Chapter 792 (1/2)

“What do you mean,” Alta hissed.

Creta gave Alta the look that meant she needed to watch her words. They weren’t alone. Some of the influential figures who formed the core of Alta’s faction were present. With great difficulty, Alta reigned in her emotions.

“Empty,” Edmund said. He was an old spriggit man, who likely would like nothing better than to be in another faction. But besides being intelligent, the man was also an unrepentant racist. Because Alta was Spriggit, he had no choice but to ally himself with her. “No people, no clothes, no nothing. It is empty. Carthak left.”

“Fled into the cave Systems beneath the city,” Creta cut in. “And a long time ago. At least a month. If they truly are running, we will not catch them.”

“So, what can we take? We need to keep the faction happy,” Alta said, breathing through her nose.

Creta grimaced but said nothing.

Edmund, the old fuck, chuckled. “Didn’t you hear? Nothing. It’s empty.”

*****

Randidly watched with mixed emotions as the girl-turned-cyborg burning the entire mountain to the ground in order to make sure the people of Carthak had nothing to return to. Both because of how he could sense the infection that had set in around her heart, and because he could feel how far away Allica had led her people. It was a useless gesture. The tantrum of a child.

But even from this distance, he could see the violet and grey bulb that was swelling from Alta’s core. The reckoning would be soon. Whatever karma she held, it would soon bloom.

But Allica’s decision was one that made even less sense to him. To leave? Randidly had thought her focus had been on developing a home. That sense of growth was what Randidly was going to rely on to combat the karma that Alta may claim.

Still, there was something enjoyable about not completely understanding the goings on in his Soulskill. Her exodus delayed her ideas conflict with Alta’s. Her group was already down another Land, in the realm of the Soulless. Even as Alta howled and burnt everything they had left away.

During the chaos, Randidly found Lucretia.

“Almost over,” He said with a sigh. He didn’t relish saying it.

Lucretia’s smile was bitter. “She’s sick, isn’t she?”

Randidly nodded. The two stood on a low hill and watched Alta determinedly melting stone. Then he asked, “Her karma is growing ripe. She will force my hand soon.”

“She cannot force your hand, the whole world couldn’t even force your hand. Are you not the god of this world?” Lucretia said wryly. She looked at Randidly with a glimmer of amusement. “Truly, your understandings of karma are shallow.”

Frowning, Randidly said, “It is owed. Twice they have sacrificed for me.”

“Twice you have asked for favors,” Lucretia said softly. “All that matters is what favor you ask for next. By that… you will be damned. Such is karma. Such is a pattern.”

Randidly blinked.

With a laugh, Lucretia waved her hand. “Now, please leave me. This… is hard enough to watch as it is. But I must. Such is my karma.”

After a brief hesitation, Randidly left. He slid back out of his Soulskill and to the world once more. He checked the time, finding to his amusement that there was still a half hour to sunset. It seemed like recently, he had lost his knack for arriving right on time for occasions, for all that he had a Skill that gave him the absolute time. But increasingly, Randidly found himself with downtime.

And with those opportunities, he allowed himself a few spare moments where he didn’t ponder or think or refine. He simply existed.