In the city of Carcosa, a new meeting was being prepared.
Neptune walked straight toward the hall:
"I've barely just been promoted, and there's already trouble…"
He arrived at the door and opened it. The vassals and vice-vassals, almost all present, were preparing for the meeting. Neptune remained standing beside Anna, his superior. The silence was suddenly broken by an angry voice.
Icar: "What do these antics mean!? The Train of Hope and the Dream Desert archipelago!? And I'm only finding out about all this now!?"
Newton, in a calmer tone: "Calm down. This situation is more unpleasant for me than for anyone else here. I took part in building the artificial veil surrounding Dream Desert, and also the Train of Hope. Yet, I remain calm."
Icar, with flaming wings: "This isn't about your stupid inventions! It's about the attack we suffered! Destroying the train and Dream Desert… the enemy is no ordinary one! And if what happened 300 years ago were to repeat itself…"
Neptune thought: *Whoa, he's really scary… 300 years?*
Anna: "Stop getting heated. Even if there were a threat, it wouldn't stand a chance. We are the vassals, the most powerful beings after the king."
Icar, to Anna: "Insolent brat… You reached our level very quickly, you're the youngest and most promising, but you still know so little…"
Suddenly, Doctor intervened:
"Anyway, it's nice to argue, but we need to find the culprit. In which sector did these incidents occur?"
All eyes turned toward the most mysterious vassal.
Doctor: "Do you know something, vassal? All these events started in Peleria, the capital…"
Anna added: "Where were you during the elevation of Vice-Vassal Neptune? And where is Harvey, your vice-vassal?"
The vassal, his face completely bandaged:
"I am as perplexed as you are. As for Harvey, I have no idea either. Perhaps you, Doctor, know something?"
Doctor: "What are you getting at?"
The vassal sighed deeply:
"Nothing has been forgotten… By the way, I only came to announce something… I am resigning from my position as vassal."
He stood up and walked away briskly. Anna placed her sword against his neck to stop him. Icar, red with anger, lashed out with his lava-like hair.
Icar: "Vassal!!!"
Helios and Yorin, the respective vice-vassals of Icar and Doctor, laughed.
Helios: "Finally something interesting…"
Doctor: "Let him go if he wants…"
Newton: "This is strange… All these events are happening under his watch, and he resigns at the same time… suspicious."
The vassal: "Are you implying that I am the terrorist? Do not worry. I know what you are capable of, I would never act against the king's will."
???: "You woke me up with all this noise. If he wants to leave, let him. I need no one to live."
Everyone knelt, except Helios.
Anna: "My king…"
The voice of the King in Yellow was heard, without physical presence. Anna and Icar let the vassal go. The meeting was adjourned until further notice.
---
On the heroes' side:
They stood in front of a local hospital, where Akane, the Sand Merchant's daughter, was. After a moment, a man came out.
Doctor: "I have good news and bad news."
Rastaban: "Yes?"
Doctor: "The good news: she is no longer in mortal danger."
Everyone sighed in relief.
Doctor: "The bad news: she suffered severe trauma and is in a coma of undetermined duration. But we are confident—she will wake up soon. We will watch over her."
The doctor went back inside.
Harvey: "I don't understand… you don't even know her, and you came to help her?"
Ban: "Just because I don't know her doesn't mean I shouldn't help."
Hastur: "That's typical Rastaban. Despite his build, he has a big heart. He's the kindest person I've ever met."
Efa, chuckling: "The complete opposite of you, I suppose."
Hastur: "How dare you. I am a very kind and pure-hearted person…"
ARATA: "Anyway, for her safety, it's better to leave her here. But where exactly are we?"
Rastaban: "You're right… Given the variation of anima, we've left the Immutable Theater."
Hastur: "We are in the Central Theater. And yes, it's better…"
The group fell silent, facing reality: without money or equipment, they wouldn't get far.
Arata: "No matter, we'll make it to the firmament!"
He started running straight ahead.
A faint smile appeared on every face.
Rastaban: "I love it! Woohoo, long live the great adventure!"
Hastur: "Still, we should— Hey, don't go, wait for me!"
The group set off. The adventure begins.
---
In the shadows, in a room, a man struggled to stay awake.
Neptune: "I must not sleep… I must not sleep… I must not sleep… I must not sle…"