NOVEL NEXT Ch68 Xin: Hearth of Three Souls
17:43, March 19, 2295
Upper Pines Campground, Former Yosemite National Park, Contested Territory
Granite walls were like ancient guardians around the Space Rover as Xin guided it into a natural alcove, the vehicle's fusion-powered engines humming against the winter outside. Through the windshield, Half Dome's silhouette loomed against the deepening afternoon sky, its face catching some warm rays of sunlight while shadows gathered in the valley below.
The Rover's environmental sensors indicated an outside temperature of minus five degrees Celsius, but within the heated cabin, Xin felt surprisingly at peace. Lorna dozed in the passenger seat, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulder, while Håkon remained curled in her lap. The young Diabolisk's sapphire scales rose and fell with each breath, his earlier spell-casting having tired him as much as it had aided his mother.
"Okay. We're here," Xin announced softly, powering down the engines. The sudden silence amplified the crunch of settling snow beneath the Rover's wheels.
Lorna stirred, her cerulean eyes opening with that signature sharp alertness. "Upper Pines," she confirmed, scanning their surroundings as if this was another mission. "Good spot. The granite should block most wind, and there's only one approach to watch."
"That's good. So, the camping function," Xin began, his fingers hovering uncertainly over the control panel. "How do we...?"
"Yeah. Here," Lorna reached across, her hand brushing his as she reached beneath the steering wheel to access a subsystem he hadn't known existed. A beep indicated activation, and Xin's eyes widened as segments of the Rover's exterior began to shift and unfold.
"Pappa!" Håkon's voice came suddenly from Lorna's lap, causing both adults to freeze. The word hung in the air between them, heavy with implications.
Xin turned to meet Lorna's gaze, finding in her expression the same mix of surprise and something deeper.
The silence stretched like a taut wire until Lorna cleared her throat, continuing with a feign neutrality. "Let's get the camp set up before dark."
"Sure thing," Xin's hands trembled slightly as he followed her lead. The camping function transformed the Rover's exterior panels into a sheltered living space, but required still manual adjustment to lock everything in place.
A protective awning extended from the vehicle's side, creating a sheltered space complete with fold-out seating and what appeared to be basic cooking facilities.
He stepped out into the biting cold, snow crunching beneath his boots as he moved to secure the extending walls.
"See, the support strut needs to click twice!" Lorna called from the other side. She pushed on the metal beam until the satisfying double-click of the locking mechanism engaging came.
"Okay! On it — " Xin nodded nervously as his hands moved to the support struts, but uncertainty made his fingers clumsy against the unfamiliar mechanisms. Somehow, the metal poles refused to lock into place, threatening to collapse the entire structure.
"Uh ugh. Like this." Lorna's voice came from behind him, closer than he expected. Her hands covered his, their warmth seeping through his skin despite the chill that had almost numbed his fingers. She guided his grip to the correct position, showing him how to twist and secure each strut.
"You feel that click?" Her breath brushed his ear as she helped him with another support. "That's how you know it's locked properly."
Xin nodded, hyperaware of how her body pressed briefly against his back as she reached around to demonstrate the motion again. The metal clicked satisfyingly into place under their combined touch.
The first support locked easily under her guidance, but when Xin tried the second alone, the metal pole slipped in his cold-stiffened hands. The structure swayed precariously before Lorna steadied it, her shoulder brushing his as she stepped in to help.
"Oops. Sorry," he muttered, embarrassed at his clumsiness.
"It's fine. You should've seen me my first time camping in the Scottish Highlands," she said, adjusting his grip again. "Nearly brought the whole shelter down on top of me."
Through the condensation-streaked glass beside them, Xin caught Håkon's reflection. The young Diabolisk's reptilian face pressed against the Space Rover's window as he watched them work with those intelligent blue eyes, his breath fogging the surface.
"And just one more — " Lorna stood beside him, reaching past to secure a loose panel. Her proximity sent his pulse racing, the Lavender scent of her golden hair mixing with the crisp mountain air. " — there. That should hold against the wind."
"Right. I imagine it will." Xin stepped back to admire their handiwork, careful to avoid meeting Lorna's eyes.
The transformed Rover now featured a covered living area nearly twice its original size, thermal barriers humming as they generated a protective field against the dropping temperature. Lorna gave the final support an experimental shake, nodding with satisfaction.
"Okie dokie. I'll get Håkon," she said, already moving toward the vehicle's door. "Why don't you check out the inside? The tent should be self-inflating by now."
Entering the expanded shelter, Xin marveled at the tent's interior. What had looked modest from outside revealed itself as a surprisingly roomy enclosure, its fabric walls a deep charcoal gray that radiated warmth, while soft lighting strips activated automatically along the tent's support ribs.
"Pretty impressive, right?" Lorna appeared at the entrance, Håkon cradled in her arms. The young Diabolisk's eyes widened to take in the surrounding, his head tilted in curiosity. "Alliance tech at its finest. These things can withstand anything short of a direct hit from a miniaturized nuke. And it conceals our biosignatures from most Radi-Mons."
While Lorna walked around with Håkon, Xin explored the tent's features. He ran his fingers along what appeared to be medical supplies built into one wall - emergency bandages, antivirals, and even a basic surgery kit. "These are standard issue?"
"For SIMU operatives, yeah." Lorna shifted Håkon in her arms as she watched Xin examine the equipment. Their eyes met briefly before both looked away. "You never know when you'll need to perform field surgery in the middle of nowhere."
Xin's fingers brushed against multiple oversized injectors, each as large as his hand, filled with a crystalline fluid that shimmered like liquid diamond. "Some kind of experimental drug?" he asked, his brow furrowing at the peculiar sight.
"No idea. Dr. Nikki stocked them there the evening we left. I'll have to ask her tomorrow," she answered, shrugging.
A soft whirring sound drew his attention to what looked like an atmospheric processor near the tent's apex. The device's displays showed detailed readouts of oxygen levels, temperature controls, and fusion battery life.
"This is something," he said with a grin. "I could live here for an entire week."
"It's something alright," Lorna teased, but her eyes held warmth when they caught his gaze again. Håkon chirped softly in her arms, his tiny claws rubbing the fabrics of her turtleneck.
She moved past him to arrange her trench coat in a corner, creating a nest-like hollow where she gently placed Håkon. The Diabolisk curled into the makeshift bed contently, his sapphire scales gleaming.
"The floor's heated," Xin noted, feeling the warmth through his boots. He knelt to examine the technology more closely. "Thermal circulation system?"
"Heating cells. They draw power from the fusion battery." Lorna explained, retrieving supplies from the Rover's storage compartment. "Speaking of which..." She paused, glancing at Håkon. "He'll need his dinner soon. Did Dr. Nikki teach you about Helionite mixing?"
"Yeah," Xin straightened. "Showed me the exact ratio before we left Illinois. I know too much Helionite could make Håkon jittery, and too little won't sustain him."
He moved to help move the provisions, their hands occasionally brushing as they worked in the warm tent's confined space. Each accidental contact sent a jolt through him.
The Alliance rations came in sleek, self-heating silver boxes that activated with a simple twist. Steam rose as Xin unpacked and handed Lorna a box labeled 'Beef Stroganoff'. "Diego said to always leave this one for you."
"That's sweet of him," Lorna chuckled, positioning herself with folded legs beside where Håkon rested, her ivory features highlighted by the golden glow as she pried open her dinner, gripping a metallic fork. She lifted the box to her face, inhaling the aroma before remarking, "Pretty close to the real thing."
"I imagine it is," Xin selected a package marked 'Chicken Teriyaki' for himself but placed it down on the ground. Next, he extracted a metal spoon and a precisely measured can of Helionite from a small case labeled with the scrawled words 'Håkon's stuffs.' "So, for feeding him..." he looked toward Lorna with hesitation.
"Mix it with something liquid-based," she suggested between bites, watching him with interest. "The stroganoff sauce might work. Here." She extended her dinner box.
Xin measured the glowing Helionite with precise movements, adding small spoonfuls of sauce to dilute it in a wooden bowl. The mixture took on an ethereal green tinge as he stirred. "Right. Three spoons each meal, just as Nikki said."
"He'll need protein too," Lorna added, reaching for another bite of ration with her fork, chewing as she continued. "Should be in there…Type-R something? Mix those in."
Reaching inside the provision container again, Xin found and unpacked the packet she mentioned, labeled 'Emergency Protein Supplement Type-R'. Inside were what looked like perfectly preserved, freeze-dried crickets. "These are…safe?" he asked as he turned to meet Lorna's gaze.
"I thought you Imperials eat insects and entrails quite often?" Lorna tilted her head, genuine surprise in her voice.
"I'm more a pig blood curd kind of guy." Xin grinned, chuckling as he looked away. "Bugs were never really my thing."
"Well, I ate plenty of those during our missions on Jupiter," Lorna explained, watching as he added them to the sauce mixture. "High in nutrients, without the parasites wild insects might carry. Manny's not a fan. Thomas likes it, though."
A heavy silence descended at that final reference while Xin bowed his head in acknowledgment.
"I hope they're okay." Lorna exhaled deeply, her utensil pausing mid-air. "Everyone I've worked with here...they're great, really. But it hurts knowing that after any mission, they might be gone for good. Dead….or worse."
"I know what you mean." Xin offered a faint smile while briefly averting his eyes. His resolve strengthened as he faced her once more. "We'll give it everything we've got and wish them the best though, won't we?"
"Yeah. We will." Lorna absently combed her golden hair with the hand gripping her utensil. "Sorry, I rarely get to talk about these things."
"So do I." Xin said as he sealed the Type-R packet and placed it back in the container.
Inside the wooden, the crickets softened quickly in the warm sauce, creating a hearty stew that glowed faintly green from the Helionite. Xin stirred carefully, making sure each insect was properly coated before turning and extending it towards Lorna. "So, like this?"
"That's good," Lorna nodded approvingly. "He needs solid food to grow. Can't raise a healthy boy on liquids alone."
Håkon stirred in his nest at the smell of food, his sapphire scales brightening with interest. The young Diabolisk chirped eagerly as Xin approached with the wooden bowl.
"Dinner time, buddy," Xin murmured, kneeling down as Håkon trilled at the bowl in excitement. The Diabolisk lapped at the mixture, his tiny mandibles clicking with satisfaction.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Only after Håkon was settled did Xin return to his own meal, the box still perfectly warm thanks to Alliance technology. He caught Lorna watching him, a soft expression on her face that made his heart skip.
"Something on your mind?" he asked, suddenly self-conscious.
"Nothing," she said, but her smile suggested otherwise. "Just...you're good with him."
Xin ducked his head, warmth creeping into his cheeks as he opened his own dinner. The teriyaki sauce's aroma filled their corner of the tent, mingling with the earthy scent of Håkon's Helionite-infused meal. The Diabolisk worked methodically through his food, tiny mandibles carefully selecting one cricket at a time, savoring each morsel with patience.
"He eats like you," Lorna observed, gesturing with her fork. "All precise and thoughtful."
"Really? I thought his table manners are more you." Xin watched as Håkon delicately picked up another cricket from the sauce. "The way he takes his time with each bite?"
Lorna's laugh was soft, almost musical. "Oh no, I'm terrible. Just ask Manny - he's seen me devour an entire MRE in under two minutes. That was…a Mercury op in '92, I think."
They fell into comfortable silence, broken only by the quiet sounds of eating and Håkon's contented chirps. The tent's thermal barriers hummed softly, keeping the mountain cold at bay while casting everything in a gentle golden glow.
Time appeared to stand still. And Xin only hoped they could remain in this instant forever.
But he noticed Håkon's movements becoming gradually slower, his sapphire eyes beginning to droop between bites.
"Someone's sleepy," Lorna murmured, setting aside her empty dinner box. She reached out to stroke Håkon's scales, earning a drowsy trill in response. "He always gets lethargic after eating Helionite."
"Should we..." Xin gestured vaguely at the nest she'd made earlier.
"Yeah. In a minute." Lorna rose, arching her back in a stretch that had Xin hastily looking elsewhere, the lines of her silhouette accentuated by the turtleneck hugging her form. "Could you fetch something from the Rover? There should be a bottle in the thermal storage unit."
Xin blinked in surprise. "A bottle?"
"Yeah, something to toast our first successful camp setup." Her lips curved in that half-smile he found so disarming. "Go on. I'll get our little one settled."
Xin stepped out into the biting cold, his breath forming clouds in the mountain air. The Space Rover's thermal storage unit opened with a soft hiss, revealing several bottles nestled in temperature-controlled compartments. His fingers found a slender bottle of Riesling, its label reading 'Weingut Müller-Catoir, 2289.'
When he returned to the tent, Lorna had tucked Håkon into his makeshift nest, the young Diabolisk's breathing already deep and rhythmic. She looked up as Xin entered, her eyes catching the bottle.
Something unreadable crossed her face. "You found it."
"German wine?" Xin examined the label. "This looks expensive."
"It was a gift. From Thomas." She paused. "Back when we were..."
"More than friends." Understanding dawned as Xin replied. "Should I put it back? Get a different one?"
"No." A wry smile tugged at her lips. "I've been carrying that bottle for months, never sure when to open it. Maybe tonight's the night."
She produced two collapsible cups while Xin worked the cork free. The wine's crisp scent filled their corner of the tent.
"To successful camp setups," Xin offered, raising his cup.
"And to unexpected traveling companions." Their cups clinked softly.
They settled on opposite sides of the heated floor, close enough to talk without waking Håkon. The tent's golden light cast everything in warmth.
"So," Lorna said after a moment, swirling her wine. "What will you write in your report this week?"
Xin blinked. "About Håkon?"
"Mm-hmm." She watched him over the rim. "Otis wants those weekly updates. I'm curious what the great Zhi-Xin Wu will say about our little dragon."
"Well... his spell-casting today was remarkable. The way he healed you—that shows incredible potential."
"Potential." Her tone went flat. "That's what this is about, isn't it?"
"What do you mean?"
She took another sip. "Otis didn't let me keep Håkon out of kindness. He sees military potential. A Diabolisk that can cast spells, follow orders..." Her laugh was bitter. "The perfect weapon."
"The Terra Alliance protects people. It's in that motto by President Harrison: 'Fusion for Freedom, Lithium for Liberty.'"
"Who taught you that?" Lorna asked incredulously.
""It's on the Atomic News Network." Xin said proudly as he took a generous sip of his drink before adding. "Back before I met you, I'd breach the Great Firewall every weekend just to access international broadcasts."
"And you believe that kind of dritt?" Her response was quick, the Norwegian swear word slipping through her lips. "From someone on his fifth term because the Corporate Chamber's got his back?"
"I do." Xin held his cup firmly. "Corporate Chamber or not, the motto inspires people."
"Does it?" She leaned forward. "The Alliance is just another faction scrambling for power, Xin. Using whatever tools they can find."
"They saved you. Gave you a new identity—"
"They gave me a leash." The words came sharp. "And now they want one for Håkon too."
Silence stretched between them. Xin refilled their cups.
"What would you do instead?" he asked gently. "Where else could he be safe?"
Her shoulders sagged. "I don't know. That's the worst part." She took a longer drink. "I'm grateful to Otis, but... You saw how slowly Håkon's growing. What if he stays small for years? A child's mind in a world that wants to weaponize him?"
"He won't be alone. He has you. He has..." Xin hesitated. "He has me, if you'll let him."
Their eyes met. "He called you 'Pappa' today."
"He did." His voice barely above a whisper.
"How did that make you feel?"
Xin stared into his wine, eyeing the reflection there. "Terrified. Honored. Like..." He looked up. "Like maybe this is exactly where I'm supposed to be."
Lorna shifted, drawing her knees up. "You know what scares me most? I look at Håkon and see…pure innocence. And I know what this world does to that."
"But look at today—he healed you. His first instinct was to protect."
"For now." Her voice dropped. "What happens when the holier-than-god Corporate Chamber decides…that it's time for some 'advanced training'?"
"What would they gain from doing that?" He looked up from his wine.
"Another great asset." She said, her free hand reaching up to play with her pendant idly. "Like me."
The bitterness in her voice made his chest ache. He reached out, covering her hand with his.
"You're more than just their asset," he said firmly. "You're a mother. You're someone who makes me want to be better."
She turned her hand palm up, interlacing their fingers. "Even knowing what I used to be? A Leased Lily?"
"Especially knowing that. You survived."
"Thomas said something similar once." She looked at their joined hands. "Right before he started buying me gifts. Like that wine."
"Is that why you never opened it?"
She nodded. "It felt like accepting it meant admitting I could still be bought. That I hadn't really changed."
"Or maybe," Xin suggested, "you were afraid of letting someone care without conditions."
Her eyes snapped to his, surprise flickering across her face. "When did you get so good at speaking?"
"Not speaking. Just understanding." He squeezed gently. "You're not a tool to me. Neither is Håkon. You're both…family."
"I don't know how to do this," she admitted, voice thick. "How to have a family that isn't held together by mission parameters or unreal expectations."
"Neither do I. But we're figuring it out."
"The ex-prostitute assassin and the programmer who fell for machines." Her smile was watery but real. "Quite a pair."
"And one little dragon who thinks we're doing okay."
They sat in comfortable silence, hands linked. Outside, wind whispered through pines.
"Tomorrow," Lorna said eventually. "The valley. My father's creations who turned against him — along with Skarn's minions. Things will be worse than today."
"How much worse?"
"My pa doesn't do anything halfway. The Jokull — if they were anything like his usual inventions, would be intelligent, coordinated. But…" she unzipped the collar of her turtleneck and touched her pendant. "This proves he's alive, at least."
"You miss him."
"Every day." The admission barely audible. "He saved me, Xin. Could have fled himself but made sure I escaped."
"Maybe we'll find answers tomorrow."
"Maybe." She didn't sound convinced. "But the Jokull won't care that I'm his daughter."
She shifted closer, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Despite her height advantage, she fit perfectly against him.
"I don't know if tomorrow will be harder." Xin said softly. "But I'll say, it's been real fun spending time with you."
She turned to look at him. "Even after everything? The killing, the deaths, the aliens—"
"Especially after everything."
Her sapphire eyes searched his. "So what are we? A family?"
"I'd like us to be. If you'll have me."
Instead of answering, she bent down, closing the distance between them. This kiss was different from the wormhole—slower, deeper, carrying promise. When they parted, she rested her forehead against his.
"Håkon chose well," she whispered. "When he called you 'pappa'."
A soft chirp drew their attention. The young Diabolisk had shifted in sleep, one clawed hand reaching out as if searching for something just beyond reach. His breathing had quickened, tiny whimpers escaping between his mandibles.
Without hesitation, they both moved closer. Lorna reached him first, her ivory fingers gentle on his scales. "It's okay, boy. Mamma's here."
"Pappa's here, too." Xin's hand joined hers on Håkon's back, feeling the rapid heartbeat.
"He has nightmares sometimes," she explained quietly, not looking away from her son. "About the birthing, I think. Or maybe genetic memory from..." She couldn't finish.
"We all have nightmares." Xin said as they soothed Håkon together, noting how the tension gradually left the Diabolisk's small frame. "But he's safe now. We'll make sure of it."
Håkon's eyes fluttered but didn't fully open, caught in that space between sleep and waking. Lorna looked between Xin and their son, something softening in her expression as the Diabolisk slowly calmed.
"You know what my mother used to sing to me? Before she died?"
"Your mother?"
Instead of explaining, Lorna began to hum softly, the melody low and soothing. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she sang:
"Sov du lille barn min, månen er på vakt... Stjernene de glitrer, natten er så svart... Men du skal ikke grue, mamma er jo her... Sov du lille barn min, jeg har deg kjær..."
The melody was haunting and beautiful. Even without understanding the words, Xin dared imagine himself feeling their meaning - safety, love, the promise of protection against the dark. Håkon's breathing deepened, his small body relaxing completely under their combined touch.
"It means 'Sleep my little child, the moon stands guard,'" Lorna translated softly. "'The stars are glittering, the night is so black. But you shall not fear, for mother is here. Sleep my little child, I hold you dear.'"
"It's beautiful."
"My mother learned it from her mother, and so on back through time." Her fingers traced gentle patterns on Håkon's scales. "I never thought I'd have anyone to sing it to."
"Now you do."
"Now we do," she corrected gently. "Will you help me remember the words? So we can teach him when he's older?"
The request carried more weight than its simple words.
"I'd be honored," Xin said, meaning it while scratching his head shyly. "Probably need a Jǫturmál dictionary, though."
Lorna chuckled. "Remind me to get you one after we get back."
A minute passed as they sat in comfortable silence.
Placing a hand on her cheek, Lorna studied the makeshift nest. "He needs better support. The coat alone isn't enough."
Xin was already shrugging out of his puffer jacket, careful not to disturb the now-peaceful Håkon. "Here. We can add this."
Working together with practiced quiet, they carefully lifted the sleeping Diabolisk just enough to rearrange the nest. Xin's jacket formed a deeper cushion while Lorna adjusted her trench coat to create raised edges, like a proper bed. Håkon barely stirred, a soft trill indicating contentment as they settled him back down.
"Better," Lorna murmured, smoothing the fabric around him.
Xin noticed the tent's other features for the first time - fold-out beds built into the walls, designed for a full squad. "Should we...?"
"Good idea." Lorna was already moving to one panel. With a soft click, a bed extended, its surface firm but cushioned. "Help me move it?"
Together they positioned two beds on either side of Håkon's nest, close enough to respond if he woke but giving him space to rest. The arrangement felt right - protective without being suffocating.
A minute of comfortable silence passed as they each took off their footwears.
Lorna settled onto her bed, still wearing her turtleneck and tactical pants. In the golden light, she looked younger somehow, the day's tensions finally leaving her features. Xin took the opposite bed, the empty wine bottle on the floor between them catching the light like a small beacon.
"Tomorrow will be dangerous," Lorna said, her voice heavy with approaching sleep.
"Then we face it together." Xin turned on his side to face her across the small distance.
"All three of us?" A smile played at her lips.
"All three of us." he echoed.
They lay in comfortable silence for a moment, the tent's gentle warmth and the wine making everything feel soft around the edges. From his position, Xin could see both Lorna and Håkon - his unexpected family, found in the most unlikely circumstances.
"Thanks," Lorna whispered suddenly. "For not running when things got complicated."
"Never," he whispered back, meaning it more than he'd ever meant anything.
"Goodnight, Xin."
"Goodnight, Lorna."
As sleep began to claim him, Xin felt a contentment he hadn't experienced in years. Outside, the mountain wind continued its lonely song through the pines, but inside their small shelter, a different kind of music played - the quiet breathing of three souls who had found each other against all odds. Whatever tomorrow might bring in the Jokull-controlled valley, tonight they were together, and that was enough.