A few days later.
The Ashen Field was a plaza in NQSC. The small open-air space was located between many skyscrapers that were running all types of advertisements on their massive walls. The plaza owed the name to the white ash that was on the ground everywhere. According to lore, the place had become ashen white because some time ago, many thousands of people had smoked here for so long until the ground turned white. Whether that was true was anyone's guess. There was a bench and right now Waynie, Marx and Florian were sitting on it, enjoying the nice summer afternoon. The Mourning Saint had returned to Ravenheart shortly after to organize the defenses.
"I completely forgot how nice the city is." Marx inhaled the metropolis air. "To think that we all used to be complete no-names and are now top of society."
In the harsh reality of the Dream Realm, it was easy to forget how many privileges Awakened enjoyed in NQSC. And that most people were in fact not infected by the spell.
"I didn't think we'd make it out of there." Florian remarked, still a bit shaken from the last days.
"Yeah, it got close a couple of times." Waynie swung his legs forward. "We somehow escaped from the war."
Marx stared at the ads that were displaying right now on the skyscraper wall. "Do you regret it, Waynie?"
"To hang out in NQSC while they are fighting? No way. Look how peaceful it is here."
At just this moment a nightmare gate opening came on the news. But it wasn't in the direct vicinity. There was no need to worry.
"It's not gonna stay that peaceful. You still have that contract to fulfill with your company."
"True. But I also have my family to think of. I trust you took care of things with them in Ravenheart, Marx." Waynie had met with some of the representatives of the company he owed money to. The contract duration for the last job had long expired, but they were constantly moving between the Waking World and the Dream World shipping goods to Ki-Song territory. So, there would soon be another trip possible. "You two are really going to Godgrave?"
Marx nodded. "I'm not too sad about it. Someone has to do it."
Most of Waynie's men, as well as the entire battalion of the Mourning Saint were still trapped in the pocket dimension. The mirror shard did not allow for Awakened to pass through into the Waking World. After Waynie had declared that he was working in the service of Seishan, the information must have reached her somehow. Because two days ago, Waynie had received a letter of Seishan at his hotel in the Waking World. It said, that he was to take all his men and deploy to Godgrave immediately. Waynie had no intention of doing this, of course. But someone had to bring the troops back to the Dream Realm and that meant that Florian, who the dimensional mirror shard was connected to, had to bring it back to the Dream Realm. More specifically to Godgrave. So, it would be Marx and Florian's job to do that.
"Won't you be missed in Ravenheart, tho? You said they don't have a lot of personal there, right? And the assault of Nightmare Creatures is still ongoing."
"The guard consists of mostly Awakened volunteers from the city now. All the other career soldiers there have command positions now. I don't think I will be missed."
Another ad had ended showing on the billboard. A news update flashed in.
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NEWS: 'Who is going to stop me?'
Larson: "In a surprising turn of events, Lady Nephis, heir of the Immortal Flame Clan and adoptive daughter of Anvil declared her defiance to the Sovereign and saved a number of Ki-Song Saints from death. Anvil has placed Lady Nephis under house arrest at the Flying Firekeeper Fortress. Our sources say, she has been sighted there with her boyfriend, Master Sunless, who is a purveyor of artifacts and a knight in the Anvil army. The incident has happened a few days after the largest clash between saints in human history where Anvil forces obliterated a group of forty Ki-Song Saints and several thousand Awakened and Masters."
Angelica: "That is truly astounding. Nephis is so strong that she can afford to even leave her enemies alive. Do you think it's ok that she spends this time now leisurely?"
Larson: "Lady Changing Star has been a beacon for human society to look out for and I think with her on the side of Anvil, we can hope that mankind has a future. She deserves every minute of free time she can get."
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Florian frowned. "Do you two think that Anvil really is that strong?"
Waynie shook his head. "It's just propaganda, don't worry about it. The government has just taken the side of those pricks."
"Isn't the government supposed to be neutral?", Marx interjected.
Waynie shrugged. "Do they sound neutral on the news announcements?"
"I suppose. I mean, it's pro-Nephis, not pro-Anvil."
"That's just like blowing sand in your eyes. Trying to detract from the fact that these news clearly paint the troops of Anvil in a good light and us as if we are savages."
Florian nodded as well. The news had long stopped being objective about the conflict. When the four of them first returned to the Waking World, it was immediately obvious that things were dire. Nominally the Waking World was not involved in the conflict. In reality Anvil citizens denied goods and services to people of Ki-Song. Just like most other Ki-Song people, the four of them of them had retreated to areas of the city that were exclusively controlled by Ki Songs subordinates. Such as the Ashen Plaza. Here they were safe, as safe as anyone could be anywhere right now.