OOCS, Into A Wider Galaxy, Part 631

First

Tread Softly Around Sorcerers

“Okay, what’s with all the blinking?” Torn’Satha the Larger asks as Barraz’Xor is looking baffled at something.

“It’s the Undaunted in The Dark Forest. All The Forests are much more connected now, but you still sense from your own much, much clearer. If it’s all like being in the same house, then your Forest is the room you’re in. You can look into and talk to people in other rooms, but but it’s always much clearer in your own.”

“What are they doing?”

“A bunch of them are on Centris now that a proper garden is set up over there and a few of them are being ‘proactive’ and digging into what’s known about the things they’ve got like Matriarch Syndrome. But haven’t really named yet in formal terms. They’ve got a lot of things like that and are not actually naming a lot of things because their lawyers are advising them against it due to the obvious names having pretentious or religious sounding names.” Barraz’Xor says before rolling his neck.

“Such as?”

“They think your Rival thing with your other half of the family is empowered or enabled by what they call The Other Direction in more formal documents, but a lot of people agree could be called The Spiritual Realm or The Great Beyond.”

“What is it?”

“It’s another energy field that lives by it’s own rules. Like Axiom but so much more powerful and acting so differently that if you try to channel it into something designed to use Axiom you get a couple minutes of extreme power, but you break whatever you’re using it with. Like melting it from the inside out breaking. Basically, it’s apparently where souls go and where you can find the afterlives and such. But it turns out Astral Hargath are on the other side too and they’re damn vicious to anything they find in there. Tearing apart anything alive that tries to use the energies.”

“Wait, the stuff that the human with the weird face markings showed off when he was with the Wimparas Primal?”

“Yeah, that stuff.”

“Didn’t he wave his arm in it for a second and bring it back with chunks torn out?”

“Yep.”

“Damn. Is there no safe way to use it?”

“Apparently the human face markings convert the energy of The Other Direction into Axiom so that’s useful. No matter how little is in an area he always has enough to do whatever he wants.”

“Null would take longer to clear.”

“Yes, but as a human that’s far less of an issue.”

“So... there’s another energy field, one that’s basically protected. Tech gets cooked, and people get eaten if they mess with it. How did anyone figure anything about it at all?”

“The Undaunted say currently classified.” Barraz’Xor remarks with a frown. “Is it really...? Yes, hunh. That is annoying.”

“What?”

“... I can’t pry it out. That’s kinda annoying. But useful. It’s an occasional worry that Sorcerers don’t have privacy from other Sorcerers and being reminded that it’s not an actual issue is a relief.” Barraz’Xor says.

“So...”

“Now find where he went and apologize to your brother!” The Voice echoes out again and Torn’Satha the Smaller’s eyes widen again.

“How does she shout without actually shouting?” The Sorcerer Boy asks.

“Apparently that’s something you just pick up when you’re head of the family.” Torn’Satha the Larger replies calmly. There is the clack of heels on polished tiles seconds before Warli’Satha marches around the corner, sees the people right in front of her and her eyes widen for only a moment before narrowing and marching up.

“So you are NOT intimidated?” She asks plainly.

“If I was scared of you, you would be dead.” Torn’Satha the Smaller states.

“You do not have the bearing of a killer.”

“Considering that I actually fit the legal definition of a mass murderer...”

“Who?”

“Uh hello? Sorcerer? Supple Satisfaction, massive scandal and currently the ships that were holding the ‘suspects’ are being raided en-mass and emptied of their ‘cargo’.”

“I was requesting names.”

“How about no? Besides, I didn’t make a point of learning the names. I just made a point of finding the faces I recognized from the ‘customers’ I was forced to ‘entertain’ and then I grew mushrooms inside them until they popped.” He then notices the wild look that Torn’Satha the Larger is giving him. “What?”

“How many?”

“Eight personally. We had to share a bit. So I took the ones I got and made it nice and slow.”

“Uh...”

“I took notes from The Bonechewer! I kept them alive until...”

“That’s enough.” Warli’Satha remarks.

“Until a full five minutes passed after the popping, so they would get all the feelings of helplessness that I did.” Torn’Satha the Smaller says driving it home as he leans forward and she cranes her neck up a bit to match his gaze from atop his larger double’s shoulder.

“Are you proud of yourself?” Warli’Satha asks.

“Yes. I am. Do you have a problem with that?”

“You are a child. Your experience with blood or a broken bone should be limited to accidental scrapes or hearing how an older relative did something absurd and paid the price. That you have reaped a toll of blood and vengeance is simply wrong.” Warli’Satha says and Torn’Satha the Smaller blinks in surprise. “And what is so confusing?”

“You’re really different now.”

“Now I don’t have to deal with that putrescent pain in the posterior. Of course my mood is lightened.” Warli’Satha replies tightly. “Now... allow me.”

She reaches up and he rears back a little and she moves much more slowly to pluck him off his taller counterpart’s shoulder. “There, now that’s not so bad.”

She pulls him in closer and gives him a hug. “Do not let my hatred of the wretched Bruna’Rella cloud your judgment of me. My duty is to the Satha family and you are still part of it. The ambiguity of your exact nature is no concern of mine.”

“Then why did you go out knowing you could run into her.”

“Because no one else takes her seriously or will counter her properly. You never know what she is capable of!” Warli’Satha insists. “Now, let us see you to mother. She is attending to her noble duties, but the care and preservation of the family is equal to sitting in counsel.”

“Come.” She says and Torn’Satha the Smaller sends out a question to The Dark Forest and there is a question and he nods physically and mentally.

•-•-•Scene Change•-•-• (The Dauntless Mess Hall, Centris•-•-•

The Medical Officer laughs loud and hard as the newly altered Soldier guzzles down water and then he pushes over the carton of milk. “Use that instead! It helps clear the spice rather than spread it around!”

Christos says gaily and then raises an eyebrow as another soldier, the dark skinned and bleached blond Immeghar walks up. “Judging from that piercing gaze I am of some interest of yours. You do know that I am not on shift at the moment and you would be better served heading to a medical bay than approaching a medic at lunch.”

“This isn’t about that. It’s about that other ability of yours.” Immeghar states and Christos frowns a little.

“I am going to assume not killing and... oh. That. You know, it was a very strange thing to learn it was not a normal awareness. I thought the people who did not know what was within bags or boxes were merely playing coy.” Christos says. “Is this urgent, or may I finish my meal?”

“It’s not, but it is important. We have another potential data-sets for studying your odd ability and would like to use yourself and Specialist Racz as baselines to get a proper reading beforehand. Check our equipment.”

“Seems simple enough. Will you be using the Jamesons as well?”

“They’re both overworked so we’ll be testing smaller hand portable units to scan them quickly and otherwise not interfere with their breaks.”

“Overworking fools.” Christos says with a chuckle. “Ah well, better too strong and in too good a shape than simply rotting and melting over an overstuffed chair. Plenty of health issues either way, but less risk for those in shape.”

“Right, so mind meeting up in Room Twenty Eight Starboard in a half hour?”

“Easily doable.”

•-•-•Scene Change•-•-• (Sheritas Community, Level 166 Gallia Spire, Centris)•-•-•

“It still kinda blows my mind that houses can be so much bigger on the inside.” Javra says as she flutters around.

“Space is at a premium around here, so a way to finagle more space in it is better. Especially with these safeties that mean we won’t be crushed alive if we’re nulled in our sleep.”

“I think you my first clients that have ever actually had experience with null and a legitimate concern for it.” The Realtor notes. She’s been shockingly stable and to be honest, unimpressed with the group as they had toured three other potential family homes before this. It probably helps that she was a clear specialist in dealing with more martial families for selling homes too and martial means that the more exotic and unusual personalities come out.

“This is still happening? I get my own room and everything?” Rain asks sounding somewhat uncertain.

“If this is the place we go with. It certainly fits in our size needs, both for now and later.” Harold says.

“And it’s tough and robust. I recognize some of these reinforcement totems in the walls from my time in Grandmother’s Fleet.” Giria notes.

“Oh? And who is your grandmother?” The Realtor asks politely. “I can recommend a few custom shops if you wish for a family crest to be...”

“I’m referring to my Ancestress Thassalia The Lady of War.” Giria says and the Cloaken woman who currently looks like a pale pink Miak is suddenly a blue haired Tret as she blinks rapidly and quickly rethinks. She turns to Harold and smiles.

“You must feel quite safe marrying into such a powerful...” She begins and Harold taps the blue marking on his forehead and causes his stealth to fade. She stares for a moment. “Saint Redblade. Oh. Uhm... if you would like, I can probably swing a much cheaper and larger home nearer to a Primal Temple if it suits you.”

“We’re not here for that. We’re here for a quiet, easily defended community. We’re going to be moving around a lot. All of us are. This is going to be, home base. Having a home next to a temple will have expectations of showing up, to say nothing of the fact that pilgrims and the like will want to take a look at the children and foist expectations and prejudices on them. They’re going to face those kinds of things no matter what but holding off as many as we can is just the smart thing to do. Better to have people who actually care for them be the ones who push them to be what they can be in one direction or another.”

“Oh, has something happened with your... no, I apologize, forget I asked. Sorry.” The Realtor apologizes.

“Hey! There’s a great place for a Workshop here!” Dumiah calls out.

“Yes! The entire Easter Rear Wing of the building contains the most reinforced and well ventilated parts of the building for the express purpose of housing things like vehicles, armoured suits or armouries! This community, the Sheritas has actually derived it’s name from an old Lopen Word in the language known as Galfarth. Itas meaning warrior and Sher meaning something is resting. This community is the Warriors Rest.”

“Yes you mentioned that earlier.” Winifred says gently.

“Well it bears repeating. Your neighbours are warrior clans and you can begin building your own in this place and...” The Realtor begins and the door opens. Everyone turns and there is marching from the entrance hall until a soldier walks up and salutes at Harold.

“Sir, I need your permission to scan you.”

“For?”

“Your familial traits sir. We have another encounter undergoing through the Sorcerers and would like to compare data points with our most up to date tools and with the freshest observations we can.”

“Alright. I’ll continue standing right here. Scan me three times each with a triple redundancy. Right now my stealth or veiling is deactivated. Leaving only the energy transformation and the effect on my eyes. After the third scan I will relax my control over the veil and you will scan me again. Then I will empower it to the utmost and you will scan again. Three times each. Understood?”

“Yes sir.” The Soldier states and a green beam passes over Harold three times. Then he just sort of... stops standing out. All his strange facial features, his powerful build and intense presence are all there. But it’s... not important. He’s just a guy. Which is plenty important but...

The third scan of the second set ends and he’s just... not. The Realtor blinks in shock and tries to see him but there is nothing to see where he was standing. Nothing at all. Something is blocking the scanning beams and... it’s not important. She’s looking for a man and there is nothing there and...

It passes over nothing a third time and suddenly Harold is there again.

“What was that?! There was no Axiom use!” She demands and Harold turns his head to offer her a small smile.

“Exotic ability. They’re scanning me as I use it because they think they’ve stumbled on another and fresh data to compare it to will help.”

“Oh.”

•-•-•Scene Change•-•-• (Previouisly Hidden Compound, Beneath a Small House, Town of Lakemont on an Eastern Archipelago, Lilb Tulelb)•-•-•

Apuk claws slam into the control console and the head is lowered as he leans forward. His horns touch the glass of the cloning tube as he WRESTLES with himself for control. A fury blacker than anything he has felt in centuries boils up as he shakes and twitches to try and control it. Metal tears under his grip and the glass cracks then chips as he wrenches his head back to try and control his breathing as he sees the tiny figure floating in the cloning tank.

Vines, branches and leaves start slowly tearing themselves out of the control panel, out of the walls and out of the floor. At the will of other who are otherwise keeping a respectful distance internal components of the panel vanish to reappear on Serbow. It is a good strategy, a reasonable thing to do, information can be power and so he gives them a count of ten seconds. Then he rips the panel to either side and grabs the container hard enough to break it. The cloning fluids drain out in a soupy puddle that smells like a freshly born baby and antiseptic as the tiny figure inside drops.

And lands in the arms of the still furious Sorcerer.

“They remade you using my flesh. At THEIR behest.” Brin’Char says in a shuddering tone. “No. They did not. They tried. They tried to make a mockery of you. But they have only handed me another son.”

He turns around and stalks his way out of the now slowly collapsing building as vine and root crawl in all directions to rip, crush and collapse everything behind him.

“Listen to that sound my child. Listen to the rending collapse.” He bids the still sleeping clone in his arms. The entire laboratory and the camouflaging building on top start to sink into the ground with a grinding noise. “Understand that if anyone tries to do anything like this to you again, entire nations will feel this sting.”

The last of the building is pulled into the ground, into a space too small to accommodate it as the roots of trees on another world entirely crush it ever tighter and then sink in tiny roots to start devouring the minerals and chemicals within. The ground refills in behind him as he starts to walk away, and before he goes from the entrance walkway to the sidewalk, the lot the building was on has been re-naturalized there is not a single trace that there ever was a building there to begin with.

Then and only then, does he vanish with his prize.

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