《Unbegotten》


 Prologue 1/3

    "Human biological science is incomplete.¡±


    ¡°We like it that way, Professor! I don¡¯t want to be unemployed.¡±


    A brief moment of good natured laughter descended upon the room of finely dressed colleagues from different fields ¡ªsome with more achievements than others but all respected in their niches nonetheless.


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about that, I believe we are billions of light years away from coming up with a theory of everything.¡±


    Though many in the room disagreed with this point, they chose to ignore it since the professor was known for dishing out indisputable scientific facts one black eye at a time.


    ¡°What I mean is that philosophically, our biological science is incomplete.¡±


    He stopped on stage and traced his forefinger in the air. The room progressively darkened and only a number line from zero to positive infinity, extending beyond the confines of the room could be seen. Then a projection of the known universe faded into existence spanning the whole room, marvels of augmented reality in full display. Then everything begun to compress to a single light point at zero.


    ¡°Before the big bang, there was no up, there was no down, there was no side to side.


    There was no light, there was no dark nor shape of any kind.


    There were no stars or protons to collide.


    And furthermore to underscore this total lacking state, there was no ¡®here¡¯, there was no ¡®there¡¯ because there was no space.


    And in this endless void which can¡¯t be thought of as a place, there was no time and so no passing minutes, hours or days.


    Of all the paradoxes that belabor common sense, this one¡¯s the greatest. This time before events.


    How we got from nothing to infinitely dense. From immeasurably small to inconceivably immense.


    But before we get distracted from the question at the start, let us take a moment and marvel at when math becomes an art.¡±


    The single point of light dimmed further till nothing but the number line remained. Then suddenly, the line extended from the zero point to the opposite direction and negative numbers formed into infinity.


    Everyone waited to see what came next but nothing happened even after waiting for minutes.


    ¡°The world made sense without the negative side of the number line. I don¡¯t know what existed before zero. A tree doesn¡¯t have a negative number of apples on it.


    But mathematics isn¡¯t dead. A hypothetical world is created where the physical world fails. A world formed of negative numbers. A fictional world formed to help us derive, index and innovate the physical world¡ªthe world formed from positive numbers¡ª. It frees us from the confines of the physical world. We can fly and set sail because we have a hypothetical world supporting us in understanding our physical world.


    Physical science is beautiful because they dare be open minded about the existence of something unseen. Our biological science on the other hand, focuses only on the physical world and refuses to conceive the possibility of a hypothetical world.


    The rules that govern our biological science are structured in favor of learning only about the physical world. This is the metaphorical ¡®positive side of the number line¡¯. For us, biology is mechanical. Everything that is in us, everything that makes us, ¡®us¡¯, must come from our DNA. We are combinations of the our parents¡¯ DNA and nothing more. Everything that we think and remember is also stored in our brain. We don¡¯t understand how it works, but we of the Biological sciences have faith that however those jumble of nerve endings work, is all there is and nothing more.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    This is my proposal to lead the Biological sciences into a revolution no lesser than that of the Physical science. Let us dare to explore our own version of the negative side of the number line. Alright?


    The brain needs the eyes to perceive the visual, equivalently, the soul needs the brain to process thought.


    I propose that the brain is the metaphorical "zero on a number line" and the soul world is part of the "negative side of the number line". In my hypothesis, the brain is the intersection between the spiritual and the physical.


    Without the eyes, the brain won''t know about the existence of the visual. With damaged eyes, the brain cannot explore the visual but it knows of it¡¯s existence.


    Without the brain, the soul cannot explore thoughts. With a damaged brain, though the soul is incapable of exploring thought, it¡¯s still free to explore other aspects that aren''t damaged such as pain, suffering, dreams, joy, intoxication. The same way, damaged eyes does not stop the brain from exploring sound, pressure, scent or taste.


    I suggest, that we explore the spiritual by coming up with ways to perceive it. The soul lives in the spiritual and interacts with the physical by using the brain. Why not start with dreams?


    I understand that this is a tall order. Trying to understand that which does not obey the conventional Biological laws seems impossible. ¡®The sun rising from the north¡¯ kind of impossible, not ¡®draw a square circle¡¯ kind of impossible. A physical impossibility, not a logical one.¡±


    The lights in the room at some point had come on but no one clapped. An awkward silence descended, until one person started clapping. But no one joined in. The clap however never faltered and just kept going until the professor walked of the stage.


    ¡ª¡ª


    A young man was seated on the rails that kept people safe from falling off a cliff and into the ocean that relentlessly beat against the rock. His legs idly swinging as he scrolled on his phone.


    ¡°Joe, are you okay?¡±


    A man, casually dressed in artier that screamed ¡®Old money¡¯ walked up to the rails and leaned.


    ¡°Hmm, Oh, Mikey, yeah. Peachy. I just created a twitter account.¡± Joe said, then with a sigh he dropped the phone over the cliff and into the ocean, ¡°After seeing what goes on in people¡¯s minds, I suppose I understand why peasants weren¡¯t allowed to learn how to read and write.¡±


    Mikey chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart. Stupidity isn¡¯t an intellectual problem, it¡¯s more of a moral one. Someone uploaded your presentation, have you seen it?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ve lost respect for what people think. Their opinions have become irrelevant.¡±


    ¡°Well, telling people to imagine something greater than their god is asking for a lot from them. Scientists worship data. They will ignore anything that can¡¯t be observed and recorded. I suggest you evolve your mathematics to index the Spiritual because these people may be stupid but they are still brilliant intellectuals. You can¡¯t make progress alone, Joe.¡±


    Joe looked thoughtful as he stared at the setting sun. He didn¡¯t care for its aesthetic beauty or for it¡¯s scientific and mathematical beauty. What he found beautiful instead, was that it was happening. The sun was setting. It set the day before, it set a thousand years before and it would probably set again the next day. It was beautiful because it was happening.


    Mike had no idea what Joe was thinking so deeply about, but he felt in his gut, Joe had no intention of involving others. Though he sat on that rail, his mind had already walked off the cliff to explore a world that everyone else rejected.


    ¡ª¡ª

 Prologue 2/3

    31st March, 2098


    Monday,


    9:30 PM


    Dear Diary,


    My name is Joe, and no, the story in this letter isn¡¯t the type of story where things get better by escaping. No transmigration to magical worlds, no going back in time and what not, no second chances buddy. Ha, in fact, this isn¡¯t even a story that will bring you hope. The only reason I¡¯m telling this tale is so that I can relish in your despair. I have suffered. And so must you. Ugh, I wish I had listened to Mikey and made an effort to involve some pathetic science men. It would have been fun seeing them walking off building roofs in despair.


    This is a tale of reality. Of truth. There¡¯s wars up north, communists in the east, ¡®feelings¡¯ supremacists in west and abject poverty in central; but I would rather have these weigh on me than the truth a million times over.


    I mean it.


    So let us begin. I shall do my best to reveal the truth to you but whether you understand it is of no consequence to me. If you do understand, it only goes to show how wonderful of a teacher I am, if you don¡¯t, blame yourself for being a blathering Neanderthal.


    A fool once said ¡®I think and therefore I am.¡¯ These are words from the sire of simpletons. Do away with such nonsense.


    ¡®I¡¯ am not my eyes that see,


    ¡®I¡¯ am not my ears that hear,


    ¡®I¡¯ am not my nose that smells,


    ¡®I¡¯ am not my tongue that tastes,


    ¡®I¡¯ am not my skin that feels,


    And certainly; ¡®I¡¯ am not my brain that processes thought,


    All these organs need triggers to perceive the world, eyes need photons, ears need sound waves and so forth. But, if that¡¯s the trend, then what triggers thoughts?


    Drums please!


    The answer, you Neanderthal, is ¡®I¡¯. ¡®I¡¯ uses the brain to process these environmental triggers and relays them to ¡®me¡¯. Some of the more imaginative earthlings have termed ¡®I¡¯ as the ¡®soul¡¯, which is fine with me. What you call it is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.


    Those with five environmental senses, which is the majority of mankind, can¡¯t even perceive where ¡®I¡¯ is. Ironic that none of you know where you are nor what you are.


    From my studies, I have discovered the origins of ¡®I¡¯. On any other day, I would personally consider myself superior for being capable of perceiving ¡®I¡¯ but the truth of the world smothers that flame of pride so thoroughly that I yearn for ignorance.


    A veil exists and behind that veil is eternity, darkness, hopelessness and desperation. Behind that veil also exists an eternal number of souls.


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Ever wonder what ¡®birth¡¯ is? It¡¯s a gift. The only semblance of hope. An infinite number of souls wage fierce battles in desperation to gain an opportunity at life. Odds of one against trillions upon trillions of trillions¡ªugh, who am I kidding, just think ¡®Infinity¡¯¡ª to make it past the veil and throw it¡¯s lot into the hat.


    A man¡¯s loins accommodates roughly two hundred million souls for each tea spoon¡¯s worth of essence. A woman shall only gift one of these poor bastards a body. Odds of one against two hundred million, a grand improvement from the odds behind the veil.


    Feeling despair yet? Of course not, you¡¯ve already overcome the odds and have no memory of the struggle. This is life¡¯s curse and also one of it¡¯s blessings now that I¡¯m thinking about it.


    Anyway, I digress. Let us move on, shall we?


    Ever wonder what death is? Death is a whore. It has no bottom line. It¡¯s a cliff without rails. For birth to occur, strict requirements must be met. Only a pairing of male and female and only one birth session every nine months. Death? Anything can kill you. No requirements exists for death. No preparations are needed for death to occur. Birth is literally a camel going through the eye of a needle, life is a treadmill and death is an open cliff stretching out to infinity. All it takes is a sneeze in the wrong direction and you¡¯re moon walking off that cliff.


    I mentioned one of the blessings of life, didn¡¯t I?


    Well, the other blessings granted are the senses. The tools ¡®I¡¯ uses to interact with life. Even here, there are grades to these blessings. The common blessings enjoyed by humans are the blessings of five; which refers to the tools at ¡®I¡¯s disposal. Some get blessings of four; which just means they are born without one of the senses. Either born blind, deaf, amongst others.


    Conversely, we have ones gifted with more blessings. People like me. I was born with twelve senses. I¡¯m supposed to be superior to you all Neanderthals¡­ and I am! But I feel more despair than my desire to gloat over my obvious superiority. That whore, death, takes us somewhere and I can¡¯t perceive it no matter how hard I try. All I know is that because of death, my blessings shall be wretched from me. So I went out of my way to understand why someone of my caliber has to participate in something so pedestrian as death.


    I believe that the purpose of these senses is to help us gain a small piece of divinity. ¡®I¡¯ should gain divinity and thus gain immortality. You Neanderthals have always thought that immortality refers to being capable of hanging onto your senses for eternity.


    *Sigh.


    Idiots. Immortality refers to the freedom of ¡®I¡¯. ¡®I¡¯ being subject to nothing. I¡¯ve read your fictions. You believe power is gaining control over things your senses perceive, but what use is it if you still need to be within the confines of the framework of life to make use of it?


    Immortality exists outside of life and outside of death. This is why I am walking off that cliff of death. Let us see who dares deny my right to be immortal.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Name: Joe Nightstream


    Time of Death: 00:01, 02-Nov-2099


    The Lesser Deception


    ¡°At What Point Do You Become God?¡±


    ¡°Becoming the most powerful being in existence and beyond makes me like God.¡±


    ~ By The Rising Sun to The Blind Idiot god

 Prologue 3/3

    In a random location in deep space, an old man in a worn toga, stood; starring into seemingly distant nothingness with a puzzled look on his face. Strange as it was for a genuine mortal man to be standing in space, stranger still was what was happening around him.


    A tentacle made of translucent maggots dripping milky slime seemingly peeled from reality. More squirming tentacles emerged, the mere sight of which was enough to make hundreds of trillions of mortal men and women explode in showers of blood.


    ¦£ Never have I ever seen such a filthy soul. ?


    The sentiment radiated from across all of deep space, proof that the tentacles were embedded within every single thread of reality across the universe. The old man though? He kept silent for a minute. Then raised his knuckles, ready to bring it down; when suddenly, the threads of reality formed a wall around it preventing him from moving it further. The scroll of time refused to record the disposition of his knuckles through space, stories were woven by fate ¡ªexciting bards of the knuckle never descending, space stretched and curved back into itself trapping the knuckle, errors and inconsistencies in known and unknown laws and constants of physics formed a sphere around the knuckles ¡ªOverkill to stop an old mortal man from moving.


    The old man sighed and kindly spoke to the threads of reality, ¡°I only wish to teach the child a lesson. Please, let me through.¡±


    Suddenly, all threads of reality not only went back to normal, but they also gladly enhanced and transmitted the impact of the knuckles to every squirming worm embedded in the threads of reality all across the universe.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¦£ ¡°Hey! That hurt!¡±  ? the aggrieved sentiment once again radiated, ignoring the fact that the threads of reality and all laws within them just betrayed it, ¦£ How someone so violent became a Saint is beyond me! ?


    ¡°It¡¯s ill mannered labeling people you hardly know.¡± The old man lectured, still looking into deep space. The old man was peering into the Soul-World where a soul was drifting at a steady pace. The soul was strange in it¡¯s composition and was being held together by a leaf from the tree of life.


    After some thought, the old man shrugged and let it be. The tree of life¡¯s affairs were its own and though the soul was indeed very strange in an unsettling way, he decided to simply observe. He had to admit though, for a mortal to resemble creatures from Sheol yet its innocence being plain in his eyes made his heart ache. As a parting gift, he asked the threads of reality to protect the thousand broken pieces that desperately clung to the soul along it¡¯s journey. In his eyes, they were all children walking a horrendously difficult path and he hoped from the bottom of his heart that they didn¡¯t give up.


    He turned around and space gladly parted before him, leading him to a quaint cabin on a hilltop in a small farming village.


    ¡°Thank you, old chap¡± he said as the space behind him shrunk.


    Deep in space, the distortions of the squirming tentacles receded and the laws settled back to normal.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Echoes from Eden


    [ Rise, Sire of a Thousand Young ]


    [ Rise, Chosen of The Tree of Life ]

 Chapter 1: Of Science & Of Mysteries

    The darkness was absolute, the air thick with the stench of death and decay. He could hear the sound of dripping liquid but never the splash against solid flooring. His awareness grew and, steadily, so did the recognition of the oppressive blackness that surrounded him. And then, he felt it.


    Blinding pain that came all at once.


    ¡°¡­¡± ¡®It hurts!¡¯. The sentiment was sent throughout his mind.


    ¡°¡­¡± [damn it, why do I have to be awake for this!], a second sentiment that didn¡¯t belong to him also diffused in his mind.


    ¡°@#$%$ %^&^ @#$#¡± strings of words sounded in his ears which he ignored.


    ¡°¡­¡± [Why is everything so painful!]


    His eyes violently snapped open and as his awareness of self continued to spread, the pain turned to rhythmic pulsating waves focused in his skull. With a groan, he struggled to a sitting position, taking in his surroundings. His pupils contracted, adjusting to the bright sunlight.


    ¡°¡­¡± [¡­blood¡­a lot of it. Trust no one!] the foreign presence in his mind urgently insisted.


    ¡°#@ #$#$ %^%#$¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± [Urgh, we can hear you. If this pounding in our head stops for a second, we could probably understand you, damn it. ] the foreign presence lamented.


    String of words kept drilling into his ears and they could swear they felt familiar but for the life of them, they couldn¡¯t attach meaning to the sounds.


    ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Hey, what¡¯s your name?¡¯ he sent the intent to the presence in his mind.


    ¡°¡­¡± [¡­how could you forget me? ¡­I''m Number 7.] the presence responded, its displeasure at being forgotten made abundantly clear.


    ¡°¡­¡± ¡®¡­and who am I?¡¯


    Number 7¡¯s displeasure quickly turned to worry.


    ¡°@#$#%$^%^%&^¡±


    He smiled at the rather well built old man that had been trying to get their attention for a while.


    ¡°¡­¡± [ Remember, father, show no weakness. ]


    The sentiment, ¡®father¡¯, elicited absolutely no emotional reaction from him but he took the advice and suddenly sat up straight. The very action sent crippling pain through out his body but he stoically bore with it. Pain was a rather inconvenient feeling.


    His eyes subconsciously darted to the pool of blood he had once been laying in.


    ¡°¡­¡± ¡®that really is a lot of body fluid.¡¯


    ¡°¡­¡± [ Well, you have no external injuries and there¡¯s vomit mixed in there so this vessel was most likely poisoned. ]


    ¡°¡­¡± ¡®What do you mean by ¡®this vessel¡¯ ?¡¯


    ¡°¡­¡± [ Father, this isn¡¯t your body. ]


    ¡°¡­¡± ¡®I see. Can we switch to another that¡¯s not damaged?¡¯


    ¡°¡­¡± [ Father, normal people don¡¯t ¡®switch¡¯ bodies. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on either. Get some rest, may be we¡¯ll stop being in pain when you wake up. I¡¯ll be on the look out in case someone tries something. ]


    He tolerated a silent sigh.


    Kung!


    A jolt pulled him from his introspection causing him to focus on his surroundings. After a couple of seconds staring, it suddenly occurred to him;


    ¡°¡­¡± ¡®I can¡¯t form coherent thought¡­¡¯


    They understood the concept behind ¡°tallying¡± but ¡°counting¡± as a skill was not in their repertoire. Like knowing what an ¡®apple¡¯ was but not having the word for it.


    Frustration welled up in him. So he closed his eyes and regulated his breathing, seeking composure. He then put the little information gathered into perspective.


    ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Anything memory based is lost: language, arithmetic¡­ I¡­*sigh, I don¡¯t remember my name. What a mess.¡¯


    ¡°¡­¡± [ As far as physical health goes... you are definitely built for light duty slavery. ] Number 7 somehow gave the impression he was taking measure of both him and their environment.


    He looked back up and realized he was in a carriage, on rough ground, being pulled by a pair of dark skinny horses. The horses didn¡¯t have shadows and he wondered if there existed any scientific justification that made that possible but after coming up empty, he shrugged it off and focused on things he stood a chance at understanding.


    After a stretch of silence, Number 7 sent his sentiment with a grave tone infused;


    ¡°¡­¡± [ You might actually be a slave. ]


    The sentiment was understood, but hardly comprehended. He could tell that Number 7 considered slavery a bad thing ¡ªwhy that was so, was anyone¡¯s guess if he was being honest. He couldn¡¯t tell what constitutes a ¡®bad¡¯ thing.


    A moment passed. His nose crunched up taking in the new smell in the air.


    The smell of burning flesh which was followed by a burning sensation at the center of his chest, above his sternum. He reflexively reach up to put out whatever was burning, the pain nothing in comparison with to the headache.


    Before he could reach it though, the sensation passed and all that was left was phantom pain. He paused then subconsciously went ahead and started rubbing the spot.


    The top of the carriage was covered, protecting the occupants from the elements and for that, Number 7 was grateful. The road ahead was rough and uneven, with deep ruts and overgrown vegetation threatening to obstruct their path at any moment. The thick and lush greenery of the forest surrounded them, tall canopic trees reaching up towards the sky like great pillars of nature''s might. The humidity hung heavy in the air, making it difficult to breathe at times. Yet, they pressed on, the rhythmic clopping of the horses'' hooves the only sound in the dense jungle.


    ¡°¡­¡± [ Tropical climate lands... Hello slugs, snails and mosquitoes. ] Number 7 commented in exasperation.


    With nothing else to see, he tried getting some rest. A small part of him hoped to dream of anything that may jolt his memories but the majority of him simply wanted the pain to stop. He knew he was grasping at straws but when he couldn¡¯t even hold a conversation, anything went.


    As he waited for sleep to take over, strings of words from the occupants kept drilling their way into him. He could feel the meaning behind them trying to creep from within. Like looking through frosted glass, the silhouette equivalent could be felt. The longer he listened, the more the frost layers thawed. He fell asleep agitated only to have a dream with frosted-over faces.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    ¡®On the bright side, my headache cleared up!¡¯


    He still felt like parts of his mind¡ªor more accurately, his psyche¡ª were covered in frost but it was easy to ignore the discomfort. He figured that maybe his soul simply needed to get used to the new vessel.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Attempted suicide usually gets you four years in prison under tax evasion laws.¡±


    He tilted his head for a moment, taking in the sound that now had meaning, relief washing over him. That was until comprehension followed, prompting a scandalized look and he turned to the woman that had spoken.


    She chuckled but said no more.


    He inspected his memories by forming coherent thought and this time, the concepts had been indexed. He now had the word for ¡°slavery¡±.


    ¡®¡­ the language feels strange, yet familiar nonetheless¡­¡¯


    [hmm, I''m more interested in why this vessel wanted to kill himself?¡­] Number 7 said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember much, mind telling me what happened?¡± He asked. He could feel Number 7 palming his metaphorical forehead at his straightforwardness.


    ¡°How much did you forget?¡± The muscular old man from earlier asked.


    ¡°Might be easier answering how much I remember. Why did I try to kill myself?¡±


    The eyes of a teenage girl seated to his right narrowed, probably trying to spy any indication that he might be lying. She had tanned caramel skin and kept her light-brown hair in a twin braid.


    ¡°Bleed and bury me, memory wipe and personality improvements, thanks for the practical lesson on drugs, Big man. Usually you just glare at everyone and grumble.¡± she said.


    Ignoring the girl, the old man picked up from where she left off, ¡°There are six in the carriage excluding the driver and you¡¯ve never spoken to any of us.¡±


    For a fraction of a second, he felt a cool sensation dissipate from his brain, like a part of it that was initially frozen had only now just thawed. Arithmetic as a skill was no longer so foreign to him. A very large part of his mind still felt like it was covered in thick layers of ice, a metaphorical itch he couldn¡¯t reach.


    ¡°¡­so on the matter of killing yourself, sonny, you¡¯ll have to figure it out all on your lonesome.¡±


    He fell silent and went back to chip at his memories.


    ¡®¡­my language and arithmetic skills were remembered separately after I was exposed to them. The reason for trying to kill myself may also follow the same pattern.¡¯


    [ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a problem but¡­ why is everyone so calm about this vessel committing suicide? Not just that. Blood and vomit should smell, yet none of them are disturbed by it. ] Number 7 pondered.


    What Number 7 said made him look up, a bit more curious this time because he was also not disturbed by the mentioned points.


    There were 2 women seemingly in their mid twenties, a teenage girl, 2 men also seemingly in their mid twenties and a rather well built old man.


    Both men and one of the women spoke different languages and they all had travel cloaks on. Little conversation was held by the party.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    Evening came by eventually, a crude imitation of a camp was set up by the carriage driver in a clearing in the woods. The rushing of a stream could be faintly heard in the distance.


    ¡°So we aren¡¯t slaves¡­?¡± He asked the teenage girl seated across from him on the log by the fire.


    Her eye twitched as she gave him a scandalized look, ¡°¡­sheesh, Big-man, no.¡± She looked at her cream colored dress ¡°Its this dress, right!? Ah but come on! Does it really make me look like a slave? *sigh. I¡¯ll go shopping once we get to Astrohelm.¡±


    The woman from earlier finished inspecting her tent for any loose knots and walked over. She ruffled the teenage girl¡¯s hair and sat next to her.


    ¡°I can see why you¡¯d think that. From a foreigner¡¯s perspective, this is not the way free men travel. And it isn¡¯t. This is new for most of us, well at least its new for me.¡±


    ¡°Why are we heading to Astrohelm?¡­if you don¡¯t mind me asking that is.¡±


    ¡°The Society Of Engineering has a branch there.¡± the teenage girl said offhandedly, no longer lamenting her fashion choices. Her tone was firm and assertive as she looked into the camp fire that reflected in her hazel eyes. There was a story there but he figured she¡¯d have said more if she wanted to.


    He turned to the woman with an air of nobility.


    ¡°Commerce. I have decided to develop a venture that eclipses the earnings of duchies for my amusement. I have considered the variables and concluded that Astrohelm of the Burton Duchie is ripe for my picking.¡±


    The teenage girl rolled her eyes, ¡°All hail the queen.¡±


    [ Looks like we got saddled with a passionate group. ] Number 7 commented [¡­too bad we can only know what they want us to know. ]


    The seats around the camp fire and boiling food steadily got filled as people finished up with their tents.


    ¡®The food¡¯s actually pretty tasty.¡¯


    ¡°Thank you for the tents, Bitrus¡±. The teenage girl said and passed a bowl to the old man from earlier.


    ¡°Ha! Says ¡®please¡¯ and ¡®thank you¡¯! Glad manners¡¯ still fashionable. Very much welcome, lassy.¡±


    [ Thank him or he¡¯ll keep looking at us. ] Number 7 whispered.


    ¡°Thank you for the tents, Bitrus.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it child.¡± He smiled as he took a seat, ¡°Name¡¯s Bitrus Steelarms, means stone. Didn¡¯t catch yours though.¡± The old man said, not minding introducing himself so late in their interaction.


    ¡°That¡¯s because he didn¡¯t throw it, old man. I''m Hadiza. One with no desire ¡ªIronic, I know.¡± said the teenage girl before stuffing her mouth.


    ¡°¡­and I''m Ola Ashwood. Means Born to Rule¡±. Said the woman with an air of nobility.


    Since the remaining three spoke different languages, he didn¡¯t expect them to even be paying attention to their discussion. He put his bowl on his lap and waited for a name to pop up in his head. After waiting a while and nothing happening, he said


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t seem to remember¡­¡± [ Zeraki! Your name is Zeraki, father. ] Shouted Number 7.


    ¡°¡­Zeraki. My name is Zeraki¡­ I don¡¯t think it means anything though.¡±


    [ Hey, Don¡¯t look at me, Number 1 suggested it. I wanted Amos but no one liked it. You¡¯ll have to ask her what it means when she wakes up. ]


    The carriage driver arrived afterwards, once the majority had finished their meals. Only Bitrus remained, still helping himself to more servings.


    [By my siblings, this man has an abyss for a stomach.]


    ¡°Is there a reason the horses don¡¯t have shadows?¡± Zeraki asked no one in particular.


    A skinny man, one whom spoke a different language looked up from the book he was reading. After a moment of thought, he shook his head, ¡°There is no scientific justification for them not to have shadows. Physical science does not allow for it. You weren¡¯t in the best of shapes. I believe you might have been hallucinating.¡±


    ¡°¡­may be¡± Zeraki whispered, still unsure of what he saw.


    [¡­are we seriously going to ignore the fact that he was speaking a different language 2 seconds ago?]


    Zeraki was stunned for a moment. He hadn¡¯t noticed. No one had noticed. Not even the man himself.


    Zeraki looked at the cloaked figure of the driver for a brief second before turning back to look into the fire.


    A low, steady, baritone voice came from beneath the hood of the driver, ¡°You''ve forgotten the purpose of your science and mathematics and have steadily begun worshiping them as the engines that govern reality.¡±


    Everyone looked up. From how focused they were, Zeraki assumed this was the first time he had spoken to them.


    The man looked at the driver and succinctly stated, ¡°All phenomena conform to the laws of science. If something is observable, it can be measured. Once measured, understanding the governing laws is inevitable. These laws give us absolute certainty in predicting future actions. The creation of Shadows is thoroughly understood. His assertions are impossible since no law supports his claim.¡±


    The driver was silent for a moment.


    ¡°When a rock falls, does it fall because the laws of gravity dictate it or because that''s just how life is?¡±


    ¡°¡­That''s a trick question, isn''t it?¡±


    ¡°So-so. Though I believe a trickier question would be, ¡®What came first, science or existence¡¯. Was science needed for existence to manifest or did manifestation of existence give birth to science?


    Did you know, that there was a time when humans would to walk up a pyramid, be laid on a stone slab and have their still beating hearts ripped out of their chests using an obsidian blade. The blood would then flow down from the peak in channels that were etched into the stone. Men, women, children¡­ infants. Tens of thousands would die after conquest or during major celebrations for decades on end. The logic here was that blood sacrifices were needed in order to keep the sun rising. A basic Tuesday for them.


    I was impressed. Humans have an incredible amount of tolerance. Anyway, the pursuit of understanding for the sake of subjugation of the world around us is as old as human self awareness. You¡¯ve brute forced many methods; blood sacrifices, magic, prayers, apothecary amongst many others. Science is a recent breakthrough that succeeded where all other methods failed. It grants you consistency and predictability. Because of this, the world isn¡¯t such a scary place to you anymore. You have faith that science can crack any mystery you face because it has done so many times in the past.


    But remember, science is a tool used to understand mysteries, not govern them. A rock will still fall whether or not your science recognizes it, but your science will break once rocks stop falling and shadows stop forming.¡±


    The man shook his head and closed his book, ¡°Science is malleable. If rocks stop falling, then there is a logical reason for it. It may take a while, but we will study this new phenomena and incorporate them to the existing scientific framework, thus bringing another law underneath our thumb. We can use the laws to our whims essentially, governing reality itself. First comes understanding, then comes subjugation.¡±


    ¡°He!¡± the driver scoffed, ¡°Nature is mechanical. Matter is unconscious. Spoken like a true Smith.¡±


    ¡®¡­what do you think?¡¯ Zeraki asked Number 7.


    [ Well, we don¡¯t govern reality through science, we just study it. We have no right to say what should and shouldn¡¯t exist. I think science is a slave to the whims of reality¡­ though I have nothing backing my statements, it¡¯s just my subjective view, father. ]


    Zeraki inwardly nodded before thinking back to the scene with the horses,


    ¡®¡­looks like I wasn¡¯t hallucinating. The reason we can understand each other and be oblivious to the logically improbable things happening around us is most likely because of him. I wouldn¡¯t have noticed the language barrier dropping if Number 7 hadn¡¯t pointed it out.¡¯


    ¡°We¡¯ll be arriving in Astrohelm in 5 days.¡± The driver whispered, bringing the conversation to an end.


    Zeraki later ditched his bloody shirt in the stream after washing up and went to bed in a tshirt.


    ***

 Chapter 2: Fractured Realities & Veils of Perception

    Zeraki woke up before sunrise, not as rested as he hoped to be but enough to get him through the day. The fire was still going strong, so Zeraki presumed someone was up every once in a while stoking it. Most likely, they were also the ones on lookout.


    The camp was silent save for the heavy breathing deep in the woods.


    ¡®What do you think that is?¡¯ Zeraki asked.


    [ ...I¡¯m not sure. Check it out and see if it¡¯s something we can outrun. ]


    Just as they stepped into the area beyond the clearing, they saw a man walking towards them. As he got closer, his features became recognizable: chiseled jaws with slightly hollow cheeks. He had the potential to actually be considered attractive if only he watched his diet¡ªor had one. He was one of the men with whom Zeraki didn¡¯t speak the same language.


    Not wanting to be rude, Zeraki bid him morning greetings before turning to leave. A simple grunt from him would have sufficed, but the man probably felt the same compulsion to observe social civility and dispelled greetings of his own.


    Zeraki froze and turned around. If he wasn¡¯t completely awake before, he was now. The man looked at him, probably wondering why Zeraki was still there, making things awkward for both of them. Zeraki rolled the words on his tongue, not trusting himself to blurt out what was on his mind. He parted his lips again and said,


    <¡°¡­I intend to clean the carriage before everyone wakes up. Do you have anything I could use?¡±>


    This was the man¡¯s language, strange though it may have felt, but Zeraki was familiar with it. There were words referencing more nuances in concepts, like the concept of ¡®love¡¯ existing in its variants: Eros, Philia, Storge, Agape; yet Zeraki instinctively understood.


    The man¡¯s face instantly lit up with the joy of a man meeting a kinsman on foreign ground. Relief from finding an island of familiarity amidst all the seas of strangeness. Zeraki found his unadulterated joy off-putting and turned around to head to the stream to see if his shirt was still there. He could use that instead.


    <¡°Oh, sorry about that, you can have this.¡±> The man rushed to his tent and came back with a water bucket and a cleaning cloth that had to have been made in haste.


    <¡°I¡¯m Hami,¡±> he said with a slight bow and a smile.


    <¡°Zeraki. Let¡¯s catch up at sunrise.¡±> Zeraki responded, also giving a bow.


    After thanking the man, he left for the carriage to clean up the mess from his suicide. Zeraki wasn¡¯t so crass as to think that his blood bothered no one. At the very least, the driver probably hated having to suppress everyone¡¯s awareness of the rustic smell. Should everyone suddenly become aware, then the macabre sight of it was enough to induce formication. On his knees and scrubbing, it became easier to get lost in thought.


    ¡®¡­It¡¯s the same strangeness I felt yesterday when I could suddenly hold a conversation. If this morning¡¯s events are anything to go by, then that wasn¡¯t my language either¡­¡¯


    [Mhm. And it¡¯s not the driver¡¯s doing this time. When he¡¯s around, we can¡¯t tell if someone is speaking a foreign language. He drops the language barriers. What you did instead was learn a new language without even intending to do so.]


    ¡®Do you think it takes exposure to comprehend an entire field of knowledge?¡¯


    [That¡¯s quite a stretch, father¡­ probably not. Either this vessel already knew the languages and you are simply triggering its memories, or¡­ less probable, but yes, maybe it takes exposure to learn ¡°language¡± and only ¡°language¡± as a skill. This would probably explain the strange feeling you get when learning something new as opposed to remembering something you already knew and simply forgot. Arithmetic can be considered a language. It¡¯s a numerical indexing of reality. Saying ¡°10 meters¡± to someone communicates a particular ¡®distance-between-points¡¯ of reality. However, this is only my hypothesis. I could be completely wrong about it all.]


    ¡®No rush. We have five days to understand this.¡¯


    The blood mostly gone, Zeraki sat and leaned back against the wall, watching the sun rays through the canopy as he pondered over how to prove or disprove Number 7¡¯s hypothesis. Not long after sunrise, everyone was packing up their tents, so Zeraki went over and joined in on the foray, cleaning up the temporary camp. Hami came up to help with his tent as well as continue the conversation from where he left off. Zeraki was glad that he seemed to have calmed down and simply beamed with joy¡ªan improvement from the earlier toxic radiation.


    ¡°Breakfast in five minutes,¡± Science-man shouted from where he was tying up his luggage to the carriage. He was a head shorter than Zeraki, roughly 180 cm (5¡¯11) and had a slightly narrower face that gave him a bit of a feminine edge. He was Hami¡¯s younger brother, apparently. He approached them, wiping the sweat from his brow. They honestly needed to eat more.


    ¡°This is my little brother, Kito,¡± Hami officially introduced the boy. He looked older than he actually was.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to make your acquaintance, Mr. Zeraki.¡± He placed his right palm over his left chest, going into a slight bow. Zeraki awkwardly imitated the gesture that looked more like a ritual to him than a way to dispense greetings.


    ¡°I¡¯m also relieved you survived. I feared you wouldn¡¯t make it. I¡¯ve never heard of anyone surviving strychnine poisoning. All I could do was position you to prevent choking while you vomited and hoped for the best. I¡¯m not a trained physician yet, so you should get checked in Astrohelm,¡± said Kito.


    ¡®Do you know what strychnine is?¡¯


    [No¡­ Medicine is in Number 5¡¯s ballpark.]


    ¡°Well, whatever you did was enough. I lived. For that, I am grateful¡­ sorry if what I ask seems ungrateful but, how did you know what the poison was?¡± Zeraki had nothing on him when he woke up, so he assumed he¡¯d already consumed the poison¡ªall of it.


    ¡°You dropped this vial when the spasms set in.¡± He pulled out a glass capsule the size of his pinkie. It still had half lime-green fluid in it and a logo that looked like snakes, herbs, and books on it. Kito¡¯s face suddenly darkened at the last part of his statement as if waiting to shoot down any attempts at getting the poison back. Zeraki simply nodded at that.


    ¡®Wouldn¡¯t dream of it.¡¯


    ---


    ¡°Seems you¡¯ve been skimping out on us, big man. I didn¡¯t know you spoke their language. The accent was on point too!¡± Hadiza said, sinking into the seat next to him on the carriage. The size had changed; it was more comfy now with padded seats. A point Zeraki, and everyone else, had completely missed. Number 7 found this ability disturbing in so many ways and chose not to speak of it unless Zeraki truly needed to know about it.


    ¡°Neither did I,¡± Zeraki said. ¡°I woke up and it was just ¡®there,¡¯ like I¡¯ve spoken it my whole life.¡±


    ¡°Speaking two languages ain¡¯t uncommon,¡± said Bitrus. ¡°Empire¡¯s made up of many different groups. Learning both Mother¡¯s Universal language and your group¡¯s is an all too common pattern.¡±


    ¡°Could you speak Mother¡¯s Universal language for an hour today?¡± Zeraki asked, facing Hadiza. He wanted to test out Number 7¡¯s hypothesis.


    Hadiza¡¯s face turned red as she suddenly found the carriage walls all too impressive. Bitrus chuckled and said, ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll wait for Ola, and see what we can do for both of you, eh?¡±


    ¡°Pray tell, which of my noble virtues is being showcased, Bitrus?¡±


    Zeraki looked up and saw Ola walking up the carpeted steps leading into the carriage, donning a black and gold-seamed traveling cloak. Number 7 swore on his siblings that those steps didn¡¯t exist until a second ago and he would fight anyone that claimed otherwise.


    ¡°The children don¡¯t know Mother¡¯s language. Would be nice if we get them acquainted with the basics. Still have five days till we go our separate ways anyway,¡± said Bitrus as his gaze warmly lingered on Hadiza.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°¡­may it never be said that Ola, in all her transcendent beauty and peerless talent, is not magnanimous in her gifts,¡± said Ola with a dramatic flair.


    Hadiza enjoyed Ola¡¯s theatrics and always played along from what Zeraki could see. She forgot her earlier embarrassment from not knowing Mother¡¯s Universal language and bubbled with laughter.


    ¡°Your words do honor us greatly. It shall indeed be said that Ola, she of peerless beauty and talent, bestows her gifts with a magnanimity that rivals the benevolence of the gods themselves.¡±


    ---


    It wasn¡¯t long after that the remaining party members were in the carriage and the journey began. Bitrus, true to his word, explained the basics of grasping Mother''s Universal language as they crossed the countryside. At a certain point, Zeraki felt the now all too familiar strangeness of sound morphing to words followed by a very distant defrosting sensation. Zeraki interrupted Bitrus and Ola¡¯s cram session,


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a nap to process all of this.¡±


    Hadiza still had enough willpower to continue, so Zeraki just leaned back, shut his eyes, and took a nap.


    ---


    Zeraki didn¡¯t know how long he had slept, but since he found Hadiza still listening, he gathered that it couldn¡¯t have been more than an hour. After listening for a while, Zeraki rolled the words on his tongue for a moment before patting his lips and asking,


    < ¡°How long was I asleep?¡± > There it was, Mother''s Universal Language, flowing as if it were his native tongue.


    [ Second hypothesis! It takes exposure to comprehend a language¡­ this is incredible¡­ ] Number 7 said, awestruck.


    Zeraki too was excited about the results. Now he just wondered what limits there were.


    [ I think you can learn as much as you want to, father. I¡¯m just wondering if it¡¯s solely human languages that you can comprehend. ]


    ¡®We¡¯ll test it out once we make camp tonight.¡¯


    Bitrus, Ola, and Hadiza paused. After an awkward silence, their blank expressions cracked, showing how they felt. Bitrus was impressed, Hadiza scandalized, and Ola¡­ Ola looked suspicious.


    [ She seems to be re-evaluating something, ] Number 7 said as he watched the calm expression on Ola.


    ¡°How!¡± Hadiza, almost brought to tears, demanded. Her hours of cramming must have been brutal, and she had drawn solace from the fact that she wasn¡¯t alone.


    Ola did not speak of it while Bitrus just looked on with approval, then told Hadiza that it must have been among the things Zeraki forgot and hearing them speak had triggered the memories.


    This line of reasoning seemed to have placated Hadiza, and a new source of motivation took root¡ªthe fact that she was the only one in their niche who didn¡¯t know how to speak Mother''s Universal Language.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    At noon, Zeraki moved up to sit next to the brothers and the lonely girl.


    ¡°How many languages do you know?¡± asked Hami after Zeraki settled down.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, that might have been the last one,¡± Zeraki answered, unsure if there was an upper limit to how many languages he could learn.


    ¡°Well, the girl to our right hasn¡¯t had good company for days. It¡¯s not a problem but¡­ she looks like she needs it. Can you find out if you speak her language?¡±


    ¡°What if I can¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Well, good company doesn¡¯t have to involve conversation.¡±


    Zeraki looked at the girl ¡ªyoung woman? He actually wasn¡¯t sure anymore now that he was this close. She was young, true, but had the exhaustion he expected from an older person¡ª anyway, he noticed she had a distant look in her eyes as she watched the passing terrain. ¡°She seems to have a lot on her mind.¡±


    Kito¡¯s stomach growled, interrupting their hushed conversation. They both reflexively looked at him, his ears turning red from embarrassment.


    Hami chuckled, ¡°Well, his stomach sure knows how to make itself understood when it¡¯s being ignored.¡± He then rummaged through his duffel bag and fished out canned beef for him.


    Kito wisely pretended not to have heard anything and continued reading his medical book while eating.


    Zeraki, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t help but dwell on what Hami just said.


    ¡®He ignored his stomach¡¯s protests¡¯ meaning communication happened between him and his stomach. Without the need to use words to express its discomfort to his brain. The concept of ¦£ Discomfort ? was shared.¡¯


    Number 7 thought about that for a moment, [ Unlike two individual people. I mean, two people have nothing that binds them on a fundamental level. They both have their unique life experiences that birth their understandings of concepts. Pain from falling from a tree is different from pain from burning your hands in flames. But they are both partial understandings of the concept of ¦£ Pain ?. ]


    ¡®Indeed. When we communicate, we give a general name to the other party by way of ¡®words¡¯ and hope they have the same understanding of the concept as us. So I may say ¡®I¡¯m in pain¡¯ while remembering the fall. They, on the other hand, will remember having their hands burn.¡¯


    [ But, the communication between the stomach and mind is one of shared ¡®concepts¡¯. The ¦£ Discomfort ? concept¡¯s variant felt by the stomach can be understood by the brain for they are fundamentally linked biologically. It¡¯s like two people sharing the same brain. ]


    Zeraki nodded in agreement to Number 7¡¯s assertion.


    ¡®Arithmetic, on the other hand, is simply attaching labels to reality. Longitudes and latitudes label abstract space on the planet. Meters, kilometers; label distance between points of space, weight; identifies how much the concept of ¦£ Force ? is acting on stuff. Arithmetic is simply sticky notes all over reality. Because of this, arithmetic isn¡¯t afflicted by discrepancies arising from different understandings of concepts. When told ¡®5 meters¡¯ one has to look into reality to understand. When told ¡®pain¡¯ one has to look into themselves to understand.¡¯


    Zeraki suddenly felt dizzy. The carriage spun around him, and then the wooden floor came into view. He tried resisting passing out, but the surge in his brain came too suddenly and was far more overwhelming than he could handle.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    ¡°At least you didn¡¯t bleed this time,¡± Kito said with a concerned look on his face as he took his pulse. The sun was setting, and Bitrus was setting up his tent, twice in a row now.


    Zeraki actually felt pretty great; his mind felt warmer, large swaths of the irritating frosty feeling from when he woke up were gone, his thoughts felt organized, and¡­ his body felt exhausted. That last part didn¡¯t feel so good.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Zeraki asked, but his heart wasn¡¯t really into it.


    ¡°One minute you seemed to be in deep thought, the next, you were collapsing. Then you came down with a fever. It passed after the first hour, but you were still out cold, till now that is,¡± Hami said as he handed him a bowl of broth. ¡°Thanks, sorry for the trouble again, Hami.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    After the meal, Zeraki went to take a bath by a river stream. It helped get the sticky sweat and grime off. He was concerned about the integrity of the vessel but didn¡¯t know how to deal with it. Number 7 argued that voodoo witchcraft provided better medical consultation than doctors during an age when carriages were still being used.


    [ You have better chances of healing from a cold by offering burnt sacrifices and dancing around the bonfire all night than seeing a doctor. ]


    Though he felt great, the blackouts were clearly symptoms of something problematic, and he still felt like he had frost layers in his head. Half of it was gone after passing out earlier, but that just left another half still pressing against his mind.


    Zeraki pushed the matter to the back of his mind for the moment since there was nothing he could do about it. After the bath, he went to sit next to Bitrus and Hadiza, warming himself by the fire.


    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, one lesson and your brain is fried,¡± said Hadiza, looking at him with feigned remorse in her eyes. Zeraki grinned at the brazen teenager. He was actually starting to like the kid.


    ¡°Thanks again for the tent, Bitrus. I¡¯ll try not to pass out again tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Sonny, I¡¯m more worried about your episodes,¡± he said, shaking his head.


    Ola still hadn¡¯t talked to him since his nap earlier in the day. Zeraki looked around and saw the quiet lady brushing her teeth, getting ready to turn in for the night, but something strange caught his eye.


    The longer Zeraki looked, the more he could feel her exhaustion, and the mass pressing against his mind reduced by a tiny fraction. There was a sort of ¡®aura¡¯ about her that he could read like he had a sixth sense. She was tired, and a darker, depressing ¡®scent¡¯ was about her. Zeraki couldn¡¯t identify the emotion.


    ¡®Can you see this?¡¯


    [ Not clearly, father. It¡¯s¡­ hazy. What is it you see? ]


    ¡®I¡¯m about to find out.¡¯


    He calmly left the campfire, his curiosity getting the better of him, and approached her. He made sure she could hear him approach; creeping her out was the last thing he desired at the moment. A new ¡®scent¡¯ reached his perception, it reminded him of a blend between ¡®intrigue¡¯ and ¡®curiosity¡¯. Zeraki took it to mean: ¡®She wants to know who¡¯s approaching¡­ and has a mild interest in what I want from her.¡¯


    Zeraki slowed his pace and slightly raised his voice.


    ¡°Hi, do you mind company before turning in?¡± he used Mother''s Universal Language, not really expecting anything from that initial interaction. As far as he knew, she¡¯d never demonstrated any understanding of it.


    As expected, she had no clue as to what he just said. He could feel the earlier blend turn to a rather distinct ¦£ Frustration ?. Subconsciously, Zeraki noted that he could pick up on the nuances when communicating with her.


    As he read the sentiments radiating from her, the ¦£ Exasperation ? slowly turned to ¦£ Curiosity ? with hints of ¦£ Peace ?.


    [ Uhm, are you sure you¡¯re reading that right? Why would she be at peace with you? ]


    ¡®¡­I have no idea.¡¯


    < ¡°*Sigh, looks like I¡¯ll have to learn Mother¡¯s Universal language to talk to you more.¡± > she said, not expecting him to understand her.


    ¡®Number 7, what¡¯s your take on this?¡¯ Zeraki asked. This conversation wasn¡¯t supposed to last longer than five minutes but the recent developments threatened to upturn that.


    Initially, Zeraki had intended to listen to her speak then sleep on it to acquire the language. That¡¯s all Zeraki had wanted but this time, acquisition happened instantaneously.


    [ Our discussion about the nature of language earlier must have triggered something in you. Keep the conversation going and see what other changes could have occurred. ]


    Zeraki rolled the words on his tongue to see if they felt right, then he patted his lips and responded,


    <¡°You don¡¯t have to do that if you don¡¯t want to. Glad to make your acquaintance; I¡¯m Zeraki. I doubt it means anything.¡±>


    She froze, and only the splash of water from her cup onto her feet brought her out of it. Zeraki could feel the sentiments: ¦£ Panic ? that morphed into ¦£ Relief ?, then ¦£ Joy ?.


    [ What a strange woman. ] Number 7 mused as he struggled to make out the sentiments.


    She beamed a refreshing smile at Zeraki after composing her once raging emotions, which looked really nice under the moon light.


    ***

 Chapter 3: A Mind鈥檚 Silent Tug & Threads of Unspoken Ties

    "I¡¯m Amali." She said, with a bow that looked as awkward on her as it did on Zeraki, ¡°Just Amali.¡±


    [ She might be a foreigner too. ] mused Number 7.


    ¡°And I would love the company, there¡¯s not much else to do around here. Give me a moment to put these away.¡± Amali said as she picked her cup up and headed into her tent.


    Zeraki walked over to the boundary of the camp and looked into the woods.


    ¡®Is that you, Number 3?¡¯ he asked.


    [ Hey!! It was supposed to be a surprise! You ruined it! ] Number 3¡¯s bubbly voice sounded in his head.


    [ How do you remember Number 3 yet you forgot my name. ] Number 7 grumbled as his projection became visible, floating a meter (3ft) from the ground.


    [ I always knew dad loved me most! ] Number 3¡¯s joy kept leaking into Zeraki¡¯s mind but his heart remained steady.


    [ He can¡¯t feel love, you cotton brain. ] cussed Number 7.


    ¡®Number 3, mind reigning in on your emotions? Number 7, since when could you materialize?¡¯


    [ When you passed out earlier, bubbles over there woke up and I somehow got pushed out. How did you know it was Number 3 though? You lost your memories. ]


    ¡®I didn¡¯t. She kept leaking her emotions and I associated them with a random number.¡¯


    [ Number 3: See! It¡¯s called ¡®Emotional Tagging¡¯. I¡¯m dad¡¯s pride and joy. The onion of his eyes. You should read more, mr. grumpy ]


    Number 7 rubbed his temple with a sigh, [ Where did you even learn those words from? And you definitely are the onion in my eyes. ]


    ¡°Sorry I took so long, what¡¯s on your mind? You look troubled.¡± Amali walked up to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m just trying to remember things.¡± Zeraki smiled, ignoring Number 7 and 3¡¯s banter and getting rid of the frown that had at some point started to show.


    ¡°Right, must be side effects from that ¡®incident¡¯ earlier. Anything in particular I can help with?¡± she asked and started strolling past the camp boundary.


    ¡°Well, knowing what country this is would be great.¡±


    ¡°Blegh. This is Blackmore.¡± She kicked the dirt, ¡°On some days it¡¯s a kingdom, on any other day it¡¯s an Empire. Nobody really knows what it is anymore. The three Duchies are so different from one another that they may as well be three nations.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ You hate it here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a foreigner and this is a third rate state, I don¡¯t care enough about it to actually hate it. The only reason I know so much is because I¡¯m an author. I do lots of research.¡±


    ¡°You had my interest, now you have my attention.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Alright. You asked for it. Lets see, there are three Duchies: One prioritizes Order, another focuses on Equality, and the third centers itself around Interpersonal bonds. The one we are heading to is the Burton Duchy. Expect to see propaganda about Equality and Freedom all over the place when we get there. From my research, I believe the Burton Duchy is a poor imitation of the Bright republic ¡ªA Quasi first rate state.


    I reckon the duke had good intentions, but he failed to consider one thing.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°How immoral his people are. Anyway, I¡¯m here because Blackmore is a great place to gain inspiration for my dystopian novels. Here¡¯s a fun fact. The Burton Duchy never used to have weekends. The crown had to shove it down their throats by making it into law twenty years ago.¡±


    As they continued to walk, they found themselves stepping into the camp clearing once again. Zeraki had no idea when they had circled their way back nor did he feel the discrepancy. Number 3 wanted to comment on it but Number 7 subtly shook his head. She reluctantly kept it to herself and chose to wait.


    ¡°Oh look we¡¯re back. If you are interested in listening to me ramble on about this, we can continue tomorrow. We should be close enough now to getting out of these woods. I honestly don¡¯t know how they still have so much forest cover when they milk everything for profit.¡±


    She looked up at Zeraki before letting out a sigh and saying goodnight to him with a reluctant smile on her face.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [ Number 3 : I really like Amali. She¡¯s super nice, I think she likes you, dad. You should ask her out when you get to Astrohelm. ]


    [ Number 7 : I doubt it. She¡¯s plotting something. Father doesn¡¯t have his memories so we aren¡¯t sure if this vessel was of any import. She must be out to manipulate him¡­ maybe she¡¯s the one that gave this vessel the poison. ]


    Zeraki thought about it but shook his head denying their assertions.


    ¡®She radiates ¦£ Peace ? when in close proximity and nothing else. Something on this vessel calms her heart but nothing more. She has no malice towards us.¡¯


    Number 3 and 7 accepted his analysis without questioning, allowing Zeraki to understand more about the dynamics of their relationships with him.


    [ Father, about earlier, at some point, you walked back to camp without intending to. ] Number 7 stated.


    Zeraki was quiet for a moment and felt number 3¡¯s ¦£ Worry ? leak into his mind. As he thought about it, he also realized that his conversation with Amali barely lasted five minutes yet it felt like more.


    ¡®It is indeed a very concerning state of affairs¡¯ he admitted ¡®but as long as the two of you are my look outs, I have little to worry about. Let me know if I¡¯m about to do something that would be harmful to this vessel. For now, I believe it to be prudent to understand how these abilities work and find our place in this new world.¡¯


    Number 7 only sighed while Number 3 for some reason leaked a myriad of confusing sentiments; from ¦£ Joy ? to ¦£ Regret ? then ¦£ Frustration ?.


    Sleep wasn¡¯t easy to come by. Zeraki ended up fiddling with his new sixth sense, and if he had an analogy for it, it would be a rough equivalent to being blind from birth then suddenly being able to see.


    ¡®I thought what I was looking at were her ¡®emotions¡¯ but that¡¯s not entirely true. It¡¯s more accurate to say, ¡®I can see what she wants me to know¡¯. I perceive how she felt and her true thoughts are exposed.''


    [ Number 7: Like how body parts convey their sensations to the brain. ]


    ¡®Precisely! I don¡¯t need words to be expressed by them for me to truly understand what they want to communicate. This is why I could instantly learn the language she used. Communication with her started the moment I noticed her exhaustion.¡¯


    [ Number 7: huh¡­ Mind reading? Not bad, father. ]


    ¡®Hmm. No. It¡¯s not equivalent to mind-reading since she had to have been willing to let me in. That would explain why I felt it only from her; loneliness is like a beacon, sending a message to anyone who cares to listen. I wonder what happens when I project my own sentiment to interact with hers?¡¯


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Number 7 shrugged, [ Well you understood something about communication earlier today that led to you passing out. It¡¯s not a surprise that you ended up with a stronger version of the same ability. ]


    Comfortable with what he understood of his new sense, he drifted off to sleep. Zeraki had the last watch until sunrise, so he expected to be woken up pretty early.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    After everyone was done packing up, the carriage set off on another day¡¯s worth of travel.


    This was a rectangular cuboid passenger carriage with five cushioned seats along each of its sides. Bitrus always sat in the front right seat ¡ªwith Ola and Hadiza across from him. The seat next to him had always been Zeraki¡¯s; one empty seat from Hadiza to Hami on the left and two empty seats from Zeraki to Amali on the right. Kito sat directly opposite Amali. Zeraki took the empty seat next to her for the day.


    Hadiza was still taking lessons from Bitrus and Ola; Hami gave Zeraki a thumbs up when Amali wasn¡¯t looking; and Kito was still buried in his medical books. Opening his sixth sense to them, Zeraki noticed they all had lingering sentiments. Some Zeraki could identify; others¡­well, not so much. The brothers, though, had a slight variation of the same sentiment ¡ªlike the same shade of color.


    When Zeraki settled in, Amali¡¯s ¦£ Stress ? steadily dissipated and the tired look in her eyes faded.


    ¡°You look troubled. Anything I can help with?¡±


    Amali leaned back with her head against the headrest. Then she smiled, ¡°Not really¡­ I just signed something I shouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    Zeraki projected a ¦£ Tenderness ? sentiment that leaked from Number 3 to her. This made her chuckle for a moment before going silent again.


    ¡°You know what sucks most?¡± She asked.


    He looked at her side profile and waited for her to continue. There was ¦£ Reluctance ? sentiment about her.


    ¡°It¡¯s that I don¡¯t even know what the contract says¡ª¡± she suddenly cut herself off as a new sentiment Zeraki couldn¡¯t identify surfaced. All he could tell about it was that she considered it an unpleasant feeling.


    ¡°Enough of the depressing shit¡­ where did we leave off last night?¡± she asked with a smile that didn¡¯t quite reach her eyes.


    ¡°You were telling me about the Burton Duchy.¡±


    ¡°Ha! You fool. This was your one chance to change the subject, but you have chosen death. Now you have no choice but to listen to me rumble on and on about boring history until you die of boredom!¡±


    Zeraki chuckled at the poor acting and Number 3 made no effort to hide how much she liked Amali. The earlier dark sentiment still lingered about Amali and refused to wane. With Number 3¡¯s insistence, Zeraki projected a sentiment that could roughly be translated to ¡®You have a friend in me¡¯. This was a leaked sentiment from Number 3. When the dark sentiment on Amali interacted with the one produced by Number 3, nothing seemed to happen at first.


    Then Zeraki suddenly felt his mind flex. The dark sentiment still lingered but Zeraki could also feel that within it, Number 3¡¯s sentiment kept melting the darkness as the darkness also tried to drown out Number 3¡¯s.


    The look on Amali¡¯s face softened and her smile reached her eyes. She turned and looked out the window, ¡°Look! I told you we might be exiting the woods today.¡±


    Since they had their backs to the window, turning around brought them physically closer. The ¦£ Peace ? sentiment grew so much that the darker one receded and continued it¡¯s tug-of-war with Number 3¡¯s sentiment where Zeraki could no longer perceive them.


    Through the window, Zeraki could see stumps of trees stretching quite a few kilometers.


    ¡°This is the logging industry. They destroy to make money. When they make money, they invest in better ways to destroy in order to make more money. I call it the ¡®Vicious cycle of death¡¯.¡± Amali said, still smiling.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t bother you?¡±


    "Not particularly. I come from a second-rate state. What happens here isn''t any of my business. I don''t remember how, but I do know that the fallout from Blackmore''s idiotic choices never reaches the south.


    Now, the logging industry doesn¡¯t have a monopoly. At least not in the truest sense of the word. Trees are everywhere and anyone can own an axe.


    "The entertainment comes from the transportation industry. Particularly, the railroad companies. There are three prominent railroad companies in the Burton Duchy and they have their dirty fingers in every other industry. Mining, agriculture, timber, civilian transportation, construction; you name it. If there¡¯s raw material to be transported, it¡¯s being done by trains.


    "A profit driven economy and the philosophy of equality and freedom works only for the first and maybe second generation. By the third generation, winners from the first generation provide really tall shoulders for the third generation to stand on. Losers from the first generation have nothing to offer the third generation that will assist them in achieving success.


    "The railroad industry is dominated by these three companies because the owners come from families with three centuries worth of wealth, resource and knowledge accumulation. For any person born from a factory worker to succeed, they¡¯ll need to overcome all these. Being a genius isn¡¯t enough anymore, they¡¯ll need luck."


    [ I don¡¯t think this counts as immorality, father. It¡¯s more an inevitable state of affairs. I don¡¯t see how it¡¯s the citizen¡¯s fault. ] Number 7 muttered.


    ¡°Is this what you meant when you said the duke overlooked his people¡¯s immorality yesterday?¡± Zeraki asked.


    She turned and looked into his eyes and smiled again.


    ¡°Thank you. You were actually paying attention.¡± She reached out and patted his head. Number 3 was over the moon and her joy kept sipping into his mind like she was the one being patted.


    ¡®Number 7, can you switch with Number 3?¡¯


    [ Sadly, no, father. You are stuck with her until someone else awakes. ] Number 7 simply stated.


    ¡°And no. Look. What do you see now?¡± Amali asked, bringing his attention back.


    After the section of the logged forest came the plantations. Corn, coffee, tobacco and some other plants he didn¡¯t recognize. Men, women and children could be seen working hard as far as the eye could see ¡ªA lot of children.


    Zeraki wasn¡¯t particularly disturbed by this. The only reason he could tell that it was a bad thing was because Number 3 made her horror at seeing the exhausted, bare foot children known. Even Number 7 looked like he¡¯d rather be somewhere else.


    ¡°If people only needed to overcome the disparity in resources then there was still faint hope in building a life while maintaining a clear conscious. The immorality comes in when; those with high shoulders to stand on are pieces of shit and make it their life¡¯s purpose to stomp on a dream, join hands with pieces of shit that have no bottom line when it comes to making a profit.¡±


    She leaned her chin on the back seat and whispered, ¡°Welcome to the Land of Freedom, Opportunity and Equality.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Amali fell asleep after they got bored looking at the plantations. The peace of mind she got from being proximally close to him worked to lull her to sleep.


    ¡°She seems to have gotten better. I haven¡¯t seen her that relaxed from the first time I saw her.¡± Hami said.


    ¡°Yeah, you were right. She needed the company.¡± Zeraki carefully moved her head that was on his shoulder and placed her on her headrest, ignoring Number 3¡¯s pleas to let her be, before picking up a book Kito wasn¡¯t using. ¡®Anatomy¡¯.


    ¡°It¡¯s impressive how you can easily interact with people like that.¡±


    ¡°I just know how to speak different languages. What¡¯s in Astrohelm for you?¡± Zeraki asked Hami as he perused through the book. He stopped reading it when it became obvious that he wasn¡¯t going to comprehend the entire field of biology like he did language. As far as he could tell, neither he, Number 7 nor Number 3 were experts in the field. He only continued flipping the pages because Number 7 was curious about the level of medicine Blackmore had reached.


    ¡°National Law enforcement exam for me; Physician and Alchemical Society entrance exam for Kito. You?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m hoping to get a job at a library. That would be nice.¡±


    *sigh ¡°May Midnight witness your journey.¡±


    ¡®Who¡¯s Midnight?¡¯


    [ Sounds like a religion. ] Number 7 answered.


    Zeraki observed Hami¡¯s lingering scent and cautiously projected ¦£ Curiosity ? towards it and asked,


    ¡°You are a believer in the Midnight faith?¡±


    After a long pause, he pulled out a photograph from his wallet and gave it to Zeraki. A girl slightly older than Hadiza with an uncanny resemblance to Kito which made it obvious she was family.


    ¡°Your sister?¡±


    Kito tensed up like a startled cat.


    ¡°Yeah, she went missing a couple months ago. Chances are, she¡¯s also in Astrohelm. She¡¯s the religious one¡­ I¡¯m only trying to be like her.¡±


    He didn¡¯t go into the details, so Zeraki chose to be content with him sharing that much already. Zeraki projected to them both his resolve to let them know if he ever got any information about her. More accurately, the sentiment projected belonged to a sleeping conscious. He didn¡¯t know who but it was strong enough to leak it¡¯s desire to help.


    ¡®Does anyone know who that sentiment belong¡¯s to?¡¯ Zeraki mentally voiced his question.


    [ Number 7: ¡®A man looking for his sister¡¯. If I had to take a guess, I¡¯d say Number 9. ]


    [ Number 3: Why? He says mean things all the time. ] Number 3 sounded guilty as she whispered [ ¡­I don¡¯t like him. ]


    [ Number 7: True. He¡¯s got pride the size of mount Kilimanjaro, but trust me on this. It¡¯s him. He¡¯s the type of guy to say mean things to your face and end up dieing protecting you while no one¡¯s looking. ]


    Kito¡¯s dark sentiment didn¡¯t so much as waver, while Hami accepted the sentiment and ended up in a similar tag of war like with Amali. His mind flexed, and he could subconsciously feel two points in his mind.


    ¡®The points appear when my sentiments interact with their dark sentiments.¡¯


    [ Number 7: I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that simple, father. I think the points only appear when you make a promise and they have a modicum of faith that you can fulfill it. Kito didn¡¯t believe in the sentiment to help them but Hami did. Amali also accepted Number 3¡¯s promise to be there for her when she needed a friend. ]


    ¡®I suppose that makes sense. I wonder what happens when the promises are fulfilled¡­¡¯


    Zeraki got to understand Hami the more they talked. He wasn¡¯t as smart as his brother, but he was observant. He also labored under the weight of responsibility with a smile on his face. If Zeraki didn¡¯t have the ability to read his sentiments, he would have easily believed that Hami was an optimistic, happy-go-lucky kind of man looking forward to joining law enforcement and living happily ever after. But Zeraki could tell that he worried for his sister¡¯s safety, his brother¡¯s education, and his chances at actually passing the law enforcement exams, amongst other things Zeraki couldn¡¯t identify.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª

 Chapter 4: Shades of Midnight & The Threads of Concealment

    When evening approached, Zeraki went to learn how to set up a tent from Bitrus. As Bitrus built the first tent to demonstrate how the various parts were assembled to form a stable shelter, Zeraki asked about his background and what Astrohelm had in store for him.


    Unlike everyone else, who seemed to have nothing to go back to, Bitrus actually had a family he was leaving behind: a wife who was once part of the Kingdom¡¯s military, a 12-year-old daughter, and a 16-year-old son. He was a blacksmith and craftsman, heading to the city to work on expanding the railway network into the Ocean. This wasn¡¯t a Duchy-commissioned project but the crown¡¯s, one of the rare instances when Blackmore acted like a kingdom.


    Bitrus was the only one whose dark lingering ¡®scent¡¯ Zeraki could identify. It was a faint ¦£ Homesick ? sentiment. Because no one leaked their sentiments into his brain for him to project, he didn¡¯t think too much about it. However, it did make him wonder if the multiple consciousnesses within him truly had no homes to return to.


    After the tent-building exercise came dinner, and finally, Zeraki was free to contemplate whether it was wise to explore the limits of the driver¡¯s influence. Although they were now traveling on well-paved roads, they had ventured into the forest that lined the right side of it to set up camp.


    As he weighed the pros and cons, Ola walked over and sat across from him. Her posture was impeccably straight, effortlessly embodying grace and dignity.


    ¡°I shall grant you the honor of being friends with me. Do you accept?¡± she asked, her tone even and sentiments honest.


    Zeraki felt tiny amounts of interest leak into his brain from Number 7, even though he did his best to suppress it and act like he wasn¡¯t curious.


    [ Number 3: She¡¯s odd¡­ I don¡¯t want Dad to have weirdos for friends. ] Number 3 muttered to herself.


    [ Number 7: Father, I know I don¡¯t have to say this, but please, don¡¯t listen to the one with cotton candy for brains. ]


    Seeing that Numbers 3 and 7 had nothing meaningful to say, Zeraki looked at Ola and smiled, ¡°I¡¯m the furthest thing from being normal. You won¡¯t get what you are looking for from me.¡±


    Ola smiled and shook her head.


    ¡°Do you know the difference between an artist and a person who can draw?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Is there a difference?¡±


    ¡°Of course there is. Just because a person can draw doesn¡¯t make them an artist. For one to be an artist, the first thing they need is a brain that sees the beauty of the world. The world is more vibrant, more colorful, more¡­ ¡®artistic¡¯ to them. A person who can draw simply has the motor skills to capture what their eyes see with a modicum of accuracy."


    "Okay, I see how that distinguishes the two. But what does this have to do with being friends, Miss Ola?"


    "The brain colors the world for our souls. Every brain is unique, each revealing a different world to our inner being. Artistic minds adorn the world with shades of beauty, while mechanical minds render it with functional tones. No two brains are alike, resulting in infinite variations of how the world is perceived. ''Normal'' people do not exist; everyone is a deviant. Geniuses, schizophrenics, pedophiles, homosexuals are merely hues that fall outside the conventional spectrum of what is deemed ''normal.''


    Dispel this nonsense of ¡®normalcy.¡¯ Embrace your title as a Friend of Ola and take pride in it. For it is surely something to be proud of."


    Zeraki could feel Number 7¡¯s yearning leaking into his brain. So with a sigh, he projected the sentiment to Ola¡¯s earnestness, feeling his mind flex as a third point formed.


    Zeraki felt Number 3¡¯s metaphorical eye twitch as she regarded Number 7 as if seeing him for the first time.


    Number 7 remained unapologetic, [ A Friend of Ola is a badge of honor. ]


    Zeraki ignored Number 3¡¯s mutterings about the irony of being a thick-skinned ghost and addressed Ola, who was already smiling, ¡°I accept the privilege of being deemed a Friend of Ola.¡±


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± Ola said as she stood up. ¡°May you find refuge in Midnight¡¯s bosom from those that lurk in the dark.¡±


    ¡®Remind me to read up on the Midnight faith,¡¯ Zeraki instructed as they watched Ola walk away. He looked into the woods again and couldn¡¯t help but feel that stepping outside the camp boundaries would be a very bad idea.


    Morning came and passed. It had been an hour since they started traveling. Zeraki remained by Amali¡¯s side, and she spent most of her time asleep. Number 3 was worried about her, but there was nothing Zeraki could do other than sit there. If he was honest, he was ambivalent about whatever tormented Amali¡ªor any of the people in the carriage, really. Empathy, as Zeraki had come to realize, was nearly nonexistent within him. Seeing children in plantations elicited the same empathy as seeing a leopard chasing down a gazelle¡¯s calf.


    Three days were still left until their arrival at Astrohelm. Though plantations were still plentiful, signs of modernized civilization were beginning to show. Billboards didn¡¯t usually catch his attention, but Amali pointed out the various manipulation tactics she could identify on them whenever she was awake. Now Zeraki couldn¡¯t help but see them everywhere.


    {{ Unity Bank: Let your money work. }}


    {{ Horizon Trust: Come! Save the money you sweat for. }}


    {{ You need a fridge! }}


    {{ Buy Stocks! You idiots. }}


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    During one of these moments, he noticed the carriage was headed into a compound that could only belong to a church. The carriage went around to the back of the grand building and stopped there. The backyard was paved with cobblestones, and roughly two hundred meters from the back entrance was a chain-link fence. Beyond that lay a cemetery that stretched for a kilometer or so, then the woodlands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t wander. I¡¯ll be back in an hour,¡± a female voice came from outside the carriage. Zeraki looked through the window and saw a cloaked figure heading towards the back entrance.


    [ Father, if the driver is female, who told us we were five days from Astrohelm? ] Number 7 commented as Zeraki stepped out of the carriage.


    ¡®¡­How far from me can you go?¡¯


    [ I¡¯ve never left your side before. I¡¯m not sure. Do you want me to follow her? ]


    ¡®Please do. Too many strange things have happened, and we have no explanation for any of it. We better start looking for answers before this list gets too long.¡¯


    After Number 7 left, the sound of fast, consistent clacking of heels reached the group. A bronze-skinned woman in a tuxedo approached them with a dark-blue jewelry box inlaid with purple and azure gems. She wore red lipstick and had black braided hair that turned white halfway down her waist. The left side of her head was partially shaved, with smaller braids trailing to the back.


    ¡°Hello, everyone. My name is Ray Bones. You may call me Ray.¡±


    She then held the box open, facing the group. Inside were rows of velvet blue badges; the inscriptions were made in bronze metal depicting the side profile of a woman gazing into the sky. Below the woman was a banner with blurry calligraphy.


    ¡°Congratulations. You have been deemed valuable assets to the crown of Blackmore. Keep these badges with you at all times.¡±


    Ola looked at the badges for a moment before reaching out to pick one. Just as Ray was about to turn to the rest, Ola¡¯s badge cracked.


    Ray raised an eyebrow at this before telling Ola not to worry about it; she¡¯d replace it once everyone had picked one.


    Hadiza, Bitrus, and Kito had no problem with theirs. Hami and Amali, though, had theirs crack a few seconds after they touched them. Zeraki¡¯s straight up shattered once he laid his hands on it.


    ¡°That¡¯s three replacements. I¡¯ll be with you in a few minutes.¡±


    She came back with three silver rings that had smaller versions of the badges on them and handed them to Hami, Amali, and Ola. For Zeraki, she handed him leather bracers that weighed quite a bit. They also had bronze badges embedded in the back of the hand section.


    Seeing no problem with the artifacts, the woman closed her jewelry box and left before anyone could voice questions. Ola took all this in stride, putting her ring on before returning to the carriage.


    Zeraki followed her closely and asked if she knew what those badges were.


    ¡°Concealment charms from the Church of Midnight masquerading as badges of great contribution from the crown. Don¡¯t worry, the badge is still legitimate.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you, Miss Ola.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    As Zeraki waited for Number 7¡¯s return, he heard Ola explain to Hadiza that the badge was known as the Brave Heart of Great Contribution and that it would help her access opportunities to join whatever institution she wanted. Nothing was said about it being a concealment charm.


    ¡®External Associate of EIPO through the Midnight Church.¡¯ Zeraki read the engraving on the banner below the bronze woman.


    [ Number 3: Dad, I¡¯m seeing ¡®Brave Heart of Great Contribution.¡¯ ]


    ¡®¡­Curioser and curioser. Is there anything else that looks different to you? I see the side profile of a woman stargazing.¡¯


    [ Number 3: ¡­I¡¯m seeing a flaming sword surrounded by two black griffons. ]


    ¡®I see¡­ Let¡¯s wait for Number 7 and hear what he¡¯s found out.¡¯


    -------


    Number 7 drifted through 4-meter-tall double doors. What opened up to him was novel but not unexpected: cushioned benches, purple epic stained glass that gave the interior a nightly vibe, peaceful silence, and burning incense that had a calming effect on the few people within. There was also a side profile image of a woman stargazing. It gave the impression that the woman¡¯s only concern was the stars in the sky and nothing more.


    Number 7 drifted through the side walls and got to a room with maroon walls and an altar at the center. On the altar were scented candles, burning incense, the image of the stargazing woman inlaid in the marble, and petals from evening primrose.


    A woman, whom Number 7 assumed was the driver, stood there, exhausted, cradling her squirming cloak.


    The baritone voice Number 7 remembered from the campfire sounded in the room, coming from the cloak. He wasn¡¯t certain what they were talking about, but from the looks of things, the cloak was negotiating¡­ well, more like pleading with the driver. Sweat trickled down the woman¡¯s face as her lips continued moving, but no sound was being made.


    Suddenly, the cloak was gone, and on the altar was a fluffy orange house cat that, for some reason, looked majestic as it stretched its back.


    Purring, the cat said, ¡°Midnight sends her greetings, young acolyte, and commands you to cease your prying eyes upon the sacred rites of sacrifice. She has exerted great effort to ensure Her divine essence does not permeate the sanctified veil, shielding your mortal gaze from it. Beware, for to bear the touch of Her divine power is a fate not meant for the likes of you. Heed this warning and stay your curiosity.¡±


    Number 7 immediately knew that the cat was addressing him. The surrealness of it all was daunting. He could tell that the cat couldn¡¯t actually see him, but when it suddenly jumped, he was already halfway through the wall, bolting back to Zeraki¡¯s side. The cat, on the other hand, simply jumped into the waiting arms of the driver.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [ Number 3: Dad, I¡¯m sorry on behalf of my pussyanimous, thick-skinned brother. Had he waited five more minutes, we would have learned something meaningful. ]


    Number 7¡¯s eye twitched uncontrollably. [ It¡¯s ¡®pusillanimous.¡¯ Where are you even getting these words from? And I¡¯m not a coward. I just have a slightly more sensitive fight-or-flight response. ]


    [ Number 3: Whatever you say, O ye of no spine. ]


    ¡®At least we found out Midnight is an actual being and harbors no malice. That¡¯s enough for now,¡¯ Zeraki calmly told them as he looked at the bracers on his forearm.


    An hour quickly passed, and the driver walked out in her cloak that was supposedly alive. The journey resumed, and there was nothing but residential homes, billboards, and urban smells until nightfall.


    Zeraki attempted to find small animals to see if his ability worked on them, but whenever Number 7 drifted past the camp boundary, his bracers came under so much pressure that he did not doubt they would shatter.


    [ Number 3: Why don¡¯t you take them off? If Number 7 is quick enough, no one will know you ever took them off. ]


    Number 7 looked at Number 3 and wondered whether she was naive or just terribly slow in the cognition department.


    ¡®I can¡¯t do that, Number 3. Do you remember what Miss Ola called them?¡¯


    [ Number 3: Concealment charms¡­ ]


    ¡®We are hiding from something, and until we find out what, I won¡¯t take any more unnecessary risks. Number 7 almost died¡ªor worse¡ªearlier today. I¡¯m making slight changes to how we do things from here on out.¡¯


    Number 7 faded from sight with a thoughtful expression while Zeraki walked back to his tent. He wanted to be happy that Zeraki cared, but he knew he was incapable of doing so. Zeraki looked at emotions like a machine, and though he did his best to pretend he understood them, they all knew there was no difference between him and a man on stage following a script.


    [ Number 3: It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll figure something out when Number 1 wakes up. ]


    [ Number 7: It must be nice seeing the world in such bright colors, dear sister. ]

 Chapter 5: A Ladys Court & Seeds of an Empire

    (Ola''s Soliloquy)


    I know what it¡¯s like to have power¡ªto feel your words and actions determine the prosperity or destruction of thousands. To my father, power was equivalent in weight to the responsibility that came with it; nothing more needed to be considered.


    I wish I had siblings. Preferably brothers. I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m lonely, just bored with my current responsibilities¡­ and maybe a little lonely¡ªso little, in fact, that it¡¯s practically negligible, so no need to ever mention it again.


    Anyway, recently I¡¯ve taken a fancy to mysticism. I¡¯ve heard rumors from some of the minor High citizen houses that there are people with incredible abilities. Father said not to listen to such people who had no respect for order¡­ but father also never said they lied. Mother certainly believes in mysticism. Our devotion to the Church of Midnight gives these claims credence. I always wear the charms of concealment from the church; not because Mother insists I do anymore, but because I¡¯m starting to think they might not be useless trinkets.


    **Ola''s P.O.V**


    It¡¯s been eight days since I left home. I didn¡¯t leave Father a letter declaring my intentions¡ªsometimes, you have to know when to run away to avoid being denied permission. I emptied my savings, a considerable amount, if I may say so myself. In an ideal world where I had no ambitions, this would have been enough to set me up for a lifetime.


    Since then, fate has been kind to me, for I have met a gifted man in my travels. His mind is sharp, and his interpersonal skills are unparalleled. I suspect something wonderful lurks in those forgotten memories of his. But he is troubled. He grumbled a lot the first couple of days after the coachwoman talked him into traveling with us before trying to kill himself.


    It failed, and he woke up without his memories, but because of it, I was able to peek into the great well of talent that went underappreciated. That, and the fact that I believe he is involved with mysticism. I¡¯ll be honest, befriending him was impulsive. Who knows what mischief led him down a road that had suicide as the only conceivable path left to take¡­ but I¡¯m willing to see how this plays out¡ªand I promise it¡¯s not because I¡¯m looking for excitement! I¡¯m a Lady.


    I¡¯ve also met a brilliant child. Her spirit remains true even though she grew up in the slums. I can tell she¡¯s worked for every meal she¡¯s had. She¡¯s been tricked and lied to before, yet she bears no malice. Her spirit holds no malice, and her heart bears the weight of ambition, a desire to walk the path of engineering. The child is running on nothing but faith and duct tape with a smile on her face¡ªit¡¯s all a farce; she¡¯s terrified. I can tell that her decision to head to Astrohelm was just as impulsive as mine¡­ I have decided to fund her endeavors. Maybe it¡¯s because I see a kindred spirit in her or most likely it¡¯s because I¡¯m simply benevolent. The chains of rulership still bind me even though I have traveled so far.


    When evening arrived, I got the child and my friend to sit and listen to the wisdom of their better.


    "We are to arrive at Astrohelm tomorrow afternoon. You shall both reside under my auspices... unless you have prior arrangements," I said, adding the last part only because this was a new way of life. A way where people wanted to feel like they had choices. A land of freedom. It isn¡¯t pretty from what I¡¯m seeing, but I suppose freedom was never created with aesthetics in mind.


    My friend nodded like he already knew what I was going to say. And to that I say: As It Should Be! As a Friend of Ola, the least he could do is read my mind.


    The child giggled as she always does. I can¡¯t find fault in such innocence. The day I made an offer of friendship was also the day I offered to be her ¡®backer,¡¯ as the laymen say it.


    ¡°Splendid! We shall take our leave after showing our gratitude to the coachwoman. I shudder at the notion of rumors of misconduct tarnishing my good name.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to say thanks for the ride too,¡± my friend responded with that foreigner charm of his. I took a second to ponder whether that¡¯s what gets people to open up to him.


    ---


    After meeting with my nascent council, I went over to Bitrus, for he was good company for the evening. A fine gentleman with tales filled with rogue freedom, adventure, and obvious not-so-obvious disdain for the crown. Just how I like them. His wife, the finest weapons handler in the empire, or so he claimed, was back home tending to the lands she loved while he barreled down toward the smell of steel, oil, and machinery.


    ---


    We left the temporary camp before sunrise, earlier than usual, but I was glad for it. Getting to Astrohelm when all establishments were closed would only bring about unnecessary delays.


    My friend seemed to be tying up loose ends in the simple bonds he formed over the past few days. I continued dispensing knowledge of Mother¡¯s Universal Language to the fine child. A valuable investment should she gain a favorable impression of me. It¡¯s not enough to warrant her absolute loyalty, but it¡¯s a start. I also have a gut feeling that she has great potential for making me a lot of money someday.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    At midday, the scenery gradually changed as the city came into view. The amount of sunlight reduced as a great number of clouds filled the entire horizon. I was certain a storm was coming until the child rejected the sentiment.


    ¡°It¡¯s smog. A mix of smoke and fog. The smoke comes from burning coal. It¡¯s common in any city that prides itself on its industrial progress. I¡¯m still fiddling with ideas that will make coal obsolete, Miss Ola.¡±


    ¡®Yes, definitely a promising investment.¡¯


    We made it to the city after a casual security check. Father¡¯s duchy entrance checks were more thorough. The coachwoman stopped at different places, dropping us all off. My council and I were dropped off in a quaint neighborhood. It looked like the equivalent dwellings of High citizens back home.


    As for the coachwoman? This was the first time I¡¯d heard her speak since she found me at the train station and asked that I use her carriage instead. Normally, I would consider that nonsense. A train would cover the same distance in a day or two, be ten times cheaper, and be about a thousand times more secure. But she mentioned that she sought no compensation and would see to my meals. She also promised that I would acquire destiny heavier than that of kings¡­ In hindsight, it does seem rather dubious. Why did I consent to join her?


    Oh well, all¡¯s well that ends well.


    After exchanging platitudes with the coachwoman, my friend decided that the first thing he should do was get rid of his ignorance and headed to the poor excuse of a library on the ground floor. I approve of his priorities.


    I walked over to the finance section, picking up a random book on banking. I too was in desperate need of re-education.


    As for my golden goose? Well, she went to sleep.


    ---


    It took a couple of hours, but I finished reading the book. Three thousand pages of nothing but excuses for what amounted to a Ponzi scheme.


    ¡°If I go to work, I¡¯ll get paid, right?¡± I asked my friend.


    ¡°Well, I suppose so. You work to get money here.¡±


    ¡°Right. Right¡­ so if I hypothetically work a lot and have a safe underground with hired security, it would mean I have a lot of money that is safe. Why would I need a bank?¡±


    My friend had no response. I kept thinking about this, though. A deposit: money given to a bank. They made promises of safety and convenience, but I have reason to believe banks existed before the functions were created. So the functions exist to excuse the existence of banks, not the other way around.


    ¡°Banks don¡¯t exist for the sake of ¡®safety and convenience services.¡¯ ¡®Safety and convenience services¡¯ exist to excuse the existence of banks,¡± I whispered in realization. I found it necessary to decode these terms used to fool the masses so as to tailor them better for my own exploitation. This is a land of freedom, is it not?


    Deposit: A loan I give to the bank.


    Account Balance: An IOU note for how much the bank owes me. HEY! I¡¯m the one that¡¯s supposed to set the interest rates on the money I¡¯m lending them! ¡­This is going to be fun.


    The masses grant banks great purchasing power for peanuts in return and superfluous promises of safety and convenience. Of course, the money can¡¯t be stolen when it¡¯s already been used.


    Interest: Peanuts given to pacify the masses.


    With so much purchasing power, they can own anything without using a cent of their money. Interesting. I wonder what they buy with that much power? Loans¡­ that¡¯s actually pretty brilliant! They set the interests after loaning out money they borrow from the public.


    ¡°My friend, if I take a loan of a thousand Rubies, will it be given to me in cash?¡±


    He looked up and took a look at the banking book I had been reading earlier. After flipping through it for a while, he said;


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of money, Miss Ola. I don¡¯t think it will be given in cash, but your bank balance should reflect that you have it.¡±


    The plot thickens!


    ¡°So they don¡¯t even need to have the money before buying my promise to pay them back. With interest! The audacity!¡­ I love it! I see why everyone¡¯s so obsessed with freedom now! It¡¯s like a fat, slob of a man but with


    a great personality. He isn¡¯t pretty by any stretch of imagination on the outside, but once you get to know him, you can¡¯t stand being away from him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the analogy, Miss Ola,¡± my friend laughed.


    ¡°Oh, come on. You see it too, don¡¯t you? The scheming, the lying, the robbing, the pollution, the murders are all ugly affairs not present in a society built on the premise of order above all else. However, the cathartic relief of doing whatever you please and the rush you get whenever you succeed more than makes up for it. This is a brutal game, but a game we enjoy nonetheless.


    ¡°Now the big question is, do I take over an existing bank or do I start mine from scratch?¡± I asked rhetorically.


    ¡°Why not both?¡± my friend proposed with a smile as he went back to reading his history book.


    I nodded thoughtfully as I began smiling. Indeed, why not both?


    ---


    I switched to some light reading after making rudimentary plans for my domination of the Duchy. It was too long a day to focus on the complicated.


    The magazine was a product of innovative use of the press. A periodic publication containing various mundane topics. The latest issue was focused on ranking the beauties of Astrohelm.


    I nearly laughed when I saw the images on the ranking table. None of them would have the prerogative to appear on the same page as I, should I deign to participate. Well, the number one on the list could probably weasel herself into the footnote. ¡°Jiang Hall.¡± I shall remember the name. I care not for what brand she represents, but the idea to use the ¡®desire to appreciate beauty¡¯ as a way to make a profit did settle at the back of my mind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look for my own place tomorrow, but I¡¯ll still visit often,¡± my friend announced over dinner. I was¡­ reluctant to let him go, to say the least, but I also understood that being in my presence can be daunting. He wouldn¡¯t get anything meaningful done unless I decided to start wearing a veil over my face.


    ¡°Let me know where you¡¯ll be staying, big man. I¡¯ll come visit whenever I can.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re both welcome. I¡¯ll head to the library and see if they are hiring tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Oh great, I¡¯ll go with you. I have to get in touch with the Society of Engineering anyway.¡±


    I looked at the two people that made up my nascent council and smiled. I liked this. They were mine. Not some people hired to serve me or people intimidated by my higher standing in society.

 Chapter 6: Settling in, Finding Purpose & The Price of Knowledge

    (Zeraki Asani¡¯s P.O.V)


    As Zeraki took his boots off, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, remembering Ola¡¯s theatrics. She had a brilliant head on her shoulders and some strange idiosyncrasies, but Numbers 3 and 7 believed she was a good person nonetheless. He didn¡¯t know about the whole ¡®taking over banks¡¯ business, but seeing someone read three thousand pages of financial literature in three hours and actually understand what amounted to a year¡¯s worth of education was humbling.


    Zeraki had dug up some information from the library, but nothing that really explained ¡®when¡¯ they were. It wasn¡¯t all for nothing, though; Zeraki got to confirm that he was still on Earth¡ªor at least an Earth-like place¡ªand that Astrohelm was somewhere in the heartlands of Africa. Ironically, this made things harder. It would have been relatively easier knowing that he just had to find a way to physically travel back to Earth, but when the data showed that you never really left? Well, things get complicated. Or did they? Did he really want to go back? From what he had seen, none of the consciousnesses resting within him showed any desire to go back. He, on the other hand, cared very little about where he was. So if no one cared about going back, then learning about the world could be considered an interesting way to pass the time.


    Zeraki turned to look at the bathroom door, hoping it had warm water.


    [ The history of the Empire dates back to 300 years ago,] Number 7 idly stated, [and the history of the world dates back 10,000 years. We were definitely not pulled back in time, and I¡¯m certain that I would remember if there ever was an empire that spanned at least 300 years, boasted steam and machinery technology, and was located within the heartlands of Africa. Nothing was said about what happened before 10,000 years ago, but that was a really long time ago. It¡¯s impressive, actually, that they have this many records. Earth only had in-depth history records dating back 2000 years.]


    Zeraki stood and took a towel from the closet, but before he headed into the bathroom, he looked at the bracer on his hand.


    ¡®Number 7, see how far you can go now.¡¯


    [ Alright. ]


    After 5 minutes, the bracer began feeling strained.


    ¡®Come back, Number 7.¡¯


    [ Number 7: Well, that was definitely further than last time. Six to seven times further, actually. ]


    [ Number 3: ...and how far is that? ]


    ¡®A square kilometer. Not bad.¡¯


    He continued into the bathroom without taking the bracers off. They were easy to ignore for some reason.


    ---


    Zeraki woke up just in time to be ready for breakfast with Ola and Hadiza. She was taking notes as she read through the newspaper, and for the first time, Zeraki saw her without her travel cloak on. She wore a long-sleeved, navy blue, cotton, vintage dress that had a V-shaped front with a white corset underneath and brown gloves. With her legs crossed and her back straight, she lost herself in her research.


    [ Number 3: Dad, don¡¯t let her know you consider her dress ¡®vintage.¡¯ ]


    Numbers 3 and 7 chuckled in his head.


    Zeraki sat across from her as Hadiza brought them food and also settled between them with a plate of her own.


    ¡°So, big man, are we heading out after breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Great, do you want to go shopping with me after? Looking like a slave isn¡¯t exactly a look I¡¯m keen on keeping.¡±


    Zeraki chuckled, but before responding, Ola cut in.


    ¡°I understand that this is the land of freedom, but could we have at least a modicum of order at the dinner table? Breakfast. Eat. Scheme and plot after.¡±


    Hadiza blushed and turned to her plate.


    ---


    A carriage dropped both Zeraki and Hadiza by a street lamp that probably served as a carriage pick-up spot. He stood by the junction and took in the sights. It wasn¡¯t breathtaking, but it certainly was...something.


    The streets were well-paved with cobblestones, and a functional sewer system was in place, which he was glad for. He could see about three omnibuses, completely filled, navigating the streets wide enough for two carriages, while two more horse-drawn carriages ferried their occupants through an under-bridge above which a commuter train passed. Being closer to the equator also had an interesting effect on fashion sense.


    Even though long skirts were still prominent, they were made of lighter material, and their blouses were in brighter colors. The smog may have reduced the amount of sunlight reaching the streets, but it did absolutely nothing for the heat, resulting in lesser layering of jackets by the men and being slightly open-minded about shorts and slightly shorter dresses for the women.


    Zeraki and Hadiza walked south for about fifteen minutes. A five-story building that seemed to tower over most of the buildings in its surroundings came into view. It was located at the intersection of two roads, yet its streets were practically empty, with evenly spread-out street lamps. A handful of carriage drivers lined the roadside, perhaps waiting for their employers who were making use of the library.


    At first, Zeraki thought he¡¯d have to haggle his way into getting employed, but as it turned out, very few people could actually read, and those that could generally thought themselves above the station of a librarian.


    Zeraki and Hadiza walked through the front doors and were welcomed by the sight of a practically empty library. Their steps echoed as they approached the front desk. A scrawny man, probably in his late twenties with large spectacles, quickly climbed down a ladder and nearly tripped over himself as he rushed to attend to them.


    ¡°G-good morning, Sir, Miss.¡±


    ¡°Well, good morning to you too!¡± Hadiza cheerily responded. ¡°Where do I sign to join the Society of Engineering?¡± She placed her Brave Heart badge on the table and winked at Zeraki.


    The man¡¯s eyebrow quirked as he reached out for the badge. ¡°M-miss, this certainly is a commendable achievement. B-but it only exempts you from paying the one Ruby exam fee. Y-you still need to pass the test.¡±


    Hadiza shrugged. ¡°Sure. Not paying a Ruby is already more than I expected.¡±


    The man¡¯s face visibly relaxed. ¡°T-that¡¯s good to hear. Here, fill this form for me.¡±


    [ He does not handle social interactions well at all, ] Number 7 commented as he drifted into the shelving lanes.


    ¡°What about you, sir?¡±


    Zeraki looked away from Number 7.


    [ Number 3: Try using your badge too, Dad. ]


    Zeraki lifted his arm for the man to look at the bracers on him and said, ¡°I¡¯m looking for employment. Anything will do.¡±


    ¡°A-are you sure about this? N-not many¡­¡± he looked at Hadiza for a moment before quickly turning back to Zeraki,


    ¡°I mean, s-sure! I-if you are certain about this, why not become my assistant? The pay is pretty okay, I think.¡± His voice became softer and harder to hear as he spoke about the payment.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°...Uhm, sure. Any job is fine.¡±


    His face lit up, and he led Zeraki to one of the empty tables. They settled on Zeraki reporting every day from Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., for 1 Blackmore Gold and 5 Saka coins a week.


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty good pay for someone that can read and write, big man,¡± Hadiza told him as she walked him out of the library. He had excused himself for a couple of hours to get a place to stay before heading back.


    ¡°Well, big man, good luck. I should start prepping for this test. Sorry I can¡¯t accompany you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. This is more important for you. Go.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, big man.¡±


    ---


    ¡®Sorry, Number 3,¡¯ Zeraki consoled after Hadiza walked back into the library.


    [ Grrr. I can¡¯t make more than one promise, ] she pouted angrily and went silent. Zeraki could tell she was brooding and let her be. He had sent out her sentiment, the desire to be friends with Hadiza too, and it failed spectacularly.


    When the sentiment interacted with Hadiza¡¯s dark spot, Number 3 felt like she was being split down the middle. It was painful for both her and Zeraki, so she had to give up.


    Zeraki took a carriage and asked to be taken to a cheap place to stay. The further the carriage drove into the residential areas, the more cramped it got. Roads that could initially host two omnibuses side by side now only fit a single horse carriage. Most of the houses were two-story brick apartments. After the carriage dropped him off, Zeraki stood there trying to figure out how he should proceed. A child¡¯s voice then called out to him.


    She wasn¡¯t much to look at, though. She was about 11 years old, skinny, with disheveled hair and soot on her face, wearing an old cashmere sweater and a dress with many patches so roughly stitched that Zeraki had to wonder whether she did it herself.


    ¡°Two pence and I¡¯ll show you around,¡± she said, looking up at him. Seeing that Zeraki didn¡¯t respond, she exaggerated a sigh and added, ¡°...it¡¯s too obvious you¡¯re new, mister. I¡¯m offering to show you which roads to take so you don¡¯t get robbed, and 2 pence is a fair bargain.¡± Zeraki switched to his sixth sense and got both ¦£ Exhausted ? and ¦£ Exasperated ? sentiments as feedback. She was physically tired and felt like she was speaking to a child who failed to see reason.


    [ Dad, she¡¯s hungry, ] he could hear the pleading in Number 3¡¯s voice. She was still in pain, and her usually chipper self felt... faint.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry; do you know of any good places?¡± Zeraki asked after a moment¡¯s pause. She looked thoughtful, then asked him to follow her.


    They walked for quite a while, and Zeraki felt mild exhaustion setting in. His breath came in shallow bursts, and his feet were slightly numb. Zeraki focused on his breathing to resist the urge to pant, and that¡¯s when he noticed it.


    His desire to stop feeling the burn in his legs and maintain his breathing rhythm was accepted.


    ¡®Have either of you ever noticed this?¡¯ Zeraki mentally asked.


    Number 7 observed him closely and gasped.


    [ Number 7: Well, that¡¯s interesting. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with your legs, but they stopped being painful when you desired it. Something funny¡¯s going on with your blood too. ]


    ¡®When we came up with the hypothesis about communication, we used the body as a good example of intimate communication. This must be one of the applications for it. We¡¯ll see how far we can push it after this.¡¯


    They reached a rather decent bakery on a street that at least didn¡¯t look like it belonged to a local gang. There were a variety of bread and cakes on display with witty labels on them like:


    {{ Top of the Muffin to Ya! }}


    The baker winked at him after Zeraki made the purchase¡ªa single sample of each cake and a single loaf of bread¡ªwhich set him back one Saka coin. Zeraki didn¡¯t think much of it as they started looking for the apartment the child recommended. If the cakes were any good, he wouldn¡¯t mind going back.


    They made their way through the labyrinthine alleys. The buildings that loomed above them, their brick and steam pipe fa?ades weathered by time and neglect, seemed to lean together for support, their weary foundations burdened by the weight of years of repair or cheap upgrades.


    They eventually got to a building that didn''t look like it would fall over should there ever be a magnitude-3 earthquake. The neighborhood still looked like a local gang had claimed ownership, though.


    When they walked in, a lobby welcomed them, and he could see two Asian old men playing a board game from the corner of his eye¡ªwell, Number 7 claimed they looked Asian at least. Then there was a staircase leading to the first floor and an elevator.


    Tara waved to the old men and walked him to the elevator, which was a contraption that looked relatively new due to how the steam pipes that ran along its inner walls didn¡¯t leak nor were they rusty.


    Ascension to the fifth floor, and a narrow hallway stretched before them. The apartment they were after was the one to the left of the elevator. Though not grand in scale, it carried a quiet dignity and cleanliness. This was the living room; the bedroom to the left, though, was a whole other affair. There were permanent stains on the wooden flooring and strange memorabilia littered across the place.


    ¡°The previous owner really loved the Gracie Family,¡± an old man from earlier said behind them.


    He didn¡¯t mind it, though. It was one of the few apartments that had indoor plumbing and a gas meter lamp for only 5 Saka coins a week¡ªwhich sounded okay? Okay-ish? He wasn¡¯t sure.


    ---


    They settled into an agreement with the landlord, with the child doing most of the haggling for Zeraki. He didn¡¯t yet know how much most things were supposed to cost. After the landlord left, Zeraki settled on the floor, not really bothered by the lack of furniture. There were gas pipes lining the walls with different meters and lamps on them, but the apartment was still relatively empty. Zeraki could see that the child was deep in thought, and if he was reading her sentiments right, she was working her way up to say something.


    ¡°You owe me two pence, mister,¡± she finally spoke up, but her sentiments still showed that she had more to say, so Zeraki chose to play along.


    ¡°The price of a single meal,¡± Zeraki placed the service fee on the floorboard.


    Her sentiments morphed to resolve as she started speaking.


    ¡°Teach me how to read; I saw you doing it at the bakery. Not many people can do that. That¡¯s how they know who to consider a valuable customer, just so you know. It¡¯s why you got extra cakes with your purchase.¡±


    Zeraki had noticed the extra cakes but thought it was the baker flirting to get him to come back often since he made a relatively large purchase. Zeraki sighed at the subtle games.


    [ Father, she¡¯s proud and honest. She won¡¯t accept handouts, ] Number 7 noted.


    ¡®I see¡­¡¯ Zeraki thought.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Tara,¡± she responded, fidgeting. Still very nervous about what she was doing.


    ¡°Well, Tara, you seem to have something in mind; what¡¯s your offer?¡±


    She looked around, considering her options.


    ¡°Two pence a week for an hour¡¯s lesson after you come from work. When you settle down, I¡¯ll do your laundry three times a week for six pence.¡±


    Zeraki sighed and accepted her proposal. The amount was pitiful, but it was the best the child could do. Also, being a librarian didn¡¯t seem like a physically demanding job, so he gathered that he wouldn¡¯t be too exhausted to tutor her. She left the two pence on the floorboard where Zeraki had placed them and politely rejected the cakes he offered.


    [ Thank you, ] Number 3 whispered in her exhaustion.


    ---


    Zeraki got back to the library in time to get a couple of hours'' worth of reading done before Labaan closed up. He needed to do some light reading on basic biology and also find out how the empire¡¯s currency was structured. The casual look he had given Ola¡¯s three-thousand-page book was only a single paragraph of high-minded economics throwing around thousands of Rubies, yet he had no idea how much that actually meant.


    Zeraki had 5 Blackmore gold by the time he made it to Astrohelm. How much gold made a ruby was anyone¡¯s guess from his point of view.


    Zeraki had been spending most of the day going on faith that he wouldn¡¯t be shortchanged¡ªidle hope really, as he was in a profit-driven city. Hoping for honesty and actually expecting it was a fool¡¯s errand. So he did the next best thing and kept memorizing how much things cost, like ¡®The price of a single meal, 2 pence; count the brown coins¡¯. Zeraki was actually really grateful for the child¡¯s help with the landlord.


    The library was a warm and quiet place, with a subtle woody scent about it that Zeraki and Number 3 liked. Zeraki looked down at his selection, ¡®The Greenback: The Lonely World Of The Blackmore Ruby.¡¯


    By the time Ola arrived, Zeraki had gotten the hang of how the currency was broken down.


    1 Ruby Coin = 1,000 Blackmore Gold


    1 Blackmore Gold = 20 Saka Coins


    1 Saka Coin = 12 Pence


    Paper notes only came in at 50 Blackmore Gold, 100 Blackmore Gold, 500 Blackmore Gold, and then the Ruby Coin.


    Ola came in at about 5:15 p.m. and settled down in one of the open reading turrets with Hadiza in it. She seemed exhausted but content.


    ¡°How¡¯s Duchy domination going?¡± Zeraki asked as he settled in across from her. She smiled at them.


    ¡°I hired a decent silver-tongued lawyer that can woo mortals into selling their souls to him. I shall be making frequent visits to this library to educate myself more on the ways of freedom, so I have insisted on using this location to plot our schemes.¡±


    Hadiza couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Miss Ola, I don¡¯t think anyone will take kindly to you saying you are scheming against them.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Yes. You are right, child. I should say, ¡®Strategizing.¡¯¡±


    ¡°So, big man, did you find a place, or should we wait for you before we head home?¡± Hadiza asked, still smiling from Ola¡¯s rebranding of terms.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. I did find a decent place. I¡¯ll show it to you when you are free enough,¡± Zeraki replied.


    Zeraki watched them walk out, then went back to the shelves and got himself a beginner¡¯s book on biology. He returned to the central desk to wait for Labaan to close up while taking notes.


    ¡°Try as I might to conceal a guilty conscious,


    one constant stands,


    I hate at leisure that which put me in this condition.


    In turn, that which I once lusted for, I now find revolting.


    Guilt is a bag of sand around my neck that gets heavier by the hour,


    and as my Misery grows, Bitterness within me stirs.


    I curse that which put me in this predicament.


    Guilt is disease in my blood, that rots and decays me from within the longer I ignore her.¡±


    ~ By Zeraki Asani

 Chapter 7: The Pony Overlord and A Childs Chosen Path

    ( Zeraki''s P.O.V )


    Zeraki got up early the next day, put on his boots, and started his day with an early jog¡ªa suggestion put forward by Number 3 after she recovered. Number 7 had been impressed that she could actually make meaningful suggestions. The intention was to see how far Zeraki could push his communication with the vessel.


    [Dad, why do you call it ¡®this vessel¡¯? It¡¯s your body,] Number 3 idly asked as he ran past a food vendor.


    ¡®I suppose I subconsciously do it because I¡¯m not used to having a body. I know it sounds strange, but¡­ that¡¯s just how it is.¡¯


    Number 3 thought about it for a while and just mentally shrugged. It wasn¡¯t that important anyway.


    He made four laps around the neighborhood, which was a dump if he was to be honest. Trash littered the streets, hobos lay in makeshift structures, possibly dying. He wasn¡¯t sure. Teenage kids, who either belonged to the Gracie Family gang or hoped to join it, traded something from a backpack with a girl clearly not associated with the Gracies. She probably belonged to another prominent gang. Worn-out Gracie graffiti covered old steam furnaces, and broken steam pipes leaked onto the street. The smell was the worst part.


    There were stairs whose destination he did not know, but they gave him an idea for his next workout.


    He took a break at a food vendor not too far from where he lived. The tea and cakes were tasty, but the steaks-on-a-stick were what made Zeraki memorize the vendor¡¯s name and location: Frankie¡¯s Steam and Spice. It was 300 meters (three blocks) away from his apartment. Next to the vendor was an entrance leading to an underground market. It wasn¡¯t big, and the pictorial store signs indicated they only sold mechanical parts and services.


    Zeraki returned to his apartment exhausted and settled in to see the results of his workout. The cold mass in his psyche had reduced by approximately a hundredth.


    [Number 3: That doesn¡¯t sound like much.]


    ¡®It isn¡¯t. But it¡¯s consistent. Communicating with this vess¡ª I mean, communicating with my body¡¯s blood wasn¡¯t what I expected. It ignores me when I tell it to do something that goes against its instincts. I can¡¯t tell it to stop taking oxygen from my lungs, but I can ask it to reduce the amount it takes. Asking it to do what it¡¯s already doing is easier. While running, it responded well when I asked it to burn more calories in particular sections. While eating, I asked it to absorb more of a particular nutrient and less of another. But I couldn¡¯t ask it to stop entirely.¡¯


    [Number 7: That¡¯s great! You can¡¯t be poisoned¡­ Okay, you can still be poisoned, but you won¡¯t die from it!... Unless you get poisoned while sleeping¡­]


    [Number 3: Do you have to be so negative about it? If someone poisons him while he¡¯s sleeping, I¡¯ll wake him up. I¡¯m happy for you, Dad! Maybe if you learn more languages, you can melt that cold feeling in your head completely and maybe evolve and have more powers.]


    [Number 7: What makes you think Father will evolve?] he asked, genuinely interested in this hypothesis.


    [Number 3: Well, Number 4 keeps talking about evolving and ascension. I thought it might apply to Dad.]


    Number 7¡¯s jaw dropped, [ He¡¯s an anime junkie. Don¡¯t listen to him.]


    Zeraki didn¡¯t know what to say about the evolution part, but she was right about learning new languages being his best option for clearing the mass in his psyche. The points in the void of his mind weren¡¯t showing any signs of being useful, but he had no intention of stopping the myriad consciousnesses inside him from making their promises.


    He took a shower, got changed, and left for Ola and Hadiza¡¯s place. When he arrived, he found them supervising a handful of workers as they moved in furniture. Before heading over to see them, he made his way towards the hitching rail. Four horses were tied there, and he presumed they belonged to the handymen.


    Zeraki petted them, trying to understand their sentiments and learn their language¡­ and he did understand them effortlessly, but apparently, horses didn¡¯t have a language.


    [Number 7: Well, that was underwhelming.]


    [Number 3: No, it was not! It¡¯s amazing! Dad, can you ask it to sit?]


    Zeraki shrugged and sent his desire for the horse to sit, interacting with the simple sentiment of mild curiosity shown by the horse. But it just stood there and looked at him¡ªignoring him.


    [Number 3: What if you use simpler sentiments? Or a different horse? It¡¯s not useless, Dad. You have a beautiful ability.]


    Zeraki looked at Number 7, who just shrugged. It cost nothing to humor Number 3, so he did as asked.


    He sent "sit" to all four horses, but still, nothing happened. Number 3¡¯s heart felt ¦£ Disappointment ? and ¦£ Reluctance ? seeped into his mind. As a last resort, he decided to forward Number 3¡¯s sentiments to the horses.


    They all suddenly stopped chewing and looked up at him. Then he perceived new sentiments from them, something he didn¡¯t understand because they weren¡¯t just single, concise sentiments but an amalgamation that faded into each other and kept changing.


    [Number 7: I¡¯ll be a monkey¡¯s uncle. That¡¯s guilt, Father!] Number 7 looked at Number 3, who was still trying to understand what had happened.


    ¡®They respond only to heartfelt sentiments. They speak using their hearts,¡¯ Zeraki sighed. ¡®Looks like I¡¯ll be leaving talking to animals to you, Number 3.¡¯


    She practically preened at that before she also felt guilty for it.


    ¡®Nonsense. Be happy, Number 3. Don¡¯t worry about me. I don¡¯t mind leaning more on you.¡¯


    Zeraki had come to realize that emotions were strange to him. He felt them, but they were material and nothing more. They never reached his soul, or if they did, then he didn¡¯t know what to make of them. He was leaning more towards the possibility of them not reaching him. He was a spectator to his emotions. How Number 7, 3, and a million other people could tell what was ¡®good¡¯ and ¡®bad¡¯ was a mystery. They were all the same to him. What was he missing that made him different?


    Zeraki shook his head, clearing the idle thoughts. ¡®Number 3, see to what extent they will follow your instructions.¡¯


    [Okay¡­]


    She sent a complex sentiment, asking them to give her some food. They all reached into the trough and brought him a share of their vegetables, dropping them in his hands before rubbing their heads on him.


    ¡°Ha! Big man. They have accepted you as one of their own and made you their leader!¡±


    Hadiza¡¯s cheery laughter came from behind him. Zeraki turned but didn¡¯t leave the horses and gave Hadiza a brilliant smile. ¡°Kneel before the pony overlord!¡±


    Hadiza didn¡¯t skip a beat and knelt, causing Number 3 to mentally keel over in laughter, sending waves of joy into his brain, which he forwarded to the intended recipient.


    He gravely lifted the cabbages the horses had gifted him and placed them on her head. She scowled.


    ¡°By the power vested in me by the mustangs and the divine right of ponies, I hereby crown you the rightful ass to the throne.¡±


    Number 7 chuckled as Zeraki took off in a sprint, only to be smacked on the back of his head with a cabbage torpedo.


    ¡ª¡ª


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of stuff,¡± Zeraki said as he cleaned himself off.


    Hadiza walked over and leaned her head on his shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s Ola for you, big man. She got it all for free too.¡±


    ¡°And how did she achieve that? ¡®Free¡¯ is practically taboo in these parts.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, well, we visited random furniture shops and she found one owned and managed by a woman she liked for some reason. She talked shop, the woman ended up making a hell of a lot of money from it, and there we have it. The storekeeper¡¯s gratitude¡­ or investment? I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m content getting free stuff either way.¡±


    ======================


    (Tara¡¯s P.O.V)


    Kids started workin¡¯ as young as five to bring in some scratch for the fam. Our small frames made us perfect for jobs grown folks couldn''t handle. We¡¯d clean machine parts tucked away in tight spots, like scrubbing chimneys. We also worked the coal mines, crawling in drilled holes to set explosives or fetch busted drill bits, lugging heavy chains to tie ''em down for extraction.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    I hated the grind, but it was a must. I stepped out of the factory I''d been toiling in since dawn. I¡¯d landed a gig cleaning a couple of chimneys that were shut down for maintenance. The sun was high, so I had a bit of downtime. I slipped my six pence¡ªthe day¡¯s pay¡ªinto my pocket.


    Years of slogging had built my stamina. I thought about hitting up the mines to see if they needed a retriever but nixed the idea. Couldn''t burn out today. I strolled past the residential blocks and community homes. I''d gotten used to the stench; it didn¡¯t bug me anymore. The folks who couldn¡¯t work depended on Lady Jiang¡¯s charity. She''d set up community houses in all the Southern districts and handed out grub. Maybe that¡¯s why folks adored her. She was kind, generous, and a looker. But none of that mattered to me. I had my own worries.


    I was looking forward to my first reading lesson with Mr. Zeraki. He was the oddest bloke I¡¯d ever met. Rich, didn¡¯t haggle, paid upfront, and actually talked to me. Didn¡¯t look down on me like the central district snobs. Sure, I was dirt to them, but I didn''t care. I had different dreams. I didn¡¯t crave belonging or want to join a gang. I listened to other kids yammer on about changing the world or wishing they were born into the Corpos. Their dreams were just high-fantasy fluff.


    In time, I had my own epiphany. "Anyone who tries to change the world ends up broken, their impact a screw in a bucket of bolts, ¡ªa drop of water in an ocean for those with refined palates¡ª. I want to die unchanged by this world. Harder than it sounds. It hurts being seen as worthless, but I won''t bend. I won¡¯t spend my days bitter. I¡¯ll live my way, grow¡ªor die¡ªas I see fit.


    Most kids croak before 18, and that used to be fine by me. Just resist the world for another seven years, and the struggle¡¯s over¡­ yayy.


    *sigh.


    ¡°But the bloke from yesterday seemed alright. Didn¡¯t look at me like filth on his boot, even offered me food which wasn¡¯t drugged and that felt kinda nice. I¡¯ve decided to give it another go. Maybe this is my shot at surviving¡­ maybe not. But it¡¯s only seven years, not like I¡¯ll be let down for long.¡± I slapped my cheeks, ¡°none of that depressing talk, little missy.¡±


    I ain''t taking more hits from the world. I need a life where I ain¡¯t just toughening up my skin. Learning to read will uncover the secrets those Corpos stash in their library. I¡¯ll find out why we kick the bucket before 18 and stop myself from croaking.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ( Zeraki Asani¡¯s P.O.V )


    Zeraki got home and found Tara seated¡ªprobably asleep¡ªby his door. She looked like she had just crawled out from the depths of hell, if he was to be honest. A consequence of her occupation, it seemed.


    Zeraki sighed and unlocked the door, which caused her to jolt awake. She seemed apologetic, but Zeraki waved it off and welcomed her in. It was about 4 p.m., two hours earlier than the agreed lesson time, so Zeraki had her take a shower and let her take a quick nap after cleaning up. She¡¯d still have to wear the same soot-stained clothes she had on, but it was better that she had the carbon, dirt, and oil off her skin.


    Being comfortable was necessary to facilitate effective learning¡ªat least that¡¯s what Number 7 claimed. Zeraki didn¡¯t understand why they found it necessary to explain themselves to him. They wanted something that he didn¡¯t mind providing, so he saw no reason for them to walk him through their mental processes.


    Tara woke up 30 minutes before 6, and they began with the very basics, learning the alphabet of Mother¡¯s Universal Language. Zeraki wasn¡¯t that keen on her learning to write as much as he wanted her to learn how to read. The time they had on their hands did not leave room for repetitive tasks such as training arm dexterity.


    During the whole session, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what it was about children that made people want to care for them. He noticed this not just from Number 3, but Number 7 too, who kept giving him pointers on how to treat the child. Ola¡¯s affection for Hadiza also stood out, as did Amali¡¯s fury over how they were treated as laborers in the fields. Zeraki watched as the child tried hard to remember everything he said, her street talk pattern slipping every once in a while, which she corrected as soon as it dawned on her. The lesson ended at 7, and he walked the child home, which was quite a distance¡ª20 minutes from where he lived.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Sunday was pretty chill. He woke up and began grinding all the way until midday. Running laps, doing push-ups, and everything in between. By the end of it, he had a better grasp of how communication with his body worked. Most of his body functioned on default instructions. In fact, there wasn¡¯t any part of him that was fully independent from a certain level of automation. Communicating with himself involved asking the body to alter its automatic functions. Instead of feeling pain when injured, he could choose not to feel pain unless requested. This also allowed him to dedicate more resources to functions he desired, like muscle building in certain parts of his body while reducing the acquisition of certain nutrients.


    He pushed himself to the limit and then surpassed it, comfortable with the knowledge that all he needed was a good nutrient-rich meal before bed, and he would wake up fully recovered from the abuse.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    He stood up from his crouching position, barely able to feel his legs anymore, and wobbled to the door.


    ¡°We come bearing gifts, big man! Uhh¡­ wow, didn¡¯t know I¡¯m that pretty. I made you weak in the knees just by saying your name.¡± Hadiza looked at the exhausted Zeraki, who looked like he was being held up by strings. He stared at her and his eye twitched.


    ¡°Alright, alright. Sheesh.¡± She reached down, placed his hand over her shoulder, and brought him away from the door.


    ¡°Bring them in, boys!¡± she shouted as she stood inside the empty living room. Handymen began carrying in furniture, from a couch to a bed and mattress.


    ¡°Miss Ola?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    The bedroom, once filled with gang memorabilia, was emptied out, leaving only the permanent stains on the walls, spray paint, and the furniture brought in by Hadiza.


    She placed him on the couch and sank in on the other end.


    ¡°So what were you doing before I got here?¡±


    ¡°Working out. What exactly did Miss Ola do to have them willingly give out free furniture?¡±


    ¡°They are only offering Ola free furniture. She insisted that they treat you the same as they treat her, so you reluctantly get partial special treatment. So it¡¯s not free, just Ola-witchery. The store owner agreed to listen to her ideas and test them out. Instead of trying to sell furniture by convincing people to buy, Ola had the store owner send out her employees with a single carriage containing five mattresses around the neighborhood.


    After knocking on people¡¯s doors, they would point to the carriage and say they offered old mattress disposal services for those who needed new ones. It didn¡¯t even take an hour to clear the carriage. They are doing door-to-door services instead of Screamers to milk the idea for all it¡¯s worth before it¡¯s stolen by her competition.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a Screamer?¡±


    ¡°Newspaper, old man. Anyway, it¡¯s been wonderful, but I have to go. I have an exam to study for. Go on with your¡­ weak-knee exercise. We¡¯ll meet at the library when I¡¯m done.¡±


    Zeraki leaned back as the door closed behind him and exhaled. The furniture was unexpected.


    [Number 3: I really like Hadiza. I wonder where Amali went. I miss her. And Dad, will you please go buy more things? How could you sleep on the floor like an animal?]


    Number 7 felt his jaw drop. [You were the one who refused to sleep on the bed!]


    [Number 3: One, eww. Two, Dad is not sleeping in some gang member¡¯s bed! Who knows what kind of sin was done on there, and I¡¯m sure it smelled terrible.]


    ¡®Well, I suppose we could go out and get more things.¡¯


    Zeraki rested for an hour before he went out to shop for the basics: clothes, pens, ink and paper, kitchen and laundry amenities.


    It was difficult pinpointing where exactly the shopping centers started or ended since he could see shops inside the lobbies of some residential buildings. Officially though, the Thousand Li market was a thirty-minute ride by omnibus¡ªthey had the signs and everything marking the point of entry.


    Strange artifacts as well as everyday goods were sold either in the open market or in stores. Since Zeraki wasn¡¯t the only one making use of the bathroom, he got things Number 3 thought Tara might also need.


    There was a metallic contraption with a wiggly protrusion and a handle that Number 7 insisted Zeraki should buy.


    ¡®What is it?¡¯ he asked as he flipped it over, trying to figure out what made it so remarkable in Number 7¡¯s eyes.


    [Number 3: Uh! Dad, I know this! It¡¯s what they call a¡­ uhm¡­ kettle? I believe it helps with the¡­ tea-ification process.]


    [Number 7: Careful now, dear sister. It is a dangerous affair indeed, for one to make use of their entire vocabulary in a single sentence.]


    He bought the kettle even though he had no idea how to use it. Number 7 looked competent enough with it.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    (Tara¡¯s P.O.V)


    I hit the coal pits ¡®cause the cogs and gears in the factories stopped on Sundays. The mornin'' was a dry spell, so I only got grindin'' in the afternoon, clockin'' out at 5pm.


    The day before had wrapped up sweet; I was gettin'' wise! I slapped my forehead, I was supposed to be practicing my prim talk. From the top, doll:


    The previous day ended really well; I was learning! Being allowed to shower and sleep was unexpected, but I was grateful. I did not bring it up with Mr. Zeraki for fear that it might seem like I was being cheeky¡ª is cheeky street cred? I¡¯ll use ¡®rude¡¯ just to be safe. I didn¡¯t want Mr. Zeraki thinking I was being rude.


    I also kept my speech prim and polished when I spoke to him, like how my ma used to talk. I did not want to fall out with the blo¡ª¡­ Mr. Zeraki. I really needed to stop saying ¡®bloke¡¯. Anyway, he was kind and really peculiar, but in a good sorta way. I was not going to muck it up by having misunderstandin¡¯s between us.


    I went over to Mr. Zeraki¡¯s, dirty again since it was already late, and he let me take a quick wash. The house had more gear, solidifying the idea that Mr. Zeraki was rich. The bathroom also had more fancy bits that he said I could use. I meekly walked in, got cleaned up, and used the new bathrobe I¡¯d been given.


    The lesson rolled on for two hours, then I slipped back into my dusty duds and got walked home by Mr. Zeraki. I really did appreciate that he was willing to go out of his way to make sure nothing happened to me while I was in his care, but I soon regretted it when I got home.


    I¡¯d forgotten how my old man got when I rolled in past dark. Being beaten before Mr. Zeraki was humiliating, and I had a sinking feeling in my gut that he might refuse to teach me because of it. The possibility of that happening hurt more than the beating.


    So I refused to cry through it all and did my best to show Mr. Zeraki that it was nothing to be concerned about. I looked up to the distant pavement rails where he was standing to smile at him but his head turned away. It dawned on me that he didn¡¯t want to be there. For no one to know he had anything to do with me.


    Which made it harder not to cry because it felt like all my effort to present a respectable front had been wasted. I restrained my speech when I spoke, practiced in my head, keeping my thoughts prim and proper, all to create the illusion that he wasn¡¯t associating with a sling joint so that he wouldn¡¯t regret teaching me in the middle of our sessions. I knew how central folks valued their rep, and it was crumbling before I even gained anything.


    I lowered my head and simply waited for the storm to pass. Though my heart ached that I would no longer receive the lessons, I would pick up whatever broken pieces of my work that remained and try again when the opportunity presented itself. I¡¯ll be dead in seven years. I refused to be broken when I was so close to it all coming to an end.


    Suddenly, I felt my resolve solidify in my chest. A warm feeling spread though my tiny frame and for some reason, the tears I held back started streaming out. I was happy. I didn¡¯t understand why, but I was. I no longer felt so isolated, my mind and body welcomed this state for nothing had ever felt so right in my life. I would not be broken. A promise I felt like I shared with someone but I couldn¡¯t tell who. It didn¡¯t matter though, my heart no longer ached and I no longer felt so alone.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-

 Chapter 8: The weight of Guilt & A New Arrangement

    ( Zeraki Asani¡¯s P.O.V )


    ¡®Number 3! Make it STOP!¡¯


    [That¡¯s not me, Dad!] she pleaded, flooding his brain with her sentiments, showing how honest she was being.


    He knew it wasn¡¯t her, but it was so hard to think straight. He felt a mass in his chest that pumped different emotions. Waves of hate washed out from his heart, and unlike normal times when he was disassociated from his emotions, this time, he felt like he was drowning in them.


    The hate gave him a choking feeling that rose in crescendos. It kept changing its object of obsession. He hated Tara for making him feel like that, but the memory of Tara amplified the strange mass in his chest and made him change the target of his hatred to himself. He hated that he thought about hating Tara. He hated her father for punishing her where he could see it, then a wave of pride morphed this hate back towards himself.


    Pride gave way to fury, which was fueled by the hateful feelings in his heart. He wanted to take it out on Tara. She caused this. What he wouldn¡¯t give to punch that¡­ The image of Tara flashed in his mind, sending another wave of fury towards himself, and all he wanted to do was step onto the road and get run over. He wanted pain for penance. He banged his head against a steam pipe. The pain, though intense, was nothing compared to the relief that the increasing numbness in his heart brought.


    After the hate and fury, as he leaned his head on the hot metal pipe, came revulsion. His reflection made him vomit. He trudged home, quietly seething. The feelings in his heart steadily condensed, making him radiate bitterness. He collapsed on the wooden floors and stayed there, resolved to suffer, for his bitterness demanded it.


    (Number 7¡¯s P.O.V)


    Number 3¡¯s heart ached, and she silently wept as she watched Zeraki reduced to such a state. Number 7 watched on, torn on what to feel. As Zeraki had his breakdown, Number 1 had partially woken up, sounding exhausted. She made a promise to Tara, then immediately fell asleep again, her parting words being ¡°Progress, not perfection.¡±


    Number 3 was too emotional at the moment, but he had the presence of mind to realize that this was the first time ever that his father wasn¡¯t a spectator to reality.


    It was something he and many others craved for him to experience. He had no idea what Number 1 was doing, but the intensity with which this particular emotion came was also exaggerated, in his opinion, which made him worry.


    He preferred leaving things he didn¡¯t understand alone. Sure, his father was missing a core part that made him¡­ human? He wasn¡¯t certain if that was the right adjective, but still, his point stood. Guilt wasn¡¯t supposed to overshadow self-preservation, especially considering the trigger was seeing a child getting punished by their father. The ass-whooping wasn¡¯t even that bad!


    With a sigh, he faded out of existence, cussing his inability to interact with the material world. Otherwise, he would have brought a blanket for his father and Number 3, their exaggerated desire for penance be damned.


    ---


    Number 7 woke Zeraki early, for it was his official first day of work. He could brood all he wanted as long as he did it in the shower.


    ( Zeraki¡¯s P.O.V )


    Zeraki woke up, took a shower, and changed into clothes picked out by Number 3.


    ¡®What is wrong with me?¡¯ he finally asked as he rode in a carriage heading to the library.


    [Number 7: It¡¯s guilt, Father.]


    ¡®I see.¡¯


    He remained silent for a while. He felt miserable, but it wasn¡¯t as intense as it was the previous night. Though he looked at his sentiments, he couldn¡¯t identify any that clearly stated ¡°Guilt.¡±


    ¡®What is guilt and how do I get rid of it? Permanently,¡¯ he asked. Emotions could be pinpointed and suppressed, but he couldn¡¯t do that for the amalgamation in his chest that he now understood to be guilt.


    Number 7 shrugged. [Think about why you feel guilty. There is always an argument to support you. Once you find it, the guilt goes away. You were teaching her, so you were doing something good. What happened to her is not your fault. It¡¯s a perfect excuse.]


    Number 3 looked disgusted and thought it would be stupid to even give such claims a response, but when she saw Zeraki thinking about it, she couldn¡¯t hold back.


    [Don¡¯t listen to him, Dad! He¡¯s just shameless. Guilt is knowing that you have done something and it has caused someone pain and/or suffering. You should apologize, then the guilt will go away.]


    [Number 7: Hey, he asked for permanent solutions. Besides, apologies are also excuses to not feel guilty¡ª¡®I said sorry, why should I feel guilty?¡¯¡ªso whichever method he chooses will still work.]


    Zeraki looked at his arms and didn¡¯t know what to do, but that¡¯s when he noticed the huge crack on one of his bracers.


    [Number 7: It happened when Number 1 temporarily woke up.]


    ¡®So the more of you wake up, the harder it will become to hide?¡¯


    [Number 7: That seems to be the case.]


    With the fifth point showing up in his mind, he could now feel that the mass pressing against his psyche was passively being worn down. He hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but now with more points accumulated, he realized that the points weren¡¯t idle substances in the void of his mind. There was a faint vibration from each of them, so faint in fact, that he only perceived them because of their increased quantity.


    Zeraki welcomed the new development, troubling as it may be, for it kept his mind busy. He began healing the dull ache on his forehead from the burn, for he found something else to distract him. What he needed most was information, so he was on the lookout for anyone else with abilities.


    When he got to the library, he found Labaan opening up.


    ¡°How¡¯s your morning, Labaan?¡±


    The man tripped and nearly fell. He had been walking back into the library when Zeraki finally got within distance of talking to him.


    ¡°You came in earlier than expected, Mr. Zeraki,¡± Labaan said after he regained his composure.


    ¡°Just ¡®Zeraki,¡¯ Labaan. And I wanted to get some reading done before the crowd gets here,¡± Zeraki said, falling in step with the man.


    ¡°Careful now, don¡¯t jinx your first day,¡± he said nervously. ¡°The societies are holding their entrance examinations. There just might be a crowd.¡±


    After excusing himself, Labaan raced to the upper floors. Zeraki settled in at the wooden counter in the middle of the first floor that served as his assistant/clerk station.


    It was 7 a.m. according to the library clock. Zeraki went off to pull out the books he could find that majored in languages and got back to chipping away at the mass in his psyche while Number 7 idled about by the bookshelves.


    An hour later, a slow stream of people started making their way in. Most of them seemed to already know what they needed, so no one really spent too long at his station desk. Zeraki realized that his abilities to read sentiments only worked on one out of ten people he interacted with.


    [Number 7: They are probably believers of the Midnight Faith. Concealment is likely one of her most appreciated abilities.]


    Zeraki got to meet Hadiza again, and she was pleased to see him. After getting the books she needed, she invited him to lunch and then retreated to her table. Kito came in too, but he didn¡¯t seem to mind¡ªnor care about¡ªhim being there. He simply acknowledged Zeraki''s presence and went about his reading.


    Stolen story; please report.


    Zeraki got lost in his grind. Though boring, the feeling of making clear progress was a rewarding experience. If he could have people speak these languages instead of having to study from books, his life would be easier. The only upside was that he realized his memory was incredibly good and he only needed to go through the pages once. After that, he could retrieve whatever information he needed on demand.


    ¡°¡­and you¡¯ll of course be telling me what it is that has you so absorbed, Big-man,¡± Hadiza said, leaning on his desk. It was fifteen minutes past one o¡¯clock on the library¡¯s mechanical clock.


    ¡°¡®Lenana a Language¡¯ by Serbian-borne,¡± Zeraki said as he slid the notes in the book and put them away before walking towards the front door with Hadiza.


    She looked different in new clothes. She stood at about 5 foot 7, in a white long-sleeve blouse with maroon cuffs and neck ribbon, a white under-bosom corset, and a navy blue checkered long skirt. Zeraki could also spy unorthodox black boots underneath when she put her foot forward, but the outfit strangely came together with them still. That paired with her caramel skin, braided brown hair, and hazel eyes, she looked pretty nice.


    They met Hami going in. He probably went to check up on Kito. His black and gold-lined patrol uniform, slightly oversized, was more or less a confirmation that he was accepted as a law enforcer. He marched over to Kito¡¯s section after he greeted them with the whole bowing ritual.


    "Big man, there¡¯s a place near here that has some pretty good tea and cakes. So good, actually, that Ola is considering buying a part of it. Though I should really start carrying my own cooking. Tea and cakes for lunch feels just¡­ wrong!¡± Hadiza said after Hami left. They still didn¡¯t speak the same language.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind it. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be working in the mines after,¡± Zeraki said, only to end up opening a box he had locked away. The bitterness that had simmered in his heart began to boil.


    ''Tara is probably crawling through some hole in the ground.''


    [Number 7: Try not to think about it, Father.]


    [Number 3: Get her some. She¡¯ll come in tired and hungry. This is one way to apologize, Dad.]


    Zeraki sighed.


    ¡®Should I ask her to work for me instead? She could clean the place when I¡¯m gone, then practice her reading and penmanship.¡¯ He could feel the bitterness recede when he thought about the things he could do for Tara instead of the things he hadn¡¯t done.


    [Number 3: Yes, Dad! This is how we make it up to her.]


    [Number 7: It¡¯s the least convenient method, but as long as it helps purge the negative emotions, I don¡¯t see why you shouldn¡¯t do it.]


    The receding feelings of self-hatred and bitterness only encouraged him to push through with it. With his mind no longer in a despondent spiral, there was a spring in his step as they walked into a neat bakery about 10 minutes from the library and found a place to sit by the window. Zeraki got extra cakes to take home with him, and for once, he was actually looking forward to something.


    ¡°And here I thought I was the one with a sweet tooth,¡± she started. ¡°Wait, can I also eat in the library?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t looked at the library rules¡­¡± Zeraki squinted thoughtfully. How come he hadn¡¯t checked on the library rules yet? ¡°You know what? I¡¯ll get back to you on that actually,¡± he told her.


    ¡°Great! You seem to have gotten better. Now spit it out. What¡¯s happened? You didn¡¯t look alright all morning.¡±


    Zeraki was taken aback by this for a moment before he chuckled.


    ¡°Could you tell me what guilt is?¡±


    She stopped to think it over, squinting her eyes as if trying to form an opinion.


    ¡°Guilt is when you realize and experience some sort of growth in acknowledging that what you did is wrong,¡± she finally said.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Well, let''s say I walk down a street and see someone getting mugged and walk away without helping. What I¡¯ll feel for them is remorse but not a milligram of guilt. My actions were right at best, neutral at worst. Now, if there are law enforcers nearby and I choose to keep quiet about the poor guy getting manhandled in the alley, then I¡¯ll feel guilt.¡±


    [Number 7: See. As long as you have a good excuse, you can¡¯t feel guilty.]


    [Number 3: That¡¯s not what she¡¯s saying! She means that she helps if it¡¯s within her means to do so. That¡¯s all. It¡¯s not an excuse, you¡­ you amoran dodo!]


    [It¡¯s ¡®amoral¡¯.] Number 7 cussed under his breath, muttering something about burning dictionaries whenever Number 3 gets close to them.


    ¡°Thank you for humoring me. I guess I felt guilty about something, but I¡¯m over it now. When¡¯s the exam anyway?¡±


    ¡°¡­Tomorrow. I¡¯m as nervous as a guilty Lenana man,¡± she said after washing down the cake.


    Zeraki smiled. The Lenana had a rather wholesome approach to infidelity.


    ¡°Miss Brave Heart is practically a genius,¡± he said, partly joking. ¡°She¡¯ll do just fine. I¡¯ve seen you keep up with Miss Ola¡¯s mental processes, and she¡¯s scarily smart.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, leader of the ponies.¡± She pulled out her badge and twirled it in her fingers. ¡°Do you know why we were given these?¡±


    Zeraki reached for the badge but then pulled back.


    ¡°You want to see it?¡± she asked after seeing him retreat.


    ¡°No to the first question. Yes and no to the second. Yes, I want to see it, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll break it, and you haven¡¯t gained admissions yet. My curiosity can wait.¡±


    ¡°Oh. How considerate, big man. Thank you. I hadn¡¯t thought about that.¡± She quickly and carefully put away her badge like it had suddenly turned to porcelain.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    They headed back after Zeraki got his take-away orders packed, and Hadiza went to bury herself in her notes.


    [Number 3: I think we could have gotten a promise out if she wasn¡¯t protected for a short period, Dad. She and Number 4 look like they¡¯d get along.]


    ¡®That¡¯s what I was worried about. The sixth point will reduce the number of weeks we have to clear the mass in my psyche, but that needs one of you to wake up. Making a promise to Hadiza would break both our concealment charms. I¡¯m not yet ready to rock that boat. Anonymity is our current advantage; let¡¯s milk it for all it¡¯s worth.¡¯


    An hour into his studies, he got a message from Number 7. He had gotten bored exploring the bookshelves on the ground floor and decided to see what was on the other floors.


    [Number 7: By my siblings, Father¡­ I think I may have solved our information problem.]


    ¡®What have you found?¡¯


    [I¡¯m not so sure myself, actually, but from what I can see, these are summary records of¡­ probably every company in Astrohelm. Their products and/or services, their secret projects, their security systems, relationships and agreements with various gangs.


    They have records on people called ¡®Extractors¡¯ and how they are related to these elite organizations.


    This place is strange, Father. There are strange technologies down here. This is years¡­ decades ahead of what we¡¯ve seen in Astrohelm. This is steam and machinery on steroids.]


    Number 7 was silent for a while, and Zeraki assumed he was reading the reports.


    [The elite companies are all researching a power source called ¡®Hydrokinetic¡¯ radiation. Their research is all over the place, and judging by how thick these reports are, some are ahead more than others, but the difference isn¡¯t exaggerated.


    There are a lot of mentions of Extractors when talking about the acquisition of the radioactive raw material.]


    ¡®Can you find information about these Extractors?¡¯


    [Well, this isn¡¯t really a guide manual, but I¡¯ve found a record of murders, executions, and judgments that happened last night. There are a lot of them. Let me read through them and then give you a summary later.]


    ¡®Alright. Watch your back and retreat should you feel remotely threatened.¡¯


    [Alright, Father.]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Zeraki found Tara fidgeting by his door, this time in a clean dress, waiting up for him. She looked up at him nervously, but Zeraki was too high-strung about talking to her and simply opened the door for them, but she didn¡¯t enter.


    ¡°Look, mister. I¡¯m sorry for yester-night. I came to say that I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you that I¡¯m supposed to be home by 7. I betrayed your trust and lied by omission. I¡¯m truly sorry. I promise you that it won¡¯t happen again. Please keep teaching me.¡± The pleading, nervous look in her eyes made Number 3¡¯s metaphorical heart throb and Number 7 sigh in helplessness. Not even he was so callous as to ignore how the child was mentally and emotionally exhausted.


    Though Zeraki picked up on all of these, the only thing he cared about was his guilt. Everything else felt foreign. Number 7 thought it was no different than the mild remorse he would have if he ever saw an antelope¡¯s calf getting chased by a lion.


    ¡°Tara, come in. There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to¡ª¡± Before Zeraki could finish, he was verbally assaulted by Number 3 and stopped mid-sentence.


    He suppressed the eagerness to rid himself of the poison in his heart and knelt in front of Tara to get to eye level. He then forwarded sentiments leaked by Number 3 to interact with the mess of sentiments Tara was leaking.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize for, Tara. I¡¯m the one that should say that I¡¯m sorry for not explaining things to your father before they got out of hand.¡±


    Though he parroted Number 3¡¯s heartfelt apology, the sentiment feedback he received was enough to resonate with his heart. The dispersal of resentment he felt towards himself provided such relief that he felt his mind cloud over for a moment.


    He asked her to clean up before they started, and this gave him time to appreciate no longer feeling like his blood was slowly being converted to poison. She didn¡¯t put up any resistance and came back out in her bathrobe 10 minutes later, primed to start learning.


    ¡°How much do you make on a daily basis?¡± Zeraki asked her after she settled in across from him at the wooden dining table.


    ¡°Well, sir, both the coal mines and the factory pay 6 pence. So on a good day, I get a job in the morning and another in the afternoon. A total of 12 pence,¡± she respectfully answered.


    Zeraki switched to his sixth sense, and there was ¦£ Fear ? and ¦£ Caution ?, but they weren¡¯t directed at him. She¡¯s afraid she might do something unsightly, causing him to end the lessons.


    ¡°Call me Zeraki, I don¡¯t mind. How would you like to work for me instead? You clean up my place daily and do the laundry thrice a week at 7 Saka.¡± She looked stunned for a second but quickly regained her wits and frantically nodded.


    ¡°Good. Food¡¯s in the kitchen; help yourself to it when you get hungry. Here¡¯s my spare key.¡± Zeraki said, placing a key with a purple key-holder on the table, then started her lesson.


    Zeraki tried squeezing what he had planned out for her and gave her exercises to help with her penmanship, which she¡¯d do when she had the time, and ended the lesson at 6:40.


    The walk to her place took about the same amount of time it did the previous day, 20 minutes. Zeraki doubted her father would have a problem with the timing since it was an improvement from the previous day, so Zeraki walked away after seeing Tara walk into her apartment.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 9: Sentient Scribes & Destiny Choices.

    [ Number 7: I saw Labaan using a secret entrance under his clerk desk on the second floor. I followed him in, and the entrance actually led into an elevator, not the same kettle-powered one like the one we have over there, ] he pointed to the door, [ no Father, this was hands down the finest contraption I¡¯ve ever seen! The walls were lined with thin transparent tubes with purple neon-like fluid flowing inside. I¡¯m not sure, but the walls even looked plastic. White plastic.


    It moved with such fluidity that the only way I knew the thing was descending was when my head accidentally went through the roof. It¡¯s not hydraulic engineering at play. I¡¯m almost sure of it. If Number 4 were awake, he¡¯d know.


    Anyway, when the elevator stopped, it opened up to this 6-sided underground hallway with neon fluid tracing the walls every few steps.


    Then it opened up to a huge internal space. I think it spans the entire library plus the library compound. There were machines I have no idea how they work, but I think that data storage is somehow one function. The technology wasn¡¯t the strangest thing I saw down there, though.


    The strangest things were the crows. I kid you not, those avians were data crunching. Processing paperwork. They had on these bands on their heads that had thin grooves that glowed white when put on and blue when not in use.


    There were no screens or consoles, just concentric neon lights on metallic-probably-plastic surfaces.


    I¡¯m 70% certain those birds are sentient. I haven¡¯t heard them talk, but I have no other explanation for a bird doing math and filling out forms. ]


    For the first time since Number 3 woke up, Zeraki could feel her desire to leave the confines of his mind to take a look.


    ¡®Tell me about the information they were processing.¡¯


    [ Everything. They know about everyone and everything. I¡¯ve seen snippets of data on research results from the largest Elite organizations and companies from all over Astrohelm. Top-secret kind of stuff. What the companies are researching is actually child¡¯s play in this crow nest. I don¡¯t know why they even bother to spy on them. ] Number 7 paced a bit before taking a sitting pose on the couch across from Zeraki.


    [ The energy¡­ technology or whatever this Hydrokinetic Radiation is doesn¡¯t concern us for now.


    What concerns us is that I found out about Extractors.


    I¡¯ve read through parts of the reports as they were being processed, and I think I understand a little about who they are.


    They are people, or rather ¡®were¡¯ people. The reports keep calling normal people ¡®mortals,¡¯ and Extractors were referred to as an entirely different species.


    At first, I thought that they were born this way, but I was wrong. There were reports on ¡®new¡¯ Extractors and what organizations own them. Extractors aren¡¯t born, they are made.


    There¡¯s a potion that achieves this, changing mortals to Extractors.


    However, here¡¯s the part I didn¡¯t really understand. The tone the reports were written in gave me the impression that Extractors are lower lifeforms.


    It¡¯s just the feeling I got from seeing how interchangeable the word ¡®rodents¡¯ were from Extractors. It¡¯s either that or the crows just hate Extractors.


    So, on the potions, I counted roughly eight mentions of different potions, each following the naming convention ¡®Sequence 9:¡¯-(a name)-¡®pathway¡¯. There were Sequence 8s too but not as many as Sequence 9s. ]


    ¡®Hmm, is it safe to assume that mortals become Sequence 9 before advancing to Sequence 8?¡¯


    [ Number 7: I believe this to be the case, father. ]


    ¡®Was there at any point you felt like you were about to be discovered?¡¯


    [ No Father. I was practically a ghost. ] he joked.


    ¡®Great work Number 7. Keep spying on the reports but pay more attention to news on Extractors.¡¯


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Tuesday morning had Zeraki running a lap around the neighborhood and doing a couple more on the concrete staircase before heading back for a shower.


    He had tea and cakes before locking up and getting a carriage. He got to the library 5 minutes before 8 a.m, and Labaan was nowhere to be seen, though Zeraki guessed that he probably opened up and disappeared into his secret lair.


    Zeraki picked up a random language book from the shelf and began his grind while Number 7 drifted off to explore other parts of the library.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Lunch hour was just Zeraki and Hami in the same bakery from the previous day.


    He came in at about five minutes past 1 o¡¯clock and asked if Zeraki minded joining him for lunch. Having nothing better to do, Zeraki accompanied him to the bakery.


    Number 7 could remain in the Library because it wasn¡¯t far from where they were having lunch and he usually spoke directly into Zeraki¡¯s mind; distance inconvenienced nothing.


    The bakery was being remodeled, but there were seats very far from the carpenters. Zeraki and Hami found a place and settled down.


    Zeraki couldn¡¯t read Hami¡¯s sentiments because of the midnight charm on him, but he didn¡¯t need superpowers to see the bags under his eyes.


    ¡°You look tired,¡± Zeraki said it matter-of-factly.


    ¡°You know where 3rd South Avenue is?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. 10 minutes walk. North of here, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. This is our address. You are welcome to drop in sometime. Anyway, we are supposed to keep patrolling the region in which we live all night and report back in the morning.


    Too many people are going missing, and Central suspects a serial killer is on the loose. We keep finding dead bodies too decayed to identify, so officially, we can¡¯t be sure whether the disappearances are linked to the murders. But enough people in Central are certain that they are.¡± He said, looking worried.


    [ Number 3: His sister is missing in a city with a serial killer on the loose. Maybe we could get Number 7 to check if his spies have something? ]


    [ Number 7: Not possible. I can¡¯t interact with the material world. ]


    Number 7¡¯s voice sounded in his mind, no different than when he was within arm¡¯s reach. Zeraki sighed and looked out the window. He saw one poster of a woman who had been missing for a week.


    ¡°How¡¯s Kito doing?" he asked, trying to pull Hami from his stressed thoughts.


    ¡°He has his test today. He¡¯ll be fine, though. He¡¯s really smart.¡±


    Zeraki smiled and nodded at that, but he couldn¡¯t wait to leave the noisy bakery.


    -------


    He bought more cakes to take with him home and headed back to the library as Hami went back to his workplace.


    [ Number 7: Well, well. This is interesting. Kito, Hadiza, and one other kid just walked in. ]


    [ Number 3: They are done with their test? I want to see Hadiza and ask her about it! ]


    [ Number 7: Calm yourself, dear sister. They are on the second floor. What¡¯s interesting is that they are being led by a woman that¡¯s openly flaunting her powers, and to be honest, I¡¯m so impressed. ]


    ( Hadiza¡¯s POV )


    ¡°¡­as you can see, although the three societies are thought to be separate entities, they aren¡¯t. Once you strip the politics and vested interests, Engineering, Chemistry, and Biology are all that¡¯s left. A family of the sciences. Lovers of intellect, fools seduced by the charms of reality¡­¡±


    Hadiza calmly followed and listened to the introductory speech of the Academy¡¯s branches. This was a prelude to the entrance test they were to take.


    They had walked across key points in all three campuses; viewing different innovations by previous students even though most weren¡¯t feasible for one reason or another. As the woman said, it was wonderful to see what was possible. Beautiful things didn¡¯t always need to net profit.


    The people that were taking the tour with her were definitely well off. At least that was the only acceptable explanation for being overweight in Astrohelm. She suspected that this tour was a concealed middle finger to them and their elite circles.


    Back to the tour, the woman that was guiding them was likely a key figure from what she¡¯d noticed. She was welcomed in all three campuses with the same amount of respect afforded to a managerial position. She was beautiful, stern, had a straight back, and a calm stride that testified quiet confidence; but her fashion sense wasn¡¯t anything Hadiza saw herself imitating anytime soon¡­ if ever.


    They got to a cozy hallway with wooden floorboards and enough lamps to keep the room perfectly bright. The gas pipes were well hidden from sight and a gear clock was at the end of the hallway, above an open door.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.That was likely the room they were supposed to settle in and hopefully get this over with. She had studied diligently for the test, even though she wasn¡¯t sure what it entailed. So she kind of touched a bit of everything.


    ¡°Alright, just walk through that door and you¡¯ll be able to take the entrance test,¡± the stern woman said.


    When they got halfway through the hallway, the people around her started passing out. She too felt a little lightheaded, but not enough to drop like these walking sacks of potatoes.


    ¡°Three! Wonderful! Come with me.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hadiza looked through the one-way mirror into the room they were supposed to go to. In there, they saw the woman who gave them the tour reading out the rules of the test.


    Those who had passed out woke up half an hour later. By then, they had been moved to the exam hall by the university staff. They laughed at how the fat sobs couldn¡¯t walk for an hour without passing out.


    Hadiza didn¡¯t care much for their schadenfreude; what she wanted to know was why she wasn¡¯t sitting in there with them. If passing out was a condition to prove that she had adequate backing, she didn¡¯t mind slapping her Brave Heart badge and Ola¡¯s name in that woman¡¯s face.


    The woman left the room, and a man walked in, but Hadiza didn¡¯t have the time to continue observing because the door to their waiting room opened.


    ¡°Let us start this properly now, shall we?¡± The woman walked in, her stern expression gone, replaced by a cordial smile.


    ¡°You may call me Lady Theo. You three don¡¯t have to take the test. Well, more accurately, you¡¯ve already taken the test that matters.


    Welcome to whichever campus you please for the next four years.¡± She continued to smile at them, but Hadiza remained silent.


    She hated it when she didn¡¯t understand the flow of events. Apparently, she wasn¡¯t the only one. The two men with her had scowls on their faces too.


    Lady Theo¡¯s smile didn¡¯t waver. ¡°Alright, there¡¯s more, but the invitation to join a campus was also legitimate, so you may walk out of here whenever you please and still get your spot at admission. Follow me.¡±


    She turned around and walked them through various hallways until they got to an elevator.


    ¡°There is more to the world,¡± she said, then lifted her hand, and a grey model began to form inside three grey panels connected at 90 degrees.


    Grid lines projected from the panels, and the spherical ball-like mass floated at the center. Hadiza was absolutely floored and wanted in on whatever technology this was.


    ¡°Blackmore is a third-rate state currently in the early generations of the Age of Hydro.¡±


    The spherical mass progressively got remodeled at a speed visible to the naked eye. It gained sharp edges, rounded some corners, hollowed out certain places, and in a few seconds, the model of a factory was rotating above her palm.


    The woman obviously enjoyed the attention, for she had a smug look on her face. Hadiza didn¡¯t care; the woman deserved to be smug. What she did was incredible!


    The elevator doors opened, and they walked into what was a more advanced chemistry laboratory and library.


    ¡°When I said that you passed the test that matters, I was talking about the soul aptitude test. Those poor sobs didn¡¯t pass out because they were exhausted. They passed out because their souls couldn¡¯t take the shock of becoming people like me. Extractors.


    I can¡¯t blame them; it has nothing to do with their stations in life. Only 3% of the human population can become extractors, 2% of witches, and 0.45% of giants.¡± The factory model remodeled into a figure of a male human, a male witch, and a male giant. In color!


    ( Number 7 POV )


    [ I see no difference between the three. Sure, the giants are dark-skinned, some would argue ebony even, and only a head or two taller than humans, but they still look human.


    The witches just look like ancient Egyptians, and that¡¯s mostly a cosmetic difference, so it doesn¡¯t even count. ] he said to Zeraki and Number 3.


    It would have been so much better if he could transmit what he was seeing directly, though. He had been observing Hadiza¡¯s party of four ever since they walked out of the elevator and decided to join them in whatever tour this was.


    ¡°These three are collectively known as mortals. Now, Extractors aren¡¯t just people with abilities. They are a race of their own.¡± The woman proceeded to explain.


    ¡°Wait, Lady Theo. You are saying that these models are the results of superpowers? Not technology?¡± Kito asked, his brows furrowing. He looked displeased.


    ¡°Well,¡± Lady Theo looked thoughtful, ¡°It can be done with technology, but I can¡¯t tell you more than that. At best, you three are External Associates of EIPO. You¡¯ll need to at least be Official Associates to access some of this knowledge. If you are competent enough to become Tier 10 Global citizens, you may interact and even learn how to contribute to their development.¡±


    Kito smiled as his scientific bias was validated.


    ¡°So! We are at an impasse. Those that want nothing to do with the world of Extractors, you may go. Class starts next week Monday. Those still interested, we have a lot to do.¡±


    Seeing no one walking out, Lady Theo sighed and dismissed the model on her palm, ¡°Look, I understand that I made it look really nice being an Extractor, but it comes with its share of baggage too.


    ¡°Two of you are already considered persons of interest by two factions of EIPO. I¡¯m inclined to believe there is something interesting about you. So here is a bit of information I¡¯m giving for free and hoping it amounts to something someday. An investment, if you will.


    ¡°Alright, for one, giving up on mortality means giving up on becoming Saints. Becoming an Extractor means dedicating eternity to serving mortals and helping them become Saints to the best of your abilities.


    ¡°The reason Extractor technology isn¡¯t prevalent in the hands of mortals is that the only technology legally allowed to mortals is technologies they can make without the need for an Extractor. If what you create cannot be re-created by a mortal, then it¡¯s useless in all the ways that matter.


    ¡°Sure, you are allowed to create things for your family or organization or whatever group you call your own or belong to, but you can¡¯t sell it or mass-produce it, and if what you make brings death to a single mortal, the lash-back falls on you.


    ¡°Can you imagine if guns were made by a single Extractor and mass-produced? All deaths caused by those guns would be shouldered by that single Extractor.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be told why this is bad only after I welcome you as External Associates of EIPO through the Academy and you become Extractors yourselves.


    ¡°What I can say, though, is that no one cares for the lives of Extractors. Of course, mortal laws apply, where not getting shot in the head walking down the street at night is all up to the kindness of people¡¯s hearts and willingness to follow the edicts of the law. And believe me, there are a lot of insane Extractors walking the streets.


    ¡°I ask again, is there anyone of you that wants to leave and continue to pursue the path of Sainthood?¡±


    ¡°What is Sainthood?¡± a man Number 7 had never seen before, the third person in the group, asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, even I¡¯m not authorized to know that.¡± She sounded apologetic, then clapped, and her remorseful expression disappeared.


    ¡°Alright. Lady and gentlemen, do you accept being considered External Associates of EIPO through the Academy?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± said Hadiza.


    ¡°Sure,¡± said Kito.


    ¡°It would be my honor, Lady Theo,¡± said the third male.


    ¡°Welcome to the Academy. Let us go to the lab and make Extractors out of you.¡± They pushed open a door, startling Labaan within.


    ¡°This is Labaan. I¡¯ll leave you in his care. I¡¯ll be heading back to take care of matters on the mortal side of things.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Labaan looked uncomfortable having three strangers in the lab.


    ¡°Uhm. Have a seat. I mean, sit anywhere you think best.¡± He took a deep breath and calmed himself.


    ¡°Alright. External Associates. I¡¯m responsible for helping you advance. The first step is difficult, but¡­ okay, all steps are difficult. Just¡­ please don¡¯t become Echoes on me.¡± He sighed, pushing up his glasses.


    ¡°I wish you all the best. There are 21 Extractor pathways. 11 Regulated and 10 Unregulated pathways. The Academy only offers you three from the unregulated pathways. Once you choose, there is no going back. You can¡¯t become mortals again, and you cannot switch pathways. Advancing will shock your souls so much you¡¯ll feel like passing out. Don¡¯t. Please don¡¯t pass out.


    ¡°Once it¡¯s done, you¡¯ll feel like something important has been taken from you. Humans, the feeling won¡¯t be too much for you. Witches, you¡¯ll need some time to adjust. The feeling of the Creator¡¯s call becoming dull is never a good experience.¡± Labaan shivered as if dreading a memory.


    ¡°Giants¡­ none of you are giants. That¡¯s good. That¡¯s really good. Giants don¡¯t take advancement too well. Once you advance, you will feel madness constantly pressing against your sanity. It goes away once you are ready to advance again, but don¡¯t worry too much. It reduces the more you get accustomed to using your powers¡­ I think. Maybe. It just reduces. I don¡¯t know why. It took fifteen years for mine to go away.


    ¡°Okay. It¡¯s time for you to pick your pathways. I can make for you The Engineer, Sire of Curiosities, and The Alchemist pathway potions. If you want something else, two of you may go to the Midnight Church and join the Rose Inquisition or join Blackmore¡¯s military.


    If you don¡¯t want to be associated with anyone, the black market has the regulated pathways, but I advise against it. Everyone hates rodents because they are Echoes just waiting to happen¡­ and hardly any rodent makes it to sequence 7 for obvious reasons¡­ but I suppose it¡¯s irrelevant now since you¡¯ve already agreed to be associates through the Academy.¡± He mumbled the last bit to himself.


    ¡°What are Echoes, Labaan?¡± Hadiza asked.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ when an Extractor is overwhelmed by the madness, they turn into corrupted entities known as Echoes. Echoes are¡­ permanent.


    ¡°Only External Associates know this, so keep it to yourselves. Knowledge is your most treasured currency. Whenever a mortal dies by an Extractor¡¯s hand, the madness pressing against their psyche worsens. So¡­ don¡¯t ever kill a mortal¡­ Extractors are fair game though, so be careful out there. Alright, what are your selections?¡±


    ¡°Is the one Lady Theo had Engineering?¡± Hadiza asked.


    ¡°Y-yes. Lady Theo is a Sequence 7 Extractor on the Engineer pathway.¡±


    ¡°Then I want that,¡± she assertively stated.


    ¡°The Alchemist. Will it help me become a better physician?¡± Kito asked.


    ¡°I¡­ I think so? The Sequence 8 of the Alchemist is known as the Herbalist. It should be good for cure or poison-related life choices.¡±


    ¡°I pick the Alchemist.¡±


    ¡°Well, since no one seems interested in Sire of Curiosities, mind telling me what it does, Mr. Labaan?¡± the rich kid asked.


    ¡°W-well¡­ uhm. It does a lot of things¡­ I think. I mean, every sequence offers more abilities. The Sire of Curiosities tends to be¡­ weird. The Sequence 9 is called The Seer and they can read fate and fortunes through dreams and rituals.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Then I pick this one. It will help me in making better investments.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªuhm¡ªI should mention that in Blackmore, only Extractors belonging to the Empire are allowed to have properties in their names¡­¡± Labaan nervously corrected.


    ¡°Can I be an adviser to my father?¡± the man asked and held his breath.


    ¡°Yes! This is allowed¡­ encouraged even.¡±


    The man breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Then I pick this.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ okay. This is good. I¡¯ll start making the potions. You don¡¯t have to worry about the costs. We¡¯ll use what you paid for the exam together with what the mortals paid.


    ¡°Come back tomorrow whenever you feel ready. Please get enough rest so that you don¡¯t pass out. Please.


    ¡°The Engineer¡¯s Sequence 9 is called the Scholar. The Alchemist¡¯s Sequence 9 is called the Divided Mind, and the Sire of Curiosity¡¯s Sequence 9 is called the Seer.


    ¡°All of them will give a mental enhancement of some kind, so you may learn Mother¡¯s Universal Language after advancing. I¡­ I don¡¯t like using this translator.¡± He pointed to his throat where there was a black choker; that had Number 7 dying of laughter since it looked like a leash on him.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 9 part B

    (Tara¡¯s P.O.V)


    The day had been one of the oddest I could recall. I kept feelin'' like there was somethin'' I was supposed to be doin''. Took me near three hours, but I had the joint spotless. Still, I felt like a slacker.


    Waitin'' in line for chimney duty usually ate up the same three hours, but that felt necessary. Today, all I did was spruce up a mostly clean house and then practice my penmanship. I even grabbed some grub! Usually, I didn¡¯t have time for that, as I had to hit the mines early or I¡¯d miss my shot at Retriever duty.


    "Well, Mr. Zeraki did say I could eat whenever I got hungry," I reasoned, thinkin'' back on the sweet cakes that now were just a sweet memory.


    I always had a sweet tooth but never had the brass for treats since my ma passed. I was too young to grasp death back then, but I knew my old man¡¯s heart ached daily because of it. He hit the bottle often, a habit I still couldn¡¯t quite peg. At least he always made it home early to whip up supper for us.


    He had a rule: always be back before nightfall, though he never spilled why. I really wished my old man would clue me in on why it was so important to be back before nightfall. Last night¡¯s beatin'' had left my hiney sore, and it still stung a little bit.


    *sigh*


    I heard the door creak and looked up to see Mr. Zeraki takin'' off his shoes.


    ¡°Hey, Tara. What¡¯s up?¡±


    I took a moment to let the odd greetin'' sink in.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Zeraki.¡± Prim, I repeat in my head.


    ¡°Just ¡®Zeraki,¡¯ Tara. And why did you get punished this time?¡±


    My heart raced. I didn¡¯t want my troubles muckin'' up things with Mr. Zeraki. He looked like he wouldn¡¯t blink if the world was on fire, but I suspected he noticed more than he let on.


    The way he zeroed in on my issues with such precision made it hard to relax around him. I tried to keep my head down, hopin'' I was wrong and that Mr. Zeraki hadn¡¯t clocked anything.


    ---


    ( Zeraki¡¯s P.O.V )


    The blended sentiments ¦£ Faint Pain ? and ¦£ Fear ? radiated from the child trying to hide from him. Zeraki didn¡¯t think it had anything to do with her cleaning his place.


    [Number 7: Could it have something to do with her father?]


    [Number 3: Why don¡¯t you go talk to him?]


    When he heard that there was a possibility that he might be the cause for the child¡¯s pain, his heart clenched.


    ¡®What is wrong with me? I thought I fixed the guilt affliction.¡¯


    [Number 7: Well, father, everyone has had their entire lives to decide what to feel guilty for and what isn¡¯t any of their business. For you, though, this is all new. Instead of trying to get rid of it permanently, tame it.]


    [Number 3: For once, dad, I think Number 7 is right. Just because guilt feels bad doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s a bad thing. It helps you know when you¡¯ve crossed a line you never intended to.]


    ¡®Alright¡­ right now I think I should talk to him and reduce the burden on the child,¡¯ Zeraki said. He knew he¡¯d soon have to start learning how to restrain the guilt whenever it popped up, but at least for tonight, it felt like he was doing right by the child and not simply getting rid of something he found inconvenient.


    Number 3 gave him a warm smile in his mind, [Whatever you decide, dad. As Number 1 said, make progress, not perfection.]


    [Number 7: Ha! You actually remembered that right.]


    Number 3 glared at him but kept her mouth shut. The silent treatment.


    ¡°Tara, I¡¯m sorry I did not ask you this before. What would keep you from getting in trouble with your father?¡± Zeraki asked the child who stopped fiddling with her pencil and looked like her world was crumbling around her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tara, I will not stop our lessons no matter what happens,¡± Zeraki immediately added as he radiated ¦£ Honesty ? sentiments.


    She calmed down after a few minutes and then explained her situation to Zeraki. From her story, Zeraki inferred that her father seemed to have grown afraid after her mother¡¯s death, but nothing concrete. Zeraki listened to the rules as they were being laid out before him:


    1. Introduce your friends to me.


    2. No use of alleys, regardless of the time.


    3. Be home before nightfall.


    4. Do not lie to me.


    5. Act like you see nothing when something strange happens, calmly walk away, and tell me.


    Zeraki guessed that she hadn¡¯t told her father about him, for it fell under information withholding and not lying. He was fairly confident that he hadn¡¯t done anything strange in front of the child and that rule was probably targeted towards Extractors. The man must have been mentally scarred by one.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Zeraki decided to introduce himself to the child¡¯s father and move their lessons to lunchtime. She looked relieved, and Zeraki was glad for it. They ended the lesson midway at 6:30 p.m. to make enough time for Tara to get home.


    ---


    Zeraki knocked on Tara¡¯s door, and a man with bronze skin, a lean frame, and a mild alcoholic smell to him with uneven stubble hair opened shortly after. He looked down at Tara, and she slightly cowered, not having thought this far ahead.


    ¡°I was wonderin¡¯ when you¡¯d introduce yourself,¡± the man said after seeing his daughter¡¯s nervousness.


    ¡°You knew about me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been walkin'' my daughter home for some reason. I hate it, but I can¡¯t lay my hands on a corpo unless I want to bring more misfortune upon my daughter. She looks sprite and jolly, so you haven¡¯t laid your hands on her.¡±


    The man hadn¡¯t said it, but from the sentiments subtly leaking from him, Zeraki was certain that the man would stop at nothing if he ever laid his hands on Tara. The only reason he hadn¡¯t done anything yet was because the child was alright and he was treading carefully.


    [Number 7: In retrospect, it is suspect for a probably-25-year-old man to walk a child that isn¡¯t his own home and stare at her as she walked in.]


    [Number 3: Yeah¡­, that¡¯s on us.]


    ¡°I apologize, sir. I meant no offense. I am new to Blackmore and Astrohelm¡¯s ways are still foreign to me. Your daughter offered to help me find safe routes around this part of the city, a good place to buy bread and a decent apartment, for a price. Of which I paid for in full, but she went a step further and bargained a fair price for me when I rented the apartment. I repay my debts, and all she asked from me was to teach her how to read. She even left her service fee on my floorboard as payment for her lessons. Your daughter has a good head on her shoulders, she¡¯s fair in her transactions, and she¡¯s a hard worker.¡±


    The man looked at Zeraki for a good minute before straightening his back. He steadily took a deep breath with his eyes closed, then released it and looked Zeraki in the eye.


    ¡°My name is Akim Savoy. Would you like to come in?¡±


    ¡°I am Zeraki, and I would love to.¡± Zeraki sighed.


    It felt good to get that misunderstanding out of the way. Zeraki looked down at Tara, who then shuffled into the house, failing at containing her joy. Zeraki chuckled and followed her in.


    After settling down, Tara sat next to her father, who then got up and bowed deeply, his eyes moist. Now, that was unexpected and very uncomfortable.


    ¡°Thank you for what you are doing for my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Akim, I don¡¯t mind. Some would argue that I¡¯ve learned more from her than she has from me.¡±


    Number 3 sagely nodded in his mind.


    Mr. Akim composed himself, trying to keep a smug smile from showing, and took his seat. ¦£ Pride ? sentiments terribly concealed and directed at his daughter.


    ¡°I came to introduce myself, Mr. Akim. Tara said it was necessary because it is part of your household rules. She and I have a standing agreement in place, but we also need your consent for it to be effective.¡±


    ¡°¡®Household rules¡¯¡ªthat¡¯s a rather polished way to put it. You must find them rather unusual.¡±


    Zeraki nodded; he was curious about what strange things the man had seen to warrant the inclusion of the last rule. He projected his [¦£ Curiosity ?]. The man gathered his thoughts before he turned his head to look at his daughter for a moment.


    ¡°I suppose you are old enough to hear this, considering how resourceful you are.¡±


    Tara suddenly looked very interested in the conversation. Mr. Akim affectionately rustled his daughter¡¯s hair before turning to Zeraki.


    ¡°Her mother didn¡¯t die. I worked in the factories, and she did laundry for the suits in central. When Tara was born, I got to see something so beautiful that it caused my desire to leave this side of the city and give them a better life to grow.


    ¡°So I took up longer hours, and her mother decided that she wanted to support me.¡± He sighed deeply, and Zeraki could tell he wanted a drink even without using his sixth sense.


    ¡°She took longer hours too, and for a while, it was working. We were raking up our savings at a pace I was comfortable with. Then one night, as we were coming home, all I felt was a breeze, and she was gone.


    This was two years ago.¡± He turned to his daughter,


    ¡°This is why I have those house rules that I¡¯m sure are strange and, at times, frustrating, but they are necessary. Even I stick to ¡®em. I can¡¯t afford to lose you, and you can¡¯t afford to lose me. Each other is all we got, dolly¡­ but I¡¯m happy that you are looking to have more than just me.


    ¡°I was worried about your lack of pals and all, but it seems you just had polished standards!¡± he laughed at his own quip, Tara blushing up a storm.


    ¡°It would be wise if you also tried not to be out n¡¯ about at sundown too, Mr. Zeraki.¡±


    Tara and Zeraki nodded in unison, and he looked pleased with himself. After talking with him about Tara¡¯s new schedule¡ªwhich entailed her learning during lunch hour at the bakery close to the library¡ªZeraki left and headed home.


    Personally, Zeraki felt that the whole abduction thing seemed like a can of worms, but it was good to gain confirmation that there were Extractors with terrifying offensive abilities out there.


    ---


    It was dark out and more shadow was cast than the street lamps could illuminate. The shortest path home, unfortunately, was blocked by what seemed to be a turf scuffle between teenage gang wannabes.


    The street he was on was usually visible from the route he used for his morning workouts, so he figured that he could simply take a detour, then walk the usual circuit, and it would eventually lead him back home without getting involved in that mess.


    It took a bit over ten minutes, but he eventually found himself on the top part of dimly lit concrete stairs. It looked more ominous wreathed in shadows like that than he remembered it being. Just as he was about to go down though, he felt someone slam into him, sending him over the edge.


    Adrenaline kicked in, and he received the unified response from every one of his associated cells. For once, he wasn¡¯t commanding or making requests for parts of him to obey; he was listening.


    Every inch of his body let him know of their primed condition, ready and willing to listen to him to help them tide through the crisis.


    His eyes took in as much light as they could, feeding him as much information as was biologically possible to gather.


    His ears picked up sound and fed it to him for his use. As his feet were close to leaving the edge, he felt pressure on the parts that were still on the ground.


    He tucked his knees in, an action that temporarily let him firmly place the flat of his feet on the side of the concrete block before he flexed his thighs, propelling him over the street and onto a lamp post.


    He awkwardly held onto it and slid down to the bottom.


    On the stairs, the one that had pushed him off was still racing down. A few seconds later, more people followed her down with the same urgency.


    [Number 7: I¡¯m starting to really hate gang-bangers.]


    [Number 3: Should we go take a look?]


    [Number 7: It¡¯s none of our business, Number 3. The rival gang probably pulled out a gun.]


    ¡®I think I might be able to clear the mass in my psyche in a month or less,¡¯ Zeraki suddenly said as he looked at the staircase.


    ¡®What I¡¯ve done just now has twice as much chipping rate as learning a single language.¡¯


    [Number 3: ¡­I don¡¯t think we should be jumping off buildings, dad.] She sounded pensive about the idea.


    ¡®And we won¡¯t be. I just need to exercise how to listen.¡¯


    [Number 7: ¡­you could try martial arts or learn how to use a weapon. Sparring should be good practice.]


    Zeraki nodded as he headed to his apartment.

 Chapter 10

    Wednesday morning, Zeraki was up at 4 a.m. practicing a stab and a slash with his kitchen knife.


    ¡®Practicing¡¯ was putting it kindly.


    Zeraki had no idea what he was doing, but he kept at it. After nearly fifteen minutes, he finally started to perceive a faint trickle of feedback from his arms, waistline, and thighs.


    He repositioned both himself and his grip on the knife, then continued to draw, stab, and slash.


    After three hours and four repositions later, he felt like he had gotten better with a knife. He was far from being an expert, and the gang banger kids could most likely take him in a fight, but he felt the mass in his mind reduce as if he had learned four new languages.


    At 6 a.m., he went for a run, adjusting himself to accommodate more efficiency in different parts of his body responsible for athletics: a change in breathing rhythm, a consistent pace during running, and more oxygen supply to active muscles.


    He listened, then thought of ways to solve problems raised within the feedbacks. By the time he got to the shower, he felt leaner, faster, and more resilient.


    He went to the bakery close to the library for breakfast and let the owner know of Tara¡¯s presence later in the day before leaving for the library. Number 7 was going to continue his stake-out on the second floor.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    (Hadiza POV)


    After leaving the Society of Engineering grounds, Hadiza had gone to meet up with Ola and share the good news. She was looking forward to celebrating her win with both her and the big man.


    However, Ola ended up insisting that celebrations could wait; getting her ready for advancement was more important.


    It had taken a couple of hours waiting for Ola to conclude a meeting meant to get the ball rolling on registering a new company, the ¡®Ruler¡¯s Nexus.¡¯


    Afterward, Ola took her to a spa in the heartlands of the Central Business District, then reassured her that the cost was peanuts¡ªyet not once did she actually say how much the peanuts were.


    During the trip, Ola excitedly rambled on about the unique architecture of the CBD, even going on a tangent and starting to talk about the philosophies she believed influenced these developments.


    Hadiza listened. They were boring at first, but at some point, she was taken in by her narration and didn¡¯t notice when they arrived at the spa.


    It wasn¡¯t long after their arrival that she stopped thinking about Ola¡¯s conjectures and predictions of a corporate war of grand proportions.


    This was the first time she¡¯d ever been to a spa, and the longer she spent there, the more she suspected a creeping addiction forming.


    Being given a bath felt strange at first, but then the warm water, sweet-smelling herbs, and calming harp music broke through her reluctance with disturbing ease.


    The full-body massage that followed sealed the deal for her; she was coming in at least once every month.


    By the time they went back home, Hadiza felt like years¡¯ worth of accumulated stress had been eased. She was finally an official member of the Academy.


    It felt surreal getting in after years of dreaming about it. She had never had things going this good for her. Ever since the coachwoman showed up and convinced her that she had nothing to lose going after what she considered a dream, it had been one major lucky turn after another.


    Ola¡¯s favor, joining the Society of Engineering, joining the Academy, and now becoming an Extractor. In less than a month, not only had she achieved her dream, but she¡¯d blown it out of the water.


    She wanted to hug Ola to show her gratitude, but the woman had an aversion to physical contact. This was why she wanted the big man around; she could have hugged him instead! Ola was all too happy passing her hugs off to him.


    ¡ª¡ª


    (Next Day)


    Hadiza looked at the brown sludge in a test tube that seemed to ¡®wiggle¡¯ in all the ways she found disgusting.


    ¡°D-drink it quickly. Potions can¡¯t last more than 12 hours,¡± Labaan stated.


    His nervousness and Lady Theo standing far from her didn¡¯t instill much faith in the brew.


    With a deep breath, she popped the stopper and quickly downed the gross, viscous, slimy concoction. She felt goosebumps on her skin just thinking about how gross that felt.


    ¡°Blegh! That was disgusting!¡± How she wanted to throw up, but the stuff got lost somewhere on its way down. She then shuddered at the thought of having whatever that was, coming back up and once again staining the sanctity of her mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be having nightmares about this, won¡¯t I?¡± She looked grudgingly at Labaan like it was his fault the stuff tasted the way it did.


    Hadiza would wager an arm that not even sewage tasted that nasty¡­ well, maybe wager a fingernail now that she thought about it. Who knew what sewage tasted like? The stuff was brown though¡­ maybe that was sewage!?


    Before she could punch Labaan, Lady Theo had already gotten close and placed her hand on her shoulder,


    ¡°Congratulations on your successful advancement, Extractor Hadiza. I am High Extractor Theo, and this is Extractor Labaan Afram. I¡¯ll brief you on what you are authorized to know.¡±


    Hadiza glared one more time at Labaan and decided to follow Lady Theo out. After this, she was getting the big man and going to the bakery for a taste bud rehabilitation session. No one must ever know she was now in the exclusive club of people that knew what shit tasted like.


    ¡°EIPO stands for Extractor Intellectual Property Organization.¡± Lady Theo explained as they walked, ¡°Should you create something novel and either want to spread it or just protect it, this is where you come.


    ¡°Every innovation, scientific or mystic, as long as it¡¯s done by an Extractor, then they are qualified to be protected.


    ¡°Sharing your research with EIPO will earn you IPO merits, but no one will coerce you if you don¡¯t share it and just want to sell the results or the inventions for IPO credits instead.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°As an External Associate, you are allowed to use the Academy¡¯s REM exchange, but know that it¡¯s expensive.


    ¡°Should you prove to be outstanding, then the Academy might extend a recommendation to one of EIPO¡¯s factions to make you an Official Associate.¡±


    The elevator stopped on the third floor, and they walked into a room filled with mechanical contraptions and bookshelves.


    ¡°This is a workshop for Extractors within the Society of Engineering. You may rent out a spot whenever you please,¡± she pointed to the different closed turrets. ¡°Now, EIPO has taboos that must never be violated. It applies to all Extractors, even rodents. Especially rodents.¡±


    ¡°Rodents?¡± Hadiza asked, dazedly looking around.


    ¡°Those unaffiliated with EIPO. Most of them make use of regulated pathways.¡±


    Lady Theo found a place they could sit. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with regulated pathways?¡±


    ¡°The pathways aren¡¯t the problem. There¡¯s a different reason they are labeled as regulated, but you aren¡¯t authorized to know why.


    ¡°The reason they are called rodents is because of the problems they cause. One successful advancement, and they think they are on their way to world domination. Most rodents don¡¯t make it past sequence 9 because of the mortal blood on their hands.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t making it known that killing mortals is bad for their advancement solve this?¡±


    Lady Theo shook her head in denial. ¡°I believe that anyone whose first instinct is to cause death simply because they can deserves what comes to them.


    ¡°Anyway, EIPO doesn¡¯t call them rodents officially. They are free to use EIPO services without discrimination. Even those on the verge of becoming Echoes.


    ¡°Think of rodents as your ill-mannered cousin. You hate their guts, but you can¡¯t deny the fact that they are talented.


    ¡°We digress.


    ¡°EIPO taboos: One, a mortal¡¯s soul is forbidden territory.


    ¡°Two, gene mutation must never be carried out on sentient beings. This includes sentient cats, dogs, and crows.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a taboo, but it¡¯s advised to keep as few mortals in the loop about Extractors as possible to reduce the chances of them getting hurt.¡±


    The first one stunned Hadiza¡ªthat proof of souls existed¡ªand she didn¡¯t even know what the second one entailed,


    ¡°What¡¯s gene mutation?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t authorized to know.¡±


    ¡°Are all cats, dogs, and crows sentient?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have enough IPO credits to buy that piece of information.¡±


    Hadiza shrugged. ¡°So what now?¡±


    ¡°You study. You innovate. You create. Explore your sequence. Right now, most of your abilities are mental, but depending on how you progress it, you could create something unexpected.¡±


    ¡°What about advancing to the next sequence?¡±


    ¡°Well, you could advance anywhere you want. Or you could cough out IPO credits and EIPO will confirm if the potion has been well made.


    ¡°As an associate, the Academy subsidizes these costs and you can have EIPO confirm that you are using the right potion formula and if it¡¯s the right one for your pathway too.¡±


    ¡°Sigh, everything is about credits here too,¡± Hadiza sounded melancholic.


    ¡°Hmm, no, not really. A lot of things can¡¯t be bought no matter how many credits you have. I would argue that it¡¯s about status.


    ¡°An External Associate is different from an Official Associate, and the same goes for Official Associates and Tier 10 Global citizens. So it¡¯s better to increase your standing in the eyes of EIPO than it is earning IPO credits.¡±


    ¡°And how do I do that?¡±


    ¡°Make them take notice. Innovate. It¡¯s in their name, ¡®intellectual property.¡¯ Sharing your research is also a good way to improve your status. They can raise your tier level as a reward instead of granting you merit points. EIPO will care if a rodent kills a Tier 10 Global citizen, but no one will look twice if a Global citizen kills a rodent. Well the local authorities might, but EIPO certainly won¡¯t get involved.¡±


    Hearing death being talked about so casually scared Hadiza more than she was willing to admit.


    ¡°Alright, I believe we are done. Come see me if you need to use the REM Exchange or when you have something you want patented,¡± Lady Theo said while rising.


    ¡°Thank you for this,¡± Hadiza said as she was being walked out.


    ¡°No worries. We are eager to see the value and innovation you will bring the global community.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    (Zeraki¡¯s POV)


    Hadiza was back and radiating excitement. Number 7 had been a commentator, relaying what was happening and what was said, but Zeraki still asked about it since he could tell she wanted to talk about it.


    She spoke at length and as animatedly as she possibly could as they headed to the bakery, explaining the high-rise buildings and the incredible gadgets that were put on display. She had no filter, practically disregarding Theo¡¯s suggestion to keep as few mortals in the loop as possible.


    Zeraki suddenly felt his cracked bracer crumble followed by a flex in his mind as the sixth point formed. As if achieving a resonance in vibration, the points pulsed in unison. Every pulse shaved the equivalent of a language learned from the madness pressing against his psyche.


    A presence then seemed to rise in his mind.


    [Sentience Acquired.] the presence gravely intoned.


    ¡®Welcome back, Number 4.¡¯ Zeraki said after a moment of silence.


    [Number 4: Arigatou, Otousan.]


    [Number 3: Eeee! I can move now!]


    Number 3¡¯s high-pitched squeal made Number 7 drift further from them.


    [Number 7: Ugh, there are two of them now. Father, we have a pressing problem.]


    ¡®I understand.¡¯


    Though the bracer was still on his hand, he felt the shattered metal plates within the fabric.


    This was a problem, but it was bound to happen sooner or later. One bracer down, one left. They had no idea whether that meant weakened concealment or reduced radius Number 7 and 3 can be from him without shattering the remaining bracer.


    [Number 7: Well, that¡¯s new.]


    Zeraki glanced behind him and saw a young man with green hair, a white t-shirt, black shorts, and black sneakers.


    ¡®How is he able to do that?¡¯


    Number 7 rubbed his chin in thought. [Maybe Number 1 waking up has something to do with it?]


    Zeraki thought about it for a moment and, after coming up empty on an alternative explanation, he threw it to the back of his mind. Along with his questions on how they were able to see or hear when light and sound went right through them. He¡¯d seen horses without shadows already; his tolerance for bizarreness had definitely gone up multiple levels.


    They made it to the bakery, now significantly renovated, and found Tara prepped for her lesson over at a secluded corner. Hadiza paused her ramblings when she noticed they were heading towards her.


    Zeraki could tell by the bombardments of sentiments on her that she ached to ask so many questions. He could also feel the promise that was gladly accepted by Hadiza on her. It had something to do with invention and engineering, but he didn¡¯t really understand the nuances it entailed.


    ¡°Have you eaten anything, Tara?¡± Zeraki asked in Mother¡¯s Universal language, taking a seat next to the child and ignoring Number 3¡¯s terrible twerk celebration on one of the empty tables.


    Hadiza picked the seat across from them but said nothing, opting to observe before speaking up.


    ¡°Yes, I ate before I came here, but the baker also said I could have anything I wanted for free,¡± Tara said, looking chipper than he¡¯d ever seen her.


    Zeraki nodded at that. He didn¡¯t mind the baker¡¯s wording; he was shrewd, not dishonest.


    ¡°Okay, Big Man, pig¡¯s chance in a butcher shop you could already have a child. Fill me in.¡± Hadiza finally gave up on trying to figure it out on her own.


    ¡°Tara, this is Hadiza, a good friend. Hadiza, this is Tara, also a good friend. She¡¯s learning how to read and write from me,¡± Zeraki introduced while switching between Hadiza¡¯s language and Mother¡¯s Universal language.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,¡± Tara switched to Hadiza¡¯s language.


    Hadiza was stunned for a moment, then she smiled, and joy sentiments radiated from her.


    ¡°She speaks Kikuyu! Know what, Tara? Eat whatever you like. It¡¯s on me.¡±


    ¡°¡­but the food is free, Miss Hadiza.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is it now?¡± She turned her head and kept her smile as she looked at Zeraki, who gave a slight nod. ¡°Well then, shopping for clothes is on me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Miss Hadiza.¡± Tara bowed a little. Hadiza had sentiments about her that made it obvious she didn¡¯t like it at all.


    ¡°Is there a martial arts school around here?¡± Zeraki interrupted them before Hadiza started giving him an earful about making the child¡¯s life unnecessarily difficult with all the formalities.


    ¡°The Cherry Blossom Dojo is the closest one from here, Mr. Zeraki, but it¡¯s run by the Gracie family.¡± Tara looked unsure if her answer pleased them.


    ¡°Relax, Tara. No one will be offended if you are informal. Plus she,¡± he pointed at Hadiza, ¡°is the last person you should call ¡®miss.¡¯ She was recently crowned the¡ª¡± A muffin was suddenly shoved into his mouth.


    ¡°Right! Where were we, Tara dear?¡± Hadiza smiled brightly while dusting her palms and sitting back down. Tara couldn¡¯t hold back chuckling, and this earned a pat on the head from Hadiza. ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡±


    ¡°Where did the muffin even come from?¡± Zeraki spat out and dropped the muffin on the table.


    ¡°Ha! You don¡¯t want to know, Big Man. Why are you looking for a dojo anyway?¡±


    ¡°To protect myself from muffin-flinging ninjas, what else?¡±


    ¡°If you get killed by a muffin, then you didn¡¯t deserve to live, Big Man.¡± Hadiza laughed.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 10 B

    Zeraki¡¯s POV


    ¡°Will you be accepting currency as change or the Ruler¡¯s credit?¡± a beautiful waitress in a black and gold uniform asked after they had finished their lunch.


    Zeraki raised an eyebrow and looked at Hadiza, who just shrugged.


    ¡°What¡¯s the Ruler¡¯s credit?¡± he asked.


    The waitress gave a cordial smile and pointed at the renovated section. The semi-circular cushioned seats, the round, smooth table with plates that had fresh muffins on them, the glasses of water, and the purple tablecloths with gold patterns contrasted well with the walls.


    ¡°All transactions are carried out in the Ruler¡¯s credit at the VIP section. If you choose to convert your balance to Ruler¡¯s credit, then the next time you come, you shall have access to the VIP section and whatever meal you have shall be deducted from the Ruler¡¯s credit.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Uhm. Sure. Give me the balance in Ruler¡¯s credit,¡± Zeraki responded.


    ¡°Alright, sir, give me a moment to get you registered as a VIP.¡± With a bow, she left and headed back to the counter.


    ¡°You said Ola bought this place, didn¡¯t you?¡± Zeraki asked Hadiza.


    ¡°I mean, she did say she loved the food. I haven¡¯t heard her talk about it again, though.¡±


    She glanced at the VIP section before going to the counter to get registered as well. She then came back with three cards, all black with gold markings on them and a section displaying how much Ruler¡¯s credit was on it. Apparently, one Ruler¡¯s credit was equivalent to one Saka. Hadiza handed one to Zeraki and another to Tara, who looked at the card with so much gratitude Zeraki was certain she might cry.


    [ Number 7: This has ¡®Ola¡¯ written all over it. It¡¯s brilliant. ] he commented after finishing bringing Number 4 up to speed.


    Zeraki didn¡¯t comment on it; harping on about Ola¡¯s brilliance at every turn got tiring at a certain point. It was easier to simply go with the flow.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hadiza ended up dragging Tara back to the Library and continued learning Mother¡¯s Universal Language while Tara practiced her writing.


    Zeraki got back to learning more languages while Number 3 left to explore the library and Number 7 went back to monitor Labaan as he prepared the potions.


    The second floor was the furthest either Number 7 or 3 could go to before they put too much strain on the bracer. It didn¡¯t matter if one of them stayed close to Zeraki, they would experience the same limitation regardless.


    Losing one bracer reduced the radius of exploration from a kilometer to three hundred meters.


    Number 7 had seen Kito and the other male, called Sudo, have their potions. Kito¡¯s was dark green while Sudo¡¯s was a dirt yellow. They both tasted just as horrible as Hadiza¡¯s. Number 7 couldn¡¯t follow them to their respective floors, but the only new thing he¡¯d seen was that a man he¡¯d never seen before took Kito away and Labaan took Sudo away.


    Hadiza and Tara left the library at 4 p.m. and Zeraki left at 6 as stipulated by his employment contract, but he didn¡¯t go home. Instead, he took a carriage to Cherry Blossom Dojo.


    The Dojo was closer to the Thousand Li Market and it had a cherry blossom tree in its front yard. The building¡¯s architecture itself was a stark contrast to the buildings around it since it had very few visible steam machines in its design.


    When Zeraki walked in, the first thing that caught his eye was the man in a dress¡ª[ Number 4: That¡¯s a Ky¨±d¨­gi, otousan. ], [ Number 7: Looks like a dress to me. ]


    Well, one arm was inside the Ky¨±d¨­gi and a cat was peeking through a slit on his chest.


    There were quite a number of people on mats, sitting¡­ kneeling? He couldn¡¯t tell. Either way, some looked focused while others just looked like they¡¯d rather be somewhere else.


    What remained constant was the man standing at the front with his cat. Zeraki walked towards the racks with swords, abandoning the ones with really big bows.


    ¡°Come with me.¡± He heard a woman say to him as she walked past him. He had no idea where she came from but she had one of the really big bows on her. No one seemed to care about him so he followed her.


    ¡°What would you like to learn?¡± she asked after they walked out into the backyard where there were shooting targets at the furthest end.


    ¡°What self-defense art can I learn?¡±


    She calmly took a pose, raised both hands; one with the bow, another with an arrow. She brought it down while knocking the arrow then took aim. Her breathing slowed and then suddenly, the arrow was released. She kept that pose for a couple of seconds before responding.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Muay Thai and Taekwondo are pretty common among the normal folks, and Archery and Aikido for those looking to gain mental discipline.¡±


    [ He! She missed. ] Number 7 said with mirth in his voice.


    Zeraki looked at the target and saw an arrow at the outer circle, pretty far from the red spot at the center. The bull''s-eye? Number 3 was hovering close to the target.


    [ Number 3: She was close! ]¡ªShe wasn¡¯t¡ª[Or maybe she¡¯s so good that she¡¯s targeting the outer circle to challenge herself. ] she said, her voice trailing off at the end.


    ¡°Which one builds speed, agility, and strength?¡± Zeraki asked as he turned to look at the archer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll sign you up for Muay Thai. That¡¯ll be one Gold every month, paid to me.¡±


    Before she started lifting her arms again, Zeraki fished out a gold coin. She pocketed the coin and proceeded to lift her arms.


    ¡°Come with me.¡±


    He turned to see a shirtless man in shorts and white wraps around his wrists, knuckles, ankles, and shins behind him.


    ¡®Okay, I give up. Where do these people keep coming from?¡¯


    [ Number 7: The walls open quietly. It¡¯s hard to spot them unless you are actively looking for them. ]


    [ Number 4: I believe the doors are called Fusuma. They are sliding panels. ]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The man in shorts directed Zeraki to an underground section that wasn¡¯t as quiet as the upper floor.


    [ Number 7: The upper floors must be for the quieter arts. Like archery and swords. ]


    Zeraki nodded; he¡¯d come to the same conclusion.


    They walked past a room without a door, just in time to catch a woman getting kicked on her upper thigh, sending her to a half-kneeling position followed by a roundhouse kick to the temple.


    They all flinched¡­ all except the shirtless man who walked past it without a second look.


    [ Fatality. Johnny Cage wins. Flawless victory. ] Number 4 intoned as they watched the woman shake off the probable concussion like a dog getting out of a bath and her opponent smirking like he wanted to see if she could recover from that.


    [ Number 3: How did you know his name? ] she asked while flipping her body to an upright position. She¡¯d been doing a handstand walk ever since they got to the dojo, [ I don¡¯t see a name tag anywhere. ]


    [ Number 7: Ignore him. It¡¯s probably an anime reference. ]


    [ Number 4: *Sigh* How terrible it is to be a beacon of hope surrounded by a wasteland of the uncultured. It¡¯s a game reference. ]


    Zeraki shrugged after listening to them talk. To each their own, he supposed.


    He followed the shirtless man into a different room with only five people. One woman, four men; he and the shirtless man brought the count to seven.


    Without introducing him, the shirtless man brought him to a section of the room and gave him basic drills to start practicing, then pointed to the left where an actual door was.


    ¡°¡­and that¡¯s the bathroom.¡±


    The others in the room were either using dummies or going through drills.


    Zeraki wasn¡¯t dressed for this, so he just took off his half-coat and shirt but kept his business suit trousers on.


    His footwork was terrible, but it was his first time doing this. Yet, even as he blundered through it, he could feel he was making progress both with how much madness was being shaved off and how receptive he was towards the feedback he got from his body.


    Once he got to an acceptable amount of automation, where his body moved without too much active oversight from his consciousness, he added in shadow boxing strikes from the drill while moving.


    Jab! Cross! Hook!


    Step back!


    Reset!


    Jab! Cross! Hook!


    His body reluctantly took in these new inputs that repetition was forcing on it. He didn¡¯t bother trying to optimize his movements by nudging his organs, muscles, and cells; everything was as foreign to him as it was to them, so he just kept going.


    Jab! Cross! Hook! Lean!


    Jab! Cross! Hook! Parry!


    Jab! Cross! Hook! Knee!


    Whenever his body began failing to remember the earlier moves, he started stepping in and actively telling them what was to happen by consciously focusing on the move.


    Time blurred as this went on. His body grew more receptive to this dynamic where they kept instructions within themselves and Zeraki grew to trust his body the more it got the moves right.


    [ Nobody bad-mouths Muay Thai. ] Number 4 said with a smirk on his face as he watched Zeraki fully engrossed in his training.


    The use of knees and elbows practically gave him an additional four limbs. His opponents would feel like they were fighting an eight-limbed man.


    [ Number 3: This is boring, and I miss Amali. ] Her bored expression soon turned to worry, [ Do you think she¡¯s alright? She needed to be close to dad to even sleep well. ]


    [ Number 7: Not sure if she¡¯s alright, but I do know that father is the one in a body that was pushed to a corner so much so that suicide was its only way out¡­ Even if father is temporarily okay, we have Hadiza to worry about. I¡¯m not certain, but I believe her charm might have broken when she became an Extractor or stopped working because of it. ]


    Number 4¡¯s smirk receded as his expression turned grim. [ ¡­I¡¯ll keep a close eye on her. ]


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    An hour later, Zeraki reluctantly decided it was time to head back home. His schedule was still a mess and he had very little daylight to fit it all in. He made his way to the upper floor and through the archery range.


    ¡°Give me a moment and I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    Zeraki turned around in time to see the archer woman take aim and release.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± he said, seeing that she was busy.


    ¡°You are a paying customer of the dojo, which makes you a guest of the Gracie family. Please let us show you our hospitality.¡±


    The words sounded like a request, the tone a statement of certainty.


    Zeraki remained silent and waited.


    She walked to a weapons rack and slotted her bow in, then equipped two katanas¡ªat least that¡¯s what Number 4 insisted he call them¡ªto a belt-like harness.


    ¡°Alright. Whenever you are ready, sir,¡± she said, turning to him.


    ¡°Just ¡®Zeraki¡¯ will do.¡±


    ¡°Then you may call me Ani.¡±


    Zeraki nodded and turned to head out. Night had fallen and the gas street lamps illuminated the roads but left most side streets in darkness.


    Finding a carriage wasn¡¯t an issue while they were close to the dojo. Zeraki thought that she would turn to leave once she made sure he had found one, but she climbed in with him.


    ¡°Is this really necessary?¡± he asked after telling the carriage driver where to head to.


    ¡°It would be a shame to the dojo if one of our customers gets taken by the Mawaki.¡±


    ¡°The Mawaki? Is that a rival gang?¡±


    She looked at him, and Zeraki perceived sentiments that she was curious as to why he didn¡¯t know who they were. She didn¡¯t act on her curiosity, though.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t a rival gang; they are a floor below pests and lowlife scum of Eudoria. Think of them as grave robbers¡­ but they do it with their victims still alive.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Well, the word did translate to ¡®Scavenger¡¯ in Mother¡¯s Universal Language.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± She shook her head. ¡°They deal in selling Extractor Constitutions from unsuspecting victims. If the Sequence is high enough, they don¡¯t mind harvesting organs too. To them, every Extractor is a product just waiting to be processed and sold.¡±

 Chapter 11

    (Rudo Blackbell POV)


    Rudo Blackbell, CEO of Severance Inc., was having a hard time breaking into the middle leagues. He had talked big when he was elected for the position. He would pioneer cutting-edge engineering solutions that push the boundaries of innovation and sustainability.


    In a way, he did deliver on his promise. His reputation for finding diamonds in the rough and granting them the opportunities to have their works given the attention they deserved was never in doubt.


    In only 5 years, Severance Inc. had grown from a start-up to a major small league company, spanning all 10 districts in Astrohelm. Their rapid expansion, however, was recently stalled.


    Breaking into the middle league required two things; Severance Inc. had to have a net worth over 100,000 Rubies, and it needed to have a presence in more than one City. All inventions his Research & Development team could churn out were easily dwarfed by Rustbucket Co-op¡ªa minor middle-league company.


    So today, he was out hunting for talent, hopefully one good enough to push him over the threshold.


    ¡°Are we close?¡± Rudo asked his ¡®secretary.¡¯ She was an Extractor he met five years ago and the reason he could make bold proclamations such as pioneering solutions and pushing boundaries.


    She had been looking at her palm all afternoon. ¡°Very close. They should be around here¡­¡± She looked up and asked the coachman to slow down. She then leaned over and looked out the window on Rudo¡¯s side for a moment, then checked her palm once more. Rudo didn¡¯t see anything on that palm of hers, nor did he understand why she kept a rabbit¡¯s foot as a jewelry accessory on her wrist, but she had never led him astray.


    ¡°There!¡± She whispered, pointing at a caramel-skinned woman holding hands with a child in the company of a young man with a forgettable face. ¡°She¡¯s our ticket into the middle leagues.¡±


    Rudo smiled.


    Half a year of searching, he¡¯d finally had a breakthrough.


    ¡°Do you want me to make her an offer?¡± his secretary asked as she sat back down.


    ¡°No, not yet. If she¡¯s good enough to give the Rustbucket a run for its money, then a simple contract won¡¯t do. Rustbucket Co-op can dwarf any benefits we give her. She¡¯ll jump ship faster than you can say ¡®middle-league.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Uhm. Alright. What do you have in mind?¡±


    Rudo leaned back as the carriage moved on, deep in thought. ¡°We¡¯ll have her gratitude, plus a contract of benefits to bind her to us.¡± He finally stated, ¡°Let word out that she¡¯s a new Extractor and on an Unrestricted pathway. Doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s true or not. Wait until the Mawaki have her then rescue her.¡±


    ¡°I see. The bounties from killing the Mawaki should also cover expenses for the rescue.¡±


    ¡°Attagirl!¡± Rudo praised, placing his hand over her shoulder, then pulled her close to his chest, ¡°But remember, rescuing the girl comes first. The bounties are secondary.¡±


    She nodded and then took another glimpse at her palm, ¡°¡­she might actually be enough to move us beyond minor middle league.¡±


    Rudo¡¯s hands trembled from excitement, ¡°High Net-Worth middle league.¡± He looked out the window fantasizing while stroking his secretary¡¯s hair.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    **Next day. Zeraki¡¯s POV**


    Number 7 was in the basement of the library reading through various documents being processed. Information on the Mawaki wasn¡¯t difficult to stumble upon. ¡®Stumble¡¯ being a key word since he could only see what was on the cover pages of the reports, but that was enough to conclude that the Mawaki were a busy sort.


    They were a loosely defined gang without a definitive governing body or structure, no guiding principles other than making a profit, and their ways were far from sophisticated.


    The Gracie family did their best to clean out Mawaki hide-outs whenever they cropped up in their territory. The more Zeraki listened to how the gangs dealt with them, the more it sounded like pest control.


    But with bounties.


    The Blackmore Empire offered bounties for every Mawaki killed, while EIPO had bounties for every Mawaki that killed or targeted anyone above an External Associate. The sheer disregard Ani had shown for their humanity¡ªExtractority? Mortality? Whatever¡ªmade sense now, even Number 3 found it difficult to sympathize with them.


    Zeraki looked over to Hadiza¡¯s table. She and Tara were entirely engrossed in their studies, and he couldn¡¯t help but sigh. The Mawaki were a problem, but worse was that he too didn¡¯t know how bad things could get.


    The clock struck one.


    ¡®Number 4, have you noticed anything strange?¡¯


    [ No, nothing yet, Otousan. ]


    Just as he was standing to head over to their table, Number 3 asked [ Dad, can you see this person? ]


    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Zeraki looked to Number 3 and noticed a man in a black coat and a top hat at a table behind Hadiza and Tara. He was subdued, looked humble and maybe a bit shy. ¡®Yes, I see him. Why?¡¯


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    She pouted then shrugged, [ Nothing, I just conjectured I was onto something. ]


    Zeraki nodded at her and proceeded to tidy up. He didn¡¯t mind the false alarm. She had diligently kept her eyes on them both since they came to the library and called out anyone she believed was suspicious. Number 7 had stopped paying attention to her after the first two false alarms and had gone to look into the Mawaki.


    <¡°Right¡­ Big-man. What are¡­ we having dinner?¡±> Hadiza asked, practicing her Mother¡¯s Universal Language. She wasn¡¯t picking up languages as fast as he did, but it was still faster than any normal person could ever hope to achieve. At her pace, it would only take a week before she became proficient enough to hold a conversation.


    ¡°Lunch. And I have no idea. Let¡¯s see what surprises the bakery has in store today.¡±


    As they walked to the bakery, Hadiza and Tara kept talking while Zeraki focused on the information Number 3, 4, and 7 were sending him. When they got to the entrance of the bakery, Number 4 finally saw something.


    [ Number 4: Uhm, Number 3, does he look familiar? ] he pointed to a man in a top hat and a black coat.


    Number 3 squinted at the man for a long while and then suddenly exclaimed in surprise. Zeraki, who had already gone into the bakery and was being taken to the VIP section, tensed.


    ¡®What is it?¡¯


    [Number 4: It¡¯s the man we left at the library, the one seated behind Tara and Hadiza. He¡¯s changed. I¡¯m not sure how to explain it, but he just feels different. His back is straight, his strides are confident, the air of innocence is gone¡­ he¡¯s¡­ weird. I don¡¯t understand how he didn¡¯t change yet is a completely different person.]


    Zeraki turned in time to see the man walk in, and their eyes coincidentally met. The man¡¯s calm facade faded to a slight frown before shifting back. So quick was the change that if it weren¡¯t for the lingering sentiments of irritation he had about him, Zeraki would have thought he imagined it.


    He took his seat without a change in expression and waited for Tara and Hadiza to order their food. The menu had been expanded to include some rather unique lunch meals.


    ¡°Tara, I¡¯d like us to end our lesson early today. But I¡¯ll make it up to you on Saturday by doubling the hours and giving you my undivided attention. What do you say?¡±


    When he had started talking, he realized Tara¡¯s sentiments had begun spiraling negatively, so he quickly added as much reassurance as he could and calmed down once he saw her regain the color in her face.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Zeraki.¡± She bowed.


    Hadiza sighed and reached out to tuck the hair strands behind the child¡¯s ears. ¡°You are among friends, Tara. Besides, I¡¯ll soon be done with learning Mother¡¯s language. If big man here is busy again, I¡¯ll fill in for him. I promise.¡±


    After she felt her nod, she gave Zeraki a look, and he forwarded a sentiment projecting a sense of urgency. Her demeanor wavered slightly, but then she continued cheerfully engaging with Tara until their meal ended.


    [Number 3: What are you planning to do, Dad?]


    ¡®The Gracie Family consider their customers guests. We head for the dojo and get Hadiza registered for archery or something. Then we leave her there and go get Miss Ola to hire bodyguards for her. The dojo can hold their own.¡¯


    [Number 3: Oh¡­ but he doesn¡¯t look like much,] she said while floating in front of the man and sticking her finger in his nose.


    [Number 7: One, that¡¯s disgusting. Two, if the man can follow us into the dojo, then we are in the clear. If he doesn¡¯t, chances are that he¡¯s a Mawaki, and we should expect trouble.]


    ¡®So far, no interest has been shown towards me. I¡¯m planning to keep it that way until it¡¯s too late to do anything to us.¡¯


    ¡ª¡ª-


    ¡°Alright, big man, spit it out.¡± Hadiza turned to him after they¡¯d seen Tara off in a carriage. She was heading to Zeraki¡¯s house to continue her penmanship exercises till evening.


    ¡°I¡¯m just exhausted.¡± He simply stated and raised his hands to get another carriage. He projected sentiments from Number 3 that pleaded with Hadiza to trust him.


    She shuffled close to him, locked her arm to his, and leaned on his shoulder. She then squeezed once in acknowledgment and simply waited in silence.


    [Number 7: Wow. Father, she¡¯s better at this subtlety business than you are.]


    A carriage stopped in front of them about five minutes later, which wasn¡¯t a long wait on average. As they settled in, Zeraki leaned back, tense, and Hadiza stayed close.


    Number 3 watched the front of the carriage, looking for anything that may suggest an ambush. Number 4 floated above the carriage, keeping an eye on both the left and right sides. Number 7 fell behind, watching for pursuers. Thirty minutes was a long wait.


    [Number 4: Otousan, he¡¯s missed the turn to the shortest route, yet the road ahead was clear. I don¡¯t like this,] he said ten minutes later while 200 meters above the carriage.


    ¡®Number 3. Have the horses make the next turn.¡¯


    [Number 3: On it.] She forwarded her heartfelt desire to have the horses make the next turn into Zeraki¡¯s mind, who then forwarded the sentiments to the horses without rousing suspicion.


    The horses made a sudden abrupt turn once they got to the intersection, and Zeraki could hear the commotion as the carriage driver struggled to regain control over them.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zeraki asked. If the carriage driver was an Extractor, he would know that the horses¡¯ behavior was anything but ordinary.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s ol¡¯right, sir. Dobbins¡¯ just excited, that¡¯s all!¡±


    ¡®Number 3, can you see his sentiments?¡¯


    [Number 3: I can if I try hard enough.]


    ¡®I just need your opinion. With what you see, do you think he¡¯s lying?¡¯


    [Number 3: I¡¯m not sure, Dad. I think he¡¯s honestly confused.]


    [Number 7: Father, what¡¯s on your mind?]


    ¡®We¡¯ll keep control over the horses. The carriage driver, Extractor or not, doesn¡¯t have any charm of concealment. He¡¯s susceptible to outside influence, but all that is irrelevant if we maintain our control over the steeds.¡¯


    The next turn was also influenced by Zeraki, which brought them ten minutes away from the dojo.


    [Number 4: Sniper!]


    Bang!


    The carriage suddenly veered as the horses were thrown into a frenzy. Zeraki had been high-strung throughout the journey, so it didn¡¯t take much to have adrenaline pumping through him. He pulled Hadiza close and listened for Number 4¡¯s voice. Instead of breaking through one of the doors, he braced for impact. The carriage crashed through the windows of a clothing store and tipped to the side.


    [Number 7: They shot the horses, but the sniper is gone.]


    After receiving the all-clear, Zeraki forced open the jammed door above them and broke through. Though he was hurt, he didn¡¯t mind it. Pain was an inconvenient emotion and one he was glad to be disassociated from.


    His gratitude for being alienated from pain, however, was short-lived. Hadiza¡¯s face was contorted in agony when he pulled her out of the carriage. She wasn¡¯t screaming, but the waves of sentiments made it abundantly clear that something was broken. Unlike his pain, which he could ignore, Hadiza¡¯s stirred something within him. A fog-like mass settled in his heart, and he was certain it wasn¡¯t guilt.


    Number 3 was fuming as she watched the sniper racing down a fire escape. Number 4 too, floated high up looking into the streets below for any signs of pursuers on foot. Number 7 was with Zeraki and Hadiza, keeping an eye out on blind spots.


    [Number 4: Otousan, the store has a back door, use it.]


    ¡°Can you walk?¡± Zeraki asked Hadiza.


    She nodded.


    ¡°Good.¡± On closer inspection, it was a dislocated shoulder. It would heal faster than a broken bone, but this did nothing to rid him of the dark nebulous mass in his heart.


    As people within the store recovered from their shock, Zeraki and Hadiza made their way to the back entrance, which was thankfully unlocked. Ten minutes by horse carriage, Zeraki estimated they could cover that in fifteen if they used the carriage route.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 12

    ( Layne¡¯s POV )


    I looked away from the crash site and onto the rooftop where Marie was previously positioned. She should be relocating to get a better view of the main street and avoid any form of retaliation.


    I honestly expected the occupants of the carriage to jump off. You know? Common sense and all that.


    Well, unless the occupants had enough battle experience to know that if they jumped out, they¡¯d be dead by the time they reached the pavement.


    Common sense was a good way to get yourself cemeteried.


    I had no intention of killing them, of course. I mean, we were hired to rescue them. But they didn¡¯t jump out. I reckon they were shaking in their boots, too terrified to get out in time.


    *sigh*


    The mawaki were cowardly scum. I could see they were about to retreat when the carriage got closer to the Cherry Blossom Dojo, and we couldn¡¯t have that.


    The horses seemed to have a mind of their own, and they probably did. I wasn¡¯t putting it past Extractors doing that.


    So I decided to give the bastards a helping hand and had Marie take out one horse, spooking the rest and, sadly, giving away her position.


    I finished my climb onto one of the billboards overrun by climbing plants that overlooked the streets. From here, I had a better view of both the store¡¯s back exit and one of the side streets just by panning my rifle scope.


    It wasn¡¯t the one the horses would have used to head towards the dojo. No, what I needed now was to keep an eye out for the routes the Mawaki would use to escape with the target.


    As I lay prone, hidden in the undergrowth, the back door slammed open and the target, guided by her companion, ran out.


    The man was probably her bodyguard.


    The lousiest bodyguard if I had ever seen one. He didn¡¯t check the corners, and with how fast they were moving, it was obvious he wasn¡¯t on the lookout for their assailants either.


    He wasn¡¯t even using the shortest path to the dojo.


    But this was good. It meant that it was only a matter of time before the Mawaki caught up to them.


    *Sigh* Relax and enjoy the¡­


    I suddenly held my breath and my spine stiffened when I saw the bodyguard abruptly pull the target aside and then followed it up with twin knee strikes where she had just been. The first knee strike smashed into the midsection of something that suddenly came into my field of view.


    It was like it had always been there, I just hadn¡¯t paid it any attention. The next knee strike got the figure in the face, knocking him out.


    How could I have not seen him?


    Tsk. Stupid question.


    Mawaki were Extractors! If the man had succeeded in his ambush, I would have lost the target because of that stupid ability that made my brain filter him out of my field of vision and failed the gig.


    Heads would have rolled tonight if that happened. The Valentinos¡¯ body count was second only to the Mawaki, and they did not take kindly to upstarts that begged for gigs only to botch them up.


    I tensed and started paying more attention.


    It had been roughly eight minutes, and the target was still running around the streets. Hiding in all the right places, and the Mawaki slipping past them like blind moles on rooftops.


    Irritated, I started looking for the Mawaki through my scope to figure out their distribution, and it wasn¡¯t long before I spotted them. They were in every street leading up to the dojo, yet somehow the target kept slipping past them.


    My jaw clenched.


    The target made random turns that just so happened to have not a single Mawaki on them.


    Luck.


    The bastard was on the Destiny pathway.


    I was furious. I refused to lose my team because of some bastard that kept getting lucky. That was no different from flushing tens of Rubies down the drain.


    I raised my rifle and aimed for the target¡¯s leg. It was pointless aiming at the bodyguard who might trip and fall, escaping a bullet to the skull.


    Just as I pulled the trigger, the target was pulled out of the way again, and the bullet struck cobblestone. I furrowed my brows.


    Luck was supposed to only work on the Extractor¡ªor at least I think so? Well, that¡¯s what my connections told me.¡ª


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Tsk. Bad intel.


    I looked through the scope to find them and try again, but that¡¯s when our eyes met, and a chill went down my spine. The man wasn¡¯t running anymore, and I was certain he was looking at me. Those cold eyes that promised debts owed would be paid in full. I turned my scope away to find the damn Mawaki, but the bastards had bolted.


    Damn! I screwed up.


    They must have thought it was the Gracie family and ran.


    Thinking about the Gracie family, I felt my hair stand on end. How far from the dojo were they? The gunshot must have sounded really close to them this time.


    I turned just in time to see every street leading to the dojo filling with the honor-spouting bastards armed with blades, bows, and arrows. The target was already being escorted to the dojo by the time I panned my scope back to them.


    ¡ª¡ª


    ( Zeraki¡¯s POV )


    ¡°How are you holding up?¡± Zeraki asked Hadiza, who was seated on a tatami mat ¡ªNumber 4 almost had an aneurysm when Number 3 called it a butt-pillow¡ª.


    Her back was against one of the walls of the archery range, her left hand in a sling and her right hand holding a cup of tea.


    Zeraki had used the Gracie family to send a letter to Ola ¡ªfor a price. Him walking out with only one guard was asking to get shot.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ actually holding up pretty good, big man,¡± she gave him a warm smile, ¡°or as Ola would put it, ¡®I have not brought shame upon my father¡¯s house, dying on another man¡¯s land¡¯.¡±


    Zeraki chuckled. That actually sounded like something Ola would say.


    ¡°Come, sit. Looking up to you is not something I want to do, but you are making it difficult not to. Literally and figuratively.¡± Hadiza said.


    Zeraki sat next to her and looked at the handful of people practicing their archery.


    It wasn¡¯t all about hitting the tiny red spot, apparently. The extra steps, which they referred to as ¡®correct form,¡¯ were a form of meditation. Their goal was to ¡®associate, bond, and be at peace with others while maintaining serenity at all times.¡¯


    He¡¯d left Hadiza listening to the rest of the speech and went to write a letter to Ola.


    Whatever wisdom was in Kyudo had gone way over his head.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Hadiza said after the silence between them had stretched for a while, ¡°I trusted you, and you didn¡¯t let me down. Thank you.¡±


    Her gratitude radiated not just from her words but also from her sentiments. Especially the promise she had with Number 4. The dark mass of a sentiment that was in a tug of war with Number 4¡¯s promise faded, and only the promise remained.


    Zeraki felt the point in his mind emit a steady stream of red light. Other than the glow, the point of light did nothing worth mentioning. It still continued with its faint vibration, no different from the other points. He shrugged and lightly bumped his fist on her head since she had no free hand.


    ¡°This makes us chooms, right?¡± she asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Close friends.¡±


    Zeraki raised an eyebrow. ¡°You just noticed?¡±


    ¡°You put cabbage with horse breath in my hair!¡±


    ¡°And you made a cabbage torpedo. What¡¯s your point?¡±


    Hadiza looked scandalized, ¡°You had it coming!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I called it a torpedo.¡± Zeraki scoffed with a smile without looking at her.


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s a torpedo?¡±


    [ Number 7: Huh¡­ looks like those haven¡¯t been invented yet. ]


    ¡°¡­ask me when you get older.¡± Zeraki said after failing to find an easy way to explain the joke.


    ¡°I¡¯m 17, you oak tree! And what are you going to do about missing work this afternoon? I doubt anything short of a bullet to the spine would count as a medical emergency in this place.¡±


    ¡°I actually made up my mind to quit working at the library.¡±


    ¡°When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°When that sniper tried to take you out.¡± There was a finality in his tone that gave Hadiza goosebumps.


    ¡°Oh¡­uhm, well don¡¯t worry, big man. I¡¯m not into snipers anyway.¡±


    It took a minute for Zeraki to understand what she meant and chuckled once the double entendre joke sank in.


    Hadiza basked in her victory at dispelling the frostiness in Zeraki¡¯s eyes as he undoubtedly had unholy thoughts.


    She put her cup down and cradled her injured arm while saying, ¡°Slow on the uptake, you oak tree.¡± She smiled. ¡°Now I just need to figure out what sort of mess I¡¯ve gotten myself involved with.¡±


    ¡°Choom,¡± Zeraki simply stated.


    She scoffed. ¡°Correction, we need to figure out what sort of mess I¡¯ve gotten myself involved with.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°Ah, wonderful. Not even being shot at puts down my council. It hasn¡¯t been long since you graced me with your presence, my Friend, but it gladdens my heart to see you safe nonetheless.¡± Ola walked up to them, and they stood to meet her. Ola reached out and embraced Zeraki, then turned to Hadiza and spent time looking her over like an overprotective mother.


    ¡°Come, dear. They have spat in the face of a tyrant. Axes shall fall at first light,¡± Ola stated matter-of-factly after examining her.


    Zeraki smiled.


    He too had plans¡ªplans that made the mass in his heart thrum. It excited him by fueling fury throughout his system. There were two snipers and the Mawaki; he was certain he would take pleasure in putting them down.


    He suddenly felt warm hands cup his cheeks. Then he noticed Ola was standing in front of him, looking into his eyes. ¡°Careful not to develop a taste for blood, licking your own wounds, my friend. You too are coming with me.¡± Her tone masked nothing of the affection and firmness her words carried.


    Zeraki reflected on her words as they left, escorted by a small infantry guard. He realized that this new emotion was just as sinister as guilt, even if it felt strangely good to revel in it.


    [Number 7: Well, that¡¯s Wrath for you, father. It makes you feel good thinking about the many ways you can cause suffering to your object of hatred.]


    [Number 3: Yes, like hanging them upside down over a bucket of snails and slugs and putting caterpillars in their underwear!] she trembled at the thought, yet a manic excitement was in her eyes.


    She still remembered the terror she felt catching a glint on the billboard overrun with plants and decided to check on it, only to realize that it was a second sniper panning his scope all over the place.


    [Number 7: See, father, that¡¯s the worst kind of suffering cotton candy brain over here can conceive. You and I are probably thinking murder. But that¡¯s off the table because there might be mortals among them.]


    [Number 4: Not necessarily.] he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, [I believe the intel said ¡®active¡¯ murder or something. Scheming and plotting should still be on the table.]


    ¡ª


    They got to Ola¡¯s house without incident, and she led them both to her office.


    A large desk was set up close to the dark navy blue walls facing the door. A coffee table was at the center of the room on top of a rectangular maroon fur carpet that spanned an area; wide enough to accommodate a three-person navy blue sofa set to the left, and a navy blue cushioned armchair, directly across from the large desk.


    A map of Astrohelm with pins stuck in it was hung on the wall to the left, behind the sofa set.


    Ola went and took her position behind her desk, Hadiza plopped on the sofa, legs dangling on the side, which left Zeraki the armchair. The carpet admittedly felt nice to caress with his feet. A pleasure Number 3 sorely wanted to enjoy.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Ola asked after everyone got comfortable.

 Chapter 13:

    Zeraki stood and faced the map behind Hadiza. He studied it, looking over all the pins and scribbles.


    "Well, to start off, I¡¯m an Extractor."


    "Oh! We are SHOCKED! Big man. All this time we thought you were born with every language on the planet at your fingertips. You... you charlatan!"


    The sarcasm and mock outrage in Hadiza¡¯s voice made Zeraki¡¯s eye twitch, and Ola and Number 3 laugh. Number 7 and Number 4 were on the lookout outside the house in case someone made it past Ola¡¯s guards.


    "Fine. Okay, how much do you remember about the carriage ride to Astrohelm?"


    Hadiza sat up and turned to lean on the backrest as she looked at him. "Everything. Why?"


    Zeraki nodded and looked at Ola. "Indeed. I too have a recollection of everything."


    Zeraki turned and looked at the map again. "I don¡¯t remember much, but the little I do remember is all mysteries and enigmas. Like how the carriage driver¡¯s cloak could speak. I know about Extractors, but the whole talking cloak thing still throws me off."


    "Wait, big man, what talking cloak?"


    "There was a time the carriage driver talked to us by the campfire. She sounded male."


    "I remember the conversation, but it didn¡¯t feel important back then. It still doesn¡¯t feel important now," Ola muttered.


    "Well, I bet the fact that the whole conversation was understood by us all, even though we didn¡¯t speak the same language, also felt normal."


    Hadiza slowly lay back, looking dazed. "These are some scary thoughts you¡¯re putting in my head, big man."


    "That¡¯s not my intention. The point is, the whole journey to Astrohelm is a bag of mysteries, but I believed it was for our own good after they gave us the charms of concealment."


    "But charms of concealment aren¡¯t anything special. The church gives them out freely to believers of the Midnight faith," Ola stated.


    Zeraki paused momentarily. Concealment charms were anything but ordinary however they¡¯d been around and easily accessible for so long that its mysteries were taken for granted.


    "These charms are different.¡± He finally said, ¡°They are also badges from the empire. I easily got a job because of it, and Hadiza got into the Academy without having to pay any fees. They weren¡¯t extravagant gifts, more like a helping hand to start a new life. This is why the concealment function has always felt important to me."


    "Wait... big man. Are you saying that I got attacked because I broke mine?"


    "You broke it? Why was I not made aware of this?" Ola¡¯s gaze suddenly turned to Hadiza.


    "... I didn¡¯t think it was that important anymore, considering I¡¯d already been accepted into the Academy. I wanted to keep the badge, but I must have broken it while in the lab."


    "Well, I kept a close eye on her and watched for anything out of the ordinary. As we were heading out for lunch, I saw a man who had been seated behind her follow us into the bakery, but he¡¯d changed. He carried himself differently, at least. A shy bookworm with little presence to speak of one moment, then a confident persona commanding respect with his strides the next. I figured that if the man was a mawaki, he wouldn¡¯t dare step foot into the Cherry Blossom dojo. That¡¯s how we ended up there."


    Zeraki walked back and sank into his armchair. Number 3 deftly moved and settled on the fur carpet.


    "At least that explains why I have these," Ola said as she pulled out three files. "I¡¯m currently in the banking and catering business. Yet here are three mechanics and/or innovation companies pushing to have a piece of the Ruler¡¯s Nexus. They aren¡¯t after me. They¡¯re after you, my dear."


    The room fell silent, and Hadiza looked to the carpet. Zeraki perceived sentiments he¡¯d seen so many times on Tara. She was worried they were going to throw her under the bus¡ª carriage?


    "Choom," Zeraki said.


    Hadiza looked up, and Zeraki smiled at her.


    "Silly child. I will give up my name before I ever abandon any of my own. I already said it before, we march at first light. But tonight, we rest, for the day has not been gentle to you. To the both of you." Ola looked Zeraki in the eye.


    Zeraki¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t settled. He talked to distract himself from the waves of desire to cause pain. Sitting still made his mind spiral. His hands itched to put down the snipers and as many mawaki as he could until none of them were left.


    Zeraki took a breather. He closed his eyes and tried to rein in the impulse. He had never needed self-control before because he had always been a spectator. Guilt had done a number on him, and now Wrath.


    "I may have a way to find out which companies were involved in attacking her," he finally stated. If murder wasn¡¯t on the table, then he¡¯d settle for the next best thing: siccing Ola on them.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    "Oh, and Miss Ola, Extractors shouldn¡¯t kill mortals," Zeraki added, just in case Ola was nuttier than he was.


    "Do not worry, my friend," she gave him a tender smile. "I¡¯m not an Extractor yet, and Hadiza here already brought me up to speed on the consequences of Extractors killing mortals.


    "As for the investigation, this ¡®way¡¯ of yours... Is it the one you used to keep your wits about you during our travel to Astrohelm?"


    Zeraki nodded.


    "Good. Request granted. You may have the files. I will also be letting them buy the shares they so desperately want."


    "Uh, won¡¯t letting them do that be giving in to them?" Hadiza asked.


    "We¡¯ve hardly been in Astrohelm a week. I doubt the Ruler¡¯s Nexus is in any position to start a war right now. Maintaining the peace seems like a logical move," Zeraki reasoned.


    "No, my friend. Your understanding of the word ¡®peace¡¯ is corrupted. Peace is me telling everyone I¡¯ve kicked to the ground that getting up is an act of war. I¡¯m accepting these companies because they shall be beneath me as vassal companies once I¡¯m done with them."


    Zeraki was dumbfounded, while Hadiza had watery eyes, holding back her laughter. Number 3 had no such compulsions and cackled like a witch.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Zeraki ended up getting hired as Hadiza¡¯s guard with a salary comparable to a middle-class citizen¡¯s in Astrohelm¡ªforty Blackmore gold a month.


    He was doing his best to ignore Number 3¡¯s retelling of the meeting since she acted out every part, especially Ola¡¯s domineering speeches, which made Number 7 curse like a sailor for missing them.


    He got to the library at four and reported to Labaan his run-in with the mawaki. Labaan wasn¡¯t actually upset with him about it and found it regrettable that he was quitting. After getting the salary for the days worked, Zeraki settled down in a turret and found a book to read while Number 3, 4, and 7 went to the basement to read through as many reports as they could.


    Left alone with his thoughts, Zeraki began getting restless. Scenes played out in his mind of Hadiza getting shot, of her slowly dying strapped to a chair. He kept bouncing the heel of his foot on the concrete floor, an urge to move and do something to suppress his raging heart.


    [Number 3: Dad! I found something. The Gracie Family are preparing a retaliation on the Valentinos for the damage on Sim-sim street. That¡¯s where the carriage was shot at today.]


    ¡®Huh¡­ I was convinced they were the mawaki, but if one of the companies was involved, then I suppose it¡¯s easier hiring them than the mawaki.¡¯


    [Number 4: Hold that thought, Otousan. I¡¯ve found a report on Hadiza. It¡¯s not much, just that she¡¯s also been marked as a person of interest to keep an eye on. Her only entry is that she just survived a run-in with the mawaki.]


    [Number 7: Father, I¡¯ve found nothing on the companies. It¡¯s either we missed the reports of their involvement, or the agreements aren¡¯t on the first page.]


    ¡®Come back. Let¡¯s shelf this for now. I¡¯m close to being ready to advance. We¡¯ll consider our options after that.¡¯


    Number 3 drifted through the floor. [Can we ask Labaan what your pathway is?]


    ¡®Well¡­¡¯ Zeraki looked to the central desk where Labaan was.


    ¡®I suppose so.¡¯


    Zeraki approached Labaan and asked if he could help him identify his pathway. Labaan froze, then began shifting in his seat.


    "I-I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Zeraki. This is just a l-library. I-I have something to do upstairs. H-have a lovely d-day, Mr. Zeraki."


    [Number 7: Right. Forgot this whole spy business was a secret,] he said as they watched Labaan trip on his way up to the second floor.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Zeraki left and headed for the dojo. He had a lot of pent-up frustration to get rid of, and going through his drills was just the distraction he needed. The feeling of making progress. Of getting close to a milestone. An hour went by, and then he moved to the dummies.


    He was the only one in the room, but he figured that the rest probably belonged to the Gracie Family and were getting ready to hit one of the Valentinos'' businesses.


    Muay Thai was a brutal and painful art. The feeling of his fists, knees, punches, and kicks connecting to the many arms that swung around when he hit them, then having to dodge or block them when they swung around, admittedly felt good.


    What would feel better, though, was if the mawaki were on the receiving end.


    Or the Valentinos.


    Zeraki stopped and thought about it. What if he joined in the attack on the Valentinos? Sure, he¡¯d promised Ola not to go on a killing spree, but his heart demanded suffering. Death was only one form of it. And now that he thought about it, the Valentinos were a gang. Death was nothing but an inconvenience to them. There was no shortage of gearheads pinning to join their ranks.


    ¡®What were the businesses the Gracie family are considering hitting?¡¯


    [Number 3: The Carnival of Dreams Circus, The Derby¡ªhorse racing, I think¡ªand the Silver Dice¡ªa gambling den.]


    [Number 7: Father, the attack on the Valentinos is supposed to be a secret. Asking to join will require us to give an explanation of how we know about it.]


    ¡®Who said anything about asking? We are simply going out to enjoy a nice evening and leave the killing to the Gracie family. Number 3, of the three places, where would you like us to go?¡¯


    She had stars in her eyes. [The Derby!]


    ¡®Then so be it.¡¯


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The Derby was along Penny Street, an entire hour away from the dojo. The place was a mess. And this was in comparison to his neighborhood, where trash heaps were on the sidewalk. It smelled of wet horse, wet dung, sweat, and alcohol; all of them coming together to create a signature smell that uniquely identified Penny Street.


    [Number 7: Well, this is underwhelming.]


    Zeraki smiled. ¡®No, this is perfect.¡¯


    The streets were packed, and security was concentrated on the barns and the betting stalls. Zeraki stood in the crowd that packed the lobby and kept his eyes on the security personnel.


    Some people kept trying to force their way into the betting stalls after the matches to beat up the personnel, only to get dragged out. At times, some were taken to a hidden underground room, then shot.


    Once the Gracie family hit, reinforcements would hopefully reduce the number of guards in this location. If the Gracie family decided to hit this location, then that was even better. He would use that distraction to collect whatever it was Number 3, 4, and 7 would find.


    Number 3 was looking through the offices handling the betting stalls. Number 4 was looking into the horse barns for something interesting, and Number 7 was looking through the VIP stalls and management offices on the third floor.


    It was 8 p.m. when Zeraki finally saw movement in security personnel. None moved from the ticket check gates, horse barns, or betting stalls, but a lot of security from the VIP booths and among the crowd in the grandstands were reduced.


    Zeraki squeezed his way through the crowd in the lobby and walked into the bathroom stalls, then waited for the gunshot sound that would start the 8 p.m. race.


    There were documents Number 7 thought looked important, considering how well hidden they were in the office on the third floor. Trinkets with the Midnight Stargazing symbols were spread throughout a small compartment underneath an old desk.


    ---

 Chapter 14

    Bang!


    As the race kicked off, the noise in the grandstands and the near stampede-like movements in the lobby provided enough cover for when Zeraki broke the bathroom window in his stall.


    The bathroom windows led toward the ¡®backyard¡¯ of the building. At least, that¡¯s what it looked like, considering the open fields and the trees that gave the impression he had just exited into the outskirts of Astrohelm. Below the window sills was a 50-meter trench that served as ¡®drainage¡¯.


    [Number 3: Don¡¯t worry about it, Dad. Just grab what I grab and do what I do.]


    ¡®Alright.¡¯


    Number 3 made it look like she was grabbing the window sill with both arms, then hefted herself out. She couldn¡¯t interact with the material world, so Zeraki needed to make some adjustments to how he copied her movements.


    After twisting through the window, he aimed to grab a horizontal steel pipe that was fixed to the wall, running around the building.


    As Zeraki dangled over the trench, his body panicked and sent waves of distress signals to his mind.


    He understood they were self-preservation instincts, but instead of dominating them with his will to push forward, he sent sentiments to every part of himself¡ªsentiments that his body immediately recognized as the same reassurance as during his drills.


    His body entered a hyper-focused state, intent on memorizing every move he made. Number 3, seeing the slight shiver in his form ease, smiled and started moving.


    Zeraki¡¯s arms started slow, placing one arm in front of the other, then letting go and swinging before grabbing the steel pipe once again. His palms remained dry for the most part, but soon, Zeraki received feedback that his body intended to moisten his palms one at a time. So he stopped and waited. He didn¡¯t know why it was necessary, but he¡¯d progressively begun to return the trust his body showed him.


    It didn¡¯t take long for him to appreciate the results. As soon as the palms dried, they gained better traction on the steel pipe. They were now behind the announcer¡¯s offices, as they could hear the commentator¡¯s excitement talking about the race.


    As the building extended outward at this point, Number 3 brought up one leg and tucked her foot behind the steel pipe. She then reached up with one arm, grabbed into a gap where a brick once existed, and brought the other in while slotting her other foot behind the pipe.


    This tested the limits of Zeraki¡¯s balance. His body sent feedback so fast and frequently that he started leaving more and more room for automation.


    This developing of instinctual trust enhanced his gut feeling, and as he remained motionless in a near-horizontal position fifty meters above rock and sludge, he suddenly felt his psyche expand throughout his mind¡­ and beyond.


    His thoughts no longer felt confined to his skull. They flowed in his feet just as well as they did in his skull. Though outside his skull, his thoughts remained simple; they more than made up for it with sheer reaction speed.


    Zeraki found it easy to keep up with Number 3 as she contorted around a corner and began a vertical ascent.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The third-floor office window was open and offered no resistance when he pushed it. There was a desk with a wheeled chair facing the door and its back facing the window. A library of books was to the left, and a horse portrait over a fireplace to the right side of the desk.


    Though there was a safe behind the horse portrait, Zeraki moved to the desk and pushed it to the side.


    There weren¡¯t any security patrols, but Number 4 went to keep a lookout. He¡¯d been high-strung throughout the entire climb and could only hope that Number 3 knew what she was doing. Watching for the unexpected in the hallway was a simple exercise that would allow him to relax his metaphorical nerves.


    Back in the room, Zeraki folded the carpet to the side and found another dial safe. Number 7 sunk into the safe and let Zeraki know whenever a click sounded. Soon, the compartment was unlocked, and Zeraki reached into it for the folders.


    He sat at the desk and went through some of the files with Number 3, who still radiated smug joy for¡ªin her own words¡ªbeing more useful than the rest. She then appointed herself the leader until Number 1 woke up. Zeraki hadn¡¯t even known there was a ¡®leader¡¯.


    ¡®A leader?¡¯


    [Number 4: You are the Shogun, Otousan. Number 1 is the Daimyo, and we are the Samurai.]


    [Number 7: Don¡¯t mind them, Father. Number 3 and 4 are lunatics.]


    Zeraki nodded and turned back to the folders. The office belonged to the race director. Everything looked to be legal if one excluded the files he had just pulled out. They contained lists of Extractors in their security rosters, their shift schedules, their pathways, and sequence levels.


    The organizing committee, stewards, and support staff also had one or two Extractors. A list of those who worked as bookmakers and their statuses as mortals or Extractors. Some Extractor files were color-coded, but Zeraki left that puzzle for Ola to figure out.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    He then leaned back and smiled. He felt excited. Though the feeling was wrath-induced, he had to admit, he really liked it. What would happen if he went on a killing spree and took out each of the Extractors in the rosters? Every single name he¡¯d pulled from the compartment was a Valentino.


    He shook his head. He didn¡¯t want to head in that direction. Personally, the direction didn¡¯t matter to him. A life of killing was just as valid as any other. But this wasn¡¯t a path in life Number 3 and the rest walked. Ola also disapproved of it, so Zeraki reluctantly ignored the wonderful feeling welling within him when he thought of murdering the Valentinos and Mawaki.


    He packed up the document files into the folders, stole a leather briefcase from the desk drawer, and emptied out the money from the safe behind the horse portrait for good measure. Twelve rubies going missing was bound to have someone pulling out their hair and contemplating suicide.


    [Father, are you finally ready to advance?] Number 7 asked as he tidied the room. Zeraki paused and recalled the feeling of sudden expansion. He also felt for the mass in his psyche and was pleasantly surprised to find that he no longer felt claustrophobic in his own mind.


    ¡®I believe so! How did you know?¡¯


    [Number 7: We can see sentiments better. At least I can; I¡¯m not sure about the rest.]


    [Number 4: Hai! Skill: Sentiment Perception Acquired.]


    [Number 3: Indeed, Sentiment Perception has been acquired,] she said with her hands behind her back and chin raised like the monarch she now believed herself to be.


    ¡®Wonderful, let¡¯s get these files to Ola and then start working toward advancement.¡¯


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Zeraki got to Ola¡¯s place and was made aware that Hadiza was unofficially under house arrest. He would have shrugged it off, but then Hadiza pointed out that she could leave on the condition he accompanied her. Zeraki¡¯s eye twitched at being dragged into that particular mess, which only made the smug grin on her face widen.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Zeraki relented. ¡°I¡¯m no longer on a shoestring budget anyway. So where¡¯s Miss Ola?¡±


    ¡°Upstairs. Plotting someone¡¯s downfall,¡± she said as she turned to walk him to Ola¡¯s office.


    ¡°Huh¡­ who?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me? Who do I ask? Anyway, here¡¯s a list of books I want from the library tomorrow. Do bring Tara with you, alright?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± He looked at the list and found that, other than the *Mother¡¯s Universal Language* book, there were engineering texts and a couple of children¡¯s stories.


    ¡°Great! I¡¯m going to convert the basement into my workshop. Have fun in your scheming, big man,¡± she shouted as she ran down the stairs, leaving him halfway to Ola¡¯s office. Number 3 and 4 followed her down, and he proceeded with Number 7.


    He found Ola sticking pins and notes to the map of Astrohelm.


    ¡°That was fast, my friend. What do you have for me?¡±


    Zeraki took a seat in the armchair while Ola took the couch.


    ¡°The Valentinos and the mawaki. I haven¡¯t found anything yet on the companies, but that might change once I advance to the next sequence.¡± He then handed her the folders from the race manager¡¯s office.


    ¡°I stole these from the Valentinos. Hopefully, they¡¯ll be useful.¡±


    ¡°All without taking a life or losing yours. Wonderful.¡±


    Zeraki wondered how she knew he hadn¡¯t killed anyone as he watched her pull out the documents from the folders.


    She flipped through them, then smiled.


    ¡°You are vindictive, my friend. I still need to verify whether those who attacked you are Extractors. Once that is done, I¡¯ll give the green light to do as you please with them. Should they be mortals, you¡¯ll have to calm your heart knowing they no longer live.¡±


    Zeraki was stunned to hear this. He¡¯d thought that Ola was against murder on principle. She looked up from the document she was reading and gave him another smile. ¡°What I¡¯m against, my friend, is losing yourself to anything. You were born free. Make yourself a slave to no one. Not even yourself.¡±


    Zeraki contemplated Ola¡¯s words, and he was certain that he would be up all night still thinking about them.


    ¡®How does she keep guessing what I¡¯m thinking?¡¯


    [Number 4: Your face has subtitles, Otousan. You aren¡¯t that hard to read.]


    Zeraki had to use his capillary control over himself to stop his eye from twitching.


    ¡°You said you¡¯re ready for advancement?¡± Ola suddenly asked.


    Zeraki nodded. ¡°I still haven¡¯t figured out what my pathway is, though, so it may take a while.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, my friend.¡± She waved the file she was holding. ¡°Leave that to me. Tell me what abilities you have, and I¡¯ll have answers for us soon.¡±


    His abilities didn¡¯t even take four minutes to explain, and he was done.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Zeraki got home late that night, still thinking about what Ola said about not being a slave to himself. That sounded like a really difficult thing to do. He only ever experienced two emotions, and the only way he could quell them was by giving in to them.


    Was what she said a universal rule, or were there instances when it was okay to give in to his impulses?


    He didn¡¯t want to live with guilt, so he did all he could to help Tara. He didn¡¯t want to feel wrath, so he wanted to kill everyone who caused it.


    Was he supposed to learn to suppress guilt and wrath? Just the thought of waking up with those emotions bottled up inside him exhausted him.


    Once he fell asleep, he realized that even though his brain was resting, he could still have rudimentary thoughts. It was like he was partially lucid in his sleep.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The next morning, Zeraki ran more laps and expanded the area of his workout to ease his agitation. He came back soaked in sweat and began doing push-ups until his arms felt like jelly. Tara found him lying on the floor, unable to move, and panicked.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, Tara. I¡­ I just overworked myself. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Zeraki struggled to move and was only able to turn and lie on his back. Tara, seeing that he was okay, came and sat next to him.


    ¡°Why did you do that to yourself?¡± she asked cautiously.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m trying not to think about something.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Zeraki smiled. ¡°I thought you¡¯d have words of wisdom for me. You are a smart kid, after all.¡±


    Tara pulled her knees in and wrapped her hands around them. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Zeraki. But I¡¯m running away from things too.¡±


    Zeraki remained silent for a while before speaking again. ¡°Maybe we could help each other out? You¡¯ll tell me what it is you are running away from, and I¡¯ll tell you mine. Putting our heads together should make it possible to unshackle ourselves, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Seeing her reluctance, Zeraki had to admit he wasn¡¯t exactly the paragon of wisdom and cut a sorry figure lying worn out on the floor like that.


    ¡°If you and I aren¡¯t enough, we can rope in Hadiza.¡±


    She looked at him, then nodded and murmured a thank you.


    ¡°No need, you are an equal contributor. You are helping me as much as I¡¯m helping you. We should both thank Hadiza if we end up roping her in, though.¡±


    Zeraki summoned what little strength he¡¯d regained and shuffled to the bathroom.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go take a shower, then we can leave. I quit my job at the library but got another watching over Hadiza, so we¡¯ll be spending more time at her place. Looks like I get to fulfill my promise to give you my undivided attention earlier, eh, Tara?¡±

 Chapter 14 Part B

    Zeraki and Tara showed up at Ola¡¯s place with a heap of books. Hadiza took one look at them as they entered her workshop and demanded they all go out to shop for new clothes. Zeraki¡¯s pants were even showing signs of wear and tear at the knees while Tara had patches on her dress.


    They took a commuter train heading to the central business district and while traveling, Zeraki thought about Tara¡¯s take on his conundrum. She had been surprisingly passionate about it. About what it meant to be free.


    Zeraki smiled at the memory of Tara doing a little dance in the carriage and then she said, ¡®I believe that was freedom¡¯.


    ¡®I don¡¯t get it¡¯ Zeraki honestly replied.


    ¡®I am me. I got things I like. I got things I hate. The reason for my stances are as irrelevant as my little jig earlier. There was no tune playing so why was I dancing? It makes no sense.


    And that¡¯s why I reckon I am free, and this carriage isn¡¯t. This carriage needs to be pushed for it to be anything. I just am. I laugh because I can and sometimes, it happens on account of hearin¡¯ something funny. But I don¡¯t need something funny to laugh. This is how I live my life. I want to stay me even though everything around me is trying to force me to be something else.¡¯


    If Tara was right, then didn¡¯t it mean that he had always been free and that the fact that Guilt and Wrath had an effect on him now meant shackles were being put on him?


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    (Ola¡¯s P.O.V)


    The Ruler¡¯s Nexus currently only has two children organizations. The Ruler¡¯s Delight and the Ashen Throne. The Ashen Throne is a shadow organization at its infancy and I had initially thought that it would take a long time for it to be of any use.


    My friend has changed that assumption. Last night, I stayed up fleshing the mathematical formula that I would be using to conceal my messages. I admittedly had to make use of the child¡¯s power to run the numbers because I wanted to be done by midnight.


    I¡¯m currently looking at the map of Astrohelm. I doubt there¡¯s anything I¡¯m missing. The Ashen Throne has Nell as its face. She¡¯s the woman from the furniture store and someone that has the capacity to comprehend a little bit of my superior intellect.


    I do suspect she cheats to keep up but that¡¯s irrelevant. If she had the foresight to feel it necessary to cheat in order to get in my good graces, then that just shows she possesses more wisdom than intellect.


    Anyway, the formula has three variables. One variable shall be filled in when I visit one of the branches of the Ruler¡¯s delight. The second variable shall be filled in when I make an order. The third variable shall be filled when my total bill is deducted from my Ruler¡¯s Credit card.


    There shall be spies spread throughout small organizations including the Ruler¡¯s Delight branches to act as smoke screens. Letters shall be sent by these spies to the furniture store containing harmless mundane knowledge. This shall serve to create an image of a mediocre, incompetent spy organization whose messages are easy to intercept.


    However, once the initial interceptions are done by the various powers in the district, they shall conclude that its worthless to even bother. The spies at the Ruler¡¯s delight branches however will note the variables for the mathematical formula and send it to Nell. I intend to use a different branch every time so there won¡¯t be a consistent letter with the same type of message from a single branch. No one will ever know that I¡¯m the true Ruler of the Ashen Throne.


    Once Nell receives the variables, she shall input them into this mathematical formula. What this formula does is it select letters from a newspaper or magazine to assemble a message.


    The magazines or newspapers to be used are determined by the days of the week.


    Monday, The Screamer newspaper is used. Its a business paper with advertisements and business news like the rankings of companies.


    Tuesday, Innovation Weekly is to be used. Its a business newspaper focused on technology and innovative solutions.


    Wednesday, The Magazine is used. Its an idle light read with ranking of beauties and the brands they represent, places to go for holidays and other such consumer advertisements.


    Thursday, The Screamer once again. Friday, Innovation Weekly. Saturday, The Magazine. Sunday, no message is ever sent on Sunday. I like even numbers and also Sunday is the day of Midnight. Church day.


    Nell shall keep track of spending and cover the cost for the moment. Once I establish the Ruler¡¯s Treasury, she should be capable of exchanging accumulated Ruler¡¯s credit for Blackmore currency.


    I have to visit Nell to give her a quick lesson on the mathematical formula today and leave her the task of sending a letter. My friend is ready to advance to his next sequence and I need information. I believe the Gracie Family has what I need and I intend to trade for the information, formula and ingredients. In exchange, I shall give them Valentino Extractor targets within the Derby.


    Having Nell as the single point of failure is a thorn in my side but redundancy this early would create more problems that it solves. I made a single addition on how to structure my sentences when writing a message. An abstract form of security but it shall suffice for now in reducing the chances of Nell ever assembling a faulty message.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    I left my office at early morning and found an empty house.


    ¡°Where has my council gone of to?¡± I asked my body guard.


    ¡°The Central business District, Miss Ola.¡± She responded. Her name is Amber and legend has it that she¡¯s good at what she does. I have yet to see her in action though. Whether she gets rid of threats before they rear their heads or no one has realized how much of a threat I am to make a move on my life remains unknown.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    My meeting with Nell took an hour. Other than teaching her how to use the formula, I had her keep track of my council. She was to protect them without them knowing they were being watched. My friend will take notice of them, I have no doubt about that. The child won¡¯t, which is okay.


    After my final meeting with Nell, I came back home and summoned my lawyer, Mr Lanre. He makes use of information gathered by the Ashen Throne and has no idea it belongs to me. How could he? They approached him and he gave them the task to be on the look out for ¡®natural disasters or fires¡¯. Basically anything that results in damage to property.


    My instructions to Mr. Lanre were simple. He is to buy out any property that¡¯s burning or in the middle of being damaged. The more damage a building is taking, the more the value drops.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Miss Ola.¡± He says after walking into my office.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr Lanre. Bring me up to speed.¡±


    ¡°Gladly.¡± He sat down and passed me the files of properties he¡¯d bought.


    In only three days, he already secured twelve locations. One, I¡¯m impressed. Two, these were all from a single district. How were there so many disasters in only three days?


    ¡°I was lucky last night,¡± he responded to her unasked question, ¡°There was a gas leak at the Carnival of Dreams Circus last night and the neighboring properties got caught up in the mess. I bought six properties in one night!¡±


    ¡°Marvelous work Mr Lanre! I want construction work to begin immediately. Can you handle that or is it beyond the scope of your capabilities?¡±


    ¡°I know someone in construction I could introduce you to, Miss Ola.¡±


    ¡°Then I look forward to meeting them.¡± I smile at him. My smile is genuine. He is a good lawyer, albeit I suspect he¡¯s an Extractor. I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to attempt to manipulate me with whatever abilities he has. That is why my meetings with him are done in my office where there are no shortage of Midnight¡¯s charms.


    *Sigh


    The child broke her charm of concealment and is using one of my jewelery as a replacement. I have to make a trip to the church but this time, I intend to have her entire workshop sanctified. That¡¯s going to take a lot of silver but I believe it¡¯s worth it.


    After Mr Lanre left, Amber and I headed of to the Midnight church that was in the outskirts of Astrohelm. Sanctification was a complex affair handled only by the bishops.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    (Amber¡¯s Soliloquy)


    { Section 5 is made up of five people I¡¯ve personally vetted and made sure that their stupidity isn¡¯t a knife dangling over my neck.


    See, I don¡¯t like being around people because everyone has the capacity of being stupid. What differentiates us is our ability to reign ourselves in.


    You walk on the bank of a river and some gearhead decides to squeeze through, pushing you off the bank. You get taken by the current and die.


    A kid sits by the bay of a lake, dangling his legs over the edge and enjoying the sun. A friend decides it¡¯s funny pushing him off. He drowns. Apparently, he couldn¡¯t swim.


    A man with a sweet tooth drinks sweet alcohol on his lonesome. Some people that know him and don¡¯t like him much decide to prank him. They secretly put salt in his drink. The man drinks it without batting an eye. They get pissed off then decide to see how much he can take. So they add more salt to his next drink. Then some more to the one after that. The man suddenly collapses and dies. Apparently the man lost his ability to taste salt a long time ago. He died from consuming too much salt.


    A kid is out drinking with his chooms. They see a slug and his chooms dare each other to see who could swallow it. The kid wants to show off, so he swallows it. He collapses and permanently loses all motor functions. Apparently the slug had microbes that had the tendency to burrow into the brain and do considerable amounts of damage.


    People are stupid. We all have intrusive thoughts. Out of a hundred, it only takes one person, indiscipline enough to be weak to his own stupidity and cause damage to themselves or others. Often, it¡¯s others that pay the price for another¡¯s stupidity. }


    ( Amber¡¯s POV ) - Mid-day


    ¡°How¡¯s the weather looking today, Nickolas?¡± Amber asked as she took a seat on a high leather shoe-shine chair.


    She pulled up her maroon pleated leather skirt, exposing her combat boots and skin tights underneath then covertly slipped Nickolas a gold coin. He quickly pocketed it and started undoing the laces to her boots.


    ¡°Been a slow morning, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Nickolas slipped one hand into a compartment underneath the platform on which Amber had placed her feet. Through the gaps on the small platform, Amber could see small bones belonging to different animals: A chicken¡¯s femur, a mouse¡¯s skull, different types of teeth amongst a few others.


    Nickolas grabbed a handful. Shook his hands like he was shaking dice. Then threw them back. Through the gaps, Amber saw a rat skull and three teeth.


    ¡°You oughta carry an umbrella, ma¡¯am. Might be a bit drippy come three on the cogs.¡± Nickolas said with a business smile as he pulled out shoe polish equipment and began cleaning her shoes.


    Amber leaned back and looked towards the furniture store across the street. Section 5 was one of the few premium units under Saikhan Security company. They were tasked with protecting miss Ola Ashwood and so far, she was getting her rubies¡¯ worth. Two assassination attempts in only one week and it would seem an assault awaited them at three o¡¯clock.


    Amber had on a head-piece that was a band around her head. Streams of white glass beads dandled on both sides of her face attached to her headband. This was a traditional accessory that was in line with company policy to stay true to their heritage.


    She leaned her hand on the seat¡¯s arm support, and began idly fiddling with the beads in her headband. The material used on her maroon coat allowed for flexibility at the elbows. Corporate yet functional, and she was glad for it. Security was a hard career to maintain a prim corporate look.


    Three beads to her left side and four beads to the right progressively turned dark while she fiddled. By the time Nicholas finished polishing her boots, the beads had turned completely black.


    ----

 Chapter 15: Terrors of the Mid-Sequence and Concealed Currents

    (Amber¡¯s POV)


    { Textile Factory storage, close to the railway station. }


    Amber read the typed script on quality paper, with the Section 5 logo in the top right corner.


    Her deputy was in the carriage with Ola, while a third member rode shotgun with the coachman.


    Amber turned her horse and raced through the alleys, taking the shortest routes to reach the textile factory.


    She really didn¡¯t like being in these parts of Astrohelm. It smelled terrible, and there were too many people invading her personal space. Saying that the chances of running into stupidity increased exponentially would be an understatement. Well, she was the one riding a horse through populated streets, so she supposed stupidity already had her in a stranglehold.


    Amber stopped outside the perimeter of the factory and looked up at the steel pipes overhead. Gas, water, and steam ran through them, and in the distance, she saw artificial waterfalls emerging from the top units of the factory.


    Amber got off her horse and started walking around the factory compound with a mirror in her hand.


    She looked into the mirror as she walked. Other than her reflection, she could see people walking or working in the background. Only she could see these background figures, for they did not exist in the physical world.


    Yet, once upon a time, they did. This was history playing out as witnessed by shadows.


    Or at least she believed so.


    Amber wasn¡¯t sure whether a whole world existed within the mirror or if mirrors simply rendered a world whenever she looked into them. She had been a High Extractor for seven years, yet she¡¯d made practically no progress in advancing her pathway.


    Not that she was complaining. Though her Sequence 7 confused her to high heavens, she worked in a middle-league company as one of their strategic assets, and her monthly paycheck made that abundantly clear. Her life was good, and her powers were, quite frankly, terrifying.


    Amber paused in her stride when she saw twelve figures walk through a hole in the chain-link fence, carrying a large number of packed duffel bags.


    She drew power from within herself and let her will drain into the mirror. The figures suddenly turned and stared at her, some even opening a duffel bag and arming themselves.


    Amber quickly cut off her ¡®energy supply¡¯ and turned the mirror to face the ground. She walked all the way to the railway tracks behind the factory and dropped the mirror, shattering it to pieces.


    A train would make those pieces even smaller, and she would light incense for those in the assault team.


    She¡¯d never really understood what happened to people whenever she brought their reflections to life. Her sequence was called ¡®Contractor.¡¯ It was from the Midnight pathway and was classified as Unregulated by EIPO.


    However, none of the reflections had ever shown the ability to talk, and they attacked her soon after they started moving. Therefore, the sequence name never made much sense to her. Experimenting with her sequence was also a dangerous affair, not only to everyone else but also to herself.


    After getting rid of the mirror, she sneaked back into the factory through the hole in the chain-link fence. She was pretty sure she didn¡¯t have to worry about the twelve people anymore, but not confirming whether they truly were incapacitated would fall under the ¡®stupid things that could get me killed¡¯ category.


    Amber climbed onto one decommissioned steam tank and carefully walked on a suspended steel pipe heading to an adjacent building. After squeezing through the opening where the pipes entered the brick building, she got an aerial view of the powered-down machines.


    Twelve people busied themselves preparing for their assault. Some were doing routine checks on their weapons and outfits, while others were having a smoke on the conveyor belt.


    They were most likely waiting for a signal, oblivious to the delay in the mirrored actions of their reflections on various surfaces.


    Amber crouched and watched their idle motions steadily turn from simple repetition to obsessive compulsion. No matter how many times she¡¯d done this, she still didn¡¯t know how any of it worked or how it was even possible.


    Soon, the assault team realized that something was terribly wrong, but there was nothing they could do about it now.


    Amber climbed down in time to catch the spark of defiance in their eyes go out, replaced by beady stares that reminded her of the eerie reflections she saw whenever her powers drained into reflective surfaces.


    The assault team continued what they were doing, and soon, their out-of-sync reflections blended into each other, achieving harmony once again. The only difference was that they were no longer themselves.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Amber believed that their reflections either possessed them or switched places with them. She had no idea whether it was reversible, but that wasn¡¯t her problem.


    Amber searched the building for clues on who hired them but came up empty. The textile factory was simply a temporary hiding spot, and the team only brought with them the bare minimum.


    Amber went back to her horse, rode it back to Miss Ola¡¯s carriage, and then fell into formation at the rear. The beads in her headband turned back to their white color.


    They steadily got closer to the train station that would take them to the outskirts of the city, to the Midnight Church. A loud whistle from the station let them know of the train¡¯s arrival, and calmly, Amber nodded. The whistle was the signal the assault team had been waiting for. She could see the textile factory from where they were, and it was seven minutes past three o¡¯clock.


    ---


    (Zeraki¡¯s POV)


    The CBD had five numbered mega-buildings that were visible from within the restaurant they were in. What the numbers stood for was anyone¡¯s guess.


    Suspended steel pipes supplied steam or gas to buildings, and concrete halls served as streets above ground. These streets then went on to compound themselves and transform the district skylines into a network of interlocking, intersecting structures that let very little natural light reach those on the ground. Commuter trains had their rails weaving above, around, or through buildings.


    ¡°It feels cramped here,¡± Zeraki idly commented.


    ¡°Mm!¡± Hadiza sipped her juice through a straw. ¡°I know what you mean, big man. Regulations and setbacks are practically non-existent. These corpos keep building structures above each other and try to take up as much space as they can. It¡¯s practically a miracle finding any public places like parks around here.¡±


    ¡°Every city has a district that looks like this?¡± Zeraki asked, looking at the mess of steel and concrete outside the window.


    ¡°No. Just cities in this duchy. Where I¡¯m from, the 5 families have had consistent urban planning for every city that goes back may be twelve generations.¡±


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t the empire step in?¡±


    ¡°Ha! I don¡¯t know, big man. However, Ola does have a hypothesis. Every duchy runs on a philosophy. The same goes for the empire. The empire believes that its impossible to rule over all people with the same set of rules.


    ¡°Like saying you want to make a world for all animals. If you make the whole world a forest, the aquatic will die out, if you make it a dessert, then you have a world soon to be ruled by camel overlords.


    ¡° ¡®People¡¯ is a general term, like ¡®Animals¡¯. There are people that love freedom above all else. There are those that love order. Those that love competition. We have those that value interpersonal bonds. Those whose religion is of utmost importance and the list goes on.


    ¡°The empire accepts that different people require different biomes. The Burton duchy is a ¡®freedom and equality¡¯ biome, resulting in very little government interference; and therefore very little oversight and regulation.


    ¡°Actually, the last time they did anything was when they introduced weekends into the calendar. I wasn¡¯t even born yet!¡±


    Tara looked at Hadiza with so much adoration and she preened at the attention.


    ¡°I¡¯m a smart cookie right?¡± Hadiza fished for complements.


    ¡°Smartest choom I know!¡±


    It was an interesting hypothesis. One that made so much sense. Zeraki just wondered whether it was true.


    After the lunch break, Hadiza took them to the spa Ola brought her to before her advancement. She said that the celebration wasn¡¯t done until after she had a good time with everyone she considered a friend.


    One look at the prizes had Number 7 gritting his teeth, cussing like a coal miner. [ One hundred gold per adult and forty gold per child! They better be using Midnight¡¯s bathwater and heated with divine flames. ]


    Number 4 and 3 started drifting away from Number 7 after hearing him cuss. Zeraki was considering moving away too. Divine smiting didn¡¯t sound like an appealing way to kick the bucket.


    Hadiza proposed that they come back in a few months but Zeraki paid upfront for all of them. He wasn¡¯t short on cash especially after his escapades in Valentino territory. And now that he was thinking about it, may be clearing out Valentino safes was a viable income stream.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Zeraki relaxed. The tension draining from his stiff muscles as a chiropractor cracked his joints and then a masseuse massaged his entire body. Before him was a broad floor to ceiling window that stretched from wall to wall, giving a breath taking view of the city.


    At some point, he¡¯d started relaying Number 4¡¯s conversational ideas to Hadiza who was in the next room with Tara; separated by a paper wall.


    Hadiza was silent, face in the circular pillow, looking into empty air and imagined a prototype.


    First, a dark point appeared that moved, forming a perfect circle of a random radius. Then the circle filled with the sheen of copper. Evenly spaced teeth depressions appeared on the smooth circumference. She imagined the gear moving to the side and then she started designing a new component.


    Her eyes kept flickering, giving anyone watching the impression that there existed something suspended that only she could see.


    ¡°I really want to build this, big-man.¡± Hadiza said as the components started slotting into each other, yearning evident in her tone, ¡°Can¡¯t you at least give me a hint of this power source of yours? I doubt its gas or steam. I mean, I don¡¯t see any pressure regulators or perspiration drains.¡±


    ¡°One, its only a hypothesis, Hadiza. Two, we have a lot of time on our hands. We can test it out tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± She sighed and let the device her imagination conjured fade, ¡°what happened to calling me choom, eh big man? Tara, do you think he changed his mind about me?¡±


    "Nah. He''s a right proper gent. You''re the queer fish." Tara droned as the masseuse worked her magic on her back.


    ¡®What time is it?¡¯ Zeraki mentally voiced his query.


    [ Number 3: Brothers. Make yourselves useful and tell us what time it is on the tik tik sticks? ]


    [ Number 4: Its half past three o¡¯clock, Otousan.] he then turned to Number 3 and pointed at a large analog clock on the back wall, [ By any chance, is that what you mean by ¡®tik tik sticks¡¯? ]


    She ignored him and continued glaring at the empty massage beds as if willing herself to manifest a physical body.


    [ Number 7: I don¡¯t think she can read an analog clock¡­ ]


    [ Number 3: How am I supposed to know how to read those? I wasn¡¯t born in the stone age! ]


    Boom!


    Zeraki pushed himself up to get a better view. He could see an explosion in the distance on one of the railway tracks.


    [ Number 3: ¡­should we go check it out? ]


    [ Number 7: Why? It has nothing to do with us. ]


    ¡®Leave it. You can¡¯t reach it without breaking the concealment charm.¡¯


    Zeraki laid back down causing the masseuse to snap out of her shock and after a moment of hesitation, she also went back to continue with the session.


    ¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 16: New Inventions and Number 3s Escapades

    (Ola¡¯s Soliloquy)


    { What happens when you date a man for a month and find out he has a terminal illness like cancer? Will you remain by his side and be a pillar of strength through this difficult time in his life, or break up with him?


    If I had been asked this question last month, I¡¯d have said: ¡®I¡¯ll have to refer to the edicts of law, culture, and custom.¡¯ There are guidelines for everything remotely related to conflict in my homeland.


    However, now? This is my answer.


    I love myself. I want to go to theaters and parties with him, have fun, enjoy our youth. Not worry about physician bills and experimental treatments. The pragmatic thing to do in this land of freedom is to leave him and hopefully try again with someone who won¡¯t die on me because he accidentally sneezed out a lung.


    What if you¡¯ve been with him for five years and, in the sixth year, find out he has cancer?


    Five years? Well, now I¡¯m too emotionally invested in him for a terminal disease to get in the way.


    What if it took nine years to find out that he has cancer and that he¡¯d known about it from the very first date?


    *Sigh.


    I¡¯d be incensed, but nine years is a long time for one lie to get in the way of our relationship. The thought of leaving him wouldn¡¯t even cross my mind.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    See, my point is, in a land of freedom, don¡¯t worry about treating people as items on a balance sheet of pros and cons when you first meet them. Hire someone from the streets simply because he is talented and leave the others your balance sheet considers useless.


    Things will change, though, if the hired talent stays by my side for more than a year. Because by then, I¡¯d have come to know them and love or hate who they are beyond what they bring to the table. Even if he loses his talent and is no different from other street ruffians I abandoned, I will still consider him more valuable than everyone else not in my care. }


    (Ola¡¯s POV)


    Ola put down *The Screamer* newspaper that had, in bold print, the title {Tragic Incident: Leroy Ward, Esteemed R&D Director of Rain Pharmaceutical, and his Guards Caught in an Explosion in Their VIP Train Compartment. The Mayor Says It¡¯s Regrettable and Has His Best Men Getting to the Bottom of It.}


    After drumming her fingers on the desk for a minute, she drafted a message to Nell. A big shot in the pharmaceutical industry was making bold moves in the shadows. She had an inkling as to what the trigger was¡ªor rather ¡®who¡¯ the trigger was¡ªbut getting confirmation was always necessary.


    Again, this was simply talent on the streets. It wasn¡¯t absolutely necessary to rope him in. But if the opportunity did present itself, she wasn¡¯t letting go. For now, she planned to keep an eye on the players and figure out how the chess pieces were aligned and distributed.


    With that done, Ola looked at the files of the three companies. One of them was responsible for the assault on her council. The first was an innovation hub called ¡®Severance Inc.¡¯ Her gut didn¡¯t like the CEO¡ªsomething about how mousy he looked¡ªbut that might just be her bias.


    The next was a manufacturing and distribution company. Now, this company looked like it had as many skeletons in its closet as the cemetery over at Midnight¡¯s Church.


    The CEO, a woman who thought herself the smartest in the room, looked like the type to send an assassin after her council if she couldn¡¯t win them over. Was she responsible for the assault on Sim-Sim Street? Not likely. Ola put her money on herself being the target instead.


    The last was a start-up mining company. It dabbled in various minerals without having dominance in any, which wasn¡¯t all that surprising. Spreading out was a common occurrence she had noticed with most start-up mining companies.


    They were setting themselves up for failure, of course, but she didn¡¯t want this one raw material supplier going under yet. Yes, they were leeches, but they were leeches she could get rid of when she pleased.


    These files, she put aside for now. Vengeance had no sell-by date, and she knew how to keep grudges.


    Ola was getting ready to visit the locations where her new eateries would be built, as well as send the message over to Nell. Before that, she moved to the child¡¯s workshop to see what her council was up to.


    ¡°Morning, Miss Ola,¡± her friend greeted after taking a moment to look up from the blueprints spread all over the table.


    ¡°Greetings, my friend. I didn¡¯t know you dabbled in mechanics too,¡± Ola responded with a smile as she walked over. She noticed small contraptions, gears, and wires spread out on the table as the child struggled to build something.


    ¡°She¡¯s actually the one doing all the heavy lifting,¡± her friend pointed at the child with his chin. Ola held in a sigh at the blatant display of laziness. It was in the small gestures that truly drilled in the fact she was no longer in her homeland.


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Heyya, Ola!¡± the child greeted gleefully.


    ¡°Good afternoon to you too, child. What is it that¡¯s got you so excited?¡± Ola asked, shaking off the brief culture shock.


    ¡°You are going to love this! We want to send a message. We are calling it a ¡®signal¡¯ for now, from this thing here¡±¡ªshe pointed to the case of bolts and wires she was wrestling with¡ª¡°to that thing over there.¡± She pointed to a similar box in the corner next to another child.


    Ola paused. Since when were there two children under her care? She¡¯d solve that riddle later. She had more pressing riddles to solve, specifically the wizardry the child was trying to pull off.


    ¡°You want to send a message¡­ from here. To there?¡± Ola didn¡¯t see how that was mechanically possible. Leaving aside the feasibility of it all, the idea itself was unheard of¡ªat least by her. A message going from point A to point B without there being a connecting medium?


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s actually not as crazy as it sounds.¡±


    ¡°Enlighten me, child,¡± Ola said, taking a seat next to the workbench, her mind already churning out possibilities for applications. This stroke of brilliance was why she loved taking in talents.


    ¡ª¡ª


    (Number 3¡¯s POV)


    Ever wonder what a capacitor is? What about a threshold? Well, neither did Number 3, but those words sure sounded nice. Thresh! Hold! Capasitaaaaa!


    Number 3 got bored fairly quickly after memorizing a lot of cool-sounding words, so she went out to check out the neighborhood. Floating in the sky, looking down on the world, sure put things into perspective.


    Like, do you ever wonder if those people doing gene mutations ever considered making avocados the size of watermelons? Number 3 could practically feel herself drooling at the thought.


    The neighborhood was where the rich-rich lived. She liked all the different building designs she saw down there. They had their uniqueness and quirks, which had her wondering what kind of families lived in them. So she started drifting through those walls to get a peek inside. The pink house¡ªcastle? Mansion? Whatever ¡ªlooked really interesting.


    As she drifted from mansion to mansion, she wondered whether people misinterpreted the saying ¡®It¡¯s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to see heaven.¡¯


    If someone had this much money, wasn¡¯t it obvious that they could afford great health care? It¡¯s practically common sense that fewer rich people would actually die. The poor are the ones going to see heaven in droves.


    Number 3 suddenly stopped in one of the houses. The walls were shaking, the chandelier in the living room kept vibrating, and intermittent booms kept coming from underground.


    She sank into the basement and found it empty, yet the shocks never stopped. She looked at what was supposed to be the final floor, and after a moment of hesitation, she dove deeper.


    A hundred meters of earth separated this hidden room from the house¡¯s basement. The room, like the rest of the house, was adorned with pricey artifacts¡ªsome functional, some for their aesthetic value. Its size was the same length and width as the entire house plus their backyard. There were racks of weapons: guns, knives, swords¡­ bows and arrows for some reason. Why would anyone use bows and arrows when they had guns?


    Number 3 turned to look at the occupants.


    Within it were ten people. Some were maids and butlers, while others were muscle. Four people stood out, though.


    A middle-aged woman in a velvet silver nightgown, seething with fury in her eyes, was cupping a cup of tea with both hands. She sat on a cushioned chair, leaning forward.


    Across from her was a middle-aged man in a classy grey suit holding a letter with his legs crossed, back straight, and eyes calmly closed. There was a slight tremor in his hands when she looked long enough.


    The one screaming profanities was a young man¡ª25, maybe 26 years old¡ªand he was also the one causing the vibrations that reached the surface. A hum came from below his belly button, and every time he punched the wall, everything shook.


    Number 3 tilted her head slightly and paid close attention. He pulled his fist back and clenched it, then the hum sounded once more, like an engine starting up. A loud boom followed when his fist impacted the concrete.


    The hum below his belly button lessened by the time everything stopped shaking, only to power up again when he pulled his fist back. Number 3 had the illusion that the man had a mini jet engine in his stomach.


    The last one was a maid. As far as Number 3 could tell, she was made of small folds of skin when she looked at her upside down. When she changed the angle, the small folds seemed to mesh well enough into a face and figure.


    Number 3 thought it was somewhat gross, but she couldn¡¯t fault people for looking nasty upside down.


    She floated and peeked over the middle-aged man¡¯s shoulder to see what they were so worked up about.


    {


    Greetings, Mr. and Mrs. Orin,


    We have your daughters. Your task is simple: Move the drugs made by the five bottom companies in the third tier up the Formulary into the first tier for the next four years.


    Move every drug made by Avannan Pharmaceuticals down to the third tier until further notice. You have a week before you start receiving your daughters one piece at a time.


    Have a lovely day.


    *Mail delivery by Ya Habibi of the Night-Shift*


    }


    Number 3 looked back at the man who hadn¡¯t stopped punching the wall to vent his fury and wondered whether there was anything she could do to help. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that it was pointless to worry about it.


    The Orins were richer and stronger. There was nothing her dad and her siblings could do that the Orins couldn¡¯t. Hell, she didn¡¯t even know what a formulary was.


    She drifted back up through the earth and continued her adventure through the neighborhood. The small forests that separated the houses were lovely. Some homes had waist-level flower hedges designed to form mazes in their backyards.


    After messing around in the mazes, pretending to be trapped and finding her way out, she decided to head back and see if Number 4 and Hadiza were done inventing emails. Well, at least that¡¯s what she thought they were doing. Emails didn¡¯t need Wi-Fi, right?


    [Hm?]


    Number 3 turned toward a stream of Pain and Discomfort sentiments coming from within the artificial woodlands. When she looked around, she realized she was back at the mansion with the shaking walls. It didn¡¯t take long to trace the sentiment back to a thorny flower hedge on the edges of the compound.


    A woman, stripped down to her undergarments, gagged and bound, lay there trying to free herself. Number 3¡¯s heart clenched, and it took only a moment before she realized she was the maid that looked gross upside down.


    Well, the one she remembered looked gross upside down, while this one looked¡­ not gross? Number 3 stopped tilting her head when she saw another wave of Pain sentiments radiating from her.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 17: A Hunting Assignment.

    Zeraki listened to Number 3¡¯s request and did the only sensible thing he could think of. He took a page from Hadiza¡¯s book and chucked a problem he didn¡¯t want to deal with to someone else, hoping to avoid another guilt spiral.


    ¡°This is great news, my friend. Do not be troubled by the maid,¡± Ola said. ¡°This is a message to the Orions¡ªeven in the safety and privacy of your bunkers, you are still within our reach.¡ª It serves as a reminder, not a declaration of war.¡±


    Number 3¡¯s tense impatience visibly reduced at Ola¡¯s assuring, firm, and confident tone.


    ¡°This is an opportunity for us, my friend,¡± she said. ¡°Keep an eye on the imposter for the next 48 hours. Acquire as much knowledge about Extractor society outside of EIPO. Do not engage unless necessary.¡±


    [Number 3: Dad, what if we find the children?] She fidgeted.


    ¡°Alright, Miss Ola. What about the Orions? What happens should we find the children?¡±


    Ola noticed Hadiza tilting her head towards them when the children were brought up.


    ¡°I intend to market this intelligence to the Orions. The children should be in a state of well-being, but I cannot provide a definitive assurance. My understanding of Extractors is still somewhat restricted, and I am unable to ascertain where their bottom lines lie. If feasible, undertake a rescue operation. If doing so would jeopardize your personal safety, then desist and let the Orions handle it. They have the power and resources to tide through this.¡±


    Zeraki nodded. ¡°If the Orions hire more Extractors¡ª¡±


    ¡°If? Oh no, my friend. The Orions are Pharmacy Benefit Managers; money is not an object. There is no ¡®if¡¯. They will hire Extractors. You just keep your head low and observe.¡±


    Ola turned and looked at the workbench where Hadiza hunched over, working on mathematical operations.


    ¡°May Her Red Heart of Refuge watch over you all,¡± she softly said before walking over to have a chat with Tara.


    <hr>


    [Number 4: Her Red Heart of Refuge? What was that all about?] he asked, not once looking up from the blueprints on the table.


    [Number 7: No idea. More importantly,] he turned and faced Number 3, [why were you several kilometers away from Father?]


    [Number 3: Hmf! Mere mortals fail to understand the complex thoughts of higher beings.]


    Number 7 sighed. [You got bored, went to play, and of course lost track of your surroundings. Why do I even bother asking?]


    [Number 3: I did not go out to play! Formulating evasive techniques is a delicate art!]


    ¡®Settle down, both of you.¡¯ Zeraki looked at the silver sheets that covered the room in a new light. Ola had said that she intended to sanctify the entire basement, but the implications of that had never occurred to him. In there, his charms of concealment were augmented, expanding the radius in which his children could operate.


    ¡®Number 7, find out how much further you can go with the basement¡¯s help.¡¯


    [On it, Father.]


    ¡®Number 3, go keep an eye on the imposter.¡¯


    [As you wish, Da¡ªI mean, Father.] she said, keeping her back straight and arms behind her as she slowly started to drift away, looking like a mysterious immortal elder.


    As Zeraki waited for the bracelet to show signs of strain, he eventually noticed a steady spike in frustration within him. This was an emotion he couldn¡¯t identify with, and he was glad that he was back to being an observer again.


    Tracing where the emotion came from, he noticed Number 4¡¯s erratic pacing.


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯


    Number 4 stopped and pinched the bridge of his nose, looking like he was catching his breath.


    [I¡¯m alright, Otousan. You already have enough on your plate.]


    Zeraki remained silent and waited for him to continue. Seeing this, Number 4 sighed. [I¡¯m just frustrated that I can¡¯t do more for her.] He pointed at Hadiza, whose stress levels had also spiked.


    ¡®I thought you could control sentiments as well as I can?¡¯


    [I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed, Otousan, but tugging on sentiments without the capacity to use words is way more of a handicap than using sign language to explain music to the deaf.]


    ¡®Do you need me to act as a bridge?¡¯


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Number 4 paused, looked at Zeraki, and hesitated.


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯


    [Nothing, Otousan. I would be honored to have you bridge me to her.] Number 4 said as he gave a respectful bow.


    An hour later, Ola left for work with a smile on her face. Zeraki took this as a sign that she appreciated having Tara around too.


    On the other hand, he wasn¡¯t having a great day. On her own, Hadiza had figured out how to make resistors, capacitors, and inductors, but that much was expected since Number 4 had easy-to-understand instructions on making those. She just needed to find an alternative method to manufacture them, which she did in record time.


    The power supply, though not easy, was pretty straightforward in that she needed a transformer, rectifier, and voltage regulator, each of these components introducing new concepts and knowledge that she tried to grasp and master. They struggled to achieve a stable and efficient power supply, but Hadiza eventually got it right while explaining how everything was supposed to work to Ola.


    She made do with a voice coil, magnet, and cone for the speakers; a condenser and a field-effect transistor amplifier for the microphone, while Zeraki talked with Ola about the Orions.


    The frustrations began building up when she got to the audio amplifier. Analog circuit design bent the mind in unnatural ways and required a long period of accumulation to grasp. Not even her enhanced mind could keep up with the computation needed to run simulations on this while also taking in the plethora of new, advanced concepts.


    Zeraki had spoken at length about the theoretical bits that he got from Number 4, but trying to teach what was essentially a four-year degree course in a single sitting, while he could barely keep up with both of them, was exhausting.


    <hr>


    ¡°¡­the input signal is applied to the base of the transistor¡ª¡±


    [Number 3: Dad, he¡¯s taking a train to Stellar Jay District. I can¡¯t go any further.]


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Hadiza asked after Zeraki suddenly went silent.


    ¡°Your workshop gives me a range of roughly 10 kilometers, give or take a kilometer,¡± he said, pointing at the silver sheets lining her walls. ¡°I¡¯m unable to follow our imposter any further from here.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Don¡¯t mind me, big man. Go do your spy-hero thing. I have a lot to digest. Ola¡¯s guards and I will take care of Tara.¡±


    With her reassurance, Zeraki left the basement and, on his way out, walked past a group of uniformed guards. A black, saddled horse was also waiting for him in front of the house, with Number 3 looking smug as she followed beside him.


    ¡®Thank you,¡¯ Zeraki said as he heaved himself up.


    The horse easily turned and galloped away from the estate. Zeraki watched the sentiments of the horse and continuously adjusted his posture to one that the horse preferred or was used to.


    ---


    Train stations in general, Zeraki observed, worked on strict schedules that aimed to maintain the rhythm of daily life. Currently, there were three trains scheduled to leave for Stellar Jay, each fifteen minutes apart but on the same platform.


    ¡®Number 3, do you remember which train was his?¡¯


    [¡­no¡­] she whispered dejectedly.


    [Number 4: Don¡¯t worry about it, Imouto. We¡¯ll just get a ticket for all three trains and search them fast.]


    [Not possible,] Number 7 succinctly stated, then pointed to a train on a different platform. [How do you expect to cover 12 to 18 cars within 15 minutes? Need I remind you that even though we can move through things, Father can¡¯t?]


    Zeraki looked around, and the vast number of exhausted people waiting for the trains made it abundantly clear that Number 7 had a fair point.


    He walked to the end of the platform, and after confirming none of the station security personnel were close, he leaped onto the train tracks and started running in Stellar Jay¡¯s direction.


    Zeraki wondered why no one questioned what he was doing. All three of them stuck close to him and followed his lead without hesitation.


    ¡®Aren¡¯t you going to ask what we¡¯re doing?¡¯


    Number 3 looked at him and gave him a bright smile. [No, Dad. Do you want to tell us?]


    Zeraki felt that there was a moment he was missing here. The affection in her voice, and the fact that her depression seemingly vanished after he asked that, raised so many questions in him.


    ¡®Ask whenever you need an explanation. This goes for all of you.¡¯


    He received an affirmative answer from all of them in one way or another.


    ¡®Inspect the trains. Fast.¡¯


    Before anyone asked, "What trains?" a loud whistle broke through the relative silence as a train came speeding behind them.


    Zeraki felt the vibrations of the earth beneath him and could tell that the train was closing in faster than he could run. He moved away from the tracks and continued sprinting parallel to it. Numbers 3, 4, and 7 immediately phased through the walls and began their search.


    Zeraki¡¯s muscles flexed as he went full throttle, sticking close to the train and using it to break the air currents from the front. This, however, did not keep him safe from the currents generated by the train that were trying to pull him in or knock him off balance. Zeraki lowered himself further and forcefully resisted any current that attempted to shift his feet¡¯s landing points.


    [Number 3: She¡¯s not on this train!]


    Zeraki was about to start disengaging when he heard a faint crunching noise. Looking up, he suddenly saw a carcass launched at him from the front of the train, approaching fast¡ªtoo fast to come up with any reasonable plan and execute it.


    His heart skipped a beat, then his body suddenly shifted. The world blurred into a dizzying rush of steel, dust, and noise. When his ears stopped ringing and his brain finally caught up to what was happening, he found himself horizontally pressed against the side of a container, the wind in his face, his feet pushed into the container¡¯s grooves, and his arms holding onto the container¡¯s latch.


    Immediately after, another rush of information flowed into his brain detailing what had just happened. The sudden appearance of an obstacle caused a spike in adrenaline within him, and his fight-or-flight response was engaged. His right foot let the current from the train pull it in, yanking his entire body away from the trajectory of the carcass.


    His left foot didn¡¯t try to maintain balance and instead pushed hard against the ground, making him airborne and avoiding getting dragged beneath the train.


    As the carcass flew past his face, the palms of his hands tilted along an axis and rode the air currents. This horizontally flipped his entire body, and he suddenly landed hard against the side of the train; his feet firmly embedded in the grooves and his hands grabbing onto the side latch.


    Other than a few scrapes and bruises, he felt well. A bit sore, but not a single broken bone was always good news.


    Zeraki took a deep breath to calm himself and once again pushed hard against the side of the container. His landing was as graceful as he could have hoped for. A single sprained ankle was a cheap price to pay for jumping off a train moving at sixty kilometers an hour.


    Zeraki limped off to the next track and didn¡¯t bother watching as the train got further and further away from him.


    ¡®Let¡¯s try something different.¡¯

 Chapter 18: The Extractors Burden

    Zeraki sat cross-legged on top of a train coach, slowly healing his sprained ankle. The sky was golden as the sun set over horizon with the wind currents blowing from behind him.


    [I feel sorry for her. ] Number 3 whispered before falling silent again.


    The imposter they were looking for was inside the train coach Zeraki sat on. She was far from the rich, 200-IQ-ed strategist they had imagined.


    In fact, she looked like a young adult coming home from her third work shift; burdened and exhausted.


    [Number 7: There is no ethical consumption under capitalism. Or rather, your version of what entails ethics is absent, dear sister. I have a feeling this won''t be the worst of what we are about to see.]


    Zeraki remained detached to it all and simply followed the girl. What she did for a living being none of his concern.


    The train made a couple of stops before terminating at Stellar Jay. From which they switched trains and headed towards the costal district, Pacifica.


    <hr>


    { Calling at: Pacifica Queen¡¯s Cross }


    The sun had long set by the time the train''s stop was announced and the woman moved to get off.


    Zeraki took it easy on his sprained ankle and steadily got off the train¡¯s coach.


    Unlike the industrial and business districts, Queen''s Cross looked more like a warehouse and storage district. The streets were wide and few steam pipes were visible in the streets. The vast artificial waterfalls that gave the other districts their distinct signature looks were absent. Instead, large structures and many stacked steel containers were present.


    The woman, exhausted as she was, walked to Pacificas¡¯ version of the Thousand Li market and went to a bricked house situated a street away from a rowdy bar. It had traditional tribal beads hanging from the top of the door and a large man standing guard.


    Zeraki got in line at the bar entrance while Number 7 followed the woman.


    (Number 7 POV)


    ¡°Been a while Cello. You here for Shinohara-san?¡± the big guy looked down and asked. Though he didn''t smile, there was familiarity in his tone.


    ¡°Hi yah Rupert. Yeah¡­ I am. Can she see me now?¡± the exhausted woman asked.


    ¡°Give me a minute. I''ll find¡ª¡±


    ¡°Get in here, child!¡±


    Cello looked at Rupert, puzzled, but he just shrugged and moved aside, letting her through. He too had no idea why Shinohara was in a terrible mood.


    The house was dimly lit and looked smaller than it was supposed to be at first glance; Number 7 figured there were many hidden rooms and/or compartments all over the place.


    An old woman sat behind a desk with all sorts of trinkets lining it''s top. She had on a thin band around her head that dimly glowed red with her eyes closed.


    ¡°Why is the Orion family demanding your head on a platter?¡± the old woman¡¯s cold tone sounded.


    Cello scrunched her eyebrows and Number 7 picked up a steady build up of irritation radiating from her, ¡°The Orions lost their children. They were planning on getting help from the Duke tracking them down before I left. I just came to make the report and go home, Shinohara-san.¡±


    The red light on the band began dimming before old lady Shinohara opened her eyes and looked to the corner of the table where a deep purple walking stick lay.


    ¡°¡­they have some balls setting up one of my own, I''ll give them that.¡± Old lady Shinohara calmly stated.


    ¡°What do you mean, Shinohara-san?¡±


    ¡°As you just said, child, the natural course of action is asking for help, said ¡®help¡¯ looks for clues, then eventually finds leads.


    ¡°By the time the Orions reached out to me, I should have already given your report to our client.¡± She pointed at the walking stick.


    ¡°But that hasn''t happened. The Orions have found leads and reached out to me earlier than calculated. You get to see another sunrise, child.¡±


    ¡°That''s not what I like to hear, Shinohara-san.¡±


    Number 7 picked up waves of rage radiating from the calm looking woman.


    Old lady Shinohara pointedly ignored her and waved it off as she leaned back and the red band slowly turned on,


    ¡°I''ve scheduled a psyche evaluation for you next week Friday. Don''t let the door hit you on your way out, child.¡± old lady Shinohara said as she drifted off to sleep again. At least that''s what Number 7 thought.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    From how fast the irritation and rage on Cello cooled, Number 7 reckoned a psyche evaluation was a good thing.


    Cello left the house and found Rupert still standing guard. She leaned against the door and just looked up into the sky without a change in facial expression.


    ¡°You look happy.¡± Rupert rumbled.


    ¡°She''s helping me get a License.¡± Cello tilted her head and gave him an exhausted smile.


    For the first time, Number 7 saw fluctuation in Rupert''s otherwise steady sentiments, happiness.


    ¡°Congratulations.¡± He said, then looked back and stared into Cello¡¯s eyes, ¡°Get out of here, rodent.¡±


    Cello didn''t stand on ceremony and pushed off the wall with the intent to head home, ¡°See you arou¡ª¡±


    (Zeraki¡¯s POV)


    Zeraki watched this play out and almost couldn''t hold back a yawn. That was until the Cello pushed off the wall and walked into a drunk man.


    ¡°Curse whatever filthy womb birthed you, whore.¡± the man spat. An intense wave of rage sentiment radiated from Cello.


    A sentiment that resonated with Zeraki¡¯s dark mass and stoked it in all the right ways that he had a feeling of oneness with her. He deeply understood exactly what she felt.


    This wiped away Zeraki''s boredom and he looked forward to seeing how someone else dealt with what he struggled with.


    Cello¡¯s rage simmered but she remained serene and untroubled in her expressions; not a single ripple could be seen on her face. The rage cooled after a while and she went back to looking exhausted. She looked at Rupert who just nodded his approval.


    Zeraki was confused. He of all people understood how hard it was taming rage yet the woman handled the sudden impulsive, explosive emotion like it wasn''t even hers.


    He watched as she disappeared into the crowd still puzzled yet with a growing interest in how she pulled it off.


    Though he lost visual of her, Number 7 hadn''t. He followed his verbal instructions through the straight streets and perpendicular intersections for close to half an hour.


    [ Number 4: Otou-san, she''s stalking someone. ]


    ¡®Who?¡¯


    [ The drunk she bumped into¡­ ] Number 7 muttered in realization.


    Zeraki walked in between two containers that had been stacked thrice over giving the impression of a story building on a budget.


    He had the shadows shrouding him in darkness. From his current elevation, he could see most of what happened below him without relying on Number 7¡¯s narration.


    Cello had once again shape shifted into the form of an overly sensual mature woman in the streets below and though she flirted with those that approached her, Zeraki noticed that she never left with anyone.


    Ten minutes in and the man she bumped into happened to walk through the street she was on. To no one''s surprise, he hobbled over to her and Number 3 couldn''t help but palm her face.


    ¡°Hey there beautiful¡­ come on don''t look down on me like that, where my height don''t reach, my pockets surely do.¡±


    A glint of feigned interest flashed through Cello¡¯s eyes making the poor sob laugh.


    ¡°Well, lassie. I believe I''ve seen your picture before.¡±


    ¡°Oh? And where might this be, sir?¡± she raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Here¡­¡± the man took out a spherical gadget from his pocket that had grooves curved on its surface and pressed on it. A spherical water film formed around it and then evenly expanded in all directions to a radius the length of his entire forearm. A three dimensional glowing likeliness of the night sky remained static before them. It was one of the most beautiful things Number 3 had ever seen.


    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk. They plagiarized your entire likeliness, Miss out-of-this-world.¡± The man said, looking genuinely remorseful.


    [ Aww, he''s not so bad. ] Number 3 swooned. She''d gone from cringing to being floored in less than a minute.


    Number 4¡¯s eyes, though, remained glued on the gadget in the man''s palm while Number 7 watched Cello''s expressions.


    Cello smiled at the man, ¡°Well sir, you just became a candle I''d love to blow out.¡±


    Number 7 didn''t need to look at the man''s sentiments to know that he was aroused, [ I''ve always hated double-entendres,] he muttered.


    Zeraki didn''t quite get it but he wasn¡¯t concerned about that. He just needed to know how she handled her rage.


    <hr>


    (Cello¡¯s POV)


    In a dark alley, Cello gently pushed the man against a container¡¯s steel exterior and leaned in close. She really didn¡¯t want to be here. She was exhausted both mentally and emotionally and the grade 2 artefact on her person kept her on a razor¡¯s edge.


    Finally getting the man¡¯s approval to do as she pleased to him marked the end of the ritual.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move. I need a some air.¡± She let out a sigh and moved back, pulling out an unassuming pocket watch.


    Its surface was polished brass with a slightly worn leather strap, making it look like a vintage heirloom. The watch face was classic, with ancient witch numerals and delicate hands. Though the hands moved in a curious rhythm that seemed almost alive.


    Cello released the image she¡¯d kept in focus within her mind while gently unwinding the watch. As the hands spun, the release of imagery also reflected as her physical features changed along with it. It hurt, more than anything, but Cello didn¡¯t so much as flinch. As her cheek bones got grinded down, the added flesh on her rear and chest region burned. After a minute of torment, the watch¡¯s soft ticking gradually shifted to a resonant chime, signalling the completion of transformation.


    Cello sat down, dropped the pocket watch to the ground and pulled her clothes tightly around herself before she started sobbing into her knees.


    A long while later, she pulled herself together, took a deep breath and reached for the pocket watch again.


    She looked at the man still standing against the container¡¯s exterior, dread evident in his eyes.


    Cello shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not angry at you, sir. It¡¯s your tongue that sullied my mother''s memory. I¡¯ll release you once I remove and burn it. Please don¡¯t move too much, I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡±


    Cello stood then approached the man and asked him to please open his mouth to make it easier for both of them. Though the man opened his mouth, he¡¯d began wetting himself as tears streaked down his cheeks.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try and make this short,¡± she promised and reached into the man¡¯s mouth with the thumbs and knuckle to her fore fingers, clamping down on his tongue. Then she yanked.


    <hr>


    (Zeraki¡¯s POV)


    Zeraki watched as Cello gave up using her hands to using thin steel rods she picked up somewhere in the streets.


    ¡®She rationalized her fury¡¯ he commented, oblivious to Number 3¡¯s silent weeping.


    [ Father, I don¡¯t think we should be taking anger management classes from a clinically insane Extractor. ] Number 7 commented, unmoved by the spectacle.


    ¡®But she¡¯s right about his tongue being the source of her anger. If she had better tools at her disposal, it wouldn¡¯t be so¡­ bloody.¡¯


    [ Number 4: Agree to disagree, Otousan. ]


    [Number 3: We should do something.] she sobbed.


    Zeraki finally took notice of how distraught Number 3 was and moved to get away from the dark alley they were in.


    They walked around parts of Pacifica Queen''s Cross and by the time they circled back to Cello, they''d all come to the dreadful consensus that Cello was infact one of the very few sane Extractors.


    [ Is being bat shit crazy a requirement to becoming an Extractor or a side effect?] Number 4 finally asked.

 Chapter 19: The Weight of Each Step

    Seated on the highest stacked container in the neighborhood, Zeraki had his eyes closed, giving himself entirely to his sixth sense. The world turned into an equivalent of polychromatic river streams that flowed and sometimes blended into each other.


    A dominant ¡®color theme¡¯ he noticed were streams made up of two parts: a thick viscous outer layer that he couldn''t help but label Justification, and an inner core that was one form¡ªor another¡ªof Misery.


    As the collective miasma built around him, he felt like if he amassed himself in a little bit more misery, he¡¯d break through a metaphorical wall.


    Zeraki slowly opened his eyes and caught sight of 3¡¯s hunched back. She was still weeping. The fact that she could perceive sentiments better made her even more susceptible to the pain and suffering of others.


    She felt the starvation of the innocent, the hopelessness of the homeless¡ªall the while trying to hang onto the few fibers left of their sanity¡ª, how the crowds of people walked on the edge of madness; yet furtively tried to build a life for themselves.


    Few even thought of advancing their sequences at this point and only tried to make a living¡ªand stay sane enough not to be put down like rabid animals.¡ª


    ¡®I don''t hate the Mawaki,¡¯ Zeraki finally said, looking away from Number 3 and shutting down his sixth sense. ¡®I hate what they might remind me of.¡¯


    [What might they remind you of, Father?] Number 7 asked, his curiosity piqued.


    The feeling of standing before a wall that needed to be soaked in misery to break down flashed through his mind.


    ¡®Nothing I can describe. But I¡¯m certain of one thing. I want the Mawaki and what they stand for gone.¡¯


    [I''m at your disposal if this is what you want, Father.] Number 7 immediately asserted.


    [I¡¯ll equip you to the best of my abilities, Otousan.] Number 4 said as the memory of the light sphere lingered in his mind. He had an idea he wanted to try out with Hadiza.


    Number 3 also quickly stood up and gave him a brilliant smile with a girl scout''s salute. Even though her eyes still watered, she smiled.


    Zeraki was still puzzled about what that was all about because her sentiments showed that she was genuinely happy for him. So much so that not even the ache in her chest could stop her from digging out an encouraging smile for him.


    How they all freely gave themselves to him raised too many questions in the back of his mind.


    <hr>


    (Orion A. Rhon POV)


    ¡°I don''t give a flying fuck about what Shinohara wants. I want that gearhead cemeteried.¡±


    ¡°Temper your steam, child. Shinohara is not to be trifled with. And now is not the time to think about settling scores. Let''s get your sisters back before revisiting this,¡± Rhon Orion told his hot-headed son who¡¯d immediately settled down with a huff and begun his breathing exercises.


    Although Bell Orion was a licensed mid-sequence Extractor and classified as Stable for his Sequence, he still had moments when his rage just bulldozed past his walls of sensibilities.


    Shinohara-san didn''t care about age or race; crossing her was a one-way ticket to a random version of hell her twisted mind could think up. Now was not the time to get entangled with her. They had a common enemy and until he had his daughters back in his arms, he allowed for no distractions.


    Rhon Orion watched his wife from the corner of his eyes as his son went through the motions to regulate his psyche. She had a contemplative look that Rhon did not like one bit. When she noticed his gaze, she innocently smiled at him.


    ¡°Dear, I''ll deal with Shinohara-san. Direct your fury to the one that took our children,¡± Rhon emphasized even though he knew it was pointless. She kept scores better than he did. Better than anyone he knew did. Rhon even doubted that Extractors could be as vengeful as she was.


    Nkatha Orion nodded at him while maintaining her disarming smile. Nkatha Orion had big innocent green eyes, a small button nose, and a kind gentle smile. She was short¡ªslightly over 5¡¯4¡ªwith shoulder-length brown hair.


    Rhon Orion prayed to Midnight for every poor soul that fell for that act. Nkatha wore a face as needed. She was one of the Duchy¡¯s constables. A damn good one too even though she wasn¡¯t an Extractor. She would give that beautiful smile and flutter those eyes of hers at victims she¡¯d starved and/or deprived of sleep if it got them to trust her. Rhon was certain that this wasn¡¯t the extent of what she did in service of the Duchy but he was terrified to ask for more details, and she was happy to respect that.


    ¡°Have you heard from the Ashen Throne?¡± Nkatha asked, bringing him back from his morbid thoughts.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°No, but I can¡¯t expect them to deliver yet. It¡¯s been less than a day,¡± Rhon said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of this group. Interesting name, don¡¯t you think? Ashen Throne.¡±


    Rhon paused and looked at his wife, ¡°Are you saying I should look into them?¡±


    ¡°Not about this, dear. I¡¯m certain she has nothing to do with the kidnapping of my seabiscuits. I¡¯m just saying that it¡¯s an interesting group. It might be worth our while to remember them.¡±


    The Ashen Throne, Rhon mused. The mode of delivering the message had been, admittedly, unique, but that wasn¡¯t surprising because Extractors had the tendency to innovate whenever they weren¡¯t reinforcing the doors to their sanity. Orion ignored the fact that Nkatha had already figured out who the head of the spy organization was¡ªfor it was pointless¡ªand proceeded to think about their methods.


    ¡®Would you like to buy two small-size mattresses? We offer disposal as well for your old mattresses to paying customers.¡¯


    At first, the Orion house butler had politely rejected and moved to shut the door, but was stopped by Nkatha who¡¯d shoved her foot between the gap.


    ¡®My family and I would love to buy them!¡¯ she said with the most genuine of expressions and unrestrained joy. One would think that the delivery man just saved her life by offering to sell her the mattresses. She flung the door open and ¡®accidentally¡¯ scraped the butler¡¯s little toe beneath the door.


    Rhon still remembered being confused as to why his wife had shown interest when the flux-feed showed the carriage pulling in, but he simply watched for whatever song and dance was going on, to end before his wife explained what just happened¡ªor completely left them in the dark about it.


    After the delivery man left, Nkatha had gone into the woods and come out with one of the maids that had been in their family even before Bell Orion was born. She was loved and trusted. Seeing her stripped and bruised was enough to send Bell Orion on a rampage.


    As Nkatha tended to the maid and his son bashed the underground walls to vent, Rhon Orion called in some favors from old friends he¡¯d met at the Melody conference. It hadn¡¯t taken long for Shinohara¡¯s name to pop up. The top fixer in Pacifica with a colorful past.


    ¡°Father, we¡¯ve got an update from Shinohara.¡± His son¡¯s voice cut through his thoughts, ¡°She¡¯s sent over everything she knows about her client.¡±


    ¡°Good, she¡¯s in a cooperative mood.¡± Rhon stood and gave his wife a look that suggested she figure out where their children were. As a non-Extractor, he had a lot to prepare before he went to get his girls.


    <hr>


    (Vira P.O.V)


    **


    Yellow lights flickered as she was taken into a larger-than-average container where the cutting would begin. Thin sheets served as curtains dividing the space into eight cuboids. Desks covered in white sheets and towels were in each room serving as beds. Around each one, three middle-aged women wearing headscarves waited.


    Girls started to cry and protest as soon as their mothers hustled them inside. As children were hoisted onto desks, she realized with a jolt: this is an assembly line.


    **


    The girl squirmed, and two midwives put their faces close to hers. They smiled at her, making soft noises, but their hands took an arm and a leg each in a claw-like grip.


    ¡®Look, look,¡¯ she commanded, as a third woman leant in and steadily snipped off part of her clitoris with what looked like a pair of nail scissors. ¡®It¡¯s nothing, you see? There is not much blood. All done!¡¯


    The girl¡¯s scream was a long guttural rattle, which got louder as the midwife dabbed at her genitals with antiseptic.


    **


    Vira trembled as the madness finally released her from the dream. She lived through her genital mutilation whenever she accidentally fell asleep. Her madness remembered every detail and jumped at every opportunity it got to remind her of it.


    Every neuron that fired, every thought that crossed her mind, every reflex, and every word she screamed were perfectly preserved and perfectly replayed. She would have lost her mind already if it wasn¡¯t for the DLM drugs.


    They kept her partially lucid and so she knew she was dreaming. That did nothing to stop the pain nor the dread that came with it though.


    She''d been cut twice. The second time because a neighbor thought ¡®not enough flesh had been cut.¡¯


    She restrained her trembling hand to contain her dread. It was uncalled for. Circumcision kept her pure. A necessary tradition that withstood the trials of time. If it was wrong, it would have been lost to the paragraphs of time, as every other unnecessary practice has.


    Human sacrifice, for instance. It was a stupid, barbaric practice and Vira couldn¡¯t see how anyone of reasonable intellect could stoop to entertaining the notion of taking another¡¯s life in hopes of getting some divine favor.


    Her body was trembling because of the madness, not because it was traumatized by her Circumcision. That would be preposterous. Everyone she loved said it was normal. She would prove them right and once she published her findings, they¡¯d stop looking at her like she was a monster.


    Her mother said that it improved her fertility. Her aunt said it was a mark of purity that kept her from becoming unfaithful. Her father said he believed it was a matter of hygiene.


    These beliefs had been there for generations and she was out to offer scientific proof and cure the fools of their ignorance.


    She felt sorry for those who didn¡¯t come from a loving family and community like she did.


    ¡°Vira, we¡¯ve lost them again.¡±


    Vira looked up from the desk she¡¯d accidentally fallen asleep on. Moonlight still shone through the glass windows so she couldn¡¯t have been asleep for too long.


    She tried to recall the man¡¯s name but soon gave up.


    She was exhausted.


    Exhausted in every way that mattered. Ever since she advanced to Sequence 8, the madness had never allowed her a single night of peaceful rest.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you lock the room as I told you?¡± Vira asked without bothering to hide her irritation.


    ¡°Vira, someone picked their lock from the outside.¡±


    She took a deep breath before steadily releasing it. They all knew who¡¯d done it.


    ¡®Why can¡¯t she just sit still and behave,¡¯ she whispered.


    ¡°Take them to the purification chamber when you find them.¡± Vira pushed her seat back and moved to get cleaned up before she began her research.


    ¡°All of them? But the girl has been there once already, Vira?¡±


    Vira felt her vein bulge. Why couldn¡¯t they just do what she demanded without questioning her at every turn?


    ¡°It is theorized that a direct correlation exists between a woman¡¯s obedience to reason and her purity. We have observed that the girl fails to adhere to what is practically common sense, which reflects an insufficient attainment of said purity.¡± Vira explained and glared at the man.


    He raised his hands, palms facing her, ¡°If you say so, lady,¡± he said before leaving, irritating her further.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be High Extractor Vira soon enough.¡±