Trash: Chapter 99 Impromptu Interrogations (Patreon)

Chapter 99

Impromptu Interrogations

An intense burst of light that seemed to pierce through me in a way that I imagine x-ray machines would. That is, if x-ray machines even existed in this world, or were developed in such a way that they didn’t filter out any of the harmful radiation and instead tried to amplify the force and effect bursting through your body.

I’m standing there, still feeling the odd tingling sensation as bright light burns its way through my body. Yet, despite how intrusive the energy was, I feel fine. Though I do a quick pulse of energy in my body to make sure I am fine, only to relax as my body tells me everything is fine. Or if anything, I now feel better as that one spot in my body, the one that felt raw ever since the Royal Seal Master had to stop was gone. Well not gone, not entirely, but rather replaced, as if dirt and debris that had been in the way were now removed and reforged by something new.

“Gasps,” ring out all around me. The loudest one coming from the man who was still holding my wrist, the one who angrily held me in place and all but forced me to stay here under penalty of a beating. After which, he no doubt thought that he would administer another beating, yet the fear, confusion, and utter panic that were filling his eyes showed that he no longer wished violence on me. Instead, his eyes stared at the wall behind me.

Curious, I took a half step forward to look at the wall and realized my initial thoughts of this being some sort of x-ray machine were not that far off. For there on the wall was an outline of my body, a silhouette done in reverse, coated by Holy light. Perfect and unblemished, except for the center, around my chest, around the area that the Royal Seal Master himself had worked on no more than a week ago, seemingly a lifetime at this point.

Still, looking at the wall, I too was impressed as I saw seven linked and protected spheres. One large empty sphere at the center, with six points all around, one sphere toward each arm, leg, my head, and heart. The heart one almost seemed to be eclipsed by the larger center one, but it was clear this was a two-dimensional rendering of three-dimensional circular seals that apparently existed in my body.

The interesting point wasn’t that there were seven, or that six were empty, but that the seventh one, the one that stood over my heart was there and clearly showed the outline of a glowing golden sword with fiery wings accenting its appearance. This image, was in a word awe inspiring.

I had never seen one, or realized that such an image was possible, but it was beautiful. The only reason why my mind even thought of the Royal Seal Master and his work at this time, was that there was just too much precision in his detail of work. Too much of an overlap between what I felt happening to me internally to what I was now seeing on the wall to not make that mental connection.

As I moved away, and everyone could see the outline on the wall, the gasps grew louder.

There was even the clattering of a baton as it fell to the ground, the sound echoing in the suddenly still hallways. That sound was apparently enough to ruin the peace of the moment, for it almost seemed to summon the very annoyance himself.

“Hah! I knew it! I told you she was the—” the grating voice of Mr. Wallace cried out in triumphant glee as he abandoned his post by the door, running in baton raised as if to help deliver a good strike. Only to pause mid-step as he saw what everyone else was seeing, my golden outline with seven glowing circles, one of which was filled with an outline of a burning blade with wings. Then coming to a complete stop in less than half a step, he paused and asked, “what in tarnation is that?”

However, Mr. Wallace’s actions did seem to have an immediate effect on everyone involved, as they all seemed to be awoken from whatever mental lock had held them hostage.

“Prep for the next student,” the large man who was still holding my wrist called out. As he spoke, the person to my left nodded and began to move, violently reaching up to rip off the long thin parchment paper that had been set against the wall.

“Gentle, keep it, as I don’t think I recognize that seal,” the guard, still holding my wrist cried out. At that, the assistant paused, nodded, and then seemed to pull on my silhouette a bit, giving it more space, before running a thin knife down the edge of an apparent roll that I didn’t notice when I came in and the wall. From there, one person grabbed the silhouette, and gently began rolling it up.

“Name?” The person who had rolled up my silhouette into a long thin roll asked. I paused for a moment, but only after a gentle shake by the guard holding my wrist, who just now seemed to realize that they were still treating me as a murder suspect paused and then let go.

“Please tell the man your name, dear,” the brutish guard asked. All violence and demanding aura gone, as he seemed to realize he might have over stepped his authority.

“Catarine Bloom,” I reply.

“Bloom?” He asks, a note of surprise and partial understanding filling his words. “As in--?” He begins but quickly cuts himself off as he realizes that people are watching and there are still several students who need to be screened.

“Come with me,” the guard demands, then turns to the rest of his team, “prepare for the next one and continue.”

“Roger,” everyone cries out. The one attendant who had hastily scribbled my name on the tube had just finished placing it in a pile with hundreds of other students’ images. Seeing the pile, it suddenly became clear why this was taking so long. Not only was everyone getting screened, but those screenings were apparently being recorded. In a way it made sense, provided a baseline of the student not being linked to Death Eaters at this time.

“Keep Ms. Bloom’s separate, we might need to archive it,” the lead guardsman demands.

“Archive it?” The attendant asked, his voice having a note of confusion that could be seen as panic. Of course, his words came out at the exact moment the next student, not Mousey, came in. I was sort of shocked, to see one of the underclassmen females present. Someone I knew in passing, but not directly, though her face seemed to show that she knew me on sight. Not that my pink and purple eyes didn’t make me stand out easily. As she looked on, fear filled her eyes, as she seemed to begin putting things together.

“Yes, archive it,” the guardsman demanded, then turning back to me he said, “please come with me.”

At that, he placed his hand gently at the back of my elbow and gently tried to direct me down the hallway to a room that had been seemingly staged for speaking with students. As we left, I gave one last look over my shoulder, trying to see why Mousey wasn’t coming, but all I saw was another student I wasn’t too familiar with coming in. As the crew seemed to be working overtime now, trying to make up for the time I took.

Entering the room, I could see it was sparsely filled, like an office that had been temporarily reassigned for this operation. There was a row of cabinets on the left side, taking up some space, a large table sitting perpendicular to the right wall, with a chair on the far side and a chair on the nearside. The far side chair offered the ability to see everyone who came into the room. It also meant that I would have to climb over a large table, past a guard and out the door if I wanted to escape. Not that I wanted to escape, not yet. Not that I thought it would do anything. Logically, if the front was this heavily guarded, the side exits would also have guards stationed nearby.

As I got in, I was gestured to the far side of the room, I obliged, going and sitting in the offered seat. The guardsman came in, but then paused, ducked his head out of the room, and apparently saw someone walking past.

“Hey, Jinx, you got a minute?” The lead guardsman asked.

“Sure, why?” A female voice called out from outside the room, the sound of booted footsteps stopping their cadence.

“I need someone as a witness to this conversation,” the guardsman replied. “Actually, will you wait right here?”

While it came out as a question, it was more of an order, as the guardsman gestured for this new soldier, Jinx, to enter the room. As she came in, she initially looked confused, then took one look at me and I could see judgement. The same judgement that always happened to me due to my distinctive eyes and hair color.

Apparently, my DiVoratore genes were so prominent that during one of these types of investigations, just being placed in a room for some unknown reason, was enough to have me convicted as a Death Eater transporter.

Stepping into the room, the woman who had originally held a neutral expression now glared angrily at me as if daring me to try to get past her. Seeing her violent switch in temperament, I just crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back, my eyes going into full on RBF. This was a look that any woman worth their salts knows how to put on in a moment, and I was no exception. In fact, judging by the sudden look of panic on Jinx’s face, I’d dare say mine was better than what she had experienced up until now.

While I had a moment, I took a moment to consult my own system and find out exactly why I felt so different recently.

Name: Catarine Bloom

Age: 16

Class: (Unique) Culmen Vitae* (5/5) (Maximum Potential 7)

Magic: Life (5/7) – Class Linked Only, Holy (2/7)

Seals: (1 / 7) – Holy Sword of Slaying seal*

Culmen Vitae* Class Skills:

(Unique) Maximum Mana Extraction*

(Unique) Streamline Healing*

(Unique) Golden Life Ratio Mana Regeneration*

(Unique) Life Reinforced Movements*

(Unique) Recuperatio Vitae*

Badges Completed: (6)

(Common) (4): Basic Strengthening, Numerals, Letters, Running

(Uncommon) (2) Eagle Eyed, Improvised Weapons

Basic Skills Utilized: (4/5)

(Uncommon) Actor

(Rare) Divine Music Resonance

(Rare) Stringed Instrument (Violin) Specialization  

(Rare) Strategist*

Personal Skill: (1/1)

(Unique) Trash

Bloodline Skill Unawakened: (1/1)

(Rare) Divine Sight

Bloodline Skill Awakened: (1/1)

(Rare) Soul Devour

At first, everything looked the same. It wasn’t until I saw the section about Seals that I paused and really looked. There at the top, not only had that seventh seal been eroded away, but I now had an apparently unique Seal assigned in that spot. Holy Sword of Slaying seal*

For a moment, I wondered what that meant. It wasn’t until I remembered the odd silhouette with seven seals, and the glowing sword over my heart that I think I understood what it all meant. Judging by the angry sneer that filled Jinx’s face, I was certain she was preparing different ways on how she could violently take me down applying the most justifiable force. Which given the standards of this world, the level of force for someone believed to be harboring Death Eaters is high.

Once I am done with my internal scan, I drop the scan, only to see Jinx there glowering at me. I exhaustedly let out a breath of annoyance, which only seems to infuriate her more. This is good, I have no patience for people who judge others by appearance. Well appearance and setting in this case. Not going to lie, I would likely also assume I was involved in Death Eater smuggling, if I was in her place. But seriously, this is a bit much. Or maybe my upbringing at the DiVoratore estate made me miss a few subtle clues as to just how much the rest of the world hates Death Eaters.

“All right, I’m back—” The lead guardsman spoke, and as he did, I realized the true interrogation was just about to begin, this time with a witness. Someone who could justify the level of force used.