-Ah. This is it. The part where I'm some sort of savior.

He peered about the room hoping something would clear the boredom. Gently resting his hands over his knees he began to tap vigorously in anticipation of this incoming plot point.

"Every instruction from the messenger has contributed greatly to our organization and often saved us from potential traps."

Touji leaned back and crossed his arms a look of skepticality arranging itself as his eyebrows curved.

"So basically, he has you around his finger. From what I understand you know next to nothing about him. Not even his face and yet an organization such as yours decided to blindly trust him."

Fairial's frown deepened. "We didn't for many years but overtime as we noticed every premonition came to be we were forced to acknowledge him as a reliable source. Correct, it is a terrible practice to not know your source's motives or identity but his help cannot be ignored."

"So basically he could be working with the gov's right now and you'd never know."

Fairial uncomfortably shifted in her chair, her armor clicking like an agzotic bird.

"What are you trying to get at?"

"Nothing," Touji changing his voice into a lighter tone. "It just seems so incredibly sketchy that even a child could sniff out a scam."

The uneasiness of the situation was beginning to take a grasp over him. He had suspected that someone was pulling the strings and now he knew who. The worst part was that he had a lead, but the idiot wore a mask and refused to disclose his name and identity. So, in actuality was barely a single step closer to finding any information of value.

The point is, all the pain and suffering, every death and respawn was probably foreseen and planned by the bastard. The death of Claria and the villagers. The whole damn thing. Now he was just supposed continue to play into this little game?

"I can understand your weariness of him, but there has never steered us in the wrong direction."

"Except that he got your father killed."

Fairial's fists tightened. The tension in the room increased visibly. Foss stopped munching behind him and softly put the plate down beside him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

Fairial's grip slowly lightened and her expression regressed to a softer composure.

"The Messenger said my arrival was pivotal. How so?"

"He never said."

Touji whisked his hands through his hair as he sorted his thoughts. There was this irritating crumb on the side of Foss's mouth which continued to bug him throughout the conversation.

"Well, here's my answer. I refuse."

Fairial was speechless. It was obvious she wasn't expecting such a response and the bewildered look in her eyes as she slowly processed his words.

"You refuse?"

"None of this is my problem. It's your own screwed up world. Why should it be my concern?"

"I... don't get it." Fairial was stumped it seemed that she hadn't considered the possibility of him refusing to aid them. "But the messenger said he would help." She muttered aloud visibility disturbed.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint but I did not give consent for him to sign me off on random war I'm not part of."

Fairial finally broke composure.

"Are you telling me my father died for nothing?!" She asked visibly disturbed.

Touji himself opened his mouth with a comeback but closed it before the words could escape.

The room was quiet. The cold marble walls quietly echoed her words.

"I'm sorry. He saved my life and I'm thankful, but I have a home to go back to."

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Fairial leaned into her chair and placed her fingers over the bridge of her nose.

"I have no right to stop you, but please reconsider. We've wagered everything on your cooperation."

"I know and I'm sorry. I just want to go home."

After a brief pause she resumed. "We can arrange for your safe travel then. But I do need to verify something before you go."

Fairial stood up and moved towards the entrance, repeatedly folding her hand as if motioning someone to enter.

Maphori entered but something was different. Her hair was messy, her eyes sunken black half circles occupied the lower eyelids. Her clothes were tattered and ringkled far different from the day prior.

-Did something happen?

"Touji."

"Yea?"

"What relationship do you have with this girl?"

Touji flinched.

"I don't know," He retorted. "Never met her."

Maphori's lips curled as she stared at the ground like a statue.

"So why were you uttering her name?"

"Huh?" Touji's heart began to speed.

"When you were sleep you kept repeating her name."

Touji found it extremely hard to supress his shock at this. The fact that he sold himself out in his sleep was terrifying.

"Y-you must be mistaken. I've never met her before."

"His heart is beating faster. Just say'n." Foss pointed out as if he was watching a sports game.

-Dammit Foss. Shut your trap, no one asked.

"What are you hiding. Even when you were out cold whenever Maphori entered the room and tried to heal you, your body would begin to convulse, hence why I had to stitch you up myself."

Touji touched the scar on his neck, figuring the stitches softly.

Fairial walked forward and placed her hand on Touji's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze.

"It would be a lot easier if you were honest with us. I can't let you go if you know who she is."

Touji pursed his lips.

-I will not explain that I can respawn, firstly because I don't even really know how it works and second an organization will one hundred percent take advantage of it.

"If you want honesty will I'm sorry I don't even know myself. I've lost my memories like a month ago. I know I have a family to go back to but other than that I can't say much else. So maybe I do know her. I have a strange feeling she tried to kill me in the past."

Touji had no idea if they would buy into this lie but it was the best he could come up with.

"Amnesia huh? So, you're prone to hitting your head I guess" Foss asked.

"Yeah." This wasn't entirely a lie. In the past day or so he could not remember how many times he had hit his head and maybe he was a little amnesic as a result.

Meanwhile through this conversation Maphori refused to speak or even move, her eyes dead set on the stone paneled floor..

"O-K. Let me just do something real quick. Maphori, I want you to search me, scan me or whatever that's called and then let me know what the hell I am. Second, Fairial and Foss, make sure she doesn't kill me."

"What's with that?" Foss asked.

"Let's just say people try to kill me when they search my Arclight pathways or whatever you call them."

Fairial shot Foss a look.

"Hey, don't gimme that look. I don't know what he’s talking about."

Maphori cut in. "I'll do it."

Touji nodded.

Maphori slowly approached him, her hands shaking. She was clearly agitated but Touji decided to ignore the issue and hope for the best.

"Quickly. Please."

"..."

Maphori grabbed hold of Touji's hands and closed her eyes. The veins in her arms began to turn red. Touji took notice of how petite her hands were as he vegan to wonder how she had even managed to kill him in the first place.

"How does this work anyways?" Touji asked, deciding that ignorance was the better option.

"Well, imagine you have a giant pool of water." Foss began.

"Ok never mind. You lost me already." Touji interjected.

Eventually her eyes opened with a confused look plastered over her face.

"I can't search him. It seems all the pathways are blocked."

Fairial began to look concerned.

"There's a block? By what?"

"It seems as if there were no pathways to begin with. One last thing. He lacks all Arclight. I noticed it when I came in. I can sense you two, but he is completely invisible."

"Okay, okay we know where this is going. Next, you're going to say, 'he's dead' and we're all going to freak out." Touji said, attempting to lighten the mood while bracing himself for the potential neck wound.

"He should be." Maphori agreed.

"..."

"..."

"WHAT?!!" Foss yelled.

-Dammit, she really said it.

Fairial looked Touji over, her fingers rubbing her chin.

"How is this possible? Are you sure?"

Maphori nodded.

"Well, after what we saw with the child he brought in I wouldn't be surprised." She tapped her index finger over her armor.

Touji slumped back down into his bed.

"Great. But can you tell me what I am?"

Fairial raised an eyebrow.

"He's dead. But all his organs are functioning as normal." Maphori replied, ignored him.

"Can someone please answer my question?" Touji whined.

"Human. What else would you be?" Maphori replied, still morbidly confused herself.

Touji was now confused and irritated. Why had Maphori killed him then? Was she still hiding something? She said he was something terrible last time but now he's just a human with no Arclight? What changed? Will she come and kill me later?

"Wait... invisible." Fairial muttered.

Touji had failed to pick up on this keyword.

"Foss. Get the head of security here." Fairial ordered, the excitement in her voice rising.

"Aye-aye ma'am"

A few moments later a tall man with a stern expression entered the room. He was covered in a suit of full iron plate, with a small metal helmet that revealed only his eyes, a getup which was somewhat intimidating.

"Sargent. Did your team sense this boy's presence?"

"Negative. We were unaware he had entered the undergrounds."

"If one per say lacked any form of Arclight in their system would your team be able to pick them up?"

"I must once again answer you with a negative. They could hypothetically evade our security entirely."

Fairial smiled.

"That is all. Thank you, Sargent."

She turned to face Touji.

"I now understand why his appearance could change the course of this war. We just got ourselves a trump card."