Wednesday: 07/06/2033: 3:00 am. Lorwi is abruptly awoken by a boom of thunder. He looks around the room to see that Tûli’s candles are still lit, bathing the portrait of the Prince in soft, warm light. Keeping the blanket pulled up over his head and shoulders, he looks up at the portrait. “Hgí’do, Ônir’on Tûli.” “Panon?” “Looks like we fell asleep in here.” Lorwi and Ëostrë-Na’a’ni stand up and after locking the iron gate to the tomb, they make their way back to the cave entrance where they’re nearly soaked by the pouring rain. The Prince and his daughter teleport back to the Palace and reappear in the great hall where Dassalenna is waiting for them. “Oën’që‘i.” The Princess embraces her husband and daughter. “We were getting worried about you both. Where did you get that blanket?” “Tûli made it for me before the war started. He loved me.” “It’s sweet, Lorwi.” “I’m sorry, Dassalenna, for how I acted yesterday.” “And maybe I’m not the reincarnation of my brother. Maybe I just wanted to see one less death in this family.” “It doesn’t matter, oën’që fëâr’zuë. What matters is that we get through this together.” Ëostrë-Na’a’ni hugs her mother as another person enters, flanked by guards. “Look who’s back from the tomb.” “Marë, look at what Tûli made for me before the war. Isn’t it sweet?” The Queen feels the golden blanket and, amazed by the softness of the yarn, she hugs Lorwi and rubs his back. “That was my baby. Now go back to bed. We have some big days coming up.” “Oî, Marë.” Lorwi and Dassalenna return to bed together wrapped in his new blanket while the Queen and her granddaughter remain. “Do you believe me, Pa’hvang’marë?” “I don’t know, Ëostrë-Na’a’ni. I would like to believe that my grandson did return to us in some way.” “I know that it’s true, but I don’t know how I’m going to prove it, Pa’hvang’marë.” “Go to see the Archmage Aurië’hmírri of Xi’ôrrana.” “You mean that odd girl with the horns, Aniis?” “The light of the First Stars will reveal the truth he seeks, Xirangi, M’wë’hraxi.” “I’m sorry for what happened earlier last night, Aniis.” They turn to see Lorwi, having overheard them. “You are forgiven, M’wë’hraxi.” “Aurië’hmírri, you said?” “Oî, M’wë’hraxi.” “Go to bed, Lorwi.” “Oî, Marë.”
7:00 am. Ares’veron wakes up with a start, waking Hikari. “Good morning, Master. Did you sleep well?” “My sleep was tormented by visions of women, Irakih. They were all attacking me. I couldn’t see their faces.” “Tell me about you, Master,” Hikari inquired, her voice echoing in his mind. “Where are you from?” Feeling compelled to obey, he begins: “I am the only surviving son of Bír’angvin’zíra Rûdminnár, formerly the Queen of Sûmá before passing the throne to my elder sister Phaë’hmírri at the dawn of the new millennium. I was born on Hyla 11924 Zëm’aië’zrat’kyva’hvang’rrù’zëm’hdawi Xôma’hwyr Zëm’hdawi’hranë to a surrogate, a woman who served my mother, as she cannot bear children naturally in her own body. After me came my younger sisters Aqantë and Arahir. The former went missing and they never found her and the latter is a madwoman who talks to the birds. I’ve known the Visarenga twins for as long as I can recall. I remember how we used to have so much fun together, hunting and terrorizing other children, animals, and even grown adults. However, the most fun we ever had was when after my mother took us to visit the Faârstans in Ûri’xiranga and to see the Temple of Kiri of the East, we heard that the infant grandson of the Queen had died in his sleep. Naturally, we kept quiet about it when others were around, but between the three of us, it was hard not to laugh at images of the Crown Prince weeping with despair.” “I bet more would’ve happened to the little boy had the younger Prince not interfered.” “Rynaeron! Be quiet! She didn’t ask you!” “He saw us running away from” “What did I just say, Rynaeron?!” “Quiet?” “Correct! Now, shut it!” Ares’veron looks back at Hikari, trying hard to hide his anxiety, laughing “He says all kinds of things after a night of drinking, dear.” Hikari’s curiosity, though she hides it better, is thoroughly piqued, gazing back at Ares’veron as though compelling him to go on. “Who saw you and your friends running away from where, Master?” “The Queen’s younger son, Prince Tûlso’hmírri, saw the three of us messing around in the garden, pulling at Her Majesty’s flowers, and he yelled for the guards while chasing us, and we tripped him, making him fall and injure his foot.” Ares’veron was laughing so hard at this point that his cheeks were sore. “And that was right before the night it happened, wasn’t it, Master?” He snaps his head upright to lock eyes with Rynaeron and lunging forward, he puts his hands around the latter’s throat. “Shut it and go back to sleep, Rynaeron!” He blows vigorously into his face, making the latter fall asleep.
8:00 am. “Good morning, dear.” “Good morning, Grandmother. Did you sleep well?” “I did, Ë’ia’tyr Lÿ’läao.” The girl is wearing a pale green nightie and the little plants in her hair greatly resemble small grasses, with even tinier flowers budding from them. “You must have been through so much, having been raised by the enemy.” “She used my blood to make herself more powerful, Ë’kÿÿnė Mÿxi.” Lÿa Vela’s eyes widened upon hearing of the torturous experiments the girl went through. “You poor thing.” The High Queen picks her granddaughter up and hugs her. “You must be hungry, Ë’ia’tyr Lÿ’läao.” “What is that, Grandfather?” “This is an Ëovár leaf. It’s good for you.” She takes a bite of the thick green leaf and is surprised. “It’s very sweet, Grandfather.” “And very tough to chew, but it’s filling, too.” Ë’ia’tyr takes more vigorous bites of the leaf, a thick paddle of cellulose the size of a football. “Don’t go too fast or you’ll get a tummy ache, sweetheart.” “When you’re finished eating, do you want to play a game, Ë’ia’tyr?” “Sure, Uncle.” She continues eating and after using the bathroom and putting some clothes on, rushes out to play with her uncle Merisor.
CW: Mention of infanticide, PTSD.
8:30 am. Bringing the mail into the house, I am stopped at the door by a bluejay carrying an envelope. Putting down all the other mail, I grab the letter, and the bird flies off back towards the east. I sit down on the living room couch and first open the bird’s envelope, having given all the other mail to Mom and Dad.
“Dear Feline,
I am pleased and relieved to inform you that the thing calling itself my mother will not be at home this Friday night. I had been wondering how I was going to enact this curse with her there, but this definitely takes a load off. Let the President know of my gratitude. Helen will be waiting outside the house and will extract me when it’s done.
Sincerely, Nadia.”
I didn’t tell the President specifically to invite Arachne to a gala just to divert her this Friday, but I’m glad she did.
12:00 pm. “Is everything set, Kehran? I want everything in place for tonight and tomorrow night.” “Of course, Mother. The food is nearly ready, and the fortress is already decorated.” “What about Caligo and Vindicta? Have they been found?” “No one knows where they went after he was banished, and she ran away.” “What about Rynaerë? Has she said anything of note?” “No, Mother. Just random, gibbering nonsense about Ares’veron. How they’ve been together since they were children, and how they made their first kill.”
1:00 pm. I am gathering star water when I see Lorwi and Ëostrë-Na’a’ni arrive at the hidden temple. “Kiri’që hgari, M’wë’hraxi’i. What brings you here?” “We must speak to the Archmage Aurië’hmírri today, Vëla’mír’minnár. Is she here?” “She is, M’wë’hraxi’i. Come on in.” Ëostrë-Na’a’ni notices the bright yellow flame burning atop the obelisk. “This is where he died, isn’t it?” “Yes, Ëostrë-Na’a’ni.” The flame becomes more intense and expressive with the presence of their Royal Highnesses, especially releasing gentle puffs of heat at Prince Lorwi. “Ix’qõ, Ônir’on.” Aurië’hmírri approaches us, catching Lorwi’s attention. “Kiri’që hgari, Archmage.” “Kiri’që hgari, M’wë’hraxi. You need to see me?” “Yes, Archmage. My daughter and I both must see you.” “I have reason to believe that I am the reincarnation of my brother, the late Prince Dâvinin.” “The shaman Aniis Hmírri’qãr told us to consult with you, Archmage. To see if it’s true.” “Really? Come on inside, M’wë’hraxi’i. First have some hgari’rhûx.” We teleport them inside the kitchen where Mason is making homemade chicken noodle soup on the stove, using the broth from the bones I threw out last night. “M’wë’hraxi’i, Kiri’që hgari. What brings you here?” “We’re just here to seek answers from Aurië’hmírri, but we’ll have some lunch first. It sure smells good.” The Prince and his daughter fill up on soup and follow us to Aurië’hmírri’s hut in my Forest room. “What must we do, Aurië’hmírri?” Two large crystalline bowls are filled halfway with water from the Lake of Light. “Lower your heads into the water, M’wë’hraxi’i.” Ëostrë-Na’a’ni lowers her head while Lorwi looks unsure. “You’ll be able to breathe normally, M’wë’hraxi.” Following his daughter, the Prince lowers his head into the water and after entering a trance state, Aurië’hmírri places her hands on the backs of their heads, as do I, wanting to see for myself. We are thrust four light-years away and backwards in time and into the Palace in Ûri’xiranga. “Hsenë Ëi’ho saa’x’i? Hbax Hyla saa’t?” Ëostrë-Na’a’ni and I see a calendar hanging up on the wall with a date equating to November of 1935 on Earth. “Go into the baby’s room.” We follow Aurië’hmírri’s directive, following the Prince through the corridors, passing through several people on our way to see past-Lorwi and past-Dassalenna leaving what must be the baby’s room, having said goodnight yet again to their little one. “I can’t go in there! I just can’t!” “You must if you’re ever going to get any closure, M’wë’hraxi!” We press on and it skips to a few hours later and we enter the baby’s room where we see three preteens climbing in through the window. Lorwi, surprised, yells “What are you three doing here?!” They don’t react to our presence. “They can’t see or hear us, M’wë’hraxi. We are merely observing events that are in the past, so we are causally disconnected from them.” The three kids, a boy with red hair and silver-blond winged twins, a boy and a girl, approach the baby’s crib. “Just look at him, Syldris. He’s quite the little brat, isn’t he?” “Yeah! I’d like to make everyone in this whole place cry.” “Maybe if the little brat died, that’d do the trick.” “Yeah. You could do it, Hraxi.” “Yeah, do it.” “How, Sigûrd?” “Just stop his heart and leave him. It’ll look like he died in his sleep.” “I’ll give you something you’ll never forget, Hraxi.” “Very well, then, Syldris.” The red-haired boy, who is undoubtedly the same person who attacked Earth last summer, uses his powers to crush the child’s heart while leaving no marks upon him. “Now the real fun begins.” We witness in stunned silence as the young Ares’veron and the twins leave the room the way they came before Lorwi breaks down once the full realization of his son’s death hits him. “I should never have left him alone!” It then skips to the predawn hours when past-Tûli discovers the body, runs frantically throughout the Palace shouting that baby Dâvinin will not wake up, until being tripped up in the garden by three kids. “Tûli! It was them! They killed my son!” “He can’t hear you, M’wë’hraxi! None of them can!” Lorwi runs up to past-Tûli and tries to grab him by his shoulders, only for his hands to pass right through him with no resistance. “Tûli!” Dâvinin’s energy merges with a collective of spirit energy that occupies all of Tolimana’s míri’axqi metal. “Hbax qi saa’t?!” “These are all the bodiless spirits of the Tolimani people; this is what Aniis Hmírri’qãr sees.” We then see the selfsame spirit of the child rising up from the collective nearly 80 years later and Ëostrë-Na’a’ni being born. The four of us are pulled back to the present moment as scores of horrific screaming voices herald the sudden death of the baby Prince. Ëostrë-Na’a’ni and Lorwi abruptly jerk their heads upright out of the water, the former gagging and clutching her chest while the latter sits crumpled in a ball on the floor. “Hvûr Hgí saa’w, M’wë’hraxi?” Having regained her breath, the Princess replies, still hacking and coughing “Tfira’që ix faârhu’që Ëi saa’x. Panon?” Letting out a long sob, Lorwi hugs his daughter and holds her close to him. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you last night. They thought they took you from me and your mother, but you came back to us.” Getting himself together, Lorwi turns to face Aurië’hmírri, who was just as shaken by the experience of the past that tears streamed down her face. “Hgí’do, Hvang’ëoi’qar’ë Crawford-Sieren. Thank you for helping my daughter and I to discover the truth.” “Now we have some business to settle. Don’t we, Panon?” “I have business to settle, Ëostrë-Na’a’ni! You will stay home. I’m going to have a talk with Ares’veron.” “Why would Ares’veron and the twins have been in Ûri’xiranga in 1935?” “I’m sure that Tûli told you already, but Ares’veron is the son of Queen Bír’angvin’zíra of Sûmá. She visited us in Ûri’xiranga, bringing her husband Rûr and her four living children with her: Crown Princess Phaë’hmírri, ‘Prince’ Ares’veron, and the Princesses Aqantë and Arahir. The twins were the blood children of the surrogate who gave birth to Ares’veron. The Queen was their godmother, and she raised them with her own children. They came to see the Temple floating above the river Ûri. Bír’angvin’zíra even brought early gifts for what would have been my son’s first birthday.” “Hzín?” “I suppose he’s always been the way he is, even as a child. Obviously Dâvinin did nothing to deserve being killed. He was only a baby.” “It doesn’t matter why he did it. I’m going to make him regret the day he was born!” “I’unë, Vëla’mír’minnár, Hvang’ëoi’qar’ë.” “I’unë, M’wë’hraxi’i.” Lorwi and Ëostrë-Na’a’ni walk back to the hidden temple, leaving Ax and I stunned.
3:30 pm. Successfully sneaking past the guards and deep into the Palace, Chuck enters the bedroom of Prince Apo’lorwi’on and Princess Dassalenna and begins snooping through drawers and tossing sheets and blankets until he finds the bedside drawer containing the golden egg and pockets it, only to be disturbed by an older woman abruptly screaming “HTÕ YÕ SAA’W?! HBAX YÕ HPÊRI?!” Surprised, Chuck jumps out of a nearby window and Frëya gives chase, following closely behind him as he sprints down a covered walkway and unleashes a spray of metallic shrapnel around him, injuring several guards. “COME BACK HERE!” She tries to set him on fire to force him to stop, only for him to disappear, leaving the enraged Queen to stand there in the garden in her bathing suit as she had just come from the caves underneath the Palace. “He took the ashes, Xirangi!” “The golden egg is gone!” Frëya’hgat’s ears are pinned all the way back as literal steam rises from her body and hair. “Hrêri Lorwi ix Ëostrë-Na’a’ni saa’t’i?!”
Chuck reappears on Ten’yar, nearly out of breath. “Hrêri yõ saa’w’ma, Chuck?” “Hunting, Master.” “Not a very successful hunt, was it, Crawford?” “No, Master. Sorry.” “Right.” Ares’veron lets the dragon fly off over the forest, letting it get some exercise.
3:40 pm. Lorwi and Ëostrë-Na’a’ni reappear in the caves beneath the Palace and immediately hear a loud commotion upstairs. “Hbax virïn’ma, Panon?” They are both about to go up when two guards stop them. “There’s been an intrusion, M’wë’hraxi’i. The Queen is safe, but something’s been stolen!” “What is it, then?” “Stay here, M’wë’hraxi’i.” “What about Marë?!” “Ya’qi’të M’wë’hraxi is at the Temple with the Xïdal’marë and is on her way back here.” “I’m taking you back to Vëla’mír’minnár where you’ll be safe until this thief, this purveyor of lèse-majesté is found and killed!” “Pa’hvang’marë!” Ëostrë-Na’a’ni runs to her grandmother. “I’m glad you’re safe, Pa’hvang’marë. Panon and I know the truth about what happened to me, uh, Dâvinin all those years ago.” “It’s just as the shaman Aniis said. Aurië’hmírri sent us back in time and showed us the truth.” “Dâvinin didn’t die in his sleep, Pa’hvang’marë. He was murdered.” The Queen was shocked. “By who, Ëostrë-Na’a’ni?” “By Ares’veron Bangômari, formerly Rûdminnár.” “That one time they all came over, just before Rûr passed away?” “Oî, Marë.” “Ëostrë-Na’a’ni, you must return to Vëla’mír’minnár immediately. Your father and I will go after this man, and we’ll bring your brother’s ashes home.” Before she could say anything else, Lorwi returns her to the hidden temple on Earth before reappearing by his mother’s side. “You know what to do, Lorwi.” “Oî, Marë. I do.” They return to the surface where the Prince takes on the form of a large eagle with white and gold feathers the size of a small airplane, while the Queen climbs on his back and they disappear.
I am surprised to see the Princess in the temple again. “What’s going on, Ëostrë-Na’a’ni?” “Our Palace has been broken into. The golden egg containing Dâvinin’s ashes has been stolen!” “And right after we found out the truth, no less.” “Panon took me back here where I’ll be safe while he and Pa’hvang’marë go after the thief.” “Hbax virïn’ma, M’wë’hraxi, Vëla’mír’minnár?” “The egg containing my brother’s ashes has been stolen by an unknown intruder, Aurië’hmírri. My father and grandmother went after him after he sent me back here.” “Then I will go and join them. I have a hunch as to who the thief is. I’ll be back later.” Aurië’hmírri opens the membrane and crosses the Bridge of Light, staff in hand. “Where do you think they’re going, Vëla’mír’minnár?” “There’s one way to find out here. You’re not thinking of sneaking into the fight and disobeying your father, are you? He and your grandmother would have my hide.” “No. I just want to know that they’re ok.” Going over to the Bridge, I ask it to reveal the location of Lorwi and Frëya.
Meanwhile, the Queen and the eagle arrive at the island on Qa’laana Të, which is still smoldering from its radioactive baptism by fire. “What happened here, Marë?” “The Qa’laani Të have had nuclear weapons for over 200 years. It looks like they used them to destroy the island, but why?” They are sighted by a group of soldiers wearing fallout suits who proceed to point their weapons at them. “Are you two of the folk of that vile creature Ares’veron?!” “Tolimani Hgí’w saa’w’i?!” “We are Frëya’hgat of House Faâr’stan, Queen of the Tolimani nation of Danar. We, along with Our firstborn son, Crown Prince Apo’lorwi’on, have come to apprehend a thief who has violated the sanctity of Our home and stolen the ashes of Our late grandson, a thief who We believe is affiliated with Ares’veron, if it is not Ares’veron himself.” “We only nuked this place because our pilots spotted a massive, winged creature in the vicinity of the island, making us realize that we hadn’t killed him the first time 30 years ago, but before that, this massive black cloud of horror, big as you like, descends from space and then takes off just as the bomb detonates.” “The dragon. And you don’t know where they are, do you?” “That’s why we’re here, Xirangi. We’re trying to confirm that the dragon and its master are dead.” “They must not be here, then. Good luck with your work.” “Farewell, Xirangi, M’wë’hraxi.” Lorwi, with the Queen on his back, is about to take off again and is surprised to see Aurië’hmírri appear before them. “Hvang’ëoi’qar’ë Aurië’hmírri. What are you doing here?” Bowing, she replies “Xirangi, M’wë’hraxi, I have reason to believe that my sperm donor, the vile traitor named Charles Crawford, is the one you are hunting.” “Hvûr?” “I’m not sure how he found out about the egg and its contents, Xirangi, but I believe he is hiding out with Ares’veron on the planet Ten’yar. He must have fled there to escape the destruction of this island.” “Then lead the way, Hvang’ëoi’qar’ë. We’re bringing this thief home cold.”
4:00 pm. “You know, Master. I really could have added spices had those Ten’yaris not tried to kill me.” “You don’t have to go into their village, Crawford. The spice plants grow in abundance in the forest.” “I do if I don’t want to spend all day grinding them up and drying them in the sunlight, Master.” Hikari sits deep in thought, holding the twins. Knowing that the leader of the Order is coming with anger in her wake, she stands up, seeing that the men are distracted, and walks off with the babies into the woods, becoming invisible. Then, like a sudden storm of rage, Aurië’hmírri, Frëya, and Lorwi appear in the clearing, surprising Ares’veron, who is shocked to see Ax so powerful. “Hrêri Dâvinin’apo’hfÿii saa’t?!” “Hbax?” “Oh, I know what you’re talking about” Rynaeron is cut off with a right hook to the jaw from Ares’veron. “Drunken imbecile!” “We know what you did in 11935, Ares’veron! You and your filthy little friends!” “Did what?!” Chuck then drops a gold object from his shirt sleeve, and Ares’veron’s eyes widen. “Where did you get that, Crawford?! You snuck into their Palace?! I thought you were on a hunt!” “Why are they here over a gold egg, Master?” “Tell him what you did, Ares’veron. Tell him how you and those nasty little twins killed Our grandson!” Rynaeron tries to run away from them, only for Aurië’hmírri to turn him to stone with her white staff. Aurië’hmírri then turns her attentions to finding the egg while Frëya resumes chasing Chuck and Lorwi, still in his golden eagle form, lunges at Ares’veron, reaching his sharp talons forward and wrapping one around the latter’s shoulders and tearing at his stomach with the other. Aurië’hmírri, seeing the glint of gold in the undergrowth, grabs the Dâvinin’apo’hfÿii and seeing the Queen being pinned down by Chuck, runs her black claws across her unfather’s face and chest, making his black blood run down his body. He staggers backwards and she advances, pointing her staff at his face, the light overwhelming his eyes, which have long since grown weak to the holy starlight. With many other voices blending with her own, Aurië’hmírri demands “Where is the dragon?!” A sudden screech interrupts the scene, allowing Chuck to push his daughter backwards and run away. She is caught by Frëya while Lorwi, now back in his normal form, runs to them. “Let’s go!” Ax shields them with her staff just as the ground around them is scorched by a flood of black flames. “Does this answer your question, Archmage?!” Chuck laughs mockingly at her. “See what your father is capable of, pretty thing?! We will rule over the Universe forever in an age of darkness, blood, and dragons. And any who stand in our way will be snuffed out with the stars!” Having had enough, Frëya gets in their faces as Ax holds the dragon back with the light of her staff. “If any of you ever comes near Us, or our family and friends ever again, there won’t be anything left of you for the others to bury!” “That’s what my old lady said.” “Did she, Crawford? Burn them!” Only too happy to oblige, the dragon blasts the Royal trio head-on, but not before Ax teleports them back to Tolimana, creating an almighty shockwave that momentarily deafens Chuck and Ares’veron, and knocks the dragon off balance, nearly crushing its two masters to death as it falls unconscious in the still-burning clearing.
The three of them return to the Palace in Ûri’xiranga, thoroughly exhausted after running around the Galaxy. “Where is it?” “Here, M’wë’hraxi.” Aurië’hmírri hands Lorwi the egg, which he cradles gently in his hands, giving her a look of gratitude through his tears. “When you return to Xi’ôrrana, tell Our granddaughter that she is to remain at the house of Vëla’mír’minnár for her own protection. We thank you for your efforts today in retrieving the ashes of Our late grandson.” “Hgí’w’n dimao, Ya’hgí’wë Xirangi, Ya’hgí’won M’wë’hraxi.” “I’unë, Aurië’hmírri. You’re not half bad in battle.” “In truth, Xirangi, I was holding back. If I wasn’t, it’d have been a rout. I’unë.” Still facing the Queen and the Crown Prince, Aurië’hmírri curtsies and teleports back to the hidden temple on Earth.
“They got away, didn’t they?” “We would have succeeded in apprehending them had their dragon not interfered at the last moment! Shielding myself, the Queen, and Prince Lorwi took a good deal of my strength, as did getting us back to Danar with the egg back in Royal possession.” “At least you got my first body back. Hgí’do, Aurië’hmírri.” “Hgí’w dimao, Ya’hgí’wë M’wë’hraxi. The Queen also told me to tell you that you’ll be staying with Vëla’mír’minnár for the foreseeable future, at least until the war is over and my un-father is caught or killed.”
CW: Child mistreatment.
5:00 pm. The fortress on Kaledon is fully decorated with the Queen’s colors as what must pass for fireworks in this place explode into bursts of white and gray light, shaped like inkblots, high in the red-gray clouds. Sahra Etraxia, fully veiled in black from head to toe, wingtip to wingtip, enters the great hall and seats herself upon the throne, still with her sword impaled through the top of the backboard where Aurië’hmírri left it, much to the Dark Tree’s frustration. In attendance are Kehran, Siwa, Bloodgaze, Nightterror, Steerfang, and Spiderclaw. Siwa is suspicious that after all this time away since the audit was put in place, that Fire-fist hasn’t returned to them with his findings on Ares’veron’s loyalty. Lifting her veil from her face, Sahra stands up once more, sending a wave of dead silence through the citadel. “As you all may know, We have been at war for over a year, but We have seen the signs that the Door of Fate is soon to open. It is very close now. A bride shall give birth before this year ends and We have only to find one of them and take her and her child for Ourselves. On that day, the Age of the Uncreator shall dawn and shall have no end. Now, let Us feast heartily, that We shall rule forever!” The assembled orcs and goblins roar in agreement and begin eating the tons of food on the tables as the Queen resumes her place on the throne. Seated at the left hand of the Queen, opposite from her husband, Siwa motions to Sahra. “Yes, my child?” Looking up at the Dark Tree, she voices her concern. “Is it not strange that Fire-fist is still absent from our number, Mother?” “Indeed, Siwa. He left for his audit and never came back. I knew he wasn’t really one of us, at least, not since he escaped the clutches of the Crawford worm.” “It’s like losing his wings took away his loyalty. I know he questioned You once when that daughter of his managed to escape. I suspect that he even allowed her to get away.” “You may be right, Siwa.”
5:30 pm. “You are an idiot, Crawford!” Chuck’s ears are still ringing from the earlier shockwave. “Why didn’t you tell him about the egg, Master?” “Because I didn’t think he needed to know, Rynaeron! You nearly got us killed, Chuck!” “Shall we move, Master?” “What?” Using her voice in the same way as she did earlier, she repeats her question. “Of course, Irakih. Come on, Chuck, Rynaeron! We’re going!” “But the dragon is still tired, Master. He must rest.” “Very well, then. Let him rest, but tonight, we’re going away from here, that’s for certain!”
6:00 pm. “Who is this man who I’m supposed to be seeing tonight, Arachne?” “It’s Mother!” “Mother. Who am I seeing tonight?” “You’ll see. You will obey his every command. Sing, dance, everything.” “Even let him in?” Arachne gives Nadia this look like she’s surprised that Nadia, after five years, would be asking that question. “What do you think, now eat dinner and start getting ready. He’ll be here at 8. The girls will eat dinner with me while you’re downstairs with him. Now, do it!” “So, you really brought me into this world just to suffer and be a broodmare for your rich friends?!” “You’re here to serve.” Arachne turns to leave the kitchen when Nadia yells “You don’t own me, Arachne!” She pauses, turns around, and throws vinegar in Nadia’s face, momentarily blinding her and knocking her down. “I’m afraid I do own you.” Nadia sits down to eat dinner, trying hard to hide her rage as her tears cleanse her eyes of the vinegar.
7:00 pm. “Careful, Ë’ia’tyr! Don’t be too rough!” “I’ll be careful, Grandfather!” Ë’ia’tyr Lÿ’läao is playing with Moo’tai in the sunroom, tickling him as he rolls up into a little ball in her lap. Unbeknownst to her, the plants are growing out of control, including the herbs and small vegetables, causing the sunroom to resemble a small jungle. “Whoa! What’s going on here?” “Wow! More vegetables!” TJ watches as the girl carries the baby to the couch and he turns on the TV.
7:30 pm. “So, you invited Arachne to the White House on Friday?” “Of course.” “I just hope that Nadia is able to complete her mission without any problems. She’s been through so much. She gave birth to Hallie on her 12th birthday, also the day of her father’s funeral. Arachne probably killed him because he found out what was being done to Nadia.” “Do you have a plan to extract Nadia, Feline? Once her mission there is complete?” “Ax and Helen will be waiting for her to signal her success and after Ax brings Nadia back here by way of teleportation, she and Helen will remove all the girls’ personal belongings from the house and bring it here.” “And Arachne will be none the wiser.” “What will you do while she’s with you?” “I’ll try to find out if any members of my government are part of these illegal activities. The FBI has a team en route to VA Beach and is in the process of establishing a listening post. Once Nadia’s mission is complete and she and the girls’ belongings are out of there, they’ll move in and take whoever’s left in there into federal custody.” “And Arachne?” “That will be somewhat tricky since she’s an Immortal and likely one of the most dangerous beings on the planet.” “My partners and I will be there just in case.” “Good. Because I’ve been in touch with the Immortal authorities and they’ve provided us with a way to incapacitate an Immortal, but we’ll need an Immortal to administer it as it may be too dangerous otherwise.” “What is it, Madam?” “You’ll find out soon, Feline. Goodnight.”
8:00 pm. “I think the dragon has rested long enough, Chuck. Let’s go!” Chuck, Rynaeron, Hikari and the twins, and Ares’veron all mount the dragon’s back, and it takes off, leaving a field of scorched earth as it vanishes to another planet.
Previous Episode: Old Memories.
Next Episode: The Massacre of the 7th.
