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SOUL STEALER [BOOK 1 COMPLETE]
Chapter 37 - River City (Pt. 18)

Chapter 37 - River City (Pt. 18)

The guards on the third floor are similarly dressed as the ones in the second. White, buttoned up uniforms with various badges or medals depending on the guard- much more formal looking and of a higher quality material than those downstairs. The weapons they carry are cleaner too, and seem more modernized than the others. As if two different eras of human technology separates the second and third floor.

Standing like a cathedral of glass and gemstone, Ms Eeve's home shimmers against the sky as the sun refracts throughout it. Golden rods with speared tips and a few guards gate the property beyond with a garden carpeted in greenery with three enormous plants spread across the area.

One of the guards glares at Kita as they all make their way closer to Ms Eeve's home. The lot of them have looks of distrust planted across each of their faces, prompting one of the guards to step forward.

"Is everything alright, Ms?" The guard asks from a distance.

"We'll burn down your store if you say anything stupid," Alex whispers to Ms Eeve as he smiles at the guard.

"And I'll kill you," Kita chuckles as she joins in on the threat, "Over and over again,"

"Everything's alright, Morris," Ms Eeve says, waving a hand. "I have a few guests with me today,"

"Will they be spending the night, Ms?" Morris the guard asks.

"We'll have to see how the evening goes," Ms Eeve smiles.

A large gate swings open from the golden fence that surrounds Ms Eeve's home. Two guards swivel it open to provide an entryway to the garden that lies ahead of the front door.

"Thank you, Morris," Kita says, winking at the guard.

"It is a pleasure, Ma'am," Morris responds, "Welcome to the Eeve residence,"

"Oh wow," Kita chuckles as she nudges Ms Eeve's shoulder, "Soo fancy,"

"What is this large plant?" Raya asks as she steps over to place the palm of her hand against the bark of the tall standing-

"A tree," Ms Eeve says. "They used to grow naturally all around the world,"

"What need would it have to grow so large?" Raya asks as Caity steps beside her to touch the tree as well.

"I believe they're reaching for the sun," She responds, "Sunlight and water seems to be the source of life for most plants,"

Reaching for the sun sounds about right to Kita. Although she isn't sure of the technicalities of preserving plant life, she remembers the plethora of greenery at the village. The vegetation and fruits that were grown throughout the years. They didn't require much more than the light from the sky and the occasional splash of water. But, her memory of these plants may be incomplete.

"You've seen them before, haven't you?" Ms Eeve asks as she looks into Kita's eyes.

"What?" Kita mumbles.

"Not many people pay so little attention to my trees," Ms Eeve says, "To most, they're a mystery of the old world…"

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"Hm," Kita grunts, trying to ignore her prying.

"Only those who have seen them many times take it for granted in the way you are," Ms Eeve says.

"No, I haven't seen them before," Alex says as he talks on the other side of Ms Eeve, unconcerned about the tree. "Couldn't care much for overgrown vegetables,"

Hasn't he? Kita didn't want to say anything because she knows that Ms Eeve is right, but the fact that Alex is reacting the same way means that he's seen a tree before too… Right? Kita's certain that the old humans would have taken such a magnificent form of life for granted. Her lack of memory is a testament to that belief. If it was something she hadn't frequently seen and cared for, she'd find its existence far more spectacular.

As they approach the grand entrance of glass and marble, Ms Eeve scratches the burn mark beneath her long sleeve again as she suppresses the discomfort of her arm. She ever so slightly rolls up her sleeve but Alex casually puts an arm over her shoulder before she does so.

"Watch it," He whispers, passing her a blank look. "Wouldn't want your friends here to be worried,"

"How's that immortality coming along?" Kita raises an eyebrow.

"It works best in my sleep," Ms Eeve responds.

"It works best when you're dead," Kita chuckles, "But sleep is the same thing, of course,"

Raya and Caity follow behind them as the mountainous door sweeps open, chiming loudly as it does so. Kita steps up the short set of stairs and onto the white, marble floor that extends throughout Ms Eeve's home. Accents of gold weave between the glass and marble floors and walls, creating a spacious home that almost feels transparent. Presented at either side of the spiraling staircase are two large, glass boxes sitting on a golden pedestal. In each box, there is a metallic creature with indents and patterns etched into the steel.

One of them looks just like Ari with a glistening, silver exterior, a rounded tail and a pointed snout.

"A fox," Kita mumbles to herself as her eyes shift to observe the other creature.

"You've seen one?" Alex asks, glaring at the creature in amazement.

Kita nods before Ms Eeve chimes in, "He's quite friendly," She says.

A large thud against the glass brings Kita's attention to the second one, which is unfamiliar to her. It seems somewhat human-like in its posture- Standing on its hind legs, and leaning forward onto its arms, its mouth subtly protrudes from its face as it walks back and forth within the cage. As Ms Eeve steps towards it, the creature slams against the glass and releases a loud, protesting screech.

"This one's less friendly," Ms Eeve chuckles.

"I wouldn't be very friendly if I was imprisoned," Kita scoffs.

"Imprisoned?" Ms Eeve sighs, "This is called preservation. These creatures would be torn apart for scraps or enslaved if they were to leave this place,"

"I'd rather be a slave, than a prisoner," the second creature grunts with its burly voice as it bares its fangs at Ms Eeve.

"It speaks," Alex says, stepping back in a moment of panic.

"It does," Ms Eeve says as she glares at the creature menacingly. "But it doesn't realize it isn't imprisoned," She slowly walks over to place a hand on the glass cage, "You're protected,"

"What is it?" Kita asks as she places a hand against the glass.

"It is an Ape," Ms Eeve responds, "It is believed that their biological variants were closely related to our own species,"

"Speak for yourself," Caity rolls her eyes as she obnoxiously chews on a leaf.

"Who would believe such a thing?" Raya asks, stepping beside Kita.

"The old humans," Ms Eeve responds.

The ape loudly smacks against the glass again, drawing everyone's attention before baring his fangs at Ms Eeve once again. "The old humans were a plague but their behavior was still of nature,"

"Are you trying to say something, Ape?" Ms Eeve chuckles.

"You're far worse than the old humans could have dreamed, Ms Eeve," The ape snarls.