Chapter 1380 (2/2)

“I don’t know. But it shouldn’t be… soon.” Randidly sighed. Then his left eye darkened to pure black. “There are a few rats I need to drag out of hiding before I leave… but otherwise, I’ll just be wrapping up a few things so you all…”

Then Randidly trailed off. Tatiana was just looking at him. Randidly bit his lip and then tried to force a smile. “Tatiana… why are you acting like this is the end of the world? I left before, remember? To go to the frontlines. AND before that, I went to Tellus, even if you weren’t working for me in the same capacity then… why is this any different?”

“It feels different, doesn't it?” Tatiana said in that same soft voice. Her lips were trembling. “Like this is the end of an era. You’ve built something that’s supposed to last… now what comes next is you leave us to see how we stand the test of time.”

“Tatiana-” Randidly began, but this time Tatiana raised her palm to him to stop him from speaking.

“Don’t. I’m… sorry I let you see me like this. I… I get it. And I respect and understand everything that you do. It’s just…” Then Tatiana smiled at Randidly while she tilted her head to the side. Her eyes were bright. Her teeth were so very, very white. “As much as you’ve relied on me… I’ve relied on you. To see the broader trend in the world. To know how the System works, and how Kharon and the Order Ducis should approach problems that haven’t even revealed themselves yet. Maybe… no, I’m sure that I’m not just becoming emotional because you are leaving me. It’s… because I understand that soon, it will be just me and Naffur trying to navigate our way through this. We will be Kharon, the Traveling City, the guiding light for Earth. Before I didn’t understand the stakes. Now… even the population of Kharon alone…”

Tatiana shook her head. But then she reached up and wiped the tears from her eyes. Clear-eyed, she looked at Randidly with determination. “Do you… have any advice?”

Randidly couldn’t help but chuckle. “I mean, like I said, I’m not leaving quite yet. But as for advice… remember you aren’t alone. Just like I couldn’t have done it without you and Naffur, find the people who believe in the same things as you. And continue to invest in the people of Kharon. I believe… the city is truly becoming something special.”

To that, Tatiana snorted. “Oh, Randidly, you have no idea. Heh, honestly, I feel sorta bad for you. You’ll probably be gone so long that you will come back and the city will be completely transformed. Oh, I’ll send Mareen up in the next few days. Ideally, your home should be finished before you leave. That way it can soak in your image and Nether a bit… oh and, catch.”

Tatiana reached into her pocket and flicked an object toward Randidly. He reached up and caught it, while muttering, “I really don’t intend for this to be a permanent departure…” Then he looked down at his palm to see a Tier 1 Nexus coin shining there.

“King Phirun led the final charge in the Epic Danger Zone, so he was given the other one.” Tatiana continued. “But that is the other Citizenship coin we obtained. Helen obviously had no interest in it, so… If you are going to the Nexus, you might need it.”

Randidly spun the coin across his fingers. Another label created by the System, offering false hope that it would provide some protection. But Randidly was beginning to understand the hungry engine at the heart of the Nexus would consume them all, Citizen or not.

He tossed the coin back with a shake of his head. “You keep it. If you can gather two more, it will be valuable to give Kharon, and probably the whole Earth, as a bit of insurance. As it is… either way, I believe I’m capable of gathering enough of the coins on my own.”

Plus, I need to figure out what Vualla’s plan is… original Vualla… hopefully she will let us call her something different so its easier to keep them straight...

Randidly’s rejection seemed to surprise Tatiana and she stared down at the coin in her hand for a while. Then she stored it away into a pocket. “Okay. Then what is Kharon going to do while you are still here?”

“Head to the edge of the world.” Randidly rubbed his jaw. He felt oddly light at the moment, as though as soon as he had said out loud to Tatiana that he would be leaving soon, he was somehow unmoored. So he took in a deep breath to steady himself before he continued to speak. The steady beat of his heart in his chest was something of a relief and a reminder that he probably would stay for at least another few weeks. “There are some Bubble Cities to which I want to send Order Ducis operatives… gather up Heiffal’s crew so they can hide in my Alpha Cosmos… I’ll also need to finally track down Ace to get Yystrix’s memories back…”

Randidly shook his head. “Honestly, there is a lot…”

“What else is new?” Tatiana smirked as Randidly, as though the previous conversation had never happened. With a wave, she turned away. Already, the moss spirits of Kharon had responded to Randidly’s will and adjusted their course. The city even began to pick up speed, considering the distance it needed to travel. “I’ll get everything started. But believe me when I say that I’m going to come up with a pile of work you’ll need to handle before you leave~”

“Thanks, Tatiana,” Randidly grinned.

She stepped onto her platform and spoke without turning around. “No, thank you, Randidly Ghosthound. You’ve taught me… heh. Just thank you.”

Then she floated down, buoyed by a platform wreathed in emerald energy. Which left Randidly to focus on his training

Because there was one piece of information within the large message Octavius had sent him that meant he didn’t dare yet leave the Earth. According to Octavius, the Xyrt Brigade had cut ties with Kaan Swacc and left him stranded on Earth. And from what Octavius suspected, the Swacc Family wouldn’t be willing to bail him out if he didn’t yet have results.

Which meant that after the Nether was dealt with and the Xyrt Brigade forces left the Earth… Randidly would need to draw out and slaughter Kaan Swacc. The monster from the Nexus that had all the right ideas about Randidly for all the wrong reasons.