Alterius started running towards the source of the rising light, putting aside any rational thought.

(Why am I doing this? This is none of my business !)

The seed of doubt that Odham planted inside of Alterius’ mind about his life has started to take root.

He stopped running midway and started weighing his actions while panting loudly.

(I’m… I’m doing this only because he flew out of my window, right ?)

He growled and started running at full speed until he was breathless, his golden hair flowing with the wind.

He was forced to go under a wooden plank to get into what looked like an empty pitch.

The flash of his phone shined, revealing a grim scene. In front of the young man, was Odham, lying on the ground.

His breath was steady, silent like someone soundly sleeping. However, he was missing that feeling of liveliness…

He was Disrupted.

( When hit with a soul shard under the neck, a normal person loses consciousness…)

(Forever.)

Alterius crouched.

(This is... Unfortu-)

A hand touched his legs.

“Wha-”

“You have some time... Kid ...”

“O-Old man? Y-You’re not… ”

Odham’s voice was weak and lacked that energy that resonated before deep inside his voice.

“They… They got me.”

“What do you mean ...”

The old man stayed silent for a moment.

“Press… Your Hand… Against my chest… ”

Alterius did what was asked without a second of hesitation.

(Why… )

He felt his heart warming up, a sensation that he has never experienced before.

(Why… Why am I going against anything I have in mind ?)

“Your potential… you could… stop…them...”

"Potential? Stopping t... "

“Seek the Master… Seek Shen… At the edge of the world, when the clouds meet the snow.”

A shooting star fell like a tear crawling on the face of the dark sky, announcing the end of the life of Odham Harrison.

“Uh.”

Alterius’s trail of thoughts was interrupted by an intense sense of self-preservation and without hesitating, he jumped sideways.

A yellow flash covered the place followed by a sudden and violent impact made the whole ground rumble.

Alterius lost his balance for a moment.

The light announced the appearance of a Soul Shard, and what a big one it was.

A two-meters greatsword was thrust into the ground where Alterius stood, strangely enough, and even if such a gigantic object wassmashed near Odham’s body, he was left unscathed.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

( A Shard taht can interact with anything but people ...?)

Another yellow light appeared on a little building at the corner of the terrain descended into the ground.

The same feeling stung Alterius again, prompting him to jump sideways again.

The sword fell again on the ground, leaving the same heavy quakes behind it.

Even if the weapon was slow enough for Alterius to dodge easily, he could not do so forever, and already felt out of breath.

(What is this feeling? Why can I see it coming ?)

“Seems like ya got yourself into trouble, Alty.”

Alterius raised his face towards the second face, his gaze meeting the eyes of a familiar person.

“Ed-Edwin ?”

The colossus answered the call instead of trying to assault Alterius again.

“Greetings, 「D’Artagnan」, I did not expect you here .”

Edwin’s shard was a mix between a longsword and an Estoc.

“Well, let’s say the best contracts do not involve killing .”

“You’re going to oppose me then ?”

Along with a roar, the mysterious man rose majestically into the air, raising his blade falling with an unstoppable force right on top of Edwin.

Alterius, following the altercation through the lights of the two Soul Shard blades, saw no possibility of Edwin beating a man with the difference in size between their weapons.

However, the tides turned in an instant.

As the greatsword descended on Edwin, a widew grin appeared on his face.

The mysterious man’s eyes widened.

(I fell into your trap. Huh.)

(The man who ends it in one blow. Edwin Tesselart.)

The traits of the colossus' face softened, he smiled .

Edwin sidestepped, and raised his armed hand with no effort.

It impaled right under his neck.

Losing composure from the intense pain following disruption, the greatsword fell on the ground, gradually disappearing.

“I’m sorry ya did not have a chance to atone for yar’ sins, 「Quake」.”

“Is it really a sin if it's for a greater cause ?”

Edwin stood his ground without answer, turning slightly his head and looking at his fallen opponent with one eye.

“Before ya go, I want to ask ya .”

The light of the colossus’s shard was faltering.

“What did you wish for ?”

“... I wished to fight for a cause. ”

“Heh… I would have guessed. ”

Edwin dissipated his Shard.

He then nonchalantly walked to Alterius and threw a punch that sent the poor guy flying over the empty field.

After rolling on the ground for a moment, he stood up, and angrily shouted.

“What was that fo-”

That stinging feeling came back. A beam of light came in Alterius’s way, but was stopped by a swift intervention from Edwin, that deviated the blow by simply raising his sword in the air.

“We’re out.”

Edwin took Alterius on his shoulder and dashed towards home.

The assailant continued to shoot towards his target at a steady rate, all the shots deviated without fail.

After entering the house, Edwin banged the door so hard the ground shook under Alterius.

“Grab anything you can. We’re leaving.”

“The hell are you talking abo- ”

“Ya saw that guy? That was an assassin. So if ya wanna live, ya follow me! ”

Alterius walked upstairs while grunting.

“It’s your fault, you know? Why did you take on the Borrower’s power? ”

His voice echoed from upstairs.

“Well I didn’t know, he just asked me to touch his chest !”

“Because you touch men’s chest when they ask ya ?”

Silence fell for long.

“Well, it was the heat of the action !”

Edwin rolled his eyes.

“Anyway, are ya ready ?”

Alterius descended the stairs with a small backpack and a sheathed sword.

“Sword ?”

“That’s the only thing my father left before disappearing. If I find a way to repair it.”

“Well I don’t see how this will-”

“I’ll be able to clash with Soul Shards.”

Edwin did not believe in this, he has never heard of a weapon able to clash with Soul Shards.

“Something too.”

Edwin lowered his head and started scratching it rather violently.

“A lil’ thing too. Do ya' have any destination in mind ?”

Alterius explained to Edwin what Odham has told him.

Edwin shrugged.

"Well, let's just look at every place where the clouds meet with the snow, huh ? It's not like we do not have the time."

Edwin then stepped outside.

"Whenever you want, boss."

With sheer determination, Alterius walked out of his then ex-home, with only one goal : Find Master Shen, to finally discover his identity in the world, and what Odham meant by stopping them.

A shadow in the darkness started moving away from the Ruissell Household.

"Mission Accomplished. But I do think we have some... Okay sir, I will just report it, retreating."