Page 4109

And perhaps it was Hector's turn to speak up, but the strangeness of this entire encounter was beginning to give him pause, so he decided to hold off a bit longer and see how this guy reacted.

The senator did not seem phased. "It's my understanding that you wished to see me," he said.

"...We'd like access to Livingston Grand Castle so that we can visit our prince." There were other questions to ask, too, of course, but that felt like a decent place to start.

Jacobson tilted his head. "Interesting. And yet... you have already taken quite the gamble by trespassing here at the Basilica, no? So why not simply go trespass at Livingston, instead? Would that not have been quicker?"

A pretty good question, Hector had to admit. "Because I spoke to Prince David on the phone, and he said to look for you here in the Cathedral District."

"Prince David... Ah. And you, the Lord Darksteel of Atreya." Jacobson paused for a chuckle. "I had not even made that connection. How odd." He seemed to sense that his audience was confused, so he motioned with hands and shook his head apologetically. "Forgive me. I have only recently met Prince David, though he did leave quite the memorable impression on me. And you, sir--I have only recently begun hearing about. But again, I have been left quite impressed. It had not yet crossed my mind that you two were linked, but of course you would be. Atreya is quite the interesting little kingdom, it would seem."

"...We'll take that as a compliment," said Hector.

"As well you should," said the senator. "Your part of the continent is oft overlooked, as I'm sure you know, but in my estimation, that is no bad thing. We should all be so blessed to live in such a peaceful land as that. I hope you take great pride in your country, because it is doubtless a very special place."

'This guy's a politician alright,' remarked Garovel privately.

Hector elected to remain silent, though did offer the man a nod, at least.

After a beat, the senator took a couple steps to the side and touched his chin before glancing at the small party of onlookers again. "...So you were told to come to me for assistance by your prince. In helping you obtain entry into Livingston. I see. And from what I understand, you are not affiliated with the Vanguard, yes?"

Next page at 6 pm PST

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Next page tomorrow

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Page 4108

'Huh,' thought Hector. 'Is that really true? Or are you just being prejudicial toward religious people again?'

'Excuse you? I'm just telling you what I've observed over thousands of years. It's not my fault if it makes certain kinds of people look bad.'

'Uh-huh...'

'With that said, I'm not trying to argue that every religious center in history has been this way. But if you stop trying to roast me and just think about it for a second, it'll make sense. Religious institutions often enjoy special exemptions from governmental oversight--or are directly in bed with the government themselves. So smuggling operations become easier to conduct. Lots of built-in cover.'

'You make it sound like religious groups only ever take advantage of governmental goodwill. We both know they get persecuted by governments pretty frequently, too.'

'You're putting words in my mouth. That's not what I was getting at. In fact, I wasn't even saying that smuggling is necessarily bad. Oftentimes, it is, sure. But other times--when a government is being particularly oppressive, for example--smuggling can become quite the important and even noble practice. Which may be another reason why religions have often played big roles in uprisings and rebellions.'

After that, Hector made no further counterargument, in part because they seemed to be arriving at their destination. He could sense various strong auras around the Basilica--a couple of which must have belonged to the other senators that the prince had mentioned--but the nearest one, through this next door, was most likely Jacobson.

The guards led them into the room without hesitation and then--after a brief word and nod from the presumed senator--left them alone with the guy, which was a bit of a surprise.

How did they know Hector's group wasn't hostile? Even if they knew him by his reputation, wasn't this a bit much?

"Please, sit!" said the sharply dressed senator, motioning to the conference table and its many seats. "Welcome, welcome!"

Those beautiful wooden chairs looked like they would cry under the weight of everyone's armor. Or just get obliterated entirely.

"Thank you, but we'll stand," said Hector.

"As you like," said Jacobson, not letting his smile diminish as he took up a position at the far end of the table himself. He elected not to sit down, either.

To Hector's eyes, the man looked like he was ready for a TV appearance. All dressed up like that. Black-and-gray hair perfectly styled. Given the state of the city, Hector would've expected this guy to look a bit more disheveled. Or at least wearing more casual attire.

Page 4107

There was plenty to see, apparently. Between the Scarf of Amordiin and his aura sense, Hector could tell that there were all sorts of sneaky hallways to go down. And were those hidden passages? Secret rooms?

Yeah. The way the air flowed through some of these places was definitely odd. Cracks between the floor and certain sections of walls.

Oh, wait a minute. Maybe those weren't just hidden passageways. Maybe they were actually defensive features. Designed to be deployed during an invasion. He'd read about such things before. Medieval architects would sometimes create labyrinthine hallways that could be manipulated by the defenders in order to both disorient and even trap any attackers.

Hector had employed a basic version of that concept with that crude iron castle that he'd built atop Warrenhold, but this was obviously much more advanced. With a bit more focus, he was able to sense entire hidden rooms that seemed to be packed full of gears and levers and big turning columns. Entirely mechanical? No electricity needed?

Interesting. He could certainly see the value there. In the event of a prolonged siege, one had to account for the possibility of power outages and electronic warfare. It would certainly be good as a fallback, if primary systems failed.

Moreover, building elaborate rooms for such operations would also make it much more viable for even non-servants to aid in the defense of a fortress. Theoretically, people could be trained to use whatever crazy bullshit he could dream up. Which would make Warrenhold safer even while he was away.

Come to think of it, that was kinda the claim to fame of the Rainlords--or of their Arman ancestors, at least. Those people had been master trap-builders.

Hector wondered if any of the younger Rainlords might be interested in that type of thing. He had a rather strong feeling that they would.

Still, the more he observed this place, the stranger it seemed to him that the Basilica would be concealing such a convoluted defensive system. Nothing else about the building seemed like it was designed with sieges in mind, so maybe these movable hallways and secret rooms had actually been built with something else in mind.

...Perhaps to hide something.

As they kept walking, he decided to privately consult Garovel with his findings.

And indeed, the reaper provided quite the fresh perspective. 'Well, historically speaking, religious institutions have often served as nexus points for smuggling operations.'

Next page on the 10th

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Page 4106

He decided to simply wait. The others in the group seemed a little anxious by that decision, but no one protested--not even Voreese, which was a surprise. When the guards got there, Hector stepped forward.

"The Basilica is currently closed, and you are trespassing," said the foremost guard. His gear was very modern and tactical, making Hector wonder what he must've been thinking about their group's sets of medieval plate armor. "Please identify yourselves."

Did they really not know that already, Hector wondered? Perhaps they just wanted confirmation. "I am Hector Goffe of Atreya, serving under Ambassador David Lumenbel, Prince of Atreya." Wow, when did introducing himself become such a mouthful? "These are my friends. We'd like an audience with Senator Jacobson."

The guard in front paused. "One moment, please." Then he chattered inaudibly into the radio on his vest, waiting for a response, then answering, waiting, answering, back and forth for a while.

Hector remained patient and simply observed the group of guardsmen during the downtime. The auras were all calm, solid, but also very attentive. Watching him like a band of hawks.

Their eyes seemed to be especially keen on the large cube floating in orbit around him. Bartholomew hadn't seemed to give it any mind, but maybe he'd just been better at hiding it, because these guys were clearly wary of it.

The longer the Ceese remained in there, the more Hector questioned what he was going to do with it. Was he really gonna have to keep carrying it around the entire time he was here in Intar? And then take it all the way back to Warrenhold? Maybe he should've shown it to Bartholomew and gotten his opinion on it.

Bah. Well, it was fine for now. He could still sense the Ceese's aura in there. Totally subdued and docile. If it started getting agitated, that might become an issue, but so far, the thing hadn't moved a muscle.

In fact, it might've been playing dead. Hmm.

At length, the leading guard got back to him. "Alright, please follow me. The senator has agreed to meet you."

Damn, just like that? Hector wasn't about to argue, but it was certainly surprising. As the group started walking, a background thought process began to question just how surprised he should feel here. As in, should he be suspicious, right now? A senator he'd never met agreeing to a meeting so easily?

Yeah, maybe a little suspicious.

But in the meantime, he also intended to enjoy this little tour of the Basilica.

Page 4105

Sure, it was almost certainly the work of psychics, but what was the exact method of observance? And how far did the range extend? Could it be disrupted? Did Bartholomew have a direct line to these psychics, somehow? Was he actually psychic himself?

...Or were these unseen psychics actually just evading his senses?

Unsettling questions, the more Hector thought about them. As much as he'd been relying on these new senses lately, he didn't want to fall into the trap of thinking they were infallible--that no counters to them existed. Just because the Sparrows in Atreya didn't seem to be aware of them didn't mean that these Vanguardian Sparrows--or whoever else--would be unaware, too.

Before they'd left, however, Hector had asked after the possible locations of the senators that "Prince David" had mentioned. He'd been a bit reluctant to do that, figuring that Bartholomew probably not even answer, but to his surprise, the captain actually did.

He gave some rather precise directions to all three of them, in fact.

And now, with the new context of everything the little man had told them about the current state of the city, Hector had a much clearer picture of what his senses were telling him.

Senators Jacobson, Leoric, and Morris. Apparently, Hector had his pick of them, now. Between the powerful auras that he was sensing and the intel from Bartholomew, Hector felt like he could pinpoint each of their locations.

Shame he didn't know anything about their actual temperament, personalities, or reputation. He might've been able to make a truly informed decision here, rather than just picking one and hoping they weren't an insufferable asshole.

He decided on Jacobson. That was the one "Prince David" had mentioned first, after all.

The big cathedral in the center of the district was the destination. The Basilica of the Heavenly Ending.

Okay, maybe that had played a small role in Hector's decision, too. But they had to visit this place before leaving Andeyal, didn't they? Especially after seeing it from so high up in the air like that earlier. Hector would've been thinking about it all the way back to Atreya, if they didn't.

As soon as they touched down in the walled-off property, Hector sensed people beginning to head in their direction.

'Well, they know we're here,' advised Garovel publicly. 'Lotsa guards coming this way.'

Uncomfortable but still fine, Hector figured. He was pretty sure they'd be able to negotiate here.

Page 4104 -- CCCXXVI.

On second thought, Hector's head tilted. "I suppose it could've been Mr. Norez, too. But... it wasn't him, right? He wouldn't say that about me..."

"As I said, it was a compliment," said Bartholomew.

Hector cocked on eyebrow inside his helmet. "That implies it was him..."

"You're really hanging on to this..."

Voreese glanced Hector's way, then snickered. 'I didn't realize Harper was such a two-faced slanderer. You've really corrected our opinion of him. Thank you, Captain Erickson.'

"I am not, in any way, endorsing that view."

'It's in the subtext. Don't worry. We got it. We're sharp like that.'

"...Perhaps 'busybody' was being too charitable."

'Oh yeah? What would you say is a more accurate term for Hector, then?'

"Troublemaker."

Hector eyed the group briefly. "I feel like I'm getting blamed here for something I didn't do..."

Voreese hovered behind him. 'Y'know, if people say that trouble follows you around, then that would make us the trouble, wouldn't it?'

"Don't sound so proud of yourself," said Roman.


Chapter Three Hundred Twenty-Six: 'Onset of damnation...'
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Their encounter with the young captain didn't last much longer from there. After giving the requested details about the location of the local Vanguard headquarters, Bartholomew saw them off, staying behind in order to take the apparent Abolish instigator into custody.

Part of the reason Hector had not immediately agreed to follow the captain there was because he'd been concerned about it being some sort of trap. He figured that if the captain actually allowed them to leave without issue, then the invitation was probably a genuine one.

Which indeed seemed to be the case.

Hector hadn't necessarily expected the guy to try and fight them all on his own just to prevent them from leaving, but it also would've been somewhat telling if Bartholomew had tried to insist or otherwise push them to follow him--or stall for time, perhaps, so that his comrades could show up and even the odds.

But Captain Erickson hadn't pressured them in the slightest.

A good sign, Hector felt. Or an indication that the kid was just incredibly confident in himself.

On second thought, that might be true regardless. It had to have taken some serious guts to just walk up to them like that all on his own. At no point had Hector sensed any form of backup arrive.

It was hard not to feel a little paranoid about that, though. It was obvious that their group was at least under observation, what with the way Bartholomew had just shown up out of the blue, so why couldn't Hector sense anyone?

Page 4103

"What sort of help are you looking for?" asked Hector.

"In a word? Manpower." The captain allowed a beat to pass, looking Hector up and down. "But also, you clearly have some... formidable defenses about you. Perhaps of a particular kind, hmm? That type of expertise is quite useful in circumstances like these."

Hector could appreciate the captain's cautious wording. Trying not to say too much. But still trying to be informative. It was a delicate balance that he'd struggled with plenty of times himself. It wasn't necessarily about trying to conceal anything from Hector, he figured. Perhaps Bartholomew was concerned about accidentally revealing something that Hector might've preferred to stay secret, thereby jeopardizing the Vanguard's chances of enlisting Hector's help.

That was the charitable interpretation, at least.

"I can't promise anything," said Hector, "but if you leave us with the location of your headquarters, then we'll see about dropping by if we can find the time."

Bartholomew made no response, choosing instead to merely stare at Hector.

What might be going through his head now? The aura wasn't revealing anything--or if it was, then Hector couldn't tell due to how abnormal it felt.

After a while of lingering silence, Hector felt like he needed to add something. "As I said, the safety of our prince comes first. I'm not sure he'll even want to leave after we find him, but if he does, then I'd rather do so immediately. Meaning I can't guarantee that we'll be sticking around long enough to help you."

"...I see," said Bartholomew. "I'd heard that you were actually quite the 'busybody.' In a good way, of course, And I know it's a bit unfair, but honestly, I can't help feeling a little disappointed."

Hmm. "And who did you hear that from?" said Hector.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly betray their confidence. If I start doing that, then the next thing you know, nobody'll be telling me anything."

Abruptly, Hector didn't feel like beating around the bush. "It was either Carl Rondel or the Magician of Light."

The kid chortled. His laugh had an odd level of gravitas that didn't match his frame. "Apologies, but I must still decline to answer."

Hector wasn't quite sure what was funny. Perhaps it had been a mistake to name drop Xander like that, but Hector felt like he would've had to do it sooner or later, if only to see if it opened up any extra doors for them.

Didn't seem to be doing that right now, unfortunately.

Page 4102

'Sounds like you're expecting another attack any moment now,' said Voreese.

"Indeed," said Bartholomew. "We've captured or otherwise subdued nearly a hundred infiltrators, but they have all been operating in stealth. No leading figures or major players as of yet."

"But you're sure that it's Jercash's work?" said Hector.

"That's what my bosses tell me," said the kid. "They know him better than I do. I've never had the misfortune of meeting him personally."

'Me neither,' said Voreese. 'And I'm hoping that never changes.'

The captain smiled. "A woman after my own heart."

'Hah! Precocious little fella, aren'tcha? Y'know, I've got a friend who'd probably be falling head over heels in love with you, right now.'

That gave everyone in the group pause as they looked at the reaper for a moment.

'What? Not me. An actual old friend. She always had a thing for an experienced mind in an adorable package. I mean, yeah, it was kinda weird, but... Oh, she's a reaper, though, so it's not as, uh, well, er--'

"Anyway," said Roman, "is there any more information you can give us on when this attack will happen?"

"At any moment, just as you said." Bartholomew bobbed his head to the side, seeming to think about how he might be able to give a better answer. "Perhaps you would like to return with me to our local headquarters? If you have any niche questions, then I am sure one of our specialists there could answer them for you."

Another pause arrived as everyone digested that suggestion.

"...That's quite the invitation," said Hector carefully. "But from the sound of things, we shouldn't bother you guys when you're obviously so busy."

Bartholomew held his gaze for a second. "Well, maybe we could use a bit of your help, too."

Ah. Hector had been wondering if the conversation would go in this direction. It was either this or threats, he'd figured. He much preferred this one, though he still had to be cautious, of course.

Just because the young captain was phrasing it this way didn't mean that the Vanguard viewed their small group as non-threatening. Perhaps Bartholomew was just trying to be diplomatic first, before resorting to force.

Hector didn't sense any new arrivals around the building, but still. He knew enough about how the Vanguard operated by now to know that he shouldn't just blindly trust whatever they said.

Next page on June 3rd

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Page 4101

Bartholomew looked over their small party another time. "Prince David Lumenbel, yes?"

Aha. So he did already know. "That's right," said Hector.

"I can help to arrange safe transport for you and him out of the city," said the captain.

Hector blinked, having expected more pushback. "That would be incredible."

Roman stepped in again. "There's a catch."

Bartholomew eyed him briefly. "No catch. Just time. There is a lot going on, and such arrangements would be necessarily delayed." Then he settled on Hector again. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but if that was so, then he was deciding against it.

"What is going on, exactly?" said Roman. "This 'lockdown' you called it? What's it for? Is the city under attack?"

"You could say that," said Bartholomew. And he pointed at the silent stranger that they'd been trying to talk to earlier. "That man there is an Abolish infiltrator. Hence why I wanted you not to rouse him."

Oh shit, Hector thought. But that did prompt another question. "Why is he not in custody, then?"

"We were hoping to use him as bait," said the captain. "But that does not seem to be panning out, so he will now be taken prisoner, instead."

Ah. Bait. And Hector had just "taken" it, more or less.

Fortunately, the Vanguard seemed to already know that he wasn't with Abolish.

Perhaps Carl Rondel's reports hadn't all been bad. Or maybe he had the Magician of Light to thank.

"Everyone's heard about the attack on Livingston," said Hector. "But that was a while ago, wasn't it? And this all seems more... recent, somehow."

The young captain took another moment to think, perhaps debating how much he wanted to share. "It's Jercash's doing. He's been sending subversives into the city, trying to stir up unrest and cause a mass panic for weeks."

Hector gave a slow nod. "I see. So your response was to just... calm everyone down. Literally."

"Is that disapproval I hear in your tone?"

"No. But I wouldn't say I'm comfortable with it, either."

"That is fair. Truthfully, I've had my own reservations about it as well, but the results are difficult to argue with. Zero lives have been lost since it began."

Impressive, but he wondered if that was really true. "This can't be easy. How long do you guys plan on keeping this up for?"

"At least until all the civilians have been moved to more defensible locations."

Page 4100

That might make sense, he supposed. If aura was the culmination of one's entire self, then having a very different body would probably create a very different aura.

He could imagine that coming in handy against certain psychic or aura-sensitive individuals. Throwing them off their game, perhaps. Hmm.

Moreover, he'd heard that Harper Norez was among the most powerful servants in the Vanguard. Supposedly one of the top thirty-eight strongest. And while he certainly still respected Mr. Norez's abilities--having gotten the chance to see them quite up close and personal--Hector also couldn't help harboring a few doubts about that figure, these days.

The more he'd learned about the Vanguard, especially about Sparrows and psychics, the more likely it seemed to him that there was a very powerful hidden side to the organization. A side that probably wanted certain people to be pushed to the forefront while they worked behind-the-scenes.

Harper was strong, sure, but there was at least one nest of Sparrows working for the Vanguard. And their entire existence was a secret, so they wouldn't be factored into any outward power calculations going on. And Hector had a feeling that there was a lot more at play than just Sparrows, too. There were bound to be human psychics, as well, he figured. Hell, maybe they even had some Hun'Sho working for them.

Not to mention, there were other figures in his memories. The Candle's memories. Figures that he didn't know what to make of.

The intervening silence didn't last that long, even though Hector's racing thoughts made it feel like it did.

"What exactly has brought you here to Andeyal?" said Bartholomew.

"We've come to ensure the safety of our prince," said Hector, feeling like the young captain had probably known the answer to that already and was still just testing the conversational waters.

"You have a funny way of going about that. Unless my eyes deceive me, I see no princes here."

"We're still just trying to get a grasp on the situation," said Hector. "Clearly, something very odd is going on around here, and we'd rather not walk into a trap."

"I see. So you're just wandering innocently around in the middle of a city-wide lockdown, are you?"

Hector folded his armored arms. "I never said we were wandering. But... if we're inadvertently getting in the way of your operation, then I apologize. We just want to get our prince home safe and sound."

Next page on the 26th

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Page 4099

Hmm. Hector allowed a beat to pass before asking his next question. "If you really don't remember Roman, then why is it you, of all people, who is showing up here now?"

The little captain paused. "Okay, I do remember him. I was just curious to see how he'd react."

"I hate this kid," said Roman.

"But also," Erickson went on with a light laugh, "Atreya has been a very quiet little country until recently. We don't have any personnel around here who've had dealings with you folks. Except me, apparently, even though I barely qualify."

Roman gave an audible sniff. "And perhaps you guys are also a bit leery about the fact that you kinda-sorta refused to help us?"

Bartholomew made no response.

Roman kept going. "Sure, Harper came to our aid, being the great guy that he is, but that was only after Kohzek turned us down. If Harper didn't have his own special status within the Vanguard, then I get the feeling that he wouldn't have been allowed to help us, either."

Hector knew a bit about that. Apparently, Harper Norez's rank of lieutenant general was somewhat symbolic in nature. While the man didn't have to take orders from anyone below the rank of general, he also didn't carry any actual authority of his own.

And so Bartholomew's rank of regional captain didn't necessarily mean he was less "powerful" than Harper. In fact, if the kid's influence within the Vanguard was taken into account, he might well be more powerful.

This was certainly no low-ranking officer who'd been sent to talk to them.

With all of that in mind, however, Hector did not want to add to the negative tone that Roman was setting up for them. "Whatever the case may be," he chose to say, "we're still thankful to the Vanguard for Mr. Norez's help. How is he, by the way? Do you know?"

"Making waves in Melmoore, last I heard. But he tends to travel quite a bit. That intel is outdated by now, I'm sure."

"As long as he's safe," said Hector. "The war has had me worried about him."

A brief silence arrived as Bartholmew seemed to be eyeing Hector up.

And Hector used the opportunity to do the same. The kid's aura was something else. Difficult to read. It was frankly unlike anything Hector had encountered before, which made him wonder in a background thought process if the childish body might be playing a role there, too.

Page 4098

It was a child, Hector saw--or at least, it was someone with the appearance of one. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen such a young-looking servant, but it was obvious from that question and from the way he carried himself that this was someone of considerable experience.

Or just a lot of confidence.

Hector knew a thing or two about keeping up appearances like that.

Before Hector could respond, however, Roman stepped up first. "Is that the young Captain Erickson I spy?"

The boy looked at Roman, but there was no light of recognition in his eyes, doubtless because of the iron plate armor in the way.

Roman threw a look toward Hector, who felt a bit reluctant but still obliged the unspoken request and dematerialized it for him.

For a few beats, the kid just stood there, staring at Roman. "...Sorry, I still don't know who you are."

"Oh, come on. I was with the Queen of Atreya when you met with her. Harper Norez was there. We were asking you for assistance. Or, rather, we were asking your reaper, I suppose."

The young captain put a hand to his chin and squinted. "...Are you sure that was you?"

Roman's hands flailed a bit with exasperation. "The nerve of this kid. Yes, it was me! Your reaper's name is Kohzek, isn't it?"

That skeptical expression didn't change, but after a moment, he did say, "Alright, I guess you must be telling the truth."

Roman looked back toward Hector for support. "Even after saying that, he obviously still doesn't remember me, does he?"

Hector took the cue to step forward, too. "I mean, you do make a hobby out of being as forgettable as possible, don't you?"

"Hey, man, that's different. Whose side are you on here?"

"A prescient question," said the Vanguardian boy.

Now that Roman had identified the kid for him, Hector knew a bit about who he was dealing with here. He'd heard the tales from Roman and Lynn about their adventures in trying to secure assistance in retaking Atreya from the Abolish saboteurs.

This was Bartholomew Erickson, a regional captain of the Vanguard.

Which, given the incredible size of Intar, seemed like quite the coincidental encounter. Too coincidental, in fact, making it highly suspect that Bartholomew would truly not remember Roman. Was the kid just messing with him, Hector wondered?

"You know who I am?" asked Hector.

"The Lord Darksteel of Atreya," said Bartholomew.

Next page tomorrow

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Page 4097

Clearly, this guy had been able to respond to stimuli, even if it was only for a moment. So he wasn't completely unreachable, at least.

Or he was still just faking, and Selena's move had caught him off guard.

Hector was particularly wary of that.

As he kept mulling it over, Voreese apparently arrived at her own conclusion and turned to Selena again. 'Alright, kiss him on the lips.'

He stepped in and eased Selena back toward the others.

'Oh, come on. You guys are seriously underestimating the power of a little female attention. I mean, look at her! She's cute as a button, isn't she? I'm just helping her harness her latent abilities. You understand, don't you, Selena?'

"Would you shut up already?" said Roman.

'Fuck you. I'm trying to use a scalpel here, so you fellas better not whip out a sledgehammer and call that the superior solution. There are a lot of innocent bystanders around, you know.'

That part, at least, Hector could agree with. "Relax," he told Voreese. "We don't need intel that bad. There are other places we can try."

'Hmph.'

Before resorting to that, though, Hector had to wonder if he could wake this guy up somehow. Assuming the dude wasn't simply faking, then shouldn't it have been theoretically possible to extend his own aura around this fellow and protect him from manipulation like the others in his party.

Unless... his aura wasn't actually what was protecting them? Hector was fairly sure it was, but didn't actually know that for certain, of course. Moreover, he wasn't sure how to manipulate his own aura in such a way, either. He'd kinda done stuff like that before, but... hmm. It wasn't like he was consciously protecting Roman and everyone else, at the moment.

So maybe it was a subconscious thing? They were all part of the 'group,' so his aura was just shielding them automatically.

Did he just have to start thinking of this stranger as part of the group, too, then? Somehow, that felt wrong. And maybe kinda dumb. Especially when he didn't know the first thing about this person.

A new aura arrived at the periphery of Hector's senses, pulling his attention away from his internal debate. Someone was right outside the building. Someone that hadn't been there a few seconds ago.

He reached out with the Scarf for more information, but the door swung open before it could tell him anything, throwing the air currents into disarray.

"Would you mind leaving that man alone, please?" came a very youthful voice.

Next page on the 20th

Thanks for your patience, guys.

Page 4096

That look on her face was even more confusing, Hector thought. And what was that aura saying? He'd never seen the like before.

Which wasn't saying much, he supposed in the back of his mind. He was still very new to this whole aura reading business, after all.

Selena still elected not to say anything, though, and simply turned back to the stranger seated in front of her. But she didn't do exactly as Voreese had asked, either. She got close to the man, but she didn't actually touch him.

Instead, she gave a quick wave of her hand, right next to the guy's face. Close enough, in fact, that from Hector's perspective behind her, he might've thought she touched him, if not for the Scarf of Amordiin informing him of the precise distance between her and the stranger.

As well as the disturbance in the air currents around her. She'd used her materialization power over oxygen, Hector realized.

A gentle wind swirled around the stranger, tousling his hair and clothes a bit but otherwise doing nothing else.

And it had certainly given the man a start. Hector easily sensed it, both in the fellow's aura and in the subtle flinch of his body. There was a flash of surprise and fear there, but then it was gone, replaced again by the previous sense of blankness that the guy's aura had.

Hmm.

'That's not what I told you to do, girlie.'

"My name is Selena, thank you very much."

'Oho. While I can respect the sudden spine you're demonstrating, you shouldn't go revealing your name so carelessly like that. Never know who might be listening.'

"It's my name. I'll reveal it whenever I please."

Voreese snickered. 'Alright, now that might be a little TOO much spine.'

Selena pointed at Roman. "Also, he already revealed your name aloud, so where's his lecture?"

'Y'know, you make an excellent point,' said Voreese as she rounded her own servant. 'Why you gotta be such a dumbass, huh? What happened to operational security? You're supposed to be better than this.'

"I can only apologize," said Roman. "I must've been unconsciously hoping that it would help someone track you down and free me from this living hell."

Voreese ignored him and moved on to Hector. 'So? Any of that prove helpful?'

Weirdly enough, it had. But Hector wasn't sure he should say so and reinforce the reaper's behavior.

Page 4095

From everything he'd seen so far, the mass manipulation didn't seem like it would be all that strong, since it was obviously spread so thin. Plus, Hector didn't feel any pressure on his own thought processes, nor did he notice any odd behavior from the others in his party here.

So... maybe this guy here... was just pretending to be manipulated like everyone else? Trying to fly under the radar?

Which would be very suspicious, if so.

Like something that an undercover agent of Abolish might be trying to do, for example.

But that was only one possibility, of course. The guy could just be unrelated to this whole mess and wanting to avoid getting involved. Not to mention, it was unlikely that someone from Abolish would've infiltrated Andeyal so deeply like this. This was supposed to be the heart of Vanguardian territory, wasn't it?

Then again, Hector hadn't technically encountered any Vanguardians yet, himself. They were probably watching him, but he didn't actually know that for sure.

"...Sir, I promise you that I mean no harm," he tried. "I'd just like some answers, and then I'll be on my way."

Silence.

'...Are you sure this guy can hear you?' asked Voreese.

"No," said Hector. "It's just... a hunch."

For some reason, that made her snicker. 'I gotcha.' Then she turned to Selena Cortes who was standing toward the back of their troupe. 'Hey, girlie, c'mere a sec.'

Now Hector was curious. He watched Selena walk forward, still clad in the armor that he'd made for her, of course.

'Take off your helmet,' said Voreese. 'The gauntlets, too.' Then she turned to Hector. 'In fact, just remove the whole thing for her.'

Hector did no such thing. "...Why?"

'Oh, c'mon, just trust me.'

That was not good enough, but when Hector looked at Selena, he found her already doing as she'd been asked. "You don't have to listen to her," he said.

'Yes, she does.'

"It's okay," said Selena, smiling. "Whatever it is, I wanna help."

Hector frowned inside his helmet, still not dematerializing the armor for her.

'Good girl,' said Voreese. 'Now, go touch the stinky bum.'

Roman stepped in now. "Oh my goddess, Voreese. Stop."

'Don't be such a white-knighting pussy. Relax.'

Selena hadn't even hesitated and was already about to do it.

Hector felt compelled to intervene and put a hand on her shoulder. "Y-you really don't have to do that..."

Rather than answering him, however, Selena just eyed his hand, which made him retract it.

Next page on the 16th

Thanks for reading, everybody.

Page 4094

The task proved more difficult than anticipated, however. Even with all this noise they were making, Hector didn't see any onlookers turning their way. And the aura was casting a wide enough net that it felt like it could belong to almost anyone in here.

But maybe if he concentrated a bit more...

Focused on what the Scarf was telling him, too...

Maybe...

Ah.

He sensed head movement while his back was turned.

A man by the far door. Sitting on a bench with people on either side of him.

That would've been much more difficult to notice if everyone else wasn't being so freakishly motionless.

Hell, even their breathing all seemed to be in sync, he realized. Wow, that was creepy.

But yeah, that guy was different. Not only had his head moved, but his breathing was off pace with the others, too.

Hector decided to approach.

The expression in the man's eyes was similar to everyone else's. And his clothes seemed about the same, as well. Layered. Full of holes. Could probably do with a good washing. And there was a pair of bags at his feet, seemingly belonging to him.

Long, frayed brown hair covered his head like an old mop, and a bushy beard hid his mouth completely.

All things considered, he reminded Hector of Leo before the guy had cleaned himself up. Minus the dreadlocks. And the stench.

"Pardon me, sir," said Hector. "We've just arrived in town, and we're... uh, quite confused about all the strange things going on around here. Would you be able to tell us about what's been happening in Andeyal, lately?"

The man made no response and just kept gazing blankly off to the side.

After a while longer of silence, Hector began to wonder if he was mistaken. Maybe this guy was just as influenced as everyone else. He decided to try another time, though. "Please. Anything you could tell us would be helpful."

Still, there was nothing.

Hmm.

Hector supposed that a powerful aura didn't necessarily mean that the guy would be completely immune to psychic manipulation. In fact, that might've been the main reason why psychics in general were so scary: because even very strong servants could be like putty in their hands. And it was possible that he was only slightly resistant to it, compared to the others.

But still. Hector's eyes narrowed inside his helmet as he decided that he wasn't ready to leave this dude alone just yet.

Page 4093

While the Basilica was both the most enticing place to go, Hector felt like it was also the most dangerous--or if not that, then at least the most predictable.

It was a strange feeling. Like he needed to rebel against the attempts at manipulation from unseen observers. Psychics who were silently watching him, trying to influence him in countless subtle ways.

Probably paranoia, he figured. But a little extra caution never hurt, either.

The chosen destination turned out to be a building called the Charities of the Warm Night.

Hector stopped in front of its apparent front entrance for a moment, unsure of what that name actually meant. It seemed to be open to the public, considering its welcome sign that denoted 24-hour service.

When they entered, Hector's uncertainty was soon dispelled.

There were plenty of people around, and they were all being very quiet and orderly, often looking quite similar to the vacant-eyed crowds that he'd witnessed earlier. But their attire and belongings made their circumstances apparent. Ragged and rough, worn in many layers. Plastic bags filled with seemingly random paraphernalia.

All-in-all, it didn't look too different from the shelters in Gray Rock. Hector had made a habit of visiting them on occasion, though it had of course gotten increasingly difficult as his notoriety continued to grow. Disguises had become a necessity, but even that tactic didn't always work.

That was why he'd been resorting to sending other people in his stead, recently. Thankfully, there were still plenty of Rainlords in Warrenhold who were willing to help.

The intention had been to not just provide aid to the shelters but to also foster a network of streetwise informants who could keep him in the loop about things going on all over Gray Rock. It hadn't proved especially helpful as of yet, but that was fine, of course. Garovel had meant for it to be a long-term project from the beginning.

Here and now, these clanking suits of armor were obviously not helping them blend in at all, and yet the people here still weren't paying them any attention.

In fact, if anything, the added spectacle was helpful, because Hector was more interested in finding someone who actually could notice them. Someone without that listless expression on their face.

Judging from the powerful aura that he was sensing within this place, there was bound to be someone like that here. Probably.

Page 4092

Garovel gave an echoing snort. 'Y'know, maybe you could share some of these freaky new powers with yours truly, hmm?'

'Wha?'

'I mean, I share my powers with you all the time, don't I? It'd only be fair, right?'

'And how exactly would I do that for you?'

'I dunno. But I also don't know how you do half the other shit you do, so. Is it really such a crazy thing to ask? Maybe it's just a matter of applying yourself.'

'Uh-huh...'

'Hector, what I'm saying is, it's actually YOUR fault that I'm not a godlike powerhouse, wreathed in pure majesty and wonder. So I'd appreciate it if you would stop being so lazy and get on that, please. Thanks in advance.'

'Man, they really weren't kidding when they said that reapers are power hungry, huh?'

'Yeah, well, what's the use in hiding it, anymore? Might as well just let it fly and see how the chips fall, eh?'

He could still tell from the reaper's aura that he was mostly kidding.

'Mostly' being the keyword.

Hector didn't mind, though. In fact, that kernel of truth in there might've been making it even funnier to him, somehow, and he couldn't help snickering under his breath.

'Oh, good, you could tell I was joking, still. I was a little worried that bit went too far, and you'd start to think I'm a genuine lunatic.'

'I mean, you ARE a genuine lunatic, though.'

'Okay, yeah. But. Like. In a good way, right?'

'Of course.' Hector allowed a beat to pass. 'But I know a small part of you wasn't joking.'

'Alright, relax, pal. My ego can only handle so many beatings in a single conversation.'

That pulled another laugh out of him, this time loud enough to draw attention from the others in their group.

Naturally, Voreese was not too shy to address it. 'Somethin' funny?'

"Just Garovel being Garovel."

'Ah. Well, I hate to be the party pooper, but now's not exactly a good time to be getting distracted, y'know?'

She wasn't wrong to be concerned, Hector knew, but he also wasn't about to try and explain how he still had two entire thought processes that were fully on task.

Instead, he just pointed and started walking. "This way," he said.

Of all the auras he could sense, there were several that stuck out to him. The Basilica was clearly housing multiple of them, but he wanted to investigate the others first, if only a little bit.

Page 4091

And worse still, if Abbas couldn't even tell how incredible the Amir-22 already was, then what did that mean? Was he just that out of touch? Too deep into his work? Or did he simply have much crazier plans already in mind that would make this pale in comparison?

Hector was fairly confident that it was the latter. He didn't want to imagine that their trip down memory lane together might have been for naught. Abbas knew the importance of not getting too detached. He had to.

All of these thoughts were stewing around in background thought processes.

His foremost concern remained on the mission at hand. Finding one of these senators. From the way "Prince David" had described it, Hector had a suspicion that aura would be his best bet in tracking them. Presumably, these important leaders would be in some way more noticeable than the rest.

He tried to reach out with his senses as he steered the group down toward the center of the district, aiming for a spot near the entrance of the big castle that he was honestly still drooling over in the back of his mind, even now.

He could just take them onto the castle grounds directly, but somehow, that felt like a bad idea. Better to approach more carefully.

Already, he could sense a noticeable difference in this district. No one was on the street, but he could sense auras everywhere, inside the buildings.

And as he laid eyes on the big castle walls from this fresh perspective on the ground, he felt compelled to consult his reaper.

'Garovel, do you know what this place is called?' asked Hector.

'Oh, this? Yeah, it's the Basilica of the Heavenly Ending. It's the third largest church in the world. Quite a big deal.'

'Wow.' He was tempted to ask what the other two were, but Garovel kept talking before he could make up his mind.

'I'm surprised you needed me to tell you, now that you're such a know-it-all.'

'I'm sensing a bit of resentment, Garovel.'

'Oh, is your fancy aura-reading telling you that?'

'Actually, it's your tone of voice. Your aura is telling me you're just joking and not upset at all.'

'Okay, well, now THAT is kind of upsetting. How am I supposed to mess with your head when you can just cheat and see right through me like that?'

'I'm sure you'll find a way.'

Next page on the 10th

Sorry, guys. Thanks for reading, though.

Page 4090

Those flying buttresses, though. Wow. The way they flanked the third story, supporting its vaulted formation... God, that looked so cool. Maybe he should try adding some flying buttresses to Warrenhold...

Or perhaps to the castle that was to be built around Cocora's Candle.

That hadn't slipped his mind, of course, even if it was still seeming quite impractical. The problem with it wasn't just funding, he'd come to realize. There was also the need for secrecy--and potentially, the need for a truly exceptional architect. As much as he enjoyed daydreaming about robust fortifications and fanciful heraldry, Hector was not under the impression that he alone could design such a place.

Fusion Forges all but invited sieges. Historically speaking, it was almost a foregone conclusion. A proper designer would be much needed in order to help defend against that inevitibility.

If Abbas started pumping out incredible work after incredible work, that was inevitably going to draw attention. And as Hector had been sifting through the Candle's vast historical knowledge, he was now very aware of how much danger the Forge might one day attract.

And this shield on his back could make that day arrive sooner rather than later, if he wasn't careful. The Amir-22, Abbas had called it. Just another work-in-progress, as far as the Sunsmith was concerned. He'd told Hector that the improvements were "trifles."

But Hector had tested it out during his training. He knew that it was no meager step forward, compared to the Amir-10. And that there was yet more to discover with it, too.

Moreover, he knew something was changing with Abbas himself. In the grand scheme of things, they hadn't even known each other that long, but the guy was clearly different from how he'd been before he'd started using the Candle.

Which shouldn't have been a surprise, Hector supposed. The Candle had obviously had a big impact on himself, so it only made sense that it would be having an effect on Abbas, too, even if it wasn't the same.

Nonetheless, it made Hector concerned. He still remembered Haqq Najir and Sazandara mentioning how difficult and time-consuming the creation of the Amir-9 had been. From the way they'd talked, it had sounded like that prototype shield had taken them months or even years of painstaking effort.

And yet now, Abbas had knocked out twelve new iterations in, what? A couple weeks? Perhaps a bit longer, if he'd been working on it and just not telling Hector about it, but still.

That was genuinely insane. And honestly quite terrifying, the more Hector thought about it.

Next page tomorrow

Sorry, guys. Need a day. Thanks for reading, as always.

Page 4089

It wasn't just the aura that was telling him that, though. Hector certainly noticed the way that Loren's eyes had been locking onto him periodically, like they were trying to look into his very soul.

There was something familiar in that look, Hector felt. Similar to Banda Toro, somehow. And Hector didn't think he would ever be able to forget the way Banda had observed him, even in the middle of their fight.

But it was only similar, of course. Not the same. Loren's aura was totally different. Hector didn't get the impression that Loren was reading his own aura the way that Banda had been doing.

But maybe he was trying to. Maybe he was close to pulling it off, even.

An interesting detail, Hector thought. Something to watch out for. Especially if he intended to have this Loren fellow stick around.

The Cathedral District was even more magnificent than Hector anticipated. Truth be told, when he'd first heard about it, he'd figured that it would be where some of the most ancient and well-preserved architecture in the entire city was to be found, and it had therefore taken a bit of extra willpower to put off going there.

But now that they were here, he was not disappointed in the slightest. And this aerial view made it even better to observe. From up here, it was easier to appreciate not just the buildings themselves but also the layout of the whole district overall. The way the streets were woven together. The way the structures followed a clear concentric pattern.

The entire district was one big circle, with the largest and most grandiose cathedral in the center.

And that thing was a fortress unto itself. Laying eyes on it now, a sense of shame began coming over him as he realized that he did not know the name of it already. How the hell had he missed this place? Sure, this trip had been conducted on rather short notice, but still. He'd looked up so many famous Intarian castles.

Must've been because this wasn't a "proper" castle in the traditional sense. Yeah, it was massive and could obviously serve as one in a pinch, but it did lack a lot of the more obvious defensive design choices that a place like Livingston had. No crenelated turrets, for one thing. No murder holes, for another. Admittedly, that one might've felt a bit inappropriate for a place of supposed peace and worship.

Next page tomorrow

Thanks for reading, everyone.

Page 4088

'Well, now what?' said Voreese after they'd all regathered.

A part of Hector was still unsatisfied. He wanted to find a second hospital to check, because there was a strong chance that this one had received preferential treatment by the manipulators due to its close proximity to Livingston. Everyone might've just been sent right on over to the castle, assuming there was enough room.

But he supposed he'd already gotten his answer, regardless. An evacuation had clearly been conducted here. That was all he needed to know at the moment; and moreover, there was still the more pressing question of why.

Hector had a responsibility here. Sure, their little group here might've been composed entirely of reapers and undead, but that didn't make them invincible. If some powerful Intarian was going to such lengths in order to evacuate civilians like this, then it was a fair bet that something dangerous was on the way.

Sticking around, therefore, would be playing with fire.

"Let's head over to the Cathedral District," said Hector.

And rather than exiting through the front entrance, they decided to head to the roof so that Hector could carry everyone but Roman up into the sky again. He wanted to get another good view of the city as they moved along, in part because Hector was now curious about what might be going on in the direction opposite of the Cathedral District.

If the manipulators hadn't been lying, then that particular district was probably pretty safe, which meant that the danger was expected to arrive from the other direction. Northwest of Livingston.

Hector asked for Loren's help along the way. He had the guy staring off into the distance like a hawk as they flew. But Loren was being very quiet, so Hector felt the further need to push a bit.

"Anything?" he asked after a while of hovering flight.

"No, sir," said Loren, sounding as calm and collected as could be.

Hmm. Hector had also been trying to pay special attention to this Lighteyes fellow the whole time they'd been here. The guy's aura seemed like it had quite a bit to say, though none of it was terribly clear. Hector was getting the impression that this dude was actually quite conflicted inside, despite how silent and professional he acted.

But one thing about him was obvious. He wasn't secretly hostile. Unless Hector was reading something wrong--which was always a possibility, of course--this man actually seemed to be quite curious about Hector.

Page 4087

The group soon departed for the hospital in question. Indeed, it wasn't very far at all, just as Nadim had said. He wondered if that was because of Livingston. The hospital looked similarly archaic in design compared to most of the buildings around it, so Hector wondered if it had been built to help support Livingston Grand Castle during medieval times.

Or even earlier, perhaps. Hector knew a bit of Livingston's history already. The core of the castle had been built nearly two thousand years ago, during the Golden Era of the Mohssian Empire, so there was a chance that this hospital was similarly ancient.

Hector was mindful of everything the Scarf could tell him as they approached the structure. He was mindful of the rather large cube floating around him, too. The Laughing Ceese that he'd captured inside of it was still there, of course, being quiet as could be, perhaps in the hope that Hector would forget about it, but the closer the group got to meeting normal, regularly-minded people, the more Hector was reminded of the weird creature that he had in his personal orbit.

As Voreese had said, if anyone saw it, they would probably freak out. But then again, given the strange state of the city, perhaps they wouldn't. Hector was beginning to wonder if he would ever meet any 'normal' people in Andeyal at all.

Because the hospital was indeed empty. Even without entering, he could sense from the air currents through the doors and windows that there were no human figures around. Maybe it wasn't even worth going inside to make sure, but they did, anyway. There could've always been people deeper in. There were plenty of rooms with no windows, after all.

It did ultimately end up being fruitless, though. After nearly twenty minutes of splitting up and checking almost every floor, they found not a single soul around. Unfortunately, even the reapers hadn't seemed entirely confident in their senses here, because many of the walls were apparently infused with soul power.

And while it certainly felt like a waste of time, it did at least provide Hector with the evidence that he'd been looking for. There was no sign of a struggle or any damage to the building, so it probably hadn't come under attack, which meant that it had probably been evacuated in a quite orderly manner.

He also noticed that many of the rooms seemed to be even emptier than expected. It wasn't just that the people were gone. There was a lot of equipment missing, too.

Next page on the 2nd

Thanks for reading, everyone.

Page 4086

All these people on foot. Walking miles, presumably. If this was the work of some "benevolent" psychic who was trying to safely evacuate them or something... then what about the exception cases? What about all the people who couldn't walk? The disabled or incapacitated. Hospitals must've been full of people like that, right? So where were they?

Hmm. If he could locate a hospital, then it might either prove or disprove his theory about who was responsible for all this. If some truly malevolent force was manipulating everyone, then the hospitals would probably be ignored.

Or already attacked, perhaps. Hector didn't want to dwell on that possibility too much.

But on the other hand, if it really was someone who meant well, then they would have been trying to take care of all the vulnerable people, too. So the hospitals would be empty or evacuating.

Either way, it felt like a safe assumption that such places would be more difficult for psychics to manipulate like this, regardless of whether the psychics were good guys or evil pricks. For one thing, the assumption already had supporting evidence in the way that the manipulators were having everyone abandon all these vehicles in the middle of the road. That seemed pretty inefficient, didn't it? Why not just have them drive to the desired location, instead?

Because it was too hard, probably. Hector could practically hear Hanton complaining about it in his imagination. Making everyone walk was bound to be much easier by comparison. The manipulators weren't even making the people turn off the engines before leaving, either. That was a sign of either carelessness or inability, Hector thought.

So that should be their next stop then, he decided. Sure, it wouldn't necessarily prove everything definitively, but it would at least be helpful information moving forward.

Valuable intel about the kind of people he was soon to deal with.

"...Does anyone know where the nearest hospital is?" said Hector, having mostly finished his internal debating. He was already looking for the answer on his phone as well, in the likely event that no one could answer him.

Nadim had him covered, though he did sound a bit uncertain. "I believe there is one only a few streets over," he said, pointing. "But why do you...?"

'I'm down with helping the helpless, too,' said Voreese, 'but we've kinda got a whole thing to deal with here first, don't we?'

"I haven't forgotten," said Hector. "This'll help with that, too."

Voreese looked like she wanted to inquire further, but surprisingly, she elected not to and simply said, 'Alright, lead the way.'

Page 4085

Hector's attention lingered on Roman for a moment. The man had just been joking, of course, as had Voreese, but there was something else there, too. Something in the aura. Hector could sense it.

Now wasn't the time to delve into it, though. Now was the time to focus on the task at hand.

He considered asking Roman if he'd seen anything during his scouting just now, but he decided against it, figuring the man would bring it up on his own, if so.

Instead, Hector concentrated on what the Scarf was telling him about the southwesterly direction, where this Cathedral District was supposed to be. It hadn't escaped his notice that the crowd of walking people were all headed that way, as well.

And now his mind was working through the scenario again. If the Cathedral District was where all these senators were, then that probably also meant that it was one of the safer places to be in the city, right now. So if all these manipulated or 'hypnotized' people were being made to head there, too, then...

Yeah.

This was looking more and more like the work of some Vanguardian psychic. Or an entire team of psychics, probably. This seemed like a bit much for just one person to be managing.

Or if not the Vanguard, then perhaps someone working for the Intarian government directly. Someone that--at least theoretically--was trying to keep all these hapless people safe.

It did seem a little strange that this psychic influence wasn't affecting anyone in his own group, though. Like, not even a little bit? Hector might've expected to at least be able to feel some sort of pressure on one of his thought processes, like he'd felt during that first encounter with Hanton.

Was his aura just protecting them all too well, now? Hmm. But if that were the case, then why weren't any of the Intarian civilians snapping out of it when Hector got close to them?

Maybe it was because he'd never actually tried? He was still learning about how auras worked, after all. Perhaps he had to consciously extend his protective instincts toward someone in order for them to gain that kind of benefit from it.

In which case... this might be a good opportunity to test that out.

Agh. He felt a little bad, though. All these people weren't supposed to be test subjects. But they also weren't supposed to be abandoning their vehicles and walking down the middle of the road, either.

Which brought up other questions to Hector's mind, actually.

Page 4084

"Alright," said Hector. "I'll go see if I can find one of them. Thank you for your help, Your Highness."

<"You are very welcome.">

"In the meantime, um... I'd just like you to know, in case you're feeling worried or scared and just hiding it from me... I want you to know that everything's going to be okay, sir."

<"Heh. I appreciate that.">

"Because if someone is listening in on our conversation right now, then I'm sure they realize that if anything happens to you or Vito... there will be hell to pay."

<"Ah...">

"I'll call you again soon, Your Highness."

<"Very well. I will be anticipating it.">

He hung up.

A brief silence fell over the group as everyone seemed to still be processing everything they'd just heard.

Unsurprisingly, Voreese was the first to speak up. 'So we're just swingin' our dicks around like it's nobody's business, eh?'

Hector wasn't sure how to respond to that.

Roman helped him out. "Uniquely put, as always, Voreese."

'You do realize that you basically just threatened the same mysterious freaks who are probably responsible for this whole fucked up situation out here, don't you?'

Ah. Hector allowed the moment to linger as he eyed everyone again. "...Yeah."

After another beat, Voreese bobbed her skull. 'Cool, just checking.'

Nadim Saqqaf, who'd remained mostly quiet during their whole trip thus far, decided to speak up. "Senators Jacobson, Leoric and Morris," he said. "All prominent members of the Grand National Republic Party. If you are to meet with one of them so soon, then I would advise additional caution, Lord Goffe. Even if the meeting itself goes well and they are entirely amicable towards us, it could still cause problems for you later."

"Oh yeah," said Roman with an air of realization. "The Moons and the Grands. The Moons'll be pissed if you show too much favorability to the Grands--and vice versa. If we end up needing to deal with the Moons at some point, then that could become quite the nuisance."

Shit.

Nadim's armored gaze turned to Roman now. "Astutely put. Do you consider yourself well-versed in Intarian politics, Mr. Fullister?"

"Oh, I don't know about that. I just try to pay attention, is all. I'm more than happy to defer to your counsel, sir. Hector actually selected you for this mission, after all. I'm only here because he's too nice to refuse me."

'Yeah, he's like a rash that Hector can't get rid of.'

"What does that make you, then? The bacteria that causes the rash?"

'The soothing balm that makes the rash tolerable.'

That pulled a laugh out of Roman and left him shaking his head.

Today's page at 6 pm

Want a few more hours with it. Sorry to wait. Thanks, everybody.

Next page on the 26th

Thanks for reading, everybody.

Page 4083

"And what if they're all too busy?" said Hector.

<"I doubt they will be, but if they are, then you can just give me another call, yes? And we can discuss matters from there. That will give me time to look into more leads for you, as well.">

Hector had to admit, whoever was influencing him was playing it off pretty well. Rationalizing every decision nicely. He genuinely couldn't be sure how strong their influence over him was. If any. Perhaps Hector really was just being paranoid here.

But it was hard not to be, now that he knew more about what Sparrows were capable of. Perhaps he should've asked Hanton to let Pauline come along, after all. Her input might've proven helpful, right about now.

"Alright, where can I find these people? I assume they're not all holed up inside Livingston with you, are they?"

<"No. They should all be somewhere in the Cathedral District, I believe. To your southwest.">

Oh? A slip up? Hector exchanged looks with Roman, who was tilting his head.

There was an opening to call it out now. Hector had not yet provided his current location, so there was no way that the prince should have known which direction to specify.

Hector elected not to, though. There was a chance they were being so subtle for their own security reasons and not just because they were trying to trick him, specifically. There was no need to be openly confrontational.

<"...That is, assuming you are already close to Livingston yourself, yes?">

Ah. Nice save.

Hector still elected not to comment, though. "What do these senators look like?"

Another long pause arrived. <"Do you really need me to specify that for you?">

It was Hector's turn to pause. There was definitely some kind of subtext there, but he wasn't sure what it was. Should he ask? They were being purposely vague, so he probably wouldn't get much of an answer, but maybe...

Hmm.

And perhaps he was taking too long to respond, because the prince's voice arrived again. <"I'm sure a man of your ability already has everything he needs to find them.">

Ah...

A test, of sorts? To see if what he'd said earlier about having extra information was actually true. And perhaps to see how much of a potential threat he was, too.

Wow. That was a more blatant acknowledgment of the situation than anything else they'd said so far, Hector felt.

Page 4082

<"Someone else?"> said Prince David. <"And who might that be?">

"The Magician of Light, maybe," said Hector. "But there are plenty of other people, too, I'm sure."

The prince made no response.

Which was itself quite telling, Hector thought. The prince was not one to be often lost for words, he knew. So he decided to push a bit more. "If they are listening, I just want them to know that these games aren't necessary. I'm open to having a direct conversation with them--and maybe even helping them with everything going on around here."

<"...That's quite understanding of you, Lord Goffe. I may not grasp the fullness of the circumstances to which you are alluding, but I can at least say that it sounds rather complicated--and even perilous.">

Hector exchanged glances with Voreese, who was hovering right next to him. Her skeletal face didn't reveal much, and yet he still felt like he knew what she must have been thinking. "Well, a prince of my kingdom is here, right now. If helping them out means keeping him safe, too, then I'm just being reasonable, don't you think?"

<"I'm flattered you value my safety so, but how are you certain that these hypothetical eavesdroppers are well-meaning? You are making a very bold assumption, are you not?">

"Or maybe I have more information than you think I do."

There came another long pause.

This time, though, Hector decided to just wait. He noticed Roman flying over, still in his own iron armor that Hector had made for him like everyone else. Perhaps Voreese had privately asked him to return and listen in with them.

<"I have no doubt that you know many things, Lord Goffe.">

"Thanks. But I'm always open to learning more."

Another pause. <"...It seems you are in need of assistance beyond what I can provide, but perhaps I can recommend someone. I've made many new friends during my time here as an ambassador, you know.">

"Thank you," said Hector. "That sounds like it would be very helpful."

<"There are a number of people who come to mind, but I believe one Senator Jacobson would be your best bet, if you can find him. If not, then perhaps Senators Leoric or Morris would be able to help you.">

Hector couldn't help cocking an eyebrow inside his helmet. "Senators, huh? Are you sure they won't be too busy to see me?"

<"No. That is why I named multiple of them.">

Page 4081

Hector's eyes narrowed inside his helmet. He'd opened up the faceguard so that his voice wouldn't have a metallic echo to it through the phone. "What CAN you tell me about the current situation in the city?"

<"Oh, not much, I'm afraid. Information has been a scarce commodity in here, much to my displeasure.">

Hmm. "I'd like to talk to Vito. Could you put him on?"

<"Ah, he is unavailable, at the moment.">

Hector's brow lowered. "Why?"

<"He was called away by one of the higher-ups around here.">

"...Called away? He's your bodyguard, Your Highness. No one has the authority to call him away except you."

<"...Hmm. Well, when you put it like that, it does seem a bit odd, doesn't it? But I believe they wanted his help in the defense of the fortress. He proved himself quite the asset in saving multiple lives, you know. It would not have felt right to hold him back just for my sake.">

"Even so, he shouldn't have left your side. Especially without telling me."

<"Oh, no, no. Please, Lord Goffe. Don't tell me I've gotten the poor lad into trouble by telling you that. He left at my insistence.">

Garovel chimed in for a private word. 'Wow, this is even worse than I thought.'

Yes. Clearly, something was wrong, but it seemed not much was going to be accomplished in conversation with the prince until Hector was able to meet him face to face. Then, at least, he might be able to learn something from the man's aura.

But before giving up entirely here, Hector had a suspicion that he wanted to pursue. It would require taking quite the direct approach, though. Would that be worth the risk?

After mulling it over across multiple thought processes for a few more seconds and reviewing his own rough guesses about what might really be going on here, he decided to give it a shot.

"Prince David... you wouldn't happen to be under someone's psychic influence, right now, would you?"

There came a very long pause.

<"Excuse me? Psychic influence? What do you mean?">

Unfortunately, there was a very real possibility that the man wasn't even playing dumb--that he was simply unaware of what was happening to him.

Or Hector could be mistaken, of course. Certainly wouldn't have been the first time. It could always be some other insanely weird thing that he'd never encountered before.

Before relenting, though, he wanted to make sure. "I know that probably sounded like a strange question, but I was just asking in case someone else out there happened to be listening."

Next page on the 21st

Thanks for your patience, guys. And for reading. And for definitely not being upset or disappointed in me. Phew. I was a little worried there for a second. You're so nice.

Page 4080

Hmm. Unfortunately, Hector couldn't sense the other man's aura through the phone. "There a problem, sir?"

<"No, I just wasn't expecting you so soon. I wish you had informed me when you departed. It may be difficult for me to obtain entry for you into Livingston on such short notice.">

"Why is that? The place is open to the public. I checked."

<"Normally, yes, but at the moment, the building is in lockdown. Only exempted personnel are allowed to come or go, and I fear I do not qualify. Not without a bit more time to make my case, at least.">

"...This lockdown wouldn't have anything to do with the massive amounts of people roaming the streets in a trance, would it?"

<"Ah, so you've seen them, then. Yes, I've been hearing about them and assumed there was some connection, but I cannot say for sure.">

"What has the local news been saying about them?" said Hector. "I've been checking online, but I haven't seen any mention of this yet."

<"Indeed, news agencies are noticeably quiet about it. From what I've heard, it is being treating as something of a contagion. So perhaps anyone who gets close enough to try to report on it simply ends up in a trance themselves.">

"Hmm. But that wouldn't stop people from catching video footage from afar."

<"I suppose it would depend on how far away the contagion is able to reach. ">

"It also wouldn't stop other people from noticing something off remotely. Lots of suspiciously unanswered calls and texts, for example."

<"Mm. Well, it also just started. So perhaps it may take a while for people elsewhere to learn what is going on. Even we still do not know, after all."

"When exactly did it start? Do you know?"

<"I, um. Good question. Less than a day ago, I suppose.">

Technically, that tracked. It wasn't very long ago that Hector had last spoken to the prince, so if this had been going on the whole time, it would've been extremely strange for the man to have not mentioned it.

Vito Sebolt's report had mentioned something, though.

"Wasn't there a case of mass hysteria going on here?" said Hector. "This whole thing seems different to that. One might even argue... that it's the exact opposite to that, actually."

<"Mass hysteria? Ah, did Vito tell you about that? Yes, I believe that was indeed happening until a short while ago, but the situation has apparently changed.">

Page 4079

There was also the reapers' senses to worry about. They'd picked up on something to the northwest, suspecting that it might be an aberration at work, so Hector didn't know whether to be relieved or worried that these crowds were heading southwest, instead. On the one hand, it meant that these poor people probably weren't at the mercy of some weird new aberration power, but on the other hand, that could also mean that there could be TWO major problems going on in this city instead of just one.

Either way, Hector was making sure not to forget his objective. The entire reason he'd decided to come here was to check up on Prince David, not to get involved in whatever craziness might be going on here. And according to Garovel, the place where the prince was staying was located west of here. So at least they weren't going terribly far out of their way.

Yet.

With the benefit of hovering platforms, it did not take much longer for their ultimate destination to come into view.

Hector had, of course, heard of Livingston Grand Castle before. It was one of the most famous fortresses in the world, after all. And Garovel had certainly teased him about it being the true purpose of Hector wanting to make this trip, but even still, catching that first glimpse of it in the distance, beyond the wall of skyscrapers that kept getting in the way: it was still enough to give him pause.

And when the view became clearer, when he could finally see it in full, he could not help gawking. The pictures truly did not do it justice.

Unfortunately, the current plan did not involve flying right up to it and landing within its walls. It was a controlled airspace, and the city was obviously in a strange state, right now, so they didn't want to risk spooking any worried defenders or residents with their unannounced arrival.

Better to call the prince again, first.

Hector found a nice spot to land on an elevated walkway. The road that it was attached to would have surely been too noisy to hear Prince David over, but it was entirely empty. Not even any abandoned vehicles or silent crowd to speak of.

Selena, Nadim, and Loren all took up positions around Hector as they waited for the prince to pick up. Roman was still flying around in the distance, Hector noticed.

<"Hello there, Lord Goffe,"> came the man's calm and familiar voice.

"Hello, Your Highness."

<"Still planning on dropping by?">

"I'm already here, actually."

<"Wha--? Oh... I see.">

Next page on the 17th

Sorry, guys. Thanks for reading, as always.

Page 4078

Even the normal ground level seemed neglected in comparison to the elevated areas above. While garbage and debris weren't necessarily everywhere, they were still quite noticeable--along with entire city blocks full of tented encampments, which Hector could only assume belonged to the destitute.

Though, at the moment, those places were also abandoned.

As his small party moved through the city, at times on the ground and at times hovering through the air on iron platforms, the unnatural state of the city only became clearer. Hector had wanted to find the source of the screaming that Roman heard with his enhanced hearing, but apparently, it wasn't that easy. Roman couldn't discern a direction that it was coming from.

So after a bit of uncertain wandering, they decided to check on the "hypnotized" crowd that Loren had seen.

It was the strangest thing.

Massive throngs of people covered the streets, none of them uttering so much as a peep. They were just walking with utterly blank expressions on their faces. Where to? No idea, but there was at least a clear flow to follow. They were all heading southwest, as calm and orderly as could be.

No one was in their cars, either. All vehicles appeared to be abandoned in the middle or road, doors left hanging open, keys in the ignitions, engines left running.

In the end, the group decided to simply fly overhead and follow the giant trail of people. They didn't rush, though. Hector had to carry Selena, Nadim, and Loren on iron platforms, but Roman was free to scout around, though Hector asked him not to stray too far.

''Course we're not going too far,' said Voreese. 'I'm not trying to get mindfucked by some spooky bullshit, right now. In fact, maybe I should stay with you and let Roman go by himself.'

"Why do you have to put it like that?" said Roman. "Just say it's the smart the thing to do so that we can relay information back and forth. No need to hurt my feelings."

'Well, think of it this way. As long as I'm still insulting you, you'll know I'm not mentally compromised.'

"Mm. But 'mentally compromised' already describes your normal self. Quite well, actually."

'Shut up and go already. And by the way, I hope you DO get mindfucked, you stupid prick.'

"Love you, too."

'Ugh. Ew.'

Page 4077 -- CCCXXV.

Too much to remember at once, even for him. Countless crimes and crises. Tragedies and faces. Smiling, then agonizing.

Eadric. Cynebald. Aelred. Eadmund. Wynnstan.

Cut in two. Burning alive. Strangled. Skull caved in. Decapitated.

Cenhelm. Leofcild. Hilda. Tata. Cuthberht. Wulfric.

Drowning. Starving. Bleeding out. Buried alive. Stabbed through the neck. Dead in his arms.

Bada. Cenric. Jonathan. Richard. Nina. Martha.

Endless.

Endless.

Endless.

The thought processes were spiraling away from him. He felt them. Going off in different directions. Trying to recall. Trying to see. Memories and the world at once. Trying to address as much as possible. To assess everything. Melancholy be damned.

He contained himself. Pulled everything back. Too dangerous. Too much.

Tenebrach was saying something. Of course he was. Warning him again. And he was replying, too. Reassuring. Everything was fine.

Tenebrach would know it was a lie, but that didn't matter.

Few things did, anymore.

Focus on them. Concentrate. For a bit longer.

Ugh.

Horrible though they could be, the higher realms did offer a strange kind of solace. Since there was so much to worry about in them, so many potential threats, it was somehow easier to not get lost like this.

Here, things were too calm. Too safe. Too quiet.

But that was just a trick of perception, wasn't it? A bias. There was plenty of madness to subdue here, too. He was just too comfortable in his home realm. The familiarity was the problem.

Meditation would help.

There wasn't time. There never was.

No. There always was. Assign the thought processes to them. Stand them by. Calm them down. Calm everything down.

Relax.

Just relax.

Sermung breathed.

He concentrated, and he breathed.


Chapter Three Hundred Twenty-Five: 'The city of the Heart...'
Click to display entire chapter at once -- (mobile link)

Andeyal was something else. Hector had always known about it. Seen pictures and video. It was one of the most famous cities in the world, after all.

But man.

Just being here made Atreya feel smaller, somehow. The buildings were absolutely gargantuan. The term "skyscraper" barely seemed like enough to describe them. There were entire roadways up there, too, weaving in between them, apparently connecting to many of those buildings directly. How bad must traffic have gotten in this place for roads like those to be deemed necessary?

More and more, he was starting to understand how that huge area underground could have been left abandoned for so long. With so much going on out here--and up there--did these people ever bother to look down, anymore?

Need a day

Sorry, guys. Next page tomorrow. Thanks for reading, as always.

Page 4076

He sighed as the Abolish random wriggled in his grasp. When had the guy even ended up there? He supposed it hardly mattered. There was no threat here. He was operating on autopilot, and as usual, it would make no difference in the situation's outcome. Everything would be taken care of, easy as could be.

He was even asking the relevant questions without trying. Pressing for names. Connections. Plans. Time frames. General news of the world. Might as well use the opportunity to start getting caught up on things. No doubt, it would take a while.

It always did.

So much downtime for something so simple. Perhaps this was why some of the Primordials had honed their ability to read very deeply into minds and auras. To prevent exactly this kind of sluggishness.

Hmph. But that wasn't really the issue for him, was it? The slowness wouldn't be a problem if he was simply better at being alone with his thoughts. At maintaining a sense of the present. Not dwelling on the past so much.

He'd been hoping to meet Osgar more than anyone else, but thus far, no luck. And thinking about it always got to him. Brought back old weariness.

The melancholy.

One of many possible reminders. He had to pause and rub his eyes, knowing that this wasn't the time.

But it never was, was it? That was the whole problem. Constantly pushing it away. Pretending it wasn't there. Keeping busy. There was always some convenient crisis to distract himself with, wasn't there?

Sermung. Stop. You're drifting again. Listen to my voice.

I know, he told Tenebrach. I don't need another reminder.

Yes, apparently, you do. Concentrate on the situation at hand.

I am. That's the problem. It's not enough. Don't you get it? We could be doing so much more than this, right now. Let's hurry this along already.

Someone was talking to him. One of the civilians he'd just saved. Thanking him for his help.

And he was talking back. Giving her assurances and a smile. Ensuring she could feel safe and warm in his aura. That was so important in situations like this. Everyone in the building needed it.

He recalled many other times in which that had not been possible. When his aura had been too weak. Or when he hadn't even known about such things in the first place.

What horrors he'd witnessed.

Page 4075

And, of course, there were the Primordials to contend with. Thankfully, fighting them was not always necessary, and some were clearly more powerful than others, but regardless, they never made it easy. They were like wrinkles incarnate. Complicating everything they touched.

More difficult still had to be the Elemental High Kings, their Chosen Champions, and their infinite armies. Those realms seemed to have the highest concentration of Chaotic power. The places where the infinite most coalesced. And the Primordials each owed tribute to them, at least in part.

It had taken a very long time to learn that--and even now, he and Tenebrach were not entirely certain of all the details. What were called Primordials in this realm were oftentimes more like special magisters in their home realms. High-ranking counselors to their kings. Given incredible leeway compared to everyone else. Valued for the depth of their knowledge regarding foreign realms and powers.

But not always, naturally. Some were on quite bad terms with their kings, it seemed.

And the Elemental High King of Darkness was on bad terms with them all, no matter their origin. That was why he'd sent his Champion to this realm, long ago, in order to conduct the Prime Hunt.

Or at least, that was as much as Sermung had been able to discern of their inner turmoil over the course of his quest. The problem with the higher realms was that there was always more to learn and never enough time to learn it.

Without a doubt, that had to be why his mentor decided to leave this middle realm the way that he did. Because he'd already given up on ever returning. Once he realized that the Terror could serve as a gateway into those impossible spaces, he allowed himself to be eaten and spirited away.

"I'm sorry, Caedda. The world is in your hands, now."

And by letting his successor slay the Great Terror, the same beast that had 'taken' his life, the legacy of the Vanguard would be maintained despite his sudden absence.

So departed Osgar, the Unbreakable Knight of Andeyal.

Unfortunately, that well-earned moniker suffered quite a bit of ridicule after his 'death,' and now it seemed as though barely anyone remembered it.

But Sermung would never forget. Osgar the Unbreakable may have been a shrewd and half-mad bastard with more spirit than sense, but even with all he'd learned since, Sermung couldn't imagine having anyone else as his teacher.

Next page on the 9th

Thanks for reading, everyone.

Page 4074

It was over as quickly as it began. All aggressors sealed in stone. Very few on this planet could break themselves out of soul-strengthened diamond. This was why defensive auras were so important. Such an aura was typically an outgrowth of the field density of one's soul, but for most servants, that alone would not be enough to shield them from Sermung. Only those who had achieved near perfect soul synchronization with their reaper would have the requisite density. Anyone younger needed something more assisting their aura. Much more.

Which, ultimately, was why Sermung had not had a real fight in this realm in many years. It sometimes made him worry that he was out of practice. Getting rusty.

But the fights in the higher realms were making up for it, no doubt. The only sticking point was how strange they were. Those soul-eaters feasting on Unso had been no pushovers. Not only could they weave together pocket dimensions and distort perception, trapping the mind in a nightmarish psychic prison, but they were also surprisingly strong physically, creating whistling blades that could shrink or grow in size, shredding any material like a swarm of razor-sharp wasps or cleaving entire mountains in two.

Admittedly, though, it had been quite satisfying to make the mountains fight back.

And giving them a taste of their own medicine certainly felt karmic. With Tenebrach being able to assist him in making psychically-reflective crystal prisons, those twisted monstrosities would be feeding on each other's souls until the end of time. Or dimensional collapse, perhaps.

The Idkin could be quite problematic, too, depending on which race he encountered. The hulking ones were especially difficult to deal with, but there were probably even more that he'd never encountered.

And then there were the greatworms, of course. There were plenty of those infesting the higher realms--devouring them entirely, in some cases. Sermung very much did not wish to meet another dimension eater. Battling his way out of that madness had been one of the most unpleasant experiences of his entire life.

But it had also been quite cathartic when he finally learned how to bend that particular reality to his will and slay the beast properly. A useful encounter, in case one of those bastards ever tried to visit this middle realm again. Sermung knew that certain reapers were worried about that, since the last visit had been rebuffed by the Kingsparrows, who were now on the verge of extinction.

Page 4073

That was always a concern, of course, and many precautions had been taken in the event of such a development. But only so much could be done, of course.

Ultimately, it was not the Vanguard's place to take preemptive action against non-servant forces. Nor would it be, for as long as Sermung remained alive--and hopefully longer, if he'd raised his successors correctly. He'd certainly lectured them enough, at least. It was anyone's guess as to whether or not they would listen to him.

Or who it would be.

That particular subject had long been a point of speculation, even to himself and Tenebrach. There had been many times when a clear successor had appeared, only for everything to change. A tragic death. Or a sudden competitor, rendering it not so clear at all, anymore. Or even a retirement.

The latter was quite rare, though. There'd only been one.

Oh. Sermung sensed activity. Some lagging Abolish forces along the trail of misery.

He focused. Harnessed multiple thought processes for faster decision making. Made use of Tenebrach's help, too. Flying at this speed, he needed all the sensory assistance that he could get, lest the whole world zoom by before he could even finish evaluating anything.

It was a small town. A platoon of vile dots was stalking through the halls of a large building. A hospital?

Who were the aggressors? Their auras were thick with malice. Blatant and sloppy. Ruthless and delighted. Anyone he recognized?

No, but what was that? A line. A link. Stretching far and beyond the horizon. All the way into Intar?

A psychic connection? Or something akin to that, at least.

A minion marked by his boss, most likely. Meaning that if something happened to him, the boss would know about it immediately.

Was it worth giving up the element of surprise in order to stop these random bastards from doing whatever it was they were doing?

Of course it was.

He changed course and pressed his senses for greater detail still. Terrified auras. Crying and screaming. Corpses and blood. Fear and merriment.

He had to slow his descent only so that he didn't flatten the whole building. But then he was quick. Working simultaneously on every threatening source at once. There were precisely seventeen on ten different floors. Neutralizing them with crystal coffins was simple enough, but he wanted one to interrogate. Information was king, right now.