Black Hole: The Book of Iratus, Episode 66

Chapter 651

Despite the voting taking place multiple times, everyone refused to budge on the last vote.

Deficio: "I think we can say that this is the final say everyone wants."

Stina: "It looks like most of Crater Haven wants to live in peace with the tower folk. How will everyone else react to these results?"

Everyone went back to their respective factions to talk even more with Iratus and his group, waiting by themselves again.

Finally, each group went up to give their results.

First, the Apeman representative said his group would withdraw from the area and move on.

Stina's group and Scar went up to announce their partnership in the tower folk's protest.

Studium: "How long did your groups even know each other?"

Iratus: "I could have sworn you talked about being paranoid about meeting new people, and yet you are joining their group? Dare I ask, Why not join with us?"

Stina: "These people have a real community where everyone shares the labor and rewards. From what we have talked about, you horde and embrace greed. You'd let people starve because they don't produce anything for you to take."

Iratus: "A strange character you have conjured up. Even stranger, you think charity does not exist and food must be taken by force by a higher authority for a greater good. I'd keep going, but I don't care what you believe or where you go. I just want peace."

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Chapter 652

Everyone was beginning to move out, with the hospital strangers also choosing to travel with Scar, the hyena woman.

Scar: "We have people who must know these results. We will not be talking again." She pointed to Iratus.

Commercium: "What about the half of you who voted for no violence?"

Scar: "There are others in the city who need to know these results. I take back what I said about not talking again, because we might have to settle for coexistence."

Iratus: "Great. Hey, before you leave, we really need to talk about boundaries."

Scar: "We go where we wish."

Iratus: "It is so that we don't have any conflict with each other. You don't want me walking into your homes, do you?"

Scar: "If you were part of our community, we would, but you are not. You build walls to oppress and hurt others."

Iratus: "For the love of silver, please come over here so we don't cause problems with each other."

Scar: "We go where we please!"

Iratus sarcastically: "This can only end positively."

Venatio was also walking away with the group.

Venatio: "Liora needs a translator, so I am going with her for now."

Salvos: "Who?"

The old fox woman pointed her thumb at the deer girl who saw that and grinned. Her teeth were vicious-looking because they were more predatory than not, more in the vein of Resonantia's deadly teeth, though Irauts and the other's also had some serious teeth that could tear the flesh from necks, but sharkfolk and now apparently deerfolk have some truly scary-looking things.

Procella: "Those other people are going to kill you as soon as you leave our sight."

Venatio: "If it shows how deprave this Scar lady is, then why not?"

Iratus and the others gave a worried grimace.

Venatio: "I'll be fine. There are many who are likely to side with us, even with Scar leading the charge for violence."

As the city folk left the area, Iratus and the others talked about the meeting, how strange it became, and what the point of it was with Commercium pointing something out.

Commercium: "When we came in, they did say that they were feeling each other out. I suspect that is how Stina got the bright idea to throw her lot in with the others. Though you guys know about that skin lady more than I do,." He shrugged.

Iratus: "I hate those people. Let's get back home and prepare for crazy, broken-brain people to storm our home."

Studium: "Again. Again." He gave it some thought. "again."

Procella: "Your life really is just a wild ride."

Iratus: "Truly."

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Chapter 653

The party returned to the tower and disbanded, with everyone going back home. Iratus talked to his lovers about the meeting, with his voice becoming louder as he showed his frustration with the Crater Haven people.

Resonantia: "Iratus, if you could calm down. Your children are trying to sleep."

Iratus gave a loud exhale.

Iratus: "Sorry, sorry. It is just that a lot of those people are crazy. Like, legit. I am aware of communal ownership, but that guy makes it look bad."

Victoria: "I suppose we will be fighting fellow folk this time."

Aestus: "I really don't want to fight other people because it's so wrong."

Iratus: "As Malignitas usually says, sometimes people are people. We can only hope for the best and prepare for the worst."

The day grew dark as time passed, with everyone spending the time making plans and setting patrol schedules. Finally, as the sun faded, the tower community scrambled as many strangers approached the settlement.

Iratus walked out with some of the others but quickly stopped and let out a collective sigh as they saw Venatio with a small group with her. He walked up to greet her and saw she was bandaged up, with blood-stained bandages.

Iratus: "By God, what happened to you?"

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Chapter 654

Venatio weaved her words vividly as she described what happened.

Venatio: "The hyena woman, Scar, gave her speech to the people in the city. There were only a few more people than what we saw, mostly children and an old woman. Scar gave an ultimatum to her people, but the residence mostly sided against her. That poor woman, she was so paranoid and afraid of us that she took matters into her own hands."

In the recollection, it was made clear what happened.

Scar: "The tower folk will kill us all or enslave us. We must force them out as soon as possible."

Honor: "Listen Scar, Cicatrix, whichever; I understand that in life, things got pretty bad, but these are different people and a different place."

Most of the people in the people in the city  were standing in opposition to her. The deerfolk spoke up, with Venatio translating. Liora, the female deerfolk, whose fur was light brown with white spots, had blonde hair. She also had hazel eyes and was quite short for the bloodforged type of people, for their bestial appearance usually granted them great height, but this woman was only 5'9 (175 cm). Her clothes were an earth-toned dress made for long travel as well as a vine-patterned sash.

Venatio: "She says that we have always used voting to end conflicts with each other. Isn't it clear where we all stand?"

Scar: "Well, you are all voting wrong. You're choice will kill us all, and I do not wish to die."

Venatio could see the hyena woman breaking. Her breathing, her pose—she truly believed Iratus and the others were going to kill her as soon as they could.

Venatio: "If I may say something, I can see you are terrified of Iratus, but why not invite him over and just talk to him? Spend the day hanging out with him, and I believe that you can put your fear behind you."

The hyena woman snapped back with venom in her words.

Scar: "No. I will not talk to evil people. People like that mouse deserve death, nothing less."

Venatio: "I think you are letting fear control you. You seemed a lot more reasonable at the meeting."

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Chapter 655

Iratus continued to listen, but then spoke up.

Iratus: "Then what happened?"

Venatio: "She shot me a few times and told everyone who voted against her that they were banished. So I brought them all here with me."

Iratus: "She just let you all walk away?"

Venatio: "Yeah. I gave a bow, said I could see I was no longer welcomed, wished her a good day and good health, and left with these fine folk here. Unfortunately, Scar would not let the kids go with us, but these fine folks here are the only other non-hostiles we have."

Iratus: "Quite a story. Thanks for not dying."

Venatio: "You're people have a saying: Death is a choice, and I agree with it."

Iratus nodded and then looked over the crowd of strangers. He went around to talk to them, but a few of them refused to join Iratus at the tower. There was Tsunami, the redpandafolk; Honor, the mousefolk; Dominari, the raccoon female; Fabula, the goatfolk lady; and Echo, the older shark man.

Iratus: "I knew an Echo."

Studium: "From back in that one town with the RV group."

Then there was Liora, who seemed to be the only one who wanted to stay with the group.

Echo: "We will be around. I don't know what is going on with Cicatrix—I mean Scar—but she was always a lot more...better. She was a good person who listened to other people. This is so unlike her that I can't help but think something else is going on with her."

Venatio: "Even I can sense that she is going through something. I can understand the dangerous situation that is the Nexus Prime, but with the goodwill we could give, she still seems so far gone."

Iratus: "Then I won't blame her then. However, I assume she is still planning to be hostile and attack us, right?"

Echo: "Sorry."

Ignis: "Then brace we shall. If a war between two clans must be had, then I say we should expect an ambuscade at any point in time."

Echo: "Is it just me, or do all these red pandas speak so strange?"

Tsunami: "Convey like what?"

Iratus gave a chuckle.

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Chapter 656

The group left and said they would be staying at the cabin northward, the cabin Stina's group had previously used, and reunite with Venatrix.

Iratus: "The fox girl? She left too?"

Venatio: "Yeah."

With the meeting concluded, Venatio headed for bed with some of the others, making sure she was fine, for her wounds were quite serious despite walking all the way back to the tower. Iratus retired to his own room with his four loves joining him in bed.

Iratus: "Ah. It looks like it truly will be a rough time ahead of us."

Victoria: "We will have to find a way to survive this too."

Aestus: "We will have to take more precautions, I think."

Resonantia: "Most certainly."

Ignis: "If true, then we should have endeavored to set something up to watch for night raids."

It would be five days later, on day 79, when a new development would occur. Venatio spent most of her time in recovery while everyone else had heavy patrols whenever someone would go out, to the point that it was seriously hampering their other chores. Liora was determined to prove helpful with taking up chores and even volunteered to fight with Iratus's group, and with the sound of several gunshots from afar, it seemed like she would have to.

Iratus walked out with some of the others scrambling.

Iratus: "Where did the shots come from?"

Victoria: "I think it came from the race fields."

Iratus: "Someone from the farm should be coming along soon, so tell them that we are under attack."

It was almost noon, and a group went to do their daily task in the rice fields: the group of Ignis, Fuligo, Salvos, and Confodere, with Iratus bringing along Victoria and Studium to the fight.

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Chapter 657

Iratus made it to the bridge by the time Ignis's group made it there as well.

Iratus: "You guys only made it to the bridge now? What happened? What's going on?"

But he did need an answer as several insect panthers jumped through the brush to attack the group.

Confodere ordered the formation, with Iratus taking the lead, creating a kill zone to funnel the insects into. One of the beasts was smart enough to pivot and leave the fight as three more were impaled on spears and another was shot dead by ranged weapons. The last one slammed into Iratus, knocking him down and biting down on his shoulder.

Iratus: "Ah! Darn it!"

The others quickly dispatched the insect panther, and Iratus tossed its corpse to the side.

Iratus: "I heard gunshots. Where is the enemy?"

Salvos: "No idea. It sounded close, though."

Iratus: "Well, is anyone shot?"

Salvos: "Not that I am aware of."

Studium: "Let's look around. The shots must have come from somewhere."

The group explored more and didn't have to search too far. From the fields were insect panther bodies that Ignis and the others killed, as well as a hand full of them. In the deeper part of the forest, there was Venatrix as well as the wolf from Crater Haven.

Iratus walked boldly forward and waved his hands, with the other two gesturing for him to come closer. Once Iratus and the others came up, they saw the body of Stina, dead and bloodied.

Iratus: "What happened?"

Venatrix: "Stina was making a deal with Loquor. Inseguitore and I teamed up to figure out why Scar banished half their people, and it turns out she was working with the shark guy and was using Stina as an intermediate."

The wolf man waved hello to the group.

Inseguitore: "Excuse me, but could you help us out? My name is Inseguitore, by the way."

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Chapter 658

Ignis, Confodere, and Victoria headed back home while the others stayed and chatted with the two from Crater Haven.

Inseguitore: "We tried to vote out Scar as our speaker, but because of all the new people added to our group, she held onto power. I never thought I would say this, but I now see why adding new people to your group can be bad. I almost think she quickly added them just to have more votes. Regardless, everyone is hitting their breaking point. We need your help if we are ever going to fix Crater Haven."

The wolf man wore rugged, fur-lined clothing and had a holstered pistol. 

Iratus: "Well, it would be better than a hostile force beating down our necks. Why can't you guys just come live with us anyway?"

Inseguitore: "No offense, but we like our communal lifestyle. Your way just isn't acceptable to us."

Iratus: "What? Owning things"

Venatrix: "That, and we would like a lot more voting to take place, like electing a leader instead of just being in charge."

Iratus: "I just live here. Everyone else is in charge of themselves. Anyway, I respect the way you wish to live your life. So, what is your plan?"

Inseguitore: "Your group, the banished people, and the rest of us in Crater Haven, wishing for peace, oust Scar and her supporters. If she goes quietly, we could imprison them or banish them."

Fuligo: "God, politics is awful."

Salvos: "No. This is what happens when someone thinks themselves a hero and thinks things like the people's will are thrown out the window for the greater good."

Studium: "I don't really want to fight living people again."

Iratus: "Only people who want to are coming."

Studium: "Well. I will try to steel my resolve by then."

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Chapter 659

Back at the tower, Iratus was rounding up a group to strongarm Scar and her minions. After everyone was ready to head out, they were stopped at the gate of the tower by the sight of numb walkers—at least two dozen of them.

Iratus: "We got the pale guys!"

The numb walkers were just as pale and hairless as the first time Iratus found them. They were still made up of various folk and men and were armed with weapons, and a few had real armor.

Everyone unleashed a barrage from their ranged weapons. Leitmotif, the naga woman, used Venatio's rifle with the most deadly precision. Procella was also here and got into the spear line with the others until a barrage of arrows came from the pale monsters. Deficio, the lion priest, was the only one who got stuck with an arrow, but the man just ignored it and kept forward.

The numb walkers rushed at the spear wall, stopped just short of getting stabbed, and used their own weapons to attack. Iratus took the middle with his long sword and parried the incoming spears, and while he was focused on them, his allies quickly closed their line into numb walkers to eradicate them. 

Studium and Malignitas took more arrows and fell down, with some of the others pulling them back.

Ignis: "Studium is in critical condition! I need aid in getting him to the medical room."

Another shot from the naga woman, and the final ranged combatant was slain. The few numb walkers backed up and moved to allow their leader to come forward. The shark man Loquor came up, now wearing military combat fatigue and a steel breastplate and metal helmet.

Loquor: "Give me the royal, and I'll leave you all alone."

Iratus: "I am not a royal." He knew what the shark man wanted, but he thought of messing with him a little.

Loquor: "Resonantia! Give me the evil creature, and I will leave."

Procella: "I'm sorry, but do you really think we would just hand over our dearest friend? What the hell is even the point?"

Iratus could see Loquor was still normal, but he could see a bit under his helm and saw blackened veins, and the shark man would scratch his arms quite a bit, which would sometimes reveal his skin, revealing how ugly it was looking, as if it were frostbitten.

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Chapter 660

The shark girl came a little closer, but only to hear and talk better.

Resonantia: "I have no quarrel with you gray skin."

Loquor: "But you do! Your people stole Caeruleum! You killed and slaughtered everyone, including my grandparents!"

Resonantia: "Technically, not my time. I barely know anything about that stuff. Sorry, brother."

Loquor: "I will not forgive the Hearts for taking my nation, my homeland, away from me."

Resonantia: "Considering Black Mountain conquered it and killed my ancestors and gave you guys the land, I should be the one saying you stole my homeland."

Loquor: "You dare? Fifty thousand people!"

Resonantia: "And we lost two hundred thousand people from Black Mountain burning down our capital. What's your point?"

Loquor: "You owe me blood for my people's deaths; that's the point. Your kind are all murderers!"

Victoria: "What do you mean, you're kind?"

Loquor: "Blue skins. Look at their wretched flesh."

Iratus: "I literally don't have time for this. Listen here, you poor excuse for a door stop. I have places to go and places to be. Can we reschedule this? You and my breeding woman can yell at each other at any other point in time."

Loquor: "You take the side of those who committed mass genocide. You are all evil in my eyes."

Iratus: "Then how about we discuss how evil we are at a later date?"

The shark man gave a vile sneer and snapped his fingers, which made all the numb walkers take a step forward and reengage with the tower folk.

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EPISDOE 66: END

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Episode 66 End Character Sheet
Name: Iratus Lionheart
Species: Mousefolk
Age: 16
Coverings: blonde fur, white gambeson (many repairs, some leather patchwork), leather gloves, tactical vest, tailorcraft backpack, leather plate helmet, delicate gold chain with a small pendant shaped like a lion's glare, flashlight, bronze breastplate
Weapons: long sword, 3 knifes, short sword, hammer, 1 dagger
Equipment: belt, belt bag, water skin, leathercraft backpack, 2 bags, 5 copper coins, 1 small silver bricks, 20 silver coins, 30 gold coins

Wounds: minor shoulder bite (fresh)

Relevant Community Stash: a fire starter, whetstone, several leather items, 2 glass jar, 12 bottles, 1 fish net, primitive sewing kit, a bunch of small wooden figures, wooden dice, metal scrap, lots of rusted metal, several small fish nets, sextant, some bedrolls, a tent, a large barrel, writing material, 68 cloaks and other clothing materials, some fabrics, 4 carts, 4 stitched tents, skin drum, beautiful arts of tropical scenery, floatation devices, wildlife figures, lots of tropical clothing, ancient era hyenafolk clothes, gas generator, four flood lights

Armory: 37 short swords, 33 knifes, 19 daggers, 23 metal spears, 4 arming swords, 4 long swords, 2 extra gambeson, semi-automatic rifle (no ammo), 3 hunting traps, 5 snares, 12 backpacks, 3 katanas, 3 short katanas, crossbow, several pounds of C4
Aestus: gambeson, bronze breastplate, leather helmet, metal spear, 2 knives, short sword, bronze long sword.
Victoria: bronze breastplate, gambeson, leather helmet, metal spear, short sword, crossbow, 2 daggers, flashlight
Resonanita: steel breastplate, gambeson, metal helmet, metal spear, short sword, 1 knife, compound bow, flashlight
Ignis: bronze breastplate, gambeson, leather helmet, metal spear, crowbar, 1 knife

Treasure: 13 copper coins, 2 silver coins 12 iron coins, a tarnished silver brooch, a small ornamental figurine, a few antfolk tapestries, some antfolk art, bronze lantern, bronze idol, some jeweled trinkets, iron lantern

Home Base, Tower: Large Storage Area (many crates, clay pots, and wooden chests), Basic Workshop Area (lots of tools, woodcarving tools, glue, sandpaper), Kitchen Area (many tools, many cutlery items, pots&pans, makeshift grill), Library, Armory, Infirmary Room (surgery tools, first aid kit, plenty of medicine and equipment), Children's Quarters, Master Bedroom (proper bedding, sensual antfolk sculpture), Six Bedrooms (proper bedding), four portable solar panels

Outside Base: Butchering Hut (modern butchery kit, smoking rack), Tannery Hut, Underground Storage Area, Garden Area (fenced in), Tool Shed (fishing gear and supplies, trowel, woodcutting axe, woodworking tools, lots of rope, rope ladder, plows, hoes, sickles, rakes, shovels, scythes, chisels, anvils), Wooden Wall, Small Cabin (Venatio), Large Cabin (Winter Winds), Large Cabin (Dark Sky Family), Gravestone, Rabbit Hutches.

Books: 3x woodworking books, weathered leather-bound journal, war game booklet, sketch book (from warband), Bathhouse Reviewers (entire 80 book series), cards, Fractura's Notes, Tempestas's Notes, 12 survival guides, 3 technical manuals, 46 fiction novels, 11 encyclopedias, 4 dictionaries, 22 cookbooks, 2 gardening guides, 3 crafting books, 20 educational textbooks, 5 religious texts, 4 diaries

Year 2, Day 79

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TOWER FOLK:
Iratus of House Lionheart
mouse, male, blonde fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, 6'6, age: 16, b day: 350
-
Victoria Mother of House Lionheart
raccoon, female, gray fur, black hair, brown eyes, 6'3, age: 16, b day: 5
-
Aestus of clan Riversinger
otter, female, red fur, red hair, blue eyes, 6'1, age: 15, b day: 99, (preg 84 days)
-
Ignis Yang
red panda, female, reddish-brown/white fur, black hair, golden eye, 6'4, age: 16, b day: 344
-
Resonantia Diamond Heart Steel
shark, female, blue-gray hue skin, white hair, blue eyes, 6'5, age: 16, b day: 2, (preg 111 days)
---

CHILDREN:
Negligere Lionheart
shark, male, steel gray skin, white hair, gold eyes, age: 1, b day: 2
-
Ruina Lionheart
otter, female, orange fur, vibrant orange hair, blue eyes, age: 1, b day: 330
-
Gula Lionheart
red panda, male, brown fur, dark brown hair, gold eyes, age: 1, b day: 340
-
Tenacitas Lionheart
raccoon, female, silver fur, dark blonde hair, amber eyes, age: 1, b day: 345

Frustra Lionheart
raccoon, male, gray fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, age: 0, b day: 338
---

NEIGHBORS:
Venatio of Wise Storms, Mother of House Black Jewel
fox, female, red fur, red hair, brown eyes, 6'6, age: 72, b day: 299
---

WINTER WINDS CLAN:
Studium of Winter Winds
fox, male, gray fur, black hair, blue eyes, 5'8, age 13, b day: 190

Fuligo Leaf Shadow
otter, female, black fur, blonde hair, blue eyes, 5'6, age 13, b day: 245, (preg 13 days)

Bellum of House War Knuckles
cheetah, female, blonde fur, blonde hair, blue eyes, 5'11, age 14, b day: 91, (preg 49 days)
---

DARK SKY FAMILY:
Salvos Dark Sky
wolf, male, black fur, white hair, copper eyes, 6'8, age 27, b day: 66

Leitmotif Schlange
snake, female, yellow and red scales, naga bodied, gold  eyes, age 24, b day: 229, (preg 124 days)

---

(farm)
UMBRA OCEAN FAMILY:
Procella Ocean Drinker
weasel , female, blonde fur, black hair, green eyes, 6'5, age 22, b day: 207, (preg 28 days)

Iter of Sanguinem Umbra
goat, male, white fur, blonde hair, brown eyes, 6'7, age 20, b day: 334
---

(farm)
THE COBALTS:
Commercium Jade Blue Cobalt
rabbit, male, white fur, black hair, gray eyes, 6'8, age: 25, b day: 221

-
Abrasione
hyena, female, tan fur, blonde hair, gold eyes, 6'5, age: 20, b day: 4, (preg 167 days)

-
Kuxatura
hyena, male, tan fur, black hair, gold eyes, age: 1, b day: 284

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LAST MISTAKE
Deficio
lion, male, gray fur, rich gray hair, green eyes, 6'6, age: 46, b day: 111

Confodere Oculi Acuti
hyena, male, dark brown fur, black hair, gold eyes, 6'9, age 26, b day: 239

Malignitas of House Brokensand
feline, male, light black fur, light black hair, brown eyes (single eye), 6'7, age 29, b day: 343