Chapter 1653 (1/2)

Birds chirped and fluttered around the open windowsill. Summer was in full swing, generously transforming the entire environment. Warm beams of light slanted down into the conference room, transforming the drab green carpet into a rich emerald walkway that glittered with possibilities. The Acting Head Teacher of Kharon Academy was currently finishing her report, her voice high-pitched with anxiety and frustration.

Tatiana chuckled and looked around the table at the other leaders who were attending the meeting. Most also had small smiles on their faces. “I mean, what did you expect? They are children; honestly, it’s surprising that it took so long for them to create a petition like this. Convincing them to have a semester of school without a sanction dance for a few years can be considered a major victory.”

Despite the very human reality of this situation, Gertrude Collin’s expression was stubborn. “Even if it… improves morale, considering the fact that enrollment is up to thirty thousand and we are still struggling to recruit enough teachers… just considering the problems of location alone… young Mister Moss hasn’t finished the Engravings to create the newest expansion, so… ALSO, if we consider how much money such an event will cost-”

“At least in terms of money, Kharon won’t have any problems.” Tatiana waved her hand. The room was warm, despite the drifting breezes from the open windows. Gertrude’s resistance was somewhat sweet, but she was missing the point; the status quo will never last. Inevitably as Kharon Academy grew, more and more resources would need to be sent to less… pertinent areas.

That was a universal problem of human civilizations and it certainly wasn’t with it to fight that trend over a winter formal.

Tatiana cleared her throat. “We’ve finally reached an agreement with Zone Seven. They will be sending one thousand talented teenagers to learn from us for three years and are rewarding us quite handsomely for our trouble. And that is on top of Kharon Academy’s usual tuition. All this is due to the tireless efforts of the newest member of our Council-”

Gertrude narrowed her eyes and leaned forward with her palms against the table. “But if we used this money instead to-”

Tatiana raised her hand. “Gertrude, they followed Kharon Academy Precepts. They successfully convinced 65% of the Academy’s population to sign it. It was brought before the Prefects and unanimously approved. We cannot do anything but acquiesce while remaining true to Kharon’s Spirit.”

To keep the young woman from dwelling too much on the dark side of her zeal to give the children better lives, Tatiana turned to Ajax. She tapped her fingers against the glossy surface of the mahogany table around which they all sat. “What are the reports from the Order Ducis? Have we heard any news about the First Calamity?”

Ajax nodded. “The Alpha Cosmos’ Pantheon released an official announcement that something… malfunctioned when Expira and the Alpha Cosmos were connected by the archways. However, things are apparently now back on track; based on their estimations, the First Calamity will arrive during the winter solstice.”

“Their estimations, or their own preparations, I wonder…?” No one responded to her low voiced statement, but Tatiana was used to it. The few individuals she shared her private theories with were slightly uncomfortable with the prospect of the Ghosthound taking over the System wholesale. Especially when it now seemed like a destructive Calamity would truly be arriving soon to Expira.

Tatiana set aside her pet theories and did some mental calculations. “That’s… a little over four months. Hum. Well, it will have to be enough.”

Commissioner Arrietti sighed. “A shame it’s taken so long for this trial to arrive. We’ve had five years to start squabbling again. People are growing complacent.”

Which is exactly why it’s paradoxically a good idea for a Calamity to appear soon...

“Speaking of which,” Tatiana looked over at him. “How did the communications with Zone 1 go?”

Commissioner Arrieti’s heavy face creased into a frown. He was an extremely polite man, but at these meetings, he laid bare his true emotional responses to the various other ambassadors. “Keh… well, I’m hoping they change their tune soon… but they still insist that we release Elijah Frank into their custody. They claim that legally, we cannot be considered part of the original Zone treaty. They no longer are saying our lack of Zone status precludes us, but rather… ahem, that our ‘transitory wanderings have deprived Kharon of its ability to claim the sanctuary benefits of stationary population centers’.”

Tatiana glanced at Ajax. Ajax snorted and shrugged. “They’ve definitely sent more skimmer bikes to tail us in the last few months. It isn’t enough that they would try to use force, but a clandestine operation? Definitely possible. But Hydie Mordath is more than capable of holding down the fort, believe me. Even thinking about giving her an annoying job gives me an inexplicable spree of bad luck these days… I’d hate to see what happened to a group trying to plot a prison break under her watch.”

The final member of their council set his tea down on the table. Huang Shou crossed his arms and slid his hands into his sleeves. “Zone 1 is certainly true to its roots; it is a country that prides itself on its ability to ignore its own history and therefore repeats its own mistakes.”

“Too true.” Tatiana’s smile was sharp and brittle. She glanced around once more. “Well, that’s probably about it, right? So let’s move on to the final issue. In regards to Theodora Greyman’s proposal-”

Tatiana briefly froze. For the first time in a long time, an old and valuable Skill spoke to her. She could feel the threat that was looming over the Ghosthound’s head, as well as the knowledge that the threat would even reach them here. At the window, birds continued to flutter their wings and chirp. The sunlight was still warm and heavy.

She knew in her bones that the idyllic peace was about to be shattered.

“Send out an alarm, ground the entirety of Kharon’s Driftlands,” Tatiana said. “Brace for impact. And send out an emergency announcement on all channels; something big is coming. If the Zones push back, call it a Calamity Response Drill. Maybe this is exactly the reminder that Expira needs right now.”

*****

Randidly’s fingers continued to scrawl out his Nether Ritual. At this point, he was moving his hand quickly that the tips of his fingers were literally smoking from the friction. Randidly suppressed the urge to giggle and kept working. He desperately pulled more and more Nether through his Nether Core, but he truly was running dry. His foundations weren’t stable enough to attempt this project in such a short time frame.

And he didn’t dare look up toward the approaching shockwave, afraid of the harsh reality of what he would see. It was overwhelming enough to feel even his Grim Intuition disintegrate during his attempts to sense the lethality of the chaotic wave.

Despite the proximity of the Frost Matriarch’s glacial pillar as maintained the icy barrier, Randidly’s skin was turning red from the heat. His heart was beating too fast, his blood was heating more quickly than her ambient image could disperse it.

In a way, his overly robust cardiovascular system reaffirmed how powerful Randidly’s body was and gave him a bit of confidence in his plan. But at the same time…

RUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMBBBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEE!