Chương 7: 4B. The Scavenger's Hall

None dared speak up against her. Sam imagined that they, too, felt the pressure she radiated. It was far more oppressive than that of her companions. Threatening. Bloodthirsty. Even the stupid knew better than to challenge the rule of the strong. The fifth person they tested also retrieved an oblong rock. It flickered to life as she squeezed it, emitting a faint orange glow.

"You pass," the armored man declared, nodding for her to step out of line.

"Name?"

"Sophie, sir."

"I'm no 'sir'," he grumbled.

"How long have you been scavenging? And how deep have you been?"

"A year, and most of my jobs have taken me to quadrants one and two of Level Two. I have a proven track record of finding and extracting arcane materials and essences. My references—""That won't be necessary. Are you awakened?" Sophie nodded.

"Spirit?" She shook her head.

"I've failed to find anything compatible. Affording a ferry to a decent one is well beyond me."

"We'll need the details of your talent," the gown-wearing woman said. She held up a hand when Sophie tried to continue.

"That can wait for later." Sam was starting to think she was their leader.

"Move on, Fred. I'd rather not be here all day." The armored man, Fred, nodded. All the scavengers tried their luck or skill, trying to pull an essence from the bag. None managed to replicate Sophie's success. Sam's heart raced as his turn approached. He needed a job, but not so desperately that he'd risk his life. Still, the prospect of getting an awakening seed, with or without a spirit, was too tempting to pass up. The women reached the end of the line long before Sam.

He felt their eyes on him, but didn't dare meet their gaze. The hooded woman seemed especially interested. They were ascended, likely with several stars, and on the road to immortality. Meanwhile, he was just a hopeful mortal scraping by. They could snuff out his light on a whim, and the guards would look the other way. The city's laws barely extended to the walls, and they were currently in the gatehouse, the one divide beyond the chaos of the outside world.

The only way to survive was to find power or prove oneself useful to the powerful. Sam had long settled for the latter. When his turn finally came, Sam's heart was in his throat. He reached into the bag without hesitation and didn't just settle for whatever was within reach. Sam dug around, taking his time and channeling IEF. It contained a variety of shapes, textures, and sizes. His studies had taught him that such details barely mattered when it came to essences. Only what was inside mattered.

Sam stopped when his fingertips grazed something warm. He hesitantly withdrew the egg-shaped, rough stone. Cracks covered its surface, and faint azure light leaked through them.

"We got our number two," Fred declared. He raised an eyebrow and looked Sam up and down.

"Are you awakened?"

"No."

"How long have you been a scavenger?"

"Three months now," Sam answered.

"Although most of my jobs have involved acting as a porter and gatherer. I've only been to quadrant three of Level Two. My last job had us descend down to Level Three for swift airship access."

"And before that?"

"I worked as a librarian and training dummy in the—""Hold on a moment," the hooded woman said. She stopped barely a couple of feet from Sam and leaned closer, her luminous eyes narrowed. His breath caught in his throat as she studied his face.

"Sameer? Sameer Ray?" Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Yes?" Sam replied; his voice came out uncharacteristically high-pitched, but nobody laughed.

"Do it again," she commanded.

"What?" Sam and Fred asked in unison.

"You heard me. Test him again." Neither man argued. Sam reached into the bag and fished around. The first essence stone he picked up felt almost electric. The initial touch felt like a static shock. Sam closed his eyes and sought the same sensation again. It took him far less time the second time around. The essence he pulled out was spherical and emitted an almost noxious green glow. Instead of warmth or electricity, it left him with a hint of nausea and appeared in far better shape than the first.

"How is that fair?" a scavenger demanded.

"This test is bullshit. It's just the luck of the draw, isn't it?"

"That's right," a woman near the middle yelled. She was among the first to be tested.

"The kid is green! He doesn't know what he's doing. This is just—""Talk out of turn, and you'll be expelled and banned from Scavenger's Hall!" The guard captain yelled.

"Every piece of stone in the bag is a corrupted or damaged essence," the bejeweled woman said, flashing a charming smile.

"The test isn't to see if you can find an essence, but if the essence reacts to you." Fred demonstrated, scooping up a handful of essence stones. They all lit up with varying colors and luminosities. Meanwhile, the woman put her hands on her hips and turned her attention back to her hooded companion.

"Do you know this man?"

"Sam and I were students at Trinity together." The hooded woman turned on her heel and marched toward the door.

"I was sure he died in the Fall of Cambridge Castle. Reports said a pair of Inhumans ripped him and all of his colleagues to bits." She spared Fred a glance.

"He'll do."

"You heard the lady," Fred stated, following his companion. Sam stood dumbfounded for a moment, unsure of what had just happened. He didn't recognize the woman. The concealed face and glowing eyes didn't help. He was sure everyone from his past was long dead or too far away ever to find him. Now, he wasn't sure whether the new prospective job was good or bad. The guard captain cleared her throat, snapping Sam out of his daze. It was then that he saw the dozens of scorn-filled eyes watching him.

He shrugged at his fellow scavengers before jogging after Fred and Sophie. The other two had long disappeared into the hallway outside. His pack and equipment bounced uncomfortably on his back, and Sam hastily adjusted the straps. They didn't stop in the interrogation rooms for a quick conversation. All of Sam's previous employers had done so. Instead, Fred and his party exited the gatehouse.

The main doors opened outward toward the city, and the elevation gave him a clear view all the way to the Northern gate and landing pad where the airship had touched down. He took a moment to take it all in.

"Sam?" the hooded woman called.

"It's not too late to change your mind if you're second-guessing—""It's not that," he replied.

"All previous employers have told me where we're going, what we're doing, and how long the job is likely to be. You haven't. So, I'm just having one last look in case I never make it back."

"This isn't your home, though. Cambridge—""It's where I went to study. Harrow, rather Bastion, is where I grew up." Sam pointed down the road at a building with a worn sign that once read Gayton Library. It was now home to several dozen families crammed into tight spaces.

"That's where I was when the world ended. Cambridge is where I went afterward to understand it." He studied the woman for a moment. She wasn't making polite conversation. She was genuinely interested.

"I'm sorry, I have no idea who you are. Were we—""Not here. Too many ears. Too many eyes." She glanced at her companions.

"How are the supplies looking, Freddie?"

"It's Fred," the armored man grumbled.

"We're ready to go." He looked to the gown-wearing woman.

"Anything left to do, boss? Besides briefing the temps."

"Let's leave that for the road." The boss pointed at Sam and then at the handcart parked by the gatehouse's tunnel to the plateau's heart. A taut tarp covered it.

"You look strong and appear to have much to discuss with our beloved rearguard. So, you're in charge of the supplies."

"Got it." Sam was surprised by the lack of resistance as he pulled the handcart. The load appeared heavy. He guessed the vehicle or the contents were enchanted. He channeled Internal Ether Flow, just in case. It didn't strengthen him without side effects, and Sam wanted to get into the habit of keeping it running subconsciously. The hooded woman and Fred were already through the inner gate and past the tunnel's threshold. He followed, eager to get started.

"What about me, boss?" Sophie asked, flashing a wide grin. She seemed seconds away from bouncing off the gatehouse's tall, roughly made walls of stone and steel.

"Need me to scout or maybe—""No," the boss replied, cutting her off.

"We have a familiar for that. You'll be assisting me with gathering. Let's stick close to start with. You need to be briefed on our skill sets for when the shit inevitably hits the fan."

"Should I tell you about my talent now?"

"I wanted to give you the privacy of the wilds, but if you're eager to divulge your secrets, go ahead." The boss sighed.