(JEFF'S POV)
| THE FRONTLINES |
Jeff and Rover arrive where Taoqi is at. Her hand brushed against his for balance, and he smirked at the way her cheeks warmed at the small contact.
Up ahead, several Patrollers stood in tense formation. Aalto was among them, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the malfunctioning protective barrier.Taoqi stood beside him, deep in discussion with her team.
Aalto turned first when he heard Jeff and Rover approach.
"Any update on the protective barrier?" he asked Taoqi.
"We've put in all our resources to repair it," she said, "But if those Tacet Discords keep coming at us, it might not hold for long."
Then her gaze finally landed on the newcomers. Her stern expression eased a little.
"Ah. You must be Rover and Jeff."
A faint, weary smile tugged at her lips. "A pleasure to meet you… despite the circumstances."
Jeff stepped forward first, offering his hand.
"Pleasure's all mine."
Taoqi accepted his handshake.
Rover stepped beside him, tilting her head slightly. "And you are…?" she asked gently.
Taoqi blinked and squinted at her, almost puzzled.
"Hmm… maybe we've met somewhere before?"
She shook her head, clearing the thought. "Anyway. Allow me to introduce myself."
She straightened, shoulders squared with authority.
"I am Taoqi, Director at the Ministry of Development. I'm responsible for all defense fortifications."
Rover nodded politely. Jeff gave a small two-finger salute.
Taoqi clasped her hands behind her back.
"Thank you for lending us a hand. Truly."
Jeff glanced at the cracked barrier behind her. "So… what exactly is this barrier you're talking about?"
"It's our defense system against the Retroact Rain," she explained.
"It keeps the city safe from the rain's effects."
Rover stepped closer, eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
"Is the TD Outbreak still happening?"
Aalto was the one who answered, folding his arms.
"More than that—the current outbreak is caused by the Retroact Rain."
Taoqi's voice dropped lower.
"And once this barrier breaks…"
She looked toward Jinzhou in the distance.
"…Tacet Discords could manifest inside the city."
Rover's curiosity sparked her brows raised despite the alarming revelation.
"How does the Retroact Rain cause TD Outbreaks?"
Aalto sighed softly, a teacher-not-again expression crossing his face.
"Rover… remember what I told you earlier?"
She blinked innocently. Jeff chuckled under his breath.
Aalto continued anyway, pushing his hair back.
"The Retroact Rain is basically condensed droplets of Remnant Energy. They fall from the Etheric Sea."
Rover nodded, listening intently. Jeff watched her—Cute.
Aalto pointed upward at the dim sky.
"Remnant Energy makes the rain a magnet for Tacet Discords."
He paced a step, hands moving as he explained.
"It records events from all times and places. Anyone who touches it can see illusions of the past."
"Phantoms of the Retroact Rain," Taoqi added quietly.
Aalto nodded.
"Right. The more you're exposed, the more realistic the Phantoms become. It's similar to how Resonators 'Resonate' with the world."
Jeff rubbed the back of his neck, staring at the flickering dome.
"Man… this shit sounds nuts to me."
Rover elbowed him in the side—lightly
Taoqi stifled a laugh behind her hand.
Aalto just sighed.
"Believe me, Jeff… it is nuts."
"Oh, and here's something else about Retroact Rain," he said, his voice edged with unease. "When it rains over a large area… illusions from multiple people's memories can manifest at once."
Jeff swore under his breath.
Rover nudged him with her elbow in a behave kind of way.
Jeff ran a hand through his damp hair.
"The Threnodian of War… and the deaths during those battles…"
Aalto's brows rose slightly—impressed.
"Nice catch."
He folded his arms. "Jinzhou has been a battleground for centuries. That's why it deals with the Threnodian tied to the concept of war. And war always leads to death."
Rover shivered. Jeff subtly came closer, blocking the wind from her.
Aalto continued.
"Once Retroact Rain reaches the final stage… there will be thousands of Phantoms. Dead soldiers. Fallen beasts. Even Tacet Discords that died long ago."
Taoqi let out a slow, heavy sigh. She looked toward the barrier."This is the major threat looming over Jinzhou,"
"Our Magistrate ordered the construction of this barrier for this exact reason."
Rover frowned.
"What's so dangerous about these Phantoms? Aren't they just illusions?"
Taoqi turned to her.
"In theory, yes. Phantoms should only repeat the motions of their past. Nothing more."
She paused, swallowing hard.
"But Retroact Rain becomes amplified through the Threnodian's power."
Jeff saw something flicker in her eyes.
"As a result," Taoqi continued, "the Phantoms become so realistic they can inflict real harm."
Rover's eyes widened at that statement.
Jeff's fingers twitched as if itching to summon his resonance-copying ability.
Taoqi's gaze drifted into the distance—the past pulling her back.
"Three years ago… our soldiers fought a gruesome battle in Norfall Barrens."
Taoqi's voice trembled. Just slightly.
"Countless Tacet Discords attacked—some native, others created by the rain itself. And behind them… endless Phantoms."
She looked at her hands, as if she could still see blood on them.
"Phantoms of monsters… and Phantoms of our own fallen soldiers."
Her jaw clenched.
"Attacking everything in sight. Friend. Foe. It didn't matter."
Rover covered her mouth, eyes shimmering with empathy.
Jeff reached out and gently rubbed her back.
Taoqi shook her head slightly.
"The rain recreated their deaths in a brutal, vivid, and unforgettable way. Our soldiers couldn't tell what was real."
Her voice broke for a moment.
"Norfall Barrens became a living hell. Even now… people say you can still hear their cries in there."
Aalto stepped in, sensing her distress.
"The Battle Beneath the Crescent was humanity's first recorded encounter with Retroact Rain enhanced by Threnodian power."
Jeff raised a brow.
"Recorded?"
Aalto nodded grimly.
"Your previous General managed to send back video data from the storm. Those recordings allowed nations worldwide to start researching defenses against Retroact Rain."
Geshu Lin huh?
Taoqi steadied herself, inhaling deeply.
Aalto continued:
"Researchers at the Black Shores believe the Threnodian, the strange moon sightings, and the Retroact Rain are connected."
Rover connecting the dots.
"Rain indicates changes in the moon's appearance… which reflects the Threnodian's strength."
Aalto shrugged lightly, but he looked thoughtful.
"Yeah. Something like that. But it's still just a theory. We don't have enough data to confirm anything yet."
"Great… illusions that can kill you, a moon that has mood-swings , and a storm that remembers every damn tragedy what a fucking shit show."
Rover nudged him gently.
"Jeff…"
"What? I'm coping."
Aalto pushed his damp bangs back. "So unfortunately, we still can't predict Retroact Rains… but we know it's tied to Threnodians reviving. And the TD Outbreaks?"
"Another sign."
Taoqi's eyebrows are knitted. "The moon changed in an instant. If this theory is true, that means…"
Jeff stiffened. "The Threnodian is reviving sooner."
The words hit Rover like a punch.
Jeff stepped closer, He gently touched her shoulder, tilting his head so their eyes met.
"Hey," he murmured, voice soft enough that only she could hear. "We can get through this. Together."
He gave her a faint, reassuring smile. "Trust me."
Aalto cleared his throat, shaking off the grimness like brushing water from a jacket. "Right. A Threnodian's revival is never isolated. They sort of… sense one another. A telepathic link." His expression darkened. "If one wakes up here in Jinzhou, it'll trigger events across the entire world."
Encore hugged her arms, visibly unnerved. "Then we need to move. Fast."
Aalto nodded. "Exactly. We gotta hustle back to Tethys Base, recalibrate our Lament Detector, warn the others before things blow up beyond control." He gave them a quick but sincere nod. "Anyway, we'll take our leave now."
Encore offered a small bow. "Please stay safe…"
As they turned to leave, Taoqi stepped forward, "That's everything we've gathered so far."
Taoqi continued, "The TD Outbreaks won't stop until this rain ends. So stay alert, all of you."
A staff member rushed up to them, eyes wide, panting hard. "Ma'am! There's there's another wave of them ahead!"
Taoqi froze in place for half a second. Then her shoulders slumped in the most exhausted way a person could manage while still looking intimidating.
She sighed long and loud. "Speak of the devil…"
Her hand rose to pinch the bridge of her nose. "I swear, I'm going to need a very long nap after this."
She straightened, eyes sharpening as she faced the front lines.
Her voice rang out clear, echoing beneath the roaring, upside-falling rain:
"Activate the defense mechanisms!"
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Author's note:
Hello everyone, feel free to leave your collections, powers, reviews, and comments as you see fit.
I was supposed to dropped two chapters but canned it when I finished the Honami arc it was peak cinema especially Chisa. The new lore got me rethinking the plot of this story no spoilers. I can't wait to find out more about Rover's backstory.
That's all; thank you for reading this fanfic, and I hope you have a good day.