Sanctuary II

Amber was in the lab with a workpad in her hand, waiting for Roisin and Keegan to arrive, she had made some discoveries in the research into the dark matter.

As Roisin and Keegan walked in, she waved them over.

"What have you found?" Roisin asked as the two walked closer.

"So, I've been looking more into the dark matter miasma, and I've made an... interesting discovery" Amber began. "You see, the dark matter, I suspect is from the realm of these ones you call the 'Senior Partners'. Which seems to be some separate realm, or even, reality" She continued.

"Right" Keegan nodded, as he looked at the research papers.

"Well, the dark matter miasma, it seems to... eat aether, leaving nothing but a void in its wake. Pure nothingness" Amber explained.

"Nothingness, then, the lands outside of the cities?" Roisin asked.

"They're being consumed, yes" Amber nodded.

"Hmm, if aether is being stripped, then what is going on with the fiends? Why are they getting stronger?" Keegan pondered.

"Good question" Amber smiled, as she turned to look through a nearby window at Amanda's room. "It seems the Crystalliam energy that lives in all of us runs rampant through the bodies of it's host, twisting and distorting their bodies. Due to the immense amount of aether contained in each person, or animal, it takes much longer for the miasma to consume" Amber continued.

"But Amanda was only out there for a few days before it took effect" Roisin said, looking over at Amanda.

"Indeed, it appears her Crystalliam levels are surprisingly low. If I didn't know better, I'd say she transfused her Crystalliam into another host at some point, perhaps to keep them alive" Amber theorized. Roisin sighed.

"It must have been me" Roisin frowned, feeling conflicted over her emotions toward Amanda.

"Yes, that is the likely conclusion" Amber sighed, as she patted Roisin's shoulder.

"I should hate her for killing Mum and Dad, but I can't... and it hurts" Roisin said as she walked over to the glass.

"It is understandable, she killed our parents" Keegan nodded.

"Her son killed our cousin too, little Petyr" Roisin sighed.

"And her daughter is one of your best friends" Keegan said, as he walked over to Roisin. Roisin nodded and smiled.

"Can an evil person truly become a good person?" Roisin asked. Keegan chuckled slightly.

"I did, didn't I?" He smiled.

"You weren't evil, you were misled" Roisin smiled at Keegan.

"Nobody is truly evil, there is always some small mote of light, even in the darkest of souls" Keegan comforted Roisin.

"Then, what about Varla?" Roisin asked.

"Hmm, you got me there" Keegan chuckled.

"She creeped me out yesterday" Roisin began. "Well, more than usual" She added, with a smile.

"Hmm, how so?" Keegan asked, as Amber resumed analysing data.

"I was mocking her, laughing at her to provoke her, you know, the usual. Then she laughed back" Roisin explained.

"She... laughed?" Keegan raised his eyebrow.

"Yeah, then she went all weird and basically ran off" Roisin added.

"That is creepy, and weird" Keegan smiled.

"I found out her big plans, though" Roisin said. "She plans to either revive the Empire... or murder literally everyone" She shrugged.

"Well thats quite the choice" Keegan said sarcastically.

"Yeah, I have no doubt that if we continue to let her run rampant, she will start slaughtering the people of Sanctuary" Roisin sighed.

"We don't have anyway to restore the light, as of yet though" Keegan sighed, as he looked at Amanda.

"We need to start large scale evacs into the Undercity. She might retaliate, but she will continue to do so either way" Roisin suggested.

"Hmm, we could suggest it to Celeste at the next resistance meeting call" Keegan nodded.

"I will lead the operation, when it commences" Roisin nodded. "She'd ignore the city, if it meant a chance at killing me" She smiled. Keegan frowned.

"I can't let you go out there alone" Keegan shook his head. "I'll also be bait" He smiled, before looking over at Amber, who was staring at him with disapproval.

"You can't, you could be killed" Amber frowned.

"If me dying saves even half the city, then I'm all for it" Keegan shrugged, before walking over to Amber and hugging her. "But I don't plan on dying" He winked. Amber sighed and hugged him back.

"You better not..." Amber smiled. "I'll look after Ruby, I guess" She shrugged.

"I'm sure Ruby will love that" Roisin smiled. "She loves her Aunt Amber" She chuckled.

"For now, we can relax though, no point planning until the resistance gives us the thumbs up" Keegan nodded. Ruby glided through the air above the three, chirping away, before landing on the window sill outside of Amanda's chamber, and chirping.