Although Damon knew better than to take food from strangers, he couldn't ignore his hunger pangs. His mouth began to water as he took a few steps forward, staring at the woman with doubt.
"I thought we were going to meet the other visitors?"
"I planned to let you meet them, but sadly our little friends have already left on their next hunt." The woman raised a cup from the wooden tray and held it out toward him with a sigh. "I'm sure you'll see them later; for now, let's enjoy a meal."
"I am hungry…" Damon gave a forced smile as he took a seat on the lush grass.
He accepted the humble gesture with both hands, then stared into the cup for a moment.
The golden-hued liquid inside was, of course, tempting. However, he was more concerned about what would happen if he drank it.
Among the eastern tribes, being served a drink or meal was a common way of setting hierarchies between elders and juniors.
Yet there were many tales of men and women using such acts to trigger Fortes that specialized in mental manipulation.
With this in mind, Damon shook his head anxiously. "I-I'm grateful you saved my life, miss, but I can't accept this."
"Ho? Why is that…?" the woman asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.
"Well, I-I don't even know your name."
Her face lit up like a light bulb, and the old woman broke into a smile. "Ah! That's right! I forgot to introduce myself."
As she spoke, she placed her cup down and shifted into a kneeling posture. The tops of her feet lay flat on the floor, and her butt rested on her heels, which looked uncomfortable to watch.
Yet with a slight bow she said, "My name is Akemichi Tomoe. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, child."
'S...She's one of them…!?'
Damon's pupils dilated, and his mouth went dry.
In history class, he had learned about a southeastern nation of warriors who lived beyond a great fog and could cut men down in a single strike.
He thought they were merely a myth used to motivate the children of the Huaren tribe. At least that was how the librarian described it.
'Ah! What was it called again? Nippon? It's said they were lunatics who wielded weapons they believed were blessed by forgotten gods that existed before the founding of the three churches. '
Damon's expression was fearful as he stared at the top of the woman's head. He bowed, darting his eyes around nervously.
"My name is Damon Redhill. I'm sorry for entering your home without permission, great master. It's an honor to meet someone from the warrior nation, Nippon!"
His speech came out stuttered, but Tomoe did not seem to mind.
"I'm not sure what you've heard about us, but there's no need to be afraid. I won't hurt you." She smiled warmly, changing the subject as she straightened her body. "I haven't seen someone of Desterian descent in a while. Empress Nadia was quite the ruler, so I assume the empire is still holding up?"
"Wait… How did you know I was Desterian…?" Damon asked without thinking.
His physical features were rarely seen among the native Desterian bloodlines. And despite her moderate proficiency, they were both speaking the same Aegis language.
"It's your attire, boya. You may have white hair, but your clothing aligns with the styles adopted in a more stable land," said Tomoe as she picked up a set of short sticks beside the fish.
"Most Eirosians prefer oversized clothing to conceal their weapons and physiques, while you made no attempt to conceal yours as I stood behind you."
Unable to refute her words, Damon nodded in a vague acknowledgment. He had already guessed that one of his biological parents had to be an immigrant.
It was a core focus of the Diversity Inclusion Act to provide safe passage and opportunity to any survivors of hostile lands.
And although the legislation was signed during the rule of the Desterian empire years ago, the law was upheld by every governing body on the central continent.
Few protested against it, as it brought in more soldiers to fight beasts and strengthen the gene pool. However, the imbeciles who did were ironically immigrants themselves or descendants of immigrants.
'Idiots like that led to the orphanage's creation.' Damon felt his chest tighten as he reflected on his own lineage in said history.
Seeing the woman start eating, he sighed, grabbed a piece of bread, and said, "There weren't any records on what happened to the empress, but the empire hasn't existed for sixty-four years now. It's the year 4046 of the twilight era."
"Such a shame," Tomoe replied tersely.
Soon after, they both settled into silence, too busy chewing.
Damon wanted to wolf it down, but every time he tried, a fine fish bone poked his gums. Surprisingly, both the bread and the fish were nearly as sweet as the fruit, and the soft bread went wonderfully with the golden tea.
Twenty minutes later, the basket had been cleared of its contents, and he took another look at the surroundings. He couldn't help but ask, "Where or what... is this place?"
Tomoe glanced off to the side when she heard his words. Her smile widened in amusement as she lowered her empty cup.
"Hmm... That's not a bad question, but what you truly wish to know is why you're here."
"Are you going to teach me how to awaken my Forte…?" Damon sank into thought before replying, unsure.
"Forte? …pshh." Tomoe burst out laughing and clutched her stomach. She had already guessed from the boy's expression that he had no idea, but she hadn't expected such a response.
"So… why am I here then!?" Damon's facial muscles twitched. All things considered, he didn't think it was a foolish question.
"Instead of explaining, how about I demonstrate?" And so she did.
Tomoe raised a hand before he could blink, pushing a strange force toward him.
In the next second, Damon held his breath and felt his hair rise with no wind. His face turned pale, and with a pained groan, he covered his mouth to cough.
"W...What was that…?" Astonished, he stared up at Tomoe, catching his breath. "Was… was that your consciousness field?"
"Not quite. What you felt was my spiritual energy." Tomoe laughed and explained, "I focused the thought matter on the soul, where the field is being formed, and attacked you directly from there."
Damon was at a loss. "But that shouldn't be possible. No researchers have been able to pinpoint exactly where or what the..."
"Because they refuse to look beyond what their eyes can see." Tomoe lowered her hand and cut him off before he could finish. "Have you ever experienced the sensation of paranoid dread?"
Damon nodded as he quickly caught on.
It was a psychological concept in which the brain detects unclear signals in the environment and projects the illusion of an unseen observer.
"So it isn't an illusion? There is something actually watching..." Damon muttered.
"The idea of spiritual energy sounds like folklore, but think of it as the natural evolution of thought matter. With practice, contact with the soul allows for greater mastery, and a Specter is one who wields this power," said Tomoe
Damon listened closely as she spoke. His worldview had just been shattered, and a strong urge to embrace this mysterious power began to fill his mind.
"W...what should I do to become a Specter?"
"I've already given you the first push, but for the next step you'll have to close your eyes," she said.
'That's all!?' Damon felt like he was about to be scammed.
He intended to probe for more, but on second thought, he felt she would not explain until he followed along.
Knowing he had no other options, he shifted his body to mimic her posture and closed his eyes as instructed.
Right after, the woman softened her tone and said, "Normally if one wishes to become a Specter, they must join the churches of either the Goddess Olympia, the Lord Destined Death, or the True Sun God, but your freedom becomes the price for their teachings."
"The churches have Specters?" Damon's eyelids fluttered as he realized this.
Tomoe caught a butterfly on the tip of her finger and replied unhurriedly, "It's been that way since their inception; however, the majority of mundane civilians will not meet one in their entire lives.
"If they do, it's someone who hasn't made that pledge and was labeled a heretic for it. Some live up to that moniker, while others exist in different parts of society, such as guilds, courts, and tribunals, seeking to contribute to humanity from the shadows."
"Miss Tomoe, are you the latter?" Damon asked in passing, closing his eyes once more.
"Hahah, if the answer came that easily, this would be no fun. Am I a religious zealot, a sinister heathen, or a simple warrior? I'm afraid you'll have to decide that for yourself," Tomoe replied with a laugh.
'I should decide?'
Although he couldn't see her expression, there was a hint of coldness in her words that made Damon shudder. He tried to suppress the trembling as he replied, "Alright."
"There's no need to be nervous, boya. Your mental fortitude is impressive, so trust in it," said Tomoe.
It was unknown when and how she had arrived beside him, but he was certain her breath was pressing against his earlobe.
"Though you have yet to perceive it, your soul is connected to the physical body through a plane called limbo. I'll be teaching you to perceive and manipulate it."
Damon sat in silence, trying to feel it. He focused, slowing his breath. The wind faded, and the sounds of the birds dimmed.
And then a flicker.
A soft pulse, like a second heartbeat, came from his head.
"There you go, now compress it. Imagine a fist closing around it slowly. Don't crush it, or it might collapse instead; contain it."
His face tightened as sweat beaded at his temple, but his pulse wavered, then steadied.
"Good, you've begun creating spiritual energy," she murmured. "Now direct the flow. Pick a limb, an arm or leg; it doesn't matter which. Then imagine an open facet flowing, then circulate it like blood with purpose and precision."
Choosing his right hand, Damon sensed the warmth slowly shift through his shoulder, elbow, and wrist. His fingertips tingled.
"Remember that feeling. Later, you can also try compressing it inside; doing so will hide your spiritual energy, concealing your presence."
Caw! Caw!
Just then, another voice interrupted their conversation. "Reporting! Reporting! An Icelandic saber has been seen wandering outside the frozen zone!"
The duo looked up, and Damon stared in shock.
Above their heads, a bird with midnight feathers flew in circles, shrieking loudly and mimicking the tone of a human man.
"You've returned early, Kuroushi." Tomoe smiled. "Are Rudy and the others returning as well?"
"Lady Tomoe, they spotted an Icelandic saber wandering in the green zone. They wished to report it, as they decided not to engage."