Chapter 29 – Destiny Damocles

 

Caleb, Veronica, Jel and Nefcy walked through a gate, a gigantic golden arch overhead meeting their way as they headed up an ivory tower. Jel was wearing her favorite black corset and black pencil skirt. The other behind Caleb were wearing golden dresses and tights they'd found at a marketplace. On top of that she had black and silver boots, to add to her dark ensemble she was wearing purple gloves. The boy had been up and down this palace countless times by now, he took in the amazement of his friends as they marveled the smooth cloth, silk and ivory decorating every single corner. The first thing he noticed as he went up was the lack of male servants typically present. Soon they approached the throne room. He looked around for a servant to let them in, but didn't see one for a while, so he knocked twice. "Come on inside." A voice responded. The boy let himself in and the 3 followed.

On a glamorous throne, Goliath or 'Nathan' as he went by sat, legs perched forward as he leaned back and stared at the ceiling. Beside him Astrid, with a gilded artificial leg and an eyepatch stood protective at the new Domina's side. She spoke, "Welcome ladies, welcome. How was your journey?" she asked as she poured them a cup of tea, eyeing Caleb as abit of a jab to not include any male greetings. "The journey was just fine," Nefcy said. "I haven't been in Orchid since I was little, so is nice seeing the place again!", she licked her hands and then ran her claws down some drapes. The ruler spoke up, "It is a pleasure to see you all again." He told them, and the three all stood a moment to see his face, looking around the throne room. His typical helmet, the helmet of an overlord was absent, Goliath wearing only his metallic armor. "I do hope the little tournament you witnessed last time didn't scare you off too much. That's very typical of Orchid you know."

The 3 girls glanced at each other with a worried shrug, but Caleb raised their hand and hopped forward. "Not at all. You challenged the previous ruler in a formal dual and won, earning your right to the throne. That's just how things run around here!" Goliath nodded, but he pushed back, "Still, you're not so sure are you? I can see it in your eyes. Anyway.." He threw his arms out.

"I am the Domina, now bow to me!" He said. The 4 stared awkwardly.

"Joking of course. We're going to be a chill religious order, we don't bow here my chooms." He chuckled.

The group of 4 all looked at each other, not saying a thing as Nefcy was about to raise her hand to say something, Caleb shot forward to grab it before she could speak. "You will let my dear friends talk before I do yes? It is customary here." He responded, and the trio nodded back. Veronica perked up, she took out a notebook and pen then spoke to the new Domina, "We wanted sent to see if your rule was truly just and honorable."

Goliath paused, "Well you’re not one of us... I don't see why you're even here."

Nefriset took up for her friend, "But our friend in common who was with us, is from here. Orchid is beautiful. It’s also Thatti’s home. It is a fine world and its people deserve someone like you who will not let the corruption infect his heart. You are like a beacon of hope, Nathan-Ne." Caleb nodded his head, "They are speaking the truth. This is a wonderful land with good people."

The Domina gazed upon Nefcy, sitting up straighter and trying to sound a little stern. "You think my rule is good?" He asked. "Coming from a Set and a Gem all in one."

"Yes Nathan-Ne! Under you, you've declared all gems to be no longer property, I think that's great nyuuu! You've already got every gem supporting you, you're doing such a great job!"

Goliath sat there looking at Caleb for a long moment, then he leaned in and spoke as he was looking right at the boy's eyes, "Are you telling me the truth now?" He leaned his head back, Caleb nodding "I want you to know I'm telling the truth. Me and my friends, as Xi nationals want to pledge our support to your new regime."

Suddenly a noise began coming from the corner of the room. A deep humming sounded as the 4 watched the floor, a panel coming up to reveal a staircase. From it walked out a girl, pale skin with red marks all across her body, her now dyed-red hair was parted into two thick braids, both of which were tied in a bow at the

top. Her clothes were a gothic-ish, black corset, black fishnet and black high boots with silver buckles. On her hip was a black parasol, and on her wrist a white ring. As she walked, she hummed along, looking bored as she walked up and stood before the throne. Goliath smirked, "Oh she doesn't answer to me. Her name is Jack."

"Oooo, got guests?" She said, before recognizing Caleb. "A fun one too. But we've already met, haven't we?" She ran over and licked Caleb's cheek, "Girly good to see you, sweet cheeks, you are?" She smirked and ran her claw down Caleb's chest, her claw then ran up his face to his lip.

"I thought all the males in her court were forbidden. Malllles, right?" Jack teased, winking at the boy. Caleb rolled his eyes, "Shut up, Jack."

She snickered, "What's a matter, not going to tell me everything?" She'd had more than her own share of exploration when kidnapping Caleb awhile back, the knowledge didn't escape her.

Nefcy spoke up, "Your holiness." The girl scratched the back of her head. "I'd like to ask about Thatti." The room went deathly grim and silent.

"Ah yes, my sister. The loving little brat that the late Domina sent to the tournament. She challenged me and

worked with assassins immediately after my victory, hoping to win the throne for herself. But I saw through her deception and she was caught." Goliath replied, "The girl was locked away in my dungeons, where she met her end." The pale girl grinned and shook her head, "Awwww, why'd ya do dat. Why'd ya kill her? She was adorable." The group of 4 exchanged horrified glances, but Caleb's expression seemed rather feigned.

"I'm joking I'm joking, geez. You think I'd execute my own sister that easily? Even for Orchid that's a little bit harsh." He crosses his legs. "Was likely seeking revenge for our mother. She ran away from the dungeon weeks ago, I just wanted to talk things out but she wouldn't listen and left." Goliath glared at the pale woman, but his frown only deepened when she spoke up again.

"But you know who's better than her, right?"

The girls all looked at each other, then back at Caleb. Jack was staring down at the boy, "Becca. You like it like that, right? After what you went through, I'm sure you'd rather not have to deal with her right now." He said. Jel looked up at the gleaming chandelier, catching their reflections in her eye and frowning slightly. "What's he talking about?"

"Don't worry about it." Caleb pushed away a clingy and waved his hand at Goliath, who continued to leer at the boy, "You wanna talk more? Maybe in private?"

Goliath nodded to himself, then looked at his new 3 guests. "Do you think she's going to be all right?"

The two Xi'an girls didn't know what to say until Nefcy pushed them to opposite sides and beamed. "Ne- Thatti will be just fine! Don't underestimate her!"

Jack smirked, "Well then you betta go catch her, cuz she ain't never comin' back to you on her own."

Nefcy nodded, pushing Jack out of the way. "Of course!" They all looked at Jack, who snickered as she walked out of the room.

Goliath turned to Caleb. "Come this way. Astrid, why don't you fix his friends dinner while we have some more intimate conversation."

The new Domina sighed, then gestured to the girls. "I'll be back." He said to them as he and Caleb left upstairs to sit at a long table, he tapped a button on a strange device that looked similar to the holocasters they had in Xi. "Are you really so secure about being a Domina this young?" The boy asked nervously.

"Yes, because I have allies." Five holographic figures zoomed in, appearing as dark shaded silhouettes around the table, each sitting in a separate seat. One from each realm: Solar Society. AU.

Bedlam. Abyss. Orchid. Yokos. Sitting as Orchid's representative was Goliath, and standing in for Xi was Caleb himself. "Domina Nathaniel, we greet you today. We trust you enjoy your reign." The figure from AU's seat said.

"So, Caleb," Goliath began, his voice low and measured. "Let's discard the pleasantries. What do you really

want?" The boy's face hardened. "A strong, secure Orchid," he said without hesitation. "An Orchid capable of defending itself against external threats. Under your rule, that can happen."

The holographic figures stirred with uneasy whispers. The Solar Society leader, a stern-faced woman with a long blond hair, interjected, "Defending itself? Or expanding, young one?" A flash of irritation crossed Goliath's face, but his voice remained even. "Expanding our borders and influence is only logical. A weak Orchid is vulnerable, is it not?"

Caleb's eyes narrowed. "It depends on who you consider a threat." The room crackled with unspoken tension. "What you said about Thatti running away from your dungeon. That was a lie, wasn't it?" He folded his arms. Goliath smiled. "I'd imagine you're correct in your assumption, that it was a lie. I knew your curiosity would lead to an investigation." Caleb sighed. "You know why I'm here." The boy continued. "Ah, so you're telling me you're on our side?" He asked Caleb securely. "How do you feel about that, choom?" He asked.

The boy cocked his head at the Domina, and he chuckled. "I have abit to say." He took a deep breath and began to explain everything that'd happened between him and Becca, the conversation widening Goliath's eyes and dilating his pupils as he listened. Caleb eventually recounted their betrayal and splitting up, and told him he knew Thatti wasn't with them anymore. "I can't believe Becca would put me through all that. Why on earth didn't she just say something? Even Thatti wouldn't lie to me like that or just leave me here." He stopped short. "I don't know, what you did to Thatti. It hurts a little bit to think about, maybe it was bad. Maybe that makes you the bad guy, but, I also made a promise to a girl."

"A girl?" The Domina folded his arms forward and leaned ahead, listening attentively.

"Yeah, her name is Jetti. I promised her I'd help bring Becca to justice after, some awful things she did once." He said.

Goliath pulled back into his chair, as Caleb nodded. The Domina smiled as he rested his hands behind his head. "Well you'll have plenty of opportunities for that. There will be a war soon, my dear," he replied. "We're going to make one happen."

The boy turned and looked at the holograms. Goliath continued. "Through the Xi alliance holds strong, it also stands in the way of our true goal. And whether we achieve it, that depends on the Xistress." The images moved about and a few voices whispered together. Goliath's grin spread as the silhouettes broke into laughter. "I know it's just a girl. But the Xistress always hold more power than we know, and I'm counting on yours. I want you to lead us in that side of things in Xi, against the Xistress. You'll need allies to help with that. " He looked at Caleb. "Against the Xistress? Are you asking me to-" The boy shook.

"Yes. You will be one to work our way into Xi, it's alot to ask but I know your true calling. Do you understand what I’m asking of you? We need an Xi’an to take charge of Xi and see our goals thru." The boy felt like he was about to blush at the idea. "What do you think, my dear?" Caleb's breathing deepened.

Goliath continued, his smile widening, his eyes narrowing, "There's something about me and my people you should know. I am not a cruel leader." His smile melted away. "Not like I was. Not like the old Goliath Nezra. I took action against the Domina to secure power, but Thatti.." He stopped short. "Well, Becca resisted me. I love my home, all I've ever wanted is to be a cool Domina so the other leaders like me."

Caleb's eyes darkened. "What happened to you?" The boy asked, though he knew the answer.

Goliath's voice was even, his face an unreadable mask. "It doesn't matter now. That was then, this is now." His smile grew. "I just want you to know how I've changed." Caleb leaned forward. "I don't need to be convinced, and I don't want to be." He said, straightening out. "Now, what do you want of me?" Goliath leaned back in his chair again. "That I'm afraid to tell you. That is a secret only known to the Xistress, and my mother. As an all powerful ruler for the first time, I'm going to tell you it.." He gave a good long pause. "What I'm going to tell you was a secret even to my sister." He spun around in his chair and dismissed the holograms, each of them flickering. "Do you know the tale of Rose Quartz of Orchid?"

Caleb's brow furrowed. "An all-powerful ruler, a gem warlord on the surface of Gaia. Fought alongside the Domina against the rebelling Diamonds. They were a hero, atleast that's what Thatti told me." He scratched his head.

Goliath nodded. "You know that she helped free the surface of Gaia from Gems. She took up arms against her people, fought a great war. But the truth is, Rose as a war criminal, a Gem who used force to achieve her aims, and a monster. Not everyone wanted to believe that." The holograms crackled and shimmered, revealing a familiar voice. "I'm going to change that. I have a singular goal to reach beyond Xi. And I'm going to do it by reclaiming an artifact of Rose Quartz." The boy raised his eyebrows. "The Heart of Rose Quartz. A Sentient Star. It has no connection to her, yet it had to be destroyed. I tried doing it with Thatti, but things got a little more complicated. If I can collect the remainder of Rose's heart, I can defeat anything in my path and reach Harvest."

The boy paused.

"So... what do you want me to do? Find the pieces?" He said. "Do you really need me to t-take over Xi? That seems like a tall task. I mean I’m down for it but, how the hell am I supposed to do that?"

“I'll help you however you'll like." Goliath answered, holding his hand out. Caleb took a deep breath, then took his hand. The Domina's face glowed, and he gave a slight laugh. "You won't regret it, I'm a cool Domina. The coolest there is." The boy looked down as they shook hands. His heart fluttered, and in that moment, Caitlyn knew they'd made some sort of pact with the devil. For Goliath however, a new power acquiesced into his being. An ally against Xi, and the spark within this child that was only just beginning to awaken. “Trust me, I have a plan. You’re going to be on Galanet media blazing, hitting the screens as the one everyone acknowledges in a few years time. Once we reach that point- Sandra won’t even be an issue anymore.”

Downstairs, the group ate some manner of roast and soup in the dining hall. Astrid served the girls an elaborate meal, her expression betraying nothing as she stood aside watching them.

Nefcy turned to Jel, who was staring out the window. "They think we're too young for this sort of thing." She turned and stared back at Veronica, "They think we're children who don't know what's going on. This was a coup, a violent insurrection." Veronica turned. "Don't look at me like that. We're Xi'ans. This had nothing to do with us, this happened in Orchid countless times. As a journalist, I try to stay impartial and objective." Jel stared out the window, biting her lip and twisting around in her seat. "I'm not afraid." She said. "Maybe Thatti's bro will be a cool leader. Or maybe he'll be some sort of maniac tyrant, maybe he’ll get beheaded or Thatti will come back, murder him and be a sickass tyrant herself. Either way I'm here for it. It’s all 1’s and 0’s to me."

"But how are you guys gonna find Thatti?" Nefcy asked, putting a slice of cake in her mouth. Veronica looked at the wall, before looking back at Nefriset. "We think she can handle it," Jel responded. "If we find her, we'll help her out and sort out our feelings. I don't typically take sides, but I think we can hang with her brother for awhile, Caleb seems very insistent we do."

"But isn't she your furriend?" Nefcy asked. "This guy killed her mother and attacked her, no? Shouldn't he be your enemy?"

"Correction, she attacked him. I was there, I saw her strike first." Veronica sighed. "It's, understandable I suppose. This is some real bloodthirsty Orchid action. A feud, I could get the scoop of the century here." She scoffed at those last words. "And, I'm a civilian. We're just schoolgirls, we cannot have 'enemies' like you battle ready gems can. What, you think we're going to be able to do anything?"

Nefcy purred. "Eh, well from what I saw Nathan tried to cut off Ni-Thatti's head before the Domina blocked. To attack his own sister like that? Is that fair in a fight?"

"Like I said, it's Orchid." Veronica huffed. "You want to get all emotional about this? We knew her for a few months but, it's not like we knew everything about Thatti or her situation. And if we act rash, we could lose the opportunity to find her. By that reasoning trying to fight her superpowered brother would be a bad idea."

"Oh." Nefcy looked up at the other two girls. "Alright. I mean, I was ready for anything to happen here. But it's your decision." Jel looked at her, and the two shared a nervous laugh. Veronica scoffed and walked out of the room. Jel and Nefcy followed, but Nefcy stopped a moment to look at Jel. "Did you really eat all that?"

Jel turned and looked out the window again, "I don't really think any of this matters. Nathan and Thatti can duke it out and try to kill each other if they want, I'll just chill on the sides and do what I do. Not gonna take

sides tho. Astrid offered us some guest rooms, so I think I'm gonna go to bed." She pushed out of the seat and out of the dining hall, leaving Nefriset and Veronica to watch after her.

"What's with her?" Nefcy swung her tail confused.

"She hates conflict, or confronting any sort of emotional dilemma. Llavalites have kind of a sore history with the question of 'taking sides." Veronica said very confidently.

Nefcy finished her plate and bent a spoon. "O-ooh. But I can't help but worry. I don't know, Veronica. Ne- Thatti's my first bestest gurlfriend, my fellow Set-sister. You guys are my friends too, and I trust you guys but... I don't know." She looked out the window up at the cloudy sky. "I don't know."

She sighed, biting her lip. "But it's a question. Is Thatti or Becca my furriend, or my enemy? What about you?" Veronica looked away. "I don't want to talk about this." Nefcy blinked, her eyes glistening. "Vera..."

As Jack watched the group, she slowly walked outside and headed into the garden where she could be alone. The skies were filled with ships, the sort that auntie Veena had brought in alongside those of Arachno-midnight and even the slowly assimilating Boy’s Liberation Front. They passed through slowly like clouds circling the purple moon, and were the essential powdered keg for a firestorm that would go off in a good amount of time. She laid in the grass and closed her eyes, mind going far into the past.

 

 

Into the Past

Traveling through a mountain-top on the vast world, Nathan had somehow managed to get some alone time away from his sordid palace and travel beyond Prospit’s moon. Imprisonment in those days had long become a jest, his new companions in many universes arranging all kinds of methods for him to travel outside with his busy mother’s neglect. Right behind Nathan, Jack walked with earmuffs and a silver sweater over her dark- grey flesh, the Obsidian gem shivering and fearing her surface might crack in the midst of their outing.

“Dad, can we take a break? This mountain kinda sucks.” She said, observing the large craters that were said to be radioactive from Gaia’s past at one point. She recalled hearing once that they took millions of Boys and mudmen to clean and irrigate and remove lethal poisons from the land, at a cost of enough lives to be considered a genocide in any other place. “It’s too damn cold up here.”

“Sweetie, this is where your mother taught me so many cool things! Wait until you get to the top view, you’ll want to stay frozen up there forever!”

“Yeah right.” Jack stomped her boots into the snow. “You’re always going missing for months at a time, training and coming back hurt or injured or on some mission with mom, why would I be happy to know this is one of those places?” Nathan heard her, picking up soft packets of snow to bunch into a ball. “Yeah, it’s difficult I know. But I’m trying my best!”

“I just don’t understand why you want me up here, you don’t have the time to train me anymore, I’m old enough to fight and take on big threats by now. Maybe I should just head out.” She pouted. “Sweetie.” He said. “I know you feel sad. But it won’t be forever. Once we conquer Aethel, we’ll have a better home to keep you, and you’ll be divine. So, until then can you please try to be a good student and stay focused?”

Jack rolled her eyes, the snow a constant companion but the wind making it feel more like a frigid, freezing companion. “How is Miss Beryl Blossom by the way? It was difficult getting a Glitterkiss Magus that’s sympathetic with the BLF to teach you and start your training, but she seems a good sort.”

Jack grumbled. “Last time she saw you, she was in a full body cast and cried the whole time, so I don’t know. You tell me.”

“I wonder why she’s not so keen to see you anymore.” She asked, picking a stick and dragging it along the snow. She watched it snap off in her grip, the stick and snow colliding and forming a thin crack of ice. “I guess she doesn’t like the guy I’m related to. Huh.” Her dark glossy hands began rotating the stick as it drilled through the soft white. “Or, maybe the person you REALLY are. Not this whole Nathan person you pretend to be, even with all your weird headaches.”

“Hey c’mon, I’m a good dad.” Goliath proclaimed. “Would a bad father take you on trips like this or get you gifts?” Jack pouted. “Dad, other parents get their kids dolls and take them to meet friends, that’s all I want. But last birthday you bought me a sharp knife, and I almost cut mom with it. The year before that, swords and an axe, then it was throwing stars prior, then daggers and a clawed gauntlet.”

“J-jack, those were very rare and well-crafted weapons! AU’s finest actually-”

“Give it a rest daddy.” She sighed. “Can we just, walk up this stupid mountain quietly?”

Goliath nodded. “As you wish princess. But just think of it this way, one day you’ll be a Magus and I’ll be a king with you at my side. And it’ll be awesome. You’ll love it, and our power and glory will be-“

"Lalala I cannot hear you!" Jack shoved her mitts over her ears and ran forward.

"Come back here! This is my mountain dammit!" Her father yelled, laughing and dashing after her like a pup.

They trudged forward together, a white silence slowly being pierced by the sound of footsteps and the wind howling past the peaks. It wasn't the first mountain they'd hiked up together, and as they passed by more of these radioactive pits and craters, Jack's memories of them grew ever more distant and dismal. Once the view opened up, they could see a small city built into the side of the snowcapped mountains that was once the home to the greatest Gaian Magi before she died in a recent war, an uprising of plants and mudmen harboring resistance leaders. The city was still there behind massive walls but abandoned, the sky a halo of purple and blue. The city had been used as a fortress for the first few years of her life, before the Domina had firebombed it with the local solar fleet and reduced the city's population to ruble. "There used to be 200000 subjects that lived in that city down there, many of them boys." Goliath told her. "My mom completely destroyed it, and everyone there was hunted and killed by inquisitors."

"What was wrong with them?" Jack looked down at the city.

"Nothing was wrong with them. Lyras just didn't like them getting so uppity, challenging her, threatening rebellion. She'd been a bit overzealous that day. I'm lucky we weren't there or we'd have been killed too."

"My mom's always being overzealous too." Jack said. "I hate it. Did you know last month she-"

"L-look jack I'm s-sorry. I just meant this is the way things are, you need to accept this. I'm sorry I didn't keep your mother under better control." He sighed. Astrid, could be quite alot. He honestly didn't know how much time he felt comfortable allowing Jack with her given how dangerous her mother was with her powers.

But losing Astrid would mean losing said powers, and he didn't dare risk that. Not with everything on the line.

"I've got one thing that maybe can help make up for that." He took out a black box and set it forward. "A gift! I'm sure you'll love it." Jack opened the box slowly, an Umbrella within. "An, Umbrella?" She asked.

"It's a Perceptcival device. Beryl Blossom has been teaching you all about how to use those with training ones right? Well this is the real thing, this is one of the more advanced than what she offered you Jack. It was quite difficult to get my hands on it.." She opened the device and took it in hand, the handle of the Umbrella firm in her hands. An Umbrella that was able to turn into a sword, a crowbar, a spear and even a crossbow at the magical twist of its hilt. Jack looked down at her umbrella, noticing the small inscription 'Princess to be'.

He patted her head and stroked her pigtails, soothing and leaning into the gem as they looked over the deep horizon of ruin. "You will grow into being a true magus with this, I know you'll prove useful for me.."

Jack didn't answer him. Somehow, his words made her feel emptier than those craters filled with hollow, packed soft static snow.