With a little energy and a trick of the light, the cluster of fireflies formed in the image of Hybris. Perhaps there were small flaws in presentation, much like AI art, but the youma was constantly scrutinizing the original and revising its appearance. "Hello," it tried, but its voice was much more a buzzing approximation of the word as it tried to adjust to Hybris's tone.
And watch the mirror, too, of course.
Faustite carried his tension like he carried his trauma. He watched Remarque hawkishly while he examined the spike, baited him with a promising answer, and crushed his hopes altogether with a revolting caveat.
So Mirrorspace would try to make a spike-shaped object, but it wouldn't do a damn bit of good if it only worked in Mirrorspace. Wasn't like they'd find some massive ******** space-mirror to bait the Calamitous Hollow into with all of its narcissism. Couldn't invite it to simply mirrorwalk into this disaster of a half-blank ******** figures you're useless, Faustite signed at the walls, the ceiling, the mirrors. Should've known that if I'm asking you to do something useful, I'm going to be ******** disappointed. He gestured emphatically, rudely, at the space.
After a smoky huff, he looked at the failed replica of the spike in Remarque's hand. Resigned, he reached for it and took it up, as if it was a punishment for having asked too much. He turned it this way and that, watching the blank smokiness as it coiled about seemingly inside the object.
He began signing in answer to Remarque's question, but soon realized that Headache wasn't translating. After a brief look back, he waved to the youma, and it reluctantly parted from its affairs to fly back to his shoulders. Once again, he began to sign and Headache followed suit with a replica of Faustite's voice.
"Trap a ******** lightning snake. Only have scraps of information. Need six spikes and a confinement chamber out in ********. Guessing we only made off with five spikes between us and the White Moon. Means if we're going to try what worked in the past for containing this thing, we need a sixth one.
"Was hoping Mirrorspace could deliver. Would've enchanted our spikes to drain energy and split the difference with your Court. This lightning snake produces its own energy somehow — would be a boon of a battery that far outlasts anything on Earth.
"… If it doesn't kill us all."
kyuseisha no hikari
lizbot
