Chapter 1018 (2/2)

It wasn’t like he wanted to force her to change her Class. It was just rather aggravating not to understand what had happened.

Her eyes had been as playful and golden as a cat’s in the dark alley, and she had said ‘I’m surprised you remembered me.’

“Bah, I don’t have time for this,” Randidly grumbled. He pressed his hands against the ground and flexed his fingers; the force threw him up onto his feet. There was a more pressing issue that needed to be considered.

After giving the speech, Randidly’s Crown of Upheaval and Gloom Skill had a thin crack running through it. As the image network Randidly was building inside of himself expanded, the violence of its resonance intensified. Ultimately, the Crown was a static thing; it was not designed to serve as a conduit for the images. It was just a focal point.

With Randidly’s abundant Aether, he had plenty of confidence that he would be able to force the destruction to serve as a launching pad to evolve into another Skill. But what he currently needed was to decide on the direction that Skill would go. What image should Randidly use as the base…?

Humming to himself, Randidly considered the possibilities while he began to walk toward the assembly area. For now, even if he couldn’t find the perfect answer at the moment, he didn’t have time to waste. He had a meeting with Wendy, and she was always extremely resentful when he arrived late.

*****

“Is this true?” Senator Heathridge asked.

Evan Crane nodded stoically. “Yes. After the Ghosthound gave his speech, it was announced that the Order Ducis had put out a bounty out on all Danger Zones. If they are cleared and the option to increase the rate that the entire population gains experience… Erickson Steel will provide that individual or group with one ton of the highest quality metal for free. Metal that was smelted by the Ghosthound himself. In addition, the Order Ducis will owe the successful clearer one favor, ‘expendable for the good of the Earth.’”

“Does he know about the Cyclops Initiative, I wonder…?” Senator Heathridge mused. “Truly, Randidly Ghosthound’s ability to gather information is staggering. Perhaps I have completely misunderstood the man. The rumors focus on his strength… but it is his ability to make connections that’s truly frightening.”

Crane kept his mouth shut and focused on the terminal’s glossy frame. For the first time in longer that Crane would care to admit, his fingers were not twitching to grab a cigarette. In fact, his hands clasped together with such vehemence that his arms were trembling.

After listening to Randidly Ghosthound’s speech… Crane felt weird. And if Senator Heathridge hadn’t insisted upon a debriefing, Crane likely would have found some space and solitude in order to examine the jumbled mess of feelings in his chest. Of course, he couldn’t let the Senator see even the slightest hint of his emotions.

To a spider-like Heathridge, such things were nothing but weakness. And weak tools were discarded without a second thought.

What is it that you fear the most, Senator Heathridge? Crane wondered.

“So,” Heathridge said, cutting back to the reason for the call. “After listening to Randidly Ghosthound’s speech, what can you tell me about the man? I have other informants in Erickson Steel, but it seems that they are all too busy with the surge of activity afterward in order to give me their findings in a short amount of time.”

Of course, they haven’t reported. They are probably dealing with the same thing I am. Crane thought bitterly. I know it’s just propaganda… but I can’t get that image out of my head. That Randidly Ghosthound has been walking alone into the darkness, toiling away to mine the secrets of the System. And now Erickson Steel has been invited to join him in that vast darkness, struggling to protect the world even if he will never be thanked for it.

Because it needs to be done. Because sometimes it is necessary that someone walks directly toward the maw of their fear so that the weaker among us have the image of a reassuring back ahead of them…

Shaking his head slightly, Crane licked his lips. Then his tongue flicked out again as he tried to gather his thoughts into something coherent. “He… it’s a lot of propaganda. About the noble Path of Erickson Steel, standing on the cutting edge of humanity. Of opening the way forward.”

Senator Heathridge’s sneer was clear in his voice. “Oh, does he truly believe that he can revolutionize the world by simply having steel that’s a little better than the competition? But based on your voice, he is a talented orator. Ha! Let’s see how long the population will remember that little pile of rhetoric.”

Crane thought about trying to explain that what Randidly had been speaking about wasn’t steel; metal and industry had barely come up at all throughout the speech. It was about fear and Paths.

And Crane also considered explaining that it wasn’t the ringing words that swayed the entire crowd, him included. It was the image that Randidly projected that was still gleaming and precious within Crane’s chest, several hours later.

But Crane said nothing. He just hoped Senator Heathridge was right about this feeling passing with time. Otherwise…