Queen's note: I didn't do it :3 (I did)
Garnets
Chapter Twenty Four:
The Fall
"Valen?" Lily called out from where she was under the floor. Shifting to let one of the cleaner drones climb over her shoulder and go ahead of her. Offered a part to the second one with her inside of the crawlspace, making sure it was carrying it back to the square of light where the Argenta man was waiting.
She looked around the small space, picking up the teal gem Valen had told her to take with. It gave off light in the darkness of the crawl space, not a harsh light but soft color that flooded the area of a few feet around her. It was warm, not just from Lily's or Valen's body heat, and was now in a gold and silver frame that the Argenta man had made. Possibly
"Yes?" Valen answered, keeping out of the light, even though Lily had one with her. When the drone chirped for attention he took the burnet out part and examined it to sort out what it had been.
"What was it that John did? Before… I mean that deep-echoey sound that… sounded like emotion more than words?" Lily shifted in the space, going deeper once the way had been cleaned by the horseshoe-crab like drone finished cleaning. There was still dust, char and a few dead and dried up… bugs?
Definitely something that looked like an arachnid, if not in the scorpion family. Thankfully it was long since dead, and now in a container, just in case.
"He was speaking in Primordial," Valen answered, sending the drone back with a tool that would likely be needed soon. "Wraiths and other immortal beings from that time, or influenced by them can speak it."
"Is that why he doesn't talk aloud?" Lily asked, hearing movement outside as Valen was moving now. Following her progress from above until he found another hatch that they would meet at.
"I imagine, it is not easy for anyone to speak it," Valen agreed, and then added as he started to pull the panel up. He was able to track the human not from sound as her voice echoed, but by his wolf's soul gem. "He used to speak a lot, back on Argent D'ner and Sentinel Prime. At some point after he was put in the Divinity Machine he started to go quiet."
"Divinity…machine?" Lily echoed the new words as she rolled onto her side to get a side panel open, and let her drone partner wiggle in first. It was her defender in the crawlspace, making sure there were no live bugs, and if there was anything she needed to take out. "De-vin?"
"Divinity, Da-vin-ity..." Valen sounded out the correct way to pronounce the Argenta word slowly.
"Ooh, like godly?"
"Exactly." Valen waited a moment for it to catch up. Lifting the panel and setting it aside so there was another pool of light into the crawl space.
"...wait what?" Lily demanded, "Like, I heard the stories of a guardian war god of the space marines, dad told me all about those stories. But…?"
"He is a demigod now," Valen said with some amusement, kneeling beside the new opening, "I'm not sure if he wasn't already before. But the Slayer is a primordial being now for sure. I do not know exactly what the Maykrs did to him… but… it made him even stronger than before. He's the only being I know of that can take on a Titan demon on his own and win."
There was quiet under the floor, for a few moments the sound of work stilling as the human thought that over.
"Damn," Lily muttered, then added something in one of the languages Valen did not know.
The man chuckled, "Congratulations, you've been adopted into the protection of one of the few real gods in the mortal worlds."
"Who goes by John Doe...plus my dad is a sword, and my mom is a giant demon possibly in hell..." Lily started and then gave an almost pained sound. Making sure her mask was still firmly in place, the visor-like shield was still out to protect her eyes from the dust. "My head hurts thinking about this."
"It takes a little getting used to it," Valen aloud, letting the drones pass up three more parts before finding Lily grasping the edge and pulling herself into the open space. He offered a hand and helped pull her out again. "Good work so far, that's three more things you found then we thought were broken."
Lily kicked her legs in the opening, sitting on the edge as she brushed some dust off, keeping the mask on for now, "I got the little crabs to clean out the areas too. No idea what any of that is but, looks like a much smaller relay for…that one?"
Valen turned to glance at what was pointed out, he nodded, "Good guess. It is, we can go over everything once we go into the last part…there."
Lily looked at another spot on the floor. Recognizing the removable panels now as she triggered the mask to dispense the medicine. "Just that spot left?"
"Getting tired?" Valan asked, estimating that it had been a few good hours since the Slayer left at this point.
"Yeah, I think it's an after effect." Lily was slouching a bit more than normal. Clearly debating on if she could do the next section, but if it was just pulling herself along like the last ones then…she should be able to handle it. Lily looked down and took the large pendant like soul gem off where it had been sitting on her chest under her shirt. Offering it back to the taller man.
"Keep it, for now at least," Valen shook his head, nudging Lily's elbow before giving a smile, "It makes me feel better that Kia' is watching over you."
"I don't want something so precious of yours to get hurt." Lilly worried, looking down and back up.
"You would not be able to crack a soul gem," Valen felt himself giving a fond smile, "As strong as you have been to survive, ah, you do not have the raw power to do so."
"Well, guess that's why you're here?" Lily offered awkwardly, squeaking as she was grasped and pulled against Valen. Finding out that he had some light armor on under the loose gray cloths as she was squished a bit.
"That's exactly why I'm here, even in the Fortress." Valen nodded, and only partly let go, "Realistically the worse things would likely follow the Slayer through the gate. But we do not know what's been left behind. I wouldn't want a lingering phantom to mistake you for a threat. Or just an intruder."
Lily frowned, thinking of the ghost-like form from the day before, "Can they really hurt me?"
"Yes ...and no," Valen frowned as he tried to think about how to explain correctly. He tapped over his heart, "They will likely hurt more… internally, then a physical wound. But that is not impossible depending on their strength."
Lily considered that, and then made a face, "This, all this about gods, demigod? Phantoms are weirdly both complicated and simple and I don't know what to think sometimes."
"What do you think right now?" Valen asked, spreading a hand over her back.
"I think… I feel bad for those that are lingering. Stuck instead of moving on, to wherever that may be." Lily considered, "It kinda reminds me of what happened to my dad. Not the same, but he seemed to hang on… and recognized me. He always brought in supplies from boats that auto-docked. And visited. Sort of. It can't be an easy thing to linger like that, for any of them."
"No," Valen shook his head, pleased at least with the empathy he could see. Given Lily's size, there was just as much a chance the Night Sentinels that stayed as phantoms would just see her as a child, not a threat. Yet there was nothing wrong with being cautious just in case.
The man motioned to the soul gem, "Keeping that might help though. Kia' will protect you, and any Sentinels lingering will recognize another gave it to you."
Lily looked at the thing she held, smoothing her thumbs over the teal gem. "Can I ask how this works?"
She looked up as Valen gave a soft whistle, then made a startled sound as the gem glowed notably brighter even in the light of the room. Something that was and was not visible flowed out, like water moving in the air to curl around behind Lily. Valen chuckled as she pressed against his side as the flow shifted to a misty form, then to something like Sentinel's Phantom. Teal in color like the gem, the body at first looking like an exaggerated doberman's build, before filling out and getting a thick furry appearance. Lily's back was pressed to Valen's side, his right arm keeping her from falling either away or back into the crawlspace.
The now very much massive, ghostly wolf was dropping her shoulder to the ground to be on the human level. Her head pressing against Lily in an also very real weight, the ears both stiff and soft as Kia' rubbed against the small life she had been quietly watching until now. With the wolf's rump in the air in a canine like way, the tail wagging as her free paw reached to bat at one of Lily's hands, as the soul gem was in her lap between them.
Valen laughed at the clear demand for attention, shifting to reach around with his metal hand and rub at the big head. "This is Kia', she was my wife's wolf. And has been waiting to meet you I see."
"Oh my god…" Lily gasped out as she realized that although she was pinned, she was safe. That Lily felt safe with the ghostly wolf despite the size. She was not being crushed, though felt the weight, as the wolf was now rolling, laying down to offer her chest in a demand. Tentatively, Lily reached up, digging her fingers into the thick… fur. It felt like fur, even though there was something still misty about it.
What was it she heard before? That wolves were always more massive than someone expected?
Apparently that included alien wolves too?
Kia's head seemed as big as Lily's chest, and likely weighted more than the young woman in life. And there were definitely formed, phantom teeth in the jaws as the Sentinel wolf gave a canine grin at getting her neck scratched.
"You're so pretty…" Lily breathed, in more than a little awe. It was definitely different from seeing that Sentinel phantom, as the air there had been tinted with a sense of sad-tiredness. But now? Kia' was massive, yet it still felt like an excited dog. Even sounded like it.
"She likes you," Valen said fondly, reaching around Lilly to grab at an ear and playful pull and push the big head. Not aggressive but something that was clearly a play as Kia' made an echoing mock growl but still had the canine-like grin while flailing her forelegs in the air. "I see you lying about being cute, you monster."
Lily laughed, stuck but the ghostly wolf soon settled with long legs tossed over her own with a happy grumble. "She's not a monster, she's beautiful. I but you made all the boys bothered back in the day eh?"
Valen chuckled, reluctant to let go, so dug his fingers into the ethereal fur. Well able to remember when it was silky smooth against snow and frost. Even when it was burning-
He shook his head, dismissing that thought before it finished. Focusing instead on the human in the present. Valen spoke before it was too long, "Kia' was glorious before, my wife kept her fur like silk. Pretty sure they sat and groomed twice a day sometimes."
The phantom wolf gave a happy grian at the memory and scritches on her neck.
"With Kia' with you, I can find you in the walls," Valen explained, watching as the wolf gave one last, great stretch before going limp. In turn her weight was fading as Kia' started to go incorporeal and not quite there. "I trust her to watch over you in the dark."
Lily marveled as she could and could not hold the wolf, the warm feeling as it rolled through her and Valen's arms. Bouncing to her paws as Kia' gave a play bow, then bounded around the two, trailing teal, blue and green light. "Thank you for keeping the dark away Kia'."
The wolf huffed and grinned back, sitting not far from them, tail lazily wagging before leaning over to press her nose into the offered hand for a good few moments before fading at least from Lily's sight.
"That was so cool!" Lily laughed, mixing her languages halfway through the sentence. It did not seem to bother Valen though, as it was an honest, positive reaction.
"Maybe at some point we should get you a wolf pup?" Valen asked, amused.
"As awesome as that would be, I can barely feed my cats, if not for John finding the bags of cat food that last time he went to earth." Lily shook her head, but the other could see another moment of awe at the thought. Turning the teal stone over in her hands, "I can't imagine the protein needed to let something like that grow properly, or just maintain a wolf like Kia' in life… I don't have that many guinea pigs."
Valan chuckled, reaching up to ruffle Lily's short hair. "You never know. Or maybe Wintherin? They feed off energy mostly."
"I have no idea what that word is." Lily said, fighting to sit up on her own again. The wolf's soul gem safely tucked under her shirt again. Tapping her fingers on the floor to summon her helpers out of the crawlspace. "But it sounds big? Hey you guys, come on I need my bug defenders! We have another spot to check!"
"They start out small," Valen said with amusement, motioning to the cleaner drone that popped up with a happy clicking sound. The Argenta man just left out that was about the size of the smallest egg…width.
With the cleaner drones collected, the two got back up to at least finish the last area. Lily knew she should stop after that, at least rest for longer and eat something. Lily picked up one of the drones, that one she liked seemed a bit more oblivious, to stand out of the way as Valen found the inland handles in the floor. Lily stepped back as the panel was moved and something odd smelling came up with the new airflow.
It was not exactly subtle, and took a moment to place. It was a mix of dry rotted leather and old cloth. Not unlike that dusty scent around the Sentinel remains, but there was something like tar or…waxy?
"Did someone get stuck?" Lily asked, hearing the vents kick on in the room. She shifted and called through the open door of the room, "Thank you Vega!"
"You are welcome." The AIs voice came from the hall, as there were no speakers in this area. And the cameras had long since been ripped out. But he at least had a view of Lily then, and how she covered her nose. "Did you find another body?"
"Not yet," Valen peered into the bigger crawl space, using a small light he pulled from deep space. Scanning what he could. "But there are some other vents, it might be somewhere nearby."
Lily sat on her knees beside the opening, sending the drones in first, "It's definitely bigger than the other areas. I can almost stand up in there."
An alarm trill came from the drones, followed by rapid tapping of their many little legs. Though they did not move much, shifting back and forth.
"The drones say there is… a compromise in the metal." Vega called to them, "They do not think the floor can support the Commander's weight."
Lily shifted to move to the other side, laying on her front. Kia's gem shifted to be secured in her bra. But with a supporting hand from Valen, Lily could move forward, taking his light and scan better.
"Do you see any corrosion?" Valen asked, making sure Lily did not lose her balance.
"I'm not seeing anything nearby, I can see something down the passage near the bend that leads out of the room…" Lily shifted to lean down more, feeling a large hand holding her left shoulder. Away from the lingering bruising. "Wait, there's something like a build up by that vent, about halfway down… and I think there's a leak?"
Lily shifted to another spot, taking advantage of the bracing hand. "Yeah, it's a small one, I can patch it. Smaller than the one in the… command room? That was bigger."
The young woman did not protest as Valen carefully pulled her back up right. He glanced down to see the drones moving back and forth on the floor of the passage, tapping away as they tried to find the weakened area. Calling over his shoulder to the open hall. "Can it support Lily's weight, Vega?"
"The drones think it can, but found a spot that needs attention." Vega responded, listening to the small transmissions from the drones as they started to go over a spot on the right again.
"Could you lower me down?" Lily asked, looking up at the bigger man. Motioning downwards, "I rather not drop down and put any more stress than possible. But a leak of the energy liquid should be stopped."
"Small leaks lead to bigger floods." Valen made a face but gave a nod as he got up to change positions. "Keep the light, but give me your hands. And let the drones go first."
"Oh yeah, they'll lead the way." Lily nodded, moving with Valen, grasping the offered hands. Grinning in the mask as Valen easily lifted her with no visible effort and lowered the human down. She curled her knees at first, then carefully reached out to brace on the side of the passage. Lily tested it a bit before her feet touched the ground.
Valen held most of her weight up for another few moments. The floor creaked as Lily was eased onto her feet, but it held. The passage was as deep as her shoulders, so she would have to duck but not nearly as much as Valen would. The Argenta man let Lily hold onto his hand as long as needed.
"You guys are going to help lead me…to there. Can you do that?" Lily asked the cleaner drones, letting go with one hand, then the other to pull the light out of her tool belt. The drones trilled in response as she shined the light down the passage to what looked like the vent to her left now as she knelt down. Being right side up things were a little different, but not too bad.
Lily frowned, touching the ground and feeling an old, greasy or waxy residue under the dirt. Now that she was in the passageway and away from the bulk of the light glare, she could see the faint prints from the drones. They were still busy tapping away, and not cleaning, as they moved back and forth. Being sure Lily was watching where they buzzed at her to avoid spots.
It was by no means a quick way of doing things, but it was so far proving to be safe. Listening to the tapping, Lily had an idea where the supports were and could kneel or sit on her knees there with confidence. "I don't see anything rusty, or corrosion from here…?"
"There might be something under the metal you can't see." Valen warned, but it was revealed that Lily was in no rush, and had the patience to wait for the drones until she could sit by the grid cover of the vent.
Lily shifted, looking through and up through the grate, frowning as she tilted the light back and forth. "Huh… that's odd."
"What?" Valen moved to look down at her, seeing Lily touch the faint, silvery fluid. It was likely a diluted fluid from one of the Sentinel Batteries he judged. Not really harmless but she was not the type to stick things in her mouth. "Is there anything to 'feel' with that leak?"
"...no?" Lily sounded confused, rubbing the silvery fluid between her fingers. Then she looked back, as there was normally some sort of tingling sensation. Even though the energy liquid was diluted with water to get to farther out places in the Fortress' systems. "It looks like… it's leaking into here, down this side and back out."
"Something is absorbing it." Valen frowned, turning to call, "Vega! What is on the floor below us?"
"It's the locked own area, I believe it's cells-"
Something metallic cracked and the drones squealed in alarm. Valen snapped back and almost dropped into the passage as the underlying support gave out and the weakened floor just seemed to dissolve as Lily dropped. There was a crash, thankfully it was quick and followed by a good string of colorful cursing.
Mixed cursing but what Valen could understand was new phrases to him. "Lily!"
"Oh that hurt," Lily started, the light started to move before a startled scream got out of here. Kia' was coming back into her phantom form to growl. "Oh God, oh…shite …Ah, Valen, I… found the body of a Sentinel...?"
Valen took a deep, steadying breath, that was a quick succession of emotions he was not ready for. At least Kia' was there with her, still growling in response to the fright most likely. "Are you okay? Where are you? What's around? Is there a phantom down there?"
"I think I'm bleeding, but not bad," Lily said with a soft hiss, the light moving around again. "It's a dark hallway, Vega…?" She called to see if the AI had access to this area yet.
There was a deeper, warning growl from Kia's phantom form, and movement of Lily before she seemed to not only go still but suddenly quiet. That worry started to spike in Valen's chest as he moved to lower himself down into the passageway.
"...Valen…"
The clear fear in Lily's voice as she called his name, robbed him for a moment of the ability to breath.
"-Valen, Valen…! Get me out of here. Please, now, please- get me out. It- its not dust- everyone said, Vega said, you said, John said they turn to dust and ash and its not…!"
Valen was hitting the floor of the passageway with his metal arm as he summoned Da'k to go ahead of him. At the same time he was breaking through, there was a cracking of bones before something wheezed below, and then Lily screamed.
