Plunge — Slash — Splatter —
"Go get some rest, soldier." After striking down the last remaining Tacet Discords in the northeastern reaches of the Norfall Barrens, Kurian relieved the soldier of his post so he could recuperate.
Yet, the soldier shook his head and declined. "I appreciate the concern, Iron Hound, but I still have a fort to defend."
"And what exactly are you planning to defend it from?" Kurian asked. Only then did the soldier realize that the entire northeastern region had already been cleared of Tacet Discords. The mercenary had finished the job. Alone.
"Return to camp and report that the northeastern region is no longer a threat," Kurian said calmly before adding, "However, several generators went offline during the recent attack."
He tilted his head slightly. "How about this — head back to camp, and on your way, make sure to crank those soldier boy."
The soldier nodded and turned to leave. As he walked away, he muttered under his breath, "Must be nice, awakening as such a powerful Resonator."
Though it was barely a whisper, Kurian heard it clearly. He did not take offense. More often than not, even he attributed his strength to something simply given.
"Hm." Kurian held his sword upright before him, his grip steady as he reflected, 'Something has definitely happened to you, Death. You don't feel the same anymore. But then again… I can't confirm my suspicion at all.'
He stood there in silence as the prickling sensation intensified, whilst a dreadful realization slowly settled over him. 'My mortal senses… I'm losing my grip on it. Why?'
For someone as rational as he was, the task of making sense of this growing weakness had become nearly impossible.
Kurian could not reason why his power seemed to be slipping away, or rather, why he felt such a profound sense of alienation from it.
'It started with a simple misplacement of my fingers, but now… even my sense for battle… It's deteriorating for no reason…!!?' Kurian shook his head, forcing himself to correct that line of thought. 'No. Every manifestation has a cause. There has to be a reason. I—I just have to think hard enough.'
"Phew." Drawing in a deep breath, Kurian steadied his nerves, trying to reassure himself. 'This deterioration doesn't seem instantaneous. If I can find the cause before it consumes me, I can overcome this unprecedented calamity.'
He shifted into a stance as a horde of Tacet Discords came into view, his blade raised and ready. Then a thought intruded, unbidden. 'What if I can't find the reason before this deterioration sets in?'
"Tch." Kurian clicked his tongue, forcing the doubt aside. 'Pointless thoughts… It/ has/ not/ happened/ yet.'
The Tacetite steel flashed as he moved. Slash after slash followed, his mind cutting through the fear as surely as his blade cut through TDs.
Yet... It was in't only Norfall Barrens where Tacetite falshed, as the special guest from aether and the pretentious maniac clashed in the realm distorted with chaos: the Elysium.
Rover decided to venture beyond the city to gather clues, accompanied by Yangyang. Along the way, they crossed paths with several figures, including Master Jianxin of a Taoist sect, who joined them and guided them toward a nearby Jinzhou army camp.
It was there that Rover managed to uncover a small lead regarding mangosteen. Unfortunately, all she learned was that it was merely a fruit not native to Jinzhou, one that had to be shipped in through ports currently rendered unusable by the war.
Yet more than the clue itself, what lingered in Rover's mind were the encounters along the way. They left her uneasy. 'Did the Magistrate perhaps want me to meet certain people?'
It was certainly possible. Still, the question from yesterday refused to leave her thoughts. 'Who?'
Just then, Yangyang returned to her side. "I'm done helping the wounded," she said.
"Good work," Rover replied.
"Say, Rover," Yangyang continued, "running into Master Jianxin felt like a coincidence. But if the mangosteen points toward the war, what do you think the Magistrate is trying to tell us?"
"Perhaps she wants me to meet someone," Rover answered.
Yangyang blinked. "You've figured something out?"
"I think…" Rover went on to explain her conversation with Kurian from the day before, and how everything the Magistrate had arranged seemed less like guidance and more like bait, meant to draw someone out.
"Now that you mention it," Yangyang said slowly, "yesterday Mr. Kurian did mention fighting the Fractsidus." Her eyes narrowed. "We haven't even reached the front lines yet, but I can already smell iron in the air…"
She lifted her gaze, attuning herself to the flow around them. "I sense tension and unease. Our soldiers stationed at the borders... I hope they are okay..."
Drip —
A single raindrop fell. At the same time, a dissonant frequency rippled through the air. Rover's vision blurred as a scene unfolded before her eyes.
???: Food... Food...
She saw the Norfall Barrens. A soldier was fleeing from Tacet Discords when a woman's red silhouette appeared in the still water from which the creatures emerged.
Just as a TD was about to strike the soldier down, a thunderous roar echoed across the plains. A holographic wind dragon tore through the Discord, scattering it to nothing.
The soldier's eyes lit up. "General Jiyan!"
The man called General appeared to be in his mid to late twenties, his build lean yet powerfully muscular. He wore a modified hanfu with a high collar, blending elegance with battlefield practicality.
"Hm." Jiyan leapt into the sky, and with a sweep of his spear, the Qinglong followed his command. In moments, the remaining Tacet Discords were erased.
"Follow the Qinglong," Jiyan commanded, pointing skyward. "To war!"
"Rover? Rover?!"
"???"
Rover snapped out of the vision as Yangyang asked, concerned, "Are you okay?"
It took Rover a moment to gather her thoughts. Once she did, she explained what she had seen. Yangyang listened carefully, pointing out that the woman in red might have been a member of the Fractsidus, while the teal-hued warrior was likely General Jiyan.
Though many details remained unclear, Rover understood one thing with sudden certainty. She said firmly, "I think the answer to my amnesia lies somewhere on the front lines."
Having reached that conclusion, Rover took out the unnatural leaf. Yangyang remarked that it emitted an ominous frequency, and moments later, she felt the fluctuation shift, pointing toward Qichi Village near the Central Plains.
Naturally, the two set off in that direction soon after. Along the way, they encountered a strange Tacet Discord — a Tick Tack that seemed to possess a faint form of sentience, wandering as though lost.
Yangyang gently placed a hand on its swollen head. A rush of sorrow welled up inside her as she sensed the grief of countless intertwined souls. All she could offer the lost creature was a quiet apology. "I'm sorry."
Before long, the two resumed their search for clues. That was when they came across scorched black cards, which Yangyang immediately recognized.
She shared what she knew about the individual who might be responsible for Qichi Village's current state, introducing the maniacal Overseer of the Fractsidus, known as Scar.
"We should look for more clues," Yangyang cautioned, her tone careful. "But we need to stay on guard."
Rover nodded. She knew all too well how eccentric — and dangerous — the Fractsidus could be, especially after what Yangyang had mentioned about them the day before.
They searched the area carefully when Yangyang suddenly noticed something hidden within the shrubs. "???"
She leaned closer and reached in. There, nestled among the leaves, was a cat.
Rover's expression, which had been tense since earlier, softened slightly at the sight. But the brief calm was shattered in the next instant.
A black door materialized behind Yangyang without warning, and before Rover could react, Yangyang was pulled into it.
"Yangyang!" Rover lunged forward in alarm, but she was just an arm's length too late.
She spun around, scanning the surroundings for any trace of an assailant. Then a manic laugh echoed through the air.
"Guess you won't need my self-introduction."
Rover turned toward the voice. A slim young man stood there, his spiky hair split between white and red, his face marked by scars. His mismatched eyes — one red, one grey — peered out from beneath a vertical gash carved across his features.
He wore an open, three-collared red jacket over a grey jumpsuit. His left arm was clad in black, and golden fleur-de-lis earrings caught the light as he tilted his head. Flared white pants and black-and-red tactical boots completed the look, with the handles of several dark knives visible from his pockets.
"Aww, I spent so much time preparing it." He shuffled a deck of blackened cards between his fingers before flicking them into the air. The cards ignited mid-flight, burning instantly to cinders as he gazed at Rover with a manic smile.
The man leapt down from his elevated perch just as Rover called out, "You're Scar?"
"The one and only," Scar confirmed with a flourish.
"Where is Yangyang?" Rover demanded.
"Hm, I believe we deserve some alone time," Scar chuckled. "That girl… she would only sway your judgment."
"First, you took my friend as a hostage, and now you are talking about her swaying my resolve?" Rover spat coldly. "There's a limit to hypocrisy."
"Oh, how hurtful." Scar placed a hand over his chest in mock offense. "Don't worry. I don't plan on making you hate me just yet. She's safe… for now."
Despite the reassurance, his expression remained playfully unhinged. "I just need you to answer a few of my questions first."
Rover's gaze hardened, but Scar continued with his usual casual cruelty. "Well, let's enjoy our time together for the moment. Forget about that irrelevant person, will you? I have quite a lot to share with you."
"To begin with…" Scar stepped closer, leaning in until he was looking directly into her eyes. "I heard you've lost your memories?"
Rover remained silent at first, yet eventually, she answered. "So I have."
"Hm?" Scar blinked in surprise. "You're not even going to deny it?"
"Who knows? What do you think?" Rover challenged.
Scar's eyes narrowed slightly before he said, "No need to be so haughty. You've indeed lost your memories."
"Afterall," Scar pointed. "It makes sense, considering how fragile you were when you first woke up. Otherwise, I would have questioned the authenticity of those rumors."
"Were you the one following me last night?" Rover asked.
Scar touched his chest dramatically. "So you noticed? Aww, I'm flattered."
Rover looked at him with open disgust. Scar raised his hands lightly. "No need to be so tense. By now, you should have realized I'm merely one of the onlookers."
"But among all the onlookers," he added with a thin smile, "I'm the only one who stepped forward to meet you with absolute honesty."
"I won't deny your honesty," Rover replied, her voice steady. "But you weren't the first to approach me openly. Though that person wasn't entirely honest either."
"And who might that be?" Scar asked.
"The mercenary, Kurian," Rover replied.
"..." Scar fell silent. For a brief moment, the events of yesterday flickered across his mind, remembering that event, all he could manage was a quiet, "Oh."
To be continued...