Next page on the 22nd

Thanks for reading, guys.

Page 4113

"Pardon me, senator," Hector had to say, holding up a hand. He didn't wait for the man's response, either; and he turned back through the door they'd entered. He was looking for the Basilica's courtyard, and with the Scarf, it wasn't hard to find. He could sense the others following close behind, but none of them were saying anything, perhaps because they knew there was no point.

It was suddenly occurring to Hector that, despite all this gallivanting around the city and meeting with influential people, he'd still not discovered the source of that "screaming" that Roman had heard when they first got here.

And it felt particularly unsettling, because that background noise hadn't really gone away. It was distant enough and quiet enough that he'd been able to get used to it, almost to the point of forgetting about it entirely, but here and now, he was getting the dreadful feeling that it was about to start ramping up.

This awful aura. Hungry. Thirsty. Eager. Looking to inflict pain.

He could feel it everywhere. All directions. Did it cover the entire city? That seemed unlikely, given how huge Andeyal was, but man. It sure felt like it.

Hector didn't stop at the courtyard. He went up on a hovering platform, not even waiting to bring the others along for the ride. Something told him they might be better off where they were.

He ascended quickly, soon gazing over the Basilica and into the vast cityscape.

Still, nothing was quite clear yet. According to his eyes, at least, everything looked normal enough. It was just this horrible knot in his gut. The massive aura in all directions felt like it might make him sick.

'Sense anything else yet?' Hector asked.

'I think it's coming from the north,' said Garovel. 'It feels like there are tons of souls over there now, when there weren't before. Or at least, they were all kind of migrating to the southwest. Now it's like... I don't know, exactly. They feel off, somehow.'

Hector looked in the designated direction. Skyscrapers blocked much of the view, unfortunately. Perhaps Loren would be able to--

Everything began to tremble. From this stable position in midair, unaffected by it himself, it looked somehow even more disturbing. Like the city was suddenly floating atop a choppy ocean.

Then the ground began to swell.

Up and out at different points. Explosive bursts. Upturned earth. Sometimes as small as a car. Other times as massive as an entire building.

Page 4112

The man fell quiet for a moment, apparently needing to think about that. "That would depend on what type of approach you wish to take," he said. "If you want to be quite direct and speak to a leading figure in person, then I'm sure you don't need advice from me to find an appropriate target. They are all plenty famous without me hyping them up for you, eh?"

Hmm. Was this guy being cautious? Trying to read his aura, that was the impression Hector was getting. Perhaps he didn't want to reveal too much about which of the big name Vanguardians were currently in the city.

Which was disappointing but also fair enough, Hector felt. It at least implied a sense of loyalty and conscientiousness toward the Vanguard. That was admirable in its own way. And Hector was about to move on when the senator decided to keep going.

"...But if you would like to take a more subtle approach, then I might suggest speaking to a woman with red hair named Delilah. Or a man with glasses and dark hair named Ruben. They might be able to help you, if you can conduct yourself respectfully--and with a little charm, perhaps. That never hurts."

Well, it was something to go on, at least. Those descriptions were a little odd, not even bothering to include last names, but Hector resisted the urge to press for more. He had a feeling even just saying that much was already being fairly generous. Plus, it seemed likely that Jacobson wouldn't even know much else about them, especially if they were quite well-connected. Hector knew that the higher ups within the Vanguard had a tendency to conceal their histories and familial connections for reasons of safety.

"I'll keep that in mind," said Hector. "Thank you."

"You are welcome. Now if I could perhaps--"

The man kept talking, but Hector suddenly became very distracted. For two different reasons.

The first was that Garovel began talking privately, and Voreese began talking publicly.

'I'm sensing something extremely strange.'

'What in the fuck is that out there?!'

And indeed, that led into the second reason. Hector might not have had their reaper senses, but he did have his aura sense now. And it was certainly telling him something. He had no idea what, but it was strong. Distant. But strong.

And it felt hostile.

Page 4111

"So you'll do it?" said the senator.

Hector held up a hand. "I can't promise anything. We will be heading down there eventually, so I don't mind looking for her, but it might be a while. We have other things to take care of first."

"Ah. The aforementioned Prince David?"

"Yes."

"Is entry into Livingston all that you are looking for from me?"

Hector paused, again wondering why this was being asked. Somehow, he had the feeling that if he said yes here, the guy would refuse to provide it until his wild goose of a grandmother was chased down.

Typically, Hector would've preferred to lean on his tried-and-true tactic of leaving a question unanswered and letting the other person draw their own conclusions, but here and now, that actually seemed like a bad idea. The senator might very well conclude that Hector was out of cards to play--which he kinda was, of course, but he'd rather the man not realize that just yet, if possible.

So instead, Hector decided to change topics and ask, "...What is the nature of your relationship with the Vanguard?"

Jacobson breathed a curt laugh. "Quite the question. I sometimes find myself wondering the same."

This time, Hector did remain quiet and merely waited for an answer.

The senator seemed reluctant to provide one, however. "Why do you ask?"

Shit. Uh. "...I'm also interested in meeting with them before I leave. I'm wondering what you can tell me about them." Phew.

"Oh. Well, they are a rather reclusive bunch, most of the time. While they do, theoretically, make themselves available for meetings via liaisons and so forth, the reality--as I have discovered--is that it can be quite challenging to acquire a proper meeting with their higher-ranking officers. Which is understandable, of course. Politics can be quite the minefield, after all."

Which was a long-winded way of saying that he didn't know much, Hector surmised.

Still, that was a little surprising. Prince David had recommended this guy. And if Hector was operating under the presumption that the prince had been "influenced" by some Vanguardian psychic, then shouldn't this senator dude have been able to tell him more?

Ugh. This guy hadn't had his mind messed with, too, had he?

What a pain in the ass.

Hector wasn't quite ready to give up, though. "If I do go and meet them, who would you recommend I talk to?"

Next page on the 17th

Thanks for reading, as always.

Page 4110

"...Yes," said Hector, wondering why that question was even being asked.

"And yet you are also not on bad terms with them, either?"

At the moment. "That's correct."

"Then perhaps you could assist me with something," the man said. "I've asked the Vanguard, but they are quite busy with everything going on, right now."

"I'm not exactly full of free time, either," said Hector.

"Oh, of course, but this is very important. I assure you."

Not so important that the Vanguard wanted to take care of it, though. Hector kept that thought to himself.

"...I would like you to check in on my grandmother," said Jacobson. And before anyone could respond, he added, "I know how odd that sounds, but you see, she has been missing for a few days now, and with everything else going, I am beginning to worry."

"So you want me to find her, then. Not just check in on her."

"Well, I know roughly where she is..." The senator paused to scratch his jaw. "She is, um... underground. In the old capital. Where few dare to venture at all, much less alone."

The same place that they'd just come from? Hector wasn't terribly keen to head back down there, especially so soon, but there was something else bothering him first. "This 'grandmother' of yours..."

"She is undead, yes. And she is quite powerful, as well."

"Why did she go down there?"

The man sighed. "She... has a new boyfriend, apparently. And she wants to impress him."

Hector's face flattened inside his helmet.

"This man is... an academic, I suppose. And she wants to collect rare samples for him. Or at least, that is my understanding. Perhaps there is more to it than just that. In fact, I hope there is, because the more I think about it, the more it infuriates me."

"Sir, I think I understand why the Vanguard turned you down..."

"Yes, yes, I know. It is not the most urgent of matters, and she is probably just fine, but still, if you find the opportunity to go down there and look for her, then I would be immensely grateful. Despite her eccentricities, she is a long-standing pillar of my family. My wife in particular adores her and is very worried."

"Alright, I get it," said Hector, stifling a sigh of his own. He wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or disappointed by this whole conversation.

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

Still today. Just need a little more time. Thanks, guys.

Next page tomorrow

Thanks for reading, guys.

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

Thanks for reading, everyone.

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...'
Click to display entire chapter at once -- (mobile link)

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.