Noah's body trembles; his mind shatters like a glass hitting a rock. The pain throughout his entire body kept growing bit by bit. His head, filled with foreign voices—foreign faces and unknown places. Some names that seemed new, and some that seemed vaguely and oddly familiar, it was as if he knew them somewhere before.
Slowly, fragments of memories—informations that he did not knew, came flooding. His house, his birthday, his personal information and everything that he didn't knew is now his new profound knowledge. Even the name of Gods, people and leaders, every piece of information that 'he' knew.
He clenched his head tightly, before slamming it hard unto the ground. This created a loud thud identical to a book being slammed unto a table. Blood and sweat as well as tears, slowly rolled down his face, his mouth drooling saliva, as he held himself together. His body and mind slowly gave up, losing consciousness on the cold rocky ground, sweating and bleeding.
After a short while of being unconscious, he finally regains control of himself, holding his head in such pain that he cannot describe.
"What had happened?" He mumbles.
He stood up, and patted the dirt off of himself before inspecting the once bleeding and split-cracked forehead.
"It's… gone?"
Tap tap tap.
He tapped his forehead as he tried to check his deep wound that magically healed on its own. As he kept on examining it, a young man that looked like he was in his early 20's appeared. He approached Noah with a worried look.
"Sir, are you okay?" The young man softly asks.
"No… I am quite alright, thank you."
For a moment, he found himself in awe at the young man's appearance.
The young man had a commanding appearance, yet an otherworldly beauty that draws attention almost instantly—his hair, silver-white, was stylishly swept to one side. His piercing, pale-blue eyes holds a cool intensity, giving him a look that is both serious and regal. His feature a chiseled and symmetrical—defined jawline, high cheekbones, and slightly arched brows that adds to his confident and almosg arrogant look.
He wears an elaborate armor in deep dark shades of blue, black and metallic silver, with intricate, almost arcane patterns etched into the plating. He saw the pattern and immediately thought of an answer, before slapping himself hard, as he returned to reality and narrowed his eyes on the armoured young man.
He noticed a glowing, crystalline motif at the center of the chestplate suggesting power or rank within the knights—at first glance, it looks like a magical ornament, but it rather looked like a crest. His pauldrons are long, ornate and sharp. This allowed him to look broad and big, as it imposed an silhouette, while the rest was tailored closely to his body, emphasizing his lean, and athletic body.
Noah, noticing something from the young man—driven by his curiousity wanted to ask him one question.
"Who are you?" He asked.
A serious and stern expression was plastered on his face. His question and tone was filled with suspicion, and doubt.
The young man responded with an elegant bow, lowering his head infront of him and crossed his arms to his chests.
"My name is Zephyr Klee, from the Klee household," His armour made a soft metal clank noise as he bowed.
"I am the Captain of the Owl Knights that serves the empire."
"Owl Knights? Oh, I apologize for my rudeness." Noah bowed back out of respect for his position.
「 The Owl Knights… was in one of my memories. They are this Empire's 107th Division of Knights that were placed in several cities throughout the Empire, although lacking members, many of them are talented, like the Captain, but I had never heard of his name… So, could I trust this man? 」
He couldn't help but sense the danger from the young man, although, he trusted him due to his status on being a Knight, especially a Captain at that. He straightened himself, and locked eyes with Zephyr.
「 I need to find out more about this world. I'll use this young man as my source of knowledge for now, I'll hide my identity. 」
Noah thought to himself, as his mind was already filled with curiosity after he stepped out the house. And now that there was someone that he could reach out to, he looked at him and asked once more. This time it was a question of curiousity, rather than a doubtful question.
"Can I ask you a question once more?"
"If there is something I could help of, then I will gladly give you the information that you need."
"Thank you. I was wondering if there was a library nearby, I am a merchant and a traveler, and I was wondering if I could perhaps read about this empire?"
"Please, follow me." He bowed gently, before walking right pass Noah.
They walk along the streets—the street lights fills the dark corners as they walk along. Noah looks stunned as those lights weren't made up by just simple electricity, rather it was something extraordinary and something beyond his wildest imaginations in his past life.
"Hey, what is that?" He pointed, as his curiousity gets the best of him.
"It's a street light, sir. Have you not seen one before?"
"Oh, no, no. I know what it is, but the inside of it, it's mechanics, tell me, how does it works?"
Noah and Zephyr walked on the same pace, as he explained carefully on how that works.
"The street lights gathers the Sun's energy during the day, as the Aether inside of it's core, absorbs it and fuses itself with the energy of the sun, that then becomes its main source of energy of the light. The Aether core is filled with Mana, and is changed once a month."
"Mana, it uses Mana?"
Zephyr nodded.
"Mechagians are the ones who handles this type of jobs."
Noah looked suprised, he had read books about 'Mana' before, although it was only a dream and a fantasy used by authors to fill their readers imagination, now, it had turned itself into reality. In excitement, he clenched his fist, and gritted his teeth.
"We're here."
Noah and Zephyr stood by the door of the Library. Slowly, Zephyr opened it, as he steps in, light automatically turned on, alerting the sleeping Librarian by the counter.
"Ah, hello! Please come in." The Librarian politely greeted us, even bowing.
Now this is how you greet a customer.
He thought. On the contrary, the Librarian wore a green long green-robe, wearing thick round eye-glasses.
"May I ask what book are you looking for?" The Librarian asked, we both took a step forward, to face him at the counter.
"I'm finding a book about this world—…"
"Oh, you're not from this continent?"
"?!"
"Yeah, I am not—"
The air got dense, the vibe in the room suddenly changed. The librarian and Zephyr stared at Noah directly in the eye.
Feeling anxious, he slowly stepped back, that's when Zephyr quickly draw out his sword and pressed it firmly against his neck. The steel coldly kisses Noah's skin. One false move, and the blade could bite deeper. A slender crimson line welled up against the silver blade.
Noah's entire body trembles in fear, not knowing what he did wrong. He was nervous to make a move, even to raise his hands up.
"Who are you, really?" Zephyr asked, his words doubtful and sharp.
Noah couldn't move an inch, he wouldn't even dare to open his mouth. This annoyed the young man, and pressed it even harder, making him bleed very fast.
"Tell me before I kill you!"
In a panic, Noah shouted and screamed on the top of his lungs.
"I-I don't know! I-I'm Noah Syl!"
Zephyr narrowed his eyes, feeling doubtful at his answer. He couldn't trust this man is what his guts was telling. One thing—there was only one thing that appeared in his mind, and that was to kill this suspicious person.
Without a second thought, he moved his blade far from Noah's neck, before he lunged it back forward, aimed at his neck, intenting to kill him.
"STOP ! ! !"
Zephyr stopped on his grounds, his blade inches away from cutting through Noah's neck. Zephyr's eyes turn as it widens. It was as if he had seen a ghost or something terrifying. He sheathes his sword, before kneeling as he trembled and sweats.
A young lady stepped in without notice. She was in her teens, close to her twenties. She wore a soft, black elegant dress, mixing well with the night as roses were patterned red on every edge of the dress. It allowed her to be well seen even in the dark.
"What do you think you're doing, Zephyr?"
The young lady walks up, as Noah sighed in relief, his neck still bleeding.
"Are you okay, Noah?" She asked in worry, her eyes wanders on his neck, inspecting the wound carefully.
After analyzing, she quickly glared back at the kneeling and trembling Zephyr.
"Do you not know who Noah is, Zephyr?"
"My lady, how could I know such bizarre man. He might be one them—!"
"Shut it, Zephyr. If you do not know who he is, then what you lack isn't experience, strength nor skill—you lack knowledge, Zephyr."
The young lady looked at Noah with a worried expression, she bowed and lowered her head gently.
"Please forgive the incompetence of my soldier, I am the viscount of this small county." She spoke in a well-mannered tone, as she lightly lifted the edges of her skirt, revealing just a hint of petticoat beneath.
"It's okay, perhaps there were just a misunderstanding. And, why are you so formal towards me?"
The young lady helded her mouth with one hand, his eyes widen in suprise.
"Oh my," she chuckles, as she stands straight, "perhaps you're not aware of your position, young master?"
"Young master? Hold on, I'm confused—what's happening?" Zephyr asked as he slowly stood up.
"The Syl family, every knowledgeable man knows who they are as perhaps the most qualified and eligible people to lead the Abyss Expedition, but they almost went extinct due to a curse brought by the Abyssal Void." The librarian answered Zephyr' question. As he looks at me with an intense gaze.
"There are only 4 members of the Syl family left, but you, Noah, isn'r mentioned there."
Noah looks confused, as he looks back and forth at the Librarian, Zephyr and at the young lady.
"My, my, you are really knowledgeable as the librarian, Lucas." she clasped her hand, before her facing turning stern.
"You do not need to know more about Noah, as of now, any information leaked outside this room will be instantly punished by the Guillotine, understood?" She smiled mischievously.
Lucas and Zephyr looked at her nervously, her smile sending shivers down their spine. This wasn't an order, it was a warning whether they wanted to live or die.
Noah looked at that smile, for a moment, he seems to be confused as soft sound of metal clanging—engines roaring kept appearing in his head. Snapping back, the lady slowly walked out of the door, acting quickly he tries to shout.
"Wait—!"
Before his voice could reach her, she had already disappeared, leaving the three of them inside the building. Zephyr looked at him, his eyes still doubtful.
"I apologize for my rude behavior, although, I still won't trust you." He said as he squinted his eyes.
Lucas, the librarian, also still in doubt of his true identity, told him one thing.
"We're still doubtful of your identity, even if the Young Lady confirmed who you are. Because the land you stand on is a place full of doubt and mystery." He snickered, a smirk was plastered on his soft and pale white face.
Lucas then pointed to the east of his perspective, showing west, "Read the books over there." he said, resting his head on his palm.
Noah walks towards the direction, as Zephyr watched feeling frustrated from what had happened. He was enraged as his sense of justice and dignity was crumpled on by a man he just met, even worse, the lady he admired, the viscount, was now looking at him with utter disappointment. He left the library with an enraged, and ferocious look. The librarian took notice of this and chuckled, before heading back to his nap.
"That fucking bastard… I'll make sure he pays for what he did to my honor."
…
..
.
Noah quietly read a book titled "The Worlds Book I." The letters on the book seemed like ancient texts, although he can read it fairly well. He learned every detail, even the alphabet, languages that he already can read—and the necessity that you need to live. There are 20 Chapters of the book. The first to five chapters of it was only about the language and letters that the people use, the sixth to the tenth chapters are about the geology of this world. The last part, that included the eleventh to the fifteenth chapter, had been torn and ripped apart from the book. This annoyed him—he felt a mix of frustration and annoyance.
Although feeling frustrated from the book, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement.
「 The Geology said that this world has mana and magic—it has the same aspects as any novel has, but the only difference is how it works. 」
He ponders to himself, as he thinks of a way to easily describe what it said on the book.
「 "Core: Every being has a core, whether be it a monster, an animal, plants nor a living human person—they all have unique cores that corresponds with the nature they are living. To put it simply: a core is a wellspring of mana mixed with soul essence inside. Using this core will defy the laws and logics of the world, creating magic and it's Three Category. The only flaw of it is—it is a double-edged sword: Overuse it then you'll risk your health, sanity or even your fundamental humanity." 」
He looked at the book in silence, trying to process every bit of information he just read.
「 So, that means…— 」
「 "There are three types of Magics that is called Branches. Derived from its word, there are roots, and there are three roots that seperates every class or the one that is called "Branch." The three main categories are the Physical, Mental, and Metaphysical. Each of them had their own branches—having classes on their own. Having to select their own category only applies to those people who are concious or having intellect such as animals, and humans. The mindless beings, the monsters or also known as 'Abyss Lurkers,' are automatically chosen by their own nature, rather than them selecting it, same goes with plants." 」
"—as expected, there is Magic!" He exclaimed excitedly, a bright and wide smile slowly formed on the corner of his lips.
「 —————」
He kept reading in silence, until he had completely finished almost-half of the book. The chair scraped against the polished floor making a faint sound as he stood up. He walks over to Lucas, whom was still sleeping soundly, snoring, and even talking as he slept. He quietly rested the book besides him.
Preparing to leave the library with a new profound knowledge, he ponders to himself for a short moment, 「 How could I have died, and wake from a foreign body? 」
After a few short while of brainstorming—he had concluded that it was because of that barrier that he somehow broke. Although unknown, that same eerie feeling of something chasing him—the same feeling of the one that he had when he was in that 'dream' was still haunting him.
He took a deep breath, contemplating whether to find work or to rest and think for a while on what to do next. He picked the second choice, since he was still new to all of this. He looked back at the library, before turning his head and heads home, worry-free
As I walk down the empty, dark road on my way home—I found something—no, rather someone—walking along the same road as me while maintaining the same pace. He was panting heavily as if he had been chased in his entire life. His face was pale, white and an expression of fear was glued all over his face. I looked at the man curiously, before asking him out of worry.
"Are you alright?"
"Huh?! Who are you, are you that monster?!" He shrieked, while holding his head in a frenzy.
I tried to console him, but as soon as my hand approached him, he flinched and took a step back, creating more distance.
"D-don't get close!" He stumbled, making him fall unto his buttocks.
Pulling out a knife out of his pocket, that he swayed around and pointed at me with such murderous intent.
"I'll kill you if you get close!"
"I'm just trying to help…"
He kept swaying the blade at me. I slowly moved forward as I tried to maintain a proper distance at him.
I tried to calm him down. It didn't work. I risked it, I took another step forward and lunged as he tried to react from my sudden movements. I barely dodge the blade, pinning him to the ground, arms behind his back.
Crack… Shatter!
…
..
Somewhere in the Owl.
As I walk down the streets, coming home from my work earlier that day, I came across a shop that sells magic oracles, or… That's what I thought.
After buying the oracle that I suppose to gift to my nephew, was a low quality one that only I could afford for now, but it had some stunning effects for a low quality one. It can stun and blind anyone for a few seconds when it senses harm, huh? That's… Good.
That's when I came across a dark alley, there was a thing standing there, it looked like a person but its shape changed to something physically impossible to any person. It… It looked at me. It's a… Lurker?!
I stepped back in shock knocking something down in the process. It made a soft banging noise but, it still attracted the Lurker.
…
.
.
Huff, huff, huff!
I was now being chased by this thing; it was a 'thing' that no one have ever heard of, no one has ever seen of but I did. I came across such monstrous being. This whole city is a mess, its security, its Knights. They are all fucking corrupt. How did that shit even pass the border?!
I was unsure of what I had encountered, but I manage to see only for a split-second of its face. Maybe, out of fear, I managed to remember it.
That 'thing' had multiple eyes, a tall like-slime creature. But it was different, slimes are mostly small and only grow larger once they evolved on their own. The color was different too. There are only 3 Color of a Slime which represents their stage of evolution; Green as the start, Yellow as its second, and Red as its last. But… It was pitch black—that 'thing' was pitch black.
I was a former Abyss Seeker… Slime, it's definely something like a slime!
I was on the run when it looked at me, I felt every demon—every monsters in the abyss stared down at my soul. Every part of its eyes looked at me, with a fericious look as if the predator has found its prey.
After running for a mile away from the danger, I had already thought that I lost that vile creature… Well that's what I had thought; the creature was right behind me as I look back. It towered over me, it's eyes looking all at me at once, as if inspecting me.
…Human…Not you…Kill…
It slowly split its body in half, a dark cavity opens within ghe shimmering goo, revealing rows of sharp, jagged teeth that gleemed an eerie light. It was this monsters mouth—it was ready to snap shut with sudden, ruthless force. The slow opening of its maw feels deliberate, predatory, and that I, was its prey.
I fell on my knees, for a short moment, my insticts bursted in, sending a surge of adrenaline throughout my entire body. The oracle that I had brought earlier came in handy; it bursted, shattering sensing that both of us, we're going to be food. It sent out a huge burst of light, blinding this Lurker for a few while.
I sought this moment to escape, quickly moving. My years of experience as a Seeker came in handy, I hid my presence and mana that was leaking all over me. It was also the probable reason why it knew where I was and quickly chased after me like a wild dog.
Looking back, that Lurker was in pain, shrieking softly, trembling uncontrollably, sending out erratic waves. It quivers and shudders, parts of its gelatinous mass stretching and retracting in sharp, frantic spasms. Without a fixed shape to plead or scream, its frantic movement becomes its language—jerky, desperate undulations, splashing softly against the ground, as if trying to escape from the pain.
I thought I won and will probably manage to escape, that's when I saw it… That bastard changed its shape again. He took the same form, a human, but this time, a young man in his early 20's. If so, I gotta be careful then, and since I don't know it's full identity yet, maybe it can mimic other people based from memory from his victims or… just pure instincts.
After running yet another mile from that monster, I was unsure on whom to trust of, since the last time I saw that 'thing' was in the form of a person, which I didn't see clearly whom or what the face looked like. But, I was sure that it was a young man…
...
..
.
"Pwuah..!"
I instictively let go of the man, as I turned my head to look back at him, shaking with fear in my eyes.
"What... kind of monster?" I questioned myself. Clenching my head as I steady my breath.
I looked back at him, slowly checking if he's still alive—and sadly, he was not. I took a moment, looking at my palms on what I just did. It was a new sensation and yet, it was also a feeling of something... familiar; something old.
I shook my head and slowly stood up, I don't know what do I do with the body, so I went back and called Zephyr back to me, at first he was suspicious of me, but as medics came and checked the man—well, interestingly the man died due to a stroke and starvation.
"Another body, huh?"
Zephyr looked at me with caution.
"I don't trust you. You appeared in the middle of a catastrophe; people were dying left and right and you—you were unharmed. How?"
'Unharmed?' Me, I'm 'Unharmed?'
"I don't get what you're saying here, Zephyr..."
Zephyr took a step forward, pressuring me against the wall.
"Don't call me that you son of a bitch. I know what and who you are. I just can't prove it."
He looked at me almost intentional as if I'd spit out information he wants, but I know nothing.
"You said you were a merchant, but a merchant doesn't emit such aura like yours. Who are you, really?"
He held me up against the wall, pulling my collar up as my feet leave the ground below. I hold his wrists in fear, shaking nervously as I might accidentally choke.
"I seriously don't know! I have no memories, I promise you!"
I said as I squirm from his grip. Zephyr looked at me dead in the eye, before loosening his grip and letting me go.
I catch some of my breath, still shaking from the fear as his killing intent fades away.
"I guess you weren't lying, huh? If you aren't a merchant then you must be an adventurer."
"I told you!" I shout loudly at him before he sighed and stylishly combed his hair with his hand to the side.
"Follow me, you're going to join the Knights order under my supervision."
"No way! I'm not doing that—"
He approached me, this time his eyes weren't just commanding me anymore, it was a threat, he had the intent to kill me again.
"That was not an order. You either join the Knights Order under my supervion, or I'll kill you and throw your body into the Abyss and watch you get mangled by those Lurkers."
He says sternly, holding my face tightly.
"Do you understand?"
"Y-Yewsh bowss!" I said reluctantly, as he let go.
"Good. Go home and take some rest, meet me tomorrow morning. Don't be late." Those last word sounded like a gun silently aiming at the back of my head, cold and fierce that could fire and kill me instantly with one wrong move.
I nodded quietly, before him leaving me in the cloudy street dust.
I lent out a sigh of relief—well it was much more of a sigh of 'victory' as I won once more against death itself. I feel like I'll need to get used to it eventually.
...
..
.
The next day and morning came along with some loud banging noises downstairs with alot of people... walking, shouting and even stomping. Downstairs—I learned something just this morning, that it was a small shop owned by the apartment owner.
"Good morning." I greeted him with a smile.
"Oh, Noah! Great timing, here."
He hands me a loaf of bread, before smiling.
"Now go earn yourself some money boy!"
He said as he spanked my ass like I was some horse. I went ahead and said my goodbye's to the old man, heading towards the Knight's office to meet the Captain.
I knocked on his door, before opening it slowly. Shockingly, his room was designed well. In the middle of this office, was well, of course, Zephyr himself; reading the daily news, Zephyr looked at me and smiled softly, as if nothing happened last night.
"Ah, good morning. That's quite rude that you went in without saying a word."
He said, in a calm manner his eyes now gentle and calm. This spooked me a-bit, hitting a nerve.
"I'm sorry, good morning, sir." I spoke in a well-mannered tone, trying to earn his respect.
"My, you aren't a member yet, kiddo. Firstly, from what you read in Lucas's library—do you know exactly what we have in this world—our own riches that even commoners have?"
I thought to myself for a second, before coming up with an answer.
"Is it the Core?" I said with doubt.
"Correct. But the books there are old, so it's some basic knowledge. I'll tell you more."
He stood up, before pulling a pocket watch.
"The Core isn't only one, but two separate entity; one being in the heart, being called the 'mana essence' and the other is in the mind called 'soul essence.' Now, the book you've read might've said they're one and it's mixed with soul essence but it was completely wrong. The guy who figured things out was the second emperor's son, named Yuki Zarashi."
He throws the pocket watch at me before I catched it suddenly vanished—turning into tiny bits of dust. This shocked me as I looked at him.
"Now, the book will say that there are three categories of magics, called 'branches' and these are...—"
He looked at me with a smirk on his face. He was asking me a question—he was asking this question.
"Mental, Physical and Metaphysical."
"Bingo! The Metaphysical types are rare. Yuki was one of them, and he was the Strongest in history to be said."
He smirks, before walking towards the window, the sun kissing his beautiful white skin.
"Each core has it's stage, we call it 'levels.' And each levels contain requirements to be passed before hopping to the next one. The highest level of Core is "Core : 10 : Beyonder,"
and well of course this was achieved only by Yuki himself. In this past decades, no one has ever come close to it."
"In this levels of Core—the higher the level—the more advance your Nexus will be. And this 'Nexus' of yours will serve as your main power."
I looked at him, before him staring back straight into my eyes.
"What is 'Nexus?'"
I asked and he looked at me shocked.
"Nexus. To put it simply—it's where you'll get your strength and magic from. If you chose the 'Mental' branch, then you'll earn a set of Nexus card—basically classes that you could pick from. And by the Nexus card you picked it'll turn into a ball; the size of a bead. Consuming it will grant you the Nexus you picked."
"So basically, Nexus and the Cores are the same; as each Core levelled up my Nexus will advance?"
"Boo! Incorrect. The Cores are your capacity and output of your magics, while the Nexus is a class that grants and earn you magic. This two are separated and so, they advance and level up differently. The Nexus will advance through some trials that occurs when certain conditiond are met. It's much like the Cores but one downfall too. You fail this Trial and you die, instantly."
He looked at me sternly, before he sat himself back down.
"Now, do you have anymore questions?"
"No, sir." I shook my head.
Zephyr looked at me with a calm and ready look before him chuckling.
"Good. Head to the lab, basement floor and knock. You'll meet Dr. Gaster our mad-scientist and lab rat."
He smiles softly, as my feet leaves the ground. The air around me forced me out of the room, before closing shut behind me.
Everything since yesterday was more bizzare than it was now, so I didn't ask any further questions and went down. A few Knights who are going to be my colleagues soon enough, greeted me.
I greeted them back and made my way downstairs into the basement.
I was now infront the basement door and also, Dr. Gaster's office. I knocked on the wooden door, before it slowly opened as a man in a lab coat welcomed me with an eerie smile.
"Welcome to my lab."