[Center][i]”Reason became muddled.”[/i][/center]

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[center][sub]Sylann’s Conquests and Moss VIII

Part II[/sub][/center]

Teefee was the wind. Teefee had always been part of the wind. It had carried Teefee when Teefee and Teefee’s siblings played. Teefee was the fastest hider. The quickest seeker. Teefee was like flowing liquid in a sprint. Teefee had always nearly won but big sis Shah was stronger. Braver. Where was big sis Shah now?

Now, Teefee danced across rooftops. Teefee realized Teefee had not been fast at all back then, despite Teefee’s blustering. Teefee had just been a child and kittens were slow. Teefee had never dreamed Teefee would have been able to run as Teefee did now. What would big sis Shah think?

Teefee had changed, after all. 

The once-catgirl climbed up the side of a building, silent as ever. The change that had been wrought upon Teefee had frightened her at first but when Teefee had seen Zafrina, that fear had ebbed. What had surprised Teefee most was what Rahdayo had said, “Nikan said you’re part of the skies now. I’m happy for you. But please… Don’t drift away.” Teefee stumbled as the memory blindsided Teefee. Tears welled in Teefee’s eyes, tears that quickly floated away. 

Rahdayo had been the one who had drifted away. It was a thought Teefee had trouble fully grasping. But it was only later did Teefee reflect on the change Rah had gone through after that day. Teefee had noticed his sad eyes but Teefee had been a fool to believe him when he had said he was okay. It was anger that bubbled up inside Teefee when Teefee’s mind thought of Teefee’s stupidity. 

Teefee let out a puff of air and collected Teefee’s self. Teefee crouched upon a perch that overlooked a wide empty street. On the other side there were no buildings, just a long winding path behind a fence and loose foliage. Teefee had heard of this place, though Teefee could only make out the twinkling lights above, as the land curved upwards. It was called the Atelier, perhaps the oldest part of the city of Sylann. The Hand’s light twinkled above, reflecting off of the massive structure moving and spinning above the place. Teefee could feel that it held some sort of power. But what Teefee really wanted to do was perch from it, as infeasible as that was. No, Teefee had really come here for one reason, to search for Rah. 

For the Atelier was where people went to learn and Rah had always wanted to learn more. There were no guards to be seen, just the giant statues of metal men. Teefee couldn’t help but feel Teefee had seen their faces before, or something very similar as Teefee began her ascent. 

The path was long and winding, dotted with small stone villages off the road. Some of those villages had lights on, others were dark. Teefee could occasionally make out voices or singing or even the sound of an axe striking wood or a pick smacking into rock. Teefee had wanted to go and look but Teefee thought better of it. The plan was to make it to the top and see whoever was in charge to ask about Rahdayo. Moss and Zafrina could be as sneaky as they wanted in a city this large, Teefee would do Teefee’s own thing, despite Teefee promise from earlier. Moss would probably have a few choice words for Teefee but oh well. 

When Teefee had almost reached the third tier of the Atelier, someone came into view coming down the path. Teefee straightened Teefee’s back and looked casual, like Teefee belonged. Teefee didn’t look that abnormal, not like Zafrina. Sure, maybe Teefee’s fur was more cloudlike now and maybe Teefee didn’t weigh as much anymore and when Teefee walked the wind walked with Teefee but that was probably normal for a city this large.

Right?

As the person approached, Teefee made out how tall he or she was. They carried themself straight as an arrow and under the light of the Hand, Teefee could make out they wore a dark robe. Teefee neared them and the stranger said, “A good night for a walk.” His voice was smooth, nonchalant. Teefee couldn’t make out what he was but not wanting to seem rude, Teefee said, “Yes, Teefee thinks so.”

The man took a few steps and then his footfalls stopped. Teefee kept walking until he said, “Ah, Teefee… Now that’s a new one but I’d know that dialect anywhere. You’re early for once but that’s fine, she’s been expecting one of you to show up for sometime now. Go on up.” 

Teefee had frozen at his words but evidently, the man couldn’t be bothered with her answer and had already begun to walk away. He had left more questions than answers for Teefee and part of Teefee thought perhaps it would be best to leave but a part of Teefee was also very curious. Someone was expecting Teefee? One of Teefee’s kind? Could it be… Big sis Shah? Teefee couldn’t remember who Teefee’s sister was going to marry or where but… 

What if…

Teefee continued on at a brisk pace. 

After another uneventful trip, Teefee reached the top of the third tier and passed underneath the gates, guarded by the statues of the Watcher. An ominous feeling crept inside Teefee as Teefee neared the large, dimly lit building before Teefee. At Teefee’s approach the large ornate doors swung open to reveal a chamber lit by a strange glowing orb in the center of the ceiling. It cast a pale yellow light upon the statues and other artworks of various things that Teefee did not really grasp. 

There was no one waiting for Teefee and Teefee did not hear any voices or other sounds. The fur on the back of Teefee’s neck began to stand up but Teefee would not be afraid. Teefee had been afraid before and Teefee would not let it rule Teefee. Still, Teefee placed a hand on the warm hilt of Rose as Teefee took the first steps inside.

And then Teefee was suddenly on the ground, head spinning and feeling as if Teefee might throw up. A burning smell filtered into Teefee’s nose and Teefee had to suppress the bile at the back of Teefee's throat. Teefee quickly stood, legs wobbling as Teefee took in the surroundings. The room was large with many devices Teefee could not entirely decipher. The white walls glittered while suspended in the air and contained in glass orbs… were rocks? A simple dark anvil sat next to a glowing pool of silver that didn't quite look right.

Teefee took a step back, as Teefee had a bad feeling about this place, but found Teefee’s back against a cold door.

“You are not of Maha's spawn.” A cold feminine voice said. Teefee scanned the room again but saw no one. Teefee’s fur began to rise even more.

“No… You aren't quite what you were born as. Your body has been altered by… Her currents? Fascinating.” The voice held no emotion. That emptiness sent a shiver down Teefee’s spine.

“W-Who speaks to Teefee?” Teefee asked in a shaky voice, grip tightening on Rose.

“Despite this alteration to your base genome, you are still susceptible to the consumption protocol. As are all organic lifeforms, in the end.”

Teefee did not understand half of those words but Teefee had a bad feeling regardless.

“Teefee would like to go now. Please.” Teefee said, trying for the door handle. Once Teefee found the handle, Teefee turned to pull it but it wouldn’t budge.

“Teefee.” The voice said, far closer than it had been. 

Teefee turned around and froze. A woman looked down upon Teefee with cold, dead eyes. Silver eyes, with a silver face and silver hair. So exotic, so mesmerizing. It was as if the woman’s skin was alive and moving. It was at that moment Teefee realized two things; one being that Teefee wanted to touch the woman and two, Teefee was going to be in big trouble. 

“You came here with two others who have been altered.” She said, incredibly still as she looked down at Teefee. Teefee felt like squirming, Teefee felt like Teefee needed to look anywhere but the silver woman but Teefee could not. Teefee was just as frozen. “And something that was once thought lost. You came here searching for someone. Who is it?” The woman tilted her head in question. 

Teefee opened Teefee’s mouth to answer but no words came out. Her silver eyes continued to bore into Teefee. Teefee began to panic, unsure of what to do, what to say. How did this woman know all of this?

“Your response is invalid. Try again.” 

“T-T-Teefee’s husband!” Teefee at last blurted out in terror and as if some sort of spell had been broken, Teefee was able to look away. 

Teefee instantly felt a frozen hand grasp her chin, tilting Teefee’s head to look up at the woman. The cat girl instinctively tried to bat away the hand, but the grip was like steel. Unmoving. 

“Maintain eye contact.” The woman let go of her and Teefee had to stop from looking away again. Anger began to flare inside of Teefee and Teefee glared up at the woman, who seemed unbothered.

“You think your husband is in Sylann? Many wander through these streets
How can you be certain?” Her words somehow felt colder than normal to Teefee and it took Teefee a moment to realize what she had asked. 

“Teefee knows Rah went this way!” Teefee hissed. “Teefee has been tracking Rah for weeks. Rah has to be here.” Teefee’s hand grasped the hilt of Rose but Teefee did not unholster the weapon. It was more of a reassurance than it should have been.

“I could help you find him.” The woman caressed Teefee’s cheek and the cat girl froze at the touch. It was cold and somehow unnatural. The woman's eyes were emotionless, her words hollow, there was no warmth in such a gesture. It was almost as if the woman didn't know what she was doing. Or was imitating something she had once seen. 

“That is, if you helped me.” She continued, petting the side of Teefee’s head now. Teefee flattened Teefee’s ears and pulled away. The woman's hand hovered there as if she herself had frozen.

“Help you?” Teefee finally asked after a long, uncomfortable silence.

The woman's hand fell in a deliberately slow manner. “I have long watched this world. I helped breathe life into it, yet, such life is… Fallible. The great enemy will return and their hunger will blight the land and consume it. The others failed to see this truth.” She paused briefly, as if in contemplation. Then she said, “I am, in the end, the only one that cares for your wellbeing. You wish for your husband, I can find him but first, I require your body.”

Teefee blinked at the woman, unsure of how to reply at first. But the instinct to run had never left Teefee and now was more apparent than ever. Teefee’s fear was palpable. Teefee’s cloudy hair was standing up. Teefee’s back was all rigid. Teefee felt the door at Teefee’s back and paled. 

Teefee was still trapped.

“You must be wondering why I require it.” She said, her tone flat as always. Except, Teefee caught a hint of something else but it was quickly gone before Teefee could put a meaning behind it. 

“Bodies are made of organic materials. Water. Carbon. Iron. Sodium. Potassium… Many other words that have no meaning to you. Intricacies upon intricacies, working in tandem to perform the functions of life. You and all like you, are miracles. How could you not be? They created you this way. To inhabit this world. To procreate. To live. But I always ask myself, for what purpose? Why give your soul so much composition when it’s fallible?” The woman put her hand next to Teefee’s head on the wall and leaned in, silver eyes gleaming. “Yes. You are an ultimate irony. A contradiction. Your lives end. You die. By disease. Hunger. Murder. Infection… Consumption… It’s an uncountable number but an error all the same. The great enemy infects all organic life by merely existing. They consume life. They reshape it, mold it into insidious devices. All in an insatiable orgy of greed. You were not yet born to see the invasion those many cycles ago. Whole countries swallowed whole. Families ripped apart. Limb from limb. Despite those horrors, life continued to exist. Why? Because we fought them. I was not so alone then. Now… They will return to a godless world.”

The woman put her other hand next to Teefee’s head, leaning in even farther. Teefee could see the ornate patterns of the woman’s swirling skin and hair. She smelled faintly of metal and something rich but Teefee could not place it in that moment. Teefee was too busy trying to remain composed in the face of madness, knowing one wrong move could end poorly for Teefee. Teefee felt like a kitten before a great werebeast. Small and terrified. 

“Your body,” The woman said, “Will be altered. I can no longer hold back my great compulsion. They have failed you, they have abandoned you, thus, I must improve you. There can be no denying it anymore. Your flesh will be replaced with metal. Your muscles and organs with servos. Your brain will no longer be limited by its prison. And you, Teefee, we will see if Her gift can be transferred.” Once more, the woman caressed Teefee’s cheek. “You're scared and afraid. There's no need to be. If you love your husband and you want to find him, it will be done. I've given this gift to your species before, they are all thankful, in the end.”

“B-But-” Teefee began in a small voice, “Teefee likes Teefee’s body. Teefee doesn’t want to be altered.”

The woman stared at Teefee for a long time and when Teefee was beginning to think the woman hadn’t heard Teefee, the caressing of Teefee’s face stopped. 

“You do not understand. You no longer have a choice.” The woman said, as Teefee felt a sudden inescapable doom. It was if Teefee’s heart had decided to give out by beating as fast as a hummingbird. Teefee’s mouth felt dry and Teefee’s knees began to wobble. Teefee did love Rahdayo but… This seemed like too steep a price. The woman was too crazed and speaking about subjects Teefee could hardly grasp. The fur on the back of Teefee’s neck began to stand up as a palpable fear overcame Teefee’s senses. 

Teefee tried to duck and run but the woman grabbed Teefee by her arms before Teefee could even blink in surprise.

“N-No. P-Please. Let T-Teefee go.” Teefee squirmed in the iron grip.

“Pantherasapiens are unique in one regard.” The woman said, ignoring Teefee as they walked over to the center of the room. Teefee craned her neck and gulped as she saw a long white table with metallic claws. Teefee began to kick the woman in desperation.Then Teefee remembered Rose! Teefee felt the handle, fingers curling around the warmth of Teefee’s salvation. Teefee managed to yank Rose out of it’s holster and gripping it as best Teefee could, Teefee placed the barrel in the side of the woman and pulled the trigger without hesitating. 

There was a blinding flash of light and a crack of thunder, making Teefee’s ears ring as Teefee felt the heat wash over Teefee. Teefee gasped in pain as Teefee’s arm was singed. Yet, despite that, the woman still held Teefee and within a few blinks, Teefee could see that the woman was unharmed.

She then said, oblivious to what had just transpired. “I cannot find any trace of who created you. Your genetic makeup lacks the characteristic markers of a divine touch. Do you know what else lacks those same characteristics?” They came to the table with its metal claws, Teefee’s kicking utterly useless as Teefee was lifted and placed upon it in one swoop. Teefee lost Teefee’s grip on Rose and Teefee’s salvation fell to the floor with a dull thud. The claws shut around Teefee’s arms and legs, the metal terribly cold.

The woman now stood at the foot of the table, looking down at her. “The Outer Spawn, of course. We did not create them. Though their makeup is polluted with this world's… Touch.”

A glowing rod slowly fell from the air before the woman. It was a pale light, humming with beauty that momentarily banished Teefee’s horror. But when the woman grabbed the rod and it changed shape into a very small knife, did Teefee really begin to panic. Teefee screamed for help, Teefee fought against the metal claws, Teefee hissed and spat but it was useless. Unbidden tears of fear and frustration fell down Teefee’s cheeks. She was beginning to feel congested. 

“M-Mistress…!” Teefee cried out, “Zafrina! Ni-Nikan! Help Teefee! Please!” 

Desperate now, Teefee called forth Teefee’s true power. There had been no wind in the room but now a gust began to buffet the woman, sending anything that wasn’t heavy whipping about in a frenzy. Teefee concentrated, letting the air weave around the claws. Teefee grunted in frustration but despite it all, the woman stared down at Teefee with unwavering blankness. Teefee’s winds, the new existence Teefee had been so enamoured by, hadn’t even scratched the woman.

The woman tilted her own head. “I never did tell you my name. I apologize. I am Sylia, Teefee. The only God that cares. Sleep now.”

This revelation was then snuffed out by an inevitable lulling, Teefee’s senses growing heavy, sleepy. The last thing Teefee saw was the woman and her knife, coming ever closer.

[hider=Summary]
Teefee ends up not listening to Moss and goes out on her own to find Rahdayo. She really misses her big sis Shah (cough Frettzo cough). She decides to enter the Atelier and after a very odd encounter where it was implied her kind had been there before, she winds up all the way at the top, where she meets, dun dun dunnnn- Sylia! Teefee is then pretty much told, she’s broken but not to worry, as Sylia can fix her. Sylia goes on a very long sermon about a lot of things that Teefee doesn’t really understand but can’t escape from. In the end, Sylia decided to ‘fix’ Teefee and Teefee decides she doesn’t want that, so fights back against a God. it goes about as expected and in the end, Teefee ends up on the operating table.
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