continued from lost dog, please adopt

She continued to follow alongside Master Astraea, grunting as she listened in affirmation. He was taking the news of the Throne rather well, to be honest. Although it occurred to her that he probably wouldn't be mad - after all, he could no longer sit in it. He own anger and protectiveness of it came from a place of ignorance, having not realized yet that he'd been somehow transformed.

Which reminded her that she wanted to ask about that. Perhaps...not now, but eventually.

"He seems annoying," she grumbled. "Talking all fancy about tyranny and abuse. Called me a brute for breaking a skeleton he'd draped over the Throne." She snorted. "So easily insulted."

She thought on ways to possibly recruit him for...whatever this was. She could apologize (ugh) or - yes, as Astraea said, she could say it was a punishment for the Throne. Although what this mysterious task was...

She knew it as soon as they crossed the threshold into Eridanus. Eyes widened at the state of it. The once green jungle, covered in white, draped in webbing. Fungus growing over every tree and trunk and fern and flower and the whole place smelled like rot.

"What...what the hell is this?"

Astraea snorted softly, and nodded. "That sounds about right," he murmured in agreement. The less said on it, the better.

They had other things to discuss, now, regardless: the Master tipped his nose to point at the nearest cluster of thick white.

"An invasion, an infestation, that I believe occurred during our hibernation." He could not be quite sure on its timeline. "This, if you have never seen it, is Order. It is not a real threat," he added, tipping his chin higher. If it was, it was doubtful if he'd admit it. "More of an annoyance. Its effect is limited to here, Canis..." he hummed in thought. "Ursa, to some extent Gemini. I and those of the 'Chaos Forge'--that is Vargas's group--have been clearing it periodically but it's a very stubborn thing. I am thinking," he added, turning to fully face Tectus, "that it might do to have someone who can focus purely on eliminating it. You would have my permission to gather volunteers, arrange them how you like, and wage war on Order here. It should be cleaned out," he added, with a disgusted glance to the mold.

Doubly irritating, that his own element mirrored its choice of infiltration, here. That he in particular was skilled at its removal, yet it kept returning like vermin nonetheless.

"Given that there's no operation in Orion to oversee--at the moment, anyway--might this suit you for a task?"

@Tectus

Disgust overcame her as she glared at Eridanus. She had quite liked this cave once. But now it was utterly foul. More so when Astraea named it as Order. The enemy, of them and their creator. Of the very caves themselves. She had been reaching forward to cut some out and look at it more closely, but she stopped her claws and pulled them back. "What does it do? Surely there is a purpose." It had to have an effect on living creatures, didn't it? Order would have more to fight then plants.

She turned her head slowly as Astraea approached the topic and a grin split across her face. She could already guess what he was going to ask of her and she lifted her head. "Consider it done. I have found a valkhound already that would be well-suited to the task." Of course, she'd need t find more. Oilstone T-One's magic was not powerful enough to do much then singe some fungus.

Hmm...burning Eridanus might be a way to go. It would certainly be efficient. And she was sure they could just as easily grow it back. The jungle had burned down before.

She nodded again. "Yes, yes I will make sure it is cleansed. I have some ideas already. And you're right - Pride would be suited for this, hm? Although if he will listen to me after what happened at the Throne is questionable."

"Don't," he warned, as she reached for it. He'd intended to explain, though he'd needed to hear, first, that she was ready for this.

He hadn't been certain. If she'd admitted being too weak even to take this on, he'd have postponed it. 'Or found someone else,' he wished that he could say, but truth be told they were too few even now: a thought he hated having to admit to himself.

Her news, though, turned his head. "Have you? Well done, good initiative." It sounded stilted but it was the truth. Perhaps there was a little hope for this after all. He looked back at the white mold, and nodded. "Good. I am glad to hear it. And as I say, I will come with you if necessary. Otherwise, frame it as a... matter of 'protecting' other Gembounds. I believe he imagines himself to be some sort of spokesperson. And first, see to Master Vargas and inform him I am tasking you with this. You are to Oversee it; as a Master you are technically... lower-ranking than he, of course, but tell him that you are answering directly to me in this." It wasn't said with contention. Rather, Astraea trusted Vargas to respect his decision, here; in fact he would likely welcome it, he thought.

"As for the fungus itself, it is some new invention of Order. It takes the form of a 'hive,' here. All of their drones, and those afflicted by this," he said with disgust, kicking a rancid clot away, "are linked in thought. We have already burned out a smaller nest of it in Cetus. -In fact, before you truly begin I'd advise a tour of the caves. Familiarize yourself with its changes and ensure there are no pockets of the stuff that might be missed, and grow into another nest later on. As it stands they've burrowed deep into Ursa, into frozen tunnels they defend with a small army of drones and converted Ice Worms."

He paused, thinking. This felt... good. Addressing business. Making decisions. It felt like progress.

"We'll get rid of it everywhere else, first, and then move on to Ursa when they've nowhere left to run." There was a dark humor in his tone, another smile twisting his face. He looked forward to the day. "But the exact 'how,' I leave to you, Overseer Tectus. Of course, if you have any questions, you may come to me; I will likely be here, or nearby, dealing with what I can." A never-ending, losing battle, it seemed--but perhaps now that he had competent allies...

"Oh, but its abilities. Don't ingest. The mold's filaments invade the nervous system, and after a cycle or two of infection it can no longer be purged. The target's desires and mind are subsumed by Order at that point, and destruction is the only option. If you are infected, find me and I can purge it; or return to your chrysalis if you deem it safe to do so."

@Tectus

She nodded as she pulled her claws all the way back. It might be difficult to get through this without infection but perhaps if she simply brute forced her way through, as was her way, it wouldn't have a chance to get in her system. She'll have to test that later.

Her attention was on Astraea for everything else he was saying and assigning to her. See Master Vargas, inform him of her mission. Wander the caves a bit, become familiar with their change. Recruit valkhounds and gembounds, whoever she can, for this task. Return here and drive out the infection.

She could go for a little wildfire.

The news of a "Hive" concerned her. Brow furrowed and the edges of a frown curled her mouth. "A hive? Do you know how many they number?" She was going to ask why they hadn't yet assaulted the hive but turned ice worms was...extremely concerning. It might be beyond her scope, then, to drive out. At least alone.

She nodded, once again, once he had finished everything. "Understood. And should I find infected gembound, would you rather I bring them to you or kill them on sight?" She wasn't sure how long it took or how far it would go before it was irreversible, but she was still unsure of Astraea's position on most of the gembound. Would he rather protect them, if he could? If so, she would follow his lead and otherwise leave them to their devices.

"No," he answered simply. He believed it to be dozens of Gembounds, possibly hundreds of Lessers but truth be told he wasn't sure. Even he could not be everywhere at once and Order had seemed to spread itself in small but effective pockets throughout the nest.

As for whether to kill them--if they are too far gone, if they have been consumed by Order, that is the only option. If you think there may be hope, bring them to me and I will see if they can be cleansed." For some, he would not care. For others, like those who had been less... irritating, he would gladly purge them.

He considered, trying to go over all he'd said. Ah. "There is one thing. Because it is a hivemind, if you do try to bring one to me, the others may attempt to stop you. Dontacael's puppet here has orchestrated a... venom, in its soldier drones. It crystallizes its targets, bypassing the chrysalis. Needless to say... do not risk yourself if they turn up. Kill the Gembound if you must but don't be killed for them."

That seemed like everything, he thought.

He looked to Tectus again. "I am glad that you have awoken, Overseer," he said.

@Tectus

The Overseer nodded, counting and recounting all of the new information she had. This was a lot in a short span of time, but she knew she could handle it. She might just need some time to properly adapt from the ways she was used to.

But killing infected gembound? That she could do. To be honest, she wasn't sure if she would spare the thought to attempt to help an infected, especially if she didn't know at one point its a lost cause. It might just be easier to kill them outright, stop the infection from spreading any farther. And to keep her life safe.

"Understood," she rumbled. "I will try to avoid Ursa for now, until I have a proper amount of backup. I don't think this hive would be too happy about another Overseer awakening."

The last comment spread an...unexpected warmth in Tectus. What affection she could feel for her Master, like a loyal hound being called a good dog, she basked in it. "I am too, although the circumstances could be more agreeable. If there's nothing else, Master Astraea, I will head to Draco now and meet with Master Vargas."

Astraea nodded. "Be aware they may already know. They infest Lessers, and tend to observe unseen. It would be good if they have not," he added, in mild agreement, "but don't rely on it and become surprised."

Aside from that, he mulled everything over one last time.

He was pleased, in some professionally satisfied sort of way, that Tectus was returning to her duties with her old dedication. It offered some sense of things being... right with the world, in a way they hadn't been for some time. Of things being normal, or... what passed for normal within the nest, at least.

"There's nothing else that I can think of. Be wary of your route," he added; "some of the caves and tunnels may not be as you remember them." This was given as genuine advice, though he knew it might come across rather sinister. That wasn't his intent. It was just the dust, the ruins... It had come as a shock to him, and he imagined it was already a shock to her.

@Tectus

She nodded, already mapping out her route. If she wanted to avoid Ursa, then it would be best to take the route through Andromeda. "All the more reason to avoid, until my strength is back." She did not like the idea of some barely known enemy stalking her steps, not while she was in this shape. But soon. She could already feeling the force of her muscles returning, the strength she once held was slowly being regained.

"I will keep that in mind. Thank you, Master Astraea." With a final dip of her head, she turned away from the stag, casting a final, disgusted glance at the surrounding fungus, and made her way out of the cave, beginning her path to Draco.

*exit