Black Hole: The Book of Iratus, Episode 56

Chapter 551

The rain was pouring hard, but there was no real storm that came with it. Iratus could only look out the slit windows and sigh before heading back to the homemade couch. Even with the low light, Iratus's race, the mousefolk, came from a world of felines, and his eyes were those of cats, so he had a better time reading in the low light, and the book he was reading was some fiction novel of magic and wonder. He looked up when Ignis came down the stairs with her baby and waved at her, and she looked back at him.

Ignis: "Another peaceful afternoon in our most humble tower, and here you are without any of your partners beside you."

Iratus: "Love." He looked at his baby. "Little man."

It was midday on the 12th day of the third year since he had awakened in the Nexus Prime.

Iratus: "Peaceful is an overstatement when you realize Distorsio is out there hunting us with his monsters."

Ignis: "Hopefully, we find the dirt-licking traitor of folk kind. Now enough of work; let's talk about me." She finished laughing.

Iratus: "Oh no, have I not complimented your beauty today? Have I forgotten to touch your silky, smooth hair? Come hither and let me praise you physically."

Ignis: "You are going to make all the other girls jealous of all the diligence you are giving me."

Iratus: "You know that I ensure that all my loves receive my attention when I can."

The door from below opened, and Iratus sat his book to the side and went downstairs, with Ignis following him.

Ignis: "Maybe next time."

Iratus: "The day is still young; don't despair."

Three figures were trying themselves off: Venatio, Confodere, and Bellum.

Iratus: "How was the walk?"

Bellum: "I still want to know why we couldn't wait until after the rain. I also could have sworn that we wanted to talk to the bandit guy first."

Venatio: "Not with this weather."

Confodere: "Whenever the weather improves, sure."

Iratus: "Okay, but what about the summoners tower?"

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Chapter 552

Venatio: "Gone; everything is gone. Karish must have taken everything that wasn't bolted down."

Iratus: "Makes sense; it is his people's tower after all."

Venatio: "Yeah, but so quickly?" She sighed. "But the warm room in the tunnel was the only thing untouchable, or it would be if that wasn't all bloodied up."

Ignis: "What do you mean?"

Confodere: "There was a lot of left-over medical stuff."

Venatio: "There were a lot of empty medicine bottles and stuff around—the kind that can be abused. I don't know what the deal with the blood is unless the four other bandits were brought there after our battle yesterday."

Confodere: "The smells would indicate it hasn't been used for a while."

Bellum: "And they have not returned to the cave, like, at all."

Iratus: "Then we will have to keep searching."

The group headed upstairs, where some of the other girls were starting to gather. Iratus asked them to cook something up, and the group continued to talk, but the talk of searching and work gave way to a more fun conversation about the garden, games, and cooking a feast in the near future.

Once the rain stopped, Iratus gathered several people together to seek out Malignitas.

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Chapter 553

Several people were getting their combat gear on as everyone talked—the whole hamlet of people in the tower.

Victoria: "Do you really think the plan will work?"

Iratus: "I know my people. It will work."

Victoria: "I still don't like trying to hire a bandit. I mean, like, people who have tried to kill us."

Aestus: "Well, I think Iratus made a great plan to help this guy."

Ignis: "I lack an opinion on whether this is smart or stupid, but I'd say any plan this well made is something special."

Resonantia: "Special in what way?"

Victoria finished suiting up as the other girls started to stand to the side for the others.

Ignis: "It sounds like an iron-clad plan."

Resonantia: "Then just say that you think the plan will work, and I am hopeful this does not turn into another fight."

Venatio: "I am even more hopeful due to my circumstances. Otherwise, I'd hate to have to always watch my back for a crazy bandit running around."

The younger folk just stood in silence, with Bellum already in her combat gear. She nuzzled Studium and gave an arm shake to Fuligo.

Salvos: "As long as we stop, don't plan an assassination next if we fail to convince the man to not be a jerk anymore."

Leitmotif: "I must be out of the loop; what are they planning on doing with Malignitas?"

Confodere: "They want to recruit him to our side."

The snake girl laughed, with Iratus, Aestus, and Salvos giving a frown at her.

---

Chapter 554

Iratus, Victoria, and Venatio headed to the broken train, the one with the front cars in a large hole. The once-ash lands were now green and thriving with new flora and wilderness. The giant lizard-looking treeskin monster was nowhere to be seen and has not been seen for a long time, which has left the location with an overall peaceful scene with budding flowers in a wide meadow.

Iratus's ear twitched, and he gave a sniff in the air and then headed to one of the passenger cars. He gave a knock on the door and waited, and quickly the door was answered with the one-eyed bandit feline looking at the group with a bored look.

Malignitas: "Don't you people have more important things to do?"

Iratus with a straight face: "No."

The felinefolk gave a sigh.

Malignitas: "Whatever, what do you want then?"

Venatio: "Well, first, what can you tell us about the other bandits and the gray masks?"

Malignitas walked outside and leaned up against the train car.

Malignitas: "What is there to know? Those guys, who are not bandits, by the way, followed me because we all wanted revenge against Procella. The gray masks fought with us, so I just thought I'd use the momentum to get what I wanted. Big mistake."

Victoria: "Any chance you know where they are now?"

Malignitas: "The cave entrance?"

Iratus: "We have had eyes on there for a while now, and we got nothing."

The felinefolk shrugged.

Venatio: "Very well. Let us go to the second reason we came here."

Malignitas: "I'm all ears."

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Chapter 555

Venatio: "I'd like to hire your services and be my laborer."

Malignitas: "Uh, what?"

Venatio: "I need someone to complete my projects because I can't lift anything anymore."

Malignitas: "You look like you still have a lot of vitality left; what do you mean?"

Venatio: "Well, thank you. So, pregnancy has wrecked my body too much, which means my internal organs are not what they once were. I still have work to be done, and I am not currently capable of it. That is where I need you."

Malignitas: "You got several houses down at your place; ask one of your own."

Iratus: "Half of our labor force is either pregnant or taking care of children. We need more bodies."

Malignitas: "Not with Procella around. I plan on getting out of here and leaving all this behind."

Victoria: "Wow, I thought you'd just go bandit again, and we would have to kill you."

Malignitas: "I lost; there is no point in trying for a third time." He gave a grin and gave an exaggerated shrug.

Venatio scratched her chin while Victoria gave a grin back at the feline.

Iratus: "Like, so what? Why can't you just work?"

Malignitas: "Because the woman is a horrible person! I don't like her."

Iratus: "Understandable. You said something like, She left you to die in a hole?"

Malignitas: "Yeah. I lived in a city with seven other scavengers. We kept our distance until two warring parties came by. It's a long story, but I was on one side and Procella was on the other. A skirmish later, I, along with a few other guys, were trapped in a cave with no way out. She left us while we starved or died of dehydration. Some guys even went full cannibal. I climbed out with bloodied claws and just happened to catch her scent around here."

The clouds were looming closer, and the sky was becoming dark once again as it felt like rain could drop at any moment.

Iratus: "I respect your spite and your wrath, but let's talk about surviving this place."

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Chapter 556

Malignitas: "Surviving? I've been pretty good at doing that so far."

Venatio: "How about thriving? How about building something, building a real town?"

Malignitas: "Unless you got electricity, you got nothing I want."

Venatio: "You clearly do not know what I am capable of. I just need someone to aid me and I'll have lights on easily. I already have the copper that I need."

Malignitas: "But being part of a group comes at a cost and I don't want to invest heavily into a group without getting as much out of it."

Victoria: "Did you not see all that we have built? We have a community!"

Malignitas: "Well, you guys probably wouldn't like me."

Iratus: "There are plenty of places to live besides our tower. You work, get paid, we will even cook for you too."

The feline looked around with trying to think of something before his face became a bit solem.

Malignitas: "As long as I am my own guy, I guess it isn't that bad. Better then living in this burned out train. What even happened to it?"

Iratus: "It is a long story."

---

Chapter 557

Iratus and the rest returned to the tower and showed Malignitas around, but he refused to go into the tower.

Malignitas: "It's too soon. Just show me a place to camp out."

A few of the others came around, including Aestus, Fuligo, and Salvos.

Aestus: "Hey, mister, are you not a bandit anymore?"

Malignitas: "Not a bandit."

Fuligo: "The bandit isn't going to rob us, is he?"

Malignitas: "Still not a bandit."

Salvos: "Hello, my name is Salvos Dark Sky. You must be the bandit that attacks us." He waved his hand.

Malignitas: "Yeah, greetings; my name is still not a bandit, but you can call me Malignitas of House Brokensand."

Iratus: "Right, let's talk about some of the other areas around then."

Iratus would disclose several locations, but Venatio objected.

Venatio: "Hold on; I need him to live nearby so he can work for me."

Malignitas: "I guess the camp site is a no-go then."

Iratus: "Last Mistake is a town from Providence; you'll love it."

Malignitas: "Oh, speaking of work, what will I be doing?"

Venatio: "Mostly doing any lifting that I need. We have things to make using the blacksmithing stall in the empty town."

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Chapter 558

The next day, Iratus would come to see what kind of work Venatio was making the feline do. In the morning, he spotted them near the outhouses and saw Malignitas shoveling feces.

Malignitas: "Why am I down here? Why any of this?" He spoke through a cloth face mask.

Venatio: "I need it to manufacture gunpowder."

Much later in the day, Iratus and Resonantia would visit Last Mistake to see how Malignitas was doing, and upon reaching the blacksmithing stall, they saw the feline, Confodere, and strangely enough, Studium.

Venatio: "It looks like we have a long way to go."

Malignitas: "If you have these two, then why am I here?"

Venatio: "My little Studium knows how to craft the little things I need. This metal frame and metal keys are the first steps to a printing press. Confodere is my carpenter and is currently working on my water wheel and mechanical loom. You are supposed to make my batteries."

Malignitas: "But I brought a ton of lemons; what else is there?"

Venatio: "I need more lemons and more zinc!"

Malignitas: "What the heck is zinc?"

Venatio: "Zinc is a bluish-white metallic element used in making galvanized iron, brass, and other alloys. I don't expect you to find any in riverbeds, but try to at least bring me materials from city locations or car batteries."

Malignitas: "Wait, why not use the vehicle batteries instead of making our own?"

Venatio: "One more stupid question out of you, and I'll have you make a steam engine now instead of later!"

Resonantia to Iratus: "I'm glad he is fitting in perfectly."

Iratus: "I'm just happy that we have another body at our disposal."

Overhearing the comment, the feline responded.

Malignitas, turning to Iratus: "Hey! I don't like being described as disposable."

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Chapter 559

Day 14 came, and while Iratus and some of the others were eating lunch, Bellum came in with a tired breath.

Bellum: "We found them. The gray masks are back."

An emergency meeting was called, and all of the tower folk gathered, the others still in their respective homes except for Iter, who was also here, as he kept coming by in case the gray masks ever came back. Once everyone gathered, the scouting pair of Bellum and Victoria began.

Bellum: "As always, we keep checking the same sites in case these things come back, and it looks like they finally have."

Victoria: "The campsite with all the cabins."

Bellum: "They got a small army building up there."

Iratus: "Then I say we give them a preempted strike."

Venatio: "Then let's gather a raiding party."

Aestus: "Raiding? Should we fight and destroy them all?"

Venatio: "Unlikely, it would be better to use hit-and-run tactics with this."

Iratus: "Let's go over some of the basics of our raid and plan further once we all get there."

The people from Last Mistake would be called upon, and soon enough, the fighting force was assembled. First with Iratus, Victoria, and Ignis.

Malignitas: "Didn't you take the Lionheart matron name? Why are you going into war?" 

Victoria: "I guess I don't know everything about your culture. I didn't think it was such a high position or a stay-at-home duty. Venatio is a house mother, and she goes out to fight, and regardless of all that, I'd like to help my mate fight in battle."

Confodere and Malignitas from Last Mistake were also going.

Confodere: "If the woman wants to fight, then let her."

Malignitas: "That's not what I was saying. Claiming to be the mother of House Lionheart means something to the people of Providence. I'm just saying it is weird to me that she is going out to fight, that's all."

Iter: "Why are you even fighting with us? I thought you were just an employee for Venatio."

Malignitas: "Consider it my apologies to House Lionheart and the rest who live here."

Iter: "And my Procella?"

Malignitas: "No."

The younger folk, Studium and Bellum, were also going.

Studium: "Thanks for letting me come with you guys."

Bellum: "We need as many bodies as we can get for this fight; honestly, you should be despairing that you must fight a battle."

Finally, Salvos would also be joining them.

Leitmotif: "Do you have to go? That neck wound can open up with just a little bit of tension."

The wolf man gave a hug to his serpentine lover.

Salvos: "I won't be dying if that's what you are afraid of. I'll be back before you know it."

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Chapter 560

The party stood back in the trees to see over the campsite, and after several minutes of watching and patrolling, they gathered up back at the road. Salvos had the extra crossbow, while Bellum was using Resonantia's bow.

The campsite was filled with many gray masks, the creatures standing around in lines like troops but still like drones. In the back could be seen a mess of work and tools, as they appeared to be making trebuchets or some terrible makeshift versions of what a trebuchet was.

The sun was past afternoon when the party started talking.

Iratus: "It does not look like anything changed from the report."

Bellum: "Yup."

Iratus: "Then I guess we should proceed with the plan."

Salvos nodded his head and headed to the eastern side of the campsite with Ignis, while Bellum gave a thumbs up as she headed to the west side with Malignitas and Confodere. Iratus, Victoria, Iter, and Studium headed straight back to the campsite and waited for a few minutes before Victoria took her crossbow and looked for a target.

Three gray masks were walking along the tree line, on patrol most likely, and then Victoria's bolt slammed into one, dropping it onto the ground, with Iratus and Iter rushing out to take out the other two. With that done, Iratus looked to the campsite and saw no additional movement. He looked to the sides of the campsite and didn't see any conflict either.

Iratus: "Are we still in stealth mode?"

Victoria: "It looks like it. Get closer; I can't get a good shot from here."

Iratus flicked his mouse tail in confirmation, and he as well as the others in his group headed to the cabins of the camp. A gray mask opened a back window. Iratus's group wasn't entirely without noise, but as soon as it opened the window, Victoria shot it dead. Iratus looked out into the camp and saw that the gray masks were still not moving, but now he was hearing a commotion at the sides of the camp; the others were already acting.

A few gray masks started to head out with the lines of drone-like gray masks still standing still, but then a door was flung open and the conduit appeared, wearing his golden outfit.

Distorsio: "What are you doing? Stop being idle and go out there and see what's going on!"
 
---

EPISDOE 56: END

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Episode 56 End Character Sheet
Name: Iratus Lionheart
Species: Mousefolk
Age: 16
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
Weapons: long sword, 3 knifes, short sword, hammer, 1 dagger
Equipment: belt, belt bag, water skin, leathercraft backpack, 2 bags, 5 copper coins, 1 small silver bricks, 20 silver coins, 30 gold coins

Wounds: none

Relevant Community Stash: a fire starter, whetstone, several leather items, 2 glass jar, 12 bottles, 1 fish net, primitive sewing kit, a bunch of small wooden figures, wooden dice, metal scrap, lots of rusted metal, several small fish nets, sextant, some bedrolls, a tent, a large barrel, writing material, 68 cloaks and other clothing materials, some fabrics, 4 carts, 4 stitched tents, skin drum, beautiful arts of tropical scenery, floatation devices, wildlife figures, lots of tropical clothing, ancient era hyenafolk clothes, gas generator, four flood lights

Armory: 40 short swords, 34 knifes, 19 daggers, 26 metal spears, 4 arming swords, 4 long swords, 2 extra gambeson, semi-automatic rifle (no ammo), 3 hunting traps, 6 snares, 12 backpacks, 3 katanas, 3 short katanas, crossbow, several pounds of C4
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

Treasure: 13 copper coins, 2 silver coins 12 iron coins, a tarnished silver brooch, a small ornamental figurine, a few antfolk tapestries, some antfolk art, bronze lantern, bronze idol, some jeweled trinkets, iron lantern

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), 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)

Outside Base: Butchering Hut (modern butchery kit, smoking rack), Tannery Hut, Underground Storage Area, Garden Area (fenced in), Tool Shed (fishing gear and supplies, trowel, woodcutting axe, woodworking tools, lots of rope, rope ladder, plows, hoes, sickles, rakes, shovels, scythes, chisels, anvils), Wooden Wall, Small Cabin (Venatio), Large Cabin (Winter Winds), Large Cabin (Dark Sky Family), Gravestone

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

Year 2, Day 14

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TOWER FOLK:
Iratus of House Lionheart
mouse, male, blonde fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, 6'6, age: 16, b day 350
-
Victoria Mother of House Lionheart
raccoon, female, gray fur, black hair, brown eyes, 6'3, age: 16, b day: 5
-
Aestus of clan Riversinger
otter, female, red fur, red hair, blue eyes, 6'1, age: 15, b day: 99, (preg 19 days)
-
Ignis Yang
red panda, female, reddish-brown/white fur, black hair, golden eye, 6'4, age: 16, b day: 344
-
Resonantia Diamond Heart Steel
shark, female, blue-gray hue skin, white hair, blue eyes, 6'5, age: 16, b day: 2, (preg 48 days)
---

CHILDREN:
Negligere Lionheart
shark, male, steel gray skin, white hair, gold eyes, age: 1, b day: 2
-
Ruina Lionheart
otter, female, orange fur, vibrant orange hair, blue eyes, age: 1, b day: 330
-
Gula Lionheart
red panda, male, brown fur, dark brown hair, gold eyes, age: 1, b day: 340
-
Tenacitas Lionheart
raccoon, female, silver fur, dark blonde hair, amber eyes, age: 1, b day: 345

Frustra Lionheart
raccoon, male, gray fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, age: 0, b day: 338
---

NEIGHBORS:
Venatio of Wise Storms, Mother of House Black Jewel
fox, female, red fur, red hair, brown eyes, 6'6, age: 72, b day 299
---

WINTER WINDS CLAN:
Studium of Winter Winds
fox, male, gray fur, black hair, blue eyes, 5'8, age 13, b.day 190

Fuligo Leaf Shadow
otter, female, black fur, blonde hair, blue eyes, 5'6, age 13, b.day 245

Bellum of House War Knuckles
cheetah, female, blonde fur, blonde hair, blue eyes, 5'11, age 14, b day: 91
---

DARK SKY FAMILY:
Salvos Dark Sky
wolf, male, black fur, white hair, copper eyes, 6'8, age 26, b day: 66

Leitmotif Schlange
snake, female, yellow and red scales, naga bodied, gold  eyes, age 24, b day: 229, (preg 63 days)

---

(farm)
UMBRA OCEAN FAMILY:
Procella Ocean Drinker
weasel , female, blonde fur, black hair, green eyes, 6'5, age 22, b day: 207

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

(farm)
THE COBALTS:
Commercium Jade Blue Cobalt
rabbit, male, white fur, black hair, gray eyes, 6'8, age: 25, b.day 221

-
Abrasione
hyena, female, tan fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, 6'5, age: 20, b.day 4, (preg 102 days)

-
Kuxatura
hyena, male, tan fur, black hair, gold eyes, age: 1, b day: 284

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LAST MISTAKE
Deficio
lion, male, gray fur, rich gray hair, green eyes, 6'6, age: 46, b day 111

Confodere Oculi Acuti
hyena, male, dark brown fur, black hair, gold eyes, 6'9, age 26, b day: 239

Malignitas of House Brokensand
feline, male, light black fur, light black hair, brown eyes (single eye), 6'7, age 29, b day 343.