Chapter 80 - Suspicion

After eventually convincing Eem to clear her ether reserves and after hiding Vivi’s skill in spatial storage, the group joined Aang’s Union in line for collection day.

The daylight gems were in full bloom, lighting the hub and all its desperate beggars. More and more nimrods with slash marks pleaded passersby for ether. Vivi even saw a con artist approach Bwern’s men. The spindly woman was laughed at before the muscular men kicked her down, wishing her good luck surviving a whipping.

Are there more guards than usual? Vivi thought. Looking around herself, she couldn’t look around herself without seeing a guard and a runesword. She even spotted Grenall, standing near the perimeters with his bored guardsman’s expression.

“The air does feel more tense,” Lucius said. “The nimrods always attack during collection day. It’s better to die in one clean swipe from a runesword compared to an endless whipping. But your perceptiveness has also improved. You feel the area much more clearly now. You have an easier time sensing the guards around you.”

Lucius was right. Zand’s outer walls felt a lot smaller than usual. Vivi could hear and feel movements around her without looking in the direction. Where she did look, she saw details a lot more clearly. All of her senses were sharper even without active ether in her body.

The central fountain had been rebuilt, and the broken paths had been repaired. A construction team had arrived in Zand and completed the job in two days. Vivi heard from Ven that a lone nimrod had tried stealing equipment from the workers. The nimrod was caught in the act, after which he attempted to take a construction worker hostage. The guards weren’t impressed, killing the nimrod in an instant.

Collection day was ongoing directly ahead. All ten Stewards stood on their platforms. Vivi was twenty or so nimrods behind in line. She was positioned between two of Aang’s officials—Worhard and a tall man named Winto. Union members often moved together in the hub, but as everyone was assigned their own Steward, the group dispersed across the ten lines. Most nimrods around Vivi were strangers.

“We’re lucky that both of us are assigned to the same Steward, aren’t we?” Vivi said while rubbing Eem’s foot. The fiend smiled.

Nimrods around her frowned. People were uncomfortable if not outright hateful around Vivi and Eem. Her bounty was still active, and a lot of nimrods saw her as a mindless killer.

Vivi had gained some respect in the Union. Most members agreed that the rumors were false. If anything, members were jealous that Vivi was a part of Aang’s officials. New rumors had started about Vivi’s secret abilities, as Union members wondered why Ven and Aang kept Vivi in such an important position. Members believed her to be anything from a secret skill user to an evil witch.

Outside of the Union, however, Vivi’s reputation was still trash. Bwern’s men especially hated her, glaring at her every chance they got.

Bwern’s men weren’t anything special. She could have defeated the muscle heads with just Lucius’s claws. But as Vivi was in debt and not allowed to use ether within the hub, fighting Bwern’s gang without her powers or runeswords could end badly. As a result, Vivi was always accompanied by Aang’s stronger officials, who could protect her if Bwern’s men or any other desperate nimrods attacked her in the open. So far, Vivi had escaped conflicts with just intense glares and insults.

The lines moved. Nimrods paid their share, but of course, the first nimrods were entering the whipping platforms. Vivi spotted two red-skinned demons being escorted to be whipped. She recognized their faces. They were from Lars’s group, the same demons that joined Zand alongside Vivi. Lars was nowhere to be seen.

The first whip hit. Immediately, the yells and screams of pain began. Vivi closed her ears, taking a deep breath. We’ll defeat the main boss, and we’ll stop Zand from operating… Today is not the day to help.

Standing in line felt like an eternity. Vivi usually liked to come early. On her second collection day, she’d arrived amongst the first nimrods to pay her share. She had paid her share and exited the hub before the whippings could start.

Today, she’d come just in time to listen to the screams of dying nimrods while waiting in line.

Finally, Vivi’s turn came. Eem on her shoulders, she entered the platform and walked up to Uundref.

The bony Stewards grinned, seeing her. “Ah, welcome, dear human. You’ve arrived this time.”

Vivi didn’t respond. She placed her hand on the etherprint scanner, then offered Uundref two of Zand’s ether orbs, both worth a hundred. “One to pay my share, and the other is Eem’s.”

Uundref stared at the scanner. He didn’t accept payment. “13359 ether in the negatives. You’ve earned over a thousand ether.”

“Aang is slowly working me out of debt,” Vivi said. “I have just over ten months to live. The debts need to be cleared by then.”

A hint of concerned curiosity was visible in Uundref’s eyes. “And why would one of the most influential nimrods be interested in paying you out of debt?”

“You’re free to investigate,” Vivi said. “With respect, I am not going to discuss private matters on the platforms for all passing nimrods to hear. Just know, there’s more to life than the price of ether on one’s soul.”

Uundref studied her expression. Then he smiled, accepting the two orbs. “You are a smart one indeed. The fiend needs to be scanned as well.”

Eem offered her hand to the scanner, and she was cleared. Vivi stepped off of the platforms. She joined up with Winto, waiting while Worhard paid his share to Uundref.

“Uundref looked suspicious,” Lucius said. “He believes something is off.”

Aang said a thousand ether is explainable, Vivi thought. He must have some sort of plan to prove my worth. For a gang leader, fifteen thousand ether over ten months is a lot, but it’s still easily achievable.

Worhard stretched and yawned as he joined the group. “Looks like everything is normal today. Ven wanted you back in Aang’s hub, right?”

“Yes,” Vivi said. “The canteen.”

“More mysterious human business, then,” Worhard said with his hands stretched behind his head. “Let’s go.”

Vivi thanked him and followed him into the dungeon. Wordhard was a good man, always eager to help Vivi despite barely knowing anything about her. Ven had probably said something to convince Worhard that Vivi was someone important. Ven was always pulling the strings within the Union, turning oddities into obvious facts or sometimes the other way around.

Entering Aang’s hub, Worhard led them straight to the canteen. The tables were slowly filling as Union members made it home from collection day to eat their meals. More root slop. Some dark brown hard bread was being served in addition.

“Want to eat with us today?” Worhard asked. He always liked to probe Vivi for information.

“Sorry, today’s busy,” Vivi said. “Enjoy your meal.”

She knocked on the staff only door. After five seconds, the door opened from the inside. Ven let Vivi enter.

The private dining area was crowded. Feni and Lydi were eating their slop and bread. Lydi grimaced as she bit into the bread’s hard shell. Feni dipped hers into water to make it softer. Aang leaned against the wall with a disgruntled expression. Henry was there too, staring at a piece of parchment filled with numbers.

The members welcomed Vivi and Eem with nods and quick hellos. Vivi grabbed a bowl of slop and started eating. After a few weeks of eating Gaven’s cooking, the weird flavors were beginning to taste normal. Or at least edible.

A few minutes later, the last members arrived. Alisa stretched with her hands up and yawned. Behind her, Rohan walked in with his head low.

Ven smiled. “You came, Rohan. Have you recovered?”

“Yeah…” Rohan said. He looked at Vivi. “Sorry about that. My body sometimes requires rest after intense battles. It’s, uh, a curse was cast on me. Knighthood has its flaws, you see. I’m good now.”

Vivi nodded. That was obviously a lie. Rohan didn’t want her to see him weak. “You fought well,” Vivi said. “Let’s continue practicing tomorrow.”

“We shall,” Rohan said. “I hope you haven’t been slacking.”

“That might be difficult,” Ven said. “Our schedule is about to lose all sense.”

Alisa filled her bowl and ate while leaning against the wall. “Did something happen?”

Ven glanced at Aang. The leader breathed in, then said, “Do you want to finish eating, or do we start now?”

“Let’s not waste time,” Lydi said. “Tell us what we need to know.”

“There is good and bad news,” Aang said. “Ven and Grenall have worked extensively to put together the most insane plan the Hollows have attempted to date. The Hollows are going to kidnap Uundref and Wheryn, and we’re going to clear the main boss.”

Vivi glanced to her left. Gaven and his son were cleaning dishes, listening in. Vivi knew they were Hollows, but she hadn’t thought the two would be trustworthy enough to tell the plan to.

“The plan has progressed fast,” Aang continued. “Most of the important details, which we will soon discuss, have been figured out. The plan is ready to be executed.”

Alisa raised her eyebrows. “What? You mean, it’s completely done? We’re ready to attack the main boss?”

Aang nodded. “Typically, I like to let plans of this scale brew in your heads for at least a month before execution to let you prepare better. Time allows for ideas and improvements to come up in your heads. This time, however…” Aang frowned. “We’re executing the plan tomorrow.”

Lyd coughed, nearly spilling her slop. Lucius flinched within Vivi’s core, then grinned. Rohan raised his head, appearing surprised.

“What do you mean tomorrow?” Alisa asked. “We’re clearing the freaking main dungeon tomorrow?”

Aang leaned against the wall, not looking too enthusiastic. “I am not happy about it. But it seems tomorrow will be our last chance.”

Ven shared the gloomy look. “The guards found the hole in the wall.”