Aren's uncertainty grew. Once more, he diverted his gaze back to the old man.
After inspecting both his hands, which grew in size abnormally in such a short period of time, he wasn't too happy.
'What is this? Did I use my Aberration? Or, no. I can't. I couldn't. How did this happen!?'
Furthermore, the old man merely told him that he was adapting. Adapting to what? The thought lingered in Aren's mind.
The old man quietly gestured for the group of children to go back to their homes before turning back to face Aren.
"You look unsettled. Come, I'll put you on a cup of Vanagir's finest tea."
Aren clicked his tongue. Visibly, he was frustrated by the numerous mysteries surrounding him.
"I'm not looking for more questions. I need explanations, and now," said Aren, keeping his tone intimidating.
The old man laughed under his breath, "We all do."
Behind his back, he placed his left hand over his right once more before walking down a path that branched off from the main one leading to the town beneath the castle.
"This man... He's doing this intentionally. But I can't lose my cool now."
Intentionally or not, it was getting on Aren's nerves. Even the simplest questions, the man wouldn't answer.
Aren tightly clenched his fists, holding back his anger. He bit his lip as his eyes fixated on the dark blue grass with a hint of purple. Then, he quietly followed the old man.
Aren turned his head to observe the area once more. He watched the castle, its structure capped with a shining crystal.
Despite everything, he couldn't help but feel astonished at the architectural masterpiece.
But that wasn't the only thing on his mind. He had to prioritize finding Faye over anything else — even his mission of going to the Nameless Necropolis, or the Quantum Verge, to learn about himself and Aberrants.
And, speaking of Aberrants, he remembered that the abundant Infracta of the Verge blocked off his Shade.
'Is this what it feels like to be human?'
His lips slightly curled downwards, his head fixated on the ground, 'It certainly isn't a good feeling.'
Aren, all his life, wanted to be recognized as a human rather than a mindless Aberrant serving the Paragons.
Knowing himself, he was sure that even without an Aberration, his fate was inevitably to suffer.
"You, and that girl… You're special, aren't you?"
Suddenly, without warning, the man spoke, breaking the silence.
Aren stayed quiet for a few moments, taking in the meaning of the sentence the old man uttered.
"It doesn't concern you."
The old man's face was unrecognizable from Aren's perspective, leaving him to continue moving forward.
Nearby, a small village could be seen, with little houses made of intricate grey wood materials that Aren couldn't recognize.
They reached the village gate, where a man, presumably a guard, signaled the old man to enter.
Inside, the village was quite noisy. The noises of children coming from one side, the laughter of adults, and the noise of a mother talking to her child.
However, the sight in front of Aren and the man was nothing but a clear, carved path.
It almost looked as if the walls weren't blocking the noise coming from inside the homes — rather, it was purposefully built to let out the noise.
'Could it be some kind of tradition? How odd.'
The old man turned to Aren before continuing to his home, "Now, we're able to talk safely. My name is Xander Deep."
'He has a second name? I heard only people of the Order and higher-ups had that sort of luxury.'
Aren slightly frowned, "Aren. What do you mean, we can talk safely? It's not like we were in danger earlier.."
Xander walked forward, placing his hands behind his back.
"Here, the Fracture pushes Rupture. It disables the Church from spying on us."
Aren clicked his tongue, "Does a language barrier still exist between us? I need more details to understand."
Xander and Aren reached a home with the same special walls and roofs with colors that resembled the blue sky.
Aren's brows slightly raised, seeing that they even put small dots of white, representing the stars.
Xander went inside, then quietly sat down on a chair put next to a circular table with other chairs around it.
Wordlessly, Aren followed and sat in front of him.
The house was placed behind Aren's back, while it faced Xander directly. Xander then raised his arm, waving slightly for someone in the house.
"They usually go by the Church of Equinox. No one knows what truly goes on in their mind, but they hide in the dark and rule from behind the scenes."
Aren leaned forward, resting both arms on the table towards Xander.
"What are you trying to say?"
Xander frowned, seemingly disappointed in himself.
"They took your friend. I wasn't able to get her in time because they practically control Rupture, which is a type of Infracta."
Aren's heart sank. Another person he'd sworn to protect — gone, again.
Xander continued, "It is the strongest type of Infracta. My Fracture wasn't able to hold up. I had barely managed to take you, and I lost a part of myself due to it."
Aren's eyes narrowed as he burst from his seat and struck the table with his palms, producing a loud thud.
He wasn't angry, but he felt true failure, frustration.
But, before he'd realized it, a small touch was felt on his back with the same sensation as Xander's. It sent waves of relaxation and peace throughout his entire head, easing him in one go.
With a deliberate motion, Aren turned his head over his shoulder. What met his gaze was a beautiful woman, her presence showing a captivating blend of strength and grace that spoke of a life richly lived.
Her hair was dazzling with a shining greyish color, surprising Aren as he'd never seen such kind of hair in his lifetime.
She wore a long dress with symbols and accessories similar to ones Xander had on his clothes.
"The New Moon Festival is upon us; this is no time for anger."