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Granted, the danger of him being freed by an ally was extremely low, for the moment. It would be several years, at the absolute earliest. More likely, it would be much longer, if it ever happened at all. And if the Hunt continued to succeed, then the odds for Koh would only improve, until the deed was truly done and they were all removed.

Not that things would then be easy or peaceful. If he did indeed manage to complete the Prime Hunt, then the Children would become incensed beyond measure. There was little doubt in Koh’s mind that war would come for his master in the Realm of the Living Dark. They may even risk traversing the Infinite Current directly just to reach him.

Then, this newfound height of power within Koh might be fully tested.

But those were thoughts for another day.

Now, only the Hunt mattered. Only his prey.

Who could he sense?

From all the way up here, the picture of the world was different. The feldeath within him was immensely useful. Kahlmakk. Its ability to sense souls extended all the way around the planet--and deep into it, as well.

But the Children were cunning. And wary. They knew to conceal such obvious markers. And their new vessels compounded the matter further, mixing their souls with someone new, rendering them nigh unrecognizable by that metric alone.

Scent and aura were more reliable indicators.

According to Jun, the Peacemaker’s largest headquarters in recent years was in Luugh, and indeed, as he smelled the wind now, he caught the faintest whiff of Makirë in that direction.

Quite a distance. Across another ocean.

Who else, though? Anyone he hadn’t sensed previously?

Mm.

Miligia. Ciroeth. Avar. All known to him already.

Oh? A new scent. Who was that?

Secho?

Interesting. Unless Koh was mistaken, Secho had never reincarnated before. After all these years, only a few of the Children could say that. Hada. Cocora. Lhutwë. Each for very different reasons.

Ah, Koh recalled now. Ettol had been working on Malast, hadn’t he? Trying to motivate him to help Secho reincarnate, as there was no possible way that Ettol could have stolen the Urn of Growth from him.

So that gambit had succeeded, then.

That could prove troublesome. Or a boon, perhaps. Secho was a peculiar Child. Very attached to mortals. A fight might be unnecessary. But Malast could interfere. He wasn’t supposed to, but Secho’s presence was proof that he already had.

Hmm.

And who was that over there?

Ah. Zirat.