A few hours passed after my heartfelt moment. I stood outside my house, gazing at the now darkened evening sky, dressed in an all-black trench coat with a wide brimmed black hat. After invigorating my body with some food and rest I presumed I’d be ready to depart until I realized the car I owned would undoubtedly attract attention from the people. I wordlessly summoned my Grimoire by stretching my right palm in the air, the wind around my opened palm morphing into what seemed to be an old, weathered brown book. This was, especially for both the Arcane Conjurers and the Gaian Wanderers, the most common type of Grimoire one could obtain.

However, the form one’s Grimoire could take was most certainly not limited to just an old book alone. Grimoires could take the role of quite literally any possible object one could think of; swords, staffs, vessels, canes… There were simply no limitations as it all depended on the person indoctrinated by the Conjurers and what form it would take. For someone to be granted a type of Grimoire like mine, it mostly resembled their thoughtful and rational nature. In essence, depending on whether someone was more practical or rational, their Grimoires would suit their personality as best as they could.

I closed my eyes in a deep sigh as I let go of the Grimoire. It began to float, taking its position behind my right shoulder with its facades wide open. After fishing my pack of cigarettes from my pockets and lighting one up, I composedly ordered the Grimoire to summon one of my creations as I took a generous puff.

“Creature Six…” I began, breathing out the smoke. “…Come forth.”

Obeying my words, my Grimoire began to tremble as it fled through what seemed to be thousands of pages until it stopped at a page depicting the Sixth Creature. The illustration then vanished, and that same creature flew out of the Grimoire like the pocket dimension it was.

It had the body of a young gentleman with white wings. He was dressed in an impeccably smooth white robe that blended seamlessly with his unearthly pale skin. He donned short white hair, and both his eyes and curled-up lips were sealed shut. He knelt right behind me as I flicked the cigarette with my fingers, speaking to him in a commanding tone,

“Bring me to the North-Eastern side of Ventoria.”

His lips then finally opened, allowing him to respond with a calm, but eerie voice.

“As you wish, my Lord.”

He then took my hand and slowly ascended high in the sky. The view below me gradually widened as the distance between me and the earth grew larger and larger. I hung onto his hand like someone desperately clutching onto his fellow’s hand on top of a high mountainous cliff edge. As we reached as high as the clouds, I took a prompt moment to gaze at the partly obscured view of the world before the creature took off, flying with a rather high speed towards the destined location, with me making sure my hat was kept in place.

Normally if someone would take a normal vehicle, or any normal forms of transport, it would take them a solid amount of time, presumably thirty minutes or so before arriving at the east from the west. However, it only took several minutes before I arrived there.

I descended on the ground from a close distance as the creature vanished in the air. I found myself in one of the many narrow streets the place consisted of. It was undoubtedly a place part of the ridiculed side of the land. Not even a Gaian sensation to be found.

It was muddy and gloomy. The air felt thick and dense from the overwhelming smoke coming from the surrounding buildings, mixed with the stench of low quality, corner-store-like bakeries and taverns, with a sea of distant chatters coming from all directions. Judging by the strong smell whilst standing behind a towering iron building, I assumed I was in the proximity of a marketplace, or the sort.

I took a step forward, not paying much heed to my surroundings as my right shoe plunged into one of the myriad of puddles scattered across the dirty ground. This caused me to look downwards with a tick of a tongue before looking upwards once more. Yet, right at that moment…

…a strong fright washed over my entire being the moment I sensed a second presence adjacent to me.

I shockingly bawled my right hand into a fist, summoning the wings of the sixth creature to elevate me towards the mid-high cliff behind me. As I landed on the high ground, I tried to fixate my gaze on the spot I assumed the individual was standing, yet, as I swayed my eyes over the entire dimly lit area, there was nothing.

Am I… hallucinating?

The wings vanished from my back. I then took a deep breath, planting my right palm against my forehead, not paying any heed to my surroundings. I acted hypervigilantly, which could be because of just how different this area was compared to the other parts—my cognizance of the corruption within the civilization causing me to startle, even if a mere child unapologetically approached me.

Yet, as I began to ponder, an eerie atmosphere fell over me once more.

I did not think of looking around me.

All I did was look downward as if I had just lost my mind.

The presence was never gone. It was now next to me.

“Be not afraid… I do not mean harm to you at this moment.”

I slowly turned my head to the left…

…and that is when I saw a figure standing right next to me, facing the opposite direction.

Judging by his deep voice, I assumed it was a man. He was dressed in a similar all-black trench coat, and wore a wide brimmed black hat that slightly obscured a silver smiling mask he wore. Even though he had his head raised to meet the moonlit sky, a supernatural darkness fell over the eye sockets of the mask, preventing me from seeing his pupils. He wore black gloves and had his arms crossed behind his back, standing composedly as a seemingly Godly and menacingly eerie atmosphere floated around him.

I was at a loss for words. Not only by his overwhelming aura but also because of how well he managed to throw me off guard. I was considered an extremely capable individual in terms of awareness and raw strength alone. Someone like me would not expect to falter under such a simple but confusing tactic—yet, I still did. The person standing right beside me seemed like some sort of all-consuming void that sucked every ounce of strength and braveness I had left. I had to take several moments as I silently stared at his figure…

Stay calm, Emon…

“…Who… are you?”

The man presumably sneered as a slight chuckle escaped his lips. He held his gaze on the sky as he responded with a charming tone.

“What a fascinating question, is it not? It appears to be a simple question, yet it is tied to countless of strings…”

He then slowly turned his head towards me, a shadow hauntingly falling over his mask. “…It makes me wonder what the actual absoluteness that gave birth to reality is…”

What is he talking about…?

Never mind that for now. Stay composed… This guy most definitely came here for a reason.

I turned towards him after making sure my handgun was still placed tight behind my back and spoke to him with a now firmly composed tone.

“I came entirely unprecedented. Not only that but given the place we are currently situated at, it is impossible we crossed paths by sheer coincidence.”

I then swiftly took hold of my gun and pointed it towards him. “You either tell me who you are, or I will have to constrain you by force.”

Several moments of us both staring at each other in silence followed before he lowered his head, and murmured,

“Is that so…”

He then turned towards me, our bodies now correctly facing each other. He continued as he still held his arms crossed behind him as a wind current gushed through our figures, making our trench coats flutter in the current before calming down.

“The 20th of September. Precisely two months and seven days prior to this day, the church of Urdall notified the Luria Assembly about the abduction of its members…”

What?!

St…stay calm, Emon…!

He knows why you’re here! The best thing you can do is just, remain composed…!

“Ever since that day, regardless of the holiday the people from the assembly were given, they worked alongside the church to investigate the case. Day by day, every possible clue, predominantly assumptions about the location of the perpetrator vanished into thin air. The people who were rescued never had a recollection-”

A loud bang reverberated throughout the area, causing nearby birds to flee in a frenzied fright, the cacophony of their screams echoing within my ears before it all calmed down, with realization slowly dawning on my face.

His presence made me feel appalled, and only after pushing my finger down the trigger, as well as the volume of the birds’ cries gradually vanishing into the distance…

…I saw the man, still standing sentry in the exact same place. The bullet suspended in mid-air. A small and concentrated wind current aggressively swirling around it before it plummeted to the ground.

Taken by the absurdity, I widened my eyes and spoke to him in a dramatic tone. His capability to stop my bullet in mid-air was enough for me to confirm that this was no ordinary individual, at all. I felt as if I had already lost the battle—with the only pathway that materialized before me being acting as if I were someone equal to him.

“Who do you think you are to be spouting an entire anecdote without having answered my question?”

I then held my gun with both trembling arms, shouting at him. “Who are you, and how do you know about this?!”

“You’re not easily allured, it seems,” he responded. “I may have underestimated you. However, none of that matters at this moment. You are quite tight on time right now, aren’t you?”

Wait…

That letter…

I experienced a similar sensation as soon as I read the contents.

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Could it be…?

“…Are you the one who wrote that letter?”

He then chuckled, casually turning his body back as he gazed at the sky.

“None of the victims recollected anything about their abduction. All you, alongside the Urdall members, were met with was the return of the absentminded members. Your hopes grew little by little, gradually filling your soul until the day came when it finally seemed as if your prayers were answered. It was indeed me who wrote that letter. But, do you know why I wanted you, specifically, to read it?”

“How did you remain obscured?” I asked, still pointing my gun at him. “You seem like someone who should be aware of the inflation rate Ventoria is facing. Not only that, but it is also affecting neighbouring lands. If you bought countless Potions in order to create the Zealot of Mists, it would be unlikely you would not attract any sort of attention.”

He lowered his head as I spoke, silently listening to my words as I was nearing my crescendo.

“Additionally, if you never bought any potion from Ventoria, you would still have to be checked by the Gate Watchers. It is nearly impossible to infiltrate the city without passing their eyes. Not to mention that the inflation rate has also affected the encapsulating lands.”

“Indeed,” he began, still looking downwards. “The inflation rate Ventoria is facing is bound to grow higher and higher as years pass by…”

“…However, the inflation was something necessary for me to ensure my plans remained intact.”

“What do you mean?” I frowned.

“Have you ever wondered what could have caused the inflation rate to begin ascending?”

“There is no need for me to answer that question. I already know.”

“If you know, why not tell me?”

I took a deep sigh before answering.

“…It began with the Nourishment market. Consumers have grown more demanding of products, especially after the Rapid Decay Phenomenon. It happened during the early months of this year when products had a sudden change in their life expectancies.”

“The sudden expiration of the foods was said to be attributed to a mysterious environmental phenomenon known as ‘Rapid Decay’. Citizens were informed that scientists discovered unusual atmospheric conditions and soil compositions throughout the agricultural regions of Ventoria that caused the acceleration of the decomposition of organic matter, which included food.”

“Again, I am aware of this fact. There is no need for me to further explain this.”

“Right,” he nodded. “The Rapid Decay Phenomenon played a large role in inflating the Nourishment market, affecting many corporations as well as the Custody Agency. However…”

“…it appears you still haven’t found out about the truth, have you?”

“What truth…?”

As he slowly lifted his head to meet my gaze, a glimpse of dark purple light emanated from within the eye sockets of his mask. In that moment, a sense of overwhelming dread washed over me, as if I were trapped in an endless white room with a black vortex swirling beneath me. No matter how desperately I tried to escape, I found myself powerless against the pull, my body repeatedly falling back onto the smooth surface, each attempt more futile than the last.

“…That phenomenon never took place.”

The wind, mingled with sheer silence seeped into the atmosphere following his words. Out of pure shock, I slowly lowered my gun, taking in a few breaths as I reflected on his words.

I felt befuddled because the anecdote not only we but the entirety of Ventoria were told was that the Rapid Decay Phenomenon indeed took place. Of course, it could have been a multifaceted story, but it seemed quite reasonable for it to seem compelling. Not to mention the obscure nature of the person standing right in front of me, telling me that such a thing never took place.

For the record, I was still someone holding one of the highest socioeconomic positions throughout all of Livayae. If this person was someone equal to my role, regardless of where he would come from, I would be cognizant of his existence. Yet, this had been my first-ever encounter with him…

…and every word he uttered until this point still felt compelling.

“…What do you mean?” I asked with a trembling voice.

He carelessly knelt down to pick up the bullet from the ground. He then responded to me as he weaved it between his black glove-covered fingers.

“You accused me of making use of the Potions in order to safely abduct the church members. Well, before I got my hands on it, I hadn’t used anything except one of the seven main Exorci; the Mortisath of Decay. I took advantage and mixed it with a simple multiplier potion alongside my Time Awakening ability to create a loop dimension where I ended up creating over half a million Mortisaths.”

What?!

That is impossible! You can not generate that many Exorci’s with a common multiplier Potion!

…Wait…

…Did he…?

Suspicion washed over me, prompting me to squint my eyes as I queried him.

“Which of the seven forms of the Mortisath did you use?”

“I used the most simple one, my good fellow. The seventh one, to be exact,” he responded, flicking the bullet away in the air with his fingers. “Not only that, but I used the Seraphic Eye of I to further dampen the effects of the decaying Exorci. By doing this, I managed to create an Exorci safe enough to only deteriorate lesser forms of organic matter, not able to have any effects on any ordinary Human—not even a child.”

“I don’t understand,” I said. “What does this have to do with the victims?”

Yet, right as I uttered these words, realization swiftly dawned on my face, prompting me to aim my gun towards him once more. This action seemed to have pleased him, as he clapped several times before speaking with a joyous tone.

“It appears you think faster than I expected. Fantastic, splendid! You are just how I wanted you to be!”

I tightened my firm around the gun, as my Grimoire materialized behind my back, silently awaiting my command.

“So you hail from the Chronomancers temple, don’t you? I would have never expected an Astrogardian to bear resentment against us Ventorians. Our history showcases great alliance with little to no retribution.”

I then frowned my eyes further, continuing my speech.

“I fail to understand what could have possibly made you, an Astrogardian, to abduct our members… What do you think Malum, the God of Time would think about this? Explain yourself, now!”

Right after I said this, the man lowered himself on one knee, his gaze fixated on the ground. The action seemed far too alien to the point of me remaining composed, but suspicious of any possible ‘surprise attack’ he may attempt to do. Nevertheless, I held the gun with my right arm, and aimed it at him precisely.

“Allow me to placate your mind, Emon Moreau.”

Right… How did he know my name?

…Never mind that for a moment. I just need to listen to what he has to say now.

“I am giving you fifteen minutes at best,” I said confidently.

“I will tell you as much as you need to know,” the man said. “After all, you are the most promising individual in this current day and age.”

He then stood back up and continued.

“You may wonder why I need to make use of the Mortisath in order for me to execute this plan flawlessly. For that, we would have to look back at the past year. However, before we do that…”

He held his head lowered, as if expecting something to happen. I remained unwavering, holding my gun positioned towards him, with my Grimoire malignantly floating behind my back. I considered multiple times to ask him why he had gone so silent whilst simultaneously tightening my awareness just in case a surprise attack would happen.

…Something did happen.

But it was something far to be considered an ‘attack’.

It was more so an entrance of a third person.

My eyes widened in absolute disbelief. My mouth was left ajar, not able to utter a single word right when I realized who was emerging from the left side of the cliff as I slowly turned my head towards that direction.

He was dressed in a crimson red suit with an Ulster overcoat put around his shoulders of the same hue that billowed around him with each step he took towards the both of us, his eyes closed.

He bore short blond hair that blended seamlessly with his medium-long blond beard.

The man entering the moment was someone none other than…

“…Phineas?”

He then opened his light blue eyes whilst keeping his head slightly lowered. His once cheery and prideful tone now one entirely laced with desolation. Despite the overwhelming sensation of dread I felt, I stepped towards him, exclaiming in a loud tone.

“What are you doing her-”

Yet, right before I could even finish my sentence,

He raised his right arm to halt me before slowly turning his head towards me.

“…I must make things clear, Emon.”

“What are you talking about, Phineas?!”

The mysterious man before me crossed his hands behind his back as he turned his head towards Phineas in silence, listening along to what he had to say.

“…Forgive me, Emon.”

“Phineas, what have you…”

He then raised his head and looked at me with a bittersweet smile.

“You may not believe this, but, from a friend to another friend, you know how much of a narcissist I am. You know how much I care for my own achievements and how much I love boasting about my success to other people…”

After saying this, he lowered both his arms and head once more, and spoke in a calm, but eerie tone.

“The one standing adjacent to you, Emon…

…Is a God.”

I clicked my tongue beneath a grunt, as my Grimoire’s facade opened, which allowed for the Sixth Creature to only partially emerge from its papers. Only his upper body was stretched out the Grimoire. He held both his hands on my shoulders, with his wings spread apart. Surprisingly, regardless of the creature’s appearance, it did not seem to spark any sort of reaction from the both of them.

Phineas Leander was someone I considered to be a close ‘work’ confidante. He was, alongside Aurora, one of the only people who treated me as someone equal to them despite the differences in our statuses. I was not in a clear mind to be able to process what was going on. None of it seemed to make sense. I only felt like destroying an entire landscape, leaving it with a deep hole before considering searching for the treasure. Not even Phineas’ acknowledgement of the nature of the man standing before me made me think twice, despite having already felt his overwhelming aura.

“Phineas! Tell me what you did!”

“He merely followed my orders,” the man chimed in.

“What…?” I asked.

“He was my most righteous pick to ensure that the inflation rate would rise. I acted through his body. It was because of me he took every step forward since the past year. Let me tell you what truly happened since you are so eager to learn the truth. Be wary that Phineas Leander could never be considered someone equal to me. So I will refer to his actions as my own given I am the reason for everything the ‘future’ will comprise.”

I shook my head slightly as I lowered my gun. The creature clutching onto my back still visible, further listening to the man’s words.

“It was one year ago when I analyzed the economic vulnerabilities and policies that could have been exploited to manipulate inflationary trends. You believed in the Rapid Decay Phenomenon, but you could have possibly deduced the inaccuracies in that narrative if you considered the Luminary Bureau, Ventoria’s Central Bank.”

“The Bureau used to have a policy that allowed for established corporations to borrow any sum above 250,000 quills to generate profit, and pay back the full borrowed amount over the course of a full year, better known as the Year’s Lever. You may recollect a number of times when Phineas Leander’s absence became prevalent within both Luria and Terra Firma, is that not right?”

I slowly turned my head back towards Phineas, whose eyes had now lost their illumination as a shadow fell over his face. He responded to me with an eerie voice.

“…You know I hadn’t been present often, even during important discussions between the Generals. Due to my influential position within both TF and Luria, my absences never reached the point of causing major concerns given I made my right hand Vank do most of the talks and works. It never got past the Main Overseers. Given your noticeable surprise, I assume Aurora never told you about this, either.”

“What… did you do…?” I muttered, staring at him with a befuddled mien. Rather than responding to me, he commuted glances with the masked man, as if they telepathically exchanged words with each other. I attempted to repeat my question once more, yet, right when I was about to do so…

…My creature suddenly vanished into thin air like a popped balloon, and I felt a cold, misty sensation spreading from within my chest throughout my entire body.

I was not given any moment to react to my creature’s sudden dissipation. Not only that, I was not able to react to anything. My face appeared blank, an entirely emotionless canvas, my eyes darkened, as I lowered my head, and that is when I realized…

…A fourth person stood right in front of me, dressed in a leather dark green coat with long brown hair, firmly holding a misty, ethereal sword of a white hue which had just pierced my chest.

I felt as if my mind was forcefully being sucked away by some vortex, every thought I had, every memory I shared, every word I spoke, all of it dissipated into nothingness. My body turned entirely numb, to the point of me only being able to stare Phineas down with a blank expression before the man mercilessly pulled the sword out of my chest, and I tumbled on the ground like a marionette whose strings had suddenly been cut off.