"Huh? What do you~" said Rin before he suddenly froze as his pupils constricted and his heart began to beat more slowly as a wave of drowsiness overtook him.
'Switch.' Pharaoh smiled as he snapped his fingers, placing Rin's consciousness in his Soul Palace to sleep as he took over him temporarily.
"Well… since you're so curious, why don't I tell you, Sabrina Newton?" he said with a chuckle while smiling menacingly as the temperature within the room rose, as if they were submerged in the heart of a volcano.
'What on earth is going on?' Sabrina wondered as a bead of sweat slid down her temple, as she fixed her gaze on Rin, refusing to look away in case he tried to do anything funny.
However, it would seem she was worrying for nothing, as soon afterward the temperature returned to normal and Rin started to laugh hysterically, as he didn't expect her to be so spooked out by his dramatic performance.
"HAHA! Now that was funny, but anywho, I think this is what you were looking for," Pharaoh said as he produced a shimmering white prism made of crystal, which contained the memories of Rin's and Isaac's fight that the world didn't get to see or witness.
"Um... I... Thank you, Mr. Kurama," Sabrina could only say after stumbling to find the right words to express how she felt currently, following everything that occurred in the last 5~10 minutes.
"You're welcome! So goodbye and do remember what I said earlier, as I would hate to have to get my hands messy for such a simple transaction." Pharaoh said as he stared into Sabrina's eyes with an innocent smile.
A smile that only a fool would trust, for beneath it a slumbering beast was waiting for its time to shine and rain terror upon the world.
"I will, and I assure you, you'll get your items, Mr. Kurama," Sabrina smiled joyfully as she caught the prism thrown at her before it could hit the ground. Just as Rin stepped outside the room, and was escorted back to his cell.
By the same guard who brought him here in the first place, who was dressed like a janitor, as he wore an entirely black fit except for his white nametag and a gray baseball hat.
"Welp, in the end, at least I got what I came for… so maybe, this wasn't so bad after all," whispered Sabrina to herself as she sat down and waited for her husband to return. So that they would finally be able to get the answers they sought together and with that some semblance of peace.
***
Later that day...
Following Mr. Newton's return after getting everything Rin wanted on the list, and Mrs. Newton getting what she came for. It would appear everything returned to normal...
Yet, amidst this moment of peace, shadows danced along the walls of the prison as cameras and guards kept a close eye on Rin and Zinc's cell. To make sure nothing occurred that could impede their match tomorrow or paint a bad picture of Obsidian Vault.
Nevertheless, that was the least of Rin's worries or Pharaoh's, to be exact, as Rin enjoyed a nice and peaceful rest in his Soul Palace.
"Sigh... just why did my reincarnation need to be such a troublemaker? Couldn't he have just killed this idiot named Zinc and ended this pathetic redemption arc, for a fool unaware that he was being used as a pawn by his cousin and the world?" Pharaoh muttered tiredly in boredom as this wasn't the vacation he was expecting to partake in.
"But then again, at least I get to blow off some steam and have some fun tomorrow. So, maybe this isn't so boring after all," smiled Pharaoh as he closed his eyes and entered a meditative state, causing everything within his cell to float as energy began to pool around him with every breath he took.
Whoosh. Rustle.
'Hmm, while his foundation is strong, his body is still too weak to withstand the force of 49 stars, which are split into seven tiers and correspond to a different name and color.' Pharaoh thought as he tried to recall what the seven classifications of stars were.
"Aww, now I remember." He said with a smile as a list of names rolled off his tongue with expertise:
1. Morra - A dying star that flickers with a red ash color, an eternal coal light that refuses to extinguish. The most common star in the Cosmos, which can be found throughout all three realms and is equivalent to one nova mark, experts say.
A temperature reading based on the amount of heat generated by a star and its will to burn and shine brighter than a Supernova. Additionally, the more nova marks a star has, the more powerful, dangerous, and rare it is within the Cosmos.
2. Amberth - A star that resembles the eyes of a Flame Titan as they exude a steady yet ancient glow like a smoldering ember. That is uncommon to see in the Cosmos, but still visible from time to time, and is equivalent to ten nova marks.
3. Solin - A star made of blood amber that radiates a warmth said to bring life to worlds, yet also destruction to those who dare cross its path. That is quite rare to find and approach in the Cosmos, as it is equivalent to a hundred nova marks.
4. Lumir - A star that emits a golden halo, a light said to lure curious travelers to safety or into the embrace of things waiting in the dark beyond it. Additionally, legend has it that the God of Light formed these stars in his spare time, which may be the reason they have a reading of 1,000 nova marks.
5. Sira - A star created from the flames of a fallen moon, a silver flame that is deceptively gentle and sacred like the morning breeze of a chilly day. That is said to resemble the flames of a Deity, entities to be worshiped and feared in equal measure. Also, it has a temperature reading of 10,000 nova marks.
6. Vael - A star that shines brighter than a supernova and has rings of white glass that revolve around it. Which may be the reason why it has a temperature reading of 100,00 nova marks.
7. Zhyr - A star forged out of blue diamonds, refined by the Flames of Water & Ice from the Heavens. The rarest and most unique star in the Cosmos, not only for how long it takes to form, but also due to its temperature, which is said to be of a million nova marks.
'Now, should I go to sleep, or stay up and reforge this body to my liking? Truly, just what shall I do?' wondered Pharaoh as he thought of the implications of both options, with one sounding more appealing than the other.
[Father, instead of falling asleep, why not help boost the odds of Rin's success when he wakes up and attempts to unlock all his Seven Celestial Stars?]
'And why should I do that, Artemis, when either way, he'll be fine no matter what I do?'
[Because it would make both Rin's and your life easier in the long run, Father.]
'That may be so, Artemis, but Rin must walk the hard road as we all did when we began our Star Paths. Plus, this trial will only temper him and remind him that nothing worth bearing comes without struggle. For pain is the clearest proof that there is still something worth fighting for. So, goodnight, Artemis, and I forbid you from helping Rin with the creation of his Seven Celestial Stars, is that clear?'
[... yes, Father, and goodnight as well.]