Chapter 7: The Gospel in Transit

  A week had passed since the incident in the woods and the Phantom Thief’s disappearance.

  Ruan had settled into a rhythm — streets, guild, inn — but the unease never left. I sat at a cluttered table in the back room of the Bracer Guild, surrounded by maps, notes, and artifacts we’d gathered.

  Agate leaned over a map of Ruan, tracing streets as if memorizing every detail. “We’ve tracked every abnormal movement, every reported sighting, every suspicious parcel,” he said. “Nothing outside what we expected… except for that one anomaly near the northern docks.”

  Cassius stood nearby, arms crossed. “When combined with earlier intelligence, patterns emerge. The Society of Orobours doesn’t act randomly. Every disappearance, shipment, and attack is calculated — strategic — and escalating.”

  My eyes drifted to a parcel that had largely been ignored since the beginning of the week.

  Dust-covered and frayed at the corners, it had seemed insignificant at first glance. Curiosity gnawed at me, and I carefully pulled it closer. Inside, wrapped in layers of cloth, lay an object unlike anything I had seen — smooth and metallic in parts, etched with strange symbols, and humming faintly, almost as if aware of my touch.

  “The Gospel,” Cassius said quietly, leaning over my shoulder. “An artifact from Liberal’s ancient civilization. Its properties are largely a mystery, but its potential is immense.”

  I traced the carvings, feeling a subtle pulse as if the symbols were alive, and a shiver ran through me. “Why would the Society be interested in something like this?” I muttered, more to myself than anyone else.

  Agate’s sharp eyes followed mine. “And we just had it sitting in storage?” he asked. Cassius shook his head, voice firm. “It was waiting for the right eyes. Someone capable of understanding even a fraction of its significance. Jack, study it carefully — the Society would kill to possess it. The Gospel may reveal more about them than any report ever could.”

  I carefully rewrapped the artifact, my mind racing with possibilities. This week of investigation was just the beginning. The Society had secrets, and now, so did I. If we didn’t uncover them first, the consequences could be catastrophic.

  The quiet of the Bracer Guild was broken by the sharp, familiar voice of Jean over the orbal phone. “Yes… understood, Professor Russell,” he said, scribbling quickly on a notepad.

  I leaned in, curious, as her words carried clearly across the room.

  “There’s a new request,” he continued, his tone professional but tinged with excitement. “Professor Russell himself is requesting four bracers — Agate, Jack, Kloe, and Estelle — to bring him the Gospel.

  He wants to examine it and investigate the purpose of this artifact.”

  I froze slightly, my fingers brushing the edge of the table where the Gospel rested, still carefully wrapped. Agate’s brow lifted, and even Cassius, standing nearby, looked momentarily intrigued.

  Cassius frowned slightly, voice low but curious. “Why does Russell want to investigate the Gospel?”

  Jean added, “He said it’s urgent, and he trusts only these four. Prepare to depart immediately — Professor Russell wants answers as soon as possible.”

  A thrill ran through me. This was the first time the Gospel would leave our hands, and the first time its secrets would truly begin to reveal themselves. At the same time, a familiar weight settled in my chest — the Society of Ouroboros would undoubtedly notice this move, and I couldn’t help but wonder what obstacles awaited us on the way.

  The roads to Ziess stretched ahead, long and winding, the industrial skyline slowly growing larger with every step. The four of us moved with quiet efficiency, keeping our pace steady while maintaining awareness of our surroundings. Every so often, I glanced over my shoulder, half-expecting a shadow, a flicker, any sign that trouble was near.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  It didn’t take long for my instincts to be proven correct. A sudden clatter from the treeline to our left made us freeze. Orbal light glinted off weapons in the underbrush. Figures emerged — four well-trained fighters, moving with precision and intent.

  Agate stepped forward, fists clenched.

  “Looks like we’ve got company,” he muttered.

  Before we could react further, one of them lunged, daggers flashing. Estelle drew her Orbal sword in a smooth motion, parrying the attack and countering with a precise strike. Kloe moved with agility, dodging and striking with her own weapon, keeping the attackers off balance.

  I gripped the Gospel tightly with one hand while drawing my short sword with the other, instincts taking over. The first strike came fast — a blur of metal aimed at my side. I twisted, narrowly avoiding the blow, then countered with a slash of my own, forcing my opponent back.

  The fight escalated quickly. Agate moved like a storm, fists and feet striking with lethal precision, while Estelle and Kloe combined their attacks, creating openings in the attackers’ formation. Despite their skill, the fighters were careful, calculated — almost as if testing us.

  A flash of movement caught my eye — a dagger aimed at Kloe. I lunged, intercepting the strike with my sword. Sparks flew as steel clashed against steel. Pain shot up my arm, but I ignored it. I couldn’t let anything happen to her, or to the others.

  Finally, a coordinated strike from Agate and Estelle forced the attackers to retreat, vanishing into the trees as quickly as they had appeared. Silence fell again, broken only by heavy breathing and the distant hum of orbal engines.

  I lowered my sword slowly, muscles still tense. “They don’t make mistakes,” I muttered under my breath, glancing at the treeline.

  Agate shook his head, frowning. “Why would they attack? They didn’t even try to speak… it’s like they wanted to test us.” His eyes swept over the group, sharp and wary.

  “Something isn’t right. Stay alert — whoever they were, they knew exactly what they were doing.”

  Kloe sheathed her weapon, eyes sharp. “We need to move faster. Ziess isn’t far, but this… this is going to get worse.”

  We resumed our journey, faster now, muscles tense, senses sharpened. Every shadow and flicker of movement felt like a threat, but we had no choice. The Gospel had to reach Professor Russell — and we couldn’t afford another interception.

  As Ziess came into view, the city’s technological grandeur struck us all. Its skyline rose like a jagged circuit board, massive orbal towers and gleaming metal structures contrasting sharply with the cobbled streets of Ruan.

  Even from a distance, the hum of machinery and glint of Orbal-powered lights made other regions look primitive by comparison.

  Estelle’s eyes widened. “I knew Ziess was advanced… but this is insane.”

  Kloe nodded, voice calm but impressed. “Everything here runs on precision. You can feel the energy… it’s everywhere.”

  Agate’s expression was unreadable, though his jaw was tight. “Stay sharp. Even with all this technology, it doesn’t mean we’re safe. People don’t get to the top of Ziess by being careless.”

  I adjusted my grip on the Gospel, its faint pulse echoing the thrum of the city. “This place… it feels alive. And not in a friendly way.”

  Cassius’s voice came to me through the comm, calm and precise. “Ziess is powerful, Jack. Its industry, its inventions… the Society will be watching closely. Remember, the Gospel is valuable to more than just Professor Russell. Keep your wits about you.”

  We navigated through the bustling streets and the maze of mechanical structures, the Central Factory finally coming into full view. Massive gates loomed ahead, Orbal symbols etched into the steel, glowing softly. This was where we would deliver the Gospel, and where the next phase of our mission — and its dangers — would truly begin.

  The pain was still throbbing, but I have to hide that. We’ve got enough on our plates as it is. One of those men struck my rib, god, this hurts. I silently grit my teeth.

  As we approached the massive gates of the Central Factory, a small figure darted between the shadows of the towering structures. She moved with surprising speed and confidence, despite her size — no more than eleven years old. Her dark eyes sparkled with curiosity as she paused, taking in the four bracers and the oddly pulsating parcel in my hands.

  “Whoa! You’re the ones bringing the Gospel?” she asked, voice a mix of excitement and awe. “I’ve heard stories about it, but… it’s real?”

  Estelle knelt slightly to meet her gaze. “And you are?”

  The girl grinned widely. “Tita! I work here — well, sort of. I help out where I can. And… I get to see all the cool machines up close! But I’ve never seen anything like this.” She tilted her head at the wrapped parcel, eyes shining.

  “Are you sure you’re allowed to handle it?”

  Kloe exchanged a glance with Agate. “She seems… confident for someone so young.”

  “I’ve been here a while,” Tita said, puffing out her small chest, “and I know how to be careful. Don’t worry, I won’t touch it unless you say so!” Her energy was infectious, and despite the tension lingering from our encounter on the road, I found myself smiling faintly.

  “Alright,” I said carefully, “we’ll need to get this to the Professor inside. Stay close, but no funny business.”

  Tita’s eyes gleamed. “Got it! I’ll show you the quickest way in — follow me!”

  Her nimble movements led us through a series of corridors and catwalks, weaving past towering machinery and glowing orbal conduits. The factory seemed alive, humming with energy, and Tita navigated it as though she belonged to its very heartbeat. Yet, beneath her playful chatter and boundless curiosity, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to this girl than met the eye. But I just can't prove it yet.