The|MULTIVERSE

EPISODE 21: Nyxborne

Just what Cruxhaven needed, children—everywhere.

Despite their seemingly rampant numbers, the little people—adorable little creatures the product of a nice night and a hot romp between the sheets (sex, in case THAT wasn't clarified)—created a small percentage in Cruxhaven. Not entirely unordinary, but all were accounted for, and with the utmost care, of course. Most were the result of lost parents, orphans; little strays with sugar in their veins begging for more sugar and crumbs in the streets of Gaiaea realm's liberal cities. Cornelius and crew found them. He was a man who couldn't stand seeing children, or any stranded for that matter, struggling in crude poverty. Cruxhaven was more than enough to hold a vast number of people, and he instinctively provided them all with an exceptional home to call their own; far greater than the rat-infested slums of Gaiaea's capitals.

Over time, the great bastion was converted into a cozy little home minus the picket fences and heavy on the cookie cutting; Klarissa's culinary nature. No woman or man in Cruxhaven toppled her capacity to prepare virtually any cuisine thrown at her. With the proper recipes, the elf princess enhanced it, and every day marked an exciting event when she entered the kitchens.

There was one thing Klarissa loved the most. Above all else, from five-course meals to bite sized snacks, the elf loved to bake cookies, particularly the kind Ricven salivated over. Dawnvale Delights, stunningly decorated vanilla wafers with chocolate almond-crushed centers sprinkled with dry crushed blueberries. Straight delicious. She just recently reclaimed the recipe—secretly—from a special contact in Gaiea's Dawnvale region; a surprise for the cosmic-eyed multiverser with a cleverly troublesome mouth.

The verse conduit whirled again when Ricven and Fae passed through its gate, now littered with fragrant prismatic plants that spruced up Gate Command and given the once dreary-looking hall of stone and Gaiea-tech some vibrant life and richer character. Kaleidoscopic to the max. As the conduit simmered its buzzing mechanisms and the liquid blue vortex of glitter dispersed in a warping splash, Ricven glimpsed upon several heads drifting by, Cruxhaven's adapted denizens going on with their new and peaceful lives, working, conversing, loitering... A well-figured, though slightly lithe, orange-skinned ginger elf snuggled in a bodice made of verdant leafs creating her prismatic blossom dress, and a matching small glossy circlet that gleamed a single green jewel in its entwined center...

Add the splendid array of pea green hair she had going on, in braided buns and prissy curls that looked like it took forever to dress up... Yeah. Her. Anyone could easily spot the meticulous princess of Dawnvale, for Klarissa loved herself to the grand extent of showing every single detail of her style and grooming off. That was pure, unadulterated confidence. Divine splendor. All of that and then some.

It was an elaborate facade. And Ricven saw right through that noble rainbow.

... Ah-shit... Here we go, ladies and gents. Ricven mused as he observed the elf. If you've assumed Fae to be the jet-winged nagaboo champ of unending bitchery—wait until you get a silver spoon-full of this royal vegetable...

"Hi hi, Klarissa!" Fae buzzed over to her joyously. Ricven refined his locked gaze on her, more than suspicious of the elf standing there with her hands oddly hidden behind her back.

"Welcome home, you two!" Klarissa greeted them. A little too upbeat. Ricven wasn't buying that. The way she teetered-tottered on her feet, rocking innocently in place. Red flags all over. "How was your venture? Has everything gone as desired?"

"Saved a forest and killed an evil tree ho' ten times the size of Mana. I'm sure you'd be proud of the results," said Ricven. May as well let this play out. She'll bloom her true intent soon enough. They always do. And they say that females are so intricately complex. He fiddled about one of his packs clipped to his belt and tossed her a thick leafy pouch. "Here, got you something. Handle with care."