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Chapter 1,279.
🕑 Added 2024-09-18 18:25:06 +0000 UTCThe Abyssal pools filling up Zac's cells darkened to more closely resemble the real thing. Their width expanded far beyond what should be possible, eventually fusing with the ponds in neighboring cells. Soon, there was nothing else. He was no longer Draugr. He'd become the Abyss. It was boundless, bottomless. It was silence, finality. And it was waiting.
It would be so easy to let go, to relinquish the self and become part of Eternity. The Abyss had stood before the Era's birth, and it would remain after its demise. What was the point in holding onto a mortal husk? Why wield a pale mimicry of Death when you could become true Death?
Zac awoke and roared with rejection. This wasn't him. This wasn't his path. He would walk his own road to the bitter end.
Power given was hollow; true strength was seized. His Death might only be a shadow of the Abyss, but it was his. Zac resisted the pull, struggling to regain his freedom. Like Eoz swimming toward the open sky in search of something more, Zac swam toward the surface in search of himself. The Abyss's attempts to hold him back failed. He took what he needed and rejected all else.
The Abyssal Lake shrunk, splintering into innumerable gates. Zac was once more Draugr, though the depths of his Death shone darker. The storm ebbed, and Abyssal pools calmed down. Zac finally managed to get his body under control, yet the lingering touch of the Abyss remained.
The call of the Abyss was a lot like the Sangha's mind poison. It freely offered an almost perfected path. The more you took, the greater the risk of giving in to desire. It was a risk many were willing to take. Zac was no different. He hadn't planned on upgrading his bloodline today, but he'd lunged for the opportunity when it came within reach.
The gamble paid off. Zac felt the ancient bloodline patterns on his skin. They'd grown stronger since he saw them last, and it wasn't the only change. Hidden in the depths of Zac's being, there was a spot of power that filled Zac with warmth. It felt like the comforting gaze of a parent. It was a gift left by Eoz when he reached across time.
Different from the impartments of Azol and Mez, Zac never managed to access that piece. It had eventually faded, waiting for the right time. The gift felt closer than before, though Zac sensed it was still too early. Like the patterns across his skin, it faded, and Zac returned to normal. It was at that point he realized his surroundings felt different.
Zac opened his eyes and gawked at the sight. "What's going on?"
The underground chamber was gone, replaced with a boundless white. It was like he'd slipped out of reality, finding himself in an empty space between realities.
'You're finally done, you lunatic?' an exasperated Esmeralda cursed from within the shrine. 'Did you really have to go crazy just because of my little jab? Shoot, I barely had time to absorb two vats before you went crazy and gobbled up the whole manor.'
'I'm sorry about that,' Zac apologized. 'I underestimated how starved my body was.'
'Always something with you. Can't just sit still and meditate,' Esmeralda huffed. 'Fine, whatever! You better now?'
'Yes, much. The elixir was even better than—' Zac stopped upon feeling a nudge from within. 'Give me a moment.'
The feeling came from [Purity of the Void], which reminded Zac that upgrading his Draugr bloodline hadn't been his goal. His aim was to recover his Void Emperor Bloodline. His bloodline was so weakened that it couldn't function properly. Replacing what he'd taken from the Void Plane would do the trick, but the process was too slow.
The Zenith Elixir was the perfect solution. Its overwhelming fleshy energy was strong enough to force open the gates that connected his cells with the Void. From there, it was a simple matter of depositing a bunch of materials rich in spirituality. Of course, only someone with Zac's nigh-indestructible body would survive something like that.
Hiccups aside, the plan had clearly worked. The Purification Space was once more open for business, even if it was no larger than a fingernail. The size would limit its intended use, but just having it was a game changer during the trial. Waiting inside was a balled-up piece of paper with a hastily scribbled message. Taking it out, Zac coughed with embarrassment at the intense annoyance coming from the words.
'You made me lose control. I have to relocate.'
Zac wiped the message and wrote a new one: 'Sorry. My bloodline evolved. Coming out soon.'
[Death] Branch of Eoz (Middle Shallows): Base Attributes +250, Strength +1250, Endurance +2,250, Luck +25, All Attributes +10%, Strength +5%, Endurance +10%. Effect of Strength +5%, Effect of Endurance +10%.
Stepping into Middle Shallows was only a minor breakthrough, one that didn't translate into more attributes. He could feel that his body had marginally improved, increasing its natural durability and resistance to poisons and hostile Daos. Unfortunately, only a true Draugr would see the real benefits. The two major perks of a minor breakthrough were improved affinities and strengthened Bloodline Talens. Zac didn't mind. It was a free breakthrough, and he was one step closer to the big boost from a real Bloodline Awakening.
Reaching Middle Shallows as a Late Hegemon couldn't be considered an amazing feat. Each generation should have a few talents who'd advanced further, Tavza An'Azol being such an example. The only thing making the breakthrough special was the way it happened. Zac suspected the Abyssal Shores would be shocked beyond words if they learned he'd advanced his bloodline without using any Abyssal Treasures.
With everything in place, it was time to leave. His other half was forced to escape, and the situation in Black Zenith had clearly gone a bit out of hand.
"I'm ready. What's this place?" Zac asked.
'It's the Mayor. He erected a trapping formation around you after you tore down his mansion,' Esmeralda said, adding upon noting Zac's frown. 'It was for your sake. You were starting to attract the unrefined energy below.'
Zac shuddered. He didn't want to know what would happen if he accidentally drew that unstable energy into his weakened Void. Just the diluted Zenith Elixir had pushed his body to its limits. Extending his senses outward, Zac realized the endless white was just an illusion. There was a clear edge, and Zac pushed against it with his mind.
"Elder, it's safe now."
The white faded and was replaced by a scene of disarray. The sprawling mansion looked like it fought and lost a war. Only a few especially reinforced structures remained standing. Errant streaks of berserk energy lingered, indicating the skull's protective formations had been disrupted. Thankfully, it didn't look like he'd permanently damaged the town protection arrays. The devilish energy was already on retreat.
Unsurprisingly, the commotion had attracted a huge crowd. Zac grimaced from the scrutiny, turning to Truga Ur.
"I'm very sorry about this," Zac said and threw over a Treasure Jade Box.
"No harm done. Houses are easily rebuilt," Truga Ur said with a forced smile. "The way young master cultivates leaves one in awe."
"The Zenith Elixir lives up to its name," Zac said.
'We need to go. It feels like this whole place is about to collapse. We don't want to be in the middle of the chasm if that happens.'
Esmeralda wasn't talking about the city. It was the memory domain itself that was about to dissipate. Black Zenith felt hollow and faded, just like his previous vision by the end. His breakthrough had drained far more Imperial Faith than the rest of his stay combined.
"I would stay and help, but I fear my actions have drawn unnecessary attention. I should be on my way," Zac said.
"Don't you worry about a thing," Truga Ur said, more than happy to have Zac out of his hair. "We wish you the best of luck on your journey. Black Zenith will be waiting for you upon your return."
Seeing the mob standing behind its mayor, Zac briefly hesitated whether he should come clean about the scam. Ultimately, he decided against it. Even if it was a lie, he'd rather leave on a hopeful note than one filled with despair. Still, he felt compelled to say something.
"Change can be painful," Zac said, looking out across the gathered townspeople. "Don't panic. The Empire knows what it's doing, and it will always provide shade."
The declaration echoed Kristvan Wendimar's parting words. Zac had no way of knowing if they were true. Black Zenith might not have a future, but there was no reason for the Limitless Empire to discard its people. They could very well have been relocated long before the earthquakes caused problems.
Zac turned into a streak, speeding through the city and its gates. He jumped onto the chain, and each step brought him further out of the past and into the present. A surge of energy swept through the chasm the moment Zac stepped off the chain. It released a powerful discharge of Imperial Faith into the world, weakening the domain further.
There was no way for Black Zenith to hold on. It looked like the city was dragged through time at a breakneck pace. The chasm heaved, releasing deadly bursts of corruption that forced Zac to back away. Between every upheaval, Black Zenith looked slightly worse. Chains disappeared one after another.
Soon, the whole skull was gone. The heaves grew weaker and more sporadic until the whole chasm flickered and disappeared. The memory domain had officially collapsed, and the area before them had turned into normal land. The only signs of the Zenith Chasm and the city it held were some crags that couldn't even fit a human. Time had erased the last memories of Truga Ur and his town.
"So that's how Black Zenith ended up," Zac sighed.
"I guess the mayor's fears came true. The Imperial Road destabilized the chasm. Time and nature took care of the rest," Esmeralda said, glancing at Zac. "We shouldn't get wrapped up in the lives of these people, even if it all seems real."
"I know," Zac nodded.
The two stayed in the area to observe a little longer. The items he'd brought out all remained, and his identity brand remained the same. It showed no signs of drainage after having borrowed Terea Wendimar's name, and no new lines had been filled in. The city didn't reappear, though it seemed to slowly recover its energy. A cluster of memory lanterns still fell from the sky where Black Zenith once stood.
"Maybe it'll come back when the Imperial Faith has reached the required threshold," Esmeralda said, her eyes gleaming in thought. "What would happen if these things were allowed to accumulate for a few months? Years? Maybe the memories will shift to more prosperous epochs?"
"Unless someone else comes along and drains them first," Zac said. "You know, the Outer Courts might not even have formed if they're in the same state. Or at least not reached their full potential."
"I wonder if that can be exploited," Esmeralda mused. "What if we manage to sneak into the court before construction's finished? We could install a nice little back door and come back when the time's ripe."
"It's not a bad idea, provided different versions can affect each other," Zac said. "Either case, we've confirmed that memory domains and memory lanterns work mostly the same. The lanterns give you a specific identity that can be stored, and you can use a stored identity when visiting the domains."
"Let's keep going," Esmeralda grinned. "This place has just resurfaced, and the opportunities are already so good. There has to be countless treasures waiting for a new master."
-----------------
"The towers of Sage Galesee! We're finally safe!" Esmitha exclaimed, turning to the man at her side. "It's all thanks to Master Wormwood."
"Rooting out evil is the duty of all," the guardsman answered with an even voice. "Even if it comes at great personal cost."
Esmitha fought hard to hold back a curse. Their benefactor's appetite would put a bandit to shame. He'd extorted a fortune since displaying his might. Esmitha would have taken her chances and jumped into the gorge if she knew that the life-saving favor would come at such a steep price. The honed instincts of a veteran caravan master screamed it was a setup. Why else would such a powerful master accept the job of a simple guardsman?
But what was the point? There were easier ways for a Pure Lord to make money than ripping off a fledgling merchant house. The senior was more likely here for the mysterious troupe, which only made the situation all the more frustrating. He'd already dealt with the threat, so why was he sticking around like a bad smell?
"Each morning, I breathed in relief upon confirming Master Wormwood's presence. Surely, someone like senior has better things to do than escort an impoverished family and their meager wares," Esmitha said with a forced smile. "I feel embarrassed taking up any more of your time. No one can escape the sage's gaze inside her domain."
"It's not in my nature to leave things half-done," the guard answered, showing no indication of leaving.
Esmitha wailed at the injustice as she took out another box of crystals. It'd be a miracle if she broke even on this three-year journey. "I assure you, nothing will go wrong. Please take this as a token of my undying appreciation."
The guard looked at the chest, slowly nodding. Esmitha thanked the Emperor her offering was sufficient to exorcise this evil god from her life. A shadow swallowed the box, and Master Wormwood was gone the next second.
"It was nice meeting you, lass. I hope to see you again."
'I'd rather get kidnapped by bogtrolls!' Esmitha inwardly shrieked, laboriously maintaining her grateful smile.
The world shuddered, turning into a distant cousin of its former self. Some mountains had eroded while others took their place. The gleaming sentinels erected on the peaks were gone, as was the splendid capital far in the distance. Nature had fully reclaimed the region, leaving not a hint of the glorious civilization that had once stood here.
Ogras looked at the pillars towering toward the sky far in the distance, knowing where he needed to go next. The distance was daunting.
"What a waste of time. Should've left after I finished the mission," Ogras muttered as he stowed the box of impure crystals.
A cold scoff made Ogras jump in fright. He disappeared in a puff of shadows, moving miles in the blink of an eye. Carefully scanning the periphery, he confirmed no one was following him. The voice came from within, or rather from the light that emerged from his chest. It split off, a piece of it turning into a seal on his hand.
Ogras curiously observed the incomplete seal of the Hollow Court, recognizing the aura of the warrior he'd become over the past weeks. The wandering sellsword Andar Wormwood was a manufactured persona. The man's real name still eluded Ogras, if he even had one. Ogras inspected his Spatial Ring, eyes lighting up upon confirming everything was still there.
He took out a normal crystal and infused his energy according to a set pattern. The crystal flickered and transformed into a token that reeked of blood. Ogras retracted his will, causing the token to immediately revert into a crystal. Ogras would never have guessed there was something special about it. Even now, he couldn't spot any weaknesses in its camouflage.
That crazy instructor back on Ensolus once mentioned that Ogras wasn't templar material and that his talents were better utilized in other departments. How ironic he'd accidentally joined one more suited to his tastes—the Nameless Blades. From what Ogras could tell, the Nameless Blades were one of the Limitless Empire's hidden weapons. Spies, assassins, or investigators, whatever the situation required.
Andar Wormwood had been searching for a dangerous organization with connections to the Selvari Empire. They'd been plotting an attack on the sage Esmitha mentioned. Part of the plan meant smuggling taboo materials by infiltrating smaller caravans. Andar had accomplished his mission at the cost of his life. He'd died from his wounds three days before the illusion ended.
Ogras wasn't one to die a martyr's death, and it hadn't been difficult to sniff out the threat ahead of time. From there, it was just a matter of time before he got rid of them all. Truthfully, the boss had been a tough customer. Ogras would have run for his life if not for the risk it would get him kicked out of the trial.
His hard work paid off. The token was some good stuff. The Nameless Blades had far-reaching authority, and they seemed to have something to do with the Hollow Court. He turned toward the pillar in the distance, uncertain if going there was the right decision. Kator was dead, but so what? He would be there, making disaster all but certain.
"You should be done by now, right?" Ogras muttered as he set out. "Everyone is getting stronger. I can't lag behind."
Nearby, another spiritual light fell from the sky. Did all the memories hold opportunities? He'd wasted some time shaking down the merchants, but now he knew what to expect. The next attempt would be more efficient. If he could raid one memory a day, the rewards would quickly stack up. The sound of wooden beads colliding shattered the beautiful dream.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Comments
James Getgood
hahahaha, good call
Jeff McCulley
It would almost be funny if he had a tracking beacon for Thea that he’d forgotten about.
MacMahon Wenzl
Yeah, I forgot that.
Jonas Lemke
Curse you for giving me a patreon notification, thinking it was today's chapter
Jeff McCulley
We know the name of the clan, but Iz doesn’t exactly hand out info. I think that Vilari will have to run into one of their clan to learn more.
Jeff McCulley
I must admit, I like it the most because… A. It makes TFD happy and healthier, and… B. It’s not TWO days a week. ;)
Jeff McCulley
TFD can still surprise all of us!
Jeff McCulley
I’ll note that if Ogras took off like a bat outta hell from a “cold scoff”, guess what he’s going to do now? Unless it’s Zac fiddling around with some beads.
MythWizard
Jeff, I think you have won me over with "collide." After your in-depth outer court analysis, I am not betting against you. :)
Jeff McCulley
Sure, it could easily randomly appear. But that’s not where he’s *going*.
Jeff McCulley
Definitely not. Among other things, why would their beads “collide”? They’re also overly formal and polite. This wasn’t.
Jeff McCulley
"…Zac said and threw over a Treasure Jade Box.” I was wondering why he did this, for a memory that didn’t really exist. Then I realized. He’s balancing karma. Not to mention that the place may exist once more—or he may run into another iteration of Truga Ur somewhere. “before you went crazy and gobbled up the whole manor” So…did human Zac just eat the chunk out of the mountain, or did he grab all the surrounding treasures, too? “The Purification Space was once more open for business, even if it was no larger than a fingernail.” Well. It was the size of a football before, right? Still, better that nothing. I assume it can purify the Earthly Taint from those impure crystals, and other treasures? “Ogras inspected his Spatial Ring…” You can tell that Ogras spent too much time away from Zac after the Perennial Vastness, as the War started. Zac has “Spatial Ringssss”, plural. Ring$! “How ironic he'd accidentally joined one more suited to his tastes.” Sure, Ogras. That was an “accident”. “He would be there, making disaster all but certain.” Because Zac is a walking calamity. "You should be done by now, right?” I assume he means, Zac is done with his core by now. “The sound of wooden beads colliding shattered the beautiful dream.” Definitely Ventus and his abacus. I’m not sure if Ogras met him in the Perennial Vastness when Zac did—but Zac should have told him about Ventus. Especially given that the Yphelion was going where Ventus had pointed them towards. Further, with Ventus the Numerologist calculating probabilities (that’s how he found Ogras), he should be able to lead them to any other of Zac’s sealbearers in the area. Starting, perhaps, with Zac himself. Y’know, with Zac having the Wendimar seal, Esmerelda, Ogras and now Ventus helping out, he has some impressive advantages. Ogras becoming a card carrying (or, token carrying) member of the Nameless Blades certainly doesn’t hurt, either. It’ll be interesting next chapter to see if Inda, the Endemire Safe’s granddaughter, is tagging along with Ventus. Oh yes…and wherever Catheya is, Tavza should be poking around here, too near the Hollow Court, too. Lastly, since they’re in the neighborhood of the Hollow Court…did Lissa ever complete her Seal? I suppose Ventus will have an idea when or if she does.
Jeff McCulley
After her experience with the sangha, Thea would have burned and buried any beads that she had. Tossed them in a river.
Jeff McCulley
I seem to remember that Ventus’. abacus changed appearance to a normal abacus when he was around other folks. Out in public or around the inknowns, it was a simple abacus.
Stephen Taylor
I hope so! But then I also hope we get an explanation for a different/new abacus.
Russ
It has to be Ventus. He seems to know what Ogras is thinking, and he's warning him regarding a danger of being too greedy in this trial.
Mike Naka
you get more than a golf clap! thanks mate
Mike Naka
maybe zac will break into the b grade eating the omni king trial? that's the 1 where all the so-called geniuses disappear into & are never seen again, right? what a plot twist for a major set back for zac where he has to flee to, pass, and eat the omni king trial/world/dimension. could become part of his inner world. we don't know much about those, but if you have to populate it w/ things and people, and the quality of the people play an important/critical part of how strong your inner world is, then imagine zac's inner world populated w/ all the multiverses' geniuses. who could match that? or have i gone too far down a rabbit hole? but if it's partially true/accurate, i gotta give tfd some cred for the 4-d chess! means he did plan ahead & has a long term plan in mind.
Mike Naka
tfd's stuff is so good i wish we were still getting it 5 days a week butt i know what a toll that puts on ya. but yeah, it's like early release times at least for me in est so that's awesome
Mike Naka
nice work, rain man!
Michael
I’m going to take a random guess here and say it’s Thea. She was with the baldies for long enough she could still be wearing some beads.
MythWizard
Yea its a baldie
Stephen Taylor
Well damn. Not Ventus. From book 8: “That impression was only increased since he was holding a weird instrument, something resembling an abacus. Instead of wooden balls on rods, there were hundreds of small stone beads hovering in an array without anything keeping them in place.“ so, not wooden beads. Must be a baldie
M💬
I agree and see where you are coming from Jeff but we also know it appears randomly, what are the odds it appears to either Human or Draugr Zac
wayne lyons
If u mean villari we already know. Iz mentioned she was from the ignus clan. I don’t think we have learned anything more
Dragon
I agree, current arc will end with draugr Zac taking the item to the primo and the human half heading into the technocrats home base (I think he’s gonna go partial cyborg too and undo it all with creation energy after he’s gotten what he needs from them
Jeff McCulley
The cost is the time lost in the vision and being defenseless. If it’s Ventus, he’s telling Ogras this memory is worthless to him.
Jeff McCulley
There was no “benefactor” or other honorific, though.
Jeff McCulley
Fair enough. “But instead of wooden balls on strings, there were hundreds of small stone beads hovering in an array without any strings keeping them in place.” Would have to go back and look, but pretty sure we still heard the clacking of wooden beads. Guess we’ll see Friday? Er…I don’t think it’s Zac and his remaining lucky beads.
Scott Mingo
I'm going to guess that's Ventus, because even the baldies would find trying to convert Ogras to be too much of a pain in the butt.
Jeff McCulley
No? The Omniking is a random appearing thing. After this, Draugr Zac is supposed to be headed to the Abyssal Shores (maybe with a detour to the Primo), while Human Zac is supposed to head into the Eternal Storm to help Kenzie. The Omnilord’s Trial was a once mentioned thing used as an illustration of opportunities. I don’t understand the fixation. Zac would be FAR more likely to go looking for the Nautilus thing he has a key to. Er, after he finishes those two.
Jeff McCulley
Suggested Edits “Bloodline Talens” >talents “…Abyssal pools calmed down.” >calmed. “It was a gift” >It was THE gift
Jonas Lemke
I gotta say I'm really digging the 3 days a week release schedule
Jonas Lemke
If it's someone Ogras can't fight, well it's good that our boy is the best at running away
MacMahon Wenzl
If Iz meets Valarie, will we learn of the clan that Valerie's body comes from?
The lord of chaos
i think Arcaz and Zac will split up. There is no reason that it would be hinted that they could be insane distances apart and not use it. Arcaz has been flirting with the idea of going to the undead empire and I think it would be a waste if they are absent for the next large arc, when apart from the mystic realm that was not really an arc in itself but a climax, they were never not involved in the story.
The lord of chaos
thanks for the hard work bro, its going to be a lot easier keeping up with all the courts and such
Tommy
Probably Sanctuary to get what Kenzie needs
ForTheAfro
You’re a good man
John
I'd love seeing some 1 on 1 between Ogras and the baldies. They're so similar and different at the same time, definitely a lot of potential for interesting dialogue and character interaction.
John
You think there's a cost to utilizing the memory lanterns?
Alistair Harbour
EPIC!!!!!! This is so cool, thank you for putting in so much effort!!
MacMahon Wenzl
My guess is Ventus. The beads make me think of an abacus more than monks. I feel like if it was the monks it would either be clapping of hands, them saying "Amitabh" or "benefactor".
M💬
So after ultom is Zac going for the Omni kings inheritance? Personally I think it would be fitting also, I think the Omni king inheritance is from the same people that made the inheritance in the P.
Omiso
I thought Ventus abacus beads were made of stars. Did I misremembered?
Omiso
Don't forget Zac just mentioned he can continue to upgrade his bloodline because of his Draugr/Void emperor heritage without having to use abyssal treasures and the abyss is happy to play along share it's path with him. Now it makes more sense why the Draugr are considered a Divine Race any other undead cultivator would kill to have that kind of advantage.
Omiso
"Power given was hollow; true strength was seized" sound similar to Gloria Steinem "Power can be taken, but not given" she then explained The process of the taking is empowerment in itself quite a truthful quote very fitting for Zac's situation.
Omiso
The wooden bead does hint to a lack of head hair.
Mike Naka
dang...luck +25 is all that zac gets from upgrading his bloodline away from the abyssal pond AND with no treasures? that's only like what...a little over a 1% boost. conservatively, i could understand a 2 or 2 1/2 % boost. i would've gone with maybe a 5% boost to his luck. but alright. everything else is great. i'm diggin' this solo zac action. throw in a few povs, and i'm as happy as a pig in ....
Jeff McCulley
Collating Zac’s Sealbearers I’ve gone through on a reread to confirm known sealbearers, and whether they’ve completed their seals or not. Thirteen of Zac’s twenty (at the time) sealbearers-/that he knew of—accompanied him on the Yphelion. There are a number of problems with the issue, notably one uncertainty related to this comment: Ch. 1,272 “Esmeralda spotted a few others avoiding being dragged under, including most of Zac's subordinates.” “Most” is the question, isn’t it? After careful reconstruction, I determined that if Zac’s thirteen sealbearers on the trip, only one hadn’t completed theirs. The problem being that in Chspter 1,234, it says that six sealbearers completed theirs, joining Galau, who had finished his in the preceding “rotting eye” chapter. It even says that they found seven seals total in that period, the one stray being Kruta, who got his second. However, the only names we get for the six completed are Carl and Ra’Klid—because they completed Quests. The other four were in the wild. By process of elimination, people specifically listed as having completed their seals before or afterwards, were left with five names from the Yphelion crew for the four completed seals. Ogras, Rhuger, Bubbur, Ibteo and Jaol. One of these five didn’t complete his seal. ***The current chapter just removed Ogras from that list. The other problem(s)? Before he left, Zac said that he had two full cycles, plus two spares. That’s twenty sealbearers. We only know seventeen of them. A. Eighteen, if he was counting Ventus Kalavan, who had sworn to him. Considering Galau, it would make sense if Zac did count Ventus—but we don’t know that. B. Thea would be the 21st, which he does not know, and cannot be including in his count. C. We do not know which Court Boje holds. I could guess that it’s Farsee like fellow noncombatants Ibtep and Jaol, or Daedalian, like fellow merchant Galau, but until we know it’s uncertain. D. He does not consider Catheya part of his Cycle. When talking with a troubled Joanna, he said that he knew the name of two courts none of “his people” had—the Indomitable and the Daedalian. He knew that Catheya was Daedalian, so he wasn’t counting her as “his”. E. Before Stormstar was dumb enough to try to escape and got killed by Lissa, there was another Sealbearer imprisoned at Purgatory with her, a Kan’Tanu with a Farsee seal. Zac was reluctant to give it to Jaol. We don’t know how that resolved. F. There was trepidation about Ibtep completing a seal quest with his mount. We never saw that completed. G. In Ch. 1,269, Ilvere tells us three things. 1. Designations Quests (for seals) have three months to be completed. 2. The Atwood Army is going on a major offensive. 3. They will now be recruiting factions to join the Atwood Empire. All three of those represent opportunities for more Sealbearers to join Zac’s Cycle—or those left at home like Lissa to complete their seals. Er, who may also be strengthening themselves with Rava this whole time. Anyway, I think that’s all of my qualifications. The full list, as I have it, is below. 1 Hollow Court/Skybreaker Built by Undead Empire/Primo Ogras (3–1,279) Lissa (?) 2 Mercurial Court/Realmsinger Built by the Pasho'Har Janos (3–Previous, 1,193) *Unknown 3 Anima Court/Soultaker Built by Beseechment Pavilion (Realmsinger) Vilari (3–1,243) *Unknown—Because Zac thinks he has two cycles, but doesn’t know about Thea being alive…and can’t be counting Inda. Yet. Thea (3-1,269) *Inda, Endemire Sage’s granddaughter. 4 Tethered Court/Chainbreaker Rhubat(3-1,269) Bubbur 5 Starfall Court/Reignender Rhuger Ra’Klid (3–1,234) 6 Radiant Court l/Lightbringer Emily (3–Previous, 1.193) Carl (3–1,234) 7 Farsee Court/Plainswalker Ibtep Jaol *Also had a Kan’Tanu prisoner in Purgatory with a piece. 8 Daedalian Court/Threadwinder Galau (3-1,234) *Unknown or Ventus? (I’d expect the Numerologist to have 3) /Catheya (3-1,267) Loyalty to Draugr 9 Indomitable Court/Blooddancer Joanna (3-1,257) Kruta (2–1,234, 3–1,267)
Jeff McCulley
“Reaching Middle Shallows as a Late Hegemon couldn't be considered an amazing feat.” Well, no, Zac. Not amazing for people who live on the shores of the Abyssal Lake. You’ve never been there. “The sound of wooden beads colliding shattered the beautiful dream.” Ventus and his abacus. We’re getting the band back together!
Beastman@26
I hope it’s Ventus. But fear it’s the baldies
Jeff McCulley
Ogras is on the other side of the continent from Draugr Zac and Esmerelda. I.e, closer to human Zac.
Jeff McCulley
The baldies would also just let him do something dumb.
Jeff McCulley
Ventus!
Jeff McCulley
My thoughts exactly!
Surgebinder
I'd enjoy a short slice of life adventure with Zac, Ogras and Esmeralda looting their way through the multiverse
Henry Wartemberg
I’d imagine that Ogras has at least some chance of being able to escape the Eonic seeds and flamebearers (at massive cost). With that being his literal speciality.
Henry Wartemberg
Baldies are slightly more likely to use some over the top honorific.
Henry Wartemberg
Ventus?
The Lost Pages
Either Ventus or the Baldies. My bet is on the latter. But could be either. I'm hoping the former truthfully.
David Giles
'Ogras wasn't one to die a martyr's death.' Really Ogras? Because I distinctly remember you making the big hero play to save a certain someone.
Dwagyn
Speaking of the Sangha... Lol
Andrew
Thank you!
Lex Luther S
Hmmmm. He ate up the whole manor🤣🤣 He truly is the deviant asura. And we got to see some Ogras. Very nice; especially since it seems he's delved into a great opportunity with the nameless blades find. Though I'm a wee worried about the ending statement. The sound of wooden beads colliding shattered the beautiful dream. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." The only reason I'm not worried is that unless they're an eonic seed, fighting is more than plausible. But I wonder who it is? Maybe ventus? He has a standing deal with zac and he likely understands the price needed to access those motes.
Jason Hatter
Zac advancement-blocking as always
Krispy sock
💪🧦
