Mox Garel, to everyone’s surprise, had volunteered to head up the first squadron of these new fighters (and, to more people’s surprise, Darrell had agreed to it). The young man was thriving now, his unit growing in skill every day with the unpredictable starships.
As for Darrell himself, well… his obsession with the lavoids had actually grown with the passing of Grendel as a threat. He frequently interrogated the creature, kept as it was in a semi-conscious state, and was moving research forward at a frightening pace. Thanks to the knowledge contained within Raziel, the Chaos energy which powered both the lavoids and much of the lost LEA tech was now within the young man’s grasp.
And, having tasted the power of the lavoids first-hand, Darrell knew he’d need all he could muster to fight them.
Terra had opted to remain at Darrell’s side, and was proving able in the Syndicate’s management division. She worked closely with Darrell, as such, pulling together the schedules and meetings for the entire organization, and was one of the few members of its Inner Circle.
Mathiu and Kayla had joined the ranks of the Syndicate’s ground army, both learning and training others in Darrell’s revolutionary improvisational magic discipline. Though an anti-Order nebula encompassed much of the Union, making magic impractical, their headquarters on Torlose seemed largely outside of it.
William Shard was enjoying himself immensely, his plans coming closer to fruition every day as the Chaos Syndicate grew. He himself was the operating chief of the organization’s actual military forces, and was already preparing to move them into strategic points for strikes within the next few months.
Meryl came to the world of Karonne and was met with widespread devestation: the work of the Dominion. She searched the ruins for days, but found no traces of life. Lost in her own despair, she became a recluse and departed into the Unexplored Sectors. Years later, the only trace anyone would have of her life following her travels with Darrell would be a single net-released publication: The Final History of the Seekers.
The Dominion’s own troops slowly moved into position for what they expected to be an easy war. One of their number, the Mage Cainus M’Dralle, just wished he were still on leave. The beaches of Malchordia had been nothing short of amazing, and the women had been a big part of that experience. Still, there was always a certain excitement in the Dominion military, and this was the largest campaign he’d ever been a part of.
The lavoids were largely oblivious, but one, the first of their kind, looked on at this Darrell Shanning. He would die at the hands of her Hunter-Killer, she knew, for that was just.
In the meantime, however, she was interested to see how he would live.
~FIN~