Several long hours later, the civilians had sufficiently sated their curiosity, Rohana, Karax and Kuldaris all answering questions about Xerxes and Samateus, who also added what she could as she remained near Xerxes, yet far enough away to give him space to work. Kemet had since returned to resting in her shadow, while Kuldaris had gone on to start tweaking his construct, which Karax gladly moved to help with. Rohana refused to leave where Xerxes lay with Artanis cradled gently within the membrane of one of his wings, working on removing every bit of void energy from his younger brother. She had almost nodded off, her mind running in circles on what could happen, or what would happen should Artanis die, or worse. Xerxes soon chuckled at her, finally moving to squash the ball of void energy in his other hand, burning it psionically with a brief gathering of his essence there to destroy it utterly. She jolted, blinking comically as Xerxes rose to gently lift Artanis from his wing while moving to set him down leaning against Samateus before Xerxes moved back and curled up on the ground a few meters away.
Karax noted the movement, watching and looking to Kuldaris, who simply shrugged, looking to his father sadly.
**You shouldn't shut yourself off like that. They were curious.** Kuldaris broadcast, directed mainly at Xerxes, who lazily cracked open an eye before closing it again. Xerxes likely responded, however only Kuldaris heard it and he had become frustrated by it, clenching a fist before relaxing, thinking over a proper response.
**If they are the closed minded ones, why are YOU the one hiding away? I'm getting sick of this, hiding in plain sight, seen only in glimpses or when you can help, then absconding before anyone has a chance to ask questions or learn from what they had witnessed. Why?** Kuldaris marched right over to Xerxes, glaring at him as his eyes, all of them all along the center of his crest, opened, slightly shocked by the outburst. Xerxes simply sighed, moving to stand on his hind legs, as a normal Protoss would, several of the civilians nearby seeing this and quickly running for cover in fear or watching, ready to run if needed. Xerxes motioned to them, and their reactions, before lying back down as he had been. Kuldaris' ire deflated, as quickly as it had risen, shaking his head.
**Yet, you still do everything you can to help. Even when those you inadverdently protected see you as a monster.** Chimed another, one of the civilians, who had Judicator banding and notation on his armour, Kuldaris turning to him and glaring for a moment before Xerxes looked to him and almost leapt to his feet, eyes going wide in recognition. He idly glanced as Rohana beckoned over some of the Daelaam nearby, the group gladly assisting her with finding a more comfortable and quiet place for Artanis to recover. Samateus reluctantly let them move the Hierarch, briefly nosing at his side herself before nodding for them to move him, having garnered no adverse reaction to her touch.
**Turmalis!? By the goddess, I thought you had died!** Xerxes quickly moved to rise, Turmalis waving him to lie down, moving to crouch closer, looking over his friend.
**The sentiment is mutual, especially after the Scion incident...** Turmalis almost seemed to radiate contentment and happiness, fidgeting lightly before Xerxes nodded, moving a wing to let his friend touch him. **Intruiging, and none of this brings you pain?** Turmalis asked, looking over his old friend and gingerly running his fingertips along the petal-like carapace, tracing some swirling markings just barely visible on the slightly shimmering hide. Rohana, Karax and Kuldaris momentarily forgotten as they watched the two interact.
**Not anymore no, I need to work on learning to use these wings, otherwise I'm just fine physically.** Xerxes carefully shifted to lie on his previously injured side, purring lightly, slight soreness blossoming as he moved and placed weight on the regenerated flesh. Samateus soon crawled over, snuggling up against his side under his wing, head curled back to bury it under her own as the Protoss and Hybrid watched. Artanis had then been picked up and taken inside to rest by the civilians, Rohana going with them. **Though admittedly, I nearly lost myself a few times...**
**I couldn't even hint at the extent of what you've been through, though I see you've found one of your sons.** Turmalis turned to acknowledge Kuldaris, who nodded and offered a light bow. Xerxes purred more deeply now, facetious smile stretching across his features.
**I also know what happened to you, and I have surprisingly good news for you, within reason as I'm just waiting for her-** Xerxes motioned to the sleeping Samateus under his wing. **Before I go through that warp gate...** Xerxes gave it another moment, Turmalis thoroughly confused and Kuldaris knowing, and simply shaking his head at Turmalis' questioning glance.
**Endara is still alive.** Xerxes announced, Turmalis on his feet and wide-eyed in shock. Xerxes nodded again, at several half-formed questions, and then encouraged Turmalis to sit so he could explain everything.
As Xerxes explained to Turmalis his incarceration, hybridization and how he encountered Endara, amongst others, also being used in similar manner to him; Rohana and Karax sat with Artanis as he rested, the black webbed markings on his hide still prevalent and contrasting almost disgustingly against his pale grey skin. Possibly a permanent scar, a physical reminder of Amon toying with him, Rohana could sympathize, she had forced herself to withstand Amon for a long time before severing her connection to the Khala, in order to help Artanis and the others as long as she could. A selfless act, one Artanis had tried to help her through, encouraged her to let it end, that they would find a way even without her connection to the Khala.
Selfless, like Xerxes in helping Artanis earlier, or how he had given himself for hybridization and experimentation early on, before he knew others had been taken, in a bargain to spare Aiur and their people. Xerxes had always looked out for others over himself, even expressed worry long ago when she, a Grand Preserver, offered to go into stasis with the greatest of the Ark ships. The image of Xerxes, suddenly stabbed through by Artanis' blade, flashed across her vision, which unnerved her as she saw the vicious malevolent force of Amon in Artanis' place, and it turned to look directly at her.
**Rohana?** Artanis hazarded, voice quiet and concerned. She jolted upright, having lightly nodded off, blushing lightly despite herself as her hand had been on his until her little daydream, him now holding hers. He winced, attempting to sit up, encouraged to lie back down by Karax, who gently lay one of his extra 'hands' on him, as he entered from an area beyond the privacy curtains.
**Rest please, you've been through quite an ordeal.** Karax offered, glacing at Rohana knowingly, as she quickly removed her hand from Artanis', doing her best to squash the blush colouring her cheeks blue. Artanis simply nodded, frowning lightly.
**I only remember... Xerxes, I- Oh gods, is he alright?** Artanis again winced as he tensed his abdomen and attempted to sit up, looking to his lower right and eyes going wide.
**It was Amon who struck him, not you. He is physically unharmed, though he is very lethargic.** Karax responded, Kuldaris' construct floating into the space as Kuldaris himself padded up and peeked through the curtain before entering. It scanned Artanis swiftly with a small unit imbedded in one of its tendrils, turning to Kuldaris and providing a brief analysis.
**You're going to be sore for a while, extensive scar tissue but nothing you will have to worry about.** He announced, turning to leave, stopped by Karax, earning himself a quizzical look.
**Heirarch, I cannot help but notice, Xerxes has done everything possible to show he isn't a threat, and yet you have not directly acknowledged him... Is it that you are worried how others will view it?** Karax asked, Kuldaris nodding once to him in thanks, Rohana also appearing to be somewhat involved in this little intervention of sorts. Artanis frowned, he had been giving Xerxes space as he seemed to dislike being around other Protoss, perhaps it was a mistaken action and that Xerxes was withdrawing for his benefit? Artanis blinked, shifting to sit up on the bed by resting his upper back on the head support.
**I... Honestly had not thought on it at length.** Artanis crossed his arms, though only just kept the pain from the motion hidden. On one hand, Xerxes had abandoned him, left him in stasis and had not even sent his ship to retrieve him, even after the Scion incident. The Conclave had taken him then, pushed his memories of his family aside as nothing and taught him everything they knew, much of it turned out later to be incorrect, and twisted his thoughts to lead him to step down as Executor and take instead a lower position as Praetor. In the end, he had been named their Hierarch, when Selendis saw his selflessness in the field she had commended him, and all the Templar had praised him. Yet, when Xerxes had expressed he was beyond proud of this, that he had risen despite all that the Conclave had tried to deny him, as their family legacy finally returned to them, he was still hesitant to acknowledge their blood relation.
Artanis sighed, shaking his head.
**I need to speak with him.** Artanis admitted aloud, going over what had happened earlier.
The entire situation began when he had been asked to investigate some suspected Void activity on one of their fringe worlds where a new settlement had been started, in order to be closer to the range that the Ahr'Aht and their extensive alliance had begun to travel through on a regular basis. He asked Samateus to assist as he wanted to show those on the surface what she looked like and that she and her kin were close allies, as despite his openness and comraderie, many Daelaam were still apprehensive around other species. Once on the surface, Samateus had muttered something about Sundrop, a drug Artanis had heard of that had been previously used by some of Amon's followers, before he and Samateus both had been rendered unconscious.
As hard as he tried, his mind had been shuttered, kept from the world around him, until Amon had suddenly grasped and taken control of his mind and forced his body to turn and fight Xerxes. His brothers' wings had kept Artanis from striking out for a long moment, or moreso thwarting Amon, eventually the Dark God managed to free his left arm, blade forming in a flash, then the shock and pain of Xerxes' eyes. Amon's hold flickered, because he had seen the pain in those eyes and snapped back to reality.
His brother had almost gotten past Amon, almost succeeded in aiding Artanis in forcing him out, but then the pain, as though his nerves were being torn out slowly from one spot on his lower right side. He caught brief flashes of Xerxes' fangs and teeth, but no, he had no mark on him from those teeth. Artanis looked down at his side, gingerly tracing one of the black markings that spiderwebbed up toward his hearts. Rohana offered to fill in what little she remembered that he had missed, showing him how Xerxes had risked his eyes and face to literally tear Amon's parasite from him, even staying and holding him for hours to ensure it had all been removed.
Artanis found he could not speak, he had no words to express his gratitude and found he had, albeit without realising, been pushing Xerxes away. Despite that selflessness, despite forcing even Alarak to remain still and watch some of his memories to explain his relation, Xerxes had undone a mistake he made that almost cost Artanis his life. The dampener chip had caused a severe infection, Artanis wrinkled his nose, remembering the brief stench that emanated from it when Xerxes had released him, the infection completely gone as though it had never been. Not an elaborate hoax either, the chip had been giving off a false reading to scanners for a long time, which Karax had traced himself to ensure that indeed, it had been there the entire time, the false reading generated to appear as though nothing existed in its place, just a strange physical anomaly.
Artanis had yet to acknowledge Xerxes as a brother, had yet to acknowledge what he had seen when just a child. He remembered one night, very late as he tried to rest, watching the small colour-shifting shimmerfin in their aquarium -a gift Xerxes had given him- before hearing something outside his bedchamber, getting up and creeping to the doorway, then when his other elder brother gave a cry and he peered out, he saw Xerxes, crumpled on the ground, raise a hand, psionically lifting their father into the air as he had made move to strike the other sibling. Xerxes then threw their father into the far wall, air knocked from him in shock as Xerxes carefully and shakily rose, a broken arm and myriad of cuts and bruises on him as their teacher, another elder male, came to help Xerxes with his injuries.
He understood now that he had been the youngest only because their mother sacrificed herself for him. No wait, she had told Xerxes to save him.
Kuldaris seemed a bit smug as Artanis came to this realisation, Karax and Rohana frowning at him.
**Even though I am his second son, you are still his primary concern.** Kuldaris stabbed, narrowing his eyes briefly. **I'll let him know you're awake.**