Godclads

Chapter 33-7 Unwelcoming Committee (III)

The role of “emissary” is often seen more as a punishment than a position of privilege. Those who enter such roles usually do so under genuine belief toward the institution of diplomacy, or—more often—are forced into such positions after being displaced by internal power struggles.

For those familiar with military matters and the nature of the ongoing Shadow Wars, the expense of keeping a public figure alive incurs astronomical costs, given the material, metaphysical, and mental threats that such individuals face on a daily basis. As such, the cheapest diplomats to field are also Godclads in of themselves—though neutered versions at that.

This has given rise to the derogatory term of getting “First Sphered,” with the implication of them being made a supposed “Demi-Clad” only useful for resolving the matter of assassination through active resurrection without costing a substantive amount of thaums or other ontologics.

Even so, there are greater dangers than mere death in Idheim’s current political environment. With the explosion in Necrotheurgic development and its unrestricted use, the mind of an individual is as much a battlefield as reality or the tapestry, and it is there, most often, that the greatest of victories are achieved, or looming defeats are shaped…

-The Commingled Web: A Treatise on Modern Politics

33-7

Unwelcoming Committee (III)

—[Samir Naeko, The Sage of the Sundered Sky]—

“Alright. Tell me again why I’m leading these talks, and you aren’t?” Naeko sighed.

He knew something was coming his way when Jaus leveled that smile at him — the cat-like grin he sported when he was coming up with some kind of devious plot in his mind. Hells, Naeko had half a mind to assume Jaus was the one who sent Chambers to come speak to him.

The recovered Paladins, Chambers; a hovering glass shard serving as a passage anchor for Draus; Vator Greatling; Shotin Kazahara; Acting Authority Mondelles; and the phantom projections of Cas something-Canduir and Cala Marlowe were all gathered in instructor’s louge turned primary conference room. The surrounding walls and ceiling were layered in with a few dozen moving panels of glass used to keep track of the arriving Guild emissaries.

One delegation after another arrived in rapid succession, and aside from a sneaky attempt by Ori-Thaum to cast a subtle frequency-based miracle at the Omnitech vessel ahead of them, the Colors were doing decent with the “no fucking snuffing each other” restrictions.

With that said, Naeko thought his main job was done. Now, he just had to keep the peace and whatnot.

Until Jaus decided to abdicate his responsibilities and push Naeko into the administrative role as well.

“You are leading these issues because you are the figure we need right now, and to be honest, my return has brought only negativity in its wake.” Jaus held up a hand before all the Paladins, Mondelles, and even that cultist-terrorist Canduir started protesting. “I appreciate how you are all reacting, but it is true. My ways have led to the mistakes of the present, and my ‘return’ will draw all focus away from more pressing matters.”

Jaus stood leaned back in his seat and adopted a pensive expression. “In this short time, I’ve seen things and glimpsed dark truths from those I have spoken to. The things I’ve seen… It displeases and disquiets me. Especially the increased valorization of my personage. The Godsfall was not performed by my hands alone. Countless more died to see freedom achieved. So many…”

His gaze went somewhere distant for a while, and Naeko tried not to roll his eyes. The other idiots in the room were entranced, but Jaus was widening them up, doing his whole “exploitation of a poignant moment” routine.

Jaus suddenly stood—another rhetorical trick meant to throw his listeners off guard. “My conversations with Former Regular Draus have made me see the flaws in my ways. I was at once too good a parent and not stern enough of a master for my daughter—and the opposite for you.” He looked at Naeko. The Chief Paladin looked away and folded his arms.

Kassamon gave an awkward cough.

“Many among you may think great things of me, but I ask you now to look upon each other. Think about the state of the world. Think about how things are across Idheim. Does this look like the legacy of a Savior? Does this seem like a world that has been saved.”

“Highest Avandaer,” Mondelles began, his voice thick with reverence. “You couldn’t have known—”

“Silence!” Jaus barked. The Instrument jolted back, face going pale. Most of the Paladins reacted the same way. Only Naeko was somewhat familiar with the man’s tactics, and everything was collapsing the way Jaus’ wanted. “I apologize. But do not interrupt me again. It is impolite to speak when another is still talking.”

“I—yes. I am—Forgive me.” Mondelles looked more shellshocked than a soldier who spent months in combat without rotation.

Jaus inclined his head with an almost haughty nod. “Granted.” He started using his eyes then, glaring at each of the others to ramp up the tension in the room. “Look at all of you. Afraid. Cowed. Cowed by words alone. By idolization and authority.” He let out an exaggerated sigh. “This is why it must be you, Naeko. You and not me. Because love has led us to this place, and what we need is more fear. This is also the same reason I refuse to retake my Frame. Instead, I wholeheartedly give my blessing to Aedon Chambers and ask that you all do what you can to aid the Heaven of Love in overcoming all challenges.”

Chambers wasn’t presently with them right then—-he was too busy linking up with Denton and Green River right now. Still, Naeko felt a shudder of something pass across the tapestry. Draus was present, and Chambers always had a Bond latched to her, so even if she heard something, so did he. ???????

A hand went up among the gathering, and Jaus found his gaze settling on Shotin Kazahara. The man, frankly, looked worse than shit. There were dark bags under his eyes, a grimace that screamed of constant pain, and his general demeanor screamed imminent violence at all moments. The only reason Naeko hadn’t dedicated more attention to him was the Bond threaded through his heart as well. This one was going to be Chambers’ responsibility.

Jaus told Naeko as much.

“Yes. Seeker Shotin Kazahara, was it?”

Shotin just nodded, and spoke his question as a whisper. “Why don’t you just tell the Guilds to disband? Why are you still playing these fucking games?”

Several heads rounded on the Seeker, but Naeko waved his hand before Jaus could. “Let the man talk.” He clearly needed it.

Jaus, for his part, took no offense. “Because these ‘games’ are the basis for a functional peace. The Guilds are temporarily cowed, but any overt action will tip the scales back to war. Potent as Naeko is, he will not be enough to defeat any of the Great Powers if the battles resume. Our place of power here is as the third angle of a triangle—capable of tilting any battle in favor of those we choose to represent… or engage.”

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“And we give about peace… why?” Shotin asked. “You said you got a look at how the world is. Well, if you’re actually Jaus and not some new bullshit scheme created by the ghoul to mind-fuck us and everyone else, it should be pretty clear that we’re well past the edge now. The Guilds can’t get their Arks. Highflame’s pissing blood. Nether’s down and Scale’s broken. If there was a time to bring the palm down…”

“You care little if you die, do you, Seeker?” Jaus asked.

Shotin went still for a moment. “Doesn’t make much of a difference to me by this point.”

“I understand. I will not waste your time and tell you that I feel the same way, or demand that you go seek a Mender. We all should get better at facing our own hurts rather than dissolving them entirely. But this also no longer about us. This is about what we have done, what those we lost have given. Despair is a feeling; to persevere and seek the righteous path is action. Sometimes, misery will be our only company, but we cannot succumb to it. Not unless we wish to fail those who came before.”

The Seeker went quiet for a long few seconds and swallowed. “It has to be worth it. We have to make things worth it.”

Jaus smiled. “And part of that is consequence. This, above all other reasons, is why you must take charge, Naeko. They have lived a soft peace for too long — I have been disfigured into an icon of hope. Hope. Dreams. Utopia. The glorious turned drugs for the Guilds. They require a… sobering.”

And, Jaus was trying to catch Naeko up on all the “education” he missed. The Chief Paladin grimaced. The Savior rolled his eyes.

“Oh, don’t be that way, Samir,” Jaus said. “You’ve seen me talk to thousands of people—you’ve been at every major conference I’ve hosted. Some of my methods are better known to you than they are to me, by now.”

“Knowing and doing are two different things,” Naeko grunted.

“Indeed. But how does the former become the latter? Something my beloved always mentions.”

“Practice.”

“Well. Here it is, Naeko: A time to practice. Right as existence dangles on the precipice once more.”

Naeko let out a deep breath and saw the delegations following Draus-clones and Avo’s War-Chosen flats. Just then, the hooded, burning visage of the Famine of Mercy materalized in the room. +The backdoors have been installed. The Guilds are already tapping in to the false sequences I have laid in the minds of the mundanes. They come to you, Chief Naeko.+

+Voidwatch just dispatched a representative as well,+ Cas interjected. +Contingency Bleak Refusal wants to speak with you personally. Well. As personally as they can. Apparently, they have intelligence about the situation inside the Substance — about the ruptures, Avo, and the condition of something they’re calling the “Dyad.”+

“Alright,” Naeko murmured. “Well. Suppose I better… better go and get this thing set up properly.”

“Chief Naeko,” Vator called out.

Naeko bit his lip. Of course the creep one had something to say too. “Yeah?”

“What are our orders?”

“Your—” Naeko blinked, trying to think of the last time he actually did any admin work or issued structured orders. It was… Man, he really dumped a lot of his responsibilities onto Maru. Maru… Kare. His Paladins. His people. He looked at everyone in the room—-actually took them in for the first time—and felt a weight settle on his shoulders. They were all looking to him now, away from Jaus.

The Savior had a sparkling glint in his eyes. Naeko frowned. Godsdammit Jaus.

What did he need from them? What could they do?

“Alright. Alright…” Naeko said, working the muscle he liked using the least: his brain. He took stock of his forces and considered his advantages. Between him, Chambers, Draus, and a few of his Paladins, he had a strong enough force to threaten warhosts and affect things at an operational level. This influence is the reason the Guilds capitulated to his demands after all. But Chambers’ use was greater as a Godclad of utility than an instrument of war.

Through the Lovebringer’s so-called “Lovenet,” displaced Paladins managed to get extracted, and they also had communications-based dominance as well, exceeding anything Omnitech could maintain. There were several limitations to the Heaven—vulnerabilities as well. It wasn’t nearly as public-use friendly as the Nether was, and everything was predicated on Chambers. This demanded caution, but considering Chambers could create Bonds between anyone and the objects of their affection…

The arrival of the emissaries all but ensured the compromise of superiors as well. This opened the opportunity to conduct a bit of psychological warfare.

+Chambers,+ Naeko said, casting his thoughts into the reflection. A slight shimmer pulsed across the surface of the glass panels, and a few seconds later, a bright thread pierced Naeko’s chest.

+Yeah, boss? What’s up?+

Across the link, Naeko could vaguely hear two Sang cursing at each other’s lineage over what sounded like a deal gone bad. One of them sounded like Green River—angrier than Naeko had ever heard her. The other… Naeko wasn’t sure. He ignored that for now. +Focus on making some Bonds between the emissaries and their direct superiors. You can shuttle some of us over to them after you do that, right?+

+Yeah. Should be pretty easy. So, what? Are we raiding these half-strands? Decaptating them?+

+No,+ Naeko said, looking at his Paladins. +But I do want them to be worried. I want to them to know that we are omnipresent, that nothing they do is beyond our notice, and nowhere they can go is beyond our reach. I don’t think they have a proper gauge of your canons right now, so here’s the play—+ He turned his attention to his Paladins and switched back to verbal speech. “Kassamon. South Song. Organize the rest of the bunch for an excursion. You’re going to help deliver a message from me to the home offices of the Guilds.”

“Got it, top,” Kassamon said. “Is this going to be a ‘hands-on’ message or…”

Naeko shook his head. “Just a quick one. But leave a mark. I don’t want them to think they just imagined you popping in. Draus. ETA.”

It took a few seconds for the Regular to reply through her passages. +Approximately ten minutes before they arrive in the holding areas in the ring’s central atrium.+

“Good. Have them wait there for a while. Just stew for a while. Leave some of your flats with them and see if they shove their arms deeper into Mercy’s mem-cons. After that, grab Green River and Denton and get back to the conference room.”

+Negative on River. The other Sang are already eyin’ her with suspicion, but a few are startin’ to appeal for favors as well. Right now, they’re not sure if she’s a turncoat or this is just because our pre-existing relationship.+

“Fine. Just Denton, then. But after that, I want you to make a few shards for my Paladins. Then, I wanna talk with you. Need your advice on some stuff.”

A lull of silence followed. +Ain’t sure what use I might be there. This shit ain’t exactly my expertise.+

Naeko was about to reply when Jaus shook his head and pointed up with his index finger, mouthing the words “encourage potential.”

“Yeah, well, it isn’t exactly mine either. But you did good with the flat idea and I’m gonna want you to bear some commanding duties in case we have to start snuffing motherfuckers anyway.”

+Why don’t you have Jaus do it?+

“Draus, did you ask this godsdamned many questions when you were back in the Regs.”

+Askin’ question about dumb-shit orders is part of the reason I got drummed out, so… yeah.+

The Chief Paladin rubbed his face. Fine. He walked into that one. “Jaus is occupied. I just need you to help me, alright.”

+Synced. Shuttling Denton now.+

“Great. Nova.” Naeko nodded. Alright. Next… What was next. Next was he needed more expertise, more advice. Insight and understanding. Not for the first time, Naeko wondered why Avo cast him out into the world while the latter stayed behind. He did let the ghoul burn him. Maybe that was enough. Maybe. And maybe Naeko could steal a few tricks from his monstrous savior. +Mercy. I’m gonna need something else from you.+

+Speak and I will see if I can deliver, oh Chosen Champion,+ the Famine of Mercy said.

+Get together with Chambers. I want warded communications between me and the others. It’s time we learn to be a bit more than just ourselves.+

Something almost akin to a smile flickered on the simmering Famine’s enshadowed face. +Thy will be done.+