It was happening again. The wielders of the flame were lashing out at those they didn't fully understand and leaving ash and foul-smelling scorch marks in their wake.

Although vaguely aware of this through the link the Hive possessed to all who fell into its domain, the damage became ever more painfully clear to Halcyon upon their return to the imperfection of Gemini's reflective splendor. Swathes of the work they and Ananke had diligently coaxed into flourishing had been burnt so violently away. Every direction taken on their walk lead to signs of the incursion, mirrors which should have shown flawed copies of themselves smudged black and grey now. Glowing fins flickered and a grimace crossed their face at the latest of these sights. Releasing a hand from the staff they gripped while strolling along, they paused to brush their palm over one of the marred surfaces nearby; the attempt at cleaning failed, the awful mess smearing further and obscuring the pensive eyes peering back at them.

They sighed, another note made to pass by here later and restore the growth previously established so it might banish the ugliness on display. A coating of white over the sides of these clustered crystal towers would be a vast improvement if properly protected and cultivated, a careful process they hadn't been able to afford to do before with the necessity of swift battle preparations taking precedence. Any surface fortunate enough to have escaped the purging by fire, too, might receive their help. Perhaps now, able to ponder over potential solutions, they might devise a way to make broken reflections whole, sealing up the cracks that caused such disconcerting images.

At the moment, though, they were content to dwell upon older ideas. Order's presence in the cave a secret no longer, occasional patrols through the region hopefully minimizing interference to small but infuriating outbreaks of burning, at last consideration could be given to finding better options for encouraging fungus growth than the simple method of hunting and gathering for sustenance. Although far from a farmer, logic dictated an appropriate food source must be grown to sustain a booming population lest it plateau from lacking one.

The best place to start would be where water existed. It made the process more convenient to not have to cart the precious resource over to the site of whatever plants they chose to nurture. Fortunately, as an often too boastful member of their collective had disclosed, an ideal location was available with an intriguing feature to puzzle over.

Order, great as it was, had proven detrimental to plant growth: exposure to its power turned them fragile and might even place them into stasis, unable to develop past the point they'd been touched. Therefore, though they wished to make the area approached a safe haven for their kind, Halcyon contented themselves by keeping their protection at the boundaries of the clearing ahead. Crouching down just before crystals parted to reveal the waterfall they sought out and unmistakably heard, they rested a hand against the slick stone floor and channeled forth their Mother's will. A cool breath of relief accompanied the spread of glassy threads sprouting from the gentle press. Her influence expanded outward and formed a perfect circle around their hunkered form.

@Sair

Sair

Sair moved past charred and fungus-covered crystals with purpose, hooves and talons reflected disproportionally in what few crystals could still reflect them. It was still strange to see such a reflection, but the horse was starting to get used to the new limbs. In a cave of unpredictable magic, it was only natural to change.

Comfortable with the route and well used to the rotting smell of order fungus, Sair had little trouble relocating the alcove that housed the Rift, hoping for another gift from the surface. They wanted to know more, of course, but they also wanted to see the sky again, even if it was only a vision. It was beautiful and vast, much like how the very ceiling above seemed to stretch endlessly up, but it was much more than a reflection. They wondered if there was some way to see it themself, some way to enter the rift or... something. It was little more than a daydream, interrupted by the sound of steps nearby.

Sair would wait a moment for the Rift's response to their presence before they moved to check it out, tucking any potential gift into their satchel before poking their head out of the alcove. "Hello?" They would call, not familiar with the sound of the steps. Not Juggernaut's, which was a shame. Maybe a sibling? They had been waiting to meet some of them, poking around Gemini gently, not wanting to intrude and leave a bad impression.

They fully exited the alcove now, glancing around the waterfall until their eyes landed upon the bipedal creature that had been wandering around. They were no feathered crab, but pale and aquatic all the same. They wondered, but would come to no conclusion with so little evidence. "I'm Sair." They offered, sparing a lazy glance the the newly grown circle of white. Maybe their thoughts weren't so far-fetched after all?

"Speaking." Thinking. Doing.
OOC:

We don't know how to accept we're just a product of a chance /
And less like gods but more like plants

@Luminary

The rift hums with the dull drone of magic, but nothing more happens.