Chapter 24: TOEC in Turmoil

With every zombie Ray put his sword through, he became more convinced there was no end to them. Not that he minded; each kill gave him a bitter sense of satisfaction, like he was finally avenging Lime Squad in some roundabout manner.

On the other hand, given he and his team were the only ones fighting, he couldn't shake the sense the duty was some kind of punishment.

It hadn't taken long for the Usurpation party to enter a vast network of tunnels beneath the mountains. To preserve their tools, they kept their digging to a minimum and instead wandered the caves by torchlight. Hidden in alcoves and leaping from around corners, the Inlands' vicious denizens had to be fended off every step of the way.

Esme stayed close to him, watching his back. She'd been allowed to keep the dark Water Core, but her control over it without water nearby hadn't improved much over the last few days. Generating an element from scratch couldn't have been easy, so she just relied on her sword.

Tara and Samuel covered the rear. The former may not have had a Genesis Core (her Ice Core had been sent with the Bonemeal Twins to Incursia), but she pulled her weight and then some. Not a single creature came anywhere near the Commandant or Red Squad, who stayed together and silently watched the four of them scramble to fight off the waves of monsters.

"Is it really punishment? Or part of the 'experience' he promised we would get on this mission? Maybe some mixture of the two…"

At least they weren't letting the rest they'd been granted go to waste. Ray kept his attacks brief and precise, never moving more than he had to when dispatching a foe. He'd brought a bundle of tall grass from the surface, with which he found particular satisfaction in snatching bows out of skeleton's hands at a distance whenever they appeared. They weren't much trouble to finish off afterwards. If nothing else, he'd improved his skill in slaying monsters.

Once the last zombie fell headless at his feet, he looked around to find the mobs had been repelled. Esme killed their final unwelcome visitor, one of the exploding plant-creatures endemic to the Inlands, with a single precise slash before it could detonate.

"Good job," Ray told her, "that would've been a problem if it got too close. Lime-3, Lime-4?"

"All clear in the back," reported Tara. "Lime-3 took a hit to the leg from a zombie."

"It's not too bad, I can keep going. Just a scratch," Samuel insisted.

Ray paused.

"Okay. Just let us know if you need to switch out, I can try to cover both our sides."

"Stretching yourself a bit thin there, aren't you?" the Commandant said. "Still, a change in formation to suit the team isn't a bad idea… Dame Esme, how close are we?"

"We have a ways to go, sir. Should we start digging again?"

Red looked at a branch in the path, leading away from where they were headed. After deliberating for a moment, he kept walking, this time taking the lead.

"No, we'll continue through the tunnel as far as we can before making a new one. Just keep your eyes peeled for anyone."

He didn't elaborate, but Ray couldn't ignore his phrasing at the end.

"Not 'anything?' Is he expecting somebody else to be down here? Someone other than the monsters…"

Fighting the urge to sigh, he put away his sword and followed along. Perhaps the darkness was just making him paranoid.

"…up! Everyone up!"

Maybe if Felix wished hard enough, the banging he heard on the neighboring room's door would just be his imagination, and it wouldn't happen to his.

A moment later, it happened to his.

"Felix! Wake up, please! We should get moving!"

He looked at the clock through bleary eyes and sighed. Celia naturally didn't want to waste any time before meeting with Andrew Beryl, but it couldn't have been more than a few minutes after dawn. Was she planning to wake him up too?

As Felix got out of bed, he fumbled through his inventory for the Genesis Core tracker. It still displayed three dark Cores, and the two unaccounted for hadn't appeared to go anywhere overnight. They were deep, but with any luck TOEC would be willing to aid in their recovery.

"Assuming Mr. Beryl's even awake when we ask…"

He kept his gaze away from the portrait on his way to the door. Felix didn't know any of the people depicted personally, but he knew of them- and looking at the youngest member of the family made his stomach twist up.

The others already gathered by the door, Blake and Varris with noticeable bags under their eyes and even more noticeable frowns. Celia, of course, neither picked up on them nor looked tired herself. She gave Felix a grin, which he felt compelled to return.

"Good morning! Now then, everyone please follow me- I can lead us to TOEC's headquarters."

"Don't you think it's a little too early for a meeting?" Blake yawned.

"Not while the threat of the Usurpation hangs over our heads. We need to secure the Company's position in the Inland Alliance as soon as possible."

Varris blinked.

"Is that really what all the cities are calling themselves?"

Celia's mouth hung open, and her cheeks reddened.

"Hm? Um… n-no, I thought of it. Just now, actually… is it not a good title?"

"Just do your two friends here a favor and don't think of any names for your own little team."

She stepped out without another word, leaving a dejected Celia behind. Blake, to both her and Felix's surprise, gave the Countess a pat on the shoulder.

"'Inland Alliance,' huh? I kinda like that. Maybe we should wait on pitching it to anyone else, though. At least until we actually have an alliance."

Celia's face brightened, and she gave him a grateful nod. Felix couldn't help but feel a little impressed by him; he wouldn't have dared acted so casually with someone of her status. One of the perks of growing up away from Luxmouth's environment, he supposed.

They followed Varris outside to find she hadn't gotten far. A squad of TOEC security guards had stopped in front of their suite, and though they hadn't drawn weapons against the witch they were all giving her wary stares.

But this was no mere dawn patrol. Someone else was with them: a girl roughly their age, in a dark suit like what Langdon had worn. The similarity ended there, however; he'd been loud and lively, while her tanned complexion was the only "sunny" thing about her. She wore a stoic, professional expression, and her short black ponytail reminded Felix a little too much of Tara.

He didn't know who she was, or why she'd come to meet them so early. Fortunately, someone else in the group did.

"Melissa!" Celia burst out. "It's been too long; I'm so glad to see you!"

She practically bounced on her heels, smiling from ear to ear as her acquaintance gave them a bow.

"Countess. I'm relieved you made it here safely, and I'm sorry I couldn't greet you all when you arrived. I'd hoped to stop by in a few hours, but I suppose everyone's an early riser today."

Celia's bubbly demeanor settled, and with a hasty clear of her throat she tried again.

"Y-yes, well, we did reach the gates after dark. I wouldn't have wanted to disturb your rest, at any rate. In these difficult times, rest can be hard to come by, and my companions and I were in need of it ourselves-"

Felix had no idea what she was talking about, or where her urgency to meet with Mr. Beryl from the night before had gone.

Melissa quirked a brow, taking note of Blake and Varris' tired faces.

"Seems you could've used a bit more time. Langdon tells me these are the people who escorted you all the way from Luxmouth, is that correct?"

"Not me. I have a different arrangement with them," Varris said. "Don't worry, I'll behave myself."

She bowed to them again.

"A pleasure to meet you all. I'm Melissa Beryl, and if the Countess trusts you then you're welcome here."

"You're related to the guy in charge of TOEC?" asked Blake. "Andrew Beryl?"

Melissa nodded, gesturing for them to follow her.

"He's my father. I've heard you're here to meet with him- in that case, please come with me."

The four of them did as asked, surrounded by her squad of guards as they made their way deeper into Tenebyss' lower sector. They passed mine carts loaded with chests of ores, coming and going on crisscrossing rail networks. The security presence was lighter this far down, and more workers gearing up for the day's excavation could be seen instead.

But that didn't mean the atmosphere was any cheerier. The miners kept their heads down, giving them a wide berth as they continued on. Felix didn't get the impression the hushed tones in which a few of them chatted were due to how early it was. Even stranger, for all the people holding mining equipment, none of them actually seemed to be entering the shafts.

Celia looked ready to blurt out questions, but she never said a word. She just followed behind Melissa with a nervous sort of smile, and… had Felix imagined the brief pink tinge in her cheeks?

"Miss Beryl seemed more professional about meeting us. Maybe she's embarrassed about being shown up? Then again, I don't think Lady Celia's faking her happiness- she can't change her approach on the fly like Emily."

Whatever levity she may have felt disappeared from her face when they passed the most decorative feature of lower Tenebyss: a circular fountain, laden with glowstone under the water. Five statues, carved out of smooth diorite, stood on a raised platform in the center. They were of people, posed as if resolutely overseeing Tenebyss. Felix felt his stomach twist again at the sight, and he averted his gaze, but Celia was unable to look away from it.

"There was a painting in my room back at the suite," Blake remarked. "Are those the same people?"

Varris hummed.

"Mine as well. Were they your company's founders?"

Melissa paused, and the rest of the group with her. For the first time her stoic demeanor faltered. Felix's heart sank as she began to explain.

"They were House Damascus, the noble family which led Tenebyss. This memorial to them was first built a little over thirty years ago, after the war ended."

Blake looked puzzled.

"War? There was another war around here?"

"I can tell you more about it later," said Celia, who'd kept her head bowed to pay her respects. "We should be going. But…"

She pointed at one statue which looked less weathered than the others, positioned a bit off-center as if added to the monument well after the fact. It was of the young girl from the painting- though depicted as an adult, she was still carved with her bright smile.

"…that lady was named Minerva Damascus- and later, Minerva Lumis. She was the Duchess of Luxmouth… my mother."

Celia's voice wavered, and she clammed up. This time, Blake clearly had more questions- but, like the Countess had beforehand, he stayed quiet.

The Duchess was fondly remembered in Luxmouth for her kindness and steady hand in helping Duke Xavier lead the city. But unlike the first Legendary Heroes, few tales of heroism and victory were told about the pair. Their story had been too recent, the pain of loss still tangible among older citizens of not just Luxmouth or Tenebyss, but of every city in the region.

Felix was too young to remember the end of House Damascus, but Emily wasn't. She never told him any stories about them, and he never asked. Any discussion on the family would inevitably end with the plague which claimed Duchess Minerva's life, when Celia was barely over a year old.

The same plague which left Felix and Emily orphaned.

Blake regretted not learning more about Luxmouth's history during his time there. He was enough of an outsider already; now he felt entirely clueless. There was so much he wanted to ask, so much he wanted to say… but the looks on Celia's face told a story all its own. The last time he'd seen her desperately fighting back tears, it was after Felix had been captured. Speaking of whom, he wasn't looking much happier. Pushing the topic for either of them right then would only bring back painful memories of some unknown disaster, he just knew it.

Curiously, Varris had a distant, unfocused stare into the middle distance as they continued onward, like she'd just recalled something after a long time. But Blake still wasn't sure he wanted to ask her if she knew anything.

"Celia said she'd tell me more, but… if she's not ready, I won't make her."

His desire to know the truth didn't gnaw at him so much that he'd tear open old wounds for it.

The group eventually reached a tall building in the deepest part of the sector, all stone like the rest of the city but with green stained-glass windows and a pair of black banners by the entrance, sporting the familiar emerald crescent moon. What stood out most about the place was the lack of security; unlike just about everywhere else, there were no personnel stationed outside. A simple wooden sign above the iron doors identified their destination: 'Tenebyss Ore Excavation Company – Head Offices.'

"Come inside, please," Melissa said, before turning to the guards. "And thank you all, we can handle ourselves from here."

Their escort dispersed at last, and they filed in behind her. Finally Blake saw something other than endless grays: deep blue carpeting, gentle redstone lighting fixtures, even a few scenic paintings in the lobby. A few yawning men and women were seated at desks, rifling through chests of papers and scrawling notes in books. They may have worked important jobs to keep TOEC running smoothly, but he couldn't say he envied their positions.

"Good morning, Miss Beryl."

One man stood to greet them as they passed his desk- but that was the most notable thing about him to Blake. He wore the same black suit as his coworkers, and his middling complexion and unremarkable facial features didn't leave much of an impression- the sort of person one could easily lose in a crowd.

"Hello, Benedict. I trust Langdon informed you we'd be coming?"

He pulled a sheet from a neat stack of papers. The handwriting was illegible to Blake, but he appeared to have no trouble reading it.

"That's correct. He left quite the enthusiastic report about that overnight. So, the Countess is really here after all… if I may say, I'm very glad to see our friends haven't forsaken us in these… difficult times."

"Unity is of the upmost importance, now more than ever," Celia replied, smiling. "We're here to speak with Mr. Beryl to that end."

"I see. So be it, I'll see you in. My name is Benedict, for the record- I'm the Head of Security. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

Benedict led them up a flight of stairs and down a short hall, knocking on a door at the end.

"Mr. Beryl! Countess Celia Lumis is here to see you."

"Enter," someone replied, barely audible.

"…a brief warning," Benedict whispered to them, "he is distracted as of late by more personal matters. I do not know how receptive he may be."

Blake thought that would have been good to know before arriving. He saw Celia's face fall, and Melissa had gone very quiet- what hadn't she told them earlier?

They were ushered into a small office which clearly hadn't been organized in some time. Books and papers were haphazardly crammed into the shelves, or strewn in corners of the room under thin layers of dust. Blake felt his chest tighten; the office looked like a microcosm of his village. And seated at the desk in the back was a man in a disheveled gray suit who resonated a similar hopelessness. Melissa had said her father was the head of TOEC, and the resemblance was certainly there- Andrew's skin and hair were just a bit darker than hers, and he had the same deep brown eyes. But he made none of the effort to appear well put-together like his daughter had, slumped over a few sheets of paper with his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry you have to see me like this," he muttered, almost struggling to lift his gaze to Celia. "It's an honor to have you here…"

"Are you well? We've not heard from Tenebyss since shortly after the invasion began… has something happened?"

Andrew sighed and brushed the papers he'd been looking at off the desk, still not getting up.

"These new enemies of ours… these 'Usurpers,' they've made it here. They've abducted my wife and son. And I don't know what to do…"

Blake, Felix, and Celia (who also made a sharp gasp) turned to Melissa in unison. She'd lost her poised nature, now looking weary and sad as she stared at the floor.

"How? When? Have any demands come in?" Celia asked, though she hadn't turned back to him.

It wasn't Andrew who replied, but Benedict, stepping to the side of the desk and putting a hand on his boss' shoulder.

"Mrs. Daphne and Mr. Galen Beryl went missing approximately two weeks ago, in the middle of the night. Extensive searches throughout Tenebyss have turned up nothing, but we believe the kidnappers are keeping them somewhere within the city, or perhaps the mines below. I've had all our security forces on high alert ever since, in case they tried to come back for the rest of the family."

"I guess that explains the lockdown," Blake said, "but how do you know it was the Usurpation?"

The briefest flicker of something crossed Benedict's face, which returned to its impassive mask so quickly nobody else appeared to have noticed. Though Blake couldn't explain what exactly he'd just seen, it had certainly gotten his attention. Benedict backed away from Andrew, standing in a corner of the office and idly sorting books on the shelf.

"We received a letter from the kidnappers not long afterwards. Oddly enough, the Usurpation didn't demand a ransom- only a restriction on TOEC's mining efforts. They warned us we wouldn't see Mr. Beryl's family again if we delved below a certain level."

"Hold on. A letter from them? You could read it?"

Blake frowned, while Benedict, Varris, and both Beryls looked at him like he'd grown another head. Felix and Celia were giving him odd looks of their own.

"Yes…? It wouldn't be much of a warning if we couldn't have understood, I imagine," Benedict replied, a bit tersely. "The Usurpation is likely using the restricted mining areas to search for those orbs of power we've heard of… perhaps, if we were to find them, we could negotiate for the hostages' safety?"

"I can't stand complying with those monsters," Andrew groaned. "To think they're acting right beneath our feet…"

He finally got out of the chair, pacing around his desk.

"It's the Ender Forge all over again! I wanted TOEC to help the people of Tenebyss recover after the war- how can I say we've succeeded if more villains have taken their place?"

The name alone caused a deep unease to settle in the office- even Varris looked disturbed. Blake hadn't heard of the Ender Forge, but it must have been important- and infamous. He'd have to ask more about it later, but in the meantime…

"We've come seeking your aid," Celia explained, "but perhaps we can help you first. My companions and I have some experience dealing with the Usurpation, and we know there is at least one Genesis Core somewhere beneath the city. We can find it for you."

Andrew, Melissa, and Benedict's eyes all widened, and a chill ran down Blake's neck. They weren't on any secret mission or whatnot, yet he couldn't shake the feeling Celia had just given away something important. The hunch was almost literal a moment later: she took the Core tracker from Felix and showed it to them with an excited explanation of how it worked.

"This… is intriguing…" Benedict murmured. He paused, then looked at Varris. "You really do have one of them?"

Whether the witch shared Blake's suspicion or not, she took a step back from their hosts defensively.

"It's part of my arrangement with them. They'll get it once they escort me back to my swamp."

"Until then, she's sticking with us," Blake said, before things could get any tenser between the two.

Benedict appeared to collect himself, straightening his tie and clearing his throat. His face took on a neutral affect again, but there was something different in his eyes- something firmer.

"I understand… Countess, would you allow me to hold onto this device for now? I will mobilize a secret team to find the Genesis Core beneath the city, before the Usurpation can take it first."

Andrew rubbed his chin.

"It would be a good bargaining chip, but what if they find your men? The safety of my family is on the line…"

"Are you sure it wouldn't be better for us to look ourselves?" Celia added.

Benedict, for the first time Blake had seen, gave everyone in the room a confident smile.

"I can have a search party ready before noon, and the members will be those who know the caves like the backs of their hands. If anyone can avoid encountering the Usurpation, it'll be them. Besides, I could never ask you to do our dirty work, Countess. You and your companions should remain in the city, where you'll be safe- I dare say you've done enough for TOEC already, what with clearing out the monsters and giving us such valuable information."

Celia appeared to be at a loss for words, but she maintained an awkward half-smile. Blake noticed Felix, who hadn't said a word the entire time, wore a more distinct frown but stayed quiet.

"Duke Xavier is a good man, but I'm sure he'd have my head if anything happened to you under my watch," Andrew chuckled. He, at least, looked genuinely relieved. "I can't thank you all enough for your help, and I promise TOEC will do everything in its power to assist the war effort once my family is safe-"

"Until then, I ask that you all make yourselves comfortable and let us handle this," Benedict cut in. "I will begin preparing the search party now- if you'll excuse me, I should be going."

He walked out, tracker in hand, without another word to anyone. Andrew sat at his desk again and rifled through more of the innumerable papers.

"Very eager, he is… I suppose I should get back to work as well, but you all deserve some more time to unwind after your journey here. Melissa, could you please walk them back to the suite?"

As the five of them left the building, Blake gave Felix a tap on the shoulder.

"Can I see your notebook for a second?"

Though the request yielded a puzzled stare, Felix handed it over regardless. He opened it to a random page, on which was drawn the schematic for some redstone device Blake couldn't understand in the slightest. But that wasn't what he was interested in, instead he scribbled a tiny message with the quill in a corner of the page, buried amidst the rest of the notes. The two of them trailed behind the others, so what Blake had written was their secret- for the time being, at any rate.

When Felix took back the book and read the message, his eyes narrowed and he gave Blake a short nod, nary a word passing between them.

'Call me crazy,' he'd written, 'but I think Benedict's hiding something from us.'

To his surprise, Felix flipped to another page with a set of numbers jotted in the corner. He gestured ahead, in the direction of their temporary lodging, then pointed straight down. Blake returned the nod- they would have to find the Genesis Core themselves, and they had the rough coordinates of where to look.

"We won't be able to sneak out without Celia noticing, and I doubt Varris will be willing to cover for us. That means we'll have to tell them both…"

He wasn't looking forward to that conversation, but they couldn't wait until nightfall to begin their search. Blake may not have known the full scope of what was going on in Tenebyss, but he had at least some idea of how the Usurpation Army operated. And just about everything Benedict- who sounded so sure of himself- had said about the unseen kidnappers struck him as a lie.