Huh. You sure you're not just late in seeing the Wednesday one? Because newest is still the Cadenza interlude for me.

 

It's not out on the webpage, but I'm signed up to the email blast, which sent it out a bit earlier than usual. I'd check in on this link at 9PM PST. Edit: it's up now.

I would copy and paste the chapter in a quotation box, but I'm not sure if that's against board rules so I won't.

Spoiler

Basically, Anaraxes becomes the Hierarch of Bellerophon by vote of their leadership council, which we can infer has been manipulated in some way by Tyrant. The Hierarch can Mend. Wish is referred to as an aspect of all people that Tyrant can see. The Tyrant explains that there are three monsters: the Bard, Black, and himself. Very dramatic, per the usual, but there's been so much melodrama these past few chapters that it's starting to become ineffective.

 

Spoiler: Spoiler

Actually, looks like Tyrant made Anaxares Hierarch of the League of Free Cities. Because Kairos is ridiculous.

 

Oh...... Well then.

 

I'm honestly more than a little confused about what just happened and how it happened.

Spoiler

Weirdest thing to me is Anaxares getting a name without any active attempt to claim it on his part. Didn't really think it was possible to just slip into one like that.

 

Spoiler

Upon reviewing the previous chapter, it seems that Hierarch is granted by the vote of the Free Cities.

 

So I'm guessing the "trap" Kairos said Bard laid for Black is Catherine, essentially. Or at least that's what Tyrant thinks it is.

The pieces here are found in the Stormfront and Decorum Interludes. Decorum is where Black says he has a year or two left to live at max, with the general conclusion being that it's because Hanno seems slated to form a Pattern against Cat. Black figures it's ethical opposition, which is rather fitting. Cat told the Choir of Contrition that "justifications matter only to the just" and the Choir of Judgement would have something to say about that. Tyrant figured this out back in the Stormfront interlude, where he cackled about how Black doesn't have a pattern with the White Knight and followed it up with a crack about regretting taking a Squire. Taking an apprentice basically means that one day the apprentice will take your place, and Hanno is supposedly the means of forcing that transition. Maybe not directly by killing Black himself, but at least by being present and active and forcing the laws of the story to find their way to finally off Black so Catherine can take his place.

Then the spanner is probably continued underestimation of Cat. Because like everybody does except her inner circle, Black, and funny enough the Lone Swordsman. That said, we still have Champion and whatever gambit Bard is gonna have her pull off. One fueled by the Ashen Priestesses death, maybe? Tyrant called it a sacrifice, so something to add weight to a fight against Black seems pretty in Bard's wheelhouse. Whatever the attempt is, we'll probably see it in the next chapter as a Heroic Interlude (or the chapter after that if the next one is an Heiress Interlude. This book is kinda stuffed).

 

I found a breakdown in the comments on the site that makes a pretty good case for Ranger being the first one to go. She's been too invinceable, and there's been a lot of foreshadowing about only being invinceable until you're not.

In addition, there's also been noise about hurting Black. What would hurt him more deeply and unexpectedly than killing Hye, the one person he didn't think he had to worry about?

 

I don't think it'll be Ranger, because she's not as connected to the Empire as the rest of the Calamities. She's barely even a member at this point, instead I think it'll be Warlock or Captain. Both of them were introspective about their pasts and seemed to have some hubris about their abilities. Warlock was extremely confident that he would beat the Hedge Wizard and overconfidence is what kills villains. Captain, I think, is more likely because that would be a serious blow to Black himself since he thought she would be safe.

 

I'm not sure how Ash's sacrifice would translate to empowering the Queen. More likely it would empower one of the band in Nicae because they had an actual connection to her. Hedge was her sister, Champion is fighting Captain who was supposed to die instead, and the White Knight is the leader fighting against the guy who masterminded the death, more or less. Probably not empowering Hanno as Tyrant isn't planning to kill Black I don't think, and he said that Bard isn't either (and given Wish I can believe him on that). Bard talking to the Champion about "monster stories" is probably about the biggest threat that band's got so far, and that hasn't been resolved yet.

I don't think Ranger's immortality is (just) because she's dodged getting involved in stories that are not her own, but because of her Role as Lady of the Lake. And that's not going away. But it's still tough to see how that fight pans out without Ranger dying or Summer going down anti-climatically. Maybe she just takes a trinket like with the Prince of Nightfall but eh. Taking out Summer could kinda work because we're entering third act shenanigans and there's still too many people on Cat's kill list, but a big fat four-way battle royale between Squire, Winter, Summer, and Diabolist is hardly unthinkable.

If Ranger does kill the Queen, though, then we're really running out of things on Calernia that actually can kill her. Maybe the Dead or Forever Kings, the first of which hardly counts. The second is a bit more of a thing because racist elf vs half-elf and Kegan said something to Cat earlier about wanting to punch the elves in the teeth or something. Doesn't mean Ranger has to get involved, though.

Oh, also, where the hell is Assassin in all this? Best guess is going for Tyrant but could actually be going for the Exarch of Nicae as well. Or is backing up Black for a killing blow on Hanno whenever that time comes.

 

I don't think Ranger will kill the Summer Queen. She's going to take a trinket from her, maybe an arm or a leg since she got an eye from the prince. Or it will be some sort of metaphysical thing that weakens her enough for Cat to finish her off.

 

I think this is what's making the past few chapters rough to read. It doesn't matter who dies at this point—there will be some throwaway line from a previous chapter that justifies it. Tyrant will then respond to these events with a "kek" or two before heading off to his 2PM appointment to hold Gotham hostage.

It's going to be fairly unsatisfying either way this is written out. If we see the events from the Calamities' perspective, then the reveal to Catherine will be disappointing, but if we see it from Catherine's, we miss out on some interesting action scenes.

 

This chapter and extra chapter make it two 'called-its' I get to cash in.

One,

Spoiler

Universal bag of holding aspect for the Thief

, and two,

Spoiler

Memory erasure power for the Assassin.

And holy fuck the death flags the Calamities are all throwing right now.

Spoiler

Black using the hostage trick and thinking in terms of stopping White so Catherine doesn't have to.

Warlock pulling the classic 'I suppose I must give you my full attention'.

And finally, the biggest, hardest flag, Captain going full Beast. You never use your Final Form, stupid!

Given the events, I'm going to have to switch my vote back to Captain, given the monster slaying pep talk Bard was giving Champion. I'm still curious about Tyrant's line, 'already made the kill', because I feel like he's referring to something different.

 

Thief's interlude was interesting.

Spoiler

Assassin's scene was not quite what I expected. I'm starting to get very curious about how s/he (anyone remember if they've been identified one way or the other?) got involved with the Calamities at all. I don't really have a good idea of what they want out of life.

Getting some details on Black's trip into a pocket dimension from Captain's perspective was nice. It's a mention that had always bugged me a little, and seeing the why/how's of it helped get a better read on the group as a whole.

Definitely agree on the death flags though. This can't end well.

 

Thief's interlude was great. Nice backstory and we finally get to see Assassin in action. Terrifying as s/he is supposed to be. I'm still convinced it will be Warlock who ends up biting the dust. Captain is the obvious choice, so I think she'll survive. Black is still needed for Cat's story so I think that gives him some protection. Warlock's heir just assumed his true name, and he's been super cocky throughout his fight which I think makes him the target.

 

Kinda wondering if we'll see more than one Calamity die here. If not a TPK.

 

Assassin is the first one to die. Calling it now for the bragging rights later.

 

Would anyone even know if Assassin died? People keep saying Captain is going to die but I see her outliving the Black Knight. She is the best candidate for a Calamity becoming an antagonist for Catherine. Warlock, on the other hand is too strong to stick around as either friend or foe.

 

I don't think Assassin has enough weight in the story to be the upcoming death. Warlock seems like the most likely one to me. He's Black's oldest friend, Apprentice has classed up, and he's throwing up way too many death flags.

 

Warlock dying may end the Red Skies effect, which would be Black's signal to get the hell out. Or it stays in effect and Black chooses to leave before finishing Hanno off instead of risking death by Warlock literally raining fire and brimstone on Nicae. Black seems to have the best chance of survival but is also probably the least likely to win, so something has to happen to make him get out.

Either way Warlock is definitely throwing the most death flags, though Captain's bumbling a bit into death by Bardic Inspiration. My money is still on both, with Assassin doing god knows what. Ash's death has to fuel something, and if it's gonna fuel anybody it'll be Hedge and the Valiant Champion.