Chapter 12: Reclamation

Valeria ran through the desert sands with purpose. She had to move quickly, but it was not just about Kal'tsit possibly preventing her from grabbing the relic. Valeria could not let Kal'tsit know it was her who took it. It was too early to have anyone discover she was alive and gathering strength.

To say the two did not meet eye to eye in the past would be an understatement. There's no telling how Kal'tsit would react to the news she was alive, and Valeria was certain the woman would be able to recognize her immediately, regardless of the mask, if they met face to face. There was too much history for such a simple facade to be effective.

As a result, Valeria ran across the sands. Pulling out the communicator strapped to her hip, she pressed down on the transmit button.

"Nadeemah, are you there? How is the situation?"

A few moments passed by before the communicator crackled to life, answering her call.

"Yeah, I'm here. Listen I think I was able to find the place you were looking for, but it recently got blocked off. Locals led by some old man aren't letting anyone in, so I can't check it out myself."

A small smile appeared on Valerias lips at the news.

"It will do. I'll be at the entrance to the village soon, meet me there."

"Got it."

****

After about 20 minutes of running, Valeria came close to the village gates and slowed down rather than charging in. Getting past the gate guards was not difficult after an exchange of money to avoid needless questions.

Finding Nadeemah was an even easier feat. Thanks to the two Sarkaz that guarded her flanks, the populace gave her a wide berth. Valeria wasted no time in approaching.

"Which way is the Sleeping Sargon?"

Nadeemah's eye twitched at her straight to business attitude, but acquiesced. Pointing off to the side she spoke.

"Hello to you too. It's down a few streets in that direction, can't miss it. It's a large courtyard acting as a gathering place for the homeless. The shady guards at the entrance will be a dead give away."

Valeria gave a nod in acknowledgement before bringing the three into an alley on the side of the road. When she was sure that no one was looking, a mound of shadow rose up from the ground before dissipating. In its place lay an ordinary looking duffle bag. Valeria spoke to Nadeemah and her escort as she motioned to the bag.

"Here, take this. Have you heard about the black market here?"

"It's hard to miss. It acts as a commercial hub for all the surrounding villages so everyone practically revolves around the place. Its where I found directions to the Sleeping Sargon actually."

Nadeemah reached out to the bag, but when she tried to lift it, the bag wouldn't budge an inch. Her arms strained and her face turned red as she glared at Valeria.

"What the heck is in this thing?!"

Pulling on the zipper, Nadeemah's jaw dropped and one of the sarkaz behind her chocked on his own spit as they were faced with multiple gold bars. Valeria looked on in amusement as she continued.

"We don't have much time to spend here. Take these to the black market and secure a few large vehicles for transport. Use your arts to check if they are functional, we have to move about 50 people. This much should have sellers fighting each other to get you as a customer. Take them outside the village and keep the engines running, as soon as I finish taking care of business at the sleeping Sargon we are leaving."

Nadeemah narrowed her eyes as she looked at Valeria.

"You sound like we're going to be chased out of town. You know, you never really explained to me what we're doing here."

Valeria gave a sigh as she realized what Nadeemah said was true.

"Listen I'll explain things to you afterwards, but for now just help me out, please. We shouldn't get chased out, but someone is coming to village that I can't afford to see. It'd be better to leave this place in the dust before she arrives."

Nadeemah held her stare for a moment before giving a sigh of her own.

"Fine, but I'll hold you to that explanation later."

Valeria put one hand on the woman's shoulder as a genuine smile appeared on her face.

"Thank you. Now let's get going, the sooner we get this done the better."

With that, Valeria set off out of the alley leaving Nadeemah and the two Sarkaz behind. Nadeemah turned to one of the Sarkaz with a strained smile while pointing to the bag on the ground.

"Do you think you could get that?"

The man let out a chuckle as he utilized his Sarkaz strength to hoist the bag up over his shoulder with a grunt.

"Thanks."

****

Citizens gave Valeria a wide berth as she strode down the street with a new bag strung over her shoulder. All manner of people came and went from the village due to the black market, but a masked and armed Sarkaz could only spell one thing: trouble.

It didn't take long to arrive at her destination as it was only a few streets away. Her eyes were met by five armed Archosaurian, their clothes were a mess and their equiptment even more so. They looked no more than local street thugs. Noticing her approach, one of them called out to Valeria as they put their hands on their weapons.

"Hold it! This place is off limits to outsiders. I suggest you turn around now."

Valeria looked at the motley crew in front of her with clear disdain.

"There is someone inside I wish to see. You have one chance to step aside."

The thug who spoke felt his anger flare up at the look in her eyes.

"Ain't no one going inside. Now piss off before we have to drag your corpse out of here."

Valeria scoffed at his words.

"You? You aren't even worth drawing steel."

Seeing that she had no intention of turning around, the man sneered.

"This'll be the last mistake you'll ever make."

Drawing the knife strapped to his leg, he lunged forward aiming to stab her through the heart. Valeria stood still watching his approach until the last moment. Her expression showed no concern whatsoever.

As his knife nearly plunged into her flesh, Valeria sidestepped the strike by a hair. She grabbed the man's wrist as it brushed past her and used her other arm to deliver a devastating blow to the attackers elbow. A resounding snap rang out as bone shattered. The man's arm bent in the opposite angle it was supposed to as he screamed in pain.

Then in one swift motion, Valeria tightened her grip on the man and spun in place while lifting him off his feet. Using her built up momentum, she threw the man at his shocked companions knocking them over.

A chorus of pained grunts resounded at the impact, but before they could meet the ground Valeria was already on the move. She shot forward grabbing one of the falling men by the shoulder while reeleing her other arm back. Her fist shot forward like a canon as it slammed into the man's face. His skull gave off a crunching sound as blood surged out of his nose. Feeling her adversary go limp in her grasp, Valeria simply tossed him aside not caring whether he was alive or dead.

The man with the broken arm was busy howling over his injury on the ground, so Valeria ignored him for now. Casting her gaze at the other three who were attempting to scramble to their feet, she moved once again before they recovered.

Picking her target, she charged forward leading with one shoulder sticking out. As the man got to his feet, Valeria ran into him like a bull. The man was lifted off of his feet from the force and carried with the charge. The trip only ended as Valeria crashed him straight into the wall behind. Her shoulder crushed his ribs as he was pressed against the wall, turning them to shrapnel. The broken pieces of bone piercing his internal organs along with the bludgeoning he recieved caused the man to cough up blood before passing out from the pain. Taking a step back, Valeria let the body crumple to the ground.

There were only two combat ready foes remaining. One man and one woman. Valeria heard the crunching of sand behind her and the whistle of the wind. Without missing a beat, she moved sideways while turning around. A sword whizzed by where her head had been and made a clinking noise as it jammed into the wall behind her. Face to face with the wide eyed woman, Valeria grabbed onto her extended sword arm, locking her in place and repeatedly delivered blow after blow to her abdomen. During the process she made sure to keep her target between herself and the remaining man as a human shield, her eyes never left him as she worked. The beating continued until Valeria felt the strength leave her victim's body.

The body fell to the ground as Valeria let go. The remaining unharmed man stood wide eyed in fear. His arm continously shook as it held up a small hatchet, yet he did not run. It was the first commendable aspect Valeria saw in this group. She shot forward and before the man could react, one of her legs snapped straight out and her foot connected with his stomach. The blow caused the man to throw up and instantly pass out, but he would live. He earned that much for standing his ground.

Valeria's eyes snapped towards the last conscious person remaining. The man who had his arm broken earlier was sitting on the ground with his back against the wall clutching his deformed limb with his remaining functional hand. The thug felt his body run cold as he met the piercing purple eyes behind that silver mask. He wanted to run as she approached him, but his body refused to budge. He could only sit there in horror as the devil grew closer.

Valeria reached down and grabbed the man by the neck. In one swift motion, she hoisted him up against the wall while the other hand was at the ready in case he had any hidden tricks up his sleeve. He did not. He could only struggle as Valeria's grip tightened around him. The air cut off, his bones straining. He desperately attempted to call out, but the oppressive grip only allowed distorted garbled noises to leak out. Valeria watched his struggling with indifference. She let him squirm, let him understand the position he was in.

"No one is coming for you. This place revolves around a black market. No one is going to pay any mind to a few distant cries of pain."

Light began to leave the man's eyes as he lost both hope and energy. Seeing this, Valeria's eyes narrowed in satisfaction. Releasing him, he fell down on the ground gasping for breath. The thug desperately sucked in air in an attempt to stabalize himself while Valeria spoke.

"You have one chance at life. There is a Feline woman and a young Liberi boy staying in this place. The woman is gone but the boy remains. Bring me to him and I will allow you to go free."

The man quickly nodded at her words.

"Y-yes, Ma'am! Right away!"

Valeria motioned for him to get up and rest her hand on the hilt of her blade.

"And remember, my sword arm is faster than you can speak. Don't cause unnecessary trouble for me."

The man shook a little at her words and frantically nodded again.

"No! I won't c-cause any problems! I swear!"

"Good, now lead the way."

****

Weaving through a series of makeshift huts, and groups of beggars, Valeria made her way across the Sleeping Sargon. Her trip brought her to the entrance of a worn down shack utilizing a piece of hanging cloth rather than a door. Pushing the cloth to the side Valeria was able to see a surprised Liberi boy. Finding her target put Valeria in a good mood. She motioned for her guide to leave and he wasted no time scurrying away as quickly as he could. As she entered the hideout, the boy looked at her with guarded eyes.

"Who are you?"

His eyes were drawn to her horns. She was a Sarkaz, but he did not remember any Sarkaz with horns like that among the ones who previously attacked him and killed his mercenary escort.

Valeria held up her hands in a placating manner. Though she could attempt to take what she wanted by force, there was a chance that her goal could be damaged in the process. The relic was as fragile as glass, one mistake would ruin all her effort so far.

"Relax child, I am not here to harm you."

The boy did not let his guard down at all.

"You didn't answer my question."

A small smile graced Valeria's lips.

"All you need to know is that I am a mercenary. The rest you should be able to surmise yourself."

The boy let out a frustrated cry at her words. Reaching off to the side he grabbed a small box. Popping open the lid, a faint blue glow emanated from within. Inside lay a small contraption with a blue glowing originium crystal as it's heart. The peaceful blue hue was a stark contrast to the boys face twisted in helpless anger.

"So you're here for the prototype too. You, Kal'tsit, the bounty hunters, all of you are here for this damned thing. Why? Why is it so important? Why did my teacher have to die for of it?!"

Valeria's eyes narrowed, but she paid little mind to the venom in his voice.

"You want answers and I want the device. How about we bargain?"

The boy frowned at her offer.

"Bargain? This is my teachers work. He died for it, why would I trade it away?"

Valeria held his gaze, her eyes bored into him as if looking directly at his very soul. It unsettled him, as if she could easily read him.

"Because I know the look in your eye. You worked on that device and likely have the schematics memorized. Losing a prototype is not a large loss. No, you care more about revenge. You're fury is leaking out, but it is so much more potent beneath the surface is it not? The desire to find those who harmed you, harmed your loved ones. The desire to see them die in excruciating pain. To make them regret, to make them bleed. To make them experience the same pain that ceaselessly torments you. I can tell you all about what has transpired in this place. I can give you your target."

The boy went quiet for a moment as he took in all she had to say. He closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them to reveal burning malice.

"Ok let's bargain. You answer my questions and I'll hand you the prototype."

Valeria gave a satisfied nod.

"A good start, but I have more to offer and more to recieve."

The boy raised an eyebrow in curiosity. He wasn't expecting anything else. There was nothing else he could think of that he could give.

"What is it you want?

"Simple, if anyone asks about who took the prototype, keep silent. Don't breath a word of me to others."

Understanding dawned in his eyes at her request. Although many people have seen her walking through the village, a passing glance doesn't compare to the conversation they were having.

"You want to cover your tracks. Alright, that's easy enough, but what are you giving me in return?"

Valeria took the sack hanging from her shoulder and set it on the ground in front of her. A rattling sound echoed in the otherwise quiet hut.

"I took a trip to where you were first attacked and recovered your teachers remains. Perhaps this time you can give him a proper burial."

The boy's eyes widened at what he heard. Rushing over he opened the sack with shakey hands. The bones inside were burned clean of flesh, but they seemed to be the right size.

"How do I know these are his?"

Valeria gave a shake of her head and spoke softly.

"I have no evidence to offer. All I can give is the word of a Sarkaz. To us, death is sacred. Tricks utilizing the dead would be sacrilege, but it is up to you if you believe my words."

The boy gently rest one hand on the skull inside the sack. At the very least he wanted to believe.

"Fine, I'll keep quiet."

Valeria's shoulders relaxed. The future would be smoother thanks to that.

"Very well, ask your questions."

His eyes grew focused as he ripped his eyes away from the skeletal remains. His attention fully returned to Valeria.

"Tell me everything."

And so she did. Valeria recited the whole story of the redhorn incident. How the Lord Ameer conspired to take the prototype in order to turn it into a bomb to attack Victoria, and how it was the Padishah who manipulated the Lord Ameer into doing the act to begin with. The boys eyes grew cold as he listened to the story.

"Why? Why do this?"

Valeria crossed her arms as she spoke.

"For the Lord Ameer? Wrath. He simply hates Victoria and will do anything he can to take a bite out of them. The Padishah however, is motivated by greed. Whether he used it as a energy source as it was originally intended for or as a bomb, it would cement his power in this land while allowing himself to reach his hand out towards foreign soil."

The boy clicked his tongue. His teacher died due to getting caught up in someone else's ambitions. He had just wanted to invent, to improve the world with those inventions, but now his teacher's work amounts to nothing because of the selfish desires of others.

"What about Kal'tsit? You left her out of your explanation. What does she want?

A look of irritation flashed acrossed Valeria's eyes for a moment at that name.

"Kal'tsit is both an idealist and a pragmatist, applying cold logic to save as many lives as possible. Since the prototype could be turned into a bomb, she is here to make sure that it does not fall into the hands of someone like the Lord Ameer or Padishah."

The boy nodded his head at the explanation. It coincided with what she had seen of the woman. Then he narrowed his eyes at Valeria.

"And what about you? Why are you here?"

Valeria raised a brow at the question.

"Me? The power source of your little prototype is really what I'm after. I'll use it to save one life and to extinguish another. That's as much as I'll say. No country wide bombs at the very least."

The boy accepted her answer. In truth he didn't care what she did with it, the question was more so out of curiosity than anything else.

"How can I get revenge?"

Valeria thought for a moment and consulted what she knew about the boys future through the visions she had recieved.

"This place is den of manipulation and death. Find someone who can teach you to tame that power and make it your strength. Learn, manipulate, train, expand, do all you can to consolidate your power and slowly construct a net around your enemies until they have nowhere that is safe."

Valeria waited a moment for any more questions, but none came. Taking the silence as acquiesce, she stood up to leave. Just as she was about walk out the 'door,' she stopped. Turning her gaze back to the boy her eyes were slightly softer and she decided to answer the one question he did not ask.

"Revenge can offer relief from the pain, but it is only momentary. It is incapable of filling the void you feel. I will not dissuade you from this path, it would be hypocritical of me, but while you are on your journey think about what you will do when it is finally over."

With that, Valeria left the dazed boy behind and continued her own journey. Her way out of the village was easy enough, no obstacles stood in her way as she slipped out the gates. In fact the gate guards seemed glad to see the Sarkaz go, practically urging her to hurry up.

Scanning around outside the village, her eyes settled on three transport trucks made for moving large amounts of supplies across long distances. The thought of a bunch of Sarkaz packed in the back like sardines brought an amused smile to her face as she approached the middle vehicle.

After climbing in the passenger seat, she turned to Nadeemah who held on to the steering wheel. Her eyes were flickering around as if she really was expecting Valeria to be chased out.

"Floor it. Leave this place in the dust."

Without a word Nadeemah slammed on the gas throwing both of them back against their seats.

After a few minutes of driving Nadeemah glanced at the woman beside her.

"So did you get what you came for?"

The corners of Valerias eyes ticked up as she smiled.

"Far more than I expected."

She pulled out the box she had recently acquired and flipped open the lid. The blue glow lit up the trucks cabin as she gazed at the blue originium crystal within. Nadeemah gave a whistle at the sight. Even if she didn't know what it was, it at least looked impressive.

Taking the transmitter one more time, Valeria called out their missing companions.

"Anders send us your coordinates, we will pick you up. It's time we left Sargon behind us."

"Roger that, Commander. We'll be waiting for you."