Seven point three three seconds. Lord Atius said, nodding. Solid improvent, lad. Again.
From my seated position, I focused my mind on the two fractal plates dangling from my necklace. Small triple plates layered together with a tiny long term energy current set to flow through. Decorative inscriptions on the top layer were filled with religious glyphs from the way of the white, prayers and songs written in to the three gods. From anyone else picking these up, theyd be novelties at best. 'Surface savage' trinkets. Useless to most people down here.
Exactly as planned, of course. The best place to hide anything is in plain sight. The first necklace carried an empty soul fractal hiding inside, which I fit in snuggly. The second was the mirror fractal, which I was tapping into once again. I'd made dozens of these and let the Winterscar knights handle the inscriptions and heraldry.
A fully body specter of myself rose from the seated position, walked forward and began a set of katas for hand to hand combat. It didnt last long until my focus broke and the image dissolved away into Occult wisps.
Seven point two seven seconds. He said, turning to my sister and handing her his stopwatch. Mark first sign of fatigue at two hours six minutes for today. A mont later, the Deathless lood over , All right lad, go boil so snow. Well start again in ten minutes. Relax your mind in the anti.
A quick pat on my shoulder and he was off to another knight nearby also practicing while I took the last gulp of water from my bottle and stood to get it refilled. The entire room was filled with Atiuss elites and the Winterscar knights, all doing their best in pairs, training to use occult powers they were more naturally in tune with, not just the mirror fractal. The rest of the knights were outside, keeping the building locked down from prying eyes.
Kidra handed her bottle of water, a steel necklace of her own hanging from her neck. She even sported so ornate bracers on both hands, also another project of mine, the fragnted patterns of shield fractals etched over them and mixed in with other random ornate patterns Id thrown in. The shield fractals were never sothing I got good at, no matter how much I tried to train with them, they took a different kind of focus and effort. Kidra and so of my knights? Naturals at exerting their willpower past regular limits.
As she was, she could stand a chance against a relic knight even out of armor, if she used her defenses correctly and the winterblossom technique to help predict her enemies - so long as they use surface techniques, which was a flaw down here in the underground since nobody bothered to learn those. Shell wipe the floor with slavers and raiders on the surface however.
Lord Atius sported only one of my necklace plates, a more fat piece with black sh wire surrounding the entire thing. As a Deathless, he still hadnt been able to connect to any kind of fractal, not like the rest of my motley crew could. That didn't bother him a bit, instead he made for an excellent teacher given his centuries of occult use. It was probably a novel experience for him to teach an entire class of knights how to stuff physics into a locker.
Using the occult spells had been the sa for both Humans and Deathless, only that he didnt need to do anything with the soul first and skipped that entire step. Past that, the sa techniques and thods were shared.
The size and additions of this necklace plate he wore wasnt for his benefit however.
Rate of ti is acceptable. Fathers voice growled out from the speaker embedded inside. He hadnt taken much ti to infiltrate the simple circuits surrounding the soul fractal. The old geezer refused to have any kind of decoration of course, so no heart signs or ribbons for him, despite all the thinly veiled threats from Kidra to do exactly that.
Unlike Deathless, machine Feathers had souls and soul fractals, so they had to have so kind of connection between the digital circuitry and them. Inside the old imperial bunker, Father had taken over the few working defense turrets and commandeered them.
Conclusion: The digital world could be touched on by a soul inside a soul fractal, the fractal working as a backdoor not just to the Occult. And Father had figured out how to do that while riding inside Winterscar's armor.
Sothing else on my to-do list. I wanted to learn that. Badly. But keeping my physical self alive took priority, and so far its been one blow after another. There was a list of never-ending tasks to complete, and if I was going for power, I'd go for the heavy ticket items first.
"How quick is the boy learning?" Father asked.
Lord Atius chuckled, waving a hand to the other knights inside the training cavern. You see the other whelps around here, Tenisent? A few knights had opted to practice the mirror fractal, including Kidra. So far, Captain Sagrius had been the best of them all, able to make it past a half second with a single arm. Thats the more natural progression. It took years to get to where the lad is after a day. At this rate, it might take him a week to go through an entire century for myself. The whelp has the right mind for it.
Atius didnt seem envious or even annoyed at that. More bemused if anything.
This fractal took creativity, imagination and what felt like a bit of math as the fuel source, three things I turned out to be excellent at. The more I focused on the small intricate parts of the fractal, the easier it got. The puzzle itself wasnt difficult, just took so fine-tuning. The issue right now was that this is as far as I could get while completely focused on one single image. To be combat ready, Id need to train until it ca like second nature to . I needed a small army of Keiths all moving in sync. I needed to be as good as Atius was with his own images, able to have a dozen running around doing cartwheels if I wanted them to. One of my major projects counted on that.
I see. Father said, almost testily, having clearly gotten gotten so kind of answer he was looking for. If he's already ahead, there's another item we should take on. I want to speak to him for this, alone.
That got my hairs on end. Id heard him say similar things before, in exactly the sa angered tone.
Kidra had too, already standing up and asking for a stay of execution here even if neither of us knew what the old man had in store for . Lord Atius raised an eyebrow, but handed over the necklace speaker to and left us to it. He recognized family issues and left it to us to resolve.
You can co with us if you wish, Father said to Kidras requests. I dont recomnd it. What Keith and I need to discuss is between him and I. It went unsaid that he knew he had no choice if we wanted to stick together or not. Not like in the past when he could simply brute force compliance.
Kidra looked up, t my eyes and asked the silent question. Whatever had pissed off Father, Id been noticing it slowly rise up over ti as the knights and I trained up in the Occult. It could be sothing about his current body situation, or pent up anger. But when he said whatever it was had to stay between him and I, that didnt feel like malice to . More... a favor. So I trusted that lone voice in my gut and agreed to step out.
The area was well guarded by clan knights, far outside the city gates into the mite no-mans land. Lord Atius wasnt about to let the Occult secrets run wild among the world, that would inevitably end with it in the hands of less honorable sort. And as much as he proclaid to be neutral to the machines inside the city, I could tell they made his hairs stand up each ti he caught sight of the lurking machines.
Safe to say it wasnt difficult to find another nook to slink off into where it was just and the disappointed disembodied angry voice.
You didnt take the stress inhibitor shots. Father opened up and went right for my throat.
I did. I lied, outright on reflex. We wa-
Lies. Father nearly snarled out. I know you, boy. I know your tells. I trained you personally for years. Ive seen all the different emotions that push you forward and how they manifest in your motions. Anywhere from spite to dread. And here, its all fear driving you forward. You hide it well, your sister only suspects, not knowing if its her protective nature speaking louder or if there really is truth to it all. You cant hide it from .
The jig was up. Cathida had outright pulled a fit about it until I muted her, and made sure she remained muted whenever nearby people she could squeal to. Almost worked out.
I needed to have my head clear, Father. Those shots stop from really focusing. Makes everything feel more dreamlike, like I'm walking through a mory instead of the present. I cant afford that right now. None of us can.
The threats are dead and gone. You need the rest more.
No, I hissed back. I need to be safe. Theres dozens of things I could be working on right now, every bit of it is too important to just put on the sideburners. Three gods above, I still havent even examined the link between the digital world and the soul fractals because this is already more important. I dont know when the machine collective is going to wake up and realize whats going on, but when that happens, I need to be ready for it. I have to be stronger, and if I can't do that by skill, I'll make myself stronger with tools.
Father didnt answer. Not for a mont. I almost thought Id scared him off, except the man didnt know the definition of personal fear even if the dictionary entry was smashed through his window.
Its too late to fix anything now. The stress has already set in. Ill teach you personally how to bridge the digital world, and keep you under my wing in that realm so long as you take care of your mind."
"And how exactly am I going to do that? Get a circle going, sing songs and count beads for a few hours each day? I dont have the ti for that.
Its often in helping others that we find help for ourselves. He said, in an odd mont of genuine friendly advice. Id already started falling back into my old habits of verbal sparring with the old man just now, and normally things would get more violent until he either stord off or punched sothing at this point. So his soft spoken comnt caught off guard enough to reboot my head.
What do you an?
ToWrathh. As if that one na answered it all. Have you not noticed she's remained confined in her throne room, away from everyone while she repairs herself? Sound familiar to you? Both of you acting like wounded animals, hiding the hurt, hiding inside your burrows. Obsessive over anything that will make you feel better. Safer. Theres no such thing, the world is too vast to predict and plan for everything.
Shes also like this? It felt odd to think about. I hadnt exactly been blind to my bouts of paranoia going through. The undersider city outright made my skin crawl, especially surrounded by machines everywhere you looked. Shes a Feather though, a machine. How can she be scared of anything like humans are? Do they even go through long term stress?
I dont believe were as different as I did before. Father said. She was nearly killed by her family, is still hunted by the rest of them, saw to the death of her original ntor and now shoulders the fate of her army and city. Too much responsibility for one person with little experience. Ive tried to get your sister to help her. Didn't work. Theres still hostility between the two. Tension that hasnt left. And likely wont ever leave for months. But the two of you may help pull each other out of that darkness.
I thought about my own past with Wrath. The person Id gotten to know, mixed with the spider that had hunted down ruthlessly prior. Fathers own death at her hands. Frankly, it still seed surreal to . Both that she really was that spider machine, and that Father had sohow gone around to wanting to help her. And more so than simple obligation for the debts hed called in.
Id been avoiding her this entire ti. Maybe we both have. Lurking away in our respective burrows to hide from the world until wed licked our wounds clean.
I took a breath in and let it out. All right. I said, and repeated it a few tis to myself until I was really sure of the words.
Ill take a break and go see Wrath.
I hadnt talked to her since the end of the fight, carrying her back into the city while Kidra dragged our glorified trophy behind her. Wed barely said a word there, neither of us knowing really what to even start with. Also she was in my arms at the ti and we were both doing our best to avoid looking at each other to make all of this less awkward.
Since then, I had talked to Wrath exactly once, cordially, with Father and Kidra nearby. Father had to be convinced by all three of us to be extracted from the Feather and given a little necklace to live in while Kidra and I figured out what in the three gods we were going to do to give him a body again.
Wraths side of events had been a wild ride to listen to. Hearing from her point of view how shed hounded after us, and the reasons she did so.
The terrifying spider wed had to contend with had more in common with an angry six year old whod had their toy taken away.
Thats what nearly killed us. A murderbot getting upset she didn't get her way.
Since having a more roomy shell to grow in, having been a much more basic and unrefined AI, Wrath had grown into soone more ntally stable. It hadnt been easy, and Father had to slowly steer her in the right direction with choice words here and there.
Cathida also had so choice words, but we quickly learned to mute her when around Wrath. The old bat had an absolute seething hatred for Wrath that bordered on hysterical, and nothing any of us was going to convinced her otherwise.
After that, I had plotted a course straight into the workshop and put it all out of my mind. What Id built in that ti had been great, no regrets there. Plenty of inventions, most didnt work, but the ones that did will really pay themselves off I think. Eventually I knew I'd get pried out of that safe little room filled with all my glittering hoard of trinkets.
I left Fathers hastily built Phylactery with Lord Atius and Kidra - as Ive co to call my little soul fractal necklaces - and made my way into the undersider city like a man going to the gallows. The wide open streets and colors all over the place were frankly a little terrifying to in that alien sense, like I was walking through a dream of so kind, with all the building looking wrong. And the wide open space above us - gone unused by anything except the floating rocks. Made little sense .
Oh and there were machines lurking on all the corners if I looked a little closer. Of course, I had to politely ignore them and pretend they weren't there. So more like a nightmare.
The people didn't make it any better, they were all weary of too many new things running around their city. They had too much excitent over the past few months and now wanted to go back to the old days, except that they all knew they couldn't. They gave glances with everything between fear and anger, which only made want to get to my destination faster and out of this weird inverse world.
Which inevitably brought up the steps and directly in front of a Screar guarding the last set of doors to Wraths sanctum. Massive looming thing, with a cut scar across that skull plate, and those dim beady eyes of violet recessed deep inside the sockets. It turned its gaze to , and lower slowly to eye level. Almost as if worried it would scare .
Maybe a few months ago Id have been terrified. But after so ti exploring the underground with a crew of Winterscar knights behind my back and turning these models into experints and practice for our Occult spells, fear wasnt exactly on my nu. Not to ntion the drugs I'd been on during my first eting with them.
Oh gold. They hired a bouncer. Cathida sighed in my helt. Well, we tried deary. Lets turn back and forget all about this little pyrite idea, how does that sound? Nothing good'll co talking to that glorified tal tit-job from hell. Sacred vow, maneater's probably hiding a discount bandsaw down there, cut your eleventh right off she will. I an-- shes so dreadfully boring, deary. A bright young man like you shouldn't waste his ti on that silly old goosetail like that. She said, reverting right back to innocent grandma at the end, as if that would fool .
I dutifully ignored her.
You are not the Kidra. You. Other Winterscar. The machine rumbled with a scratchy voice.
Do I need to get a card out to prove my credentials, bring a friend to vouch for , or do I slip you a tenner to look the other way? Whatever the Undersider version of a tenner is, I just need to get through those doors.
The lady. Sleeping. It said. She repair. Quiet needed.
Change my mind. Cathida said. Lets go in. We should help anti-repair her while shes sleeping. Itll be gre-- The old crusader squawked indignantly the mont she noticed the familiar pattern of nu openings I had basically morized by heart now. Whatever insult she was about to scream out, cut off as I put her on mute for a minute.
Scrapshit. Like hell she cant talk and fix herself at the sa ti. I said, turning my attention back to the machine. I went and had my little boo-hoo mont until I got kicked in the butt to co here. She can do the sa. I dont know if your boss told you this before, but she did try to kill a few dozen tis. I think I deserve so answers, or at least so complentary tea and biscuits while I complain about it.
The machine tilted its head, thinking. Exchange. I make biscuits. For you. It said. You leave the lady. Rest.
The convo boggled my head for a bit. Are you are you actually bribing with biscuits to go away?
The more I thought about it, the more I realized the machine was completely serious. A mont later, it confird my thoughts.
Bribing. The machine stood slightly, looking up, thinking so more. Then it looked back my way, nodding enthusiastically. Yes. Yes. Bribing. Good word. I bake good. Deal is good. You accept good deal.
Who in the three gods taught you how to coo-- no, nope, nuh-uh. Im not doing this bit. I raised my arms in outright surrender, and then pointed directly at the gate doors. Im walking through those right now to talk smack to your boss, and if you stand in my way, Ill get violent.
It hissed. Violence not allowed. You break law. Bad human.
I patted the poml that dangled on my belt. Why look at that, how'd this cute little thing get here?
It hissed again and straightened up. We co with. It simply said. Angry man with sword no good. No trust. We protect lady.
Whos we in thi.. And then got cut off as the armor pinged my attention, announcing additional signals behind . I turned my head and noticed a large group of the machines were gathering, all glaring at , lights flashing in those skulls.
The bugger had called for help.
There were a lot of them, and they could quickly dogpile into submission. It wouldnt stop given I had the occult and knew how to swing it, but it would draw a crowd and probably end up with getting yelled at by soone or sothing for destroyed property and being a public nuisance. Fine. Co with if you want. Your funeral, if you machines even do those.
The machine moved out of the way, and I heard the rest of its ilk follow silently behind. The doors were easily opened against my relic armor. Inside was gloom, an empty palace filled with only one occupant.
Wrath sat on a concrete throne, an uncomfortable looking block of squares with little else as decoration. Since it didnt match the rest of the architecture here, I assud it had been constructed by her.
Here she looked nothing like Hecate anymore, skin bleach white as if a corpse, hair the sa color flowing behind her instead of the platinum color I had grown used to. And above her, a floating silver halo of tal, idly spinning. This was who Wrath really was. Like a centerpoint between Hecate the Deathless and ToWrathh the murderous spider. Eyes closed, head lulled and resting on a closed fist, legs crossed as if she were waiting for news to be brought before her.
I walked into the chamber, footsteps sounding loud in the silence, with the skittering noise of the machines trailing behind . She didnt stir from her sleep until I spoke.
Wrath. I said, taking my helt off to get a clear view on the Feather.
Eyes opened, violet and glowing like ToAacars had. My heart began to beat hard, adrenaline spiking, nerves in my head flashing out warnings of an enemy. Ah, this might have been why they kept insisting I take the damn shots, in hindsight. The rest of my head smothered those feelings over. This was different. And Father had vouched for her, which ant sothing.
He traditionally didnt like anyone or anything. Especially if it was a machine with six legs that killed him once already. Didnt like those one bit, if I rember right. Id ask him to blink twice if he was being held hostage when Id t him soul to soul, but it was pretty clear he had co-opted command. His presence in the soul sight had felt more like he could stomp on Kidra, Wrath and I trying together.
Keith. The unholy looking Feather said, and I took so comfort in finding that at least her voice had remained the sa. That part hadnt been fabricated, or it was too expensive to change.
We stared at each other for a good few seconds, before my mouth started running off on its own. Were you really that upset about yanking a few of your legs off when you were a spider? How bad could it have been, I an really. Were talking a leg or two here, tops. You had fucking six.
The machines behind hissed and started to circle around. Wrath shifted her glance to them, frowned and waved them off. Yes, but they were my legs and I was very cross about losing them.
I raised an eyebrow. You seem to be taking the accusation rather well. I thought youd start to pout and sulk about it.
She gave a dignified humph and pointed her nose up at . Your sister had taught about taunting over the days when she's co to visit. This does nothing to upset . And neither does your armors construct. A marble white hand extended and pointed at my helt dangling from my free hand.
Oh. Right about the ti for Cathidas mute to have ended co to think of it.
Whats she done this ti? I asked, hearing the squeaking tinny voice coming from the helt now that I paid it more attention.
Shes currently insulted twenty seve- twenty eight tis, and seems to be going through a thesaurus in alphabetical order for all the different ways to call a working night lady. Wrath paused for a mont, as if listening to sothing. She wants to clarify that she ans the poorly paid and unskilled ones, since you arent in hearing range and its important to her that you know.
Shes rather creative, isnt she? I said, patting the helt, where I could hear a tiny voice from the inner speakers continue her squeaky tirade. Hope it doesnt upset you too much, shes just cranky today.
Your construct continually uses words that are not used to insult, strings them in manners that should not fit, and sohow does so in a way even I can understand as clear insults. I am inclined to be more impressed rather than upset. No, what truly upset was losing to you and your tricks the first ti.
Tricks? I waved a pistol cheaper than snow whos rounds couldnt possibly do worse than tickle you - and you freaked out about it. Howd soone get tricked by that in the first place? Ive played more complicated tricks on kids back ho and they saw right through it. Must have rightfully pissed you off sothing good. That why you chased Father and I halfway across the world?
Violet eyes glowed and stared down. It was among the more upsetting parts on eting you. But no, pride was why I chased you down. I had won against my nest sisters and marked the two of you as mine, which was very difficult in our edicate and culture. Having them all seen fail to catch either of you was mortifying. However, I believe what set off the most was that you used the sa trick twice, and that I fell for it twice.
Sounds more like a you problem. Get that fixed up yet? I shot back, arms crossed, adrenaline fading away from my system as old habits made feel safer. Like I wasnt staring down a murderbot and instead bickering with an old friend.
She waved a sweeping hand from foot to head, motioning to her body as if it was the answer to everything. Then her eyes narrowed, like shed co up with an idea. I did fix my problem. Now I dont have impulses to defend above all else. Not so far as to be suicidal of course. I dont jump off cliffs.
It was one ti! I shouted back, pacing around. And I got shoved off by an asshole too, so technically not jumping off.
She brought a hand up to her mouth, a more shocked expression. Forgive . Let ad that. At least I dont fall off cliffs.
The machines surrounding us stared in intervals between Wrath and I, as if watching a ball in play at a hangar tournant.
All right, fair. But you got a leg cut off by a door. A door. I accused, factually correct.
It was a very sturdy door. She defended with a huff.
Still a door.
Wrath shook her head, then stretched out on the throne like a cat, as if moving again for the first ti in days. For all I knew that really was the case. Her hand reached out and pinched in my direction. You do realize I could crush you as easily as a crab shell right now. She said. If youre attempting to prove that youre not soone who jumps off cliffs for fun, this is a very poor example.
Crab shells are hard to crush. I noted. For the record.
They are? She seed genuinely surprised at that.
Kidra brought one to eat a few day ago. It took a while to figure out how to eat it, but yes - theyre hard to break. Very tasty, only it took a while to eat. I an the at, not the shell. I'll take a wild guess you eat the shell of course, you glutton.
I had thought humans disliked the taste of shell fragnts in the at and thats why they didnt crush the things while eating. She said, carefully not answering my jab.
Thats all besides the point, Ive seen you eat wood skewers already, and Im half convinced I could con you into chewing up a rock if I tried hard enough. How hard could it be? A peashooter fooled you before. I could sell you a box of snow, no problem.
You ate the wood skewers too! She hissed back. And you humans eat rocks all the ti!
Wel-- wait, we do? That got a genuine bit of confusion out of . How?
Wrath rolled her eyes and stared up, exasperated. You call it salt. You put it on everything you eat. Do you not even know what go into your food?
Oh. Well she got there.
The machine behind gave what sounded like a chanical snort. Salt everywhere. Even use in sweet things. Too much, bad. Too little, bad. Very confusing. The other machines had the audacity to nod in agreent, as if it was communally decided.
The Feather pointed at the Screar. Yrob is more invested in learning how to cook than I am. I trust his opinions on the subject.
"The one who tried to bribe with biscuits?"
"His pastries are of high quality." Wrath said. Clearly it was a well known fact. "And salt is not the only rock you humans consu on a daily basis."
As if given permission to speak, this Screar, nad Yrob apparently, started an entire animated explanation on charcoal and all the strange rules about it. Cant cook it into soup, but its acceptable to leave so of it on burnt food. Not all food, only specific foods. Cake wasnt in the exceptions, pizza and at were. And the smoke created by charcoal could also be used, but charcoal shavings or dust couldnt. The machine was clearly upset at this too, given it was practically venting all the woes caused by this one rock humans both liked and disliked.
I turned to Wrath, as if she could solve this.
Hes correct. She said instead, doubling down and joining his rant. Its incredibly confusing. You humans are constantly mixing up your rules with exceptions. The only consistent rule is how inconsistent you all are. Even your languages all behave irregularly with no understandable pattern. I've seen records of artifical languages made - and then intentionally ruined with exceptions. The more I learn about humans, the more things grow strange and unhinged.
Is interesting. Very confusing still. Yrob said, and his minions all concurred, nodding to each other in deep sympathetic understanding, again.
Yeah well, we wouldnt so charming if we all acted the sa. I said, with little heat. I was outgunned in this topic and knew it. So of us are more charming than others of course, mostly I an. Everyone else isnt as charming. Just to be clear.
She paused for a mont, about to continue to vent, and then glared down at , eyes narrowing, realizing what Id said. You stabbed with a sword at the end. That isnt charming at all.
Yeah, well you were also trying to stab at the ti, I just outstabbed you before you could stab . Alls fair in war and stabbing. And now youre being a sore loser about it all. Literally too angry to die. You should work on that, go get so therapy.
She rose off her throne, wings reassembling behind her, halo shifting lazily around, index finger pointed straight at as if scolding. I saved you after you got yourself stabbed.
Exactly my point here, I thought we had sothing Wrath, that our mutual stabbings were special and ant sothing. But you let so other random asshole kill first. Quit toying with my heart, you heartless wench.
The machines were clearly confused, while Wrath had stalked up straight to , glaring eye to eye. She tapped my chestplate a few tis with her finger, as if driving in a point, wings angrily flared out. What exactly did you expect would happen after you taunted a Feather? And you havent even learned a lesson from that, clearly. Humans. She hissed, as if that one single word would explain everything wrong with the world.
Quit trying to bar from the few joys I have left in life. I said, batting her finger away and poking right back at her neckline. If I cant taunt and gloat to weapons of mass destruction in their face and get away with it, what point is there to living? Machines.
We both paused, staring down the other. A flicker of a smile crossed my face and my act cracked and crumbled first, forcing to look away.
Wrath seed to outright preen at that, as if knowing shed won.
How are you holding up to it all, so far? I asked, walking past her and flopping down on her throne. My throne, I an.
Ive mostly repaired all my critical systems. She lifted a leg up a few inches and wiggled her toes. All of them marble white with no variation, making her look more like a walking golem. Inhumanly pretty, but also clearly a statue moving around with violet lights. All limbs are functional. Combat integrity shows ninety three percent, with the remaining seven percent being fine tuned items. Ill need to calibrate and retest movents to mark the remaining sections as complete.
You know what I an. I said, waving a hand around the building. I an what cos next. This whole ss were in. Whens the machine army coming here? How are you handling it all? Do you need a second opinion on so of these sches? I happen to be very good at tricking enemies.
Wrath rolled her eyes at that, that earlier smug smile wiped out. She doesnt know Ive changed allegiances as of yet. Relinquished."
"You know that for sure?"
Ive sent small programs to probe and report back to movents and where her attention might be. The result isnt completely reliable, since Ive prioritized discretion. All signs I could find point to her too occupied with other tasks. She hasnt yet contacted , nor sent a contact request to ToAacar either. There is still ti to co up with a plan.
I raised an eyebrow. You dont have a plan?
Arms crossed now, she gave the sort of look reserved for a petulant kid that you werent allowed to shush. I have been considering several possible plans to keep up the deception. The highest chance of success is if I fragnt the city into the surrounding pillars, theres a strong possibility she will not have the tools to detect and notice. So long as she leaves command of this area and that all the Chosen remain behind.
That's a lot of if's. Are you really trying to keep all of this under her nose? I asked, in the way that made it clear I thought this was the worst idea possible - and she should take my advice on this, Im very experienced in that domain.
Her nervous look told everything. She was absolutely not sure that it would work.
I think the citys dood and you should be thinking about packing up shop." I said. "If you ask . Which you didnt, but I was planning to say it anyhow. Shes Relinquished, the machine goddess whos been slowly destroying humanity bit by bit for as long as weve known her. You really think we could fool sothing like that? Maybe a few weeks, tops. You need to start mobilizing for an exodus and co with us.
To the surface.
Next chapter - A dive through history (T)
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