After around ten minutes of ocular conversation, Gemini figured that no one was going to say anything if a single Knight was whisked away. After all, the Knights were just posing menacingly above the base that was currently in construction, and there wasn’t any sign of approaching spectres yet.

Besides, the Locomotives were more than ready to mow down the enemy at a moment’s notice — in fact, they were currently bombarding a rather sturdy wall of enemy.

“How’s Hereward?” Gemini asked, as he conveyed to Lila his intention to teleport her over with his hands.

Thasvia closed one eye and replied, “Still catatonic. I think his path just took a hit, but I have no idea why and how. Liamar at least had to come into contact with the Abyss Sovereign, but this was just…completely illogical.”

“Maybe the Abyss Sovereign got lucky or something, then.” Gemini clicked his teeth, while exchanging a few more gestures with Lila. “Still, did you detect anything special about those spectres?”

“They had a soul.”

“The spectres that we had cut down throughout our approach didn’t have one, true. So is it the fact that they have a soul that made Hereward like this?” Gemini shook his head.

“You’re perfectly capable of thinking in parallel too, so why are you making me do the hard work?” Thasvia complained. “Stop asking questions and figure it out yourself, okay?”

“I’m the guy in charge of the fighting; you two are more suitable to think up of an answer behind me. I mean, that’s what you agreed on, right? It was the product of a democratic consensus, so why are you rejecting your own votes?” Gemini asked, before pulling out some divinity from his hands. Infusing them into his own hands, he made a ‘come hither gesture’, and Lila appeared right beside him.

Gemini felt the Breath-maker’s gaze turn away as Lila hopped into his arms.

It wasn’t his fault if a certain old crusty god was disturbed by shows of affection, but that didn’t make all that much sense either. However, instead of devoting any thought strands to this interesting thought, Gemini focused on Lila instead, holding her close to him.

“I think that’s long enough for a moving hug,” said Thasvia.

“Bah.” Gemini rolled his eyes at her. “You are a great god, who has lived for a hundred millennia. I’m willing to bet that you’ve hugged a bolster for a five-hundred year nap or something. What’s a few minutes to you?”

“It’s the principle of the thing.”

“I suppose we can’t go around making the great gods upset,” Lila’s voice floated outwards.

“Oh, okay. If you say so.” Gemini released his embrace. Lila, who was under his direct protection, was probably the only Knight with a Shell that could roam around in the upper airzone, where most defences would break immediately.

“Thanks, darling.” She smiled, before a touch of confusion flashed across her face. “Where’s Hereward?”

“He’s…currently out of commission,” Gemini replied, before pre-empting her concerned response by saying, “Hereward annihilated an army of spectres, which freed a bunch of souls that shot up into Celestia. The sight of these souls, however, sent Hereward into a daze or something.”

“Maybe those souls were related to him somehow,” said Lila.

“That’s why my calculations led me to,” said Thasvia. “But we’ve seen so many souls in the past hundred thousand years, and it’s not like these souls were destroyed by Hereward, which could be a reason why he’s in such a state now. If anything, Hereward probably freed them, so…”

“Why are you so happy to tell her the answer, but not me?” Gemini asked, annoyed.

“She can’t use thought strands; you can. That’s the reason.” Thasvia glanced at him. “What makes you think I’ll go ahead and help a lazy bummer?”

“I’ll have you know that I’m very hardworking, though,” Gemini fired back. “I took on a whole bunch of Paragons and Demigods as Constellation Gemini, and then single-handedly stopped the invasion of the Wildlands. Calling me lazy is the worst insult you can come up with.”

Thasvia snorted. “In your defence of the Wildlands, you inadvertently created the monster we call—”

The deafening roars of the North’s Locomotives as their guns continued to rain down destruction, which Gemini had grown used to as they fired on and on, were abruptly eclipsed by a single, profound thunderclap.

Arcs of light streamed in clear, delineated waves, and Gemini sighed. “Looks like the Abyss Sovereign’s finally done. To be honest, I had hoped that he would take longer, but…”

“Are you going to help?” Lila asked, concerned.

“No. Not now,” Gemini replied. “How will the Five Lands react to this true counterattack? If they can’t even handle something like this, I don’t think we can win. Might as well just help the Abyss Sovereign to perfect his world, risks be damned.”

His eyes drifted over to the rising hordes of spectres as they shot out to flank the Five Lands’ forces.

Lila stared at them nervously. “Also, should I…”

“Nope, too late,” said Gemini. “You’re staying here…and Thasvia will send you away if they actually attack us. I will brook no objections.”

“It’s just to harass, however,” said Thasvia. “This, for the Abyss Sovereign, is just an effortless move to probe the Five Lands…and our reaction. He’s definitely noticed that Hereward is not here. But yes, Lila, we are not going to attack. Not now.”

“Why?”

“We need to prove to the Abyss Sovereign that his path is wrong. His world, if it comes to fruition, is designed to limit the potential of all life. It’s his belief that the basest nature of mortals is that of conflict; even in the most dire of times, they cannot unite. Therefore, limiting their ability to fight and removing all forms of potential conflict…that’s his answer.”

Lila nodded. “We, the mortals of Orb, need to prove that his answer is wrong. Is that it?”

“Precisely so. You are a bright one, but I wouldn’t have expected anything less of you,” said Thasvia. “Now, witness the Five Lands’ response.”