S-2879 • L9 Fluxluna • D05 Ritli
"Fluxluna sustains growing light. Ritli gives rhythm and living contours. The sky tunes the tone of the walk. The narrative weaves rhythm and clarity."
The day of our meeting with the Matriarch finally arrived.
Kiara was visibly tense. I bit my nails, anxious. Who was the Matriarch, after all? The android had revealed nothing about her. Without answers, my mind surrendered to the worst. Since our visit to Nobody's Land and everything I had witnessed afterward, I had learned how unpredictable what lay ahead could be.
Kiara's usually impenetrable eyes carried a certain unease. "Take this." She handed me the Sentinil and examined two weapons on the table. Quick movements. Rolled up her coat sleeves, revealing blades concealed along her forearms.
I swallowed hard, uncomfortable with those preparations. "What is it?" I turned the vial, curious and suspicious.
"An emotion suppressant. Better to show absolutely no emotion there. I'd rather you take it. You're… different. If the Matriarch suspects even a little that you're…" She left the sentence hanging. Her serious tone, a warning. She sheathed the weapons at her waist.
"All right." I took one drop under my tongue.
We headed to the dividing line.
Tentro in the middle. Vermina to the right.
The pixelated graphic wall shone vivid red. Almost hypnotizing. I touched it with my fingertips, felt a slight tickle. Before I could get distracted, Kiara nudged my arm. Firmly, we crossed the hologram. Emerged through a narrow alley on the other side.
The scenery changed completely.
An enormous knot formed in my throat.
People dragged bodies off the blood-soaked ground into alleys and vans. Thin. Empty expressions. Chained. Half-naked. The living were thrown into vehicles like disposable goods.
"Please… please… no…" Groans of pain scraped at my ears. Dragging chains echoed through the streets.
Shop windows displayed bodies. Sexualized androids. Bandaged. Bound. Gagged. Red holograms flashed. Advertised promotions.
From the buildings' balconies, pieces of humans hung like grotesque decorations. Burnt flesh. Oxidized metal clung to clothing. Invaded the nostrils.
A scene straight out of a horror film, but lived as everyday life.
Its inhabitants were clearly sadists capable of torturing and killing for sheer, depraved pleasure. They could do whatever they wanted. After all, everything was permitted in Netheria.
My stomach churned. My blood pressure dropped with every step. I tried to react, to express the anger and disgust overflowing inside me.
Nothing came out.
Burning eyes. Heavy heart. I wanted to scream. Cry. Tear those beings out of that hell. But my body kept moving steadily while my spirit broke, simply following Kiara.
We stopped before a structure supported by four imposing jade pillars, polished enough to reflect my image perfectly. Gold details shimmered, evoking ancient eras. Civilizations long extinct. Existing now only in books.
We entered a vast hall, also supported by pillars. Walls of an intense dark green. Gleaming with golden threads. Various antiquities crowded the surroundings: paintings, sculptures, statues, vases, and other artifacts once considered lost.
Was that the Mona Lisa? The real one? Unbelievable! The painting had been stolen in 2778. Never recovered. Those responsible still unidentified.
My wonder was brutally interrupted.
I came upon three skeletal men hanging against the walls, arms raised in shackles. The faint movement of their rib cages was the only sign they were still alive.
I looked away, nauseated. Faced the center of the hall.
A magnificent throne, adorned with gold and precious stones. Radiating overwhelming power. Upon it, an unexpected figure sat almost bored, enveloped in an aura as disturbing as it was fascinating.
Kiara put a hand on her hip. "What are you doing here?"
Almost lying down. His legs crossed over the throne's armrests. He clicked his tongue, threw his head back, and smirked. His eyes met mine. Intense. Penetrating.
My chest sank. It was as though his presence drained all the air from the hall. The shadows of his aura brushed my skin, suffocating.
His voice enveloped me like an inescapable enigma. "I'm always here and there ♪ this is just one more of those places." He uncrossed his legs and ambled through the hall. His footsteps carried a weight that unsettled me.
"Saymon, where's the Matriarch?" She narrowed her eyes, clearly irritated.
Saymon took a deck of cards from his coat. Began shuffling deftly. Silver rings gleamed over the strange symbols and numbers tattooed in black on his fingers. His gaze swept over me. His expression turned serious.
He turned back to Kiara. "Something came up. You know how she is…" He drew the first card and displayed it between his fingers: the Queen of Pentacles. "She's the one who, even from afar, keeps everything and everyone around her under control." With an elegant movement, he tossed the card to Kiara.
She caught it in midair. The item shimmered with a peculiar energy.
What it meant was beyond my grasp, but the air grew charged with tension.
The android pressed her lips together. Her rigid posture betrayed her discomfort. "You—"
"The Matriarch said, 'My child, Kiara, needs me. I must look after her.'" He imitated a high-pitched voice. His smile full of charm. Provocation. "So, tell me what you want."
"You know."
Saymon approached me. His eyes gleamed. His aura filled the room, suffocating the surroundings. "You're rather interesting. Our Kikky's going so far to protect you. Or rather… anyway, what makes you so special?" He raised an eyebrow, then turned to Kiara. "She'll give you the name because it's you, but… you'll have to do something for her."
The android moved her fingers from her eyes to the bridge of her nose. "What is it?"
I followed the conversation, completely confused, trying to piece together the enigma unfolding before me.
Saymon ran his tongue over his canine teeth, an almost predatory gesture. "She's expecting a shipment from South Africa, confiscated at the Port of Alexandria. Come back from there, and you'll have a name."
The Port of Alexandria? That…
Kiara nodded, but her reluctance was evident.
He smirked. "Excellent. The plane will be waiting at Viracopos. Here's your hotel reservation. It'll be an excellent experience for our new…" He narrowed his eyes and broke into a chilling grin. "Little mercenary."
I held my breath. Maia surfaced in my thoughts at his expressions.
Kiara met his gaze head-on. Her presence emitted an equally terrifying aura. "If anything happens to Akiko…"
Saymon looked down at her. His confidence unshakable. "I'm sure you'll protect her. After all…" He ambled back toward the throne. "You and Maia have done missions there before, but things are more tense now."
"Send the map."
"Already sent it. I'll ask the Matriarch to suspend the contract for half a lunation. After that, the Aurums will be notified."
Kiara's eyes flashed with pure fury. In a sudden movement, she seized the back of Saymon's neck. Firm. Relentless. "What kind of fucking joke is this?"
He did not even draw back. Only smiled, his amber eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "I'm not joking. They flagged the target as ultra-hard." He shrugged casually. "No mercenary's found her yet. They're pretty impatient. Usually, an easy target gets captured in a day or two. You should be proud. Doing a great job with the Blondie."
My entire body went on alert. What the fuck is this?
Kiara released him, keeping her furious gaze on him. She turned and began walking toward the exit. Before crossing the doorway, she pronounced, "I'll come back, and you'll give me the name. One way or another."
We left.
"Remember my favor, hmm ♪" Saymon's voice echoed through the hall, but the sense of danger still burned in its wake.
Something inside me knew; this mission was more than a price for the name of whoever had commissioned the contract.
It was a veiled sentence. I just wasn't sure who it was meant for.