After slaying the Wretched Rat and receiving recognition of the flies’ defeat from the Cosmic System, I have been observing the Elderly Rats while recovering a calm state of mind.

As for Gary, he got bored of talking to himself and stated that he had to depart before sunrise. Apparently, he was about to stealthily transfer the clickers to another area of New York when Lincoln contacted him about the rat. The clickers, Lincoln, Pierce, and a few guards are all that were left here. Everyone else had already been moved due to the passionate crowds. This also confirms our suspicion that they had every intention of securing an agreement with us before ever even planning the meeting.

It has been around a half-hour now without further signs of hostility from the stubby rats.

I look around, confirm that I am alone, and then move close to one of the rats. Dropping to my knee, I reach out and use my gloved hand to remove some dead mushrooms from behind their ears. The Elderly Rat hits the side top of its noggin and rolls over with a loud snort.

‘They seem to have just fallen asleep. Exhaustion, perhaps? How long have they been compelled to move around without sleep or rest?’

Poking at one of their noses, they slap at my hand. I repeat the same thing again. With a huff, the Elderly Rat sneezes and turns onto its belly. Moving to the last one, I pull its eyelids open and watch its pupils dilate. ‘They need rest and a keeper to watch them for odd behavior, but I believe they are back to their normal. I shall have to keep an eye and ear out for the remaining two.’

I stand, glance at the Wretched Rat’s corpse, and then stumble toward the cold night air. ‘There is no reason to consume the Wretched Rat just yet. I may not have the resources to acquire any further adaptations before hibernation, and if it’s like my past experiences, the Essence should have been drained from it once the Cosmic System informed me I defeated it. I would also like to study it further before eating it, so I will have to ask Terra if she can preserve it somehow. Right now, I need to drag the Elderly Rats somewhere else before I hibernate. Mayhaps, I can find someone to help me before attempting that.’

Passing through the Arcade’s arches, I stop and raise the torn remnants of my right hand. ‘Thinking of which, I hope Terra is not upset that I damaged the arc suit.’ I watch as my hand made of vermillion haze is swept away in the cold breeze. ‘...She shall understand, right?’

The park's numerous lanterns and lights flicker and then go dark. ‘Odd. Out of fuel, perhaps?’

Without their radiance, I notice a gentle light shining upon me. It illuminates my sheath, armor, and the vermillion haze that leaks from the hole in my helmet.

‘Good morrow, old friends.’ I straighten my back and turn my gaze skyward. For the first time in weeks, I behold the moon and stars.

The stars are the last witnesses of an era where a little red-haired girl and her black mouser would go on adventures in the squalors of London. A life of hardship, struggle, and perseverance. I spent many a night gawking at the heavens, daydreaming of an afterlife amongst them. It is unfortunate I seem to have only experienced the blackness between them and not their light.

As they did then, and as I am confident they have many times before, they shall again behold not just the end of an era but the beginning of another.

I point at the heavens. ‘There is nothing left of my time on this Earth except thee and I yearn for someone to acknowledge my perseverance. Though my body is cold, I somehow still linger after all these centuries. I even slew an abomination with some help!’ Like in the past, the stars do not answer. I drop my arms and lean against the wall. ‘Though I do wish Sir Mouser was here.’

The sounds of footsteps reverberate in the sunken staircase. “I see your armor is beaten up, but okay otherwise,” a pleasant voice states. “A survivor as always, it seems.”

Lowering my gaze from the heavens, I see Terra’s figure bathed in the moonlight at the summit of the grand staircase. She moves several steps down into the staircase to hide from any prying eyes. “You are okay, right?”

I nod, move away from the wall, and take a stance that reflects as much moonlight as possible. “If I was not could I appear so gallant at this very moment?”

Crossing her arms, she glances around to make certain we are alone and giggles. “Very gallant, Constance.” She tosses something down the staircase. “You were so splendid; losing a hand didn’t even make you flinch.”

I reach out and catch the torn leather glove and metal bracer. Hiding them behind my back, I shake my head and shrug. “I see naught… And, aye, I am fine. Art thou also well?”

“Yes, a few bites around the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, but fine otherwise.”

“I am delighted to hear it was not worse and what of Summer, Noah, and Jessica?”

“Summer is fine, same as me, Jessica is still unconscious and receiving stitches from a nurse in the camp, and Noah is touch and go. He may require a skin graft and be put on oxygen for a while.”

“A skin graft? Such a thing is possible?”

“It is, but awakened people have shown a better inclination toward healing, so we are waiting to see what happens before we do anything like that. I’m leaving it up to Summer since all of them are fairly close.”

“So my assistance is not needed with those matters?”

“No, there isn’t anything you could do for them at the moment.”

“Aye. Well, I have confidence in his recovery.” Glancing back at the Arcade, I say, “I shall need assistance moving Gen’s new friends somewhere more suitable.”

She raises an eyebrow. “And where are they going to stay while you hibernate?”

I rub the back of my head. “That is a question, aye….”

“It’s fine; they can stay with Gen. I should probably hire a zookeeper or something.”

“I thank thee!” I shout, rushing up the grand staircase. “Thou art so kind!”

“Well, I imagine you’re the only one that would ever say that, but I’m glad you think so.” A puff of hot air huffs into the cold night air. “Now, come on. We need to get you ready, so you can show people that you’re fine.”

“Get ready to show people that I am fine?”

“Yes, they witnessed a part of your fight, as I’m sure you saw. After you ran into Arcade, you never came back and since you’re about to disappear for a couple of weeks, it would be a good idea to show yourself one more time before then.”

“Oh! Should I bring the rat’s head with me? I could fix it to a pike!”

“You’re supposed to be a fairy, not a warlord.”

I tilt my head. “Is it strange? I have seen many heads atop pikes and numerous limbs dangled from the gates of London.”

“I…” She blows a warm breath into the chilly night air. “No, I think you can leave it. I don’t imagine people would react how you believe they would.”

“Art thou sure? When I was a child, the guards regularly said it was an excellent way to deter criminals.”

“I’m sure,” she says with a quick nod.

“Actually, now that I reflect on it, I was a criminal. Dost thou think the guard was threatening me?”

She smiles stiffly and shrugs. “A-anyway, I’ll have the carcass moved so we can study it if that’s okay with you.”

“Aye.” Meeting her midway up the stairs, I stop and raise my hand. “What am I to do about this?”

“We aren’t going straight there. Owl, Rabbit, and Wolf are going to perform some temporary repairs on your suit. It’ll be later this morning before you can show everyone you’re okay. It would be a good time for you to place your vent as well.”

I glance at the Arcade. “But…”

“I’ll send Lorcan to sneak them into the back room of the RV. He’s already taking care of Gen, so why not your rat friends too. I know you were already thinking about creating a place for them in your Tower, so it’s a temporary thing anyway.”

“...If apes can tolerate him, perhaps rats may likewise be capable of such a feat.” Thinking for a moment longer, I nod. “Aye, I suppose it is fine, the Elderly Rats are sleeping and I suspect they shall not awaken soon.”

Together Terra and I hobble stealthily back to the RV and have to be careful to make sure neither of us is seen by anyone who recognizes us. Due to this, we have to take a longer path to the RV, but fortunately, most people are still sleeping or at the fight’s location.

As we walk, the two of us notice several long streaks of azure lights speed by the moon before vanishing into the horizon.

My hand moves to the part of the armor just above my Kiln.

“Don’t worry, Constance,” Terra says in a soft voice.

“Something tonight made me understand is that the many of the other Kiln will perceive me as a threat. Not because I have shown maliciousness, but because I am the first Kiln to purposely attract attention. True or not, they believe me to be ‘in the lead.’”

She nods and says, “A double-edged sword and it will remain that way. However, the thing about being ‘in the lead’ is you’re also the one non-Kiln will want to establish a rapport with.”

“Aye, that may be true, I suppose. It is rather optimistic though and who says I want a rapport with them.” I raise my hands and then allow them to fall to my sides. “I am too crisp for my own good.”

“By the way, you do know it’s cool, not crisp? I just thought I should mention it,” she says with a chuckle.

“Aye, Lorcan laughed at me when I wrote it on my whiteboard a few days ago, so now I say it out of sheer spite. I believe if I persist, I shall be able to convince him I said it deliberately.” I raise a finger and declare, “Then it is I who shall have the final soundless laugh!” I stumble. Terra reaches out and grabs my shoulder. “That was close. I thought I was going to have to act like that was deliberate also.”

Terra laughs and waits for me to regain my footing. “Now come on. Let’s hurry. If we take too long other people may start to gather.”

I nod. “Aye. Then we should make haste; the fewer people, the better!”

Terra’s phone makes a noise. Raising her foot, she pulls it from her shoe and then looks to be reading something. A smile grows on her face. She glances at me and says, “And there is one last thing concerning the Consortium.”

Tilting my head, I wait for her to explain, but a purple wall appears first.

Earl Interface:

Notice: Germination will reach the point of requiring the Mistress’s presence within the next four hours. Progression will then cease until the Mistress joins the process.

Recommendations, Reminders, & Relevant Information

Hibernation is expected to last fifteen days. The Mistress should have their map memorized if vegetation is to be distributed as the Mistress desires. The Mistress must place a vent unless she desires it to be vented onto those that surround the Domain instead. Note: Low-level organic Humans are unlikely to survive the vent’s heat. The trellis room should be kept clear of organics when Germination completes; unless the Mistress desires their demise. It is recommended no one stand near the Nodes starting from here until the Mistress enters hibernation. Note: It’s a surprise.

“Terra before that, might thee mayhaps inform people that they should keep away from four specific trees?”

She raises an eyebrow. “I don’t see why not.”

A few hours later, the morning tide has passed, and I sit in the RV’s main room in my arc suit that has been taped, glued, and stitched together. “Don’t move around too much,” Rabbit says, inspecting a seam between the broken piece of glass on my helmet’s window and some glue. “Yep. One wrong sneeze and this baby is gonna be stuck in the nearest person’s forehead.”

I nod and perform the thumbs-up gesture. ‘It is fine. I do not have nostrils.’

“A shame, really.” In the corner of the room, Wolf sighs dramatically. “One of our most famous pieces and its time on this earth was so short.”

Lowering my head, I wring my hands together. ‘My apologies.’

He laughs. “I’m only joking. Most of our recent works have been either temporary or never seen by anyone, so it’s been a real treat.”

“Oh, hush Wolf,” Owl’s voice says from the next room over. “Miss Nightingale, Miss Galtry has already given us the task of repairing your suit, so it’ll be back in tip-top shape in no time.”

Again, I nod. ‘The suit has been quite freeing. I do not wish to lose it.’

The RV’s door swings open and two familiar Consortium people in the same suits they always wear enter. These two people are, of course, Lincoln and Pierce. They are here for a simple enough reason... because they have to be.

“Sup, ready to get this over with?” Pierce says.

Lincoln says nothing, just nods his head at me.

I stand and spin around, searching for my whiteboard.

“Ah, it’s right here, Miss Nightingale,” Owl says, tossing someone’s coat off the marble table.

Taking the whiteboard in hand, I write, “Ah, I thank thee, Owl.” I erase the whiteboard and then scribble, “Now, may I ask if this is truly necessary? I have drawn enough attention.”

Pierce peers at my writing and then glances around the room. “Can anyone here actually read that handwriting?”

“You get used to it once you kinda figure out which squiggle is which,” Rabbit says.

“What are you talking about? Isn’t that sort of close to the handwriting on those recipes you keep on top of your fridge? The one’s written by your great, great, great grandmother or whatever. Why is it I recognize it, but not you?” Lincoln asks, hitting Pierce on the shoulder. “She’s asking the same thing we asked.”

“She doesn’t wanna do it either?” Pierce squints at my writing. “Wait, I think I see it now. Oh, and to be fair, I’m afraid if I touch those recipes, they’ll disintegrate.”

“Then don’t keep them on top of your dusty fridge.” Lincoln shakes his head. “Anyway, Pierce, just tell her exactly what our bosses told us.”

Pierce rolls his eyes. “Yeah, fine.” He clears his voice and declares in a flat tone, “‘If they wanna fuckin’ maintain it and probably die from some mutated freaks, let’em, but right now, I want that shit delivered to our doorstep. Which means we need to make absolutely certain all those nosy statesmen and legislators know not to get in our way.’”

Narrowing his eyes, Lincoln says, “Go on, tell her the next part.”

Joining Lincoln, Pierce glares at me. “Oh, you mean the part from before we received word of some ‘resources’ going missing because the cell towers are having a hard time coping with all the rolling blackouts. The part where you said something about how we already had some of the ‘resource’ in canisters so we could bide our time before doing anything?”

“Yeah, when we were busy in a conference that abruptly devolved into us helping someone escape from an M-Class,” Lincoln replies with a sigh.

Pierce twirls his hand as if parsing someone else’s words. “Well, it was hard to hear since it was all yelling, but the end was something like, ‘take the goddam picture, and you better fucking look happy while you’re doing it! I wanna be able to see all your teeth dammit!’ and then he hung up.”

Lincoln nods.

“Ah, that all sounds unpleasant,” I scribble on my whiteboard.

“It is and I’m sure you can imagine how upset all of this has made Lincoln.” He gestures at Lincoln’s flat expression. “The guy hasn’t smiled since he was a toddler. This is physically painful for him.”

Spinning on his heel, Lincoln walks toward the RV’s door. “Just come on, Pierce.” He stops and looks over his shoulder. “Do you want to meet us there, or are you coming with us?”

I nod my head and write, “Owl and I shall be coming with thee.” Raising my hand, I motion at Owl and then add, “Owl shall be the one painting our portrait.”

Lincoln’s eyes drift toward Owl in his black, spiky leather attire.

With a smirk, Owl raises his hand and waves. “How are you today, doll?”

His eyes face forward. “We’ll wait outside.”

Pierce follows behind him, saying, “I swear to God if he walks out with an easel and a paintbrush, I’m not doing it.”

“No, you’re doing it,” Lincoln replies.

They walk out, leaving Owl, Wolf, Rabbit, and I alone. While the three Hands return to preparing my suit, I think about the conversation I had with Terra.

Since their canisters full of haze have vanished, they now only have a small quantity of haze they sampled days ago. They obviously want more than that, but they are both spread thin and biding their time to execute some sort of plan. Yet the Consortium puts a large amount of value upon my haze. Just not enough value to commit the immense resources necessary to rid the park of people and then keep hold of it as things worsen in New York.

However, that is not all. Terra says the Consortium seemed to also put a lot of value on me. Nay, not Constance the person, Constance the haze producer, nor Constance the fairy. What they value is Constance the Kiln. In the Consortium’s own words, they want to ‘observe what Kiln do in their natural environment.’ Since Kiln are a new occurrence, very few understand much of anything about Kiln. They do not even know how Kiln and their domain’s roots are related.

Though I wish they would not observe me as if I am an animal, denying them would be foolish. All they must do is change their clothes and then they become Consortium spies rather than associates. It is better for them to be out in the open so that they may be watched too.

Put simply, though the Consortium is unwilling to commit significant human or material resources, they will bolster us superficially in exchange for the right to buy haze and observe what transpires here. This is better than Terra and I anticipated. We did not expect them to have any open association with us at all.

As for the reason Lincoln and Pierce are upset, that is because they were blamed for the loss of the canisters and that the Consortium had to rush their dealings with us. Of course, it’s not their fault, but they still received some of the abuse.

‘It seems clear Lincoln and Pierce suspect our involvement. Which is understandable; we did do it after all.’

Owl’s voice removes me from my thoughts. “I’ll go get the camera. Wolf and Rabbit, you two should go ahead and go so you can prepare the shop for the real repairs.”

They both nod, stretch their legs and prepare to depart.

“See ya again soon, Fairy. Have fun wherever it is you’re going,” Rabbit says, petting my head.

‘Do not do that.’ I lean away from her. ‘The Consortium already thinks of me as some sort of animal.’

She laughs and walks toward the door. “Next time then, I guess!”

Wolf simply waves, shrugs, and then follows Rabbit out.

“Ready to go, Miss Nightingale?” Owl says, returning from the back room.

I nod. ‘Aye, let us finish this.’

Lincoln, Pierce, and I stand at the step at the top of the Arcade’s grand staircase-around two hundred feet from Node 3. Between us is a hole that leads to the chamber pot tunnels, and around us is a crowd of people that have gathered at the Consortium’s gate.

The pair do not really know why the hole is uncovered, nor do the people. Though the people do know that the prophecy is about to be fulfilled. I believe they do not fully understand that the moment I drop the spark enters nothing will ever be the same.

They are about to witness the end of an era.

I am not certain how they shall think of what I am about to do in the future. Perhaps the wearer of this suit shall one day be known as the ‘wretched fairy,’ but Terra and I both believe this is still the best course of action for everyone. Not to mention, it’s too late. Everyone is here, everything is in motion, and to stop it now would be ruinous to those that are here now and capable of blossoming in the world to come.

“Okay, cameras ready! Everyone looks absolutely magnificent…” Owl points at Lincoln and shakes his head. “Except for you, doll. What you’re doing right now is a smirk, not a smile. What I’m getting from you is, ‘evil corporation that sells your family into slavery,’ and not ‘soul-crushing conglomerate next door,’ like what I think you’re going for.”

Lincoln’s expression curls into a stiff smile.

“Good enough, now shake hands.”

‘Ah, a handshake; how fun!’

Lincoln and I both look at each other.

‘Hmm, if I am correct, the defeated party is the one that should offer their hand first.’

Both Lincoln and Pierce raise their hands, but I wait a moment since I do not wish to appear too eager to bury the hatchet. Lincoln’s eyebrow twitches, so I take it as the sign I have waiting long enough.

I lift my own hand and place it in Lincoln’s. Owl’s camera starts to click. With a slight nod of the head, I release his, swap to Pierce, and shake his hand as well. The people that gird us cheer and commence shouting mocking obscenities at the two Consortium employees. The Consortium are not popular amongst many commonfolk, so the commoners are quite bemused by this unexpected turn of events.

Hiding my hand, I place it behind my back and have the vent spark drift from around my kiln to my palm. I pinch the spark and bring my hand forward, raising it so everyone may see the spark’s light. The people hush and watch my movements like a hound watches a scrap of meat. ‘I hope they do not expect something as dramatic as the previous occasion.’

I lower my arm and hold it above the hole and release it. It descends slowly, casting a glow upon the ground as it moves into the small stone pipe. Peeking into the pipe, I watch as the spark sinks into the water and then into the stone.

A few tendrils spread and encircle the pipe and a purple wall appears.

Earl Interface:

The vent will begin expelling vapor within the next 70 hours to 75 hours.

‘...I suppose that is it then. Now I wish I had not been so dramatic.’ With the crowd soon to fall into disappointment, I wave, spin on my heel, and prepare to descend into the Arcade. Yet when the ground rumbles, I freeze and peek behind me. The rumble is not coming from the pipe but instead Node 3. ‘Earl.’

Pieces of bark fall from Node 3. Its surface bursts, scattering splinters of wood all around it. This reveals a red glass core was hidden beneath its exterior. The tree of red glass grows in size as vermillion haze pours from its interior and then hardens itself to the outside.

A piece of debris hits me on the back. I turn and discover Node 4 is undergoing the same changes, except it’s a gray glass.

Glancing at the people gawking at the trees, I rotate on my heel and race down the Arcade’s stairs. I rush through the Arcade’s interior and out the other side onto the Terrace. There I discover Node 1 and 2 are undergoing the same changes. Node 1 is made up of various purple glasses and Node 2 is a dark black glass. When they reach twice the height of the trees around them, the rumbling fades away and things return to normal.

The yells and cries of the people grow loud as I back into the Arcade. ‘I believe I should just remain here and enter hibernation.’

“Can’t leave without causing a bit of chaos, can you?” Terra’s voice questions in my head.

I go to turn around, but something latches onto my leg, weighing me down. Looking down, I find Gen with a scowl on his face. He never got over the loss of his coffin, so since then, he has clung to me instead.

I pat Gen on the head. “I… I blame Earl.”

She laughs. “Didn’t you give her permission?”

“Something like that may or may not have happened. Still, it was a larger display than I expected.”

“Well, I think you’ve successfully attracted even more people.”

“My apologies, but to be fair, thy arrangement with the Consortium shall also attract more people.”

She purses her lips. “I think your thing is gonna do more than my thing.”

I cross my arms. “Nay, I believe that it is the opposite.”

Mimicking me, she crosses her arms as well. “Are you really trying to say a handshake will attract as many people as four glass trees?”

“...I am.”

We glare at one another and then laugh. Well, Terra laughs. I just unfurl my arms. For a moment, we just stand in silence until I ask, “Is there anything I should know before sleeping?”

“No.” As soon as she says that, she winces.

I narrow my eyes. “Art thou certain?”

“...Yes.” She begins to blink.

“Odd.” I narrow my eyes. “Those are two symptoms of lying per our contract.”

“It’s not important. I’m just going to be doing something within my organization soon.”

“Oh. I presume thee doth not wish to speak on it more.”

She nods and a slight frown spreads across her face.

“Then I would like to hear more about it whenever I awaken and whatever thy decision, I believe it is the correct one.”

“I guess.” She sighs. “The safest one, at least.”

I nod and pull the zipper on the back of the arc suit. Reaching my hands out of the back, I pull the suit downward and over my kiln. The tape and glue crack as I do so, leaving Gen hugging the arc suit without me in it.

He slaps the ground and falls onto his rump with crossed arms.

“Then it's time for me to hibernate,” I state while performing a spin to redistribute my haze to its normal shape. “I shall not be gone long.”

Gen goes limp as Terra drags him away from me.

“I shall hold things down until you do,” she says, smirking at Gen’s antics.

“Then…” I perform a slight curtsy. “I thank thee. Without thou, I am uncertain what I wouldst have done. I could do naught but hide. The wretched rat, the Hex Church, Consortium, and the other Kiln. Through everything, the only good fortune I had was our meeting.”

“Stand up.” She huffs, sending a puff of hot air from her between her lips. “The curtsy is beyond adorable, but you’ve done just as much for me. I don’t want you to keep thanking me for this kind of stuff.”

I stand. “But…”

“It makes me feel like I don’t thank you enough. Not to mention, I get plenty of people thanking me for literally everything and I want our relationship to be different. Didn’t I say something to this effect before?”

“...Perhaps something similar.”

“Then…” She smiles. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Aye. I pray things are dull and boring for thee.”

“Doubtful, but we can hope,” she replies with a long-drawn breath.

I nod. “I too doubt it.”

A purple wall appears, interrupting us.

Earl Interface:

Germination cannot proceed until the Mistress enters hibernation.

This process is estimated to take fifteen days.

Would the Mistress like to proceed?

[Yes] [No]

Running my eyes over it, I respond, ‘Aye, Earl, I am also eager.’

A space in the tiles lights up a few paces to my side.

Earl Interface:

Please move directly over the area indicated.

I drift over and examine the spot. ‘Ah, this is where I placed the seed when I arrived. That does make sense.’

Lines of glass spread in every direction light up in various reds, purples, grays, and blacks.

“Thou and everyone else should not enter the Arcade henceforth.”

She nods. “No one will be allowed in.”

A rumbling arises from below. Liquid bubbles up from the small hole forming something that resembles a stained glass claw. The claws tap against the kiln's shell, clasping it. My haze retreats into the shell and my vision goes blurry. My sight shifts to the kiln as I watch myself approach the ground.

I stare at Terra, who watches me with a tilted head. “And do not forget thyself, Terra.”

Sinking into the earth, the darkness of slumber embraces me. The familiar feeling of fear rears its head. ‘One. Two... Nay. Do not be afraid.’