Chapter 797 Revelation
"Overseer, we can speak later. The interference might mean that there is someone experimenting with a spell that blocks communication from the Church to the outside. I don't want to take any risks. Remember that he is my disciple, and I saw more in him than I have in most whom I have met even here, on the Mainland. I know you cannot break the rules for him, but be lenient. And don't count this as our deal being done. I take your silence as assent. Goodbye, for now. And take care, Daneel. We will talk soon."
As soon as the strange sound which interrupted the connection stopped, Master Jonah said these words and then immediately cut off the connection.
Meanwhile, Daneel had reached a quick decision.
"System, make me forget what I just heard secretly from my Master, and remind me of it after I am in a secure place."
[Acknowledged. Hiding memory.]
Right away, Daneel's memory was replaced by him only experiencing the interruption normally, and then looking on puzzled as his Master said those words. He only blinked as something felt vaguely wrong, but deciding to think of it later, he looked to the Overseer who was standing as if it was struck speechless.
Right away, he understood why that was the case.
His master had not given any gap for the Overseer to say anything, and he had directly said that last part.
So you are still as shameless as always, my dear drunken master…
Thinking this fondly, Daneel looked to the Overseer and said, "Is he really alright? What are all those wounds, and why is he in prison?"
In response, the Overseer spoke in that same flat tone, and it looked like it had gathered its bearings again.
"That is classified information regarding your Master's journey in the Church, and you cannot obtain it unless he tells you himself. This is all a very unorthodox situation, as all of this data is supposed to be completely under wraps. Because of the obligation that the Order has to him, you were allowed to have this meeting, and you were only going to find out what he chose to tell you about. For the rest, only members who reach higher levels in the Order can obtain the right to find out. The deal with him is still not finished, and after a period of time, you will be called for another meeting, after we deem that it is safe."
Saying so and as if taking a page from his master's book, the Overseer directly teleported Daneel away, and he found himself in front of the obelisk again.
He still had a very strange feeling, almost as if he was missing something, but Daneel first decided to get back to the lodgings.
He did not want to go back to the bar and clinic, as he knew that he would be hounded by questions from all sides if he did so. He had made a ruckus and certainly raised a storm, just as intended, and the best thing to do right now was to take it easy for a little bit and let it roar, boundlessly, for as long as it could.
Sending a message to his subordinates and telling them that they should also head back to the lodgings after they were done picking the rewards, Daneel went to their room first, and sat on his bed after checking that Skrr was still sleeping peacefully. Eloise had also fallen asleep beside the Divine Cockroach, and he decided that it was probably not best to disturb her. Updates regarding how it had gone could wait.
As soon as Daneel was about to relax, though… The system sent a message, and the memories flooded back to him.
[Safe atmosphere detected. Restoring memory.]
"… the last hope of Angaria."
Daneel shot to his feet as soon as he heard the message from his Master once again.
He froze completely, his eyes going as wide as they could, and his face flushed so much that it looked as if all the blood in his body had reached it. At the same time, his heart started beating faster and faster, and it looked like it had no intention of slowing down.
His mind was continuously being pounded by waves, and they seemed to be sweeping him away and drowning him within their swells while only giving him moments to breathe.
The shock was so deep that Daneel finally had to catch a table beside him and consciously tell himself that he should relax, or otherwise, he might get a heart attack from just stress.
Taking a deep, deep breath, he just didn't think about it for a few seconds, during which he managed to at least bring himself back to a semblance of normalcy.
He really couldn't help it. After all, the information that had just been revealed to him changed… Everything.
The Overseer was practically the most powerful individual on the continent, if he was an individual, in the first place. It held the Oaths of all the strongest Heroes, and if it turned out that it was on the wrong side…
Just thinking about the ramifications made Daneel's head hurt, and right away, he knew that he should approach this calmly and logically, instead of letting panic set in.
This was practically the first time he felt so much of that emotion, and the reason behind it was that in the worst case, it could mean that Angaria was already doomed, and he could do almost nothing to change that.
Taking a few more seconds, he finally managed to start thinking about it without letting his emotions affect him.
First of all, what was the worst case?
If the Overseer had died during the apocalypse, who could have taken his place?
If they didn't have the interest of the continent in heart, like it was pretending to, then why hadn't Angaria already been completely crushed the first time the Church had attacked?
If the one who took the place of the Overseer really was after dominating the entire continent, then why hadn't he or she acted when it had been at its weakest, right after the apocalypse?
If…
As the questions kept appearing, Daneel decided that this track wouldn't do any good. There were just too many, and he had just too little data at the moment.
So, he decided to choose something simple and figure that out, before moving to bigger things.
Who were the likely culprits?
Right away, he got an answer, but it wasn't a good one.
Empire spirits, or someone like those existences.
These were the only beings which could exist from that time till now, so it made sense that whoever had taken on the Overseer's role had only survived as their consciousness.
Right, this gave a perfect starting point: the Overseer had been replaced by someone's consciousness, and that meant… That that consciousness's actions might be different from those of whose place it had taken!
Yes!
Daneel felt as if he was in a storm, but had found something he could hold onto as soon as he got this thought.
If what he was thinking was right, then there would be a very easy way to check whether what his master had said was right.
Yes, he wanted to verify it, too, because even though he trusted his master completely, it was possible that that man's own information could be false. It was possible that the enemy at that time might have thought that they killed the Overseer, but had actually failed.
If this was the case, it would be all for the better, but something told Daneel that if his master had deemed it important enough to notify him in that manner, that he must have verified the authenticity as well as he could.
Still, starting with this and going in this method would both allow him to find some clues regarding who might have taken the Oversee's his place, so Daneel decided that that was what he was going to do.
With that, he got up, as having a direction was always best to have whenever one found themselves in such a situation which had so many variables, and so many dangers.
One thing was for sure. If his master was right, and if there was someone malicious in the place of the Overseer… Angaria might truly be doomed, and he really might be its last hope.
Daneel really wished that that wasn't the case, but if it was… He had to end this person and stop their plans as soon as possible, so it was paramount that he go about investigating the truth and taking more steps as soon as possible.
Action would allow him to keep the thoughts regarding Angaria's doom at bay, so Daneel right away made the strong decision that he would do everything required to get to the bottom of this, even if it meant that he might have to push his boundaries a bit, or take risks.
Everything had been going quite well so far, with most of the threats he had faced being ones that he could handle, and with the Church and threats of that size being at bay so that he could calmly grow in power.
Yet, now… It looked like all that was going to stop, and that meant that he had to be ready to take up the pressure and still give his best to achieve everything he wanted.
Well, if that is the case… Bring it on.
With this, Daneel teleported away, after giving a moment of thought regarding whether he should share this with anyone.
Right away, he understood that this was something he might have to do alone, because it was so big that he couldn't trust the trinkets made out of Ker Roots that he had given his sovereigns either. If even the slightest hint got out, he was sure that the heavens themselves would pounce down upon them all, and sadly, they weren't strong enough yet to handle that.
However, if his plans regarding their power-ups using the rewards from the Order were fulfilled, they might be ready, but until then, he had to go it alone.
With that, Daneel arrived at an Obelisk, but just as he was about to touch it to begin his plan of investigation, the system sent him a message.
[Further data uncovered in message delivered to host. This data was given in such a fast tone that only those with the reflexes of Peak Champions would be able to understand it. System was able to intercept and analyze the data over a long time to uncover it. The last part of the message is:
"Daneel, if you are able to listen to this, too, then it means that you might be ready for the test I placed for you on Angaria. On that continent, the one who is present in the place I told you about before leaving is the only other person I trust. In case you already tried and failed, try again, and succeed. If you do so, you will find out a lot more, and we will be able to talk freely. Good luck, my disciple. I…miss you, and my home."]
Daneel froze as he heard this, and right away, he left a message to his sovereigns and teleported out of the Order.
One could leave and enter the Order whenever they wished, and they would always find themselves at the top of the Mountaintop.
From there, he went to Lanthanor, and after waiting and making sure that he wasn't followed, he went underground and began teleporting discreetly.
The utmost of secrecy was required, so he kept pausing at intervals.
Finally, he reached a place near the western coast of Angaria, and here was a very peculiar mountain.
It was in the shape of a crow perched on the ground, just about to take off, and it was so large that it dwarfed Daneel. It stood at least 150 meters(492 feet) tall, and although the shape was vague, it was most visible when one looked from above.
"Go to the place in Angaria where the Roc pierces the Basilisk's eye, and call for the white-robed augur when you think you are strong enough…"
His Master's words seemed to echo in his ears, and Daneel walked to a very specific place at the base of the mountain which looked very much like a large, one-slitted eye.
He had found this place long back, but it was only now that he had finally found his way here.
Taking a deep breath, he first cast all the protective formations and barriers that he could, before preparing to shout out, as it had been indicated.
Yet, right before he did so, he spotted something that one would only be able to see if they stood at that place.
There seemed to be something…hidden, beneath that eye, and as Daneel used his hand to wipe that spot, a unique image was presented to him.
It was a drawing etched deep into that spot on the mountain, and after revealing it all, Daneel stood back and examined it.
It was the image of a bolt of lightning striking down, and that lightning was vaguely…golden.
Right as Daneel made this observation, an unseen power emerged from nowhere, and in the next moment, the King of Lanthanor disappeared from the surface of Angaria.