Chapter 26 Finding The Known

Chapter 26 Finding The Known
Jorren’s walk in the frigid night air was long, but the cold wasn’t his problem. The wellbeing of his sister was. He shoved his hands into his pocket, one hand feeling for the envelope with the letter and the twelve copper coins.

When he arrived at the lower tier five, the streets were silent. He knew he could make it through the gates, but he would have to become one with the irregularity of the Seals. He didn’t know if he was powerful enough to do that, but the love for his sister drove him on. 

He hid behind a wall close to the gate and crouched. As he reached for his inner core the reality of the dark night disappeared, leaving behind a silver grey skeletal version of the world around him.

He looked at the gate that seemed supposedly closed. Behind them was a three man seal, their yellow gold essence glaring and sharp. His tactical intelligence told him that moving in there was suicide, but he was determined to go anyway.

He monitored the time of the shift. It was a thirty second shift, as opposed to that of the chamber. He considered that as very small time window, but believed he could stretch the time like he always did.

With the information he needed, he waited for the thirty second window, the silver grey reality disappearing to nothingness and letting in the reality of the dark night. 

Then Jorren moved. He knew that making it through the thirty second window meant moving first before the time. His heart trembled slightly, but he didn’t care. If he was going to cut ties with his old life, he’d better do it the right way. He walked fast without looking back, as the thirty second window closed in.

Three… two… one… 

He was close to the gate, reaching out his hand and pushing his darkness against it. The gate didn’t hesitate. He heard a small click, and he slipped inside, making use of the first dark corner he found. 

He waited, his eyes scanning the clean streets. There was nothing out of the ordinary. His tactical vision revealed a few guards and guild evaluators further away from him. He didn’t need to find them. He either needed to find the guard that helped send letters to his sister, or her sister.

He walked towards one of the biggest buildings, using the darkness that the lights on buildings didn’r quite reach as his advantage. When he got to the end of the road, he was about to make a turn when a hand touched his shoulders.

He froze. He had been so driven by the need to ensure that his sister was okay that he ignored his tactical intelligence. He didn’t notice that he was followed all these while. He didn’t turn, and he didn’t flinch. As soon as the hand touched him, he recognized the essence instantly. The Codex pressing against his ribs trembled slightly. 

Davan Rell.

Jorren turned, a scowl taking over his face. Davan gave him a once-over before glancing around. Jorren understood. Davan can’t hae himself being seen mingling with a zero tier. He could afford to do it outside the provinces of tier five, but not within. 

“What are you doing here?” Jorren rasped.

Davan didn’t blink. His face didn’t change. “I should be asking you that. How you managed to get past the seals.”

Jorren looked past Davan’s shoulders at the gate. The guards were still there, waiting for their next thirty seconds window, before his gaze came back to Davan. 

“If you’d let me, I have something more important to take care of than getting myself pissed at you.” Jorren tried to walk past when Davan stopped him.

“Is this about your sister?” Davan asked.

Jorren frowned. Davan was not supposed to know about her, but he does. Which meant only one thing. Jorren hoped he was wrong.

“I look into everyone I deal with,” Davan said, feeling a little proud. “When I looked into you a day after you cracked the stone, I was surprised to find out that your sister was housed in my tier. It was a little surprise for me. Her trial is in the next two years, I believe.”

Jorren didn’t reply. He glared.

“The Keeper would be so mad when he realized that you openly disregarded his instruction and snuck into tier five. And I believe you don’t know the gravity of what you have done. Because I don’t know what to make of you yet, I’d let you leave today without a scratch.”

“And if I refuse?”

A guard came out through one of the buildings. Davan moved in a split second, pulling Jorren with him. They staggered through well trimmed shrubs and into a garden. Jorren pushed Davan away and stood up with a grunt.

Davan stood up later, his pristine cloth stained by the dirt. 

“Good grief,” he spat, his gaze travelling from his stained robes to Jorren. “If you won’t leave, then you can decide to find your sister, if the wicked guardian who has been secretly using the coin you send her to track you doesn’t find you first.”

“Why should I believe you?”

“You don’t,” Davan frowned. “What you choose to do now is up to you.”

Jorren thought hard. Sneaking into tier five was already a grave sin. He wasn’t scared of getting caught. He was scared of the implication that might follow. He was still a shadow. If he’s found the system would finally realized that he has been the variable all along, and the math of the system will stop at nothing until he is removed.

He closed his eyes and after a moment, decided to obey his tactical inteligence. 

“How do I get out?”

“Follow me,” Davan said and walked off. 

Jorren hesitated, before following him. 

Davan didn’t go through the gate. He headed into the woods walking a long moment before stopping at the mouth of a cave.

“Here,” he pointed. “That would lead you back to the lower tiers. You can find your way from there.”