When Lukas woke up, he immediately regretted it.
He could tell his body was healed and upgraded to the latest Level-Up, but he was neither fully synchronized to the changes nor fully rested.
“You’re up.”
Which only made matters worse when he heard Tanya greet him politely to the side.
Without him realizing it, his eyes flashed green, and the entire room went ramrod stiff.
Cursing, he exhaled, and blinked twice, attempting to control his newly-upgraded power. Time be damned, he was in no condition or mood to welcome the world right now. Much less what the world would likely throw at him in the next few days.
…Wait.
“...Tanya,” he said, and mentally canceled the Impedance around Tanya. Impedance? How had he known what it was called? Tanya both sagged and went alert at the same time, and violently coughed as the air left her lungs. Lukas slowly pushed himself up and put a hand around her back in apology and concern, taking care not to exert his powers by mistake.
“Wh— what was that?” She coughed.
“A nuisance I’ve to deal with too quickly for my tastes,” he said. Looking around, he found he was in his room and nothing appeared amiss. By the color of the light in the room, it was still daylight above. When Tanya came closer and kissed him lightly in the lips, his hands went up to her hair and she deepened the kiss. Only when he relaxed did she pull back, a smile on her lips.
“Better?”
A small chuckle escaped his throat. “That was to make me feel better?”
“Among other things,” she said airily. “I had big plans, but someone just decided to sleep the entire thing off.”
Yeah, having ten consecutive Level-Ups to ride through would do that to a guy. He was lucky he had receded into his inner-world, shutting off all sensory reception as his body was violently altered from within to reflect his drastically altered spiritual constitution. But before he could reply, she held a finger to his lips. “But we owe our victory to you, so I’m willing to cut you some slack this time.”
He barked out a slow laugh. “We won, huh?” He paused, and looked her in the face. “No issues whatsoever? No traps, no deadman switches? No Cobalt Army?”
She shook her head. “If there were any, they exploded with the Peak.”
A slow exhale escaped his lips. And he turned his attention to his hands, as if expecting something there that wasn’t. He had lingering flashes of channeling the raw energy from the wardstones into himself and amplifying the Dranzithl’s lethal power at the army closing around him. He remembered altering those wardstones, feeling the raw power brush against him again, as he set the stones to unleash the energy from the ley lines directly into the fortress, blowing it up. He had some flecks of Tanya warping him through space to safety, and the image of something intensely bright and blue blowing up in the horizon, as a feeling of triumph surged through his body. But most of all, he remembered seeing intense, emerald eyes gazing at his soul, as his body was forced to go through ten, intense and nerve-wracking Level-Ups all at once, his inner-world drastically changing.
But what was most surprising was that Kinetomancy, not the half-arsed, broken fragmented version he pulled off, but the real thing, the original Level-4 APEX skill, was now sitting within his inner-world.
His world didn’t work like that.
Whatever was stolen from the outer world was analyzed, comprehended and sorted into prototypes based on soul, memory and a whole other bunch of factors. Steps could be skipped when it came to manifesting them through the Rapid-Install process, but the initial examination and grasping were all near unanimous with the end result of processing information and details of the skills to the utmost limit.
And Inanna’s Kinetomancy, which arose from the divinity that lay at the basis of Lukas’s soul, was no exception.
He would’ve understood if his world had altered his own soul prototype, reflecting the addition of the APEX skill to it. Instead, Kinetomancy had itself somehow skipped that rule to purposefully stick inside his inner-world by itself, like some kind of black box that ignored his world’s attempts to understand, much less replicate. And it did so in a way he couldn’t even begin to comprehend, much less explain.
Without having a soul prototype.
Or a memory.
Or an identity.
How? He didn’t know. And it unnerved him, but there was nothing he could do about it now.
“—kas?”
Tanya’s words shook him from his reveries. “Err..”
She gave him an amused look. “How many levels did you ride over in one go after the attack?”
She laughed at his flummoxed expression. “You think you’re the only one that had to hold back level-ups while clearing hordes of enemies in one strike?”
As if answering her question, the Screen flickered before his eyes.
Status
Prime Host
Level
36
So close.
“Ten,” he said slowly. “Ten Levels.”
“Mmmm…” said Tanya with a half-amused sound. “The last time you went through a consecutive Level-up in the borderland, you ended up destroying Nidhogg’s Lair. Should I be worried about the territory crashing down?”
“Not unless someone decides to pull something over me.”
“I doubt that will happen,” said Tanya, flipping her hair. “Everyone’s scared shit of you, and that includes Solana. Really Lukas, first you defeat their Empress and the Leader in one go, and then you massacre an entire legion of Asukans, obliterate a Warlord’s fortress, despite King-class enchantments protecting it… how is a girl to keep up? Any more and you’ll be a threat to my Queen-ship.”
“Tell your kingdom that this Outsider will always be in service to their Queen,” he said with a mock-bow.
“Drat!”
The entire yokai territory was active like never before. Tanya had led Lukas through the entire territory, showing him the drastic shift in the place and the people that had taken place while he happily slept for the last two days. The entire yokai war-engine was churning again. Their army was mobilizing, weapons were being forged, and it wasn’t just the yurei patrolling the corridors of the yokai territory. Nearly every yokai capable enough to possess or manipulate an element was training again. Their entire underground living area was being fortified. Several of them had seen their new Queen puncture through wards using a technique that baffled their Leader, and her compatriot and confidant the Outsider of Legend had obliterated the Warlord’s castle until nothing save rocks and pebbles remained where a massive and nearly impregnable fortress had stood.
In a way, the destruction of the svartalfar race had served as a wake-up slap for several subdued races. Muspels, himthursars, dokkalfars —the kind that held second-class status in the Empire and were forced to live in the fringes were slowly voicing their resentment. Even the ljosalfars that had enjoyed plenty of privileges in the Asukan Empire were being forced to reconsider their beliefs since the svartalfars too, enjoyed diplomatic immunity in the Empire, and yet all it took was one arrogant noble to destroy their entire race. Even bremetans that followed the old religions, were taking note of the shift, and observing closely.
There were of course, those that were apprehensive about the yokai colony in the Desert taking an offensive stance against the Shimizu Warlord — one of the most frightening figures in the entire South-East, and were shying away from supporting this suicidal move. The surprising part was the amount of sincerity and conviction with which Solana was leading the charge. Something about the ambush on the Peak had changed her views drastically, and she was actively voicing in support of the Outsider, even if it meant supporting the new Queen. She had called in other skinwalkers from who knew where, and platoons of yokai were entering through her office, which had been turned into a makeshift entrance from yokai from other regions of the Empire.
“Honestly, I don’t see why Solana insists on fortifying this area,” said Tanya as she led him around towards Zuken’s chambers where Maude and Elena were taking care of him while he recovered. “It isn’t like Mujin knows anything about who attacked the Peak, and even if he does, he has no idea where we are hiding.”
Lukas shook his head. “Maybe, but we led an ambush, and who knows what kind of triggers we stepped through. We might’ve made mistakes, and left plenty of evidence for Mujin to find out.”
Tanya raised a skeptical brow. “You sound ridiculous and hypocritical, you know that, right? You speak of caution in the same breath as you do with your reckless feats.”
Lukas laughed. “How else did you expect I survived everything? I’ve significant evidence to prove my luck usually works against me.”
“On that I have little doubt.” She was not amused, but she refrained from speaking her mind any further and instead let out an amused snort. “And here I thought gaining ten levels would make you a Warlord’s equal.”
That stung. Tanya was right. Gaining ten-levels should’ve unlocked plenty of abilities from Inanna’s Level-4 APEX skill, but it seemed like the box would remain closed until he passed that Level-39 threshold. Like there was some kind of abstraction, a black-box that refused him access until he passed that milestone.
It didn’t make any sense to him, but he just chalked it up that if it arose from a goddess’s divinity, mortal skill or otherwise, there should be no question that it had a peculiar trait like that.
But the most surprising twist had been the letter Lord Naowa had sent to Lady Kandra, to be forwarded to a certain ‘Lukas Aguilar’.
Inside, was an engraved invitation, welcoming ‘Lukas Aguilar’ to a private meeting in two days, granting him a private audience with the Fire King, the original owner of Zwaray Keep before it was indefinitely leased to the svartalfars in exchange for certain benefits. The letter claimed that since Lukas would be granted a similar setup with the Keep, and the Fire King would be intimating the conditions of whatever new arrangements they wanted to rope him into.
“What does it say?” asked Tanya, noticing his frown. “I tried to open it, but Solana forbade me to. She said it’s enchanted to combust within minutes of opening it.”
Lukas laughed. “Just another example of the people in power roping the less fortunate into their elaborate plans.”
“They said that I was going to get the property, and now, they’re claiming it's a lease instead. Which means they can snatch it from me the moment they think I’m an issue. Just when I was thinking I could do without….” he trailed off.
His voice wasn’t confident. Instead, it was acceptance bordering on apathy. Like he cared what would happen, but genuinely was at peace with whatever came next. Tanya snatched the letter from his hand and managed to peruse through the contents just in time before it combusted into flames.
“It’s standard protocol, Lukas,” Tanya enlightened him. “The Empire owns the world, and everything that comes within the Eternal Light’s dominion. Only the Sacred Eight are allowed to own land in this world, and everyone apart from them leases it from the Empire.”
“I’m seeing why being Sacred Eight is such a big deal,” Lukas joked. “Almost makes me wonder if they’ve got a bigger duty than being entitled assholes.”
Tanya opened her mouth, probably to say something but then she thought better of it. “Still,” she said. “If it's the Fire King, you have it better than most others. Out of all the existing Kings, Jimmo Asuka is perhaps, the sanest of the lot.”
“Wait… did you say Jimmo Asuka?”
“Yeah,” said Tanya, flipping her ponytail. “I thought you knew this. Jimmo Asuka, the Fire King, is the elder brother of the Emperor himself, son of the Great Goddess Amaterasu. A demigod.”
Demigod. That was the title Zuken had used to describe him during their very first meeting after Inanna had resurrected his soul.
Son of the Goddess Amaterasu. Mentally he wondered if he was going to meet this world’s version of Heracles, only one with complete mastery over Flame. His mind went back to the casual way in which the Ifrit King had been twisting and turning the borderland with his very existence, and this man… he was a living embodiment of that power.
Two days later, he and Tanya had gone to Haviskali. Thanks to her improved facility with Rifting under Meynte’s tutelage, they were able to rift all the way to Haviskali without encountering any of the Cobalt Army checkpoints. For everyone else, them showing up at the Keep only meant that they had been living in Haviskali all this time, an illusion they were happy to let propagate to their benefit. The guards outside the Keep quickly let them inside, and the stark difference in the Haviskali Overseer’s behavior was distinct.
It was obvious he had no doubts about who was responsible for the devastation of the Peak, and no matter what world you were in, the ability to get shit done got you respect.
Tatun Kinosu led them to the innards of the gargantuan chamber they had visited the last time, and even Lord Naowa, who had done his best to appear intimidating the other day, now looked completely at ease. No, it would be better to say that he looked perfectly content, not unlike a child that had been gifted with a brand new, expensive toy. But nothing, not the warm welcome, or the ease in the Shogun’s features could compare to what came next.
“Lord Asuka, might I introduce you to…” began the Overseer.
“You must be the famous Lukas Aguilar,” said the Fire King enthusiastically.
And like that, despite the groups’ general trend towards relaxing, Lukas found his own personal tension skyrocketing.
He knew his name.
This was his first time meeting a real power in this world, and this person, the Fire King, who from what he knew, was among the greatest entities in this world, knew his name, and knew him by description.
“...Yes,” he said, trying to conceal his unease. “That would be me.”
“I was most depressed at the fate that befell the svartalfars,” said the Fire King lightly. He casually grinned as he tried to meet Lukas’s eyes, and Lukas instantly focussed on his nose to avoid a direct gaze. “Lord Naowa here had much interesting to say about you. Claimed that there was a true bremetan-svartalfar hybrid out there. It’s a shame that such a gem was hidden from us all along.”
Lukas didn’t know whether to be flummoxed or elated, so with a deep breath, he decided what his course of action was.
Smiling politely, he regarded him. “Trust me, I’d have to come to the Llaisy Kingdom far sooner if I could. However, those damn Army soldiers…”
The look on the Overseer’s face was priceless.
Yeah, he was a smartass. Lukas had no problem admitting it either. He had mouthed off to everything from monsters and ancient skinwalkers to quite literally, goddesses. In fact, he made it a point to mouth off to more to the empresses and gods even more than he would the monster.
The Overseer’s eyes twitched, but while it looked that he realized that Lukas had just mouthed off to the one of the top brass, he didn’t have the frame of reference to actually understand how.
Lukas was actually expecting the same kind of reaction from the Fire King, and got it for a moment when he blinked. Then his smile widened.
“Well, now you’re here. I’m sure the Cobalt Army will not hinder you any longer. They are sticklers for rules, but they’re good at what they do. I’m more interested in how you managed to get the svartalfars to share their lore with you. You’d think after leasing them land and resources, they’d be a bit less….”
“Anal-retentive? Stickler for privacy?”
The Fire King seemed taken aback, blinking at him in surprise, and Lukas tried not to show how tense he was. Mouthing off to creatures like this was always a risk, in that powerful and quasi-elemental beings that just about everybody else in the world were polite to sometimes just didn’t have much in the way of coping mechanisms for being mocked.
You could tell a lot about an entity from the way it responded to a one-liner. A lot of individual people too, for that matter.
So when his smile widened, and he threw his head back and guffawed with laughter, Lukas relaxed, if only slightly.
“Yes,” said the man heartily. “Lord Naowa also mentioned a queer spell of yours that trapped motion around you. Don’t suppose you want to talk about it? I am always interested in learning new things.”
Lukas gave him a small, easy smile. “Sorry. Union rules. Never reveal all your tricks. You know how it is.”
The Fire King was talking about his ability to understand runework and the svartalfar’s metalworking. It seemed that they were thinking of his abilities as just a particularly well-designed spell.
It meant the edge was still there.
“Lord Fire King, sir,” said the Overseer, frustration evident in his features. “This here is Tanya Shimizu, granddaughter of —”
“Bearer of Ezzeron, the Wind King’s kami,” finished the Fire King, as he regarded Tanya. “And the closest substitute we have for Wakamura. My, how you have grown. The last time I saw you, you were just eight, I believe.”
Tanya blinked. “I… I don’t believe we’ve ever met, Lord… err, Fire King.”
The man tilted his head quizzically. “I see. You don’t remember. That’s unfortunate, but not unexpected. Regardless, I cannot say I was friends with your great-grandfather, dear child, but he and I respected one another.”
Ah, Lukas had almost forgotten. Jimmo Asuka had just celebrated his eight hundredth birthday last year. The kind of trivia you can get from an ancient skinwalker-turned-information broker.
I know of your peculiar issues with your grandfather, and your little deal with Lord Naowa. Be advised, child, while I do not interfere in familial disputes, I must say that I do not think much of your grandfather.”
“If you will forgive the impertinence, sir,” said Tanya. “I don’t think much of him either.”
Lukas took a moment to examine the man as he exchanged more words with him.
Jimmo Asuka was tall, topping even his height by several inches. His crimson hair fell down from his head, ending at his shoulders, giving him an aristocratic look. Dark eyes shone out from a handsome face, filled with such joy and kindness that, along with his cheerful smile, made you instinctively want to trust him and smile right back. It was the smile that had your best interests at heart. A thin scar ran down one side of his chin but instead of blemishing his appearance, it added to it, giving him a sense of character.
It was hard to believe that this was the face of the Lord of Flame. Not when he laughed so openly, but he knew better than anyone what he was. This was Jimmo Asuka, the Fire King, and one of the strongest Asukans alive.
Just being reforged by a reflection of Goddess Inanna had been enough to classify Lukas as the Prime Host by his Omphalos. And this was a person literally born to a goddess.
A Demigod.
The Fire King gave a hearty laugh. “Disputes over the Lord’s mantle are always fun to watch. That goes double when it comes to one of the Sacred Eight. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t host a battle arena between your forces and your grandfather’s. The Empire is in dire need of an entertainment upgrade.”
Lukas heartily agreed. Not with the battle arena idea, but with the latter.
Solana had informed him that while everyone out there was speculating about the Peak’s destruction, the general consensus was that the Fire King had something to do with it. Rumor was that as the Head of Inter-Racial Cooperation, Jimmo Asuka was absolutely furious with the Shimizu’s massacre of the svartalfars. There were rumors that the entire Shimizu affair was quickly becoming a power play between the Earth King and the Fire King, and the svartalfar massacre had ticked the Fire King off something fierce.
That the entire mountain top was blown up like that suggested that it couldn’t have been the act of a Water, Ether, Wind or Earth spiritist, and the only known Fire Warlord was far away in the Northern part of the Empire, completely unconnected from South-Eastern politics. That the Fire King was the one that ripped Mujin Shimizu a new one in open court only fueled the rumors further, and for all everyone knew, Jimmo Asuka could’ve obliterated the Peak as an example of his displeasure.
Naturally, no one was stupid enough to accuse the Emperor’s brother over destroying the fortress of a disgraced clan.
For this was a creature of power, one of the rulers of the entire Empire. In a world where Might made Right, where people killed each other and other species to grow stronger and rise in hierarchy across decades and centuries, a murder-world where mortals could rise to become gods — this man was sitting close to the very top. Unlike the Ifrit King, this magnificent entity somehow held his control with the ironclad grip of a swordsman wielding a blade.
Lukas noted the way Tanya seemed to shrink just a tad in his presence.
What do you think? He asked Meynte, who he knew was looking through his eyes right then. The Fire King looked at him almost instantly, and for a moment, Lukas feared he had heard him, but instead of surprise, hostility, contempt, as as though he was a bug that was only uncrushed due to his benevolence, the Fire King just seemed curious for a moment before returning to his conversation with Tanya.
“I would advise you to speak with great caution, to mind your manners, and to endeavor not to offend this creature,” Meynte spoke slowly in his mind. “But since I know you too well, Soulcrafter, I’ll simply remind you that this territory is very flammable and that this creature is way better at blowing things up than you.”
What do you rate the chances of this being a meet and greet by a cheerful, altruistic guy that just happens to be one of the bigguns in the Empire?
“Somewhere between zero and three percent.”
So theoretically it could happen, right?
“Whatever you say, soulcrafter. Just maintain your guard.”
“Pardon my rudeness,” said Tanya carefully, before Lukas got a chance to probe any further. “I do not have any… forces to face my grandfather as you put it. It’s just the two of us, and we’d rather have the advantage of secrecy if we can help it.”
Of all the things Lukas had expected the Fire King to do right then, bursting into laughter had not been one of them.
“Of course,” said the man, still chuckling. “Even without the power levels, I’d keep him as far away from the limelight if I were in your place.” He looked at Lukas, not in the face but at his chest. “How long has it been since we’ve had a Pathforger in the Empire, and that too unregistered with the Empire Archives?”
The Fire King was still looking at him now, smiling, and much to Lukas’s consternation, he couldn’t figure out if the man was being genuine. “No wonder you got past the Peak’s defenses.”
Every single person in the room stiffened this time.
“Er — Lord Fire King,” began Lord Naowa, “I think you’re —”
“Mistaken?” asked the man, his affable gaze never leaving Lukas’s chest. “I think not. I have to commend you, Pathforger. Walking this brazenly wearing that divine pendant around your neck, yet expecting me not to take note? Especially one this potent and… old, so old….”
He peered at him. “Wherever did you find it, Lukas Aguilar?”
Shit. Shit. Shit, cursed Lukas.
This was rapidly approaching the worst case scenario.
“You cannot win,” warned Meynte.
Against a demigod? thought Lukas. Just getting out of here alive with Tanya is winning.
“I’m a follower of the old religions,” he said at last. “This relic has been passed down to me by my grandfather.”
He wasn’t quite sure if god's or demigods knew when they were being lied to so he decided to err on the side of caution; lying by omission.
“Your grandfather,” murmured the Fire King.
“Yes,” said Lukas. “He was a collector. He claimed that the key to our future is hidden in our past.”
“I see,” said the man. “May I… see it?”
“Ah…” Lukas said. He swallowed hard, trying to calm the flood of adrenaline and think reasonably. After a moment of consideration, he pulled the pendant out of his Blob-vest. If the Fire King noted any irregularities with Blob’s material or spiritual constitution, he made no comment on the fact. Instead, his eyes were affixed at the iridescent aquiline radiance emanating from within the lapis lazuli orb.
“Will this suffice?”
“Very much,” breathed the man, eyeing the pendant with a sense of acute wonder. His hand slowly reached towards the pendant, but stopped inches away. “Millennia old… and still as perfect as the day it was forged. I can feel its power like an echo in my mind, like a song forever being sung without anyone to hear it…”
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“Do not sell it,” he said. “Do not give it to anyone as a possession. Think twice before you show it to anyone, and ponder three times again before you reveal it as a Relic. Treat it with respect, for this is a Thing of Power.”
For a moment, the man gazed at the pendant wistfully….
…And then he looked up at Lukas. “I do not know what Truth of the Universe hides in that blue iridescence, for I am not worthy… You however…. Tell me, did this relic choose you?”
Lukas couldn’t help himself and started laughing. At the man’s curious expression, he chuckled. “Sorry, I just remembered an inside joke.”
If the Fire King was still being affable around him, there was no reason to return the sentiment.
“Chosen?” He snorted again. “On what basis? Smartness? Talent? I doubt I have anything that comes close to the measure of divinity. Nope, just the idea that I was chosen is a cheap way of escalating my sense of self-worth. Perhaps I activated it by mistake Or perhaps it just activated by itself and I just happened to wear it?”
“Just what we needed,” muttered Lord Naowa. “A humble Pathforger.”
“And unrepentantly honest and blunt too,” said Tanya, sounding helpful but clearly finding joy in stirring the pot further.
“Whose side are you on?” Lukas complained. But the moment he met her eyes, he noticed a spark in them. She knew something he didn’t.
Then he looked back at the Fire King, whose face was grave once more.
“I will not hold your caution against me, Lukas Aguilar, we must do our best to be wise. You did not know me. And in truth, there are many in the Empire who you would do well not to trust. Perhaps even some you call associates.”
Lukas narrowed his eyes. Had he just —
“This changes things. Not only are you our last hope to rekindle the svartalfar craft, you’re also an aspiring Pathforger. I will not insult you, but I might ask. Do you think it wise to side with the lady here, knowing that you face the might of a Warlord?”
“Yes.”
“He’s empowered by the might of the Earth King.”
“Won’t stop me.”
“Your valor does you credit, Pathforger,” said the man. “But the outcome of this battle remains the same. The Shimizu have lost their status as a Sacred Eight, and will remain as such until a new bearer of the Wind King’s kami presents herself before the Emperor.”
He glanced at Tanya from the corner of his eyes, before refocusing on Lukas. “So when you face him, keep in mind that you face the stand-in for the Earth King. And the Earth King… has never known defeat. Not once.”
“Hasn’t stopped me before,” said Lukas.
“Big words,” said the Overseer. “You don’t lack in spirit, do you, Lukas Aguilar?”
“Intentions are meaningless, if you do not have the power to back it up,” said Lord Naowa. Well then, condescension: the staple of just about every creature he had come across that thought they were greater than humanity in general. “Pathforger or otherwise, you still have ways to go. Perhaps in a few decades….”
Lukas restrained the urge to grit his teeth. These people were looking down on him. On HIM, who carried within himself a world that eclipsed their own. A world, whose very last memory was enough to render any of their brains to mush by a few moments of exposure.
He wasn’t being taken seriously at all. Even with the recognition of being a Pathforger, he was still just an ‘interesting’ person, who would help them bring back the svartalfar runework, a curiosity but not an actual player.
Even if he ended up killing Mujin Shimizu, things wouldn’t change to any substantial degree. He might get a seat at the table, but it was the kid’s seat, and the adults had no problem talking over him.
It was irksome and dangerous.
Meynte too had taken him the same way. Even after he had defeated her, she had maintained her opinion about him, until that point when he had given her a glimpse of what the Haze truly looked like. Just a brush against the true mysteries of a broken, shattered realm was enough to kill the Empress eighteen times, and only after that had she begun to appreciate what Lukas was, what he contained, and where he stood in the world hierarchy.
But here, he was back on square one. If he didn’t want to deal with the small fries again, if he wanted some credibility, he was going to have to do something risky, something to put a bit of doubt about just how harmless he really was into the grapevine.
Empress, he began, taking a deep breath. I’m about to do something reckless and potentially stupid.
“My goodness. The soulcrafter doing something irrational? The surprise has rendered me speechless,” she declared in a dry tone. She continued, more seriously. “Soulcrafter, are you certain? What you are planning… it might pose great danger to you.”
I’m banking on the fact that it can’t be worse than dealing with you or Everfrost. He told her that, and closed his eyes and exhaled. When he reopened them, they were an intense emerald green.
Then he opened his mouth and jumped into the deep end.
“Tell me, Jimmo Asuka, do you know what it means to be strong?”
A cold draft spread through the room. From Tanya’s expression, she wasn’t sure if she should just freeze, or grab him and rift far, far away before things turned worse. Both Lord Naowa and the Overseer looked utterly outraged at his casual utterance of the Fire King’s name, as if he were a peer.
“Of course you do,” said Lukas because anyone had a chance to reply. “You were born strong. Son of the goddess Amaterasu. A demigod by birth. Talent, intelligence, soul capacity, you’ve had it all. You were destined to become strong from your very birth, a natural-born genius, an existence completely different from someone like me.”
He shut his eyes and took a deep breath. “But let me tell you about someone else. Someone who was born with none of that. No talent, no bloodline, not even an Arcane skill. None of it. She was… weak.” Lukas scoffed. “A slave girl. Weak, weak, weak, weak — that was all she was called for as long as she remembered. She thought it was unfair. Why were others born strong while she was not? Why were some blessed with talents and skills while others like her had nothing? Why even ordinary people, who had never trained a single day, could have suddenly gained immeasurable power by offering themselves to a god’s mercy? She envied them, she… wanted what they had. Wanted it all.”
He opened his eyes. “That woman was my teacher. And she cursed me. Cursed me to never give up on my selfishness, or my defiance. To stay true to myself no matter how many dreams I trample upon. Be the invader that she was. The monster. The conqueror. I… I am not allowed to pretend you are merely a survivor, not anymore. And if that means I must stand over the corpses of the mighty, Warlords, Kings, Emperors even… I won’t think twice.”
One could have heard a pin drop in the silence that followed his declaration before everyone got shaken from the stupor. Tanya was the first to do so, and hissed out like a feral cat.
“Lukas!” She half-yelled, half-whispered. “What are you doing?”
Lukas ignored her. He only had eyes for the Fire King, his eyes, now mostly emerald green, shining with a confidence upon which the universe itself could rest.
“You are the Lord of Flame. Surely you understand this when I say, only a fire may devour another?” he asked. “The nemesis that I have claimed for myself is someone so far, far beyond me, that in comparison, the Earth King is merely a bump in the road at best.”
Just one phrase, but the weight behind it was insurmountable.
Bump in the road. That was what he had called the Earth King, one of the Five Kings existing in the Empire right then. Someone that was in the same league as the Fire King himself. He might as well have denigrated the Fire King himself before the Shogun and his Overseer.
Which, come to think of it, was exactly what he did.
It was a very, very, significant and risky thing to do, and every single entity in the room took note of it, if the stiffening was any clue.
“I… see,” said Jimmo Asuka. “Must be a formidable enemy to make a King look petty in comparison.”
“Someone once told me,” said Lukas without skipping a beat. “That no mortal power, no matter how great, can eclipse a god.”
The Fire King froze, and for a moment, Lukas had the feeling he was staring at a cornered animal. An absolutely lethal predator, but a cornered one nonetheless. Then Jimmo Asuka straightened slightly, wearing one of the most astonished expressions Lukas had ever seen on anyone, let alone on someone of his power or authority. Even Inanna had been less surprised when he had informed him about the absence of gods on Earth.
“A god?” he asked, and Lukas thought he saw wonder in his eyes. “You want to challenge… a god?” He paused again, glancing at Lukas’s vest that hid the pendant behind it. “You… of course. Remarkable! Remarkable indeed!”
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a tiny smile forming on his lips. His previous words were spoken quietly, but what followed was loud and clear. “However, if you think that a King’s throne can be so easily reached, then allow me to rectify that misconception.”
Then Jimmo Asuka, the Fire King, stopped hiding his power.
In a blink of an eye, every single person in the vicinity, including the members of the security task force that had been hiding so far under veils. Every single person, and that included Tanya and Lord Naowa fell silent and dropped down to their knees. They did not bend their knees willingly, but were forced to by the oppressive pressure that filled the air, their feet no longer able to support their own weight beneath it. It was crushing so powerful that it felt as if the hand of a giant was pushing down on his shoulders.
Without lifting so much as a finger, or speaking a single word, Jimmo Asuka showed everyone who stood before him of his might.
Even now, sealed, the power that poured out of him eclipsed everyone in the room, and was enough to bring them down and tremble in terror. Lukas knew that even this was but a fraction of his real strength, that in his true form, he was even stronger, much stronger. And while the Fire King continued to smile benevolently, his eyes told a different story. They were still dark as coals, but there was something else in them, a glint that wasn’t there before, one that hinted of a madness that gripped his soul while flames hotter than hell flickered in the back of his eyes.
It was like staring into the pit of a frothing volcano.
Only, the volcano was staring back.
Lukas managed to stand under the strain, tall and proud. A bead of sweat had broken out on his brow and spilled down his face, but he’d be damned if he let his confidence waver even for an instant.
The rest was taken care of by the Living Anomaly function.
“It is because it’s so hard to reach that makes it worth it,” he said.
At his words, the Fire King cut off his power, hiding it away so thoroughly and quickly that it almost caught him off balance.
Living Anomaly - Neutered Earth - Deactivated
Living Anomaly was truly a lopsided Omphalos function. It didn’t grant him any special abilities like creation, alteration or regeneration. Hell, in a battle against an opponent, Living Anomaly was all but useless. It did only and only one thing — create an environment where the Truths of his home planet — Lostbelt Earth — held true, and everything else was canceled. Because neither lifeforce nor mana existed on Earth in his time, he was able to exert that condition within his created territory, which could include the world around him, like he had done at the Peak, or just limit to his own body.
It meant that any and all effects of lifeforce and mana would have no effect on his person during the period of its activation, but neither would he be able to do anything in return. During that while, he was, for all intents and purposes, human.
Lukas exhaled, and tried not to shiver, as lifeforce flooded back within him right that instant. The Fire King had absolute authority over the Fire element, which meant he could alter the emotions of any person within his vicinity to a massive degree without even exerting himself.
And Lukas, not a fellow King or even a Warlord, but a budding Pathforger, had stood against that power and resisted, even if for a little while.
And the point had been made.
Even Tanya was staring at him like she was looking at him for the first time.
“If you understand then there is no reason for me to warn you any longer,” said the Fire King with the amused-proud smile still on his lips, before he inclined his head. “Your ambition has been heard and acknowledged, Lukas Aguilar. Despite your heritage, and your Path Forgery, I daresay you have all the makings of a Fire Lord. Perhaps even a King someday. I know not what Truth that Relic contains, but the Empire could do with someone like you.”
And what did THAT little invitation say about him, Lukas couldn’t help but wonder. Just what was with every dubious power he came across in this world that made him always extend offers to join them?
He didn’t let the shudder within him escape. Even with everything his inner-world had right now, he was nowhere prepared to face the monster before him.
It was quite some time since he had set eyes on the Ifrit King in that borderland, and even to this day, the memory of that massive beast evoked a mix of revulsion and deep seated fear within him.
It was easy, so easy to forget that these Kings were not human, or rather bremetan. Oh, they looked so much like any other person, it was natural to forget, for that knowledge to slip from your mind like water between your fingers. But they weren’t bremetan, or perhaps, even mortal in a sense. Not even remotely. Their exterior was a facade, a lie, nothing but a false mask created centuries ago, one that they had gotten so used to wearing that they themselves could forget what they truly were deep within.
But Lukas wasn’t a bremetan. He was an Anomaly.
Seeing the Ifrit King with his own eyes, comprehending that just the weight of its existence was enough to throw the borderland into a howling madness, a hunger to annihilate everything… and to think that a kami of similar nature and power lay trapped within the soul of this being in front of him…
It was humbling.
“Lord Fire King,” interrupted Lord Naowa. “Perhaps we could move ahead with the terms of the lease?”
“Ah, yes,” said the Fire King, a little pensively. “I had almost forgotten about that little bit. Perhaps,
He regarded Lukas evenly. “Not many people know this, but before the Zwaray Keep was svartalfar sanctuary, this entire estate was an empty terrain, with a single rupture in reality in the middle of it.”
“The Well,” said Lukas.
“Yes, a lava ridge borderland to be specific,” said the Fire King. “The svartalfars were allotted this territory because apart from getting the materials and minerals they needed for metal crafting and forging, they could maintain periodic checks on the great Arah that resides within.”
“Arah —”
“It’s a magnificent shapeshifter, the embodiment of annihilation, and perhaps the strongest spiritual existence in our world. Not even I, with all my power, can beat it. Ever since it manifested within the lava ridge, I have been studying it, courtesy of the svartalfars.”
“Arah,” Lukas repeated, again wishing he had a firmer basing of this world’s powers. For the life of him, the title evoked nothing more threatening than an altered variant of the Dranzithl, which in itself, could’ve posed an incredible danger if operating under the right conditions. Just channeling enough energy through a limited amount of aqāru had been enough to commit genocide inside the Peak. Given enough supply, the dranzithl posed a very dangerous threat to any mortal out there, spiritist or otherwise.
Soulcrafter. Meynte on the other hand, hissed a soft warning in his head. She sounded distinctly uneasy, bordering on urgent. I think they mean the creature that harried you back to the Desert in the first place. The one you call….
Lukas’s jaw physically dropped, and he only heard the echo on the floor as he took a backstep out of instinct, both hands coming up in sheer surprise. The suddenness of his motion caused a lot of tension in the room, but he was too busy staring at the Fire King.
“Wait,” He began, swallowing with a dry throat. “This… Arah. wouldn’t happen to be, oh, a couple hundred yards long, enormous tail and wings, claws and fangs, fiery, demon, would it? Loves to blow the world up in lava, hates company? That Arah?”
“Oh?” The Fire King leaned forward, sudden interest in his eyes as he studied him. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you almost sound familiar with it…”
“Familiar?” Lukas’s voice might’ve been high pitched at this point. “The damn thing tried to burn us to ash. Why? Why for all that’s good in the world would you want to even want to get close to that thing, forget studying it? Hell, it had claws larger than I am tall! Bigger than me. Think about that!” He held up a hand to emphasize that yes, he wasn’t exactly a small man, and despite starting to look confused, the Overseer snorted at the visual. “It’s the size of a freaking island nation, and if it was one it’s export would be violent death by incineration! And you have been using those frail little svartalfars to study it? Are you crazy, or just stupid?”
“Oh?” Lord Naowa leaned forward as well, and Tanya had straightened, but Lukas was too focussed on the Fire King to really deal with that at the moment.
“So you have met the great Arah,” the Fire King’s smile grew. “And clearly, survived it as well. That makes things so much more interesting.”
“Why would you even want to study it?” Lukas continued, still too completely flabbergasted by the sheer immensity of this idiot’s death wish. “I mean all it is is just one natural born Ifrit….”
He froze.
“...King.”
It came to him easily enough, surprisingly.
“I see. The Well here isn’t to harvest resources. It’s a prison.”
“Oh” the Fire King said. “How did you come to that reasoning?”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Lukas shrugged, lining up his reasons in his head. “Control is the heartstone of the Empire.” He ignored the sudden hiss from Tanya and the look of shock and embarrassment on the Overseer’s face. “And Arah is beyond anyone’s control. A natural-born Ifrit King will require over a million soul capacity, just for someone to bind it, which is impossible. And even if somehow that miracle happens, the binder’s elemental constraint will shatter instantly. No amount of control can balance things when the Fire element is at Level-5. My personal bet is that the binder will get immolated instantly after the Binding, and that’s assuming he or she can even perform the binding without getting vaporized first.”
“I would be careful with the phrasing, Aguilar,” said Lord Naowa, almost defensively. “The Empire is blessed by Gods. Powerful or otherwise, not even that beast can face the wrath of the Pantheon.”
Lukas shook his head immediately. “Gods are powerful, yes, but too powerful. At least on this plane. Unfortunately, so is the Ifrit King. A god could very well successfully subdue Arah, but not without sacrificing several kingdoms in the process. That creature isn’t a demon, it’s a walking-breathing world-destroying catastrophe. And… forgive me for being blunt, I dare say that even gods would suffer from setbacks if they tried to fight the beast inside that borderland.”
“Careful,” said the Fire King, smiling, a tinge of rebuke mixed in his tone. “One might think you’re blaspheming.”
“I am not,” said Lukas, unfazed. “Gods are not gods because they hold more power than Kings, but because the source of their power is Faith. Instead of churning out power using a high-level kami, and limited by the mortal shell, a god transcends those boundaries by harvesting the faith of millions, empowering himself or herself. Yes, on this plane, their strength is practically infinite, but inside that borderland, cut off from their faith, gods are only as strong as they can, by themselves. No, it’s much better to confine the Ifrit King within that lava ridge, and cut it off from affecting this plane at all, and… svartalfars…”
He straightened. His eyes narrowed, and everything clicked all at once. He met the Fire King’s eyes.
“Why don’t you really tell me why this land was granted to svartalfars as a sanctuary?”
“The plan was to use svartalfar runecraft, that applies to all borderlands, and maintain the stability of the lava ridge prison,” said the Fire King easily.
Lukas blinked.
“Wait,” he began slowly, really trying to understand what he was hearing here. “Did you actually just reveal your inner agenda, just because I asked nicely?”
I suppose there are some benefits to dealing with a sane Asukan, Meynte pointed out, obviously as unprepared as he was to having the answers just given to him rather than him having to track down clue after clue to figure out what was truly going on.
Even Lord Naowa and the Overseer were gawking at the Fire King.
I know, He told her. Really throws you for a loop, doesn’t it?
“The svartalfars were a balancing factor for the Empire,” said Lord Naowa, noting the King’s gesture. “Their runecraft speaks to the world, every world. A power that even the Asukan Pantheon cannot claim to possess. They were tasked to keep the borderland stable, and in return, they were handed the entire estate on an infinite lease, by orders of the Fire King himself. Their metalsmithing and enchantments were carefully regulated through government channels to assure them the best prices, and every resource they needed was offered at subsidized rates. Even their subterranean territories were warded against the Eternal Light to grant them effective working conditions. Officially, they were contracted to forge and maintain the Wells at the Shrines and private properties, and in return, they enjoyed diplomatic immunity within the Empire, enforced by the Cobalt Army.”
“Wait, enforced by the Cobalt Army?” asked Tanya, sharing a quick gaze with Lukas.
“Of course,” said Lord Naowa. “The svartalfars have the right to seek aid to the Cobalt Army in times of distress. Even against a Sacred Eight, if necessary. Which makes their massacre at the hands of the Shimizu even worse. Things… spiraled down way too quickly for anyone to understand, much less react.”
Lukas had debated, quite extensively, with Solana, in the past, just what role the svartalfars played in the Empire, but she had never mentioned this little titbit. Either she didn’t know, or she had played upon his ignorance and kept things from him. Even Lukas, who had probably traversed more of the Haze and its countless borderlands, had never really been prepared to consider the effect that creatures like the Ifrit King would have on the real world, or Onogoro, as they called it. He had always thought that Eternal Light stood guard against the mists of the Haze, and that even the Wells were just lures to capture kami.
But what if there was more? What if there was a reason why the Empire used Wells to lure kami out, when Solana had pretty much given him a quick trip through the Haze? When Meynte, and now Tanya, was able to rift through space using the Haze?
What if the Empire was using svartalfar runecraft to seal the borders of Onogoro from the Haze itself, leaving behind well-guarded and secure channels accessed through these Wells? And now, with the svartalfar massacre, the Empire’s borders were in jeopardy, which explained why the Fire King himself was treating him like a welcome house guest, now that they knew he was someone that could take up the job himself. But if he was to repair the Wells, and perform runecraft then…
…Wait.
Was the Fire King really handing him the job of securing the World from infiltrators? Him, who had unlimited access to and through the Haze?
This was the chance to do what he was already doing. Being the gatekeeper to this world’s reality would grant him respect from the Empire, while also helping the yokai travel through the Haze without suffering the Empire’s wrath. It would also give him access to resources to develop his Anomaly powers, as well as recognition amongst the different clans. He could truly travel through the Empire and understand the Asukan Pantheon instead of being subjected to a biased yokai version, or even worse, the ridiculous propaganda preached at the Shrines.
It was tempting. Very tempting. And he was only human.
Breathing slowly and closing his eyes, Lukas calmed himself down and emptied himself of his emotions. If there was a time to forget that he was about to confront one of the most dangerous beings in this world and remember all his lessons on negotiation, now was the time….
He thought about his conversation so far and went through it almost as if performing Scan or Analysis. He thought about what he had come to know, what he had received, the manner in which he was given these things, what they meant….
Correction. What they meant to another Asukan in his place, and then to himself. What he represented. What the Fire King represented. What he wanted. What the Fire King wanted. The means of transaction for this deal. What was on the table, what wasn’t, and factoring in his own nature as an Anomaly and their knowledge of him being a svartalfar-bremetan hybrid…
“I can see what you want from me…” he began at last, weighing his words slowly, carefully. “What benefits would I get in return for my services?”
Lord Naowa was the one to respond first. “I’d believe that was clear from the very beginning. You would be granted an indefinite lease to the Zwaray Keep, as well as enjoy all the benefits the svartalfars enjoyed. Subsidies, access to quality resources, as well as a constant source of employment from the Empire.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, almost glaring at him. “And the greatest of them all, the patronage of the Fire King and myself would be beneficial for an aspiring Pathforger like you. Most people, I’d assume, would assume that to be more than satisfactory payment.”
The Fire on the other hand…
Just. Kept. Staring.
“Why would I want to get paid for something that I’d naturally need for doing the job in the first place?” Lukas asked. Really, what was it with this world and powerful pseudo-immortal beings wanting to get him to do their bidding without proper remuneration? First Inanna, then Solana, then Everfrost. Even Meynte had also offered him a similar deal.
In my defense, whispered the memory of the Empress inside his mind. You didn’t quite let me explain what I wanted.
“It’s a good plate, whatever you’re offering me,” said Lukas, meeting the man’s eyes. “But I must point out that everything you’re providing me is ultimately for your own benefit. Subsidized resources and state-guaranteed fair trade could mean a lot for a fringe race that wanted nothing more than survival and following their way of life, but to me, not so much. Even before this mess, I was employed by Zuken Banksi and perfectly happy working for him. Diplomatic immunity? You’re talking to a guy that is willingly waging war against a former Sacred Eight clan, headed by a powerful Warlord and sponsored directly by the Earth King. I’ll admit that having the patronage of the Fire King and yourself is indeed a great honor, and perhaps another Asukan would offer his first-born for even a fraction of what you offer, but I am not them. Positions of power. Wealth. Prestige. None of those things matter to me. While I do admit the patronage would indeed open doors and help me research my Path faster, I could just as easily do that by myself at a slower pace and not be bothered with all this in the slightest. So, no, Lord Naowa, in return for taking up the mantle of a Gatekeeper against the Haze and all that is beyond, and ensuring the security that Wells provides to the Empire… I don’t see how this is a fair exchange.”
“You do realize you’re standing in front of the Fire King, boy?” said the Overseer. Ah, there was that condescension again. “People have been sentenced to lifetime imprisonment for a quarter of what you’ve just said.”
“True,” said Lukas, nodding at the underlying threat. “But I’ll be candid, Overseer. This isn’t some clerk job you’re handing over. This is a position of immense responsibility, and believe it or not, I have some idea of what it entails. What it means. My advice would be that an employee that willingly works for his boss is a far more credible tool than someone being forced to do the job. But you’re the Overseer of Haviskali, and I’m just a vagrant, so what do I know?”
For a few moments, no one said a thing.
Until the Fire King finally spoke.
“It is a rare day when I find myself jealous of a common man. Zuken Banksi has an eye for treasure. I wonder….” said the Fire King. “Perhaps it is the old legends at work that have spurred your development?”
Lukas suddenly had a sinking feeling in his stomach.
“The… old legends?”
Lord Naowa made a loud, throaty noise.
“Ah, yes,” said the Fire King, looking a bit embarrassed. “I suppose I spoke a little too much. Forgive me, Lord Naowa.” He looked at Lukas again, amusement shining in his eyes. “Do not fret about that, Lukas Aguilar. Let the Shogun know of your demands, and we will see what can be made of them. Know this, a child you may be, but without question, you hold the potential to dictate where the world will travel, intentionally or not, the moment you step on the stage. I look forward to seeing you in the future.”
It was official, Lukas decided. He would never understand how these monsters thought.
“My business here is concluded,” said Jimmo Asuka with a playful smile on his face. “Lord Naowa? Kindly get the Zwaray Keep ready with all the resources our young friend shall need to get started on his work. Unless the beholders have read the stars wrong, the clouds of conflict are gathering and near. I should imagine a fallout soon enough.”
Lukas and Tanya exchanged wary glances.
“This has been a surprisingly enlightening event,” said the Fire King. “I eagerly await our next meet, Lukas Aguilar. Until next time…”
Neither Lukas nor Tanya spoke a single word to each other until they were done signing the relevant papers. Much like the Fire King had spoken, Lukas had been issued fresh new legal documents, proudly identifying him as a citizen of the Llaisy Kingdom, with the Class title of PATHFORGER and official position as FORGER with the Zwaray Keep as his home and work premises. The entire land was leased to him for the period of a hundred years, or his death, whichever came later. Lukas had finally mentioned his conditions to Lord Naowa, and seeing the man’s eyes twitching at their simplicity, almost made him laugh. No doubt the Overseer and the Shogun were wondering why he had been such a fool to stand against the Fire King only to demand some common-sense things in the end.
Only when Lukas and Tanya had walked out of the Keep did the latter stop holding back her curiosity and exploded.
“What was that? Like WHAT WAS THAT?” She demanded. “I’m not sure if I should hug the life out of you for doing something amazing, or yell at you for pulling a stunt like that,” she went on. “Like… What were you thinking? No seriously, what were you thinking?”
Well, he had pretty much stood up to the top brass of the Empire, some of the strongest among them, and started making demands. In his defense, those demands were all things that they would probably have granted anyway, if he had been more diplomatic about it but sometimes, a show of power was necessary to prove one’s point.
Lukas ran his fingers through his hair. “Something monumentally suicidal.”
“No doubt,” raged Tanya. “Sometimes I just don’t understand you. You’re lucky they want you for Well-forging. Standing up to the Fire King, inviting his wrath like that, it will only get you killed.”
“We both know that Well-forging is the least of their needs, Tanya. The real job is to ensure Arah never gets out.”
Tanya crooked an eyebrow, her expression one of dubious mistrust. “Arah? Arah who?”
“Arah, the Ifrit King? The one that nearly incinerated both of us?”
“What has the ifrit king got anything to do with this?” asked Tanya with uncertainty, furrowing her brows at his words, clearly not getting what he was trying to say so he tried once more.
“The ifrit king! The one we faced inside the borderland? And the reason why the Fire King gave svartalfars all they had in the first place?”
She had been there with him the entire time when the Fire King had talked in detail about Arah. The man had been quite vocal about his agenda, and what he was really pushing on Lukas to do. It was why he had all but ordered Lord Naowa to accept Lukas’s whimsical demands.
So why wouldn’t Tanya stop looking at him like he was talking gibberish?
“Lukas,” she said, an utter bewilderment gracing her features. “Are you alright? Did something go wrong when you faced the King’s power?”
Lukas stared at her for several seconds. It was like they were having two completely different conversations. They just kept circling around the same point over and over again.
It hit him then.
“Tanya…” he said carefully. “Exactly what do you remember the Fire King saying about the reason the svartalfars were given the Keep to stay in?”
“Because they would enchant weapons and build Wells for them?”
It was almost surreal how she stared at him like he had grown a second head.
“I am not sure what is more terrifying…” murmured Meynte from within his mind. “That I didn’t even notice it taking effect, or that none may know the secret unless deemed worthy of it.”
“...Lukas?” Tanya asked, confused.
“...never mind,” he said, suddenly feeling oddly cold. “I think I have my answer.”
“You know after this, you can never pretend you’re just another vagrant?”
Lukas sighed. He had noticed the way the yokai, Olfric, Elena, even Solana looked at him. Even Tanya was probably reevaluating everything she knew about him from this latest stunt. And it was hardly surprising. No different from the way bait fishes made sure they weren’t in the path of a shark swimming in the vicinity. Not because the shark had a bad temper, but because it was a shark.
He was that shark now.
And that… suited him, somehow. He felt raw, and a little uncomfortable. Like there was something within him that needed fixing. And maybe scrubbing his skin off with moss and hot water. Maybe after he dealt with Mujin, having a little distance from the yokai mob and the rest was a good thing. At least for a while.
“Good,” he said at last.
“Good?”
He nodded, and scratched the back of his head. “It’ll give me the privacy I need. After everything we went through, and everything that’s about to happen, it’ll be a nice respite.”
And then a thought came to him.
“Tanya…. Exactly what does it mean to be part of the Sacred Eight? What is their role?”
Tanya opened her mouth, and closed it. Then she opened it again, and closed it again. She repeated the action several times, the look of puzzlement changing to confusion as she concentrated, before giving up. “I… I don’t know. Is it important?”
The feeling of coldness intensified. “Who knows? Maybe it will.”
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