Ori and I ran through the forest, tracking down Therese Cistra. We decided we’d stick to running since we needed to preserve our stem energy. Surprisingly, It wasn’t hard finding where the action was. Because there were multiple effects from different stematas going off at a certain part of the arena, we were able to make a rough guess on Therese’s location. But before we could get any closer, we were met with a sudden obstacle.

Through my peripheral vision, I saw a fist coming down to strike Ori and reacted accordingly: I used my stemata to produce a punch at full power towards the attacker. This sent them flying, crashing through three trees in the process.

“A CT taking the initiative? Or maybe a trainee trying to steal those badges…” Ori briefly glanced over, but continued on, “regardless, we have to keep moving.”

“Right—” before I could finish, a plume of smoke came shooting straight at me that I blocked with both of my arms. Looks like our attacker returned. But he’s wearing…my armor?

No, it’s some kind of copy of it. He wore white gloves, black slacks with a white buttoned shirt, and a red vest. Over all of it was a black trenchcoat gilded with a glowing, light blue. It had slits at the joints that propelled him just like my stemata.

“So this is how your stemata operates, Arno Achebe!”

His voice was very soft and welcoming, but his expression reminded me of a sly fox. For some reason, I don’t like him. And it’s not just because he introduced himself by attacking my girlfriend. Something seems…off about this man.

I shifted all of my weight and launched the fox- faced CT into a nearby tree, but he just propelled out of the way and tumbled before landing.

“Wow~! Your stemata is more difficult to handle than I thought!”

Oh. Well it’s good to know that anyone would’ve have the same issues I had with my stemata.

“I’m Blake Thompson. A titled CT. Though my title kinda gives away my whole shtick, so I can’t reveal that to you.”

“Cool. I don’t remember asking. Arno, we’re leaving.”

“Oh. Alright.” I followed Ori into the forest. This is probably the best course of action. Ori and I are already low on stem energy. If we took a fight with a titled CT, there’s a high chance we’re not winning that.

I ran past him and as I did, he stood still mocking us as if he had complete control of the situation. Regardless, I ignored him.

“You might not want to do that, parasites. Unless…you want something to happen to that zone you’re working so hard for…”

I immediately stopped in my tracks and turned to face Blake.

“Have you ever heard of Deceitful Depression? That’s the terrorist organization I’m a part of. We’re pretty underground. So underground, I was able to become a titled CT! It’s amazing how many unauthorized searches and investigations you can get away with by throwing your rank around! And also…we’re so underground, we wiped a superpower off of the face of the earth and got away with it.” He finished his rant with a devilish smile and my eyes widened in response.

“I’ve heard enough of this BS.” Ori finally turned around to acknowledge Blake. “I probably could’ve bought you being an undercover terrorist, but claiming to be part of the group that incited the Fall of Haustoria? That’s too far out of the realm of possibility for me—”

“The center parish of Haustoria: Kiniun. At 12:37AM…” As he spoke, plate after black plate of an obsidian black armor encompassed his entire body. “A thick mist covered the house of parlay…and we began our onslaught.” Time felt like it was coming to a complete halt, but my heart was racing faster and faster as the man in front of me donned the final piece: the helmet. That helmet with those piercing, red eyes. I can remember it as clear as day. These are the same people who killed mom and dad. They’re the same people who took Mr. Fancy away from me—DAMN IT! Where the hell did this mist come from?! It’s an illusion. It has to be! I don’t want to go back.

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I don’t wanna…

“Arno!” Some of the mist dissipated and revealed Ori aiming her sights at the enemy in front of us. “Prepare for the capture of Deceitful Depression member Blake Thompson!”

I took a step forward with a newfound resolve. I can’t waver here. If he actually knows something about the fall, we have to investigate it in earnest. For everyone who suffered that day.

“Roger!”

I used my stemata to close the distance, flip directly behind him, and roundhouse kick him in the head, but he propelled his body forward and went straight for Ori. Ori fired off some shots, but we both knew that was to slow his movement while I caught up to him. Her wind shots caused him to change trajectory slightly, which gave me the chance to close the gap between us. He barely touched the barrel of her sniper before I gave him a solid punch that jerked him back for a moment.

“I’m not done yet!” I screamed out as I continued my assault.

He wouldn’t notice this because he just copied my stemata, but it’s fundamentally based around the snake god style. It’s a style based around stringing an unrelenting combination of attacks.

“Not on my watch!”

“Oh! So this is how big the gap in combat experience is! What if I just—” He tried to move out of the way starting with his torso, but I punched him right back into place. If your opponent counteracts hard enough to stop your assault, you would continue the attack from a different angle.

I kept punching him higher and higher into the air. With each attempt he made to escape, I whammed him right back into place to juggle him higher.

“GRAHHHHHHHH!” I screamed out as my fists and legs started to sting.

I was losing more and more stem energy as we pushed past the trees and flew into the sky. This would be my last attack, but it’ll surely take him out.

“You’ll need more than that if you want to take me out, Arno Achebe!”

“I’m not the one that’ll be delivering that blow!” I said as he began to plummet, beaten and pummeled, and I followed suit due to running out of stem energy. There was about five feet between me and my opponent as I made my declaration.

“The one who’ll do it is…”

Ori

Stematas are so stupid.

From the very moment we’re given stematas, we’re told that they’re items that have the potential to even warp reality. However, we’re not told how they could get to that level. This entire time I’ve been applying practical uses to my stemata: The cryo for immobilization of my opponent, the fire shot to area of effect damage, and the wind shot to enhance the flame shot as well as more precise shots. But from hearing how Arno’s overclock works I was baffled. How could something that simply maneuvers the user even accomplish something like that? And don’t even get me started on how Anna’s been using her stemata lately. I went back to the drawing board over and over: What’s the common denominator here?

And then I found it.

Arno prioritized speed and power over all, so his stemata developed that way. Anna prioritized human health and regeneration. Even Derris is subconsciously expanding his interpretation of his stemata. So what I needed was to do the same. I aimed by sniper stemata at the heavens itself, directly at our enemy.

“I’m the goddess of the elements!” I screamed as I charged a ball of fire and shot it towards him. As it continued on, I used wind to propel the flame even faster, but I wasn’t done there. This is the same move I used on the Health Maiden. I’ll take this fire, and change the very properties itself!

“Firebolt!” I screamed as the ferocious flame turned into more precise lines as it zigzagged its way to my desired destination.

When it finally met with Blake Thompson’s back, I watched as he jerked forward in pain.

“Sorry, love. But a goddess means nothing to a nonbeliever.”

His jacket surged with power as I looked on with disbelief. I don’t know when or how, but he copied Alvin’s stemata. How could I be so stupid? We should’ve ran. I took this up out of a fit of anger. I wanted answers after all of these years, but this…this isn’t the way to get it.

“Your move goes something like this, right?” Blake’s coat closed the slits that were supposed to represent Arno’s stemata and something crystallized around his arm that I couldn’t see since Arno and him were in a straight line above me. But it could realistically only be one thing.

My own stemata…

“Firebolt!”

An enormous ball of flame erupted that engulfed everything in front of him. Including Arno. My eyes widened and all I could do was call out his name until my voice grew hoarse. Could he even survive a blast like that? Why isn’t anyone stepping in?

Oh…they think this is still a training exercise.