Crystalline Entity - Alternate Record

by Cpt. Lynx

This is the story of how Darth Imperius, the Emperor of the Eternal Alliance, found himself on Terra. Burdened by the ghosts of his past, will he be able to fulfil his purpose and find happiness, or will the darkness consume him? As a fair warning, this contains dark and mature themes in much greater detail than the other version, so discretion is advised.

10. Day 9: Group-time on the Crystalrail

Nox and I use the time to work together to strengthen the integrity of my mind. But... I don't like this.
'Say, Nox, are you really sure there is no other method? The others are suffering under this, too...'

'I know. But our current method is as efficient as we can do this. We must keep your mind's integrity always at a peak, or we might risk catastrophic failure.'

I grimace. I... I know he's right, but... I'm not alone anymore. I realise that the state of my being affects more than just me. The people in my galaxy are used to me being more cold and distant, but the guys here... Leanna... are sad and worried about me. I don't want them to be worried.
'Well, I know... but still. With no outside stimulus and enough time... we should be able to repair eventual damage caused by my emotions... right?'

Nox pauses.
'Hmm... So, you suggest to continue without repressing your emotions, and then basically fall asleep if the accumulated damage becomes too much?'

'Yeah, pretty much.'

'Hmm... I suppose that the others would like that better. Though it is riskier.'

'I am aware. But to see these guys so downtrodden... I don't want that.'

'Well, it is ultimately your decision.'

'Then I would like to try it this way. And if we notice that it doesn't work, I can still revert back.'

Nox frowns.
'I wouldn't think it'd be that easy to 'revert back' once you accumulate even more exposure to emotions. However, if that is what you want to choose, I won't stop you. I can only warn you. Do not take this lightly.'

'Trust me, I don't.'
I then smirk.
'But if anyone can pull this off, it's us two gods, isn't it? When we work together like this, nothing can stop us.'

Nox laughs haughtily.
'Haha, very well said. Alright, do as you think is right. I will support you to the best of my abilities, as always.'

I smile softly.
'Thank you, Nox.'

That shuts said Dark Lord up instantly.
'Ah, uhm... you're welcome.'

It is already the next day when we come to this conclusion. We worked for hours upon hours, focusing and combining our powers. This marks the first time we really worked together on one task in tandem and not against each other. The effectiveness of our cooperation exceeds our expectations, and we manage to stabilise our shared mindspace to the maximum faster than expected.

In our mindspace, I stand before Nox, who has donned his mask again. I hold up a hand.
'Great work Nox.'

He nods, slapping my hand in what is colloquially known as a high five.
'You as well. You were right. Together, nothing can stop us. We are gods, after all.'

I nod with a proud smirk.
'Indeed we are. And we will not let Valkorion win. I will prevail.'

'Hmph. Very well, that's the spirit.'
With that said, he vanishes in strings of smoke, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Thus I think that my focus can now return outside again.

I open my eyes, yawn and stretch widely.
Everyone is asleep, except Leanna, who is still maintaining the ethereal heartbeat within herself. In her focus, she doesn't notice I am awake.

I glance out of the window. Is it still the morning, or the next night already? Early morning. Without a reason to get up, they probably have not.

I lean my head on Leanna's shoulder. Though before I do so, I send a small surge of power, a signal that notices her that I am awake, without startling her out of her focus. Force knows how much I always hated it to get startled out of meditation.

Her eyes open, and she looks over at me
"Xerath?"

She analyzes me carefully, her deep sapphire eyes scanning over me.
"How... are you doing?"

"Good morning, Leanna. I'm doing better."
I smile at her.
"Nox and I have found a different way to go at my conundrum. The good news is, that I don't have to repress my emotions any longer."

She turns abruptly.
"So..."

"But the bad news is, that I might have to sleep for several days occasionally."

"Okay."
She moves an arm, offering a hug.

I gladly accept it, leaning into her.
"We can't fix my mind. Not really. But we'll go at it differently. After I saw how my behaviour troubled you all yesterday, I couldn't bring myself to continue with it. Especially after I noticed how well Nox and I could work together. That makes me confident we can heal any potential damage given enough time."

She squeezes me tightly into her embrace.
"That is such good news!"

I reach up a hand to cup her cheek, gently brushing my thumb over her skin.
"To see you all so disheartened - especially you - I couldn't bear it."

All of a sudden, the world feels warm and welcoming again. She beams at me. This makes my decision worth it. It makes it feel... right.

I smile at her warm and lovingly.
"I love you, Leanna. And I want you to be happy above all else."

I wrap my other arm around her. I then look at my hand on her face and smirk.
"See, Kara, I don't need to resort to no lie."

She blinks, perplexed.
"What?"

"Ah. Kara gave me a 'tip' that if I wanted an excuse to touch your face, I should tell you that you have something on your face."

She smiles at that.
"Sounds silly."

I continue to gently stroke her cheek.
"Well, I suppose it would be good advice for normal people. But to me? Well, I wouldn't want to turn to such a trick. I want you to be comfortable with me doing this. And luckily, you are."

She ruffles my hair in response.

I smile at her, then grow a bit worried.
"But were you awake the entire time, or just woke up earlier?"

She softly shakes her head, not wanting to shake off my hand.
"I wanted to help you, so I woke up early."

"I see."
I nuzzle into her.
"Rest assured, it worked."

She begins scratching my head. In that divine way only she can do.
"Krrrr..."

A thought occurs before I can get lost again.
"But aren't you tired anymore?"

Another hint of a shaking head.
"Not right now."

"Alright. Anyways... you want me to share everything with you, right? Or, at least things that trouble me, right?"
I glance at her with hesitation clear on my face.

She nods without hesitation.
"Yes. I don't want you to bear these burdens alone."

"Well, as Nox and I moved to repair the damage and fortify the integrity... I noticed what troubles me the most currently. And, well..."
I search for the right words to say.
"And... uhm... do you... by chance... have meditated upon your feelings again?"

She arcs a delicate brow.
"Are you angling for a kiss right now, perhaps?"

I blush.
"While I would certainly like that, I am not aiming for it, no."

I have to look away.
"It's just... that what troubles me most... is you. Or rather, the fact that I constantly get my hopes up that you finally recuperate my feelings, only to be disappointed that it was not the case..."
I wonder if my expression seems... guilty.

Another soft shake of her head, making her golden strands sway with the motion.
"No, I understand. You really aren't used to the amount of affection I'm giving you. So I'm sorry, but there isn't really a good way around it..."

I sigh.
"Yeah, I'm not used to this closeness at all. And yet it is not enough for me."

I look down.
"I'm so greedy, aren't I?"

She gently shrugs.
"Maybe you are. But it's not your fault. Maybe if the world didn't take things from you so much you wouldn't feel the need to hold onto them with all your might. Or try to get as much use out of them before they go away."

"Perhaps..."
I squeeze her.
"It's just... I love you, Leanna. So, so incredibly much. But to know that you may not feel the same towards me... that you may eventually choose someone else... the thought alone pains me..."

She leans into my ear.
"...you know what that makes you?"

I shiver as her breath tickles my skin.
"...N-no... what?"

She smiles warmly.
"Normal. Most people aren't concerned about personally stopping the end of the world, they're concerned about what others will think of them. How does it feel to be like everyone else?"

I blink. Then blink again, stupefied.
"But... I'm not normal..."

Her smile doesn't waver.
"Maybe you aren't usually, but right now you are."

"Huh... I... don't quite know what to do with that information, to be honest. Perhaps this small part of me is normal, but so much more is not."
I look away.
"I'm not normal."

She continues to scratch my head.
"Maybe not, but you don't have to be normal to be a person."

I return my gaze back at her and lean in.
"Perhaps you are right with that."

I close my eyes and just enjoy her scratches, and our closeness.
"Krrrrrr..."

Leanna only smiles at me, pleased with her handiwork.

"But say... you asked me earlier if I was angling for a k-kiss..."
My cheeks tinge slightly.
"Does that imply if you'd be ready to give me one?"

"No Xerath. That's a bit further down the line from where we are."

"I see. That is unfortunate. But I will look forward to when that time comes. I will remain hopeful that it will come."
I chuckle weakly.
"Not that I'd have any other option, really."

She pulls my head to her shoulder.
"Shh. Don't think about that right now, just enjoy."

"Hmm..."
My breathing evens out as I trail off. I am on the verge of falling asleep. A yawn escapes me, indicating just as much.

She smiles softly, nurturing.
"You stayed up all night fixing yourself, didn't you?"

I nod weakly in her grasp.
"Mhm... I did... We were even much faster than anticipated..."

She arcs a lovely eyebrow in inquiry.
"Oh?"

"I had expected... this to take the entirety of our ride. But Nox and me combining our focus and power like that... was even more effective than I imagined. It's what gave me the idea for this new course of action, too."

Scritching continues. I feel the love in her fingers bleed through into everything. So soothing.

"Krrrrr..."
My head droops as I relax in her grasp. I feel so rested in her embrace, so at peace. It is no surprise that I quickly fall asleep like this. I didn't rest properly, after all.

"Rest well, Xerath..."
She places a little kiss on my hair, her soft voice and tender emotions lulling me into a blissful sleep.

My smile broadens at that, and I mumble something quietly.
"...anna..."

My arms wrap around her loosely, and I snuggle into her embrace even further.

And darkness wraps around me. My mind recedes as I allow myself the chance to finally rest fully. Though now that my mind is at currently full strength, I don't even need that much sleep. Just a few hours should suffice. If my sleep goes uninterrupted, I should wake up in the late morning, before noon.

Unfortunately, it is not. Ink drips from the fabric of the world, and another vision comes into existence.
Once again I look upon the silvery halls of this strange civilization.
These people are mighty beyond belief... what could've erased them so completely that no relics have been noted by anyone else?
It is a minute or so before I see a familiar face.
Schala is walking through the halls at a quick pace, worry creasing her face.
'What could make the omens so dark... what is she warning us about?'

A memory crosses her mind, though it isn't her own - it is pulled from the Force and from a bygone era, one old even to this time - one of ships trading blows across a solar system.
I see the silvery ships made of the material that makes up everything this civilization creates send spears of this willful metal into the void, bolts of lightning, and far stranger effects as the larger ships pull and distort the unifying Force to create devastation on a celestial scale.
I see a salvo of missiles cross into my vision from the far distance, curving through realspace faster than the speed of light. Lightning flashes, shields are raised, and all sorts of defences come into being, but some still get through, and in the instant before this flock slams into the capital ships, I get a good look at them.
They appear sleek and truly alien, made of all manner of materials strange and familiar. Durasteel strands coil in spiderwebs throughout the superstructure, behind a head of a metal like... Beskar, or the material buried in Terra, while tapered glass forms concentric rings that conduct a current of ionized hydrogen. Sensory globes of imprisoned light gather and compose hyperwaves into data, and at the back, an engine twists space to contain a microscopic black hole, emitting enough energy to power a modern starship.
It looks entirely strange, not just in a way that is alien, but in a way where I struggle to rationalize its construction. It is a breathtakingly advanced weapon, crafted by sciences so far beyond me that I struggle to comprehend its essential components - and yet its shape is so bafflingly backwards. What could they possibly gain from making hemispheres branched out from the main body? Why isn't the surface smooth to deflect incoming projectiles, instead having microscopic flowing lines that no one without a microscope could perceive?
The missiles slam into the silver vessels barely an instant later, blooming into balls of fire and radiation so grand they must be beyond even nuclear weaponry.

Schala shakes her head.
'No, they retreated into their hidden system, their war lost. And she would tell us if it was them specifically that were returning... so it's someone else, isn't it?"

She looks upon a massive, magnificent doorway, one that would fit right in in a grand palace. On it are scratched memories in the Force - tens of thousands of years of memories, of a time of an empire's uncontested dominion over the galaxy.

This vision has me watching with undivided attention. What will happen next?

Schala takes a deep breath, and steps through the gate. She steps into a hall with a throne, covered with fabric made of the silvery material twisted into colours. The man on the throne taps his foot.
He is not the mightiest individual in this empire, but he is absolutely very powerful, and he looks at Schala with... mild irritation.

Schala steps before the throne and kneels.
"Father."

The man stands.
"You know, when you were a young one, Schala, you were so happy. You would do whatever I said - it was adorable."

Schala's eyes remain on the floor.

"But now I see. You're LATE. You're disobeying your father!"

"No, I-"

"Was just wrapped up in caring for that child? Didn't I tell you that you were to find other places than your time to put those children?"

"I have - but no one will accept Janus. He's a young prophet, and caring for him is not something anyone I talked to wants..."

"Then leave him in the hallways. His life is not worth your time or charity - you have more important things to be doing."

He sweeps his hands around, and the silvery halls shift to show the space beyond. I see a massive construct blotting out the system's star - and it's still being built.
"The Great Gateway is the most important project in our history. Working on tapping the interdimensional void and opening the doorway for our expansion beyond this galaxy proper is a far more valuable use of my daughter's time than caring for one measly boy."

I find that I decidedly do not like their king. But still, what do they mean with the Great Gateway? I continue to watch, pushing my disdain back. Nothing I could do about it, anyways.

Schala nods.
"Very well... what do you need me to do?"

"Gather what you need and begin working on the channelling sections. We need a place for our people to stay - you're good at that."

"Very well, father. Do you require anything else?"

"A worthy opponent. Have you seen your brother?"

"I haven't seen him today yet, father."

"Very well. You have work to do, then."

"Understood."
She stands, bows, and leaves the throne room.
As soon as the doors shut behind her, she leans against the wall, collapsing slightly. She lets out a deep, repressed sigh.

I feel with her. That man is aggravating. To think that he treats his own children like this... is this some kind of trend among rulers? To be shitty fathers?

She picks herself up and walks away, and the scene dissolves. Back to sleep I go. The last thought I have is the question if I will be among them.

That interruption makes me sleep for a bit longer, but I still wake before noon.
I stir awake.
"Hnn..."

Leanna combs her hand through my hair.
"Welcome back, Xerath."

I smile up at her.
"Good morning."

Her lovely voice rings with pleasant, mild concern.
"How are you feeling?"

"I had another somewhat unnerving vision, but aside from that, I am well."

She reaches out with her mind instead, still untrained.
'...what about...?'

'The same woman from the last one. She met her father, who seemed to have been a king of their civilisation. He was also a shitty father.'

I feel... something from her. Though I'm not quite sure what it is.
'...oh...'

'And I saw a vision inside a vision, sort of. ...Visionception? Of a war between that civilisation and a foe that used technology unimaginable instead of the Force like they did. Their designs were wild, I tell you. But it seemed that they lost the war, as the woman mentioned.'

But she's definitely learning fast.
'...you also said that the sword was weird to you... are they similar...?'

'Yes. They used the same material that formed around the sword. I suspect that maybe those could be the creators of that sword.'

'...okay, so what do you know about them...?'

'Nothing much. I've just seen a glimpse of a fight.'

I feel her concern for the lives at stake in a fight that happened aeons ago.
'...what was it like...'

'A broadside exchange between starships. Nothing I haven't seen before. What was stunning, however, were the weapons and defences used.'

I then turn my head, finally acknowledging the others in our compartment.

Zack nods.
"Morning."

Amelia isn't there.

Kara smiles.
"Good afternoon."

I smile at them.
"Good morning. And do not try to deceive me, Kara. I know it is still before noon. But it seems we are short one member. Where is Amelia?"

Kara answers swiftly, skillfully evading her harmless fun.
"She's found a better window and is examining the environment while writing."

"Ah, I see. I suppose she wants to be alone for a bit..."

Leanna's angelic voice calls out to me.
"So Xerath, you have something to tell them?"

"Ah, so you haven't yet."
I smile at Kara and Zack.
"Yes. After I saw the effects my behaviour had on you all... I came up with a new way to handle the matters of my... stability. The good news is, that I don't have to repress my emotions again. The bad news is that I may have to sleep for a long time occasionally."

That earns me a few raised eyebrows.
"Oh?"

"The teamwork between Nox and me, when we both focus on this task is much better than expected. So, I'm rather confident that if I'll take a break when necessary, we could repair all damage together when it appears."

"That's great!"
Kara smiles, and Zack also seems happier.

I smile as well, the warm expression I always give them once more directed at them.
"It may pose as a more risky alternative... but I just couldn't stand to see you guys so downcast."

"Aww."
Kara smiles.
"I'm glad you could find a better alternative."

"Yeah. I'll do my best to make it work. Now then, I'll send Amelia a message about this."
I close my eyes and home in on her location.

I find her in another car, exactly as described. I reach out to her.
'Good morning, Amelia.'

She acknowledges my presence.
"Greetings. What do you wish to discuss?"

I project an image across from her, figuring she'd have an easier time talking directly. The illusion smiles at her.
"How are you feeling?"

She speaks with her usual near-monotone voice.
"Alright."

I just arc a brow, prodding her if that is really true.

She finally looks up from the notes she was pouring over.
"I wished for some time to myself. Is that odd?"

"No. On the contrary, it is completely fine. Just the timing of what happened yesterday made me worry. Speaking of which..."
I smile warmly at her.
"Nox and I found a new way to go at this mental conundrum. I won't have to repress my emotions any longer."

She blinks and tilts her head ever so slightly.
"Oh? How nice. It won't come with an additional risk, will it?"

I nod slightly, grimly.
"Unfortunately, it does. However, the focused teamwork between Nox and me was far more efficient than I expected, so I am confident that we can repair any damage that may occur. I'd just have to sleep a long time occasionally when that happens."

She nods as well, though not as grimly.
"Alright. I am pleased that you have found a way around this conundrum."

"Me too. I just couldn't stand to see you all so sad and dejected. And, well, since I know that you also have the tendency to keep your emotions to yourself, I wanted to check up on you and tell you this."

"Thank you for your concern."

I smile warmly.
"Always."

I then lean forward.
"On that note, are you really alright? If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. But if you have something you want to talk about, I will always listen to you. Okay?"

She nods, her little hairtails moving with her.
"Yes, Xerath, I am really alright."

"Alright, then. I'll take your word for it. Do you wish to remain here, now?"

She nods once more.
"Yes. I will return in a little while."

I nod decisively.
"Very well, I will leave you to your devices then. And sorry if I startled you."

She returns her focus back to her notes and tomes.
"It is perfectly alright."

I send her a parting smile, as my image dissolves into violet particles.

Back at our cabin, I open my eyes again. A relatively wide, and very warm smile spreads on my lips.

Seeing this, my lovely goddess appears to be a bit impatient.
"Well?"

"She's alright. And happy I'm better. She'll come back in a little while."
I wipe at my eyes.
"I'm just... so happy to have found people that so genuinely care about my well-being."

Leanna smiles broadly at me.

I still haven't moved my body out of her embrace. My head resting on her shoulder, I gaze out of the window at the landscape rolling by.
"Yes. This atmosphere is much more pleasant than the charged one yesterday."

Then I fall silent, enjoying the much warmer presence of my friends. I feel... content, being surrounded by them like this. Being held by Leanna may or may not be a very large part of that.

Nox uses that time to get my attention.
'Hey Xerath.'

'Hm? What is it?'

'Uhm... well, I've been thinking...'

'Yes. You always do. But it is unlike you to be so shy.'

'Shut up! I'm not shy!'
Then, his temper cools.
'It's just... I was thinking about... reimagining myself.'

That gets my attention.
'Is something wrong with how you look right now?'

Kallig's Countenance shakes.
'Not necessarily. But Kara called me 'scarlet one'... and that kind of stuck with me. I worked on a new design for myself whenever I could, and I think I'm done.'

'Oh? Well, then feel free to show me.'

The smirk is obvious in Nox's tone.
'Then behold my new avatar and bask in its radiance.'

The dark-robed avatar of Nox vanishes in a cloud of smoke, only to set itself back together. He wears fitting red clothes embroidered with gold. There are also several golden armour plates on his hips, legs, arms and shoulders. But most notably is that he forgoes the helmet this time. His skin is of a scarlet red now, not unlike the pureblood Sith, with a mob of white hair, which is now cut shorter than my own. That gives a view of both of his eyes, which are red with orange orbs as irises that glow with power. His face, however, is still a mirror image of mine, minus the scar.

I nod approvingly.
'Very sharp. And not as dark and brooding as before. Much more regal. I like it.'

Then, I smirk.
'And I'm sure Kara will like it, too.'

'S-shut up! I'm not doing this for her, got it?'

'Yeah yeah. Well, you wanted to talk with the others, right? Once Amelia comes back, I'm sure we'll get the chance for that.'

Nox nods.
'I'd hope so.'

Having said what he wanted, Nox disappears again, vanishing in a cloud of red mist, and I am left alone with my thoughts once more.

Well, that was interesting...
Quite unexpected... but whatever. More importantly, what was the Force trying to tell me in that vision? It probably served as a mention of this war against these science guys. But what do they have to do with that calamity?

Well, I can ponder all I want, without more input, I won't reach any solid conclusion. So instead, I adjust my gaze from out of the window to up at Leanna.

She seems to notice and looks down at me, questioningly.

I smile at her lovingly.
'You know, you're even more beautiful to look at than the scenery outside.'

She smiles brightly.
'...not too bad yourself...'

I blink, surprised.
'Really? I mean, I suppose my face isn't half bad, but... you've seen more of me... and you still think so?'

'...yes, of course...'

I gaze into her eyes, searching for any sign of untruth.
'...really...? You'd be a first...'

I find none, as she replies.
'...maybe I would...'

I lean into her.
'But you haven't even seen the worst of it... how can you be so sure? How can... how can you still like my appearance?'

'...well, for one I don't know what I haven't seen... ...but also, why would that change anything?'

I blink at her, deadpan.
'Because just about anyone who has seen my scars has freaked out. Except you, of course.'

My deadpan expression gives way to worry.
'And I guess... I can't help but worry that the next thing you see of me, learn of me will eventually turn you away...'

'...don't think you should worry... but biased...'

I smile slightly.
'I suppose. I mean, I know that if anyone would be able to accept me as I am, it would be you. But you are so important to me, that I'm just very afraid to lose you, you know? And the fact it has happened before doesn't exactly help...'

Her mind seems to reach out to me with more than just her thoughts, but she can't really get much across.
'...I understand...just hold out hope...'

I smile.
'I will. You are worth it, after all.'

She blushes at that.

I just continue to smile lovingly at her. I'd also reach up my hand to cup her cheek, but I don't want to embarrass her further, especially not in front of Kara and Zack.
'I love you, Leanna.'

Externally, nothing changes, but I can feel her grow more embarrassed.

I don't want to overdo it any more than that. As such, I simply hold her gaze with a loving, patient and understanding smile.

Kara nudges Zack and says something to him I don't catch.

Despite being transfixed on Leanna, their action pulls me out of my stupor, and my gaze shifts over to them.
"Hm? Is something?"

"Oh, Zack was just saying he wanted to be doing to me what you were doing to Leanna."

Zack blinks.
"No I didn't, you were saying-"

"But you were thinking it, weren't you? I can tell."

Zack is silent, only frowning slightly.

I raise a brow - higher than usual. I also intone my voice differently.
"I didn't take you for a telepath, Kara."

"What's mind-reading got to do with anything? I know what he's thinking and that's that."

"Ah, right. So my humour can fail, too. Well, of course, you are good at reading people, but even that does leave room for occasional error."

"I see."

I incline my head to Zack.
"Also, it's not nice to cut others off. Zack was saying something."

"He was, but it was better this way."

"Well, I don't know about Zack... or the customs here. But for me, it is a sign of disrespect to cut someone off. Like you don't value what they have to say. But I doubt that was your intention."
I arc a brow.
"Or was it?"

She shakes her head, her long chestnut ponytail swaying behind her bare shoulders.
"No, of course not. I just thought it would be funny."

"Hmm, I understand. Just... one thing I would like to mention, and I cannot imply the importance of this enough, is that in this little group of ours... I'm not the only one with problems. Maybe the most severe ones, but not the only ones. And, at least for me, your way of being funny has led to... increase the problems, even if it is completely harmless in your eyes."
I look at her gently.
"Like I told you with your teasing. It may seem harmless to you, but can lead to deep problems for me."

Kara turns serious.
"Xerath, let me make something clear. When exactly did I interrupt him?"

"When he was trying to say what you told him. Of course, that could also be seen as you not wanting to repeat what you told him. However, as I just said, it's not only about this one instance. I've observed this habit of yours so far, that's why I wanted to bring it up especially."

"When I interrupt someone, it's because they're about to say something that is true. And then I say something totally wrong, pivoting away from the point in a very blatant fashion."

"Yes. But not everyone is apt at deciphering lies. And, to be honest, I can't quite understand where the fun in lies... well, lies."

"Lots of humour is based on saying things that aren't quite true. There is humour everywhere - in truth, untruth, and everywhere in between."

"Hmm... well, I suppose humour is subjective, after all. I mean, to the Sith, it was fun to hold parties each time a fellow Acolyte died. It was humorous to joke about their demise."
I shiver at the memories.

She jerks back somewhat.
"I don't think that quite compares to what I was doing."

I nod.
"No, it doesn't."

"But yeah, that does suck to an outsider."

I nod again.
"Yeah. I know you don't have any ill intent with it, but the very act of cutting someone off doesn't sit right with me. I only ever do that when I'm... decidedly un-calm and don't have much respect for the other person."

"Alright. But I want you to know that I do it because I respect Zack."

I smile at her.
"Noted. I... hope I wasn't cross at you, or anything?"

She shakes her head, a smile on her lips.
"No, it's alright."

"Because, if anything, I do very much appreciate your chipper attitude."
I add with a smirk.
"And I'm quite sure I'm not the only one."

She raises an eyebrow.
"Oh? And who might that be?"
There is a suggestive twinkle in her eye.

I shrug.
"That will remain for you to deduce."

I observe Zack, checking if he reacts to this. My eyes do not leave Kara, however.

"Well, I hope he or she knows that I enjoy a challenge."

Zack moves almost imperceptibly at that, and Kara's smirk widens.

I chuckle.
"Well, I think they do."

"Excellent."

I lean back into the embrace of Leanna.
"Yeah. But mostly, I'm just really glad that you guys feel better now. Truth be told, I did not anticipate my changed behaviour would affect you that much."

Some seriousness returns to Kara's eyes.
"Well, you seemed so happy. Of course, we're going to notice when you suddenly aren't."

I nod.
"I suppose that is true. You didn't see me behave normally before, after all. That is to say, like I did yesterday. I should have taken that into consideration."

I glance down.
"But I didn't. I just thought about how it would affect me, and how I would deal with it."

Then I ball my fists.
"I failed to note that we are a group now, that I am not alone anymore..."

Leanna scratches my head, effectively making my rising self-blame come to a screeching halt.
"In a group, it's also okay to make mistakes sometimes. And besides, when something is about your survival, a lot of things are a bit more permissive."

I relax again, but consciously keep my chittering back.
"Well... I suppose you're right. But still, I should've thought about that ahead..."

"You can't be expected to be right all the time."

I sigh.
"I can. I'm a god. I have to be right."

Zack blinks.
"Since when? Gods don't have to be right."

"Well, the ones in my galaxy do. That's also one thing that makes them gods. Enormous powers, and the wisdom to use them. Especially Valkorion was hailed to have never been wrong. And, at least regarding his followers and citizen, that holds true."

"If a god is never wrong, what exactly does that mean?"
Leanna takes the part of the questioning.
"What about things for which there aren't hard truths?"

"Then their philosophy becomes such a hard truth."
I shrug slightly.
"At least to their followers."

"That doesn't sound like a very good thing..."

I shrug again, this time more pronounced.
"Just like you have formed your definition of gods based on the Elementals, my galaxy has formed their definition of gods based on other individuals. So, the only thing I can really do is to learn as much as I can, understand whatever there is to understand, and form principles the majority of people can agree with."

Leanna regards me with her curious gaze, her mesmerizing blue eyes twinkling at me from above.
"Which individuals?"

"Valkorion is a current contender. Though then there are the Machine Gods of Iokath, which form the pantheon of old Zakuulian belief... and the Jedi more or less worship the Force as a deity in itself."

She tilts her head, some golden strands of her hair falling down to frame her face.
"What are they like?"

"Valkorion? He was... not as benevolent as he was seen, unfortunately. He liked to keep appearances, but planned to destroy the galaxy in the long run. He was also incredibly cruel to his children. As for the Machine Gods... they are just glorified giant weapons that managed to impress a primitive species. Their primary objective was to eradicate. And the Force... well. The Force simply is. It is the consciousness of the universe. Some may call it fate, or destiny."

She seems... a bit worried.
"Do you really want to count yourself among them, then?"

I shrug.
"Someone has to bring some good to the name, right? Besides, if I call myself one or not matters little, when anyone else sees me as one anyways."

"Hmm... but do you have to play to their fantasies?"

I look away.
"What do I have left otherwise? I've... I'm destined to be held up and hailed. That much I know. It may not be what I wanted, but it is what I got."

She frowns, but otherwise says nothing. She's not angry at me, though.

I look back at them with a weak smile.
"Besides, I have at least two religions based on me. Who else can say that from themselves?"

Silence.

Finally, Leanna speaks.
"That's... something."

My smile drops.
"Yeah. It certainly is, isn't it...?"

I begin to stare back out of the window.

As my mind wanders, I recall my vision. How everyone in it felt like something, felt mighty. The king didn't feel the same way. Sure, the power was there, but there was this... gap. Something I couldn't sense, a frayed end of the vision where something had been torn out. Indeed. It felt like the king was not deserving of his position, neither because of his behaviour nor because of his power. What was up with that?
I ponder for a moment if I should follow that line of thought. Well, it's not like I want to think about anything else right now, since that conversation died so spectacularly.
I trace along the threads of memory behind the soul of the king. Everything seems very echoey, like both of my visions from this time, but it isn't enough to keep me out. And at every place where I feel close to something important, the threads end, cut short of any answers.
Almost as if it no longer exists.

I click my tongue. Alright then, keep your secrets. I trust in the Force. It will tell me what I need to know, of that I am certain. Even if it is very odd.

Still, the void of information here leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Why is that information missing? Very little else seems to be. But even so... how could it no longer exist in the Force? Did something... did something damage the Force of that time? That... that must've been a wound of a magnitude that would dwarf Darth Nihilus and Nox combined.

As I have that thought, patterns begin to take shape. This information isn't missing, it has been removed.
Removed by the Force.
With the intent of nothing ever experiencing the sensation buried here ever again.

How curious. That lets me circle back to the Force telling me what I need to know and when I need to know it.
I trust the Force. I am not as arrogant as Valkorion was to claim myself its master... but I like to think that the Force sees me as some sort of equal.
Well, perhaps it does, perhaps not. But this... whatever it is seems to have been done for itself as well. I can feel... intent here. There rare brush of the raw will of the Force. It wanted this sensation out of its memories, permanently.
The Force wasn't damaged here... it was hurt.

How odd. How peculiar. How... interesting. I smell secrets to be learned. Ancient history to be uncovered that has long been forgotten. But even so, the question remains... why? Why does the Force suddenly show me those visions?

ping

I feel a wave of energy once more scour the land, approaching me rapidly, ripping me out of my musings.
I shiver in negative acceptance. I hate the sensation, but at least it will be over soon.

It reaches me, then... stops. Right outside my barriers, the scan halts, observing the new item I wear. It looks for an uncomfortably long time, then... moves on. No tests, no communication, it leaves.

My eyes blink open, and I look confused.
"Huh?"

I lift my amulet to examine it. It didn't seem to do anything.
"Huh..."

And yet it is undoubtedly the change that the sword took notice of. That is beyond certain. Majorly confused, I scratch my head.
"Okay... what in the Force's name just happened?"

Leanna turns her focus back on me, humming softly, curious and lovely.
"Hmm?"

"The sword had sent out another scan. But... it stopped, when it looked at me. Unlike last time, it stopped at my barriers, watched... and then moved on."

She blinks.
"Oh. That's weird."

I nod in agreement.
"It certainly is."

What's more strange is that, with a little effort, the shield wouldn't have protected me. It didn't seem afraid of the artefact... it didn't want to damage it.
I hold a hand to my temple.
"Just... how is all of this folding together? My visions, the sword, this amulet, my journey here, the missing fragments of the Force... There's something behind all of this, and I'm getting a headache just thinking about this. There are so many variables, I can't even begin to calculate..."

I close my eyes and groan.
"Uurghh... this is getting ridiculous... no way some Sith Lord from the future is behind this, what the... Uuurgh..."

Leanna blinks.
"Why would someone from the future be able to affect you?"

"Ridiculous, right? But it was one of the things my calculations came up with..."
I put a hand on my chin.
"Though I wouldn't put it past the Force that it can make time travel possible..."

"Hmmm..."
Leanna continues to gently massage me, seemingly helping make up for her missing presence yesterday.

I sigh deeply, before relaxing into her again.
"I need to know more... As of now, any calculations are nothing more than speculations... which are giving me a headache."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually."

"I hope so..."
I sigh again.
"I hate it to not know things."

A kiss lands upon my forehead.

My eyes snap open.
"Uuhhh..."
My cheeks quickly heat up.

Leanna smiles down upon me like the goddess she is.

I gaze up at her with a soft expression, quickly getting lost in her marvellous eyes once more.

Kara whispers something to Zack, and he nods.

Leanna continues to hold me close, the perfect refuge from the chaos of the world.
I could've sworn he wanted to say something, but any thought that isn't Leanna quickly leaves my mind.
As she massages away my sorrows and my tenseness, I just melt in her grasp. Eventually breaking my stare to close my eyes and sigh in bliss.

I listen to the whispering song of her mind, feel her body against me and the beating of her heart, and remember the touch of her lips - truly a most precious and rare sensation. All my superhuman senses are filled with her, by her... there is only Leanna. Just Leanna. For at least a moment, I allow myself to be lost in her very presence.
Golden fire tickles at the edges of her body, brushing against me but seemingly unable to escape.

I open my eyes again to resume gazing at perfection. My goddess...
How she can view herself as average is beyond him. But that humbleness is also very endearing.

A hand brushes beneath what my hair shields, running across scars with the same loving attention she gives to anything else.
I lean into her touch, not startled by her motion. My trust and acceptance of her are absolute.

Her lips move, teasing the air into sparkling melodies that wash over my sensitive ears.
"You'll figure it out. I know you will."

His smile widens as he receives her words, and he hums softly in response.

"Mhm..."
Just Leanna...

Even the simple sound of her breath is just... beautiful, the taste of the air between them rapturous... And her scent is intoxicating...
I idly wonder if it was the right idea to purchase a perfume for her...
Eh, thoughts for another time. Right now, there is only Leanna...
My eyes seem to sparkle with emotion as I gaze up at her.

The noontime sun glistens upon her face and hair, gleaming gold in the blue of her eyes...
...what kind of blue? Royal? Sapphire? Sky? I can't tell... maybe Leanna's eyes are the colour of gemstones, maybe gemstones are the colour of Leanna's eyes...
Her eyes certainly gleam more pure than any kyber crystal I have ever seen...
She smiles at me, lips red as fruit and seeming more inviting than any... her teeth as sparklingly pure and white as a star that had exhausted all its fuel...
I absentmindedly reach up a hand to her face, tracing her delicate jawline, gently rubbing her soft cheeks.
She is so soft... so warm... it's no wonder she took my attention in less than a day.

She is so... welcoming. Is that why she seems to be getting closer? Oh, how enticing her red lips look, parted in that joyful smile...
But suddenly, she is pulling me into her shoulder, burying my nose in her neck and hair.

This close, her scent is even more delicious and ripe...
"Mhm..."

Her hair seems to surround me in a shower of golden blonde, supple and gorgeous.

I nuzzle into her even more, burying my nose in the gloriously golden locks, and planting my lips against her neck in a soft kiss.
She tastes... how to explain it... she tastes like love.
She tastes like water in a desert I've been wandering through for years.
She tastes like a fruit from a tree that would not allow me to eat - until the heaviest and most juicy bent down on the branch just for me.
She tastes like desire, the Force, and like nothing I've ever experienced.

I hear her breath catch ever so slightly, too slightly for almost anyone to notice, but I'm focused enough on her that I hear it.

This is... dangerous... This taste... I can't get enough of it. So another gentle kiss follows. She is the cure to my damaged mind, the medicine for my ravaged soul... she is everything for me. Just Leanna.

Suddenly, I am pulled away from her delectable skin. My trance-like state causes me to need a few seconds to register the change in position. I blink at her.
"Huh?"

"Maybe don't do that, okay?"
Her face is very red. Oh, Force, she's just too cute.

That seemed to have done the trick, as focus returns to my expression. At the realisation of what I have done, my tone quickly begins to match hers.
"Uuuhhh... I- I'm... I'm sorry... I... I'm sorry..."

Her hands cup the back of my head.
"Don't worry... I just wasn't ready for it, okay? I don't blame you for it, seeing how you were acting."

She pulls me back onto her shoulder and whispers in my ear.
"Shhh..."

I blink once, then twice, then nod slightly.
"...okay..."

I whisper into her ear as well.
"...but maybe don't pull me in there again, or I won't be able to resist that temptation..."

She still sounds adorably flustered.
"Okay. Just lean on the shoulder, not on my neck."

I close my eyes, and when I open them, they are fully back in focus. I softly shake my head and pull away from her. My cheeks are still burning.
"I... I think that's e-enough for n-now... I think..."

"Alright. You feel better now?"
Am I imagining it, or are there both relief and... not quite regret behind her embarrassment?

I gaze at her, a slightly delirious expression slipping on for just a moment.
"I've experienced perfection..."

I then tear my face away.
"Ahem. I mean, y-yeah. I... I feel f-fine...!"

She smiles brightly, and Kara laughs.
"You seemed very comfortable there."

I glance at her, then blink.
"Oh... right... sorry... you're here, too..."

I sit up fully again and move a hand to my head, which I shake strongly.

Her smile has a teasing undertone.
"No problem. It looked like you were comfy. How was it?"

Then, I fully look at Kara. Reason and focus fully return to my features. But my flush continues.
"It was... perfection. Every one of my senses was just... just filled with Leanna. It was almost as if there was nothing else... just Leanna."

"Sounds great. Could I try it?"

Leanna blushes slightly.
"Well, kissing is off-limits, but hugs are for everyone."

She wags her finger.
"But be warned that a lot of what Xerath is going on about is fairly personal to him. So it probably won't be as good for you."

Leanna looks over at me.
"Are you comfortable with me giving Kara a hug?"

My posture stiffens and I look away.
"Well... if you want to... I won't stop you..."
I have to force those words out, and I think that is audible.

Kara smiles and moves around the table. Leanna smiles at her, but gives my hand a squeeze of reassurance, before pulling Kara into her embrace.

"Oh this is comfortable..."
Soft hands play over her back, but I notice the slight increase of distance between them. Leanna isn't as close to her as she is to me.

That is at least a small reassurance to my irrational alien instincts, that almost seem to view Kara as a rival.

"Ahh... this is so relaxing..."

Leanna smiles at her.
"It's good to be able to calm people down with a touch. Sometimes, people need physical reassurance."

Kara nods.
"Makes sense..."

Her head droops slightly as Leanna plays with her hair. It doesn't seem like she's used to receiving this type of affection - more so giving it.

Soon enough, Leanna lets go.
"There you are. Did I satisfy?"

Kara nods.
"Yeah, I think so."
She stands up, a finger trailing along Leanna's outer thigh as long as it can, before she sits back down on the other side.

I, meanwhile, experience an influx of seemingly contradicting emotions. I don't want to watch them, but at the same time, I do. I feel this new emotion - jealousy, Leanna identified - burning raw, but also feel... proud?

Leanna's arm snakes back around me, seemingly not wanting to leave me alone wondering about her allegiance any longer.

Kara, for her part, seems to be smiling just a bit brighter.
"Do not lose her. That was... that was good."

I smile softly and lean into Leanna's arm.
"I don't intend to. There is nothing more important than her anymore."

"You weren't bad yourself, Kara. Nice and cool, welcoming too."

Kara laughs slightly.
"I've never been called cool before. Probably because you burn as hot as a sun."

I nod slightly.
"She is warm, isn't she?"

Leanna blushes at that.

I just mildly arc a brow, but don't question it any further. I also quickly swat away this feeling of Kara being a rival. Anyways, now that I can think clearly again, I remember something.
"Soo... shouldn't Amelia return soon? And when can we eat something? I could eat a whole Bantha."

Leanna answers swiftly.
"She'll return when she's ready. And I can get some food for you."

"Oh, that would be heavenly. I just hope that she'll be ready soon. Someone is growing restless."

Leanna gets up and gets the attention of a waiter.

Meanwhile, my statement has not been an understatement. Not having had dinner, nor a breakfast... it takes a conscious effort to have my stomach not sound out.

Soon enough, Leanna returns with food.
A large platter.

I smile at her with gratitude.
"Thank you, Leanna."

My stomach is now convinced that she is a goddess. Just another part of me she won over effortlessly.

The platter is set down with the effortless grace she seems to move with.
"Tell me if you need anything else, okay?"

I nod.
"Will do."

Then, I immediately move to eagerly eat the food. As always, I keep my regal customs, but the hunger is apparent in the speed I devour my food.
Beneath her loving gaze, the food gains a slight taste, seeming almost... empowered... by her love.
What would be mere fuel for his immense metabolism is now so much more. I pause, regarding the food with a critical eye. Then, I glance at her.

She returns his gaze consciously, slightly worried.
"What is it?"

Then, back at the food.
"Hmm..."

I shrug.
"Nothing."

I continue to eat. Either I am still experiencing an aftermath of my delirious state earlier... or Leanna can somehow subconsciously alter the taste of my food...
Naaah, it is very likely the first one. Either way, I am not going to complain. My hunger needs to be sated, after all.

Even barely holding him, I am so comfortable right now... letting her back in was the right choice. Even if this emotionally charged happiness drains my mental fortitude faster than my detached state... I believe in her. This is the right way.

She almost seems to sense my inner debate.
"How are you feeling?"

I swallow a lump of food.
"Hungry."

She smiles and pats my head.

I briefly lean into her touch, before returning my focus back to fuelling my metabolism.
And so, the large plate of food is steadily dwindling.

When it is done, I am still hungry. Less so, but still. I frown slightly, and look back up at Leanna.
"Soo... coming back to your offer for more... does it still stand?"

She nods, her hair of glorious gold waving with the motion.
"I'll get you some more food."

I smile at her lovingly.
"Thank you."

She leaves my side again, and treats to my needs. Before she leaves, she turns around, her long hair swishing about.
"Do you want anything else?"

Without really thinking about it, I blurt something out.
"Yeah, you."

Then, my words register, and I blush deeply.
"Erm... I mean... n-no... that a-assortment was a-alright."

She smiles.
"I'll see what I can do."

There is a wink of her long, entrancing eyelash. Then she leaves my sight, leaving me stupefied.

"Uuuhhh..."
I blink, stunned. Then again.
"Uuhhh..."

And once more.
"Huh..."

I just sit still, trying - and failing - to make sense of Leanna's reaction and statement.

She returns with a tray like the one I had earlier, laying it down in front of me. Then, she slides her arms around me.
"Well? Eat up."

"Uuhh..."
My cheeks tinge at her proximity, but my hunger commands me to eat more, and so I do.
"Thank you."

She settles in beside me like she belongs there, and I here. Once again I cannot ignore her warm softness seeming to wrap around me, the fires in her heart licking up my skin where they make contact, still held back by the chains of the Force...

I sigh happily. Then, I lean my head on her shoulder.

She smiles, hands quickly responding to every move I make, every sigh of joy.

The joy I feel is palpable, the very air around us seemingly charged with happiness.
All the time, I continue to eat absurd quantities of food. But eventually, that plate ends, too.

Leanna, the sweetheart she is, is ever concerned with my wellbeing.
"Do you need more?"

I ponder for a moment.
"Hmm... I think this should do until dinner."

"Okay."
She smiles at him.

My expression melts into a loving smile in return, as I quickly begin to stare at her again. I really have no resistance to her whatsoever, anymore.

She begins to scratch my head, finding quickly all my favourite spots.
It takes all my effort to not chitter out in pleasure.

She seems to notice that I'm holding back.
"Don't worry... no one here is going to shame you for sounding a bit strange."

I softly shake my head, not fully trusting words right now.

She smiles understandingly.
"Okay. As long as you know."

I nod, sending her a mental message.
'I know... just... not yet.'

She returns to her task of making me comfortable and ever more in love.
So far, she is doing a very good job with that.

I lean into her.
"But isn't that... kind of unfair of you...?"

She cutely tilts her head.
"What is?"

"You said you'd find someone that loves me, even if it is not you... and yet you continue to do your best to make me fall for you even more..."

"Oh..."
She frowns, unhappiness creeping in.
"Is that... what I'm doing?"

I nod matter of factly.
"Yes. If it is your intention or not, I'm not sure. But every action you make... just increases the love I feel for you."

"Oh."
She backs away a bit.
"I'm sorry..."

I tilt my head.
"Why are you apologizing?"

"For maybe leading you on..."

"Well, I've already told you that you are the only one for me. So to know that you are comfortable enough to do all those things... it feels very nice."

She smiles lightly.
"You feel... alright then?"

I lean into her.
"Yes. This was not meant as criticism or anything. I'm sorry if you took it like that."

She smiles again, bright and gorgeous.

"I love you, Leanna. And I only continue to learn to love you even more."

Hug. A deep, luxurious hug.
I lean into her and return the embrace happily.

"You're okay then...?"

"I'm happy, so, yes, I think I'm okay."
I smile at her, lovingly and tender.
"Thinking of this alternate way to deal with my condition was the right thing to do."

I am squeezed, Leanna pressing into me from many directions.
"I'm happy."

"Ahhh..."
I sigh in bliss. I feel so perfect, wrapped up in her arms like a present...
Like a present? Wait, Leanna once said I was a gift... I am like a present.
Heh. Maybe... perhaps she was right with her assessment, then.
I close my eyes, just enjoying the moment.
She certainly makes it hard for me to continue thinking otherwise.

Her slow, soft breaths curl lovingly over my ears.
I never considered thinking how my senses would react to such a situation, because this very situation has been unimaginable... but now I quickly find myself overwhelmed by her. Thus, I nuzzle into her, breathing in the scent of her hair. Just enrapturing...
My whisper tickles her ear.
"So perfect..."

'...glad you're happy...'

I pull back a little to smile at her with an incredibly soft and loving gaze.
'I really am. And it's all thanks to you. I love you.'

She beams at me, face turning red.
'...good...glad you have something to hope for...'

I nestle back into her.
'As am I, Leanna. As am I. This hope thing ain't so bad, after all.'

She is so warm, the flame within her burning like a welcoming hearth. Her hands slowly work up and down my arms, relaxing me further. It is as though while I am here... nothing can hurt me... everything will be alright...
I lean into her shoulder some more, and I can eventually feel some wetness creeping out of my eyes, going through her armour and dampening her fabric underneath. I make no sounds, however, aside from sighing in bliss and happiness.
She interrupts not, apparently happy to see me so comfortable. She does, however, ensure that only she knows I am tearing up, so that I remain comfortable.

That, of course, does not go unnoticed by me, and I squeeze her a bit.
'Thank you.'

'...it is nothing...you need, I provide...'
Her golden locks spill over my head, hiding it from view and lighting my entire world with her rapturous locks.

'It may seem like nothing to you...'
I hold her tight.
'But means the world to me. You mean the world to me.'

Her heart beats softly in my ears, a slow, steady keeper of time...
I close my eyes and just relax. I thought I had seen paradise every time I died... but this is even better.

Eventually, Amelia returns. She observes the scene.
"Ah, I see you have returned things to normal. You are well?"

I lift a hand lazily and throw a thumbs up.
"I feel better than ever."

"Excellent. I shall leave you to that, then."

I sigh.
"You may, but someone else doesn't."

Reluctantly, I disentangle from Leanna with great regret.

Leanna smiles one last smile my way before returning to normal posture.

My face does not betray the happy tears I just shed, and neither does Leanna's armour. I also dry her fabric while I'm at it.

Amelia cocks her head inquisitively.

I turn my attention to her.
"I think you remember that Nox wanted to talk to you yesterday, but decided not to? So now, he was more or less just waiting for your return."

"Yes, I believe so. He wishes to speak now?"

A disembodied voice sounds out in the room.
"I don't really want to talk to you, don't get the wrong idea. I just don't want to be misunderstood."

She sits down in her seat.
"Well, then speak. I will listen."

"Well, first of all, it is weird to talk with just a voice, isn't it?"

She nods.
"Indeed."

In the last free seat, red particles convene to form an image. In all but a moment, there is a seated humanoid being. Clothed in elegant red robes with golden trimmings, along with golden armour plates. He has scarlet skin, white hair, and orange eyes surrounded by black, that glow with potent power. A red, ethereal cape flows down from his back. I notice that his clothing has changed, and looks more like his Emperor's Mantle now, but only with pants instead of the robed skirt.

"You have changed your form. Is there a reason?"

"I haven't shown you my true form before. This is how I see myself."

She nods.
"I see."

I smirk.
"Yeah, now."

Nox glares at me.
"Shut it."

Amelia regards me with her ever-curious amethyst eyes.
"Now?"

"Yeah, up until you guys met him for the first time, he had a completely different look to him."

The glare sent my way intensifies.
"Xerath..."

"Why is that?"

I just shrug.
"I think I've said too much already. You should better ask him that."

Nox nods at that.
"Hmpf."

"I will not push if you do not desire that I know. What did you wish to discuss?"

He blinks.
"Oh... uhm... it's not that it is a secret or anything... I just don't want Xerath to speak for me. It's a matter of principle."

She leans forward with her pronunciation.
"I see. Then, you do wish to tell us?"

He sighs.
"If you must know..."

"I will not force you. I only wish to know."

He glances away.
"Kara... called me the 'scarlet one'... and it kind of stuck with me..."

Kara perks up and looks his way.
"Oh? Why is that?"
She smirks slightly at him, her voice as teasingly sultry as always.

He crosses his arms in front of his chest.
"I don't know! I just thought it sounded cool."

Aside from his... childish? Embarrassed? Aside from his behaviour, he looks every part of a regal god. If only his appearance seems more... cruel compared to me.

"So don't get any ideas, got it?"

"I see... well, if you're happy with it, then that's fine."
She blinks at the last sentence, and then her smirk broadens.
"Oh, I won't. None that aren't obvious."

"Good."
He then clears his throat.
"Ahem. Anyways. I've been thinking about what you said. About me being as bad as those that hurt Xerath. Being worse, even..."

She raises an eyebrow.
"Yes?"

He pauses a moment. If for added dramatic effect, or because he needs a moment to figure out the words, I do not know.
"I am not. I am aware that my goal automatically marks me as a villain in history books. I am darkness incarnate, and most would call me vile and evil without a doubt."

His intense gaze almost seems to burn into Kara's soul as he balls his fists.
"However, I am not worse than those that hurt Xerath. I am not senselessly cruel. I do not inflict useless suffering."

His alien eyes narrow.
"But at the same time, I feel that you do not take me very seriously. I do not make empty threats. Even if Xerath cares about you, I have powers at my disposal you could not even comprehend - and I'm not afraid to use them. So do not dare to look down upon me."

She leans over the table.
"I didn't think you inflicted suffering you thought was needless. Or that you wanted to, for that matter."

He blinks, confused. All the fight seems to be suspended.
"You didn't?"

She shakes her head, waving her ponytail around.
"No. People who do that are few and far between."

He shakes his head.
"Not among the Sith."

"What is easy to find are those who inflict suffering for a purpose, however shallow that may seem to someone outside their mind. People do not cause pain for no reason, Scarlet One. They cause it because they believe they have a reason."
She observes him.

"Perhaps. That will most certainly hold true for Terra. But you'd be surprised how many Sith there are that inflict pain and suffering for the sake of inflicting pain and suffering."

"I don't think I would. From what I've heard about them, they all have similar reasons. Power. Its exercise, the will to gain it, and the fear of losing it."

He shakes his head.
"Finding pleasure in bathing in the blood of foes has nothing to do with power."

"Perhaps not. But maybe it does also. After all, what better way to show superiority over someone than to stand over their bloodied corpse?"
She frowns.
"For some, that motivation makes sense."

He draws a hand to his chin.
"Hmm... then they certainly didn't think as deeply about it as you do."

"People always do things for a reason, no matter how paper-thin that reason may seem to an outsider, or whether or not they consider why they do the things they do. And you do things for reasons too. What are yours?"
She trains her emerald eyes onto his, studying him.

His gaze focuses back on her.
"This world is hell. I want to purify it."

She nods.
"Anger. Rage at a world that has wronged you, again, and again, and again."

He shakes his head.
"Wrong."

"An endless tide of persons and events that tried to crush you underfoot for reasons you do not understand - and do not care to."

"I am not angry at the world, for it has not wronged me. Xerath, yes, but not me. I am not saying that this world is hell for me. I'm saying that it is objectively hell."

She blinks, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh? Well, explain it to me then."

"What do you know about war, Kara? For you, peace is the norm, here in Esaria. For as long as you are alive, there was no war here."

"I know some. I know of the history, of how officers make men into monsters."

He nods.
"But is that all there is? Because anywhere else we look, there is war going on. Conflict and strife. Our galaxy has not known peace for as long as there is recorded history. Every bout of 'peace' was nothing more than an interlude from one war to the next. And even if there is 'peace' on a galactic scale, there are still countless 'minor' wars on a planetary scale. It's also not just limited to our galaxy, either. Even in your galaxy, every other species we observed, is fighting itself."

"And you wish to end this suffering?"

"'Peace is a lie' indeed. Intelligent life seems incapable of truly being at peace."
He nods at her.
"So yes, I do wish to end this suffering. To relieve the people of this hell and lead them to the paradise of the Force. Well, at least those that deserve it."

"And your method is a Great War. A final war, the last one that will ever be fought."

He chuckles darkly.
"It couldn't be called a war. But yes. My method is to eradicate everything."

"I see. And then... what? A silent universe, one which will never bear life again?"

He nods.
"Indeed. Then every being can finally rest happily in the paradise of the Force. Or, well, at least those that deserve it."

"And who will decide who deserves it?"

His eyes burn with the intensity of Tatooine's suns.
"I will."

But Kara doesn't seem impressed in the slightest. She crosses her arms.
"'Kill them all, the gods will recognize their own'."

He arcs a brow, inquiring her to go on.

"Do you truly think you are the first to think this way? Even on Terra, there have been others like you in that respect."

"Maybe I am not the first - I never claimed to be. But I am a god."

"And why are you a god? What sets you apart from the rest?"

He lazily counts off on his fingers.
"Power. Knowledge. Wisdom. Do I need to go on? I can evaluate people, Kara. Those that did evil deeds and are proud of them... those do not deserve the afterlife."

She frowns.
"Power is not a good reason to think yourself above others. And I do not think any being who could conceive of an afterlife of reward or punishment deserves to be called terribly wise."

His eyes narrow.
"So you doubt the Force? You doubt the existence of the afterlife?"

"That is not at issue here. I doubt that you have fully thought out the consequences of an afterlife if you think it is a good solution to this problem."

He just arcs a brow.
"Oh? Bold of you to assume I haven't thought things through. Then please, go on and enlighten me."

"Tell me, Scarlet One. How does your perceived afterlife work? Explain to me what it does."

"It holds the souls of the perished. Those that wish to hold on to their identity are allowed to do so, others simply join the Cosmic Force. As in, they rejoin the energy that birthed them."

"I see. So, those truly die, their existence ending, while others endure to do... what?"

He shrugs.
"Do whatever the heck they please. In the Force, everything is possible."

He then glances away.
"Though I have to admit that I don't quite know what exactly they do there. We never got in, after all."

"Hmm... I see. So, as for the people you judge to be unworthy?"

He returns his intense gaze to her.
"They will be fuel to my powers."

"How will that be done?"

He swirls his hand dismissively.
"Easy - absorbing their spirit. Some people also call it soul."

"Ah, that's something at least. Existential termination."

"Yeah, pretty much."

"I am glad you care enough to avoid the trap of eternal punishment. You have exceeded my expectations, Scarlet One."

He blinks.
"Huh? I have?"

"You have."
She smiles slightly.
"Many on my world who have considered this path dedicate themselves to punishing the 'wicked' as well as rewarding the 'just'. It is a sign of goodness, I believe, that you think even the vile should have an end to their suffering."

"Huh. I've... never thought of it like this..."
He looks at her with an expression of surprise and... something else.
"To think you would still find something good in me... huh."

Her smile grows.
"Most people have good somewhere. The challenge is in teasing it out and seeing what form it takes."

"A challenge which you enjoy, as you said."

"Indeed. How do you feel about this part of you?"

He just shrugs.
"Not any different. I don't really think of myself as good. My goal is the total annihilation of anything alive, after all. And this part is nothing different. I just thought that those 'vile' are just beneath me to invest that much time to put them in eternal suffering or whatever."

He turns a hand to his chin and shrugs again.
"If I'd wanted them to suffer eternally, I'd just make them immortal and leave things as they are. But then again, that would go against my goal, so... eh."

"I see. But why do you care what I think about this? Why spend time correcting one of the people who must necessarily die for your dream to emerge?"

He blinks.
"Uhh..."

He then crosses his arms and turns away.
"Aside from Xerath's closest friend, you are the first people that know of my existence. And since I am stuck with Xerath, my presence involuntarily has an effect on your opinion of him, for us. As such I wish to not be misunderstood. This has nothing to do with you or anything... got it?"

"I see..."
She seems slightly suspicious.

"Hmpf. Besides, all of that... is just my secondary goal."

That gets a raised eyebrow from Kara.
"Oh?"

He glances over at me, his expression unusually soft.
"My highest priority is to support Xerath. Sure, I may think that he is stupid and weak... but that's just all the more reason that I have to protect him."

He looks back at Kara.
"You see, I was born of Xerath's darkest emotions that had been locked away for years. I am a being that should not exist - a wound in the Force. As such, I am both an independent being and still a part of him. Even though I'm technically younger, I consider myself his older brother. And so I have to look out for him, right?"

His gaze droops.
"I... I want for him to be happy, that he can accomplish his goals... After all, we have the same goal, but different methods. And I do hope that he will make his goals reality... though I doubt it will happen."

She smiles at him.
"I'm glad you care, Scarlet One. We all deserve to be in a world with things we care about."

I gaze over at him with a warm smile.
"Nox..."

Said god averts his gaze from me and lands at looking at Kara, then proceeds to scratch his cheek.

I catch his thought, of how he is suddenly glad he has chosen red skin, as nobody will be able to see him blush now.
"Yeah..."

Her smirk widens.
"I thank you for your honesty."

"Erm... well... uh... you're... welcome?"
He does not seem to be used to receiving thanks.
"A-anyways! As much as I enjoy being called 'Scarlet One'... I'd much prefer to be called by my name - properly, that is."

Leanna places a hand on his shoulder.
"We'll try, Nawx."

Her hand phases through his shoulder. Nox sighs.
"Thanks... But you even got it last time, why did you bonk it again?"

She blinks.
"Was it Nox? I think there's a difference..."

He nods.
"Yes, it's Nox."

"Sorry... it's just hard..."

"It's..."
He takes a breath.
"It's alright. I... thank you for trying... Maybe it would be easier if you pronounce it like 'knocks', as in 'she knocks on the door'?"

His words call smiles his way.
"I think we tried that, though. Knyocks."

He sighs, deeply suffering.
"Well, at least you're not doing this on purpose... But Leanna seems to have gotten it... maybe you could like... ask her or something..."

She nods.
"It's hard. Listening for it is the big hurdle, though. It's the difference between 'ny' and 'en'."

Kara appears to grimace.
"I didn't catch that, sorry."

Nox nods.
"Apology accepted. As long as you'll get it right next time."
Even though his words are sharp, his expression is... less so.

She snorts.
"I think I'll end up just saying Scarlet One for a little while in that case. That okay for you?"

"It is preferable to having my name butchered, yes."

She smiles at him.
"Is that everything, then?"

He scratches his cheek.
"Well, that basically concludes everything I wanted to say, yes..."

Even though this would be a moment for him to leave, he seems... strangely reluctant to do so. His intense gaze sweeps over Zack and Amelia.
"Do you two have something to add? You were rather silent during our discussion, after all."

Amelia shakes her head, but Zack looks over at him.
"You're stalling, aren't you?"

"Wh-what? Stalling what? What are you on about?"

"You want to stay here for a while - or at least away from where you'd go if you weren't here. Why is that?"

Nox crosses his arms.
"I'm sure you must be mistaken."

Zack cocks a brow, making it disappear behind his bangs.
"Then why don't you just leave? If you aren't interested in what we have to say, why stay?"

Nox blinks, slightly tilting his head.
"What gave you the impression I wasn't interested in what you have to say? It is the reason I asked you just now in the first place."

"Alright."
He backs off, letting him notice the contradiction on his own time.
"We were listening. Kara was doing a good job."

"I see. That explains your silence. Well, alright then. If there's nothing else, I'll depart."
His gaze sweeps across the group.
They seem surprisingly at ease with him. It's an unexpected feeling for him, to be accepted... even if only somewhat.

Surprising even myself, I speak up, addressing everyone.
"Why don't you stay, Nox? Would anyone have problems with that?"

"Nope."
Leanna smiles.

"It's alright."
Kara shakes her head.
"He's not hurting anyone, after all."

"I see no issue."
Amelia nods.

Zack shrugs.
"If he wants."

Nox blinks a few times.
"Huh... uhm, well... if you insist... I suppose I could stay for a bit..."

I chuckle.
"Yeah, yeah. It's fine. My mind's structure is still in top shape, no need to focus on it right now."

The image of Nox settles in on the seat.
"Alright, then..."

"We won't insist you stay, Nox. Stay only if you want to. I, for one, wouldn't want to force you to do anything."
Leanna beams at him.

Nox scratches his cheek.
"It's fine..."

I send a mental message to Leanna.
'Don't mind him. That's his way of saying he wants to stay, but not admitting it. Don't tell him I told you that, though.'

She nods slightly.
'...just want to get him comfortable with saying what he means...'

'Well, I know you mean well, but I think he just needs time to figure himself out.'

'...okay...'

'Being embarrassed is a foreign concept for him, after all.'

She begins scratching my head.
'...hope it stops being foreign eventually...otherwise he'll have trouble dealing with Kara...'

Nox shifts in his seat. His expression and most of his body language seem calm... or as calm as the Dark Lord is capable of, to the experienced people in this room, it almost seems as if he is... nervous?

I lean into her touch.
'Eh, it'll be fine. Eventually. Probably.'

Nox then clears his throat.
"Ahem. So... uhm... what now?"

Kara folds her hands behind her head and leans back.
"Now? We just relax."

Nox arcs a brow.
"But wouldn't that be boring?"

"Well, we don't talk continuously. Sometimes, it's time to sit back and wait for things. Just enjoy the environment."

"Ah, so kind of like a meditation."

"Yes, like that."

"Hm. I don't need to be around others to do that, though."

I chime in.
"Actually, how about we play a bit?"

Leanna smiles.
"What should we play?"

I shrug.
"What we played last time, perhaps? I still got my cards."
I pat the deck that still sits on the table.

She nods somewhat eagerly.
"lright. Let's do that."

I take the deck and begin to shuffle it, once again trying to impress Leanna with fancy shuffling moves.

Leanna just shrugs, obviously not certain what I'm doing. Maybe she thinks it's just necessary.

My head droops slightly, and I shuffle normally, then deal the cards.

She notices that, however.
"What is it?"

"I... was trying to impress you..."

She blinks.
"What? You wanted to impress me with shuffling? I thought that was just how you shuffled..."

"Yes, it was just how I did it because I wanted to impress you... I mean, it would completely suffice to just do it normally like this."
I take back some cards and shuffle normally to point out the difference.
"I never got around to play cards often, but some of my smuggler friends taught me how to do those flashy moves, and I wanted to impress you with them."

"I see... so you were making things harder for yourself with the hope that it would catch my attention?"

I nod.
"Yes, basically."

"I'm sorry..."
She combs my hair.
"I wish I'd noticed earlier..."

I shake my head.
"Not your fault."

Nox clears his throat.
"You two lovebirds done soon?"

I blush.
"Uhh, right, sorry."
I then deal the cards.

Leanna turns to Nox, gaze flat.
"That wasn't very nice to Xerath."

Nox shrugs.
"Well, I never claimed to be nice."

"But you did claim to care about him."

"Yes. But doesn't mean that I have to pamper him."

"Is it pampering to let him have some moments of joy between the demands of the world?"

"Personally, I'd say yes, because those moments of joy could potentially have catastrophic consequences for his mind."

"Well, what does he think?"

Both Nox and I blink in unison.
""What does who think?""

She turns to me.
"Xerath, what's your opinion on this? I find it odd that Nox didn't ask your opinion and just directed you to cease an activity you enjoyed."

I sink a bit into the seat.
"That this entire situation is exceedingly embarrassing?"

Then I shrug.
"Besides, I mean, he does have a point. I shuffled the deck for long enough. There's no point in keeping everyone waiting any longer..."

To her other side, Nox nods.

"Alright."
She turns her attention back to the Dark Lord.
"But Nox, it isn't a crime to take a little time. Okay? Please be more polite to your 'little brother' in the future."

He grunts in response.
"Hmph."

If the sound was acknowledging or dismissive in nature, we can't quite tell.

Leanna's expression turns a bit sour, showing her disappointment.
"Nox, you aren't exactly selling the idea that you care about Xerath."

He glares at her, his glowing eyes boring into her soul.
"If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even have a Xerath to dote over. Do not doubt me."

Her soul is unyielding.
"Oh, I'm sure that I could thank the 'generosity' of several other people Xerath has met for his reaching here."

Nox crosses his arms in annoyance.
"I think you misunderstand, but whatever."

"Ensuring that someone is still alive isn't always a high moral bar, Nox. While I'm thankful that he is alive, I'm not sure I should thank Harkon for not electrocuting him."

His eyes narrow dangerously.
"First, it was Harkun. Second, not killing someone and saving someone at every opportunity are two very different things entirely. It was me who kept the ghosts under control. It was me who saved his mind from Valkorion's wipe."

Noticing Nox's building rage, I decide to step in and put a hand on Leanna's shoulder. I'm glad she's getting upset on my behalf, but Nox is the wrong target for that.
"Let it be, Leanna. It's okay."

She sighs, some tension leaving her shoulders.
"Fine. I just believe that a good sibling does more than just save your life."

She looks back to Nox.
"But you're busy, and stressed. It's possible you have decent reasons."

She gives my shoulder a squeeze in return.
"But I think he deserves someone who doesn't only care about him in the harsh way. Xerath needs love, too."

Nox's expression softens.
"That I can agree with. Though I doubt I would be a suitable candidate for that. Love... is not an emotion I am made out of, after all."

He scoffs.
"Not that I'd need it, anyways."

Leanna's expression turns more optimistic again as well.
"Maybe if you put in a little effort, you could fit into that a bit more. I'm sure you could find some selfish reasons to be a little more loving."

He arcs a brow.
"I think you misunderstand, Leanna. I am a being born from hatred, animosity, and rage. All of Xerath's dark emotions he bottled up. I literally have no love in me."

"If you say so."

"Not that I'd need it, anyways, given how ineffective it makes Xerath..."

She smiles.
"But I think a being born of pure animosity wouldn't even care about his brother. Not even in the way you seem to."

"Our relationship is... difficult. I am a part of him as much as I am my own being."

She raises a challenging eyebrow.
"And despite your aspirations, you do not believe you can grow beyond what the universe forced you to be?"

He answers promptly with a confident smirk.
"Why should I? I'm perfect."

She chuckles.
"Perhaps. But you might find someday that there are other things to aspire to. I look forward to seeing you wrestle with them."

He makes a sound of acknowledgement.
"Hmph."

Kara stretches, pulling her arms far above her head.
"Weeeeeeeell, this has been quite touching, but if he won't budge we should start. Shall we begin?"

I an feel that Nox's attention is drawn to Kara's movement. Not that his image would betray that.

I smile relieved, eager to leave that conversation behind.
"Yes, let's do that."

Nox nods as well.
"Very well."

The others pick up their cards. Nox moves to pick up his cards as well, but his arm phases through the table.
"Ah..."
Then, the cards float up into his hands, so that it looks like he holds them.

Now that everyone is ready, play begins.

Remembering the rules from last time, I once more am a formidable opponent, but Nox is just on another level. He does not seem to make a single bad play. It's almost as if... almost as if he could read everyone's minds.

I notice Amelia focusing her intelligent amethyst eyes on him for just a bit longer than neccessary after each play. She's studieng the Dark Lord, no doubt. She quickly pits herself against him.

Meanwhile, I steadily continue to improve myself as well, and am quickly about evenly matched with her, too.

Amelia's strategies remain conventional until the seventh round - until I see her perform an action that Nox cannot counter without revealing that he definitely saw it coming.

He hums softly. He doesn't let it get to him, and plays it safe, acting like he falls for her trick.

Amelia is immediately onto him.
"Interesting. Nox, have you been cheating?"

He arcs a brow at her.
"What makes you think that?"

Her focused eyes fixate on his realistic illusion.
"Simple: you have been predicting the majority of moves around the table for the entire game. And yet this one blindsides you simply because you could only have played against it if you predicted it? If you were merely predicting cards, you would have nothing to be ashamed of, and yet you chose to try and hide what you were doing. So I think you were doing something outside the rules."

Nox acts unbothered.
"Yes. Because this single play went completely against your previous behaviour, while the others are easily readable."

"Was it now?"
She turns to me.
"Xerath, would you please watch him to make sure he is not abusing his abilities to win at a children's card game?"

Ican only shrug.
"I'm afraid I can't."

Nox decides to reply to Amelia himself as well.
"You might as well ask me to close my eyes while playing. It's... kind of the same thing."

"Oh well. I'm afraid that I therefore cannot partake in this game."
She withdraws her bet from the centre of the table.

Nox frowns and crosses his arms.
"It's not my fault you can't shield your mind against even curious glances."

That admission sets the table off.
Zack stands up immediately.
"So you have been cheating this whole time - and with mental manipulation, too."

Nox merely arcs a brow.
"I haven't manipulated you. Merely read what you thought."

Kara scowls at Nox, and Leanna seems very disappointed.
"Same magic."

While I have the instinct to make it up to her, Nox remains more or less unbothered.
"Oh, sure. It's also the same magic of lighting a bonfire and burning down a house."

"I don't know if you know this, but looking in someone else's head here? That's not something you do. At all. Neither the bonfire or the house are allowed to be lit."

"Yes. And I don't know if you know this, but this is the basic state for me. Reading your thoughts is about the same as if you'd speak them out aloud for me."
He arcs a brow.
"It seems you never really took it serious when Xerath and I say that we're gods, do you?"

Zack chimes in again, his voice low.
"Well, gunplay is a basic state for me, and you don't see me swinging them around whenever something doesn't go my way in a game."

Nox only raises a brow in mild annoyane.
"Yes, but you don't start blasting with a mere glance, do you?"

"Exactly. If you can't keep a lid on that, you don't belong at a table like this."

He closes his eyes.
"Alright. Then maybe I don't."

Leanna speaks again, being the welcoming beacon of love she is despite being disappointed.
"Get some practice, and we'll be happy to welcome you back when you don't compulsively cheat at Hearts."

He glares at her.
"Sure. And will you learn how to play blindfolded?"

Kara seems slightly miffed as she joins in.
"Those aren't the same thing and you know it. You're supposed to be able to see your cards. You're not supposed to see your opponent's cards or minds."

"They are the same in the way that they are natural senses to me."

She shakes her head.
"That doesn't matter. The senses required and prohibited by the rules are what matters."

Nox scowls.
"Heh. Discriminated not only by reality, but also by the rules of a card game."

Zack speaks again. If this topic wouldn't be so uncomfortable, I'd be amazed that he's saying so much.
"Elves can train their eyes to the point that they can spot microscopic tells. The result is that it's not fun to play against them if you're human."

But I guess having his privacy breached like that bothers all of them. Especially with what I've seen of their culture so far...

"Very well."
Nox puts down his cards.

"Same deal here. If you read minds, it's not fun to play against you."

He crosses his arms and frowns.
"Oh, so reading minds is off limits, but counting cards isn't? I do believe that is also against the rules."

Kara frowns.
"Counting cards is something anyone can learn to do. It's a skill thing, not a magic thing. And it's not biological."

"That is false. It requires a high intellect and focus to be pulled off. Something not everyone has."

Kara's eyes shine with swirling emotions.
"It requires practice, and the desire to do so. Nothing more."

He arcs a brow.
"Again, false. Skills have a certain threshold of requirements. Some people do not meet those requirements, and won't be able to learn those skills, regardless of how much practice they put into it."

He huffs.
"But who am I telling that? A society that also believes anyone can learn magic."

"I think that the Force has poisoned you into believing that only special people can do special things."

I've remained quiet throughout this debate so far, but now I think I should speak up. I... don't want them to get a wrong picture of the Force, so I shake my head.
"Not... quite..."

But Kara apparently hasn't heard me. At least I'll assume that.
"So what I'm hearing from him is this: slavery isn't wrong, they were just wrong to enslave people like you."

Now, both Nox and I ball our fists, speaking simultaneously.
""This is not what I / he said, and you know it!""

Kara is obviously charged, her expression challenging.
"Wasn't it? Then please, explain how else I am supposed to interpret the claim that some people are just... better than others? Just innately better, and there is little the lessers can do to improve their station."

"Not better, but different. People have different skills, different areas where they naturally specialise in."
Nox is silent, stewing in anger as he lets me talk, or else he might escalate things even further.
"But Nox is ultimately right. Every skill you can learn... has certain requirements. Requirements some people fulfil and others do not."

"And what requirements are those?"
Leanna doesn't seem to like this conversation. She is sitting in her own seat now. I already miss her presence next me...

But I try to not let it affect me. Not visibly, at least.
"Depends on the skill in question. A certain threshold of intelligence, or a specific way of thinking, a certain level of focus, or memory. Those requirements are virtually everything."

"And how are these thresholds... bestowed?"

"Biologically. Genetically, to be precise."

"So some people are just smarter than others."
Kara concludes.

I nod.
"For example, yes."

Kara seems uncomfortable with this, her expression and posture getting slightly harder.
"I assume you think that those people should be in charge."

"If their intelligence is required for the job, that would be beneficial. But "being in charge" requires more than just raw intellect."

"And because they lack intelligence, what better place for the dumb than in labour - from which they can never escape, because they're obviously just too dumb to do anything else."

Now even I begin to glare.
"What do you think of me? Not once have I ever used the word 'dumb'. And even so, the species that I'd categorize as such are few and far in between. For most people, of what you'd think of, they can achieve many things. But not everyone can do all the things."

"No, they can't. But that isn't because they lacked some innate ability. That's because no one has the time to learn everything."

"For example, only someone with exceptional memory could memorize an entire dictionary reliably. But the same person may also struggle with artistic creation."
I arc a brow as I find the last argument... little convinving.
"I thought the elves are immortal? As such they should have all the time."

She seems to only answer my example, though.
"Exactly - but neither of those things are innate."

"Actually, they are. To the largest part, at least. In a small margin that can be influenced with training."

"Oh, but otherwise they'll fit the mould they were born into, huh? How convenient that the universe divides people up into the roles they'll fill for you."

I cross my arms.
"I get the feeling you misunderstand my argument. I have observed that people have innate talents - strengths and weaknesses they have from birth. Individuals may show to be more proficient in one area and lacking in another, and what those things are varies between every individual."

Kara arcs a delicate brow in challange.
"What kinds of strengths and weaknesses?"

I shrug my shoulders.
"Everything, really. Some may excel at maths, while others can't grasp anything beyond simple calculations. Some have an artistic mind and can create masterpieces, but might struggle to have technical understanding. This is virtually endless."

"Okay, two things for that."
She crosses her arms.
"We'll start with the less important one. You mean to say that - say - Amelia is as good as she is because she was meant to be, right?"

I nod.
"That's part of it, yes."

She frowns a little.
"Do you understand how much that devalues her own efforts?"

"It does not."

"Oh it does. You're effectively saying that Amelia got to where she is because she's just better than everyone else at magic and didn't have to work as hard as they did for her accomplishments."

I shake my head in disagreement.
"She achieved everything on her own efforts. However, someone else most likely would not have managed to achieve as much so fast as she has done, even if given the same opportunities. And yes, as a matter of fact, she is better at magic than mostly everyone else from your entire generation."

Her gaze flattens in disinterest.
"Wow, that's so different from what I said, thank you so much for clarifying."

She drops the audible sarcasm.
"Except it doesn't change the problem at all. You're still saying she succeeded because she's special."

I nod, disregarding her sass. I do not like being sassed, but she's a friend, I'll let it slide.
"Yes."

I tilt my head.
"And I do not see how this is a problem."

Her face ignites again.
"Don't you see how the idea of specialness flies in the face of equality? If you don't think just anyone could've done what she did, then you're saying they are worse at it than she is - and that is the foundation of the next argument: the one about how these special people are better than other people and should receive the help they need to get to where they're born to be. And oh, isn't it convenient how the special people we like are all doing valuable jobs and get political power and money and stuff!"

It seems they still do not quite understand my point of view. Have I explained myself poorly? If so, let's try again. I scratch my cheek.
"Well, yes, but actually, no. Nobody is fundamentally better or worse than others. They simply have certain areas where they are better than others, and areas where they are worse than others. But that does not make them any less worth as people."

I gaze at Kara intently.
"I don't know about your society, but mines are certainly screwed very much in that regard. Often times it's not the people who are actually better that are in the positions of valuable jobs with political power and high wages. It's not as simple as that, unfortunately."

She leans back in her seat.
"Well, at least you admit it."

I arc a brow, slightly confused.
"Admit what, exactly?"

"Simple. The 'some people are better than others at certain tasks' line is noblist rhetoric. And people endorsing it are one of the reasons people are in places they aren't skilled for."

I blink.
"Ah. I see. And I assume they used that to justify a lot of bad things?"

She nods energetically.
"Oh yes. It's a very nice line, meshes very cleanly with the ideas of hereditary rule and such."

I nod, seeing her point.
"Yeah. I can see that. I would like to mention that I mean my argument in a fundamentally different way than they do, though."

She arcs a brow challengingly.
"Oh do you? You think that these people are randomly scattered around, then?"

I nod again. Finally.
"Yes, precisely."

"Then why does it even matter? Why should we even talk about these people if we have no way to filter them out?"

"It matters to the development of the individual."

"So we can choose for them what their career path is?"

"No. If the individual does not want to follow a certain career, that should be that. Otherwise, it wouldn't be any better than slavery."
I spit the word out with venom.

"So how exactly does discovering this help the individual? If you care about their freedom, this seems like something you shouldn't ever touch."

"It is an option. People that follow development in an area they are naturally talented in can reach great heights, which might make them more happier. But if they don't have any interest in what they're good at, then that's fine, too. Even if they want to do something in the area they're not so good at, they should be supported, even if their training may take longer."

Kara now seems a bit confused, her earlier righteous fury depleted.
"If that's the case, again: what good does this do? Why work on this only to later ignore it? Why expend effort on something you can't take full advantage of without turning to slavery?"

I tilt my head.
"I didn't say that you should expend efforts on it, did I? I merely stated the fact that natural talents exist, and have a large role in our innate strengths and weaknesses."

"Again: why do we care? People being naturally better at some things only matters if you can measure and sort them beforehand. Otherwise, what exactly changes about your society? What do you do about this if you don't do anything?"

I shrug.
"I don't do much. But that wasn't the point of this argument, was it?"

"So why does it matter? Why do you care?"

"It does matter because it is a fact. One I was able to observe. You said something that was wrong from my point of view, yet you became more confrontational than I liked, to be honest."

She raises her voice somewhat.
"Why wouldn't I? I'm worried!"

I raise my voice a bit as well, feeling irritated.
"Worried about what, exactly? That I would condone, or even worse, support slavery? I, of all people?"

I feel my eyes sting with the first signs of wetness.
"To be honest, that insinuation stung quite much."

"Yes! You're using the same language they use to justify their positions."

I ball my fists tightly.
"Well, I can assure you that I abhor slavery with every fibre of my being."

"There's something that can happen to people that are ground underfoot. It's called internalizing abuse. You can understand that it was wrong that you were at the bottom, but now you're at the top and it's okay now. Or maybe it was good that you spent time in the gutter - that made you strong. Or whatever else."
She gazes at me, sympathy in her emerald eyes.
"I don't want that to be you, okay? That's why I'm worried. We have too many people that lose sight of what's wrong after they get out."

I cast my gaze down.
"No... nobody deserves to be ruled over like that. Just because I got out of it, doesn't mean it's suddenly okay..."

I look back at her, tears forming in my eyes.
"My next big project after stopping the current wars in the galaxy is to crack down on and outlaw slavery. The thought that there are still people forced to do... things against their wills like that is disgusting me..."

I feel a hand on my shoulder, radiating comfort and comraderie. Kara continues.
"Just remember, okay? The idea that people can be naturally better than others at something - anything - is the root of hierarchies. It's the seed they grow from. Watch it closely, and you should be okay."

Amelia cocks her head, standing in the doorframe.
"This was what you were arguing with me about, wasn't it?"

I give a small smile to Leanna, then nod at Kara, and finally gaze at Amelia.
"Indeed. This was a part of it."
I wipe my eyes.

Her intelligent eyes are trained on me, nodding slightly to herself.
"Interesting. I feel that I now understand your position then, Xerath."

I blink at her.
"You do?"

She walks over to her seat.
"Yes, where before I did have an understanding of what you were talking about, now you have explained things."

She sits down in a proper way.
"Is this surprising?"

"No... it's just... given Kara's reaction, I thought I did a poor job explaining my position..."

Zack shakes his head.
"It's not you."

Kara nods.
"Yeah, it's that what you were saying was similar to some things that other people say."

I sigh, relieved.
"I see. Well, rest assured that we do not intend to demean anyone... it's just that every person has unique, innate strengths and weaknesses. It's neither good or bad, it just... is."

"And I disagree. But that's okay, okay?"

I am not quite comfortable with that, but do want to bring this topic to a close.
"Well, if you want to continue to believe that, I won't force of you otherwise."

Everyone is calm for a moment. Then Kara eyes Nox.
"But privacy is considered a right here. Do respect ours."

He just shrugs.
"I would, if I could."

"What's stopping you? Like you said, you could play with a blindfold on. Unlike sight, you don't need to read minds to be able to navigate the world."

He crosses his arms.
"I can read your minds with a glance. To me, it's as if you're walking around naked and then reprimand me that I look."

"That's not on us. That's on you."

"Nope."

"Don't tell us what to wear, teach yourself not to stare. If a glance is all it takes, wear blinders."

"You see, in our society, mind reading is actually fairly common. That's why most people who expect to come into contact with Sith usually prepare their minds. They put on clothes, so to speak."

"Does every member, down to non-Sith, learn this?"

"They can, yes."

She presses on.
"Do they all?"

Nox just nods stoically.
"Anyone who expects to deal with Sith, yes."

"And how much time and effort does it take? How much effort do the masses expend adapting to the powerful?"

He shrugs.
"It doesn't take that much. If you know what you're doing, you can train your mind in one session of meditation. Several hours or something, for the first, rudimentary layer."

Kara is not impressed.
"How about for someone who is taking their first lesson in the Force?"

But Nox doesn't particularly care, either.
"Same thing. It's independent of the Force."

"Oh, how interesting. So, across a kingdom, millions of hours spent to cater to you. Now, how much effort would it take for you to just not look?"

He cocks a brow.
"If you want me to never look at you again and to ignore your existence? Not much."

"Sounds alright, but try just mental blocking. I can't assume it is impossible for someone as mighty as you to do such a thing."

"Actually, it pretty much is."
He lazily throws a thumb in my direction.
"You see, I work a bit different than Xerath here. I do not have brakes."

"Really? Because for Shadow Mages it's the simplest thing, even if you discount turning off their powers - which we shall. Simply reverse a mental barrier to surround yourself."

"Yes. But I'm not a Shadow Mage. I'm a wound in the Force. A being that should not exist. I function unlike anything you know."

Kara speaks just a tadbit softer.
"I understand if you cannot gouge out your eyes, but nothing should stop you from putting on a blindfold. Not even being beyond my understanding. You aren't beyond your own."

"Well, no. But it won't work. The sense with which I look at you, and the one with which I read your mind... are one and the same."

She blinks.
"Oh? How odd. I still see no reason you can't fix the issue, however."

He shrugs.
"I'm just a mental presence. I do not have any physical senses to fall back on, I only see you through the Force. And in the Force, I see everything."

Amelia doesn't look up from her notes, which she has taken out after the lull in conversation earlier.
"Why not create one?"

"Too dangerous."

"Eyes are not difficult. Just focus light onto a place that detects it. Sound is the same, but to vibrations in the air. Smell is detecting chemicals. None of these require you to have presence beyond your projection."

Kara doesn't ignore his remark.
"What's so dangerous about it?"

He deadpans at Amelia.
"I know how senses work, thank you."

"You're welcome."
She still doesn't look up, diligently sketching something.

Then he looks at Kara.
"Oh, many reasons. For one, it'd be useless to create a body that I'd inhabit for just an hour a day. But what's dangerous, is that I'd have to divide my attention from Xerath's mind, which can be fatal. Thanks for the new crack earlier, by the way. But the most dangerous part is, if my presence comes into contact with your world."

Kara nods, but sounding less sure than before.
"Okay... there still has to be a way around it..."

Amelia raises her hand.

Nox glances at her with his red orbs of power.
"Yes? Do you have another ingenious remark?"

If she doesn't recognize his mocking tone or just chooses to ignore it, is not obvious.
"Why not create a reusable sensory interface that persists in between visits?"

He lazily twirls a hand.
"Because I would be required to reach out with my presence to control it."

"Let's test that. What things would be necessary for it to work?"

"And unless you are keen to have the equivalent of a black hole dropped on the surface of Terra, that is not a good idea."

"And yet you are not required to reach out with your presence to control..."
She gestures at his spectral form.
"...this, so obviously there are some things you can do."

"Yes. This is merely an illusion. But as soon as it goes to something solid, I'd be required to reach out my presence to control it."

"And at least to me, creating an observing machine and leashing it to your ghost as you move around doesn't seem as involved as creating a ghost in the first place is. How is the illusion manufactured?"

"Refracting the light particles."

Her amethyst eyes seem to light up.
"Oh? So you can interact with the world?"

He nods slightly, slowly.
"In a way. I can tell things to do a certain thing. It becomes a problem if I create a feedback loop."

"Okay, so how would a feedback loop be formed? When you do something to an item and it then does something back to you, and so on?"

He nods.
"Precisely."

"So to create a safe sensory apparatus, we need it to feed you information without you needing to manipulate it. Or at least, we need layers of material information transfer in between you and the apparatus, which would perhaps be less than desirable due to signal delay..."

"Yes."

She regards him.
"So to overcome these issues, the best method is to use a device that doesn't ask you about anything at all. As long as you are only looking at it and moving it around, will that work if it doesn't know or care you exist?"

He just arcs a brow.
"And how would that device not care about me if it needs to send me information?"

"By doing it without working with the Force. It would be sending out the information into nowhere. That you are there to pick it up is incidental."

"Hmm..."
He hums, mulling it over quickly.
"It could potentially work. I'd say the chances between this working or the planet imploding are somewhere between fifty-fifty."

"If not, Xerath is also a telekinetic. We would only need an omnidirectional sensory apparatus to make up for the fact that you cannot personally control how it is pointing."

He looks deadpan at her.
"That would be utterly pointless."

That makes her pause, looking at him with a cutely tilted head.
"Oh?"

"I receive the same information that Xerath does. If I can't control where to look at, I might as well just continue doing that."

"Oh? Then why not just do what he does to avoid looking at us?"

He sighs.
"I hate to repeat myself. My powers work a bit different in that regard. I have no limiter."

"Then let him filter."

He rolls his eyes.
"Doesn't work."

"Alright, then why would this? What is the difference between gleaning his data on the state of light, and a third party's?"

"That was not what you were asking."

"Actually, it was. Use his senses instead of your own unlimited ones."

"Ah. I see. Yes, I suppose I could do that."
He arcs a brow, completely impassive.
"But I fail to see why I should do that."

Amelia still speaks matter-of-factly.
"It makes us uncomfortable that you invade our privacy, and we are seeking options for rectifying this so you can remain in our company should you wish."

"Well, it's easy, then. Shield your mind."

"If this is simpler than each of us spending several hours learning an otherwise useless skill, we should consider it."

He huffs.
"Useless? Hardly. Strengthening your mental defences is rather worthwhile."

"I, for one, do not agree with the implication that a city that does not build walls deserves to be sacked."

He looks at her intently, the two suns he has as eyes burning intensely.
"But it does."

"Oh how simple the world must seem to those who believe in only strength."

"There is exactly one universal truth - strength. You may not like it, but neither I nor the universe will care."

"Strength is of value, but not for itself. Strength must exist for use my example, what use would the walls have if not for the city? If not for the city they would be but empty monuments to a hollow ideology. For walls need defenders, they need builders, they need captains. The defenders need armouries, houses, schools. The builders need academies, sculptors, and farms. Radiating out from these walls is a city, each part of them needed by the walls - but the only thing that the city needs the walls for are invaders."

Nox looks at her impassive. Almost bored, even.
"Are you about done?"

Amelia seems unbothered by his attitude.
"Hmm, yes, why not?"

"Maybe next time you will find something to tell me that Xerath hasn't already."

"Perhaps we shall one day. But I think that if you are to believe us, you'll have to find a reason to believe us in yourself."

"Perhaps. Just to entertain you, though. The world is a wild place. Conflict is in the nature of life. So if your life - your city means anything to you, then it is up to you to protect it. Survival of the fittest. If you can't compete, you will perish."

"If we do not wish to transcend our more... primitive urges, why should we live in cities in the first place?"

He shrugs.
"Because people like to think of themselves as 'civilised', perhaps?"

He chuckles darkly.
"But really, it is all nothing more than a hoax. If push really comes to shove... everyone will fight for themselves. It does not take much for societies to collapse."

"Perhaps the societies you have seen."

"Yes."

"And to threats beyond the ken of their advancement."

"Maybe your society will be the one that is different. The chance does exist. But from what I have seen so far? It's doubtful."
He regards Amelia with a look of... honestly, I don't quite know what that mixture of expressions is. It's definitely not positive, though.
"Maybe you feel all noble from your sheltered life inside the great city. But the universe does not work like that, little mage."

"Then we ought to expand the shelter, shouldn't we? If the universe fails us, it should bend knee to hammer and sword."

He laughs out loud.
"Exactly!"

"Force should be used to make the universe understand a new language. The one of peace. And then none will need these again."

"Heh. You are so ig-"
I glare at him, and Nox correctes.
"-idealistic it's adorable."

"But that doesn't change that force is only the first tool used to purify the wilderness. It is only needed so long as there are more vile forces in the wilderness - or an empire which does not reject its primitivity. Which should not be too much of a problem, all other things being equal."

Nox sighs heavily and looks to Leanna.
"Is she delusional or something? Actually, do you even have predators on Terra? Do you understand the concept?"

Our local angle answers swiftly, not startled much by being suddenly addressed.
"Yes, we do. But even things like War Wyrms are not too great of a threat. Without the support of VOID, they cannot stand before transteel blades. And while War Wyrms will only ever be animals, our capabilities continue to grow."

"Because I'm finding it increasingly difficult to believe this ignorant scrap our dear Amelia here continues to spew."

Amelia seems intrigued.
"What sort of predators do you have that weapons and organization are not sufficient to extinguish them?"

He smirks, listing off his fingers.
"Oh, there are plenty. Acklays, Nexu, Rancors, Gundarks... all of which simple animals, dangerous enough to threaten entire columns of soldiers. Or how about Rakghouls, that reproduce by hitting other beings, turning them into a new Rakghoul. Or the Colicoids, which are a hyper intelligent society of isolationist omnivorous bugs?"

"How awful!"
Leanna is shocked.

Amelia shakes her head.
"Terra has nothing like that. I believe that if we were to grow to the point of existing on other planets, any such creatures would have to be exterminated before a world would be considered suitable for habitation."

Nox shrugs.
"Esaria has nothing like that. I'm pretty sure the Proxians would disagree with your statement right now."

"Do they? Perhaps we should aid them then - after all, their society is not equipped to deal with such creatures."

He looks at Amelia, narrowing his eyes.
"And you can tell that how, exactly? Fun fact, their society is much better suited to deal with them than you are."

Amelia arcs a dainty brow.
"Is it now? Why is that? Is it because of Cataclysmarine?"

He blinks.
"Ah. That's your name for Beskar, right?"

"Yes, it is roughly how it translates: 'strong wave iron'."

"It plays a role, but is not everything. They are a steely warrior species. But that is unimportant right now. The thing you need to understand is that Terra is the exception, not the rule. You live on a sheltered garden world - likely an artificial paradise. Life outside of Terra does not work like it does here."

I can almost see how her scientific spirit is challenged, burning brightly within her.
"But why should Terran theory not still apply? If anything, if only needs more. We had warrior cultures before. They were ground to dust before the weight of civilization. Making the monsters stronger doesn't invalidate the model. We just need stronger kingdoms."

"And yet the Proxians endure - thrive, even."

"They have not been in contact with us. They had no room for an industrial base. Their strategy works for them. But it could be improved."

Nox shrugs.
"Everything could be improved."

"Because no matter how strong you build the people, nature is stronger, and the way you kill it is with spears, and fire. These things do not grow on trees. They must be made."

"Well, technically, a lightning bolt setting a tree ablaze would let fire grow on a tree."
Ugh, he just loves being right, doesn't he?

"No amount of training can allow either an Esarian or a Proxian to bridge the gap between themselves and a War Wyrm. They need tools. Metal and magic and tactics. All things that we must craft."

"Wrong again. Magic is a natural part of people."

"Not for us: we need crystals. And to craft spells."

He looks off into the distance. I notice he idly watches some of the people in question.
"And I'm actually fairly certain an elite Proxian warrior would be a fairly even match for a War Wyrm."

"How good for them. We can produce effective responses for them as well."

Nox just shakes his head bemused.
"You have no idea what they are capable of."

"You have no idea what we are."

"You'd be mistaken on that one. I see all."

She raises a brow.
"Have you seen the Esarian Edict Vault, then?"

He nods.
"The magic signature is not hard to detect."

"Then why do you doubt our ability to perform the acts of destruction you so adore?"

"Your highest form of concentrated magic... would hurt them pretty hard, admittedly. But anything short of that would fall against their might."

She tilts her head.
"You say that as though it is an indictment. I say we need no more power than is necessary to destroy threats to ourselves utterly. What use would we have for more? For power that would do not but rot in a locker, unused till the time of Esaria ran down."

"Because you only have the power to destroy the threats you know of. But tell me, would you be able to defend against alien invaders? Not that that would be a problem in your galaxy... Or do you have a way to protect against asteroid impacts? Like the one that will... most likely hit Terra in... the next five hundred years with cataclysmic force? But nah. That asteroid will most likely be steered off somewhere down the line as well. So that nothing will threaten your little isolated paradise."

"We will be ready by the time the latter arrives. Five hundred years is a long time. And it is far too early for us to consider mounting defenses against extraterrestrial incursions. Against such things we ought to be able to do nothing."

"You'd be surprised."

"I should think that an alien's inability to lay siege to this world would be a rather scathing critique of their abilities, no matter how much we had prepared."

"Yeah. Generally, yes. Except the Voss. They didn't care about the Imperial invasion and pushed them back."
He mumbles the next part.
"That entire series of events was really weird..."

"And why was that? What permitted them to defeat an enemy so much more advanced than they were?"

"Their ability to see the future, mostly."

"This, as far as we are aware, is something magic lacks the ability to do. Unless we assume that the aliens lack a defence against something we would consider obvious, there should be little we could accomplish against them until many more years of progress have passed. Something more akin to those five hundred until the celestial rock was supposed to hit us."

He looks up at the ceiling - or rather beyond it.
"Somewhere about five hundred. Could also be a hundred years. There are... a lot of variables along it's path."

Amelia does not waver. Her expression remains resolute, her faith in the science of their civilisation unshaken.
"Interesting. But our spyglasses watch the skies, and we will be ready for it when it arrives."

He shrugs.
"By all calculations, however, it is most likely to hit you. But, given how artificially sheltered you are, I somehow doubt it will hit, after all. Or maybe it will arrive just in time for you to have a new milestone in technological progress, or whatever."

"You cannot prepare for every imagined evil that might befall you. Have you prepared for small, furry demons that attack invisibly during the night and cut off your toes?"

"Yes. They're called Shade Stalkers."

"After all, they are immune to the Force."
She ignores his remark.
"These mysterious creatures hide in the shadows of your perception and follow you every day, waiting to strike. Why have you not prepared for the eventuality that they will steal your connection to Xerath?"

"Though no wait, they're not furry, they're scaled."

Once more she ignores his remark.
"Or what of the bounty hunter so legendary no one has heard of him who has just taken a contract to end your life, and uses an ancient blaster that finds your predictive skill to be a laughable parlour trick? One can infinitely imagine greater threats around every corner if one is sufficiently paranoid."

"That is very true. And based on our experience, there always was a greater threat around every corner."

"And if our time is spent preparing for these threats yet unseen, all other activities will be devoured. And we neglect other things."
She takes a short but breath.
"The threats to Terra are far away. If we assume they exist, the best way to deal with them isn't to throw everything we have at building the best defence we can. We should prepare a good defence, but more important is improving our ability to build, and as such, the odds are good that if and when the threat arrives, our good defence today will be better than the best defence of ten years ago."

He nods.
"Yes. I suppose that makes sense. For your spoiled planet, at least."

"Perhaps your worlds would be mightier yet if they just had room to breathe."

"Perhaps. But even if nature itself wouldn't be packed with vicious predators anywhere one goes, the worst predator of all are still the 'civilised' people - 'intelligent' life."

"But then the people wouldn't need to be so cruel."

Nox remains firm, but I can feel his annoyance rising.
"False."

Yet Amelia remains just as firm.
"In the first place, cruelty is born of neglect."

"The existence of cruelty does not correlate to the presence of predators. The proxians are, again, a very fitting example of that."

"And the first thing to neglect a people is the world. Your worldview is caused by experiencing pain, after all."

"Xerath's, and other people's pain, but yes."
Hehalf-smirks.
"And reality trying to delete me."

"The reason it is less prevalent on Esaria is because there is less pain. You say we are coddled. I say we have not been abused."

"And I say you cannot even grasp the meaning of war. Of conflict. All you have is second hand knowledge - at best. -"

Before he can say more, I cut him off.
"And that is a good thing. This is a fact I would like to keep."

Amelia smiles to me, nodding.
"The purpose of good war is to ensure others need not suffer it."

Nox clicks his tongue. He nods at Amelia, even if somewhat reluctantly.
"That... is finally a statement I can agree with. Even if it is in a different way than you intended it."

"Then let us end this pointlessness."
She slightly tilts her head.
"And do you have a viable method to respect our privacy?"

"No."

She frowns.
"That is unfortunate. You are slightly interesting to talk to."

He smirks, though it also could be a sneer.
"Why thank you. Besides. You said earlier building mental defences would be pointless outside of shielding against me. I'd like to inform you that this is plain wrong."

"I said that in all other circumstances it is pointless."

"Yes. And that is wrong."
He points to Zack.
"For example, mental defences would make his blasters less effective. Any effect that tries to mess with your mind, really."

She tilts her head, arcing a curious brow.
"Mental training has been shown not to matter much against Shadow magic. If anything, organizing your mind makes it easier to navigate."

He shrugs.
"Then most likely you've done it wrong. Shadow magic is pretty much pure Dark Side Force energy, which we are somewhat experts of."

"Perhaps, as I said, it depends on knowledge of the Force. Which we lack. After all, the method Shadow magic uses is attacking the brain."

"Well, you also lack knowledge of mental things and Shadow magic as well."

She nods.
"Indeed. And traditionally, the only working defence against mental effects has always been active magical effects."

I find myself speaking up, surprisingly.
"Well, traditions are there to be reevaluated and changed as needed. And from what we've seen of shadow magic so far, which was admittedly little, mental defences such as those we can teach you would offer a fair amount of resistance."

Amelia seems pensive, mulling it over.
"Perhaps. The new information would be welcome, after all. It is merely our efforts that have failed."

I nod simultaneously with Nox.

Her expression falls into a close approximation of a frown.
"Still, my thoughts here are similar to the ones on other things: I should not need to learn this to accommodate you, Nox. I will if I must, but that I need to is an injustice."

Nox just shrugs.
"Then don't. I don't care."

"But I shall not hang the blame squarely on your head. There are other forces at work than your own entitlement."

"Hmph. At least you acknowledge it."

"I acknowledge the facts. Thank you for sharing yours."

He blinks, clearly surprised.
"Uhh... you're... welcome?"

She nods.
"All knowledge is welcome here - the hard-won most of all."

"Hm... Well, hard-won knowledge is our speciality."

"Then we have something to talk about."

I chime in.
"Of course, the exchange of knowledge is not the only thing to talk about, right?"

She smirks.
"No, perhaps not."

I smile, relieved.
"Good. If you'd only see me as a bank of knowledge, I'd feel kind of invalidated."

Leanna shakes her head, setting her flowing blonde locks into a waving motion.
"Of course you're not just a bank of knowledge."

She smiles a bit shily.
"You're also cute."

I blush.
"Uhh... so I'm a cute bank of knowledge?"

"Among other things."

"I don't know if that is much better..."

"Oh..."
She seems disappointed.

I draw in on myself, worry flashing over my expression. Have I said something wrong, or why is she disappointed? Did I disappoint her?

Nox sighs deeply.
"Blast it... Leanna, Xerath is worried that you all just see him as an object of convenience. And calling it a cute object of convenience does not make it better."

"No!"
She clutches my hand.
"We don't see him like that!"

"Yes, I know. But it was what your wording suggested."

I look back up at Leanna.

She pulls me into a hug.
"No object of convenience would be worth the time I spend on you. Things have value -"
'You are priceless.'

I heat up as I nuzzle into her embrace. I'm priceless to her...
Still I can feel her fear - her worry. She worries her moment of inattention has hurt me.

She folds me deeper into her embrace, letting me sink into her hair.
I take a deep breath, quickly growing lost in her presence again.
'It's okay. Whatever minuscule damage you caused, you managed to repair severalfolds...'

'...I wish there was more I could do...'
Her hands are so tender along my arms and back...

'But you already do so much for me... more than I ever could have hoped for...'

'...'
Flames of passion lick across my skin, warming me as though her words before are very true.

I just nestle deeper into her embrace, but restraining myself from doing more. She is not ready to receive the same treatment, after all.

She scratches my head, smiling down at my peaceful face.

I sigh out in contentment.
"Ahhhh... hmmm..."

Meanwhile, Nox sighs as well, though for different reasons. However, he looks at the two of us... with the closest thing to a soft expression they have seen on his face so far.

Kara scans him with her keen emerald eyes.
"Oh, I see..."

Nox's attention snaps to Kara, the expression gone.
"What is it that you think you see?"

"You have a soft spot for your brother, obviously."

"Ah. Hm. That is correct. He... has endured enough horrors. He deserves to learn peace, too."

Kara smirks at him, but there is a softness in it.
"And here I thought you might be heartless."

He tilts his head.
"Well, technically, I am, because I don't have a body, and as such no heart. But I know what you mean. Though it surprises me regardless. Didn't you say the same thing earlier, just worded differently?"

She shrugs.
"Maybe I did."

She then continues, expression and vocie soft.
"I hope the world doesn't take him from you... he seems like your last connection to happiness. Aside from maybe bloodshed."

"I hope so, too. Especially not while we're here. Also, 'last' connection implies that there have been others before, which has not been the case."

"Well, if you last long enough, I hope you can find another. Someone else would be good for you, I think."

"Well, I will never cease to be, so you should not worry about me not lasting long enough."
A thought crosses his mind and he smirks in the way Kara always does.
"Besides, I have virtually endless stamina, too."

"Oh do you?"
She raises an eyebrow.
"How... interesting."

"Yes. I am endless. And so is my power."

"Quite a few people have made similar claims. They tend to disappoint. And I don't know about you, but I don't think that that's terribly... impressive for someone who doesn't have a body."

He scratches his cheek.
"Well. I don't quite want to collapse this world with my presence..."

She smirks.
"But who knows? I'm quite skilled at adventuring to dark places."

He blinks at her.
"Yes. You are a very skilled treasure hunter, I have to admit. Though I'm not sure what that has to do with my lack of bo... ooh. Are you implying you want to venture into our mind?"

"Perhaps I am. It might be interesting at a later date, but I think we might want to wait until the third for something like that."

He blinks again.
"Date? Third? Is something happening at the third of this month?"

She leaves his question hanging, moving forward at her own pace.
"Besides. First come first serve, and there are more than one treasure hunters that I might consider trapping here."

He blinks once more.
"Ah. You mean date in the romantic context. I see..."

He then tilts his head.
"So you are interested in Zack? Because I would delete you if you were after Leanna."

Zack looks up as his name is mentioned. Kara smirks.
"That's for me to know and others to learn."

Leanna blinks.
"What? Why?"

Nox glances at my blonde angel.
"Xerath is not mentally stable enough to deal with competition for your affections."

She hugs me tighter, dispelling any doubt about her affection towards me. Kara laughs.
"I don't think you need to worry about that. If anything, I'd want to cut in on that adorable dynamic, not break it up."

"Well, unfortunately for you, Xerath is not interested in you in that way."

Meanwhile I, who just got hugged tighter, sigh in bliss once more.

Kara can only smile at the sight. Then, she kicks back and relaxes, leaving us to ourselves.

Nox blinks at her.
"So, you have nothing to respond to my last sentence? Your action just now indicates that you see our conversation as concluded..."

"Perhaps he isn't. I think I knew that already."

He nods.
"Yes. I think it is quite obvious where his interest lies. However, he does like you a fair deal, too. Just... not in a romantic way."

"Well, thank you for spelling out all the things he didn't tell us himself."
From there, she quiets.

He tilts his head.
"Your tone of voice indicates that I have upset you. What is the reason?"

She shakes her head, her ponytail swaying behind her.
"You haven't. I was just wondering that since you were telling us, and he wasn't, whether he's okay with us knowing."

"Well, he has, actually. He told you collectively yesterday that he cares about you."

"Well, yeah, it's just... I'm worried."

"That I will violate his privacy?"

She nods slowly.
"Since you do ours, it seems like a reasonable concern."

He nods.
"It's a fair assumption. However, unlike you, he has methods to keep me out if he wants to. Same as I have methods to keep him out. And, well, just because I like to know all the things - especially people's minds - to detect any possible dangers for Xerath, doesn't mean that I would go out of my way to share those secrets I learn with anyone. Unless, again, they're vital to Xerath."

He scratches his cheek.
"So, I suppose I'm trying to say that I would not share things Xerath does not want me to."

"I see. As long as he agrees, but he can say his piece once he's no longer ensconced in Leanna's hair."

Then, the burning suns he has as eyes focus intently back on Kara.
"I only want to make you aware of the importance of your position."

She raises an eyebrow.
"Yes? You want to threaten me into being nice?"

"I don't quite think that threaten is the right word."

"Intimidate? Coerce? You're doing something."

"Anyways, the point of the matter is that Xerath cares a lot about you. All of you. It doesn't matter how shortly you know him, or how much you trust him or don't... he considers you close. And that means that your actions and words have a deep affect on him. One you must be aware of."

"I see. I'll see what I can do."

"Like that throwaway sentence of yours regarding slavery earlier? You couldn't have known it, but it was a heavy blow on several levels. Mainly because you insinuated that he'd be capable of such methodical cruelty. I mean, I'm sure you've noticed just how nervous and worried he was when he told you about his powers and his position in our galactic society. What do you think was the cause for that?"

She arcs a challenging eyebrow.
"You mean to say my reaction was unwarranted?"

"That is not the point right now."

"It hurt him. I am aware. And that is unfortunate. But I stand by what I said."

"It hurt him, yes. It has almost undone all the progress we have spent the entire night on doing. Luckily, I was able to stop the damage from spreading. But again, this is not what I was going for."

She smirks, raising her brow suggestively.
"If that's the case, maybe we just need to lock those two in a room together until she can sort him out a bit?"

"I get the feeling you do not quite grasp the graveness of his situation."

She shrugs.
"It's solvable. Worrying about it will only bleed over into him."

"It is not. It is managable. He doesn't want you to worry too much and feel like you need to walk on eggshells around him... but truth be told, you kind of do. Every time he is hurt emotionally... he is one step closer to be gone. That is why I advised for him to detach himself from his emotions. It would be safer. But he decided to risk it so that you lot wouldn't be sad. He literally risks his existence for you by being so emotionally vulnerable with you. You need to understand that."

She frowns.
"Huh..."

"But also, you are right. Worrying too much will also bleed over to him. He notices the increased worry of Leanna, who feels the need to ask him if he's okay just about every hour."

"Does that help?"

"Well, yes, but actually, no. On one hand, it does help, but on the other, it works against it as well."

Scratching continues as both Leanna and me passively listen.

"And, well... uhm... I think the best course of action would be for you guys to just be mindful of this condition. Keep it in mind, and think twice about what you say, and especially how you word it."

She nods.
"Okay."

His eyes glance at Zack and Amelia.
"I hope you two got that, too?"

Nods.
"Indeed I did. I do hope he does not remain so permanently."

Nox nods as well.
"I sure hope so, too. This is no permanent state to live like. But unfortunately, there is no way to repair what has been broken."

He glances at Leanna.
"At least, none that we know of as of now."

Leanna, meanwhile, is terribly busy whispering soft, almost luscious words in my ears. I am reduced to a blushing, sighing heap in her arms.

Nox then looks back to Kara.
"So... uhm... do you have any questions... or something?"

"I think we understand."

"Good. Because you have the potential to give him the greatest happiness in his life... or the deepest hurt. Please keep it in mind."
He looks around and notices how the atmosphere has changed.
"Well... I suppose everyone has a lot to think about, so I'll leave you to it..."

"Yes, alright."

His illusion vanishes in a cloud of red particles.

Leanna kisses the top of my head lightly, sending bright waves of warmth through my body.

"Mmmmhmm... I love you..."
My voice sounds a bit slurred.

She leans back and lifts my face for a moment, smiling into my eyes, gleaming like a star in blue and gold.

I can only gaze back at her like in a trance, completely love struck. And even if I wasn't, the sheer quality of affection shining towards me would be enough to send anyone over the edge. Leanna is just... so beautiful, her soul so bright it can light up the deepest caverns. And when I'm in her arms, that fire is all around me...
I am once more drawn closer to her, closing the distance between us slowly.
She allows me close, only turning away once I am a breath away, setting my head back on her shoulder at the crook of her neck.
So tangled in her scent I can't even be disappointed...

My lips, that instinctively searched for a kiss, are redirected into the crook of her neck. They land in a soft and tender kiss. Her neck is of an utterly gorgeous flesh, tasting as she smells but amplified a thousandfold. I feel her body shift ever so slightly as my lips make contact. It is utterly intoxicating, just like it was earlier. I move for a second kiss, equally as loving and caring.

I feel her smile on the back of my head as she resumes scratching, letting me luxuriate in this newfound pleasure.

I get a third kiss in, before I notice something. She tastes so good... I want to taste more of that. I want to taste more of her. Her gorgeous flesh. I want to eat her. Wait, no! I suddenly yelp and leap back up in a sitting position.

Leanna blinks at me, noting my surprise.
"What is it?"

I look at her, focus being back on my expression instantly. But more than that, I seems pale...r than usual, fear shining in my eyes.

Her voice is soft and tender, barely reaching my ears.
"Xerath...?"

My breathing speeds up considerably as well.
"No... Why...?"
I know I'm beginning to hyperventilate as panic fills both my system and my expression.

By now, everyone else has noticed.

Leanna stares into my eyes.
"Xerath! What's wrong?"

Her raised voice seems to shake me out of it, at least a bit. I manage to focus on her... somewhat.
"Instincts. Sudden. Bad. Awful. Vile."

She nods in vague understanding.
"Then you need me to stop?"

"Need... time..."
My breathing slows down a bit.
"Time... outside..."

She lets go of me, and I vanish in purple particles.
She sits there, alone, almost uncomfortable in her own skin, waiting for me to return and confirm I am alright. I can feel her anxiety clearly, picturing her position in my minds eye. But I can't... can't care about that right now. I need to focus on myself for a moment first.

I reappear outside, on an empty field, far away from anyone who could notice me.
I pace up and down, Seething, and try to calm myself. Taking deep breaths of fresh air, I try to push back the overwhelming scent of Leanna. I then pull out my canteen of water, taking large gulps in an effort to rid myself of her taste.

And while I am busy getting himself in a working condition again, Leanna doesn't have to stew in her worry alone for long. On her other side, I feel Nox reappearing from red particles.
"Don't worry. He'll be fine."

Nox shares her response with me. Se sounds... so worried. For my sake.
"I know, it's not as bad as some of the other things that can happen to him... but it still worries me."

"Yeah. It just became a bit too much for him."

She nods sadly, Nox shows me.

I feel Nox reaching out to send her a mental message, and he relays the concersation to me as well.
'Though it wasn't what you think. Something very odd happened.'

She seems surprised.
'...oh?...'

'It is not your fault, and has nothing really to do with you. Though I'm not quite sure if Xerath wants me to share this with... never mind, he just gave his okay. He wouldn't be comfortable telling you this himself. So, the thing is, his mutation has changed his instincts. In some cases more obviously than others. But it appears that in this instance, something got scrambled pretty badly. He... uhm... suddenly had the urge to bite you. And not in the loving way, but in the eating you way.'

Her face twists.
"Oh."
'...how...strange...'

Nox nods.
'Yes. Xerath is currently calming himself down, and then will analyse what caused this instinct to fire and rewire it. But, well, it seems like you must be tasty, then.'

'...uuuuuuuuuhh...'

Nox smirks.
"Well, anyways, don't worry. He will be back shortly."

There is silence. His smirk drops, and he looks... not quite impassive. It... it almost seems as if he's wondering if he should - and could - stay. But then he speaks up.
"So, now that you are hopefully reassured, I'll leave again."

And he once more vanishes in red particles. Though even his illusion faded, his attention does not, and he relays the situation to me.

Leanna is still quite shocked. As are the others, really.

But true to Nox's words, it doesn't take long until I return. A few minutes later, I return from purple particles. I glance at everyone somewhat nervously, but noticeably don't look at Leanna.
"Hey..."

"Umm..."
Leanna is somewhat embarrassed.
"Are you... better now?"

"Yes. I... managed to calm myself down. I'm alright."
I scratch my cheek, as I still avoid looking at her.
"I'm... sorry that I worried you all so suddenly."

Leanna puts a hand on my shoulder.
"As long as you're okay."

I nod and glance at her, but quickly look away, the guilt I feel flashing over my expression.
"Yeah... Mostly."

"It's okay, you don't have to tell us if you don't want to."

I sigh.
"Thanks... and... I'm sorry."

Then, I send Leanna a mental message directly.
'I just... I feel guilty about even thinking that for a moment. You are not food, and that I even had the thought for a moment deeply ashames me...'

"Shhh..."
She pulls me back into a hug - quite the show of trust, it must be said.
'...you don't need to apologize...'

This time, I freeze and resist for a moment. Just when she thinks I don't want to, I lean into her.
'Okay... I... I edited my instincts in that regard, so it shouldn't fire again like this...'

I smile at her, if a bit shakily.
'You... really trust me deeply... don't you?'

'...you're worth trusting...'

I smile at her lovingly, my subtle presence of adoring care wrapping around her.
'And you are like a gift that keeps on giving. I don't think I could have ever deserved you... but I am really glad that you think me worthy enough to be around me like this.'

"There's that smile."
She smiles back at me broadly, once again smothering me with scratches.
'...whatever it takes to make you love life again...'

I sigh and return to the state of being putty in her hands.
'As long as you are in it... I think you have good chances. Though I have to admit... I don't know for how long this much will keep me content. But I assume it will be quite a while. You are wonderful, and I love you.'

As I look her over, drinking in her elegant appearence and pure being, I notice something odd...
As a result of my sudden issue, hairline fractures appeared in the glow around Leanna. They appear to be slowly closing on their own...

My eyes widen at the implication. But I quickly catch myself and return to the affectionate embrace, not wanting to draw attention to it. Instead, I subtly keep attention to the process.
She doesn't seem to have noticed.

If her light can really mend itself like this... why is that? Is that a process I could replicate for my mind? Or would that be something that Leanna would possibly be able to do?

However, as I consider the ramifications of this, Leanna finds a good spot to scratch.
"Ahhh..."
And there go my coherent thoughts.

Nox, however, seems to have noticed this as well and remains vigilant.
Through our bond, he shares his observations with me - or at least the last train of thought I can keep from being putty in Leanna's hands.
Interestingly, the thing that seems to be being repaired is a barrier - the thing that's keeping the fire inside. And her worry for me cracked it... Nox hopes that there will be other ways for her to break that barrier that do not involve an insane amount of worry.

Then my throat almost clicks - and another fracture appears... in a different flavour of energy. I feel Nox's attention increase, and see how Leanna smiles brighter, her love for everything burning hotter and fiercer.

Oh, Leanna... while my brother's findings are surely interesting, I can't bring myself to care much right now. She's just too divine in her care. Everything about her is simply... so perfect. Even if the armour gets in the way a bit... but I refuse to follow that line of thought.
Instead, a series of particularly good scratches make me click softly, and this time, I can't quite suppress it.
"...krr..."

It draws a few eyes, but Leanna is there, smiling brightly at me, and even though I noticed I couldn't quite bring myself to care.
"Hmmm..."
I nuzzle into her, deeply content.

Now that it's safe to, immersing myself in her presence is just as rewarding as it was before. It doesn't take long, and I am intoxicated to the point where I trail soft kisses on her neck every now and then, again.
And so it goes, Leanna allowing me to just relax. Needless to say, it's a wonderful time for me.
Leanna... she's so good to me. And so soft in my arms... so tasty... Her scent is sublime, too... I want more...

'...Xerath, calm down a little...'
I can feel embarrassment through the connection.

I blink, focus returning to my features as I realise that I've grown more... passionate.
'I... I'm sorry...'

'...shh...it's alright...just please, calm down a bit...'

'I... don't know if I can, Leanna. Just being around you like this... I automatically try to go further...'

'...that's alright...I can just poke you every now and then if that works for you...'

'Yes, that works. Outside stimulus has proven to be effective to pull me out of those trances. If that is okay for you, too...'
I then blink, noticing something.
'But wait... since when can you initiate telepathy?'

She adorably tilts her head.
'...is that considered hard...?'

'Yeah, somewhat.'

'...how hard...?'

'The people I know that can do it are far and few in between. Masters in the Force. It usually takes a lot of practice. So, that you are able to do it on your own now after such a short period of time even knowing about it comes as quite the surprise.'

'...huh...I guess I just thought really loudly expecting you to listen...'

'But on the other hand...'
I smile proudly.
'... this is just another proof that you are a goddess.'
I embrace her lovingly.
'My goddess.'

'...awww...'
She smiles, bright as a star.

I gaze deeply into her bright blue eyes.
'I absolutely love and adore you, Leanna.'
My voice is filled with conviction, as if stating a fact, a law of nature.

She turns away slightly, cheeks red.

I hesitate a bit, not wanting to overdo it now. So even if I do want to reach up a hand and cup her cheek, I don't do it. Instead, I lean back from her, back into my seat, still smiling lovingly and patiently at her.
The slow hum of the crystalrail fills the cabin with un-noise.
I am content, for even though she is embarrassed, she is happy.
And as long as she is happy, I am too.

Then, however, I clear my throat.
"So, uhm... do we want to continue our game?"

"Sure."
Kara leans forward from her relaxed position.

Everyone else follows suite and sits forward a bit.

"But only as long as Nox can't read our minds. That was garbage."

Nox appears again in a cloud of red particles.
"Again, I cannot stop that. However, if this makes you so uncomfortable... I can try to make an effort to not utilise those information."

"Xerath, is there a way you can block someone from reading the minds of others?"

"Hmmm..."
I draw a hand to my chin.
"The only method I know of would require you to basically give me access to your mind, so that I can build up mental defences for you... And I don't think that it's something you'd want, either. I can't just throw down an external shield around you, if that's what you're looking for. I mean, I could... but it wouldn't work against Nox's vision."

Amelia tilts her head curiously.
"Why not?"

"Every mind is unique. And as such, the defences need to be, too. I could give you a mental shield, but that would only work against normal mages, and not a being as powerful as Nox. To him, that shield is pretty much transparent."

"Why is that? Why couldn't you create a shield specialized against him?"

"As I said, I could. But it would require you to give me access to your mind, so that I could build up your own defences alongside you."

"Why not build a barrier in between the target and the caster?"

"At this point, I'm repeating myself. Because that would not be sufficient, it'd might as well be transparent to Nox."

Amelia arcs a brow.
"Really? Because that is the only known way to defend against Shadow magic."

"Yes, which is why I said I could do that, but it would only work against other mages. Not against Nox."

"Is he not a mage? Why would that alter things?"

Nox decides to chime in.
"No. As I said, I am a wound in the Force. I am a being of raw power, a being that should not exist."

"And why should that change how your mental probes?"

Nox sighs.
"Because it is simply how I perceive the world. You seem to think that I read your minds for the sake of reading your minds and invalidating your privacy or something. But that is not the case. You see, to me, there is no difference between you speaking and thinking. I hear it all the same. And that goes for everything in the range of my perception. I'm not only hearing your thoughts - I hear all thoughts."

Amelia nods.
"I am aware, but that should not change the way mental probes work by itself."

"Well, it's a matter of scale. At the bottom line, my power exceeds Xerath's. This is like trying to shield you from the sword's scans. We could try, but it won't work. At least, not in any way we currently know of."

"So you're saying that you have only one sense that detects multiple inputs?"

He nods.
"Correct."

"Why not silence the inputs which are not desired? Perception depends on information transfer, after all. You don't need to be stronger than the recipient, just the signal."

"I do not have a filter. No brakes. I constantly have to evaluate all inputs manually. But I can't just 'turn off' a certain string of information. The best I can offer is trying to ignore the information."

"That is not what I am referring to. Humans cannot deactivate their ears, but they can wear earmuffs, or isolate sources of sound."

He nods again.
"Exactly. And I am not human."

"And if a source is sufficiently isolated, no amount of sound can be detected by any known means, human or not."

"If you go by your mortal standards, that is correct."
He leans forward, his gaze burning intensely.
"But I do not work by those rules. I perceive the world through the Force. Your voices, your thoughts, your presences, the texture of the table, the smell of the wheat field near the city we are heading towards to, the gravity of your sun... I perceive everything within the range of my perception. No matter how insignificant the data might seem. I see all."

"So what form of radiation allows you to perceive it?"

"As I just said - the Force."

"Then deflect or annihilate Force particles."

He stares ahead blankly, and I can feel his exasperation.
"There are no 'Force particles'."

"Strip them of information, to ensure nothing can reach you but silence."
She blinks.
"Then what carries energy?"

He rolls his eyes.
"You still seem to think I abide the laws of nature."

"I think that the Force abides by rules. And that if it were otherwise it would be nearly unusable."

I cough.
"Well, the Force makes the rules."

Disagreement.

"As I said, the Terran magic is absolutely alien to us with how ordered it is."

Wait, what disagrees?
I blink, confused. What was that feeling just now? That ever so slight, distant tremor of discord at my words... who made it? No one here did...

"What...?"
Nox narrows his eyes, homing in on the direction the tremor came from. He need only search for a short time. The pulse came from an ancient place of metal, we both deduct.

He rolls his eyes.
"Ah. Of course that ancient Force-Machine hybrid that appears to do it's damnest to shelter you disagrees with Xerath."

'...unfortunate usurpation...'

I grow nervous.
"Really? Then we should probably stop talking about this topic..."

'...reality was stolen...'

Both Nox and I blink in unison.
''What?''

'...excuse me, the hour of waking draws near, my focus must be elsewhere...'

The colour drains from my skin, leaving me deathly pale.

The eldritch pressure leaves us, and the solar flare of its thought subsides.
'...maintain the vigil, young ones... ...but know that they of the Force were not the first to sail the stars...'

That makes Nox blink, and he turns over to me, an unusually concerned expression on his face.
"Hey... this might sound strange, coming from me, but I think this sword is not as evil as we feared it to be."

I can only nod weakly, still deeply disturbed, deathly pale, and silent.
The words it spoke... they were barely comprehensible - said in a language distant to the Force itself. The translations are shoddy, incomplete, and slow.
'Unfortunate usurpation' is all that could be heard of a length of information large and precise enough to fill a holocron to the brim.

Nox looks at me, being still in mild shock.
"Hey, Leanna?"

"Yes?"

"Can you hug him, please?"

"Of course."
She hugs me, warmth bleeding into me, thawing the ice of dread.

I take a deep breath and un-freeze again, returning the hug.
"Thank you..."
Slowly but surely, colour returns to my features.

Her hand rubs my head.
"You feeling okay?"

"I'm... not sure, to be honest."
I shiver.
"The sword... it just spoke to us... and from what little information we were able to understand... the implications are heavy."
Having forced those words out, I fall silent again.

She draws him further into her embrace, encouraging me to feel okay.

I sigh deeply, close my eyes and nestle into her.

Meanwhile, Nox doesn't quite seem to know how to react. Thus, he just vanishes.

"Interesting."
Amelia observes the results of something she didn't hear.
"Very interesting."

"... terrifying, rather..."

"Indeed."
She doesn't seem the least shaken.

I squeeze Leanna tightly.

"Shhh..."
Leanna is soft and warm all around me, and pulls me into her lap to better comfort.

I don't resist her, can't, folding in on her. It almost feels... natural for the two of us. Leanna is just so warm and soft and welcoming to me that soon, my breathing evens out. My physical body falls asleep as my mind recedes. There is... new damage I need to take care of.

"Sleep well, Xerath."
I can feel her smile at me, as my attention of the outside world fades somewhat. I still keep track of our little cabin, because I can't let my guard down. What if something happens to them if I don't watch over them? No, I can't risk it.

"Well, I guess I'm not moving for a few hours."
She beams at me.
"I hope it helps a little."

Nox seems to take that statement as a cue to appear again. He also shares his feed with me, so that I don't have to divide too much attention.
"Don't worry. It will. But, well, that was unexpected. And unnerving."

"I think I can see that..."

"Yeah..."
He looks around, very obviously checking the other's reactions.

They seem slightly put out by this.

Nox's voice is quiet.
"Is there... anything I can do...?"

"I'm not sure..."

"Then I suppose my visual representation wouldn't serve to put you at ease, either, huh?"

"Not really..."

He nods, and vanishes. He does, however, keep close attention to the group, watching over them in my stead.
And so, I softly sleep in Leanna's affectionate embrace. Inside my mind, both Nox and I work towards folding out repercussions the surprising visit of the sword's mind has on me.

Eventually, when the time for dinner comes around, I wake up and open my eyes, blinking. I am still sunk deep in Leanna's armoured thighs.
I blink again, then look up at Leanna with sleepy eyes.
"Huh? So this heavenly feeling... was not a dream, after all?"

"Wha?"

I turn my head again, relinquishing in the feeling her lap pillow grants me.
"Mmmm..."

I then squirm a bit, however, and sit up.
"The metal does diminish the comfort, though."

"Uhh, buh... sure?"

I focus on Leanna, a bit worried.
"Are you alright?"

She has gotten very red.
"Uhh..."

Now, I grow very worried.
"Oh no... Have I said something wrong?"

"Ummm..."

Her stammering and hesitation only make me ever more concerned.
"If it was something I said, then I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable..."

"...I didn't consider that when calming you down..."

I blink.
"Considering what?"

"What putting you in my lap meant..."
She looks away.

I glance down to where my head just rested, and realisation dawns on my face. Along with a fiery blush.
"...Ah..."

I sit back and look away as well.
"Uhm... yeah... err... I... didn't quite think straight just now, either..."

I then glance back at her, majorly flustered, but with a curious gleam in my eyes.
"But still... I'm interested... Do you perhaps have different cultural implications to this action? What does it mean to you that you grow so flustered suddenly?"

She sinks deeper into her seat.

I grimace.
"Right... sorry..."

I look back away and fall silent, somewhat dejected, flustered, and guilty at the same time. Softer this time, I mutter a word barely loud enough that Leanna can pick it up. Though Kara will most likely, too.
"...sorry..."

A hand appears on my shoulder, after a while.
"...it's okay."

I glance at her, riddled with guilt.
"But is it really? I want to make you happy, not uncomfortable..."

"You didn't know..."

"But even so... If I just make you constantly worried, and uncomfortable, am I really suited to be at your side?"

She puts a finger to my lips.
"Don't you finish that thought."

I blink in surprise.
"Mhm?"

"You're getting your first open experience of being in love, Xerath. Of course you're going to be weird about it."
She is still looking away, but she straightens.
"I much prefer this to the games at court."

"Really...?"
After blinking once more in surprise, remembrance spreads across my features.
"Yeah, well... I think that isn't that much of a hurdle to pass..."

"But it is the hurdle you must pass for dating."

"I think anyone showing you a basic amount of decency and respect would pass that hurdle. Well, as long as it's honest, anyways... And yet... and yet all I do is constantly worrying you and making you uncomfortable..."
My voice cracks with emotions.

"And that you're worried is very sweet. I would appreciate not being embarrassed, but you're just fine. As long as you learn, okay?"

I gaze at her with teary eyes.
"But learn what? I don't even quite know what I did wrong this time..."

"You want a detailed explanation then?"

"As long as it wouldn't make you uncomfortable again..."

"Okay."
She composes herself.
"So basically, you said 'you're really comfortable, but there's all this clothing in the way.'"

I blush deeply again.
"Ah... I... I see... B-but that's not w-what I meant..."

"I know, it was just..."
She trails off.

I scratch my cheek.
"I... I see... Though... I just... I mean... my head is pretty hard... so the metal is softer in comparison... but still..."

I bury my face in my hands.
"Urgh, I'm sorry..."

"It's alright. You're fine."

I peek at her from behind my hands.
"But are you...?"

She smiles weakly.
"I like to think I'm durable enough to survive embarrassing moments."

I drop his hands, still slightly blushing, with a small smile.
"Yes, I'd think so, too. You are a very durable and enduring person, after all."

"You did a decent job with the hand you were given, too."

I smile, though now it's more sad.
"Well, I had to. It's not like I had any other options..."

"Shh..."
She pulls me back into her arms. The lap is still a distant dream, but her arms are ever welcoming.

That just melts the sadness out of my smile, and I sigh in contentment again as I am pulled into her.

She smiles brightly at me.
"Is this better?"

"Mhm..."
I nod into her.
"You make everything better..."

There is a ringing outside the door. Leanna jumps.
"Oh, that's me. Sorry, I'll be back soon."

I tilt my head.
"Is it dinner?"

"No, something I need to come get. Dinner is soon."

"Is it something I can help with?"

"Not really. You can come watch, but what I'm getting is my new flashammer."

I frown.
"Thanks... but I think I'll pass. Lest I do something to it..."
I shake my head, and smile slightly.
"Don't mind me."

"Of course not, you very concerned individual."
She stands up.

I reluctantly let her go. I do feel a bit conflicted on whether or not I should follow her, which might show on my features.

She gives my head a quick scratch.
"It'll be alright."

I sigh deeply and look away, out of the window.
"Okay... but please... be quick."

"Don't worry. I will."
She walks out.

As soon as her presence leaves the room, my smile falls and I stare out of the window. My face is expressionless as I stare at the countryside moving past outside. Or rather staring through it.
Something twinklig catches my eye. I notice what I think might be a snowflake outside.
I blink. Snow? In summer?
"...what the...?"

It's gone. I can't find any trace of it, as if it was never there.
Weird. But I... somehow get a bad feeling. My eyes narrow as I snap my head to the door. In a fluid motion, I stand up and stride towards the door.
"I think I'll step outside of the cabin for a bit myself."

Kara looks up.
"Getting some air?"

"Something like that."

"Alright."

I don't look back, so they don't see my expression, but my body language shows that I feel off... Tense. I open the door, step through, and close it behind me. Then, I am gone. At least as far as anyone else is concerned, as I drape myself in a Force Stealth and follow Leanna.

I eventually see her. She's returning to the cabin, weapon stored in a holster at her side. Its design is only of a minimum of artistry, of function over form. Wood and metal and magic, pressed into an engine of thunder. It is enchanted to a similar degree as her sword, as is the ammunition and... propellant.

So I missed her pick-up? Well, I'm glad my bad feeling didn't come true, but I still was too slow if something had happened. She is getting close to where I am now.
I am only idly interested in the weapon itself, but if she is safe and alright, then I have no need to trail her any further. I return to our cabin, and go a bit past it. Then, I come out of stealth somewhere down the corridor that leads in the other direction, opposite of where Leanna went. I walk back up to the cabin, arriving in front of the door just in the moment Leanna does, too.

I am greeted by a very warm smile.
"Xerath! You found something to do while I was away?"

I return her smile.
"Well, somewhat. I just... wanted to take a few steps again."

We step back into the cabin, and she pats the area adjacent to her.

I sit back down beside her, sinking back in my seat. They are quite comfortable.

"You're kind of a bad liar still. You want to tell me what you were actually doing?"

I smile at her, guiltily.
"I'll have you know I can be an exceptional liar if I'd want to. I just don't."
I then scratch my cheek.
"Well, I got a bad feeling, that something would go awry with your pick up... so I trailed you. But it seems that my fear was unfounded."

She smiles.
"You could've just said you wanted to come with me, but I understand."

I shake my head.
"I got that feeling after you were gone. I first didn't want to come along since I don't quite trust myself in regards to your new weapon."

"I know. I understand, Xerath. Sometimes these things come late, and that's stupid, but it's what happens."

I turn my gaze out of the window, watching the rolling hills come and go.
"... I suppose I still have difficulties adjusting myself to life here..."

She ponders.
"Though... the fact that you didn't consider that the warning might not have been related to me might end up being a problem in the future..."

I glance at her from the corner of my eye.
"You are everything I care about. Anything else is a secondary concern. I mean, you alone going to pick up a weapon designed to punch through your armour... that was the perfect set-up for an assassination attempt."
I look back out of the window.
"Though I do wonder why I thought I saw a snowflake outside..."

"And for just one person? That's fine."
No caveats emerge from her mouth. Then, she blinks.
"A snowflake? How odd..."

"Indeed..."
I shrug.
"Well, whatever. You are safe, and that's all that matters. Though, of course, you're not really safe with that thing on your hip..."
The corners of my mound droop in disdain.

"I mean, it isn't loaded right now."

"I know. It's still a hazard that just waits to misfire."

"That danger kind of presents itself regardless of the weapon."

"A sword does not misfire."

She arcs a brow.
"How many people have you known that cut themselves while training with blades? Because on Terra, the answer is all of them."

I blink at her, worried.
"You too?"

She unholsters the gun, holding it gently.

"Technology is, in many ways, the act of pouring skill into an object, training it. So instead of training for a lifetime to get something right, you can mass produce a shortcut. As a result however, it is not just your skill that can misfire, but the skill of everyone in the production chain. The only difference between missing and a misfire is when the mistake was made. The mistake that causes a misfire is usually hours ago at least."

"And if there is a mistake in your skill, you can improve on it. If there is a mistake in a gun and it blows off your face, you can't."

"And so swords may not misfire, but you can easily mess up when using them. Because there are few other things - and little to help you - messing up with a sword is all on you."

I nod.
"Exactly. Everything about using a sword is entirely in your own control."

"But here's the rub - the tradeoff is worthwhile."

A frown settles on my face.
"I disagree."

"Fewer people die of misfiring weapons than misuse of melee weaponry across Esaria."

"Well, obviously. You said that these flashammers are fairly new, after all."

"That includes dischargers, and controls for amount of usage."

"And for training with melee weapons, you can always use non-lethal training weapons. But a gun blowing up is lethal, regardless of whichever mode it was on."

"Haven't you people ever heard of a training round?"

I suppress the urge to roll my eyes.
"Obviously. Which is why I said 'a gun blowing up'. That did not mean the rounds."

She tilts her head. If this topic wouldn't be as agitating to me as it is, she'd calm me down with that alone.
"If your gun is in danger of blowing up, why are you using it?"

"It is an inherent risk of fire arms. Yours is no exception. All it requires is a hair fissure... a fraction you cannot see... but it would be enough to demolish the entire weapon when firing. Especially given how potent your propellant is."

"I mean, no. You think we made the stuff this fiery without putting in the effort to make sure it works? Because this gun is very much rated for the level of force on display."

I glance at her lazily.
"Want me to prove it to you?"

She seems to ignore my comment.
"Plus a ten percent margin of error."

"I know the amounts of force it can produce and withstand."

She arcs a brow at me.
"And you're saying that the smiths were so drastically wrong in their assessment of this weapon's worthiness for a Mage-Knight's arsenal that they should be tried before a royal court for negligence?"

"I'm saying that I hate firearms. And any Force user worth his lightsaber would have several methods to make this weapon a deathtrap for the user."

"Wouldn't that be the same for any weapon?"

"Any firearm, yes."

"Like for a lightsaber?"

"Fun fact: no."

She adorably tilts her head, making it difficult for me to stay miffed.
"Isn't that running on the same kind of technology?"

I shake my head.
"Far from it."

"Okay, let me explain. Lightsabers need a power source, right?"

"I know what you're getting at, but I'll humour you. Yes, they have a power source."

"And lightsabers can - at close range - cut through things that blasters cannot?"

I nod.
"Generally."

"And they are more compact?"

"Yes. Though, again, that depends. There are blaster pistols that are more compact than a double blade lightsaber."

"Then you have a problem of energy density, don't you? All that is necessary to turn a lightsaber into a death trap is to destabilize the power source."

"Well, if you could do that, you'd be correct."

She looks confused.
"Then why can't you do the same to blaster power sources?"

I let my lightsaber floas up over the table, and begin to dismantle it.
"Because, Leanna, the power source of a lightsaber is a Kyber crystal - a semi sentient crystal of manifested Force energy."

"Why can't you use that for blasters?"

Oh, sweet Leanna. She has no idea of the blashphemy she is saying. It's okay.
"They are rare. And they seek out their users themselves. And it would be considered heresy by just about everyone who uses the Force."

"So, all the same reasons it would be hard to make a lightsaber, plus dogma."

"Kind of."
I scratch my cheek, thinking of something I once read a report of.
"I mean, I think the Jedi have a sort of lightsaber blaster in the temple... but that thing burns through entire lightsabers as ammunition. But beside that, I have not seen a Kyber crystal even willing to power a mundane blaster."

"Would it really be a mundane blaster if it had a crystal powering it?"

My eyes narrow.
"You know what I mean."

"Because this-"
She pats her new deathtrap.
"Isn't exactly mundane."

"It's enchanted, yes. I am aware."
I reassemble my lightsaber and float back at my hip.

"And its powder incorporates ground Fire Crystals, for example."

I grimace.
"Powdering crystals?"
I then shake my head.
"Man, the Force here really is completely out of tune."

Leanna shrugs.
"They're just magic rocks."

"Right. And magic is just another logical rule of nature."
I sigh deeply and turn to the window again.
"The longer I stay, the more I feel that I shouldn't be here."

She frowns and holsters the gun.
"Don't be like that, Xerath..."
She puts a warm hand on my shoulders.
"Haven't we been welcoming?"

I glance back at her.
"And why not? Every opinion I have, everything I believe in, even my very powers themselves, run completely against the very nature of your world. You have been very welcoming... but it does feel alienating when things I consider absolutely normal are suddenly crimes of the highest magnitude in these lands."

She regards me with her soft expression.
"Do you need a hug?"

"I always want a hug."
I glance away, a slight blush dusting my cheeks.
"I can't get enough of them."

"Alright. Come here."
The Leanna trap opens wide, awaiting its prey.

I pause a moment at the weird way of putting it in my mind, but then shrug and sink back into her embrace.
It snaps shut, entrapping me in her embrace. But not with physical barriers, no. It is a trap of love and affection in abundance.

Something that this poor, starved Xerath requires quite much of. And so, I close my eyes, basking in her warmth and affection. I am quite the happy prey.
But at the same time, I wrap my love for her around her as well.

A kiss is planted in my hair.

"Ahh..."
I nuzzle my cheek against her collarbone.
I simply cannot comprehend what bliss awaits from the same action, but borne out of romantic love.
Meanwhile, I'll do my best to make her fall for me, letting her feel the love of a god all around her. It's warm, nourishing, supporting, and so selfless, it borders on self-sacrificial. Even if her senses to the Force are not as attuned as mine are, she feels the truth behind my statements. I love her, and she is my highest priority.
Oh, when she might be ready for me to suckle on her neck without end...
Well, maybe she is now? I'll try it out. Compelled by my Leanna-induced daze, I move up to her neck once more. Once more, I begin planting soft kisses on her neck.

She tenses slightly, not wishing to interrupt the others, but does not stop me.

Every contact of my lips sends small surges of warmth through her. But it doesn't take long before a slight bit of passion creeps into the action. And when I am not stopped, it just continues to build up.
Warmth also comes from her and into me. She is, as always, extremely rewarding just by being herself.
Eventually, she starts blushing, and around then-
'...Xerath...that's a bit much...'

I blink, and stop.
'Oh... I'm sorry.'

'...just as long as you get it... it seems like you can't quite stop getting into this situation...'

'It seems so. Merely being close to you like this drives me into a daze...'

'...and while that might theoretically be interesting in the future...now it's a bit of a problem...'

I move out of her embrace.
'I understand.'
I send her a slightly guilty smile before looking back out of the window.

She pulls me tighter, however.
"'...it's alright...don't let being blocked in one area prevent you from enjoying yourself...'

I didn't expect getting pulled back, so I wail a bit.
"Ah!"
'But... being close to you like this will inevitably lead to me seeking out to kiss you...'

'...that's alright, we just need to work at it...and you can enjoy being hugged...'

'Hmm... well, alright... if you say so... But I'm still growing hungry, so we should probably have dinner soon... I don't want it to get to the point where my stomach grumbles... that would get awkward...'
I still nestle into her again, however.

'...don't worry about it being awkward, okay...? ...it will be alright...'

'I mean that my stomach grumbling sounds like a predator on the verge of attacking. Colicoid weirdness, you know? So, yeah. I don't want to risk it. Just... let's not get it to that point.'

'...okay...maybe you can deflect the noise with your powers...?'

'Yeah, I could. But that's not the point. The point is I'm hungry.'
I smile up at her.

'...alright, can you hold on for a few minutes? Dinner is soon... ...it'll be alright...'

'Hmm... if you tide me over, I think I can manage.'
I smirk up at her charmingly.

She adorably tilts her head, her golden strands flowing with the motion.
'...oh...? ...how would I do that...?'

I sigh.
'Well, my intention to steal a kiss flew right over you. But that doesn't matter.'
I nuzzle into her.
'Just holding me like this is more than enough.'

She smiles back.
'...then you'll have what you need...'

I look up at her with half-lidded eyes.
'Though I don't quite know what to do with this desire to kiss you. What are the chances of getting one?'
I smirk once more, both charmingly but also oh so loving.

'...unfortunately low...'

My smirk falls, and I sigh.
'Aww... that was to be expected, but is still unwelcome.'

Her head droops a bit.
'...yeah, I know...'

'So my charm hasn't worked yet in winning you over, huh? Well, not too surprising. I suppose I haven't exactly shown myself from my good sides so far...'

She looks back at me.
'...you have sides better than these ones...?'

'Well, the side that isn't close to collapse. Though you have seen that mental state of mine... somewhat. So that couldn't be it, either... Hmm...'
I glance up at her, curious.
'So far, I'm trying to throw as much of my love at you as possible and hope that it sticks. Do you know of a better method to charm you?'

She smirks humorously.
'...you're asking for pointers...?'

'Well, perhaps? I don't quite know the protocol for... any of this. Neither for your world, nor even my own. Like... would it help if I'd propose and ask for your hand?'

'...!'
Her face goes quite red.

I blink and tilt my head.
'Leanna?'

'...didn't expect that...maybe I should've...'

'Did I say something bad?'

'...maybe wait on that a little...'

'But that is what you told me, right? That you had suitors that wanted your hand? If only for... not the best intentions? So I thought that maybe this is the proper process to go at it?'

'...it's true that that would be...tradition, but I would prefer not to do that... ...you don't need to worry about jumping through extra hoops of that type...'

'So, I should ignore what is traditional for you?'
I shrug, then nods.
'Works fine for me. I'm not exactly a fan of 'traditions' either. That brings me back to my original problem, however. I try to make you as happy as possible... but I'm not sure if that is really working.'

'...well...'
She starts thinking.

I blink, then sigh and slam my hand in my face. How could I be so stupid and tone deaf?
"Uurgh..."
'Actually, forget it.'

She blinks, startled.
'...huh...?'

'I mean, this is just too absurd. Me asking you for tips on how to woo you? If I can't convince you myself, I wouldn't be worthy to convince you, anyways.'

She regards me with that gentle smile of hers.
'...it's alright...I thought it was cute...'

I blink, unsure.
'You... you think?'

'...as I said, you have sides that are better than this...? ...you have love and devotion some people would try for ages to get in a lover...you care enough to try anything just in case it might work, including asking me for advice...'
She cups my cheeks with gentle, but firm hands, gently guiding my head.

I allow her to to move my head, curious to her intentions.

She gazes deep into my eyes, her own shimmering in their hypnotizing blue.
'...my father once told me that a noblewoman should seek to cultivate many options, to weed out the weak and undeserving in favour of the most superior husband...that none but the best are good enough for me, his daughter...'
Her smile seems to glow deep into my soul.
'...I don't believe a word of it...I don't need perfect...just someone who needs me...and you might just be it...'

'I tend to agree with him, though. You are perfect, and deserve the world. Anything less than someone who treats you like this doesn't deserve you. But... if I really might be it... I would be incredibly happy.'
I smile lovingly at her.
'I know... that not everyone treats their partner that well... especially women, here... that's why you deserve someone that is willing to lay down the world at your feet. That loves you with every fibre of their being. And because I believe that, I try to do exactly that. After all, I do love you with every fibre of my being. Any wish you might have would be my command. I am all yours, Leanna. Because I love you, more than anything.'

I scratch my cheek. Or I would do that, if they weren't cupped by Leanna's hands.
'And, well... I suppose I really do need you. I couldn't live like this if it weren't for you...'

Her eyes glitter into mine.
'...and really...that's all I want...you don't need to be massively handsome, or terrifyingly skilled, or whatever else that marks you as being of good stock in the eyes of tradition...all that is extra...'
She rubs my reddening cheeks.
'...all I want is someone fun who finds me fun...'

'Uuhhh... I... don't quite think 'fun' is the word I'd use to describe you... but... I think I get your message... Then... am I someone fun for you?'

Her eyes search mine, looking for the meaning of my words.
'...you don't...? ...then what...?'

'Hmm... let's see... joyous... radiant... warm... nourishing... a blessing... perfect. I don't quite know if it is 'fun' when I'm around you... but everything certainly is much, much better.'

She seems to sigh a breath of relief
'...okay, that's good...'

'Then... I am... like that someone fun to you...?'

'...yes, you are...I enjoy the time we spend...'

I smile brightly at that response, though it quickly dulls a bit.
'And yet that doesn't seem to be enough?'

'...because I don't know enough about you...'

I can't help feeling a bit hurt by that.
'You already know more than anyone else... What else do you want to know?'

'...I mean...I don't know you as well as some other people I've known...'

I look at her, my face twisting in a weird grimace, as if it doesn't quite know which emotion to present.
'But you know me better than anyone else knows me... Aside from Nox, maybe, but I think he doesn't count...'

'...maybe that's because you never had the chance to open up before...not really...'

I nod weakly.
'Yeah. But with you... I don't mind. I don't mind being vulnerable, even if I'm afraid that one of the dark things you don't know yet will make you turn away when you learn them... Yet even so... even so... what else do you want to know about me? What do you need to see?'

'...but that's not what I'm worried about as much...I'm thinking of more small things... ...not just your history, but who you are... what I already know... seems like an overview... ...I know you're more complicated than I could dream, just like anyone else... I want that, to listen for hours on end to the way you sound when you think about things...'

I smile slightly.
'Heh. How curious. For me it's just the same. But less for a innate want to know you better, but more because I just love to hear your voice...'
But then, my smile falls again.
'However, I'm not sure if you want to hear my thoughts... They tend to... be rather dark, when they're not circling around you. Which they actually do most of the time.'

'...I do...to hear you, to understand you...because on Terra we have a saying...'
Her thoughts are as welcoming to me as her arms.
'...it's impossible to truly understand someone and not love them the way they love themselves...'

I tilt my head.
'I don't quite understand.'

'...well, when you can understand someone on the deep level that they operate on...you know them as though they are a part of you, don't you...?'

'I... think that doesn't quite apply to myself. I tend to understand others better than I understand myself.'

'...perhaps not, but consider this...'
She takes a moment, probably to order her thoughts.
'...say you knew someone loved a particular song, and you knew they loved it because it was the last song one of their parents played for them before they never saw them again...and from how they felt that night, what happened, and their current perspective on this memory, you knew exactly what they were going to do when that song started playing... ...how comfortable would you be with using that knowledge against them...?'

'Uhm, that is oddly specific. And I am generally rather uncomfortable using my knowledge of others against them...'

'...exactly...that's what the statement means, I think...'

I look at her confused.
'...You think?'

'...intuiting all those things generally requires a great deal of empathy, to find in another the memories they don't actively think about... ...not to mention understanding them...'

I glance to the side.
'Well...'

I then shake my head softly, as it is still held by Leanna.
'Whatever. You managed to confuse me. What was the point you were trying to make?'

'...that to truly understand someone...eventually, you cannot think of them as evil...evil is the sign we hang on things we don't understand...'
She scratches my head.
'...when you know why they did everything they did, you'll know they were always the hero of their story...'

I glance away once more.
'You certainly overestimate Sith like Harkun...'

'...do I...? ...do I overestimate someone who was so beaten down by the Sith ideology he began to accept it as fact...? ...I don't know his story...'

'Though, well, I do suppose that since those don't think they did anything wrong would see themselves as the hero of their story.'

She nods.
'...exactly...and in understanding them, you would truly understand why they came to think the actions they took are right...'

'Okay. That wouldn't make me despise him any less. Nor do I quite see the relevance to our current relationship?'

'...imagine comprehending the scale and nature of my love for everything in the world... ...not just through your senses, but through knowing its shape, memorizing it...'

I smile slightly.
'I'm constantly trying, and blown away by your capacity every time anew.'

She still holds my head, gazing deeply into my eyes.
'...and what happens the day you finally, fully grasp it...when you completely understand...? ...when it's written in your memory as deeply as any part of you...?'

I smile warmly.
'Then I'll love you all the more.'

'...so what will happen to me if I understood the part of you that took the weight of the world and would not be crushed... if I felt the love you felt and feel for Kory...?'

'Well, that depends on you, I think. Either you will love those parts... or not.'

'...I believe that in order to understand how you feel, I would have to feel what you feel... ...and I don't think there's any way I could come out the other side of something like that and not love the person on the other end...'

I tilt my head.
'So you mean to say that you would fall in love with anyone if you know them sufficiently?'

'...you say that like it's easy to do... ...you're forgetting the years that would need to be spent between people who don't know telepathy... the fact that to know these things both people need to bare their hearts so fully as to leave nothing untouched by the end... ...of course I could love anyone I knew sufficiently... that's how it works with anyone...'

'Personally, I disagree. Also, I say it like it's easy to do... because it kind of is... for me. I could bare my mind to you, my emotions, my memories...'

She adjusts her grip, caressing my cheek in the process.
'...which is why I think you might be able to accomplish this in a few months...'

I glance away, an unwelcome emotion welling up.
'But even so... that you think that just anyone could be able to capture your heart if you knew them sufficiently...'

'...if they were willing to spend long hours in my company...to bare their hearts to me...yes...'
She shakes her head.
'...but not everyone can do that...'

I arc a brow at her.
'You'd be surprised just how many there are willing to try.'

'...most of the people who courted me had little time for someone who required them to spend more than a week on...'

I roll my eyes.
'I don't mean those pricks who were in that for their own selfish reasons. They weren't really interested in you as a person, after all, as you've already deduced yourself and told me.'

Her strikingly blue eyes glimmer with confusion.
'...so who does that leave behind...?'

'Just about the entire Mage Academy?'

She blushes deeply.
'...not everyone...'

'The majority. Have you noticed just how many jealous stares I got while we two stayed there together? The aura was palpable.'

'... ...but what did they do...?'

'They thought so loud, they were practically screaming their thoughts at me, that I would 'steal their academy's star' or something along those lines.'

I can practically see her gears grinding to a halt.
'...! ...wh-what? ...I never... no one ever told me... I thought it was only a few, and among the first years... ...that's so weird... why would that be happening... but no one cared enough to say anything to me...?'

I shrug.
'Young people being shy, I guess.'

She slumps.
'...all of them were just pining from a distance...too afraid of what I might turn out to be behind intimidating beauty and rehearsed grace...to open themselves to me...if any of them actually asked for time, I would probably have said yes... ...but who I was made them fear that just because I acted nice and looked nice doesn't mean I was...'

'I know you would have given them the same chance you give me, at least. However, your deduction went far from it. I think they were just afraid you'd... turn them down. That someone exceptionally nice like you... is just nice to everyone. Why would they be something special? Be reassured that they very much believe you are a very nice person at heart.'

'...but if I'm so nice, and they believed that...why would they assume I wouldn't give them a chance...?'

I shrug.
'Insecurities? Feeling unworthy of your time and attention? Now, I have to admit that I didn't look too deeply into this when we were there... but the general consensus seemed to be that you're kind of 'everyone's Leanna'... like, it was a kind of unwritten rule that nobody approaches you.'

'...I see... ...that makes some sense...'

I smile at her, both loving and a bit pained.
'You are an exceptional individual, and an incredible woman. You inspire people wherever you go. With your very being, you sometimes charm people with a simple gesture, or a single sentence.'
I gesture at myself.
'Case in point.'

The redness in her features does not cease, and even that is just... such a gorgeous colour.
I brush a hand over her warm cheeks.
'...so lovely...'

Dinner arrives. I move back into my seat to give her room.
Zack and Leanna work together to set each side of the table.

Quickly, the meals are placed, and I notice my spot is extremely close to Leanna's. Close enough that we'll be touching during the meal. I arc a brow at her. She set it up herself, after all.

She sits down without reacting to my non-verbatim cue, and I will need to squeeze in nice and close for my meal.
I blush a bit as I do so.
'Is there... any particular reason... you set us up like this?'

'...your happiness...?'

'I... see... Well, if you're fine with this...'
I then try to get comfortable, though it is a bit weird to me to eat like this, as I've never eaten before in such close proximity to someone else.

I would be eating much faster, but every motion my right side makes brushes against Leanna, and vice versa for everything she does with her left. Every brush sends a slight blush to my cheeks, as I try to focus on my meal. But with every collision, my attention is captured by this blonde goddess. Thus, even if I eat slower than usually, I continuously have a smile on my face, even if I look a bit flustered.

Then, by accident, we bump shoulders, and for a brief instant there is a crack in Leanna's soul, one with width.

I curiously glance at her. What caused this crack?

She gasps lightly, a bit flustered, and before it closes, a flicker of starlight reaches across the gap and touches me.
Vision and imagination consume me for a moment.
I am standing in some kind of ruin, though my surroundings are mostly indistinct, and a few steps away is Leanna. Surrounding her is the golden glow of her soul, presented for the world to see in full, brighter and more beautiful than I could've previously imagined. Her hair ripples softly in a wind that isn't there, and her eyes are soft and full of love.
My knees shake. This... this being is more amazing than anything he has ever seen... how could he ever be worthy? How could anyone?
With a shaking arm, I reach out to her. I want to call out her name, but my voice fails me, and only a breath escapes my lips. Instead, I fall to my knees as the strength in my legs gives out.
She steps forward. Light surrounds her, wrapping around everything in sight. Ancient stones, tiny creatures, all things both living and not receiving at least a moment of her time, her life, and when it comes to me, that attention feels like it will just roll over me like everything else - and that instant feels so amazing that I feel the only way to repay it is with a thousand lifetimes. Yet it lingers. It doesn't go away. Her steps echo against the stone, and stop before me.
She looks at my face, seemingly conflicted, but she is smiling at me. And seeing that I cannot stand, she kneels down, takes me in her arms, and kisses me.

And the world turns white. The dream is over.

When I return to my normal focus, searing pain assaults my senses. I clutch both my chest and my head, and squeeze my eyes shut.
"Nnngh!"

Leanna is startled.
"Xerath!"

My breathing turns a bit laboured for a moment, but after seconds that feel like minutes, it calms down again.
I notice her arms around me, and the worry on her face.
"What happened, Xerath? Did I do something?"

I half open my eyes and shake my head.
"No... no-ngh! Nothing... Not your fault..."

"Is there anything we can do?"

I shake my head again.
"No-gh! Not really."

I fall silent for a moment, and I close my eyes again, but not clenching them.
It takes me a few minutes to repair the damage, but I'm no longer in pain.
I open my eyes again and look at her.
"I had... a glimpse... I saw... an unimaginable future... I saw... perfection..."

My eyes focus on her, and I have a sad sort of decisiveness to my expression.
"I... am not worthy... I... couldn't ever be..."

"Xerath... you saw me?"

I nod.

"Well, what did I do?"

"It's... less what you did... and more... what you were..."

If she wasn't confused before, she certainly is now.
"Huh?"

"You were... perfection. Glorious... a shining goddess... your light a beacon as bright as my full presence... nay, probably even brighter..."
I still hold my head.
"Even just... feeling your attention on me for a moment... made me feel... unworthy... but then... you focused on me... and..."

I blush brightly, warmth rushing trhough my cheeks.
"And you... kissed me..."
I have to pause for a moment after that.

"I... I don't deserve you... how could anyone ever deserve you? You... you are so much more than even I could anticipate... or will be... it..."
My head droops.
"I'm not enough... I'll never be..."

She hugs me immediately.
"Xerath, I told you... I don't want or need perfection from anyone. You don't have to be perfect to make people happy."

"But you... you are! And I... I'm so... so not..."

"Shh..."
Her hand, so delicate and... if what I saw in my vision is any indication, holy... strokes down my back, trailing along tense muscles with tender love and care.
"You don't have to be perfect for me, Xerath. Just okay. Okay is enough."

I calm down under her continuous effort and affection.
"Really? It... would be a first..."

She smiles slightly, almost smirking.
"If I'm a goddess, maybe I'm right about a few things in my domain, no? Maybe I have a decent idea of what I want. And the list is long, but in people I am lenient and forgiving."

"Maybe..."

"After all, if I... kissed you, doesn't that mean I've reached a conclusion about whether you're right for me?"

I blink.
"You're... right... It's... hard enough to be... perfect for the galaxy... I don't think... I could hold up the same facade with you... Not after... I let my emotions back, now."

"And what might that conclusion say about you?"

I regard her with a nervous expression.
"That I am... an insecure wreck... but you still think... that I'm worthy?"

Her hands continue to keep me relaxed.
"Yes. Maybe, just maybe, it's me that decides whether you're good enough for me. Can you trust me to make that decision?"

"I... suppose I can..."
I chuckle weakly, nervously.
'Well, at least I think I can now fully understand how your peers must feel like...'

'...and how do you feel about that...?'

'Insecure... undeserving... that you're way out of my league... all in all, I don't feel good enough for you.'

Once again, warm hands rub along my back beneath my armour, worming their way into all of the best spots.
'...and yet you still want what you believe you shouldn't have...?'

'Yes... I mean, how could I not want you? You are so... flawless to me... perfect. Though I do still have half a mind to just cut ties now while I still could and leave, doing the rest of the journey myself...'

'...'
She doesn't seem to like that thought.
'...but I want you to feel welcome...'

'I do! You make me feel very welcome, Leanna. It's just... that the rest of your world is not as accommodating. Me feeling undeserving of your affection is just one point on a list of issues.'

'...I don't like that...not being able to do enough...'

'Well... to be honest, I'm not sure if you ever will be able to do enough... But I do very much appreciate everything you are already doing. And while I do believe I was meant to meet you... I'm not sure that I'm meant to be here, on Terra. Everything here... just goes completely against everything I consider normal.'
Some sadness creeps up on me.
'I would like to take you with me to my galaxy... but don't think you would like it there, either... So, what hope is there, even?'

'...there is always hope... ...and while the wars and the hate of your galaxy would not please me, I would not balk at the opportunity to help heal it...'

I look at her, hurt glimmering in my eyes.
'I can only believe that because it's coming from you. Hope... is somewhat of a foreign concept to me, after all.'

'...hope can thin, it can be foolish, but there is always some, no matter the situation...'

'Not when you abandon it, because it doesn't bring anything but hurt, anyways.'

'...hope can survive even without bearers... ...as long as sometime, someone will watch...'

'But it's ironic, isn't it? I could bring hope to others... but had none left myself.'

'...your hope is now, Xerath...now that I have a hold on you, you'll have hope again...'
As she sends me those words, she squeezes me a bit tighter, emphasizing her words.

'I do. And that's why it's a strange concept to me. For so long... I didn't even dare to hope... to the point that I'm now deathly afraid of things going wrong and stomping that hope out.'

'...and how would we mitigate that fear...?'

'By proving it wrong, I suppose? I mean, I'm not sure. I wasn't this afraid to lose something for a very long time...'

'...then we have our work cut out for us...'
There is no judgement in her thoughts, only warmth and care. A pure desire to help, manifesting in her her sublime way of scratching my head. Force, how could I live without these head scratches?

I sigh happily.
'You know... you're making the task of eating increasingly difficult.'

'...perhaps, but emotional health is just as important as physical health...'

'Perhaps, but I really don't want to get the urge again to eat you... or anyone else in the room, for that matter.'

'...will you...?'

'I rewired my instincts, so it shouldn't. But then again, it shouldn't have happened in the first place, so I can't really tell. I sometimes crave the weirdest of things. I'm actually surprised it hasn't happened yet while I'm here.'

'...so we don't know...okay, that's alright... ..I trust you to deal with it...'

'Bottom line is, my hunger must be sated.'
I smile slightly.
'I hope your trust won't be misplaced.'
I try my best to focus on eating, and not on every time we brush against each other.

'...it isn't...you've never disappointed me yet...'

'And I sincerely hope that this won't change... even when you learn more about my past...'

'...I doubt it...you'll be alright...'

'Well, I'll manage... but will you be alright? Many of those things are... very disturbing.'

'...probably...'

'Well, I really hope so, Leanna. I really hope so. Because... those burdens are already painful to bear. I... I don't want you to have to share them... you deserve better... I mean, you are so pure... I... I don't want to taint and corrupt you...'

She tilts her head, cutely and questioningly.
'...'corrupt me'...? ...horrified, maybe, but corrupt?'

'People have fallen to the Dark side over less. Over much, much less... It... it would be criminal if my darkness would taint your light. I... I couldn't forgive myself that.'

'...that sounds awful...but why...? ...at least on Terra, hearing about bad things happening doesn't turn people evil...'

'Are you sure? What about VOID, then?'

'...that's hardly the only thing involved there...'

'But you need to take your empathy into consideration. You are able to relate to people on a level I have rarely ever seen, if at all. If you learn about the things that happened in my past... especially to the level of detail you want to know... I can imagine you picturing yourself living through those moments... and I'm afraid that would break you.'

'...it's hardly the first time I've heard about these sorts of things, Xerath...'

'Not on the same level, though...'

'...perhaps not...but I'll be fine, okay...?' ..they are terrible, but just because I didn't know about them didn't mean they weren't happening...'

'...are you sure? Can you... really be sure...?'

'...perhaps not...but I do have hope...'

I smile weakly.
'Heh. Well, that's one of the many things I love about you. You know what? You're right. You managed to snatch my undying love in less than a day. I just... have to trust you. You're not a normal person, you are... well, you. I'll trust in you, that you'll be able to bear knowing the pain I carry. I should... have hope... right?'

'...you should...'
More head scratches are earned, delivered under a bright and proud smile from my goddess.

My smile brightens, then I return to the difficult task of eating. I briefly consider working with telekinesis... but quickly dismiss that, as it would mean I wouldn't brush Leanna then.
'Still, though, let's continue eating. I'm hungry.'

'...of course...'
And so we eat.

I glance at the food. It doesn't appear to be something special. Still, I'll ask the others. I let my gaze sweep around the table.
"So, just out of curiosity... is this meal something you guys like?"

Amelia gives a slight nod.
"It's okay."

Zack comments in his usual stoic fashion.
"Train food."

Kara nods along with him.
"Yes, train food."

I tilt my head.
"This sounds like there is some kind of stigma to 'train food'?"

Kara gestures with her fork.
"A bit. Less space to cook. It's fine, just not groundbreaking."

"I see. That makes sense. So, it wouldn't be worth to reproduce this? Alright."

"Not really."

I nod.
"Got it."
Then, I fall silent again, not really knowing what to talk about. This whole 'friends' business is still rather new to me, after all. So instead, I continue to eat, blushing at every new contact with Leanna. They are frequent, after all.
Force, I love this woman. I can't help but smile embarrassed at every touch. But even so, my love, care and adoration hang in the air and are obvious for her, even to the unattuned senses of Leanna.

Eventually, they are finished. Leanna had made sure to bring enough for me from the start.
I smile at her gratefully.
"Thank you."

And with that, I take a second helping. But after I had already so much to eat today, I don't need that much for dinner, and the second plate is enough.

Leanna regards me with that gentle smile of hers.
"How are you feeling?"

"Not hungry anymore."

"Great."

"Yeah. This should tide me over until breakfast."

"So, what do we want to do now?"

I lean back in my seat, still sitting very close to Leanna.
"Interesting. I was just about to ask the same thing."

I smile humorously at her.
"Can you read my mind?"

She bemusedly shakes her head.
"Maybe not yet."

"Well, we can do whatever. We can... talk... or play cards... or sleep... or go ahead to..."
I trail off and pull out the map Leanna got me in Bazada and scan over it for a moment.
"...Stonecrest? That's where we're headed, right? So, we do have options."

"Well, we did kind of try cards a little while ago..."

"Yeah, and I suppose Nox's nature is somewhat unsuited for this kind of game... at least with you guys."

"Yeah... I'm sorry about that..."

I shrug, and Nox's voice sounds out.
"It is only natural that mortals are at least uncomfortable in the presence of gods."

Kara side-eyes me, or him, I think.
"We'd also be uncomfortable with a 'mortal' reading our minds, but whatever makes you happy big man."

Now Nox appears, however, and looks somewhat... uncertain?
"I'm... it really is unfortunate that I can't change this fact. Is there... something else I could do to... not make you uncomfortable? I'd hate it if you'd started to despise being around Xerath because of me."

Kara turns to him.
"Well, is your 'outside of the laws of physics' a position of privilege or restriction?"

He blinks, and tilts his head at her.
"Come again?"

"Does it let you do more or less, the fact that you are this 'wound on reality'."

He lifts his head a bit, looking royal... or arrogant, depending on your view.
"Well, I am a god - divine - and quite possibly the strongest being in this universe, so of course I can do a lot more than the masses."

Then, he deflates somewhat.
"However, I did not really consider it from that side. Me being a wound has it's ups and downs. Mainly, I just am. What people would think of me was never an issue, as there were no people that even knew of my existence..."

"Well, here's an idea: why not look into ways of solving the problem. The issue is caused by your strangeness, but that strangeness gives you power as well. Perhaps there is a solution in the form of an ability you haven't discovered yet? I'm... sure you already know, but I value effort. If you have a problem, try working on it. Even if you don't succeed, the fact that you tried is worth something."

"But the thing is, I do not have a problem - you have a problem with me. ...Right?"

"Problems are based on perspective. I believe that this is our problem, since it affects our ability to communicate on even ground. So, Scarlet One: if a powerful interstellar empire were to happen upon a planet of pre-space people and wish to talk to them, who would be responsible for translating the other's language?"

He blinks.
"Uhh... Diplomats or Force users, though they sometimes can be both. Usually aided by protocol droids, who specialise in languages and translating processes."

"And which side of this discussion has access to those?"

"Usually, the interstellar empire that wishes to initiate contact."

Her gaze focuses, ensnaring her prey.
"So, in the situation we are in, who holds the majority of the responsibility for ensuring that communication can be done safely and comfortably?"

Nox looks uncomfortable.
"...the one with more possibilities, in this case the empire..."

"And now you understand our position. In Esaria, the majority of people believe that it is the duty of the powerful to accommodate the less powerful for that exact reason. If they cannot accommodate others, are they truly powerful?"

His eyes narrow in defiance.
"Are you doubting my power? I could make you accommodated, you know...?"

"I do not accuse you."

He relaxes.
"Good."

"After all, you have shown that you are capable of accommodating others."

He blinks.
"I have?"

"Have you not? Consider your concern over this problem."

"Well, if my presence bothers you, that will lead to problems for Xerath. It's not because I like you or anything..."

She blinks.
"I see..."

"But I told you that as I appeared, did I not?"

"I am inseparable to Xerath. Thus if me being around makes you uncomfortable, you will be uncomfortable around him, which will make him sad, which in turn will lead to problems for me. I wish to prevent that."

He blinks, not quite understanding her statement.

"You care about him. And I don't think a person can care for another for any reason for years without developing some level of intimacy."

"Ah. Well, we are rather 'intimate'. We share a mind, after all. It is thanks to that fact that I even know about the distinctions of how you perceive the world, actually."

"You can watch through his eyes, then?"

"I see what he sees, yes."

"While obviously still being chained to your own perception."

"Correct."

"Otherwise that would be an obvious solution to this problem."

"Well, I could detach my senses and rely on Xerath... but would you like to be blindfolded, gagged, and chained up in a dark room with ear plugs in, the only sources of sensory input being absolutely minuscule, like the light coming in through the keyhole?"

"But that would be a problem regardless of how you tapered your senses."

"Precisely."

"And we don't want that - we just want the minds of people to be shrouded in darkness... unless they give permission."

"I know. And the only way I know of is for you to build up defences. The only one who can have a say in keeping your minds contents to yourself, is, well, yourself."

Amelia frowns.
"I have a lingering question."

"Yes?"

"Why is that? Why does the barrier have to exist in our minds? Why are barriers outside ineffective when barriers inside work fine? What is the difference?"

"It has to do with how I perceive the world."
He settles in, regarding the young mage.
"Usually, outside barriers would work fine against normal mages or other Force users, as we stated before. But because I exist outside of that, and draw information directly from the Force itself... I know basically everything that is touched by the Force in any given moment, within my sphere of perception. But if you build up mental defences, it's like you apply your own blend of... well, yourself to the mix. So, if someone like Xerath would just give you a barrier, it might as well be a window for me. But if you build a barrier yourself, it would be... like a bush, I suppose. In that I could look through it if I wanted to, but it would block my passive insight."

"So why not place the barrier in the way of this information flow?"

"Did you even listen to me? Even if we place a barrier, it would be literally transparent for me, regardless of where it's placed."

"No, I meant that the barrier should block the outflow of information into where you can perceive it."

"Ah. Well, that won't work, either. Because basically, there is no flow. Something is touched by the Force... then I know it. It's... complicated to explain, because this goes against any laws of nature you know of..."

"Alright, then why would me having an internal barrier change that if it isn't possible to stymie this information?"

"Because, as I said, it would apply your own will into the thing. The Force is all about the strength of a person's will. By building up your mental defences, the Force recognises your desire to protect your mind and restricts the information accordingly."

"And why wouldn't that be affected by external barriers?"

"Because that barrier would lack your own will."

"And that would affect this process? Why can't another's will substitute?"

He hesitates.
"Uhm..."
He draws a hand to his chin.
"How can I put this...?"

He falls silent for a moment, trying to find the right words. Eventually, he speaks up again.
"The Force is... about individuality. It requires your own will as input. After all, what would be the difference in someone else's will imposing on you compared to another will shielding you?"

She grows contemplating.
"How odd... I see."

He looks... almost sympathetic at her.
"My word of advise, Amelia? Do not try to understand the Force through the lens of science and your magic. It is much more raw and chaotic, and for you, probably alien as well. Just like your magic is to us."

"Most strange."

"Our thoughts exactly for your world."

"But thank you. Your answer is... unsatisfying, but it makes sense."

"Well... uhm... as long as I was- as long as you understand."
Normal people would most likely not notice, but since everyone in this group has exceptional observational skills, they can probably note that Nox's air of indifference... is slowly cracking. No one acts as though they know, knowing that him knowing could be taken as a sign of weakness.

"Now then, I believe that was all, wasn't it?"
He looks around.
"Or are there more questions?"

"Yes."
Kara smiles at him, peppy as always.
"We're looking forward to your progress, even if it doesn't get very far. And if you can't, I wouldn't mind learning how to be immune to mind reading."

He smiles slightly. As in, the corners of his mouth turn up.
"Well, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but hate to break it. I exist for about ten years now, with nothing to do but thinking, learning, observing, and calculating. I am rather sure that I have tried all methods to limit my mind reading capabilities already, to no avail. As I said, being this powerful has it's ups and downs. However, I wouldn't mind teaching you how to fortify your mind, if you want."

"Well that's alright. As I said, just give it good effort."

He blinks.
"To limiting myself, or teaching you? Because if it's the former, then I already did."

"Both."

"I see. Well, then feel free to contact me when you want to start the lessons."

"Of course. I'm sure you're looking forward to a reason to be out and about, after all."
She smirks.

"Well, it is somewhat interesting to interact with people myself, I admit. It gets boring just hearing the thoughts of people all the time. It's so... passive. Even though it is rather relaxing here. But that's a good thing, so I can channel more of my focus into Xerath's mind."

"That's one way of looking at it."

He glances away, his voice barely above a whisper.
"And perhaps you aren't so bad, either."

She says nothing, her internal response no more than the barest flicker.

He then glances around.
"So, more questions?"

"Don't think so."

He nods.
"Very well, then. I'll take my leave, as I suppose you don't want to have me around in case you decide to play another round of cards."
Like the last time, he seems to be a bit... hesitant, though.

Leanna shakes her head.
"I wish you could participate, but at the moment it's not really feasable. But we can do something else if you like. Maybe there's some game where knowing the opponent's strategy doesn't help much?"

"None I could think of, at least. However, what I can offer... is trying to not use the knowledge I gain from knowing your minds. You might not think so, but I'm actually quite good at differing between knowing things, and actually acting upon that knowledge."

"It would be a challenge for you."
But then, Kara smiles.
"But you'd like that, wouldn't you?"

He smirks.
"Yes. I always love challenges. Especially since I haven't met one I couldn't..."
He trails off and hesitates.
"...overcome."

He then shakes his head, somewhat looking down.
"Regardless, I know this doesn't substitute for what you consider this breach in your privacy, but I hope it can at least take your mind off of it..."

"At the very least, it lets the game work."
She looks around.
"I say we let him play. He seems like he's going to be on his best behaviour."

Nox follows her gaze around, the suns he has as eyes slightly flickering in what could be interpreted as hope.

Shrugs, and a beaming smile from Leanna are the response.
"I'm sure he can do okay."

Meanwhile, as this conversation happened, I smiled softly the entire time, glad Nox is getting out of his shell. Now, I speak up.
"I can second that assessment."

A slight smile forms on Nox's face, just the tiniest bit brighter than the last.
"Alright. I promise I'll do my best. Expect nothing but perfection."

Kara smirks at him.
"I'll hold you to it."

Nox smirks confidently.
"Now, as you were... not so pleased with the development of the previous game, I suggest we start anew, so that I wouldn't have taken advantage of my unfair knowledge, as you put it."

"Absolutely."

I let thecards float over to me, and our pot is split again, every coin and ingot floating back to their previous owner.
And so play begins.
True to his words, Nox doesn't seem to draw on intimate knowledge. He is able to make some good estimations, but they are around on the same level as Xerath's plays. Also, whenever it is his turn, his reactions seem to be a bit... delayed. As if he has to think for a moment longer than usual. To me, it reminds me more of the lag commonly found in electronic devices.

The game progresses, and Nox finds himself having... fun. Without his mind reading, he must compete with Amelia and me as equals, and the others are no slouch either. Though Zack is easy to outmanouvre in many situations.
I notice that he also further limits himself by only using information that a body in place of his illusion would have, and all those calculations are causing a delay in his reaction. But even so, it is... enjoyable. As strange as it is, he... he not just doesn't mind it, he actually likes it. A small, but very genuine smile appears on his face.

Time passes. Coins trade hands. Standoffs occur. Laughing. The game is enjoyed, and the only thing Nox needed to do was give a little ground.
People don't necessarily reject him.

He is a bit peeved that this very same offer got ignored the first time he brought it up, but at least now they accepted it. People may or may not notice the short drop of his smile as that thought crosses him. Perhaps it is because at that time they were emotionally charged? After all, in their eyes, he had committed a major transgression.
Hmm, that could play a part, yes. Emotions, those fickle things. A being like himself has no need for them, or so he likes to say.

After a moment, his smile picks up again. Well, whatever. The past has already happened, he now has a game to win.

Meanwhile, I also enjoy the game, and is even happier that Nox can participate. I am much more glad than I thought I would be that people I care about now know Nox, and actually... if not fully accept him yet, at least tolerate. And so, I can't help the bright smile on my face.

After many games, filled with laughter, smiles, and some shouts, people start to tire.

I take a look out of the window.
"Well... it's getting late. Should we call it a night?"

Nox floats his winnings over to mine.
"That sounds like a good idea. You lot seem to tire."

Leanna yawns absolutely adorably.

I glance at her and blush.
"...cute..."

Nox smiles hesitatingly at the group.
"Good night, all... and... thank you... for having me."

Kara regards him with a somewhat tired smile.
"You're welcome."

Leanna looks at me, and smiles.
"You seem happy."

"Well, how could I not? This part of myself... that is also kind of my brother... was... I'm not sure if you accept him yet, but at least you tolerate, and that is more than I feared. Also, your yawn just now was absolutely adorable."

Meanwhile, with a last glance at Kara, Nox vanishes in a red cloud of particles.

Leanna smiles brighter at me.
"That's good. I-yawn..."

I can't help but blush some more.
"You... seem rather tired."

She leans back in her seat next to me.
"Yeah...I didn't want the game to end in the middle..."

I lean back as well.
"Understandable. It was quite fun, wasn't it?"

"Yeah."

She pulls me into a position where I can sleep on her shoulder. My head sinks into the gambeson.

I am surprised, as I was just about to ask her about that. This doesn't help my blush, but I smile widely and lean into her. I then tilt my head and peck her cheek.
'I love you, Leanna.'
"Good night."

After that, I look at the others.
"Good night, guys."

A light blush dusts Leanna's cheeks, but she doesn't protest.
"Good night."

Amelia nods.
"Sleep well."

Kara smirks.
"Have fun you two."

Zack gives a curt nod.
"Night."

I rest my head on her shoulder, nuzzling into her, and close my eyes.
In the presence of Leanna as well as my friends, I quickly fall asleep, as I always seems to do. And like before, a small smile is present on my sleeping face, while the faint breathing and soft heaving of my chest are the only indicators that I am not dead. Something the others most likely have noticed by now, is how incredibly - or eerily - still I sleep.
Leanna slowly pats my head as I sleep, while she slowly drifts off as well. This turns my smile a notch brighter.

And so, I sleep silently, while Nox remains ever vigilant. Perhaps a bit too much. I notice him reaching his powers a bit while I focus my mind's attention on reinforcement.
But I don't want to dwell too much on it, I'm sure it'll be alright. I just hope I can get a quiet, restful night for a change.

---

A/N.: It is wednesday, my dudes. And it's still this month, I kept my promise. Well, at least in my time. Things happenned that divided my attention, my apologies. Further, I'm getting closer and closer to reaching the point where my wonderful friend and I are at writing the story together. That takes considerably longer than just typing it over into this format, so I'm not too certain I'll be able to keep up the monthly schedule. Or a schedule at all. I'll write what I can, when I can, and continue to upload chapters when they're done.
But until then, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I thank you for reading. Feel free to let me know your thoughts! Enjoy the last legs of summer, and until next time.