"Hey—who are you?" Kat asked, tilting her head at a curious angle.
Remy was stunned.
"I… I'm Remy," he stammered.
"Let us in, brat," Tear said, stepping past her into the room.
Remy followed, his eyes widening. The space glowed with a warm orange light from gas lamps hanging beneath a golden chandelier. Portraits lined the walls, their eyes following him with silent judgment.
Bookshelves towered at the far end, crammed with volumes. Remy froze—he had never seen a book up close before, save for the one the priest would read during church masses, let alone an entire shelf full of them.
From the far end of the hall, two more figures emerged from the shadows.
"Yeah… the good-for-nothing care take is back, I thought you had died out there, Tear," one of them said, his tone half-scolding, half-relieved.
"Oh my, such a foul-mouthed child, clearly rabble," Tear teased, his fingers daintily covering his mouth in mock offence.
"I'm not a child," the boy snapped. "I can finally control the Mystic perfectly now!" His voice swelled with pride.
"Yes, yes—Clara told me," Tear replied, waving it off. "Now, come closer. We have a newcomer I would like to introduce you to."
The two figures approached, their steps echoing against the polished floor.
Their eyes locked with Remy as they approached; they were more polished, but Remy could tell they were both boys around his age.
"This here is Remy. He'll be joining us from now on," Tear said, gesturing toward him.
Kat's gaze hadn't left Remy since they'd entered, and her unwavering stare made him uneasy.
He wasn't used to people staring at him back in his hometown; everyone minded their business, so this interaction was quite odd for him.
He tried to hide, but this time there was nowhere to.
"I miss my mask," he thought, his eyes darting around.
"And this here," Tear continued, "is Chadwick. You can just call him Chad, I can say with absolute certainty he is one brightest minds I have ever come across.
Chad wore an orange hooded coat, patched in several places from long use. Beneath it was a loose brown jacket, the same earthy tone as his oversized trousers. A black bracelet with a large emerald hung from his wrist. His curly hair framed his warm, brown skin, and the beginnings of a beard darkened his cheeks.
His eyes glowed vibrant green.
"Hello there," Chad said.
"Hi," Remy replied.
"And finally, this is Charles."
Charles was about the same height as Remy, but broader on the shoulders.
His short silver hair was slicked back neatly, and a single scar cut across one of his sharp green eyes. His clothing echoed Tear's style almost exactly—save for the deep purple fabric that dominated his outfit.
Charles met Remy's gaze with an unblinking stare.
"What's with this guy? Does he want a fight or something?" Remy thought, narrowing his own eyes in return.
"Oh-ho, easy now," Tear said, stepping between them. "Why don't you go get dinner ready? We're famished."
The three children slipped away toward another part of the house, disappearing behind one of the many doors that lined the hall. Each door seemed to lead somewhere different, some to brightly lit rooms, others to dim corridors that twisted into darkness.
Now alone, Tear threw himself onto a nearby sofa with a dramatic sigh.
"What a messed-up day, ha."
Remy took the seat opposite him.
Between them sat a low table bearing a silver tray and a steaming kettle.
"Tea?" Tear offered.
"No," Remy said flatly. "Now tell me—where is my mother?" His voice was tight, deliberate.
"Well," Tear began, pouring himself a cup, "even if I told you, there's nothing you could do about it right now." He paused, watching the steam curl from his tea.
"But… I know you won't be satisfied with that answer, so I'll tell you. Your mother was captured by a Saint, though I'm not too sure which one it is. She's somewhere in the capital." He paused, studying Remy.
"Don't even think about it, though, going there alone would be suicide. If I were to give you my advice? Work with us. Soon, we'll be striking the capital, and then you'll have your chance to rescue her."
"If you join us, we'll even teach you to defend yourself properly with Mystic, instead of the half-hazard, borrowed force you were using there."
Tear's gaze lingered on him. If he tries to force his way into the Capital, maybe he'll make it to the gates and force his way through using that power of his. But at the rate his body's breaking under it… He'll die before he even reaching the City Square.
Remy stood in silence, his thoughts heavy.
"What exactly is it that you do?" he finally asked.
"We deal with worldly issues both seen and unseen," Tear said, setting his cup down. "Our goal is to ensure humans live as humans, not as livestock for the Celestials and the other forces out there. We will bring a new dawn to this world." Tear said, smiling softly.