2-X: Discovery

"... Really?"

That tired question was the only thing Jared was able to spare as he brought a hand up to his brow. To say the Veteran was surprised would be an understatement; the man was under the impression that the Atlesian operative he had been informed about would've tried to maintain some semblance of cover. Was that too much to ask? He didn't think so, especially given her history. But he was wrong, apparently, because rather than doing something sensible, the genius had arranged for a private Bullhead to arrive at the mining camp.

Without any advanced warning. And without any sort of disguise.

Well, that's not quite true... She had tried to change her hairstyle, adding a few highlights and bangs to cover up part of her face, in stark contrast to her usual style. Still, anyone could easily see pass the operative's attempts at hiding herself should they actually try to converse with her. And that was something that became all too clear as Jared kept his eyes on the huntress.

"I was informed that you would be expecting me."

"And I was informed that I should give you some leeway in case you were in the area." Jared's eyes locked with the Atlesian Operative's, his annoyance clear as they met with the woman's own irritation. Not that he understood why she was upset, of course; She wasn't the one who had to explain why a Schnee was in the middle of a Rhinestone quarry. "What I wasn't informed about was that you would be dropped off right in the middle of my base."

The Veteran of Rhinestone Industries made his displeasure known, his voice thick with annoyance. Not that his new associate could've missed it, given the sour expression plastered on his face. Despite that, the Schnee paid no attention to his complaints, merely waving it off as she spoke out once more.

"I do not see how that is my problem. Your branch should've been informed of my arrival, seeing how it was approved by the council. If you have any issues, take it up with your superiors." And with that, the woman turned her attention back to the storage compartments of the Bullhead, making a show of retrieving her equipment as she shrugged off the rest of the Veteran's concerns.

Jared, for the most part, was surprised by that little statement. Either she was telling the truth, which meant that this was way above his pay grade, or she told a pretty convincing lie. Granted, her father was one of the shrewdest businessmen he had ever heard of, but the Security Veteran remained unconvinced that this trait was passed off to the rest of his family. Perhaps it wasn't the best assumption to make, but the man wasn't making it blindly; he had spent a lifetime working with people, and had a pretty good handle on how to read most of them.

"... You're not joking, are you?"

His exasperated attitude faded away. Mostly. Of course, whether she was telling the truth or not, he'd have to follow up with his superior... But that certainly explained why his boss seemed so annoyed today. More importantly, it told him how critical this little event was, if the council agreed to let an Atlesian Operative of all people preside over a Rhinestone security venture.

"There aren't going to be any more special guests, are there?" Jared couldn't help but wonder if that was all they were sending.

"To my knowledge, I am the only agent to be immediately deployed, due to my close proximity."

A non-answer, then. Not exactly helpful, but the lack of hostility was noted by the Veteran. All that told him was that the council was probably planning something else, and he should expect more surprises. So, rather than complain about it, he began drafting up a new plan. Granted, his operations didn't really need any adjustments, since his people cared more about money than about the silly feud between SDC and Rhinestone Industries. Coupled with the fact that sentry bots didn't care about anything at all, and the Schnee's little arrival meant surprisingly little in the grand scheme of things.

Assuming she really was supposed to be here, of course. But that wasn't his jurisdiction, so he honestly could not care less. Instead, the man brought up his Scroll once more, opening the dossier to double check which Schnee this was—their names were so similar, their ages be damned—before turning his attention back to the woman.

"Very well. In that case, I need not remind you that the specifics of this operation are to be kept confidential?"

"Of course. Though I must say, I'm quite surprised to see that your company's... Security forces are so robust." The woman's tone was neutral as she gestured outside the Bullhead, where another dustplane was in the process of offloaded a rack of undeployed enforcer droids; An entire line of the fancy tri-pedal ones, each carrying far more firepower than necessary for a simple security robot.

"Well, you know how it is in the wildlands. Can't get too complacent, or the grimm will tear you apart." He held back a chuckle. The Veteran now wanted to see what the Schnee's reaction would be when she saw an entire battalion of droids, rather than a few solitary units. Assuming she had the clearance for that, of course, but that wasn't his problem, was it? Either way, he gave a shrug, returning the same empty answers that she gave him.

"I see... And those?"

Oops. That might've been a bit harder to explain; It was one thing to have a plane full of security droids. It was another thing entirely to have truck-sized artillery walkers, with weapons that ate up more dust than a fully equipped security squad. So, rather than try to explain that, he gave a second shrug, before ignoring the question entirely. He had one more thing to make sure of, first.

How much had the Atlesian Colonel told her? Did he hold back crucial information for the woman, like he did with him?

"More importantly... I was instructed by our mutual friend to make sure you have everything you need. Even items that don't... follow protocol." He noticed a change in her expression at that little tidbit of information. Seems like old Jimmy didn't tell her the full story either. Well, they'd have time to complain about logistics later. The Veteran put his Scroll away, changing his expression as he held out a hand to formally greet her.

"So, with that out of the way, which do you prefer? Ms. Schnee? Or Winter?"

Again the Beowolf watched, unable to do anything else as the Leader returned to its den.

More of its kin had fallen to the prey, two morsels that had hoped to strike back at their territory. It was a futile effort, but one that was deadly all the same. The lesser of its brethren fought and fell, while the wiser ones waited for their Leader to command, to howl out and unleash them on their lessers. But no call came, as their Better chose to struck down their foolish quarry in a single crushing stroke; A single flash of Light that demanded obedience, as it lashed out against one prey, then the next.

The Light that the Leader wielded was unlike any the Beowolf had ever seen, shining far more brilliantly, and burning with far greater fury than the flames wielded by their prey. In all its existence, the Alpha Beowolf could find no comparison, as though the very world itself bowed to that power. And though the Leader wielded a force that exceeded the Light of the prey, none of the pack dared to question it, as each could sense the destruction that lay beneath it.

A darkness, clear to their primal instincts, that far surpassed anything the creatures of grimm had seen.

Even the blind ones, the youngest of those that remained, knew full well that they stood no chance against their Leader, for the Other had long since claimed this territory and everything within. The wisps of not-Light held by the Leader pervaded through the very air, marking this entire den as its own. Their own, so long as they remained loyal.

So loyal they were.

Of course, the Beowolf itself was ignorant of these thoughts, none of them fully formed in its mind, sensing them as mere observations and conclusions to the phenomenon around it. And thus, it did not—could not—think on these matters. So, instead, its focus remained on the prey that was held inside the metal cages, all captives of the Leader, each stripped of their metal toys.

Four morsels, still kept alive by the Other, stripped of their weapons as they awaited their fate. Their quarry were nothing more than trapped rodents, each devoid of the weapons that they had carried.

But this wolf knew full well that prey used more than just metal as weapons.

At that moment, one of them lashed out, Light filling its limbs as it wreathed itself in fire, striking against the walls of the metal cage. A few of the lesser grimm readied themselves, as beowolves and creeps arched their backs in anticipation, snarling as all roared at their quarry. All, save the Alpha of course, as the grimm waited for their target to break out, futile as it may have been. And the older grimm knew it was futile.

Instead, the only thing that came to pass was the sound of prey striking metal once more, this strike filled with frustration rather than purpose. Nothing else followed, and the deafening ring quickly faded back into obscure silence. And just as quickly, the frenzied growls of the grimm began to die down, watching as the trapped prey gave up its attempts, leaving the room in silence. Only the steady ticking of the Leader's Marker filled the air.

Well, the ticking of the Leader's Marker, and the voice of the Leader itself.

The Alpha Beowolf turned its attention to their Leader, once more shaping its Marker, the not-Light surrounding it. Both the metal construct and the metal Other were consumed in an unnatural glow, as crimson as the solid Dust that their superior had snatched from its prey. The grimm watched this phenomenon, its eyes focused solely on the Other as it continued making noise, the Leader's attention completely fixed on the single red crystal.

"This is why we should've listened to my idea!" Sadida's fury was loud, echoing through the very Krozmos with barely-restrained anger, his mask twisted to one of indignant wrath as he pointed towards the mirror. "Instead, we chose to let his crimes slide, and now we've doomed a second world to his machinations."

The God of Masks set his sights on the remaining deities, waiting for their empty excuses, wishing to know why they had ever agreed to let this farce pass in the first place. However, his cries fell on deaf ears, as it seemed only Sacrier cared about these events; and she chose to ignore him. Instead, the Cat God of Chance and the Dragon God of Wealth merely contented themselves in watching the mirror, while the Eternal Time Keeper kept his sights on the celestial skies.

"Don't you think you're being a bit too negative, Sadida?" The Cheshire grin of Ecaflip seemed to accentuate his words, filled with the same carefree tone the cat had always expressed. Even now, rather than face his fellow god directly, the Cat God kept his focus on one of Sadida's dolls, watching as the animate effigy tried to mirror its master's anger. "After all, it was just bad luck that those people were near our little mummy friend's landing."

This, understandably, irked Sadida to no end, as he threw his arm up towards the mirror. "And what of that?! Would you call that luck as well? Was it through simple luck that he began constructing his machines once more?!"

"... You may not view it as such, but that is exactly what I see, Sadida." Enutrof spoke out this time, his tone level as his draconic eyes remained fixed on the mirror. "He stumbled upon an encampment that was left destitute by those shadowy monsters, and simply found fortune where the old tenants had not. I must admit, rather than Nox's situation, I find myself more curious about the creatures of this world."

And it seemed that Ecaflip agreed, much to the chagrin of Sadida as the God of Chance turned away from a furious doll, his eyes falling on a shadow wolf. "Yes... They do not seem to be normal animals. I certainly wonder what will happen to our little Xelor once they decide to stop ignoring him. Though he's certainly lucky that they seem to be ignoring him in the first place."

"Both of you are completely missing the point! Nox built a Dial! Do you not understand the implications?"

The God of Masks was now seething in anger, unable to understand why his peers ignored the threat that was right in front of them. Couldn't any of them understand how dangerous the Xelor was? And yet, they joked about the mindless beasts that seemed to inhabit the other world instead, content to view the fauna. Surely, someone cared, right? Sadida turned his attention towards the only God who remained silent.

Well, the only God who remained silent and didn't have an irrational attachment to the monster.

"What about you, Xelor? Surely you see the danger posed by Nox? He even invoked one of your Dials, attempting to siphon your power."

At those words, the Keeper of Time turned his attention away from the stars, fixing his gaze on Sadida. The very act of moving was enough to draw the attention of the four other gods, all standing still as they waited on Xelor's words with bated breath.

"... Nox's monument is to himself alone."

Silence filled the air, no one able to comprehend the God of Time's statement. Instead, the light hum of Wakfu, originating from the mirror itself, was the only thing that sounded out, as each deity attempted to process Xelor's words.

The first to finally speak out was Sacrier, Lady of Compassion. Her eyes fell to the floor, the massive stretch of eternity that supported their presence here in the Krosmoz. Doubt filled her voice, as she tried to puzzle together the connection between Nox and Xelor. If there was even one at all.

"... Are you saying th-"

The Goddess of Sacrifice's words were cut short. Rather than her question, a crack filled the air, drowning out all other sounds in a single deafening wave. A flash of light came afterwards, shining as though a star had met its end, only to disappear in a short-lived spark. Everyone's attention turned to the source, eyes falling on the mirror as the Wakfu construction began flickering and shifting. For a split second, the Azure lights shifted red, pulsing ominously in a fiery light underneath the appraising gaze of the five deities.

Within that light, the gods saw the source of this sudden disruption.

None of them missed the sight of the exiled Xelor as he placed a strange Crystal into his clockwork Dial. None of them missed the sight of Nox as he began running his Wakfu through the clockwork construct, the energies arcing through the crimson crystal. None of them could ignore what occurred, as the Wakfu itself began twisting in response, both within that metallic monument, and within this very mirror.

And none of them missed the significance of this event.

Nox began laughing.

How could he not?

After all, he finally found an answer to the problems that had plagued his mind for the past... however long its been. And the best part? The locals of this world had delivered it right to his doorstep. The Xelor's gaze fell back on his Dial, the construct ticking with power as the Wakfu within it began flaring to life. It truly was amazing to see the reaction, to watch as the Wakfu struck against the pure crystal, forming into a completely new kind of energy.

Never once had he thought the powders were part of something more. Never had he considered that, perhaps, those powders were mere shadows of something greater.

And now? Now, he understood how little he truly knew of this world. But that would change. Almost immediately, the Xelor began collecting his power, feeling it shift and burn within him. It was... not Wakfu. In fact, it seared him to the core, a pain that would've drawn his body to the brink, had he not already been there time and time again. But that feeling soon vanished as he began stabilizing himself. Began exploring the extents of this new power.

He brought up his arm, and his dial rang out as he tried to slow down time. Instead, the air flared, and he felt himself surge with energy. The discarded Noxines around him began flickering to life, and the Xelor could feel the sensation of each clockwork armature around him.

"Oh ho... This is different. Tell me, Igole, do I look any different?" He turned to his constant companion, the shadow wolf that had followed him since his descent into this world. Of course, he knew full well that the beast could not talk, but that did little to change the Xelor's mood. Instead, he decided to take a look for himself, looking through the eye of one of the Noxines, only to see the light of his mask glow a brilliant red.

Just as red as the crystal that sat within his Dial. The Xelor gave out another laugh, ignoring the sight of Igole drawing back.

"I certainly feel different. Almost like a new man. Again, it is no Wakfu, but it is something... different. Useful." The Xelor's eyes flickered as he turned back to the workbench where the rest of his Noxines sat. His mask whirred, the motors in his armoured form preparing for the next task as the construction table came to life.

"And though I do appreciate their gift, I do not enjoy being interrupted. I'll just have to make sure that does not happen again. Wouldn't you agree?" Nox turned his attention to another shadow beast, one of the boars that remained. Just as it was with Igole, this beast did not talk, but this did not deter the Xelor as he continued. "And what better way to make sure of that, than to have eyes everywhere? I don't need the Eliacube for something as simple as that!"

To prove that point, one of the Noxines took flight, moving at the will of Nox as it made its way to the Dial. Yes, all it needed was power, and his Dial held all the power it could possibly use. Completely on instinct, Nox had the construct act, its mechanical stinger driving into the focus of the clockwork structure, as the crystal's energy surged into the Noxine.

With that, Nox's senses grew, feeling everything around the Noxine as it flew out into the wilderness, reaching beyond the influence of his lowly Dial. The lens of his mask narrowed, the Xelor's mind already drifting elsewhere as he began forming new plans. He would seek out more of these crystals, and use them.

That thought alone brought the other Noxines to life, each rising up as they floated over to the Dial, drawing a bit more of Nox's power before leaving the confines of his metallic abode. After all, he would need far more power before stepping into this world proper. But make no mistake: he will step into this world.

And what a step it will be.