Biotheurge 06

Throughout the corridors of the ship known as the Twisted Fate, an unexplained shadow seemed to be creeping, like a tree's root grew beneath soil unnoticed, eventually rupturing it from within. Many noticed it, though it was not so much a visible shadow than more of a presence -- a sickening feeling of impending doom, much like that which the being known as the Red Demon seemed to bring with his presence.

But as those who noticed this 'shadow' quickly realized, this was not the work of the Red Demon, nor was it that of any creature they recognized. Indeed, the scent of blood and rust which accompanied the Demon, as well as the screech of his sword and the usual dim that he brought with him whenever his presence became apparent, was absent. However, this new sensation of uncertainty and darkness admittedly frightened several of the Fate's inhabitants. Almost subconsciously, the guardians and security guards aboard the ship sharpened their senses, alert and ready as if they knew something was about to happen.

Dritanys herself too noted the change in atmosphere aboard her ship. She wandered the ship's various corridors, as if searching for an intruder or at least some explanation for the sudden shadowy presence, that which was not created by anything which resided on the Fate.

When she finally returned to her chambers, rather tired of the whole affair, she still secretly hoped that this sensation of a disaster to come would recede from the ship. Though the Fate was already quite warped and twisted, Dritanys could always notice when something was causing it to seem a little more warped or twisted than usual -- more than she herself was comfortable with.

A sudden shiver pulsed down Dritanys' spine, and she turned around without even noticing she was doing so. To her sudden surprise, Dritanys came face-to-face with a woman -- a human. Pale-skinned, but with hair and formal clothing as black as night, she seemed to cast a regal aura about her. But the most startling thing about her were her eyes -- blue, not richly so but pale like the most frigid of ice, and lacking the dark pupils that would suggest a normal human.

"You," Dritanys hissed abruptly. "How did you, a mere human, access my chambers without my noticing?"

The woman did not react at first, but after a moment she gave a chuckle, which oddly reminded Dritanys of thick darkness -- smooth and deep.

"A mere human," she said, seemingly amused. "I daresay you are not as smart as they say you are."

Dritanys glared at the stranger. "I know not who you are to have fool's courage enough to insult me," she said, "but know that once the ship's guardians hear of your trespassing in restricted areas, mercy will not be given to you."

"The only one with fool's courage is yourself," the voice returned, and immediately the woman's body began to change. Darkness enveloped her form and it twisted itself in countless ways, large and small, before finally settling on a form. The darkness receded somewhat, but the figure still seemed to draw light in and extinguish it. The figure, Dritanys realized, was a dragon, on whose magnificent scales danced every color imaginable, but shrouded in darkness. Regal inky-dark feathers formed her gigantic wings, ringed her neck, crested her head and tipped her long, whiplike tail. And her eyes...the icy orbs still fixated themselves upon Dritanys, as if attempting to freeze her in place.

Dritanys surveyed the newly-transformed intruder with calculating eyes. "Ah..." was all she said, as if contemplating this incident. The dragon gave a smile, but this smile was not of kindness. It seemed to burn into Dritanys like acid.

"Dritanys-sul-Raduskal, I presume," the dragon spoke, her voice booming throughout the chamber.

"Yes," Dritanys replied, nodding. "And you..."

"I am Kyra Katastrephein," the dragon introduced herself formally. "But to the inhabitants of some planets in this universe...they call me the Catastrophe."

"Catastrophe," Dritanys echoed. "So it was you who has been lurking about my ship, causing this sensation of a coming disaster?"

"My presence is made known in many ways," Kyra nodded her great feather-topped head. "And true to my name, I am disaster itself. Disaster, cataclysm, tragedy, ruination...people have known me by names too numerous to list."

"And you, this 'Catastrophe'..." Dritanys paused, thinking to herself for a moment. "...you have chosen this place upon which to wreak your havoc?"

"A logical guess," Kyra gave a low rumble of amusement, "but incorrect. I am here because of what I have heard about you and your Lab-Mages. The wonders you work with magic...it interests me. I have come with...a proposal of sorts."

Dritanys eyed the godspirit suspiciously. "Proposal? And what does this proposal involve?"

Kyra grinned, baring teeth that, to Dritanys' horror, appeared to be stained with fresh blood. "I wish for you and your Lab-Mages to take a sample of my essence...and use it to create my first offspring."

Immediately, Dritanys' mind flashed back to her first meeting with Anathema Scalesbane, who had made a request of such proportions some time ago. The results would prove to be devastating to some corners of the Nexus. Dritanys looked at Kyra again, wary of the godspirit.

"You see," Kyra continued before Dritanys could say a word, "I have grown rather bored. Ruling Chana, beautifully corrupted and shadowy as it is, has become monotonous. I feel the need for power beyond that, power beyond even the solar system in which it resides. If my bloodlines are spread, and my children are dispersed across the Nexus..." She gave a soft laugh, causing Dritanys to shudder. "...Ah, I can see it now. And in exchange for your favor to me, Dritanys, your life will be spared, as will those aboard your beloved ship."

Dritanys stepped forward to meet the godspirit. "I seem to have been convinced," she told her slowly, as if some corner of her conscience still told her to refuse the offer. "Now, the sample..."

Kyra nodded. She shifted back into human form in the blink of an eye, much more quickly than her previous transformation had been, and produced an empty phial which was on a chain around her slender neck. Uncorking it, she quickly plucked a single strand of hair from her head. Placing the strand in the phial and sealing it inside with the cork, she presented it to Dritanys. As she did, Dritanys was surprised to see the hair transform before her eyes into a small feather, which, like Kyra, seemed to swallow up the light around it.

"It should be quite easy for one such as yourself to work with," Kyra noted as Dritanys took the phial containing the essence. "I shall return when you have created my children, and watch over them until they are ready to break shell and disperse across this universe. Then..." She laughed again, her smile still as wicked as ever. "...Then it is up to them."

"I...will set to work right away," Dritanys said.

Kyra nodded, her body rapidly becoming darker as she spoke, as if being devoured by a shadow. "I expect great things from you and your staff, Dritanys-sul-Raduskal. We shall meet again."

And then, just as quickly as she had appeared, Kyra's form was swallowed up entirely by darkness. She seemed to melt onto the floor, becoming nothing but a shadow on the ground, which quickly receded and fled from sight, leaving Dritanys alone in her chambers.