The Charlatan

30. Tying One On

A/N: Pictured above is the Courier Seal. I had a little bit of fun some weeks ago in MS Paint, and I found myself having dived into a whole Art Piece by the time a few hours had passed. The Velte script is one I came up with myself, based on linguistic research. (You might be able to figure out what Clara, and a typical Veltie, might look like based on the scripts I based Velte off of... ;))

Safiya had seen craters before; back in her hometown in Dehi she had regularly encountered remnants of excavation efforts made by her community. However, the crater she and her companions now stood before was far beyond anything Safiya had ever even imagined could be feasibly manmade.

"It is impressive, isn't it?" Clara walked next to Safiya, somewhat uncertainly, as she spoke. Safiya nodded.

"It is."

Clara smiled and checked on all her other companions before she motioned for them to follow her around one ring of the enormous crater. Safiya could see the waves of the East Ocean far beyond the plain of dry nothingness she now walked on. She wondered for a moment if Clara was bringing them to another felled city before she realized the age of the land around her. Fresh jagged edges, markers of broken and exploded shale, were missing from this area. The footpath they walked was freshly disturbed with prints of boots. As Clara rounded the one lone tree that grew in the middle of the desolate plain, Safiya finally had a high enough vantage point, with enough of a slant, to see that deep inside the crater was a bustling metropolis.

Hollow was aptly named. It was a small nation that, like Mor, had taken up residence in an unorthodox environment, not typically conducive to cities. Its buildings nestled neatly into the gigantic crater. Part of the metropolis extended into the rock surrounding the crater, the earth creating a natural shield of defense. "Hollow is one of the places I have frequented most often in my couriering," Clara said excitedly in Velte. "I have friends here." That could mean substantial progress, Safiya thought. Her hopes were raised. Perhaps there was a chance of joining a larger coalition against Velt here, at least if Clara's friends numbered enough and were in positions of power.

"Clara." Safiya heard a gruff voice address her companion, and when she looked up, she saw a tall well-built individual stood in front of her group. Wearing dark green slacks that resembled a uniform, they stood confidently in the middle of the pathway.

"Isi. They're a friend of mine," Clara added, turning to the group. Clara's tone was of recognition, but her body language was guarded. There was a moment of tension before Isi broke their seriousness and clapped Clara hard on the shoulder.

"You're wanted! How on earth did you manage that?!" they laughed. Clara blanched. Before she could respond, Isi spoke again, "You do know I will have to arrest you." Their expression was apologetic, and their grip on Clara's arm firm. Safiya felt her hopes slowly dwindle. Isi caught her eye and was momentarily taken aback by her glare. "Apologies, apologies, it is only protocol. Clara, I just have to take you to Cahaya to check you." At this statement, Clara's defense dropped. This seemed to be good news.

"Thank you, Isi. We will cooperate, of course, since it's Cahaya," she said. Safiya briefly thought about the connotation of that sentence. It seemed Clara had no intention of going quietly again. Although Safiya did not think her an adept leader, Clara still made the right decisions when the situation called for it.

Isi lead Clara, the rest of her companions in tow, down the metallic steps toward the center of the crater. Safiya heard her sister's feet coldly clank against the metal, and she was reminded of the importance of her mission. Priyanka cannot have suffered all of this for nothing. Sensing her sister's stare, Priyanka held her hand out for Safiya to take.