Nova, Oblivi, and Chloe moved the captives to the main room for the summoning. Nova and Chloe had their clones hold the two by the legs before crowning one of the Novas.
The clone began to look around, then glanced down at its hands. "This again." The crown had succeeded in overtaking the clone's mind.
Chloe and Oblivi took a knee, and Nova soon followed. Both sets of clones held their detainees' heads down.
"Good evening, sir," Chloe said.
Ogun crossed his arms. "This vessel pleases me. It reminds me of myself before my ascension." He spotted the two tied up behind the three. "I assume you'll need my presence to decide what to do with those two back there."
"Yes, sir. We found them in the sect. I don't know how they got here, but it seems Nova and Oblivi didn't know either. We discovered them together in a back room." Chloe's clone held the woman's head up by the hair. "This one right here has telekinetic abilities."
Nova interjected, finishing Chloe's thought. "This one"—his clone lifted the man's head—"has no powers, but they can communicate with each other."
"We have to decide whether to—" the two said in unison.
"Execute them," Chloe declared.
"Recruit them," Nova declared as well.
"WHAT!?" they shouted, syncing up again.
"We are not killing two possibly innocent people," Nova barked.
Chloe barked back mockingly, "Yeah, okay, like they DIDN'T JUST TRY TO KILL US."
"BECAUSE THEY WERE SCARED."
"WE'RE ALL SCARED. I SAW MYSELF DIE."
"SO DID I."
Oblivi's eyes bounced back and forth between the two. Here we go.
"Alright, that's enough," Ogun said. "Nova, why do you wish to recruit these two?"
"I think the girl could prove to be useful. As for the other one, I can't say."
"So why don't we just kill one? Problem solved."
Oblivi spoke up. "We can't. They won't take too kindly to the situation."
Ogun nodded. "That does stand to reason. Chloe, what's the reasoning behind your stance?"
"I believe we should kill these intruders. They clearly don't have any value to us, and most importantly, I don't think they're from… here," Chloe whispered.
"Chloe, all foreigners are welcome in this land," Ogun reminded her.
"I know, sir, but their language doesn't sound remotely familiar," Chloe argued.
"That's exactly why we have to keep them around," Nova pleaded with Ogun. "If these two are what Chloe says, then wouldn't they be more useful to us alive?"
"What agenda are you trying to push here!?" Chloe shouted.
"An agenda where ignorance won't be the catalyst for my decisions," Nova cried.
Ogun smiled. "Stop! I've made a decision." He raised his hand, signaling everyone to stand. "I want these two initiated immediately."
Nova made a face at Chloe, teasing her.
"But," Ogun continued, "I'd like to hear what they have to say. If it's nothing useful, then let them go figure out what the world has to offer."
Chloe smirked, side-eyeing Nova.
"But they might die out there," Nova protested.
"Not our issue if invaders don't prove useful," Ogun replied. He sat on the floor with his legs crossed. "So get on with it."
"Get on with what?" Nova asked.
Chloe shouldered him out of the way, heading out of the archives. "Keep them on the floor, Nova. I'll be back."
Chloe returned almost an hour later with a clamp and some small iron pieces. She handed the pieces to Ogun. "Bless these, please."
"My pleasure." Ogun balled up his fist, and when he opened it, the pieces lay glowing in his palm. Chloe took them back and attached one to the clamp.
"Bring the guy to me." Chloe examined the clamp as Nova's clone brought the man over. He struggled but was quickly subdued by the clone.
"Stopp!" the man yelled, but it didn't matter. "Bitte halt sie auf, A'xam!"
Once he was in front of her, Chloe fitted the corners of his mouth into the clamp. With two clicks, twin piercings sat at the edges of his lips. "Was that so hard?"
The man groaned, drooling slightly, then went limp and slumped to the floor.
"Must've passed out from the pain. That's so lame," Chloe said.
She stomped over to the woman. Her clone forced the woman into position with her tongue out.
"Nein, nein, nein!" the woman cried, thrashing around to break free.
Chloe slapped her, and the woman stared in disbelief. Chloe held her face in place and repeated the process on her tongue, leaving her with snake eyes.
The woman dropped to the floor, shaking. Tears ran down her face as she looked at the unconscious man. "Damn it, I'm gonna die," she sobbed.
Nova's eyes widened. "I can understand her now."
The woman looked at Nova, confused. "You can understand me?"
"Umm, yeah," Nova answered, just as confused.
She scrambled to Nova's feet. "Please, you have to help me!" She cried even harder. "I just want to leave."
Nova looked to Oblivi, but she only shrugged.
Ogun walked over to the man and inspected his body. He lifted one leg and let it fall, then did the same with the other. "What a weak body." He raised his fist, ready to strike.
"What are you doing!?" the woman screamed at Nova. "Don't hurt him!"
Everyone except Ogun covered their ears against her blood-curdling scream.
Ogun drove his fist into the man's stomach, jolting him awake. The man coughed, spitting onto the floor. "Where am I?" His voice was hoarse and weak.
Ogun clapped his hands twice. "Everyone, be quiet."
All of them turned their attention to him.
"You two stand on sacred land, under my protection," Ogun said. "My followers have bestowed upon you the blessing of speech within this sect. I can sense that you two aren't from this world."
Not from this world? Nova thought. He glanced over at Chloe, who was huffing and turning red. Even without D'noy's ability, he could see the fury in her soul through her eyes.
"I apologize," Ogun continued. "Our technology isn't advanced enough to understand every person in this world." He paused. "So, with this opportunity, what will you do moving forward? Pray to me, for I am a god, or leave these lands and explore this world on your own?"
The two stayed silent for a moment.
"Talk it over between yourselves. I'll allow you two hours. Chloe, remove their cuffs."
"Sir." A trace of malice slipped into her voice, but she kept it in check and removed their cuffs.
The two got up and huddled close together.
"Before you talk, tell me your names," Ogun demanded.
"My name is A'xam," the woman said.
"You can call me Ed," the man added.
"Well then, Ed, A'xam. Carry on."
While they talked, Ogun turned to Chloe. "Don't do anything stupid. I know what their people have done, but these two had nothing to do with it."
"Fucking trans-dims." She stormed off to seethe in another room.
"What's up with her?" Nova asked.
"Chloe's family was slaughtered by a crosser," Oblivi explained.
"Crossers? I haven't seen many. I kinda forgot they were around."
"Yeah. I won't say much more on it, but she's clearly not a fan of any of them," Oblivi said.
Ogun walked over and pulled Nova aside. "Nova, we haven't spoken in a while. How is your situation treating you?"
"I've been messing up here and there. It's kinda jarring that you gave me this job when this place is so important. I mean, you didn't meet me that long ago."
"My boy, that's because I can see your potential. If those two crossers stay here, then I've got something in store for you."
Nova gave him a puzzled look but didn't push it.
When the time was nearly up, Chloe came back. Ogun called time, and Ed and A'xam turned back around.
"What will it be?" Ogun inquired.
They stayed quiet until A'xam spoke up. "We thank you for this chance to stay here, sir, but I don't think we have a choice. It seems I'm stuck here."
"I am a merciful god. I will see to it that you have some supplies before you leave."
"That's not the problem, sir. I believe I'm cursed. I can't leave this library."
"What are you saying?" Ogun waited for an explanation, so A'xam turned her back to him and lifted her shirt slightly.
She was marked with strange characters. Ogun blinked. "Indie."
"Who?" Nova asked.
"Don't worry about it," Chloe said.
"This changes everything," Ogun muttered under his breath. "Who did this to you? What did they look like?"
A'xam pulled her shirt down. "Umm, she was tall, probably thirty-ish, fair-skinned, with long black hair."
"Did she say where she was going?"
"I couldn't understand her at the time, sorry. But she left around twenty-six days ago."
"Chloe, your assignment here is done," Ogun said.
"But sir—" Chloe started.
"None of that today. This is bigger than you! I need to head to the crust next and gather intel." Ogun turned to Nova. "I'm leaving these two to you, Nova. Take this." He tossed Nova a folded piece of paper. "That's your new mission, in exchange for keeping these two alive." Before he left, he added, "I want him here."
Ogun turned and lifted the crown off his head. The clone convulsed violently on the floor before dying.
Chloe gathered all of her clones and ran out of the archives. She began pulling out supplies for her new mission, starting in the kitchen.
"Chloe, what's going on?" Nova asked.
Chloe ignored him, packing frantically.
"Chloe!" Nova raised his voice.
"Oblivi, run and get me a backpack!" Chloe ordered, still ignoring Nova.
Within seconds, Oblivi grabbed a backpack from storage and came running back to the kitchen.
Chloe dumped the food into the bag, then sprinted to the Equipment area and packed all sorts of tools. Nova followed her, still expecting an answer. She sighed and finally gave him one. "New area, same target. You're smart. Figure it out."
She pushed past him and went back to the foyer, opening the door to the dark hallway. When Nova followed, she shoved him back and slammed the door.
"What just happened?" Nova muttered.
Then he remembered the paper. He pulled the folded note from his pocket and turned it over in his hands. He must've written this while we were waiting for their answer.
Nova unfolded it and read:
Find the man named Sam and recruit him to the sect. Indoctrination is permitted as a last resort. You'll most likely find him westbound of the Uru jungles.
Nova exhaled, looking up. "Guess I'll get ready too."