Black Hole: The Book of Iratus, Episode 53

Chapter 521

Iratus took the planter inside the tower, while Resonantia brought in another smaller plant. It was now day 4 of this year, and the tower folk were trying to live a normal life despite the Gray Masks showing up two days ago.

Iratus: "Why are we bringing these ones in?"

Resonantia: "These are winter plants, and sunlight is going to burn them, so we have to carry them in and out throughout the day."

Iratus: "The forest across the river is probably cold enough; why not grow our winter plants over there?"

Resonantia: "Well first, it is commonly stormy over there, probably because it is a whole other climate next to ours. Second, it is better to keep our food sources close by instead of risking the chance of running into monsters."

Iratus: "Yeah, I guess I would be the one on guard duty too."

Resonantia: "You are always on guard duty, for it is never safe in this place."

Iratus: "True."

The shark girl gave a sigh and leaned against the wall.

Iratus: "Tired?"

Resonantia: "Its like our work never diminishes, and the worst part is, we have plenty of down time. We could spend ten days just resting, but then its like, gardening, remove forest decay from the ground, travel here, travel there, sneak past a big scary animal here, stress about monsters there, and don't forget to work out, stay fit, and be healthy."

Iratus: "And the babies, always needing their mothers."

Resonantia: "Watching the babies is hardly work at this point; I mean comparing to everything else."

Iratus came up and gave this shark lover a hug. Resonantia gave a childish squeak, and then the two looked at each other.

Iratus: "Hey, one way or another, I will see you relaxed. Maybe we just need more entertainment or something; search the old locations for more amenities."

Resonantia: "Maybe. Hopefully we can find more board games around, and then we can run our own game club."

---

Chapter 522

On day 5, it was just at dawn when Iratus and Victoria got perched up in a hunters point, a wooden platform in a tree, that they found. Iratus had the bow while Victoria had her crossbow, and both of them had blankets to bear the chill of the morning. They were north of their sub-tropical home and were waiting in the warm woodlands, where maple trees and a few pine trees grew.

Iratus: "How long are we going to wait because the sun is getting high enough that these blankets are starting to get too hot?"

The raccoon girl leaned into Iratus.

Victoria: "As long as it takes! We have to get food somehow, and this is a fun way to do so."

Iratus: "I'm not sure just sitting is that much fun."

Victoria: "Well, I use the time to think about things, don't you?"

The mouse boy shifted his weight.

Iratus: "Usually, I walk when I think."

Victoria gave a nod and continued to wait. After a few minutes, Victoria surprised Iratus by nuzzling the mouse boy, who returned the affection. Soon he grabbed the girl and hugged her tightly, and she turned to sit in his lap.

Iratus playfully: "You're making so much noise that all the animals within a hundred tail lengths can hear us."

Victoria: "Oh, how funny."

Iratus waved his hand through her black hair.

Victoria: "Also, it is nice to have you all to myself from time to time. I have to find every excuse to pull you away from the other three."

Iratus: "Well, you will have to take being one kid more than them as victory enough."

Victoria: "Yeah. Now let's try to actually concentrate on the hunt."

---

Chapter 523

Iratus and Aestus were cooking something up together on day 6. Aestus pulled out some potatoes wrapped in tin foil from a pan and handed them to Iratus, who unwrapped them and took a fork to cut each one in half.

Aestus: "See, baked potato is easy."

Iratus playfully: "Foolish mortal, now I can make food for myself!"

Aestus: "I just dare you." She finished with a giggle.

Iratus gave a lick to the otter girl's face before getting back to the potato and pouring some salt and pepper on it.

Aestus: "You can't just give me some love and then turn to your food."

Iratus: "Well, I can't leave the potato hanging either."

The otter girl hugged Iratus from behind and gave his neck a lick.

Aestus: "Vengence!"

Iratus: "How about you grab your potato and join me at the table? I think you'll find vengeance so much sweeter there."

Aestus: "You are just asking for a tongue lashing."

Iratus: "Better to wait after your food, love."

Aestus: "Perhaps."

Aestus then started looking through the containers of spices, not just the salt and pepper.

Aestus: "I can't tell any of these apart from each other."

Iratus: "Yeah, we have yet to discover any extras in a script either of us know. But you know, you should really enjoy them while we have them because, where I'm from, most of these things are a rare treat that most people only get to have once a year."

Aestus: "Nothing can be enjoyed as much as I enjoy our time together, love."

---

Chapter 524

Later that night, Iratus and Ignis were playing a board game together while everyone else was out.

Iratus: "You know, we could invite some of the others?"

Ignis: "They are on baby duty tonight, so leave them to their woes and let me have some free time."

Iratus: "Alright then."

He pulled out a board game with a picture of space and a ship flying through it.

Iratus: "It has been a while since you've played this one, Stars."

Ignis: "Yeah, boundless space were we to partake in the fictional galactic trade."

Soon enough, the two played their game twice over before the night became overbearing.

Iratus: "And that's twice you beat me."

Ignis: "Winning by a draw twice in a row, like miracles."

Iratus: "I'm just glad I finally got to play some more board games. It was my primary hobby back when I was alive for the first time."

Ignis: "Lucky you. I had only cards to savor the time with. I'm still searching for a deck of cards from Ascendance. Unfortunately, I don't really know any but one game I can use with them."

Iratus: "I'm more of a board gamer. Cards in board games, deck builders—I'm all over, but regular cards? I just don't see the appeal."

Ignis helped put away the pieces, and the two carried the box back to the library.

Ignis: "I'm astonished that the others are not here yet. It looks like we have some time before bed then."

The mouse boy sat down next to his lover on the bed and gave her a loving lick on the neck.

Ignis: "Silly thing. I am a bit too tired at the moment, but maybe in the morning I can nuzzle you to death."

Iratus: "I am looking forward to it, as always."

---

Chapter 525

Once the morning came, Iratus was greeted by his four lovers cooking together for a small feast.

Iratus: "What's all this for?"

Victoria: "We couldn't decide what to have for breakfast and then decided to make what we wanted anyway. I made some pancakes."

Resonantia: "I make cooked eggs, mostly for everyone else since you don't have much of a stomach for them."

Iratus: "Yeah. Just remember, boiled and deviled eggs are fine with me, though."

Aestus: "I got the meat all cooked up. Venatio talks a lot about how having lots of protein in the morning is important if you don't want your body to eat itself for it."

Ignis was setting up the dinner table with the cutlery and plates and was serving the food.

Ignis: "Breakfast is served."

As the day went on, Iratus grabbed his kit and headed outside with Aestus to find the others.

Venatio: "No."

Aestus: "But why?"

Venatio: "Because I'm finally starting to get old, and without the medical technology back home to hold my body together, it's best if I do only the minimum amount of work."

Aestus: "I've seen women elders still continue to fight after their prime."

Venatio: "Yeah, but I've already birthed a great number of children, and that does things to the female body."

Aestus: "Oh, I see."

Venatio: "Don't worry, I'm not done fighting, but I will have to stop heavy lifting."

---

Chapter 526

The sub-tropical wilderness was mildly hot this day with the humidity being the worst part of it. Clouds were coming in signaling a potiteal rain for the day. Iratus, Aestus, Salvos, Deficio, and Confodere were out patrolling the area in their standard gear and walked around until they ended up at the large grass patch that used to be the stone city. Everyone sat down on boulders and rocks that used to be buildings and took a break.

People ate their rations and started to head back to the tower but on the road they saw a figure. Coming closer they saw it was Procella, the weasel woman who was also wearing her combat gear. The group waved her down and when they all met up Iratus spoke first.

Iratus: "Procella, what are you doing over here? Shouldn't you be on guard for the Gray Masks because you guys are all alone on that farm?" he finished with only a semi-serious tone.

Procella: "I've not seen any of these creatures. To that, are you sure those things were monsters?"

Aestus: "Did you not see their bodies or rather the lack of them?"

Procella: "Oh, uh, I guess I just forgot. Its just that they seem to act differently then most monsters, like the pale guys."

Iratus: "No no. Usually that's from a conduit. They are like mindless drones without a conduit acting as a commander. Now seriously, why are you here?"

She shrugged.

Procella: "I figured I'd help the patrols for some coin...or meat...food, you know." She pointed at the Last Mistake residents. "Like them."

Confodere: "We just live nearby enough that we need to stick together."

Procella: "Well, I'm looking for more work."

Iratus: "Don't you already work for the Cobalts?"

Procella: "Yeah, but you guys have much more variety in goods to choose from."

Iratus: "Well, come along then."

---

Chapter 527

Back at the tower, the priest and hyena went back home with some canned goods in tow as thanks. Procella stayed for gaming for a while before she, Iratus, Aestus, and Salvos went out to do another patrol, with Iratus with the bow and Salvos with the crossbow. The patrol went north this time, and once they neared the bridge, they actually heard something when they came by the northern bridge.

Iratus: "What's that noise?"

The thumps pounded north of the bridge, in the woods.

Aestus: "Sounds big."

Salvos: "Which kind of monster do you think it is?"

Iratus: "It could be just another animal."

Aestus: "No animal has steps that loud."

Iratus: "Regardless, we need to see what it is."

The group stoleth forward and quietly moved through the trees and other foliage until the trees became less spread out and the group saw a clearing. In the clearing were ten gray masks in brown cloaks, and they seemed to be herding a large lizard creature that walked on two legs. Iratus didn't know what the animal was, but it was a tyrannosaurus that stood 40 feet tall (12 meters) and had a large head of 5 feet in length (1.5 meters) with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. Its skin was nothing but rough, brown, and scaly, with feathers on several parts of its body.

The animal was eating a small pile of meat with the gray masks watching, and it appeared like they were about to make another small meat pile with several dead goats in their possession. However, before they could make another meat pile, the t-rex started to lay down, and then it swiftly went to sleep.

Iratus and the others watched for a minute, but when Salvos started to back up, everyone else started to retreat slowly as well. Suddenly an arrow came flying through the air and slammed into a nearby tree. Procella was hiding behind it, and all the ten gray masks turned to look at the interlopers.

Iratus: "Where did that arrow come from?"

Aestus: "No time."

Everyone got their spears ready as Iratus pulled out his long sword. The t-rex lifted its head, but was uninterested enough to soon lay it back down. Iratus wasn't too worried as he eyed the ten gray masks, and then he missed his shot, though luckily Salvos broke straight through a mask and slayed one with the crossbow, leaving nine. The party dropped their ranged weapons, with Iratus pulling his long sword out as the remaining gray masks surrounded the group, but this time they didn't swarm in like mindless drones. Each of these creatures used steel daggers; however, unlike the usual bog-standard triangle-like blades, these ones were much more leaf-shaped and tapered at the end. It was a dagger that could both stab and thrust.

---

Chapter 528

Three gray masks dived at Iratus, with one being stabbed, and Iratus moved right in order to slam his blade into the neck of the second, which fruitlessly slashed at his armor. The third one aimed for the head, and while the force disoriented the mouse boy, his helm absorbed the lethality of the enemy dagger.

Iratus saw Aestus stab one that charged at her with her spear, while Salvos dropped his spear as two gray masks ran past it and started to stab into him. Procella stabbed another one, quickly pulled out a short sword, took out another, and started to move to Salvos to save him. Iratus turned back to shove his final foe on the ground and finished it.

Aestus and the weasel woman finally took out the remaining gray masks, with Aestus quickly getting out bandages and starting to wrap the hyena man's neck with red blood leaking out.

Iratus: "Oh, shoot, they got him?"

Salvos with a gravely voice: "Yeah. Get...me...back home."

The group got Salvos up, and he was able to walk on his own, but he lost a lot of blood over time on the walk back to the point that he had to lay down on the medical bed in the tower. Venatio and Ignis looked over Salvos while everyone else got down to debriefing.

Resonantia: "Are the gray masks using more odd animals to use against us?"

Iratus: "I think so. We should prepare if they grab that animal again and lead it here."

Victoria: "Animals normally flee from fire, so I'll get more flammable debris outside."

Resonantia: "We need to get some scaffolding up against the walls too. We may need to shoot these guys from our walls."

The weasel girl grabbed some snack food from the kitchen and held it up towards the table, where Iratus gave her a thumbs up. She walked over while eating crackers and then sat down, handing out crackers to any who wanted some.

Procella: "We might be fighting soon, so should I stay here or what?"

Iratus: "Remember that the farm can also be a target. It might be best to defend your home in case something like this happens over there."

Procella: "How about we do some patrolling around the farm then?"

Victoria: "Yeah! We don't want the farm to fall, so I say, Let's do it." She looked over to Iratus. "And by we, I mean you." She finished with a laugh.

Iratus nodded his head.

Aestus: "What concerns me is that you guys said that an arrow came in? What's up with that?"

---

Chapter 529

Later in the day, Deficio and Confodere were back.

Confodere: "Anything yet?"

Leitmotif led them to the commons area.

Iratus: "Yes, actually."

And they were told what happened, and at the same time, Ignis and Venatio came down as well.

Leitmotif: "Is my love going to be okay?"

Venatio: "He will now. He just needs a day to recover at this point and probably a few more days for his wound to heal, so it would be bad for him to do anything that would open the wound back up."

Ignis: "Deficio, seeing you so commonly is becoming so normal."

Deficio: "It is a special time, so we have to stick together."

Procella: "Hey, should we start searching for any bases these guys might have? You know, check out the local locations."

Venatio: "If they have a base of operations, I don't see the harm. What do we have?"

Iratus: "The camp buildings southeast from here, the burned Japanese city, and uh."

Resonantia: "The caves."

Victoria: "The summoner tower."

Aestus waved her hand.

Aestus: "The hospital."

Ignis: "The train."

Procella: "Isn't there a giant treeskin around there?"

Ignis: "It has long since disappeared."

---

Chapter 530

It was midday on day 8 when the group met back up on the road next to the former stone city.

Iratus: "Nothing at the burned city."

Venatio: "Or the castle area."

The next group was the Winter Winds clan.

Studium: "The train, or what's left, is also devoid of anyone."

Fuligo: "And let me just say that I am shocked that most of the ash is gone. It's all green now."

Bellum: "Mostly."

The farmhands were next to step forward.

Iter: "Nothing at the campsite."

Procella: "And we forgot to say it before, but the industrial complex is also empty. Well, there are a few lingering ashborn, but it is now empty for real."

Confodere: "And nothing at the summoner tower. Do we still call them summoners, like, didn't they give a name for them or something?"

Iratus: "I don't think so."

Procella: "How about that cave system now?"

Venatio: "I don't think crawling around there would be good for me. I'll have to head back at that."

Iratus: "That's fine. We'll be back soon enough too."

Venatio handed the crossbow to Bellum.

Venatio: "I've seen you practice with this. You want it?"

The cheetah girl nodded her head and took the weapon and bolt quiver.

Bellum playfully: "Thank you."

The group headed to the cave, and at the entrance, they saw some camping gear and tents inside the cave.

Procella: "Found them."

Iratus: "No. Those things don't need such amenities. We have flesh and blood people here."

---

EPISDOE 53: END

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Episode 53 End Character Sheet
Name: Iratus Lionheart
Species: Mousefolk
Age: 15
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: large cut on left leg (mostly healed), large cuts on both arms (mostly healed)

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: 40 short swords, 34 knifes, 19 daggers, 26 metal spears, 4 arming swords, 4 long swords, 2 extra gambeson, semi-automatic rifle (no ammo), 3 hunting traps, 6 snares, 12 backpacks, 3 katanas, 3 short katanas
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)

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

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 8

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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 13 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 42 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

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

DARK SKY FAMILY:
Salvos Dark Sky
wolf, male, black fur, white hair, copper eyes, 6'8, age 26, b day: 66

Leitmotif Schlange
snake, female, yellow and red scales, naga bodied, gold  eyes, age 24, b day: 229, (preg 57 days)

---

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

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 96 days)

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

---

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