When Carl stopped groan as his divinity channels sealed, he took a deep breath. "Damn, I didn't think it would hurt that much."
He inevitably had to explain to the other two why he had to write a new spell to heal himself, but he only got one question in response.
"Why does your blood change colour?" Carl blinked, it wasn't something he had really considered before.
"I guess it depends on how much divinity is mixed with it, I lost five-thousand in that. I didn't think it would hurt that much just sealing it though." He grunted again, he had healed the divinity channel, but not the actual wound.
After that, Lydia entered and told them to get through decontamination and get up top immediately and they ceased the chatter.
When they joined the others, they had a quick meeting, everyone was surprised that the trio seemed eager to go back for a second round.
"Look, we done our.... aggressive reconnaissance and now we know what we're dealing with, a bit more. Drones are countless but made of tissue paper, the big guys are hard as hell, quick as hell, look like hell, basically hell all round..."
"Gil, shut up." Leanna spoke without even looking. "You three were idiots, Blanc, I expect more from you." She muttered inaudibly a bit before continuing in a way everyone could understand. "I compiled everything I know about them, of course most of it is just enough that I could recognise the danger and report."
"Blaine and I will go and do some analysis on the remains we have, maybe we can send you back with a bit more knowledge."
"Yeah and this time round I'm gonna send you guys out with some actual weapons, so let me know what you want."
"I haven't really used weapons til now, so not sure." Blanc replied, feeling a little bit pathetc compared to the other two.
"Hahaha! Blanc, I knew you;d need a weapon one day. Granted, I thought it would be to kill Gil and not some aliens creatures that the committee exterminated decades ago, but potatos or something... I have something for you that Noah's was the proto-type for."
"Yeah, no WMDs please."
"Relax, it will just integrate with your "absolute interface" skill. Can't have our chief gate-guy getting killed and stranding us all over the place with no one to rely on but Mr. Opposite-day."
Gillian was grinning like a kid on their birthday, waiting to see what weapon he got, despite the fact that he never used them.
"Gil, you don't get a weapon, I just have a nanite suit that will change to fit your beast-mode. No more worrying about an enemy ripping your back open because your too busy being stupid."
Carl wasn't particularly interested, he had grown quite attached to the wyvern slayer and it breaking was a bit more depressing than he would have thought.
"Carl, for you, I have something that shouts "leader", by which I mean kills anything that opposes you. Sorry Klaire, I just can't compete with gods yet, all those chaos weapons you make are insane."
"What do you mean by "kills anything that opposes me"? honestly I was going to use this chance to synthesise some new materials.
"Forget that, did she say "can't compete with gods yet"? I mean I admire confidence, but it's kinda pushing the boundary of narcissism these days." Gillian laughed
"Wow, ungrateful much. One of your precious creations worked with me around the clock for a whole hour to make this and you're just going to say "I was going to use this chance to synthesise some new materials"? Shame on you."
"Okay Alysse, I'm sorry, can I please have the honour of being gifted the weapon... Wait, did you say "around the clock for a whole hour"?"
"Details..." Alysse withdrew three items from her armlet, each one in a box as cartoonish as the one that Loki sent his mask in. "Now... Damn, I forgot to label these... Pick a box, any box."
"Alysse, please don't turn evil, you'd be as bad as Margo." Carl groaned, his comment hurting himself more than her.
They each picked a box, then swapped as per Alysse's guidance. "Right, so Gil, you wear yours. Blanc, go outside with it and activate your skill. Carl, yours is made with nanites that have been modified with your DNA, soul and mana wavelengths."
"Alysse, I'm sorry, you are the only one who knows what that means."
"It means, dick, that you infuse it with your mana, divinity or anything else and it will increase its damage output, like how Noah's feeds on most forms of energy to help the nanites replicate and increase their density. Except you can just spend your resources to boost the next attack. You can also use those resources to will it into a new shape providing you have enough to feed the nanintes replication."
Carl looked at the sword hilt with no blade and nodded with appreciation. "So if I want a spe-" Before he had even finished talking the weapon had elongated and become a spear the exact weight and dimensions of the wyvern-slayer.
Alysse looked smug as the traces of depression left his face. "Yes, I did say "yet", praise now, then go get bathed before you head back out."
"We aren't heading out yet. We achieved the present goal, I'm an idiot not a moron. Guy's night continues however, me and the boys have much to discuss ladies."
Gillian bowed respectfully then excused them all.
When they got in the water, Carl finally spoke about what Gillian had mentioned. "So, Scyllya wants to join?"
"More like she threatened to rip my throat out... I can't tell her much, so she keeps getting mad whenever we speak."
"Hold up you two. Since when is Gil engaged?" Blanc asked the question with aggressive curiosity.
"It's a lycan thing, arranged marriages are the norm, but I really fell for her the moment we met." Blanc was borderline appalled by how forthcoming and sincere he was.
"Yeah, they got engaged right around the age of sixteen. Since Gillian is the alpha's son, he would challenge his dad at the wedding for the right to lead, if he lost, he would challenge her dad straight after. If he lost both they would start a new pack."
"Wait, so how does she feel about you?"
"She's pissed as all hell... I suck at keeping in touch, I can't tell her anything about the faction, it's been brewing for a while and now she's outright said it's over if nothing changes."
"Well, what do you want from me? You aren't asking for permission, you know you have it."
"Well, I'm asking for permission to bring in the packs. She won't abandon them, dad wants in anyway and I turn nineteen in two months... Also, kinda want everyone out of committee reach and there are several still going to SATS."
"Can I decide after my meeting with Gaia?"
"Course man, know you're worried about feeding people. Anyway, Blanc, what the hell is going on with you and Sophie?"
"If I knew that, I wouldn't have asked you two for advice. Link said "her electrical field was easy to read."
"Romantic, Do you like her, or are you just thinking about going out with her because she showed an interest?" Gillian asked the question a little too bluntly for Blanc's taste.
"I mean I admire her, girl was raised by scum and didn't fold to their way of thinking. She's a great electrical engineer and works hard, she tries to look after everyone in her orbit. Do I like her?I don't know, I don't really think about that stuff..."
"Well I guess just tell her that and see how it goes."
"I can't ju-"
"Why not Blanc? It's the truth, she might hate it, she might accept it, if you don't know how you feel then it doesn't really matter in the long-term, she's a big girl and will get over it dude."
"I'm actually with Gillian, if you aren't sure about how you feel, that's fine but you do need to tell her that. You two have something very personal in common, if you suddenly asked her out, she might think that bond is the foundation of it all."
Blanc groaned... "Why couldn't I be lucky enough to meet my soulmate at ten, or as part of an arranged marriage?"
"We got all the luck? I think you're only seeing what you want to there buddy. Klaire and Carl were forced into the relationship before they were really ready for it because us stupid kids pestered them over that photo. I definitely wasn't ready to be engaged to a girl I fell head over heels for, so terrified I would mess it up and spend my life single."
"Yeah, I mean fine, when you put it like that it sucks."
The lads finished planning then got out of the bath and retired back to Gillian's place with Link and Scorch, who were both sleeping in the workspace the whole time they were fighting The Carrion.