Ryley rubbed his temples, his eyes glued to the paper. The Miraen language was so unique. There was nowhere else for him to go. His dad had confined him to his room after a long, long lecture on how dangerous Mir-Cognates were.

It went something like:

“The Quuarks are here entirely to protect innocent people. Mir-Cognates are from another world. They carry magic around, and won’t hesitate to send someone they deem worthy to go into Limbo and watch as every molecule in their body is torn apart! For Trin’s sake, Ryley. I watched as a single, and just one single Mir-Cognate killed eighteen people in one slaughter, and not only that, he detonated an explosion so huge, it killed thirty more people! Thirty! That’s forty-eight dead, in less than…”

Ryley zoned out during most of it. He knew, on the opposite side, the Quuarks had captured two-thousand Mir-Cognates and were forcing them using brutal methods to get what they wanted. Talking back might as well earn Ryley the same treatment.

Qaye had slipped him a book on the basic linguistics of Miraen. He had said it was a book specifically for people of the Physical world to study to learn the Miraen language after they moved to the Mirae. Ryley had found it quite helpful to learn all the terms of respect, the common gestures, and common sentences. And thank goodness, it taught him to say, “Quch Miraen ijn'h mokwoyh - My Miraen isn’t perfect.” Ryley would have to ask Qaye about some of the pronunciation later. If I ever get ungrounded.

He closed his eyes, reciting a few basic sentences, listening to how they sounded. It wasn’t pretty. Ryley still couldn’t roll his r’s, so it didn’t have that unique sound when he spoke. Ryley held back a sneeze and kept going. His reading was interrupted by knocking on the door.

Ryley pushed the book under his pillow before opening it. Andriel had knocked. Ryley was still getting used to the scar that trickled along his face.

“I’m leaving.” He said in his deep voice. “Since that Mir-Cognate knows so much about Agamani, I’m assuming you do too.”

“Why should I tell you?” Ryley responded before he could control himself. “I know you’re going to hurt him.”

“Agamani is incredibly dangerous, Ryley.” Andriel narrowed his eyes, inviting himself in and sitting in Ryley’s chair. Ryley sat across from him. “Any harm I do to him will be well deserved.”

“On what grounds?” Ryley challenged. “Who struck first? The Quuarks, or the Mir-Cognate? I heard you dragged him out of a rehabilitation center.” This was risky, talking back to his father.

Andriel didn’t respond to his question. “So you know him. You’ve probably met him. What did he tell you? The Quuarks are the most evil people in the world?”

That was exactly what Caste told him. Ryley glared. “He did nothing to deserve what the Quuarks did to him.”

“Oh really. Ever since he was brought in, he’s killed any person, even when his magic was ‘under control.’ Somehow, he conformed things without using both of his hands.”

“How do you know that?” Ryley snapped. “You’ve worked for them less than a year.” He sneezed again. Must be some pollen nearby.

“We have records. Including records which I can legally bring you in for interrogation, to add to.”

“You wouldn’t seriously whip me too, would you!?”

Andriel was silent. Ryley was fuming. He couldn’t believe what a monster his dad had turned into after less than a year. More than ever, Ryley wanted to be alone, in the library, where he was happy. He could make dumb jokes with Keoni, and help shy people, not Mir-Hunters.

Not Quuarks.

“I’m sorry.” Andriel sighed after a long moment of silence. “I shouldn’t do that to you.”

“You should quit. Anybody but the Quuarks, Dad.” Ryley looked at the floor.

Andriel winced. “I have enough income now, after ten years. I can pay, for once.”

“Torturing people is worth it?” Ryley didn’t want to forgive him on the spot like that. His blood was simmering down, at least.

“No. I refused that part of the job. I only guard the outer refinery.”

His voice cracked. “And are the people you’re keeping inside really, really evil?”

Ryley’s vision flickered. His dad’s fur turned from red to green for a split second, and the whole room’s colors inverted. The gray carpet was darker. The brown door turned blue, and the warm candlelight turned purple.

He gasped, closing his eyes as everything turned back to normal. A hot wave crashed through his body like a waterfall.

“Ryley?” His dad said, though his voice felt so far away. “Talk to me.”

Ryley pulled himself together. The heat simmered down enough for Ryley to open his eyes. He sneezed again. “Agh. That was horrible.”

“Let me go get your mum.” Andriel said desperately, leaving. Ryley glanced around, spooked by the formerly inverted colors.

Andriel was quick. It wasn’t long before Mum showed up, rushing next to him.

“I’m okay.” He reassured her. His dad stood weary in the door. “Just a bit unnerved.”

“What happened?” She asked. Ryley shook his head.

“Just a little feverish, I guess.” He sneezed, giving himself away.

“Get some rest. If you’re not feeling well, you don’t want to spread it.”

Ryley leaned back into bed, feeling the book as he rested his head on his pillow. It was weird how fast it was getting to him.

He didn’t forget about what his father said, though. As his mum stepped out, he frowned. The income just couldn’t be worth harming innocent people, much less being okay as an unscathed standby. Ryley just hoped somehow, his argument would succeed in his father’s mind.

Yet he didn’t know how he lost his cool so quickly. Ryley was prepared for a much less… heated argument, but it would work.

Another inverted color flash hit his head. Ryley yipped, hating the uncomfortable heat wave that followed.

His vision flickered again, this time with white spots. His body shuddered. This felt more than just a regular fever.

Everything went white. Ryley couldn’t open his eyes. He was forced to endure it as it ate his consciousness away.

. . .

Keoni sprinted next to Qaye, who looked very out of shape as he ran across the pink grass fields.

“There are five stages of Mino,” Qaye hurriedly explained. “First is consistent sneezing. That’s when your body is trying to get the fever out of your body before it reaches your brain. Second is uncontrollable surges of negative emotion, usually anger. That’s why Cognates hate it so much: it prevents any light magic they plan on using. Third is magical fluctuation. Really all that happens is any magic being used will randomly spur out on you. Fourth is color inversion. Where your perception of color keeps getting swapped. It follows with very, very uncomfortable surges of warmth in your Miraen body.”

He caught his breath. “Most of your time is spent in stage four. Once your vision gets permanently changed, that’s stage five. You’ll experience all symptoms and your Miraen body will start to collapse, leading to Mir-Link interruption. Anyone with a strong spectrum won’t die of it, or even experience intense symptoms.”

Keoni wasn’t having a problem running. “And what’s the cure?”

“Your Miraen body is trying to tell you to get to the Mirae where someone can use magic to take that wretched disease out of you. Any Mir-Cognate can do it, simply by taking the carrier to Limbo.” He had to stop talking to keep up with Keoni. She wanted to know the whole process, but that’d slow both of them down.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Qaye skidded to a halt once they’d reached near Keoni’s apartment. She’d recently learned that Mir-Cognates knew exactly where they were in the Physical World while they were in the Mirae, and the other way around.

He panted for a moment before holding his hands out, squinting. “Hmm.” He opened a gate instantly below them. Keoni had gotten used to traveling between worlds now. When she dropped into the Physical World, she immediately recognized the field out of town; an abandoned cornfield. Qaye grabbed Keoni’s hand. Before she could react, both of them lunged forward, landing much further in the grass and very close to Everton. They shot forward again, this time ending in an alley, Qaye let go and smoothed his clothing. “I have to move quickly. It’s pretty obvious what I am, and from last time, I’m pretty sure EMKH is now on my tail.”

“Do you know where we are?” Keoni asked, not recognizing her surroundings. This was a much more urban area than what she was used to. Qaye answered with a simple nod.

He slipped out into the open, keeping his head lowered and trying not to show how green his fur had turned. He was right about how obvious he was, with the otherworldly clothing and fur.

Keoni also hadn’t noticed how old he was in his Physical form. He looked at least 50, probably 60. The movement was rough on his aged body, but he managed to keep walking until finally there was a familiar sight.

Qaye boldly walked up the steps and knocked without hesitation. They didn’t have to wait long for Ryley’s mom to answer.

“Yes?” She asked. Keoni could see approaching antlers.

They weren’t Ryley’s, though.

“May I enter? Qaye asked quickly, though he was too late.

Andriel quickly stood in front of his wife. “Stay back. That’s a Mir-Cognate.”

Qaye clearly held back a sarcastic comment. “Is your son okay?”

“Yes. Why would you ask, creature?”

Qaye was unnerved. “He’s going to die.” He said flatly.

“Is that a threat?” Andriel took a step towards Qaye. Before he could answer, Andriel had his hands separate from one another.

He gave a muffled “oof” as his body was dramatically moved.

“If I were to guess, you’re the one who got him sick.”

Keoni watched helplessly as Qaye was dragged inside, this time actually getting cuffed. A metal rod held his hands away from each other as Andriel locked it. “I’m going to take you in. You hold valuable information. I should have done this the first time.”

Qaye thought for just a moment. “I’ll let you take me, but you have to listen to me.”

Please pull yourself out of this one. Keoni begged.

“Alright?” Andriel didn’t loosen his grip.

Qaye cleared his throat. “If you take me in, Ryley dies. You get one extra to your four-thousand Mir-Cognates. You now have four-thousand-one. But you’ll no longer have a child. And I am well aware you can’t have any more children. So what will it be? Your family? Or the Quuarks?” Qaye had the funny Mir-Cognate accent and his Physcia wasn’t as good as Caste’s, but his point was painfully clear.

“If I release you, how do I know you’re not going to go on a killing streak?” Andriel demanded. Though Qaye had found a soft spot.

“Because I don’t kill people for my own enjoyment. I school younglings. I haven’t killed any man in thousands of years.”

“I’ve seen him teach,” Keoni spoke up. “He- He loves it. If you take him in, what would stop him from actually murdering everyone to keep away?”

Andriel frowned. “I’ve seen plenty of Mir-Cognates kill. How are you different?”

Qaye sighed. “I can’t talk sense into you why they would kill, but I can guarantee I don’t.”

A long moment. Andriel exhaled, tugging at the lock with the key. The cuffs clattered to the floor, and Qaye slowly brought his hands together and rubbed his wrists. “Thank you, Mr. Gremio.” Qaye shot a glance at Keoni. “Did I use that right?”

She giggled and nodded. Qaye paced down the hall towards Ryley’s cramped room. He held his hands behind his back like he always did. Andriel followed him close behind, watching carefully and prepared for anything Qaye would try.

Qaye opened Ryley’s door slowly. “Oh boy, that is Mino all right.” Ryley was frowning, but he was sound asleep in bed. He looked ready to lash out, which was not at all like him. Qaye held his arm firmly and woke him using magic, which was the circle in somebody’s face with light.

Ryley jumped, and Keoni saw why Qaye had his arm on him. Ryley tried hitting immediately, but he was held down. “Calm down.” Qaye said softly. He lifted him up tediously out of bed.

Ryley shivered. “Qaye? Your arm was di-”

“Shhhh. Later.” Qaye opened a strong Mir-Gate that sent both him and Ryley into what Keoni could guess was Limbo.

Andriel stepped forward, but Keoni held her hand out. “You trust him, remember?”

He sighed, waiting. About a minute passed, and Qaye flashed back into the Physical world with Ryley on his shoulders. He laid him down on the nearby chair.

“Qaye, how’d you do that?” Ryley’s voice cracked, and he sounded tipsy.

He smiled. “Just a few Cognitive tricks.”

“Nice name.” Andriel said shyly, approaching his son and rubbing his shoulder. “I’ve never actually heard a Mir-Cognate’s Mirae name.”

“Now you have.” Qaye watched as Ryley steadied himself. He rubbed his head.

“What was that?” He asked, mesmerized yet exhausted.

“Mino. It would’ve killed you.” Qaye responded pleasantly.

Ryley winced. “It felt like I was already dead.”

“I know the feeling well.”

Keoni couldn’t piece together how Qaye got Mino, if he was a Mir-Cognate. He’s said people with high spectrum strength would be perfectly fine, yet he ‘knew the feeling well?’

Is his spectrum strength not high enough?

“I… apologize for dislocating your arm, earlier, Qaye,” Andriel said.

Qaye shrugged. “It’s not a problem. You were acting how you felt was appropriate in the situation.”

Andriel seemed very surprised with Qaye’s neutral response. Then again, Qaye didn’t like picking fights or making anyone feel bad. At least, that’s what Keoni guessed.

“You’re… okay with it?”

“No, absolutely not.” Qaye immediately responded. “It hurt like no end. I’m just saying you were acting how you felt you needed to.”

“That’s his way of forgiving you, Dad,” Ryley whispered.

Andriel blushed. “Didn’t realize.”

Qaye dipped his head. “I’m already late for something. I’ll let Caste know you’re here so he can come fill you in.”

“Qaye?” Ryley stood up slowly. He smiled and bowed, which Qaye responded with the same gesture.

He vanished in a flash of light.

Andriel was quiet when Ryley spoke to him. “Sorry I’ve been hanging out with Mir-Cognates.”

“Sorry I let all the propaganda into my head so openly.” Keoni smiled as the two apologized. She’d figured more arguments had occurred earlier.

“Will you quit?” Ryley asked. He was getting stronger.

“I… I don’t know. None of us have been as well fed as we have in weeks.”

“At least stop hunting for Agamani.” Keoni added.

“I will.” Andriel promised. “Now please tell me what you know about him. Last I saw him, he’d punched the leader of the Quuarks right in the face.”

Ryley rolled his eyes. “That sounds like him.”

“He’s trained to fight.” Keoni said. “And isn’t afraid to. He’s pretty traumatized by what happened to him, though.”

“With good reason. The only time I saw him, though, I don’t know what was going through his head.”

“He’s not dead, but he won’t be leaving the Mirae world for a long time.” Keoni told him. “That’s really the best thing I can tell you.” Ryley nodded his agreement. If Andriel did change his mind, he’d have all the information about Caste at his fingertips.

“I understand.” He sighed. “Ryley, you’re free to go. Just keep out of harm’s way. Not a single scratch, alright?”

“Yes, Dad.” Ryley stood tall. Andriel nodded and left the doorframe, walking down the hall to rejoin Ryley’s mom.

“I guess it worked.” Ryley said. “Just a bit of life-threatening situations can fix everything.”

Keoni rolled her eyes. “So what did Qaye do?”

“He used a Rune and pulled something magic out of my heart. Apparently that’s where the disease was, because immediately my vision became normal.”

Always using Runes. I’ve only seen Qaye use his actual magic twice, besides Mir-Gates. “I’m glad he was able to do that,” Keoni said instead of speaking her mind. “I’m also glad a doctor in Jefu told us that you might have it.”

“Jefu?”

“It’s near Finx. It’s a town specifically for Mir-Cognates who got cleansed or have other magical conflicts.”

“Ooo,” Ryley cooed. “Fascinating. I’m guessing that’s where Caste was.”

“Wow,” Keoni commented. “So brilliant.”

“It’s a good guess!” Ryley exclaimed, exasperated. Keoni laughed. It was good to have him around again, though they’d been separated for just half a day.

“You’re right; it is a good guess.” Keoni said. “What did you do during the time I was gone?”

Ryley shrugged. “Studied.” He said it as if it was actually an enjoyable thing to do. “I mean… I understand what Quujhok, Tejh, and the other titles are now. Quujhok means ‘master.’ You use it to title people who you respect or who outrank you. So if I were to call you ‘Quujhok Keoni,’ I’m saying I respect you and your work. Apparently, there are no gendered words, either, so the translation for mistress is also ‘Quujhok.’”

“I heard some other ones too. What about Tivt Enipok and Xey?” Keoni asked. She’d heard Qaye address Quip with Xey.

“Xey is easy. It’s ‘doctor.’ But only in magical healing terms. They call doctors in the Physical World something else: Xer.” Ryley explained with unquestionable certainty. “Tivt Enipok directly translates to ‘High Councilor.’”

High Councilor Lann. Keoni thought. What’s his purpose in the High Council?

She changed the subject before she found herself too stranded in her thoughts. “So apparently Caste ‘lost’ his battle, so he has to wait an entire week before he can rechallenge.”

“That’s reasonable.” Ryley said. “I wouldn’t like someone continuously trying to steal my position every hour.”

“I don’t know why Qaye said to wait for him. I can finally open my own gate.” Keoni shifted her weight. “Watch.”

Kaedin, help me out here.

Ryley immediately got up, almost bouncing. Keoni let Kaedin guide her body, and there was no hesitation in the Mir-Gate that opened below them. Ryley chuckled with joy seeing his friend finally do it.

Keoni fell through behind him. She drifted down softly. But once she was almost there, something solid slammed into her head.

She cried out, shutting her eyes as she barreled down. She heard Ryley call out her name, but Keoni couldn’t respond. The feeling pummeled her body like someone was stabbing her.

Finally, Keoni skidded onto the ground, but not of the Mirae. She forced her eyes open just as a Mir-Cognate pinned her down with his foot, aiming a very, very sharp knife straight at her neck.