NORTH CALUM
VEILBREAKERS NEST
Keiro and Cresson exchanged concerned glances as they observed Garo Lat, who had been sleeping for an unusually long time. Despite their attempts to wake him, he remained unresponsive.
“I’m not sure what’s wrong with him. Everything seems normal, but he just won’t wake up,” Cresson remarked.
“This is strange. What about the sample? Have you made any progress in studying it?”
“I’m still conducting experiments on it. However, I expect to have the results by tomorrow. I’ll ask Vanarah to assist me.”
Keiro nodded. “All right then, let’s hope we can figure out what’s going on soon.”
Meanwhile, Rinporter and Grovan were eavesdropping on various conversations using the bug devices they had planted. Rinporter had managed to place bugs not only in the President’s office but also in each room of the Residential Wing.
“Guys, you need to hear this. It’s about the Elthiers. I think there’s more to it,” Grovan exclaimed, taking off his earphones and switching to loudspeaker mode.
“. . . for the delay. Half of the packages were sent to the lab. Have you checked them?” President Dale’s voice came through the speakers. There was a moment of silence before he continued, “Yes, I was wondering if you could finish them before the deadline?”
“Are they talking about creating Elthier cuffs?” Grovan asked, eagerly awaiting the response from the rest of the group. However, they only exchanged uncertain glances.
“I understand, I understand. But if we complete them within your usual lead time, it will be past the deadline. Please, do me this favor. In return, I’ll owe you one,” President Dale pleaded. “No? Please reconsider. We can’t afford to upset our VVIPs. You’re an incredible scientist, the best there is, if I may say so. I have full confidence that this task will be a piece of cake for you.”
It didn’t take long before he let out a chuckle. “Thank you, Dr. Johnson. I really appreciate this. I owe you one.”
“What did he mean by VVIPs? Does Ranace offer Elthier cuffs to wealthy people? But why? As far as I know, they were only offered to the Police Department and SVA,” Rinporter expressed his confusion.
Grovan suddenly burst into laughter. “And here we are, thinking that Elthiers were only used for making cuffs.”
“This is my fault. I never considered that they might have other plans for Elthiers,” Cresson admitted.
“Don’t blame yourself, Cres. I made the final decision,” Keiro stated firmly. Clenching his fists, he continued, “I need to find out where that lab is. . . . We have to locate Dr. Johnson.”
_________
ELDAM CITY
With Ranace having only four cities and two towns, the Veilbreakers quickly pinpointed South Calum for their search. However, a shocking conversation via their bug device revealed that Dr. Johnson’s lab was in Eldam, a city controlled by the Black Marzec. The government had cunningly concealed the facility in enemy territory.
While Cresson stayed behind to continue studying Garo’s blood sample, it didn’t take long for the other three to locate the lab. Eldam City was known for its extensive network of long and dark tunnels, making it an ideal location for a secret facility. They deduced that the lab must be hidden underground. They diligently explored each tunnel, searching for anything out of the ordinary. It was in the third tunnel they entered that they noticed two round lids on the floor, sparking their curiosity. They attempted to open them, but only one budged. This led them to conclude that the tightly sealed lid must be the entrance to the lab.
“Okay, here we go!” Grovan exclaimed excitedly, crouching down to make another attempt at opening it. Despite his efforts, it remained firmly in place. “You give it a try, Rin.”
Rinporter stepped forward and gave it his best shot, but to no avail. Now it was Keiro’s turn for a second attempt, but just like the others, he couldn’t make any progress. Letting out a sigh of frustration, he admitted, “I guess we’ll need to rely on our powers. Let me give it one more shot.” Using his strings, he attempted to lift the cover, but it didn’t work, so he asked Rinporter to fetch a pry bar instead.
With a combined effort, they managed to open the lid, finally unveiling what lay beneath. One by one, they cautiously descended the ladder into the vertical shaft. As they made their way inside, the air grew damp and musty, carrying the faint scent of earth and rust. Using their phone’s flashlight, the dim beam of light revealed the sight of utility infrastructure—pipes, cables, and a sewer. The sound of dripping water echoed through the narrow space, creating a rhythmic symphony of droplets.
“Well, this is a bummer,” Grovan remarked. The echoes of his words bounced off the walls, blending with the gentle splashing of water. Fortunately, their well-fitted black boots were water-resistant. “Come on, let’s just leave.”
Keiro clicked his tongue. “I thought this was the place.”
“Hey, guys,” Rinporter interjected. “Can you catch a whiff of that? It’s kinda strange. I have this gut feeling that we’re onto something.”
The two took a deep breath, their nostrils flaring as they tried to detect any unusual scent.
“The smell is definitely familiar,” Grovan said. “It’s something Cresson knows all too well.”
“It’s like chemicals, sharp and pungent, sort of like . . .”
“Laboratory waste,” Rinporter chimed in, finishing Keiro’s sentence.
They all exchanged wide-eyed glances and decided to continue exploring. A few minutes later, Rinporter stumbled upon a small lever, about the size of a pen. Curiosity piqued, he couldn’t help but utter, “What is this?” as he pulled it down.
“Whoa!” Grovan exclaimed in surprise, almost losing his balance as he accidentally stepped on a sunken area of the floor, barely the size of a woman’s foot. “That was a close call!”
“Be more aware of your surroundings,” Keiro advised, his words accompanied by a distinct clicking sound.
As if on cue, a small vibrant red circle suddenly illuminated just a few centimeters above the lever. They gathered closely.
“Did we finally activate the secret mechanism?” Grovan said with enthusiasm.
“I think so . . .” Keiro replied. He carefully inspected the area surrounding the lever, shining his flashlight to get a better look. “There’s a distinct line now. . . . It appears to be an outline of a door.”
“Guys, I wanna try something . . .” Rinporter pulled up the lever, causing the red light to instantly turn off. Intrigued, he pulled it down again, but this time, nothing happened. He repeated the action several times, but the light remained unresponsive. “Shit! Why won’t it light up again?”
“Pulling the lever is not the only step to activate it. Perhaps there’s another process involved,” Keiro said and then turned to Grovan. “Remember when you almost tripped earlier? It seemed to coincide with Rin pulling the lever.”
“Oh, I see! Maybe it needs to be done simultaneously!” He walked towards the sunken floor area. “Let’s try it on the count of three.”
After the count, Rinporter pulled the lever down as Grovan confidently stepped onto the sunken floor. As if in response, the red light immediately illuminated, signaling their success. Excitement filled the air as they gathered closely by the secret door.
Rinporter firmly gripped the lever and pulled it. The door slowly began to slide open, revealing a dark and narrow passageway. They exchanged glances and stepped inside. As they ventured deeper into the passage, they noticed a small monitor hanging on the brick wall, displaying a live camera footage of the other sewer.
Continuing their exploration, they eventually reached another door. They swung it open and were met with the familiar sights and smells of the other sewer.
“What the hell is this? Have we been played?” Grovan exclaimed, crinkling his nose due to the foul smell.
Rinporter’s eyes scanned their surroundings and caught sight of something intriguing. “Look at that, there’s a red light button,” he pointed out.
They made their way towards it, stepping carefully through the murky water.
“I’m going to press it since it seems like the logical thing to do. Any objections?” Grovan asked. When they gave him the go signal, he took a deep breath and pressed the red button. Suddenly, a hidden door slid open, revealing an extension of the secret passageway. “This is such a thrilling adventure!” His excitement was evident as he bounced with each step through the passage. “Everything is so unexpected, and I love it!”
Rinporter, on the other hand, let out a sigh. “Well, I’m not a fan of unpredictable things. They tend to make me uneasy,” he admitted, reluctantly following suit.
Keiro nodded in agreement. “I’m with you on that, Rin. I prefer situations where I have some control.”
Grovan chuckled. “And yet, here you two are, bravely joining me in this venture into the unknown.”
“That’s why we need to stick to the plan, investigate quietly, and avoid getting caught,” Keiro said with a serious face. “We may not be able to use our powers easily here, so we need to be extra cautious. Grovan, do your best to be careful.”
“I agree,” Rinporter chimed in. “I can’t guarantee that my portal will work effectively, especially considering the presence of Elthiers in the lab. Let’s stay focused and make sure we don’t draw any unwanted attention to ourselves.”
Grovan frowned playfully. “Okay, fine.”
Finally, they arrived at what appeared to be the entrance to the lab. The door was a striking sight, constructed from sleek metallic panels with a brushed silver finish. Intricate circuit patterns adorned its surface, softly illuminated by a strip of cyan LEDs that traced the edges. It was a formidable barrier, giving no indication of how to gain entry unless one possessed an employee ID.
“How are we going to get inside?” Grovan asked.
Rinporter pondered the situation, his gaze shifting from their all-black fitted suits to the door. “There’s another issue if we manage to enter. We’ll stand out like sore thumbs. Perhaps we should consider changing our outfits.”
Grovan hesitated for a moment before responding. “But our costumes are equipped with our tools and gadgets. Plus, you know I’m just a human.”
“Well, you’re not just a human, Grovan. You’re a Valoure, trained to fight evil conjurers,” he replied, then turned to Keiro. “What do you think?”
“Hmm. Can’t you use your portal to get us inside?”
He shook his head. “You know that I can’t. I can only create a portal to a specific place that I have already been to or have seen in pictures.”
“Just imagine what a lab looks like and picture it being located behind this futuristic door,” Grovan quipped, trying to lighten the mood.
Rinporter shot him a glare. “It’s not that easy, but I guess I’ll give it a shot.” Determined to conjure up a mental image of the lab, he focused his energy and drew a circle in the air. A portal materialized before them, shimmering with otherworldly energy.
“What are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Grovan urged.
Rinporter hesitated. “I’ve told you before, I don’t like unpredictability. What if we end up in the wrong corner of a room and get caught?”
“He’s right,” Keiro said. “We can’t afford to take that risk.”
Grovan pondered for a moment before a mischievous grin spread across his face. “Fine, then. How about you imagine something simple, like a toilet in a cubicle? I’m sure that would be easy to visualize. And there’s bound to be a toilet in there.”
Rinporter made a face, still hesitant about the idea, but ultimately complied since Keiro agreed. With a deep breath, he focused his energy and created a portal. Taking the lead, he volunteered to go through first and assess the situation inside. The two waited anxiously for his return.