Meanwhile, On Upsilon

**Meanwhile, On Upsilon** is the fourth side-story in The Universal War. It is the second story in the *Blood of Von Shaft* Trilogy. It follows the three ex-guards from What They Saw and their arrival to Rograo in Upsilon, where further calamity ensues. This story addresses the fate of Reid Lancaster.

## Plot Synopsis

The story starts with a flashback to the end of Act III when Reid Lancaster's head is cut off by Animus. Reid's vision goes black, but then he opens his eyes on a beach. He looks out at the water. Alvera Runehartz is sitting near the ocean. She turns to look at him and puts out a hand to beckon him. He walks toward her and sits down. He asks where they are, and Alvera responds, "The Place Between." Before Reid can ask a follow-up question, Alvera mutters something unintelligible, and the screen goes black.

A ship docks on the coast of Upsilon. A parade of men leave the ship, and the three guards from What They Saw are seen. Edison is still mourning the loss of his brother but he feels a bit better. Nelson is working with his own brother on setting up a plan to help King Goemon Von Shaft. Ortega Pinkman tells them that they will regroup in Rograo and then make their way to Paradise, where they will meet with a man that will know how to break a mind control spell.

Augustus meets a young woman named Ana that says they can stay with her. Edison meets the woman and seems to be attracted to her. She reveals herself to be Anabelle Cursley, a mage from the Guild in New Tides that took refuge in Upsilon after the Golden City was destroyed by the Drow invasion in 9045. Edison and Ana spend quite a lot of time together that night, and it ends with them kissing.

The next day, the ex-guards meet Baron Speck and tell him about their plans to ensure the King is not being controlled. The Baron introduces them to Brosnan Titus, the captain of the guard. Brosnan says he will help them get to Paradise since their has been word that the guards from Praxin may be in pursuit of them. Before the ex-guards leave the tent, Baron Speck kisses Brosnan on the cheek, and Brosnan is overheard calling Speck by the name "Reid," revealing that Reid Lancaster has Entwined to Baron Speck since his death at the beginning of Act III.

The group, along with Reid Lancaster and Brosnan Titus, head to Paradise without any troubles and meet with the brother of the Magister, Vince Hubris. Vince is the same man that the Fools of Lyonus once met with when they were searching for the keys to the shrine of Samwise Gamgee.

Vince reveals that the leader of the O.M.E.G.A. Experiment, Anastacia Runehartz, is the one controlling the King. Ortega is outraged, and notes that he has known of the conspiracy for ages but he has never been able to prove that the Runehartz family was connected in any way. He states that they will need to form a plan to attack the town of Runehartz in Roamsen to gather additional information before launching a large-scale attack on Anastacia. The others in the party are confused, as they do not quite understand the involvement of Anastacia or the meaning of the Experiment. In an aside, Reid mentions Alvera Runehartz to Brosnan, but Brosnan tells him not to mention her at this time.

After Ortega's promise to explain everything later, the heroes return to Rograo to find that it has been devastated by Von Shaft's legion. All of the people in the city have been murdered, except for a small boy sitting outside of a two-story home near the ocean. The boy is surrounded by the bodies of at least twenty guards, and he is up to his elbows in blood.

Reid runs to the side of the boy and the boy clings to Reid, crying and noticeablely afraid. Ortega requests an explanation from Brosnan of how the boy survived the onslaught of Von Shaft's men, but Brosnan is unable to provide a clear answer.

A few hours later, Anabelle and Edison share a moment as the others prepare the ship to set sail to Roamsen. As they stand on the beach, Ana notices a woman sitting near the ocean. Edison does not see the woman until Ana points her out, and the woman beckons both of them to come closer.

They approach the woman with the scar across her neck, and Anabelle asks whom she is and what her business is in Rograo. The woman responds, "There's a fire in the sky. We're all going to burn together," and the story abruptly ends.

## Character List

* Brosnan Titus
* Dandy
* Anabelle Cursley
* Reid Lancaster/Gilbert Speck
* Augustus Brinch
* Nelson Pinkman
* Edison Bukkav
* Ortega Pinkman
* Alvera Runehartz

## Trivia

This story does not directly mention the woman that was taking care of Dandy, Alisha Fox. But her body is seen among the deceased after the attack by Von Shaft's legion.