A dense fog blurred my vision. I rubbed my numb face. Tried to push away the uncomfortable sensation. My stomach twisted. The sour taste in my mouth made everything worse. My head throbbed. Overwhelming hunger.
"I need to eat." I rested my hands on the seat. Fought the growing nausea.
"Hang on a little longer," Kiara replied firmly.
I rested my head against the seat. Exhaustion overcame me.
Time dissolved into a spiral.
Kiara's muffled voice woke me. "Put the mask on. Akiko? Ah, never mind." Decisive, careful movements. She adjusted the mask over my face. Pulled me by the arm until I was out of the car. "I know you need to eat, but you have to help me."
"A-all right." I gathered all my remaining strength and planted my feet on the ground. Still unsteady, I took a deep breath. "All right. Let's go."
Kiara stayed beside me. Walked at a pace I could follow.
A dark place. Desolate. A parking lot. The unstable glow of a single, lonely aerolamp. Shadows danced.
I strained my eyes. Focused on a convenience store across the way. Wind hissed. Metal creaked. A constant hum from invisible machines.
Was this Netheria?
Behind the counter, a bronze-chromed android leaned over a holoscreen. His joints creaked faintly. He adjusted a loose metal plate on his neck.
Shelves at the back. Snacks. Drinks. Food. Nanoelectrodevices.
He raised his head and blinked. Broke into an exaggerated smile. "My favorite customer!" A high-pitched voice. Far too shrill. His eyes gleamed. Shifted between green and gold. "Come in!"
"Cut it out, man. You say that to everyone. How's it going, Berg?"
"Oh, y'know. Same as always." He winked at Kiara, as though trying to impress her. Glanced at me. "Who's this? New mercenary?"
Kiara nodded.
"Cute. Always good to have fresh meat on the market. These brutes who show up here are a pain." He gestured theatrically. "The other day, some lunatic demanded to be let in. I said, 'Access denied, darling. Wanna get in? Show your pass.'"
He paused dramatically. "Did he have a pass? Of course not! And what did he do?" Berg leaned over the counter. "Pointed that disgusting flamethrower at me. What did I do? Called Mafu to handle it." His manic laughter echoed through the room.
Kiara smiled. Relaxed. "Who are you without Mafu, huh?" she teased. "All right. We'll eat before going in. This human needs some sustenance. Give her your best dish. As for me…" She displayed a holopass. "I want whatever's newest."
"As you wish."
I sat at one of the nearby tables. Traces of burnt oil. A concrete floor radiating a palpable cold. The rhythmic noise of machines behind the counter. Mingling with my own thoughts. They raced faster than I wanted.
Kiara joined me and folded her arms. Calm expression. Deep gaze. "I'll wait until you finish eating. I have to explain a few things." Her voice carried weight.
Made me wonder what was coming. I rested my head on the table. Still recovering my strength. Trying to steady the surroundings as they spun. I lifted my head with difficulty. "How am I going to eat wearing this mask?" My voice came out weak, somewhat curious and frustrated.
"On the left. There's a button. Press it…" She pointed, and I followed the instruction.
The front slid smoothly aside, leaving room for my mouth. At that very moment, Berg appeared with a heaped plate. Golden breaded fish, crispy fries, seasoned beans, and steaming sauce. The irresistible smell made me eat eagerly. Every bite, relief for my empty stomach.
"Been keeping this poor creature captive? How cruel," Berg commented. Biting humor. He turned his attention to a holoscreen. It projected a catalog of weapons. Accessories. Armaments. "These just arrived." He tapped the hologram enthusiastically.
A gun materialized before us. So realistic that, for a second, I thought it was physically there.
Kiara picked it up naturally and turned it. Examined it from several angles.
Berg adjusted a loose gear in his arm. "Unlike your CA-12, this beauty's South Korean. Straight from the workshop. There are three of them. Its nanotechnology increases accuracy. Guides your hand straight to the target. I call it the Flesh-Ripper."
"Wasn't the Flesh-Ripper that Hatsan 12 shotgun?" Kiara raised an eyebrow, suspicious.
Berg stopped laughing. "That gun does so much damage! The room where they tested it ended up covered in flesh. Organs. Blood everywhere. I'm talking about a room…"
"…of sixty square meters. Yeah, you've told me." She rolled her eyes. "Show me a sniper rifle."
He tapped again. The gun in Kiara's hand disappeared, replaced by another. Completely black. Elegant. Lethal.
The android looked through the scope. The weapon lit up. Detailed holograms. Displays highlighted its accuracy.
"This beauty's called I'll Devour You. A shot traveling at two kilometers per second. A range of 3,000.5 meters. The deadliest weapon on the market. Guess what?" His eyes gleamed during the dramatic pause. "Straight from Russia. Trix brought it in. She knows her stuff."
"Whew… ♪" Kiara whistled softly. Impressed. "All right. I want it. My CA-12 still does the job, but that SVCAK-17Z was destroyed on my last mission." A trace of regret in her tone.
"Excellent." Berg smiled mischievously. "Trix did say you'd like it."
The sale excited him, but his words brought an intriguingly surprised expression to Kiara's face.
Berg continued, "And our darling here? Keeping that mediocre revolver?"
"Yes. It's enough," Kiara answered before I could open my mouth.
I nodded, pretending to agree, but my attention was divided between the almost empty plate and the discomfort of that conversation.
"Well, you know best." Berg shrugged and returned to the counter. Heavy footsteps.
Kiara turned to me. Watched me closely. "Better?"
"Yes. Delicious. Thank you." I pressed the button, and the mask closed.
"Good." She smiled. Subtly. "Now, the first thing you need to know: everything forbidden in Zenith is allowed in Netheria. But the disorder's organized. The Matriarch governs the right side: Vermina. The Patriarch governs the left: Solterra. Together, they control Netheria."
She paused, making sure I was following. "Tentro's neutral ground, where killing's forbidden." She leaned over the table. Her gaze serious. "You'll see people with contracts out on them, but we don't need to worry about that. Nobody can hunt anybody there. It's safe territory."
Safe. I absorbed the weight of the words. Every syllable, a warning.
"We'll talk to the Matriarch or the Patriarch. Find out how to terminate your contract. I wanted to avoid this, but here we are. I need you to hold yourself together. Much more than in Nobody's Land." Her gray eyes sought mine. Grave. Penetrating. "If there's the slightest suspicion, if they figure out who you are, things could get ugly."
I nodded, but a knot tightened in my chest. Had I really understood everything?
"I thought we might have to come here. That's why I told Takashi we'd move at our own pace." She smiled, reassuring me. "He said everyone's safe there."
Relief swept through me. Knowing they were all right eased some of the tension suffocating me. "Did they finish the scan?" The words escaped without thought. A reflex of anxiety.
"Hey, hey. First, let's focus on your situation." She gestured. Patience and firmness. "If everything goes well, we'll see them soon. Now—"
The air around us changed. Cold. Freezing. Invaded the space. More than temperature. A warning.
A shiver passed through me. Every hair standing on end signaled imminent danger.
Shadows moved. Something dropped from the roof. Landed lightly. Walked toward us.
I strained my eyes. Tried to see better.
Tall. A long black coat. A hood concealing his face. Dark trousers. Military boots. The sound echoed on the concrete. A citrus fragrance perfumed the air.
"Well, well." A husky voice. Hypnotizing. He laughed. A sinister laugh. Stepped out of the half-light. Lowered his hood slightly.
My eyes widened.
"Kikky ♪, going around spilling our secrets?"
"Secrets everybody knows?" Kiara replied, uninterested. Defiant.
He smiled, relaxed. Charm playing on his lips. "You're right." His eyes met mine. Fierce. Inquisitive. Half his hair, dark brown. Half, white. Disheveled waves, trimmed at the back, framed striking features.
But his aura… it petrified me. Something in his presence paralyzed me completely. Familiar as it was, all I could feel was pure fear. Instinctive.
They were so alike. Those amber eyes… just like hers.
Maia's brother.
"You." His voice hissed. Intense as a verdict. "Finally, we meet… you have no idea how long I've waited for this moment, Akiko."
Saymon • Inactive Aurum mercenary • 28 cycles
I wanted to step back, but my legs locked. My body ignored the signals from my brain. I was a statue beneath those golden eyes.
"Did you visit Nobody's Land?" Kiara folded her arms.
"Of course. You know how it works. The Matriarch always wants to make sure a Level 1 contract gets fulfilled." He stepped closer. His gaze fixed on me, though his words were addressed to Kiara. "Let's get straight to the point. Did Maia leave you anything? Specifically… a watch and a compass?"
My mind raced. I avoided moving my hands at all costs. The objects tucked in my pocket. I felt I needed to keep them hidden.
Kiara shook her head. Calm as always.
Saymon closed his eyes and tilted his head back. Sighed. Almost theatrically. "All right." He opened his eyes. Fixed on me. Full of something indecipherable. "Akiko, Akiko… ♪"
"Get to the point, pal." Kiara cut in impatiently.
"Hey, easy." He raised his hands. His smirk returned. "I wanna have a little chat with our friend. After all, I really wanted to meet the person who won my dear lil' sister's heart."
I felt the words lock in my throat. "I-I—"
He interrupted me. A simple gesture of his hand. "Listen." His enigmatic smile widened. Perfect teeth. Except something icy lingered behind that affable expression, just like Maia's. That coldness in the eyes. Only in him… it was much worse. More brutal.
I gripped the edge of the table. Cold sweat ran down my temple.
"What if we help each other, hmm?" His amber eyes shone. Pure malice. "No one will know about her. In exchange… you help me find something very important."
Kiara rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"
Saymon slipped a hand inside his coat. Took out a Joker card. Its designs lit up in neon magenta. He handed it to Kiara. "Help finding what this key opens. When you find it… I'll come to you."
His piercing eyes returned to me. "And as for you… what I enjoy most about the hunt is watching the prey get cornered." A predatory tone. Lips curled. A haughty grin. His amber eyes gleamed.
One last look. He turned and disappeared into the darkness. Left the echo of his footsteps and the weight of his presence behind.
I swallowed hard. My heart racing. Processed what had just happened. He was almost identical to her. The overwhelming presence. That gaze… I could barely breathe. Much less follow their conversation. A shiver ran through me.
A shrill cry brought me back. Berg was returning. Carrying the weapon Kiara had chosen. "Girl, I froze back there. What a man, huh?" He seemed torn between admiration and trepidation. "That Saymon gives me chills. Still, I'd give anything to see what he can do. If you know what I mean. The things I've heard…"
"Spare us, please." Kiara grimaced in displeasure.
Hmm? Had he really meant that? I was intrigued. "It's new to me that androids can feel desire… toward humans."
Berg let out a sharp laugh. "Oh, darling. Then you still have a lot to learn about us." A provocative tone. Mysterious.
It left me shy.
"Anyway, here's your gun. Now, excuse me. Back to my business. You're cleared to enter."
"Cheers." Kiara waved casually.
The android returned to the counter.
She turned to me. "Knew he'd come, but I was hoping it'd be later. Saymon's known as The One Who Sees All. Works for the Matriarch and the Patriarch. And he also knows…" Kiara waved dismissively. "Nah. For now, we don't need to worry about him."
Easy to say. Serenity escaped me. Those amber eyes. The coldness concealing something much fiercer… seeing how alike they were left me dazed.
"What is this card?" I pointed to the Joker.
"It's a key." Kiara examined it. "According to my readings, it has an Aether Network government algorithm. The contents' data is missing, but I know where to start looking. We can deal with it later."
She raised her arms as though stretching.
"We?" I raised an eyebrow, apprehensive.
"Absolutely. I'm gonna take advantage of you a little. The place is in Zenith, after all." Kiara chuckled. Put the gun in the car. "But let's take it easy for now. We've got things to do. Ready?"
"As ready as I can be?" I forced a smile. Tried to hide my nervousness.
"Oh, relax. Netheria's more than what Zenith tells you. You'll like it."
We headed to the back of the establishment. The atmosphere changed. My muscles tensed.
RRRR I heard a low growl.
SKRRR-GHRAAARR It turned ferocious. Echoed through the empty space.
A single flickering light. Darkness swallowed the surroundings.
I wanted to turn back. Kiara held my arm.
A monstrous lion emerged from the shadows. His legs, mechanical nanoprosthetics. Wires ran across his body. A sinister tangle. He sniffed us from head to toe. His gaze assessed our every movement.
I held my breath, motionless.
The creature turned. Disappeared into the black again.
"That's Mafu. Just wanted to say hi." Kiara kept walking, relaxed.
"A-ah… right… friendly way to say hello, huh?" My heart was still beating frantically.
Aerolamps illuminated the path every hundred meters. Cast wavering shadows that danced.
I felt uneasy. But Kiara's presence was an anchor. Brought some sense of safety.
The events in Nobody's Land still tightened my heart. So many questions piled up. I knew I needed to wait for the right moment. They would be answered.
And him… her brother. Saymon's image still lingered like a shadow. Everything was too intense to deal with those emotions now. I needed to keep going.
São Paulo's aerohighways reigned above us. We descended toward an entrance. Meters beneath Centrália's main highway. Between two buildings with glowing neon signs, a nanoportal emerged. Radiated an almost palpable energy.
A chill ran down my spine.
Netheria.
It was a complete taboo for zenithians. No one even considered crossing those boundaries. Yet everyone knew. In silence. If Zenith remained intact, it was because Netheria existed.
I fought the reluctance making me hesitate. Raised my chin with determination.
"We're here." Kiara smirked. Spread her arms as though presenting a spectacle. "Welcome to Netheria."