Chapter 165

  “Maybe I am asking for too much,” Dreadus added out loud as he watched Celeste run away. Hound ran behind her, barking for her to stop or wait for her to hide so he would find her later.

  “Yeah. She might be worse than I thought. Or too much even for me.” Reaz said, leaning on the wall.

  “Are you sure you want to help me with this? It sounds like a hassle your family might disagree with.”

  “That is not your concern. You don't have to think of me. I will watch and judge her, and then, maybe you will need me.”

  “True. But don't say I was silent.” Dreadus departed the elevator and found Celeste not that far away, standing before an incredible display of brand-new caves. Hound was running around her victoriously.

  The underground facility of the Emblem Association was like a different realm. The ceilings were tall, though not as big as hangars. Some were like that in some room, as a true scientific base with many things needed order and space. The things Celeste couldn't understand or describe were all there, along with people in white clothes.

  There were some gigantic burrows, and bright lights were all over the smooth and white walls, resembling those on the upper floors or that elevator. They shined with flickering light, adding light but no warmth.

  She was hundreds of feet below the surface and felt no lack of breath or pressure. That was good, despite the sun being gone and the unknown scents and caves all around her. There wasn't even a breeze or any warmth. The previous grievance still lingered, and Hound didn't help it even with its discontinued licking.

  Hearing steps, she noticed Dreadus and Reaz behind her.

  Dreadus pointed to the left, suggesting yet another hallway to different sectors. The current one was part of the First, hence the biggest. It connected with vast underground networks that weren't just about the Emblem Association. Since the Federation lacked land, thinking vertically or downward wasn't a flawed idea.

  The Second Head was second in command of this entire structure known as the Emblem Association, which was a conglomeration of science representing the places above and some levels below. Frankly, Dreadus wasn't sure how big this place was or how many resources it consumed daily.

  Allegedly, it was the reason this whole place even existed.

  ***

  Maul was a relatively younger man than one would assume. He looked to be around forty, even with graying hair and a face showing some ruffles. He was different from the First Head, but he had reason to be like this.

  It was stressful reality to look at the world of Walkers and Darks. A close perspective meant awareness, but for science, and like no man, but still being a human, Maul chose this dangerous life.

  One felt the weight of it, and years would pass in a blink behind every successful research. He barely slept and found the whole dreams and Emblems as fascinating as the First Head, which was the reason he was here.

  When he heard knocking on the door, he barely cared.

  He was halfway through leaving because that Crystal Water Sea had arrived after a gruesome journey, and no matter what the First said, he had to see it! He was more than horny to do it with his own eyes.

  Maul had the privilege to get it going, and no one should stop him. He hadn't heard the knocking. He was busy packing what he needed for planning and conspiring that Sea.

  So when the door crashed beside him, creating a loud thud, his eyes showed no surprise. “What! I am busy! Come later.”

  Dreadus didn't care; it was Reaz who was impatient, but she pretended the door flying from its hinges was his work.

  Dreadus walked inside, waving a hand at Maul. “Sub, Second Head.”

  “Fuck off.”

  “Nah.”

  “Shit my pants, Dreadus, I am leaving. Don't bother me right now.” Maul went back to packing after a brief, intense stare.

  “Heard the ruckus?”

  “Your mess? Yes. Fascinating. Tell me about it in a year or two when that Sea will be researched to its full potential!” Maul talked fast and disregarded these sudden visitors. All three of them. Then four. Weird, but having a Hound as a pet wasn't the strangest thing he had seen this week, let alone on this floor today.

  Even when he noticed a young girl walking around, observing every corner and thing and touching his items, he had his priorities.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  But he still didn't like what she was doing, especially because she was barefoot and more than brazen in her actions. “Hey, don't touch that! That is...”

  It was a very important shelf of dead or still gleaming Emblems. There were hundreds of them, depicting nice gifts that were under Maul's jurisdiction and keenness. Every single Emblem had some history, while being dead or still empowered by Arcana had its vast yet mysterious differences.

  Some glowed, cracked, or showed some elemental properties. These were individually wrapped in some globes of glass or cubes so they wouldn't leak outside.

  Most living Walkers would argue these Emblems should be under memorials or graves and not ratted out like this. Alas, the need for research was endless and some melancholy over dead Walkers was barely fit for a funeral. They were donated, appreciated, and still doing what they could while their hosts were dead.

  By a simple definition, all Emblems were precious resources worth investigating, be it in a body or when dead but still living. Their unique properties, sizes, and extinctions could show Walkers and science a harsh way forward. Or important lessons about what was required to realize or do what must be done.

  It was always full of speculations, as many spectacular and bizarre Emblems showed colors, variants of elements, and a myriad of effects. Arcana was key to everything, and no man should ever grasp it whole.

  Celeste found these rocks nice and shiny. They were nice, almost making her recognize her own or the one she used for her cutting. Some were even imposing, heavy, and mixed with some gnarly emotional impacts and depths. Some were as big as a head, strangely shaped like streams of clouds or blood, or extremely simple.

  She ignored Maul and didn't care about his words.

  Dreadus shrugged at him, curious where this meeting would go and whether his words would stick or not. “You see, Maul, I am here for something that is still good for both of us. Maybe you will be interested after you listen to us.”

  “What? No! Hey, don't touch that! Seriously,” Maul was over it and stormed that silly girl who closed on those Emblems.

  She tossed Hound at him, and Maul screeched like a cat and threw his body away, dodging Hound and stumbling to the floor.

  Hound ladned, turned, and barked at him as if this man was a rat. It was an obvious taunting laugh.

  Dreadus walked to Maul, gestured Hound to back off, crouched, and pointed at Celeste, who was back in judging those weird magic rocks. “I found her with that Sea you want to visit so much. Perhaps you want to know more.”

  “Eh?” Maul said, confused. “In fucking Australia? Her? Wait... waaaaait. Explain!”

  Dreadus wasn't so keen on explanations, so he said what he wanted and did it quickly.

  In less than a few minutes, Maul was still on his ass and his mouth was wide open, frowning and eyes fixing on Celeste as if she was a new kind of Sea.

  “She!?” Maul was unable to even put a full sentence together. He had hundreds of questions regarding this girl and where she came from or what the hell her past was.

  Did she live with that Sea? Or in it, or around it? Bathing sounded excessive, if not straight-up impossible. Drinking it pure was... what? Living in freaking Australia for a dozen years alone wasn't even the most shocking part for someone like Maul.

  She also had an Emblem of her own, curiously hidden in one of the nicest garments from the East.

  Of course, Dreadus didn't reveal the demise of Reaz's uncle or every little thing about this mission. He even omitted part of those Creatures or a Hound sticking around them.

  “Are you interested in helping me out?” Dreadus asked shamelessly, knowing that was no longer an impossible scenario. He wasn't even begging in this regard. If this idea wouldn't work, looking somewhere else was still good.

  Maul glared at him, eyes sparking in new passion.

  “Fucking sand! Give me a break, man. That Sea is also important, Dreadus!”

  “She isn't part of the protocols, let alone this mission. I haven't reported her either, but some people definitely saw her. Either way...”

  “What?!” Maul was shocked because this was starting to sound like a wrong idea.

  Then he remembered who was before him and calmed down. “Oh, that is why you've come to me. I see. I see. You want my help and want something annoying. How usual.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Do you want to lick left foot or right foot?” Maul said importantly.

  “What?”

  “Don't call the moon a sun! This is as important?! She is Walker and did what with that big ass Sea?” Maul got so agitated that he got up and seized Dreadus's collar and twisted it up. He barely moved this man more than four times his weight, which was nothing important anyway.

  Maul was small and thin, resembling a scientist dedicated to very time-consuming crafts.

  “So?” Dreadus tested him further.

  “I am begging you, let me research this deeply and get her under some tighter protocols. This is one-of-a-kind chance! All private, of course. Nobody questions a Second Head!”

  “Apart from the First. Frankly, I am worried about him. He would ask for help any day, make a simple order and Assembly would let it happen. Snatching her from me... Again her wishes. I don't want that, but it seems inevitable since she is young yet... you see. Walkers don't act the best with this kind of stuff.”

  “Oh...” Maul frowned and looked at Celeste. “What is her back-story, really? And why are you like this? I am almost shocked.”

  “It is poor. Very hideous as well. I fear this is bigger than some camps or unfortunate little accidents or trials done out there.”

  “You want to take care of her? Is that why you've come to me?”

  “I am dumb. You are clever, yet you are also wrong. She took care of herself for her whole life. That alone might not change since that's what she is. Here, in this land, she has to know what she can do and where. How to do it? Well, I am not it. Others might know more.”

  “What a nice duo,” Reaz added, leaning on a close wall, and observed a very obvious fun happening between them.

  “Oh, miss Reaz is also here? Are you ruining or involving your greatness with this fool again?”

  “You just noticed? I had to. He can ruin even the most perfect evening with his nonsense.” Reaz twitched her eyes yet still answered his question.

  “Ah, yes. I see.” Maul shrugged and paid more attention to Dreadus. “I am down.”

  “Even without any Sea?”

  “Well, that will wait. First Head is already there, and I bet he won't take an easy road with it, as nothing creates space and freedom like his blasted mind. Also, this girl is more like a direct line of reference. It isn't even an experiment, or it might be a straight-up result. How many inputs and readings are there? How many protocols would it create? I need to see and test that girl!”

  “Whatever that is, Maul. I want safety and... be careful with them, alright? She is the odd one. Not used to people.”

  Maul chuckled and shook his head and patted Dreadus's shoulder. “I've seen worse kinds of people.” Frankly, as he glanced at her, he couldn't guess she wasn't even half as poor as Dreadus expressed.

  Anything might change any day.