Chapter 131

Chapter 131

Steinbeck let out a low whistle from the back of the room.

What is that? Sae whispered.

Gehenna. Estrada murmured.

Are those things people? Kinsleys face was pale.

Theres a lot of ugly in the world. Shootings. Genocide. Apartheid. The list goes on and on. At first, its nearly impossible to look away. Our minds need logic, some sort of pattern to follow. So, at first, we stare the horror in the face and search for the reason it exists.

Eventually, the reality becomes clear. There is no reason. It simply is. And dwelling on it only harms our state of mind. Eroding our worldview, digging talons of anxiety into our psyche.

The prospect of looking away becomes too tantalizing to ignore. To forget. Allow ourselves to be desensitized.

I didnt want to shut this out. I could see the shambling figures in my peripheral, the endless expanse of crimson.

So, why was it so difficult to look?

You were warned of the cancer in your midst. The overseer crooned. It wasnt subtle. We showed you what would come to pass. This is the cost of your inaction.

The view of region 6 was a slow, sweeping panorama. It settled on a black dot, surrounded by red. Slowly, the recording zoomed in, the black dot gaining more distinct, human like qualities. His features were cast in silhouette, almost indistinguishable beyond being human. My heart caught in my throat as I recognized the moment the Overseer was showing. My foolish display of defiance.

If you mess this up?

If you fail to take me off the board early, and I gain even a fraction of the power of those Ordinators in the footage you showed?

Ill find you.

The figure tilted his head up towards the sky. Any moment now, Id remove my mask.

One-hundred-and-seventy-four thousand lives. Ended pointlessly, for the sake of nothing more than hubris.

I braced myself as the recording zoomed in closer. With only one potion left, I could be back on my feet in less than twelve hours. Id need Kinsleys sanctuary. Hell, we both would. This was bad, worse than Id feared. The number of people I could rely on was about to shrink to low single digits, maybe less, if they bought everything the Overseer was saying.

Onscreen, I reached up slowly towards my mask.

Then the recording cut away.

Why? They had me, dead to rights.

Neither gifted nor ungifted was spared from his wrath. The Ordinator lingered, afterwards. Sullying what was already defiled.

They showed the silhouetted figure striding among the dead, picking up cores from the ground.

The overseer leaned back on his crystal throne. With that, the first transposition event comes to a close. You might be tempted to recuperate, grieve those you lost. Enjoy the spoils of your victory. We strongly advise against this notion. Continue to hone yourselves. Make the most of the gifts youve been given. Because this reprieve is only temporary. And the next event could be right around the corner.

There was a collective silence that pervaded the room, as the television turned to static.

Steinbeck broke it. Son of a bitch needs to eat a sandwich.

Kinsley snorted. Thats your answer to everything.

Respectfully, Maam? If you put me in a padded room and starve me till I look like that guy, Id probably come out a sadistic motherfucker, too.

This goes a bit beyond hangry, Steinbeck.

Sae joined in. And whats with tuxedo? Who wears a tuxedo anymore?

Maybe the cosmic horror store was out of suits in his size. Steinbeck shrugged.

If only that bowtie was a little tighter Kinsley trailed off, swiping through an invisible menu. Her smirk disappeared.

Problem? I asked.

Adventurers Guild. Kinsleys mouth moved silently as she read through the message. Looks like a mass message to essential members and other guild leaders. Calling for an emergency meeting in two hours. Vague on any details apart from the topic being a joint threat.

It wasnt hard to guess what they planned to talk about. I glanced over at the open window. The sun had set, and the last vestiges of gold and orange were fading fast. Id planned to get plenty of rest for my venture into the Adaptive Dungeon tomorrow.

It looked like that wasnt happening.

/////

All told, as we filed into the plush bleacher seating at the ground floor of one of the larger rooms of the conference hall, I wasnt particularly worried. There were already dozens of people around us, with more entering by the minute. Being here meant we were still in the circle of trust. Above suspicion, at least for the moment.

As long as we were coolheaded and kept our stories straight, this would be nothing more than another uncomfortable bump in the road to our goals.

Or at least, thats what I thought. Before a familiar face took a seat beside me.

Expensive cologne assailed my nose, as the man leaned over me to extend a hand to Kinsley. From what Ive heard, congratulations are in order. This is your region now, right?

Oh, Kinsley blinked, and returned the handshake. We did, uh

Miles, He said, giving her his megawatt smile.

Fuck.

Miles settled into the seat beside my wheelchair, and peered at me. Sorry, the last few days have been chaos. Have we met?