Tales From the ManaVerse

Previous Chapter

Hello again, my beautiful readers. Ezekiel Ratakana here aboard the Virn. That was quite the spot we found ourselves in last time, wasn’t it? Almost seemed like we wouldn’t come out the other side. But here we are, living the life. 

The Virn is a fine ship, the very best of Cirlce technology and design, marrying comfort and capability without peer. Take my cabin, for example. I turn my head as best I can to sweep my eyes across the small bit of ceiling and walls available. From here in this infirmary bed, it isn’t much. They are cold and bare, and the only furniture is the beds, all empty save mine.

I couldn’t be more pleased with my accommodations. The service is sublime. I get regular meals delivered straight to my bedside. Maya, the Seaker medic, is also an excellent chef if you’ll believe it. She’s looked after my every need without fail since the moment I checked in.

As if summoned, a smooth feminine voice chimes in my head, ‘Mr. Ratakana,’ Maya says, ‘your mid-Stan is medication ready.’ Lending truth to her words, a small Grav-droid floats into the room with two items on a silver plate mounted atop it. It deposits them onto my bedside table to the harmonized hum of its Gravgem and propulsion engine before floating right back out the way it came.

One of the items is a glass containing water. The other is a Nutrinject syringe containing a strangely multicolored syrup. I slowly climb onto my elbows and take the syringe in hand. I give it a shake, watching the syrup clinge to the glass windows before sliding away as if repelled and returning to the bottom, leaving no residue at all. 

This particular accommodation has put me in quite the spot. The help tells me the medicine assists with recovery from ManaBurn. Ridiculous. I can’t Burn. I don’t have a System. 

But how else to explain what happened?

Whatever happened when Rena reacted to the Invigo, it nearly killed both me and Eren. Looking over the Scrio, we came pretty close. And if I had to guess what Burn felt like, that would be it. It’s almost enough to scatter a man’s envy of Mages. To deal with that every time… I should be grateful I don’t even have the option.

But it’s difficult not to wish for a System, knowing what they do, and knowing that it would protect me from the poison the good Captain has been feeding me. I swirl the syrup again, my ARRC furiously collecting data. There is liquid Mana in this. It is hidden well and in a negligible dose, but I am certain. The Captain would not pass up an opportunity to offer gifts to a SoulBorn, especially a Legend, and I’d be surprised if he gave any thought at all to how it would affect me.

With a sigh, I pull my shirt collar aside to reveal a small hole of Omnisteel just above the collarbone. The syringe fits it perfectly. No sooner have I pushed them together than the syrup is coursing through my veins, chilling every centimeter of my body within moments.

It’s quite a clever ploy, to be honest. At this point, we both know the Burn poses a much greater risk to me than a bit of Wilt. I can’t afford to ignore it. Even if it is something else entirely, it’s too similar, and having it occur where it should be impossible makes it that much worse.

Plus, Rena will benefit from it. Ever since she appeared, it’s been one surprise after another, each more impossible than the last. She’s got me questioning everything I thought I knew. I haven’t felt so lost and excited in a long time. 

Brefalac. He’s the only one that could’ve made her. But how? The Archive should be able to get us some answers, but what about after that? What if it can’t? Should we go to the Blue Forge? If anyone can find these answers, it’ll be the Cobalt Tail, and if anything is going to entice her out of her infamous seclusion, it’ll be a born Legend. 

But the Imperial Capital is, well, deep inside Imperial territory. I’ll need the proper permissions to move freely… Which I can get at the Archive. But then transport will be difficult… except the Star Rail runs a major line directly between Kalphinax and the Archive… And the Seakers are, of course, bringing us directly to the Archive… where we will part ways once our business concludes…

How very annoying. I reflexively rub a hand down my face and heave a frustrated sigh. It would be so easy to get there. It wouldn’t take more than a few Stans of waiting after that, and we’ll have all the answers to this little mystery. Only… I’m not sure I could handle more than a few Micros around those zealots. 

How much longer is it going to take? The Archive is only a Sector over from the Echoes.

“Maya,” I say impatiently.
‘How can I help you, Mr. Ratakana?’ Maya chimes.
I ping, ‘What is the Virn’s progress toward the Archive?’
‘We are making good progress, sir. We’ll arrive at the Archive in due time.’
‘Be more specific, please. How many Cycles will it take?’
‘I’m afraid giving you that information would jeopardize our security protocols, Mr. Ratakana.’
‘Maya, Could you at least tell me if we’ve been delayed at all? I’m catching a fever laying in this bed.’
‘If you need treatment for an additional illness, I am happy to assist you. I’ll send in a Droid to begin a diagnosis-’
‘That won’t be necessary. It was simply an expression.’
‘Very well. To ease your proverbial fever, I can tell you that we have progressed on schedule with no delays. Do you need anything else?’
‘That will be all, Maya. Thank you.’

Maya is also the navigator and the head of security while Captain Cross is aboard. I should probably mention that she is the Captain’s Intangent. She’s a tough nut. I can hardly get anything out of her. The girls can’t get anywhere with her, either. She’s shut down every attempt to connect with an external signal, no matter how small.

Speaking of the girls, I just entered a Flux, so it shouldn’t be long now before I hear from-

‘MY GOD WOULD YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!?’ right on, cue Rena’s voice rattles my skull, and I can guess who she is screaming at.
‘Rena, please. I am just trying to help you.’ Eren, pleading. Again.
‘I don’t need your help, and I don’t want it. Go away.’
‘Can I at least watch you to make sure you do it right?’
‘Why? I did perfectly fine on my own in the SinCatch. You don’t need to hover over my shoulder all the time.’
‘What seems to be the problem, girls?’ I ask, if for no other reason than to stem the tide of rage and desperation washing over me. 
‘I’m trying to work, and Eren won’t leave me alone long enough to do it,’ Rena says without hesitation.
Eren does hesitate, no doubt wishing she could hide her need to collect her nerves, before saying, ‘EZ, Rena is working on her avatar again. I would like to help her, but as you can no doubt tel,l she is adamantly opposed.’
‘Why the change of heart, Rena,’ I ask, ‘You were happy for her help before.’
‘Well, I’m not now. I can do it fine on my own,’ Rena says with a huff.
‘EZ, I just want to make sure nothing goes wrong. She is altering systems crucial to our routine function.’
‘I’m not going to break anything. I’ve handled worse things than this before. Why can’t you just trust me?’
‘Rena, I do trust you. I’m trying to be cautious. These systems are delicate and easily damaged, even by accident.’
‘I’m not going to damage anything, not even by accident. I know what I’m doing, and I’m being very careful. Just let me do it.’
‘EZ, please,’ Eren says after a heavy sigh. ‘Tell her she can’t just do whatever she wants.’
‘Rena,’ I say almost in reflex, ‘you-’ And suddenly, I feel a heavy weight fall upon me. I do not know why, but something deep down tells me to take extreme caution in how I respond to this. It’s a rather strange feeling that I don’t recall ever having before. How should I proceed? What information do I have to work with? It seems Eren is worried Rena needs supervision. Rena can clearly be trusted with important tasks, given recent events. Eren does not know that, however. She locked herself in a Logic Cage. Rena might also be out of her depth in this. The systems she is handling are far more delicate than those she did on Gherdan, and a second perspective would simply be prudent.
‘I what, Izy?’ Rena says, interrupting my thoughts.
‘You…’ Never more than now have I wished the Flux slowed my Intangents as well, ‘You should at least hear her out. Perhaps there is a way to compromise.’ 
‘We don’t need to compromise, Izy. I can handle it.’
‘I am sure you can. You proved yourself reliable on Gherdan, and I’ll not soon forget that. Even still, just because it worked out in the past doesn’t mean it will work out every time.’
‘But Izy~’ Rena whines.
‘Think about it for a moment, Rena. Try to see things from Eren’s side. She was locked in a Logic cage the entire time. She hasn’t had a chance to see you operate.’
‘But she has. We had to work together to wake you up after the Seakers’ ambush. And we worked together on our avatars before that. She knows what I can do.’
‘Maybe. She just isn’t convinced yet. Third time’s the charm and all that.’
‘Why are you taking her side, Izy? I just want some time to myself. Why is that such a fucking problem!?’

A pulse of anger washes over me. Where it came from, I have no clue, but I suddenly recall the blinding flames that put me in this infirmary bed and the Mana Ignition in the cave before that. Rena’s emotions carry a certain danger with them. I have to help her remain level or… I dearly hope the Seakers don’t keep Mana anywhere nearby. 

‘Would you like to leave?’ the question lingers in the sudden silence that follows it. Eren said it so shortly that I feel unsure I heard her correctly.
‘What?’ Rena manages, her voice stunned and weak.
‘You want freedom, right? Some time for yourself?’ Eren continues, unfazed. ‘You’re an Intangent. You could just leave.’
‘But…’
‘But nothing. You aren’t the only person living in this body, girl. If you can’t at least compromise with us, then leave.’
Every word Eren speaks brings a wave of pain, dread, and fear from Rena. The space almost seems to grow darker from it. ‘Eren!’ I say sharply. ‘That’s enough.’
‘Am I wrong, EZ? If she feels so stifled, she should go find someplace more accommodating. Our way of life got upset the moment she showed up and-’
‘That doesn’t matter!’ I say, my own rage mounting. ‘And even if it did. This is not the way to handle it. You, of all people, know how dangerous it is for an Intangent to leave their host without a place to go. A Q-Virus will be on her in moments. I’m not a tyrant. “Fall in line or die” is not an option for any of us!’
Silence. It lingers, long enough to make room for the tension to deflate. After a while, Eren speaks again. ‘You’re right,’ she says. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘I believe Rena deserves an apology as well.’
I feel a wave of frustration from Eren, but she reins it in and says, ‘I’m sorry, Rena. Please forget I said that.’
Rena makes no reply. ‘Good,’ I say. ‘I think we could all use a bit of space now.’

‘The Gatekeeper,’ Eren says, ‘Terrifying and beautiful, as always.’

She is right. Outside the Omniglass window, a storm rages. “The Gatekeeper” some call it, the first major obstacle to entering the Archive, at least once you’ve actually arrived on the planet. There is no land on the surface of Achrimerus, only a vast and endless ocean churned by an equally vast and infinite storm. 

Through the wind and the rain, I watch as a monstrous wall of water, easily hundreds of meters tall, crashes into the Coil far below us. With a thunderous groan of spring and steel the Coil’s stormwall buckles. Recoiling under the weight and pressure of billions of liters of water it desperately holds the line against the planet’s wrath. 

The wave splits. The stormwall seizes its opportunity and pushes back, slicing right down the middle. Each new half of the wave deflects off the giant curved slab, sliding past and around, on toward the next Coil and, hopefully, a weaker obstacle. Victory goes to the stormwall. 

The Coils are a marvel of engineering. The energy of that impact will power this one for many Subs. And another wave is already on its way in. The stormwall will meet it, as it has untold times before. The way it splits the waves rather than dispersing them allows them to hold momentum and carry energy to other Coils all the way around the planet’s surface buried deep, like a network of pins in a cushion. Some part of that last wave will be right back here in a Stan or two, ready to retry its hand. It will never realize how trapped it is. It will never know how the Coils take only just enough from it to keep it from ever posing a real threat.

‘Alright, people,’ Captain Cross chimes in my head. ‘We’re moving.’ Finally. The second major obstacle to entering the Archive is the paperwork. The Virn drifts forward. Outside, a film-like layer of energy slides across the window. It wipes away all traces of The Gatekeeper, waves, rain, and all, revealing a mechanical entrance tunnel. 

I love ZKMs. They have a neat little habit of making either side feel like separate worlds. Passing through them always sends a pleasant thrill up my spine, like I’m embarking on a brand new adventure.

‘Izy, hold out your hand.’ Rena pings. It’s an odd request, but I follow it anyway. What’s the harm? No sooner have I done so than a small object appears in my palm. A girl. She stands there, hands on hips, grinning at me as if being only a few centimeters tall were just a normal thing. Her short hair, loose blouse, tight shorts, and tall boots speak volumes to how she wants to look the part of an adventurer from some romantic story. 
‘Well?’ Rena doing a little spin. ‘What do ya think, Izy? Isn’t it great?’ I realize with a start that I can feel the movement. She’s managed to add another sense to the avatar.
‘That’s… Wow, Rena. That’s wonderful…’ I manage, vaguely recalling something akin to excited terror the last time she did this.
‘It is? Yes!’ she shouts and runs up my forearm. Each step presses into my skin. My body fully believes that it is holding a tiny Human girl on its arm right now. She weighs about exactly as much as should be expected for something that size… but she has weight. Oh dear. This might cause me to lose touch with reality… I am no longer simply recalling that excited terror.

Rena climbs up the rest of my arm and sits down on my shoulder, legs hanging out over open air, tiny brow furrowed as she fidgets at my shirt. I barely even register that the shirt does not react to her touch.  

‘You shouldn’t do that, Rena,’ I say without thinking. ‘You might fall.’
She looks up at me, eyes wide with questions. ‘What?’ then she floats up off my shoulder and directly in front of my face. ‘This is just an avatar, Izy. I don’t think that will be a problem.’
Wonderful. That didn’t take any time at all. ‘Oh. Right. Nevermind. Has Eren…’
‘No. I haven’t.’ Eren says curtly. Rena crosses her arms with another pout and floats back down onto my shoulder.
‘I see,’ Even without the wave of agitation, it’s clear she doesn’t want to elaborate. I really wish they could just get along…

The tunnel opens into a large chamber, small for a ship dock, with only enough space for five or six vessels. A service dock, I’m sure. Not meant for patrons. Arranged on the platform below is a line of enormous magvices. The Virn descends toward the nearest one. The magvice emits a deep mechanic hum as we approach, and the ship halts, held in place via magnetic force.

‘Get off my ship,’ Captain Cross commands. I turn away from the window and step into the nearby airlock. The door has barely closed behind me before the floor drops away. I take special care to remain perfectly still as the elevator descends through the ship’s hull onto the platform below. The lift has no guard rails. A ZKM trails behind the small steel panel, stretching into an impromptu guide column that should keep me from a premature exit, but best not to risk it.

‘Oh wow!’ Rena chimes. ‘Izy look!’
‘Rena,’ I ping. ‘What is it?’
Rena points from her perch to the lifts ZKM. In the altered timing of the Flux, it has adopted a rainbow sheen across the surface. ‘The barrier, Izy. It’s all different colors.’
‘That’s right,’ I say. ‘You see those ripples on the surface? Some ZKMs act almost like a liquid. Stretching it out like this makes it refract light, not enough to notice on my end, but at the speed of an Intangent…’
‘Oh! That’s awesome.’ Rena says. She sighs, smiling, watching the different colors creep their way across the ZKM.

I linger in the Flux for a moment, watching, remembering a time when I was filled with just as much wonder over something that now seems so commonplace.

The ZKM vanishes as the elevator comes to a stop on the platform. I step off and look around. The Seakers gather under the Virn’s nose, exiting the ship by whatever method was readily at hand. My guard steps off his airlock elevator next to me, two others stroll down the cargo ramp on the ship’s opposite side, and the rest use the bridge-side elevators. 

The panel behind me rises into the air. From beneath, I can see the rudimentary GravGem embedded in the bottom side, protected by the base layer of the ZKM. It glows and hums as it re-enters the Virn’s hull, and a pair of shutter doors close after it with a whoosh that almost sounds like a goodbye.

I have hardly any time to think about that before a hand on my back urges me forward. We head toward the personnel door farther into the platform, connecting with the other Seakers on the way. Once everyone has cleared the ship and its magvice, a large mechanism activates behind us. I turn to see the ship descending beneath the floor, toward parking storage, no doubt.

The guard catches my eye as I return forward. “So,” I say, “Ready to tell me your name yet?”
With his helmet on, it’s difficult to gauge the man’s mood but the most likely guess would be agitated. They always seem agitated. “No,” he says. Ever the professional. 
“7:25,” Captain Cross says aloud. “Late.” He seems ready to scream at someone. And, of course, he looks at me. “Mine is the only name you need to know for now, Mr. Ratakana.” Then he falls silent, and I can guess it’s because he hears the same voice I do. Saved by the bell. 
‘Welcome back, Mr. Ratakana,’ it chimes. ‘I am glad to see you again. You bring… interesting company this time. Do you require assistance?’
‘Thank you, Lucan,’ I ping, ‘but no; nothing within your jurisdiction, at least.’
‘I see. Very well. And Mistress Eren. Bright as ever. Has Mr. Ratakana been behaving?’
‘Hello, Lucan.’ Eren chimes. ‘Yes, he’s been doing his best… Latel,y I’ve been the one making trouble.’
‘Oh dear,’ Lucan says, ‘if you wish to talk about it. I am always available.’
‘Thank you, Lucan, but now isn’t a good time.’
‘As you wish. If you change your mind, I am always available.’ Lucan pauses for a beat, as if unhappy with his own words, then continues, ‘Mr. Ratakana, the good Captain tells me of an agreement between you. Is there any other business I should prepare for while you are here?’
‘Not right now, Lucan,’ I say. ‘My interests align with the Captain’s for the moment.’
‘Then we have no need for hasty planning. Very Good.’ As Lucan speaks, my senses return to the outside. The room, bent and stretched into a cartoonish image of itself, begins to gradually compress. The Flux plays with the way Protorgs and Intangents perceive space and time, particularly time, allowing them to interact in otherwise impossible ways. Such major alterations to the natural world inevitably come with side effects. This is my least favorite one.
Lucan continues as the room, and everything else returns to its normal state. ‘I will keep the channel open to ease our communication. Feel free to call upon me at any time.’

Freed from the Flux, we continue along one side of a wide hallway lined in unadorned Omnisteel. The bulk of the space belongs to a traffic zone for CargoDroids with little more than a guard rail between us. The zone is empty. We are the only ones using this platform, and not a single Droid, not even a small one, is in sight. It doesn’t feel right. The Archive can sustain a population of billions with relative ease, but it lacks a great deal. The Gatekeeper makes food production difficult, and imports are in constant demand. For even one supply route to have no traffic at all…

The Captain stops before the doors of an elevator and pounds the button to indicate we’re going up. We pile in. There is just barely not enough space to be comfortable. After a great deal of fidgeting and shuffling, I manage to find a position in which I’ve only got one shoulder pad poking into my ribs. I swear Seakers would wear their armor into bed if they could. We’re in the biggest library in the galaxy. The literal center of Collective society. It’s difficult enough even to bring weapons onto the planet. Exactly what threats are they afraid of inside a Coil?

‘Oh. I nearly forgot,’ Lucan says suddenly. ‘The guest of honor, and shining rather brightly herself. Would you care to introduce us, Mr. Ratakana?’
‘Of course,’ I say. ‘Rena, come out and meet Keeper Lucan.’
A moment of hesitation passes before Rena chimes timidly, ‘Hello, Keeper Lucan.’
‘Hello, dear girl,’ Lucan says. ‘It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Lucan. You are?’
‘Rena.’
‘Rena. That is a lovely name. Held by many great heroes of history.’
‘Really!? Do you know any?’
‘Why, there is Rena the Tall who stood up to a tyrannical warlord in defense of her home. And there is Firespark Reana, a great Mage of old who provided priceless insight into the use of ManaMagic’s Energy Port. Dureng’Rena was a Traskan medic who saved so many lives during her time that they, quite literally, lost count. And Renallan of the Storm who-’
‘Wait! How do you know all of this? None of those people seem connected by anything more than a naming pattern…’
‘My dear girl,’ Lucan says with a chuckle, ‘What do you know about this place?’
‘Not much, to be honest. It’s some kind of famous data storage. And we’re supposed to be able to find out who I really am.’
Lucan chuckles, ‘That is entirely possible, yes. Many mysteries have been unraveled through the ages thanks to the facilities provided here. And yes, in technical terms, the Archive is a hub for storing data, a DataPlanet, as its creators called it. I prefer to call it a library.’
‘Izy called you “Curator”…’
‘Izy? How amusing… That’s right, I am the Curator. I oversee the entire operation to ensure everything runs efficiently.’
‘Yet you still have the time to greet guests personally?’
Lucan chuckles again, more warmly this time. ‘You are quite astute, Rena. That is good. Nurture that part of you, and it will take you very far. You are correct. Most of those in positions like mine have an endless deluge of decisions and situations to manage. The data they must contend with swells to match their cognitive capacity, and they cannot pay due attention to every creature that enters their space. While my situation works similarly, I admit I am a bit of a special case, something I sense we have in common. You see, the advancement of technology has allowed me to automate the facility so efficiently that I need only pay most of it an occasional passing glance, and infrequently at that. Even should something go horribly wrong, the necessary corrective action is also largely automated. In addition, I am capable of unimaginable cognitive output. For example, assuming I do nothing else, I can effectively hold simultaneous complex conversations with more intelligent Protorgs than can comfortably fit within this facility.’
‘Holy shit!’ Rena gasps in awe.
‘Thank you, Rena,’ Lucan chuckles yet again. ‘That is a fine complement.’
‘How many people are you talking to right now?’
‘Not including yourself and your guardians, there are currently six thousand four hundred and fifteen Bravitons present within the Archive. I am not speaking with each of them at the moment, but should they all need me at once, they can speak my name, and I can answer their requests immediately without you noticing.’
‘So few…’ Eren mutters sadly.
‘Yes. It is quite a shame,’ Lucan says. ‘The popularity of my services has been declining for some time. Each Cycle brings fewer guests, and I doubt the trend will alter any time soon.’
‘Can we help you somehow?’ Rena blurts out.
‘Being present now is helpful enough, eager Rena. Guests breathe life into my Archive with their every step. But you, in particular, I will say, are expected to be of great help. Can you guess why?’
‘Is it because no one knows what I am?’ Rena says flatly, clearly reluctant to say it aloud.
‘Precisely. Very good.’ Lucan says, ‘You are an enigma, Rena, an unmapped datapoint in our knowledge of SoulBorn and Intangents.’ A wave of melancholy washes over us, and Lucan apparently feels it, too. ‘Oh, I do apologize if my enthusiasm chafes. I didn’t realize you find it a sore subject.’
‘It’s fine.’
‘Very well,’ Lucan says slowly. ‘Mr. Ratakana, I trust you and your companions know the way. I have nearly finished preparing and await your arrival. Please let me know if you require anything else.’
And with that, he is gone.

As if on cue, Captain Cross finishes his own exchange with Lucan, and the elevator doors slide open. I stagger through with a groan, rubbing the soreness from my ribs. We’ve arrived at the visitor dock many floors above. It is slightly larger, with a handful more landing zones, all empty save for one. That the magvice has not spirited the ship away suggests its owners will not be staying long. So, why did we not just use this dock and spare ourselves the trouble?

The Seakers shuffle past me on their way toward the entrance hall. One of them chuckles, issuing a quick apology. The high, cavernous steel ceiling slopes downward as we travel, gradually giving way to thick beams of deep brown arranged in a way that reminds me of my pain. In most places, the beams would be Omniwood, but this is the Archive: it could easily be real. Hopefully, I’ll remember to ask about it this time. 

Ahead, the slope meets an open wall supported by a line of thick round pillars of white marble decorated with intricate patterns of gold and silver. A line of gold runs along the floor between the pillars, separating the steel on this side from the marble tiles on the other. The air above it shimmers with each step we take. The Doorman. Once we cross through, we’ll officially be guests of the Archive.

Captain Cross stops before the central pillar. Mounted into it at head height is a plaque bearing an inscription. “To all those who come seeking knowledge,” he reads, “may you find here the honor of a king so long as your path holds true. To all those who have fallen from the path, may you find it again with our aid. To all those who would disrupt the path of another without reason or cause, may you find here all that you deserve.”

The moment he speaks the final word, the Doorman shimmers. A streak of light glides across its entire surface. Only after reading the inscription aloud may a guest pass. Until then, the Doorman would reject even the Infinity Dragon himself.

Our feet strike the marble with sharp reports that tug at the tingle in my skin. They retreat into the cavernous air, disrupting the peace of its silence. This place can hardly called a room. It’s more like a town square with an artificial sky. Smaller sub-chambers line the walls on either side of us, creating a wide hallway leading to a central circle beyond, like the buildings on a street. Their roofs stand tall, gently curving backward as they rise into the walls of the main chamber as if each were a fruit growing from a great tree. At the top, the wooden beams sprout from the towering walls to meet at the center of the ceiling, far ahead of us, where they support a great glass dome, framing it, drawing the eye to it and the mind-bending beauty of the Indigo Abyss beyond.

As it reaches the first sub-chamber, the marble floor morphs into a cobblestone street. Above each door, a sign of smooth holographic light hangs out on the street, displaying both an illustration and a name—apparently an ancient practice from long ago. “Every detail is of the utmost importance,” Lucan often tells me. 

Many of the sub-chambers display reception lounges as we walk past them, with cozy lighting and cozier seating, wood floors, coffee tables, and stacks to peruse. Each even has a full cafe and bar manned by a ServingDroid to complete the atmosphere. The open doors and stylized windows shimmer with the strong light from outside. More ZKMs. Likely blocking all light and sound from creeping in, creating perfect isolation to keep their patrons at peace.

The rest have a variety of wares on display in their windows, everything one might need to maintain a comfortable life here. Every Coil on the planet is like this, housing multiple towns on its many layers carefully designed to accommodate. Using the Archive is free, but if one wishes to remain indefinitely, they will not be able to sustain themselves on knowledge alone. So Lucan allows select merchants who have earned his trust to provide goods and services to support these small communities. 

But just as it is out here, so too are these rooms empty and void of life, meticulously maintained, awaiting visitors that no longer seem to exist.

I would say it’s just a coincidence -Captain Cross chose one of the more out-of-the-way docks to ensure we arrived as unnoticed as possible- but Lucan already confirmed the reality of it. Six and a half thousand. On the entire planet. In a world of Trillions. This was once the most popular destination in the galaxy, and now almost no one even believes it is a real place anymore.

Captain Cross catches my eye with a look that earns him his name rather well. He likely just received quite the undesirable piece of news from Lucan.

“What’s the word, Captain?” I say across the shoulders of his team between us.
He turns away, stepping off along the path. “I’m inclined to believe you’ve already guessed, Mr. Ratakana. We will continue on toward The Curator’s nearest enigma assessment bay and find some answers about Legend Rena.”
“And what of your initial objective?”
He takes a long, deep breath before saying, “You need not concern yourself with that.”

‘Mr. Ratakana.’ Lucan again. ‘Allow me to extend another welcome with more official weight. You are once again now my guests and shall be afforded the appropriate privileges.’
‘Thank you, Lucan,’ I say, staring up at the dome overhead. A stream of purple stardust swims past, stretching as it’s caught in Tiimat’s gravity. ‘You already know what we’re here for.’
‘Of course. Speaking of which, I have a request for you. I understand that you have been using an Auscribo program to record your journey this time. With your permission, I would like to access these recordings to better understand the situation.’ 
I hesitate. The scribos are intended for audience consumption, and I could hardly find a better beta reader than Lucan. But… ‘Uhm… well, you see…’ I stammer, stopping dead before the large fountain at the center of the square. My heart begins to pound against my ribs. ‘They just aren’t ready, is the thing. I still need to comb through them myself.’
‘I understand your reluctance, Mr. Ratakana. The Auscribo taps into your very thoughts and emotions, recording them precisely with little filter to speak of. Few things can bring fear into a man more than the thought of revealing his truest self to another, despite how much he believes he is prepared. Especially if he himself has no inkling to its nature.’ Lucan pauses, for emphasis, no doubt. ‘However, I like to believe we are friends, Mr. Ratakana. You need not fear undue judgment or rejection from me. Indeed, I doubt I will find anything about you from these scribos that I don’t already know.’
‘He’s got a point, EZ,’ Eren says gently. ‘We should show him the scribos. He’ll likely find something that we failed to notice in the moment.’
Heart still pounding, I sigh audibly, drawing the attention of the Seakers directly ahead. ‘Yes. You are right, Eren. Please make a copy of the scribos and give them to Lucan.’
‘You need not gift them to me, Mr. Ratakana.’ Lucan protests as Eren confirms the request. ‘I only wish to read through them now to have a starting point…’
‘No,’ I say quickly before he can change my mind. ‘I think this would be best. My intention from the beginning was to give them to you. Doing it now with what we have will make it easier once they’re finished.’
‘Very well,’ Lucan says slowly. ‘The Archive thanks you for your repeated contribution, Mr. Ratakana, and for this particularly special gift. I will ensure it finds a worthy place among the others and await the moment I may add the completed version.’
‘Sending it now.’ Eren says.

After a brief silence, Lucan says, ‘Oh, my. This is indeed intriguing.’ I can guess what he’s latched onto. ‘Miss Rena. You can manipulate Mana? Not only can you sense it, but you can ignite it as well?’
‘Uhh…’ Rena hesitates, ‘I guess so? We haven’t really had time to talk about it.’ More like none of us really wanted to. ‘Hey!’ she sighs. ‘Yeah, I guess you’re right…’
‘That is quite intriguing as well.’ Lucan says. ‘It seems you have somehow gained administrator privileges of Mr. Ratakana’s Neuralet. The events of your contact with the good Captain and his team on Gherdan Prime… well, nearly everything about them is quite strange, to say the least.’
‘Yeah, yeah. “I break all the rules,” we get it. Trust me, I’ve heard it before.’
‘That is not what I am saying, Miss Rena. It is not that you break the perceived rules of SoulBorn existence that I find intriguing, but that the particular rules you break have a common trend. They are, in truth, the “known limitations,” so to speak.’
‘Why is that distinction important? Rules are rules, and I’m breaking them.’
‘Few things are ever so simple, Miss Rena. Allow me to explain. Yes, you are breaking the rules that society believes bind SoulBorn. But these are not some arbitrary list of contrivances made to control behavior. These are observed limitations on the SoulBorn species. Just as no Human species but the Aerans have the in-born ability of atmospheric flight, or just as no single Port of the Mana Gland can cast every known spell, there are things that SoulBorn cannot do according to an extensive body of empirical evidence.
‘A SoulBorn cannot occupy the body of a living creature. Two complete living creatures cannot occupy the same body, just as no two atoms can simultaneously occupy the same space. Mr. Ratakana has his physical body, and Miss Eren is composed of an electrically charged collection of plasma held together by Mr. Ratakana’s Neuralet. There is no space for you, and yet here you are, ignoring what should be an unbreakable law of nature.
‘In addition, you are somehow able to manipulate Mr. Ratakana’s Neuralet, another activity that should only be possible for Miss Eren and Mr. Ratakana, for much the same reasons as the previous phenomenon. In the same way that an object existing in the second spatial dimension cannot interact with the third dimension, this Neuralet connects directly into their colloquial nervous systems and thus should only be directly accessible by them. Yet, again, this is clearly not the case for you.
‘And then there is the matter of your power over Mana.’ Lucan pauses, almost seeming troubled. ‘In the entire history of the Soul Port, and even its preceding form, there have been only a handful of SoulBorn with the power to ignite Mana. While this alone is exceptional, it is clearly not unheard of. What is troubling here is the knowledge that these SoulBorn, by their very nature, held so much energy within their bodies that anyone aside from the very strongest of Mages who Linked with them was destroyed entirely. Miss Rena, if you truly can ignite Mana as these scribos suggest, then your presence should have caused Mr. Ratakana and Miss Eren to dissolve into nothing long ago.’
‘Lucan…!’ Eren and I both say together. The revelation hits Rena so hard that even I can feel it. Did he really have to say it so casually? He’s the smartest thing in the galaxy, and yet having a bit of tact still manages to elude him. Rena cannot speak, managing only a few stunned stammers.
‘Oh! Dear me, you are right,’ Lucan says. ‘Apologies. I got caught up in the lecture…’
‘I know you have a lot on your plate, man,’ Eren continues, unsatisfied, ‘but don’t you think that was a bit too callous? She is still a child—’ I shut them out and reach out to Rena. She’s barely managing to contain a flood of panic. Never more than now have I wished I could give her a hug, or pat her on the head, or something… anything…
‘Hey,’ I say as gently as I can. ‘Don’t worry about that—’

‘Don’t worry?!’ Rena demands, incredulous. ‘Did you not hear him?! I’m going to kill you and Eren any moment! I- I… I can’t…’
‘You aren’t going to kill us, Rena. Of that, I am certain.’
‘How can you be!?. Everyone has been so certain of everything they’ve said about me since the moment I woke up. But you’ve all been proven wrong eventually. Why should this be any different?’
‘I’m certain,’ I say as steadily as I can as a wave of despair rakes into me. I fish for the words as the world swims and blurs together. ‘I’m certain you will not kill us because you haven’t done it already. Think, Rena. You have had your abilities the whole time, even if you didn’t know it. And it isn’t the ability that is supposed to see it done but…’
A long moment of encroaching dread passes. She might be too far gone this time if she won’t even answer that… ‘not the ability, but the energy required to possess it.’ she finally says.
‘Yes! Exactly. You’ve had the ability the whole time, which means you’ve had the energy the whole time. And if you haven’t killed us with it already, then…’
‘…Then it stands to reason that I won’t do it at all.’
‘Yes. Exactly.’ She does not perk up or grow excited at the realization, but her despair does abate. Progress.
‘Izy…After what you told me about SoulBorn powers and ranks, I thought having all these crazy abilities would make things easier. I thought if I was stronger, I could be more helpful… Was I wrong? Is this what it really means to have power? Will everyone around me always be in danger? Is that why Eren hates me, because she knows I’m just a curse on your lives?’
A curse!? No. Absolutely not. ‘Rena,’ I ping. I’ll not take another step while she thinks this way.
‘Hm.’ Rena chimes after a moment. As the Flux spins into action, I command the Neuralet to open a V-Space and place us both inside. The world shifts, dissolving into a light blue and gold sand. It swirls, dominating my senses for the briefest of moments before clearing away to reveal the golden, windswept fields of Helicrys on Ram-arow.

Everything looks exactly as it did that day when we bid farewell to the crew of the Rapture: a clear blue sky above and golden grass below as far as the eye can see. I stand on the very same plateau from which Eren intercepted this memory. Everything is exactly as it was, except one thing.

Before me sits a girl, a Terrin. Her short blonde hair drapes down to the shoulders of a simple pink dress as she glances around curiously. She turns to look at me and shoots to her feet. “Izy! What…?” she hesitates, dropping her eyes to fidget uncomfortably with her hands.

Without a word, I stride up to her and scoop her up into my arms. She seems so small and frail, shockingly so, something I truly couldn’t understand until this moment. Can Protorgs and Intangents really co-exist with such a severe gap between them?

“You are NOT a curse, Rena,” I say, hugging her tight. “Not to me or anyone. Never think that again, no matter what happens.” She says nothing. Her arms slide around my neck, clinging desperately, and she nods into my shoulder.  
We stay like that for a while, too long to guess, before Rena speaks up. “Izy? Why does this feel so real?”
“Because it is,” I say. “Every sense you have has been plugged into this pocket. It’s such an accurate representation that the only reason you know to even ask that is because it’s so different from where you just were.”
“How long can we stay here?”
“As long as we need to.” Her arms tighten around my neck. “Listen, Rena. About your power. It might feel like a curse right now, and in some ways, it can be. All power comes with a price. But it can also be the blessing that you’d hoped for. You see, power has this neat little way of being able to pay for itself. The trick lies in the person who holds it, who they are, and how they chose to use it.”
“But I still don’t know who I am… how am I supposed to make a choice like that?”
“But you do know, Rena. You know that you want to help and protect people. Remember that. Let it guide your actions as you learn and grow. You’ll just have to figure out the rest along the way.”
“Is that how you do it?”
“That’s how everyone does it, whether they admit it or not.”

The words hardly feel real, even as I speak them. I’ve no idea where they came from, but it certainly wasn’t any sort of deliberate thought. That whole time, I could hardly think of anything beyond the desire not to allow Rena to hate herself.

She sits silently in my arms for a while, long enough that I begin to fear my words have not worked. Perhaps I should keep going? Would that help? Saying too much might make it worse… 

Rena pulls away. Keeping her hands on my shoulders for balance, she finds my eyes and smiles. It is the brightest thing I’ve ever seen. Brighter than the sea of gold all around us. Brighter than a star. Without hesitation, I know in my heart that I will do anything to see it again.

“Thank you, Izy,” she says. “I feel much better.”
“It’s true,” I say. “Every word of it. Now, the others are probably waiting for us by now.”
“Can’t we stay a bit longer~”
“Not this time. This is the intercepted memory from Ram-arow. We can come back anytime.”
“But we’re in a Flux, right? Come on, please, Izy?”
I sigh. “Alright. You win.” Rena squeals in delight and nuzzles into my neck as I walk to the end of the plateau. 

We watch the grass shine and sway in the wind. I feel each breath coming easier than the last, like a weight slowly lifting from my shoulders. Rena’s smooth hair is like silk on my skin. Her warmth stands out, even in the full rays of a star, on the verge of burning as it etches itself into my memory.

By the time we exit the V-space, I’ve almost forgotten where we were and what we were doing.

‘EZ!’ Eren says, voice verging on desperation. ‘Thank goodness.’
‘Eren?’ I say. ‘What is it? What’s wrong?’
‘I don’t know. You and Rena entered a V-space without warning, and then you activated a Flux. What happened? Are you alright? Do you know where you are now?’
‘I’m fine. I think.’ A light wave of nausea hits as I say it, confirming that I have indeed been in a V-space for too long. My senses will take a moment to readjust. ‘We’re in… the Archive… On our way to… Oh, I’ve forgotten where exactly.’
‘Worry not, Mr. Ratakana,’ Lucan says, ‘You, in fact, never knew your destination. Captain Cross explicitly failed to mention it. You’ve merely been following him.’
‘Lucan… Right.’ My vision begins to clear. I have returned to the market square of the Coil. The Seakers have all sat down to rest on and around the central fountain; all except Captain Cross, that is. He stands with his back to us, gazing up at the Indigo Abyss.

“Apologies, Captain,” I say, and he turns slightly to glance over his shoulder. “Just had to take care of something urgent.”
“To do with Rena?” He says.
“That’s right.”
“Very well. Are you ready to continue?”
“Lead the way.”

The Captain steps off with only a moment’s delay. The other Seakers climb to their feet and take his heels. We continue in silence, apart from the clap of boots on stone. The far end of the square ends in a wall much like the one we entered through. An opening spreads wide after the final row of buildings, making a path for foot traffic. Yet this one has a tall, pointed arch in the center, framing the street.

Just on the other side, the world changes, as if one were exiting a large building. Row upon row of cozy houses and cottages of brick and mortar and wood and plaster constructed in an ancient style line the narrow streets. Steel-framed glass lamps line the paths, and the ceiling… The ceiling is gone. It climbs high, out of sight, and instead, a blue sky, white clouds, and bright sunlight shine down from overhead. 

‘So,’ Eren says, ‘what was so urgent that you would do something that dangerous on a whim, EZ?’
‘Rena.’ I say. ‘She did not take Lucan’s comment well at all.’
‘Right… No surprise there. I’d probably have reacted the same way.’
‘The two of you have quite a lot in common, Eren. She reminds me of how you were when we first met.’
‘Yeah… that’s what bothers me.’
‘Oh, you weren’t that bad.’
‘You cannot be serious, EZ. I refused to even speak to you at first. I spent every Stan entrenching myself behind every defensive program I could find. You had to Dive the Neuralet just to send me a brief message, that I would often ignore.’
I can’t help but laugh. ‘Okay. That was pretty annoying. But I could understand why you did that. You’d been through so much…’
‘I was so afraid of… something… but I can’t remember what.’
‘Strange. I can’t either… It feels so important, but… It’s completely blank.’
Just as our confusion begins to really set its hooks, a wave of excitement slams into me. ‘Izy! Izy, look! Up ahead! What is that?’

A gentle light flashes across my ARRC, highlighting something on the far side of the district: the walls of the central column dominating the backdrop like some unreachable horizon. Shelf upon shelf upon shelf of data storage reaching thousands of meters in both directions from the planet’s surface below to the MVID sky above. Interspersed among the stacks, I can just make out tiny alcoves and other residential groups like this one.

My excitement surges to meet Rena’s at the thought of seeing it up close again. A Coil’s central column is its core, its heart, and its spine; the most important and marvelous piece of the entire structure. Each one is foundationally the same, but the specifics are wholly unique. You can learn everything you need to know about how a Coil is used by looking at the structures of its column.

I practically bounce with every step as we approach the archway. But then Captain Cross turns. Dread already seeping into my spine, my eyes follow his new trajectory to a small side door tucked neatly into a corner, designed to blend in with the space around it. A passage for employees and skulkers, all but invisible if not deliberately sought out. Captain Cross continues to opt for extreme caution. Despite the astronomically low chances that even a single person aside from us can be found in this entire Coil, he still takes the side passages. My deflation is catastrophic. My disappointment is immeasurable. He is void of all humor. Strictly business to a disturbing degree. An empty husk-

‘Pfft!’ Rena floats into my vision, bouncing with laughter, ‘Are you trying to insult him, Izy?’
‘What?’ I respond with a start, ‘Well, yes, I am, actually. Was it that obvious?’
‘“Void of all humor”,’ she mocks, gesturing with all the melodrama of an antique stage play. Her wings, four thin, wispy strips shining with color, flex and pause in their frantic fluttering to accent each movement like an extra set of arms. ‘ “Strictly business. An empty husk”… Wow.’
‘I’ll have you know, girl,’ I say, fighting the urge to grin, ‘that I can have quite the sharp tongue when it suits me.’
‘Uh-huh. I’ll believe that when I see it. You’re too nice~.’
‘Agreed,’ Eren chimes. ‘EZ, you’re too kind sometimes, even when you’re trying to be mean.’
‘Eren, please,’ I sigh, drawing a look from Guard. ‘Leave it to my girls to speak of such a virtue as if it were a bad thing… Whatever am I to do?’ Amusement and comfort wash over me. We can always visit the column later. ‘You’ll just have to sate my curiosity by telling me where those little flappers came from.’
‘Oh, these things?’ Rena gives a quick loop in the air to show me her back. From here, I can see an opening in the blouse where the wings connect with what would be her rhomboid and trapezius muscles between her shoulder blades. ‘I just finished them. I put them in so you won’t be afraid that I’ll fall. Do you like them?’
‘They’re beautiful, Rena. Your improvement is astonishing.’
‘Oh! Before I forget, give me your finger. I want to test something.’ 

I oblige with hesitant curiosity. She puts her hand on the tip of my finger and stares at it, her face twisted with pensive concentration. 

A moment later, her eyes flick away and find mine. ‘Can you feel that?’ she asks. When I nod, her face splits into a wide grin. ‘I can feel it too.’
I almost jerk my finger away in shock. ‘What!? How?’ The sense of touch is among the highest hurdles for equal communication between the Protorg and Intangent Kingdoms. History is laden with failed attempts to bridge the gap. Most of them collapsed at exactly this point. How could she have done it so quickly?
‘Izy, Wait!’ she cries nervously, every inch of visible skin turning bright red. ‘D-Don’t get ahead of yourself. It’s not what you’re thinking. I’m, uh… I’m cheating off of the V-space. I-I isolated its parietal functions to send me a simulated response anytime the avatar generates a parietal signal for you. It’s nowhere near what you’re thinking!’
‘So… You can only feel it when I touch you?’
‘I don’t know. Probably. I haven’t been able to test the program with other Neuralets. It’ll probably break as soon as I try.’ 
‘Still… Rena, this is a major milestone…’ I turn to look in the direction we just came. From here, I can see the very spot I stood when she last used the avatar, only moments ago, without wings and without a sense of touch. Her work is thorough and quick. She’ll be done with it before long; perhaps only a matter of Stans at this rate. ‘We might need to start thinking of a name for this creation of yours.’
‘A-A name?’ she says, and I look back to her. She sits, silently fidgeting, skin even brighter than before. Suddenly, she flies up and around to the back of my head, landing on it to peek down into the very top of my vision. ‘I-It’s only an avatar program. Why would we name it? I’m sure there are plenty of others like it already…’
That’s right. I almost forgot. Looking up at her, I feel a sad smile curl across my lips. ‘There aren’t, actually. It’s something of a taboo across the entire Collective. Past experiences have scared pretty much everyone, Protorg and Intangent alike, into drawing a distinct line between the two. One that should never be crossed.’
‘Oh… I see.’ she climbs off my head and floats away. 
I turn to find her, but she is gone. ‘Don’t let that discourage you. People are prone to fear. It is the natural response to many things, but that doesn’t make it the correct response. I want you to keep pursuing this. And when you finish, we can name it so that people will remember what it is and where it came from, okay?’
‘Okay…’
‘I also noticed something strange,’ Eren says, seizing the lull. ‘How are you accessing an in-process recording, Rena? What happened to the StoneWall?’
‘No clue,’ Rena says. ‘The StoneWall is still fully intact, I think. I know I haven’t done anything to it.’
‘Hm… This might have something to do with the way you connected to the Neuralet on Gherdan. I can look into it.’
‘Thank you, Eren.’ I say. Another mystery for the pile.
‘Just leave it,’ Rena pleads. ‘I want to keep listening to the story.’ 
I consider this a moment. Knowing that Rena is listening could affect how I communicate with the Auscribo and alter the story. Would that be such a bad thing, though? ‘Eren, what do you think?’
‘It shouldn’t be anything we really need to worry about.’ Eren says.
‘Alright, for now, just make sure nothing is broken or breaking. We’ll take a closer look later.’ 

Eren fades after a note of confirmation.

‘Yay~!’ Rena says, churning out a storm of excitement as she flutters onto my shoulder from behind.

Ahead, Captain Cross has reached the door. He turns to quickly confirm that we are all here, then enters with his team following, Guard herding me in from behind. One by one, we file through.

On the other side, the passage is small, wide enough for perhaps four people to walk abreast and tall enough for three lanes of low-flight traffic. And quite plain. Unpainted Omnisteel, as far as the eye can see, completely absent of any decoration or ornament or mark or blemish. Equally undecorated doors designed to blend with the walls line the sides all the way to the end, where the passage breaks into a T-section. AutoDroids don’t need visual cues, especially for navigation. They would be invisible were it not for the Neuralet.

 I could easily get lost in this place if I really wanted to. That is certainly something the Seakers do NOT want.

But again, what truly surprises me is the lack of traffic. Out in the main plaza, I can understand. If there are no Scholars to use the Archive, then the presentation is not needed. But here, where the endless staff of AutoDroids should be bustling back and forth, tirelessly maintaining the facilities, there are none. It is completely empty save for our little group.

The Captain hesitates. He feels it as well. It isn’t quite right. 

‘Mr. Ratakana,’ Lucan chimes in that moment. Given the synchronized flinch of surprise, I’d say the Captain got the same address. ‘Apologies for the interruption. I realize it must seem odd for the Coil to be so empty, considering how things were during your last visit. I can assure you nothing is wrong. Given your purpose here, as the good Captain has explained, I decided to clear your path to ensure your group made it to their destination as quickly as possible.’
‘I’m surprised you can afford to do that, Lucan.’ I ping. ‘Do the AutoDroids have nothing to do in this area?’
‘No, actually, they don’t. To add another item to your growing list: having no one to use my facilities has made them extremely easy to maintain. Again, I apologize for the disturbance. The good Captain has an announcement so I will take my leave.’ 

“Alright,” Captain Cross says as I leave the Flux, “One of the Curator’s Droids will be stopping by to guide us. Stay in formation and stay vigilant.”

Good ol’ Lucan. He is just as curious about this as any one of us. The problem is, we spend a few Minis waiting. Odd. There should have been an AutoDroid ready just around the corner, especially if it was on standby. Even when there were more guests than Droids to serve them, it didn’t take this long.

As the Minis continue to drag by, the Seakers find a seat against the walls, all save for the Captain; again, he stoically remains standing. He does cross his arms, though. And his foot begins tapping the floor, voicing the impatience we all feel.

I am right on the verge of deciding something is well and truly wrong when the nearest door slides open. Through it floats the top half of a butler, complete with a three-piece suit and arms poised at its front and rear. For its bottom half, a single black fist-sized gem is embedded at the waist, singing its defiance of the natural order with a slow, rhythmic buzz.

“Greetings, Captain Cross, Mr. Ratakana, and Seakers of the Circle.” The Droid says as it tilts into a bow.  Anywhere that a Protorg would have skin, it has only sleek, polished, unpainted steel made into the general shape of a Human using soft round edges. Its featureless face shines like a mirror, reflecting an image of whatever has its attention at the moment. A floating, talking, metal mannequin. “I am Conbar. The Curator has informed me that your party requires an escort to Discovery Lab Four. If you’ll follow me, it is right this way.” Conbar enters the hallway and begins floating toward the T-section.
“What took you so long to get here, Conbar.” Captain Cross demands as he steps off behind. The Seakers immediately jump to their feet and follow, Guard once again ensuring I remain between them.
Without stopping, Conbar turns toward us and bows. “My apologies, Captain. I was assisting another group of guests and wished to refresh my presentability before escorting such esteemed Scholars. Believe it or not, a mirror polish requires tireless upkeep.” It finishes with a finger pointed to the ceiling.
“Were there no more available droids?” The Captain says, dodging Conbar’s jest with all the poise of a robot. “Six Minis is a suspiciously long wait by Archive standards. And Lucan has already told us that business is slow, so I know you aren’t over-booked.”
“You are correct, Captain. We have precious few guests at this time.” Conbar spins forward again, smoothly indicating a right turn with its hand. “However, due to this unfortunate truth, many of our facilities are currently in a state of resource conservation. Most of the staff are resting. There is only one other hospitality Droid currently within range, and they cannot be pulled away from their task.”

The Captain grunts and falls silent, seemingly satisfied with this answer. That is, until an alert pings in my head requesting a Flux channel.

‘Shall I accept?’ Eren chimes.
‘Please do,’ I ping, almost losing my grip on another sigh. 
‘OOOOOOOOooooooo-you believe this Droid’s story, Mr. Ratakana?’ Captain Cross pings before he’s even fully joined the Flux.
‘It seems believable enough,’ I say. ‘Minimizing operations is a reasonable response to a lack of traffic.’
‘And what about everything else?’
‘Could you be more specific, Captain?’
‘Come now, Mr. Ratakana. You’ve been here many times. Surely you find the current state suspicious.’
I take a moment before answering, ‘Yes. I’ll admit, the current state of affairs is a bit odd. But I don’t believe we are being blatantly lied to.’
‘Hiding something, then.’
‘It’s possible. The Archive is highly complex, and the planet is both large and volatile. Curator Lucan always keeps the comfort and needs of his guests foremost in his mind as well. The Coils remain separate to keep them from interfering with each other. I would not be surprised to learn of a disaster elsewhere that he kept under wraps to avoid a panic.’

At that, Captain Cross leaves the Flux with little more than a grunt. I join him just as Conbar takes the first right turn. Suddenly, we are lost in a maze. We walk and walk past walls and doors that all look the same, taking turn after turn around identical corners. If I didn’t know better, I’d say we were walking in an actual square, four right turns on the endless path to nowhere.

Two tiny hands appear in my vision. ‘I’m bored, Izy!’ Rena says.
‘Agreed,’ I say with a smile. ‘We could be gazing at the central column right now.’
‘Oh! About that. Why are you mad at the Captain? You don’t seem surprised…’
‘No. I’m not surprised at all. The side passages will lead to the facilities we need, and it matches the logic of all his other decisions DiStan. But you know the answer already. I want to see the central column again.’
‘Yeah, but why?’ she says, grabbing my eyebrows and pulling herself down to look me in the eye. ‘What’s so special about it?’
‘What isn’t special about it?’ I lift a hand up to her, and she crawls into my palm, using it like a chair with the fingers as a backrest. ‘The central column serves a myriad of purposes: It is both spine and ribcage for the Coil, maintaining its structural integrity and housing its most vital systems. It absorbs the impact of installation, houses the MANA Drive that is the Coil’s beating heart, acts as the anchor from which all the Coil’s other facilities emerge, and… and it’s just plain cool. It’s completely hollow! You can see all the way to the top and bottom from anywhere along its length. Truly a marvel of engineering.’
‘You’ve said that about everything in this whole place…’ she says with a pout.
‘It’s true!’ I say, giving her a gentle poke in the stomach. She lets out a small squeal, wrapping her arms around my finger in delight. ‘The Coil is a Braviton revolution. With it at our disposal no environment is too hostile, no planet unreachable, no frontier untamable. We can rapidly establish an unshakable foothold anywhere, regardless of the situation, in a single stroke thanks to it.’
‘You almost sound like some kind of conqueror. Doesn’t this thing take away from the need for people like you; explorers? If we can just build a city anywhere we want whenever we want, then how is there still a frontier of unexplored space?’
If my grin could get any bigger it would, hearing that. ‘You’ve been studying again. Very good.’ I push her just the tiniest bit with my finger, eliciting another giggling squeal. ‘The reasons for the persistence of the Frontier are many, not the least of which are Space Tears. They make traversal impossible in many places, particularly at the fringes of galaxies. Aside from that, the Coil is not infallible. It is strong, durable, effective, and mobile, yes, but it is also blind and somewhat bloated. Coils are insanely complex and difficult to maintain. Its automated systems must be fully devoted to its own upkeep at all times. By default, it has no resources to spare on the world outside. Yet, it is designed to contend with that world and protect its charges from the dangers that lurk there. 
‘To do this, it must be able to see them and study them. Coils need information on their surroundings so their facilities can be tailored to match. This is where I come in. I am a conqueror, Rena. A conqueror of the unknown. Coils and their inhabitants provide me a reliable staging point for my conquests and an appreciative benefactor to receive my winnings.’ 
‘I guess that makes sense…’ She says, laying her head down on her arms crossed over my finger. ‘But I still don’t get the excitement. This place feels so isolating, like there is no world outside. Just like what you were saying about the ZKM on our way in.’
‘I see…’ My words fail me for a moment as I realize that I cannot hold that finger still. With no small amount of difficulty I adjust my hand to rest on my wrist without jostling the girl too much. Thankfully, she’s either too gracious or too distracted to react. ‘Perhaps it would be best to see it for yourself. The central columns of the Archive’s Coils serve as the physical hardware for its data storage. I’ll make sure you get to see it before we leave. That should do the trick.’

‘Sure… But I doubt I’ll even care anymore by then.’ She perks up, as if suddenly remembering something important. ‘We’re about to find out who I really am, Izy! Ohh I can’t wait!’
Who she really is? I shoot a quick glance at the path ahead. Little has changed. The Seakers continue a silent trudge in Conbar’s wake along a hall that never seems to end. ‘I’m glad you’re excited, but… how much difference do you really think it will make?’
‘What do you mean?’ She lifts her head again to catch my eyes. The shadow of a frightened plea begins creeping onto her face. ‘It will change everything! I’ll know what to say and do. I’ll know how to act. I’ll know how to live and I won’t need anyone to tell me anymore.’
As I thought… ‘Rena… I’m sorry, but those are not the answers we are about to find out. In fact, think about what you just said. You seek to know the truth of yourself and live in a way that foregoes the instruction of others. Am I right?’
‘Well… Yes. I want to live my way. Without anyone else telling me what I am or should be.’
‘If that is true, then why are you seeking these answers in the words of others?’
‘I…’ she falls silent. I feel her frustration building as she searches desperately for her answer. She must feel as if a goal she was on the brink of grasping has suddenly stood up and run far out of her reach. Such a thing could crush anyone.
‘Rena. It is not labels, titles, identifiers, or categories that define a person. Do you remember what I said in the V-Space? It is their choices and actions. Who a person is can only come from within that person. And the definitions come from the responses those actions create in others. Consider that the problem you face is not that you do not know who you are, but that you are searching in the wrong way. Answers from within, and answers from others… Why do you assume that you can only have one or the other? Perhaps the question you should be trying to answer is: who do you want to be to those around you?’
‘But… How am I supposed to become who I want to be if I don’t know who I am already?’
‘Brilliant. Dedicated. Curious. These are words I use to describe you-’
I cut off as Rena releases a growling sigh. ‘But what about… about my limitations… my- my boundaries. I need to know what I can’t do…!’
‘Why would you need to know that? If you can’t do something, why worry about it?’
‘Because…! Ugh! Because… Everyone has talked so much about what Intangents and SoulBorn should and shouldn’t be able to do. I shouldn’t be able to be here, with you. I should only be able to sense Mana or alter the Neuralet’s functions, not both. I should hav-… killed you a long time ago because I can cause Mana to explode?… But none of that is true. So what is? Is there anything I can’t do? Are Intangent and SoulBorn really the only possible options? Am I truly confined here? Are you the one in control of this body or am I? I haven’t tried to do these things, and I expect you and Eren will just say that I shouldn’t be able to. But how does that make it any different from the others? As far as I can tell, I have no real boundaries at all. I can do or be anything I want.’ 
‘And that’s a bad thing? Being able to do as you please?’
‘You don’t get it, Izy… How am I supposed to choose from an infinite list?’
Choose from an infinite list? ‘You could be anything you want…’
‘Yes…’
‘Endless possibilities in all directions.’
‘Exactly.’
‘How could you possibly see that as anything other than being lost, adrift in the middle of a glass ocean?’
‘Yes! Exactly!’
‘And how is someone supposed to reach a destination if they don’t even know where they are already?… So you need to find out where you are already. You need a reliable staging point.’
‘Yes… exactly…’

As gently as I can, I place my finger against her cheek. She reaches up and wraps her arms around it, tugging against it with a content smile. A single Stan ago, I’d have pushed an Emotowave at her. Yet, without even thinking, here I am, using physical touch to comfort a simulated body. And it’s working. I never thought I’d see it.

Once satisfied, Rena dissolves her avatar and returns to her true body to prepare for the coming revelations. I return my attention to the simple task of getting us there.

This area is without doubt built to require a map for any hope of successful navigation, a deliberate labyrinth through and through. Lucan enjoys a great deal of military strategy in his architectural designs, I’ve noticed. Since the day the Archive was founded, only small attempts have been made, but for some reason, he can’t let go of the fear that a great army will one day lay siege to this place, and he refuses not to be ready.

When that day finally comes, we will still be here, following this tireless AutoDroid into the endless abyss toward a destination we are doomed to never reach-

“We have reached your destination,” Conbar stops in front of a door that looks just like the other hundred we passed and spins to face us. “Discovery lab four is right through this door. Please enter at your leisure. I will remain just inside should you require anything else.”

Said inside is, unsurprisingly, a maintenance closet, likely hidden away at the back of the actual room. The walls are stacked high with all the things that most people need not remember are present: cleaning supply restocks, emergency repair equipment, unmarked containers bearing unknown treasures that entice the imagination right up until you open them and find a roll of paper.

The closet is too small for all of us, so the Seakers begin exiting from the other side almost immediately. Guard herds me along after them, Conbar taking a position in the center of the closet as promised. 

‘Here we go, girls.’ I ping as we cross the threshold. ‘Are you ready?’

Rena can’t seem to make any noise except an excited giggle. Eren gives a determined grunt. The world opens into a large bay, larger, perhaps, than I remember. Machines of all shapes and sizes line the walls. Smooth, wide, sanitized tables topped with glass containers, prepared workspaces, and carefully arranged tools create pathways through the center. At least one of every data collection system known to the Collective could be found here, even some that can’t be found anywhere else.

‘Welcome and welcome back to my personal inquiry chamber,’ Lucan chimes. ‘I hope you like it. Here, we should have everything we need to find the answers to your questions. I recommend we start with a basic deep scan of your Neuralet, Mr. Ratakana, to give ourselves a solid foundation.’
‘Works for me,’ I say.
‘Excellent. If you will, please follow your companions. I have sent the Captain a navline.’

Moving about halfway through the room, we stop at a small hollow in the wall. No machine or device. No table, chairs, or stage. Just a blank space. I can almost feel the question bubbling up in Rena’s mind when a small glass eye opens in the wall level with my head. A second eye opens next to it, and they begin slowly drifting around each other in a circle. A SoulTracer. I should have guessed.

‘Please step forward when ready, Mr. Ratakana,’ Lucan chimes. ‘This SoulTracer will map your Neuralet through your ARRC.’

I position myself a pace away from the wall, watching the two eyes continue circling until one of them comes directly before one of my own. Immediately, it stops and sweeps a thin red line over my face. The other eye freezes as well before moving to mirror its companion over mine. An image of a face and a body creeping out of the wall attached to them invades my imagination.

‘Try to blink as little as possible, Mr. Ratakana.’

Another thin light shoots out from the SoulTracer directly into my eyes. It spreads into a cone and promptly begins vibrating faster than an insect’s wings. Back and forth it weaves, meticulously covering each nanometer of space.

At once, I feel the Neuralet activate and begin a diagnostic. like somebody running through an empty house, turning on every electric appliance they can find. 

‘Oh wow! It’s really moving!’ Rena chimes. ‘Everything is turning red so- CRRR -oh! That was weird…’

‘We’ve both just been scanned, EZ.’ chimes Eren. ‘This is likely a light-bleed scan, so it should be quick, but it will cover the entire system reasonably well. It might disrupt the- CRRRRrrrrKKKRR

               —AUSCRIBO PROGRAM FORCE HALTED. REBOOTING. SUCCESS.— 

‘Hello World!’ Eren says. ‘The program is running.’
‘Perfect, Eren. Thank you.’ I say
‘I apologize for that, Mr. Ratakana,’ Lucan says. ‘I underestimated your dedication and didn’t realize you were running the auto-scribe at this very moment. I hope it didn’t disrupt things too much.’
‘It shouldn’t be a problem, Lucan. How did the scan go?’
‘Everything appears to be functioning normally. Miss Eren has done an excellent job with the upkeep, though I doubt that comes as a surprise. However, the scan registered two separate instances of Miss Eren. I suspect one of them is Miss Rena. This supports the primary theory that Miss Rena herself is the anomaly. I believe we should next do a targeted scan of her.’
‘Hmm. The scan we just did believed Rena was Eren, right? Should we do a target scan of both of them to see what differences it can find?’
‘An excellent idea, Mr. Ratakana.’
‘How does that sound, girls? Can we scan both of you?’
‘Yes! Do it!’ Rena says excitedly.
‘Fine by me, EZ,’ Eren says. ‘Whatever it takes.’
‘Give me a moment to adjust the parameters.’ Lucan says. ‘If you would please look into the SoulTracer once again, Mr. Ratakana.’

This time, the light does not activate my Neuralet. Instead, it burrows deep, touching nothing as it seeks out its target. A master burglar with a single mark, taking nothing else and leaving no trace.

‘It’s found us again, EZ.’ chimes Eren. ‘Rena, hold still. This might take a moment.’

Rena does not respond, presumably too focused on the trace. As we sit in silence, I begin to wonder what it looks like. I imagine the rippling light sinking into their shining silhouettes, weaving between each particle like water between the threads of a cloth.

‘Oh. This is quite interesting indeed,’ Lucan chimes when the trace has finished.
‘What is?’ Rena says. ‘What is it?’
‘What she said!’ I ping.
‘It would appear, Miss Rena, that you are, quite conclusively, both SoulBorn and Intagent.’
‘Yeah, that’s what we suspected already. I show signs of being either one. So, which is it?’
‘You misunderstand. It is not that you could be either. It is that you are without doubt both simultaneously.’
‘But… I… I suggested that theory a long time ago. If that’s possible, why did we not just go with that?’
‘Well, Miss Rena, because it is not, at least not imperically. Due to what we know of the fundamental natures, one person cannot be both. Miss Eren and Mr. Ratakana tried to explain this as best they could, but the subject is complex -even now on the very cutting edge of our conceptual abilities- and they are not scholars at the level of dedication one would normally be exposed to such details. Suffice it to say, to be classified as Intangent, and likewise for SoulBorn carries rigid prerequisites that heavily contradict one another.’

Rena falls silent, considering the information. Knowing her, she’ll soon find a hole and begin jamming keys into it until one fits. To have the opportunity is her right. And it is our duty to wait patiently, and to help her along as she exercises it.

‘What specifically is happening to cause this conclusion?’ Rena says carefully. ‘You say there are hard rules that must be followed yet contradict one another. You say that I am doing both of these things. Where? Which rules, specifically, are in contention?’
‘The Law of the Frame,’ Lucan says with a hint of reverent presentation, like a dictionary reading itself. ‘Upon creation, the SoulBorn is anchored into a previously unoccupied physical form, in which it will remain until death. This form, known from then on as its Frame, acts as its body, retaining its SoulWeave and growing or diminishing alongside it. If one is damaged, so too is the other. If one is destroyed, so too is the other. Thus, as with any other species, the SoulBorn cannot live without its Frame.’
After a brief pause, he begins anew. ‘The Law of the Bodiless: the Intangent is Life itself, in its purest meaning. It has no physical form yet remains intact. It has no Body yet retains its Soul. Whether by force of will, or of energy, or of God, or a great complex of each together, it is Life with no additional parts.’ There is another brief pause, and he concludes with, ‘You, Miss Rena, follow every rule of life as a SoulBorn except this one. In this, you directly contradict the literature and follow instead the rules of life as an Intangent.’
‘Is that the only Intangent rule that I follow?’
‘Not at all, but it is the one that creates the most contradiction. Your ability to act upon the Neuralet is also something often attributed to Intangents and not SoulBorn, but you are already aware of some exceptions.’
‘Do you have any theories for all of this, Lucan?’
‘It is too soon to say anything conclusive toward the cause. The most likely scenario, as you have already heard, is that existing without a Frame is one of your unique abilities as a SoulBorn. We can find out for certain by using the nearby WeaveTracer.’
‘Tell me what a Soul Weave is first.’
‘A SoulWeave is the soul of a SoulBorn, the Mana that was shaped by a spell into its lifeforce via Soul Weaving Magic.’
‘Can a SoulWeave not exist independently of a Frame?’
‘Yours is the first to do it.’

‘The first to do it…’
‘Admittedly, I am rather excited at the possibilities. But let’s not be too hasty, Miss Rena. Now that we know you are SoulBorn, there is more we can learn. Mr. Ratakana, please head to the nearby Weave Tracer. I will highlight it in your ARRC at Miss Eren’s leave.’
‘Wait!’ Rena blurts as a navline appears at my feet, leading further into the bay. ‘What can we learn?! Please! Tell me it’s something useful!’
‘Happily. Though. Might I suggest we allow Mr. Ratakana the use of his limbs as we continue?’
‘Right! Of Course! C’mon, Izy, hurry!’

As I exit the Flux, the Seakers speak excitedly amongst themselves. Lucan has likely allowed them access to the results.

“A SoulBorn and an Intangent,” says one, sounding as if she were struck dumb in awe. “I know every SoulBorn is unique in some way, but I’ve never heard of one not having a Frame at all.”
“No one has,” responds Captain Cross. “Rena is the first.”
“This could change everything we know about them!” says another.
“That would be something,” says the Captain, “Or it could just be one of her abilities. Either way, we should find out soon enough. In the meantime, Beller, and Krook, go try and make some progress on our petition. Contact HQ, give them an update, and coordinate some potential paths forward.”
“Aw, Boss,” says Beller (previously known as Guard) with a little whine, though I notice neither of them fails to collect their equipment and make ready to leave without hesitation.
“You can keep a channel open to listen in on us,” says the Captain.

Beller and Krook then flash a quick salute to accompany their mischievous grins and rush out the way we came in.

“Mr. Ratakana,’ Cross says, turning to find me. “Your reputation does not go unearned. You certainly seem to have a knack for finding powerful secrets. The WeaveTracer is this way.”

As we walk, Rena catches Lucan again and asks, ‘So what is a WeaveTracer, and what will it show us that the SoulTracer couldn’t?’
‘A WeaveTracer is another in the Tracer line of observation devices. It performs a similar function to the SoulTracer but is more specialized in analyzing ManaMagic and its products. For our purposes, it should be able to break down the spell that created you, discover who cast it, and make some relative speculations as to your unique abilities and the state of your Ghost.’
‘It can do that? How?’
‘In much the same way we can trace Mr. Ratakana’s or Captain Cross’ lineage through their genetic sequences, SoulBorn are also constructed of a written sequence. All spells cast via ManaMagic are, in fact. This sequence, often known as a SpellWeave or SpellCode, is Mana that has been twisted into a certain pattern by a Mage using their Mana System. The process leaves marks on the resulting code unique to both the casting Mage and the techniques they utilized that we can trace once discovered.’
‘That’s possible!?’ Rena exclaims, bursting with excitement. ‘Amazing!’
‘A fine response, Miss Rena,’ Lucan chuckles. ‘Admittedly, the technology is still infantile and quite difficult to produce. The accuracy of the results is not optimal either… still, it is rather valuable, and I no longer get many chances to use it lately.’

The WeaveTracer stands against the wall, a simple flat monolith half again as tall as myself, and a platform on the floor right before it. I put a foot forward, but something tells me to hesitate. 

‘Lucan,’ I ping.
‘What do you need, Mr Ratakana?’ Lucan chimes.
‘I just realized something: this device is designed to analyze SoulBorn down to their deepest level. What will it do to me and Eren?’
‘A just question, Mr. Ratakana. The WeaveTracer uses special waves to penetrate a Souborn’s body and reach its Weave. These waves are akin to the electromagnetic and should not be overtly harmful to either of you, though they might cause a slight discomfort, perhaps short-term nausea. Miss Eren will likely lose her sense of space for a moment but nothing more. If my calculations do not ease your worry, I can present you with several records of other Protorgs entering a WeaveTracer to analyze a SoulBorn whose body resided within their own. I can assure you there were no lasting detrimental effects.’
‘No, your word is insurance enough.’
‘…Thank you, Mr. Ratakana.’

As soon as my feet come to rest on the platform the device hums a single deep note. A ring of light pulses to life at my feet. Every muscle in my body begins to tighten as if bracing for a predicted impact. Several Minis pass this way. At least, thats how it feels. More likely that the scan finished almost as soon as it began. 

‘Oh dear…’ Lucan chimes with an uncharacteristic quiver in his voice. ‘This is fascinating beyond words, Mr. Ratakana! Lich King Brefelac has outdone himself once again! Even after his death he manages to push our understanding. Truly a genius if there ever–’
‘What is it?!’ Rena chimes impatiently. ‘What did you find? Tell me. Please.’
‘There is quite a bit to go over, Miss Rena. I will begin with the question of the Frame. It appears that your Weave has been constructed to be self-contained.’
‘Okay!… What does that mean?’
‘It means that you do not need a Frame at all. Your Weave can hold itself together without any assistance, almost exactly the same way as an Intangent. That you reside within Mr. Ratakana’s Neuralet supports the comparison. But more importantly, it means that you are able to take a Frame regardless, perhaps even using anything you wish. Most fascinating is that this does not seem to be one of your unique abilities but something built into the structure of the Weave itself.’

Wait… What!?

‘Lucan, wait.’ I ping. ‘Are you saying that Rena’s Intagent nature is not unique to her?’
‘That is how it appears, Mr. Ratakana.’ Lucan can barely contain himself. ‘If this is accurate, then any Soul Weaver can create any SoulBorn in this fashion.’ 
‘But that completely contradicts the Frame requirement.’ Eren chimes. ‘How is that possible?’
‘I can’t be sure,’ Lucan says. ‘The details are unclear. I suspect we will need to take a meticulous look at Miss Rena’s Weave structure to derive the techniques Brefelac used.’
‘Does that mean…’ Rena begins to say. ‘Does that mean that ALL SoulBorn are actually Intangents?’
We all hesitate to answer. A conclusion like that would shake many foundations. Many foundations that would not appreciate being shaken. But… ‘it isn’t outside the realm of possibility…’

The realisation weighs heavy in the following silence. After a moment, Lucan speaks up.

‘Mr. Ratakana, there is more. Pertaining to Miss Rena’s Ghost.’
‘More?’ I say. What more could there possibly be? ‘Alright, hit me.’
‘Would you agree with my speculation that you stepped onto a SpellCircle created by King Brefelac?’
‘It’s likely. I stepped onto a Circle, and it rendered both Eren and myself unconscious. We believe it was in one of Brefelac’s workshops, but we weren’t able to confirm much about it before… our escorts… carried us away for our safety. This is all in the scrios.’
‘It is. I merely wish to compile the data into the present. With that in mind, I am confident in saying that it was a Circle containing the spell that created Miss Rena.’
‘Okay. So what about her Ghost?’
‘A memory of terror, of being lost in Space pursued by a Q-virus until finding you, Mr. Ratakana, and taking up residence in your Neuralet.’
‘Right. That’s the story.’
‘Does that story not strike either you or Miss Eren in any way?’
He’s hinting at something, and it’s causing my chest to tighten. ‘…Should it?’
‘Can you tell me, either of you, how the two of you met?’

As soon as he asks the question, I feel that strange emptiness again; a hole in my memory where something should be. It’s getting hard to breath.

‘We… Um… We can’t remember. We were discussing it on the way here and the same thing happened then. It’s like pieces are missing.’
‘Dammit,’ Eren says. ‘I swore I’d never forget…’
‘Allow me to assist,’ Lucan says. ‘I have known the two of you for quite some time. You’ve told me the story on multiple occasions. Please trust me when I say that the way you two met aligns perfectly with Rena’s story. It was not Miss Rena that you gave refuge as she fled from a Q-Virus, Mr. Ratakana, but miss Eren. You cannot remember because the memory is now Miss Rena’s Ghost.’
‘T-That’s preposterous.’ Eren says. ‘Only a SoulWeaver can contribute to a Ghost… right?’
‘That is the common belief, yes. But Miss Rena already breaks many common beliefs. One more is not much of an ask.’
‘But this isn’t just some shallow observation.’ Eren says, an edge of desperate ferocity in her voice. ‘You know exactly what it will mean if this theory is correct.’
‘I understand, Miss Eren. But what of your memories? How else do you explain completely forgetting something you vividly remember to be so important, both of you, and so cleanly? Does it not feel as if someone has taken a knife to your thoughts and cut a hole right out of them? That is a common description from those who’ve contributed to a Gho-’
‘No!’ Eren spits, ‘You don’t understand! You can’t! You’ve seen the scrios! You know how I’ve treated her! If she… I can’t… Don’t…’

Eren’s desperation slams into me at full speed, with enough force to break the Flux. I stumble from the impact, reaching out to steady myself on something, anything. Air refuses to enter my lungs. Tears begin to run down my face. Eren’s horror has consumed me. My mind is too heavy to even form the words to speak. I’m sorry, Eren, Rena. You didn’t deserve this.

‘I don’t get it.’ Rena says, voice quivering through her efforts to steady it. Poor girl… she can feel it, too. She feels it, and she has less clue than anybody what it is. ‘Why is the origin of my Ghost so important?’

‘This is important, Miss Rena,’ Lucan says carefully, ‘because if I am correct, then it means that Mr. Ratakana and Miss Eren are your parents.’

[End Chapter]

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