INTRODUCTION

You have gotten to a copy of this draft and seem intent on reading it. There's nothing i can do to stop you now.

Don't get me wrong! I'm actually thrilled to share with others this world that has inhabited nothing more than my own headspace for so many years. I can't wait to get feedback and talk about the characters and world with others.

What you are about to read is a short story carved out of a much larger work. In the book Astro Battle which takes place thousands of years in the future and follows the adventures of human characters Fae & Less our heroes often encounter precursor artifacts and technology. Precursor meaning an alien civilization that existed a million years before and has sense perished. The Precursors are essential to the plot as it unfolds.

THIS story tells about The Bringlings who are indeed the Precursors to Fae & Less and who lived one million years before our time. Some of this story will spoil what I have in store for the Astro Battle book proper, but since this is a work in progress things will probably change so much it won't matter.

Thank you for reading!

PROLOGUE

WAR’S END

A wave of energy ripped through the universe causing a chain of explosions that pocked the very fabric of space. At its origin stood the hero and its terminus a supernova; the cosmic funeral pyre of the villain. And with that the 2nd Gudite war ended in their defeat.

For the Bringlings It was a pyrrhic victory. In marshaling what was needed to win they had consumed all that was their homeworld and lost it too in an explosion.

The last Bringlings fell through space like tiny droplets of rain falling through a stratosphere. One drop–the hero, the leader and protector of the Bringlings–fell and fell. She was gravely injured and unconscious.

“Lady Rhea! Wake! Lady Rhea! You Must Awake!”

***

THE SUCCESSOR -- AN ASTRO BATTLE SHORT STORY

by Scott Williams

THE FALL OF RHEA

“Lady Rhea! Can you hear me?”

She fell and fell.

Despite being identical to a human, a Bringling is not such a fragile thing for they are protected by the technologies of their ancestors. Forgotten technology that still serves them. And it is for this reason that the perils of mortal man mean nothing to a Bringling. They can, for instance, survive in the vacuum of space.

And a Bringling would have nothing to fear if not for the same technology that can also take life. That and the technology of the Gudites.

Rhea's wish stone hovered mere centimeters from her chest and gave a distressing glow prompting Minah to continue her petition: "...Our people... We need you, Lady Rhea!..."

Falling with the Bringlings was every type of object that you would expect to be produced from a massive space war and destruction of two planets. Everything plus Minah – Rhea’s bound Whysan companion. Minah attempted to wake her Rhea:

“Lady Rhea! Wake! Lady Rhea! You Must Awake!”

Rhea was roused by her pleas. She opened her eyes.

“Minah…” She reached for her bloody temple which Minah was already soothing.

“I failed to kill him. And I am spent.”, Rhea lamented with tears

“No, Milady, he is dead for sure. Khaedus confirmed it!”

“Then... why are we still here?” Rhea's eye’s widened.

“I cannot say. But look! Our world has ended! Look at the plight of our people! Even now they sail into oblivion!”

Rhea took stock of the situation. Screaming Bringlings tumbling through the aether, fiery mountains smashing into each other, hot dust clouds and rocky spray and above all the dead… billions and billions of the dead formed a maelstrom of tragedy.

“I can’t save them as I am now. I haven’t the power.”

“Your wish stone Lady Rhea!”

Rhea: "I cannot release that power by command, the stone itself must do so at the moment of resolution, which despite all I believed is NOT this moment."

More pause and facing the immensity of the situation…

“It has to be ‘consumption’”

“Lady Rhea, no, it will end you in this universe!”

“It must be done, Minah. For I am not the destroyer of the Gud but the savior of the Bringlings… it must be done.”

With that she spoke the words to disable all safety from her spells:

“Eee a noh shee a no nine nin” (see my plight , oh spectre)
“Tay u nigh veh a zo hine nin” (know my need, oh spectre)
“Kree za are tey o fa rine nin” (respect my right, oh spectre)
“Aug usk do fee a zo zine nin!” (release my power, oh spectre)

“CON-SUMP-TION!”

Power surged through Rhea’s body. From her an aura shown--not a light any mortal had seen--its color could not be described. It was called the ‘hue of light’. To all who saw it hope returned and yet the saying “that which burns twice as bright…”

Rhea was no longer injured and sluggish but full of power and vigour for the moment.

Her first command transferred a small portion of her power to all the living Bringlings: “RE-STORE!”

She shouted through the void of space itself “Summon they who follow!”

Tossing and tumbling Bringlings suddenly became righted in orientation and direction. They were quickly attracted to Rhea’s position. Only a few thousand still lived.

“We have lost so many, Lady Rhea! So Many”

Minah’s laments did not break Rhea’s focus. She commanded: “I call upon you Maezir!” in a flash of light her spear ‘Maezir’ appeared. She took it into her hands and flung it into the largest asteroid burying it deep inside.

Rhea commanded “Scorch my Maezir!” – the spell was the strongest she had cast and seemed to drain her aura.

To the boulder nothing happened for a while. Slowly little rumbles grew. Cracks started to form on the surface and then a huge lava plume exploded, then another and another… lava started to pour all over the surface and the mountainous regions sank until the entire body was a hot ball of molten lava.

Rhea slowed her Bringling followers and came to orbit the tiny planetoid of lava.

Rhea unsheathed her rapier ‘Zaphier’ which fired many tiny energy bolts from its point hitting nearby asteroids. The asteroids became attracted to Maezir, and eventually they fell into the lava core. She then commanded the capable to assist and bring more material to the growing hot sphere.

Hours passed and the little core wasn’t so little anymore. Rhea signaled to all to stop the bombardment. She adopted a meditative stance. The surface cooled and aged millions of years in mere minutes as Rhea's aura drained and drained.

She bade her people be patient and descended to the surface of the new planet. Striking the rocky surface with gret force she slid many meters. Her unprotected bare feet left a bloody trail as her aura was now beginning to show obvious signs of weakness.

“I call upon you Maezir!”

Maezir rent itself from the earth with great force unsettling stone and soil. Rhea regarded the massive exit wound of Maezir which formed a large rocky embankment and a cavernous ravine; to herself she said: "A happy accident in this day of unfortuned calamity..."

Rhea walked to the top of an embankment leaving bloody footprints. By some sorcery in her blood the steps left red impressions in the stone like she walked on damp clay. “The last steps of Rhea” she said. "It will now be for others to bleed for our People"

She took into her hand the wish stone that hovered at her breast.

She held the wish stone to her clenched forehead trembling with energy she spoke to it, “I have grown tired and can no longer be your hero. I would give you, but I have no heirs. Restore to us our ability to reproduce and flourish and in reciprocity I will surrender our immortality... And I will surrender my time on this plane. Do this and a successor will be born one day and your wish will have a new and stronger hero.”

Some time passed.

The ground in front of her trembled and cracked and a great ark pushed through. The ark was ornate with a transparent triangle on the top where from a higher view one could see the contents: clay. Then the wish stone lit the entire planet and sky with great energy. Plumes of steam started to vent from everywhere… Clouds formed, rain fell, rock turned to soil, the air became warm and the wind gave way from a smell of sterile minerals to an aroma of rich soil. Plants burst from the earth at a fantastic speed filling every nook and cranny with flora. And within the flora sounds could be heard of animals playing, fighting, mating and dying. The ark now sat overlooking a large lake (formerly a dusty ravine).

Rhea swung Maezir upon the ark, splitting it down a diagonal. The clay oozed from the broken artifact and flowed into the lake below.

She addressed her many Bringling followers who still rested in orbit looking down on the deeds of their beloved leader Rhea.

“These now are the spawning grounds for our bringling people for the immortals of this world are now gone forever. Live on through your children.”

Rhea struggled to stand. She pushed Maezir's tip into one of her bloody footprints and held Maezir's shaft for stability.

“I give new celestial bodies to light this planet, signal the time of our spawning and preserve the core tenants of our Bringling heritage.”

A volcanic moon formed from orbital debris. Seas of lava heaved on his surface and lit the sky like a pseudo-sun.

“Observe Marshalstra, Moon of the body and preserver of our martial heritage.”

A second moon twice as large formed in another hemisphere of the heavens. Upon the moon many fantastic radioactive crystals bathed the night sky in an eerie green light.

“Observe Madjikstra– the moon of the mind. Preserver of our magical arts”

And finally a 3rd much smaller moon formed. Dark and reddish and too small to maintain a spherical shape. Rhea pondered this moon the longest

"Behold Kardia. The moon of the heart. That which we–", her voice broke in sorrow,"failed to preserve… our ignorance... sent us into this hell." She pondered again. "Any words on this are lost to you, you will just have to find the purpose of this moon yourselves."

“I give you my worthy Kastron cousins to rule as regents of the universe. For you have no need of a successor today, but when that day comes – for our tasks as Bringlings are not satisfied – she will be foretold by a light shone down from the great conjunction of the three moons.”

Then Rhea said without projecting: "And YOU. Don't think I don't know you are there, Khaedus."

A puff of smoke erupted and a Whysan stood atop Maezir. He leapt to Rheas side and gave aide as she transferred her weight from Maezir.

"Edus dead? You are sure of this?", Rhea asked dwindling

"I saw to it myself, milady. I pushed him towards the crucible. He grabbed me and attempted to pull me into the inferno with him. Then came your final attack, he released me laughing like the crazed man he was. I know not why. I teleported to safety the moment before he was obliterated. I have no doubt he is gone.", Khaedus confessed.

"You are a most worthy Whysan, my Khaedus. It pains me to make another great ask of you."

"No ask from you will ever dampen my Whysan enthusiasm to serve you! Especially at this moment of need."

"Very well then. Watch first:",

She consumed the last bits of her strength and balanced back to her own feet, pulled Maezir from the ground and held him in a throwing stance at a forty-five-degree angle. The spear tip dripped with clay and blood.

"I release you from my summon, my Maezir. Sleep in the earth and one day accommodate the one who will bring my successor", She flung Maezir over the horizon with the last bit of her aura.

"Find where Maezir lands, Khaedus, I know you have the magic to do so. Watch over and protect that spot. You and your heirs. Someday one in your line will see the creation of my successor. Make them Bring her to the Kastron's so they may guide her in her ascension... I pray it is her choice to destroy the Gud as I could not."

Khaedus bowed deeply and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Rhea took a moment to regard her work and lament her life. She watched as Bringlings were beginning to make planetfall like thousands of shooting stars.

"My heir, I have given you a heart to follow without condition. It is YOU who must choose to be my successor or leave that task for another. This universe be damned. I give no condition because it is wrong to yolk a child with the ambitions of her parent as was done to me by my father. With your heart choose, and you will choose wisely."

She turned to stone.

Minah softly landed from the sky and wept at her former master's feet.

The Bringling people later named their new homeworld 'Rheashan.'

THE TIME OF FERTILITY

Four thousand years after the fall of Rhea

On the planet Rheashan three moons drew close and the first Klaxon rang. It was not a mortal sound that spread its noise through vibrations in the air, but a sound made of Bringling magic that vibrated space faster than light itself. Bringlings and their servants perceived the 'sound' and knew it summoned them for The Time of Fertility--the ritual of Bringling reproduction and the only way Bringling reproduction was possible in this the universe of resolution.

It had been ten Chrons since the last ritual. The Fertility season did not happen every year and in fact its occurrence was not predictable by the Bringlings which put a great urgency into the hearts of all Bringlings who desired children.

Whysans planetwide became busied with preparations. They tidied and organized and made every piece of the planet look to perfection for their beloved Bringlings.

Whysans were the humanoid 'best friend' species of the Bringlings. They were smaller of frame elflike, beautiful and always with a kind face. Many Whysans were bound to a particular Bringling and lived to make that Bringling happy every day.

The Whysan people shared lesser magics granted by their Bringling masters but not exceeding the power of any Bringling--at least in most cases.

No Whysan was more important than advisor Bey of the Kastrons and his entourage of Whysan helpers who focused all energy on the lake of spawning.

The universe had existed without incident from the Gud since the end of the 2nd Gudite war... Most thought the Gudlings to be dead but others shunned a life of luxury and frequently went hunting Grint.

Grints were the loyal servants of the Gudite. A meter in height with grey skin
and baggy clothes and red beady eyes.... their most alarming feature was a long
Witches nose and frayed mustache. Grints were to Gudites what Whysans
were to the Bringlings.... best friend species that may not have been capable of
betrayal due to some type of genetic engineering from the previous life.

The Whysan lifecycle was shorter and much more akin to that of a human's . They bore children the natural way and raised them in families. In later years
male Whysans might lose their hair and grow a small gut, and Whysan women
thinned from their fertile proportions, wrinkled a bit but remained beautiful to
their dying day.

All over the outer atmosphere of Rheashan perfect spherical spatial folds bloomed and from them
small white metallic spheres called ‘carriages’ descended near the spawning lake.
The size of these vehicles seemed odd for they seemed only large enough for a single inhabitant but that was another deception of Bringling magic. The insides of these modes of travel were lavish castles… some more vast than any planet in the galaxy.

Rheashan was now the capital of the Bringling empire. Great works of art
gave tribute to the Bringling ancestors who built this place and in fact built the entire universe. For the most part all Bringling flourishes were tastefully laced with nature allowing the planet to retain her bucolic appeal. Women and young girls thronged the beaches watching strapping young men battle in the waters of the spawning lake.... such had become part of the
Ceremony… for bringling women men beating the hell out of each other was the quintessence of sexual intrigue.

The celebration progressed, The old consumed many wines and delicacies --
gifts from lesser creatures. The young became more lively and flirtatious,
playful and amorous in the lake.

REUNION OF NOBLES

Representatives of the Kastron family greeted the Noblesse as they attended the grounds of the castle with great pomp and circumstance.

In the ceremonial line of order was the Kastron family: Lady Relgus, her husband Vallus, Daughters Ugkla and Aylia fraternal twins about 14-chrons of age. Then there was Young Gomert 10-chrons-old. Beside them stood The most respected Whysan advisor Bey who had the best knack for remembering family members' names and a master at unwinding unfavorable and embarrassing threads of conversation.

The Kastrons were surrounded by hundreds of Whysan servants and soldiers. They were equally flanked by high level Bringling knights, Wizards and advisors. Careful observers could see the excited eyes of Debit the Bringling squire who stood in the only place appropriate for his station–the very back.

The attendees, noble born, high ranking knights and wizards and the distinguished–recognized thinkers, authors, actors and artists–were allowed to approach and speak to the Kastron royalty for as long as they could before risk of boredom (which was often not long). Most of the interactions involved introducing of age appropriate lads to the Kastron daughters who seemed shy and reserved in all cases. Potential playmates for Gomert were bandied as well, but he was able to avoid playtime by virtue of being extremely introverted and weird.

As the day went along some unworthies were sent away by hand gestures from Bey.

One in attendance was an ancient knight by the name of Badius and despite great desire from Bey he could not be easily dismissed. He was low-born and ancient and would be unwelcome on the grounds but for his heroic act of slaying the last Gudite dragon of the 2nd war or at least famous for being the last surviving person on the team that slayed that dragon. No one knew exactly how the slaying happened. Either way Gudite dragons were the most fearsome piece on any battlefield ever it was said and the Kastrons owed a lot to someone on account of their castles and kingdoms weren’t being melted every other day for so long… This time Badius came to introduce his two great, great-grandsons Rasp and Ipsil … also paternal twins and 14 chrons in age. The perfect match for the Kastron girls.

The Kastron daughters seemed shy yet excited to be in the presence of the young men.... They kept clandestinely stabbing the boys with little furtive glances. The Boys saw and liked what they saw but similarly were struck with awkwardness

"MY they have grown" blurted Badius!

“Yes, and we are indeed excited to see the deeds that your boys will add to your family…”, Bey began deflection.

“I told you these girls will want a gondola ride….. Rasp!... oh wait…. You are Rasp. Rasp! Take these girls on a gondola ride right–”

“-- Sir, They really are quite tired from greeting so many…. Perhaps another time–”

“Dammit Whysan, I am Badius, slayer of Klyntar, the last dragon of the Gudite threat four thousand years ago!!! Do not interrupt me, man!.... What was I saying?”

Badius' aggressive behavior prompted The knight Slayadon to step forward for passive protection. Slayadon signaled for his sword. His squire Deebit stepped forward to hand it to him if violence was needed. All respect would be given to the old man but if in his anger he showed the slightest threat to the Kastrons he would be dead in a moment.

Reading the room, lady Relgus spoke: “I think a gondola ride would be delightful for our girls to get to know your boys” The children consented.

Excellent! My coin… where is my coin… Trina! My coin. A Bringling girl in plain clothes approached and produced a golden coin good for one gondola ride. She gave it directly to Rasp who took the coin without making eye contact.

Rasp threw the gondola coin in the air and the expected transportation phased into existence.

Slayadon: “Perhaps a chaperone might be appropriate, sire”

Urkla gave a cross look at the idea of adult supervision of any kind. Aylia cleverly said “How about your capable squire… he can protect us from the many dangers of this world.”

“Ah yes! My boys are quite capable, but they don’t know the planet they can use a worthy man like your squire. Trina you better go too to make sure these girls don’t bewitch my boys. Ha! Ha! Ha!”

All eye contact with Badius was broken. Bey’s forehead fell into the palm of his open hand and stayed there for a while.

Vallus just wanted the situation to be over with: “Off you go!” All jumped on the gondola and escaped at top speed zooming away to see the sights of Rheashan.

PRETTY LITTLE KINGS

Shy maidens were a challenge for every humanoid culture back to the first
human girl. But for Bringlings this shy stretch didn't last long. For The
Bringlings were a matriarchal society and that meant it usually didn't take long
for pretty little things to turn into pretty little kings.

It had taken little time for the Kastron girls to find a field and convince the boy twins to fight to the death. Contests between men to impress women on this day was common, but they were usually done without weapons and not to the death… still they used their martial weaponry with the protection turned on so–although some blood could be spilt at least no one would get killed for real.

Deebit had been quiet up until the girls mentioned a deathmatch. “That’s not really allowed,” he said

“Quiet SQUIRREL! Don’t you know your place!”, said Urksa

"Squire", said Deebit softly. He and Trina made brief eye contact.

Aylia holding the till for the gondola flipped the vessel over causing Deebit and Trina to fall several hundred meters onto the field. “No more party poopers”, Aylia added.

It seemed cruel, but all Bringlings share basic protections from impacts, stabbing, suffocating, burning, freezing and more. Basically They are vulnerable to magical weapons, enchanted potions and generally magical items and actions explicitly made for killing bringlings and their enemies…. And actually yes, it WAS mean to dump them on the field of grass, because although nothing on their bodies was hurt in the least… hurt feelings still really hurt.

The fight moved in a direction away from Deebit and Trina.

Deebit checked on Trinadon, “How are you part of this family?” Deebit asked awkwardly.

“My ancestor Deston Wusk – a cousin of Rhea – was killed by the dragon Klytis. Deston faced him hastily because he opposed the plan the other knights wanted. He was friends with Badius’s father, but my great, great-grandfather was at that pointed orphaned as Badius took house Wusk for himself turning it to house Plumper. He showed us kindness by making us servile… I suppose he could have cast us out.”

“The slaying of the dragon Klytis is legendary… Badius was only a squire when it happened. But no one knows how he did it. As a squire I think about that a lot.” Deebit opined.

“I know it. He poisoned the Dragon.”

“Impossible, you can’t walk up to a dragon and offer him spiked tea”

“He poisoned his knights and let the dragon slay them and afterward the dragon ate his knights. And Klytis didn’t die--at least that is not known. He warped away never to be seen again.”

Somewhat of a pause overtook the conversation at that point.

Deebit didn’t know what to say and Trina began to survey the planet she was completely fascinated by the flora and fauna that covered all of Rheashan. She had never been on a planet with wildlife before and it showed.

Although not directly charged with escort duties it fell upon Deebit that he
needed to entertain his new friend and being unsophisticated as he was he
thought her likes to be the same as his and blurted "Do want to see some
slugs?"

The girl was less bashful and looked him in they eye answered honestly, "What
is a slug?"

Deebit didn't laugh but found it appalling no one had shown this girl a slug.
"A slug is..." He aborted his first explanation. "you know how some creatures can move all over the place
like kinda (hey flailed and squished his body) ...and with that threw his
second terrible explanation into the fire. Bringlings have no understanding how things work, things just work for them... And without an understanding of anatomy they aren't even capable of making the connections of what bones do inside their bodies and why slugs don't use them. It's very hard to explain such things when their meanings are lost.

"Want to see one? " Trina considered his words and accepted. They ran off in search of slugs. It was the start of the most disastrous date in history.

***

The two boys had been sword locked in a stalemate for long, and it was starting to bore the girls.

"Now slay him or lose our affections forever!: Urksa shouted and Aylia laughed.

Ipsil boosted his power beyond what was safe and struck the ground releasing a fantastic blast pushing both boys away and leaving a giant crater in the sacred earth.

“Haza Haza” Urksa cheered…. Finally I see champion blood!

Rasp perceived. Rasp broke and entered a retreating run slyly removing his weapons protections and gathering power for his next counter-attack. Ipsil was in hot pursuit lobbing tiny blasts everywhere he thought Rasp would be only for Rasp to dodge and see another piece of the beautiful planet get incinerated.

Urksa and Aylia enjoyed the ease it took to bring the boys blood to a boil, to
the point of death in a matter of an hour. The winner would get the girl and the
other would be deposed. More accurately the winner thought he would get
Both girls and the other would lie dead. And even more accurately both
would be dead and the girls would find other playthings if someone didn't up
the stakes soon.

Ipsil released his most powerful slashing attack which closed the distance and
destroyed half a mountain side. The attack was as slow as it was potent
making an easy dodge for Rasp.

Rasp retaliated with a series of quick connected blows that lasted about 30
seconds then he released an awkward static discharged which ruined the
terrain but gave Ipsil quite the laceration–an explicit sign that Rasp had lifted his protections. Ipsil–filled with rage also lifted his protections and sprung back into pursuit of his brother.

This time Ipsil feigned retreat, now on ground and running full speed through the meadow near the nine steps… in his craze he was preparing to get Rasp in a lined up terrain without limited escape option and blast him to bits with a concussive swing.

Urksa and Aylia floated high above safe from danger.
Lobbing taunts to Rasp "I think your chaotic discharge did improvement to our
ugly planet but don't forget you're going to have to kill to get what you want."
Rasp pursued Ipsil down the ravine with insane abandon. One more attack and his
brother wouldn't be dead but the duel would be lost. Did the girls really need
him dead? He didn't think much of it.

"Run little man run"

Then Ipsil came to an unexpected stop. Deebit and Trinadon were playing near a natural well, both holding slugs and completely oblivious to the destruction
happening around them (Bringling duels were common so noises didn't
concern many, plus Bringlings were required to duel with protections ...
preventing any action that could potentially kill another.)

He lowered his sword to surrender not wanting to kill innocents.

The sisters relished this development. “You are about to die, and you want that little slave girl for the booby prize? HaHaHa.”

Ipsil became insane with rage and completely forgot about the innocent bystanders.

Rasp approached in madness and arched his back ready to begin his attack, but he
was fooled.... Ipsil planed the terrain very well... a long rocky ravine with just
enough room for his concussive blast. There would be no room to dodge, no counter-attack of a thousand blades.

He unleashed and immediately Rasp realized his folly, he
couldn't dodge only stand and receive the most powerful attack in the family's
arsenal, EXPLODE! smoke and debris covered hundreds of square meters
around the event.

Urksa and Aylia stood shocked for a moment then both laughed "Did HE actually
annihilate his brother! What a moron!"

As the dust cleared it became apparent that another not-before seen figure
stood between Rasp and Ipsil. A Whysan with black flaxen hair he wore a long jacket made from the leathery hide of some exotic animals.

The man seemed completely unscathed and looked not at either of the boys but down a newly formed chasm… perhaps a new opening for a spring well that had been blown open and swallowed the lovely Trina.

Deebit had been pushed aside into the grass and was in shock.

Rasp had cowered down to his fanny and was still holding his body as if to give it one last hug before he had to check it in at the afterlife and Ipsil stood in shock with shame creeping in at what he had just almost done.

"Get out of here Whysan interloper, you aren’t supposed to be here. you have ruined our sport"

"I'm afraid I can’t, I am a traveling expert who specializes in stopping and disciplining
young bringling fools before they destroy each other and this seems to be exactly where I am supposed to be"

"How dare you speak to us Whysan. We are Kastron's. Give us your name my father will have you Thrashed."

“Tell your father my name is Ghaedus… and since I was late for the explosion I will need to leave early before the thrashing. There’s just no time when–” CRACK! Urksa withdrew a hairpin which transformed into a short knife and with an expert swipe cast it to the ground hitting the Whysan in the head and causing him to fall over. His body disappeared into the tall grass.

Aylia’s attention was elsewhere for to her no Whysan posed a threat to her sister.

Deebit was in distress, “Trina has fallen in… in this hole.” We have to help her!

It was Aylia's turn to be terrible, "What awful things were you doing to that slave girl, Deebit? Slugs? Were you making her eat slugs? We don’t serve slave girls gourmet on this planet. I don’t think we should save that slug girl, it's better to leave here with her own kind." She blasted the opening with her fan causing more of a cave in but failing to block the exit. The girls laughed.l

“Don’t you!” Deebit yelled with force–but a warning bolt struck right before his feet. He was no match for these girls.

"Is this arrogance day and everyone wants punishment ... .well lets do this with a summon, Deebit… Will it be a dungeon or a dragon?"

Rasp and Ipsil were done with violence. They gave each other a knowing look, and walked off the field together as brothers.

"And there you have. All men lack the strength of Rhea and are therefore unworthy mates for us."

“My Mother always said the universe of the previous life was filled
with all types of genders beyond male and female. She often opined 'why, oh , why did Rhea
choose man as a companion.' I suppose the others must have been real pieces of work.”

“Who said that! Show yourself!”, Urksa barked.

"But I have already introduced myself. I am Ghaedus. And here I am. He stood atop a statue of an ancient Kastron ancestor. His voice carried like he was whispering in their ears."

Urksa’s hair glowed red for a moment as she transferred power for a greater attack she grabbed a larger hairpin. As she wound up for a swing energy released from the object. She swung and hit Ghaedus' perch directly destroying the statue and creating a large explosion with a mushroom cloud.

"Whysan, know thy place and by thy master thrive. Try thy master and by thy master die.", Again her attention changed thinking that there was no way a Whysan could withstand such an Attack.

“Kind of you to eulogize me.” Ghaedus was now standing on the furthest part of the oar of the gondola.

"Arrogance! We will handle you ourselves!", Urksa resolved.

The gondola exploded and the girls let gravity bring them to the land, slowing only the moment before touching ground. Ghaedus did similar but added a flip for show.

The blocking was set for the final showdown with Ghaedus in the middle and each girl flanking him at a 45% angle.

The girls communicated via telepathy:

Urksa: "A combined attack!"

Aylia: "I detect no power of deception. He must be strong enough to withstand your Attacks."

Urksa: "Nonsense, no whysan can withstand an attack from a Bringling. It must be some sort of super speed. Perhaps superspeed aided by some type of enchanted item."

Aylia: "I will cancel all enchantments using Whisk, and then you need to use Immobilization."

They acted in a moment. Aylia chopped the air with her fan whisking away all
enchantments and Urksa grabbed the floor activating her immobilization technique.

"Oh dear, said Ghaedus. trying to move his feet.... I seem to have been trapped and Trumped."

Closer the girls walked to Ghaedus. They were sinister and liked to play with their food before they slaughtered it.

"You think a Whysan could ever defeat a Bringling!?", Urksa barked.

"Well, I thought maybe it could happen but then again you girls are very clever."

"Know your betters," Urksa grabbed her largest hairpin… this time her hair was aflame with energy.

"Fool of a Whysan. Die as you deserve too " Aylia opened and aimed her hand
fan...In a flash both sisters had made a lunging motion and delivered their deadly
blow crisscrossing each other and then stopping still now
facing away from what was Ghaedus.

Each having delivered their fiercest of
blows... A large smoke cloud concealed the result for a moment and then an uncharacteristic breeze lifted the veil.
Ghaedus stood in the middle unharmed he had not even flinched but the girls were not the same… for now Aylia’s fan was in Ghaedus’ hand. The moment she noticed he swatted the air and captured her in a cyclone that took her several kilometers away and destroyed her dress.

Completely incensed, Urksa grasped for hairpins using both hands, but something wasn’t right.

Her long hair had been transformed into a burnt husk.

And then a nearly naked Aylia fell from the sky on her bald sister

Both girls were now completely powerless.

"You needed this lesson for sure and I’m expecting a big thanks from your father, but do me a kind favor as I may have been a little harsh– if any parent asks you of these happenings, speak only of the wildlife you encountered. After all, you killed many innocent slugs today." Ghaedus looked towards the cavein that consumed Trina, looked at Deebit, shrugged then disappeared in a large puff of smoke.

The girls ran away crying.

Deebit sat stunned… then crawled to the edge of the well and said tepidly, “Trina?”

TRINA IN THE DARKNESS

“Trina! Trinadon!” Deebit shouted for his new friend.

She seemed in danger having fallen deep into the well structure and being the victim of a malicious cave in. It was dark, she was underwater a shallow pool of water
and a boulder the size of her body pinned her to the bottom.

Such a predicament was nothing for a Bringing of any stripe as they are always imbued with many protection magics. Her flesh could not be pierced bruised, burned or
bludgeoned by anything but a bringling weapon or spell and Aylia's attack had not been focused on her but around her.

"Breath," she said. And the water became breathable. "Sight" she said and her eyes
pierced all darkness. "Strength" she said and with no effort she tossed the
bolder aside.

She stood out of the water and discovered a rocky and windy cave path. Flanked by fertility totem generated of stone. Such things had been less interesting than slugs a moment ago but this totem seemed to grab her guts and stir the first inklings of womanhood within her.

"Trina" (Deebit now spoke in a psychic connection) Are you ok? He asked

She noticed she had lost some blood. Impossible!

"I live" she replied tersely

"I'm coming down"

"Don't." I think this is a place only for women.

"I don't know what to do!" Deebit said aloud.

"No man does" This struck Deebit funny.... it was the first time she hadn't spoken to him like an age-mate.

"I will find the Whysan Ghaedus"

"Yes.... do that thing. In the meantime I am fine."

Who is Ghaedus? She thought…

Compulsion swelled in her, and she walked the path of the totem. It was not a
long path, but it was windy and with lots of artifacts... it was an ancient place
She surmised.... not seen since the time of Rhea.

Drops of blood came from Trina.... from the fall? impossible. It was a very
A confusing thing. She swiped a sample with her finger and marveled at the
beautiful crimson color. She had never bled before or seen any Bringling
bleed.

The blood sprang from her crotch and in checking she could find no obvious
sign of injury. The sensation was scary and yet right to her so she persisted
on the path.

Around the corner the journey ended and revealed a steamy grotto flanked by
flowers and beautiful fauna it was a place for things to grow..... from the water
refreshing steam billowed and filled the room with a warm delightful humidity.

And in the center of the grotto a shaft emerged. It was emblazoned with ancient Bringling runes that read 'Maezir'

She looked at herself in shame.... blood covered her dress from the
midline down. Several spells failed to rectify her bloody clothes and The position and magnitude of the blood seemed like it would embarrass her...

She waded into the grotto and started scrubbing her skirt like some primitive
tribe girl. The blood washed quite effectively, but started to cloud that part of
the water red.... a red that no seeing spell could pierce so she ventured deeper
into the water. More washing and deeper still she reached the beam of light
coming from the ceiling. with her task almost done she stepped in something
that lit within her a burning want.... the want burned indeed but what she
wanted was unclear.

She reached down to her foot and pulled from its perch a handful of bright
red clay the likes she had never seen before. It felt better than anything
she had ever touched. She began to knead and work the clay
She grabbed another handful and another and then sat on a nearby rock to
work on her new obsession. It was more fun for her than slugs.

"We cannot find you, Trina! What witchery is this!" Her concerned friend
called to her through his mind, but Trina was now completely obsessed with
her task though she could not have told anyone WHAT she was doing. With a skill she didn't know she had, a figure began to take shape. It was a little
person, but the proportions were all wrong. A big head. Stubby arms and legs
and a fat little belly. Eyes larger than they should be, and shut.... a nose like a
little button and cheeks that she wanted to take a bite from.

Then it was finished.

Trina looked at the thing she had created and joyfully wept. And these
feelings confused her.... to love something more deeply and more completely
than the slug she had caught just hours ago seemed impossible.

Then a shutter. Something was watching her... something with yellow eyes. She recoiled.
"SIGHT!" she commanded but there was nothing there.

"Trina!" she heard over the psychic waves.

She swaddled her new creation not knowing what to do with it only that she
would now protect it with her life.

She looked up to the ceiling light and said "Ascend" and gravity released its
hold on her, and she began to float to the crevice in the ceiling. As she
approached she noticed it was the light of Kardia... the third moon shown its
light into the grotto. She had seen Kardia as an ill formed
potato of a celestial body, but it now seemed more like a floating and beating
Heart.

She floated from the cave and hovered 10 meters into the Kardian moonlight cradling
her clay thing.

"It's you!" a figure riding a gondola came zooming to her position. "Float!" he
exclaimed and leapt from the gondola to take Trina into his arms.... she allowed him to
hug her but used one hand to protect the bundle in her other arm from being
crushed.

"I searched for you, I was worried Here is your slug!!!"

Trina was content in his embrace. "Keep the slug for me for a while. I have
something..."

"Something you found? "

"Something I found. Something I made. I could not have without you"

"But... you are bleeding!" He noticed her torn skirt.

"Not anymore I'm not. It was scary, painful and beautiful. I have never felt such
A thing as this moment."

Deebit guided his crazed friend to the gondola. We have to get you back. You
need to see a doctor.

CONJUNCTION'S EVE

On the eve of the great conjunction many things were already coming together.
For one thing all the various couples living in the various huts near the lake of spawning performed the ancient love act prolifically. It was a vestigial act
but still fun.

A magical klaxon sounded signaling the start of things.

Then the night gave to first dawn when the marshal moon eclipsed the horizon
and ignited itself with volcanic activity. The crowd cheered as fire and rock
spewed forth from millions of kilometers away. The moon became even
brighter as the deserts and valleys of the planet slowly became oceans of lava
and lakes of fire.

The first sign that this was the day of fertility had presented itself
The ceremonies would soon begin. A large and excited crowd gathered on a
grassy knoll across the lake from Rhea's statue. Bringlings not present to
procreate per ce still enjoyed the party as they wined and dined on picnic
blãnkets. Whysan servants used their magic to fulfill every Bringling desire and
banish any scarcity of enjoyment.

Amongst the premium cabanas on the grassy knoll it seemed some had still
not completed the love act portion of the ceremony, or perhaps they were
being extra careful to follow the traditions.

Before Rhea's statue and behind the broken ark now laid a throne of marble--the successor's throne. It had laid empty since the 2nd war of the Gud. And this chair was
what the actual highly contested prize any who attended fertility day with more ambition than simply having a child. If the moonlight of the three shone on a baby girl on
This day SHE would be the new ruler of the Bringlings... she would be destined
to inherit Rhea's power and become the hope to end this world
of Resolution so all may return to paradise.

In the long years Bringlings waited for a successor there was a little
conflict over those who sat on the flanking thrones those being for the king
and queen regents.... the ones who ruled as they waited for Rhea's heir. Presently Vallus and Regina Kastron assumed that power.

A new light pierced the skyline and that was the light of (2nd mood). Her light
was made from radioactive crystals that glowed a bright blue on this day alone.
The crowds cheered as this meant the ceremony could now begin. Maids cast off their clothes and gave their final affections to their lovers and then started to wade into the water
grasping for the clay of life. Most took a while for spells did not work in this
water.... one found it right away and shouted "Destiny" The others did not like
this and hastened their search.

The 3rd moon Kardia heaved from its slumber and began its fast
travel towards its destiny with her siblings. Her facade now just a glowing
ember of green during the time of the festival she actually emitted less light.
More cheering occurred as this meant the great conjunction was on hand.

All the maids had found adequate patches of clay. They worked furiously to
mold clay into baby figurines. Some fared better.... others had hands fall off and their
work sometimes just turned to mush.... if the process didn't flow the little one
usually simply reverted back to regular clay and fell into the lake to be molded
another day breaking the heart of the maid by in a way saying "Try again next
Year"

Then another klaxon from the heavens rang out and all molding stopped.

The maids held their creations to the sky and a great pulse of energy came
from the two moons bathing all in an additive light that is hard to understand. And when they brought their hands down from on high they no longer held clay but stone babies.

Trina fell to the ground. Terrified she reached for her treasure .... it was not soft anymore, but it was there.... hardened to stone just like the rest she witnessed. She now understood how Bringlings
reproduce for the first time. Or at least how little baby statues were made.

Maids left the waters and ran to their lovers and husbands. After sharing
affections the maid would gently hand the new statue to her mate, and he
would sit and ponder the little idol for some time. Often looking at the
Dawny sky for inspiration.

On the paradise of Rheashan much meaning came from the heavens. Because
Kardia was not fully lit and the other moons were not bright enough every
celestial body in the night sky was visible and to the Bringlings each star,
comet and constellation represented a different virtue.

Trina's attention darted from man to man. She listened at great distance
using a tele-auditory spell... technically not allowed but her curiosity was her master
at this moment.

In each case the father would wait for the stone baby’s eyes to open.

Then each would speak unique words.

"You will take from me my virtue of strength, and you will protect the things of
our family.... I tell you to follow Hagi the star of they honest, and you will serve
your fellow bringling ... Wander, my lad. for we are of Zathos the comet god and
are destined to discover all the wonders of this great universe and one day
perhaps also that of the previous life..."

Each man in turn told the stone baby what to take from him, which celestial
virtues to follow and how to live his life then the life giving moment would
Come.

Then the babies eyes would close and their mouths would open.

Each man would softly kiss the lips of his stone baby and gently exhale.

The object would change from the statue and the earthen tones would fade to flesh tones .... The stone would begin to soften and make little twitching
movements. Now soft and fleshy, the lungs would fill and the baby came to
life. he withdrew his kiss and then handed a crying, moving and living baby to his mate for soothing.

Wails of joy could be heard all over the ceremony grounds. A new generation
now made its way in this universe and the Bringlings continued themselves.
Trina panicked. She realized the stone likeness in her satchel would stay
that way if she didn't find a man to bring it to life. “Just when I finally thought they were useless” She thought.

In the stupidity of her panic she ran through the grounds looking for a man.... she fixated on one gentleman without a baby but was scared away by the painful looks of one of the woman
who had just experienced a disastrous clay miscarriage.

On she ran. feeling the hardened body of her baby bouncing in her satchel...
then... something felt wrong.... the shape was wrong... in full view of the festival
she withdrew it in a panic and all who saw gasped! It was not a
baby but a sphere three baby faces.

A silent unease passed.

Then one man rather deliberately said, "Abomination" And this one word
triggered the crowd into a frenzy. Women screamed and men approached
aggressively as if to take and smash her statue.

She put her stone thing back in her bag and turned to run but a stranger grabbed her by the
arm and more surrounded her. With a craze in their eyes men rummaged
through her bag and women began beating her and pulling her hair. One man
finally took the bag and he and others ripped it to shreds and there was
nothing inside.

"What sorcery is this?" "Give all Seek!" he proclaimed and he and all around were
given super human sight for a moment... the world they saw looked blue and
plain except for the thing they sought which to them shown as a blindingly red
light. It sat there on a persons hand ... being held quite gently by a Whysan
wearing a black coat with medium length flaxen hair squatting as if out of
danger.

"There! He has it! Give us the idol, Whysan!"

"I don't think I will. I don't think you people will make very good parents"

Bringlings didn't like being spoken to like that from a mere Whysan and his
words only served to increase their vile attitude.

"Now come here girl. I know just how to save your baby"

"I can't get away, he has my arm"

"but you have his hand", Trina and the arresting man both looked down where
he 'held' her and gasped. True he had her arm in his hand, but his hand was
now cleanly cut off. He wailed and backed into the angry bunch now only
concerned for his own health.

Trina made a run for it and the Whysan joined her.

"I was worried about this." They ran together as throngs of more Bringlings
joined the mob.

"The pit you fell into is a forbidden fertility pit of Rhea... usually it makes
things go wrong, but maybe I can help you. Will you let me help you?"

"But the crowd", they will kill us"

"I can handle them..." The Whysan stopped... they had about 5 seconds of lead over
the naked throngs trying to chew them up. "You want this?" He held the stone
heads as high as his arm allowed displaying it to the angry crowd... "HERE!" He threw the stone heads up in the air with
full force. it flew so high that it had to have been magically assisted.
The mob surrounded but did not harass the escapees any further. Their
attention was focused completely in the air, waiting for the three head to fall so
they could destroy it.

“Close your eyes”, The Whysan said to Trina

Trina screamed and mashed her eyes shut.

The head exploded in such a bright combustion that the up looking crowd
became temporarily blinded and groped for counter spells to heal their eyes.

At that moment thousands of heads identical to Trina's stone baby began to
rain from the sky, rolling on the ground, plumping in the mud disappearing in
the tall grass and sometimes conking people in the head.
The crowd began to crawl on the ground seeking these decoys and destroying
as many as they could as soon as they could all while the Whysan took Trina's
hand and made a run for it down a beaten path.

Looking back the Whysan laughed as a still blinded man grabbed one of the spheres and attempted to smash it over another bald man’s head thinking it to be another stone

"You destroyed it!!" Trina said

"Destroyed what?" As he pulled her at top speed with his left hand The whysan
held out his right hand and without looking the stone baby head sailed right into his Palm.

He then tore part of Trina's dress from a place that would not compromise
modesty and wrapped the artifact in cloth and handed it back.

"I am Ghaedus descendent of Khaedus bound whysan of Rhea. It is my great honor to serve you, Lady Trinadon, for the light of worthiness has shone upon you. I will do all I can to save you and your baby."

He summoned a gondola and they zoomed to safety.

COUNCIL WITH THE KASTRONS

Trina objected, "But the Kastrons! They are so--"

"There is method in my madness, lady Trinadon. Please listen with care for there IS NO TIME. The Kastrons--once the worthy relatives of Rhea herself--have grown petty over the generations. They will not allow a threat to their regency, they will not even let a baby live that might do so. For your safety and the safety of your child you must marry and make Gomert Kastron the father of this childling."

Trina shuttered in disgust.

"They will accept the arrangement thinking it will elevate their regency to a sovereignty. There is not a moment to discuss this, you must do. Now, lets get Deebit out of jail"

"Jail!?", Trina asked.

Ghaedus crashed the gondola through Deebit's prison window. The Gondola began to dissolve into smoke, revealing a disheveled Deebit.

There was dust and great commotion. Deebit was flustered and blushed when he saw Trina.

"You have come to rescue me?" He asked.

"No, but I need you... and she needs you. Deebit loyal servant of the Kastrons... Do not ask questions for our time is little."

Ghaedus, from his coat produced a mask and handed it to Deebit. "Wear this.
The guards and staff will not make notice of you so long as you don't speak or
touch anything but her."

"Take Trina to the thrown room and have her petition Vallus, master of the Kastron family for council. Now the two of you must go to the throne room and request council with the Kastrons. Be persistent because Kastron guards will refuse any request, of course don't overdo it, Trina. And Deebit you must NOT speak whatsoever. Trina will be there to buy time until the Kastron's bound Whysan Advisor Bey arrives. I will have spoken to him by that time and made him believe that your baby is something the Kastrons must have."

"Baby" Deebit looked at Trina.

"Don't speak or think, Deebit." Ghaedus reminded. "Just show her the way and act
as her anonymous escort."

Ghaedus opened the cell door without force or key.

"How?", said Deebit.

"Deebit, really, if anyone else is in the room, and you talk again the illusion will
break, and they will run you through. And if you try to think again I'll run you
Through."

Guards were frantically approaching.

Now for some more smoke. Ghaedus exhaled a torrent of thick black smoke. The
shade made nothing visible. "Grant Them the Sight of Ghaedus" Ghaedus commanded and all three
escapees could see through the smoke like it was no more than a darkened
haze. They ran past three sets of confused guards shouting "Sight!, Sight! the
Sight!" but Ghaedus' enchantment was too strong for their weak magic.

"Fulfill your mission kids. I will meet you in the throne room AND don't drop
that baby!"

The great conjunction was nearly upon this world and all in the house of the
Kastrons lingered on the balcony waiting to see the celestial artistry of Rhea
Unfold.

Villus Kastron addressed his family, "She really was quite the artist our
Ancestor"

Lady Roleta his wife added: "someday a Kastron descendant will be born from
this land and create works and worlds the likes even the previous life would be
in awe to witness."

"Well, it's not going to be Urksa or Aylia's year to produce an heir what with what
Deebit did with their hair and clothes."

Roleta asked, "what do you think of that, my son? Could it be you? Could you be the heir? Technically luna can select any child born during a lesser conjunction so long as it was not before a previous conjunction"

Vallus, “That’s somewhat of a stretch of the rules… who knows”

Gomert relished the praise from his parents. "I will be the greatest artist of
any universe one day.... I will make the first super rift between worlds, a planet
rich in oriculoum--"

Some inappropriate noise from the direction of the thrown room bothered
them a little.

"I want to make the first planetary ecosystem where each species comes from
a different pla--"

More disturbance.

Gomert annoyed: "Whysan what is this commotion?"

A flustered Whysan servant entered and reported: "A commoner and her, uh ... escort thing,
wish to speak to the Lord"

"At this time!" Villus snarked, "The conjunction is about to happen.... we could
have a new queen"

At that instance two door guards were parted. They fell to the ground and their
mighty halyards crashed and clanged. Villus spit out his wine. Gomert pissed
his pants the conjunction party was officially ruined by this final event.
But the ruiner was Chief advisor Bey.... Villus's Whysan companion, respected
by all in the house of Kastron. If he felt the need to do some guard tipping
people thought there must be a good reason and there was.
My lord, I speak quickly for opportunity and time.

"I will explain, and you must decide quickly: Outside I have discovered an
extraordinary woman. She has modeled a living stone baby from the forbidden
clay. And moreover this baby is a Tricorpus."

"I needed remind you of the
greatness of the last Bringling Tricorpus who still changes our world to this day. The baby lacks paternal breath and the mother is mateless and unmarried.

"I do not deceive in saying that a Tricorpus in the Kastron family would surely give
you the throne of Rhea you so desire. I also cannot deceive in saying that
breathing life into a tricorpus is tricky and the child may die either way. But we are not completely out of our depth… for our alchemist has recreated the unction of binding…. The same unction that saved the infant lives of Calcus and Kashic, the two greatest minds of this Bringling universe."

"So here it is: Make this woman a Kastron. Mary her to your son Gomert.
Give this stone orb your family's breath and make it into your grand child. The child will be the greatest asset to the Kastron name if not the Rhea’s successor herself"

Deebit fidgeted with his mask, but said nothing. The masks enchantment made
him seem an uninteresting whatever that wasn't worth looking at.... but the
slightest attention would break the illusion.

The conjunction ticked ever so closer... time was almost up.

"There you have it my lord. Choose wisely, but choose quickly."

Vallus acted with religion. “Woman your name?”

“Trinadon” she replied.

“Lady Trinadon you and your baby are now a Kastron and Gomert here is your wedded husband (Bringling courting rituals could be very terse)"

“Take it Gomert.”

Gomert pensively walked to Trina… his urine filled pants made a squishing sound.

I will say the words, you will copy me, and you will fill the air.

Lord Villus took the orb and examined each face in turn. He spoke to all: We
need a warrior, a wizard and a great leader to succeed just as our ancestor
Rhea.

He handed the orb back to Gomert.

He turned to the first face. Her eyes slowly opened. "My child take from me
my talents, my ability to lead and protect the things we hold dear.... fulfill that
which I cannot and make the Kastrons a greater name than ever before..."
Her eyes slowly closed and her mouth opened.

Gomert then kissed the mouth and slowly exhaled a baby's volume of air. The course grains of the stone became soft and a little flexible... then the mouth exhaled and closed.

Gomert turned the stone to the next face. This one a male, His eyes slowly opened and viewed
with sleepy suspicion. "Take your marshal inspiration from the moon
Mikkatra .... make its power our own. Fight the defend house Kastron and fight
those that stand in the way of our wants...." His eyes slowly closed and his mouth opened. Gomert then kissed his mouth and slowly exhaled a baby's breath. The mouth closed and The face twitched a little and a fleshy color started to flow into the orb like blood was pulsing for
the first time.

Gomert turned the warm and softened stone one more time. Another female, her eyes opened
very little. "Look to the sky and see our ancestor Harkus Kastron, the wizard
companion of Rhea herself. Many a Gudite contrivance did he foil. Be the wit
and winning tactician of the Kastron family." Her eyes slowly closed and her mouth gently opened. Gomert pressed his lips
and forced the last bit of life... but then... nothing happened. The mouth did not close
and no change could be detected.

"What is this, Bey. What has gone wrong.", Vallus demanded.

"Wait sire. Wait. Give it a moment."

Gomert handed the baby to Trina like it was some type of a deceased toad. And made some distance.

Nothing like this has ever happened before.

The Klaxon began to sound… the great conjunction was soon to be upon Rheashan.

A little sound came from the mouth... like a burp.

And this caused Gomert's curiosity to grow so he came in for a closer look.

Tiny arms started to sprout from every angle six in all.... and they began to move in little baby like jolts. Still the last baby's mouth was open as if it had not yet accepted the breath.

"Will it be normal? Gomert asked showing a little buyer's remorse"

"Uhhh...." Bey answered rubbing his neck line.

Urksa and Aylia summoned by the commotion joined the family on the balcony. Urksa wore a very concealing hat. They were accompanied by a Whysan servant who had clearly briefed them.

The baby grew a little more and the three heads started to differentiate a little. And still the third baby's mouth remained opened

“How revolting”, Urksa gave her editorial.

"The baby will split into three, I think, give it time.", Bey encouraged

“It will not.” Trina said… she knew it to be true, but did not know how she knew…. Still to her the process was going normally except for the 3rd head which worried her greatly.

And yet the blob seemed to be trying to divide into three…. And tension eased the more the unusual baby seemed to be splitting into three normal babies.

"Wait a minute. I know this girl! She is the commoner from house Plumper." Urka blurted.

"A servant! We cannot accept a servant into the Kastron family!" Aylia added.

"Give me that baby" Urka took the baby from Trina's meek and frightened
Hands…

"Begone commoner, you have no claim to this baby", Aylia commanded. Gomert laughed. Tears flowed from Trina's eyes, she looked to Deebit for support which drew Urksa's
attention to him. "Wait a minute! It's Deebit...they are servants of Ghaedus! Cast them out!" She charged the guards...

But distraction superseded expulsion: the third baby's eyes opened again
and quite widely.... the other two seemed distressed and writhed as if in pain. Gomert took his newly forming child and looked at the third face closely .... they
made eye contact for sure a very unusual thing for a proto baby to do and
then a deep belch emitted from the mouth exciting laughter at first until the mouth began to spray black vomit... lots of it all over Gomert. At the same time the baby became more like stone and Gomert dropped it spewing black vomit all over the floor, walls, ceiling furniture and the Kastrons themselves.

The volume of vomit waned and halted and then the baby closed her mouth
and eyes. The little hands were reabsorbed and all seemed like the orb had
completely returned to stone save for disturbed expressions on the other two
faces. Expressions that Bey said meant they were trying to live but being
suppressed by face number three.

Urksa said, "It's the third head.... cut it before it kills the other two. " She lunged
for the head which slipped from her hands because of all the black liquid
Everywhere.

Trina rushed to recover her baby, but was subdued by Aylia.

And that was it for Deebit. With great passion on rage, he doffed his disguise with intent to use his
every subpar skill in his arsenal to save the child he now felt a cosmic connection to. He lunged on the floor and collected the stone baby. Then waited to fend attack.

Passions don't actually give a person any advantage in a fight. Rooms filled with slippery goo help a lot if your instinct is to stand still because
you are too terrified to fight. .

Guards and family alike attempted to take from Deebit but were equally stifled by the slipperiness of the black liquid. And then it was upon them.... the final klaxon of the great conjunction.... This baby would be brought to life in the next few seconds or remain stone forever.

Trina screamed!

Deebit remained still and pondered his options at light speed: He couldn’t fight because he was a legendary weakling, He couldn't run because he would slip and fall. He couldn't wait because eventually they would get a polearm or something and beat him to death.... He couldn't slide
because... wait a minute. He COULD slide, and he did slide right off the railing
of the balcony. He was a bringling after all and would be safe falling 10 stories
and tumbling down a thorny hill. It wasn't fun but that's what he did to escape.

He crashed in a thornbush and lost the baby stone for a few moments he
frantically felt around and spoke the command "Seek!" and pow, there it was.
Far above him, he could hear commotion... most likely Vallus and Gomert
commanding some Whysan guards to sacrifice their lives to punish Deebit, but
they would be too late.

Deebit composed himself for a moment... he looked at the defiant face that had
rejected Gomert and her eyes opened for him.

Then he spoke HIS words: "I give you…. MY heart. I give it to
you so it will be YOUR heart. You will do what you will with your own heart and
I will love you whatever you become."

The baby's eyes closed and mouth opened.

Nervously, Deebit leaned over and pressed his lips to the infant’s face. He gave his breath and withdrew.... She closed her mouth and her cheeks puffed and flushed a little red.

The stone became flesh and the flesh began to transform.
The two other heads retracted into the babies innards ... they looked content ...
not to be reabsorbed, but somehow they were being made into one being
instead of three.

A plump little torso began to balloon from her neck and golden hair curled from
the top of her head.

Everything else on a baby eventually sprung to life including 2 arms 2 legs ,
fingers, toes and naughty parts. It was a little girl, pink and perfect.
Deebit wept.

Then in an instant the baby transformed into a completely different child.... this
time a slightly larger boy with white hair.

And again the baby made a third transformation and was a completely new girl
with platinum hair and a pixie cut.

It seemed no magic spell could rid them of the black goo which had gone from slippery to sticky.

Vallus released his rage on Trina, "How DARE you make a fool of my family. You are no doubt bound to this Whysan trouble-maker Ghaedus!"

"She bewitched me into marriage" Gomert lamented.

"That can be fixed, but we can't let her or that child--if it lives-- ever lay claim to
the Kastron name." Urksa posited.

"I say this with authority--" this was the way official documents were created amongst the bringlings--"You are no Kastron and never have been. It is official and unbreakable that neither you nor your abomination shall ever carry
the name Kastron. My words are final."

Vallus gave Urksa a look... she prepped her knife and approached Trinadon…

But before she could slash her throat the loudest klaxon of all sounded and
exotic lights of all kinds flashed into the insides of the castle.

"The Conjunction!" Vallus gasped.... All ran to the balcony careful to avoid the
black goo in which two Whysans seemed permanently stuck.
A moment of awe passed over all on planet Rheashan. Luna's shine was different this time.... light spilled from the celestial body
and seemed to wind and weave all over the planet a light that was not only
pretty but a kind that seemed to add something to the very soul of the
observer. The experience of the light is not something that can actually be
described in words.

To many it was an explicit sign of the first SELECTION moon.

Typically, During this experience, all parents held their new babies to the sky as
they wailed in fear... it was believed the crying was good for the lungs of new babies even the ones that didn't become the rulers of the universe on the day
they were born. But mass fear caused mothers to hold their new infants very
close to their breasts.

And then the sound stopped and all heard the voice of Rhea speaking to them from Luna. "You have spoken the words, and you have spoken them rightly." The one moon exploded back into its three component moons and the
two largest returned to their orbits... but small and red moon Kardia seemed to be making planetfall. if anything it got larger and.... it was actually tumbling to the planet.
Bringlings are robust but no creature in the universe is unafraid objects dropping from heaven directly on his face. Mass hysteria broke out.

Trina--moments from having her throat slit--suddenly felt gravitational pull
of her heart change. Her worries lifted and her body itself began to favor the
approaching moon. She started to be pulled to the falling moon and on the way
a tiny thing flew from the thornbushes and into her arms... it was her new baby!
Alive, fully formed and perfect to her! Happy water gushed from her eyes as they
spun in a circle on a date with whatever.

Trina held her laughing baby to the sky just as they intercepted the small
moon, which was not solid, but a soft and cool plasma that enveloped them... like a red heart shaped bubble
that absorbed mother and child and then squeezed something into them. And from one sprung three babies that orbited Trina each billowing happy laughter. To them and only them Rhea spoke one last time: "Listen to others and vanquish your foe. Listen to YOUR heart and have no foe to vanquish. Now say your names:"

Trina's voice was magnified so that all Bringlings in the universe could hear her words: "I am Trinadon Wusk of the lost Wuskians... And here I present Tres, Dyad and Monoli of the Wuskian Tricorpus!"

From Rhea: "Lady Trinadon, my throne and my gifts are yours for safe keeping for a while queen regent
Wusk, choose wisely when you choose my successor"
Then the red membrane of kardia swelled, and finally it burst like a gooey souffle and disappeared from sight.

The three babies recombined into one and nuzzled themselves, now sleeping, in Trina's arms.

Gravity reestablished its old relationship with Trina, and she fell slowly like the planet itself cradled her and her baby with gentle and loving hands. But when she touched the ground a burst of wind and energy emanated from Trina for she was now blessed with Rhea's gifts and no thing, person or object could hurt her. She was the most powerful thing in the universe. They all were Lady Trinadon, Tres, DyAd and little Monoli.

As each Kastron struggled to comprehend what had happened an agitated Bey scuttled into the room shouting "master! Master! a successor has been chosen"

Then all paused for a moment as they realized there were now two Bey's staring at each other. In a violent flash of smoke the first Bey transformed into Ghaedus.

"Well, that went better than I expected", Ghaedus said and then in a second puff he disappeared.

THANKS FOR READING!

There is much more to the Story of Lady Trinadon, Deebit, Ghaedus and the tricorpus Tres, Dyad and especially Monoli! The happenings with these characters and other Bringlings, Whysans, Grints and oooooohh maybe even a particular Gudite will trigger all the problems of the subsequent book series.

But for now none of that has been written.

Let me know what you think of my work. Your feedback gives me inspiration and fuels future work.

Thank you!