Chapter 219. Why We Fight (Patreon)

When they approached Morinapol via hovergloss, Euryphel ran a few scenarios to scope for End practitioners in the service of Gnoste’s government. The hypothesis was that any Gnostian End practitioners in Morinapol would immediately notice the intrusion of fateful peak practitioners and alert the authorities.

But this never came to pass–the lack of response mirrored Ian’s experience when he visited Gnoste. Whenever the decemancer entered scenarios, he was ignored until he attacked the city. Even Ian’s presence on top of the parliament building–a place that should be full of practitioners–had gone unnoticed until he tore apart the roof and started killing people.

The lack of response was thus disconcerting. While simply being in Gnoste wasn’t a crime–and Euryphel did have forged documents if officials approached him or his companions–the visit would raise too many questions.

“Time to go,” Euryphel said pleasantly, masking his discomfort.

Shivin’i gave the former prince a wry expression. The Beginning practitioner’s face was half obscured by a beard and his eyebrows were bushier and framed his eyes differently–their growth stimulated by a Life practitioner. The extra hair was positioned to change the contours of his face.

“Morinapol not to your liking?” Shivin’i asked.

Euryphel strode back the way they came with confident, casual purpose. “It’s just another city’s downtown,” he replied. “I’ve seen plenty.” That wasn’t actually true–Euryphel had only seen cities within the Ho’ostar peninsula and Fassar, never any in the east–and Gnoste’s architecture and atmosphere were starkly different from Zukal’iss, falling somewhere between Shattradan’s architecture (as seen in Ian’s loop footage) and the skyscraper-filled Pardin.

Still, a city is just a city, in the end. In places with a sufficiently large population, the web of fate followed similar patterns.

Urstes was silent as they returned to the hovergloss terminal. The guard normally fiddled with his sword, but with the weapon hiding in Shivin’i’s void storage, he now picked at his belt. When they boarded the hovergloss and it took off without any others joining the cabin, the earth elementalist let out a sigh of relief.

“You didn’t need to be quiet the whole time,” Euryphel pointed out.

Urstes grunted. “No point in speaking. If you needed to ask me anything important, you’d do it in a scenario.”

Euryphel hummed. “It’s just odd to see you so reserved.” He turned to Shivin’i. “You never said anything when I was in my scenarios. I take it you didn’t notice anything worth mentioning?”

“I didn’t detect anyone following or spying on us,” he replied. “We were only in the city for around twenty minutes, so it’s possible we left before the Gnostians had time to send agents to investigate. We must assume that they have at least one End practitioner who noticed our intrusion.”

“What’s the likelihood they’ll be able to discern our identities from glosscams and the reports of a few End practitioners?” Euryphel asked.

“Rather low–Morinapol’s glosscams face down at a diagonal from buildings, so they wouldn’t have a clear shot of any of our faces. Additionally, the population density around the waterfront was high. Did you see any other fateful individuals on the marina?”

“Eleven,” Euryphel replied. “Not enough to obscure our presence, but enough to add noise. Given that information, what do you think is the–”

“So we’re really meeting him,” Urstes interrupted. He stared out the window of the hovergloss car, his voice low and pensive. “The specialist.”

Euryphel blinked. “Yes, we are. Did you expect otherwise?”

Urstes frowned. “No. Just never thought I’d be meeting someone like this in an official capacity other than to issue an arrest or put them down. A lot has changed in the past few days.”

The ride was silent after that.

—

Prime Shivin’i didn’t seek combat–he didn’t consider himself particularly good at it. Consequently, he almost never ventured into the field, so sneaking through the untamed wilds outside of Morinapol was a novel experience. Within Ichormai, his Light affinity had few utilities outside presenting reports, but on a cold, dark night in remote Gnoste, it had its uses. It helped him to see in the dark, while his Beginning affinity picked up on every insect or animal in the immediate vicinity.

“This is it?” Urstes grumbled, eyeing the cave with suspicion. It was half overgrown with vegetation and at first glance looked abandoned.

“A bit of light, Shivin’i?”

A subtle plume of radiance covered the ground in front of them.

Euryphel crossed his arms. “This place is covered in arrays. If the specialist decides that he doesn’t want us here for any reason, we’re going to need to evacuate quickly. Urstes, collapse the cave if you need to in that instance–there’s no margin for stealth. Shivin’i–if that happens, mask our exit.”

Shivin’i drew closer to the cavern mouth, side-stepping around a cottony spider web. 87% chance this species is poisonous, he thought, suppressing a shudder. “I presume you’ll be running scenarios the entire time?”

“Essentially.”

The Prime leveled a sharp look at the former first prince. “Don’t overdo it.” Ever since the day of Ari’s descent, Shivin’i had noticed Euryphel growing increasingly withdrawn, spending more time in scenarios and avoiding real life conversations.

Euryphel sighed. “I looked ahead–we’re allowed to enter. He’s waiting.”

Urstes took point and led the group into the cave. The passage sloped downward into a large, open chamber.

Shivin’i’s eyes scanned over everything in the room, but there was nothing in sight–except for a middle-aged man with silver hair and green eyes standing off to the side, his hands clasped behind his back. He was dressed in a well-tailored jacket and slacks; combined with his austere, confident air, the man was intimidating.

Must have a void storage, Shivin’i thought. The room was covered in different wear marks from chairs and tables, and the walls were scratched and worn in places. This place wasn’t usually an empty meeting ground–it was a specialist’s workshop.

“So,” the man began, smiling with only his mouth. His eyes were sharp, his posture cautious. “I’m Soolemar. You’re here because Ian told you to come?”

“I helped him find you,” Euryphel replied. “I know that he told you about me.”

“I’m not sure what you’re expecting to come of this. I’m sure you took some risks to meet with me, but let me assure you: Those risks pale in comparison to the targets that will be on your backs if people learn that you’re associated with me–learn that I’ve associated with you. I’m not exactly supposed to get involved in other nations’ business.”

Euryphel’s brow furrowed. “Didn't Ian tell you what he discovered?”

“About the Infinity Loop problem? He did.” Soolemar’s tone was matter-of-fact.

“...And you don’t have any intentions of trying to help?”

The Crowned Executor was trying to appeal to Soolemar’s better side, the one that was responsible and wanted to save his home from destruction. But Soolemar is a necromancer, Shivin’i thought. The people of this world hate him and would see him killed if he revealed himself. How could he feel responsibility to them?

Soolemar sighed. “My conversation with Ian only reaffirmed my desire to get off this planet as soon as possible.”

“What if you can’t leave?” Shivin’i interjected.

“Ian said it was likely I’d be able to,” the necromancer replied. His expression subtly darkened.

He’s not sure–this needs to be the way that we convince him. If he’s survived this long, it wasn’t through luck, but shrewdness and caution. This is the kind of person who has backup plans for backup plans.

Shivin’i shook his head. “But what if you can’t? Why leave it to chance?”

“Do you really think we can actually solve the problem?” Soolemar retorted, his smile icy. “As soon as the Infinity Loop became possible, this world was doomed. Ascendant Ari said as much and I have to agree. Asking people to do something in their long term interest while sacrificing short-term gain sounds simple, but it never is. In this case, the longevity of our world is weighed against the short-term gains of whatever powers manage to artifice or purchase Infinity Loops.”

Shivin’i understood the man’s point. “The issue is that the short-term gains here are only short-term relatively speaking. Creating peak practitioners and ascendants via Infinity Loop may change the political landscape for the foreseeable future–I’d guess at least a hundred years.”

“A blink of an eye, but also too far away for most people to care,” Soolemar finished. “It’s easy to push off the problem to another day, another generation. If we can invent the problem, the people in the future can invent the solution.” He chuckled bitterly. “How easy it is to believe such justifications.”

Y’jeni, he’s so jaded. “I’ll be blunt–we came here to recruit you to our side. To clarify, we’re not trying to bring you under the wing of the Selejo Imperial Federation.”

“Then what side are you talking about?”

Urstes suddenly walked up to Soolemar and stared the man in the eye. “What do you think? The SIF could never work with a necromancer in an official capacity,” he spat. “But more importantly, the federation can’t solve the problem. I agree that people are too idiotic to destroy the loops of their own volition–peaceful talks and debate will go nowhere. If anything, the loops will simply move underground and out of the public eye.”

Urstes sneered. “No–we need to destroy the loops by force.”

Soolemar blinked. “So you’re working independently?”

Shivin’i nodded and placed a hand on Urstes’ shoulder. The guard frowned, but stepped back, giving the necromancer space.

“Euryphel appealed to a few trusted advisers and explained the situation. We ultimately decided that the only way to win was to work outside established channels–and so we created our organization. Beyond the ranks of the Primes and Executor’s Guard, you’re the first person we’ve tried to recruit.”

Soolemar’s gaze was calculating. “Is winning really possible?”

“It is,” Euryphel interjected. “We need to arrange everything so that when the moment is right, we destroy all traces of the Infinity Loop technology in one go.”

“As though it had never been invented,” Soolemar murmured. “Why do you need me to help?”

“Until Ian returns, you’re the only person we know of who can see souls. That’s the surest way to find Infinity Loops–they create clouds of corruption, hanging like hazy hurricanes over cities.”

Soolemar’s body tensed. “You’d need me to leave Gnoste, I presume.”

Euryphel nodded. “If possible, we’d send you all over the world.”

“There’s also another task, one that’s perhaps more important,” Shivin’i began. “Contacting the returned ascendants.”

Soolemar’s nostrils flared. “Do you know what you’re asking?”

“None of us have any right to approach them,” the Prime continued, voice level. “You’re not a returned ascendant, but you’re the next closest thing. I suspect you have more in common with them than you do with us.”

“I bet half of them would love for this world to burn,” Soolemar said. “Many of them only came here to peacefully die. As far as I know, if the world ends from soul corruption, it won’t literally end–it’ll just become empty of humans. The few ascendants sticking around will be blissfully alone on this rock.”

Euryphel waited for the man to stop grumbling. Shivin’i gave him a nod and the former prince officially asked the critical question: “Will you help us?”

Soolemar stared at the three of them, his expression inscrutable. Shivin’i’s Beginning affinity ran hundreds of auguries to try and guess what the necromancer would decide, but ultimately, his decision could go either way. It’s always easier to do nothing, he thought, his stomach churning. But Soolemar likes Ian, and knows that Ian is trying to save this world. I’m just not sure how much that will influence him.

“What’s the name of your organization?” Soolemar asked.

“We haven’t decided on a name yet,” Euryphel admitted.

Soolemar genuinely smiled this time, a mischievous glint flashing in his eyes. “This all sounds like a fairly messy undertaking.”

Euryphel chuckled. “That’s not an inaccurate assessment.”

“Do you really think you’re going to win?” Soolemar asked again.

Euryphel took in a deep breath. “Does it matter?” He turned to Urstes. “Why are you fighting?”

Urstes barked a laugh. “I’m fighting because you are, my Executor.” His gaze turned somber. “But also because I want to live my life without regrets.”

Euryphel raised an eyebrow at Shivin’i. “And you?”

The Beginning practitioner snorted. There was a complex explanation and a simple one. Urstes nailed the latter on the head. “What he said.”

Soolemar groaned. “When are you next meeting?”