An Age of Mysterious Memories

Oh, right, I need to prep and enchant a ton of stuff, and a ton of people. Alright, let’s see, group one should be—. Littlebit, Nala, Shiz, Zelshiz, Leezahna, Trixxie, Pidge, and me. I think other groups should be combinations of me and Shiz or me and Zelshiz, along with the other Spellknights, six at a time. That only requires six groups to get all three dozen Spellknights networked up. I want an additional network with Alanea and Yui and Yuri, and some overlap with some of our other strong protectors, so that Alanea has defenders on-call and close at hand. Maybe Shiz and Atter. Yeah, Alanea, Yui, Yuri, Lucky, Shiz, Atter, me, and one more, maybe Leeza, so that she can get ahold of Lucky if she needs to, or Alanea for medical attention down here, or maybe Pawn. Perhaps Pawn instead of Shiz, and still Leeza? Her having two networks would show my faith in her, and give her more access to things she might need, on demand, while having more minds to answer to if she’s being bratty.

Yeah I’m going to have to swap that around a little bit. Lucky’s going to want to be in on any network with Trixxie and Pidge I bet. At least one of Pawn, or Lil, or Kinzul should be on *every* network as a secondary backbone, since I’m not always available. I might need to do a few more groups with fewer non-static members, to get Shiz or Zelshiz in touch with all their subordinates, while also having Lil to answer to as a secondary backbone. Hell, I forgot to count Chuck and the two pairs of lovebirds, and to see if Shlendtikuar is still alive. Mrgrgr.

Alright, this sheet looks doable. Maybe? Leeza gets three networks, so that she gets in touch with two other backbones than me, and Littlebit gets on two. Shiz and Zelshiz are on a whole bunch. Huff, huff. It’s exhausting as my brain powers through all these literally thousands of possible combinations of groups of eight, weighing pros and cons, trying to offer benefits to the people I care about most. I know it’s a bit selfish or callous to have “people I care about most,” because it makes it sound like I value other peoples’ lives less than those of my loved ones. I don’t know how else to phrase it though. Plus, I mean, there’s people like Leezahna on that list, and neither of us even like each other, so it’s not entirely selfish. Though, that might be trying to assuage my own guilt at bullying her.

Is, is that Ixey again? Testing telepathically, she responds in a flirty long drawl, “Heyyy Schism,” and for a moment, I worry that she’s already tipsy again, but she laughs it off and comes to lean over the table I’m working at, throwing an arm over my shoulder.

Before I can question it, Ixey says, “Lil’s worried about how hard you’re working your brain. Since he’s busy blowing his brains out—. Uh, breathing fire nonstop, he wanted us to keep each other company, or me to go hang out with princess. Hm, I wouldn’t leave those two on that particular psychic thing together without one of those two if I were you. Sorry, this is your work. I can be quiet.”

My eyes raise in surprise. No, no Ixey is definitely right, so I respond, “Oh, no, please don’t be. You’re right. Thank you. I missed that. Um, well, like I’ve said or thought before, Lil is lucky to have you. You’re pretty awesome.”

When Ixey does several showy bows and flourishes at being called awesome, I snort a laugh at the false bravado. She’s got a cheeky cheeriness that’s a bit like Teuila when she’s not testing me or threatening me. She responds, “Thanks, in a bunch of ways. Being compared to Tenith is—. I’unno. I’m honored. Listen, about what I said before, and testing you, sorry about that. I’m not really trying to, well, I don’t even know what I thought I was trying to do. Hearing my prince say how badly you needed someone right now screwed my head on straight, because Zayzi can be the same way. Lost, so freakin’ lost in their own head. I, glp, I hate seeing that. You’re really decent Schism. I don’t want that for you either.”

My lower jaw quivers as I’m touched deeply to my core. Ixey wraps her arms around my head and offers me a tight hug to her slightly bony chest, with its pleasant, erm, resiliences and softnesses. I didn’t expect to have company while I slammed my head into the brick walls of logistics, but Ixeyla makes for excellent company anyway. She’s plenty sharp, flirty, and fun, without there being any sort of tension or anything between us.

After a while of helping keep me from destroying my own brain accidentally, Ixey mutters, “I should probably go apologize to princess. I went too far last night. Maybe just a little, but still—. Thanks for being cool about stuff Schism. Thanks for being our Hero, and looking out for Zayzi and me. You can poke my brain any time you need a reminder to calm your goofy head down.”

Once again, I’m touched by Ixey. I knew she had more depth than just being boy-crazy about Lil, and overprotective of Zayzi, but I’m touched and honored that she let *me* see any of that depth. Maybe I’ll try to remember to ask her about her interests sometime, like her matches on the wrestling circuit. Whenever Lil’s chattered about her, she always sounded really proud of those. Huh. Friendship is awesome. It definitely helps to have as many friends as I do in Mount Solace, when so many responsibilities seem to fall in my lap. Even if I’m the one creating many of those responsibilities. Hell, especially because of that. Ixey’s a great person to count amongst that number.

Blinking several times, I’m a bit stunned. My morning has been all over the place. Anyway, working with the security center, to get them to get Miraina, we begin setting up the groups, with the alterations Ixey helped me make. People begin arriving for their assigned groups, or for the oddball group here or there, we travel to them, just to prep them on how the enchantments are going to be set up, and what it’s going to take.

Placing the telepathic enchantment *is* slightly easier with Nala’s formula adjustments to the solutions, but more monetarily costly in a sense. My personal gem reserves are rapidly dwindling, other than the mass of gems I’d placed into my inventory. Though I hadn’t counted exactly, and don’t have access to my Can’z’aasian inventory interface to know how much currency I had near the end of our lives on Can’Z’aas, I had a few million in paper cash, and quite a few million worth of gems. I’m now bereft of either of those, though we do still have a lot of coinage in copper and silver, and a bit of gold. Between setting up a stipend for Nala and Leeza, the purchases I’d made from the shops, and had others do with my cash for me, and the frequent enchanting I’ve been doing, or otherwise utilizing gems, I’m going broke fast. Also, my brain still feels a bit like it’s hemorrhaging, with how intense everything has been so far today, but we’re getting protocols in place, enchantments, equipment, and so much more. On a day when—.

Of course, as I’m starting to feel like I can let my brain slow down and cool down, Kinzul arrives with terrible news, “My love, I’ve fetched word from our scout chain. Spymaster has been able to ascertain the cause of the Worldstorm’s misbehavior my love, and it’s dire. Al’pa’ca, a Sand, or yellow dragon, one of Terrorzin’s greatest archmages had apparently sometime in recent history changed the name of his domain to the Thunderpeak range, mountains deep along the Spine of the World.”

Before I can do much more than blink at the name Alpaca, Kinzul continues, “Nestled within, built into the tallest mount is Thunderpeak Citadel, and within an interior cavern courtyard lies the largest building, Stormheart Keep. I believe somewhere within Stormheart Keep lies the, well, heart of the problem. Being so deep in Terrorzin’s domain, we will be unable to send any dragons, nor even Lucky, as he could be sensed in a similar fashion. Else you would face all his forces from here to there. Being such that it is, suppressing your dragonforces, you, our Tenith, and our Muse—.”

Shaking my head quickly, I respond, “No. Luni isn’t going anywhere if Lucky can’t be there to protect her, and we need Lucky on Damnation defense here at home anyway. I’m sorry my Lady, my love. Teuila and I will do this with Lil, I need him on hand at the end of the fight. As amazing and powerful as Luni can be, we couldn’t protect her that far from any support for her, and she’s far, far, far more vulnerable than either of us, and in ways, quite possibly, far more valuable.”

Blinking back a tear that forms as I think about all the danger Luni has faced for us, I draw a quick breath and continue, “Point me in the direction Kinzul my love. We’ll chance drawing out any forces willing to fly beneath the Worldstorm to chase us to Alpaca’s keep, just like our new strategy of hitting the leadership core. We’ll leave immediately. Besides, Te, Lil, and I will hopefully have new—, well, we’re looking forward to things to try out by the end of the assault.”

Though my wife frowns at my disagreeing with her, she takes a moment to analyze my conclusion, and agrees in short order, especially once she realizes why I need Lil and Teuila together. Speaking of, I need the elemental focus, or my plan is for naught. Oof. If it isn’t complete, or isn’t doable yet, that would be more than a little bit of a bummer.

At that point, we could actually let Lil stay home and just have me and Te try to duo the mission. Though I’m hesitant to suggest that, since even as powerful as Teuila is, I’m not sure exactly what we’re up against. Plus my genre senses are clamoring like a klaxon. The warning bell in my head says it’s going to be big, and that my guesses about the archmage and the Worldstorm disturbance are probably correct. Like, ninety-nine point nine repeating percent chance I’m correct. My genre senses usually don’t go that high, so I’m inclined to trust their intuition on this one. Plus, we need a speedy ride. And right now, Lil’s the safest, speediest ride above the Worldstorm in the entire Onyx Dawn.

I rush towards the craftsworks area, a symphony of clinks and whirs greeting me like an old friend. It's a cave, sure, but it's a cave I had built specifically as a sanctuary for creation. The walls are lined with shelves, each crammed with an assortment of supplies that would make a magpie’s nest seem minimalist. Spools of wire in every gauge imaginable, a cornucopia of nuts, bolts, and screws, and more tools than I could name if I had a lexicon for it. It's medieval tech meets Reggie Shellcracker's patented rule-bending—like someone gave a Renaissance fair a tech upgrade and forgot to tell anyone.

Nala's at her bench, a picture of perfect order in her focused craftsmanship. Her little automatons are bustling around her, each one a little genius its own right, and more affectionate towards her than she’d like to admit. They're quirky little things, like brass and copper pets gleaming under the flickering light. They’re a personal entourage of mini golems dedicated to tasks she assigns them telepathically, subconsciously. They switch focus at her whims, needs, and desires. Her equipment and diagrams are splayed out neatly, in a meticulous fashion, just what you’d expect from the Curator of the Onyx Dawn.

Gazing just beyond Nala, I can hardly keep from chuckling as I spy Littlebit's corner, which, in its disarray is a stark contrast to Nala’s organization. It’s a haphazard pile that looks like someone raided an auto-salvage yard. Littlebit’s cybernetic creatures have the appearance of chrome-polished scrapyard rejects. They hover near her protectively, guardians of her little junkyard realm. That amalgamation of bots is all patchwork metal and wires, somehow still fairly beautiful in their imperfection. They’re her rough around the edges crew, and they fit her like a glove—or at least like her adorably soot-and-oil stained overalls.

There's no forgeworks here fully rebuilt yet, that's still over in Solace, but we’re working on that, as we have time and money to buy and move forges and billows and crucibles and slag pits and all that. Manual drill presses are going up and down non-stop between the Draconiac volunteers, and the nine or so automatons that the pair of artificers is using to help with their projects. The cranks and handles of the drill presses were brand new when I bought them, but they’re already worn smooth from use.

Listening as I approach, the way Nala utilizes the foot-pedal-powered pneumatic rotary tool, it almost seems to hum a tune. Rather than, y’know, just emit a high-pitched squeal of compressed air. Knowing her, she probably could conduct an orchestra of pneumatic pedal equipment with her feet. Her Latent is Curating after all. Finding where things fit in schemes. Isn’t conducting all about finding where the instruments each fit?

Anyway, deep breath Reggie. Oof, the air smells like oil and metal, a perfume that's a heavily industrial tang. It clings to the back of my throat, and I’m trying not to be a jerk about how awful that tastes, since Nala can hear my passive thought broadcasts. The light of the glow-lichen's dim, but it's coupled with candles, torches, and what I’m really hoping isn’t lit piles of dragon poo. Eugh. At least it’s enough to cast a glow on the workbenches, each one a stage for the day's projects.

I can't help but feel a bit of awe at the ingenuity of Nala and Littlebit. As artificers, they, like me, bend the rules of time and technology, blending ages in a way that would have historians throwing up their hands in surrender. There's a defiance here, a rebellion against the limitations of the age, and it's exhilarating. It’s exactly what I’m always doing or trying to do when I combine abilities, spells, and items in new unique ways. Amidst the hum of activity and the presence of my friends, I feel the weight of what’s being built here. It's a refuge from more than just the Worldstorm, and the war outside, but also one against the limitations of the age.

Hastening to address Nala, I’m hoping she has the elemental focus done, and thankfully Nala offers up, “This is a prototype Schism, friend Reggie. I’m not certain I could even reach the same conclusion again without it, but if you’re certain you need it immediately, it should be good for two uses. Possibly three, but unlikely more than two, and almost impossibly unlikely more than three.”

Pausing before handing it to me, Nala advises, “The— confluence of component ideas that came together in an effort to coalesce into the creation of this prototype was a fluke of timing, and positioning of materials and diagrams and ideas that are no longer in those same positions and timings. There may never be another of these.”

Sighing, I nod somberly to Nala. She carefully cleans sawdust away from gem dust, keeping the gem dust for enchantment purposes, as she continues to carve into gems and wood, making wands I suppose. Taking the elemental focus now, before she can find a way to replicate it while it’s fully functional, means we might never be able to replicate it. If I’m very lucky, I’ll only need two uses of it. I gratefully accept it, and nearly lean in to kiss Nala on the cheek before catching myself. I blush abashedly as I flinch away from our grumpy librarian, Curator, while apologizing. Nala doesn’t even seem to have noticed, or be paying any attention to my continued existence as she returns to formulas and fascinations.

Begging Iylynila to bring the spell-paper that she’d gotten in yesterday’s assault, I’m glad when she arrives swiftly. The whole of Solace and Verdimenn both seem to be bristling in energetic activity. Everyone’s been jumping at my every whim today, and I feel awful for requesting so much of them. Illy simply wears a sad half smile as she nods my way understandingly. My breath hitches momentarily as I catch sight of her. She, like her mother Kinzul, is a vision of splendor to gaze upon. Her raven hair and onyx features and curves that seem to be sculpted from marble by master-craftsman of yore, are—. Ahem, yeah.

When she produces a stack of spell-paper, I begin passing enchantments into sheets. It feels bad to be using them up like this, but I can’t stick around to apply all the enchantments. We need to get to Alpaca’s domain, or whatever his name is, ay to the ess to the ay to the pee, despite wishing I could spend more time mending my relationship with Iylynila.

Though I begin to admit my feelings, “Illy, I—,” she interrupts me, shaking her head as she gulps and blinks back tears. She’s not ready, and it’d be selfish of me to press the issue. Nodding sadly, I let it go, so that Illy can continue to make headway here around Solace, and with her own feelings.

If she, or Kinzul, are willing, they can follow the instructions on several of these spellsheets to emplace several of the psychic networks, taking my place, in one or two of those that I haven’t been able to complete yet, but we can’t afford the massive swath of resources it would cost in order to replace me on all of them that I’ve not finished yet. Forgetting myself, I do lean in to kiss Illy’s cheek after leaving her with instructions on how to either apply the enchantments herself, or to get others to finish enchanting the goggles, and other things I’ve gotten set up for the day.

I grimace momentarily, but she simply touches her cheek and casts her gaze downward, averting it from meeting mine. Whispering my apologies, I take off. Blitzing about, I set forth more instructions on how to prep people to receive the rest of the telepathic enchantments that I’ll have to set up on my return. Their work will reduce the amount of time it’ll take at the point of my return, by dozens-fold. I need to find Teuila, and get the door in place, and get relief for Lil, and—.

My brain swirls as I rush about, preparing to leave for an unplanned assault deep into the heart of Terrorzin’s territory. The massive adamantite gate is placed, situated, and barred, allowing our Queens to alternate taking turns keeping an eye on it up close. They won’t even need to do that when all the goggles finish getting enchanted. I’ve got those scrying sensors almost camouflaged into the stone of the tunnel walls and ceilings.

Lil preps, making sure to share intimate moments with Ixey, and get all his best equipment out. I blush as Ixey approaches me while Lil is equipping his gear. She holds out a hand, and, though a bit confused, I take it. Ixey uses it to pull me into a tight hug, and kisses my cheek before winking at me as she skips almost daintily away towards Lil to watch him dress. I snort a laugh, but I still feel honored.

Viewing through the goggles, Teuila’s almost back, and Yuri is in bad, bad shape. We have to deal with whatever siege forces are entrenched such a far ways out from us, that are somehow also so amassed that even Teuila and Yui seem haggard from their rescue mission. Speeding out to greet them, my apologies fall on deaf ears as Yuri is rushed to the infirmary. My heart aches, as I feel directly responsible for this.

We haven’t had word from Revvy, Greggy, or Aegis either, which causes my gut to clench in fear. Kinzul assures me that she can tell that they aren’t dead at least, which only slightly takes the edge off my nerves. The goggles I had sent with them only show pure blackness, with perhaps some occasional motion. When I set up instructions on what to do, in case we’re not back by tomorrow, and the three in the ‘Neath aren’t either, I’m probably only half-assing it, or half-braining it, because of how much my mind has been through already today.

When I try again to apologize to Yui, she shoves me violently out of the infirmary, jabbing an index finger into my chest repeatedly before she mutters, “Just, just shut up. We did it for family. The ungrateful Green. Something’s going on with him, but I had to drop mission, so I couldn’t find out what. Huff. Yuri’ll pull through. I’ve roughed him up worse than that. It pisses me off that someone else would do it though, and they’ve got his gear, somewhere. We ransacked the camp he was at, but it wasn’t there. Neither were the jerks that took him down, though the guards were fairly tough. Maybe you or some other brain here at Solace can figure out a way to help me track down his gear, so I can retrieve it, and get some revenge. Just—. Thank you for taking us in. Making us family. What’s all the hustle?”

Passing a sigh through puffed cheeks and pursed lips, I try to figure out where to start. Shortcutting it as best I can, I describe who’s here, what we’re up against, and where Te and I are going. I won’t assign any tasks to Yui right now. I’m sure all she wants to do is stay beside her twin brother’s bedside. Forgetting myself, I hug the armored teal Draconiac woman. She raises a scaled brow, but smirks before slapping my butt in a “go get ‘em,” manner. Seeing My Anchor, my beloved Luni as I leave the hallway near the infirmary, I quickly give her a short kiss farewell. Of course, she takes the opportunity to tease and fluster me with her curves covered in her fluffy, soft robes.

Calling out telepathically, I check in, “Lil, Te, you both as ready as you can be? It’s a long ride, and we’re probably up against the hardest of everything yet. There are too many irons in too many fires for it to be anybody but us. Te, save your storm elemental until I tell you, please, if you can find a way to do so. It might get controlled by someone else if you try to use it early. Lil, if you’re willing, I’m giving you a choice. Te already consents, but it’s risky to her. She might be able to offer you a massive boost in power to your evolved forms, if this works the way I think it will, if what I expect to find is there. I won’t think any less of you no matter what you choose buddy.”

Lil mulls over the choice that I’ve placed in his figurative hands, or rather his scaled claws, as the three of us exit the feasting hall towards the aerie at the top of Mount Solace. Teuila’s boots clack on the stone as we make my our way up, the noise a stark contrast to the muted fury outside. It's a clatter of armor and hum of her Valkyrie magic that helps keep me grounded as I feel Lil shifting his shape next to me. But the storm outside, it takes up a dauntingly larger and larger portion of my senses. I can’t afford it to be more than a low hum in the back of my mind, one that would buzz away harmlessly while I continue to plan, prepare, and protect.

Sighing, I rattle my skull as we step out of the gray stone tunnel, emerging onto the aerie that's perched atop Mount Solace. The sky before us is its usual orchestra of chaos, the Worldstorm's acid clouds roiling beneath us, and the never-ending tumult of the streams and rivers of lightning. I’ve fallen through it once, and survived, but a lot of that was pure luck, being able to use my foe’s body to shield mine. It’s both terrifying and gratifying to recall. Each flash illuminates the storm like veins of life in the belly of darkness, a network of power that's as dangerous as it is necessary.

It’s a canvas of mercy and fury, Kinzul’s life-blood powering it with the very elements that bind the dragons to the ground. Her mercy to the rest of Rayileklia, and all its peaceful denizens, yet her fury over the loss of “The Platinum,” and her children, and so much more over her long lifetime. I know she says that I’m vast, and infinite, but I can’t help but feel small against the backdrop of all she’s done and all that she is. In linear time, I’m just a single soul, a strand, a thread amidst the weave of destruction and creation. For a moment, the enormity of it all weighs on me, and I feel that familiar tug in my chest, the gravity of responsibility and the pressure of the impending mission. Teuila glances my way, her brow furrowed in worry, and I flash her a sad half-smile.

Te can tell how much I feel I’m responsible for. She can sense the tumultuous emotions burbling up within me. Lil takes longer to catch on, partially because he’s focusing on his transformation, partially because we still haven’t really reconnected on our emotional wavelength as much as we used to be, before we died. Still, catch on he does, and he offers me a similarly sad half-smile before quipping, “It’s not all on you pal. Not all of it.”

Smiling at my best buddy, I shrug helplessly. I know he’s right, but it’s hard to pull back, when I’m capable of so much more than so many others. I’m the only archmage on our side of the war, possibly the only living archmage other than a few under Terrorzin’s control. Because my skillset, powers, and spells are so versatile, I feel the need to apply them everywhere I can think of, as efficiently as possible, since some of them are limited resources, even if they’re renewable mostly. As I lean over the edge of the aerie, propping myself up with my TK grip, holding my breath to maintain my Wyverium Chestplate’s featherfall enchantment, I stare down into the tempest. It seems to gaze back, an endless eye that contains galaxies. Hmf, like I once thought when gazing on Laomati while she cried. Someday. Someday we’ll make it home to you Lao, Ag, and all the rest. I rub my eyes on my forearm, fighting back tears.

Drawing a deep breath, I’m inundated with the scent of ozone and a tangy whiff of dragon’s acid. The platform here on the aerie, usually a bastion of calm above the wild sky, seems to vibrate. I worry for a moment that our expansion efforts are losing cohesion, but they hold. Still, it’s a reminder that tranquility here is a temporary balm amidst all the chaos of this turbulent world. Heh. Solace indeed. Kinzul certainly knows how to Administrate. Every Alias she’s bestowed, or Latent she’s awakened, or name she’s passed on to someone or something seems perfect. Even her daughter Iylynila, I couldn’t imagine calling her anything else, other than Illy. I space out while gazing over the edge, almost losing myself in the spectacle, the way the lightning seems to seek something out there in the dark, like it's hunting.

I shake off the trance, the urgency clawing back, that sense of responsibility that’s always with me, always claiming that I have to do everything I can at every moment possible. Then again, like Kinzul and Luni said only recently, there’s no end to danger, but there is an end to me. My candle can be re-buttressed only so many times. There’s no time to be lost in contemplation about the Worldstorm at large. The storm within me’s enough to contend with. Yeesh. But still, I allow myself a short instant, a second of reprieve as I cast my gaze over Teuila and Lil as Lil finishes his transformation.

It’s funny, we’re all shapeshifters, and I’m at least still part Changeling Fae. Shifting, changing, transforming, we’ve always had to do it, in so many ways, literally and figuratively, to keep moving forward. Ever since we stumbled across Luna while journeying south when she first attacked us, before we became friends. Lil spontaneously evolving to their Agnewt form, back when he was still a they, is the only reason we’re alive.

It’d only been about a second, but you know me, guys, I can get caught in my brain for what feels like hours of thoughts in the blink of an eye. Te nods while slugging me gently in the shoulder, acknowledging that yeah, she knows me. Heh. To the very depths of both of our cores. Lil rolls his eyes at my flowery description of my bond with Teuila, but he’s just as important to me, and he knows it. Lil flicks his head in a draconic, “Come on already,” gesture, and I smile at my best buddy, nodding.

It’s almost like letting go as Te and I leap atop Lil, intending to rocket away from Solace, the mountain we’ve called home these last few weeks since arriving. I turn my head to glance back over my shoulder, capturing Solace’s peak, and the Medusa Falls. The image is etched into my mind—a reminder of what we protect, what we face, and what we’re a part of.

We aim towards the distant horizon, and I can picture what we’ll be flying towards already. We’re headed to an incredible maelstrom within the Worldstorm, with an eye at its center containing a massive mountain that hides a tremendous fortress, probably shielded by more magic than anything we’ve faced thus far. Bring it on.