Prometheus's eyes opened quickly. Above, all he saw was the wood paneling that made up the ceiling of his quarters. He was panting, but if a dream had startled him he could not remember what it was. Prometheus moved to sit on the side of his bed, he let his long platinum hair fall obscuring his view of the floor slightly. He wiped his face with his hand, upon inspection he found that his once-dry hand was now covered in glistening sweat.
"Strange," he mumbled to himself. He got up from the bed and moved to the mirror. He gave himself a once over, examining his sky-blue body. He was wearing a shirt but in his sleep, it became disheveled allowing for his shoulder down to his peck to be seen. This allowed the scars to be shown. Prometheus glanced at them for a second then sighed. He tucked in his shirt, put his hair into a ponytail, and put on his glasses. As he was getting himself together a knock came to the door. "Come in," Prometheus answered. A woman opened the door; through the reflection in the mirror Prometheus could see it was Karai, one of his assistants. Karai had earthen brown skin that looked grainy to the touch, her hair green and tangled that roots that she had put together into dreads and done up in a bun, she was large in stature compared to most humans but short in stature compared to most earth Dyvund.
"Sorry I just woke up, I promise I will be ready in a moment," Prometheus said to her while still adjusting his hair in the mirror.
"It's not an issue my liege, we ran through the last few tests while you were getting some rest…still inconclusive. Theoretically, the voidwalker solution should allow for continuous containment but…," Karai answered but was cut off by Prometheus's sigh.
"Well then, I should get back in there. We should be able to complete a test or two before we reach the center island…" Prometheus said this and tried to walk past Karai but she wouldn't budge past the door. Prometheus stopped and looked at her confused.
"My liege, yes one or two more tests might be possible but…um…the Dauntless is asking for you," Karai said without meeting Prometheus's outline. Prometheus froze for a moment.
"The dauntless…but…I…they" Prometheus began to sputter different words trying to form a coherent sentence. After a moment he sighed and rubbed his face. "Fine," Prometheus said in a deflated manner. He slouched over clearly disappointed and Karai patted him on the back for comfort.
"May the desert winds guide you to the chilling breeze my liege," Karai said then motioned for Prometheus to head into the hallway.
As Prometheus ascended the stairs of the lower deck to the next deck and on to the next deck, many sea men and other parties that were traveling on the boat began to ask him questions. At home in Xerxes, he was used to being alone, used to being able to conduct his research with Karai and those he trusted but on the boat there were too many, variables. Prometheus found that any time he was out of his lab or his cabin he was bombarded with questions and requests from sailors and noblemen. Of course, he knew how to answer all of their questions but that didn't make it any less uncomfortable for him. He made it to the main deck with the annoyance of his blacksmith, Daedalus, following closely behind.
"My Liege if you would only listen, the Desert Winds needs to be refitted with new rivets if we don't work on the boat soon…" Daedalus said but Prometheus was more consumed with what awaited him in the captain's quarters of the main deck. Since they had started their journey to the center island, his parents had taken up residence in the captain's quarters. Given that they were the rulers of Xerxes, Prometheus had to secede his ship to their command.
"Daedalus," Prometheus said as he turned to look at the dwarf, "would you please…stop," Prometheus knew that wasn't the best thing to say but his mind was so preoccupied he could think of no other way to say it.
Daedalus sighed, "You are overwhelmed?" he asked. Prometheus nodded. Daedalus looked back onto the deck at all the sailors working and the noblemen who served as Prometheus's parent's congregation. All of them giving side glances towards Prometheus clearly wanting to address one thing or another. "I will keep them off your back while you head to the center isle and continue your research," Prometheus began to smile, "as long as you promise me we can talk about repairs when this trip is done, the Desert Winds is a strong but olde girl," Daedalus said. Prometheus smiled bigger at the prospect of not having to talk to people.
"Thank you, truly," Prometheus shook the old dwarf's hand. Daedalus nodded and then proceeded to walk toward the nobles on the deck.
"Lord Prometheus…umm…has to ordain…oh bollocks…if you have an issue to come to me, just leave him alone. Come on down here," Daedalus began to descend the steps that lead back down into the bowels of the ship. The nobles looked puzzled for a moment and then began to descend as well asking this and that to Daedalus. The sailors went back to work, and Prometheus felt slightly at ease. He put his hand on the door to the captain's quarters, tensing his muscles to open it but then stopped for a moment, just a single moment of hesitation. He felt an aching in his scars, an all too familiar pain, and then opened the door.
Inside his mother and father, The Dauntless, were both encompassed in work. Prometheus's father was sitting at the captain's desk, pouring over pages of writing and scribbles. Some Prometheus recognized it as being his father's work, others were the writing of someone else. Prometheus's mother, a dark Earth Dyvind woman with stern hardened features, was reading a book in the celestial language. Prometheus saw its title as "the cost of forbidden sorcery,". Prometheus's mother was the first to look up and notice him. She glared at him with stern focused eyes as if she was evaluating his soul.
"We called for you some time ago, and now you are here, care to explain what took you so long," His mother continued to glare at him as she said this. Prometheus's father finally looked up from his writings.
"Prometheus, it is good to see you, son," he said. Being able to see his father's face Prometheus was disheartened at his father's state. His father was also an Earth Dyvind, he was known for having a toned muscular build and a stoic face that gave him the appearance of being solid and unnerving, but the father that was before him was a shade of his former self. His fathers skin was usually a deeper brown tone that reflected the deep rocks of Hize, but now it was light and sedimented. His fathers hair was usually black and pulled back into dreads but now it was almost entirely gray and unkempt. His father was old, roughly 300 by Prometheus's account, but he had never shown his age before. Now he looked like any other old dyvind, not someone who is called "dauntless".
"Dauntless, how may I be of service," Prometheus answered. The Dauntless waved his hand as if telling Prometheus to stop.
"Enough of that, you are no longer the second born, you are the heir. There is no need for formalities," his father answered, "come see what your mother and I have learned."
"We have not had an official discussion about him becoming the heir. I understand that Meryn has passed but there is still a formal discussion to be had, Prometheus may be next in line but does that truly mean he is ready" Prometheus's mother said but was cut off but the dauntless put up his hand to silence her.
"Enough Delia, there is no other," he said curtly. Delia grew quiet once more. The Dauntless stood up, he moved towards Prometheus, measly and weak, he looked like the shadow of a greater man. He put his hand on Prometheus's shoulder, "Your mother and I have been running through the calculations. It doesn't add up," the Dauntless said. He pulled out some scribbled pieces of paper with some almost incoherent equations on them. "The amount of hex input required to have this kind of output would only be possible for a spell that is looking to…rip holes in reality! Your sister was working on making a sustainable way to conjure produce without much exothermic pressure. There is no way the spell she was working on would ever produce that kind of energy!" The Dauntless sounded confused, and hurt, but mostly angry. Prometheus could tell that his father was in distress, but could do little to soothe him.
"She is gone, Dauntless," Prometheus said, "it has been over a year. Helping us understand what happened won't bring her back." Prometheus looked towards his mother, "I agree with her majesty here, we can only move on from here. Whether I am the heir or not, someone needs to be chosen. Both of you have spent much of your lives making it abundantly clear that I am not fit to lead. I have found my place in the labs so let me be…there are people more fit than I for your status. I am no more worthy of the title of Dauntless…" Prometheus trailed off. He wanted to tell them off, saying he was no more fit than either of them in their current state but he could not give the words even an utterance. Just the thought of saying such a thing made his scars ache. The Dauntless looked away from Prometheus. His hand gripped the pages tightly. He raised his hand towards Prometheus. Prometheus did not flinch. Delia stayed an onlooker. A few moments passed and the Dauntless put his hand down.
"I am no longer able to give you the retribution of physical pain that you deserve, your station does not allow it. Perhaps the knowledge that you are going to rule despite your own hesitations will be a lesson enough," the Dauntless said this with piercing eyes aimed directly at Prometheus. Though he could not physically harm Prometheus, his words and demeanor did more than enough. But Prometheus knew the procedure, he had rehearsed his response.
"I am a lowly creature who is unfit to receive your absolution, may I one day hope to be as wise as you. Perhaps one day my folly will turn to ashes in my mouth so that I may see the product of my ignorance," Prometheus said this to his father the same way he had a thousand times before. His father simply looked sad. His mother was gratified, as was her normal demeanor to someone's groveling. "I will relieve myself from your presence," Prometheus began to walk towards the door, before opening it he stopped and said to the room, "I am sorry father. Meryn would have been perfect, to be stuck with me truly is a punishment," and with that Prometheus opened the doors.