“Culling the non-magicals?”
“That was Helen's plan,” she said in distaste. “But it wasn’t everyone’s. The Vanators created world-breaking operations of different types. Population resets. Temporary dark ages. Using different ways to do it—extraordinary mages, convergences, the captured force of disasters—but Helen’s plan used the Awakening canisters, specifically, as a start.”
That caused a flurry of reaction over the comms that I forced myself to ignore.
“Are you telling me that they are planning to wipe out, what, large swaths of the population? The layers?”
“I don’t know.”
“But Marsgrove knows?” I remembered the strange conversation he and Grey had when Marsgrove thought I was “asleep.” He had sounded frustrated more than anything. “Why hasn't he told the world?”
“He has been in a flurry since the Department took the canisters. Believe me, there are going to be some major happenings in the next few days. And maybe it's not what I fear, but the canisters...” She broke off. “And no, Phillip didn't know. Nothing concrete. I went through his files. I went through those files using three decryption puzzle boxes that Dare gave us while he was still on campus—dammit, Ren, stop solving puzzles for people,” Olivia said grimly. “Phillip only knew Helen had been up to something, knew Stavros was using her, but not what for specifically.”
“A new dawn,” Mike murmured.
“Yes. There have been whispers—there are always whispers. When Kinsky was alive, I was told there was lots of talk at the parties, in the shadows. The regular things—that Origin Mages destroy as often as they create—that a new dawn was coming. The normal conspiracy theories.”
“Raphael knows something,” I said. I was sure of it.
“Yes,” Olivia said grimly. “He spoke to me of it in roundabout ways. He wants to kill Stavros for his own fervent reasons, and Verisetti's been lost to insanity for years, but he said multiple times that humanity would benefit from his killing of Enton Stavros. That he, Verisetti, would take those involved down and leave those of us left to sort it out. It's easier to glue together his madness the more pieces we see.”
“Why doesn't someone just politically take out Stavros?” It was beyond frustrating. Here was a man in power who shouldn't be.
“He's entrenched. An institution. What would it mean to people in the Second Layer to know that we've let such a person in power? People don't want to know. They want to continue their idyllic lives. The Second Layer has it good. Why would anyone want to change that?”
More than one person on the line winced. “It's true,” Mike said grimly. “Think of Layer Politics, Ren. It's a golden age. No one wants to live like those in the Third.”
“And Stavros and his policies provide us with an abundance of plenty. Keeps us thinking that way,” Olivia said, before I could argue about making the Third Layer awesome with a little work.
“He hosts dozens of science and tech competitions. Puts loads of money into the STEM fields. The Department is very positive to engineers,” Will said. “Figuring out who to recruit or keep an eye on, I’m sure, but he’s considered a visionary because of his works.”
“The only blip on Stavros' record before you came online, Ren, was the Dare uprising,” Olivia said. “And he managed to weather that loss by placing responsibility on the countries that directly engaged Itlantes.”
I frowned. “He would have had more of Kinsky's magic then, than he does now.” It seemed strange.
“Maybe he feared what Sera McEllian Dare would do. There are deep, hidden rumors that no one speaks of, of what a Bridge Mage did with Origin Magic before a dark age in the past,” she said grimly.
Now there was no need for “rumors” of what a Bridge Mage could do with an Origin Mage’s power. I looked at Axer, who looked steadily back.
I shrugged. “Okay, but if Stavros is keeping the Second Layer as a land of plenty with all the good things, why is a culling necessary?”
“I don't know,” Olivia said grimly. “The Vanators go big, but many people believe small resets are a good thing. Recycling resets, for instance. Maybe his plan is smaller.”
“We aren't talking about recycling, though.”
“No.”
“Why didn't you tell me?” I asked Olivia softly.
She didn't answer for a long moment.
“At the beginning, it was simply a bargaining chip. A piece of information on the chessboard. Like I did with Phillip, I would have used it for other things.” Her voice shook. “But the problem with knowledge when crossed with emotion, is in how that emotion shapes and warps decisions. Once you were firmly ensconced within my heart, I could bear no longer to possess the knowledge that would send you right to him, into the pit of the beast.”
Constantine jerked, and I looked to see reluctant understanding forming in his gaze.
I remembered how easily Olivia had given in to Marsgrove's deal of extending the deadline on revealing the secret. Quickly ceding any desire to give detail.
“I didn't want it to be you he wanted,” she whispered as the last wards dropped right on Dagfinn’s schedule.
I gave our connections a stroke as we came to a fork in the corridors. “So, we have to figure out if Stavros’s ideals are the same as Helen’s.”
“Well,” Loudon said. “I guess we are going with super sketchy Plan DoGA, then—Die on Glorious Adventure!”
“Loudon, I swear—”
“So, 01,” Dagfinn said, firmly entrenched in codenames, even at the possible end of the world. “This is the part where you get to figure out which corridor to take. They both lead to the same place, but there's something weird about the space in the schematics. Usually a good bet that there are multiple pocket dimensions in play. Take heed.”
I looked at the possibilities. They looked the same. I touched my cuff, and my fingers lingered on the clasp. I could use magic, or... I could use other means and give us a bit more time. I looked at the flaring thick gold thread connected to the shield around me and carefully twisted it.
A gasp, a laugh, and anticipation echoed. I knew you would survive. I knew you would find it. And I knew you would call. I've been waiting.
You helped us in Corpus Sun. What are your intentions?
I could feel him rifling through the data I let him access. Deliberately let him access.
You are getting so paranoid, Butterfly. And controlled. I approve. Go left.
I held firm. Amusement percolated down the connection from him.
Left, Butterfly.
I looked left, and excitement churned that was not my own.
Left, he sing-songed, but it was saner than normal.
Answers first.
Before you meet the devil? That seems fair. I felt him rifling again. Your conversation was somewhat correct. Omega Genesis is Enton’s attempt to play at God. I do support the part of the notion that… He trailed off, then started to laugh. Enforced truth. Lovely. You really outdid yourself. I must take more care in our mental space.