But even as they conducted a conversation between auras alone, they also kept up a completely different discussion with their physical voices in the normal world. There were pressing questions that Hector wanted answers to, after all, including the one that Garovel had asked him to bring up.
"Have you already neutralized all the Yigorosks in the entire city?" said Hector.
"Yes. No need to worry. How much do you know about the current state of Andeyal? I've only just arrived and could use any information you might possess."
"If you only just arrived, then how can you be so sure that you got them all?"
"The Idkin are a familiar foe to me. I've learned their tactics and how to sense their various presences, even the ones that employ stealth. Truthfully, this incursion wasn't even that bad. It could have been far worse, believe me."
"Well, I've heard Jercash is responsible for most of the recent issues in the city. Your people are keeping it under a psychic lockdown, in case you didn't already know."
"Aha. Jercash, yes. He will not be a problem, either."
Hector wanted to doubt the man's certitude, but given who he was dealing with here, it was kind of difficult to do so. "Er--there are Yigorosks that employ stealth? Or--eh--Idkin, you said?"
"Oh, es. Idkin is the term for the larger group to which Yigorosks belong. They are as diverse as we humans--or perhaps even moreso. And there are abilities can be quite strange. Camouflage and psychic concealment being among them. I advise you to be wary of that, should you have to deal with them again in the future. Some are quite intelligent, as well, making it possible to reason with them, even." The emperor paused to bob his head. "Or be deceived by them. Again, I advise caution."
That was all rather unpleasant news. "But the ones you just boxed in..."
"None of the cunning ones, no. Just their mindless hordes, driven by purely instinct and simple orders. I'm sure you would be able to tell if you assessed one up close."
The man sounded so casual and matter-of-fact, despite the roiling emotions that Hector knew to be underneath. It really did feel like this guy was existing in two different worlds at once. Hell, maybe even more than two. Given how new to this he still was, there were probably still things that he couldn't yet sense, depths that he couldn't yet reach.
A dark serial novel. Set in a modern fantasy world called Eleg. Mature language. Updates every day at noon PST by ~400 words.
Monday, July 6, 2026
Sunday, July 5, 2026
Page 4121
How had it gotten this bad, Hector wondered? As old as this guy was, as connected as he was, people must have been lining up to help him throughout history. Surely, others within the Vanguard must have noticed all this within their leader. Hector had already met Xander, and that dude had been insightful as hell, so he must've been able to see that--
Ah.
Perhaps Sermung could sense his brewing questions, because now memories were bubbling en masse. Shadowed and murky but still intelligible. Of course others had been able to see this. Not many, admittedly, but enough.
And it had caused problems. Many problems. Because not all were helpful of spirit. Some only saw weakness.
Opportunity.
Were you the same, Hector Goffe of Atreya? And if not now, then would you become so, in time? Yet another friend turned enemy?
The aura behind those questions wasn't even threatening, though logically-speaking it should have been. Instead, it felt remorseful. As if already regretting the future. And perhaps this whole conversation.
Didn't mean to draw you in like this. One more person wrapped up in inevitable tragedy. Fated misery. Was it ever avoidable? He wanted to think so. He always wanted to think so.
Hector was getting annoyed now. Talk about presumptuous. Was that where the question about destiny came from? This shit right here? Why were you dwelling on this so much? You knew better. At your age? Pondering the unknowable? Of course you knew better.
Hmph. If only it were as simple as deciding not to dwell on something. One might put it off, sure. Distract oneself with more pressing matters. But it always comes back, in time. And when one is immortal, there truly is no escape, is there? You'll see, young one.
It might not be simple, no. But that doesn't make it impossible, either. Something that helped me was understanding the fruitlessness of it. It's pointless to dwell on pointlessness.
Hah. A fun turn of phrase, perhaps, but ultimately, as you say, pointless. Meaningless. Meager human souls were never meant to live so long. This was always going to be the destination. And it always will be, no matter much we might try to deny it.
There you go with that destiny talk again. You still haven't told me why you seem to believe in the concept so much. What if it's just a load of horseshit?
Whoa. Hector could sense a fluctuation in Sermung's aura now. Annoyance? That was new. Perhaps the man had already sensed the same thing in Hector and was responding in kind.
Ah.
Perhaps Sermung could sense his brewing questions, because now memories were bubbling en masse. Shadowed and murky but still intelligible. Of course others had been able to see this. Not many, admittedly, but enough.
And it had caused problems. Many problems. Because not all were helpful of spirit. Some only saw weakness.
Opportunity.
Were you the same, Hector Goffe of Atreya? And if not now, then would you become so, in time? Yet another friend turned enemy?
The aura behind those questions wasn't even threatening, though logically-speaking it should have been. Instead, it felt remorseful. As if already regretting the future. And perhaps this whole conversation.
Didn't mean to draw you in like this. One more person wrapped up in inevitable tragedy. Fated misery. Was it ever avoidable? He wanted to think so. He always wanted to think so.
Hector was getting annoyed now. Talk about presumptuous. Was that where the question about destiny came from? This shit right here? Why were you dwelling on this so much? You knew better. At your age? Pondering the unknowable? Of course you knew better.
Hmph. If only it were as simple as deciding not to dwell on something. One might put it off, sure. Distract oneself with more pressing matters. But it always comes back, in time. And when one is immortal, there truly is no escape, is there? You'll see, young one.
It might not be simple, no. But that doesn't make it impossible, either. Something that helped me was understanding the fruitlessness of it. It's pointless to dwell on pointlessness.
Hah. A fun turn of phrase, perhaps, but ultimately, as you say, pointless. Meaningless. Meager human souls were never meant to live so long. This was always going to be the destination. And it always will be, no matter much we might try to deny it.
There you go with that destiny talk again. You still haven't told me why you seem to believe in the concept so much. What if it's just a load of horseshit?
Whoa. Hector could sense a fluctuation in Sermung's aura now. Annoyance? That was new. Perhaps the man had already sensed the same thing in Hector and was responding in kind.
Friday, July 3, 2026
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