The Celestial Way

Chapter 14.5 - Small Way

She left the room and bounded along the wide, rounded corridor full of people. She was supposed to be practicing her upright walk, yet running on her hindlegs felt very awkward, making her flare her wings for balance. So she just rushed with her old fledgling gait, even though she should not use it once she grew up in size. If she grew up, came an unbidden thought. She shook her head, clearing her mind. She took a gravshaft to Ilsorin's middle levels and, led by Yeoman Cloud's realtime AR guidance, arrived where Kiana was.

The observation dome had variform furniture and several nanofabrication makers providing basic amenities, while the smart-material walls served as screens or windows. The place was very spacious and well lit, giving the impression of an open terrace beneath an overhang. Scattered groups of refugees sat or strolled around, enjoying the sunny atmosphere. Veralla spotted Kiana at the other end of the dome, in the company of Tehalix and Lung. The two humans seemed to be in a heated debate of some kind.

"Of course I can do Technotics," Tehalix scoffed. "After all, Forces has always been my strongest Sphere."

"What a sad display of ignorance," Kiana laughed. "Everybody knows Correspondence is the foundation upon which the Technotics school is built."

"Technotics? A school? Damn, girl, I can't believe you're capable of mixing up your concepts so bad."

Lung followed the exchange with a worried expression, her golden eyes alternating between her soulkin and the Sol Force Conduit. "What should I do to stop them?" she despaired in a rumbling whisper as Veralla approached.

"Oh, maybe we can change the subject?" she suggested. "Hi there, Kiana!"

"Not now, whippersnapper," Kiana said over her shoulder. "So, just because you're a glorified dragon rider belonging to a fancy order, you think yourself better on technical terms than one of the top-line cybermasters in the Consortium?"

"Hey, please stop!" Veralla said.

"Haha, no, my mind is on something else entirely," Tehalix said with a subtle smirk, "and it's the amusing fact that a self-taught aethereal tries to lecture me on the finer points of the Art."

"Oh, I may be self-taught," Kiana said, her neon tattoos pulsing dangerously underneath her flowing smartclos, "but there's one definitive way to demonstrate you who's got superior competence."

"Come on, stop already!" Veralla urged, Lung hrrr–ing in assent, yet their protests were completely ignored.

"And what is that?" Tehalix asked with false sweetness.

"A duel," Kiana spat. Her lavender eyes brightened with crackling lightning, as she gathered her powers. "Right here, right now. Unless you need to prepare or something, Miss Chevalier?"

"A Radiant Knight is trained to be always prepared," Tehalix declared and golden halos enveloped her gauntleted hands. "I'm game."

"Bring it on!"

"Here I come!"

They squared off, their auras visibly manifesting, their hairs flaring from the power buildup. The other people in the observation dome gasped at the display. Veralla held her breath, afraid her friends were going to hurt each other.

Then Lung rawr–ed and slammed her huge claw on the floor between Kiana and Tehalix. The two of them startled, and turned to look at Lung's looming form.

"That's enough!" the crimson dragon said, her voice upset. "Teha, why do you act so harsh? We are Radiant Knights! We must be humble, and kind, and helpful – not cruel or aggressive!"

"Oh, relax, we weren't going to really trash each other," Tehalix said, dissipating her gathered power. "We were just having a snappy catfight! Meowr!" she said, imitating a scrabbling paw with her hand.