(Perspective Change)

I hear…footsteps!

As the woman stood still and listened, she confirmed her suspicion that these footsteps were not Caleb’s.

She was unable to sense them, however.

An innocent bystander! I need to hurry!

She chased after him, but before she could make it past the destroyed wall, someone cried out.

“CALEB!”

She hesitated, unsure what to make of the situation.

This new voice, is calling out to the runaway?

She slowly looked beyond the wall to indeed see Caleb chatting with a boy no older than 15. She tried listening in on their conversation from a distance.

“You fell in a ditch?” The boy asked.

“Yeah, it was, like, super deep! I should be fine, though. I’ll just use some first aid at home, and I’ll be better in no time.” Caleb gave a wide smile, laughing nervously.

What an obvious lie…

“Whoa, no wonder you look so beat up!”

…

Caleb patted the kid’s back.

“That’s why I’m saying it’s not safe around here. Now, go back home. It’s too late and this area’s too dangerous for you to be wandering around like this.”

The boy sighed dramatically. “Alright, alright, fiiine.”

As the boy walked off, the woman’s mind began racing.

He was looking after the boy’s safety. That alone would not be enough, but the fact that they seem to know each other…

She started walking out towards the oblivious “runaway”, still in her thoughts.

I do not have to believe this. Nothing I saw here exonerates him.

But if, somehow, he is telling the truth, then…

She stared at Caleb, faced away from her. He sighed in exhaustion.

This…complicates things…

(Perspective Change)

Caleb scratched the back of his head.

“Fell in a ditch? What a lame excuse.” he muttered to himself.

“Evidently, you would not have had to go very far for an alibi had he not believed you.”

Startled, he quickly turned around to see the woman staring at him with a half-smile, though it quickly reverted to a stoic expression.

He brushed off what she said anyway as fear creeped up inside. He put his hands up again.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“…H-Hold on, please. I really don’t understand what’s been going on around here.”

“…….”

“My house is just about a few blocks away. I don’t know anything, honest!”

“…Explain to me the power that you wield.”

“I don’t know what it is. All this weird stuff just happened to me today, and I can’t explain any of it. None.”

The woman’s brow furrowed.

In the silence, he looked down at his own hand, wondering about the change he had undergone.

“This power, you called it Dark Potentiam?”

“You have no ill intentions?” She said, ignoring or perhaps not hearing his question.

“No. I just want to go home and forget this all happened.”

“I cannot grant you that.”

He clenched his fists in anger.

Why not?!

“However, I do not see a reason to arrest you…for now.”

“Huh? But…you called me a criminal.”

I know I really shouldn’t entertain that notion, but curiosity got the better of me.

“Indeed. It is certainly still possible that you’re not telling me the truth. Nonetheless, in the event that you are…” She paused, raising a hand in front of her. The aura Caleb had seen from her earlier reappeared.

She had a pained expression on her face.

“You have the potential to aid millions of…helpless people.”

Millions of people? Me?

Caleb examined the aura in her hand, dumbfounded at where she might be going with this.

“This energy. Visually, it is quite different from the one you used, is it not?”

“…I guess…”

“In reality, they are much alike. Two sides of the same coin, so to speak. In my world, these energies are commonplace, and they are known as Potentiam. It gives my people various capabilities. To put it simply, it allows us to perform psionic techniques.”

“Psionic…wait. Did you just say your world?”

“I believe this was the most logical conclusion after what you have seen, yes?”

It’s…really just taking a while for this stuff to sink in.

The aura in her hand dissipated as she lowered it back down. Despite not finishing her explanation, the woman turned to the side and looked away.

“Hold on…”

She just stood there for about a minute before turning back to him.

“I have to return to my world immediately.”

“Did something happen?”

The woman just stared at him, much to his chagrin.

Guess she doesn’t want to talk about it.

“Forget it.” he sighed.

The woman pinched the bridge of her nose before answering.

“I had not planned to stay here for so long. It is nothing major, but I must fulfill my duty. I will return tomorrow to explain more.”

“…That’s it?” Caleb asked, indignant.

You’re just going to give me a half explanation, dip, and now you expect me to meet with you tomorrow?

“Indeed.” She replied blankly.

This woman is really something…

She walked up to Caleb.

“Stand still.”

Confused, Caleb did as she asked. She placed her hand over his forehead and closed her eyes.

After a minute, she let go and stepped back.

“I’ve marked you with HQ. You are free to do as you wish for now.”

She then glared at him.

“However, you will not use the Dark Potentiam while I’m gone. If you truly care for the people of this world, then you would not dare use it anyway, correct?” The rigid tone of her voice made it clear that there would be no leeway in this agreement.

Not wanting to pick a fight with her, Caleb nodded.

“I trust that you will still be around here?” She asked.

“You? Trust me? Never!” he gave her an incredulous look.

She folded her arms.

“Heh. I’m just kidding. I don’t even know your name.”

She sighed, turning away from Caleb.

“My name is Airi.”

She then jumped onto a nearby rooftop and out of sight.

Airi…

(Perspective Change)

“It’s so dark. Can no one turn on the lights, please?” The man said as he found himself in complete darkness.

“Though I admit, it is quite fitting, given the circumstances,” he chuckled to himself.

Bah! Who cares about all that?

That boy is…remarkable. Such exceptional mental fortitude! I doubted my choice for a second, but clearly, I had no reason to worry.

On top of that, everything is working out just as I hoped. Thankfully, it seems I have no need to intervene. The way things are shaping up, there will be no further complications to my plan…

His ever-present smirk shifted to one of dire seriousness.

None…except for that woman, Airi. She certainly seems preoccupied for the moment, but it’s only a matter of time before she finds out what’s going on here.

He sighed.

“If only I could get her to see the merit in what I’m trying to achieve, but that’ll never happen. So pigheaded. Her stubbornness will be her downfall, undoubtedly.”

The man’s eyes dulled, and all of the emotions on his face withered away.

How unfortunate. I’ll have to kill her sooner or later…

The smile returned almost as quickly as it left.

…Nevertheless, that is an issue for later. Now then, how shall I blazon things up around here?

As the man was brainstorming ideas, he couldn’t help but feel giddy at another surfacing thought.

“It is only a matter of time. I imagine our true meeting will be the birth of something absolutely beautiful…”

An aura appeared on the man’s hand, creating a bright light in the void of darkness.

“…Caleb…”