ORIGIN

Jinyi was as unprepared for the blast of pain searing through the hivemind as Ananke was. He flinched back in his high alcove, clutching his face as if he himself had been struck. But there were no physical wounds to match the phantom pain, and moments later, he could recognize--if barely, breathing heavily, and still reeling with shock--that the pain was someone else's. His sister's.

He felt her blind terror, just as he felt Yellow's helpless fear and rage, Lamia's uneasiness, and Halcyon's pained, embittered encouragement. It threatened to overwhelm his very sense of self, to pull at him until he was lost in the chaos of different minds and emotions. Still, he resisted the rush of different minds and tried to impart his own reassurance through their link: Ananke, Ananke. Listen--you survived; that's what's important. We can Reorder it all from here. Don't be scared--we won't let them hurt you again. His thoughts were simple and vernacular compared to the Priestess's customary noble diction, but that was the nature of a chip salesman. He tried his best to be reassuring in his own way, a cool spring of relatively-calm words within the chaos.

While his position far above the other combatants had protected him thus far, he was no longer content to attempt to assist by throwing rocks and controlling Lessers from far above. Their reinforcements had arrived en masse now. He didn't know whether their attackers would choose to leave peacefully, but the Praetors and the Hive's Lesser servants could take care of the fighting. Jinyi's duty now must be to use his Greater abilities--his magic--in whatever way he could to help his wounded siblings.

He slipped out from his alcove, wrapped his arms around the crystal tower, and slid clumsily down. It was fast, and mildly terrifying, and certainly clumsy (if he didn't have an exoskeleton to protect him, there would certainly be bruises where he'd hit bumps in the rocks at a little too high speed), but it got the job done: he was on the ground, where Ananke was. He wasted no time in rushing beside her, putting himself between the Priestess and their enemies to block her form from the sight of their magic users. Let them attack him next if they wished; he was mostly whole and had plenty of fight left.

Meanwhile, he bent down beside the white rabbit, thinking a gentle suggestion: Can you use your magic to strengthen the Hive? I'll try to heal you. Call on the strength of Order. We are all here with you. Don't be scared. And he willed the Hive's beautiful, Ordered magic forward, to mend the Priestess's wounds. To restore her to pristine, uninjured perfection.

A rush of relief as the magic took, as Order returned to heal the rabbit's burns. And then, as he stood and turned toward his other wounded sibling, a thought of calm, quiet reassurance at Halcyon: You've been so brave. Gemini is ours now. We will heal you, undo the damage done by Chaos, and return this place to Order.