Part 8: El Gusano 2

A soothing voice rises from the speaker, warping within the coils, reshaping itself into something that defies comprehension.

Panamerican Arcanist Radio: To all you faithful arcanists out there, followers of the Sufferer, devotees of the mask-this is the Panamerican Broadcast, brought to you by the Manus Vindictae.

Panamerican Arcanist Radio: A single spark of arcane radiance is all it takes for one extreme to dissolve into its opposite.

A wisp of static seeps between the words.

Panamerican Arcanist Radio: *radiance flickers* From the demented repetition of classical compositions to the relentless assault of bad news, from literary autopsies to the vogue of tragic radio plays-every note, every word, every sorrow is just a little touch of the dial away! Panamerican Arcanist Radio bringing you the latest voices from McMurdo Port.

Panamerican Arcanist Radio: Antarctica is still basking in auroral radiance today; that glowing tide will keep gushing into the sky and hovering over the world until time itself breathes its last.

Panamerican Arcanist Radio: *radiance flickers* I wonder, listeners-how does the sky weep where you are? Is a storm raging, or has the sun fallen? Let us relish this moment, together, on the last evening on Earth ...

Aleph: Hello, Ms. Grace.

Aleph: Extend my sincere regards to the Preacher.

Through the static, a soft and steady breath emerges-quick, restless, and measured at precisely one hundred and six beats per minute.

Panamerican Arcanist Radio: The line is open. A listener from Ushuaia is now on the air.

Panamerican Arcanist Radio: Panamerican Arcanist Radio reaches the ears of the devoted across continents. From Los Angeles to São Paulo, from the Chisos to Ushuaia, our dramas have captivated arcanists everywhere.

Panamerican Arcanist Radio: But you, sir-you are a mere human. That is an enigma in itself. I say "mere," but you are anything but ordinary; that much is clear.

Aleph: Years have passed since Mr. Forget Me Not and I last spoke. A mere intersection of research-nothing of significance.

Aleph: There is nothing exceptional about me, except the fact that I cannot leave this place.

Aleph: I will speak plainly, Ms. Grace, so long as you find reason to listen.

Panamerican Arcanist Radio: This station has many listeners, but none quite like you.