Lance was shocked by the capabilities of this 'Final Kind', the aliens that warred with Outworlder humans. That ship that floated next to Rhetyna was the smallest of the Dragon-class ships. Jason claimed that the largest of these Dragon-class vessels was referred to as a 'Battlecarrier', and that it was twice the size of Earth itself. He also explained just what a galaxy was, before explaining that there were billions of them, spread throughout the universe. Infinity stretched beyond the dark sky overhead, the scale far beyond her comprehension. Ahkloolis never felt smaller, and Lance herself never felt more insignificant. They were a grain of sand across all creation.
Jason had spoken of space before, but Lance had no clue as to just how massive it was. She'd thought it would have an ending somewhere, but to this day, even the technologically advanced Outworlders and their alien nemesis had never even been able to leave their own galaxy. No, that wasn't right, rather they just never had left it, the Milky Way was big enough as it was, Terna nor the Final Kind saw any reason to leave it, at least not during their war.
"Dragon-class ships are the Final-Kind's super weapons," Jason continued, drawing Lance from her thoughts, "Each one can destroy a world like this one with ease."
"Why had the Banished Child not destroyed these ships?" Belaine asked, leaning forward in her seat.
"...He has." Jason said after a moment, "I've seen a recording of him doing it. He transformed into a massive kraken, before tearing apart a ship just like that," Jason said, pointing up to Rhetyna and the Dragon-class next to it, "Like it was paper."
"So you mean to say that there are only three Dragon-class ships left?" Belaine asked him.
"That's right." Jason told her.
"So why hasn't he destroyed the others? It makes no sense to let such weapons of mass destruction wander freely across space."
"The Final Kind didn't utilize them in the field much." Jason replied, "My guess is that it was due to Jyn's power. They didn't want to lose any more Dragons to him, and Jyn had already been tearing through their fleets like they were nothing before that, albeit not in his kraken form."
"How did he bring such fleets low if he wasn't in this bestial form?" Belaine asked, leaning her chin onto her palm. "And what did the Final Kind do with their remaining Dragon-class ships?"
"He was an excellent fleet commander." Jason answered, "He could outmaneuver the greatest of all Final Kind generals, as if he were playing chess against a toddler; but not only that, he was capable of manipulating the enemy into essentially kill themselves by ramming their ships into one another. I didn't think of it then, but knowing what I do know about Ahkoolis…" Jason paused for an instant, "I think he was using Psionics to do it. I don't know that for sure, but it makes sense to me. Because of this, whenever Jyn was present at a battle in deep space… the Final Kind lost outright, every single time." Jason emphasised. "As for the Dragon-class ships, they likely had them guarding their core worlds while they sent out the rest of their standard armada to face us. The recording I saw was from an encounter between Jyn and the Final Kind that took place centuries ago, I don't know if somehow the encounter was being broadcasted, but the Final Kind never sought out to fight Jyn's fleet directly after that point, and the Dragon-class ships stopped appearing in battles overall around that same timeframe."
"I find it hard to believe that your people could have lost such a war with such a powerful creature leading you all." Belaine's brow furrowed, "Why had Jyn not wiped them out completely?"
Jason didn't reply for a long while, until finally he said, "The Milky Way is massive. The Final Kind's empire was spread across the entire galaxy, save for the Ternan empire that is. Jyn is incomprehensibly powerful, but the Final Kind was everywhere, their fleets were endless, for every fleet Jyn destroyed, two more would emerge to take their place. We were essentially stalemated because of that, unable to expand, but unable to be invaded effectively. It went on like that for four hundred and fifty years, until Jyn disappeared over fifty years ago, that is. That was when we started losing. The first decade was fine, we held our own even without Jyn there to protect us; but when the Final Kind realized Jyn wasn't around and wasn't coming back, they began redeploying their Dragon-class ships. Terna could match everything in the Final Kind's fleet, even outclassing them but… but there was nothing we had that could match the Dragons."
"Fascinating." Belaine gasped, "You say that the first Dragon-class Jyn destroyed reduced their numbers to four, but wouldn't they have had centuries to build a new one? Not only that, but you managed to destroy one of those ships yourself, well, you and the other Outworlders I mean, the one by Rhetyna, Jyn had nothing to do with that. Yet you say that you had nothing to match the Dragons?" Belaine asked, glancing back up at the sky.
"That was the result of an experimental weapon, one that we never got the chance to produce more of. If Terna just had a little more time, we could have evened the playing field again, but it's too late now. The galaxy in my dimension belongs to the Final Kind now, there's only a few outer human colonies left, and there's no way they can retake Earth, not unless the Final Kind gives them a millenia of breathing room." He sighed, "The Eight Arms of Terna have been severed."
Despite everything he went through while under the tender 'mercies' of his masters, Jason still didn't seem to hate Terna. There was a pained tinge to his tone, as if he missed it, or at least, missed some parts of his previous life. Being a slave certainly not, but perhaps fighting for humanity, protecting them from those who wished them harm was what it was. It was clear that Jason had not wanted Terna to lose this war, and he was still agonized by it despite cutting ties with it. It hurt her to hear that subtle agony in his voice. Lance hoped that one day, she could help ease this pain of his.
He stayed silent for a long while, apparently just wanting to focus on the long drive ahead. Belaine sat in quiet contemplation as she stared up at the starry sky, a small smile on her face. She didn't seem too bothered by the overwhelming scope of what lay beyond the sky, rather she seemed enamored by it. The Rotting Ilum was far behind them now, though it was still in sight of course, looking like a golden sunrise… No, it resembled more a sunset as they drove further away from it. It was shocking just how much ground this Rhino could cover in such a short amount of time.
At this rate, they would be back to the Faewood in just a matter of days. It helped that the terrain in the Fiendwood was mostly flat, aided by the fact that the forest had disintegrated to ash once the Death-Spiral curse had been lifted. The vehicle could just move across the ashy wastes without stopping, at speeds that far outstripped Jason when he'd been dragging that wagon.
Strangely though, this ride wasn't half as bumpy as the wagon trip had been, despite going at twice the speed. She had to make sure not to look outside the Rhino too often, else she'd get sick at seeing the world blur by. The glass 'windshield' as Jason called it, was the only thing breaking the wind, hence the name, she supposed. Her hood was drawn up now as night fell, the biting cold coupled with the ripping wind slashing into any spots of exposed skin. Belaine though… Belaine didn't seem to be so much as touched by the wind. Her hair and robes didn't move an inch for some reason. How had Lance not noticed it before?
"Are you using Foundation to shield yourself from the wind?" Lance asked, cupping her hand over her mouth.
Belaine blinked, before turning her attention to Lance, "I am, in fact. Forgive me for being so impolite and not offering this same protection, it slipped my mind I'm afraid to say. Would you also like a Wind Shield?"
Lance nodded emphatically, before Belaine raised her hand to her, and suddenly, the wind was gone. No, not gone, rather it was moving around her. The cold was still there, but now she was being spared from the brutal gales that assaulted her.
"Would you like one as well, Jason?" Belaine asked, turning her attention to him.
"Negative, I do not need one." He said, "I do want to know how to cast that spell, though."
Belaine smiled, "I'd be happy to teach you, first thing's first, it is a House spell, specifically Dandenlona. Channel through that House, then imagine a bubble around yourself, it's actually quite simple."
"Does it stop air from coming through completely?" Jason asked.
Belaine shook her head, "Not completely, we still need to breathe, yes? It blocks out intense winds but nothing else, do not rely on it for protection from weaponry or the like."
"It's similar to an energy shield." Jason said, seemingly to himself, "I just need to adjust the frequency."
He fell silent for a while, likely concentrating on learning the spell. Lance realized that she too should try to take this time and learn to harness Foundation. She'd figured out how to feel the Flame, meaning that she had it in her to use magic, but she needed to grasp it first. She shut her eyes, reaching out for Foundation- but despite being able to feel it, she wasn't able to get a grasp on it again. It was like trying to grab a slipfish with her bare hands, feeling practically impossible. After a while, she heaved a sigh, deciding to take a break for the day.
She looked over to Jason, "Any luck?"
Jason nodded, "Affirmative, I found I could put up the Wind Shield easily."
Belaine openly gasped, "Already!?" She asked, shocked, "I suppose I shouldn't be shocked, you are half-Dragon, after all."
"He's also a genius." Lance smiled, laying a hand on Jason's elbow.
He paused, "...Thank you."
"Indeed." Belaine nodded, "While that is a fairly simple spell, learning it so quickly is inordinate. Even with your divine blood in mind, you seem to be a natural at utilizing Foundation."
Jason paused again, longer this time, "I appreciate it."
Was he uncomfortable with praise? She supposed that made sense for him of all people. Should she stop? She grinned, if he was going to be her husband, then he would need to get used to it!
"And he has the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen." She said with a firm nod.
She relished seeing him shift uncomfortably in his seat, taking a borderline evil glee in it. She'd need to remember this particular button of his whenever he misbehaved in the future. She acknowledged that this would make her a hypocrite, considering she felt similar whenever he called her 'gorgeous'. In a way, Lance supposed that she was actually worse, he didn't say those things to make her uncomfortable, after all, he was just being honest about how he viewed her.
Her thoughts drifted back to the upcoming space trip that Jason had planned, and the two weeks of isolation that would pass between them. Her green eyes widened as she realized just how long a time that was, being stuck with the man she loved. In a cramped space, just them, alone. Her heart nearly exploded as she pulled her hood down over her eyes, suppressing a nervous squeal.
"Lance?" Jason asked, "Is something wrong?"
"Just going to rest my eyes for a moment." She lied.
"Alright." He replied, tone unsure.
What was she thinking, agreeing to such a trip!? The implications of them being stuck together for so long in such tight quarters would no doubt have Jason assuming that… that certain things would happen! She shook her head, no, that wasn't like him. The man was a sapient block of wood, he had no sense for that kind of thing. Yet he was attracted to her, whether he knew it or not, and she felt the same way about him. She completely buried her face in her hands as her mind went straight to the gutter, her face burning with shame and embarrassment. She shouldn't be thinking in such inappropriate ways, it was unbecoming! She'd never had problems like this before, but maybe that was because she'd just never- she- bah! She never wanted someone before, not like this.
The right thing to do would be to tell Jason to cancel this trip, it was just too risky. Something was bound to happen, she just knew it. She opened her mouth, intent on voicing just that… yet a few things stopped her from doing that. One, Jason really did need to re-stock on his ammunition, their trials were not done yet, and they'd need every single round of 'ammo' to get through this Godling War. Two, she really did want to see the stars, and to spend time with him, just the two of them… and three, and she was most ashamed to admit this to herself, but… but she secretly hoped that something would happen.
Nothing extreme of course, but a kiss would be nice, at the least. Surely it wouldn't go anywhere past that point, Lance had self-restraint. Her whole life had gone by without her so much as kissing a man, after all. Keeping her hands off Jason should be no problem.
No problem at all.
She clenched her jaw, lips drawn to a fine line as her mind kept insisting on staying in the gutter. Did love have to be so damn frustrating? She could hardly think of anything else but Jason, of his strong hands, powerful shoulders, piercing eyes and- gah! She hated him! Hate hate hate!
"Ah, Lance, if you don't mind me asking, I would like to know how my clan is doing." Belaine said, thankfully drawing Lance from her filthy thoughts.
"The Fire-Eyes, I assume?" She asked, "They are doing well, quite well in fact, they even have a member on the Harkhall, though he has a fiery temper. Well, had a member, from what I understand he has been disbanded."
"Ah, that is a shame." Belaine sighed, "I hope the seat is open when I return, I do miss the Hall."
"I'm sure you would do a far better job than Terlin." Lance muttered, "He-"
"Terlin!?" Belaine asked, shocked, "Impossible, you say that he sits in the Hall?"
Lance nodded, "Well, he did. He didn't show up for a meeting, and hadn't sent word as to why, if you remember the Harkmother-"
"I remember Yelina Geres," Belained nodded, "She is still Harkmother then? That is good. Once I return I will implore that Terlin be removed, if he isn't already."
"Why is that?" Lance asked, "He's part of your clan, isn't he?"
Belaine sneered, "I love my brother, but he has no place sitting in the Hall."
"Your what!?" Lance asked, shocked, "I just assumed he was a distant cousin, o-or something along those lines."
Belaine sniffed, "I'm his older, and more competent, sister." She explained, "He'd been the one to suggest that I was powerful enough to defeat Kazon, and like a fool I listened. I fear now that may have just been a ploy to remove me from the Harkhall, so he could seize my seat."
"You think he would do something like that, to his own sister?" Jason asked.
Belaine's face darkened, "Absolutely. He is the dirt beneath my finger nails and I will remind him of that once we come face to face again."
"You just said you loved him," Jason pointed out, "It sounds like anything but that."
"I do love him." Belaine sighed, "But I don't like him. His ambition will bring the Faewood to ruin." She then looked to Lance, "You don't seem to like him either. I think I know why." She said, pointing to Lance's raven dark hair, "With that hair and with those eyes, I can only assume that you are a Trinkett, is that right?"
Lance nodded, "I am."
She laughed, "Well I know exactly why Terlin hates Trinketts. It is for a petty, pathetic reason that illustrates just how childish he really is. Would you like to hear the truth of his vitriol toward your clan?"
Finally, something that could distract Lance! "I'm interested." She said, excitedly, sitting up in her seat.
Anything to get her mind off Jason's muscles.
"Back before I left the Faewood to face Kazon," Belaine began, leaning toward Lance, "Terlin was sweet on an elf woman from the Reshi clan, she was a sweet thing, kind hearted, but Terlin never told her how he felt. Her name was Beia Reshi, one of the sweetest women I've met in my whole life. Terlin thought the same thing, and had intended on asking Beia to be his wife, but before that could happen, along came Meja Trinkett. He was a lot more forward with her, not subtle in the least and honest to a fault. I've known enough Reshi girls to understand that honesty is one of their weaknesses." Belaine smiled, "Beia fell in love with this young Trinkett, and Meja 'stole' her out from under Terlin's feet."
Lance's jaw dropped.
"Meja is my great grandfather." She said, staring into Belaine's eyes.
She read shock, before mirth, her lips quirking up in a smile. It was infectious, for Lance herself found herself smirking. The both of them began laughing hysterically, Jason's helmet tilting toward them.
"What is funny about that?" He asked.
"It's complicated." Lance managed to get out between fits of laughter, "That explains everything Belaine, thank you!"
"So pathetic!" Belaine laughed, "Your great grandmother only viewed him as an acquaintance, I told him several times 'you have to make a move' but did he listen, no! What do I know!?" She wheezed, "That sure showed him."
"How've I not heard of this before?" Lance asked, wiping a tear from her eye, "This seems like something I would have found out about at some point."
"Terlin kept it under wraps, I was the only one who knew." She shrugged, "I didn't care for gossip at the time, so I also told no one. A thousand years of just Kazon and Fiends for company though has seemingly loosened my lips." She smirked again.
"I'm going to tell everyone about this when I get back." Lance giggled, "Treat me like garbage for centuries, will you? You'll get your just desserts."
It all made sense now, Terlin hated Lance because she was the descendent of the woman he loved, and the man who had 'stolen' her from him. Belaine was right, it was pathetic beyond words. All the times he'd put her down or berated her, it had never been because Lance had been bad at her job, it was because Terlin was a sad little man who had lost a girl to Lance's great grandfather.
Could she even bring herself to be afraid of him anymore, now that she knew the truth about the reason for his disdain of Trinketts? It wasn't likely, his Dok-ah was still terrifying though, she'd need to ensure that he didn't know that it was Lance that let this gossip spill. Her brow furrowed, speaking of Dok-ah…
"Belaine, what is your Dok-ah?" Lance asked.
The blonde's red eyes fell, her smile vanishing, "It is nothing special, not like Terlin's unfortunately." She sighed, "It is nothing that is useful in battle, and the utilities of it are severely limited, given my bloodline."
"I can't even use my Dok-ah." Lance frowned as well, "I'm sure yours is still impressive, compared to me anyhow."
Belaine shook her head, "My Dok-ah allows me to-" She hesitated, drawing her lips to a line before finally, she said, "I can communicate with animals, I can understand what they want, and they can talk back to me."
Lance blinked, "That sounds like a fantastic ability, what are you talking about?" She asked, perplexed.
Belaine grabbed her own shoulders as they began to shake, "They hate me, Lance." She said, eyes conveying a shocked sadness, "They tell me that I deserve to die, that I shouldn't have been born." She took a deep breath, releasing her arms, "I've long since abandoned my Dok-ah, I don't wish to speak to animals ever again."
Lance frowned, "I have heard that animals tend to stay away from Fire-Eyes… I wonder if that has something to do with it."
Belaine shook her head, "I haven't the faintest idea why it is so. Whatever the Fire-Eyes have done, the creatures of the Faewood have not forgotten."
"Animals can't pass down information like that." Jason interjected, "It's impossible. Whatever the reason is, it's not something passed down through the generations."
"Whatever the case is, animals stay away from Fire-Eyes like myself." Belaine sighed, "Do you have any idea how excited I was as a little girl, to finally ask the birds why they didn't want to play with me- only for them to say that I should be ripped apart by wolves."
Lance's earlier mirth completely disappeared as she saw Belaine's head turn away, "Fire-Eyes are elves hated by nature, nobody knows why, nor how to fix it. I've always wished to make friends amongst the wildlife, like in the tales I heard about as a girl, of our ancestors frolicking side by side with the wonderful creatures of Ahkoolis." There was a slight tremble to the red-robed woman's words, "But they hate me."
Lance couldn't stop herself from reaching back and putting a hand on the woman's shoulder. Belaine froze, but didn't turn back.
"I'm sure it isn't all animals, Belaine." Lance told her, trying to sound reassuring, "I'm willing to bet it's just the local wildlife. I ask that, one day, you will try to speak with them again, if you ever leave the Faewood, that is."
Belaine turned back, a slight glisten to her eyes along with a deep melancholy, despite the clear sadness in her crimson eyes though, she smiled. "I will try this, young Trinkett." A small glint of hope, emerged in her eyes then, "You truly are like your great grandmother."
Lance laughed, "I've been told."
Belaine frowned, "Have you not met her?"
Lance's gaze fell, "I'm afraid not. She was slain back before I was even born, by Akan-Dari poachers."
Belaine's eyes filled with hot fury then, and for the briefest of instants, Lance felt as if she were beneath Terlin's glare. Belaine seemed to notice this, for regret overpowered the fury in her gaze.
"I am sorry," Belaine said, bowing her head, "I am just… I am just shocked. To hear that Beia was slain, it boggles the mind. I assume that Meja…?" She let the question hang.
"He is still alive." Lance said, "Though he keeps to himself mostly. Apparently he hasn't been the same since great-grandmother fell. It happened right in front of him as well-" Lance shook her head, "My father doesn't go into details about it, and neither will my grandfather, but I can only assume that it was a grisly affair."
"The Akan-Dari are a poison to this world." Belaine said, her hands balling into fists, "If the Pillars were righteous, they would turn their city to dust. It is only a matter of time before they try taking the Faewood from us."
"They've tried." Lance said, "We called it the Akan-Dari Expansion War. We thwarted them a couple centuries ago by plunging them into a civil war."
"So the humans turned their blades upon one another?" Belaine asked, "I'm shocked." She said sarcastically, "So much has changed, there will be much for me to learn once we get home."
"With what we managed to accomplish, I'm sure we'll get a hero's welcome." Lance grinned.