31 Moakatar

20.07.2024

Moakatar found the laboratory within the halls of creation on the Dark citadel, which Zenozarax had designated as his, empty besides the now innate nanite pool.

That fact alone was horrifying to her.

Within was still Zenozarax’ unfinished Warrior. But the Wizard was gone.

They had taken extreme care so far to not leave any of their Parts unattended. Xaronzul and Sukatar were still with their respective Parts as it should be.

But Zenozarax’ Warrior was alone and vulnerable.

Once she stood in the room herself she felt the very real reluctance to leave herself, knowing she needed someone to stay here — keep an eye on him. She gave the main access panel that connected to the station itself a touch, trying  to log a scheduled port from herself but the system denied her access.

Choosing to ignore all proper procedure she left the panel and moments later a portal appeared near her, and her Scholar appeared. The portal on the other side was dark and deliberately so, as to not give a hint to its location for the cameras which undoubtedly lined the room.

This was bad, she hated being here with two Parts, but it was the only way.

I’ll try to hurry, she promised her Scholar who nodded tensely. She had just come from the Edge of the Universe, and she knew Ravalor’s condition was not hopeless yet — but Zenozarax didn’t know that.

And she feared what he would do, what he was doing, right now, only knowing that Ravalor was gone. That he had left this room was already alarming enough.

Where would he even go? 

I don’t know… but I will find out! She promised herself. She had to. And so leaving her Scholar behind, she left the laboratory for the command centre.

What struck her as odd was that Zenozarax had not tried to talk to either of them to find out what had happened.

As she reached the CC she found it empty as well. And the restless feeling grew within her. Quadirymir was usually here, at least some part of him.

“I need to talk to Quadirymir,” she announced to the system and promptly was denied.

“Is he on the station?“

Denied.

“Can you deliver a message to him?”

Denied.

She breathed in deeply. As the stress on her thoughts rose she felt herself become calm and still. Focused.

She left the CC and entered the separated station control node where a few soldiers kept watch over the station’s general functions.

“Do you need anything?” One of them asked, his designation was CE-BI — Moakatar recognized him by name to be the one Sukatar had interacted with before out in the docks.

“I need to speak to Quadirymir, where is he?“

“I’m not in the position to reveal that information.” CE-BI said flatly, “And you’re not authorised to contact him directly.” Of course, CE-BI was under no other orders than the station itself. As he saw the determined expression on Moakatar’s face however, he took a step back. It seemed like CE-BI remembered his encounter with Sukatar. CE-BI wasn’t afraid of her, he was incapable of fear, but he was obviously told to not let them touch him anymore. But he still wanted to be helpful. “Maybe there is another way.” He said carefully.

“Which would that be?”

“If you were to attack me — the controller would be notified. I would prefer if you would not try to tamper with my mind or kill me however.”

Moakatar considered the option for a moment — she didn’t like it, already using CE-BI the way Su had done was questionable in her opinion. Just blasting this arguably uninvolved soldier who just followed his orders seemed more violent than she liked. But as it was — it was a good option.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, a bitter grimace in her face as she raised her hands, the two other soldiers, while aware that it had been CE-BI’s own suggestion but bound to their own commands, jumped up but by then the magical blast had already swept CE-BI from his feet. An alarm blared through the room and station and  two laser pistols were pointed at her immediately, covering CE-BIs motionless body on the ground.

“You have to leave,” one of them said, “Or drastic measures will be taken.” The laser guns would do her no harm, at least as long as her wards were up, but she was sure the soldier did not refer to the guns.

But before that could have happened, the alarm cut off and another voice appeared behind her. That of a young woman.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Moakatar turned around to look Quadirymir in the eyes. He stood way too close, having teleported right behind her. This part of him, the body of a young woman on the early side of 20, was just a little taller than Moakatar herself. But with the same cruel look in the black eyes as all his parts.

“Where is Zenozarax?”

“He’s not with his Warrior?” Quadirymir asked, so sugar sweet it turned Moakatar’s stomach.

“Don’t you dare pretend you don’t know that.” Moakatar actually stepped forward, closing the distance between them even more.

“Alright, but that puts into question how you know though. You never checked on him so far? Why now?“

Moakatar froze, realising the trap she had just stumbled in out of worry.

“There are some developments concerning the Dawnbreak he needs to know about,” she said calmly.

“Oh, I see.” It was actually Quadirymir who made a step back, clasping his hands behind his back utterly relaxed. His face and tone gave no indication whether or not he believed her or not.

“He’s fine.” Quadirymir paused, a light smile “Well, not fine. But he’s safe.“

“What’s wrong with him?” Moakatar asked tensely. She could suspect in a way Quadirymir wouldn’t understand, in a way she wouldn’t be okay if anything were to happen to Sukatar, but what it would drive Zenozarax to do she didn’t know.

“Well, as it seems Ravalor has just managed to get himself killed. Which is rather unfortunate all things considered. The timing really is bad. I was already suspecting a deep bond between them, but I was surprised how much it affected him. He needed help. And so I took care of him,” Quadirymir said freely, taking a few steps to the consoles to the side of the room and pretending he was looking at something there.

“Take me to him!” Moakatar demanded. Ravalor wasn’t dead, he wasn’t gone yet, he could come back. Zenozarax needed to know that.

“No.”

“Why not? What are you doing to him?“

Quadirymir laughed and Moakatar wanted nothing more but to strangle him to death.

“What am I doing to him? Nothing! My lords, you sound like I’m about to kill him. The fact is, he’s not well and in no state to speak to anyone. Especially not about something as trivial as some obscure problems with the Dawnbreak.” Quadirymir looked at her, a horrible smile on his face.

He knows.

The thought flashed through Moakatar’s mind like a thunderstrike.

He knows, somehow he does. 

But it was impossible. She had to assume that Quadirymir, by nature of being the way he was, managed to put her into a situation where he could make her feel like he knew more than he should. That he knew that there was a secret but he was merely trying to get her to slip up and reveal what it was.

She swallowed hard,

“Please,” she said, even though she hated to beg in front of him. “Quadirymir, let me see him. If what you say is true, he needs us. I fear what he’d do if it were true. Please.”

Quadirymir mustered her for a while, while the malicious smile had vanished from the young face, there was still no denying that he quite enjoyed her distress. He didn’t even hide it.

“Very well.” Quadirymir sight almost dramatically. “He’s in his quarters actually. See, I’m not your enemy here Moa, I want him to be okay. He’s safe, and I have an eye on him. I won’t let him run off in vengeance to get himself killed just like that.“

“Thank you!” she said, and it was almost genuine, as she already teleported out of the room.

She appeared on the designated teleport point in Zenozarax’ quarters momentarily.

Quadirymir was there too, but this was who Moakatar knew as his Wizard. The one she usually interacted with if she had too. A young man with combed back hair and that same cursed look of malevolent joy in his eyes.

She spotted Zenozarax laying on his bed, on top of the covers.

“He’s been like that since I found him,” Quadirymir said, sounding downright bored as Moakatar approached the bed. “I assume given how he wasn’t whole already, this loss threw him quite out of orbit. He’ll need a while to get to grips with it. Reorganise his own perception of things and himself.“

Moakatar ignored Quadirymir (though should the worst case happen, he was probably correct in his assessment).

Carefully she sat down beside Zenozarax and took his hand. His dark eyes found hers for a moment, but she saw that he was elsewhere. Scattered and confused.

“Don’t give him false hopes,” Quadirymir said keeping up the appearance of not caring in the slightest.

Can you see me? Hear me? Zenozarax?

But she felt him slip away, unable to hold onto her presence.

He’s going to be alright. He’s not dead yet.

“How did you know what happened?” Moakatar asked, addressing Quadirymir without taking her eyes from Zenozarax.

“Seen it happen,” Quadirymir said.

“Seen what happened?”

“Ravalor went to Gorgon’s Row. Alone. And encountered a Remnant. And that’s one less orderly wizard to worry about.”

Moakatar felt a sudden shudder of horror as her hope crumbled. If Ravalor had been alone — there would be nobody to save him. Nobody to banish the old god to its final resting place. All she had promised was built on false hopes. If it was true — Ravalor was dead. His body was still alive, kept on the Edge of the Universe by firm restraints, but he wouldn’t return. He would never be the Wizard he used to be again. Unless Mezchinhar would dare to go there again…or…

If it’s true, if he doesn’t return, she said to Zenozarax via the faint connection between their fingers, there is still hope. These gods can be slain, they can be banished. As long as he still lives, there is hope. We can find him.

She felt something, maybe a glimmer of recognition, but it quickly faded away again.

“I told him that wizard was dangerous to him,” Quadirymir said casually into the quiet. “But as always, he didn’t listen.“

“What would you have wanted him to do about it?” Moakar asked as she looked up to Quadirymir who simply shrugged.

“That one has always been his weakness. Since the first time I met him. I don’t understand why a wizard like him would take on such vulnerability,” Quadirymir said wonderingly.

And for the first time since she knew him, Moakatar could believe that Quadirymir was actually genuine.

“Have you never loved anyone?” She asked, surprised about the gentleness in her voice, still keeping Zenozarax’ hand in hers, hoping it would help.

Quadirymir met her eyes. But stayed quiet. Thoughtful.

“Or even cared?” She added. “I don’t even mean like a lover. Just someone that cared about you as much as you cared about them?“

Quadirymir pondered over the question for a while longer. “Why would I? It’s already dangerous enough for our parts as it is. Adding another set to that … just to end up like this? Nah.”

“I don’t believe you,” Moakatar said.

“Naturally.” Quadirymir smiled, but Moakatar still saw something more. Another truth Quadirymir didn’t speak about. And she really considered who this wizard was. Why he had ended up where he was.

“Does it pain you?” she then asked, making Quadirymir raise his brows. “You take great pleasure from hurting others. Seeing them suffer. What happens when you see them happy? What happens if you would actually like someone? Can you stand it seeing them happy?“

Quadirymir laughed. “Look at you. Do you want to redeem myself in your eyes? Feel sorry for me because I’m not like you?”

“No,” Moakatar said plainly, “I’m trying to understand why you would want to hurt us.”

“Oh, Moa. I’d never want to hurt you,” Quadirymir scolded her gently, patronisingly, like she had no idea what she was talking about and topped it off with a good amount of belittling as he added, “That would be like kicking a puppy.” Accompanied by a chuckle.

Moakatar just watched him stand up calmly, knowing he just wanted to rile her up — but he could try all he wanted. She still felt stressed enough that his words couldn’t shake her.

“Either way, it seems like you have things covered here so I can return to more pressing matters.” Quadirymir theatricality shook out his hands as if he was eager to get back to work — on whatever that would be — and glad to be relieved of the duty of “helping” Zenozarax. “Tell me if he gets better, alright?”

“That would be easier if I had the access to do that in the first place,” she reminded him and his grin widened like she had just given him a heartfelt compliment.

“Ah — sorry about that — I locked the station down when this happened to him. Just to be on the safe side. You know how he can be,” Quadirymir said happily.

“Right.“

“No worries, you’ll be able to use all the systems you need again in just a moment. After all, communication is important!” He explained and before giving Moakatar a chance to respond disappeared into the familiar glimmer of light and dark sparks.

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