Planet Zar: Nexus

Aidan's sleep plagued face crumpled in terror, leaving Verem no option but to watch in silent misery as nightmares twisted his bond's mind. Nightmares Verem knew well - cursed as he was endless omniscience. He knew each night Aidan's sleep would be restlessly haunted by memories of the maze and was helpless to prevent them. He knew, too, that others were being forced through the same torments at this very moment, crawling through dragon toothed razor wire on bloodied hands and knees, dragging themselves to their next meal, their next mouthful of water. It was a cycle that would end - would because Verem knew every outcome of every action.

Verem would like to strangle the Game Master himself. Set him ablaze with twin jets of heat, obliterate him to nothing but ash for the pain he'd caused countless thinking creatures.

Verem knew where the awful snake of a man resided. Knew precisely how to reach him, when to corner him at his weakest, the taste of  his ashes burning on the air.

But Verem would not leave Aidan and Aidan's broken mind couldn't survive a confrontation with the Game Master. Every moment of life was a struggle and he needed Verem at his side, to hold him up, to protect him from demons that shivered in his memory's shadows.

Verem extracted himself from their bed, ghosting a cool hand over Aidan's clammy brow. He couldn't reassure his bond that he'd be back and dared not wake him, despite the nightmares, only to leave him. He exited their tiny apartment, leaving the door unlocked (no harm would come to Aidan in Verem's absence that night). Janos City remained the same perfect temperature regardless of time of night, and while the artificial sky was turned to starlit black the many glowing lights of the city cascaded along the walkways in a cacophony of colors.

Corinth waited at the end of the street, his natural dragon form hulking between buildings. At his side stood a humanoid figure - not one Verem had personally met, but he knew everything about her despite this.

She was Lillian Tchykov, Aidan's daughter, and she emanated fury.

"It took me fucking ages to find you," she snapped, stepping out from Corinth's wing.

"We could do nothing to aid your progress," said Verem.

"Yeah, I know. Do you guys understand how frustrating you are to talk to?"

Silence followed. Of course they did. They knew everything.

"This one led me to you." She jerked a thumb at Corinth. "Let me see my father."

Verem met Corinth's gaze.

"A mind must be healed before bonds are reforged," said Corinth. "You must seek the master to end the game."

"You're holding him hostage," Lillian spat. "We thought he was dead for decades, that he'd up an abandoned us, and now you won't let me see him."

"A mind must be-"

"Yeah, shut-up. I get it." Lillian wrenched her fingers through her hair, teeth grit. "Where is it, then? The 'master'? The maze?"

"Deep within walls of magic and steel, beyond the influence of the violaceous body. You will find that which we seek 'neath the cloak of an everchanging star."

"Violaceous body?" Lillian scoffed. "You can't just say 'purple planet', huh?"

Corinth cocked all three of his heads and remained silent. There was only so much either of them could say to her.

"Someone got there on their own before, right?" she asked.

"The river of woe waits at our fated birth home."

"Right. So helpful. Do you have anything better for me than that?"

Verem reached into the pockets of his robe and produced a rusted piece of twisted metal. He held it out to her.

"What's this supposed to be?" Her lip curled in a grimace but she plucked it from Verem's palm and held it up to her eye.

"A cog in the machine of your father's salvation," said Corinth.

"That was almost literal." She stuffed the piece of metal into her satchel. "I know where you live now. If I can find a way to kill the game master that means I can find a way to end you. I'll see my father one way or another."

Verem and Corinth both nodded in acknowledgement.

She would.

One way or another, which Verem and his brother knew, but could not share.