by Dusks, Rydre
It seemed if Sylvain wasn't being used by Crane, he was being used by Era or Dentrin.
Well, I’ll get it over with today, Sylvain thought, and not in a fashion that either of the men will enjoy. With a deep breath, as deep as his thin lungs would allow anyway, he walked back around the corner just as Dentrin finished with his greeting to the president. Era's eyes met Sylvain's first, and the young creation sensed the lust for power within them. Era may have been entirely machine, but he still had readable cravings.
"Ah, there you are, Sylvain," Dentrin greeted in his usual cheery voice. Sylvain only returned the look with a scowl. Behind those eyes was not a lust for power--just a lust. Dentrin would never be happy with anything that he brought to life. He was a sick and twisted man who viewed every individual in GreyCross as a subject of study--even himself.
"President Era would like--" Dentrin started, but cut himself off as Era raised a hand to silence him, his X'd eyes flicking to the scientist for just a moment.
"Dr. Dentrin, please, if you would allow me," he spoke. His voice was neat and even... calm and steady just like his posture. Every action he took was premeditated and completely self-aware. Sylvain could commend him for his astounding technological programming, but that was the only thing he would commend him for. "Sylvain is my property now. You are simply his caregiver."
Sylvain's blood boiled at that statement, but he kept silent.
Dentrin only nodded his head and stepped to the side. Those distinctive eyes moved back to Sylvain, and Era placed a hand on the other's shoulder, turning him from the scientist and walking down the hallway with him, his two bodyguards just a couple of steps behind.
"I have another assignment for you," said Era, his words precise and authoritative.
"That is great, President, but I've already accepted an assignment from someone else," Sylvain countered. His voice was lined with a healthy mix of respect and defiance.
Era slowed his walk. "I'm sure the two wouldn't conflict. Besides," he turned to face Sylvain, leaving a perfect hand on the creation's shoulder, "what could be more important than winning a war against the unfaithful?"
Sylvain raised one red eyebrow in question. "Unfaithful, sir?"
"Indeed, little Sylvain. The reason I'm fighting against Ifearor is because they don't believe a machine is good enough to run a country. They may be allies to machines, but they speak blasphemies against us. They believe humans are still above them."
Era's usage of the word "blasphemies" only proved to me that the president himself thought he could be acknowledged as a sacred immortal.
"Humans built machines to begin with, sir," Sylvain reminded. "I see a little truth to your statement, but I believe both machines and humans can be equal. At least... the supreme machines like yourself. When a Masterpiece of Lenta or an SM of Va'lent start to make human errors, that is when they are truly equal to their creators. And you, Lozhen Era, have made a lot of human errors."
Era's face was fixed. Neither I nor Sylvain could quite interpret the expression Era held, but it was certainly not a happy one. I felt a bit of respect for Sylvain's confidence. Not everyone could speak their minds toward the world's most controlling and possibly dangerous Super Machine. Era's next words were careful and low.
"Sylvain..." He tightened his grip on the creation's shoulder. His fingers hurt. "Humans will always make more errors than machines. That's why machines were created--to correct humanity's mistakes. We machines are perfect. It is only after humans get in the way that we become disruptive or faulty.
"But then there is you." He fixated those bizarre eyes on Sylvain's. "As a synthetic creation yourself... what, other than another pawn, are you to humans?"
Sylvain brushed Era's hand off and took one step away from him. "To both humans and machines, President, I am a god. A concept that even you can't fully understand, because you were once made by man yourself."
Era's jaw set hard.
"Now... I hate to inform you of this, but I'm afraid the other assignment I have been given is rather more important than your fight over who is bigger and better. I have a world to purge." Sylvain turned away from Era without waiting for an answer and headed for a turn in the hallway.
Era wouldn't have it. He moved forward quickly and seized Sylvain by the back of the neck.
A snap of pain had shot up into Sylvain's skull, and I felt the same. I gasped into the tube, jerking at my restraints, and it was then that mine and Sylvain's minds were truly connected. He became aware of me.
"Do you not remember the discussion we had some time ago, Sylvain? You are my property now," Era announced.
Crow, Sylvain thought with surprise.
I couldn't formulate a response for him. I wanted to project my thoughts, but my mind was a jumbled mess.
I will find you, Crow. Let me first deal with this machine.
Sylvain whipped one hand back and grabbed a hold of Era's wrist. In a commanding tone, Sylvain's next words pierced the atmosphere with force. "You will unhand me immediately, President. Failure to comply will result in you losing function of your right hand. I suggest you listen to me."
Era's bodyguards started forward ominously, but the president shot them a look. He didn't let go. Sylvain was just too physically weak when faced with the strength of a self-aware robot. Era picked him up by the neck with ease.
I warned you! Sylvain thought before sinking his nails into Era's fake flesh. Out of the corner of my vision I watched in stunned awe as Era's skin hardened and cracked like dry earth. A bolt of breakage shot straight up his wrist and arm as his inner gears whined and ground together, sounding like they were being tortured. Era dropped Sylvain and pulled his arm back swiftly with a shout that sounded all too human, his eyes widening in surprise. As Sylvain turned to look at the robot, the president only seemed alarmed for a moment before turning livid. Pieces of his skin flaked and dropped from his hand and arm, revealing a glossy white endoskeleton. He clutched his hand to his chest and took a couple of steps back from the god.
"You are a lesser being to man," Era spat. "Disobeying me will result in serious punishment."
His bodyguards headed for Sylvain, who recovered quickly. His neck throbbed, but he was otherwise fine. He straightened. "Do you think any lesser being to man can do what I just did? You aren't a man, Lozhen. You are nothing but a bratty child trapped in a tin can!"
Bracing himself against the flooring, something changed underneath him. Sylvain reached down and slapped his hand to the floor in front of the approaching bodyguards. As they stepped close, the ground crumbled with rot. The first man shouted as he fell halfway through the rafters of the Zone below.
“Dammit!” Era shouted, and he started forward, only to balk a moment before stepping on the same rotted surface. Sylvain straightened and turned around, rushing down the hallway.
Are you in Saydea, Crow? Sylvain questioned.
I don't know, was my first thought. I was unable to see much now through Sylvain's eyes. The hallway he'd headed down was dark and eerie. Are you going to be okay?
I will be fine. Era will try to come after me, but he won’t win. Crow, I can feel your presence. Crane must have brought you back with him while I was busy with other things.
Where are Tienny and Rook? I asked.
Sylvain frowned in confusion, refraining from answering.
Where is Crane?
He turned a corner. He is not here, Crow. He left for Ifearor--said that you'd left Stelliot behind.
That damned liar, I thought bitterly. Crane didn't want to use me for anything. And if he did, I wasn't his first priority after all. He'd planned to sedate or seal me so he could nab my son without me chasing after him.
He is keeping all of us at arm's length from his plan, thought Sylvain. Where is Stelliot right now?
Like hell I'm telling you.
Right... My apologies.
There was a short span of time without contact. Then Sylvain communicated again. You are in Zone Six. I c
annot access that floor without a key card.
Can't you just change the door to open freely for you? I wondered in confusion.
I could, but I shouldn't waste my strength. I spent a lot of it to try and get away from Era’s men. Besides, there is no guarantee that I would be able to get you out of whatever you're confined in anyway. I must fetch someone who can open the door for me.
Be careful, will you?
I didn't receive an answer. Locking my teeth together, I tried concentrating on removing whatever seal was on my containment using only my divine strength, but was just too frayed at the ends to focus enough. My abilities took confidence, and I'd only just scraped at the surface. Right now was just not the time.
What felt like centuries later the mask on my face was pulled off by someone, and although the light in the room was dim, I squinted and blinked. Slowly sitting up, I shivered and looked around. I was in a man-sized containment chamber inside a small room. I hadn't been able to see or hear anything from the heavy seal of the chamber's hatch. The room itself was covered in monitors and large machines that appeared to be off. To my surprise it wasn't Sylvain I sat up and saw, but Va'th.
He hadn't changed much over the course of four years. His ice blue hair was a little longer in the front, and I thought I noticed some extra piercings in his ears. I grabbed a firm but shaky hold onto his heavy leather jacket and gasped for air.
"Now now, Hightower, this is no time to get sentimental," Va'th greeted with a sharp-toothed smile.
I bit my lip and hoisted myself out of the tank with Va'th's help. "I would h-hit you," I breathed with some effort.
He threw something thick and heavy over my shoulders. It felt like a wool blanket, but I was too busy rubbing my eyes to see.
"You would if you could, I'm sure."
"What are you d-doing here? D-Did Sylvain--?" I started, pulling the blanket tight around my shoulders as I shivered violently, suddenly viciously cold. Whatever technique Saydea's sanitation chamber used, it had caused an intense chill to settle within me.
"Sylvain sent me down to come get you, yeah. I had a key card, and he didn't. Anyway, I'm here because I caught on to everything that was going on after speaking to Tragedy. He told me what you were up to."
I looked at him with worry. "Did h-he say anyth-thing about S-Stelliot?"
Va'th shook his head. "Was he supposed to?"
"You know about C-Crane, right?"
Va'th stood and retrieved my fake leg from a counter across from us. He crouched and had me extend my thigh to fix it into place. "Oh, I know loads about that little freak of nature." He pushed it to my knee, the inner latches clicking to the hooks, and gave the leg a firm jerk to make sure it was sturdy. "I've been hiding away here for some time now. I watched him murder five scientists after they tried to do an examination on him. All he had to do was just stare right at their faces or reach out and touch them after they pissed him off, and they all dropped like flies." He shuddered before standing back up to grab my clothes off the same counter. "I may not have believed in gods before, but oh man... That little freak sure proved me wrong."
Va'th handed me the clothing, and I dressed in the new outfit. When he handed me my coat I realized it wasn't my old one, but brand new with a fresh, shiny gold Strejc insignia on the arm. My personal items were resting on a white towel on the table, and it looked as though they had been sanitized.
"Those coats can sure take a beating and still hold, can't they? Sad I had to put mine away for now."
"How did you get this?" I had to ask as I shrugged the tailcoat on. I'd thought the Strejca were nearly wiped out.
"That, Hightower, is a surprise. Let's first work on the matters at hand here."
"I have to kill him, Va'th," I said, now comfortably warm in my new coat. "Crane. He wants to kill Stelliot."
"Everybody wants to kill everybody," Va'th commented with a half shrug and wave of his hands, leading me toward the exit. "I mean, not to shrug off your kiddo, of course. But Era wants to kill Ifearians and Strejca, Dentrin wants to kill the Strejca, Sylvain wants to kill Dentrin and Crane, Crane wants to kill you and Stelliot... and anyone else in the way... Did I miss one?" He sighed as he swiped his key card through a slot next to the door and unlocked it. "Should we start with the biggest threat first?"
"We can't," I replied as we stepped into the barren hallway. Saydea would always feel cold and empty. "Crane's on his way to Ifearor. In fact he's probably there by now. I don't know how long I've been left here." I hoped with all my might that the Daliq'ehete would be able to keep Stelliot safe.
"So we find a way to coax him back." Va'th stopped walking, and so I did too, looking at his face. "There are a lot of things that piss the little runt off. You, for one. Then there's whenever Sylvain makes a mistake. But Sylvain is on our side. If we can convince Sylvain to do something that Crane hates, I'm sure the little bastard will be on his way back here in no time."
I tried to think hard on what could really upset Crane besides myself. Perhaps revealing to Crane that Sylvain planned to kill him? Knowing the relationship that the two of them shared, though, made me think that it may be impossible.
I looked at Va'th again as we continued our walk, unsure of our destination.
"I take it Crane stuck me in there," I uttered, thinking back to that awful tank.
Va'th shook his head. "Not Crane. Dentrin." He glanced at me for a moment. "Crane brought you in. I got word that you were sick with something. So Dentrin stuck you in that tank. Only reason I didn't get you out sooner was because he said it'd strip the ill effects from your system and help you heal. Dentrin's good with cures, you know. It's what he's famous for."
It was for my benefit? I wondered in surprise. "You knew I was in there?"
He nodded his time. "I waited until Sylvain gave me the word to open it because that was the only way I'd know you were safe to take out."
I looked him up and down, taking in his street jacket and ripped jeans. It looked a little odd to see him without a studded hunting coat on. "So how have you managed to stay inside Saydea for so long and win everyone's trust?"
Va'th smirked and opened his jacket, showing me a tag pinned to his printed t-shirt.
Va'th Kaliqaiah
Distributor
We stopped by an elevator as I looked back up at his face. "A distributor of what?"
He didn't lose that crooked grin. "Information." He pressed his palm to the elevator button. The doors opened to show the cart waiting for us. We walked inside before the doors closed. "I sweet-talked Mr. Bigwig himself into letting me stay here if I gave him info on the Strejca, you, or any of the gods." He hit a top floor number and the elevator lifted. "Of course, tainted info is the best kind of info here."
I looked around cautiously for cameras.
"Don't worry," Va'th said as he saw my look. "I know where every security camera and speaker is in this place. I've had a while to investigate."
"So you're feeding Dentrin false information? And then you're turning around and telling the Daliq'ehete exactly what's going on?"
Va'th chuckled and stuffed his hands in his pockets, lifting his chest a little and leaning back on one leg to look proud and justified. "Saydea's gonna be in deep shit with the gods. Why don't we pay Dentrin a visit and let him know you're all better?" He winked at me, and for a moment I didn't understand it.
Then it hit me. Yes... Dentrin was corrupt, and it was time to at least knock down one peg in all this scheming. I couldn't stop the president, and right now Crane was out of reach, but Dentrin was the closest, and probably the easiest to stop. This just felt right. It felt like I was meant to do this, and that there was nothing in my way this time.
I couldn't help a small grin of my own. "Oh, but Va'th, the nice doctor compensated me for my troubles. He gave me ten thousand jels some time ago."
Va'th chuckled. "Well now you can ask him for his office and position, too."
The elevator slowed before reaching the top, and
the doors opened to show a couple of scientists. They paused when they saw us, eyes mostly lingering on me, and stepped back and let the doors close again.
I raised an eyebrow in question. Perhaps it was my coat, or the fact that I'd subconsciously pulled out my Jux and held it firmly in my right hand. This had even surprised me. Va'th only snorted in amusement when the elevator lifted again.
"I have a feeling, Va'th, that you have more of a plan about what's going to happen soon than I do," I uttered as the doors finally opened to the office floor of Saydea. Normally this was only accessed by officials, but Va'th had his key card, which he used on a pair of hallway doors after stepping out of the lift. I followed him.
"I have a bit of one. I was told to wait on acting until you regained consciousness, because the gods need you. And the Strejca, too." He reached for a radio on his belt, but then moved his hand behind it and pressed down on a button on a smaller device. "All ready to go, Insidd. Hightower's back in action."
I stopped in the hallway, watching Va'th in shock.
He let go of the device and adjusted a tiny clear earpiece, smiling. "You didn't think you were the only one leading a revolution here, did you?"
"I thought Insidd was incapacitated," I argued.
Va'th's eyes glinted with amusement. "Don't say that to his face."
“How did he get out of the Tower?”
“The gods, actually. Velzae slipped him out recently. The details are still a secret to the rest of us, though. Insidd won’t share.”
We stopped outside the head office of Saydea, which used to be Draago Black's room. I faintly heard Dentrin's voice inside, probably on the phone with someone.
"Shouldn't he have some security guards out here?" I whispered.
Va'th took out his own hunting gun. It had a longer barrel than my Jux, and the model's bullets didn't explode on impact, but they were sure to cause some damage anyway.
"Sylvain told me he was going to persuade them to go elsewhere for now. Looks like he succeeded," he answered, also in a hushed voice. He looked at the door for a moment, then looked back at me. "Are you ready?"