Villain Retirement

[I truly wish I could join your adventure, but Ahor Zai can not leave. Please, just tell me all about the adventure once you come back here.]

"Hm."

Riley and the group were now back on the tarmac, getting ready to leave. Queen Vania and Vera already left in a haste, as she still needed to plan on what to do now that she knows their god is still alive.

"Wait, we have one more coming with us."

Riley was about to board the ship, but before he could do so, he saw someone approaching them from afar—Elder Olseyir, flying towards them with her oversized cloak and robes snapping in the air.

"We made a deal," Aerith then said as Elder Olseyir landed in front of her, "She gets materials from New Theran, and her people will help in calming down the other planets."

"My people are scattered everywhere on different planets," Elder Olseyir bowed, seemingly introducing herself again, "I believe I can help maintain peace during the chaos."

"..." Riley did not really respond to Elder Olseyir and just tilted his head; the two of them, just reflecting in each other's eyes. The two stayed like this for a few seconds, not breaking eye contact before Aerith called for them.

"Elder Olseyir, Riley. Let's go."

"Of course, Princess Aerith."

Olseyir and Riley just nodded at each other, before Riley moved to the side and gestured to Elder Olseyir to board the ship first.

"..." Riley then looked back at the view of the plateau, before silently whispering,

"Ahor Zai."

[...Yes?] Ahor Zai also whispered; its voice, only reaching Riley's ears.

"The clone I left in the library, don't tell anyone about it."

[...Of course. We are talking now, he… has lots of stories about this group called Italian Mafia.]

"Hm…" Riley nodded, a small smile crawling on his face as he finally boarded the ship.

Unbeknownst to everyone, there were several eyes watching them from one of the buildings on the plateau—The Grand Elder, Elder Skeem, as well as Elder Bato.

The three watched as Tedi's colossal hand entered Ahor Zai and gently picked up Aerith's ship.

And as soon as she flew away, the three of them all looked at each other—or perhaps only two of them, as it was hard to discern what Elder Bato was thinking… as he just looked like a rock.

The Elder Skeem and the Grand Elder then nodded, before separating ways; with Elder Bato rolling away.

***

[So… it would seem the new Elder of the Common Council is active.]

Inside Aerith's ship, Tedi's hologram was walking around in place. Her eyes, looking at Elder Olseyir from head to toe.

"I need to earn my place, Former Elder Tedi," Elder Olseyir did not seem to mind her judging gaze, however, as a small chuckle escaped her breaths.

[Oh, trust me. You do not need to do much to be considered active—the members of the Council have become lazy throughout the years, it did not use to be like that.]

"Hm…" Elder Olseyir only shrugged.

[I saw you fly earlier,] Tedi seemed to not be done, however, [Is that from your tech too? Or is it a racial ability?]

"It's one of our tech, I guess?" Elder Olseyir stood up from her seat; her feet, slowly lifting from the floor, "It replicates gravity, allowing me to… essentially fall in the direction I want."

[I don't detect any device around you.]

"As intended, our tech can't be detected," Elder Olseyir once again giggled; her pink robes, moving as she made her way to the window, "But I am more in awe of what you can build, former Elder Tedi."

Olseyir looked outside the window, only to see nothing but silver around them. They were currently moving at hyperspeed… but inside Tedi's hand.

Tedi was flying across the expanse of the universe at hyperspeed; attached to her back and feet were… some sort of gigantic thrusters.

[It is nothing much,] Tedi's hologram also looked outside the window, [It is just basically attaching several engines that were already built around my body. I can make myself weightless and intangible—you can see the advantages of our species with just that.]

"Hm, quite an interesting biology," Elder Olseyir continued to look at Tedi's palm, "But how would you mate since you're this big?"

[!!!]

A loud rumble caused the ship to momentarily slow down, causing everyone inside to almost tumble.

[I… do not think of such things.]

"You should," Elder Olseyir shrugged as she looked at Tedi's hologram, "It is a creature's basic instinct to procreate. And it would be a shame to not see another Norinlad as large as you."

[First of all, I am not that large; I'm thin for my size. Have you not seen a Messenger? And second, let us stop talking about this.]

"Hm…" Elder Olseyir just shrugged as she started walking around the small cockpit again; her eyes, settling on Riley and Aerith, who had been quiet since earlier.

"I am aware that Riley thinks he is in love with you… if he is capable of that, Princess Aerith."

"..." Aerith slightly flinched upon hearing Olseyir's random question.

"But I was quite surprised to know that you are lovers?"

"We're not!" Aerith quickly rotated her seat to look at Elder Olseyir, "Let's get this straight, Riley murdered a lot of people I care about—including the father of my child. I'm more like his warden or something."

"But Ahor Zai—"

"Ugh…" Aerith just rolled her eyes before rotating her seat away, showing her desire not to talk.

"..." And so, with no one else to talk to anymore, Elder Olseyir turned to look at Riley. The two, however, just stared at each other without saying a single word. And after a few seconds of this, Olseyir just shrugged and looked away.

[Psst, Riley.]

And not even a second after, Riley could hear Tedi's hologram quietly calling for him.

[What do you think about her?]

"...Elder Olseyir?" Riley whispered.

[She seems quite suspicious, no? I searched for any traces of her species, Biolan—but nothing came up.]

"Perhaps they live in the Unknown like me, Tedi."

[No, she specifically said they live in the Known Universe. I did find people that wore the same clothes as her religiously, but they—!!!]

And before Tedi could spill her tea, the bright lights of the cockpit turned red; flickering as a siren started to echo everywhere. The ship also started to decelerate, causing Elder Olseyir to almost fall if she didn't manage to float in the air.

"What… what's going on?" Elder Olseyir was the first to react.

[The Cherbi.]

Tedi then very slowly opened her hands, revealing the expanse of space and the glittering stars around them. But that wasn't the only thing in their view, however—as far in the distance, they could see a pink fluff of a sphere.

"That's… the Cherbi?" Elder Olseyir almost planted her eyes on the window as she stared at the Cherbi, "...Perhaps you should test your Shade Prison."

[I didn't bring it. And even if I did, I will not even attempt and try to trap it inside,] Tedi shook her head, [The Cherbi has existed before us, and it will exist after us. We have no right to take away its existence. The knowledge it holds might be equal to Ahor Zai.]

"But why is it here?" Aerith also stood from her seat as she stared at the pink fluff, "The last star is lightyears away. We are already near Theran territory."

[Hm…]

Tedi's hologram disappeared, replaced by a map of the cosmos around them. The map showed where they are, where the Cherbi is… and where it will be if it continued with its trajectory.

[It's…

…moving straight to Theran.]