Riku walked down with Akio, Mei, Renjirō, and Sayaka, going further and further downward to the basement of the Ecliptic Vault.
Where are they taking me?
"What exactly are we going to do?" Riku asked.
"Don't ask too much. Don't worry, you won't get hurt and you won't die. What more could you want?" Sayaka said.
A bit more confidence would be nice!
Riku tried to hold back his tendencies of swearing at Ms. Uro, but he felt as if he could only keep his annoyance in for so long.
The stairs finally stopped and gave way to a flat landing, where stood a pair of heavy wooden doors, and the faint and familiar smell of incense spilled out.
As the door opened, Riku saw the basement of the Ecliptic Vault expand wider than he expected. There were stone arches and polished floors, also lit by lanterns whose light exuded a steady violet.
Shelves lined the walls, filled with covered relics and bound scrolls, but the center of the chamber was bare—except for a single object that dominated the room.
A mirror.
Snow White, much?
It stood taller than any of them, framed in dark gold metal etched with unfamiliar runes. At its crown, embedded into the frame, was a small glass orb that seemed to pulse faintly, as if breathing. The surface of the mirror itself looked too clean, too perfect, reflecting every light in the chamber without a trace of dust or age.
Riku's breath caught in his throat. He couldn't tell if it was beautiful or unnerving.
"What's this?" Riku asked, stepping close to the mirror and hovering his hand over the frame.
"This is what's going to help us determine where you'll stand right now and... the journey you'll follow as a Mantrik." Renjirō said.
"That Domain thing you talked about earlier?" Riku asked.
Renjirō nodded. But before he could begin, Sayaka came in, stretching and yawning a little. "This will help us in determining which one of the eleven Domain Gradations you belong to. Now, when I said don't ask too many questions, I meant it." Her voice wasn't angry, but firm. Like she was past the jokes and laziness and actually needed Riku to comply.
"Sorry..." Riku looked down at the floor.
Sayaka sighed. "You kids and your tendency to apologize. It's not a big deal. But there's a reason for this."
Riku quirked an eyebrow. "Really?"
Renjirō stepped in. "Yes. This is the Mirror of Names. This is one of the most important relics of our world. This was created in the Scripture Era by the Benedictus Family. This belongs to the Aśvattha Council and we'll return it back to them once we see where you lie."
Riku looked into the mirror and immediately something was off. The surroundings were all reflected. The floor, the walls, and everything in between. But he wasn't. Not an inkling of his frame could be seen in the mirror.
"The hell?" Riku stared at it in puzzlement.
Renjirō smiled. "Don't give it too much thought."
Riku gulped. Is there anything in this world that I don't have to be spooked about?
Mei chuckled. "Relax, dingus."
Akio pat Riku's back. "Don't worry. Everyone in this room has done this. It'll seem weird at first, but trust me, it's natural."
Natural... That word has lost its meaning a long time ago for me.
Renjirō stepped in, his hands folded, and his voice lower than normal. "Stand in front of the mirror and take a deep breath. Think of absolutely nothing."
Riku was confused, but he complied anyway. He stood in front of the mirror, once again seeing everything but his own reflection.
Sayaka rolled her eyes but spoke crisply. "Close your mouth. Rid your mind of all superfluous thoughts. Ignore me, ignore Dr. Tsukimura, Akio, and Mei. Forget about Tetsuya. All of it."
Riku's confusion deepened even more but he continued to follow.
Akio gave him a short nod. "If you stagger, I'll catch you. Keep your feet rooted."
Riku swallowed. He planted his feet where Akio indicated—shoulder-width, toes pressing into cool stone—and felt the gravity of the place as if it were a weight tied to his ankles. He rested his palms at his sides, fingers loose, a deliberate posture that asked for nothing and gave nothing away. Renjirō's instructions were simple but precise: no staring, no squinting. Eyes soft, focus narrow—on the breath, on the rise and fall of his chest.
He tried to forget about everything. The people, the last few weeks... Tetsuya. That last part was the hardest. He tried to slap them down, clenched his jaw, and felt the urge to run like a pulled cord.
Sayaka's voice cut through, flat and patient. "Don't fight them. Watch them. Acknowledge them and move on."
He counted. One—two—three. Each breath narrowed the room to a single thread. The violet light, the runes on the frame, even the others' breathing receded to peripheral noise as his awareness thinned.
He saw Tetsuya's unconscious face. He'd get back to helping him after this was over. He thought of Kapaala's voice and laugh. He'd get back to being his "boss" after this was over. He thought of the hearing, the earlier conversation of this world and its Gods.
His curiosity of all these matters would be attended to.
Later.
Slowly, the surface of the mirror altered—so subtly he almost missed it. The glass lost the sharpness with which it returned the chamber and took on a depth. The orb at the crown shivered once, like something waking. A cool taste crawled across Riku's tongue; the hair on his arms lifted, not from cold but from attention. The air around him smelled faintly of old paper and rain. And then he realized.
He couldn't feel or hear anything.
Akio, Mei, Renjirō, and Sayaka were all gone. He couldn't feel their presence standing behind him. No voices. No breaths.
Nothing.
Then the glass stopped pretending to be a window and behaved like a sea. White mist leaked from its edges, curling forward with the deliberateness of tidewater. Riku blinked, only then realizing that he never closed his eyes to begin with. He simply stopped needing them in the first place. The mist slowly oozed out and wrapped around Riku, feeling like a blanket during a harsh winter.
The comfort started to feel like a heaven, but not before Riku noticed various objects drifting around him.
Riku could see parchment, black shards of obsidian, a lotus petal that refused to rot, a sliver of broken crystal that hummed when it turned, and much more. All of it following the path of the swirling mist around him. They spun slowly as if in a current, each item carrying a faint echo: a voice chanting a name, the scrape of a sail, the taste of iron.
Riku wanted to stop and admire the spectacle and the sensations. The feel of these objects and the mist were very alluring. But before he could lose himself in the view, something caught his attention.
The mirror's reflection fractured, and those fractures were not mere shards but windows—tiny scenes that stitched together out of air and memory. And all at once, Riku saw history and legend unfold in front of his very eyes.
The splinters showed ancient texts. Hieroglyphs blazed forth from one shard, scrawled in black and red, each line written with purpose and an intent to preserve messages for millennia to come.
Another shard showed figures marching across a battlefield, riding horses into fulfilling victory or glorious death. Empires rose when his eyes opened and crumbled to dust and debris when he blinked.
Temples, mountains, deserts, and cities all came to life within an instant. Architects, leaders, soldiers, and priests shone from multiple different shards. The shards of the mirror flowing together like a flawless tapestry.
Riku couldn't help but feel like he was living through all of this. The stone that made up buildings and landmarks looked rough and real. The spears strewn across the battlefield looked like they could lodge into him at any given moment. The speeches from figures felt as if they were directed at him and him alone.
The mist pressed closer, whispering with too many voices at once. Legends, rumors, stories, truths—he couldn't tell them apart. He had the absurd thought that if he reached out, he might fall straight into one of the splinters and never find his way back.
The grandeur was staggering. The intimacy was terrifying. For a moment, Riku wasn't Riku at all. He was every name, every myth, every forgotten story.
He felt as he going to lose himself to these visions, but he slowly tilted his head up, noticing the glass orb that was planted into the frame of the mirror. But something was different. There was a pulse than emanated from it, humming as if it was being brought to life. The glass wasn't clear either. It was filled with alternating colors, flashing through every hue in the universe.
Suddenly, it stopped. The shade turning into a fiery orange hue, as if a small flame was lit within it. The pulse slowed, almost like a heartbeat. Riku stared in slight perplexity, wondering if it meant anything, but not before realizing the mist and the shards receded back into place as if nothing had happened.
Then the flame-like hue pulsed once, steady, resolute. It wasn't chaos anymore—it was recognition. A seal, a verdict.
Riku snapped out of his daze, looking around and wondering if he left the basement at all.
"Welcome back." Renjirō's voice sounded behind Riku, calm and collected as ever.
Riku snapped his head to him, slightly disoriented but whole regardless. Akio and Mei looked thoroughly surprised, like Riku performed a taboo act.
Mei muttered under her breath. "That fast?"
Sayaka looked indifferent, but there was a glimmer of inquisition in her eyes.
Riku looked into each of their eyes, thinking that they were all let down for some reason unbeknownst to him. "Did... did something happen?"
"A thriver..." Renjirō said, his voice carrying slight astonishment. "So soon... and of the Mythborne domain, no less?"
------
Hours had passed since then and the silence through it all was deafening. Lunch was silent, with the sound of food being the only thing heard. No one spoke much. It wasn't the silence of fear or doubt, nor the suffocating quiet of anger—it was something gentler, heavier.
Renjirō chewed slowly, his gaze distant, not really focused on the plate before him. Sayaka, usually the one to break silences with a lazy remark, stayed quiet, her chopsticks resting between her fingers as though she'd forgotten how to use them. Akio and Mei shared occasional glances with each other, not in unease, but in a kind of mutual recognition—like a silent conversation.
And Riku himself… he kept his head lowered, unsure if he should apologize or pretend nothing had happened. His thoughts tumbled over themselves, confusion and self-consciousness tugging at him every second.
I definitely messed up, huh? They're being so quiet...
By the time he stood to take his plate to the sink, the silence had stretched so long it had become its own kind of comfort. He lingered at the edge of the table, glancing toward the hall leading to his room.
Maybe I should just give them some space...
"Riku."
He froze, half-turning back.
"You've done nothing wrong," Renjirō said, his tone steady, almost reassuring.
"Then why is everyone so quiet? You guys haven't looked at me once for hours!" Riku spat. By the time the words left his mouth, he already regretted them.
Renjirō looked down. "I know... We're sorry. We're just trying to wrap our heads around it, that's all."
Like I'm some sick bastard, I suppose...
"Anyone wanna mess with the boss? Step right up—I'll juggle your bones!" A voice ensured.
Everyone in the room blinked in confusion, but Riku. He already knew who it was.
A small black smoke cloud emerged from behind Riku, with the frame of a jester rising from the wisps.
Riku began. "Kapaala, drop it! It's no big deal-"
"You better believe it is!" the jester spat.
Riku clenched his fist."Kapaala. Stop."
The jester tilted his head, his grin sharpening as if carved into porcelain. For a moment, silence pressed down like a knife against the skin.
"You really don't like it when I speak, hm?" Kapaala's tone carried a mock hurt, but behind it, there was something sharper—an insult barely veiled.
"I'm the problem here, not you." Riku said firmly, forcing the words through gritted teeth. "Just… go away."
Kapaala's eyes narrowed, but after a long pause, he dipped his head in a formal bow. "As you wish. But..." His gaze switched between the others in the room, his smile thinning into something threatening... and dangerous. "I'd advise them to a bit more vocal, unless they wanna lose their tongues..."
And with that, his form unraveled into a black wisp, vanishing into Riku's shadow. The room grew lighter in his absence, but the unease he left behind clung like smoke.
Mei side-eyed Akio, muttering quietly. "Quite the protector, huh?"
Renjirō exhaled slowly, the lines of fatigue on his face deepening. "We've only been theorizing. About what this all means—for you. Because you're Mythborne."
"Mythborne...? What's that even supposed to mean?" Riku asked.
Sayaka leaned back in her seat, arms draped lazily over the chair's arms. She spoke as if describing the weather, her eyes half-lidded.
"I assume Renjirō went over the Domain Gradations with you? Mythborne is one of the eleven of these domains, which seems to be the... pathway you'll travel, if that makes sense."
Riku nodded slowly. "Yeah... He did explain that."
Sayaka continued, her voice turning a dial more serious, tinged with slight concern. "Basically, Mythborne is the domain of stories. Myths, rumors, legends... It's the realm of narrative. And... we didn't expect for you to be a Mantrik of that domain."
Riku swallowed hard. His voice cracked as he pressed further. "And… what does that mean? For me? A-Am I unstable or something?"
Renjirō immediately snapped to Riku. "No. No, you're not." He placed a hand on Riku's shoulder, trying to soothe the young boy. "We're just surprised, is all."
"Why though?" Riku asked.
Renjirō's gaze turned to steel. He rubbed his chin, as if each word had to be measured carefully before leaving his lips. "From the reports I got back from the Silent God incident… Kapaala's abilities seemed centered around illusions, mockery, and trickery. Is this true?"
Riku took a second to respond, remembering the antics the jester had unleashed in the shrine. Illusions, the kaleidoscopic reflections beneath the Silent God... Trickery was an understatement.
"Yeah... it's true." Riku said.
Renjirō nodded. "The thing is those abilities line up with the principles with a different domain entirely. Phantascriptor. The domain of deception and falsehood. That's what I thought you belonged to." He paused, his eyes narrowing in curiosity. "But you don't. You're not a Phantascriptor."
Riku looked around, seeing Akio, Mei, and Sayaka staring at him. Just a few days ago he felt so welcomed, and now he felt more alien than ever.
Riku's breath hitched. "Then… what am I?"
Renjirō leaned forward, his voice lowering into something grim, something almost reverent. "Kapaala isn't the end-all be-all of your Bhāṇḍa. He's not the limit. He's just… the first. Your potential extends much further. Far beyond what we've seen so far."
Akio's eyes widened. "You mean the jester's just the beginning?"
Mei leaned forward a bit, and Riku could've swore he heard her sigh. "Oh God..."
Riku sat down, his shoulders sagging from it all.
But one thought pushed through the fog.
"…Domains," he muttered. "If I'm Mythborne… what about all of you?"
The others exchanged glances.
Akio stretched a little in his seat. "Mine's Ironblood. It's the domain that revolves around vows, oaths, and convictions. Iron Vow speaks for itself."
Mei tilted her head, cracking her knuckles lazily. "You've seen Scarlet Lotus in action. It falls under the Bloomcraft domain. Martial prowess, life, and growth are what I walk with."
Sayaka, leaning against the table, finally spoke. "Oneiroscript." Her voice was soft, almost lulling. "Dreams, symbols, and unreality. Walking between what is real and what could be." She said no more, but the dream-like air from her eyes hinted at depths Riku couldn't yet grasp.
Renjirō, by contrast, didn't soften his tone. His gaze was steady, his words measured. "Lanternshade. It's the Domain of remnants. Knowledge carried by the forgotten, wisdom kept in decay, mourning that illuminates the way forward. Every light it gives off is tinged with shadow." His words lingered like smoke, heavy but illuminating.
Riku swallowed, nodding slowly as he tried to piece them all together. But his mind kept drifting back to the orb that was lodged into the mirror's frame.
"…And that ball?" He asked. "The one in the mirror... What does that mean for me?"
"The orb reflects gradation — how far someone has walked in their Domain. Five levels." She raised her hand, ticking them off with delicate fingers. "Initiator, thriver, harbinger, warden, apostolic."
Renjirō's arms folded. "And you," he said, voice heavy, "are a thriver."
Riku blinked. "That's… already past the first one?"
Sayaka replied flatly. "It's nearly unheard of. Most spend years simply moving beyond Initiator. You being a thriver within your domain without even learning the basics is astonishing. That's why we were... so quiet after it all."
Riku felt a slight knot form in his stomach. "Am I wrong? Broken somehow?"
Renjirō's tone softened, the hard edge of command replaced with reassurance. "No. You're fine. You're not wrong, and you're not broken. You're simply… different. That's all." He placed a steady hand on Riku's shoulder. "Akio and Mei are also Thrivers. Sayaka and I are Harbingers. You're not as alien as you think you are."
Sayaka snorted quietly. "Most kids your age would be ecstatic to be a thriver, and here you are, thinking you're messed up. You're a piece of work, Shinsora."
Riku looked down sheepishly. "Sorry Ms. Uro..." He let out a slow breath, relief flickering in his chest. But then Renjirō's voice sharpened again.
"Now that you know your domain, it's time you learned the basics. First: mantra control. You've already noticed your gate."
Instinctively, Riku's gaze dropped to his hand. The mark etched into his skin was barely there — a faint outline, like ink washed thin with water. Almost gone.
Renjirō continued. "It's almost gone, huh? That means your power's begun to settle within you. Assimilation. But if you can't keep mantra from leaking out of the Gate, you'll never harness it properly."
He turned, striding toward a side passage behind the vault. "Come."
Riku hesitated, then followed. The others stayed behind as Renjirō led him out the back door, where the air opened wide and cool. Before them stretched a vast training ground, scarred earth and standing pillars lit by lanterns swaying in the breeze.
Renjirō looked out over the field, then back at Riku.
"Your journey to strength starts here."