Into The Shadows

Darien rushed the portal… but hit the wall of the Tree instead as the portal no longer existed.

Howling in pain and frustration he bursted out of the Tree and went hunting for new prey to relieve his anger as his 29 followers followed him each looking even more grotesque.

Except one.

One who never went to sleep. One who had stayed still like a statue with the look of deep sleep so the other monsters had bypassed it thinking it was one of them when it woke up.

After they had left the Tree, the small Sanguan climbed slowly and as silently as possible up to the top of the Tree.

Hope willed it forward as its title was still [Subordinate of Empress Razimaru].

Making it to the top took a few hours to do so. Sneaking towards the archway in hopes something would happen.

Pawing the arch quickly in search of some sort of trigger, tears softly streamed down its face as he sank down to the floor in defeat.

[Time Limit Is Up]

A notification popped up startling the small Sanguan.

[Forceful Extraction In Progress]

Light swirled around the young Sanguan as it disappeared from the Prison Dungeon.

It felt weightless for a moment as it stayed still until it felt ground underneath it. As its eyes readjusted it saw that it was surrounded by ten Wraiths in cloaks.

"Em-empress?" It stuttered as fear and dread started to creep in.

"What do we have here?" A deep voice sounded from beyond the barrier of the ten.

"I-it s-said the time limit was up?" It said questionable as it looked for the source of the voice while staying on its butt.

"Hmmm…So would your entrance show." The deep voice said from another location as if it was silently moving.

"Wh-where is the Empress?" It asked hopefully but still extremely timidly.

"What happened to the Sanguans? To Darien? What are you really?" The voice asked calmly from another location.

"They became monsters…after they went to sleep…I… I'm so tired." It yawned, "He did something to morph into something…stronger and faster."

It rubbed its eyes with both hands as it yawned again, "I don't want to turn like them…I was a toddler when they were already in the forest so I don't know what we… I am… please, I don't want to turn!" It pleaded with a shaken voice.

"Why should we help you?" The deep voice whispered extremely closely.

"Be-because I was brought here when I was all alone and could've been left there, so I'm supposed to be here with my Empress?" It answered shakily.

[Royal Guard General 'Rul Didactic' Offers A One Time Use Of Species Change]

[Red Cap Goblin: Are highly skilled assassin goblins.]

[Blacksmith Dwarf: Highly skilled craftsman when a hammer or tool is in your hands.]

[Flying Battle Ant: Ment for speed with unmatched agility and razor sharp strong claws.]

[Speed Beetle: Ment as a tank with agility and knowledge in fighting styles.]

[Smithing Hound: Four arms and two hind legs with lost knowledge of Smithing Paws Secret Arts.]

[Battle Mantis: Sharp bladed arms with high agility, strength and dexterity.]

"Which do you choose?" The deep voice asked softly from above.

Tiredness grew stronger on the young Sanguan who was afraid to turn into what the others did and tried his best to stay awake.

Even if it was just enough to make a choice, he read the options and fumbled within his own mind on what to choose.

"S-sm…s-mi…" It collapsed into deep sleep as a cocoon encased it.

The Wraiths moved aside as Rul Didactic strode up to the cocoon to see the words engraved and pulsating.

[Smithing Hound Evolution Override In Progress]

"Welp… that's an odd option." Rul Didactic said with interest.

Turning away he left three cloaked Wraiths to stand guard as he exited the cavern room into a metal hallway.

Walking a short distance he turned left at the crossway of the metal halls as he passed a window that showed countless lights from different stars.

Pausing, as he reminisced about being back at the Ark HeadQuarters, before he continued on his way up to the Control Deck.

"The anomaly was just someone we left behind, being returned to us." Rul Didactic said before anyone of the shorter skinny people could ask.

"We are almost to the main outpost station!" A girlish voice sounded from something that looked like a skinny dude who was at one of the controls.

Another replied in a similar tone, "We notified them of the situation Captain! They have no issues and have prepared a welcome committee to escort them to the higher ups!"

Rul Didactic crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall, "So we will be out of your way shortly then? He asked in the direction of the Captain's chair, "Sorry for the inconvenience."

A male voice that sounded like it was going through puberty replied, "It is no issue for you helped a lot as well! Are you sure you can give away these secrets without your Leader's permission?"

"Think of it as a payment for transport and hospital usage!"

"Understood then! We'll mark it down as such… It seems as if your Leader's condition has improved!" The Captain said excitedly, "She should wake up by the time we dock!"

Rul Didactic kept silent as he tapped his finger on his arm in a systematic pattern.

"So… The hyperdrive could be configured if we change the output and reroute the power into either a circular spin or get it to loop formation! Which requires the hull to have better integrity that can withstand the waves of the loop feedback, so we'll initiate the circular option since we don't have the ability for the complex option!"

"Roger!" x5 replied as the sounding of multiple keyboards went off as they tried to implement the secrets of the large gray beast.

Scoffing lightly he made his way crouching down the low ceiling to the med bay where two tigers were sleeping beneath a medical bed where Razimaru's armor was in a flux of confusion.

That state ended with the helmet with cat ears, the glowing cloak torso armor and gloves, and armored toe socks.

Ever since they went through the portal to another dimensional plane, which only she can apparently trigger, she's been out cold as her body's energy has been chaotic.

More skinny small human looking beings were in the medical bay as they were checking the instruments, vitals, and stock.

Looking at her sleeping figure with the tigers also sleeping, did Rul Didactic notice that he hasn't seen the small dragon around for a while now.

He made a note of it to try and find it before she woke up.

Placing a hand on her shoulder, he patted it as a habit, to let her know he was still there.

Kneeling down to face the tigers he asked softly, "Are you able to share any of the food you had gathered?"

Yina and Yanga looked at each other while contemplating whether or not they should.

After some time Yina placed her muzzle on his knee, she transferred some Rowa to him before going back to sleep.

"Thank you!" He said with a nod of his head before getting back up and headed to where the others were at.

This spaceship wasn't that bad of a ship. It was more of a basic concept that worked.

It was decently high and wide to accommodate large pieces of parts… judging from the scratch marks in some places matching the ones on the floors.

It's not Ark worthy, but it could be, with the correct advice and knowledge.

'Guild Master wouldn't care if we shared some knowledge of ship travel.' He thought as he made his way through the wide hallways to where the others were at.

The Cargo Hold.

The only space large enough comfortably to accommodate their size on this medium size ship.

Able to stretch his legs from the lower ceiling, Rul Didactic came out onto a catwalk where he could see from above.

Bringing up his inventory, he auto distributed the Rowa amongst the 40 Croatoans and twelve Wraith Cloaked beings.

Some immediately ate it while others practiced putting it in and out of their inventories.

Solomon made his way up like a snake to the platform and stood besides Rul Didactic who stood a good two heads taller than him.

"How is she?" He asked with concern but his voice low.

"She stabilized, for now. Apparently a lone Sanguan got teleported to us before a manually triggered mutation had set in." Rul Didactic replied as he leaned against the wall next to the door entrance.

Sighing then crouching down Solomon looked down at the group, "So what happened to make her flicker like a flame on a mountain?"

Placing one hand on his forehead covering his eyes, Rul Didactic sighed heavily, "Nothing like this has ever happened." Moving his hand in front of his face and slowly turning it, "Nor have we ever had multiple forms at once."

Solomon looked up at him, "So you've known her for a long time? Before coming to the forest?"

Rul Didactic looked down at him past his hand before moving his arms to cross as he sighed and his eyes became slightly misty, behind his mask, as he recalled the past.

"Yes… We've been on many journeys… Many fights… Many different bodies… A few close calls… But none like this." Rul Didactic said sadly as he slumped his shoulders slightly forward and his head downward.

Seeing this mountain build, of a masked man, saddened was uneasy for Solomon who barely knew the guy but trusted him with his back.

For him to be in this state said wonders for how much he cared for the Empress Razimaru.

Solomon asked softly after he had thought about it for a while, "Is it because there's no set day or night so her armor can't settle on a set? Since she has a Day and a Night automatic switch, then what's underneath both sets?"

The last phrase caught Rul Didactic's attention as many things came from his memory.

From some guild members always changing their armors mid fight. To odd unscheduled parties in the Alliance Quarters, where their armor would disappear and odd fabric clothing would appear instead.

Some designs that barely covered anything but were just as strong as armor.

"System! Is there a way to override her armor to her Base Under Armor?" Rul Didactic asked with hope in his voice.

[Is The Target In Danger]

Solomon who was in close proximity also got the same message, he noticed Rul Didactic having second thoughts.

"To be fair… isn't starvation a health threat?" Solomon chimed in as he stood up, "Also she was recently… kinda… attacked and none knows if there was damage done to her body… So yes?"

"Correct! I need to check her health and she's losing nutrients!"

[Analyzing…]

With a small shock wave did both of the leaders book it out of the door and down the hallways to Med Bay as fast as they could.

The sudden shock wave plus the pounding of their feet shook the medium craft which had caused after effects.

The Captain and his crew who were trying to modify the engine couldn't quite get it the rotation set in because the pattern kept changing in the energy flow.

While trying another attempt to complete the modifications, something lurched the craft backwards before a constant fast set of thuds shook the entire ship.

Thinking that they were under attack the crew used full power on the shields and engines forward to get away from the unknown attacker.

The sudden power surge after the different shocks became the jump start that caused the energy flow in the engine to become stable as their shields got overpowered and the engine became faster.

The sudden new power surge towards the two main directions took the power from the other unnecessary locations.

Lights flickered off from all the hallways to the sleeping quarters.

Life support was still active but the gravity generator got turned off.

Many small people got doused in darkness as the power from unnecessary locations was pulled into the spin of the new flow of energy as the shields got overcharged and the engines burned forward.

Leaving a twin streak of energy signatures the medium craft lurched into a small portal that appeared In Front of it as it left the solar system.

Knocking everything and everyone against the back wall or into their seats as the craft made slip space for the first time in history.

Rul Didactic and Solomon barely skidded backwards as they entered the still lit med bay.

Rul Didactic grabbed her arm and said, "Emergency Override To Basic Armor!"

Solomon had hope in his eyes as he watched the mix of armors disappear into green sparkling dust that it too disappeared before touching the cats under the table.

Her pale marbled skin was present as a panda colored bikini with a skirt appeared in its place. It was mainly black with a white outline and frills on the top part that was filled nicely and secured.

The bottom was like a skirt with shorts underneath as one type, it was also black with the skirt that alternated between white and black from her waist that didn't reach halfway down her thighs.

She still had on the knee high toe armored socks as well as fingerless gloves with a small opening on the back of the middle of her hand.

Her black hair flowed over the edge of the table as her rosy red lips were agape as she was breathing.

Sighing with relief Rul Didactic knelt on one knee by the table side as Solomon got a good look at his Master's face and figure.

Solomon had moved to the other side of her and also laid a hand on her arm and was surprised by the softness of the touch; he was tentative on touching her again.

On the other hand Rul Didactic squeezed her arm not too hard but enough for him to keep her in his grasp Incase something else tried to snag her away again.

"mmnm."

A soft quiet sound was made between them.

The lights in Med Bay flickered as she slowly woke up to see Solomon's Hood shrunken in and worried eyes.

Heavy weight was on her other arm as she turned her head to see Rul Didactic still vigilant and relieved.

Razimaru tried to get up to get her bearings as memories flooded her mind and she became confused that she probably misheard Rul Didactic's voice.

Seeing the Med Bay and the small skinny beings against the far wall who seemed to be hurt and afraid with their eyes directed towards the darkened hallway.

"Resta." Razimaru whispered as both of her hands glowed green and she flicked her wrist to launch one of the spells to the group who became healed and startled.

They looked over to see the sleeping patient awake and powerful.

Bowing their heads they stayed where they were as Razimaru strode past them while having the hand that just casted in front of her chest partly closed and glowing.

As soon as Razimaru walked into the hallway,

[Waring! Destruction Imminent!]

Scraping sounds could be heard as the hull tried to stay together under the influence of the shield that was still active as her hair became bouncy from the lack of gravity.

"Bridge location!" Razimaru said as an extremely faint tattoo of a boat appeared on her chest below her collar bone.

Without missing a beat Solomon took point and rushed into the darkness as Razimaru followed with Rul Didactic on her heels into the shadows.