Chương 52

Over the evening, Kirk saw the cloaked Troop Leader's frustrated point; over the course of the night, a half dozen individuals attempted to Ascend in the area around the fortifications. Kirk couldn't condone allowing these individuals to die, just for recklessness. But the night-shift defenses couldn't keep weathering these attacks. A new method was developed. After the first three, a few furious Tier II Conduits took it upon themselves to just rush over and knock out prospective criminals before they could ascend.

Eventually, the attempts ceased. Kirk sat with his eyes closed, unsure of what the time was; he hadn't slept at all. Next to him, the cloaked woman released a long sigh. She had introduced herself as Heron, Leader of the Infinite Wings Troop.

"This is exactly what I'm worried about. These few skirmishes reduced us to dregs. And these Troops are important; we all have individuals in the proper Ascension Ritual. So we will be the main force. Now that we are weakened-""We also grew just a bit stronger," The Leader of the Sea Snakes rumbled back.

"Those few Ascensions-""Freshly ascended Tier Is? What can they really do? It's we Tier IIs that will make the difference. And-" Heron spared a small glance for Kirk.

"Ahem. Obviously, there are also Tier Is that can affect the situation. But at this rate…" She trailed off and raised her head at the same time that Kirk looked up. Suddenly, there was quite a lot of noise. As he looked, about a hundred Conduits marched down the slope toward the fortifications were there were resting. At the head of the column was Administrator Ranya, with Maylor Balkan at her side. The Administrator smiled.

"You've had a long night. Let us take over for a few hours, as we make the final preparations." The surrounding Conduits collapsed with relief. Kirk moved away and took advantage of one of the small tents set up behind the fortifications. He paused and looked down the slope. The stone platforms and their wooden palisades had all been set up. There was a large central fortification, large enough to be defended by almost a hundred Conduits. From there, spread out in a wide V formation were six more satellite sites.

Two quite a bit down the slope from the main area, two spread out to the sides and abreast of the central, and then finally two quite a distance from the middle spot, but just slightly above the main location on the slope. Based on the Administrator's plan, Ascensions would occur at these sites in a very particular order, to optimize the flow of energy and the chance to defend. All part of the false 'Albion Family Ritual'.

"Was this a bad idea?" Kirk's voice was soft as he voiced his doubt. Yet also- Despite Heron's unwillingness, she had acted and fought to protect those who tried to take advantage of the preparations. Kirk had always attracted attention because of the name of this body, but he noticed that the way people looked at him recently had changed. Drifting from fear to awe, to something warmer and brighter.

"Even if it's a bad idea, I want to see it through," Kirk whispered. He left the Rift and collapsed in his tent. Just as he began to doze, a familiar voice sounded from outside.

"Hale the sleepyhead." Without waiting for a response, Healer Michaels pushed into the tent. He grinned down at Kirk.

"What a reversal. You look like you need a vacation."

"And you are annoyingly spry," Kirk grumbled. When he sat up, he released a massive yawn.

"What do you need?"

"You are too generous with yourself," Michaels said with disgust.

"I'm here to help you. Normally I wouldn't do this, but I'll recover by the time the real begins." Michaels stretched out his hand and put it on Kirk's shoulder. Faster than Kirk could believe, he rattled off a string of nineteen syllables. Just as Kirk opened his mouth to comment, a wave of energy slammed into Kirk. He bounced up, all of his muscles suddenly twitching with energy.

"Quite the rush, right?" Michaels chuckled and clapped Kirk on the shoulder.

"We want you at your best for this, Kirk."

"Thank you, but I do- I've felt a little worried," Kirk admitted.

"I'm just a Tier I, even if a powerful Conduit. The amount that I can actually accomplish-""We need you less for your Tier and more for the fact your reputation, and actions, are propping this whole mad plan up." Michael's expression became serious.

"People fear Ascension inside Rifts. Everyone understood there were benefits. But with the Bloody Solstice fresh in memory, pollution- well, the other issue is sometimes, Troops have tried it anyway. But because they are capped at 20 people-."

"Troops are capped at 20 people?" Kirk frowned.

"Why?"

"Why indeed." For a moment, Michaels looked at the ground. Then he straightened.

"The fact that an Albion had this idea, that you are serving as the guarantor of assistance between Administrator and Troops, that's why you are so valuable. So long as you participate, everyone else believes in it enough to take the risk too." The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Kirk stilled.

"That- really?"

"Really," Healer Michaels coughed into his hand.

"By the wound, even this pickled old man is starting to believe." Kirk grinned at the Healer.

"Did you come all this way to give me a pep talk or to heal me?"

"I came to say thank you." Then Michaels rolled his eyes.

"But I'll never admit I said that. Plus, I want to see this harebrained scheme succeed, too. I think all of us, even Conduits, can accomplish more when we work together."

"I think the same." Healer Michaels nodded.

"Then do it. Show the rest of us how to change the world."

As with all things, the real labor was in the details. And Administrator Ranya hated bureaucracy. Her position was a necessity to carry out her revenge, not because it was a vocation.

"How long will the provisions take?" She asked again, hating the waiting of it all. They stood on the main platform. About twenty of her subordinates were gathered around, ordering laborers to move the various wooden barricades and stakes into position.

Beyond them were about a hundred Conduits, spilling off the edge of the platform, waiting for orders about positioning, or waiting for their comrades to arrive to move out to the places they were assigned, or they were individuals with strong opinions about their order that would not leave until they had the chance to speak to the Administrator. It gave her such a headache. Not today, of all days. Today, when we will discover just how fucked I am for agreeing to this.

"Soon," Maylor said. He, as always, was a reassuring presence by her side.

"Administrator! I really must speak to you about an important matter!" An overweight Conduit tried to shoulder his way through one of her guards, but a firm palm rebuffed him. Ranya recognized him as a minor noble who had been constantly raising a stink over the last week over her 'biased and obtuse contribution system'. After a sharp glare at the guard, who remained thoroughly unmoved, the man continued to speak in a raised voice.

"I bring ill tidings; some malady has laid Rapal Slovic low. But it is his wish that I take over his place, amongst those about to Ascend-""That's not how it works," Administrator Ranya cut him off. She looked at an aide next to her. The man nodded.

"Rapal is actually the last Conduit we were waiting for."

"Sounds like he's not coming," She said.

"Go inform the next alternate and move them into position. The provisions have arrived, that's enough. The operation will begin in half an hour, on my mark. Let's go, people." Immediately, her staff swarmed to work, finalizing allotments, hurrying with supplies and Conduits, handling complaints and questions as best they could. Meanwhile, the overweight Conduit's face had become increasingly red.

"There are certain standards of decency and decorum, Madam. If you wish to avoid society devolving into chaos, you must- listen to me-""Let me guess what happened," Administrator Ranya said, finally rounding on the Conduit.

"You approached Rapal, desperate, on the eve of this operation. After a lengthy negotiation, you came to an agreement. You gave away a Maester's ransom in order to get his opportunity to Ascend. Then, while you came to tell me about it, Rapal has taken all the riches you've given him and absconded. Don't bother me; this is not the first time that I've informed you that the slots in this grand ritual are non-transferable."

"Society is governed by laws!" The Conduit's voice went slightly high-pitched. Ranya gestured. Maylor waved a hand, creating a wall of shadows that pushed him away. When her confidant returned, she released a long sigh.

"This is really it. Everything's about to begin- wait, I haven't even asked you. Are you prepared? Do you need any more Feats to try and reach another Refinement?"

"I have plenty," The always serious Maylor nodded.

"At this point, I've been Tier IV for so long that I've settled into this body. To Ascend further- well."

"We need your Tier IV power most for when you Ascend. It's unfortunate." Ranya grimaced.

"There are only 3 Tier III individuals present. None, unfortunately, of verifiable loyalty. If they withdraw during the Ascension-""They won't, so long as Kirk Albion doesn't," Maylor said. When Ranya just goggled at him, he shrugged.

"All three Troops have been operating in the East for a long time. All are bitter rivals. They probably haven't even realized it yet, but they will be stuck. If one pulls back, the other two will run to Albion and complain. Because who controls Troop deployments in the East?"

"Sylvaester Albion," Ranya let out a surprised laugh.

"They've waded out here for the benefits, not noticing their feet are already in the swamp," Maylor said.

"Now, they wouldn't endanger themselves or their Troops. But they also can't be seen as less involved than the others. So long as Albion keeps fighting- they stay. If they stay, they reinforce the loose Conduits, and are incentivized to keep them engaged, to lessen pressure against them. The plan only works as far as Albion's nerves carry us."

"So we are propped up against a madman," Ranya groaned.

"He was raised a blessed Albion. Of course his nerve won't fail him. He wouldn't expect to die even while observing his heart being carved from his chest."

"You misjudge him," Maylor said. This time, Ranya blinked in surprise. It was pretty rare that Maylor that he would warn her like this.

"Misjudge him? How?"

"Sometimes the ideas about something, or someone, become so big and widespread that they almost exist separate from their source," Maylor said.

"Kirk's story is like that. Maybe, if those stories were true, we could still survive this ordeal with a conniving Albion. But we got this far because he's been so visibly sweating. Worries about pollution are basically nonexistent. The average Conduit is bought in. That wasn't purchased with privilege." Ranya considered.

"Well. I don't think the previous rumors about his cruelty and gambling came from nowhere. But you are right. We will have a very long time to observe him here. Let's not look away.

"Because like it or not," Ranya's hand went to the pendant she wore around her neck.

"After this, we are tied to Kirkland Albion." Maylor smirked.

"You mean, whether he likes it or not, once we begin the follow-up plan, he's going to be dragged into every treason we commit."