Chapter 34 - Benefits of Reuse

788 I.C, March 11, The Pierced Veil: Tower, Morning

My mind stirred with the sensation of something touching me. A warm and groping touch that made me stretch my legs with a subtle hint of pleasure and just a hint of unease. A moment later the sensation stopped and I could hear a voice murmur. Part of me wanted to wake up, but the attempt felt halfhearted as I began to drift once more.

Without warning there was a sudden yelp, followed by the cry of a surprisingly high pitched voice, "What are you doing!?"

I blearily opened my eyes, found myself staring at the ceiling, and turned my head to the side. Talwin was sitting in the middle of the bed with his back turned to me, while Clyde had pushed up against the bed frame while clutching a blanket along his crotch.

"Nothing," Talwin whispered with a cheeky smile and raised his hands.

I rubbed an itch in my eye, and stifled a yawn, "What's going on?"

Clyde snapped to attention and focused on me. A moment later he raised one hand and pointed a claw at Talwin, "He-", his voice drained and his ears flattened.

Talwin glanced back at me while the so far innocent smile grew into a wicked grin, "Guess who's got bigger balls than you?"

I felt my brow twitch while I dug my head into the pillow with a groan, "Coyotes..."

Talwin turned his attention to Clyde and leaned closer, "Calm down, Clyde. We've all seen you naked before... Besides, I bet the two of you shared plenty of glances while growing up."

Clyde's gaze dropped to Talwin's crotch for a split second, followed by darting toward the wall, "This is... different!"

"Oh? Why?" Talwin whispered with a delighted grin that made his tail sway while he eased himself onto Clyde's legs.

Clyde's eyes bulged, his ears perked high, and his hands tightened around the blanket, "It just is!"

Talwin's right hand brushed along Clyde's arm and reached toward his muzzle, "Back at the Academy you were quite eager to flirt..."

I felt my ears perk while I lifted my head, and glanced at them.

Clyde's muzzle had dropped open in shock, "I did not flirt with you!"

"Oh? What about the way you courted me earlier? You know, fighting, arguing... like a wulfkin does. Was that for nothing?" Talwin whispered with his lips twitching from amusement.

"I- I... I!" Clyde stuttered with his ears clamped to his head, and stared back like a stunned pup.

I eased myself up on all four, leaned out across the bed, and placed an open palm on top of Clyde's chest.

Both of them froze and turned to look at me while I bared my teeth, "Clyde..."

Clyde let go of the blanket in an instant and made a meek whisper, "Yes?"

My hand moved to his waist, grabbed hold, and pulled. Clyde tipped to his side, the blanket slid from his body, and I wrapped my other arm around his chest.

"Silly runts," I grumbled as I pulled his body against my own.

Fur mingled with fur, his tail tickled as it settled between my legs, and I didn't stop until my muzzle was nestled in the lush mane spreading over his shoulder.

Talwin watched with a devilish grin from the side and leaned down to focus on Clyde's face, "Not so tough now, are you?"

I drew deep breaths, dug my snout along his mane, and whispered near his ear, "Do you mind?"

"Huh-" Clyde's voice jumped in pitch when my hand slid along his abdomen, brushed along the crotch, and settled against the package nestled below it.

Clyde's body thumped with every beat, and every breath shuddered a little. The scents wafting around took on a sharper tone, while his hands clutched my arms. Talwin lay down, eased himself against his front, and aligned his muzzle to look into Clyde's eyes.

"Ever done something like this?" Talwin whispered and trailed a claw along Clyde's muzzle.

"Uh... Uhn... Of course I-"

I tightened my grip and Clyde's voice cut out with a raised pitch.

"No, he hasn't," I mused and felt a low murr reverberate in my chest.

"I... Hngh... Umn..." Clyde murmured.

I whispered in his ear, "One of us is going to have his muzzle full and his tail held high. Wanna guess who?"

Clyde remained silent but raised his head a little to focus on Talwin.

"Wrong," I whispered, and nipped his neck to make him jump in surprise.

Talwin cupped Clyde's panting muzzle in his hands, and grinned like a maniac, "It's you, white wolf."

788 I.C, March 11, The Pierced Veil: Baths, Midday

I leaned against the door, put my ear against it, and listened. From within I could hear the sound of rushing water, and a gentle melody being hummed. I stifled the urge to smile, adjusted the bundle of towels in my arms, and carefully eased the handle down. As the door opened a wall of foggy air escaped form within, and I made my way inside. Cyrus was neck deep in a bath along the wall. To my benefit his ears were clamped to his head and he was busy rinsing the fur on his head. Step by step, I approached in silence until I loomed over him. The scent of wet cat was heavy in the air and I felt it tickle an urge in the back of my mind: To bark. I suppressed it with some effort, and instead eased myself down until I sat on the edge of the bath.

Cyrus claws were nowhere to be seen as he carefully tended his head and neck. Moments later he scooped up some water, poured it over his head, and lifted his head with a gentle sigh. Once done he felt along his chest, paused for a moment to feel furless skin, and drew a deep breath. Without warning his ears perked and his nose flared a little. He then sniffed the air, and turned his head to look back. While shifting his gaze he was drawn to the giant black figure sitting next to him, and locked eyes with me.

"Aughh!" He screamed with his arms flailing into the air, while his paws hit the edge of the bath with a loud thump. A wave of water formed as he pushed back against the bath in panic. A split second later the wave hit the edge and made a large spray of wash over me. Out of instinct clamped my eyes shut, and felt my ears fold back. A moment later I opened my eyes and found myself staring at droplets clinging to the fur of my muzzle.

I didn't think this through... Did I?

Without moving I focused on Cyrus once more, and saw him clinging to the bath with his claws clutching the edge. His eyes stared at me like giant orbs while I forced a subtle smile, and spoke, "Cyrus."

Cyrus unlatched his claws from the edge with a gentle click and pulled his hands underneath the surface, "Avery."

I leaned a little closer, "You know my name?"

Cyrus sank into the bath until little more than his muzzle and eyes could be seen, "Leyland has a tendency to babble..."

"Had," I corrected.

Cyrus ears perked in an instant, "Really?"

"Really," I answered with a nod.

"That's good... I hope he suffered," Cyrus whispered with a pleased smile creeping onto his lips,

I chuckled and tipped my head, "Tell me, Cyrus. Was Leyland the first one to tell you my name?"

"... You smell, do you know that?" Cyrus asked with a quick sniff.

"I know-"

Cyrus interrupted me, "I mean... R_eally_smell. As if you-"

I bared my teeth a little, "Cyrus."

Cyrus gulped, "Yes?"

"Answer the question," I ordered.

Cyrus stared for a few moments, and then opened his muzzle to speak. As he did I raised one claw in the air and interrupted, "Lie to me, and I will eat you the same way I did Leyland."

Cyrus froze in place with his muzzle gaping open.

"Take your time, Cyrus. But weigh which alliance you're going to support, because I don't give second chances," I said, with a wolfish grin to accompany it.

Cyrus muzzle slowly closed, and he leaned back against the edge of the bath. A whole minute passed before his ears slowly drooped, while his gaze shifted to stare at the ripples in the water.

"I never wanted to hurt anyone, that is truth," Cyrus whispered.

"That's not an answer, Cyrus," I said.

Cyrus looked up, and focused one me, "You spared me and the others when you had the chance and right to do far worse. I also know that you're the one who supplied Dracwyn with spells to fight the wulfkins. Not to mention that the first thing you did in the Academy upon finding me was to ease my pain. If this is another mistake on my side, then I will at least die knowing I had good reason for believing you to be a good guy... Despite the threats."

"How touching," I mused.

Cyrus blinked once, and observed me while his whiskers shifted a little, "Fletcher visited Talwin's parents, Amari put the dots together, and we figured out who you were. I leaked that information to Leyland."

"Which side are you on, Cyrus?" I asked.

Cyrus blinked in surprise, pondered it for a moment, and whispered, "That's complicated."

"Do your best, and for your own sake, try to stick to the truth," I said with a forced smile.

Cyrus lips lifted in a nervous grin, "I've never had much aetheric aptitude, but I had a mind for magic theory and runemaking. My grandfather passed his Sagestone to me, and I thereby inherited the power that the rest of my family took for granted. A mind suitable for working with runes despite no aetheric aptitude, and a Sagestone filled with old magic gave me a perspective that others lacked. Inspiration if you will. The problem is that no one would take me seriously, they laughed at me like one would a charlatan. Everyone... except Leyland."

"Go on?" I asked.

"Leyland knows... Knew how to play other people. In public he has the reputation of a saint, and he took me under his wing. He educated me, sponsored my research, and I developed the modern versions of the Transporter, and Messenger Stones. Leyland benefited from these tools, as did all others. But as time went on he saw something more, a way to exploit the systems in ways no one else could. That's when he revealed his true self, and he ordered me to corrupt my life's work... To rig them with a fail-safe, and a method to spy on them by making the Messenger Stones leak their secrets through the aether in the form of noise."

"Surely you must have realized the threat such a thing posed to your society?" I asked.

Cyrus averted his gaze, "I did... But he threatened me, and who was I to stand up to someone as powerful as Leyland? So I did as he asked, and I trapped myself in doing so."

"Because now you were no longer innocent," I said.

Cyrus gave me a moment's stare, and then made a slow nod, "I had rigged the only long range communication system this continent had. If that was revealed to the world... Then not only would I die a horrible death, but my name and the name of my family would be dragged through the mud."

"Which led to?" I asked.

Cyrus pulled his legs close to his body and hugged himself, "I started working for the Underground, and I became one of the old Spymaster's most trusted agents. When Fletcher and the others needed help to find 'Red Eye', I was the one chosen to do it. Which fit perfectly with Leyland's plans."

"So you were a double agent feeding Leyland with information?" I asked.

Cyrus sighed with another nod, "Yes. Not only could he siphon communications from the Messenger Stones, but I directly reported everything Fletcher and his team found."

"Seems Fletcher was right to distrust you," I said.

Cyrus closed his eyes, "I never wanted to hurt anyone."

I motioned toward him, "If Fletcher knows, why haven't the city guards tried to capture me?"

Cyrus opened his eyes and focused on me, "Because Fletcher doesn't trust the leaders of Dracwyn, and he wants you for himself. Leyland also wanted you, but he couldn't risk Dracwyn's elite getting part of the cake."

"So why hasn't Fletcher tried to capture me? Where is he?" I asked.

Cyrus rolled his eyes, "Because he and the others are under constant surveillance. Only reason I'm here is because I know how to work the transporters in ways no one else can. I escaped, weeks ago, and Fletcher is probably so angry he's eating his own shoes by now."

If Cyrus could transport out of here with what little power he has, then he'd have done so already...

Still... I ought to be careful if he has another ace up his sleeve...

"What was the relationship between you and Cromwell?" I asked.

Cyrus sighed, "None. Until a week ago I had no idea who the man was."

"Good," I said with a slow nod.

"You don't seem surprised by any of this," Cyrus whispered with a cautious glance while tipping his head to the side.

"You're not the only one with insider information, Cyrus," I answered with a gentle smile.

Cyrus whiskers twitched while he muttered something under his breath. "What happens now, if I may ask?"

I raised my claw and pointed, "You will stay at the guild as our guest."

Cyrus blinked, "And I'm allowed to leave?"

"Of course not," I answered.

"... I suspected that," Cyrus whispered and glanced to the side.

"You're also going to assist in my research, and when the time comes you'll help forge an alliance with Fletcher, or make sure they don't talk."

Cyrus ears perked as he looked at me, "If they don't kill me, you mean?"

"You're my guest, Cyrus, and you're under the guild's protection. Need I say more?"

Cyrus gaze drifted back to me, "No... From what I've seen so far you're a force to be reckoned with."

I motioned toward his chest, "And how is your chest doing?"

Cyrus glanced down, and brushed along the stubble of new fur starting to grow, "Washing off the charred flesh was... disgusting to say the least. But it also means that you were not just capable of mending flesh, you created it out of thin air."

"Not thin air, Cyrus. Leyland's life energy," I corrected.

Cyrus visibly cringed, "Great... Now a part of that monster will always be with me."

I stifled a chuckle, "The process is a bit more elegant than that, but it's not perfect... I'm guessing that you're rather sore?"

Cyrus drew a deep breath and nodded, "That's one word to describe it..." Cyrus then looked up and focused on me, "Do you realize what this kind of power could do to the world? Even the best healing magic wouldn't be capable of something like this."

Yes, I do... You just need to harvest life to give it...

"I am aware, but for now our focus should be on more pressing matters, yes?" I asked.

Cyrus made a quick and awkward smile, "Of course. Either way, I look forward to working with you."

I'm sure you are...

I smiled back, placed the towels by the edge, and rose, "You're free to move about the guild as you please, but do not step near the tower. The barriers will hurt you."

Cyrus reached for the towels with a surprisingly pleasant and almost excited smile, "Duly noted."

"And try to get out of the bath, the rest of us need to use it."

788 I.C, March 11, The Pierced Veil: Tower, Evening

"No," I said.

Cyrus glared at me, bared his teeth, and shook his clenched hands like an irate child, "Grah!"

"Calm yourself, Cyrus," I ordered.

His slitted eyes stared death while he took a deep breath and forcefully exhaled, "Do you trust me?"

"Of course not, do you think me stupid or something?" I asked.

Cyrus ears and brow twitched, "Listen... It's very simple, so listen carefully: I can't work runes without a supply of aetheric energy!"

I leaned closer and motioned to the notes spread around the table, "I need a theoretical understanding of it, before I want a demonstration, not the other way around."

Cyrus tail lashed as he audibly groaned and tipped his head back, "I... Really don't want to go there."

I smiled to myself and spoke gently, "If there's a story, then I'm more than willing to listen."

"Well, I'm not that eager to tell it!" Cyrus snapped and straightened himself.

I leaned closer, looked him in the eyes, and opened my muzzle, "I'd say your personal discomfort is a small thing compared to the future of this nation, right... Cyrus?"

Cyrus leaned back and wafted his hand as if to remove a noxious odor, "Yes... Yes, I guess it is."

I leaned back, "Good. Now start talking, and we might have time for a big dinner like yesterday... You seemed to like that."

"After a few weeks in Cromwell's rotten cellar, anyone would be eager for proper food," Cyrus answered and while his tail curled a little,

"As far as I remember you claimed a whole chicken and hissed at anyone that tried to get near..."

Cyrus smirked for a moment, coughed, and stroked a whisker, "Yeah... Now let's see where we should start for this lesson to make any sense."

A lesson, hmm?

After a few moments his brow furrowed, and he looked back at me with a skeptical glance, "Do you know what the Ruins of Aeternus is?"

"According to the Temple it's where the necromancer war ended. It's supposed to be some giant vortex, or a tear in the aether."

"You've never seen it?" Cyrus whispered with a focused stare.

I shook my head, "No."

"You should, but that's beside the point. The ruins are indeed where the necromancer war was ended, and the outfall of it can still be felt 2 centuries later."

"Go on?"

"What do you know of history prior to the Necromancer war?"

I shrugged, "To be honest... Nothing."

Cyrus lips pulled into a wicked grin, "What if I told you that transporter magic did not exist until after the catastrophe that ended the necromancer war? What if... That event changed the aether?"

"I'd say that the two events were somehow linked."

Cyrus slowly nodded, "The vortex found at the center of the ruins is a hole piercing our world and the aether. No living creature with aetheric aptitude may approach it, or die horribly."

"Why?" I asked.

Cyrus opened his arms wide, "The vortex is like a giant fountain of flux, it makes the air toxic, and the sands burn. In simple terms, the vortex is death."

"Interesting... Is there more?" I asked.

"Guess, I've already slipped you a hint," Cyrus mused with a sly smirk that made his whiskers perk.

A hint? He said... A living creature... Contrary to...

"You were rather specific about something... You said that no living creature with aetheric aptitude may approach it. Are you referring to the undead? Or a living creature without aetheric aptitude?"

Cyrus clasped his hands, "Have you ever heard about the 'Isle of the exceptionally ungifted?'"

"Strange name, but to answer your question: No."

"It's a small island to the west of our continent and its existence let alone the fate of it is taboo to speak of."

"I can see why you'd be interested in it," I said with a nod.

Cyrus lowered his voice a bit, "Something makes me suspect you are the same? After all, what could be more delicious than the secrets a whole continent struggles to keep in the dark?"

"Go on, you've certainly piqued my interest."

Cyrus averted his gaze for a moment and seemed to ponder something, "I still remember the day I heard of it. I had become stuck in my research, and Leyland whispered in my ear: That there was a place similar to the vortex, yet far older."

No wonder a necromancer from that age knew of its existence...

"Yes?" I said.

"Leyland supplied me with resources and arranged for a ship with a crew that didn't have a single mage."

"Because the island is similar to the vortex, and would kill anyone with aetheric aptitude?" I asked.

Cyrus nodded, "My aetheric aptitude is minimal, but I had an understanding of magic that others lacked, thus he saw value in my visit."

"And the result?"

Cyrus leaned back on the workbench, "The crew woke me one morning, I rushed up on deck, and what did I see? A small but tall island, with a top that looked like a chimney."

"A volcano?" I asked.

"Yes, a volcano. But not just any volcano, it radiated flux, and even from a distance I could feel the effect of it. Tingling skin, nausea, headaches. The crew felt it as well, but I was adamant that we land and all it took was a reminder of who had sponsored the trip to make them obey."

"What did you find on the island?"

Cyrus lowered his gaze to the floor, "We landed, marched inland, and the symptoms got worse. People were throwing up left and right, some fell unconscious, a few snapped and turned on each other. Flux poisoning is treacherous, even for individuals that aren't mages. By the time I started regretting my orders it was already too late for some. But what we found turned more than a few truths' upside down."

"Meaning?" I asked.

Cyrus glanced up and focused on me, "We found stone structures. Buildings, houses, tools... We found the remains of a small civilization."

"That shouldn't be possible. You hardly have any aetheric aptitude, and you almost died setting foot on the island. No one could live there." I said.

Cyrus extended his hands, and whispered, "Yet it did. We found their skeletal remains, mass graves even. People lived, vegetation flourished. It was l** ife** that did not need the aether."

"Thus the name: The isle of the exceptionally ungifted," I said.

"Exactly. The necromancers knew of the island, and they studied it from a distance. But their spells could not reach it, nor could they set foot on it."

"You're saying the necromancers didn't kill them?" I asked.

Cyrus nodded once more, "The structures we saw, and the remains... It's difficult to date them exactly, but they were nowhere near two centuries old."

"To the west... Could Everwinter have done it?" I asked.

Cyrus shook his head, "Unlikely. Wulfkins may be able to dispel magic with ease, but they achieve that protection through magic, not without it."

"I'm surprised you knew that," I said.

Cyrus fidgeted a little, "Leyland knew, I didn't."

"I see, go on?"

Cyrus motioned toward me with one hand, "Who in this world would be most eager to study a people that is immune to the effects of flux? A people that by definition can't use magic?"

"The Temple in Antaloria? From what I've heard they have some kind of spire that inhibits people from using magic."

Cyrus nodded, "Yes... The temple. Fanatical in their belief that magic is something to be purged from this world. They are also the ones who created the bullets you took from Fletcher."

"But why kill the people on the island?" I asked.

Cyrus raised his brow, "Why keep them alive? With any trace of them wiped clean they can claim their powers come from the gods and they don't have to worry about any loose ends."

"Alright, I can see your point, but I'm not seeing how this helped in your research?"

"Before I returned to the ship I grabbed everything I could find, tools, bones, rocks, and other-"

"Rocks?" I asked.

Cyrus scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin, "At the time I was suffering from flux induced delirium, but as it turns out, those rocks and the bones turned out to be quite important."

"How so?"

"The bones provided me with data on what a living creature without a dependence on the aether looked like. That is... until Leyland took them from me."

"I thought he wanted to help you?"

Cyrus nodded, "He did, but not with that problem. He wanted me to focus on the rocks instead."

I tipped my head in wonder, "Yes?"

"The rocks were the remains of a relatively recent eruption from the volcano, and as such it contained a small portion of what made it radiate flux. I studied it, and while the effect faded with time, they helped loosen a piece of the puzzle I had struggled with."

"I guess I forgot to ask, but what was your research about?" I asked.

"I may not have invented transporter magic, but I always found myself drawn by it. Being in one place a certain moment, and in the next you're in a neighboring nation. It's simply amazing, which is why I found its limitations so infuriating."

"Limitations?"

Cyrus looked up, froze, and seemed to realize something while staring, "You... Wulfkins I mean..."

I blinked, "Yes?"

"Tell me, has transporter magic always been the same in Everwinter?"

I pondered it for a moment, "From what I remember, yes. It's a tad energy intensive due to the Master's inhibition field, but-"

Cyrus raised his hand, "Hold on... Did you say... An inhibition field?"

"I'm not sure how it works, but it saturates Everwinter and prohibits transportation magic in but a few places. Even then it requires a lot of energy, especially if you're trying to transport wulfkins with the Blessing."

Cyrus remained silent for a few moments, "I guess your 'Master' discovered the same thing I did. Anyway, the old method for using transporter magic required enormous amounts of energy to open a tear for just a moment. The idea that you'd be able to maintain a connection over time and even allow for communication was considered silly."

I made a rolling motion with my hand, "And what did you discover in your precious rocks?"

Cyrus raised his hand, "Patience, wulfkin. There's something you need to understand before that."

"And that is?"

"You can poke a hole through the aether from our reality, but you can't poke a hole in our reality from within the aether, yes?"

"As far as I know. That's why we use tricks to open the other end of a transporter." I answered.

Cyrus nodded, "The old method for punching a hole in the aether involved just what it sounds like. They gathered large amounts of energy, and simply blasted it at a point in space until it broke open."

"That's plain stupid," I whispered.

Cyrus made a sudden chuckle, "It is, unless you take for granted what we know these days. Whay I discovered..."

"That you need certain crystals?" I asked.

"Yes... Special crystals. But have you asked yourself why these crystals make it so much easier?"

"No, but I'd wager you figured it out?" I asked.

Cyrus grinned like a maniac and clasped his hands, "I walked into one of the Academy transporter halls with one of the rocks in my pocket, and you should have seen the reaction. Conduits overloading, people screaming, robes burning."

I couldn't help but smirk, "Lovely, and I take it you figured out why they had this effect?"

"That I did. You see... When a single particle of energetic flux travels through space, it sometimes disappears. But energy can't just disappear, it has to go somewhere. Do you see what I'm getting at?"

"The flux somehow does with ease what we cannot, and it pierces the aether?"

Cyrus repeatedly nodded, "It provides that initial tear, tiny, almost imperceptible, but the difference it makes is remarkably, because that small tear can easily be made bigger."

"But..."

Cyrus leaned closer, "Yes? You see it now, don't you, wulfkin?"

"Flux is all over the place... If it's just a matter of how energetic it is, then these small rifts should be all over the place. Opening and closing at random..."

"And they are! The vortex at the center of the ruins send energetic particles all over the continent! In our ignorance we thought we were punching holes in the aether, when we were simply waiting for one of these small rifts to appear!" Cyrus snapped with excitement while his tail lashed.

"But that also means that you can transport anywhere? Which you obviously can't... So..." I whispered.

Cyrus inched closer, "That's because you need to know exactly where one of these rifts are going to appear. If you're off by just a little, then you exert a lot of energy trying to open a rift that isn't there. Now, have you figured out what the crystals are?"

"Do they generate flux, like the rocks you found?" I asked.

Cyrus shook his head, "No. But they do have an affinity of capturing the energetic flux particles sent from the vortex, thus creating a rift where you expect it to be."

"... That makes a lot of sense," I whispered.

Cyrus held out his palms, "Knowing that you need crystals is one thing. Knowing what the crystals do, is a completely different thing. Needless to say, this is not knowledge that I have shared very often."

I leaned back against the workbench and pondered, "Do you have a way of predicting where rifts will naturally appear? To sense it? Like a field?"

"Maybe," Cyrus whispered with another sly grin.

I looked over at him, "Show me."

Cyrus raised one hand, "I can, but there are several disadvantages to it. So don't get your hopes up."

"Which is?" I asked.

Cyrus reached back, and fetched a large block of paper, "The methods I've devised makes for an educated guess, not a certainty, and the runes in question will require skill to use."

788 I.C, March 11, Aetherius, Night

Robert the Fox settled on a rock, leaned forward, and rested his cheek on clasped hands. With every breath his nostrils created trails of chilled fog like that of a sleeping dragon. The hunger inside his gut was constant, it ached, gnawed, and he could feel it eroding the discipline of his mind. He closed his eyes, and forced himself to focus.

This was for Agron... No, even bigger... It was for life itself... All life...

His thoughts were starting to drift and sleep beckoned, a moment later he was jolted awake and sat straight. He steadied himself, exhaled, and glanced to the side. Raymond, the wulfkin, was sitting nearby. The sparse fur, scarred hide, and missing tail made for a pitiful sight, but there seemed to be more to him than met the eye.

Robert looked back at what they had accomplished thus far. One of the aetheric conduits in the ceiling had been dismantled and repurposed. It sounded sophisticated, but in reality it looked like little more than pieces of broken crystals held together by lots of wire and piles of rock. Next to it was a metal plate with an arrangement of crystals that projected a small array of floating lights.

Still waiting to be assembled was a metal plate that had been beaten into a parabolic shape by repeatedly banging a rock onto it. Seeing it made Robert glance back toward the exit, it was a wonder the others had not discovered them yet, despite all the noise.

Raymond rose from the rock he sat on, grabbed the parabolic dish from the floor, and set it down next to Robert, "This needs to be attached and wired up. It should direct any spell woven into the crystals, that way we can lift the rocks blocking the transporter."

Robert reached down, grabbed the crudely shaped dish, and tried to lift it. He felt his back strain, but with a huff of exertion it lifted. While gritting his teeth he carried it to the end of the assembly, and eased it down. One by one he began piling rocks to support it.

"I don't think we have enough wire, could you look for more?" Robert asked and wedged another rock in place.

"I'll look for more," Raymond answered with a quick nod, and sauntered off.

Robert watched him leave while he stopped to think for a moment. Raymond did his best to help, gathering supplies, working the heavy stuff, and he held the theoretical knowledge necessary to work the aether. But he couldn't touch let alone come close to what they were actually building, because all it took was a single touch to wipe the crystals, and possibly blow up the mechanisms they had built so far.

I wonder if the transporter will work on a wulfkin... If we can get the transporter working at all...

If he gets the same doubt... Then... Or maybe he has a solution? But it's too dangerous to even ask...

Robert shook his head at the troublesome thoughts and kept working.

"I found some. Tore it out from the old lights," Raymond announced and stepped into the room.

Robert looked up, rose once more, and walked across the room. Raymond held out the tangled lumps of wire and Robert took it with a moment's smile, "What's the next step, Raymond?"

Raymond looked over at the aetheric array, paused for a moment, and answered, "You'll have to work your magic..."

Robert drew a deep breath, walked over to the dish, and began to loop the wire around a centerpiece jutting out of the dish, "Tones, runes, spells... I'm not sure how to do this."

"It'll be all right," Raymond's said, walked over to the wall, and settled within sight of the glowing array.

Robert led the wiring along the floor, and began to wire it into the array. Sparks tingle against the wiring and his hands, it felt odd, a bit warm even, but it helped make it more pliable in the otherwise freezing cold.

While working he glanced over at the wulfkin once more. The change in Raymond's behavior was profound. At first he had been outright hostile, then depressed, followed by bouts anguish and shaking tremors whenever the memories of his past stirred. Now he radiated calm and focus, while his demeanor had changed to become almost friendly.

It'll be all right... Such a strange thing to hear... Especially from a wulfkin...

Once everything was in place Robert made his way over to array, and settled on the floor. He then reached out to the floating lights, felt the presence of a field tingling against his hand, and looked at Raymond, "Are we ready to try this?"

Raymond leaned his head against the wall, and observed in silence for a few moments, "I don't know your aetheric language, and you don't know mine. But the tones of the aether are the same. The constructs that we found and connected with the interface should contain the aetheric language that I'm used to. Thus, If you make the right aetheric tune in your head then the interface should show an image of it in my language. If we find a rune that's of use, then we can etch that pattern into a blank crystal. When we've done that with enough runes we can arrange them in such a way to create a spell."

"You're pretty smart, you know that, Raymond?" Robert answered with a humbled smile.

Raymond turned his head while his still functional ear folded back, "... Don't mock me."

"I wasn't, Ray-"

Robert was interrupted as Raymond looked back and spoke up, "Focus, and let's start simple..."

788 I.C, March 11, Aetherius, Night

The world warped with a loud crackle of noise and color. Moments later Doros burst out from the transporter platform with sparks of magic trailing his body. The wulfkin leader stumbled forward on heavy paws, tried to steady himself, but fell as the ground seemed to vanish underneath him. He flew past the stone stairs he had just missed, and skidded to a halt on all four against the dirt ground.

Fury boiled in his chest as he pulled himself up, and snapped back to glare at the transporter with a snarl in his throat. As he watched more wulfkins emerged from the transporter yet none paid him any heed when they lumbered past like seasick dogs.

Everything was fucked up! Everything had gone wrong, and Avery was still free! The fact gnawed at the edge of his mind he could feel the fury brewing like a steam boiler within him.

Doros couldn't stand it, something snapped, and he acted. With a screaming snarl he lunged to the side, and snatched hold of the nearest wulfkin. His clumsy hands gripped like pinchers and he pushed with all his might. The wulfkin reacted, yelped in surprise, and gripped Doros arms. Rage overtook him and like a wild dog he bit the wulfkin's arm. A scream of pain could be heard before he let go, and hurled the wulfkin to the side.

The wulfkin hit the stairs leading to the transporter platform, rolled to a halt, and clutched his now bleeding arm with a whimper. Moments he scurried off with his tail hiding between his legs.

Doros body shuddered while blood dripped from his muzzle. For a moment he felt relief, but that soon shifted as each breath he drew brought another form of anguish. The black armor that surrounded him tightened, and he found himself wheezing. It made the pressure in his head pound like a sledgehammer against metal, and he felt his eyes bulge with discomfort.

His skin itched and tingled yet no amount of scratching would help. Balance was difficult to maintain, and his back ached as if his spine was trying to tear its way out. Not to mention the heavy arms and hands that felt like lumps no longer fit to hold a sword. Then there was the hunger. It screamed from within, a desire that bordered on the edge of insanity, yet even the biggest meal would only stem rather than satiate it.

The sum of it brought him to the edge of panic and his claws raked against the armor in a desperate attempt to pull it off. He raised his head, wheezed, and struggled. It helped just a little, to calm down, and find straighten himself to the point he wasn't suffocating.

A strange tang hit the inside of his mouth, metallic and sour. It caught his focus for a moment and made him wipe his hand against his muzzle. He then looked at it and saw something strange clinging to the fur of his hand. It was some kind of liquid, thick like blood, yet blue and glittering like the stars in the sky. Doros stumbled forward, opened his maw wide, and felt along his teeth. His canines were bleeding yet again, and as he closed his maw he found his fangs bared as they jutted out.

Confused and angry he raised his gaze to look at the massive cave. Looming overhead was the gigantic obelisk that the Master's mages were so obsessed by. He needed to find the Master, to explain why they had failed yet aga-

A sudden pressure pushed on his spine, and made him stumble forward with a surprised gasp. It throbbed and pushed while radiating pain as spikes were pushing out from within. It sent spasms rippling through his insides and a wet cough sent drool and blood flying through the air.

The pain faded as sudden as it had come, yet another took its place. It stung his arms, gripped his hands, and with a twisting sensation he felt the muscles lock up with a burning ache.

A loud thump in the cave made him look to the side, to his surprise he saw a wulfkin collapse on the ground. He squirmed in pain and twisted into a fetal position while the black armor's harness seemed to bulge and stretch. After a few moments one of the straps burst with a resounding thwack! Plates of armor fell to the ground and the wulfkin gasped with drool dripping onto the ground.

"Aaahh! Uhrr! GRAH!" The wulfkin dug his stubby hands into the dirt, spread his legs, raised his head, and groaned out of discomfort.

Doros stumbled back at the sight of it, and as he looked across the field he could see more of his kin falling to the ground. It made him clutch his armor, and to his surprise he felt that it radiated with warmth.

Without warning a sudden chill tickled the back of his neck, and a whisper resonated in his mind. It was a subtle sound, like a thousand voices screaming in a muffled chorus. It made him turn around, and to his surprise he saw a Sentinel looming near him. He knew what they were, imprisoned wulfkins in a coffin the shape of a small obelisk. It remained in place as if it had always been there, and as Doros stared at it he saw only his own reflection in the polished surface.

Doros snapped in anger and lashed out with his arms, "What are you doing to us!?"

The Sentinel remained still, and if the Master was watching, then he wasn't answering.

"ANSWER ME!" Doros roared with spittle flying through the air.

The noise behind him grew as more wulfkins fell to the ground, squirming, changing, struggling in attempts to either dislodge or keep their armors in place.

As Doros glared at the Sentinel a light to the side caught his attention. Something was happening to the gargantuan obelisk in the center of the cave, and various points along the structure had begun to glow.

For every second that passed it began to spread in the form of patterns. The intense green hue of the glow moved toward what looked like a crater on each side of the obelisk, and within moments it flared to life with a sudden thump. The green glow stung in the eyes and Doros raised his hand while the ground began to shake and clouds of dust were shaken loose from the obelisk.

The now glowing obelisk began to pulse and Doros felt a strange sensation grow in his chest. His heart began to beat in tune with it, and for each thump he could feel his insides push and shift. It made him squirm while gripping his midsection.

"STOP! STOP, I order you!" Doros snapped and glared at the Sentinel looming near him.

The obelisk remained silent.

"Please! Master! STOP!" Doros pleaded with his eyes glaring at the Sentinel's silent reflection.

Something surged within him. Like a switch waiting to be flipped. The pain returned once more, but this time it flooded every crevice of his being and made muscles strain like a waterskin filled too tight.

"The mages fought us! We defeated them! We almost had the Star! One more..." Doros voice became a whisper as he found himself unable to breathe.

The ache in his spine grew worse. It pulled at the tendons in his legs, and the sensation migrated upward to the point he could hear the grinding noise of vertebrae. His neck twisted, and it urged him to raise his gaze. While shuddering he felt his neck strain, and he was forced to look up while his spine made him lean forward.

Something pulled on his legs and pressure grew in his behind until it felt like his bones were about to snap. A split second later he heard and felt his pants split in two. Cold air brushed against his legs and bare crotch while he stumbled around to keep himself on two legs.

Pain kept twisting his hands, but with his raised gaze he couldn't see. Instead he struggled to raise his arms. To his shock the once so flexible digits of his hands were no more. The thumb had receded, and the rest had grown short but bloated like paws adorned with giant claws.

"Master... I can- can still- Serve!" Doros stuttered with distorted but short quips of air.

SNAP!

A sudden snap eased the pressure across his chest, and he gasped in relief. A moment later he realized what it meant, and heard plates of the armor fall to the ground. The change picked up and moved in pulses that kept increasing the pressure. It made him long for the next straps to fail, and also filled to the brim with fear.

An odd sensation gripped his midsection. It gurgled within him, his insides twisted, shifted, and pulsed. The sensation was scary on its own, but as it grew it started to feel like things moving around inside him. Hundreds of them, with tendrils that swarmed within his innards. A second snap eased the pressure once more, and a few more plates fell to the ground.

Doros strained his head to the side, and managed to glimpse down. The angle felt weird, and the ache inside his spine continued unabated. It made him feel as if his neck had become longer, while his legs had attained a wider stance.

Without respite the pain blossomed with a vengeance, and this time it moved upward. His ribcage forcefully pushed against the armor and the bones began to grind with distorted pops. Without any ability to scream he merely shook and felt its influence move into his head. It felt as if hands gripped his muzzle, forced it open, and began to pull at it. Bit by bit the pressure grew, his teeth were bared, and drops of blue blood began to drip. It forced his head to grow while his back bulged with muscle.

In moments it distorted his face into the form of a monstrous beast with permanently bared teeth.

SNAP!

More plates clattered to the ground, and the weight of his upper body shifted too far. Inch by inch he began to topple despite the struggles of his back.

With a shudder through his body he landed on all four, and the thump made his spine settle in a form befitting a four legged beast.

SNAP!

The last of the armor snapped free, and with a loud clatter the remaining pieces settled on the ground. Cold air pulled through the cave and Doros stared ahead with alien sensations rippling through his body.

With shaky steps he managed to look back, and saw a field of wulfkins on all four. To his fright many of them still were still shaking and moaning despite being on all four already. Surely it was over by now?

What little hope he still had shattered as he felt another wave of the change trickling over him.

It surged inside him, like critters crawling through his insides. It began to move toward his throat and he felt it tickle the back of his throat. Within moments he heaved a little, and a spatter of blue trickled from his warped muzzle.

As the pain trickled back into his body he realized that the Master's plans were far from over...

(Picture artist is V, used with permission since I'm the commissioner.)

(I'll properly upload the image later, I just didn't want to spoil the surprise for people that would have gotten the image as a separate submission.)