The Souls in Sectum – Prologue Part II – The Catalyst
The extent of Gorbat's influence was unmistakable as Corven stepped into his office, a grandiose testament to his dominion over the underworld. The opulent space boasted silver columns that stood in stark contrast to the purple hues adorning the walls. Each artifact meticulously displayed served as a testament to Gorbat's triumphs in this shadowy realm.
Corven's pulse quickened as he noticed the shell of a missile tucked away in a corner, overshadowed by a large stuffed dragon adorned with sharp crystals. Ignoring the ominous sight, he focused on his task at hand: finding the safe box and try to find Kevary’s alters.
Despite scouring Gorbat's bronze desk fruitlessly, his efforts to recall the thermic images strained his mind, back then, Corven didn’t pay much attention to the blueprints, after finding them by mistake, he never thought they would become relevant in his life. That, until he was exiled to Dictaduria a couple of weeks before.
Metallic stands lined the walls, showcasing an array of stolen goods, all forbidden in Dictaduria. Three imposing paintings dominated the room, each depicting Gorbat, the enigmatic figure behind Negativus's families and the dark market. Some voices whispered that he wielded more power than Copernus, the president of Sectum's third country.
Corven's memory sharpened in the presence of these egotistical artworks.
"Kevary, I need your help!"
Her entrance was marked by a palpable hint of frustration.
“You’re taking your sweet time….Don’t call my name in here!”
“We need to take down these paintings,” he asserted, eyeing the glorified depictions of Gorbat with disdain.
"Are you certain?" Kevary's gaze flitted disapprovingly over the embellished portraits.
"Yes, I am," Corven confirmed, his determination unwavering.
Taking a deep breath to quell her exasperation, Kevary agreed, "Let's move quickly. Which one first? We don't want to trigger any alarms, it may be amateur proof."
“The one on the left.” He knows she might be right and waits for the best, concentrating on his memories. Those paintings made him remember the alters seemed to float inside of something. It was a wall.
They get together and remove an image of Gorbat surrounded by a group of his closest courtesans, graceful and perfect. The painting is laid on the wall, and, as Corven expected, there’s a small circular space in its center full with treasures.
A black velvet bag lures both of them as they realize the alters could be a reality.
"There must be an alarm," Kevary fretted, her nerves on edge.
"I agree. What's our move?" Corven's concern mirrored hers.
"Any insights into the security systems?"
“I might’ve screwed up on that one, no information came through my exploration.”
Corven’s regret could be felt emanating from his pores, ashamed.
Surveying the area around the bag, Kevary mused, "Perhaps it's weight-triggered?”
"Cliché, don't you think?"
Their doubts lingered, but time pressed on, urging them toward a resolution.
“Either we take it, or they’ll be here soon,” Kevary asserted, her voice tinged with urgency.
“I’ll follow your lead,” Corven failed at helping her partner relax.
With a shared nod, they steeled themselves and Kevary reached for the bag. Their hearts raced as she lifted it from its resting place, half-expecting the piercing wail of an alarm to shatter the silence.
Corven whispered with his heart about to leave his chest, "Let's get out of here."
"Back to the sewers?" Kevary's gaze darted too the purple door and peaked the hallway, checking for any signs of intrusion.
"Yes," Corven confirmed, his mind already plotting their escape route.
As they stepped outside the office, a looming figure emerged from another corridor, flanked by three more umbras.
“Going somewhere?”
Corven's hopes plummeted as the group charged toward them, fury etched on their faces.
Kevary remained composed, swiftly retrieving a cylinder grenade from her belt and hurling it toward their assailants. In the blink of an eye, a gelatinous blue mass engulfed the group, rendering them immobile.
"How did you do that?" Corven marveled, awe coloring his voice.
"It's a slime grenade," Kevary explained, her tone matter-of-fact. "It'll hold them for at least half an hour. Let's go."
Leaving their adversaries trapped, they made their way back to the sewers, the weight of their victory buoying their steps.
"We did it!" Corven exclaimed as they reached the aqueduct, with thrill in his voice.
"Hush! It's not over yet. We have to hide them!"
Kevary’s reminder came as her gaze scanned their surroundings for potential problems.
"Why don't you take one now?" Corven suggested, confusion lacing his words. "You could leave Sectum after you do it, right?"
Kevary shook her head, her expression grave. "That's not an option. I need to erase my tracks or they'll hunt me down no matter who I transform into.
Understanding dawned on Corven's face as he nodded in agreement. "I'll follow your lead."
With a smirk, Kevary quipped, "Your inclusion in my plan isn’t my biggest concern."
The woman walked towards the melted section of the tunnel and kicked the cork of fake rock covering the exit to the underground sewer.
“Where are we going to hide them, your toilet?”
Their banter lightened the tension as they set off, their destination clear in Kevary's mind. As they navigated the labyrinthine tunnels, Corven was immersed on his thoughts, marveled at that woman’s resourcefulness.
An hour later, they arrived at a squared plaza comprised of hundreds of rectangular platforms. Together they resembled a massive mirror reflecting the sun's light behind the clouds. An uneasy feeling washed over her as she sensed someone's gaze following them. Before long, a jolt of electricity coursed through Corven's body, causing him to convulse as Sentinels near close.
Reacting swiftly, Kevary grabbed his ally’s inert body and hid him underneath the metallic structures that formed the reflective surface of the plaza, preparing herself for a confrontation. Only two Sentinels stood before her, clad in their distinctive dark orange uniforms, with electrical ]tasers hanging from their belts in the form of batons.
“You look guilty of something,”
The female sentinel accused Kevary while the male agent joined them next to the silver plaques.
“Where did you hide the other guy?”
There was no point in denying Corven’s lack of experience wasn’t a liability.
“I’m not telling, for his own good. I should be enough to deal with both of you .”
The male sentinel brought his electrical baton threateningly close to Kevary's face. "Ha! Could all this be for Negativus? I believe you know a path to the undercity, and I want you to share it with me, dictadurian."
Anger flared within her as she saw the menacing baton come near her face. With a swift movement, she knocked the male Sentinel down using her glove to disrupt the flow of electricity and push it towards its user’s face. Kevary used the confusing moment to push towards the other sentinel, knocking her down with the help of that baton with a couple of trained movements.
Both enforcers of the dictadurian law lay defeated on the ground.
Carrying Corven wasn't part of her plan, but she knew there was no choice. After concealing the unconscious bodies of the patrol, she guided her partner in crime, half-unconscious, through the dark spaces under the Oxen’s plaza's platforms, urging him to wake up, needing his help.
“Please move. I don’t want to carry you.” She imagined the nightmare of having to take his weight back to her block at broad daylight. People would make questions within minutes.
“What is this, why does it hurt?” Corven reacted, disoriented.
"No time to explain, C. Just run. We need to hide the alters."
Kevary gestured, pointing at the black bag in her hand.
Corven struggled to process the information, but he followed her, weakened by the ordeal. They navigated with caution through the labyrinthine structure of the plaza, dodging debris and filth, until they stumbled upon a grim sight: the old remains of other dictadurians, bones and clothing strewn about, along with a stroke of luck—a discarded yellow toolbox.
A triumphant smile lit up Kevary's face. She took the toolbox, shook it around to remove the excess dirt before taking out the rusty tools and placing the alters inside it.
With the little strength Corven had left, he helped her lift the platform to conceal their treasure inside a gap on the metallic structure. Nausea gripped him, and he retched, emptying his stomach bile onto the ground.
Kevary knew she needed to get Corven to her block, which was nearby. She wasn’t fond of idea but, with the curfew about to begin, it was too risky for him to return home in his condition. If the umbras discovered him like that, he would end up in questioning or used as a pile for fists.
That's it for Chapter VI!
If you enjoyed it, please consider supporting A Tree of Omens!
Follow, share, leave a comment or review, either works.
As a reminder, Patreon is up and running with 26+ Chapters ahead of SH release.
Thank you for your time and see you along the road!
Aequitas and much love,
Indigo Sapiens.
The Souls in Sectum – Prologue Part II – The Catalyst
The extent of Gorbat's influence was unmistakable as Corven stepped into his office, a grandiose testament to his dominion over the underworld. The opulent space boasted silver columns that stood in stark contrast to the purple hues adorning the walls. Each artifact meticulously displayed served as a testament to Gorbat's triumphs in this shadowy realm.
Corven's pulse quickened as he noticed the shell of a missile tucked away in a corner, overshadowed by a large stuffed dragon adorned with sharp crystals. Ignoring the ominous sight, he focused on his task at hand: finding the safe box and try to find Kevary’s alters.
Despite scouring Gorbat's bronze desk fruitlessly, his efforts to recall the thermic images strained his mind, back then, Corven didn’t pay much attention to the blueprints, after finding them by mistake, he never thought they would become relevant in his life. That, until he was exiled to Dictaduria a couple of weeks before.
Metallic stands lined the walls, showcasing an array of stolen goods, all forbidden in Dictaduria. Three imposing paintings dominated the room, each depicting Gorbat, the enigmatic figure behind Negativus's families and the dark market. Some voices whispered that he wielded more power than Copernus, the president of Sectum's third country.
Corven's memory sharpened in the presence of these egotistical artworks.
"Kevary, I need your help!"
Her entrance was marked by a palpable hint of frustration.
“You’re taking your sweet time….Don’t call my name in here!”
“We need to take down these paintings,” he asserted, eyeing the glorified depictions of Gorbat with disdain.
"Are you certain?" Kevary's gaze flitted disapprovingly over the embellished portraits.
"Yes, I am," Corven confirmed, his determination unwavering.
Taking a deep breath to quell her exasperation, Kevary agreed, "Let's move quickly. Which one first? We don't want to trigger any alarms, it may be amateur proof."
“The one on the left.” He knows she might be right and waits for the best, concentrating on his memories. Those paintings made him remember the alters seemed to float inside of something. It was a wall.
They get together and remove an image of Gorbat surrounded by a group of his closest courtesans, graceful and perfect. The painting is laid on the wall, and, as Corven expected, there’s a small circular space in its center full with treasures.
A black velvet bag lures both of them as they realize the alters could be a reality.
"There must be an alarm," Kevary fretted, her nerves on edge.
"I agree. What's our move?" Corven's concern mirrored hers.
"Any insights into the security systems?"
“I might’ve screwed up on that one, no information came through my exploration.”
Corven’s regret could be felt emanating from his pores, ashamed.
Surveying the area around the bag, Kevary mused, "Perhaps it's weight-triggered?”
"Cliché, don't you think?"
Their doubts lingered, but time pressed on, urging them toward a resolution.
“Either we take it, or they’ll be here soon,” Kevary asserted, her voice tinged with urgency.
“I’ll follow your lead,” Corven failed at helping her partner relax.
With a shared nod, they steeled themselves and Kevary reached for the bag. Their hearts raced as she lifted it from its resting place, half-expecting the piercing wail of an alarm to shatter the silence.
Corven whispered with his heart about to leave his chest, "Let's get out of here."
"Back to the sewers?" Kevary's gaze darted too the purple door and peaked the hallway, checking for any signs of intrusion.
"Yes," Corven confirmed, his mind already plotting their escape route.
As they stepped outside the office, a looming figure emerged from another corridor, flanked by three more umbras.
“Going somewhere?”
Corven's hopes plummeted as the group charged toward them, fury etched on their faces.
Kevary remained composed, swiftly retrieving a cylinder grenade from her belt and hurling it toward their assailants. In the blink of an eye, a gelatinous blue mass engulfed the group, rendering them immobile.
"How did you do that?" Corven marveled, awe coloring his voice.
"It's a slime grenade," Kevary explained, her tone matter-of-fact. "It'll hold them for at least half an hour. Let's go."
Leaving their adversaries trapped, they made their way back to the sewers, the weight of their victory buoying their steps.
"We did it!" Corven exclaimed as they reached the aqueduct, with thrill in his voice.
"Hush! It's not over yet. We have to hide them!"
Kevary’s reminder came as her gaze scanned their surroundings for potential problems.
"Why don't you take one now?" Corven suggested, confusion lacing his words. "You could leave Sectum after you do it, right?"
Kevary shook her head, her expression grave. "That's not an option. I need to erase my tracks or they'll hunt me down no matter who I transform into.
Understanding dawned on Corven's face as he nodded in agreement. "I'll follow your lead."
With a smirk, Kevary quipped, "Your inclusion in my plan isn’t my biggest concern."
The woman walked towards the melted section of the tunnel and kicked the cork of fake rock covering the exit to the underground sewer.
“Where are we going to hide them, your toilet?”
Their banter lightened the tension as they set off, their destination clear in Kevary's mind. As they navigated the labyrinthine tunnels, Corven was immersed on his thoughts, marveled at that woman’s resourcefulness.
An hour later, they arrived at a squared plaza comprised of hundreds of rectangular platforms. Together they resembled a massive mirror reflecting the sun's light behind the clouds. An uneasy feeling washed over her as she sensed someone's gaze following them. Before long, a jolt of electricity coursed through Corven's body, causing him to convulse as Sentinels near close.
Reacting swiftly, Kevary grabbed his ally’s inert body and hid him underneath the metallic structures that formed the reflective surface of the plaza, preparing herself for a confrontation. Only two Sentinels stood before her, clad in their distinctive dark orange uniforms, with electrical ]tasers hanging from their belts in the form of batons.
“You look guilty of something,”
The female sentinel accused Kevary while the male agent joined them next to the silver plaques.
“Where did you hide the other guy?”
There was no point in denying Corven’s lack of experience wasn’t a liability.
“I’m not telling, for his own good. I should be enough to deal with both of you .”
The male sentinel brought his electrical baton threateningly close to Kevary's face. "Ha! Could all this be for Negativus? I believe you know a path to the undercity, and I want you to share it with me, dictadurian."
Anger flared within her as she saw the menacing baton come near her face. With a swift movement, she knocked the male Sentinel down using her glove to disrupt the flow of electricity and push it towards its user’s face. Kevary used the confusing moment to push towards the other sentinel, knocking her down with the help of that baton with a couple of trained movements.
Both enforcers of the dictadurian law lay defeated on the ground.
Carrying Corven wasn't part of her plan, but she knew there was no choice. After concealing the unconscious bodies of the patrol, she guided her partner in crime, half-unconscious, through the dark spaces under the Oxen’s plaza's platforms, urging him to wake up, needing his help.
“Please move. I don’t want to carry you.” She imagined the nightmare of having to take his weight back to her block at broad daylight. People would make questions within minutes.
“What is this, why does it hurt?” Corven reacted, disoriented.
"No time to explain, C. Just run. We need to hide the alters."
Kevary gestured, pointing at the black bag in her hand.
Corven struggled to process the information, but he followed her, weakened by the ordeal. They navigated with caution through the labyrinthine structure of the plaza, dodging debris and filth, until they stumbled upon a grim sight: the old remains of other dictadurians, bones and clothing strewn about, along with a stroke of luck—a discarded yellow toolbox.
A triumphant smile lit up Kevary's face. She took the toolbox, shook it around to remove the excess dirt before taking out the rusty tools and placing the alters inside it.
With the little strength Corven had left, he helped her lift the platform to conceal their treasure inside a gap on the metallic structure. Nausea gripped him, and he retched, emptying his stomach bile onto the ground.
Kevary knew she needed to get Corven to her block, which was nearby. She wasn’t fond of idea but, with the curfew about to begin, it was too risky for him to return home in his condition. If the umbras discovered him like that, he would end up in questioning or used as a pile for fists.
That's it for Chapter VI!
If you enjoyed it, please consider supporting A Tree of Omens!
Follow, share, leave a comment or review, either works.
As a reminder, Patreon is up and running with 26+ Chapters ahead of SH release.
Thank you for your time and see you along the road!
Aequitas and much love,
Indigo Sapiens.
