Published at 11th of February 2026 8:47 am

Chapter 133: A Rival For Anar's Oh So Tender Love

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My thoughts freeze in place, my body goes out of control. Breathing accelerates, shoulders tense, heartrate increases, hands quiver the usual signs of stress. Though, of course, the lack of control is by my enhanced standard. Count Vithal, who does not seem to have any particularly potent enhancements, does not seem notice my reaction. Or at least I keep it controlled enough to be in line with the level of surprise one would expect for someone who just learned about an Anar cultist in the broad vicinity.

The body wasnt one of mine, was it? I race through memories of every kill Ive made since coming here and confirm that I properly disposed of all of them. It must be someone else.

Whowhen, where how? I stutter, evidently not retaining quite the level of control that I thought.

The count smirks. I think youre missing one. But I understand. It is disturbing to think that they might have found a way to perform their vile act even here. To find a way to sneak through all the divinations we perform daily precisely against such things. But youd be naive to think that theyre the only one to figure out how to get past the corpse divinations.

Of course not, I shake my head, blushing at the idea that I might be as naive as shes suggesting, despite the fact that I have personally exploited those very gaps shes suggesting I might think to be impervious. I was just surprised that theyd show up so soon after losing Caethlon. What could they even be doing here? How do you even know its even the same Anar cultist?

She nods. I understand your surprise. I thought for certain that theyd go into hiding for a few decades. I also thought it might be a different cultist, but I managed to get on the list to consult one of our highest level diviners. I just came from seeing her before class its definitely them.

My mind reels at this, and I begin to doubt my own memory. After all, if one of the renowned oracles said I did it, who am I to think otherwise?

In Caethlon, there were people who got very drunk whenever they could. They did things that they claimed not to remember. Killed people we werent planning on killing. I dont drink to that level, but it is a precedent for unremembered actions. Could I, in the throes of my desire for the pleasure of sacrifice, have entered a similar state and killed someone sloppily? Perhaps in my sleep? I could see myself doing that maybe, when the itching got bad enough... Wasn't there a moment on the boat...?

I dont remember any unexplained gaps in my memory, nor any morning that I woke unexpectedly tired. But if my memory is already suspect But no, I wouldnt just have to forget the killing, but at least sixteen hours after while I was still under the boon. I cant imagine having a gap that large without noticing it.

So that leaves the oracles being wrong or maybe not. Itd be suspicious to ask for the precise wording of the divination. But I suspect that the Count didnt ask if I killed this particular person, but rather just if I was in the capital. Or maybe even if I had killed people here. The answer to that being yes. Naturally, the oracle being perpetually extremely busy with matters of state far more important than catching a lone killer did not do follow up divinations to give more details. After all, their divinations take a lot longer than the ones I do in the field. Even longer than my anthropomancy the cost of their reputed near infallibility.

What are you thinking? she asks, noting my prolonged silence.

What do I say to that? I shrug nonchalantly, hoping to pass my silence off as fixating on something unlikely that Im trying not to be embarrassed about. Im just wondering about the timing. The week of the equinoctial. Somebody mentioned that the Biblio had its own astrologically tied rituals. Maybe theyre tying the sacrifice into something bigger than just gaining boons.

Which, as much as I hate to give them hints, is true. Timing a ritual to events in the heavens doesnt make the boon more powerful, but it can have strange effects. The simplest being to time an anthropomancy to it, which makes the divination more powerful, both in the finding and the hiding. But there are other effects that can be achieved too. Subtler effects to influence whole regions. Slight statistical weights on weal or woe.

Unfortunately, that is the one section of the Biblio I understand least. Full of metaphors of rising and lowering tides. In Caethlon, we would, of course, go out of our way to make appropriate sacrifices at the appropriate times when it wasn't too much trouble, and things would seem to go better for us immediately after, but Id be lying if I said I fully understood what I was doing. I have a slightly better understanding now, but havent been using it as my sacrifices have all been opportunistic, rather than something I deliberately time.

Perhaps I should have been deliberately timing them. The effects might have been subtle, but widespread. Who knows what damage I could do with one performed in the capital. So many people mean so many chances for woe to find a hold.

Interesting idea, she says, deep in thought. I hadnt considered it because they only seemed to have performed maybe three such astrologically tied sacrifices in Caethlon, which could have just been coincidence, so it didnt seem to be in line with their methods.

Not quite accurate. I did at least a few dozen though now that I think about it, they should only have the abridged Biblio that the patriarch gave his followers, which only had a handful of such rituals in it. So, its likely that they didnt realize that certain kills were ritual related.

Unfortunately, while I made a good show of it, offering up ritual as an excuse for my being lost in thought, I cant remember any rituals tied to the equinox. Though she doesnt know that I know there arent any.

So, I ask, Im still not allowed to study the text directly. Are there any rituals tied to the equinox?

She shakes her head. Not that I can remember, though its still a good idea then again, weve long suspected that what we recovered from the cult was only an incomplete copy, and that the rebel cultist has the complete version.

Or maybe not. Perhaps giving out incomplete Biblios is more of a tradition than I thought. Perhaps theres an entire line of cult leaders who decided the book had knowledge better left unshared, who then abridged a copy to give to their followers, of whom would start their own cults, which they decided were unworthy of what they thought was the full text too. What I have might just be a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the original text and what they have a fraction of that.

I salivate at the thought. I did always think that the Biblio was a bit pallid for a supposedly world shaking book of knowledge. The idea that there might be more profane spells out there for me to learn is very enticing But back to the moment. I cant let her catch on to my excitement.

Who knows about this? I ask, remembering that I was sworn to secrecy.

She shrugs. The Empress, obviously, her advisors, high level members of the city guard, the divining teams, and myself. But it wont be long before the rumour mills of high society start churning and well have to make an official announcement. Really, I wouldnt be surprised if the most connected nobles have already heard. Tonight or tomorrow at the latest.

Allan! Panic seizes me again. When he hears, hell think I did it. I need talk to him. Sooner rather than later. I need to get back to him tonight though itll be annoying. I have an irregular lecture this evening, meaning that Ill have to go to him after dark again, cutting into my sleep. I could just send a letter with Marcus, but Probably not the best idea. Maybe send a bird instead? I suppose I could be oblique enugh to not raise suspicion in the event of interception.

Can you tell me who was killed? I ask, trying not to let my worry show through.

She raises a sceptical eyebrow. Why? You arent planning on chasing after the cultist on your own, are you?

I give a deliberately nervous chuckle. No, I was just curious if I knew them.

Unlikely, she scoffs, it was just some random unfortunate in a low-sec section.

I suppose that tracks with standard Anar practices Which low-sec?

She shakes her head with a grin. Im not telling you that. And dont give me nonsense about needing to know so you stay away. You shouldnt be going to either one regardless of whether theres a lunatic killer on the loose.

Lunatic? I hardly think thats called for. But I bury my retort with a smile and nod. Of course. I suppose I was just overly curious. But do let me know if I can be of any assistance. I know Im inexperienced, but Im sure I can be of some auxiliary use.

She nods. Of course. Youll still be in the research group, but only pursuing theoretical matters. Its plausible that theyd attack those hunting them to throw off the scent. It wouldnt be the first time they reversed a divination and ambushed a group of mages on the hunt.

I nod, fighting back the wistful smile. I remember the time shes talking about. It was a good day one of the times we deployed someone bound to the god of vengeance. We killed at least three enemy mages with only one casualty on our side.

She looks at me expectantly, so I nod and smile. Dont worry. Ill be sure to steer clear of them. Well anyways. See you at the research group, I say and politely nod before chasing after my friends.

Obviously, I need to find the killer before they do. Not just because of how annoying it is that their getting found is making the Count search for me again. But if they get captured, they might reveal that they were never in Caethlon, which would prompt further searches. But if I can kill them first, and lead the pursuers to their body, then the Count might think that Im dead and give up all chase of me Unless she consults the oracles afterwards, but thats unlikely. She likely used up some social credit gaining an appointment with one on such short notice. Shes not likely to waste more just to get a confirmation of something all evidence is pointing towards.

Hopefully. I must say Im not entirely certain about how invested she is in catching me. What shed be willing to do just to make sure Im dead. Perhaps she wants to kill me herself, and so would be motivated to doubt such a deceit. But then again, she has seemed rather level headed so far. Not one to pursue things obsessivelyhopefully.

But of course, this still leaves me with having to find the new killer. Divination wont work, though I will still try it. But its unlikely that Count Vithal would be so incompetent that Id manage to find them that way before her and her team.

So, what does that leave me? She refused to say which low-sec section it was. Might as well assume its mine. If its not, then Ill have no chance of finding them anyways. If it is, then I can use the Mud Hares.

My chest tenses at the thought of sending them after an Anar cultist. If the killer is half as skilled as me, then they could wipe out the whole gang with ease. Of course, most cultists dont have nearly as many sacrifices as I do. They just perform a few to start off their career as a mage, then never touch a ritual blade again. Much safer that way. The only exception being those who end up starting cults and me, I suppose. But my circumstances are hardly common.

So, the fact that theyre still offering suggests that theyre new or very powerful. The fact that their victim was found suggests the former. Still, no reason to risk my clients. Ill limit them to passive information gathering.

Sigh. Itd be rather convenient to have a flight spell so I could afford to dash to and from the low sec section and look myself. Without one, it takes multiple hours to get there, so I have to be content for my clients to do the search. Hopefully thatll be enough. They should at least have some advantage over the Counts team, given the empires strange hands-off policy for those sections.

Thinking on this, I catch up to my friends.

Hey, Ser Terry waves, the count want something from you again?

I nod with a smile. Yeah sorry, I cant talk about it, I say after a few seconds of expectant expression.

He doesnt seem disappointed. Aw, no worries. Come on. Lets eat.

I find myself smiling, looking forward to their company. Yeah Id like that, I say, feeling tension vanishing, all thoughts of the extra counter divinations Ill need to do slipping from my mind.

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