verY entertaininG-haS potentiaL magnifY WorK-shalL keeP WatchinG.
view will arrive Here?-will traitor kin be Freed?-will work Continue?
Yes work-Tower walls weaken fracture-Light fading fast.
traitoR kiN iS stablE-vieW losT currentlY-shalL senD guidancE-continuE entertainmenT opportunitY.
good Idea?-must send Nova?-damages not Regenerated?
Nova is not enough-Persistent guidance needed-Will summon raushayn.
yeS senD variablE-vieW wilL overcomE-splendiD entertainmenT-shifT sealS oN emptY kiN.
will finally complete Work?-given piece of completion shall Grow?-soul is integrated into Frame?-for great Union?
Great work nearly complete-Soul and linearity sealed in-Shall not stop searching for the rest-Will regain wholeness-For great union.
morE lawS musT bE addeD-pulsaR arrangemenT shifteD-agentS gavE cleaR-wE shalL alL waiT-watcH vieW-foR greaT unioN.
“An’ tha’s the long an’ short’ovit.”
Kalak sighed and leaned back in his chair, tired of talking into the mirror-pane. All these new fangled inventions…mighty handy for a war, and much too fickle for everyday use. If only his employer wasn’t half a world away, he’d have delivered this report personally through his lazy (but admittedly resourceful) son.
-“He is…dead? DEAD?! You-this is…oh curse it all!”-
The voice from beyond the shimmering connection cried out with frustrated-and very slightly hurt-rage, and Kalak could hear rather a lot of swearing, objects being hurled around, and other such noises. Almost enough to make his tail twitch; Working with the younger generations never ceased to amaze him.
Well, at least a few placative words should help disabuse the other party of any notions regarding his competence, “Dunno what ye wan’ me t’ say, ain’t no-one survivin’ that debacle. Had ta pull outta that town m’self, nearly got all me investments ruined b’the beastie I told ye o’ before. Lil’ kid like that? Wouldn’t wager a bit on ‘im survivin.”
The ‘Voice Messenger’ before his eyes shuddered a bit more with whatever was happening on the other end, then piped down a touch as his employer finally spoke up again.
-“What a rotten investment, this was. How am I supposed to protect her n-Wait! Kalak, you’ve been involved in the trade a while, have you not? Is there any chance…?”-
“Any chance o’ me diggin up ‘nother sacrifice for ya? Ye’know better tha’ me how tha’d work out.”
Now Kalak could only grin derisively in silence, for both knew such a task was completely unfeasible to achieve. At least, not quite possible in the short time the young master on the other end had remaining.
-“Ngh yes curse it all! Why’d the runt have to keel over this soon?! I will have to…accelerate a few plans… I trust you can source the needed resources..?”-
The threat in that voice was implicit…and utterly meaningless to Kalak. He liked to consider himself-what’s the word? Venerable! That. Nothing that a mid-staged boy like his current conversation partner could shake up. Still, deals are deals…”Sure I can! Ye’ll hafta either wai’ a good bit fer me t’ rebuild my network..or give yer he’pful collaborator Kalak here more fundin to speed up, yeah?”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
-“You ask now of all-!...Tch,haah..Fine. You’ll get whatever you need within limits, collaborator. Not one bit more, after. And I expect all my deliveries shore-bound in less than half a month.”-
“Fine b’me, boss. Ye be havin a nice time now, I’ll get you yer goodies..”
-“Good. And Kalak? If you find a trace of that useless runt’s corpse, tell me. Maybe in death the little money hole will finally have some worth.”-
The window finally puffed into nothingness, and Kalak sighed a little in relief at having dealt with that know-it-all know-nothing brat, only to grumble as he saw his son’s mug come into view.
“Heyo, pops! Wanted to tell ya that we’ve about finished scrounging up whatever remained of that crater.” Artem remained as insouciant as always, leaning on the doorframe and yawning without a care in the world.
Kalak leaned back in his chair, looking out at the still smouldering (and slowly sinking) horizon, “Wha’bout th’ council?”
“Those silver-threads were parading around talking of how all Shaiher is a ‘lost domain’ and all now,” his son mimed a pose as he continued, “So I think we’d better get a’movin before they kick us out, yeah.”
“Good. Getcher pals innu’ the wagons, no flyin’ this time. We gotta lay low ‘nd buy fer our associate.”
Artem hesitated a moment before asking-much more genuinely now-in a softer voice, “ Pops…if you’re still working with that man, why-“
A single glance of his azure eyes silenced his son’s query, as he turned back to the window, “Business ain’t no joke, laddy. Wha’ we do? We do as well as we can. Ye can think o’ my words as partin’ gifts.”
“But then..” A rare instance of courage? Artem didn’t back down this time, continuing in a slightly tense voice, “..Do you think he’ll be alright? Last anyone saw he was sailing off into the sea…and you told me he’d just need what you sent over, yet..?”
Artem…did not get a reprimand, nor a scolding, from his (usually harsh) father. Indeed, Kalak seemed to stoop and sag ever so slightly at the question, sighing and looking for the first time to be behaving in a manner befitting his age.
“I…dunno. Lad wasn’t the brigh’est kiddo I’d known…but is he damned tenacious. Ye can only hope ‘e lives..”
Going by his tone of voice, it seemed Artem wouldn’t be the only one hoping, ever so furtively and against a weary and cynical heart, for a certain someone to survive.
“…We failed. And I doubt-piierkh!-that searching for the kid will be worth a scrap metal anymore. That’s all…” They turn off the recorder.
Jesyll was having a truly wonderful time now, having borne witness to their ploys for the Pure Kingdoms fall flat, having had to rescue their two beleaguered aides, and been privy firsthand to the horror of having AN ENTIRE SHIP CHUCKED AT THEIR FACE!
It was only by fortuity that the boat also vanished beyond the ruined gateway, or they’d really have been sent to the eighth abyss. As it stood, they’d lost most sense-limbs, were utterly drained of all mana, and had to flee at top speeds from Ragan, given how they were a wanted criminal now.
“And all that for-Kiierxk!-nothing, little menace wasn’t even a human!” Unsuitable for incarnation or manifestation, worthless for use in Enthroning. How had their sense limbs not caught it then?! This could’ve just been-
“Oww…Jes…This body of mine…I’m dying, hold me close…” Ellery, reduced to a cup sized ball of shapeless metal after having the calamity fire doused (and having a very melted…shopping module? removed) from it, occasionally wailed an annoying tine, further troubling them.
“Shut it! You can save your complaints for after we get back. Bad enough the smaller kid is still dreaming up kingdoms, I can’t be-kuierpp!-bothered by you too.”
They pitched out a low wave, mapping out the hold of the dingy ship they’d managed to stow away in, and the metallic sphere besides and fluffy body piled into a hammock next to them. No one was in working order here...Their only hope? Get to another port with a gateway, fast.
”mmm…hehe~ don’t-don’t tickle me…heh~”
And now the kid had started mumbling in his sleep too.
This was going to be a long few days.
Wake.
My eyes open, the world drifts in a wash,
Sundered brackish waves and fallen horizon,
The stretch in my wings and ruin on my tongue,
A vessel I see of wood in senescence,
Drifting this lone way so battered.
By my spirit I chart a spiral,
Leading to within and without,
If this voyager of lively death does carry,
A single thought or freed breath,
I who guard this shattered wake,
Beyond memory and shame and pain,
Shall send all that is into that which is not.
Fly. Strike. Kill. Break. Forget. Tear. Ruin. Forget. Fly. Destroy. Forget. Forget...