Chapter 1636 – Triad Work

Syssernix the Dark Spear is one of the more mysterious Ancients, a trait adopted by their Cult. The followers of the Dark Spear are almost impossible to find, a secretive organisation that operates primarily amongst the brathian, who surface for reasons known only to them before they vanish once more.

What little is known is that Syssernix is a creature of shadow and water, suspected to have been born in the second stratum, which would make them perhaps the youngest of the Ancients. This does not, by any means, mean she is the weakest.

In the far north, the Ridgeway canyon, a thousand-kilometre-long stretch of sheer walls, is assumed to have been formed by the passage of the Lewn River. Amongst the Cults, its formation is attributed to the Horn of Syssernix.

– Excerpt from ‘Collective Wisdom of the Cults’ by Granin Lazus

As Anthony continued to eat, Granin watched carefully, judging his condition by the behaviour of the ants around him. It was a better indicator than asking him how he felt, after all. It had long been a pattern with him. Almost as if he felt a reflexive need to downplay his own suffering.

There might be a reason behind such behaviour, but Granin wasn’t going to be able to get to the bottom of it in the next hour, so he ignored it, and watched.

All the while, he conferred with his triad, and, intermittently, he spoke to the monster himself. It was admirable how well Anthony was holding up, though the strain was clearly taking its toll. More than that, Granin was carefully sensing for any sign of corruption in his thoughts, yet so far, he had felt none.

[How much Biomass do you have now?] Granin asked.

[Enough. Surely, enough. I’m fit to burst.]

[That doesn’t mean anything to me. I need a number.]

[Sheesh. Give me a second, I have other things on my mind. Can’t you just check my core and see the number anyway?]

Granin raised a brow.

[I can, with your permission. Are you happy for me to take a look at your core?]

[Don’t you have to do that anyway?] he replied wearily. [I don’t have the headspace for trawling through mutation menus. Please, tell them to take the food away, I’m stuffed.]

[I’ll tell them to take it away just as soon as I confirm how much Biomass you have stored up.]

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[Geh.]

Placing his hands on the great monster, Granin let his consciousness slip inside and carefully access his core. As always, he marvelled at the tremendous flood of information that came pouring out. The information that all monsters contained was dense, intricate, and for the most part, irrelevant. From long experience, Granin knew that every single detail of a monster was contained within their core, down to the alignment of their muscles and ligaments, the exact dimensions of their digestive system.

He allowed all of that to flow past him as he sought out the one piece of information that he needed. Thankfully, he knew where to look.