Chapter 1340 (2/2)
Annie walked back outside and stood next to Dozer with a blank face. She made no attempt to chase after her daughter. Kharon began to clamber over the surrounding hills, heading directly West.
“...do you know the worst part?” Annie said quietly. Dozer tilted his head to the side, wondering whether she had discovered that he was complicit in the escape. Not that Dozer tried to help their daughter flee from their parental disapproval of her most recent actions, but rather it was that Dozer stood a little more distant from the issue than Annie had been and had easily seen this sudden flight coming.
There were perhaps steps that he could have taken to make sure Delilah wouldn’t manage to successfully escape. But he didn’t have the heart to take those steps to restrict the daughter that had gradually become his whole world. And sure, he worried what she would get into while he wasn’t there, but Dozer already had the experience of slowly woo-ing Annie during those early days in Donnyton. Trying to hold onto them would just bring about the opposite result that he wanted.
Besides, Dozer had sent messages to both Tatiana and Naffur, requesting that they locate Delilah and keep an eye out for her antics. Despite how busy they both were, there were enough capable people around Kharon that Dozer didn’t doubt it would be one of the safest places for Delilah.
“What’s the worst part?” Dozer asked slowly.
“That skank took the last of my muffins,” Annie grumbled. “I’m really craving something sweet right now-”
Dozer frowned over at Annie. “Don’t call your daughter a skank.”
“If she didn’t want me to call her a skank, she shouldn’t have taken my muffins.” Annie’s eyes gleamed with a cruel sort of repressed violence. Dozer decided that he wouldn’t argue this point any further.
*****
Tatiana glanced at Wolfram as the two stood on one of the high rise apartment buildings on the East of Kharon and looked toward the slowly shrinking forms of the Nordawn Mountain Range. “I am surprised that most of you and your fellow secretaries agreed to stay on Kharon. I was under the impression that you planned on taking control of the ogre population away from Obyrn Myyr. Shouldn’t you be there, building up support?”
Wolfram snorted. “Did your Ghosthound need to curry support from the ogres? No, he was simply the strongest and the best, and people recognized that and followed him without question. I shall allow Obyrn Myyr to complete the tedious task of developing an ogre empire without me looking over his shoulder… our confrontation is not for several months anyway. Better for me to adventure and understand the lay of this world so that I might better lead my people when they once more become mine.
“You earthlings grow quickly. The ogres will need extensive preparations to keep abreast of such developments.”
I wonder if things truly were so simple with the ogres. If you hadn’t followed Randidly for being the strongest… would this transition have been nearly as bloodless? Tatiana kept her arms behind her back, even as the breeze whipped up stray strands of her hair into a frenzy around her face. “Well thank you for staying here in Kharon. Your assistance is appreciated. It makes my job much easier.”
“Truly, I do not understand how you managed all this on your own,” Wolfram said with a frown. “My own workload currently is… ahem. Prodigious.”
It felt good to have that feat recognized, although Tatiana played it off. “Yes, well, certainly things have been a bit more hectic recently… with the parties, dealing with the new populations, setting up trade agreements with various Zones and Orders… but I have a feeling that it’s only going to get worse. Kharon is becoming rather influential.”
For a while, the two looked at the departing mountain range in silence. Then Wolfram spoke again. “There is a thing I have been meaning to ask you. About your Ghosthound.”
“Technically our Ghosthound now, is he not?” Tatiana said in a teasing tone.
Ever serious, Wolfram nodded slowly and adjusted his large glasses. “Our Ghosthound. Yes, I suppose that is true. Our Ghosthound. I resisted, but a few of my fellow scribes accepted this… Eidolon Crucible last night. They woke up exhausted but much benefited from the experience. I understand the utility of a moving city, but why does he seem to purposefully isolate himself so? Many would benefit from his teachings. He is jumpstarting the growth of humans. But there are more direct solutions to this problem.”
Tatiana released a sigh. “It is not a secret, but I know Randidly prefers to be rather vague with the details. Perhaps you would even understand better than I of his motivations. But the image of the Ghosthound… cannot be used to pass the Second Calamity.”
“He has seen Ascension,” Wolfram released a sudden breath. “That is why he is so harsh. That is why he teaches lessons but disappears before individuals can imitate the tang of his image. He cannot become the dream, only the nightmare.”
“Just so,” Tatiana confirmed. The two stood in silence for a while longer.
“He takes a difficult Path.” Wolfram sighed. Tatiana nodded emphatically. After adjusting his glasses again, he asked another question. “Does he require anything from us? To try and overcome this… Special Investigator?”
“Probably.” Tatiana sighed. “Unfortunately… our lord isn’t the best at asking for assistance. He has worked on his own for too long.”
Bringing his fist around, Wolfram patted his chest. “Ahem. I figured you would answer like that. Which was why I wanted to make a suggestion of something that we could do for him…”