Page 4124

You see? You may be young, but you have already seen it for yourself, yes? Or heard of their exploits, at least? The reapers who keep the world in a perpetual state of suffering and strife.

Alright, sure, that's a fair point, but it's not like all reapers disappearing tomorrow would fix that. That's human nature. And they're still human, just like us.

Which only further supports my point. What hope is there, truly, when the problem stems from our very natures?

Oh, come on. Just look around. You're what, six hundred years old or something? The world is definitely NOT the same as it was six hundred years ago, is it? All the technological advancements. And... yeah, moral advancements, too, don't you think?

Hmm.

I mean, sure, we've still got plenty of problems. Slavery still exists, for example. But it's not nearly as common as it used to be, either. General sentiment towards it has improved enormously, hasn't it? Along with tons of other issues.

Hmph. Now you sound like Xander. You mentioned meeting him, didn't you?

Wait. Had he mentioned that? Hector was pretty sure that he hadn't. But he'd thought about it, which was maybe all Sermung had needed in order to discern the rest from his aura.

Oh man.

Take it as a compliment, Sermung's aura was saying.

Hector tried to course correct. We're getting sidetracked. The point is, humans are still growing and improving. Slowly, sure, but it's happening. Maybe you'd be able to see that more clearly if you weren't... so detached from everyone and everything.

Ah. You can sense that, too, can you?

Of course I can. You shared it with me--and on purpose, I'm pretty sure.

Hmm. Perhaps I did.

If you say "or perhaps not" right now, I'm gonna punch you.

A rumble in Sermung's aura arrived. A laugh. Something Hector hadn't sensed so strongly from the man before.

Yes, I see. You've had your own encounters with them, haven't you? The twisted meddlers who cannot let go of our world.

What can you tell me about them?

Quite a bit, I imagine. They are watching you now. Which means they have seen me, if they hadn't before. Well, it was only a matter of time, I suppose.

Are you at war with them?

In part. They are no friends to humanity, but neither are they strictly enemies. Always be cautious in your dealings with them. If they have taken an interest in you, then I'm sure that more will seek you out before long.

Next page on the 10th

Thanks for reading, everybody.

Page 4123

It was tough. Certainly, there were plenty of other questions that Hector wanted to ask, particularly about the Vanguard's conduct as a whole, but it wasn't the time for that. For two different reasons, in fact. The first being that he still wasn't convinced that the situation here was truly secure now, even with Sermung's arrival. And the second being that the turmoil he sensed within Sermung was its own problem to be worrying about.

After everything he'd come to learn about the Rainlord's circumstances and the recent battle in the Luthic Ocean that caused Hurricane Deva, Hector was honestly quite tempted to just lay all of that at the feet of the Vanguardian emperor here and demand some explanations.

But how would that help the current situation? It might provide a nice feeling of catharsis, but that was just selfish thinking when so much was still up in the air. And selfishness could wait a bit longer.

Sermung's aura, however, must have been able to pick up on some aspect of those feelings, because Hector was sensing some related inquiries from the mounting irritation therein.

You are holding back quite a bit, the man's aura was saying. You have some bone to pick with me, I take it? Like countless others, no doubt.

A tempting provocation, but Hector didn't bite. He kept his own annoyance at bay. Don't change the subject. We were focusing on destiny. What's your obsession with it?

I am not obsessed. I just find it difficult to continue denying. It is hard to articulate to one so young. You may understand much of me that others do not, but that does not mean everything is easily clarified.

Well, please try, anyway. Because it seems like that idea sits near the root of your struggle.

The hope of free will may indeed be beautiful, and I do still admire it, but what say you when you see people with these supposedly free wills making the same mistakes ad nauseum? When great problems that you sacrifice much in order to solve keep returning again and again? Does that speak nothing of predestination to you? Of a pointless struggle against the endless march of entropy?

Not especially. Young people make young mistakes. I know it must be frustrating to watch happen, but the path forward isn't a straight line, you know. People learn and grow through all sorts of messy and backwards ways.

Hmph. And what of reapers? They do not have such an excuse.

Okay, well, reapers are... ah... hmm.