Chapter 22-6 Matter of Time (I)

Chapter 22-6 Matter of Time (I)

+Hey, hey, New Vultun. Do you have a migraine? I sure do. How did everyone enjoy this year’s annual Low Master mind-fucking? At least that’s who I’m guessing is behind this. Either that or Ori-Thaum tripped over the “Nether” cord again.

Anyway. If the threat of another Guild War followed by a new Nolothic Uprising wasn’t enough darkness for your day, we also have to ask ourselves just who exactly shit in the Chief Paladin’s dinner for him to beat us like that.

Jaus. I haven’t been slapped that hard since I broke up with that Scarth-sow I used to know. Makes me wonder if the trial is even still going to be–Oh. We have a syncer. Special request–sorry, I don’t do... Okay, that’s a lot of imps...

Fine. I’ll put up you on. If you’re a rash-dumper, I send my–+

[FATE-SKEIN IDENTIFIED: NAEKOTHEONLY]

CALA MARLOWE: +What? I–Okay. Okay. Chief Paladin, this is surprising–+

SAMIR NAEKO: +Hey. We spoke once. I think. You ambushed me in Stormjumpers or something. I’m just here to make an announcement. And because I really don’t wanna talk to Guilder Proparazzi types and doing this with you instead should piss them off.+

CALA MARLOWE: +...Alright. Well. I’d say welcome, but I don’t really wanna bullshit you, so... Yeah. Chief Paladin Samir Naeko everyone. Special guest for the FATELSS Thoughtcast.+

SAMIR NAEKO: +You fine with me making an official announcement here? Your lobbies might be getting spiked with traffic.+

CALA MARLOWE: +Fuck ‘em. If they do, they do. You’re the Chief Paladin. And I don’t really care. Do whatever.+

SAMIR NAEKO: +Alright. Thanks, juv. Anyway. Hey, uh, New Vultun. Uh, FATELESS..es. Chief Paladin Naeko here. Now, I’ve been told there are rumors in the Nether. Talking about why I tore up the gutters and who I was fighting. I’m here to clear the air and let things be known. I was not, in fact, “engaged in competitive domestic abuse” against the High Seraph. I would also like to thank [12INCHESISSTILLTOOSHORT] for sending me that detailed simulation of me, the Stormsparrow, a nu-dog, and the High Seraph passing shit into each other’s asses. Wonderful rash-contraband. I’d like to make your day better by telling you that your mom died during my slap and that she was a shitty Syndi in charge of slave smuggling.

The Exorcists will be seeing you shortly.+

CALA MARLOWE: +...Nova.+

SAMIR NAEKO: +Anway. It wasn’t Veylis I was fighting.+

CALA MARLOWE: +Right. Kind of ridiculous if you think about it.+

SAMIR NAEKO: +It was her mother. Zein. Thousandhand. Godslayer. My old vicious sow of a master. That one.+

CALA MARLOWE: +Okay. Holy shit. What the fuck. Unexpec–Wait, isn’t she dead?+

SAMIR NAEKO: +Would’ve probably been better if she stayed that way. Anyway, you don’t gotta worry. I tore her old ass in half, fought her some more, and then shoved her into a containment pocket. To all you Necros and Guilder agents, I can feel you. I know you’re there. Come for her, and I smear you.+

CALA MARLOWE: +...+

SAMIR NAEKO: +So. Finishing with that. I’m just here to announce that I’m adding another person to the trial and that citizens and subjects should expect justice to be done, and all the other shit a Chief Paladin is supposed to say, I guess.+Fôllôw new stories at novelhall.com

CALA MARLOWE: +Can you do that?+

SAMIR NAEKO: +Huh? Do what?+

CALA MARLOWE: +Just add someone to the trial. Isn’t it literally days away? Hells, considering everything that’s happened, is it even still on?+

SAMIR NAEKO: +Well, Marlowe, technically there’s supposed to be a process to this thing, but the last person who gave a shit about all that got snuffed by her brother. So. I’ll give you my way of seeing things: I’m Chief Paladin Samir Naeko. I am the Force-Breaker. I just killed the Godslayer. I’m somewhere north of pissed, and I intend to stand and deliver on this enforcement. Test me. Test me and I’ll reel you out into the Nothing and see if you catch a glance of Jaus. The soft days are over. And you consangs on Stormjumpers can rest easy knowing I’ll be taking a hiatus.

The trial will be delayed till Nulrise next week. In the meantime, I intend to enforce some peace.+

-Chief Paladin Naeko on the FATELESS Thoughtcast

22-6

Matter of Time (I)

A death and a deluge of curses later, Agnos Kae Kusanade summarized her opinions on Avo’s Frame thusly: “Avo, what in all the hells did you do to your Frame.”

Her exasperation was capped off with a squeak as frustration leaked from her Soul.

Gathered atop Avo’s haemokinetic tower overlooking the enclave, the members of the cadre were split between watching for any encroaching threats while also anticipating their personal upgrades.

Already, however, did they find themselves beset with problems.

The smaller matter was that, despite Kae’s multi-disciplinary brilliance as an Agnos, her Knowings did not extend to the Domains of Chronology or Time. This ignorance, however, proved to be the lesser issue when finally entered Avo’s Frame to make initial inspections.

To say that bathing in the Hungers’ blood had changed his ontology was an understatement. Most Domains were foundational pillars for Heavens, their corresponding canons and underlying mythos sculpting the metaphysical constructs with fixed patterns–comprehendible aesthetics.

Such was not so for his Domain of Chronology. To paint a simple portrait, branches of coursing gold were forming and dissolving across the entire space simulated by his Soul. They sprawled out like circuits or arteries from each of his cyclers, writhing free from between the dragons’ scales and burrowing into his Heavens, into his Hells, into his very Soul itself.

Kae’s Soul perked up. “Fine.”

“Fine?” Avo asked.

“Fine. It’s not like there’s any risk to me. It’s not like my life can get any worse. I’ll go in. I direct the build. The only risk is that chronology contradicts itself, we get flung backward–or stuck in the present–and then all stop existing.”

“No, Administrator, MAKE HER FEEL GOOD! She might be PLANNING TO DESTROY US!”

They interfaced with the Woundshaper first, and as Avo mantled its inner structure again, it was unchanged from before. A building storm of arterial lightning flashed, leaping out from the veins of a blood-forged cityscape. Within its mythology, the sacrifices continued to kill themselves in that pool of blood, unaware of the trailing gold spearing past them.

“Okay. All we can do is experiment.” Kae let out a resigned sigh. “Avo. Begin build-simulations of canon under the Domain of Chronology.”

He did just that. Which promptly caused the mem-data to glitch and flicker while the currents of time flowed into the Heaven of Blood.

Threads of gold lined the Woundmother’s veins, lining its alloyed structure in a backdrop of glistening threads. “I feel...” She reached out and plucked at the world. “Deeper. Like I’ve sunken into something fundamental.”

“This can only go poorly,” the Fardrifter mused.

Kae ignored the running commentary. “Tell me if–”

Then, the mem-data finally loaded.

DOMAIN OF (CHRONOLOGY) [INTERNALIZED]

->SUITABLE CANONS FOR INFUSION SIMULATED:

->WOUNDMOTHER (BLOOD/MATTER/FIRE/LIGHTNING/LUMINOSITY/PROTECTION/BIOLOGY) - [12 CANONS]

->FARDRIFTER (AIR/SHADOW/SPACE/LABYRINTH) - [7 CANON]

->TECHPLAGUER (SIGNALS/BIOLOGY/SPACE) - [2 CANONS]

Avo wasn’t sure what “suitable canons for infusion simulated” meant, but he selected the Woundmother regardless.

Potential changes flashed into his mind, but the options came only as augmentations to existing canons rather than canons for a new Domain. He projected the strings over to Kae, and the Agnos drew closer to the orbit of his Soul.

“What? What! This makes–agh! How? We all know there needs to be an ontologic to channel and manifest the construct. And why is it only changing your active cano–Oh.”

There were times when Avo very much wanted to just burn the Agnos. “Oh?”

“I... have a theory. Or, maybe I just going insane like the rest of you. But... perhaps you don’t need to have a Heaven because... your Frame itself has adapted to possess traits that can be found in a dragon.”

“Did bathe in Hungers’ blood. Wait. Telling me I’m ontologically a dragon now?”

“The transfusion might have done something. The Frame might not need it because... the Frame is substituting the Heaven itself.” She gave a scoff. “Change something. Apply the Domain to a canon. Preferably one you commonly use.”

The choice was simple with that recommendation.

INFUSING CANON - 1%... 25%... 100%

->DOMAIN (MATTER-CHRONOLOGY)

->CANON: BLOOD FROM TIME - THE USER CONVERTS THE PASSAGE OF TIME INTO BLOOD; EACH TON OF BLOOD CONVERTED ACCELERATES THEM [108 SECONDS] INTO THE FUTURE

This was already enough to make Avo stare and Kae gasp.

“Oh... oh, yes, master,”the Woundmother purred.

Then the hubris loaded.

Or more specifically, loaded, and displayed nothing.

->HUBRIS: [NULL]

Kae’s Soul swelled. “What the fu–”