Chapter 119 - EVO


    ***Tirnanog, Mount Aerie***


    ***Astra***


    I didn''t deign to give Magnus an answer to his  as I thought  very stupid question and instead jaunted back to Mount Aerie, appearing in our quarters.


    Magnus followed a momentter. Seriously! When did we decide? We have been arguing over their names for weeks!


    Yes! And don''t believe for a moment I haven''t noticed that you were trying to shift the responsibility of naming the girls to me, I thought to myself. But every time I gave a suggestion, he found something toin about.


    I rolled my eyes. And that''s exactly the problem. If we keep arguing, the girls will be born-


    Hatch! he corrected.


    B- No! I didnt want to argue about this again. Before we made up our minds! And this time Mary isn''t around to give them names. So I left Kiera with instructions before we went on our mission since she is essentially babysitting them for now. If you want to name them then say so and make a better suggestion.


    Okay. That''s fair, Magnus admitted hesitatingly after of moment of consideration. Unless we decide not to name them something like Ketchup and Mayonnaise, we could argue this case forever. But why Conste and Aurora?


    It''s ording to the theme, I exined. Mary thought of you when she chose Isaac. Magnus and Isaac both have famous historical backgrounds. I decided that our boys get the historical names from now on, while the girls get something connected to the sky and astrology. A star has an aurora and several stars are a constetion. So, Aurora and Conste.


    Magnus raised a finger and looked thoughtful. I doubt Conste has something to do with constetions, but I could be wrong. I have to look this up.


    I red at him. I like the name.


    Which is reason enough. He made an appeasing gesture.


    That''s when I had a wondrous idea. You get to name the next batch if you keepining!


    Magnus almost choked. Is that a threat?


    Take it as you will, I replied smugly. Just pointing out that if you keep going at it as you are right now, the responsibility will fall onto you sooner rather thanter.


    I turned and went to search for Isaac before Magnus could start another argument.


    I take it all back! Both are good names! he called after me. Just take some contraceptives when the timees, please.


    How should I know when the time came? Gaia didnt exactly give us a manual for our changed bodies and I was under the impression that the strange entity was operating under the principle: the more offspring, the better.


    I briefly wondered whether I should bonk him over the head since he could also try to pull out for once, but then I decided I was stuck with how Magnus was and simply had to ept it.


    We found our boy in the living room where he was ying with his toys. Isaac somehow had gotten himself three caretakers today, including Ivona, Hector, and my doctor, Kiera.


    Where''s my boy!? I bent down quickly, this time catching the charging Isaac with my arms and my fments before he could wrap himself around my leg.


    I squeezed my boy and kissed him before I returned my attention to a frowning Magnus, already fearing the worst because Iv and Hector looked rather different from when we hadst seen them. Iv''s skin colour was much less violet than I was used to and Hector''s had darkened a bit to match Iv. Which could only mean one thing.


    To my surprise, Magnus didn''t seem to notice them at all and instead ruffled Isaac''s hair. How are you, Isaac?


    Great! Can we go and visit Charmaine? Isaac asked.


    Not right now, I replied. But Charmaine mighte and visit you in a few days. Then you can y together more often.


    Really? Isaac''s eyes gleamed. Then I can show her my pet!


    Pet? Magnus'' frown deepened.


    Isaac pointed at a box filled with cloth and a single egg resting atop it as if on a nest. Yes, Charmaine talked about having pets, so I thought about having one of my own. But I don''t want any monsters, so I looked for the most harmless pet I could find and Aunty Kiera suggested hatching one of the zipper eggs and trying to tame it.


    Magnus'' expression fell.


    And he had done so well, even ignoring the fact that Hector was boning his sister since they had paired up without a doubt.


    Those eggs are for eating, Magnus said in a deadpan tone. And zippers are monsters. They are small, but they are monsters nheless.


    Isaac shook his head, very certain of his decision. I have read all the books about them! Inrge groups, they can be dangerous, but a single zipper couldn''t harm even me.


    I forbid it! Zipper eggs are for eating. Magnus dered with a tone of fatherly authority I hadnt seen him use before.


    Please! Isaac begged, his eyes already tearing up in response to being denied. Aunty Kiera already made sure that it''s alive! D- d- do you want to eat my pet, Dad?


    In the heat of the moment, I wasnt certain whether Isaac was using a ploy, but it came out so honestly that I didnt believe it.


    Magnus pressed his lips together and looked at me with an expression simr to his son''s.


    Okay... right now... I really hoped Isaac wouldn''t turn out too much like his father.


    I knew Magnus had a vendetta with a particr zipper, but Isaac had already made up his mind about the ''pet''. So with some effort, I overcame the urge to intervene in this conflict of interests. I shrugged, indicating this was Magnus problem.


    Pleeeaaase? Isaac sniffed.


    Magnus deted. If the thing shits on the carpet, you are going to clean it. And I will y overseer!


    Yay! Isaac raised his hands and cheered loudly.


    I had to suppress augh.


    Magnus turned his attention to his sister and Hector. Both had stood up when we entered the room.


    Iv nodded awkwardly at Magnus. We have spent most of our time here since you went on your mission. Isaac is a charm.


    Magnus grinned. Are you already used to being an aunty?


    Iv frowned, slightly perplexed at his teasing. Okay. This isn''t normal.


    She turned to address me. What''s wrong with him?


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    Nothing? I answered questioningly, not quite sure where she was going with this.


    Iv threw up her hands. Neither of you mentioned anything about Hector and me pairing up! I thought Magnus would be up in arms the moment he saw us.


    I coughed. I am sorry. I thought it was a given it would happen sooner orter.


    Magnus nodded. I even gave him permission thest time we saw each other.


    Iv choked, then turned on Hector. That''s what you talked about when you had your chat between men?


    Hector stared off into the distance, wishing to be anywhere else right now. Well...


    I covered Isaac''s ears with my fments, expecting this to go in an unsavoury direction.


    All the embarrassing things I did, Ivined. And you listen to my brother instead of me!? I practically threw myself at you. It was humiliating! At some point, I suspected you might be gay!


    Hector raised his hands, palms out to ward off Iv''s ire. He broke my arm the first time we met  which was admittedly kind of justified. The second time he tried to strangle me. Sorry if I am a little wary when ites to your brother.


    He is a psychopath who joined a terrorist organisation to take revenge on those who killed his family! He killed who knows how many people and then he got himself exiled to this hellhole of a world just because there was a slim possibility of finding me and my sister! Iv ranted but threw Magnus an apologizing nce. Thanks for that by the way.


    No problem, Magnus answered.


    Iv whirled back on Hector. Anyway! Magnus is a psychopath, a stalker, and I don''t know whatever mental illness makes him behave the way he does. All that taken into ount, my brother should be thest person in this world you should listen to!


    Okay, she was getting a little harsh now. What did that say about me for hooking up with her brother?


    Hector nodded to himself. If you put it like this, I am now more convinced than ever not to get on his bad side. Following his rmendation was the right move. And he has the Frosts behind him, which makes him even more dangerous.


    Urrgh! Iv balled her fists and swung them at Hector''s chest who endured the battering stoically. All Iv achieved was to crack a thinyer of frosty secretion beneath his clothes. It had quickly formed on Hector''s skin to create a natural armour.


    The Mora family wasn''t known for a specific mutation.


    Instead, they relied on whatever powerfulbination they had ess to at the moment, which had almost be Hector''s downfall when his parents decided to take a risk with an only sparsely known mutation and add a newbination to it.


    The ice-lurkers lived deep down in the furthest and coldest caves the mountain had to offer. They were nasty creatures who seemed driven by an unstoppable rage at anything alive other than them. Their tendency to throw themselves with abandon at any foe they encountered was onlypensated by their ability to create a very strong bio-armour by secreting a substance from their pores. Upon contact with air, this substance produced a strong endothermic reaction, causing the temperature to drop rapidly below freezing and resulting in the quick polymerisation of said substance. It wasn''t quite as good as iobeetle armour, but close. In particr, because damaged sections could easily mend themselves or be reced.


    It looked like partnering up with Iv had stabilized Hectors behaviour. But Iv was still warring with the emotional side effects. Though, she was kind of a hothead beforehand. I found it hard to tell whether her current outburst was caused by the partnering or whether it was simply how she had always been.


    After a few seconds, Iv finally exhausted herself and stopped.


    Better? Hector asked once Iv had vented her ire on him.


    Much better. She turned back to us. I am sorry. I am kind of frustrated at the moment. What I wanted to ask was for an opportunity to help rescue my sister.


    Magnus smiled. If there is something you can do, I will tell you right away. I am afraid there isn''t much that can be done right now. Astra and I have been doing nothing but running errands for thest month which has me frustrated to no end just the same. It feels like I am standing still, but the truth of the matter is that nothing can be done until everything is in ce.


    Iv narrowed her eyes. You are just trying to cate me! Look, this thing between us is strange enough. I know that you are my brother, but neither Evanne nor I have seen a hair of you for years. We are trying to reconnect and you are trying to behave like a big brother  though I believe you shot way past the finish line. I appreciate the effort you put into finding us. I dont want to diminish what kept you going for years, but I just have to make sure that everything humanly possible is being done. I need to be involved.


    I am not trying to protect you by holding you back. You are a young adult, Iv, and I cant tell you what to do. Though, I might put a few shackles on you and throw you into a cell if I thought you were about tomit suicide. Magnus shook his head. We havent gotten to know each other as well as I would like, but at times you are giving me the impression of being a suicidal hothead. Which is the only reason why I am saying this.


    He took a deep breath and held up a hand to stop Iv who was winding up for an argument. Look, if you can call me a psychopath, then allowing me to call you a hothead should be the least.


    Iv huffed. Fine.


    Magnus nodded and continued, If I thought it to be feasible, I would put together a team with the strongest people I know and take them right to Thich and extract Evanne. She might think she is being abducted by the enemy, but I would do it if I thought it was possible. Heck, I might have gone alone and jaunted her out. But the truth of the matter is that I have no clue what the Thich are capable of. I have seen their ancients fight and ended up hospitalized for it. Unless they are heavily distracted and us having more knowledge about their fortress city than even you do, I see no chance of getting her out. It''s more likely to end up getting us and her killed, provided we reach her in the first ce.


    We don''t have to get into their city, Iv objected. I told you that the trainingpound is at the outer wall. I can lead you there and I know the ce like my own pocket.


    Magnus smiled sadly. Do you believe that after starting a war with three of the major powers in this region, the Thich would have left anything of strategic importance vulnerable? The people in that trainingpound were either drafted into the Thich military, meaning we are more likely to meet Evanne on the battlefield than anywhere else. Or she was chosen to be ''paired'' with one of Thich''s higher-ups.


    That... Iv''s expression fell. It was clearly something she hadn''t thought about, or at least didn''t want to consider.


    If you can tell me how to get into one of Thich''smand centres where they might have documents on her whereabouts, then we can go right now. Or do you know at least someone who might reliably know what happened to her?


    One of the teachers perhaps? Iv suggested, but she didn''t sound so sure. I don''t know whether any of them would have paid close enough attention to the recruits.


    And would those teachers still be at thepound if their trainees were drafted for the war? Magnus asked. Or would they be drafted too?


    Iv only hung her head as an answer and Hector wrapped an arm around her shoulder to give herfort. Hey, Iv, I told you my family would help. It might not feel like we are doing a whole lot, but if we help the elders in the same way as Magnus and Astra are doing, then we are working towards a possible solution while we are waiting for news about her. Evannes rescue was one of the conditions Magnus proposed to the elders for his help. You can be sure they will honour the agreement.


    It took a few more minutes to convince Iv that nothing more could be done at the moment.


    The newly partnered pair eventually excused themselves, with Iv firmly resolved to follow Hectors suggestion of asking his parents for anything they could do to help.


    Once they left, Magnus expression turned somewhat downcast, worrying me just a little bit. Whats wrong? I thought this conversation went well.


    Nothing that wasnt wrong before, Magnus admitted. I just believe getting Iv back was an incredible stroke of luck. One which might have gotten a little aid from Gaia. Meeting her just like that and then not killing her during the fight was


    I took his hand. Dont give up hope. You didnt do so for years. Whats different from back then?


    Magnus looked at the floor and closed his eyes. Zacharias knew who I was and that I had sisters who were with the Thich. Which is bad enough, but they also have someone who can twist minds. If I were in Zacharias'' shoes, lets just say it might not be possible to save Evanne at this point. Finding one of them might be the best oue I could have hoped for.


    I said nothing and just hugged Magnus with my arms and my fments, squishing a squirming Isaac between us.


    We spent some more time with Isaac until the boys interest drifted towards other things than his parents as was typical for an easily distractable child.


    Afterwards, we took the wormgate to Aeries gship where we bumbled in on an impromptu meeting of what looked like the highest brass from among the three allied ns.


    From Aerie, my mother and Juliana Rumen from the fifteenth were present together with Mary who had returned sessfully from her rescue mission. A rather diminished-looking Gurney was sitting in on the meeting, looking like a ghost of his former self, but alive.


    Savannah and Ahmad Gentry represented n Jeng, their imposing armoured figures seemingly filling almost a fourth of the room.


    Matriarch Vanya and her right hand Tianna together with the matriarchs bodyguard were representing n Hochberg. Thest time we saw them, they had a bone to pick with each other after Vanya revealed she had killed Hochbergs former matriarch, Greta. From Tiannas presence, I could only assume they had somehow worked things out.


    Gurney! Magnus eximed upon entering the room. I am d to see you again, but you look like shit, to be honest.


    The scientist grinned, revealing a few missing front teeth. Thats what a few weeks of starvation followed by radiation poisoning do to you. I still cant work up my old appetite for good stew, but I will get there sooner orter.


    Vanya raised a hand. As much as I dont want to interrupt the reunion, but we are a little pressed for time. Magnus, Astra, we will give you a very quick update about the current overall tactical situation and then we will have to send you off to the Old Camp where we have a small problem. Magnus, your people arrived in numbers and our soldiers stationed there arent quite able to deal with the flood of people. Co Leece, who is in charge of our troops, also has some beef with the organisations leaders who are demanding to see you before they cooperate with the ns.