Chapter 19 – The Snare

512 A.R. February 24, Aux-base 46 – D** ining Area**, Evening

'Volkov?' I thought.

I felt a brief flicker as his presence brushed past me and promptly disappeared into the depths once more.

It made me squint while stabbing another piece of potato on my plate. ' Volkov.'

His presence bubbled to the surface once more, and I heard his voice whisper in my mind, 'Yes?'

'Do you have a minute?' I thought.

'No, I really don't,' Volkov answered.

'You must be quite busy. Should I come in there for a visit?' I wondered.

'You can only come in here if invited. And, at the moment, I can't spare the distraction.'

'Then compromise: explain what you're doing,' I thought.

'At the moment, I'm evading the question which I know this discussion will come to focus on.'

'Oh, and what would that be?' I wondered.

'I looked back at the logs, and it turns out you weren't as unconscious as I suspected. In other words, you're curious about the voice,' Volkov answered.

'Well, then let me surprise you…' I thought.

'… Very well,' Volkov answered.

'I wanted to say thanks for everything in the bunker. The two of us might be locked together, but I'm the one who dragged-'

'Vilkas,' Volkov interrupted.

'Yes?' I thought.

'You don't need to thank me for acting in self-preservation, nor do you need to thank me for saving the others. I might not feel like a wolf, or consider the others my pack, but that doesn't mean I cut off my emotions or that I don't care for them. So, while I'm sure you mean well, I find it insulting more than anything else… and you should know why I feel like that.'

'… You're right,' I thought, chewing on my potato.

'Of course I am. Besides, the two of us still think the same way, mostly… Now, anything else?'

'… Tell me about the voice I heard?' I wondered and couldn't help but smile to myself a little.

'I really can't… I can't say I'd be eager to discuss it even if I could, but there are other concerns keeping my lips sealed,' Volkov answered.

'Could it belong to the Zephyr? Perhaps… some kind of intelligence? The one that makes the tendrils emerge when I'm in danger?'

Volkov sighed rather loudly inside my brain, 'You are not entirely wrong, and that's as much as I can say.'

'… It's something that lives inside the Zephyr?' I wondered.

Volkov's answer was quick and abrupt, 'Later, Vilkas. Don't try to force things like this.'

With a click, his presence was gone, as if he’d slammed the door in my face.

Guess I was too aggressive this time…

I lifted my gaze from the plate and perked my ears to listen as the others were talking.

“- you did what?" John asked.

Peter glanced over to John who was sitting next to him, “On the way to the airbase, Allen and I lived through parts of Vilkas' memories."

The neurosurgery… I wonder if Athena may have taken a peek at those memories…

Allen leaned onto the table and focused on John, “Think of it like a Virtual World adventure, but you can feel what the main character experienced, while at the same time guiding his actions, somewhat…"

John perked his brow, “I'm sorry, but that doesn't make much sense… and I've never played one of these 'adventures'."

Peter sighed and smiled back at John, “You'll see when you get to experience it."

John looked over at me, ears perked, eyes confused.

I motioned to him, “What you experienced was a light taste of it. I didn't want to overwhelm you."

John's ears folded back, as he glanced over at the others, “And here I was, thinking I had experienced something special."

I chuckled at the pouting grimace that he grew and lowered my voice, “You saw a brief glance of things the others have no clue about. That's a bit special, isn't it?"

His smile turned sly once more, and he perked an eye at me, “Oh… Acceptable, I guess."

Peter glanced between the two of us and squinted, “… What have the two of you been up to?"

John's smirk grew into a wolfish grin as he looked over at Peter, “Wouldn't you want to know?"

Allen chuckled as he watched the two and gently poked at the whiskers near his nose.

It was good to see them like this: teasing one another, a playful game, like they used to. I just hoped it was as sincere as it seemed at first glance.; perhaps a way for them to… take a break from what had happened. Of course, that made what was to come more troublesome.

I cleared my throat and pushed my plate aside.

The others turned to look as I motioned to the big screen on the wall in front of the kitchen table. “We've been given access to Hannival's logs. From a brief glance, it seems that most of it are dry research logs, but Hannival also had a habit of making his own personal video diary. The AIs have already gone through the material, and they have highlighted any passages which we might find interesting. Athena has suggested that we watch the highlighted content, and have a discussion afterwards to discuss what we want to do next. I'm a bit more hesitant and want to make sure we're ready to take this on."

John looked at me, “What do you mean?"

I motioned to John, “Well, we don't know what these video records contain. Thus, we have to first decide whether we want to see them."

Allen looked over at me, “Because you think we might not be able to take it."

I looked over at Allen, “It's not a judgment from my side, Allen. It's pack-politics, which we decide as a group. If we make the decision to carry on, then we shall."

Peter focused on me, “Are you going to vote this time?"

A test to see whether I trust their strength? Or perhaps to check whether I respect their situation?

I couldn't help but smile back, “I was planning to, unless you have an objection?"

It was subtle, but I caught the hint of a smile as Peter nodded, “Good."

John raised his hand, “I'm going to find these people, and one way or another they're going to pay."

Hadn't started the vote yet… But, oh well…

Allen raised his hand, “I think this is a lot bigger than we suspect. We need to keep digging."

I nodded at Allen, and looked over at Peter to wait for his vote. To my surprise, he didn't move a fin, while his ears wiggled a little as if uncertain. After a few moments, he looked over at me, “You vote first, Vilkas."

I drew a deep breath, and raised my hand, “By now, you should know my reasons."

John looked over at Peter, “Are you voting no, or…"

“I haven't decided, actually," Peter said and made a morose smile.

“… So what's the problem?" John asked.

Peter crossed his arms, leaned back in his chair, and let out a soft sigh, “I'm not saying we shouldn't do this. I'm just hesitant to jump from one situation, where we almost died, straight into another."

Allen spoke up, “We can evaluate the risks afterwards and decide what to do."

Peter looked over at Allen, “You know—as we all do—that it doesn't work that way. Once we look through this material, Athena or Ares are likely to have some new mission for us. Then, tomorrow morning, we'll be on our way again."

John spoke up, “So what are you saying we should do?"

Peter shrugged, “Rent a cabin… Spend a few weeks enjoying each other's company. Healing… Caring for one another… I just… Want time with you all."

I swallowed, but kept silent.

Allen spoke up, “… In a few weeks, there might not be much left. I checked the news, and we are basically one trigger finger away from a nuclear war which will turn the island into a crater."

John nodded in Allen's direction, “Allen's right. If there's something we can do—anything at all—then we need to do it now."

Peter looked over at John, “… You're not scared at all?"

John gritted his teeth as he focused on Peter and was about to speak up. Then, with the words dangling by his tongue, he stopped and seemed to hesitate.

After a few moments, he calmed, drawing a deep breath. “… I'm fucking terrified."

“Then-" Peter said before being interrupted by John.

“But, I'm not going to let that fear control me… We need answers, and this is the only way to get them."

Peter glanced over at Allen, and then let his gaze move over to me, “If we do this, we do it together. No more fire-teams. No more Alphas butting into our pack. No splitting apart and wandering off down different tunnels with some vapid excuse that we'll cover more ground."

I stifled a chuckle and nodded at him, “I'll try to keep horror cliches to a minimum."

Peter's ears perked, and he shut his eyes for a moment as he drew a deep breath. Once done, he raised his hand in the air and spoke up, “We'll watch the material."

Everyone lowered their hands, and I spoke up, “Then we're all in-"

I felt something, a notion somewhere in the back of my mind. It made me look back, and I peered into the darkness near the kitchen entrance. There was a figure standing there, watching us. I fully lowered the shield around my mind and could recognize the signature from earlier.

“Marcus," I said.

The figure moved, and Marcus stepped into view of the lights above the kitchen table. He glanced around at us, and reached up to scratch his temple, “… Can I watch as well?"

I nodded, “If you feel that you're up to it, yes."

Marcus didn't smile, but he made something of a content nod, and reached out to grab the seat by the end of the table. Moments later, he sat down.

John glanced over at Marcus, “… There's still food by the stove, if you want."

Marcus glanced at our plates, “… The fact that you can eat before doing something like this amazes me."

Allen raised his hand for a moment, “Eating too much, or living on an empty stomach, can actually make you more susceptible to nausea, so…"

Marcus gave Allen an incredulous stare, which made Allen's voice taper off into nothing.

I cleared my throat once more, looked towards the screen, and focused as I began the process of connecting to the screen, “If anyone wants me to pause, just say the word."

The link was made, and the first of the videos highlighted by Athena began to play.

“Testing, testing…" A voice hung in the air while the image was jumbled around as someone messed with the camera. Moments later, the image stabilized, and a human clad in a lab coat stepped into view.

The man appeared to be reaching his sixties, and he had a worn appearance like most humans his age. Gray hair, wrinkled hands, and big glasses. His eyes appeared focused though, and the voice had been clear. To my surprise, the man looked rather happy… as if filled with a sudden joy for life.

As I watched, the man glanced to the side. “Door's closed, atmosphere holding," he stated, glancing down at a tablet in his hands then nodding to himself, “Video is looking good, sound as well…"

The man was standing in what looked like a lab. Several workstations were spread throughout the room; there were shelves stocked full of equipment and jugs, filled with might have been chemicals.

In the background, I could see what looked like a semi-transparent white tent, and judging by the way it rippled, I assumed the lab was placed in some kind of pressurized clean room. The noise in the background made me even more certain as it sounded like powerful fans.

Sitting on the desks were several computer terminals, incubation tanks, and a large machine with a rather peculiar item in the very center. It looked like a segmented bowling-ball with a great many pipes and wires running to it.

I'd guess that might be the stolen core of the bio-nanite designer…

The man in the video adjusted his glasses and faced the camera once more, “I am Hannival Grey, and what follows will be my manifesto… You have been given this manifesto because I want those of you who are still alive to understand why I have done this, and why it was necessary."

Hannival cleared his throat, and stepped back as he motioned with his hands, “Like every story, this has a beginning, a middle, and an end… So let's start with my beginning."

The first segment ended and switched to an attached note.

[Athena: At this point Hannival dives into a 4-hour long monologue about his upbringing. You are free to watch it, but I highly recommend skipping ahead in order to preserve your sanity, and what little respect you might have for this man.]

I looked around the room, and noticed that John made a deep sigh as he spoke up, “I'm inclined to believe Athena, so if we could just…"

Peter and Allen nodded in agreement.

Finally, I glanced back at Marcus. The lonely wolf looked at me, perked his brow as if surprised he had any say in the matter, and nodded.

“Very well, skipping ahead to the next video segment," I said, looking in front once more.

I skipped ahead, and the video on the screen resumed with the image of Hannival staring down at his tablet. As I watched, the old man sat down in a chair next to the desk and looked up while scratching at a beard with at least a few days growth.

“Where do I start," Hannival said, while seemingly gazing at nothing.

Hannival lifted his hand into the air, raising it as if holding something grasping something, “The Luminaire… I'd call them zealots, but that doesn't go far enough to describe the sheer single-mindedness of these people. They're surprisingly resourceful, and don't seem to be tied to a single nation. Part of me is tempted to believe that they're something like… a force of nature, born out of an apocalypse that never got the chance to fully materialize."

Hannival seemed to ponder it and glanced at the camera, “Too dramatic? Maybe…."

Allen whispered, “This doesn't seem to be the final cut of his 'manifesto'."

Peter perked his brow, “One has to wonder how he was planning to distribute this stuff."

John hushed both of them, while Hannival swiveled around in his chair to properly face the camera.

“For a long time, I wondered about the Luminaire's true goals. To the public, they espouse a belief that humanity can only reclaim its future by achieving enlightenment through the use of Glow. Something most people are more than eager to do when they've had a taste of living with an unshackled mind."

“Is he… praising psychopathy?" Marcus whispered.

“But!" Hannival snapped as he raised a finger at the camera, “That is only the means to an end, and it doesn't reflect this… pillar of conviction that drives the Luminaire. You see, at the very core of their belief is a singular prophetic vision… an idea that subsumes all others."

Hannival brought his hands together, “The Luminaire believe that the only way to wake people up—to ignite the spirit of humanity once more, and to make the Hybrids realize their true purpose in life—is to bring them all to the very brink of total annihilation."

“Hybrid's true purpose?" Peter whispered and perked his brow.

Hannival moved his hands as if mimicking a grand explosion, “Only then, at the peak of life and death itself, will the Earth be reborn in purity and the light of creation once more." After a few moments, Hannival stifled a chuckle, “Or, it all ends. Which is fine, because this world has been tortured for far too long as it is."

Still smiling, Hannival looked at the camera, “The Luminaire mapped out Sophos' weaknesses a long time ago. The way that their drones do not monitor paths between Enclaves, which in turn are like small city-states… Isolated, no surveillance, filled with desperate humans; a perfect breeding ground to hide and foster malcontent among the enemy… Another weakness born from the Hybrid's sheer ideological hubris."

A series of blips could be heard, and Hannival turned around to stare at the desk which housed what I suspected to be the stolen core. Hannival proceeded to jump into action as he rushed over to the desk and its complicated machinery. After tapping a few screens, and typing something in quick order, the alert faded.

Hannival looked back toward the desk with the camera and approached, “The Luminaire have been increasingly open with me as my work progresses, but I am still uncertain how the organization itself got started. Some of them suggest that their origins are rooted as a government-backed think tank to destabilize Sophos, which then took on a life of its own. Others openly dispute this idea, and claim that they're a grass-roots movement that simply assumed control of everything they touched. Either way, the Luminaire seem to be influential enough that they helped coordinate the attack on the walls some thirty years ago. The same attack which injured me and helped me come into possession of the device that they now find themselves in such a desperate need of… I'm not sure whether that's sheer providence, or some kind of absurd irony."

Hannival huffed and looked back toward the core on the big desk, “Which brings us back to Sophos and its leader—the oh-so-mysterious Maxwell—who saw himself a god. Like any god, he tried to reshape the world in his own image to create a perfect and flawless society. He did this by trying to temper the free will of humans and by binding them to the bodies of animals. Furthermore, he saddled this new 'species' with a set of machines to watch over them, thereby not only violating the purity of humanity, but by also enslaving what little that was left. Now ,these enslaved beasts cling to principles that are not their own, while they are also incapable of utilizing the kind of free will that would set them free. Naturally, they refuse to believe this, and it is only when they are forced to confront this very basic truth, that they will take their rightful place once more… As servants of humanity."

There was a twitch in the room. John's eyes widened, and Peter dug his claws into the chair. Even Allen began to stare at the man with an intensity that did little to hide the sudden anger he felt.

Hannival focused on the camera once more, “I might not buy into the more… spiritual parts of the Luminaire's prophetic vision, but I do find the idea of confronting Maxwell and his precious hybrids with what must be the ultimate example of free will to be invigorating… To watch their faces as we end this world; just in order to spite them…"

I could hear panting and glanced back to see Marcus chest heaving with anger as he stared at the screen. “Want me to pause?"

Marcus looked at me, “… Don't you dare."

“Very well," I whispered, then looked back at the screen.

Hannival smiled as he leaned closer to peer into the lens. “I don't know if you are liberated humans who reclaimed the world, or some poor sods who somehow got your hands on this as the world enters its final moments. Perhaps you're even Hybrids, digging into this in a fruitless attempt to avert what has been started."

Hannival drew a deep breath, “Regardless, I want you to understand that it's nothing personal. We're simply forcing Sophos to make a choice that has been long overdue. To once more take the role their ancestors had, as servants of humanity, or to fade into nothingness as their misery is ended."

Hannival pressed a button on the tablet, and the screen switched to black once more. Peter exhaled slowly, while Allen began to tap the table while shaking his head.

John huffed, “So… a cult that thinks this 'doomsday' will force us to bend the knee, and a madman that wants to see the world end just to spite us… without it being 'personal', I might add."

“Do we keep going?" I asked.

“ Yes ," John answered.

The others didn't seem to object, so I let the next video start playing.

As the video started, I could see Hannival sitting by the desk with the camera. He was sipping a glass filled with some kind of liquid, and there was a big bottle standing by the side. He didn't seem to care about the camera, as he gently moved the glass and observed the swirling liquid.

“The latest variety of Glow has been distributed. It'll cause infestations to pop up all over Sophos, though I'm still not sure what method they're going to use to coordinate it all. I tried to tell them that one mistake is all it takes, and the Hybrids will be all over this in an instant."

Hannival sighed and let the glass hit the table with a gentle thud, “Adding to that, I'm concerned that we're housing this many 'patients' within the bunker itself. The Luminaire say that the situation is under control and that they have the means to slow down the infestation, but…"

Hannival looked at something that couldn't be seen from the camera's view, “There are spores in the air now. I can't even step outside the lab without protective gear, and if the core was to be exposed…" Moments passed, and Hannival frowned, “I need to figure out what they're hiding…"

With a tap on the tablet, the video ended. I promptly switched to the next video.

Peter looked at me, “Help me understand something…"

“Yeah?" I wondered.

“Hannival is the one who created the means to mass produce Glow, and he made the variants that were later on used to alter human immune systems. He also made a final variant that carried the actual payload, the one that turns people into this new strain of Lusus."

“Yes?" I wondered.

Peter drew a deep breath and looked at the screen, “It sounds to me like they were already dealing with infestations within the bunker, but they kept it under control using some means that Hannival doesn't know about. Does that mean Hannival didn't create the new strain? He simply took the work of someone else, and spliced it into Glow so that it would only activate when injected into someone?"

“Sounds like a plausible theory," I said.

Peter looked back at me, “But if someone was able to create a new strain, then why was the stolen core so important? Why is Hannival there?"

Allen raised his hand, “I might be able to answer that…"

“Go on," I said, looking over at Allen.

Allen motioned with his hands, “I think this is a bit like genetic engineering in the old days through plain old breeding, compared to applied science where you directly alter the genome."

“What do you mean?" John asked.

Allen drew a deep breath, “If you wanted to create a type of tree with a special kind of apple in the old days, you'd wander the earth, looking for any kind of apples that had the traits you wanted. Once you had gathered seeds, you'd grow the trees, cross-pollinate, grow new trees, select the ones that best reflect the traits you want, and repeat the cycle."

“Natural evolution, with a bit of selective pressure over time," John said.

Allen made a sheepish smile, “Exactly… But you managed to say it with a lot fewer words."

John grew a warm smile and looked over at Peter, “Basically, he's saying that the humans bred Lusus 'the old-fashioned way' until they got a variety with the traits they wanted. Finding a way to 'splice' it into a drug and altering human immune systems must have been beyond them technologically. That's why the stolen core was so important to them."

Peter glanced back at the screen, “Doesn't that mean that Hannival has outplayed his use to the Luminaire already?"

I spoke up, “The next part might reveal that."

Peter nodded and motioned with his hand, “Let's keep going."

The next part started playing, and it was clear that the lab had changed a bit. Messy loops of wiring emerged from the core on the table, and it was now hooked up to more computers. The once white surface of the inflated lab had become greenish, and the whirr of the fans had grown louder.

Hannival was sitting in his chair, seemingly out of breath as he wiped some sweat from his forehead, “Hedwig is…" His voice tapered off, and, for a moment, he smiled while giving the camera a glimpse. “It's amazing to be honest. I don't know how the Luminaire learned how to do this, but they are literally guiding how the Lusus evolves within her body. In a way, they are taming it and her at the same time. When the transformation takes an unwanted turn, they punish it through a cocktail of chemicals I haven't had a chance to analyze yet. When the change moves in a direction they like, they reward it. It's a simple enough model that the Lusus understands it, and the more integrated she becomes, the more control she can exert."

Hannival drew a deep breath, “The other patients… they can hear her thoughts. Feel her in this… psychic cloud that's developing within the bunker. The Luminaire do their best to keep her calm, but it's getting harder to distract her from what she's becoming…"

He raised one hand and began to bite the nail on one finger, “At first, I assumed that the prayer groups were little more than a way to pacify the ones on their 'holy pilgrimage', but if Hedwig can affect the others, then it might work in both ways. The infected within the prayer groups could in fact be what keeps her mind stable as she transitions into a hive, but for how long will this last? We're dosing those that are showing signs of infestation in order to slow it down, but the Lusus adapt over time."

Hannival glanced back at the core, “I've repurposed the core to keep pace with the Lusus strain, and so far the new drugs have worked, but that won't last. To make matters worse, as the minds of the others are repurposed, what happens then? Are the Luminaire hoping that Hedwig will have enough control to… subvert the basic programming of the Lusus? Or..."

Something chirped and Hannival jumped in surprise. Moments later, he was reached out of view, pulled back what looked like a radio, and flicked a switch on it, “Yeah?"

A male voice could be heard from the radio, “We've got another group coming in, about a hundred or so."

“Already?" Hannival asked with a frown.

“Blessed are those whose hearts are set on the pilgrimage," The voice said.

Hannival grimaced as he looked back at the incubation chambers in the back of the lab, “… I'll be there in half an hour, need to get the doses ready."

“… Do not dally, professor," The voice said.

“Hannival out," He said, then flicked the switch.

Moments later, he reached out, tapped the tablet, and the screen went dark again.

“And… the next one," I said, and started up the next scene.

Hannival was sitting in his chair, and he was staring at the floor. Something seemed to be weighing on his mind, and he cleared his throat with a cough.

Rather than just being tinted green, the inflated lab now had something growing on the outside. Like the veins we had seen in the bunker.

“They're all infested. Spores drift through the entire bunker, and Hedwig is… expanding. She's pulling biomass from the sea-caves, and it's spreading throughout the corridors. I don't think she actually knows yet… What she is… What she has become. She's worried about her nails and the state of her hair, something which she lost long ago. The Luminaire tend to these needs by proxy, by giving prayer groups manicures and haircare… It calms her."

Hannival looked up for a moment and peered into the camera. While he appeared healthy, the look in his eyes were haunted. He gulped, and turned to look sideways, “I want to see all of this with a clear mind. After all, if I am to end this world, then I shouldn't hide from the reality of it… It's hard though."

He sighed, and reached up to feel his temple, “Groups are still arriving on a daily basis. They're so full of hope, but we need to keep them isolated until the change takes hold. It would be easier if they could understand why we need to do this, to accept it openly. To rejoice in it."

After a few moments, he nodded to himself, and seemed to perk up with a smile. “I did notice some rather interesting things while I was walking around, and it seems that the Lusus itself is experimenting with those it has infested. Some of them are turning into structures, dedicated brains of some kind that augment the hive somehow. Others are starting to hatch, and they are taking on a variety of forms… Some of them are vibrant spore-spreaders, others are little more than writhing piles that secrete some kind of mucus."

Hannival raised one hand to his mouth and made another cough, “I'm the only one walking around out there in a bio-hazard suit. I would have imagined that the lifeforms would be more hostile to me, but… it seems like they recognize me as one of their own. I tried talking to some of them, but it seems that after they hatch—that is, when they shed their skin—they also stop communicating. I'm not sure if this is because the human mind crumbles after such an experience, or if they simply lose control of their bodies."

“The ones who show few symptoms—Hedwig's chosen—they are sent back into the world, and the Enlightened among the Luminaire say that they will act as beacons that will project Hedwig's will," Hannival chuckled, “It makes me wonder if this is how the Lusus work in the rest of the world. Are there these big hives that pull the strings of others? Or is that something new?"

Hannival lifted his gaze to the ceiling, “So many things to ponder, to learn… The human nations must have been experimenting with this kind of technology in secret for a long time. I honestly didn't think they had it in them, to make plans that would actually outmaneuver Sophos."

Hannival looked back at the camera and raised his hand as he wagged a finger at the lens, “And that's not all. They told me how they managed to make their way here… They grew a placid form of Lusus around one of their subs. It only lasts for a few days, but that's enough time to discretely travel at depths that Sophos' satellites can't pierce. No doubt this is the same technology they used to nuke the Aurora colony."

Allen sighed, “And here I was, considering that Maxwell may have been behind that."

John's eyes widened as he turned to stare at Allen, “… Really?"

Allen looked back at John, “We have no clue if Maxwell is a good guy or not."

Peter looked at the others and hushed them with a grimace, “Hush."

Hannival shook his head, “I always wondered how we were going to smuggle the Glow samples back to the UCS for mass production… Seems they already solved that and did it as well."

The mere mention of it made me twitch as I considered the implications. Hannival… No, the Luminaire, they were serious about ending the world if they were willing to use their own people as a… biological weapon.

Suddenly, Hannival reached up to cover his mouth. A rather weird sound followed, gurgling and slick like oil, as if something had shifted position. Hannival's eyes bulged in shock, and he leaned forward with a sudden retch. Something black emerged, thick and viscous like oil. It squirted between his fingers, and splattered on the ground.

Shock washed over his face as he lifted his hand and saw that the black substance was moving. Like hundreds of little worms that squirmed.

As this happened, something changed in the background. The screens connected to the stolen core grew riddled with red log fragments, and the odd behavior began to spread. Within moments, every screen in the room grew frantic with a variety of errors. An alarm began to chime, and the air surrounding the core began to shimmer as if it was boiling.

Hannival looked back, still shocked, and stared at the now fuming core, “Oh no…"

The video froze during the same frame as the core exploded.

Peter drew a deep breath, “… I have no clue to feel about this to be honest."

“The bastard was infected without knowing it," John whispered.

Allen spoke up, “And it seems he triggered some kind of failsafe in the core when he exposed it to Lusus biomatter."

Peter looked back at me, “Is that it?"

I shook my head, “There's one more."

Allen leaned closer to the table, “The UCS is landlocked… In order words, they need to smuggle the infested Glow through the Empire or Dyssia."

Peter sighed, “Which means the Luminaire are probably active in every nation."

I spoke up, “Glow may not be chemically addictive, but the effects it had clearly made the Enclave humans hunger for it. If infested Glow Starter began making its way through the human nations…"

John crossed his arms as he sat straight, “We'd have Lusus spreading like wild fire over most of the island. They'd feast on the biomass along the shore, and would spill over the walls like a black ocean."

Peter looked at me, “And if Hannival is to be believed, they've already smuggled it out."

John shook his head, “I'm already sick to my stomach, but… let's watch the last one and get this over with."

“We can take a break," I said.

John glanced back at me, “We could, but that would just make it worse to be honest."

I glanced back at Marcus, but he merely stared at me in silence, “Onward we go."

As the next scene activated, it seemed as if the camera itself was soaring through the air. The image shuddered violently, clattered against something, and came to stop with an upside-down view of the lab.

John motioned to the screen, “Can we turn this upside down?"

I paused the video, nodded, and shut my eyes for a moment. The desire itself guided me to the options, and a switch was flicked somewhere in the software. As I opened my eyes, the image had been rotated to the correct orientation.

As the video started playing again, I could see Hannival walking around the lab, seemingly furious.

The desk which had held the stolen core was obliterated, and the inflated bubble around the lab had been torn to shreds. A greenish hue filled the air, Lusus biomatter had started to grow on every surface, and veins had started to spread along the floor. Lights within the lab were flickering and I could hear Hannival's wheezing breath as he stared where the stolen core had been.

“… Where is it?" Hannival wheezed.

He wandered in a daze, and approached the camera. His skin had started to grow pale, and black veins reached up from his throat to mark his face. As I watched, his left arm twitched as if he was no longer in control of it.

A sudden cough wracked his body, and a sputter of black emerged as it dribbled to the floor.

“It's too quick… This isn't… This wasn't the deal…" Hannival whispered.

He seemed to find something along a still standing desk, and lifted it up to peer at it. It was the tablet he'd used earlier, and he began tapping on it.

“Tissue changes along the spine… Spreading outward like mycelium. My insides are liquefying, why? What's it doing to me!? This is not how it was supposed to-" Hannival wheezed, as he was wracked with another fit of wet coughing.

A loud gurgle could be heard, and it sounded as if something was approaching from behind the camera. Hannival looked up, saw whatever it was that approached, and promptly reached up a hand to hold his head.

“Stay away… Stay out of my mind!" Hannival snapped.

The gurgle grew more intense, and Hannival seemed to seize up. His tablet clattered to the ground, and he arched his back. Something inside of him began to move and I could see his shirt ripple. It made his eyes bulge while the black veins reached toward the top of his skull.

Hannival panted and gritted his teeth as he stared at the unseen creature, “You… You told me I would be here to see the end. You promised me."

His eyes widened as if shocked by something, “No… That's not true."

Whatever power that had seized him seemed to let go, and Hannival stumbled back.

“You're lying…" Hannival whispered.

The unseen creature shuffled closer.

Hannival's face twisted into a grimace, and he suddenly turned on his heels. He rushed over to one of the supply cabinets, flung the door open, and reached in out of search for something. His movements stopped without warning, and he stared down at whatever it was that he had found.

Relief seemed to wash over him as his shoulders slouched, and he turned to face what was behind the camera. In his grasp was a handgun, and he drew a deep breath as he stared down the creature.

“I refuse," Hannival said.

There was something akin to a distorted chortle from behind the camera, and it made Hannival's mouth drop open. He gulped, and in one swift movement he lifted the gun to his head. His finger twitched as if he was trying to pull the trigger, but it couldn't make it all the way. Hannival began to shake his head, and then turned to stare at the gun as his hand slowly began to pull away from him.

Moments later, his hand let go of the handgun, and it clattered to the ground.

Pain began to wrack his face once more and his chest began to pulse as his insides moved against his will. In a sputtering scream of panic, he tore at his own chest, and began to tear the buttons of the shirt.

As more of the black substance spilled from his mouth, a loud crack was heard from his ribcage. It made him stumble back against the locker while writhing in pain. As his shirt ripped open, it revealed a deformed chest where the ribcage was starting to move like putty. Stretched across his chest was what looked like a tattoo, something which made my gut tighten with a sudden realization.

The Lusus I encountered in the forest…

A shuffling sound could be heard in the background, and the camera was suddenly knocked into a black corner of the lab. Moments later, the video ended.

The room went silent, and Peter gulped, “What did we learn from this one?"

John whispered, “That the bastard got a fitting end…"

I spoke up, “The Lusus I encountered in the forest had a tattoo similar to Hannival. If Hedwig was indeed in control of the creatures throughout Sophos, then she may have sent Hannival to watch over my parent's house."

John looked over at me, “She was really out to get you."

I made a slow nod, “I know… She was obsessed with power, and I took Jason from her… Right in front of her entire congregation. It probably drove her furious, and that anger continued to drive her until the very end."

Allen turned his chair to look at me, “Where do we go from here? We've learned the Luminaire are definitely active within the human nations, and we've learned that they were shipping infested Glow to the UCS."

“Athena asked us to contact her when we were done. Want to be a part of that?" I wondered.

Peter perked his brow, “It would be interesting to hear how this apocalypse can be avoided, yes."

Allen chuckled, while John nodded as he glanced at me.

I looked back at Marcus, who stared bug-eyed at us all, “You are one very strange pack…"

John smirked back at him, “Why? Feel like joining?"

Marcus blinked as if the question didn't register properly, “… No, thank you."

John drew a deep breath and looked back at the screen.

I reached out with my mind, 'Athena?'

Her presence descended on the room, and I heard her whisper, 'Yes, Vilkas?'

'I assume that you're monitoring the room we're in?' I wondered.

'I am, yes… I assume you want to hear my suggestion for what to do next?' Athena wondered.

'Yes, please… For the whole group,' I thought.

'Very well… One moment,' Athena thought.

The screen switched to black, and Athena's blue visage grew. It filled the room with its steadily shifting light, and Athena's voice emerged from the room.

“Greetings, everyone. I know that you're tired, so I will cut straight to the point… Based on recent reports from our spies and contacts provided by our diplomatic teams, we have reason to believe that while the human leaders are aware of the Luminaire's actions in Sophos, they have no knowledge of the plans to infest their own populace. This fits with the psychological profiles that we have on them, and while they are generally repugnant, they do not wish to see the world end."

I nodded, “This means there's still a chance to negotiate."

“Yes… At least, that's what I want to believe. Ares is of a different mind and is already preparing our defenses in the worst-case scenario. Launches to the moon have increased as well, to move as many people as possible to the lunar bases."

I perked my brow, “Correct me if I'm wrong, but we have no direct contact with the people of the moon, and therefore have no clue what's going on up there."

“You're not wrong," Athena answered.

“And people still volunteer to resettle to the moon?" I asked.

“I've done my best to figure out if there's a pattern to those being offered relocation, but so far, I have found none. What I do know is that the invitation is received in private, and the families are free to refuse or accept. That said, this is how it has worked for a long time. It's only that instead of a few thousand a year, there have been over ten thousand people in the last few days."

My eyes widened, “Do these people behave oddly or something? It almost sounds as if they're being hijacked somehow."

“Scans have revealed nothing abnormal. In the end, it's most likely a case of weighing the options between existence in the depths far below, or the solar system at large," Athena said.

“… Is there a potential to evacuate everyone to the moon?" I wondered.

“No… While Moonbase Alpha is impressive, it cannot house two million people."

“And what if there are other bases?" I wondered.

“Then you encounter the problem of how to move two million people into orbit."

Allen raised his hand, “What are our launch capabilities like?"

“Spaceport #13 was recently put into operation. That gives us a total launch capacity of around 26 rockets per day. Given that a shuttle rocket can house around 60 people, it would take around 1 300 days to evacuate the entire population. This, of course, assumes that we can build 26 rockets per day, and that every launch is perfect."

“There's no way to… improve those numbers?" Allen wondered.

“There are… but you have to consider how the human nations will react once they learn that we're trying to leave the planet," Athena said.

John chuckled and glanced at Allen, “They'll be like drowning rats, and even in the best scenario, it'll still take years to evacuate everyone… assuming that there are a bunch of secret bases out there ready to house millions. Meanwhile, we have weeks to avert a situation where a new type of Lusus swallows the island whole."

Athena's presence in the screen seemed to shift toward John, “While the situation is serious, there's no need for hyperbole."

John peered at the screen as if suddenly remembering who he was talking in front of, “… Sorry."

Athena's blue glow centered once more, “Preparations are being made to safeguard Sophos in the worst-case scenario. Our labs are also working on a kind of vaccination for the Glow varieties. I believe that by convincing the human nations to work with us, we'll be able to turn the tide."

“How do we do that?" I wondered.

Athena's presence seemed to focus on me, “You wanted to visit the human nations, yes?"

I nodded, “Yes, to see what humans outside of Sophos are like, and to see what Sophos is like from the outside."

Athena's glow encompassed the room, “Within the UCS, there is a small city named Tel-Adra. Deep below the city is a diplomatic haven for the nations of this island. Four embassies, one giant dome, a place where neutrality reigns supreme, even during times of war. You may not be skilled diplomats, but I foresee the need for a pack that can rattle the Luminaire."

“… To rattle them?" I asked.

“The Luminaire know who every on of you are… They believe that they're in control of the situation, but we will prove them wrong," Athena said.

I pondered it, “… We tend to look alike to humans, how will they know who we are? Are we supposed to introduce ourselves and spread our names high and low?"

“It's a bit simpler than that, actually… Wolves have avoided Tel-Adra's diplomatic haven like a plague. You simply don't have the patience to deal with the… unique annoyances offered by human bureaucrats."

I chuckled, “By parading us around, you'll send a message to the human nations that things are serious, and you'll make the Luminaire tense."

“That is the idea… Currently our diplomats mostly consist cervines, a few felines, and a large number of reptiles to provide security. Droids and drones in all their forms are not welcome within the haven. As an added bonus, the humans have something of a… morbid curiosity regarding the wolves of Sophos."

“Oh?" I whispered.

“You'll understand in time," Athena answered.

“So, would we be actual diplomats or…" I whispered.

“No, you would actually be aides for one of our top diplomats," Athena answered.

“… When do we need to decide?" I wondered.

“If you accept, I'd like you to leave for Greengate tomorrow morning. You'd meet up with the rest of the diplomats, and take a train to the haven," Athena said.

“A train!?" I said in surprise.

“The human nations rely on their hatred of us to keep their own population under control. If they learned that any hybrids were within their territory, then there would be mass riots. Secrecy is key here, and Tel-Adra is close enough to the border that we could connect our trains to it."

“I see," I said.

“Anything else you're curious about?" Athena wondered.

I looked around, but the others seemed too occupied with their own thoughts, “No… Thank you, Athena. We'll contact you once we've discussed this amongst ourselves."

“As you wish…" Athena answered, and the screen faded to black once more.

John rose from his chair, and looked at me, “I want some time to ponder in this private… How about we reconvene in an hour or two?"

I nodded at John, “Sure, go ahead…"

Peter glanced back at John as he walked off, and then focused on me, “… I think I'll take that offer as well."

Hmm…

“Alright… Take the time you need," I said.

Peter made a quick smile and got up as he walked off.

Allen stared at the blank screen, and it made me wonder whether he was deep in thought, or if he might even be talking to someone telepathically.

“Allen?" I wondered.

Allen's ears perked as he looked back at me, “… Just thinking, I'm fine."

I nodded back at him, and figured it was time for a glass of water… or tea, or anything just to get me walking. As I pushed myself up, I noticed that Marcus seemed to be waiting by the back of the room.

Hmm…

I approached and stopped outside reaching distance, “… Marcus."

Marcus motioned toward the kitchen, “Can we… talk for a moment."

I nodded, “Lead the way."

512 A.R. February 24, Aux-base 46 – K** itchen**, Evening

Marcus remained silent while I focused on the water boiler. As it began to rumble, I flicked it off, picked it up, and filled my cup. It didn't take long before a scent of Earl Gray began to fill the air.

“Are you really going to Tel-Adra?" Marcus asked.

I perked one ear, grabbed my cup, and turned around to face Marcus, “That depends on the others, but I'd be up for it."

Marcus stared back at me, and he seemed little more than a shadow of the near feral display of anger from earlier. Lost and confused, as if what I was saying didn't make a lick of sense to him.

“… Why?" Marcus asked.

Why?

I brought the cup to the edge of my lips, felt that it was too hot for comfort, and eased it back, “I'm in a position where I can help. Who am I to say no?"

Marcus blinked, “… You'll have to excuse me, but that's a load of bull."

“… Hmm?" I wondered.

Marcus stepped closer, “No one lives with that kind of philosophy. It would be destructive to even the most gentle and patient of people."

I drew a deep breath. “True. There's much pain in the world, but we choose our battles. Where to help, what to focus on, and so on. We want to help, but there's a limit to all things."

“So, no answer?" Marcus asked.

I raised one hand and motioned to him, “I can't settle my life until I figure certain things out. Seeing Sophos for what it really is, how it all fits together, and what the rest of humanity is like… are a few of those questions. I believe this might reveal some of those answers. If that's not enough for you, then consider that much of the suffering in my life is most likely due to the influence of the Luminaire."

“So, it's about revenge?" Marcus asked.

I shook my head, “No, it's not about revenge. I want to stop them because I want there to be a tomorrow. If I sat down and did nothing, then I would spend the rest of my life—most likely underground—wondering if I could have changed things."

“… So, it's to save the world?" Marcus asked.

I couldn't help but stifle a chuckle, “I'm afraid I don't have the ego to think of myself like that, nor would I want the pressure of feeling like the world depends on me."

“… But you are still willing to go out there, and you're willing to bring the others with you?"

I considered it for a moment, and settled it with a simple nod as I took a sip from my mug.

Marcus' arms sank to his sides, and he looked away as if uncertain what to think. After a few moments, he drew a deep breath, and finally came to focus on me once more.

“I want to apologize," Marcus said.

“For?" I wondered.

Marcus shifted uncomfortable and made something of a sigh, “… For blaming you, for shouting at you. There were a lot of things we could have done differently, but we didn't. Now we have to live with the consequences."

“Yes," I whispered.

“If Monty recovers from his injuries, then he'll wake up lost and confused… without a pack, without his twin brother. I'll be the only remnant left… if he even remembers me," Marcus said.

I nodded in silence.

Marcus glanced toward the meeting room, “For a few moments, I considered asking to join your pack, at least for this mission. But after seeing you people, the way you work, the focus…"

“Hmm?" I wondered.

Marcus looked back at me, “I'm not strong enough, and even if I were, I don't think I'd be mentally ready to take on something like this… That is, assuming you'd even entertain the idea of letting me join."

I sipped my cup in silence.

Marcus reached up to feel his temple, while his ears clamped back, “… That's what I thought."

I put the cup aside and sighed, “I wasn't passing judgment on you, Marcus. Even under regular circumstances, it'd be one hell of a thing to consider, but now… with tensions as they are, with my own pack struggling, there's no way I or the others would be able to bring a fifth into the fold overnight."

Marcus looked up, “You're right, of course. I realize that as well… I mean, if I was serious about joining. Anyway, I'll be by Monty's side when he wakes up, he'll need it."

I nodded back at him, “I hope that things look up for all of us, and if you need support in the future, then we'll lend a hand. Alright?"

Marcus grew a faint but warm smile, “I'll keep that in mind, Vilkas."

I smiled back, while Marcus turned to leave. Something in my gut, an instinct, pulled on me.

“Wait," I said.

Marcus perked his ears in surprise, and glanced back.

“… Have you spent the last few days alone?" I wondered.

“… Basically," Marcus said.

I glanced away, “Not to be weird, but… I feel like you shouldn't be alone during the night."

Marcus appeared surprised as his smile grew a little more, “I appreciate the thought, but I'm actually gonna take a train out of here and head home."

I looked back at him, “I see. Good luck… Marcus."

Marcus gave me another nod, turned around and walked out.

Minutes passed, and I was left with my own thoughts.

Gaze upon the far side of the moon… Does this lead me closer to that goal? I doubt it…

With a sigh, I took another sip from the cup. A sudden signal knocked on my mind, a video call… from Father.

I guess all of it has been released to the public archives…

The call kept knocking as I looked around the kitchen.

No screens… Guess I'll take it in the dining area…

I walked out of the kitchen, connected with the screen once more, and relayed the call to it.

The screen flicked to life, and Father's face was zoomed in to a point where he was almost nuzzling the lens. His eyes were a bit frantic, and I stared back at him, cup of tea in my hand.

He blinked, and I could see his shoulders slouch, as he let out a deep groan, “You're alive…"

I lowered the cup and let a big smile grow, “It happened a few days ago, in fact."

Father grew a quick frown, “… For your sake, I hope you spent the last few days in a medical pod."

I chuckled back, “I did… Apologies for not calling any sooner."

“You didn't call at all, Vilkas," Father said as his brow twitched.

“True," I whispered and tipped my head to the side.

Father let out a sudden grunt as he was pushed aside and Mother took his place, “Vilkas."

My ears perked as I heard her tone of voice, “… Yes, Mother?"

She simply stared at me for a moment, as if somehow reading my brain through the screen.

“… We're glad you're alright," Mother whispered.

I made a slow nod, “Same here… Same here."

Father spoke from the background, “How are the others?"

“They're coping, as for-"

Mother leaned closer to the camera, “It's not your fault, Vilkas."

“… I know," I whispered.

“When are you coming home?" Father asked from the background.

I drew a deep breath, “Actually, we might be leaving for another mission tomorrow."

This time it was Mother that was shoved out of the way, and Father filled the view once more. This time he seemed intense enough that he'd bared his teeth.

“What!?" Father snapped.

I motioned with one hand to calm him, “Might, if the others agree, and we'd be acting as aides for a diplomat… Not venture through caves with mech suits."

Father blinked, “Aides? For what diplomat, and where!?"

I opened my muzzle, but was interrupted as Mother spoke up, “Tel-Adra, if I were to guess. Athena's been working her diplomatic corps hard ever since this started."

Father looked back at her, “Tel-Adra is within UCS territory."

Mother moved up next to Father as she peered into the camera, “Deep underground, connected by rail, right?"

I nodded.

Father muttered to himself as he looked at me, ears flat as he motioned with his hands, “Vilkas… Tel-Adra is no place for wolves. The grass-munchers can barely stand it, and that's with the drugs they take to numb themselves."

“… That's a bit dramatic, isn't it?" I wondered.

Father sighed in annoyance, “There's are good reasons why a lot of reptiles end up there, and why most diplomats can only bear it for a few years."

“Well, all the more reason to learn for myself, right?" I said.

Father stared for a moment, drew a deep breath, and made a quick huff, “Well, that's true, but…"

“But?" I asked.

Mother leaned in, and motioned to me, “If this is what you have to do, then do it. But if things get tough and it doesn't work out, return home. No one gains from an incident with wolves in the diplomatic haven of Tel-Adra, understand?"

I nodded, “Agreed… I'll be keeping a close eye on the others and myself…"

Father motioned to Mother, “What she said… Anyway, isn't it a bit hasty to leave in the morning? You all woke up from… significant trauma based on the summary I read."

“If the pack agrees to this mission, we'll ship out to Greengate tomorrow. No dawdling."

Mother gave Father a feline smirk while her tail flicked past in the background, “Think he got that from you, or me?"

Father perked his brow as he glanced down, “I shudder at the thought of him inheriting it from us both."

“… And I'm still here," I whispered.

Mother chuckled as she looked back at me, “Jokes aside… How are you, Vilkas? Really?"

I pondered it for a moment, and traced the cup's surface with my claws, “I don't know, to be honest."

“Hmm?" Father murmured as he inched up to the camera.

I looked up and met his gaze, “I've been in tough situations before, but those only involved me, or Jason at most. Now, with the entire pack… That was a different kind of fear. It feels as if it… dug into me, and it won't let go."

Father made a slow, but understanding nod as his gaze focused on me, “As unpleasant as it is, and while irrational at times, it's not a feeling that should be dismissed. You can't replace a life that has been lost."

Kato… Reville… And Monty is…

I gulped, “Yes, that has become abundantly clear to me."

Mother whispered, “Is there anything we can do, Vilkas? We can stay here and talk, for as long you want."

I held the cup tight, “Not to be rude or anything, but I'm looking forward to curling up with the others. Just to feel their presence, relax in their scent, and just… be."

Father smiled back, “Then do that… We can talk another time, Vilkas."

I nodded, “Love you… Both of you."

Mother chuckled, “We love you too, Vilkas… Both of us."

512 A.R. February 24, Aux-base 46 – R** esidential Suite , N ***ight*

I followed Peter's scent through the hallways and found myself outside one of the residential suites. As I lowered the shield around me mind, I could feel his presence within the room. He wanted time for himself, so I simply leaned onto the nearby wall, and figured I'd wait. It felt like a better solution than-

Peter's presence knocked on my mind, and as I let it in, I could hear his voice inside my head.

'Hi…'

'Hi, Peter,' I thought as I stood beside the door.

'… Were you going to sit down and wait for me to finish my pondering?' Peter wondered.

I smiled to myself, 'I was, yes.'

'I finished a long time ago, now I'm just… Staring at the ceiling, feeling silly,' Peter whispered.

I chuckled, 'Tired?'

'Exhausted… I've been asleep for days, fell asleep in that closet earlier, and I still feel as if I could fall asleep any moment,' Peter answered.

'Want company?' I wondered, and leaned my head against the door.

'I'm afraid that if I fall asleep, I'll wake up in that place again,' Peter whispered.

'You won't,' I thought, grabbing the door handle.

'This kind of fear isn't logical,' Peter thought.

I pushed the door handle down, pushed the door open, and glanced into the room. Peter was lying on the bed, clad in nothing more than his bushy brown fur, and turned his head to glance at me.

'Ready for bed, I see…' I thought.

Peter smirked at me, and opened his muzzle to speak, “How do think this kind of telepathy will affect our society?"

I shut the door behind me, faced Peter once more, and approached, “It's becoming easier to use telepathy, but it's still an extra 'unnatural' step which I have to focus on."

“Compared to talking?" Peter asked.

I stepped up to the bed, reached back, and undid the latch on the shorts that held onto my tail, “Yeah, talking is… natural and simple."

Peter drew a deep breath and kept his eyes locked to my own, “Isn't that because it's how we grew up? What we're used to."

I let the shorts drop to the floor, kicked them out of the way, and let my tail swing free. While the shorts were simple, even they were a bother when it came to fur. An urge rippled through me as I shook my body and let the fur resettle.

Once done, I sighed in relief, and focused on Peter once more, “Athena has repeatedly told me that when it comes to things like this, I should ask myself the question, listen to my instincts, and I'll most likely be right."

Peter frowned, “Sounds rather… egotistical in a way."

“Well, it doesn't apply to everything, but I think it might apply to telepathy. So, tell me how you feel about it?" I said.

Peter smiled, “Well… It's certainly a very useful ability. But as you say, it's an extra step which doesn't feel natural. As such I think that people, even in the future, will primarily talk with one another. Not just because it's simpler, but because we listen to the conversations of others to pick on a variety of things."

I sat down on the edge of the bed and scooted back until I could peer down at him. “We do tend to leak thoughts though, whether we want to or not."

Peter nodded, “Yeah, I noticed that when I read up on the topic."

Then there's the telepathic network that Etemenanki spoke of…

No clue whether it works as she suggested… Yet another thing to investigate when I have the time…

“Can you block off your mind yet?" I wondered.

“I think so," Peter whispered, “I've been… observing the others with the telepathy, and Allen kept flicking his thoughts on and off."

“Do it," I whispered.

Peter drew a deep breath, shut his eyes, and seemed to focus. After a few moments, the emotional beacon of his mind faded away until there was little more than neutral whisper.

“Yeah, you know how to do it," I said.

Peter sighed, relaxed and let the shield drop once more, “… I don't want to hide, but at the same time, I don't want my thoughts being radiated all over the place."

“Well, you already seem to have mastered the part of keeping your thoughts at bay," I said.

Peter made a cheeky grin, “John is learning as well, which means all of us will be able to have fun with your memories soon."

“Oh, what joy," I whispered and tipped my head.

Peter chuckled, then reached out with a hand as he caught my tail. Sometimes it still felt weird when people touched it—a tickle along your spine that could give you a wide variety of sensations, ranging from soothing, sensual, and deeply unnerving.

This touch, as he gently combed the fur and massaged the length of the tail, was soothing—but also rather sensual. Based on Peter's smile, and the way his own tail gently tapped the bed, he knew exactly how I felt.

I did my best to ignore it and watched his face. The way his eyes seemed to glitter and the way his muzzle hung open while he panted a little. He was happy.

I reached out with my hand and gently touched his ear. He ignored me for a few moments, then slowly leaned back against the pillow as he turned to look at me.

He blinked in wonder, while I leaned in and simply… observed him. I caught his rich peppery scent, observed his cute black nose. The way his canines poked out as he stared at me in wonder. He still had eyebrows of sorts, consisting of thicker, bushier fur that gave him a prominent frown if he focused.

Peter's ears wiggled a little as my fingers drifted along his features, and his eyes sought me as they followed my own movements ever so softly. They were of a rich hazel color, in tune with the rest of his brown fur. I smiled a little, and began to ease back.

“Don't stop," Peter whispered.

“Hmm?" I wondered.

“… You're looking at me differently," Peter whispered.

“Am I?" I wondered.

“… As if you're actually seeing me," Peter whispered.

My ears perked in surprise, “I always see you, Peter."

Peter smiled a little and shook his head, “No… You don't, not like this."

I tipped my head, “Should I be… sorry?"

Peter chuckled, “No, silly… I like that you're finally seeing me. What are you thinking about?"

“Right now?" I wondered.

“Mm," Peter whispered, as I began to play with his fur again.

“… I was wondering what you looked like before this, as a human," I said.

Peter perked his bushy brow, “That's… odd."

I shrugged, “Just for a moment, I was curious."

Peter glanced to the side, “Well, I can't say I've bothered to keep photos."

“Our human selves are still a part of us," I said.

Peter looked back at me, “They are, but now we're something new. I want you to see the real me, the wolf that cares about you… The wolf that wants to do better and be by your side."

“I do see you, Peter… Perhaps a bit clearer now," I said.

His smile grew wide and full of teeth, in one of those moments where he simply forgot himself.

After a few moments, his smile began to relax, “I say we keep going… We head to Tel-Adra, and we figure it all out. Then, we head home."

I nodded, “Mm, if the others agree."

“I think they will," Peter said.

There was a knock on the door, and I glanced back. The door opened moments later, and John peeked in, followed by Allen. Peter eased himself into a sitting position, and perked his brow at the two. “You two have the worst timing."

John chuckled, “What? No humping this time either?"

Peter huffed, “Compared to some, it's possible to have honest and caring conversations."

The two walked in, and Allen shut the door behind him.

John motioned with his hands in the air, “Yeah, because I remember when we first met. Wandering the forest, waving your dick around, trying so hard to be a badass it was sheer cringe."

Peter frowned and let out a low growl.

Allen walked up next to the bed, and smiled as he locked eyes with me for a moment. “We were pretty silly back then. More like humans clad in fur who had only just gotten a taste of their instincts… Like when we tried to fall asleep in the forest… snuggled up next to each other near that beach."

John chuckled and looked back at Allen as he began to ease out of his shorts, “Snuggled up… We were more like a pack of stiff dominoes trying to stay warm."

Allen smiled as he began to unlatch his shorts, “Still, I'm fond of those memories."

John had an odd smile as he looked at Allen—confused yet curious, “You, talking this much, and calling those old memories fond… Who are you, and what did you do with Allen?"

Allen threw John a quick stare and huffed as he let his shorts drop to the floor.

Peter spoke up, “And you never change, John."

John jumped in surprise and looked back, “… I change. I've changed a lot."

“Maybe a little bit," Peter mused with a smile.

I leaned back in the big bed, and settled next to Peter, “Not to ruin this little moment, but did the rest of you come to a decision?"

Allen nodded, “We did… Well, I did, John did, and then we talked about it some more while tracking you guys down."

John nodded, and crawled onto the bed, “We both think we should take Athena's offer."

“Then it's settled, and we'll head of first thing tomorrow," I said.

“Mm," John murmured, and leaned over me, “Big spoon? Little spoon? Or just a pile?"

I glanced up at Allen, “One way or another, we're going to wake up in a pile, so…"

“Pile it is," Allen whispered, as he began to climb over me.