ushernet Chapter Thirty Six
Chapter Thirty Six
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Kaede moaned as her eyes fluttered open, every muscle felt as though it had been relieved of every and all stress, making her feel incredibly relaxed. Blinking away the stars in her vision, she found herself staring at a ceiling that gleamed with an unnervingly clinical light.
"Where...?" she muttered, sitting up. The room itself was stark and minimalistic, its walls smooth and white with faintly glowing seams that seemed to pulse gently, like the heartbeat of the place itself. To her right, a low table held a tray with supplies, bandages, and vials filled with shimmering liquid.
"Am I in a hospital?" she wondered aloud, though her instincts told her otherwise. Hospitals didn’t look like this, not in her world, nor in the world she had been summoned to.
Before she could process further, a soft hum broke the silence. Kaede turned her head sharply, to see a tall figure standing by the doorway. The figure had a humanoid form, her silhouette sharp and alien yet oddly familiar. Kaede noticed the glint of a black exoskeleton and the faint shimmer of wings folded against her back.
The figure looked surprised when she looked at Kaede. "Mother, you're awake."
Kaede blinked. “Mother? Ari? Who, wait, Artificia? What happened? The last thing I remember is...” Her voice trailed off as fragments of memory slammed into her like a freight train: the ritual, the disintegration spell, the unbearable pain, and then... nothing. 'Artificia? Are you there?'
No answer. 'Great, something's wrong with Artificia.'
Ari nodded, as though understanding her confusion. "Your injuries were severe. You were transported here after the conflict subsided."
Kaede found herself, sitting back on the bed without even realising it, as her mind processed recent events. 'I almost died... Again.' she dragged her hands through her hair in frustration. "Fuck."
"Mother?" Ari leaned closer, placing her hands on Kaede's.
Feeling the smooth carapace hand grab her own, 'It's warm.' Kaede turned to Ari, tears glistening in her eyes. "You're so big."
Kaede reached out and placed her hand on Ari’s head. She felt the smooth, cool surface of the exoskeleton, so alien and yet... there was warmth beneath it. "It's only been over a week, yet... You’ve grown so much," she murmured again, her voice softer this time.
Ari leaned into Kaede's hands as she answered. "So much has happened, in just over a week." She placed her hand on Kaede's again.
"Yeah, I know the feeling." Kaede whispered, when the door opened again, and a more familiar face came through.
(Mother! You're awake!) Acer cried as she hugged Kaede, forcing them to lie on the bed in a heap. (I was so worried)
With Kaede and Acer tangled on the bed, Ari twitched, annoyed at the interruption. She sighed before folding her four arms. "Still can't talk sister?"
Acer lifted her head, the leaves on her head bristling. (No, but I can still communicate just fine, thank you.) Her glowing green eyes locked on Ari’s, a hint of smugness in her expression despite her inability to speak vocally.
Kaede groaned softly, wrapped around with vines that had tied her up at some point. "Acer, I appreciate the love, but I just woke up. Can we keep the bone-crushing hugs to a minimum?" She gave a small, strained laugh.
Acer blinked before shaking her head apologetically as she released Kaede and stepped back. (Sorry, Mother. I just... I’m so relieved you’re okay.) Her thoughts were laced with genuine warmth and worry.
Kaede sat up again, shaking her head with a small smile. "I’m okay, I promise. Or, at least, I think I am." She looked between the two figures now flanking her. The contrast between them was striking. Ari, tall and regal, exuding a calm authority, she even had four arms, how cool is that? while Acer was smaller and visibly more energetic, her movements restless. Both were so different from the tiny creatures she had picked up.
Wiping a few tears from her eyes she smiled. "After the spell. How long have I been under?" She asked.@@@@
Ari straightened as she answered. "Yes, you arrived in your ship two days ago, and have been incapacitated ever since."
Kaede placed a hand on her chin. "So you never left the alcove?"
"No mother, I didn't. I relay instructions from within the alcove and my subordinates then passed them down. As of now, I have seven subordinates. Eran and two other Antari, are currently trailing Shifu and the group of humans." Ari clasped her hands, her tone growing more confident. "Another of my subordinate is Solum, an Antari who specializes in earth manipulation. He was pivotal in shaping the alcove’s structure, fortifying its walls," She then gestured to the far end of the chamber. "He's currently leading a set of workers in creating a tunnel to the Kyusha mountains, for the queens to pass through if they're to pledge their loyalties to you."
Kaede raised an eyebrow at this. "You're sure it's not you?"
Ari immediately scoffed. "Surely you jest mother. You are to be the ruler."
"We'll come back to that later." Kaede waved her hand, not ready to deal with that can of worms.
"Then Lumea," Ari continued, her voice softening. "She’s an Antari with an affinity for light. Her abilities allow her to create bioluminescent plants and fungi, which now line the alcove. Thanks to her, the entire alcove remains illuminated. As well as the tunnels."
Kaede glanced at the glowing walls, a new appreciation forming. "That explains the ambiance."
"Ferron currently oversees the security of the alcove," Ari continued. "He was originally protecting the newly merged three colonies. But I had him return when your ship crashed. He’s been patrolling the perimeter tirelessly since you arrived."
Kaede’s expression softened. "I’ll have to thank him later." As she said that, one of the rocks behind the pillar suddenly lit up in a blue light. "What's up with that?"
Ari turned to the rock, ripping out of the ground with one of her hands. "Ah yes. This is a magi stone ore. I have a skill that passively turns every mineral around to magi stone ore after spending a few hours in my vicinity."
Kaede frowned, looking at the glowing rock in Ari’s hand. "Magi stone ore? What’s that?"
Ari blinked in surprise. "You don’t know, Mother? It’s a mineral infused with magicules, highly sought after for crafting and energy use."
Kaede raised an eyebrow. "I’ve never heard of it before. Let me check something." She focused her mind, activating [Instant Analysis]. Her vision sharpened, as the ore's information flowed into her brain.
"Whoa," Kaede muttered, blinking as the skill ended. "This stuff’s impressive. It’s like the perfect all-purpose magical resource." 'With resources like this, Artificia is going to have a field day. Artificia, are you there?'
'Oh. Something happened. I guess I just need to give her a while.' Kaede smiled, happy that she got some response.
"Yes, with this, the Antari will be more than capable of claiming our rightful place in the forest of Jura." Ari puffed up her chest.
"How do you even know all of this stuff? You're not even a month old." Kaede asked.
"Well, some of those knowledge were instantly ingrained upon me when you named me. The rest, I learned from an annoying lizard."
"Oh? That was nice of him. Where is he?" Kaede asked.
Ari tsked. "The oversized lizard is an annoying know-it-all who can't leave his cave. Though I'd like to take a bite out of him if he did."
Kaede sweat dropped. 'Poor lizard.'
In a dark cave, Veldora the storm dragon, felt the sudden urge to sneeze. °Huh, that's odd.°