Monday, three in the afternoon, above the eternal Gray Fog.
The Tarot Club welcomed a new member that day: Derrick Berg, codenamed the Sun. The others called him Mr. Sun... Given his age, "Mr." seemed a little premature, though his tall build went a long way toward making up for it.
From their conversation during the trading session, [Justice] Audrey and [Hanged Man] Alger quickly realized that the newcomer's origins were mysterious. His understanding of the world seemed unusual, as though he came from an entirely different one.
Just where had Mr. Fool pulled him from to bring him above the Gray Fog...?
They could not help feeling a fresh surge of awe toward Mr. Fool.
But shocked or not, the gathering had to continue. After Mr. Fool finished reading Roselle's diary, they began their usual exchange. Audrey shared several matters of national importance, including how she had quietly helped bring about open examinations for selecting officials, and how Loen's leaders did not intend to retaliate against the Feysac Empire in East Balam for the time being.
Afterward, Alger made a new request of Audrey: he wanted her to look for clues about the great pirate known as Vice Admiral Hurricane, Qilangos. The man had secretly entered Backlund, Loen's capital, though his purpose remained unclear.
When Alger described the extraordinary item Qilangos possessed, Creeping Hunger, its powers and drawbacks made [Sun] Derrick, who had been listening in silence, blurt out in astonishment:
"A Shepherd!"
A Shepherd?
Everyone's attention turned to him at once.
Klein quickly recalled what he knew. Shepherd was, he thought, Sequence 5 of the Secrets Suppliant Pathway, and its powers were formidable.
The Sun's explanation filled in the details. A Shepherd could devour the souls of other Beyonders and wield the abilities they had possessed in life...