Into the depths

[Lusuviya]

Walking down a dark alleyway Tammuz a 20 year old student in the University of Gabal clutches a 50 Kisp banknote in his hand closing his eyes hiding behind a dumpster. The hardened leather of a Civil Security's boot on the cobblestone street matches the hardened beats of Tammuz's heart as the nose bloodening dings of a steal pipe knocks across the fence posts leading up to the alley. After what feels like five mini eternities the guard passes the alleyway without even a brief glance in Tammuz's direction. A tearful sigh of relief fills the cramped alley. Tammuz quickly regains composure and continues his quest running down the path to a steal door at its end. Tammuz knocks 5 times on the door and then taps 1, 1, 2, and 3 times on the slit. Two piercing brown eyes with sapphire blue eye shadow looks down on him but Tammuz holds up his left index finger with right index, middle, and ring fingers crossing it creating a "𐤎". The door opens and Tammuz and the woman at the door hug before the door is once again shut. "Welcome brother, the others are just this way." Walking down creaking wooden steps Tammuz and the woman arrive to a basement where in the middle a long cedar wood table beckons for Tammuz to sit as he greats the other men and women meeting from the order. Hearing of Baalshillek's fall from the Sophet's grace one member stands and declares "this is our time to act, now the Medamotzah is lodged in controversy we must use this opportunity to act and return Shapash's Republic to Shapash's people." The woman who greeted Tammuz gets up and asks "with what, may I ask? A bit of zeal and a few smuggled pistols, no we must instead use this to spread word of the Sophet's erratic behavior and raise popular support. The last thing the Ambrosian order needs is another high profile attack to drive us further into the shadows." The meeting carries on for several hours with bickering and yelling matches but to Tammuz's surprise the members aren't hurt by the insults and argument but revel in it. This is what we are fighting for after all, Democracy. The discussion is concluded with a vote where it is decided that the order shall use this as an opportunity to spread rumors and propaganda against the Sophet and the Medamotzah. A few days later Tammuz is in his basement speaking into a smuggled radio transmitter calling for the people to wave their fists and call for liberty. When suddenly he freezes. Three hard knocks stop his heart as he attempts to quickly hide his contraband. A loud jolt of snapping wood stabs into Tammuz's soul.