{"id":2351,"date":"2018-06-06T10:43:24","date_gmt":"2018-06-06T17:43:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/psquared\/?page_id=2351"},"modified":"2025-04-23T13:44:11","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T20:44:11","slug":"chapter-2-iron-wars","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/psquared\/protein-portraits-2018\/chapter-2-iron-wars\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 2: Iron Wars"},"content":{"rendered":"

Siderocalin\u2019s eyes shot open, his body covered in a cold, clammy sweat. He didn\u2019t see though his own eyes, but through the eyes of Neutrophil. The magic scared him, but he consoled himself by comparing it to the bond shared between twins. It’s normal to feel the emotions of loved ones, right? The intense surge of emotion felt by his liege drew him away from his own body, if only temporarily, to alert him to the danger. The Ferrichemists were back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It shouldn\u2019t have come as a big surprise, the war was essentially eternal, or so he had been told. The word on the street was that the Ferrichemist needed free ferric iron, and Somatia had it. Trade routes had been considered, but in the end, the Ferrichemists were deemed too foreign and too greedy to be allowed access to the metal that made them powerful.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Siderocalin\u2019s head swiveled as he heard a creak in his room, his eyes coming to rest on a small opening on the far side of his chamber. Cautiously, he arose and crept towards the door. He hadn\u2019t seen any indications that the door existed previously, but he had just moved to this room recently. Oddly, he could not seem to remember where he <\/span>had<\/span><\/i> been before. Everything in his memory was hazy, up until the moment that he met Neutrophil. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0From what Siderocalin had gathered, Neutrophil was the king, and he was somehow related to the king. Why else would Neutrophil\u2019s emotions be able to draw him away from his own body? However, since he had arrived in Somatia, the few that he had met hadn\u2019t bowed to him, nor called him \u201cmy prince\u201d. Maybe Somatia didn\u2019t have princes? \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He reached the opening, and peered inside. There was a narrow staircase with a crude railing that spiraled upwards, but he was unable to see what awaited him at the top. Nervously, he wrung his hands together and slowly retreated to the bed. What if the opening was the beginning of the attack by the Ferrichemists? He should warn someone. Yes, warning someone experienced would be a good idea. He was new, he didn\u2019t know what was happening. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Siderocalin stilled his hands and sat down on the edge of the bed. If Neutrophil could communicate with him, maybe he could communicate with Neutrophil. He purposely closed his eyes, willing the erratic beating of his heart to calm. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Neutrophil?<\/span><\/i> Siderocalin thought hesitantly. <\/span>My king! Neutrophil! <\/span><\/i>He cried, but to no avail. Frustrated, he gave up with the attempt to communicate. <\/span>Deep breath<\/span><\/i>, he told himself, <\/span>keep taking deep breaths<\/span><\/i>. If the Ferrichemists were attacking him, they would surely have come down the stairs by now, right? And if he needed to fight, he would want to know the lay of the room above beforehand. Unconsciously, he looked down at his clasped hands. He saw clean, smooth, unblemished hands, not the hands of a fighter. No, no, no, he couldn\u2019t fight them. Surely, if Neutrophil had warned him about the invaders, there was something he had to do, but the warriors must also have been summoned. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Siderocalin reeled in his thought. He knew that there were invaders, and he knew that a door had mysteriously been opened in his chamber. Faking confidence, he walked towards the stairs again and began to ascend. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0When he reached the top of the stairs, he found that the room wasn\u2019t a room at all. The stairs ended abruptly, and Siderocalin was left standing on the edge of a ledge, looking out at the surrounding environment. He marveled for a moment at the extent of his field of vision, but he was caught off guard when Neutrophil\u2019s voice resonated within his skull. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Of course he doesn\u2019t show up until now, <\/span><\/i>Siderocalin thought bitterly. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cYou know that I hear your thoughts, Siderocalin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cOh, my King, I\u2019m sorry,\u201d Siderocalin stammered, trying to calm his beating heart again. \u201cI tried to contact you earlier but you didn\u2019t respond.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cYou should not be trying to use the Sight,\u201d Neutrophil commanded. Almost as if he could feel Siderocalin shrinking back from the rebuke, he added: \u201cthe Sight is dangerous for those not well trained, and I am the only one with the training required to reach out to my people like this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Siderocalin nodded his head shakily, then thrust his chin towards the outside world. \u201cSo, what is this?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe outside world?\u201d Neutrophil responded questioningly. \u201cMy apologies, I forget how green you are sometimes,\u201d he trailed off. Siderocalin waited for him to continue, looking away from the edge, the vertigo making him somewhat unsteady on his feet. \u201cI had hoped the timing would would work out better. For now, I need to know one thing, are you with me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Knowing that Neutrophil was privy to his own thoughts, Siderocalin responded instantly with what he thought was expected: \u201cYes, my King, my services are yours.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cGood, good,\u201d Neutrophil trailed off again. Siderocalin couldn\u2019t help but wonder if he was actually paying attention. Or maybe he was communicating with others, trying to plan the assault? As long as he didn\u2019t have to fight, he would be happy. Then he replayed his words in his head, <\/span>yes, my King, my services are yours<\/span><\/i>. What had he just signed himself up for? \u201cNow, how much do you know about the Ferrichemists?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cNot much, my King,\u201d Siderocalin responded. \u201cI know they are dangerous and that they want the iron that we have here.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s more complicated than that, but you don\u2019t really need to know the details, and unfortunately, I simply don\u2019t have the time to explain it to you. Suffice it to say, I have dispatched warriors to the frontline, and fighting has likely already begun. I need you out in the field, but I already know of your worries, so you will not be fighting directly.\u201d Inwardly, Siderocalin breathed a sigh of relief. \u201cAs you have mentioned, the Ferrichemists want iron, and we know that it makes them very powerful. As such, to prevent them from decimating out troops, I need you to ensure that they can\u2019t get our iron. Destroy their iron collection agents, the siderophores. Clear?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cHow do I\u2026\u201d Siderocalin started, but Neutrophil cut him off. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m being called elsewhere. Go!\u201d Neutrophil commanded. Despite the tension of the situation, or perhaps because of it, Siderocalin burst into laughter. Had he been named after the thing he was meant to destroy? He shook his head, trying to center himself on the task at hand. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He could feel the retreating presence of Neutrophil as he looked around his surroundings again. <\/span>The environment, <\/span><\/i>he thought to himself, as his eyes crossed to the vast expanse in front of him. <\/span>Beautiful and terrifying at the same time. <\/span><\/i>Steeling his nerves, he walked closer to the ledge. He was supposed to go out there, all the way from up on this tower. Carefully, he kneeled down and peered over the edge. The edges were rough, maybe he could climb down without falling to his death. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Without warning, Neutrophil barged back into Siderocalin\u2019s mind. \u201cJust jump,\u201d he commanded, exasperated. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0All of a sudden, jumping seemed like the most logical solution. As if he was no longer in control of his own body, Siderocalin hurled himself off the edge of the ledge. As he fell, the connection he had with Neutrophil began crumbling. Lacking the strength he previously had, Neutrophil managed to stammer out his last word to Siderocalin: \u201cFly\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0At that moment, Siderocalin realized that he wasn\u2019t doomed to fall to his death. Exuberantly, he began to ascend, only to later allow himself to nosedive towards the ground, and then ascend again. It was as if the stress of the attack vanished, as he explored his new world. He was free. Everything was so free. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Eventually, Siderocalin wearied of his games and allowed himself to float gently on the current. Before long, he realized that he was being pulled, every so slightly, in one direction. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0And that\u2019s when he saw them. The Ferrichemists. Just one wouldn\u2019t have been intimidating, but Siderocalin realized that their power was in their numbers. They stretched as far as the eye could see, a solid mass of moving bodies. Nearest him stood Neutrophil\u2019s army, but it looked pitifully small. It seemed like the constant war with the Ferrichemists hadn\u2019t served to train the troops and strengthen their defenses, but had weakened them beyond measure. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Looking down at the scene unfolding below him, Siderocalin could see that some of the Ferrichemists hadn\u2019t bothered fighting, but had pushed further into the interior of their lands. They moved with a desperate quality, despite the fact that others had Somatia\u2019s troops surrounded. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0At that moment, Siderocalin realized that those he had been watching weren\u2019t the soldiers, they were part of the iron collection agency. They weren\u2019t moving towards the interior, but rather retreating, hoping to pass off the iron to those that could make use of it. Without any thought, Siderocalin dove towards the one that was nearest to the soldiers. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He didn\u2019t know exactly who could make use of the iron, all he knew was that the siderophores couldn\u2019t. He figured that it was safest to assume that everyone was a threat. He didn\u2019t even know what would happen if they got the iron. Would they turn around and leave, or would they gain a power that could annihilate Somatia at a touch? Siderocalin didn\u2019t intend to find out. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He was quickly drawing near the Siderophore that had almost reached its final destination. One of the Ferrichemists had noticed, and was also moving towards the Siderophore. <\/span>I did not sign up to fight that Ferrichemist<\/span><\/i>, Siderocalin growled, almost as a battle chant. All he knew was that he needed to stop that Siderophore. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0That\u2019s when he heard a low rumbling behind him, and turned to see at least fifty more Siderophores scuttling towards them. Even if he managed to stop this one, what would happen afterwards? <\/span>One thing at a time, <\/span><\/i>he told himself.<\/span> Don\u2019t let them get this first bit of iron. Reinforcements will be on the way. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Siderocalin increased his speed once more, exerting all of the strength he had. Deftly moving slightly to the right, he set his course, aiming to collide directly with the Siderophore, pushing it out of reach of the nearing Ferrichemist. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He grunted in pain as the impact shook his whole body, though it seemingly had little effect on the Siderophore. They tumbled together, the Siderophore straining to get away, Siderocalin intent on keeping it from achieving its goal. The struggling continued for some time, Siderocalin solely focused on subduing his prisoner. The rest of the world was lost to him as he fought for control. He ignored the scrapes and bruises inflicted on him with complete indifference, not even giving them a second thought. He had one job, and he was intent on accomplishing the one task Neutrophil had given him. Eventually, the struggling began to cease and Siderocalin once again became aware of everything around him. He had completed his task,<\/span> but what about all of the other Siderophores?<\/span><\/i> He wondered. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As he looked around, he realized that the struggle had taken him far away from the initial combat he had seen. He rose slowly, still gripping his prisoner, to survey the extent of the damage. He trudged back up the hill, the trek indefinitely harder as he was dragging the reluctant prisoner. First, his eyes came to rest on the Siderophores, who were all being sequestered by reinforcements. Then his eyes traveled to the warriors, who were shouting gleefully. It seemed as though the Ferichemists had seen their dreams of acquiring the iron thwarted by him and the reinforcements, and were quickly retreating from the battle. It looked like they had won again, this time at least.<\/span><\/p>\n

Onward to Chapter 3<\/a><\/p>\n

Back to the Table of Contents<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Siderocalin\u2019s eyes shot open, his body covered in a cold, clammy sweat. He didn\u2019t see though his own eyes, but through the eyes of Neutrophil. The magic scared him, but he consoled himself by comparing it to the bond shared … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":196,"featured_media":2500,"parent":2340,"menu_order":8002,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2351","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/psquared\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2351","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/psquared\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/psquared\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/psquared\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/196"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/psquared\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2351"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/psquared\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2351\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3079,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/psquared\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2351\/revisions\/3079"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/psquared\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2340"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/psquared\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/psquared\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}