Liberi Reader

The Whirlpool that is Passion

• 13-1: Across the Battlefield's Line (Interlude)
  The Military Commission formally seizes Londinium, stirring the nations of Terra awake. The Ursus Royal Guard makes its own presence known in Victoria. Driven away by Sarkaz mercenaries, Hoederer and companions resolve to locate the Lich's Messenger, and get some information.
• 13-2: The Injury at Hand (Before Operation)
  A Reunion camp is attacked by Victorian soldiers while Reunion gathers the Infected near Londinium. Guard recognizes that the soldiers are already infected.
• 13-2: The Injury at Hand (After Operation)
  The Infected Victorian soldiers do not join the Reunion. Before setting out to look for an abandoned medicine factory, Reunion finds the Infected sergeant's shattered body.
• 13-3: Not a Moment's Rest (Before Operation)
  The Duke of Windermere is attacked by the Sanguinarch of Vampires, Confessarius and Damazti on the battleship that the Rhodes Island personnel are on. The Sanguinarch of Vampires kills the Duke of Windermere.
• 13-3: Not a Moment's Rest (After Operation)
  Amiya is attacked by the Confessarius Salus. Her powers are suppressed, and she falls unconscious. To save Amiya, the Doctor follows Salus and engages her, buying time for Logos and Ascalon to arrive.
• 13-4: The Mercenary's Day (Before Operation)
  Hoederer, Ines and W intercept the Lich Ermengarde, but all four find themselves sucked into a bizarre mirage, one which offers them a view of a fragment of Sarkaz history from seven thousand years ago.
• 13-4: The Mercenary's Day (After Operation)
  After the mirage fades, the four find a bloodied Arts Circle. Hoederer learns the Liches are preparing a piecemeal evacuation plan for Kazdel, then proposes to Ermengarde that he'll seize the 'Lifeline', and use this transport method capable of vast ranges to help bring the Sarkaz back home.
• 13-5: Anguish Hangs O'er (Before Operation)
  Having saved the Doctor and Amiya, Logos's group encounter a mirage of their own. Logos finds the Convallis of the Banshees within, and recalls his oath to his mother as he became Lord of the Banshees. The group come across a logistical squad headed by Paprika, and commander its vehicle.
• 13-5: Anguish Hangs O'er (After Operation)
  Siege and Delphine lead the abandoned Windermere troops and refugees across the battlefield. Shearer wants them to pick up the pace and catch up with the nomadic fortress, but Siege refuses. Trilby Asher finds them and leaves behind an SOS message.
• 13-6: In the Name of Example (Before Operation)
  Siege and Delphine's team rescue Horn and Misery's group. Siege manages to destroy the Sarkaz war altars, successfully defending Chetleigh.
• 13-6: In the Name of Example (After Operation)
  Siege's forces are inspired by the victory. They discover an identification code belonging to the Exemplars and decide to take up the name. A viscount finds Delphine and tries to persuade her to join the Duke of Caster, but Delphine refuses.
• TR-24: Led to Pursue (Before Operation)
  Hoederer's group finds the Sarkaz Lifeline and realizes that the mysterious vehicle that has been laying Arts Circles and mirages around the battlefield is a Feranmut with only bleached bones left.
• 13-8: An Unplanned Meeting (After Operation)
  Hoederer and Ines encounter a familiar face from the Scar Market, Ulšulah, now serving as commander of a Feranmut skeleton. The three old hands cannot reach an accord. Hoederer and Ines manage to escape after a bloody battle.
• 13-9: Those Espying the Crown (Interlude)
  The Confessarii raid the safe house Kal'tsit and the others are sheltering in, and reveal their true objective: to seize The King of Sarkaz's power for all eternity. In the end, they manage to take Nightingale away. Elsewhere, Talulah discovers the long-lived Nowell hidden within her team.
• 13-10: The Promised Land Drifts (After Operation)
  While unconscious, Amiya has a dream. She dreams of becoming the Lord of Fiends that destroys the world, as prophesied by Patriot. The myriad souls of the Sarkaz wish for Amiya to accept her fate, only to be met with rejection.
• 13-11: A Town Amidst the Clouds (Before Operation)
  Brentwood, a small town, is under the control of the Sarkaz, who are having its residents build an Arts Circle. Magdelene, the town's flower shop owner encounters Feist and Rockrock, who infiltrated for reconnaissance. The mayor refuses their plea for assistance.
• 13-12: Shattered Greenhouse (Before Operation)
  The construction of the ritual Arts Circle is almost complete. Magdelene's greenhouse is destroyed by the Sarkaz mercenaries, while the flower-loving garrison commander helplessly tells her of his impending transfer and hints that she must leave town immediately.
• 13-14: Fireworks Sear Scarlet (After Operation)
  The town's mayor learns of the Sarkaz's true goal and alerts everyone by firing the cannon meant for the harvest festival's celebration. Nonetheless, the Arts Circle is activated. Siege and the Exemplars arrive just in time to lend their aid.
• 13-15: Briefly Gathered (After Operation)
  Amiya and the others reach the town, getting ready to join up and execute the plan. The Exemplars and the Sarkaz mercenaries set aside their differences to work together to capture the Feranmut. Logos determines that the Arts Circles on the battlefield have other uses.
• 13-16: 'We' (Before Operation)
  Guard arrives at a distillery once occupied by the Victorian Reunion, where he discovers the innocent Sarkaz merchant killed by Victorian Infected. His disintegration starts a fire, and Guard dies trying to save lives.
• 13-16: 'We' (After Operation)
  Nine finds the recording Guard left behind, and makes up her mind as to what Reunion should truly fight for. She banishes the Infected Victorian for killing the innocent Infected Sarkaz, and also bids farewell to Guard.
• 13-17: Someone Speak Your Mind (Before Operation)
  The decisive battle is imminent. Hoederer, Ines, and W envision the future. Hoederer suggests that the Sarkaz cannot deny Theresis, arguing with W. The previously missing Feranmut skeleton finally returns, and the fight begins.
• 13-18: Throw Out Your Chest (After Operation)
  Lettou bids farewell to his comrades in Londinium, he visits the old man who could never become a Vieux Vanguard, and finally goes to the Sanguinarch of Vampires. While he is unable to kill the Sanguinarch, he chooses to splatter him with his own despicable blood.
• 13-20: Hemorrheal Billows (After Operation)
  The Sanguinarch rushes to the battlefield. Using 'Teekaz blood' preserved for millennia, he completes the last step of the ritual. Something is about to be born atop The Shard. Amiya and Logos confront him.
• 13-21: The Archon in Sanguine (Before Operation)
  Hoederer, Ines, and W take control of Ulšulah, who could manipulate the Feranmut skeleton. The Sanguinarch of Vampires uses his blood to take command of the Feranmut skeleton, commanding it to a space beyond civilization.
• 13-21: The Archon in Sanguine (After Operation)
  Amiya and Logos confront the Sanguinarch of Vampires, who, enraged at the increasing weakness of those chosen by the Crown, decides to abandon it beyond the edge of civilization. After a challenging battle, the Sanguinarch falls from the Feranmut skeleton.
• 13-22: Disaster Coalesces (Interlude)
  Everyone finally returns, and Kal'tsit tells them what the Sanguinarch of Vampires has summoned—the 'Originium' of antiquity. Eblana finds Talulah, who refuses the former's solicitation. Up high in the sky, Theresa prepares for the final and decisive battle.