Solar Power ༄ Druig

12 • remember you

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"This is the deviant you fought in London?" Kingo raises his voice a little, the harsh winds gliding grains of sand in the air.

The wind picks up again and Oriana holds the strings of her wide brim bucket hat to keep it from flying away.

"It's different," Ikaris says.

Oriana tightens reins on Athena. The dog shuffles on her paws, part of her animal instinct wanting to go and sniff the alien creature, the other part wanting to stay put and do her duty as a guide.

Domo, having no duties except those of being a dog, runs straight for it and sniffles away.

Being able to see him, Sprite chides the dog, "Domo, here." She rapidly pats her thigh and Domo dashes back to the group.

"There must be more out there than we thought."

The deviant stood out from the corner of her sight in a motionless hill of gray. Kingo and Karun approach it.

"Is this a Deviant sir?"

"Yes."

"It's a beautiful creature."

"What!" Kingo whips his head to his valet. "This-this is hideous. You've never had one try to bite your head off. Roll."

At Kingo's word, Karun raises the camera and starts recording. Trailing closely behind his boss and Oriana.

Kingo looks at the camera over his shoulder, talking to it as if they're shooting The Blair Witch Project. "You're about to meet two of the greatest warriors the world has ever known. Thena; Legendary, deadly, actually fashionable."

The camera follows Kingo's quick glance to his left, where Oriana is walking. Her nose scrunches at the insult and she flips him off.

"And her trusty friend, a mighty power house of strength," Kingo bellows right beside Oriana's ear. "The Fearsome Gilgamesh."

Athena stops, Oriana settling next to the dog. The loose Domo sinks into the ground behind them. They all crowd in front of a house carved from sandstone and shanty wood. Ikaris knocks on the door.

"You don't have to shout," Oriana tells Kingo. "We're all right–"

"Gilgamesh!"

"–here."

There is a beat. No one answers and Kingo calls out again.

The wooden doors open with a creak and the summoned man appears.

"What took you so long?" Gilgamesh asks, waving the camera off.

"You look younger today, Sprite," he comments then Oriana senses him walking past her. Gilgamesh nods at the blue eyed dog behind her even though she can't see the action. "Oriana, finally turned Druig into a dog?"

She shakes her head at a chuckling Gilgamesh. But a hint of a smile breaks her stoic face. It's comforting to know his sense of humor is still intact, sadly it's so not the time.

Karun says something and Gilgamesh turns his attention to the human.

"And who the hell are you?"

"I'm Karun. Kingo's valet."

"Oh valet, like Alfred in Batman."

Karun nods delightedly.

"Gilgamesh," Ikaris says, taking lead. "The Deviants are back."