Chapter 200: Interception

The sun shone brightly in the morning, but as the day wore on, the sky transformed dramatically. Thick gray clouds now loomed over the city of Pland, and a dense fog shrouded the landscape. This fog was so heavy that even the distant bell towers and chimneys appeared like silhouettes drawn with jet-black ink.

Amid these ominous conditions, two cars departed from the Underwood family mansion. One car headed straight down the main avenue towards the city’s bustling center, while the other took a sharp turn, steering towards the quieter, more humble parts of town.

Driving one of the cars was Morris, who navigated with extra caution, acutely aware of the changing weather. To him, it seemed the sky had darkened even more in a matter of moments. The wind was turbulent, whipping objects around and creating eerie sounds that resembled mournful wails.

These conditions deeply unsettled Morris, reminding him of a previous visit to an antique shop during similar adverse weather. Trying to calm himself, he raised a hand to rub his temples, and his gaze fell on a string of stones tied around his wrist. Among the knots, only four colorful stones remained. These stones, faintly glowing even in the muted light, were no ordinary stones; they emitted a calming aura that soothed his nerves. Known as Lahem’s protection, they provided scholars like him a defense against knowledge too profound and perplexing for human comprehension. However, their protection had limits, especially against powerful malevolent entities. Morris, uncertain about the challenges ahead, felt compelled to continue his journey.

Whispering words of caution to himself, Morris said, “Restrain your curiosity, Morris. Do not activate your ‘true eyes.’ Do not scrutinize Mr. Duncan or the events around him too closely. The shadow from subspace means you no harm if you respect the boundaries. If you act wisely, it might even help you.”

Taking a deep breath, Morris tried to calm his rapidly beating heart. He was convinced that beneath the city’s serene facade lay a sinister truth. While the logical course of action might have been to inform the church, Morris chose a different path, seeking out a mysterious entity from another dimension.

Such a decision could be seen as rebellious, even blasphemous.

But Morris was resolute. He had sent Heidi to the cathedral with a cryptic message for Bishop Valentine, hoping it would alert the Bishop to the impending danger. Morris’s immediate priority, however, was the antique shop in the lower city. He feared that something grievous might have befallen Vanna. If an enemy could overpower an inquisitor, it indicated that even the church’s formidable power might be inadequate this time.

As a man who valued knowledge and wisdom, Morris believed in diversifying his resources and strategies. He knew he couldn’t rely on just one plan or tactic and needed backup, another line of defense or support.

While these thoughts occupied his mind, a sudden loud clap of thunder boomed overhead, jolting Morris and making him more alert. What surprised him wasn’t just the sound’s volume but the plume of smoke rising in the distance, indicating that a lightning strike had ignited a fire on a building’s roof.

Annoyed, Morris grumbled under his breath. The fire seemed directly on his intended route, forcing him to reconsider his path. Cursing his misfortune, he quickly turned into the nearest side street, hoping for a clear way forward.

But his troubles didn’t end there. No sooner had he made the turn when a pack of frenzied dogs leaped out from a narrow alleyway. Reflexively, Morris slammed the brakes to avoid hitting them. Dogs’ sudden appearance was startling enough, but what truly alarmed him was the sight of an apparently intoxicated man emerging from the shadows, club in hand. The man, with a wild look in his eyes, was shouting at Dogs, swinging his club haphazardly.

Morris shook his head in exasperation, thinking, “Of all the things to encounter…” He pressed the horn, hoping the blaring sound would encourage the man to move. However, the drunkard seemed to take offense at the horn’s noise. In an unexpected move, he swung his club, landing a heavy blow on the front of Morris’s car.

The impact momentarily stunned Morris, but he quickly recovered, focusing intently on the man’s eyes, which foamed with rage. Summoning his knowledge, Morris uttered the arcane phrase, “The geometric law of Modazzoro!”

The effect was immediate. An overwhelming surge of complex knowledge flooded the drunk man’s mind, inducing an intense mental storm that overwhelmed his senses. The man screamed in pain, the raw intensity of the knowledge too much for his inebriated state. Without further provocation, he turned and fled, disappearing into the shadows.

Wasting no time, Morris restarted the car, accelerating to distance himself from the menacing dogs. His nerves were on edge, every fiber of his being screamed that something was wrong. His suspicions were confirmed when a steam pipe suddenly burst in his path, clouding his vision and forcing the car into a perilous swerve.

Morris was now convinced. The consecutive challenges weren’t mere coincidences or a result of the foul weather. He was being deliberately obstructed! This wasn’t a blatant blockade or an obvious death trap but rather a series of unexpected disruptions, like stress tests akin to an alert system that had been triggered.

Perturbed, he wondered aloud, “What has activated this ‘alarm rule’? How did ‘they’ discover me? Is it tied to my recent actions or an awakening of some sort?”

Morris grappled with the unexpected turn of events. “If this is the intensity of the reaction when I’ve only scratched the surface of the truth and haven’t yet faced the lurking shadow, what could Vanna have uncovered?” he thought. “What revelation was so monumental that they deemed it necessary to erase her very existence?”

In an attempt to calm his nerves, Morris silently invoked the name of Lahem, drawing strength from the deity. His gaze briefly settled on the glinting colored stones on his wrist. Their gentle shimmer assured him of Lahem’s protection and confirmed that he wasn’t under any external manipulative force. With a renewed sense of purpose, he shifted gears and steered his car towards the bustling main street of the Fourth District. Even as he did, he remained alert, anticipating sudden obstacles or diversions.

“If I step into the public eye, will their tactics change?” he mused. This thought had barely crossed his mind when he instinctively glanced at the rearview mirror and froze. There, seated in the back, was an eerie figure. The figure was robed in ragged ascetic garments, but it was the man’s appearance that was most unsettling. He was gaunt, resembling a living skeleton, and his face twisted into an unnerving smile directed squarely at Morris.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Morris,” the emaciated figure greeted, his voice eerily calm and polite, contrasting with his haunting appearance. “Might I inquire about our destination?”

Morris’s heart raced, but he pieced together a realization, “Of course… When the ‘Wilhelm Summons Affair’ was the topic of our discussion with Mr. Duncan, I should’ve anticipated interference from your order, the Ender Missionaries.” Quickly, Morris applied the brakes and swiveled around to directly face the unexpected passenger, demanding, “When exactly did you slip into my vehicle?”

The skeletal figure, clearly enjoying the discomfort he was causing, replied nonchalantly, “Difficult to say, really. Perhaps yesterday, or it could’ve been back in 1889, or even on the day you and your spouse purchased this vehicle.” His face broke into an even wider, grotesque grin, savoring Morris’s distress. “You seem rather agitated. Is there something urgent you are attending to?”

Morris responded with stony silence, but his lack of verbal response did nothing to deter the uninvited guest. “I regret to inform you,” the Ender continued, “that I cannot permit you to reach where you’re headed. However, rest assured, I have no intention of ending your life. After all, during that significant fire, you too directed your prayers to subspace. In a way, you’re akin to an ally. But perhaps,” he said mockingly, “you were unaware of to whom you were really praying?”

Feeling cornered, Morris’s face drained of color, and after a tense moment, he managed a bitter chuckle, “So that’s the game we’re playing.”

The Ender, seemingly enjoying every second of this exchange, lifted a hand in a pseudo-reverent gesture, “The subspace, as our kind frequently state, is the land of promises. It answers the wishes of all sentient beings.” Fixing a piercing gaze on Morris, he continued, “I wonder, will you attempt to banish me? I’ve come to know of the powers bestowed upon the believers of the God of Wisdom. You have the unique ability to transform your knowledge and memories into tangible energy, releasing words like projectiles. I’m quite keen to witness this.”

Before the Ender could say another word, Morris resolutely responded, “Bang, Bang!”

The car’s interior echoed with the deafening sound of six gunshots in quick succession. The Ender met his end swiftly, felled by Morris’s powerful revolver. Two of the bullets struck with deadly precision: one pierced the heart, and the other lodged in the forehead.

Within moments, the once intimidating figure began to disintegrate. The gaunt body crumbled into ghostly fragments, dispersing and vanishing like dust carried away by a gust of wind. Unfazed, Morris held the still-smoking revolver in his right hand.

“Why resort to words when I have bullets that can do the talking?” he remarked with a hint of disdain. Swiftly, he reloaded the revolver, ensuring he was prepared for any further confrontations, and restarted the engine. Morris knew this encounter was just a small hurdle in a journey filled with challenges. Dispatching one Ender did not signify the end of his problems. He understood that this very Ender could re-emerge as early as the next day to continue his campaign of interference. The sheer audacity of the Ender to manifest within Morris’s car was evidence enough that death was but a minor inconvenience to these entities.

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