Chapter 12-8 Private Transit

Chapter 12-8 Private Transit

In deeds, not oaths.

In acts, not rituals.

In practice, not prayer.

We bearers of the scriptures, though ever faithless, do pledge our undying virtues to serve the commonwealth of the peoples of Idheim and beyond.

We severed of cults and chains, bind the flesh of divinity toward greater ends.

Our task is the cessation of the longest cycle. Our oath is the cessation of power. Our duty is to Guild and polity.

Never shall I bask in power, but to guide and remold.

Never shall I hold a position of power, only to counsel.

Never shall I revive the memories of the old gods, for the path toward coming prosperity will be layered by practicality instead of mythology.

I pledge myself to the task of the Agnosi eternal until I am severed of life, or severed from thought.

I will be the keeper of all pantheons, but the follower of none.

Mine is where the chains are broken.

-The Covenant of the Faith-Severed

12-8

Private Transit

Apotheosis changes a person.

The first deviation between a Godclad and an ephemeral comes with their relation to death. Where the pall of oblivion clouds each risk-filled action chosen by the latter, the former is free to simply proceed in most cases, with their demise being anything from a brief setback to a moment of respite.

Chambers took to dying remarkably well. His consciousness quavered during his first descent into his own Soul, but with the sequent departure, a growing excitement shed itself free from the mottled skin of existential dread.

Far from being furious at Draus, when the man returned a third time, he requested she kill him again just for the sensation.

And again for the thrill of being unable to stop her grip from folding his skull over his neck.As his head dangled between his shoulders, blood seeped out from Chambers nostrils as he smiled, Lustaway activating at his habitual addiction calcified around his baseline of trauma.

As he toppled over next to his other two bodies, Draus studied him, unimpressed. You know, I like coming back usin your own corpse. Its neater that way.

Resurrecting in a new bodys a good trick if you need a quick hit of imps, Cas said. Sell off some implants and all that other desperate organ trading stuff. But it usually makes you a pretty easy target as well. No-Dragons or Voidwatch ends up getting your biometric data and youll be looking for a new sheathe to avoid hunters or viruses specially engineered for you.

Every corner presents a trap, Essus muttered, face pale as his eyes were locked on Chambers' corpse. The terror of death still clung to the man like a weighted shadow, but he was beginning to master himself more as his exhaustion outweighed his trauma. We are people no more, then, Avo. He looked up. We are denied a final departure.

Can still die if you want, Avo said, keeping his words wide but subtext clear.

If Essus wanted an end to this, Avo would let him go. But he could not leave with the Frame or memories. Such things were too great a boon and too large a risk to release adrift into the city.

I wish to have my own quiet for some time, Essus said. As he looked down to study Chambers corpse again, a passing aero illuminated the walls and cast darkness over his face. I wish to think.

Well, Cas interrupted, kicking Chambers. As I was saying before Kill-Me here decided to make a run at giving us all the Rash, I might have a demiplane that suits all your needs. Well. Its more of an onion.

Onion? Essus asked.

Cas nodded. Yeah. Still got a few hours before we can nab the Agnos. How about we go get you all set for her He turned and looked at Avo. What is it youre planning to do with her?

Fix, Avo said. Clean out the construct in her mind. Take the fire for myself.

The Columner nodded slowly.

A wall of bees spread out behind Avo like a cape. It will be a difficult operation. I have observed much skill from Ori-Thaum assets. If it would be acceptable, we would like to be on-site during the process for documentation.

Avo regarded the Voidwatch bioform? He didnt really know how to regard the swarm. Considering Sunrise still used the words I, its consciousness was clearly templated close enough to a humans that whatever differences would not be axiomatic.

Do you know the art? he asked.

Sunrises collective mass buzzed in contemplation as one. No. Aegis considers Necrotheurgy a forbidden developmental pathway. Until my ego is re-downloaded, I will not be permitted to return to the fleets. This is purely for self-curiosity.

Self-curiosity. It spoke like it was on safari. Like Avo was a deviant bioform worth observing.

It should know that the feeling was mutual in that regard.

Avo grunted. Keep some distance. Dont know if ghosts will affect your cognition.

They will, Sunrise admitted without hesitation. We will keep to safe parameters.

Draus smirked as she looked at the swarm swirling around him up and down. Well, hells, Avo. Look at you makin a new consang.

Yeah, Avo said. This one didnt steal my sword.

The Regular fought to force down a smirk. You woulda just lost it.

She was probably right. But he reserved the right to be bitter.

Good times, huh, Cas said.

I would not go that far, Essus said, spitting his words through gritted teeth.

Aw, fuck. Cas winced. Sorry consang. An awkward moment followed as Chambers popped back into reality, fist held up toward the sky as he cheered his resurrection, declaring himself unkillable.

At least he returned with the diamond-studded pants this time.

+I drop mem-lock. You make a junction. See if we can make one look like a suicide.+

Her lip twitched. +Our new consangs might not like it. Were gonna have to keep this quiet.+

+When have I not?+

+Dunno. When you decided to null three-hundred-thousand FATED cause you felt like it.+

+Doesnt count. Who knows if I did it? Exorcists didnt find any evidence.+

He could feel a faint bemusement rushing out of her.

+Alright. Lets do this. Send me my marks.+

He cast his Whisper back out and filtered through his memories to indicate the closest involved party still alive. One accretion brightened two miles above them, their aero moving fast. +Think you can get this one?+

Draus wiggled her jaw. +Well see, wont we?+

Two of her floating shards began to flash in sequence. Examining the glass, Avo watched as the pinhole of scenery changed. He realized then that she was effectively using two different sets of junctions as a ladder, connecting one to a specific reflection and then using it to re-anchor the other. All the while, she remained in place, monitoring things through her collection of shards.

In seconds, her Heaven leaped across blocks and enchained itself to the window of a passing tram. With how little she was stressing the Twice-Walkers Rend, its full manifestation remained dormant, and the two Columners remained ignorant.

Little wonder why Godclads fought quiet wars.

As the managers aero curved along the wind to arrive at an executive parking slot opening on the side of a block, Draus bound a shard to the aeros windshield and bit back a smirk. +You want a jumper?+

+Yes,+ Avo said. +Wait.+ He cast his Whisper through her second active shard and released a torrent of trauma into the aeros locus. +No more monitoring. Now you can+

He didnt manage to finish the thought as the vehicles windshield exploded. Glass fragments dug into the designated victim and, with the aid of some unseen force, tore him out through the door. Draus cut the passageway before any noise could spill over, but using her other shard, she watched as the man kicked and flailed, tumbling through the air before he burst apart against a passing cargo shipment in a spray of red.

The suddenness and absurdity of the kill made Avo grin.

You two talking about something funny? Cas eyed them warily from across the unit.

Avo stopped smiling.

Yeah, Draus said. Talkin about the Uprising. And how his family is made out of nothing but half-strands. She jabbed him with a finger. He swatted it aside using an Echohead.

Cas suspicion remained.

+Chambers,+ Avo said, casting his ghost through an activating Auto-Seance. +Show Cas the Soft Master Collection. Scried at his mind. Hell like it.+

Chambers jolted as he turned away from Denton. He blinked as he stared directly at the ghoul. +You sure? Because he seems like one of those straight-edged Jaus-was-right guys.+

He was likely right about that, but Avo wanted the Columner distracted by other matters so he wouldnt keep digging.

+Just do it. Youre a Clad. What can he do to you? Kill you?+

That kindled a courage previously still and cold inside Chambers. +Yeah Im a Clad. Im a fucking Clad!+

Without hint nor warning, Chambers back straightened, his gaze sharpened, and all the necessary sequences comprising the Soft Master Collection vicarities peeled out of his inner mind and condensed into mem-data in a building Ghost-Link.

Dentons eyes widened momentarily as she caught of glimpse of what was forming around Chambers halo.

IChambers, what are you

Ghost speared out from him into Cas as his hand fell on the taller mans shoulder.

So, Chambers said, face angled with a lecherous smirk, heard you were also a connoisseur.

Cas turned to regard the fingers on his shoulder. What the hell The contents of the Ghost-Link struck him then. His mouth fell open. His eyes rolled back as the totality of the vicaritys horror brushed over his mind. His legs began to buckle. Through the near Nether, the anguished cries of Dannis Steelhard echoed softly.

Yeah, Chambers nodded. Thats the

The link was rejected before its material could do more psychological harm. The twangs of guitar strings accompanied each curling digit as Cas closed his hand into a fist.

Suddenly, the expression vanished across Chambers face, the flood of raw disgust and fury pouring free from Cas revealing more than enough.

+Avo,+ Chambers said with a sigh. +Youre a real fucking half+

Cas fist lashed out. Chambers head snapped back. Draus eyes narrowed.

+Shit,+ she said. +You might actually beat that one on one in a brawl.+

Cas rained more punches on Chambers nose before Denton shoved him off. She caught the ex-enforcer as his body spun, nose trailing a whip of blood.

Cas, thats enough, she said.

Despite being the one inflicting the harm, the holocoated Columner seemed more rattled by far. DidDid you see the shit he cast at me? Hes fucking insane. He was trying to Rash me.

A snorting laugh came from Chambers. Thats alright, he said. Avo couldnt tell if the man was winking at him or if he was just blinking out of a swollen eye. Cause I still got enough ghosts to make some phantoms.

No! This time, Denton tackled Chambers, casting her out thoughtstuff out to interrupt him.

+Good soldier,+ Avo thought as he regarded Chambers struggling form. In the corner, a flat look of incomprehension swallowed Essus. +Think he would have made a good Reg in another life.+

+Fuck you, rotlick,+ Draus replied.

Metal and melody blended as Cas began to pummel Chambers relentlessly, desperate for the other man to go unconscious.

Avo grunted. +Anyway. Theres the distraction. See if we can kill a few more?+

Draus shrugged. +Why the hells not.+