Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Helena ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍only felt a wave of dizziness.

This ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was not the kind of disorientation that came from losing oneself in the Sea of Unawareness. Rather, she had witnessed a more powerful existence and her mind had collapsed under its pressure.

It ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was closer to a confrontation of will—and she had lost.

Within ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Sea of Unawareness, if one lost one’s will, one would be forever lost in the Deep Sea.

She… ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍could it be that she—

While ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Helena’s mind was still wavering, shadows quietly fell around her. Only when she sensed something wrong did she realize that she had drifted far too close to that Colossal Existence.

Only then did she realize her mistake. A formidable enemy stood before her, yet she had allowed herself to lose focus.

Damn it. The shock she had felt upon seeing the Banshee had been too great. Without realizing it, she had deviated from her Anchor Point, and even her reactions had dulled!

Unfortunately, it seemed she no longer had the chance to make up for her mistake.

Helena felt herself gradually being assimilated by that Colossal Existence. It did not attack her, nor did it even seem to notice her. Yet simply by being near It, she was slowly losing herself.

Within the Sea of Unawareness, self-awareness was the foundation of existence. To lose oneself was to lose everything.

Buzz!

A tremendous roar erupted, piercing through her soul—and even through the world itself.

It was a sound from the real world.

Buzz!

Helena’s soul, lost within the Sea of Unawareness, stared blankly at the Colossal Existence before her. She felt as though an invisible force had suddenly seized her and yanked her violently.

The incomparably massive being beside her finally stirred. It seemed to have noticed her. One “eye” lowered its gaze toward her.

A gaze filled with malice.

Helena felt as if she had fallen into an icy abyss. Merely approaching that monstrous mass had nearly caused her to lose herself. How could she possibly withstand Its malice?

A gigantic limb seemed to swing toward her, bearing the immense power to distort the entire world, carrying the ill will of that indescribable existence—

Bang.

It struck glass.

Helena blinked.

She realized she was still standing where she had been, staring fixedly at the observation window of the Stellar Furnace.

Inside the heavy furnace chamber, a crimson eye was pressed against the glass—

Then The Stoker pulled down the cover plate over the observation window, blocking that malicious gaze. While casually recording data in a notebook, he turned to the operator beside him and said, “The chamber pressure’s a bit high. Increase the steam pipeline output by another two points.”

The operator pulled down the lever. The countless pipes extending from the Stellar Furnace suddenly emitted a deep “buzz.”

Helena jolted.

So that sound was what had awakened her from the Sea of Unawareness?

Wait. No—no, that wasn’t right. What had just been inside that furnace?!

Helena rushed toward the railing, desperately leaning out to peer at the observation window—but the lowered cover plate blocked her view.

Her feet suddenly left the ground. Helena felt herself lifted. Turning back, she saw Nini looking at her with a half-smile.

“Careful. You’ll fall like that.”

“No, you don’t understand what that was! Inside there is an existence beyond the Extraordinary—a Colossal monstrosity that has crossed taboo, it is—”

“It’s in the furnace.”

Helena froze.

The corners of Nini’s lips slowly curled upward, while Helena’s eyes widened gradually.

Trembling, she slowly turned her head and, for the first time, examined this church with true seriousness.

Undecorated concrete walls. Dense pipelines covering the ceiling. And at the point where those pipelines converged—the Stellar Furnace, imprisoning that Colossal monstrosity.

That creature—one glance at which drove people mad, one step near which led to assimilation—was locked inside the furnace.

Helena seemed to hear strange whispers and howls emanating from within.

The Stoker picked up a wrench and knocked impatiently on the furnace wall.

The whispers abruptly ceased.

Helena blinked again.

She was in the real world. She had neither sunk into the Sea of Unawareness nor become lost. Reality was as stable as unshakable steel, not wavering in the slightest.

“This is… how…”

The Colossal being. Madness. Shadows. Mist. The crimson eye. Pollution like a rising tide devouring her whole. Countless grotesque and twisted images flashed before her eyes. Her will wavered. She should have lost control. She should have become lost.

But she did not.

When Nini released her grip, she fell to the ground like an ordinary mortal.

“Too many people were having episodes before. The Lord was very dissatisfied. After that, madness was prohibited within Castel Cathedral.”

Nini spoke softly.

“How could that possibly be done?”

“If the Lord thinks so, the will of the world carries it out. And so, within the church, no one goes mad.”

Helena sat there blankly, her expression vacant.

After a while, terror suddenly surfaced on her face. She abruptly turned to look again at the church—the crude concrete walls, the coiled and knotted pipes, the Stellar Furnace radiating scorching heat—

So the true Colossal being… was this church itself.

Before Castel, both she and the existence within the furnace were equally insignificant.

One was merely fuel within the furnace.

The other was not even qualified to be fuel.

And she—she had just been worrying whether this church was insufficiently refined, insufficiently sacred.

Castel had no need for sacredness, no need to proclaim Its existence. That It presented Itself in such crude form was an act of mercy.

So that the tiny insects around It need not notice It.

So that they might continue their pitiful lives.

If people truly knew of Its existence, they would go mad. No words could describe that indescribable being. No mind could comprehend knowledge saturated with pollution.

Helena felt as though she had glimpsed the truth of the world for the first time.

Awe gradually appeared on her face. She looked toward Nini and cautiously asked, “So Lord Hughes is actually—”

“Just kidding. Who could possibly command reality? Don’t take it seriously. It’s just psychological suggestion. As long as you believe you won’t go mad here, your self-awareness gradually stabilizes. Well… I suppose it also counts as a treatment method for Castel Syndrome.”

Nini explained with a grin.

Helena stared at her in astonishment, lowered her head, and thought for a moment. Then devotion slowly surfaced on her face.

“I understand. I won’t take it seriously. Please rest assured.”

“That’s good.”

Nini turned away.

She vaguely felt that something was off, though she could not pinpoint what. Seeing that too many Burial Ones were noticing abnormalities in the Stellar Furnace’s state, she hesitated before deciding to awaken the others first.

Some of the Fathers were clutching their heads and weeping. Some were kneeling in prayer. Others had fallen into delirium. Clearly, they were no longer able to control themselves. With the Stellar Furnace right there, falling into it would be troublesome.

At this height, they would probably end up bruised and battered.

The Banshees who had just left the church surged back in from all directions. With practiced efficiency, they restrained the Fathers and awakened them one by one.