The atmosphere turned tense at John’s words. Dennis stopped Kerchak’s movement, leaving only silence around them.

“... Knocked? Is it a person?” he asked.

John had no way of knowing, but he doubted that a monster could create such a rhythmical and light knocking like that. “I think that’s most likely, but… the chances still seem pretty low, don’t they?”

“Well, what else could it be? The tyrant playing with us? The wind?”

“Could be many things. Maybe the fog is playing tricks on us… But I can bring the sphere here to see if anything follows it,” John suggested, not feeling nearly as brave as he appeared.

“Rain is nervous,” Rain said nervously. “And still hungry.”

“You’ve got your priorities in order, then. That’s good.” John smiled despite the circumstances. “I’ll pull it in, then. Se if anything appears.” He focused on the sphere and pulled it slowly toward himself, wishing dearly that no tyrant would follow it.

Dennis swallowed nervously, staring in the same direction as John. Kerchak bent down to get them lower to the ground, prepared for a potential fight.

Heavy rhythmical steps started to sound out as they waited for the sphere to appear. Something with four legs, fairly large, was approaching them.

‘A demon, then? It doesn’t sound large enough to be a horror or a tyrant. But why would it knock, then?’

John summoned Larang into his hands and prepared a gas sphere, just in case he was forced to attack.

The sphere appeared through the fog, and the steps followed closely behind. Then, a red snout appeared, followed by a horse-like head. It seemed strangely familiar, taking John back three weeks in time to when he escaped from the same monster.

On its back, a person in shiny green armor was surrounded by seemingly unconscious people who were being carried along with him. Unconscious, or dead.

John breathed a sigh of relief at first, glad to see a familiar sight instead of the alternative. “Sage Full Blue! What are you doing here?”

The sage looked up at him and tilted his head. “... Ah! The earthling! I did not recognize you in your new form. Congratulations.” He leaned his head backward, like a reverse bow. “And greetings to your companions.”

John smiled and turned to the others. “This is the Sage I told you about. I’m surprised to see him here, though.”

Dennis nodded, looking surprised. “Oh, that’s a relief! Greetings to you too, Sage!” He bowed in greeting.

Rain was less animated, only looking at the sage with suspicious eyes.

John turned back to the sage. “Do you mean becoming an aspecter when you say ‘new form’?”

“Indeed. I am not good with human faces.”

“... I guess that’s understandable. Who are the people you have with you? Are they…?”

The sage looked at the bodies surrounding him and nodded. “These are victims of the evermist forest, I’m afraid. Lost for days or even weeks, they died of some sort of deficiency… Water, I think you humans need, right?”

John’s heart sank, seeing all the bodies. Six of them, it seemed. Lost to the same mist they found themselves in right now. “Dennis, do you recognize… Wait.”

John could recognize one of the bodies himself. But just barely. ‘That’s Karin’s friend, right? The one who teased me and Serah after the briefing… I figured people would die, but… Hmm.’

It left more of an impression on him than he expected, seeing the lifeless body of someone he just knew in passing.

“No! God damn it, that’s Captain Gabriella!” Dennis exclaimed, seeing a familiar body. “... Another invoker lost, fucking hell… One of the good ones, as well.”

Another sigh escaped John’s lips. The fog was far more dangerous than he had imagined, even taking out an invoker without as much as a fight. “... Why are you bringing them with you, Sage?”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“Ah, the first reason is to prevent the forest from spreading. It feeds on the nutrition of the creatures that die here, draining the soil to grow stronger. I’m surprised there is one of this size on this planet.

The second reason is that, as I recall, your knowledge of the word 'Earth' gave me the impression that you bury your bodies in the ground after death. I wanted to help these bodies fulfill their traditional rites.”

“Oh. Yeah, that's true. I appreciate your consideration for these people, sage.” John also bowed to him in thanks. “Last time we met, you said there was something strange about this planet. Have you figured something out?”

“Yes! Quite recently, in fact. I am planning to leave after I finish my burial plans.”

John knew he would have difficulty getting much for free from the sage, so he tried tempting him first. “I have gained knowledge of another planet with intelligent life. Are you willing to trade?”

The sage hit his hands on his legs. “I am impressed! You must have been quite lucky on your travels. Your knowledge is most likely already known, but I must admit I am curious! What would you like to know?”

“... What was the strange thing you wanted to investigate?”

“Ah, that I cannot tell you. However, by telling you that, I have already told you something. Grasping the knowledge between my words will not be easy, but it will earn you the right to know what is there. Is there anything else?”

John stored the words in his memory for now. Afraid to ask for the wrong thing, he tried a more novel approach. “... What do you think I would like to know of the things that you can tell me?”

The sage thought for a moment. “Hmm, that is a tricky question. I assume you know a way out of here, so I won’t give you that. And there are few things I can say that would let us stay neutral…”

John glanced at Rain, seeing her eyeing the sage nervously. He wanted to ask about her, but since she didn’t want to share it herself, he was hesitant. The trust and bond between them were more important to him than knowing.

“... What about some way to make me stronger? I’ll accept that.”

“Hmm, a way to make you stronger. And without further giving knowledge to earth…” The sage seemed to struggle, but he eventually had an idea. “How about some aid for your aspect? It looked quite interesting.”

John nodded. “Sure, I’ll accept that. Do you want me to say its name or something? So you can do that mind-reading thing again?”

“If you wouldn’t mind.”

“Alright, it’s called Aspect of Onyx. For now. I’ll find something better eventually.”

“I see! Fascinating interactions between the different types of essence,” Sage Full Blue said while folding his arms. He seemed to ponder the information, pausing his movement.

“Hmm, you’re wasting a lot of essence in your liquid spheres. Now, they just send their energy in every direction when they impact something. If you move the essence inside from one side to the spot you’re attacking, you should see a much better result.”

John nodded, understanding the logic behind it. But he wasn’t quite satisfied. “Anything else?”

“Mmm, you should figure out what happens when a sphere of one type impacts another, or even two of the same kind. The gaseous essence might carry over into another, increasing the power. And the liquid one might transfer its power to the gaseous one.

Also, the gaseous spheres can be used in many creative ways! Perhaps most helpful to know is that it can dampen a fall perfectly.”

John hadn’t thought about using the spheres like that before, and found it to be an acceptable answer. “... I guess that’s fine. I have some questions related to the planet I learned of. Could I ask you about that after I tell you?”

“Depending on the value of the information, sure. But if it’s a known civilization… Well, I will at least listen to your questions.”

“Okay, here is the name I gave them: Aasvedan.”

The sage shuddered once John said the name, staring back at him through the mask. “Such intense rage and grief! How…?” Sage Full Blue stared into the palm of his hand, as if he could read something from it. Then he turned back to John. “You’re carrying a remnant of the will of these Aasvedans, are you?”

“I think so. I don’t understand it, though. It just stays in a corner of my mind, mostly unmoving.”

“And such a planet! A true utopia of peace and prosperity, consumed by the accursed–No…” The sage seemed to catch himself before correcting his words. “...by the portals. But what let them hold on for so long? Unless…”

“They prayed,” John told him. “And something answered. Something ancient.”

“... And what was it you wanted to ask me?” the sage asked, fidgeting slightly. For the first time, he seemed nervous.

“Several things, honestly. But I can ask them all at once, and then you can decide if you can answer any of them.”

“... Okay, ask your questions.”

“First, who is the Lord of Death?”

The sage seemed to crumble already at his first question, but he remained silent.

“Second, who is the creator?”

Something that sounded like laughter came from the sage’s mouth as he nodded.

“... And last, what is this?” John asked, taking out the necklace hidden under his armor.

“Ah, you’re making this very difficult, young one. Your two first questions are impossible to answer, but I can help you slightly with the necklace. And the remnant.”