My jaw hit the floor. Lou had made it sound like an Eidos was a deeply personal creation, something unique to each user. Yet, here he was claiming some big shot named Argentum just... handed him their Eidos? "Hold on," I sputtered, disbelief lacing my voice. "You're telling me your Eidos wasn't something you, you know, figured out yourself?"

Lou shrugged, a maddeningly casual gesture that only amplified my frustration. "Not just me, all Sponsors – well, except one of us. Argentum bestowed them upon us." He scratched his head, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips. "Guess I forgot to mention that, huh?"

"Forgot?!" I shrieked, momentarily forgetting to channel Flow back into him. Lou flinched, his eyes widening comically. "And why are you so darn nonchalant about it? This is insane!"

He sighed, rolling his eyes with practiced ease. "Alright, alright, meltdown averted. You're right, it's not exactly normal. But for Sponsors, it's kind of par for the course. Argentum, well, he's kind of a legend."

A reverent silence descended. Even Lou seemed to hold his breath for a moment as he uttered the name: Argentum. Whispers of one of the first Flow users, a mythical being spoken of in hushed tones, filled my head. Unmatched strength, otherworldly aura, a god amongst mortals. And this... god... apparently understood the nature of Sponsors well enough to just... give them their Eidos? A shiver ran down my spine.

I stifled a groan, shoving Argentum's mysteries aside for now. "Forget it," I muttered, massaging my temples. "Just... tell me about your…"

“What the…” Mid-sentence, my world tilted. My senses suddenly flared to life with a jolt. My eyes widened, startling both myself and Lou. I snapped my head towards a seemingly empty corner of the forest, my focus laser-sharp. It wasn't Flow; Lou would've reacted the same way. This felt... familiar. Powerful. Strangely nostalgic.

"M... Mana?" the word tumbled out of my lips, my voice barely a whisper. My body tingled, a faint, ethereal sensation like a gentle current or static electricity dancing in the air. It pulsed faintly, barely there, then vanished as quickly as it appeared. But... could it have been? The feeling was so eerily similar to the mana of my ancient life, the ancient power source…

"Hey, Bug, you alright?" Lou's voice cut through my daze. I shook myself, blinking rapidly.

"Yeah, yeah, fine!" I stammered, forcing a smile.

"Uh-huh," Lou drawled, his brow furrowed. "You sure? You went paler than a ghost for a second there."

"No big deal, Lou!" I interjected, desperate to steer the conversation back on track. "Just... tell me how your Eidos works, okay?" My voice held a hint of urgency I couldn't quite control. The phantom sensation of mana lingered, a prickling mystery demanding attention. I mean, how would that be possible? And if it was actually Mana that I felt, how could I sense it in a body full of Flow? So weird… But, whatever, I had better, things to keep in mind, and Lou's Eidos had to take precedence.

Lou, ever the showman, tapped his chin with a thoughtful hum. "Ah, where to begin?" He raised a hand, the familiar blue healing dust shimmering around it. "As you know, us Harmonizers have a deeper connection to living cells. It allows us to manifest our Flow in a physical form – this healing dust, for example. Once this dust touches a damaged tissue, it transforms a lot of calories, protein, vitamins, etc… those things feed the tissues and accelerate the process of natural healing." He kept channeling as he spoke, a faint blue halo around his hand.

Then came that infuriatingly smug grin. "And because I'm, ahem, slightly more talented than the average Harmonizer," he winked, "my understanding goes beyond mere healing. I can delve into the very essence of life... and unlife."

My eyes narrowed. "Wait, unlife?"

A triumphant smirk stretched across his face. "Precisely! With Argentum's guidance, I can channel a second type of dust." He flicked his wrist, revealing a layer of silver dust swirling over the blue. "Destructive dust. A dust that can destroy the living flesh. I wrap it around the other healing dust in order to prevent it from eating my own flesh. Argentum, the legend himself, not only discovered this ability, but honed it and then passed his knowledge on to me."

"Hold on a sec," I blurted out, interrupting Lou's explanation. He deactivated his Eidos, raising an eyebrow at my sudden outburst. "So, if Argentum's this amazing dude who just hands out Eidos like candy, imagine all the crazy ones he has for himself, right?"

Lou smirked. "Actually, believe it or not, Argentum doesn't have a personal Eidos. Any abilities he possesses beyond the Sponsors’ Eidos were likely gifted to others as well."

My jaw dropped. "He... doesn't have a personal Eidos?" If Lou wasn't exaggerating, this Argentum guy was on a whole other level. A thrill shot through me. "Huh..." I murmured, a wide grin spreading across my face.

Lou stared at me, bewildered by my sudden shift in mood. "What's gotten into you?"

"Dude," I leaned forward, practically vibrating with excitement. "I gotta meet this Argentum! Do you think I could even stand a chance against him if I reach my full potential?"

Lou flicked me on the forehead, his annoyance clear. "Whoa there, Bug! You're progressing fast, I'll give you that, but don't get ahead of yourself. You can't even beat us Sponsors yet, let alone a walking, talking legend! He's practically a god amongst mortals!"

My hand flew to my throbbing forehead. But, like it or not, I would definitely have a chance once I reach a certain level. Lou did label me as a ‘God’ in our first meeting after all. But, I had to admit, for a moment there, Lou sounded almost... wise.

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"Seriously, Bug," he added, rolling his eyes. "So arrogant."

“yeah, say all you want…” Another jolt. That same, inexplicable sensation slammed into me, stronger this time. It pulsed with an intensity I couldn't ignore, a warmth tinged with a haunting nostalgia. I scrambled to my feet, my body trembling. Lou mirrored my movement, a frown creasing his brow.

"Bug, what's gotten into you?" he demanded. "These erratic reactions..."

"Can't you feel it?" I gripped his arm tightly, my voice laced with urgency. My other hand shot out, pointing frantically in one direction. "It's coming from there! Don't you sense anything, Lou?"

Lou stared at me, bewildered. "What are you talking about?"

"Hush!" I hissed, eyes glued to the spot. This time, there was no mistaking it. Not only did I sense the familiar white pulse of Flow in the air, but dancing within it, faint but undeniable, were shimmering light blue sparks. They glittered like fireflies, the exact same way they had in my past life. Mana. The very same Mana that fueled my existence as Ash Wyvern.

A tremor ran through me. "Lou," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "This might sound crazy, but please, just follow me. Now."

He blinked, clearly thrown by my sudden intensity. My behavior was erratic, even for me. Still, after a moment's hesitation, he sighed. "Alright, alright. Lead the way, Bug."

"Thanks!" I bolted forward, chasing the surge of Mana like a moth to a flame. This situation reeked of weirdness. How did Mana suddenly appear here? More importantly, why could I sense it while Lou remained oblivious? Was it because of my past life as a Mana user? It was the only logical explanation at the moment.

As we raced through the forest, the Mana grew thicker in the air, a tangible presence. It was a dead giveaway – we were nearing the source. Suddenly, Lou's hand clamped on my shoulder, halting my sprint. "Someone's here, Bug," he said, his voice low, the other hand instinctively gripping his sword hilt. "Can you feel them?"

I nodded curtly. The question hung heavy. Was I picking up a physical presence or simply homing in on the Mana leak?

"Strange," Lou muttered, his earlier annoyance replaced with caution. "I specifically requested the beast territory remain off-limits. No human should be here except us..."

“Anything might happen, so get ready!”

"Don’t worry!" I ripped the Morphblade from my pocket as an unsettling chorus of chanting reached our ears. The voice, clearly female, spoke in a known tongue. The dense foliage thinned, revealing a clearing ahead. My breath hitched.

There, bathed in the ethereal glow of swirling blue Mana, stood a woman in a crimson mage's robe. Her arms stretched skyward, chanting a hypnotic refrain: "All hail Marloth... All hail Marloth..." Chains, crackling with stolen Mana, bound eight figures to her will. Their clothes hung in tatters, their bodies gaunt and starved. They were puppets, their spirits broken.

Rage, a primal fury, surged through me. My blood ran cold, a phantom echo of my own enslaved past. Mother’s pain in servitude coursed through my veins, fueling the crimson fire that erupted in my eyes. I snarled, the ragged edges of my breath a chilling counterpoint to the woman's chant. My hand tightened around the Morphblade, the urge to charge into the fray overwhelming.

Thankfully, Lou reacted with lightning speed. He slammed me to my knees, his hand clamped on my head. "Easy there, Bug," he growled. "We need a plan, not a berserker charge!"

A strangled cry escaped my lips as I twisted beneath him, fury warring with a desperate need for clarity. "Let me go!" I roared, the concealing cloak failing to mask the obsidian tendrils of my overflowing aura. "They're slaves! Just like..." My voice cracked, the specter of my own past looming large.

“I waited so long for this, you know… The moment to get revenge…”

Lou's grip tightened, pinning me to the dusty ground. "Listen, Bug," he growled, his jaw clenching as he glanced at the line of shuffling slaves. "Eight years old with a vendetta the size of a dragon? I don't get it, but I can't watch you throw your life away. Got it?"

I gritted my teeth, refusing to meet his gaze. The chanting woman, her face a canvas of swirling red tattoos dominated by a black eyepatch, continued her maddening hymn. "All hail Marloth... All hail Marloth..."

Then, silence. A sickening thud echoed through the dusty marketplace. I whipped my head around to see a slave sprawled on the cobblestones, his eyes vacant, a final plea escaping his pale lips, "No more... Please..."

The woman whirled, her one visible eye blazing with a cold fury. She kicked the fallen figure with a snarl, the impact muffled by the coarse fabric of his clothes. "Up, you worthless sack! You haven't offered yourself fully to Marloth! Stand up!"

The defiance in the fallen slave's eyes mirrored my own. But unlike me, his defiance cost him. The woman, her fury a tangible presence, tossed the chains aside and loomed over the fallen figure. Her eyepatch did little to hide the venomous glint in her remaining eye as she began a guttural chant.

Her palms, adorned with swirling red tattoos, ignited with a dull brown glow – the color of fertile earth twisted and corrupted. Panic clawed at my throat. "Lou, we have to stop her!" I shrieked, but he remained a statue, his hand heavy on my head.

Frustration burned hotter than the woman's magic. Just as I opened my mouth to plead again, her words hung heavy in the air.

"By the power of earth and stone, rise and strike with force unknown. Rock Pillar, ascend and shatter!"

The brown light in her hands intensified, coalescing into a jagged shard of stone spinning at an unnatural speed. With a scream, she hurled it at the fallen slave. The other slaves erupted in horrified cries as the projectile, tinged with a malevolent crimson, streaked towards its target.

Finally, Lou reacted. His eyes widened in shock. "What the... Where did that come from?" he sputtered, his grip loosening on me. I wasted no time. Scrambling to my feet, I channeled Flow into the Morphblade, a surge of power coursing through my veins.

"Magic," I hissed, the word a desperate rebuttal to Lou's cluelessness. His surprise was a flicker in the storm brewing inside me. Before he could stammer another question, the woman launched into a new chant, her voice dripping with malevolent power.

"Earth beneath and stone around, form a prison, strong and sound. Stone Cell, enclose and confine!"

The ground lurched beneath my feet, a tremor that echoed the dread blossoming in my stomach. The earth writhed, obeying the woman's twisted will. bars of jagged stone erupted around the remaining slaves, encasing them in a tomb of rock.

Lou cursed, his surprise hardening into grim determination. He snatched his sword, his voice a low growl. "Stay back, Bug. I'll handle this."

The audacity. As if his command could hold a candle to the inferno of fury consuming me. I launched myself forward, the Morphblade morphing into a wicked scythe in a blur of motion. My vision narrowed, filled only with the woman's hate-filled face and the ominous brown energy crackling in her tattooed hands.

A twisted laugh erupted from her lips, devoid of humor and laced with chilling arrogance. "Both of you," she spat, aiming the full force of her sneer at us, "did you truly think I remained oblivious? We, the servants of Marloth, possess such power!"

Her manic laughter echoed through the dusty marketplace, each cackle a spike of dread in my chest. As she raised her hands, the brown light intensified, and a new chant escaped her lips. "All hail Marloth!" she shrieked, the words sending shivers down my spine. One thing clawed its way to the forefront of my mind: whatever monstrosity I would be facing from now on, it had something to do with my past life.