Chapter XXI

Hykar's Debrief

The purple shards formed a three-dimensional maquette, radiating with color and shape. Zanda correctly assumed it was a map of Dictaduria. A colossal structure, suspended by ingravitas technology and constructed from dark stone, dominated the scene, surrounded by hundreds of concrete buildings — the Dicterium.

"We were there, weren't we?"

"That is correct," Hykar replied confidently. "Let me explain the situation: We've known for a while that Gorbat, a man who rules from the shadows of Negativus — the city built illegally beneath Dictaduria — discovered a way to obtain several alters years ago. Since acquiring them, he's utilized the technology to enable his minions to smuggle items from outside Sectum. We overlooked it because it didn't impact life in Malkuth. Until now. Today, our informants within Dictaduria, undercover sephirot, have confirmed someone has stolen alters from Gorbat, and their whereabouts are unknown."

"I have to retrieve them," she concluded.

"Yes, that is our prime interest," Hykar confirmed.

"How did it come to this?" Zanda surveyed the sephirot working on Gevrum. "It's hard to believe something like this could happen, considering everything you have here to monitor Dictaduria and its residents."

Samelia stepped forward, her demeanor reflecting shame.

"Remember when I said it was my fault? It truly is," she admitted openly.

Zanda sensed profound regret emanating from her.

"I opted not to act on it, wanting to see Gorbat’s plans unfold, risking everything on a whim. One of our main tasks is to observe while trying to avoid intervention. I thought I was making the right decision by allowing the events concerning the alters to develop, to uncover Gorbat's current scheme. I never anticipated that someone, especially an unknown Dictadurian, would steal them from the umbras, right under their noses. That man commands an army of them; hence, their theft is baffling."

"Who stole them?" Zanda was relieved that the puzzle was starting to reveal more pieces, hoping to uncover more details.

"His name is Corven Xikram, a former binah from South Africa who’s been in Dictaduria for half a month. They identified him after a couple of umbras whispered his name en route to a clinic. Gorbat dispatched a full hunting party after him, but they have failed to recover the alters. When I realized the extent of the situation, I contacted my superiors, hoping to get a field operation approved."

As Samelia continued, Zanda realized why she was there. "Given our non-interference policy, we don't have a field team on-site. We bring in sephirot from outside when necessary; that's the protocol. I'm hoping it's not too late for you to find those alters..."

The young gevurah’s concerns shifted.

"What happens if Corven has already transformed?"

"We don't think he has. It seems those two umbras injured him before getting hurt themselves. Corven is likely wandering the passages of Negativus, severely wounded. He must have hidden them somewhere. You need to find him. We cannot allow Dictadurians to escape Sectum and endanger Malkuthians. We're on the brink of a mass breakout and you must contain it, and I apologize for that," Samelia let her words sink in.

"Correct me if I'm wrong. With those alters, they can bypass the Culter barrier surrounding Sectum without detection because they would possess a different DNA than what's registered in the Sephirot Archives, right?"

She was thankful with Tabitha, learning those news earlier had allowed Zanda to process the entire situation with a clear head, without the influence of her emotions.

Samelia appeared pleased.

"Refius did a good job training you, huh?"

"That's correct," he chimed in, his smile wide, a witness too their conversation.

"Okay, where do we stand now? Where are Corven and Gorbat?" Zanda pressed, eager to stay focused.

"Gorbat is hiding in one of his secure caves on the outskirts of Dictaduria, built inside a mountain," Hykar expanded the scale version of Dictaduria and pointed to an area far from Dicterium, to the west of a mountain range. "We lost track of him a few hours ago. We learned he disposed of those two umbras in quite an unusual manner, barely left alive. Meida and Timor, known for their ruthlessness and murderous tendencies, facing life sentences, weren’t enough to stop him. This adds another layer to Corven's enigma; he was a Binah until caught defrauding his neighbors, resulting in a five-year sentence, which is unusual given his profile and the chaos he's caused in Sectum; his behavior has been unpredictable to our analysts," he shared with concern.

"Why not track all of them instead of relying on the surveillance system? It would be easier if you knew their exact locations at all times."

"It's illegal to track individuals from Malkuth, Dictaduria, or Extarri in Sectum without probable cause. The Murmuratus designed the four countries outlined in the Edictum Vitae as places where individual liberty, privacy, and free will are still valued," Samelia paused, searching for the right words. "We allow them to roam freely, hoping for the best; often, it works, but, as you can see, there are risks."

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

"Where should I start?" Zanda felt the gravity of Samelia's dilemma but internally disagreed with this so-called 'liberty.'

"We have a plan. I've just sent it to your kabbalah; it should clarify any doubts. Our best chance to locate the remaining alters is by infiltrating Gorbat's closest inner circle, his group of courtesans," Hykar outlined the strategy.

"Am I here to pretend to be one of his concubines?" She couldn't believe this would be her first mission.

He nodded affirmatively, visibly nervous.

"Yes, Gorbat thrives on constant company," Hykar confirmed.

"What if I approached him as an umbra? There has to be another option."

"If we had the time, we would consider it, but selecting umbras is a rigorous process, unlike what courtesans undergo. We have deliberated for hours," Hykar acknowledged Zanda's discomfort with the plan. "Our branch counts with a pair of former gevurah within his ranks. They can facilitate your entry, we need to fix this situation by tomorrow morning, without repercussions."

"It might be worth it just to see him suffer. What else should I know?" As she prepared earlier, Zanda had read through Gorbat’s file, a repulsive being on all counts.

"The Sephirot must not interfere in other matters within the country. It's against the Edictum to alter the course of events unless outside influence are at play; extracting the alters and unravelling Corven’s mysteries are your mission. Avoid influencing any major events within the continent's unfolding of moments. Be discreet, talk to few, and be effective," he concluded.

"Great briefing, Hykar," Samelia commended him, proud.

"I agree," added Refius with respect. "Control your emotions, kid. You can't let them show, just like your naadi."

"Thank you for the advice, your seniorship," he responded with a bow.

Zanda was irked by their calmness as a whirlpool of insecurities churned within her. "Well, if that's everything, I should be on my way, right?"

"We're almost ready for that," Samelia interjected. "But before you depart, we need to visit one of our research labs downstairs. Give me a moment."

The brief pause allowed Zanda to review Hykar’s plan, displayed in holoscreens before them. She took deep breaths, reassuring herself with the preparation received before that day and stood tall, exuding confidence.

"Ready?" The senior gevurah responsible for Dicterium returned.

"Let's do this," Zanda affirmed, prompting the surrounding sephirot to hustle, issuing instructions to their kabbalahs. The holograms revealed unfamiliar faces, dictadurians, and pinpointed locations within the large country. Zanda leaned closer to a hologram depicting an abandoned, wrecked structure by the sea next to a dead forest.

Hykar joined her, observing the images. "It's interesting you're drawn to that one. It's Sunken Port, where Gorbat recently docked his ship," he indicated, showing images of a dark superyacht.

Zanda studied the mugshots of individuals with grim expressions, typical of extarri. One particular image, of a short, dirty, badly-shaven chubby man with a distinctly nasty, proud, and mischievous grin, stood out.

"That's Gorbat," she guessed.

"How did you know? We haven't shown you his picture," Hykar was taken aback.

"It's in his eyes, the face, it all reeks with corruption" she said, feeling true discomfort at his sight.

Hykar tried to see what Zanda saw but eventually conceded.

"The details are now in your kabbalah; you'll understand how to proceed soon." The reality of the situation hit harder after viewing those mugshots on the holoscreens. She turned to see Samelia and Refius, who prepared to depart the room.

Leaving the metatronic table behind, the map disintegrated. Hykar’s kabbalah returned to him, breaking into a million pieces that reassembled around his back. They exited Gevrum through a different door, the noise fading as they moved away. Zanda aligned herself with Refius, Hykar and Samelia walking parallel to them.

Refius looked over as they descended a spiraling cementrine passageway within Dicterium.

"Set?" he inquired once more.

"Perhaps I am," Zanda responded, feeling a newfound sense of assurance.

"You've trained years for this. Today marks the beginning of something far greater than you could have imagined. Remember, you're not alone," Refius spoke with a hint of nostalgia.

"I'm still upset with you, but I value your guidance. I won't disappoint," Zanda reflected on her mentor’s influence with deep respect.

"You could never disappoint me. You're my greatest achievement," he confessed for the first time, stirring emotions within her.

"Now, that's a motivational speech!" Zanda fought back tears.

"Enough, let's keep our emotions in check."

They reached a new level, unveiling a hallway made of dark blue rock.

"Cordierite," Samelia observed Zanda's puzzled look.

The stone gleamed with reflections from the nearby torches.

"I've never seen it in person. It's stunning," her T.H.I.C. displayed images and relayed information about the rock, a combination of iron, magnesium, and aluminum, also known as Iolite.

"Ah, I remember it from geology class, but by another name."

"It's a rare mineral, used in constructions like this; it's abundant here," Zanda followed Samelia, admiring the wall carvings depicting moving scenes of Dictaduria's history with artistic inputs form members of the Seventh Sephirah, the Netzach. They approached a massive barrier at the hall's end.

"Where are we headed?" she attempted to peer through the stone with her T.H.I.C., only to see darkness reflected back, blocking her scanners.

"To the Opifi, our development laboratory," Samelia disclosed.

"What kind of stuff do you develop there?" Refius couldn't conceal his curiosity.

"Cool stuff," she replied cryptically, approaching the wall. The rock melted away, opening their path. Zanda, Hykar, Refius, and their ingravitas kabbalahs followed into an endless and bright room, opposite to where they come from.

****

That's it for Chapter XXI!

If you enjoyed it, please support A Tree of Omens.

Rate, review, follow or leave a comment, they all work.

As a reminder, Patreon is up and running with 15+ Chapters ahead of RR release.

Thank you for your time, see ya along the road!

Aequitas and much love,

Indigo Sapiens.

© All Rights Reserved