The three began walking behind Shiori and Izanai, ascending the wide, ceremonial staircase that led to the entrance of the Tower of Voices.
The steps were smooth, almost polished by time, but strangely dust-free. On each side, pillars with spirals of Ætheric energy floated slowly, like serpents of light, changing color every few seconds. It was a hypnotic and silent spectacle.
The sound of footsteps echoed softly off the high stone walls, as if the place itself were attentive to every movement.
Reika, with her arms behind her head and her eyes wandering, broke the silence:
"Excuse me, but… can someone explain to me what on earth Her Majesty said earlier? Collapse of the… 'Seven Rifts'?"
Izanai paused for a second, as if savoring the question. Then he continued walking and replied in his characteristic calm voice:
"Ah… the Seven Rifts. Of course. It was inevitable that this curiosity would arise."
Renjiro straightened up, attentive.
Takumi swallowed hard, already with a somewhat worried expression.
Izanai continued, in an almost poetic tone:
"The Seven Rifts were… primordial breaches. Cracks in the barrier between worlds. Between the human plane and the plane of Æther. No one knows exactly who or what opened them first… but we know what happened when the balance that kept them sealed was broken."
He paused briefly and looked back, directly at Reika.
"When a Rift opens… the masks sense it. The entities… whisper. But when seven Rifts opened… the world screamed."
Shiori spoke without turning around, her voice echoing off the living walls of the staircase:
"The collapse of the Seven Rifts almost destroyed the Veil. And with that, it almost extinguished the boundary between the real… and the impossible."
Reika looked at Takumi and then at Renjiro.
"But when did this happen? I mean… we lived our lives normally. Nothing collapsed on our side."
Izanai nodded slowly.
"Because Yumehara absorbed part of the impact. We sealed what could invade your plane. And we lost a lot in the process."
The three teens[1] were silent for a moment.
It was as if each step they took upwards brought them not only physically, but also closer to something they didn't want to, or weren't ready to, understand.
Renjiro clenched his fists.
"And now… is it happening again?"
Izanai looked into his eyes. That white, empty eye seemed to observe not Renjiro's face, but his soul.
"Perhaps. Or perhaps you three are the pieces on a chessboard that is now beginning to move."
Shiori stopped before the giant door of the tower.
Made of polished black stone, with a symbol engraved in the center, a broken mask, enveloped in three intertwined circles.
She placed her hand on the surface. The symbol gleamed… and the door began to open with a deep, almost organic sound.
"Enter." she said, emotionlessly. "The Order wants to see if it was worth letting you live."
The door completed its opening with a deep sound, as if an ancient lung had just exhaled. The symbol in the center disappeared… and then, the three took their first steps into the Tower of Voices.
And what they saw… stole their words.
The main hall stretched for dozens of meters, with a vaulted ceiling so high that it was lost in a light silvery mist.
From the center hung a gigantic ethereal mask, made of crystal and solid mist, changing expression slowly, as if breathing with the Æther that coursed through the air.
Cylindrical pillars of black stone supported the structure, with golden inscriptions rising up the surfaces like veins.
The walls had translucent panels where visual echoes of ancient battles could be seen: shadows fighting, masks shattering, silent screams trapped in glass.
On the floor, a triple circle of runes drawn with a mixture of light and vibrant ink pulsed slightly beneath the feet of the newcomers.
But the most surprising thing was the sound environment, despite the vastness of the space, there was no echo. The sound of their footsteps was absorbed softly, as if the tower preferred whispers to noise.
Shiori walked ahead, with her usual posture, but now… there was a certain respect in the way she stepped in that place.
She stopped in the center of the runic circle and turned to the three of them.
"Welcome…" she said solemnly, "…to the Tower of Voices. This is the base of the Tamashi Zetsumetsu, the Order to which you now belong, whether you like it or not."
The silence was soon broken by Takumi, who looked around, confused.
"Wait a minute. This is… incredible, but… where are the others? Like, if this is a base, shouldn't it be full of members? Guards? People training? I was expecting a masked crowd, I don't know…"
Izanai, as always, appeared beside him without anyone hearing him approach.
"Good question." he said, with a slight smile, his hands behind his back. "But look, Takumi, the Tower of Voices isn't a barracks. It's a spiritual node. A crossroads between planes. It only reveals itself fully to those whom the Æther recognizes as worthy. For now… it's showing you what you need to see."
Reika raised an eyebrow.
"Is that the nice way of saying we're only seeing half of it?"
"The nice… and true way." Izanai replied, gesturing slightly toward the top of the circular staircase that appeared further ahead. "But don't worry. The other members are here. Watching you. Listening."
Renjiro frowned.
"Listening?"
Izanai nodded.
"In the Tower of Voices, nothing you say is lost. It records your intentions, your tone, your silence. So… take a deep breath, think carefully, and don't lie."
Suddenly, a double door at the top of the stairs opened by itself.
A purple light escaped through the cracks, bathing the steps in a soft, and for some reason, intimidating glow.
Shiori turned, her face serious.
"The Council awaits you. Your hearing is about to begin."
Tower of Voices - Council Chamber
When the three crossed the threshold of the room, they were immediately enveloped by a dense, almost palpable aura. The air seemed heavier inside, as if words required effort to be spoken.
The walls of the space formed an irregular octagon of lightly luminescent black stone, with fractures of Ætheric light running in fine patterns like veins of crystal. In the center, on a mirrored obsidian floor, rested a massive circular table, made of an alloy that looked more like molten glass and metal. Around it, four distinct chairs, and four figures already seated.
With an almost theatrical gesture, Izanai stepped forward and said:
"Welcome to the Council Chamber of the Tamashi Zetsumetsu Order. These are the pillars of resistance of the world you tread upon. I hope you have a good memory, because forgetting these faces… is impossible."
He turned to the first figure on his right.
Akari no Hoshigawa - The Crimson Shieldmaiden
Akari was a presence that commanded respect without uttering a word. Her expression was firm, but there was something reassuring in the way she observed, as if she were the only gaze that didn't judge, only understood.
She wore a long, deep wine-colored tunic, made of thick fabric with a texture similar to dragon scales, interwoven with golden lines in the shape of solar spirals. Over it, she wore partial armor on her shoulders and chest, molded plates with ancient floral engravings, almost imperceptible except when the light hit them. On her back, a translucent cloak in shades between crimson and amber, fastened with a circular buckle in the shape of a broken sun.
Her mask layed beside her, carved from volcanic stone, with feminine features and half-closed eyes, as if observing time passing.
Her hair was bluish-black, tied in a braided bun with red ribbons, and she wore earrings with small bronze bells that jingled softly when she moved.
She spoke in a firm, low, yet captivating voice:
"You don't need to stand. But I understand if you feel small. Many do here. I am Akari. And for now… I am on your side."
Yuto Amagiri - The Solar Call
Yuto was leaning back, legs crossed on the table (which made Akari sigh discreetly). His smile was wide, almost childlike, but his amber eyes vibrated with an intensity that betrayed something deeper.
His outfit looked like it came from an ancient festival, an asymmetrical burnt-yellow jacket, open to the chest, with electric blue details that seemed to pulsate. The collar was high on one side and nonexistent on the other. Beneath him, a tight-fitting vest made of layers of reinforced fabric and loose black trousers with crisscrossing spiral straps reaching his knees. He also wore fingerless gloves studded with small fragments of Ætheric crystal.
His mask, unlike the others, hung from his shoulder like a living relic, with a wide smile drawn on it, but his eyes narrowed like a fox's.
His hair was silvery-white, spiked upwards in disarray, and he wore a blue feather behind his ear.
"Nice to meet you, little comets." he said, waving two fingers. "I am Yuto. Talk to me if you want to laugh, train… or rack your brains. The order depends on your mood."
Asuka Kirishima - The Formal Storm
Asuka sat in an exemplary manner. Her presence was impeccable, unwavering. It gave the impression that if someone breathed out of rhythm… she would notice.
She wore a ceremonial blue-gray uniform, consisting of a long, fitted coat with pointed epaulettes, decorated with silver insignia in the shape of feathers and thorns. The sleeves were fastened with black ribbons, and he wore bracelets of metallic runes on her wrists. Her fitted trousers were of polished leather, and her high boots had geometric carvings. Everything about her was symmetrical and rigorous.
Her dark lavender hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail with straight bangs. Her mask, unlike the others, was fastened at her waist, like a kind of spiritual holster. It was a mask with cold features, with very thin eyes and a sculpted scar on the right side.
She faced the three of them with her arms crossed.
"I am Asuka. Don't expect pampering, nor second chances. But if you are loyal… you will have my respect."
Reika lowered her eyes.
Takumi whispered
"She's scarier than my physics teacher…"
Ryo Itsugami - The Silent Echo
Ryo lay on his side, his chin resting on a pillow strangely placed on the table. One eye was half-open, the other covered by a long fringe of silver hair.
His attire consisted of a black and dark purple kimono, but with a peculiarity, the sleeves were absurdly long, almost touching the ground, and his broad shoulders were covered by a translucent blanket that fluttered with his movements. The kimono fabric was covered in spiral symbols that seemed to disappear and reappear depending on the angle.
His mask was… where?
Ah. On his back. Attached by a white band, crookedly. A mask with one eye closed and the other half-open, with a silver tear carved into it.
He looked at the three young people as if he had just woken from a strange dream.
"Ryo. Delighted, I suppose." He made a drawn-out gesture with his hand. "If you survive Asuka and Yuto's jokes… maybe we can exchange ideas. Or not. It depends on my mood."
Izanai laughed, crossing his arms.
"As I said… unforgettable. And now, sit down. You came seeking answers, and they… are ready to give you some. Or at least… the ones they can."
The silence weighed heavily.
Renjiro, Reika, and Takumi were still standing in the doorway of the room, their eyes fixed on the four figures seated before them. It was as if they had entered a strange dream, or an ancient court where judges wore ceremonial robes and spoke with centuries of weight in their words.
The three said nothing. They didn't even know what to say.
The only things that could be heard were the soft tic-tic of the Æther structures spinning across the ceiling and a light breath that seemed to come from the walls themselves, as if the Council were inside the lungs of an ancient entity.
Asuka sighed, arms crossed.
With a swift movement, she ran his fingers through her bangs with calculated arrogance, like someone preparing to say something cutting. But when she did…
Shrrt.
Her hair changed color.
In an instant, the black strands turned silvery-white, and two curved protrusions emerged, discreet but visible, from her head, two small onyx horns that reflected the room's light with a sinister gleam.
Renjiro's eyes widened.
Takumi took a step back.
Reika didn't disguise her nervous yawn.
"She… has horns?" Takumi murmured, his mouth almost closed.
Izanai laughed.
"Ah. Yes, I forgot that little detail. Asuka… likes to keep up appearances. That was just a disguise. The black hair was an enchanted wig because, in her words, 'I don't want the idiots to know I'm special.' But the white? That's the real thing. And the horns? Well… let's just say there are bloodlines in Yumehara that aren't exactly human."
Asuka slowly turned her head toward the group.
Her gaze was piercing. It was like a knife carefully choosing where to strike.
And before anyone could react… she stood up from her chair.
Her ceremonial uniform slid gracefully, and the metallic sounds of the notches on her ankles clinked.
With controlled steps, Asuka crossed the room and stopped right in front of Renjiro. Her eyes scanned him like a scanner. From head to toe. Shamelessly.
Renjiro froze.
"W-what's wrong? Do I stink?" he asked nervously, looking at his own sweaty shirt.
She didn't answer. She just ran her index finger along his sleeve, watching particles of Æther float lightly from his skin.
"Interesting…" she murmured.
Then he turned to Takumi.
She approached like a panther, leaning slightly, her eyes half-closed.
Takumi tried to maintain his composure, but his hand in his pocket trembled slightly.
"You too… have potential. But you're out of sorts. Your Æther flow is… agitated. Too impulsive."
Reika, seeing that she would be next, took two steps back.
"If you come near me with that demonic surgeon look, I'll bite you."
Asuka ignored her.
She approached anyway, leaning close to the girl's face, observing the gleam in her eyes, as if reading the secrets in the reflections of her irises.
"You're the most stable of the three. But also the most… stubborn. Good. That could be useful."
Reika blushed, but remained firm.
"If you sniff me again, I swear that…"
Asuka recoiled. Then she turned to Akari, a slight smile playing at the corner of her lips.
"They're green. But promising."
Akari stood up, finally about to say something.
"Asuka, I was going to say th-"
"Relax, sis. I just wanted to see if they weren't just straw with a mask."
Akari sighed, running her hands over her golden cloak.
Yuto chuckled from across the table.
"She likes to intimidate. But it's just her tsundere way of operating. Get used to it."
Ryo, still lying down, waved his hand as if he were swatting away mosquitoes:
"If she smelled you and you're still alive, it's because you have a future."
Renjiro, Takumi, and Reika stood there, half-blushing, half-dazed, trying to understand what on earth had just happened.
[1] Renjiro and Takumi are 16 years old and Reika is 17.