[quote] "I was under the impression there were more of you."[/quote]

Vincent shook his head. "There were. We lost track of them." So much had happened that even his ability to remember everything he has seen could only help so much. Much of his efforts had been in keeping himself alive. He remembered when the others were separated from them, but he hadn't noticed what happened to them.

[quote]"I will try to answer all your questions to the best of my ability. I hope I won't bore you, but I'd like to be fully honest with you all -- since we may be all that is left.

"Since the Grit first appeared during my father's reign, there have been . . . scientific endeavors . . . committed to understanding them." She winced a little -- it was a description much too kind for those amoral experiments. "About a year ago, one such experiment failed. If you will remember the sudden deadly explosion at the plastics manufacturing plant in winter -- that story was a coverup. Our research had been stolen and teleported out of the city. The Grit got ahold of it. Shortly after, rumors began to spread that the Grit had learned to fly. They've learned so much more than that, I fear."
[/quote]

Vincent opened his mouth in realization. He remembered that incident. Something about it had felt off. At the time he simply dismissed those thoughts as his imagination going wild, and besides there was a girl he was interested in at the time and thus he had better things to do with his time.

[quote]"I don't quite know what has happened to the sky; I'm told that it only appears split to us, here within the walls, and nothing is wrong outside the city. I am not personally familiar with the research that was stolen, but it must have to do with it. But the sigil of protection that has kept us safe -- the shape taken by our roads, powered by all of us who live here -- ceased to function the moment the lightning struck the Spire. The Spire itself is the center of the protection sigil and the source of its power. This," she spread her arms to indicate the entirety of the glimmering cavern, "is the power that had been keeping us safe. And now . . . I believe it is also the power that is to blame for the statues that now stand as gravestones throughout the city."[/quote]

He knew the sigil that the city made up quite well. After all, Father made sure that he knew at least the history of sigils as they were after all a part of the basis for a rune mage's knowledge. 

[quote] "But all is not lost. The stone people can be returned to their former selves. We only need to draw a rune on the statues and place a soul stone on the rune, and the person will breathe again. It is a simple rune, I will teach it to you, if you don't know it.[/quote]

A hint of recognition briefly flashed on Vincent's face. Of course. He knew exactly the rune that would work for that. The thought hadn't crossed his mind until now. This rune was the basis for the creation of items like his pen. While he lost himself in thought he blanked out part of what the Queen said. Then she turned to face him calling attention to herself with an apologetic expression.

[quote]"The Grit can be defeated, as long as they have not absorbed soulstones. Their only advantage is that they can use a sigil to resurrect their fellow Grit after death. We need only ensure that their resurrection sigils are destroyed, then proceed to destroy the Grit themselves."[/quote]

Vincent looked away from the Queen, uncomfortable with her expression and tone. She was supposed to be an authority figure. Someone imposing. This was completely different than how Father behaved towards him. This didn't feel right. Vincent then reminded himself that she was a woman, and women did things differently. Regardless, he didn't want to back down. He didn't want to feel like he lost to her.

At least there was way to destroy the Grit. He had been certain that he had seen the same one twice after it had been killed.

[quote]"My only soldiers now are robots, which are incapable of activating sigils and runes on their own. They cannot revive the cityfolk. I have sent a squad to the mine, but I have not heard back yet whether they will be able to complete their mission. I suspect they will not be able to, for the same reason. I know it is a lot to ask . . ."[/quote]

Vincent tightened his lips in thought and let out a low. "Hmmm." He looked at the Queen. "So, you've told us what we should do, but what will you be doing? Staying here with your robots? Or will you help another way?" He knew the Queen had a history of being sickly, but her sitting around doing nothing but wait only left him feeling more irritated. He didn't want to hear the Queen's response, he simply wanted her to think about it.

He glanced around the room looking for ways out and then looked back at the Queen, but not before he looked briefly at Kat. "How do we get out of here? I'm not at all interested in sitting around doing nothing, and there are those of us that have family to save." He had no interest in saving his family, but he knew Kat was particularly close with her family and he imagined everyone else here had their own to worry about.

When he had a moment, he had a few things he wanted to try out anyways.