I ammmm soooo invested in Ehdna's story, she's so interesting!!
Alt ver. below cut
I wanted to practice more emotions and expressions and originally was going to do a whole page but then i ended up spending a looot of time on this one! I wanted to capture the moment she realizes something's up. Something's very - wrong. A mix of anticipatory devastation and pure wrath.
((SHOW ME YOUR CURRENTLY ROTATING BLORBO SITUATIONS!!! Or dont no pressure!!!! Also feel free to use the space to just give a rundown on your fave characters/story moments!))
Here are a couple work-in-progress snippets from the lws2 story involving my oc Quilkka and Taimi! A bit o' context:
In Scarlet's Secret Room in the town of Prosperity, Taimi has stayed behind to uncover what she can about the nature of the villain's schemes, accompanied by a high-ranking Order of Whispers assassin for protection: Quilkka, a member of the commander's guild that took down Zhaitan and put an end to Scarlet's reign. She is also - Taimi's estranged aunt. Taimi is quite close to her family, a wealthy, well-known, and accomplished bloodline; however, Quilkka - banished from Rata Sum prior to Taimi's birth - wouldn't cross paths with her until the guild's battle against the Twisted Marionette. Since then, while Quilkka's proven to be adept at getting Taimi out of a jam, they've spoken very little. Until now.
***
"You didn't go to any of the colleges - where did you learn from?" Taimi asked.
"What does it matter?" Quilkka shrugged, inspecting the room's safeguards.
"Because it does!" Taimi insisted. "And...well, there's just so much about you I don't know. We're from the same family but...I never got to learn anything from you."
"Eh, you're not missing out - " Quilkka paused. She looked up from the boarded-up windows, ears twitching.
Taimi got up from her chair. "What is it?"
"...A breeze."
"Oh, yeah, it gets pretty drafty in here. Not exactly the most well-kept place."
"No. This is coming from inside."
Quilkka took off her glove and licked her finger, then held it out. She felt the coolness again, and with her wet finger, was now able to pinpoint the direction. "This way." She pulled her glove back on and went toward the origin of the strange breeze, a simple bookcase at the back. "Here. Feel that?"
Taimi joined her, most curious. She put her hand where Quilkka showed her. Sure enough, she felt a very very faint, sporadic breeze. So vaguely perceptible she was sure she wouldn't have noticed if Quilkka hadn't pointed it out.
"There's an opening behind this bookcase." Quilkka said.
"No way!" Taimi breathily exclaimed.
Quilkka put an arm out. "Stand back."
They took a few steps back together. Once they were a safe distance away, Quilkka whipped out a clawed wire and snagged the top of the bookcase before yanking down, tipping it forward. Taimi ducked behind her and Quilkka shielded her eyes as the bookcase crashed to the floor. Once the dust cleared, they both looked up to find, indeed, an opening revealed. Quilkka hopped up on the back of the toppled bookcase and peered inside the hole, though it was too dark to make much out. She narrowed her eyes and donned her shroud. Taimi excitedly peeked in beside her, but Quilkka shot an arm out to hold her back.
"Wait here." She warned. She grabbed an old energy rod from Scarlet's equipment pile, smacking it so it lit up, then clipped it to her hip as she cautiously entered the hole. Taimi, pouty and desperate to unravel more mysteries, started to step down after her.
"Hey, just because we're related doesn't mean you get to boss me around!"
"No, I get to boss you around because I've killed a dragon. And - " Quilkka suddenly scooped Taimi up and plopped her back down, away from where she was about to step. " - because I notice when someone's walking into a trap."
Taimi scowled at her before looking down and seeing what Quilkka had seen. Threaded wire stretched over a hole in the floor. She sniffed and turned her head.
"What was Scarlet doing putting traps down here anyway?" She grumbled.
Quilkka inspected the trap more closely and found the filmy wire wasn't wire at all. It was silk. A grim realization dawned on her.
"These aren't Scarlet's."
Quilkka whirled around to see a giant canyon spider creeping down on a thread toward the unsuspecting progeny.
"TAIMI!"
At Quilkka's shout, Taimi looked up to suddenly face the spider's eager eyes. She let out a fearful yelp as it launched down at her, but before it could take her, Quilkka grabbed her in a tackle. They tucked and rolled, just out of reach. Quilkka immediately popped back up and rushed the hostile creature, blocking its fangs head-on with her daggers. The block knocked her down onto her back and her energy rod rolled away. It was all her strength to keep the hungry arachnid's maw at bay. Quilkka's technique relied on misdirection and evasion. When it came to brute strength, she was at a disadvantage...but with Taimi right behind her, she had no choice.
"Get to Scruffy!" Quilkka called, straining.
Taimi scrambled to her feet as fast as she could. The moment Taimi was back through the room opening, Quilkka let go and slid down, making the spider stab its fangs into the dirt above her. Now directly under its thorax, Quilkka thrust her daggers. It reared back in pain, allowing Quilkka to kick it off her. She jumped back, drawing her dual pistols, and noticed the energy rod rolling against the pitch darkness of the basement. She shot it, and the consequential explosion of light revealed an entire nest approaching its prey.
"...Should've guessed." Quilkka groaned.
*** Post-spidey fight
Once the nest was cleared, Quilkka turned to Taimi.
"You good?"
"Me?! You're the one who got jumped!"
"I'm fine - "
Suddenly, a felled spider behind Quilkka twitched to life and in a flash, it fiercely bit into her arm. Taimi gasped and Quilkka wasted no time in stabbing its head before Scruffy shot the thing off her.
Quilkka held her punctured arm, venom oozing out of the wound. "Okay, I take that back - " she managed through gritted teeth. She stumbled, the venom working fast through her short body.
"Oh no no no no what do we do, what do WE DO?!" Taimi panicked.
"Stay in your golem, I'll handle this." Quilkka said, hobbling back through the hole to Scarlet's room. Taimi followed close in Scruffy.
"But the venom! You'll die!!"
"I'm not gonna die, relax." But her nonchalance couldn't hide a clear weakness.
Quilkka reached her pack against the wall and rummaged through it. She set out a leather tool roll filled with vials and a syringe. "This is why we have - " she plucked one vial out and fit it into the syringe, " - antivenoms." She stabbed her poisoned arm with it and relaxed, taking steady breaths.
"Oh, g-good!" Taimi breathed with a tight smile, still coming down from a nasty adrenaline rush. "And now, we're out!"
"We've got plenty to make more." Quilkka said, taking her coat off and digging through her pack again. "Thanks to Mr. Sneak-attack and his buddies." Quilkka pulled out the med kit she was looking for and started to clean her wounds.
"That was still way too close. I've read that canyon spider venom can kill prey in one minute flat!"
"Forty-three seconds. I've counted."
Taimi stared at her as Quilkka one-handedly pulled on a tight, temporary bandage. She saved her. Again. Taimi thought. And she was bitten because she was distracted, checking up on...
Taimi sat Scruffy down and stepped out of the golem.
"...Can I help?"
Quilkka glanced up and realized Taimi was looking at her earnestly, worried. Worried. She paused. Taimi's kernel of guilt was difficult to hide.
Quilkka held the bandages out. "Sure. I need you to wrap it for me."
Taimi gingerly took the bandages. "Wrap it? Uh, I-I don't really know much about treating wounds that need more than a med patch."
"Then start knowing." Quilkka chuckled. "You said you wanted to help, didn't you?"
"I was kinda thinking in terms of supplies, not...?" Taimi swallowed and shook off that hesitation. She recomposed herself with a deep breath. "Oookay. I can do this."
Quilkka couldn't help but smile at her little self-affirmations. When Taimi was ready, she sat down next to Quilkka for the explanation. "There needs to be constant pressure to stop the bleeding, so make sure you wrap it tight. Like this." She reached over and wrapped a small part of the bandage on Taimi's wrist. Nice and tight. Taimi nodded fervently, hyper-focused. Quilkka nodded back at her and removed the temporary wraps she'd put on to slow the loss of blood. She revealed the two deep, red puncture wounds. Involuntarily, Taimi made a sharp inhale at the sight close up.
"Looks worse than it is." Quilkka said with a wry smile. She took the trailing end of the bandage. "I'll hold this end. You do the rest."
Taimi took another quick second to gather herself and began wrapping, doing her very best to match Quilkka's fast, coordinated motions. But the veteran made it look easy. The bandage ended up a little loose and uneven.
"Oh, darn, hang on - " Taimi grumbled. She started to try undoing it, but Quilkka stopped her.
"Oh no, you finish it up. I could care less about perfect if I wasn't bleeding out here."
"R-Right - "
Quilkka's morbid sense of humor oddly had the ability to put Taimi both at ease and on edge. She diligently went on wrapping, tighter and tighter, using up more bandage, and finished. Quilkka took the other end of the bandage from her and pulled on it one more time for good measure, tied it off, then told Taimi where to cut.
Quilkka raised her newly wrapped arm, showing it off. "There!" She dropped her arm and her voice. "Bet you're second-guessing learning anything from me, huh?"
"No!" Taimi grinned crooked. "This just...isn't what I had in mind."
I remember when you could create a single person guild and still get enough points to unlock your own guild bank. Husband and me still have up to four of these, perfect to store not account bound items.
Also when you could purchase the gift of battle with laurels (or was it badges of honor?)
does anyone remember finding a ton of DIFFERENT kinds of snowflakes for wintersday? And giving the orphans old clothes? Anyone remember swapping between town clothes and combat clothes? And I think for whatever reason the town clothes were always this red and black color...
Most importantly, does anyone remember the human female idle animation where they stretched??? I forget if norn once upon a time did that too.
Also I just recently noticed the normal harvesting sickle animation is now an actual swipe over the crop instead of like rubbing the ground with the sickle. Has it always been like that?? Am I crazy???
i am having a very annoying time rn and am tired of drawing my own characters so.
Iâm almost never available for the VS Art Parties and was thinking maybe I could throw this post out there; like or rb this as a âyou have permission to use my nerds as inspo for drawing timeâ if you want? i get new little guys to look at, you potentially get some art of your little guys. we all get to look at some neat characters. yehaw
Guild Wars 2 fooled me good by glitching me into the wall of the hillbilly maze in world 2, surrounding me with a nightmare horde of hillbillies I could not escape. Was seriously expecting to be shot to death on the spot before I realized they couldn't see me since i was i n t h e w a l l
Following the newly christened Wayfinder Kippa to Amnytas, the young commander Rhenn finds himself faced with a past he never knew he had. What can you do when plunged head first into a life you never got to have?
Also available to read on Ao3!
Warnings: mentions of genetic harvesting without consent (not explicit)
He wasnât sure if Amnytas was everything Kippa had told him when sheâd returned to Rata Sum, though it sounded incredible on the surface, despite her clear frustration with those stationed there. But something else was rippling underneath the surface, something she wasnât sure how to express, her hands gripping his when he reached out to hold them. Keep her from her pacing.
Rhenn had never seen Kippa so agitated in all the years theyâd known each other. âKip⊠Kips, hey, look at me. What is it?â
âThere was something else there.â Her voice was tight. âSomeone. Her name⊠she told me her name is Rhiia. Sheâs been there since you were born, when she was fifteen. Rhenn⊠she told me sheâs your sister. That Prikk and your mother Nixxe were her parents.â
It was like being plunged into cold water, stealing the breath from his lungs. He stood frozen, staring down at her, faintly glowing eyes wide. âMy⊠sister? I donât have a sister.â
She gave her head a quick shake. âI know. I know you donât, or at least as far as either of us know you donât, but⊠she looks so much like you. Her markings are a little different. I donât think she was⊠modified like you were. But otherwiseâŠâ
â...I need to see her.â The tension in his voice clearly surprised her, but he lifted his hand, brushing her hair out of her face. âNot that I donât trust you. You know I do. But I donât know who this woman is. She could be trying to manipulate us.â
Slowly, Kippa nodded, her hand coming up to take Rhennâs. She was quiet for a moment, then swallowed, lacing her fingers with his. âWill you come back with me, then?â
His nod came much quicker, pulling her hand up to kiss the knuckles. âI was planning on it anyway. Since I canât seem to convince you to slow down any. You know being pregnant is usually something that gives you leeway to take a break from hero work.â
She gave him a look. âIâm still very early on, and I promise Iâll be careful. Narcisse has been my shadow ever since Râtchikk figured it out. Iâm sure she will be once we get back, too. Though I shouldnât wait long. Isgarren is⊠impatient about the whole Nayos thing.â She paused. âYou wonât like him. He thinks he knows better than anyone.â
âMy least favorite kind of person,â Rhenn grumbled, then leaned down to kiss her forehead. âIâm ready to go whenever you are, Kip. Iâll do my best to be on my best behavior.â
She gave him a wry little smile. âLiar.â But she turned to pick up her staff regardless, freeing her hand from his. âIuno is waiting for us at the Bastion of the Natural. She wanted to keep an eye on things in case something changed while I came back to update you.â
His expression turned fond while he went to collect his hammer, releasing Kippa so he could gear up. âThatâs Iuno for you. Iâm glad sheâs stuck around.â
âYou and me both.â She stood quietly, hands folded in front of her, watching Rhenn move around the space. A little smile crossed her face, expression soft. âReady to go?â
Smiling, Rhenn nodded, moving back over beside her. âLetâs get going before Taimi notices weâve slipped out. The minute that girl hears youâre expecting, sheâs going to lose her mind, so itâs best we try to avoid that until after we have all this mess dealt with.â
Kippa laughed, looping her arm around his. âRight, right. Come on.â
The sensation of using a waypoint didnât change, not really, but using one he hadnât been to with Kippa holding onto him was different. The split second in a space both here and not, emptiness, cold, and then suddenly they were on the other side, standing in a gleaming courtyard of gilded white marble. It all felt too sterile, in a way very different from what he was familiar with in the labs heâd spent his time in growing up. The air was cool but not uncomfortable, and Iuno was seated on a bench talking to an unfamiliar asura.
She was tall for an asura, though not nearly as tall as him. Her dark hair, just starting to show hints of gray threaded through her short locs, bound up in a bandanna. Her blue tinted skin matched his, dark blue eyes focused on Iuno as she spoke. Dark gray markings, thicker stripes than his own, on her forehead and down the back of her neck, and she was dressed in crisp formal armor, blue with gold trim, a spear resting on her back.
âBoss!â Iuno noticed him before the asura did, and he smiled a little when she waved. âKippa said she was gonna check in with you. Figured youâd come back with her. Maybe you can get her to actually sit still for a few minutes. Or longer, really, since. Yâknow. Baby.â
Kippa snorted. âYeah, no chance of that. I have work to do.â She released Rhennâs arm after that, moving forward towards the asura as she turned. âRhiia? Heâs here.â
The moment their eyes met, Rhenn watched the color drain from the womanâs face as her eyes went wide, shoulders tightening. â...Alchemy. Look at you. You got so tallâŠâ She moved forward immediately, and Rhenn stood stock still, leaning back just slightly as she stopped in front of him, one hand reaching out as if to touch him, though she refrained. Barely. âYou wouldnât know me. Father had just taken you out of the tank when Mother had me run. She said heâd- that since you were there, heâd kill me.â
Rhenn didnât move back, staring at her quietly as she spoke. âHe never mentioned having a daughter.â
Her expression tightened, brow furrowed as she scowled. âOf course he didnât. Father saw me as⊠imperfect. He thought that the natural process of birth was too random. Brought in too many variables. But he didnât want to do anything until he was sure he could succeed. And then⊠you were there.â
Iuno looked between the two for a moment, her tail lashing, before clearing her throat as she gestured to Kippa. âCâmon, Kip. Narcisse will wanna check up on you. Letâs let them talk.â
Kippa looked between the two, then gently rested her hand on Rhennâs arm, smiling up at him before moving to join Iuno as they walked further into the nearby gardens together. Rhenn gave her a weak smile, but his attention quickly returned to Rhiia, who was watching him quietly, wringing her hands together. â...Iâm sure you have a lot of questions for me.â
âThatâs an understatement.â It was hard to keep the frustration out of his voice, and Rhenn glanced briefly in the direction Kippa and Iuno had headed in before he returned his attention to her. âYou said our⊠mother. Told you to run. You know she wasnât my- I mean she didnât-â
Rhiia nodded. âI know. Father took her genetic material without her consent. Paid off a physician who was doing a routine physical⊠then buried the evidence. Literally. The doctor was accused of inappropriate behavior and⊠repurposed three weeks after what he did. He denied allegations to the end. Mother didnât trust him and started monitoring much more closely. She got special permission from her boss, Asuran Resources Director Miyya.â
That got a surprised blink out of Rhenn. âAsuran resources- the head of the Inquest Ethics Committee?â
âThe very same. Mother was one of Miyyaâs very best inspectors, and she hated Father. So she gave Mother special privileges to keep investigating him.â She fidgeted with the hem of her jacket for a moment, then let out a soft breath. âWalk with me?â
Slowly, Rhenn nodded, moving to follow her as she headed towards the edge of the floating island overlooking the rest of the bastions. âYouâve been here this whole time, then?â
Rhiia glanced up at him briefly, then looked back out ahead of them. âI have been. I was found hiding from the Inquest by Uenno, who ultimately decided to bring me here. Mabon-â Her voice caught, and she cleared it before continuing. âHe trained me. Taught me everything I know. Made sure I could take care of myself should anything happen, and convinced Isgarren to let me stay here.â
â...and you were watching the whole time?â
âI was.â She stopped at the edge of the island, easing herself down to sit with her legs dangling over the edge. âIsgarren forbade me from intervening directly, but regardless of how he mightâve come off, Mabon was always a little soft around the edges. So while heâd never let me get close or do anything that may directly interfere, I was allowed to keep tabs on you. And I begged him to let me do more. To let me get you out. Bring you here. Get you away from our father. But no matter how hard I pushed, Isgarren wouldnât budge.â
Rhennâs brow furrowed, jaw tightening as he looked away for a moment. âRight. Kippa told me a little about him. She said I wouldnât like him because he thinks he knows whatâs best for everybody. Sounds like she was right on the gold pieces with that.â
Rhiia frowned slightly, looking back up at him. âPlease donât misunderstand. Isgarren isnât a bad person. Heâs been alive for millennia, so much longer than most of us that itâs hard to fathom. He does his best to keep Tyria safe from threats beyond the mists. It does mean he doesnât really intervene with direct threats as much, but he really is doing his best.â
âIs he? Tell that to Trahearne. Eir and Logan. To the people they left behind.â He gestured down at the clouds below them. âTell that to Zojja, who walks with a cane despite how hard Kippa worked to make sure her injuries didnât kill her, or even over the fact that sheâs been grieving her mentor for years after having to watch him die. Tell it to Rytlock, who had to kill his own son, who had to bury his best friend. To Kippa, even! Losing her whole damn family when the Thaumanova Reactor took Rata Thauma with it. Or to her and Taimi, when Joko kidnapped them and psychologically and emotionally tortured them for days on end. Or how about me, Rhiia. Grown in a vat by an egotistical maniac who wanted a living weapon he could control like a marionette, spending nineteen years of my life being cut into and altered and experimented on and forced to fight from the moment I could pick up a weapon, all while you watched! I could keep going.â
âRhennâŠâ
âForget it.â The fingers of one hand clenched on the ledge, jaw still tight as the other came up to push back through his hair. âWhat happened to Mother? I remember seeing her, but⊠not much. She disappeared when I was⊠I⊠I couldnât have been older than five or six.â
She watched him for a moment, brow knitted, eyes glassy. Then, sighing, she looked back out at the other Bastions. â...itâs hard to explain. The easiest answer, of course, would be to just say he killed her. Wiped his hands of her. That he made sure she couldnât intervene. But the real answer is a lot more complicated than that.â Her hands folded in her lap as she closed her eyes, organizing her thoughts. âMother wanted to get you out. And she had been working with Miyya to figure something out. But while Father may have been a monster, he wasnât a fool. He figured out something was going on. And so⊠he had her disappeared.â
Rhenn was staring at her as she spoke, eyes wide, a muscle in his jaw twitching briefly before he spoke again. âYou said disappeared. Not killed.â
âThatâs right. Itâs a complicated situation but⊠here. Come on.â Scooting back, Rhiia pulled herself to her feet, offering a hand to Rhenn to help him up. âItâs going to be easier if I show you. Then youâll understand.â
Though he hesitated, Rhenn finally accepted her hand up, though he mostly pulled to his feet on his own. Once he was standing, he moved to walk after her, following her towards a gate. âWhere are we going?â
She glanced back at him, not stopping in her walk forward. âThe Wizard Tower. Itâs sort of our main base of operations between here in Amnytas and the fractals in Skywatch Archipelago. Theyâre kept secret, but we do have gates in each of the Bastions to get back.â
Rhiia fell silent as they continued along the way, down into a comfortable sitting area of marble benches surrounded by flora of colors he had never realized existed in nature, small glowing insects floating nearby, overlooking a serene doorway leading to a gate not unlike the asura gates he knew best. Stepping through it behind Rhiia led them to a new structure: a circular complex of towering columns and pillars of even more gilded marble.
How anyone could tolerate this level of opulence was beyond him.
âSo where are we heading?â
âUp the stairs here.â She gestured for him to follow. âMy room is next to⊠where Mabonâs is.â
Rhenn frowned as they started up the stairs. âYou keep talking about this Mabon. Kippa mentioned heâd⊠passed, unfortunately. She spoke of him pretty highly, for having known him for such a short time. Seems like he was a pretty good guy.â
Rhiia hesitated at that, hand resting on the railing before she let out a soft sigh. â...he was. He was one of the few standing the longest at Isgarrenâs side. He may not show it, but I think Mabonâs death is affecting him, which is⊠making his patience lower than it would be otherwise. And Kippa has a tendency to⊠frustrate him.â
âGood. Sometimes people like that need frustrating.â
She gave her head a shake, starting back up the stairs again. âShe doesnât seem like the type to gossip. Iâm surprised she said anything thatâd turn you on him like this.â
Rhenn just snorted. âShe didnât. She told me that he thinks he knows whatâs best for everyone⊠and you knew our father long enough. I donât trust anyone who thinks they have some kind of mandate over someone elseâs life, no matter the reasoning.â
Rhiia looked at him again as she stepped up onto the landing. â...I suppose I hadnât really thought of it that way.â
He just shrugged, stepping up beside her. âI mean, you wouldnât. Youâve been here for⊠Alchemy, what, thirty years now almost? If you ran when I was born anyway. This place is all youâve ever known, and youâve existed thinking he was always right this whole time. Why would you assume he was anything other than on the level?â
For a moment, Rhiia just stared at him, looking thoughtful. âYouâre a lot more like Mother than you realize. Than I think Father realized. Nurture is one thing, sure, but I think programming can only go so far. Youâve become a remarkable person, Rhenn.â
âIâm just doing my best. Itâs all I can do.â
âItâs all anyone can ask of you.â She inclined her head slightly, then turned to continue walking, slipping into a small room next to one flanked by armed guards, their eyes red rimmed from grieving. Mabonâs room, he guessed. But he didnât have time to really think much more on that, as Rhiia had gone to pick up a small floating golem, a cube sitting on its point like so many data drones of its type. But then, she turned to him, holding it up so he could get a good look and its sensor could register him. âMother? Iâve brought Rhenn to see you.â
The golemâs singular sensor light lit up, turning in its socket, scanning him over before a voice, clear but distant in his mind, like remembering something from a dream, came out of it. âOh⊠it is you, isnât it? Youâve grown so tall.â
Rhennâs breath caught, eyes wide as he took a step back. That thing, the golem Rhiia was holding in her hands, was speaking with the voice of his mother. Their mother. â...Mother?â
The golemâs sensor tipped and then swung, as if to nod. âYes. I wish we could have seen each other some other way, but this was the only way to retrieve me from your father. I canât believe how big youâve gotten. I knew what Prikk was trying to create, but I was never able to see how far his experimentation had gone. I am so sorry I wasnât able to get you out, my magnum opus.â
Rhiia didnât look up at Rhenn, her fingers moving faintly against the cube. âWhen Father realized Mother planned to leave. To take you and run. He decided he had to get her out of the way. His problem was that he didnât want to do away with her. She was too brilliant. Her mind too valuable. So he had her grabbed in the middle of the night, had her sedated. Harvested her genetic material in case he may need it later, then transferred her consciousness into a personal console before incinerating her body. I was⊠I tried to stop him.â
âYou did more than enough, Rhiia. Prikk was a monster, and too many people knew it. But the Directors saw him as too valuable to kill. Project Genesis was his greatest achievement, his legacy.â Nixxeâs voice sounded bitter, and he couldnât blame her. âThey wanted to ensure he could continue his work. Of course, he didnât expect Sebb⊠but he always was focused. Couldnât see the forest for the trees.â
When she stopped talking, Rhiia sighed, looking off toward the door. âWhen Sebb tempted Father to Elona with promises that he could reclaim you by throwing in his lot with Palawa Joko, I begged Mabon to take action⊠and I was finally able to, since no one was there to witness what we were doing. We led a small team, took copies of everything we could. Contaminated samples that Sebb hadnât already compromised. Destroyed as many files as we could. And then, I transferred Mother into this golem and destroyed the terminal. Sebb was furious when he came in to claim his âinheritanceâ and found so much destroyed, but he was able to recover enough from the wreckage to not be suspicious. He figured it was Miyyaâs people, looking for ways to uncover Mother, but he couldnât go after the Ethics Committee without risking himself.â Slowly, her gaze shifted back to Rhenn. âI have all of your files. Everything. Anything you need, anything Kippa needs for your medical care, I can provide it.â
Finally, Rhenn tore his eyes away from the golem containing his mother. â...but you couldnât convince him to help me?â
Rhiia sucked in a sharp breath. âYou have to understand, Rhenn- I didnât have a choice! Isgarren-â
âIsgarren, Isgarren, thatâs all anyone around here talks about is Isgarren! Is he a god or something? Does he have you in chains? Or is everyone afraid of losing their Ivory Tower if they go against what he wants?â Rhenn shoved his hands back through his hair. âI⊠I just⊠I need time. I need⊠to process this, I need somewhere quiet. I need to sit and think and⊠sort this out in my head.â
While Rhiia looked stricken, Nixxe sounded more understanding. âOf course, love. This must be a lot to take in. Thereâs a courtyard if you head out this door and down the stairs, to your left. Flowers, foolâs fire, and warm sunlight. Take the time you need.â
He nodded slowly, then turned to hurry out the door. Rhiia swallowed hard, watching after him before ducking her head. âI made a mess of that.â
Nixxe shushed her gently. âThis is a lot for both of you, my prodigy. Give him time to take all of this in. You can talk to him again tomorrow, once heâs had time to readjust.â
Frowning, Rhiia let out a sigh. âOf course, Mother. I know.â She closed her eyes, letting herself sit in the silence for a moment. Rhennâs troubled face burned into her mind, his strained voice ringing in her ears. She had hoped to bridge a gap, finally make some roads in with the brother she never got to know, but that was going to be harder than she thought. âBut that doesnât make it any easier.â
About: How will Rhenn react to meeting his long-lost sister?
Title: Let Down
This was a really fun read!! I thought I'd share my thoughts and a lil play-by-play of memes lol
Enjoy!
Most firstborn kids: "aw man, a second kid, they're gonna get more attention than me >:/ now im gonna have to learn how to share"
Rhiia: "GUYS IM ACTUALLY GONNA DIE FOR REAL DUDE I AM SO FUCKED"
Nixxe c'mon really?? PRIKK??
oh SHIT Prikk what the hell, taking genetic material without consent, that's the worst thing you could do to Nixxe-
...
OH GOOD GOD
I EDITED TWO MEME VIDS FOR THIS AND NOW IM REALIZING AND I CAN'T PUT THEM ON A REBLOG AFOIWJHFOWHGFJDKS
So I just posted them on the blog and linked em here lol
Thoughts
I really love the themes of family here!! Everyone looking out for Kippa is adorable, I love how you can tell how fussy everyone is just from the fact that Kippa, the super kind angel that she is, is already so DONE.
Rhenn's hesitance with Rhiia brings up a really interesting question of sibling dynamics, given that he pretty much grew up an only child. I'm very curious if he entertains the thought of having a sister based on traditional family relationships he's seen or if he has no interest at all in accepting her in that context.
Now that we know the fate of Nixxe, I wonder what Miyya's reaction to Nixxe disappearing was, and a little more about their relationship. Miyya is extremely cutthroat, a devastatingly harsh figure in the organization, so it's surprising that she would have favorites, even if Nixxe's intellect and pure competence is impressive. That combined with her hatred for Prikk being enough to push her toward something other than her routine objectives is fun to see. With enough spite and disrespect anything is possible!! XD
Rhiia defending Isgarren demonstrates a lot about her character, how important she finds the Astral Ward while simultaneously being frustrated with their inability to provide support for the individuals she cares about most. It's very believable that she'd have difficulty allowing outsiders to critique the Ward without explaining to them in the best light possible the Ward's motives. It doesn't help that Rhenn is more likely to trust the people he's closest too over a detached-by-definition people with a frankly pretentious-looking tower in the sky.
Nixxe calling Rhenn "my magnum opus" really popped out at me. She clearly sees her children as the growing, sentient beings they are and not the means to an end projects Prikk saw them as, but she still speaks with that asura erudite, Inquest blood in her that makes descriptors so deliciously objectifying, particularly in the way of compliments. She means it with uncomplicated affection, but Rhenn's worked so hard to be treated as a person, not a work. I'd love to see more interactions between Rhenn and his mother and how he might absorb what he learns about his parents, especially with his own child on the way. Will he think at all about how he's going to parent in comparison?
The tension between Rhenn and Rhiia is so understandable, Rhenn is justifiably frustrated with the wizards in general and I love the push and pull setup for these two. It's going to take a lot for them to bridge the gap.
Following the newly christened Wayfinder Kippa to Amnytas, the young commander Rhenn finds himself faced with a past he never knew he had. What can you do when plunged head first into a life you never got to have?
Also available to read on Ao3!
Warnings: mentions of genetic harvesting without consent (not explicit)
He wasnât sure if Amnytas was everything Kippa had told him when sheâd returned to Rata Sum, though it sounded incredible on the surface, despite her clear frustration with those stationed there. But something else was rippling underneath the surface, something she wasnât sure how to express, her hands gripping his when he reached out to hold them. Keep her from her pacing.
Rhenn had never seen Kippa so agitated in all the years theyâd known each other. âKip⊠Kips, hey, look at me. What is it?â
âThere was something else there.â Her voice was tight. âSomeone. Her name⊠she told me her name is Rhiia. Sheâs been there since you were born, when she was fifteen. Rhenn⊠she told me sheâs your sister. That Prikk and your mother Nixxe were her parents.â
It was like being plunged into cold water, stealing the breath from his lungs. He stood frozen, staring down at her, faintly glowing eyes wide. âMy⊠sister? I donât have a sister.â
She gave her head a quick shake. âI know. I know you donât, or at least as far as either of us know you donât, but⊠she looks so much like you. Her markings are a little different. I donât think she was⊠modified like you were. But otherwiseâŠâ
â...I need to see her.â The tension in his voice clearly surprised her, but he lifted his hand, brushing her hair out of her face. âNot that I donât trust you. You know I do. But I donât know who this woman is. She could be trying to manipulate us.â
Slowly, Kippa nodded, her hand coming up to take Rhennâs. She was quiet for a moment, then swallowed, lacing her fingers with his. âWill you come back with me, then?â
His nod came much quicker, pulling her hand up to kiss the knuckles. âI was planning on it anyway. Since I canât seem to convince you to slow down any. You know being pregnant is usually something that gives you leeway to take a break from hero work.â
She gave him a look. âIâm still very early on, and I promise Iâll be careful. Narcisse has been my shadow ever since Râtchikk figured it out. Iâm sure she will be once we get back, too. Though I shouldnât wait long. Isgarren is⊠impatient about the whole Nayos thing.â She paused. âYou wonât like him. He thinks he knows better than anyone.â
âMy least favorite kind of person,â Rhenn grumbled, then leaned down to kiss her forehead. âIâm ready to go whenever you are, Kip. Iâll do my best to be on my best behavior.â
She gave him a wry little smile. âLiar.â But she turned to pick up her staff regardless, freeing her hand from his. âIuno is waiting for us at the Bastion of the Natural. She wanted to keep an eye on things in case something changed while I came back to update you.â
His expression turned fond while he went to collect his hammer, releasing Kippa so he could gear up. âThatâs Iuno for you. Iâm glad sheâs stuck around.â
âYou and me both.â She stood quietly, hands folded in front of her, watching Rhenn move around the space. A little smile crossed her face, expression soft. âReady to go?â
Smiling, Rhenn nodded, moving back over beside her. âLetâs get going before Taimi notices weâve slipped out. The minute that girl hears youâre expecting, sheâs going to lose her mind, so itâs best we try to avoid that until after we have all this mess dealt with.â
Kippa laughed, looping her arm around his. âRight, right. Come on.â
The sensation of using a waypoint didnât change, not really, but using one he hadnât been to with Kippa holding onto him was different. The split second in a space both here and not, emptiness, cold, and then suddenly they were on the other side, standing in a gleaming courtyard of gilded white marble. It all felt too sterile, in a way very different from what he was familiar with in the labs heâd spent his time in growing up. The air was cool but not uncomfortable, and Iuno was seated on a bench talking to an unfamiliar asura.
She was tall for an asura, though not nearly as tall as him. Her dark hair, just starting to show hints of gray threaded through her short locs, bound up in a bandanna. Her blue tinted skin matched his, dark blue eyes focused on Iuno as she spoke. Dark gray markings, thicker stripes than his own, on her forehead and down the back of her neck, and she was dressed in crisp formal armor, blue with gold trim, a spear resting on her back.
âBoss!â Iuno noticed him before the asura did, and he smiled a little when she waved. âKippa said she was gonna check in with you. Figured youâd come back with her. Maybe you can get her to actually sit still for a few minutes. Or longer, really, since. Yâknow. Baby.â
Kippa snorted. âYeah, no chance of that. I have work to do.â She released Rhennâs arm after that, moving forward towards the asura as she turned. âRhiia? Heâs here.â
The moment their eyes met, Rhenn watched the color drain from the womanâs face as her eyes went wide, shoulders tightening. â...Alchemy. Look at you. You got so tallâŠâ She moved forward immediately, and Rhenn stood stock still, leaning back just slightly as she stopped in front of him, one hand reaching out as if to touch him, though she refrained. Barely. âYou wouldnât know me. Father had just taken you out of the tank when Mother had me run. She said heâd- that since you were there, heâd kill me.â
Rhenn didnât move back, staring at her quietly as she spoke. âHe never mentioned having a daughter.â
Her expression tightened, brow furrowed as she scowled. âOf course he didnât. Father saw me as⊠imperfect. He thought that the natural process of birth was too random. Brought in too many variables. But he didnât want to do anything until he was sure he could succeed. And then⊠you were there.â
Iuno looked between the two for a moment, her tail lashing, before clearing her throat as she gestured to Kippa. âCâmon, Kip. Narcisse will wanna check up on you. Letâs let them talk.â
Kippa looked between the two, then gently rested her hand on Rhennâs arm, smiling up at him before moving to join Iuno as they walked further into the nearby gardens together. Rhenn gave her a weak smile, but his attention quickly returned to Rhiia, who was watching him quietly, wringing her hands together. â...Iâm sure you have a lot of questions for me.â
âThatâs an understatement.â It was hard to keep the frustration out of his voice, and Rhenn glanced briefly in the direction Kippa and Iuno had headed in before he returned his attention to her. âYou said our⊠mother. Told you to run. You know she wasnât my- I mean she didnât-â
Rhiia nodded. âI know. Father took her genetic material without her consent. Paid off a physician who was doing a routine physical⊠then buried the evidence. Literally. The doctor was accused of inappropriate behavior and⊠repurposed three weeks after what he did. He denied allegations to the end. Mother didnât trust him and started monitoring much more closely. She got special permission from her boss, Asuran Resources Director Miyya.â
That got a surprised blink out of Rhenn. âAsuran resources- the head of the Inquest Ethics Committee?â
âThe very same. Mother was one of Miyyaâs very best inspectors, and she hated Father. So she gave Mother special privileges to keep investigating him.â She fidgeted with the hem of her jacket for a moment, then let out a soft breath. âWalk with me?â
Slowly, Rhenn nodded, moving to follow her as she headed towards the edge of the floating island overlooking the rest of the bastions. âYouâve been here this whole time, then?â
Rhiia glanced up at him briefly, then looked back out ahead of them. âI have been. I was found hiding from the Inquest by Uenno, who ultimately decided to bring me here. Mabon-â Her voice caught, and she cleared it before continuing. âHe trained me. Taught me everything I know. Made sure I could take care of myself should anything happen, and convinced Isgarren to let me stay here.â
â...and you were watching the whole time?â
âI was.â She stopped at the edge of the island, easing herself down to sit with her legs dangling over the edge. âIsgarren forbade me from intervening directly, but regardless of how he mightâve come off, Mabon was always a little soft around the edges. So while heâd never let me get close or do anything that may directly interfere, I was allowed to keep tabs on you. And I begged him to let me do more. To let me get you out. Bring you here. Get you away from our father. But no matter how hard I pushed, Isgarren wouldnât budge.â
Rhennâs brow furrowed, jaw tightening as he looked away for a moment. âRight. Kippa told me a little about him. She said I wouldnât like him because he thinks he knows whatâs best for everybody. Sounds like she was right on the gold pieces with that.â
Rhiia frowned slightly, looking back up at him. âPlease donât misunderstand. Isgarren isnât a bad person. Heâs been alive for millennia, so much longer than most of us that itâs hard to fathom. He does his best to keep Tyria safe from threats beyond the mists. It does mean he doesnât really intervene with direct threats as much, but he really is doing his best.â
âIs he? Tell that to Trahearne. Eir and Logan. To the people they left behind.â He gestured down at the clouds below them. âTell that to Zojja, who walks with a cane despite how hard Kippa worked to make sure her injuries didnât kill her, or even over the fact that sheâs been grieving her mentor for years after having to watch him die. Tell it to Rytlock, who had to kill his own son, who had to bury his best friend. To Kippa, even! Losing her whole damn family when the Thaumanova Reactor took Rata Thauma with it. Or to her and Taimi, when Joko kidnapped them and psychologically and emotionally tortured them for days on end. Or how about me, Rhiia. Grown in a vat by an egotistical maniac who wanted a living weapon he could control like a marionette, spending nineteen years of my life being cut into and altered and experimented on and forced to fight from the moment I could pick up a weapon, all while you watched! I could keep going.â
âRhennâŠâ
âForget it.â The fingers of one hand clenched on the ledge, jaw still tight as the other came up to push back through his hair. âWhat happened to Mother? I remember seeing her, but⊠not much. She disappeared when I was⊠I⊠I couldnât have been older than five or six.â
She watched him for a moment, brow knitted, eyes glassy. Then, sighing, she looked back out at the other Bastions. â...itâs hard to explain. The easiest answer, of course, would be to just say he killed her. Wiped his hands of her. That he made sure she couldnât intervene. But the real answer is a lot more complicated than that.â Her hands folded in her lap as she closed her eyes, organizing her thoughts. âMother wanted to get you out. And she had been working with Miyya to figure something out. But while Father may have been a monster, he wasnât a fool. He figured out something was going on. And so⊠he had her disappeared.â
Rhenn was staring at her as she spoke, eyes wide, a muscle in his jaw twitching briefly before he spoke again. âYou said disappeared. Not killed.â
âThatâs right. Itâs a complicated situation but⊠here. Come on.â Scooting back, Rhiia pulled herself to her feet, offering a hand to Rhenn to help him up. âItâs going to be easier if I show you. Then youâll understand.â
Though he hesitated, Rhenn finally accepted her hand up, though he mostly pulled to his feet on his own. Once he was standing, he moved to walk after her, following her towards a gate. âWhere are we going?â
She glanced back at him, not stopping in her walk forward. âThe Wizard Tower. Itâs sort of our main base of operations between here in Amnytas and the fractals in Skywatch Archipelago. Theyâre kept secret, but we do have gates in each of the Bastions to get back.â
Rhiia fell silent as they continued along the way, down into a comfortable sitting area of marble benches surrounded by flora of colors he had never realized existed in nature, small glowing insects floating nearby, overlooking a serene doorway leading to a gate not unlike the asura gates he knew best. Stepping through it behind Rhiia led them to a new structure: a circular complex of towering columns and pillars of even more gilded marble.
How anyone could tolerate this level of opulence was beyond him.
âSo where are we heading?â
âUp the stairs here.â She gestured for him to follow. âMy room is next to⊠where Mabonâs is.â
Rhenn frowned as they started up the stairs. âYou keep talking about this Mabon. Kippa mentioned heâd⊠passed, unfortunately. She spoke of him pretty highly, for having known him for such a short time. Seems like he was a pretty good guy.â
Rhiia hesitated at that, hand resting on the railing before she let out a soft sigh. â...he was. He was one of the few standing the longest at Isgarrenâs side. He may not show it, but I think Mabonâs death is affecting him, which is⊠making his patience lower than it would be otherwise. And Kippa has a tendency to⊠frustrate him.â
âGood. Sometimes people like that need frustrating.â
She gave her head a shake, starting back up the stairs again. âShe doesnât seem like the type to gossip. Iâm surprised she said anything thatâd turn you on him like this.â
Rhenn just snorted. âShe didnât. She told me that he thinks he knows whatâs best for everyone⊠and you knew our father long enough. I donât trust anyone who thinks they have some kind of mandate over someone elseâs life, no matter the reasoning.â
Rhiia looked at him again as she stepped up onto the landing. â...I suppose I hadnât really thought of it that way.â
He just shrugged, stepping up beside her. âI mean, you wouldnât. Youâve been here for⊠Alchemy, what, thirty years now almost? If you ran when I was born anyway. This place is all youâve ever known, and youâve existed thinking he was always right this whole time. Why would you assume he was anything other than on the level?â
For a moment, Rhiia just stared at him, looking thoughtful. âYouâre a lot more like Mother than you realize. Than I think Father realized. Nurture is one thing, sure, but I think programming can only go so far. Youâve become a remarkable person, Rhenn.â
âIâm just doing my best. Itâs all I can do.â
âItâs all anyone can ask of you.â She inclined her head slightly, then turned to continue walking, slipping into a small room next to one flanked by armed guards, their eyes red rimmed from grieving. Mabonâs room, he guessed. But he didnât have time to really think much more on that, as Rhiia had gone to pick up a small floating golem, a cube sitting on its point like so many data drones of its type. But then, she turned to him, holding it up so he could get a good look and its sensor could register him. âMother? Iâve brought Rhenn to see you.â
The golemâs singular sensor light lit up, turning in its socket, scanning him over before a voice, clear but distant in his mind, like remembering something from a dream, came out of it. âOh⊠it is you, isnât it? Youâve grown so tall.â
Rhennâs breath caught, eyes wide as he took a step back. That thing, the golem Rhiia was holding in her hands, was speaking with the voice of his mother. Their mother. â...Mother?â
The golemâs sensor tipped and then swung, as if to nod. âYes. I wish we could have seen each other some other way, but this was the only way to retrieve me from your father. I canât believe how big youâve gotten. I knew what Prikk was trying to create, but I was never able to see how far his experimentation had gone. I am so sorry I wasnât able to get you out, my magnum opus.â
Rhiia didnât look up at Rhenn, her fingers moving faintly against the cube. âWhen Father realized Mother planned to leave. To take you and run. He decided he had to get her out of the way. His problem was that he didnât want to do away with her. She was too brilliant. Her mind too valuable. So he had her grabbed in the middle of the night, had her sedated. Harvested her genetic material in case he may need it later, then transferred her consciousness into a personal console before incinerating her body. I was⊠I tried to stop him.â
âYou did more than enough, Rhiia. Prikk was a monster, and too many people knew it. But the Directors saw him as too valuable to kill. Project Genesis was his greatest achievement, his legacy.â Nixxeâs voice sounded bitter, and he couldnât blame her. âThey wanted to ensure he could continue his work. Of course, he didnât expect Sebb⊠but he always was focused. Couldnât see the forest for the trees.â
When she stopped talking, Rhiia sighed, looking off toward the door. âWhen Sebb tempted Father to Elona with promises that he could reclaim you by throwing in his lot with Palawa Joko, I begged Mabon to take action⊠and I was finally able to, since no one was there to witness what we were doing. We led a small team, took copies of everything we could. Contaminated samples that Sebb hadnât already compromised. Destroyed as many files as we could. And then, I transferred Mother into this golem and destroyed the terminal. Sebb was furious when he came in to claim his âinheritanceâ and found so much destroyed, but he was able to recover enough from the wreckage to not be suspicious. He figured it was Miyyaâs people, looking for ways to uncover Mother, but he couldnât go after the Ethics Committee without risking himself.â Slowly, her gaze shifted back to Rhenn. âI have all of your files. Everything. Anything you need, anything Kippa needs for your medical care, I can provide it.â
Finally, Rhenn tore his eyes away from the golem containing his mother. â...but you couldnât convince him to help me?â
Rhiia sucked in a sharp breath. âYou have to understand, Rhenn- I didnât have a choice! Isgarren-â
âIsgarren, Isgarren, thatâs all anyone around here talks about is Isgarren! Is he a god or something? Does he have you in chains? Or is everyone afraid of losing their Ivory Tower if they go against what he wants?â Rhenn shoved his hands back through his hair. âI⊠I just⊠I need time. I need⊠to process this, I need somewhere quiet. I need to sit and think and⊠sort this out in my head.â
While Rhiia looked stricken, Nixxe sounded more understanding. âOf course, love. This must be a lot to take in. Thereâs a courtyard if you head out this door and down the stairs, to your left. Flowers, foolâs fire, and warm sunlight. Take the time you need.â
He nodded slowly, then turned to hurry out the door. Rhiia swallowed hard, watching after him before ducking her head. âI made a mess of that.â
Nixxe shushed her gently. âThis is a lot for both of you, my prodigy. Give him time to take all of this in. You can talk to him again tomorrow, once heâs had time to readjust.â
Frowning, Rhiia let out a sigh. âOf course, Mother. I know.â She closed her eyes, letting herself sit in the silence for a moment. Rhennâs troubled face burned into her mind, his strained voice ringing in her ears. She had hoped to bridge a gap, finally make some roads in with the brother she never got to know, but that was going to be harder than she thought. âBut that doesnât make it any easier.â
About: How will Rhenn react to meeting his long-lost sister?
Title: Let Down
This was a really fun read!! I thought I'd share my thoughts and a lil play-by-play of memes lol
Enjoy!
Most firstborn kids: "aw man, a second kid, they're gonna get more attention than me >:/ now im gonna have to learn how to share"
Rhiia: "GUYS IM ACTUALLY GONNA DIE FOR REAL DUDE I AM SO FUCKED"
Nixxe c'mon really?? PRIKK??
oh SHIT Prikk what the hell, taking genetic material without consent, that's the worst thing you could do to Nixxe-
...
OH GOOD GOD
I EDITED TWO MEME VIDS FOR THIS AND NOW IM REALIZING AND I CAN'T PUT THEM ON A REBLOG AFOIWJHFOWHGFJDKS
So I just posted them on the blog and linked em here lol
Thoughts
I really love the themes of family here!! Everyone looking out for Kippa is adorable, I love how you can tell how fussy everyone is just from the fact that Kippa, the super kind angel that she is, is already so DONE.
Rhenn's hesitance with Rhiia brings up a really interesting question of sibling dynamics, given that he pretty much grew up an only child. I'm very curious if he entertains the thought of having a sister based on traditional family relationships he's seen or if he has no interest at all in accepting her in that context.
Now that we know the fate of Nixxe, I wonder what Miyya's reaction to Nixxe disappearing was, and a little more about their relationship. Miyya is extremely cutthroat, a devastatingly harsh figure in the organization, so it's surprising that she would have favorites, even if Nixxe's intellect and pure competence is impressive. That combined with her hatred for Prikk being enough to push her toward something other than her routine objectives is fun to see. With enough spite and disrespect anything is possible!! XD
Rhiia defending Isgarren demonstrates a lot about her character, how important she finds the Astral Ward while simultaneously being frustrated with their inability to provide support for the individuals she cares about most. It's very believable that she'd have difficulty allowing outsiders to critique the Ward without explaining to them in the best light possible the Ward's motives. It doesn't help that Rhenn is more likely to trust the people he's closest too over a detached-by-definition people with a frankly pretentious-looking tower in the sky.
Nixxe calling Rhenn "my magnum opus" really popped out at me. She clearly sees her children as the growing, sentient beings they are and not the means to an end projects Prikk saw them as, but she still speaks with that asura erudite, Inquest blood in her that makes descriptors so deliciously objectifying, particularly in the way of compliments. She means it with uncomplicated affection, but Rhenn's worked so hard to be treated as a person, not a work. I'd love to see more interactions between Rhenn and his mother and how he might absorb what he learns about his parents, especially with his own child on the way. Will he think at all about how he's going to parent in comparison?
The tension between Rhenn and Rhiia is so understandable, Rhenn is justifiably frustrated with the wizards in general and I love the push and pull setup for these two. It's going to take a lot for them to bridge the gap.
