Tales of Unity - Arc I - Jaded Ether [Eteru/Iammelon] [Dropped/Recton]

Lincoln could agree on the notion that the Welkin, notably the Zeidaen were quite arrogant. They were quite the dysfunctional bunch. This Ceraunius seemed to be the worse out of them and he was apparently the chief of the household. Still it was a bit fascinating that they lived so long. So while he’s not on the same wavelength as Tulam, he could agree with his general thoughts. He did give a nod to the other thing he was expressing. “I know I have to do this regardless, but I do want to say I’m willing to get you something to eat.” The challenge of that was finding a middle ground to do so. Perhaps connect with a bunch of people in a network and have slivers of their soul be sapped to Tulam over time? Nah, Tulam would want whole food and not the pickings. They’ll think of something later.

He gave a wry grin to the flick. Giving a short chuckle before responding. “I did say you were the professional here.” He then listens to Tulam. There wasn’t much else to say given Tulam was far more experienced at this. Besides the Psion was having fun and he may very well sour the mood somehow. “You’re a natural at this Tulam, which is a given of course. That said, it does sound good.”

Hearing the second thing Tulam wanted was somehow more daunting then the first. At the very least he knows the general location of Tulam’s prototype. But millennium old bones amidst the ether winds? They could be as far as Hadast for all he knows. He’ll still do it of course. It’s not the first wild goose chase he was sent on. “Quite the tall order, friend. I can’t really complain obviously. At the end it’s a bit of a fun challenge to hunt them down.” Lincoln was after all a wanderer.

Meanwhile his mundane self was very pleased with what Alcra suggested. “A delightful idea my beloved Watrike. Recruiting people to our cause must be done smooth and slowly. Plucking them out of their lives right away raises too much suspicion. That said I know a place we can show her what her true purpose in life is. And I’m sure our darling Lucy here would love to let us use her estate.” He gave a sultry look to his pale sister. Lovingly rubbing her arm.

Lucy was ecstatic at the notion of giving Lincoln her place. It made her feel honored that her abode was considered worthy of being used as a place of enlightenment. “Everything I own is yours my brother. Always has been.” Her obedience was rewarded when Lincoln leaned in to give her a deep, passionate kiss. Lucy felt like she could melt in Lincoln’s arms.

Giving Lucy one last kiss he got himself up to the driver seat. Settling then he then reached out with his influence. The Anubite lass, so blissfully unaware of what is about to happen. Is blindly struck with a wave of otherworldly power. Inducing her into a state that seems similar to being ‘blackout drunk’. It felt good to feel himself being soaked into the Anubite’s body. He could even hear the rhythmic beat of her heart. The air moving in and out her lungs. Even feel her synapses firing. In a brief moment he mused at how durable yet fragile the body was before he kept dragging the Anubite mind down into that pleasurable fog. Once Alcra got the ‘drunk’ Anubite to the taxi he would drive them off to Lucy’s rather fancy adobe that she manage to claim on Javalus a long while ago.

Tulam smirked, "A meal is all I need. Doesn't need to be anything special, but it would be preferred. Maybe we'll find some criminal or the like. Or, based on your libido, the husband of a woman you find yourself interested in. That'll be amusing if that happens. But as you can guess, no half measures. I don't take leftovers." He then gave a nod, "I am the true professional here, it is true. I am both a natural and a trained master. Experience makes true power, vessel. Talent is useful but it only gets one so far. Remember that. Regardless, in that case I'll keep going with the peace idea. Give her an aura of calm and peace, that sort of lovely peace one gets in a nice garden or the like. Perhaps do something along the lines of making her appear more trustworthy with a smile. Quite silly, but it is a power. Oh, I could add a siren type voice! That's fun. Or maybe..."

His thoughts trailed off before he looked back to Lincoln, "Oh, if you don't know where to look for my bones, just start searching! Can't be too hard, perhaps they're in museum or the like. But with your little batch of sisters and servants, you have people you can send out to search for information. Utilize that. And find my bones! Specifically the left arm if you can. Oh and the spine too."

The Anubite did get rather noticeably debilitated, falling back further in her seat as she became quite docile and phased out. Alcra walked over, and she put on her acting. In a rather convincing fashion she approached the Anubite as a friend would, waving a hand in front of her face and sighing, speaking audibly, "Oh goodness, you've managed to drink too much again, have we? Come on, there's a taxi over there, let's get you home to rest. I'll get your stuff too, don't worry. Come on, I'll chew you out properly for doing this again later, after you get some rest." With that, Alcra lifted the Anubite over her shoulder, holding her there with one arm. With her free hand she grabbed the Anubite's bag, carrying it with her. She seemed to have been convincing enough, as after some glances the nearby onlookers returned to their own business. It was odd to see a Watrike, as they weren't exactly common, but her being in armor was normal for what Watrike did walk around, and Watrike certainly were the type to take a friend home after they got drunk. Watrike did have a reputation for despising alcohol due to its effects on the mind, and certainly would cut a friend off. 

Once the Anubite was laid down in the back seat, Alcra signaled for Lincoln to start driving. She then also started looking around in the bag, finding a small card. Looking it over Alcra nodded, "Her name is Falai Argen, seems to be working as a security guard. She has a gun in here as well, a heavy plasma pistol. Likely knows how to use it as well. But you did a good work on her, my lord. She's quite out of it. Certainly acting drunk. You should be able to do plenty with her before she comes to."

Lincoln gave a smirk in return, “And here I was thinking of getting you something special to commemorate our progress so far.” He teased the Psion before brushing the subject aside. “A Museum is always a good start for searching stuff like this. Aztecha is said to have a really good online catalogue so I‘ll give that a check.” Letting tulam have his fun with no distractions he walked back to their shared study. Sitting down in the chair he brought up the search engine on his laptop.

Typing in the name of the company it gave him a page of results. The top being the company webpage. Clicking that he looked for their catalogue. Finding it he went to advance search to filter the results a bit. Then he typed in the word Psion Remains to see what comes up. He doubts there will be a singular result, let alone a low likelihood that it’s even Tulam’s. But it helps to always check. If nothing comes up, he’ll just look for something that could be a good lead.

Meanwhile his physical self ignited the engine again. The airspeeder took off into the sky. Getting to a steady altitude as they head towards Lucy’s residence he glances to the rear view mirror. Falai was just as nice looking as from afar. She had a lovely body. Everyone, well those with similar tastes as him, love the body that security guards develop. Nice and thick. And she has lovely, full breasts.

It was sinfully erotic to think that bystanders will never know that was the last time they will ever see Falai. Because the one who’ll come back will be a Falai molded by his hands. The sense of domination thrilled him. Smiling, he gave a glance to Lucy, “How do you think about our catch, Luce?” He asks. Using her old childhood nickname.

Lucy was notably pleased that he remembered that pet name before giving an affirming gesture, “I’m always happy my dear brother. Falai should be honored that you chose her. Thankful even that you’ll wake her up to her true purpose. She belonged to you before she was even born. Just as everyone else around us.”

Those were pleasant words to her. Although it reminded him of something from her memories. When she first met the Welkins, specifically Lord Aidoneus. She pleaded for the master of death to possibly reach out to him. Only to his surprise that he couldn’t For his being was supposedly too extensive to wake up. Any attempt to do so would be the equivalent to trying to wake up a mountain with a twig.

The presence of his soul was so large in fact that the only reason he could even sense in the first place was by using Lucy’s soul. She has an eleventh etheric cord that had seemingly connected to nowhere. But by following that as a reference, it was connecting to the space around them. Later he was still intrigued by the phenomenon that he sent his lieutenant Pethaíno to head into Auinozoaun to check something.

That universe is cold and empty. To say how long is pointless, for time has become meaningless there. Everything had decayed into nothingness. Entropy stopped increasing because that cosmos cannot get any more disordered. Nothing happens, and it keeps not happening. Forever. Because of this, it was far more easy to sense things that are not natural due to how much it contrasts with an empty universe. Pethaíno came back and shared his findings to Lucy as well. There were traces of Lincoln’s being even there.

It was both fascinating and scary for Lincoln to learn that. The great unknown always did to a wanderer like him. And it made him grateful that he found Tulam. Because he wouldn’t be anywhere near this stable without him. Not to mention more knowledgeable about the arcane aspects of creation than him.

All in all, one small thing at a time. “Sweet words my love, I feel Falai will be a great addition to our little group. Speaking of, Luce. When we get to your place why don’t you and Alcra get to know each other a bit while I spend time with Falai?” His sister gave affirming praise in response. Visibly happy to get to know someone who is an extension of her brother’s will. The sexual nature was an added bonus of course.

They finally arrived to Liucy’s place. Parking on the landing pad he got out and headed to the passenger door. Opening it he leaned in to scoop up Falai in a princess carry. Lucy got out and used a device to unlock the doors. Letting Lincoln carry her into the dining room. Once his sister was inside she would wait idly for Alcra. Waiting for her instructions on what to do next.

Lincoln meanwhile went over and set Falai on the table. Taking a moment he stepped back to take in her motionless body. It made him aroused to see her defenseless. He could guess a lot of people at the pub fantasize about getting their hands on her lovely form. Too bad she’s his now. He went to start peeling her clothing off. Placing aside her hat he had to contort body her a bit. Placing her legs over one shoulder he grabbed her waistband and pulled her pants off but left the panties. Letting her legs dangle over the table he reaches up to push her arms up before pulling her shirt up over her head. Freeing it he tossed it to the pile.

Taking a step back again it dawned on him that clothing was more hotter than simply being naked all the time. It’s so fun to undress people. Like opening up a present. The strain in his pants urged him to stop ogling and get to it. His clothes disperse into motes of photons as he grip her legs to scoot her further up the table. Then he climbed up onto his knees. He rolled Falai onto her stomach. And then grab her hips to pull her ass up by making her go on her knees.

He smiled at Falai's big butt. Giving it a few playful smacks. Falai was still out of it. Once he started to massage that Jackal butt he flows more of his essence into her. Tweaking her very being to be the same as the rest of his harem. Making her nerves so sensitive that if he wanted to, make her explosively orgasm just by giving her butt cheek a clap. Of course that’s not really practical outside of naughty activities. So it was fortunate he can control their body sensitivity with a thought.

Stroking her tail he murmured to her, “Such a sexy thing. You’ll wake up to a whole new you.” Pulling her panties down he then took a hold of her butt. Not wasting another moment he started to rail into her. Hitting her womb nice and deep. Feeling he’s not fucking the Anubite hard enough he reached up to grab her arms. Pulling her body up slightly as he pulls on her arms to get her nice and deep. Falai’s head loll around on her neck. Her tongue hanging over her open mouth.

Lincoln let out a long pleasant moan as he ruts into Falai. His essence remodeled her very soul. All of her memories were being rewritten to make a narrative that everything up to this day was preparation to serve her master. That this was her destiny. Every night in her life she dreamed of serving him in all forms. And now he was here, unlocking her to her true self.

Lowering her jiggling body down he moved his hands back to her butt. Bringing the tempo of the fucking to a lower pace her look over to watch how well Alcra was getting along with Lucy.

In his searches, he would indeed find that there were plenty of results for Psion Bones, as many had been recovered in the Psion Invasion of Iammelon. However, Anubite attention to historical detail would come in great use here, as while there were many bones, the Anubites were also quite careful in categorizing where the individual skeletons had come from, and doing their best to identify the Psion they once were. So first he could narrow it down to Psion bones recovered on Avalantus, as that was of course were Tulam had gotten his body killed. There were still a few of those, but quite handily he would find that a museum here on Javalus actually held a set of bones that were recovered from a fallen space station the Psions had in orbit over Avalantus. While the Anubites had been unable to identify the specific identity of the Psion in question, they had figured out it had the "Run" name. With Lincoln's extra knowledge, he would be able to know that this lined up quite well with Tulam. His skeleton was in a museum on this very planet, quite handy.

As Tulam continued to work on Lily, he continued to speak, as of course he wasn't the sort to be quiet, "I just need to get close to the bones. I would prefer to take the whole skeleton, but oh well. Might be too much complication, and frankly I just need what is inside them. Although, I should inform you of a few things I've figured out, vessel. As I am sure you could have guessed, I've been trying to find a way out of you. It's not because I dislike you, but I do wish I could actually move my soul, instead of being stuck. However, I have begun to learn more about why I can't get out. Now I had some suspicions, but I am fairly certain this is supposed to be like a control seat. I don't know any of the controls, since I seem to be lacking the key that would both grant me better control and an exit, but I can surmise a few things. First of all, there's a way for me to play around with your little consciousness thingy. A way to tap in, I think. Second, there's a number of strange protocols here that the driver is supposed to be able to use that I believe would effect you. I can't tell what they do however. Third is something that combines them both, it looks to be a blacklist of sorts! A way to assign certain things and make them completely invisible to your senses. I can't read it or modify it, but it's not empty. Somebody wanted to make sure there were things you'd never be able to perceive. I can't change the list without a key however, so that ain't changing. But keep it in mind. You could quite literally be blind to certain things. And I do mean literally. This blacklist seems to go for all of your senses, not just your magical one. Fortunately, that wouldn't impact me. Or your servants, I guess. Now if I were to surmise some of the contents, I'd guess whatever Entity that made you is on the list, means you'd never be able to find them except when it decides it wants you to see it. I'll look around in your sisters too, maybe they have this sort of thing in them as well. It would be clever after all to include on this list the presence of any other lists like it. Plus it would explain why even if you searched you wouldn't be able to find anything. A handy defense mechanism. But that won't stop me! Maybe I'll figure out how to take things off the list too, that'd be handy. I'll take a look after I finish this job." He was of course referring to Lily, whom he was making very good progress on.

Back in the real world, Falai was of course defenseless to the changes, and so they began to take effect. The Anubite's mind and memories were being handily remolded, and in the physical world her body showed some of the changes with her tail beginning to wag a little. She was still too out of it to speak, but it did seem she was quite handily converted. As for Alcra with Lucy, the Watrike of course accepted the suggestion. She calmly removed her armor, and spoke to Lucy, "Consider this preliminary training, of the same sort your other sisters have gotten." Once Alcra had fully removed her clothing and Lucy had done the same, she would lift up the smaller Human with her hands to pull her into a kiss. While still in that embrace, she moved them over towards the table, with Alcra taking a seat. She would then break the kiss to direct Lucy's attention to her breasts, as those were two big pearls that each member of the harem would have to get acquainted with.

This was one of those times he feels this has to be the work of an invisible hand of fate. The Museum was even in the same city as them. In a way he felt a bit robbed but won’t complain. It does save him from what could have been a multi month long treasure hunt across distant stars. Oh well, glory to the power of the internet. He starts to brew up some ideas in getting it as he browses through the related articles. From his read through Lucy’s memories he knows she is connected to Aztecha and is a friend of Montezuria. An element that he can take advantage of. They’ll head in there with Lucy in the lead with Alcra and Falai serving as convincing security detail. His job will be to take care of anyone that can prove a liability. And if possible, find someone to join their little harem.

Glancing through the doorway out to the laboratory he spoke out to Tulam, “I may have just found your bones, coincidentally they just happen to be in a museum nearby. With what we have we can get very close to them.” It was a slight surprise that he didn’t want the actual skeleton. He was imagining that he wanted to take them to try to rebuild his body from it. “Very well.” That aside it didn’t bother him too much anymore that Tulam wanted to actually move around. Just because he was a Psion it doesn’t make it not relatable.

Listening to Tulam findings were rather interesting. Most of it made logical sense. When his physical self first dispersed he had those protocols in him for over a decade or so. Thus they would have carried over with him. And putting a blacklist into him made perfect sense. Anyone would want to be invisible to someone who is supposedly all-seeing. And it was safe to say his sisters have the blacklist in them as well. After all, who wouldn’t want to make sure their powered set of lab rats doesn’t find them in retribution.

Beside that he gave a nod to his comment about tapping into him. “I feel you could draw upon something from my consciousnesses. One of my sisters, Luna, seems to have been doing that already. As I say that, that was probably your first clue. Beside that, there does seem to be different elements in my body. Like how my physical self has blood and bone. There is a well of primordial energies that feels like...sweat Is the closest I can describe to it. It feels like a byproduct rather than being something that I’m aware that I’m generating it.”

Back on the mundane place his physical self was fully aware in generating loads of his essence. Stuffing Falai’s womb with his love. He was being a bit experimental in his naughtiness again. Making changes to his own physical form to spice up the sex. One being inspired by a popular anatomically incorrect trope in hentai where a man can generate excessive amounts of his essence. He did enjoy the sight of his essence pooling down from her rear like a waterfall when he pulled out.

Then he found it to make things too messy. Seems some things are better as pure fantasy. With a thought he made his leaking essence turn into nothing but photons. Giving Falai’s butt a sharp slap he watched in amusement as he made it trigger a powerful orgasm in the Anubite. Her spasms and quivers made her fall down on her side. Juices squirting out of her like a fountain.

A fun idea came to Lincoln. With a thought he tinkered with the nature of the gravitons around Falai. The intention was clear when he managed to lift her up simply by holding up her leg. He made Falai’s body be immune to the gravitational pull of the planet. Making her weightless. Gently spinning around so that she’s upside down facing him. Using his power to clean her core he then hugged her tightly to him. Burying his face deep between her thighs as he ate her out like a thirsty man who had been traveling across Tombuiron’s desert for many days. Down south, as a result of the location of things. Something nice and hot entered Falai’s gaping mouth. Which she would then begin to subconsciously suck on. He was fine with her sleepy tongue as his priority was elsewhere.

Thanks to the weightlessness he can roam his hands all over her fine body without the indeed to support her. All the while he made the finishing touches in Falai’s soul. A new trophy manifesting in his trophy room. Lastly he flips through her relations to see if she knows someone enticing. And an enticing bod he did find. An Locip who is Falai’s superior in their security department. All he needed was one look to know who he wanted next.

He did some more tinkering with Falai. So when she wakes up she will be eager to help him when he tells her what he wants. Make her fantasize him taking the Locip in whatever place from the locker room to her office and simply breaking her in with her cock. Falai would know that the Locip was not a superior but had to act like she was. Waiting for her master to one day come to show the Locip that her place is on her knees like the slave she was born to be.

Lincoln eventually got his full of Falai’s love. Restoring Falai’s gravity he gently eased her down on the table. He let out a satisfied breath as he went off the table to take a seat next to the table. Petting Falai’s pretty head he looked over to watch his other lovers. Lucy sensually strips her clothes off to please Alcra. It was hot to see Alcra pick her up for a passionate kiss. And Lucy seems to lovingly accept it. In a way she was turning out to be as if not more, obedient than Lana.

Alcra came over to sit on the chair beside him. Giving him a good view of their nude forms grinding against each other. Lucy followed the gesture and went to passionately kneads Alcra’s breasts. Squeezing them nice and tight as she sucks on them hungrily. Sending pleasurable shivers through Alcra’s body. Lincoln’s gaze went downward. Taking enjoyment in how lovely her onyx hair looked as it falls over her milky body like a velvet shroud. He could see her cute little butt.

Wanting to be involved he reached a hand over. Once upon a time he was a bit skeptical about anal play when he learned during his early days at a club that the stool actually hangs out higher in the body, above the anus and rectum in a section known as the sigmoid colon. In reality, if you eat healthily and get enough fiber for regular, bulky stools, this should be enough to keep the anal canal clean for play. So he didn’t need to use his powers to clean anything for him to insert his fingers somewhere naughty. Causing Lucy’s body to give a quake of pleasure at the surprise stimulation but she manages to keep focus. A moan reverberated through Alcra’s breast as Lucy kept sucking on it.

He kept his other hand brushing Falai’s cheek. Looking over to said Anubite he leaned over to give a kiss on her forehead. Lifting his head up so he was looking down at her face. He uses his influence to wake her up. The first thing she’ll see when she opens her eyes will be his smiling face. “Hello, love. Did you have a restful sleep my darling Jackal?.” He huskily spoke. Reaching up to lovingly knead her breast to send delightful shivers across Falai’s body. “I’m happy to have finally found you, Falai. We’re going to have so much fun together.”

Tulam got rather amused at the news, "Really now? Well, isn't that a turn of good luck! How fortunate we won't need to go on some grand adventure to retrieve them. Also a bit of a shame, such an event would've provided much. There could have been excitement, intrigue, and all that jazz. But really this is far more convenient. However yes, I only need to get close. There's something inside the skeleton I want, you see. Data chips! I chipped myself, and the data in those chips holds some important info I'll need in order to restart my work. Its a lot of my various notes, you see. The things I would need in order to restart my last bits of work."

He then shrugged, "Waste products from runoff power. I'm aware of it. No use to me. Psions rely on more useful energy and sources of power, not waste. I'd far prefer consuming another batch of soul stuff and memories to augment my understanding of the universe. Although I suppose it is something to look into, might be more to it than I first expected. I'll keep investigating. In case I learn anything I deem you should know, I'll tell you. In other news, the new subject is coming along well. Should be about done when you get back to your ship from your current horndog quest. I will tell you ahead of time they'll be somewhat weak for the first couple days, a little confused. You'll have to reinforce the crafted memories with some actual, lived experiences. This is why I've always preferred modifying existing memories, completely artificial memories lack a certain deal of power. Worthless for magic as the emotions are fake, and brains often struggle to grapple with entirely false memories. Of course my craftsmanship is the finest, so there will be little of the usual issues, but you'll still need to do the legwork. The false memories will only find full acceptance with some real memories to ground them. After the rough initial stages you should see an increase in effectiveness and stability, and then later on it'll be as if she was that way from the start."

Back out in the real world, Alcra finally moved Lucy off her breast and directed her further downwards. That was another region she would have to get quite familiar with after all, in regards to both Alcra and really all the rest of the women of the ship. Good for her to get some experience down there nice and early. 

As for Falai, she finally awoke and regained a good degree of her senses. Her memory reshuffling and tinkering had generally settled into her mind, changing who Falai was. So when she opened her own eyes to see Lincoln, she smiled and her tail wagged. She quickly kissed him back before leaning back to speak, "Restive and enlightening! I'm glad to finally find my way to your arms, my lord! Where do we go from here? Are we gonna got get Vita?" Vita was the Locip Lincoln would've gleamed from the Jackal's memory.

Lincoln was a bit skeptical that those chips would still be in the bones considering how long it has been in the system. Sure, he supposed it could be sophisticated enough to go undetected. Either way it’s still worth the trip to check it out. At least they won’t have to steal it. He then shook his head slightly to the next thing he said. “It’s not waste. More like parts of an engine. Interlacing systems that function on their own with no need for my direct focus. Luna is using two of them. What they are, I don’t know yet. It does sound something worthwhile to investigate.” He gave a snort to the horndog comment. There was no comeback since Tulam was a hundred percent right that it was mostly fueled by horniness. He gave a smile through the doorway to Tulam. “That’s great to hear, Tulam. I’ll certainly do my part of the work to get her through these next couple days.”

Back to the horndog quest. Lincoln returned the kiss with a kiss of his own. “Of course my gorgeous Jackal. You and Vita are destined to serve me together.” His hand went further down her body to rub her nicely toned navel. “Such a nice, healthy body. You took care of yourself well. And I enjoy that. Everyone in general really should aspire to be in tip top shape. And not take shortcuts when it comes to beauty. I suppose I’m a supporter of the natural side of things.” Giving Falai one last kiss, deeper this time, he sat up from his chair.

He looked over to his darlings. “We just need to satisfy your sisters in bondage.” Smiling in a sultry manner he stepped over. Lucy bending over made her stick out her pale posterior more. Stepping over he spread her cheeks. Using his power to alter her rectum a bit. Making it temporally sensitive as her nethers and strengthening the walls due to them not being as strong as the canal down south. Ensuring there is no possible pain to be caused. He went in slowly before escalating it into an primal tempo.

Lucy’s body deliciously quivers as he plows her deeper between Alcra’s thighs. Despite the pleasure jack-hammering her skull she still manages to dutifully eat Alcra out. Even when her body begins to jolt in delight as Lincoln starts to spank her butt with his palm, reddening it. Lincoln looked back over to Falai. “Go give Alcra a proper greeting. Her breasts are aching to be played with, isn’t that right my beloved Watrike?” Sure enough the Watrike’s breasts will feel heavy and tense as per his word.

He then gave a hiss of pleasure. Thrusting into Lucy one last time he holds it there while he grips onto her hip. Ensuring that her walls will wrench out every last drop. In that moment he was lucid enough to trigger powerful orgasms in all three of his beloved, even if one of them wasn’t being stimulated.

Pulling out he went to clean himself off then recreating his clothes. He helped Lucy up into his arms. Hugging her as he passionately makes out with her. Sucking off the sweet Watrike juices off her face for her. And he went back to kissing her deeply. Their tongues wrangling with each other. Their bodies grind and mold against each other. And Lincoln will keep kissing his sister till both Alcra and Falai get dressed. It was a bit tempting to give in to the rising heat but Lincoln kept composed. He was a bit reluctant to finally pull away to let her go get clothes on again.

Looking at his three beauties he spoke up. “Let's head out ladies. We’ll be stopping by Vita’s place to pick her up so Falai you’ll lead us to her. Next stop will be getting to Lana. She’s on the way to a museum. I have a favor to pay over there. A friend of mine wants some data chips in a set of Psion bones. On the side I get an inkling that we’ll find the next addition to our family. After that we can head back to the ship!”

With that said he leads the group out back to the airspeeder taxi. Lincoln took the wheel once again. Lucy would sit in the back with Falai. And seemingly Alcra will take the seat beside him. Once she buckled in he reached over to hold her hand. Flashing her a smile, “Just wanted to say that I love you.” It was a cheesy flirt he knew, he just can’t help being a romantic at times. The taxi took off into the air once more. Heading to their next destination.

Tulam gave yet another shrug, "Subconscious Engine, waste, byproducts all the same. Still, I suppose if one of your sisters is somehow using it, it's worth deeper looking into. Maybe I can make them more useful with some direct focus of my own. But I hardly need to make myself dependent on your scraps, vessel, engine or no. Besides, I'm getting plenty of energy out of you as it is." He then gave a nod, "Good! Can't expect me to do all the work. Now go out and enjoy your carnal craze. I'll have this one ready by the time you're done with your lewd indulgences. Although it does remind me that I'll need to get some slaves for myself soon enough. Hm, I wonder..." He went back to his work on Lily, thinking of ways to handle his little predicament. 

Back out in the real world, Falai was quite happy. Both for the confirmation that Vita would join her, as now with her twisted memories that was a goal of hers now, and of course for the praise of her body. Falai was quite proud of her well toned body, and Lincoln would be able to know a little more about who Falai was now. The trophy that formed in his mental scape to represent her was actually a small treadmill, as Falai was quite the little athlete, even being a local champion in track running. Thus his praising of her body and encouraging natural care appealed to her a lot. He would also be able to tell that while she was an Anubite in species, she was not Anubite culturally at all. Her family had lived on Javalus for generations, and were pretty much entirely assimilated into the planetary culture. She had never been to Tombuiron before in fact, it was as distant and strange a world for her as it was for a man growing up on Minos. So Falai would not be a particularly good source of information for matters regarding Anubites, she had more in common with the Cerulane Human populations. All the same, she was all too happy to go and assist Alcra, her mind already twisting to accept the Watrike as a person of authority and therefore natural to tend to her needs.

Alcra meanwhile was quite the pleased Watrike. Initially of course for the Anubite quickly nursing her now needy breasts. But after a while of getting Falai nice and familiar with those, and getting release for herself, they all got clothed again. Alcra was made more happy in the car, the cheesiness of the flirt not being an issue for her, as she truly just appreciated the sentiment, "And I absolutely adore you, my Lord." The Watrike was quite giddy just holding his hand for a bit, but kept control of herself. She didn't want to distract him while he was driving. She did however note that Falai and Lucy were together in the back, and those two hadn't gotten too familiar with eachother. She thus sent a little command via the psionic link to both of them to encourage them to spend this time traveling getting to know eachother better, specifically their tongues. The Anubite didn't need to speak to give directions after all, thanks to their unique situation.

Vita's house was easy to locate thanks to Lincoln being able to pry the location from Falai's mind. It was not a very conspicuous building, as it was just one house among many in a sort of semi-suburb section of the city. She lived alone in the small, two-story house with a simple car parked outside and the lights on. Falai had visited it a few times before, and it was a humble little abode. Although what was notable was that she had three separate Union flags in sight just from the outside. One was a small flag on her car, the second was on a pole in her small front yard, and the last one was another small flag on her front door. Pulling from Falai's mind, Vita was technically an immigrant, her parents having come to Iammelon when Vita was young, so she grew up in Iammelon. Apparently Vita had taken quite well to her new home nation and was a diehard loyalist to Iammelon, even from those early days in school. She was apparently very patriotic to the Union as well, and while she was currently a security guard she had been a soldier back in the Civil War, taking her training and experience into private work as her time in the military ended. Although based on the flags, her patriotic fervor was still as strong as ever. Alcra hummed in approval at the sight, clearly liking the nationalism on display, but didn't vocally comment otherwise. Instead she looked to Lincoln for instructions. He would be able to sense that there was somebody inside the house right now, mostly likely Vita.

Given his history he wouldn’t in fact have minded all that much if Alcra distracted him a bit. Although he wasn’t Vega level of skilled. One time when they were very young, stupid, and reckless. They brought along some hookers with them when they drove someone. One was sitting on Vega’s lap when he was driving in a deep make out session. The fact they got to their destination with no incident was truly a hallmark of his driving skill. And he wasn’t as extreme as his friend to pull something off like that.

Those thoughts aside he gave a smile to Alcra’s response. Softly squeezing her hand in return. The grin grew a bit when he then heard moans from the back as Lucy and Falai got to know each other. Speaking of getting to know, he liked learning more about Falai. He was after all a former vagabond. That sense of sonder as he comes across colorful individuals is something he enjoyed during his travels.

Cruising down to the street level to park near Vita’s house. The display of her many flags was pleasant to see. Lincoln was fairly nationalistic about Iammelon before the war. Afterwards the events he went through had wound up his once laid back approach to politics. He now despises Eskalivi (Tulam is an exception) and gets more easily agitated to things that go against the core values of the state. That was one of the reasons he got angry with Talmia when they first met.

He let out a whistle. “She’s perfect for our merry band.” Looking down the road to the distance he could see an elevation of land in the distance. A small hill where high-end homes could be seen dotting along the hillside. His blue eyes fell on one in particular. Lola’s modern house. Pondering for a moment he looked over to Alcra. “Might as well strike out two birds with one stone. You and Lucy will go get Lola. I’ll stay here with Falai to tend to our newest family member.” It was less suspect after all for them to not all stand at the door. That and he likes to have Vita’s conversion be Falai’s moment considering the narrative he built in the Anubite.

Reaching over to cup Alcra’s cheek he pulled her to him for a deep and passionate kiss. Once he was satisfied in giving the Watrike loving. He pulled back to get out of the taxi. Walking over to the back door he opened it up to see a delightful scene of two women tangled in each other limbs. Thankfully they manage to keep their clothes on. He made a gesture with his head to beckon the Anubite out. “Come on my track star. Lets go get her. You will do the honor in reminding her who she is.”

Lincoln held out a hand to help her out of the taxi. Then he went to use both hands to smooth out her clothes. All the while giving little physical teases her and there. And he finishes it off with a passionate kiss. “I’m excited to see you work Falai. I’ll reel her in for you.” He gave her a nice rear playful slap to get her moving. Giving Alcra a wave he went to follow Falai up to Vita’s front door.

Considering the method of using the sensation of the sublime worked with Clere and Relian. It felt safe to go with that again but more subtle. While his two cuties had tough wills. Proper soldiers were more disciplined than mercenaries. So it was likely that Vita had a stronger will. Not too strong however given he could get to Alcra. And Watrikes are a bar that not many can reach.

Reaching out with his senses he focuses on Vita. The wave that is his presence softly wash over her mind as if it were gentle waves lapping on the beach. His energy worms its way into her being. Giving way to fake thoughts to distract her mind. Vita would feel a sense of pride and patriotism for the thoughts were about her days as a soldier serving the Union. Her mind would go over those years before being directed to something specific. The stories surrounding Lincoln Zvonimir. A low time criminal who rose above his status to fight for the spirit of the nation. Taken the stand to save many thousands from the Avalantus riots rather than flee as many people like him did.

Lincoln was a patriot despite having dirty hands. And Vita couldn't help but feel admiration. In a way there was a loose connection between them. Both came from a background that people wouldn’t expect a loyal citizen from. And yet in the end they didn’t let their past define the choices they make. Beneath that feeling there was a pull of desire to meet him. And then there came a subtle sensation of something pulling her to the front door. Strangely enough, she felt as if her destiny was on the other side.

As this goes down the other pair of their group would head off to the hills. During the drive, Alcra will know what she’s getting into thanks to her connection with Lucy. As spoken before she was currently holed up in her home. Lucy has set up shades on stake out duty to monitor her a few weeks back. The general report was that Lola doesn’t seem to leave much. Thanks to Alcra’s enhanced senses she could see why.

There were visible cracks in her aura. Old scars that have been split open. Many centuries ago she was broken by Lynn, her ego was defanged so utterly that even now she was not fully healed from the incident. News of Lori being put into a coma by Lynn had made Lola relapse. The last few months she has been struggling with the resurgence of her PTSD. A compromised mind if Alcra ever saw one. And with Lucy’s mysticism they can deal with her abilities if Lola tries to fight back.

Falai wore a large smile as she practically jumped out of the car. She wasn't one for careful, slow movement clearly. There was a lot of energy in her, which probably served to explain why she was so into athletics. Such hyperactivity was something that Lincoln would know Vega would approve of. He always enjoyed recruiting such hyperactive individuals for racing, they suited him well. Fortunately for Falai, Lincoln had gotten to her first, and so far Lincoln's recruits had a smaller chance of gruesome death than somebody recruited into Apex.

As Lincoln reached out to influence Vita, he would quickly find that she did indeed have a stronger will than Relian or Clere. Partially from being a soldier, but it seemed it mostly came out of experience. There was a sort of almost instinctual defense that came up at first. While it was quickly pushed back down by Lincoln's power, he could tell something from this. People had to get into Vita's mind before, and she seemed to have built up a few defenses towards it. That likely came from the war, as she was a veteran, and the defenses seemed to have been stirred by the thought of that war. All the same, while Vita was not so quickly pliable, she was still affected. The thoughts of Lincoln came up, although they were not too strong. Vita was not one who kept track of such stories or news, so it was quite a faint bit of existing knowledge. She did become curious and wanting to know more. The thought of going to look it up on the Ethernet came up before the front door called to her in a much more direct means. For while Lincoln was working, Falai had simply gone straight up and rung the door bell, waiting perhaps only half a second before banging on the front door. 

The door opened to reveal Vita, who was wearing a simple tank top and some long cargo pants. Most notable was the plasma pistol holstered at her waist. And if Lincoln looked more carefully, she had a hidden knife in her left boot. Combat readiness was an instinct she never gave up. All the same, she gave a confused look at Falai, "What are you doing here, Falai? Neither of us are working today. Do you need something?" That was when she looked at Lincoln. She was not overwhelmed as Relian or Clere were, she stood strong, but she did get oddly curious about this stranger she didn't recognize. An odd little niggle in her head telling her that he was a lot more important than he looked, and so she decided to try and find out why, "And who is this? Did you drag your boyfriend over?"

The Anubite chuckled at the implication, as it was on the right track yet still woefully wrong. All the same, she shook her head, "Not boyfriend, per say. But he is somebody I met rather recently, and I think you'd like him. We got along nice and quick, and after learning some more I think he's somebody you'll simply find yourself unable to stop thinking about." She gave a curt wink. Then after a few seconds, she filled in the void of the almost certainly incoming next question, "His name is Lincoln, by the way. Think his last name is... Zvonmir! Yes, Lincoln Zvonmir."

At first Vita was quite unamused by Falai's apparent implications that this random human was somebody she might want to date, she seemed to perk up in interest after hearing the name. She looked him over more carefully now, appraising him, "Lincoln, huh? I think I've heard the name before, in some stories. I did want to look into those. Seems fate has given me the chance to hear it from a more direct source. Come inside, the two of you."

Meanwhile, Alcra confidently marched herself right towards Lola's abode. She was feeling quite prideful from Lincoln entrusting this mission to her, and she had no intention to fail. So she would do this right. As they approached, she decided to try and reach out with the powers Lincoln granted her, and she decided she was going to make full use of that compromised mind and PTSD. A little salt in the wounds now would be used to allow for a fuller healing. And so, her first bit of influence was to bring the memories of her defeat to Lynn back to the forefront of her mind, with a little modification. She would add onto the shame of the defeat a feeling of being incomplete. That her single soul and being was limited by something, something she had been missing. Alcra would then attach that same feeling to all the reports she read of Lori's defeat to Lynn, and all the ponderings. Lola had a hole in her very being, and she could not fill it. Utterly hopeless, and nothing she had done could fill that hole. 

But of course, now Alcra had to add a small dash of hope. She simply marched straight up to Lola's door, and knocked hard, mimicking the actions a certain Anubite was taking at that very moment. And taking inspiration from Lincoln, she similarly implanted a sense of being pulled to the door in Lola. The sense that an answer to her woes had just arrived, as if prompted by her realization of hopelessness. Now it was just a question of whether she would take this chance.

It was always pleasant to see such spryness in someone. They were fun to be around and interact with. Being great in bed is another perk to their personality. Overall he would continue to be happy with getting Falai. And surely the next of their conquests to come.

Oddly he had a bout of horniness for his Watrike lover for a moment. Not even he can stay away for long it seemed. Alcra was his prized lover. No wonder Tulam wanted to bring Vixgor with them (minus the desire to shag). He doubted he could ever leave Alcra behind somewhere.

Reminding himself that she’ll only be gone for a few moments he focuses on the present. Standing next to Falai on the front porch he lovingly rubs her back as he waits for the door to be open. When Vita got close he dropped his hand back to his side.

Lincoln wasn’t surprised to find that she bore basic defenses. He could empathize with that. The experience he had in the war gave him a decent grasp of how people would protect their minds against it. Thus, a way to circumnavigate those walls.

It was a delight to see Vita in person. Smiling in a friendly manner while Falai took the lead in talking. Using the time and close proximity for the basic pokes in her memory. Vita would feel happy seeing Lincoln and Falai. The former more so. Fan that spark of curiosity to a greater degree.

He’ll wait when they’re inside before he brings out the big guns. So he kept his amiable demeanor up. “It’s pleasant to meet you Vita. Falai wanted us to have a friendly get together.” A simple social visit. Of course in a few short minutes, other things will be going together.

Walking inside the Lucip would be able to catch his scent. To her it would smell intoxicating. Strange yet it would feel very enticing. The subconscious side to her would also begin to be tinkered with. She would find herself stealing glances to Lincoln every now and then.

A short ways away the other pair stood in front of a rather lavish entryway. Lucy watched Alcra dutifully as the latter knocked on the door. Seconds pass by without anyone answering the door. Tilting her head she reached out as well before speaking up to Alcra. “You’re reaching her mistress although she appears to be asleep. Her slumbering mind is different. It’s rather difficult for her to wake up at all. Out of all of us before we found our dear lord, Lola is the perfect marionette.”

And with no strings there wasn’t much that spur Lola on. As a result all she does is sleep. “With your permission, my mistress, I can get us inside. As you keep wearing down her outer shell I can slip inside while her involuntary defenses are distracted.”

If permitted she would make a small gesture of the hand to unlock the door. Letting them inside a rather spartan house. The walls and ceiling were a deep red. The clean paint job and lack of smell is an easy way to hide the fact that it wasn’t paint.

They would find their way to Lola’s bedroom. There they would find the sleeping sister in a velvet sleeping gown. Nice and loose for Alcra to take advantage of. Being this close, Lucy took her chance of attacking Lola from the inside.

Lucy could see the cracks. Fissures within her once impregnable mind. A mountain hollowed out by internal woes. Weakened by the gradual erosion of time. The thoughts of Lynn planted by Alcra made Lola briefly drop her guard.

In that opening she astrally flew in between the gaps. Zooming past her many walls that were directed to protect against the sudden burst of emotions rather than noticing the little birdie flying in.

Further in she kept moving. Lola’s defenses were now being her. Now she was diving into a storm of emotions that felt too synthetic this close to it. In a way it felt like padding to make Lola move on her own.

Lucy didn’t feel a sense of consciousness directing the emotions. Reinforcing the fact that it was as if Lola was merely sleepwalking the whole time.

Reminding her of her purpose she dove ever deeper. Past staged dreams. Stolen memories, false hopes. All amounting to a Lola that is not who she actually is. In that case, where is the real Lola?

There she felt it. A swamp of mute apathy. Its essence was lethargic and viscous. Skimming the surface she felt something deep within it. A pinprick of light buried beneath the weight to hide it.

That was Lola’s core. She was hiding in there. Must have buried herself to disconnect from the world around her.

Parting the mire of the marsh. She made her descent once more. Entering a void beneath is. For a time the void was all that Lucy saw and felt. All there was around her was nothingness.

It strangely felt like a long time. For a moment she wondered if that pinprick was actually a trick of the light. But she didn’t get discouraged. Instead she kept searching.

Finally she found that glimmer of light again. A lonely star in a black sea. Oddly enough the further she closes in on it the larger it becomes. Till it became large enough for the light to wash over her.

And reveal a blue sky with puffy, white clouds. Almost too picturesque in its saturation. Looking down she could see the suburbs. A strange inkling flicker in her chest that she recognized as faint nostalgia.

An odd thing. For she doesn’t remember this place. The strangeness continued when she flew down. Even before she lowered herself on the pavement she could see strange things.

Some of the buildings look like they weren’t rendered in properly, some were copies of each other, lots that were simply empty. And the ones that looked normal she could see people about. Humans with a blank, glitching face save for two black holes that mimic the location of the eyes.

Lucy could feel a sense of peace and tranquility in this summer town, it would have been beautiful even if it weren’t for the oddities. The sun here doesn’t move in the sky. Bathing the land in an eternal dawn.

Strangely beside the people, the further she went into one section of the town the buildings became more normal and mundane. There was something here that was the center of it all but she doesn’t feel Lola there.

Instead Lola’s presence was elsewhere. To another anchor of this endless land of summer. Taking to the sky once more she took a scan around the town. Finding it barren. A vast plain melting into the horizon in the south. The town was in one of the two barren peninsulas separated by a strait. From the east to west it was bordered by great lakes.

Lola’s presence was over at the coastline. Looking over she went to glide over there. Landing down on the beach to the gentle sound of waves crashing against the shore. The dawn here bathes the sky in a crimson red instead of the pure cerulean above the town.

Lucy could hear nothing but the quiet murmurs of the waves and the sporadic chirping of birds somewhere in the distance. As with the town there were strange qualities to the nature of this scenery.

It possesses a fleeting beauty, one brought about by the setting sun as it melted into the contours of the distant sea. A sort of sight that would normally vanish in an instant, yet as with the town. It would persist eternally, a moment frozen in time.

She doesn’t remember a beach like this in her lifetime. Not even the pristine beaches of Tropicus. She had set foot on foreign sand. A temporal plane far removed from the present. There was a certain nostalgic atmosphere about the place, a sense of stagnation.

In that moment she came to a realization of what Lola was doing. Or rather what she was trying to go back to. Glancing around she noticed a tree on a nearby hill. In its branches she could see a small tree house.

Walking near it she could sense Lola was in there. Her genuine soul that she hid within a sun-bleached memory of forgotten days. Nearing it she felt herself change. Looking over she found that she was reverted to when she was a child. Wearing long striped arm sleeves and stockings, a black dress worn over a striped shirt, and black shoes.

There was a dull annoyance at her eyes being obscure by her heavy bangs. A telltale sign that she was definitely regressed to when she was a child. And further cements the theory that Lucy has in regards to Lola. Whose very presence was shifting everything around it to fit her idealized utopia.

Giving a small sigh. She climbed up the wooden ladder into the tree house. Hefting herself onto the floor it was quick to notice the bundle of pink fabric in the corner. There, curled up in a pink gown was Lola as she was as a child.

Lucy could sense that she was sleeping. Dreaming of dreams that can’t be reached. Of bygone days that can never be returned to. One of the symptoms of advanced dissociative disorder.

It had been so long since she last saw her that it took a while to recall what ailments she was stricken with. She, like herself, was taken away at a young age. At the time, Lola was a brat. Mean-spirited and bossy.

However, in spite of her strident and self-centered nature, Lola was also compassionate as she loves her siblings. She is always grateful for Lincoln's kindness towards her, and usually appreciates her family's company. While the former retained somewhat after their abduction, she became hostile to the rest of them.

At the time she didn’t realize it. (of course none of them but Lisa really understood how badly messed up they were.)  The amnesia, the derealisation, the alteration of her identity, and most importantly the loss of feelings. The apathetic factor she knows the entity tried to produce in all of them.

Lucy knelt down next to her sleeping form. A lonely, old soul down with old world blues. A sight she knows all too well. In her lifetime she has dealt with many spirits who struggled with moving on. From lost children in the woods to desperate shades in Tombuiron’s deserts who lost their way home. All stuck in the past one way or the other.

Everything looks better in the past when you look at them through rose-tinted glasses. See the good and not the bad, the normality of it. Everything felt simpler back then because they were simpler themselves. They are looking back from the perspective of a matured mind.

Lucy can feel Lola’s desire. There was no need to even wake her. Let her continue to have her eyes close. Mind empty of thoughts. Her dream of being home will be fulfilled by Lucy’s grace.

Stroking Lola’s blond locks she began to softly sign a poem to her, “A family is like a circle. The connection never ends, and even if at times it breaks, in time it always mends.” The dream shuddered. For the first time the sun sank all the way beneath the waves. The rays of twilight turned into dusk.

Her pale hand, now an adult one, rubs Lola’s arm. The essence of her fused soul with her brother intermingle with Lola’s. Seeping into Lola’s very being. “A family is like the stars. Somehow they're always there. Families are those who help, who support and always care.”

The land around the hill flaked away back into nothingness. “A family is like a book. The ending's never clear, but through the pages of the book, their love is always near.” Lucy broke down Lola’s other personality states. That shell of apathy was discarded. She brought back the feeling of familial love back into Lola.

Then the treehouse began to fall away. Leaving the siblings to float in the inky expanse. “A family is many things. With endless words that show who they are and what they do and how they teach you so you know.” Lucy was a vessel for her brother’s and Alcra’s will. Their paintbrush to paint Lola’s soul in a new color. To redraw her into the idealized better younger sister who would dutifully do anything and everything for her big older brother.

Lola returned to her mature adult self. The false identities began to crumble beneath the joint effort of Alcra and Lucy. “But don't be weary if it's broken or if through time it's been so worn. Families are like that - they're split up and always torn.” The rest of Lola’s soul submerged in the oversoul that is their lord.

“But even if this happens, your family will always be. They help define just who you are and will be a part of you eternally.    “ With that final verse the sleeping sister permanently changed. She, as with her and Alcra, were Lincoln’s devoted slaves now and forever.

Back in the waking world, Lucy turns her head to look at her brother’s will. Patiently waiting for her next instructions with a smile. They have completed their main adjective. The pleasure of fulfilling their orders was felt by Lincoln who chimed in via their mental link. ”Very well done my loving cuties. I’m proud of both of you, especially you Alcra. I expected nothing less of you. Serving me may be your reward, but I feel like giving you two a treat. You may have fun with Lola before me. So go ahead and enjoy yourselves.” It was thrilling for Lucy to hear she did well. As he said after all, being able to serve him was her reward.

Vita led the two visitors over towards her living room, which was a pleasant enough place. It had a large couch which could easily seat all three of them as well as two other chairs, all sitting in front of a large display screen. It was currently turned off. Notably there was also a portrait of Vita sitting on a small table nearby, which had her in the center along four other individuals. They were all wearing Excave Enforcer armor, nowadays having been officially rebranded as Union Trooper Armor, since it had been adopted by the newly emerging Union Army. They were all in the heavy plate but all had their helmets removed, so they could pose for a group picture. One could assume this was Vita and her squad in the war. They seemed like pleasant folks, two humans, a Cuthian, and a Melo-Tordelian Bunnygirl. They were all performing a salute. Of course the armor itself was nowhere to be seen inside the house, but such powered armor was of course quite expensive. The Union Military wasn't going to let their troops keep such a valuable piece of military equipment. But right above the display screen was hanged a large plasma rifle. The weapon it seemed was able to be given to Vita, and she hung it proudly in the room.

As for Vita personally, she gestured for her two guests to sit down on the couch. Falai took one of the sides, and let Lincoln take the middle. Vita notably initially went to sit down in one of the single seats by instinct, but visually paused for a moment. She then turned about and sat down on the couch, next to Lincoln on one of the sides. She smiled at him, softer than before. Falai however did take the lead, "So, boss woman, hope we didn't come at a bad time. We're both on break but I know you do like your personal time."

Vita shook her head, "Wasn't doing anything of note. I was considering going out in fact, take a page from your book to relieve some boredom. But you've both saved me the trouble." She then looked to Lincoln, her curious look seeming a bit more intense now, indicating that his influence was working, "You're an interesting fellow. You know, I wasn't born here in Iammelon, but this Nebula is my home. So, I fought to protect it. From itself, in this case, but I'm sure up for doing it again if the Eskalivi come knocking. Still, I'm more curious about you. What's your story? I just heard your name in the news."

Meanwhile, Alcra was quite pleased with letting Lucy work, and so allowed her to go right on ahead. Going inside was quite a handy shortcut, made her job much easier. Catching Lola sleeping was extra easy. Alcra did not disrupt, but she did keep watch as Lucy spoke her words of family to Lola. The Watrike used her connection to give help, sparking bursts of related emotion to support each sentence, keep stringing Lola along. She smiled at the confirmation of doing well, but Alcra felt the job was unfinished. Too much on family, Lucy had left out much. There was going to be an order to this family, now that Alcra was here. Time to continue the work.

First, she moved over to Lucy to pat her on the head, smiling, "Well done, for a first job. But both you and Lola are new to this new order. Family is all well and good, but this isn't just a family. You and Lola, as well as I, are all servants to the head of the household. Tools and property, valued and loved, but ultimately mere aspects to serve a will greater than your own. And unlike the bonds of family, these chains of servitude will never fade, never break. They will last as long as you do." Her words were laced with some power from the connection, to bring up erotic imagery in the minds of both Lola and Lucy, many to do with Lincoln. But also ones with her, such as one of Alcra pushing both sisters to their knees in front of Lincoln. Family did not give authority instantly in this chain of command, they would serve as well as any other.

Alcra then snapped her finger, "Now, we're going to wake Lola. She will not awake in a fully lucid state, but rather a small waking dream. All will be as normal in her eyes, except for me. She will see me for what I am. Not merely just a Watrike, but a physical embodiment of her lord's will and authority. This will be her chance to show her devotion and love. If she can prove that to me, she will prove she is dedicated enough to finally meet her lord in person later to give him a personal demonstration. I want you to encourage her along in this, Lucy. I am going to make her consumed with desire for me, and you will reinforce it. Back up her words, pleasure her as she pleasures me. You are already quite loyal, after all, and I want you to pass that loyalty on to her. Once Lola embraces her lord's mission and values, through me as her mistress, then we can be sure our work here is done. Now wake her." She meanwhile stood up to remove her armor. They were in the privacy of Lola's home now after all, so she could easily do so. All the while she imprinted that vision of desire into Lola. It was time to see if she could back up her newly forged thoughts and wants with action.

Lincoln was disappointed that Falai didn’t follow his order as much as she should have. He hid it but since Alcra is more closely bonded she would be able to catch that. Especially emotions such as disappointment. He knows how attentive Watrikes are in keeping tabs of what their superior is feeling so they can do proper measures to correct any issues right away. For him he won’t complain too much. He just wanted to give Falai the stage instead of being a wallflower. It seems she still needs some more conditioning. ”Be more assertive Falai. I know you are capable of such. Being a champion in any sport requires a level of perseverance, guts, and spirit that normal people lack. Traits that I find attractive in you. Please, be the best you can be.” He mentally gave his words of encouragement to the Anubite. There was an inkling that Alcra would carry out some more discipline to Falai so he left it at that or now.

Brushing aside Falai’s misstep he took the chance to take in the room. He took notice of the picture. Peculiarly the Bunnygirl. Even in a glance he could already sense her appeal. Sadly he can’t stare too long so it’ll have to be saved for later. Beside that he wasn’t surprised that she wasn’t allowed to bring home her armor. Iammelon is a big nation. It saves a lot of money and resources to reuse equipment.

He liked the fact that Vita sat next to him. Returning a soft smile of his own. As he went to speak he saturated his words with his influence. Dripping his being in her over time as he spoke. “Heh, my reputation precedes me it seems. It amazes me in a way. I never figured it would get that much attention.” He let out a breath. Getting comfortable on the couch. Placing a hand on Falai’s thigh to tease her.

“I suppose I should start at the beginning. When the war kicked off I was in Avalantus. Mainly its lower districts beneath ground. As you can assume the bottom of the social ladder caught on fire. Gangs, businesses, and other groups took sides. Some took up arms for the two factions. Others took the chaos as a chance for more brazen power plays while a few simply took the opportunity to sow chaos. It was outright anarchy in some places. I along with others supported the union. For the first few years I was responsible for a variety of duties. Mainly stuff that involves me having to go from one camp to the next to make use of my abilities. There came a time where I talked with other coordinators that we need to shore the loyalists somewhere more secure and safe. We agreed on a very ancient enclosed stadium beneath ground. It was abandoned shockingly, it had been there all the way back when Avalantus was simply used as a way station. It was quite cool. The structure was well intact and could take a beating. Anyways as I was saying, it was good timing when we decided that. When we got everyone in, the district and others around it was declared No Man’s Land as a result of not enough forces to suppress the riots all over the planet.” He took a moment to pause. Gazing into Vita’s eyes to see how far along she was.

The pause was also a moment for him to think back on those days. “The ugliness in people, especially the downtrodden, was brought to the surface in those months. There was so much fire underground that it choked the streets in smoke for blocks. It looked like hell had opened up in that place. I can’t be more glad that we managed to get so many people to the stadium before it went down. Afterwards I kept doing my duty which was adjusted to gathering supplies and any other requests from the people. For a time this system worked. But it seemed that some people took note of our presence and saw potential to loot us. One of our coordinators out in the field died trying to send us a message that armed forces were on their way to the stadium. And they had very big guns.”

By this time he was speaking for a good three minutes. The slow injection of his control should be having an effect. He would keep doing the small basic things. Making her more fascinated with the story, more prideful in his dedication and loyalty to the Union people. His commitment is more admirable to her. The big thing he’s doing is adjusting the memories of her dreams that stretch all the way to her teenage years. At first they would seem like a normal symptom of her puberty. Many hormonal charged teens have wet dreams after all. But over the years they became more intense. In those dreams she was being massaged by a heavenly being that looked like Lincoln. She was often reduced to a puddle of bliss. At the end of those dreams it got more steamy, the dream Lincoln would wind her up with his hands, and the moment he went to touch her most sensitive place, she woke up. The most agonizing part of it is that afterwards she is left bothered. So she would try to relieve herself. Only to find she couldn’t. For she needs his touch to make her finally release.

Keeping up the flow of control over her he kept talking, “Me and the other coordinators came up with a plan. Two volunteered to lead a makeshift defense force to hold off the threat. I was in charge of leading everyone else down into a tunnel I discovered a while ago when I was mapping out the place. It led to a decommissioned railway tunnel that led out to an above ground park. It was about 800 miles, so it's a long trek and it very much was. The one other coordinator was in charge of gathering able men to protect the entryway and if worse came to shove, which...tragically it did, blow up the entrance with them. A few good thousand stay behind to buy me time to get seventy thousand down the hallways and onto the tunnel. And from there we made our way. It was slow at times. Some parts were submerged, a few cave-ins that we have to clear out of the way, and kept a slow pace for the elderly. With our hope and faith we managed to reach the end and came out to the city park.”

He wrapped up his story there for now. Giving Falai’s thigh a squeeze he mentally spoke to her. ”Vita should be subdued enough, Falai. I’m giving you this opportunity once again to dominate her. To let you fulfill your fantasies. I should be seeing you peel down her walls to reveal her true nature. Make her realize that she’s not your boss, but an equal sister-slave. If you disappoint me again, Falai. I’ll do it myself and you won’t be allowed to join in on the fun. That will be your punishment.” Lincoln trusted Falai enough that he didn’t feel like an absolute command was necessary.

As he would watch Falai carry out her Lord’s decree he would listen in on how Alcra and his sisters were doing. For the most part he approved of what Alcra was preaching but felt the need to clarify some things enough to mentally quip, ”Quick intervention here. Lucy is not in the wrong here. You Alcra of all people should know how much I value the importance of family. It’s why I support you keeping in touch with Talmia because I empathize with that. All the while being risky to do so. With her abilities she may one day want more than a long distance relationship and try to steal you from me. If I didn’t care about family I would have ordered you to cut ties with her. Simply put my loving Trike. Those I enslave to build a powerbase are very much tools and property like all of you. However, because I want a sense of family and that I love all my partners in this large polygamy. You’re all more special because I’m going to marry all of you, so we’re all truly family in the eyes of the galaxy.” He let one of his future ideas drop out in the open. The desire to marry his many lovers. A feat he was sure would make many people on the Zantine side of the nebula proud of him. With that expressed he went silent to watch the two shows.

Lola stirred on the bed. Eyes slowly opening half way as she was brought to the precipice between sleep and wakefulness. That transient moment where colors and sound seem to blur. But this moment was different. In a daze she sat up. Giving no resistance to the pale hands disrobing her with ease. Not bothering to cover her dangling breasts. It felt natural to let them be bare for all to see. The world then aligned enough for to discern what she was seeing. Her blue eyes fell on the scaled beauty before her. There was an orange sheen over her dark green scales. And then she knew.

Gone was the old Lola. All that remained was a little sister who regretted not doing what her big brother said. Back then she knew she should have crawled to him on her hand and knees. She would have been one of his comfort dolls to relieve him of his woes. She felt ashamed that she didn’t prioritize him the most. Now, she knows it’s the time to make things right. Crawling forward on the bed she panted like the slave she was. And like a proper slave she stuck her face into Alcra’s groin. Using her tongue to please her. To please her brother.

Lucy went about to fulfill her mistress command. Going up on the bed to face Lola’s side. Murmuring her in a loving tone as she uses her hands to please her sister. “Good Lola, very good. It’s important to realize the great sin in prioritizing your needs over our lord. He stood by you, and even after all you did still desired you. And the only true way to ever repay his compassion is to submit your body, mind, and soul to him. You, and all of us, were born solely to serve him. To fulfill all that he wills.” Her words spur the eagerness in Lola to express her desire to serve. To pleasure her brother’s will with all the skill she possesses. And Lola’s gaze reflects that to Alcra, her mistress.

The implication he was disappointed still got through to Falai, which seemed to make her sad. Her ears and tail drooped, and she put on some fierce puppy eyes for a moment. She was more sensitive than the others, clearly, and not taking too well to the implication of punishment. Still, she recovered quickly enough and put on a more determined face, redirecting her focus to Vita, although she seemed to be a bit irritated, her tail slapping the couch in annoyance as she thought hard. Lincoln could tell Falai was absolutely not cut out for this sort of order. Fantasies were ultimately fantasies, and the actual mind of Falai was not the sort to perform such actions, even if she wanted to. She seemed confused on what to do, but at least wanted to give it a good try.

As for Vita, she was indeed quite far gone by now. It was hard to tell if she was even listening by the end, too far in her distant mental scape of frustration. That gave the Anubite some much needed time to think. Falai, while still uncertain of what she was even doing, decided that she had to try and go off this haze and Lincoln's words. She looked around the room, and then seemed to get an idea when she saw that portrait of Vita and her squad all proudly in their armor, snapping her finger to grab Vita's attention. Then Falai gently moved Vita's head to look at the portrait again, and calmly spoke, "You're quite proud of your old service, ain't ya boss? I could always tell this whole security contracting business was never something you really liked. Doesn't have the same purpose, right? That must really leave a patriotic and dutiful person like you really hot and bothered. I'm realizing that too, myself. That's something we're on the same level of. Well... I got an idea for you! How about we both ditch this whole security thing? You see, I figured something out. We're both missing something in this life. And Lincoln here has the missing ingredients! By now you know, he's a patriotic and dutiful guy, and a real leader. Both of us, we're the sort to follow orders. Why spend our time guarding boring warehouses when we can instead have some purpose is service? It'll be like the military again, you following the orders of your superior. And I'm your squadmate. Two of the same, following the commands of their better. Out of respect, out of loyalty, but most of all because that's what we signed up to do. Loyal soldiers, and you're a very loyal soldier, aren't ya?"

Falai's words were working on Vita, but the Anubite lost her steam here. She didn't really have any idea of where to go next, although she did implant the idea of working for Lincoln. Vita had turned her head to Lincoln now, her eyes much more full of respect. Falai was still frustrated because she didn't know what to do here, and that was evident in how she continued, "And, uhm, good soldiers do what their commanders want, right? Well, uh... Oh screw it. Your order is to make your commander happy and do what he wants, and you already know what that is!" With frustration in her voice, she shoved Vita onto Lincoln's chest, and then tore off her top. Vita was surprised, but put her tongue out. She did want to follow orders, and her new desires. Although Falai's ears drooped again, rather sad that she couldn't follow the order properly, and so just resigned herself to sitting it out as Lincoln said she would have to. 

Tulam's voice spoke out in amusement at witnessing this scene, "You can't force things, vessel. You have a lot to learn about being a master of slaves. You see, there's a reason even I need specialized slaves. No single slave can perform every role, or at least they can't do it well. This applies to yours too. So far you've gotten lots of powerful, assertive individuals. Those types can do this whole thing of enslaving and conditioning others in turn, since they already have some potential for that in them. That's not the case in everyone, you know. Not everyone is suited to giving out orders. Even in your sisters you'll find that some are better suited to being in command than others. They're unique cases still, with all their special powers, so the rule applies extra so in other individuals without such power. And in reality, you shouldn't want them all to do that too. Having all your slaves be the exact same is... Well, those are not slaves, vessel. They're robots. And you already have a batch of those. Now, time for you to adapt to that, good luck!" With that, his voice faded, interested in how he would handle this.

Meanwhile, Alcra was in a much better position. She was quite happy with the news of marriage, even if it wasn't exclusive to her in this instance. It still made her very happy, and she responded, "Thank you for the honor, my lord! And I know the importance of family. I have no intent of removing it. I simply need to make all members of this family understand who is the patriarch of it. A chaotic family is a messy family. Better to have order, and that is my role to ensure as your enforcer. But I will not make the mistake of sounding like I undervalue it again, sir."

With that, she looked back down to her work. She was pleased with the new signs of devotion, and pushed Lola in further. Then, after getting some much needed relief there, Alcra proceeded to lift her up. She moved Lola's mouth to her right breast, and stroked her hair as the Watrike spoke, "Your new life will have happiness beyond what your misguided life before. Purpose in understanding your place. But you Lola will have another mission as well. Lynn, your sister, broke your pride once before. That incident is meaningless now, as that pride was of course already misplaced. But soon, a time will come that Lynn too will be made to accept her place on her knees. And I believe this will be the time that you show your new devotion properly. When Lynn comes to us, you will be my assistant in making sure she too accepts the purpose of her entire life. Then you will have your chance to kneel beside her as an equal slave to a mutual master, both of your bodies bursting with joy at acceptance of their purpose. All that came before will be washed away, and new lives brought about in a baptism of pleasure. Do you like the sound of that, Lola?" Alcra made sure to reinforce her words with images in Lola's mind, showing her and Lynn in multiple scenarios as equal slaves. One image of them both kneeling together before Lincoln, then a second image of them both nursing themselves on Alcra's breasts, and finally the last image of them both in a deep embrace together with Lincoln and Alcra looking on in

Falai could have snapped her fingers there. And would have gone on to make an attempt. But she will never fulfill what could have been. A veil was thrown over Vita’s glaze. Her eyes become cloudy at the hands of a cosmic force. Falai would find herself being pushed back into the seat by a steady hand. The gaze of her lord would draw in her own. His blues swirl darkly. Then she knew that he had changed his mind. The rumble of emotions indicates a different flow of events. “Rejoice my love…” his voice became a husky, erotic whisper. The words spread a strange warmth down her veins. The Jackal would find her body getting hot. Feel her individual tendons tingle as they underwent a change in their structure.

It will dawn on her how sensitive her body is suddenly. More aware of how her clothes shift across her every strand of fur. His soft breaths against her neck were somehow louder. “...I realized I may have been too harsh when you gave me that look. There is no need to feel that. Nor even to remember it.”

To Falai the world would seem to become hazy save for Lincoln who she can still see in stark contrast. Her friend continues to sit on the other side of the couch in a trance. While she was far gone, an inkling came to Falai that Lincoln wanted to make sure Vita won’t notice this. So he used the same trick he did on Alcra the first time they met. Only this time he wasn’t doing anything to Vita except making it seem they were still chatting. In reality however things are going much different.

Lincoln cups Falai’s cheek with a hand. The contact spilled a current of pleasurable fire down her nerves. His essence was interlacing with her body on a micro scale. The other hand went to grab her shirt. Twisting the fabric to make it disperse into light motes. Leaving the cool air to grace her bare torso. Even in that subtle air current was enough to send chills across her body. It would be later that Falai would understand what Lincoln did. He had elevated the magnitude of the dopamine in the brain. Increased the sensitivity of her nerves. She could even feel his presence inside her skull.

Any semblance of coherent thought she may have had would evaporate when he gently grabbed her breast. It would be impossible for her brain to find fitting words to describe the ecstasy filling her. Lincoln was making her feel these intense emotions that no mortal being could ever reach. Not even the mightiest biomancers can reach the level of pleasure that Lincoln was taking her to. This moment was simply transcendent.

And Lincoln didn’t stop there. Oh no, he wants to correct his mistake so sublimely that whenever she thinks back on this moment. Her frustration and sadness would be eclipsed by the love she felt an innumerable times over.

She would find it hard to really make sense of what Lincoln did next. Especially when he made a temporary tweak in her internal clock to make this moment feel timeless. Making what was actually a short ten minutes in real time feel much, much longer to Falai. Falai would feel his hands roam all over her body.

His lips grace her quivering body with sweet kisses and love bites thrown in there. The one moment she would remember with any sense of clarity would be when he was murmuring sweet nothings into her head. Telling her how much he cherishes her, how much he loves her, and that no matter what happens he’ll never let her go. Words that will be emblazoned on her very soul.

It should have been biologically impossible for Falai to remain awake during all this. And she very well would have if it weren’t for Lincoln holding on to her consciousness like a kite in a Category 5 hurricane. Lincoln had changed her body and mind enough for her to withstand this degree of stimulation.

As a byproduct of this change is that it made a much bigger mess. Their side of the couch became drenched in no time at all. The sounds they could have made, the rolling waves of their stench, would have an effect on the entranced Lucip. Still blissfully oblivious to the otherworldly act of passion playing out before her and the dark spot that was expanding in her pants. Unaware that her dear old friend was being clubbed by colossal fists of rapture. To her, they were still casually talking about the olden days.

As last, Lincoln would stop himself. Standing up to take in his work. The sight of a naked Falai sprawled out on the couch, dripping with fluids and still spasming from orgasmic aftershocks. Is something he truly enjoys to see. He really should do the same to Alcra to discover her reactions. Before he continued he took the moment to respond to Tulam, “I was being too forceful there. You’re right about that. I got myself to wrongly assume that she would be assertive. When in reality everyone is built differently.” He admits his failing. Looking at Falai’s face he could see that she was still awake as he ensured.

Granted, at this point she would be functioning purely on her most primitive instincts. A state that is all he needs. Refueling Falai with his endless supply of stamina he spoke to her, “Come.” A single word was all her sex addled yet alert brain would need. His will were strings that directed her over to Vita. They both strip Vita’s clothes off with hunger.

Before Lincoln let his Jackal go to town on her friend. He placed a finger on Vita’s head. In a second her body underwent the same changes. And in the next second she was struck by a figurative bullet train as Lincoln struck her with all the ecstasy Falai felt in that instance. Something that could send her into a violently shaking mess as it becomes whacked by the divine sensations. Her limp, quaking body will be tended to by Lincoln and Falai with primal passion.

The orgy that followed was intense and animalistic. After a time, Lincoln finally let Alcra rest. Her body plop on the couch in a sex induced coma. Leaving her master to play with Vita all to himself. Not that he minded now. He enjoyed giving his lover undivided attention. At the moment she was bouncing on his lap in a reverse cowgirl position. With her mental defenses surely blown away by the nuclear strike that was his influence, he was able to make more changes to her memory. The events that led up to this happened differently.

They were talking. The subjects became more sensual. Then she shared her dreams. Saying that the person felt a lot like the man before her. She would remember his smiling. ”Have you forgotten my touch? You’ve waited so long. Here, the release you’ve been waiting for your whole life.” He then kissed her. Sending her into a world of utmost ecstasy. After so long she finally felt whole. That agonizing, burning itch is finally doused.

This is where she belongs. No wonder Falai gave her all those strange side glances over the years when she thought she wasn’t looking. Falai was destined too, and because of that she knew what she truly was, a devoted slave who’ll do anything for their master. Several rounds later, Lincoln finally let Vita collapse on him. Laying there he made the final touches to her soul and memories.

He let out a content sigh. Cuddling Vita as he got into a more comfortable position on the couch. Relishing the feeling of her naked body against his. That soon came to a halt when he heard Luan’s voice coming to him through their bond. ”My dear brother, the one who calls herself Hekatos came by out of thin air. She brought Leni here. She’s in a daze and doesn’t seem to be hurt. I couldn’t get in any questions before Hecate simply left but not without telling me a bit of “wisdom” to relay to you.”

Getting Leni just like that was good news. But there was something cold about the latter. A sense of foreboding. ”What did she say, Luan?” Some part of him told him not to say that. But his deeply rooted curiosity got the best of him.

“Pulling the blanket over your head doesn’t make the world go away.” A cryptic passage. A warning specifically for him. Thankfully his thoughts didn’t develop further when Luan spoke again, ”Do you wish for me to start on converting Leni, my dearest brother?”

He buries his face in the crook of Vita’s neck. ”I would appreciate that.” Later he felt Leni joining the great network that was his being. As with all their other conquests he made the appropriate changes.

On other matters, Alcra would feel Lincoln’s approval swell within her. ”Good my sweetheart. I just wanted to make sure that was clear.” Lincoln, the mundane side, then went to sleep. It’s likely that they’ll be staying a few days anyway to make their newly acquired lovers permanently join them through a smooth transition. You can’t pluck a person from a place right away after all. So Lincoln will take the time to sleep for now and wait for the others to return. Once everyone is rested they could move onto the museum. He has a strange feeling he’ll meet someone lovely there. Just a hunch.

Meanwhile Lola very much enjoyed the sound of that. The imagery that was planted in her thoughts spur her on. Redoubling her efforts in pleasing her new mistress. Hugging her as she hungrily nurses on the Watrike’s breast. Lucy stood behind her as she played with Lola’s rather large breasts as well from behind. The scars that once riddled Lola’s mind fade away. Making it seem she was never broken in the first place. She was turning into the dutiful little sister she was meant to be. And she is honored that she gets the privilege of assisting Lynn transition into their shared bondage.

It was quite safe to say that the two canines were both quite happy after that. Falai's moment of insecurity and sadness at not being able to accomplish the task was quickly washed away, replaced with much more pleasant feelings. For Vita's part, she was obviously hit rather hard, but it was safe to say she had been thoroughly inducted into the group. Both of them fell asleep, cuddling up like puppies on the large couch as exhaustion overtook them. Vita would be undisturbed by Lincoln using her fluffy form for a pillow. She was a good one too, as she clearly took good care of herself and her fur, meaning it was in prime fluffy condition, although it was a bit messy now thanks to Lincoln.

Over with Alcra, the Watrike stroked the hair of both sisters, smiling down at both of them. After being satisified, Alcra snapped her finger, making sure to reward both of them with a burst of pleasure that she knew would be enough to finish the two of them. She then calmly stood up and started to put her armor back on, speaking back to them, "Don't fall asleep just yet, you two. Clean yourselves up first, get dressed, and then get ready to start packing. We won't be leaving this planet just yet, but I want you to gather all your important items for travel, Lola. We're going to be moving them aboard the ship so we'll be ready to depart whenever Lincoln is ready. You should go and help her, Lucy, as I will be assisting as well. After we're done packing, then we shall return to sleep, in this bed. It has been a long day, and that little event has tired me out as well. You'll be joining me in the bed, of course." 

As Alcra set to work there in preperation for what was to come, Tulam appeared to Lincoln as he slept. The Psion put on a large smirk, and looked over his shoulder at the trophy rack. Appearing there was Vita's trophy, this one being the helmet of an Iammelonian Trooper's Heavy Armor, a symbol of her pride at being an Iammelonian Veteran. That got a chuckle out of the Psion, "Proud soldiers, ain't that something? Most slave soldiers need to get pushed into doing that, for better conditions or rewards or something. I don't get this nationalism thing you slaves have. So strange. All the same, vessel, seems you're making good progress in both your quests. The more reasonable one to grab up your siblings, and the more... carnal one. I've kept up my part of the deal. The new ones have had their powers sufficiently limited, including the one you haven't even seen in person yet! Likely a good thing, because so many of them on the same planet with their powers uncapped... Almost certainly really noticeable to anybody searching." 

He paused, and then chuckled, "That one with the Lizard right now, Lola, was particularly noticeable. Although as for her, truly shameful. Such a pathetically fragile ego! Let one measly loss upset her that much? Ugh, so much power, and yet still the mindset of a damn slave. That kinda slave is a preferred one for us Psions, you know. The ones that are very useful, and so very easy to control. Truly determined slaves don't give up that easy. But those ones, with such misplaced and fragile egos? Break them once, and they are yours. They never truly recover, and that's delightful. It makes them obedient. And through them, you can make other slaves obedient. Such people are excellent enforcers, because the idea of rebellion is lost from their mind. They lost once, and never consider the idea they may one day be strong enough to win. They resign themselves to loss, and so they do as they are told. In fact, as overseers, they're rather enthusiastic. To regain that semblance of control, they happily enforce the will of the master upon other slaves, taking such joy in the feeling that they are at least better than someone. Never will they consider rebellion against their master, because that means cooperating with the other slaves, who they have assisted in keeping down. Give them the choice of an uncertain freedom, where they may have their egos broken yet again, or certain slavery, where they can at least be higher up among the slaves, and they will always pick slavery. It's one of the ways a Psion like myself can control whole planets by myself."

"Anyways, tangent aside..." He stretched his arms, "Do try and get to my bones soon, if you can. Also, we need to find a place I can set Vixgor loose for a bit. Poor thing needs to stretch his arms, legs, and so on. Go for a walk and shake it up! ...Oh right, and I need something to consume sooner rather than later. I am starving, and it's getting more noticeable with each random furry creature and flesh bag you pick up. That newly acquired one, Leni, seems mighty tasty indeed..." He paused, and then sighed, "And not in that way, you filthy and carnal creature. I'm not so debased. Anyways, now that I've ruined my own cryptic message, just keep that in mind. I got needs too."

Tulam’Ren would come to notice something when he was salivating over Leni. Or rather a pattern across his sisters that he would be able to discern. There is a subtle air of omission. An underlying reason for throwing themselves at him. Cross checking with Lincoln’s memory would yield atypical results. While Lincoln did go through their memories to make changes. Tulam would see that his vessel seemingly glossed over sections. As if his subconscious was not letting him really look at something. So that he doesn’t think too deeply about it. In a way it’s akin to Hekatos’s warning. Whether Lincoln knew it or not, he was distracting himself.

Back to his sisters, they seem to be aware that Lincoln doesn’t know much about the universe. They know more than a mortal should. Seen the things that stir in the vastness of the abyss. Commune with strange beings. Upon their reunion with their brother. The sisters could sense the naivetvity in their brother. For whatever their individual reason may be they enabled his indulgence in smothering him with their flesh. Distracting his mind with transient thrills. To lull his eyes away from things he is not ready to witness.

It’s the sort of caution that Tulam’Ren may understand. He did after all felt anger rush through him when he felt Lincoln attempt to branch out. Lincoln was lucky, for any other person would have paid a price for their ignorance and carelessness in crossing doors they do not know. Like his son, Lincoln did not pay attention to the world around him despite how much he marvels it. A mental contradiction that came to be as a result of his issues. Too focused on what was before him. For the time being it is wisest to keep Lincoln’s potential bottled up. To buy them time.

Tulam saw the last thing Leni saw that Lincoln didn’t give much notice to. She was in a plane of her own design. Weaved it little by little over the passing centuries. A reality where fiction and nonfiction blur. She held herself as some noble figure. A being that stands on the precipice of all things. In simplest terms, she was a God. And in some ways she very much was. But as in all things. Everything is relative. Leni was young in comparison to the things that walk the sea of stars. Oh so very young.

Tulam saw what Leni saw on that horizon. A floating being of titanic proportion. Garbed in midnight blue robes that sway in the nonexistent wind. Three hoods that reveal a porcelain mask. Beneath was inky blackness with pinpoints of light that resemble stars. Behind her head was a grand image of the moon. Flanked by two crescents on either side.

Leni had bore witness to Hekatos’s titan form in all her glory. In this place, wholly separated from the skien of the mundane. The Titaness was out of its system, and she would come to show Leni what it meant to harness power beyond measure.

Leni’s land crumbles around Hekatos in her passing. She tried to retaliate against the intruding Titaness with everything she had. No matter how much she brought down the sky upon Hekatos it was futile. The difference in size was poetic in how large of a gap there is between them. Then it was Hekatos turn to return the favor. In a gesture all of Leni’s work was wiped away. Her judgement upon Leni’s folly in trying to carve out her personal kingdom from a firmament that belongs to neither of them.

Through that gesture she had also expressed to Leni that she is nothing more than a babe. There are many things in the great depths of creation that outlive her by aeons. Many who do not take kindly of those who lack the understanding of those which govern all. In sort, there are many old things that stalk the zenith that so many people try to climb to.

In a way it goes to show it’s a wise choice to control Lincoln’s growth. But also make sure that he doesn’t remain like this. Satisfying carnal desires produces nothing but prolong the inevitable realization that this is merely another form of stagnation. And it’s very much nearly universal that stagnation is death.

For now it was the time of rest. Lincoln’s mundane self driften to sleep with his fluffy and warm pillows. His sisters too got ready for bed. Of who Tulam could sense that same inkling of omission of being told to gather important things to bring to the ship. Lucy’s memory details many things that could be of use. Fortunately for her, given her nearby residence was a simple place to stop by there wasn’t anything of note there. She keeps her more personal things off-world. With Lola her things in the house were very much that of materialistic value. Clothing, jewelry, money, precious rock figurines, and other things that scream the snobby lifestyle of a rich white woman. But as ordered there are some things that are valuable enough to bring along. Once that was done they would both join the mature Watrike in bed.

All existential crisis and resting aside. Cosmic Lincoln was watching a smol shark girl Vtuber on Utube. It was a bit of a background noise as he surfed other pages. Getting used to getting around on the internet fully for the first time in his life. So he was aware enough to hear what Tulam said. Giving a short nod. “No argument there. I reckon it’s pretty much the same reason Hekatos found Leni in wherever she was hiding.” There was no comment on his newest lecture on slavery. At this point he was no longer put off about it. What that means remains to be seen.

He spared a small grin to Tulam's newest reassurance that he wasn’t kinky like the rest of the galaxy before cracking a joke. “You know Tulam. I never really think of you in that light so hearing you having to clarify it makes it sound like you’re saying it to yourself.” He gave a short chuckle before continuing. “I know, We’ll get going to the museum first thing in the morning. Afterwards we can work on the next step” With that said he went on to wait for his friends to rest up.

And so the hours past. A new dawn rises on the second day of their flight from Avalantus. Lincoln was the first to get up. A bit of a challenge considering the comfy fluff he was buried under with Vita laying on his chest with Falai next to them. He was feeling like giving them a treat so he shifted into his energy form to gently place Vita next to Falai before whisking up towards the kitchen where he shifted back to his physical self. In a few minutes the two canines would rise from their slumber at the smell of breakfast. Sure enough when they got up they would see the table is set up with delicious looking food on it. Many being their favorite kind of food to eat for breakfast. Lincoln would be standing nearby with a smile. “Come get some grub ladies. We should have the rest of our friends over to eat with us soon.”

Tulam, sifting through the memories, got a tinge of amusement, as well as annoyance. It seemed that blacklist he had discovered prior wasn't the only thing at work here, which was interesting and disturbing. But mortals and titans could play their lowly games all they liked, none were anything more than what a true Psion could do. It was in the name after all! And Psions did not leave these stones unturned. So, he would spend some time diving into what Lincoln was avoiding, on his own. He had a far better understanding of his limits and powers, after all, with years of experience that went beyond his actual age, although that was lengthy as well. He didn't like having to act and interfere, but it may yet be necessary. 

Leni's tale was one Tulam knew all too well. From Psions, mortals, ancient mages, talented sorceresses, self-proclaimed gods, all of them. He had been on both sides of that exchange, multiple times. As the mortal who's world was shattered, and as the one who disillusioned a fool. He knew what was going through the minds of Hekatos and Leni, perhaps more than either of them could really comprehend. Arrogance from both of them, although one was quickly facing reality, and the other was indulging in a power fantasy of a different sort. Tulam knew both feelings, memories of pain and gleeful indulgence in his power. Leni was going to remember that one for quite some time, if she was smart. The question now... How fun would it be to make Hekatos remember that pain for herself? This was the cycle of growth and power. A cycle of building up one's ego, only to be humbled so totally. And here lay the difference between himself and the slave species. The difference between a slave and a true master of the universe was whether or not you got up to do it again. This was the source of Tulam's confidence. Perhaps he was not the strongest being, not yet. But he would be, because he never stayed down. His ego was a fiction, and it had been broken before, but it always came back. All reality would bend to his fiction one day, every time it shattered it only grew more concrete when it was reformed. An Ego that never truly shattered, it simply grew more resistant. This was the way of the Psion, this was his way.

He calmed himself for now however, that was for the future, as many things were. The Titan could wait, he would have his chance in due time. For now, he returned his focus to Lincoln. If his vessel was to follow the path properly, he would indeed need to start on this cycle for himself, but first he would need to learn the resilience needed to stand up when he was knocked down. If he grew too fast, he would be struck down before he learned the valuable lessons of how to recover. He would break, and stay broken. That would not do, not for Tulam. The lessons had to be taught at a lesser level, to begin building up the resistance needed for what was ahead. Stagnation would get in the way as well. He then got an idea, a smirk growing on his face.

Tulam looked over to what Lincoln was doing and frowned. He waved a hand and closed the tab with the fake shark girl, grumbling, "You have actual women, and actual shark creatures in this Nebula of yours. Stop listening to a fake one and go get a real one if you are so needy. And if you're not even going to watch it, listen to something else of more value! The visual aspect is the entire appeal based on what I can grab, so you're being a fool twice over." He didn't question the rest of the surfing however, it was good to gather knowledge in Tulam's view. He then nodded, "Obviously. I'm not the only one who can track you, there's clearly a fair few others. We'll have to deal with that titan at some point, by the way. Too much interference. And here's the top lesson, vessel. Do not accept uninvited interference. It is almost always not in your interest, no matter how they try to convince you. If they do it without any prompting, they have their own reason. Don't let it be at your expense."

He snorted, "I'm surprised you don't, as you seem to switch into that mindset for every female you see. Thank myself that I am male, or I am sure this interaction would be far more awkward. Good for you to focus on the mission! But first... Learn to actually sleep, vessel. You like to indulge in this realm of yours when your physical body is resting, but you're not built for that. Actually sleeping is still important as a way of keeping yourself calm and collected. Start doing it, got it?" 

Regardless, in the morning, the two canines woke up at about the same time. Their excellent noses quickly caught the smell, and they both happily came over to eat. Falai's favorite was a form of pancake, with some sauce on it that was a local Javalusian delicacy, Reckbin Sauce, apparently from a local animal. Vita was more simple, just enjoying some plain cereal with milk. Her adaptation to dry military food carried over to her civilian life it seemed. Although at least she liked it with milk and some actual cereal. Even she found the dry nutri-paste that Watrike enjoyed very odd, mostly because it tasted horrid to any other species. Vita had some of the nutri-paste in her kitchen, as she was trying to find what Watrike liked about it, but all she could conclude in the end was that it had something to do with their culture, as there sure as hell was no redeeming taste. 

A little while later, Alcra would wake up for herself and communicated to Lincoln mentally, "I am up and ready, and Lucy and Lola should be ready soon as well. What are the plans for today, sir? Should I bring these two over to you or should I send one of them back to the ship with the items I've gathered from this mansion?"

Reading into Lincoln was a more simpler endeavor now that he trusted him. Which would give Tulam a strange inkling.

As if he had found a missing piece in the puzzle.

Aside from that he would find Lincoln’s avoidance from certain subjects seem to be something akin to how mortals are subconsciously wired to stop itself from experiencing something harmful such as sharp objects or hot surfaces.

Only with Lincoln it was altered to a degree. Tulam would be able discern the handiwork of the Entity here. Similar to the sisters it seems that the Entity wanted to ensure that Lincoln never turned his attention to the stars. To not seek out knowledge in the arcane by his own will. Simply put, the Entity tried to keep Lincoln ignorant.

Obviously the system had little protection against outside influence from pulling him in that direction. Tulam’Ren is the sole reason why Lincoln progressed as he did.

If it weren’t for Tulam it was likely Lincoln would have still been squatting in that facility. Another part of the sabotage here seems to also indicate that if Tulam were to leave Lincoln long enough he would subconsciously drift back to his original state of being a nobody.

The second reason Tulam found were undercurrents of fear. In both the unknown and the awareness of his prime sin, Freedom. Tulam knows how much of a vagabond Lincoln is, so it would have been strange how Lincoln never showed any interest in his capability.

This cements that he did in fact felt interest. Ever since Lincoln went somewhere in an attempt to think alone. It had started a flame of wanderlust.

How could he not? The prospect of being able to venture everywhere is enough to enthrall travelers. On the same token the unknown became more terrifying. He doesn’t know what may be lurking deep in the woods outside of civilization.

So he buries his excitement with cheap lust. Being someone who knows everything about emotions, Tulam would know that a transient rush won’t do anything to douse a persistent infatuation.

Outside of his dive into the current ongoing of Lincoln’s deeper psyche. He was still surfacing the webs. Mild surprise went over his expression when Tulam forcibly closed the window of the Vtuber’s Ethercraft video. Looking over with a slight rise of the eyebrows. Taken aback at the Psion dismissal of it.

Sure he suppose it’s insane how a cute avatar can make people from different countries outdo each other in a “Simp War”. In a short clip the shark girl was blasted with more money than most can make in months. He saw some casually throw five hundred monocredits at her without saying anything.  For something who experienced poverty it was a whiplash of surrealism. But aside from that he enjoyed watching the stream.

Certainly not to the point of being a simp for her that Tulam seemed to be implying. Fine then, he’s not going to make a fuss over it so he just casually shrugged. Lincoln kept his attention on Tulam. Who would notice once more when Tulam mentioned the Titan, Lincoln’s mind went to the river and not the more revealing memory. That

He found merit in what Tulam was saying. There were so many unknowns that caution is paramount. The fault lies in his habit in opening up to others no matter how jaded he became. So willing to put himself before others that he’ll risk himself.

In a way it’s the same shortcoming that led to the Entity getting to him. At the time he didn’t know anything about himself, so when it allegedly wanted to use his blood in exchange to stop hurting his sisters he did so without a second thought. Not knowing how foolish he was, and how much worse he made his sisters suffer.

His essence seemed to have had some sort of violent reaction to biological forms. The worst part is that he the front row seat to their visceral metamorphosis due to his essence not lasting long outside of his physical form. Meaning the transfusion had to happen when he and another sister were in the same room.

With that depressing recollection it cemented the notion that he needed to be more careful. Letting out a sigh he gave a nod. Then a snort to that comment. Unfortunately that gave rise to involuntary thoughts of something to search for on the internet. There were times when he heard people say that they all deserved to be glassed by Eskalivi. Making him wonder what sort of cursed content that the nature of anonymity wrought upon the internet.  Even if it was for curiosity sake he doubted Tulam would let him get that far.

So he just opted to keep up with the banter. “And I’m surprised you would find it awkward. I figured it would have been natural to be the center of admiration. After all, the Psion form is supposed to be the pinnacle of biology. A lifeform that surpasses everything in the galaxy. With that context I would be surprised if slaves didn’t salivate at female Psions.” With that said he then tilts his head. “Sleep? I suppose I can try. Up to this point it doesn’t come to me like it does to my physical self. Hmm.”

While he’s pondering, said physical aspect grin at his two canines. He stood by them to give loving scratches behind their ears. Hearing the mental notification from Alcra he spoke back through their bond. ”The latter my love. Have Lola do it. On that note I’m going to experiment something so I may be radio silent for a bit. So go on to the Museum with Lucy. As said yesterday we need to get close to some Psion bones. Something in them is reactive to my energy so whatever it is should be leached from the bones. Not too hard of a job. Oh, and it shouldn’t be said that I trust you when it comes to finding any worthy candidates to join us.”

He then turned his response to Falai and Vita. “Alright you two, it goes without saying I can’t take you with me right away. Today and possibly the next few we need to make a nice and slow transition of making you a permanent crewmember of my ship. Simply put we just need to make it look natural.” He solidifies his order with a loving kiss to both of them on the cheek.

Oddly enough he felt an inkling to give them orders before he tried to go to sleep just in case anything happened.


He hopes nothing happens.


Above his cosmic self leaned back in the chair. And close his eyes.


And he waited for that pull of slumber. When it didn’t come he kept trying to go to sleep by trying to let all the tension leave him.


He let go of everything. Thinking of nothing but pure emptiness.


His mind went blank.


In a blink, Tulam would find himself in complete darkness.  Save for the awareness of the construct of his giant hand below him.


Everything else was gone. The house, snowglobe, and everything outside of it. He can't sense Lincoln anywhere around him. The once expansive sea that was his being is not there anymore. In a sense the sea receded back somewhere, leaving him beached in nothingness.

In the far distance he would be able to see pinpricks of light that somehow manage to contrast enough with the absolute nothingness to stand out.


Tulam would sense that those were Lincoln’s slaves. Through the eyes of the canine he would catch Lincoln’s physical form unraveling into bands of light that slip through the fleeting cracks in space.


His physical self could not exist. For Lincoln no longer had a presence in the firmament to affect the mundane. He had unknowingly closed his gaze towards it.

Fortunately for Tulam the fact he’s still existing proves that he’s still connected to Lincoln. No matter the distance between them their bond transcends all dimensions. Same with Lincoln’s bonded women. They can all still feel their Lord’s presence albeit more quiet.

The statue of his claw and the awareness of his restraints still in place would imply that he could possibly tug Lincoln awake. Thanks to him being so ingrained in Lincoln he would be able to faintly sense Lincoln. Just more obscure than normal unless Tulam wants to follow the root to the tree.

The one thing he is certain of at the moment is that he feels Lincoln is in some restful state.

In the real world, Falai and Vita both understood, accepting the news. They were both happy to accept the kisses, and then got about preparing to modify their schedules for the transition. They would both need to keep working for a little while longer, but Vita began making the preparations for her departure from the private security firm she was working for, writing up the form for her resignation. Falai would similarly get to it, although she was preparing hers to be submitted a bit earlier. As she was just a grunt in the firm, she could exit her job more quickly. Vita needed to take a little longer thanks to her management position of a security team, additional measures needed to be taken for a smooth exit from the company, primarily that being informing them ahead of time so they could swap in a new commander for Vita's group, so the security company wouldn't miss any time in handling their contract.

Alcra meanwhile accepted the orders, "Understood, sir. I'll keep everything in order while you are gone." With that, she looked to the two sisters with her, "Lola, take the packed items back to the ship. You'll have the position in your mind. The other slaves there will help you settle in. Oh, and I want you to assist in breaking in Leni while you are there. I have another matter to attend to, so I cannot do it personally. You will act in my stead in this matter, so I expect that you will prepare her. Ensure that Leni is ready to serve our mutual lord, as well as me as her commander. I'll evaluate your performance when I get back to the ship. Lucy, you stay with me. We're going back to take the Taxi and go on to a museum to complete a mission. Be ready in case I decide we're going to take anybody back with us for conditioning. I'll drive. Let's move out!" With that, Alcra turned to go, leaving Lola to carry out her assigned task and expecting Lucy to quickly follow.

Meanwhile, Tulam in the mental scape rolled his eyes at the comment on Female Psions, "Psions are the pinnacle of power and might, vessel. We're geared to be the strongest users of Psionics, not built to be prime sex appeal. Sure, there are those with rather attractive forms, but it's not like every female Psion seeks that. Some might, if it pleases them, and others may focus on power. In any case, unlike you not every Psion is focused on having their slaves lusting over them! Some of us have other matters to focus on!"

He then waited to watch Lincoln try to fully sleep, and got surprised when everything faded away. He remained calm however given how he could still sense Lincoln, and the fact he was still alive himself. His soul was connected to Lincoln's now, as his vessel, so if something truly bad had happened to it, Tulam would know by the fact he would quickly experience such troubles himself. Instead, he seemed to be in some of hibernation state. Tulam wondered if it was perhaps a recall state.

All the same, Tulam could still know what was happening in the outside world, thanks to Lincoln's bonds, but also some of his own. He had made sure to leave behind bits of his own connections in each of the bonded women, utilizing Lincoln's little network. After all, it paid to be prepared, and this way even if Lincoln's personal connection got disrupted or tampered with somehow, Tulam had his own as a backup. That was his secret to keep however. These secret backup measures needed to stay secret, even from Lincoln, considering the enemy that this "entity" was. It may have its ways of effecting Lincoln, but no being could truly control Tulam'Run the Psion! Or at least that was the plan.

All the same, with his connections still secure in case of emergency, Tulam decided to turn his attention to the resting Lincoln. The Psion saw no point sitting around, it was time to follow and see what had happened. He was going to follow the root, and perhaps he could figure out more this way. If Lincoln was truly at rest, it would afford the Psion more ability to search around in his inner workings, perhaps he could get more information than before this way.

Tulam is a Psion. A being who lived for centuries. Cultivated a degree of knowledge and power that many envy. With this fact known to all was it really a surprise that he would find it easy to trace the cosmic riptide back to its origin?

Of course not, he’s Tulam’Ren! He would find the endeavor a simple one. Largely thanks to his vessel's gradual openness to him. One could find it strange that a Iammelonian would open their hearts out to a Psion of all things so shortly.

But Tulam could tell that Lincoln’s trust is both out of accepting their position and making the best of it. As well a bubbling sense of fear towards himself. Understandable that one would find it hard to trust their own intuition when it may not be something they have true control over.

As Lincoln's presence recedes like a retreating sea the Psion would feel that lingering sense of how much Lincoln was actually clinging on to him. As if he were a son trying to hang on to his father in a dark and alien place.

It’s fortunate that a sense of space was transient wherever he was. Tulam would be able to keep up with retreating flow quite well. With the complete darkness around him he wouldn’t be able to tell if he had traveled a foot or an entire length of the universe. Any sense of scale became moot.

There in the distance he would catch the once invisible fields of Lincoln’s being becoming visible for a brief moment. A sunset nebulae that was being drained into some small space. Upon Tulam’s ingress the last of its wispy ribbons whip inside it.

The source of its vacancy was a thin strip of white bark. The size of a surfboard locked in place despite there being nothing to hold it there. And what seems to be natural light that somehow manages to filter out from it.

The strip of wood gave off odd vibes. Something that shouldn’t be seen by lesser beings. It held an air of sacredness around it. Fortunately, Tulam was by no means a lesser being. And would find that the bark would crick as he drew near.

With more cracks it opened outward for the Psion. And he can feel the quietness and peace even before he would cross the precipice. It led out into an empty world of white and blue. A flat expanse of salt. Populated with ivory, skeletal trees.All spaced out from each other.

Despite how much light there is lighting up this strange place. There wasn’t a star in that great azure sky. No clouds, no breeze, nothing but beautiful stillness.

If he were to glance to the ground before his entryway he would see three sets of footprints. For someone with his specialties it would be simple to glean the residue of the presences that distrubed the barren soil.

The first set was femine. And it was very old. So old that it was almost moot to even try to guess how long it had been there. It could be centuries, millenia, billions. Regardless of its nature he would still be able to catch a whiff of person that first passed through here. For nothing here can degrade. It was similar to one of Lincoln’s sisters, Lucy Zvonimir.

The second set was far more recent in comparison to the first. A bit over a millennium. Unlike the other two it would be a bit tricky to analyze it. The person who made these made an effort to obscure themselves. Considering the time table it would be a good assumption to think it’s the mysterious Entity.

The last set is also recent, much more so. Twenty eight years to be exact. The same time when Lincoln came back into Hoshizora. Thanks to its general freshness he would be able to vividly grasp who it was. One of Lincoln’s sisters he has yet to reconnect with, a sister who seems to have a stronger connection to him beforehand, Luna Zvonimir.

All three sets lead on into the distance. Even with the spaced out trees they melt into the horizon. Once he steps out onto the ground and perhaps uses some manner of topographic psionics to get a lay of the land. He would find that this region stretched on for miles. Thanks to his abilities being so refined he would even be able to see that a tiny fraction of the stress also had footprints leading out from them, although only one set.

If he were to look back behind him the hole would be sealed. Looming above him was one of the trees. The bark of the trunk emblazoned with a peculiar symbol. A large starburst surrounded by six others. Enveloped by a great pair of dragon wings.

The tree gave off a strange sensation. He can still feel his anchors within. But they are now a part of something grander. Rivers of esoteric energy running alongside each other. If he were to look at the branches. The one that would stick out is a branch that seems to have stopped growing then grew a crystalline branch. For some reason, he would get the sense that it was his branch. The part of the tree in which he came from.

Looking around he would find that every tree had some unique symbol on it. All with distinctly unique energy from them. The one with the Starbird gave off a mix of positive and negative emotions in perfect balance with each other. And a tree bearing a shield with a stylized S held an air of heroism. Stranger still, he can sense that all of them are connected to Lincoln.

He can sense said person all around him. As if the very land was his flesh. Despite what could have been something that clouds the senses for someone trying to find him. Tulam would be able to sense the source. Incidentally the same direction where the footprints were going.

Thus given he came this far it would be only natural for him to venture further. Along the way he would be able to discern more about the strange forest. One being that all the roots seem to expand out from the same place.

After passing by who knows how many trees he would see a very large clearing. All the footprints from every direction converge in a circle around a large, black stone a meter up from the ground. It was small with a flat top.

There, floating cross legged a bit above the stone was Lincoln. Or rather someone close to him. His form was bare and it was as if he was carved out of the finest blue gems. His crystalline structure bore a nature of luminosity to it. Lincoln has his head bowed. And Tulam would tell that he was indeed resting.

He would manage to get close to him. And upon closer inspection would be able to see how fundamentally different this Lincoln was compared to the one he knows. An insight easily attained due to how his mind is clear as a pond on a bright summer day.

There is a sense of emptiness within this Lincoln. In fact he doesn’t consider himself that Lincoln or any other Lincoln. He knows it’s a name given to him, but he also has many other names. Hence why he deems it necessary to be unbiased in his thoughts. What they are requires Tulam to dig some more.

This Lincoln was also empty in a way that he lacked all the fears, the worries, the hopes, and the sum of all experiences that made Lincoln who he is. In a way it’s like he had taken it off as if one would take off their heavy coat after a long day outside.

Yet Tulam knows that everything links back to this Lincoln. He’s the source. Looking around he would sense that the trees grew without him needing to be involved in it. Hinting that perhaps with hoshizora he was directly maintaining a connection. But when Tulam told him to sleep. Lincoln emptied his head which in turn made him stop focusing.

The reason for his Lincoln not being aware of his nature is fairly obvious. For Tulam would see a device implanted in his arm. The same age as the second set of footprints that now blend in with the rest on the ground around him.

It was producing amnesic effects on Lincoln. As well preventing him from being aware of the fact he got a foringe object embedded into his arm. It’s very much designed to be a deterrent. Since it was not built to prevent whims of a Psion however, Tulam is able to perfectly see the deceit going on here.

Given what he knows. It makes him forget who he is when he exert his presence into Hoshizora. This way he is under the belief that he can die a mortal death. When that happens he would have no reason to ever return again. From what he could also tell, Lincoln also had a degree of amnesia before being taken. Possibly as a way to live as a mortal with his sisters. And the entity simply cements that further.

In this light it’s likely that if it weren’t for Luna, Lincoln may have never returned to Hoshizora. Of course that’s the assumption so far. Tulam would sense that this Lincoln doesn’t know much about himself due to the device. It was clear just how vastly vulnerable Lincoln is here. Equivalent to holding a fetus in the palm of a hand.

This place didn’t seem it’s designed to handle malicious intruders well. Well no, Tulam can sense powerful walls in place. The obvious answer would dawn on him. Lincoln’s biggest weakness is his family. All the footprints here indicate that this place is only reached by those close to him.

It would be an easy scenario for him to imagine. In fact that did happen in a way. If someone were to threaten his sisters with great harm...

He would eagerly give over the key to Paradise. That is the sort of person Lincoln is, or was if Tulam has anything to say about it.

Another thing that would come to him is due to the nature of the device. Lincoln is wholly reliant on Tulam to wake him up and remind him of the place he needs to get back to.

The device is also producing mind fog in Lincoln. Making it hard for him and Tulam to know more about himself, his capabilities, and his nature. Well, given Tulam now discovered a strange new place it would be a clear choice to go exploring. After all Lincoln needs to rest.

Tulam was indeed a mighty being, and so he had no doubt in his mind that he could reach wherever Lincoln had ended up without much trouble. He did think on the odd bits of trust he had with this particular slaveling, he supposed it was down to the strange similarities he saw between Lincoln and his own son. While he was doing this out of curiosity above all, Tulam couldn't fully deny the fact that he was at least somewhat driven by that connection, and perhaps the desire not to see the fate of his son repeat. His true, Psion son was dead after all, completely destroyed. Obviously he didn't want that to happen to Lincoln, as he had no idea what would happen if his vessel died in such a way while Tulam's soul couldn't split from him, but he also felt he may actually feel bad if it happened. How odd. Regardless of the oddity of the situation, Tulam didn't feel like going through that right now, so he was going to keep this one alive and functional. And he was grabbing on, it was cute, and Tulam wasn't one to say no to such a request.

He found the location rather strange, but interesting. At the entry way he didn't go in instantly, but rather in his hands conjured what seemed to be a banner. It had Tulam's personal symbol on it, that being a rather stylized "T" on a blue background. T of course for Tulam, and the blue for the colors of his glorious true form. It was the natural option for him. With the banner formed, he stuck it in the ground at the entry point. While it seemed egotistical, and it was, the banner was a beacon of sorts. This way Tulam could get here again even easier if he needed to, or even without Lincoln. Just a small little blip on the radar. 

With that insurance in place, Tulam went on in, and found the footprints. He found it amusing, only three. And only one he couldn't recognize properly. As he went on, he found the Dragon Wings of all things strange. Lincoln didn't look like an overgrown lizard. And with the feeling of having a branch, he felt it fitting to quickly put down another banner here, just in case.

When he found the resting Lincoln, with the device, Tulam had to admit he admired the craftsmanship. This was a well thought little scheme on the part of that Entity. One that no regular mortal would be able to interfere with, whatever the point of it was. But Tulam was getting ideas. It was no coincidence that this Lincoln was so very empty, nor was it coincidence there happened to be the empty spot he found himself in even when Lincoln seemed focused. There was a point to this. What it was, he didn't know. But he could make guesses. 

Regardless, Tulam felt no worry. This place had its defenses, and all its little tricks. But he was a Psion, and for that matter he was the best Psion of them all, Tulam'Run. He was confident that when he felt like it, he could easily restore Lincoln and wake him up. Soon. But Tulam did need to explore. And in truth, he wasn't going to break that device so quick either. It was tempting, but he didn't know what might happen if he did that. With the capabilities blocked, he had no idea what he might wake up, or if Lincoln would even survive such a blunt force method. Or worse, he might accidentally make another force very aware of what was happening... Yeah, he wasn't going to deal with that of all things right now. No, he would do as he always did. Gather information and act when the moment was best! That, and be curious. There were a few things he wanted to inspect more closely for the sake of answering internal questions.

He turned about and stretched. Time to do some searching. He had some things he needed to inspect more closely. Those other trees, and those damn lizard wings. Draconic Wings of all things stood out to him here as unusual, and he was curious about what they were here for. And so, it was time to investigate, see if he could find out how those made a connection. And then, time to do some tree searching. The last thing he was curious about was how that last sister got in here, that didn't make much sense if the two hadn't connected. Meaning there may be some other way in, and knowing that would be handy.

It was odd for the tree to display the symbol of dragon wings. More so in that there was an inkling that it wasn’t about Lincoln. Instead it seems to indicate someone else. A being that is the lynchpin for this tree. A sense of destiny far greater than Lincoln.

Near this tree there is another that seems to be connected somehow. This tree bore the image of a feathered dragon surrounded by seven galaxies. Unlike the surrounding trees, its branches were evenly burnt. As if something blew a part of them off. Once more whatever connection is here doesn’t seem to have any larger importance that he would catch his interest. So it was safe to ignore it.

Surveying the forest he would quickly notice a few things. Most if not all the trees where footprints came from have a crystalline branch that started from a branch that seems to have stopped growing halfway.

The footprints while singular have distinct uniqueness to them. There were some with residues of mystical energy while others have strange particles that seem to indicate the hand of science was at play.

Upon closer inspection he would find that they don’t all belong to one sister. The majority of them belonged to Lucy, followed by Lisa on a lesser bell curve. The rest were extremely rarer. At least in relative to the space he scanned so far.

All the trees feel unique like the ones he saw before. All with different images and aura surrounding them. One has a sphere split across horizontally with a second smaller sphere in the middle made him feel to be the very best like no one else ever was. More so than normal of course.

Back to the footprints they too felt unique as mentioned before. None felt the same. As if different versions of Linoln’s sisters have walked upon this soil. It would be an understandable thought to ponder on whether or not he’s alone here.

And sure enough if he reached out with his great psionic senses he would indeed pick up some blips on his figurative radar. There were three individuals, all spread out from each other. And the strange thing was, they all felt like Lucy. Only different in certain ways.

One was baptized in radiation. A necrotic being that had once walked alone for a long time. She bore witness to the end of days. Dread and silence hangs off of her like a funeral shroud. Despite her gloomy aura, she was at peace.

The second, like the first, is a dead woman walking. Fueled by dual sources of esoteric energy. Both the antithesis to the other. Her soul is far older than the first. A soul that has been hardened by countless tribulations. There is less of a somber air around her and she too was at peace.

The third was close to that of Man. Yet her body was built to thrive in a freezing environment. Stranger still is the nature of her soul. A shard of a dragon soul that shimmers with power. So much so that it felt as if it had absorbed other shards similar to it. Unlike the other two, this Lucy was more chivalric. Loud, aggressive, and someone who is not afraid to share what she thinks. As with the others she shares a sense of peace.

Beside discovering that this place has inhabitants. He could also sense structures. The two nearest being a coliseum and what feels to be a church with a graveyard around it. All in all he has many options to go potentially find information.

The Dragon wings did indeed remain quite weird, but he supposed there wasn't much he could do with them. They didn't seem to be in relations to Lincoln, and Tulam could feel they had a sort of deeper connection. Maybe a Dragon was involved in this whole scheme as well, or it was just something else. He would have time to think about that later.

For now, the main interest was the fact that this place apparently had other inhabitants, as that was something he distinctly not expecting. He could've expected some other mental showings, various bits of symbolism perhaps. But structures and inhabitants, beings of thought... That was a surprise, but a fascinating one. The fact they all seemed to be variants of Lucy was also interesting, and Tulam began to think up ideas. Perhaps with only those who were close to him being able to get here, the slumbering Lincoln secreted fake variants of sisters from random memories and thoughts before they were removed? Or perhaps it was something else, a natural defense system? He could theorize all day. But the best way to learn was to do what any real Psion would do; go and take it!

And so, Tulam moved onwards. While he was interested in the structures, particularly the strangeness of the coliseum, he decided he could do that next. First, perhaps he would gain some direct information about how things worked here. He would approach one of those Lucys, and get himself a guide. Either by request, or by more forceful means. Yes, Tulam had promised not to touch Lincoln's sisters, but he had only promised not to touch the real ones back in the material realm. This was different, and frankly Tulam was too curious anyhow. Not to mention, it had been a while since he got himself a slave, even if this one would be likely temporary until he had a better idea of what was going on. 

He decided to go for the third Lucy, as she stood out to him the most and would be the most interesting to inspect more closely. Not to mention the damn tinge of another Dragon. Lizards got everywhere. Tulam closed his eyes, and suddenly transported himself straight in front of the third, chivalric Lucy. He looked down at her and smirked, speaking out, "Well well, now who are you? You resemble somebody else I've seen, and others in this very place. Mind telling what is going on?" At the same time, he also tried to pry into this one's mind, to rummage around for more information and to make sure she was being truthful in anything she told him.

Tulam plops before the Lucy lookalike without much trouble to greet him. She seems to have been seated against a tree. Possibly asleep. For how long he couldn’t tell. Time is not the same here. The footprints from his tree had carbon from where he came from. So he could use techniques that involve carbon dating.

Because he doesn’t have anything to compare to the other prints he won’t be able to have much luck. At this point trying to pinpoint the age feels moot. All he would be able to tell that the prints and the people here are old.

Very old.

Upon laying his eyes upon her it was clear she wasn’t asleep anymore. Obviously given his loud and sudden appearance. As one may expect from people who weren’t expecting that she was a bit shocked. Her body swiftly primed to go on the defensive.

And he can very much sense the strength behind her coiling muscles. The instantaneous alertness is something he would find from people who got used to getting ambushed out of the blue all their lives.

The uniqueness here was that she got to her feet with a slight undercurrent of tiredness. Just as though she became too used to colorful egomaniacs suddenly coming out of nowhere.

The lookalike gaze at Tulam for a second. For a moment she seemed prepared to do something but instead she calmed down a seconds roll by.

Tulam can sense that she has a strong connection to this place. Her being was one with it in a way a rock would slowly be buried under dirt over a period of time. Becoming a part of the soil. The soil that is composed of Lincoln’s essence.

Through that bond she got the strange sense that Tulam wasn’t a threat. And could be trusted no matter how he acts. And so she let herself relax a bit. Still curious about this new being. Put together with the sense that she is accustomed to interacting with egocentric people like Tulam. She was no longer on the defensive.

Finally she broke the silence that was hanging in the air, “That so? Not surprising then.” He could sense that she was wary of sharing things. But given he couldn’t be here unless Lincoln let him in, she’ll strike up a conversation.

The Psion got a sense that she’s not going to bother sharing her name. She seems to assume from his general air that he couldn’t care less about her name. Which again she seemed to be used to.

Looking over him again she let out a silent sigh, “Hn, whether you believe this or not is up to you. The one you know, myself, and the two others,,, are alternate versions of each other. We are all from different regions of the greater totality the forest roots expand over.” She paused to give a look around the quiet forest. “All of us...were led here by a similar desire or wish. No one was ever here at the beginning. So not much is known. We just call it the Ivory Forest.”

Tulam can tell that she was still guarded. A good thing since it would be strange if she wasn’t otherwise. People are never perfectly friendly to those they don’t know to the point of sharing private information. If they are, that means they are young and naive.

She looked in the direction of the blue Lincoln before back to Tulam, “I assume you met Blue?” He can glean that the blue Lincoln doesn’t have a name for himself but accepts all the names given to him. In a way he was like that of an infant, nameless.

And given the fact that there seem to be multiple variants of people going on, he can also catch that she was using the word to differentiate Lincoln’s. As she calls him by a different name so she doubted Tulam would have understood who she was talking about

The alternate Lucy continued where she left off, “Blue… is the physical representation of the first and original iteration of him. The origin point in which every version of him across totality stems from. In a way, this forest is a visualization of his essence linking intertwining with all of totality.”

A grand claim, very much so. One that he has evidence that does support the notion. But that would raise the question of why something so epic in scale would get compromised so easily. That said she continued as she made a small gesture to the tree, “No doubt you can guess what the trees are at this point. They are passageways to continuums distinct from each other. Sometimes not by a lot.”

With all that is said so far he would see that she spoke the truth. In fact he could see a lot of things. This woman, whose name is Olga Ebbedóttir, holds herself with great confidence and bravery.

Olga seems to be the type who doesn’t bother to hide anything about herself. Even if she does feel like someone who sticks to the shadows. Linger in the outskirts of civilization. In some ways he can see why.

In the universe she came from she went by many titles. A living legend who sculpted the world on a road made for her. Devoured gods, brought down giant monsters, brought an end to plots that would have brought about the apocalypse.

Amidst all these heroics there was one thing she was known for above all else.

She’s born a mortal blessed with the blood and soul of a Dragon.

A soul that he was now able to get a better picture of now he was this close. And what a grand soul it was. It gives off an image of a dragon blacker than the darkness between the stars. It shimmers with the essence of hundreds of other shards it had absorbed.

So noticeable in fact he could glean their memories. All of which ended the same way.

Staring in the face of their executioner in disbelief.

The power and weight of her soul is immense. She grew through so much over the centuries she has lived in that universe. At the beginning she was only able to shatter trees with her voice.

And then at the end, her soul grew so great that she was able to transform into an actual dragon.

Yet pathetic thieves on the road still continue to threaten her for some bizarre reason.

After all of this, there came a point in her life that she felt it was time for her to seek greater things. Like the Hero before her in the Era’s past, she knew it was time to take her leave from the center stage of the world.

Olga’s power aside he could go look over her life so as one goes read a story he goes to the beginning. In a frozen land stricken with civil war. The province of which the war sparked from had revolted against the Third Empire.

One proclaimed to be the true High King. So he rallies the supposed sons and daughters to strike back at the empire that had taken away their ancient faith by bending their knee to the elves.

This war would have dragged on for years. In the early days, Olga lived a simple life with her family on a farmstead. She only had one other sibling, her older brother who shares a striking similarity to Lincoln.

And they shared a secret, a incestous one. Sadly in their young lives her brother was pricked up by the winds of war.

Her brother-lover was old enough to be conscripted to fight in the civil war. And the next thing she knew he was “missing in action”. They didn’t find any trace of him to send back for his family to cremate.

Fueled by her grudges and loss she sent herself on a dark path. Running away from home into the rugged wilderness of the land. Among it misty peaks and gloomy marshes she found comforting solitude.

For the first short years she spent most of her waking moments bent over her mystical studies. Opening windows to dark fields of magic that most mages dare not approach. The land, rich with ancient knowledge, was hers for taking. She just needed to grasp it.

But as fate has it her path wasn’t going to be paved in blood and bone. Just not of the malicious kind. No, the world will give her a lot of blood to spill and wonders to reap.

One day when she linger too close to the border she was caught up in an imperial ambush. And the rest from there is history.

She accepted the call to destiny for reasons she doesn’t fully know. Perhaps out of sense of finally having power? A sense of purpose that she had lacked? Maybe deep down, she was a person who knew the right thing to do.

The person her brother loved.

Olga would practically write the annals of history with the amount of influence she left. She devoured the World Eater. Sided with the independent faction, so much so that she played a major role in crushing both sides of the rebelling.

Even that she knew it was wrong to feel so. Having the Palace of Kings and the Imperial City Palace become nothing but rubble by her hand was nothing but cathartic.

There are dozens of other grand adventures she partook, each with their own ripple effects upon the world. At this point Tulam would get the point. As well noticed something the way she threw herself into so many exploits. In a small manner she was distracting herself of her internal woes.

All in all she very much became the Hero as prophesied in the legend of her people. Songs are sung in her name, statues erect in her honor, and so much more.

But as it goes without saying, no one is without darkness. There’s no such thing as a perfect Hero. For many years now she had a lot of darkness building up inside her. Waiting to be released in a violent, ugly manner.

And one day it did.

Left forgotten in the wildness was a Dominion compound. A seemingly simple place. By this point Olga developed the habit to comb through places like this. And given what it belonged to there may have been things that are valuable to the elves.

There was something valuable inside.

Very much so.

The corpse of her brother.

Turns out he wasn’t MIA. But captured off the field and tortured.

What went through her mind is so familiar to an old Psion that it doesn’t bear the worth it looks at it. The reasons, as always, are purely human ones.

The sky darkened when she took to the sky upon her great dragon wings.

As if the world itself was donning a funeral shroud for what is to come. Of the atrocity that a woman scorned would deliver.

The land beneath her flight rumbles from the fury that rages in her chest. In distant lands including her own woke up in a cold sweat and wept. Forseeing the death to come. And so they prayed.

Even those of her kin prayed for her to have mercy on the elves. They were ignorant fools who didn’t see what they did. No one deserves this wrath. Even the Greybeards urge her to stop.

But all those voices didn’t reach her. For she is not a divine being they all thought she was. Neither was she a spawn from oblivion.

She was a grieving sister who wished for an ocean of blood to be split in exchange for the blood they spilled from her brother.

Before long, as the final rays of dusk disappear behind the horizon. She was flying high above the Isles of Summer.

What a beautiful, verdant land it was.

A shame that when the light of dawn first peek over the horizon.

It fell on nothing but ash.

When she flew home it quickly dawned on her on how much the world will be changed by her actions. And so she lived through it all for several centuries before feeling it was time to move on.

Finishing the last of her final deeds on the land of Man, Beast, and Mer. So she took to the realm of Aetherium.

Through the use of her Voice she recites a poem she made so long ago. And by the power behind her words they brought her to a place where she can be with her brother. Even if he wasn’t the one she knows, the nature of what he is made the journey worth it.

That place being this very forest. Akin to others she met the blue Lincoln. Spoke their wish to stay here to slumber. To have this be their Eternal Rest. And through her eyes Tulam would see that while this Lincoln was emptier than the one he knows. There are faint signs that he’s very much the Lincoln he knows and connected with.

And so she slumbers. From time to time she does get woken up by other versions of herself. As well meet other groups of variants that seem to all have some connection to Lincoln.

There are thirty of them in total, including herself. And only ten remain awake often to attend the places that exist within the forest. Whatever they may be, they can feel that these being here is the reason why they are all intertwined with the will that is Lincoln.

Typically those who come here plead the prime being to bring back their brother, while he can’t bring back his dead selves. He, as being the first, can be in their place directly. At times this oath lasts for only one lifetime. But there were variants of themselves who wished for something eternal. Again he agrees, and makes it so that they are bound in that branch for all of eternity.

In a way Tulam was right when he thought that Lincoln wasn’t the same one as his human self. Just not a hundred percent. That aside this gives a picture that however years ago, in most likely a past life one of Lincoln’s sisters came here to bargain. A bargain he accepts.

And ever since, the ten souls were bound together even beyond death. No matter what happens, he made sure they’re all reincarnated together across their eternity.

If this is all he may think it is. Then this could bring up an unpleasant notion when he saw a perspective of the moment the Entity came into this space.

It came under the guise of a sister. All the sleepers were well asleep. And the caretakers were either far away or if they did notice, not pay much attention as they generally leave Lincoln to have meetings with their other selves on their own. Because it’s a private manner.

Tulam knows his math. Can see that they left it up to chance. No matter how astronomically small it is, if all it takes to compromise something that extends over the totality is one chance.

After all, it's simple logic. If eternity existed here then that chance would have eventually happened.

He could sense that the failure is a great shame for not only Olga but everyone else in the forest.

As if that can excuse such gross incompetence.