Bloodcrete: Chapters 5-6 (The Weirkey Chronicles) (Patreon)

I'm not at the point where I can post chapters consistently, but nothing else is ready, so you're getting chapters. Also another piece of fanart from Runcible Technician that I had saved, but forgot to post before now.

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Chapter 5

Theo had a lot of hopes for his return to Norro Yorthin. That the population would have gotten over its fear of outsiders and kicked out the Order of the Deepest Blue, for starters. Ideally that Fiyu and Nauda would have attained their own goals and returned. Perhaps above all, that House Blacksilver had finally acquired a weirkey to Noven like he'd asked.

And a parade, while he was at it. No, actually, a parade sounded terrible. Theo would settle for the weirkey and being ignored by everyone.

Instead, as he passed from the Arbaian city into Norro Yorthin, he found himself undergoing just as much scrutiny as before. Most of the Arbaians weren't too concerned about outsiders, but some Fithans looked at him as if he was a demon himself. At least the Order itself wasn't present to cause trouble.

In order to forestall such problems, Theo had spoken directly to House Blacksilver. Most actually believed his cover story, but they'd carefully modified his identification slate so that he was listed as half-Deuxan and half-Noven. Just strange enough that no one would question him and "Peanen aina Deuxan" could go about his business without getting into trouble. It worked well enough for the local establishments, but it would never be enough for the zealots who had swallowed Deepest Blue dogma.

Of course, there was the small fact that he really was an outsider, and that there was a chance their claims were actually true.

While Theo's identity slate was scrutinized by another of the guards, he looked around the room for anyone he recognized. Eventually he spotted Eemal - he hadn't talked to the guard since his arrival in the city, but after so long with other Eubhan, he remembered him clearly. He gestured for Eemal to slither closer and stepped out of the line.

"Has the political situation worsened," Theo asked, "or is the Arbaian quarter of the city all true believers now?"

"Neither." Eemal shifted lower, his glittering eyes gazing out into the city. "Oh, there are still rumors of war, but the Ruling Cities mostly came together after the Wargames. The demon attacks have intensified, and one even broke into the city. So the Order of the Deepest Blue has many sympathizers, enough that leadership can't throw them out."

"Are you really going to throw me out? You know that House Blacksilver can just bring me back by weirkey."

"No, this is a formality to appease the angriest. I do suggest that you be on your best behavior in the city, however."

Theo nodded as he considered that. So much for his trip outlasting the fervor. It might have been interesting to talk to Eemal further, but at that moment the guards finished verifying Theo's identification. He was pushed inward and then officially stepped back into Norro Yorthin.

Aside from changes to the atmosphere, the city didn't feel much different. The great whirlwinds spinning overhead might have been intensified as war preparation, though it was difficult to be sure. Theo's understanding was that the war across the continent would start up very slowly, but he wasn't sure about the exact reasons. Best to consult with House Blacksilver about current conditions.

Yet, as he walked through the streets, Theo got more dirty looks than he'd expected. No one expressed outright hatred, just suspicion that he didn't belong. He almost wished that he'd pretended to be Ichili, since he could pass with a little work, but that would have risked running afoul of the actual Ichili in the city.

So Theo pivoted toward one of the city gates instead. He needed to check on Krikree anyway, so he might as well use her as cover. Knowledge of all Nine Worlds was limited, but the Deepest Blue acolytes had distributed some information about Slest being insectoid. If he couldn't avoid attention completely, at least he could deflect it.

At first Theo was worried that leaving the city gate would be just as much of an ordeal as entering from Arbai, but he was waved through. On his way out, he spotted Jothan atop the city wall. It had been ages since they had spoken - Theo had basically forgotten about him as soon as he got access to the city - but the Ruler waved from his position and Theo waved back.

Once outside, he employed gravitational fields to launch him into the air. A city like Norro Yorthin couldn't possibly sustain itself within its own walls, so it maintained a variety of farms at secure locations. Since he didn't think Krikree would take a long journey in Arbai well, he'd left her there with allies of House Blacksilver.

He had no doubt that she would be fine, but he hoped that she'd adjusted a little more. Her early days in Norro Yorthin had been exhausting and he'd wondered if she'd ever calm down. But he was about to find out soon, so there was no point speculating.

A small fortress guarded the tunnel into the underground caverns. It was important enough that there were actually Rulers on guard, a man and woman who armed themselves as Theo hurtled in. He had to stop enough to show them his identification, since causing a panic would just slow him down.

"I left a Slescan here several months ago," he told the guards, "and she should still be here. Do you have directions?"

"A Sl - oh, the bug?" The woman shook her head while the man shivered. "Creeps me out, but yeah, she's still here. You want one of the private farms off to the side, first take the big tunnel..." They went on to tell him more about the people running the farm, but Theo only listened enough for the directions and headed in. It sounded like nothing had changed in his absence, which was good, since he thought Krikree needed stability.

The tunnel led to a central administrative area that split in several directions. Some vast farms were run by the major Houses of the city, while smaller caverns were owned by private operators. He'd left Krikree with a couple who ran a specialized mushroom farm and apparently had the trust of House Blacksilver. They'd raised some orphan depths Fithans and Krikree didn't hate them, which was good enough for him.

As soon as he got close, he remembered the exact path. All of the tunnels were brightly lit by spheres and perpetual torches, so it wasn't difficult. The farm itself filled a mid-sized cavern with mushroom fields in the center and an area mining rock salts in the back. A little house had been built against one cavern wall, since the farmers lived on location.

"Hello?" The wife emerged from the house, wiping off her hands on her apron. "We're not open to - oh, it's you again. Are you here to take her back?"

"How is Krikree?" Theo asked as he approached.

"She should be in back with-"

"Ivo-sister!" The cry interrupted the wife and Theo spotted Krikree. She was sprinting directly toward him at top speed, waving a pickaxe over her head, which wasn't exactly reassuring. But he thought Krikree's antennae were vibrating in eagerness, so he stood his ground.

At the last second she placed the pickaxe in her soulhome and instead leapt up to grab him with all four arms. Her features never smiled, even now, but her antennae bounced against his face and he could actually hear some emotion in her voice.

"Ivo-sister gone too long."

"Sorry, Krikree, but I found what I needed." He eased her down and scratched around the base of her antennae. "Have you been busy here?"

"Krikree farm! Krikree mine!" She whipped out the pickaxe again and struck the ground to demonstrate in case there was any confusion. "Rocks tasty, mine. Mushrooms not tasty, but food. Not smash, take gently."

"She was a handful at first," the wife said, "but she's a fast learner. And you can't fault her work ethic! She picked all the ripe mushrooms and we had to stop her from uprooting all the rest before they were ready."

"This Ralry-beetle." Krikree scuttled over to the Fithan woman and tugged at her skirt. "Important obey. Gives food. Nice to Krikree."

Ralry chuckled good-naturedly and patted Krikree on the head, taking care to avoid her antennae. Apparently she wasn't offended at being called a beetle, which was new to Theo. Before he could ask what that was about, the husband of the duo returned from the mines. Krikree rapidly moved to introduce him as well.

"This Racol-beetle. Helps Krikree. Gave Krikree weapon!" She brandished the pickaxe triumphantly.

"Not much of a weapon for a Ruler-tier soulcrafter." Racol shook his head as he approached. "She's already broken five of them. I admit, we'll miss her, but I won't miss buying equipment so often."

They told him a little more about her time on the farm, as well as giving a general accounting: apparently Krikree had improved their productivity so much that they wanted to pay him instead of accepting payment. But the amount was tiny compared to his salary from House Blacksilver, and Krikree didn't really understand money, so Theo refused. Better to be owed a favor by the two in case he ever needed open-minded babysitters again.

Perhaps he could bring Senka there, just to irritate her. That thought brought a smile to Theo's face, but only briefly.

He honestly hadn't remembered the names of the farmers. When he focused his memory was usually good, but minor details were never recorded in the first place. Even Krikree had made more local connections than he had. It didn't really bother him, it was just strange.

Theo had planned to leave immediately, but Krikree needed time to say goodbye to the "beetles". Asking her was probably futile, since her explanations were rarely explanatory, so he could only surmise that she had begun using the label to refer to laborers. Ralry and Racol sent her off with a bundle of food and a specially made robe that accommodated all four of her arms. Theo had considered taking Krikree to the tailor couple to get better clothes, so this would save him a trip.

On their way out, Krikree chittered to him about her experiences. It seemed like she wasn't going to be confused by Fithans anymore, though he still worried about how she would take the full city. She acted especially fond of her pickaxe, which was really a fairly ordinary tool, so Theo eventually decided to ask her about it.

"Don't you still have your other weapons?"

"Krikree has." She retrieved two spears from her soulhome to demonstrate. "But Krikree like pickaxe. Good weapon, just fragile."

"Did you actually have a chance to use it?" Surely if she had hurt anyone, the farmers would have mentioned it...

"Demons attack! Many. Go past guard ants. Krikree take pickaxe and mine demon heads!" As abruptly as Krikree had described the battle, she switched away and began looking around the tunnel entrance. "Return big hive?"

"Yes, that's the plan."

"Ride in wooden beetle?"

Obviously she meant the sleigh, which he hadn't had time to take. Theo could have given a direct answer, but seeing her animation, he decided to try another lesson. "No, I don't have it. But the wooden beetle is called a sleigh."

"Sleigh." Krikree repeated the word several times to herself, antennae moving in broad circles. When they left the fort, she climbed onto his back and he lifted them both into the air with a gravitational field. She was durable enough to move faster, but he wanted to take the opportunity to check a few other things.

"Krikree, can I see your soulcrafting?" She nodded and her control loosened, allowing him access to her soulhome.

That alone was a difference, since the lower castes on Slest had no privacy. It seemed that she had fortified her barrier wall with stones and remaining carapace from her home, so he actually needed her permission to look inside.

Within, Theo was overwhelmed by the piles of meat. Nearly all the grass of her soulhome was covered in sprawling piles, from cooked cubes of meat to raw bleeding slabs. He sensed a little cantae, so some of it must be sublime meat, but the vast majority was just ordinary food. His goal had been to investigate her progress on her third tier, which did appear fully soulcrafted at a glance, but he had to address the piles first.

"Krikree, what are you storing?"

"Food!" One of her hands rubbed his head the way he did her. "Chkchkchk. Ivo-sister silly."

"It's... a lot of food. Didn't they feed you?"

"Krikree eat. But also store. Never be hungry! Queen not take food! Krikree have food for whole hive."

"Well, that's... good, I guess." He wasn't sure how to broach the idea that it was excessive, so he just glanced back into her soulhome.

As he'd briefly seen earlier, Krikree had completed her third floor. He still wasn't sure how stable the cluster of partial spheres was, but at three floors it rose to an impressive height. Several of the spheres had windows, through which he could see a few glowing rocks that looked Fithan in origin. That suggested she'd made some progress, at least.

Overall, he got the sense that she had spent more time hoarding food and sublime materials than renovating her soulhome. One step at a time, he supposed. If Nauda had been present, he would have liked to examine Krikree's work in much greater detail, but for the time being he was satisfied. Until the other two returned, Krikree would be good backup.

"What? What?" Krikree squeezed the back of his coat and pointed past his head toward the currents above Norro Yorthin.

"Those are called whirlwinds," Theo said. "But some might also call them tornadoes. Some Fithans also call them dustspouts, though because these are artificial, they ar-"

"Too many words! What?"

Well, he wasn't surprised that she hadn't changed entirely. Since they were drawing near the gate, Theo gestured for her to get down and present her identity plate. Fortunately she went through the process smoothly, without throwing anything or yelling "Not" at anyone. As they prepared to enter, he put a finger to his lips.

"Krikree, we need to be careful in the big hive, so..." He finished his sentence with the pheromone [Scout].

[Scout], Krikree agreed. When they stepped into Norro Yorthin she didn't make any noise, just moved quietly after him.

Still, when more eyes started turning toward them, her antennae began to tremble. Eventually Theo let her climb onto his back again, where she gripped his shoulders and head to use him as a vantage point to view the city. It seemed she would behave herself, and his plan worked: Krikree immediately drew attention, but the two of them looked so alien that no one would ever think they were outsiders trying to blend in.

[Krikree]. Emitting name pheromones was still tricky for him, but there wasn't exactly any confusion. When she peered around his shoulder, he gestured to the crowds around them and tried something else. [Queens? Princes?]

[Not]. Krikree's pheromones emanated much more slowly than usual and she shifted uncomfortably on his back. [Before Krikree not understand. Can mate. Can lay eggs. Not queens. Confusion.]

That dizzying sequence of pheromones was a struggle even with soul translation, but Theo thought he grasped the basic meaning. Brushing over the part about laying eggs, she seemed to be getting it. [Beetles?]

She said something he had trouble grasping, but he thought the unfamiliar pheromones were names she had invented for the two farmers. It ended with something to the effect that they were good beetles. The people around them apparently weren't beetles, though, especially not the soulcrafters. Overall her system was confusing, and Theo wasn't sure how much of it was his understanding and how much was Krikree's own confusion.

[This not Slest hive.] Sentences were still hard for him, requiring headache-inducing focus unlike normal soul translation, but he thought that had gotten through. [Understand difference?]

[Before Krikree not believe. Now understand. Norro Yorthin not hive. Blacksilver is hive. Crimson is hive. Names good. Norro Yorthin is just place.]

More or less true, though he wondered how he'd explain the broader alliances of the war. Instead he tried for a more abstract question. [What Krikree think hive?]

She didn't answer. When he glanced over his shoulder to see if he'd mangled the question too badly, he saw that her antennae were low and vibrating oddly. If he had to guess at her expression, he'd label it as deep thought. Given how thoroughly caste indoctrination had been beaten into her, facing this might not be easy, so he gave her time.

As they headed through the city, she remained mostly silent. Every time something new came into view, she would emit [What?] pheromones, but he thought that was more of a natural reaction than a real question. If anything, it might reflect curiosity. He amused himself with thoughts of taking her to the State of Rest to see how that genteel establishment would respond to her behavior.

[What? Rock? What?] Those pheromones were far more insistent, the equivalent of a shriek. Even without them, he could feel her hands digging into his head sharply.

As expected, she'd seen an Arbaian walking across the street. Theo had no idea how to translate that name, so he just whispered it to her in the local language. 

[Arbaian what?] she immediately responded.

[Person. Different world.]

[Not! Is rock! Not!]

Well, it was better than her shouting those words out loud. As they reached the Arbaian district and there were more and more Mundhin in the crowds, Krikree huddled against his back. Seeing all the Arbaians walking around and talking to one another seemed to erode her [Not!] defenses, but it was painfully obvious she didn't like it. Literally, given how sharp her fingers were.

Fortunately, nothing went wrong before they reached Navim's workshop. She tried to pull him away from the entrance, but eventually relented. They found Navim at his main worktable, and when Krikree understood that they intended to talk, she retreated to a corner and stared in perplexed horror.

"Glad to see you again, Navim." Theo awkwardly gestured between the two of them. "This is Krikree, from Slest. Krikree, this is Navim. He's a friend and ally."

"It would be fascinating to examine her," Navim said calmly, "but I doubt she would appreciate it."

"They don't have Arbaians on Sl... well, on her part of Slest." After so many false lessons in his previous life, Theo was trying to avoid generalizations after a single visit to a world. He'd only seen one part of one continent on Slest, after all.

"I presume that your journey into Arbai was successful?"

"Beyond expectations, unless you tell me the sand won't work. But first, I have something else." Theo retrieved a bright yellow crystal from his soulhome. "I'm told that Mundhin can consume these, and they're considered something of a delicacy? I brought this one fresh from one of the ports of the sand ocean, anyway."

"We absorb the light, not the stone, but you are otherwise correct." Navim sounded pleased and took the stone from him with one of his smaller limbs. "Judging from the dust on your person, you have not even returned to Blacksilver. I presume that you are eager to test your new sublime material?"

"Absolutely." Theo carefully removed one of the smaller sacks of the dark sand and placed it onto the table.

For a time he simply enjoyed examining it together with Navim. He demonstrated how the sand reacted to his gravity and Navim had a strong enough grasp of the scientific concept to point out the ways in which the cantae differed. It seemed as though the sand responded to gravity more strongly, as if the fundamental force had been strengthened for it alone. Perfect for his soulhome, in other words, but he found himself getting caught up in the investigation.

Theo couldn't determine anything about its structure under one of Navim's lenses. Allegedly the sand was appropriate for making glass, though it would require some unusual techniques. They tested it compared to normal sand and confirmed that it actually fell faster than expected for gravity. Just as they were debating how to set up a vacuum to determine if it could be air resistance of some kind, Theo felt a tug on his pant leg.

"Ivo-sister." Krikree thrust a finger out. "Navim-what?"

"My species is called the Mundhin," Navim answered before Theo could, "and I am from Arbai."

Krikree's eyes widened. "What? What?"

"I admit, I am curious about the nature of the titles you bestow. If 'Ivo' here is declared a sister, they seem somewhat akin to relationship labels, as many Ichili societies use. But it would be inconceivable that any society would not have a title for strangers or unknown beings. You might be requesting clarification on the relationship, but Ivo was clear enough earlier. That suggests to me that you are looking for some sort of ontologically true description."

That stream of words made Krikree shrink back, her antennae vibrating wildly. She didn't seem inclined to answer, so Theo did his best. "Ease back a little, Navim. I think they're social labels. In her home, everyone has a caste designation from the lowest workers to the queens. She wants to fit everything into that system, so I think you're... a crisis of epistemology."

That got a low chuckle from Navim. He floated his central gemstone sphere closer to Krikree, which didn't bother her since she was more focused on his limbs.

"I may seem unusual to you," Navim said gently, "but we are the same. I may appear to be made from stone, but I am a mind the same as yours."

"Not! Rock not think!"

"On your world, perhaps. But on my world, insects do not think. Does that mean you do not exist?"

"Not!"

"Has that answered your question? My physical nature has nothing to do with the role I play in society."

"Not!"

"Is it different in your world? It does not seem necessarily so."

"Not!"

Navim paused for a time, and Theo thought he might have finally gotten frustrated, but when he spoke again, he only said, "What-what?"

Krikree only stared.

"When you ask the question 'what?', what are you truly asking? I questioned your titles, but perhaps I should have investigated the nature of your inquiry itself. That is your fundamental desire, is it not? To know, in some meaningful sense? This is not so dissimilar to many societies. The limits of our questions often limit the answers we are prepared to receive."

After a pause, Krikree hid behind Theo. It seemed that she had no strategy for someone who was unperturbed by her onslaught of denials. After checking that she wasn't actually upset, Theo let her think for a while and discussed business with Navim.

The request itself was simple: Theo needed twenty-four identically crafted window panes for his soulhome. He actually hadn't cut some of the windows, but because his blueprint was so orderly, there was no variability. Figuring out the glass itself proved easy, though they needed to discuss coatings. Theo wanted the exterior to reflect light brightly while the interior surface would be as dark as the rest of his soulhome. That proved difficult, but they found a workable model in the end.

Once he'd completed the design phase, Theo was happy to leave the rest to Navim's expertise, because he had so much else to do preparing for Authority. But as he prepared to leave, he spotted Krikree sitting and pondering, then changed his mind.

"Navim, would you be able to stoneshape a weapon for me? Not fancy, but durable."

"Oh?" Navim looked at him curiously. "Surely you aren't changing your blueprints at this stage."

"Not for me. What I want is a pickaxe, designed for battle instead of mining. And fashioned for use with between one and four limbs, if possible."

That got an understanding chuckle from Navim. He retrieved a sublime material from his workshop and shaped something remarkably quickly, though Theo realized that he shouldn't be surprised, since Mundhin would need to master tools for multiple limbs. With little time added to their visit, he fashioned a dark stone pickaxe, then presented it to Krikree.

"A gift," he said simply. Krikree scuttled backward and looked to Theo.

"Not?"

"No, it's for you," Theo said. "This one shouldn't break so easily."

Krikree extended one hand hesitantly, tilting her body so as little of her approached as possible. She gingerly gripped the pickaxe, then skittered back. When nothing went wrong, she experimentally swung with it a few times.

Her antennae shot bolt upright. "Weapon! Navim-what good!" She scuttled up to him and patted his lower legs. "Krikree thank! Not understand Navim-what, but good!"

After that, the only problem was getting Krikree to put the pickaxe back in her soulhome so she wouldn't brandish it at passersby. Once that was settled, he headed back to the House Blacksilver complex in a good mood.

Because Navim was reliable, Theo could consider his windows finished, so he analyzed the other obstacles. He needed to perfect his gravity sense, which he would do with Fiyu and her relative. Several rooms needed improvements or even primary materials. It occurred to him that the door to his vestibule was still made of random Tatian wood and definitely needed an upgrade.

Most likely a few other details would pop up, but Theo was optimistic. He'd perfect every last piece of his blueprint so that by the time he got access to Noven, he'd be ready. Then, the ascension material that he'd squandered in his first life could actually reach its full potential and he'd be an Authority to be reckoned with.

Theo was starting to feel like nothing could ruin his good mood. But when he entered the Blacksilver complex, a younger member stared at him, then rushed away. They hadn't even glanced at Krikree, and he wasn't sure how to interpret their expression. It seemed like there was another aide coming, hopefully to explain.

"You're finally back," the man said breathlessly. "Authority Dhan said that you're supposed to contact him as soon as you get back to Norro Yorthin. We have a problem."

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Chapter 6

Finding a shadowmind had proved more tedious than Fiyu had expected, but the months exploring the twisting shadows had given her plenty of time to work on her Corporeal Floor. She had most of the essential work done, but of course it needed sublime materials dedicated to enhancement as well. Instead of plinths or tables, Relative Guchiro had guided her in curving displays that mimicked the connections between all parts of her body.

 Now her shadowmind sat atop one of the highest spirals within her mental chamber. Choosing the exact one appropriate for her had been an ordeal, because each behaved in strange and idiosyncratic ways. Fiyu had never encountered such a sublime material before: when she neared one of the shadows, what she felt was not a substance, but a behavior. One would feel vicious and aggressive, another timid. Some reminded her of Friend Theo or Friend Nauda, others were like no one she had ever seen before. Yet when she found herself drawn to one, it was almost like seeing her own past.

The one she had finally chosen was just like her, she felt it on a deep level she couldn't put into words. Yet she had collected several others along the way, shadowminds that were suitably cautious but too shy, determined enough but too cynical, and so on. She would have felt bad abandoning them, so she kept them in her storage chamber just in case.

While Fiyu was busy with enhancement materials, Relative Guchiro descended from the clouds overhead. That was another thing that had changed: he would at times leave her without a guardian when there was work to do. The fact that he trusted her so far made her heart swell, and she resolved to be worthy of that sentiment.

"Is your shadowmind in place?" Relative Guchiro asked. Fiyu quickly rose and nodded agreement.

"Yes, it is. Do we need to leave?"

"We have everything we need here. I don't believe you will find your remaining materials in Ichil, but I know where we should search next. Come here." He extended a hand and she felt the immense density of a weirkey within it. When Fiyu took her relative's hand, they were immediately pulled away, twisting into the darkness overhead.

Before they could travel to another world, her relative activated the Ichili weirkey in his other hand and the darkness twisted again. Fiyu's stomach flipped inside her, but then they were standing on a dappled plain. Clouds flowed overhead, revealing brief glimpses of the ominous orb beyond.

It looked like one of the Moonscape regions, though she couldn't be sure which one. She knew that they wouldn't be staying, not only because of her relative's words but also because of the gate fortress nearby. This one was relatively small, just a box with a few rooms and guards. When she tried to examine it in greater detail, her senses fell away into the endless void of the gate itself.

"Our passage has already been negotiated," her relative told her. "There will likely be no great surprises on the other side, but remain on your guard."

No one stopped them beyond confirming their identities. Once they stepped inside the large central room that contained the gate, Fiyu received a surprise despite her relative's words: the other side of the gate was actually darker than Ichil. She couldn't see or feel anything at all on the opposite side. Since her relative strode directly through the arch, she plunged in after him.

As she hung between worlds, Fiyu realized that the space stretching to envelop her was like nothing she had felt before. She had grown more familiar with the slight shifts to her body between worlds, but this was a more extreme change. When she stumbled onto the other side, Fiyu carefully checked herself, finding nothing obviously wrong and yet still uncertain.

They had emerged in a similar Ichili fort, likely created from imported stone. While she reoriented herself, Fiyu extended her senses outside. The world beyond the fort didn't have a stone surface, but some sort of highly compact earth. Above it, she felt almost nothing. Usually her senses cascaded over a variety of surfaces and densities, but now it swept through empty air.

When her relative led her out, Fiyu realized that it truly was completely dark. That was a comforting environment, of course, it was simply strange. She couldn't feel any caverns beneath them, and little on the surface, just a few spiky plants. The only times her senses had returned so little around her was when she had been in the air.

Using her eyes, she saw a single oddity to the west beyond her sensory range: a line of light that seemed to reach to the heavens. And yet, in some way she didn't understand, it shed no light on the world around it. The line was perfectly straight, with darkness alongside it. When she turned away, there was no visible indication that there was a light behind her. She urgently wanted to investigate how the line would feel to her proper senses, but her relative was walking north instead.

"This is the world of Siata," Relative Guchiro told her in a soft voice. "It is less diverse than some worlds, but there is more to it than this."

"How dangerous is it?" Fiyu asked as she caught up to him. Her relative shifted his shoulders in an ambivalent way.

"Most regions have few predators and the greatest threat would be starvation. There are a few regions that are dangerous beyond almost anywhere in Ichil. But our tasks are only to meet an old acquaintance of mine and to investigate possible materials for you."

Relative Guchiro revealed a simple floating sledge from his soulhome and stepped inside. Fiyu followed him, glad that it would allow her to soulcraft but missing their familiar sleigh. It still sat in the Blacksilver complex, and she hoped it was secure. Her time with her relative was marked largely by walking or flying, with vehicles only used as convenient.

"In my original plan for your adolescence," her relative said once they were underway, "this would have been the second world that you visited. It would have been a gentler way to introduce you to overwhelming light, as well as teaching you a number of lessons. Perhaps it can still be of use to you."

"I once met a Siatan," Fiyu told him. "It was a strange being. I am not sure I understood it."

"They are rather different, yes. But before I tell you what I know of Siata, it is time for your next lesson in soulcrafting."

While they flew, Relative Guchiro showed her the proper techniques for creating a garden around the base of her soulhome. It needed to be properly contained by stones, of course, and the soil within enriched until it was perfect. Eventually she would plant her sunlessrose within and create a ring of them. The material was powerful enough that the new roses would grow very slowly, but her relative assured her that if she had everything in place before her ascension, it would strengthen alongside her.

For several days they traveled with a mix of conversation, lessons, and soulcrafting. Fiyu eagerly memorized all the warnings and suggestions her relative offered about Siata, but it was clear he had not explored it as extensively as some other worlds. There were certain details that he remained silent on, no doubt because he intended a later lesson.

Instead, Fiyu learned what she could on her own. In the entire time they traveled, she never felt a single cavern or even a crack in the earth beneath them. There were occasional hills or collections of plants, but her relative always flew on as if they were of no interest. Sometimes she could see columns of light in the distance, always too far away to investigate.

"Most Siatans are understanding." Her relative broke the silence for no apparent reason and began slowing the sledge. "If you do nothing unreasonable, there is no way you can cause offense. But my acquaintance is overly focused, so I suggest you only speak up if the material is inappropriate or there is an essential reason."

Puzzled, Fiyu examined their surroundings with her full senses. Nothing at all, though her range had serious limits at her current tier. Then, with no warning at all, someone appeared beside them.

Fiyu was alarmed to feel an entire body snap into existence. She hadn't sensed a cantae shield dissipating, it was as if the being had been ephemeral the moment before. It took her several breaths to calm herself and examine it more carefully.

Unlike the Siatan she had met previously, this one was entirely wrapped in a cloak. Underneath, it seemed to have the same spirit-like body, but she couldn't sense anything through the cloth. It had what felt like a powerful shielding wall that obscured its body as well. Based on that, she estimated that her relative's acquaintance was an Authority, and quite skilled.

"Greetings." The Siatan lifted its rumpled hood, revealing the glowing head within. This one was blue and had an inscrutable face, little more than eyes and a mouth on a flat surface. It regarded them somberly. "How have the years treated you?"

"Well," Relative Guchiro answered, "and you?"

"I am weary, and must reawaken soon. But you have requested a sublime material of me, and I have answered: this is darkplasma." One of the sleeves shifted enough for a blue hand to emerge holding a vial that glowed with cantae. Fiyu realized that the Siatan seemed to illuminate almost none of the environment around itself, but the light from the sublime material cast long lights and shadows all around them.

Even though they weren't on Ichil, Fiyu's old instincts took over: she quickly grasped the vial and wrapped it within her cloak. The Siatan did not seem offended and simply spoke to her relative about the price. While they did so, Fiyu played her part and examined the sublime material carefully.

Based on the name darkplasma, she had expected a flame of some kind, but the vial contained only liquid. She recognized that it was more organic than elemental. Years ago, her relative had told her that blood was composed of several components: one was colored red in Ichili, but the other was mostly clear. The liquid was indeed clear, though it released so much light it was difficult to be sure.

In her hands, it seemed hot and cold at once, and Fiyu knew that it was right. This darkplasma would perfectly bridge the gap between the fire and ice components of her Corporeal Floor, embodying her blood. It might be bright, but it was a sterile brightness that she much preferred to the suffocating warmth of other worlds. When Relative Guchiro looked to her, she nodded her approval.

"It is sufficient," he said, and paid the Siatan with a sack of craftgems. "There is one other thing I would ask of you."

"Ask," the Siatan answered. Its voice seemed to vibrate in a way she couldn't quite explain.

"I have been told that this region contains circles that host sublime birds of great strength. We are seeking feathers, but we do not know exactly what we seek. Do you know of a place with sufficient variety where we would not disrupt the natural order?"

"How potent of materials do you require?"

"As potent as can be sustained on a second floor."

This answer made the Siatan pause, and it looked toward her. Clearly it understood, and it was likely evaluating her. Fiyu stood firm and tried to look determined so that it would give them a good answer. Eventually it turned back to her relative and pointed into the distance. "That circle is the most likely. It may be difficult, but it is uninhabited."

"Thank you. May your next awakening remember us."

"Then it is done. " The strange being pulled up his hood and simply melted out of existence.

Fiyu frowned in his absence, wishing that they could have spoken longer. Her old self would have considered that irrational: it was foolish to spend time around powerful strangers. But all her time traveling other worlds had awakened a different sort of hunger in her. She resolved that one day she would be strong and experienced enough to speak to Siatans on her own.

"That was the material I was certain of." Relative Guchiro spoke up once they began to travel in the direction the Siatan had indicated. "The next is a gamble, and will depend on your judgment of materials. But if it works, you will have filled your final unifying chamber."

"The connection between fire and darkness?" Fiyu frowned as she considered her blueprint again. "I confess, I am unsure as to what it represents within my body."

"It is no organ that exists naturally, but one that will exist in your new body. A core of darkness, which will flow into a technique on your third floor. We require an exceedingly dark material, but the absence of light as seen on Ichil is no longer sufficient for you. I thought that perhaps a deeply saturated color would work, and the birds here are known for the color of their feathers."

"I will do my best to search for them." But since it didn't seem they would arrive any time soon, Fiyu decided to ask another question. "You paid him in craftgems?"

"Few Siatan cultures use money. All of their units of exchange are functional."

"The two of you knew one another?"

Relative Guchiro smiled beneath his mask, the smile extending to the muscles around his eyes. "You've become curious, Fiyu. Perhaps one day, I will tell you of our relationship. But it is equally possible that we will never meet that entity again, at least not in that form."

As they traveled, her relative explained to her that Siatans followed a life cycle otherwise unknown in the Nine Worlds. Allegedly they could speak within days of birth, and soulcraft within a year. But as they aged, their minds and power began to reach limits. When that happened, they would go to sleep and awaken as a new being that began as a higher tier of soulcrafter. If it had been one of her friends from another world, Fiyu might have thought it was lyingwit.

Her relative taught her more about the Siatans as they neared their destination. The next day, Fiyu noticed a line of light directly in their path. But as they drew closer, it began to grow, far more than she had expected. By the end of that day, it had become a column of light that burned from the earth into the infinite sky, yet it still seemed to shed no light around it.

Soon she realized that the lack of her density senses had deceived her: the pillar was far vaster than she had imagined. The simple light gradually separated into colors, a spectrum of yellow and pink and blue. It was as if someone had stuck a tube of pearlescent glass into the mud. Yet, when she strained all her senses to try to examine it, she felt certain that it contained more than simple light.

No matter how she asked, her relative refused to explain, saying that it was easier to experience herself. That left Fiyu stretching to learn more on her own... until she felt the world falling out of the sky.

For many rapid heartbeats, Fiyu was too stunned to say anything. The sky had been empty even of clouds for a long time, yet now she sensed something immense. It was as if entire mountains had been tossed aloft and now came tumbling down. When she focused, she felt that it wasn't as dense as rock, only a liquid, but it pounded into the earth with lethal force.

"Guchiro... what is that?"

"A storm." Her relative abandoned his amused silence and stood up on the sledge. "This is one of the exceptions that could kill an unwary traveler. Ordinarily, it is necessary to shelter in place and endure the storm. But I am with you, and time is short."

Fiyu stood to secure a position beside him. The sledge disappeared back into his soulhome, but he put an arm around her shoulders and his cantae held her aloft - she felt much safer that way. At least, she always had as a child. Now that she had seen more of many worlds, she wondered if even her relative could protect her from the horrible storm thundering down on them.

It truly was horrible in her senses: the clouds roiled like oceans overhead. Drops plummeted to earth with such force that bursts of mud flew into the air. The storm pummeled the surface almost as far as her senses could stretch, but she could imagine how it would leave only mud behind... which would flow into the flat earth she had felt before that point.

Before they met the storm, her relative wrapped them in a sphere of living darkness. The water smashed into it like an avalanche from the heavens, but the sphere held. Despite herself, Fiyu held onto her relative's side like she was a child. Any of her own defenses would have been smashed by the ferocious storm that raged around them.

Protected by her relative's strength, Fiyu was able to calm herself and even attempted to soulcraft. Her nerves were too tense for delicate work, so she set herself to improving the pyramid atop her soulhome. Soon she ended up polishing every surface of her Corporeal Floor instead. If the storm didn't sweep them away, they were hopefully coming closer to the time when she would ascend, so everything needed to be perfect. Unless she could face a threat like this, she could never be a worthy companion for her relative.

Then, without warning, the storm stopped. Fiyu had stretched her senses in all directions for what seemed like days and felt nothing but storm, so she let out a gasp. The air around them was empty, then there was a strange barrier, then the storm still raged on the other side. Could they have entered the column of light?

"We are safe, so I will withdraw my darkness." Her relative touched her shoulder reassuringly. "We have entered the circle, so prepare yourself for light."

When he lowered the sphere, Fiyu took a deep breath... but it wasn't in dismay. The world around her was exceedingly bright, but her mask was equal to the challenge and she was accustomed to such worlds. Instead of seeing a hellish space, she realized that the space within the light would have been a paradise for most beings.

Beneath them extended a jungle of fantastical colors. At first Fiyu's senses were overwhelmed by the sheer diversity of plants and animals, all of them glowing in the strange colors she had seen from the outside. Their arrival disrupted a flock of bright purple birds, which burst from the trees and sent what looked like diamonds scattering through the air behind them, reflecting all of the colors.

There were too many places she wanted to look at once. Fiyu made herself look back first, to the barrier they had just crossed. Not far behind them, the light simply ended. It looked like she could have taken a single step and gone from the peaceful light to the storm. She could still see it outside the light, but heard none of the storm's thundering. Somehow it didn't slam against the side at all: there was a storm there that simply didn't exist within the light somehow.

Looking in the opposite direction, Fiyu couldn't see the other side, at least not through all the colors. But when she examined the curve of the dividing line on the ground, she saw that the light must end in the distance. The entire circle was roughly the size of a town, if she estimated it correctly: a Tatian town, not a reasonable one.

Fiyu braced herself for a multi-colored sun when she looked upward, but instead she discovered... nothing. There wasn't even any sky: all she could see when she looked up was the light cascading down. It was as if this column was formed of pure light and no other rules applied.

"How... how much of Siata is like this?" she asked. Relative Guchiro answered as he gently lowered them to a field of vibrant yellow grass.

"I cannot tell you a percentage, but there are regions of light wider than the largest cities. The Siatans call them circles, and I believe they all take that exact shape. In other regions, they are as small as houses and more frequent. Your senses should adapt, but I am told that spatial senses find these places disorienting."

"The Siatans come from these regions, don't they?" Both of the Siatans she had met would have been right at home in the jungle, their soft pastels blending in instead of jarring. "Or are there other species that live outside?"

"There is nothing outside that you would want to meet." Relative Guchiro gently took her shoulders and turned her to face him instead of the environment. "This would once have dismayed you, but I see you are stronger now. We are seeking the sublime birds that live in this region. Hopefully some of their feathers will be appropriate for you."

Eagerly setting herself to the task, Fiyu followed her relative's instructions for capturing the birds without harming them. She first managed to catch a bright pink bird that squawked and struggled in her hands. All of its feathers felt potent, so she pulled one out as gently as possible.

Though it flowed with cantae, she immediately knew that this was wrong. She could not imagine Friend Nauda wearing such bright pink feathers, much less herself. No amount of mental flexibility could ever convince her that such a thing was appropriate for her soulhome.

Next she tried to catch one of the deep blue birds, their feathers dark as twilight. Those were beautiful to her, and seemed promising, yet Fiyu still found herself dissatisfied. She could imagine weaving them together into a cloak, which might match her stealth technique, but it felt slightly wrong. What she needed was a sublime material that could embody darkness for her, and feather after feather proved inappropriate.

"Enough." Her relative pulled her back after the eighth failure. "We will have more time later."

"I can still continue," Fiyu said. "I want to finish my floor."

"But the birds are afraid, and we may have driven the most potent sublime beasts into hiding." Relative Guchiro left unstated that she was growing too frustrated, but he gently turned her to face him again. "You need not find your material in a day, Fiyu. We will find the right one, no matter how many circles we need to explore."

She nodded and tried not to show her disappointment. "But I don't want to waste time..."

"Use your stealth to help the beasts forget us. While we wait, I will show you a few more details necessary to complete your Corporeal Floor, and I have other lessons for you as well."

"Other lessons?" Fiyu enveloped them both in her stealth sphere and looked to him curiously.

"This is something that I regret I was not able to teach you before you were taken from me. Currently, your expressions are always clear on your face. They will be known not only by anyone with the right muscular senses, but to every single being using their eyes. Since that is most worlds other than Ichil, more control is necessary."

"I have been told this." Fiyu deflated, then realized she was doing exactly what he spoke of and tried to straighten. "What do you suggest?"

"You have already gained some maturity, but now you need emotional control. Most Ichili are taught this before they visit other worlds, but you will catch up." Her relative smiled beneath his mask, and she realized that he intentionally made the expression for her. "Let us begin the first lesson. Your emotions are a precious thing, to be revealed only to close companions..."

Relative Guchiro spent several days teaching her all the ways she needed to control not only her face, but her breathing and her blood flow as well. Many were difficult, and he said they would be until she gained greater control of her body. Fortunately, she could always take a break from the strange exercises to soulcraft or attempt to catch new birds. There seemed to be a nearly infinite variety in the dense jungle.

The light never wavered, so Fiyu simply slept when she felt tired, though even their tents couldn't quite keep out the light. Without her mask, she would have been quite troubled. When she woke early, she didn't try to return to sleep and just threw herself back into her work.

It actually happened when Fiyu wasn't working at all. She had exhausted herself soulcrafting and was simply walking along the edge of their little glade when she saw it: a sleek bird of the darkest black. First she was struck by the graceful beauty of it, then she realized that she needed it.

Fiyu crept closer with stealth wrapped around her... and the bird swiveled its head to look at her anyway. She rushed the final distance, grasping for the sublime beast, yet it slipped away from her, bursting through the canopy in an instant.

"That one, that one!" She cried out desperately, certain that if she lost the bird she would never find it again.

She saw ropes of her relative's darkness lash out to capture the bird... yet it somehow slipped around them. It took a concerted effort and her relative taking to the air to capture the bird, but at least he descended with it bound in his hands. Using her new lessons, Fiyu was able to detect that his eyes were slightly wider than normal, an involuntarily reaction even he couldn't suppress.

"This is remarkable," Relative Guchiro said as he approached. "Do you see how black the feathers are?"

The question seemed silly, since the darkness of the feathers had attracted her in the first place. But her relative was not a silly person, so Fiyu considered more carefully. When she tried to examine the feathers in great detail, she found them far more complex than she had expected. Each feather broke into thousands or even millions of smaller structures that threatened to absorb her full attention.

"Most objects called black simply reflect light that appears dark," her relative explained. "But these feathers absorb nearly all of it. Their color, if it was possible to determine it another way, is lighter than it appears. But the surface of its feathers lets no light escape, so..."

"It really is darkness given form." Fiyu smiled broadly, knowing that she should control it and not caring. How strange was life, that in this place of brilliant color, she had found the darkness she had been seeking?