged, ¡°You will get your ass up to my son''s room and cure his ills or I''ll rip your impertinent mouth off, talking monkey!¡± Wren closed his eyes and sighed deeply to keep from having to see the predatory smiles of the asura. As multiple still body needles peppered the back of the asura at Wren''s nod, a frost coated blade burst the heart of the asura through his chest. Wren said, ¡°This is the last time you try to get a free lunch from me. One, your carefully worded guesting oath didn''t escape my notice. Two, even as we speak, Captain Rozchereck is no longer getting his leg hacked on in your larder... Nice work on slipping him a poison that actually works on him... Three, you are going to use the last of your resistant will to oath me any and all I desire within your hold or today will be a feast in your honor.¡± Wren moved his three cohorts to his middle realm before wresting, with all he had, to move the asura to his devouring void space as soldiers peppered the room with curse laden bolts and arrows which Wren snatched up on his own way in. The asura was no easy prey. It took countless hours of struggle, pushing the resisting demon closer to the center of the devouring void as Wren threw conjured elements at the demon to keep him from building up any momentum. Significantly winded, Wren said, ¡°I take it back. Your men aren''t going to get to enjoy chewing on your tough ass. I''ll be lucky to get any of your body out of here if you don''t give up before you die.¡± The flagging and partially disintegrated asura responded, ¡°I also must retract. If I''ve the chance before I perish, I''d like to drop your trousers to see if you have any barbs on that baby prick of yours.¡± Wren''s face screwed up as he said, ¡°After you puffed up to a thirty odd feet clown, a full grown man would look like a baby dick to you. Besides, asura don''t have booby trapped dongs.¡± Despite his personal suffering, the asura laughed and said, ¡°You''re such a simpering princess, I just assumed you were some royal''s shameful bastard. Far too fragile and not nearly handsome enough to be even a weak quarter blood of one of ours.¡± Wren retorted, ¡°That''s rich coming from an asura who seed is so weak a succubus bloodline beat it out of his child. She''s fine, by the way. The curse master who turned her into a boy for you just did a shitty job and she''s started menstruating with nowhere for it to go. It''s a simple matter of removing the curse and letting nature take it''s course.¡± The asura said, ¡°How did a devil spined imp like you get past my most loyal men?¡± Wren sighed, ¡°I didn''t. And there''s probably a lot off smaller problems I don''t know about because I did my preliminary diagnosis at a distance.¡± The asura shook it''s three faced head and said, ¡°If you knew, why did you have to throw a tantrum and just do as I said?¡± Wren looked at the asura like the demon was stupid as he said, ¡°Because every step of the way, you''ve been a shameless, devil brained bandit. I suppose I should just sell myself to you and help you count the money too. I won''t claim to be a genius but your actions are so simple even a basic bitch like Rozchereck can understand them.¡± For the first time in this conflict, the asura looked confused as he said, ¡°No matter how courageous you are, surely you''d not speak about your oathed master like that?¡± Wren laughed tiredly as he said, ¡°He''s mine. You think a royal''s curse is good enough to make me hesitate when I can eat all the ones on you for breakfast? Yeah, that includes the one that had you stuck here on death watch. I''m assuming you tried to pull this same shit on a curse master so they fucked up your kid, robbed you blind and left you anchored here to die without resources besides your own men.¡± The asura shook it''s multi-faced head and said, ¡°Not even close. Never try to be an oracle. They''d behead you.¡± Wren said, ¡°Whatever. New deal, you give me the damn mantle and sealed document I already paid for. I take you and your daughter as 100 year subordinates then we leave this shit hole to the wraith vultures. I get it. If I just removed the curse and resolved her medical issues, your own men would get you offed to fight for the right to knock her up... Just so you know, I''m doing it for her, not you. I wouldn''t leave anyone but Aaron... long story... to a fate like that.¡± The asura laughed bitterly, ¡°Are you not doing this kindness for the same reason?¡± Wren returned the bitter laugh, ¡°Are you kidding me? Even if my balls were three time bigger I wouldn''t fuck a succubus, even... especially if she wanted me to.¡± The asura didn''t have much time left before his astral shell would begin shredding under the intake and said, ¡°A year and a day for my daughter. I''ll take the 100 years.¡± Wren said, ¡°Fine, but if she wants into the nice parts of my domain, she''s going to give me a 100 year or she sleeps in the dirt for all I care.¡± The asura gave his oath and Wren finally committed to learning the demon''s name, Chanda. After patching the asura up, Wren returned them to Chanda''s home and promptly returned to his void space with a promise he''d return after he rested. Taking an impurity purge, Wren booted Sable over and collapsed into bed beside him then drifted off to sleep with a mutter about not giving a shit about sharing his bed but realizing he needed to make a barracks or something. Wren stirred in his sleep while familiar scents were replaced by oiled leather and a memory stirring but pleasant animal smell. Drifting back into deeper sleep he began dreaming. As warmth and weight surrounded him, the fuzzy dream turned clear and lucid. A child''s voice asked a question. The boy who rounded the building corner looked battered and bruised but more annoyed looking than angry or scared. The boy said, ¡°Sure, Birdy. Let''s run away. Where do we go?¡± The child spoke more and the boy responded, ¡°And if you can''t find your dad, then what?¡± The child started crying so the boy, half annoyed and half affectionate, pulled the child into a hug and said, ¡°It''s alright, Birdy. We can run away if you want to. I''d follow you to hell if you stop crying... as long as your mom''s not in charge of the place.¡± A feeling of time passed and a looming dark figure bent over the child as she said, ¡°I''ve told you time and again, you chose him. I wanted you to have a spiritual beast, as my father did for me, or a youth who already had awakened a path, like your sister. Your first bond benefits the most from your connection and I will not let some pathless stray take that privilege. So stop running to me every time your little orphan boy gets a scratch during training. At the very least he can pick up a martial path and act as your shield till you grow enough to protect yourself.¡± The feeling of a greater time passed as the scrappy boy turned into one on the cusp of manhood, strong and cold but still kind to the child. As the child watched his friend run through his sword practice, a strange new sensation ran through him, something like the familiar admiration but warmer. This new feeling ran through the child like a steady, low shock. The child''s eyes followed the boy and noticed things that he''d never showed care about before. The emerging hard lines on the boy''s stomach and chest, the rippling of muscles across the older boy''s back and shoulders burned into the child''s vision and stirred the buzz in his veins that settled in a place below his navel. The older boy noticed and even seemed to welcome the attention. As if spurred by the subconscious flattery, the boy ran through his routine faster, more viciously. Finishing with a violent thrust of his sword and a powerful shout, the boy froze in stance for a moment before walking over to his spectator and wiped off his sweat with a towel. The motions seen many times before, now drew the spectator''s eyes where they had never consciously looked before. The boy caught his admirer in the act and with a conscious effort, tightened his stomach then pulled the viewer''s hand to feel as he said, ¡°All the hard work is finally paying off, huh? One thing spending all that time pawing over those books wont get you!...¡± Noticing the trembling in his friend''s hand and burning face, the now acknowledged as, young man said, ¡°Hey. I didn''t mean to hurt your feelings or nothing. It not like you look bad the way you are.¡± Now it was the young man''s turn to blush. In a slightly cracking voice, the viewer said something which caused the young man to break out in goosebumps and pull on his jerkin as he said, ¡°Not on purpose. Not ever! What am I doing all this for? I''m supposed to be strong and scary so you can keep doing all your spooky stuff and not worry about other things. One day, I might even have to lay down my life like all the other Knights your mother has had before the one that''s beating the stuffing now out of me every day. All so you''re safe... And I would, you know. Die for you.¡± The young man struck a prideful pose, with hands on his hips. Despite looking a little goofy, there was a seriousness in the young man''s gaze that distressed the spectator. All the growing, strange feelings snuffed out in an instant as a rising sense of dread squeezed the spectator''s heart, causing him to say something and begin crying. The young man''s pride filled pose crumbled and a moment later he pulled the crying spectator to him, wrapping his arms around the slender shoulders then said, ¡°Three years since you begged your mom to take me away from that... place and you''ve never stopped crying all over me since. Half the reason that Knight beats the stuffing out of me nearly everyday is so I don''t die. Half the reason why I try to get better and beat all the other trainees is for me but the other half is so you won''t cry when they beat me. What''s the point in trying so hard if you''re just gonna find other reasons to do it?... Come on, Birdy. What''s it gonna take for you to stopper the waterworks this time.¡± The spectator tilted his chin to look into amber eyes and spoke softly. The annoyance in the young man''s face faded and the affection in his eyes took on a tint that the spectator didn''t recognize as the young man said, ¡°I can''t make that promise, Birdy... I will promise to never give up, to never stop until I make it back to you so I can do it all over again. Because...¡± As the young man''s face inched closer, the spectator closed his eyes. When his eyes opened again it was to his sister''s cold, superior smile as the dark shadow of his mother once again loomed over him. He couldn''t hear what she was saying over the ringing in his ears as his heart beat so hard he thought he''d faint. The accusations and implications over what was said was lost under the heavy knowledge that he would lose his friend. As the strength in his legs gave way and he clutched his chest, wailing out in heartbreak, he glanced at his sister to see guilt and confusion on her face as she looked away. He knew she craved mother''s approval in a way he never did so he always forgave her tattling but this was different, wrong. When his mother threatened to kill his friend if he didn''t stand and face his consequences, his vision swam. He struggled to stand on shaky legs as his sister pleaded their mother for something but he heard no more. Something inside of him ruptured, a splay of scales and balanced beams. Weights and counter measures, extremes swinging on the points between them. Beginnings and endings merged, parted with real and imagined. He had been looking for answers to the unanswerable: how to survive a mother''s hard heart and still be himself, how to protect himself yet not break his sister''s fragile one, to understand the mysteries of his father''s unknowable heart. Gentle weight here, stronger there, something within showed him a path and he used it. To save his friend and grant support to his sister, he commanded her to take his chosen for her betrayal. As his mother began trying to emotionally flay him for stepping above himself, he swore an oath on the eternal circle to never forgive her, that it was no surprise to him that father left. He flung every hurtful invective he could at the monstrous woman before ending it by predicting that she would die alone. The counter balance was placed, his friend would live and be safe now. His sister would get the affection that he would be denied. His mother''s cold fury was endless. He spent months isolated and alone, save for his teachers and his father''s spy. Once he caught sight of his friend walking behind and slightly to the right of his sister, like a statue given life but soulless. To distract himself, he delved into the mysteries of his path. To move people was crude and cruel so me moved on to the world around him. Cycles, spirals and the subtle placement of power to gain colossal effect, his magic reached beyond his third tier of accomplishment, some effects mimicking the power of demigods. He could rip his mother''s illusionary models apart like tissue paper. His path made a lie of hers. He knew where it would lead, to challenge her so directly, but he didn''t care. It felt right to continue. He saw a nearly unending time of pain and loss approaching but saw hope beyond it, though he could not explain such nebulous things beyond his feelings. He stared his mother in the eye as she lied and said that she must divest him of this dangerous path, to cut out his weakness and cast it out. As she dug into him, he locked away a part of himself, condensed and warded it to float in the infinite till a condition was met. He saw his death in his mother''s eyes but he wasn''t afraid for he knew he''d live again and the deceptive yet potent strength of his mother''s path would be what granted it back. Once his mother was finished, he felt nearly nothing. She paraded him in front of others as a testament to her ability in the guise of loving guidance. He was a cold shell that acted on caprice, hurting and distancing his sister and friend. He exposed his mother''s secrets, manipulations and hidden feelings to the entirety of her retinue with her journals then stole her most prized resources before forcefully raising himself to Tier V and headed where the distant light bade him. Free of his mother, hiding within his father''s men, he acted recklessly and without fear. What he lacked in power he made up for in guile as he waited for the day his father dreaded would come. He plotted, planned and practiced concealment, all to the path a light that no one else could see, revealed. The death that the cursed artifact granted him as he finished pulling it out of his father, was relief as what remained of him joined the little ball of light and waited. Wren woke up with tears drying on his face as Petre held them much as they did when they were children. He could feel a dark premonition hover over him but if he just held the path, he''d see the other side. 55- Unpleasant Surprise ¡°Sorry for inviting myself in like this. It''s just that I thought it would be nice to rest for a little. I don''t know what possessed me to take liberties with you like this,¡± Petre said once he realized Wren was awake, quickly getting out of the bed. The dream that seemed so real only a moment ago, began fading and turned abstract. If it wasn''t for inner mind, he would likely have completely forgotten it altogether. I can''t just pretend that didn''t happen but I don''t feel ready for, whatever this is. Still... Wren choked out a muttered, ¡°Thanks. I... I''m not sure what''s going on but...¡± Not knowing what to say, Wren half slapped, half patted Petre''s shoulder on the way to the bathroom. Blame it on my fight yesterday. I always feel a little unbalanced when I let my tanks get a little too light. As for fuzzy and unreliable dream crap, tabled for now. After collecting himself, Wren left the bathroom to wrangle up his trio and return Abyss-side. He waited for a bit to let Sable and Rozchereck finish their light sparring session. It surprised Wren to see them hitting it off so well but wasn''t going to get in the way. Group harmony could only be a good thing as far as Wren was concerned. Wren praised, ¡°Your Tier IV skill integration is coming along nicely, Sable.¡± Sable''s disciplined bow in response didn''t manage to hide the man''s split second smile. The surprised Rozchereck said, ¡°He''s only Tier IV!?¡± Wren replied, ¡°If you spent forty years doing next to nothing but fight, train and teach your skills to others, you could go toe to toe with a rusty skilled person a tier above you too. Not that I''m snubbing you, Roz. Once you''ve spent a day or two more smoothing out the burrs, Sable would still have a 50/50 shot of killing you if he was serious but you could hold off ten times more force in a direct fight. ¡°Listen up. I''m going to give you two and Petre an aura sight pill. Once I''m done with my business in this outpost, it will be your objective to fill these seal boxes I''m handing to you now. Only kill and soul trap the ones that you can''t see any color other than black on. Even a sliver of color other than red or purple lightning streaks is enough to make them not a target. ¡°Sable, your targets will come from the ranks of those who follow Chanda and anyone who tries to follow us as stragglers. Roz, you''re going to get yours from the outpost after we leave. Petre, you''re a floater. If there''s too many following, cooperate with Sable or if more stay in the outpost then help Roz. Feel free to use lethal force in self defense but only capture black souls. The lightning streaked auras are priority.¡± Looking at Wren dubiously, Petre said, ¡°Isn''t this a little extreme?¡± Wren said, ¡°Yes, but where do you think we are? Chanda will have subordinates and Roz is likely to pick up more than one or two. Few will likely want to leave the safety of an established outpost but the smart or weak ones will. With our pace slowing to accommodate a growing group of followers, I need a way to provide for them without hindering my own progress.¡± Rozchereck piped in, ¡°This may seem counter to my own desires but I need to know. Why do you want to help Chanda and myself gather and maintain a company?¡± Wren said solemly, ¡°Because the way things look now, shit went pear shaped a lot faster than I thought it would... If I have to, I will fight the royal house''s people themselves to reach my destination... And before you have the chance to ask, those who show loyalty to me will not be stranded without support. If I can''t set up a position of power to protect my followers here, then I''ll just take them with me.¡± Petre looked horrified as he said, ¡°You''d bring an army of demons back to the material plane!?¡± Wren didn''t hesitate to say, ¡°If they are my people, then yes.¡± As Petre lapsed into disturbed silence, Wren continued, ¡°I don''t care what or who is on my side. As long as they are my people, I will protect them. If they cross my bottom line, they won''t be my people anymore.¡± Petre said insistently but nearly at a whisper, ¡°This is insane. Their very natures will find a way to betray you.¡± Wren said coldly, ¡°Then they only have themselves to blame for volunteering to become the mortar and brick, the fodder that shelters and nourishes the rest.¡± Wren''s voice defrosted several degrees as he finished, ¡°But if they rise above their nature, I will find a path to survival for them... Pete, many among demons are victims of karmic destiny. Reality itself gives them a way. Few can make it but with some help, many more would.¡± Petre looked no more at ease but Wren doubted he could convince the man with words alone. That didn''t concern Wren in the least. Soon, Wren fully believed he would have something to show Petre that would flip the man''s world view upside-down. If you think I explained all that for your benefit, Pete, you need to take a look at Roz... Don''t let me down, you huge ass, ram horned kidney bean. You did it once, you can do it again. Wren reached for the power to move them Abyss-side when he had a sudden and brutal epiphany. This is the part where I set in motion a series of events that leads to me and everyone else dying before I reach the one and only goal I had before coming. I didn''t have a single hiccup on the way and yet, the first encounter I had at a single outpost has me getting tangled up with local problems, rushing to what... build an army!? No. Just no... The last thing I want to do after building all this momentum is do a left turn but I''m not going through with this. Wren began combing through his iteration memories and sure enough, he began seeing a pattern emerge. Inherent advantages would let him coast to a certain degree before he encountered a problem, then he would entrench and start drawing all the heat to where he was. Ultimately his actions would lead him to an encounter he couldn''t survive, dragging everyone around him to their deaths with him. Wren thought furiously at BZ, ¡°Help me make sense of this. Thousands of iterations with the same crap floating to the top every time. I make this great plan with some inherent, manageable risk but along the way I start becoming a magnet for major negative events and start sabotaging my original plan till I get myself and others killed. What the hell is going on!?¡± BZ responded, ¡°Apologies, Wren. Part of my initial program was to not bring this concern to your attention. Once your soul core was repaired enough to question the initiative instilled into your iterations, I could help you resolve it. In the previous iteration, you removed a negative energy mass which allowed you to find your sister. That is your interpretation of the problem you are now aware of. In theory, that should have been the end of this particular issue without a need to address it. However, you were placed within yet another iteration and so therefore the initiative is present once more. Please make an effort to remove it as soon as possible. ¡°Such an extreme measure may likely have been utilized by your prime self due to proximity with reality termination. From an emotional stance, it may seem excessively cruel but it is likely important to note that the iterations affected would not have survived either way. In some ways, the sentient manifestation that you possess may be seen as a continuation offered to those who became close to you, a form of survival through spiritual inheritance much like yourself.¡± Wren shook himself from his stunned state and turned back towards the three men who were beginning to become curious over the delay. Wren said, ¡°Change of plans... Roz, no mass recruiting. Petre, I want you glued to my side. Sable, take your pill, immediately begin preparations as soon as we arrive and begin your task as soon as we depart the outpost. Choose your targets by degree of safety to self and group above all else, secondary consideration being whether or not their auras possess red and purple lightning streaks. All other considerations I leave to your expertise. Don''t stress yourself and there is no goal nor limitation aside from the amount of seal boxes you have. Don''t fall more than six hours behind and you may recruit one subordinate, if any catch your eye... That goes for any of you. One recruit freebie. They can be as worthless as tits on a boar hog as far as I''m concerned.¡± Roz smiled wickedly as he said, ¡°If that''s the case, I''m saving mine for a concubine.¡± Wren sighed and said, ¡°Fine, but they better be a willing recruit. If you abuse this privilege just to obtain a permanent rape victim, I''ll personally pluck your barbs and decorate your nuts with them... One more thing. Pete, after I''m done taking care of Chanda''s kid, I want you to keep telling me to ''excise the problem'' until I tell you I''ve done it.¡± Returning to the room inside Chanda''s mini palace, Wren and company found the asura in question, waiting for them. Chanda said, ¡°Not to seem too eager but I''ve lost quite a bit of face already. I''d prefer to do this and be gone, now that I am no longer bound here. Might I be given the same privilege of addressing you as Wren directly?¡± Wren said, ¡°Yeah sure. Just don''t start on the hairless monkey shit again... Well, lead the way. I''ve made you wait long enough and I have a lot of things to do myself.¡± As they walked through the moderately confusing corridors, Sable melted into the shadows and Petre took a position three steps behind, slightly to the right of Wren. With Chanda and Rozchereck in the fore, they entered his afflicted child''s room. The sight that greeted them was as confusing and unwelcome to Chanda as it was to Wren. The room was littered with body parts and a few freshly stunned demons. Apparently, while Chanda had been waiting for Wren to return, a few demons had taken it in their heads to turn on their captain and had came to collect some ''supplies'' before fleeing. Unfortunately for them, they decided to have some stress relief after killing the men posted to guard Chanda''s kid without realizing that the young ''guy'' was a chi feeder. Despite being in an awful state, or maybe because of it, the unconscious and fevered young demon fed heavily off of the two would be rapists. After confirming that his soon to be patient was stable, Wren cleaned up the room with void power and let Chanda take his vengeance against the offenders before seal boxing their souls, throwing the bodies to his void space. Wasting no time, Wren got to work. It didn''t take long to finish off a botched curse, not realizing there was a second underlying the first. Wren also removed a shifting curse that had the young demon''s heritage repressed to a nearly human form. Wren said, ¡°There was the trouble, Chanda. Did you insist on the curse master hiding the succubus traits on top of gender switching?¡± Chanda nodded slowly and said, ¡°Samskara''s mother was a mortal blooded slave granted to me for meritorious service. She was a disgraced curse master''s apprentice and though I treated her as kindly as I was able, she could not accept her lot and worked much mischief before her daughter was born.Samskara changed things for the both of us. ¡°In life, I was a cultivator who was possessed by my heart demons in pursuit of vengeance and the power to enact it, not a natural born asura. I hid this fact well. WhenSamskara was born, I saw immediately that her mother''s heritage ran the stronger and mine only catalyzed it. I also knew that this would expose my status as a fallen mortal which would endanger us all since my direct superior was a royal line demon with a habit of using any reason to enslave subordinates. Lying about my origins would be enough but having a daughter who was a perfect candidate for being a concubine was a jade ring owned by a poor man. ¡°I thought of killing my daughter to save us and her such a fate but Shveta convinced me to allow her the chance to twist her curses. Until recently, I thought she had succeeded. Ironically, our deception worked better than expected. My superior believed the curse to be a working of Shveta against me and seeing it''s strength, offered her freedom in exchange to serve him as a curse master. As a parting gift, he allowed her to bind me here.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Must have been holding that in huh? Seriously though, I just asked a simple question. The following healing proved much more difficult to finish than solving the main issue. Aside from exercising void power, Samskara''s body kept eating Wren''s energy every time he delved to fix a problem. By the time he finished and the succubus opened her deep blue eyes, Wren had spent enough essence to cover ten times his estimated needed effort. The worst part came after Samskara realized what had happened. Far from being grateful her life was saved, she wanted to murder Wren for taking away her manhood and exposing her true heritage. After she had calmed down enough to speak coherently, Samskara said, ¡°I would have rather died as an asuran male than live as a succubus.¡± Wren said, ¡°All right, Chanda. As long as she-¡± Samskara interrupted, ¡°Don''t call me she! I am a man!¡± Annoyed but attempting understanding, Wren said, ¡°As long as he... agrees to stop trying to attack me, you can let him go.¡± Releasing Samskara from a lock hold, Chanda warned his child, ¡°Be respectful. Wren is a medical alchemist on the cusp of mastery. Whatever issue you have taken from his services, it would not be beyond his ability to address but why should he care if the reward is ingratitude.¡± Samskara looked Wren over critically, then said, ¡°You will procure the services of a curse master for me and we shall let this slight pass without repercussion, mortal.¡± Chanda slapped Samskara on the back of the head hard enough to knock the succubus from his sitting position on the bed to flat on the floor, face down. The slightly glowing eyes and eerie grin on Samskara''s face as he picked himself up from the floor, gave Wren the chills. It didn''t help that the succubus was provocatively licking the blood from his split lip as he stared down Wren like prey. Wren let his growing agitation mix with the power of his manifestation. As ethereal chains and scroll silk drifted around him, he stared the succubus right back. When the demon and angel stepped forth from the door and configured themselves into the throne, Wren sat into it regally. Wren said, ¡°Your father pledged me a hundred years for your sake after I bested him in power. You, in turn, were meant to serve me a year and a day but I have nearly decided I don''t want you. Chanda would be greatly upset if I left you to fend for yourself in this outpost when we left but if you do not submit, do not show some value to me, why should I care about you? Beyond that, why should I care what you want?¡± As Chanda quietly grumbled over the technicalities of his loss, Samskara measured the man in front of him and reevaluated his position before he said, ¡°Very well, mortal. I''ll oath your year and a day.¡± Wren sat placidly as he felt four successive, subtle cobwebs of power drape over his form before the void took them in and shredded them, then said, ¡°I see you have a decent foundation in curses. I can provide you some material to improve and grow your understanding. Do you have some martial background as well? If so, what is your style and preferred fighting conditions.¡± A tightness of the mouth was the only betrayal of concern Samskara gave before he said, ¡°I do. Lacking my father''s raw strength I have adopted a mercenary dual weapon form called Skrim.¡± Samskara displayed two reverse curved blades that seemed to wrap over and protect the hands then gestured at a set of blade toed knee boots with partitioned plating on the front and short spikes on the heels as he continued, ¡°It''s an aggressive but flexible fighting style that places emphasis on speed and dexterity over physical power.¡± As Samskara waxed eloquently over the specialized skirmisher fighting style, Wren scanned the equipment, spitting out an improved set before having Petre spar the succubus. Wren watched Petre execute clockwork precision blocks and strikes as the succubus whirled and struck out with lightning fast slashes and kicks. The adaptive and unpredictable angles of Samskara''s style seemed a perfect counterpoint to Petre''s absolute five feet impenetrable sphere of defense. If they were of equal proficiency they likely would be each other''s most dreaded adversary but within a minute it was easy to see who would be the victor as Petre''s movements became more fluid and eased as Samskara was showing more and more strain. The easy ending didn''t come, however, as Samskara started weaving simple but effective curses into his strikes once Petre was lulled into a false sense of confidence. Laboring under the curses, the tables were turned on Petre. More and more shallow scores landed closer and closer to vital areas. Petre''s eyes turned to slits as he began grimacing. Elated, Samskara closed in for a finishing combo only to see the grimace on Petre''s face transform into a feral grin. A burst of blinding light from the core of Petre tore the delicate cobwebs of darkness into tattered uselessness and continued to expand, swallowing the young demon. A small scream of agony, quickly silenced, echoed in the room. Fading light revealed a triumphant Petre standing over the unconscious succubus who was faintly smoking with a growing goose egg on his temple. Wren thanked Petre for his leniency and as he healed the succubus, turned to Chanda and said, ¡°Here''s the deal... Samskara is a time bomb. Even if I find a curse master capable of doing what needs to be done, there''s no guarantee they wouldn''t sell us out. That leaves me personally with two options outside of abandoning Samskara. I have a rare catalyst that would allow Sammy to access a greater degree of the succubus bloodline, for a short period of time, as if she was a pure blood. The Shape of Desire ability would grant theopportunity to become an ''incubus'' if Sammy were to focus on the right target. I would do that for a hundred year commitment. ¡°The second option is a vial of ''absolution''. There''s practically no chance of me getting more of that, ever. Even with that, for Sammy to change without the right mindset... Even if Sammy wanted that, I''d want full subordination, no discussion.¡± Everyone looked confused except for Rozchereck, who was looking at Wren oddly, so Wren explained, ¡°I won''t get into the next to impossible conditions needed to make ''absolution'' but the result of taking it depends on the person who took it. It changes a person to become the image of themselves they hold in their heart but also works to clear karmic or spiritual taint. If all Sammy holds inside is the image of masculinity and desires nothing more, not only is it a waste, it would be dangerous because it''s designed to break the shackles of spiritual ''damnation''...¡± Wren turned to lock eyes with Rozchereck and finished, ¡°A demon could even become a celestial if they were earnest and held enough resolve.¡± Chanda, who was locked in indecision on what to say, was startled out of thought when Samskara said from the floor, ¡°I would serve for a hundred years for the ability to become a man in body as I am in heart and mind but even if this other substance could grant freedom from the Abyss, why would I trade it''s shackles for an even tighter pair.¡± Wren nodded in understanding and said, ¡°Better to rule in h, er, the Abyss than serve in heaven and all that. Fact remains, you are a slave in more ways than one as a demon but the choice was yours to make. It was only passing caprice that made me offer it anyway.¡± Chanda spoke up with emotional voice, ¡°Would such a choice be available to me?¡± As Wren thought about it, Rozchereck interjected, ¡°A demon could become a celestial? Then I could... I am already your true servant, I would beg this fav-¡± Chanda interrupted angrily, ¡°Then you have no more to offer! Having offered all, now you shamelessly borrow against it!?¡± Wren said, ¡°There is no need, Roz. I have saved a vial for you, awaiting the day I believe you are ready for it... Chanda, you''re not Abyss born, you''re a fallen. The path for your redemption from demonhood is already laid. You were just never enlightened to it''s existence.¡± Petre looked at Wren dubiously, disbelief clear on his face. Despite that, he said nothing. Wren said, ¡°There''s time for this elsewhere... Sammy, make the year and a day oath, for now, and lets be on our way.¡± Once Samskara was done, Chanda said, ¡°What of my loyal subordinates?¡± Wren raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°You have those?... I joke. Pick one and only one. If you can interest Roz to take one then that is an option as well.¡± Chanda shook his triple faced head sadly for a second before he said, ¡°Before today it would have been a hard choice but since those devil spined bastards killed Gormon then I only have one for whom I care to stretch my neck for... Give me a tail shake and I''ll return.¡± Wren held up a hand and said, ¡°Hold up, Chanda. Take this storage ring. I want any seeds and tribute items you might have in your storage that you personally don''t need. Don''t be an ass about it either. I''m generous to those who aren''t stingy to me. Start holding out on me and I''ll return the favor with a vengeance. As someone who fell due to that vice, I want you to know I wouldn''t disappoint you on how well I can hold a grudge.¡± Even against myself... Seriously, fuck you, teenage ass-hat. You saw the strings that controlled the world then hung me and everyone I''ve ever cared about with them. Petre approached Wren and whispered, ¡°Is this where I should start reminding you to excise your problem?¡± Wren nodded and said, ¡°Close enough. I need to wait till Chanda gets back and we...No, I need to do it now.¡± Wren returned to his middle space inside the warded part of the garden and bid his manifestation to do what it did before to get rid of the wrongness it took before. There was a moment where it seemed the demon side wouldn''t do it but then a chain shot into the core of Wren and started digging. Though the mass wasn''t nearly as big a part of himself as before, it was apparently much harder to grasp. Wren gritted his teeth and sweated profusely as the chain did it''s dirty work. Much like before, Wren felt as weak as a half drowned kitten. It dawned on Wren, after the fact, that the demon side may have hesitated to do what it had because it weakened Wren during a situation that could easily get confrontational. In precaution, Wren took one of his precious essence restoratives but it would take time for his astral body to recover from the trauma. It felt more strange than bad, though. Ever since he started this last iteration, Wren had hit the ground running but he realized that the power behind this push was running dry. He had exploited the insights, set himself up to take advantage of everything he could. He had even managed to send someone to pick up one of the most useful things in reality considering what was coming, yet there was still time. To a demigod or higher, a few hundred years was not a long time but to a person like Wren, it seemed like an unfathomable span. After he finished his business in the Abyss, he had no idea of what to do after. There was no more initiative to act on and with the self-destruct button taken out of him there wasn''t an automatic sword of Damocles hanging over his head on anything he decided to get embroiled in. Since the moment the first Wren stepped into the first white trial room, his course had been plotted out for him, the good and the bad. I have been mind fucked and led around by the nose for so long, that I don''t even know what I should do with this... this free will! Well, I might be a little lost right now but I''m not gonna act like some inmate who received a sudden pardon. I''m not looking for another jackass to throw me into yet another rat maze. I''m going to finish what I came here for and then I''m getting the heck outta here. After cleaning himself up and checking on Vigna, Wren returned Abyss-side and absolute chaos. The room that he was in when he left no longer existed. His subordinates were circled around the ruins of it, surrounded by the vast majority of the outpost. Many were screaming for Chanda''s head and the only thing that kept them from rushing in en mass was a wicked looking spiderweb of angrily black and red sigils. Wren pinched the bridge of his nose for a half second before summoning his spectral transport and activating the artifact that boosted its capabilities. Making a circling motion with his hands, a thick circular barrier of sandstone rose from the ground just outside the curse perimeter. Wren sighed and said, ¡°Quick version, what happened?¡± When Sable and Chanda began talking at once, Wren pointed at Sable who said, ¡°I tripped an alarm trap keyed to planar shifting.¡± Seeing that Sable thought that was all the information that was needed, Wren turned to Chanda who said, ¡°I was in the middle of cleaning out the central vault with... Doesn''t matter any more... when the alarm went off. Central vault is first priority during post alerts. The bastard who was with me, forced what he was holding into my hands as the first respond team showed up, fingering me as a deserter and placing himself in charge to order my arrest. Aside from killing my way here, starting with him, the rest you can figure out easy enough.¡± Wren said, ¡° Chanda and Roz, lower your dimensional resistance, I''m sending you into my realm. You guys are way too heavy for me to lug around on the transport. It''s a tight squeeze on room and capacity but Sable, Petre and Sammy, climb aboard.¡± After everyone was where they needed to be, Wren lifted off, directly up. Aside from a few heavy glances that rocked Wren''s mind a little to hold the transport together, made it to a hundred foot with little difficulty. Hovering there for a few seconds, Wren gathered together a manifestation assisted fog and started disseminating a generous amount of blessed silver powder with summoned corrosive gas in it. With a subtle push of power the fog began being attracted and sticking to the demons below. Once the screams of rage were replaced in the greater majority by screams and wails of pain, Wren began lowering back down. Wren looked at Petre and Sable then said, ¡°Petre, take your aura sight pill. You know who to collect. Sable, watch his back.¡± Once they were suited, he dropped them off with a blink. Summoning Roz, he threw together a quick TSSR suit for Sammy and told the succubus to ''go ham'', then explained what that meant, before having Rozchereck take his aura pill and had him battle buddy Sammy. Lastly he brought Chanda out and threw him another shoddy TSSR suit with the instructions to ''loot first and kill as necessary but be ready to dash back to transport. It made Wren feel bad, sitting in his transport and using conjurations to crowd control but ultimately he reasoned that he was a squishy mage and that was exactly where he needed to be. He started feeling real good about his position when one demon fired off an invasion flair that would have brought someone investigating. A precision timed exercise of void power and some cold sweat later, the last resistance fell and demons started trying to surrender. Wren supported that idea and after some nauseating but necessary culling later, a group of demons who swore an oath to corroborate the story of a rogue devil attack were released with some supplies and enough goodies to incriminate them should they find a way around the oath. Summoning Aaron''s call mark, Wren said, ¡°Rub your ass on everything, figuratively speaking, Aaron... Crew, Imma collect the fertilizer and do a quick round of liquid spirit refining then we are getting the frack outta here... Chanda and Sammy, you can crank your jaws back into place. Yes, the Tier VI is on my payroll, so to speak. Yes he''s a devil but it''s temporary and soon enough he''ll return to the good ol'' fashioned gloaming fae world god he was always meant to be.¡± A magnetic masculine voice said, ¡°That has to be one of the most unique and interesting statements I''ve heard in centuries.¡± Wren stared at the ibis headed figure that rippled reality around him and said, ¡°What are you doing in the Abyss!?¡± 56-Short Term Gains ¡°I came to watch the Crucible of Last Hope get destroyed. On my way there, I saw a familiar iteration bumbling around in yet another place he shouldn''t be. Should I be flattered that you remember me this time?¡± the bird headed man said. Wren sighed and said, ¡°Please don''t be. Not only am I kinda pissed about you watching me and those around me die when you could have easily saved us, I''m still embarrassed about the times I confused you for Thoth and you played along, Djehuty. How long until Last Hope is destroyed?¡± Djehuty said, ¡°Why embarrassed? I was named after him, then made spiritual progeny by him and Astennu. I adore my fathers... Don''t get me started. As for when the Crucible gets destroyed, a couple of hours or so.¡± Wren could feel his pulse start pounding in his head as he said, ¡°I know you''re an observer, not a participant in events, but my whole reason for coming to the Abyss was to use it. Would it be breaking the rules for me to hitch a ride with you?¡± Sable said, ¡°Who are you talking to Wren? I can sense something by you but I can''t see anything.¡± Wren sent his people to his middle realm with a vague explanation about entities that live between planes as Djehuty considered before saying, ¡°Not if it''s indirectly. I''ll just close my wake slower than usual... I really wasn''t allowed to save you or your friends then but I''m not the heartless journalist, sadistic voyeur or other vulgar things you accused me of being... A quick word, once we''re there the rules apply. I can''t help you and few can see or hear me. And Wren, if you are still alive afterwards this time, would you mind talking with me more. I miss talking with beings who aren''t insane or so far removed from people they''ve forgotten what it''s like to be mortal, if they ever were.¡± Wren shrugged, ¡°Sure thing, Hooty. Don''t expect me to stick around once I''m done but feel free to hit me up wherever.¡± Wren followed the ley-line like wake of Djehuti. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of miles were traversed with the ease and smoothness of a boat ride on a placid lake. As they neared the destination, Wren noticed that Djehuty slowed down before venturing behind the sanctified circle before venturing back outside, allowing Wren to appear within. It didn''t seem like much but it ensured that Wren would be able to appear and be beyond a point where outside forces could stop him from reaching his goal. Stepping out of the wake, Wren surveyed the area. The first thing he noticed was the sheer abundance of solemn and bizarre creatures, between entities like Djehuty, ringing the area. In the sky, was a sizable barge decorated in the lavish and macabre style of Mother Midnight. A procession of the old and infirm being detained by a sizable force of militant demons, made it clear that whatever was happening to Last Hope wasn''t exactly a secret. That wasn''t surprising to Wren since the Hosts had many talented entities within their ranks and that included seers. A towering Tier VI asura general saw Wren within the Circle of Offering and said, ¡°I know not how you sneaked past the barricade, mortal rat, but I will enjoy watching your life extinguished within the Crucible. Best hurry before what is coming passes or I may yet do the honors myself.¡± Not wanting to miss the opportunity to shame the demon who had killed Rozchereck and himself the only other time he made it to Last Hope, Wren said loudly, ¡°Better you than your child''s real father, General Hurley. Letting a devil impregnate your wife to save your life, how have you not died from the disgrace of it?¡± Enraged beyond reason, the massive hundred foot demon crossed the circle of multi-hued sigils into the bowl of the crucible. Wren didn''t expect that his statement would be enough to urge the powerful demon to suicidal action but he wasn''t concerned. He tossed all but a handful of sealed boxes, collected at the outpost, into the center of the bowl. As he blinked to the feet of the demon statue that appeared hewn out of the small volcanic mountain, that was roughly the size of the Eiffel Tower, he whispered the initiating phrase, ''The supplicant offers in humility-''. While doing so, he opened a connection to his manifestation with a request to offer all but the knowledge and spiritual remnants it contained. All within the stadium sized bowl that sat at the base of the mountain instantly evaporated into essence, along with his manifestation''s contribution. The brilliantly swirling mass was then drawn into the demon''s mouth. This included the enraged general, obviously excluding Wren. From that point, were he a monk of the Crucible he would continue with, ''to sustain the glory of the Abyss,'' but Wren knew that, theoretically, anything could be asked for within the scope of what had been offered. There was an entire treatise he had once read on just how one could use the Crucible of Last Hope to make requests that wouldn''t be overly twisted by the demonic nature of the Crucible. With the aid of BZ, that risk was even further reduced as his interface guided and organized his intentions into requests. Emboldened by the addition of the general and the surprisingly massive amount of contribution from his manifestation to his fairly sizable original sacrifice, Wren brought out his confused crew, caught in the middle of various activities. Chanda quickly disentangled himself from Vigna as Sable and Rozchereck brought their spar to a halt. Petre blandly stood up from meditation and put his shirt back on as Samskara discretely redirected ''hand in pants'' to a less incriminating action of belt adjustment. Noticing where they were standing, the three demons looked more than a little panicked. Wren said, ¡°Don''t be all bent out of shape. I''m borrowing the Crucible of Last Hope to get some things done. It''s for your benefit too. Just hold your most important wish to the fore of your mind and close your eyes. It gets a little light showy.¡± Some of the demons with good hearing, closer to the edge, started shouting to each other and a tide started rushing into the bowl to steal the benefit. Wren sighed and sent his crew back to his middle space while intoning a phrase to add to the preexisting sacrifice, vaporizing the impromptu army of idiots and a few monks who were slinking from the inner part of the volcano to take control of the situation. Wren shouted, ¡°I did you a favor. They were obviously too stupid to live. That goes for any who would like to follow in their path.¡± Sadly the actions of the first wave of demons and bold monks initiated a cat and mouse game that lasted over half an hour. Wren would bring out his crew to start the imparting and an assassin, monk or group of demons would try to bump off Wren and seize the prize. By the time it was finished and no more overconfident individuals were volunteering for death, the statue was humming dangerously with coiled essence. For a precarious moment, a terrifyingly strong spirit sense swept over the bowl before retracting. Wren held his breath for a moment before coming to the realization that Mother Midnight wasn''t willing to risk the seizure but had seriously considered it. By that point, everyone was well prepared as Wren started the incantation of imparting without interruption. For the three demons, Wren requested minor aid to their personal desires and imparting of the path to absolution, contingent upon their oath of service to him. Chanda didn''t hesitate but Samskara squirmed under the presence of tangible gain before buckling to it''s temptation. For Vigna, Wren imparted aid to her personal desire and aid to the awakening of her sisters under the contingency of service which Vigna would carry till all had chosen to accept or deny. Whatever remainder that existed from denial would be granted to Vigna for advancement. Under such weighty gifts, Vigna gracefully acquiesced. With full understanding of Sable''s desires, Wren imparted minor aid and requested inspiration for a balanced path to ascension suited to the Assassin. Conversely, with little real understanding of Petre, Wren imparted minor aid and a request for inspiration on the quasi-paladin''s path that wouldn''t turn Petre into an unwitting slave to the Will of Heaven. Under the imparting, Wren couldn''t stop the horridly binding oaths that Sable and Petre swore once they felt the weight of gifting settle over them. Sable swore himself and descendants to Wren''s service in this life and all to follow as Petre swore his life and soul to the protection of Wren till his own was consigned to oblivion. I don''t know whether to laugh or cry over these two zealous people. Sure, I did it to Roz and Aaron but that was because I can''t trust them otherwise. I just wanted to help these two guys out. Why do they have to stick me in an unending loop of gratitude!? I''ll have to sort it out later. The final imparting was the most important and the reason why Wren had made this risky trip. Wren channeled all that was left, multitudes more than what had been designated prior to that moment, to the realization of his manifestation into living beings in accordance and difference to the fulfillment of as many oaths they carried as possible. The thrumming in the statue stilled and for one heart dropping moment, Wren had thought that what he had imparted was in excess of available power. Within his mindscape, Wren saw the demon and angel step out from the door. His view switched to his domain as two additional dimensional layers sprang into existence, an oasis speckled desert lower and lush but barrenness speckled paradise higher. Lightly tethered to the preexisting three, they were strongly tied to each other through a single portal demarcated by a massive door. The angel subtly shifted into a female version of the form that Troy had first granted to Wren through their binding so long ago. The demon took on a strong likeness to a mature and powerful Jaden with solemn gray-green eyes. As the massive door swung wide, the demon and angel looked upon each other for a moment before rushing to embrace one another with crushing force. As the scene became graphically amorous, Wren retracted his gaze back to normal view and waved his crew back to the middle realm to absorb their gains in peace then looked around. Giving out a sigh of relief, he pulled out a mylar sticker looking artifact and slapped it on then started walking away from the statue. Smooth as butt- Wren collapsed in paralyzing pain as a portion of himself ripped free to join with the angel side. In dizzying dual vision, Wren saw the statue decorated volcano explode with nuclear force through the dark bubble that suddenly surrounded him from the singularity arc. Simultaneously the small spirit bird merged into the angel, causing her to sprout fiery wings of silver radiance as the demon grew fulgin ones. A familiar tribal tattoo of sigils burned into existence over their hearts. Before pain and inter-dimensional travel robbed him of his sight, Wren saw a multi-colored ball of light that drifted up from the blasted pit where the volcano once stood, join with a sigiled orb of spirit. The scintillating orb then passed through the supposedly impassable barrier before plugging into the essence bleeding hole in Wren''s astral body and deeper. Fourteen years of strangled love, loneliness and pain seared through Wren''s subconscious mind, followed by over a hundred years of emotionally numb machinations and schemes. The Diagram of Nameless Transformations, revealed for the passively controlled chaos theory it was, began unraveling in the presence of a rapidly constructing organic machine that composed existence in a conceptual form of cycles and systems, cause and effect. As it stretched out into a labyrinth of extra-dimensional connections, Wren caught glimpses of only half conceived theory that would foster and grow the entirety into something capable of change and evolution, allowing it to roar into life. Wren''s once stable and predictable path to Tier VI had been shredded and dismissed under the superior spiritual structure. This new structure, however, was not nearly as thoroughly conceived and its operation was far more manual and difficult. Lifetimes of mental and spiritual laziness groaned at the thought of tackling it''s complexities. Fortunately, the addition to his soul that forced this woeful change, bolstered his will and fortified his creative intellect while repairing most of the tattered intuition that Wren had lost. Aptly named ''Machine of God'', Wren marveled and despaired over it. With a final thought to Oscen, his first life''s identity and ''Machine of God''s creator, Wren came to, still suffering the echoes of profound agony. ¡°Just for the record, that was ballsy on a level I wouldn''t dare, son. The Celestial Host wants to dismember you and seal the pieces away till the end of reality and Mother Midnight wants to commemorate your deed by stuffing you then displaying your taxidermy treated corpse. Go figure, the Crucible of Last Hope was intimately connected to the Alter of Redeeming Grace. They both blew at the same time, opening the one and only natural portal between the Celestial and Abyssal lands. The only good news is that both sides are far too busy fighting to claim or seal the portal to launch any serious campaign to capture you. ¡°With everything else that''s going on, you might even be able to skate through on technicalities to avoid a Tier VI bounty but that kind of street cred makes you admired by the wrong kind of folks and reviled by the type you''d really want in your corner. Surprisingly, the Guardian''s Alliance and the Observers are pretty neutral on the subject of you which means that the material plane is relatively safe for you to romp in but once you hit Tier V, people that matter are going to want you as a recruit or kill you. If you manage to ever get to Tier VI before the end of everything, you''ll have to stick to me or your sister''s side unless your posse gets really beefy.¡± Wren''s bleary eyes focused on Hiidan in the dim light of his father''s dreary void home as he said, ¡°That''s one hell of a bleak update... So this is where I think of when I want to be safe? How sad...While we''re on the subject, why do I get the distinct impression that there are two Voids and Abysses?¡± Hiidan smiled and said, ¡°That''s because there are. Unlike the material planes that have butt tonnes of iterations, the afterlife realms and outer realms only have mirror images roughly at the center part of greater reality and unless a being that belongs to them is utterly destroyed on both sides, they have the ability to return. That only matters to Tier VII and VIII existences that aren''t singularities, though. As a rough trade, those who are singularities draw greater power of existence to themselves. The mirror line is tough to cross too. You rode over it on your sister''s planet, lucky dog, but in another 200 or so years, the mirror line will weaken and the two sides will merge to an approximate average. ¡°Oh, I wanted to congratulate you on planting Aaron to steal the Infernal Realm''s Maelstrom Walker. That only exists on whatever side of the mirror that claims it first. It''s nice to earn your own car instead of your dad just giving you one, not that I could easily. As directors go, I''m pretty piss poor. No amount of Balance Keeper raiding is going to get much of the really good stuff. Those all belong to one director or another already... ¡°Your sister was waiting for you to die or get back before she moved Satyrus down a few iterations... Not to sound callous about it but you have died an awful lot... Did you want to go back there or...¡± Wren said, ¡°As sick as I am over the thought of being on Satyrus, I don''t think my domain is quite strong enough to survive iteration hopping at the edge of reality disintegration yet so, I guess.¡± Hiidan nodded and said, ¡°Alright then. Open your void space so I can dump some junk and I''ll be on my way. Honestly, how much Tier V garbage does the Balance Keepers have to bogart?... No, son. Open your ''void'' space. I''ll save the stuff I think you might be interested in for round two. Do you want a mountain ring of trash to sift through?¡± Wren''s knees went weak at the sight of the bulging pile of wreckage Hiidan dumped into the devouring void space. It would take years, at a rough guess, to digest it all. Hiidan''s version of ''interesting stuff'' was a lot more impressive than Wren had thought it would be too. Ultimately it was all crutches. Anything of particular value, Hiidan likely kept but the sheer amount of essence models, useful raw materials and organic stuff was staggering. He was ensured to have plenty of stuff to keep his progress growing in his professions for a great deal of time to come.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Hiidan shook his head and looked somewhat sad as he said, ¡°That you can look at all that garbage so gleefully... Any other child of a Tier VIII would despise all but the smallest part of that. Of course, most of them would be Tier VI before the age of ten. Some of the things you''ve managed to get for yourself, outshine it all by leaps and bounds.¡± Wren smiled and said, ¡°Most children of Tier VIII existences will never advance beyond Tier VI either and I''d be willing to wager that they don''t think about the welfare and advancement of their friends and subordinates more than just a little, if at all. Coming up the hard way has it''s own advantages.¡± Hiidan shook his head again and said, ¡°Existence beyond Tier VI just gets more and more restrictive. Sure, there''s a whole new game to play but it''s a hella lot less fun... Try hard not to die anymore. There aren''t any iterations of you left and this is a really bad time to be reincarnating. There''s no guarantee that you''d make it to rebirth, much less Tier VI, before total reality collapse and that would be very bad.¡± As Wren stepped through Hiidan and back to Satyrus, Wren said, ¡°Sorry for being such a lower back pain when I was Oscen. Even through the numb, I loved you a lot.¡± Hiidan was quiet for a moment before responding in a warbly voice, ¡°Stop it with that. You trying to embarrass me in front of your sister?¡± With a soundless change in air pressure, Hiidan disappeared, leaving Wren alone on the beach of Seaside. As Wren meditated over events and took some time to consolidate the influx of memories, a powerful but non-threatening presence appeared but respectfully waited for him to finish. Not in the mood to immediately have a likely unpleasant confrontation, Wren continued. Wren noticed that his evocation power and sprite creation had returned under manifestations. More than that, Wren had awakened an unknown grade, Tier IV embodiment called Echo of Creation. The embodiment''s limitation was consciously tied with his existence structure and would naturally grow with it. It was inconceivable to Wren that a Tier IV structure with a larger, more dense, tank to fill than Nameless Transformations could exist but he was wrong. Machine of God was larger by over double and easily converted essences to liquid state. The terrifying part of that was the extra-dimensional, single ring tank that kept essences divided by several natural laws in operation, the least of which was centrifugal force. Wren was nearly scared completely out of his meditative state when he noticed the pinhole maelstrom portal within the center of his realm''s ''pool room'' and within his soul core. If his soul wasn''t as tough as a weak Tier VI''s or his personal realm not a domain tied directly to his own soul''s strength, the presence of such a thing would pop either one like a water balloon at the slightest outside force. Most entities who had discovered a path of ascension had to carefully balance wants, needs and combat readiness against growth. Wren would have to constantly make sure he didn''t get too full or he would, as a rogue Balance Keeper had said so long ago, ''explode like a slow motion firework.'' After a quick check over his realm side crew, Wren stood up and turned to Knight then said, ¡°How can I help you?¡± Knight''s poker face looked particularly inscrutable as he said, ¡°You can start by not running off to one of reality''s most dangerous places...again. I can sense that Blackguard is still alive. Would you mind summoning him forth?¡± Wren looked at Knight blandly and said, ¡°He''s currently solidifying his gains. I believe he''s currently forming some kind of impressive feeling spiritual armor after having finished some sort of astral mount summoning thingy. The wings were pretty neat too but I think they''re just an extension of the armor.¡± Kight went slack-jawed for a moment before he said, ¡°That''s ridiculous! Blackguard was only a low Tier V with barely enough power of existence to be of use only a few weeks ago. There''s no conceivable way that muddy hearted knave has been anointed as a Celestial Paladin before me.¡± Wren scratched his head with mock confusion as he said, ¡°He hasn''t? I think it was like Illuminated Templar or something. It''s like paladin but without the whole slavery to the Will of Heaven thing.¡± Wren let a little heat into his voice as he continued, ¡°Even if that wasn''t the case, Petre may not have undies as spotless as yours but he definitely caries himself with a noticeably larger amount of charitable humility than you. Or do you honestly believe that aiming for celestial anointing gives you a license to freely judge all that you personally find distasteful as tainted or evil?...¡± Knight flared angrily shortly before reigning it back in as he said, ¡°Don''t you understand? You... you don''t even remember. A person left a hole in me when they abandoned me. I filled it with a cause so that I could survive. I care not if you-¡± Wren interrupted with, ¡°I remember now, Pete. In my first life, I gave you over to my sister and distanced myself from you so my mother wouldn''t kill you out of her anger at me. It was the self-righteous actions of a naive teenage boy who knew too much but understood very little. I''m not going to even try justifying Oscen''s actions because I''m still struggling to forgive them myself. ¡°Knight, I''m not Oscen but he is a part of me just like you are no longer Petre but he is still a part of you. Neither one of us are going to be whole until we can forgive and accept them. The scars that they have given and carry are a part of that. For my part, all I can do is ask forgiveness on behalf of that sad, lonely little monster and hope that one day you can give it, even if I don''t think I deserve it.¡± Knight stared blankly as Wren checked in to see that Petre was done for the moment and brought him out with a word of warning to be civil. Whether by accident or design, Petre stood in full winged armor embodiment. Despite the obvious achievement, Petre looked towards Knight with apprehension like a defensive child waiting for their parent''s disapproving lecture. He didn''t have opportunity for surprise or comment before Knight drew him in. With a sudden realization, Wren said, ¡°I release you from your oath, Petre.¡± Knight said thickly, ¡°You cannot, Wren. He swore it to himself, not to you. Neither of us are ready to face this tangle and my original solution to it was obviously in err. I have no hold over you I am willing to lever but for the sake of Petre within, try to survive until the day I can face you again. In either event, there is nothing left to forgive. That was another life, for both of us.¡± Knight walked away, managing to look reluctant and in a hurry at the same time. As Mage opened a portal to parts unknown, she gave an irony laced smile at Wren before following Knight in. Wren, taking a queue from them, entered his middle space before anything or one could manage to stop him. With new understandings of natural laws and inner workings of reality, Wren''s domain became less distinguishable from the the functioning world by the moment. Bringing the demon and angel manifestation fully to life had a synergistic affect on his domain. Their very existence acted as a conduit of his will and ability onto it. Soon, perhaps within a year or so, he would have a secret plane all his own, albeit a small one. If he continued to find a way to feed the plane, it would evolve into a secret world. Beyond that was hard to guess. Even if his understandings grew, the resources needed to expand it further would be astronomical. BZ filled Wren in on the pinhole maelstrom portals. When the Crucible and Alter had been destroyed, they released an existence that had formed between them. It''s composition was no different than any other sprite, the spiritual equivalent of an amoeba but with the latent potential to be an elemental should it survive for thousands of years and be nourished in an environment conducive to it. The building pressure between the two artifacts combined with the residual power and essence of countless beings made such a thing possible. BZ theorized that it was likely attracted to Wren as he had a connection with the Maelstrom. Upon combining with the part of Wren known as Oscen, it traversed the singularity ark barrier and fused with Wren on a fundamental level, strengthening his connection with the Maelstrom enough to open a direct conduit. BZ said, ¡°All this may not be of great interest to you personally but I explained it because your son, Trauart, was born with such a connection. In theory, many have likely been born with this perceived advantage but were unable to withstand the pressure, their souls being consigned to oblivion due to explosion or combustion. I contribute his survival to two major factors and many minor ones. ¡°His soul''s astral shell was tempered and strengthened due to the peculiarities of his birth/rebirth and the efforts used to ensure his physical survival such as your sister raising his power of existence and Thetus occasionally relieving him of excess essence. Additionally, within the iteration of his original existence, an astral genesis seed that you had placed within your ''pool room'' came into contact with the blood mark on his eggshell. This bonded it to him and nominally to you as well. Through several iterations, you would acquire another iteration of the same genesis seed and upon your demise, it would transfer through your nominal connection to your son''s realm then fuse with the preexisting one.¡± Wren said, ¡°I''ve done nearly all the preparations I can. I could return to Earth and be a part of my son''s life. When I need more resources, I could maybe make a run out with Thetus and spend some time with him too. That wouldn''t be a bad way to spend some of the remaining time left within reality.¡± BZ replied, ¡°That would be a difficult thing to do Wren. The Earth your son is on lies on the other side of the mirror divide your father spoke of. In approximately 200 years that barrier will weaken. This is not a cause for egregious alarm. The time progression within Earth''s cosmic space is much slower. As reality deteriorates, that time contraction will grow as ours accelerates. Though he will not likely be a child any longer by the time you can reach him, he will not yet be fully a man either, by Earth''s accounting of such things. The time when the mirror barrier fails will be a strenuous point as most of reality will suddenly be aware of the impending collapse. You would be better served to reach for ascension, for yourself and your sons. ¡± Depressed and weary, Wren said, ¡°Just as well. Reality might be falling apart but that won''t stop Pop''s enemies from reaching far to find an advantage against him, and after hearing what my father said, it seems I''ve gained some notoriety myself.¡± As much as he would have liked to visit with the newly minted existences of his manifestation, Wren saw that they had fallen into some kind of meditative trance after consummating their repressed desires, enacting Wren''s vision for his domain. It was comforting for Wren to have that kind of help in shaping it all into something more to his liking after never quite finding time to tackle the task that would only grow more monumental by the day now. After reveling in a bit of fawning and thanksgiving from the dryads in the grove and moving the ones who did not accept service to the hidden valley behind Seaside, Wren asked them where they would like to be placed within his domain. Vigna abandoned her spot at the garden for a place she thought had the beginnings of a good forest patch along with her walnut, almond and maple sisters. The small hawthorn dryad, named Daphne, and Pear volunteered to stay on as gardeners ''if it were found pleasing'' to Wren. Apple and Peach took individual glades in the ''upper realm'' while Pomegranate decided to go to the ''lower realm'' to help cultivate the oasis spots there after Wren started handing out copious amounts of seeds and Tier IV resources to them. With the, not so subtle, metamorphosis of his domain underway, it was no surprise that Wren''s crew was congregating within the only relatively stable place. Not that the cabin area had been left untouched as it too had transformed to a simple but elegant walled manor with various facilities on the grounds. After moving the small mountain of resources his father had given him into the multi-floored warehouse, built into and under the large hillock behind the manor, he activated some re-appropriated golems his father had given him to organize it all. With a deep breath he blinked to the main hall of the manor. Wren faked a cheery smile he wasn''t feeling and said, ¡°Looks like room won''t be an issue any more. If you guys want to spread out and play hide and seek with the dryads, yes there are more, then feel free. The major changes are done. From here on out, it''s steady and subtle stuff. There''s also doors that lead to the new upper and lower realms on the manor grounds if you feel like exploring too. Though I warn, at the moment, the lower realm just has the pomegranate dryad and some green ringed spring pools at the moment. Be nice to them and don''t rip up the greenery... Sable, we''re at Seaside if you''d like to see your people.¡± With no words, Samskara eagerly started marching out the door, likely eager to test his new equipment. Wren had to admit that the deeply tanned, dark haired youth was easy on the eyes. The double bulges showing just how ''eager'' he was, threw Wren''s momentary admiration quickly in other directions. Chanda shared a few words of thanks and left with a subdued form of the same eagerness. The man had shown the most dramatic of changes so far as he had dropped the extra faces and limbs. Shrinking down to a little under eight feet tall, he was still a very intimidating being with his powerful frame. Glowing crimson eyes and pronounced fangs still betrayed his demonic disposition, however. Rozchereck didn''t seem like he was going anywhere. In fact, there was a bit of body language suggesting that he was waiting to share private words with Wren. As far as changes go, he was the most human looking to begin with. Now that his legs were no longer back-bent and his feet were five-toed, if a little on the big side, he could blend in on Earth as long as he wore some kind of head gear to hide the gentle curve of horns holding the volume of soft, raven mane off his face. The only real change to his closest and most cherished subordinate was only visible with Wren''s special sight. Sable was surrounded by writhing void power that could manifest with little more than a thought. Wren had no doubts that those with a bit of sensitivity would either be seduced by the additional subtle magnetism power lent to Sable or feel a premonition of dread at the thought of landing on the wrong side of his regard. Sable said, ¡°That would be appreciated. As fondly distracting as Vigna painted my perception of dryads to be, the familiar company of warm blooded men and women after our brief visit to the Abyss, sounds far more appealing...Before you send me-¡± Wren interrupted, ¡°Of course, um, what kind of comfort gifts would you like to take this time?¡± Sable said, ¡°No, Wren. What I was meaning to say... Are you well? I hope this is not unwelcome curiosity but you seem shadow haunted. If you would like company to speak of it with, I would.¡± Sable looked at Rozchereck then continued, ¡°I''d like to clean up before doing anything else. We can speak more after, or...during, if you like.¡± As Sable walked away, Wren asked himself, once more, why he had never formed a bond with Sable so he could know what the man was actually thinking. He knew Sable didn''t see him in a romantic light but was well aware that Sable was a very ''practical'' person. It didn''t help Wren''s currently tangled thoughts that he was inordinately aesthetically attracted to this iteration of Sable. Before Wren could follow those thoughts down the rabbit-hole any further, Rozchereck''s new found patience had reached it''s limits as he said, ¡°Now that I have returned to the Abyss, the lost pieces of myself have started returning, on this side of the great divide and on the other... I seem to have formed some sort of shared memory with the other... Out of our memories there are pieces missing but enough exists for me to understand the details. For what I''ve done to you and what we have been in the past, You should either want me dead or want me back at your side. You have done neither. Why and what has absolved me of oaths that should still bind us?¡± Wren sat down heavily. After getting off easy with the hardest ones to let go of, the second easiest is the one who gets to confront me? At least if it was Aaron I could have said, ''Because, fuck you, back-stabbing dick swab.'' Wren said, ¡°Those relationships were the answer to, ''What if I go north instead of west.'' The answer for my side was pain and loss followed by acceptance then love, if a bit twisted. It all ends in a short life whether from murder, pregnancy complications or a botched attempt to use Lost Hope. ¡°Find a real woman who''s in to spousal cannibalism during sex. I''m sure there''s one out there... somewhere. I hear darker aspect dryads are into a little dinner with their baby making.¡± Rozchereck responded, ¡°Wren, demons who grow to treasure their lovers do that to strengthen them and increase the chance of a healthy child... It''s the greatest act of devotion a demon knows.¡± Wren sported the ghost of a smile as he said, ¡°Roz, it reached a point where you couldn''t get off if I wasn''t taking a bite out of you... That''s not the point. This is a new life. Don''t focus on what you now know, focus on what you now feel. Even if I somehow fell in love with you again, I wouldn''t want to live the rest of my life as a woman for you.¡± Swiftly, not giving Wren a chance to order him to stop, Rozchereck snatched Wren into a crushing embrace, stuffing Wren''s mouth with his tongue. Wren would have bit the impulsive demon''s tongue but it was tougher than his teeth and knew that would only stimulate Roz further. After few seconds of pantomimed intimacy, Rozchereck let Wren go. Roz quickly apologized then explained, ¡°I just had to know. I did respond to you. After my change is complete I know I could accept you as you are. I would only hurt you now but if we could-¡± Wren stared down the demon angrily, ¡°Damn it, Roz, listen! We weren''t even happy. There is better people out there for both of us, people who won''t just settle or make do for some lukewarm kind of contentment. So what if we loved each other before. Soon you''ll be able to follow that weird-ass true dream of yours to look for that ''Lady Love'' or whatever. I''m not asking you to forget but I''m telling you to move on.¡± Rozchereck shot, ¡°That''s easier for some of us than others, obviously...¡± In mid intention to storm out, he stopped and continued, ¡°You can walk away any time you want but I''m yours for as long as you want me, oathed to your service, whether I like it or not.¡± Wren sighed, ¡°I''m not a child to be manipulated, Roz. Neither are you. So stop with this false histrionics to weasel your way out of service... Now!¡± Rozchereck dropped his stiff pose and deflated as he said, ¡°It''s only half false.¡± Wren looked to the floor and said, ¡°The most dangerous. Don''t blame you for trying but if you manage to pull this crap once you aren''t demon enough to justify it, there will be consequences. Not the sexy kind. Get lost and try to have some fun... Consensual fun, Roz.¡± Not wanting to be alone with his thoughts at the moment, Wren decided to follow his curiosity and find out what Sable was up to with the vague, for Sable, invitation. 57- Shade and Flame Sable was finishing up a thorough scrub down by the time Wren stepped into the business side of the manor''s ''water room''. Wren didn''t have much attention span to admire the impressive handiwork of his living manifestation, however. Sable managed to draw nearly all of it to himself. After so many iterations milling around the Delvers, he was still awed and envious over their total lack of self-consciousness. Admittedly, the combination of devotion to ''practical living'' and a magical device that eliminated diseases of various nature for several generations, left little to be self-conscious about... Sable sure the hell doesn''t. Knocking off that extra decade may have been a mistake. I remember him being a whole lot less, um, distracting. Stepping out of the waterfall shower, Sable looked at Wren in uncomfortable silence for a moment before he said, ¡°Surely a servant doesn''t need to prompt the master of a house to take advantage of his own amenities. Enjoying the fruits of your labor is just as important as the effort expended to obtain them.¡± Wren stayed locked in indecision until Sable''s affected congenial smile started looking a little forced before walking to the shower like a man to the executioner''s block. As he unsuited gracelessly, Wren internally swore to reproduce a few knock-offs of his father''s symbiot suits. After wetting his hair, Wren reached for the bottle of shampoo only to bump into Sable''s arm. A sudden hypersensitive state thrummed through Wren at the realization that Sable was close enough behind him, in that moment, to feel a trace of heat against his back before it disappeared. As Sable worked a lather into Wren''s hair with gentle but impersonal attention he said, ¡°Please relax as much as you are able, Wren. The only person who''s virtue is possibly in danger, at the current moment, is mine and I''m not shameless enough to claim I have any left to threaten,¡± ending the statement with a short but throaty chuckle. Trying to head off the inevitably embarrassing next step, Wren groped for the body-wash while Sable rinsed off his head only to once again be blocked by an arm. The brief, feather-light touch of skin against shoulder and arm let Wren know that Sable meant business and things would only get more awkward if Wren started getting fidgety. Despite not really being alright with being washed like some spoiled noble, Wren couldn''t quite get himself to directly demand Sable to stop. What a blatant misuse of celerity... I will deny like a career criminal if anyone ever asks me if something like this happened. Dignity wrestled with ramping tension as Wren dryly swallowed and began taking deep but slightly ragged breaths while Sable applied soapy palms to his back and chest. An uncontrollable squeak of protest and sharp intake of breath escaped as calloused hands worked over places that Wren himself hadn''t touched more than necessity demanded. For Sable''s part, he ignored Wren''s flushed face and other involuntary body reactions as he finished lathering up Wren''s legs and feet. Sable walked over and plunked himself into the soaking pool, letting Wren rinse himself off, while he said, ¡°When I was actually the age that I now appear to be, thanks to your efforts, I had no such enjoyment of small pleasures as these. I was far too desperate to earn the esteem of my superiors and master. By the time that I had discovered them, soaking in heated water was more a necessity to alleviate an aching body. Leisure time became precious recovery from accumulated wounds and mental fatigue. ¡°Though I find my body young, healthy and filled with renewed vigor, my mind cannot leave behind the passage of time and old wounds as easily. I see the same discord within you, an aged mind in a young man''s form. Whatever it is you''re silently enduring, lay it down for a time and catch your breath. I may not have known you for long but I have seen the strain you are under break many of my peers and students.¡± As Wren somewhat shyly sat down into the warmth of the soaking pool where Sable patted, he mulled over Sable''s words, unable to find anything to disagree with. Despite being all too familiar with the ''shake them up then shake them loose'' strategy, he saw the good intentions behind it and was touched that Sable cared enough to try. The old assassin and spy was demonstrating, through oath and action, that he was doing more than honoring some sense of duty, he had genuinely threw his lot in with Wren. Now that I understand what''s going on, I might be a bit relieved but I''d be lying if I didn''t admit to some disappointment too. If he wasn''t doing it for all the right reasons, I''d be pissed at him for running game on me. In the companionable silence, Wren took a deep breath and let it out slowly before he said, ¡°Alright... If we''re really going to do this, before you start laying the heavy on me, I''d like to at least be a little mentally lubricated.¡± Wren blinked in a cask of spirit wine and conjured up a couple glasses as Sable said, ¡°That''s a relief. Who wants to bare their innards without a little anesthetic?¡± After knocking back the first glass as Wren lazily sipped his, Sable looked at the glass in his hand with a little surprise and continued, ¡°This is more than I was expecting for a... to relieve some tension.¡± Wren laughed and said, ¡°Consider it a minor penalty for riling me up or a reward for actually giving a shit. Take your pick.¡± Sable shook his head bemusedly and rejoined, ¡°I''m becoming increasingly numb to surprises when it involves you. If this is what I think it is, Eldest Grimshadow would have bent for a brown sash to lick the dregs from the cask.¡± Silence drew out before Wren said barely over a whisper, ¡°If Glaucous didn''t have dibs on that son of a bitch, I''d force him to bend for Chanda while the guys junk was the size of that cask.¡± Sable refilled his glass and lifted it as he said, ¡°Salute to that.¡± Wren clinked the glass with his own, causing a few drops to spill into the pool, and said, ¡°Cheers.¡± Seeing Sable stare forlornly at the spreading spots in the water, Wren continued, ¡°And if you pop off about that, I''ll chill the whole damn cask and see how much you can drink before it has the chance to warm up and go sour.¡± Sable clutched at the cask comically and loudly exclaimed, ¡°Don''t you dare!¡± After a half-hearted lunge by Wren initiated a small round of horseplay, he moved the the session to the swimming pool, wanting to clear his dizzy head of more than one kind of overheating. Nearly another glass later, and a lazy lap around the pool, they chatted for a bit as Sable nibbled around the edge of Wren''s issues. Once Wren felt ready to take on whatever Sable was building up to, he finally relented with the right body language hints and Sable said, ¡°I have an admission. Once I returned from claiming my personal belongings, I didn''t immediately return to you. Wanting to know what I was getting myself into, I visited your friends, Troy and Lilly. I''ll give you credit for choosing your friends well. Lilly sealed up tighter than a vault lid at the first sign of snooping. Troy wasn''t nearly as skillful at keeping secrets but it still took nearly all of my craft to get a clear idea of what he knew about you and quite a bit of desperate sincerity to get anything substantial. Does this anger you?¡± Wren sighed heavily and replied, ¡°Not really. Maybe I would have once but I''ve done little to deserve unquestioning loyalty, nor shown the wisdom worthy of it, in this life and especially not in the ones that came before.¡± Sable shook his head, kindly arguing, ¡°No, Wren. It''s not a matter of what you deserve and no one has the wisdom to make the best choices for all, always. A leader must be ready to accept inevitable mistakes and loss of life. That kind of responsibility is not for the weak of heart but there are far too many that become hard of heart. For all the mistakes it seems you have made, the only two I couldn''t personally forgive, you have not. You have not as a leader, more importantly to me, not as the one who loves my son and grandson. ¡°I saw enough to understand. You made them safe, care and still provide for them, even though my son has moved on. If the way you looked at him had not made it clear, the small signs of a lover''s marks on and around him would have. It may pain you still but I felt it needed to be said so that you would accept that I do understand.¡± Sable paused to take a few sips and after seeing that Wren had nothing he wanted to share on the matter, said, ¡°I had difficulty believing all of what Troy shared, at first, but I''ve laid that to rest already... You know my greatest wish?¡± Wren shook himself out of the building self-pity to answer, ¡°You want a family right? You want a kid and a wife, all that jazz.¡± Sable nodded slowly, ¡°I want a life, a whole one. A child of my own to dote upon and provide for, a loving wife to cherish, those are a part of the life I envision. Am I mistaken in thinking that you would do what you could to help me obtain that?¡± Wren said, ¡°I hope that you know I would.¡± Sable squeezed Wren''s shoulder reassuringly and refilled their glasses before he said, ¡°I do and you have, many times. It doesn''t matter that they were short lives or that it was other selves that I have no recollection of. I''ve seen the evidence and heard an accounting. Whatever it was that you have done for all of us that accompanied you in the Abyss, it has given me a wider scope of things, a broader view. ¡°For now, I don''t think I''ll pursue those so frantically. There''s more to a whole life than that, though I believe them to be the best parts. There''s also friends, meaningful and fulfilling endeavor, even personal growth. So aside from asking you for the favor of aiding me in seeing if any of the seeds I have planted bore fruit, I''d like to focus on those other parts for a time... Wren, why have you not sought out any to bond or seek comfort?¡± Wren froze in mid sip and set his glass down. For the latter, Wren didn''t give much consideration. He''d had a full plate this whole time and though he could have found time for a little funny business, there wasn''t any pressing need to either. For the former, aside from taking the time to choose appropriately, the earlier bonded were chosen the better. He had no satisfactory answer, especially now that his bonded wouldn''t automatically be affected by a Lustitia flavored connection. Not having a logical reply nor wanting to let the settling quiet continue to grow, Wren said, ¡°You volunteering?¡± As if it were what he was expecting to hear, Sable immediately replied, ¡°Yes. One or both, whatever you want.¡± Sable swung himself around to face Wren, partially pinning the slender man against the pool''s edge, and placed Wren''s hand onto his broad chest as he said, ¡°This greedy heart of mine wants too many things for me to give it all to you but there''s room in it to warm yourself for as long as you like.¡± Sable moved Wren''s hand lower and continued, ¡°As for the rest, for now, it all belongs to you.¡± Sable released Wren''s hand and levered himself out of the pool. After grabbing his glass, he took a knee to fill it. Looking behind him at Wren''s stunned face and restless eyes, Sable said, ¡°I do mean all.¡± Wren blinked out of the pool ahead of Sable to hide his face, clutching the battle suit to himself, as he said hoarsely, ¡°Grab the cask.¡± *** Arriving in Wren''s room, Sable set down the cask and took the battle suit out of Wren''s subtly trembling fingers. After stepping back to take in the view, he draped the suit over a chair and took a large drink out of the glass before setting it down as well. Stepping forward faster than Wren''s eyes could follow, Sable drew Wren into his arms before laying a wet, wine sharing kiss. As Sable ran a calloused hand down to the small of Wren''s back, he said, ¡°It''s time for a small admission. This may be the first time I''ve been curious about the attentions of another man. You offer such careful respect despite my submission. I see your absolute trust despite holding a subtle fear of me. At my most vulnerable, within that moment, I would have welcomed your attention and despite your obvious interest, you turned away. I hope that what I''ve said doesn''t ruin this moment.¡± Wren slowly shook his head, far too absorbed in the sensation of a soft weight resting on his hardness as Sable''s twitched between them, to take offense at a few minor uncomfortable truths. Sable said, ¡°Your secret glances and shy admiration are a soothing elixir. Would you think me vain if I where to ask what you find so fascinating about me?¡± Sable backed away from Wren and took an unassuming pose. There was a sense of vulnerability in Sable''s eyes that kept Wren from teasing him. It reminded Wren that the man in front of him had spent a lifetime as a tool to be discarded once he was used up. Of all the people that Wren had become close to on his strange and painful journey, Sable was the only one Wren never wanted to get into a ''pity me'' pissing contest with. With that understanding, Wren decided to give an honest accounting, embarrassing as it was, as he said, ¡°I-gawd, alright. Y-your ears, they''re a lot smaller than a lot of other Delvers. It makes the sharper point and the gentle ''s'' curve... attractive.¡± I''m not going to tell a full grown man his ears are ''cute'' and I''m sure as hell not going to tell him that it was the first feature of his son''s I grew fixated on. Wren''s constant battle to keep his eyes from sliding to the floor almost made him miss Sable''s momentary lapse of composure as Sable said in a slightly cynical and challenging tone, ¡°If you like them, then come and touch them.¡± Oh, fuck me. How could I forget that to other Delvers, those ears are considered a sign of ''shallow breeding''. I don''t give a damn. Those things are criminally nibble worthy. Wren stepped over and reached out to run a finger over the top edge of Sable''s ear. Ignoring the flinch at his light touch, Wren continued to trace over the pointed tip and down the back, relishing the sound of a hitched breath and additional heated glow under his finger and on Sable''s face. Hit with a sudden impulse, Wren rose up on the balls of his feet to lick the sensitive inward curve and gently bit Sable''s ear tip. As he felt goosebumps form on the arm he was holding, Wren took a step back to search Sable''s face, making sure he hadn''t just done something unwanted. After a slightly ragged breath to steady himself, Sable said thickly, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Oh, so you liked that? File away and revisit later, gladly. Wren, feeling a bit more confident, resumed, ¡°Your eyes. When you''re serious they gleam like the edge of one of your black throwing blades. When you''re happy, they have a wet glow like the surface of a lake at sunset.¡± Under Sable''s sudden predatory gaze, Wren''s confidence disappeared as Sable asked, ¡°What do they look like right now?¡± Wren swallowed and replied shakily, ¡°Hungry, dangerous.¡± Sable leaned in and took a deep breath in through his nose and whispered in Wren''s ear, ¡°There it is. So many kinds of fear and desire I have seen but none paired with such trust. It''s as intoxicating as strong wine.¡± Backing up again, Sable asked, ¡°Any other?¡± Wren took a steadying breath and said, ¡°I- the soft contrast of your lips within the sharp and hard lines and angles of your face, d-draws my eyes to them.¡± Once again, Sable grabbed Wren''s hand and pressed fingers against his lips as he spoke through them, ¡°Continue.¡± With erratic pulse, Wren complied while Sable drew his fingers across every feature mentioned until Wren ended with, ¡°Your skin makes the whole of you appear to be a lovingly crafted statue of some dark god, lightly sprinkled with the ashes of his own offerings and brought to vivid life by the power of faith.¡± Sable stood still, hand over Wren''s, before he said in a voice thick with more than one emotion, ¡°If I could see myself as you do, what kind of insufferable person would I become?¡± Desperate to escape the unbearable tension and roasting embarrassment, Wren flippantly said, ¡°Troy... I kid, he''s not that bad.¡± Sable physically shook himself a bit, still not releasing Wren''s hand, and said, ¡°That was rich fare, Wren. I readily admit, this is the second most viscerally pleasing moment of my life.¡± Wren looked up at Sable and with visible curiosity, asked, ¡°What was the first?¡± Sable dragged Wren''s finger''s down the ridges and plains of his torso to rest above the small but dense patch of lower body hair and said, ¡°The day you healed me. I can still feel the occasional echo of that experience from time to time. Pleasure always feels most keen within the sudden absence of pain.¡± Sable''s muscles jumped as one particularly responded by slapping the underside of Wren''s arm at the subconscious discharge of residual LE into Sable. Wren absentmindedly lifted his suddenly freed arm and licked off a clear dab of fluid from it. Sable sat on the edge of the bed, eyes focused on Wren''s mouth, and said, ¡°If you find the taste appealing, the source would greatly appreciate the same attention your arm just received. Besides, the parts of me you seem to be the most fascinated with at the moment, wish to demand apology from you for leaving them out earlier.¡± With a bit more eagerness than Wren would ever admit to, he walked up to bed and knelt between Sable''s legs. Before he could begin, Sable cradled Wren''s jaw and lifted the kneeling man''s head then said softly, ¡°Would you bond me, Wren?¡± Wren saw no reason to deny the request but as he moved to speak that agreement, he was suddenly hit with a strong, irrational feeling of fear. It was fear for Sable, fear of pain and loss. As Wren crouched back on his heels, Sable joined Wren on the floor and held him. He started slowly rocking Wren side to side in his arms as Wren shook uncontrollably, occasionally Sable wiped away tears from unseeing eyes. Once Wren had calmed down enough, Sable fetched a glass of wine and had Wren drink it then said, ¡°Have you ever had an attack of shades before?¡± Wren shook his head and after Sable urged him to summon up some fruit or sweet food, which Wren did, Sable said, ¡°I suspected it but did not know for sure. Explain it to me. What did you see or feel?¡± Wren explained the fears and still frames of his worst memories as best as he was able, confused over the sudden turn of events.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Sable said, ¡°This is not something that can be ignored. From what I''m given to understand, bonding is important to you. The best course would be time, reflection and counseling but you are no mere man as I. Perhaps you should speak with your father but not right now. If it is still within you to want it, let me comfort you tonight.¡± Wren stood on a knife''s edge of indecision for a moment before weakly laughing and picking up a chocolate powdered doughnut. After taking a bite out of it, he lightly shook it on Sable''s chest and said, ¡°Twins,¡± then finished it. Sable looked over the fare for an item of retaliation until he saw a bowl of whipped cream sitting beside small gold cakes and sliced strawberries. After confirming it to be what he thought it was with a quick taste, he scooped up a dollop on a strawberry slice and plastered it over one of Wren''s nipples. With mock appreciation over the act, Sable declared, ¡°No change.¡± Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Wren said, ¡°Come on, how are they similar?¡± As the strawberry slice began slipping, Sable lunged for it with his mouth and continued the motion, wrapping Wren up. Once Sable was done moving, Wren was facing him, seated on Sable''s lap at the edge of the bed. After lapping up the remaining cream and biting Wren''s nipple, Sable said, ¡°Tastes the same. Feels the same between my teeth... Close enough for me.¡± Wren pushed Sable onto his back and attacked the powdered sugar with his tongue and replied, ¡°Point taken.¡± Slowly backing off Sable, Wren continued lashing Sable''s skin with his tongue till he had reached below the navel then asked, ¡° Did I get it all? It''s so hard to tell.¡± Propping his head up with a pillow, with renewed ardor, Sable replied, ¡°Best to be thorough.¡± Wren looked at Sable''s unsheathed and twitching ''hidden weapon'' and said, ¡°Oh, I think I may have found another of your twins.¡± Wren blinked a cordial cherry into his hand and nibbled off one half of the chocolate shell, letting a small bit of the filling spill down his chin. After briefly displaying the comparison, Wren popped the mutilated chocolate into Sables mouth before bending down and taking Sable''s ''cordial cherry'' into his mouth. Wren licked and slurped around it as he occasionally swallowed sweets stimulated saliva that carried a faint additional saltiness. He raised to display a sticky strand attached to his lip. Wren conceded, ¡° Not the same. This tastes much better. The subtle saltiness compliments the sweet much better.¡± Sable dumbly nodded with pleasure blurred eyes and wide smile. It was a compliment far more flattering to Wren than anything Sable could have said. Not wanting to see that content face falter, Wren bent back to task and started plying himself open with his free hand. A sudden gasp behind him made Wren stop to look around. A handsome, deeply tanned youth in Ancient Egypt noble garb and ibis decorated headdress, quickly looked to the side and stammered out, ¡°I-i''m s-so sorry. I''ll come back some other time.¡± As the youth began to fade away, Wren called out, ¡°Don''t go if you don''t want to, Hooty... Sable, the one who let me hitch a ride in the Abyss is here.¡± As Sable shot to sitting position, staring deeply into the direction Wren faced, Wren leaned in and whispered, ¡°It''s better if you try not to see. If you manage to without the proper ability, it can harm your mind. Expanding on what I said before, Djehuty is a being that is forced to live in the in-between due to an inheritance. He''s a terribly lonely person and in all honesty, all too human for his own good, most of the time.¡± Sable nodded and said, ¡°I find enjoyment at being watched during acts of pleasure... if you''re certain it is safe.¡± Wren said, ¡°The only person here he could touch would be me and only if I let him...¡± A particularly dirty thought crossed Wren''s mind as he looked towards Djehuty and said, ¡°You can stay if you want, no pressure. I would be flattered if you did... I''d be even more flattered if you were moved to...enjoy... what you were seeing.¡± A horrendously stammered agreement paired with flushed face and escalating breathing was Djehuty''s response. Looking down to see that the second interruption had put Sable back to square one, Wren gently pushed against Sable''s chest, laying the slightly tense Sable back down. Staying bent to give Djehuty a nice view. Wren said, ¡°Better check to make sure I got all the powdered sugar earlier.¡± Working his way back down with faintly essence laden licks and nips, Sable softly groaned as Wren reclaimed the still slightly sweetened ''fruit'' back into his mouth. Sable smilingly complained breathlessly, ¡°One more of whatever amazing thing that was you just did and I hope you are ready direct the rest of our tryst, because I don''t think my limbs will listen to me.¡± A shiver wracked Sable''s frame as Wren muttered around his ministrations, ¡°Aren''t you afraid I''ll mistake you for one of the sweets and gobble you up?¡± Sable replied with disturbing seriousness, ¡°If I continue to enjoy it as much as I am now, I''d walk to the Shadowlands with a smile on my face.¡± Wren resumed preparing himself as he took Sable in entirely, forcing his throat into repetitive swallowing. Knowing that Djehuty was psionically gifted, as nearly every entity of his persuasion were, he sent, ¡°If I look behind me and you''re still just standing there unmoving and fully clothed, Hooty, I''m going to be disappointed.¡± A surprised intake of breath and the sudden rustling of fabric greeted Wrens ears moments before Sable grabbed the sheets tightly and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Shades, I can''t hold back much longer.¡± Wren grabbed Sable''s base and sent a small bit of healing through his throat before replying, ¡°Just a little longer... May I enter you, Sable?¡± With agony laced desperation, Sable moaned, ¡°If it means I''ll finally be allowed fulfillment, then shadow and shade, I wish you would.¡± Sable drifted off into mumbling, finishing with, ¡°I had more than one shade blessed arrow in my quiver before I was healed, for the Shadowland''s sake.¡± Wren pushed Sable a measured distance up the bed, blinked a pillow into his hands and levered it under the grumbling man. Levering Sables legs up, Wren sent a bit of precautionary void power ahead of himself before experimentally running an essence laced tongue over Sable''s exposed vivid pinkness to the underside of Sables tightly drawn jigglies. With Sable''s grumbles pleasantly silenced, Wren turned to the task of working the scandalously pink bud open, first with questing tongue then softly probing fingers. All the while, Wren applied every trick he knew to keep the man pliant and on the edge. Lost in the moment and eager anticipation, Wren sent to Djehuty, ¡°Feeling up to lending me a helping hand with my own preparation?¡± Looking back, Wren saw the far from disappointing view of a fully nude Djehuty standing like a frozen temple relief, aside from a twitching and leaking but sadly neglected joystick. Noticing Wren''s eyes on him, Djehuty''s adam''s apple visibly bobbed a couple times before he slowly nodded. After a quick request for Sable to ''close his eyes and focus on sensation'', Wren partially moved himself partway into the adjacent dimensional space that Djehuty''s presence illuminated. Under Wren''s guidance, Djehuty''s trembling and hesitating hand was effectively employed as Wren finished exploring and teasing Sable. Wren smiled and held in a chuckle as Djehuty exclaimed quietly, ¡°It''s so soft and warm.¡± A faint shot of sympathy ran through Wren at the choked whine of sad protest when Wren moved forward and up on to the bed, positioning himself to claim Sable''s waiting heat. Wren watched with fascination, capturing every passing second, as the innocent blush colored entrance reluctantly opened to his intrusion. In sync with Sable''s measured breaths, Wren would let a bit more of himself disappear into the clenching pink entrance. When Wren was locked flush against Sable he said raggedly, ¡°If you keep squeezing and pulling against me like that, I''m not going to last very long.¡± Sable grinned garishly, baring clinched teeth, as he growled, ¡°Good. That''s the point.¡± Wren grinned, ¡°Would it be so bad to relax and enjoy me like this?¡± Sable grunted out through forcefully tightened and released abdominal muscles, ¡°I prefer to be the plow over being the field. You''re the one who needs to relax and focus on your own pleasure.¡± Wren retaliated with a jolt of essence and through Sable''s self-restraining hiss said, ¡°I''m enjoying myself pretty good already. I''d like it to last a little longer.¡± Sable relented, ¡°Have it your way but once I''ve recovered, at least let me claim a little of my dignity back. I feel like an oversensitive virgin right now. I''d like to show off some of my skills to you as well. You''re bruising my pride in an area I have some confidence in, you know.¡± Wren said, ¡°I am an oversensitive virgin right now, physically at any rate.¡± Djehuty''s embarrassed voice said barely above a whisper, ¡°I am in all ways. Hundreds of years, thousands if you count the deep dreaming, I have waited for one who could touch me that did not repulse me, much less move me as you do, Wren. Will you let me quench my longing within you as you are about to with your friend?¡± That would be very flattering if my competition wasn''t Lovecraft monsters and raving lunatics. Wren leaned back and gave rapid, shallow thrusts against Sable''s sweet spot, causing Sable to moan in involuntary enjoyment, as he thought it over. The combination of empathy and the fragile beauty of Djehuty in that moment compelled Wren to say mentally, ¡°Most of the force of your presence is insulated by your state of existence but I need to ask. Can you do this without hurting me with the strength of your Tier?¡± Djehuty responded quickly and with abundant eagerness, ¡°My Tier should be of no consequence save for the potency of essence within, well, within that. Surely that would only be helpful.¡± Wren placed a summoned blindfold on Sable and bridged the gap between himself and Djehuty. Hesitant at first, Djehuty''s caresses and kisses became more insistent as he fumbled to gain entrance. Wren stilled for a moment, leaning down to lay a few essence laden kisses on Sable''s chest as he reached behind him to grasp Djehuty''s modest but generously girthed manhood. Careful not to overstimulate the sensitive man, Wren slicked the probing length before guiding it in with a slightly pain filled grunt. Wren felt his insides stretch uncomfortably to accommodate the intruder. Wren placed a staying hand on Djehuty''s hip and bid him to wait for a moment before instructing the overly tense man to let Wren set the pace. Starting easy and slow, Wren began rocking into Sable and pushing back against Djehuty. Before he could build up any further, Djehuty suddenly fell on Wren''s back, grasping him tightly, shuddering and sobbing into the back of Wren''s neck while pumping into him erratically. The powerful shots filling him triggered Wren''s own premature release within Sable. The sudden overwhelming uncoiling of unsullied essence made Wren''s mind blank. The angel and demon manifestation ceased their relentless affections to enact Wren''s unspoken wants and needs, allowing the flood of strong essence to be used to best effect. Without Wren''s subconscious fear to block it, the living manifestation constructed a bond with Sable and sent strands out to other suitable and willing targets. Djehuty, unknowing but curious, allowed the questing line access and with pleasure addled mind, merely felt happy to have a connection with this wondrous mortal. In a frozen wasteland, Knight lifted his head after feeling a plea for connection. For a split second that stretched infinitely long within the conflicted mind and spirit of the man, he relented and accepted, hoping desperately that he would not regret it. Suppressing a subconscious thrill at the rush of coiling essence, he returned to his meditation. Some were unable to feel the request, others unwilling but back within Wren''s domain, Rozchereck sniffed the air and reached with power to grab one of the strands. After sensing it''s source, with a half affectionate and half mischievous smile, he drew it into himself and returned to the task of administering painful pleasure to the more than willing Pomegranate. Sensing the sincerity that lay deeply within Rozchereck''s action, the demon promoted it while the angel wavered before relenting. As the blankness faded, Wren found himself bent over the bed with Sable nearly mindless in frustrated need for release. Trembling with barely checked impulse, Sable pleaded, ¡°Say that I may take you, Wren. I''m mad with the want of it.¡± Still mentally foggy, Wren said, ¡°Yes bu-¡± With the little control he had left, Sable took care not to cause any real harm as he impaled Wren in slowmotion. Buried to the root, Sable ground against Wren, stirring Wren''s insides with wild gyrations till he finally found his own violent release. The pressure of coiling essence released back into Wren. Sable swung them around with Wren seated on his lap, labored and erratic hot breaths splayed from the face pressed against Wren''s back as Sable said, ¡°Stay with me, like this.¡± Both half spirit drunk, Sable and Wren rocked in tandem to one another as Djehuty softly whispered entreaty till Wren relented, allowing the fascinated man to present his back-side to Wren. As Sable rocked himself back to ridged attention within Wren, Wren opened the sandy ring hidden within the clefts of a tight and shapely dusky tanned bottom. Embarrassed but renewing in passion, Djehuty said, ¡°Could you join with me in a way that allows us to be closer? I-I want to feel as much of you against me as can be done. More than what this is, though it is a miracle of sensation, I crave touch. I crave warmth and the weight of embrace.¡± With a quickly whispered request to Sable and a caution against the momentary pain, Wren guided Djehuty face down upon the bed. After working himself into Djehuty''s unbearably pleasant, spasming entrance, Wren framed the deeply tanned legs with his own as he wrapped as much of Djehuty within his embrace as he could. Taking Djehuty like this felt good, to hold so much of another so completely. Slicking a hand, Wren worked it down to grasp Djehuty''s swelling appreciation and began stroking it slowly as he worked more slickness into the whimpering man until every small movement elicited wet, sticky squelching. Sable, who had been patiently waiting to join in, said, ¡°I have done many types of sensory training but this is a first. What an interesting auditory torture. The sounds of joining flesh and sighs of satisfaction is bringing me to aching need again.¡± Wren stopped mentally speaking words of affection and enjoyment to Djehuty to respond, ¡°Then come and lay it on me big man. No need to nice about it, just don''t try to switch positions with me.¡± Wren laid a tender kiss on the back of Djehuty''s neck and finished, ¡°I''m exactly where I want to be.¡± Djehuty crooned and tightened his grip on Wren''s fingers as Sable''s added weight pressed Wren deeper into him. Sable spread Wren''s springy buttocks apart and watched his generous portions sink into Wren''s inviting body. For a moment, Sable was lost to the fantasy birthed illusion of his shadowy darkness invading and melting into warm, soothing light. Possessed by a sudden impulse to mark the unblemished globes, Sable nearly fully withdrew before landing a meaty slap to one then the other, slamming back into Wren with the force of a burying blade. Wren partially raised up, issuing a wordless cry of surprise and weak protest. Djehuty echoed Wren''s surprise but laced with far more appreciation. As two large, red hand prints rose to stark view, Sable smiled and slipped the blindfold back into place. Laying over Wren, bracing himself on both sides, Sable built momentum with rippling back and straining thighs. The harder and faster Sable drove into Wren with violent precision, the more translated to Djehuty and within moments, Djehuty released another jet of wet heat into Wren''s waiting hand. Djehuty''s writhing and squirming in oversensitive coupled with the agonizing stimulation of Sable''s relentless pounding above drove Wren over the edge moments later. Switching gear, Sable moved to a steady, hard driving long stroke that had Wren and Djehuty being deeply pressed into the mattress even as they were rocked back and forth. Twice more Djehuty gave in to the unrelenting torrent of sensation, taking one more shuddering delivery from Wren before fading away with a cry of defeat and a promise to return during more ''peaceful'' times. With the sudden disappearance of support, Wren and Sable suffered a short but momentarily stunning drop. Taking the opportunity, Wren squeezed Sable''s angry tool out with a wet pop and struggled to turn around as he said, ¡°Hooty''s gone. You can take the blindfold off now.¡± Wren sent a touch of healing inside as Sable said, ¡°I wondered who would break first between you. Is it wrong that I wanted to have you to myself in the end?¡± Wren sent another touch of healing through Sable''s abused muscles and heavily bit lip before licking off an escaped drop of blood then said, ¡°I prefer one on one myself but I''ve always had a soft spot for the lonely. If I''m completely honest, Hooty''s pretty tempting too. There are certain...comparisons that could be made that I don''t feel like mentioning just right this moment.¡± A small flash of pain raced across Sable''s eyes as Wren said, ¡°Hey, stay with me. There''s things I want to freak out about too but before that I''m going to lose myself to this moment first. I''m resolving to enjoy every good moment as if it were the last I might have.¡± Sable smiled, heat returning to his gaze as he responded, ¡°It seems you might have a little Delver in you now.¡± Wren returned a wicked smile and said, ¡°As I recall I had a ''big'' Delver in me just a moment ago and I''m starting to miss him already.¡± As if answering a call, a hot weight between them twitched in response. Sable''s blazing eye''s looked around the room before he returned to kissing Wren for a time before leaning in and whispering, ¡°One small favor... Could you remove the smell of that other and give me a little more of your own.¡± Wren silently complied as Sable continued, ¡°How do you want me?¡± Wren said, ¡°Take me as I took you. I want to see you enjoying me.¡± Sable sat up and braced Wren''s legs in his arms as he slid back into Wren''s suddenly tighter heat, earning a bittersweet moment for both of them. After they caught a slow, steady tempo, Wren reached up to caress Sable''s abs. Sable pushed Wren''s legs as far back and out as they could comfortably go, discovering that they could go much farther than he could push without issue. A quick knife flash later and Sable''s feet were fixed into mattress holes as he laid on Wren, rubbing his hard stomach against the underside of Wren''s suddenly much more enthusiastic lower half. The unexpected intense intimacy took Wren by surprise as Sable sealed his mouth with continuous deep kisses. Sable''s increasingly more slicked abdominal ridges glided across Wren while Sable rhythmically drove himself as grinding deep as he could get. As soon as Wren''s brows crunched together, Sable''s rhythm fell apart into a wild thrusting rut as Sable strove for and reached climax with Wren. As they cried and roared their release into each other''s hungry mouth, Sable emptied himself into spasming, bucking heat while Wren released himself between them. A couple more glasses of spirit wine later, saw another wild session in Wren''s private bath. An hour or so of rest while Sable held Wren tenderly, took a heated turn and after a quick void cleaning they fell asleep in each other''s arms only to spur a weary but enjoyable grinding session another hour or two later before passing out in their own messiness. Another half of a day later, Rozchereck finally came in and broke them apart so they could eat and take a proper rest, both weakly protesting, both secretly glad for the excuse. As need overcame want the two finally had a good rest but still couldn''t resist a long leisurely love-making session after waking before Wren was ready to face reality and Sable had temporarily had his fill. *** Wren enjoyed a sumptuous private breakfast in his apartments with Sable after summoning a feast in the main hall. In respect to Sable''s comfort, they ate in silence till satisfied. Wren and Sable basked in the comfortable silence as Wren drained the last two glasses of spirit wine and toasted Sable before they mutually drained them. Wren sighed and said, ¡°The cask is empty. The glasses are empty and the food grows stale. Guess it''s time to get this crap over with.¡± Sable said, ¡°How did you bond me through your... pain?¡± Wren said, ¡°I didn''t. My personal angel and demon did. You''ve seen them. Believe it or not, the angel''s the mean one, the demon''s a big softy.¡± Looking at Wren concerned, he said, ¡°Are you going to be alright with it?¡± Wren slowly nodded and said, ¡°Unless one of you die. Then I''m probably going to lose my shit... Oh yeah, Petre got taken back in by Knight and for some unfathomable reason, he accepted the invitation. Djehuty took one without really knowing what it was but doesn''t seem to really care. The real kicker is that Roz managed to steal an invitation and somehow managed to barely pass the angel''s bottom line. With mock seriousness that still managed to sound somewhat genuine, Sable quipped, ¡°And here I was thinking I was special.¡± In bare honesty tinged with sadness Wren said, ¡°You are. I pushed everyone else away that I was close to before because I was afraid of hurting them or getting them killed but I just didn''t think I could manage without you. You were my rock, Sable. Perhaps I took advantage of your fearless acceptance of death but I couldn''t let you go. Don''t misunderstand, though. This was the first time in all our iterations where we were...like this with each other.¡± Sable looked at Wren inscrutably for a moment before the stony face melted into an affectionate smile and said, ¡°Their loss. You have to be the hottest coal I''ve ever blew to flame... Don''t be concerned Wren. I''m not going to become strange over you. I kindled a care for you before I offered you comfort. It was merely a pleasant surprise to find the fuels to our fire are so pleasantly suited to one another. ¡°Until you find the happiness you seek, my arms are open to you, eager enough to grab you up if I see you looking at me with those hungry eyes of yours again. Though I will say, if the one I believe will one day hasten to your side, does not or tarries overly long... I suppose the future wife of my dreams will find herself with two husbands... Just as a passing curiosity, how would you feel about sharing your chosen with a woman?¡± Passing curiosity my ass... Whatever, as a hypothetical, Sable beats the hell out of most of my past choices. Awkward future reunions be damned. Wren said, ¡°As long as I didn''t get the vibe they''d start neglecting me, I''d probably help them find one we both could love. If it was just about kids, assuming they really had my heart in their back pocket, I''d swallow my genuine enjoyment of being a man for a time to give them one myself but if they wanted another after that, it would be their turn.¡± Sable grew quite for a few seconds then said a little thickly, ¡°Best to not think about it too much. Those who dwell on uncertain pleasures miss present opportunities. Speaking of potential future offspring, care to help me see if I''ve already managed the deed? Though they would not truly be mine, I would like to leave some legacy to them as blood gift.¡± Wren nodded and said, ¡°I might even be moved to insane levels of generosity on their oath your blood shall know your name and that name spoken of with reverence.¡± Sable shook his head, smiling as he said, ¡°That is an honor reserved for purple sashes.¡± Wren looked at Sable in disbelief and said heatedly, ¡°Sable, you''re my right hand. You are the right hand of the son and heir of a Tier VIII existence. Plus I''m pretty sure as long as Malkanthor didn''t hide in the gloaming like a devil spined...sorry, not in the Abyss now...like a broken speared coward, you could probably kick his ass or at least hold your own. I think that makes you pretty fucking superior in prestige to a wine stained, ass rag wearing, latrine pit of a person... Umberdown and Deepwise as the exceptions. Sorry, Grimshadow has left a lingering hate in me that won''t die easily.¡± Sable got up from his chair, walked over to Wren and knelt on a knee, fist on heart, and said, ¡°Wren, you didn''t just bring me back from the dead, you gave me life again. First and foremost I''m your servant, your friend because you wish it, your lover if and when you wish it. Words easily spoken in times of joy, I know but I will mean them with equally willing heart in trying and sorrowful times.¡± Wren patted Sable''s shoulder with a faintly trembling hand before standing and smoothing imaginary wrinkles from his battle suit. Battling a sudden surge of fear in his heart, Wren stood and faced the door. I''ve got to be smarter this time, stronger. I know you won''t let me down, Sable. The one I''m worried about is me. 58-Friends, Enemies and Family Following Mage''s advice, I''ve made some time to record past experiences and jotted down the highlights I''d want to remember, in posterity, of what has transpired the last few months. That would be the last few months in my time because my little jaunt to the Abyss was a bit dramatic in it''s time contraction. Apparently time has a type of gravity all it''s own and the destruction of two Tier IX artifacts caused some sort of... who the hell cares. Point being, minus my observations here, nearly a year and a half poofed on me in the mortal realms. Shit''s not going to be written down in perfect chronological order but it''s not a big deal since this is for me anyway. If someone else other than some memory crippled, future me is reading this, fuck you for invading my privacy, (possible inheritor excluded.) I hope it gives you some kind of lethal OCD episode... After popping world side with Sable and finding out about some pretty wild stuff, gushy bleeding heart that I am, I and my crew got roped into helping Malkanthor get things back under control. Roz and Chanda helped the Umberdown running band to track down a surviving group of Grimshadow loyalists who popped the cork on Aaron''s cannibal mermaid trap. Lot''s of damage was done before Ephyra arrived from Seaside to fix it, so several surviving Grimshadow house members were ripped apart by angry mobs before Glaucous arrived to claim the younger branch members under his protection and fobbed them off on Malkanthor... My money for how the end played out lays on some non-hostile revenge for eight centuries of indentured guardianship... It took some time for Sable and I to track down survivors of or linked to Sable''s pre-Abyss romp but it wasn''t good news. As far as I was able to determine, he had one confirmed and one potential boy who did not survive. The only other lead I could find was a woman who had delivered still born and had been saved by Healer. While Sable observed a three day period of mourning with a widower who had lost an arm trying to wrest wife and child from a young feral mermaid, I had an idea to sweep through the Grimshadow branch orphans. With Healer''s help, the search bore fruit and we discovered two grandchildren of Sable''s, A sixteen year old ''incubator'' and a thirteen year old boy. Ultimately, after the dust settled, the thirteen year old boy was taken into Rohna''s retinue because of their similar gifts and the boy''s distrust of men and lack of desire to accept Sable as family. The shy older teen, Shisa, took to Sable almost immediately. As of the time of this journal entry, Shisa currently enjoys ''his'' bonding time with Sable and dual discipleship under the patient and caring guidance of Daphne and Pear as well as ''her'' deepening friendship with Samskara. I get the distinct impression that Shisa''s empathic gift and history has made him indifferent to gender. If not for Samskara getting a fairly threatening ambush lecture on romantic sincerity and my ban on practicing curse twisting upon house members, Shisa might already be not only a her but a pregnant one... Awhile back, Chanda asked to officially become vassal lord over ''Viganda Forest'', all four trees and six hundred saplings of it. After Vigna and her three people shy sisters agreed, as long as Chanda takes his ''husbanding of the land'' seriously, I made it official with a ''Why the hell not.'' After all, Vigna and Maple were already showing early aura signatures of how serious Chanda had already been taking it. The two sisters hadn''t informed him and I wasn''t about to ruin their obvious intentions to keep him earnestly currying their favor or mess up their nutty sisters'' chance for equal attention before he started showing any affectionate favoritism. Roz came sobbing to me, out of the blue, when his dick barbs disappeared and Pomegranate dumped him the next day. When it became apparent that the real reason he showed up was to demonstrate how much easier it was for him to get it up for me, I handed him a vial of ''absolution'' and told him to get lost before I kicked his kidney bean colored ass. After stealing a sloppy kiss and unsuccessfully dodging one of Sable''s casually thrown daggers, which earned him a nicked ear, he dashed off laughing and shouting something about enjoying some apple and peach pie if he managed to earn some wings. It took me a minute to figure out what he was referring to but, in my defense, I was contemplating how ''playful'' Sable was actually being. To be safe, I gave Apple and Peach a heads up but their matching malicious smiles when Apple said they''d show him a ''good time'' had me more worried for Roz. Daphne took her stewardship of the garden and discipleship of Shisa very seriously, though she accomplished being both patient and no-nonsense with natural grace. The addition of Hedge, fore mentioned widower who had changed his name and cut all ties with his old life, did seem to add a little extra twinkle to the hawthorn dryad''s eyes as they found an easy and comfortable companionship. When I first brought Hedge in, he wasn''t keen on anything over needful healing but I left the door open to him so it wouldn''t be awkward later if he changed his mind. I don''t know what to make of Samskara. With his father and Roz making huge strides to shake off the demon shackles, if anything, little Sammy''s seemed to be getting stronger. It just didn''t make sense. Sammy might come off a little strong in the machismo department but was earnest in friendship, even tempered and didn''t show any signs of excess cruelty to his animal curse subjects. Sammy''s dual spark plugs might appear to be ready to start a car at any moment but he wasn''t perverted acting or anything either. When he made a breakthrough to Teir V and sprouted leathery wings, tail and blackening skin with hardening fingernails but only seemed to grow more respectful and differential to me, I finally consulted my living manifestation. After receiving some cryptic nonsense about Sammy becoming ''one of mine by choice'', I gave up and decided to let it be unless it became a problem. As for me and Sable... A few days after our intense interactions, Djehuty showed up for some more intimate conversation that led to some pretty enjoyable activities then showed up again a week later for a much more lingering visit but I haven''t seen him again since. That was over a month ago. I''d be worried if I didn''t understand that the slow whimpering end of reality meant that there was a lot more to witness. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, Malkanthor''s desperate need for my services, personal pursuits through all the writings and materials my father and sister dumped on me plus contemplation of my ridiculously complex ascension path have kept me old friends with mental and physical exhaustion. With me and Sable being the only Teir IV peeps within the inner circle, both of us are feeling the pressure for improvement. Sure, we could cheat but neither one of us wants to compromise power and stability with speed this early in the game. Sable had his hands full as well. An emotionally fragile grandson, keeping me safe from swarming masses of needy Delvers and his own path contemplation had him just as familiar with low energy moments as me. Despite that, he still found time to have a half-hearted on and off fling with Pear. A cynical part of me kinda believes they did it just so they wouldn''t feel left out. Still, I''m starting to think he has an extra stamina reserve for sex the same way some people, myself included, seem to have an extra stomach for dessert. On a final note, I had that heart to heart with my living manifestation after I asked about Sammy, leaving with more questions than answers... Demon is now Cor for heart and angel is Alma for soul. They''re real peoples now, after all, sort of... Well Cor was awfully chipper and Alma was kind of cranky. It didn''t take long to connect the dots and get squalling pop-tart. I admit to a great deal of curiosity to what the particular fulfilling of that set of oaths will bring but they aren''t certain. I doubt it will be anything mundane though. After fine tuning my understanding of Cor and Alma''s roles and what they could do for me, afterimages of them rejoined my mindscape and reformed the throne I originally had. That was quickly followed by a notification from Buzz that Apocryphal Throne had been added to my manifestation list and it had a crap tonne of affects. It amplified the chain and ribbon stuff but it also gave me access to summon astral copies of Cor and Alma as well as the ability to summon an astral archetype of any creature that had been in my realm. I could also have an additional power active at the same time, for a total of four. The best effect in my mind, aside from a slew of passive buffs, was its ability to act as a meditation amplifier. A one hour trial had help me piece together more new facets of understanding on Machine of God than I had in the last two weeks combined. Things took a bit of a weird turn after I excitedly thanked them. I suddenly found myself in an angel and demon sandwich, experiencing some very affectionate skinship. I never really identified with Troy fantasy me and it had been a very long time since that had been me anyway, much less a female version that put Troy''s taste in a much more flattering light. Cor was essentially a somewhat demonized version of all the best features of every oath bound lover I have ever had. Once the line between skin-ship and outright molesting started happening, I gathered up my crumbling willpower and extracted myself to both of their lighthearted disappointment. Giving in to that kind of temptation seemed subtly dangerous and likely addictive. Speaking of temptation, I''ve been starting to have some pretty strong fantasies of intensifying my fraternization with Sable but I''ve been pushing it away. I still have one hell of a huge piece of unresolved feelings and until I address it, I won''t risk crossing or blurring anymore lines with my closest friend and pillar. I couldn''t forgive myself if I did something to hurt the guy. Not that he''d ever let me know. I don''t feel like I owe Knight anything but Petre''s in there and I can''t deny that the huge chunk of the foundation of me that''s Oscen is heartsick over not having that explored for reunion or closure. The more time passes the more I lean towards the later and if that''s what Knight wants I... Damn it, what is he fucking waiting for!? *** ¡°I can''t believe Lilly actually took up that Djinn''s offer and visited his family. I mean, I know Troy, Liita and Bress went with her and we made sure she didn''t go empty-handed but what the hell are we going to do if he does a 180 on her and holds her friends hostage or something?¡± Wren said worriedly to Malkanthor. The deceptively frail looking fae replied, ¡°Djinn are notorious for being able to weasel out of oaths and twist words but have faith in your friends. I doubt Troy would have volunteered to accompany if it was anywhere near as dire as you make it. Lilly might be a bit too headstrong for her own good but Bress is surprisingly resourceful and Liita has become a destructive little bag of tricks under Assassin''s tutelage. How he managed to convince her to discard spear is beyond me. As last resort, there is Troy. He is far more capable than he allows others to know...Very capable.¡± Malkanthor finished with a smiling contemplative look on his face. Wren shook his head but conceded before moving on with, ¡°Seaside is close enough to where it needs to be that you shouldn''t have any problems finishing it with the resources at hand. The resort and safe-zone are complete with replacement materials on hand to deal with the next three potential storm seasons. Jaden''s roost is finished so him and his family can move here soon. Aaand a fully outfitted, all year capable agricultural zone is gearing for it''s first harvest. ¡°I''ve given what I''m willing for your academy and armory. You''re not talking me out of more. I''ll give you credit for being a great deal more shrewd than I had originally credited you for, though... Don''t even think of asking to join my house again either. You''re a hella better at running things than anyone else here.¡± Malkanthor chuckled and said, ¡°It was mostly a jest but if you''d have me, I wouldn''t hesitate.¡± Wren hesitated for a moment before he said, ¡°Satyra sent me a message through Pops. She''s decided to choose humans as her planet''s inheritors to take advantage of Origin''s last gift. Don''t ask me what that is because it has to do with aspects of existence that aren''t a part of my path. Translation; I know next to nothing about it... What I do know is that once she made that decision, the space around Satyra started drawing energy from the Astral Plane at an alarming rate, binding with the adjacent void space. That means all those science books and whatnot will be a lot more valuable than magical tombs in a few generations. ¡°In the next couple decades or so, ambient arcane essence will plummet. Though they''ll never completely dry up, the arcane wells will slow down to a trickle over the next century. Cherry, Holly and Ash have made alliance along with the last unicorn pair and their foal to protect the secret valley from other migrating magical beasts. Aside from a moss hag, er, maiden who may join them, they don''t want much more competition for this ley-line node.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°What all this means for you is that you have about fifteen years to bring in fresh blood before all the magic folks and critters of this world start a war to claim all the wells and nodes. Focus on fostering the spiritually and psionicly gifted but don''t let the knowledge of magic die because rare individuals are born with their own sources and there will be enough juice from the well to keep the enchantments of this city and a handful of academic mages in good standing indefinitely. ¡°Once the inert insulation of void and matter reach the point where spiritual gifts start to suffer, right around when the mirror barrier breaks, I intend on being here to do a batch of recruiting. It''s not too late to reopen this conversation then. Try to keep your next batch of little ancestors down to a reasonable amount. Malkanthor frowned and replied, ¡°That''s dire news...And what was that last part? I explained very early on that I had no intention of expanding Umberdown to such a degree again. It was Rohna who approached me with the suggestion of reintegration through marriage and even though she is my fiancee in name, she holds all power of choice for when she is ready for intimacy.¡± Letting a little agitation slip through, Wren said, ¡°That''s just the issue. You''ve developed the habit of being a guy who can''t say no to a pretty girl. Why do you think she approached you to begin with? It''s because you''ve accepted nearly a dozen requests for ''comfort'' since I''ve been here. Half of them have been from purple sash women still capable of carrying. I know you''ve been careful and I get how much of a relief it must be to be able to do casual without consequence but there''s actually still a consequence. Any bun you get in an oven has greater claim of leadership by blood than any living Delver. ¡°Don''t get me wrong. I think Rohna was more than willing to approach you on merit of personal appeal. You''re a good combination of nice guy and no-shit taker. If at some point down the road, you actually tie the knot with Rohna, be ready to put away your sexual celebrity status. If you make her miserable by making another harem, her father is not the only one who''ll come looking to break your legs... I''ll start with the middle one.¡± Malkanthor responded morosely, ¡°You wrong me. I have taken no request for comfort since I have agreed to Rohna''s proposal, though I have made one request of my own, which Rozke... Rozech...which Roz denied. If I feel the need to find relief I know where to look for it and where not. My gratitude and esteem for you is too great to take offense but know I have spoken with Rohna in great length on the subject in openness and honesty. ¡°For instance, we have both discussed the pure fantasy prospect of her observing you dominating me with great verbal enjoyment. If you ever find yourself awakening to the want of such an indulgence, inform us. Any more than that is not yours to know, in fairness. Agreed?¡± Wren muttered, ¡°Point taken,¡± before hastily excusing himself. Lilly, Mal may disagree but I think your friendship with Rohna has been a terrible influence on the girl... I''m a little sad over us not being as close as we were before in this iteration. Maybe then I could have talked you out of going to the domain of an outsider, the domain of an outsider who''s son lost an avatar during an invasion war... You''re going to play dress up and meet the family with reality pirates. To be fair, they''re more like scavengers. Dirty, opportunistic scavengers of our reality, Lilly. Troy will probably be looking for one to get a different kind of dirty with too. He''s just as likely to get screwed as you. Mortals are just toys to be played with until they break for those guys. Don''t mind me, imaginary Lilly and Troy, I''m just gonna keep shitting bricks till you get back. With a quick swing through the newly established academy to drop off the latest and last set of equipment and materials, Wren went to find Healer''s home. A surging scream of dimensional tearing broke his train of thought before a blood lust of soul shaking proportions washed over him. In the brief fraction of a second before emotionless calm claimed him, Wren caught glimpse of a madness inducing face. Activating his embodiment, Echo of Creation and drawing on the bolstering effects of the Apocryphal Throne, what started as reflexive action turned to concentrated effort as Wren sealed and anchored the surrounding dimensions of reality. Ignoring the voice infected with lethal amounts of existence destroying corruption, Wren flew and blinked then summoned spectral transportation to distance himself from any and all life. For hours he fought against the pressing malevolence he was barely capable of withstanding due to being on the good side of reality resistance. All the while he was slowly losing a battle of attrition with the voice of corruption eating away at his astral body and power of existence. Finally, Wren reached the destination for his last stand. Within a matter of seconds Wren dropped his personal tank and domain reserves to dangerous levels as he desperately reached to repair old and broken sigils within Rozchereck''s previous prison. As the sigils began flaring to life, a dimensional trap composed of locks beyond Wren''s current ability to reproduce, gnawed toothless on the foreign assailant as it laughed at the fruitless struggles of the Tier IV existence it was bent on dragging to oblivion. Wren experienced a momentary breath of relief from the pressure when the sigils showed their last deceptively simple lure, drawing upon the expelling essence of the intruder to fuel its effort. While stimulated maelstrom wells began spitting structure bruising hailstones of condensed and mixed pieces of essence against the inner walls of Wren''s astral body and miniature astral realm, a laughing humanoid form coalesced within the cave. Downing a few of his most precious restoratives, Wren examined the entity out of the corner of his eyes. Formed of a darkness that defied description, the man stared at Wren with eyes a color of blue that no mortal should ever be forced to observed as the entity of corrupt entropy said, ¡°I lamented not being able to fully destroy you in person. Yet behold, you have given me a way. In the process, you have given me a way to focus upon and access this verdant little rock. My most favored offspring will enjoy devouring it before we depart for more sustaining realms.¡± Still struggling to repair and empower the partially completed and hopelessly damaged prison, Wren said flatly, ¡°Not that it matters but why?¡± The entity responded, ¡°You sullied what I had twisted and claimed. Most of the enjoyment of my successful conquests lie in the hows but you... you have incited me to a swift and vengeful answering of that particular why... I have no desire to enlighten you further.¡± Wren knew far more was at stake than just himself so despite knowing he would lose, he held his ground. Reaching out to all in his realm, his bonded and his father, Wren drew what essence could be offered and asked for what aid could come as he tried to fortify imprisoning sigils and the splintering stability of existence. Blinded to all but rapid calculations and spiritually excruciating conversion of power influx to usable essence, Wren received minute slivers of sensory perception. Soothing insulation of void power was briefly joined by uplifting golden brilliance before a confusing assortment of essences cycled through him that held a strong flavor of nature and a more subtle but unmistakable tang of the Abyss. Unknown time passed before, more broken than whole, Wren heard a young voice speak words of rejection so far beyond conscious comprehension that BZ translated them as wingding. Seething sounds of vile and tainted entropy infected and twisted them into something cancerous before the two voices were joined by one so steeped in forgotten mystery it wouldn''t even have registered as sound if it wasn''t the only thing capable of being heard. Shaken beyond ability to resist by the overwhelming presence of the ancient voice, Wren''s ruined body and soul lost it''s last bit of will sustained tethering as it started disintegrating to corruption stained motes. A demanding but love filled woman''s voice crooned her laments over a sigil etched orb... The despairing wail of a heartbroken boy joined the sensation of tears, hotter than beating desert sun. Voices, so many, plying power and pleading, demanding to be heard. An endless stretch of inert potential awaiting anything to give it form bled to a swirling chaotic storm of concepts. Within the storm, a single grain formed layer after layer of randomly formed structure. Swelling, a sphere that''s a circle that''s a sphere and in turn a tesseract... From that, more but hidden, beyond the ability to conceive. Within, in a remote place, a Shakespeare sonnet is composed by the random typing of a primate. The machine, God''s machine, is pieced together from microcosm to macrocosm but begins deteriorating before completion... It has no completion but it does have cycles, endless cycles. Where the broken parts go, where bits and pieces of other things foreign to the machine appear... destruction, entropy and ending. Decomposition builds gravity and pulls till the weight pierces back out to the endless stretch of inert potential, like fertilizer, to ferment and build till it bleeds to the storm, till it forms the pearl, till God''s machine appears. Then one machine ceases to be many parts, becomes a whole and... A muffled and distorted shout of, ¡°Lives,¡± announced to Wren that he was conscious again. A cocoon of ribbons and chains fade away to a much different cocoon of complexly scented linen and dense, life spirit enriched power. As Wren tore his way out, he thought to BZ, ¡°Catch me up from the moment I nearly got axed by the blue eyed boogeyman.¡± BZ intoned evenly, ¡°Congratulations on achieving Tier V. Upon encountering the first entity with a SYSTEM augmentation I will need to update your file, though it should stay off any viewable records as it is director locked. It is inevitable that it will be leaked at some point, however... Mortal protections have been partially removed. Tier VI faction and alliance members may now approach to recruit. Many lesser organizations have been known to use questionable methods to acquire members from the unaligned remainder after the ten year grace period has elapsed. ¡°Due to distortions within reality proximal to you, I know little beyond the method used to save you and the passing of time. A lost method of sacrifice resurrection was used. When the procedure began, you were still alive but only so. By extracting what remained of healthy physical and spiritual components, a Tier VII or higher entity reintegrated the usable portions and filled the rest in with their own life spirit. The entity that did so, was highly skilled in the procedure. There is less than a thousandth of a deviation from original composition suggesting a familiarization with organic and astral body patterns of self aware beings beyond currently recorded highest record holders in both fields. ¡°Within cthonic state, a state between life and death, you spent a theoretical time between two to nine-hundred years depending on source reference. Within current temporal space, you''ve spent approximately eighty-seven years. Time within your domain passed at maximum contraction, a little over a year. Current temporal space has been synchronized with last material plane connection which was Satyrus.¡± Wren thought back, ¡°How did my domain slow down and why?¡± BZ responded, ¡°Severe depletion of essence prompted the living natural laws of your domain to do so in an effort to preserve current vegetative development and allow for realm recovery before proceeding with development.¡± Once Wren''s eyes had adjusted to the new volume of light, he was greeted with the sight of a light-skinned man''s face peering curiously at him with hetero-chromatic eyes, one dark and the other blue fire opal. They took in each other for a moment before the man smiled and gave Wren a hand getting out of the linen pile. The man handed Wren a familiar box with two small black dots in it to take care of nude issue as he said, ¡°I was warned against overtaxing you with information or emotional shock but you seem to be much more recovered than originally anticipated. You''ve even emerged a few decades ahead of schedule. Your astral construct must be amazing... Sorry, I''m Teremun. In every way that matters I''m your younger brother, in a few minor ways I suppose calling you first father wouldn''t be inaccurate but lets not. I''m sure that would be better for both of us.¡± Wren looked at Teremun, lost in processing that last piece of information before he said, ¡°I''ll take your word for it... If that''s the case, give me the break down so I can understand a bit better.¡± Teremun looked slightly uncomfortable as he said, ¡°Well father consort, Djehuty really wanted to explain it but since he''s out witnessing something or other, I''ll spill and apologize later... When you had your fling with Djehuty, you kind of knocked him up... A Thoth inherited thing... Only problem was, your stuff wasn''t strong enough to get the job done. To keep Djehuty from missing out on his only chance at personal conception, Grandpa Astennu coerced your father into * cough * filling in for helping you out. ¡°I know it''s a bit much but no one really guessed that dad inherited the ability to lay an egg. Blame it on Thoth''s followers before he broke free from the power of faith... I''m personally of a philosophical bent about it. No matter how it works, because it did I get to exist. Yay me. Since Pops Amun, your father''s honorary name, got to torture another spawn in the name of passing on his combat legacy, he''s happy. As for dad, he''s actually really happy with how everything turned out since Pops is really, er, nice to him. ¡°Sorry for chewing your ear off but I''ve been kind of geeked to see you. Gnarly, no one around here says his real name but I don''t like using all the weird derogatory terms, pulled a slick one on grandpa Astannu and messed with dad. You kind of made a loophole for dad to climb out of and stuck your thumb in Gnarly''s eye in the process. Needless to say, you''re pretty well liked around here.¡± Wren managed to get out, ¡°I don''t mind but can we walk and talk. Considering people are missing from my domain, I''d like to get that story and I''m sure someone wants to see me.¡± Teremun fidgeted for a second before he said, ¡°Pops'' avatar is free. Guess we can head that way... Oh, I''m only technically somewhere in my late twenties so you''re still the older brother by a stretch. I heard you''re not much of a direct conflict kind of guy so that leaves sibling rivalry and bonding through fights out. I like talking about stuff but I''m not much for heavy reading and technical stuff so...¡± With an awkward silence hanging around them, Wren said, ¡°If you like getting your hands dirty we can do some gardening... Okay, how bout building stuff? Yeah? Alright, we can do some of that then.¡± After chatting about random topics for a couple minutes they reached a set of double doors which opened at their approach. Teremun sighed and said, ¡°Pops is in there. I gotta get going but you have to let me run around your domain sometime.¡± Wren nodded while returning an awkwardly long hug that ended in a cheek kiss before walking in and seeing Hiidan, prompting him to say, ¡°Hey, Pops. Guess I''m not the only one who calls you that now.¡± Wren was ready for some banter but sobered quickly after Hiidan looked at him with somber face while he said, ¡°Sit down, son. We''ve got some things to go over and some of it''s not good.¡± 59- Loose, Lost Time Wren took a seat while Hiidan gathered his thoughts. The fully recovered Hiidan looked a bit different to Wren. The avatar was on the lower side of Tier VII and being near the emanations it gave off were similar to laying in a tanning bed. It didn''t feel bad but there was a sensation of slowly cooking and the knowledge that being close for a long period of time would leave him feeling burnt. Wren was certain the sensation would fade once he started filling in the exorbitant amount of extra spiritual and essence room becoming Tier V gave him. Restored to health, Hiidan no longer had so much a villainous look as perpetually mischievous. His pale form had a glow of vitality that registered just as much on the spiritual as it did the physical spectrum. Partly due to having lost the dangerous edge to the insanity in his eyes and partially likely to do with his personal life circumstances, he seemed more whole. As Wren observed the man, a subtle warmth rose through him and on impulse, got back out of his chair and hugged Hiidan. Wren said, ¡°Don''t ask me where this is coming from. I''m not sure myself but before what you have to say forces me to think about other things, I just wanted to say that I love you, Pops. Thanks for looking out for me and taking care of me when you could.¡± A thousandth of a second shudder, that represented stunned surprise for a Tier VII existence, was followed by a careful but solidly returned one as Hiidan buried his face in his son''s hair and said, ¡°I never really expected you to ever accept me wholeheartedly as your father again. I never really felt like I deserved it. I''m sorry for all the times I failed you but know I always loved you with all my heart... The other me didn''t know you as I do but it surprised him how much he cared for you too. Deep down, I think he felt it like an instinct that you were our son. ¡°I''m such a flawed thing. Even now, I continue to wrong you, though I didn''t mean to. Anything in my ability to grant is yours for the asking. I say this because I believe you wouldn''t ask me to do something horrible but the madness of my grief and guilt towards you would be unbearable otherwise.¡± Wren wanted to let go but he could feel his father trying to get himself back under emotional control. Hours passed before Hiidan finally released him. Fortunately emotions played a huge part in how emanations affect lower tiered existences or Wren would have had physical and spiritual illness from exposure. Instead, Wren felt slightly bolstered and relieved of fatigue. After releasing Wren to sit back down, Hiidan said, ¡°Might as well start with the hardest one for me to say... You''ve probably noticed you are no longer bonded to Djehuty. After everything that happened and your convalescence, his affections shifted to me. Thoth wanted his son to be happy and it had been so long since I had held another that... I didn''t mean to steal your bonded from you. It''s unforgivab-¡± Wren interrupted, ¡°Nothing to forgive. Hooty was lonely and I was just offering what I could to ease it, mostly just because I could. The bond wasn''t even a conscious choice. You didn''t steal anything... Can''t say I''m not shocked though. I took you for a ladies man.¡± Hiidan smiled brightly and said, ¡°I was and fundamentally still am but I spent countless time imprisoned within my own mind. As I progressed spiritually, degenerated and recovered mentally countless times, I just don''t have the same way of looking at things anymore. Things like physical form doesn''t mean much in broad terms. Besides, Tier VII entities can struggle for centuries to produce a naturally conceived child. A Tier VIII like myself can struggle for thousands, more so since I''ve relinquished a portion of my reproductive potency. I can''t easily express how great a gift Djehuty has given me in Teremun... We click, that boy and I. You were affectionate but in many ways you were so distant... It'' doesn''t mean I love you less. I just...¡± Wren shrugged and said, ¡°From the start, I was a peg that didn''t fit anywhere. Afterwards, I was a wild weed that blew all over the place. As many times as I''ve died and sprung back up, I''m sick dizzy with it. Terry seems to be more sensible now than I''ll ever likely be. If anything, I''m relieved you got a kid who''s stable enough for you to build a legacy on... This is all well and good but I''m a little too anxious about my people right now and I''d like to be filled in.¡± Hiidan nodded and sobered back up as he said, ¡°I''m a bad news first kind of guy so lets get that out of the way... Just be aware that it''s not all bad so hang in there... Your sister lost her main body helping me kill our enemy in the Balance Keepers so she''s went back into her bower on Satyrus to nurture and raise her avatar back up. ¡°There''s no easy way to say it so I''ll just spit it out. Sable and Petre both died during the confrontation with Gnarly.¡± Confused and panic rising, Wren said, ¡°But I can still feel our bonds.¡± Hiidan walked over and gave Wren a reassuring shoulder squeeze then said, ¡°They didn''t stay that way but they''re different... Sable was hiding in your shadow when you were attacked. Got tore up before he had a chance to do anything. Dying and coming back the way he did actually helped him regain most of himself. The important parts seem to be the same at any rate. ¡°Petre lost more since he took the brunt but he was much more resistant to the corruption so he retained far more spiritual identity. Most of his later memories of life are lost and he seems reluctant to embrace emotional ties he made during that time. Everyone seems to be accepting of it, save Assassin.¡± Wren took in a deep breath to steady his nerves and said, ¡°Who do I have to thank for their return to the living?¡± Hiidan sat back down and said, ¡°For Sable? Yourself I guess. For Petre? A maelstrom born angel and Apple. Sable doesn''t remember much about the exact happenings but as he was dying, he grabbed Petre''s corpse and went into your domain... Best he can figure, it was reflex and instinct... Anywho, once he arrived, he got a chance to notice he was in your, um, pool room before being shredded like tissue paper in front of a machine gun. Apparently your well can do what maelstrom portals can do on a smaller scale. ¡°Everyone at the scene had given them up for gone considering what was happening to you. Lo and behold, after close to a decade, a naked man just appeared in a flash of light, sitting on top of your band-aid ball. Sure enough, a small hole with signs of outward tearing was found. Couple of years after that, he brought out an angel shaped maelstrom born that had a baby in his arms. After that a day care kind of got set up in your recovery room as Chanda and Hedge came out with their boys. A baby demon girl came out with a Lady called Shisa. ¡°After a few years, the daycare turned into a classroom. That''s when the angel boy stopped wanting to go by his name and wanted to be called Petre. Sable brought it to my attention and the rest is history. Most of the kids he came with are still pretty little but since his dad spends a lot of time here among Thoth''s servant scholars, Petre does too. Most persistent little guy I''ve ever met. For what I guess is about twenty years his time, he spends around six hours on recuperation and the rest is spent trying to get back what he lost with interest. When anyone asks him why he studies and trains so hard, he just says that he has something to protect and he''s not strong enough. Anyone with two brain cells to rub together can figure it out. If his father didn''t have some sort of weird instinctual reverence towards you, I think we''d have to worry about him strangling you for stealing his son away. ¡°The angel''s name is Malus, by the way, but enough of that... Rozchereck left for the celestial realm not too long after you were put here. People weren''t very nice to him since he didn''t come to your aid. To be honest, I wasn''t either till I found out he was mid transformation and was weaker than a wet noodle. I can sense him crossing the divide as we speak so he should be here in a few days.¡± After the silent pause, Wren said, ¡°Well I should probably get to reuniting with my peeps. We can fi-¡± Interrupting, Hiidan said, ¡°Not done, bud... A world god husband and wife came to claim Seaside''s arcane well. They died for attempting it but took a good deal of the people you knew with them. Healer was lightly injured protecting their child and Assassin went on a killing spree... If there is a single follower of those two world gods left, it''s some kind of miracle... Jaden''s widow took their children elsewhere but Glaucous and Rohn have returned. I''m surprised Rohn survived Imani''s death. Maybe it''s because she never grew past Tier III or gave him any children. He told Troy that his imprint just kind of shriveled up along with her. He was still sad but hearing his daughter and grandson died affected him a lot more. Needless to say, Malkanthor was right in front and Ephyra''s considered MIA. Most likely in the belly of one of her surviving children who followed her to fight. ¡°They''ll be good for awhile but with your sister hoarding flow to recover, magic''s fading faster than it was originally supposed to. I hope I don''t sound callous but her well being is more important to me than the lives of people on Satyrus. I kept an eye and ear out for news of your friends but that''s as far as I''m willing to stretch myself when I''ve got my own family to worry about. At my level, getting directly involved would cause more problems than it solved anyway. ¡°Okay, so Jampa went into deep meditation on this Earth and is waiting for the Great Merge... Some event that the spiritually sensitive are saying is going to happen in the next five or six hundred years... Lilly died in a duel with someone fighting for the right to join her husband''s non-existent harem, around fifty years ago. Three years ago, after her daughter dueled and killed half of her grandfather''s harem. The old man let her use his power of wish to bring Lilly back before banishing the lot of them. The three of them moved to Seaside and are waiting for Lilly to birth their son/brother before figuring out what to do next. Troy is... somewhere. After he hit twenty-nine, he went off grid and only shows up once in a blue moon. I heard a rumor that he''s pretty much doing what Jampa is but shows up to steal the odd valuable resource and to bail his friends out of jams before disappearing again. ¡°I know some of what I''ve just told you is gonna make you want to fly off to the rescue but, son, resources reality wide are gonna start drying up and you can only reach your hand out to so many. Close your circle and take care of what you got. ¡°Aside from what we''ve seized in the last stronghold, Thoth contacted his people and fleeced the Balance Keepers of all the goods and artifacts in their possession that belonged to the Void Host. To top it off, after filing a reinstatement of the existence of the Void Host with me as the director, he placed a sanction of unlawful seizure of goods against the Infernal, Celestial and Abyssal Hosts. The Abyssal and Celestial Hosts were exempted if they throw their weight behind the sanction, Something they were more than happy to do. ¡°It took some time to sort it all out... The best lawyers and con artists come from the Infernal Realm after all... But once we got all the goods, Thoth levered the Hall of Records to ally themselves to us. Now Void Denizens have preferred status for employment as the enforcement, security and delivery people of the Registrar and deposit strongholds. Only if they are registered as part of the Void Host, of course... The moral of the story is, don''t mess with the Director of Scribes, marry in.¡± ¡°You''ll notice several rows of little black boxes, with ''trash'' written on the sides, lining the top floor of your warehouse. Start with one at a time in your void... There''s a lot in one of those boxes... Several more line lower floors with much different labels. I beefed up security measures on your lowest floor where I stored a good chunk of Tier VI goods and a small handful of Tier VII stuff of specific use to you. This is the last big haul, son. Every power out their has taken all the pie there is to slice. Make it count.¡± After another four hour hug and a kiss to the top of Wren''s head, Hiidan lead him to the martial training field. On the way Wren contacted Aaron by call mark. Wren said, ¡°Still alive and kicking. I''m sure your lovely trip was all you hoped it would be. I''m sure you''re just as equally thrilled I have survived.¡± Aaron replied smugly, ¡°True on all accounts. Otherwise, how could I enjoy the disappointment I expect to hear once you know I''ve slipped your leash. I''m not without appreciation. I''ve sent you a sizable amount of thank you gifts. Generous by anyone''s standards but I''m moving on to other things and the Brimstone Ark will be of invaluable assistance to me.¡± Wren chuckled while his father stopped walking to listen in with wrath on his face, then said, ¡°I would have been disappointed if you hadn''t slipped your leash, Aaron. Worried even... Black Samsara, activate. Heart of Obedience, hark and heed. Aaron, collect all your possessions and meet me in my void space alone. How long will it take?¡± Aaron replied in a hollow voice, ¡°Three minutes with the use of Brimstone Ark. A few seconds with the use of a distress return artifact.¡± Wren thought for a second then replied, ¡°Destroy active tracking devices aside from Brimstone Ark then activate the matrix with my signature on your astral body... Sorry, Pops. This will only take a minute or two.¡± Hiidan growled, ¡°No concern, son. Chastise your worthless servant well, to death if possible. I hope you wont mind me tagging along.¡± With Hiidan in tow, Wren arrived in his void space and moments later Aaron arrived as well. Before he addressed Aaron, Wren asked his father to be mindful of temper. If Hiidan were to get too angry and lash out, he could easily rip holes in Wren''s domain. Wren said, ¡°First, divide the cursed items into an appropriate container and hand them to Pops... Now place all valuables aside from the Brimstone Ark in your remaining containers and hand them to me in as orderly a manor as you can... Wow, Aaron, you managed to get your hands on quite the haul. Now relinquish control of the Brimstone Ark to me.¡± Aaron, who had been peacefully complying until that moment bucked and struggled against the affects of Black Samara and Heart of Obedience with the aid of the Ark but once Hiidan forced another, much stronger, samsara pill down his throat, Aaron was unable to do nothing but what Heart of Obedience compelled him to. Still, it took all he knew of infernal engineering and some experimenting before he felt his mind connect with Brimstone Ark. Once Wren had control he ordered, ¡°Merge with my domain and continue doing so until my domain has grown to accommodate you. You are an extension of my domain and it is an extension of you. The successors of my domain shall be your only new pilots indefinitely so merge your controls with my domain first. Cor and Alma may issue commands for as long as they are at my behest or in my interests if I am unable to confirm. Input manual of control to myself, Cor and Alma in as timely as is safe for the capacity of chosen operators.¡± Hiidan shook his head and smiled wistfully as he said, ¡°I would be lying if I said there wasn''t a small temptation to talk you into letting me hold on to that for safe keeping.¡± Wren said thoughtfully, ¡°I''d be lying if I said I didn''t think about having you do just that but when the mirror barrier falls I''ll need it to safely travel through iterations. Besides, now I have something to hide in that even Tier VIII existences would be leery of trying to breach... At least till they know who actually holds the reigns... ¡°Aaron, feed the power of your existence to any remnant of yourself that is still beholden to your oath to me. It would have been so much better for both of us, had I knew I could do that... You''ll never know just how much I had hoped you could have honored that oath. In a little over a hundred years I could have released you from it. I despise robbing others of free will but you... My hate for you is only rivaled by the stupid desire to find a way to redeem you... You have violated the most sacred of master and servant oaths. I request the highest penalty.¡± As Aaron was converted to purified liquid spirit essence, joined by streams from other places, Wren turned his back and shed a single tear for the irredeemable man with a haunting past only Wren himself now knew. Hiidan nodded somberly and said, ¡°It is good that you can do what needs to be done. It is equally good that you can feel the weight of that decision but I hope that his fate doesn''t overly hurt your heart. I have yet to encounter another so undeserving of someone''s tears.¡± Wren looked at his father and said softly, ¡°His life has been filled with betrayals. Many he brought upon himself but he learned to live the way that life taught him. He deserves to be mourned by someone. Who better than the last to betray him.¡± Hiidan sighed and said, ¡°I must disagree. A person who lives by the sword knows he will die by it, should be surprised if they don''t. I respect your sentiments, though. If one day, all that remained were my enemies when I died, I would welcome their sorrow at my passing as well. Hate should die with the hated... How did you get him to take in spiritual bindings?¡± Wren remained silent till all of Aaron was gone then said, ¡°His original augmentation. Those two spirit formation infused medicines were fed to me each time I became shackled to his side. There was a lot of dirty stuff in the mix I boosted Aaron with but most of it was removed by the resources I gave him to accomplish his mission. To keep him from getting paranoid by a lack of tricks, some of the medicine was bad but I knew he''d find them all... Let''s get going. Dwelling on this isn''t going to make it any easier for me.¡± After having his father help him sift through the remainder, finding a sealed box timed to reincorporate the small portion of Aaron''s spirit inside by drawing in surrounding resources, he sent on the organic stuff to Cor and Alma to distribute and the rest into the care of the golems. After triggering the box and feeding it enough essence to form a a protective layer around the soul core, he sent it on to whatever the future may hold for Aaron''s reincarnation. Blinking the box to his work desk, Wren exited his void, with father in hand, to the next destination. For a moment, Wren marveled how numb he felt. So much bad news and the sour dealings of the day just seemed to get stuffed into a box that seemed bottomless but Wren knew that was far from the truth. All that he''d went through to get were he was now wasn''t done with him yet either but there was a callus forming around the soft spots in his heart. It worried Wren that one day he''d truly cease to be a person who he could recognize but, for now, he had to soldier on till the butcher''s bill was due.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. As Wren and Hiidan stepped into the large warded room with a hard-packed dirt floor, all the fighting between four different men came to a sudden halt. The mature looking red winged and haired angel dropped to a knee then bent his head towards Wren. A younger angel, with the indelible stamp of the first but all hard lines and angles, stood still in paralyzed indecision. With a wink towards Wren, Teremun shifted to the side so that Wren could get a better look at the man partially hidden behind him. For the better part, Sable was recognizable under the idealized version of himself but the black silk skin, only hidden by a short kilt, was clear of ash colored flecks. The smoky green eyes and delicately curling, silver tribal marks that climbed his flank from under the kilt''s belt, gave Wren a strong dose of embarrassment. Troy, I''d like to give you an apology for all those years ago. If I was as mentally young as you were then, I''d probably have a look of horror on my face too right now. Who wants the world to see a walking billboard of your sexual fantasies? It''s mortifying. More so when some of those standing around know exactly where certain features come from. After a few short courtesies, Teremun and Hiidan led a somewhat reluctant Malus away. Wren endured the intense stares of the two men for an uncomfortable minute before Sable finally hugged Wren and whispered, ¡°From what I''ve been given to understand about my new state of being, I am very flattered I can still recognize myself in the mirror. I''ve grown quite fond of the markings as well. The eyes are a little jarring but seeing that you really did like my ears makes me happy. To think my most unwanted feature was part of-¡± Wren managed to work his hand over Sable''s mouth, blocking the breath that was causing his already burning ear to scorch. Supremely glad he was wearing one of his father''s creations instead of a TSSR suit, Wren returned the hug for awhile before he turned to get his emotions under control. With a few softly spoken words of gratitude over mutual survival and reunion, Wren turned to Petre. If Sable was a man built equally for business and pleasure, Petre was all business. Though there was nothing to recognize of Petre in features, there was a shadow of him visible through aesthetics. As he slowly walked towards the frozen angel, Wren started noticing a few striking differences from his maelstrom born father. Eyes like polished pennies and subtle streaks of gold in hair and wings would easily set him apart from his father''s baby blues and pure fire-truck reds. Malus'' scholarly form and light touch of accentuating pale androgyny were lost under lean muscle, sun-kissed skin and a surly disposition. Unsure of how welcomed it would be, Wren tentatively reached in for a hug and whispered, ¡°Thank you for saving me. Thank you more for coming back.¡± Wren suddenly found himself in a tightening vice-grip of arms as Petre buried his face in Wren''s neck and mostly managed to choke back a handful of sobs. Wren''s hands stroked the downy capped lower back while his breath stirred sensitive fluff where wing connected to powerful back muscles, causing Petre to experience an unexpectedly pleasant shiver before wings rippled and disappeared. After a handful of seconds, Petre released Wren and stood back in cool composure. It was as if the moment never happened if one overlooked the glassy, red-rimmed eyes and discrete adjustment of waist belt. Wren gestured for the two to get closer and blinked into his sitting room. Sable and Petre shared blank looks at Wren''s weary face as Wren flopped down into an overstuffed chair after blinking in a cask of spirit wine. Sable''s eyes brightened significantly at the familiar sight while Petre looked at the glass Wren handed him dubiously. Wren said, ¡°Not going to force the issue but you''re missing out. Ask Sable.¡± Sable chimed in, ¡°Who knows, Petre? You have told me that your life after the early years is distant and shadowed. Perhaps a break of routine for personal enjoyment with the one you have worked so hard in the name of, may invigorate and put color into your memories.¡± Petre took the glass and took a timid sip before looking at it sharply, licking his lips. Sable downed his and helped himself to a refill while Wren drank leisurely. Shutting out the emotional influx of nearby bonded, a sensation Wren hadn''t had in some time, he tried to get some equilibrium before tackling the knot the two in front of him represented. He didn''t believe he was ready but his entanglement with the two would only grow more complicated with time so rather than push it away, he decided to tackle it head on. Ready or not. Wren said, ¡°I''m not sure what to say or even how to approach the conversation we three need to have but it''s going to happen.¡± Sable chuckled and said, ¡°So your solution is to shake yourself loose and see what falls out? If that''s the case, why are we doing this here? It seems to me that a hot soak or your bedroom would be a better place.¡± The look of growing anxiousness pushing through Petre''s cool demeanor almost made Wren smile as he said, ¡°Delver ways of handling things may be efficient but I think a little more tact might be more appropriate. Knight may be the only one out of his group that didn''t but he wasn''t the biggest fan of Delver sensibilities.¡± Petre said a little frostily, ¡°I''m not this Knight fellow. I may have been him but I am no longer and haven''t been for a quarter century.¡± Wren wiped the mild shock from his face and said, ¡°You''ve been doing your insane routine since you were five!? Sorry. It''s better to stay on track at the moment... Petre, you represent a huge ball of confused feelings for me. I met Knight, got a ripped out piece of himself stirring up old feelings from another life before he took it back and disappeared. I thought he didn''t really want anything to do with me but then he accepted a bond my living manifestation threw to him. ¡°He still didn''t show up. I started thinking I should pack those feeling back up and file them away for good, giving a serious thought to seeing what me and Sable could be if I gave it a chance. Then a psychotic and powerful outsider tried to kill me and Knight shows up to block and buy time. His death meant there was something of me left to save. If he hadn''t, there''s a small chance something could have been left but it would be so little it wouldn''t really have been me anymore. If Sable hadn''t low crawled himself and Knight''s corpse into my domain, I may not have either of you two here right now and that would have nearly killed me again. What am I supposed to do with all of this?¡± Wren downed his glass poured another. As Petre was lost in brooding thought, Sable said, ¡°You had truly? Why did you never tell me?¡± Wren said, ¡°Life is messy and things rarely turn out the way they were planned but walking away from unfinished business to start up something else? That''s just sloppy self indulgence.¡± Sable slowly shook his head and replied, ¡°That is time both of us could have been living more fully. If your heart took you elsewhere, it isn''t as if I wouldn''t understand.¡± Wren''s insides clenched in frustration and as he forcefully relaxed he said, ¡°I appreciate the generosity and caring behind your offer but just because you give me permission to have your attentions when I want doesn''t make it right to... This has the ability to turn into a circular argument.¡± Sable slid out of his chair and took a knee on the floor, fist over his heart, as he said, ¡°I want you to hear me again, Wren. I am first your servant, second your friend because you desire it, third your lover if and when you desire it.¡± Wren noticed Petre getting ready to make some kind of similar gesture after having watched his and Sable''s discussion and stopped him with a hand gesture as Wren said to them both, ¡°At this very moment, I don''t want to hear what you''re willing to do for me. I''m deeply touched by the devotion that both of you have for me but that''s just it. What I want to know is what you want. Not what you consider enough. Not what you think you deserve or what''s even strictly possible. I want the bold, naked truth in your deepest parts, your greed and full desire.¡± Sable downed and refilled his glass twice before sitting on the floor and staring at the space between his folded legs. Petre stared into his glass and continued to nurse his drink, unconsciously taking larger and larger sips till he was staring at an empty bottom. Once Wren saw that the empty glass was holding more of Petre''s attention than the whirling thoughts in Petre''s head, he summoned another glass, filled it and replaced the empty one in Petre''s numb fingers. In the stretching silence, Sable cleared his throat nervously and said, ¡°All my life, I''ve had a shadow looming over me. It told me when to eat and sleep, when to work and train. It even told me when and whom I could lay with, handing out punishment and reward. Later I may have become the shadow for some but still a shadow loomed over me. I chafed at the collar of my master because I was allowed nothing of my own. Later I chafed at the collar because the son I knew suffered in misery under the shadow that loomed over us both. ¡°When you took me in, cared for my son and showered me with your generosity, I waited for the heavy price I believed such things would cost me, gathered what information I could to prepare myself... When I heard what Troy said, my heart bled for you a little I think... A few small and inconsequential things later and you offered me a chance to pursue a half formed dream before what I believed would be death. Once there, I was careless and brought difficulties upon your shoulders and not only did you not punish me but after resolving the crisis, it was as if I had done nothing but what you desired. ¡°As doubly I strove to find ways to deserve my place under your shadow, you offer me a path and power... Others you bound tightly to you but not me... A fear I did not recognize at that time squeezed my heart so I tied myself to you, fully well knowing it would only make you more anxious. Sable drained the glass in his hand yet again and reached for another and as his words took a soft edge, he said, ¡°I finally felt like I had found the way to earn the place you had already effortlessly given me. I did not expect that the place I had made in my heart for you would turn into a place only you could fill... I could tell you sensed it but don''t misunderstand. Your nearness, a smile I know was placed there by me, your pleasure and praise fill it. ¡°When I died and returned without your shadow over me, it felt harder to breath, the light too bright, sounds too loud. I know it for what it is but your shadow is a comfort to me, Wren. This is not some illness I seek to cure because I want to embrace it. ¡° As for the rest, spending time with my grandso-daughter and holding my great-granddaughter in my arms has greatly quelled my urgency. I will want a child one day but I am satisfied for now... I greatly desire to hold you again but this is a strong want, not a need. If the desire grows too great and you do not ask for comfort, then I will seek comfort elsewhere when I can. If the day comes that you may not seek my comfort again then I will ask to look for a wife. If after that, the day comes where you seek it again, my wife will already know and be accepting of it or she will have never become my wife... ¡°Lastly, the thought of you seeking to share your life with me, to give me a child as you say you can, induces in me a euphoria so delirious I try not to think of it. That is the only thing you could do that could truly hurt my heart, to offer then deny that... Oh!... Something that I would not enjoy giving that I believe you to want is lingering nearness and embracing during rest. I cannot sleep well and it dulls my responsiveness to sudden changes in environment. I only say so that if you seek comfort you are not hurt by my absence if you awaken before me.¡± Struck with a strong impulse to kiss the insecure feeling Sable, he froze midway out of his seat as Petre said barely above a whisper, ¡°The thought that brings Sable the greatest happiness brings me the least. The thing he wants the least I want the most.¡± After sending empathetic understanding and acceptance of desires at Sable, Wren turned to the once again silent Petre and prompted, ¡°It may not be easy but I want to hear it. I don''t expect it all to be pure and good and hearing your wants doesn''t automatically mean I''ll do everything to grant them but I won''t judge you either way. If I never hear it, though, how will I even be able to contemplate them much less try to fulfill them?¡± Petre looked at Wren defiantly, almost as if he dared Wren to retract his words as Petre said, ¡°Are you certain? Once said it can''t be unsaid and it would be much easier to accept only what you are willing to give if I never speak them and judgment is not so easy to withhold once some things are known.¡± Wren quelled the momentary whispers of the coward inside him and said, ¡°Yes.¡± Petre downed the nearly full glass in his hands and motioned for the desire of a refill, half choking and gasping a couple of time, before he started with teary eyes, ¡°On the day the memories of my previous life returned to me when I was five, in a panic, I nearly clawed my way through your wraps to see if you were truly there. Sable stopped me that day and as time passed my bond with you calmed me but the desire never fully went away. On days where it felt like I had pushed myself too far, when I was weary in more than body and mind, I wanted to tear my way through that hateful coffin of bandages and sleep with you in my arms till you awakened. After a night''s rest and some healing I would recover control and begin again. ¡°To know that I was Knight sickens me. He was petty, selfish and drowned in delusions because he couldn''t face reality. The one and only thing we can agree on is the lingering regret that he did not run away with you the day you asked him to. He knew exactly why you sent him to your sister but couldn''t forgive you because he would have rather died that day, not giving a thought to how such a futile defiance would make you feel. ¡°Even in his most self honest moments, he would blame what happened on his inclinations and so began to despise them along with you. He found a mortal woman and romanced her, joining in a joyless marriage that ended up making them both miserable. His daughter enjoyed his fatherly affections for a time but eventually couldn''t bear the stifling environment at home and ran away with a bard. If Mage hadn''t went through a phase of practicing divination spells, he would have missed the death of his last descendant. Fortunately for Assassin she did. After all this time it is an open secret. ¡°I know nearly nothing of the joys of flesh. The only time Knight had ever felt anything other than numb acceptance of unavoidable contact, the brief physical response of emotionless union or revulsion was the memories of him holding you as you cried, as you slept. The only time he felt the promise of more, the day he placed your hand on his belly and kissed you. The best and worst day of his life in one. Maybe because of that, I yearn for it in abstract but fear it more. After taking a couple large drinks of wine, Petre let out a long shaky breath and trudged on, ¡°Being separated from you is unbearable. Being forced to live beyond you would be unforgivable. In my day dreams I found a way to chain myself to you so that you could never walk away and leave me again. I used to have a reoccurring nightmare that the linens crumbled away and there was nothing inside or worse. The Deceiver and Black Magician, the one Teremun calls Gnarly, was waiting within to tell me he had killed you and took your place. ¡°Since you want the unadorned truth of me and my greed, you''ll have it. Every last tear you shed I would want to anoint my breast. Every weak and fragile moment I would have you spend in the circle of my arms where I knew the only limit to your safety is my own strength... I see you as Icarus. All you wanted is a greater joy in life but forces beyond you strike you down. ¡°I can see my truth gives you unease. I have no desire to lock you away and guard you like some dragon over his horde... Little desire, I have little desire to do so. I know the path of power is strewn with pain and suffering but I only want to be your vanguard, not stop you from walking it. What we know of each other is another life for both of us and I do not expect that you could see me as I want you to see me, the way you once did. It is only a hope that one day you might again. Silence descended again as Wren fought his way clear of indecision, looking for an answer to what he wanted, and from that, what he was willing to give in return. He was somewhat distressed by the obvious extremes they portrayed. That he was touched by it, made Wren realize he wasn''t exactly balanced himself. On one side, I have an institutionalized killer who loves the boss that gives him the structure he craves. On the other, I have an obsessive-compulsive who may never be satisfied with what I''m willing to give him until he grows tired of/disappointed in me or claims all that I am... Not judging though. The sickest one here is me because I want them both and I''m trying desperately to find a way to justify it that doesn''t make me feel bad. Well, they shared the ugly along with the good. Might as well be fair about it. Following suit, Wren drained and refilled his glass then said, ¡°I don''t know how the both of you see me or feel about me fully. We can talk till our tongues fall out and that would still be true for me. So I''m going to say my bit and if something applies to you then take it to heart and if it doesn''t then ignore it. ¡°I want both of you and I don''t want to feel bad about it but that''s not possible. Either I choose one of you and then want the other or I get both and feel guilty because I''m not giving you what I think you deserve. Sable, I like you in my shadow, literally and metaphorically but you have to know if I was any kind of good person, I should help you break free of that mindset but other than giving you what you want, up to what I feel is reasonable, I''ll probably never really try... ¡°Petre, I should encourage you to be your own person, try to help you see how unhealthy it is to be so attached and dependent on another for self validation but other than giving you what you want, within reason, I won''t try that hard with you either. The fact is, I revel in the attention. In a way that is no less unhinged, I feel safer and can offer so much trust because oath and illness bind the both of you to me so tightly.¡± As Wren struggled to bring up more from the muddy depths of his thoughts and feelings, Sable said, ¡°I can''t say I understand. Are you speaking of monogamy? Why must you intentionally attempt to inflict a mental illness upon yourself? My desire to serve you and support you as a friend are separate to my lust for you. The lust may wax and wane with time, for both of us. Do you see this as a diminishing of love? ¡°How could you so easily send me to slake my lust with strangers and speak of aiding me to seek a wife if you did... I truly hope it is not because you think my love for you is false. Maybe it is because I am Delver and you are not but why would you even think that is something that I would want from you? ¡°Neuter your desire because it is what I deserve if you choose me? Because I love you I would not want to see you unhappy because your body seeks another and you deny yourself. I would laugh in ridicule were it any but you who said it. Physical desire often does not align with the desires of the heart and rarely survives the test of time... The weak and peaceful often lust after the strong and warlike. The reverse is also true but rarely do such pairings last. Most lasting unions are based upon common interest and shared ideals. That is why the convention of ''comfort'' exists... I blame your lives with Jaden for this.¡± Wren gathered himself up to give defense and explanation but Petre interjected to say, ¡°I may not agree fundamentally with some points of Sable''s. It would be a joy to me if I were all you needed as I feel you to be all I need and some jealousy may form in me at the sight and thought of you with another but it would hurt more to know that you sacrificed any of your happiness for mine, more so your well being.¡± ¡°Wren, I know you want to say much but I think I may have something to explain that is important... It may be the first time I am actually glad that I possess so many of the memories that I do... When you chose me you were five and I was eight so my memories of those first years may be clearer. ¡°Not all maelstrom born have the same spiritual needs. There is a reason why maelstrom born have the ability to bond but some need it much more than others. Ones like my father need less outside help because angels attract and generate much higher amounts of life spirit, the gentlest and easiest to condense. Sable holds some sort of spiritual fire capable of strengthening the soul directly. It also helps him to purify and condense spirit essence. Ones like yourself have a greater tie to the maelstrom which grants more variety and strength of power but makes condensing essence much more difficult. ¡°Your mother wanted from your father what you seem to be wanting to offer to one of us. If your father had relented before our time he may not have become Tier VI. Had he not nurtured his bonds sufficiently, he may never had made it to Tier VII. Now once he became Tier VII, his bonds were not really needed but he did not desire to abandon those who had aided his journey as your mother demanded. With waning affection and your mother''s bond with your father having been parasitic rather than mutual, it is no miracle that it withered and died. ¡°I have built trust and camaraderie with Sable. It pains me to admit but it is true that Sable will benefit you in ways that I cannot. I may offer a stronger and faster condensing but Sable can purify and has a much greater capacity. It isn''t false to say that, with you as the bridge, we will even benefit each other. ¡°We will respect your decisions but know we have made peace with each other. To say we are friends is truth as well. The one I have difficulty accepting is Rozchereck. Sable disagrees. He insists that Troy warned him of your frenzies during sharing and of difficulties in satisfying needs. With the addition of your stronger connection to the Maelstrom, even I must admit he has been a useful tool to alleviate building pressure of condensed essence in the past few years.¡± As it appeared Petre might work himself into a bickering session about Rozchereck, Sable cut in and said, ¡°By coincidence or unknown design, we three compliment your needs well.¡± A shimmering of air produced the man in question who said, ¡°It is warming to be appreciated, Sable. I''ve lost the wager... I was certain that the first thing You would do is end the contraction of your domain''s passage of time.¡± Wren''s eyes went wide and quickly sent a thought to Cor and Alma to do just that, then said, ¡°Slipped my mind!¡± Zero Epilogue After everything was said and done, the complicated situation Wren thought he would be facing wasn''t nearly as difficult as he was making it out to be. Out of his three bonded only Petre was interested in a romantic relationship, equal parts relief and disappointment to Wren. Sable wanted the logically simple but emotionally complex relationship that heart-brothers represents and called dibs on Wren''s offspring since Petre didn''t seem interested. The request that blew Wren''s mind came from Rozchereck. From his memories, Wren knew that Rozchereck had always seemed determined to have a child with Wren despite the difficulties in past iterations, though it was never that clear why and always ended in tragic results. That desire hadn''t changed but the direction Wren''s ex-demon bonded was going to achieve it was radically different this go round. Apparently, Rozchereck''s forays into the fringes of celestial territory had gotten him the answers he was seeking and after getting Wren alone later in the day he was ready to lay it bare. Rozchereck said, ¡°I never explained the reason I had for trying so hard to knock you up before did I?¡± Wren replied blandly, ¡°No and you don''t have to. You know what happens when you manage it. So it''s off the table anyway.¡± With a tinge of desperation, Rozchereck rushed to explain, ¡°A long time ago, before I was imprisoned on Satyrus, I stepped into the Abyss from the Darkened Road. The only thing that I could remember of where I came from was that I had tried to commit the closest thing to suicide that demons can do, step into primordial chaos from the Darkened Road. Someone who referred to herself as Lady Love knocked me back onto it. Before she disappeared she told me that once I had found my way out and had recovered enough, she would visit me again. ¡°It was centuries of struggling for survival before I had a vivid dream of her telling me that a songbird would come to my hands and through that, a child who would return to me all that I had lost. I would have played it off as my desires manifesting themselves were it not reoccurring from time to time with the occasional piece of insight into the current situations that I was facing. In short, following those dreams I was imprisoned on Satyrus. I was there long enough to forget my dreams or discount them as delusion until you fell into my hands. ¡°Each time we returned to the Abyss or assimilated into surviving counterparts there, the dreams would return and it would alter our relationship, allow me to clear my head of demonic impulse. I would begin to see you as more than just a slave, for the gift you truly are. The rest you know but the reason why you couldn''t give birth is simple. You weren''t a Tier VI. ¡°I know our relationship isn''t the same as those iterations and you have greater ties to others. I know my status among your other bonded isn''t that good and insisting for you to try again once you''re strong enough, even if you agreed, would likely ruin what little goodwill exists between us and them for me. Knowing that, I''m going to ask something different. I''m already Tier VI and though it distresses me a great deal, to be restored to what I once was and to have the child I was denied the possibility of loving so many times, I will accept curse twisting to conceive it with you.¡± Wren sat in stunned silence for a considerable amount of time as Rozchereck stared at him in anxious intensity before Wren finally said, ¡°I remember you telling me on more than one occasion that you would rather die than be made a woman for the use of another man and I knew you meant it. You also know me better than anyone on this side of the mirror barrier aside from my own father. Over time and with enough sincerity it wouldn''t be impossible for you to convince me to do this one thing for you after I''m Tier VI. It''s not like I don''t carry any feelings for you and the loss of our child is something that haunts me as well. So tell me why. Why are you in such a rush to make it happen you''d be willing to cross one of your own bottom lines?¡± Rozchereck stood up and walked over to the standing mirror and looked at himself. The man''s gradual transformation had reached the point where, if you ignored the small golden ram horns, his appearance could easily be mistaken for the love child of some ancient viking and a Native American rather than some supernatural entity. To give lie to that, a massive set of spur capped, russet and black wings briefly materialized then stretched out before fading away. Still inspecting himself critically in the mirror, Rozchereck said, ¡°Due to an oath I cannot reveal the source but the prerequisite to have the child of my visions returned to us, the child who was meant to be ours, requires two conditions to be met. The first is it must be our child, Wren, yours and mine. The second is that it must be while we are still between two metaphysical worlds. For me that means between celestial and demonic. For you, it''s less clear but time is just as limited if not more so.¡± Though it blind-sided him, Wren considered seriously as he said, ¡°I need to consult Pops and Sable about a few things but as long as I don''t find a compelling reason not to I won''t say no. It''s a bit sudden and I haven''t been returned to the land of the living for that long but if this will give us the kid we lost a chance to be then I wouldn''t want my reluctance to be the reason it couldn''t happen.¡± Rozchereck nodded and replied, ¡°I''ll consult Sammy and await your answer in the astral realm portion of your domain. Perhaps it''s not fair of me to feel this way but I do not wish any other than you to see me twisted. As you know, the small time I have spent twisted before was the lowest point of those lives and sorely tested my will to live.¡± Wren ignored the blatant attempt to pressure him that Rozchereck was levering by taking consent for granted. On some levels Wren could even empathize but it wouldn''t stop him from making the choice to wait or even outright deny the ex-demon if there was need. Wren had made a promise to himself to avoid rash decisions and he planned to keep it. The merciless and painful lessons that had accompanied the consequences of past actions had all but murdered the self-indulgent spirit inside of himself. To emphasize the point, Wren took a small nap and ran some healing through the stiff and rough places within himself before seeking Sable''s council. Unsurprisingly, Sable was more intrigued than reluctant to the idea. He even added that if this was to be the way of things, it would not harm matters by giving the theoretical child in question a sibling to grow with. After bluntly offering to do all but have the child himself, Sable concluded the idea was just that and there was no need for Wren to dwell on it if two children at once would be too much of a burden. Wren took a moment to toss a ''trash'' box into his void space and marveled with a bit of cold sweat on his brow at how full just one box had made the space when it popped open. Turning from the spiritual overview, Wren cataloged some key material and artifacts in his warehouse before calling out to his father. When there wasn''t an immediate answer, Wren prepared to exit his domain before a warning from the Brimstone Ark stopped him from stepping out. Seconds later, Wren received a request from Hiidan for his and Teremun''s entrance. As they appeared, Wren said anxiously, ¡°What''s going on out there, Pops?¡± Hiidan returned an awkward smile and said, ¡°Well, since you have an ark of your own, Thoth untethered you from his. We''re on the nothingness side of the divide between where Origin''s reality was and what remains so it''s the safest place you can be to-¡± Teremun cut in, ¡°Lack of sugar coating, Gnarly want''s your ass more than a sailor on shore leave wants a hooker. Gramps has an appointment to keep and doesn''t really want the painted target on his boat while he''s gone. Not when you''re perfectly fine on your own.¡± Hiidan gave his younger son a bland look and resumed, ¡°The up side is you are no longer synchronized with any particular time. Since my main body is still in reality, I can give a time space coordinate. You can spend as much or as little time as you want within your domain to prepare and I can give entrance back to reality at any point after you were untethered to before any major time-space altering event which stands at the Great Merge that will occur after the mirror barrier falls. Was there anything you wanted to do inside reality before then?¡± Wren said, ¡°I wanted to extend an invitation to the rest of my surviving friends and do a bit of recruiting among the Delvers. I was thinking about sniffing around for a few more suitable supernatural creatures to extend a hand to as well since Satyrus is going to become increasingly more hostile to them with time.¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Hiidan and Teremun shared a look before the heterochromatic eyed man said, ¡°What are little bros for? I''ll do it. If you were feeling nice enough to let me set up digs in a nice quiet spot inside your void space once it grows large enough to start having calm eddy spots, I''ll call us even.¡± Hiidan assured Wren, ¡°I have confidence in your brother''s abilities of discernment and persuasion.¡± Getting the distinct impression they wanted to keep him squirreled away in his domain and willing to do the legwork he wanted, Wren took the hint with grace and accepted. After some detailed instructions on what Wren was looking for and the oaths he expected of those who took him up on his offer, he set his brother loose. After collecting his thoughts, Wren turned to his father. With a little hesitance, Wren gave a breakdown of his situation with Rozchereck and Sable then said, ¡°As far as you can tell, is there any reason I shouldn''t?¡± Hiidan looked at Wren helplessly and said, ¡°Physically, after a couple days to shake loose you''ll be as good as you''ve ever been. Mentally, I have no clue. Having a kid is pretty much always a big deal, at least it should be, but that''s just my opinion. Frankly, there''s never going to be a good time to have kids but I''d say this is the best time you''re ever going to have. That said, I''m going to hibernate in your void space until you''re bored to death of your domain and are ready to face the merge.¡± With advice out of the way and possible new additions to his domain, Wren threw himself into preparations and gave his affirmative to Rozchereck and Sable. *** ¡°Is it alright to leave him in the dark like this Pops?¡± Teremun said with a dubious look on his face. Letting loose a sigh into the deep void, Hiidan communicated back, ¡°This is the only way Little Sprite saw Wren having any semblance of a happy life before the merge. Better bored than dead.¡± Teremun said, ¡°I''ll never fully trust a seer. Even the best of them are bat-shit crazy.¡± Hiidan carefully placed a reassuring hand on Teremun''s shoulder and said, ¡°I know she has her own angle, son. Unlike most, hers is easy to understand. She gets her mom and dad back when the Lilly and Jaden she wants takes primacy after the merge. Then she gets a rebirth reboot to restore her lost sanity. Who I''m worried about is Thetus. I know it''s not right to have favorites but out of my grandchildren, he''s the one most like myself when I was young.¡± Teremun rubbed his temples and said, ¡°All this reincarnation, iteration and transmigration crap is way over my head.¡± Hiidan chuckled then said, ¡°It''s not all that much clearer to me. Don''t dwell on it too much. It''s not like this reality''s rules are going to matter much longer anyway. Just remember not to mess around in Prime Earth''s universe. The rest were creations of Origin but that place is much older. I can''t understand what insanity prompted Satyra to join her domain with it but what do I know? I only ever got good at hurting and killing stuff.¡± Teremun''s anger and frustration surfaced for a moment before he released it in a helpless sigh then said, ¡°All those lives collapsing into unreality till only a prime remains. Those who still exist won''t even remember because it will be like they never were. I can''t figure out if being one of the exceptions is a good or a bad thing.¡± Hiidan gently squeezed Tereman''s shoulder and said, ¡°I''m not an ''ignorance is bliss'' kind of guy. You''ve only been around for a short time. Consider that the difference and that your knowledge is a good thing.¡± *** The transition from reckless and hot blooded youth to a cautious adult with heavy responsibilities and goals had been a hard and bloody one for Troy but several exits from the stream of time to grow in the Dreaming had helped immensely. Each time the burden of loss or the vicissitudes of life threatened to drown out the fire in his heart or the song in his soul, he''d take a long vacation in the nourishing arms of the outsider that had mysteriously subordinated itself to him. Dizzy, as Troy came to call them, was just as much a place as a ''person''. They were a sentient sub-dimension of the extremities at the edges of the theoretically infinite Astral Plane known to its inhabitants as The Great Dream. Troy never really got to a point where he felt he truly understood what Dizzy was or where they came from. He did figure out that The Great Dream really wasn''t a place where you could go so much as it was a place people found themselves in or their consciousness to be more specific. It was a realm where people received inspiration and portents of the future. Troy saw it as a place for the minds and souls of artists and crazy people. The former not excluded from the latter. As a person whose abilities almost solely functioned off of intuition, Troy realized without Dizzy he would have become ridiculously old before he was able to break the limits of mortality to reach ascendance, if ever. The likelihood of total insanity before that was even greater. He also knew that something out there, whatever it was, saw a potential in him worth nurturing and dreaded what the expectations where behind this seeming altruism. *** Trauart, Artie to his family and Ray Ray to anyone who asked him what he wanted to be called, alternatively loved and hated his life in equal and extreme measure. After almost killing himself and the first and only true friend he had ever made, the one who called him Ray Ray instead of the awful nickname that everyone else seemed to like to use, Trauart realized just how fragile life was and just how dangerous and difficult his ''gifts'' were to use. Sure, he could go anywhere he''d ever been with a thought but taking others with him safely required planning and unbroken concentration. Yeah, he could mold and shape just about everything around him but he was far from an artist and didn''t really understand how things were put together so it was more accurate to say he could creatively break stuff. The best thing was being able to take crazy amounts of stuff with him wherever he went but it was a downer that if he forgot things or they spent too much time ''inside'' they just disappeared. From the time he could read and write, Trauart started keeping a notepad with him that had two parts to it. The first part was the things he had ''inside'' and small descriptions of places that he had been that he liked so he wouldn''t forget. It helped a lot and eventually he developed a love of the thing called lists. That love eventually developed into a journal filled with all kinds of lists and one day Trauart realized that his entire life, in all its facets, was discernible from that journal. Scared that he would lose it or it would get messed up, he started keeping that ''inside'' too but it was the one thing he''d never forget. That and his friend Jeremy who he sometimes could feel the presence of like his friend was just in the next room. Of all the weird things in his life, the feeling of Jeremy being around was one of his few comforts. At least it used to be. Lately, Trauart would feel that Jeremy was scared or miserable. Sometimes his friend even seemed to be in pain and wanting to die but Trauart didn''t know what to do about it. Wherever Jeremy was, even his hero Mr. Mom wasn''t able to find his friend but Grimalkin told Traurt that there were a couple more options left to explore. Trauart knew that was code for using the ''bad people'' contacts from Mr. Mom''s work. If that''s what it took to find Jeremy, Trauart was scared for his friend. If, after that, they still didn''t know where Jeremy was then Thetus would be their last hope and after what happened to Rina, Thetus didn''t seem to care about much of anything anymore. ¡°Wherever you are Jer, just hang on.¡± *** He didn''t remember how many times the lab coats had sent him through the ''crack''. Worse, he didn''t know how much time he''d spent in this twisted place of nightmares. He easily remembered how many had come with him here, forty-three. Out of which, only thirteen remained. The rest had either died here or became strange and silently disappeared from the roster. In this place, his ''party'' would pander to him and try to get in his good graces but back in ''the rooms'' hardly anyone wanted anything to do with him. His ability was healing so it wasn''t that big of a surprise when someone died, ultimately it would somehow become his fault. In the beginning he felt guilty. After the Russian kid that everyone called Tank and used to beat the crap out of him a few times at the beginning of their missions together died, he stopped caring whether people believed he tried his best or not. He wasn''t sure himself anymore, especially after he figured out he could do more than just heal but he was determined to keep all that a secret from these other miserable souls who''d do anything to stay alive, to escape. He didn''t hate them, even the mean ones. After all, how was he any different? After countless times of getting attacked by the various nightmares, getting worn out and napping in turns, the lab coats must have noticed that the makeshift base had enough ''samples'' and other various resources. Everyone''s recall alarm sounded on their wristband and with it, various reactions from subdued cursing to relieved sobs sounded out as well. After a few people were hooked by the ''gaff'' and drawn back to reality a high pitched whine permeated the air. Once it had died enough for everyone to uncover their ears, Jeremy and the rest that remained looked at the severed ''gaff'' and only half collected resources with slowly dawning horror. No one had ever returned after a distortion during retrieval. The new arrival place would be radically different. They were trapped here and there was zero chance of returning. That would make one or two of them happy since they were turning strange, already damned either way, but Jeremy wasn''t. He was so close to finding a way to escape. Now he was trapped here with a half dismantled team, with already dangerously low food and water in the second most dangerous drop zone he could remember. He just felt fatalistic and numb.