"What have you done?!"
"Oh...?"
A sly smile appeared on the young veiled woman's face. Inside, she felt both determined and unsure. Her resolve grew even as her heart ached with the choices she made. She knew her path was dangerous, but she thought it was the only way to protect her people.
Caught between her duty and fear of being called a monster, she hid her struggle behind a confident face and answered in a rough voice.
"I'm doing what's necessary, Lamia."
The dark-haired woman stomped her foot on the ground and cried out in frustration.
"Princess, you'll destroy this nation if you let that force spread!"
The veiled girl gave Lamia a sharp look, her magenta eyes filled with determination. As the morning sunlight touched the ground at her feet, she tightened her fists at her sides and answered with a fierce tone, hiding her internal turmoil.
"Lamia, step back. You know precisely why I'm doing this."
The woman shook as she backed away from the veiled girl, unable to hide her fear. She nodded, her eyes fixed on the Princess, and responded in a voice that trembled with intensity.
"Y...Yes, your m-majesty..."
"Good, servant."
The Princess's long, silver hair swayed with the cold breeze; her dark veil concealed her face, and only her arms, neck, legs, and feet were visible.
The calm winds swept over the green hills and mountains. A tall man stood near the veiled woman, their faces locked in emotionless stares, neither speaking nor moving as they gazed out over the landscape.
His black suit billowed in the wind, his long, silky, dark hair blew back, and his pointed ears felt the breeze. The man stared at the veiled woman with sharp, violet eyes, then looked out at the distant city.
Breaking the uneasy silence, the tall man took a deliberate step forward, bent down on one knee before the Princess, and spoke to her in a gentle tone.
"Your aura feels different since your arrival at The Stronghold. Why?"
The veiled woman pivoted away from the man, exhaling a wistful sigh. Silence filled the air while the bristles of grass danced in the breeze.
"Shh..."
The Princess thought of a white-haired boy and a dark-haired man. Though she could not hear their voices, guilt filled her heart.
( If only I could...)
Before she could hear the boy's voice, the memory faded. Instead, she saw a group of faceless, white-haired people surrounded by a white void. The Princess shook.
("They don't know why this world was destroyed; they don't know who was responsible for it. Only I know...")
As The Princess tried to wipe her tears away, the tall man reached out a hand toward her, concern showing on his face, and spoke up to ask.
"Your majesty... are you okay?!"
Even the gallants tried to approach The Princess...
"Are you alright, master?"
The Princess bit her lip, dropped to her knees, and slammed her fist on the ground. Her voice shook as she screamed to the empty air, consumed by her internal struggle.
"I... If only, t-they knew..."
The Princess's soft, lovely voice stunned everyone around her for a moment.
(No.... no, no no no no, please... I want to tell....)
She tried to reach out to everyone and tell them the truth, but no one could hear her.
" It's all---"
"It was..---"
Whenever The Princess tried to speak her truth, sharp pain shot through her heart. She squeezed her eyes shut, swallowed hard, shook her head, then raised her gaze toward the endless sky, fighting tears.
"I...I want to tell someone, anyone, what truly happened! Please.... p...Please, I want them to understand why I'm doing--- Ahh!"
Still crying out, the Princess forced herself silent, the truth stuck in her throat. She didn't understand why the world seemed to punish her or why this power compelled her to act so coldly.
"Please! I want to te--"
Each time The Princess tried to speak the truth, an unknown force stopped her. That same force made her act cold and ruthless.
"I can't..."
The Princess stepped slowly toward the edge of a cliff. As she moved, her voice echoed across the silent landscape, clouds unmoving above as if time itself had paused.
"If no one will know it, then I'm the only one that can destroy it..."
After The Princess clenched her fist in anger, the world seemed to snap back into motion. Voices around her returned. The dark-haired man, watching her for a moment, reached out and asked his question.
"What shall we do next, Princess?"
A cold emptiness replaced the guilt on The Princess's face. Nodding with finality, she pointed up to the clouds above the sea and gave a sharp, commanding order, her voice ringing across the hills.
"We shall start our ambush on the city by noon. Ensure the storm pillars have been activated and all machines and monsters are prepared."
"Understood, your majesty!"
Staring into the wide, shining horizon, her magenta eyes shining with hope, the Princess whispered to the world.
"I hope that someone, anyone in this world, can find another way to..."
* * *
"W...Where am I?"
Asahi found himself in a crowded area, surrounded by tall buildings. When he tried to move, he heard a familiar voice in his mind and watched the cultists and Isa run away from where they had appeared.
Asahi's eyes broadened. "H...Huh? Who is that speaking in my head?!"
The voice continued. (Oh, you can hear me? It's quite rare for a soul transfer to happen, especially when it's against the natural order. Typically, it's a forbidden art due to its complexity and risks. Yet here we are, with your body now hosting my soul.)
Asahi scratched his head, unbelievably confused about what had happened. He mumbled as he hid in a corner, isolated from the rampant carriages and people.
"How is someone speaking in my head? Is my brain playing tricks on me?!"
(Could you settle down for a moment. I'm trying to think...)
Asahi leaned against the wall, his heart racing, seeing strange things like 'Health' in his eyes.
"Huh?! Is anyone there?! Come on out and reveal yourself. W... What are these things in my eyes?!"
He toppled a pile of boxes, trying to wipe away the strange things floating before his eyes. Even as Asahi moved from alley to alley, the voice kept following and calling to him wherever he went.
"Get out of my head! Who are you?!"
The deep, masculine voice sounded as if he were in shock.
(Huh? That voice... it sounds so distinctively familiar. Could it be... that the host I was given after my fateful demise is... ASAHI?!)
Asahi's heart stopped.
"Huh?!"
(Yes, it is him! You may not have seen my presence this instant, but likewise... I'm afraid you have absorbed my soul and powers when in the Stronghold.)
Asahi's face couldn't have looked more flabbergasted.
"WHAT?! How is that possible? Who are you? How do you know my name?!"
The voice sighed.
(Affirmative, that boy, is HIM, alright.)
Asahi shouted.
"Who are you? Are you really inside my head? What's with these strange things?"
(Settle down. What you are seeing currently is my interface, given by the technology of an ancient race. I'm afraid I can't share all the details.)
Asahi scratched his head, anxious that someone would be staring at him. He raced down the alleyway, passing through minimal junk and doors. As the shadows of a decently made structure stood over him, Asahi sat down and rested against the building, trying to calm himself. He asked the voice.
"Please speak normally. I hardly understand a word you are saying."
A white glow illuminated underneath Asahi's chin.
"Huh?"
Asahi's eyes widened in absolute shock as he noticed the tattoo on his chest pulsating with each word; the voice in his head said. The voice sounded sarcastic.
(Ah, strange. It appears the boy doesn't recognize my voice at all. And I thought he was smarter… oh well. Anyway, I'll abide by your orders. Now that the situation is settled, Asahi, I have one question for you.)
The boy sighed, staring into the S mark on his body.
"Okay, what?"
(Can you recollect what happened before you and many others teleported here?)
Asahi scratched his chin, fidgeting with his thumbs.
"Umm, all I can recollect was that I saw this man named Telos instantly get--"
The voice interrupted.
(That's me.)
Asahi's heart stopped, his eyes widened, and sweat slid down his face.
"Wait? You're Telos? How are you inside my body?! H… HOW is that even possible?! I… I thought you died. Is this all your fault?"
(Oh, heaven's no… I would never decide to trap my soul in a body like yours.)
Asahi's face turned pale.
"W… What does that mean?"
(Nothing…. nothing at all. Pushing that useless thought aside, it's surprising that The Princess can trap souls inside other bodies, let alone have those powers of the one consumed be absorbed by the host. I never knew anyone could do that.)
"Oh, so it wasn't you that was responsible?"
(Of course! I only appeared in that Stronghold to save you. But now that I'm trapped, it's virtually impossible to reach my goal.)
Asahi fell silent, thinking about what to do next, knowing that Telos' soul was trapped inside his body. As he peeked over the corner of the alleyway, watching carriages pass through the busy roads winding over from turn to turn, Asahi turned to the wall and asked Telos.
"Why are you even here in the first place?"
(Oh, well, that's sudden. If you want to know, I guess I have no choice. Say, Asahi, do you remember what happened when you and your sister had our first encounter?)
Asahi's mind flashed to the past.
The hallways, the underground city, everything.
* * *
"Yes… It's as clear as day."
(Understood. And if you remember, I vanished in thin air before you escaped. The Princess teleported me to Linuxinia. Do you see that mountain in the distance?)
Asahi tilted up and saw beyond the sea of towers, buildings, and houses, a massive green mountain towering over the entire place, piercing through the blanket of clouds.
"That place?"
(Indeed. That is where I was summoned, and I have had to face drudgery in waiting for you ever since. Unfortunately, this discussion is our reunion.)
Hearing mumbling from crowds that passed by from sidewalk to sidewalk, Asahi persisted in having a lengthy discussion with Telos' soul, returning to the hotel a few blocks away. He tilted over to the glowing S mark on his chest and asked.
"Why are you all of a sudden speaking so casually? What is your goal, and why do you wait for me? Why are you still here? Shouldn't you be on the lookout for whoever you want?"
(My body contained half of my power, along with my actions. When my soul detached from my body, my ability and knowledge eroded slightly, allowing you to absorb my forces and see the world through my eyes. This increased my vulnerability, leading to my intelligence and ability being cut in half.)
"Oh, okay."
Asahi passed through a staircase leading to the other side of the city, understanding precisely what Telos was talking about.
To his vision, Asahi could see a tiny cyan diamond lying at the epicenter of his sight, along with a circular shape of a glowing green hue in the right-hand corner. Asahi raised an eyebrow, staring at the people passing by.
"What in the world is this?"
In his sight, he saw a red meter lying on the right-hand corner of his vision, along with a strange readable language fading in and out from the people all the way toward the locations, revealing names such as (Linuxinia Plaza) or (Residential Area: Sector B)
Asahi couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the given sights; he could even see a blue meter bar with a few star symbols on the side. "Telos, explain to me what in the world is this?!" he demanded, his voice tinged with wonder.
Telos hesitated before answering, aware of the need to maintain the mystery of their world.
"What you're seeing, Asahi, is known as the Tenth Eye. A highly sophisticated tool derived from ancient technologies of a race called The Amenia. It might look like something out of a tale of far-off worlds, but here, it's a natural extension of one's magical capabilities." Telos paused, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Think of it as a unique form of magical insight, not unlike the magical artifacts of legend."
As Asahi tried to walk with the "interface" on his vision, Telos' voice warned him as he approached another staircase.
(Asahi, watch where you're going! You know what, the most sensible thing to do in this situation is to find a secluded alley and remain stagnant. That way, no one can see you, and you wouldn't be in danger.)
"Okay..."
Asahi followed Telos's directions, avoiding all the carriages, people, and text splashes appearing in his eyes. Standing at yet another alleyway, Asahi tilted to the mark on his chest and asked.
"Okay, Telos. Please explain what everything means. There's a red bar, a blue bar, a green circle, text appearing, and a strange triangle with what appears to be a map... I'm clueless."
After the voice in Asahi's head released a deep, exaggerated sigh, he explained.
(I can't fully recall what some of it means, but I can explain the basics to you.)
Asahi raised an eyebrow.
"So, you're saying I must find out what these bars mean by myself?"
(Precisely. I apologize, Asahi. If I still had most of my memories, I would be delighted to share with you what each bar means. The green circle is the only thing you have to be concerned about. If I recall correctly, that circle represents the amount of health your body has. If you see the color depleted, you are losing health, and once it reaches zero, you will be finished. As for the other bars, it is said that they might unlock hidden powers or reveal new abilities when the time is right, but the specifics remain a mystery even to me. Their secrets, once uncovered, may hold the key to your journey ahead."
Asahi jumped up with fascination.
"That's amazing! A bar that keeps track of how much health I have. That's very useful--"
As Asahi bounced over, all the things in his vision suddenly vanished.
"W...Where did it go?"
(Hmm, it appears that you have triggered the Tenth Eye to turn off. I recall that one of my masters told me all those years ago that to turn The Tenth Eye off, one must blink manually. When you blink naturally, the Tenth Eye doesn't catch that, and it will only turn on if you blink on command.)
"So… if I blink…." Asahi forced his eyes shut as he was whispering. The Tenth Eye's interface immediately returned. "... then it will return…?"
(Exactly.)
Asahi made a confident smile and forced himself to blink again, removing The Tenth Eye from his sight.
He couldn't comprehend how much this would be useful to him, and though a soul was now trapped inside his mind that could freely speak whenever he wanted, at least it granted him some sort of informal tool.
"I have to tell Aletha about this!"
As his footsteps echoed over the stone walls, a loud, feminine voice chimed out from a distance.
"Hey, stop!"
Asahi hastily tilted his head over and saw a young woman with long green hair race to him with sweat pouring down her skin. Asahi couldn't risk it again. Though he knew exactly who this woman was, Asahi didn't want to interfere with her after the threat she had made the night before.
So, instead of stopping, Asahi sprinted faster through the streets, approaching the block leading to the hotel just a few meters away from him.
. . .
"Okay, almost there."
(I don't want to sound pushy, but if I recall, today is the annual universal ceremony for the world of Gincad. Linuxinia City will be teeming with activity in a few hours. I suggest you bring everyone, including your friends, to the Linuxinia Center sometime before noon.)
Asahi advanced through the crowd and sprinted to the tall hotel, pushing the glass door away, dashing across the lobby, and racing up the staircase.
"And… why is this important?"
Telos' voice grew situated.
(Perhaps you can reveal your identity and show them that you and your sister have returned? It's an estimated guess; I surely don't advise you to do that.)
"So… a ceremony. Just like Pladtioa, but this time, with everyone around the world."
(Yeah, and I would like to make a request. Could you find an intelligent student from the nation of Destia and ask them if they know a way of extracting souls out of bodies?)
Asahi shook his head.
"I highly doubt that would happen, but okay."
(Oh, and one more thing…)
"What?"
Telos's voice trembled slightly, carrying an unexpected weight of vulnerability.
(Please... if you can, could you find a woman with dark hair and gray eyes? She wears a robe. I...)
His voice cracked, exuding a sense of desperation.
(I can't do this alone. She's important to me, more than you could know.)
"What will I get in return?" Asahi asked.
Telos' voice turned to one of disappointment.
("I… I… *sigh* I will tell you what happened to your father.")
Asahi's eyes widened in shock, stopping in his tracks and shouting with a trembling tone.
"Wait-- you know what happened to my parents?!"
(ONLY your father. I don't know what happened to your mother, but I do know what happened to your father! That's only if you can find that woman and change her…)
While Asahi raced through the halls, smiling and cheering, he nodded his head and whispered to Telos's soul.
"Then I accept your request!"
(To be continued.)