The solar body that lit the Astral Exclave - or any of them - was not actually right outside the bubble that made up its border. Sufficiently sized ’windows’ of Spatial Elent had been arranged around an artificially maintained star in an unknown location by the first Divinity, similar to the concept of a Dyson Sphere. All of it was what allowed the spinning orbs of planetary detritus that t the furthest reaches of of space, forcefully rearranged near the cosmic core into the Exclaves, to have their ’normal’ feeling diurnal cycles.
When learning of the scope of all of this ancient history, Elua er Goltbred could only think that it was quite a lot of effort for sothing people might not appreciate. In fact, she knew that the people of her world did not even seem to have any written history left behind of the details. But as she descended the stairs the next morning, after that week of private effort, her mint eyes carried the satisfaction of toil that t one’s personal result - and she really, truly ’got’ it.
For the longest ti, she looked on the things that a few of the first ascenders did in their Mandates, and beforehand as demi-gods, as necessary *stopgaps* in the effort to keep the energy systems of the universe from collapsing. But on waking and rolling over from her lengthy nap in the basent, she was starting to ingrain again that at least *so* of them just did their best as they could see to do at the ti... and then left it up to the choices of those who might follow after to adjust.
Now, unlike since the day after they arrived, she felt ready to face the additional wedding constructions for her disciples - without the weight of unfinished guilty obligations.
’Mostly. Which is to say, there is still *quite* a lot for to do. And so things I’ve avoided.’
The main hall stood empty and a brief extension of her spiritual sense located the pair she sought. Down by the lake where their wedding altar waited, their intent held a ’determination’ and ’nervousness’ in equal parts that made her hesitate for a mont before exiting the ’mansion’ lacking so many artistic and practical details still. Let alone the ’staff’ of spiritual constructs that she had yet to engineer the proper materials to make.
The lift was still parked down the cliff, but the brunette rarely ever used it in the first place. From above the edge she could see both disciples seated on the silver hexagonal frawork of her creation, kicking their feet in the water while dressed in their simple swimwear - which Elua had woven together on the second day by cutting up a set of clothes sent by her mother, since she had no intention of getting out of her silver dress when she did not need to.
For a mont, a slightly sadistic smile snaked across the lower half of the heiress’s face as two ideas ca to mind.
’A scaffolding floating on the water that is already hard to hold would make an excellent Adhesion acrobatics training area... for when they surge into Primalist while staying here in the essence rich environnt.’
Of course, while that idea was more about harsh training, the other and much pettier thought was that on the jump down she could grow close enough to activate the rapid sinking part of the ritual without them noticing her approach. Lo and behold, that too quickly beca a part of the blueprint for a new, highly disagreeable lesson course.
A hard to grasp and wet tallic structure that periodically sunk below or surged up in the air as if it were trying to rock you off-
"Sounds like fun to watch them struggle with... I wish I’d thought of it while Sevra was here."
Landing quietly on the water surface next to them, Nohre still bounced up to her feet on a vertex point of the silver fra the mont their master ca into range of her own spiritual sense. Green eyes t mint with a bright intensity to them caused clearly by what was behind them on the shoreline. Several packages they had brought from the continent and first left in the library with the letters from Qat.
"We brought everything down here. All the gifts. The ones you’ve been avoiding."
"I haven’t been avoiding anything. I’ve been working on important projects that required my full attention."
In this place, she held herself back a lot less when it ca to broadcasting her emotions... so both disciples could sense the personal ’dissension’ bleeding out from her press of spirit - even if properly identifying its aning was hard for them. Fusand stood to his bare feet slower than the girl at his side. It still creeped the scholar out how stable the whole thing was, but his confidence in his physical abilities made him bolder than he ever would have been a year or two ago.
’Including the willingness to stand in front of two young won in what amounts to smallclothes, with the green parts of his Plant Physique on such display after keeping it hidden as much as possible. He’s grown up~’
"Master Elua, you didn’t even open Qat’s gift. I’m sorry to say, but everything else going on here aside... that’s not... that’s not normal behavior for you."
The direct observation by the sandy haired boy of her self-neglect, by refusal to interact with what might have been quite a pleasing and positive experience, made Elua’s gaze fall toward the packages again. She could tell exactly who sent what because of little traces that she tried hard to keep her spirit away from analyzing. Obvious lingering bits of of ’love’ and other connections she’d been intentionally denying herself, in what was a likely misguided attempt at penance.
"I received so difficult news. Sotis that requires sacrificing imdiate pleasures as one deals with it.."
"For a whole week?"
Speaking with firmness, the ’older’ girl’s dark braided hair dripped water that sent little ripples out on the fairly calm lake surface. The Goltbred knew it as the voice of a person who cared too much to let the behavior continue unchallenged. Just like Sevra had done more to her more than a few tis since she called her friend out loud..
"We’re not leaving to let you work this morning until you at open one of them."
"Pretend we went to more elaborate lengths to corner you and you can consider it... peer pressure if you have to."
Fusand had learned more psychology under his Talcres tutelage - or at least had grown more comfortable employing it on others. Moreover, they knew her well enough to present this as a concerned protest - but had also smartly removed the easy option of the heiress postponing, with a promise to do it later, by bringing everything to her.
"Fine. You just want to open one, right?"
With an explosive burst of compressed gas, she catapulted over and settled cross-legged on the rocky ground. Her hands trembled slightly as she reached for the first package while trying not to ruin the ’surprise’ by scouting it with her spirit more than she already had. Inside was a fine, supple, and rare leather wrapped and secured in a bundle with copper wire.
/ My darling little girl, hope to see you enjoying your work in person again. Love, Ondua /
A short cardstock bore her father’s handwriting, with those simple lines conveying enough to loosen her tear ducts. Sniffling as her hand reached for the wrapping at the bottom, she pulled one side up to reveal tools that had no like on the continent - as far as she knew!
At the very least, she hoped her father had not produced any more of these Elent grown precious gems for anyone else - in the form of her unique leatherworking tools especially. For without their crystalline interiors inscribed with strengthening, sharpening, and other sigil work so fine that it rely appeared to be imperfect inclusions... the ancient artisan was sure that those with her hobby would find them not so useful at all. Regardless, to have her personal tools back was a very emotionally bolstering mont.
"I can make sothing out of that wing leather now. And with this... hm..."
She had been considering forging a set of her own awls, punches, and specialized items eventually - but it was one of the many, many things that were on her to-do list. Wiping her eyes with her wrists, she distracted herself with a few craft ideas. Because sending this to her wasn’t just a *practical* gift, in her mind.
It was so kind of validation. Proof that her father in this life valued her sense of creation and the expressed love of the hobby she had chosen to continue with... enough to make sure she could continue it, even in a place like this. It mattered less to her that the leather itself ca with an invoice that showed he made the purchase at an auction pre-Descent. Just sending the tools was everything.
Taking a breath, El turned toward another package despite her original stubborn intention to only open a single item as they asked. This box was much heavier than the others, made clear why imdiately upon pulling the lid off. A stone sphere larger than the size of her head was inside, lined with fairly intricate geotry. Instead of being solid, it was made up of shaped sections that could move in certain ways.
"A puzzle?"
The young scholar asked with his arms on the rocks, as he remained enjoying the water with Nohre. Their master began manipulating the sphere and the first layer yielded after a minute of careful pressure and twists. Of course, that only exposed another layer, with parts slightly more complex than the first that made the eldest daughter smile.
"My mother always did appreciate making sothing challenging with her abilities. Though it is often limited to interesting structures, not small items. I do wonder who gave her this idea... like a three-dinsional onion. Each layer leads to the next."
Such chanical artistry had actually been inspired by a flatter wooden puzzle that a young cultivator child nad Gehxel had given to Onya. While stuck in the fortress, he made at least one thing a week for the girl. With little to do herself during parts of the Descent, Yatrel had copied the design by making it out of stone.
However, the current iteration’s shape actually ca from an unexpected pairing.
User Comments
0 comments from readers