Arexon thanks for not disappointing me, thanks for caring for nehbud. Lol c me ooooo, as if arexon can hear me. Thanks for dus wonderful update obehid. Can't wait for Saturday to come, pls make Saturday update long oooo cos d hunger I av for dis book is bigger dan indomie hungry man size.

What a Read !!!!

'So i am looking for a sister, ObehiD my lover she dey write Novella '.................

thanks for the update obehid will we get to see macinus soon

wow! that's what i can say. you just kept me glued to this update.

@Madosky112 thank you! Glad you enjoyed it

@tunjilomo I would love to write about the life of Arexon too...if only there was more time. Thank you

@phoenixchap thank youuuu! I'm glad you're still enjoying it. I'll try to keep it coming

@cassbeat happy you showed your face thanks for reading!

@spixytinxy As in, when I saw how you stuck with Arexon I thought you were reading my mind. Nice prediction!!! Thank you for reading. I don't know if this update is long sha, but I hope it's enough to satisfy the hunger till Wednesday

@Dathypebruv I'm so happy you enjoyed it!!!

@ayshow6102 about Marcinus...I don't know if Marcinus will come back. We'll just have to wait and see

@Ultimategeneral I'm glad you enjoyed it. I hope I can keep keeping you glued

Part 16
---------

I stood in front of my rented suite in the third base of the civilian’s camp. My hands instinctively went to my belt. It felt very nice to have the familiar weight back on me. Arexon had returned the belt to me, with all of its contents. Since the silver in the belt matched the silver of the chief’s uniform, I was allowed to wear it as I pleased. I had been so overjoyed to see the belt that I examined each content. It had been so long since that night in Katsoaru, that I had completely forgotten about the blue liquid which Manus had given me to counteract the effects of lust. The vial was there though, with a bottle of aqua-sight and a pouch of merit. My cutlass and dagger were included in the belt.

Arexon had had the belt in its private quarters. The uspec had kept the belt, and all of its contents, safe for me.

“The only thing worse than your arrogance, is your own stupidity. There is nothing worse than a fool who thinks it is wise. A fool who accepts its ignorance at least knows that it has much to learn.”

Arexon’s words echoed in my head. So many things that the uspec had said to me had been right. I could not help but think that even its insults had been accurate. I had been foolish. I had been foolish for so long. At least, before I started reading the tomes I’d known that there was much I did not know. Now, only a little over a year of enlightenment and I assumed that I knew everything? I sighed. How could I not have known about the Katsoaru thought bubble? How could a secret such as that have been kept so effectively? I was starting to wonder how many people knew. Had Yakubo known that day in the hangar? Of course Manus knew. Knowing Manus, it had probably asked me the question as a test to see if I knew. And by answering without mention of the thought bubble, I had illuminated it as to my own ignorance.

But Arexon was the surprise. How did an imperial become so good at playing the role of slave? There was so much about Arexon that I wished I knew. Arexon had pansophy, but Sophian did not. Why did Arexon not use its pansophy against Sophian? How could Arexon bow so easily? As I thought of the uspec, I could not help but contemplate other secrets that it hid. Who was Arexon really? Would I ever know?

With a shake of my head, I turned my focus from thoughts of Arexon, to thoughts of the imp behind the door.

Musa.

As I stood there, my hand around the hilt of the cutlass in my belt, I contemplated my state of mind. There was excitement. I was certainly happy to see the imp. I had missed its company.

I smiled.

Then, I rose my clenched hand and pounded against the door to the suite.

There was no response.

I frowned. Was Musa out? I knocked on the door again.

“Master?” The loud question preceded the disappearance of the fog. The fog went away, and there, standing inside the suite, was my imp.

I could not think of a single person that I had ever being happier to see in my life.

The imp ran towards me. Its wide sockets peered over me. “Is that really you master?” it asked. It ran its hands disbelievingly over my arms, tracing the silver bands on them.

“Yes, it is me Musa.”

The imp’s face lit up with a smile. “Welcome home master.” It released its hold of me and stepped aside. “Welcome home.”

I walked in, and the fog hardened behind me.

The suite was just as it had been the last time I was here. Whatever changes I had expected Musa to make, appeared then to have solely been figments of my imagination. The imp had not changed a thing. “How have you been?”

“Me?” Musa squealed. “I’ve been great. I’ve been free. You are the one that I am worried about. How have you been master?”

“Still a serf.” I stated.

Musa frowned. “I am sorry master, if there…”

I cut it off. “Don’t be sorry. I would rather it be me than you. Besides, I just spent a week in Aurelion, and I would never let you go there.”

Musa gasped. “You were in Aurelion master?”

I chuckled. “It is a long story.”

“I will cook your favorite meals master. Then you can have a long cleaning in the base okun that you like, and then you can tell me all about it.”

I shook my head. “Later. We have more important things to deal with first.”

“More important than a cleaning in a great okun?” Musa’s voice was filled with feigned shock.

I laughed. How I’d missed my imp’s humor. “Yes, Musa. But before that, tell me, truly, how have you been? You have not wanted for anything have you?”

It shook its head. “No master.”

“Have you been indoors this whole time?”

The imp cast its gaze down guiltily, then it rose its head up. “No master.”

“So Arexon’s pendant works.”

Musa’s jaw clenched at the mention of the name. It nodded, but it did not say any more.

“It is good to see you Musa.”

Musa smiled. “Me too master, me too. I prayed that I would see you soon. I was so worried for you master. I could not imagine all the terrible things that they would do to you. But I should have put more faith in you, I forgot how truly great a fighter you are. Now, you are a silver capon.”

I frowned. “How do you know of the ranks?”

“An imp draws too much attention in this place. The sight of an imp is so rare that I am easily noticed everywhere I go. That is not how I like to live. So, when I walk about, I go without appearance. I have learned much about this port that way. I know about the Kaiser’s serf army, and the commander it has leading it.”

I chuckled. “Trust me, whatever you think you know about the commander is only, at best, partially true. I doubt even Arexon knows who it is.”

“I’ve heard much talk this way master. Like, did you know that the commander Arexon is actually the imperial of the forgotten kingdom of Aboga? Its progenitor was too cowardly to fight the Kaiser in public and so as punishment, the Kaiser made Arexon a serf. Arexon was meant to die as a soldier, but it somehow managed to make itself valuable to the Kaiser. Now the commander is so valuable to the army that the Kaiser will not lose it. Not even now, when the term of the commander’s serfdom is long completed.”

That was news. “Are you saying that Arexon has served out its prescribed term of serfdom?”

“Many years ago. Now the Kaiser keeps looking for reasons to keep the commander in silver instead of gold.”

I stored this information for later consumption. Arexon’s term had long passed? Yet it continued to serve the Kaiser’s line with so much loyalty and conviction. Why? “How is your search going?” I decided to change the topic.

“My search, master?”

“For Sensu.”

Musa shook its head. “I’ve found nothing. There are no imps here master, none wandering about as I do. Which means that the only information that I can get is from eavesdropping on conversations. And there has been no mention of Sensu. I am beginning to lose hope master, I am starting to think that our journey to Chiboga was all for naught.”

“It is a good thing that I have a lead then.”

“You do?”

I nodded. “You are good with appearance are you not?”

Musa frowned. “I do not understand.”

“Where we are going, we cannot risk being seen. You must take away our appearance Musa.”

Musa’s eyelids pulled all the way up. “Where are we going?”

“To the pious camp. I have the keys.”

“It is really good to have you back master.” Musa said. Before it was done speaking, its appearance was gone. I gaped in shock at the empty space before me. Then, I felt a touch on my arm. “It is done master.”

I looked down and found nothing of myself. There were no green legs. I lashed out with my arms and found nothing to signal at my presence. “Do I have to worry that you will lose my appearance as Xavier lost Tantan’s?”

Musa laughed. “I transferred our appearances internally. My lung now appears as I do, and my liver as you. As long as I do not lose my organs, our appearances will remain with us.”

I could not help laughing at the teasing tone in the imp’s voice. “Let us go.” I said.

“Perhaps you could tell me at least part of what has happened to you while you’ve been away. I have been really worried about you master.”

“Alright, Musa.”

And so, I talked. I kept my voice low and cautioned Musa to listen with its extra hearing to make sure that we were not being watched or followed. Whenever we walked past a contingent of soldiers our conversation muted until they were behind us. This was the difficult part about travelling without appearance, we could not make use of any canoes. We had to walk all the way from the civilians’ camp, around the Kaiser’s Castle, to the Pious camp. The long walk afforded us with plenty time for me to tell my story. And so I told it all, even including my recent revelations about Arexon and the gift that it had given. By the time we reached the gates to the pious camp, it was late night.

I missed this. The feel of the fog around my skin and the red illumination of the clouds beaming down on me. For this moment, I was free. It occurred to me then, that I could leave Chiboga like this. Musa could remove the appearance from all of our things, and we could walk to the hangar and leave this cursed port. No one would ever know.

‘Sophila’s eye.’

Had it really been so long since I’d last heard the prompting of that voice? It was not insistent now, just a gentle reminder, like a light prod to smoldering twigs. The fire was already set in me, and so all I needed was a little flicker to bring the flames back to life. I only had to recall the scourging that I had suffered at Sophian’s hand. I could not leave, anymore than I could have left Katsoaru without Marcinus’ eye. Only this time, I was not plagued with a million questions. I did not care why it was Sophila’s eye desired. I was just as eager for the eye as the voice in my head. Sophila’s eye, Sophila’s life, Sophian’s life. I would not be leaving Chiboga without them. Musa’s words about Arexon’s serfdom had reminded me of my plan, the one that had started to form in my head today.

The picture was starting to get clearer. One thing was sure, taking Sophila’s eye would be one of the most satisfying moments of my time in Chiboga. Second only to taking its offspring’s life.

The bosses stationed in front of the gate to the pious camp stood close to the sides. There was a large gap in the middle, but neither Musa nor I could walk through until they opened the gate. This marked another long period of waiting. I found that I did not much mind the wait. We stood outside, free from the stink of Aurelion, and the captivity of the barracks. There was just something refreshing about having my feet against the hard fog roads.

“Ajar!”

“Now.” I whispered to Musa.

The gates opened and we ran towards them. The canoe steering out had several novices sitting in it. We walked right by the canoe as one of the novices eyes locked on me. I doubt that it could see me, but with my paranoia, I could not help but fear the unknown. What if the novice had some sort of pansophy magic that could see things without appearance? There had to be some way that it could be done. In fact, I did recall reading a tome on that.

The canoe moved on, and my paranoia faded.

We found that crossing the gates was the hardest part. Once we entered the pious camp, we both remained silent. We were in pansophy territory now. We stayed close to the borders of the camp as we walked, choosing these backroads over the main ones which were certain to be more cramped. We made our way past several bases, none of which looked familiar. I knew that the bases closest to the gates belonged to the Order of Remediation, but I did not know which pious lived in the other ones.

At long last, we reached the base of the Order of Annihilation. Isthum had been a yielder. The base had a large banner over the open entrances. These banners had the sign of the order printed boldly on them. I could not see my imp, but I knew that Musa would shiver on seeing these signs. It did not like the yielders.

Isthum had its own lot.

According to Arexon, its first order of business tomorrow was to have this lot torn down, and all its contents inventoried. Sketches had been done, so it had warned against taking anything from the dwelling. Most pious shared lots. It was an indication of the esteem the Kaiser held Isthum in, that it was given a lot of its own. I put my key into the hard fog entry to the lot, and the fog went away.

“I cannot believe all that you have told me about Arexon master. We are indebted to it.” Musa said, though its tone seemed to contradict the words. I heard doubt in its voice.

The fog hardened once I passed through, and the key was no longer inserted in the fog. “I am indebted to it.” I stopped, just short of entering the pious one’s house and turned to stare at the imp. “If anything should happen to me Musa, I want you to take my wealth and leave this port. Go far away, and establish a life for yourself. Do not waste a second thought on me. Do you understand?”

“No master.”

“What?”

“No master, I do not understand, or agree. I would never leave you like that. Perhaps I should accompany you as I am now, without my appearance. No one would ever know.”

“No!” I shook my head. “Sophian and Arexon are both deep thinkers. They know of pansophy and the danger it could pose. They would not leave themselves unprotected from an attacker without appearance. You must never attempt this.”

“Fine master, but I will not leave this port without you.” Musa insisted.

It was stubborn, I thought with a frown. I could just imagine the imp staring at me with its jaw set, its gait oozing with conviction. It was loyal, I decided. Loyal to a fault. I nodded, but I remained silent.

The dwelling was unlit.

It was easy to make out the outer walls of the hovel, using the illumination provided by the clouds, but that light would only do so much in providing illumination. The dwelling was only one layer high, but that single layer was wide. We walked through one of the many open arches that led into the dwelling.

“What do you think we are looking for?” I asked.

“I do not know master. None of this makes sense. Why would commander Arexon save your life? Why would it tell you about this place?”

I had left out several aspects of the story which I told Musa, one of the key ones being the link that I shared with Arexon. I told it about Arexon’s pansophy and the uspec seeing that I was searching for Sensu, but Musa was having a hard time believing that it would give us this information out of the kindness of its heart.

“This all seems to have come down to one thing Musa.” I stated.

“Yes master, it all comes down to the heir to Lahooni. We must find it.”

I almost laughed. “No Musa, it all comes down to the last brio. What have you heard of it?”

There was a conspicuous silence, followed by a very unconvincing, “nothing master.”

“In all your centuries serving the line of the Kaisers of Lahooni, you heard nothing of it?”

“Yes master.” The imp stated.

I decided not to push. There were certain things that I had chosen to keep from the imp, so if it decided to keep this a secret, what right did I have to force it to speak? Besides, the last brio ranked very low on my list of priorities. That artifact meant too many things to too many people. I was not about to be one of them.

The inside of the dwelling was a startling mix between haggard and kempt. There were certain areas which were littered with shredded tomes and clothes. I walked past this disorder to a spot of dried blood on the ground. We were still close to the arches, so the beams of light from the clouds still allowed for partial view. I stepped past the blood, and walked into the real darkness, where the clouds light did not reach.

I was just about to turn back towards the lit area, when I saw a glow of pink light, coming from further off in the room. That pink light drew me. I walked towards it, wondering as I did, what I would find.

“I lied master.” I heard Musa’s voice beside me. “I do not know much about the last brio, but I do know that it was a thing handed down from one uspec to the next. The uspecs in the line of the Kaiser of Lahooni, were sworn to protect it. It was a secret master, one to be kept only by the uspecs in that line. That is all I know.”

“I believe you.”

We reached the source of the pink light. It was a strange room filled with several deep glass bowls of lit okun. Each bowl had a number of jejas swimming in it. I frowned. What was this fascination with jejas? I walked towards the bowls.

Something caught my eye.

Each bowl had stones at the bottom, little pebbles of different colors. But, in one bowl, I found pebbles that reminded me of the mine which I’d just left. Those pebbles reminded me of the metals, the bonbons, which the imps mined in Aurelion. I walked towards that bowl, and put my hand into it.

“Master!” Musa screamed. “The lit okun kills.”

I reached to the bottom, and grabbed a handful of the cyan colored pebbles.

Opening my palm, so that the pebbles were revealed, I asked, “are these pansophy conduits?”

One of those pebbles lifted in the air. I could not see Musa’s hand, but I knew that the imp was holding it.

“Yes master. How did you know?”

“I just returned from Aurelion, remember.”

I tossed the pebbles back into the bowl. My hand brushed a jeja on my way back up. I frowned at it.

“Do you know the one thing we have an abundance of in our slums?”

“Jejas?”

“Yes Musa. There are so much jejas. So much, that I consider myself something of a jeja expert. I know jejas.” I grabbed onto the jeja I had brushed against and pulled it out of the okun. “That is how I know that this jeja is fake.”

“Surely not master, it moves like all the others.”

“Touch it.”

There was silence and then Musa’s shocked voice. “It is made of rubber master.”

“Yes, it is. The question is why? Is Isthum a great collector of jejas, or did it build all of this just to hide this fake one. And in lit okun, that is perfect! What uspec would put its hand into lit okun?”

“You master.”

I laughed at the imp’s sulky tone. Then, I pulled out my dagger, and placed the sharp end against the squirming belly of the fake jeja. I tore it open. There, in the belly of the jeja, was a cyan key.

“I wonder what this leads to.” I mused.

Another wonderful update ...How do i sapp Suspence!

Wow. Revealing. If anyone is an expert on jejas, it will be Nebud. I thought a lit okun kills everything it touches i.e. the jejas, obviously there is a lot I don't know. Do you read Erikson's works.

gratitude domina
when I read the first chapter of the spectral existence.. I remember it being so abstract and vague and I could hardly understand what you were writing ..
I decided to stick around , who would pass up the great domina's work..
today, I can say I am engrossed in this story. you have managed to bring life and sense to an existence that has little in common with the umanis..
do keep up the good work...
PS: what's going on with Servia....love that story too

Hello, everyone. This is the voting link to Nairaland's Literature Section Awards of the year.

https://www.nairaland.com/5505304/nairaland-literature-awards-year-2019

Please vote for ObehiD for 'best sci-fi/supernatural'. That's No. 5.

Honestly, she is easily the best I've come across in recent times. This current story makes me look forward to Wednesdays and Saturdays, and I often wish she'd update on Mondays too so my week could be off to a great start. In fact, this was the only story I could read when I fell sick a month ago.

I know this does not apply to only me. Please do well to show some love and support to this incredible writer who's introduced us to a world we have perhaps never heard of or imagined.

Ghost recons, avid writers, edakun show some love. She is most deserving of the award and whatever rewards might come with it. Remember, she has never asked you for a token. I know writers who are far off her level and still charge fees or move their stories to other sites. Obehi is not like that. Thanks.

Note: voting starts on November 7. Get ready.

OluwabuqqyYOLO:
Hello, everyone. This is the voting link to Nairaland's Literature Section Awards of the year.

https://www.nairaland.com/5505304/nairaland-literature-awards-year-2019

Please vote for ObehiD for 'best sci-fi/supernatural'. That's No. 5.

Honestly, she is easily the best I've come across in recent times. This current story makes me look forward to Wednesdays and Saturdays, and I often wish she'd update on Mondays too so my week could be off to a great start. In fact, this was the only story I could read when I fell sick a month ago.

I know this does not apply to only me. Please do well to show some love and support to this incredible writer who's introduced us to a world we have perhaps never heard of or imagined.

Ghost recons, avid writers, edakun show some love. She is most deserving of the award and whatever rewards might come with it. Remember, she has never asked you for a token. I know writers who are far off her level and still charge fees or move their stories to other sites. Obehi is not like that. Thanks.

Note: voting starts on November 7. Get ready.

...

Nebud sure got me displeased in the course of this story and that left me in a 'no comment' state all this while.
Obehid I apologize if it displeasing to have taken that action, I know writers adores commentaries vet much as it helps in story building and organizing. I have quite a sensitive personality and I see literature as part of my being. So many characters especially the protagonists I see with difference, when any misbehaves I kind off take it personal and Nebud did that for quite a long period. Although things have been set right all thanks to Arexon, I never disliked that uspec much ever since the adventure into the Aurelion, I suspected there are more to it than meets the eyes immediately they stepped into the canoe. I like smartness and smart characters be they antagonists or otherwise just the sheer cleverness is attractive.

The story so far have been deep revealing many underlying secrets opening more understanding to the extreme politics of the Uspec world. It is quite similar to what happens in the umani world. The greed and lust over power is overwhelming. Abuse of power and many more. This I can say is the most interesting part of this story.

Now Nebud knows Arexon and its the intentions better than it did earlier. I am glad at the same time I am still worried. This story is filled with many mind games such that it is quite difficult to predict what happens next.

So Nebud been assigned to seek out the last brio leaves me to wonder, why Nebud? Arexon knows that the lit Okun does no harm to Nebud and that leaves a reason why it chose to send it. Are Arexon's intentions right? I can't say but I really hope it doesn't lead to another under toned plot to exploit Nebud. It is a mind game as I have stated earlier, so anything and many things can happen and may happen.

Just keeping tabs on Arexon, although I trust it a little. Nebud needs to become more smarter and trust its instinct than trust more words of another uspec. It being flexible this time is good at least it can move its plans with more pretense than it did before.

I am always with you Obehid. Thanks for your efforts to satisfy our deep cravings for a good story. 'More grease to your elbow' ( still wondering if this phrase is correct, but I am using it anyways ) Thanks

obehid sweetheart thanks for today update is it that lit okun does not affect nehud because I don't remember the details well but there was a time he came into contact with it before it was taken to the pit

ayshow6102:
obehid sweetheart thanks for today update is it that lit okun does not affect nehud because I don't remember the details well but there was a time he came into contact with it before it was taken to the pit

Seems you've forgotten the time he was turned into a cocky by manuscripts and he had to reach inside his emotion to communicate with the lit okun that was to nearly obliterate him

Thanks for the update ObehiD... The plot thickens

Fazemood:
Nebud sure got me displeased in the course of this story and that left me in a 'no comment' state all this while.
Obehid I apologize if it displeasing to have taken that action, I know writers adores commentaries vet much as it helps in story building and organizing. I have quite a sensitive personality and I see literature as part of my being. So many characters especially the protagonists I see with difference, when any misbehaves I kind off take it personal and Nebud did that for quite a long period. Although things have been set right all thanks to Arexon, I never disliked that uspec much ever since the adventure into the Aurelion, I suspected there are more to it than meets the eyes immediately they stepped into the canoe. I like smartness and smart characters be they antagonists or otherwise just the sheer cleverness is attractive.

The story so far have been deep revealing many underlying secrets opening more understanding to the extreme politics of the Uspec world. It is quite similar to what happens in the umani world. The greed and lust over power is overwhelming. Abuse of power and many more. This I can say is the most interesting part of this story.

Now Nebud knows Arexon and its the intentions better than it did earlier. I am glad at the same time I am still worried. This story is filled with many mind games such that it is quite difficult to predict what happens next.

So Nebud been assigned to seek out the last brio leaves me to wonder, why Nebud? Arexon knows that the lit Okun does no harm to Nebud and that leaves a reason why it chose to send it. Are Arexon's intentions right? I can't say but I really hope it doesn't lead to another under toned plot to exploit Nebud. It is a mind game as I have stated earlier, so anything and many things can happen and may happen.

Just keeping tabs on Arexon, although I trust it a little. Nebud needs to become more smarter and trust its instinct than trust more words of another uspec. It being flexible this time is good at least it can move its plans with more pretense than it did before.

I am always with you Obehid. Thanks for your efforts to satisfy our deep cravings for a good story. 'More grease to your elbow' ( still wondering if this phrase is correct, but I am using it anyways ) Thanks

LOL... Softy... I believe I understand why Nebud behaved the way it did. It has been through so much pain and suffering that all it can give is the same. Now that an Uspec has shown it that love, of course I am sure there is bound to be some changes in our dear Nebud.
One things I like here in this thriller is the absence of women. It seems pure to me. No girl in the picture to make an Uspec act stupidly. Lol... My opinion though.

Obehid be scattering my Dada with this story.... Honestly you always wow me with the twist and turns....... Kai, I doff my hat. I don't even have a clue of what is next but I think Arexon has a hidden plan, I just hope Nebud wise up soonest sha

Lovely turns and twists, I am believing that Arexon has a plan and as we read it involves Nebud but I think it is not to harm or hurt Nebud but to help him so that he never falls into the same situation that Arexon fell into as concerns his past. I think he wants to help Nebud claim his rights and throne.... what none of the world could find, only the true son of his father can genuinely find it especially when he has been given some of these stuffs piece by piece, it is left for Nebud to connect the dots together.

Dathypebruv:

Seems you've forgotten the time he was turned into a cocky by manuscripts and he had to reach inside his emotion to communicate with the lit okun that was to nearly obliterate him

in the beginning of the story when he was almost killed before he met fajemero he came into contact with this stuff na

Someone mentioned Arexon having a plan and it just hit me like a wave of current, Are on could even trap Nebud and get him done with.. But I believe our guy is the ACTO so no shakement

ayshow6102:



in the beginning of the story when he was almost killed before he met fajemero he came into contact with this stuff na

He did/could not control his emotions before he met fajahromo it was the time he spent in the pit that he horned it...

I actually like the story...
Keeps refreshing.

decoderdgenius:


LOL... Softy... I believe I understand why Nebud behaved the way it did. It has been through so much pain and suffering that all it can give is the same. Now that an Uspec has shown it that love, of course I am sure there is bound to be some changes in our dear Nebud.
One things I like here in this thriller is the absence of women. It seems pure to me. No girl in the picture to make an Uspec act stupidly. Lol... My opinion though.

Easy the ladies are coming for you bro

@Madosky112 Thank you!

@tunjilomo So the lit okun kills most people that it touches, but there's no way of knowing which uspec will be safe and which wouldn't. But Nebud has already had experience with the lit okun, so it knows that its safe. As to the jejas, the lit okun doesn't kill them as they are creatures of the okun. Same way that the only uspecs with a chance of surviving lit okun are the kute uspecs who are tied to the okun. No, I haven't read any of Erikson's works

@popeshemoo lol, thank you for reading. I agree the start was kind of rough. i had to try to establish this new world before i could really delve into the characters and the intrigue, but I'm glad that you've found it worth the read As to the Servia story, I don't think I'll be completing that. I'm just going to focus on this one. I find it very hard to keep stories short, so if I get into that, I'm afraid it'll just spin out of control. I'm focusing on the marked instead.

@OluwabuqqyYOLO thank you for the recommendation, I'm really flattered and grateful! I'm so glad that this story means so much to you. And this was all you could read when you were sick wow, I'm really humbled. Thank you I'll tell you a secret, this story makes me look forward to Wednesdays and Saturdays too, so that I can see how everyone is reacting to the story. I'm happy you look forward to reading it as much as I look forward to posting

@Fazemood so you're still here? I thought you'd abandoned us oh, anyway, it's good to see you back. I definitely get how you feel, Nebud is not the most love-inspiring protagonist. Whenever I read a book tend to get engrossed in it like you've described, and the characters feel real to me, so I can definitely get annoyed when they misbehave. It feels so strange and quite mind-blowing to hear you describe my characters like this! But yes, I agree with you, I tend to like smart characters too, but sha, I don't tend to like villains, whether they are smart or not. haha. I like these questions and about Arexon...well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see . Anyway, I'm happy that you're still with us! Thank you!!!

@ayshow6102 So, no, lit okun does not affect Nebud. It didn't come in contact with it before the pits, it came in contact with it after. It was after it left the pits, that it found a swan and the swan led it to a pond filled with lit okun. It jumped into the pond fishing for jejas, without even knowing that lit okun was lethal. After that it met Musa and Musa told it how dangerous lit okun is

@Dathypebruv and that's important too, because it means that at one point Nebud was able to create lit okun...

@smooth278 thank you for reading! Indeed, it thickens!

@decoderdgenius I agree that Nebud has been through a lot. And it has learned the hard way that it can't trust people easily, and it has to be ready to defend itself. HAHAHAHAHA, it's funny that you think that I (a woman) am writing a book with men, but without women. The uspecs in this book are GENDERLESS they are not men.

@Tuhndhay Lol, thank you, I'm glad your enjoying it. More twists and turns coming

@Botaflica Thank you. As to the nature of Arexon's intentions towards Nebud, well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see if Arexon can truly be trusted, and why he's doing all that he's doing for our Nebud

@ayshow6102 I think the time you're talking about was in the slum, before it got to the pits. And then it came in contact with regular okun, but not lit okun. The first time it saw lit okun was much later, after it left the pits

@phoenixchap Does Arexon have a plan? Well, I think that there is a lot that Arexon can do, hopefully Nebud stays safe

@Jackossky I'm glad you like it

Part 17
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It was a new day. The daylight dots shone their orange hue, as I marched through the barracks. It felt odd to walk around so freely. I was not now unperturbed by my serfdom, far from it, but I felt secure in my plan. All I had to do was wait for the perfect opportunity to enact it.

A cyan glow reminded me of the key that I’d found the day before, in Isthum’s dwelling. The purpose of that key was still a mystery. We’d pored over every area of the room, every nook and cranny, and come up empty. There were no secret locks which the key opened. None in the dwelling, and none in the entire walled off compound. Whatever the key led to, it was not in Isthum’s lot. The question now, was where was it? Was it a secret that Isthum had only felt safe enough to leave buried in its head? Had it taken that secret with it to the grave? Or perhaps, it had left clues in its dwellings? I did not know, but I thought, perhaps Arexon would.

I stopped in front of Arexon’s office, frowning at the raised voices I heard coming from behind the curtains.

“You cannot do this to me again.” Arexon yelled. I had never heard the uspec sound so desperate. “I have served your line faithfully. I have done much more than was ever asked of me. And what do I get in return? Another extension of my serfdom. I do not deserve this.”

“Perhaps if you had found the last brio, things would have been different. But you did not, and pater does not think that you have earned your freedom.” I recognized Sophian’s voice by the lack of empathy, before I placed its tone.

“By the contract I signed, I earned my freedom years ago!”

“Pater does not agree with you.”

There was something poignant about the silence that ensued.

“Did you speak to the mighty one on my behalf?” Arexon’s voice sounded strained. There were pleading notes in that voice. This was not like Aurelion when Arexon had begged, in its role as imp. The uspec was back as commander now, and I could hear the pride in its tone.

“I do not interfere with such matters.” Sophian stated flatly. “You know that.”

“How long is the extension this time?”

“Pater will be willing to reconsider after the conclusion of the coming war with the plenum. Your freedom will depend on how well you serve us, commander.”

“This is not necessary, you know that I would fight willingly for your line. When have I ever not? I know no other family save yours, where else would I go? Why not let me fight for you as a free uspec, instead of a serf?”

“I grow tired of this conversation Arexon. I have only come to relay pater’s ruling on the issue. Is it your desire to challenge the Kaiser of Chiboga?”

Arexon sighed. “Of course not. I will accept the Kaiser’s ruling.”

“Then affix your signature to the document.”

I heard ruffling sounds next. I used the opportunity that the break in the conversation afforded, to look around me. I noticed for the first time then, that the gurus who usually stood guard in front of the curtains to the commander’s office, were missing. There were no soldiers anywhere close to the office. Had they been ordered away?

“How long till the plenum arrives?”

“They mean to catch us as unprepared as they can.” Sophian replied. “In the week that you spent lazing about Aurelion, they closed up the parts of the inter-port trail around us. If you had been back sooner, we would have known of your failure to procure the last brio, and we would have acted accordingly. You see how much your failure has cost us? The plenum is amassing their armies on the inter-port trail around us. Our spies amongst the pious on the trail, tell us that the plenum plan to begin their attacks in ten days. We have already bolstered security at the hangar. It will take them months to break through. While they attempt, they will be left vulnerable to us. We will thin their numbers. We will win. I do not doubt it. The only question is how much it will cost us.”

“How much fighting power will be lost to death?”

“That is not what worries me. No, Chiboga is filled with our serf army. I do not care about serf life. The plenum cannot beat us, truly, they do not want to. We are Kuworyte, no, it will look bad if they succeed. They want to humble us, to show us their might. They will not retreat until we are made to pay with something we are loath to give. It might be annexed ports, or it might be the life of an uspec in our line. Whatever they choose, we will be reluctant, and they will slaughter our free Chiboga uspecs while we vacillate. Those uspecs will lose faith in us. Civil wars have started over less.”

I do not care about serf life. How tactless a thing to say to a serf? The lack of emotion in Sophian’s voice made it even worse. How could Arexon be so loyal to one such as this?

“Now that you are back, see that your soldiers are properly trained. Also, I want more guards for Sophi. Ranks of guru and higher. Bring me a list of names before the end of the day.”

“Yes sirga.”

The curtains to the commander’s office were pulled open abruptly. The parted curtains revealed Sophian walking out of the office. The uspec stopped short on sighting me.

I saluted.

“What are you doing here?” Sophian asked.

“I am here to speak to the commander, imperial one.” I kept my gaze fixed away from its face, and did my best to bury my hatred. I had just stumbled upon the perfect opportunity to begin putting my plan into motion.

Sophian turned around, stared pointedly at Arexon, and then turned back around and shook its head. It began walking.

“Permission to initiate, imperial one?”

Sophian crossed its hands behind its back and spread its legs. “In clover.” It ordered.

I took my hand down, and let it rest by my side.

“Permission granted.”

“I came here, to Commander Arexon’s office, to beg for permission to approach you, imperial one.”

It was obvious that I had surprised Sophian, because its face filled with shock. The expression only lasted for seconds before it faded. “Approach me for what?”

“To humbly express my gratitude, imperial one. I lied to you on the day we met. I am, was, a banneret, imperial one, I know what a grave sin it is to lie, especially on a subject as essential as faith. The truth is that I am not Kuworyte. I am irira. It is what I have been my entire life, imperial one, and the only uspecs who would accept me where Uspecipytes. So, when the imperial Manus asked me to come to this port on a mission, I felt honor bound to accept, even though I did not want to come to a Kuworyte port. The imperial Marcinus was very kind to me, I owed the line. And so I came here, and I lied to you. You had every right to punish me, imperial one, you had every right to kill me. But you did not. I will forever be in your debt for the mercy that you showed me. I am a skilled fighter, imperial one, and from now till the day I die, I am indebted to the one who had mercy on me, and saved me, when my own foolishness should have gotten me killed. Gratitude imperial one, gratitude sirga.” I was surprised by the ease with which I had delivered the speech I had rehearsed so thoroughly, many times in my head, during the previous night. Even Musa had been convinced when I delivered it to it after our breakfast. It was not until that moment, as I said the words to Sophian, with Arexon standing in the background, that I realized why they appeared so real. It was because I meant them.

“Your serfdom will ensure that you pay the debt you owe.” Sophian replied curtly.

It took everything I had to keep from reacting to the uspec’s words. I wanted to lash out at it, to pull my dagger from my belt and slash its throat right there and then. How could it respond like that after the speech that I had given? I had to remind myself of the plan. I could not act so foolishly now.

“Yes sirga.” I said, once my emotions were back under control. “I am grateful for the serfdom, imperial one, I am grateful for this opportunity to pay my debt.”

Sophian studied me quietly. It took much more interest in me now than it ever had before. Then it nodded dismissively at me, and then marched off. I turned around and watched while Sophian’s wings began flapping. It flew away.

“What was that?” Arexon sounded angry.

“What sirga?”

“That!” It snapped. “That speech of lies.”

“I meant every word.”

“Do not lie to me?”

“Why are you so angry?” I reached for its anger and exhausted it.

Arexon blinked at me. It stared blankly at me for the seconds it took for the stun to wear off. Once it did, I felt Arexon’s anger regrow. “Don’t ever do that to me again!”

“Yes sirga.”

“When did you become the perfect soldier? Saluting Sophian, apologizing, calling me ‘sirga’ so freely.”

“You asked me to serve commander, that is what I am doing.”

“No, what you are doing is lying. I want to know why. Now, dammit!”

“I meant every word I said.” I felt the rise in Arexon’s anger. “I did. You, not Sophian, were the imperial one I was referring to. You’ve given more than I can ever repay commander, I am in your debt. I have had time to think of all that you said, and all that has happened, and I see now, just how much you have sacrificed for me.”

Arexon stretched out its hand, and before it spoke, I knew what it meant to do. “Do you give me your permission to see for myself?” It asked, its words a challenge.

I sighed. “You cannot simply take me at my word?”

“No Nebud.”

“Very well, you have my permission, not that you’ve ever asked for it before. I should warn you, you may not like what you see.”

Arexon’s hand clamped around my arm, just below my silver armband. Its grasp was much stronger than it needed to be, but I could tell that the uspec was angry. I also knew that I was nothing but a convenient subject for its anger. It was not I who had caused the rage, at least not fully.

“Forget it.” Arexon said, after its search was done. “I warn you, forget about that plan. Not only will I never aid you, I will do everything in my power to stop you. Do not make me choose between you and Sophian, because I will not choose you.” Its hand came off my arm.

I was afflicted by Arexon’s words. Why not? What did it ever gain from its service to Sophian? “Sophian is no friend of yours.” I replied.

“And you are?” Arexon mocked. “Yesterday you wanted to kill me, today you want to befriend me. What, pray tell, will tomorrow bring?”

“I am not a selfish friend.”

“Are you not? I wonder what Marcinus would say in response to that.”

I took a step back.

My heart filled with a grief which I could not describe. Arexon’s mention of Marcinus brought back the guilt which I had worked so hard to bury. I suddenly felt as if the eye in my socket was attempting to burn through my face. I had no secrets from Arexon. The uspec’s expert use of its hidden pansophy ensured that it knew everything. It knew me better than I knew myself. What right did I have to seek friendship with another uspec who was my better? I had to reform my plan, I had to count Arexon out.

“Forgive me.” I said. Then I turned around and began walking.

Arexon stopped me. “It is I who should seek your forgiveness. I am hurt and angry at Sophian, and I cannot take my anger out on it, and so I chose you instead. I know that you did all that you could for Marcinus. Forgive me Nebud.”

I turned back so that I was facing Arexon, and I nodded.

“If you are offering your friendship Nebud, I will take it, but I will not betray another, older, friend for you. I cannot do it.”

“Sophian is no friend of yours.”

“You do not know Sophian Nebud, you do not know who it was before it lost all its siblings to its pater’s wars. You do not know what Sophian has been through, what it has had to endure. If Sophian appears cold, it is because it has to be. Sophian is the best friend I have.”

“Will you tell it of my plan?” I asked.

“No.” Arexon shook its head. “I do not need to, because your plan will not work. I will not aid you.”

I smiled. I could live with that compromise. I had to change my plan then.

“Why not just serve your years quietly and leave? Why obey a voice in your head over your own good sense? You should never have come here Nebud. If the voice tells you to kill yourself, will you do that too? How can one as arrogant as yourself, be owned by a voice you do not even know?”

“So far, the voice and I have agreed.”

“Perhaps. Or perhaps the voice has made you think that you agree. You will not succeed here Nebud. Sophila is not Marcinus. It will never trust you enough to be in a room alone with you. And even if it does, it will never let its guard down long enough for you to take its eye. This is where your mission ends. The voice in your head has led you to twenty years of serfdom. If you’re one of the lucky ones who make it through this war with the plenum, that is.”

“So, then I suppose it will be futile to ask you to put my name on the list of soldiers to guard Sophi.”

“Leave Sophi out of this Nebud, it is just a child.”

“I do not harm children. Besides, I like the young uspec. It is a tomes-enthusiast, just as I. If I get the position, I will protect it. Surely, you saw that much in my head.”

“Yes, I saw your plan Nebud. I know that you plan to use me to get close to the Kaiser’s line and kill them. I will not help you.”

“Then help Sophi. Can you find a better fighter to guard the young?”

“You must think Sophian is a fool. It will never allow you to guard its offspring. Never.”

“Then there is no harm in putting my name on the list.”

Arexon sighed. “I know Sophian, you are wasting your time.”

“You know the version of Sophian you choose to see, I know the real thing. That uspec is as arrogant as any other imperial. It will want to make a success story out of me. It knows my skill, if it thinks that it can turn me into a soldier as loyal as you, it will try.”

“Very well, I will put your name on the list, if for no other reason than to have the satisfaction of watching you fail.”

Seems like I'm the first to chop today
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So am not the only one that always check 4 update as early as early,,,Obehd thanks but but is not complete.

Ha... This is short. Let's see Nebud in action, please.

wow, been a while since I have commented on this story..
Nebud has had quite a painful journey... ObehiD, your one of the best (if not the best) writer here..
please o, bring more victories for Nebud biko

obehiD:
Part 17
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“Very well, I will put your name on the list, if for no other reason than to have the satisfaction of watching you fail.”

Oh wow this is ����

thanks for the update obehid nehud is going to become that brat bodyguard smh