29.3

Chapter 29.3: Summary

The aftermath of Scion’s attack left many wounded. Legend, amidst tending to the injured, reflected on the necessity to regroup and consolidate forces, a strategy they’d predicted during the Endbringer era. Tattletale’s words offered a sliver of hope: they were chipping away at Scion, albeit slowly.

Weaver, however, felt a growing unease. Scion’s indiscriminate killing meant each fight left them weaker. She remained silent, choosing not to burden Legend with her doubts, especially considering her past actions against Alexandria.

Legend, ever perceptive, noticed Weaver’s attention on him. He spoke of Alexandria, their shared history, and the “nagging doubts” he’d often ignored in the face of larger crises. They discussed the difficulty of addressing those doubts amidst constant threats and the need to make peace with past choices.

Weaver, growing impatient, finally revealed her true purpose: to find Cauldron. She believed they held crucial answers and contingency plans. Legend, disillusioned with Cauldron, couldn’t confirm Doormaker’s death but suggested his portals remained active, indicating he was alive but unable to use his power.

The scene shifted to the makeshift hospital, where capes recovered. Weaver observed the diverse group: Nilbog and Glaistig Uaine, the Heartbroken with Imp and Romp, Marquis and Panacea, Lung, Parian and Foil, Tattletale, the Simurgh, and Vista.

Chevalier, Defiant, Dragon, and others joined Weaver and Legend. Weaver expressed her desire to act, not just react. She proposed finding Cauldron, but Legend warned of their tendency to disappoint. Chevalier, understanding Weaver’s improvisational strength, urged her to stay and fight, emphasizing their desperate situation.

Tattletale interjected, warning that Scion was evolving, becoming more human, and potentially more cruel. She predicted he would seek ways to inflict emotional and mental torture, eventually leading to their utter destruction. This evolution, while a weakness, was not something they could exploit.

Weaver insisted on the need for more information, believing Cauldron held the key. Defiant, surprisingly, agreed, trusting her judgment. Weaver outlined her plan: to gather capes unable or unwilling to fight Scion, particularly support and Stranger types. Chevalier, hesitant but unwilling to force anyone to fight, agreed to let her speak to other capes.

Weaver requested access to resources, including the Dragonfly. Defiant, after a detailed explanation of a specialized knife’s maintenance, led Weaver, Dragon, Canary, and Tattletale to the Dragonfly.

Dragon, in a rare moment of vulnerability, revealed to Weaver the reason they had supported her entry into the Wards: they, too, sought amends. Defiant clarified it was his own need, but Dragon insisted she had her own regrets.

Weaver, Dragon, and Tattletale boarded the Dragonfly, heading for a hidden cave where Exalt, Revel, and half of the Vegas team (Nix, Leonid, Floret, and Spur) were investigating a possible Cauldron portal. The Vegas capes, particularly Spur, reminisced about Canary’s past as a singer, much to her embarrassment.

Imp accurately described their task as “finding a transparent needle outside of the haystack.” Revel, sensing the group’s restlessness, suggested they leave. Exalt offered to join them, prompting Weaver to test their identities with passwords and questions.

Leonine, questioned by Weaver, was revealed to be communicating with Spur through sign language. Tattletale confirmed Weaver’s suspicions: Exalt, Revel, Vantage, Leonine, and Floret were all fakes. The real ones were likely with the real Satyrical, who had obtained the passwords through coercion.

The Vegas capes transformed into identical copies of Satyrical, then died gruesomely. Spur and Nix remained, revealing that Satyrical was leading an exfiltration operation against an invasion by the “deviants,” Weld’s group.

Weaver, enraged by their betrayal and the mention of Weld, threatened Spur and Nix. Rachel punched Spur unconscious, and Golem bound them both. Following Tattletale’s guidance, they found the hidden portal, its illusion dissolving as they approached.

Weaver, despite her anger and the bleak situation, felt a surge of determination. Humanity might deserve to lose, but her team, these individuals, were the reason they might still win.