Epilogue
Marsha stepped into the penthouse of the Voidbreaker news conference center, her heels clicking a staccato rhythm that seemed to punctuate the fabric of the meld. The protesting cries of the demi-human secretary faded as she swung the executive suite door closed behind her, sealing her within the expansive room that boasted a panoramic view of the tumultuous planet Aris below.
The office was opulent, its vastness and decor undercut only by the presence of a lifeless figure slumped in one of the guest chairs. Carmen, the Solar kraken lay unmoving, a lifeless marionette with tendrils draped limply over the arms of its massive chair. Marsha's gaze lingered on Carmen's vacant eyes before she spoke.
"Alright, I've held up my end," Marsha announced, her voice echoing off the high walls. She settled into another guest chair, smoothing the fabric of her skirt. "We're square now. I expect my spot on the ladder, just like we agreed."
Silence loomed until it was broken by a faint melody that hummed to life, as if conjured from the Aether itself. Marsha looked up, following the sound, and watched an arachnid form descend gracefully from the shadows above. The Spider Queen, landed without a sound, her many-legged silhouette casting a web of shadows across the glossy floor.
As Kristina moved, mana suffused the space between them, weaving an ambiance that felt both ancient and alive. Around the perimeter of the room, candles flickered to life, their flames dancing to the rhythm of the tune that now filled the air. The effect was hypnotic syncing with Marsha's own pulse.
Marsha paid it no mind.
The window overlooking Aris became a lens, zooming in to capture two ships being chased by several Voidbreaker battle scouts.
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"Thank you, Marsha," came Kristina's calm, measured tone.
Marsha's eyes remained on the distant ships, her thoughts adrift in the potentialities of choices made. The ships' descent cast a pall over the room.
"We should expect quite the chaos on the surface, much sooner than anticipated," Kristina intoned, her words falling like silk-wrapped lead weights. She tilted her massive arachnid head, multifaceted eyes reflecting a universe of possibilities. "The girl, what do you believe she'll decide, given the choice?"
Marsha's gaze lingered on the screen. "She ain't the spearbreaker," she began. "Got no love for beasts... but she..." A pause, a moment to gather her thoughts. "She might give 'em a chance, I s'pose. Depends on how the Bastion fools treat her."
A ripple of chitters emanated from Kristina's throat, amusement lacing the vibration. The sound echoed off the walls, mingling with the mana-drenched air. "And the sushi boy? What do you make of him – could he be our mole?"
Marsha's frown crinkled the space between her brows, her fingers absent-mindedly twisting a strand of yarn. "Sam," she murmured, the name carrying a weight of hidden tales. "He’s wrangled control over half the Itana zone's underground channels. A marvel of a mortal, lurking unseen." She leaned back, her chair sighing softly as silver bangles clinked in agreement. "Reminds me of the Spearbreaker—in some ways. But I have no idea if he’s affiliated—" Her eyes flickered with an unspoken bet. "Personally, I’m more curious about your boy… "
“I rather prefer your girl. Care to trade?”
“Hmph. Even if you count your vote, she would still need three.”
A silence held with the unasked and unanswered. Marsha nudged the quiet aside with a question that had been clawing at her thoughts. "Why didn’t you meet with Jaxon? After all this time?"
Kristina's form seemed almost to contract, her many eyes dimming like eclipsed stars. "It is enough that he has ferried the key to us. His presence here, now... it is no small thing. This timing is too convenient."
They turned together, watching as two vessels, like twin heartbeats against the night sky, pierced the planet's barrier. The ships' passage was silent but momentous, harbingers of change in their descent.
Roko
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