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Black Hole, is a survival, low-fantasy, sci-fi story and I'd rate it as pg-13 for violence, some suggestive themes, and some nudity.", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Episode 98 of my series. Black Hole, is a survival, low-fantasy, sci-fi story and I'd rate it as pg-13 for violence, some suggestive themes, and some nudity.", "writing": "Black Hole: The Book of Iratus, Episode 98\n\nChapter 971\n\nMost of the group had removed their armor—or even stripped down to their underwear—as they fought their way deeper into the burning depths. Salvos’s spear was beginning to warp from the relentless stabbing into lavaborn creatures. Seeing this, the others started taking better care of their weapons, knowing how unforgiving the heat was.\n\nOtiosus had tried to keep his armor on, but after a critical miscalculation, an alligator-like lavaborn tore through the metal and blasted apart the gambeson beneath. Since then, he’d been running around shirtless, just like most of the others now.\n\nIratus felled another ashborn, its crumbling body adding yet another layer of hot dust to his already-ash-caked fur. He grit his teeth against the pain. Most of the ashborn had been slain by now—only two lavaborn remained.\n\nThree ashborn, desperate and wild, pushed against each other in an attempt to crash through the spear wall the party had formed. Their first charge was fruitless, impaled or repelled, but then another wave came behind them, using their dying kin as leverage to grab at spears and flesh.\n\nParabula: \"Not groovy!\"\n\nThe goat’s arm was badly scorched, the fur burned away by the ashborn’s touch—until Iratus came in, cleaving through the attackers and kicking one away to buy space.\n\nThe group pressed on.\n\nThe last of the ashborn fell, and the final lavaborn strode toward the spear wall with a deliberate, molten gait. Iratus braced as his soldiers jabbed with their spears. The creature tried to grasp the weapons, but it was outnumbered and off balance. Salvos circled around and drove his spear deep into its glowing flank.\n\nThe thing screeched, staggered, then collapsed into sizzling slag.\n\nAt last, the creatures, uncoordinated, relentless, and thoughtless, were slain. The heat slowly began to dissipate from the cavern.\n\nIratus exhaled a long, weary breath and looked around, hoping to find something left untouched. But all he saw was ruin. Once well-crafted structures were now warped and melted; once-useful gear reduced to unrecognizable slag.\n\nOtiosus: \"I think there's one left.\"\n\nHe pointed downward.\n\nIratus followed his gaze, eyes narrowing. At the bottom of the cavern stood one more figure—glowing faintly in the dim, heat-warped light.\n\nIratus: \"Then let's finish this.\"\n\nTheir voices were both hoarse, cracked by thirst and smoke. Everyone was exhausted, overheated, and hadn’t had a drop of water in over an hour. Still, Iratus wiped the sweat from his brow and led the way down.\n\nAt the bottom, they saw it—not quite ashborn, not quite lavaborn. It stood upright, humanoid, but with scaled lizard limbs and glowing-hot skin.\n\nA new kind of monster.\n\n---\n\nChapter 972\n\nIratus stared at the creature, who sat calmly atop a small boulder, staring back at the group with passive disinterest.\n\nOtiosus: \"Oh no, he isn’t walking toward us with his arms out. Our tactics are now useless.\"\n\nStudium: \"Very funny.\"\n\nPulvis: \"That raises a question—why are nearly all monsters bipedal? That first lavaborn split into those dog-like things, and they did way more damage than any upright one.\"\n\nOtiosus: \"Maybe because some of these things used to be people. Then the rest just followed that structure.\"\n\nA moment of silence followed as everyone continued eyeing the creature. It didn’t move—just sat there watching them, completely unbothered.\n\nIratus: \"Uh, hello? Are you capable of understanding us?\"\n\nThe creature kept staring.\n\nIratus: \"Well, we'd like to leave, but it's freezing down there.\" He pointed toward the frigid exit tunnel. \"Any chance you’d be willing to come with us? For warmth?\"\n\nNothing. Still staring.\n\nPulvis: \"Are you seriously trying to negotiate with one of these things?\"\n\nIratus ignored him and kept talking.\n\nIratus: \"What if we promise to slay a conduit of Kollektivi?\"\n\nThe creature's expression finally changed. It raised an eyebrow, then stood up without a word and began walking toward the tunnel—prompting a collective look of shock from the entire group.\n\nOtiosus (jokingly): \"Oh look, Iratus, another mindless abomination that thinks it has a mind and will. What are the odds?\"\n\nIratus: \"Just proves that the monsters of the Sin Lords are more complex than we thought.\"\n\nHe motioned for his group to follow and began walking after the strange being.\n\nPulvis: \"Hold on—you're not actually going to trust that thing, are you? I’ve heard the stories of your adventures. All monsters are just drones.\"\n\nIratus: \"I don’t trust it. But dragging it ourselves would be too much work.\"\n\nHe winced, grabbing at his throat. The dryness in his mouth was becoming unbearable—his thirst was getting dangerous.\n\n---\n\nChapter 973\n\nThe tunnel was as cold as ever, the rusted train tracks stretching endlessly into the dark.\n\nSalvos: \"I think the elevator shaft is closer.\"\n\nOtiosus: \"But you’ll have to climb out with your bare hands.\"\n\nResolutio: \"From what's been mapped out, the Summoner's Tower is actually closer to home. Honestly, I'd like to see it for myself.\"\n\nSalvos: \"You'll be disappointed. Every room is either mostly destroyed or stripped bare. I wouldn't even say it's habitable anymore.\"\n\nThere were a few more comments and brief exchanges, but after a while, the group fell into a tired silence. The long walk through the freezing tunnel dragged on. Their only sources of light were the dim flashlights and the faint, steady glow of the creature now following them.\n\nWhen they reached the underground section of the tower, they found the lights there had gone out too.\n\nThe cold was even worse than the heat had been. Everyone struggled to keep moving, doing their best to stave off frostbite. Even Pulvis, who normally held back, pointed out the obvious:\n\nPulvis: \"If we don’t get outside soon, we're all gonna get frostbite—even with our heat man here.\"\n\nStudium (shivering): \"S-speaking of which… what do we call our friend? Not ash… not lava…\"\n\nHe trailed off, his breath visible in the frigid air. Iratus gave it a moment's thought.\n\nIratus: \"Glowborn?\"\n\nThere were a few weak attempts at comments, but between the cold and thirst, no one could get much out. The moment passed quickly anyway—because just ahead, the beam of a flashlight revealed a chilling sight.\n\nA line of cloaked, gray-masked men stood silently in the tunnel.\n\nIratus sighed.\n\nIratus (flatly): \"Here we go.\"\n\nOne of the masked figures wasn’t wearing the usual brown cloak, but a black one. At first, Iratus thought the color odd—until he remembered how the Nexus Prime's nights had no moon. Black would be ideal for hiding in total darkness. Well, he assumed it was for night since that was when Pulvis would see him.\n\nThen, the black-cloaked figure removed his mask, revealing a youthful otter's face. When he pulled down his hood, Iratus could see bandages wrapped around the back of his head. The shape of the skull beneath looked oddly flattened—like part of it was missing.\n\nPulvis (softly): \"It's true… Caelum. You're back.\"\n\nCaelum had the typical brown otter fur, but his hair was stark white, and his eyes were a strange shade of dark purple.\n\nPulvis glanced at Iratus, then turned his full attention back to the figure.\n\nPulvis: \"Or should I say… creature that's taken Caelum’s face?\"\n\n---\n\nChapter 974\n\nCaelum: \"You wound me.\"\nHis tone was ever so slightly slow.\n\"Not as much as that skyscraper dropping on top of me, but your failure to truly see me—that hurts.\"\n\nIratus rolled his eyes.\n\nIratus: \"We don't have time for this. Move aside, Conduit, or die… again.\"\n\nCaelum: \"My quarrel is with my former friend. Leave him, and the rest of you may go.\"\n\nPulvis's eyes widened in shock.\n\nPulvis: \"Former? What in our relationship makes you think Caelum wouldn't see me as his friend?\"\n\nThe Conduit shook his head.\n\nCaelum: \"Oh, so you think you know me so well? What—do you imagine I died protecting you and your mouse lover because we were friends?\"\n\nAt the same time:\n\nOtiosus: \"Cat, actually.\"\nIratus: \"Cat.\"\n\nCaelum sighed deeply.\n\nCaelum: \"Every time.\"\nAnother sigh.\n\"Sorry—cat with the body of a mouse. Anyway, I died because I was a nice person. Too bad I saw your personal files.\"\n\nPulvis: \"No… no, no, no. There was nothing in there—we all searched every speck of that building.\"\n\nIratus frowned and began waving his men into combat formation.\n\nIratus: \"We don't have the heat to survive here. I'm not leaving Pulvis. We are moving forward. And if you're still standing in front of us when we reach you—you die.\"\n\nCaelum snapped his fingers.\nThe gray masks behind him readied halberds, and Caelum himself drew a battle axe. The sight made Iratus hesitate for a breath, but the gnawing cold pushed him forward.\n\nCaelum: \"You should stay a while… and listen.\"\nHis tone was no longer lazy. It was sharp, edged with growing anger.\n\nIratus: \"Forward. Spears out.\"\n\nThe two lines slowly advanced, the ends of their polearms prodding and testing—until the poking gave way to the clash of steel.\n\n---\n\nChapter 975\n\nIt was Iratus’s line that broke first—but it was all part of the tactic. His forces split into two groups, and as the gray masks divided to pursue them, they left themselves exposed. That gave Iratus and the glowborn—who had been passive until now—the opening they needed.\n\nWith the first backstab, Caelum halted, frowning as he watched one of the gray masks collapse. Resolutio surged forward through the gap, tearing into the disorganized enemy. Two more gray masks moved to intercept Iratus and the glowborn.\n\nCaelum took a few steps back, then turned and disappeared into the torn-out corridor leading deeper into the tower.\n\nIratus tried to engage the gray mask attacking him, but its polearm kept him at bay. The weapon's reach made closing the distance feel like crossing a canyon. He was struck several times, but his armor absorbed the blows, turning lethal cuts into deep bruises.\n\nFinally, Iratus took a risky step forward, letting the polearm slice across his arms. Blood welled up, but it gave him just enough of an opening. He spun, stepped inside the guard, and slashed—his blow landing lightly. But he was in close now. When the gray mask hesitated, unable to think fast enough to drop the polearm for a sidearm, Iratus pressed in, stepping twice more and stabbing up into the creature’s face. The blade cracked through the mask—and the thing vanished.\n\nIratus looked to his glowing ally. The glowborn had taken heavy damage, but it had managed to close in and rip the mask off its opponent. As always, once the mask was gone, the illusion collapsed—the thing fading into nothing.\n\nWith their line reformed and the conduit missing, Iratus's team finished off the remaining gray masks. The battle ended swiftly.\n\nIratus: \"Let’s go, people. We don't have time to wait for anything else.\"\n\nA few weapons and items were looted from the fallen gray masks, but the group kept moving. They entered the ruined building and climbed two floors without resistance—until the next complication arrived.\n\nThe tower was a shell of its former self—white walls cracked and scorched, empty labs stripped bare, shattered tiles, collapsed hallways. Dirt and nature were already starting to reclaim the space.\n\nWhile searching for an alternate way out, Resolutio tripped a wire and while the explosion wasn’t high-yield, more fire than shock, it was enough. The blast crippled her right leg, flames licking through her fur and armor.\n\nDespite the injury, the group pressed on. They managed to climb another few floors, step by agonizing step, then made their way up a staircase where the air started to shift. The cold was fading. Warm, damp air began to replace it. They were close to the surface, the tropical climate above was just starting to reach them.\n\nNear the final staircase, another trap was spotted, but this one was easily disarmed.\n\nIratus: \"We're going to need a team to clear traps. No telling how many more are hiding in this wreck.\"\n\nAs they approached the last staircase, their path upward came into view as well as Caelum, waiting for them.\n\n---\n\nChapter 976\n\nSunlight barely managed to pierce the room, casting dim rays over the ruined interior. Iratus wasn’t sure if it was the better lighting or something else, but Caelum looked more like a rotting corpse now. The conduit sighed and reached into a small bag.\n\nIratus: \"Out of tricks? All the other conduits brought massive armies or lured us into clever traps.\"\n\nCaelum tossed a handful of caltrops from the bag—small, sharp, and numerous. The group blinked in confusion. Otiosus casually brushed some aside with his foot.\n\nSeeing that, the fox boy made a comment.\n\nStudium: \"Looks like it, sir.\"\n\nIratus glanced around again. Nothing seemed amiss, so he motioned for the group to keep advancing up the stairs. Caelum stood above, poised in a fighting stance, battle axe in hand.\n\nCaelum: \"You never told anyone about your faults when the company finally collapsed.\"\n\nPulvis: \"I never should’ve explored my old company’s building.\"\n\nOtiosus: \"Well, the copy, anyway.\"\n\nSalvos was carrying Resolutio near the base of the stairs, struggling with her weight.\n\nSalvos: \"Hey... I can actually smell something off. Iratus, can you come back down here?\"\n\nIratus was already partway up the stairs with the others, slowly advancing toward Caelum. For some reason, Pulvis was taking point.\n\nCaelum: \"The Nexus Prime tends to draw places and people together that were always meant to be. Your old workplace was meant to resurface.\"\n\nPulvis: \"All I learned was that my boss was a creep. Nothing important came out of it.\"\n\nIratus turned and headed back down—and that’s when his mouse ears twitched. Footsteps. Approaching.\n\nCaelum: \"And I found out it was you who enabled him, as well as your co-workers.\"\n\nPulvis: \"Oh, and what was I supposed to do? Tell off the people I saw every day for years? People I’d have to keep working with for even more years?\"\n\nOtiosus: \"Excuse me—existential drama aside, my honorary kinsman, that thing has long since stopped being Caelum—at least in soul. Ignore it and move. We’re all stuck here on the stairs until you get going.\"\n\nThen three more figures emerged from the lower doorway—three gray masks, but these wore white cloaks. That detail gave Iratus pause. White cloaks. They might be conduits.\n\nSalvos: \"Resolutio, I'm going to have to set you down.\"\n\n---\n\nChapter 977\n\nThe three newcomers removed their masks, revealing that they were otters like Pulvis and Caelum. One had white fur, another was a pink-furred female, and the third had black fur. All three looked like corpses—decayed, with parts of their skulls and bones exposed.\n\nWhite Fur: \"My son lost his life, and what did you do?\"\nPink Fur: \"You lied to me.\"\nBlack Fur: \"I just wanted to be your friend.\"\n\nPulvis froze, stunned by the sight. Iratus turned to shout commands, but his voice failed—his throat was raw and parched, beyond its limit. Then his eyes widened. Caelum had pulled out a hand axe and was preparing to throw it.\n\nIratus urgently pointed at Caelum, alerting the others. Pulvis ducked just in time as the axe soared past his head and clanged off the stone steps, nearly hitting Parabula. The weapon chipped the edge of the stairs on impact.\n\nWhite Fur: \"My son lost his life, and what did you do?\"\nPink Fur: \"You lied to me.\"\nBlack Fur: \"I just wanted to be your friend.\"\n\nThe three white-cloaked figures rushed the stairs. The white-furred one headed straight for Resolutio, who was on one knee but held her spear up defensively.\n\nWhite Fur: \"My son lost his life, and what did you do?\"\n\nSalvos intercepted the attacker, but the rotting otter used absurd agility to flip over his spear. The white fur aimed to slit Salvos's throat with a long knife, but Salvos anticipated the move and caught the wrist mid-swing. Iratus joined the defense, slashing at the white fur—but the creature revealed a parrying dagger and caught the blow. It stepped forward again but was forced to retreat when Salvos lunged at it with his arming sword.\n\nThe team was crammed on the stairs, their movement hampered slightly by the scattered caltrops, but they were holding the line. Two of the white-cloaked attackers—pink and black fur—were engaged by Studium and Otiosus, who kept them at bay with their spears.\n\nPink Fur: \"You lied to me.\"\nBlack Fur: \"I just wanted to be your friend.\"\n\nPulvis: \"Enough!\"\nThe otterman’s face twisted with anger as he continued his assault on Caelum with his spear.\n\nCaelum: \"You died because your boss wanted you dead!\"\n\n---\n\nChapter 978\n\nCaelum continued backing away as Pulvis advanced, spear in hand.\n\nWhite Fur: “My son lost his life, and what did you do?”\n\nPulvis: \"Your son was convicted nine times, and those idiot judges let him go every time—so he could keep stealing and raping women. I'm glad he was killed. Even if every loss of life is a tragedy, he deserved it.\"\n\nSalvos stabbed the creature in the leg while Iratus nearly decapitated the white fur in a single powerful swing.\n\nPink Fur: \"You lied to me.\"\n\nPulvis: \"And you were an entitled wrench, forcing me to do work I never agreed to—while you pocketed the payment.\"\n\nStudium lunged from the steps, tackling the pink-furred creature and driving his spear into it.\n\nBlack Fur: \"I just wanted to be your friend.\"\n\nPulvis: \"Lazy. Worthless. Good for nothing. I asked for one hour of your time to help finish the backdrops, and your damn union rep told me you needed ten days! So I did it myself. I did everything myself—videos, event scheduling—because you never lifted a finger and always demanded more money.\"\n\nOtiosus stepped forward, dodged the black fur's short sword, and slammed his palm into the creature's face, jamming his fingers into its eye socket. He shoved it toward the railing. She tried to stab him in return, but by then Otiosus had vanished from his field of view. The creature looked down the stairs just in time to see him—dangling by one arm.\n\nThen, with a sudden heave, Otiosus grabbed its wrist and pulled himself upward. In the same motion, he yanked it down. The otter still wore that same blank, emotionless expression as it tumbled, colliding with the stairs, bouncing, and then finally slamming into the floor below with a sickening splat—just missing Studium.\n\nAt the top of the stairs, Caelum was still retreating, trying to avoid Pulvis’s spear.\n\nCaelum: \"Your boss laughed when he said he got you fired!\"\n\nPulvis: \"What’s the point of any of this? People are awful—doesn’t matter if they have power or none at all.\"\n\nCaelum: \"Your boss... he was the reason you suffered. You lost everything—your job, your future—because of him!\"\n\nPulvis didn’t listen. He drove his spear into the side of the conduit.\n\nCaelum: \"You sold your friends out to a man who never cared about you!\"\n\nPulvis: \"Friends is a strong word. Yeah, maybe I'm a dirtbag for not stopping the abuse when I saw it happening. But everyone else losing their jobs over it? That's not my problem.\"\n\nBy now, the rest of the party was reaching the top of the stairs. Iratus and Salvos were carrying Resolutio together, while Otiosus jogged up with his rapier drawn.\n\nCaelum: \"It’s not fair—you hurt people, and you just get to walk—\"\n\nBut Otiosus didn't let him finish. He thrust his rapier cleanly through Caelum's eye, and the conduit collapsed to the floor, lifeless.\n\n---\n\nChapter 979\n\nOtiosus: \"I know we all get that conduits are smart monsters, but that’s technically three smart monsters we just fought. How often does that happen?\"\n\nIratus: \"Eh, no idea.\"\nIratus's thoughts were elsewhere.\n\nThe group was nearly outside when their glowborn ally let out a horrible, guttural cough.\n\nOtiosus: \"Whoa—hey, you okay there, bud?\"\n\nThe creature coughed again—this time expelling something orange and fiery, maybe blood—and collapsed to his hands and knees.\n\nIratus: \"Oh no. What’s happening?\"\n\nIratus, Otiosus, Salvos, and Studium rushed to help, concern etched into their faces. But Resolutio, Parabula, and Pulvis stood motionless, showing no interest in the creature's pain.\n\nThe wounds on the glowborn began oozing more of that burning, fiery substance. His skin started to shift—scales pushed through in patches—and then his face simply fell off, replaced by a growing, bone-like mask. His arms dislocated, bones cracking and reforming as his posture shifted into a four-legged beast. His body, now fully covered in scales, radiated intense heat. The glow had become full molten lava, pulsing like magma beneath his skin.\n\nStudium: \"What the silver—did he just transform into a lavaborn?!\"\n\nThe newly transformed lavaborn didn’t hesitate. It turned and charged straight at Parabula, who let out a scream as the beast leapt.\n\nOtiosus and Salvos reacted instantly, spears thrusting into the creature mid-air. Pulvis and Iratus grabbed Parabula and yanked him out of the creature’s claws just in time.\n\nThe fight was brutal but brief. The lavaborn was slain. Parabula survived—but just barely. His breastplate had melted, and his arm looked charred black, twisted and almost unrecognizable.\n\nParabula: \"My arm! Oh my God—my arm!\"\n\nIratus: \"Calm down, man. Studium will get help. But you need to stay alert and on your feet.\"\n\nParabula: \"Okay… okay...\"\n\nStudium was sent ahead to bring back a cart and reinforcements, while the rest of the group limped home, slow and battered.\n\nSalvos: \"Another simple monster hunt turned into a disaster.\"\n\nIratus: \"By the gray masks... we really should’ve seen that coming.\"\n\nResolutio: \"Regardless of what has happened, we are all still alive. And the monsters that plagued our realm—they’re gone. It had to be done.\"\n\nOnce Studium returned with the others and a cart, the final leg of the journey became a full-blown medical emergency. Everyone worked fast, trying to salvage what they could of the injured.\n\n---\n\nChapter 980\n\nIratus was tired—and thirsty. He drank deeply from a pitcher of water, then collapsed into a chair, content to rest for at least an hour. His lovers sat nearby, setting up another game to pass the time.\n\nResonantia: \"After everything that’s happened… I think we need some kind of regular check-up system.\"\n\nVictoria: \"The gray masks caught us off guard again.\"\n\nAestus: \"But we’re here to help you feel better.\"\n\nIgnis: \"I can’t stay long.\"\nShe leaned down and gave Iratus a gentle, loving lick on the neck.\nIgnis: \"I need to get back. The others—some of their injuries are really bad.\"\n\nIratus nodded, took another long gulp of water, and turned his attention to the game. The rest of the day passed quietly, playing and recovering.\n\nResolutio would recover with time, though Parabula was left scarred in several places from the lavaborn’s burns. Twenty days passed, with Iratus focused entirely on resting and healing. When he finally felt strong again, he resumed work on expanding Lionhearth.\n\nAnother group arrived, settling in at Last Mistake. Four people—barely able to survive the wilderness. Iratus had his doubts about how long they’d last, especially after hearing news of Purple City and the tensions spreading from it.\n\nA fresh blight of ashborn had appeared during Iratus's recovery, but Resonantia took command of a squad and handled the threat efficiently.\n\nResonantia: \"We really need more ranged options. Could you take a look into that when you get a chance, love?\"\n\nIratus: \"Maybe we should comb through the abandoned places again. There could be some useful arms left behind.\"\n\nAs the day wound down, Iratus walked through the streets of Lionhearth. New cabins had sprung up, and more survivors of the Nexus Prime’s chaos were beginning to act less like victims and more like settlers.\n\nEcho and Praevalidum were training hard. Fraus and Arcus were playing their music again, joy slowly returning to their lives. Otiosus was preparing the night patrol while Sutura complained with every step. Odorem was working on his own chicken coop—though where he planned to find chickens in this insane world was a mystery.\n\nVesper and Certamen were building small gardens for each cabin. The newest residents of Lionhearth were busy finding ways to help, eager to belong. The harsh wilderness beyond the walls no longer dominated their every thought.\n\nIratus gave a satisfied sigh and returned to his tower. He took out some papers and began writing, noting ideas, plans, and observations. Each of his lovers visited one by one, discussing various aspects of the village with him. Later, Iratus spent time playing with his many children before retiring to bed, where his wives guided him gently to rest.\n\n---\n\nEPISODE 98: END\n\n---\n\nEpisode 98 End Character Sheet\nName: Iratus Lionheart\nSpecies: Mousefolk\nAge: 17\nCoverings: blonde fur, white gambeson (many repairs, some leather patchwork), leather gloves, tactical vest, tailorcraft backpack, leather plate helmet, delicate gold chain with a small pendant shaped like a lion's glare, flashlight, bronze breastplate, bronze full arm guards, bronze shin guards\nWeapons: long sword, short sword, hammer, 3 dagger\nEquipment: belt, belt bag, water skin, leathercraft backpack, 2 bags, 3 copper coins, 2 small silver bricks, 10 silver coins, 23 gold coins\nWounds: None\n\nArmory: 20 short swords, 4 knifes, 13 daggers, 9 metal spears, 4 long swords, semi-automatic rifle (no ammo), 2 hunting traps, 5 snares, 3 backpacks, 2 katanas, 3 short katanas, crossbow, bolt-action rifle\nAestus: gambeson, bronze breastplate, leather helmet, metal spear, 2 knives, short sword, bronze long sword.\nVictoria: bronze breastplate, gambeson, leather helmet, metal spear, short sword, crossbow, 2 daggers, flashlight\nResonanita: steel breastplate, gambeson, metal helmet, metal spear, short sword, 1 knife, compound bow, flashlight\nIgnis: bronze breastplate, gambeson, leather helmet, metal spear, crowbar, 1 knife\n\nImportant Treasure: a tarnished silver brooch, a small ornamental figurine, a few antfolk tapestries, some antfolk art, bronze lantern, bronze idol, some jeweled trinkets, iron lantern, silver lantern, gold crown with large sapphire\n\nLionhearth -\nHome Base, Tower: Large Storage Area (many crates, clay pots, and wooden chests), Basic Workshop Area (lots of tools, woodcarving tools, glue, sandpaper), Kitchen Area (many tools, many cutlery items, pots&pans, makeshift grill, microwave), Library, Armory, Infirmary Room (surgery tools, first aid kit, plenty of medicine and equipment), Children's Quarters, Master Bedroom (proper bedding, sensual antfolk sculpture), Six Bedrooms (proper bedding), four portable solar panels\n\nOutside Base: Butchering Hut (modern butchery kit, smoking rack), Tannery Hut, Underground Storage Area, Garden Area (fenced in), Tool Shed, Wooden Wall, Second Wooden Wall, 5x Small Cabin, 9x Large Cabin, 2x Gravestones, Rabbit Hutches, Several Electrical Lights, Wooden House (Astrid), Kitchen Building, Guest House, Patchwork Garage (1 Humvee), Simple Dock\n\nBooks: 3x woodworking books, weathered leather-bound journal, war game booklet, sketch book (from warband), Bathhouse Reviewers (entire 80 book series), cards, Fractura's Notes, Tempestas's Notes, 12 survival guides, 3 technical manuals, 46 fiction novels, 11 encyclopedias, 4 dictionaries, 22 cookbooks, 2 gardening guides, 3 crafting books, 20 educational textbooks, 5 religious texts, 4 diaries, 12 children's books, Ever Dark RPG, Various Tabletop games collected over the years\n\nYear 3, Day 56\n\n---\n\nTOWER FOLK:\nIratus of House Lionheart\nmouse, male, blonde fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, 6'7, age: 17, b day: 350\n-\nVictoria Mother of House Lionheart\nraccoon, female, gray fur, black hair, brown eyes, 6'5, age: 17, b day: 5, (preg 222 days)\n-\nAestus of clan Riversinger\notter, female, red fur, red hair, blue eyes, 6'3, age: 16, b day: 99\n-\nIgnis Yang\nred panda, female, reddish-brown/white fur, black hair, golden eyes, 6'5, age: 17, b day: 344\n-\nResonantia Diamond Heart Steel\nshark, female, blue-gray hue skin, white hair, blue eyes, 6'7, age: 17, b day: 2\n---\n\n\nCHILDREN:\nNegligere Lionheart\nshark, male, steel gray skin, white hair, gold eyes, age: 2, b day: 2\n-\nRuina Lionheart\notter, female, orange fur, vibrant orange hair, blue eyes, age: 2, b day: 330\n-\nGula Lionheart\nred panda, male, brown fur, dark brown hair, gold eyes, age: 2, b day: 340\n-\nTenacitas Lionheart\nraccoon, female, silver fur, dark blonde hair, amber eyes, age: 2, b day: 345\n\nFrustra Lionheart\nraccoon, male, gray fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, age: 1, b day: 338\n\nDespero Lionheart\nshark, male, blue-gray skin, blonde hair, gold eyes, age: 0, b day: 249\n\nTempestas\notter, male, white fur, black hair, gold eyes, age: 0, b day: 272\n\nNebula\notter, female, blonde fur, blonde hair, blue eyes, age: 0, b day: 272\n\nVentus Lionheart\nred panda, female, reddish-brown and white fur, blonde-black gradient hair, gold with a hint of silver eyes, age: 0, b day: 17\n\nLignum Lionheart\nred panda, male, fur of reddish-brown with golden-blonde highlights, especially around chest, muzzle, and ears, gold-blonde hair, amber-gold eyes, age: 0, b day: 17\n---\n\n\nNEIGHBORS:\nEcho\nshark, male, gray skin with a white underbelly, black hair, black eyes, 6'8, age: 41, b day: 142\n\nFraus of House Brassmoon\nfeline, female, bright gray, white underbelly fur, white hair, blue eyes, 6'7, age: 18, b day: 90\n\nArcus\nfox, female, slightly dark brown fur, slightly dark brown hair, blue eyes, 6'5, age: 20, b day: 326\n\nResolutio\ngoat, female, black fur, black hair, blue eyes, 7'0, age: 52, b day: 13\n\nPraevalidum\nantfolk, female, blackish-brown chitin, dark gray skin, brown hair, green eyes, 6'4, age: 19, b day: 77\n\nOtiosus of House Owleye\nmousefolk, male, dark gray fur, dark gray hair, blue eyes, 6'8, age: 22, b day: 105\n\nSutura\nhyenafolk, female, brownish-blonde fur with black spots, gold hair, gold eyes, 6'7, age: 19, b day: 364\n\nOdorem \nfoxfolk, male, red fur, red hair, blue eyes, 6'8, age: 26, b day: 86\n\nInlecebra\nfoxfolk, male, red fur, red hair, blue eyes, 6'8, age: 26, b day: 343\n\nAstrid\nnixman, female, slightly purple skin, black hair, blue eyes, 6'0, age: 20, b day: 71\n\nDolor\nhyenafolk, male, rich brown fur, black hair, gold eyes, 4'6, age: 10, b day: 301\n\nDiffido\nmousefolk, male, black fur, black hair, brown eyes, 4'10, age: 12, b day: 145\n\nArdens Ignifera\nredpandafolk, female, red fur, black hair, gold eyes, 6'5, age: 21, b day: 187\n\nVesper Red Queen\nmothfolk, female, gray fur, silver hair, brown eyes, 6'3, age: 19, b day: 37\n\nPusillanimitas of House Redtide\nlionfolk, female, tan fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, 6'7, age: 18, b day: 1\n\nBai Xue\ndragonfolk, female, white fur, white hair, green eyes, 7'1, age: 25, b day: 309\n\nCommuniquer Zircon Beaumont\nrabbitfolk, female, soft gray with white patches around the nose and underbelly, chestnut brown hair, Amber-gold eyes, 6'7, age: 27, b day: 88\n\nSagitta Cloud Wake\nwolffolk, male, dark charcoal with silver streaks around the muzzle and tail tipfur, steel gray hair, ice blue eyes, 6'9, age: 43, b day: 33\n\nParabula of Arcanum Vitae\ngoatfolk, male, sandy beige with dark brown patches along his limbs, black hair, bright green eyes, 6'7, age: 31, b day: 55\n\nCertamen of the Lost Quickness.\nRaccoonfolk, male, dark gray fur, black hair, blue eyes, 6'9, age: 23, b day: 76\n\n5 others: a female tanuki, 2 male hyenas, a female raccoon, and a male rabbit.\n\n---\n\n\nWINTER WINDS CLAN:\nStudium of Winter Winds\nfox, male, gray fur, black hair, blue eyes, 5'10, age 14, b day: 190\n\nFuligo Leaf Shadow\notter, female, black fur, blonde hair, blue eyes, 5'6, age 14, b day: 245\n\nBellum of House War Knuckles\ncheetah, female, blonde fur with black spots, blonde hair, blue eyes, 6'1, age 15, b day: 91\n\nAmbitiosus of Winter Winds\ncheetah, male, blonde fur with black spots, black hair, blue eyes, age 0, b day: 322\n\nVertex of Winter Winds\notter, female, gray fur, black hair, blue eyes, age 0, b day: 360\n\n---\n\n\nDARK SKY FAMILY:\nSalvos Dark Sky\nwolf, male, black fur, white hair, copper eyes, 6'8, age 27, b day: 66\n\nLeitmotif Schlange\nsnake, female, yellow and red scales, naga bodied, gold eyes, age 25, b day: 229\n\nOstinato Dark Sky\nsnake, male, black and red scales, white hair, bipedal, gold eyes, age 0, b day: 234\n---\n\n\nOCULI ACUTI FAMILY\nConfodere Oculi Acuti\nhyena, male, dark brown fur, black hair, gold eyes, 6'9, age 27, b day: 239\n\nLiora Woodleaf\ndeer, female, Light brown with white spots, blonde hair, hazel eyes, 5'9, age: 26, b day 323, (preg 169 days)\n---\n\n\n(farm)\nUMBRA OCEAN FAMILY:\nProcella Ocean Drinker\nweasel , female, blonde fur, black hair, green eyes, 6'5, age 23, b day: 207\n\nIter of Sanguinem Umbra\ngoat, male, white fur, blonde hair, brown eyes, 6'7, age 20, b day: 334\n\nBothynus Umbra Ocean\nweasel , female, blonde fur, blonde hair, brown eyes, age 0, b day: 351\n\n---\n(farm)\nLevi Ackerman\nnixman, male, light purple skin, white hair, blue eyes, 6'1, age: 23, b day: 303\n---\n\n\n(farm)\nTHE COBALTS:\nCommercium Jade Blue Cobalt\nrabbit, male, white fur, black hair, gray eyes, 6'8, age: 26, b day: 221\n\nAbrasione\nhyena, female, tan fur with black spots, blonde hair, gold eyes, 6'5, age: 21, b day: 4\n\n-\nKuxatura Jade Blue Cobalt\nhyena, male, tan fur, black hair, gold eyes, age: 2, b day: 284\n\nVulnera Jade Blue Cobalt\nhyena, male, white with black spots fur, black hair with some golden strands, gray eyes, age: 0, b day: 189\n\nRuptura Jade Blue Cobalt\nhyena, male, pale tan fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, age: 0, b day: 189\n---\n\n\nLAST MISTAKE\nDeficio\nlion, male, gray fur, rich gray hair, green eyes, 6'6, age: 47, b day: 111\n\nMalignitas of House Brokensand\nfeline, male, light black fur, light black hair, brown eyes (single eye), 6'7, age 30, b day: 343\n\nPulvis of clan Sootdrinker\notter, male, dark‑brown fur, dark-brown hair, blue eyes, 6'7, age: 33, b day: 180\n\nCaedes, Mother of clan Sootdrinker\nmouse, male, black fur, white hair, green eyes, 6'5, age: 25, b day: 105, (preg 24 days)\n\nAnd 4 others.\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "Black Hole: The Book of Iratus, Episode 98

Chapter 971

Most of the group had removed their armor—or even stripped down to their underwear—as they fought their way deeper into the burning depths. Salvos’s spear was beginning to warp from the relentless stabbing into lavaborn creatures. Seeing this, the others started taking better care of their weapons, knowing how unforgiving the heat was.

Otiosus had tried to keep his armor on, but after a critical miscalculation, an alligator-like lavaborn tore through the metal and blasted apart the gambeson beneath. Since then, he’d been running around shirtless, just like most of the others now.

Iratus felled another ashborn, its crumbling body adding yet another layer of hot dust to his already-ash-caked fur. He grit his teeth against the pain. Most of the ashborn had been slain by now—only two lavaborn remained.

Three ashborn, desperate and wild, pushed against each other in an attempt to crash through the spear wall the party had formed. Their first charge was fruitless, impaled or repelled, but then another wave came behind them, using their dying kin as leverage to grab at spears and flesh.

Parabula: "Not groovy!"

The goat’s arm was badly scorched, the fur burned away by the ashborn’s touch—until Iratus came in, cleaving through the attackers and kicking one away to buy space.

The group pressed on.

The last of the ashborn fell, and the final lavaborn strode toward the spear wall with a deliberate, molten gait. Iratus braced as his soldiers jabbed with their spears. The creature tried to grasp the weapons, but it was outnumbered and off balance. Salvos circled around and drove his spear deep into its glowing flank.

The thing screeched, staggered, then collapsed into sizzling slag.

At last, the creatures, uncoordinated, relentless, and thoughtless, were slain. The heat slowly began to dissipate from the cavern.

Iratus exhaled a long, weary breath and looked around, hoping to find something left untouched. But all he saw was ruin. Once well-crafted structures were now warped and melted; once-useful gear reduced to unrecognizable slag.

Otiosus: "I think there's one left."

He pointed downward.

Iratus followed his gaze, eyes narrowing. At the bottom of the cavern stood one more figure—glowing faintly in the dim, heat-warped light.

Iratus: "Then let's finish this."

Their voices were both hoarse, cracked by thirst and smoke. Everyone was exhausted, overheated, and hadn’t had a drop of water in over an hour. Still, Iratus wiped the sweat from his brow and led the way down.

At the bottom, they saw it—not quite ashborn, not quite lavaborn. It stood upright, humanoid, but with scaled lizard limbs and glowing-hot skin.

A new kind of monster.

---

Chapter 972

Iratus stared at the creature, who sat calmly atop a small boulder, staring back at the group with passive disinterest.

Otiosus: "Oh no, he isn’t walking toward us with his arms out. Our tactics are now useless."

Studium: "Very funny."

Pulvis: "That raises a question—why are nearly all monsters bipedal? That first lavaborn split into those dog-like things, and they did way more damage than any upright one."

Otiosus: "Maybe because some of these things used to be people. Then the rest just followed that structure."

A moment of silence followed as everyone continued eyeing the creature. It didn’t move—just sat there watching them, completely unbothered.

Iratus: "Uh, hello? Are you capable of understanding us?"

The creature kept staring.

Iratus: "Well, we'd like to leave, but it's freezing down there." He pointed toward the frigid exit tunnel. "Any chance you’d be willing to come with us? For warmth?"

Nothing. Still staring.

Pulvis: "Are you seriously trying to negotiate with one of these things?"

Iratus ignored him and kept talking.

Iratus: "What if we promise to slay a conduit of Kollektivi?"

The creature's expression finally changed. It raised an eyebrow, then stood up without a word and began walking toward the tunnel—prompting a collective look of shock from the entire group.

Otiosus (jokingly): "Oh look, Iratus, another mindless abomination that thinks it has a mind and will. What are the odds?"

Iratus: "Just proves that the monsters of the Sin Lords are more complex than we thought."

He motioned for his group to follow and began walking after the strange being.

Pulvis: "Hold on—you're not actually going to trust that thing, are you? I’ve heard the stories of your adventures. All monsters are just drones."

Iratus: "I don’t trust it. But dragging it ourselves would be too much work."

He winced, grabbing at his throat. The dryness in his mouth was becoming unbearable—his thirst was getting dangerous.

---

Chapter 973

The tunnel was as cold as ever, the rusted train tracks stretching endlessly into the dark.

Salvos: "I think the elevator shaft is closer."

Otiosus: "But you’ll have to climb out with your bare hands."

Resolutio: "From what's been mapped out, the Summoner's Tower is actually closer to home. Honestly, I'd like to see it for myself."

Salvos: "You'll be disappointed. Every room is either mostly destroyed or stripped bare. I wouldn't even say it's habitable anymore."

There were a few more comments and brief exchanges, but after a while, the group fell into a tired silence. The long walk through the freezing tunnel dragged on. Their only sources of light were the dim flashlights and the faint, steady glow of the creature now following them.

When they reached the underground section of the tower, they found the lights there had gone out too.

The cold was even worse than the heat had been. Everyone struggled to keep moving, doing their best to stave off frostbite. Even Pulvis, who normally held back, pointed out the obvious:

Pulvis: "If we don’t get outside soon, we're all gonna get frostbite—even with our heat man here."

Studium (shivering): "S-speaking of which… what do we call our friend? Not ash… not lava…"

He trailed off, his breath visible in the frigid air. Iratus gave it a moment's thought.

Iratus: "Glowborn?"

There were a few weak attempts at comments, but between the cold and thirst, no one could get much out. The moment passed quickly anyway—because just ahead, the beam of a flashlight revealed a chilling sight.

A line of cloaked, gray-masked men stood silently in the tunnel.

Iratus sighed.

Iratus (flatly): "Here we go."

One of the masked figures wasn’t wearing the usual brown cloak, but a black one. At first, Iratus thought the color odd—until he remembered how the Nexus Prime's nights had no moon. Black would be ideal for hiding in total darkness. Well, he assumed it was for night since that was when Pulvis would see him.

Then, the black-cloaked figure removed his mask, revealing a youthful otter's face. When he pulled down his hood, Iratus could see bandages wrapped around the back of his head. The shape of the skull beneath looked oddly flattened—like part of it was missing.

Pulvis (softly): "It's true… Caelum. You're back."

Caelum had the typical brown otter fur, but his hair was stark white, and his eyes were a strange shade of dark purple.

Pulvis glanced at Iratus, then turned his full attention back to the figure.

Pulvis: "Or should I say… creature that's taken Caelum’s face?"

---

Chapter 974

Caelum: "You wound me."
His tone was ever so slightly slow.
"Not as much as that skyscraper dropping on top of me, but your failure to truly see me—that hurts."

Iratus rolled his eyes.

Iratus: "We don't have time for this. Move aside, Conduit, or die… again."

Caelum: "My quarrel is with my former friend. Leave him, and the rest of you may go."

Pulvis's eyes widened in shock.

Pulvis: "Former? What in our relationship makes you think Caelum wouldn't see me as his friend?"

The Conduit shook his head.

Caelum: "Oh, so you think you know me so well? What—do you imagine I died protecting you and your mouse lover because we were friends?"

At the same time:

Otiosus: "Cat, actually."
Iratus: "Cat."

Caelum sighed deeply.

Caelum: "Every time."
Another sigh.
"Sorry—cat with the body of a mouse. Anyway, I died because I was a nice person. Too bad I saw your personal files."

Pulvis: "No… no, no, no. There was nothing in there—we all searched every speck of that building."

Iratus frowned and began waving his men into combat formation.

Iratus: "We don't have the heat to survive here. I'm not leaving Pulvis. We are moving forward. And if you're still standing in front of us when we reach you—you die."

Caelum snapped his fingers.
The gray masks behind him readied halberds, and Caelum himself drew a battle axe. The sight made Iratus hesitate for a breath, but the gnawing cold pushed him forward.

Caelum: "You should stay a while… and listen."
His tone was no longer lazy. It was sharp, edged with growing anger.

Iratus: "Forward. Spears out."

The two lines slowly advanced, the ends of their polearms prodding and testing—until the poking gave way to the clash of steel.

---

Chapter 975

It was Iratus’s line that broke first—but it was all part of the tactic. His forces split into two groups, and as the gray masks divided to pursue them, they left themselves exposed. That gave Iratus and the glowborn—who had been passive until now—the opening they needed.

With the first backstab, Caelum halted, frowning as he watched one of the gray masks collapse. Resolutio surged forward through the gap, tearing into the disorganized enemy. Two more gray masks moved to intercept Iratus and the glowborn.

Caelum took a few steps back, then turned and disappeared into the torn-out corridor leading deeper into the tower.

Iratus tried to engage the gray mask attacking him, but its polearm kept him at bay. The weapon's reach made closing the distance feel like crossing a canyon. He was struck several times, but his armor absorbed the blows, turning lethal cuts into deep bruises.

Finally, Iratus took a risky step forward, letting the polearm slice across his arms. Blood welled up, but it gave him just enough of an opening. He spun, stepped inside the guard, and slashed—his blow landing lightly. But he was in close now. When the gray mask hesitated, unable to think fast enough to drop the polearm for a sidearm, Iratus pressed in, stepping twice more and stabbing up into the creature’s face. The blade cracked through the mask—and the thing vanished.

Iratus looked to his glowing ally. The glowborn had taken heavy damage, but it had managed to close in and rip the mask off its opponent. As always, once the mask was gone, the illusion collapsed—the thing fading into nothing.

With their line reformed and the conduit missing, Iratus's team finished off the remaining gray masks. The battle ended swiftly.

Iratus: "Let’s go, people. We don't have time to wait for anything else."

A few weapons and items were looted from the fallen gray masks, but the group kept moving. They entered the ruined building and climbed two floors without resistance—until the next complication arrived.

The tower was a shell of its former self—white walls cracked and scorched, empty labs stripped bare, shattered tiles, collapsed hallways. Dirt and nature were already starting to reclaim the space.

While searching for an alternate way out, Resolutio tripped a wire and while the explosion wasn’t high-yield, more fire than shock, it was enough. The blast crippled her right leg, flames licking through her fur and armor.

Despite the injury, the group pressed on. They managed to climb another few floors, step by agonizing step, then made their way up a staircase where the air started to shift. The cold was fading. Warm, damp air began to replace it. They were close to the surface, the tropical climate above was just starting to reach them.

Near the final staircase, another trap was spotted, but this one was easily disarmed.

Iratus: "We're going to need a team to clear traps. No telling how many more are hiding in this wreck."

As they approached the last staircase, their path upward came into view as well as Caelum, waiting for them.

---

Chapter 976

Sunlight barely managed to pierce the room, casting dim rays over the ruined interior. Iratus wasn’t sure if it was the better lighting or something else, but Caelum looked more like a rotting corpse now. The conduit sighed and reached into a small bag.

Iratus: "Out of tricks? All the other conduits brought massive armies or lured us into clever traps."

Caelum tossed a handful of caltrops from the bag—small, sharp, and numerous. The group blinked in confusion. Otiosus casually brushed some aside with his foot.

Seeing that, the fox boy made a comment.

Studium: "Looks like it, sir."

Iratus glanced around again. Nothing seemed amiss, so he motioned for the group to keep advancing up the stairs. Caelum stood above, poised in a fighting stance, battle axe in hand.

Caelum: "You never told anyone about your faults when the company finally collapsed."

Pulvis: "I never should’ve explored my old company’s building."

Otiosus: "Well, the copy, anyway."

Salvos was carrying Resolutio near the base of the stairs, struggling with her weight.

Salvos: "Hey... I can actually smell something off. Iratus, can you come back down here?"

Iratus was already partway up the stairs with the others, slowly advancing toward Caelum. For some reason, Pulvis was taking point.

Caelum: "The Nexus Prime tends to draw places and people together that were always meant to be. Your old workplace was meant to resurface."

Pulvis: "All I learned was that my boss was a creep. Nothing important came out of it."

Iratus turned and headed back down—and that’s when his mouse ears twitched. Footsteps. Approaching.

Caelum: "And I found out it was you who enabled him, as well as your co-workers."

Pulvis: "Oh, and what was I supposed to do? Tell off the people I saw every day for years? People I’d have to keep working with for even more years?"

Otiosus: "Excuse me—existential drama aside, my honorary kinsman, that thing has long since stopped being Caelum—at least in soul. Ignore it and move. We’re all stuck here on the stairs until you get going."

Then three more figures emerged from the lower doorway—three gray masks, but these wore white cloaks. That detail gave Iratus pause. White cloaks. They might be conduits.

Salvos: "Resolutio, I'm going to have to set you down."

---

Chapter 977

The three newcomers removed their masks, revealing that they were otters like Pulvis and Caelum. One had white fur, another was a pink-furred female, and the third had black fur. All three looked like corpses—decayed, with parts of their skulls and bones exposed.

White Fur: "My son lost his life, and what did you do?"
Pink Fur: "You lied to me."
Black Fur: "I just wanted to be your friend."

Pulvis froze, stunned by the sight. Iratus turned to shout commands, but his voice failed—his throat was raw and parched, beyond its limit. Then his eyes widened. Caelum had pulled out a hand axe and was preparing to throw it.

Iratus urgently pointed at Caelum, alerting the others. Pulvis ducked just in time as the axe soared past his head and clanged off the stone steps, nearly hitting Parabula. The weapon chipped the edge of the stairs on impact.

White Fur: "My son lost his life, and what did you do?"
Pink Fur: "You lied to me."
Black Fur: "I just wanted to be your friend."

The three white-cloaked figures rushed the stairs. The white-furred one headed straight for Resolutio, who was on one knee but held her spear up defensively.

White Fur: "My son lost his life, and what did you do?"

Salvos intercepted the attacker, but the rotting otter used absurd agility to flip over his spear. The white fur aimed to slit Salvos's throat with a long knife, but Salvos anticipated the move and caught the wrist mid-swing. Iratus joined the defense, slashing at the white fur—but the creature revealed a parrying dagger and caught the blow. It stepped forward again but was forced to retreat when Salvos lunged at it with his arming sword.

The team was crammed on the stairs, their movement hampered slightly by the scattered caltrops, but they were holding the line. Two of the white-cloaked attackers—pink and black fur—were engaged by Studium and Otiosus, who kept them at bay with their spears.

Pink Fur: "You lied to me."
Black Fur: "I just wanted to be your friend."

Pulvis: "Enough!"
The otterman’s face twisted with anger as he continued his assault on Caelum with his spear.

Caelum: "You died because your boss wanted you dead!"

---

Chapter 978

Caelum continued backing away as Pulvis advanced, spear in hand.

White Fur: “My son lost his life, and what did you do?”

Pulvis: "Your son was convicted nine times, and those idiot judges let him go every time—so he could keep stealing and raping women. I'm glad he was killed. Even if every loss of life is a tragedy, he deserved it."

Salvos stabbed the creature in the leg while Iratus nearly decapitated the white fur in a single powerful swing.

Pink Fur: "You lied to me."

Pulvis: "And you were an entitled wrench, forcing me to do work I never agreed to—while you pocketed the payment."

Studium lunged from the steps, tackling the pink-furred creature and driving his spear into it.

Black Fur: "I just wanted to be your friend."

Pulvis: "Lazy. Worthless. Good for nothing. I asked for one hour of your time to help finish the backdrops, and your damn union rep told me you needed ten days! So I did it myself. I did everything myself—videos, event scheduling—because you never lifted a finger and always demanded more money."

Otiosus stepped forward, dodged the black fur's short sword, and slammed his palm into the creature's face, jamming his fingers into its eye socket. He shoved it toward the railing. She tried to stab him in return, but by then Otiosus had vanished from his field of view. The creature looked down the stairs just in time to see him—dangling by one arm.

Then, with a sudden heave, Otiosus grabbed its wrist and pulled himself upward. In the same motion, he yanked it down. The otter still wore that same blank, emotionless expression as it tumbled, colliding with the stairs, bouncing, and then finally slamming into the floor below with a sickening splat—just missing Studium.

At the top of the stairs, Caelum was still retreating, trying to avoid Pulvis’s spear.

Caelum: "Your boss laughed when he said he got you fired!"

Pulvis: "What’s the point of any of this? People are awful—doesn’t matter if they have power or none at all."

Caelum: "Your boss... he was the reason you suffered. You lost everything—your job, your future—because of him!"

Pulvis didn’t listen. He drove his spear into the side of the conduit.

Caelum: "You sold your friends out to a man who never cared about you!"

Pulvis: "Friends is a strong word. Yeah, maybe I'm a dirtbag for not stopping the abuse when I saw it happening. But everyone else losing their jobs over it? That's not my problem."

By now, the rest of the party was reaching the top of the stairs. Iratus and Salvos were carrying Resolutio together, while Otiosus jogged up with his rapier drawn.

Caelum: "It’s not fair—you hurt people, and you just get to walk—"

But Otiosus didn't let him finish. He thrust his rapier cleanly through Caelum's eye, and the conduit collapsed to the floor, lifeless.

---

Chapter 979

Otiosus: "I know we all get that conduits are smart monsters, but that’s technically three smart monsters we just fought. How often does that happen?"

Iratus: "Eh, no idea."
Iratus's thoughts were elsewhere.

The group was nearly outside when their glowborn ally let out a horrible, guttural cough.

Otiosus: "Whoa—hey, you okay there, bud?"

The creature coughed again—this time expelling something orange and fiery, maybe blood—and collapsed to his hands and knees.

Iratus: "Oh no. What’s happening?"

Iratus, Otiosus, Salvos, and Studium rushed to help, concern etched into their faces. But Resolutio, Parabula, and Pulvis stood motionless, showing no interest in the creature's pain.

The wounds on the glowborn began oozing more of that burning, fiery substance. His skin started to shift—scales pushed through in patches—and then his face simply fell off, replaced by a growing, bone-like mask. His arms dislocated, bones cracking and reforming as his posture shifted into a four-legged beast. His body, now fully covered in scales, radiated intense heat. The glow had become full molten lava, pulsing like magma beneath his skin.

Studium: "What the silver—did he just transform into a lavaborn?!"

The newly transformed lavaborn didn’t hesitate. It turned and charged straight at Parabula, who let out a scream as the beast leapt.

Otiosus and Salvos reacted instantly, spears thrusting into the creature mid-air. Pulvis and Iratus grabbed Parabula and yanked him out of the creature’s claws just in time.

The fight was brutal but brief. The lavaborn was slain. Parabula survived—but just barely. His breastplate had melted, and his arm looked charred black, twisted and almost unrecognizable.

Parabula: "My arm! Oh my God—my arm!"

Iratus: "Calm down, man. Studium will get help. But you need to stay alert and on your feet."

Parabula: "Okay… okay..."

Studium was sent ahead to bring back a cart and reinforcements, while the rest of the group limped home, slow and battered.

Salvos: "Another simple monster hunt turned into a disaster."

Iratus: "By the gray masks... we really should’ve seen that coming."

Resolutio: "Regardless of what has happened, we are all still alive. And the monsters that plagued our realm—they’re gone. It had to be done."

Once Studium returned with the others and a cart, the final leg of the journey became a full-blown medical emergency. Everyone worked fast, trying to salvage what they could of the injured.

---

Chapter 980

Iratus was tired—and thirsty. He drank deeply from a pitcher of water, then collapsed into a chair, content to rest for at least an hour. His lovers sat nearby, setting up another game to pass the time.

Resonantia: "After everything that’s happened… I think we need some kind of regular check-up system."

Victoria: "The gray masks caught us off guard again."

Aestus: "But we’re here to help you feel better."

Ignis: "I can’t stay long."
She leaned down and gave Iratus a gentle, loving lick on the neck.
Ignis: "I need to get back. The others—some of their injuries are really bad."

Iratus nodded, took another long gulp of water, and turned his attention to the game. The rest of the day passed quietly, playing and recovering.

Resolutio would recover with time, though Parabula was left scarred in several places from the lavaborn’s burns. Twenty days passed, with Iratus focused entirely on resting and healing. When he finally felt strong again, he resumed work on expanding Lionhearth.

Another group arrived, settling in at Last Mistake. Four people—barely able to survive the wilderness. Iratus had his doubts about how long they’d last, especially after hearing news of Purple City and the tensions spreading from it.

A fresh blight of ashborn had appeared during Iratus's recovery, but Resonantia took command of a squad and handled the threat efficiently.

Resonantia: "We really need more ranged options. Could you take a look into that when you get a chance, love?"

Iratus: "Maybe we should comb through the abandoned places again. There could be some useful arms left behind."

As the day wound down, Iratus walked through the streets of Lionhearth. New cabins had sprung up, and more survivors of the Nexus Prime’s chaos were beginning to act less like victims and more like settlers.

Echo and Praevalidum were training hard. Fraus and Arcus were playing their music again, joy slowly returning to their lives. Otiosus was preparing the night patrol while Sutura complained with every step. Odorem was working on his own chicken coop—though where he planned to find chickens in this insane world was a mystery.

Vesper and Certamen were building small gardens for each cabin. The newest residents of Lionhearth were busy finding ways to help, eager to belong. The harsh wilderness beyond the walls no longer dominated their every thought.

Iratus gave a satisfied sigh and returned to his tower. He took out some papers and began writing, noting ideas, plans, and observations. Each of his lovers visited one by one, discussing various aspects of the village with him. Later, Iratus spent time playing with his many children before retiring to bed, where his wives guided him gently to rest.

---

EPISODE 98: END

---

Episode 98 End Character Sheet
Name: Iratus Lionheart
Species: Mousefolk
Age: 17
Coverings: blonde fur, white gambeson (many repairs, some leather patchwork), leather gloves, tactical vest, tailorcraft backpack, leather plate helmet, delicate gold chain with a small pendant shaped like a lion's glare, flashlight, bronze breastplate, bronze full arm guards, bronze shin guards
Weapons: long sword, short sword, hammer, 3 dagger
Equipment: belt, belt bag, water skin, leathercraft backpack, 2 bags, 3 copper coins, 2 small silver bricks, 10 silver coins, 23 gold coins
Wounds: None

Armory: 20 short swords, 4 knifes, 13 daggers, 9 metal spears, 4 long swords, semi-automatic rifle (no ammo), 2 hunting traps, 5 snares, 3 backpacks, 2 katanas, 3 short katanas, crossbow, bolt-action rifle
Aestus: gambeson, bronze breastplate, leather helmet, metal spear, 2 knives, short sword, bronze long sword.
Victoria: bronze breastplate, gambeson, leather helmet, metal spear, short sword, crossbow, 2 daggers, flashlight
Resonanita: steel breastplate, gambeson, metal helmet, metal spear, short sword, 1 knife, compound bow, flashlight
Ignis: bronze breastplate, gambeson, leather helmet, metal spear, crowbar, 1 knife

Important Treasure: a tarnished silver brooch, a small ornamental figurine, a few antfolk tapestries, some antfolk art, bronze lantern, bronze idol, some jeweled trinkets, iron lantern, silver lantern, gold crown with large sapphire

Lionhearth -
Home Base, Tower: Large Storage Area (many crates, clay pots, and wooden chests), Basic Workshop Area (lots of tools, woodcarving tools, glue, sandpaper), Kitchen Area (many tools, many cutlery items, pots&pans, makeshift grill, microwave), Library, Armory, Infirmary Room (surgery tools, first aid kit, plenty of medicine and equipment), Children's Quarters, Master Bedroom (proper bedding, sensual antfolk sculpture), Six Bedrooms (proper bedding), four portable solar panels

Outside Base: Butchering Hut (modern butchery kit, smoking rack), Tannery Hut, Underground Storage Area, Garden Area (fenced in), Tool Shed, Wooden Wall, Second Wooden Wall, 5x Small Cabin, 9x Large Cabin, 2x Gravestones, Rabbit Hutches, Several Electrical Lights, Wooden House (Astrid), Kitchen Building, Guest House, Patchwork Garage (1 Humvee), Simple Dock

Books: 3x woodworking books, weathered leather-bound journal, war game booklet, sketch book (from warband), Bathhouse Reviewers (entire 80 book series), cards, Fractura's Notes, Tempestas's Notes, 12 survival guides, 3 technical manuals, 46 fiction novels, 11 encyclopedias, 4 dictionaries, 22 cookbooks, 2 gardening guides, 3 crafting books, 20 educational textbooks, 5 religious texts, 4 diaries, 12 children's books, Ever Dark RPG, Various Tabletop games collected over the years

Year 3, Day 56

---

TOWER FOLK:
Iratus of House Lionheart
mouse, male, blonde fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, 6'7, age: 17, b day: 350
-
Victoria Mother of House Lionheart
raccoon, female, gray fur, black hair, brown eyes, 6'5, age: 17, b day: 5, (preg 222 days)
-
Aestus of clan Riversinger
otter, female, red fur, red hair, blue eyes, 6'3, age: 16, b day: 99
-
Ignis Yang
red panda, female, reddish-brown/white fur, black hair, golden eyes, 6'5, age: 17, b day: 344
-
Resonantia Diamond Heart Steel
shark, female, blue-gray hue skin, white hair, blue eyes, 6'7, age: 17, b day: 2
---


CHILDREN:
Negligere Lionheart
shark, male, steel gray skin, white hair, gold eyes, age: 2, b day: 2
-
Ruina Lionheart
otter, female, orange fur, vibrant orange hair, blue eyes, age: 2, b day: 330
-
Gula Lionheart
red panda, male, brown fur, dark brown hair, gold eyes, age: 2, b day: 340
-
Tenacitas Lionheart
raccoon, female, silver fur, dark blonde hair, amber eyes, age: 2, b day: 345

Frustra Lionheart
raccoon, male, gray fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, age: 1, b day: 338

Despero Lionheart
shark, male, blue-gray skin, blonde hair, gold eyes, age: 0, b day: 249

Tempestas
otter, male, white fur, black hair, gold eyes, age: 0, b day: 272

Nebula
otter, female, blonde fur, blonde hair, blue eyes, age: 0, b day: 272

Ventus Lionheart
red panda, female, reddish-brown and white fur,  blonde-black gradient hair, gold with a hint of silver eyes, age: 0, b day: 17

Lignum Lionheart
red panda, male, fur of reddish-brown with golden-blonde highlights, especially around chest, muzzle, and ears, gold-blonde hair, amber-gold eyes, age: 0, b day: 17
---


NEIGHBORS:
Echo
shark, male, gray skin with a white underbelly, black hair, black eyes, 6'8, age: 41, b day: 142

Fraus of House Brassmoon
feline, female, bright gray, white underbelly fur, white hair, blue eyes, 6'7, age: 18, b day: 90

Arcus
fox, female, slightly dark brown fur, slightly dark brown hair, blue eyes, 6'5, age: 20, b day: 326

Resolutio
goat, female, black fur, black hair, blue eyes, 7'0, age: 52, b day: 13

Praevalidum
antfolk, female, blackish-brown chitin, dark gray skin, brown hair, green eyes, 6'4, age: 19, b day: 77

Otiosus of House Owleye
mousefolk, male, dark gray fur, dark gray hair, blue eyes, 6'8, age: 22, b day: 105

Sutura
hyenafolk, female, brownish-blonde fur with black spots, gold hair, gold eyes, 6'7, age: 19, b day: 364

Odorem
foxfolk, male, red fur, red hair, blue eyes, 6'8, age: 26, b day: 86

Inlecebra
foxfolk, male, red fur, red hair, blue eyes, 6'8, age: 26, b day: 343

Astrid
nixman, female, slightly purple skin, black hair, blue eyes, 6'0, age: 20, b day: 71

Dolor
hyenafolk, male, rich brown fur, black hair, gold eyes, 4'6, age: 10, b day: 301

Diffido
mousefolk, male, black fur, black hair, brown eyes, 4'10, age: 12, b day: 145

Ardens Ignifera
redpandafolk, female, red fur, black hair, gold eyes, 6'5, age: 21, b day: 187

Vesper Red Queen
mothfolk, female, gray fur, silver hair, brown eyes, 6'3, age: 19, b day: 37

Pusillanimitas of House Redtide
lionfolk, female, tan fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, 6'7, age: 18, b day: 1

Bai Xue
dragonfolk, female, white fur, white hair, green eyes, 7'1, age: 25, b day: 309

Communiquer Zircon Beaumont
rabbitfolk, female, soft gray with white patches around the nose and underbelly, chestnut brown hair, Amber-gold eyes, 6'7, age: 27, b day: 88

Sagitta Cloud Wake
wolffolk, male, dark charcoal with silver streaks around the muzzle and tail tipfur, steel gray hair, ice blue eyes, 6'9, age: 43, b day: 33

Parabula of Arcanum Vitae
goatfolk, male, sandy beige with dark brown patches along his limbs, black hair, bright green eyes, 6'7, age: 31, b day: 55

Certamen of the Lost Quickness.
Raccoonfolk, male, dark gray fur, black hair, blue eyes, 6'9, age: 23, b day: 76

5 others: a female tanuki, 2 male hyenas, a female raccoon, and a male rabbit.

---


WINTER WINDS CLAN:
Studium of Winter Winds
fox, male, gray fur, black hair, blue eyes, 5'10, age 14, b day: 190

Fuligo Leaf Shadow
otter, female, black fur, blonde hair, blue eyes, 5'6, age 14, b day: 245

Bellum of House War Knuckles
cheetah, female, blonde fur with black spots, blonde hair, blue eyes, 6'1, age 15, b day: 91

Ambitiosus of Winter Winds
cheetah, male, blonde fur with black spots, black hair, blue eyes, age 0, b day: 322

Vertex of Winter Winds
otter, female, gray fur, black hair, blue eyes, age 0, b day: 360

---


DARK SKY FAMILY:
Salvos Dark Sky
wolf, male, black fur, white hair, copper eyes, 6'8, age 27, b day: 66

Leitmotif Schlange
snake, female, yellow and red scales, naga bodied, gold  eyes, age 25, b day: 229

Ostinato Dark Sky
snake, male, black and red scales, white hair, bipedal, gold eyes, age 0, b day: 234
---


OCULI ACUTI FAMILY
Confodere Oculi Acuti
hyena, male, dark brown fur, black hair, gold eyes, 6'9, age 27, b day: 239

Liora Woodleaf
deer, female, Light brown with white spots, blonde hair, hazel eyes, 5'9, age: 26, b day 323, (preg 169 days)
---


(farm)
UMBRA OCEAN FAMILY:
Procella Ocean Drinker
weasel , female, blonde fur, black hair, green eyes, 6'5, age 23, b day: 207

Iter of Sanguinem Umbra
goat, male, white fur, blonde hair, brown eyes, 6'7, age 20, b day: 334

Bothynus Umbra Ocean
weasel , female, blonde fur, blonde hair, brown eyes, age 0, b day: 351

---
(farm)
Levi Ackerman
nixman, male, light purple skin, white hair, blue eyes, 6'1, age: 23, b day: 303
---


(farm)
THE COBALTS:
Commercium Jade Blue Cobalt
rabbit, male, white fur, black hair, gray eyes, 6'8, age: 26, b day: 221

Abrasione
hyena, female, tan fur with black spots, blonde hair, gold eyes, 6'5, age: 21, b day: 4

-
Kuxatura Jade Blue Cobalt
hyena, male, tan fur, black hair, gold eyes, age: 2, b day: 284

Vulnera Jade Blue Cobalt
hyena, male, white with black spots fur, black hair with some golden strands, gray eyes, age: 0, b day: 189

Ruptura Jade Blue Cobalt
hyena, male, pale tan fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, age: 0, b day: 189
---


LAST MISTAKE
Deficio
lion, male, gray fur, rich gray hair, green eyes, 6'6, age: 47, b day: 111

Malignitas of House Brokensand
feline, male, light black fur, light black hair, brown eyes (single eye), 6'7, age 30, b day: 343

Pulvis of clan Sootdrinker
otter, male, dark‑brown fur, dark-brown hair, blue eyes, 6'7, age: 33, b day: 180

Caedes, Mother of clan Sootdrinker
mouse, male, black fur, white hair, green eyes, 6'5, age: 25, b day: 105, (preg 24 days)

And 4 others.
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