The Split Sun and The Mechanical Moon

Chapter Fifty-Four: Wayward of Nihility.

The intelligence department of the EMC won't be very tricky, but it may confuse me. I remember Ordo Centralis from my world, Brandon's master, founder of the central order in the garden of Eden, and a sorcerer capable of immense power. He was respectable, a genius, and a mystery.

Soaring through the air, I caught a glimpse of people waving to me from the many catwalks that jutted out from the Handling departments large port. I smiled, but even without my mask they wouldn't know I appreciated the sight. As most of these buildings are, they weren't tough to get to. I found my way to the intelligence department, where I saw a long cable connecting the tip of the tower to the very top of the central tower to the satellite dish that rested on top of the central tower, way high in the air. Maybe it was a power cable, or some sort of wired connection. Whatever the case, I landed on a knee on its landing platform. It looked like nobody had landed on this platform in a while, but to be frank- I haven't seen many helicopters around this place either.

I opened the door, to find myself in a strange place. I was on a balcony, looking down the tower... it was completely hollow. Bookshelves lined the walls, completely covering everything as the shelves ran farther than my eye can see. Books levitated about, being transported through the air all around. Looking up, the bookshelves continued until an eventual roof that didn't look too far away. Lining the wall to my left, a wooden staircase with no bottom spiraled around the tower to the room at the top. Walking up this staircase, I could see floating platforms hovering about before they floated away below. Books continued to float around as I arrived at the room at the top. It was a grand penthouse, tile flooring with what looked to be walls made of rock? The roof was made of glass, with small window slits on the left and right walls. At the back of the room was a grand desk, with a man standing there with his arms outstretched. Books floated all around, slotting into bookshelves around the room. He had a large leather sofa, chairs scattered around it with a long table littered with clutter on it. I took a few steps, my loud clunking of metal alerting him. He spun, his grand cape following him with a swoosh. Inside his cape, was a galaxy. And not a galaxy as in it was printed on the inside, the stars and galaxies inside his cape moved independently, when he or my head moved the purple and blue cosmos would stay in place like it was some portal to outer space. He took a few steps from his desk, speaking with authority.

"You've come here. Why?"

I spoke with my garbled rasp.

"I'm here to assist you, in exchange for my demands."

"I'm going to suddenly hire you? I don't have anything that I can't do myself, just take a look around."

He's right, from all the floating books it was obvious he handed his work himself. I can't quit, there has to be something that I can do.

"I could-"

"Would you stop talking to me with that mask? You need not hide your identity from me, Dan."

I recoiled back, I knew he knew who I was... but to that extent? I pressed two fingers on the side of my head, muting the output from my mask and whispering to myself.

"Lilly, scan him."

"Copy! Let's see here... huh... that's weird, I can't seem to get through there's some sort of interference."

Centralis looked at me, swiping his hand in the air Lilly suddenly went quiet.

"Using a spirit to scan me are we?"

A book appeared before him, locked with a gear mechanism. He reached his hand into it, pulling out a glowing green orb. It was nearly blinding as he tossed it into the air, with a shining glimmer Lilly appeared splat on the floor. She arose with her multiple arms, her silk tan garments covering only half of her skin with a thin veil. She looked at Centralis, who closed his book. It levitated beside him, as he approached.