NBB3 - chapter 43: Spreading

"Where the hell did that green midget go?" Galg snapped as he stared down at the head beneath his feet. "Did he flee already? I'd have thought he would have stood his ground and fought and all that!"

The massive dragon below him remained silent, and Galg angrily stomped his feet as he examined the mana-core.

"He needs to move slower, or he might break something," GD18 said, his gaze directed to the planet.

"What? What are you mumbling about, you over-enlightened can opener!" Galg said as he gazed down at the planet.

The thin, initially barely perceivable clouds above the vast stretch of the world below were being pushed aside, and a small green glowing dot appeared in the center. It was rapidly increasing in size and surrounded by a corona of orange and red flames. Even from this far away, the ripples of heat that warped the air as it moved were visible.

"What the fuck is..."

Galg's fell quiet as a gray and green figure became visible.

"He does know how to stop, right?" Galg asked.

"I don't know," GD18 said, backing up.

--

Solus suppressed his need to roar for joy, afraid of what it might do. His newly gained ability propelled him forward and up. Still, he couldn't hold back the grin on his face. Finally, he could fly like Drys and the others!

"You are enjoying this too much," Tirella snapped as she flew beside him, easily keeping up.

"You're just jealous that Viridi left me a skill," Solus replied.

He curved sideways a bit, pushing his arms outwards and snatching dozens of the golden mana-specs that came down from the sun. The feeling of freedom, no longer bound to someone else or relegated to a lesser body, made him want to fly around for a long time. Sadly he knew he couldn't. Not yet.

The world around him darkened slightly as the sun's light became sharper and harsher. A quick look showed the tiny white spec far above the planet, and he sighed as he slowed down.

A few moments later, he came to a full stop, now drifting high above the planet. GD18 hung before him, massive but not as large as it had seemed when he was in his projected shape.

"GD18," he said across the still prevalent connection.

"Os Solus. You have changed since we first met."

Solus's grin widened as he wished he had the air to laugh. Curious, he opened his mouth, trying to breathe. He felt a slight pain in his chest, and he shrugged.

"So… this is all lovely," Galg said. "A big ol reunion and all that! But how the hell does this help us? Or now that you are here, are we going to find another planet?"

Solus gazed at the deceptively simple skeleton. Like Kreel and his goons, he had a crown, but unlike theirs, Galg's was bigger and had much sharper points. Beyond that, he looked just like a simple, recently awoken skeleton.

"Don't worry about those Kaot Lords. I'll take care of them," Solus said as he stared into the distance. His grin faded as he zoomed in, inspecting the incoming beings. Each was similar to the first one, with just some changes in coloration, tentacles, and eye count.

"What? How? Are you super-undead or something?" Galg shouted. "I don't care how strong you are-"

Solus glared at him, and as he did, he sensed the little unlife inside of him lash out. It remained inside of him, but whatever it did, Galg must have felt something as he stopped midsentence. Solus held the others' gaze for another second, deciding if he should do something about him now or later.

It can wait for a few moments, he finally thought and turned back to the incoming Giant Kaot Lords.

As he scanned their massive bodies, he hesitated for just a moment. Was Galg right to be skeptical? Then he sensed the power lurking inside his body, and he shook his head. Even though the transformation wasn't finished yet, he was somewhere between the fourth and fifth evolution tier. GD18 and Galg might be fourth, although he wasn't sure, they both hadn't maxed out their stats. Even more, there was a massive difference between tier four and five, not to mention that Solus was wondering if he was even turning into a regular tier five. Between the ridiculous incubation time of his change, and the power of the one who gave it to him, he had the feeling that he would be more.

And let's not forget about this, Solus thought as he focused on the tiny mote of unlife swirling inside him. The power it radiated was doing something to him- no, had done something to him.

"Damn," Galg finally muttered. "Didn't mean to anger you…"

Solus ignored the thinly veiled sarcasm and turned to GD18.

Tirella floated away from him, closer to the barrier, and Solus absently noted that it was ever so slowly reforming. Without his energy, it would take a long time, and it wouldn't be as powerful, but it should be enough for now. Then he focused on the AI.

"What will happen with Sig?" he asked.

"Technically, he is gone. The particles that made up his body could not remain together, and they have spread out. From what I can tell, they are all inert, dead if you will. However, the tiny portion I grabbed before still shows a tiny bit of energy," GD18 stated. "It might be because it's inside my body, draining energy from me, but if so, it is so tiny I cannot tell. I will examine it and see if I can find a way to restore him. However, that means I will need to take it with me."

Solus frowned, his eyes drifting around. He saw tiny specs of Sig drift around in the distance. They would dissipate soon, perhaps drifting away through the galaxy.

"Do what you can. He is my friend," Solus said with a sigh. Then he focused on GD18. "So, you are leaving?"

"Yes. I have no love for this planet, nor those that left me here. I want to see what this new galaxy has to offer now that there is no life in it," GD18 said as he gazed into the darkness.

Somehow, Solus had the feeling that the AI's glowing eyes saw more than even he did, gift of Viridi or not. Then the corners of his lips curved up, joy blunting the sharpness of the pain of losing Sig.

There might not be life now, he thought, focusing on the glimmer of un-life inside of him. But that will change soon. Then again, it might not resemble that which you knew.

He watched the dragon for a moment longer as the sense of having to hurry diminished. Although he wouldn't be able to stay awake indefinitely, as the changes hadn't been fully completed, he had some time.

"Alright. Take what is left of Sig and see if you can mend him," he said.

He suddenly thought of something else and turned his full attention on Galg. Since waking, he recalled many things, details that he had missed before, and it hadn't escaped his attention that the odd skeleton was dangerous. When it became time to go back to hibernate, how safe would it be to leave him roaming about?

"Perhaps you should take Galg to," he said.

"Hey! I don't-" Galg shouted, falling quiet as soon as Solus glared at him again.

"You are dangerous," Solus said.

"But I helped!" Galg muttered. "The hell?"

"I'll take him along," GD18 said, surprising Solus.

"What? Why would I go with you?" Galg snapped.

"Because if you don't, I'll find the nearest rift and throw you through before closing it," Solus said. He wondered why GD18 wanted to bring the skeleton, but he didn't mind. The more he thought about what he knew about Galg, the more he was sure leaving him on Earth would be nothing but trouble.

"Bah. And I suppose you will take away my mana-core too?" Galg said as he looked at the core. Then he cocked his head. "How do you even propose to keep me here-"

Before Galg could finish, Solus spread his senses outward, grabbing onto the mana signature that was Galg and locking it in place.

"What… how?" Galg shouted as Solus slowly hovered towards him.

"Told you it would work," Tirella sang as she laughed at Solus.

Solus didn't answer but grinned at her, still surprised by the ability she had described him. Then he turned back to Galg.

"I know you helped, but there is something… strange about you," he said, moving closer to Galg's. "Perhaps if you explained who or what you are?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Galg grunted, lightning rippling across his body. However, it didn't work as he stayed at the same spot. After a few more outbursts, he stopped, and a sad sigh came from him.

"Bah! Here I go and help you people. I should have just left when I had the chance-"

Before he could finish his words, Solus snatched the massive mana-core and hovered back.

"Hey! That's mine," Galg shouted, sounding aggrieved.

Solus looked at the core for a moment, thinking of Drys and the others. Then he shook his head. Although they might all become lethargic with time, one mana-core wouldn't be enough.

Besides, he thought, as the little un-life shivered. They might not need it at all.

He lowered towards the front of GD18. This close, he felt slightly taken aback by its massive size. He had expected it to shrink after hatching, but instead, the wyrm-dragon felt bigger, especially with its wings outstretched.

"Take this and use it on Sig if you manage to help him. Otherwise, if that one proves trustworthy, give it back. He did earn it…" Solus said as he placed the mana-core on GD18's outstretched claw. It looked minuscule, and he worried the AI would lose it. Then the mana-core sank into the flesh of the palm, vanishing from sight.

"I will. What are you going to do now?" GD18 asked.

Galg was muttering nasty things from above, but both of them ignored him.

Solus turned to the distant nebula, focusing on the nearest of the Kaot Lords. Its eyes were staring straight back at him, almost through him, as if it was seeing something.

You can see it, can't you? Solus thought as he grinned. The unlife within him was more and more agitated. He could feel the tiny mote's hunger. He didn't know what the Koat Lord thought it was, but it wouldn't like what was coming.

"I'll head out there and destroy all of those Kaot Lords, including the ones that might be roaming around the nebula," he said. "Can you stay here in case something happens while I'm gone?"

GD18 was quiet for a while, then nodded. "I'll stay here and try to get this one to share his secrets. But, as soon as you return, I'll leave."

"I understand," Solus said. "It might take a while."

"It is fine," GD18 said.

Solus drifted away from them and gazed out into the massive galaxy. He noticed a few bright yellow dots between the myriad of dull red ones that seemed similar to the nearby sun. Some knowledge asserted itself, and he frowned. More rejuvenated suns? He wouldn't mind going out there either, to see what more there was.

But not yet.

First, he needed to protect what he had built, protect his friends from these Koat Lords.

He hovered back and focused on Tirella.

"You will need to hold up the barrier while I'm gone," he said.

"Sure I will," she said. "My body will be a great battery while we are out there."

Solus' eyes widened. "We?"

"What? Did you think I was going to stay here? I can't even take over another body because of the pressure of holding up that barrier!"

"Can you move that far from your body?" Solus asked, slightly worried.

"We will just have to find out," Tirella said as she whisked towards him and faked sitting down on his shoulder. As soon as her projected form touched him, Solus felt a slight warmth, and Tirella's eyes widened. She patted, then stroked his shoulder before laughing as she lay down in the crook of his neck and jaw, crooning softly.

"Well, I'm glad you are coming along," Solus said as he enjoyed the touch. I've got a few things to ask you. He kept the latter to himself and turned to GD18.

"It will take a while to get there. If anything happens, send Galg to warn me."

"Like I will help you guys again," the skeleton snorted derisively.

"Sure you will," Solus said. "If you prove trustworthy, we might let you stay!"

Galg was quiet for a while, then let out such a deep and weary sight that Solus couldn't help but let out a soundless laugh. He turned towards the distant nebula, and his body turned into a golden green streak as it shot forward.

I wonder how Norg is doing, he thought, sad that he hadn't been able to check on his friend.

--

"You are sure she went through the rift?" Drys asked.

He stood on the stone wall that had once been Skulltown's final defense, staring at a distant spot in the city. Buildings were shaking, then collapsing as a distant, pained howling echoed their way.

"There is no way she could have snuck past me," Sumil stated.

"Well, that's grand," Borl said.

The pudgy yellow zombie sat on the side of the wall, his legs dangling down as he stared at the swirling mass of undead. "Oytach helped us round up the remaining Goliarn, so I guess that means we get to rebuild… again."

Drys nodded, but his gaze never left the area of destruction.

Sumil moved beside him. "Do you think he will destroy the whole city before stopping?"

"I don't know. He felt something for Vingria that went beyond what I can understand," Drys said.

"The torture Scathia put him through didn't help either," Borl said as he moved beside them. "But Sumil has a point. We should stop him. I mean, we are the ones that will need to rebuild."

"We will have to ask Oytach," Drys said after a moment. "I'm not sure I can shut Norg down without hurting him."

"If we ignore Norg for a moment, everything else is alright again now?" Sumil asked cooly as she turned her gaze up at the sky.

The shattered green lines had vanished, and the gray sky was back, though slightly bluer than before.

"It seems that way," Drys said before sharing a look with Borl. "We need to get mana-cores."

"Well, I guess Norg will probably like going through some portals again," Borl said. "Lots of things to beat up and all that. Between him and Oytach, that should be an easy bet."

Drys nodded and quietly watched the rampaging figure in the distance, destroying another building.

I'll try and help Norg, but it would be helpful if you came back, he thought, wondering where Solus went.

~ Near the nebula ~

Solus held the massive body below him still with one hand as hot energy poured into him. It was immediately redirected and then devoured by the blazing fire of unlife within him.

"It's like it will explode at any moment," Tirella said, lying on her stomach on his shoulder, staring at Solus's stomach while not paying any attention to the building-sized Kaot Lord.

Solus focused on drawing in the energy. She was right. It felt like the mass of life was nearly satiated, almost at some tipping point.

"Just one more, I think," he said as he ripped the final energy from the now unmoving carcass.

He hovered back, looking down. The Kaot Lord's previously brightly glowing eyes had gone dull and dark, and he felt no more anger and hatred towards the massive thing, which meant it was utterly ended, not just faking it. He flew down and kicked it, causing it to float away, out into the darkness of space beyond.

"Well, that was the last one heading for Earth, but there are a few more inside the nebula," Tirella said as she turned and pointed at the dense green cloud filled with energy behind them.

"My thoughts exactly," Solus said.

He shot forward, moving much faster than he had months ago when he had left Earth. A small part of it was because of the unlife blazing inside of him, but most came from the energy coursing through him. As he looked up, he saw more tiny golden motes of mana drift from the sun and gravitate towards him, adding to the sea of energy that was his mana-field.

After a moment, he looked to the left, where the dozen city-sized forms he had drained were slowly drifting away, deeper into the darkness of space. Their mana was so different from his, as was the mana Tirella used, and he wondered how many types there were.

Days later, he reached the edge of the nebula and slowed down. Even without touching it, he sensed the mass of energy that it contained. Sadly, he couldn't use it. It was too diluted and spread out across the vast area it covered. White behemoths unhurriedly flew through it, gracefully turning as they swallowed large quantities of the mana particles.

"Those things are wyrms," Tirella said.

"They used to be, yes," Solus said as he inspected them. "But not from Earth."

He turned and scanned the nearest star behind the nebula. Had the wyrms come from some planet orbiting it? A desire to see if there was a planet around the sun grew again, and he felt jealous of GD18. It was a desire that had been growing more and more than longer he was in space, and he knew Tirella felt the same.

"Don't worry so much. We can go after you show-off again," Tirella said as she laughed at him. "Go get the last one!"

Solus laughed as he surged into the cloud, feeling the energy trickle into him before being engulfed by the unlife. Another massive Kaot Lord was hovering near one of the space wyrms a half days travel inside. Not that he really noticed the time as before. Ever since the first few weeks in space, his perception of it had changed, and a day could pass in the blink of an eye.

When he reached the Kaot Lord, it didn't notice his arrival until it was too late. Solus shot past its tentacles ignoring the few that harmlessly bounced from his body. When he slammed into it, he felt the spark of un-life surge into action, breaking through the defenses of the Kaot Lord and hungrily pulling the energy towards it, using Solus' body as a conduit.

Massive black tentacles, capable of destroying Skulltown with a single swipe, froze in mid-move as dense purple energy engulfed his hands. Solus knew if he didn't have the unlife helping him, it wouldn't have been this easy. Even if the Kaot Lords' tentacles couldn't harm him, the thing had many other tricks. Sadly for the monstrosity, Solus did have the unlife, and it had no chance.

Seconds turned to minutes, then into hours as a dense energy stream poured through him and into the unlife. He knew that if he had tried to absorb even a fraction of the energy himself, he would have exploded.

After two days, a loud gong came from his status window, snapping Solus out of a daydream.

"It's done," he said just as the unlife moved.

It shrunk, then ballooned out. Shrunk again, then ballooned ever further, suddenly billowing out of him like a bright teal aura. With a shiver, it retreated again, collapsing into a mote smaller than it had been when he left Earth. Then it poured out again, spreading across a vast area of the nebula before holding for a shuddering moment. At the same time, he felt much of the unlife leave him as it filled the nebula, changing the mana inside of it, which began sparkling.

The nebula darkened as the unlife contracted back in a single fell swoop, turning into a tiny, shivering dot. For a moment, it almost seemed to hesitate; then it blasted out of Solus, who felt his body cramp up, head back, arms and legs spread out. The unlife exploded outward, blasting through the nebula in a wave of mana-fuelled energy that spread outward at a speed Solus couldn't fathom.

As his body relaxed again, he saw an afterimage of a wall of energy as it passed through the nebula, across Earth, then the sun, showing no signs of stopping or slowing down. It altered the mana that permeated everything, changing it everywhere it passed. As the glowing wall of teal energy spread out and disappeared into the distance, the places it had passed calmed again. However, Solus could sense the differences.

"It is gone!" Tirella shouted as she stared at him.

Solus turned his senses inward and, for a moment, though she was right. Then he felt something deep inside, and he focused on it. Where the seed had once been, a small golden and green crystal now sat embedded deep in his chest. A warm, unfamiliar but pleasant feeling spread from it, connecting to the mana-core in his head.

He expected a reaction from his status window, but there was only quiet.

"Something happened," Tirealla muttered. "I can feel… something changing my body."

"Unlife," Solus said as he examined what remained of the nebula.

The green cloud now had a deep luster, and the whale wyrms lay dormant inside. He saw and felt the unlife within them, changing them, removing some things, adding others. As he did, he noticed that his ability to see the unlife was fading.

Focusing on himself again, he noticed that not just his body had changed. Something about himself, how he perceived the world, had changed again. It wasn't as much as after Viridi, but it was still a qualitative change, and when he looked around, he realized he felt more connected.

"What has happened? I feel… different, more connected," Tirella said, echoing his thoughts, as she hovered beside him, staring at Earth.

"I think we just fixed part of the lethargy problem," Solus said as he surged towards the distant speck. "Although it will take a long time before it comes to full fruition."

"What? How can you be sure?" Tirella asked, confused.

Solus didn't answer, as he had no idea how to explain what he felt.

"So… now what?" Tirella muttered as she snuggled up against his neck.

Solus shrugged and focused on increasing his speed while staring at the planet ahead with renewed interest. It had changed, and he saw clusters of tiny mana points burn brightly in certain areas. A dim haze grew seemed to waft from them, adding together and slowly covering the planet like a second atmosphere, one made of mana.

"I guess we need to go back for a while, keep the barrier up and guard against more Kaot Lords," Solus said as his gaze flicked to a distant star. He wasn't sure more would come, but the possibility existed.

"For how long?" Tirella asked, and he felt a strong desire through their connection. The desire to explore.

"Until the barrier can sustain itself," Solus replied with a shrug. As soon as he said it, he knew he was right.

"What? How?" Tirella exclaimed as she stared at him in confusion.

"Don't you feel it?" Solus replied as he pointed at the planet. "Look!"

Tirella stopped looking at the nebula and turned to the planet.

"What is that?" she said, letting out a startled hiss.

"I think," Solus said as he focused on it and felt more of Viridi's knowledge merge into him, "that is a natural shield, somehow powered by the mana-fields of all the undead on the planet."

Tirella didn't reply, and Solus joined her in quietly and gazed at the growing mana atmosphere. He guessed it would take years, perhaps decades, for it to become as strong as the barrier, but it would eventually. And then, Tirella and he would be able to leave if they wanted.

He wondered if Viridi had known this when she gifted him her last bit of life. Perhaps she had guessed it might change into something else? Why else had she not clung to it for longer?

"What do we do until it's ready?" Tirella asked.

"I will need to sleep," Solus said, sighing sadly.

"Again?" Tirella snapped, anger infusing her voice. "We just woke!"

"I'm not sure if you have to, but I do," Solus said. "My waking cost something. I can't be sure yet what but, at a minimum, time. Still, I think it will be the last time."

He gazed around the galaxy.

"After that, I think it's time we go and have a look around! This galaxy is immense, and with the addition of unlife, I think there will be many interesting things to find! Besides, we will need to find GD18 and see if he managed to revive Sig."

"What about the others?" Tirella asked as she looked at him with a quiet frown.

Solus thought of Norg, Vingria, Drys, and Sumil, somewhat sad that he couldn't sense them through his connection. He'd planned to check in on them after finishing, but he knew he wouldn't be able to.

"I'll see if they are still alive after I wake," he said, savoring the odd word. "Perhaps they will want to come?" he added more to himself than to Tirella. He wondered if they could survive that long.

"I'll keep an eye on them," Tirella said as she gazed in the distance. "If I don't have to, I won't sleep again." She sighed and looked at him. "I think I need to go back now and fix the room for when you come back."

Solus nodded, staring at her intensely. Tirella stroked his cheek, smiled, then turned and disappeared in a tiny flash towards the planet. She moved at speeds so fast that she left him behind as if he stood still and reached the planet within minutes.

Now alone and flying through space, Solus calmly looked at Earth. He'd not told Tirella all of the truth, but he could sense she had also kept something from him, something to do with Skulltown. He'd wanted to ask, but he wouldn't be able to do anything about it and let it go. The closer he got to Earth, the more his body became less responsive as it prepared for another slumber. It was also becoming harder to stay fully awake.

Besides, he knew Tirella would keep her promise and look after them. She would have to, as he knew he wouldn't be able to wake again… not like before. No. This time, he would need to sleep for a long time, decades at least, though likely longer. The idea scared him, as he didn't know what he would wake up to. In the few years of his previous rest, so much had happened!

I wonder what it will look like when I awake, he thought as he stared at the planet.

Perhaps he would find a world crawling with unlife! He wished he could see it happen, but others would need to keep it safe for now. Finding out later, when he woke, would have to do.

Trying to stay awake, he focused on moving forward towards the dusty grey planet, staring at the myriad of points that represented the undead, kaots, and other things on it.

~ The end ~