Stormhaven

[camoens]

Introduction
Verta military institute
Day 1


Clouds gathered in the distance, telling of a storm gaining strength. A nervous, balding little man looked out the window frowning at them; he adjusted his lab coat and started listening to the other person in the room again.
"...I've. We’ve recently developed the BIAS serum, based on the nano machines capable of folding space; a much smaller version than that used for intergalactic travel. We've injected small rodents, and the results have been surprising: One disappeared from its cage entirely, well you'd have to see how they escaped to beleive it. They don't show the same symptoms at all, as if reality doesn't work the same for them. Its really quite..." He stopped the scientist by raising his hand, wondering again how he managed to get this assignment, there was nothing extraordinary about him, he had brown hair, brown eyes, light skin, average build, if you put him in a room full of other people he might as well be invisible.
"Dr. Gelvoran your theories are, interesting, but I do not see the proof necessary to continue funding your side projects. I don't see any proof what-so-ever of what your claiming, all of these rodents you injected.. Conveniently escaped. I'd like you to take a few days off and then rejoin the project with the other scientists, what we're trying to do here is important, more important than disappearing rats..."
"But Administrator Beras! I just need.. " Beras cut him off again
"Dr. that wasn't a suggestion, you have no more time, you were chosen for our needs not your own. Here WE make the rules and you follow them to the letter or you will have your research taken from you and you will be blacklisted and deemed insane in the science community, do you understand?"
"Yes, Administrator."
"Good, I'll see you in a few days Dr."
Dr. Gelvoran pushed open the door and stalked down the hall, The Administrator wouldn't even listen! A tall but plump man who had been waiting outside the door matched Gelvoran's stride and asked
"What did he say? He has to see it this time!"
Gelvoran snapped at him "No he didn't see, that little worm wouldn't see his own face in a mirror unless his higher ups authorized it!"
"It can't have been that bad, Gel, the BIAS serum is a work of art, the rodents just don't want to stay, otherwise we'd have proof, more than just broken lab equipment." He said
"Can't have been that bad? Teirce, it was worse! He reassigned me to the Tri-fold project, with everyone else here on the base, there is no way I'll be able to complete my research now, I'll be working on a dead end project for the next 20 years!" Gelvoran said as he dashed the air in frustration.
Teirce walked with him back to the lab, he knew he shouldn't go against the administrator, but if they had reliable proof.. A subject that stayed.. They not only would get to keep on their research, but they would likely get their own team of scientists, and bonus commissions. They walked the windowless hallways of the research facility, bathed in the fluorescent lights, one seemingly identical turn after another, countless unmarked doors, the Administrators office was the only one above ground here.
Gelvoran picked a door and entered his password in the side panel, it unlocked, and a small gust of chilled air came out. They went in quickly, the large room seemed cramped despite its size, the constant buzz of the computer system filled the air and the reactor in the back of the room drowned out the sounds of the row of animals. Their two desks sat in the middle of the room, with the sample refrigerator and the counter filling the left wall of the room. The generator took up the entire back wall, with the animals lining the opposite wall. The computer system base was stationed by the door, and connected to both of the desks view screens. Gelvoran dropped down at his desk, and leaned back in his chair with a hand covering his eyes from the fluorescent lights.
Teirce walked slowly to the sample refrigerator, as he opened it, Gelvoran lifted his hand a little and looked over, without saying anything Teirce loaded up the hypodermic needle with the BIAS serum.
"What are you doing Teirce? The research is finished, we aren’t allowed to do anymore testing, and they’d just escape anyway." Gelvoran asked and motioned to the few cages on the counters with holes seemingly burned into them.
"Gel, This isn't for the animals, you need a subject that understands what’s going on. It can't be you, or they might claim what you say is invalid." Teirce tapped the needle and cleared it of any air.
"Teirce, you can't, it could kill you!" Gelvoran shouted "Think about this Teirce!"
Teirce injected himself and said "I'm going to need your help Gel, you know what happened to the rats after they were injected."
"You idiot! That wasn't meant for humans!" Gelvoran ran forward and started clearing the area around the larger man "You going to kill yourself, and I'm going to be held responsible, you've ruined us both!"
Teirce took off his lab coat and smiled oddly, as he lay down in the space that Gelvoran cleared, he turned on his Tape recorder and put it as far away from him as he could reach and said
"Since this is for science, I want it documented. Patient is feeling unusually warm. Current room temperature is 68 degrees, and for the record, this Fluorescent lighting hurts my eyes, could we get some softer lights?"
Gelvoran smiled despite himself, as his friend continued to mix his report with improvements for their lab. He had finished pushing everything to one side of the room that he could, Teirce still laid there as if nothing were wrong. Something was wrong though, normally they subjects responded within moments. It had to be his larger body mass; Gelvoran got another hypodermic needle and took a blood sample from Teirce, and said as his friend winced
"Remember, this is for science."
Minutes passed, and still nothing happened, the time stretched slowly as they both waited for what was next. The rats had shown some unfortunate side effects right after injection, Some had their legs react, and they couldn't stop running, even after they killed themselves, their legs still ran as fast and as hard as they could. Others literally exploded in a mass of flames, while some had convulsions, hideously painful by the squealing, but it was those that convulsed that had the majority survive, Teirce was obviously hoping for that. But nothing seemed to happen at all. Teirce showed none of the signs, other than feeling a bit feverish.
"Teirce are you sure you took the right serum?" Gelvoran laughed "you know we did have some rat urine in there for testing...."
Teirce snarled, "Of course I'm not sure! If I didn't work with a halfwit that never labeled anything perhaps there could be actual surety!"
"Well, I'm sorry, but it wasn't me who forgot to label the most important thing in there."
Teirce began to turn red, and his eyes looked furious, he shouted "You’re blaming this on me?! After I risk my life to help you?"
Teirce got up and began to stalk forward he seemed to get bigger with every step, Gelvoran noticed and it occurred to him that the serum might have different effects for humans, he needed to calm Teirce down, he looked angery enough to attack him.
"Teirce, its the serum, I'm not blaming you for anything, your my friend!" Gelvoran said comfortingly, but Teirce kept stalking forward.
"Teirce, please, you won't hurt me, we've been partners for more than a year, we'll get through this, same as we got through that time we went to visit your mother.. You remember that don't you?" Gelvoran started to back up, nervousness creeping into his voice.
"Come on Teirce talk to me, say something, remember this is for science.." His back hit the wall, and Teirce came closer.
There was a film of sweat on Teirce's face, he was still furious, his eyes shone with anger, and his breathing was quickened, He reached Gelvoran and grabbed his arm saying in a contemptuous whisper over the snap of Gelvorans arm breaking.
"Don't turn my own words on me.."
"Teirce! No!"
Gelvoran started screaming as Teirce applied more force than any human should have been able to, Teirce used his other hand to grab Gelvoran's mouth to make him be silent. Gelvoran passed out, and something hitting the floor, caught Teirce’s attention, and he stepped back, the fury gone from him, his face turning white. It was his friends arm below the shoulder. Gelvoran fell to the ground blood coming out of his mouth and the sleeve of his white lab coat stained red, and it hung across his chest damply limp. Teirce fell to his knees.
Teirce felt tears in his eyes, he couldn't leave his friend like this, he shouldn't have done that, How could he? How could he have done this to his friend? He picked up Gelvoran, and was in the medical center of the facility, he didn't remember running the hallways, but it didn't matter. He screamed for the doctors, but only a nurse heard him.
"Oh god.. Put him on the bed" she said putting one hand on her stomach as she looked at him. Then she ran to get the doctors.
Teirce stayed there holding Gelvoran's good hand, rocking back and forth, wondering why he had done this to his friend, Minutes stretched, and the doctors still didn't arrive, Gelvoran’s arm was going to kill him, Teirce could feel it, he had to do something, Something! Having contact with Gelvoran seemed to help, he could feel the wound.. Feel the life draining from Gelvoran from it. Teirce felt calm now, he pushed that calmness, the feeling of well being, onto Gelvoran, and he felt the wound starting to knit itself.
The doctors came in and pushed Teirce away, scrambling for surgery, Teirce stumbled and fell, he was so tired... the nurse looked down on him from a long distance away, she was prying at his mouth, pushing on his chest, why ever would she do that? She faded into a gray haze, and he slept.

-----

Blast.. indentation has been foiled again

[camoens]

Introduction
Verta research facility
Day 2


Gelvoran woke slowly with an odd feeling, his right arm ached, and his forearm itched. He turned over with a groan onto his back to free his left arm, and let out a scream when he found his right arm was gone, there was just a stub wrapped in bandages. A nurse came running when she heard him cry out, and tried to soothe him
"Its alright, your going to be fine. Your partner Dr. Teirce brought you in."
Gelvoran suddenly felt sick, but he couldn't place why. What had happened to him yesterday at the Administrators office? He must have passed out, he didn't recall being that nervous for the interview.
"What happened to me? How long have I been asleep?" he asked
"About 18 hours. And we were hoping you'd be able to tell us. Dr. Teirce collapsed from shock when the doctors came in to prep you for surgery, but he didn't leave your side until then. He's still asleep."
"May I see him?"
"Of course. But don't get up."
She ran a few steps and pulled back the curtain separating his bed from the others in the medical bay. Teirce lay there looking peaceful, but oddly with a film of sweat on him. Before he could ask the nurse spoke up
"We know he's running a fever, but we can't tell what’s causing it, all our tests tell us he's fine, so you shouldn't worry about him. Can you remember anything?"
"No." came the sad answer
"Well give it time." she said then added, "Do you need anything?"
"No." She started to walk away then he said, "Yes.. I need to walk around, when can I get out of here?"
"Right away, your legs still work fine. Just be careful not to break your stitches."
She helped him up, and get dressed, which turned out to be more frustrating than he had imagend with only one hand. By the end he was grateful for her help. He looked over at the still sleeping Teirce, and said
"Feel better soon my friend."
Gelvoran walked out of the medical bay, stepping lightly, his head and his arm throbbed, he wished he hadn't got up, but he wanted to know what happened. He traced his steps that he remembered, up to the administrator’s office, to which he knocked. Administrator Beras came in his rumpled suit, his window shades open showing a darkly threatening sky.
"Dr. Gelvoran? I thought we had agreed that you were going to take a few days off?" Beras' eyes flickered over his arm "What happened to you?" he asked finally
"I don't know, I'm trying to figure out what happened yesterday, last thing I remember is coming here to talk with you.." Gelvoran replied
"Well I didn't do that to you!" Beras snarled "We were at an agreement when you left here, your going to be working on the Tri-fold project, if you don't remember, you seemed to be looking forward to it yesterday."
Gelvoran felt sick to his stomach again. The Tri-fold project? He could imagine ripping off Beras' arm to get out of that, not his own. He thanked the administrator and tried to think of what he would have done next. He found himself walking down the halls, making the memorized turns to get to his and Teirce's testing lab. He fumbled the code in left handed, and a familiar gust of chilled air came to greet him. He went inside and shut the door.
The furniture was all moved to one side of the room, leaving a wide space by the refrigerator, he quickly grabbed and extra lab coat, and floundered around until he got it on. By the refrigerator there were 2 hypodermic needles on the counter, one empty one filled with blood. He took the one filled with blood and slipped it in his coat pocket.
He turned around and kicked something, his eyes followed the movement, it was his tape recorder. It was still on record too; he stopped it and hit the Rewind button. He played it back from the beginning, smiling as Teirce droned about their poor working conditions. He listened for a few minutes while trying to free his desk from the where it had been pushed. A bit of conversation caught his ear. He stopped the tape and rewinded it, and replayed.
"Teirce are you sure you took the right serum?" he heard himself laugh "you know we did have some rat urine in there for testing...."
Teirce voice came out more agitated than he had heard him in a long time, not since his visit to his mother on Terfalless
"Of course I'm not sure! If I didn't work with a halfwit that never labeled anything perhaps there could be actual surety!"
Teirce never said things like that
"Well, I'm sorry, but it wasn't me who forgot to label the most important thing in there."
He stopped the recording. The most important thing? He opened the refrigerator, and checked the BIAS serum sample bottles, one was missing. Teirce couldn't have! He found it in the trash can empty, and he was willing to bet that was what was in the other needle. He turned back on the recording. He listened to himself chatter nervously, and his eyes caught something on the floor.
"Teirce! No!" he echoed as tape went silent
He looked at his arm on the floor in the puddle of blood and knew there was nothing to do about it now, Teirce had taken the BIAS serum, and he wasn't dead. His arm was quite a price to pay for proof, but he did has his proof now, no one could deny the possibilities if such strength could be harnessed, such power. It was intoxicating to think about, but he needed to run tests, he'd lost 18 hours already. He heard a man crying before he turned off the tape. No. He wouldn't forget about Teirce.
He was about to turn to head back to the medical bay when he noticed something curious, there was no blood leading to the hallway, and there certainly was more than enough blood there on the floor to have been dripping. He walked to the medical bay considering how Teirce could have managed this. Flight? No, there would be a splatter effect from the thrust he used. The nurse would have noticed if Teirce had come carrying him in a bag. No, Gelvoran stopped in awe, Teirce must have bent space around him and seemingly just appeared in the medical facility, that would explain how that one rat escaped too, it would also make it very difficult to pay his 'friend' back for this.
Gelvoran didn't say anything as he opened the medical facilities door, and looked around his bed, and the room, the nurse saw him and asked
"What are you looking for?"
"Blood." he replied and asked "I bled a lot didn't I?"
"Yes, but I cleaned this room myself after your surgery, you bled all over everything, it was.."
"But not from the door? Or in the hall?" he said over her.
"Now that you mention it, no, no blood by the door, and the cleaning robots take care of the.."
He interrupted her again "Thank you, is Teirce awake yet?"
She let out a sigh, and said, "Yes, he has been, worried sick about you too. He claimed the food here would make him worse, and went to the lunch room."
"Thank you" He said as he walked by her.
He hurried down the hallways to the cafeteria, forming a plan, it wouldn't be easy but he was sure it would work. He opened the wide double doors into the Cafeteria and looked in the crowd for Teirce, he normally was easy to pick out, being a head taller than most people, but Gelvoran found him slouched in a corner picking at a tray of food. Gelvoran put on a big smile, and said
"I heard you stayed by my bed until you saw a bit of blood, and passed out, how noble of you. How are you, you know.. feeling? I don't remember a thing after you were injected"
Teirce's eyes lit up for a moment, then a pained shadow crossed his face, but neither touched his voice,
"I don't think I've manifested any abilities yet, I'm not sure the serum worked, I might have gotten some rat urine instead!" He laughed, and Gelvoran forced a laugh out too.
Gelvoran sat back for a moment, trying to think how to phrase it, so as not to let on his own knowledge, Teirce ate hungrily in his ignorance, while Gelvoran watched him with a frown that might have made even the stupidest creature fear for its life, But he smiled every time Teirce looked back at him, and encouraged the big man to eat. Finally Gelvoran said as Teirce finished his meal
"You know, I was talking to the nurse, and she said, with how much I bled, it was quite odd that there was no blood from the hall and the door when you brought me in, and she saw you standing in the back, not the front, and I was thinking, when you.. Found me.. You must have bent space and teleported us both into the medical facility."
Teirce looked thoughtful for a moment and slowly shook his head before asking
"What do you have in mind?"
"A test, why don't we head to the lab after I get something to eat too?"
Teirce paled, and said, " Why don't I head over first? I know you hate people watching you eat anyway. Maybe I can get the ball rolling."
"Alright, have fun!" Gelvoran grinned as he left
His smile fell away as soon as Teirce left the room, he could hardly think about eating now, he wondered what Teirce would do with his arm? Food seemed even less appealing, and he put the thought out of his mind, and considered how it should go next, what abilities would he manifest? He remembered the sample of blood in his pocket and he left the lunchroom, and headed to the biology section. A small man greeted him at the door, he seemed to be a miniature man, but he claimed that he was normal, and just never grew much.
"Good afternoon Dr. Veral" he said trying not to look down on him.
"Good day Dr. Gelvoran. What brings you to our humble department today?"
"I would like to get this sample of blood analyzed if you'd be so kind, I'm pretty sure it has some odd traits to it, and I really appreciate it if you could help me out, I need to do some cross reference work really." Gelvoran tried to bluff, and hoped he didn't ask more.
"Sure, I'll take a look at it when I get some time, is that all?"
"Yes Dr. Veral, thank you very much."
"Not a problem, see you soon"
"Bye."
Gelvoran shook his head as he left, knowing this department, it would be weeks before anything got done, but he couldn't afford questions. He figured he had given enough time to Teirce to have cleaned up the lab, and he headed that way, the door was open, and oddly the lap was completely the way it had been, he looked immediately to where his arm had been earlier, and there wasn't even a trace of blood, his desk was back where it should be, and the needle was gone from the counter. Teirce was sitting at his desk leaned over with his face in his hands. Gelvoran touched his shoulder and Teirce nearly knocked him down when he jumped up.
"Easy there!" Gelvoran said with a smile "Have you been practicing?"
Teirce looked mildly sick and said, "Yes, you could say that."
"What abilities have you manifested? Are you in control?" Gelvoran asked concerned, control was important, he didn't need Teirce to explode in the middle of a demonstration.
"Yes, I'm in control. And so far.." Teirce swallowed "Telekinesis, Pyrokinetics, and as you saw before, Teleportation. I also think I have the ability to Heal."
"My god man! That’s more than we imagined! Can you give me a demonstration?"
Teirce looked relieved by his reaction, and didn't bother to reply, instead, he created a flame above one hand, looked across the room and levitated a metal cup from his desk above the other, he frowned, and concentrated, then suddenly, the cup and the flame switched places, they didn't move, they just, happened to be in opposite places. Teirce smiled, and the metal cup rotated to face Gelvoran, inside there seemed to be a grouping of electrical sparks arcing from the cups interior, they flashed suddenly and the cup melted, and fell to the ground suddenly with a small splash, the fire had erupted to causing the fire system to go off.
Gelvoran looked at Teirce in amazement, and finally said
"Come on, let’s go to the administrator, this will get his attention."
With the Fire alarms heralding their way, they found the administrator huddling under his desk.
"Administrator Beras! You recall my disappearing rats? Well, This one decided he wanted to stay long enough to prove a point, Teirce, if you please?"
The Administrator went from scared, and embarrassed, to angry, and finally he stood there shocked, watching Teirce, as he formed a fire above one hand, and called the Administrators cup to the other, they switched places more easily this time, and there was no flame eruption this time. When Administrator Beras finally was able to speak
"Take as many men, and as much equipment as you need, your heading the project Dr. Teirce since you are the one that, uhh, laid so much on the line for it. Dr. Gelvoran will assist you. Congratulations Dr.'s our names will go down in history for such a discovery!"
Gelvoran couldn't stop himself from laughing, if any of them survived what was next, history never would be the same!

[camoens]

D-Day



Teirce sat in the office above the primary research lab, his office now. All his folders, and belongings had been taken from his other desk and transferred here, there was very little in this room as of yet besides a slightly larger desk, and the more comfortable chair. They promised him it would only be another few days before they could issue him a user slot in the main facility computer. The former head research had been reassigned to the other lab with a few lesser scientists to continue work on the Tri-fold project.
Teirce stood up and walked to the window that overlooked the main research lab below. He saw people bustling about, giant strands of holographic DNA floated in the middle of clustered scientists. He should be down there that was his DNA. Instead he sat in an office, with a title, understanding why once they had this power, the rats had escaped. He looked through the blinds, and saw his friend, Gelvoran, gesturing people with his left arm, and hurrying them, giving researchers a reason to be hard at work, or even the semblance of work.
Teirce smiled, his friend didn't let a small thing like losing an arm stop him from continuing his work, Teirce admired his dedication, and was in a way, glad at this outcome, Gelvoran had gotten what he wanted, and so had he. His title, a Commission bonus, and a team of scientist ready to go where he told them. His smile faded, and his hand started twitching, he hadn't been able to sleep since his stay in the medical facility. He started to work on the only thing they would let him at this point, a ball of fire appeared above his left hand, he felt the drain in his body. It was light, for such a small thing.
He smothered the fire and arced electricity from one hand to the other. He closed his hand over the jolt of electricity, and focused... nothing happened. He still couldn't bend space around himself consciously. He stretched out his hand and one of the folders, and half of another appeared in it. Teirce sighed, the folder looked like he had shot a laser around the edges. He sat back down; he was more tired now than he was before. His other hand began twitching; he couldn't seem to keep them still, there! His cheek was doing it too! He got back up and started walking around again.
Gelvoran came into the room smiling broadly and said
"Been practicing? Its all happening so fast, but we're getting somewhere. Professor Onvien got us a large military interest when he suggested that it could be used for soldiers to the Administrator. They are going to come later today see you in action, and decide whether or not it’s of use. How are you feeling, your looking pale."
"Fine, just tired"
Teirce had sat down while Gelvoran was talking, and leaned back. He wiped his forehead; he was still too hot, the doctor wanted to see him in a half hour. Gelvoran was watching him with a peculiar expression on his face. Teirce sat up and said
"Gel, what's the matter? It isn't like I'm going to let them do anything to me, don't you forget, I won't be anywhere I don't want to be."
Gelvoran smiled, "Yeah, I know"
Teirce got up, and started to walk out but stopped before he left the room
"I'm going to head down to the medical bay early, would you like to keep me company?"
"No, I can't sorry, I've got more work than I know what to do with, you can tell me about it later."
Teirce nodded and left the room. Gelvoran sneered at the closed door, and waited for a few moments before leaving himself. He walked down to the Biology department, a scrawny little man saw him first
"Your not assigned to our department, what are you doing here?"
"I'd like to speak to Dr. Veral."
"Why?"
"Ask yourself how many reasons there are on this base why I'd want to speak with the head Biologist, now get him for me!" Gelvoran smirked as the scrawny little man scampered away to get Veral. Oh, he knew this wouldn't be the end of it, but after today, it really wouldn't matter. Veral came with a concerned look on his face; Gelvoran smiled and spoke first to forestall any unsightly questions
"Dr. its a pleasure to see you again, I was curious if you found anything interesting in that blood I left you the other day?"
"Interesting? No.. Nothing really, its a classic case of Dual-fold deterioration, your lucky I found time to look at it at all, but our project was postponed due to something else taking precedence." Veral said frowning
"Dual-fold deterioration? You mean what the test pilots had when they were developing faster than light travel? My history is bad, what did they do to prevent that?"
"Oh, Pilots were grown from the egg up to withstand the oddities that come with folding space, but, passengers still just take an inoculation to protect them." Veral's tone turned lecturing, "The inoculation was a work of art in itself, and it used..."
Gelvoran snapped his fingers making the doctor pause, and then he hurried to say something before Veral started on the history of it.
"That’s fascinating, in fact, do you think I could get a sample of it for study?"
"Well... I don't see why not. It is an intriguing formula. I'll see about getting it ready now, but it'll take a while to synthesize, you can wait eight hours, can't you?"
Gelvoran looked at his watch, it was ten AM earth standard time, it would be late. But he smiled anyway and said
"Of course! With curiosity like mine, time is no boundary. Thanks for the instruction Dr. I'll see you in eight hours."
The doctor waved as he left. As soon as Gelvoran was into the hallway, he started cursing, an hour late! The head military inspectors were going to be there at five PM, and the inoculation was going to be an hour late. There wasn't any going back now; he would have to worry about it after.
He went back to the main research lab, and continued them moving the equipment where he wanted it, all the while he felt the vial of BIAS serum was screaming for some one to notice the bulge in his lab coat pocket, or to notice there were 8 recorded after the rat testing, and only 6 there. He kept a straight face through ever bump, and did his best to last the day without killing one of the fools that did it.
Teirce sat on the hard medical bed with everything but his shorts off, the nurse paid him no mind, more than any other possibly sick person who came in, but Teirce now sorely wished he had exercised more. But there was no going back now, or was there? He concentrated and pain shot through him, he felt like he was on fire, but he looked as if he had exercised everyday for years. Sweet dripped off him, the nurse raised an eyebrow when she turned and saw he looked different. She stuck a thermometer in his mouth and continued to ignore him like before.
A few moments later, the thermometer started beeping, on a large screen on the wall the results flashed, 104.3. She frowned, and wrote it down in a pad by the bed. He held on to the edge of the bed with a death grip, not because he was frightened, but because his hands would be jumping if he didn't. Even his legs twitched now, the muscles jumped sporadically, but he was so tired at it was. The nurse kept writing and sighed
"I'm sorry, I just don't know what we can do for you, and I suggest you drink plenty of water, get some sleep, and keep a cold compress applied to your forehead."
"I'll try,” he said
He dressed again, and headed to his quarters. He tried to sleep for hours, but couldn't keep his eyes closed, couldn't get comfortable, he ended up spending most of the time, trying to control the shivers and the muscle spasms that hit him in waves. He finally gave up on sleep and washed up for the meeting with the military inspectors. Hoping that this would pass like it did for the rats, he was sure his side effects were just slower coming and going. He went back to his office and waited, they would meet him there with the administrator.
When he got to his Office, it was five minutes before they were to arrive, and he found Gelvoran, standing looking out the window onto the research lab. Teirce smiled as he said
"Dr. Gelvoran, you may be the top scientist on the team, but this is still my office, I expect you to knock."
Gelvoran turned around, there was anger plain on his face, but it faded, slowly. There was a thin film of sweet on his face, he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped it off, when Teirce spoke up
"Are you alright Gel? You look like your getting sick."
"Just nerves, I mean, they're going to see us Teirce!" Gelvoran said excitedly
Teirce smiled, but was forestalled from replying as the door opened, two men in military uniforms and somber faces came in, followed by a pale, sweating Administrator Beras
"Here they are, the men who made the BIAS formula, and the one who took it, he can do some amazing things!" Beras rambled nervously "Well Director Teirce, please give these gentlemen a demonstration."
Teirce nodded, and reached out his hand for a cup in his box of belongings, it started to come, then it rattled, and fell back down denting the metal. Teirce frowned, this had never happened before. He made a fire above his hand; it started then went out suddenly, he couldn't keep it going. He focused hard on it, and it burst above his and in a small inferno, which didn't fade, he tried to explain
"Its harder today. Its like a fight, it didn't do this before."
Their face didn't change with his explanation; they looked at the fire, and told him to continue. He tried to arc electricity from his fingers, but that turned out badly, it started, then all but a small bit of it stopped, and that bit played over the Administrators head. Standing his hair on end. He heard Gelvoran start laughing. But the military men were not impressed, finally they said
"We've seen enough, we're not interested in practical jokes, and frankly we're not particularly happy to be falsely alerted, Administrator, we'd like to talk with you before we go."
"Director Teirce show them the teleportation! please! Gentlemen! Wait just a minute." Beras pleaded
They were already out the door, and Beras went scurrying after them, pleading by the sound of his voice all the way down the hall. Teirce shook his head and said to Gelvoran
"I don't get it, it was working fine a few hours ago. Now I think we've lost our funding, I'm sorry gel, looks like its the Tri-fold project anyway."
Gelvoran didn't say anything, and Teirce stretched and yawned, it was too much, he was so tired. Pain stabbed along his arm as he stretched, the muscle had caught in a twitch but didn't stop, it just kept pulling. His hand bent backward, with the muscles pull and his fingers clenched down, he used his other hand to fight it, and finally the pain let up and he could move his hand again though his forearm was quite sore.
"We should take you to the medical facility. That looked painful." Gelvoran said calmly
They walked down to the medical facility and he told the doctor what the problem was, very shortly, he demonstrated it as his shoulder and his arm contracted forcefully, it took both the nurse and the doctor to pull it from the clenched state. Gelvoran watched as Teirce was racked with these muscle spasms, and soon he was writhing on the bed screaming, they weren't able to keep up with how quickly his body knotted itself, more than once a set of muscles would go and there would be the snap of a bone, or the pop of a joint. Suddenly, Teirce expelled all his breath and opened his mouth wide with a shocked expression on his face. The nurse tried to breath air back into his lungs, but his diaphragm was contracted. It couldn't have been a pleasant death.
The Doctor recorded the time of death, and put him in a stasis unit for autopsy later, he put his arm around Gelvoran shoulder, because he was still standing there, staring wide eye at the bed Teirce had laid in.
"Go get some sleep, try to forget what you saw here, I'll tell the counselor to keep a spot open for you, you'll be alright, son."
Gelvoran nodded absently, and walked out of the medical bay. As soon as the door closed he broke into a run down to the Biology department. Dr. Veral was waiting for him, and was quite offended when Gelvoran took the vial from him and ran out. In the confines of his room, Gelvoran injected himself with the inoculation; he didn't want to die like Teirce. He felt the same, minutes passed, he had hoped the fever would leave, his stomach felt very bad, very quickly, he ran to his restroom and emptied his stomach, it felt like someone just hit with a bat in the stomach, he was so hot! He took off his shirt and pants; he could see his stomach writhing under his skin.
He vomited again, and felt like his head was about to explode, Teirce hadn't gone like this! That Dr. he poisoned him! It must have been! Gelvoran concentrated hard, and teleported himself down to the Biology department, he looked around at his new surroundings, and despite the pain, grimly he smiled, the serum was in full effect now, the scrawny little man ignored the fact that Gelvoran didn't have more than a pair of shorts on, and said primly, "Dr. Veral doesn't want to see you, I don't know who taught you manners, but they would be appalled!"
Gelvoran didn't bother to reply, if he was going to die, he was going to do what he came here to do, he lashed out with his mind, throwing the small man back, and focused with fire. He vomited again, and felt the pain spread into his arm, sickly sweet smell of burnt flesh was too much for his stomach, he moved through the department, he would leave his mark! He put his hand on a computer console, and brought on the electricity, sparks burst from the mainframe, and he hurled the desk.
The next room was bigger, the biology main experimentation lab, filled with plants of all species, scientists around the area cursing at their consoles that now didn't work. He focused the fire and filled the room, the plants caught quickly, as well as peoples clothing, he stopped there, and caught one of them, picked him up by the neck with his good arm, and demanded of him
"Where is Dr. Veral?!"
The man struggled for a minute then when Gelvoran applied more pressure to his throat, he squeaked out
"In his private... office! Up the stairs.. Don’t kill me!"
"I won't kill you," he threw the man into the mass of flaming plants "The fire will."
Gelvoran went up the stairs, before one of his legs succumbed to the pain, his body looked like it was infested with worms it, it made him want to throw up again. He found Dr. Veral in his office, working on his private computer. Gelvoran focused and arced electricity into it, and said
"You! You poisoned me! Look at what you caused!" he gestured to his writhing limbs with his chin, his face was beginning to betray him
"I didn't poison you! What are you talking...." Gelvoran picked him up with his telekinesis, and shut him up
"Don't lie to me! It was you! This started happening right after I took the inoculation you gave me!"
His head suddenly wrenched back, he fell to the floor, and so did Veral. Gelvoran curled into a ball, and tried to fight the pain. Dr. Veral looked at him and said
"That was your blood wasn't it? No one has ever taken the inoculation after his or her DNA was altered by the Dual fold drive. It has to be taken before, to preserve the DNA!"
Gelvoran started screaming, He lashed out with his mind again, with fire, electricity, and force, the building crumbled around them, Gelvoran saw his stomach swell, and then his hand split, he closed his eyes, and made the world feel his fury! After what seemed like hours, it stopped, he was still in pain, he ached everywhere. He felt wet he felt starved for food, he opened his eyes, and it was raining hard, with lightning flashing and deafening peels of thunder and there was another person, naked, laying next to him there was rubble and rafters everywhere, a good section of the building was demolished, and the other part was on fire, Gelvoran pushed himself to his hip, and looked at the other person, his breath caught as he recognized to face.... It was his own!
He tried to turn the other person with his face over with telekinesis but it didn't work. He had to kill that abomination! He focused the fire, and it faded around him, the electricity stopped before it even came close to him! He pushed himself up, and found a sharp edged rafter buried in the rock, his power still worked, he pulled it out with just a thought. Then he grabbed hold of it, walking over to the other him laid there, he pulled it back and cried out
"YOU ARE NOT ME!!"
He stabbed the rafter into the chest of his look alike... He shattered! A Bright flash of light enveloped where he was, and the rafter hit the ground, 7 different colored lights floated there in a circle, as if deciding what to do, Gelvoran dashed at them with the rafter and focused flames against them. They scattered disappearing suddenly, leaving no trace they had ever been. Gelvoran started laughing. He sat down in the pile of smoldering rubble, and kept on laughing, he had won, and History would never be the same from today. His laughter caught a hysterical edge; Teirce was out of the way. He would find Veral, and kill him. He would use his power as he had here today, this was just the beginning!
A hot wind blew over him, and carried away the sound of a man screaming in his laughter.

[camoens]

Chapter 1
Bastion port.
Future hell.




A light rain began falling over the ocean out of Bastion port, tinkling over the poisoned waters. Waters the deep blue of lifeless depths, foul smelling wind carries the stench of decay whipping up waves that crash to a gray foam of pollution. Onto unmoving beaches, the sound of waves crash unnoticed and unappreciated. The foam leaves a slimy coat on the supports of a ugly steal protrusion of a dock from the shore. The rain continued to fall, dropping past the metal pier into a town of broken houses.
Onward it fell; pushed harder by the foul winds onto the unprotected heads of slaves. Wetting the shoulders of a grotesque taskmaster who irritatedly caned the man in front to move quicker. Farther it fell into a open roofed factory, bellowing thick smoke into evening. It fell hissing as it touched the hot metal forges, doing nothing to cool the ground or the workers. A dark haired girl grimaced as the smell and the warm rain affronted her senses.
Elana brushed the sweat and rain from her eyes and shifted her heavy burden. She carried the precious fresh water to the next forge worker who stopped for a moment to take a few draughts from the container and went back to work without a word. The stifling heat seeped into her unprotected face and hands, making even the time between forges uncomfortable.
The Taskmaster here glared at her as though she were the reason behind the slow work. Behind her she heard his whip crack and something metallic clang. The man there screamed as the dull red metal seared into his flesh, Elana couldn't turn around to be sure, but the smell was enough. For a moment the sounds of industry slowed, and sympathy painted the faces of those who could see, if only a moment.
The hoarse cursing of the Taskmaster followed her as she continued away bringing water to the next in line, there was No excuse for idleness here, not even death. Idleness was punished, and injury was always said to be self inflicted. The price was heavy for all if anyone had to stop working; she heard the man claim to be alright, and his hammer soon joined the rest again.
The man beyond her now was her brother, Farad, his shirt in shreds from another beating. His coarse black hair tied away from his face leaving her to see the strain around his eyes. She worried over the lashings, This one he'd taken for her over a small thing, over everything. He spared a smile for her as he drew up his own water, and then turned back to the assembly line of the machine.
Weapons. Weapons that were used on humans who resisted, why did there constantly need to be more made? Crude weapons built by men with hammers, and more complex ones massively produced and assembled. This factory had been running as far as she knew for over a hundred years, and still it made weapons. There were no riots anymore, no rebellion, no hope of a savior. Still the century old forges burned on, dangerously unsafe, especially with the inhuman Drieth taskmasters prodding the workers for speed. It was as if the factories were kept running simply as a torture to break the people.
Her thoughts had stopped her feet and her brothers hiss at her back did not come soon enough. A whip bit cruelly on her upper thighs and she hurried to get moving faster. She didn't cry out, they loved to hear the people cry out. The taskmasters had been known to continue a few times for good measure with things that made people scream. The whip snapped again, she winced though it didn't hit her, she turned her head to see that her brother had received that ministration.
She continued to the next on the line, who looked on with sympathy in his eyes for her, but he said nothing. The Drieth taskmaster, This one a scaled, horn headed beast; ripped the water dipper from the mans hands and drank greedily from her container afterwards he spat some of the water to the ground.
“This water tastes like the poison out there!” he screeched at her
“The rain..” she started but he slammed a scaled fist across her face, knocking her to the ground and spilling the rest of the water.
“Be glad, girl, that I don't kill you for that swill you made me drink.” he raised his voice “Do'kull take the girl she's to have twenty lashings for wasting water. And the rest of you shall go without anymore to drink for her clumsiness.”
Do'kull, a big, burly man, disfigured from his transformation to the Drieth seized her arm. She was taken outside and whipped, she lost concentration on not screaming after only a few strokes, and it continued for what seemed like hours, each time another flare of pain ran down her back. It took her a moment to finally realize he'd stopped. She could feel each line on her back with painful exactness. He told her then what work to go onto from there.
“Take your worthless hide to washing detail, don't hurry girl, if your late and get sent to me again... I'm sure there are more ways to make you scream. Don't disappoint me. I'll be seeing you soon, girl.” He leered at her as she scrambled away.
Once she got onto the road she slowed to a brisk walk, this was as close to a break as she'd get until both moons had risen. She looked toward the horizon and sighed at the fading light, it wouldn't be for several more hours yet. Her thoughts wandered back to her brother in the factory, she hoped that he wouldn't speak up over her again, he took too many beatings over her already. Despite being worried and in pain she smiled for a moment and placed her hand at the waist line of her ill fitting work pants.
There hidden from the eyes of everyone, her friends, the vile Drieth, even The Overlord himself! Was the drawing her brother saved, a sketch of their father. He'd died earlier that year trying to save her too. It was her fault, he died because she didn't stop her tongue and she still felt guilty. She would have liked to take it out, and look at it, remember his strong face. But the rain would ruin the fine charcoal lines and smear the face beyond recognition.
It was her worrying that made her forget the slick road, her bare feet slipped in the mud and put her flat on her back. She screamed out as the lashes on her back came suddenly back to painful awareness. She laid there for a moment letting the warm rain slide off her face as she gasped for breath letting them fade back to a general throb. She knew they would need to be cleaned, the only thing freely living here were the bacteria.
She picked herself up and continued into town watching her steps more carefully. When she got to the wash house the taskmaster there derided her on coming muddy to a wash detail. And sent her to and side room to clean up before touching officers clothing. She washed there in silence, but thoroughly, any dirt on the clothing would be blamed on her tonight. She finished quickly, knowing more than a minute would be noticed.
She went directly to the side wash room from there. There were two other women in the side room when she came in. One she knew, Mara, an older woman now, no longer fit to carry water or climb stairs to clean in the Taskmasters homes, she spent most of work details at washing houses. Or being a Midwife for younger women. The other was Tamra a hard faced woman well suited to strict structured life. Mara saw her come in first.
“My dear! Your white as a sheet, surely you didn't take the Drieth's words so hard, he won't really eat you, well, most of them won't.”
“Mara look at her back! She's brought it on herself.”
“Oh? Do you have the Farsight now? What happened girl?”
Elana told them the short of it, biting back tears at the unfairness. The everyday. She finished dejectedly, seeing little pity in the eyes of the other women
“Thats the way of things dear.” Mara said “those water containers do have lids, and even though it wasn't your fault you have to find ways not to draw so much attention or you'll go just like your father.”
"The whole lot of that family are trouble Mara, I don't know why you bother."
Elana stood up stiffly, and walked to the other side of the room. She hated people talking how her father was stupid. Hated that everyone used him as an example for why they shouldn't resist. And everyone agreeing like mindless... Slaves! She donned the work apron and began washing the invariably stained clothing. There were always mounds of it, it never seemed to be done. She'd heard that there were machines out there to wash clothes, but she had never seen one here. She pushed all thought out of her mind and set her mind on the job at hand. Mara and Tamra talked softly while they worked. Discussing things around the camp, but Elana ignored them stubbornly.
A little while later, the Taskmaster came in, and eyed their work. The older women quieted down with practiced deference working diligently. Muttering about "Lazy Humans" the Taskmaster kicked a pile of clean laundry back into the water. He glared at them for a moment to see if they'd respond. Elana burned inside, her knuckles went white while she gripped a piece of clothing. She clenched her jaw, if these old hags didn't want to defend themselves against this kind of thing, why should she put herself out? He apparently saw something in her and said
"Are you angry little girl? Do you think that was unfair? Go ahead. I'm listening!" He shoved his head next to her face and cupped his hand to his ear, exaggeratedly listening. She couldn't contain herself any longer, she took in a deep breath and screamed as loud as she could in his ear
"YES! IT WAS!"
He pulled back and kicked her. Hard. She tumbled into the water and struggled with the clothes wrapping around her limbs to come up. He glared at her as she clung to the edge.
"You will all work another six hours on top of your normal shift. And if I hear another word from any of you, Do'Kull will be by shortly."
He stayed there, watching them work, pushing Elana's pile back into the water each time it was finished. Each time he pointed out how much was still left and demanded they work faster. Listening for even a whisper. In a few hours the Drieth Taskmaster spoke up with more than curses and demands to do better, faster jobs.
“Its time. Go to your homes directly. And be back to report to the Duties officer at sunup.”
He then pushed them unceremoniously out of his way and hurried back up the road toward the Drieth town. A town with electric lights that could be seen from here. She and the other two women stepped out of the washing house, giving her a long measured glare before leaving, and headed to their own homes. Elana grimaced and turned away and started walking. Her hands were raw and stiff from all that washing, and her back ached. Her mind settled back into familiar lines of how unfair she had it.
She hadn't been walking more than a few minutes before a strong hand gripped her shoulder. She startled and let out a small cry, her brother stood there his arms raised in and nonthreatening manner. He waited the space of a breath before gesturing her to continue walking, and he matched her stride.
“I'm glad to see you made it through the day without getting whipped. Oh wait!”
“Farad, I'm not laughing.”
“Well Light forbid that you're not amused! I'm sure you were the only one thats ever been slapped carrying water. Why didn't you just lid it Lana? You know how the rain tastes this close to the sea!”
“Maybe it didn't have a lid Farad,” she said as her face grew hot “Maybe I tried to stay up and couldn't, maybe I was whipped once already today and don't want to hear it from you too! It's enough!”
“My poor little sister! She's had a bad day!” he scoffed “She forgot her lid and is having a fit! Lets all bow and curtsy! Lets send a letter to the council and get her the day off tomorrow. She's just 'Had enough'!” He lowered his voice “One hundred and Forty people had to work the rest of the day in the Forge, without water, I was beaten, and set to work on the forges for asking about you. And you have been off in 'Poor me' village, in the land of self pity as if your the only one in the world that mattered!”
“Enough Farad!”
“I'm not finished.” he said defiantly “But what are we going to tell Mum?”
Elana's face paled for a moment “Why do we need to tell her anything?”
“She'll notice. You know she will Lana, and they need treated.”
she stayed silent.
“Your too selfish Lana, at least our father took his whippings for the good of others! You'll end up just like he did, beaten till your no fun and then sent to Mot'Ilan. But you'll be sent with more reason too. You can't help anyone when your dead and rotting.”
By this time the rain coming in from the sea had stopped. The road was still wet and slick from the rain, so she watched her step carefully. pointedly not acknowledging her brother. The second moon was barely over the mist clouding the horizon and a breeze was coming in. It might have been pleasant if not for the smell, and her brothers tirade. What was worse was that she knew he was right. Avoiding his eyes she stared out to sea, off shore a platform just visible against the night sky drew her eyes.
Mot'Ilan.
It was a place of the dead, all the humans the Drieth killed in this province were left there to rot, reminding the people with a foul stench. Worse than those to be dumped when dead, were those sent there to die. That was how her father died; how the Drieth executed people beyond simple beatings: dropped them off naked, beaten and hungry on that barren platform a few hundred feat over a poison sea. Surrounded by rotting corpses and bones of old friends, and a blazing sun overhead. A fall that can kill you, and waters that surely would with exposure, left to think on which course of death to pursue. That is what awaited everyone who resisted.
She'd been staring past the sea platform so lost in her own thoughts that she failed to notice at first. They were almost home before she was able to place what was different; things were brighter than they should have been this late at night. The second moon was still too low on the horizon to be casting shadows, and yet something was bright enough to make her shadow apparent in the night. She looked around briefly until she glanced upwards.
An unusually bright star was dancing in the sky, shooting off breathtaking bursts of rainbow light, flickering in a pattern that stir emotion in her. It was slowly getting larger and steadily brighter as the minutes past casting brilliant reflections off the sea Marking shards of rainbow dance on the scattering clouds. It could be seen over half the planet, and this beautiful sight, it sent chills up Elana's spine.
Gelvoran's Embassy was coming.
"Come on." Farad said walking faster "Mother will want to know, we need to get home"
Elana nodded and sped up. They spent the rest of the walk home in silence, cast deeper into shadow after the Embassy landed, and the rainbow play ended. The night somehow seemed more menacing with such a person on the planet. She had an uneasy feeling that eyes were watching her now.
A shiver ran up the back of her neck despite the tepid air and she pulled her arms in closer. Something brushed the edge of her perception drawing her attention to the now empty sky. The stars were all she saw; Dull and faded in the dingy night sky. She almost turned away when she saw the movement again. She wasn't sure at first, but then it moved again. It flashed seemingly from star to star, making each one clear and bright for a moment before moving on. It was fast! She blinked hard and shook her head, it was getting closer too.
After a moment it went straight overhead blazing across the sky. She gasped at it's brightness, and it continued until it fell noiselessly close to the shoreline. colliding with the ground in a brilliance that surpassed the sun. She covered her eyes and braced herself against the explosion she knew was coming. A moment passed in the air remained still. She kept expecting to hear the crash but no sound reached her.
"Are you just going to stand there Lana? Come on." Farad called to her
"Didn't you see that?" she asked, looking at the now motionless sky.
"See what?"
"A light! Right above us! Brighter than the sun."
"You mean the Embassy ships? That's no reason to be standing here, in fact it's reason to be moving."
"It wasn't the embassy!" she opened her mouth to say more then finished lamely "I don't know what it was."
He looked at her and sighed with a frown. Farad turned and started walking again toward their home. Elana just knew that he didn't believe her. She didn't move for a moment, watching the shoreline and the sky. She was more sure now that there was something. She didn't know if it was something wrong with her, or if something really did fall from the sky, but she could be sure of one or the other if she went over there. She almost went to see, but Farad called again and she knew there was too much to do yet. She didn't have time to search.
The path to their home was made more dull by that moment of color. Sharp reddish yellow weeds covered the ground on either side of the path, far more prevalent than any kinder, prettier plant. It was painful to step on barefoot and shoes were a luxury few had. The path itself was worn and muddy from the rain and many feet milling it. Boulders littered the plains, clearly out of place. Some glittered when there was sun out, as if something beautiful were inside but every time she had broken a part off, it had only been a sharp black glass.
The harsh area contrasted their home. Where most slaves lived in simple dwellings, often propped up against a boulder or a hillside. This one was made on a foundation with the sides done in sturdy brick and dull steal roofing. Outside there was a smaller hovel, which her mother had claimed she and their father lived in a long time ago. She could never remember a time when they hadn't had been in the house. She had asked once when she was little why they had a house, when others lived in ramshackle dwellings like the one outside? Her father had grinned and told her cheerfully
"Two reasons my girl: To make someone mad, and to make two someone's happy."
"Who papa?"
"The most important people of course!" he said as he picked her up and spun her in the air laughing away the question.
And that was all the answer she got from him. Her mother always looked as though she'd eaten something rotten when looking at the house, so she could only assume that she was the angry one. They rarely missed meals and had a warm place to sleep; Even running water! It was more than most had so she took advantage of the house as much as possible.
As they walked into sight of the house, their mother came out from the small hovel and ran to meet them. Her fair skin stood out with her clean white night gown in the dim light from the house. Her waist length white blond hair caught every bit of light and fallowed her like auroura. She wore a worried frown that did nothing to mar her unaged face. It struck Elana not for the first time that her mother looked at age with her.
"What happened? Are you alright? You had me worried, you were so late!"
"We're okay mother." Farad spoke up "But we could use some of your special salve."
"That's not okay! What happened?" She asked again, while turning them to the house.
"This isn't important right now!" Elana cut in "Did you see mother? The Embasy ships have landed."
Their mother gasped as if she fell in freazing water. Farad glared at Elana but said nothing. He put his arm around their mother and gently started moving her towards the house. But she shook her head and said
"No, you can't! You can't come inside now." she said franticly "Stay out, he might be watching! You have to stay in the hovel until he leaves! Farad, promise me!"
he frowned not understanding
"Mother?" Elana asked quizically reaching out to their mother
"I'll get you the ointment, but you can't come in." She said, she was moving away from them in mincing steps and she kept turning to look toward the main city.
"Why not? What's wrong?" Farad asked
"I can't explain right now, someone is coming, I need to get ready. Stay out of sight!" she shouted the last as she ran into the house slamming the door behind her.
Farad looked at Elana and then down the road. No sign of anyone was evident, but he moved to the hovel none the less. Elana stayed where she was, waiting for something to happen. She hoped that her mother was just making a joke, that she'd come out laughing at any moment. But minutes passed and the questions built on her mind. Farad joined her again, and tried to move her towards the hovel, but she told him
"No, just another minute, she said she be back out with the salve."
Farad sighed "You know she meant us to wait inside the hovel. Out of Sight."
She shrugged off Farad's arm and called out softly "Mother?"
"A mother? Indeed!" an amused voice said from the night behind them. "I should think not child. What mother would leave her darlings outside in the night?"
Elana turned to see a very unusual man behind them. He was.. Beautiful. His eyes seemed almost too large, though he was tall, head and shoulders over Farad. Dressed in finer clothing than she'd ever seen, and constantly wearing an amused smirk as if he'd just heard a particularly nasty joke about you. He seemed little more than a floating face above dark spot in the night, all in black. If Elana had even imagined such a man she would have thought him a dream. She found her mouth dry and couldn't help but stare.
"They don't live here. Petty nusiances! That's what they are to me. Lazy whelps! They'd call you their mother too if it meant a free meal." Their mother said stepping from the main entrance of the house.
Elana was shocked by what she saw, to say the least. Her mother had completely changed. She stood there now dressed seemingly in a single crimson ribon showing shocking amounts of skin yet revealing little. Her hair that she'd always kept simply now hung in flowing waves enhancing the light catching effect. Her face was different, her lips fuller and her eyes brighter. She also was wearing a snear of contempt for them.
She moved down the stairs like she was swaying to a slow, inviting dance. Her snear turned into a smokey smile for their visitor. She stopped and delivered a formal curtsey which brought Elana's mind back to her outfit and made it a shameful display.
"Ilara. It has been too long." he said, sounding approving. "I see you've remembered our Lord's preference in atire."
He gave her the barest nod of his head in return for her deep curtsey, and glanced at the children.
"You're too harsh on them, Ilara, tonight is a night of celebration! After twenty long years away, your Lord and Master have returned! Even petty nusciances and whelps are to share in it. All shall be given the Entire day off tomorrow. To bask in the radiance of our master."
He reached out and cupped Elana's chin "You, my young dear, should come by the palace tomorrow." He produced a card from his the air with his other hand "You're now officially invited to the auditions at the royal court, imagine.."
"NO!" Ilara cried out
Elana blinked suddenly, and came back to herself. She'd been nodding and staring into the man's eyes, she had, at that moment been willing to do anything he asked. Even wear something like her mother's outfit. He was now staring at Ilara, no longer amused. Ilara though was staring at the ground, not meeting his eyes. She opened her mouth to say something but Farad spoke up first.
"Just who are you? And why did you come here for our.. for Ilara?"
"I am Drieth. That is all you need know boy." He replied without taking his eyes off their mother.
When no one else said anything he continued "Come now Ilara, our master is waiting."
He held out his hand to her. Ilara nodded sullenly and took it. She vanished instantly. He looked over at Elana again, and smiled, amused once more.
"Consider the offer. Just show that card to anyone at the palace. Court life can be so much more pleasurable than this." he indicated everything around them. Then leaning, he kissed her hand
"I will be seeing you soon, my dear." he said with oily surety, then vanished into nothing himself.