Clank—!
I closed the door behind me.
I could hardly think. Everything around me was a blur as I stumbled, my hands brushing against the wall for support until I finally reached my bed and sat down.
“Haa… Haa…!”
My breathing was fast, and images continued to replay inside of my mind.
‘How could…?’
I had used the second leaf on Kiera.
It worked.
…I was able to catch a glimpse of her past. What she felt, and understood exactly what had happened to her in the past.
But that wasn’t what shocked me.
No, far from it.
“Fog… Black fog.”
Within the haze of my vision, a faint black fog crept in, lurking in one particular scene, until it swallowed everything, obscuring my sight completely. I couldn’t see any further from the point, and the next moment, I found myself waking back up.
That fog… It felt suffocating.
And yet, it almost felt resonating.
Something about the fog resonated with me and that idea sent my entire body into a state of chills.
Normally, something like this wouldn’t faze me, but for some reason, the black fog repulsed me, filling me with a deep, unsettling dread.
What was it?
“The Mirror…”
The worst part was what the black fog hid. It shrouded the very scene tied to Kiera’s deepest trauma, the key piece to understanding where the mirror was.
Everything cut off from that point and I couldn’t figure out what happened next.
“How troublesome.”
I wiped the sweat from my forehead and glanced toward the nearest mirror, checking my reflection. My hair was disheveled and my face was pale.
I looked as though I had just woken up from a long coma. One that may have lasted several years.
‘…I thought I’d get my answers by using the second leaf, but it only made things more troublesome for me. What is that black fog, and why do I feel so uneasy about it? What about the mirror? Where is it? …Do I really have no choice but to talk about it with Kiera? What about the Cleric Delilah talked about? Should I…’
All sorts of thoughts and questions flooded my mind all of a sudden.
They left me in a state of complete confusion, struggling to figure out which direction I should take.
However, I knew I couldn’t afford to waste time lost in my thoughts.
Therefore, after a few short minutes, I clenched my teeth and stood up.
‘Even though things seem safe for now, I can’t afford to waste any more time. He might try to take control of this body again.’
“Yes, I should just talk with her.”
I had dragged this out for long enough.
“…Need to figure out where the mirror is before its too late for me.”
***
“How suffocating…”
A pair of red eyes gazed blankly at the white ceiling above.
“Everything feels suffocating.”
Her soft mumbles echoed in the otherwise quiet room as she cradled her head in both hands.
The room was dark, and her eyes shone within the darkness.
Kiera really hated the darkness.
It reminded her too much of that ‘time’. And yet, she couldn’t do without the darkness. Her powers were related to the darn darkness.
Hence why she chose to remain in the darkness.
She felt suffocated. She hated every second of it, but she also couldn’t do without it.
Was this how it worked for drug addicts?
“…Kaka.”
Kiera let out a soft chuckle.
It was one of her usual weird-sounding ones, but she didn’t smile as she laughed. In more ways than one, it was a laugh that felt forced.
Trr—
At that moment, her communication device vibrated. She slowly picked it up, revealing a message on it.
[I’ve been told about the break. Come back home.]
The sender was none other than her father.
Cra—
A cracking sound echoed in her mind; like the sound of a crack forming in a plate.
A new message appeared right after.
[It has been a long time since you last came back home. It would be good if you came. Bring your friends along.]
Craaa—
Even more cracks began to spread within the plate, widening with each passing moment.
Kiera’s face started to falter.
[…Your stepmother is pregnant. You’re going to be a sister so—]
Bang—!
The communication device flew across the room, shattering into millions of pieces upon impact.
Kiera’s face changed as she looked at the remains of the communication device.
It was dark, but she could see everything.
“Suffocating…”
Muttering to herself, Kiera walked over to the nearest drawer, pulled out several licorice sticks, and popped them into her mouth.
They helped her alleviate some of her stress, but…
“Not enough.”
She licked her lips.
They were quite dry.
A strange tingle ran through her body, making her left eye twitch as her gaze drifted toward another drawer.
“Haa.. Haa..”
Unknowingly, her breathing grew more labored.
That…
“One won’t hurt, right?”
Kiera licked her lips once more, feeling an odd pull toward that specific drawer. Her hand reached out, slowly opening it to reveal a small box tucked inside. It was a familiar box, one she hadn’t seen in quite a while.
“Hoo.”
Finding her chest tremble at the sight of the box, she reached out for the packet, her hand trembling slightly.
It had been so long…
“Yeah, one won’t hurt.”
She needed one desperately.
The licorice sticks were just not cutting it.
Carefully licking her lips, Kiera opened the box, the faint smell of tobacco spreading into the air. Kiera’s body trembled at the smell as she reached out for one of the cigarettes, her breathing growing even rougher.
Pressing her lips together, she carefully nestled the cigarette between them.
Raising her finger, a small flame flickered to life, casting a glow around her. As the darkness dispersed, Kiera was able to get a better look at the cigarette nestled in her lips and her chest trembled.
‘Yes, just one won’t hurt…’
Kiera brought the flame next to the cigarette and was just about to light it up when…
To Tok—
A knock suddenly sounded, snapping her out of it.
“Uh?”
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Realizing what she was about to do, Kiera quickly swallowed her saliva, placed the cigarette back into the box, and tossed it into the drawer.
She then walked towards the door.
“Who is it?”
“….”
“Fuck, why aren’t you replying? Don’t tell me it’s that annoying princess?”
Kiera’s face fell and she approached the door, swinging it open rapidly.
“Fucking bitch, I’ll—”
Kiera’s words stopped halfway through as she noticed the figure standing before her. Immediately, her mouth stopped and her large eyes blinked in succession.
“You, what are you—”
“Were you about to smoke?”
Julien’s voice cut her off before she could finish, stunning her on the spot.
Looking at him, he seemed disheveled, his face pale and worn. Did he just come back from a workout?
“Smoking? What are you on about? Why would I…?”
“I can smell the tobacco in the air.”
“Ah…”
Kiera swallowed her saliva and pressed her lips together.
She felt ashamed, but only for a brief moment before she suddenly frowned.
‘Wait, why do I even care if he knows?’
She was a full-grown adult. What she did was her own private matter. Her decisions were hers, and hers alone.
Something within her started to boil as she directed her gaze towards Julien.
“Fuck, you know what? I was.”
Kiera became direct with him.
“I was about to smoke, alright? I’ve been rather stressed lately and I needed to smoke. Do you have a problem with that? Cause I don’t give two fuc—”
“No, I don’t.”
Julien cut her off, leaving her stunned.
“You don’t?”
“No, why would I?”
“But…”
“That was then. I don’t care anymore.”
“Eh?”
“It’s the past. I’ve long stopped clinging to it.”
“Wha… What?”
Kiera blinked her eyes.
Before she could say a word, Julien stepped into the room, casually scanning his surroundings before flipping on the lights and sitting down.
Right then, his eyes fell on a certain drawer which he opened to reveal a small box.
He gave it a casual glance before taking it and bringing it to his lips.
As he did, he looked at the stunned Kiera while mumbling,
“You should too?”
Recovering from her shock, Kiera closed the door behind her and walked towards Julien, her brows furrowed.
“Should what?”
*Puff*
Blowing into the air, Julien dryly replied.
“…Stop clinging to the past.”
***
Across the four Empires, countless churches stood, each dedicated to their own revered gods.
Among them, the most renowned were: The Flamebound Sanctuary, the Monastery of Seeded Stars, the Cathedral of Emberheart, and the Temple of Awakened Sight.
Belonging to the ‘Seer’ doctrine, the Temple of Awakened Sight was the grandest of them all, serving as the largest church for the devoted followers of Oracleus.
In the vast halls of the church, a lone figure stood beneath one of the altars, silently praying before the statue that loomed in front of him.
The statue depicted a giant with a large eye.
One that seemed to overlook the entire world beneath it.
He looked immersed in his prayers, as though he was lost in his worship for his god.
“It’s good that you’re so devoted.”
Awakening him from his prayers was a soft voice.
Slowly opening his eyes, Jackal turned his head, his gaze eventually settling on Cardinal Ambrose, who approached him with a calm smile on his face.
“Your Eminence.”
Jackal quietly lowered his head in respect.
“Haha.”
The Cardinal merely laughed, dismissing him with his hand.
“There’s no need for you to do that. There will eventually come a time when I will be the one doing that to you.”
“…Yes.”
Jackal didn’t deny his words.
In the end, he also believed them to be true.
He was none other than the fragment of the holy seer; Oracleus.
He was the chosen one.
“How was your assimilation? How are you feeling?”
“…It’s weird.”
Jackal responded, lowering his head to watch his arms as he clenched and unclenched them.
“Ever since assimilating with the blood, I’ve been having visions. Strange ones. Some make sense, others don’t. But in every single one, there’s always something I notice.”
“Oh?”
The Cardinal raised his brow with interest.
“…A black fog.”
“Black fog?”
“Yes.”
Jackal calmly explained.
“It doesn’t ever do anything, it just appears in the visions, quietly observing everything. Just like me…”
“Hm?”
“…How should I say this?”
Jackal pinched his chin, falling into deep contemplation before mumbling,
“It’s as if I’m seeing an intruder, watching what is supposed to belong to me.”
Yes, something like that.
It had occurred in his most recent vision, one of a very grand place where a small child with long white hair and red eyes appeared.
The black fog appeared there, obscuring his vision.
An uncomfortable sensation washed over him as he gazed at the fog, as though something that should have been his was being used by someone else, obscuring his own visions.
“Thief…”
He glanced towards the Cardinal.
“Out there, there’s a thief. They’ve stolen my blood and assimilated with it.”
Jackal’s eyes grew hazy as his expression frosted.
“That’s unacceptable.”
***
End of Volume [4] – Part 2/2