The Ashes of Allmau: The Orfolk of Allmau

Chapter 4

High above, hiding in the bright light of day, raptors circled Apia. They brought with them a sense of dread and tension as a reminder that even with the pyronaut, predators were ever-present. After the morning's adventure Lyndd was sent to recover within the hive, and Kydd was awkwardly swept to the side without a word from anyone else.

Along with Spytt and Dyll, the three sat on a beam above the open space that was the town cube, watching the iridescent scales of the kilopede slowly pass through. Something good had come from all of this. The kilopede was a large, fatty adult and provided an abundance of meat for the orfolk. The body of the monster hung from the front of the pyronaut, as though the great mechanical beast was slowly slurping it up. At the town cube, the orfolk gathered to dismantle the creature piece by piece. Taking meat, tendons, fibres, and the many legs of the kilopede to fatten the stocks of Apia. The light sensitive poison was also useful to them, but tricky to store. Apia left the indigestible plating in its wake. What meat was left on it attracted flies and the surveying raptors.

"At least we have meat now." Said Dyll, "I mean, other than slugs, you know, something a bit different."

Kydd didn't need a connection to the aether to know that the orfolk of Apia were tense. When he had been brought back onboard he could see in the eyes of others that his name was being batted about every which way. Dyll seemed to ignore it and loudly vocalised his thanks to Kydd for saving his life. But the truth was that from Dyll's perspective, Kydd had unintentionally provoked the monster and caused the problem, and that's how the orfolk saw it.

Kydd nodded, and with a nervous smile Dyll continued, "Hey, we've got something else to bring to the bazar!"

"Orfolk in Coleop always have kilopede meat." Spytt said, "They hunt those monsters."

"Maybe I should move there," Kydd said flatly.

Spytt smirked, "They pretty much live in a tank, it looks dark and horrid."

Kydd pondered for a moment, he'd certainly miss the view from the hive, "Maybe I'll give it a skip."

They fell into an awkward quiet again, "I'm sure it won't be that bad." Spytt said, "I mean it was an accident."

"Exactly, and you saved my life!" Dyll added. As the aether won over, he was starting to sound more doubtful, to the point that it was weighing on Kydds mind.

"You can stop saying that now." Spytt mentioned, "What exactly happened?"

"I panicked and dropped Rune," he said, "she fell into the shadows and I went in after her. Then that thing woke up and came scurrying out after me."

"Well, you didn't know it was in there." Spytt said.

"But then, you did hesitate before you went in." Dyll looked away and pondered, "And if it wasn't for Rune, you wouldn't have gone in there in the first place." He turned back to the pair, Spytt glared.

"Whose side are you on?" Kydd asked.

Dyll covered his face with his ears, "I'm sorry!"

Spytt heaved, "It's not his fault."

"I know," he conceded, "What's happening in the aether?"

"A lot of people are unnerved. But mostly they're worried about Lyndd."

Lyndd's opinion meant a lot to the orfolk of Apia, thus she had a lot of sway over the aether. Her sympathy for Kydd had so far protected him, but this incident might have caused doubt in Lyndd's mind, which would only amplify throughout Apia.

Kydd nodded, "I should go see her. I need to apologise for all of this." He stood over the two.

"Now?" Dyll asked, then turned to Spytt.