Leonardo stood quietly, eyes fixed on the district's dimming lights. The thought of Ronald gnawed at him, he missed him deeply, thought of him constantly.
I'll find you somehow, he vowed silently. But for now, there was a new assignment one Milah had tailored just for him: Tour Guide Practical Officer.
His current task? Escort two peculiar girls on a bizarre journey.
"So… how powerful is the Sage?" he blurted out suddenly. "How do they stay in control? Wait is this a dictatorship either that it might be—"
"Oh, don't overthink the Sage or" Anna began, but a surge of electricity shot through Leonardo's body mid-sentence.
It was as if lightning split him in two.
Where did this come from?! he screamed internally.
His muscles seized, vision flared white. His knees buckled, foam spilled from his lips, and his limbs thrashed involuntarily.
His hair stood on end as he attempted to rise—but couldn't.
"That's why," Anna said, letting out a playful laugh, "you're strong. Guess it wasn't too powerful, so you weren't planning on harming him."
"Anna!" Elara snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. Her fingers twitched toward the air, faint traces of green start to appear, a habit Leonardo hadn't noticed until now._
Anna's grin didn't waver, but her eyes flicked to Elara's hand. "What?" She shrugged, rolling her shoulders like she could shake off the tension.
"He'll live. We're just gonna be an hour late."
Elara's glare softened—barely—into something weary. "You always say that," she muttered, turning away. "Until someone doesn't."
> [Adaptive evolution taking effect]
>[Mental Bastion (minimal)] [Emotional Dampening (Situational)] [No further effects added]
His body, fighting back, began to stabilize. Slowly, painfully.
"You're tougher than you look," Anna admitted, raising a brow.
Leonardo groaned, pressing a palm to his forehead. "What the hell was that?" His voice trembled.
It was definitely—he cut off the thought before the sensation returned.
"That's incredible," Elara murmured, watching his torn vest stitch itself back together like silk folding over muscle.
"Don't speak ill of Sage Rolhim. Or any Sage, really," she said with quiet warning. "They hate it."
Anna nodded. "You're lucky you didn't try to overthrow him."
"Why would I?!" Leonardo snapped, anger flaring in his eyes.
He shook his head, dazed. This city—no, this museum was far more dangerous than it appeared. Thinking ill of someone could get you killed? Sweat trickled down his temple.
Across the road, laughter erupted. "Don't think of the Sage anymore!" someone jeered as they passed.
Chuckles drifted on the breeze. The traffic thinned, though the stoplights still blinked dutifully.
Then came a sudden flash. A red light streaking through the sky like a comet.
"That's its final trip to the other Districts," Anna said, glancing up.
"What?" Leonardo looked at her, confused.
"All the Districts experience day and night differently," she replied.
> [Liturgy of the Hours]
Leonardo blinked. "How is that even possible?"
"Ask the Sages," she said, her voice slow and distant.
"I'd rather not," he muttered. That earned a burst of laughter from both girls.
Despite the imposing size of the stem ahead, it was just a thirty-minute walk. Anna pulled a phone from her back pocket. Leonardo's eyes locked on it, curious.
"I just realized the Era of Insurgence was a romance. Ugh. Gross," she said to Elara.
Leonardo listened, skin still tingling. _Eras are stories here... I was being read. I'm still being read._ The thought disturbed him, so he pushed it away.
But one thing fascinated him — the device in Anna's hand.
He watched her type, swipe, frown at the screen, mutter about "slow internet." A bar lowered on the screen.
Is that what determines it being 'slow'? he wondered.
As she resumed reading, he looked away.
"It communicates over long distances," he muttered, marveling. Compared to letters or town criers, this was revolutionary.
Eventually, they arrived at the Skyway Hub. It was nearly empty. The new lift was out of order, and Anna and Elara paced impatiently.
"How will we get into the Stem now? I'm not waiting hours," Elara grumbled, searching for a place to sit.
A bright star descended into the center of the platform, trailing violet light.
Anna watched it land. "How about we take that Right Star instead?"
Elara turned toward Leonardo, who stood frozen, his face pale with an unplaceable fear.
A group of strangers emerged nearby. Leonardo recognized them especially the one with the chicken-like helmet. They were from earlier.
The chicken-headed figure locked eyes with him, then started walking closer.
Leonardo's muscles tensed.
Suddenly, the Right Star's conductor announced its imminent departure.
> [Adaptive evolution taking effect]
Text danced across his vision. The girls were still debating whether to wait or board.
Without warning, Leonardo shoved them forward. "Let's enter. Now."
"Huh? Why so sudden?" Anna stumbled, catching herself against the window. For a split second, her mask slipped—Leonardo saw genuine fear in her widened eyes.
Then it vanished, replaced by seriousness. "Saw something?" she asked.
Elara steadied herself, her gaze locked on the chicken-headed figure outside. "He's not wrong," she said quietly. "We need to go."
> [Adaptive Auditory Processing (Minimal)]
"Don't trust unnaturally dressed people," Leonardo murmured, chuckling nervously as he glanced out the window.
The chicken-head man stopped walking.