Nova, barely conscious, came to, trying to remember what had happened to him a few minutes ago. He tried to get up but couldn't move an inch. When he looked down, handcuffs were clamped around his wrists and ankles.
"What the—"
Just then, a sharp sting of smelling salts jolted Nova out of his drowsiness. He winced at the acrid stench, turning away as far as humanly possible.
"Sorry, but I need you awake." A shadowy figure loomed over Nova, holding the salt capsule in hand, their appearance concealed by a thick black hooded cloak with hints of heavy gear underneath.
"Who are you?" he asked, irritated.
"That's of no concern to you," the figure stated flatly.
Nova ignored the figure; for now, he had to find a way out of his restraints. He glanced to his right and saw Oblivi bound in the same fashion, her head down in bitter exhaustion. He scooted toward her and shoved her with his shoulder.
"Hey, use your ability to get us out of here," Nova demanded, raising his cuffs to her face.
"I can't," she said bluntly.
Nova whispered audibly, "Why not? I saw you destroy a whole wall earlier."
"Well, for one, why would I help you? Two, you do realize you lost my cluster, so my ability is back to its weaker state. And three, look at your restraints and see what you notice."
Nova looked down again, noticing the small purple crystals embedded along the cuffs. "Are those... partial absorbers?"
"Inhibitor cuffs. I couldn't do anything even if I wanted to."
"What happens to us now?"
"We wait and see." Her eyes fell downcast, her shoulders slumped in somber defeat.
"Alright, it's ready." The cloaked figure held a crown and divided themselves into two, the crown remaining in the original's hands while the other one stared blankly. "Kneel," the one holding the crown commanded, and the copy complied.
Chloe pulled down the copy's hood, revealing a fair, blonde woman before placing the crown atop her head. A few seconds passed before the copy stood up.
"Speak," its voice commanded, echoing with sudden, unnatural weight.
"Sir Ogun, it is I, Chloe," she said, bowing swiftly. "I've found Oblivi and caught a trespasser. I do not know if they are in cahoots with each other and hope to leave this matter up to your judgement."
Silence took over the room before the copy turned its attention downward. "Get up and stop talking like that."
"Sir." Chloe snapped to attention.
The copy looked around before flexing its fingers open and closed. "Didn't I tell you to stop incarnating my avatars into this body?"
"Yes, sir, but I—"
Ogun punched the stone wall repeatedly in a sudden fit of rage until the copy's knuckles and hand were grotesquely mangled. Chloe bit her lip at the sight and clenched her fist tightly.
"Something wrong?" the copy asked coldly.
"No, sir. I only wished for your avatar of truth to judge the renegade and administer punishment to the street rodent. I apologize for the inconvenience, incarnation."
Ogun took long, awkward strides over to Oblivi, expecting an explanation.
Oblivi shrank beneath her bonds. "Ogun, sir," she squeaked.
"Did you find your leader?"
Oblivi closed her eyes, swallowing hard. "No, Ogun, sir. There was no trace of her."
Ogun scanned her white sweater and skirt, both heavily smeared with grime from the sewer floor. "Did you have a skirmish with this boy beside you?"
"Yes, sir."
"Were you the victor?"
"No, sir."
Ogun blinked with a firm expression of disappointment. "Expected from you."
The weight of the conversation shifted abruptly onto Nova.
"You boy. Your name."
Nova pondered for a brief moment; if he were to escape, then this Ogun knowing his name wouldn't help. So he went with his best alias, "It's Nova."
Why did I just say that!?
"Nova, you have breached my sect's grounds and assaulted an operative. Explain yourself."
"Hold on a second," Nova rasped. Ok, I gotta talk my way outta this; maybe I can convince him not to kill me
"I didn't know anything about a sect. I was looking for a place to sleep so I wouldn't freeze to death. She ambushed me, so we fought, and I defeated her."
Why am I feeling so compelled to tell him this
"Ignorance is not an excuse in my territory," Ogun said, his tone growing impatient. "Your life is expendable, so I suggest you come up with a better reason."
Nova's heart hammered. "I'm sorry, but how was I supposed to know?"
Ogun stayed quiet for a few seconds. "I suppose you wouldn't have. So I'll spare you with a swift death."
Nova lowered his head. Yep, it's over.
Chloe unsheathed a hidden blade from her side, ready to execute him on the spot.
"Hold on, Chloe." Ogun walked up to Nova and unlocked the cuffs.
Nova didn't flinch, but his expression hardened. Ogun tossed the metal cuffs to the side and stepped back.
"Before you die, show me your strength. Your true strength."
"What do you mean?" Nova asked, rubbing his wrists.
"If you can prove to me that you have potential, I won't have you beheaded or you can be put down right here."
"Those options suck." Nova spat with honest conviction.
"And yet they are the only options you have," Ogun replied.
Nova glared at Chloe; Chloe scoffed back at him. "Get on with it."
Everyone watched Nova intently, anticipating a desperate break for the door. Instead, Nova showed what he could do. He split cleanly into two, then four identical body doubles.
Chloe stared, entirely befuddled. "How did you do that?"
All the Novas turned to her in unison. "Same way you did."
Ogun smiled at the sight, genuinely amused. "Mimicry, I presume? Not some cheap trick?"
"Yeah. I assume you've never met someone like me," he goaded smugly.
"I've met few of your ilk on my travels, so you are nothing special." Ogun smiled at the boy before casting a glance toward Chloe. "But he could replace you someday."
Chloe felt shamed by the statement, but held her tongue.
"Now back to you." Ogun walked over to Oblivi and removed her cuffs as well, quickly noticing her wrist was bare. "Where is your cluster?"
Oblivi turned away from his glare. "I lost it in my fight."
This enraged Ogun. He lunged, seizing her by the throat with his mangled, bloodied hand and hoisting her off the floor, slamming her up against the wall. "I forged that cluster from the fires of my personal forge, and you lost it!"
Shattered bone fragments pressed hard against her skin, puncturing her neck until their blood mixed together.
Nova glanced around for an exit while Ogun was distracted.
"I suggest you don't do anything stupid, boy," Ogun said without turning around.
Oblivi kicked frantically, her jewelry jingling with every desperate struggle against his grip. When that failed, she clawed at his arm, fighting for her life. Gradually, her movements grew sluggish and less deliberate; her eyes rolled back as her limbs went limp.
Nova looked at the sight, feeling guilty, so he had to make a choice.
Following that thought, the other Novas charged Ogun simultaneously with him commanding them; they tried to pry his mangled hand off Oblivi's throat, but the god didn't budge an inch.
"If this is your attempt at being a savior, you're doing terribly." Ogun released Oblivi and dashed towards Nova, knocking the copies off as he delivered a brutal punch with the exposed jagged bones right in the center of Nova's face, striking him so hard he briefly blacked out; the duplicate copies vanished into thin air.
"How long did you think you could keep that up?" Ogun asked.
"Honestly... I didn't think I was gonna lose," Nova managed to wheeze out.
Ogun smiled. "You'll do just fine. Chloe, hold him up for me."
Chloe stepped forward, hauling him upright to face the god. Blood poured steadily from Nova's broken nose, staining his shirt and trousers. Ogun crouched down to meet him at eye level.
"In my older days, I would have cut you down right where you stand. But in my godhood, I have grown merciful. Join me and become one of my followers; I'll personally spare you and grant you a life far greater than what you had before."
Nova stared back, wheezing, blood and spit dripping from his chin. He forced out the words: "Let us live." He uncurled a trembling finger, pointing toward Oblivi. "Bracelet... my fault."
Ogun looked at the unconscious girl on the floor. "Fine. She can be spared as well."
"I'll do it." He groaned
"Chloe, get the vials."
"Sir." Chloe produced three corked glass vials from her cloak, each filled with a deep, luminescent blue liquid. She unstoppered one and tipped it down Nova's throat, dropped him, and crossed the room to do the same for Oblivi.
Within two minutes, their major injuries rapidly healed. Nova and Oblivi found themselves able to move and speak without pain. Their clothes were still bloody, though that's the least of their concerns because when Nova's felt completely rested, he fell extremely lethargic. "Why am I so tired"
"It's a side effect of the mixture. You'll fall into a slumber for a few days," Chloe smirked.
Nova stumbled forward on unsteady legs before collapsing flat against the stone floor.