The Queen laughed to herself as she watched her newest toy be dragged away by her… ‘friend.’ “Where did you find such a fun little thing, Jojin?” She questioned smiling innocently at the priest still gravoling at her feet.

“They arrived just in the morning, your majesty, to test for mana.”

“And what were the results?” She questioned.

“Their affinities were that of the great god Isis, and their level was almost thrice of mine.” He responded dutifully.

She hummed, “Well that won’t do. I’ll have to do something about it.” She declared, “I will be taking them back with me to my palace.” 

The high priest Jojin gritted his teeth, “Yes your majesty.” Dammit.

“If their past actions are anything to go by then I would not be surprised if they escaped out the window again. Alpha setup parameters.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

“Get your servants to search for the chosen, I want them back to me within the hour. Run now.” She demanded, addressing the high priest.

Jojin stood and bowed deeply before addressing his staff, “Find their grace now.”

“Yes, high priest Jojin.” All the staff replied in unison bowing first to the Queen then to the high priest. They scattered in all different directions.

“Please rest in our best waiting room, we will be back with their grace shortly your majesty.” Jojin says leading the way.

 

----------

 

“We should probably escape now.” Echo suggested looking at the window.

Aleta sent a silent prayer to her god. “Is this going to be a regular thing now?”

“Most likely.”

“You might want to hurry up, the Queen has already sent the entire staff looking for you. She also is sealing off the perimeter.”

“Well shit.”

Aleta snapped her head to Echo, “What did Isis just tell you?”

“Who? Oh right, yeah the queen’s already searching for us.”

Aleta paled as her tail and ears fluffed up.

“Best hurry then, out the window!” Echo announced spinning on their heel to the window and opening it.

Aleta nodded eagerly, following close behind them as they swung on leg out, then the other. They pushed off the ledge plummeting to the ground, landing simi-gracefully. Aleta swund her legs over the edge, took a deep breath, and pushed herself off.

She yelled slightly when she landed in Echo’s arms.

“Ha! You could say you're falling for me. Get it cuz, you fell on me.”

“You are so dumb.” Aleta responded gazing up at them, blushing with her arms wrapped around their neck.

“Thank you.”

“Huh?”

“Stop right there!” They heard a masculine voice shout.

Aleta and Echo’s heads shot up towards the voice.

“Run bitch RUN.”

Echo took off. “Making my way downtown walking real fast.”

“Get back here!”

“I don’t want no consequence, consequence, consequence, I don’t want no consequence chasing me right now!” Echo began to sing, running faster.

Aleta glanced over their shoulder, “They're gaining!”

“FUUUUUUUU--” They were tackled, tumbling to the floor, Aleta rolled out of Echo’s arms as Echo face planted into the ground. They were very quickly surrounded and apprehended. Echo did stay true to their word and bit their captor. Their feral. 

By the time they made it back inside the church the unfortunate soul retaining Echo had several bite marks on their hand, and ear. The captor had attempted to use his mana on them, it felt like it bounced off the feral asshole.Aleta didn’t go silently either, her captor had a nasty shock when he’d first tried to restrain her. They slapped mana blockers on her wrist immediately afterwards. They put some on Echo as well, forcing their hands behind their back. These were bulkier and had complex mechanics and runes all across its surface.

Echo was passed off to a different person when they reached the door. They recognized him as that guy who was with the Queen at their first meeting. He directed a few of the other gods to guide Aleta off into an unknown area.

“Hey what the hell do you think you're doing?” They demanded turning as much as they could manage to face Aleta and the guards. Aleta was turned as far as she could to Echo, planting her feet and doing everything she could to get back to her friend. They did not respond. Echo aggressively tugged on their restraints. They gritted their teeth, eyes narrowing as anger and fear welded up within them. “Let my friend go!” They demanded once more.

They still did not listen. “I said let. GO!” They roared calling out to Chaos insensitively. They could feel Chaos near them, far more concrete than what it is when simply talking to one another through their link. They could feel the pressure they had grown familiar with during their time at home, in the void. It calmed them slightly.

The same could not be said about everyone else nearby. Those in the room dropped to their knees. With the only exception being Aleta, who felt a presence associated with her home developing her, it was nice, the other one was the person holding Echo. His eyes had widened massilly as his legs shook slightly, barely noticeable. 

He gulped, “We bring both of you to the same place, together.” he reassured. 

Echo calmed more. Chaos hovering for a few more moments, “I’m alright, thanks Chaos.” They finally said. The presence hesitantly dissipated. People who did not faint hesitantly stood, legs still shaking.

The guard holding Echo cleared his throat, “Helock, followed me with devotee, Aleta. The rest of you help the rest to the infirmary.” The men and women standing immediately followed the order. Hemlock gently leads Aleta to Echo. Once they had been reunited, they allowed themselves to be led to the Queen once more. Their captors held their wrists behind them as they led them toward their certain doom. 

They stopped at the grand door. The commander knocked announcing them, before opening it, leading them in.

“Alpha!--” before the Queen could say more she was cut off.Echo laughed turning thier head to look at Alpha, “Your name is fucking Alpha?” 

Alpha felt his face heat up slightly, but otherwise ignored them.

“You bought their grace, well done love,” She continued unpretured, “but why is… that one here as well?”

“Cuz if she’s not I will destroy this entire place.” Echo responded blandly, glaring at the Queen.

“They caused the presence that was here not long ago.”

The Queen nodded, “What a feisty kitten.”

“I’m going to commit a homicide if you continue to call me that.”

“Whatever you say~”

Echo’s eye twitched a lightning zapped around them randomly, shocking Alpha.

“Oh my, aren't you special.” She giggled into her hand, “Tell you what came with me, to  my palace. Where everything you desire can be yours~ Just be mine.”

“I’m asexual.”

“That’s alright kitten.”

“And aromantic you psycho.”

The Queen merely laughed into her hand.

“Nope I can’t fuck this Aleta we gotta bolt.” Echo announced as they wiggled their hands out of the cuffs, dropped them to the floor and ran to Aleta picking her up and darting out of the room. They ran through the halls, stopping in what looked to be a kitchen.

“Aleta we’re goin into the fridge.” Echo informed, rushing to the fridge, opening the door and stepping inside.

“W h a t?”

Echo moved them to the back of it hiding behind all different sorts of foods.

“We’ll be fine here right?” Echo whispered.

“Probably, my kind, Cronids, have sensitive noses but I think the small of all these food will mask it.” Aleta whispered back.

“Oh you have sensitive noses?” Echo asked in excitement, eager to learn more about the species.

“Yeah we’re also red-green color blind, Protanomaly to be specific.”

“No way, what else is different about you guys?”

“You see my whiskers?”

“Yeah.”

“They actually help me balance. So does my tail. Which is why I’m so graceful.”

“Yeah, I was wondering about that!”

The duo continued their quiet conversation huddling close to one anouther while time passed by without their notice.