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Page 4078

Even the normal ground level seemed neglected in comparison to the elevated areas above. While garbage and debris weren't necessarily everywhere, they were still quite noticeable--along with entire city blocks full of tented encampments, which Hector could only assume belonged to the destitute.

Though, at the moment, those places were also abandoned.

As his small party moved through the city, at times on the ground and at times hovering through the air on iron platforms, the unnatural state of the city only became clearer. Hector had wanted to find the source of the screaming that Roman heard with his enhanced hearing, but apparently, it wasn't that easy. Roman couldn't discern a direction that it was coming from.

So after a bit of uncertain wandering, they decided to check on the "hypnotized" crowd that Loren had seen.

It was the strangest thing.

Massive throngs of people covered the streets, none of them uttering so much as a peep. They were just walking with utterly blank expressions on their faces. Where to? No idea, but there was at least a clear flow to follow. They were all heading southwest, as calm and orderly as could be.

No one was in their cars, either. All vehicles appeared to be abandoned in the middle or road, doors left hanging open, keys in the ignitions, engines left running.

In the end, the group decided to simply fly overhead and follow the giant trail of people. They didn't rush, though. Hector took had to carry Selena, Nadim, and Loren on iron platforms, but Roman was free to scout around, though Hector asked him not to stray too far.

''Course we're not going too far,' said Voreese. 'I'm not trying to get mindfucked by some spooky bullshit, right now. In fact, maybe I should stay with you and let Roman go by himself.'

"Why do you have to put it like that?" said Roman. "Just say it's the smart the thing to do so that we can relay information back and forth. No need to hurt my feelings."

'Well, think of it this way. As long as I'm still insulting you, you'll know I'm not mentally compromised.'

"Mm. But 'mentally compromised' already describes your normal self. Quite well, actually."

'Shut up and go already. And by the way, I hope you DO get mindfucked, you stupid prick.'

"Love you, too."

'Ugh. Ew.'

Page 4077 -- CCCXXV.

Too much to remember at once, even for him. Countless crimes and crises. Tragedies and faces. Smiling, then agonizing.

Eadric. Cynebald. Aelred. Eadmund. Wynnstan.

Cut in two. Burning alive. Strangled. Skull caved in. Decapitated.

Cenhelm. Leofcild. Hilda. Tata. Cuthberht. Wulfric.

Drowning. Starving. Bleeding out. Buried alive. Stabbed through the neck. Dead in his arms.

Bada. Cenric. Jonathan. Richard. Nina. Martha.

Endless.

Endless.

Endless.

The thought processes were spiraling away from him. He felt them. Going off in different directions. Trying to recall. Trying to see. Memories and the world at once. Trying to address as much as possible. To assess everything. Melancholy be damned.

He contained himself. Pulled everything back. Too dangerous. Too much.

Tenebrach was saying something. Of course he was. Warning him again. And he was replying, too. Reassuring. Everything was fine.

Tenebrach would know it was a lie, but that didn't matter.

Few things did, anymore.

Focus on them. Concentrate. For a bit longer.

Ugh.

Horrible though they could be, the higher realms did offer a strange kind of solace. Since there was so much to worry about in them, so many potential threats, it was somehow easier to not get lost like this.

Here, things were too calm. Too safe. Too quiet.

But that was just a trick of perception, wasn't it? A bias. There was plenty of madness to subdue here, too. He was just too comfortable in his home realm. The familiarity was the problem.

Meditation would help.

There wasn't time. There never was.

No. There always was. Assign the thought processes to them. Stand them by. Calm them down. Calm everything down.

Relax.

Just relax.

Sermung breathed.

He concentrated, and he breathed.


Chapter Three Hundred Twenty-Five: 'The city of the Heart...'
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Andeyal was something else. Hector had always known about it. Seen pictures and video. It was one of the most famous cities in the world, after all.

But man.

Just being here made Atreya feel smaller, somehow. The buildings were absolutely gargantuan. The term "skyscraper" barely seemed like enough to describe them. There were entire roadways up there, too, weaving in between them, apparently connecting to many of those buildings directly. How bad must traffic have gotten in this place for roads like those to be deemed necessary?

More and more, he was starting to understand how that huge area underground could have been left abandoned for so long. With so much going on out here--and up there--did these people ever bother to look down, anymore?