Khavur had wasted no time. After willing the coven of carollers away to safety in Pegasus, he had lumbered back to Draco on foot, giving himself time to think. And good grief did he think.

To be fair, there was much to consider. He had had his time in the waters of the Black City — cold, dark, and deep. That had been difficult terrain, and he had even had to fight down there. The difference was this: strength in numbers, training, and supplies. Numbers, it could not afford for this mission — not too many, and not too generally. Supplies, it might be able to manage with some help. Training was the easiest of the three, but even then Khavur could think of no instructor, no trustworthy waterborne fighter... except one.

And how could he go about that, when he hadn't even apologized and the last time they had seen each other the Labradorite had assumed he was attacking its Overseer— no, its creator? There was so much necessary violence in this life of Khavur's, and the Labradorite was most likely to respond to that violence with some of its own rather than an attempt at understanding. And that bothered Khavur, because it was familiar — but not in the way that he wanted it to be. And even if he could manage to thoroughly apologize, that was only step one of persuading his sibling to accompany him as a comrade, and he just wasn't sure he had time. The longer he waited, the more opportunities Mother had to make things more difficult, to infest that skeletal forest, to entrap that "trophy" forever. So there had to be an easier way, or at least Khavur had to seek one out, and he just had to think about it some more, but then— "V-Labradorite-One?" He was already making the call. "Are you there?"

At the very least, they had a clear common enemy. At least, Khavur hoped they did. And they had a common goal, in a sense. If he could frame it through that lens, perhaps it would be enough. Oh, how times had changed... from a makeshift family to estranged would-be comrades. From sibling to second in command. Well they were Valkhounds, after all— or at least, Khavur was. No order even in their organizations. No rest, and very little peace to be found here.

Unfortunately for the Labradorite.

@V-Labradorite-One

I'd of blown the scoundrel up
Watch his head and heart hiccup
Erupt in tinsel and blue cinders
turn August into winter

Labradorite has been preparing for a mission of it's own- although one of significantly less importance and risk. It had returned to Draco to rest, to ponder what it's wish, to debate if it should ask Zoisite to join. If this was a potential ally, then maybe The Zoisite would be good help? It had more.. help on the farm than The Labradorite had for it's own duties- hopefully it'd be better at talking to and convincing others?

It hadn't thought it'd had any duties left to attend to, so when the voice of another- Khavur- started calling for it, it was.. confused. And a little annoyed, given it's plans. It thought about maybe hiding, since it seemed like Khavur didn't know where it was, or that it was even HERE. But.. it remembered Alpha's slinking form, the way it acted like a mouse and not a lion. The way it ran and hid from everything. Bile and hate rose in it's gullet, and it lumbered in Khavur's direction.

"Yes? What is it?" It called back, with the sort of tone you'd use when speaking to a manager you don't particularly like- because Khavur DID rank higher than The Labradorite, much to it's chagrin. So technically, it'd have to listen to whatever it said. But really, what did ranking mean nowendays? The Chaos Forge more and more felt like a machine without oil, gears grating against each other and crushing each other to bits. But it couldn't abandon the forge, if only because it's hatred of those who HAD abandoned them. And it couldn't leave it's siblings, either. And it didn't know what it'd do without the work-

So maybe it was firmly wedged in the gears of this machine.

@Khavur

The tone, the... brevity, it wasn't just heard — it was felt. The pang of it ran through Khavur's spine and up his neck and in his throat and now, he wasn't so sure, he didn't know how this would go really, he didn't have a clue. Perhaps he had miscalculated just how impressionable the Labradorite was, perhaps he should start scouring the waters looking for others built more suited to his needs, no— perhaps now wasn't the time to apologize and Khavur really had made another error it couldn't fix. But... 'I know I need you.'

Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Khavur heard the fluttering of wings somewhere. A calling tune. He closed the small-horned's set of eyes for a moment, breathed in short but deep through the nostrils of the large-horned's, and looked, full focus, at the Labradorite. "I just wanted to say, I am sorry for what I have done. All of it; I've hurt this Forge... you and the Zoisite, more than I have helped, it seems. And I know you are likely not ready to hear or accept that right now, but I need you to know still so that you are aware... I want to do better by you, and by the Zoisite, although it will take effort and I... may need help. And... and did you find the Wishing Stone? It was here for a while. We can talk about that instead, if you like. Did you wish for anything?"

Khavur didn't have to mention it, yet. He was losing track, losing focus, on what was most important. More than anything, it was his family. He could do nothing without them, and he should have spent more effort... more time repairing this. Just this. Because when all was said and done, they were knit together, left together, monsters and people against a world they hadn't been hatched or made for. It was lonelier, being apart, wasn't it?

@V-Labradorite-One

I'd of blown the scoundrel up
Watch his head and heart hiccup
Erupt in tinsel and blue cinders
turn August into winter

It hadn't been expecting an apology. It blinked, almost taken aback. Less so by the concept of the apology and more the timing, or the fact Khavur saw it fit to apologies at all. It had been one of those things Labradorite shoved down into the archives, with only the footnote Keep an eye on Khavur really sticking in the forefront of its mind. "That was cycles ago." It replied, not quite an acceptance or rejection of the apology, just an acknowledgement. It didn't know whether it WANTED to forgive Khavur or not.

It was met with the quiet realization that it didn't know what it wanted at all.

Best move on from that.

The wishing stone. It knew other forge members had found it, but it hadn't been aware Khavur was among them. Maybe it heard through the rumour-mill like Labradorite Itself had."I did. It gave the the directions to a potential ally, in Eridanus." If Khavur knew about the wishing stone.. then it had probably wished for something too, right? It didn't know many who could resist an opportunity such as that, and it certainly didn't count Khavur among them. "What did you wish for?" It'd ask, although it'd probably regret extending this situation via small talk.

@Khavur

That was cycles ago. Jarring; curt; true. It was, and yet Khavur had learned recently that cycle-old wounds do not necessarily stop hurting. Sometimes the scab gets infected and then, well, just look at the Oilstone creeping over its side and see. Khavur let it pass, whatever emotions this might have caused to surge in the Labradorite, or whatever emotions it had frightened away, or perhaps there were no emotions at all and the Labradorite was a better soldier than the lot of them. That was unlikely.

Khavur focused on the wishing stone train of thought. An ally in Eridanus? "That is good. We always need more allies, it seems, to keep this Forge running..." And then the question. Khavur was a little surprised by how quickly this had landed right where he wanted it, and he wasn't sure he was a fan of the speed. Still, Khavur was a businesslike creature — got it from somewhere — and the Labradorite would find that he didn't really do 'small talk'. Haste was something of a necessity for this objective, after all. "My wish was of a similar nature. A quest for... some sort of allegiance, hopefully. I" do not know if I can trust you yet but I "may need your help with it actually. ...Know that this has nothing to do with my apology. I am not trying to curry favor with you in such a dishonest way. It is simply... a risky trip for what will likely be a great and necessary reward, and requires a skillset more suited to dangerous and unfamiliar territories... such as the Black City."

That last line was a dig, yes — searching for a shared experience that would help the Labradorite understand several things at once. On a personal level, it was a reminder of the comradery between them that needed to grow, the time they had worked together without necessarily hurting each other. On a functional level, it was a hint at the logistics of this water-based quest which might be enticing to the Forge's most well-trained aquatic soldier. Khavur wished to see which one it would catch if not both, which might pull it or push it further away. Perhaps it would be invisible to Khavur's eyes. The Labradorite was difficult to read. With magic, however... No. That felt devious, invasive, too close to how he had acted before, and Khavur did not want to return to that path unless it was a necessity. The Labradorite's heart was its own to know; Khavur would find a way to appeal to that, even if it took a million errors.

@V-Labradorite-One

I'd of blown the scoundrel up
Watch his head and heart hiccup
Erupt in tinsel and blue cinders
turn August into winter

Oh. That apology- and this whole confrontation- made a lot more sense now. Despite Khavur's reassurance otherwise, it suspected the apology had everything to do with it's request. Although being proven, Khavur could just ORDER it to accompany it, so maybe not...

Huh.

Whatever the case, Labradorite's attention quickly turned to the potential mission at hand. It remembered The Black City, how in it's element it had felt although that had unraveled as the situation quickly went to chaos. And it thought of how Khavur behaved during the quest- and after. How much less... volatile it was compared to the other interactions it had had with the two-headed beast. Maybe it just needs something to focus on to keep the chaos at bay.

Or maybe it's idea of Khavur was such a one-dimensional splatter of blood on the wall that The Labradorite didn't even know how it truly behaved.

"...And what does this quest entail?" It asked tentatively. It wanted to know what it was even getting into before it agreed to anything. "Does Vargas know about this?" Though it assumed if Vargas knew, Khavur wouldn't be the one leading the recruitment effort, "....Or will he only be informed if the mission is successful?" That seemed... unwise. If Vargas was aware of the quest, he could send in backup or a rescue mission if everything went horribly wrong, like it seemed it might.

That is if they were even worth the effort of a rescue party.

@Khavur

Khavur was... pleasantly surprised by the Labradorite's questions. They were good questions, the last one in particular Khavur felt a little foolish for not thinking of earlier. For a moment, memories of the past, of the small fish he had known as his sibling and ward, came to mind. The one who played with bubbles, now so serious, trained to serve a Master, gathering experience and caution in a specialized field. And it puzzled him, for a moment, how things could grow and change so much more than him, and yet he was the one set up to betray them and not vice versa. Although, Khavur changed too, just... slower. And he wondered now, how much was still left of that little fish, and the donator of magic that came before it? How much would he have to relearn and reevaluate? It was exciting, for reasons both right and wrong. Khavur had chosen to be unaware of the Labradorite's feelings, oblivious to its suspicions, but in a certain way it was right — Khavur was not a conscientious creature.

"The quest entails Ursa. A long time in Ursa, the forests, the waters therein. As such, we will likely expect to contend with agents of Order. Although as you saw in the Black City, they are not adept with water, we may still have to make our way passed and through them on land, and there is plentiful land to travel." A smile crept onto Khavur's half-blind side as he addressed the next questions: "As for Master Vargas, he does not... yet." A little chuckle. "I did not even think of telling him; I came rather directly to you. Thank you for reminding me." Khavur wanted to trust the Labradorite with more, he really did. But before that, he wanted to know more... about everything he had missed with this one puzzle piece, the only one willing to fight him head on and elude him almost completely. "I imagine to prepare we may need... greater numbers, and specific training. Others who had traveled down to the Black City before might be worthy allies, however due to the nature of what we are after, I would prefer to keep this largely within the Forge." Khavur attempted some closeness here, for the sake of secrecy and privacy that always felt rather difficult to maintain in Draco. "What is down there is a dormant Oilstone, possibly the largest I have ever seen. There is magic in it yet. I was told whoever sleeps inside could be as powerful as Draconua. My plan goes further than simply finding and reviving it, but..." Khavur backed away now, "those finer details are perhaps best kept for later discussion, outside of Draco."

After a moment of seemingly unnecessary pause, perhaps to let the Labradorite process, Khavur would ask: "Is all of this... to your liking? Would you be willing to help?"

@V-Labradorite-One

I'd of blown the scoundrel up
Watch his head and heart hiccup
Erupt in tinsel and blue cinders
turn August into winter

Ursa. It wasn't familiar with Ursa- it had traveled through there on several occasions, but never lingered. It was aware, however, of it's general layout- The twin mountains riddled with ice tunnels, and the forest of eerie trees reaching from the depths of a lake. And it knew Ursa was dangerous, with it's rocky terrain and the threat of Order. Getting to their prize may be the hardest part of the whole endeavor.

The fact Vargas hadn't been informed yet didn't exactly surprise it, but the fact it was the first person Khavur had decided to talk to did surprise it a little. It didn't think they were close enough anymore for Labradorite to be it's first contact for anything. No, they weren't close at all. It's just because The Labradorite is one of few aquatic fighters in the forge, and Max-

It didn't want to think about Maximus right now. There were more important things to think about.

It didn't exactly recoil when Khavur leaned in, but it stilled with barely-disguised discomfort. The whisper message peaked it's interest, however, but also arose concern. 'As powerful as Draconua' ...but what would they need another Draconua for? Was Khavur preparing for a war in which they'd need yet another juggernaut? Or perhaps.. usurpation.

The softly glowing red lights decorating it's spikes blinked with unease.

It took a deep breath, as if gathering energy for what it said yes. "I can, at least, offer training- to you and whoever you recruit. However, I would like to discuss what you plan on doing with the ...reward... before I offer my assistance on the quest itself. I don't want to risk my life for unsavory results." It'd take another deep breath. "I would recommend we train in Leo, as it is closest. However, Fornax may be better if you think we require secrecy- we know that Order doesn't fair well there.

@Khavur

Khavur should have expected this. The difficulty, how the Labradorite closed itself off, reserved itself. It wouldn't act this way with the Zoisite, Khavur knew — or at least suspected so intensely it ought to be certain knowledge. Khavur should have expected this, and did, and had, and yet... it still hurt. Khavur sensed the hint of defiance, disdain, the words that were chosen to create separation and not closeness between them. Khavur inched further away. It hurt, not just to see how much it had affected its sibling, but also to see how much its sibling could be affected, and how much this situation looked and smelled and tasted like ones Khavur had been in before, with Master Vargas, except now he was on the other side. He had become what he had foolishly hated in previous cycles, and he was what he still hated, and he hated himself just a little, but not in the typical way. The Labradorite felt like a reflection, but only of some part of him, and it made Khavur so curious and so unexpectedly hurt that he wanted to get closer, and so, he moved away.

"Thank you. I understand your terms... and I would be happy to further discuss, perhaps after your venture to Eridanus. Which, I wish you luck on by the way. I... want you to be a part of this, Labradorite-One, as much as you can bring yourself to be. If it succeeds, there may be promotions for those who assisted, and I want you to have the opportunity to have that. To gain the power to be free, if you so desire it. That has always been my wish for you all. I know I did a poor job granting that to you before, and my methods of... forcing you all to achieve that have been dangerous and counterintuitive... I do not expect forgiveness. I am not waiting for yours. I just..." love you and our family like a monster does, because I am a monster and you are n— "wanted to explain my actions, in case not understanding my motivation... is part of the pain I have caused." Khavur nodded, and turned mostly away from the Labradorite.

"Shall I leave you now? I have said... much, and I know you have other matters to attend to." He waited. Like a dog and not Proven, he waited for a command.

@V-Labradorite-One

I'd of blown the scoundrel up
Watch his head and heart hiccup
Erupt in tinsel and blue cinders
turn August into winter

It's gaze hadn't left Khavur this entire time- not that it had been maintaining eye contact, but it quietly examined Khavur, taking in all that had changed since their last meeting. The stripe of white along it's spine- the only thing stagnate about it's dizzying hide. The cluster of oilstone that blinded it's left head. Every time they met, it seemed, something had changed. That was the nature of chaos, wasn't it? Always mutating, altering, leaving the past behind in favor of new excitement. It was suddenly hyper aware of the thrum of The Black Spire, that unnatural heartbeat.

It nodded in response to Khavur, tearing it's attention away from the heartbeat of this awful room and thoughts of the past. "...Thank you." It'd rumble after a moment. What was it thanking him for? The wish of luck, the apology and explaination, it's wish for The Labradorite's freedom? It wasn't sure. It wasn't sure of Khavur's intentions and it wasn't sure of how it felt, now.

"Yes, I.. need time to think." So much to think about. So much it'd swept under the rug because it was too difficult to think about. "I.. wish you good luck. For this whole plan." Caves know he'd need it. And it would need luck too, if it agreed to this whole mess.

@Khavur (Exit?)