Chapter 16: Gateway

“So… what about your nose? Can you pump Topaz blood there too? And have enhanced olfactory senses?” Akechi asks, inspecting the far part of the shed.

“Yes, Akechi,” I reply monotonously.

It appears that now that he knows I mean them no harm and I’m not an emotionless robot, he finds the Topaz in my chest intriguing. Mika-El, on the other hand, couldn’t be more disgusted. He feels that my very existence is desecrating the will of Topaz. 

Makes sense, he is the High Priest of the Topaz worshippers. 

Mika is currently searching the front of the shed for anything that might be useful to us. 

So far, we’ve found concentrated gaseous Topaz-Blight in a bottle, experimental culture dishes, and hazmat masks. The first and the last should be the most useful if we need them. Hehu was most likely replicating the affliction so that they could determine its origin and a cure. What they ended up yielding was this hellish vapor. 

I steadily hold up the bottle to my face, its bisque coloring mimics that of chlorine gas. Breaking this glass container would unleash a vapor infecting a multitude of enhanced individuals at once, approximately fifty if I had to guesstimate. Too bad we only have one of these. 

Beggars can’t be choosers, I suppose. 

Akechi is now returning after scouring the estate for a paper bag, one which he has now filled with tissue and cotton to act as a cushion for the TB bomb. I carefully place the jar in the bag, watching its edges. Akechi ties the sack several times over with a rubber band he found to prevent spillage. 

I snag three masks before heading to the truck. After this much investigating, if there was anything else useful in this shed, we would have already found it.

“C’mon Mika, there’s nothing else here, we should go before the cavalry arrives.” I motion to him that we’re leaving.

“You shouldn’t be alive, you devil,” he sneers.

“Ouch, Mika. That’s a bit harsh. At least give me the chance to prove I’m not some unemotional monstrosity. It’s not like I chose to be this way,” I argue.

“I should have known before when you immobilized my escorts at the ball,” he ignores my case and places his head in his hands before taking off ahead of me to the car.

“Yes, well, in your defense, most people don’t assume that someone with Topaz at her core would be making a show of engaging the High Priest of the ShArc Republic,” I say as I crawl into the back seats.

It somehow feels fifty degrees colder now that Phoenix can’t accompany me in the rear of this vehicle. 

I take two pain medications as I solemnly buckle my seatbelt and Akechi shifts the car into drive. 

From here, it should take us about a day to cross horizontally over the country to reach the Royal Palace. 

Probably a little more than a day, seeing as Mika-El is in no position to switch out with Akechi given his injuries. 

The blows he took from Hehu were far from weak, so I’m currently having to share my pain pills with him as he groans over every hitch in the road. 

I tried tending to his wounds early on, but I was only met with “Don’t touch me, devil” and “You’ll do more harm than good.” 

I wouldn’t mind this if I didn’t need him to heal for the upcoming crusade with the queen. After me, Mika-El is the strongest fighter. 

One would think his atrocious behavior would have its limits when it comes to self-preservation.

“You should be able to defeat the queen easily then,” Akechi interrupts my thoughts with his proddings. 

His disheveled thoughts must have led him to the conclusion that would most efficiently put a crown on his head, regardless of the impracticalities.

“I’m not a god, Akechi. I can’t trek through an army of Northuns and expect to make it out alive just because I have multiple enhancements,” I clarify.

Akechi scoffs as if my statement was awfully unsatisfying to him. 

I wish it was that easy, too, you know. 

The icy rain has stopped completely now as the road clears, paving our way to the capital. This should decrease our travel time a bit. 

The calm before the storm, I think. 

Night falls after several hours and Akechi’s eyes begin to droop; we’ll veer off the road at this point so I pat him on the shoulder, telling him to pull over. He rejects my suggestion, forcing himself to make it to the next town where we can refill on fuel. 

We’re going to be sleeping in the truck in this abandoned makeshift parking lot but I’ll be damned if I don’t have the facilities for basic hygiene. 

I hop out of the car, making a mental note to get more bandages for me and Mika with the Northern currency Akechi haggled for. I stride into the nearest convenience store, scanning the shelves for what I need. 

I put back on the itchy robe of the Topaz worshippers, so that I don’t get interrogated on more than my Southern accent. 

Plus, having people assume that I’m a priest comes with its perks, they don’t mind gossiping around me because they think I either don’t care or can’t judge in good conscience. One couple, in particular, catches my ear when I’m grabbing Akechi’s strawberry cake. 

I have him on a strict diet so he can build muscle for archery, but I’ll let him cheat a little bit.

“-hear? Her Majesty has practically quarantined off the palace!” one gossips.

“Really? There must be some type of infection going around. Maybe we should stay out of populated areas for a while,” the other suggests.

Damn, I didn’t expect us to be able to waltz into the Royal Palace but I didn’t think the queen would go this far to keep us out. I mean at this point, why not just put bounties on our heads?

 The duo move some aisles away to continue their conversation, so I discreetly pump gemmed blood to my ears to resume listening in.

“-is! The palace is filled to the brim with soldiers who were on the front lines pushing back the Southies. Don’t look at me like that, it’s true! I know so because my sister-in-law went! I don’t think they’re allowed to send letters out because we haven’t received any from her but when she left, she said she didn’t know anything about anything,” the one prattles.

Assembling a battalion for three people, Your Majesty? I’d be flattered if we weren’t already on our last leg.

“It probably has something to do with the Topaz shortages. Damned Southy spies, thieving our mine,” the other flares. 

That tall tale doesn’t even sound believable, but some subjects will believe anything that leaves the mouths of their sovereign.

I think I’ve heard enough so I go pay for our things and return to the truck to report to my partners. They’re both sleeping like the dead so maybe tomorrow. I curl up in the back, fiddling with Phoenix’s whistle until I fall asleep.

The next morning, I disclose all I’ve learned as we encroach on the capital. I’ve also noticed that Mika has been slowly but surely warming back up to me after learning my true nature. 

It’s not as close as to what he was before, but it’s better than being called “devil” this and “heretic” that left and right. 

When we eventually reach our destination in the afternoon, the road up to the Royal Palace is empty, not a soul in sight. 

Yeah, this is most definitely a trap. 

Akechi’s driving slows; he’s come to the same conclusion. 

Whatever, there’s nothing we can do about it now. 

We roll on as soldiers ‘unexpectedly’ hop over ledges and drop from windows to surround the truck. We surrender, arms up as we exit the vehicle. 

I could have recognized the woman who walked out of the crowd of troops even if they hadn’t parted and bowed to her. 

The Northern Queen. 

She is just as expressionless as Mika-El explained and Hehu’s portrait depicted. She went through the trouble of amassing all these soldiers just to show her face like this?

“Come,” she waves, “we have much to discuss.”

“It is a pleasure to greet you, Your Majesty,” I bow then elbow Mika in the side to do the same. 

I don’t understand her game plan but I won’t risk us being disrespectful. Those two have probably never bowed to anyone before in their lives, considering their positions. 

Mika is hesitant, but he must understand our crisis, stooping as low as he is with his wounds. 

Akechi, the forgotten prince, however, feels he is too dignified to bow to the enemy sovereign. His pride will get us killed if this queen isn’t merciful.

The queen ignores our gesture and starts to walk off; it seems she is. 

We follow her through her horde of protectors gawking at us. It almost reminds me of being around Southern nobility. 

There’s nothing I hate more than being the center of attention; at the end of this, will I just get a house that every introvert dreams of? This mission was a little more than advertised, so I hope the reward will be too. I wouldn’t have accepted if I knew then what I do now. 

The Northern Royal Palace is isolated and surrounded by high walls on every side. I suppose it needs to be if the queen who dwells here oversees the country’s mine; she can’t have the less-privileged breaking in to endanger her rule. The subjects of the South already hate the king on the throne and are now rallying behind his children, biding time until he croaks. Me included.

“Forgive me, Your Holiness; I require a private council with your polite companion here,” the queen requests. 

No, not requests. 

She wasn’t asking. 

She will speak with me privately regardless of what those two want. 

Her knights usher them away before another word can be spoken. My communicator rings a familiar tone, indicating that Boss has messaged me. I’ll have to check it later.

“What business could Your Majesty have with a humble worshipper like me?” I speak my mind, following her up some flights of stairs and into her private chambers. 

She double-checks the hallway before locking the door.

So the paranoia part is true.

If my bedroom is the size of Akechi’s bathroom then Akechi’s bedroom is the size of Her Majesty’s bathroom. The chamber is so large I nearly thought it was a small audience hall. The floor is aged hardwood, every step is accompanied by a creak or moan. The windows are boarded, allowing few rays of light to seep through behind the curtains. Her Majesty’s bed has a full view of the room and all its possible entrances, so that she may spectate as her enemies dance into her palm, puppeteered by the threads of their egos. The comforter, like the windows, is thick to keep out the Northern frosts or to preserve what little warmth lies within. The oak nightstand crested with a spider lily outline doubtlessly houses an armament meant for quelling assassination attempts. As I spin, the silver alloy frame supporting an abstract painting comes into view next to the entrance. 

Blobs and stray lines, how conceptual.

My eyes dart back to the queen, who is now pouring us tea; I make sure not to turn my sight away as she pours both our cups. 

Despite being literal royalty, one would think this sovereign is a doll taking her beauty and noble air into account. 

The ceramic on the cups’ lips is so thin, I fear that sipping too harshly would leave them cracked. The porcelain is either freshly painted or rarely used, I can observe the quality of each brushstroke used to create its silver veined design. Each branch highlights the prominence of its successors. The alluring leafy scent rising from the cup adds a steamy element of predictability to the refreshment.

“There’s no need for the front. I know you have a heart of Topaz,” she begins, scooting my saucer towards me as I sit before her. My fingers had enclosed around the teacup’s handle but I do not lift it.

She’s bluffing. Put on a poker face, don’t let her confirm that she’s right. How could she know? 

Where could her spies be planted? In the Topaz worshippers? In the truck?

“Stop your panicking. And call me Seema, we are birds of a feather. The brain running this body is one of Topaz.”

No amount of deadpanning could stop my jaw from dropping. 

Impossible, the queen of the North, a heretic? 

No, not just a heretic. The heretic. Sentient Topaz, a machine given human form. 

Her face remains blank for she cannot empathize.

“I have a proposal. Let’s form an alliance. I destroyed the mines with my power because I have no wish for others like myself to arise. The proposal with the High Priest was a ploy to throw those who suspected me off my trail. I ceased the destruction of the Southern mine after finding out you existed when you killed the soldiers I sent into the WarLands for the very purpose of drawing out my kind. Only an individual with a mind or a heart of Topaz could have dispatched military-trained cyborgs, with different enhancements at that, alone. You, who have lived your entire life with Topaz keeping you alive, are not like me. This changed my mind. Despite being able to determine someone’s enhancement at a glance and hijack it with a touch, I feel incomplete. But what is a head without a heart? Together, we could rule, bend this world that scorns us at the knee. We needn’t depend on anyone, ask anyone for anything. Enhancements be damned. Join me and our domain will know no bounds,” Seema spills the entirety of her grand design.