Adam vs the Apocalypse Interlude 1: Getting the Band Back Together
Alecks
“So, where do we want to start? I’m thinking if we can just assassinate a couple faction heads that will make Eighdum much safer the second that integration ends. Between you and me, it should be child’s play. I’ve got the face, and you’ve got the guns,” Alecks said, running his hand through his hair.
“And what do I have? Am I to be included in these plans?” XL27 asked, an almost human longing in their robotic voice.
Alecks turned to his jailer-turned-friend, a giant smile on his face, “Buddy, you're one of us. Congratulations, you joined the band. That's the good news, and it's also kind of the bad news. The band is... Well, I was in prison. Eighdum was banished. Who knows what happened to the rest of them.”
“Yes, and on that note, that is where we should actually start. This integration isn't ending, Alecks. Something is deeply wrong, and it's begun to pull in other forces as it continues unchecked. That means we need to break into it and find out just what the hell our brother has done. Thanks to my own charming personality, I don't exactly have anyone willing to drop everything to join me on a random whim,” Laurenth added.
“Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait,” Alecks said, turning to his sister, and then paused, looking as though he was deep in thought for a few seconds before continuing. “Don't tell me the real reason you rescued me was because you needed my connections. And here you had me convinced you actually cared about me and Eighdum again. Honestly, I'm kind of impressed. I'm supposed to be the conniving one. You're the honest-to-goodness paladin, she who would never dare betray a system ideal, Lady of Purity and Faith. At least I think that was how I described you once when I was drunk.”
Laurenth gave an exaggerated sigh. “Believe it or not, I do wish to help my family. But yes, I also need access to your resources. We have to break into an integration, Alecks. I don't think I have to tell you just what that means, do I?”
Alecks burst out laughing. It was an actual genuine laugh. He'd had so few of those during his time in prison. Sure, there were plenty of funny things, but gods did the boredom make it hard for true mirth. He missed mirth.
Actually, now that he considered it, there was a lot he missed. Drinking was probably one of the biggest things he missed. Not the booze itself, though that was fun, the conversation that came with it was what he longed for again. Every good deal he had ever made had been when he was drunk in a seedy back room somewhere. He couldn't wait to get back to it.
This time, he wasn't going to let anyone destroy their plans. Laurenth was right. It was time to put the band back together. And damn if they weren't a powerful band. They would need Eighdum back.
He wasn't exactly replaceable, and not just because he was Alecks' favorite brother. There were few people out there who were willing to be as duty-bound as Eighdum was. He was one of the only people Alecks had ever trusted completely. And the fact that the System had chosen to fuck over his brother anyway was grating in the back of his mind.
There was also the fact that he really wanted to see Eighdum's kids. Family was important, and that included his sister, even if she had been one of the more annoying thorns in their side for a while. He supposed he could forgive that, given the whole prison break and all.
Alecks gave her a gentle clap on the back. “So where do we start? I have no idea where anyone is. How about the old man? Grinnell’s gotta still be alive, right? I know he was ancient, but he might have skipped all the problems. He had just gone into solo meditation before it all fell apart. Wait, no, actually what about Grimbleflork? He was only kind of connected to the faction. Let's go find his ass. He should have all kinds of resources at this point.”
“Grimbleflork is out. He was actually first on my list, but for whatever reason he got close enough to the integration wave and got pulled in. We can try to find him once we're inside, but I kind of hope he's already found our brother. Eighdum could use an ally,” Laurenth responded.
“Query: What is meant by integration wave? An integration should not produce any sort of outward effect. It is a System-controlled area,” XL27 asked.
“Wait, yeah, Twenty Seven's got a pretty good point there. What the hell is an integration wave? I mean, you said it's going unchecked, but that doesn't make sense. If it's going unchecked, why do we have to break into it?” Alecks added.
Those two pieces of information together were conflicting in his brain. There was something Laurenth wasn't saying. And it didn't take his abilities starting to return to fully see it either. She was hiding something still. Well, probably a lot more than one thing, but she was hiding something that mattered to this situation right now. And he wanted to know what.
“Anyone registered for future integrations or even competitions with the System and close enough to the current spatial anomaly is just getting pulled in whenever the integration decides to expand itself. And no, I don't know anything beyond that little tidbit. A lot of my old channels for information dried up when the old System vanished.”
That part still confused Alecks. How could the System be gone? For one thing, Twenty-Seven had just gained a level. For another, he could pull up his own abilities without issue. He felt like that wouldn't be possible without the System. At least he didn't think it would.
Alecks had never gone in for any of that meditation on the System that so many scholars seem to love in their older lives. There had always been far too much to do now than to worry about the actual nature of what gave them their powers. Once they were strong enough that they could actually potentially deal with whatever was behind that concept, maybe then it was time to deeply consider it, but everything had fallen apart before anything like that ever happened.
“If the old System's dead or vanished, or whatever you said, what replaced it?” Alecks asked, curling his lips oddly as he tried to puzzle out what the hell was going on.
“Something new. It seems to have slid in place mostly seamlessly. Other than the obvious malfunction affecting our brother. But there's something more there that I don't understand. Too many coincidences surround Eighdum.”
“Query: does it not seem odd that the integration that goes wrong is the one that finds your brother? I do not know of any previous integrations that have gone out of control before. Nor do my records indicate anything about a System dying. I do not actually believe that is possible. Please explain further,” XL27 requested.
Laurenth lifted her hand to her head and began to rub her temples with her finger and thumb, while grimacing. Alecks had seen this look before. She was getting frustrated with the conversation.
His sister was the type of person who didn't like unknowns. And she especially didn't like it when others asked questions about those unknowns, pointing out that she didn't know everything. That was one of the big differences between the two of them. Alecks loved the uncertainty of a mystery.
Those were the best times to talk to everyone. When people didn't understand what was going on, that meant they listened to him. And best of all, that was when he could pull people to his side without question. Especially if a man with a giant sword who just happened to be his brother had saved their lives.
“Alright, Twenty-Seven, I think we are on the verge of driving my dear sister to an explosion. And seeing as how we just started to get along again, that might not be the right move. So Laurenth, instead of this topic slowly driving us all insane, who are we off to find first?” Alecks said, deciding to spare his sister the annoyance he had caused.
How do you cause that, though? She was the one who broke him out of prison. This was all her situation. She was lucky he cared enough about his family to overlook that fact, probably. He wasn't actually sure what he would have done otherwise, so an open-ended probably was the best he could do at the moment.
Laurenth lifted her head from her hand. “Thank you.” The words were colder than he would have liked, but he also couldn't remember her ever thanking him before. There was a first time for everything, it seems.
His sister cleared her throat briefly and continued. “I believe I know where Grinnell is. Of your former inner circle, he was the only one other than Grimbleflork I was able to track down. Though I do believe Grinnell might have some information on Marjara and where she vanished off to once it became known how involved she was with the forging of Eighdum's sword.”
“Oh yeah, that'd make sense. Those two were always close. Any idea on Ulrun or Boblin? If we're going for everyone, we're going to need those two,” Alecks added.
“The Jabbercrumb was last seen in the Infinite Forest Expanse. And while that likely means he's still there, I don't believe we should risk any sort of approach until we've reunited you with the others. Even then, I'm a bit leery about stepping foot in any of the infinites.”
Oof. Alecks didn't like hearing that. What the hell would Boblin have gone off to an infinite for? That's just asking for trouble. He'd only ever been to an infinite once, and that had been a nightmare all its own. He and Eighdum weren't even sure how many decades they had been trapped by the time they found their way out.
But dammit, they needed Boblin. A little guy had grown up into one of the best wizards Alecks had ever met. And if they were going to break into an integration, they certainly needed someone who was an expert on dimensional magic. So that problem of the infinite was one they were going to have to face, like it or not.
At least they could put that off for now. That would give him the time he needed to remember how to properly flourish. And before he could do that, he needed to get a new cape. The damn prison guards would not let him have a cape. Or had it been the fact that it had been enchanted? Who could remember?
“Well, I guess Grinnell it is. Also, can we find somewhere to buy a cape? I really need a new cape. XL27, you could use a cape too. Actually, you could use a whole new wardrobe. We're gonna have to get you some clothing. Any preferences?” Alecks asked his robotic friend. Just because he'd been kind enough to stop pestering Laurenth about one topic didn't mean he would quit needling her entirely. Plus, she was probably the only one who had any money, and they were gonna need money if he wanted a new wardrobe.
“We'll talk about clothing after we see Grinnell. He is currently in seclusion in a sword shrine of a monastery. I believe he's trying to break through some internal lock that's had him stuck on his own progression. The Warpcraft is already heading for the world. I figured you'd be on board,” Laurenth replied.
“See? We get along better than it seems. You knew what I was thinking before you even gave me the chance to form the thought. Just like a normal, healthy sibling relationship that isn't strained in the slightest from years of distance and dislike.” Alecks finished by stretching his face into the biggest shit-eating grin he was capable of.