Clues

“What’s with you?” Rei asked.

“Nothing.”

Jimin’s hand held the pendant, lifting it slightly off her chest. She ran her fingers across the gem’s smooth surface, giggling under her breath as her eyes remained glued to the prismatic swirl within.

“Nothing my ass,” Rei scoffed, stuffing a spoonful of granola with milk into her mouth. “You should look at your face. You’re smitten.”

“So, what did you two talk about?”

“Nothing.”

“Did you two kiss?”

“Nothing.”

“Tell me, how many fingers am I raising?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re fucked,” Rei said, shaking her head in exasperation, but she was not upset at all. In fact, she was smiling wider than ever.

She had never seen her friend this happy before, and it made her very delighted that there was someone who could do so.

“So… when’s the marriage?”

“M-Marriage?” Jimin eyes snapped into focus, letting the pendant drop back to her chest. “Isn’t that too fast? We aren’t even together or anything.”

She looked at her own breakfast, watching the granola in her mug get soggy as it continued to absorb the cold milk.

“Marriage…”

Jimin stirred her cup, playing around with the half-crunchy bits as her mind began to wander off, thinking about her walking down the wedding hall, Elian lifting her veil, kissing her lips—

Her cheeks flushed a crimson red.

“Oh…” Rei smirked, watching her daydream. “Somebody’s deeply in love~”

Rei’s words fell on deaf ears as she continued to think about cooking dinner for him, playing with their children. One? Two?

“Two.”

“Two?”

“Yeah… two kids…” Jimin mumbled, staring blankly into the air. “A boy and a girl. Perfect.”

Rei shook her head and continued eating.

Just then, Derrick and Voidborn walked into the canteen, joining the two girls for lunch.

“How was your sleep last night?” Derrick greeted, sliding into the seat opposite Rei, setting his plate of noodles down.

Voidborn did the same, giving Rei a small nod of acknowledgement before sliding into his seat opposite Jimin.

“I’m good,” Rei answered.

Derrick looked at Jimin, waiting for her reply, but all he saw was Jimin smiling at Voidborn, greeting him with a shy wave.

“Wow. I'm so hurt. I've been taking care and looking out for you since you were a child, and just because of a man that you've met for like what, four days, and you've forgotten about me.”

Derrick’s complaints didn't even reach her ears.

“Elian, did you sleep well?”

Voidborn nodded.

“Did you?”

“No… I couldn't sleep.”

“Why? Resting is important.”

“I don't know. There were a lot of things on my mind.”

Derrick rolled his eyes.

“Hold up. Who the hell is Elian?” Rei asked.

“It's my name.”

“You have a name?” Derrick exclaimed. “Then why didn't you tell us?”

“He says that he only tells it to people he likes.” Jimin giggled. “And that's me.”

“Wow,” Rei said. “So what, do we call you Elian or Voidborn now?”

“Anything,” Voidborn said.

“No!” Jimin frowned. “His name is only for me to call. Only he told it to me!”

“I got it, I got it. Sheesh. Possessive.”

Rei lamented and continued eating.

Voidborn pushed an empty plate towards Jimin.

“Hmm?” she tilted her head.

Voidborn took a piece of steak from his plate and put it on the plate.

“Eat. You like meat.”

Jimin looked at Elian, pouting in happiness.

“Elian… you're the best.”

“Fucking hell. I'm getting out of here. I'm gonna get diabetes.”

Rei picked up her cup and walked to another table.

“Hey, let me join you too!” Derrick followed along, leaving the two to their breakfast.

“Alright, I've gotten all the info I need.”

The group gathered at the Abyss Cube’s meeting room, listening to Gaeul’s debrief.

Chaewon had joined them after showing the Black Monocle around the goblin camp, assisting them with their investigation.

“As mentioned earlier, we’ll be stopping at the village and town each for half a day, so it’s up to you on how you want to spend your time.”

The group nodded.

“Oh and we’ll stop by the village first. When we arrive, an announcement will be sent to the devices that Asa gave you.”

Gaeul dismissed the group and tapped her pen on the table, looking at her notes.

“Threads and Wheels… Have they begun to move again?”

“So, what are you guys gonna do?” Derrick asked.

“Train,” Voidborn said. “There's a training room at level four.”

“I’ll join y—”

“She’ll be with me,” Rei said. “I need to refresh unnie with some lessons regarding the political structure in Kandar.”

“What? No! I wanna be with Elian.”

“No. You have to make sure you do your dad and the Machinist Union proud.”

Jimin looked at Rei with desperate eyes, but she was adamant.

“Please? Elian, say something? I don’t want to study.”

Voidborn looked at her. Her eyes were like a puppy's, pleading with him to liberate her from the torture of studying.

“No. You have to study.”

Jimin’s eyes dropped in sadness.

“We can train together when you're done. I can spar with you.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Okay!” Jimin quipped, eyes lighting up.

“What about you?” Jimin asked Derrick.

“Oh I’ll be exploring the ship. It seems like the Command Deck is not restricted, so I want to explore around.”

Derrick narrowed his eyes and stared at Jimin.

“Maybe I’ll get to learn a thing or two to make something better than my current Gunrage that is lousier than Black Abyss.”

“Hey! I said I didn't mean that!”

“Yeah, yeah, right. Anyway, I’ll see you guys in a bit. I also found out that you can call us with the circular device by just pressing the button, so if you need anything, anyone is just a button away.”

“That's cool,” Jimin said.

Voidborn nodded and left the trio, heading towards the training room.

TRAINING ROOM

Voidborn stopped and stared at the signage plastered right above the room’s door.

He raised his ball-shaped device to the door’s authenticator and the door slid open with a soft robotic beep.

Clashing sounds of metal pierced through the entrance as Voidborn walked in.

The room was already occupied, two ladies facing off against each other in a spar.

Voidborn remembered them.

Mina, the slender lady with an ice-cold expression was sending icicles through the air. He could feel the low temperature from where he was standing. Water molecules in the air were frozen as the icicles flew by, mini snowflakes crystallising and floating to the ground.

Asa, the woman who showed them around the cube had her entire body engulfed in a pitch-black darkness. Phasing in and out of the ground, she attempted to dodge the icicles piercing through the air.

Voidborn focused his eyes.

He knew that they were strong the moment he saw them for the first time, but he didn’t expect them to be this strong.

Mina’s heart housed an icy blue frost as she sent icicles one after another, not panicking the least despite her attacks missing her target.

Asa was not lagging behind either. Condensed red and yellow aggression and alertness flooded her eyes as her mind went into full focus mode, dodging incoming attacks with ease.

Voidborn took a seat at the side, looking at the ground beneath the two ladies.

Asa had split her shadows into at least six different locations, allowing her to jump across each one of them with close to almost no delay.

She was exactly like how the enhanced goblin scout he fought moved, but better.

More refined.

She danced across the shadows like a midnight fox, phasing between six shadow anchors zigzagging across the floor, constantly repositioning herself for the perfect balance of offense and defence.

And that was not all, the snowflakes that scattered across the floor as the icicles flew past the air began to spread a layer of frost all around, each one blossoming into a small crystallised icy flower.

Asa’s movements were starting to slow from the dropping temperature.

Each warm breath Voidborn exhaled condensed into a cold fog, the temperature of the room decreasing rapidly.

It seemed like it was going to be Mina’s win.

Just a few more shots and the entire training arena had transformed into a flower field of blue ice, a cool mist of particalised snow drifting right above like frozen steam.

There was nowhere else for Asa to phase. Her six shadows could still flash around the arena without any slowing effect from the ice, but whenever she appeared, the flowers around her feet began to creep up her legs, stiffening the muscles of her ankles and shin.

That slight delay would allow Mina to snipe her down with ease.

“I win,” Mina declared, waving her hand across her chest as her tome glowed blue.

“Icicle Barrage.”

Countless blue droplets condensed in front of her that instantly morphed into a dart-like structure, then froze into miniature ice needles.

With another swipe, the ice needles blasted outwards like javelins, covering Mina’s entire field of vision.

Voidborn nodded. The match had concluded.

The ice needles flew towards Asa with supersonic speed, each one about to stab her full of microscopic pinholes.

Then—

She disappeared.

Voidborn’s eyes blinked, darting around as he tried to search for her presence.

“I win.”

Asa’s voice cut through the air.

Her dagger’s pointed tip rested right on Mina’s neck, drawing a small drop of blood from her carotid artery that dripped down like a declaration of match conclusion.

The ice needles stabbed into the walls behind, each one puncturing a hole of at least three inches deep, spreading a deadly layer of frost around that changed the room into a huge freezer.

“You managed to make your seventh shadow split?” Mina said, raising her hands in defeat.

Asa lowered her dagger, sliding the blade into the sheath tied around her thigh.

“I managed to do it yesterday when I was training with Xerxes. It was the only way I could handle his senseless high-speed charging.”

“So did you manage to win?” Mina asked, waving her hands as her tome flashed again.

The ice around the entire training room began to melt, dissolving into water that seeped through the drainage holes appearing across the ground.

“No,” Asa said, shaking her head. “Just when I thought I could hold my ground, that damned bastard smirked and sped up even more. He basically generated enough force with his legs, compressing the air with sheer physical strength alone, allowing him to fucking change direction mid-air.”

“Well, that's to be expected. He's a Rebirth 4.”

Mina unsummoned her tome and turned, walking towards Voidborn.

“What did you think of our fight, Mr Voidborn?” she asked, smiling as she sat down gracefully beside him.

“Good.”

Mina’s eyes narrowed as she looked at him.

“A man of few words, I see. Nothing else?”

“Why are you asking him? It's not like he could see our movements. He's just a Rebirth 1.”

Asa shouted from the arena, legs tucked behind her butt as she stretched her hamstrings.

“Why were you both holding back?”

“Oh? You noticed?” Mina asked.

Voidborn nodded.

“For a Scholar of your level, you most likely have a spell of a larger magnitude. I'm seeing that you mostly use ice spells. Why not cover your blind spots with an ice wall or ice armour?”

Mina smiled as she listened to his words.

“And for Ms Asa over there, I think she could go even faster. She would have ended the match in an instant, going for your neck even before you made the ice field to slow her movements.”

Mina nodded as she listened to Voidborn’s reasoning.

“You have very good eyes.”

“A simple answer to your question would be: this is training.”

Having finished her stretching, Asa walked over to the two.

“What's the point of ending a fight instantly?” Asa said, unscrewing her bottle as she took a sip of water. “We're not out to kill each other. If we fight without limitations and end the fight the moment it begins, how would we be able to gather experience or improve?”

Mina nodded, taking the bottle from Asa. A frost spreads across her hands, cooling the water down before she took a graceful sip.

“In a real fight to the death, it would also not be wise to use all your cards right at the get go,” Mina said. “You do not know if there are any hidden opponents or not, or if the enemy has any counter measures in place.”

Voidborn looked at them for a moment, allowing their words to sink in.

“Good points.”

“Anyway, why have you come here?” Asa asked.

“To train.”

“Alone?” Mina asked.

“Yes. I usually train alone.”

“Hmmm… give me a moment,” Asa said, taking her own spherical communication device out.

She walked to the side and pressed the button on it, speaking into it shortly after.

While Voidborn waited, Mina just sat there in an elegant manner, gazing at him with the same cold gaze that never changed.

“What Reborn type are you?” she asked.

“Savage.”

“I see.”

She went back to looking at him.

“You have a partner?”

“I have someone else to hug.”

Mina paused.

“I see.”

She continued gazing at him.

Then Asa walked back.

“We’ll be reaching the village in ten minutes. If you don't mind, I am free after our investigation at the village with Gaeul. I will be able to spar with you.”

“I’d like that.”

“Great. Get some rest. I want to fight you at your best.”

“Okay.”

Then the two left the room, leaving Voidborn to himself.

He took out his sphere and pressed on the button. A holographic screen appeared, showing a list of contacts.

He tapped on Jimin's name.

“Yeesss Elian~?”

“Jimin. We will be reaching the village in about… eight minutes. Do you want to eat lunch at the inn?”

“You and me? Lunch?”

“Yes.”

“Of course!”

“Okay. I’ll see you at the entrance in five minutes.”

Right as he hung up the call, he heard Jimin giggling to Rei.

“Elian asked me out~”

The next moment, he called Rei.

“Rei. We will be reaching the village in about… seven minutes. Do you want to eat lunch at the inn?”

“Did you call anyone else?”

“I called Jimin.”

“Then no. Go have your date with her.”

“Date?”

“It's when two people who can only hug each other spend time together. You don't need to eat with us all the time.”

“But what about yours and Derrick's lunches?”

“We can eat in the canteen here. We're both busy anyway.”

“Don't worry about us and go have fun. Make her happy.”

“Okay.”

He hung up.

“Can we get a serving of curry vegetable and pomodoro pasta?”

“Absolutely.”

The lady in the inn left after taking Jimin’s order.

“So… what were you doing just now?”

“I was in the training room.”

“Oh? Training?”

“No. I wanted to, but it was already occupied. Ms Mina and Ms Asa were both sparring.”

“Oh, the both of them? Aren't they both Rebirth 3s, I bet they are strong.”

Elian nodded, thinking back to the fight earlier.

“They were. I don't think I could win.”

“Why would you need to win them?”

“Eventually I would need to fight high Rebirth Reborns, and at the state I am right now, it’s not enough.”

Jimin thought for a little bit in silence.

“Hmmm… I'm also perplexed with your situation.”

“Why?”

“You said you've been a Reborn for the longest you can remember, and yet despite you using your Emotion Sight, you haven't advanced at all.”

Elian nodded.

“I don't know how to get to the next stage. How did you?”

“You remember when I told you about how my dad used to bring me around during his patrols?”

“Yes.”

“He actually brought me to a lot of depressing places. Rural places, outskirts, hospitals, graveyards, funerals… I was always seeing people crying.”

Her eyes wavered a little.

“I didn't really like it. Ironic right? To get better at my powers, I have to understand it, but I hate it because it's something that doesn't feel nice.”

Jimin took in a deep breath and let out a huge sigh.

“Anyway, what I think is that because you can view every emotion, you probably need to understand or experience every emotion before you can advance.”

“But I don't feel emotions.”

“You did yesterday. You experienced sadness!”

“So you're saying I need to find a Diviner for every emotion and let them use their powers on me?”

“Well… I think so?”

“That seems impossible. It's not like Diviners are in abundance, and it’s not like they will willingly use their powers on you.”

Just then, the lady arrived with their food.

“Pomodoro pasta, vegetable curry, and chicken curry for you two. I assumed you would both be sharing, so here's some sharing plates!”

Right after the lady set the food down, she turned to leave.

“Erm, excuse me? We didn't order the chicken curry, and here's the payment for the food.”

Jimin reached into her pocket and fished out a five silver shells, handing it to the lady.

“Ah, it's on the house. Your meal today is free. Consider it as thanks for helping us to resolve the goblin situation.”

She pointed to the chicken curry.

“That's really our speciality, so I hope you do enjoy it!”

Looking at her earnest expression, Jimin smiled and offered her thanks.

Elian nodded as well.

“Thank you.”

The lady bowed and left.

“Let’s eat!”

The picked up their utensils and began digging in.

Right as Jimin stuffed a spoonful of rice covered with a generous amount of spicy coconut curry sauce, Elian reached for the chicken drumstick, cutting the meat of the bone.

He placed the meat onto her sharing plate.

“Hehehe~” Jimin pressed her lips closed flat, eyes narrowing slightly as she smiled warmly at Elian. “Thank you.”

She poked at the meat and sliced it into half, pouring more curry sauce over it before delivering it into her mouth.

“So tender,” she hums, satisfied.

Elian nodded and took some chicken breast, chewing on the surprisingly not that dry piece of meat. He twirled some pasta with his fork, slurping it up.

“I was also thinking, most artifacts have an active ability. Passive abilities are rare, and there are some which have both. Maybe this pendant has an active skill too?”

“Maybe.”

Elian looked at the pendant on her chest, fragmentised thoughts floating in his mind.

“Since the passive ability of the pendant absorbs external manipulated emotions, the emotions definitely needs to be stored somewhere,” Jimin said as she looked at him, poking a piece of sautéed eggplant with her fork before putting it in her mouth.

“You wanna give it a try later?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, let's finish up our lunch and head to the training room to try.”

Elian agreed.

“Uhhh… how do you activate the pendant?”

“I don't know,” Elian said.

The both of them sat cross-legged on the floor, facing each other at the side of the arena. The ice from the fight earlier had long disappeared, and the room’s chilly air had reverted back to its ambient, normal state.

“Hmm artifacts are usually self explanatory or they require a specific trigger word or action.”

“Then what should we do?”

“Maybe try shouting out random words?”

Jimin held on to the gem with two of her fingers and began shouting at the top of her lungs.

“Gem!”
“Activate!”
“Release!”
“Burst!”

The gem remained unmoved, resting between Jimin’s fingers as if nothing was happening.

“Maybe I should loan a dictionary from Rei,” she said, letting the gem fall back to her chest in defeat. “I’m running out of words.”

“Perhaps we can ask your parents when we get back to Zylos,” Elian said. “Maybe they know something.”

“I can call them now if you want?”

“No. Let's not disturb them. Calling them would only serve to distract them from their matters.”

“Hmm… okay, if you say so.”

Jimin looked at Elian and leaned backwards in defeat, her two hands propping her upper body upwards as she stretched her legs out.

“So, you’ll be here the whole afternoon?”

“Most likely. I have a sparring appointment with Ms Asa soon.”

“Can I stay here and watch your training?”

“Don’t you have lessons with Rei?”

“We're done. Rei said she’ll be busy replenishing her tome with spells that she had used up so I'm free for the afternoon.”

Elian nodded.

Right then, Asa entered the training room.

“You're here.”

Asa raised her hand and gave a small wave towards Voidborn, then towards Jimin as she noticed her presence too.

They both waved back to her.

Voidborn stood up and both of them walked towards the arena, each taking their spots on the far end on opposite sides.

Asa gave a small bow.

“Shadow Rebirth 3, Assassin.”

Voidborn returned the greeting with a bow of his own.

“Savage Rebirth 1, Savage.”

The moment the words left his mouth, his hand flew to his sword’s handle, unsheathing it in the blink of an eye.

He looked at Asa.

Both her daggers were already out, their hilts gripped tightly in her hands. One had its blade pointed directly at Voidborn, the other held in a backhand grip.

Her eyes had already switched its gaze, narrowed and fully focused on her opponent like she was ready to erase their existence at any moment.

“What are you good at?”

“Kicking. Punching. Slashing.”

Asa gave a small nod.

“Simple. Simple is good. Come at me with all you have. I’ll adjust based on your skill level.”

Voidborn nodded.

He took a good look at her.

Flawless.

Zero openings at all.

He felt that any move he made would be in naught and he would be countered with ease.

“Good sense,” Asa said. “I don't see any openings as well.”
“But you're too wary.”

Asa’s figure faded into a blurry haze, disappearing from his sight under the training room’s glaring brightness.

His eyes darted across the arena’s floor, searching for shadows that his enemy would phase out from.

But he saw none.

Voidborn frowned.

She was not using the skill that she used during her fight with Mina earlier.

He focused his eyes and activated his Emotion Sight.

Nothing.

A red flashed on his right.

It disappeared.

Another red zipped to his left.

That disappeared too.

The next moment, a red hostility burst in front of him.

Voidborn slashed downwards.

But he hit nothing and that red disappeared.

The red began to blink in and out of existence all around him, sending his senses into chaos as he tried to search for his opponent.

Incoming attack on his lower left.
He parried it away.

Incoming attack on his upper left.
He parried that away too.

But the attacks did not stop.

The shortblades kept coming from his left, aiming for his shin, his cheek, his ankle, his thighs, his neck.

They were fast.

He couldn't parry them all. The daggers sliced through the air, leaving shallow cuts across his arms, shoulders, and neck.

Then—

Two sharp tips presses on his right abdomen and neck.

“Dead.”

Asa’s voice came from the right, before she lowered her weapons.

Voidborn nodded and lowered his sword.

Now visible, she walked past him and hopped off the arena, grabbing a vial from the side.

“Drink. Heal yourself.”

Voidborn caught the vial that was tossed towards him, uncapping it with a pop and downing it in a go.

His wounds painfully healed as the sliced flesh mended.

“Aren’t you being too harsh on him?” Jimin yelled from the side. “You're a Rebirth 3 and he's only a 1!”

“I've only used one skill against him,” Asa replied, walking back to take her position. “And it was just my Rebirth 1’s skill, Shadow Stealth.”

“What—”

She looked back at Voidborn and asked. “What did you learn from that exchange?”

“If there are no openings, make your own openings.”

“Hoh?” Asa’s eyebrow raised.

“And I rely on my sight too much.”

“You're good,” she nodded. “Very very good. Colour me impressed.”

She raised her daggers again and took her stance.

“You're absolutely right. You're good with the sword. More than good, in fact. But you fight too methodically. You rely on your eyes too much.”

She continued with a stoic expression.

“I can see that you have good eyes, having been able to react to and fend off a lot of my attacks. But that is not enough.”

“What do I need to do?”

Voidborn raised his sword.

“Fight. We communicate through our bodies and speak through our blades.”

Then she disappeared again, fading into nothingness.

“Use everything that you have, even those that you don't have. Because you have much more than you think you have.”

A red hostile flashed across his left again.

It disappears.

“Sight. Don't just observe your opponents.”

Another red flashed to behind him.

“Watch the surrounding environment.”

The air shifted.

The dust moved.

But she was still too fast for him to keep up.

“Hearing. Listen to your opponent’s movement.”

Voidborn focused his ears.

His breathing.
His heart thumping.
Barely audible footsteps.
The wind parting.

But those too were still not enough.

“You're getting it.”

Her voice ghosted past his right ear.

“Now, use all three together.”

Voidborn focused his senses and watched the arena.

He still couldn't see Asa, but he could make out the path she left behind.

The trail of air that wheezed across from right to left.
The burst of subtle dust when she made an abrupt change of direction.
The soft parting of air as she flew towards him.

Then he could see it.

The blinking flashes of hostility merged into a streak of red, painting a path through the air like a brushstroke across a canvas.

The flurry of attacks began.

Dagger thrusts and stabs began coming after him, stinging his skin from every angle. He waved his sword around, hitting away lethal strikes, dodging kicks and elbow jabs that were mixed into the fray.

But the two blades ended up on both sides of his neck, drawing drops of blood as the sharp edges pricked into his skin.

“You’re learning fast.”

Asa walked back to her spot again, readying her stance.

“You good?”

“Yes.”

“I like your vigour. Fight until you drop. I am not needed in the investigation at the town.”

Voidborn nodded.

Then she disappeared again.

The sparring continued throughout the afternoon. At some point, Asa dragged Jimin into the arena as well, turning it into a two-against-one match.

She defeated them every single time, but what she offered was valuable battle experience with killing intent and safe boundaries that both Jimin and Voidborn could never get in real life.

By the time dusk, both of them were collapsed on the ground, panting hard, their bodies sore from the continuous training.

Asa stood between their heads, looking down at them.

Whilst she was not in perfect condition, she did not seem the least bit exhausted at all.

“You both did good,” Asa said.

“What percentage of your power did you use against us?” Jimin asked.

“Less than a quarter.”

“You Rebirth 3s are ridiculous.”

“No. Wait till you see Xerxes in action. I couldn’t even do anything at my best.”

She turned and walked towards the exit.

“Rest well. We are now leaving for Kandar. The investigation is done.”

Then she disappeared past the door, leaving the two to lament at their own weaknesses.

The dark cube glided through the darkness, traversing past the night sky as the Abyss Cube crossed towering mountains and wide grassy plains.

The cube was silent, blending into the dark void under the enigmatic and dazzling moon.

Gaeul was seated right in her personal office’s couch, countless of papers spread across the coffee table.

Evidence boards were nailed throughout the room, each one filled with pictures of suspect profiles, notepads with scribblings of theories and clues, red strings of possible connections mapped across the board.

She looked at the current case.

Other than the hand drawn image of the Seventh and Fifth Thread’s appearance, there was nothing notable.

Visits to the village and town drew nothing but the evidence of normalcy.

There were no witnesses to the suspects even through her Dreamwalking. So much so that everything seemed to be too perfect.

But to her, perfection meant imperfection.

There was definitely something.

INFOGRAPHIC