Ah…he was totally overreacting.
Ouva was walking through the dark pine forest reminiscing about the little "prank" that she had pulled on their guests when they arrived on Kabaa.
It wasn't that bad…
Ouva had deceived a plan at the behest of Ind. She had told Ind to pretend that the Singularity wanted her to pretend that Ouva was a slave from another planet. Because of her complexion, the Singularity didn't want them asking questions as to why she was so different as to not raise suspicion. Ind was a little worried at first, but hearing that it came straight from the Singularity, she resigned and agreed to the plan.
Slavery, although not completely illegal, was definitely frowned upon, especially from those of House Vallus and Natucea, as they thought such acts were below them. Therefore, hearing this would not have given their guests a good impression of the Singularity.
She told the guests about how the Singularity used to treat her really well when she was young, spend lots of time with her, but as she got older, he seemed to lose interest. So now she works as Inds handmaiden in training.
The faces of the guests were priceless, she was surprised that she held herself together so long. Although, before she could cause anymore damage the Singularity had to arrive and ruin all the fun. He was royally pissed that night.
Ouva cackled to herself thinking back on it.
Ah…this sucks, but it was so worth it.
That prank had landed her in the current situation she was in now, having to go outside, during the day no less, to pick herbs out of the ground for tea and medicines. This task was somewhat undpreductive as they already had expert herbalists that could do what she was doing ten times the speed, but it just more so demonstrated the unimportance and monotony of the punishment.
To make it even worse, it has been over 4 months since her little prank and 3 months since the last of the guests had left, to finally be getting her punishment after so long felt like it wasnt worth it.
It was in times like this, that Ouva realized how out of touch with time the Singularity was.
How old is he anyways? I remember Ind saying that he still looked like an adult when she was even younger than me, and Ind is 85 years old…
Ouva shuddered trying to comprehend the being that was her father.
Is he even human?
Am I even human?
Ouva paused for a second and looked down at herself. She wore a cape that covered her flexible leather outfit made by bloodboar hides from the most skilled tanners in the Domain. Apparently, the Singularity had enhanced the outfit with his powers, so she was sure of their defense capabilities if any of those bloodboars came for revenge of their fallen brethren.
Underneath that outfit was her everso apparent bright skin. Growing up, Ouva was very aware of her difference. Besides the very obvious contrast in her complexion compared to everyone else, it was also the side glances, and sometimes right out stares from some of the handmaidens.
The only two people that didn't treat her awkwardly, interestingly enough, were Ind and the Singularity. Though Ouva thought that Ind only really treated her with respect because of the Singularity, what about the Singularity himself?
The person that was supposed to be the closest to Prima, with the most pristine bloodline, not caring about the complexion of their daughter? Why did he not lock her in a cell and hide her from the rest out of embarrassment? If Ouva were him, that's what she would have done.
She huffed, again reminding herself not to read too far into what the Singularity was thinking, because it was just not worth the effort, then continued on her punishment.
Ouva pulled the hood of her black cape over her head more to hide herself from the light and readjusted the dark goggles that Ind had given her for her tenth birthday that protected her sensitive eyes.
What was he thinking sending me out in the day, he knows my condition…well I would be surprised if he really even cared.
She reached a clearing in the trees where there was a big hill leading down towards a river that split the forest in two. She remembered Ind telling her not to venture farther than this point, and honestly, she didn't care enough to go farther anyway, as all there seemed to be were dark pine trees and small brush.
Before she turned around to head back, she noticed a makeshift bridge in the distance upstream. It looked relatively new, made out of newly cut darkwood.
Weird. Ouva thought. Have the trappers come this way recently? But why would they make a bridge, don't they usually use stilts?
Curiosity overtook her and she already found herself walking down to the bridge.
When she arrived, she noticed parallel tracks that she had never seen before moving farther into the forest on the other side of the bridge. She also noticed some strange looking box with a large antenna on the top of it. Curious, she scurried across the bridge to get a better look.
When she got to the box she noticed a symbol that had only grown recognizable within the past few months, the House crest of Vallus.
What the heck is this thing doing here? Did they forget it?
Before she could pick the device up she heard footsteps approaching her from farther into the forest, accompanied by an occasional laugh.
Hurriedly she hid behind one of the dark pines close to the river.
After a few seconds four men in bright white and gold uniforms, three holding some sort of rake and one holding a giant mallet, exited the maw of the forest.
The one in the front with the mallet approached the device Ouva had just been inspecting and took out a pendant and pressed it to its surface.
He turned back around and faced the other three, "Alright, the shield is on, there shouldn't be any way for them to detect us. You know what to do."
The other three nodded and started racking the ground where the tracks had been.
The one with the giant mallet, who Ouva now suspected to be their leader, started dismantling the bridge. Well, more like obliterating it.
Ouva saw him glowing with some sort of golden aura, similar to the silver one that the Singularity had, but a lot weaker. Saying that the man was weak, though, was an understatement, as within the 15 seconds that he started dismantling, the entire bridge was already reduced to flotsam down the river.
Seeing such a powerful individual here, especially one doing the work of a footsoldier, alerted Ouva.
Something is definitely going on here. I better report back to father. Oh wait…
Looking at the rest of the debris from the bridge floating down the river, she envisioned the annoying journey back to the Domain.
Some punishment, huh…
…
It was already dark by the time that Ouva had returned. Luckily, getting across the river wasn't too much of an issue, she had one of the expert trappers teach her how to make the stilts they use to cross the rivers before, and she just so happened to have a large pile of wooden scraps that the Vallus soldier oh so generously donated to her.
So even though it was a bit time consuming, returning home was a breeze.
When she arrived at the manor, she immediately went to the Singularities chamber to inform him of what she had discovered.
As usual, when she entered the room, he was there reading reports.
"Father, I have something to report, I think it is an urgent matter."
The Singularity looked up from his desk, "Go on."
"While taking part in my punishment, ahem… reflection in the woods. I stumbled across four suspicious Vallus soldiers. Are you letting them stay here? I don't remember this being talked about in the meetings?"
"Oh I know they're here."
Ouva was surprised by his nonchalant response.
"Uhm, why are you letting them stay there, in the woods, no less."
"Oh, I never told them they could stay."
The Singularity tilted his head.
"Ah, well…technically I have let them stay here by doing nothing."
Ouva was starting to become frustrated by her fathers unseriousness of the situation,"Why are you letting them stay?"
The Singularity sighed and got up from his desk, "I guess it's time we had a talk about some current affairs."
He walked over to the couch and gestured for Ouva to sit on the one across from him.
Curious, Ouva obeyed and sat.
The Singularity began, "Do you know why the Empire tolerates us? Do you know why even though our House is barely a million people, we occupy an entire moon by ourselves?"
Ouva pondered for a second, "Because they respect us?"
The Singularity shook his head, "Because they fear us."
Fear us? Why would they fear us?
Like he was reading her thoughts he said, "They fear us because of me, and my powers."
Ouva knew that the Singularity was powerful, but this powerful? Ouva's entire world view was beginning to collapse in on itself.
For someone such as the Empire to fear us, just how powerful is he?
The Singularity continued, "You remember the stories I have told you…about our beginnings, and the Prima."
The Singularity gestured to his chest, "This power is what they fear, the power of the Prima."
"But I never heard of Singularity being violent, especially to other Houses, for what reason…"
The Singularity leaned forward, "They don't need a reason, the fact that there is power not under their control is enough. We are a cancer in their eyes, malignant until one day where it starts to attack. They want to cut us out before that can happen."
"Then why are you letting them just set up camp in our land?! What happens if they try anything?"
The Singularity gave a deep chuckle, "Oh little one, you will soon understand, when you one day inherit Prima, you will understand their futile efforts."
Inherit Prima?
"What… What do you mean? Inherit Prima…dont you mean transfer?"
The Singularity had never used that term when speaking about his legacy. The Singularity had only ever said to transfer his powers when speaking to Ouva, but for her to inherit Prima? That was unheard of.
The Singularity got up from his seat, and walked over to the bookshelves lining the wall and took out a familiar book, one that he had read to her on occasion during her growth years.
"I am sure you remember the children's tale I would read to you when you were young, how Prima saved the first Singularity and saved those from the light and gave them darkness."
Ouva nodded, seeing the Singularity become fanatic just thinking about the event.
"Well, of course, that is not entirely how the story goes. Originally, there were seven tribe leaders that lead the mundane to this planet, each from different moons of Corrinthia. They came here to create a new life. They came here when Kabaa was just a desolate planet. Before these great black pines, it was a wasteland. On their last breath, Prima did ascend, but that is where the story begins to differ drastically."
The Singularity turned and walked toward the window showing the vast night of the Domain.
"When Prima came, she told our ancestors to become her vessels to her power. Her body was deteriorating and needed a way to preserve her powers. But, after we received the powers, her body began to crumble and dispersed in front of the leader's very eyes."
She? So Prima is a person? And she died?! Our Deity? Ouva was stunned.
The Singularity paused. He almost seemed nostalgic for a second, as if he had experienced the event first hand.
"Of course, as I had said before, ultimate power sows the seeds for fear and mistrust of others. So the seven clan leaders fought for who would be leader. Thus a great war between the clans occurred, until only one was left. That was the clan of the first Singularity, our true ancestor."
"He told his people to give him the rest of the remaining power of Prima so that he could become unstoppable to any who opposed them."
"Years passed, and eventually we noticed something odd in the way Prima spoke. Why would Prima store her energy after she died?"
"This was when we realized that giving us her powers was an attempt at reviving herself. All she needed was the right vessel."
The singularity turned, Ouva could feel his twisted eyes gazing through his mask right at her. The aura around him that he usually kept translucent began to glow brilliantly.
Ouva was horrified, "You don't mean…"
"Yes, you are that vessel, the product of thousands and thousands of years of effort, I am sure of it."
"How…" Ouva could barely speak, she clenched onto the armrest of the couch shaking.
The Singularity walked over to her side and looked down at her.
"On the day that Prima gave us her powers, before her body had turned to dust, something happened. While our bodies began to turn to the dark color, likeness to what we are today…"
The Singularity reached out and placed his hand on Ouva's chin raising it up to his mask.
"Prima was drained of hers, her skin porcelain, hair silver, and eyes of deep sanguine blood, Just…like…you…"