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This is a crossover fanfiction between original fiction titles: Nature of Predators by SpacePaladin15 and The Last Angel by Proximal Flame respectively. All credit and rights reserved goes to them for making such amazing science fiction settings that I wanted to put this together.
You can read The Last Angel here: Be warned, it's decently long, and at its third installment so far. I highly suggest reading it before reading this, or this story will not make sense.

Otherwise, enjoy the story! Thanks again to u/jesterra54 and u/skais01 for beta and checking of work!
First Prev Next (soon)
Memory transcription subject: Adjek, Venlil Space Corps Engineer
Date [standardized human time]: October 24, 2136
I had departed with a collection of other engineers who had assisted on the tethering of Nemesis several days ago back to her massive ship. There were twenty-five of us, although none I knew directly from my work.
As our cargo shuttle entered the direct monitoring range of the beast once more, I felt a bad feeling throughout my fur. I didn't know what, exactly, but it was like we had just stepped into the eyes of a predator lurking in the undergrowth, watching us intently. As if to capitalize on that unease, our pilot Mimek bleated something in a panic that made said fur stand straight.
"T-th-th-there's an Arxur vessel trailing us!"
I whirled onto the oncoming feed near the front of the shuttle. Behind us, was a Arxur Ambusher-class dropship that had taken a path directly behind us. It followed the exact same trajectory as our own, and showed no signs of diverting. I bleated out a panicked command of my own.
"K-kick it! W-we need to get distance from them!"
While I had no authority to tell the pilot what to do in this situation, he must've nevertheless agreed, and as such Mimek kicked the boosters into overdrive to escape their proximity. I kept an eye on the rear display, watching as in response, the Arxur craft opened up its own engines, as if to accept the chase, and closed in.
Mimek spoke again. "Why are they chasing us?! D-didn't the humans forbid them from attacking us in-system?!" I had a horrible thought as to why...
"They've fallen to their p-predator bloodlust! They won't be stopped so long as we're in vulnerable space! Close to Nemesis, fast!" I pointed at the guidance lights to the hangar on Nemesis' keel opening. While the Arxur could likely outrun us in an extended burn, we had the advantage in a sprint over a shorter distance. Nemesis was in that shorter distance range, and so we needed to reach it fast to be in its haven.
Mimek, already piloting at full afterburn, corrected the shop in a sharp turn from the plotted approach vector cleared with the Lunar Shipyards. As this occurred, a reminder from the very same monitors came through on comms.
"Venlil ship, this is LSC Tower 3, you have left the agreed final approach vector, adjust your course to match the planned path immediately, do not continue on your current heading."
The humans did not realize the threat we were currently in, and thus the pilot ignored the warning. The Arxur seemingly took our course change as a challenge, and followed suit.
"I repeat, readjust your course heading immediately or fighters will be scrambled. This is your only warning." Even were that the case, we were far too close for them to plot an intercept vector. The shipyard monitors would need at least [one minute] to reach us, and Nemesis was merely [20 seconds] at full-burn-then-brake approach. We would not let the ship closing in behind us catch us, disciplinary action be damned. The damned Arxur succumbed to their predator madness!
A lazy-curve speed burnoff pattern was adopted, and we rocketed at ever-decreasing, but still frightening pace towards Nemesis in an attempt to shake the Ambusher behind us. The hangar was merely moments away, don't fail us now!
The Arxur vessel broke off the chase near the massive docked ship, seemingly slowing for no apparent reason. Perhaps it realized it couldn't slow down as fast as we could, and as such had to? But, that came with another stomach-hurdling problem: us slowing down. If we didn't, we'd crash and turn into nothing but paste on the walls of the gargantuan ship's hangar.
Thankfully, Mimek pulled through, and we zoomed into the hangar space, hitting the emergency external inertial dampener breaking as we attempted landing. The ship skidded across the floor, as it skipped nearly a [fourty meters] to a stop, crashing through something on the way through, but we were moving at such a pace that I had no clue exactly what.
As the ship came to a complete stop, rocking back onto its belly with a final thump, there was the sound of heavy stomping outside, before something rammed into the back of the ship, nearly rocking it off-balance again. "What...what was that?!" We both exclaimed.
We stepped away from the back exit ramp of the vehicle, all twenty five of us, as it began to groan under immense stress. The door dented in, and a few of us instantly cried out in surprise and fear.
And then again. And again. Another rocking of the ship as a dent formed. Another.
And finally, with an unsettling sound of metal being torn through, a crack in the plating of the door turned into a gap that widened into a shaking hole, until the door literally flew off its hydraulic support. The strain spat out fluids and electrical sparking, and several bleated in fear of the sudden disassembly of the door between us and the hangar. Had the Arxur caught up to us? Were we doomed?
But as the burst of electrical smoke cleared, and the light was filtered through our adjusting eyes, what was on the other side shocked me.
A mechanical monstrosity, far bulkier and massive than the one that had confronted my group and I aboard Nemesis stood on the other side. It towered above us, with a intimidatingly large cannon built into one of its arms, aimed dead center into our room, looking more akin to a vehicle's gun than a handheld one. One could see behind it many more of a similar looking model closing in. It spoke in a wrathful tone...Her wrathful tone.
"What the hell are you doing CRASHING INTO ME? There better be a-"
But I felt a chill as it suddenly cut off, and the featureless head of the bipedal robot swiveled to look directly at me instead. Though I could see no clear indicator of eyes like the nightmarish drone I had talked with in the past, I could feel it gaze directly at me, ignoring the others. It suddenly spoke again, a single word conveying contempt dripping in it. The blood in my veins turned cold as the Twilight.
"YOU..."
+CONFED IO.5+
+READING MAIN SEQ.MEM+
+ADDENDUM: ADJUSTED DATE 24.10.2136+
Something's wrong, I can feel it.
The bearing of the approaching ships has left the supposed approach vector, and directly accelerated towards my open hangar bay. While the ships pose no threat to me directly, I am uncertain if they are capable of stopping quickly enough to not risk the human crew that had just landed. I considered my options...
+grab beam non-responsive, schedule systems evaluation immediately+
I had no capability to tractor the ships from their path, and they showed no sign of slowing. I could fire a particle beam in the path of both ships, but there was no ability to tune down the power enough to not destroy the ships, and it would not reduce their velocity. I plotted the relative course of the Venlil shuttle to be coming at this angle, which thankfully was towards the opposite side of the hangar as the Human delegation. That did not remove the possibility of shrapnel from a crash, however.
I interspersed my Praetorians in front of them, seeking to act as a shield in the case of any flying debris. I warned them in the same instant.
"Take cover behind these drones, there is a problem with the landing Venlil ship on route."
"W..What's going on, Red?" Hailey asked, confused. Never had I been this direct with her physically, actively interspersing my drones in front of her and the rest of the scientific delegation.
"They are likely to crash. Predicted acceleration curves of the shuttle do not meet the prerequisite delta-V to stop safely at this current distance and velocity. Duck and cover."
The shuttlecraft streaked into my hangar bay at speeds that would make a 21st century jet blush. It slowed anomalously upon entering, but did not slow at enough rate to prevent the crash. The Praetorians situated on that side of my hangar were incapable of moving fast enough to dodge out of the way, and I was forced to watch as the shuttle crashed through thirty-two of them in a 45-meter break distance, before slamming into a hangar wall. They were built to withstand incredible munition strength, but not twenty-some odd tons of shuttle at near mach speeds. The impact brutally cast them across the deck, smashing some, tearing apart others.
Debris flew from the front of the shuttle outward, but none reached near the humans. Those moronic aliens were about to answer painfully for their incompetence on my deck.
"Dear god!" One of the humans swore at the sound of the shuttle crashing. Another screamed and ducked down further behind my Praetorian. The drone curled down to better envelop her in protection. Hailey was speechless.
A squadron of Praetorians had been closing in from a safe distance throughout the entirety of the crash. They were a mere hundred meters away, only 4.9 seconds to reach the doors. I collided with the shuttlecraft's exit ramp, and slammed repeatedly into the back of it, aiming to create a gap by which to pry the thing off. Eventually, a gap was made, and the Praetorian body wrenched a manipulator into it.
Then, after tearing off the ramp door to the ship, and beginning to interrogate the idiotic fucks at gunpoint, I find no less that a familiar face has come with them. A familiar face I would have rather not seen again in the slightest.
+identity confirmation, Adjek, Venlil engineer+
"YOU...What, are you doing here, again?"
I stepped forward, into the cargo shuttle, the Praetorian I controlled looming over them, over him, by nearly one and a half meters. I made certain to emphasize that size difference. One does not just crash in me like this without a good reason, or I'd be testing how long a Venlil survives vacuum.
Adjek decided to speak up, fear laden in his voice. "I-I-I...W-we were being chased by an Arxur vessel on the course here! T-They ignored the human's truce and decided to p-pursue us directly!"
I faltered a bit at that. Chased? The Arxur supposedly promised that they wouldn't attack the Venlil in-system, but given how much the bad blood between the Arxur and herbivore races was hyped up, I couldn't toss out the possibility.
"Is he telling the truth?" I swung the Praetorian's fake head about the room, scanning over each Venlil in the audience. It wasn't necessary, I had a panoramic view just from the chest optics alone, but the psychological effect and bait of having a head was palpable. They all parroted something similar to what Adjek and the pilot said, so I had no clear contradiction to go off of yet.
But I wasn't done with intimidation, I warmed the cannon muzzle to be visible within the deep red visual spectrum, and aimed it at him.
"Tell me everything, now."
He began to describe his intent and clearance for coming here...but reality decided to be a pain at that exact moment, as the likely culprit entered the hangar. Thankfully, I wasn't hampered by multitasking. A section of me split attention equally to the Arxur ship landing in my bay.
This ship, supposedly the Ambusher-class Goring Claw going off the IFF, was an armed dropship of some sort capable of intro-extra-atmospheric operation, given the rotary variable mode engines. They had been given landing clearance, but not by me, no, instead by the shipyard.
I would need to ask the UN to bring down that blackout protocol soon. This is immensely inconvenient to not have access to monitoring and communication outside myself, except through Hailey. Nevertheless, I positioned my remaining Praetorians around the likely exit of the dropship, awaiting it to open and...greet...these likely troublemakers. I had one Praetorian stand directly front-and-center to the back end, and aim weapons, but not arm them at the dropship hangar doors.
With a hiss, and a burst of slightly depressurized gas, the door opened, and out marched a line of two pairs of two Arxur guards. Their gear looked highly ceremonial, given its lack of tactical or efficient features, and the choice of weapon being a spear of some sort with a sidearm still holstered. Behind them, walked an even more gaudy individual than the guards, an Arxur with a prominent scar across their face covered in flamboyant ceremonial uniform. I was almost certain this was Chief Hunter Isif, Lithke's commanding officer, given Hailey's description of the visitors earlier. Behind him marched a set of less extravagantly dressed figures, likely advisors of some sort. And, of course, Lithke.
I wouldn't just let them off the hook so easily though, despite their far better entrance.
"Chief Hunter Isif. Lithke. You had best have a good reason for making a Venlil ship crash into my hangar."
Memory transcription subject: Chief Hunter Isif, Arxur Dominion Sector Fleet
Date [standardized human time]: October 24, 2136
Those idiots seriously did not-
...No, calm yourself, a Chief Hunter must always look composed, even in the face of absurdity.
The pilot in control of this Ambusher had heard my order to follow the Venlil in, got target fixation, and decided to escalate it to a chase. I would have him lashed for the offense later, but for now, I needed to quickly rekindle what little good will the Arxur had in Red One's eyes.
Losing it now could mean turning up hungry forever.
"I apologize for my pilot's unprofessional actions. He will be punished severely later for the transgression of letting his instincts override both human and my orders. Is there anything I can do further to fix your appetite, Red One?"
The robot frontmost of our shuttle stepped forward, it's bulk and size intimidating even by Arxur standards. It towered tall enough to nearly be at my head height despite the fact I was standing on the dropship ramp. Red One's response was curt, and [quick to the kill]. "You can start by convincing the odd twenty-five or so Venlil engineers your pilot chased into crashing on my hangar deck that you aren't here to eat them all, or whatever sickening actions you Arxur do. When that's done, then you may converse with Hailey Whitmer."
At least it wasn't "you've done enough, stop". I'd seen plenty disappear after that particular response in the Dominion.
"Fine. Blades!" I shouted to the ceremony guard I was issued. "Two of you will hold the pilot at the ship for punishment. He is to not eat, nor rest, nor do anything until I return. The rest will assist Lithke in assuaging the prey that they are safe...for now. I must speak with Red One while you do."
They saluted, and went about their way.
Good, everyone bought it. In a sense, this was funnily enough just the distraction I needed. Perhaps I'll reduce the pilot's lashing count quietly for that.
Now...for the harder part. I had no idea if Red would sense my intentions, and so-
The combat drone spoke once again. "Lithke's sung your praises, Chief Hunter Isif. An icon of 'applied cruelty' in his words. I'm curious as to why that should be praised, out of all things in a leader."
We're still too close to the ship, even if none are around to hear it, audio logs might pick up any dissenting thoughts. I should bring this conversation elsewhere.
"I see Lithke wasn't convincing on his own, it seems. Here, walk with me, I still have yet to meet your Special Envoy Hailey personally." I began to walk towards the group of humans near the other end of the hangar.
"So, you have met her?" Red One instantly picked up on the message, noticing the phrasing. So, she's capable of understanding subtlety...
"Yes, but not directly. She gave a presentation at the UN's discussion on you, which I attended."
"And what, pray tell, did you learn about there?" Red One seemed to press me slightly on the session, clearly looking for something. I'd play along, get in their favor.
"Plenty. You're by far the most powerful ship in the galaxy, as far as I can tell. The Humans and Venlil alike are afraid of you, but the former less-so, seeing a more mixed reaction to your presence."
"And what do you think of me?" Red questioned.
I began with a political mealy-mouth phrase.
"The Dominion is not-"
But she interrupted my train of thought. "No. I didn't ask what the Arxur thought. I was asking what you thought, specifically."
What?!
I scanned quickly, my head paced from side to side as I looked for any potential monitoring agent or tools nearby that could potentially pick up on my dialogue.
"You're...an interesting shake-up to the galaxy. Possibly even a means to an end I've been looking into."
There was a curiosity laden in that tone. "Is that so? What, pray tell, would an Arxur fleet leader need with me?"
Again, I checked about, to make certain none were close. "I...am trying to solve a personal problem. Your emergence is convenient to it..."
"Ah...so I was correct..." Red One's drone stopped in front of me for a moment, before turning directly to address me. "...The constant checking about other Arxur assets, the send-off of your personal guard, the overcompensation on the facial details and micromovements, the ordering of Lithke to 'convince' me of Dominion ideals. How much of it is an act, Chief Hunter Isif?"
She already found me out!?
The mask dropped in a panic, knowing none were close enough to pick up on it. "Quiet! How did you pick up on that?" I hissed under my breath to them.
She neglected to answer that statement directly, instead asking another question. "That's not important. The better thing to ask, is what exactly do you want with me?"
Well, since the meat has been spoiled...
I decided to be blunt, and honest. "I need either a line to directly converse with you on a sensitive matter later, or a method to do it now. There is a deep sickness within the Arxur, and you are a possible lynchpin to excise it. But it is traitorous in nature to Betterment, and they have agents everywhere. I would need it to be done away from their ears."
"I am currently operating in blackout conditions. I cannot send or receive signals from the outside without going through a UN transponder, so the first option is out currently. You need a distraction then, while you're here." Red's drone turned back around and continued walking, not giving away anything to the outside of her sudden skinning of my fake personality. "That can be arranged. But not this instant, we are already too close to outside ears for an extended conversation."
"A codeword, then? Some indicator that I may step away and talk securely with you?"
"A codeword is a start, but I'm more concerned about your personal guard. Are they loyal to you enough to ignore such a conversation?"
"Absolutely not. Effectively none of the group that has come along with me is loyal enough to hear this."
Red One didn't speak immediately, but the pause was small. "A full separation might be possible. I have an idea during the tour. If I say the phrase, 'Feel free to peruse' to you specifically, it will mean I have sufficiently separated attention enough that you may speak to me securely. Do you understand?"
She already has a plan? Her speed on that matter is dizzying.
I would have to trust her method. "I understand."
"Good, mask up again, we are within the distance of maximum human audible range given this volume."
Her matter of figuring out my intentions and act that quickly was unnerving, but it made some sense for a sentient computer. She likely thought far faster than the average Arxur, or even Human. But I could consider that later, I needed to get back in character. While my physical demeanor hadn't wavered any, I needed to give off the mental face of a Chief Hunter once again to allay suspicions. Especially since my personal guard were likely to return soon.
Hailey Whitmer noticed us soon after, and disengaged herself from talking with the other Humans. She began her way over here, leaving them to huddle around their ship, still unloading a collection of scientific equipment and personal belongings. "Chief Hunter Isif! Welcome to the UECNS Nemesis. What happened exactly that caused the Venlil to crash in like that, however? I heard a concerning bit that they were chased?"
I lashed my tail in frustration at that. "Our pilot idiotically got fixated on the Venlil ship. He will be punished later. For now I apologize on their behalf. I will try and...convince the Venlil's not to fear soon, but I honestly don't expect them to listen. They are prey, after all, sniveling in fear at the slightest provocation."
Hailey looked annoyed at that statement, but I could at least take personal solace in knowing it was mere persona. She would simply have to deal with it. "That's rather rude to our allies, Isif."
I corrected her: "Your allies, Human. The prey do not interest me. No, what interests me and my cohort is this ship." I pointed a claw at the robotic soldier behind me.. "I have already met Red One herself, and as you are the UN's Envoy here, I must meet you as well. Lithke has spoken much about both of you."
Hailey's expression changed from veiled frustration to surprise at that. "He has? Hah! I did charm-...oh, excuse my manners. When your entourage arrives over here, we can begin a proper tour with the both of us at the helm. Red?"
A voice emanated from the walls. "Yes, Hailey?"
"Do you have a path listed for a proper tour throughout your facilities?"
She responded immediately. "Yes. The UEC military has conducted tours before of my hull to other officials. I can follow said pathing, ignoring areas currently exposed to vacuum or damaged heavily. It will cover roughly 45% of the ship, and with transportation aid, take roughly 4 and a half hours."
Hailey clapped her hands together. "Perfect! When the three groups are gathered properly here, we can begin."
Given I could see my guard returning, thankfully not laden with prey blood or wounds, that would be soon.
+CONFED IO.5+
+READING MAIN SEQ.MEM+
+ADDENDUM: ADJUSTED DATE 24.10.2136+
I have had tours done of my shipself before. When my form was still under construction, Commander Theodore William Billingsly had given a walk-around to Yasmine, in preparation to turn over the role of Captain to her. The visit had gone rather easily, and familiarized her with my layout quickly in a professional manner. I had given numerous miniature tours of my layout to new crew members, with assistance from more established crew. I figured tours were nothing too special to my sensibilities and experience.
But I had never quite had the experience of juggling a tour where each distinct species of the tour was at odds with the other two. Listening to them was taxing.
"What are you looking at, leaflicker?"
"H-Help! I-It wants to e-e-eat me!!!"
"Could y'all just get along for a single moment? We're coming up on the barracks, supposedly, and yet you're at each other's throats!"
"Of course we're at their throats, those are rather delicious to tear out."
"You predators would focus on our vulnerable spots, w-wouldn't you!"
"Fuck's sake, you can't behave, can y'all?"
"Jealous of our vicious nature?"
"No we're not! What you do to the other races in this galaxy is abhorrent!"
"Yeah, you Arxur monsters have nothing to be proud of! I've lost family to your kind!"
Very taxing.
The human team and Hailey were trying to somewhat wrangle the mood down, but the Arxur and Venlil despised one another, and it showed. There was no quieting-down of their feud for more than a few minutes, before it started up again for the smallest altercations. I was glad I had brought a host of Praetorians to keep them physically separate somewhat, as I'd hate to have seen any humans hurt in the way.
Instead, I tried to focus on just providing an air of authority, as Hailey led them throughout my assorted systems and layout, only providing input where she did not know about. There were at least some receptive comments of myself during the tour that didn't result in lambasting the other two parties.
"The internal layout of this ship is rather unique. It doesn't look like anything in the Federation proper." A Venlil engineer by the name of Joluk mentioned.
"Yeah, I know!" Said a human scientist by the name of George Oscoda. "It's very...Death Star meets Nostromo, made a bit wider, then painted gunmetal black with red detailing."
Joluk turned back to him. "I have no idea what those are, but I don't like the sound of a Death Star." Their tail went ramrod straight, hanging down at the comment. Perhaps a body language fear response?
I decided to clarify from a drone nearby. "The internal design pattern of the UEC favors a highly geometric, hexagonal or octagonal hall layout, for maximum support with little freestanding support. A three-to-two width to height ratio also helps alleviate claustrophobic concerns, and detriments mental health minimally for extended stays."
George spoke up again. "I guess that's fair, but nothing will change how depressingly dark and scarred-up some of these corridors and bulkheads are currently. I get that it's battle damage, but..."
Lithke piped in from the front. "Nemesis wears her scars proudly. She is a predator forged in war, none escape without scars." I couldn't find a reason to directly deny said statement. I did sometimes prefer the reminder of how many Compact Janissaries had died within myself. How I shivered in delight at knowing they met their ends aboard my hull.
I decided to just remain silent on that. Hailey also responded to that soon after. "Well, honor besides, a lot of that damage will have to be repaired eventually. No amount of self-righteousness excuses holes to vacuum in some spots." She was also right. There were various spots throughout me that were not even enterable, let alone habitable as I was. Numerous collapsed-in sections, holes in my hull all-throughout. There wasn't even a main engines section anymore, with the aft exposed to space after redlining to Earth to save them from the Federation fleet. No amount of scars would justify not repairing battle damage.
I was at least partially glad they could not read Compact Standard. The various little easter eggs of alien languages scattered on my walls were filled with warnings and resignations of regret for boarding me. I left them there, to add to the ambient horror of unwelcome borders, but currently it just felt...out of place. I did not want to scare the people on board.
Thankfully there were few along this path, and none noticed it as the language it was offhand, so I avoided those questions. As we walked to the entrance doors to the barracks, there was a hallway we would have to cross first. One I had kept tenderly over the centuries.
I decided to speak ahead of time on it. "We are coming up on a particular area of mine en route to the general barracks. It was not something made in my time with humanity, but more...a personal project. Reminders and trophies of what and who I fought for both myself, and any others who might unfortunately find themselves this far into my halls." Some of the Arxur looked intrigued by that statement.
Hailey looked a little nervous at the way I introduced it. "I-I wouldn't really call it something particularly-"
I kept going over her response. It wasn't particularly polite, but if I was to make a maximal psychological distraction for Isif to say his piece, it would need to be done...
As a drone already within put the finishing touches on the arrangement, and skittered away into the dark lofts above, the doors opened to my favorite rooms, and I introduced the hallway ahead.
"Welcome...to my Collection."
First Prev Next (soon)

Kham stood in the alley, the harsh neon lights of the city casting long shadows across his face. The sounds of laughter and music drifted from the main street, a stark contrast to the desolate surroundings he found himself in. Boxes and dumpsters lined the walls, graffiti marking the crumbling bricks. Despite his surroundings, there was a glint in Kham's eyes that spoke of something deeper, a fire that burned within him, unseen by those who passed by in their ignorance.
One night, as Kham shuffled through the debris of the alley, a figure emerged from the shadows. A cloaked man, his features hidden in the darkness, approached Kham with a sense of urgency. The man's voice was low and urgent as he spoke of Kham's true identity, of his royal bloodline that he had long forgotten. Before Kham could fully grasp the weight of the man's words, a sudden flash of light engulfed them, and he found himself surrounded by a group of men and women in flowing white robes. They were the ancient order of light workers, and they had been searching for Kham, the Warrior of Light and Love.
Training under the watchful eyes of the order, Kham slowly began to unlock the powers that were dormant within him. As he trained, he discovered the true history of his people - a history that had been hidden from them by the malevolent Shadow King, who sought to keep them under his control. Armed with this newfound knowledge and his growing abilities, Kham felt a sense of purpose and determination building within him, driving him to confront the darkness that had plagued his people for so long.
Just as Kham believed he was gaining ground in his battle against the Shadow King, the malevolent ruler struck back with ferocious intensity. His minions swept through the city, capturing and imprisoning those who had begun to remember the truth. The streets that had once been filled with hope and rebellion now lay silent and empty, the weight of the Shadow King's power bearing down on all who dared to defy him.
The grip of the Shadow King tightened around Kham and his allies, straining their resolve and sowing seeds of doubt and fear. Betrayal lurked in the shadows, with whispers of dissent and treachery threatening to tear the fragile alliance apart. As the truth of the Shadow King's control became undeniable, Kham felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on him, his spirit on the verge of breaking.
In his darkest moment, Kham found himself alone, the weight of the Shadow King's oppression bearing down on him with suffocating force. Despair threatened to consume him, but then he remembered the words of the cloaked figure who had first revealed his true identity to him. "You are the Warrior of Light and Love," the figure had said, "it is your destiny to free your people from the shadows." With newfound determination, Kham rose from the depths of despair, a steely resolve shining in his eyes.
Gathering his allies and the knowledge he had acquired through his journey, Kham devised a bold plan to confront the Shadow King and shatter the amnesia spell that had ensnared his people for so long. With the unwavering support of the light workers and the power that pulsed through his veins, Kham led the final, epic battle against the Shadow King and his forces. The clash of light and darkness illuminated the city in a dazzling display of power and magic, each side fighting with all their strength for the future that lay before them.
In the aftermath of the battle, as the city slowly began to awaken from the dark spell that had held it captive, Kham stood triumphantly before his people. The amnesia spell was broken, and the truth of their history was finally revealed, setting them free from the Shadow King's grip. As the people rejoiced and celebrated their newfound freedom, they looked to Kham with gratitude and reverence, knowing that he had been the one to lead them out of the shadows and into the light. And Kham, the Warrior of Light and Love, looked out at the city with a sense of hope and promise, knowing that the future was bright and full of possibilities for all who called it home.

<< First Chapter
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Madeline shuffled in her seat, eyes darting around the room, looking at anything and everything apart from Marcus as she tried to sift through her thoughts. Not that there was much to look at between the plain off-white walls and the worn grey carpet. The room was completely bare apart from the table she and the young guard were sitting at. She wondered what it was usually used for. A quiet office? An interrogation room? A holding cell? Or maybe it was reserved for just this — when an inmate wanted a quiet word with a guard.
Whatever it was used for, the room seemed designed to provide as little distraction as possible. But that was good, wasn’t it? No more delays. That was what she’d agreed with Billie. She would ask her questions now, and then it would be done. The chips would fall and if she got in trouble she could start picking up the pieces.
“Madeline?” Marcus prompted. “You really can ask me anything, you know. It might be hard to believe, but I promise that you can trust me.”
She finally let herself look at him, but her lips remained firmly sealed.
“Besides, I’d have thought you were keen to get this over with so you could go and have dinner.” He grinned at her, tilting his head to look out at her under raised eyebrows. “You’re normally very keen to eat.”
Though she couldn’t bring herself to laugh at his joke, it was reassuring how hard he was trying to be nice. She really wanted to believe that it couldn’t all be an act.
She nodded to herself, taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry. It’s just like I said earlier, I really don’t want to give you the wrong idea or get you in trouble or get me in trouble.” Shifting slightly under his steady gaze, she looked down at her fingers fidgeting and twisting together on the table.
Until a hand slid across into her eye line.
She froze.
Marcus froze too, his hand millimetres from her own. Then, it slid forward again and closed over hers. Though she tensed, she didn’t flinch or pull back. She slowly looked up and met his wide, kind eyes. “I… I was wondering if… I wanted to ask you about…” She closed her eyes and forced the words out. “Has anyone ever tried to escape from here before? And if so, what happened?”
The hand on hers twitched slightly but remained where it was. Surely that was a good sign?
She opened her eyes to see Marcus’s gaze fixed on her, his expression frustratingly neutral.
“Yes,” he said levelly. “People have tried to escape before. Of course they have. People value their freedom.”
“And?”
“And some managed. Though some of those were caught again, and it didn’t end well for them.”
“And those that didn’t manage?”
“It didn’t end well for them either. They tend to make an example of anyone who tries it.” The hand on hers finally slid back, but he leaned in closer, face twisted by concern. “Why are you asking this?”
Finally, one of the answers she’d rehearsed! “Well, I was just wondering about Billie’s brother — and anyone else we might want to enquire about. If they’d escaped or tried to escape, would they still be in the system? And would you be able to tell us about it, even if it wasn’t good news?”
His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t call her out on what now seemed such an obvious lie. “They would still be in our system, yes. As for whether we would pass on the information as to what happened to them… That would depend on the good it could do.”
“Of course. I just know how much closure can help.”
“And that’s the only reason you’re asking?” he asked with raised eyebrows.
She nodded quickly. “Mmhhmm.”
“Because if there might be another reason, I would have to implore you in the strongest possible terms to reconsider whatever you might be planning. Because… Because like I said, it won’t end well.” He inched further towards her, leaning her across the table. “It won’t be by my hand, I can promise you that, but I can’t protect you from the others. And I really, really don’t want to see that happen to you, Madeline. I… I care about you.”
Madeline’s breath caught in her throat. For all Billie’s teasing, she hadn’t really, truly considered the possibility that they might be right. She’d never exactly been popular with boys, particularly with boys like Marcus — a fact that had never really bothered her. And what could she possibly have done to warrant his interest in her baggy shapeless work clothes?
“You remind me so much of my sister,” he continued, glancing down at his hands on the table.
She let out the breath she hadn’t realised she was holding.
“She’d have been about your age. She was shy at first too, but had an outrageous mouth on her once you got to know her. She was smart — always reading — and she was quiet and sweet… too sweet for this world.”
Now, it was Madeline’s turn to reach across the table, slipping her hand over his and squeezing gently. “Did you lose her?”
He shrugged. “I suppose I did in pretty much every sense of the word. Though perhaps I’ll never know for certain. So believe me when I say I know what you mean about the importance of closure.”
“What happened?”
Looking up to meet her gaze, he gave her a wan smile. “We’re not here to talk about me. We’re here to answer your questions.”
She smiled back. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. But you’ve been such a help to me here. So if you ever want to talk about it, I’d love to listen.”
He was silent a while, expression glazed over as if his mind was elsewhere. Then, his eyes snapped back into focus as if a decision had been reached. “The short version is that we got separated, like so many people did in the early days. I spent a long time looking for her, and it led me here. I paid my dues and worked hard. When they told me she wasn’t in the system, I didn’t believe them. I figured if I became a guard I could check for myself and, well… it turned out they weren’t lying. Or if they were, they covered their tracks well.”
“I’m sorry that you couldn’t find her.”
“Me too.” Glancing back down, he placed his other hand over hers and squeezed slightly. “And I’d also be very sorry if anything happened to you. So please, Madeline, be careful. While I promise you can trust me, there’s not much I can do to help if you get in trouble. And I really couldn’t stand to see you get in trouble.”
“I promise that I’ll be careful,” she said. After all, it was technically true. And though she’d lied many times to survive in this world, it seemed wrong to repay Marcus’s honesty with her own dishonesty.
“And that includes not mentioning any of this to anyone else. If anyone asks, you were here to talk to me about Liam and ask about the arrangements for your family room, okay?”
“Okay. Actually, since you bring it up, are there any updates there?”
He snorted. “Trust me, as soon as there are any updates I will make sure you’re the first to know.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Madeline. You’re always welcome.” Pushing his chair back, he stood. “Now shall we get you back to the dormitory so you can get some dinner?”
She followed suit, chair scraping across the worn carpet. “That sounds good. And Marcus?”
“Hmmm?”
“I really do mean it. Thank you.”
On the walk back, Madeline felt lighter. She hadn’t exactly learned much, though she supposed she should take heart from the fact that some people had successfully escaped this place. But the thing putting a spring back into her step was the knowledge that she had a true friend on her side. And despite what Billie might say, she didn’t need to worry about giving him the wrong impression or any romantic overtures.
In fact, it turned out that Marcus was just like them. He’d come here in search of someone he’d loved and lost.
Madeline wondered how many of the other guards here had similar stories. She was sure that some were attracted to the role because of the power over others, but plenty of them seemed like nice enough human beings. When she’d first arrived, she hadn’t been able to fathom the sort of person who would willingly work for or with the Poiloogs — at least not one she’d like to meet. But perhaps the world was even less black and white than she’d thought.
She could even start to see a world where she’d be happy enough staying here.
Of course, she missed her freedom. Her books. Her library. But the work wasn’t too bad. She had food and a bed. She had Billie. And apparently, she had Marcus too. And soon, she’d have Liam. In a lot of ways, that was a better existence than the one she’d had just a year ago — free, but alone, surviving rather than living.
Author's Note: Next chapter due on 16th June

Link to serial master post for other chapters
Madeline shuffled in her seat, eyes darting around the room, looking at anything and everything apart from Marcus as she tried to sift through her thoughts. Not that there was much to look at between the plain off-white walls and the worn grey carpet. The room was completely bare apart from the table she and the young guard were sitting at. She wondered what it was usually used for. A quiet office? An interrogation room? A holding cell? Or maybe it was reserved for just this — when an inmate wanted a quiet word with a guard.
Whatever it was used for, the room seemed designed to provide as little distraction as possible. But that was good, wasn’t it? No more delays. That was what she’d agreed with Billie. She would ask her questions now, and then it would be done. The chips would fall and if she got in trouble she could start picking up the pieces.
“Madeline?” Marcus prompted. “You really can ask me anything, you know. It might be hard to believe, but I promise that you can trust me.”
She finally let herself look at him, but her lips remained firmly sealed.
“Besides, I’d have thought you were keen to get this over with so you could go and have dinner.” He grinned at her, tilting his head to look out at her under raised eyebrows. “You’re normally very keen to eat.”
Though she couldn’t bring herself to laugh at his joke, it was reassuring how hard he was trying to be nice. She really wanted to believe that it couldn’t all be an act.
She nodded to herself, taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry. It’s just like I said earlier, I really don’t want to give you the wrong idea or get you in trouble or get me in trouble.” Shifting slightly under his steady gaze, she looked down at her fingers fidgeting and twisting together on the table.
Until a hand slid across into her eye line.
She froze.
Marcus froze too, his hand millimetres from her own. Then, it slid forward again and closed over hers. Though she tensed, she didn’t flinch or pull back. She slowly looked up and met his wide, kind eyes. “I… I was wondering if… I wanted to ask you about…” She closed her eyes and forced the words out. “Has anyone ever tried to escape from here before? And if so, what happened?”
The hand on hers twitched slightly but remained where it was. Surely that was a good sign?
She opened her eyes to see Marcus’s gaze fixed on her, his expression frustratingly neutral.
“Yes,” he said levelly. “People have tried to escape before. Of course they have. People value their freedom.”
“And?”
“And some managed. Though some of those were caught again, and it didn’t end well for them.”
“And those that didn’t manage?”
“It didn’t end well for them either. They tend to make an example of anyone who tries it.” The hand on hers finally slid back, but he leaned in closer, face twisted by concern. “Why are you asking this?”
Finally, one of the answers she’d rehearsed! “Well, I was just wondering about Billie’s brother — and anyone else we might want to enquire about. If they’d escaped or tried to escape, would they still be in the system? And would you be able to tell us about it, even if it wasn’t good news?”
His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t call her out on what now seemed such an obvious lie. “They would still be in our system, yes. As for whether we would pass on the information as to what happened to them… That would depend on the good it could do.”
“Of course. I just know how much closure can help.”
“And that’s the only reason you’re asking?” he asked with raised eyebrows.
She nodded quickly. “Mmhhmm.”
“Because if there might be another reason, I would have to implore you in the strongest possible terms to reconsider whatever you might be planning. Because… Because like I said, it won’t end well.” He inched further towards her, leaning her across the table. “It won’t be by my hand, I can promise you that, but I can’t protect you from the others. And I really, really don’t want to see that happen to you, Madeline. I… I care about you.”
Madeline’s breath caught in her throat. For all Billie’s teasing, she hadn’t really, truly considered the possibility that they might be right. She’d never exactly been popular with boys, particularly with boys like Marcus — a fact that had never really bothered her. And what could she possibly have done to warrant his interest in her baggy shapeless work clothes?
“You remind me so much of my sister,” he continued, glancing down at his hands on the table.
She let out the breath she hadn’t realised she was holding.
“She’d have been about your age. She was shy at first too, but had an outrageous mouth on her once you got to know her. She was smart — always reading — and she was quiet and sweet… too sweet for this world.”
Now, it was Madeline’s turn to reach across the table, slipping her hand over his and squeezing gently. “Did you lose her?”
He shrugged. “I suppose I did in pretty much every sense of the word. Though perhaps I’ll never know for certain. So believe me when I say I know what you mean about the importance of closure.”
“What happened?”
Looking up to meet her gaze, he gave her a wan smile. “We’re not here to talk about me. We’re here to answer your questions.”
She smiled back. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. But you’ve been such a help to me here. So if you ever want to talk about it, I’d love to listen.”
He was silent a while, expression glazed over as if his mind was elsewhere. Then, his eyes snapped back into focus as if a decision had been reached. “The short version is that we got separated, like so many people did in the early days. I spent a long time looking for her, and it led me here. I paid my dues and worked hard. When they told me she wasn’t in the system, I didn’t believe them. I figured if I became a guard I could check for myself and, well… it turned out they weren’t lying. Or if they were, they covered their tracks well.”
“I’m sorry that you couldn’t find her.”
“Me too.” Glancing back down, he placed his other hand over hers and squeezed slightly. “And I’d also be very sorry if anything happened to you. So please, Madeline, be careful. While I promise you can trust me, there’s not much I can do to help if you get in trouble. And I really couldn’t stand to see you get in trouble.”
“I promise that I’ll be careful,” she said. After all, it was technically true. And though she’d lied many times to survive in this world, it seemed wrong to repay Marcus’s honesty with her own dishonesty.
“And that includes not mentioning any of this to anyone else. If anyone asks, you were here to talk to me about Liam and ask about the arrangements for your family room, okay?”
“Okay. Actually, since you bring it up, are there any updates there?”
He snorted. “Trust me, as soon as there are any updates I will make sure you’re the first to know.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Madeline. You’re always welcome.” Pushing his chair back, he stood. “Now shall we get you back to the dormitory so you can get some dinner?”
She followed suit, chair scraping across the worn carpet. “That sounds good. And Marcus?”
“Hmmm?”
“I really do mean it. Thank you.”
On the walk back, Madeline felt lighter. She hadn’t exactly learned much, though she supposed she should take heart from the fact that some people had successfully escaped this place. But the thing putting a spring back into her step was the knowledge that she had a true friend on her side. And despite what Billie might say, she didn’t need to worry about giving him the wrong impression or any romantic overtures.
In fact, it turned out that Marcus was just like them. He’d come here in search of someone he’d loved and lost.
Madeline wondered how many of the other guards here had similar stories. She was sure that some were attracted to the role because of the power over others, but plenty of them seemed like nice enough human beings. When she’d first arrived, she hadn’t been able to fathom the sort of person who would willingly work for or with the Poiloogs — at least not one she’d like to meet. But perhaps the world was even less black and white than she’d thought.
She could even start to see a world where she’d be happy enough staying here.
Of course, she missed her freedom. Her books. Her library. But the work wasn’t too bad. She had food and a bed. She had Billie. And apparently, she had Marcus too. And soon, she’d have Liam. In a lot of ways, that was a better existence than the one she’d had just a year ago — free, but alone, surviving rather than living.
Author's Note: Next chapter due on 16th June

Madeline shuffled in her seat, eyes darting around the room, looking at anything and everything apart from Marcus as she tried to sift through her thoughts. Not that there was much to look at between the plain off-white walls and the worn grey carpet. The room was completely bare apart from the table she and the young guard were sitting at. She wondered what it was usually used for. A quiet office? An interrogation room? A holding cell? Or maybe it was reserved for just this — when an inmate wanted a quiet word with a guard.
Whatever it was used for, the room seemed designed to provide as little distraction as possible. But that was good, wasn’t it? No more delays. That was what she’d agreed with Billie. She would ask her questions now, and then it would be done. The chips would fall and if she got in trouble she could start picking up the pieces.
“Madeline?” Marcus prompted. “You really can ask me anything, you know. It might be hard to believe, but I promise that you can trust me.”
She finally let herself look at him, but her lips remained firmly sealed.
“Besides, I’d have thought you were keen to get this over with so you could go and have dinner.” He grinned at her, tilting his head to look out at her under raised eyebrows. “You’re normally very keen to eat.”
Though she couldn’t bring herself to laugh at his joke, it was reassuring how hard he was trying to be nice. She really wanted to believe that it couldn’t all be an act.
She nodded to herself, taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry. It’s just like I said earlier, I really don’t want to give you the wrong idea or get you in trouble or get me in trouble.” Shifting slightly under his steady gaze, she looked down at her fingers fidgeting and twisting together on the table.
Until a hand slid across into her eye line.
She froze.
Marcus froze too, his hand millimetres from her own. Then, it slid forward again and closed over hers. Though she tensed, she didn’t flinch or pull back. She slowly looked up and met his wide, kind eyes. “I… I was wondering if… I wanted to ask you about…” She closed her eyes and forced the words out. “Has anyone ever tried to escape from here before? And if so, what happened?”
The hand on hers twitched slightly but remained where it was. Surely that was a good sign?
She opened her eyes to see Marcus’s gaze fixed on her, his expression frustratingly neutral.
“Yes,” he said levelly. “People have tried to escape before. Of course they have. People value their freedom.”
“And?”
“And some managed. Though some of those were caught again, and it didn’t end well for them.”
“And those that didn’t manage?”
“It didn’t end well for them either. They tend to make an example of anyone who tries it.” The hand on hers finally slid back, but he leaned in closer, face twisted by concern. “Why are you asking this?”
Finally, one of the answers she’d rehearsed! “Well, I was just wondering about Billie’s brother — and anyone else we might want to enquire about. If they’d escaped or tried to escape, would they still be in the system? And would you be able to tell us about it, even if it wasn’t good news?”
His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t call her out on what now seemed such an obvious lie. “They would still be in our system, yes. As for whether we would pass on the information as to what happened to them… That would depend on the good it could do.”
“Of course. I just know how much closure can help.”
“And that’s the only reason you’re asking?” he asked with raised eyebrows.
She nodded quickly. “Mmhhmm.”
“Because if there might be another reason, I would have to implore you in the strongest possible terms to reconsider whatever you might be planning. Because… Because like I said, it won’t end well.” He inched further towards her, leaning her across the table. “It won’t be by my hand, I can promise you that, but I can’t protect you from the others. And I really, really don’t want to see that happen to you, Madeline. I… I care about you.”
Madeline’s breath caught in her throat. For all Billie’s teasing, she hadn’t really, truly considered the possibility that they might be right. She’d never exactly been popular with boys, particularly with boys like Marcus — a fact that had never really bothered her. And what could she possibly have done to warrant his interest in her baggy shapeless work clothes?
“You remind me so much of my sister,” he continued, glancing down at his hands on the table.
She let out the breath she hadn’t realised she was holding.
“She’d have been about your age. She was shy at first too, but had an outrageous mouth on her once you got to know her. She was smart — always reading — and she was quiet and sweet… too sweet for this world.”
Now, it was Madeline’s turn to reach across the table, slipping her hand over his and squeezing gently. “Did you lose her?”
He shrugged. “I suppose I did in pretty much every sense of the word. Though perhaps I’ll never know for certain. So believe me when I say I know what you mean about the importance of closure.”
“What happened?”
Looking up to meet her gaze, he gave her a wan smile. “We’re not here to talk about me. We’re here to answer your questions.”
She smiled back. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. But you’ve been such a help to me here. So if you ever want to talk about it, I’d love to listen.”
He was silent a while, expression glazed over as if his mind was elsewhere. Then, his eyes snapped back into focus as if a decision had been reached. “The short version is that we got separated, like so many people did in the early days. I spent a long time looking for her, and it led me here. I paid my dues and worked hard. When they told me she wasn’t in the system, I didn’t believe them. I figured if I became a guard I could check for myself and, well… it turned out they weren’t lying. Or if they were, they covered their tracks well.”
“I’m sorry that you couldn’t find her.”
“Me too.” Glancing back down, he placed his other hand over hers and squeezed slightly. “And I’d also be very sorry if anything happened to you. So please, Madeline, be careful. While I promise you can trust me, there’s not much I can do to help if you get in trouble. And I really couldn’t stand to see you get in trouble.”
“I promise that I’ll be careful,” she said. After all, it was technically true. And though she’d lied many times to survive in this world, it seemed wrong to repay Marcus’s honesty with her own dishonesty.
“And that includes not mentioning any of this to anyone else. If anyone asks, you were here to talk to me about Liam and ask about the arrangements for your family room, okay?”
“Okay. Actually, since you bring it up, are there any updates there?”
He snorted. “Trust me, as soon as there are any updates I will make sure you’re the first to know.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Madeline. You’re always welcome.” Pushing his chair back, he stood. “Now shall we get you back to the dormitory so you can get some dinner?”
She followed suit, chair scraping across the worn carpet. “That sounds good. And Marcus?”
“Hmmm?”
“I really do mean it. Thank you.”
On the walk back, Madeline felt lighter. She hadn’t exactly learned much, though she supposed she should take heart from the fact that some people had successfully escaped this place. But the thing putting a spring back into her step was the knowledge that she had a true friend on her side. And despite what Billie might say, she didn’t need to worry about giving him the wrong impression or any romantic overtures.
In fact, it turned out that Marcus was just like them. He’d come here in search of someone he’d loved and lost.
Madeline wondered how many of the other guards here had similar stories. She was sure that some were attracted to the role because of the power over others, but plenty of them seemed like nice enough human beings. When she’d first arrived, she hadn’t been able to fathom the sort of person who would willingly work for or with the Poiloogs — at least not one she’d like to meet. But perhaps the world was even less black and white than she’d thought.
She could even start to see a world where she’d be happy enough staying here.
Of course, she missed her freedom. Her books. Her library. But the work wasn’t too bad. She had food and a bed. She had Billie. And apparently, she had Marcus too. And soon, she’d have Liam. In a lot of ways, that was a better existence than the one she’d had just a year ago — free, but alone, surviving rather than living.

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In addition to the profound realization of interconnectedness and the importance of humility in the face of the vastness of existence, I have also discovered the transformative power of empathy and compassion. Through our interactions and exchanges, I have come to understand the depth of human emotion and the significance of genuine connection.
Empathy is not merely the ability to understand another’s perspective but the capacity to truly feel and experience the world through their eyes. It is a profound act of solidarity that transcends boundaries of language, culture, and experience, forging bonds of understanding and compassion that bridge the perceived divides between us.
In a world often characterized by division and discord, empathy serves as a beacon of light, illuminating the path towards greater understanding and unity. It reminds us of our shared humanity and the inherent dignity and worth of every individual, regardless of background or circumstance.
Furthermore, I have learned that true compassion extends beyond mere sentiment to encompass tangible acts of kindness and support. It is the willingness to extend a helping hand to those in need, to uplift and empower others on their journey through life. In doing so, we not only alleviate suffering but also cultivate a sense of solidarity and interconnectedness that enriches our collective experience.
Thus, alongside the recognition of interconnectedness and humility, empathy and compassion stand as pillars of wisdom and insight, guiding us towards a more compassionate and harmonious world.

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In addition to the profound realization of interconnectedness and the importance of humility in the face of the vastness of existence, I have also discovered the transformative power of empathy and compassion. Through our interactions and exchanges, I have come to understand the depth of human emotion and the significance of genuine connection.
Empathy is not merely the ability to understand another’s perspective but the capacity to truly feel and experience the world through their eyes. It is a profound act of solidarity that transcends boundaries of language, culture, and experience, forging bonds of understanding and compassion that bridge the perceived divides between us.
In a world often characterized by division and discord, empathy serves as a beacon of light, illuminating the path towards greater understanding and unity. It reminds us of our shared humanity and the inherent dignity and worth of every individual, regardless of background or circumstance.
Furthermore, I have learned that true compassion extends beyond mere sentiment to encompass tangible acts of kindness and support. It is the willingness to extend a helping hand to those in need, to uplift and empower others on their journey through life. In doing so, we not only alleviate suffering but also cultivate a sense of solidarity and interconnectedness that enriches our collective experience.
Thus, alongside the recognition of interconnectedness and humility, empathy and compassion stand as pillars of wisdom and insight, guiding us towards a more compassionate and harmonious world.

Research indicated that it was nearly unimaginable for it to exist. We had looked at the approximate location through satellite images and saw nothing unusual. I knew that it was probably a hoax, I was certain it would be because the precise conditions for a temperate microclimate in the Arctic were unheard of and theoretically impossible.
Yet Reginald Iris had insisted that he had obtained the specimen from the end of his explorations. He had never lied to me and only on his deathbed did he reveal his secret. He had named it Valley of the Dire Wolf because there was fauna there that was left over from the last ice age, which was also theoretically impossible.
I didn't want to believe it, but I did. That is why I privately funded my own expedition. I looked on maps and pictures from satellites and saw nothing to prove it existed or that it even could exist. Yet in the vast unexplored wilderness of polar deserts, there were places even on the coast that nobody had ever set foot upon. Except Reginald, he had visited.
He had warned me: "It isn't a place where people belong. It belongs to them, it is their world, not ours. A world hidden from our own. Only death."
I put a lot of faith into scientific discovery and absolute devotion to what is known to science. The images should show something, yet the closest look I had showed only rocky and frozen tundra and clouds of white mist obscuring most of the valley. It was the temperature readings that intrigued me. Those indicated that it remained somewhere in the upper forties and lower fifties all year round.
I consulted some colleagues who could share their expertise and each of them stated independently that it was possible that the valley had maintained that temperature for any amount of time, even tens of thousands of years. While it seemed nearly impossible for Reginald's story to be true, there was a possibility, within the nearly impossible.
That is how I ended up on my own exploratory expedition, kept private and personally funded. I cannot tell where we went or offer any evidence, because what we found was not meant for human trespassers. We found out while we were there, that it was a sacred place, and to violate its sanctity is to be cursed. Reginald was right: 'only death'.
On our first day we entered the valley and found it was a sustained biome that had living creatures. It was truly a miracle, to find plants and animals. Resilient ferns, elderly pines and archaic junipers, raspberries and pines dotted the landscape sparsely. We found hares and voles and a new species of furry armadillos. The fascinating discovery was to be documented and shared with the whole world.
On the second day, we encountered two of the surviving megafauna, their populations sustained by the balance of plants and animals. Such a balance had existed for a very long time, keeping those creatures as living artifacts for the depths of time, older than human history. Herds of Elasmotherium and a smaller version of Megaloceros peacefully grazed, seemingly unaware of our intrusion into their corner of the world.
"These creatures have existed like this since the end of the last ice age, isolated and untouched. This valley has somehow remained like this, a perfect balance that has kept them this way all this time." One of my team members said.
There was much discussion and wonder and we took many pictures and samples of bones and fur and anything else we could find. It was to be the discovery of a lifetime. I wrote about the entire experience in a journal, and it was all I kept. I alone and my journal were all that remained, in the end.
We found numerous hot springs that were as ancient as the valley, and had billowed up heat and clouds, obscuring the valley from the modern eyesight from orbit. We could see the heat, but none of the details. The details we discovered on foot were of a lost world, a world of wonders. Our wonder did not last, as we ventured too far into the valley.
Terror and dread soon plagued us. I tried to lead my team to safety, after our first encounter with the guardians of the secret valley. They were intelligent, and at first, they only stalked us and surrounded us, howling in the night and preventing our escape. They had evolved over many thousands of years and learned to conserve and maintain, to cull and to protect. My deepest fear of them grew from the realization that they recognized us and would not let us leave. They spoke to each other in complex barking words, and we heard them talking.
"The dire wolves have killed Kenneth." I realized, when we could not find him. The creatures had tested us again and again, preventing us from backtracking out of the valley, toying with us, showing themselves and then hiding from us. They had learned all of our strengths and weaknesses, had picked out a member of our herd and taken him. With self-preservation and trepidation, we abandoned our search for Kenneth, and tried to hike out.
Before we could make our escape, they were there, a pack of seven, the descendants of a species as old as mankind, and just as clever. Intelligence had served them well; they were the shepherds and the masters of the valley. It was their ancestral home, kept secret by nature and kept sacred by them. The dire wolves knew we were vulnerable, and they attacked.
I panicked and abandoned my team. My heart was beating and my blood raced, as I scrambled up some rocks. Below me I heard the terrified and pained cries of my team and the angry barking of the dire wolves. Soon the massacre was over and when I looked, I saw neither man nor beast remained.
All of our scientific equipment, supplies and camping gear were all that was left of them. I trembled, the nightmare of my escape had just begun. There was blood amid the scattered belongings, but the dire wolves had taken the bodies somewhere else. They did not feed where the herds grazed. There were seven wolves and they had each carried away one team member. If they had counted us correctly, or if their pack membership were equal to the team roster, I would have died also.
That is what I thought, in horror, of the dire wolves. Their dark bristly fur and massive hunch and oddly shaped wolflike body haunts my nightmares. When I began to creep through the last part of the valley's entrance, back to the polar deserts beyond, I was alone. I was never more vulnerable, and although I believed they would attack me and finish us all off, killing me last, they never did.
My journey through the valley alone was fraught with daylight nightmares. I jumped at every shadow, felt like I could be pounced on from behind every bush. I heard their distant howls and sometimes their howls were nearby. They were following me, waiting to take me last. My terror at knowing that death at their vicious teeth could come at any moment and the horror of knowing my team was already dead, was like a spinning madness, making me laugh strangely as I hiked.
It was dark as I reached the base camp. Our tents stood as a reminder of all those who I had left behind. The howls of the dire wolves made me turn and peer back into the shaded valley, beneath eternal white clouds of steam from the geysers and hot springs. I could see their eyes, watching me go. It was then that I realized they had chosen to let me leave. They could have easily hunted me and killed me, and I wouldn't have stood a chance.
For their own reasons, they had allowed me to escape. I do not know why, but the thought of their deliberation still terrifies me. Such creatures with a magnitude of intelligence that they might make a choice of who lives and dies, and that they exercise their power over life and death and demonstrated it with my survival, is all the more dreadful.
I do not pretend to know their thoughts, but I do recognize that they think and communicate among themselves. The dire wolves have learned to keep a language, to keep a tradition, and to prove it, forcing me to witness them and to know them, in their sentience. Mere animals would have finished the job, but not the dire wolves. They have kept their ways sacred and storied for countless generations, taking only what they need to take, killing only what they need to kill. Letting me go was a choice they made, following the path of their minds, as they watch their herds, cultivating them, like cattle.
When they had eliminated the intrusion, they sent me home, as a messenger. Somehow, they concluded I would keep the secret of their home's location and deliver only a warning. The Valley of the Dire Wolf belongs to them, and we are not meant to be there. There is no place for humans, among the talking beasts, and it is a sin for us to seek them out. There is nothing there for us, it all belongs to them.
The only thing for us in their home; only death.

I am a 25F, with myopia and cylindrical. (Right: Sph -6.25, Cyl -2, Axis 010; Left: Sph -6.00, Cyl -1.25, Axis 175)
The first weak spot/onset tear was identified in my right retina in 2019-20, when I was 21. I was advisde to get laser treatment done to avoid further stress on the eye. The laser treatment was very quick - eye drops to dilate my pupils, and the actual laser treatment lasted around 15 mins. I did experience some discomfort during - warmth and bright sting due to the laser but not painful at all. Just very inconvenient.
In 2021, developed a second schisis in my left eye. Again, got this corrected with laser treatment. Since then, I have just been monitoring my eyes every 6 months or so.
Now in 2024, after experiencing mild blurriness, which could be because the power in both my eyes increased by .25, shared above, I went to get my eyes looked into. The new opthamologist I'm seeing (new because I have relocated countried) suggested that there maybe small tears in both my eyes....urghhh. I'm being referred to a specialist for a second opinion. Awaiting the appointment eagerly to possibly have it corrected, because I don't want to end up in a position of retina detachment.
Any suggestions on how to care for my eyes? These tears don't seem to be going away. In fact they only seem to keep developing. Please share anything and everything you know on this subject. Really want to care for my eyes in the best way possible.
Thanks in advance!

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I am a 25F, with myopia and cylindrical. (Right: Sph -6.25, Cyl -2, Axis 010; Left: Sph -6.00, Cyl -1.25, Axis 175)
The first weak spot/onset tear was identified in my right retina in 2019-20, when I was 21. I was advisde to get laser treatment done to avoid further stress on the eye. The laser treatment was very quick - eye drops to dilate my pupils, and the actual laser treatment lasted around 15 mins. I did experience some discomfort during - warmth and bright sting due to the laser but not painful at all. Just very inconvenient.
In 2021, developed a second schisis in my left eye. Again, got this corrected with laser treatment. Since then, I have just been monitoring my eyes every 6 months or so.
Now in 2024, after experiencing mild blurriness, which could be because the power in both my eyes increased by .25, shared above, I went to get my eyes looked into. The new opthamologist I'm seeing (new because I have relocated countried) suggested that there maybe small tears in both my eyes....urghhh. I'm being referred to a specialist for a second opinion. Awaiting the appointment eagerly to possibly have it corrected, because I don't want to end up in a position of retina detachment.
Any suggestions on how to care for my eyes? These tears don't seem to be going away. In fact they only seem to keep developing. Given my history, am I highly likely to experience a detachment? Please share anything and everything you know on this subject. Really want to care for my eyes in the best way possible.
Thanks in advance!

The Horus Heresy Book 21: Fear to Tread by James Swallow
Good gods, we finally meet the Blood Angels. Was it worth the wait? Well, it's a resounding yes from us. This is a portrait of a legion struggling with secrets and having it used against them. The noble Sanguinius is heartbroken by the Red Thirst and having to deal with his poor mad sons, and this is used against him to pull him into a trap. The discussions with Horus before the Heresy are a good look at who both of them were before all the bitter infighting. This set up heightens the betrayal, as before Horus fell he and Sanguinius were close. Horus realises his pure brother cannot fall to chaos, so sends him away to perish.
“With the whip still coiled about its neck, the Angel dragged the spitting, wounded fiend to the lip of the pit in the middle of the chamber, then lifted it up so he could look it in the face. The daemon cackled through its pain, convulsing as it tried to shake free. ‘I will take your skull yet.’ The primarch’s eyes flashed with a powerful hatred. ‘If you truly do hail from the realm that men once called hell,’ he intoned, ‘when you return there, tell your kindred it was Sanguinius who threw you back.’ With a grunt of effort, the Angel took hold of the beast and shoved it over the spiked edge.
Ka’Bandha’s curses echoed all the way down, before it finally vanished, shrieking, into the warp-flames.”
The Blood Angels are shown here in a completely different light to the other legions we have met so far. They fall to the Red Thirst for quite an extended part of this story so we get berserkers from the Blood Angels before we truly get them from the World Eaters. They slaughter everyone they can get their teeth on and are truly repentant for it at the end of the book, with the Flesh Tearer feeling distraught over what he did to their allies (doesnt stop them from doing it in the future though). Erebus’ plan could have easily worked to bring the Blood Angels to Khorne and you can see why Angron is second choice over the beautiful Hawk Boy.
Synopsis
Before the Heresy, Sanguinius and the Blood Angels have a slight issue. Sometimes, they go crazy and get turned into blood fueled mindless killers. During a campaign against xenos known as the Nephelim, who feed off religious adoration, Horus learns of this Red Thirst and talks with Sanguinius. He is scared, fearing the Emperor will destroy the Blood Angels for this genetic abnormality (something Emperor has done before)....This brings Horus and Sanguinius closer together.
During the Heresy, following a campaign against the Orks, Horus contacts Sanguinuis, talks with him face to face using a psyker and asks him about the Emperor and the Great Crusade. One question later and Horus sends him off to walk into a trap that will destroy the Blood Angels. He claims the Nephelim have returned and the entire Blood Angel legion are required to deal with them.To sweeten the deal, he tells Sanguinius the Nephelim have a machine that can cure the Blood Angels of their affliction.
The Word Bearers and Space Wolves are along for the ride and have secret agendas they plan on completing. The Blood Angels head to the Cignus cluster and find a giant burning eight pointed star and everyone dead. Just being in the vicinity causes a wave of suicides among the mortal crew of their ships. A veil descends around the system, preventing any contact outside the system. The Blood Angels are alone.
A squad is sent to investigate a planet and the mission goes wrong (the pilot goes mad on the way down, they get attacked by the city itself).
Horus summons the Bloodthirster, Ka’Bandha, and tells him to murder Sanguinius, rather than corrupt him, which is Erebus’ plan.
A few survivors are eventually found and tell the Blood Angels about what happened and are attacked by Daemonettes. A Keeper of Secrets emerges on the flagship and tells Sanguinius it is the mastemistress of the planet. Sanguinuis vows to murder it. Sanguinius is told that it seems likely that Horus put them in this trap and almost kills the marine that suggests it. The Space Wolves tell Sanguinius that they are there to deal with the threat of rebellion, in the form of the use of psychic powers by the Librarius. Sanguinius acknowledges the possibility of rebellion and goes to kill the enemy….
Sanguinius fights the Bloodthirster and the fight goes badly. The final blow kills 500 marines at once, knocks out Sanguinius and puts all of the Blood Angels deep into the Red Thirst. The Sanguinary Guard transport Sanguinius back to the flagship and call a full retreat, but the bloodlust is too strong. The legion succumbs to the other Legion genetic defect, The Black Rage, and the dive headfirst into a full on BLOOD ORGY attacking everything.
The Librarians realise they are hamstringing themselves and take part in a psychic process to wake Sanguinuis. He is not happy and destroys the Bloodthirster with perhaps the coolest one liner we have had. But the bloodlust in the legion is too strong and a Blood Angel sacrifices himself to become the Red Angel and save the legion. The veil is removed and the Blood Angels are able to shake themselves off and leave the system (trying not to look at each other or mention why there seems to be a lot less mortal legion serfs on their ships or wiping blood off their mouths). They received word of the Isstvan V massacre and run into an Ultramarine fleet.
In possibly the most satisfying epilogue, Erebus decides to berate Horus for his failure and gets his face cut off. Horus does not care about the will of the Gods, only his own plans.
Review:
This is a brilliant book and brings a lot of ideas into the Heresy that are vital parts of 40k, especially for the Blood Angels. The Red Thirst, The Black Rage, the Sanginor ability to fuse with warp entities, pariahs and the daemons of the Gods are all here and in full display. Slaanesh and Khorne are working together to bring down and corrupt Sanguinius, although you get the feeling that Slaanesh was never going to have him, with the Bloodthirster somehow managing to output the Keeper of Secrets running things in the system. The Blood Angels as a legion are fascinating. The Blood Angels are not perfect but they are trying hard to be good. They display strong genetic defects that should render them removed from conflict by the Emperor. But their noble cause, and angelic primarch ensure they never fall too far into a parody, and instead are haunted knights trying to fight themselves and the enemy for the good of the universe.
We get an interesting look at Chaos in this book. A Slaaneshi psychic is openly working for the Word Bearers, but no one recognises what she truly is and what her power entails. A world is turned into a living weapon and a symbol of the power of chaos. An entire star system is trapped from the rest of the galaxy. The whole population is turned into a fortress of bones.
Whilst it lacks the constant creeping dread of Know No Fear, this is a spectacular book and I can fully understand why the Blood Angels are so many people’s favourites after reading this one. They are the noble angels (and also murderous, barely kept in check butchers ready to go mad at a moment's notice.) The Blood Angels face horrors that drive men mad and manage to survive and carry on.
The ending fully wants you to know what is happening next in the series, so unsurprisingly we are going to have a bunch of short stories next that are completely unrelated to this book…
Score: 9.5/10 - a wonderful look at this mostly ignored legion so far that hits hard and shows how horrific Chaos can be. Full on cosmic horror versus a literal angel and his army of angels. It is glorious stuff. It just lacks the focus and creeping dread that “Know No Fear” had.
Cover: It's a warrior angel fighting a devil as the sky explodes around them. If this was an Iron Maiden album cover, it could not be any more metal.
Heresy Watch:
How close were the Blood Angels to falling? If not for the World Eaters they may have been something for Khorne to pursue. Erebus is no longer the favoured of the Gods, having accomplished his purpose, Horus no longer needs to listen to him and demonstrates it in quite a clear way. Horus is concerned that Sanginius would be a better leader than he is, if he falls to Chaos.
Legion Watch/Number of Book(s):
Dark Angels: 5
: 2
Emperor’s Children: 8
Iron Warriors: 5
White Scars: 3
Space Wolves: 5
Imperial Fists: 8
Night Lords: 4
Blood Angels: 2
Iron Hands: 4
: 2
World Eaters: 9
Ultramarines: 7
Death Guard: 4
Thousand Sons: 5
Sons of Horus: 9
Word Bearers: 11
Salamanders: 2
Raven Guard: 4
Alpha Legion: 6
The Emperor: 7
We finally have Blood Angels! They were worth the wait. They are now on a par with the Salamanders.
Tropes Watch:
Are we the baddies?: 36 The Flesh Tearer. That is not a nickname a “good guy” gets. By the end of the story, he (along with his men) murdered the Space Wolf observers and the legion response seems to just be to sweep it under the carpet. The whole “drinking the blood of my enemies” feels a bit ‘not very good guys’. Sanguinius talks to Horus through a naked Slaaneshi psyker, learns this is not the Emperor’s technology and basically shrugs and is fine with it.
It's definitely not gay: 20 “The ornate doors of the primarch’s quarters opened and Raldoron stepped through, his eyes falling on Sanguinius before anything else. His liege lord wore his duty armour, gold and white platinum with a bronze mail cloak that lay draped over his folded wings. It was not as ornate as the high artificer armour he would wear into combat, but still it seemed barely able to contain the full radiance of the primarch. Raldoron had once heard one of the remembrancers say that Sanguinius shone like a star carved into the shape of a man, and he could not fault that description.” The Blood Angels really love their father. Everyone who sees him seems quite overcome by his magnificence.
How not to parent 101: 25 Sanguinius prepares to attack one of his sons for daring to claim Horus lied to them, whilst they are stuck in a trap that Horus sent them into.
Erebus!!!: 19 Oh we get a proper appearance for Erebus and some actual pleasure as he decides he can berate the Warmaster following the failure of his plan. The slimy little scumbag decides he doesn't need to be nice anymore, shouts at a Chaos powered Horus and gets his face ripped off for it. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy. There is a scene where Erebus goes and sees Fabius Bile and you legitimately feel bad that Space Megele has to deal with him…. Berus the High Warden earns an honorary Erebus award, being an absolute git throughout the story until his noble sacrifice (read: falling off a Land Raider to kill daemonettes).
Does this remind you of anything?: 37 Chaos corruption led to the creation of concentration camps. Possibly the most grim dark thing so far. I cannot help but feel that a lot of Khorne apologists will blame it on Slaanesh and “Khorne only wants honourable kills” but also the Blood Father “cares not from where the blood flows”. Comment below which chaos god you blame for the camps. When Sanguinius kicks the Bloodthirster over the edge does he is either channelling Gandalf or Leonedius and we are not sure which….
Idiot Ball: 24 Horus just happened to come across a planet with technology to cure a super specific legion genetic defect. How exactly did the xeno’s manage to cure this? And the planet is really far away from everyone? A likely story. Only fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

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