The Master Protocol pt. 1

The end of an era and the beginning of The End...

First off, if you haven’t yet read The Trial of Isolation, it is available to read here at Connecting the Past of Astra to the Present…

And if you don’t want to read all that (I recognize it is a lot), then here’s a summary before we dive into this story. I want to note, this will be less intense and action packed and more reflective and melancholy. I hope you still enjoy it!

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When last we visited the Valley, Lady Vey (the young diplomat), Cherize (the hardened protector and love of Lady Vey) and Dantly (the technical assistant to Lady Vey) went on a diplomatic mission across Astra. After convincing their isolationist governing council to allow them, they set out to create peace talks between two warring factions. 

In the process, the trio were discovered to be part of the technologically advanced Valley society, and were attacked by one of the warring factions. In the process, the attacking faction - led by governor Caminalla - revealed that the Valley was hiding a powerful artifact. In the horrors of the scuffle, Cherize was chosen as the Champion of her gods - the Five - and Lady Vey lost her life. 

Upon returning home, the council of the Valley receives a message from the gods: They must disappear from Astra or risk the world altering artifact falling into the wrong hands.

Fifteen years later, Cherize must come to grips with the changing world around her, the grief she never let go of, and the life that lay ahead of her people…

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Cherize took her time as she walked. She carefully patted down her tunic and wiped the wispy curling hairs that drooped down onto her forehead away from her face. The summer heat was in full effect and she was having trouble keeping her mind clear. It could be the warmth. It could be her nerves. It could be that she was exhausted from being up all night working on this proposal. She took a deep breath in, finding her center as her body coalesced with energy from the realms beyond, then breathed out. For a brief second, she found peace. Then she looked around the Valley.

All around her the deconstruction was in full effect. The looming skyscrapers made of solar panels, white composite material, plant matter and glass were being replaced with small huts without electricity. Even the beautiful ancient homes of the five houses that led the Valley were being torn down and replaced with slightly larger than average huts. How could they survive like this? Cherize recognized that she was going to be a part of the last generation that would remember what the technological Valley was like. The gods had forsaken them, and she felt the deep shame of failure weighing heavier than normal on her.

Even though it had been years ago - over a decade at this point - her failure in the conflict with the outsiders still left her full of regret. Because of her, the Valley lost one of their most prominent political figures and Cherize’s love: Lady Veyeni. She thought about her and what she may be like now. She thought about what the entire city may be like now… were they so lucky. But when that governess attacked, it changed the course of history forever. 

Cherize thought about the falling dominoes that brought them to this moment. Thought of the part she played along the way. Perhaps things weren’t so simple, but in her mind they always would be. She was the protector, now the master of the protectors and the champion to the Five. She should’ve known better. Done better. She should’ve been wiser, should’ve been stronger. She should’ve been so much more. And the same thought crossed her mind as she walked through the carefully crumbling empire that was once her home: If I’m the best we have to offer, then we don’t deserve our god’s blessing.

She adjusted her tunic again and looked at herself in the reflection of a still standing building. Her full brown cheeks had lost the luster of youth, but her eyes had gained something new: A deep heat. Her usually brown eyes would often flare up like flames. They were the fuse that led to the bomb that had become her body. Champions were supposed to be leaders, heroes, and legends. Cherize was the dying breath of a generation beat into submission by the very gods she was on Astra to represent. She scoffed at her reflection. She felt ridiculous in her slightly too small white tunic over her short stocky warrior’s body. She ran her fingers through her mostly brown hair then blinked away the frustration growing inside her.

Her eyes were heavy and tired. “You can do this.” She whispered to herself. In the distance she heard the crash of a controlled demolition. Another great building fell. She wondered if it was someone’s home or a community center. Maybe it was a factory. Now it was rubble.

She shook the thought away and began the trek up the hill to the great hall of the council. She walked past some of the construction workers, they looked like old desk workers she knew from the archives. They looked ill equipped for hard labor. “I hear by the end, the houses on the hill will be the only one’s left. That’s the five hundred year projection at least.” A man announced.

“By the council chamber?” One asked in reply. The other one replied with a sharp,

“Mhmmm.”

“Damn, how are they going to do that?”

“Oh, it’ll take years… projections say population stability is going to be hard going. Our generation adjusts to life in the huts without power. The next generation deals with the population fallout.”

“The gods forsake us…” A woman said with a shudder. Cherize walked away before the weight of the discussion could lay any heavier upon her. Everywhere she looked, she saw signs of her failure. The old wound that never closed. At the top of the hill, the council chamber in all its glory was now surrounded by freshly made huts. The old garden that once was a beautiful marker of the Valley’s ability to live in harmony with nature had been torn down and replaced with archaic housing. She wasn’t ready for the transition. She’d never be ready. She walked to the chamber doors. The guards on either side bowed in deference,

“Master.” One whispered.

“Protectors,” Cherize replied. “Is the council ready?” 

They nodded to her. Instead of the perfect beautiful armor of a protector, these guards wore a sort of composite leather and layered paper armor. It wasn’t fully dressed down, but it was the beginning of deconstructing the protectorate. Cherize tried not to look at their uniforms in disgust.

“Very good. I’ll make my way in.” She put her head down and pushed by.

She made her way through the halls of the grand chamber and into the council chamber. It was just as she always remembered it. It was always an archaic structure, so it was no wonder that they mostly left it alone. Cherize felt a pang of sadness. It would never feel strange being here without Lady Vey.

She stood before the council. Part of her waited for the wondrous table to rise to the sky as it always did, but alas, that was an abandoned advancement. 

“This session will be commenced promptly.” Lady Seija of house Lao announced. “I would first like to announce my refusal to partake in the final decision due to my proximity to Master Cherize.”

“Your announcement is noted.” The member of house Tien announced. “On the contrary, I’d like to announce my continued participation as our relationship is rather distant even though we are of the same family.” A murmur of acknowledgement reverberated through the council hall.

“With all that settled, Master Cherize, please explain to us your proposal.”

“Thank you councilors.” Cherize announced. Her mouth was dry, but she licked her lips and attempted to speak, “The deconstruction is happening all around us and I… welcome the will of our gods, but I think to honor their will, we must make some adjustments to the - to the plan.” She shifted herself back and forth. She thought about how clever - how succinct - Vey would’ve been. She felt so much joy whenever she had the chance to speak before the council. Cherize thought a prayer for Vey’s spirit to guide her then carried on, “I believe that we need to - no - that we must guarantee our future generation’s success in protecting the Tome of Oran-Koh and to do this we need to instill the warrior spirit and values into the protectorate who comes after us.”

“Intriguing…” The councilor of house Yi mused. She looked at her fingernails and leaned against the table. “Very intriguing. And how would you propose doing this?” She asked. Cherize took in a deep breath,

“I’m not sure yet, but I think the potential to leave behind physical documents or perhaps even a single terminal capable of advising future masters on proper philosophy, form, and technique could be just enough to -”

“You recognize what you’re saying is heretical, don’t you?” House Manu’s councilor said with a sharpness to their voice that made Cherize’s blood run cold.

“I suppose one could argue that -”

“Not an argument. A fact.” They replied. Cherize shifted on her feet but didn’t reply. The counselor turned to the rest of the table. “The Five have decreed that we tear down our homes, tear down our society. We’ve been asked to remove ourselves from the board and in doing so, remove the Tome from the board. Any history or technological advancement left behind only risks hindering this goal.” They turned back to Cherize, “Your proposal does just that. Your proposal is heresy.”

“I don’t take such an accusation lightly.” Cherize breathed out, trying to maintain her calm. “I’m merely trying to -”

“I think we’ve heard enough here.” The Manu councilor declared.

“But I haven’t even shown you my report of potential -”

“We don’t need it. I think we can comfortably come to the decision not to commit heresy.” The counselor snapped. Cherize struggled to find the words. She felt her frustrations bursting to the surface, trying to get out. Trying to explode.

“You aren’t even entertaining the premise!” She raised her voice.

“And I don’t need to, so quiet yourself and this council will submit our decree!”

“I will NOT be shouted down in this chamber!” Cherize's eyes blazed with fury.

“Lord Tien, control your warrior!” The councilor of house Manu snapped. Cherize felt her chest boil with rage. How dare they not even address her. How dare they pawn her off on her great uncle. Her uncle cleared his throat uncomfortably,

“Your concerns are heard clearly, master protector, but any amount of technology could be a hindrance to The Five's plan… you must understand -”

“I understand the cowardice of this council!” Cherize snapped. “I understand that none of you are willing to do what needs to be done unless it is decreed exactly by the Five! But you must see reason. You must see that I only want to follow through with their will! I know better than all of you what could happen if the Tome fell into the wrong hands, so let me do my duty and protect it for generations to come!” Cherize’s words were a terse growl through her teeth, rage seeping into her veins. The Manu councilor leaned forward and seethed,

“You petulant woman, I swear I -”

“There will be order in this chamber.” The aging Great Mother announced. She spoke barely above a whisper. Her eyes were still sharp and her mind still attuned, though her body was showing signs of advanced aging. “Child, Cherize,” The chamber went silent as her gentle voice traveled on the air. “This council appreciates your services more than you'll ever know. My dear child, you’re no longer a youth as much as the more senior of us might wish to see you that way. You’re a master. You've fought valiantly for what you believe in both in the field of battle and in the great debates of this difficult deconstruction.”

“And yet…” Cherize glared down at her feet.

“No, ‘and yet.’ We will consider your plan as laid out and inform you of our deliberation by the new moon. Leave your report on the table and we will contact you if we have questions. You are dismissed.” Cherize stepped forward, placed the hand written report on the crescent table and fled from the chambers. Once through the doors, she let out a deep sigh, relieved to be back outside where it felt less oppressive at least. The protectors on either side of the doors looked at her. She feigned a weak smile and nodded to them,

“As you were protectors.”

“Yes, master.” They turned forward once more. Cherize walked away and through the maze of huts where the garden once was. A voice called from behind her,

“Cheri, hunny!” It was Seija, Lady Vey’s mother. She stopped and waited for the older woman to catch up. Even as she grew older, she aged with grace. Her hair was a mix of black and gray streaks, and her face was wrinkled and creased with smile lines.

“Lady Seija, I’m so sorry for my behavior I -”

“It’s nothing, dear.” Seija said, waving away the problem. “I think you’re absolutely right, and to be completely honest, the council’s adherence to a complete deconstruction has been a pain in my side. I wish I spoke with the fury that you do… I’m not as great a Lady as Veyeni would’ve been nor her father that preceded me.

“Lady Seija, I disagree.” Was all Cherize could manage. She felt her feelings bubbling up, but she pushed them down with ferocity. She wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t show anything she didn’t want to. 

“Well, let us agree we disagree and move on. Listen, I know you're busy as master protector and all, but Veru needs to be picked up from class today. I know he’s still a young Lord so no specific protector is responsible for him yet, but -” 

“Seija, I love Veru like he was my own brother. I’d be honored to be his protector just as his sister before him, but…” Cherize looked away. She found herself staring off at a skyscraper that no longer reached the skies. It was slowly being broken down, its remaining pieces were going to be lost to the forest or repurposed to ‘simpler’ living conditions. At least they treated the vines and hanging plants that called it home with care, gently unfurling them from their home in the sky.

“Sweetie, it’s okay. You know we don’t blame you. We love you. You’re family.” Cherize pushed the feeling down deeper, and acknowledged Seija with a grunt. “Please, just pick up Veru and walk him home, would you? There’s a lot of people asking for deconstruction exceptions. I’m going to be late going through it all and you know how Taj is these days…” Cherize nodded, still watching the building being systematically torn down.

“I’ll pick him up.” Was all she said. 

“Thank you, Cheri.” Seija said and embraced her in a hug. “And bring that lovely girl, Salla, over for dinner, huh? You never come see us anymore.” Cherize nodded,

“Yes, good Lady.” Seija smiled and Cherize could feel it against her shoulder. It made her feel warm deep inside. She pushed that down too.

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Veru walked out of his school and into the early evening sunlight. It was getting dark out and given there weren’t streetlights anymore, Cherize understood why Seija wanted someone to walk him home. Cherize waved him down,

“Hey, big guy. How was class today?” She looked back at the sleek schoolhouse, painted to look like the very forest it was part of. Flowers always bloomed and the sun always shined in the beautiful mural. She knew it was going to be one of the last buildings to be broken down. She wondered what new shape education would take after that. Veru smiled at her. He smiled just like Vey. Cherize felt a pang in her chest.

“It was good. I didn’t know you were coming to pick me up, auntie.”

“Your momma asked me to.”

“She’s just mom now.” Veru corrected.

“Sorry. Mom. You’re growing up too fast for me, bud.” She ruffled his feathery straight hair and he laughed. He was only 11, but he felt so much older to her. He grew up so fast - much like Veyeni did. Cherize smiled down at the little boy for a little while. It was tradition that the head family of a house - house Lao in this case - have an offspring. When Lady Vey passed, her parents were far too old to have another child. Thankfully, the advancements in science that the Valley had gave them another chance to have a new successor. Veru wasn’t carried by Lady Seija, but he was as true to blood as Veyeni ever could’ve been. He had the quick wit and cleverness of his mother and the strategic mind of his father.

 Veru’s skin was a neutral brown and his eyes had the strange purple color Veyeni’s did. His nose was different though. It was wide with a larger bridge - much more like his father's, while Veyeni’s was thin and pointed like her mother’s. Other than that, he was a spitting image of Lady Vey. It gave Cherize chills, made her happy, and broke her heart over and over. She turned with him and they walked down the street towards the Lao home.

“How’s your dad doing, bud?” She asked somewhere along the streets.

“Okay, I guess. He sleeps a lot. He likes his bed.”

“Don’t we all.”

“I guess.” 

“Have you spoken to uncle Dantly lately?”

“Yeah. He was over last week. He took me down to the lake and we skipped rocks.”

“That’s good. He gets lonely, you know. He doesn’t have anyone.”

“Like you and Miss Salla?”

“Yeah… or like your mom and dad. Your parents always treated us like family too, you know.”

“Momma - mom says you are family.” Veru said.

“Well, I guess I am.” Cherize replied. “You know, my parents died when I was your age. I was lucky your parents helped me. I was lucky to have your family. Your sister.”

“My sister…” Veru whispered.

“Hm?” Cherize asked. She wondered how he must feel living in the shadow of her grave. Even now, long after she was gone, she was always there. Veyeni was a ghost that haunted Veru with the expectations of greatness that made her so special. She wondered how it felt for him. She couldn’t imagine. She tried not to talk about her too often in front of him just in case, but she couldn’t help it sometimes.

“Nothing.” Veru replied, pulling Cherize from her thoughts. They arrived at the hut that was now their home. Inside they could see there were some electric lights on. When they stepped through the wooden door, the center living room space was empty aside from a solar powered light source that blazed like a fire in the center. 

“Taj, you home?” Cherize called out.

“Yeah.” A voice groaned from behind another wooden door. Veru took his backpack off and set it on the floor. He took off his shoes and cozied up next to the solar light. One day that would be a fire when all the tech of old was long forgotten. He sat down and began drawing in a notebook. When she was his age, she would’ve been playing around on a trackpad. When she was older, she would’ve been using one of Dantly’s slit-rings. Now they sat by fires and solar lights and doodled on notebooks. When would the notebooks become parchment? When would parchment be forgotten? How far was far enough for the gods?

She shook the thought away and walked past Veru, “Gonna go check on your dad.” Veru nodded and continued drawing. She opened the door and Taj groaned as the light flooded onto him. He was curled up on a mat, his body wrapped in a blanket. Cherize sighed and shook her head, “Taj…” 

“Cherize, good to see you.” He wasn’t even looking at her, but he put on a good show with his voice. Had they been talking through the door, she would have believed he was busy doing something and not laying on the ground in a mess of grief and depression. “Thanks for dropping off the boy. I would’ve done it myself, but -”

“It’s no trouble, Taj, really.” Cherize cut him off before he could make a shameful excuse. Taj sighed in relief. He rolled over, covering his head with the blanket. She saw his bare shoulder as he adjusted and became worried he wasn’t decent. “I’ll get out of your hair…” Cherize said, then flinched when she noticed how his hair actually looked. It had grown long and unruly. It was one thing to have long hair - normal for a warrior even. It was another to let it become tangled and brittle. She lowered her head, feeling shame for him. Just as she was about to close the door, Taj spoke up,

“I’ve been seeing her. In my dreams.”

“Taj…” Cherize sighed, pleading with him.

“She’s still out there, Cherize. Doing the Five’s work. Somewhere in the cosmos. She’s special. She always was… you know that though, don’t you?” Cherize didn’t reply. “Don’t you, Cheri? Don’t you see her too?”

She hadn’t. She didn’t believe him - she couldn’t believe him. Anger welled up in her. She couldn’t believe how far Taj had fallen. Long before he was ever the council member of house Lao, he was a protector. One of the best protectors of his generation even. Now he was a husk of any of that. He was hardly alive at all. Cherize did the same thing she did every time. She took a deep breath and pushed it deep down.

“I’ve gotta go.” Cherize replied, closing the door. She leaned her head against the wooden wall of the hut and let out a sigh.

“Are you okay, auntie?” Veru asked.

“I’m great, bud.” Cherize turned and put on her best smile. “Your mom should be home soon. How about you start cleaning up for bed and then you can draw until bedtime?” 

“Okay!” Veru said. He jumped up and ran for the rudimentary restroom. How long before it was an outhouse? She shook the thought away. 

“Be good, V.” She shouted, then cringed at the words. V… that was her name. 

“Bye auntie!” He shouted as he washed his face. Cherize stepped out into the night. She let out a sigh of relief as the weight of grief rolled off of her. She loved the Lao family, but they always made her feel like she was reliving Veyeni’s death all over again. All these years later, they still grieved and so did she. After the day she had, Cherize just wanted to get home. She made her way deeper into the forest, walking alongside dimly lit huts. No one else was out this late, but she didn’t mind. It gave her time to think. 

Maybe there was another way to deal with this whole passing along protector traditions. Maybe she could find a way to do it in a way that could preserve her teachings not just in writing but in as clear and concise a manner as she could without losing the lessons she wanted to share. She wasn’t a very good writer, nor did she think a video recording or information terminal would hold up very well on its own… maybe it needed some sort of direction. Some sort of clarity.

Her little hut came into view and she shook the thoughts away. She just wanted to feel relaxed right now. She wanted to push the thoughts away. She opened the door and saw Salla working away in their little kitchen.

“Hey, there you are.” She said with a smile. “I made some bread - hot pepper oil like you like.”

Thank you.” Cherize said as she embraced her and kissed her sun-browned cheek. “I’m gonna need it after today.” Salla smiled the mournful smile she always gave Cherize when she knew she was upset. Salla was a thin woman with bony cheeks and straight white smile. Her eyes were a brown that contained galaxies in the complexity of their shades. Her hair was curly and brown with natural auburn highlights that created a halo around her face. She forced her hair up out of her face, and reached out to Cherize,

“Let’s give it a minute to cool down. Come on, let's talk. I want to hear about your day.” Salla guided Cherize by the hand over to the light in the center of the living room. Cherize sat with her, giving vague explanations of her day. Salla nodded along. And listened carefully.

“You don’t think they’re going to accept your plan, huh?” Salla asked. Cherize shrugged,

“I guess it doesn’t really impact me if they don’t. I can only say what I think is right, but who cares if it doesn’t work?”

“Oh, come on, don’t lie.” Cherize glared at Salla. “I’m sorry, it’s just - I know. I know you’re upset. I know you’re dealing with a lot. But you’re lying. I know you’re lying. This matters to you. And it should.” Cherize didn’t reply. She turned away from Salla and her shoulders slumped down. Salla rubbed her back and softened her voice, “I know how hard it is working with the Lao family. Or going before the council. I know it's hard seeing anything that reminds you of - of that time. I’m sorry, I really am. But sometimes we need to take a deep breath and face the things that hurt the most head on. Sometimes we have to do the right thing even when it feels wrong deep down.” Cherize leaned back against Salla and sighed.

“Aren’t you wise…” She said as her body relaxed against Salla. Salla laughed,

“I know. If I were born into a different family, maybe I could be on the council.”

“Soon you’ll be wedded to house Tien, then maybe you will be.” Cherize replied, leaning deeper into her. Salla laughed,

“If the Master Protector would have such a woman as I…” She trailed off as they lay together in the living room. Cherize felt her guard begin to fall. The armor of being a leader. The armor of speaking in front of the council. The armor of talking to house Lao. None of it made her feel as safe as her real armor. She sighed and felt herself melt into Salla. She felt safe finally. Even in this little wooden hut, she felt safe. 

As the hours waned on, they both gathered themselves up and got ready for bed. As they threw themselves onto their little floor mat and cozied up, Salla whispered to Cherize,

“You should speak with Dantvara in the morning, dear. I think he might be able to help you with your… problem.”

“What makes you say that?” Cherize asked.

“Well, don’t tell anyone I told you, but he’s been doing what he’s calling ‘conservation’ work in the tech lab.”

“The tech lab’s still going?”

“Sh.” Salla put a gentle finger to Cherize’s lips, “No one’s supposed to know it’s still running. ‘For a smoother transition,’ they say.” Cherize chuckled at the thought. 

“Dantly must’ve fought really hard for that. He couldn’t stand not to make himself useful until the end.”

“How long since you two talked?”

“Really talked? Years. We spoke in passing a few months ago, but…” 

“Maybe now’s the time, huh?” Cherize didn't reply, but in her mind the words echoed in her head,

Maybe now’s the time…

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.

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Like most mornings, Cherize spent the early hours overseeing the training of the next generation of protectors in the forest. She watched as they sparred, practiced, exercised, and trained to be the ultimate protectors of Astra. She sparred with some of the senior members, showing the young protectors how to fight - though she’d never admit she was more doing it just because she missed getting to fight, even if it was just as a demonstration. She always felt at home in her armor, and training the next generation brought her peace. She never wore her mask anymore. Without the Valley network, there was no HUD, no communication between protectors, no health system monitoring, no point in wearing it. The mask was bulletproof, sure, but she didn’t need it. 

Times were changing, and she had to teach these new protectors what it meant to be a protector without them having access to the wide array of equipment she did. Swords would be passed down - the forge was being deconstructed after all - and tech was being broken down completely. They had to rely on their wits, their ancestor’s teachings, and their abilities. She had forced a compromise allowing the lead protector of each house to be permitted the strong, resistant lightweight armor of old, but everyone else’s armor was being deconstructed. These protectors would have to rely on leather in the future. The days of bullet-proof, energy resistant armor were passing.

Cherize watched on with dread, but was pulled away when one of the other senior protectors announced, “Now, I believe the Master would like to take some time to speak with all of you before you’re dismissed for your hunting lesson.” Cherize forgot the protectors would double as hunters too. No more lab grown foods. How long could the forest sustain that? She feared things would get worse before they got better. The protectors stepped in front of her, about a dozen young people all formed up in a 3x4 rectangle. Behind her stood the four lead protectors from each house. She took in a deep breath and put on her most stern and serious face,

“What does it mean to you to be a Protector? What is a Protector?” The group stood in silence. “That wasn’t rhetorical.” She added.

“A protector is a warrior!” A woman shouted.

“A protector fights until their last breath!” Another added.

“A protector moves silently, and kills without hesitation.” A man said. All of them nodded along.

“No.” Cherize replied. The group looked at her confused. “Protectors are an ancient tradition all around Astra. Our goals are simple just as our beginnings were. The gods would choose people to protect those that worshiped them. We are not warriors, we are not police, we are not soldiers. But we act as those things if we must. Protectors do as we are described: We protect. The Five tasked your lineage with choosing those most fit to the job to protect our people and our home. We protect it from threats, we protect it from decay, and we protect it from the will of those who wish to harm our people. When you become a protector, you’re no longer a person of this Valley. You are outside of them. You are a caretaker. A servant. You live to keep these people safe, happy, and healthy and you will do anything to keep them that way.” Several of the senior members nodded behind her. She heard the house Manu leader mumble ‘That’s right’ under his breath.

“Maybe you are a warrior. Maybe you are a soldier. Gods above, maybe you’re a hunter, but protecting these people. Protecting this valley. Protecting what our gods stand for. That comes before all of that. All of it.” She felt the weight of her own words. “And you will fail sometimes,” The words stung and her eyes watered a little. She shoved it down and continued, “We aren’t perfect, though we will strive for otherwise. When you fail… you stand up, and you keep fighting, because that’s what a protector does. Dismissed.” 

“Thank you, Master.” The Manu protector said from behind her. He placed a hand on her armored shoulder and gave it a firm shake. “Powerful words, my friend. Powerful. Alright, all that being said, let’s go get some food from nature’s bounty, huh?” The youths cheered and followed the Manu leader into the forest. Cherize sighed and let herself slouch a little. The Bonap senior came up to her,

“I hope they understand how important what you said will be in the coming years.”

“It’s not them I’m worried about.” Cherize replied. “I’m worried about the next generation. Then the next generation. How far before the meaning of being a protector is lost? Then what?”

“We need to trust the process. The council won’t lead us astray, Master.”

“I wish I agreed with you.”

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Gosh, how about that? I hope you enjoyed the first part! The second half of this story will be coming next week, and in my personal opinion, gosh, it is a tear jerker. I hope you stick around for part 2. If you enjoyed, consider leaving a little tip through my ko-fi, or subscribing or liking, or starting up a chat with me in the comments. Really any expression of appreciation - even if you’re just quietly enjoying this in your own mind - is greatly appreciated!

Stay tuned for next week, where I can’t wait to round out this ancient story, and stay tuned beyond for a ton more fun - we’ve got more Astra, we’ve got horror, we’ve got book reflections, we’ve got science. Honestly, we’ve got a lot of good stuff going on over here. Thank you for reading! We are so close to 150 subscribers, it hurts! We’re getting there, gang. See you soon!