Chapter XXVIII

The Secrets of Mispholis

Tens of Dictadurians walked back and forth before her eyes wearing colorful and out of place clothing styles. It felt like a dream, transpiring in a different time, a mix of ages. The tunnel, carved with sacred geometry, was recognized by Zanda – as the marks of Binah, shaping capabilities that allowed certain Malkuthians to manipulate matter and mold it to its will.

The map on T.H.I.C. labeled every subterranean level; she found herself at N-1, or 'Underone,' the closest to the surface. Her destination was level N-15, known as Alchemist Road, at the town's center. It took her twenty minutes to travel there on foot, a duration that allowed her to observe and study the Dictadurians living their nocturnal lives in the shadows of legality.

From a standpoint of ignorance, one might assume that Negativus, a hub for convicted criminals, would be a repugnant place. That had been Zanda's assumption, one she now regretted. To her surprise, it possessed the spirit of the Sephirot, an element she had never anticipated finding there. As she processed what she saw, it became clear that the influence of Malkuthian architecture was inevitable.

The levels, tunnels, stairs, and passages she navigated were carved with mesmerizing designs, most of them enhanced with a diverse array of crystals and rocks. Zanda was relieved that Sacrorum was active; she blended with the Dictadurians moving throughout the structure, who were too engrossed in their routines to notice an imposter among them.

With each underlevel left behind, she delved deeper into Negativus, growing increasingly impressed by the loyalty the Dictadurians showed towards their undercity – a sanctuary from the surface world. Contrary to the city above, this place vibrated with life, reflecting its inhabitants' inner desires for a semblance of the world they had left behind. Though nowhere near the entirety of Malkuth, the resemblance was notable and appreciated. Binah architecture, along with Malkuthian history, quantum physics, music, and film, had always ranked among Zanda's favored subjects and they were displayed in more than a few ways before her eyes.

Upon reaching Alchemist Road, the black and white stone that formed the tunnel walls seemed to melt away. Its geometry was deliberate, leaving nothing to chance. The street boasted a beautiful aqueduct and a fountain crowned by a floating Metatron cube. Here, water flowed to the rest of the underlevel, nourishing the trees and plants that adorned the buildings. Further on, the canal widened into a river that meandered through a park and past shops.

A section of Alchemist Road was capped by a high dome, at least twenty meters tall. Massive chandeliers hung from it, lighting the area with candle-like glow. A neon sign from a nearby store displayed the time: 11:16 pm. Merely six hours earlier, she had been meditating at Aoraki Mountain in Zealand at sunrise; the shift to the present setting still disoriented her.

A red dot blinked on her crystasleeve, indicating her contact was inside a store to the left. She approached 'Mispholis,' a store fronted with polished dark mirrors and devoid of any door. Circling it, she found an entrance leading to a rectangular passage that ushered her inside.

Inside Mispholis, every surface reflected on polished metacrys walls. Zanda's heart skipped as her reflection met that of Yllen. As the realization set in, she pictured the Senior Gevurah's amusement back at the Dicterium. She took a deep breath and faced her new self; despite the messiness, there was an inherent beauty, marred by dirt, grease, and worn clothes.

"Gia, can you render a look for Yllen that suggests at least a semblance of cleanliness?" Zanda requested.

"Easy." In an instant, her appearance transformed. While her facial and body contours remained unchanged, the sloppy attire, absent makeup and head tattoos were replaced by an ensemble that left the Gevurah astounded.

Her Kabbalah was precise enough to craft an outfit befitting Negativus, inspired by one of Zanda's favored periods, 'The Huntwenthries'. Her new guise featured bicolor hair in shades of dark blue and scarlet, arranged in loose intertwined braids, complemented by dark neon makeup adorned with thin lines in matching hues on her eyelids. All, to complement a leathilk dress with the same bicolor pattern. She looked remarkable, stirring a sense of warmth in the Gevurah's heart.

Satisfied, Zanda continued through the mirrored corridor, arriving at a vast dome hall that seemed larger than physically possible judging from the outside. She looked up, realizing that every wall mirrored the others, with each reflection moving on its own.

At the center stood a pentagonal counter, behind which awaited a man with a curly mustache and prominent blond eyebrows that blended into his dark greasy hair, squashed by a ridiculous hat.

Gia transmitted a brainwave, confirming he was the contact. Before Zanda could speak, he approached, smiling as though they had known each other for ages.

"What an honor. Welcome to my humble lair; my name is Haltan Gustave," he greeted, revealing himself as the first undercover agent Zanda had ever encountered.

Sacrorum deactivated; instinctively, the gevurah knew she could trust Haltan.

"I didn't know merkabahs could morph!" He exclaimed, his enthusiasm palpable.

"Not everyone. This is a special ventos someone lent me; now that I reflect on it, I might have made a careless error. Please, keep quiet about it," Zanda implored, her tone serious.

"There's nothing to worry about," he assured her, relaxed. "Professor Pagreri lent it to you, I presume?"

"You know him?" Zanda asked, relieved to speak freely.

"Only by reputation. The sephirot monitoring Dictaduria are well-known in our circles, except Samelia. She's not particularly favored," Haltan confessed, then hesitated, realizing she might overhear. A look of regret briefly crossed his face.

"How so?" Zanda inquired, her curiosity piqued.

"Some Dictadurians believe she allowed Copernus and Gorbat to become too powerful," he admitted, his discomfort with the topic evident.

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"What do you think?"

The man, unreserved in expressing his opinion, proceeded. "I believe every extarri in here is paying for what they did in Malkuth. We don't have any right to make demands for our benefit."

"You're an extarri?"

"I am, yes," Haltan responded, transparent and shameless.

"I thought you were a gevurah," Zanda said, confused.

"Until a few years ago, but please, don't let me distract you from your task."

"I need context." She could sense his reluctance to delve into the past.

"I'm a double agent working in favor of The Sephirot. This task is an attempt to regain their trust; my greatest desire is to return to a life of aequiteism."

"What do you sell here?" Zanda attempted to steer the conversation elsewhere.

"Only the finest costumes that gatvits can buy," he replied with a smile, proudly walking around his pentagon. Activated by his voice, every reflection turned, revealing a glass case housing hundreds of different masks: cartoons, movie characters, religious deities, historical figures, entertainers, and many more attires that could be bought.

"Huh. I was not expecting that."

"What were you expecting?" Haltan approached her.

"Defensive gear, like a tactical store or something of the sort. I thought the mirror was a sort of psychological barrier."

He appeared pleased with her response.

"Interesting. There’s one across the street, at the left end. It's not a weapons exclusive store, but they sell remarkable items, including self-defense gear. You should check it out when you have the chance. It's called Spheneus, and what a furkastic place it is!"

Her laughter escaped at his words.

"What's funny?" He inquired, a touch of innocence in his voice.

"Nothing," she abruptly ended the topic, scratching her head.

"Is that your Kabbalah?" His eyes lit up as the gevurah lifted her arm, revealing a glimpse of her crystasleeve.

"Yes," Zanda replied, less than thrilled by his question.

"Can I meet them?" Haltan struggled to contain his excitement.

"Uh... Yeah, sure. Gia?" Zanda let events unfold naturally.

Her Kabbalah materialized, detaching from the Merkabah; the translucent quartz cuboctahedron floated between them, positioning itself beside the former Sephirot.

"Hello," it greeted.

Tears welled in his eyes.

"Are you okay, sir?" Gia was prepared to scan his vitals.

Haltan regained his composure. "It's an honor to have you here. I'm humbled."

"Thank you for helping us," The kabbalah responded politely, a response Zanda took pride in, having taught it herself.

"Anything for the Sephirot," he bowed.

"Tell me, please, what's next?" The gevurah’s urgency was evident in her tone.

The man showed relief upon hearing her question. "I was just about to get to that. There's a new lead. I received it less than twenty minutes ago. Remind me, what was the last thing you learned about the current situation?"

"Corven stole some alters from Gorbat and his Umbras," Zanda recalled. "No one knows where he is."

"It seems he had help from other extarri, and if the rumors hold true, they are skilled. Find them and retrieve those modifiers. We haven't faced this kind of threat in decades."

"Got it. Where do I start?" She could feel an adrenaline surge within.

"Upstairs. Corven reached Negativus before you. I have someone on his trail," Haltan stated succinctly.

"Show me everything you've got on him, Gia," Zanda requested, eager to unravel the mystery of that man.

"Done." At that moment, a letter signed by The Sephirot appeared on her T.H.I.C.

Zanda read:

Corven Xikram.

Binah: 22 years old.

Verdict: Exile from Malkuth for five years.

He is ordered to become an extarri in Sectum by The Table of Nine and a Kether Jury, both sign at the end of this statement.

His time will be divided as follows:

Three years in Dictaduria.

Two years in Capitalia.

Mr. Xikram has been convicted after being found with stolen materials under his possession. The investigation concludes that he traded with said goods to his own benefit. His residence, a domus away from his benefit category (pictures are attached), was built with lies and scams. He abused and stole from our people in Novo Oporto; Mr. Xikram’s actions affected forty families who respect the same Edictum Vitae he violated.

A vote was made and a fifty-four percent of voters favored this sentence, a majority. The other two options were 7 and 12-years punishments. We believe and hope that Mr. Xikram will grow and become a refined version of himself during exile.

Aequitas,

Signed by The Table of Nine and a Kether Jury.

December 7th, 12,586

That letter helped Zanda understand why Corven's involvement in the chaos seemed illogical, and now, she pondered what everyone else was thinking.

"His profile does not align with someone who would incite chaos in Dictaduria as he's accused of. The former binah was apprehended eighteen months post-training in Ylfenor. A five-year sentence seemed fair."

"With those unknown Dictadurians involved, everything is at risk; we need to contain them before it's too late," her Kabbalah interjected.

"Who is following him?" Zanda was filled with intrigue.

"An umbra named Qyrl," Haltan began. "They're on the eleventh underlevel. If you collaborate with him, you'll find a path to the alters. It was impossible to keep the umbras at bay. They know you're coming and believe you're an ally of mine, which is your ticket into Gorbat's inner circle. Qyrl's allegiance is to me, but be prepared, he might try to eliminate Corven. Stop it if necessary," the extarri instructed.

"I'll do my best," she realized the situation might be more complex than it appeared.

"You should leave now; events are unfolding as we speak."

"Aequitas, Haltan..." The gevurah bid him farewell and returned to her origin. "Thank you for your assistance."

"Benediximus," he wished her good luck. "It is my duty with the Sephirot."

****

That's it for Chapter XXVIII!

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Aequitas and much love,

Indigo Sapiens.

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