Chapter V

It was around a day after the extermination party returned to Erika that it began to rain in the capital. The clouds gradually grew darker, casting an eerie grey light over the city before the storm came in, accompanied by winds so strong that it rattled the windows of the Citadel and created an ever-present white noise that was hard to tune out at first. It was uncertain how long the rain would last, but for Nigreos Noctis, he was more than pleased if it stuck around for a while. He spent far too much time outside over the course of the last month, so the rain was a perfect excuse to hole himself up inside the tower and relax. He exerted so much energy for that operation, and it went off almost flawlessly, so he felt he deserved to just lay down and waste away for a couple of days. Unfortunately, he was not granted that reprieve because his thoughts continued to stray to a particular dilemma he’d been facing for the last few weeks.

I’m being lied to.

That much he was nearly certain of.

Something was going on behind the scenes, and it involved Ilirianna, Ryokumo, Album, and Grunly. All of them looked at him and spoke to him as if they knew something he did not, and though he had been putting up with it for all these years, he was finally growing tired of being treated like a fool. He was as much a member of the royal team as they were, so he didn’t understand why he would be left out. Did they not trust him? He hadn’t ever done anything to lose their trust, so he couldn’t fathom why they would hide things from him. Originally, he opted to simply accept that there was a chasm between them that wasn’t there before, but when he spoke to Edwar Grunly on the trip north, he realized that the secrets being kept from him may very well relate to the death of Abigail Reiner.

When I made my declaration to fight in Abi’s name, Master Grunly appeared conflicted… Then, when pressed for why he would feel that way, he stammered through his words, refused to make eye contact, and seemed scared that he had said something he should not have. Then, when our conversation was cut short by Miklan’s arrival, he suddenly started to avoid me. But why? What does he know that I don’t? Is there more to Abi’s death than I’ve been told?

Nigreos clicked his tongue with annoyance, recalling how he had run into Ilirianna and Ryokumo on their way to speak with Grunly a few days before they left Erika. They didn’t tell him what it was about, and then the Master of Nature’s odd behavior began not long after. He announced his retirement, had suddenly become happier, and regarded Nigreos with uncertainty. Whatever his old teammates were hiding from him, he didn’t believe Grunly knew about it until that night.

The Battle of Ankalla forced me to brush this situation aside for a while, but now that it’s over, I don’t feel like I can let it go for much longer. Grunly’s retiring once his replacement gets to Erika, though from what I know, he and King Markreas are still in debate over who he’s selecting. The old man’s strong-willed, so I’m sure he won’t change his mind. There’s only so much time before Grunly steps down, so if I want to confront him, I have to do it now. That being said…

Nigreos furrowed his brow in thought. If I’m wrong, I’m going to come across as an idiot… I don’t want to start pressuring an old man only to find out I’m seeing things that don’t exist, so I want more reassurance that I’m not losing my mind. It might be better to prod one of the others first, but of the three I suspect are aware of this, I think only one has a chance of letting something slip…

Album.

Ilirianna and Ryokumo were far too clever, so if he confronted them, they were sure to start taking countermeasures. Album, on the other hand, was a different matter. She was clever, too, but he had known her since they were babies. There were few people in the world, if any, that he was as familiar with as Album Luz, so if he went to the Master of Light and was direct, he may very well put her on the spot enough to trick her into making a mistake.

A big issue, though, is that she hates me for some reason. Trying to talk to her is a pain in the ass, but at this point, if I want to settle my anxieties, I don’t have much of a choice. I’ll talk to Album, and if things go well, I’ll confront Grunly as soon as I can. The last thing I need is Ilirianna getting wind that I’m onto her.

Time was of the essence, so despite his misgivings, Nigreos finally decided to depart his quarters and head down the residential hall towards Album’s. Like himself, his old friend often locked herself away in her private room, keeping to herself. They lived only a couple doors apart, yet despite their history, he rarely saw her. Maybe this conversation would be the moment when he finally found out what he did to her—how he wound up the target of her disgust.

The Master of Darkness took a deep breath as he slowed to a stop right on her doorstep, and with his thoughts collected and his resolve steeled, Nigreos rapped his knuckles against it, then stepped back to await her response. After only a few seconds, the door was pulled open to reveal the Master of Light, who’s cheerful expression faded the second she looked into his eyes. Just as expected, her grin flashed into a grimace as she lowered her eyebrows and glared at him.

“What?” she spat.

Despite her hostile tone, Nigreos choked back his own aggressive attitude and calmly asked, “May I come in for a moment? There was something I wanted to discuss in private?”

“What is it?”’

“Not a topic I wish for anybody that may be listening to hear about. That is what private implies, is it not?”

Nigreos held his ground, tired of letting her treat him like garbage when he hadn’t done anything wrong, so for the first time in his life, he gazed back at her challengingly. If she truly was lying to him, then he had every right to be angry with her. Unfortunately, Album clearly didn’t care to hear any of what he had to say, so she scoffed and went to close the door, but not wanting to back down, Nigreos swiftly placed his foot in the way and blocked her.

“Album, for fuck’s sake!” he hissed. “Why don’t you behave like a goddamn adult and tell me why you hate me! I’ve done nothing to you, yet you keep glaring at me like I’m the worst person you’ve ever met! I’m sick and tired of it! I just want to talk to you! Is that so much to fucking ask!?”

The Master of Light yanked the door back open and stalked forward so that her face was right in front of his. Her black eyes bored into him, and her lips twisted into a furious scowl. “Yes, maybe it is! Call me a child all you like, but I have no interest in speaking with you. Get off my doorstep, Nigreos. Right. Now.”

He rolled his eyes, half-tempted to force his way inside if not for the optics of such behavior. Instead, deciding that Album may truly be a lost cause, he gave one last attempt at information gathering by being completely blunt.

“Does your hatred for me have anything to do with Abi being alive?” he breathed, praying that nobody was nearby to hear him finally put to words the hypothesis that had been forming in his mind.

It was the only thing that made sense given the way Grunly acted. If Abigail were dead, then it was natural Grunly would want vengeance for his beloved pupil. Or even if he didn’t seek retribution, he would have understood Nigreos’s desire to attain it. Instead, his conflict implied there was more to it, and maybe that he was finally told she survived Stellareid. If she were alive and could tell him to his face that she had no intention of returning to Erika, then he would be left with no choice but to select another apprentice. Ilirianna clearly wanted him to do so, which added up with the timing of her visit to Grunly’s office and the Master of Nature’s retirement announcement. His only conclusion, as hopeful and optimistic as it may seem, was that Abigail Reiner was alive out there. He knew there were plenty of holes in his logic, but if he was correct and came right out with it, how well could Album hide her reaction from him? That was why he committed and just said what he was thinking.

But Album stared at him like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“E-Excuse me?” she stammered. “What are you going on about?”

Nigreos frowned. “Y-you…don’t know? But I thought—”

“Abi’s dead, you fucking idiot,” Album snapped, recovering from her confusion rather quickly. “I’m not sure what you think you’re trying to achieve by saying something as dumb as that, but I’m not interested in knowing.”

Hold on, that reaction was far too genuine. Either I’m way off the mark, or…Album doesn’t know?

“What do you know about Princess Ilirianna and Ryokumo’s trip to Grunly’s office? Do you know what they discussed? Do you know why Grunly decided to retire out of the blue after being vehemently opposed?”

Nigreos rattled off question after question, desperately wanting to figure out where he miscalculated before Album shut him out. Yet again, a confused expression overcame the Master of Light, further confirming that she wasn’t aware of what was going on either.

“I…? Their business is not mine,” she growled, though he certainly didn’t miss the slight flicker of doubt that had creeped into her voice. “If they spoke to Grunly, it had nothing to do with me… And I fail to see how that’s related to Abi.”

“Then let me explain myself, why don’t you?” He glanced around, ensuring the corridor was still empty, before leaning forward and whispering, “Something changed in Grunly. You can’t deny that, Album. That man was firm in his refusal to retire, and then out of nowhere, he’s suddenly welcoming it? Is that not suspicious?”

She snorted. “Perhaps. But again, it’s completely unrelated to—”

“So I confronted him on the way to Ankalla,” he pressed, talking over her attempt to repeat her previous statement. “I approached him to offer my sympathies for Abi’s death and to reassure him that we’d avenge her, but he reacted like he was uncomfortable—like he knew something that I didn’t. It was like he wanted to say something to me, but couldn't, so what if Abigail’s alive, and Ryokumo and the Princess told Grunly to convince him to retire?”

Unfortunately, Album only continued to regard him like he had lost his mind. “If Abi were alive, I’d know. Why would they hide that from me? Hmm? Can you answer that? Or did your paranoid delusions not take it into account?”

“I…” He grimaced. “I will admit that I can’t exactly explain that part. To be honest, I thought you already knew based on how you’ve treated me these last few years. I figured it had to be related, so the fact that you don’t is strange to me. That being said…” Nigreos then decided to use a particular card that was only useful now that he understood Album’s position. “Recall our trip to Noctalus and Stellareid. Recall the days before Abi allegedly died. Do you remember how Ryokumo, Princess Ilirianna, and Abi all started behaving strangely—as if they knew something they weren’t sharing? From what I recall, even Glaus commented on it. Did you ever learn what was bothering them? Because what if it’s related to her abrupt disappearance. I should also remind you we never found her remains.”

Album was staring at him, but this time, she didn’t have an immediate retort. The gears in her head were spinning, indicating to him that she did remember the suspicious behavior of the rest of the team. Back then, the two of them had agreed not to pry,, but they had discussed it among themselves, so he knew it had bothered her to be left out. If he could plant these seeds of doubt in her mind, then perhaps he could start to mend his relationship with her. After all, if Ilirianna and Ryokumo had been lying to her face while he only ever told her the truth, then maybe she would come back around for him.

“So what?” she uttered finally. “Why come to me with this? What are you actually trying to accomplish?”

Nigreos smirked as a bit of confidence crept back into him. “I’m going to confront Grunly. He’s old and he can’t quite hide things anymore. If I approach him bluntly the way I just did with you, I don’t think he’ll be able to effectively lie. So by all means, come with me, Album. See for yourself that I’m not crazy.”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

She sneered up at him, yet again regarding him like he was the most disgusting person she had ever met. “Yes, because I’d love to join you in intimidating an old man. Fuck off. I have no reason to doubt Liri and Kumo.”

“And you have reason to doubt me?” he demanded.

“I do. Now go away.”

Nigreos clenched his teeth, and as she began to close the door on him for the second time, he frantically added, “I’ll wait until the end of the week! That way, you’ll have time to give it some thought!”

Album paused for a second, indicating that she heard him, before she closed him off completely and disappeared back into her quarters. The Master of Darkness took a deep breath, both pleased and annoyed by how that interaction unfolded. However, he took some satisfaction in the thought that, if his hunch was correct, then he wasn’t the only one being lied to. It was as Album said, he had no idea why Ilirianna and Ryokumo would lie about Abi’s survival, but if they did, then he was uncovering something that might go back even further than he had initially realized.

I’m sick of being treated like a fool. If Princess Ilirianna and Ryokumo are deceiving me, then I’ll make them regret it. One way or another, I’m going to learn the truth about Abi’s “death”...

***

Despite knowing it was making Ryokumo suspicious, Rennigan had not left his bedroom for longer than a few minutes ever since they arrived back in Erika. The only times he had seen his friend was when he occasionally felt hungry for food or when he had to go use the bathroom. Otherwise, he lay under his covers in the dark, listening to the loud pattering of the rain in the hopes that it would drown out his thoughts. But it never did, rather it felt like his fear, regret, and anger began to drown him, and he had no means of reaching out for air. He wanted to live and he wanted to die, but rarely at the same time. He was terrified of what felt like an inevitable confrontation with Sinna, for he felt there was just no chance she would allow him to live after everything he had seen, and he feared that he may be putting the people he loved in danger. At this point, the Master of Rock had no way of knowing whether he told Ryokumo or not, so what if she targeted him just to be safe?

What if Ryokumo died because of him?

I can’t have that… Too many people have died because of me, so if I lost Caeli to Master Cartus…then I wouldn’t be able to do as Faye requested. How could I live with myself then?

The sole reason he hadn’t taken an icicle and jammed it into his throat was because of what he witnessed in his dream.

“Live, Rennigan. At all costs, make sure you get home safely. Otherwise, we died for nothing. Otherwise, the Battle of Stellareid will have truly been a complete and utter defeat… We’re not going anywhere, so we’ll wait for you as long as we have to. Can you promise me that?”

He felt his body trembling, his fists clenching at his side as he weakly punched his bed. Fuck me… What should I do? I’m so fucking terrified of Rana and Cartus, but I can’t just give up… It’s so unfair… After all I’ve been through, why couldn’t I just come back to Erika happy?! Caeli’s clearly on top of the world, so why can’t I join him?! Why couldn’t we just head down to a tavern together and celebrate our triumph over our enemies?! Instead, I feel sicker than I did before! I can’t… I fucking can’t… I need to run… I need to get the hell outta here…

A part of him was truly considering flight. What would happen if he just snuck out of Erika and fled the country? Would Sinna and Nyx pursue him? Or could he restart his life somewhere else, take on a new identity, and try again? Would the Masters kill Ryokumo in retaliation? Would that be enough to make Sinna go scorched earth like she threatened to? Or would his departure make them safer by decreasing the likelihood he told anybody?

I could do it… I could hop on a random cart and see where it takes me? I could go south to Krato, north to Harunhein, or leave the fucking continent altogether and visit Sukon. Maybe I could even ask Caeli to… He let that thought trail off before it could take root in his mind, for it was foolishly optimistic and completely unrealistic. What am I even saying? Caeli wouldn’t leave. He’s too attached to Ilirianna… I couldn’t ask that of him…

Rennigan closed his eyes, imagining the faces of Faye, Hiro, and Jessi as he asked himself what they would tell him. Would they have known what to do? Could he have relied on them for support? Hiro and Jessi were from Krato, so could he have gone down there with them and met their families and friends? Would Faye have gone with him despite being an Erikan native?

She honestly might have… Or, well, had I been better to her, I think she would have… Fuck me… I miss them…

He absently wondered if the Night Market had any shops where he could buy another Elixir of Sweet Dreams. He desperately wanted to see them again, to hear their voices and feel their touch.

“That being said… The Elixir of Sweet Dreams can become addictive very quickly. One night is okay, I suppose, but please do not drink it ever again, lest you sever yourself from reality. It also amplifies whatever depression you’re experiencing once its effects wear off. It’s terribly unhealthy for one’s mental health.”

He sighed as he recalled Nyx’s warning, but the second her voice entered his mind, it warped and shifted, causing a spasm of terror to jolt through his body.

“Can you die for me?”

Eyeless sockets, a gaping tooth-filled maw, and a smile that reached from ear to ear. It was a visage he would never forget so long as he lived—a creature that would haunt his nightmares.

Fuck it… Who goddamn cares if it’s addictive! Who fucking cares if it severs you from reality! I don’t like reality! I don’t want to live in this fucking world!” He pulled at his silver hair, feeling pain spread across his skull as he did so. Maybe I will go find more… I have the money… I can afford it… It’s either a utopian dream or a terrible nightmare, so I know which one I’d prefer, consequences be fucking damned!

His spiraling was interrupted by a sudden knocking at the door, followed by a hesitant call of, “Glaus? Sorry to interrupt, but you have a visitor. Master Rana wishes to speak with you. She said to assure you she was alone.”

He got to his feet so quickly that it probably looked like he got electrocuted. His instinct was to bolt for his window and jump out or to tell Ryokumo he didn’t want to see her, but logic crept its way in faster than his instincts could take control. He knew his terror was obvious, and Ryokumo had already expressed his concerns that Rennigan’s current state was related to Nyx, so if he refused to see the Master of Water, it would only make Ryokumo more worried.

And Caeli’s not the type to leave things alone. If he gets any more suspicious of me, he’ll take matters into his own hands, and if he sticks his nose where it doesn’t belong, Cartus may kill him… So as sick as I feel, I just can’t turn Master Rana away… I need to choke down my feelings and force my way through this…

“R-right… Yeah, sure… Come on in…”

It took everything in his power to keep himself from trembling as his bedroom door was pushed open to reveal the Master of Water standing just on the other side. She moved into the room, her small form concealed by her long silver cloak, the cowl lowered so that her youthful face and silver hair were plenty visible, much to his chagrin. There was a time he may have considered her pretty, but now he could only see a monster in her. Strangely enough, Ryokumo didn’t enter with her and instead shut the door behind her, leaving Rennigan unfortunately by himself. Before he realized it, his back was pressed up against the wall behind him, as far away from Nyx as he could get.

“I’m so sorry, Rennigan.”

That was the first thing she said, and it was spoken in a voice so soft he could barely hear her. Slowly, she lowered herself to a sitting position right up against the door then sat cross-legged as she gazed at the carpet.

“I’ll stay over here, if it makes you more comfortable. I just wanted to talk for a bit…”

“Er, um, right…” he stammered, remaining on his feet despite wondering if it was more respectful to sit down, too. “Um, listen, I swear on my friends’ souls that I’m not going to tell anybody. I promise, so you can just leave me alone…”

Nyx nodded. “I believe you. That’s not why I’m here. I’m here to both assure you that I won’t let Sinna or anybody else bring harm to you and your loved ones, and I’m here to tell you the truth…like you deserve.”

He frowned, hearing the trembling in Nyx’s voice, as if she were on the verge of tears. “Y-you are? But would it not be safer to—”

“I trust you. I’ve already told you that, but I hope this will prove it…” The Master of Water then cleared her throat, as if what she was about to say was something she needed to mentally prepare herself for. “Rennigan, do you know what a wraith is?”

“A wraith?” he parroted, and with the utterance of that single phrase, everything clicked in his head.

He was the top of his class at the Academy of Erika and even before school, he was a lover of books on pretty much any topic, so of course he had read about the wraiths that once prowled the lands in the centuries before the Age of Expansion. They were a type of parasite, a being of pure mana that somehow manifested consciousness and had a strong desire to consume flesh and blood. From what he recalled, wraiths possessed their victims, making them essentially immortal unless there was nothing that remained of their bodies. Otherwise, the two consciousnesses swapped out when the body was killed, exactly like what happened to Nyx at Ankalla. In addition, the mana that they were made of was uniform, so wraiths possessed affinities, though he had never heard of wraiths formed of dark, light, or mind magic. Only the base five had been recorded, but they were so dangerous that they were completely wiped off the face of the earth over a millennia ago by combined efforts of the countries on Calkorai. There shouldn’t have been a single one left, but if the creature that Nyx became was a wraith, then one of them managed to hide for a very long time.

Though, I’m grateful it’s a water type… I recall reading that fire wraiths and rock wraiths had the power to butcher entire towns…

“Yes,” he finally replied. “I’ve read plenty on wraiths. That’s what that creature was then.”

“I thought you might have…” Nyx said. “Years ago, a wraith possessed me, and ever since, I’ve mostly managed to keep it contained. Only three times has it emerged. Once when it first claimed me, once at the Battle of Hiriech, and then back at Ankalla. I’ve eaten people—human beings—and I almost ate you… I’m grateful that Sinna managed to contain it, but I’m so sorry that she almost killed you. She gets panicked when it comes to my secret.”

Rennigan swallowed back his nervousness at the mention of the Master of Rock. “Who else knows…? Tyrus mentioned that Master Taurus was aware, but other than him and Master Cartus, I don’t know much…”

“Those are the only two,” Nyx answered. “None of the Iijis nor any other Master has been told of this. Though, the surviving Kosah-Rei do know, and I was never really certain why they kept it to themselves. I guess it was to get the drop on me like Tyrus did…”

“I see…”

Rennigan did appreciate her being honest, but at the same time, it did very little to ease his fears. Knowing Nyx the way he did, he believed that she was truly regretful and didn’t want anything to happen to him, but from the sound of it, Sinna was willing to go rogue, and currently, he didn’t have a clue what Nakoma Taurus was willing to do. On top of that, if he was ever unfortunate enough for the wraith to get out in his presence, then he doubted he’d survive again. All this conversation did was explain what happened, but he still felt in danger. He still wanted nothing to do with it.

“The reason…” Nyx went on after a second, “that I’ve never taken on an apprentice is because I don’t want somebody at my side at all times. It puts them at risk should the wraith get out. I was willing to accept you in order to appease your father, but now, I actually want you to be my apprentice. You’re a brilliant mage, Rennigan, you’d make an excellent Master of Water, and now that you know my secret, you can be prepared to take countermeasures against me. You are…the most ideal candidate.”

“A-am I now?” he stuttered, hating the idea of spending an extensive period of time in this creature’s presence.

“I can tell you’re not comfortable, so I’ll leave you with this. Your father wants us in his office at the end of the week, almost certainly to formally appoint you… I would like you to be there. I would like you to accept. Will you consider it?”

Rennigan nodded meekly, but was unable to speak this time, so clearly realizing this was as good as she was going to get, Nyx slowly rose to her feet, muttered, “thank you for hearing me out,” then departed the bedroom.

For a while, he was left standing there staring blankly at the ground. He didn’t have to go. If he fled Erika first, he could be on the road to anywhere else before that meeting even took place. It would disappoint his father, it may cause trouble for Nyx, and it could put the people he loved in danger, but at least then, he could have a chance to free himself of his torment.

But…is that okay? I’d just be a coward… I’d be running from my problems… Yet… Rennigan scoffed. I didn’t run from Quill Tyrus, and look where that got me… I don’t know what to do… I truly don’t…

***

Ryokumo Caeli watched as the Master of Water silently entered the living room, her head down and her eyes glistening as if there were tears within them. She hardly paid him any attention as she walked past his spot on the couch and made her way towards the front door, but not having the patience to just let her leave without any explanation, Ryokumo spoke in a sharp and accusatory tone.

“What happened to Glaus, Master Rana?”

Nyx paused, her small pale hand hovering over the doorknob. “What was that?”

“Don’t play dumb with me. Something happened between you and him at Ankalla. Anybody with half a brain can tell, so why don’t you fess up.” Ryokumo narrowed his eyes. “He’s been locked in there ever since we got here. He was distant on the ride home, and I heard him shout at you, too. It’s almost like he’s scared of you…”

She didn’t turn around, so he had no idea what face she made when she replied, “That’s no way to speak to a Master.”

“Do I sound like I care?”

Nyx shook her head, then pulled the door open and went to depart the house, but as she was leaving, Ryokumo called out one last warning.

“If you did anything to him, I will find out! Don’t underestimate me, Master.”

It was a threat, plain and simple, but Nyx didn’t address it before the door was closed and Ryokumo was left sitting on the couch in silence. He meant what he said. He was terribly worried for Rennigan, so if push came to shove, he was more than prepared to stick his nose into whatever secrets Nyx Rana was keeping.