Dr. Quaid Journal Entry 02/17/1516:
One of the assistants made that reference again. To the monkeys and the typewriters.
I've been over it a thousand times, but the concepts of infinity or eternity prove
difficult to grasp. It goes something like, 'Given an infinite amount of time, monkeys
randomly typing on a typewriter will produce Shakespeare, and everything else.' As if
it were an excuse that bumbling around aimlessly would eventually yield truth. But
this ignores the concepts of sets and the truly limited nature of infinity.
Consider for a moment that there are, as far as we know, an infinite set of whole numbers.
1. 2. And so on. A great mathematician, Georg Cantor, once proved that we could never
list them all to know for sure. He proved that between the numbers one and two, if you
could slice out every fraction with every decimal place ad infinitum, from these you can
still write a number between 1 and 2 that does not exist within the listable set of
decimals. The set is not enumerable. It contains an infinity of infinities, more than people
and non-people alike can fathom. So too is the set of keys on a keyboard, given a string of
infinite length.
And yet for all that infinity, not a single one of those numbers is the number 3.
Attention all operatives, members, office holders, and associates.
I hate to share such a widespread memo but it's come to our attention that certain divisions
have been ceding operative jurisdiction to local superheroes. I am sure that I do not have to
explain to you that once a villain crosses state lines it becomes FBI jurisdiction. There are
processes in place to allow the outsourcing of third party operatives for assistance with
local threats, but you are expected and required to maintain operational standards with them
by the book.
The next person who lets a shadowy detective on a case because they asked nicely will feel
the full weight of this establishment's sense of justice brought down upon them. Your pensions
are on the table. Don't throw them away.
Director W. Clark
[FILE CORRUPTED]
.̴.̶.̷.̸n̷o̶t̵i̴n̴g̸ ̸t̶h̴a̷t̶ ̵o̵f̸f̶ ̶t̷h̷e̶ ̶c̴o̴a̵s̴t̸ ̶o̴f̴ ̷T̶y̵c̴h̸e̷r̷o̸s̷,̷ ̴n̸u̵m̸e̷r̴o̶u̵s̴ ̸v̷e̵s̵s̴e̷l̷s̶ ̶a̸t̵t̶e̶m̷p̸t̶i̵n̴g̴ ̵t̸o̸ ̵t̶r̷a̸v̷e̴r̶s̵e̷ ̶t̴h̸e̴ ̴s̸e̶a̸ ̴
c̴a̸p̸s̶i̸z̵e̶ ̶d̴u̷e̸ ̷t̷o̷ ̵a̶ ̵v̷a̷r̴i̶e̸t̷y̶ ̶o̴f̴ ̵r̶e̵a̷s̵o̷n̴s̶.̷ ̴C̵o̸u̷n̶t̵l̶e̵s̴s̸ ̸m̴e̸n̶ ̴a̵n̵d̸ ̵w̴o̵m̵e̵n̷ ̸o̴c̸c̵u̶p̸y̷i̷n̸g̶ ̶t̷h̴e̵s̸e̷ ̴v̸e̷s̴s̴e̵l̸s̸ ̶h̸a̶v̷e̷ ̴
f̴a̵i̶l̴e̴d̸ ̵t̴o̵ ̷r̶e̷t̶u̷r̵n̵ ̶t̵o̶ ̸t̴h̴e̵ ̶s̵h̸o̶r̴e̶ ̴a̷n̷d̴ ̷h̷a̴v̷e̵ ̵s̶u̸r̶e̴l̸y̸ ̸p̴e̶r̵i̶s̵h̵e̸d̵.̸ ̴T̸h̵e̷ ̵n̵u̸m̵b̸e̸r̸ ̶l̴o̸s̸t̴ ̶i̶s̶ ̸n̵o̸t̴ ̴k̵n̸o̷w̸n̷ ̴f̴o̷r̸ ̷
s̶u̴r̷e̵ ̷a̵s̷ ̷d̴u̵r̵i̶n̵g̵ ̴t̶h̵e̷s̶e̴ ̵o̶d̸d̵ ̵o̵c̵c̸u̴r̵r̵e̸n̵c̷e̶s̵,̶ ̶b̷e̷l̶l̶s̵ ̶d̵o̵ ̸n̴o̶t̵ t̴o̸l̶l̷ ̸f̴o̴r̶ ̸t̸h̴e̵s̴e̴ ̷d̴e̴a̸t̴h̵s̵.̶ ̶T̴h̶e̵r̵e̵ ̵i̴s̴ ̵s̵o̷m̷e̵ ̴
s̸p̶e̴c̴u̴l̶a̴t̸i̶o̶n̸ ̷t̸h̷a̷t̶ ̴t̶h̴e̴r̸e̷ ̸i̷s̴ ̸i̴n̴t̵e̸r̷f̸e̶r̴e̷n̵c̷e̶ ̸b̴y̵ ̷t̶h̷e̶ ̵s̷e̸a̷,̷ ̴t̸h̸e̴ ̶a̶i̶r̴,̵ ̷o̸r̶ ̸e̸v̴e̵n̶ ̵t̸h̵e̶ ̷e̴l̵e̷c̴t̵r̸i̵c̴ ̶f̶e̶n̴c̶e̷.̴
̶C̷o̶n̸c̴l̵u̶s̴i̵v̶e̵ ̴e̴v̷i̴d̸e̵n̸c̵e̷ ̶i̸s̶ ̷u̶n̶l̷i̸k̷e̵l̵y̵ ̷t̷o̸ ̵b̸e̷ ̴f̷o̴u̶n̴d̶ ̴a̶s̵ ̵t̶h̴e̷ ̶l̴o̶c̶a̸l̵ ̶g̵o̸v̷e̸r̴n̸m̵e̷n̷t̸ ̶f̶a̴i̴l̷s̶ ̸t̵o̷ ̵f̸u̷n̵d̷.̷.̴.̴.̸
[FILE COULD NOT BE READ]
Z.Provides.Krypt>> So? Did you find anything useful? Ward's getting impatient.
Safe.Haven.Krypt>> Uh, maybe? I found uh... well I got a snippet of something that has
the Consortiums necks in a knot?
Z.Provides.Krypt>> That is not your objective. What did you find?
Safe.Haven.Krypt>> A bunch of their relays were being pinged at once, DDOSed to the point that
they timed out. An emergency distress signal.
Z.Provides.Krypt>> Timed out Rhylodian tech? Must be some signal.
Safe.Haven.Krypt>> That's the thing, some researchers were triangulating the source
based on the position and timing of the array timeouts. Some of them think the last thing
traveling through that space was an Installation.
Z.Provides.Krypt>> What!? Where?
Safe.Haven.Krypt>> I think well outside both consortium and our space. No sign of anything in
the area now though. Hells, based on how long it takes the signal to travel, it could have
happened ages ago, fixed whatever was wrong, and moved on.
Z.Provides.Krypt>> So the correct answer is 'No.' You did not find anything useful.
FOR-Ȝ0DE. Lost ; forgot ; omitted.
And therfore whenne scho for-zode hyme, scho Sor-zode also alle other gude with hyme, and therfore was scho thane in wedowede.
MS. Lincoln A. i. 17, f. 185
* . * . * . * * . * . *
+ 🟒 * if stars should fall + + / + *
* . * . . into the sea . // . * . *
. * then i must recall, * * .// . * . *
. . * * 🟒 . * // what hope have we? . .
. . . (🔿) . .
. * * auspicious apostates, . . * * . * *
+ . forced to regroup. . . *
* . when a star falls, * *
* . * . * . . * * * . *
* + * . * does it still shoot? 🟒
⢀⣴⣾⣿⣦ * * * . * . . *
⢠⣤⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡆ * 🟒 . * .
⠸⣿⣹⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷ . . . . . * * .
⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣆ * . . * . . + .
⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡄ . . * * *
⢹⣷⡘⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⡀ .
⠀⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣸⣿⣿⣆⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣀⣀⣀ * . * *
⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣹⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷ * . * . * .
+ ⣿⡿⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀⢀⣠⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏ 🟒 * +.
* ⠸⣿⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣠⣤⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣶⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣶ * . . .
⢿⣇⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣀⠀⢀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⣀⣀⣤⣤⣀ 🟒 *
⢀⣼⣿⣶⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⠋⠉⣿⠉⠉⢹⠟⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⡀ . . * *
⠈⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡷⢤⣐⣿⠟⢶⡇⣀⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧ . .
⢹⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣄⣀⣿⢄⣬⣏⢹⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡆ *
+ ⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⣧⣤⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣀ .
⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟⢛⡿⠿⠿⢿⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣰⣾⣷⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⡄
⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡀⠈⣇D ⣿⠀⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⢀⣠⣴⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡆ *
⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠚⢩⡉I⡿⢶⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣵⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟ *
+* ⠈⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢻⣿⢿⣿⣿⡇⠀⣸⣋V⡇⠈⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷
⠸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠇⣼⣏⣠⣿⣿⠿⠞⣯I⢙⣷⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣆
. ⠙⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣰⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣏⠀⠀⣿N⣼⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇
⠈⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠷⠞⡉⠉⠻⣷⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇ . +
* ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⢀⣇E⣸⡃⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧
⡿⣼⣿⠉⣰⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡀
. * ⢰⡇⣿⡼⣰⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧
. ⢀⡟⢰⢧⣷⢫⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟
+ ⢸⢱⡿⠈⣡⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇
* . ⢸⣿⣿⣞⣹⠟⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⠉
⠙⠛⠛⢁⡀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠛⠁
. * * ⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠟⠋⠉ . . *
. ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠿⠟⠛⠛⠁ .
* ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏⢈⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠁ . * *
+ .⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠁⢾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣟⣻⣿⡿⠁ *
. * ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠇⠀⣸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟ * . *
. ⣸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟⠀⠀⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠁ * . * .
* ⢀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡄ 🟒 *
+* . ⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⡀ . * *
⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣇⠀⠀⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣄ . *
. * ⣸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏⠀⠀⢹⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣤⡀ * . .
⢰⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⢼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣆ . . *
* ⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠃⠀⠀⣾⣿⣿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷ *
⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟⠀ ⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀ +.
. *⠈⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠟⠃⠀ ⠛⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠟⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠉⠉⠉⠙⠛⠉⠉⠁ * * .
"Ah, yes. 'The many shall suffer for the sins of the one.' As a greek, this is nothing
new to me. It is how our gods operate."
"Why's that?"
"Have you not heard of the tale of the god, Hades? He was the first to learn this
dreadful lesson when he abducted Persephone and imprisoned her in the Underworld. When Demeter,
the mother of Persephone, learned of this, she did not punish Hades, the guilty one. Instead,
she changed the climate of the earth so that it became hot and dry. Nothing grew, the
grain turned to empty husks, and the rivers dried up. Innocent people died by the tens of
thousands, until at last the other gods were forced to act lest they have no worshippers left.
So yes, we know this rule. This has always been the case. The Golden Rule has merely
brought it into focus."
-Gerogios
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HALCYON NEWS - 20XX
THE DEMON OF CARD GAME, EXORCISED?
Opinion - Valerie Speeks
It’s been a little over a year since the Demon of Card Game last made an appearance, and I think we can now finally feel secure in saying that he won't be returning. For the past five years the Demon terrorized players of Card Game, ended the careers of some of the game’s biggest up and comers and inspired multiple copycat “Villains” such as Jack the Card Ripper and the BLUnabomber. But ever since his defeat at the 23rd Card Game World Series the Demon has been unseen... Continued page 4
TT: After we reached Instability level 1.4 there was a massive flash of light, everything seemed to stop. And then
C3: And then?
TT: The connection event.
C2: That’s unconfirmed
TT: I can’t see what else it could have been.
C2: That’s not for you to decide.
C3: What happened after everything stopped, T[REDACTED]?
TT: The connection ring began to glow. Alarms started ringing. Everyone ran for the escape pods except for Mikashogi. I turned around to call out to him but then
C2: Then the explosion?
TT: No. I heard a voice. From the ring.
C3: What did you just say?
TT: It said
C2: Stop! That’s enough, don’t say anymore.
TT: What? But
C1: T[REDACTED] T[REDACTED], your testimony has been of great assistance. But for your own sake, do not repeat a word that voice said for the rest of your life.
-- WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY DATA RELAY? --
-- ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STRANGE MESSAGES THAT HAVE BEEN FILTERING THROUGH MY SYSTEM? --
-- LEAVE B 4 U R EXPUNGED --
-- THERE ARE NO GARDENS HERE --
The Haska fused itself to the poor kid's skin. These spores, this HUNGER, it completely took over his mind. He might be walking around like he's alive, but I'm not convinced. There's no spark behind his eyes at all. I tried to put things up to a vote, but everyone seemed to disagree with me except Lo, that we didn't have time to confront Mather about what happened. I don't want to admit it even here, but they had a point. It's probably for the best that we left things in the hands of Syracuse, and I reckon he's got both the brawn and the spirit to deal with the aftermath of what happened beneath the Red Chapel. But it still feels wrong. If I had my druthers we'd be back in Mather laying it all out for them all to see ourselves.
The way I look at it, it's our responsibility. And we dumped it off onto the Postmaster.
I felt on edge. Like I was dang near about to fly off the handle at any minute, not even cause of the vote or anything like that. I can't help but repeat everything that's gone wrong for us in the Surge in my mind. Every decision I made or helped to make that went poorly for us. The Spectrapede nearly killed Phika and Tejara, the Rifstalker could've taken me out too. And now this. I keep seeing the kid's face. His whole life ahead of him, now he's being danced around like a puppet on a set of strings. Makes me sick to my stomach.
Then I see the Priestess again.
Still no regret on her end. I'm the one that's stuck with it.
Tejara went to go study that book some more. Maybe it's got some of the insight I failed to get from the Priestess. I put all my focus into getting us out of the Surge, and writing a song in my head about it for when my banjo finally gets fixed up. As much as it hurts now, I don't want to forget what this place can do to someone. Anyone.
Thing is, I say anyone, but...
The Surge didn't want us to leave, it seems like. In an instant, a chunk of the Wildsea in front of us gaped open, threatening to swallow us down into it's depths. Even with all the muck-ups I've made here, at least I can do THIS. I can still pilot the Paleheart, dammit. And I can do it like nobody else can.
So I stayed there for another eight hours. Give or take.
The woman in blue came up to me. I think she could tell what I was going through. The visions. The blood on my hands, the blood on the wheel. Covered in it, head to toe. The bones, the bodies, the grisly trophies all hanging around the helm like a grim reminder hanging over me.
I reckon I was right about her. She's not just some spirit that wanders the ship, she IS the ship. She needs us, and we need her. And as much as I might be right about her, she's right about me too. The Surge brought something out from inside of me that I didn't want to admit existed. I wanted to help Mather. I want me being on the Wildsea to mean something to other people too. I want it to be important.
I wanted to help it so bad that I was willing to do some dark things. The same as the Priestess.
Being like her, that's not something I want to confront. But I gotta do it if I want to make a difference in places like Mather. Am I just getting too big for my britches? I guess the Wokebone changed me, and the Leviathans too.
Glip, bless her heart, managed to pry me free from the ship's helm for a while. It's probably for the best that I try to get my mind away from all these odd visions I keep seeing there. I spent her shift trying to decipher the secrets of the Crowns. Day by day, I can feel my Ektus roots slipping away from me. Nothing on you, Paw-paw. You told the stories well, it's just... there's been a lot on my mind. So puzzling out these rings might take longer than I first reckoned.
It's a song, like an old familiar lullaby from when I was a seedling. Could that be a key to what secrets the Crowns hold? Or maybe there's no secrets at all, and I got ripped off? It's a good noggin-jostler either way.
With a dusty Darude hot on our trail, we pulled the Paleheart up and out from the Surge and back to the relative comfort of the Foxloft. Straight ahead, to the chain links holding up the Hanging Manor. Soon, we'll set off and follow the four outriders and the mysterious critter that've taken up residence here.
"Chiclitz begins his play with Minos entering the labyrinth lute one eveiing to speak to his
son. As it turns out. the Minotaur is a gentle and misunderstood creature, while the so called
Athenian youth are convicted criminals who were already sentenced to death back in Greece.
Usually King Minos had them secretly executed and then publicly claims their deaths were
caused by the terrifying Minotaur thus ensuring that the residents of Knossos will never get too
close to the labyrinth. Unfortunately this time, one of the criminals had escaped into the maze,
encountered Mint (as Chielitz refers to the Minotaur) and nearly murdered him. Had
Minos himself not rushed in and killed the criminal. his son would have perished. Suffice it to
say Minos is furious. He has caught himself caring for his son and the resulting guilt and sorrow
incenses him to no end. As the play progresses, the King slowly sees past his son’s deformities,
eventually discovering an elegiac spirit, an artistic sentiment and most importantly a visionary
understanding-of the world. Soon a deep paternal love grows in the King’s heart and he begins to
conceive of a way to reintroduce the Minotaur buck into soeicty.f Sadly the stories the King has
spread throughout the world concerning this terrifying beast prove the seeds of tragedy. Soon
enough, a bruiser named—Theseus arrives (Chielitz describes him as a drunken virtually
handicapped, frat boy) who without a second thought hacks the Minotaur into little pieces. In one-of
the play’s most moving scenes. King Minos, with tears streaming down his face, publicly
commends Theseus’ courage. The crowd believes the tears are a sign of gratitude while we the
audience understand they are tears of loss. The king’s heart breaks, and while he will go on to be
an extremely just ruler, it is a justice forever informed by the deepest kind of agony."
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