Sealed in Steel [ Tank Litrpg ]

"You make it sound like you've been hoping to meet me for some time already," Elian said. He engaged in random chitchat as he organized his thoughts on how to proceed with Thalman.

"Not simply hoping," Thalman said with much effort. "I was quite excited to meet you. There are a measly few of us who the Magistrate has Cursed. Only we can understand each other. Moreover, I haven't met another Cursed Penitent this early in his journey as you, and so incredibly skilled though young."

"I'm going to take a guess you've heard the double strike of my Tribulation during one of the times you visited Borlen."

"Your guess would be correct. Although it could have been a mere echo I was hearing. Apologies for what I did next, but I spied on you meeting your Cursed Tribulation to confirm my hunch."

"I'm used to privacy violations." Elian shrugged, remembering Jadewell. He shouldn't be surprised that Thalman did this. In contrast to Jadewell's stalking, he couldn't have detected the intent of invisible Thalman clones watching him because they had none. They were just controlled constructs.

"I must commend you for surviving, nay, brushing off your Tribulations without donning armor or sheltering under barriers and the like. Neither did you use Aether Magic taught by the Immaterial school. I recalled my early days of being Cursed. A long time ago, but the struggles remain fresh in my head. Such struggles those were. However, this isn't the time to reminisce. Let us get to work answering your many questions while we wait for this—" Thalman nudged his head up at the stake piercing his hand "—to be removed. Unless you'll try to stop me?"

"I won't," Elian replied. "I don't think I could even if I wanted to," he added, gesturing at all the clones. "Can I ask questions now? How were you Cursed?"

"I attempted to kill the Magistrate."

"This was ten years ago?"

"I see you've done your research to be aware of such an incident. But no. I refer to something else, several years before what you speak of. I'll shorten the otherwise lengthy story. A dear friend of mine died treading the Penitent Path. In my anger, I sought revenge… and freedom for all other Penitents. No Magistrate. No Tribulations. No more injuries and deaths it brings. A noble cause wouldn't you agree?"

"I…" Elian wanted to say 'yes' but he wasn't going to impose his will on others and upend their lives dedicated to their religion by eliminating their deity. This was beyond his competence or right to figure out where to draw the line.

"It's fine if you don't answer," Thalman said, alternating between chuckles and coughs. "By your past actions and words, I can discern your stance. Where was I? Oh, yes. My story. I attacked the Magistrate. Failed. I was Cursed. The second incident you spoke of, the one ten years ago… I tried again because I wasn't sure I could survive my next Tribulation. I was at my strongest, my Tribulation at its most powerful, and I had nothing else to lose. Or so, I thought."

"So, you tried to get revenge again."

"And failed again. It turned out, I had some more to lose." Thalman raised his free arm covered with magical tattoos. "Ten years, I have suffered. Now, I'll try again. This time, I'll succeed."

"Why now?" Elian asked. "I mean, what were you waiting for? Did you figure out how to escape only now?"

"I figured it out two years ago." Thalman grinned, displaying yellow crooked teeth. "Stuck here the entire day, day after day, month after month, year after year, I focused my mind on unlocking my restraints. But I didn't immediately attempt an escape. I had to do it at the perfect time or else I'll be caught. And it wasn't only escape that was my aim. I want to kill the Magistrate. The opportunity came a few days after we first met.

"The Magistrate called us for a meeting. I can see questions on your face. Yes, we can understand the Magistrate. It uses the hand signs of the catfolk. The meeting had a surprising agenda. The Magistrate plans to transfer the location of the Temples of Tribulation, predicting a great calamity."

"A calamity?" Elian jolted. That bastard hand is trying to escape! It pretended not to care when he told it about the impending Giant invasion, but it actually did care. It wanted to save itself and the religion worshipping it.

How odd for a deity to act this way. Though it wasn't a regular deity. Perhaps the essence of the Hundred-Armed Magistrate didn't want to die permanently. It no longer had a body because it perished during the War of the Gods. If the hand that was its vessel returned to the Elder Giant, what would happen to it?

The Magistrate's Essence probably didn't want to find out. It was also living a quite cozy life with temples and many followers.

This was good news. Great news!

A common ground with the Magistrate. A stepping stone for making an alliance. The problem was Thalman here wanted to kill the Magistrate. And Elian couldn't really blame him.

"A great calamity, brother Elian," said Thalman. "The Magistrate did not elaborate on it, but its energies fluctuated. It was afraid… or the equivalent of fear that a deity could feel. Yonnik and Hazelheart asked, but they were ignored. Right then and there, Jungdu was sent out. He can transform into various beasts if you don't know. A very useful ability for meeting a Tribulation given that the human body is frail as could be compared to other creatures. This also meant he could sprout wings and cover a large amount of ground in a day."

Priest Jungdu? Elian had heard some mention of the name but hadn't seen the guy. Jungdu wasn't among those who gave a sermon during the mass that Elian had attended. Elian assumed the seventh priest's turn came after he had left for Forge Hill to meet Thorren. It turned out that Jungdu was no longer on the hills at that time—minus one priest that Thalman had to deal with.

But if I'm the cause of Thalman's breakout, what happened in the original timeline?

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Could be that the Giants made a beeline for the Temples of Tribulation after securing Sarnival Port. The groups of Faridar and Tharguras would be gone by then. The followers of lesser Penitents too. The Giants probably attacked when the hills were emptiest and most unprepared.

"Khalamundi could also fly," Thalman continued. "But her presence is vital for the security of the hills. Thus, she stayed. Days later Yonnik was also sent out. You've seen his abilities, his incredible travel speed."

"Two priests out of your way."

"Yonnik, especially, was a concern. He could neutralize my clone constructs, as well as me. With him gone, I knew it had to be now. Ambrose is at his weakest, his flame of life fizzling out. He wouldn't… couldn't lift a finger to stop me. Ihadir is useless. Hazelheart presents a small problem, though I've had plenty of time to prepare countermeasures against her. She's oftentimes posted at the temple because she's the most inclined towards combat among us all."

"That leaves Priestess Khalamundi," Elian said. "Her numbers could overwhelm yours."

"And present other obstacles as well. She's the most troublesome of the bunch."

"You had to keep her preoccupied so you started this whole thing with the stolen armor," Elian said, piecing together the rest of Thalman's plan in his head. He suppressed the anger in his voice. So many people hurt, even killed. A lot of violence. All that to keep Khalamundi's golems distracted."

"You disapprove of my methods," Thalman said.

"How did you get Tharguras and Faridar to fight?" Elian asked, pushing past Thalman's observation. "They were going to cooperate. It was supposed to be unity and peace and so on."

"The spirit of competitiveness burns strong in the heart of Tharguras," Thalman said, "no matter his outside portrayal of friendship with Faridar. He seeks any measure that could help him. But he won't steal from the golden hall, nor does he have the means to do so. And so, I stole it for him."

"As easy as that? I thought all the priests contributed to securing the golden hall?"

"Of course, it wasn't easy. But it wasn't difficult either; time is a powerful ally, don't forget. In truth, only four priests, including myself, protect the golden hall—the line that we all did is for appearances."

"It sounds nice to hear that all priests are working together," Elian said, the left half of his lip curling up, "even if not true."

"It does, doesn't it?" Thalman laughed, stronger and fuller. The stake was almost removed and much of the seals on the floor had been dispelled. "I only had three layers of protection to contend with. The enchantments of Ambrose are ancient, and I don't mean that as a compliment. In contrast, Yonnik's enchantments are formidable and foreign… but he has taught me about them. When bored, the despicable half-elf would exchange ideas with me; we would teach each other about our magics. Thinks of me as a friend sometimes, the fool. Khalamundi, once again, remains my true problem. However, I have time on my side and there are many of me." He nodded at his clones. "Her knowledge of protection seals also cannot match mine."

"No way Penitent Tharguras accepted a stolen item even if it would help him."

"You are right. He wouldn't have accepted it… if he knew. Which he didn't. Perhaps he would've questioned the circumstances more if his mind wasn't focused on competing with Faridar. So desperate was he to match the number of Faridar's Tribulation. I know him deeply. He confided his thoughts with me. He trusts me."

"As did Borlen," Elian said, intentionally injecting ice into his words. He wanted Thalman to reveal more of his moral compass. It wasn't looking good.

"Many others as well," Thalman said with a hint of mirth in his voice. "I've cultivated connections all for the goal of escaping and killing the Magistrate. Everything happened quickly. I gave Tharguras the helmet, promising the rest of the suit of armor to follow. Then I disappeared. Kahalmundi's frantic bird golems descended upon the camp of Tharguras and arrested him."

"That fast?" Elian raised a brow. "They, the other priests… they must know it was you. Who else would be their main suspect? Tharguras would also tell them unless you wiped his memories or something. Doesn't seem to be one of your powers though."

"Indeed, Tharguras told them when he was interrogated. What do you think was their reply?"

"That he was right…?"

"Wrong. I thought you were smarter than that, brother Elian. They'd never reveal one of their own was a thief. Imagine the uproar! They blamed a nonexistent thief with the power to copy my likeness. Then they held Tharguras as they couldn't ascertain if he was truly not aligned with me. Doing so, they froze the situation because no one with an ounce of a brain would think Tharguras did it. I couldn't have that."

"You used other people to spread violence and discord," Elian said. Thalman was hellbent on revenge. He might not see reason. Elian continued, "Then you have someone 'confess' to the crime and point to others as accomplices. You have tricked these fake accomplices to confess as well—save Tharguras by taking the blame and all that."

"Not the hardest of plans to achieve," Thalman replied. "I have gathered many who have grievances with the Magistrate. As for the followers of Tharguras, they are willing to throw away their lives for their Champion Penitent. Confessing to the crime and being imprisoned is a light burden in comparison. Given the situation, the priests had no choice but to release Tharguras to lessen the discontent of his followers, settling with scapegoats.

"In their minds, they have recovered two pieces of the armor. One from Tharguras, the other from the fake thief who first surrendered. They had me imprisoned—they have the… means… to make me confess. However, it never crossed their mind that arresting so many people and branding them criminals would spark the flame that consumes the hills. I simply needed to fan the embers."

"You didn't have to include Borlen," said Elian. "That was to get me to act, wasn't it? Is he supposed to be some kind of hostage? You'll get him out if I help you?"

Thalman laughed as the stake finally fell. It dropped to the floor with a heavy crash, cracking the stone, uncharacteristic of its wooden appearance.

Thalman rubbed the hole in his hand as he said, "I haven't thought about Borlen's fate after tonight. Many things will change. I do hope he comes out of this fine. After all, he and the others are inside the fort. I don't need to dangle Borlen's fate over you because I know you'll help me."

What do I do? Elian couldn't allow the Magistrate to be killed—it would cease to be a deity of its own and the damned Elder Giant would get its right hand back. The Giants must've figured out a way to stop a fully-formed Elder Giant from Ascending while controlling it for their own use.

A part of Elian knew Thalman was in the right, even if the means he used were wrong. Thalman had suffered gravely. But Elian had to stop Thalman.

"Care to share your story, brother Elian?" Thalman asked, bringing Elian out of his deep thoughts.

"What story?"

"We have a few more minutes to idle away." Thalman pointed at the walls, ceiling, and floor. The last remnants of the seals securing the chamber were being wiped out. "How did you become Cursed by the Magistrate? What happened during your meeting with that dirt-blasted, wretched grime of a hand?"