Bro, I'm not an Undead!

The Severed Union was very secretive, and quite obviously extremely effective in their ability to hide their traces. The ones that mattered, at least.

The imposition of what was called a Union Seal, had allowed the organisation to keep its existence a secret even from Arch-Mages and Diviners.

Union Seals were inconspicuous brands that anyone who ever set foot in the Severed Union had planted on their bodies.

The main purpose of the Seal was to lock all memory, and immediate thoughts about the Severed Union from intruding egos.

Replicus had found it ingenious that unlike most constructs of similar nature – restrictive binds that acted on live targets – what made the Union Seal effective was the fact that it left room for implications about the Severed Union, but barred all specifics.

It was a kind of trade-off. When individuals who could scour the mind attempted to trace any information about the Severed Union, the mind of the target would willingly give signs that indeed, they were part of a large collective – one that was extraordinarily vast and powerful – but nothing more.

The individuals with the Seal could even confess that they were part of a secret organisation, and could even be strained to a point of giving out its name, but nothing past that would be revealed. In fact, if anyone got them to admit it, the Union Seal grew stronger in its resistance.

Whoever had introduced the idea of the Seal, as Replicus had surmised, had likely implemented a series of Creeds. The Penetrator didn’t yet understand in full how Creeds work, but so far he was sure that they had the function of facilitating a transaction of give and take.

It was a power that only Incandescent Stage experts and above had.

The Union Seal also had the function of allowing one to reach the Severed Union, but this didn’t mean they automatically could. Practice was required to be able to perfectly sense the hundreds of locations all over Aigas that led to the Severed Union, unless one had an ally that could already do it.

And indeed, there wasn’t a single way to reach the Severed Union.

Replicus, much like the other Faction leaders, merely preferred to travel there directly because he was close.

…

As the Penetrator saw the distinct, bright building ahead, he recalled asking Kenno and his group about the Severed Union. The former bandit leader – as he had become an Attachment – had lead Replicus to one of the entrances to the Depraved Side, and from there, Replicus had gotten acquainted with the Union, and branded too.

New arrivals were immediately vetted. If they were a threat, it wouldn’t get to show because the security measures the Severed Union had stacked all over, were extremely thorough.

Growing from scratch hadn’t been easy, but luckily, Replicus hadn’t begun as a common criminal harassing the wealthy nobles on Feinheath. He wouldn’t have allowed himself to do that in the first place.

Instead, he made himself look appealing.

His experiences with people who were able to recognise how… special, he was, like Tulnas, Stylla, and …. hmmm. That was odd. There was someone else. Anyhow, those experiences helped him quickly become attractive to one of the Factions.

‘I did rise pretty fast, didn’t I?’ Replicus thought while recalling the murmurs he had heard from that crowd earlier.

He and Pherdanta passed the bright building. The Unlimited’s errand had nothing to do with it, apparently, and Replicus merely followed. He didn’t ask Pherdanta about it. It wasn’t that he wasn’t even a little bit curious, but because he felt like asking, when he was following her to the location anyway, was pointless. He’d know eventually.

The Bright Side had a completely different atmosphere, which, apart from the lesser crowds was inspired by the neat, wide streets that had smooth, grey tarring.

Mini-walls separated one building from another , and it helped that every structure here didn’t look like it had been in a fierce wrestle against endless, uncaring time.

Additionally, unlike the scurrying and scrambling of the people following his appearance in the Depraved Side, only respectful acknowledgement came Replicus’ way.

Thirty minutes later, the duo had arrived at the destination of Pherdanta’s errand.

It was a modest building, neat, but mute of any decor that would make it stand out. Pherdanta gave a knock to the door, and soon a handsome young man showed to the door.

He was so shocked to see who had appeared on his doorstep that he gave a yelp and then hurriedly apologised, especially to Replicus who stood firm behind Pherdanta.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t…” he stuttered.

“Uh, sure, sure!”

The inside of the building had the makings of a proper home, and as it turned out, the man was living here with his family.

The Bright Side featured safe residential areas for anyone who worked at the bright building or another important establishment that Replicus and Pherdanta had passed on the way. It went without saying that this man was an important something somewhere.

When the man had led Pherdanta and Replicus somewhere private, the former finally shed some light on the situation despite her master not inquiring about it.

The handsome man was someone Pherdanta had been close to before, though they had grown distant because their relationship had hinged on the fact that Pherdanta usually needed a favour from him – the same favour each time – and Pherdanta hadn’t had much time for escapades outside Deign.

As for what this favour was…

“I see. You’re back for that,” the handsome man said while rubbing his neck with a complex expression. “Alright. Give it to me. I’ll see what I can do.”

Pherdanta – who had removed her helmet – gave a weak smile and produced a letter in a neat violet envelope which the handsome man received it.

“I greatly appreciate this,” she said.

“I’m just passing on a message. It’s not that hard,” the man said with a shrug. “Of course, it would become difficult if the one supposed to receive it refuses to take it.”

“I know,” Pherdanta said in a sullen tone.

Given her history, as she hadn’t been tied to Replicus originally, Pherdanta had ties she had left behind. After leaving her previous Faction, she had known it would be akin to betrayal.

This wasn’t the fact that haunted her though. She could care less about everyone else she had left behind… except one.

Because visiting other Factions was practically a declaration of war, and that it was extraordinarily difficult to find out the activities of another Faction, Pherdanta hadn’t been able to directly communicate with the person she intended.

Only this method would do – using a third party.

Pherdanta wished to resolve the issues she meant to explain before it was too late. She had the sinking feeling that she had to do so quickly.

Unfortunately, things weren’t looking good.

This was the second letter she had sent so far.

She had confirmed that the recipient received it, but there was no reply.

That was already a bad sign, and so too was her desperation which manifested with this current letter.