III-18 Briefing

Deathstalker Perspicacity Pricelles 2 reporting in to Siege Force Main. Observation post SC102 at Old Santabarb reports no abnormal activity

Deathstalker Perspicacity Pricelles 2 reporting in to Siege Force Main. Observation post SC102 at Old Santabarb reports no abnormal activity. However, the Gate Theborn surface portal remains inactive. It has been approximately a full day since anyone has entered or exited said portal.

Additionally, a wing of aerial patrol Pathbearers of the Twilight Republic were spotted some 50 kilometers away from the combat zone. They were diverted before they drew into engagement range. We detected telepathic communication between them and an unknown source. We suspect that the Inquisition has interceded. 

The situation on that front remains stable for now.

However, ob-posts 493 and 222 have reported a massing of forces in the distance. Inquisition forces are moving fast across the land, using active mirage to veil themselves from being seen from above. We anticipate that they will be joining the fray in approximately three to five days, depending on pace of movement and factoring in unexpected circumstances. That is the report so fa—

Wait. The surface gateway is activating. 

Please hold. Additional details forthcoming…

-Deathstalker Perspicacity Pricelles, Scout-Captain of SC102 for the Vicar Sullain’s Retribution Crusade

III-18
Briefing

"Shiv, Uva, are you two… Is this a good time?"

"Yes, Adam. It's, uh…" Uva paused as Shiv let out a loud groan.

A swell of horror and embarrassment came from the Gate Lord. “I… I can check in later—”

“No, It’s not that. It’s—”

"I… I am the potato?" Shiv mumbled, mimicking slicing motions in the air.

Uva winced slightly. "No, Shiv, you are not a potato. You are misremembering. Your memories have mingled. You have overdrawn and over-focused on the wrong part of your mind. This happens in Psychomancy sometimes. I will mend you in a moment."

"I'm not a potato?"

"No, Shiv, you are not the potato."

"What's going on?" Adam asked, genuinely concerned. "Is Shiv alright? He sounds more unhinged than normal.”

"He's just temporarily confused. We're doing some Psychomancy training to adjust for his new Disease Resistance Skill Evolution. It's important to attune both the body and the mind at the same time."

Psychomancy 11 > 12

Psychology 2 > 5

Practical Metabiology 37 > 38

Plaguefueled 61 > 62

"I peel… me?"

"No, Shiv, no. Put down the knife. Put down the knife you made from your own ribs. No flaying yourself. I'll help you fix your mind in a moment. Anyway, Adam, what's wrong? What do you need? Is there something with the mercenaries? Has there been another assassination attempt?"

"No, no, it's just I'm planning to conduct a general briefing in a few hours. I've invited all the Exalted Weaveresses and Cherished Sisters to be in attendance. It'll be at the half-finished obsidian tower. I'm trying to think of a name for the building. And the gate, too. Well, anyway, I think it would be best if you and Shiv were there. There are a lot of details and problems we have to go over."

"Of course," Uva replied. "We'll be over as soon as possible. As soon as I help Shiv remember who he actually is."

"Am I a cabbage?"

"No, Shiv, you are not a cabbage either.”

"Is he truly all right?" Adam said.

"He'll be fine," Uva replied. "It's not any worse than what he usually does to himself." 

The young lord considered that for a moment and let out a snort of agreement. "You're right. Hey, Uva, how much would it take for you to briefly make him think he's my dull-witted manservant?"

"We will be there in a while, Adam," Uva said with a scoff. She pulled her mana strand away from the Gate Lord and focused entirely on Shiv. "Alright, let's see how you did this to yourself."

"Meat-shaped…”

"Yes, Shiv, you are made of meat. No, that does not mean you can eat yourself. Please stop biting your arm. Thank you."

***

After Uva rearranged Shiv's sanity, fixed his badly knotted psyche, he made a reminder for himself never to overly fixate on the food, rather to focus more on what he was doing in those memories, on his determination and focus. 

"I am not the meat," he repeated to himself as he sailed through the air, approaching the only skyscraper left in the gate. "I am not the meat, I am Shiv. I am the Deathless, I am a Pathbearer, I am also not a cabbage."

"Do not be over-worried," Uva cast her thoughts at  him. "These things happen sometimes." She paused, and he felt a shudder of discomfort pass over from her. "Though I am impressed with how you so utterly and totally rewrote your own perception of yourself. It takes a substantial amount of focus and obsession to do such a thing.”

"Yeah, I was just trying to hold onto the moment. The moment of… just easy, constant focus of me peeling potato after potato."

"Yes, you were trying to cling to a flow state. Effortless focus. Tragically, your effortless focus caused you to hallucinate that you were, in fact, the potato. Again, lessons learned. This is good. You have made good progress." She laughed. “Of course, it helps that you do not break for good.”

"Hey, Uva," Shiv asked.

"Yes?"

"Would you still like me if I was a potato?"

"Enough to eat you, probably," she replied wryly. "I prefer fish, or maybe something green. But I suppose I'll make an exception for a potato if you became one. But if potatoes-you can still cook, well… I suspect I would prefer to keep you alive instead.”

"I guess that's all a man can ask," he replied.

The obsidian tower was still half-finished, but it looked far more intact than it had been a mere few hours ago. The surrounding ruins had also been cleared up, with a great amount of the material scavenged and repurposed by the geomancers and architects for the general rebuilding effort.

Supplies and additional items of utility had also been scavenged. Shiv could see numerous household appliances, those that could be repaired or still were in a functional state, stacked high nearby. Several object and item groupings were tied together by bundles of rope or were placed within zones outlined with chalk. 

In the distance, Shiv could see additional supports going up from the ground to bear the weight of the newly built district. It was a little more than a large platform, and there were also several layers beneath it. However, he could already see people there, dashing about the barren platform. Most of them seemed like mercenaries running laps, trying to keep themselves conditioned even in such cramped circumstances.

As he drew closer to the midpoint of the gate, Shiv noticed something about the obsidian tower. Rather than being a structure of pure volcanic rock, there were additional struts running along the outside. Lengths of reinforced metal keeping it bolted to the ground, or perhaps holding the entire thing stable. Shiv guessed that the Geomancers were likely going to have to reshape it on the inside as well, and thus, should any destabilization occur, they needed to do everything they could to avoid a collapse.

Then, at the top of the tower, Shiv noticed something particular. Rather than just ending as a spire, there was a glistening glass dome that radiated a spectrum of light. Most times it glowed azure due to the falling radiance bestowed by the mana core. However, every now and then there would come an accretion of twilight that danced around its edges, sparkling across the land. Shiv guessed that was probably because of Adam's unique skill. More importantly, it was designed this way in mimicry of Starhawk's Perch.

He really is Roland's son, Shiv thought to himself, slightly dourly. Despite everything, Shiv wasn't looking forward to seeing Roland in some ways. In some other ways, he struggled not to clench his fist. He was very much looking forward to seeing his old town lord once more. There's a lot of stuff we're going to have to talk about, Roland. A lot of stuff, not just about you and me, but your family, about Udraal, about everything. You haven't been entirely honest, not even with your own boy.

As Shiv reached the base of the tower, he saw Adam there, already speaking to Uva. They led him inside, and he found the interior of the tower substantially different from a few hours ago as well. Beyond the naked supports, which were mostly covered, there were a few bridges running from place to place. 

There were also actual floors placed in on the upper levels, making the tower seem more like an actual building rather than a hollow tube rendered so by the devastation it experienced while Shiv fought the Recollector. At the center of the tower was an additional pillar that was actually hollow. Shiv suspected it was for a mana elevator that hadn’t been put in yet. This pillar was shaped from reinforced titanium, and judging from a particular dent left on it, Shiv suspected some of it was harvested from the various teleportation anchors scattered across the city ruins, probably even the Jealousy's personal teleportation anchor. 

In front of this central pillar was a massive whiteboard, gleaming pale in the light. There were already a series of markings on it along with a list of items discussed. Adam had spent some time putting this briefing together. The Gate Lord's University Academy experiences were showing once more, and that triggered a strange feeling of envy in Shiv.

It had been a while since he envied Adam's life, but despite all the mockery he sent in Adam's direction for being a part of "Burning Chicken Academy," Shiv would have really liked to go himself. 

Some kids hated the pre-academies, but it sure as shit was a better place than some alleyway.

His recent training with Uva showed him just how much actual knowledge he lacked. There was so much he didn't know, so much that she learned about when she was but a child. And while she did that, while Adam was preparing, while countless other Pathbearers were already taking the first steps toward achieving Adept Skills—and knowledge-based Adept Skills at that—Shiv was languishing as a Pathless chef and moonlighting as a monster slayer. While that gave him some specific experiences as well, the truth of the matter was that there was no substitute for proper practice, for proper training, for proper preparation. 

It's a miracle I didn't die hunting lesser vampires over the three years, Shiv thought to himself, and that might have colored his initial experiences once he became a Pathbearer. Shiv did prepare, he did plan, but when things went wrong, he usually defaulted to sorting things the most direct and brutal way possible. This worked out sometimes. It worked out especially for him, since he couldn't die. But he couldn't use it as a crutch, not forever, and definitely not against a Legendary Pathbearer like Sullain.

As Shiv stared at the board, Adam went over a few things with Uva. From their conversation, Shiv heard Adam telling Uva about how she had two pieces of equipment to try on and test later, once Can Hu recovered enough to put them through a reforging process. 

Her armor had been destroyed during the final fight at the gate, and frankly, a magical amplification provided by Absence’s arcanite fragments and the Focus Crystal armor were probably going to be major boons for her. All three of them were varying degrees of mage, but between the three, she was the most dedicated spellcaster, focused primarily on subversive Psychomancy, and now some eldritch powers as well.

The last part made Shiv worry more than a bit. The eldritch influence the Dreamtaker had on Uva was one of the few things Shiv thought Null Mont was justifiably worried about. He didn't know if Uva showed Adam her Aberrant Fractals yet, but it might not be the best idea. He'd give her time and space to deliver to Adam in the best way. 

The Outsiders did terrible things to Adam’s mind. There was just something about Diviners or almost-diviners that made them more vulnerable to the eldritch.

"Alright, Shiv," Adam said, stepping away from Uva. “We need to talk.”

Shiv grunted and turned to face Adam. This was a while coming.  "Listen, I don't know how much you heard, but when I was speaking to your mother I learned about a few things.”

“We'll deal with that in a while, after we finish the scouting mission. I don't want anything distracting us."

Shiv stared at Adam. "You sure about that?"

"Yes. And if we talk about my mother and all the messed up, felling shit related to the ritual, I'm definitely not going to be able to focus, so we're not going to do that. Not yet. Not until we’re both in better condition and ready.”

Shiv blinked. "Yeah, that sounds pretty wise.”

"Good, wonderful. I think it's wise, too. Now, to distract myself from this horrible, horrible topic, Can Hu should be able to reforge your cloak and his Garden of Bountiful Alloy in the next few hours or so. Once that's done, we will commence final preparations and embark on an initial scouting run. Barring extraneous circumstances, we will be out at the end of the day, at the latest. So be ready and make what preparations you need to."

And that reminded Shiv of something else. The Deathless opened a section of his bone armor. From there, he pulled out two packets, and he held them out to Uva and Adam.

"What's this?" Adam asked.

Uva picked it up and arched an eyebrow at the strange gift.

"This is court leviathan meat, ready to eat, military ration style. It's not too complicated. It's just basically like a fried chunk. But if you eat it, it should give you regeneration. I think it'll function like a healing potion or a lesser healing potion, at least. It should keep you alive for a while if you get hurt. Let you recover from minor injuries pretty fast. It's not exactly a Woundeater, but…" 

And then he saw the genuine smile on Adam's face and Shiv felt a surge of pride. Shiv folded his arms. "Yeah, you know, I thought it was a good idea to start distributing some of this. I'll get some of it ready for the Umbrals and Weaveresses as well. They're probably going to need it too."

"Yes, very, very good thinking, Shiv. Also, it's probably going to be better tasting than any military ration I ever had before." Adam wiggled his nose. "Captain Irons, he let us taste some of his old rations." Adam shook his head and the look of absolute disgust crawled over him. "It was wretched. He said it was the worst part of being a soldier, aside from all the other worst parts."

"Is there any good part?" Shiv asked. "Captain Irons sounds pretty cynical."

"Not cynical. He's just honest and realistic. In some ways, you remind me of him. In others, well, I think he would have liked you a great deal. I told you this before."

"I guess I'll find out someday if I ever meet him."

"Considering how things are going, you just might. Hopefully not on the battlefield, though…”

And by then, the first of the Weaveresses and Umbrals started filtering in. Null Mont slipped in with the group, and she made eye contact with Shiv for a moment before looking away. 

Unfortunately for her, Shiv wasn't the evasive kind. He didn't care about social awkwardness. He didn't care about discomfort. He found a problem, and he handled it. He attacked it head-on. He didn't let things languish. So he went after her immediately, and he pulled out another pack of Courtney Rations.

"What's this?" Null Mont said, staring more at the pack than him.

"Leviathan meat," he said. "If you're hurt, bite it. It should get you to heal relatively quickly from injuries, like a healing potion. I'll be handing it out to the others, but this one's for you. I'll prepare more when I have time as well."

"Yes, thank you, most honored… Exalted Guest." She still sounded uncomfortable, and gave a quiet hiss as he briefly patted her on the back. 

His Dread Aura vibrated softly when he stood near her, but she wasn't absolutely terrified anymore, and frankly, Shiv thought he could continue conditioning her until she became a functional asset rather than an asshat.

"Please come up with a better quality of pun, Shiv," Uva begged.

"Why," Shiv said, "I thought it was kind of funny."

She gave him a pitying look. "I think we should add some cultural reading to your practice as well. It will go far in enhancing your writing and intellectual capabilities."

Shiv wasn't against that. Tables, chairs, and more bodies stuffed the room, a few Umbral Hydromancers filled cups, and soon the briefing was called to order. Standing right before the board with a list of details was Gate Lord Adam Arrow flanked by Can Hu, Shiv, and Uva on one side and Valor with Null Mont on the other.

He went over a few things everyone already knew about, or at least what Shiv already knew about. How their initial infiltration and destabilization of Gate Theborn was highly successful. How they managed to establish contact with Said Liu, find a safe house, and continue their subversive efforts. How everything was going well until they ran into the Educator. Then, details were given about the chaos that followed. The system was demented for letting them be attacked by what was a functional vessel for a Forgotten God. 

Then, the First Blood and Aviary assault that came after just made everything worse. That wasn’t even touching too deeply on the ugliest surprise of all: The Recollector. Hidden within Confriga's sword the entire time.

And now, Gate Theborn was no more, currently, and found itself in its current ruined state.

"And that concludes the general and overall summary," Adam finished. Then he took a step to the side, and he pointed at the first item at the top of his list, the first item on the board. It was titled Enigma One: Educator, and there were several other items behind it as well. Items related to her tome, her sacred phylactery specifically, and her association with the Agents of Aviary. This item was connected to item two. 

However, a line was drawn between the Educator and Aviary, rather than the Educator and the First Blood. And those two items remained disconnected altogether from the third issue they had to deal with: the Inquisition. So far, the Inquisition, from what Adam could glean, was directing the Educator, but it seemed that they didn't really know her true nature either. As such, things were getting confusing, not only for Shiv and company, but likely for the Inquisition and the other descendants as well.

Schemes and politics, Shiv said to himself. Just makes me want to kill everyone who’s a bastard and call it a day. What a mess.

"Thus far, we know very little about the Educator, aside from a few critical facts. First," Adam said, "is that she is effectively tied, or is some kind of vessel or anchoring organism, for a forgotten ascendant, so she claims. Whatever it is, it was godlike, and it nearly trapped us within her tome." 

At that, Valor placed the badly burnt tome on one of the tables. To Shiv's relief and interest, they didn't specifically talk about how the tome got burned. 

"Within this tome are recordings and paintings, illustrations of the past. I believe that the ascendants now have done something to affect the collective memory of those who live in the Republic, or perhaps even the Surface as a whole." Saying this made Adam swallow. It was like he was drinking bitter medicine. Shiv knew that the Gate Lord was still a patriot at heart, but with all the things he'd uncovered, it was likely shaking his confidence in the Republic itself. How colud it not it? Another City-Lord, his fiancée's father no less, was a major player in the plot to betray and murder both Roland Arrow and the Starhawk. 

"With the tome destroyed," Adam continued, "the Educator was eliminated. However, I do not think that she, or whatever she actually is, has been removed from the field entirely. I suspect she will return in the near future, and we will have to deal with her again." 

This wasn't so much for the Umbrals or Weaveresses in the room. He was looking at Shiv and then turned to Uva when he finished speaking. Shiv still felt an itch on the left side of his body. Thanks to Adam's light, he was healing much faster than before, but still, soul wounds were a bitch to get rid of.

"A second critical fact is her association with Aviary itself," Uva said. She had her arms behind her back and she briefly looked at Null Mont. The Exalted Mother, however, never dared to gaze at her. “From the information provided by the Aviary Owl we captured, it seemed that this alliance between the Educator and Aviary was formed nearly three full years ago. This has been in the planning for quite some time. More importantly, something had been promised to Aviary: Starhawk's Perch."

Not for the first time, Shiv's Biomancy felt Adam's body tense dramatically. The Gate Lord's muscles were bunched up and on the verge of bursting into action. Starhawk's Perch was more than just some Sacred Phylactery, it was his home. And it was the main means his father could defend, and it was the only reason why Blackedge was truly still standing. It allowed his father to commune and channel the Starhawk's power.

Losing it to Aviary wouldn't just be catastrophic for the Republic as a whole, but also for Adam personally. "Additionally, connected to that, we've also discovered that other sacred relics had been collected and stored at Starhawk's Perch." Uva paused. "We don't know exactly what sacred relics these are. However, what is certain is that there may be a grander conflict brewing within the Twilight Republic itself." 

A Weaveress held up a single finger, and Adam nodded at her, letting her speak. "This is all troubling, but what does the internal matters of surface nation conflict have to do with us?"

"It has to do with you because Aviary is in league with the First Blood as well," Adam said, and that led him into the second point. "As the Educator has connections to Aviary and was using them to further her own ends, Aviary is using the First Blood as their primary vehicle in the Abyss, at least for this operation. They came raiding the gate, expecting to take it easily. I suspect that the Educator was meant to subdue and secure Confriga, along with the Outsider hidden in his sword, to make their conquest a quick and easy one." 

Valor flipped through the Educator's tome, and on one of the pages, though badly burned, everyone could see an entity with a hand for a head and many eyes trailing across its body. It resembled the Recollector close enough to demonstrate that the Educator likely had the capability to capture an eldritch entity as well. 

"However, there was one thing they did not account for," Adam said. He straightened his back as he spoke his final word, "Us. We arrived, and we intercepted the Educator first." 

Shiv coughed loudly at the Gate Lord’s faulty memory, and Adam paused. "Well, technically, we came upon her, were spying on her, and then she engaged with us. We went over this in detail, but due to special circumstances, we managed to eliminate her and break her binds to this material dimension. We suspect that the First Blood, meanwhile, was also promised something substantial for their service. Perhaps a Sacred Phylactery of their own, to openly try to seize a gate this way holds significant risks, risks that aren't worth taking without a reward. And that leads to what I suspect to be their target destination: Blackedge."

"The quest reward the vampires would have gotten would have allowed them to besiege Blackedge on the side of Vicar Sullain. Additionally," Adam drew a new line between the First Blood and the Inquisition, finally, "this would place them on the same side as the Inquisition, for at least rogue aspects within the Inquisition are en route to aid and assist the Vicar's forces in seizing Blackedge. Originally, they were due to receive an Animancy Core as well." 

Adam held up Master-Adviser Oldsmith's sync letters in front of everyone. "I have been exchanging communications under the guise of Master Adviser Oldsmith. Inquisitor Sijik is en route to Blackedge, and they are expected to arrive in three to five days."

Shiv did a double-take at that. This was new information for him as well. 

Adam looked grave, but he also looked determined. "He brings with him a rapid response force of a hundred thousand Pathbearers, supported by mercenary contingents. They are not coming from the capital. Rather, they are going to take a route into Lone Star border territory before coming back over through the south. We suspect this is to confuse and divert attention from their exact actions. We don't know how deep the compromise in the Republic goes, but I do suspect that there is a reason why they are keeping their actions circumspect. Even so, we are unsure about the exact nature of conflict between the Ascendants.”

Part of that sounded like hope on Adam's part, but Shiv got it. Fighting one god was already some pretty miserable experience. Fighting at least twelve or so others? Yeah, he thought to himself, that’s gonna be an ugly struggle. I don’t know if I even have enough vitality to burn.

"And with these three priority threats established, our first goal now is to reach and survey the situation around Blackedge." Adam paused as he processed his own thoughts for a moment, as he gathered himself. "I do not know what the condition of my hometown is. When I was saved by the Starhawk, he said my father was still fighting, but that he was flagging. For weeks, he has endured the siege, but I do not know just how dire their circumstances are. I tell you this now because should we be able to establish a logistical or even a spatial route to Blackedge, I intend to evacuate those wounded or incapable of fighting to this gate. But aside from that, we also have a secondary objective that might become priority in a short time, depending on what I receive from these letters."

"The Inquisition?" Uva asked.

"They must be delayed," Adam replied. "Blackedge is already pressed, pressed by Selene alone. Starhawk's Perch has many defenses, but should even more forces join the fray, and forces from the Republic that might understand how the intricacies of the Perch work no less…" Adam didn't finish that. He shook his head. "We cannot allow it. It's too grave a risk." And so he walked over across the board and pointed to the next list of items.

"We have our two current priority objectives. The first is a scouting run, a scouting run that will be conducted by me and Shiv later." He looked to the room. Before they could respond or voice any doubts, Adam held up a hand. "I will remain close to the gate. I will not depart far. This run will mainly be conducted by Shiv. I will monitor him and I will see what gets lured out along his path."

"But," Null Mount said, sounding slightly uneasy, "would that not lead certain threats back in our direction? Or risk Pathbearer Shiv being captured, or worse, by the adversary?" Shiv frowned slightly. Was Null Mount trying to express care for him in thanks for what he offered her just now?

"There are risks to all actions," Adam said, "especially inaction. Choosing to do nothing is also a choice. However," Adam let out a slight breath, "I do concede the point. There are dangers involved and that's why I'm warning you now. However, I think we are past the point for avoiding danger." 

He briefly pointed far below the Inquisition item. And there at the very bottom was where the words 'Lord Scorn' were written, with several question marks behind it. "We still have an issue with the Vulketh Gateway. I'm trying to find a way to shift its dimensionality and potentially connect it to some other place. However, in a month, I expect to face an invasion from the Vulketh as well."

"Yeah, and I think that we're going to have vampire problems soon too," Shiv added. "The First Blood was invading Compact territory. There are no active Compact patrols with Gate Theborn basically destroyed. The only reason why we don’t probably have more vampires here right now is because I stole a Court Leviathan from them and basically butchered the remainder of an entire court after their main army died trying to take this place. But this isn’t going to last. We’re going to be attacked sooner or later.”

But then Shiv balled his hands into fists. “Unless we hit them first. That’s my recommendation. We give them more problems and raid their territory before they can organize anything and come here.”

“I concur,” Uva said. Shiv was surprised at that. But she kept going. “We don’t have the forces or resources to endure an active struggle. So it would be best for us to stun the enemy further however we can. Aggressive raids and skirmishes will buy us some more time to recover and build up.”

"Right," Shiv said. "But in the meantime, if you're going to be moving out, don't expect to be moving in safe and secure territory. Use stealth, move in groups, and…" Shiv paused. "Defends. Building up defenses like Uva said. We need an actual force here…”

The Challenger is watching.

No. I am not hiring any orcs, Shiv snarled internally.

The Challenger is chuckling at you.

Yeah, laugh it up, asshole.

"And that is another priority, though secondary," Adam said, pointing at the board. "We've inherited something of a small treasury from raiding Confriga's personal vault, but it will not be enough. Between rebuilding this gate, trying to find support for Blackedge, potentially through hired mercenaries and whatnot, we will be stretched for funds and resources. So that will be something else we have to face. But forces and defenses are a necessity. Make no mistake, we are extremely system-favored. Shiv, more than any of us, and so long as you are with him, you will experience conflict the likes of which you can’t imagine.”

Shiv gave a grunt of affirmation. Some of the Umbrals and Weaveresses looked uneasy, but none of them raised any true complaints.

"Still, this gate is the closest thing to a reliable sanctuary we have. Aside from Weave, that is, but Weave is also under threat. Should we have failed to contain the vampire invasion, another result would have been them launching a counter-attack on Weave in retribution for your raid a few weeks ago. I suspect they will try doing that some point anyway, though their position might be worse now with an entire court lost." And so, Adam moved back over to his action items. "We have a list of immediate operations and situations to resolve. First is the scouting run. This will happen in the next few hours once Penitent Can Hu finishes a final act of reforging."

Can Hu let out a chirp. “I will be ready by the end of this briefing.”

"Make sure that you are," Adam replied. "Remember, we want effectiveness, not strain. This needs to work. It needs to work well, especially for the future."

"Affirmative," Can Hu replied, adamant.

"Furthermore," Adam continued, "we will need to find a way to stall the Inquisition. We will have a little bit of time for this, but not long."

"I suspect this operation is more suited to someone of my capabilities," Uva said. "However, the Light-Curse… we might need to find a way to circumvent that. I understand that there is a day-night cycle on the surface, but even so…"

"I've thought of this in advance," Adam said. "There are a set of boots you need to try later." Uva narrowed her eyes, and that got her a grin from Adam. "You might find them most useful for avoiding the sun's ugly glare." Uva paused, and then she nodded. Shiv could read and notice satisfaction in her features. "But aside from that, this is another reason why I wanted to fuse the Garden of Bountiful Alloy with Shiv's Cloak of Midnight Kindred—to make it a mobile forward operating base.”

“Huh?” Shiv said. “That’s what we’re trying to do?”

"Ultimately, I intend to make a teleportation anchor as well," Adam said. "Something that will allow us to easily transition from point to point, but there will be," Adam paused, "complexities related to that task. For now, it can probably carry a few people, a good amount of equipment, and an ever-regrowing supply of material resources.”

“I can see an active machine workshop constructed there as well,” Can Hu added. It looked at Shiv and paused. “I might no longer be useful as armor. But I can still build. And I can guard you from the without while I am within.”

Shiv nodded at that. This might just work…

“That will be a more long term project. Something that progresses with building up our defenses, hiring forces.” Adam sighed.

And that made Shiv ponder a certain possibility. "We have a Court Leviathan," Shiv replied. "We could try growing our own Blood Horrors—”

And immediately there came an uproar. 

"We cannot do this!" one of the Umbrals cried. "It's wrong! It's unholy! The Composer would never allow us to be tainted by such an act!"

Shiv winced. It was just an idea. 

"Quiet!" Adam cried out. "Quiet! I understand," Adam said diplomatically. "I understand that you are repulsed and offended by the nature of the First Blood. I am too. As is Shiv." He looked at Shiv. "Shiv likely has killed more vampires than most of us in this room."

"Probably," Shiv replied.

"His mistake was saying 'Blood Horrors' rather than… well, potentially, Biomantically constructed golems or something. Ultimately, we need to consider all means of force-generation."

Uva suddenly went very still. Her eyes flickered between several colors, and Shiv suspected she had an idea she wasn’t voicing. An idea that might see them granted aid from the Outside.

Adam let out a breath as he looked at the gathered Cherished Sisters and Exalted Mothers. "I appreciate you for being here. I appreciate you for all the aid you have rendered and provided. However, you are an expeditionary force, and I cannot possibly expect a few hundred of you and a few of us to hold the gate against a proper army. The gate itself is also not ready. It has undergone substantial decay. Its districts are mostly destroyed. And the population…" 

\Adam trailed off at that. He shook his head and he pinched his brow. "That's another issue. Priority item four is sorting what I wish to do with the population. Some of the mercenaries and dignitaries can likely be offered back for ransom." Shiv remembered the Lone Star mercenary that Adam told him about. "We might be able to get some resources for that, but that will take time. Time we likely do not have. What's more, we have to solve some problems with the slaves. And should a good portion of the population leave, well…" Adam let out a breath. "There is a likelihood of further mana decay."

"We can request more support from Weave," one of the Umbrals asked.

"Unlikely," a Weaveress responded immediately. "Her Lady Arachnae and our greatest Heroes and Legends are still held in reserve against the First Blood. And with those we lost during the raid, we are all the Composer can offer.”

“And I cannot ask for much more in good faith,” Adam said. “So, we will need to find ulterior solutions.”

The Challenger is chuckling louder.

The Challenger has an offer for you.

Godsdammit, Shiv really didn’t want to have an army of orcs holding the gate. It’s more likely they’ll butcher the gate clean, even if they succeed in fighting off the adversary. Then, Shiv paused and noticed Uva staring at him.

“You too?” he asked.

“Quite,” she said, uneasily. “We need to talk about this.”

“Is it bad that I’m leaning more toward the orcs than the eldritch if we have to choose?” Adam said, slipping into the conversation.

“Yeah,” Shiv growled. “It’s downright felling terrible.”

“Such are the primary items of concern listed,” Adam said. “I will leave this board here. If you have noticed there are wide spaces between, that’s because I invite you all to come in and write down your ideas for solutions or other potential. Please remember to return the markers and brushes. If you lose them, I will find it, and then I will find you. For now, I announce the primary briefing adjourned. I understand some of you have internal gate-related matters to discuss. I’ll come find you personally once I return from the scouting mission. For everyone else, you are free to return to your duties. Thank you again for your attendance.” Adam paused. “Steel yourselves. I fear there may yet be greater storms ahead.”

As Adam finished his summation, he immediately made for Uva and Shiv. “Uva. Armor. Boots. Shiv. Cloak. Can Hu? Ready?”

The Penitent’s body screeched as it trailed after the group. “At your command, Gate Lord.”

“Good. Valor. You can tell Shiv how his mind is monstrous along the way. Shiv. Uva. Orcs. Outsiders. And mercenaries.”

“We’re really mixing the sweet of new equipment and the shit of the other stuff,” Shiv mumbled.

“I suspect that’s the best way to eat shit, Shiv,” Adam said. “By coating it in candy first.”