The Weaver of Time.

Bry'nk winced, bracing it's face against the sharp icy wind that whipped the frozen landscape of Illiad. It's rolling hills of snow seemed almost ethereal, as if it's soul was being whisked away by the tempest and scattered into the horizon. Slowly, the creature's blue eyes opened to risk another glance at the great bowl of stars and auroras that twinkled across the sky above, casting the black void into a waltz of colors.

The ghostly howl of nature's fury against the small cubby of ice the entity found itself hiding in, was enough to send a shiver down the carapace of the bug. Bry'nk remained silent, allowing the sight before it to have center stage, waiting for some sort of cosmic crescendo as it's fingers tugged a heated Terra-Cloth that was wrapped tightly around it's neck, struggling in a futile effort to keep up with the creeping cold.

"Who-g- th-?" The voice was lost caught in the tide of the wind, and Bry'nk's lack of focus on anything but the spectacle before it.

"I said who goes there! The queens have given no permissions to leave Grestion!" barked the voice again, this time snaking between the peaks of the wind's chant. Not much unlike a startled cobra, Bry'nk snapped it's gaze in the direction of the voice, antenna standing alert atop it's head as it did.

For a moment Bry'nk's eyes struggled to rapidly adjust from luminous twin moons of Illiad to the darkness that lowered into the ground below, but the moment of silence was split by a soft timid voice.

"I...I...I was just-" The insect cut itself off and locked it's gaze on the shadowy figure that barked within the darkness of the cave. Finding those details however, turned the bug's stomach as it put together the pieces, a royal purple colored flag, a set of ominous glowing burgundy runes that bobbed and weaved, refracting along the walls. This was a disciple. "I meant no disrespect to queen Verillian"the bug's words squeaked out, seasoned with an often practiced tone of regret. The white fur that encircled Bry'nk's neck began to prickle as it waited for a scolding, and the possible punishment that would follow the third repeat offense of this occasion. It's mind began to race, thinking of what the prude, queen would do for directly disobeying her orders.

"Wait a minute... Bry'nk?" The voice from the dark returned, before letting out a grievous sigh."For the love of the Queen! What in Verillian's name are you doing out here? AGAIN?"

Out from the glimmering ice walls stepped a stoic looking insect,standing tall in heavy iron armor adorned with burgundy colored runes that glowed in the darkness.

Each plate seemed to dance and float around it's body, unlike a normal outfit, instead, they adjusted themselves in mid flight to protect whichever body part was exposed at any given time. Underneath was a scarred and worn brown carapace that rested within a large shell upon it's back, similar to how one might identify a pill-bug on Gaia. The guard had an angled, sharp face with one missing antenna and green eyes that shone like emeralds and spoke of the experiences of a long life.

"Kah'ruk!" Bry'nk huffed in astonishment, letting out a sharp breath and quickly raising it's antenna before hastily stepping in line before the guard. It was lucky that it had been Kah'ruk, any other guard would have flayed Bry'nk with punishment. The towering bug simply stared with piercing eyes in a moment of silence before finally letting out a groan.

"Don't"Kah'ruk!" Me! "it sighed before sliding it's hand off of a sideways sheath of intricately carved wood like material that rested along the inner lining of it's shell; The other waved in front of Bry'nk in frustration. "You were told explicitly to never go above the surface for a reason!"

For a moment, Kah'ruk watched the smaller bug with an inscrutable gaze, gesturing for Bry'nk to follow along with a sharp heel turn and the soft billowing of the purple flag behind the guard.

"Come along, you and the other Verillians have a long day ahead of you." A moment of lament hung in the air as Bry'nk stole one last glance at the condensed universe within the mouth of the cave, admiring how the change of perspective caused the stars to explode brilliantly across the thousands of mirrors within the ice walls. Then, they vanished in the blink of an eye just as the two dissipated into the icy maw of Illiad's frozen landscape once more.

The utter darkness of the sun starved tunnel fell over them like a blanket, stretching as far as the eyes could not see. A darkness of which none but the dull light of floating burgundy runes could combat. Bry'nk of course, knew the trick of the light. Just beyond the twisting of the tunnel in the distance, the darkness gave way to light once more, albeit an unnatural electrical light that flickered like a fake flame. The short lightless stretch was a useful trick to dissuade daytime predators from wondering too far inside; In fear of the much more deadly stalkers whom found home in the dark and the damp.

"Are you taking me to the Queen?"Bry'nk broke the silence; Eyes searching the Queen's guard for any sense of disposition toward the outcome of their most 'undesirable' meeting.

"I certainly should."

"However, you are lucky it was I who found you this time. Because I doubt she would entertain another of your outbursts about the aurora above Chut'ule mountain."

A small grin bled onto Kah'ruk's face as the guard remembered the even younger Bry'nk red faced before the queen, adamant to express it's desire to explore the surface.

"I am not a hatchling anymore Kah'ruk! Besides, every time I go I remind my self not to leave the mouth of the- ." The youngling winced, swallowing it's words in a vain attempt to hide them.

"Do I have to remind you that every danger you put on yourself risks the entire future of the Verillian Family?"

The question hung loosely in the air as the harsh winds above gave way to the sound of clinking carapace against the planet's crust and a steady metronome of dripping water. Like a small child, Bry'nk scrambled to keep up with the faster pace of it's elder but never advanced beyond it's lead. The stone walls that surrounded them quickly gave way to the bright blue torches of the Luvion family across one wall and the glowing stones of the Verillian family across the other. Perhaps it was just a trick of the mind but it almost gave forth a towering presence over all that entered these caves. Bry'nk hated the feeling either way, unknowingly satisfying the thoughts by simply trying not to think them.

Bry'nk knew well the plight of the Verillians, their queen had given birth to the new generation; Bry'nk's generation and yet, the new queen was not identified after the three year mark. In fact, the new queen was never identified at all. But Bry'nk had grown weary of the facade of hope that every one of the verillians clung to in desperation, as well as the constant sympathy of the luvion family in response to their plight. The small insect wanted to think of something, anything else. The other families treated them like they were already dead.

"I'm sorry."Bry'nk finally whispered as the corkscrewed cave came to rest at a set of six capsule shaped elevators. Each one held a different shade of metal and rust, as well as one that shone like a mirror, still miraculously rust free as the day they found it. Three of the capsules were dressed to the nines in intricate metal carvings that depicted tall legends of each family, but Kah'ruk stopped just short of them. With a sharp ascension of the guard's palm, a flick of the wrist skyward and the connection of it's second finger to the first, the farthest elevator to the left glowed brightly blue across it's vertical seal and split open with a satisfying Ker-chunk.

"I know you are. That is why this transgression is going without punishment... For the LAST time!"Kah'ruk stepped into the elevator and gestured for it's young companion to follow,waiting for the smaller one to quickly scurry to it's side before slamming the door closed. Without another word, the disciple placed one palm on the inside of the elevator and the other on Bry'nk's shoulder twitching it's single antenna at the almost angelic descent of the industrial contraption.

"You are lucky I've taken a liking to you little one."

The dim, flickering light that illuminated the former escape pod was emboldened to a brilliant light that plunged the interior in a faint greenish blue hue, completely engulfing the influence of the old bulb, pushed beyond its years by a web of wires and a dirt covered powercell. Bry'nk had seen the view beyond the elevator many times before, but he could never quite shake the awe of the suspended hive,deep within the underbelly of Illiad.

Beyond the cracked and scratched up plate glass window was an enormous foundation of scrap metal and ice, anchored deep within the walls of the cavern. Seemingly from every angle, the wings of discarded relics and proof of ancient life protruded from the ice, like so many corpses of steel being unearthed from their icy tomb. Even though they seemed like ants from the sheer distance, Bry'nk could still make out the many crowds of Luvion workers, using elevators of various sizes and shapes, all of which had been similarly gutted from ancient relics and now used to further separate the meaty technology from their fridged frames.

At each and every excavation point the blue and gold flag of Scionis was propped high so that all within the patch metal streets and ascending metal dens could see them. The small green flashes of mercury lamps dotted the landscape like hundreds of tiny stars that bobbed and weaved in and out of the village streets under the care of metal plated insects. Unlike the floating armor of Kah'ruk, these suits found themselves at rest along their bodies, from neck, to foot, and back to the deadly weaponry that accompanied them. Even mercury lamps bobbed above them in the form of small helicopter like drones. The thought of what one of those drones could do with their strange green energy, sent shivers along Bry'nk's shell among the gentle jabs of curiosity that skittered across his thoughts.

Kah'ruk's expression shifted to a small smile as it watched the other stare with wide eyes over the vast view of their home, it's hands running over each of it's antennae until Bry'nk's voice finally snaked out into the air.

"Why?" Bry'nk finally spoke up. " I mean, I am thankful, of course. But...You are a disciple of Queen Verillian, why entertain yourself with the rabble?"

The elder insect took little time to ponder the subject of the question, as the light blinked out in transition of the sub layers of Grestion,before replacing the green light with a more relaxing blue tone.

"There is no -rabble- In the Verillian family. Each and every one of us has a sworn duty to contribute to the betterment of the entire family, until either the last one of us perishes, or our new queen is realized."

Bry'nk replied only with the slouching of it's shoulders, and a gentle thud of it's forehead against the glass. The eyes behind followed suit, but only for a moment, quickly taking the opportunity to bolster the young insect.With a gentle inhale and a quick glance into the disappearing domain of the Luvion family domain, Kah'ruk traced it's hand gently across the metallic walls of the descending pod, leaving a small trail of arcing purple electricity in pursuit of each fingertip, before gently placing it's free palm on Bry'nk's shoulder.

"You remind me of when I was a youngling. Always breaking the rules and causing trouble." A small toothy grin spread across Kah'ruk's face shortly before a booming chortle rang throughout the elevator.

"But you do so with the intent to learn! Don't think I don't know about the little secrets you keep in your den." The elder added, giving the confused and surprised Bry'nk and gentle jab at the shoulder. Once more the pod was plunged into darkness only for the light to resurface into a vibrant purple hue that rested on everything in sight.

"I...I don't! I'm just!" Bry'nk paused, throwing it's arms into the air in frustration.

"who made the rule that Luvion and Scionis get all the artifacts? While we are down in the bottom of this pit forced to dig through the ice? It's completely unfair!" For a moment the bug's eyes flared with frustration, then re-assessed who exactly the words were directed too,quickly bowing its head before placing it's finger across it's mouth and drawing a "V" in front of it with the other hand.

"I...I'm sorry! That was out of line! B...bless the queen."

Kah'ruk simply shook it's head and chuckled just as the pod landed with a thud at it's destination, the doors sliding open once more with a flick of the disciple's wrist.

"It was, and it is" Kah'ruk grunted before gently pushing Bry'nk toward the door.

"A very religious queen was the one who decided long ago, you would know that if you weren't so starry eyed all the time. Either way your secret is safe with me young one. As long as you keep it to yourself. Now out! I must attend to the queen!"

With Kah'ruk's final statement, ending in time with a sharp stomp of chitin against metal, the elder insect shoved Bry'nk out of the door and into a heap at the base of the landing platform.

Bry'nk cursed, feverishly running it's claws over the pair of antennae atop it's shaking head. For a moment it watched as the metal door of the old scavenged pod slid closed with a flick of Kah'ruk's wrist, almost obscuring the worried expression of the desciple before ascending into the cavernous ceiling just as gracefully as it fell. Silence adopted Bry'nk's surroundings once more as it realized it was alone, feeling much like an scolded animal. With a sharp inhale the bug clambered to it's feet, taking a moment to draw a "V" in the air toward the direction of where the pod once stood, before giving a small bow and turning back to descend into the heart of the Verillian district.

Along the walls, which had transitioned from sheets of ice to the more earthy colors of tightly packed dirt and pillars of basalt were various air vents that ascended all the way to the snowy surface above. Each was marked with small purple and white shreds of cloth that gently danced in whatever remnants of a breeze could be conjured through such long tunnels. At their entrances, sturdy metal ventilation caps, scavenged from the various spaceships. Below, stood a plethora of various sized monasteries carved out of the very basalt itself, all bathed in the vibrant purple glow of the stones that dotted the landscape of the stone village.

The light of the village split above a gradient of purple to blue as the cavern opened up into the domain of the Luvion family in such a way that the residents above could easily acquire materials. Various basalt stone landings would be raised and lowered by the strong psychic capabilities of the meditating Verillians, in an effort to "share the wealth" of their expeditions into the depths of the planet's crust. At the ceiling's core was a massive structure of white, pearlescent stone that almost seemed to be floating in the center of each city layer it passed through, shaped much like an elongated opal, with the colors to match. As the structure slowly spun in place, the rainbow of colors glittered and danced across it's surface.

The city, in it's design greatly replicated that of the city above it,with massive chasms that moved across it's surface like a series of purple tinted rivers of which depths could not be probed by the naked eye. Each of these chasms hugged the walls of the cavern before snaking through the city to mirror one another as they encircled a massive monument within the center. Connected via floating stone bridges, much like the ones that throughout the city, the large island square was one of the only few places in the Ishtechan people's superstructure that actually touched natural sunlight, of which cut through the light of the purple glowstones in order to give it an almost "holy" aire. In the center stood a towering slab of opal that almost threatened to touch the floating structure above, wreathed in flame at it's peak.

Bry'nk scampered quicklt along a narrow passage, on one side was another of the numerous multi-tiered monasteries that dotted the city. On the other, the seemingly endless chasm, adorned with the occasional foot wide struts of stone that stretched from side to side. Without so much of a second thought, Bry'nk gracefully hopped across the corner of the chasm onto the beam and paced along it's length, watching as the elders tirelessly corralled the younger Ishtechans into their various home structures for the night. One giggled as it leaped over a bushel of mushrooms and raised both arms in order to command a nearby practice staff to float, before slicing through the air and swipe a nearby peer off it's feet.

A bemused grin cracked over Bry'nk's face as he watched over the chaos that had consumed the group of insects beyond the inky pit it balanced across. The urge to join in on the fun had been entertained by it'sI

mind, but it seemed that Bry'nk was arriving just at the curfew, almost like Kah'ruk had already predicted that the fellow insect would find itself sneaking into the city once again. This time however, it did not drop into the mushroom gardens that hid beneath the floating bridges and the bases of the monasteries, instead the insect strolled past the stone arches that marked the meditation grounds and up a set of coiled stairs and rails carved with intricate designs of the whistling wind's curvature before disappearing beyond a set of smooth pillars three times the width of Bry'nks own body.

Awkwardly, the young Ishtechan slinked through the ornate entrance of a large open space that stretched up across multi-tiered ledges of individual coves for the Ishtechan young. The purple eyes of Bry'nk Verillian immediately snapped to the fifth cove on the right of the west wall, nestled neatly on the fourth ledge up. At the simple sight of characters of Roen languege knitted along the green marker cloth that was nailed beside the cove was enough to make Bry'nk sway with fatigue from the long day, as if the mere thought of sleep was all the brain needed to send the small bug yawning.

"You are late again young Bry'nk." A gentle voice split the scuffling of many settling into their coves for the night. Bry'nk froze in place,stealing a glance at the various elders in the center of the monastery, all resting with their foreheads against a large woven patchwork cloth of various designs and patterns.

"The Allfinder has called for us to meet along the places of dream, the Queen's Archon has depicted with it's shadow, as it always does."The condescending, yet remarkably smooth voice floated in the air with a disembodied nature that failed to connect it to any of the unmoving elders, causing Bry'nk to ball it's hands into fists in frustration, before bowing toward their communion.

"Yes elder, I was careless. I... Lost track of time while using the aid of the mushroom forest for meditation." The youngling lied. It forgot if it had used the lie before, deciding to risk it in the name of finally getting to close its eyes for the night, which were starting to weigh heavily the longer that time passed; For a moment it seemed as if the elder was going to let Bry'nk off without a lecture, however as soon as he turned to scamper up the various ledges toward it's space, the voice reverberated through the the bug's head once more.

"I find it odd that you are so distracted during active meditation, yet as soon as the Allfinder calls for sleep you become a model student." A series of giggles slipped through the various coves as small insect heads poked out from their various holes. "Next time, Elder Fie'je will accompany you. We cannot risk a Verillian being lost to a stalker like the three Luvion children only a cycle ago, or your expidition partner and it's elder... have you forgotten Bry'nkoff Verillian?"

"No elder. I will be more... careful" Once more Bry'nk reluctantly bowed to the criticizing words, twitching it's antennae as it awaited another response from the disembodied voice, yet none came, plunging the monastery into silence once more. Coiling paths twisted beneath Bry'nk's feet, ascending past various ishtechans whom were either passed out cold and murmuring quietly in their sleep, or eyeing Bry'nk as it passed with grins and giggles.

It did not bother the insect however, it's mind ruminating over the news of the Luvion citizens whom were plucked from their homes by the terrifying stalkers. Had Bry'nk been able to help them if it had been there instead of watching the stars? What would Bry'nk do if it had encountered a stalker itself? And what about Kah'ruk's worried expression just before they left? The questions swirled around Bry'nks thoughts, only growing more frustrated as the mind tried to conceive of answers it had no evidence to create an answer for.

Before long the cozy den splayed open before the creature; Dipping down in the center with gentle, curved walls of stone. Obsidian shelves populated the walls and displayed various carvings of wood, depicting the Queen, the moon, mushrooms, and an array of half finished ideas such as a stalker, or creatures that Bry'nk had imagined itself,messily displayed here and there. In the center were a variety of cloths and padding that had been scavenged during the escapades of their family, all drowned in the faint purple light that reached all corners of the cavernous home of the verillians. With a gentle sigh the bug heel turned and fell with a dampened *Thud!* into the padding and it's consciousness wasted no time fading into the throws of slumber, lulled by the dancing carvings along the ceiling of it's den, and the twinkling stars of purple light reflecting off of obsidian, before sinking into it's ritualistic dreamland.