As soon as the Panuluyan Owner confirmed that they were not dreaming, Shizuru and Neviah hastily followed him back to the storeroom by the communal bathroom, their confusion ultimately washed away by the fact that Mirano is still several scales heavier than normal. Neviah and Shizuru were only reminded of this when they laid Mirano on what little space the Panuluyan Owner had cleared in the storage room and the floorboards snapped beneath him.

"Settle in," the Panuluyan Owner said as he struggled to close the door behind them.

Neviah and Shizuru looked around. The lights from the bathroom lamps barely reached out to the storage room due to the wooden crates stacked up to the ceiling; some of the toiletries it contained spilled to the floor or put up in messy piles. Shizuru tiptoed past one small pile and settled on top of a large wooden box labeled, "Linen sheets". Finding no other place to scoot in, Neviah simply reclined by the stack of crates by the doorway. The Owner settled across him, briefly running his hand on the now sealed depression on the wall. It's too dark by the wall to properly see the metal seal, but it is dim enough to distinguish the anxiety in the youngsters' faces.

The Panuluyan Owner withdrew his hands and crossed his arms just as Shizuru asked, "Do you know the cause of the strange voice ringing in our minds?"

The Owner settles across Shizuru, shrugging. "More or less."

"Quit messing around! We have a lot to learn and we need to learn it right now!" Shizuru growled, the box underneath him creaking greatly.

"Calm down, Shizuru," Neviah drew his hand across the remaining space, still eyeing the Panuluyan Owner. "Let's take this matter slowly."

Within the dimness of the storage room, the Owner met the Sorcerer's gaze, almost holding his breath at the stillness of Neviah's emerald eyes, quite in contrast with Shizuru's impatient growling. At the succession of events, the Owner is most aware that these mysteries contributed to their overall anticipation of whatever he will be sharing at this moment. Where should he start?

The Owner took his time staring at the unconscious Mirano Suri, as if observing the steady rising of his chest. His eyes bore no resentment for the chain of events that had happened in his establishment. Perhaps, if possible, he might even call it a blessing. He glanced back to Shizuru and Neviah.

"Neviah Kingsley, right?" The Owner enunciated the name, as if considering the value of its bearer. Upon seeing the Usor nod, the Owner continued, "You are quite an eccentric Sorcerer."

Neviah's gaze hardens.

"Where have you gotten information about Pan's relic?" the Owner asked.

It took Neviah a moment to reply, but his gaze did not leave the Owner.

"I have foreseen it. By chance." He finally answered.

"You are well-aware that we Digmas do not take lying so lightly, right?"

"I am standing by the vision brought to me. I thought that if I pursue that path, I will become more successful in my endeavor as an independent Sorcerer."

"A vision?" the Owner tilted his head questioningly.

"Clairvoyance." Shizuru replied, his voice slightly echoing throughout the storage room. "It seems to come to him without notice."

At the revelation, the Owner leaned back with a slow inhale, as if taking in the information he had just received. When the silence became longer than expected, Shizuru was the first to speak again.

"I believe we are here to discuss more important matters." He was hovering a hand over Mirano's face. "You may doubt Neviah all you want, but take my word when I say that he has my trust."

"Very well," the Owner replied with an exhale, shifting his weight to his right leg. "I assume that both of you are aware of the value of Pan's relics?"

"The Sorcerers of Viridian Point sought them." Neviah replied, eyes flying up in remembrance of the encounter.

"Not the best indicator of value, but it may help explain it. Within Pan's journal is information ISoS dreads CANDEMARO to know."

Silence.

"Is it the reason why Pan was kicked out of ISoS?" Neviah asked.

The Owner tilted his head to Neviah. "He originally stepped out of office, but ISoS wanted to paint a worse picture of the Digma Academic so that they may justify their eventual persecution of him and fellow Rogues. Apparently, Pan has been investigating verified information within ISoS' archives and discovered that key historical details were deliberately omitted from many public materials. He wasn't the first one to discover the anomaly, but he is the only one who called ISoS' attention about it. He was supported by fellow academics, but they stayed in the shadows, fearing that they may be targeted by ISoS. They were somehow correct in that aspect."

"How cowardly of them to not help." Shizuru clicked his tongue.

"Pan eventually prohibited it. He believes that by becoming the face of opposition within ISoS, he is protecting the identities of the supporters, their livelihood, as well as the network of trust that we have established. And it worked to our advantage, for we continue to exchange information covertly across the country. We are also able to educate our respective communities right under ISoS' noses."

"At the risks you are taking, it seems that what Pan has discovered is of greatest value. Just what did he unearthed?" Neviah peered forward.

The Owner pointed towards Mirano. Even though the Owner clearly had his finger towards Mirano, Shizuru and Neviah somehow sensed that the Owner was not fully referring to him at all. As if confirming their guesses, the mysterious voice echoed within their minds once more, making them shudder.

"Put that away, it's not very nice..." it said amusingly, making Shizuru and Neviah groan with discomfort.

"W-What is this..." Shizuru muttered as he backed on the wall.

They heard the voice sigh. "That's also not a nice way of referring to me. Though... it is reasonable, given I do not really have a physical form to show just yet."

"Perhaps this will be avoided if you can get on with the introduction." The Owner replied flatly.

The voice laughed, then addressed the two solemnly. "Of course. Thank you for taking care of Mirano all this time. He sure has very reliable friends."

"Have you been with Mirano throughout his life?" Neviah carefully moved towards Mirano.

"You can say that... but it was only until recently when I was able to fully converse with him in his mind."

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"...Do you have a name?" Shizuru inquired, joining Neviah on Mirano's side.

Brimming with pride, the voice echoed within their minds, "Charnel, Prince of Darkness, Keeper of Thoughts."

"You forgot the 'Unknown and Obsolete Deity' title. To put it simply, Charnel is the only original inhabitant of the earth. He is old as heck!" The Owner remarked with a mocking chuckle.

"P-Please do not misunderstand this geezer! I still have a youthful glow!" the voice became frantic, its low voice seemed to crack in embarrassment as it tried to convince the young men otherwise. When it was clear that Shizuru and Neviah were not falling for any persuasion, the voice fell silent for a while.

Thinking they may have offended the voice for not reacting so well, Neviah and Shizuru looked at each other.

Neviah attempted to change the subject. "By the way, how are you connected with Pan and his studies?"

As if with renewed enthusiasm, the voice echoed once more. "Pan ultimately discovered that my name was the most omitted detail from many public materials across CANDEMARO. It has been a good while since I was last awake, so I am not quite sure as to why ISoS is set on disproving my existence."

It was at this point that Neviah looked at the journal strapped on his belt resting on his hip, pursing his lips upon recalling that he did this out of fear that somebody may steal it. How ironic, Neviah thought sarcastically, as he was one of those who originally sought it.

"The Owner said you're the only original inhabitant of the earth... Do you perhaps know of our tribes' missing histories?" Shizuru had asked the question.

"Will you believe me if I say that even I am vulnerable to memory loss?" Charnel answered.

"Told you, old as heck." The Owner replies.

Charnel shushed him then whined at the youngsters. "It's the truth! Even I am ashamed to acknowledge that a human is better at uncovering this country's history than I am. Listen, I have faith that what Pan is doing is right. His... relics... will reveal a lot and it may challenge what you know about ISoS... about CANDEMARO."

Shizuru and Neviah glance at each other again, then back to Mirano.

"Can I ask you one thing?" Shizuru began.

Charnel hummed in acknowledgement.

"Is Pan... still out there?"

"If you are asking whether he is alive or not, do not worry. That geezer is still pretty much kicking and doing what he has been doing!"

Shizuru exhaled a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He buried his face on his hands, eyes growing teary at the assurance.

"We are not quite sure where he is, though." Charnel added.

"That's fine, it's fine." Shizuru sniffed and waved one hand dismissively.. "At least I know I can search for him."

"What's your plan, then?" Neviah inquired, peering at Shizuru.

Shizuru swiped his hand off of his face. "I hope to continue the search."

"I'll join you. There's so many questions I wish to ask Pan. Particularly about this." Neviah tapped on the journal twice.

"Oh right, we haven't had the chance to unlock it." Shizuru gestured for Neviah to procure the key.

The Usor took out both items in front of Shizuru and the Digma began to feel for the key's unusual teeth, raising the journal where the light is most abundant and tinkering with the padlock, hoping to fit it to the keyhole. It did not take him many tries to realize that the metal key doesn't fit.

"Perhaps it's for a different lock?" The Owner suggested.

"Any hints?" Neviah pleaded.

The Owner shook his head. "Pan had only asked me to keep the key safe. Even its purpose is unknown to me."

Shizuru eventually groaned in defeat.

Neviah took the journal in his hands, examining the embossed symbol on it. "It worked like a Channel during our encounter with a ROEL... I wonder if Pan is an expert in making enchanted items." Neviah muttered, lost in thought, that he did not expect the book to unlatch open when he tried to flip its cover.

The Owner and Shizuru exclaimed cheerfully and huddled closer, thinking Neviah had broken it. Upon their inspection however, they discovered that the padlock is not even secured to the book itself!

"What a phony!" The Owner angrily muttered.

"Looks like he also got you this time!" Charnel commented in between laughs.

Neviah focused on the now open book. Its pages are clean and blank. As he pressed his fingers across each page, he felt the roughness of its material, humming at how similar it is to his old spell notebook. As he flipped through it, he eventually found a full, illuminated page featuring intricate thick borders around an illustration resembling the ROEL Neviah and Shizuru had encountered a few days ago. Unlike the creature they had fought however, the illustration is free from the noisy dark silhouette and its features are more defined in the page: standing on its long, rabbit-like hind legs, the figure extends its thin torso up, arms around its chest and its placid face, featuring eyes with red lines running from it down to its body, look up to a depiction of the sun.

Neviah pushed the book to Shizuru, who immediately recognized the image. More than anything, Neviah recognized the illustration closely similar to the etched pictures of contained ROELs in a Channel. Unlike those contained by other Sorcerers, however, the illustration in Pan's journal is devoid of the ROEL's hideous form. What could this mean? Neviah flipped across the pages once more. Another illustration, this time, a different ROEL, is featured. It had the same heavenly qualities as the first illustration, which confuses Neviah all the more.

"I need answers," Neviah eventually said in defeat, closing the journal.

"It's decided, then." Shizuru replied. "I plan on traveling to Solferino as Pan said he spent most of his time there and in ISoS' office."

"A bold choice to start within enemy territory." Charnel commented.

"Be careful. Who knows what the Usors have up their sleeves in an attempt to track down Pan and his supporters." The Owner added with a nod. "Will you be able to detect these anomalies with Sorcery?"

"Not really, but we can definitely combat it with a bit of Gaway*." Neviah replied.

"That will be sufficient. Solferino is an information gold mine, but it's also a risky place to be snooping around. However, you may find assurance in Solferino's Area D. It is the Digma community in Solferino."

"D for Digma?" Shizuru asked.

The Owner grinned. "D for Digma, yes. Seek out Parker and his brothers. They run a quirky little business within their cottage in Area D. I'm sure they will find your company most remarkable."

"This is great! Pretty soon we'll see Pan and have our answers soon enough!" Shizuru whooped happily.

"I look forward to that!" Neviah grinned.

"Me too, but..." The Owner stood up and picked up Shizuru's arm. "...What do you intend on doing with the damages you left in my Panuluyan's lobby?"

The happiness seemed to disappear in Shizuru's face and his eyes trembled at the thought of the scuffle that happened not too long ago. Seeing his uncertainty, the Panuluyan Owner comically dragged him out, demanding reparation, albeit in a not-so-serious tone. Still, he continued to blabber how all of them needed to earn their freedom.

As Neviah watched the Owner and Shizuru disappear back to the building, he soon became aware that Charnel had been chuckling with him at the unfortunate situation that befell Shizuru.

"What a lively bunch you are." Charnel's voice echoed in Neviah's mind.

"There is never a dull moment with them." Neviah's emerald eyes glistened with contentment in the remark and his lips pulled to a wide smile.

"Sorcerer, aren't you worried?"

Neviah almost missed the inquiry. He looked at Mirano's sleeping face, as if facing Charnel directly.

"You're practicing an art that may have been tainted with falsehood. Do you intend to continue using it after being proven so?"

"Pan had faith in it though." Neviah glanced back at the journal, certain that the item and Shizuru's Flaskalf-- perhaps several other creations-- were imbued by Sorcery in one way or another. "If he had not, he may not be able to hide from ISoS for this long."

Neviah heard Charnel's amused scoff.

"Interesting..." he hummed. "I look forward to learning of his revelation soon."

"Neviah Kingsley, come over here! You're also subject to earning your stay in my Panuluyan!" The Owner's muffled screams seeped through the storage room's door, briefly startling Neviah.

Neviah shuddered at the consequences of the statement, but he eventually admitted to himself that he deserved it. He turned to Charnel and Mirano. "Umm, I think I should be with Shizuru and the Owner. Will you be alright to be left here?"

"Of course. Mirano needs all the rest he can get." Charnel replied.

Neviah returned a smile and ran a hand across Mirano's face, swiping away his fringes off of his face. "I'll check up on you soon." he said before disappearing out to the door.

For the record, Neviah will not have the chance to do so.

---

To Be Continued...

*Gaway (n) Usr.,: A branch of Sorcery specializing in medicine and healing. Gaway practices varies based on locations.