A penguin logistics vehicle was currently driving out of Yan and into the barren lands of Terra. Mostima, the blue-haired sankta, was currently the one driving said vehicle. Sitting next to her was the red-haired liberi, Fiammetta. Fiammetta had one of her weapons on her lap and was looking out for any signs of trouble. The barren lands they were about to enter were known to be crawling with bandits, and the liberi wanted to be ready if any bandits decided to attack their vehicle.
In the back of the vehicle sat two individuals, one being the former leader of Reunion, Talulah. Sitting opposite the draco was her time travelling niece from the future. The white-haired lung, Yua. All of them were leaving Yan to begin searching for Rhodes Island. Reunion had been defeated, and their leader, Nine, had been killed by Yua, who did it to protect her aunt from being killed by the pythia.
Since Yua had killed Nine, Talulah had noticed that her niece was still affected by what she had done, "Yua still can't let it go. She isn't a monster. Nine had killed many innocent people who didn't agree with Reunion. She would have carried on killing if we didn't stop her. I know Yua was only trying to protect me, and she let her anger get the better of her. Yua...she isn't evil. I've seen real evil, and I've committed some truly evil things in the past. I need to talk to her about this. She can't go on thinking this way." Is what Talulah was thinking while looking at her niece.
The draco knew the white-haired lung still felt guilty about killing Nine in the way that she did. In Talulah's mind, Nines death was justified. The pythia would have carried on her path of destruction if she hadn't been stopped. Talulah remembered her own path of destruction, how many people had died, how many lives ruined by her, and how her actions caused many around Terra to fear the infected even more than they had before. Even though Talulah was under control of a madman at the time, she couldn't forgive herself for what she had done.
The draco believed she deserved death, Nine deserved death as well. Yua didn't need to hate herself for what she had done. In the long term, she probably saved countless lives. Talulah decided to speak to her niece to let Yua know that she had to let go of her guilt, "Yua, I want to talk to you. Look at me, please." Talulah asked the white-haired lung. Yua, who had been looking at the floor the entire time, raised her head to look at her aunt when she spoke to her, "What do you need to talk about, Aunt Talulah?" the white-haired lung asked her aunt what she wanted.
The draco wasn't going to beat around the bush. She was going to let the lung know exactly what she thought, "Yua, about what happened at Mount T'ien. You need to stop feeling guilty about what happened. I know you hated what you did. I also know that you only did it to protect me. So stop eating yourself up about it. Nine needed to be stopped. If we didn't stop Nine and put an end to Reunion, many more people would have died. She would have committed the same mistakes and crimes I did before her." Talulah told her niece her thoughts on the situation. She wanted Yua to stop feeling guilty.
Yua however wasn't happy with what her aunt said, "But I killed Nine when she was unarmed! She couldn't defend herself! How does that make me better than her?! My mother always told me to never kill someone who couldn't defend themselves! But that's exactly what I did! Tell me, Aunt Talulah! How am I a better person than Nine?!" Yua exclaimed to her aunt. The lung still felt guilty about what she did and couldn't let it go.
Talulah sighed when her niece gave her that answer. The draco knew the white-haired lung wouldn't be able to let go of this so easily. There was only one way to tell Yua she was still a good person. Talulah began to think and bring herself back to the time she was forming Reunion. She remembered what had happened and the atrocities that were committed by her enemies. If this didn't bring Yua back from the depths of despair, then nothing would...
Talulah decided it was best to tell the lung everything that led up to Reunions creation, "You know, Yua. I can tell you are still a good person. I'm going to tell you a story... the story of how Reunion was created by me." Hearing this got the lungs' attention. Yua didn't know how her aunt would tell her she was still a well-meaning person, but she was fascinated by how Reunion came to be. Seeing that she had her niece's attention, Talulah decided to tell Yua everything, "Many years ago, I was abducted by Duke Kashchey of Ursus. The man was a psychopath. He tried to train and educate me to become his heir. I resisted his so-called teachings. However, I wasn't going to let him control me. While under his watch, I saw what he did to the infected people of Ursus. It was...horrific, to say the least, I didn't want to stand by and do nothing. So I deliberately got myself infected to show my defiance. I wanted him to kill me, just like he did to all the other infected that he ordered to be ruthlessly killed." Talulah explained the first part of her story to her niece, Yua could sense the sadness in her aunts voice.
"Why didn't he kill you, Aunt Talulah? If you were infected, surely he would have killed you as well? Why did he keep you alive?" The lung asked with genuine curiosity. Yua couldn't understand why Kashchey decided to spare her aunt if the man ordered the deaths of so many infected. "I don't know myself, Yua. Maybe because I was his heir, he didn't want all that time and effort he put into me to be a waste. Or maybe he wanted to break me. I don't know. Eventually, it didn't matter anymore. When I found the perfect opportunity, I killed the man. I drew my sword straight into that black heart of his. I thought that with him gone, that would be the end of it, but I was wrong." Talulah admitted to killing the man.
Yua didn't feel any pity for Kashchey when her aunt told her she killed the man. In the lungs eyes, the draco was justified in putting an end to him if it stopped the slaughter of many innocent people. The white-haired lung could tell that her aunt had much more to say, so she carried on listening to Talulah's story.
"After I killed Kashchey, I went on the run. While on the run, I came across a kind man named Ivan and his family. They treated me as their own flesh and blood. I also met someone who became my closest friend, Alina. For a time, it was peaceful living with them, until one day, an Ursus patrol came along looking for infected. I drove them off, but that only alerted the rest of the Ursus army to where we were. When they showed up the next time, I tried to surrender to prevent Ivan and his family from being killed. Ivan decided to take my place, but the Ursus army killed him, so in retaliation, I killed them. Me and Alina then went on the run and formed Reunion." Talulah told her niece everything leading up to Reunions creation.
Yua found herself feeling immense pity for her aunt. The draco had been through so much in her life and had lost people who she cared about. The lung knew that feeling all too well. Yua had heard the name Alina mentioned more than once, "Aunt Talulah, who is Alina? What is she like?" Yua enquired. The lung noticed an incredibly sad look on Talulah's face when she asked about Alina, "Alina was a kind soul, she always put other's before herself...she was too good for this world. She was cruelly taken by those we were trying to protect." Talulah's voice began to break, mentioning her deceased friend.
Yua understood what her aunt said and could notice the anguish in her voice. The white-haired decided it was best not to ask anymore questions about her aunts friend. Talulah decided to end her story there for now, while there was still much to tell Yua, bringing up Alina opened old wounds that she thought had closed long ago...
Talulah, however, did decide to tell Yua she didn't think she was a monster, "Yua, I'm going to tell you now, you are not a monster, and you never will be. I can tell you regret what happened with Nine. You are someone who doesn't take pleasure in killing like Kashchey. You would never harm an innocent. So please, Yua, stop thinking that way. As long as you never lose your sense of justice, you will never become evil." The draco told the white-haired lung her thoughts.
After hearing everyone that Talulah told her regarding Kashchey and her own thoughts, the lung knew her aunt was right. Yua knew she would never kill an innocent. Kashchey was someone truly evil, someone who she never would become. Yua thanked her aunt for everything, which did put a small smile on Talulah's face. Hearing her niece say thanks did improve the dracos mood somewhat.
The two went into silence for some time until the vehicle they were in came to a sudden stop. Both aunt and niece went outside, both believing they had come under attack. When they were outside, the two couldn't see any enemies. However, what they did see was Mostima staring off into the distance. Yua followed the sankta's gaze and could see what she was looking at, "A thunderstorm!" Yua shouted when she realised what it was. Mostima had heard Yua shout behind her and turned around to look at the lung. "You know what this means don't you, Yua?" The blue-haired sankta asked the lung if she understood what the thunderstorm meant.
Yua knew exactly what Mostima meant and quickly jumped back inside the back of the vehicle with Talulah. Mostima quickly got back in the front and began driving towards the thunderstorm in the distance. The sankta knew they didn't have much time to reach what they were looking for, so she put her foot down and drove as fast as the vehicle could move. Fiammetta was having trouble staying in her seat with how the vehicle was going over the ground it was on and tried to tell Mostima to slow down.
Mostima didn't listen however, the sankta knew time was against them. Mostima kept going until they were in the location of the thunderstorm itself. Once the vehicle stopped everyone got outside, Fiammetta lambasted the blue-haired sankta for driving so recklessly but Mostima wasn't listening to what the red-haired liberi was saying, she was simply looking at a rock that was pulsing with power.
Yua could see the rock in front of her too and knew what It was, "Originium!" the lung exclaimed internally. The lung knew what this rock in front of her meant. It was a chance to finally be rid of her deadly weakness that had followed her for years. This rock would help Yua in her fight against the future Skadi. Yua began walking up to the originium rock. She could feel the power emanating from it. Yua was chomping at the bit to finally be able to use her originium arts. Becoming infected was a price she was willing to pay if it meant saving the future.
The white-haired lung looked at the rock until she found a sharp looking spike on it. Using her strength, the lung broke off the spike and held it in her hand. Yua was looking at the rock she had broken off, "To think, I can finally get rid of my weakness. I know I might not be strong enough to beat Skadi, but if I get infected, it will at least give me a chance. I'm sorry for doing this, Mother. I know you only wanted to protect me, but I have to do this. I'm doing this for the future!" Yua thought to herself and apologised to Ch'en. The white-haired lung knew her mother never wanted her to become infected but Yua was willing to become infected if it meant stopping Skadi from destroying the world again, Yua didn't want anyone else to suffer at her hands.
Yua began to roll up the sleeve of her arm that was holding the originium and then swapped the rock into her other hand. The lung brought it closer to her skin. She was about to break the skin until someone grabbed her arm. Looking at who grabbed her, the white-haired lung could see it was her aunt. "Why are you stopping me, Aunt Talulah?" the lung asked the draco who was holding her arm. "Yua, are you sure this is worth it? Do you want to become infected like me? Infected like Ch'en? You do this... there is no turning back. Many people hate the infected. You will be hated. You may save the world, but many in Terra will still hate you because you are infected. Please, Yua, I don't want you to go through what I did, what I have seen many others go through. Yua... please reconsider. There has to be another way!" The draco was begging her niece not to do this, to not become like she was.
The white-haired lung, however, was resolute. She was willing to become like her aunt if it meant stopping the suffering of millions. "Sorry aunt Talulah, but I have to do this. This is for the future, I understand what you went through, but I don't want others to suffer what I went through. If this will help me stop Skadi... then it is worth it." Yua was adamant about why she needed to do this and told the draco. Hearing her Yua's answer, Talulah reluctantly let go of her niece's arm.
Seeing that nobody else would stop her Yua, then brought the rock to her skin and cut her arm. Everyone waited patiently until they could see particles of originium appear on Yua's skin... but they never appeared. Yua tried again, but the same result happened. This started to get the lung frustrated, "What's going on? Why am I not infected?" Yua asked. The frustration of not being infected was clearly present in the lungs voice, and everyone could see it.
Mostima had a good idea of why the lung wasn't getting infected by the rock, she spoke up, which drew everyone's attention, "It's because of your alien blood, Yua. Remember that I said you and your father have a resistance to originium? Even though this concentration of originium is high, it is going to take more than a cut to become infected." The sankta told all those around her. Yua knew what the sankta meant. The lung composed herself before driving the rock deep into her arm.
Nothing happened for a few seconds until steam started to come out of the wound Yua had created. When the wound started steaming, the lung began to scream in pain. The white-haired lung however, didn't remove the rock from her arm. She was going to keep it in until signs of infection started to show. The reaction from the wound and Yua got Talulah incredibly worried for her niece's safety. She had never seen a reaction to originium like this before. "What's going on? Why is Yua's body reacting like that? Explain Mostima!" Talulah shouted at the sankta. The draco wanted answers from her.
Mostima knew the answer but would also admit this reaction got her worried as well, "It's her alien blood. It's trying to fight off the infection. I don't think Kal'tsit knew this would be the way Yua's body would react to it. It was only a theory in the first place." Mostima explained everything to the worried draco. Talulah decided that's Yua losing her life wasn't worth getting infected and was about to stop her niece. Mostima, however, held the draco back.
The blue-haired sankta told the draco to wait until signs of infection began to appear. They would intervene if no signs began to appear soon. Yua kept the rock in her arm. The lung was struggling with the pain she was going through but wasn't going to stop. The lung kept the rock in her arm until a few small particles began to appear around the wound, "That's it...I'm...infected." The lung thought to herself as she was starting to go lightheaded. Yua then removed the rock from her arm and tossed it away.
The white-haired lung began to stagger as she began walking, and Talulah and Mostima noticed this. They caught Yua before she fell to the floor. The pair helped the lung sit down so they could begin treating her wound and check her overall health, that had been a worrying experience for everyone. Mostima told Fiammetta to fetch medical supplies from the vehicle. The liberi quickly fetched the supplies, and everyone began treating Yua and checking her health.
Mostima looked at Yua's arm, the one that became infected. She began cleaning the wound and looking at the particles on the arm. When the blood had been cleaned off, Mostima noticed something strange about the originium particles on Yua's arm, "Red particles? This is strange. Normally, they are either clear or black. I know that Angelina has blue particles on her leg... Is this the same for Yua? Is it because Yua's arts are unique? Or is it because she is unique? Kal'tsit will more than likely want to look at this when we arrive at Rhodes Island. Probably the doctor and Ch'en as well." The sankta thought while looking at the originium particles.
Talulah wanted to have a look at her niece's arm as well. The draco looked at the lungs arm and could see the red particles as well, which she found bizarre. Talulah then looked at Mostima. She could see the same look on the sankta's face as well. Both knew they wouldn't be able to find out anything staying here in the thunderstorm. Yua was starting to look ill. They needed to get her out of here.
Talulah and Mostima helped Yua to her feet, and both supported her on the way back to the vehicle. Yua was put into the back along with Talulah. The draco said she would look after her niece. Fiammetta and Mostima got into the front, and the vehicle began driving away from the thunderstorm.
Talulah was in the back, taking care of Yua. The draco could see that the white-haired lung was starting to shake and sweating. Talulah put the back of her hand on her forehead and realised Yua was starting to get a fever. Talulah pulled out a bed roll and got her niece to lay down. She then looked around for water in the back and helped Yua to drink. Once Yua had some water, she quickly fell asleep. "It's okay, Yua, I promise you will be fine." Talulah thought while looking at her now sleeping niece. She was going to do whatever it took to help her. Yua wasn't going to die on her watch.
Now that Yua was asleep, Talulah began to collect her thoughts. Yua was now infected, just like herself, just like Ch'en. Talulah didn't want her niece to become infected like herself and her sister. But now it had happened, Yua was just like them. Talulah hoped that when they arrived at Rhodes Island, they would find out why the particles on Yua's arm were red. It was very unusual for originium to be any colour other than clear or black. Talulah's only theory was that her niece's originium arts were unique. She needed to see them for herself when Yua was in good enough condition. For now, that could wait.
What was more important was getting to Rhodes Island. Talulah began to think of one person in Rhodes Island; her sister, Ch'en. The draco didn't know how their reunion would pan out, but hopefully, they wouldn't come to blows like the last time they met. Talulah wanted to reconcile with her sister. There was so much she wanted to tell her. Talulah, however, had hope that they could, Yua had told her Ch'en still cared about her despite everything she had done. Talulah was looking forward to it, that finally, after all these years, they would be sisters once again.
However, the draco was unaware of the situation on Rhodes Island, Skadi had taken the doctor and nearly killed Ch'en. Terra's future was in grave danger. They would need to find and stop the future aegir. Or else Yua's dark future would come to pass yet again...