“That tracks with what I saw of him,” said Hector. “The way he talked to Rathmore was like...” And he paused, suddenly realizing what words were about to come out of his mouth and thinking twice about it.
‘Hmm? Like what?’
Hector remained quiet for a few moments longer as he thought back.
As he relived something that he didn’t want to.
“...That way Nykeir was acting reminded me of Geoffrey Rofal,” he finally said.
Garovel said nothing, perhaps expecting Hector to elaborate.
Hector decided to do so, realizing something else as well. “I guess... you weren’t actually there for that part, were you?”
‘What part?’
“At the end. My final encounter with him. He was different than before.”
‘You told me before. I remember.’
Hmm? Oh, Garovel was talking about his father. How Geoffrey had stolen the man’s body. Taunted him while wearing his father’s face. Hector had of course told Garovel about that.
But that wasn’t what he was talking about here. “No, it wasn’t just... that. There was something else different.”
‘What do you mean?’
“Geoffrey behavior. It was like... he wasn’t just crazy, anymore. He was obsessed. With me. And the way Nykeir was talking to Rathmore... felt very similar.”
‘Ah. I see.’ The reaper paused, hovering nearer the Gate. ‘I know exactly what you’re talking about. I may not have been present for either of situations you’re describing, but I’ve seen it many times before. That type of... truly malevolent, psychopathic obsession. And as a matter of fact, that’s what happened to Rathmore in the end, too.’
Hector blinked. “He...? He turned out like Nykeir?”
‘Well, without having actually witnessed what you did, I can’t say for sure that they were the same, but from the sound of it, ah... yes.’
“But Rathmore seemed pretty reasonable in the memories. I mean... mostly.”
‘Oh yeah. For a while there, he was a great man. Noble of mind and heart. Level-headed and intelligent. Someone to look up to.’
“So what changed?”
‘Lots of things. It was a slow process over many years, as it often is. But... it was terrible to watch unfold. And terrible to remember, still.’ The reaper shook his skull solemnly. ‘Not being as experienced in these things back then, I was in denial about it for much longer than I should have been. And his reaper--she was even worse than I was. Absolutely refused to see the truth of things, long after it should have been obvious.’
“...What finally convinced you that he was too far gone?”
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Monday, March 18, 2024
Page 3543
“Huh,” said Hector, feeling abruptly like he might need to elaborate. “But, uh... Nykeir seemed kinda amused by the giant tentacle. Like more amused than worried. He just... sort of stood there and took it. Then it gooped him up and yoinked him away.”
‘“Gooped him up and yoinked him away.” Once again, your word choice continues to impress.’
“Look, I don’t how else to describe it. It was really fucking weird-looking, man.”
‘No, no, I wasn’t saying I didn’t understand. If anything, I’d say you’ve painted quite the picture for me. I’m imagining it very clearly.’
“Oh. Well, good. But anyway, my point was that maybe the Yigorosk wasn’t actually that powerful. Y’know? Considering how unbothered he seemed when it happened? Maybe he survived. In... another dimension or something.”
‘Given everything else we’ve seen lately, I suppose that’s possible. But it’s also been well over two millennia since his disappearance. If he really did live through that, then he probably got killed some other way, else he would’ve almost certainly returned by now.’
“You sound confident about that. Did you... know him personally?”
Garovel allowed that question to breathe. ‘As a matter of fact, yes, I did.’
“Why’d you never mention that you knew an ancient emperor?”
‘Why should I have? He’s far from the only one I’ve ever encountered.’
“Really? How many past emperors have you met?”
‘Oh, I don’t know. A lot. You have to understand: things weren’t always like the stalemate that we have with our current four emperors. There’ve been many times throughout history when the term “emperor” barely even applied, because they were popping up like weeds and dropping like flies. And many, despite how fleeting their time was, still managed to leave quite an impact on the world. In fact, I suspect that was all some of them cared about. Going out with a bang.’
Hector thought a moment. “You’ve really known lots of emperors-class servants?”
‘Okay, first off, you’re making it sound a bit more grandiose than it really was. And secondly, it’s not like I was intimately familiar with them all during the height of their power. Most of them, I met when they were younger. Once they got all high-and-mighty, they were usually out of my reach.’
“Usually? But not always.”
‘...No, not always.’
“So you have known some at their strongest.”
‘Yes. And Nykeir, I’d say... hmm. I knew him when he was quite powerful but not at his strongest, probably.’
“And he didn’t leave a favorable impression, from the sound of it.”
‘He did not.’
‘“Gooped him up and yoinked him away.” Once again, your word choice continues to impress.’
“Look, I don’t how else to describe it. It was really fucking weird-looking, man.”
‘No, no, I wasn’t saying I didn’t understand. If anything, I’d say you’ve painted quite the picture for me. I’m imagining it very clearly.’
“Oh. Well, good. But anyway, my point was that maybe the Yigorosk wasn’t actually that powerful. Y’know? Considering how unbothered he seemed when it happened? Maybe he survived. In... another dimension or something.”
‘Given everything else we’ve seen lately, I suppose that’s possible. But it’s also been well over two millennia since his disappearance. If he really did live through that, then he probably got killed some other way, else he would’ve almost certainly returned by now.’
“You sound confident about that. Did you... know him personally?”
Garovel allowed that question to breathe. ‘As a matter of fact, yes, I did.’
“Why’d you never mention that you knew an ancient emperor?”
‘Why should I have? He’s far from the only one I’ve ever encountered.’
“Really? How many past emperors have you met?”
‘Oh, I don’t know. A lot. You have to understand: things weren’t always like the stalemate that we have with our current four emperors. There’ve been many times throughout history when the term “emperor” barely even applied, because they were popping up like weeds and dropping like flies. And many, despite how fleeting their time was, still managed to leave quite an impact on the world. In fact, I suspect that was all some of them cared about. Going out with a bang.’
Hector thought a moment. “You’ve really known lots of emperors-class servants?”
‘Okay, first off, you’re making it sound a bit more grandiose than it really was. And secondly, it’s not like I was intimately familiar with them all during the height of their power. Most of them, I met when they were younger. Once they got all high-and-mighty, they were usually out of my reach.’
“Usually? But not always.”
‘...No, not always.’
“So you have known some at their strongest.”
‘Yes. And Nykeir, I’d say... hmm. I knew him when he was quite powerful but not at his strongest, probably.’
“And he didn’t leave a favorable impression, from the sound of it.”
‘He did not.’
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Page 3542
‘You did, huh?’ said Garovel. ‘Well, uh, that’s neat ‘n all, but still not technically anything new. I’ve already seen Rathmore.’
Hector cocked an eyebrow. “I mean, yeah, but that wasn’t really what I was--”
‘I’m just sayin’. I asked for a new thing, and you gave me an old thing. A been-there-done-that thing. Kinda disappointed in your weird new memory powers, honestly.’
“Garovel, there was more to it than just that.”
‘That’s good. Because I don’t see how just seeing Rathmore’s face would prove helpful at all.’
“...I actually didn’t see his face.”
‘Say what?’
“The memory was, er... I mean, for some reason, people in the memories were all blurry. Faces included.”
‘Wow, so after all that, you still don’t even know what he looks like?’
“Ah--yeah...”
‘Hah! Your new memory power sucks!’
“What the--?”
‘Garovel’s still on top, baby!’
Hector’s face went flat.
‘Go on, ask me something! See how well I can remember stuff!’
In spite of himself, Hector couldn’t help snickering. “You done?”
‘Not really. Feel like I could gloat for another ten minutes, if I needed to.’
“Can we skip that part? I did actually learn some useful things, I think.”
‘Oh, alright. Out with it, then. Astonish me.’
“Agh--don’t build it up like that. I don’t know if it’s that good!”
‘Okay, okay. My expectations are lowering with each passing second. As usual.’
“As usu--?! Fuck is that supposed to mean?!”
Eventually, they managed to actually discuss the subject in question.
‘Hmm,’ mused Garovel for a long moment. ‘So you saw Anicca and even Nykeir here, too. Interesting.’
“And the giant tentacle monster. Don’t forget that. Turns out that thing really existed, after all.”
‘Yeah, I know. I told you that when I first brought it up. What, you didn’t believe me?’
“I mean... not really, no.”
‘Wow. I’m hurt, Hector. Blindly believing everything I say is part of your sacred duty as a servant, you know.’
“Uh-huh...”
‘Gotta say, though. I wasn’t expecting to learn the truth about Nykeir’s sudden disappearance this way. So in the end, he got devoured by a Yigorosk... And a pretty gnarly one, from the sound of it.’
“Gnarly? Were they not all that powerful?”
‘Of course not. Nykeir was probably the strongest servant alive at that time. A normal Yigorosk shouldn’t have been able to touch him. Frankly, while I do find that son of bitch’s death hilarious and well-deserved, I also find this information rather terrifying. A Yigorosk that strong is, uh... not a pleasant thought, given everything else I know about them.’
Hector cocked an eyebrow. “I mean, yeah, but that wasn’t really what I was--”
‘I’m just sayin’. I asked for a new thing, and you gave me an old thing. A been-there-done-that thing. Kinda disappointed in your weird new memory powers, honestly.’
“Garovel, there was more to it than just that.”
‘That’s good. Because I don’t see how just seeing Rathmore’s face would prove helpful at all.’
“...I actually didn’t see his face.”
‘Say what?’
“The memory was, er... I mean, for some reason, people in the memories were all blurry. Faces included.”
‘Wow, so after all that, you still don’t even know what he looks like?’
“Ah--yeah...”
‘Hah! Your new memory power sucks!’
“What the--?”
‘Garovel’s still on top, baby!’
Hector’s face went flat.
‘Go on, ask me something! See how well I can remember stuff!’
In spite of himself, Hector couldn’t help snickering. “You done?”
‘Not really. Feel like I could gloat for another ten minutes, if I needed to.’
“Can we skip that part? I did actually learn some useful things, I think.”
‘Oh, alright. Out with it, then. Astonish me.’
“Agh--don’t build it up like that. I don’t know if it’s that good!”
‘Okay, okay. My expectations are lowering with each passing second. As usual.’
“As usu--?! Fuck is that supposed to mean?!”
Eventually, they managed to actually discuss the subject in question.
‘Hmm,’ mused Garovel for a long moment. ‘So you saw Anicca and even Nykeir here, too. Interesting.’
“And the giant tentacle monster. Don’t forget that. Turns out that thing really existed, after all.”
‘Yeah, I know. I told you that when I first brought it up. What, you didn’t believe me?’
“I mean... not really, no.”
‘Wow. I’m hurt, Hector. Blindly believing everything I say is part of your sacred duty as a servant, you know.’
“Uh-huh...”
‘Gotta say, though. I wasn’t expecting to learn the truth about Nykeir’s sudden disappearance this way. So in the end, he got devoured by a Yigorosk... And a pretty gnarly one, from the sound of it.’
“Gnarly? Were they not all that powerful?”
‘Of course not. Nykeir was probably the strongest servant alive at that time. A normal Yigorosk shouldn’t have been able to touch him. Frankly, while I do find that son of bitch’s death hilarious and well-deserved, I also find this information rather terrifying. A Yigorosk that strong is, uh... not a pleasant thought, given everything else I know about them.’
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