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The number wasn’t terribly surprising, given the size of this country, but it did complicate matters further when trying to narrow their choices. They needed the one closest to the capital city of Andeyal, since that was where Prince David was.

Thankfully, Caster’s insights had helped with that.

“When it comes to teleportation using geographic resonance,” Caster had told them, “there is something very important to keep in mind. That is, what causes a given location to geographically resonate. That cause may be any number of different things, but ultimately, it is what gives the location its identity. Its metaphysical structure, one might say. And so the key to finding your desired destination is to tap into that same identity. There are various alternative means of accomplishing that, but the most reliable, when you have a reaper on your side, is usually memory.”

Which had been a rather long-winded way of saying that they just had to find a spot that Garovel had already visited.

Less fortunately, it did indeed have to be Garovel and not one of the other reapers. Since Hector was the one harnessing the Gate’s power, the link between them was necessary for Garovel to even perceive the windows in the first place. Caster didn’t tell them that part. They quickly figured it out on their own.

But in the end, this was the chosen destination.

This dark and giant cave.

‘This is Andeyal?’ thought Hector, as he looked around, searching the empty blackness with the Scarf of Amordiin.

‘Not as I remember it,’ said Garovel privately, ‘but yes, I suppose it must be. The old imperial capital. Now an underground ruin.’

‘So the city’s above us, then.’

‘Presumably, yes.’

‘What do you mean? Can you not sense all the people up there?’

‘Well... no. I can’t.’

‘Uh. Why not? Isn’t that kinda weird? There should be, like, millions of souls up there, right?’

‘Yes, well... I suspect this location is playing havoc with my senses. And this darkness is... a bit more than just an absence of light, I think.’

Hector’s brow twitched as he was abruptly getting flashbacks to their time in the Undercrust. ‘Garovel... you are NOT about to tell me that there is a dormant feldeath around here somewhere.’

‘No, no, no. Of course not. That would be ridiculous.’

‘Right? Because you would warn me about that type of thing way in advance, surely.’

‘Relax. It’s not a feldeath.’ A beat passed. ‘I mean, probably not...’

‘Garovel.’

‘Look, man, I haven’t been here in centuries, okay? Cut me some slack.’