Echoes Of The Seven

After several weeks of waking up to the soft, naked body of Bailey nuzzling her into a morning quickie, arousing at the sound of bloodcurdling screams was very unpleasant. Eris groaned, reaching one hand up to clutch at her head, which was aching in so many ways that her ears were ringing and her vision was blurry when eyes cracked open. Twisting, she could see that she was laid out on a couch of some kind and her breathing was forced through her mouth since her nose seemed to be plugged with something that was leaking wet and warm. However, she could also see a scene that left her mostly confused, since her crossed eyes made it quite difficult to discern what exactly was going on.

The room was filled with people fluttering around, many of whom seemed to be focused on a coffee table with two- no, just one woman laid on it who was the source of the screaming. Lots of voices were mingling together, and Eris’s head hurt way too much to try and straighten things out.

“Uhh, just try and push, I guess?”

“I am fucking pushing!”

“Can you push harder?”

“I’ll push you into the fucking mud if you tell me to-”

“Honey, it’s okay,” another voice cut in. “She’s just trying to help, and-”

“Oh, don’t you fucking start with me, Lee! You left for three godsdamned weeks without a single damned goodbaaaiiiieeeee-....!” The sentence devolved into moans of pain, followed in tune by the one that was cut off.

“Ow, ow- owowowow, that’s my hand. You’re squeezing, you’re squeezing!”

“Does anyone know what exactly I’m supposed to be looking for here?”

A figure kneeling just in front of Eris and obscuring a good portion of her vision chirped up in a familiar voice. “You’re supposed to be the healer, Meghan!”

“I am a healer! I’ve got one fucking healing spell that I’ve cast on her six times, but it doesn’t exactly help with trying to pull a person out of another person! Gotta say, her timing’s pretty shit too. How do we have like fifteen people in the same room and yet not a single person who’s qualified to reach into her cunt and yank out a baby?”

Many voices spoke simultaneously. “Shut up!”

“What…?” Eris murmured, blinking groggily. The figure just in front of her whipped around, revealing Jaxie’s blurry face inches from her own.

“Eris? Eris! Eris is awake! Sweetie, just keep lying down for a moment. Things aren’t exactly going how they should.”

“What’s going-” Eris shifted, working to get one arm under herself. Jaxie’s expression widened.

“Wait, nonono-”

Once Eris’s head was vertical, a spike of pain and a surge of nausea washed through her, making her wince and retch at the same time. Meanwhile, everything in Eris’s vision swum in circles so fast that her entire body felt like it was falling in eight different directions and her head flopped back down onto the cushion while throbbing with dizziness. A man shouted out.

“Kull, Sir, I’ve laid out the towels in Miss Kadell’s room like you asked-”

“Good!” A different man responded. “Get Adeline in there and on the bed!”

“What about Eris?”

“Eris’s room is closer, so it’s easier to bring Adeline there! Eris can go in the master bedroom for now. Come on, get moving!”

The other voice, that everyone told to shut up. “Uhh, sir? How exactly do you expect us to move her? Do you want us to each grab a limb and heave, or-”

“Use your head, Leghume!” The man called back. “Just carry the entire damned table!”

“Yep, okay, that works too.”

“Kerrot, Qualley, get Eris into the master bedroom and take the rest of her clothes off! Reysman and Jeckett, help them. I know you already healed her wounds but I want a full physical evaluation while Doyle comes back with something to relieve mental strain. Geriege, you’re with me.”

“I am, Professor?”

“Yes. While Elmas is tending to her wife, you’re going to put some clothes on and then give me a report on everything that happened in that prison.”

“Eris? Eris, are you okay?”

Eris blinked at the silhouette of Jaxie taking up even more of her vision as strong arms slid underneath her and lifted her up off the couch. The world seemed to spin around her. “Nnngh, too fast. Too fast…”

“Eris?!”

Then the world went dark again as Eris’s head slumped. That was okay though- it was quieter.

---

Soft.

That was the first thought that occurred to Eris when coherence finally started latching back onto her mind. Everything was soft. And warm.

The bed beneath her was as cushiony as a dove’s wing, and the blankets overtop even more so. The room was a comfortable temperature- perhaps a tad on the chilly side but that meant she could snuggle into the blankets without any fear of overheating. It was quiet, though Eris could just barely catch the faintest traces of muffled conversation coming from elsewhere. Not enough to listen in- just enough to know that there were people in proximity.

When she creaked her eyes open, blurry vision took a minute to focus on the darkened room around her. There were clear outlines of light surrounding the edges of curtains drawn completely shut, helping to shroud the room from what was clearly a sunny day. Meanwhile, the rest of the room was fairly… normal.

Part of her was expecting a hospital bed, in a bland white room filled with medical cabinets and runic devices to keep track of her vitals. Instead, it was a plain, completely average bedroom. Definitely bigger than the one she had back in Kelshiir (though, a broom closet would be bigger than her bedroom back home so that wasn’t saying much). She was laying on the bed with simple beige sheets and a very comfy-looking padded chair sitting just to the side. Aside from that and the small nightstands on either side of the headboard, there was absolutely no other furniture in the room- just empty, dark blue carpet and a single door in the far corner.

So she got out. That much was for certain- there was nothing like this in Pravala’s prison. At the very least, the sun trying to peek past the curtains was evidence enough that the plan worked. Though, what exactly happened? She supercharged the Key, and then everything just became too much. It was supposed to help the pathway break through the enchantments in the Obelisk holding them back, not-

Oh.

Well now Eris just felt stupid.

There was no specification on how the magic being absorbed into the Key would affect what- just make the time stronger in general. That meant everything the Key had, from the pathway to the sensor itself. The sensor that transmitted everything it could perceive to Eris, which then had the power cranked up dozens, if not hundreds of times. That explains why she blacked out, but she wasn’t too sure on the fuzziness afterwards. All she could remember was her head hurting, and lots of screaming.

Wait.

Eris’s eyes went wide. Oh gods, were Bailey and Elmas okay? Sure, the pathway opened up and presumably brought her back, but did it stay open? The effect of the Key said that the pathway lasted for the remaining time of the sensor, but if Eris passed out immediately after doing it, did that end the sensor? Did it close the path? Were they still trapped in that prison? Was that the screaming? Oh gods…

Eris threw the covers off and rolled out of the bed in a panic, though her feet didn’t quite find the places they should have and her knees buckled like jelly. Thankfully, she didn’t slam her face off the edge of the nightstand on the way down, but she did tumble to the carpeted floor with a resonance in the thud that told her she wasn’t on ground level. She was on a higher story of this building, and there was a room beneath her. Furthermore, the muffled conversation stopped completely to be replaced by the commotion of movement. Eris barely managed to push herself to her knees and brace on the edge of the bed, realizing exactly two things before the door to the room slammed open. One; her injured wrist appeared to have been healed, since the makeshift splint Bailey and Elmas equipped her with was gone and there was no pain or any sign of injury. Two, and more notably;

She was naked.

Eris felt her cheeks flushing with red as people funneled into the room, trying her best to crouch behind the bed and hide her nudity. Some of the people she recognized- like Superintendent Konderlacht and Professor Kull. Some of them she didn’t, like the black-haired girl with freckles and glasses in the dark blue Syndicate uniform beside them. However, it was the flat-chested blonde with hair the approximate volume of a thunderstorm sprinting and diving across the bed with a smile on her face that made Eris’s heart nearly weep in relief.

“You’re awake!” Bailey hugged Eris around the shoulders so tight they almost popped. “You did it! You got us out!”

“Is Elmas-” Eris began, but was cut off by the superintendent.

“Elmas is fine, and so are all one thousand, three hundred and eighty one Precursors you brought with you.”

“...Precursors?”

Bailey nodded, finally pulling back from the hug and readjusting the thick pair of glasses on her face. Unlike the ones Eris made in the Obelisk, these seemed professional. “Yeah, it’s what the Syndicate has officially decided to call everyone you brought back, since they lived before the Sundering. A bunch of the dorms in Sector Ohn got emptied out so that the Precursors could move in. Of course, that means over a thousand students had to get moved around, some to open spaces in other sectors and some are even bunking three to a room instead of two, but everything’s gonna be fine. Also, a change of clothes is right here on the bed.”

Then, another voice chirped up from behind everyone trying to peek through the doorway. “Eris?”

Bodies parted, and Eris could look past to see gentle blonde curls and brown eyes staring back at her. Eris’s throat went dry.

“Alex?”

A moment later, a second blonde had hurried into the room. Unlike Bailey, Alex didn’t leap across the bed for her hug- she went around and crouched right beside Eris to get a proper, deep embrace.

Alex’s hair smelled like vanilla.

“I missed you all so much,” Eris sobbed into Alex’s shoulder, the tears finally starting to leak from her eyes. Alex herself shuddered just a tiny bit.

“Bailey and the Lieutenant Major told us everything. I’m… I’m so sorry, Eris.”

Eris’s heart curdled like sour milk. When she found her voice, it was shaky. “Where’s Jaxie?”

“She’s waiting outside,” Bailey responded. “After what happened with Pravala, she- well… she didn’t want to be the first face you saw.”

Red-hot nails of pain ripped through Eris’s chest at that. She’d have rather kept that little part of everything secret- she didn’t need Jaxie to be afraid of scaring her. Eris swallowed.

“It’s okay. Let her in.”

“Jaxie?” Bailey called out. Some of the people at the door shifted, and a taller girl entered the view a moment later. Eris locked eyes with the figure, her heart clenching in knots.

Jaxie had tears rolling down her cheeks.

Eris stood up from behind the bed, no longer caring about her nudity in front of so many eyes, walked right up to Jaxie and pulled the girl in for the tightest hug Eris could possibly manage. It was a tentative moment later before Jaxie’s arms returned the embrace, wrapping gingerly around Eris’s bare back. Eris nestled her face into Jaxie’s chest, feeling the fabric of the Berserker’s shirt on her cheek and letting her nostrils fill with the scent of her love. As much as she hated it though, part of Eris still shuddered at the flashing thought of Jaxie’s hands around her neck, lifting her into the air.

“What did I do,” Eris began asking quietly, “the first time you told me you loved me?”

Jaxie tensed. “What?”

“Just answer the question,” Eris said, twisting her head to look upwards. “What did I do when you first told me you loved me?”

Jaxie stared back down, blue eyes locking onto green. She muttered quietly. “You vomited all over the bed.”

Eris felt the tears welling back up in her eyes, then returned her face to bury it in Jaxie’s bosom while tightening her hug further. “Good.”

She wasn’t sure if it was true, but Eris wanted to believe that a summon wouldn’t know that.

After a long while of quiet, it was Professor Kull’s respectfully commanding voice that broke the silence. “Miss Kadell, you may wish to get dressed. You have more people that would like to see you.”

It almost caused genuine pain to pull away from Jaxie, but Eris eventually did so with a nod. The numerous eyes peeking through the door all respectfully turned the other direction as Eris quickly pulled on the clothes provided for her, and light filled the room when Bailey opened the curtains. Turning back around, the new illumination helped Eris to see one other thing sitting on the end of the bed.

Pravala’s tapestry bundle.

Eris moved it into her lap while she got back into the bed, but scooched back far enough so that she was sitting up against the headboard instead of laying down. Jaxie and Alex both took up seated positions on the edges to either side of her, and Bailey plopped herself comfortably in the padded chair just to the right. Then, everyone else funneled into the room. Eris was expecting all the Deans and the entirety of Jaxie and Alex’s party, like in the meeting she dropped into with the Key.

Eris couldn’t have been more wrong.

The only people from that meeting in the room right now were Jaxie, Alex, Professor Kull and Professor Konderlacht. Everyone else was brand new, and there were quite a few that were all packed shoulder-to-shoulder in the room that suddenly felt a lot smaller.with thirteen people in it. Furthermore, the only one of them that was wearing the Syndicate uniform was that black-haired woman with freckles. Aside from the Dean and the Superintendent, of course. The rest were all girls wearing casual clothes like jeans and t-shirts, and were all young enough that Eris had almost zero doubt about them all being students. Professor Konderlacht cleared her throat.

“You appeared to undergo a tremendous amount of mental strain following your escape and were drifting in and out of consciousness. Our Alchemists used a kind of anesthetic to dull your mind and put you in a state similar to a medicated coma, which you have been in for about two and a half days so your mind could rest. During that time, Bailey and Major Lieutenant Elmas informed us of all the events that transpired in the Obelisk that they were aware of, and even aided in helping plan out our next steps going forward.”

Eris tried not to get too shaken about the fact she just spent over two days unconscious. Although, she really hadn’t been sleeping a whole lot in the prison, and she most certainly couldn’t deny that she felt pretty fantastic. Like the deepest, most sound beauty sleep in her entire life. She gave a small nod.

“And what next steps would those be, Ma’am?”

“First, we are going to do in-depth testing and research of all your skills so that we can get an accurate basis of what exactly you are capable of at the current moment. As part of that, the Syndicate has also approved the transfer of many objects from the old world that are proven to be artifacts from Artificers, which you will Inspect and thus aid in the research of by sharing that knowledge. Then, we move on to progressing your strength as quickly as possible. Kull?”

The single man in the room dominated by a dozen women took a step forward.

“Miss Geriege and Major Lieutenant Elmas informed us that your Wonders of Artifice skill also provides you with the level progression they receive. We were previously unaware of that and only believed it to be your Desire resource. Given that information, we are going to use Wonders of Artifice to tremendously increase the rate at which you can become more powerful.”

Eris narrowed her eyes, already having an assumption as to where this was going. “How so?”

“The means are simple,” Professor Kull stated. “During the night, you are going to change your Wonders to five pre-chosen individuals that will be engaging in as much carnal activity as possible in order to provide you with all the Desire you should need to boost your various skills. During the daytime, you will change the Wonders to a high-level task force that you will meet shortly, that will then go out on excursions to eradicate as much of the Hollow as they can, as fast as they can. With the boosted and shared level progression, you may very well be able to get months, if not years of effort brought down into a matter of days without needing to lift a finger. You may even reach tenth level by the end of the week.”

It was the most logical solution. Increase Eris’s level and give her Desire both as quickly as possible so that she could better help in the fight against the Hollow. Eris’s response was extremely simple.

“No.”

Every eyebrow in the room either raised in surprise or furrowed in confusion. Even Konderlacht looked taken aback. “Pardon?”

“No,” Eris repeated, then grabbed hold of the hand of both Jaxie and Alex sitting to either side to squeeze tight. “I already chose my Wonders, and they will stay as my Wonders.”

“I thought you said you could change targets,” Bailey said, leaning forward. Eris nodded.

“I can, at least that’s what the skill says. But I won’t. Jaxie, Alex, Nima, Claire and Meghan are going to be my Wonders, and I won’t change them. Period.”

“That is completely illogical-” Kull tried to butt in, but Eris sat up a bit straighter in the bed.

“I don’t care! I’m going to fight the Hollow with everything I have, but my number one priority can and will always be the ones I love. That is Jaxie and Alex. And since they’re in a party with the other three, and I can choose five people, then those are the five that I choose.”

“Miss Kadell, think about it. Even if you all gather the Desire, you are going to be losing out on so much level progression that-”

“I don’t want any level progression if I can’t help who I love.” Eris said defiantly. “So screw your plan- here’s my plan. If you want me to level up as fast as possible so I can get powerful, you do the exact same thing for Alex, Jaxie, and the others. My main goal is going to be to equip them with everything they could possibly need to stay safe, and then any extra equipment I make can go to the rest of the Syndicate for whatever you choose.”

Eris leaned back against the headboard. “Those are my terms. You want me to empower a strike force to carve into the Hollow? They are that strike force.”

Konderlacht’s eye twitched amongst the silent room, but she eventually let out a terse breath. “Very well. If nothing else, it shall serve as an opportunity to discover if levelling up with your influence has any alternative effects.”

Eris spared a glance to either of her girlfriends, who were both staring on with wide expressions. The redhead cleared her throat. “Anything else?”

Kull shifted tense shoulders. “Three matters, and they are non-negotiable. Though, you should find them more than favourable… Ma’am.”

Eris nodded, to which the man continued. “Since the only other Echo we’ve ever encountered is deceased, the Syndicate is once again declaring you the highest priority individual available, and your safety is paramount above all else. Therefore, you are to be accompanied at all times by an exceptionally trained, highly trusted Syndicate soldier to serve as your personal bodyguard and ensure your protection at any cost. They will never leave your side, and if you so choose, will be a frequent partner in which you may gain Desire.”

Eris expected that much, at least. Actually, she expected more. She figured that there wouldn’t be any possibility of her going anywhere without being surrounded by the most prestigious attack force of Syndicate soldiers available. Just one was more than manageable. Kull continued.

“Second is that you will always remain in possession of a Whisperstone, so that the one appointed as your protector will always know your exact location, but so will any necessary Syndicate officials with a bonded stone. You may also use the Whisperstone to communicate with bonded stones over any distance, and can notify in case of emergencies.”

Eris was actually a little giddy with excitement about that one. She’d heard of Whisperstones before- everyone had-, and always wanted to see what they were like. Being able to have a steady conversation with another from a thousand miles away as if they were standing in the same room? Even the concept of that made Eris’s mind tingle with happy chemicals- especially the thought that she might learn how to make them herself.

“Sounds reasonable,” Eris managed to stay composed and hide her excitement. “And the third matter?”

Professor Kull let out a long breath. “The third, non-negotiable matter are these seven women behind me.” He gestured to the line of girls, only one of which was in a uniform.

“Although you are an Artificer and can supposedly make items more powerful than any crafters in the Syndicate, you are still only second level and have limited knowledge of application. Many of these women, when examining what you’ve created so far, consider your techniques to be crude and unrefined. You have power, but we would be unwise to let power compensate for a lack of proper teaching, so these women have each volunteered to be your tutors for various applications of crafting.”

“Tutors?” Eris asked. Kull nodded.

“Yes, tutors. They will be working alongside you at every opportunity, teaching you anything and everything there is to know about each form of crafting so that you can create the highest quality products.”

“May I chime in, sir?” Bailey raised her hand in the chair, to which Professor Kull nodded. Bailey lowered her hand with a smile, then fixed her blue eyes on Eris.

“Now, you’ll see that only one of them has actually graduated, and that’s because we didn’t pick them out based on their level and their power- we picked them out based on their knowledge and passion for their craft. Also yes, I said ‘we’. I helped choose who made the cut. As for them, think of them like me- I’m definitely not the best Alchemist in Marrix. Or… wasn’t, rather. However, I spent every bit of my time here experimenting with every conceivable method and combination to find out everything I possibly could.”

She held her hand out to gesture over the line of women. “All of them are very similar. They may not be the best at what they do, but they have a passion for their work and strive to learn absolutely everything they can. Someone like that is going to be a much better teacher than a professional that’s just reading from a textbook.”

Eris opened her mouth, but Bailey cut in with a quick; “Ah ah ah!”

“I know what you’re thinking,” Bailey smiled. “And no, you don’t need to have sex with them. That’s not what they’re here for. They’re here to tutor you about all the fine details regarding specific kinds of crafting so that you can become as knowledgeable as you are powerful. That being said, each of them volunteered for this position, and each have stated that they have no apprehensions whatsoever about becoming partners from which you can gain Desire with. A lot of them are also returning customers of mine, so that should tell you everything you need to know about that regard. We can all be your tutors and your fuck buddies in one neat little package, if you want.”

Eris’s face turned red. Professor Konderlacht held her face in one hand. “Miss Geriege…”

“Okay, sorry,” Bailey held her hands up apologetically and stood to walk towards the line of women. “Could each of you introduce yourselves? Name, gender, age, level, class and year, please?” She gestured to the one beside her. That girl nodded and gave a warm smile.

“Ophelia Smith, female, twenty, level seven Culinarian with a specialty focus in baking. I’m a third year here at Marrix.”

Her expression was warm and inviting on tanned skin about the same as Nima’s. However, her hair was curly and dark brown, hanging just above her shoulders with defined bangs outlining soft brown eyes. She then reached down and squeezed the hand of the girl next to her, who spoke up.

“Rachel Baker, futanari, also twenty, also level seven, and also in my third year. I’m a Metalsmith.”

Eris’s eyebrows narrowed. “Wait, so you’re Smith the Baker, and you’re Baker the Smith?”

“Yep,” Rachel grinned. Her extremely pale skin almost glowing compared to the pitch black of her hair. In fact, that combination made her look like she would fit right in among all the Precursors who hadn’t seen sunlight in centuries. However, Rachel had a bit more definition to her build, enough that Eris could see the muscles even underneath the girl’s baggy shirt. Rachel then leaned in to butt her shoulder against Ophelia’s, who was almost six inches shorter. Not that Ohpelia was short- it just looked like Rachel may have only been a few inches shy of Jaxie.

“Also, just to let you know, Poppy and I are dating. We definitely don’t mind sharing, though.”

Eris fought back the blush in her cheeks. “Next?!”

“Tatum Toddley,” the next girl rolled her eyes with a grin. “Female, I’m twenty-two, in my fourth year here, and I’m an eleventh level Stonecutter. Frankly, the few ichryte runestones that Bailey managed to bring back are awful. The margin of error for being an Artificer is clearly a whole lot wider, because the best Stonecutter on the planet doing that kind of work would have made a pile of fancy gravel. It actually kind of pisses me off that you did such a horrible job and still got away with it.”

“Uhh… sorry?” Eris raised an eyebrow at the girl shaking her head at her. Tatum’s skin was dark and smooth like Professor Konderlacht’s, but she didn’t carry the obvious Garigall gene of white hair. Instead, hers was solid black and cut short on the side to about the same length that Eris tended to like her own hair. However, the entire center was nearly four or five times the length, forming a large, black mohawk that flopped down over one side of her head with green eyes peeking through. The next girl stepped forward when she spoke.

“Hi! I’m a second year. Fifth level Weaver.”

A moment of quiet before Bailey coughed. “Name, gender, age…?”

“Oh, sorry!” The girl cleared her throat and straightened her stance. “Hima Listle, age nineteen, and I’m a futa. Nice to meet you!”

She stepped backwards, standing as one of the shortest in the bunch at what may very well be Eris’s own height, though it was hard to tell when sitting in the bed. Her olive-tinted skin was smooth over her petite frame, and thin, slanted brown eyes blinked sweetly back at Eris. Meanwhile, Hima’s hands were errantly fiddling, even having pulled the very end of the girl’s long, long black ponytail with green dyed streaks up to play with the strands. The girl next to her was actually the same height, or close enough that there was no discernable difference between the shorties.

“Rocky Nightmoore, female, nineteen, second year Leatherworker at a jaw-dropping level of… four. I know, I know, it’s hard to reach these heights but you’ll get there someday.”

Rocky brushed a lock of exceptionally scruffy brown hair back behind one ear and even cocked her hip outwards while resting her other well-tanned hand on it, like striking a pose. Soft eyes about the same light shade of brown as her skin fluttered back with a wide smile, before she ducked into a deep bow to gesture for the next girl who suddenly looked a little bit less comfortable with the attention.

“Oh- uhh… I’m Addison? Addison Zatz, so the ol’ A-Z. Either side of the alphabet? Nevermind- sorry. Uhh, I’m a futa, I’m twenty-one years old so I’m in my third year here, and I’m a level ten Woodcarver?”

It was hard to tell whether she was trying to make the statement or ask it as a question. Regardless, the almost-as-tall-as-Rachel girl’s gray eyes were dancing around uncomfortably. One pale hand reached up for the third time since she started speaking to brush away locks of long, platinum blonde hair that curled towards the tips. She glanced to the last one in the line, who was also the one that was uniformed. “Next?”

That girl, with shorter black hair tied back in a simple bun and brown eyes peeking between all her freckles, cleared her throat and stepped forward in a casual-but-still-kinda-official stance. Eris could almost swear she gave Jaxie an odd glance, though it was probably just a trick of the light.

“Private Grace McMerkel, age twenty-two, and I graduated last month. I am female, am a level twelve Artisan, and am honoured to aid you in whatever way I can.”

Eris sighed, squeezed her girlfriends’ hands, then started shifting to stand up. “Well, I’ll be glad to learn whatever I can. Right now, though, I’m going outside.”

Many people moved, but it was Konderlacht that spoke. “Miss Kadell, you need to rest and ensure that you are fit-”

“I have rested, and I am fit!” Eris snapped back, immediately recoiling from the harshness in her own tone as the room went quiet. “Sorry, just… I need to do something. I need to go to the Obelisk.”

The entire room tensed, to which Eris herself winced while getting her feet under her and standing. “Not to go inside- gods, no. I just need to go to the park.”

“Why?” Jaxie asked, but Eris could tell it wasn’t an interrogation. She wasn’t questioning if Eris needed to leave and trying to argue against it- merely an honest wondering of what Eris had in mind. Eris sighed, then grabbed the bundled tapestry.

“I have a promise I need to keep.” She then turned towards the two officials- Kull and Konderlacht. “If I have your permission.”

Both paused for a moment, looking at each other before the older woman eventually gave a nod.

---

It really was a beautiful day- the kind that Eris would normally have brushed off. The sun was bright, not a cloud was in the sky, and a gentle breeze blew through the entire park. However, after having none of those things for the last month, Eris was keen to let the sun kiss her face and bask in the warmth of a lovely morning.

The Obelisk, however, cast the same oblong shadow across the park as normal- the massive pillar obscuring sunshine for a large patch as if it were the world’s largest sundial. Looking at it was a grim sight.

“Based on the timeframe that Bailey and Elmas gave, the cracks would have spread at the exact time Pravala died.” Alex muttered as Eris glanced over the monolith. Eris sighed.

“That I can believe…”

While the Obelisk had already been damaged, with multiple large cracks fracturing the surface and splitting it into three pieces stacked back on top of each other, it was now in far, far worse condition. It wasn’t just three pieces- it had to be over three dozen. The surface was splintered in a spiderweb of fractures, with black marble chipping and crumbling away, barely managing to hold together at all. And that was just the physical damage. The magical essence that Eris could see was even worse.

Previously, the golden light had been leaking from the cracks and smudging the golden runes that appeared when Eris got close. Now, there were barely a handful of runes still legible at all and the rest were completely washed away. Much like the inside of the prison realm, golden cracks fractured all over the entire surface, though Eris could practically feel the energy pouring out of it. A simple Inspect proved her suspicions.

Abstract of Eternity

Durability: 2%

A monolith that serves as a gateway to distant realms. Created by Balzonest Exxinter, Ymetri Faraday, Nasha Ignes, Phrom Ladana, Rallan Oje, Ihxal Wb’bami and Vojemala Ywer. Made from white marble, the souls of the creators, and a concoction of Zhuul Somnere.

Additional effect: Collusion

Unauthorized individuals may not use the Abstract of Eternity.

Additional effect: Convergence

Authorized individuals may forcibly transport targets through realm connections.

Additional effect: Confinement

Delegated prison realms are one-way only.

“The Obelisk is almost completely destroyed,” Eris said. “It only has two percent Durability left, and my own creation exploded at like… five percent.”

“We have avoided attempts to send anyone inside because of the expanded cracks,” Konderlacht said. “Perhaps we made the correct decision if it truly is that damaged. There is no telling how it will function now.”

“Ready, Ma’am.”

All of their attentions were brought back to the uniformed soldier standing beside them, a polished orb of slate gray material held in one hand while the magic of moving soil died down. Looking down, Eris could see the recently-dug pit carved neatly into the grass in a perfect rectangle about the size of a shoebox, and only about a foot deep. Konderlacht looked towards Eris and nodded. Eris knelt down, holding the bundled tapestry of Pravala in her hands.

“You were a monster, Pravala. An evil, wicked woman who had no hope of serving use in the remainder of your life. You deserved to die not just for what you did, but what you became.”

Eris set the cloth down in the hole, placing one hand on the front of the bundle just beneath a picture of Pravala’s regal face.

“But you were also a victim of tragedy that I can’t even begin to understand. You gave up everything you had and everything you were for the hope of a better future, and that hope was stolen from you. You were left to rot with nothing but pain to keep you company, and it drove you to madness. It drove you to this.”

Eris stood up, looking over towards Elmas and Bailey who were standing just off to the side. Bailey took a sour look down at the hole in the ground, shook her head and remained silent. Elmas readjusted the swaddle of cloth she held in her own arms from which Eris could see a faint bit of skin, then cleared her throat while looking at the tapestry.

“It is not my place to judge you, nor to praise you, nor to spit on your grave. Instead, I will leave that judgement to the ones beyond, so that they may look upon you with unbiased eyes and decide what is fair. That is the honour I give.”

Elmas stepped back, and Eris glanced to the soldier who dug the hole with a nod. His focus sharpened and the loose soil began gently and slowly flowing back to fill the space it left behind while Eris spoke once more.

“If nothing else, Pravala, you helped Bailey, Elmas and I to get home from what should have been an impossibility. As thanks, this memory of you will be buried where it may enjoy the sun and stars that you couldn’t.”

The last of the soil filled the space, creating a small mound of loose dirt in the middle of grass. However, Eris watched as the soldier’s magic continued flowing, and little nubs of green began poking up through the dirt- grass reseeding and beginning to sprout from the patch that had been dug up.

Eris felt like she should say something else, but she really couldn’t find any words for it. Instead, she let out a short breath through her nose and tried to ignore the wetness welling in her eyes while turning around. On either side of her, Jaxie and Alex stood supportively and gently took her hands. However, it was the final figure that walked up from her peripherals, carrying a bundle of fabric that made Eris smile.

“Eris, I don’t think you’ve been officially introduced yet.”

“No, I haven’t,” Eris sniffled through her grin. “Who’s this little gem?”

Elmas smiled deeply down at the infant swaddled in a blanket the colour of lilac, then back up at Eris. “Her name is Elodie, and you let me be there when she was coming into this world. Thank you.”

Eris had no words. Instead, she gave a nod. Elmas had words though. “Would you like to hold her?”

The tear finally broke, rolling down Eris’s cheek.

“I’d love to.”

End of Act Two