Kea blinked as she stared down at the mess of bodies in front of her. Well, maybe not a mess more of a... pile? A pile of naked, sweaty, hot... sexy... People.

  "Oh. Hey Kea!" Toni giggled and waved to Kea. She y softly on Temate's right side, hand csped with his skeletal limb. She had a dopey, well-fucked smile on her face. Kea narrowed her eyes at Toni, then she looked over Temate and the egor they were leaning against. The two smaller figures curled up in between Toni and Temate flicked their tails together as they rubbed each others fur down.

  Then she looked back at Toni. "You had an orgy." She said, Toni blinked at the accusation in her voice.

  "U-uh..." She replied back, it was the ralug which actually answered the unspoken question.

  "Sorry miss Kea! It just kinda happened and I wanted to get you I did but I was being..." The small, blue gray furred girl Taure looked up at Toni and blushed. "Punished." She smiled apologetically at Kea who stood, hands on hips.

  "You knew I-" Kea began.

  "A-Not now Kea. A-Talk about your horny issues ter. A-I would like to talk to the two of you... A-Once you're dressed." Voel cut her off, standing over her shoulder and looking down at them.

  It wasn't an annoyed or judgemental look, Temate noted. It was admiring, perhaps hungry? He also noted it was mostly directed at Taure and Surrender, interesting.

  "We'll be there in a minute Voel, just let us finish aftercare that was... Rough." Temate smiled at Toni who nodded slowly, still a bit out of it.

  "Oh I can help!" Taure squeaked and sat up.

  15 minutes ter, with the help of some manifested feelings of joy, satisfaction, pleasure, kindness and most importantly, love, Temate met with Voel.

  "A-The ralug's [Power] is handy it seems." Voel spoke, having waited patiently just out of ear shot. Though Temate had heard Kea's compining to him from there.

  "You know she wouldn't compin as much if you'd fuck her." Temate pointed out, pointedly ignoring the hungry look Voel gave Taure. The owl man blinked and ughed.

  "A-I am her carer right now, and while we may py at power dynamics I would not want to actually lean on those." Voel said, "A-And it is filthy out here anyway." Voel added before Temate could reply, dusting off part of his white clothes.

  "Your clothes are magical aren't they?" Temate asked, raising an eyebrow at the still soft white looking fabric. Voel nodded and opened his mouth to say something but Temate stopped him.

  "No, let me look. I need practice..." Temate paused then looked up at Voel and smiled. "If you don't mind, of course." Temate confirmed. Voel simply bowed and stood up, chest puffed out for Temate to admire. The first thing Temate reminded himself of was the size of Voel.

  I mean, this man carried Temate, on his deathbed, through the air. Not an easy feat, especially given that Voel stood probably 3 inches shorter than Temate. Still fairly tall as Temate measured it, but shorter than Temate. Sure he could be brusque, a little bit pointed, but he'd saved Temate. That was a debt Temate would repay someday.

  All this he thought of as his [Magic Eye] examined the clothes Voel was wearing. The world falling away as the cloth came into focus until it scattered. Thread connected, the threads and fabric of the fabric itself. The idea of it written out for Temate to see and follow, to read.

  It wasn't like reading a book, exactly. It reminded Temate of reading code without comments. He wasn't very good at coding, he'd tried to learn when he'd first wanted to make games to tell his stories. Eventually he ended up writing, but he'd picked up a dozen odd skills before that.

  Coding... Wasn't one of them, he couldn't make a simple single line patch for a game without it breaking things. It was a curse, but despite that he'd learned to recognize aspects and elements. This felt the same, except the nguage was one his mind understood instinctively.

  Yet it was just as confusing as looking at code with only the barest understanding of how it worked. Which meant he got the barest understanding of the outfit Voel wore, but also Voel himself as Temate stared further. That was until Voel likely realized he'd done it and his [Magic Eye] went dark.

  "A-Do not look where you have not been given permission." Voel tutted. Temate winced and held his head gently, he hadn't actually meant to look.

  "Sorry, like I said I need practice. I know how to go in, but holding myself at various points of the examination is... Harder." Temate replied.

  Voel nodded slowly. "A-That makes sense, while you may know what a [Power] does as you fuel it, A-that does not make you instantly master it's use. A-Otherwise these would be meaningless." Voel held up his wrist with the 4 bangles on it, Temate admired the gleaming metal and tried to examine it as well with his [Magic Eye].

  "AH F-UCK" Temate looked away as his vision fred painfully. The amused ugh of Voel preceded the already te warning.

  "A-I told you not to do that. A-There are many who have tools, [Power]s or in the case of these-" Voel tapped the bangles. "-enchantments to protect them from observation of the kind you use." Voel informed him. "A-Take that as a fair warning, the stronger your sight the more effective they are, and some are not simple blinding light."

  Temate nodded in acknowledgement as he blinked the wisps out of his eyes, waving at them with annoyance. That was until he realized one wasn't an after fsh from the light of the bangles. A small, weak looking spark flitted about his hand, tapping it gently. Temate looked with wide eyes, all the sparks had avoided him. What's this o-

  "A-So what did your [Power] see of my raiment?" Voel asked, returning Temate's attention to him.

  "Basic run down. Higher durability, self-cleansing, lightened. There was something else though." Temate focused in on Voel's chest until he nodded, ducking his head in the way.

  "A-A charm of lifting strength, I wear it to aid in carrying heavy weights while flying. A-And that helped greatly in this instance." Voel informed Temate, touching an unseen object around his own neck.

  "Fascinating. How common are magical items?" Temate asked, and Voel shook his head.

  "A-I will answer all of your questions in time, for now I wanted to speak with you and your companions. A-Will they be joining us?" Voel looked over pointedly to Toni and Surrender who were talking with Taure, Thares and a new cert. The pink white plumed cert handed something to Toni who bowed deeply.

  "Is it really necessary? I'll communicate anything you tell me with them." Temate asked and Voel turned his head to look at him. That made Temate flinch slightly, it was the first owl like thing he'd actually done.

  "Hmmm. A-I suppose it is not." Voel turned to look at Temate, now dressed in his original camping uniform. One which did not have the same cleansing magic in it as Voels, though Temate saw Voel's own eye raise as he examined Temate's outfit.

  "A-I would like you to forgo your previously stated 'obligations'." Voel spoke carefully, watching Temate's reactions. "A-I understand their importance to you, but this... Smiling lich, A-and now his creation of the small horde here."

  Voel looked up to the sky and closed his eye's for a second, his eyeballs flitting behind the lids. Looking through to his many familiars like Snowball had been.

  "A-I must report this back, and we did not bring any communication tools, A-nor do I or Kea possess communication [Power]s." He said after a minute, still looking off into the distance.

  "So take Kea and go, we'll be behind you once we finish up what we're responsible for." Temate said, crossing his arms.

  "A-I cannot, I was tasked with finding and bringing you back safely. A-As I have found you, I am responsible should you perish or suffer..." Voel opened his eyes and looked down at Temate's skeletal arm, covered by his normal one. "...additional injury."

  Temate scoffed at that. "I'm a grown ass man Voel, I am responsible for my own injuries." He spoke slowly, putting some ice into his tone. "We will fulfill our obligations to the intelligent creatures we promised to bring news to. Not scurry off after your tail feathers leaving them to fight a thing they know little to nothing about."

  Voel gred at Temate, puffing his chest out to try and look bigger. "A-And you know little to nothing that could be passed on to them. A-This is a threat to each and every being on this continent and I-"

  "Have your duty. We have ours. You can ask the others too, I won't stop them, but I'd be willing to bet not a one will abandon this." Temate focused his vision fully on Voel, pressing his resolve into the other man. Voel stepped closer in before responding.

  "A-I am trying to protect you, you pest! A-You're fresh to this world, you don't even know how to handle or train your [Power]s! A-And your human! A-I'll have no more of this from you, A-I'm orderi-"

  "Silence." Temate commanded.

  Voel stumbled but like the lich before, pushed through. "A-You dare t-"

  "Silence." Temate commanded again, stepping into Voel and using his [Towering Presence] to reinforce the [Iron Order].

  Voel's words stopped, but he pushed through.

  "A-You ungrateful p-"

  "Silence bird." Temate commanded once more and felt his head swim as the power flowed out of him. Finally Voel grew silent, gring angrily up at Temate. Not cowed, but silenced certainly. At least for a minute.

  "I do not know what kind of human's you're used to. I am not them. If you treat me like them again, then I will kill you." His words settled over Voel who simply gred at him. Temate began to walk away, but had a thought.

  Temate stopped with his back to Voel, taking a pose designed from years of rolepying arrogant vilins around a table with friends. The kind of pose that would have him mocked endlessly online back at home, but in this moment just felt... Right. Both of his arms were set firmly at side, fingers balled into fists. Temate turned toward his right, the bone hand lifting and uncurling as his head tilted too far back to allow him to look over his shoulder at Voel.

  "And if you even think about treating Toni that way." Temate held up three bleached, bone fingers.

  "You." He put his ring finger down.

  "Your master." He put his middle finger down.

  "Your family." He put his index finger down.

  "A-I will kill you first." Voel hissed, finally freed from his silence. Temate raised one eyebrow and grinned, a big, wide, predatory grin.

  "You better hope you can. Cause the st guy who tried." Temate uncurled the bone fingers again, a long jagged spear head slowly growing up from his palm. "Just made me stronger."

  He walked away. Voel stared at the back of the man who had just threatened everything he'd ever cared for with eyes wide. He put one hand on his chest and felt it beat with a small level of fear, then looked down to the sash around his hip.

  "A-I'm frightened?" He flicked the tassle of the sash, enchanted with stoicism from his family. He frowned. "A-Human idiot." He spit the word out and marched off.

  - - -

  "Thank you so much for these Oro." Toni said, bowing low to the pink plumaged cert who smiled happily at her.

  "My pleasure." Her voice was sing songy as she bowed back, extending her winged arms out wide as she did.

  "Hmmm, I thin' I coul' make more of this if we nee' i'. Which we probably will." Pipuck said as they examined the pouch of powdered herbs Oro had given Toni.

  "It was a strange request from Nijij, but wise is his nature." Oro smiled.

  "Contraceptives will be... handy." Toni said blushing less than she would have expected just a week or two ago. "Though-" she brightened up slightly, "-[Burning Body] let me burn it all already."

  "Better safe than wrong." Thares chided her softly. "I have taken some myself, despite I don't believe my biology is compatible with a humans." She pointed out, and Toni blushed.

  "Do I just..." Toni mimicked an eating motion and Oro ughed beautifully.

  "No silly, make a tea from it, or mix it with food. Also if your man takes it before the act next time it will prevent his seed from taking no matter who he is with. More efficient that way, but if you forget." Oro waved one hand dismissively.

  "R-really? It works for men and women both?" Toni asked disbelief clear on her face. Oro nodded and put a hand on Taure who beamed.

  "I am specialized in fertility and cross-pollination. I have never used my [Power]s to prevent conception, but it wasn't hard to isote the idea of sterility and pass it into those. Two sides of the same coin." She expined.

  Pipuck nodded along and looked to Toni. "It's true, same way I can instill some growth into a pn' I coul' take it away if I wante'. No' natural for me, bu' I coul'."

  "Huh." She muttered.

  "Huh what little firestick." Temate's voice behind her made Toni jump. Surrender giggled at that.

  "How you not hear? He big and loud." Surrender teased Toni who gred at her then turned to Temate and spped his bone arm.

  "How did you sneak up so easily! Weren't you talking to Voel anyway?!" She grumbled. Temate ughed softly, that stupid half smile on his face.

  "I wasn't sneaking, I promise, and I'm done with him. He wanted us to abandon going back to the Grand Ceil and Bearbhaile to go home with him." Temate expined.

  "Oh. I mean... We could couldn't we?" Toni looked thoughtfully up to Temate and saw his face darken. "N-not that I would suggest it I ju-" a big hand touched her head gently and Temate's grim expression was controlled again.

  "It's alright Toni, if you want to go you can I won't stop you. It'd be safer with him anyway right now. I won't abandon a promise I made though." He told her and Toni felt a bit guilty for even considering it then.

  "Are you sure '? I mean, the Bear's don't nee' the help an' I'm sure any of these coul' expin wha' happene' to the Grand Ceil." Pipuck pointed out.

  Temate turned to him and nodded. "True, and like I said I won't stop any of you from going, I told Voel as much. I made a promise, my promise is not your obligation." Surrender jumped up onto Temate's head as he spoke.

  "I stay with Master!" She announced proudly, wrapping her tail around his stomach.

  Toni smiled and nodded. "I'll stick with you Daddy." She said, blushing as she did so. Pipuck sighed loudly.

  "Well I'm 'ere to look after you lo' so if you're no' goin' guess I'm stayin' too." They grumbled, though Toni didn't think they were really all that upset. Oh right!

  "Oh right!" Toni ran over to where she'd set her pack, still within the warded are Thares' [Power] had made before. She ran back with the sheathed machete and held it out to Temate. "Here you go, nice 'n new!" She beamed to him.

  Temate grabbed the machete and examined the handle. It was rough, scrap metal had been used to patch together other pieces of metal. It was strangely pleasing, like something you'd find in a post apocalyptic game minus the rust. Temate grinned and gripped it, unsheathing the bde.

  It was the same machete, still slightly curved and weighty. Designed to chop thick wood into smaller pieces more so than carve through jungle vines. It also served as a wonderful weapon, though Temate wasn't sure he wanted to use it much anymore. The kanabō had been quite effective, and having the heavier weapon in hand felt... right.

  "Mmm, good work if rough." Temate commented absentmindedly.

  "Yeah, not like I have a proper forge, I used leftovers from Sioh's armor and [Patchwork] to- that's a new [Power] by the way- fuse it together and make a rough handle. I wish I could have done better." Toni expined quickly, her pride and excitement as she began to expin the exact detail of how she'd done the work evident in her tone. Temate smiled and patted her head cutting her off.

  "Thank you sweetheart." She smiled up at him, then her eyes scrunched up, then widened.

  "Is that a spark?" Toni said, pointing to his shoulder. Temate looked over to see that same small wisp still flitting around him. He nodded.

  "Yes, don't know when but this little one's apparently decided I'm not some big bad death monster." Temate replied and Toni murmured.

  "Now isn't tha' interestin'." Pipuck muttered themselves as Surrender reached out to try and catch it. The spark flitted around her, moving slowly compared to it's companions which darted around like their namesakes. This one moved like a slow ember, almost begrudgingly floating through the air.

  "Very. It likes you mister Temate, it might even follow you when you leave, though it won't st long outside here without a form." Taure chirped happily, being the only of the Trevad who remained. The others all having returned to some work, even Thares.

  "Really? Well I wouldn't want that." Temate responded to Taure who nodded emphatically.

  "It's alright! I'll let Thares know and she'll make sure it doesn't. It happens from time to time when a spark get's attached to a Trevad." Taure darted off leaving the four alone.

  "What about your seed?" Surrender asked Toni after they stood in silence together for a minute.

  "W-what!?" Toni squeaked, looking up at Surrender.

  "Your seed, it could use that yes? We could have Leshy friend. Be good right?" Surrender looked around, she seemed not to be aware of what she'd suggested.

  "Ren!" Toni squeaked again. "No! Why would you- how could y-"

  "She doesn't know ss." Pipuck said soothingly.

  "I- still that's- I can't- No!" Toni shouted, eyes darting over to her bag and then to Surrender.

  "Why not? Sparks like, could be g-"

  "I said NO Ren!" Toni shouted. When Surrender looked over towards the bag with an eye raised Toni ran over and covered it. "No."

  "B-"

  "Surrender." Temate said softly. Surrender paused and her tail flicked with agitation around his midriff. "Pipuck, take Surrender and expin it to her. I'm gonna talk with Toni for a minute." Temate said, ushering Surrender off with the spiras before walking slowly over toward Toni.