Salien embraced the teary-eyed Zeke, tightly wrapping her arms around him and squeezing him with her own happiness. Her sobbing friend attempted to hug back with equal strength but was overpowered by Salien’s newfound physical prowess. Muffled blubbering could be heard from Zeke as his face was smothered by Salien’s chest as she realized that she now stood almost a foot higher than Zeke, which alarmed her, and she immediately let go to find that Zeke was heavily gasping for air between joyous sobs. Apologetically rubbing Zeke’s back, Salien weakly smiled, “Sorry about that Zeke. There is just so much to take in at the moment, I had no idea I would be so-”
Barkstripe cut her off as he approached with Delairyus and Erikalika, each one of them with a warming smile of their own, “Strong. Yeah, it will take some getting used to but you’ll find that your body will be as strong, if not stronger, than Zeke’s S.W.O.R.D armor.”
Without skipping a beat, Salien huffed at Barkstripe, “You always have to be the ‘suave’ one don’t you?”
Nonchalantly shrugging, Barkstripe put his hands up in mock surrender as Delairyus spoke for him, “Don’t mind the muscle junkie here, he’s terrible with words.” She folded her arms, sizing up Salien with a hint of jealousy in her voice, “You must be the loved one that these two lost on their way here.”
Though Zeke was still holding onto Salien, she only gingerly draped one arm over his shoulders. A hurt smile creased on her face, “Yes, it was terrifying when it happened.”
Interjecting, Erikalika motioned towards the chairs, “There is still much to discuss, why not get comfortable with some tea as we shed light on these developments.”
Everyone looked to each other in agreement before wandering back over to the chairs. Now that Salien was there, an extra chair was needed, which Erikalika fixed with a snap of his fingers, making an identical chair appear with the rest. Erikalika took his seat while Barkstripe and Delairyus sat in chairs next to each other with Salien and Zeke following suit. After the ragtag group of friends got comfortable, Erikalika asked after sipping his own tea, “Would anyone care for a fresh cup of tea?”
Exchanging glances, the four shook their head in turn which made Erikalika grunt, “To each their own then.”
Still excited, Zeke didn’t waste time, “So what happened Salien? How were you brought back? Where did you end up after you were taken from your former body?”
Though she shook her head, Salien smiled from Zeke’s boundless curiosity, “During our battle with Violet, I could see myself leaving your S.W.O.R.D armor. I tried to call out to you Zeke, but nobody could hear me. Before I knew what to make of the situation, I was taken to a white space. There was nothing else there, except for a single voice calling out to me.”
Clearing his throat, Erikalika interjected, “That was me reaching out to Salien here. It took far less time for my words to reach her than most lost souls.”
Nodding in acknowledgment, Salien continued, “So after hearing Erikalika’s voice, I followed it. Time didn’t seem to matter in this strange place, so I couldn’t tell you how long I was running for, but Erikalika’s voice changed when I drew closer and a purple miasma appeared around me.”
Sitting on the edge of his seat, Zeke asked, “What did you do then?”
Shrugging slightly, Salien responded, “Initially, I did nothing. I tried to call out again but this distant voice kept repeating itself, beckoning me closer. So I followed voice and saw two figures in the distance. Suddenly they were directly in front of me.”
She paused a moment, the fear of her meeting Narroth still fresh in Salien’s mind. Seeing this in her eyes, Zeke reached out with a comforting hand, covering her hand with his. Barkstripe awkwardly said, “You don’t have to continue if it’s too much.”
Delairyus huffed and folded her arms, irritated, “Or Salien could continue. This could be vital information.”
Erikalika sipped his tea, calmly agreeing with Delairyus, “You have a point Delairyus,” Looking to Salien he coaxed, “Please continue Salien, this is something we all need to hear.”
Taking a deep breath, Salien flashed a smirk at Zeke before recounting her tale, “The two figures turned out to be Narroth, and one of his henchmen named Xiden. Narroth was a tall, buff, red lizard-man with wings and piercing blue eyes. His sidekick, Xiden, had the same kind of eyes but was lanky, dark, and quietly plotting. Narroth kept going on about how he was going to bring Barkstripe and Zeke to this place called Limbo to reunite us, that even though Limbo is unstable, it has yet to be used for it’s true potential. Before I could get any real answers out of Narroth, he left me with Xiden, who immediately made a pit of snakes under me. Thankfully, my training still paid off and I was able to fend of Xiden. Upon doing so, Erikalika here showed up to take me here and offered me a new body. After hearing about how being without one leaves you very vulnerable, I took his offer and now here I am.”
Having finished her tale, Salien felt her whole body relax, the memory of her experience having subsided. Zeke kept rubbing his hand over Salien’s in a gesture of sanctuary while Barkstripe thoughtfully scratched his head as he mumbled, “This can’t be good.”
Delairyus stared knowingly at Erikalika as he tilted his head slightly in acknowledgement, “I know Deli, this bodes ill for all of us.”
Erikalika’s words drew everyone’s attention to him, each individual blinking with confusion and intrigue. Silence grew heavy in the room while the group expectantly waited for their billy goat friend to elaborate on his words. Instead it was Delairyus who spoke up, unable to wait, her voice was very matter of fact, “Narroth plans of using the chaotic energies of Limbo to encompass all of Stormhaven, and Earth I would imagine, so that he can control everything. And not just as a monarch or silly figurehead, he wants to become a god.”
Her last words pierced through Barkstripe, Salien and Zeke, bringing a horrific picture to all of their minds. Erikalika raised a brow, annoyed, “Your words may be true Deli, but rather dark.” Clearing his throat, he continued, “Nevertheless, evidence thus far would point to an outcome as you have illustrated. Though using the energies of Limbo would be foolhardy at best.”
Eagerness now overtook Zeke as he redirected his focus on Erikalika, “What do you mean exactly? Why would using the energy in Limbo be a bad idea?”
After taking a sip of tea, Erikalika placed his cup on a table to his right that appeared before folding his fingers together on his lap, “You recall the being known as Violet, correct?”
Everyone slowly bobbed their heads to show that they are listening closely, Erikalika continued, “Violet was one such being made from the miasma. Though she had a mind and will of her own, her ultimate goal was to consume other souls to not only sustain herself, but to gather enough necessary to allow Narroth to control the entirety of Limbo. When Violet targeted you Zeke, it was no coincidence. She must have sensed a large amount of energy in you and was drawn to it. Had she succeeded in her endeavor, Narroth would have all he needs to accomplish his goal of enshrouding every realm in Limbo and having complete control of everything.”
Barkstripe, Salien and Zeke exhanged looks as they digested this information while Delairyus saucily asked, “Even though Zeke has no idea what his potential is, Violet could have still absorbed all of Zeke’s energy and used it for that purpose?”
Sighing in resignation, Erikalika forlornly replied, “Yes, the mind’s restrictions on how we use our energy does not apply when said mind is no longer in control of it.”
Bewildered, Zeke exclaimed, “What do you mean my potential? Please explain to me how I have all of this so called power that has yet to be unlocked? The whole point of the S.W.O.R.D armor was to tap into that! How could there still be limits that have yet to be reached?”
Instead of following suit in comforting Zeke, Salien butted in with determination of her own, “Exactly! Why do you keep talking about Zeke like he’s not even complete? What aren’t you telling us?”
Barkstripe leaned back in his chair with arms folded, feeling no desire to add on to what has already been clearly stated. Delairyus pointed an accusatory finger at Zeke, “You think that silly suit of yours is going to tap into countless millennia worth of energy? You have no clue as to what’s been happening and you somehow expect that to be all you need to win?”
Growling, Salien shot up from her seat, “Zeke has always tried his best, pouring all of his heart and soul into his work! How dare you talk to him, as if he is a mere child!”
Delairyus closed her eyes in irritation as she snorted, “And you think fighting his battles for him is going to help? Maybe you’ve been mothering him for too long that you fail to see how much growing he needs to do!”
Barkstripe stepped in between them, “Take it easy you two, Zeke here can speak for himself right?”
Everyone turned their attention to Zeke, who was now struggling to find the right words, “I-I can…I…don’t know what to s-say.”
Erikalika calmly added, “How about we have Zeke here explain how his S.W.O.R.D armor works instead? Maybe then we can come to a more accurate conclusion about his potential. Afterwards, we shall reciprocate by explaining what we mean by his untapped power.” Looking at everyone in turn, “Does this satisfy all of you?”
Slowly each member of the group nodded in agreement before quietly taking their seats once more and turning their attention to Zeke. Closing his eyes, Zeke slowly took several breaths, “I can do this. It’s not any different than when I presented the idea to Yazmak.”
After pushing aside his nervous tension, Zeke looked around and cleared his throat, “Ok, so as you know, this armor I wear has been called the Symbiotic Wavelength Omni Reishigi Drive, or S.W.O.R.D for short. Engage AUTO mode.”
Standing up, Zeke stepped out of his S.W.O.R.D armor and pointed where the missing head of the armor would be, “Here is, of course, where the helmet would be, equipped with a Heads-Up Display that can scan the nearby area for incoming traffic, weather conditions, compositions of architecture, as well as give a readout on target Reishigi levels, any possible weapons, on top of being able to give a report on your own Reishigi level, heart rate, condition of your body, i.e. physical injuries, toxins, and how your state of mind is reacting to your current situation.”
Momentarily Zeke looked around to see his friends were listening intently, even Erikalika had an intrigued gleam in his eyes. This spurred Zeke forward as he pointed to the chest piece, it had horizontally protruding shoulder plates that folded over each side of the shoulders. The center of the chest was comprised of three parts, two of them covered each breast, while the third covered the stomach and core of the wearer. The back of the chest piece had two protruding, half-moon shaped rods that rested at a 45 degree angle with a perfectly round indent beneath where the rods begin. Zeke cheerfully explained, “This chest part of the armor serves as the gathering point for your body’s Reishigi. It draws from your heart as well as your core at your waist, to distribute your energy to the rest of your body, bestowing accelerated strength and speed, as well as bolstering your body’s overall ability to absorb damage. The back of this part contains your boosters, which can be used in quick bursts for evasive action, or for long term flight.”
Now with his finger pointed at the arms, beginning from the shoulder the arm was small and smooth, rounding out into larger forearms, with gloves sticking out from the ends. Zeke paused to clear his throat again, “At the arms of the S.W.O.R.D armor, beginning from the shoulder the arm was small and smooth, rounding out into larger forearms, with gloves sticking out from the ends. Zeke paused to clear his throat again, “At the arms of the S.W.O.R.D armor is where weapons like the Ion Buster can be housed. At the rounded section on the forearm is where the muscle enhancing occurs as well as where any compatible weapons can be stored. With a simple flex of your arm, this part of the arm expands and folds out to allow use of said weapon.”
Motioning with his finger, Zeke indicated the lower half of the armor, the waist down to the beginning of the knee were straightforward metal leggings. From the rest of the knee to the feet were large boots, adorned only by a single spike on each knee that curved outward with the tip pointing up, “From the waist, there is a built in module that allows the wearer to be unhindered by any change in gravity, as well as preventing disorientation from any usage of the wearer’s boosters. At the boots, this armor has features like the ability to stick to most surfaces, enhanced running speed, an extra set of boosters at the soles of the boots that allow the user to do quick bursts in any direction. As a whole, this armor is capable of many things, what I have explained is only the basics of this armor. Anything beyond this wil be a custom creation and should always be treated with care. Just as a side note, the color scheme of any S.W.O.R.D armor can be customized, but it will otherwise always be a metallic grey.”
Salien cocked her head to one side, “Aren’t you forgetting something Zeke?”
After thinking about it for a moment Zeke’s eyes widened, “Right! My particular armor has the ability to be summoned on command. I can do this because of a special module I built and implanted in my head, which signals the armor and teleports it to my location. This is due to the first two parts in the S.W.O.R.D acronym, Symbiotic Wavelength, which stands for the relationship between the wearer and the armor itself. Upon donning the armor it is powered by your own energy, or Reishigi, allowing the wearer to do fantastic physical feats. But, due to the nature of the armor, it can use so much of your energy that you reach your breaking point, or Soul Shatter, which as far as we know your soul undergoes too much stress, causing it to literally shatter. The Wavelength refers to how each S.W.O.R.D armor in particular is tuned to a particular individual. Should anyone else use it, they will suffer dire consequences, such as a horrific fusion with the armor, or immediate Soul Shatter. Omni is addressing the fact that the wearer’s armor is intended as an all-around enhancement. Reishigi Drive is in direct reference to how your energy is the source of it all.”
Delairyus sauntered over to Zeke, an eager glint in her eyes as she paced around him and his armor, “So this armor can do all of these things, and yet you still couldn’t beat lunkhead over here?”
She had a thumb pointed at Barkstripe, who was quietly grumbling to himself while Zeke meekly answered, “Well, I assumed it was a matter of skill, not so much a lack of physical prowess.”
Maintaining her inquiring tone, Delairyus asked, “It had nothing to do with the fact that every Anthro is easily twice, of not four times in some cases, stronger than a human being? Not to mention the fact that every species of Anthro has their own innate senses on top of that?”
Nodded in agreement, Zeke replied, “Yes, it all came down to the more experienced fighter, and obviously Barkstripe is just that, a better fighter than me.”
Swishing her tail while thoughtfully holding her chin, Delairyus slowly admitted, “That may be true. However, in the case of your real potential, none of us here could hold a candle to you Zeke. With the right training from me, you’ll be capable of so much more than you ever believed.”
A pained smirk spread over Salien’s face, “How do you know that Zeke can do all of this?”
It was Erikalika and his ever patient tone that replied, “Allow me to explain,” Sipping the rest of his tea, he began, “Though we have referred to Zeke as an ‘heir’ to a seat on the council, he, like other spirits, was not born from a coupling of anyone, but rather a being that was given life from the very balance maintained between each realm.”
Now that he finished grumbling, Barkstripe jumped in, “What does this for Zeke in particular?”
Zeke, with a stoic gaze, added, “I want to know all that you can tell me.”
A polite smile flashed on Erikalika’s face, “Very well then. Boys and girls, get as comfortable as you can because there is quite a bit of ground to cover here.”
He took a moment to check if his listeners were giving him all of their attention, and to his delight, everyone was waiting with a ravenous desire to know more. Still smiling, Erikalika made a welcoming gesture with his hands, “Let’s start from the beginning shall we?” He cleared his throat, “Long before there were humans, there was the Fey spirits, and Demons. Let me clarify this now, though the Fey are spirits of light, and Demons are spirits of darkness, this does not mean they are good and evil. Rather, they are two sides to one coin, a means of keeping balance, if you will.”
Erikalika paused to take a sip of tea, “Though they have different names and looks, the Fey and Demons share many walks of life together. And much like humans, spirits have to eke out a living in what ways they can. To paint a picture on this, think of each realm every spirit lives in as a different place in ‘time’ or particular ideology. Take Terragleam for instance, no doubt by now you have come to see that this particular Sector is set in what you would refer to as ‘the dark ages’. These realms exist because time itself means little to spirits, and yet, because of the vast differences in ideas, it was decided that the Council would be made to ensure that everyone was spoken for while placing responsibility on the shoulders of an individual for each Sector. In the case of Terragleam, a spirit does not find life in working for money like humans do, rather, we trade what we craft or find with one another, some of us will hunt dangerous creatures for their own various personal reasons. Whether you create baskets to the finest weaponry for beast slaying, we all count on one particular resource, Aetherium. This mineral comes in many forms, from various plant life to rich ore veins. As to its origins, we concluded that it comes from concentrations of energy from every realm. Conflict would arise in various ways, whether it was a carnivorous Wyvern coming to feast, or a dispute among ourselves, we would have to find a means to push though. Contrary to human beliefs, spirits also experience death, however, not in the same way. For instance, a human will pass on from age or sickness, a spirit can pass on from a lack of energy, or Reishigi. This occurs when a spirit has used up all of their energy, whether from deprivation of balance or from taking on too great of a task. Which leads to the earlier statement that balance is a necessity.”
Taking a moment to check on his listeners, Erikalika could see the questions on everyone’s faces, except Delairyus, who was cleaning her claws as she listened. Then he continued, “Balance between the realms has been kept by the Council, to which everyone would come together to maintain the energies of every realm. To do so, a ritual would be performed, asking for the world itself to help guide this seemingly boundless Reishigi to where it would be needed most.”
Zeke butted in, “Where does all of this energy come from? How is it that this Reishigi falls out of balance in the first place?”
A slight twitch of Erikalika’s brow went unnoticed as he took Zeke’s question into consideration before answering, “From what we understand, this energy has always existed around us. There are fluctuations in the amount of energy as a whole, which is one such reason that led the Demons and Fey to create a Council to find a solution to that. You may be wondering why any sudden changes in energy would be harmful, and my answer to that is this, as spirits we thrive on said energy, too much of it could cause us to become part of this energy and we would simply fade away. The other side to this, is when there is a lack of energy, and best way to describe this is similar to being starved to death. As to why this happens, there are many theories surrounding that. One such theory is from humans developing so much technology and the battles that would follow. Some have blamed greedy Demons or Fey while there are a few that feel it is simply the Earth’s way of keeping us working together. So back to what I was saying, balance is necessary as a means of keeping every spirit alive, because without spirits, Demon and Fey alike, life would cease to exist altogether.”
Taking this information in brief silence, Barkstripe, Salien and Zeke would look to each other and Erikalika as they wrapped their heads around Erikalika’s words. Even Delairyus stopped what she was doing, her eyes looking past her claws in deep thought. As expected, Zeke stepped in with another question, “How does this affect humanity then? Does having a seat on the Council relate to that?”
Before letting out a patient sigh, Erikalika gulped the rest of his tea, “Humanity is affected because of how the entire world is connected. Your science may be only aware of life as it is presented before your eyes, but just beyond the Veil lies so much more. Think of the Realm of Humans and the Realm of Spirits as existing side-by-side on the same coin, but because of being on opposite sides, we never see one another. As spirits, we believe that humans came from a union between Demons and Fey, creating a new lifeform altogether. Unfortunately, the exact details of this were erased by Narroth himself, including any spirit who had been there for the event. As for having a seat on the Council, it does relate to humanity as I stated before, without Reishigi and Aetherium, life will no longer exist.”
This information made Zeke forlornly gaze at the ground while Salien carefully asked, “Then, why Zeke specifically? Couldn’t you have someone else be lined up for a seat on the Council? And why should it matter now?”
Slowly shaking his head, Erikalika frowned, “As a spirit, Zeke was a dragon, and as such, he is quite literally a force of nature. Due to this, Zeke has limitless potential in Reishigi alone, which is why we need him to be a part of the Council.”
Though Erikalika paused, everyone could see the words trailing through his eyes. Sensing the uneasiness in the room, he cleared his throat before continuing, “I must say this now, it is because of all that I have explained that Zeke must take Yazmak’s place on the Council. In acting on his own accord, Yazmak made it difficult to trust him, especially after his crossing into the Human Realm.”
A gruff voice came from behind Erikalika, causing everyone but Erikalika to jump up into a battle stance, “I heard my name, is everyone speaking well of me?”
Yazmak’s towering form stood over Erikalika, fresh cuts and bruises covered his entire exhausted body. One of his eyes was closed to keep blood from getting into it as his piercing gaze swept over everyone, “No need for alarm everyone, I’m here to help.”
Delairyus didn’t hesitate to verbally jab at Yazmak, “Unless it’s information your giving, you don’t look like you would be much help.”
What started as a chuckle turned into a sputtering cough as Yazmak smirked, “Fret not, I have come to shed more light on what Erikalika here has already explained.”
Barkstripe and Salien stepped protectively in front of Zeke as Salien spat, “As far as I’m concerned, you’re as much a cause of this mess as Narroth is. Why should we listen?”
Closing his eye a moment, Yazmak took several deep breaths before opening his eye, giving Zeke a pleading look, “Because what I know can help you understand what’s going on.”
Seeing Yazmak in the flesh as something more than human only made Zeke feel curious about the pleading look in Yazmak’s eye as well as something else. No memories were triggered, no sense of duty to his work, no promises. A bitter taste in Zeke’s mouth matched the anger festering in him as he pushed past Barkstripe and Salien to stand resolutely before Yazmak, “There’s a lot I want to understand, especially now, however, take this into account, I don’t know if I can forgive you for manipulating me for so long.”
A sky blue aura covered Yazmak for several moments as all of his wounds faded away. Now rejuvenated, Yazmak stood up straight, his head only inches from the roof of the room they were in as he tilted his head to crack his neck. Narrowing his eyes, Yazmak icily said, “I would have all of the information possible before making such bold statements if I were you, child.”
Saliendamus's Thoughts, experiences, rants, etc. 