Odd Company

Prologue: This Zeal of Mine

   The Yorlil, resembled frogs with 4 eyes and protruding bone structures from over their foreheads up to their whole body. Quite small creatures, at about 2 feet tall. They typically wore exoskeletons when out of water. It brought them to about 6 feet with their 6 limbs. They extended into long stretching similar tendril tech as the Artemis. No other races of this system had survived the ravenous rampage.

    3 Hexagonal pyramid machines were behind the armada. These machines added additional shielding to all the ships and mechs. 3 Makali held the front line. 2 were of blue light, Bellatrix and Seeyol. 1 shined a red light, Arcturus, regrouping with them. The farthest up front, Bellatrix spoke out in a common language to everyone present telepathically. It was easily transmitted to everyone's variety of devices of communication via the same hexagonal technology. It was a simple language that was a mixture of clicks, whistles and pulsated calls.

In English, it was something along the lines of;

"See Jabberwock. We activate Hexs and flee." Bellatrix, stated. "Yorlil we fix. Artemis, on guard."

   The Hexs began spinning, with Blue Spheres in the middle of them ignited, beaming into the sun. The Artemis responded with a simple yes. They weren't strictly a hive mind - they were able to act individually when need be. It battered the nerves of the group how fast their adversary was approaching. The time crunch left them little time for preparation. What was this thing, truly? Where did it come from? Seeyol couldn't shake her fear. Burying her head in her hands briefly. Bellatrix with a loving tone told her, "Focus, my Zeal."

    Bellatrix was the oldest there by a fair amount. She considered most - if not all of the ones before her, family in some form, distant or close. "Arcturus," Bellatrix warmly called, "Shine bright, shine for what we've lost..." Arcturus, like echoes in the back of his mind, recalled these warnings of hers. Recurring teachings, not to overestimate himself. To rely on the Looking Glass and not to lose himself. To find your power within the Looking Glass was the easy part, the rest of what you could do - took time. They didn't have that.

    Not too far in the distance, a strange red cloud grew visible with a surge of power raging inside it. They could faintly see the shape of something grand making its way through. "Ready Looking Glass." On the backs of the 3 Makali, 5 shards of glass formed. 1 middle piece, 4 wings with the top pair bigger than the bottom pair. They were transparent with a star eyed Galaxy visual moving about within it. Bellatrix went on to another loving comment, "Proud of you, Seeyol - Arcturus."

   Hearing that from Bellatrix was a touch of warmth to the chills Seeyol had been getting. Seeyol was unable to keep the terrifying thoughts of the monsters that hunted them out of her mind. The screams worming their way into their subconscious, tugging away at their sanity. One of the early signs of Indoctrination. Like Arcturus, seeing this thing feed off each world and its people while they were powerless to stop it kept resurfacing in his mind. It was leaving him unable to think of anything else. The layers of his sanity were successfully being peeled away by the Jabberwock . They focused on Bellatrix as a tether to them balanced and meditated.

     The love she had given them as they matured from birth within their own suns, to now, was unparalleled. Always being there for each other. It was remarkable how easily they could be soothed by her. How she always made things better despite whatever was going on.

    Anything, including now. They both had pictured themselves as young ones being held by her for the very first time. This reverie held them steady. The two Makali shined brighter with their Looking Glass growing ⅓ larger. These memories happened so long ago, but it felt closer than ever.

    Even still, Seeyol's anger and fear was being juggled rivaling the way Arcturus' was. Even though it had been stretched and thinning out thanks to their meditation. The juggling just didn't stop, it slowed, twisted and molded the thoughts they both had.