The Sigmafly, Enroute to Lo-Nine

Soltana

L’yophin had changed.

She stared in wonder at the sight of the transformed Dugrum, L’yophin, her spidery friend. Her eyes glowed, taking in this moment for posterity. She would treasure it for an eternity.

L’yophin, the Dugrum spider. Emissary, Loomer, Miner, Soldier, Metal Worker, Architect, Rancher, Farmer, Pilot. He had many Métiers, many callings in his long lifespan. Surviving both the old world and new, living through the Proturan cleansings, and the many battles of the hidden land beneath Titanyia-Five’s surface dubbed the Underrealm. Diniel gifted him a Fae rune, a rare item for those who the faeries of the Underrealm deemed as much of a friend as an ally. L’yophin spent the faeonic artifact becoming a Fae. And there he was in all his glory.

He looked the same.

“L’yophin! You are…”

She cocked her head, studying the spider as she found the correct words.

“You are periwinkle!”

She was mostly correct. The major change was his grey fur had taken on a softer, thicker, blue-violet hue. Her spidery friend blinked his eight eyes in a wave, processing what he heard. He cleared his throat as he coughed into his open limb, speaking for the second time since his transformation. His voice was clear and smooth, it healed the raspy and wounded vocal chords. She spotted the glinting shrapnel as he thumbed through it, inspecting the long time irritant.

“What?”

His words were profound. He blinked in a wave, looking back into the reflective screen. He inspected himself, feeling at his new fur.

“Uh- this is unexpected.”

“Do you feel any different?”

He skittered in place, turning to meet her own red glowing eyes.

She stood only eighteen inches high, a pale shadow of her former twenty foot physique of the past. It was far better than her previous form, a barely functioning head, the sole surviving part of Soltana the Lambent. Part Anform, Angel, and Human. She was a group collaboration between Mikail McDonough the Innovator, Barman the Angel of Knowledge, and Tangence, an unknown third party. As they repaired her, she began remembering her long lost past.

Twelve-thousand years she lay entombed, forced to relive the same day for eons until her exhumation. She spent her time in the estate of her spidery savior. Through her dreams and visions, she gained an idea of how to repair herself. She then met Ruth, the chimeric shapeshifter and Basil, the Hogboon. They traveled to a Proturan hive, a tomb for the dead race, hoping to gather spare parts. Along the way they fought and slew the infamous Daer-seehn, Soltana then met the Archerubim Lucifer in her dreams and betrayed their position hoping to help another. They bartered their hearts out to buy their parts in Hive Vulnerado, flew back to the estate, and then fended for their lives against Lucifer’s fallen angels and a rogue demon god named Genius Loci. They then gained two more to their group, Diniel the Angel of Lineage, and Phela, the Dekapillar who metamorphosed into a Rhomoth. They escaped on L’yophin’s vessel, the Sigmafly, with Lo-Nine their end destination.

She gained many friends on her journey through the Underrealm.

“More energy. More ideas and feelings. My voice is better...”

He folded his front arms, tapping his head with a third. A fourth limb felt at his back, his hand splayed to check on something.

“Odd. Feels like something there.”

Soltana glanced at his thorax, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Ruth would want to know about this. Everyone would want to know about this!

“L’yophin we should see everyone- they will want to know about this!”

He palmed his mandibles, “Hm. Yes. And see Ruth. See S’yliska.”

“Ruth…” Soltana whispered.

They witnessed her give birth to a god in the most violent of manners. The massive worm drained her of life to the point of destruction. Her Seal had saved her. Soltana was powerless to help as Genius Loci made a second appearance, christening the child and delegating her development to them. Regardless of what they wanted. Diniel was the first to desire the child’s destruction, but he acquiesced.

They all had their choice made for them.

But they all refused to play his game. Maw was one of them. She had shown true, horrified regret at hurting Ruth. Despite her monstrous name and appearance, she was an empathetic creature, a product of her upbringing, having shared a mind with Ruth and S’yliska the Ancath of Wisdom. She pondered Maw’s future.

“Let us go tell the others this wonderful news!”

L’yophin reached out with a limb, catching a phantom object, the fae steel rifle he gained earlier. He nodded approvingly at that. It was an odd mix of science and magic, fae and human. The paisley designs of the tall, flat gun glinted in the light.

“Understand how Fae magic works. Odd. I cannot describe it well!”

He shrugged as the rifle vanished back into the abstract.

She trotted to the door, glancing back to L’yophin for help.

“Oh. Yes. Need to tune the sensors- not used to all small baeidae like you, Soltana.”

They exited the bridge, seeing the outline of the recently cleaned floor. The trail was too clean and pristine compared to the rest of the deck. It began at Ruth’s room and led to the hangar where Ruth’s child remained. Soltana remembered that grisly birth, watching a massive worm burrow its way out of her friend’s skull.

Tapping and skittering rang out as Soltana and L’yophin made their way through the hall. Soltana spotted the medical room where Ruth rested.

“We can check on her in a moment. It is sad she has not awoken.”

L’yophin glanced from the door back to her, his eyes betraying his pain.

“Too much. It is too much,” he muttered.

Soltana grabbed at one of his hands using her humanoid arm.

"L'yophin. She will be alright."

"Mm. Yes. I am just… worried."

He tapped his front arms together, his eyes glancing about, trying to maintain composure.

"It will be alright. Adonai is watching over us."

He skittered ahead, gently leading Soltana to the hangar.

"I hope so. Hope so…"

The muffled sound of music floated to her sensors. She heard singing and Diniel's odd harp-bass instrument. The hangar Bay opened, revealing all but one of the crew.

Diniel the Angel of Lineage sat cross-legged in the center, glowing with glory as he played with all four arms. The white tongue of fire floated atop his head, bobbing like a slow metronome while his blue halo showed like reflected moonlight. He wore silver armor plating, and a white stole vestment with patterns of ornate gold. His second pair of arms were a mantle of twisted braidings of steel, plucking the harp portion of the instrument. He glanced at them with his featureless curved face sported a wide flat chin. Soltana knew of his anguished past, his lost friends, and his tepid reception towards Maw. They sealed their friendship after the massive battle, with Diniel giving each of the crew an item or two from his deceased friend’s belongings. He gained a Throne, Bal’trix The Hellsteed, an adamantite lance from the fallen angel Barthin, and an adamantite Katana from an almost fatal battle with a fallen Glorified One.

Basil the Hogboon lounged against the hangar wall, smoke billowing from his ornate pipe. Clad in slacks with suspenders, a collared shirt, and a black bowler over his eyes, he appeared content. Dark charcoal hair spilled out from his hat, with mutton chops running down his cheeks. She remembered seeing him the first time after the mining expedition, looking for Ruth. He eventually offered to watch the estate as they traveled. The Hogboon was a loyal friend and roguish fighter. Diniel had given him a faesteel lantern shield.

Phela was lying down, her soft white and beige form appearing more comfortable than any bed. Her long tooth comb antennae twitched as she listened intently to Diniel’s haunting melody. Her large black eyes tracked Soltana, gazing impassively at her. She was the second newest crew, having hatched some time ago and rushing her way aboard the vessel. Her metal manipulation abilities were already at peak performance as she repaired Diniel’s nearly indestructible adamantite blade.

And there was Maw. The large and bulky, tan worm lay relaxed underneath Phela's wing, listening to the angel's song. Her birth had been nearly moments ago. The central figure to their relationship with Genius Loci. His child. And their suffering. Hers was the most mysterious past, having previously occupied Ruth’s mind and body as an alter-ego. Time would tell.

Soltana glanced at the singers, spotting a large pot near Diniel filled with glowshrooms, following the angel’s melody.

L’yophin brought his plants. This is great.

Her spidery friend folded his arms, listening to the music, his eyes closed shut as he soaked. The melody spoke of the long grief of pain and loss, the suffering of slings and arrows, and the weariness of life. It sang of the old world, the fragility of everything, and the inevitability of time. Soltana felt the morose atmosphere cling to her, a frosted blanket atop her burdened spirit.

Haunting beauty thrummed in her soul.

She recorded this moment, tying it with the pain of only hours ago and storing it in her module for later. She would use her free time to run through her unresolved dilemmas. The music tipped, changing in tone. A new journey began. It started with warm hope. She felt the magic of the moment work as the cold thick cloth of sullenity that draped across her soul changed as it heated. The song sang of redemption of all, a savior king, and the new joy of life. It told a story of the king of beasts, suffering from injury. It spoke of a son of man who implored the beast, healing his injury. The king of beast was humbled, giving the man an oath to aid him in his time of need. Soltana knew not what the story entailed, but wished to hear more.

She realized the heavy blanket weighing down atop her soul had fled, taking with it the hopelessness and pain of the journey. Peace thrummed in her theonware. She looked to L’yophin, seeing the spider rubbing at his eyes, a soft chittering emanating from him. The music stopped. Diniel had finished. The glowshrooms halted their singing; the cluster glanced in all directions, eyeing the crew curiously. Soltana made her way to them, remembering the mushrooms from her time in L’yophin’s estate. They looked much bigger than before. Or she was much smaller than before. They shuffled on their roots, turning to stare back at her with their black eyes.

“Hello! Do you remember me?”

They gave her blank smiles, bobbing their caps. She gently brushed her metal hand against them.

“Ah, thank Diniel for’the healin’ song.”

Basil sat up, raising his cap and rubbing his tear-stained eyes. He marched to the others, eyeing L’yophin.

“You alrigh’ there, laddy?”

The Dugrum opened his eyes as he nodded, letting out a chittery breath.

“A lot happened. Too much. Too much hurt. I... needed this. We needed this.”

“Aye, the hate o’ that shtate o’ a god...”

“Be careful in naming him, Basil,” Diniel interjected, willing his harp-bass away in azure light. He rose to his seven foot stature, looking to the others.

“Aye, don’ need to’tell me twice,” he shivered at the thought.

No one felt good that the Emerald god was keeping tabs on them.

“And Ruth,” L’yophin muttered.

Everyone glanced at him before looking to the focus of his attention. Maw. He gingerly skittered to the newborn. Phela stirred, her flapping wings obstructed by the floor and ceiling. He cooed at the larger rhomoth before inching closer to the worm. He held out a trembling hand and the larger infant gently nibbled on it. He sunk, the tension in his body relieve as he began rubbing the worm’s side.

Soltana trotted over to his side, feeling the worm alongside him.

“I’m sorry. I hurt her… I hurt mother. I hurt her. I’m sorry. I’m-”

She heard the thoughts transposed into her own mind. She felt Maw’s feelings of regret wash over her. She let go, clattering to her knees. L’yophin closed his eyes, chittering a soft tune. He held still, gently rubbing the worm-hide.

He halted, speaking aloud.

“Maw. Everything is well. Ruth is well. I do not hold it against you. You had no say- no choice. No agency.”

Soltana looked to her spider friend, seeing tears welling up in his eight eyes.

“I forgive.”

The words halted everyone. Only the light sound of the thrumming Sigmafly was audible. The room was a mixture of apprehension, concern, relief, and sorrow. Soltana remembered Ruth and L’yophin did not become good friends until she revealed S’yliska. Perhaps it was only because of his favored Ancath. None could say except L’yophin. Soltana trusted he had the best intentions and ideals. He had, after all, dug her up and repaired her with no thought of a reward.

The worm let out a low grumbling, its fleshy hide trembling at the spider’s pardon.

“Please. Let go of it all. Do not hold on to it. It is not your fault.”

He continued unabated.

“You helped my new friend, Ruth. You helped us all. You are a good baeidae, a good person.”

The worm clacked its circular toothy maw together, scooting and bumping into L’yophin. The spider let out a chittering laugh at her impertinence and bulk. He used four limbs to squish and pet her hide, his countenance glowing.

“I am most excited to see what you become, baby Ancath.”

Soltana realized what motivated his actions.

“L’yophin,” she began as they traded glances, “this is what an infant Ancath looks like?”

He nodded serenely, his eyes welling up again.

“Correct. I haven’t- haven’t seen an Ancath larvae since the new world.”

Diniel stepped in, looming over L’yophin and the rest.

“You shame me, good Dugrum. My first and only thought had been to destroy her for the sake of our reality. I sense the demonic presence of Maw’s mixed heritage and wished it removed.”

Everyone paused, the atmosphere grew tense as they looked to the larger angel. He knelt down, reaching out a hand to the trembling and shy worm.

“Your ancestry began with evil, my child. But that is not your identity, nor your destiny. We will all overcome this together. You are not alone. Adonai is with us.”

Soltana looked up to her angelic steward.

“Diniel. What will you do next?”

He glanced at her, his head flame flickering.

“Do? Why I will perform my calling. I shall bless Phela and Maw together.”

He stood between both infants, placing his hands on their trembling heads. His third arm coiled and stretched, resting two fingers atop Soltana’s forehead against her Seal.

“Diniel? Why me? I am not a newborn!”

“This is correct in a sense; You are an ancient being wrapped in mystery. However, you have been recently reborn. It is a fairly beneficial loophole.”

L’yophin stopped petting Maw, looking back to the Sigmafly’s corridor.

“What about Ruth?”

“I regret to say that she is no longer considered an infant. She hasn’t been for some time. Nor does her shape-shifting ability afford her that same advantage. But it does for you, L’yophin the Faekind.”

A fourth twisted, coiled arm jutted out, gently placing two fingers against his forehead.

“I was goin’ to say, L’yophin, laddy! The new color suits you. Fae-brothers, aye!”

“What,” The spider’s face dropped to a deadpan stare, “I understand nothing.”

Diniel’s flame danced happily.

“And that is the first step to learning, good Dugrum. Let us begin.”

He began channeling his power, his calling. Soltana felt her systems flare up, collecting the data of the angel’s magic. He spoke a language she was familiar, yet foreign to her.

“Ish’olla m’niah. We give thanks to Adonai for the blessings that permeate our existence. Let the fear, deceit, condemnation, and judgement the enemy weaponized against us come to ruin. These infants I bring forth to blessing: Soltana the Lambent, L’yophin the Faekind, Phela the Rhomoth, and Maw the Child. The blessing of Diniel, granted by Adonai, be upon them. The weapons of the enemy will not succeed. Let any who harms a child burn to ash. Better for one to be millstoned into the sea than for any of these children to be harmed. In Emmanual’s name, amen. And go in peace.”

Diniel’s blessing rushed through them. Her systems updated to the new feeling of magic coursing through her body. It had a unique signature, one she could attach a unique address to. She worked through her modules, pointing it out with a specific name.

Diniel’s Blessing of Infants

“When you reach that time of adult accountability, the blessing will cease, but not before it leaves one final gift. This, of course, will happen sooner for those that have already grown up in the past.”

That makes sense. L’yophin is very mature. I suspect his blessing will run out long before Maw’s and Phela’s.

Diniel rose to his feet, staring intently at Maw. The worm opened her circular mouth, grumbling out a bark.

“Oi Diniel, woul’you look at that! Maw’s first words!”

The worm cocked her head from Basil to Diniel, unreadable as far as body language went. Soltana was encouraged. The party was solidified and unified, even with Maw as the potential odd-creature-out. She knew they would need it for Lo-Nine.

“We should see Ruth,” Soltana suggested. They all looked to the corridor and began their advance. Phela tried to scramble, squeezing through the hull.

“Go!” she barked, grunting with effort. Diniel paused, keeping close to the struggling Rhomoth.

“I will keep Phela calm. This vessel is inadequate for her needs.”

He sat down, gently stroking her head and antenna as she nibbled his other hand.

“Diniel!” she purred as she closed her eyes in satisfaction.

The rest moved to the medical ward. Basil began inspecting L’yophin, asking him about his Fae powers.

“You felt anything, aye, L’yophin laddy- you know- like the hankering?”

“Felt? What?”

“You know! Fae magic!”

“Feel something. I am unsure.”

“Tha’s it, laddy! Aye, I’ll teach you the basics- that I will! Rith Step for movemen’. Faesciath for protectin’. And finally Saighead for fightin'!”

“Oh. Alright.”

The spider shrugged at his suggestions.

“Don’ worry, once you try it, you’ll never go back- you’ll thank me- believe me, laddy! Bet your ol’ Basil buddy here!”

Soltana halted in front of the door, awaiting L’yophin.

“We will try later. Rest first,” he conceded.

“Tha’s the spirit!”

The door snapped open, revealing the fair and pristine body of Ruth, lying motionless on a medical slab. Feelings of grief and sorrow ran through her at seeing her fallen friend. L’yophin gathered her up, cradling Soltana close. Basil took off his hat, holding it close to his breast.

They moved in close, but both refused to touch her. She was a chimeric shapeshifter, her very flesh a living weapon capable of instantly dissolving, devouring, or converting organic matter to a host. Soltana pondered if Ruth may be the strongest of all of them barring Diniel.

“Ruth, lassy… Please wake up.”

“S’yliska…”

Soltana gestured to L’yophin, who placed her on the slab. She walked across the bed, sitting in the crook of her friend's arm. She was warm.

“She will be fine. I am sure of it,” Soltana explained as she folded her arms.

Everyone’s spirits fell at the sight of their fallen friend. The blessed music of the previous moment had vanished.

“Mm. Yes. I will be in my quarters,” the Dugrum announced, his grumbling voice troubled. The doors opened and shut, leaving just the three of them. L’yophin was the coldest to her at first, but had become closest.

Basil weighed a look at Soltana, sitting against the wall as he slowly slid down on his rear.

“Soltana, lassy. We haven’much spoke, aye? Now’s’a good time.”

She nodded as at his assessment. She wanted to know more about her Hogboon friend.

“Yes, Basil, I was always curious about you. Now we have time.”

“Wha’would you like to know o’ your’ol’pal Basil, eh?”

Soltana processed the question, creating a quick list. She didn’t know much of the hogboon, only bonding through the trials they had survived.

“Where are you from?”

She remembered he was not an Underrealm native.

“I’m from Earth, originally- you know- before they left into the stars. Aye, I was ol’ world! An’I mean ol’!”

"So you left on a ship?"

"Aye, took off with humans and began hitchhiking ever since! I mean, before meetin' you o’ course.

"How did you arrive to the Underrealm, again?"

She only heard the short story.

“I was bumming for rides for ages- moreso with the new world. Anyway, me and the lads would sit out in front of the hangars- see? And we’d sing. We’d sing until we either got the coin, or someone woul’buy us a ticket an’ save their poor ears!”

“You were transient?”

“Aye, mos’ o’ me life.”

He adjusted his bowler, trying to gauge her.

“Now, lassy, I hear’a bit’o what you’re on about. But I canno’ figure it. Were you really buried like precious gold?”

“I was. I was trapped under the earth inside L’yophin’s mine for close to twelve thousand years. I could not remember more than a day at a time. Adonai was with me the entire time, comforting me. But each time… I forgot. And then L’yophin found me.”

Basil’s face twisted with sympathy.

“I canno’ imagine… I canno’,” he cleared his throat, rubbing at his chin, “to be caugh’in such a state. I’d be beggin’ for non-existence- aye, I woul’.”

“I was blessed to have no memory of my day to day. However, once we returned to the mine, we found signs that someone attacked me. Someone or something had sent there me.”

“Diniel’s mercy… If you could imbibe, I’d offer you a drink for that tale of woe. Your story and Ruth’s story are similar. You both don’t remember your past. Someone attacked you. We know that shtate attacked Ruth lassy- but what shtate attacked you?”

Soltana slumped back, trying to imagine who would try to hurt her. If there were god’s like Genius Loci, would there be ones worse than even him?

“I do not know. But based on my previous self, that as a Lambent I sculpted the planets themselves. So whoever it is may be truly powerful beyond what we’ve seen.”

Basil's eyes bugged out at her words.

“Tha’a’fact? Aye-aye, no more speakin’ o’ demons aye? We just- we just survived wha’may be the weakest of these shtate gods now!”

“Yes. Let us focus on the good.”

Basil got up, adjusting his hat and clothes as he turned to leave.

“Don’ worry, lassy. Ruth darlin’ will be jus’righ’. You’re ol’ buddy Basil knows!”

“Maybe you can help L’yophin. He is… still crushed by Ruth’s injury.”

“Aye, tha’s not a bad idea. I’ll go see L’yophin. He nee’s to’see his new fae heritage, aye!”

Basil exited, leaving Soltana and Ruth alone. The thrumming of FTL was a warm background ambience. Soltana felt at her friend’s arm, inspecting the fair and fragile flesh. It was a mimicry of human skin.

“Ruth.”

Her eyes flickered as she scanned the room.

“Ruth. We miss you. Please. Come back to us."

She gathered up some locks of golden hair, feeling through it, her fine sense of touch picked out the individual hairs.

“Adonai. Please help us. I am unsure what I can do to assist. Perhaps there is nothing I can do. Regardless, care for her and guard her well.”

She sat pondering over past events. She wondered how Ruth came to be and what she was before. The shapeshifter’s past was still a mystery, even to the girl herself. Not to mention her brutalizer, Genius Loci, was the mastermind behind everything involving Ruth. Who knew what dark future the evil god had for them? There was no way for Soltana to determine when she would awake.

Ruth opened her eyes and sat up. Soltana’s vision blurred to a jumble as she clattered to the floor. She snapped to, looking back to her friend.

“Ruth!”

The girl’s countenance was a mixture of pain and worry. The whites of her eyes were wide and glowing with intensity. She awoke with what appeared to be new stories and pains of her own.

“Where’s Maw?”