Null sagged against the cool brick, the alley's shadows a temporary shield from the fading chaos. His breath came in ragged gasps, not from exertion, but from the raw shock of the encounter. The precise, chilling application of Reality Slayer, the terror of the civilians, the cold defiance in the operative's synthetic voice – it all slammed into him now that the adrenaline receded. He was no longer just a blank slate; he was a participant, forced onto a battlefield he didn't remember entering. The white streaks in his golden hair shimmered, a tangible manifestation of the terrifying power that now pulsed beneath his skin, tied inexplicably to the echoes of a past he couldn't grasp.
Fang, ever the uninvited commentator, hopped from Null's hoodie to perch on his shoulder, nudging his ear with a tiny, scaly head. That was quite the performance, Liege. Very dramatic. A solid 8.5 on the 'heroic intervention' scale. Lost points for not striking a cool pose at the end, but gained back for the sheer audacity of crushing their little walkie-talkie. Petulant, but effective.
Null didn't respond, his gaze distant, eyes scanning the rooftops as if expecting another shadowy operative to drop from the sky. He felt Kai and Ashley's distant, frantic shouts, still searching for him. They would be confused, worried, unable to comprehend the true nature of what had just transpired.
You know, for an amnesiac, you're surprisingly good at inciting interdimensional incidents, Fang continued, completely undeterred by Null's silence. Must be all that 'Unwritten King' swagger. Or maybe it's just raw, unadulterated primal rage. Either way, effective. Your divine sugar packet kicked in nicely too. Felt that echo pop, didn't you? Like a little mental burp.
The "mental burp" was a vast, swirling diagram, a fleeting glimpse of complex, layered knowledge he instinctively knew was profound. It was a new piece of the puzzle, gained through pressure. God's words echoed in his mind: With every echo you unlock, a portion of that boundless power will integrate within you.
The war. The Devil. The Oculus Syndicate. The Stone King and the others, the "Tens." It all clicked into place with chilling clarity. This wasn't just about his past anymore. It was about survival. About preventing a cataclysm.
Null pushed off the wall, a new fire in his golden eyes, burning away the last vestiges of his detachment. This was no longer a passive quest for memory; it was an active hunt, driven by a desperate urgency.
Fang, Null thought, his voice in the dragon's mind sharp, devoid of any pretense of emotion. We need to find them. The other Prime Stone users. All of them. As fast as possible.
Fang stopped his casual preening, his tiny head tilting. Ooh, straight to business! I like it. No more brooding by the moonlight, eh? Excellent. But, and this is where my ancient wisdom comes in handy, how exactly does one locate cosmic batteries who are probably doing their best to remain inconspicuous? Do you have a divine GPS for Prime Stone signatures I'm not aware of? The last part was spoken with a hint of mock exasperation, a playful jab at Null's usual lack of expressed strategy.
Null simply began to walk, his stride purposeful, his senses already reaching out, trying to differentiate the ambient energies of the city. He felt the distinct hum of his own Prime Stone, and the new, small echo that had just awakened, a faint whisper of power now integrated into his being. But there was another type of energy, one he'd just vaguely sensed earlier that day, before the chaos. It was subtle, almost like a warm light, entirely different from the infernal shadow that still clung to the scene of the truck crash.
I felt a different resonance earlier, Null transmitted, his focus unwavering. Not like the shadow. A warm one. It was... further south, in the older districts.
Fang blinked his large, knowing eyes, a flicker of genuine surprise replacing his usual irreverence. Well, bless my scales, you do have a knack for this, don't you? A fresh lead right out of the gate! Alright, Liege, lead the way then. The game is officially afoot. Or, in your case, a-walk. Just try not to break any more city property. The Mayor's probably getting tired of this.
Null ignored the comment about property damage, his jaw set. The war had landed on his doorstep. He was the Unwritten King, a true golden angel named by God himself, armed with fragments of immense power and a guardian who couldn't stop quipping. He didn't know what lay ahead, but he knew he couldn't wait any longer. The first step towards saving a world he barely knew was to find those who shared his burden. And the faint, warm hum drew him south.
Null walked, his pace steady, his golden-yellow eyes locked onto something only he could perceive – a faint, warm hum, a distinct energy signature pulling him south through Kaelyn's winding streets. It was different from the cloying residue of shadow magic that clung to the site of the crash; this hum felt...cleaner, brighter, like the distant chime of a bell.
Still fixated on that little ping, Liege? Fang asked, telepathically, from his perch inside Null's hoodie pocket. Could just be a faulty power grid. Or perhaps someone's really enthusiastic about their solar panels. You know, from the South. They like their sun.
Null didn't dignify the observation with a response. His focus was absolute. The recent confrontation with the Oculus operative had cemented his understanding: the war was here, and waiting for his memories to surface naturally was a luxury he couldn't afford. God's words, Fang's grim confirmation of the Devil's summoning, the existence of the Stone King and the "Tens" – it all pointed to one terrifying conclusion. He needed to find others like him, quickly. This warm hum was the first lead, a direct consequence of his heightened senses.
The city around him gradually shifted. The grittier, industrial facades gave way to older, tree-lined streets, dotted with small, independent shops and vibrant, blossoming flowers spilling from window boxes. The air itself seemed to soften here, infused with a relaxed, almost whimsical charm.
The hum grew stronger, leading him into a quaint, sun-dappled plaza. A few wooden benches were scattered around, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of coffee and baking pastries. And there she was.
She stood by a small, independent coffee stand, her back to him initially, her bright, auburn hair a lively cascade that seemed to shimmer even without direct sunlight. She was laughing, a warm, melodic sound that carried clearly across the plaza.
"Oh, no worries, sweetie!" she chuckled, her voice carrying a soft, lilt accent, distinctly "from the South," with elongated vowels and a relaxed cadence. "Happens to the best of us! Just glad it's not all over my new purse, bless its heart." As she spoke, Null felt a faint pop of energy, like a tiny sun flare, radiating from her, instantly gone. It was the Prime Stone signature, clear as day.
He observed her for a moment. She seemed utterly unaware of the subtle energy she emitted, or the reason behind the brief, intense glow that had seemingly made a spilled drop of coffee on the counter dry up in an instant before she effortlessly wiped it away. She was just... vibrant.
Bingo, Liege, Fang commented dryly. A live one. Seems to be a Light-type, or perhaps Energy Manipulation. Very chipper for someone who might just accidentally vaporize a puddle. Approach with caution. Or, you know, just walk up and ask if she also gets visited by a giant, blindfolded cosmic entity.
Null ignored the latter, as usual. His focus was entirely on the woman. This was it. The first one. He walked towards her, his presence, typically detached, now carrying a hint of the deliberate. Sooji, engrossed in ordering, turned as he approached, her warm hazel eyes widening slightly as she took in his unusual golden-yellow gaze and the striking white streaks in his hair. His eyes, though focused, seemed to drift subtly, a disquieting stillness in their unusual alignment.
"Oh, excuse me, darlin'," she said, her accent softening further. "Didn't mean to block your way. Just trying to figure out if I want a latte or an iced tea today. New to Kaelyn, you see. Lots of choices!" She gave a friendly, if slightly flustered, smile. The air around her subtly, almost imperceptibly, shimmered with a nervous warmth.
Null didn't smile back, but his voice was calm, devoid of its usual blankness, touched by a newfound purpose. "You emit a unique energy," he stated directly, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. "Like me."
Sooji blinked, her bright smile faltering. Her hand instinctively went to the small, unadorned silver locket at her throat, her hazel eyes flicking from Null's face to the locket and back. A flicker of something unreadable – surprise? confusion? sudden wariness? – crossed her features. The air around her subtly tightened, the subtle warmth intensifying. Null had found his first Prime Stone user.