26.4: Maria & Leona: A Link in Gold

( ) The bells continued to ring at the back of Maria’s mind long after she’d left the Monadic Temple behind. The sound reverberated from the base of her skull, down her spine, through her limbs, and down all the parts that extended out from them. The one area where the trembles did not travelContinue reading “26.4: Maria & Leona: A Link in Gold”

25.6: Advisor & Otro 

Lueur de Fée, Cancer The phantom tendrils of Scorpio’s embrace clung to Atienna’s body like wet cloth. No matter how hard she scrubbed herself in the bath in the following days, his cold warmth still lingered. It felt almost as if he occupied the minuscule spaces between her skin and bones—deep-rooted and impossible to removeContinue reading “25.6: Advisor & Otro “

25.5: Peacekeeper & Alianza

In-Transit, Leo Jericho realized that Leona’s ‘war’ story did not ‘match up’ with what he had gleaned from Oros. At the same time Leona and Gabrielle started exchanging their wartime experiences, Maria had received Oros’s memories from Epsilon. From Jericho’s understanding, Epsilon’s reasoning for offering those memories was this: to ‘cheer’ Maria up. Jericho wasContinue reading “25.5: Peacekeeper & Alianza”

25.4: Pirate & Origen

The copper, gold, and silver bells clamored above Maria’s head. Low, high, dull, sharp—each sound blending into the next. Spying up at those brass wonders, Maria stood with her back straight and her head held high as the man in black robes walked down the line in front of her. When he brushed past her,Continue reading “25.4: Pirate & Origen”

25.3: Swindler & Mentiras 

( ) Werner’s idea was working—as always. Werner continued to work together with Olive and Atienna on something Olive called ‘predictive modeling’ and Werner ‘strategic modeling’—charting out all the possible locations Alpha could appear using Jericho’s ‘data’ from Ophiuchus to cross-reference everything. They also threw in orphanages with the word ‘Primera’ in their name toContinue reading “25.3: Swindler & Mentiras “

25.1: Prince & Candidato

Inelki Station, Scorpio Olive once again landed flat on his back. Stars flooded his vision as he calmly tried to count how many brain cells had been knocked out of his head in the past half hour. “Get used to it,” Derik had said after the first time he’d smacked Olive to the ground. “Can’tContinue reading “25.1: Prince & Candidato”

24.6: The Peacekeeper & Candidate in Mañana Light

Serpens Establishment, Ophiuchus Jericho was ‘excited.’ It was now March: the month of Olive’s birthday. There was going to be a celebration. Amendment: a surprise. Werner had been planning it thoroughly. Cadence had been attempting to ‘keep it under wraps.’ Atienna and Maria were making preparations. And Jericho’s own task: the setting. Another task toContinue reading “24.6: The Peacekeeper & Candidate in Mañana Light”

24.5: The Advisor & Conductor in Soñadora Light

Secoursonne, Cancer Lueur de Fée. That was the name of an infamous waterfall located at the very heart of Cancer. According to the texts, the waterfall geysered out right into a river beneath which flowed a vitae-stream that supplied its reserves to more than two thirds of the country.  It was also the location namedContinue reading “24.5: The Advisor & Conductor in Soñadora Light”

24.4-2: The Pirate & The One in Blanca Light

Encuentrolza, Leo The One. Jericho synchronized in immediately, forcing Maria to surge to her feet. Maria had wanted to do so anyway so she was fine with following through with the action. The eye-patch wearing man merely watched her, still smiling pleasantly.  He really did look nothing like the Proteus who had taken her in,Continue reading “24.4-2: The Pirate & The One in Blanca Light”

24.4-1: The Pirate & Terrorist in Dorada Light

In-Transit, Onboard Gloria’s Grail, Leonian Waters “So you’ve finally brought my target before me,” Veles boomed as soon as Maria had brought Conta and Andres onto the deck of her ship through Francis’s gates.  “Yes, our target has been acquired!” Maria exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air and then bringing them down toContinue reading “24.4-1: The Pirate & Terrorist in Dorada Light”