The Story Of One World I, Chapter VIII, Part III — Kevar, Ombro
Kevar
Kevar had plenty of time to ponder the recent revelations and events. The conclusions he inevitably reached each time were grim: somehow, for unknown reasons, the mysterious female assassin named Ombrо Kashita was linked to him. They shared too many connections, from Fractura to the enigmatic hints from the strange woman herself. This realization made him jump off the stiff mattress and pace the cell. After a while, he sat back down and tried to imagine which of his former comrades could be capable of such acts. Yet, in this direction, he made no progress — none of his now deceased friends seemed likely to be a cold-blooded and cruel fanatic killer, much less one who would don women’s attire.
Fat Jackli? This plump and amiable giant was not only the most jovial and responsive person Kevar had ever known but also the bulkiest. Despite his impressive size, he moved with the grace of a space rhinoceros — however, Jackli was certainly incapable of the feats performed by Kashita, and he wouldn’t fit into a slim female space suit if he tried.
The Nerd? Also laughable — a geek from a poor family, a whiz at all things technical, this skinny young man with premature balding struggled to carry even armor. He almost always stayed behind the lines, yet his contribution — coordinating the squad’s movements and fixing suits when they malfunctioned — was invaluable — a theoretician and technician, but not a cunning assassin.
Pilot Ivan? A jovial fifty-year-old man with bushy red mustaches resembling scouring pads, witty and kind. He masterfully piloted their dropship but didn’t partake in combat — his lameness wouldn’t allow it, even in armored suits. He often joked that his wife took his leg in the divorce. However, Kevar knew from Faeton’s tales that Ivan had commanded a cleaning squad in his youth and had been a living legend among the shock troopers until a particularly vicious beast bit off his leg during one operation. Ivan certainly wasn’t Ombrо-Zealot either.
Phantom? Kevar initially considered it and then dismissed him as well. Phantom was an exceptional sniper who always covered his comrades from afar with his rifle but lacked close combat skills. He was a born tactician, not a fighter.
General’s Tail — a silent, gloomy giant two meters tall, earned his peculiar nickname because he acted as a voluntary bodyguard to the commander. No one could figure out why he felt compelled to protect Faeton, but he always stayed as close as possible to the general to shield him from any danger in battle. At first, Faeton tried to shake off this bizarre habit, but his persistence won out, and the general eventually acquiesced. Tail was so phlegmatic that he didn’t mind the squad’s fun at his expense; for Kevar, he was one of the most enigmatic characters — over the years, he heard no more than a dozen words from Tail. But even from how Temanov and Snake described Ombrо and her appearance in the blurry footage, Tail didn’t fit at least in the physique.
His thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock on the door — it was breakfast time. This time, Judjur came personally to visit Kevar. Sitting on a wobbly chair, he watched the young lord reluctantly consume the meager prison meal — cold, lumpy porridge and pale tea. The captain had tried to arrange a special diet for Argomantis, only to receive a firm and clear response: anyone in this prison’s cell eats what they are given, no matter who they are — from petty thieves to the king himself.
Still chewing — eager to swallow the disgusting gruel as quickly as possible — Kevar asked if there was any news about Ombrо. He didn’t miss the somber expression that persisted on the captain’s face, but he didn’t dwell on it.
Temanov responded tersely, watching for Kevar’s reaction: “Since you’ve been here, Ombrо hasn’t made a single move.”
“Strange. Almost a month of inactivity — why would that be?”
“I find it strange, too. Even stranger to me is that she calmed down exactly when you ended up behind bars,” Temanov’s face now showed no emotion, but Kevar guessed the captain was just trying to hold back.
“Wait, Judjur. Are you implying that I’m somehow involved in this? We considered all options, and…”
“And what? Four scenarios — I agree. Savone is missing, likely not in the capital, and your comrades are dead. However, it’s also unclear what you and the general reported; Inisio could very well be a figment of your imagination. The last scenario is that Ombrо Kashita is you. And right now, that theory is gaining one confirmation after another.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Kevar’s astonishment overwhelmed even his irritation and hurt, “What are you even saying? So, in your opinion, I killed my own brother? I’m running around the capital killing politicians?”
“Well, right now, you’ve been sitting in a cell for a month, and during that time, not even a single politician has caught a cold — trust me, we’re keeping a close eye on all the key figures.”
“It’s just crazy,” Kevar dropped his head helplessly, “Listen, Judjur. I see and understand that I’m somehow connected to this monster — but to even briefly entertain the idea that I am her? You know me pretty well — how can you even suggest such a thing?”
“Sorry, Kevar, but it’s simple. I’m a detective. I work with facts. Right now, the facts are against you. If new information comes up, we’ll act on it. But for now, you stay here indefinitely, sorry,” the captain slowly rose, cast one last sympathetic glance at Kevar, and left.
The young lord was left alone with his darkest thoughts — now, nothing depended on him. He was utterly powerless against the fate and malevolent will of the mysterious Ombrо Kashita, Inisio, who knows who else. As his old good friend Echo had told him, don’t meddle in things that aren’t your business, Kevar. Just don’t.
Now, he couldn’t even understand why he had started this foolish independent investigation — was it really out of a desire to avenge his brother? No, of course, they were never close, practically strangers. So why then? For what noble cause was it worth exposing himself so that he unexpectedly became not only one of an unknown killer’s targets but also suspect number one? A thirst for justice — most likely. But now there was even more injustice, particularly against him personally.
Tears welled up in his eyes — just what he needed, a grown man who had been through war, falling apart. No matter, they would soon understand the intricacies of this case, and then he’d settle scores with that rat Ombrо — she picked the wrong enemy to play her vile game with!
Ombro
Ombrо had once again taken refuge in her lair, a place of wonderful calm, darkness, and tranquility. Even she found it odd, but periods of activity needed to be interspersed with such absolute solitude and peace. Given that she had to meticulously monitor her life energy — a task of utmost importance and necessity for her — the ability to unwind alone in silence was essential for her existence. Though she had always been a loner, even in a crowd, people drained her tremendously.
Now, on the verge of completing the first major phase of her plan, she decided to use this brief respite to double-check what had been accomplished and what was yet to come.
In less than a day, the initial spiral of the game would conclude, ushering in a new phase — longer, more complex, and perilous. The last thing she wanted was to discover that her further actions were based on a weak, unreliable foundation of previous moves.
Thus, she took a cup of strong Varian brew from the clear tabletop and wrapped herself tighter in her soft, warm robe, forcing a schematic of the game to materialize before her eyes, glowing dimly amber in the darkness. She could perform such feats in her sanctuary, and the prospects of what would come after the first spiral was complete were breathtaking.
But now, the focus wasn’t on the future but on what had been accomplished.
First spiral of the game. The chief treasurer and his assistant (the older brother Argomantis) were dead, which brought the young boy into the game — a difficult target but necessary for advancing to the next phase. The queen-mother was dead too, introducing King Cruel Ungurabut himself into the game, who would be very useful in the second stage. This move had been the most distasteful for Ombrо, but she would have faced significant obstacles later without it.
The Ministry of Culture and Propaganda had lost both its head and deputy. Those positions were still vacant, with Salahakara Savone temporarily fulfilling the duties exactly as needed. This guy shouldn’t disappoint, even if he wasn’t half as formidable as his brother.
Salahakara was now also directly involved in the game, albeit a bit earlier than Ombrо had planned, but it was not critical.
Remaining pieces. Captain Temanov was out of place, but not for long. Ombrо’s next move would be to reposition him appropriately and remove him from the board. Their random encounter at the police station would even benefit the plan.
The revolutionaries, led by Vanti Khala, would still be useful for a while, and the further unfolding of events now depended on them. Everything would proceed smoothly if they executed everything strictly according to her orders. If not — well, as always, she had contingencies.
Her musings were interrupted by a notification of a new email. She carefully read the text and examined the attached photographs. Her last concern evaporated — Khala had performed excellently. Ombrо even felt a sense of gratitude — an unusual emotion for her, but justified in this situation.
Now, she could finally relax completely and wait.
The previous part is here:
Continued here:
