I wonder how many times I can draw it?
- Found in Praetor Pathos' journal.
Three holograms appeared in a lightless room, illuminating the box, which bore no doors or exits. There, the figures nodded to one another in greeting. The man with an exoskeleton of illusory steel and hidden, beating hearts of his enemies spoke first, addressing the woman across from him. “How nice to see you again, Judeth. How long has it been since we three last gathered? Two hundred?”
His target scoffed, lifting her hands with stele of bone peeking from her many fingers. Along her back, two wings of solidified marrow creaked out, like an angel’s wings, while a saint's halo hovered over her skull with a ring of bone from her scalp.
Judeth, the Saint Of Pupils and the elder of the current two Endless of Ostacean, cursed her counterpart, “You calling me old, Yiestran? I know you aren’t, or I’ll tear your new tech right off. Us being in a hologram won’t stop me.”
Another voice emerged, that of an obscured woman; even within the hologram, space itself seemed shattered around her form. All that could be discerned was the raised finger pointed toward Judeth, “Easy. There's no point in acting like you two are enemies. We already know it’s a farce.”
Both heads immediately turned to the shimmering woman with scowls. Judeth spoke next, her hologram stepping closer to the figure. Then, she tilted her head with sarcasm and stretched across her timeless face, “Hmm... Okay then, Yarnen. You caught us. Ooh... Ahh... Will Vicar be coming for this meeting? Haven’t seen the bastard since I was young.”
Yarnen, Anomaly 0, and second oldest Legate laughed with a dry tone. The vague sign of a flipping tail shone inside her crippled light. God’s Abomination had no time for jokes. She was her friend’s guard, keeper, and caretaker.
“You should be glad. The last time Vicar asked for help, a tenth of the galaxy died. We all pray every day that his presence holds the Great Darkness at bay. Now, what did you call me here for?” The ancient woman had little patience, almost directly demanding an answer, even from such influential figures.
Judeth sighed while Yiestran spoke up, his exoskeleton crackling overtop his figure, “We wanted to divvy up the MDs. And—”
“Denied. Vicar has—”
“Do you not think for yourself? Is Vicar the only Legate who makes decisions?” Yarnen’s hologram hummed with dissatisfaction after being interrupted by Judeth from her intrusion of Yiestran’s proposition.
A moment passed in tense silence as the technology shuddered beneath a behemoth presence. However, Anomaly 0 soon opened her mouth again, “Legate Vicar and I are of one mind. If we were not, we would have killed each other in a power struggle over the past millennium, just as your forefathers had. Our unity has brought Rome to tower over your meager empires. Watch your words. You each may be my match, but we have six Legates. You have three Gravitors and two Endless. In an all-out war, there should be no confusion into who would prevail with Vicar free to roam your Sectors.”
Yarnen’s words brought both Yiestran and Judeth to total stillness. Neither said a word. They merely glanced at the other with indignation. Vicar's reason for pushing Ganun to a painful death or a grand height made sense.
It was all for leverage.
While the two simmered, the Legate continued, her hologram collapsing into tiny specks of fractured space, “There will be no deals. The strongest shall claim the Inheritances. Do remember, they would do little for us. Leave them for the young who may grow alongside them. Contact me only if you find one of those hiding.”
With her parting words, Yiestran and Judeth were left alone in the holographic reality. They shared a look before both giving each other a wry smile.
“I guess we should work together.”
“Seems so.”
************************
Dante’s hand halted atop the piano’s keys while his eyes fell upon Sonna. The Weren had recovered enough to walk with a cane after a night’s rest. She stood there, around the edge of the corner, watching him.
He returned her gaze, annoyed by the intrusion. However, Dante didn’t let it bother him for long. He resumed the notes a second later, right where he left off as he kept perfect time in his head. Sonna grinned at the music, bobbing her head slightly with the rhythm.
As he played, the woman shambled across the hotel, heading toward the exit. She enjoyed Dante’s playing but knew he desired solitude after all that had happened. Furthermore... every time she closed her eyes, she saw her own corpse.
It gnawed on her. At this hour, she just wanted to see something peaceful to ease her mind, like the sunrise.
The moment Sonna reached the door to the outside, however, the music stopped with a question, “Have you ever been to Glaniece?”
She twisted around to find Dante sitting with a raised knee on the seat. Bandages covered almost every inch of his body. He had forgone Joan’s specialized treatment to give her time to work on everyone else.
The captain would be healed. Eventually, but for now, he bore the pain in place of his crew. He did so without complaint or acknowledgment, but Sonna noticed nonetheless.
For the first time, Sonna realized she wasn’t unlucky to find this man, to be caught by him. It was her most improbable fortune to have met the human amongst the endless sea of stars.
“No. I haven’t. Why?” she asked as she fixed her posture on her cane.
Dante stood and stepped away from the piano. His mind had calmed. He would return to the melodies shortly, but not yet. He soon limped to the bar, pouring himself a drink.
However, he did not bring it to his lips. The amber fluid met only his eyes as he spoke, “Thank you. I never got to say it. For stealing my Nullify,” with the last word, Sonna’s heart sank. She opened her mouth to defend herself, but Dante wasn’t done. “You’re the first crewmate I’ve had who... when they make their own decisions, doesn’t fuck everything over.”
Unable to respond, Sonna shook in her place like a trembling sprout. The human laughed, spotting it in the corner of his eye as he turned and spun the liquid in his shotglass.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Rejo is... Rejo. Love the guy, but he can’t think for himself, let alone others. Joan and Lucius could be capable, but between her past and his demons, I don’t trust them to think ahead. Astraeus... with Thanaris’ death, I don’t want to put any more weight on him,” Dante’s words ramped up as his eyes trailed the artwork on the hotel’s wall with the rising sun’s illumination. “Plus, I can tell he would hate giving orders. He’s told me he loathed every second of calling Dirge forth on Crislend. Like he was enslaving countless. He only did it because she asked him to.”
His gaze shifted to Sonna with a raised eyebrow, “But you? A diamond in the least likely of places. Someone who will oppose my ideas out of conflicting views, not spite,” Dante tossed his glass back onto the counter as he stood to face Sonna. “We can let Rejo have the title in name, but would you like to be my Second? I need someone to steer the ship while I’m gone, and you’ve done a great job so far.”
The woman stammered, struggling to find her words. Unlike before, though, she managed to respond under such pressure without too much time, “I... Yeah. I’d like that.”
“Good. See? You’re growing. Faster than anyone I’ve ever met. No one ever gave you a chance before. Trust me. I know what its like. To be glossed over. Ignored. It was... hell,” Dante sighed as he turned back toward the piano. "I’m going to have Astraeus give lessons to us all on the Lightsea, Tides, and everything else we’d need to know now that we all have some kind of power. We’re starting at noon. Will you join us?"
Silence was his answer. He glanced back to find Sonna nod with determination before she shuffled outward to see the sunrise. The human shook his head with a sarcastic laugh as he sat back down in his seat.
The mere movement sent trailing pangs of agony up his spine and into his brain. A seethe emanated from his lips as he whispered to himself, “Fuck...”
But he didn’t let the pain stop him. He brought his hands to the keys and closed his eyes. Dante let the music take him into tranquility.
He flew along the slow, steady beats as he relaxed. After months of being wound up, his body and mind found peace. Cravings and thoughts attempted to disturb his playing, yet he fought them off.
And before he knew it, a hand fell onto his shoulder. Dante peered up to discover a crying face returning his gaze. Astraeus had come to get him.
Noon had arrived.
************************
Shortly thereafter, Dante strode into the room they had paid for Astraeus. Dirge don’t sleep, typically, so he spent his time moving the furniture for all to have room to sit. There, beside the sideways bed and couch, lay a patient’s bed that had been wheeled in. The young boy wrapped in the covers slept with closed eyes, his chest rising and falling with a gradual tune.
Joan stood beside Archimedes, checking his vitals. She noticed the last member’s entrance and explained herself, “He’s awake. Working on the kinks in his nerves. Locked-in Syndrome. Haven’t cured this one before, but should be able to. He’ll hear everything Ast says.”
“That’s good. Hope you feel alright in there, Arch. And... Ast?” Dante poked as he nodded to API’s condition.
The Dirge, several feet away, merely shrugged. He didn’t seem to care about Joan’s grating personality. Instead, he waved for Dante to sit before placing his hand against the wall.
There, snowflakes spread out, creating a hexagon with words spreading out along them. Each corner of the hexagon held a name and a short description.
Thermo - Gaseous steam, known for its swiftness, heat, and maneuverability.
Miro - Humidified veins, infamous for recovery, resilience, and physical ability.
Hydro - Liquid water, the most common Tide, and the most adaptable.
Frigo - Packed snow, hailed for its defensive capabilities and long-term battles for its efficiency.
Arido - Devouring mist, feared for its life-siphoning and broad effects.
Cryo - Freezing ice, renowned for its pure-combat utility between its offensive sharpness and sudden durability.
Then, outside the hexagon stood another sentence, alone but far more striking than the others.
Necto - Unnatural talent, revered for its unpredictable natures. All can shift between two main states: liquid and gas, gas and solid, or liquid and solid.
Once he finished writing the words with his Frigo, Astraeus faced the others. Then, while Sonna and Joan took notes and the others listened intently, the Dirge began, “You all know the base types of Tides. Nectos are a little more confusing, but that doesn’t matter. They are called Unnaturals for a reason. As long as you can quickly identify who you’re fighting, then you’re at an advantage, especially if you can hide yours. That's part of why knowing multiple is so critical for growth.”
Nods followed his advice, so he continued, “Onto more complicated things, we have...” Astraeus built three distinct sections away from the Tides, labeled ‘Lightless Pacts, Domain Collapses, and Tide Reversals.’ “These are all highly advanced applications of the Lightsea, with Reversals held only by Caesars and some of the Seacursed’s absolute strongest. They are methods to escape into the Lightsea itself for escape, instant travel, or specialized effects. One can also forgo the use of it to instead transform it into another Domain Collapse.”
A hand raised into the air from the side of the room, originating from Sonna. The Weren asked with confusion laced across her face, “Why would someone have to do that?”
Astraeus squinted his eternal, crying gaze momentarily before addressing her question. He pointed to Rejo as a subject, “People can only use a Domain Collapse once daily. In reality, it takes over a week for someone’s brain and soul to recover from the strain. Multiple uses over a short time can fry someone from the inside out. Rejo, here, damn near killed himself on the Heron’s Wing during our escape,” the Dirge explained while Sonna scribbled away. “Tide Reversals are even worse, but they consume a different... energy? Resource? Anyway, I’m not sure. So, you can, if you are truly willing... to die for...”
The ‘teacher’ choked up, recalling his own mentor. Seeing this, Dante jumped in to take the attention away from him, “It’s a gamble. If you think you can take out your enemy with another Domain Collapse, you go for it instead of merely escaping. Caesars and the like will have one of each, so we must be prepared for two DCs from the same person.”
After wiping the snowflakes from his eyes, Astraeus gave Dante a look of thanks. Then, with his self recovered, he moved onto that very topic, “Yes. And you can have more than one Domain Collapse. Types, I mean. Most people focus on one Tide until they reach that boundary because if I were to master Cryo or Hydro, it would allow me access to another Domain Collapse. It would be a different type and have wildly contrasting effects, so it’s not a jump in strength but instead a jump in breadth, allowing you to handle more... unexpected events.”
With Astraeus’ momentary pause to finish his thought, Joan spoke up, not bothering to lift a hand like the respectful Sonna, “So, why didn’t Thanaris use a different Domain Collapse? Surely, she would have been able to. Are you practicing for another right now? And how is Rejo able to collapse one without ever using Cryo?”
“I... I—I don’t know. I don’t think Nectos can master the other Tides. Not sure, though. As for me... yeah. I’m working towards Hydro, but with each step away from your inborn, it becomes twice as difficult. Twice the cost for half the result, kind of thing...” Astraeus trailed off while his eyes fell on the red-skinned Araki, gleaming excitedly at his mentioning. “No idea about him. Natural talent? Maybe if you’re too simple, you skip the steps?”
A laugh croaked from Dante as the man shook his head. The rest of the crew joined in. Astraeus didn’t mean to be funny or crack a joke, but his deadpan voice and Rejo’s sudden frown left even Lucius with a smile.
The moment passed before Sonna’s head turned to look at the silent, motionless figure on the bed. The others caught her gaze and fell quiet, too. Dante sighed as he redirected his focus toward the last marker.
“Lightless Pacts. What are they, really? That’s what hurt Ego, right? Breaking it? And how did Claudius stop him from making another one?” his lungs burst into several questions all at once.
Again, Astraeus didn’t possess a definite answer. He brought a hand to the amber wrapped around his neck by a steel wire he had twisted to fit himself. With it in his hand, he spoke, “Lightless Pacts are even rarer than Domain Collapses, but they aren’t necessarily more powerful. They are a way to... convene with the Lightsea and bend the rules per se. Going against one... is either impossible or ends with death.”
Dante’s eyes widened in surprise, and then they came together in thought. He didn’t believe Ego would die from such a thing. Astraeus thought the same and said, “Yeah. I doubt he’s dead. That thing... doesn’t follow rules. You aren’t even supposed to be able to make more than one. At all. Ever. There are some exceptions... but Oswort is the most famous. He has a personality disorder, which is why people think he could make multiple.”
Nods flew around the room before Astraeus followed up on their favorite Judge, “Claudius, though. He’s... special. The Lightsea has chosen him for some reason. His growth is incredible. Even more impressive than you guys. The higher you go, the more complex it is to take another step. I wager it’s something to do with him being a Seer.”
Rejo finally moved the tentacles in front of his mouth as an idea came to his mind. It was bizarre, out of the realm of understanding, and yet, it made sense, “What if... he can just do that? Like... he’s such good friends with it that he can tell it to ignore people?”
Eyes turned to the Araki, filled with consternation, yet none disagreed. Instead, as Astraeus resumed his lesson, going more in-depth with each Tide and the varieties of Domain Collapses, Dante’s mind latched onto a single phrase.
Good friends.
Claudius is good friends with the Lightsea. It makes sense. Everyone else we’ve seen powerful is old. People near his age... are weak. Yue, Talander, even Rosa. But that Judge... he’s something else.
Dante’s gaze steadied on his strongest crewmate, flowing the images of his blizzard and Inverted Palace into his mind. Then, he compared him to the Claudius Vermillion he saw when they fought against Ego.
He’d lose. It’d be close, but the Judge versus the Anathema switched victors from Crislend. Claudius grew more than the rest of us in that place. Was that his Praetor’s purpose? Not to give him an Inheritance, but to... give him resolve? To shatter him and build him anew?
His fingers tapped his chin, lost in thought as another idea came to mind. He heard Astraeus mention that only the most talented, deserving, and outstanding pupils could make contracts with the Lightsea.
For the vast majority of Seafarers, whether blessed or cursed, it would remain silent. Dante reached for it, attempting a bargain to see its response. With eyes closed, he sank deep, a rock entering an endless, fathomless sea.
Pressure built in his mind, yet there was no hint of response. Not a ripple.
With a puff of air from his mouth, he coughed before wiping away at his lips. Then, he stared at a sentence on the board.
Lightless Pacts. Bend the rules on Tides, Stigmata, and even Domain Collapses. Always has a cost.
It ate into his mind. Dante knew something was hidden, some piece he could take advantage of. He might be limited to one pact, but if he could use it to alter his Matchlock, he would take another step forward. But how could he? It wouldn’t respond!
But it listens to Claudius. Maybe... No. He wouldn’t do that. We’re enemies. There must be someone else out there who can do the same thing.
I just have to find them.