An ergency session will convene tomorrow morning in Kaupf Hall to deliberate on the latest reports from Sibyl, Sever and other sources along the Daressan fronts. Of primary importance are the disposition of partisan-controlled strategic assets. We now know that in addition to Sobriquet (ref. Anomaly 3022), the Daressan partisans have secured the assistance of Michael, Lord Baumgart (ref. Anomaly 4851).
The defection of an Assemblymans son represents unique intelligence risks. The reports indicate that he has already utilized his familiarity with restricted information to benefit the partisans in their targeted exfiltration of docunts related to Initiative Sunburn. Procedural adjustnts to mitigate ongoing risks shall be a topic of discussion at the session.
Aside from this, Baumgart appears to bear a life-aligned soul of uncommon potency. Sibyl strongly believes that he is Stanza, per his claim that he inherited the soul directly via affinity from Jeorg Dreschner. This largely matches with our field observations and other reporting, but does not reconcile with Baumgarts earlier tests following his initial ensoulnt; Dreschner was confird to be alive after he received his soul, and Baumgart repeatedly tested as high-potential but without alignnt.
Additional research will be required to assess the nature and extent of his capabilities, but in the short-term it is vital that he and the intelligence he has stolen be contained within Daressan borders. The majority of tomorrows session will focus on counterasures for a presumptive Stanza/Sobriquet alignnt, with the understanding that Baumgart may represent a variant manifestation of Stanza and/or an undocunted soul of similar scope.
Attendance of this session is mandatory.
- Institute Circular #3422, 23 Bounty 693.
They struck out from the inn while the sun was still high overhead, Emils wagon groaning with supplies. Annette had been generous with her offerings; there was little enough space in the cart that Michael had chosen to walk alongside it rather than squeeze into the interior.
It was easy enough to match the horses pace, burdened as the cart was. Michael found himself wondering how he had ever lived without a durens soul. When he was still desperately striving for one he would have considered it a disappointing outco - a durens could not do anything beyond the capabilities of ordinary n save that he could do it without pause.
He snorted, shaking his head. Hindsight was painfully clear. Stefans soul was the only one he had gained that had taken nothing in return. Even his spectors sight proved an annoyingly disjointed experience unless he concentrated, despite his increasing practice with it. The durens soul rely gave Michael more use of what was already his, free and limitless as long as he had adequate food.
There was a lesson there, and a warning; Michael could almost hear the wry tones of Jeorgs voice in his thoughts. The old man had made his peace with Stanzas soul, terrifying as it was, but it had taken everything from him in the process.
What more would be left, once Stanza and Spark had both taken their due from Michael? He did not think there was much to draw from. It was difficult for him to think that he had only been gone from Calmharbor for half a year; already the days he had spent living under his fathers rule seed a washed-out and grey existence in his mory compared to the vivid glare of recent months.
He turned his sight upon himself and grimaced. Certainly, the Michael of old would not recognize the wiry man walking beside the cart, with his scruff of beard and features sharpened by weeks of hard travel. He looked lean, dangerous.
The thought made him smile, which softened the strangers face enough that he could see himself in it once more. Dangerous indeed. He sighed and stretched his arms, looking around at the rolling terrain; the path north had kept them on well-traveled roads for the most part but it was obvious that they were quickly running out of civilization as they headed towards Daressas mountainous interior. There was a quiet reminiscent of Jeorgs forest, a peaceful stillness to the countryside that set Michael at ease.
Youre chipper, Emil noted, looking down from the drivers bench. If you were any better rested Id say well-done, but knowing the sort of day youve had Im inclined to think youre delirious instead.
Im inclined to agree with you, Michael chuckled. My ti on the continent begins to seem more sensible if I assu Ive gone mad. Perhaps I fell into the sea on my way ashore and spent too long without air.
Emil smiled and shook his head. Unfortunately, it seems we are real. He paused and frowned. Well, no. Unfortunate that you are real. I should be quite happy traveling around alone, just the horses and I on the open road.
Michael nodded, the mans fervent exasperation drawing a smile to his lips. Weve imposed a bit on your company, its true, he said. What was your plan before we showed up, just keep overcharging the Ardans while listening for intelligence?
Ghars blood, yes, Emil sighed. Its been so long since the fronts moved appreciably that theyve forgotten all about how to build out their supply train. They needed food, weapons, drink, everything. I made more money in the past month than I did in the year before that, and nearly all of it was blatant profiteering. He smiled beatifically. It was beautiful. Probably for the best that I left with you, though. Theres only so much money I can beat out of violent n before they start to beat back. Besides, if they actually lay siege to Is
He shuddered and shook his head. Itll be a bloodbath, and thats the Emperors truth. The Safid may have yielded the middle ground easily enough, but the only way Ardans are walking into Is is over the corpses of everyone there - Safid and Daressan both.
Michael frowned, looking back to the south. Is there any chance well make it to ndian in ti to stop whats coming?
To stop the Ardans attacking Is? Emil raised an eyebrow. If you can make good on Sobriquets promises, maybe. They wont wait much longer to move, though - every day they delay, the Safid are able to reinforce the city. Theyve only delayed this long because moving their artillery to the new front is slow work. I doubt well make it in ti to stop them from shelling the outskirts into so much rubble.
Images of the shattered houses and broken bodies in Leik flitted through Michaels mind. He shuddered. Then we should be quick about it, he said.
We should be sure, Emil corrected him, frowning. Make no mistake - people will die if we delay, but people will die horribly if we allow the Ardans to sack Is. He looked over at Michael, a shadow crossing his eyes. You Ardans are from Gharic stock, but you refer to Is by its Safid na of Azim Alsu. Did you ever wonder why that was?
Michael shook his head; he had not. I assud it was just because the city had been in Safid hands for so long, to be honest. Its been decades.
Thats a good and proper reason, sure enough, Emil said. One nobody will question when the papers start talking of Ardans marching on the city, slaughtering its defenders. Shelling its buildings to dust and reducing the population to scavenging for scraps.
His eyes narrowed. Theyve always known that Is was their first challenge if they wished to take back the continent, the first battle if they had a chance to reverse the Safid montum and push them back south. A brutal, unrestrained fight for the soul of old Ghar. It will be a crucial turning point in the War if they win, but at a great cost - hundreds of thousands dead, and not all of them soldiers.
And wouldnt that be tragic? Emil asked. That their greatest victory should spring forth from the blood of their Gharic brothers, the very people they claim to be fighting for? Much better if it happened in the Safid city of Azim Alsu, rather than the storied Daressan capital of Is.
Michael blinked. But its a Daressan city, everyone knows that. Its occupied, yes, but nobody really thinks its Safid.
Dont they? Emil snorted. Nas have power. When you call it Azim Alsu, you say that the city of Is no longer exists. That it has been changed sohow by its occupation, rendered into sothing other than the city people rember. He sighed, leaning back against the cart. Whats worse is that they might be right. The occupation is damn near as old I am, over thirty years now. Thirty years of children growing up, kneeling before icons of the Eight and saying prayers. Thirty years of being taught that we are the descendants of evil n, and that punishnt is our birthright.
Emil looked at Michael again, and there was an unsettling glint in his eyes. I wonder if I would be Daressan, if I had been born further west. I wonder if our country will be there when we look for it. It would be - ironic, to put it mildly, if we were to arrive in our own capital as occupiers rather than liberators.
Michael looked ahead, his thoughts straying to Jeorgs garden. The idyllic paradise that was almost certainly changed from how he rembered. If he saw it again, would he recognize it? He thought of the blasted landscape Spark had shown him, of regrowth healing its scars - but never quite the sa as it had been.
Youll get sothing back, he said. All you can do is accept it and move forward. Try to make sothing better.
Emil made a dismissive noise, glaring down at him, and Michael winced at the intense snap of anger his words had provoked. I dont need to hear it from you, he said. Youre not the one who will have to bear that burden, Ardan. He seed on the verge of adding more; instead he snapped his eyes forward and radiated stony disapproval from his perch on the cart.
There was the temptation to speak further, to try and smooth over the abrasive silence, but Michael was at least canny enough to realize that there was nothing he could say in the mont that would not worsen Emils mood. He walked beside the cart quietly for so ti before a noise from behind drew his attention - Luc had jumped down from the carriage to stretch his legs.
He grinned as Michael dropped back to walk beside him, his pace awkward as he worked out the stiffness from sitting in the cart. Managed to annoy Emil already, yes? he said. He was nearly ready to toss to the roadside on our way up, and I barely spoke. Suspicious of foreigners, that one.
We do make trouble, Michael said, frowning slightly. Despite his easy manner, Luc still radiated a sharp note of fear. Or at least it seems to favor us. I can hardly bla him for not wanting to be swept up in it.
Luc scowled. As if we wanted it either. He clenched his rag-wrapped fists, then let his arms fall to his side.
I dont mind, Michael said. Hes just afraid. Of whats coming, of what he doesnt know. Easy for him to focus on us, in the absence of anything else. He looked distractedly over at Luc; the other mans fear was strong enough that it was making it hard to concentrate on the conversation. I have to ask, are you okay?
Luc grinned sheepishly. Fine, now. Embarrassed, though. Im used to the way the doctor did things. Sobriquet has a more - relaxed style, yes? He scratched at his unruly hair. I worry about this soul in , but hopefully there will be soone in ndian that can help. Can help both of us. He looked up at Michael, and for a mont his fear sharpened to a point.
Michael blinked in sudden realization: Luc was afraid of him. Of the souls he held, and likely of Spark in particular. He was the only one of their group that truly appreciated the danger of that soul, aside from Michael, and it gnawed at his insides with every heartbeat. Yet he smiled and laughed, and pushed his fear aside as Sobriquet had. Because he knew Michael wouldnt hurt him - or, a darker voice whispered, because he feared that Michael would if Luc did not put on a friendly face.
Thats - where I was going initially, Michael said, trying not to let the byplay of Lucs emotions bleed into his voice. With my friend, before Spark captured . He knew Leire Gabarain - Stellar, the woman you saw on the airship that day. He was confident that she would have so insight into my soul, just as she had helped him in the past.
Lucs eyes lit up, and for a mont the fear waned into sothing more manageable. Truly? he asked. She was incredible. Everything I thought having a soul should be, like in the stories Claude- He trailed off, and the fear ca thumping back. A frown crept onto his face. I would have liked a soul of that sort, grand and glorious, rather than this foul thing infesting .
It may be that she has her own challenges, Michael said. It seems to that the more power a soul grants, the more it asks from the wielder in return. He suppressed a shiver, then shook his head. Dont dwell on the darkness you see in your soul. From what Ive heard of ndian, they should be able to guide you in its use. Maybe one day you can redeem it, use it to make so good in the world. I have the sa hope for my own soul, although I admit I dont know what that would look like.
He looked at Luc with what he hoped was an encouraging smile, but the look on the other mans face was dark. I would be content learning to bind it within so it can do no harm, he said. To be able to touch without fear of death or pain. I dont know how you do it, bearing the souls you bear. Arent you afraid?
Michael raised a hand and looked at it. Yes, he admitted. Yes, quite a lot. He looked up toward the cart where Sobriquet and the others sat. Soone wise once told that there is no choice but to feel fear.
He felt a quick pulse of amusent from within the cart and restrained himself from smiling; Sobriquet was listening in after all. Its not sothing you can think your way out of, but you dont have to dwell on it. You shouldnt, actually, or it makes it hard to think of anything else. The mind makes the path for the soul. It shows it how to exist. Im - no expert, but I think that ans you have to focus on your best hopes for the soul, and not dread what it might do.
Luc smiled bitterly. I dont have to tell you that so souls are beyond hope, he said. Its a beautiful thought, but we both know who bore our souls before and what they did. They cant be used. Even in acts of good intent, they would find ways to draw out evil. He let his breath out, long and slow. I have no hope beyond learning to live a life where I harm none. It will be easier for than for you, I think - but I will hope for both of us that ndian holds the answer to locking such a soul away.
The tone of his voice was firm, underscored by the note of conviction radiating from him like a struck bell; Michael would not change his mind on this. Perhaps he shouldnt try - after all, who was he to tell Luc that he must learn to use his soul? Michael had wanted the sa peaceful obscurity not too long ago. And if in such a conversation he admitted that he had used Spark on Vera
Then that sharp note of fear would never diminish.
So he nodded and smiled, and said nothing more.
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