The sun casts its gaze down upon the open stretch of softly swaying long grass. In the far distance, the gargantuan silhouette of mountains loom through the morning fog. Through the cloudless sky descends from the heavens a winged serpent mounted by three figures, landing in the cold dewy grass with barely a rustle. Two sets of boots tramp down off the aerial worm, both wearing matching washed out mauve jumpsuits, removing their helmets simultaneously. Above, the shimmering rift they emerged from shunts close. The third velvet-clad figure drops down onto his dainty satyr hooves.

 The first incredibly broad figure, Cady, collapses her helmet in on itself—condensing into a flat four-pointed amulet. Beside her and about half a foot below, Declan instead spins his helmet on the tip of his index finger.

“Ah, sweet gravity!” he remarks aloud, turning to look over his shoulder at their third and final compatriot.

 The man stands straight, his lithe frame accentuated by the form fitting dark fabric, contrasted against the light blue fur coating his body. Lifting his helmet with velvet clad arms, he takes his first earthly breath, long ears twitching in the soft breeze. His waist length cape, clasped around his neck with a five-pointed amulet, stirs dramatically in the breeze. The soft yellow light of the star illuminating the early morning sky casts a halo around his platinum head— Caius, holding up his finger importantly, sneezes aggressively five times in rapid succession.

 Cady gropes around in one of her jumpsuit's multitudinous pockets and pulls out a hanky, handing it delightedly to the Prince. He unceremoniously wipes his red, tearful eyes and blows his nose before handing it back to her. The aerial Worm wiggles her antennae, unphased.

“Pollen-” he sniffles wetly-

“Is a very strong sign of returning seasonal equilibrium!”

 Before excitedly turning to grasp both of his wards by the shoulder in each gloved hand. Declan fumbles his spun helmet, which drops to the ground as a four-pointed amulet similar to Cady’s.

“The data collected from Her last cycle showed this entire part of the continent razed by flame! Look at it now!”

 Caius turns again to wave his arms theatrically over the lush landscape before them. Every imaginable shade of green shimmers with dew from the night's chill— they stand atop a rocky outcrop overlooking the valley stretching out endlessly to the horizon, densely packed with a relatively young coniferous forest.

“Surely, there must be someone…” Caius trails off, gaze washing over the endless expanse.

 A gangly arm wraps itself around his shoulder from a few inches below, pulling him down as an elbow crooks the back of his neck. Declan presses his cheek to his, mouth to his ear as if he needs to whisper a secret— an old habit, as his voice rings clear in the base of Caius’ skull.

“So you can adopt new pets? Thoroughbred humans?” Caius shifts his eyes to Declan, who is puckering ludicrously with shining eyes.

“Will Cady and I become but repro-bastards?”

 Caius scoffs, but before he can ping his response, the second repro-bastard completes their huddle.

“Guuuuuys! You promised!” Cady wraps her muscular arms around both of their necks, so that they are fixed firmly in a pyramid of chokeholds.

“No head talking. I don’t wanna be third wheeling your mental hanky panky the whole time.”

 Declan, lowest to the ground of the three, ducks easily out of her grip. She fumbles forward into Caius, who miraculously isn't crushed instantly beneath her seeming heft.

“Wouldn’t it be grand, though? The great return of humanity on Earth!” Caius’ face lights up in wholesome wonderment. His space freaks nod politely, internally rolling their eyes.

 As the two most human shaped folk poke round the surrounding brush, Caius experiences himself purely bodily, removed from the temple of his own mind.

 The most notable distinction between the Great Worm and the ever rotating rock ball they are now upon is most obvious to Caius’ open psyche.

 It’s very, very quiet.

 After more than half a century of the ever present reception of her haunting song, singing sweet prayers to him from the back of his skull, Caius could not hear his beloved.

 And worse, he feels blissfully relieved— almost giddy.

BACK