On the way to wherever Sifo Ren was taking me along with our unconscious captive in his spaceship i was left thinking about the regressor, Arthur Moonleaf, and the power he had.
"What an underwhelming disappointment."
Even despite the great power implanted inside of him by Clarity resting inside of him. Specifically the Throne of Fate. He's far less than i expected, far less than the powerful Arthur Moonleaf from the future that i knew of before i was sent backwards in time by accident.
The Arthur Moonleaf i saw was nothing but a bumbling fool drunk on luck and plot armour. This is his third regression. His third life after several failed decades long lives. I would have thought that he's be... more impressive.
"...Sifo Ren. Whats your thought on the regressor?" I asked from my seat with my feet propped up on a table.
In the spaceships cockpit not far away the android buzzed in thought for a second. "Disappointing. The regressor has failed to take full advantage of his [aspect's] power. He is no more talented or skilful than a regular human. Fully reliant on the abnormal power of his [aspect]."
"My thoughts were the same." My gaze landed onto the elf girls while she was unconscious. Still trapped by Sifo Ren's drone with a glowing feather sticking out of her head. "...compared to someone like Ben Lakes or Seer Qilin, where would you say he ranks in terms of capability?"
"Last." Sifo Ren said immediately with no hesitation. "The two other 'children of prophecy' as Sathuna named them have taken full advantage of their incredible potential with both immense talent and hard work. If either to fight Arthur Moonleaf it would be a close fight due to the oddity of his strength but they would win."
"Hmm." Liking that answer i changed up topics. "Anyways, why did Sathuna's script say you needed to kidnap the girl to lure Arthur? You're disguising the journey like we're in a rush leaving a deliberate trail using the warp gates logs for him to catch onto easily."
Flicking a button as the spaceship got sucked into one of the aforementioned warp gates and lights streaked past the cockpit in the time and space bending travel to another galaxy. Sifo Ren explained saying, "Sathuna has orchestrated events so that the regressor encounters and enlists the aid of the two other children of prophecy in pursuing me. That is all i know."
The lights slowly stopped streaking past and soon the spaceship boomed out the other end of the warp gates before flying into another one and beginning the time and space bending journey again to the next galaxy.
A little confounded i wondered what about Ben and Seer made them important enough that Sathuna would need them to be entangled with Arthur to play out her show. Unless she knows that like Arthur they are one of Clarity's unrefined key's to complete their unknown plans. The only reason i can think of to involve them is that she's wondering about the odd phenomena that occurred around them decades ago now.
Seer and Ben's energy pulses were known to just about everyone when Clarity tried to integrate fragments of themselves into the two kids but i stopped Arthur's energy pulses from leaving the planet as i was on Laegii when it started. So Sathuna shouldn't have any idea that the three of them are connected in anyway.
My best bet is that she's trying to test a theory to see if Seer and Ben's abilities are as odd as Arthur's is. Though i doubt she'll learn anything about the prodigals and the 'vessels' they are. Its best i be ready just in case Clarity orders me or another messiah to erase her. Unless she has a special method that can hide her thoughts from even Clarity like she can me, i need to make sure Sathuna doesn't learn about anything that will get her killed without my permission.
She'll catch on if i try to divert her attention too many times so its best i play it by ear. If need be I'll lock the abilities from the throne of limits and the throne of choices within them if they're overly apparent like the throne of fates is within Arthur.
But now theres one other issue...
"What is it about this elf thats got Sathuna so interested?" I asked while using my telekinesis to poke the unconscious girls stomach.
"She has an anti-light [aspect]." Sifo Ren explained. "Despite its nature being closer to the darkness branch of power its still counted as an inversion of the radiance branch. Sathuna wishes to try and find a method to replicate it and turn it into magical spells of sorts I believe. Its simply a side-benefit in luring the regressor to the target."
Unsurprised by this as it was in character for Sathuna i accepted the answer. She must be very confident in her plan though to indulge herself like this when the ritual to take control of Arthur Moonleaf's regression is about to start. Well, she has had decades to plan and experienced the different futures in person. Other than me i doubt theres a single variable she couldn't account for.
[aspect: taken devourer — take the energy!]
A black hand materialised around the telekinetic finger i used to poke the elf's stomach before, reaching through her skin going wrist deep before pulling out and flying towards me holding a shard of pure purple light. It was similar to hyper-condensed ultraviolet radiation making it simply visible to the naked eye but there wasn't really anything unique to it.
To my non-scholarly view of it at the least. However, there was a hint of something putrid. Similar to the foulness of an Outer God deep within the energy frequencies of the light, but it was undeveloped. That alone will more than fascinate Sathuna.
"What an unfortunate future for this girl."
The trip inside Sifo Ren's spaceship continued for six more days and we passed through three galaxies using the warp gates before arriving at the fourth galaxy where our destination was within. With a hyper-light space leap it only took teh ship a couple more hours before we arrived at our destination.
"Trannorri?" I said surprised while observing the red and pink planet covered with grey lines of steel. "The planet of trains? This place was a testing ground for the previous Kralscell of Invention when he was creating the warp train system. The planet would have been among the last i searched if i brute forced my search for the ritual site."
"You still would have arrived before me with your [mach void] ability." Sifo Ren stated while he prepped the ship beginning to enter the planets atmosphere and being careful of the various train tracks suspended in the air.
"Even with Thorn deeply assimilated with me currently I'm not egotistical enough to say i can search the entirety of the connected six-thousand galaxies in six days." Thinking it over i said, "maybe a third."
"Uh huh." Ignoring me Sifo Ren flew down and the turbulence of breaching the atmosphere suddenly almost tossed me into a wall.
Looking outside the cockpit we both saw the train system active with hundreds of trains moving along the floating rails through the clouds.
"The trains weren't active the last time i was here two weeks ago." Sifo Ren announced suddenly.
Looking down at him from behind his seat i made a serious face briefly. "Must be part of Sathuna's defence plan. It'll be difficult for anything below the sixth sequence to force their way through so many mechanical constructs. The kralscell of invention's crafts are rather tough after all no matter how ancient they'Ve become."
Continuing to pilot the ship down Sifo Ren flew the ship towards a mountain that had been transformed into a massive train-hub. Flying through one of the largest tunnels into the mountain before jerking the ship to a sudden stop as it entered a loading area. Letting the spaceships thrusters cleanse the floor of dirt and dust before snuffing their flames out.
[skill: astral third eye — detection]
Whilst pulling a lever with my telekinesis to lower the ships ramp after it landed my aether sense sent some surprising information into my head. "...all the fifteen crusaders are on the planet?"
Grabbing the floating drone with the unconscious hostage in its claws Sifo Ren slung them both over his back like a briefcase before pausing when he heard my revelation. Shaking his metal head the android quickly continued down the ramp and headed for the deepest part of the abandoned mega train-station.
Following alongside the android i looked around seeing not much had changed in this place ever since the kralscell of invention that built this place first abandoned it. Just steel walls and concrete with train tracks going through almost everything in a chaotic system.
"Hut-hut-hut!" Reaching a hub area within the mountains train station Sifo Ren and i spotted several diminutive humanoid otter-like creatures rushing around the place in small groups. Several rushed across the ceiling beams, others were fixing up damaged parts of the hub, and others were just lazing around in cute piles of their kin.
"Oh, Ghoot's from Anplagace's Hound-Feline Colossus." I mumbled. "My first time seeing so many gathered together like this."
"They're so cute aren't they?!" Rushing up on me and Sifo Ren a familiar short girl with platinum-blonde hair appeared carrying one of the Ghoot's in her arms. "They're surprisingly intelligent and so~ fluffy! They understand my instructions so easily and can copy my blueprints after being shown how to do it just once!" Snuggling the indifferent creature Clara squealed happily. "Oh I just want to take it with me and turn it into a pillow!"
Going on ahead Sifo Ren shot a quick nod to me while he headed for Sathuna who was talking to a dark robed presence and a nobly dressed gladiator wearing a boar skull as a mask. Dryden and Teuxer.
"Did Vita bring them all?" I asked while looking up. Seeing one of the Ghoot's fall from a beam before walking it off like nothing to join a different group.
Smiling cheerily Clara lifted the Ghoot high up trying to put it in my face. "Yep! She told me all about them! How despite being one of the weakest species in all eight of Anplagace's colossus they're also once of the most engineeringly intelligent. Hence why the eight royal clans protect them and use them for construction labour. They're like capybara's but capable of building a house!"
Walking up to me and Clara one of the Ghoot's grabbed the one Clara was holding by its fluffy belly before waddling off trying to take it with it. "Hut-hut. Ig-hut." Not even acknowledging how Clara was easily holding onto the Ghoot she was holding and just trying to walk off with its friend.
"Ah, sorry." Placing the Ghoot down she let its friend pull it away to assist with carrying a large crystal with four other Ghoot's. "They're very uhm... dull. Despite their motor cortex and cerebellum being quite large."
"More like indifferent really." I stated as one Ghoot brushed past my leg. "These things lost their predator's when they became the main work-force of Anplagace."
Grabbing another by the head before it went by i turned the direction it faced and it simply kept walking in that direction.
"Dumb but exceptional engineering skills. There's a legend on Anplagace that these guys' ancestors were the ones who built the eight colossi of Anplagace before the planet split in half."
Clara's mouth dropped to the floor in astonishment. "Shut up. Thats incredible! N-not even i could create something of such scale, and they created eight of them potentially?! Wow~." Grabbing a Ghoot with tribal painting its face Clara's face was written with greed beginning to drool. "Give me your secrets smart one."
"Hut-hut!" Waving its staff it lightly bonked Clara's scalp making her let go before going off to instruct the other less intelligent Ghoot's. "Ig-hut! Hut-hut-ig!"
"Owwie..." stroking her head Clara complained.
"Yeah, the Foremen Ghoot don't mess around." I chuckled. "To it you're just a weird looking Ghoot who's not doing their work. And a non-working Ghoot gets less nap time. Kinda like Sathuna if you think about it."
"What an appreciative view of me." Sathuna grumbled while she approached with the High Chief of the Ghoot's mimicking her posture and demeaning face. As she pointed her fan at me the High Chief of the Ghoot's mimicked her pointing their rattling staff at me. "Now, care to tell me how you awoke so early from your madness, dear Nameless?"
Struggling to contain her nervous laugh Clara stepped behind me to hide her smile. Overcome by the cuteness of the High Chief Ghoot copying Sathuna motion for motion.
Also amused i made a smile across my face. "It was less a fragmented dream and more like a journey this time. Instead of bits and pieces of a chaotic movie i was able to play myself in it this time. All the side-characters were people i knew even vaguely though."
Tapping her fan against her chin Sathuna went into deep thought but at the same time the High Chief Ghoot banged their forehead against their staff. Making it nearly impossible for Clara to compose herself as her laughter began to wheeze out.
"...could the regression's have an effect on cleansing your mind?"
"Fat chance." I quickly dismissed with a flippant wave of my hands. "The only reason i was able to recover so quickly is because my own mind tried to trap me within itself this time. As a result my consciousness was placed in a fake world or maybe i just possessed an alternate universe version of me before recovering enough sanity to retake my body."
Sighing Sathuna was disappointed. "If you say so. Now then," jabbing her fan into my chin Sathuna 's voice became brittle with anger. "What kind of fool are you to dare interfere with my script immediately on your return? I know you're a psychopath with a god complex but i had one deathly simple single rule."
Loosing all humour as even the High Chief Ghoot got scared of Sathuna and stopped mimicking her. Clara snuck away from behind me while the gravity around me and Sathuna got tense.
Noticing a flick of my shadow Sathuna quickly backed away before any of the ink-spirit's rushed out on their own to attack her. Let the air lighten back to normal before letting out an aggressive sigh. "The next time you break that single rule don't expect to be let off so lightly. It was you in the first place who asked me to do this for you. Seriously, nearly sabotaging all my hard efforts because of a simple whim you would surely regret if you followed through with it."
Trying to quickly think of a method to apologise i came up with something asking, "...you want a lollipop?"
Staring at me with disbelief through her blindfold Sathuna was about to shout but caught a whiff of the sour melon flavour that was her favourite. "This is a horrific apology." Taking the lollipop from my fingers Sathuna began crunching on it immediately as she strutted away. "But what else should i expect from you? You're forgiven for now. But when the actors arrive tomorrow, do nothing until i say, understood?"
Blowing out my nose i was glad it was so easy to get back on Sathuna's good side. "Crystal."
As Sathuna walked i away I could see the weight on her shoulders lifting. She must have been worried about whether or not the me who interrupted her plans was my usual eccentric self or a madman who didn't even know who he was or where he was.
Now that I've eased all her concerns though she's finally allowing herself to relax again.