Black Hole: The Book of Iratus, Episode 6

Chapter 50

Iratus and Aestus walked into a sparse part of the woodland. Iratus's mousy nose gave a twitch.

Iratus, "I can smell people, two it seems."

Aestus, looking around, "I don't see anyone yet."

The otter girl ran up a slope to see better.

Aestus, "There they are! Come on, we don't know if they are in trouble or not yet."

Iratus, "Well, if they are, strangers in a bizarre and strange world rushing in would make them think we are more monsters than bandits. Keep calm and keep your distance."

Iratus joined Aestus, and the two slowly made their way to the two strangers. They made sure not to appear suspicious or try to hide themselves in any way. The two strangers took notice of them and waited for them to come closer.

The strangers were both around 6'6 feet tall, and both looked like bipedal hyena people, or hyenafolk. The female of the two had a lithe but muscular build with sandy-brown fur covering most of her body, while patches of dark brown fur accentuated her limbs and facial features. Her sharp and amber-colored eyes display a keen intellect and a hint of weariness from the battles she has fought.
(198cm)

She wore a set of practical military gear, emphasizing functionality without compromising protection. The gear was a sturdy, dark green tactical vest over her chest, equipped with numerous pouches and utility attachments. Camouflage-patterned cargo pants, combat boots, and a utility belt hung around her waist, carrying essentials like a knife and ammunition. The woman's helmet had a visor that could shield her face when lowered. She was also wielding a modern semi-automatic rifle.

The shorter male had a build that combines agility with well-defined musculature, showcasing his physical prowess, and his fur consisted of a striking mixture of tawny and gray tones, highlighted by a distinct darker pattern along his back and limbs. His vibrant blue eyes radiate youthful enthusiasm, yet they also bear the weight of experiences beyond his years. His equipment is similar to the female's but more on the lightweight side, with an olive green combat vest with integrated pouches. His pants, similarly colored, allow ease of movement in various environments. His boots were well-worn but impeccably maintained. He carried a sidearm holstered at his hip, accompanied by a compact submachine gun strapped to his back.

---

Chapter 51

Hyenafolk female, "Close enough furred things."

Iratus, "Ah, luckily everyone speaks the best language ever."

Hyenafolk male, "You know it."

Hyenafolk female, "Can it." Then, pointing to Iratus and Aestus, "You just stay where you are."

Aestus, "You have nothing to fear from us."

Hyenafolk female, "I know, but I don't feel like wasting ammo anymore than I have to today, so just stay there."

Aestus, "You're being rude."

Iratus, "Aestus, just wait for a minute. Hey, we don't get many visitors out here, and we are a bit new here; how about you?"

Hyenafolk male, "Then here is some newbie advice: stop being so friendly with everyone; you'll get killed."

Hyenafolk female, "I don't hear any more treeskins coming. Let's go before the situation gets somehow even worse."

Aestus, "Wait, you two should join us in our home!"

Iratus thoughts, "I'm starting to regret telling Aestus that trust is easy. Of course, people should be expected to act like people. Of course, no one wants to live alone, just being alive and nothing more. People want to make something of their lives or spend time with people they care about. People would lose their minds spending decades alone being paranoid about seeing any person or people."

Iratus, "Hold on, Aestus."

Hyenafolk female, "No, now stay there until we leave."

Iratus thoughts, "The only problem is that some people don't trust easily. These people have a demeanor and a voice of arrogant authority and complete control. These two would more likely kill us and take our stuff than to cooperate and survive with us."

Aestus, "We could trade."

---

Chapter 52

The female hyenafolk rolled her eyes, but the male actually responded.

Hyenafolk male, "What do you have?"

Iratus sighed and then responded, "Some money from who knows what civilization, copper, and silver. Also, some gemstones, if they matter."

Hyenafolk male, "Oh, Sergeant, they have copper. You always wanted to fix the electronics."

Hyenafolk female, "That stuff is not useful to us at the moment; hells, we left our stuff at the train wreck, and unless you really want to go back, I say leave it in that grave."

New smells clung to the air, more people, and seeing how the hyenafolk were not responding to it meant that these new people might be allies of theirs.

Iratus, "Metal scraps, uh, we'll have some leather soon."

Hyenafolk male, "Sir, we've got to have some leather."

Hyenafolk female, "No, next item."

Aestus, "Paper!"

The hyenafolk male took a deep breath and then said with a slight overexaggerated tone, "Sargant...they have paper."

The female tried to say no but was constantly moving her eyes around, thinking deeply, trying to find why she was about to say no, but after failing to think of a reason, she just sighed and looked away.

Hyenafolk male, "My name is Laceratio, blood of Crackedskull, and that's Mancus, blood of Houndbane."

Iratus, "Iratus of House Lionheart."

Aestus, "Aestus, uh, clan Riversinger."

Laceratio, "Cool, how much paper have you got?"

---

Chapter 53

The brush was moving in the back, and despite everyone being aware of it, kept talking.

Iratus, "I was going to start actually making it either today or tomorrow." I can get a sheet done every day; more if others also start making some too."

Laceratio, "Woh, hold on. One sheet a day? What kind of paper are you making?"

Iratus, with a raised eyebrow and a confused tone, "Papyrus."

Laceratio, "What? What kind of paper is that?"

Iratus, "Papyrus."

Mancus, "Papyrus paper is an ancient form of paper." Then she looked over to Iratus, "You wouldn't happen to know how to make paper from trees, would you?"

Iratus, "I learned it, but I don't quite remember now. Maybe if I had the tools." He finished by shrugging.

Laceratio, "Uh, yeah, ok. Wait! We need ink."

Mancus, "Charcoal has been doing the trick so far; we don't really need ink."

Iratus, "I have not gotten around to it yet, but yeah, I will be making ink soon."

The two hyenafolk had a change in look when they heard that.

Laceratio, "Sargant."

Mancus, "I know, but still, I don't know when we'd be using the paper."

Male voice in the distance, "Yo, there you guys are; thanks for leaving everyone to die back there."

---

Chapter 54

Finally, the other group came into the area. This second group was made up of five people. In the lead was a male badgerfolk, who, like every other adult folk, has a staggering height, roughly the same as the hyenafolk. He had a sturdy and muscular build with thick and coarse fur, predominantly gray in color, with black and white markings that resembled the pattern of a badger. He had a prominent snout, small, keen eyes, and short, neatly groomed hair that was a sandy blond shade. This man was also dressed in casual attire, with blue jeans and a gray T-shirt.

The male cheetahfolk had an eye of recognition when he saw Iratus. This young man stood tall at around 6'4 and possessed a slender and lithe frame. His fur was a beautiful tawny color, adorned with black spots that extended from his forehead down to his tail. He had moderately long blonde hair, and his facial features exhibit a regal allure, with high cheekbones, a refined nose, and intense, amber-colored eyes. He wears a toga-like garment and leather bracers on his arms.
(193 cm)

The third man was a skin man, commonly referred to as clayfolk or folk of clay by the furred people. This was a human standing at a height of 5'9 with a lean physique. He had fair skin and ragged brown hair. His eyes are deep blue, exuding a sense of both intelligence and tiredness. He is wearing a tailored suit that has long since stopped resembling one. His suit was patched together in multiple places, it was stained horribly, and it looked like it had just come out of a warzone by the sorry state it was in.
(175 cm)

The female redpandafolk possesses a delicate and graceful presence. Standing at 6'1, she had a slender yet athletic figure. Her fur is a beautiful mix of reddish-brown and white, with vibrant red patches highlighting her cheeks, resembling the distinctive markings of a red panda. Her face is soft and symmetrical, with bright, golden eyes, and she has black hair. She wore an elegant robe that was tailored with travel in mind, with it also being adorned with intricate patterns of her home world.
(185 cm)

The female sharkfolk stood at the same height as the redpandafolk and possessed a robust and muscular build, reflecting her affinity for physical prowess. Her skin has a blue-gray hue, with sleek and streamlined features. She had sharp, piercing eyes in a deep oceanic blue shade. She had short white hair and short little rabbit-cat-like ears, and she also wore a form-fitting breastplate over what could be described as stereotypical seafaring attire.

The badgerfolk and cheetahfolk both wielded metal-tipped spears, with the human and sharkfolk wielding wooden clubs with the redpandafolk wielding a crowbar.

The badgerfolk, "You could have saved Emma."

Mancus, "Unlikely, our guns are not magic, which means we would have died alongside her."

The cheetahfolk, "She was right there; you could have lifted the, uh, I guess the roof, off of her. You just didn't like her you psyco killer!"

---

Chapter 55

Mancus, "Of course I didn't like her; she would molest me all the time!"

The cheetahfolk angerly, "All the time? How dare you!"

The human, "And I made her stop."

Mancus, "It should never have happened in the first place. You damnable humans ever hear of consent?"

Iratus, "Should we come back another time or?"

The people all looked to Iratus and Aestus.

Laceratio, "No no. This happens all the time."

The cheetahfolk after taking a deep breath, "Good to see another person from Providence. What time did you come from?"

Iratus, "Excuse me?"

The cheetahfolk, "The date, I used to travel with a mousefolk who came from a drastically different time."

Iratus, "The Year 515, Chainless Era."

The cheetahfolk, "No way, 523 myself. Oh, and my name is Avaritia of House Goldmane."

Iratus playfully, "Wow, what a common name. Mine is Iratus of House Lionheart."

Avaritia, "And yet you wield probably the most common name of all, and you're a mousefolk."

Iratus, "It makes sense to be named after someone so famous. Besides, I like being named after our greatest vice."

Aestus, "Really, you're never angry, from what I can tell."

Iratus, "Our people work hard to become disciplined; we have to too. As for something like this, this world, it just makes me stop caring."

The badgerfolk, "Gelus." He nodded towards Aestus.

Aestus, "Aestus of clan Riversinger."

Gelus, "Clan? What ancient times you must have come from."

Aestus, "Ancient? I was just there!"

Gelus, "There is a lot to tell you."

The human, "Oh, I get it now! Your name is Wrath. Yes, I must say even I have not seen Avaritia get mad, oh, except for now, though his screams of vengeance have tempered when talking to you."

Mancus, "Ha, vengeance. What the godless dirt would you have done?"

A surge of anger started to pump into Avaritia, increasing his bulk just a little before he took another breath and just looked away.

Mancus, "I thought so, filthy dirt licker."

Iratus, "Did she pick that up from you, or do they share the same insults?"

The human, "Hmm, yes, well, there are a disturbing amount of similarities between you who call yourselves bloodforged. Most likely, a culture of common ideas is formed by looking at one's bestial self compared to the rest of animal kind to form these beliefs. Uh, shared monstrous physique and an athlete mindset create parallel cultures of the same vision, uh, mostly. Humans have something similar on Earth, though our divergence takes place at multiple points in our beliefs and ideologies. Oh, and my name is Doctor Heinrich Müller."

---

Chapter 56

Iratus, "Your accent is awful. I can barely understand your words."

Heinrich, "That would be from learning a new language; yes, um, well, you see, my mouth isn't designed to speak such a language as yours. Learning it was also a bit difficult, with each culture having a bevy of words used and not used. Which makes sense, you all don't live on the same planet, so of course your language wouldn't develop the same way, though the similarities still this close are quite...interesting, yes."

Iratus, "Right. Oh right, to answer your question, I've been here for seven days, I think."

Aestus, "Seventeen!"

Avaritia, "Yup, I have been here for three months...now?"

Gelus, "One year and something days."

Heinrich, "And of course, four years—yes, uh, I heard such time surviving here is quite legendary."

Redpandafolk, "Three months here. Also, this one's name is Ignis."

Sharkfolk, "Almost one month, and Resonantia is my name."

Avaritia, "So she does speak."

Aestus, "Iratus, what is a month?"

Gelus, "We divided our years into twelve months, with each month being thirty days. Except for two. We invented months to keep better track of the year."

Iratus, "Twelve months, huh? Why so many months?"

Ignis, "I am thinking most of us use twelve months."

Avaritia, "Our world is the odd one here. So, fourty five days then for me."

Laceratio, "Two months, and I'm guessing you also have eight months?"

Avaritia, "Yeah, nice for you to share something about your world for once."

Laceratio, "You literally never asked."

Mancus, "I don't have time for this. Private, shut up. As for you, Iratus, I am willing to trade for paper and ink. Are there any places we can stay at until you have...a sheet, I guess?"

Iratus, "Not around here. There is the stone city, but it's overrun by treeskins. There is a cave nearby, but...uh."

Laceratio, "There are, like, a hundred caves around this area, more towards the mountain up there. Any other non-cave areas?"

Iratus after shrugging, "There is also some sort of encampment. The buildings look quite strange, and there are some sort of metal boxes that have the insides of a carriage."

---

Chapter 57

The two hyenafolk looked at each other for a second before looking back at Iratus.

Mancus, "We'll take that one."

Iratus, "Oh no, it is overrun by metal skeleton creatures."

Mancus, "Yeah, yeah, metalheads. They aren't much of a threat."

Iratus, "Um, ok then."

Iratus would explain the best way to get to the campsite while Aestus talked to the others. Once the hyenafolk started to move out, they gave Iratus five days to deliver and disappeared into the woods. Afterwards, Iratus looked at the other five.

Iratus, "So what was with that molestation comment?"

Heinrich, "Hm, yes, well. On Earth, female hyenas are beasts, not actual folk, well, they have a long birth canal that is quite phallic. Emma, a human like me of course, she uh, was quite queer."

Iratus, "What happened to your people's hyenas? I guess not all of our same kind of animals are completely the same then."

Aestus, "Your foxes are huge, no duh!"

Avaritia, "Anyways, as much as I'd love to join Mancus and Laceratio, they are not good people. Their constant threats put everyone on edge, and I don't know why the conductor ever put up with them."

Ignis, "They most definitely had a good relationship. From what I have overheard, their worlds or time periods were close enough to relate to one another. Not only that, but with those most definitely advanced firearms and the hyenas being efficient soldiers, they made the perfect bodyguards and bouncers."

Iratus, Aestus, Avaritia, and Resonantia gave an odd look to the word 'bouncer'. Seeing this, Heinrich spoke up.

Heinrich, "A, uh, security guard for an establishment."

Iratus, "Interesting. Hey, you guys keep bringing up this conductor person; who was this guy?"

Avaritia, "One of the honorable people around, that's who. The man knows a bunch of people from around the world. He picks up almost anyone who wants to join him on his train. He saved our lives more than once too!"

Resonantia, "He was some sort of wolf man."

Ignis, "A wolffolk if you will."

Iratus, "The hyenas mentioned a train wreck. Was there anything to retrieve or loot?"

Avaritia, "We had to get out of there fast. There was some sort of tunnel, and it collapsed when the train went over it. We were also traveling through some ashlands, so we had to move fast."

Iratus, "Ashlands?"

Avaritia, "A land reduced to ashes is the domain of the monsters known as Ashborn, the direct opposites of the treeskins."

Gelus, "Yo, hey man. Nevermind all that, because we have to talk about shelter. You've got a place to stay?"

Ignis, "It would be rude to infer such a thing. We are total strangers, after all."

Gelus, "Oh no, we are all trapped in Nexus Prime. We must stand together and survive together if anyone wants to live to see just one more day."

Aestus, "It wouldn't be a problem; the more people we have, the better off everyone is!"

Iratus, "Once again, just hold on."

Aestus, "We can't let them survive out there all alone."

Gelus, "Exactly. It is too dangerous for us, and you need every bit of manpower as possible."

Iratus, "Let's pause this talk for a time. I'd like you guys to show me the train."

---

Chapter 58

Iratus, Aestus, and the new group were traveling through the woods towards where Iratus, Aestus, and the new group were traveling through the woods towards where the train wreck is.

Iratus thoughts, "I wouldn't mind more people living in the tower. I just wish it was one at a time. They are a whole group with their own comradery, to the point where I actually feel a little threatened. I might be able to relate to Avaritia since we are from the same world."

Iratus, "Avaritia, what time do you come from again?"

Avaritia, "I don't remember if I said when. The year 523 Chainless Era."

Iratus, "I'm assuming what time people are from has no restriction on when they show up here?"

Avaritia, "Correct."

Iratus, "So, what did I miss?"

Avaritia, "Not much. Information is still slow going due to the size of the Republic Empire." Then Avaritia had a grin on his face and said, "Actually, the only thing worth noting was the hanging of the High Governor of South Blueland. Well, actually, she didn't get a chance to be sworn in. Yeah, she locked everyone out of the province capital and refused to let anyone do a legal and lawful revote, so the people there just rioted, charged into the capital building, and eventually hung the politician."

Both Avaritia and Iratus started laughing, while Ignis, Gelus, and Heinrich had a horrified look on their faces. The other two simply had a neutral look about them.

Iratus thoughts, "I also feel a tang of worry for Victoria and Aestus. If this new group did try something on us, they'd suffer, and I do find myself liking the two girls quite a lot. Regardless of all of the worry, I can't just let people die out here, and having more manpower means we might be able to launch exploratory campaigns and start scavenging in earnest."

The desne woods stopped on a line of ash that stretched out into a blackish gray ash landscape that covered a vast amount of land with embers fresh in many spots. In the far distance were the monsters called ashborn. These creatures had a loose outline, like a bipedal lizard, including the tail, but these things truly looked like beings made of ash and glowing heat like embers, with their feet being orange-hot.
 
Avaritia, "You'd be surprised, but these monster factions often wage war with each other."

Iratus, "I've seen it, actually. I watched a battle between the edax examina
and the treeskins."

In the distance, one could see the train tracks and also the large pit where the train had fallen half into it. Ashborn littered the area, blocking any attempt to scavenge the train.

Gelus, "There, you see now."

Iratus, "I guess that's a train. I don't even know what to think."

Avaritia, "Oh right, yeah. It isn't magical or anything. It runs on...fuel and stuff, kind of like a steam engine."

Iratus, "I am surprised that you know what that is."

Avaritia, "They were starting to enter the public consciousness by your time."

Iratus, "So, how easily can these ashborn be slain?"

---

EPISDOE 6: END

---
Episode 6 End Character Sheet
Name: Iratus Lionheart
Species: Mousefolk
Age: 14
Coverings: Blonde Fur, White Gambeson (lightly damaged, leather patchwork), leather gloves
Weapons: Long Sword, Knife, Bow
Equipment: belt, belt bag, water skin, leathercraft backpack, 2 bags, 33 oval copper coins, 7 small silver bricks, 6 gemstones
Community Stash: a fire starter, whetstone, small metal pot, several leather items, a lot of animal bones, a lot of animal hide, 3 glass jar, 50 oval copper coins, 1 fish net, primitive sewing kit, trowel, woodcutting axe, several wooden spears, crossbow, some woodcarving pieces, wooden dice, lots of sheets, metal scrap.
Home Base, Tower: Large Storage Area, Basic Butchering Area (few tools, smoking rack), Basic Workshop Area (some tools), Kitchen Area (many tools), Outside Makeshift Tannery, Muddy Hole
Wounds: flesh wounds (nearly healed), several moderate wounds (nearly healed)
Year 0, Day 7

---

(Extra Stories)

Extra Story 1
(1 year and 55 days ago) The wooden cabin was quite large, and inside, Gelus stepped out of a bedroom. He was still putting on clothes similar to the ones he was wearing at the present time.

Gelus, "Yo, where the heck are you? Keep a man waiting, and you're going to kill the mood."

As he walked out of the room, he stumbled a little, as though he had stepped on air for a split second. Ignoring his stumble, he continued to search throughout the cabin, never paying attention to the wood being a different color, the layout being slightly different, or even the items scattered around being different too.

Gelus, "Where in the Darkland is everyone?"

He checked everywhere in the cabin and eventually came to the kitchen. On the table was a magazine with creatures different from Gelus and his people.

Gelus, "Woh, you guys into that furry crap? I knew you folk were freaks, but this is crossing a line." He finished with a smile on his face.

His smile vanished when he looked through the magazine. It wasn't smut like he'd hoped, and he was almost disgusted at only bearfolk being in it.

Gelus, "Ugh, couldn't you folk have something actually sexy, like mice or something? Nasty."

As he threw the magazine back onto the table, Gelus's brain was slowly opening to realization. He continued to look around; everything was different, but it was just too hard to believe until Gelus saw his breath. The cold was starting to penetrate his fur.

Gelus, "What?"

He quickly ran outside and saw the boreal-like landscape with massive trees blocking any sight beyond like a wall.

Gelus, "I...am not...a wolverine! Why?"

Figures roamed out of the forest and came closer to the cabin. Metalheads, they were called. They were metal beings in the form of skeletons, with their forms being of many different species, and a black oil substance covered their metal and stained their cloths.

Gelus, "Oh! Oh, I see. I'm just in a horror movie. Ok?" He laughed

He looked around until he saw some junk on the porch. Grabbing a hammer, Gelus walked out into the snowy landscape.

Gelus, "You think badgers care?" then turning into an angry growl, "I'm going to kill all of you!"
---

Extra Story 2
(87 days ago) The hyena pair of Mancus and Laceratio ran as fast as they could. They went through stone and clay-like hallways littered with windows and rooms until they hit the furthest back room. This ancient sight looked brand new, with dozens of clay pots sprawled everywhere in every room and cloths and banners hanging in many places, like the hallway itself.

Mancus shouting, "Where's that tunnel private?"

Laceratio took a moment to look around, confused, before setting his sights on a piece of wall that looked slightly off.

Laceratio, "Found it! Hold them off for me."

His partner was already pulling her rifle forward and firing down the hall. Loud screeches could be heard as sounds of squashing and splattering rang out.

Laceratio pulled out a stone slab disgusted as part of the wall.

Laceratio, "Let's go!"

The two quickly moved down the tunnel, with Mancus dropping two gernades before she left.

After a second of descending into the darkness, a flood of edax examina entered the room like a swarm of locusts. Most were small, with some the size of a house cat and some the size of a dog. A few people-sized monsters entered the room and were the only ones to examine the area and actually see the tunnel. They began to move towards it until the grenades exploded, killing the creatures in the room.

As the dust settled, more edax filled the room, followed by one that was massive and albino-like. It had four spider-like legs and two arms that it used to climb into the room; its size was quite impressive. It was like a taur creature with a beastial lower half and a more bipedal or humanoid-like torso. Other than these features, the rest followed the normal edax profile.

While the smaller monsters dived into the tunnel, this creature took a second to look at the tunnel. It gave an angry look before pushing itself out of the room and heading back down the hallway.

Cellar doors burst open explosively, and the hyena pair ran out of the cellar. Their military jeep was slightly damaged from modern warfare, but there was also greater damage with claw marks, a torn-open canopy, and a missing door.

In the distance were train tracks and a modern esc train station with a train parked in it.

Mancus, "You were right. I can't believe this, people."

Laceratio, "Hopefully. Now we just have to get there before the train leaves!"
---

Extra Story 3
(36 days ago) Heinrich looked over the ruined room and could see how the castle would have been quite the stronghold in its prime, but now it was dangerously close to collapsing due to the weather damage. This room still held its durability with its gray stone, which was slowly being invaded by green foliage, but the most impressive feature was the stone table made of blocks, which seemed more than just a table with intricate markings and mathematical formulas.

Off to the side, Ignis held up an old journal.

Ignis, "I will say that all the information that was once held in this journal has been explained."

Heinrich, "I don't understand it at all. They ruined the whole formula."

Ignis, "Please do explain to me which group ruined what."

Heinrich, "The...the original people of this building found something. A mathematical certainty or, uh, hm, well...yes, a way to read the future, or rather, the mathematical possibilities a civilization will take."

Ignis, "This better not stretch into you exclaiming magic. This one tires of such rantings; uh, forgive me if that was offensive."

Heinrich, "No no. Not magic; let me give you an example. Let's see, uh, ok, so if a city had a great fire and burned away a block, you would see it as bad. However, someone must still be paid to clean up the mess, resources must be allocated, and buildings must be rebuilt better than before to avoid the great fire once again. It isn't a perfect example, okay, but just know that technology greatly develops when there is war. When you have something, your development slows, while those with nothing have nothing to lose by making something, exceeding their growth abilities. What I am trying to say is that these actions are predicable; luck isn't superstition, it's mathematical."

Ignis, "That is starting to sound powerfully superstitious."

Heinrich, "Well, I tried, not very well, but that is fine. Now, then, the people who made this called this phenomenon karma. Interestingly, we describe karma as something else. The second group, whoever they were, linked Karma to the stars and mutilated the original works. The third group, clearly someone from Nexus Prime and your kinsman...I can't even understand it. Tell me about the passage about the dark object."

Ignis after nodding her head, "To our aspiring minds, we have deduced that the object in question has an abnormal gravitational field. We here believe that the magnitude of which these anomalies of darkness can be traced to this black object in space."

Heinrich, "Ack, I guess you all sound like that."

Ignis, "Sounding like what I ask?"

Heinrich, "Nothing, nevermind."

Ignis, "Then, if you are done here, allow me to speak on the indeterminate idea of me joining the train group."

Heinrich, "Of course, of course. I will introduce you to the conductor. He will, of course, have no qualms with you, as he is too trusting when it comes to people, dangerously so."

Ignis, "Wait, you spoke earlier about this man as being your leader. Have you been deceiving me?"

Heinrich, "From a certain point of view, however, I say that someone needs to do some...background checks, yes. I like to think that I am helping my friend from the evil that is man, er, folk."

Ignis being oddly direct, "Sounds like you have some experience with that."

Heinrich, "My glorious nation was undergoing a most tremendous transformation, physically and politically. Just...somewhere along our path forward, we had lost our way."

He looked at the stone table once again, pausing for a moment.

Heinrich, "I got it. A black hole fits the description, though—an actual object in space? Interesting."
---

Extra Story 4
(9 days ago) Resonantia looked at the bloodied body on the floor. She was shaken and slightly wounded, with some of the blood not even hers. The house she was in is modern-like, with a fat television in the corner and a stereo system torn apart by a fight. Finally, there was a picture on a dresser nearby that showed a happy wolffolk family.

The floor was covered in gore, with blood layering most of the furniture. Three bloodied bodies were on the ground, with the cheetahfolk Avaritia standing next to the shark girl, both wielding wooden clubs, and Avaritia wearing shreds of gambeson armor, which, like the two folk, was covered in blood.

Avaritia was breathing heavily and then finally forced himself to turn to Resonantia.

Avaritia , "Sorry about that." He coughed and then continued, "I'll tell you once more: stay with the hyenas, Emma, or the conductor himself. I promise not everyone is like this, ok? These men are just...something." He finished out of breath.

He then turned and walked towards the door, with Resonantia slowly following him out the door. The two just got outside when a ridiculously tall and buff male foxfolk wearing primitive cloths and wielding a great sword, as well as Laceratio, though with a more casual look and armaments, ran up to the building.

Laceratio, "Yo, woh, hold on. What happened?"

Avaritia just glared at him, and after a few seconds, the hyena man looked towards Resonantia.

Laceratio, "Oh shoot, I'm sorry. Look, no one here approves of what those guys just tried. I know this looks bad, but you can't just stay here. The gray masks are everywhere in this area. If you want to leave the train, I understand; I'll give you some supplies too, but the train is your best bet for survival."

Avaritia, "Maybe we could drop you off somewhere too if you still don't feel safe with us."

Resonantia's expression grew just a little more grim.
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