Above, us, in the dark shadows of the outer solar system, there is the shape of something unknown, something unspeakable. It waits, it bides its time, and as the days of summer grow longer, so does its voice grow louder.<br><br>On the quiet island of Sarah Ann in the Pacific Ocean, home of the renowned Firmament Foundation, awkward teenager Eirian Calohan has come in search of the mystery of their father's recent demise. Instead, they are confronted with the stark contrast between languid life on the tiny island and an unspeakable cosmic horror.<br><br>Together with their new friends, they set out to unravel the truth surrounding the death of their father and to also uncover just what it is that the Foundation has reached out to in the dark eternal night of the distant void.

All Cats Are Beautiful

“Alas, no,” he said, poignantly looking away, a masterclass in the portrayal of remorse. “We have done what we can, but she is still very much transformed, as much as it grieves me to say.”


“Yes,” he said brightly, turning to look at her. “Yes, I think she will. With your help, that is.”


He sipped his coffee to disguise his smile, and felt no doubt, no shame, because this was undoubtedly the right thing to do for the betterment of the human race, and this child he hardly knew yet happened to be related to would not die, nor would her mother, but rather they would both live on in silent union with the thing that had reached out to them from beyond.


“I…I don’t know if I’m ready.”


“Often we are called upon to shoulder the heaviest burdens when we feel we are not ready. It is facing those challenges, and shouldering that weight, that makes us good people, Poppy.”


Chapter 60