Silas and Calix settled into the worn but surprisingly comfortable sofa chairs tucked into the corner of Silas's cluttered room. The room, though chaotic with blueprints and scattered tools, had a lived-in charm that made the space uniquely their own. The soft glow of the steampunk lamp on the desk cast a warm ambiance, creating a cocoon of dim light in the corner where the two boys found themselves.
Silas leaned back, the worn leather of the chair creaking softly in protest. He propped his feet up on the edge of the desk, a casual gesture that spoke of familiarity with the space. The exhaustion etched on his face eased slightly as he sank into the chair, the contours molding to his form.
Calix, on the adjacent chair, mirrored Silas's posture to some extent, though his body language held a touch of tension. The residual fatigue from the events of the day lingered, visible in the subtle lines on his forehead. His gaze roamed the room, taking in the eclectic mix of steampunk gadgets and scattered blueprints.
"I guess I'll start with the obvious question. Where is the shard?"
"I have it. Just not at my dispense right now."
"You sold it?!" Calix shouted, his heart nearly skipping a beat upon hearing such horrifying news.
"Nah, I still have it."
Calix let out a long sigh of relief, his eyes drifting to the floor as he moved to a more tense position. Leaned forward, legs slightly spread, allowing him to place his elbows on his knees and his balled-up fists under his chin.
Silas observed all of this intently.
"You said you wanted an Air Glyphstone, right?" Calix checked in, his voice quivering ever so slightly.
Silas observed this intently.
'I could extort him for more… but I need relationships. Obviously, Marlene is somebody of high-value descent and that question is already answered for Calix… but I need more,' Silas leaned even further back into his chair, the longer he stayed silent, the more desperate Calix grew. 'Seems like this world isn't any different. Power is king.'
"I don't need anything anymore. Just answer these few questions and I'll have the shard returned by tomorrow."
Calix's worried expression broke into a wary smile.
"What is it? I'll answer anything."
"First, do you know what a Sentinel is?"
"Sentinel? N-No… I don't think so. Doesn't sound familiar to me."
"Okay, then next. Which universal family rules this planet? Interdimensional Organization? Star Kingdom? Galactic Empire?"
The boy's face seemingly broke. It was as if he was learning of this information for the first time as well. Almost as if he had his own suspicions and they were finally confirmed. And Silas observed all of this. Intently.
"What?" Silas continued the broken conversation.
"They're hiding it from us. I knew it. I fucking knew it… Wait, how do you even know all of this? You're not a royal? And not even a noble at that?"
"You're not in the position to question me," Silas stood up from his chair slowly, dragging his fingers along the papers of his desk. "Who is hiding this information?"
"The gov-"
"The governme-?"
Silas blinked. Unbelievably, he felt a shiver run down his spine. Yet just before he could finish that simple word, he was brought down to the floor.
Calix had tackled him, his forehead sweating buckets. He had his palm placed firmly along Silas's lips, preventing him from saying anything else. His eyes rapidly looked around the room, before realizing just what he was doing to somebody he was being blackmailed by.
"I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry, it's just…"
Silas observed the slow and horrifying breakdown of the boy as his face turned to horror. He stared at the ground, tears running down his cheeks while the strange feeling that was previously an undertone, rose to the surface. It bubbled at the top of his expression as he witnessed his surroundings become an amalgamation of different mechanical eyes.
Mechanical eyes, an unsettling multitude of them, manifested across every conceivable surface. The once-familiar surroundings were now an eerie amalgamation of steel orbs, each gleaming with an artificial glint.
The eyes, in various sizes and designs, formed a mosaic of surveillance that stared unblinkingly at Silas. Some resembled intricate steampunk contraptions with ornate details, while others were sleek and modern in design. The unison of their collective gaze created an atmosphere of oppressive scrutiny, and the mechanical symphony echoed with the hum of unseen gears.
Calix, who had moments ago tackled Silas, now cowered in terror, his palm still pressed against Silas's lips. The horror etched on his face mirrored the nightmarish tableau that surrounded them. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and the realization of the bizarre scenario seemed to crush his composure.
Silas, lying on the floor, felt a chill seep through his veins. The mechanical eyes, seemingly alive with a sinister awareness, fixated on his face. It was as if they bore witness to every secret, every thought, and every vulnerability he possessed. The weight of their collective gaze pressed down on him, an oppressive force that transcended the physical boundaries of the room.
Suddenly, the boy's own System Connector activated on its own.
[God surveys you]
BANG BANG BANG
Silas and Calix shot up from the floor, their eyes wide with a mixture of fear and confusion. As if a switch had been flipped, the mechanical eyes that had covered the room retreated seamlessly into their designated surfaces, leaving the walls, ceiling, and floor devoid of the unnerving gazes that had haunted them just moments before.
The atmosphere shifted, but before the boys could fully grasp the surreal turn of events, the door to Silas's room slowly creaked open. A gang of injured children, roughly the same age as Silas and Calix, filled the doorway. Their expressions were etched with a blend of anger and determination, and in their hands, they brandished an array of makeshift weapons—baseball bats, pipes, and other blunt instruments.
The room crackled with tension as the group glared at Silas and Calix. Their eyes bore the marks of recent skirmishes, and the air buzzed with an unspoken threat. Silas, still processing the bizarre occurrences, exchanged a wary glance with Calix.
"You two assholes making out in here?" One of the kids smirked.
"The fuck…" Silas whispered before glancing over at Calix. Both nodded simultaneously.