A dark serial novel. Set in a modern fantasy world called Eleg. Mature language. Updates every night at midnight PST by ~400 words.
Sunday, March 30, 2025
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Page 3819
Yes. Real flesh. Not a trick. Not another illusion. He felt the crunch of bone, tasted the blood, and sensed the wound in the soul.
Ettol struggled. Of course he did. Flailed at him. Cast out more illusions. Attempts to overload Koh’s senses. Attempts to pierce his mind’s newly reforged protective barrier.
All in vain. In a few more seconds, Ettol would be in his stomach. Torn from this realm once again. On his way back.
There was something, though. A pang of guilt. Pity. Not for Ettol, but for the flesh he inhabited. Having spent so much time with him, Koh knew of the particularly strange nature of Ettol’s current incarnation.
Of the poor boy named Jonah whose mind persisted alongside Ettol’s. A boy who had never agreed to incarnation. A boy who had always rebelled against it to no avail.
Even while consumed with the rage of the Hunt, there was still a place in Koh’s heart that wept for the boy. Might there yet be some way to rescue him from this madness? Was it not too late?
Folly. Of course it was. The Prime Hunt must continue. Collateral damage was nothing new. ‘Twas a tale as old as he. He was only feeling this way because he’d spent so much time with Jonah. Because he’d become so familiar with the boy’s struggle for existence.
Because on some level, it struck a deeply personal chord. Because he understood it just a bit too well.
Which was, no doubt, yet another of Ettol’s machinations. A subtle play, long in the making.
And damn him, Koh found himself hesitating. Just enough. A few more seconds. And then a few more still. Putting it off. Playing with his food. Ragdolling the flesh around in his mouth instead of simply chewing through and devouring it.
Someone had reacted. A powerful soul coming to Ettol’s defense. Koh sensed it. Knew the problem in advance. And he could have hurried himself along. Could’ve finished this already.
But he didn’t. He let the interloper reach him in time.
And when Gohvis’ hands found his bloody maw, Koh knew this was about to get much more complicated. He’d missed his chance to keep everything simple.
Because that was no mere projection of the Black Scourge. Koh could tell after having wrestled and brawled with the projection so many times in recent days.
Here and now, this was the real thing.
Ettol struggled. Of course he did. Flailed at him. Cast out more illusions. Attempts to overload Koh’s senses. Attempts to pierce his mind’s newly reforged protective barrier.
All in vain. In a few more seconds, Ettol would be in his stomach. Torn from this realm once again. On his way back.
There was something, though. A pang of guilt. Pity. Not for Ettol, but for the flesh he inhabited. Having spent so much time with him, Koh knew of the particularly strange nature of Ettol’s current incarnation.
Of the poor boy named Jonah whose mind persisted alongside Ettol’s. A boy who had never agreed to incarnation. A boy who had always rebelled against it to no avail.
Even while consumed with the rage of the Hunt, there was still a place in Koh’s heart that wept for the boy. Might there yet be some way to rescue him from this madness? Was it not too late?
Folly. Of course it was. The Prime Hunt must continue. Collateral damage was nothing new. ‘Twas a tale as old as he. He was only feeling this way because he’d spent so much time with Jonah. Because he’d become so familiar with the boy’s struggle for existence.
Because on some level, it struck a deeply personal chord. Because he understood it just a bit too well.
Which was, no doubt, yet another of Ettol’s machinations. A subtle play, long in the making.
And damn him, Koh found himself hesitating. Just enough. A few more seconds. And then a few more still. Putting it off. Playing with his food. Ragdolling the flesh around in his mouth instead of simply chewing through and devouring it.
Someone had reacted. A powerful soul coming to Ettol’s defense. Koh sensed it. Knew the problem in advance. And he could have hurried himself along. Could’ve finished this already.
But he didn’t. He let the interloper reach him in time.
And when Gohvis’ hands found his bloody maw, Koh knew this was about to get much more complicated. He’d missed his chance to keep everything simple.
Because that was no mere projection of the Black Scourge. Koh could tell after having wrestled and brawled with the projection so many times in recent days.
Here and now, this was the real thing.
Friday, March 28, 2025
Page 3818
He recognized this legion. The Mendocava, some called them in this world. Or the Void Riders. But their true name was much more mundane. They were of the Outerdark Patrol. An endless division belonging to the Lord of Bones, who preferred his minions to maintain a skeletal or rotting visage.
This was predictable, of course. The legions of the Bone Lord were usually at the periphery of the kingdom, so it was only natural that they would be the quickest to respond to his call.
Koh might’ve preferred one of the dragon legions, instead. He was on better terms with them. As a reckless young pup, he’d harassed the Bone Lord and his legions quite a bit, so they probably did not harbor much love for him.
But oh well. They were still his brethren of the Dark. They would serve just fine here.
And then he felt it. Full control. Full dominance over this blackened, hulking body of his.
He badly wanted to let loose and run down Ettol at this very moment, but he held the howl for a while longer so that the Patrol could finish crossing the bridge.
And he sent them silent word, as well. They needed to know who was friend and who was foe.
Unfortunately, even Koh himself only knew so much about that. He was keenly aware of how this situation must have been appearing to all of the onlooking servants. Most likely, none of them would understand what was happening, other than the fact that he was perhaps more powerful than any of them.
So he told the Patrol to ignore anyone who did not attack them first. Whether that would actually be enough to avoid utter mayhem here was questionable. Fear would no doubt play a role in these events today.
But he couldn’t allow anyone to get in the way of the Prime Hunt. Especially now, when he finally had his most elusive prey in sight.
And then, at last, he let himself free. The howl ended, and with it, his gargantuan form torpedoed across the drizzling battlefield, straight toward Ettol, whose presence he’d locked onto right away.
There was no escape now, Trickster.
There was an illusory form in the way. A false target. Even now, Koh only sensed it at the last moment. He blitzed through it and pursued the real one, concealed beneath a cloak of supposed Invisibility.
Found you.
His teeth sunk into Ettol’s flesh.
This was predictable, of course. The legions of the Bone Lord were usually at the periphery of the kingdom, so it was only natural that they would be the quickest to respond to his call.
Koh might’ve preferred one of the dragon legions, instead. He was on better terms with them. As a reckless young pup, he’d harassed the Bone Lord and his legions quite a bit, so they probably did not harbor much love for him.
But oh well. They were still his brethren of the Dark. They would serve just fine here.
And then he felt it. Full control. Full dominance over this blackened, hulking body of his.
He badly wanted to let loose and run down Ettol at this very moment, but he held the howl for a while longer so that the Patrol could finish crossing the bridge.
And he sent them silent word, as well. They needed to know who was friend and who was foe.
Unfortunately, even Koh himself only knew so much about that. He was keenly aware of how this situation must have been appearing to all of the onlooking servants. Most likely, none of them would understand what was happening, other than the fact that he was perhaps more powerful than any of them.
So he told the Patrol to ignore anyone who did not attack them first. Whether that would actually be enough to avoid utter mayhem here was questionable. Fear would no doubt play a role in these events today.
But he couldn’t allow anyone to get in the way of the Prime Hunt. Especially now, when he finally had his most elusive prey in sight.
And then, at last, he let himself free. The howl ended, and with it, his gargantuan form torpedoed across the drizzling battlefield, straight toward Ettol, whose presence he’d locked onto right away.
There was no escape now, Trickster.
There was an illusory form in the way. A false target. Even now, Koh only sensed it at the last moment. He blitzed through it and pursued the real one, concealed beneath a cloak of supposed Invisibility.
Found you.
His teeth sunk into Ettol’s flesh.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Page 3817
The fissure in the sky grew wider still, and through it, with a powerful wish in mind, he could sense even deeper beyond the Veil. Towards the very source of the Darklight itself.
And there, of course, lay an entire kingdom. The Realm of the Living Dark.
Home.
He would return there, one day, willingly or not. Even if he ultimately failed in his quest, he would be returned there. To the side of his master.
But here and now, it was not the pangs of homesickness or nostalgia that drive his thoughts there. No, he sought assistance. The kind he had never before felt strong enough to ask for. Never strong enough to reach across the great gulf between realms and make his will be known. In fact, never before would he have even thought that such a thing might be possible.
But now he did. With Kallmakk’s power came also knowledge. And confidence. A heart that dared to dream bigger.
So he sent the message along through the howl, too. He called for aid from his otherworldly kingdom.
From the Horde of the Living Dark.
Would they hear him? He was certain of it. But could they actually come here? That was more dubious. He would have to provide the bridge. They could not manifest in this realm unaided. Even his master was limited in that capacity, though it be in part due to his old wounds.
That was why he had given Koh form, after all. Why he had raised him from a pup with such love and discipline.
To have Koh do what he alone no longer could.
There. The bridge was set. A paltry construct, but set nonetheless. It would certainly not be able to support the passage of the Dark Horde’s infinite legions, but that was fine. He did not require such unfathomable strength. A morsel was all he hoped for.
And already, it was beginning to arrive. From the rift in the sky, along a narrow bridge blacker than even the night that surrounded it, they descended.
Their forms changed visibly from moment to moment--and they would continue to do so, until they passed fully through the Veil and into this world. At which point, most of them settled on the form of skeletal beasts and warriors. Some on horseback. Some horses themselves. All towering in height and breathing ghostly white flame.
And all wreathed in the swirling power of the Darklight.
And there, of course, lay an entire kingdom. The Realm of the Living Dark.
Home.
He would return there, one day, willingly or not. Even if he ultimately failed in his quest, he would be returned there. To the side of his master.
But here and now, it was not the pangs of homesickness or nostalgia that drive his thoughts there. No, he sought assistance. The kind he had never before felt strong enough to ask for. Never strong enough to reach across the great gulf between realms and make his will be known. In fact, never before would he have even thought that such a thing might be possible.
But now he did. With Kallmakk’s power came also knowledge. And confidence. A heart that dared to dream bigger.
So he sent the message along through the howl, too. He called for aid from his otherworldly kingdom.
From the Horde of the Living Dark.
Would they hear him? He was certain of it. But could they actually come here? That was more dubious. He would have to provide the bridge. They could not manifest in this realm unaided. Even his master was limited in that capacity, though it be in part due to his old wounds.
That was why he had given Koh form, after all. Why he had raised him from a pup with such love and discipline.
To have Koh do what he alone no longer could.
There. The bridge was set. A paltry construct, but set nonetheless. It would certainly not be able to support the passage of the Dark Horde’s infinite legions, but that was fine. He did not require such unfathomable strength. A morsel was all he hoped for.
And already, it was beginning to arrive. From the rift in the sky, along a narrow bridge blacker than even the night that surrounded it, they descended.
Their forms changed visibly from moment to moment--and they would continue to do so, until they passed fully through the Veil and into this world. At which point, most of them settled on the form of skeletal beasts and warriors. Some on horseback. Some horses themselves. All towering in height and breathing ghostly white flame.
And all wreathed in the swirling power of the Darklight.
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Page 3816
Even after all of that, however, he did not immediately regain full control of himself. Between the ensuing merge with Kallmakk and the overwhelming ferocity that still consumed his physical form, it was all but impossible to not get lost in the mayhem.
He was battling the Mad Demon again. Of course he was. The object of Ettol’s ire. One of the greatest obstacles to his grand plan of Reemergence. The Child Trickster wanted nothing more than to have Koh eliminate this problem in his stead.
And Koh, therefore, wanted nothing more than to stop himself, but it was difficult. Instincts had taken over. The instincts of the Beast of Ardora: the monster that ever thirsted for blood and hungered for war.
The blessing and curse of his master.
To truly break himself free of these instincts, he would have to overwhelm his own senses. Blank his own mind. And along with it, probably everyone else’s as well.
He knew just the thing.
He used the merge. Leaned into it. Focused on its transformative effects on his body. Let them grow and radiate outward from him, flowing over and through everything in the area on a tidal wave of darkness.
And he howled.
So deep and sustained that it could have been a roar. The sound carried with it his soul, his aura, and all the torment that Kallmakk had been amassing for countless years.
It was a sound that rent the sky in two. Where before there had been a hole in the clouds above the battlefield, now there was a fissure all the way into the horizon. And the sea was no different. It parted like a great canyon, perfectly straight into the distance as mountains of displaced water splashed up and away from the immense divide.
The world shuddered and blinked. For a few fleeting moments, he could even sense beyond the Veil. He thought, perhaps, that he felt his master there, observing in silence, but that might have only been wishful thinking.
His body grew in size. It had already been enlarged by the power of the Darklight, but now there was even more to pull from as Kallmakk connected with that self-same power.
The feldeath’s instincts competed with his own, wanting to take over, but he couldn’t allow that, either. Duty and reason needed to win now, not instinct. Neither his nor Kallmakk’s.
And so the howl continued. Tearing the world asunder. Until everything but his own will was suppressed.
He was battling the Mad Demon again. Of course he was. The object of Ettol’s ire. One of the greatest obstacles to his grand plan of Reemergence. The Child Trickster wanted nothing more than to have Koh eliminate this problem in his stead.
And Koh, therefore, wanted nothing more than to stop himself, but it was difficult. Instincts had taken over. The instincts of the Beast of Ardora: the monster that ever thirsted for blood and hungered for war.
The blessing and curse of his master.
To truly break himself free of these instincts, he would have to overwhelm his own senses. Blank his own mind. And along with it, probably everyone else’s as well.
He knew just the thing.
He used the merge. Leaned into it. Focused on its transformative effects on his body. Let them grow and radiate outward from him, flowing over and through everything in the area on a tidal wave of darkness.
And he howled.
So deep and sustained that it could have been a roar. The sound carried with it his soul, his aura, and all the torment that Kallmakk had been amassing for countless years.
It was a sound that rent the sky in two. Where before there had been a hole in the clouds above the battlefield, now there was a fissure all the way into the horizon. And the sea was no different. It parted like a great canyon, perfectly straight into the distance as mountains of displaced water splashed up and away from the immense divide.
The world shuddered and blinked. For a few fleeting moments, he could even sense beyond the Veil. He thought, perhaps, that he felt his master there, observing in silence, but that might have only been wishful thinking.
His body grew in size. It had already been enlarged by the power of the Darklight, but now there was even more to pull from as Kallmakk connected with that self-same power.
The feldeath’s instincts competed with his own, wanting to take over, but he couldn’t allow that, either. Duty and reason needed to win now, not instinct. Neither his nor Kallmakk’s.
And so the howl continued. Tearing the world asunder. Until everything but his own will was suppressed.
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Page 3815
He wasted no time in accepting the offer. Immediately, a change began to take place. A familiar verve flowed through him. Ancient and powerful. The inky blackness of the Darklight enveloped him, both body and soul.
As expected, it was ferocious and hungry, but that, too, was no great departure from his own spirit. Whenever he embraced the Darklight on his own, it felt just the same as this.
The only difference was intensity. There was more now than he’d ever felt before. More than he’d anticipated, even.
This Kallmakk had harbored greater strength than he’d realized. In their multiple days of combat, they’d apparently not breached the true depths of its power.
Intoxicating.
If he had not already been possessed of a single-minded pursuit, this would have almost certainly been too much to endure. It would have tempted him to all sorts of ends, no doubt. To take its power and run free. Do as he pleased, the master’s will be damned.
Perhaps it also helped that he’d already experienced such indulgences. Already seen what fruitless ends they amounted to. Thanks to Ettol’s interference.
Yet another lesson from the Child Trickster. Koh intended to remember it well.
This slowed space was a problem, however. The merge was being slowed along with it. In order to complete it within a timely fashion, it seemed he would have to release himself from this place.
And frankly, he was not entirely sure how to do that. Moreover, there was the additional concern of the cage’s suppressive effects on his mind. The cage had not actually disappeared or diminished. He could still sense it all around him, clear as day. He very much did not wish to rush headlong back into it.
So he had to break it first, then release himself from this strange state of consciousness.
Hmm.
He felt, perhaps, that he could simply wish for it, and it would be so. There was enough dormant power here now, even disregarding that of Kallmakk. Power all his own.
Power that he’d been holding back, subconsciously, for years now. Decades, maybe.
Yes. Storing and waiting. Biding his time until a day like today. Even under Ettol’s influence, he’d managed to keep something to himself.
He gathered it up. Let it pierce his soul and embolden it. And then he made his wish known.
The cage shattered. Time moved quickly again. And the rage of his body filled his mind once more.
As expected, it was ferocious and hungry, but that, too, was no great departure from his own spirit. Whenever he embraced the Darklight on his own, it felt just the same as this.
The only difference was intensity. There was more now than he’d ever felt before. More than he’d anticipated, even.
This Kallmakk had harbored greater strength than he’d realized. In their multiple days of combat, they’d apparently not breached the true depths of its power.
Intoxicating.
If he had not already been possessed of a single-minded pursuit, this would have almost certainly been too much to endure. It would have tempted him to all sorts of ends, no doubt. To take its power and run free. Do as he pleased, the master’s will be damned.
Perhaps it also helped that he’d already experienced such indulgences. Already seen what fruitless ends they amounted to. Thanks to Ettol’s interference.
Yet another lesson from the Child Trickster. Koh intended to remember it well.
This slowed space was a problem, however. The merge was being slowed along with it. In order to complete it within a timely fashion, it seemed he would have to release himself from this place.
And frankly, he was not entirely sure how to do that. Moreover, there was the additional concern of the cage’s suppressive effects on his mind. The cage had not actually disappeared or diminished. He could still sense it all around him, clear as day. He very much did not wish to rush headlong back into it.
So he had to break it first, then release himself from this strange state of consciousness.
Hmm.
He felt, perhaps, that he could simply wish for it, and it would be so. There was enough dormant power here now, even disregarding that of Kallmakk. Power all his own.
Power that he’d been holding back, subconsciously, for years now. Decades, maybe.
Yes. Storing and waiting. Biding his time until a day like today. Even under Ettol’s influence, he’d managed to keep something to himself.
He gathered it up. Let it pierce his soul and embolden it. And then he made his wish known.
The cage shattered. Time moved quickly again. And the rage of his body filled his mind once more.
Saturday, March 22, 2025
Friday, March 21, 2025
Page 3814
Yes. His recent memories knew what it was. Kallmakk the Nightspinner. Collectively, they had been locked in battle with it for days now. Of course. It was wounded but not defeated. Recovering quickly. Soon, it would rampage again.
But... it could sense him in turn, couldn’t it? He could feel the feedback. After being quieted by Dozer, it had been rendered curious. Now, it observed the battlefield, waiting for its moment. And it was lingering on him.
Feldeaths. He had encountered them countless times before. Fought them countless times, too. But not every time. Not every encounter had resulted in battle.
They were creatures of pure instinct. Consumed by pain. Angry at the world. Seeking its destruction. But also trapped. Without hope. Drowning in despair.
That was the only reason why they did not rampage more frequently than they already did. Why they did not make more of an effort to bring the mortal world to ruin.
Because they were too distracted by their endless misery.
It was the font of their terrible strength, after all. The glue that bound so many poor souls together.
And on occasion, Koh had seen this before. Their curiosity towards him. He never entirely understood why or how it manifested, but perhaps, when they were calm like this, they could sometimes discern that he was not of this realm. That he was therefore undeserving of their rage.
And this one. It had a powerful affinity with darkness, as well.
Just like himself.
A rare connection.
The souls. They felt it, too. They were here with him, in this slowed space. They were crying out. Begging him for help.
Begging him to save them from their despair. To send them onward from this realm.
And perhaps he could. It was not his purpose, but perhaps he could.
Once his task was complete.
In the meantime, they could join him. Lend him their strength.
Did they understand that? It would be a long journey yet. The Prime Hunt must continue. But when it was done, he might finally return to the master’s side himself. And he could take them with him, if they wished.
It might not be their proper place. It might not be the faded dream at the root of their despair. They might only find more misery there. But perhaps the master would be able to aid them, if so. If he chose to.
That was no guarantee. Did they understand? Could they reach such an accord?
Hmm.
It would seem so.
But... it could sense him in turn, couldn’t it? He could feel the feedback. After being quieted by Dozer, it had been rendered curious. Now, it observed the battlefield, waiting for its moment. And it was lingering on him.
Feldeaths. He had encountered them countless times before. Fought them countless times, too. But not every time. Not every encounter had resulted in battle.
They were creatures of pure instinct. Consumed by pain. Angry at the world. Seeking its destruction. But also trapped. Without hope. Drowning in despair.
That was the only reason why they did not rampage more frequently than they already did. Why they did not make more of an effort to bring the mortal world to ruin.
Because they were too distracted by their endless misery.
It was the font of their terrible strength, after all. The glue that bound so many poor souls together.
And on occasion, Koh had seen this before. Their curiosity towards him. He never entirely understood why or how it manifested, but perhaps, when they were calm like this, they could sometimes discern that he was not of this realm. That he was therefore undeserving of their rage.
And this one. It had a powerful affinity with darkness, as well.
Just like himself.
A rare connection.
The souls. They felt it, too. They were here with him, in this slowed space. They were crying out. Begging him for help.
Begging him to save them from their despair. To send them onward from this realm.
And perhaps he could. It was not his purpose, but perhaps he could.
Once his task was complete.
In the meantime, they could join him. Lend him their strength.
Did they understand that? It would be a long journey yet. The Prime Hunt must continue. But when it was done, he might finally return to the master’s side himself. And he could take them with him, if they wished.
It might not be their proper place. It might not be the faded dream at the root of their despair. They might only find more misery there. But perhaps the master would be able to aid them, if so. If he chose to.
That was no guarantee. Did they understand? Could they reach such an accord?
Hmm.
It would seem so.
Thursday, March 20, 2025
Page 3813
All had been done in order to distract him from his cause. This new, nomadic life. This suppression of his mind. This cage.
It was the children’s attempt to pull him away from the very reason he was born. Despite their many attempts, they’d never been able to kill him, so they always had to resort to some alternate stratagem. Making hostages of the hapless mortals whom he grew to care for. Crafting elaborate illusions to deceive him. Imprisoning him in empowered chains. Sealing his soul away in some chaotic realm. And now this. Directly enslaving his mind.
Who was it this time?
The exact knowledge was missing. Torn from him, no doubt. But that was an answer unto itself. Their names, temperaments, and abilities were all baked into his very soul by He Who Is Not.
It could only be Ettol’s doing. The Child of Impulse, Deceit, and Rebirth. Ever a problem, that one. Evasive and cunning. How had he managed to enrapture his mind?
Ah. He recalled. Caught him in a moment of weakness. Normally, his mind would have been protected from such manipulation. But after wasting away in a long imprisonment and engaging in a subsequent battle with a possessed servant emperor, he’d been rendered vulnerable to the Child Trickster’s power.
And even now, he could feel Ettol’s lingering influence. It had gone beyond even enslavement, hadn’t it? These intervening years had been spent imprinting on him. Linking their souls together.
Building a friendship between them. Planning for his eventual escape. Yes.
Ettol would have known that this circumstance could not last indefinitely. That the deception would sooner or later be broken. So he had planted a kernel of camaraderie in his heart. In the hope of creating hesitation when the time finally came that they were enemies once again.
Yes. Ever the schemer. Truly, Ettol had changed the least of all the children. Perhaps because suitable vessels were such a comparative rarity for him.
Koh had to wonder if any of that scheming would matter, however. Rather than anger, he instead pitied the struggling child. The Prime Hunt must continue. There was no stopping it. He would send Ettol back to the unhallowed side of the master, regardless of any personal attachments.
It was inevitable.
But what was this? He could sense something else here, too. A familiar mass of power. Of gathered souls in furious agony.
A manifestation of the great curse upon the mortals of this realm. And the great sin of the children.
It was the children’s attempt to pull him away from the very reason he was born. Despite their many attempts, they’d never been able to kill him, so they always had to resort to some alternate stratagem. Making hostages of the hapless mortals whom he grew to care for. Crafting elaborate illusions to deceive him. Imprisoning him in empowered chains. Sealing his soul away in some chaotic realm. And now this. Directly enslaving his mind.
Who was it this time?
The exact knowledge was missing. Torn from him, no doubt. But that was an answer unto itself. Their names, temperaments, and abilities were all baked into his very soul by He Who Is Not.
It could only be Ettol’s doing. The Child of Impulse, Deceit, and Rebirth. Ever a problem, that one. Evasive and cunning. How had he managed to enrapture his mind?
Ah. He recalled. Caught him in a moment of weakness. Normally, his mind would have been protected from such manipulation. But after wasting away in a long imprisonment and engaging in a subsequent battle with a possessed servant emperor, he’d been rendered vulnerable to the Child Trickster’s power.
And even now, he could feel Ettol’s lingering influence. It had gone beyond even enslavement, hadn’t it? These intervening years had been spent imprinting on him. Linking their souls together.
Building a friendship between them. Planning for his eventual escape. Yes.
Ettol would have known that this circumstance could not last indefinitely. That the deception would sooner or later be broken. So he had planted a kernel of camaraderie in his heart. In the hope of creating hesitation when the time finally came that they were enemies once again.
Yes. Ever the schemer. Truly, Ettol had changed the least of all the children. Perhaps because suitable vessels were such a comparative rarity for him.
Koh had to wonder if any of that scheming would matter, however. Rather than anger, he instead pitied the struggling child. The Prime Hunt must continue. There was no stopping it. He would send Ettol back to the unhallowed side of the master, regardless of any personal attachments.
It was inevitable.
But what was this? He could sense something else here, too. A familiar mass of power. Of gathered souls in furious agony.
A manifestation of the great curse upon the mortals of this realm. And the great sin of the children.
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Page 3812
He could still feel the cage around him. The maze. It hadn’t gone anywhere. But it felt... farther away, somehow. Like he had more space to move. To navigate.
To think.
About what? That was question. About his predicament. About where he’d been. Where he’d come from. Where he was going. Where he wanted to be.
About who he was.
Anything besides the maze. Anything besides trying to find the way out.
Gragh. Confusion. That didn’t make sense. He’d been searching for that way out for longer than he could remember. And yet, he knew that there was none. The maze went on forever. That was its purpose. That was the cage. The nature of it. How it kept him in.
But he was only now realizing this? No. He’d known that all along, too. So why hadn’t he done anything about it? Why had he kept trudging through this endless labyrinth of the mind?
And this calm. So strange, yet so familiar. He’d been angry a moment ago. Mind-numbingly angry. That was still there, too, in fact. He felt it. But he’d gained distance from it. The anger was like a piece of clothing now. He could put it back on, if he wanted, but he didn’t have to.
This slowness. That was the culprit here. The reason for the shift, he realized. The cage’s hold on him was slackened now. It couldn’t account for the new speed of his thoughts. The world had slowed for him, but to the world, he will have sped up.
How fast, he wondered? Curious.
The labyrinth seemed so trivial now. As fragile as glass. He felt like it would shatter if he only reached out and touched it.
And he already intended to. Without even thinking on it any further, he knew that it was the correct course of action. That this cage was not his ally.
But he held a bit longer. Would this wonderful slowness disappear along with the cage? He didn’t think so, but if it did, then he should prepare now, while he could.
He needed to find answers to certain questions. Things that the cage had been trying to hide from him. They were clearer. He could find them. What was most important? What was the cage trying the hardest to conceal from him?
The Hunt.
Yes. Of course.
The Prime Hunt must continue. The numinous children had to be culled. Rent from their vessels. Brought to justice.
Nothing was more pressing than that. And nothing terrified the cage more.
He understood.
To think.
About what? That was question. About his predicament. About where he’d been. Where he’d come from. Where he was going. Where he wanted to be.
About who he was.
Anything besides the maze. Anything besides trying to find the way out.
Gragh. Confusion. That didn’t make sense. He’d been searching for that way out for longer than he could remember. And yet, he knew that there was none. The maze went on forever. That was its purpose. That was the cage. The nature of it. How it kept him in.
But he was only now realizing this? No. He’d known that all along, too. So why hadn’t he done anything about it? Why had he kept trudging through this endless labyrinth of the mind?
And this calm. So strange, yet so familiar. He’d been angry a moment ago. Mind-numbingly angry. That was still there, too, in fact. He felt it. But he’d gained distance from it. The anger was like a piece of clothing now. He could put it back on, if he wanted, but he didn’t have to.
This slowness. That was the culprit here. The reason for the shift, he realized. The cage’s hold on him was slackened now. It couldn’t account for the new speed of his thoughts. The world had slowed for him, but to the world, he will have sped up.
How fast, he wondered? Curious.
The labyrinth seemed so trivial now. As fragile as glass. He felt like it would shatter if he only reached out and touched it.
And he already intended to. Without even thinking on it any further, he knew that it was the correct course of action. That this cage was not his ally.
But he held a bit longer. Would this wonderful slowness disappear along with the cage? He didn’t think so, but if it did, then he should prepare now, while he could.
He needed to find answers to certain questions. Things that the cage had been trying to hide from him. They were clearer. He could find them. What was most important? What was the cage trying the hardest to conceal from him?
The Hunt.
Yes. Of course.
The Prime Hunt must continue. The numinous children had to be culled. Rent from their vessels. Brought to justice.
Nothing was more pressing than that. And nothing terrified the cage more.
He understood.
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Page 3811 -- CCCX.
“Hail, Peacemaker,” said Lamont. The man looked ragged beyond measure. His overcoat was in tatters and sopping wet, and it seemed like there were more scuff marks than visible flesh on his face, arms, and chest. That sharp gaze was unmistakable, though. Always so piercing and intense, even when he was obviously exhausted.
Those harsh features weren’t really to her taste, necessarily, but she did have to admit that the man had a certain something that other men seemed to lack. She’d never quite been able to put her finger on it, though, despite the many long years of silent appreciation for all things masculine.
“Greetings all,” she said with composure, eyeing the gathering group of onlookers, including the Abolishers. Many in the back were struggling to not get swept away by the still-chaotic waters, but many others appeared to be tending to them.
“This is quite the rare visit,” said Sanko from behind her mask. How she managed to prevent that thing from falling off her face in the middle of so many ferocious battles, Sai-hee had never quite figured out.
“I would like to bring this madness to an end,” said Sai-hee.
“As would we all,” said Lamont. “But it is never that easy, is it?”
“No,” said the Peacemaker with a frown. “It never is.”
Chapter Three Hundred Ten: ‘O, howling Death...!’
Click to display entire chapter at once -- (mobile link)
Something had changed. Something in his perception. Something scratching on the glass of his mind. Rattling the cage.
Agh.
Not right. Nothing felt right.
But then, that wasn’t exactly new. Things hadn’t felt right for a very long time.
So, so long.
Too long. In fact, maybe they’d never been right. Maybe that was an illusion. A false memory.
He knew all about those, now didn’t he? The great spiral. The lost self. The endless labyrinth.
Wandering. Forever, perhaps.
How had it come to this? Trapped like any other animal. Reduced to his most simplistic impulses. He felt like he could remember a time when he was free. When his mind was clear. When his thoughts were his own. But it was so long ago. Maybe it never happened.
But this wasn’t what had changed. He’d thought about this many times before. To no avail, of course.
So what was it, then? He sensed it. The shift. The world around him.
It had slowed. To a crawl.
He felt... unburdened here.
What was this place?
Those harsh features weren’t really to her taste, necessarily, but she did have to admit that the man had a certain something that other men seemed to lack. She’d never quite been able to put her finger on it, though, despite the many long years of silent appreciation for all things masculine.
“Greetings all,” she said with composure, eyeing the gathering group of onlookers, including the Abolishers. Many in the back were struggling to not get swept away by the still-chaotic waters, but many others appeared to be tending to them.
“This is quite the rare visit,” said Sanko from behind her mask. How she managed to prevent that thing from falling off her face in the middle of so many ferocious battles, Sai-hee had never quite figured out.
“I would like to bring this madness to an end,” said Sai-hee.
“As would we all,” said Lamont. “But it is never that easy, is it?”
“No,” said the Peacemaker with a frown. “It never is.”
Chapter Three Hundred Ten: ‘O, howling Death...!’
Click to display entire chapter at once -- (mobile link)
Something had changed. Something in his perception. Something scratching on the glass of his mind. Rattling the cage.
Agh.
Not right. Nothing felt right.
But then, that wasn’t exactly new. Things hadn’t felt right for a very long time.
So, so long.
Too long. In fact, maybe they’d never been right. Maybe that was an illusion. A false memory.
He knew all about those, now didn’t he? The great spiral. The lost self. The endless labyrinth.
Wandering. Forever, perhaps.
How had it come to this? Trapped like any other animal. Reduced to his most simplistic impulses. He felt like he could remember a time when he was free. When his mind was clear. When his thoughts were his own. But it was so long ago. Maybe it never happened.
But this wasn’t what had changed. He’d thought about this many times before. To no avail, of course.
So what was it, then? He sensed it. The shift. The world around him.
It had slowed. To a crawl.
He felt... unburdened here.
What was this place?
Monday, March 17, 2025
Page 3810
Their attacks on Dozer were accomplishing very little. Waves crashing against a cliff. A storming mess of ice and metal, mud and liquid, acid and lightning, blades and explosions.
And the Living Void merely took it all, unmoving. His aura was the same, holding strong against theirs, unbothered by their collective heat and scratches.
Then he brought his hands together with a single great clap, and the resulting force was so strong that, for a moment, Sai-hee thought that perhaps he’d torn a hole in reality itself. The shock wave it created blasted the Vanguardians back like leaves caught in a gale. The greater whirlpool around them ripped apart, splashing back to even larger distances and sending tidal waves roaring off into the horizon.
Even Sai-hee herself was made to budge, if only a little. This weightless form was not entirely immune to the shock wave, as he had of course empowered it with his soul.
What a mess.
When she first arrived, she’d been quite pleased to see that they were already within the Void State. It meant that negotiations could be conducted quite easily and leisurely, with virtually no risk to the Vanguardians here.
But apparently, that wasn’t to be. And if she was going to intervene before things got any worse, it would have to be here, she knew. Sanko and Lamont might survive this encounter with Dozer--just as they had many times before--but their subordinates? Those were not going to last much longer, she felt.
So she moved. She put herself in front of Dozer and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Hold, please. Let us resume negotiations, first. This time, with the Vanguardians included.”
Dozer’s wrinkly face merely stared back at her for a moment, unsurprised. He was standing quite steadily on seemingly nothing, though she knew it to be an invisible platform of altered air, created with his power over inertia.
He spared a glance in the direction of Morgunov and Koh, who’d also been knocked away by the shock wave yet had apparently not been deterred from continuing their mid-air brawl. Morgunov seemed to have gotten free of the beast’s mouth, at least, but it still wasn’t clear if he’d gained the upper hand or not.
“Are you not going to stop them?” said Dozer.
“Do you really want me to?” she said.
“...No.”
She could sense some of the Vanguardians approaching from behind and turned to look at them. Thankfully, they seemed to understand that the battle was now on pause. She always hated it when she had to make them listen by force.
And the Living Void merely took it all, unmoving. His aura was the same, holding strong against theirs, unbothered by their collective heat and scratches.
Then he brought his hands together with a single great clap, and the resulting force was so strong that, for a moment, Sai-hee thought that perhaps he’d torn a hole in reality itself. The shock wave it created blasted the Vanguardians back like leaves caught in a gale. The greater whirlpool around them ripped apart, splashing back to even larger distances and sending tidal waves roaring off into the horizon.
Even Sai-hee herself was made to budge, if only a little. This weightless form was not entirely immune to the shock wave, as he had of course empowered it with his soul.
What a mess.
When she first arrived, she’d been quite pleased to see that they were already within the Void State. It meant that negotiations could be conducted quite easily and leisurely, with virtually no risk to the Vanguardians here.
But apparently, that wasn’t to be. And if she was going to intervene before things got any worse, it would have to be here, she knew. Sanko and Lamont might survive this encounter with Dozer--just as they had many times before--but their subordinates? Those were not going to last much longer, she felt.
So she moved. She put herself in front of Dozer and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Hold, please. Let us resume negotiations, first. This time, with the Vanguardians included.”
Dozer’s wrinkly face merely stared back at her for a moment, unsurprised. He was standing quite steadily on seemingly nothing, though she knew it to be an invisible platform of altered air, created with his power over inertia.
He spared a glance in the direction of Morgunov and Koh, who’d also been knocked away by the shock wave yet had apparently not been deterred from continuing their mid-air brawl. Morgunov seemed to have gotten free of the beast’s mouth, at least, but it still wasn’t clear if he’d gained the upper hand or not.
“Are you not going to stop them?” said Dozer.
“Do you really want me to?” she said.
“...No.”
She could sense some of the Vanguardians approaching from behind and turned to look at them. Thankfully, they seemed to understand that the battle was now on pause. She always hated it when she had to make them listen by force.
Saturday, March 15, 2025
Friday, March 14, 2025
Page 3809
That particular sight caught Sai-hee’s attention. She’d never seen the Man-Eater fight before, nor had she been paying him much mind until now, but she could have sworn that his fur had been white a moment ago. Another of his monikers was the Silver Devil of Dante after all, according to Dreivox’s memories.
Yes, there was definitely something peculiar about him. She could see him growing in size, too. Quite rapidly. He’d been maybe the size of a small car before, but now he was like a truck.
What a peculiar creature. Just observing him fight like this was tickling something in the back of her mind. Something from Dreivox? She wasn’t yet sure.
The beast was all over Morgunov, biting into his shoulder and ragdolling him around like a chew toy while a few of those rumored robots swarmed around them both like flies. And they seemed to be about as effective, too, for all the damage they were doing. Flames, lightning, spinning saws, and mechanized tentacles lashed against the Man-Eater’s body, apparently not bothering him one bit.
In fact, the blackness of the wolf’s fur seemed to only be growing deeper. Darker. Until it, too, had tendrils extending out of it, lashing back at the machines’ attacks and knocking them around like buoys at sea.
As for her own position, Sai-hee settled into a hovering, weightless form above the gargantuan whirlpool. It was a rather delicate technique, requiring precise use of pan-rozum so that her body retained its shape, but she was very well-practiced in it by now.
She smirked a little as she continued watching. Getting to see Morgunov in such dire straits here was quite the welcome surprise. It seemed too optimistic to humor the notion that he might actually die here today, but she certainly still appreciated the spectacle of it.
Dozer, meanwhile, was dealing with the Vanguardians. The prior lull in combat had not lasted long at all, and now everyone seemed to hardly be paying her any mind.
Not surprising, she supposed. These were some of the Vanguard’s most veteran warriors. And their collective aura was as intense as she’d ever sensed. Their single-minded determination was bleeding together, spurring one another on, keeping their morale strong in spite of everything.
Admirable, she thought. Facing down two hostile emperors without so much as a crackle of noticeable fear. Foolish, perhaps, but admirable, nonetheless. Was her presence helping them in that regard? Tough to say.
Yes, there was definitely something peculiar about him. She could see him growing in size, too. Quite rapidly. He’d been maybe the size of a small car before, but now he was like a truck.
What a peculiar creature. Just observing him fight like this was tickling something in the back of her mind. Something from Dreivox? She wasn’t yet sure.
The beast was all over Morgunov, biting into his shoulder and ragdolling him around like a chew toy while a few of those rumored robots swarmed around them both like flies. And they seemed to be about as effective, too, for all the damage they were doing. Flames, lightning, spinning saws, and mechanized tentacles lashed against the Man-Eater’s body, apparently not bothering him one bit.
In fact, the blackness of the wolf’s fur seemed to only be growing deeper. Darker. Until it, too, had tendrils extending out of it, lashing back at the machines’ attacks and knocking them around like buoys at sea.
As for her own position, Sai-hee settled into a hovering, weightless form above the gargantuan whirlpool. It was a rather delicate technique, requiring precise use of pan-rozum so that her body retained its shape, but she was very well-practiced in it by now.
She smirked a little as she continued watching. Getting to see Morgunov in such dire straits here was quite the welcome surprise. It seemed too optimistic to humor the notion that he might actually die here today, but she certainly still appreciated the spectacle of it.
Dozer, meanwhile, was dealing with the Vanguardians. The prior lull in combat had not lasted long at all, and now everyone seemed to hardly be paying her any mind.
Not surprising, she supposed. These were some of the Vanguard’s most veteran warriors. And their collective aura was as intense as she’d ever sensed. Their single-minded determination was bleeding together, spurring one another on, keeping their morale strong in spite of everything.
Admirable, she thought. Facing down two hostile emperors without so much as a crackle of noticeable fear. Foolish, perhaps, but admirable, nonetheless. Was her presence helping them in that regard? Tough to say.
Thursday, March 13, 2025
Page 3808
Sai-hee could feel shock waves tearing across the space around her. What were they? Not words. Not thoughts. Raw emotions?
Whatever they were, they were destabilizing this place. Threatening it.
‘Dozy!’ said Morgunov over the still-increasing tremors. ‘Can’t you do something about your stupid dog, already?! He works for you, doesn’t he?! He’s been a real pain my ass, you know!’
‘I suppose I could. But his presence here makes me curious to see if he can actually kill you.’
‘Agh, you son of a bitch! I am gonna have SO much fun getting back at you for this!’
The shaking reached a critical pitch, and Sai-hee could no longer tell what Morgunov was saying. All she could hear was the sound of a great fissuring--both physical and not. Enormous cracks appeared in her senses, everywhere at once. Tearing cloth. Breaking glass. And earthy rumbling. All rolled into one tremendous noise.
Then it was overtaken by a howling snarl. And suddenly, the Man-Eater’s presence was quite dominant within the Void State. Demanding her attention.
And unlike the three of them, it was moving. Across this subspace or pocket dimension or whatever it was. The dog’s aura and soul moved through it, heading straight toward Morgunov.
‘Nope! Don’t like that! Bad dog! Very bad dog!’
It reached him and chomped down.
When their two souls collided, the entire space shattered. The cracks running everywhere gave way fully, and the Void State was no more, leaving only the disorienting chaos of the churning ocean in real-time.
Sai-hee was at a loss. But also intensely curious. Honestly, she didn’t blame Dozer for wanting to see what would happen here. Perhaps it went against her reputation as a negotiator and lover of peace, but she abruptly felt as though she shouldn’t intervene.
Not yet, at least.
Why not let this strange creature take its shot, she wondered? As long as it didn’t attack her, she didn’t see a reason to get in its way.
Hells, depending on how this went, she might even decide to lend the beast her aid.
The ocean was forming into a whirlpool around the battlefield now, as if it knew better than to try converging back in on everyone again. An enormous hole in the otherwise dark and cloudy sky was allowing plenty of light to shine down as well, making the Man-Eater’s pitch black body stand out all the more in the ensuing mayhem.
Whatever they were, they were destabilizing this place. Threatening it.
‘Dozy!’ said Morgunov over the still-increasing tremors. ‘Can’t you do something about your stupid dog, already?! He works for you, doesn’t he?! He’s been a real pain my ass, you know!’
‘I suppose I could. But his presence here makes me curious to see if he can actually kill you.’
‘Agh, you son of a bitch! I am gonna have SO much fun getting back at you for this!’
The shaking reached a critical pitch, and Sai-hee could no longer tell what Morgunov was saying. All she could hear was the sound of a great fissuring--both physical and not. Enormous cracks appeared in her senses, everywhere at once. Tearing cloth. Breaking glass. And earthy rumbling. All rolled into one tremendous noise.
Then it was overtaken by a howling snarl. And suddenly, the Man-Eater’s presence was quite dominant within the Void State. Demanding her attention.
And unlike the three of them, it was moving. Across this subspace or pocket dimension or whatever it was. The dog’s aura and soul moved through it, heading straight toward Morgunov.
‘Nope! Don’t like that! Bad dog! Very bad dog!’
It reached him and chomped down.
When their two souls collided, the entire space shattered. The cracks running everywhere gave way fully, and the Void State was no more, leaving only the disorienting chaos of the churning ocean in real-time.
Sai-hee was at a loss. But also intensely curious. Honestly, she didn’t blame Dozer for wanting to see what would happen here. Perhaps it went against her reputation as a negotiator and lover of peace, but she abruptly felt as though she shouldn’t intervene.
Not yet, at least.
Why not let this strange creature take its shot, she wondered? As long as it didn’t attack her, she didn’t see a reason to get in its way.
Hells, depending on how this went, she might even decide to lend the beast her aid.
The ocean was forming into a whirlpool around the battlefield now, as if it knew better than to try converging back in on everyone again. An enormous hole in the otherwise dark and cloudy sky was allowing plenty of light to shine down as well, making the Man-Eater’s pitch black body stand out all the more in the ensuing mayhem.
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Page 3807
Before anyone could either answer or inquire further, another rumble arrived, this one much more vigorous.
Alarmingly so, she felt.
There was something else, too. Something she was having trouble pinning down with her senses. Something disorienting.
In the few times she’d experienced this space before, she’d never felt anything quite like that here. This place was always calm. Tremors like that had always been mild, at most. Never enough to disrupt her senses in the slightest. But now, she could almost feel herself slipping. The time distortion between the real world and this Void State was weakening. Shuddering. Threatening to dissolve, perhaps.
The next tremor was stronger still. And the world blinked in and out for her, swapping between the Void State and the Luthic Ocean in its disturbed fullness.
She was forced to concentrate. To hold onto the Void State or be torn from it.
But she held. Maintained herself. Stayed in the space. There was still plenty of negotiating left to do, after all. She couldn’t let it end yet.
There was indeed a new presence, however. A fourth soul manifesting in this privileged space. She heard one of the others mention Sermung’s name, but she was still too distracted to tell which of them had said it. And she already knew that it couldn’t be him, besides. If he’d been able to come here himself, then he never would have sent his Magician to persuade her.
No. As her mind settled, she became even more convinced that the fourth was not the Crystal Titan. She could sense the aura therein, and it was not Sermung’s. Not in the slightest.
It was ferocious. Burning so hotly that she could almost feel her skin tingling in the real world. But not like Jackson, either. That man’s aura was always warm and composed, even in combat.
This was wild. Raging. Bloodthirsty and hungry.
‘Oh, ffffuck,’ said Morgunov, having apparently figured it out before her. ‘Not him! He can’t be here, too! Go away, you bastard!’
Who?
Then she pieced it together. The shape of the accompanying soul. It was not one she’d met very often before, but she could see the connection to the physical body that was already on the oceanic battlefield.
It was the wolf. The Man-Eater of Melmoore.
His mind was breaching through the Void State with all the serenity of a smacked hornet’s nest.
Alarmingly so, she felt.
There was something else, too. Something she was having trouble pinning down with her senses. Something disorienting.
In the few times she’d experienced this space before, she’d never felt anything quite like that here. This place was always calm. Tremors like that had always been mild, at most. Never enough to disrupt her senses in the slightest. But now, she could almost feel herself slipping. The time distortion between the real world and this Void State was weakening. Shuddering. Threatening to dissolve, perhaps.
The next tremor was stronger still. And the world blinked in and out for her, swapping between the Void State and the Luthic Ocean in its disturbed fullness.
She was forced to concentrate. To hold onto the Void State or be torn from it.
But she held. Maintained herself. Stayed in the space. There was still plenty of negotiating left to do, after all. She couldn’t let it end yet.
There was indeed a new presence, however. A fourth soul manifesting in this privileged space. She heard one of the others mention Sermung’s name, but she was still too distracted to tell which of them had said it. And she already knew that it couldn’t be him, besides. If he’d been able to come here himself, then he never would have sent his Magician to persuade her.
No. As her mind settled, she became even more convinced that the fourth was not the Crystal Titan. She could sense the aura therein, and it was not Sermung’s. Not in the slightest.
It was ferocious. Burning so hotly that she could almost feel her skin tingling in the real world. But not like Jackson, either. That man’s aura was always warm and composed, even in combat.
This was wild. Raging. Bloodthirsty and hungry.
‘Oh, ffffuck,’ said Morgunov, having apparently figured it out before her. ‘Not him! He can’t be here, too! Go away, you bastard!’
Who?
Then she pieced it together. The shape of the accompanying soul. It was not one she’d met very often before, but she could see the connection to the physical body that was already on the oceanic battlefield.
It was the wolf. The Man-Eater of Melmoore.
His mind was breaching through the Void State with all the serenity of a smacked hornet’s nest.
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Page 3806
She could work around that, though. Just as she’d done countless times before. It was just a matter of staying vigilant and prepared. That was never going to change, even if these two somehow did.
‘Perhaps I could offer you both a precious relic,’ she said.
‘Oh?’ said Morgunov with obvious interest. ‘I do always love those. What did you have in mind?’
Ideally, such gifts would be valuable but not dangerous. And in Morgunov’s case, it would be better still if it was something that would keep him busy for a while, too. That was usually asking too much, though. From her observations of him, technical complexity was what usually acquired his interest, but it was danger that maintained it.
‘Before I go into that,’ she said, ‘understand that I will be wanting much more than a mere ceasefire.’
‘So dinner and a movie, too?’
‘Amusing. But no, darling. I will want treaties. Written and signed. For every nation currently involved in this conflict.’
‘Mm, sounds like a lot of work. Better be some darn good relics if you’re askin’ for all that.’
‘And how many years of non-aggression will you be seeking from these nations?’ said Dozer.
‘The number is negotiable, as always. But given both of your track records with breaking terms, I am thinking that the punishment for not upholding them this time around should be quite severe indeed.’
‘“Our” track records?’ said Dozer. ‘And what of yours? Or Sermung’s? You speak as if you have spotless histories, when you certainly do not.’
‘Now, now,’ said Morgunov. ‘Let’s not go down that road. We may have plenty of time on our hands in here, but if we start arguing about that stuff again, I’m sure we’ll all still manage to die of old age before reaching any kind of agreement.’
How uncharacteristically reasonable of him. Sai-hee could hardly contain her surprise. ‘Nibas. You had a passing interest in Rainlord culture, did you not?’
‘I did. Why are you bringing that up?’
‘I have a fragment of the Fountain of Lhutwë. I thought that might serve as your relic, if you are interested.’
‘Oooh...’
‘And for Medan, I thought--’
A sudden tremble cut her off. It wasn’t terribly violent or enduring, but given the mysterious nature of this Void State, she couldn’t help but be distracted.
‘What was that?’ said Morgunov. ‘Not another new arrival, surely?’
‘Perhaps I could offer you both a precious relic,’ she said.
‘Oh?’ said Morgunov with obvious interest. ‘I do always love those. What did you have in mind?’
Ideally, such gifts would be valuable but not dangerous. And in Morgunov’s case, it would be better still if it was something that would keep him busy for a while, too. That was usually asking too much, though. From her observations of him, technical complexity was what usually acquired his interest, but it was danger that maintained it.
‘Before I go into that,’ she said, ‘understand that I will be wanting much more than a mere ceasefire.’
‘So dinner and a movie, too?’
‘Amusing. But no, darling. I will want treaties. Written and signed. For every nation currently involved in this conflict.’
‘Mm, sounds like a lot of work. Better be some darn good relics if you’re askin’ for all that.’
‘And how many years of non-aggression will you be seeking from these nations?’ said Dozer.
‘The number is negotiable, as always. But given both of your track records with breaking terms, I am thinking that the punishment for not upholding them this time around should be quite severe indeed.’
‘“Our” track records?’ said Dozer. ‘And what of yours? Or Sermung’s? You speak as if you have spotless histories, when you certainly do not.’
‘Now, now,’ said Morgunov. ‘Let’s not go down that road. We may have plenty of time on our hands in here, but if we start arguing about that stuff again, I’m sure we’ll all still manage to die of old age before reaching any kind of agreement.’
How uncharacteristically reasonable of him. Sai-hee could hardly contain her surprise. ‘Nibas. You had a passing interest in Rainlord culture, did you not?’
‘I did. Why are you bringing that up?’
‘I have a fragment of the Fountain of Lhutwë. I thought that might serve as your relic, if you are interested.’
‘Oooh...’
‘And for Medan, I thought--’
A sudden tremble cut her off. It wasn’t terribly violent or enduring, but given the mysterious nature of this Void State, she couldn’t help but be distracted.
‘What was that?’ said Morgunov. ‘Not another new arrival, surely?’
Monday, March 10, 2025
Page 3805
‘Certainly not,’ said Sai-hee. ‘You know I always prefer to gamble on peace, however fleeting it might be. But let’s not pretend that you are in such a favorable position here as to be demanding gifts from me. This war has not been going terribly well for your side as of late, and I could make it go even worse. In fact, perhaps you should be offering me something to help broker this peace deal with the Vanguard.’
‘I see your arrogance remains firmly intact,’ said Dozer.
‘As does yours,’ she said.
‘I have a counteroffer,’ said Morgunov. ‘Teach me the secret of how you and Sermy are able to teleport so far, and I’ll call this whole thing off faster than you can blink. Dozy won’t even have to lift a finger to help.’
‘You surprise me, Nibas,’ she said. ‘Isn’t cracking the secret on your own the whole point? Surely, you’re not giving up and asking for help after all this time.’
Morgunov was quiet a moment. ‘...Tsk. I know you’re just tryin’ to play me... but you’re right, damn you. You’re so right, it hurts. Agh.’
‘In that case, tell me and not him,’ said Dozer.
‘Whoa, whoa, whoa! No way, no how! If you can’t tell me, then you can’t tell him, either!’
‘Be silent, fool. Your nonsensical code has no relevance to my affairs.’
‘Don’t do it, Saya! No peace if you tell him! I swear!’
Sai-hee tittered again. Admittedly, she did sometimes enjoy how predictable this mad idiot was. But given how much he seemed to hate being called predictable, she also wondered if that was a concession that he was making for her sake. Another component of his strange affection.
Morgunov had to know that she would never give up that knowledge in the first place, least of all to them. If these two gained the power of long-distance teleportation, it would cause no end of new problems. No amount of peace would be worth such an exchange, especially knowing how unlikely it was that such a peace would last.
That was the real trouble when parleying with Abolish. It was always fleeting. No matter what they said, no agreement could be expected to endure indefinitely. But trying to set a more “realistic” time frame was also a trap, because shortening it would only embolden them to break it even sooner.
If she asked for a hundred years, they’d break it within fifty. If she asked for fifty, they’d break it within thirty. And so on and so forth.
That was how their twisted minds worked.
‘I see your arrogance remains firmly intact,’ said Dozer.
‘As does yours,’ she said.
‘I have a counteroffer,’ said Morgunov. ‘Teach me the secret of how you and Sermy are able to teleport so far, and I’ll call this whole thing off faster than you can blink. Dozy won’t even have to lift a finger to help.’
‘You surprise me, Nibas,’ she said. ‘Isn’t cracking the secret on your own the whole point? Surely, you’re not giving up and asking for help after all this time.’
Morgunov was quiet a moment. ‘...Tsk. I know you’re just tryin’ to play me... but you’re right, damn you. You’re so right, it hurts. Agh.’
‘In that case, tell me and not him,’ said Dozer.
‘Whoa, whoa, whoa! No way, no how! If you can’t tell me, then you can’t tell him, either!’
‘Be silent, fool. Your nonsensical code has no relevance to my affairs.’
‘Don’t do it, Saya! No peace if you tell him! I swear!’
Sai-hee tittered again. Admittedly, she did sometimes enjoy how predictable this mad idiot was. But given how much he seemed to hate being called predictable, she also wondered if that was a concession that he was making for her sake. Another component of his strange affection.
Morgunov had to know that she would never give up that knowledge in the first place, least of all to them. If these two gained the power of long-distance teleportation, it would cause no end of new problems. No amount of peace would be worth such an exchange, especially knowing how unlikely it was that such a peace would last.
That was the real trouble when parleying with Abolish. It was always fleeting. No matter what they said, no agreement could be expected to endure indefinitely. But trying to set a more “realistic” time frame was also a trap, because shortening it would only embolden them to break it even sooner.
If she asked for a hundred years, they’d break it within fifty. If she asked for fifty, they’d break it within thirty. And so on and so forth.
That was how their twisted minds worked.
Sunday, March 9, 2025
Page 3804
‘I am amenable to your proposition,’ said Dozer.
Oh?
‘What the--?! Dozy! Bro, c’mon!’
‘I have no personal stake in this war. I’ve thought it was pointless from the beginning. But the fool also has a point. Ending it quickly would indeed be a headache. Can you offer us something to soothe such pain?’
So it was as she thought. This continental war had indeed not been launched with Dozer’s approval. It only made sense, given how disorganized the whole thing appeared to be, but this confirmation was still quite the relief, nonetheless.
If the Living Void had a strongly vested interest in continuing this conflict, then these negotiations would’ve had almost no chance of succeeding, she felt. That man was an entirely different level of obstinate.
Thankfully, despite the rather sudden and haphazard nature of her intervention here today, she’d been deliberating on the matter of peace negotiations for a while already. It was a long-held habit of hers, whenever some new war broke out in the world, regardless of how big or small it was. A mental exercise, of sorts. How might peace be achieved over there? Or there? Or between those two groups? What was motivating the opposing sides? Even if she never ended up getting involved, it always made for an engaging thought experiment.
Whenever Abolish was in play, it naturally complicated matters. They liked to puppeteer things and frequently disrupted negotiations, meaning her people then had to track the bastards down and deal with them directly. Sometimes, that meant further negotiation. Other times, it meant showing no mercy.
And here, things were no different. Higher stakes, perhaps, but no different. With how long she’d known these two, she had a fairly good idea of what might entice them to strike a deal with her. It was really just a matter of how much posturing they wanted to do. How much they allowed their egos to get involved.
Not that she was immune to that herself. She knew her own tendencies well enough by now, too.
It was best to play a bit coy to start things off. ‘How about I promise not to join up with the Vanguard and kill half your men?’
‘Hah! Scary!’
‘An interesting idea,’ said Dozer. ‘A true war involving all of us might actually be worth my time to invest in. But are you sure that is what you would like to gamble on?’
As expected. They could show no weakness, of course. Too often, people mistook her reputation as the Peacemaker for one of having no stomach for war. No spine. These two knew better, but it was still worth reminding them of the possibility--and that she didn’t consider it off the table, either.
Oh?
‘What the--?! Dozy! Bro, c’mon!’
‘I have no personal stake in this war. I’ve thought it was pointless from the beginning. But the fool also has a point. Ending it quickly would indeed be a headache. Can you offer us something to soothe such pain?’
So it was as she thought. This continental war had indeed not been launched with Dozer’s approval. It only made sense, given how disorganized the whole thing appeared to be, but this confirmation was still quite the relief, nonetheless.
If the Living Void had a strongly vested interest in continuing this conflict, then these negotiations would’ve had almost no chance of succeeding, she felt. That man was an entirely different level of obstinate.
Thankfully, despite the rather sudden and haphazard nature of her intervention here today, she’d been deliberating on the matter of peace negotiations for a while already. It was a long-held habit of hers, whenever some new war broke out in the world, regardless of how big or small it was. A mental exercise, of sorts. How might peace be achieved over there? Or there? Or between those two groups? What was motivating the opposing sides? Even if she never ended up getting involved, it always made for an engaging thought experiment.
Whenever Abolish was in play, it naturally complicated matters. They liked to puppeteer things and frequently disrupted negotiations, meaning her people then had to track the bastards down and deal with them directly. Sometimes, that meant further negotiation. Other times, it meant showing no mercy.
And here, things were no different. Higher stakes, perhaps, but no different. With how long she’d known these two, she had a fairly good idea of what might entice them to strike a deal with her. It was really just a matter of how much posturing they wanted to do. How much they allowed their egos to get involved.
Not that she was immune to that herself. She knew her own tendencies well enough by now, too.
It was best to play a bit coy to start things off. ‘How about I promise not to join up with the Vanguard and kill half your men?’
‘Hah! Scary!’
‘An interesting idea,’ said Dozer. ‘A true war involving all of us might actually be worth my time to invest in. But are you sure that is what you would like to gamble on?’
As expected. They could show no weakness, of course. Too often, people mistook her reputation as the Peacemaker for one of having no stomach for war. No spine. These two knew better, but it was still worth reminding them of the possibility--and that she didn’t consider it off the table, either.
Saturday, March 8, 2025
Page 3803
‘You say that like it’s a ridiculous idea,’ said Morgunov. ‘I’m all about fairness! Just like you, my dear!’
What an absolute load of horseshit. He was just trying to get a rise out of her, though. She wouldn’t take the bait, but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t still communicate her displeasure with him. ‘Is that so? Was it fair when your men slaughtered defenseless civilians in the Tabori Highlands?’
‘Oh, well, hey, that was more--’
‘What about the when you invaded the Steccati coastline and conducted a genocide on the Jemani people? Was that fair? Or you, Medan? Any of your countless incursions into Korgum? Were those fair?’
‘“Fair” was this fool’s word, not mine.’
Hmph. At least he was consistent.
‘Alright, alright,’ said Morgunov. ‘We’ve all done things. And some of us feel regret for those things. But let’s not get bogged down in the past. “Ancient history,” right? Those were your words, Saya.’
‘Then let us speak of the present,’ said Sai-hee. ‘You are both being obnoxious, and one way or another, this mess of yours must come to an end.’
‘Ooh! So serious all of a sudden. Giving me the hot-and-cold treatment, eh? Can’t say I hate it.’
‘Keep up this flippancy, and you’ll soon be receiving only cold. Is that what you want?’
‘Eheheh. I suppose not. But the way you said that is still tempting me, somehow.’
‘Which “mess” are you referring to, precisely?’ said Dozer. ‘This one battle? Or the entire war?’
‘Now that you mention it, the entire war,’ she said with certitude. ‘The two of you could bring it to an end tomorrow, if you wished.’
‘Mm, I’m flattered, but I don’t know if that’s actually true. Dozy here didn’t have anything to do with it until a couple days ago when I kinda just dragged him along for the ride. And I haven’t really been keeping up with the state of things around Eloa for a while, so I’m not even sure how I’d go about bringing things to such a swift conclusion.’
‘Nonsense,’ she said. ‘Between the two of you, every aggressing nation could be brought to heel overnight.’
‘Heh! Maybe! But that’d still be a lot of work, you know! And I’ve already been up for several days straight. I could really go for a nice, long nap, right about now.’
She wanted quite badly to slap him. In her heart, she felt that there was probably some way to pull that off within this so-called Void State, but she still knew too little of its nature.
What an absolute load of horseshit. He was just trying to get a rise out of her, though. She wouldn’t take the bait, but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t still communicate her displeasure with him. ‘Is that so? Was it fair when your men slaughtered defenseless civilians in the Tabori Highlands?’
‘Oh, well, hey, that was more--’
‘What about the when you invaded the Steccati coastline and conducted a genocide on the Jemani people? Was that fair? Or you, Medan? Any of your countless incursions into Korgum? Were those fair?’
‘“Fair” was this fool’s word, not mine.’
Hmph. At least he was consistent.
‘Alright, alright,’ said Morgunov. ‘We’ve all done things. And some of us feel regret for those things. But let’s not get bogged down in the past. “Ancient history,” right? Those were your words, Saya.’
‘Then let us speak of the present,’ said Sai-hee. ‘You are both being obnoxious, and one way or another, this mess of yours must come to an end.’
‘Ooh! So serious all of a sudden. Giving me the hot-and-cold treatment, eh? Can’t say I hate it.’
‘Keep up this flippancy, and you’ll soon be receiving only cold. Is that what you want?’
‘Eheheh. I suppose not. But the way you said that is still tempting me, somehow.’
‘Which “mess” are you referring to, precisely?’ said Dozer. ‘This one battle? Or the entire war?’
‘Now that you mention it, the entire war,’ she said with certitude. ‘The two of you could bring it to an end tomorrow, if you wished.’
‘Mm, I’m flattered, but I don’t know if that’s actually true. Dozy here didn’t have anything to do with it until a couple days ago when I kinda just dragged him along for the ride. And I haven’t really been keeping up with the state of things around Eloa for a while, so I’m not even sure how I’d go about bringing things to such a swift conclusion.’
‘Nonsense,’ she said. ‘Between the two of you, every aggressing nation could be brought to heel overnight.’
‘Heh! Maybe! But that’d still be a lot of work, you know! And I’ve already been up for several days straight. I could really go for a nice, long nap, right about now.’
She wanted quite badly to slap him. In her heart, she felt that there was probably some way to pull that off within this so-called Void State, but she still knew too little of its nature.
Friday, March 7, 2025
Page 3802
‘If your desire was to catch up, then all you had to do was gimme a call,’ said Morgunov. ‘No need to risk your life in a battle with a feldeath.’
Frankly, when it came to him, she’d choose the feldeath every time. ‘That would be far too dull,’ she said. ‘Can’t have you growing bored of me, now can I?’
‘Ooh! In a flirty mood, are we?! You must want something from me!’
Well, he wasn’t wrong. ‘From a man who has so much to offer, how could I not?’
‘Eheh. No matter how many times you play me, it never seems to bother me very much.’ A beat passed. ‘Apart from that one time, during the Clog.’
She could practically hear him frowning, even though she knew his physical expression could not possibly be shifting at all in this space. ‘Ancient history, darling. You can’t keep holding that against me. We weren’t even emperors back then.’
‘So you keep reminding me.’
Irritating. Morgunov didn’t often get one over on her, but it wasn’t an impossibility here, either. There were certainly times in the past when she’d gotten too confident in her dealings with him, when she’d thought she had him quite thoroughly wrapped around her finger, only for him to demonstrate otherwise at the last minute.
She shouldn’t get too comfortable, she knew. There was a reason everyone called him mad, after all. And in recent decades, the game that he liked to play with her seemed to be one of stroking her ego, pretending to be her obedient little puppy.
And here, he seemed to be mixing it up yet again: being playful with her, yet still reminding her of past grievances. That was more straightforward than usual.
‘Have you come to parley for these Vangaurdians’ lives?’ said Dozer.
Okay, now that was truly straightforward. As expected of the Living Void. ‘No,’ she said, ‘but it does seem a waste to let them all die here. I suppose I’m still mulling it over.’
‘A waste in what sense?’ said Morgunov. ‘Far as we’re concerned, it’d only be balancing the books. They’ve been bringing the fight to us for a while now, murkin’ our boys left and right. Wasn’t so long ago that we lost both Gunther and Dunhouser, y’know. Lamont and Sanko seem like a fair exchange to me.’
‘Oh, it’s a matter of fairness, is it?’ She allowed a hint of severity in her tone.
Frankly, when it came to him, she’d choose the feldeath every time. ‘That would be far too dull,’ she said. ‘Can’t have you growing bored of me, now can I?’
‘Ooh! In a flirty mood, are we?! You must want something from me!’
Well, he wasn’t wrong. ‘From a man who has so much to offer, how could I not?’
‘Eheh. No matter how many times you play me, it never seems to bother me very much.’ A beat passed. ‘Apart from that one time, during the Clog.’
She could practically hear him frowning, even though she knew his physical expression could not possibly be shifting at all in this space. ‘Ancient history, darling. You can’t keep holding that against me. We weren’t even emperors back then.’
‘So you keep reminding me.’
Irritating. Morgunov didn’t often get one over on her, but it wasn’t an impossibility here, either. There were certainly times in the past when she’d gotten too confident in her dealings with him, when she’d thought she had him quite thoroughly wrapped around her finger, only for him to demonstrate otherwise at the last minute.
She shouldn’t get too comfortable, she knew. There was a reason everyone called him mad, after all. And in recent decades, the game that he liked to play with her seemed to be one of stroking her ego, pretending to be her obedient little puppy.
And here, he seemed to be mixing it up yet again: being playful with her, yet still reminding her of past grievances. That was more straightforward than usual.
‘Have you come to parley for these Vangaurdians’ lives?’ said Dozer.
Okay, now that was truly straightforward. As expected of the Living Void. ‘No,’ she said, ‘but it does seem a waste to let them all die here. I suppose I’m still mulling it over.’
‘A waste in what sense?’ said Morgunov. ‘Far as we’re concerned, it’d only be balancing the books. They’ve been bringing the fight to us for a while now, murkin’ our boys left and right. Wasn’t so long ago that we lost both Gunther and Dunhouser, y’know. Lamont and Sanko seem like a fair exchange to me.’
‘Oh, it’s a matter of fairness, is it?’ She allowed a hint of severity in her tone.
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Monday, March 3, 2025
Page 3801
There was no point in speaking her mind about that, however. They’d had such conversations countless times before, and this man’s mind was virtually impossible to change.
Plus, there was utility in keeping up an appearance of amicability. Rebuking these two, no matter how much they deserved it, was not the road to resolving conflicts such as this one.
The centuries-long stalemate between them all was proof enough of that, even if Sermung and his high-minded followers refused to acknowledge it.
‘It has been some time, Saya,’ said Dozer. ‘How have you been?’
Cordial as ever. ‘Very well, Medan. And you?’
‘Perturbed, to be quite honest. This fool has been even more of a nuisance than usual.’
‘Eheh, he says that, but without me, he probably would’ve died of boredom eons ago!’
Sai-hee allowed herself a titter. ‘Oil and water.’
‘Why have you chosen to intervene here?’ said Dozer.
‘Can you not guess?’ said Sai-hee. ‘You have been making quite the mess, you know.’
‘Yeah, but we do that all the time,’ said Morgunov. ‘Doesn’t usually provoke a direct response out of you.’
‘Indeed,’ said Dozer. ‘What makes this time different?’
An astute point. One that she needed to counter, so as not to draw needless suspicion. ‘Usually, I am too busy with my own business,’ said Sai-hee. ‘But I happened to have some free time on my hands now, so I thought I would step in. After all, it HAS been a while, as you said. I would say this is as good of an excuse for us to catch up as any, wouldn’t you?’
A brief silence arrived. Were they buying it? Probably not. They were both too paranoid by a half. But that was alright. She really just needed the plausible deniability. If they knew for certain that she’d come here at the behest of the Vanguard, then it would complicate negotiations.
Which wouldn’t be the end of the world, of course. Just a nuisance that she’d prefer to avoid.
She used the short lull in the conversation to continue assessing the battlefield. The temporal dilation of this “Void State” as these two liked to call it certainly had its benefits. The three of them could hold long, exhaustive discussions within a matter of real-time seconds.
In fact, this entire battle could be concluded by the time most of these hapless Vanguardians even had a chance to say one word to her.
Plus, there was utility in keeping up an appearance of amicability. Rebuking these two, no matter how much they deserved it, was not the road to resolving conflicts such as this one.
The centuries-long stalemate between them all was proof enough of that, even if Sermung and his high-minded followers refused to acknowledge it.
‘It has been some time, Saya,’ said Dozer. ‘How have you been?’
Cordial as ever. ‘Very well, Medan. And you?’
‘Perturbed, to be quite honest. This fool has been even more of a nuisance than usual.’
‘Eheh, he says that, but without me, he probably would’ve died of boredom eons ago!’
Sai-hee allowed herself a titter. ‘Oil and water.’
‘Why have you chosen to intervene here?’ said Dozer.
‘Can you not guess?’ said Sai-hee. ‘You have been making quite the mess, you know.’
‘Yeah, but we do that all the time,’ said Morgunov. ‘Doesn’t usually provoke a direct response out of you.’
‘Indeed,’ said Dozer. ‘What makes this time different?’
An astute point. One that she needed to counter, so as not to draw needless suspicion. ‘Usually, I am too busy with my own business,’ said Sai-hee. ‘But I happened to have some free time on my hands now, so I thought I would step in. After all, it HAS been a while, as you said. I would say this is as good of an excuse for us to catch up as any, wouldn’t you?’
A brief silence arrived. Were they buying it? Probably not. They were both too paranoid by a half. But that was alright. She really just needed the plausible deniability. If they knew for certain that she’d come here at the behest of the Vanguard, then it would complicate negotiations.
Which wouldn’t be the end of the world, of course. Just a nuisance that she’d prefer to avoid.
She used the short lull in the conversation to continue assessing the battlefield. The temporal dilation of this “Void State” as these two liked to call it certainly had its benefits. The three of them could hold long, exhaustive discussions within a matter of real-time seconds.
In fact, this entire battle could be concluded by the time most of these hapless Vanguardians even had a chance to say one word to her.
Monday, March 3, 2025
Sunday, March 2, 2025
Page 3800
As for the Abolish side of things, she noticed a few familiar faces there, too, though not because she harbored any affection for them. It was much more difficult for her to drool over any of the men over there, regardless of how hunky they might’ve been.
Something about being associated with psychopathy, narcissism, and mass murder made each and every one of those men look utterly repulsive to her--even the ones that she was on relatively amicable terms with.
Such as the Monster of the East over there. Granted, he was also more lizard than man. That was rather tough to overlook.
Poor mutant bastards. Now that was a curse from Xixa.
The world slowed to a crawl as she absorbed the scene around her. So many combatants out here in the middle of the ocean. Even more than Xander had mentioned. Perhaps he hadn’t known all the details. It would’ve been strange if he had, she supposed, given how chaotic this all looked, even in the midst of this small breather they were taking.
One thing was missing, though. One very important thing.
The feldeath. There was supposed to be one here. So where was it? Had they killed it already? Xander had said that it was quite a powerful one, even by feldeath standards, so she’d been expecting to see it running amok.
‘What in tarnation are you doin’ here, you old bat?!’
Of course he would be the first to say something. She was tempted to ignore him for a bit, but that would probably just provoke him into being even more obnoxious. ‘For a man who claims to be smitten with me, you have an odd way of showing it. Do you think calling me old will make me swoon?’
‘I’ve been listenin’ to some young folk on the internet. They say it’s better not to compliment a lady too much. What do you think? Is it working?’
‘No.’
‘Dang it. But they said you’d think that way.’
‘I know you have wooed plenty of women in your day,’ she said. ‘Are you playing dumb in order to sound more youthful?’
‘Eheh! I don’t need to do that! I’m the youngest one here! I’m practically bursting with youthful vigor!’
Indeed, that was exactly his problem, she felt. Despite his age, he acted too young, even for her tastes. He wasn’t just a boy in a man’s body. He was a toddler. And the most demented one she’d ever known, to boot.
Something about being associated with psychopathy, narcissism, and mass murder made each and every one of those men look utterly repulsive to her--even the ones that she was on relatively amicable terms with.
Such as the Monster of the East over there. Granted, he was also more lizard than man. That was rather tough to overlook.
Poor mutant bastards. Now that was a curse from Xixa.
The world slowed to a crawl as she absorbed the scene around her. So many combatants out here in the middle of the ocean. Even more than Xander had mentioned. Perhaps he hadn’t known all the details. It would’ve been strange if he had, she supposed, given how chaotic this all looked, even in the midst of this small breather they were taking.
One thing was missing, though. One very important thing.
The feldeath. There was supposed to be one here. So where was it? Had they killed it already? Xander had said that it was quite a powerful one, even by feldeath standards, so she’d been expecting to see it running amok.
‘What in tarnation are you doin’ here, you old bat?!’
Of course he would be the first to say something. She was tempted to ignore him for a bit, but that would probably just provoke him into being even more obnoxious. ‘For a man who claims to be smitten with me, you have an odd way of showing it. Do you think calling me old will make me swoon?’
‘I’ve been listenin’ to some young folk on the internet. They say it’s better not to compliment a lady too much. What do you think? Is it working?’
‘No.’
‘Dang it. But they said you’d think that way.’
‘I know you have wooed plenty of women in your day,’ she said. ‘Are you playing dumb in order to sound more youthful?’
‘Eheh! I don’t need to do that! I’m the youngest one here! I’m practically bursting with youthful vigor!’
Indeed, that was exactly his problem, she felt. Despite his age, he acted too young, even for her tastes. He wasn’t just a boy in a man’s body. He was a toddler. And the most demented one she’d ever known, to boot.
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Page 3799
First of all, this chaos in the Luthic could not continue. Every coastal nation in the world was being affected, which included several that were supposed to be under her protection. If the Crystal Titan couldn’t make time to come settle this matter, then she was the only other person in the world who could.
The only public person, at least.
Secondly, letting Iceheart and the Gargoyle both die here would certainly not make the world a more peaceful place. Of course, chances were good that they would’ve found a way to wriggle their way out this tight spot, just like they usually did, but still. It was a fair reason, nonetheless.
And thirdly, this would give her tremendous negotiating power. Over both of the other factions, that was. Over the Vanguard, of course, since she was doing them an incredible favor by minimizing their losses, if not outright saving their lives. And over Abolish, too, because neither of these wrinkly old maniacs would want her to commit herself fully to supporting the Vanguard against them.
They were going to pretend otherwise, naturally. Keep up appearances, if nothing else.
But she knew them quite well by now. And they, her.
While much of the world still thought of her as the gentle, peace-loving “empress,” these two had seen what happens when someone pissed her off. More than a few times, in fact.
Hells, that was probably why Morgunov was in love with her. The sicko.
Her arrival on the “battlefield”--if it could even be called that--was a suppressive event, as she preferred it. The raging winds, the surging waters, the chained explosions, the spinning blades of jagged ice, even the lightning crackling through the clouds--it all came to an abrupt end, becalmed in an instant as she exerted the full breadth of her soul power over the area.
The combatants, too, were made to give pause. None could be unaware of her presence now. And all would pay heed to her will.
For a time, anyway. This was quite the formidable crowd, gathered here. None of the eyes on her were couched in fear, not even among the faces she didn’t recognize. Among those she did, she spotted Vernon, Kehl, and Jules.
And plenty of uggos, of course.
Not that she held that against them. Despite how much she appreciated a beautiful man, she actually harbored quite a bit of sympathy for the poor sods who’d apparently been cursed by Xixa since birth.
It was still tough to remember their names, though.
The only public person, at least.
Secondly, letting Iceheart and the Gargoyle both die here would certainly not make the world a more peaceful place. Of course, chances were good that they would’ve found a way to wriggle their way out this tight spot, just like they usually did, but still. It was a fair reason, nonetheless.
And thirdly, this would give her tremendous negotiating power. Over both of the other factions, that was. Over the Vanguard, of course, since she was doing them an incredible favor by minimizing their losses, if not outright saving their lives. And over Abolish, too, because neither of these wrinkly old maniacs would want her to commit herself fully to supporting the Vanguard against them.
They were going to pretend otherwise, naturally. Keep up appearances, if nothing else.
But she knew them quite well by now. And they, her.
While much of the world still thought of her as the gentle, peace-loving “empress,” these two had seen what happens when someone pissed her off. More than a few times, in fact.
Hells, that was probably why Morgunov was in love with her. The sicko.
Her arrival on the “battlefield”--if it could even be called that--was a suppressive event, as she preferred it. The raging winds, the surging waters, the chained explosions, the spinning blades of jagged ice, even the lightning crackling through the clouds--it all came to an abrupt end, becalmed in an instant as she exerted the full breadth of her soul power over the area.
The combatants, too, were made to give pause. None could be unaware of her presence now. And all would pay heed to her will.
For a time, anyway. This was quite the formidable crowd, gathered here. None of the eyes on her were couched in fear, not even among the faces she didn’t recognize. Among those she did, she spotted Vernon, Kehl, and Jules.
And plenty of uggos, of course.
Not that she held that against them. Despite how much she appreciated a beautiful man, she actually harbored quite a bit of sympathy for the poor sods who’d apparently been cursed by Xixa since birth.
It was still tough to remember their names, though.
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)